Influence of hot environments on some blood variables of sheep

Thirty-two Polwarth sheep of ages up to 1 year were observed under temperatures varying from 10.5 to 46.5°C. The following blood cell counts were made: erythrocyte (RBC), leucocyte (WBC), eosinophil (EOS), neutrophil (NEU), lymphocyte (LYM) and monocyte (MON). Other traits measured were: haemoglobin (HB), haematocrit (HT), blood glucose (GLU) and serum protein (PROT). Multivariate analysis of variance was used and the results showed a significant (P<0.001) effect for the interaction of shearing and temperature treatment. Under temperatures >25°C, sheep presented a decrease of RBC, WBC, HB and HT, these differences being greater in the shorn than in the unshorn animals. Unshorn animals presented higher variations in EOS, NEU, LYM, MON and GLU. Blood glucose increased under high temperatures in the shorn animals (from 56.36±0.65 mg/100 ml to 60.52±0.69 mg/100 ml) as in the unshorn animals (from 54.72±0.74 mg/100 ml to 57.56±0.77 mg/100 ml).     

Effect of shading and high temperature amplitude in greenhouse on growth,photosynthesis, yield and phenolic contents of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.)

Low temperature is the major environmental factor that limits the optimal field production of tomato in the high altitude mountain regions. Studies were conducted to determine the feasibility of growing tomato, a temperature sensitive crop, in a naturally ventilated passive solar greenhouse with high temperature amplitude (24.7 ± 3.0 °C). The study also aimed to determine the application of shade net combined with low-cost greenhouse technology. Despite the temperature fluctuation from 6.6 ± 2.1 °C at night to 39.1 ± 4.7 °C day temperature, flowering and fruiting were observed under the greenhouse conditions. The marketable yield inside the greenhouse was 1.8-times higher compared to open-field. Shading significantly affected the photosynthesis and results in increased sub-stomatal CO₂ concentration. Shading resulted in delayed flowering and 48% reduction in marketable yield. Total phenolic contents (TPC) of tomato grown under open-field and greenhouse conditions were similar. However, greenhouse conditions resulted in a 35% decrease in total flavonoid contents (TFC) of tomato fruit. Shading reduced the TPC and TFC by 29 and 16%, respectively under greenhouse conditions.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01032-z.     

高温天气植被蒸腾与遮荫降温效应的变化特征

开展城市中不同树种植被遮荫与蒸腾降温效应的量化研究是科学优化植被温度调控服务的重要基础。以南京市栖霞区某小型绿地单元为研究区,对高温晴朗天气下不同树种典型植株树干液流进行了观测,采用"单位叶面积上的平均液流速率×叶面积指数"的扩展方法实现了由单株到林分尺度上冠层蒸腾量与蒸腾降温效应的估算,并根据林上、林下太阳辐射值计算了不同树种与整个绿地单元的遮荫降温效应,进而阐明了蒸腾与遮荫降温对总降温效应贡献率的变化特征。研究结果表明:1)3个树种树干液流均呈现昼高夜低的变化趋势,树干液流通常在6:00左右启动,正午前后达到峰值,且存在明显的"午休"现象,而在同一树种内树干液流会随着胸径的增大而显著增大;2)林分尺度上的冠层蒸腾量与蒸腾降温效应均为杨树雪松香樟,杨树峰或谷出现的时间(11:00—19:00)均明显晚于雪松(10:00—15:00)和香樟(9:00—16:00);3)3个树种遮荫降温效应总体上与太阳辐射的日变化规律基本一致,但树种间日平均降温效应的差异较小;4)3个树种与整个小型绿地单元的总降温效应在夜间均非常微弱,且全部为蒸腾降温,而在白天遮荫对总降温的贡献率(60%—75%)则明显高于蒸腾降温(25%—40%)。     

Blood biochemical indices,growth performance and economic efficiency of growing native Baladi and crossbred calves under hot summer conditions

