共查询到20条相似文献，搜索用时 15 毫秒
1.
Kuhl J Aurich JE Wulf M Hurtienne A Schweigert FJ Aurich C 《Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition》2012,96(3):376-384
In this study, effects of oral β-carotene supplementation to mares (β-carotene group: 1000 mg/day, n = 15; control group: n = 15) from 2 weeks before foaling until 6 weeks thereafter on concentrations of β-carotene, vitamin A and α-tocopherol in plasma, colostrum and milk and plasma of their foals were determined. In addition, effects on fertility were studied. Beta-carotene concentrations increased in plasma and colostrum of β-carotene-supplemented mares compared to control mares (p < 0.05). In mares of both groups, β-carotene concentrations were higher in colostrum than in milk (p < 0.05). In foals, β-carotene concentrations increased with colostrum uptake and were higher in foals born to supplemented mares (p < 0.05; control group: 0.0003 ± 0.0002 μg/ml on day 0, 0.008 ± 0.0023 μg/ml on day 1; β-carotene group: 0.0005 ± 0.0003 μg/ml on day 0, 0.048 ± 0.018 μg/ml on day 1). Concentrations of vitamin A and α-tocopherol were higher in colostrum than in milk (p < 0.05) but did not differ between groups. Concentration of α-tocopherol in plasma of mares decreased over time and in foals, increased markedly within 4 days after birth. All but one mare (control group) showed oestrus within 2 weeks post-partum. Occurrence of oestrus did not differ between groups. More mares of the control group (7/7 vs. 5/12 in the β-carotene group) became pregnant after being bred in first post-partum oestrus (p < 0.05). In conclusion, β-carotene supplementation to mares increased β-carotene concentrations in plasma, colostrum and milk of mares and plasma of their foals but had no positive effects on fertility. 相似文献
2.
Bacterial contamination on eggs during incubation and hatching,and of fluffs of newly‐hatched chicks
1. Average numbers of bacteria on clean and dirty eggs produced from a specified‐pathogen‐free chicken flock were 103.0 and 104.5, respectively. When the eggs were washed with running tap water at about 40°C, the respective bacterial counts were reduced to 102.0 and 102.7, the latter difference being not significant.
2. After fumigation with formaldehyde from 40 ml formalin (372 g formaldehyde/1) and 20 g potassium permanganate/m3 for 1 h, no bacteria were recovered from clean eggs by agar plate culture, while a small number of bacteria were detected in three out of five dirty eggs.
3. Average numbers of bacteria detected in clean fumigated eggs were 100.8 to 101.1 during the first 19 d of incubation and 101.2 and 101.4 were recovered on days 20 and 21 of incubation, respectively. At the end of hatching, eggs containing dead embryos were highly contaminated with 103.8 organisms on average.
4. Fluffs of newly‐hatched chicks scattered inside the hatcher were contaminated with bacteria at 104.0 to 108.4 organisms/g. Water in the basin placed in the hatcher and floating fluffs in water were highly contaminated with bacteria. 相似文献
3.
Sanni Y. Doko Pamphile Degla Gilbert O. Edoun Roel H. Bosma 《Tropical animal health and production》2012,45(1):129-134
Low sheep productivity in North Benin hampers economic development, and improvement can contribute to reduction of rural poverty and food insecurity. To reduce one of the constraints to the productivity of Djallonké sheep, high mortality during suckling in full rainy and start dry season, we tested hygienic measures and medication in improved housing. The effect of the two treatments and their combination on lamb performance and the internal rate of return (IRR) were compared to a control. For each treatment, survival and growth were observed in 20 lambs, living in 38 herds. Good housing and hygiene (daily cleaning and fortnightly disinfection of stable and water and feed troughs) reduced mortality and increased growth of suckling lambs until 3 months. Good housing plus medication (unique injection of vitamins and amino acids and with ivermectine for deworming, weekly tick treatment by spraying, and in case of diarrhea, antibiotic treatment) reduced mortality, but growth was not higher than the control. Accounting labor opportunity, the IRR was about equal for both, but capital investment was lower for the hygiene treatment which is thus more accessible to poor farmers. The combination of both treatments increased growth and benefits compared with the hygiene treatment, but decreased the IRR. 相似文献
4.
