Abstracts volume 55 (2012) 1, 1-104
Comparison of fattening performance and slaughter value of local Hungarian cattle breeds to international breeds
Gabriella Holló, Karin Nuernberg, Tamás Somogyi, István Anton and István Holló
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 1-12 PDF
The objective of the trial is to compare fattening performance, slaughter results and meat quality of bulls from international cattle breeds with local Hungarian breeds fattened under the same conditions. Altogether 62 growing bulls – Angus, Charolais, Holstein, Hungarian Grey, Hungarian Simmental, Charolais × Hungarian Grey – were fattened in small groups. The daily gain varied from 897 (Hungarian Grey) to 1240 g/day (Angus). In general, the lower gain value is caused by the semi-intensive fattening system with low concentrate supplementation. The slaughter weight showed a similar tendency as final weight, there was a significant difference between Angus and Hungarian Grey. The killing out of Charolais (59.50%), Angus (56.80%) and Hungarian Simmental (57.84%) was significantly higher than Hungarian Grey (55.13%) and Holstein (55.03%). Due to Charolais crossing the dressing percentage of Hungarian Grey was developed by about 1.5%. The EU conformation scores of Charolais (9.50) and Hungarian Simmental (9.33) and the fatness scores of Angus (8.33) and Charolais × Hungarian Grey (7.33) were significantly higher than that of the other genotypes. The tissue composition of dissected carcass as well as ribs joint composition determined by X-ray computerised tomography method showed the lean meat of Hungarian Simmental and bone proportions of Holstein to be the highest, whilst Angus had the highest fat content. Charolais und Hungarian Simmental had significant higher longissimus muscle area in ribs joint compared to Angus, Holstein and Charolais × Hungarian Grey. Angus and Hungarian Grey had the highest intramuscular fat level of the three examined muscles.
Defining and evaluating heat stress thresholds in different dairy cow production systems
Kerstin Brügemann, Erhard Gernand, Uta König von Borstel and Sven König
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 13-24 PDF
The aim of this study was to assess the impact of heat stress in dairy cows on test-day records for production traits and somatic cell score (SCS) in the state of Lower Saxony, Germany. Three different production systems were defined: A production system characterized by intensive crop production (=indoor housing), a pasture based production system, and a maritime region. Heat stress was assessed by two temperature-humidity indices (THI) modelled as random regression coefficients in an analysis of variance: One (THIBo) was defined as an average of hourly THI, calculated from hourly recorded temperatures and humidities, the other (THIRa) was based on daily maximal temperature and daily minimal humidity. In all production systems, THIBo=60 and THIRa=70 were identified as general thresholds denoting a substantial decline in test-day milk yield. For daily fat and protein percentage, no universally valid thresholds were identified. In contrast for SCS, especially in the maritime region, heat stress as well as cold stress thresholds were found. Regression analysis was used to study the change in test day milk yield in response to THI of those THI ranges with an obvious decline in milk yield. Regression coefficients were −0.08 kg/THIBo and −0.16 kg/THIRa for the crop production system, −0.17 kg/THIBo and −0.23 kg/THIRa for the pasture based system, and −0.26 kg/THIBo and −0.47kg/THIRa for the maritime region. Based on statistical information criteria, identified thresholds for THIBo should be given preference over THIRa when applying genetic studies on heat stress in German Holstein cows.
Therapeutic efficacy and pharmacological safety of parenteral supplementation of different concentrations of copper in cows
Juan Ramón García-Díaz, Harun Munyori-Nderitu, Mario Cuesta-Mazorra, Reinaldo Quiñones-Ramos, José Miguel Figueredo-Ross, Ernesto Noval Artiles and Ángel Mollineda-Trujillo
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 25-35 PDF
The objective of the present study was to determine the parenteral dosage of the trace mineral copper (Cu) which re-establishes serum and hepatic levels in hypocupperhemic animals without causing intoxication in the liver or residuals in milk. The experiment was carried out in two phases; in the first phase, 20 hypocupperhemic animals were used. Those were divided into 4 groups of 5 cows each: 3 groups which received 25, 50 and 100 mg of Cu respectively and 1 control group without supplementation, but with induced copraemia 5 days before and after the treatment. The milk of the cows treated with 100 mg Cu was examined for residuals of this element for one month. In the second phase, 25 animals were selected and divided into 5 groups of 5 cows each: 1 control group and 4 groups which received 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg of Cu respectively. The impact of this Cu dosages on liver reserves of this element, on hepatic enzymes (alanine-amine-transaminase, aspartate-amine-transferase, alkaline phosphatase and glutamate dehydrogenase) and on bilirubin was analyzed. The groups treated with 50 and 100 mg Cu showed increased levels in blood serum and hepatic tissues (P<0.05) in comparison to the control group and the one treated with 25 mg, obtaining the physiological level considered normal in cows during 60 days without an effect to the level of Cu in milk or to the liver’s enzymatic activity. We conclude that treatment with this dosage results in a restoration of the Cu concentration in blood serum and hepatic tissues without toxic effects or residuals.
