Background Many countries have already banned the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry,making it extremely difficult to maintain animal health in livestock breeding.In the livestock industry,there is an urgent need ...Background Many countries have already banned the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry,making it extremely difficult to maintain animal health in livestock breeding.In the livestock industry,there is an urgent need to develop alternatives to antibiotics which will not lead to drug resistance on prolonged use.In this study,eighteen castrated bulls were randomly divided into two groups.The control group(CK)was fed the basal diet,while the antimicrobial peptide group(AP)was fed the basal diet supplemented with 8 g of antimicrobial peptides in the basal diet for the experimental period of 270 d.They were then slaughtered to measure production performance,and the ruminal contents were isolated for metagenomic and metabolome sequencing analysis.Result The results showed that antimicrobial peptides could improve the daily weight,carcass weight,and net meat weight of the experimental animals.Additionally,the rumen papillae diameter and the micropapillary density in the AP were significantly greater than those in the CK.Furthermore,the determination of digestive enzymes and fermentation parameters showed that the contents of protease,xylanase,andβ-glucoside in the AP were greater than those in the CK.However,lipase content in the CK was greater than that in the AP.Moreover,the content of acetate,propionate,butyrate,and valerate was found to be greater in AP than those in CK.The metagenomic analysis annotated 1993 differential microorganisms at the species level.The KEGG enrichment of these microorganisms revealed that the enrichment of drug resistance-related pathways was dramatically decreased in the AP,whereas the enrichment of immune-related pathways was significantly increased.There was also a significant reduction in the types of viruses in the AP.187 probiotics with significant differences were found,135 of which were higher in AP than in CK.It was also found that the antimicrobial mechanism of the antimicrobial peptides was quite specific.Seven low-abundance microorganisms(Acinetobactersp.Ac1271,Aequorivita soesokkakensis,Bacillus lacisalsi,Haloferax larsenii,Lysinibacillussp.3DF0063,Parabacteroidessp.217,Streptomycessp.So13.3)were found to regulate growth performance of the bull negatively.Metabolome analysis identified 45 differentially differential metabolites that significantly different between the CK and the AP groups.Seven upregulated metabolites(4-pyridoxic acid,Ala-Phe,3-ureidopropionate,hippuric acid,terephthalic acid,L-alanine,uridine 5-monophosphate)improve the growth performance of the experimental animals.To detect the interactions between the rumen microbiome and metabolism,we associated the rumen microbiome with the metabolome and found that negative regulation between the above 7 microorganisms and 7 metabolites.Conclusions This study shows that antimicrobial peptides can improve the growth performance of animals while resisting viruses and harmful bacteria and are expected to become healthy alternatives to antibiotics.We demonstrated a new antimicrobial peptides pharmacological model.We demonstrated low-abundance microorganisms may play a role by regulating the content of metabolites.展开更多
The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of draught work on carcass characteristics, meat yield potential, and distribution along primal cuts in Hararghe highland bulls fed on net energy requirement bas...The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of draught work on carcass characteristics, meat yield potential, and distribution along primal cuts in Hararghe highland bulls fed on net energy requirement basis. Twelve bulls were sorted into three groups of four animals each and assigned to three treatment hours: control (0), 4, or 6, using a complete randomized design (CRD). The results of the study show that there are no significant differences (p > 0.05) in slaughter weight, hot carcass weight (HCW), chilling loss, total edible and non-edible offal, fat thickness (FT), deboned meat yield (kg), meat to bone ratio, muscle distribution, and proportion of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH%) among the treatment groups. However, the hot carcass-based dressing percentage was significantly lowered (p < 0.05) in bulls that work 4 or 6 hours a day. Meat yield was strongly correlated with HCW (r = 0.74) and FT (r = 0.73). Therefore, the number of hours the bull spent on draught work did not negatively impact meat yield or quality. Consequently, the research suggests that utilizing Hararghe highland bulls for draught service, four or six hours a day is viable for dual advantages: crop cultivation and marketable carcass.展开更多