The aim was to evaluate the performance, economics of production and physiological status of native Baladi and crossbred (50% Brown Swiss:50% native Baladi) calves under hot summer climate in Egypt (twenty-eight growing calves; 14 calve from each genetic type). The crossbred calves showed a significantly higher daily feed intake and body gain (p = 0.015 and 0.001 respectively), as well as a better feed conversion ratio (p = 0.019) compared with native Baladi calves. Although no significant differences were reported In the variable and total costs, the crossbred calves showed significantly greater total returns, net profit and Profit/Cost ratio when compared with native calves (p = 0.014, 0.001 and 0.022, respectively). The native Baladi calves had significantly higher serum glucose level compared with crossbred calves (p = 0.031). However, the crossbred calves showed a significantly higher serum Triiodothyronine (T3) level when compared with native calves (p = 0.016). Under a hot summer climate, no significant variations were reported in the rectal temperature, respiration rate, and daily water intake, as well as in the serum cortisol (p = 0.114) and thyroxin (p = 0.197) levels between native and crossbred calves. In conclusion, the crossbred calves exhibit a better growth performance, economic efficiency and stable physiological responses compared with the native calves under hot environment in the summer season.     

Biological functions as affected by summer season-related multiple environmental stressors (heat,nutritional and walking stress) in Malpura rams under semi-arid tropical environment

The study was conducted with the primary objective to establish the impact of simultaneously imposed multiple stressors (thermal, nutritional and walking) on various biological functions in Malpura rams. The study was conducted for a period of 45 days. Twenty adult Malpura rams (average BW 44.9 Kg) were used in the present study. The rams were divided into two groups, CON (n = 10; Control) and MS (n = 10; multiple stressors). Both body weight (p < 0.05) and body condition scoring (p < 0.01) were lower in MS compared with CON rams. All the scrotal measurements reduced significantly (p < 0.01) in MS rams. All the testicular measurements also reduced significantly (p < 0.01) in MS as compared to CON rams. The seminal attributes, individual motility (p < 0.05), rapid motility (p < 0.05) and curvilinear velocity (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in CON rams. However, slowness (p < 0.05), linearity (p < 0.05) and straightness (p < 0.05) parameters significantly increased in MS as compared to CON rams. In addition, plasma testosterone concentration was lower (p < 0.05) in MS rams. The study established the impact of multiple stressors on growth and reproductive performance of Malpura rams. Further, the results revealed that the only semen quality was affected by multiple stressors, but the semen production remained intact between the groups, indicating the extreme adaptive capability of Malpura rams to hot semi-arid tropical environment.     

Changes in some blood constituents of Barki ewes during pregnancy and lactation under semi arid conditions

A study based on 12 pregnant and six dry Barki ewes was carried out to examine the changes in blood constituents during pregnancy and lactation periods. The blood parameters were blood hemoglobin, packed cell volume percent (PCV%), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), glucose, aspartate aminotransaminase (AST or GOT), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT or GPT), total plasma protein, albumin, globulin, albumin to globulin ratio (A/G), urea and creatinine. During pregnancy all these parameters started to increase significantly, but in different stages, reaching maximum values at parturition. In contrast, dry ewes showed almost stable values during the experimental period. From 10th week to parturition, PCV% and MCHC increased (P<0.01) in pregnant ewes, which resulted in increased (P<0.01) blood hemoglobin. Blood glucose increased from the 4th week of pregnancy to reach its maximum at parturition (60.15–90.08 mg/dl). The two transaminases increased significantly from the 2nd week (52.23–65.02 IU for AST and 8.02–15.12 IU for ALT). Plasma protein with its two components, albumin and globulin, increased significantly at the 6th week, but dropped throughout the 16–18th week of pregnancy. Urea and creatinine began to increase significantly after 10–12 weeks of pregnancy (from 54.73 to 72.11 mg/dl for urea and from 0.882 to 2.475 mg/dl for creatinine). During the first month of lactation, PCV decreased sharply in lactating ewes and was significantly lower than in dry ewes at the 3rd week of lactation (24.25 versus 27.17%), which resulted in a drop in blood hemoglobin at the 4th week (68.42 versus 74.00 g/l). However, lactating ewes maintained significantly higher values of MCHC (30.01–31.19% for lactating versus 29.87–27.48% for dry). In lactating ewes, levels of glucose, ALT, urea and creatinine returned to levels comparable to those in dry ewes. The same occurred with total plasma proteins, mainly due to a sharp decrease in globulin, while albumin remained higher than in dry ewes with a slow decline, which resulted in higher values of A/G ratio during lactation. Aspartate aminotransferase remained higher than in dry ewes.     

