Effect of sex-sorted sperm dosage on conception rates in Holstein heifers and lactating cows

Ejaculates were collected by artificial vagina from 3 Holstein sires and sorted to 90% purity for X-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa (range 88 to 93%) using flow cytometry. Sorted sperm were diluted to 2.1, 3.5, or 5.0 × 10⁶ sperm per dose in an egg yolk (20%), Tris, glycerol (7%) extender. Collections were repeated until >600 straws per sperm dose per sire were obtained. Each sperm dose was loaded into color-coded 0.25-mL French straws, with alternate colors used to define treatments across sires. Within sires, straws were packaged at 9 per cane (3 of each color) and strategically allocated to 75 Holstein herds with targets for 50% use in heifers and 50% in lactating cows. Straw color was recorded in the on-farm record-keeping system at the time of insemination. Data were analyzed separately for cows and heifers. Among heifers, a total of 2,125 usable records were retrieved from 51 herds (238 ± 5.5 services/ sperm dose per sire, range: 218 to 263). Conception rates in heifers were influenced by the sire × sperm dosage interaction. Within sire A, conception rates of heifers were greater for the 5 × 10⁶ (59.5%) than for the 2.1 × 10⁶ (46.4%) sperm dose and intermediate for the 3.5 × 10⁶ sperm dose (52.2%). However, across sires, sperm dosage had no effect on heifer conception rates (46.7, 51.2, and 52.5% for the 2.1, 3.5, and 5.0 × 10⁶ sperm dosages, respectively). Among cows, a total of 2,369 services were retrieved from 56 herds (263 ± 8.8 services/sperm dose per sire, range: 233 to 303). Conception rates of cows (29.4%) were not affected by sire or sperm dosage (27.0, 29.1, and 30.3% for the 2.1, 3.5, and 5.0 × 10⁶ sperm dosages, respectively). In conclusion, these data indicate that an increased sperm dosage may enhance virgin heifer conception rates for some (but not all) sires, whereas neither sire nor sexed-sperm dosage affected conception rates of lactating cows. Additional studies of sexed-sperm dosage across a larger sampling of bulls are warranted to determine whether and how such a practice can be implemented cost effectively for the benefit of the dairy industry.     

The cost-benefit of genomic testing of heifers and using sexed semen in pasture-based dairy herds

Recent improvements in dairy cow fertility and female reproductive technologies offer an opportunity to apply greater selection pressure to females. This means there may be greater incentive to obtain genomic breeding values for females. We modeled the impact of changes to key parameters on the net benefit from genomic testing of heifer calves with and without usage of sexed semen. This paper builds on earlier cost-benefit studies but uses parameters relevant to pasture-based systems. A deterministic model was used to evaluate the effect on net benefit due to changes in (1) reproduction rate, (2) genomic test costs, (3) availability of parent-derived breeding values (EBV_PA), and (4) replacement rate. When the use of sexed semen was included, we also considered (1) the proportion of heifers and cows mated to sexed semen, (2) decreases in conception rate in inseminations with sexed semen, and (3) the marginal return for surplus heifers. Scenarios with lower replacement rates and no availability of EBV_PA had the largest net benefits. Under current Australian parameters, the net benefit of genomic testing realized over the lifetime of genotyped heifers is expected to range from A$204 to A$1,124 per 100 cows for a herd with median reproductive performance. The cost of a genomic test, a perceived barrier to many farmers, had only a small effect on net benefit. Genomic testing alone was always more profitable than using sexed semen and genomic testing together if the only benefit considered was increased genetic gain in heifer replacements. When other benefits (i.e., the higher sale price of a surplus heifer compared with a male calf) were considered, there were combinations of parameters where net benefit from using sexed semen and genomic testing was higher than the equivalent scenario with genomic testing only. Using sexed semen alongside genomic testing is most likely to be profitable when (1) used in heifers, (2) the marginal return for selling surplus heifers (sale price minus rearing costs) is greater than A$400, and (3) conception rates of no more than 10 percentage points lower than those achieved using conventional semen can be realized. Net benefit was highly dependent on the marginal return. Demonstrating that the initial investment in genomic testing can be recouped within the lifetime of the heifers tested may assist in the development of extension messages to explain the value of genomic testing females at the herd level.     

菟丝子醇提液对小鼠脑缺血再灌注损伤的保护作用

目的探讨菟丝子醇提液（AECS）对脑缺血再灌注（I/R）小鼠学习记忆障碍的改善作用,对肝脑组织中相关酶的作用及其作用机制。方法利用超声提取法制备AECS;采用暂时性阻断两侧颈总动脉的方法制备小鼠脑I/R损伤的模型,进行避暗实验,观察AECS对小鼠学习记忆功能的保护作用;生化方法测定肝脑组织中谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）活性。结果AECS中、高剂量可明显减少脑I/R小鼠避暗实验中错误次数,延长潜伏期;AECS中、高剂量能不同程度地提高肝、脑组织中GSH-Px活性。结论AECS对脑I/R所致小鼠记忆功能障碍具有保护作用,其作用机制可能为增强肝、脑组织中GSH-Px活性。     

Comparison between low-dose,high-sort and high-dose,low-sort semen on conception and calf sex ratio in Jersey heifers and cows