Background This study investigated the effects of inorganic and organic minerals on physiological responses,oxidative stress reduction,and rumen microbiota in Holstein bull calves(123.81±9.76 kg;5 months old)duri...Background This study investigated the effects of inorganic and organic minerals on physiological responses,oxidative stress reduction,and rumen microbiota in Holstein bull calves(123.81±9.76 kg;5 months old)during short-term heat stress(HS)and recovery periods.Eight Holstein calves were randomly assigned to four treatment groups:no mineral supplementation(Con),inorganic minerals(IM),organic minerals(OM),and high-concentration organic minerals(HOM)and two thermal environments(HS and recovery)using 4×2 factorial arrangement in a crossover design of four periods of 35 d.Calves were maintained in a temperature-controlled barn.The experimental period consisted of 14 d of HS,14 d of recovery condititon,and a 7-d washing period.Results Body temperature and respiration rate were higher in HS than in the recovery conditions(P<0.05).Selenium concentration in serum was high in the HOM-supplemented calves in both HS(90.38μg/dL)and recovery periods(102.00μg/dL)(P<0.05).During the HS period,the serum cortisol was 20.26 ng/mL in the HOM group,which was 5.60 ng/mL lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The total antioxidant status was the highest in the OM group(2.71 mmol Trolox equivalent/L),followed by the HOM group during HS,whereas it was highest in the HOM group(2.58 mmol Trolox equivalent/L)during the recovery period(P<0.05).Plasma malondialdehyde and HSP70 levels were decreased by HOM supplementation during the HS and recovery periods,whereas SOD and GPX levels were not significantly affected(P>0.05).The principal coordinate analysis represented that the overall rumen microbiota was not influenced by mineral supplementation;however,temperature-induced microbial structure shifts were indicated(PERMANOVA:P<0.05).At the phylum level,Firmicutes and Actinobacteria decreased,whereas Fibrobacteres,Spirochaetes,and Tenericutes increased(P<0.05),under HS conditions.The genus Treponema increased under HS conditions,while Christensenella was higher in recovery conditions(P<0.05).Conclusion HOM supplementation during HS reduced cortisol concentrations and increased total antioxidant status in Holstein bull calves,suggesting that high organic mineral supplementation may alleviate the adverse effects of HS.展开更多
Background: Semen evaluation is used to estimate the testicular function. In bulls, the spermatozoa present in the ejaculate are the result of a process that begun more than 2 mo earlier, bequeathing a delayed depicti...Background: Semen evaluation is used to estimate the testicular function. In bulls, the spermatozoa present in the ejaculate are the result of a process that begun more than 2 mo earlier, bequeathing a delayed depiction of the actual function of the testis. Since testis vascularization might be critical for the gonad function, selected pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters were assessed in this study, for instance the peak systolic velocity, the end diastolic velocity and the resistive index of the testicular artery along the spermatic cord, the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery both in healthy adult and young bulls.Correlations between these parameters and characteristics of semen that was collected numerous times, before and after the Doppler ultrasound examination.Results: The peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity measured in the testicular artery along the spermatic cord(supratesticular artery – SA) were variable among the bulls and within individual bulls, likely due to the convoluted course of the vessel. The resistive index was found highly repeatable in the same bull. A reduction in the resistive index was found between the supratesticular artery and the marginal portion of the testicular artery(P < 0.01), and between the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery(P < 0.05). No differences were recorded for the pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters in young bulls compared with adults. A significant correlation was found between the resistive index of the marginal portion of the testicular artery and total sperm in the ejaculate(r = 0.516, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.462, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.375, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.389, P < 0.05). Similarly, the resistive index of the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery were found correlated with the total sperm number in the ejaculate(r = 0.568, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.523, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.418, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.341, P < 0.05).Conclusions: The data presented in this study suggest that the resistive index, measured at the marginal portion of the testicular artery, could be an easy-to-perform parameter to evaluate the spermatogenesis quality in young bulls and normal adults.展开更多
