Effects of predator-induced visual and olfactory cues on 0+ perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) foraging behaviour

Abstract –  Foraging juvenile fish with relatively high food demands are usually vulnerable to various aquatic and avian predators. To compromise between foraging and antipredator activity, they need exact and reliable information about current predation risk. Among direct predator-induced cues, visual and olfactory signals are considered to be most important. Food intake rates and prey-size selectivity of laboratory-reared, naive young-of-the-year (YOY) perch, Perca fluviatilis , were studied in experiments with Daphnia magna of two size classes: 2.8 and 1.3 mm as prey and northern pike, Esox lucius , as predator. Neither total intake rate nor prey-size selectivity was modified by predator kairomones alone (water from an aquarium with a pike was pumped into the test aquaria) under daylight conditions. Visual presentation of pike reduced total food intake by perch. This effect was significantly more pronounced (synergistic) when visual and olfactory cues were presented simultaneously to foraging perch. Moreover, the combination of cues caused a significant shift in prey-size selection, expressed as a reduced proportion of large prey in the diet. Our observations demonstrate that predator-induced olfactory cues alone are less important modifiers of the feeding behaviour of naive YOY perch than visual cues under daylight conditions. However, pike odour acts as a modulatory stimulus enhancing the effects of visual cues, which trigger an innate response in perch.     

水电站虹吸式进水口的控制

在对河北省几座已建虹吸式进水口水电站的虹吸控制方式进行分析对比的基础上,给出了一种采用液气射流泵将虹吸体抽成“低管”正虹吸,用“Y”形管中的水封保持真空,事故时利用“高管”自动补气破坏真空的控制系统,并分析了该系统的特点,给出了设计计算方法及计算公式。     

摄入不同能量的围产期乳牛肝低密度脂蛋白受体mRNA丰度的比较

将30头健康、经产、处于围产期的黑白花乳牛随机分为3组，每组10头。从产前28d开始，低能量组乳牛饲喂《中国奶牛饲养标准（2000）》减少20％日粮（能量摄入80％），对照组乳牛饲喂《标准》日粮（能量摄入100％），高能量组乳牛饲喂《标准》增加20％日粮（能量摄入120％），产后各组乳牛均饲喂标准日粮。至产后第56d结束试验；采用内对照RT-PCR方法检测摄入不同能量的围产期乳牛肝活体组织低密度脂蛋白受体（LDLR）mRNA丰度。结果，不同能量组乳牛肝LDLR mRNA丰度产前至产后均呈现先升高后降低的趋势。100％和120％能量组肝LDLR mRNA丰度在产后14d达最大值，且产后均高于产前（产后56d除外，P〈0．01或P〈0．05）；而80％能量组产后1d即达到最大值，产前14d至产后14d，LDLR mRNA相对表达量显著高于100％和120％能量组；产后28～56d，120％能量组显著高于80％和100％能量组（P〈0．01）。表明围产期乳牛能量摄入水平对肝LDLR mRNA丰度有显著影响。     

Effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the body temperature of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions

Feed intake and diet composition appear to affect the body temperature of pigs. Two trials were conducted to analyse the effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the intestinal temperature (IT) of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions. Ten pigs (64.1 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight) fitted with an ileal cannula were used. A thermometer set to register the IT at 5‐min intervals was implanted into the ileum through the cannula. In both trials, the ambient temperature ranged from 19.1 to 21.6°C and the pigs were fed at 07:00 and 19:00 hr (same amount each time). In trial 1, the pigs were fed daily 1.2 or 1.8 kg of a wheat–soybean meal diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along a 24‐hr period regardless the feed intake level. The IT rapidly increased up to 0.61 and 0.74°C after the morning meal and up to 0.53 and 0.47°C after the evening meal in pigs fed 1.2 and 1.8 kg/d respectively. The postprandial IT was higher in pigs fed 1.8 kg after each meal (p < .05). In trial 2, pigs were fed daily 1.8 kg of a low (11%) or a high (22%) crude protein diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along the 24‐hr period regardless the dietary protein level. The postprandial IT did not differ between pigs fed the low protein or the high protein (p > .10). The IT rapidly increased up to 0.66 and 0.62°C after the morning meal in pigs fed the high‐ and low‐protein diet (p < .05), but there was no change after the evening meal (p > .10). In conclusion, the feed intake level affected the IT of pigs housed under TN conditions, but the dietary protein content had no effect.     