The effect of shading on photosynthesis,growth, and regrowth following defoliation for Bromus tectorum

Summary The effect of full sunlight, 60%, or 90% attenuated light on photosynthetic rate, growth, leaf morphology, dry weight allocation patterns, phenology, and tolerance to clipping was examined in the glasshouse for steppe populations of the introduced grass, Bromus tectorum. The net photosynthetic response to light for plants grown in shade was comparable to responses for plants grown in full sunlight. Plants grown in full sunlight produced more biomass, tillers and leaves, and allocated a larger proportion of their total production to roots than plants grown in shade. The accumulation of root and shoot biomass over the first two months of seedling growth was primarily responsible for the larger size at harvest of plants grown in full sunlight. Plants grown under 60% and 90% shade flowered an average of 2 and 6 weeks later, respectively, than plants grown in full sunlight. Regrowth after clipping was greater for plants grown in full sunlight compared to those grown in shade. Even a one-time clipping delayed flowering and seed maturation; the older the individual when leaf area was removed, the greater the delay in its phenology. Repeated removal of leaf area was more frequently fatal for plants in shade than in full sunlight. For plants originally grown in full sunlight, regrowth in the dark was greater than for shaded plants and was more closely correlated to non-flowering tiller number than to plant size. This correlation suggests that etiolated regrowth is more likely regulated by the number of functional meristems than by differences in the size of carbohydrate pools. Thus, shading reduces the rate of growth, number of tillers, and ability to replace leaf area lost to herbivory for B. tectorum. These responses, in turn, intensify the effect of competition and defoliation for this grass in forests. B. tectorum is largely restricted to forest gaps at least in part because of its inability to acclimate photosynthetically, the influence of shade on resource allocation, and the role of herbivory in exacerbating these effects.     

亚热带平原绵羊的高温应激反应

对考湖杂种羊在夏季高温下的应激反应作了一些生理生化测试分析。环境温度逐渐增高时,绵羊的体温、心率、呼吸均有不同程度的增加,其中呼吸、心率增加到一定的程度后,又趋于平缓下降,呈“S”形曲线变化;当环境温度在35℃以下时,皮温高于毛丛温度,绵羊可以蒸发和非蒸发两种方式散热,环境温度接近35℃时,皮温与毛丛温度相等,绵羊只能以蒸发方式散热;高温下血清中K、Na、Cl、胆固醇的浓度显著降低(P<0.01或P<0.05),血清甲状腺激素T_3、T_4浓度显著增加(P<0.01),血清葡萄糖浓度也有所增加。     

Relationships between ambient conditions,thermal status,and feed intake of cattle during summer heat stress with access to shade

Heat stress in feedlot cattle is known to reduce their performance. The challenge comes in determining reliable predictors of current and near-future changes in thermal status and performance. A 42-d study, using crossbred (Bos taurus) steers was conducted during summer months (July through August) to identify best environmental determinants of rumen temperature (Trumen) and feed intake (FI) in feedlot cattle with access to shade. A further goal was to define the relationship between T_rumen and FI. Shade coverage was approximately 50%, and all animals were provided standard feedlot diets and water ad libitum. Intraruminal telemetric boluses recorded T_rumen several times each hour. Ear tags, telemetrically connected to a feed monitoring system, provided FI data using RFID technology. Data loggers recorded ambient conditions in sun and shade, along with black globe temperature. Regression analyses identified daylight black globe and air temperatures in shade, with one hour delays, as the best predictors of T_rumen. Prediction of FI was much less reliable. Unexpectedly, T_rumen was not superior to ambient variables in predicting FI. Maximum daily temperature humidity index, calculated using BG in sun with a 5-d lag, was the best significant predictor of FI. These results indicate for feedlot cattle that although air temperature alone in the shade may be the best predictor of T_rumen in the heat, black globe temperature in the sun may be a better determinant of feed intake over time. Additional studies are needed to verify the delayed FI response which seems unusually long.     