This study evaluated the effects of palm fat powder(PFP) and coated folic acid(CFA) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, hepatic lipid content and...This study evaluated the effects of palm fat powder(PFP) and coated folic acid(CFA) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, hepatic lipid content and gene expression in dairy bulls. Forty-eight Chinese Holstein bulls((362±12.4) days of age and(483±27.1) kg of body weight(BW)) were assigned to four groups in a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangements. Supplemental PFP(0 or 30 g PFP kg-1 dietary dry matter(DM)) and CFA(0 or 120 mg FA d-1 as CFA) were mixed into the top one-third of a total mixed ration. The study included a 20-day adaptation period and followed by a 90-day collection period. The lower(P<0.01) feed conversion ratio with PFP or CFA addition resulted from the constant DM intake and the higher(P<0.05) average daily gain. The higher(P<0.05) ruminal p H, ether extract digestibility, microbial α-amylase activity, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens copy, and expression of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor α(PPARα) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1(CPT1), and lower ruminal total volatile fatty acids(VFA) concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, neutral detergent fibre(NDF) digestibility, copies of total protozoa and Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1(SREBP1) and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase α(ACACA) were observed for PFP addition. Supplementation with CFA increased(P<0.05) ruminal total VFA concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein and NDF, activity of cellobiase, pectinase and α-amylase, copies of selected microbial except for total protozoa, as well as expression of PPARα, but decreased(P<0.05) ruminal p H, and expression of SREBP1 and ACACA. The PFP×CFA interaction(P<0.05) was observed for ammonia N, hepatic TG content, and m RNA expression of CPT1 and FAS. There had no significant difference in hepatic TG content when CFA was supplemented in the diet without PFP addition, the lower(P=0.001) hepatic TG content was observed when CFA was supplemented in the diet with PFP addition. The higher(P<0.05) m RNA expression of CPT1, and the lower(P<0.05) m RNA expression of FAS and ammonia N concentration were observed when CFA was supplemented in diet either without or with PFP addition. The results indicated that supplementation of CFA in PFP diet was more effective on increasing hepatic CPT1 expression, and decreasing ammonia N, hepatic TG content and FAS expression than in diet without PFP. Supplementation with PFP or CFA improved growth performance of dairy bulls by promoting nutrient utilization, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, and hepatic gene expression.展开更多
F-box and WD-40 domain protein 11(FBXW11)is an important component of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase enzyme that plays a key role in the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of spermatogenesis.In our previous research,the mRNA exp...F-box and WD-40 domain protein 11(FBXW11)is an important component of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase enzyme that plays a key role in the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of spermatogenesis.In our previous research,the mRNA expression of FBXW11 in bull sperm with high motility is significantly higher than that with low motility.In the present study,the protein expression levels of FBXW11 in bull testicular tissues with low-performance sperm quality groups were significantly higher than those in normal performance groups.The immunohistochemistry result demonstrated that FBXW11 protein was located in the periphery of Leydig cells and seminiferous tubules.Three splice variants of the FBXW11 gene,namely,FBXW11-tv1,FBXW11-tv2,and FBXW11-tv3,were identified in testicular tissues.The splicing patterns of the three variants are exon skipping.The transcript FBXW11-tv2 expressions were the highest in each sample.The low-performance groups displayed higher FBXW11-tv1 and FBXW11-tv2 transcript expressions than the normal performance groups.Two CpG islands were located within the 5’UTR and exon 1-2 region of the FBXW11 gene.Bisulfite sequencing PCR results demonstrated that the methylation levels of 11 methylation sites in the CpG island 2 from−99 to−43 in the normal performance groups were significantly lower than those in the low-performance groups.Pearson correlation analysis suggested that the CpG island 2 methylation level was negatively correlated with sperm motility and the transcript FBXW11-tv2 expression level.Our data revealed that alternative splicing and DNA methylation jointly regulated FBXW11 gene expression and were correlated with sperm quality traits during spermatogenesis in Holsteins.展开更多