The objective of this clinical trial was to compare conception and newborn calf sex ratios among Jersey heifers and lactating cows inseminated with either standard sex-sorted semen (low-dose, high-sort; LDHS) containing 2.1 × 10⁶ sorted sperm at 90% purity or high-dose, low-sort (HDLS) semen containing 10 × 10⁶ sorted sperm at 75% purity. After a specified voluntary waiting period (VWP), female subjects, consisting of nulliparous heifers (VWP 10 mo of age) and lactating cows (VWP 50 d in milk), received their first service and were systematically allocated to each treatment group in the order in which they presented for artificial insemination (AI). Females were bred to the same sire and type of sex-sorted semen for up to 2 additional services. Animals that were not pregnant after 3 breeding attempts were excluded. A total of 1,846 services were performed on 1,011 eligible females (LDHS; n = 494, HDLS; n = 517), which consisted of 516 nulliparous heifers and 495 lactating cows. Study groups were comparable with respect to the mean age at first AI for nulliparous heifers and the mean days in milk at first AI for parous cows. Insemination with HDLS semen did not result in a higher proportion of pregnancies per AI (P/AI) compared with LDHS semen for either nulliparous heifers (P/AI = 43 vs. 38%) or parous cows (P/AI = 47 vs. 43%). Insemination of nulliparous heifers using HDLS resulted in a lower proportion of newborn female calves compared with those bred to LDHS (76% vs. 87%). Similarly, lactating cows bred to HDLS gave birth to a lower proportion of newborn female calves compared with those bred to LDHS (79 vs. 90%). The odds ratio for a female calf to be born to an animal inseminated with HDLS compared with LDHS was 0.32 for nulliparous heifers and 0.19 for parous cows. Overall, the use of HDLS resulted in fewer females compared with LDHS, which may be explained by the lower concentration of X-bearing spermatozoa in HDLS compared with LDHS.     

生、炒决明子抗氧化作用的研究与比较

通过4个化学模拟体系:羟自由基(·OH)、超氧阴离子(O-2·)以及小鼠肝匀浆脂质过氧化、血细胞溶血,检测并比较生、炒两种决明子的乙醇提取物的抗氧化活性,并以常用抗氧化剂二丁基羟基甲苯(BHT)或Vc作为阳性对照进行比较。研究结果表明:在4个体系中,两种提取物均有较强的抗氧化活性,在清除氧自由基方面生决明子的乙醇提取物作用优于炒决明子,在小鼠体外氧化体系中,两种决明子提取物的抗氧化能力相差不大,且都与常用抗氧化剂Vc作用相当。     

几种添加物复配阻断香肠中亚硝胺生成的效果研究

以猪肉香肠为研究对象,研究桂皮、洋葱和茶多酚复配对阻断产品中N-亚硝胺生成的效果。实验结果表明:茶多酚对猪肉发酵香肠中亚硝胺残留量的影响最大,茶多酚、洋葱和桂皮三种物质复配能有效地抑制N-亚硝胺的生成,其最佳配比为(加入量以肉重计):茶多酚含量为0.029%,洋葱汁为3.5%,6%桂皮浸体液含量为5.4%,此时产品中亚硝胺的含量为6.8μg/kg。     

HPLC-ELSD法测定苦杏仁中苦杏仁苷的含量

建立了苦杏仁中苦杏仁苷的高效液相色谱-蒸发光散射检测器检测方法。采用ZORBAX Eclipse XDB-C18色谱柱(4.6mm×150mm,5μm),流动相为V(甲醇)∶V(水)=40∶60,流速1.0mL/min,柱温40℃;蒸发光散射检测器漂移管温度60℃,载气(空气)压力0.2MPa。在上述条件下测得苦杏仁苷在0.28～5.5μg范围内的线性关系良好(r=0.9975),检出底限达58ng/L,平均加标回收率为96.2%。该方法简便快捷,重现性和准确度良好,可用于实际工作中样品的测定。     

大黄素等有效成分的分离纯化和谱学表征

随着绿色食品的兴起,人们对天然色素的需求量越来越大,因此,从天然产物中提取具有药用功能的无毒无害的食用色素,是当今食用色素发展的新趋势.决明子为豆科植物决明的干燥成熟种子,含有很多药用有效成分.本文采用有机溶剂萃取法和沉淀法,从决明子中提取出三种主要有效成分粗品,通过柱层析和重结晶技术对有效成分粗品进行了分离和纯化,得到了三种决明子色素(Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ).利用蒽醌类化合物的显色反应及FTIR,UV - Vis,MS,1H,13CNMR等分析测试手段,对三种化合物进行了表征,确定了它们的分子组成和结构.鉴定出化合物Ⅰ为1,8 -二羟基3-甲基6-甲氧基蒽醌(大黄素甲醚);化合物Ⅱ为1,8-二羟基3-甲基蒽醌(大黄酚);化合物Ⅲ为1,6,8-三羟基3-甲基蒽醌(大黄素).     

薏米不同处理方法对饮料的影响

通过对薏仁糙米、脱脂薏米、干法熟化薏米及湿法熟化薏米4种原料进行营养成分分析,并对其饮料产品贮藏前后品质评价,从而探究原料不同预处理对产品品质影响.结果表明:4种原料中薏仁糙米营养成分较好,其蛋白质含量为14.96％、淀粉含量为51.22％、薏仁脂含量为8.83％、薏米还原糖含量为1.61％;干法熟化薏米的淀粉含量最高...     

酸枣仁油的研究与开发进展

酸枣仁油取自药食同源的酸枣仁,是一种安全的保健食用油,综述近年来有关酸枣仁油的提取工艺、组成成分分析及其生物活性研究,为酸枣仁油的进一步开发与应用提供参考。现有研究表明,酸枣仁油生产工艺简单,成品油中含有大量不饱和脂肪酸,其中油酸和亚油酸含量最高,同时还含有多种脂溶性成分。酸枣仁油具有多种生物活性,如镇静催眠、改善记忆力、抗抑郁、抗氧化、血脂调节及抗肿瘤等,但其发挥生物活性的物质基础及作用机理尚未完全明确,有待进一步研究。酸枣仁油的安全及多活性特点赋予其巨大的开发与应用潜力,相关产品具有广阔的市场前景。