遮荫对夏玉米产量及生长发育的影响

在大田条件下研究了不同时期和不同程度遮荫对夏玉米产量及生长发育的影响.结果表明,遮荫显著降低玉米产量.不同时期遮荫对其影响不同,花粒期（从开花到成熟期）遮荫的影响最显著,农大108（ND108）和掖单13号（YD13）遮荫50%、90%处理分别减产67.5%、79.4%和82.9%和86.7%,其次是穗期（从拔节到开花期）遮荫,ND108和YD13分别减产34.1%、55.3%和47.2%、65.7%,而苗期（从出苗到拔节期）遮荫对其影响相对较小,ND108和YD13分别减产16.9%、24.5%和18.9%、24.3%.遮荫对YD13产量的影响大于ND108.遮荫时期对玉米产量的影响显著地大于遮荫程度.遮荫后两个玉米品种的生育进程都延迟,并随着遮荫程度的增加,对其影响加剧.穗期遮荫显著影响玉米的穗分化,花丝数和雄穗分枝数显著降低,对YD13的影响大于ND108.苗期和穗期遮荫显著抑制玉米叶面积、株高和茎节的生长.     

弱光胁迫影响夏玉米光合效率的生理机制初探

大田条件下, 以普通夏玉米(Zea mays) ‘泰玉2号’为材料, 于授粉后1-20天遮光55% (+S), 以大田自然光照条件下生长的玉米作为对照(-S), 研究了遮光及恢复过程中玉米植株的光合性能、叶绿体荧光参数、叶黄素循环以及光能分配的变化, 初步揭示夏玉米开花后弱光条件下光适应的生理机制, 为玉米高产稳产提供理论依据。结果表明, 遮光后玉米穗位叶叶绿素含量及可溶性蛋白含量均减少, RuBP羧化酶和PEP羧化酶活性显著降低, 导致穗位叶净光合速率(P_n)迅速下降, 光饱和点也明显降低; 恢复初期P_n迅速升高, 光合关键酶活性有所增强。遮光后植株的最大光化学效率(F_v/F_m)、实际光化学效率(Ф_PSII)显著降低, 非光化学淬灭(NPQ)则显著升高, 而恢复初期植株穗位叶Ф_PSII有所升高, 表明突然暴露在自然光下的光合电子传递速率明显加快, 这与其光合速率及光合酶活性的趋势保持一致; 遮光处理对穗位叶叶黄素循环库的大小(紫黄质+花药黄质+玉米黄质(V + A + Z))影响不显著, 但使叶黄素循环的脱环氧化状态(A + Z)/(V + A + Z)增加; 遮光后植株分配于光化学反应的光能明显减少, 天线耗散光能比率显著增加, 恢复过程中植株主要以过剩非光化学反应的形式耗散过剩的光能。遮光后及恢复初期, 玉米植株的PSII原初光化学活性明显下降, 限制了光合碳代谢的电子供应从而抑制了光合作用, 主要依赖叶黄素循环途径进行能量耗散, 而在光照转换后遮光的玉米叶片在适应自然光过程中的光保护机制不断完善, 光合能力逐渐得到 恢复。     

Expression pattern of bta-mir-2898 miRNA and their correlation with heat shock proteins during summer heat stress among native vs crossbred cattle