Apple bull’s eye rot is caused by pathogenic Neofabraea species including N. malicorticis, N. perennans and N. alba. Fruits carrying this fungal quarantine disease are prohibited from entering China. The host plants ...Apple bull’s eye rot is caused by pathogenic Neofabraea species including N. malicorticis, N. perennans and N. alba. Fruits carrying this fungal quarantine disease are prohibited from entering China. The host plants for the pathogens include several Rosaceae fruits including apple and pear. Disease symptoms and pathogen morphology are often insufficient to determine the identity of the pathogen, particularly at the species level. In the current study, we analyzed the inter-species sequence variations in the β-tublin gene, and designed specific primers to allow PCR amplification of 554 bp fragments from pathogenic Neofabraea species. The PCR products were recovered and sequenced, and Blast search was conducted using the DNA sequences in the Genbank database. The results indicated precise PCR amplification of the target sequences from the host pathogen, which allowed unambiguous identification of the species.展开更多
To investigate the security of semen biologically, 15 bull semen samples were collected (of which 5 exhibited clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease) and identified by RT-PCR and virus isolation. The results indicat...To investigate the security of semen biologically, 15 bull semen samples were collected (of which 5 exhibited clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease) and identified by RT-PCR and virus isolation. The results indicated that the semen of the infected bulls were contaminated by Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), but FMDV was not detected in semen samples from those bulls not showing clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This is the first report of the presence of FMDV in bull semen due to natural infection in China. The analysis of the partial sequence of the VP1 gene showed that the virus strain isolated from semen has 97.9% identity with the virus isolated from vesicular liquid of infected bulls showing typical signs of FMD and belonged to the same gene sub-group.展开更多
Osteopontin (OPN) is a protein found at higher concentrations in the seminal plasma of bulls with above average fertility. Polymorphisms have been reported within the OPN gene promoter that can affect production of th...Osteopontin (OPN) is a protein found at higher concentrations in the seminal plasma of bulls with above average fertility. Polymorphisms have been reported within the OPN gene promoter that can affect production of this protein and thus, affect fertility. Therefore, Angus (n = 5) and Angus x Gelbvieh (Balancer, n = 14) and Angus x Brahman (n = 15) bulls were evaluated for presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the Bos taurus OPN gene (GenBank: AY878328.1) promoter region, and their possible effects on bull semen quality as evaluated by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Semen was collected by electroejaculation 6 to 9 times from each bull, and each semen collection was evaluated by CASA for motile, progressive and rapid sperm within 5 mins of ejaculation. The bulls were genotyped for reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the OPN gene through amplification of two 700 base pair (bp) DNA fragments and sequencing of the resulting PCR products. Seven SNP sites were identified, at bp 3379, 3490, 3492, 5075, 5205, 5209, and 5263 of the OPN gene. The SNP identified at bp 5205, 5209 and 5263 had not been previously reported. Individual SNP sites were evaluated as the main effect on CASA sperm motility variables in a SAS MIXED model for repeated measures. A thymine to guanine substitution at bp 3379 was associated with increased (P ≤ 0.02) percentage of motile, progressive and rapid sperm in Angus x Brahman bulls, and tended (P ≤ 0.10) to increase the same sperm motility parameters in Angus, and Angus x Gelbvieh bulls. The percentages of motile, progressive and rapid sperm were similar (P ≥ 0.05) among genotypes for the other 6 SNP identified. These results suggest that identification and genotyping of polymorphisms within the promoter region of the bovine OPN gene may be useful for selecting bulls with improved sperm motility parameters.展开更多