Meat quality traits and muscle composition of cows differing in lactation performance
Mohamed Hamada, Elke Albrecht, Abdel-Rahman El Bagory, Abo-Bakr Edris, Harald M. Hammon, Gerd Nuernberg and Steffen Maak
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 36-47 PDF
Beef and dairy cows differ in the way in which they utilise nutrients and in accretion or mobilisation of body reserves during lactation. Thus far, little is known about the impact of lactation performance on body composition, meat quality, and the related muscle structure of cows with a defined, combined beef and dairy genetic background. In the described experiment, 50 F2 cows, originating from mating Charolais bulls to German Holstein cows and a following intercross of F1 individuals, were slaughtered during the second lactation, 30 days after calving. Cows were assigned to 3 groups, each containing representatives of 3 families, according to lactation performance. Standard carcass and meat quality traits were determined. Additionally, samples from longissimus muscle were investigated by histology and computer image analysis for muscle fibre profile, intramuscular fat cell size, and marbling traits. Subcutaneous fat cell size was measured to estimate the impact of lactation on body fat reserves. The results suggest no influence of the duration of the first lactation on body composition, meat quality or muscle structure. However, the amount of milk per day influenced body weight, body composition, and marbling traits. Relationships between traits were low, but showed consistently that increasing milk yield was negatively correlated with tissue accretion. Changes of muscle fibre and fat cell profile, indicating protein or fat mobilisation by lactation, could not be detected. In the presented study, lactation had only minor consequences for meat quality.
An individual-based model for Salmonella transmission along the pig production chain
Stefanie Hotes, Imke Traulsen and Joachim Krieter
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 48-63 PDF
The aim was to develop an individual-based model for the transmission of Salmonella from farrowing farm to slaughterhouse. The present study concentrated on farrowing sows as the initial source of Salmonella transmission. The model was evaluated with a sensitivity analysis using a Plackett-Burman design. Three levels (minimum, default, maximum values) for all input factors were considered. The deviations from the default prevalences caused by the extreme values did not balance each other for several significant input factors. For these factors, the relation between input factor and regarded health states was not linear. Results showed that the probability of effective contact, to restart shedding, the shedding duration and the sow herd prevalences as well as their distribution across farrowing farms determined the Salmonella prevalence at slaughter. The study emphasised the importance of vertical and horizontal transmission. Low Salmonella prevalences obtained after nursing caused prevalences at slaughterhouse up to 12%.
Measurement of changes in body composition of piglets from birth to 4 kg using quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR)
Alva D. Mitchell, Timothy G. Ramsay and Armin M. Scholz
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 64-71 PDF
The purpose of this study was to use quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR) to measure changes in the body composition of piglets during growth from birth to 4 kg body weight. Using QMR, 60 pigs were scanned an average of 5 times starting at 2.7±1.3 days of age (1.95 kg) and finally at 13.1±4.3 days (4.14 kg). Regression analysis revealed that the rates of total body growth and fat and lean deposition were linear throughout this period. Subsequently, a second group of 235 pigs (109 males and 126 females) were scanned twice, first at 2.7±1.2 days of age and then at 13.4±3.1 days of age. The mean (±SD) rate of total body growth was 230±57 g/day. The rates of fat and lean deposition were 40±13 g/day and 191±52 g/day, respectively. The rates of both fat and lean deposition were highly correlated (P<0.001) with total body growth rate (R2=0.81 and 0.93, respectively) and the coefficient of determination between the rates of fat and lean deposition was 0.71 (P<0.001). The results of this study demonstrate that QMR is a useful method for measuring changes in body composition in neonatal pigs. Furthermore, the results indicate that during the period of growth from birth to 4 kg, the rates of both fat and lean deposition are linear and highly correlated with total body growth.