Earlier studies identified the role of bta-mir-2898 in bovine. Our earlier study identified that, bta-mir-2898 can be over expressed in crossbred cattle during heat stress. Nevertheless the differential expression of bta-mir-2898 among native vs crossbred cattle during summer stress along with it's correlation with different heat shock proteins (HSPs) is not yet studied. In the present context, we studied the differential expression of bta-mir-2898 among Frieswal (Bos indicus x Bos taurus) and Sahiwal (Bos indicus) breeds of cattle during a range of environmental air temperatures and further investigated the correlation of bta-mir-2898 with different HSPs (HSP70, HSP90, HSP60. HSF, HSPB8 and HSP27). It was observed that, at peak air temperature the relative miRNA expression level (p < 0.05) of bta-mir-2898 was 3.4 ± 0.41 and 0.79 ± 0.22 among Frieswal and Sahiwal, respectively. We also observed significant levels (p < 0.05) of mRNA abundance of HSP70, HSP90, HSPB8 and HSP27 among the breeds. In all the cases Sahiwal found to exhibited higher level of HSPs in comparison to Frieswal. Studies revealed that the expression profile of bta-mir-2898 was negatively correlated with the expression of all the HSPs during thermal stress in post anti-mir2898 treated PBMC invitro cultured model originated from both Frieswal and Sahiwal cattle breeds. However, significantly (p < 0.05) higher negative correlations were observed between bta-mir-2898 and HSP70, HSP60 and HSPB8. Present findings highlighted the preliminary role of overexpressed bta-mir-2898 in cattle during thermal stress and its impact on different heat shock proteins.     

Metabolic conditions of lactating Friesian cows during the hot season in the Po valley. 1. Blood indicators of heat stress

In two consecutive summers, 21 and 18 cows, respectively, were monitored for blood parameters and milk yield, to assess their variation according to the level of heat stress at different stages of lactation. During both years, the cows were monitored according to their lactation phase (early, mid-, and late) at the beginning of the summer. Climatic conditions were described through the temperature humidity index. Cows were monitored for breathing rate, rectal temperature, blood metabolites and enzymes, and milk yield. In the first year, two hotter periods were identified, with more severe conditions in the second one, when cows had rectal temperatures higher than 40°C. In the second year, only one hotter period was identified, with a heat stress comparable to that of the first period of the first year. Milk yield declined during the hotter period; in both years, a higher reduction in milk yield was recorded for cows in the mid-stage of lactation. The decrease in plasma glucose during the hotter period was evident in both years. Plasma cholesterol also decreased in those periods. The reduction in plasma ALP activity in the hotter period of both years confirmed the role of this enzyme as a quick and reliable heat-stress blood marker.     

Effect of feeding Saccharomyces Cerevisiae on performance of dairy cows during summer heat stress

Effects of feeding a culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to lactating cows on their lactational performance during heat stress were determined. Multiparous Holstein cows (n = 723) calving during the summer months from two dairy farms were randomly assigned to a diet containing no yeast culture (control; n = 361) or 30 g/d of a S. cerevisiae yeast culture (YC; n = 362) fed from 20 to 140 d in milk (DIM). Cows were milked twice daily and the production of milk and milk components was measured every 2 weeks. Dry matter (DM) intakes from 6 pens were measured daily and pen temperature and humidity were evaluated hourly from June to November. Rectal temperature was measured in 88 cows (22/treatment/farm), once weekly, and blood was sampled from a subset of 120 cows at 58 and 100 DIM for measurements of plasma glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, 3-OH-butyrate, insulin, and urea N concentrations. Daily temperature, humidity and the temperature-humidity index in the study pens did not differ between treatments, and rectal temperature of cows in the control and YC treatments differed with days postpartum. Intake of DM was similar between diets, but cows fed YC produced 1.2 kg/d more milk, more milk true protein, solids-not-fat and lactose than that produced by control cows. However, energy-corrected milk yield, and concentrations of true protein, solids-not-fat and lactose did not differ between treatments. Feeding YC did not influence plasma metabolites, insulin, or body condition score of cows, but urea N concentrations were reduced. Feeding a yeast culture of S. cerevisiae improved yields of milk and milk components in heat-stressed multiparous Holstein cows.     