基金financially supported by Research and application of corn straw forage and beef cattle high-efficiency and quality production technology (Provincial Education Science and Technology Innovation Project) (GSSYLXM-02)the Gansu beef cattle quality fattening project (GSAXMLZ-2021-01)+1 种基金the Application of Pingliang Red Bull Planting and Breeding Combined with High-efficiency Circular Production System Construction Technology Application (2020C-08)the local funding (GSSLCSX-2020-1)。
文摘Background Many countries have already banned the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry,making it extremely difficult to maintain animal health in livestock breeding.In the livestock industry,there is an urgent need to develop alternatives to antibiotics which will not lead to drug resistance on prolonged use.In this study,eighteen castrated bulls were randomly divided into two groups.The control group(CK)was fed the basal diet,while the antimicrobial peptide group(AP)was fed the basal diet supplemented with 8 g of antimicrobial peptides in the basal diet for the experimental period of 270 d.They were then slaughtered to measure production performance,and the ruminal contents were isolated for metagenomic and metabolome sequencing analysis.Result The results showed that antimicrobial peptides could improve the daily weight,carcass weight,and net meat weight of the experimental animals.Additionally,the rumen papillae diameter and the micropapillary density in the AP were significantly greater than those in the CK.Furthermore,the determination of digestive enzymes and fermentation parameters showed that the contents of protease,xylanase,andβ-glucoside in the AP were greater than those in the CK.However,lipase content in the CK was greater than that in the AP.Moreover,the content of acetate,propionate,butyrate,and valerate was found to be greater in AP than those in CK.The metagenomic analysis annotated 1993 differential microorganisms at the species level.The KEGG enrichment of these microorganisms revealed that the enrichment of drug resistance-related pathways was dramatically decreased in the AP,whereas the enrichment of immune-related pathways was significantly increased.There was also a significant reduction in the types of viruses in the AP.187 probiotics with significant differences were found,135 of which were higher in AP than in CK.It was also found that the antimicrobial mechanism of the antimicrobial peptides was quite specific.Seven low-abundance microorganisms(Acinetobactersp.Ac1271,Aequorivita soesokkakensis,Bacillus lacisalsi,Haloferax larsenii,Lysinibacillussp.3DF0063,Parabacteroidessp.217,Streptomycessp.So13.3)were found to regulate growth performance of the bull negatively.Metabolome analysis identified 45 differentially differential metabolites that significantly different between the CK and the AP groups.Seven upregulated metabolites(4-pyridoxic acid,Ala-Phe,3-ureidopropionate,hippuric acid,terephthalic acid,L-alanine,uridine 5-monophosphate)improve the growth performance of the experimental animals.To detect the interactions between the rumen microbiome and metabolism,we associated the rumen microbiome with the metabolome and found that negative regulation between the above 7 microorganisms and 7 metabolites.Conclusions This study shows that antimicrobial peptides can improve the growth performance of animals while resisting viruses and harmful bacteria and are expected to become healthy alternatives to antibiotics.We demonstrated a new antimicrobial peptides pharmacological model.We demonstrated low-abundance microorganisms may play a role by regulating the content of metabolites.
文摘The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of draught work on carcass characteristics, meat yield potential, and distribution along primal cuts in Hararghe highland bulls fed on net energy requirement basis. Twelve bulls were sorted into three groups of four animals each and assigned to three treatment hours: control (0), 4, or 6, using a complete randomized design (CRD). The results of the study show that there are no significant differences (p > 0.05) in slaughter weight, hot carcass weight (HCW), chilling loss, total edible and non-edible offal, fat thickness (FT), deboned meat yield (kg), meat to bone ratio, muscle distribution, and proportion of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH%) among the treatment groups. However, the hot carcass-based dressing percentage was significantly lowered (p < 0.05) in bulls that work 4 or 6 hours a day. Meat yield was strongly correlated with HCW (r = 0.74) and FT (r = 0.73). Therefore, the number of hours the bull spent on draught work did not negatively impact meat yield or quality. Consequently, the research suggests that utilizing Hararghe highland bulls for draught service, four or six hours a day is viable for dual advantages: crop cultivation and marketable carcass.
