Biochemical proximates of pumpkin (Cucurbitaeae spp.) and their beneficial effects on the general well‐being of poultry species

There is a growing need to increase productivity in poultry. Growth hormones and antibiotics have the ability to improve health, weight gain and feed efficiency in meat‐producing animals. The growth‐promoting antibiotics are administered to poultry to improve the general performance of the chicken. However, the use of the xenobiotic drugs in food‐producing animals has been a concern and a sensitive issue of debate for several decades in the EU and many other regional blocks of the world. Consequently, the use of hormones in animal production has been banned in Italy, Denmark and Germany for over 4–5 decades, while Belgium and Greece had never permitted its use for livestock fattening purposes. Bioactive phytochemicals exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiparasitic, antiprotozoal, antifungal and anti‐inflammatory properties and consequently have several beneficial effects on appetite, growth and the immune status of the animal. In South Africa, different species of pumpkin are produced for food due to their high nutrient content. The flesh serves as a traditional food, while the seeds and peels are commonly discarded. Pumpkin seed extract is reported to be useful for immunomodulation, reproductive health, therapeutics over a wide range of disease conditions and stimulates metabolism of accumulated fats. Studies have also shown that pumpkin seeds are a valuable source of protein and fat. Their complexity and extent of bioactivity offers sustainable prospects for natural control of pathogenic/parasitic organisms, stimulate nutrition or enhance resistance to disease infections, and reduce abdominal fat and serum levels of harmful lipids, while increasing serum levels of beneficial lipids.     

皖南黄肉种鸡种蛋中禽白血病病毒的感染状态检测

本研究首次通过检测种蛋中禽白血病病毒(ALV)评价了皖南黄父母代肉种鸡的ALV感染状态.收集该鸡群的120枚鸡蛋,取40枚鸡蛋孵化至9～11 d后分别制备CEF,培养10 d,取细胞上清用ELISA试剂盒检测ALV p27抗原.另取80枚鸡蛋卵白直接检测p27抗原,同时分别将80枚鸡蛋卵白接种CEF(DF1),培养10 d后取细胞上清检测p27抗原.比较p27阳性检出率的结果表明,受精蛋孵化9～11 d后制备CEF,再培养10 d的细胞上清检出率(10/36)高于直接检测卵白(17/80)与卵白接种CEF(DF1)的细胞上清(7/80).将经DF1培养后p27抗原阳性样品,用针对ALV-J的单抗JE9做IFA,ALV-J的阳性率为6/7.检测该80枚鸡蛋的卵黄抗体,ALV-J、ALV-AB的抗体阳性率分别为18/80、1/80.结果表明,该皖南黄父母代肉种鸡群存在的外源性ALV感染主要为ALV-J.该研究为ALV的净化提供了可行性检测方法.     

Examining the evidence for ecologically sustainable ostrich breeding practices on natural veld in the Little Karoo,South Africa

Land degradation in the Little Karoo is extensive. Overstocking of breeding ostriches on natural veld has been among the main causes of this. The National Department of Agriculture has set a general stocking rate of 60 ha LSU^?1 as a guideline for livestock on natural veld in the Little Karoo, which equates to 22.8 ha ostrich^?1. The aim of this review is to examine the scientific principles, data and assumptions the current recommended stocking rate for breeding ostriches on natural veld in the Little Karoo is based on and to investigate if there is a stocking rate (or range of stocking rates) that has been demonstrated to be ecologically and/or economically sustainable. We found no evidence that the recommended stocking rate of 22.8 ha ostrich^?1 is economically or ecologically sustainable in the Little Karoo. Most studies only addressed a single dimension of sustainability, and stocking rates deemed to be economically sustainable were several times higher than ecologically based recommendations. Given that economic and ecological objectives appear irreconcilable on open veld, an industry switch from extensive to intensive breeding practices may be a solution. Further research is required that integrates the socio-economic and ecological aspects of ostrich farming in the Little Karoo.     

杏鲍菇多糖对鸡群免疫功能调节的研究

为了验证杏鲍菇多糖对鸡群机体免疫功能的调节作用,通过检测注射免疫新城疫疫苗后鸡群的抗体水平和红细胞免疫黏附力,研究杏鲍菇多糖对鸡群免疫功能调节的影响。结果表明:鸡群在口服杏鲍菇多糖后,免疫新城疫疫苗抗体水平和红细胞免疫黏附力比对照组有明显的提高,说明杏鲍菇多糖具有提高鸡群免疫的功能。     

Effect of Initial Full Feeding of Broiler Breeder Pullets on Carcass Development and Body Weight Variation

Broiler breeder pullets are fully fed for several weeks to give chicks a vigorous start, to establish an adequate frame size, and to build increased flock BW uniformity. This study was designed to determine whether reducing the length of the initial ad libitum feeding period of pullets would be detrimental to subsequent fleshing, skeletal development, and BW variation. A total of 720 Ross 308 pullets were placed in 8 pens on the day of hatch and provided ad libitum access to feed at 1 wk (1WK) or 3 wk (3WK) of age, at which time a 5:2 restriction program began. Individual BW and external fleshing scores, and flock BW variation (CV and uniformity) were monitored. At 4, 8, 12, and 16 wk, 60 randomly selected birds per treatment were dissected for assessment of breast muscle, fatness, and reproductive development. At 3 wk of age, BW of the 3WK pullets (471 g) was greater than that of the 1WK pullets (312 g), and the daily rate of gain was double. Although feed allocation was decreased markedly at 3 wk in 3WK birds, by 4 wk they weighed 30% more, and had a greater frame size and proportion of breast muscle than the 1WK birds. At 8 wk of age, the 3WK birds were still heavier (973 g for 3WK vs. 899 g for 1WK). Most carcass measures were similar between treatments at 12 wk of age, by which time BW profiles were similar. At 16 wk of age, frame size and proportion of breast muscle were not different between groups. The BW variation did not differ through the initial 12 wk, but was superior at 14 and 16 wk of age in 1WK birds, possibly because of greater feed allocation between 8 to 16 wk, which is the most intense feed restriction period. The reduced feed intake of 3WK birds at the onset of feed restriction reduced their ME requirement for maintenance, likely contributing to this result. Increasing the length of the ad libitum feed access period after hatch altered growth and conformation traits to 8 wk of age and did not affect frame size or proportion of breast muscle, but increased BW variability late in the rearing period.     