Ériton Egidio Lisboa Valente Mário Fonseca Paulino Edenio Detmann Sebastião Campos Valadares de Filho Lívia Vieira Barros Nelcino Francisco de Paula Sidnei Antônio Lopes Daniel Majeste de Almeida Leandro Soares Martins 《Tropical animal health and production》2013,45(2):487-495
The effects of supplementation of beef calves on weight gain, intake and digestibility of pasture, milk production and composition of their dams, and behavior of the pair cow–calf were assessed. Fifty-five beef cows with an initial average body weight of 449?±?8 kg and their respective offspring, with an initial average body weight of 138?+?3 kg and aged between 90 and 150 days, were used. Animals were submitted to an experimental period of 112 days. The experimental treatments consisted of: control?=?mineral mixture only, plan 1?=?high protein and high carbohydrate multiple supplement, plan 2?= high protein and low carbohydrate multiple supplement, plan 3?=?low protein and high carbohydrate multiple supplement, and plan 4?=?low protein and low carbohydrate multiple supplement. About 25 and 12.5 % of the protein requirements were supplied by the high and low protein supplements, respectively, and 15 and 7.5 % of total digestible nutrient requirements by the high and low carbohydrate supplements, respectively. Grazing behavior, performance, milk production, milk composition, intake, and digestibility of the cows were not affected (P?>?0.05) by the supplementation of the calves. The supplemented calves had greater (P?<?0.05) performance (as measured by final body weight, average daily gain, and final body condition score), intake and idle time, and lower (P?<?0.05) grazing time, but supplementation did not affect (P?>?0.05) suckling time and suckling frequency. It can be concluded that supplementation affects the behavior and feed intake of calves. However, it does not affect the suckling time and suckling frequency of calves. Additionally, performance, milk production, nutritional characteristics, and behavior of their dams are not affected. 相似文献
5.
《The Professional Animal Scientist》2003,19(2):159-170
Three finishing experiments were conducted in commercial feedlots to determine effects of implant programs on finishing heifer performance, carcass characteristics, and economics. A total of 3,307 heifers were used in the three experiments. Overall, four treatment comparisons were tested within the three separate experiments. Treatment groups included the following: 1) heifers implanted with Synovex® Plus (Fort Dodge Animal Health; Fort Dodge, IA) but not fed melengestrol acetate (MGA®; Pharmacia and Upjohn Company; Kalamazoo, MI), 2) heifers implanted with Synovex® Plus and fed MGA®, 3) heifer implanted with Revalor®-H (Intervet Inc.; Millsboro, DE) and fed MGA®, and 4) heifers implanted with Finaplix®-H (Intervet Inc.) and fed MGA®. Common treatments of Synovex® Plus and dietary MGA® as well as Finaplix®-H and dietary MGA® were used in each of the three experiments. Finishing heifers fed MGA® and implanted with Synovex® Plus had 3.9 and 4.1% greater (P<0.10) ADG than did heifers implanted with Revalor®-H or Finaplix®-H and fed MGA®, respectively. Daily gain did not differ for heifers implanted with Revalor®-H or Finaplix®-H. Feeding MGA® to heifers implanted with Synovex® Plus increased ADG and decreased deleterious effects on quality grade; however; carcasses had greater fat thickness. Fewer carcasses of heifers fed MGA® and implanted with Synovex® Plus or Revalor®-H were graded Choice in comparison with the carcasses of those implanted with Finaplix®-H. When selling heifers on a carcass-merit basis, net returns did not differ among heifers implanted with Synovex® Plus, Revalor®-H, or Finaplix®-H when fed MGA®. When selling heifers on a dressed basis, net return was maximized (P<0.10) with the use of Synovex® Plus and supplementation with MGA® compared with Synovex® Plus and no MGA® supplementation, Revalor®-H and MGA® supplementation, and Finaplix®-H and MGA® supplementation. 相似文献
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YU Zuhua DING Ke JIA Yanyan YU Chuan HE Lei LIAO Chengshui LI Jing ZHANG Chunjie LI Yinju WU Tingcai CHENG Xiangchao MENG Kaikai ZHANG Jin YU Zuling ZHOU Ziyu LUO Jun 《畜牧兽医学报》1956,51(10):2567-2575