基金supported by the Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development(Project No.PJ015039032023)Rural Development Administration,Republic of Korea.
文摘Background This study investigated the effects of inorganic and organic minerals on physiological responses,oxidative stress reduction,and rumen microbiota in Holstein bull calves(123.81±9.76 kg;5 months old)during short-term heat stress(HS)and recovery periods.Eight Holstein calves were randomly assigned to four treatment groups:no mineral supplementation(Con),inorganic minerals(IM),organic minerals(OM),and high-concentration organic minerals(HOM)and two thermal environments(HS and recovery)using 4×2 factorial arrangement in a crossover design of four periods of 35 d.Calves were maintained in a temperature-controlled barn.The experimental period consisted of 14 d of HS,14 d of recovery condititon,and a 7-d washing period.Results Body temperature and respiration rate were higher in HS than in the recovery conditions(P<0.05).Selenium concentration in serum was high in the HOM-supplemented calves in both HS(90.38μg/dL)and recovery periods(102.00μg/dL)(P<0.05).During the HS period,the serum cortisol was 20.26 ng/mL in the HOM group,which was 5.60 ng/mL lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The total antioxidant status was the highest in the OM group(2.71 mmol Trolox equivalent/L),followed by the HOM group during HS,whereas it was highest in the HOM group(2.58 mmol Trolox equivalent/L)during the recovery period(P<0.05).Plasma malondialdehyde and HSP70 levels were decreased by HOM supplementation during the HS and recovery periods,whereas SOD and GPX levels were not significantly affected(P>0.05).The principal coordinate analysis represented that the overall rumen microbiota was not influenced by mineral supplementation;however,temperature-induced microbial structure shifts were indicated(PERMANOVA:P<0.05).At the phylum level,Firmicutes and Actinobacteria decreased,whereas Fibrobacteres,Spirochaetes,and Tenericutes increased(P<0.05),under HS conditions.The genus Treponema increased under HS conditions,while Christensenella was higher in recovery conditions(P<0.05).Conclusion HOM supplementation during HS reduced cortisol concentrations and increased total antioxidant status in Holstein bull calves,suggesting that high organic mineral supplementation may alleviate the adverse effects of HS.
基金the Provincial Breeders Federation of Trento for their support
文摘Background: Semen evaluation is used to estimate the testicular function. In bulls, the spermatozoa present in the ejaculate are the result of a process that begun more than 2 mo earlier, bequeathing a delayed depiction of the actual function of the testis. Since testis vascularization might be critical for the gonad function, selected pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters were assessed in this study, for instance the peak systolic velocity, the end diastolic velocity and the resistive index of the testicular artery along the spermatic cord, the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery both in healthy adult and young bulls.Correlations between these parameters and characteristics of semen that was collected numerous times, before and after the Doppler ultrasound examination.Results: The peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity measured in the testicular artery along the spermatic cord(supratesticular artery – SA) were variable among the bulls and within individual bulls, likely due to the convoluted course of the vessel. The resistive index was found highly repeatable in the same bull. A reduction in the resistive index was found between the supratesticular artery and the marginal portion of the testicular artery(P < 0.01), and between the marginal portion of the testicular artery and the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery(P < 0.05). No differences were recorded for the pulse wave Doppler ultrasound parameters in young bulls compared with adults. A significant correlation was found between the resistive index of the marginal portion of the testicular artery and total sperm in the ejaculate(r = 0.516, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.462, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.375, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.389, P < 0.05). Similarly, the resistive index of the intratesticular branches of the testicular artery were found correlated with the total sperm number in the ejaculate(r = 0.568, P < 0.05), the immature sperm(r = 0.523, P < 0.05), the teratoid sperm(r = 0.418, P < 0.05), and the "Dag defect" sperm(r = 0.341, P < 0.05).Conclusions: The data presented in this study suggest that the resistive index, measured at the marginal portion of the testicular artery, could be an easy-to-perform parameter to evaluate the spermatogenesis quality in young bulls and normal adults.