基于新城疫病毒V蛋白鉴别鸡群感染与免疫的间接ELISA方法的建立

本研究以新城疫病毒(NDV)V蛋白羧基端结构域(Vc)的重组蛋白为包被抗原,建立了用于检测NDV V蛋白抗体的间接ELISA方法,并采用该方法检测了鸡群免疫或接毒后血清中的V蛋白抗体水平。结果显示:两组不同NDV灭活疫苗组在免疫后的3周内检测结果均为阴性;两组灭活疫苗免疫3周后再人工感染NDV强毒的鸡群,攻毒后第7、14和21 d,NDV阳性率分别为60%、80%、70%和50%、80%、70%;两组不同的NDV弱毒疫苗免疫组鸡群,仅在免疫后第21 d阳性率分别为20%和10%。以上结果表明,NDV疫苗免疫组与强毒感染组的V蛋白抗体阳性率存在明显差异,本方法可在群体水平上区分新城疫疫苗免疫与强毒感染鸡群,为NDV血清学诊断和流行病学调查提供了一种新的检测手段。     

In vivo kinetics of peripheral cellular immune responses in Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infected and vaccinated goats

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis (ParaTB) also known as Johne’s disease (JD) in ruminants, which is characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation. A similar counterpart has been observed in the form of Crohn's disease in humans. The present study is the first trail in goats to understand the peripheral cellular immune responses following experimental MAP infection and vaccination. Fifteen apparently healthy male kids (3–6 months old) of Barbari breed were included in this study. In the experimental study, 5 kids were infected with ‘S 5’ strain of MAP (“Indian Bison Type”), 5 were vaccinated (Indigenous Vaccine) against MAP infection (Singh et al., 2007) and the remaining 5 kids were uninfected and non-vaccinated controls. Kids were observed for a period of 180 days post exposure (infection and vaccination) and were tested for development of infection. Cellular immune responses (in blood) were recorded post-exposure by three assays. We measured the frequencies of CD4 and CD8T cells, estimated plasma IFNγ and TNα and in the third assay, in vitro cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from vaccinated, infected and controls were examined in response to polyclonal stimulation. The frequencies of peripheral CD4 and CD8T cells were comparable in control, infected and vaccinated animals except around day 49 post-infection where MAP infected animals showed a trend towards significantly reduced frequencies of CD4 T cells compared to apparently healthy controls. Significantly reduced plasma TNFα levels were also observed in infected animals compared to vaccinated animals,during the course of infection. Diminished levels (although non significant) of TNFα were observed in the supernatants from polyclonally stimulated PBMCs at around day 49 post infection. It is conceivable that the diminished cellular immune responses may coincide with an impairment (immune exhaustion) of perhaps antigen-specific CD4T cells that might, in the course of infection, contribute to the progressive nature of caprine paratuberculosis.     

绵羊肺炎支原体Y98 P30基因的克隆、表达及免疫试验

根据猪肺炎支原体（Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae,Mhp）跨膜蛋白P30基因序列设计引物,通过PCR克隆出绵羊肺炎支原体（Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae,MO）膜蛋白P30基因片段。通过对该序列的同源性分析表明MOP30基因与Mhp P30基因核苷酸序列同源性为79%。抗原表位及跨膜结构预测的结果表明,MO P30基因与Mhp P30基因的抗原表位及跨膜结构均具有高度的一致性。该片段中含1个TGA编码Trp,而不是终止密码子。将P30基因与原核表达载体pET-28a连接构建pET-28a-P30表达质粒,转化受体菌Rossta得到重组菌株Rossta（pET-28a-P30）。经诱导后SDS-PAGE表明有30 000左右的目的条带出现;Western blot表明Rossta（pET-28a-P30）表达的30 000蛋白主要以包涵体的形式存在;小鼠免疫试验表明Rossta（pET-28a-P30）原核表达的蛋白对小鼠具有一定的保护作用。     

不同高致病性禽流感疫苗对肉鸡免疫效果观察

应用重组禽流感病毒灭活疫苗(H5N1亚型,Re-1株),禽流感-新城疫重组二联活疫苗(rL-H5株),首免用重组禽流感病毒灭活疫苗(H5N1亚型,Re-1株)、二免用禽流感-新城疫重组二联活疫苗(rL-H5株)对3组肉鸡进行禽流感的免疫效果观察。结果表明:免疫重组禽流感病毒灭活疫苗(H5N1亚型,Re-1株)的效果比免疫禽流感-新城疫重组二联活疫苗(rL-H5株)的效果好;首免用重组禽流感病毒灭活疫苗(H5N1亚型,Re-1株)、二免用禽流感-新城疫重组二联活疫苗(rL-H5株)的效果比免疫重组禽流感病毒灭活疫苗(H5N1亚型,Re-1株)的效果更好。