This study aimed to detect the effect of Gallus TGFβ1 on the biological behavior of MDCC-MSB1 cells. MDCC-MSB1 cells were transiently transfected with Gallus TGFβ1 overexpression vector, interference expression vector, and the corresponding negative control. Then, the expression of Gallus TGFβ1, the cell proliferation, the cell cycle and apoptosis, the migration and invasion of each transfection groups were examined. Results showed that compared with the corresponding control, the MDCC-MSB1 cells transfected with overexpression vector of Gallus TGFβ1 could up-regulate the expression level of TGFβ1, the proliferation of MDCC-MSB1 cells was significantly inhibited, G1 phase cells were increased, S and G2 cells were decreased, the apoptosis rate of the cells was increased, the migration and invasion ability were decreased.However,the MDCC-MSB1 cells transfected with the interference expression vector of TGFβ1 significantly down-regulated the expression level of TGFβ1, cell proliferation was improved,G1 phase cells were decreased, S and G2 cells were increased, the cell apoptosis was decreased, the migration and invasion ability was increased. The results showed that Gallus TGFβ1 could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDCC-MSB1 cells, and promote their apoptosis. 相似文献
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J. Venter B. Liggitt N.M. Tainton G.P.Y. Clarke 《African Journal of Range and Forage Science》2013,30(2):89-98
A fence‐line contrast study compared erosion levels, herbage production and grass species diversity in Umfolozi Game Reserve (UGR) and adjacent KwaZulu (KWZ). There was no significant difference in soil loss or A‐horizon depths measured in KWZ and UGR, but there were significant differences in both parameters when measurements from upper, mid and lower slope sites were compared. Similarly, there was no significant difference between herbage accumulated in KWZ and UGR in the absence of grazing, but there was a significant difference between the upper, mid and lower slope plots. There was also no significant difference between grass species richness measured on plots in KWZ and UGR, but there was a highly significant difference when the grass species richness was compared between upper, mid and lower slopes. The major conclusion drawn from these results was that differences in the topographical position of the plots, rather than differences in land‐use practices, explained the greater amount of variability in the data. 相似文献
10.
1. In an attempt to quantify the effects of “degree” of pelleting, two experiments were conducted. Diets were prepared by mixing together a mash composed mainly of maize (experiment 1) or sorghum (experiment 2) with soft pellets, or soft pellets mixed with hard pellets.
2. The pelleting degrees (PDs) were as follows: 0 mash; 0·5 mixture of soft pellets and mash 1 to 1; 1 soft pellets pelleted once; 1·5 mixture of soft and hard pellets 1 to 1; 2 hard pellets pelleted twice.
3. In experiment 2, the weight and length of the digestive organs were determined as well as digestive enzyme activities. In both experiments, the behaviour recorded was eating, standing, sitting and drinking.
4. Food intake and body weight gain were related to the degree of pelleting in a curvilinear manner. PD had a positive effect up to a peak (1 to 1·5 PD), after which its effect decreased. Food efficiency was not related to PD. In experiment 1, food efficiency of PDs 1 to 2 were superior to PDs 0 to 0·5 and in experiment 2, PDs 1·5 to 2 were superior to PD 0.
5. The relative weight of the gizzard was reduced by pelleting, whereas pelleting increased the relative weight of abdominal fat. The content of the crop was not affected by PD, whereas that of the proventriculus was lowest in the PD 2 group. Gizzard content was inversely related to PD. Pelleting reduced the length of the jejunum and ileum: which were shortened by about 15% with PDs 1 to 2, as compared to PD 0. The weight/length ratio of the jejunum and ileum tended to increase with increasing PD to a peak at PD 1·5, and to decrease thereafter.
6. Trypsin activity in the pancreas and amylase activity in the intestinal content were reduced by pelleting.
7. Chicks fed pelleted diets were less active: they ‘sat’ more and spent less time eating than their mash‐fed counterparts. 相似文献
11.
Abstract Run‐off and soil loss were monitored from a climax, subclimax and pioneer veld, each on a 5,9%, 4,1% and 2,1% slope, by means of a rainfall simulator on a Valsrivier soil form. With rainfall intensity, soil moisture content at the beginning of each rain storm, and soil texture the same for each treatment, plant cover and composition had a significant (positive) (P≤0,05) influence on the amount of soil loss and run‐off that occurred, as against the insignificant influence of the slope. An average of 6,2 t/ha soil loss and 80,6% run‐off of the amount of water applied occurred from the pioneer veld (0,7% basal cover) on the steepest slope. In all the successional stages more run‐off and less soil loss occurred from wet soil than from dry soil. Significant (P≤0,01) relationships between basal and canopy cover were obtained with run‐off and soil loss. The climax, subclimax and pioneer veld produced on average 0,57 g, 0,23 g and 0,07 g aboveground phytomass for each litre of water evapotranspirated. 相似文献
12.