基金supported by a grant from the Natural Science Funding Projects of Shanxi Province,China(201801D121241)the Animal Husbandry Dominant Key Discipline Construction Project in“1331 Project”of Shanxi Province,China。
文摘This study evaluated the effects of palm fat powder(PFP) and coated folic acid(CFA) on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, hepatic lipid content and gene expression in dairy bulls. Forty-eight Chinese Holstein bulls((362±12.4) days of age and(483±27.1) kg of body weight(BW)) were assigned to four groups in a completely randomized design with a 2×2 factorial arrangements. Supplemental PFP(0 or 30 g PFP kg-1 dietary dry matter(DM)) and CFA(0 or 120 mg FA d-1 as CFA) were mixed into the top one-third of a total mixed ration. The study included a 20-day adaptation period and followed by a 90-day collection period. The lower(P<0.01) feed conversion ratio with PFP or CFA addition resulted from the constant DM intake and the higher(P<0.05) average daily gain. The higher(P<0.05) ruminal p H, ether extract digestibility, microbial α-amylase activity, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens copy, and expression of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor α(PPARα) and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1(CPT1), and lower ruminal total volatile fatty acids(VFA) concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, neutral detergent fibre(NDF) digestibility, copies of total protozoa and Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1(SREBP1) and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase α(ACACA) were observed for PFP addition. Supplementation with CFA increased(P<0.05) ruminal total VFA concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein and NDF, activity of cellobiase, pectinase and α-amylase, copies of selected microbial except for total protozoa, as well as expression of PPARα, but decreased(P<0.05) ruminal p H, and expression of SREBP1 and ACACA. The PFP×CFA interaction(P<0.05) was observed for ammonia N, hepatic TG content, and m RNA expression of CPT1 and FAS. There had no significant difference in hepatic TG content when CFA was supplemented in the diet without PFP addition, the lower(P=0.001) hepatic TG content was observed when CFA was supplemented in the diet with PFP addition. The higher(P<0.05) m RNA expression of CPT1, and the lower(P<0.05) m RNA expression of FAS and ammonia N concentration were observed when CFA was supplemented in diet either without or with PFP addition. The results indicated that supplementation of CFA in PFP diet was more effective on increasing hepatic CPT1 expression, and decreasing ammonia N, hepatic TG content and FAS expression than in diet without PFP. Supplementation with PFP or CFA improved growth performance of dairy bulls by promoting nutrient utilization, microbial enzyme activity, microflora, and hepatic gene expression.
基金supported by the Major Project of National Transgene in China(2018ZX08007001-002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31671286,31672397,31771374)+2 种基金Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of China(JQ201709)the Program of National Cow Industrial Technology System of China(CARS-37)the Shandong Provincial Key Research and Development Program of China(2017GNC10120).
文摘F-box and WD-40 domain protein 11(FBXW11)is an important component of the E3 ubiquitin-ligase enzyme that plays a key role in the ubiquitin-dependent regulation of spermatogenesis.In our previous research,the mRNA expression of FBXW11 in bull sperm with high motility is significantly higher than that with low motility.In the present study,the protein expression levels of FBXW11 in bull testicular tissues with low-performance sperm quality groups were significantly higher than those in normal performance groups.The immunohistochemistry result demonstrated that FBXW11 protein was located in the periphery of Leydig cells and seminiferous tubules.Three splice variants of the FBXW11 gene,namely,FBXW11-tv1,FBXW11-tv2,and FBXW11-tv3,were identified in testicular tissues.The splicing patterns of the three variants are exon skipping.The transcript FBXW11-tv2 expressions were the highest in each sample.The low-performance groups displayed higher FBXW11-tv1 and FBXW11-tv2 transcript expressions than the normal performance groups.Two CpG islands were located within the 5’UTR and exon 1-2 region of the FBXW11 gene.Bisulfite sequencing PCR results demonstrated that the methylation levels of 11 methylation sites in the CpG island 2 from−99 to−43 in the normal performance groups were significantly lower than those in the low-performance groups.Pearson correlation analysis suggested that the CpG island 2 methylation level was negatively correlated with sperm motility and the transcript FBXW11-tv2 expression level.Our data revealed that alternative splicing and DNA methylation jointly regulated FBXW11 gene expression and were correlated with sperm quality traits during spermatogenesis in Holsteins.