The effects of late gestation nutrient restriction of dams on beef heifer intake,metabolites and hormones during an ad libitum feeding trial

This study's objective was to determine if nutrient restriction during late gestation affected beef heifer feed intake, body weight (BW) gain and endocrine regulation during a 10‐week feeding trial. During the last 100 days of gestation, control (CON) dams were fed to increase body condition score (BCS). Whereas, nutrient‐restricted dams (NR) and NR dams protein supplemented 3 days/week (NRS) were fed to decrease BCS by 1.2. After parturition, all cow‐calf pairs were moved to a common pasture and fed in excess of requirements until weaning. At 15 months of age, heifers were randomly sorted into two pens and adjusted to a commercial total mixed ration over a 2‐week period. Blood samples and BW were taken at the initiation of feeding and on a biweekly basis for the duration of the feeding trial. Feed intake was monitored for 10 weeks using a GrowSafe System. After 10 weeks, an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed on 21 randomly subsampled heifers. During the feeding trial, NR heifers consumed more feed than CON and NRS heifers. Heifers from NR dams tended to increase BW compared to NRS and CON heifers when adjusted for initial BW. Heifers from NR and NRS dams had a greater increase in BCS compared to heifers from CON dams. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations during the feeding trial increased in NR heifers compared to the other groups beginning at 2 and 4 weeks respectively. Plasma leptin concentrations were increased in the NR and NRS heifers compared to the CON heifers beginning at week 4 of feeding. During the IVGTT at the conclusion of the feeding challenge, plasma glucose and insulin were increased in NR heifers compared to other treatment groups. These results show that nutrient restriction during late gestation alters appetite and endocrine regulation in heifer offspring.     

放牧条件下乳用伊犁马采食量的初步研究

2013年8-10月,采用模拟采食法、群牧差额法、内外指示剂结合法在昭苏马场草甸草地上进行了放牧条件下乳用伊犁马采食量的测定。结果表明,1)同种测定方法不同月份之间测定的乳用伊犁马干物质采食量差异不显著(P0.05)。2)模拟采食法测得的干物质采食量为12.79 kg·15 h-1·匹-1,群牧差额法测得为16.39kg·d-1·匹-1,内外指示剂结合法测得为13.28 kg·d-1·匹-1。3)群牧差额法与内外指示剂结合法测定的乳用伊犁马干物质采食量之间差异不显著(P0.05),初步确定乳用伊犁马平均干物质采食量为14.83 kg·d-1·匹-1。     

半胱胺对育成期水貂生长和饲料转化率的影响

选择健康育成期水貂208只,其中200只为试验组,8只为对照组,采用二因子试验设计:一个因子为半胱胺的不同添加量,分别按每千克体质量添加10、40、70、100、130 mg半胱胺;另一因子为半胱胺的不同添加间隔时间,分别为1、3、5、7、9 d 5个时间间隔.通过饲养试验研究了半胱胺对育成期水貂体质量增加、饲料转化率...     

Effect of feeding different sources of selenium on growth performance and antioxidant status of broilers

ABSTRACT

1. This study was conducted to determine the effect of different sources of selenium (Se) on breast and liver tissue deposition, apparent metabolisable energy (AME), growth performance and antioxidant status of broilers, measured as Se content in liver and breast tissues and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in blood, when used in 0–35 d broiler chicken diets.

2. A total of 200 male Ross 308 broilers were used in the feeding trial, which comprised two dietary phases, a starter from 0 to 21 d and finisher from 21 to 35 d of age. Four treatments with 10 replications each were used. A control diet (C) was formulated that was sufficient in protein and energy (230 and 215 g/kg of crude protein and 12.67 and 13.11 MJ/kg of metabolisable energy, respectively), for both phases, but contained background Se only from the feed ingredients. Diet 2 (IS) was supplemented with 10.35 g/t inorganic, elemental source of Se. Diet 3 (SY) was supplemented with 136.36 g/t selenised yeast, an organic source derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Diet 4 (SS) was supplemented with 0.666 g/t sodium selenite, an inorganic source.

3. Birds fed the SY diet consumed less and weighed less than those fed IS or C (P < 0.05; 0–35 d of age), but there was no difference compared to birds fed SS diets. There were no differences in FCR or dietary AME between broilers fed different Se sources. All diets containing supplementary Se increased concentrations in the liver and breast muscle, and for GSH-Px levels in blood compared to birds fed the C diet (P < 0.001). Birds fed SY diets had greater Se levels in liver and breast tissues compared to birds fed any of the other diets (P < 0.001).