Developmental changes of GHR and IGF-I mRNA expression in lamb rumen
Shengli Cheng, Fadi Li, Jiangpeng Guo, Jie Pei, Youji Ma, Yunxia Wei, Baoping Yang and Yuping Xiao
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 72-77 PDF
Lambs from birth (0-day-old) to 56-day-old were selected in present study to investigate developmental changes of growth hormone receptor (GHR) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) mRNA expression in their rumen tissue. Forty-five lambs (5 lambs per group) were slaughtered at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56 days of age respectively for sampling the tissue of the rumen dorsal sac. The abundance of GHR and IGF-I mRNA were detected through real-time quantitative PCR method. The results indicated that the expression levels of GHR and IGF-I mRNA had similar change tendency in rumen tissue that the GHR and IGF-I mRNA abundance decreased with age from birth to 56-day-old. There was significant positive correlation between the two gene mRNA expression levels. The results suggested that GHR and IGF-I gene expression levels had the specific developmental pattern in rumen tissue.
Polymorphism identification in the goat THRSP gene and association analysis with growth traits
Xiaopeng An, Haibo Zhao, Long Bai, Jinxing Hou, Jiayin Peng, Jiangang Wang, Yuxuan Song and Binyun Cao
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 78-83 PDF
In this study, we reported the analysis of THRSP gene polymorphisms in 610 goats of three breeds: Xinong Saanen (SN), Guanzhong (GZ) and Boer (BG). We identified new allelic variant: P2-G39294A (GenBank accession no. JN618075) in the three goat breeds. At P2 locus, GG, GA and AA genotypes were found in the three goat breeds. The frequencies of G allele were 0.54-0.55 and frequencies of A allele were 0.46-0.45, and the PIC was 0.37. The SNP locus was in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium in Boer goat breed (P<0.05). Association of polymorphisms with growth traits was done at P2 locus in Boer goat breed. The result showed that AA genotype had remarkable growth traits at P2 locus (P<0.05). Therefore, these results suggest that THRSP gene is a strong candidate gene that affects growth traits in goat.
Modifications of lampbrush chromosome structure of the European domestic goose Anser anser
Katarzyna Andraszek and Elżbieta Smalec
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 84-96 PDF
Lampbrush chromosomes (LBCs) represent a new model in avian cytogenetics and are increasingly more often used in poultry chromosome analyses. Additionally, lampbrush chromosomes are considered as model structures in the study of transcription regulation. Changes in transcription activity are reflected as modifications of LBC morphological structure and associated with physiological processes in the organism. The aim of the present study was to compare transcriptional activity of the first five lampbrush macrochromosomes and ZW sex lampbrush bivalents sampled from the oocytes of geese prior to and after the reproductive period. The respective bivalents sampled before and after reproduction have similar sizes but differ in morphological structure. Side loops of lampbrush chromosomes are sites of transcription activity. The activity varies according to the loop size. As the loops become more prominent, the activity grows and vice versa. Lampbrush chromosomes sampled after reproduction have smaller side loops. On the other hand, inactive chromomeres become prominent in the chromosomes. Marker loops are the last structures to be degraded after the end of reproduction. Consequently, they are used for identifying particular bivalents at different stages of cellular transcriptional activity.
The effect of diet supplementation with propolis and bee pollen on the physicochemical properties and strength of tibial bones in broiler chickens
Katarzyna Kleczek, Katarzyna Majewska, Włodzimierz Makowski and Danuta Michalik
Arch Tierz 55 (2012), 97-103 PDF
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of diet supplementation with propolis and bee pollen on selected physical, biomechanical and chemical properties of tibial bones in broiler chickens. The experimental materials comprised 384 Ross 308 chickens (four groups, three replications), divided into groups of males and females, and raised to 35 days of age. Control group 1 birds were fed a commercial diet throughout the experiment. Birds of three other experimental groups received for the first two weeks of rearing standard diets with a different content of propolis and/or bee pollen: group 2 – 0.025% propolis, group 3 – 0.5% bee pollen, group 4 – 0.5% bee pollen and 0.025% propolis. The following parameters of the tibia were determined: weight, length, mid-shaft circumference, vertical and horizontal external diameters, vertical and horizontal internal diameters. The geometric characteristics of the bones were determined based on the above measurements. Mid-shaft shear strength was measured using an Instron universal testing machine 4301 (Instron, Norwood, MA, USA). The crude ash, calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) content of the tibia was also determined. Higher values of geometric parameters were noted in the tibial bones of broilers fed a diet supplemented with a combination of propolis and bee pollen, in comparison with birds fed diets containing propolis or bee pollen administered alone. The shear strength values and physical properties of bones were similar in all groups.