Effect of air temperature and humidity on ingestive behaviour of sheep

Thirty-two Polwarth ewes, of ages up to 1 year, were observed in a climatic chamber (24 to 45° C) for eight periods of 5 h each. The observations were made through a window in the chamber wall. All animals were observed four times, then shorn and observed four times again. The animals were given weighed quantities of water and feed consisting of commercial concentrate plus Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay. The water and feed remaining after 5 h of observation were weighed. The following traits were analysed: time eating hay (TEH), time eating concentrate (TEC), time drinking water (TDW), weight of hay eaten (WHE), weight of concentrate eaten (WCE), volume of ingested water (VIW), ruminating time standing up (RTS), ruminating time lying down (RTL), idling time standing up (ITS), and idling time lying down (ITL). Shearing had a significant effect for all traits except ITS. Shearing resulted in higher values for all traits except for ITS and ITL. Ingestion of hay (TEH and WHE) decreased with increased air temperature and humidity, while the ingestion of concentrate (TEC) and WHE) and water (TDW and VIW) increased. Rumination decreased with increased air temperature and humidity, and was higher in shorn than in unshorn sheep.     

Effect of drinking earthen pot water on physiological response and behavior of sheep under heat stress

Heat stress is a major limiting factor for animal welfare and sheep production. Traditionally in India, the villagers used to keep their drinking water in the earthen pot to make it cold during summer. The cold drinking water (24–28 °C) during summer gives a feeling of relief from the heat. Therefore, the present study was carried out to assess the effect of drinking earthen pot water on physiological response and behavior of sheep under heat stress for one month. For this purpose, eighteen Avishaan rams were selected from the experimental animal flock and they were equally divided into three groups; viz., control (CON), heat stress (HS) and heat stress with earthen pot water (HSC). The animals of HS and HSC were exposed to higher ambient temperatures to induce heat stress inside the psychometric chamber. The animals of CON and HS were provided with ad-libitum water of their ambient temperature whereas; HSC groups were provided with ad-libitum cold water (24–28 °C) earthen pot water. All the animals were offered with 400 gm concentrate mixture and ad-libitum Cenchrus hay. The bodyweight of HS rams was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) at the end of the experimental period as compared to their initial body weight. The total roughage and dry matter intake was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in HSC rams as compared to HS rams. The plasma thyroxine concentration was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in HSC as compared with HS group. The rumination time significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in HSC group. However, The blood biochemical did not differ among the groups. Therefore, it may be concluded that Avishaan rams have the ability to adapt to heat stress. Nevertheless, the availability of earthen pot cold drinking water under heat stress reduced their body weight loss, improves their metabolic activity and ultimately improves their welfare.     

Metabolic conditions of lactating Friesian cows during the hot season in the Po valley. 2. Blood minerals and acid-base chemistry

In two consecutive summers, 21 and 18 cows respectively were monitored for acid-base chemistry and some blood minerals, to assess their variation according to the level of heat stress at different stages of lactation. During both years, the cows were monitored according to their lactation phase (early, mid-, and late) at the beginning of the summer. Climatic conditions were described through the temperature humidity index. Cows were monitored weekly for: breathing rate, rectal temperature, hemogas parameters and blood minerals (morning and afternoon collection). In the first year, two hotter periods were identified, with more severe conditions in the second one, when cows had rectal temperatures higher than 40°C. In the second year, only one hotter period was identified, with a heat stress comparable to that of the first period of the first year. The behaviour of rectal temperature, breathing rate and the parameters of the acid-base status indicated that the suffering of the cows was on the borderline between mild and high heat stress during the hotter periods only, according to the climatic conditions in the two years. During the hotter periods, the acid-base chemistry differed significantly with a reduction of and an increase of Cl during the hotter hours of the day. The compensation mechanism for mild alkalosis during hotter hours maintained blood pH and the returned to normal values during the night. Significant reductions were observed for Mg and Zn during the hotter periods. The cows in late lactation appeared to be less stressed by the hot climate.     

