This paper describes features of a study of different aspects of cryptorchidism in sheep in different parts of England. A total of 83 crytorchid testes (57 unilateral and 13 bilateral) were recognised in 70 animals po...This paper describes features of a study of different aspects of cryptorchidism in sheep in different parts of England. A total of 83 crytorchid testes (57 unilateral and 13 bilateral) were recognised in 70 animals post-slaughter at three abattoirs in the south west of England between June 2000-January 2004. Abdominal cryptorchids (60) were common than inguinal (23);69% percent of cases were unilateral. External examination for cryptorchidism was carried out on 5134 young male lambs carried out in 2001 at Foot and Mouth Disease disposal sites, and on farms, during the UK outbreak of the disease. A total of 29 cases of cryptorchism [0.56%] were detected;86% of cases were unilateral. In both situations the right testis was more commonly affected than the left.展开更多
The objective of this study was to examine the effects of dietary carbohydrases(xylanase and b-glucanase; XG), individually or in combination with phytase or acidifier on the growth performance, carcass attributes, in...The objective of this study was to examine the effects of dietary carbohydrases(xylanase and b-glucanase; XG), individually or in combination with phytase or acidifier on the growth performance, carcass attributes, intestinal microbial counts and morphology in broiler chickens fed a wheat-based diet. A total of 240 one-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 4 treatment groups with 6 replicates of 10 birds each. The dietary treatments included a basal diet, the basal diet with an enzyme complex containing XG, XG plus a microbial phytase(XG + P) and XG plus acidifier(XG + A). The results indicated that feed conversion ratio(FCR) was improved in broiler chickens which received XG + A during the entire production period(1 to 35 d) of the trial(P < 0.05). The broiler chickens fed XG + P had lower feed intake compared with the control group at 29 to 35 d of age. The experimental treatments had no effect on the body weight gain of broiler chickens. In carcass traits, except for spleen(P < 0.05), the dietary treatments had no effects on the carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. The birds which received diets supplemented with XG and XG + A had a lower weight of the spleen compare with the control. Addition of XG in combination with phytase(XG + P) resulted in a decrease in ileal enumeration of Escherichia coli at 35 d of age(P < 0.05). However, dietary treatments did not alter the population of ileal Lactobacilli in broiler chickens. Supplementing carbohydrases with phytase and acidifier(XG + P and XG + A) significantly increased the intestinal villus length at 35 d of age(P < 0.05). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that supplementation of the wheat-based diet with a combination with carbohydrases and acidifier(XG + A) improves FCR in broiler chickens. Furthermore, combinations of carbohydrases with phytase(XG + P) and with acidifier(XG + A) decrease the E. coli counts and increase the villus length in broiler chickens.展开更多
Off-season reproduction is a favorable economic trait for sheep industry. Hu sheep, an indigenous Chinese sheep breed, demonstrates a higher productivity of lambs and displays year-around oestrous behavior under prope...Off-season reproduction is a favorable economic trait for sheep industry. Hu sheep, an indigenous Chinese sheep breed, demonstrates a higher productivity of lambs and displays year-around oestrous behavior under proper nutrition and environment. The genetic basis behind these traits, however, is not well understood. In order to identify genes associated with the off-season reproduction, we constructed a suppression subtractive hybridization （SSH） cDNA library using pooled ovary mRNAs of 6 oestrous Hu females as a tester and the pooled ovary mRNAs of 6 non-oestrous Chinese Merino females as a driver. A total of 382 resulting positive clones were obtained after the SSH. We identified 114 differentially up-regulated genes in oestrous Hu sheep by using subsequent screening and DNA sequencing, of which 8 were previously known, 93 were reported for the first time in sheep, and 13 were novel with no significant homology to any sequence in the DNA databases. Functions of the genes identified are related to cell division, signal transduction, structure, metabolism, or cell defense. To validate the results of SSH, 6 genes （Ntrk2, Ppap2b, Htral, Nidl, Serpine2 and Foxola） were selected for conformational analysis using quantitative real-time PCR （qRT-PCR）, and two of them （Htral and Foxola） were verified by Northern blot. All of the 6 genes were differentially up-regulated in the ovary of oestrous Hu. It is obvious that off-season reproduction is a complex trait involving multiple genes in multiple organs. This study helps to provide a foundation for the final identification of functional genes involved in the sheep ovary.展开更多
文摘This paper describes features of a study of different aspects of cryptorchidism in sheep in different parts of England. A total of 83 crytorchid testes (57 unilateral and 13 bilateral) were recognised in 70 animals post-slaughter at three abattoirs in the south west of England between June 2000-January 2004. Abdominal cryptorchids (60) were common than inguinal (23);69% percent of cases were unilateral. External examination for cryptorchidism was carried out on 5134 young male lambs carried out in 2001 at Foot and Mouth Disease disposal sites, and on farms, during the UK outbreak of the disease. A total of 29 cases of cryptorchism [0.56%] were detected;86% of cases were unilateral. In both situations the right testis was more commonly affected than the left.