《The British veterinary journal》1994,150(6):569-583
13.
Wang JP Lee JH Jang HD Yan L Cho JH Kim IH 《Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition》2011,95(4):417-423
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of laying hen diets supplemented with δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and vitamin C (VC) on productive performance, iron status and egg quality. A total of 252 Hy-line brown commercial laying hens were fed two levels of VC (0 and 500 mg/kg) and three levels of ALA (0, 5 and 10 mg/kg) in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement from 57 to 63 weeks of age. Each treatment contained seven replicates with six hens in each replicate. Supplementation of the diet with both ALA and VC resulted in a significant increase in egg production during 4-6 weeks (p < 0.05). The haematocrit (HCT), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), white blood cell (WBC), total protein and albumin concentrations were not affected by the dietary treatments. However, ALA and interactive effect of ALA and VC were observed to increase the RBC, haemoglobin and serum iron concentrations (p < 0.05). In addition, inclusion of both ALA and VC increased blood lymphocyte percentage in relation to hens not supplemented with ALA (p < 0.05). Moreover, single effect of ALA or VC improved (p < 0.05) the yolk colour unit and albumin height from 3 to 6 weeks. The egg shell colour was increased (p < 0.05) by the effect of ALA. The addition of VC also led to an increase (p < 0.05) of the Haugh unit at the end of the experiment. However, neither ALA, nor VC exerted an effect on egg weight, egg shell breaking strength or egg shell thickness. The results demonstrate that dietary ALA and VC supplementation can improve the iron status and egg quality of laying hens. 相似文献
14.
Weber MJ Dikeman ME Unruh JA Jaeger JR Murray L Houser TA Johnson BJ 《Journal of animal science》2012,90(5):1628-1637
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of supplementation with a single β-adrenergic agonist (β-AA) or a sequence of β-AA on cow performance, carcass characteristics, and mRNA relative abundance of cull cows implanted and fed a concentrate diet. Sixty cull cows were implanted with Revalor-200 (200 mg of trenbolone acetate and 20 mg of estradiol) and assigned to 1 of 4 treatments (n = 15/treatment): CON = fed a concentrate diet only; RH = supplemented with ractopamine-HCl for the last 25 d before slaughter; ZH = supplemented with zilpaterol-HCl for 20 d before a 3-d withdrawal before slaughter; RH + ZH = supplemented with RH for 25 d, followed by ZH for 20 d before a 3-d withdrawal before slaughter. Ractopamine-HCl was supplemented at a dose of 200 mg·animal(-1)·d(-1), and ZH was supplemented at 8.33 mg/kg (100% DM basis) of feed. All cows were fed a concentrate diet for 74 d. Each treatment had 5 cows per pen and 3 replicate pens. Body weights were collected on d 1, 24, 51, and 72. Muscle biopsies from the LM were collected on d 24, 51, and at slaughter from a subsample of 3 cows per pen. Carcass traits were evaluated postslaughter. The 2 ZH treatments averaged 15.3 kg more BW gain, 0.20 kg greater ADG, and 7.8 cm(2) larger LM area than CON and RH treatments, and 21 kg more HCW than CON, but these differences were not significant (P > 0.10), likely due to a sample size of n = 15/treatment. The sequence of RH followed by ZH tended to optimize the combination of HCW, LM area, percent intramuscular fat, and lean color and maturity compared with the ZH treatment. Abundance of β(2)-adrenergic receptor (AR) mRNA was not altered in the RH + ZH treatment during RH supplementation from d 24 to 51 of feeding. However, the abundance of β(2)-AR mRNA increased (P < 0.05) the last 23 d of feeding for the RH treatment and tended (P = 0.10) to increase in ZH cows during ZH supplementation. For all cows, abundance of type IIa myosin heavy chain (MHC-IIa) mRNA decreased (P < 0.05) after 24 d of feeding. Abundance of MHC-IIx mRNA increased (P < 0.05) for ZH and RH + ZH treatments the last 23 d of feeding during ZH supplementation. Although few significant differences were observed in performance or carcass traits, mRNA quantification indicated that β-AA supplementation elicited a cellular response in cull cows. Implanting and feeding cull cows for 74 d, regardless of β-AA supplementation, added economic value by transitioning cows from a cull cow to what is referred to in industry as a white cow market in which cows have white fat resulting from grain feeding. 相似文献