4. Diets supplemented with Se had variable effects on broiler growth performances and antioxidant status. Feeding Se from a yeast source has higher transfer into breast tissues. Feeding different sources and levels of Se to birds in a more challenging situation to induce oxidative stress may bring more conclusive results.     

Genetic potential for residual feed intake and diet fed during early- to mid-gestation influences post-natal DNA methylation of imprinted genes in muscle and liver tissues in beef cattle

Discovery of epigenetic modifications associated with feed efficiency or other economically important traits would increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these traits. In combination with known genetic markers, this would provide opportunity to improve genomic selection accuracy in cattle breeding programs. It would also allow cattle to be managed to improve favorable gene expression. The objective of this study was to identify variation in DNA methylation between beef cattle of differential pre-natal nutrition and divergent genetic potential for residual feed intake (RFI). Purebred Angus offspring with the genetic potential for either high (HRFI) or low (LRFI) RFI were prenatally exposed to either a restricted maternal diet of 0.5 kg/d average daily gain (ADG) or a moderate maternal diet of 0.7 kg/d ADG from 30 to 150 d of gestation. We performed DNA methylation analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMR) of imprinted genes (Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) DMR2, IGF2/H19 imprinting control region (ICR) and IGF2 receptor (IGF2R) DMR2) using post-natal samples of longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle taken from male and female calves at birth and weaning, and of LD muscle, semimembranosus (SM) muscle, and liver samples collected from steers at slaughter (17 months of age). Interestingly, for all three DMR investigated in liver, LRFI steers had higher levels of methylation than HRFI steers. In LD muscle, IGF2/H19 ICR methylation differences for heifers at birth were due to pre-natal diet, while for steers at birth they were mostly the result of genetic potential for RFI with LRFI steers again having higher levels of methylation than HRFI steers. While results from repeated measures analysis of DNA methylation in steers grouped by RFI revealed few differences, in steers grouped by diet, we found higher methylation levels of IGF2 DMR2 and IGF2R DMR2 in LD muscle of restricted diet steers at weaning and slaughter than at birth, as well as increased methylation in LD muscle of restricted diet steers compared with moderate diet steers at weaning and/or slaughter. Our results suggest that differential pre-natal nutrition, and divergent genetic potential for RFI, induces tissue- and sex-specific alterations in post-natal IGF2 and IGF2R methylation patterns and that these patterns can vary with age in Angus beef cattle.     

Effects of vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia on the intake,performance, feeding behavior,blood parameters,and immune responses of dairy heifers calves

The aim of this study was to identify possible effects of different vaccination strategies (concomitantly or not) against brucellosis and clostridia on intake, performance, feeding behavior, blood parameters, and immune responses of dairy heifers calves. Fifty heifers calves were enrolled [38 Gyr (Zebu, Bos taurus indicus) and 12 5/8 Holstein Gyr]. At 120 d of age, animals were randomly distributed among 3 groups: B (n = 18), vaccinated against brucellosis; C (n = 14), vaccinated against clostridia and CB (n = 18), vaccinated concomitantly for both. Rectal and thermographic temperatures were evaluated on days 1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7,10, 14, and 28 relatives to the vaccination day. Feed and water intake, body weight (BW), and feeding behavior were monitored daily by an electronic feeding system. Blood was sampled on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28, relative to the vaccination day for determination of glucose and -hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations. Blood sampled on day 0 (prevaccination) and on days 28 and 42 were used to evaluate the immune response against Brucella abortus and clostridia. There was an increase in rectal temperature between the first and the third day postvaccination in the 3 groups. The thermography revealed an increase of local temperature for 7 d on groups B and CB. Group C had increased local temperature for a longer period, lasting for up to 14 d. Dry mater intake was reduced for groups B and CB, but no alteration was observed for group C. No alterations regarding initial BW, final BW, average daily weight gain, and feed efficiency were observed. No differences were observed for the 3 vaccination groups for blood parameters throughout the evaluation period. The concomitant vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia led to lower neutralizing antibody titers against epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens and botulinum toxin type C of C. botulinum (C > CB > B). When cellular proliferation assay and serological tests to B. abortus were evaluated, no differences were observed between groups B and CB. The present results indicate that the concomitant vaccination against brucellosis and clostridia has no relevant impact on the intake, performance, and feeding behavior of dairy calves. However, the concomitant vaccination of vaccines against these 2 pathogens impacts animal immunity against clostridial infections.