文摘The objective of this study was to examine the effects of dietary carbohydrases(xylanase and b-glucanase; XG), individually or in combination with phytase or acidifier on the growth performance, carcass attributes, intestinal microbial counts and morphology in broiler chickens fed a wheat-based diet. A total of 240 one-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 4 treatment groups with 6 replicates of 10 birds each. The dietary treatments included a basal diet, the basal diet with an enzyme complex containing XG, XG plus a microbial phytase(XG + P) and XG plus acidifier(XG + A). The results indicated that feed conversion ratio(FCR) was improved in broiler chickens which received XG + A during the entire production period(1 to 35 d) of the trial(P < 0.05). The broiler chickens fed XG + P had lower feed intake compared with the control group at 29 to 35 d of age. The experimental treatments had no effect on the body weight gain of broiler chickens. In carcass traits, except for spleen(P < 0.05), the dietary treatments had no effects on the carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. The birds which received diets supplemented with XG and XG + A had a lower weight of the spleen compare with the control. Addition of XG in combination with phytase(XG + P) resulted in a decrease in ileal enumeration of Escherichia coli at 35 d of age(P < 0.05). However, dietary treatments did not alter the population of ileal Lactobacilli in broiler chickens. Supplementing carbohydrases with phytase and acidifier(XG + P and XG + A) significantly increased the intestinal villus length at 35 d of age(P < 0.05). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that supplementation of the wheat-based diet with a combination with carbohydrases and acidifier(XG + A) improves FCR in broiler chickens. Furthermore, combinations of carbohydrases with phytase(XG + P) and with acidifier(XG + A) decrease the E. coli counts and increase the villus length in broiler chickens.
基金supported by the grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No. 2007DFB30420)the China Ministry of Agriculture (No.2009ZX08008-005B)
文摘Off-season reproduction is a favorable economic trait for sheep industry. Hu sheep, an indigenous Chinese sheep breed, demonstrates a higher productivity of lambs and displays year-around oestrous behavior under proper nutrition and environment. The genetic basis behind these traits, however, is not well understood. In order to identify genes associated with the off-season reproduction, we constructed a suppression subtractive hybridization （SSH） cDNA library using pooled ovary mRNAs of 6 oestrous Hu females as a tester and the pooled ovary mRNAs of 6 non-oestrous Chinese Merino females as a driver. A total of 382 resulting positive clones were obtained after the SSH. We identified 114 differentially up-regulated genes in oestrous Hu sheep by using subsequent screening and DNA sequencing, of which 8 were previously known, 93 were reported for the first time in sheep, and 13 were novel with no significant homology to any sequence in the DNA databases. Functions of the genes identified are related to cell division, signal transduction, structure, metabolism, or cell defense. To validate the results of SSH, 6 genes （Ntrk2, Ppap2b, Htral, Nidl, Serpine2 and Foxola） were selected for conformational analysis using quantitative real-time PCR （qRT-PCR）, and two of them （Htral and Foxola） were verified by Northern blot. All of the 6 genes were differentially up-regulated in the ovary of oestrous Hu. It is obvious that off-season reproduction is a complex trait involving multiple genes in multiple organs. This study helps to provide a foundation for the final identification of functional genes involved in the sheep ovary.