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Rune Rødbotten Kjell Ivar Hildrum Jan Berg 《Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Sciences》2013,63(2):72-80
In total, 56 bulls of Angus 2 NRF or Limousin 2 NRF were fed two levels (either 2.5 or 5.0 kg animal -1 day -1 ) of concentrate from 12 weeks of age to slaughter in a 2 2 2 factorial design with cross-breed and concentrate level as fixed factors. The concentrate was a mixture with barley, oats, wheat, soyabean and molasses as main components. In addition, the animals had ad libitum access to grass silage. As expected, the bulls fed the high concentrate diet had higher growth rate than bulls fed moderate level of concentrate. Angus 2 NRF bulls fed the high level of concentrate showed the highest growth rate of the four subgroups and were on average slaughtered at the age of 15 months. Limousin 2 NRF bulls fed the moderate level of concentrate were the subgroup with the lowest growth rate and needed 20 months to reach the target slaughter weight, which on average was 280 and 340 kg for Angus 2 NRF and Limousin 2 NRF, respectively. Although the animals at the high concentrate level had a greater intake of energy day -1 , there was no significant difference in feed conversion calculated as FUm kg -1 gain between the subgroups. The Limousin cross-breeds had significantly higher relative proportions of muscle in the carcass, but less bone and fat than the Angus cross-breeds. Consequently, the Limousin 2 NRF bulls achieved better muscularity grading in the EUROP system than the Angus 2 NRF bulls. Concentrate level yielded different fatness scores in the EUROP system, while breed did not. The correlation between carcass weight and psoas major or longissimus dorsi muscles was stronger for the former muscle. There was a tendency for Angus 2 NRF bulls fed the moderate concentrate level to have more tender longissimus muscle than the other subgroups, but this difference was not significant. 相似文献
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本试验旨在研究断奶日龄对湖羊羔羊的生长性能、消化代谢及母羊血清激素含量的影响,以期为补饲代乳料条件下,湖羊羔羊早期断奶的可行性提供依据,并确定最佳断奶时间。选取出生日期相差不超过3 d、体况良好、健康无疾病的羔羊90只,将羔羊随机分为3组,每组3个重复,每个重复10只。7日龄开始饲喂代乳料的情况下,分别于25日龄(试验Ⅰ组)、35日龄(试验Ⅱ组)、45日龄(对照组)断奶,试验期90 d。结果表明:1)在16~45日龄,试验Ⅰ组羔羊由于断奶应激,导致羔羊采食量减少,平均日增重低于试验Ⅱ组,且在31~45日龄,平均日增重显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。试验Ⅰ组平均日采食量分别比试验Ⅱ组高出5.09%(P<0.05),比对照组高出7.50%(P<0.05)。2)试验Ⅰ组的粗蛋白质(CP)表观消化率显著低于试验Ⅱ组与对照组(P<0.05),试验组湖羊羔羊的氮摄入量、净蛋白质利用率和蛋白质生物学价值指标与对照组相比差异显著(P<0.05)。3)断奶当天,试验Ⅰ组血清高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)的含量极显著高于试验Ⅱ组和对照组(P<0.01),且试验Ⅱ组显著高于对照组(P<0.05),试验Ⅰ组血清低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)含量极显著高于对照组(P<0.01),显著高于试验Ⅱ组(P<0.05),试验Ⅰ组血清总胆固醇(TC)含量显著高于试验Ⅱ组和对照组(P<0.05),试验Ⅱ组血清甘油三酯(TG)含量极显著高于试验Ⅰ组和对照组(P<0.01);90日龄,试验Ⅱ组血清葡萄糖(GLU)含量显著高于对照组(P<0.05);断奶当天,试验Ⅱ组血清碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。4)60日龄,试验Ⅱ组血清雌二醇(E2)含量显著高于对照组(P<0.05),而30日龄,试验Ⅰ组血清促乳素(PRL)含量极显著高于试验Ⅱ组和对照组(P<0.01)。5)试验Ⅰ组、试验Ⅱ组与对照组的羔羊成活率分别为76.67%、86.67%、90.00%。经综合评定,湖羊羔羊35日龄断奶是可行的。 相似文献
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《动物营养（英文）》2019,5(3):217-226
Dietary fibers (DF) contain an abundant amount of energy, although the mammalian genome does not encode most of the enzymes required to degrade them. However, a mutual dependence is developed between the host and symbiotic microbes, which has the potential to extract the energy present in these DF. Dietary fibers escape digestion in the foregut and are fermented in the hindgut, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) that alter the microbial ecology in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of pigs. Most of the carbohydrates are fermented in the proximal part, allowing protein fermentation in the distal part, resulting in colonic diseases. The structures of resistant starch (RS), arabinoxylan (AX), and β-glucan (βG) are complex; hence, makes their way into the hindgut where these are fermented and provide energy substrates for the colonic epithelial cells. Different microbes have different preferences of binding to different substrates. The RS, AX and βG act as a unique substrate for the microbes