Microclimate modeling in naturally ventilated dairy barns during the hot season: Checking the accuracy of forecasts

Monitoring and predicting the microclimate in naturally ventilated barns (NVB) is important given the adverse effects of high summer temperatures on dairy cows in the context of global climate change. The aim of the work was to verify the accuracy of the microclimate forecast in a NVB using linear regression (LR). Our working hypothesis suggested that multiple periodic measurements of air temperature and relative humidity outside and inside the barns at the same time will allow us to build LR models for predicting the temperature-humidity index (THI). This was done not only for a specific dairy barn based on this indicator outside, but also in other dairy barns with a similar design, located in similar weather conditions. The results of the research indicate that the use of LR had a high accuracy of forecasting (93–96%) the THI in NVB of various designs during the summer heat. At the same time, differences were found between traits (air temperature, relative humidity as well as resulting THI) provided by meteorological weather stations and these data measured simultaneously next to the dairy barns. The proposed LR models can be used to predict THI in NVBs of different designs.     

半胱胺盐酸盐对高温条件下泌乳后期奶牛生产性能的影响

目的:探讨夏季高温、环境温湿指数(THI)高于76条件下半胱胺盐酸盐(Lactonin)对泌乳后期奶牛产奶性能的影响.方法:96头黑白花奶牛,分为Lactonin(3000 U/d)处理(LT,n=49,泌乳中期曾接受Lactonin)和对照组(n=47),再根据高温期以前的产奶量(M)将LT组和对照组分别组分成4个产量组(G,n=12;第4组LT,n=13;对照组,n=11):G1(M＜24 kg/d),G2(24＜M＜28 kg/d),G3(28＜M＜32 kg/d),G4(M＞32kg/d).结果:与对照相比,第一产量组LT奶牛的体温降低(P＜0.05);常乳、标准乳及饲料转化效率提高(P＜0.05)、乳脂率增加(P＜0.05),乳蛋白量倾向增加;体细胞数趋于降低.所有参试LT奶牛平均乳脂率显著增加(P＜0.05),乳蛋白量倾向增加;常乳和标准乳产量趋于提高;血清中胰岛素浓度显著提高(P＜0.01),T3、T4浓度有降低趋势.结论:Lactonin有利于高温季节奶牛正常代谢的维持,改善奶产量和乳品质,提高饲料利用效率.Lactonin对奶牛的积极影响是经过胰岛素、T3、T4等内分泌激素和生长轴介导的.     

Short term, repeated exposure to rams during the transition into the breeding season improves the synchrony of mating in the breeding season

The ram effect is widely used in Mediterranean breeds of sheep but its use in temperate genotypes is restricted by breed seasonality. However, ewes from these highly seasonal genotypes are sensitive to stimulation by rams close to the onset of the natural breeding season. In this study we developed a pre-mating protocol of repeated, short-term exposure to rams (fence-line contact or vasectomised rams) beginning during late anoestrus and continuing into the breeding season. We hypothesised that this pre-mating protocol would synchronise the distribution of mating of North of England Mule ewes during the breeding season above that observed in ewes isolated from rams prior to mating. Ram-exposed ewes were given contact with rams (Experiment 1: fence-line; FR, n = 94 and Experiment 2: vasectomised rams; VR; n = 103) for 24 h on Days 0 (10 September), 17 and 34 of the experiment. Control ewes (Experiment 1; FC, n = 98 and Experiment 2; VC; n = 106) remained isolated from rams prior to mating. In Experiment 2, a subset of VR (n = 35) and VC ewes (n = 35) were blood sampled twice weekly to monitor their pre-mating progesterone profiles. At mating, harnessed entire rams were introduced, 17 or 16 days after the last ram exposure (Experiments 1 and 2) and raddle marks were recorded daily. The median time from ram introduction to mating was reduced in ewes given both fence-line and vasectomised ram contact (P < 0.001), leading to a more compact distribution of mating and lambing (At least P < 0.01). In the blood sampled VR ewes, there was a progressive decline in the number of days from ram exposure to the onset of dioestrus (at least P < 0.05). This observation indicates that the cycles in VR ewes became increasingly synchronised over the pre-mating period, a pattern not evident in VC ewes. In conclusion, repeated, short-term exposure of ewes to rams during the transition into the breeding season is an effective method of synchronising the distribution of mating during the breeding season.