文摘Apple bull’s eye rot is caused by pathogenic Neofabraea species including N. malicorticis, N. perennans and N. alba. Fruits carrying this fungal quarantine disease are prohibited from entering China. The host plants for the pathogens include several Rosaceae fruits including apple and pear. Disease symptoms and pathogen morphology are often insufficient to determine the identity of the pathogen, particularly at the species level. In the current study, we analyzed the inter-species sequence variations in the β-tublin gene, and designed specific primers to allow PCR amplification of 554 bp fragments from pathogenic Neofabraea species. The PCR products were recovered and sequenced, and Blast search was conducted using the DNA sequences in the Genbank database. The results indicated precise PCR amplification of the target sequences from the host pathogen, which allowed unambiguous identification of the species.
基金State Science and Technology Support Program (2006DAD06A03)Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China 863 (2006AA10A204).
文摘To investigate the security of semen biologically, 15 bull semen samples were collected (of which 5 exhibited clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease) and identified by RT-PCR and virus isolation. The results indicated that the semen of the infected bulls were contaminated by Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), but FMDV was not detected in semen samples from those bulls not showing clinical signs of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). This is the first report of the presence of FMDV in bull semen due to natural infection in China. The analysis of the partial sequence of the VP1 gene showed that the virus strain isolated from semen has 97.9% identity with the virus isolated from vesicular liquid of infected bulls showing typical signs of FMD and belonged to the same gene sub-group.
文摘Osteopontin (OPN) is a protein found at higher concentrations in the seminal plasma of bulls with above average fertility. Polymorphisms have been reported within the OPN gene promoter that can affect production of this protein and thus, affect fertility. Therefore, Angus (n = 5) and Angus x Gelbvieh (Balancer, n = 14) and Angus x Brahman (n = 15) bulls were evaluated for presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the Bos taurus OPN gene (GenBank: AY878328.1) promoter region, and their possible effects on bull semen quality as evaluated by computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA). Semen was collected by electroejaculation 6 to 9 times from each bull, and each semen collection was evaluated by CASA for motile, progressive and rapid sperm within 5 mins of ejaculation. The bulls were genotyped for reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the promoter region of the OPN gene through amplification of two 700 base pair (bp) DNA fragments and sequencing of the resulting PCR products. Seven SNP sites were identified, at bp 3379, 3490, 3492, 5075, 5205, 5209, and 5263 of the OPN gene. The SNP identified at bp 5205, 5209 and 5263 had not been previously reported. Individual SNP sites were evaluated as the main effect on CASA sperm motility variables in a SAS MIXED model for repeated measures. A thymine to guanine substitution at bp 3379 was associated with increased (P ≤ 0.02) percentage of motile, progressive and rapid sperm in Angus x Brahman bulls, and tended (P ≤ 0.10) to increase the same sperm motility parameters in Angus, and Angus x Gelbvieh bulls. The percentages of motile, progressive and rapid sperm were similar (P ≥ 0.05) among genotypes for the other 6 SNP identified. These results suggest that identification and genotyping of polymorphisms within the promoter region of the bovine OPN gene may be useful for selecting bulls with improved sperm motility parameters.