and modify the relative composition of the gut microbial community. The granule dimension and surface area of each substrate are different, which influences the penetration capacity of microbes. Arabinose and xylan are 2 different hemicelluloses, but arabinose is substituted on the xylan backbone and occurs in the form of AX. Fermentation of xylan produces butyrate primarily in the small intestine, whereas arabinose produces butyrate in the large intestine. Types of RS and forms of βG also exert beneficial effects by producing different metabolites and modulating the intestinal microbiota. Therefore, it is important to have information of different types of RS, AX and βG and their roles in microbial modulation to get the optimum benefits of fiber fermentation in the gut. This review provides relevant information on the similarities and differences that exist in the way RS, AX, and βG are fermented, and their positive and negative effects on SCFA production and gut microbial ecology of pigs. These insights will help nutritionists to develop dietary strategies that can modulate specific SCFA production and promote beneficial microbiota in the GIT of swine. 相似文献
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1. The ability of a moult‐inducing procedure to restore high levels of sperm production was assessed, in two experiments, using cockerels with reduced sperm production. The moulting procedure consisted of a period of food and light restriction for 6 weeks. The moulted birds were compared with control birds for 20 weeks.
2. Moult induction resulted in decreased daily sperm output (DSO) and plasma testosterone concentration, from weeks 3 to 7. In the first experiment, plasma luteinising hormone (LH) concentration in moulted birds was reduced on week 5.
3. No change in pituitary sensitivity to chicken luteinising hormone‐releasing hormone‐I (cLHRH‐I) was detected at week 3 in moulted cockerels. In moulted birds, a transient increase in plasma thyroxine concentration was detected.
4. After the end of moult induction, testosterone concentrations increased, plasma LH showed a rebound at week 7 and the pituitary sensitivity to LHRH was increased at week 9.
5. This increased activity of the pituitary‐testicular axis resulted for a short time in an increase in DSO of moulted birds compared with that of controls. Although amelioration was moderate, this result indicates the possibility of improving sperm production in the cockerel by using an induced moulting procedure. 相似文献
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Songbo Wang Paul Khondowe Shengfeng Chen Jianjian Yu Gang Shu Xiaotong Zhu Lina Wang Ping Gao Qianyun Xi Yongliang Zhang Qingyan Jiang 《畜牧与生物技术杂志(英文版)》2012,(4):199-206
Feed intake control is vital to ensuring optimal nutrition and achieving full potential for growth and development in poultry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of L-leucine, L-glutamate, L-tryptophan and L-arginine on feed intake and the mRNA expression levels of hypothalamic Neuropeptide involved in feed intake regulation in broiler chicks. Leucine, glutamate, tryptophan or arginine was intra-cerebroventricularly (ICV) administrated to 4d-old broiler chicks respectively and the feed intake were recorded at various time points. Quantitative PCR was performed to determine the hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of Neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti related protein (AgRP), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) and corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF). Our results showed that ICV administration of L-leucine (0.15 or 1.5 μmol) significantly (P<0.05) increased feed intake up to 2 h post-administration period and elevated both hypothalamic NPY and AgRP mRNA expression levels. In contrast, ICV administration of L-glutamate (1.6μmol) significantly (P<0.05) decreased feed intake 0.25, 0.5 and 2 h post-injection, and increased hypothalamic CRF and MC4R mRNA expression levels. Meanwhile, both L-tryptophan (10 or 100μg) and L-arginine (20 or 200μg) had no significant effect on feed intake. These findings suggested that L-leucine and L-glutamate could act within the hypothalamus to influence food intake, and that both orexigenic and anorexigenic Neuropeptide genes might contribute directly to these effects. 相似文献