[Objective]To observe the effect of the EP2 receptor agonist Butaprost on vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)mRNA expression in bovine endometrial epithelial cells,and to explore the mechanisms underlining the influence of prostaglandins(PGs)on the repair of endometrium in dairy cows.[Methods]The bovine endometrial epithelial cells were isolated and cultured in vitro,the effect of Butaprost on mRNA expression of VEGF was examined quantitatively by real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR.[Results]Compared to the control group,the mRNA expression of VEGF in bovine endometrial epithelial cells was found significantly(P<0.05)or extremely significantly(P<0.01)elevated at 4,8,16,24 hours after co-incubation with 10-6 mol/L of Butaprost.[Conclusion]Butaprost,the EP2 receptor agonist,can significantly promote the expression of VEGF mRNA in bovine endometrial epithelial cells.

Toll-like receptors(TLRs)are important pattern recognition receptors in innate immunity.They play an important role in innate and acquired immune responses.The objective of this study was to assess the effect of TLR2-and TLR4-BB peptides(BBPs)on LPS-stimulated TNF-αmRNA expression in peritoneal macrophages of mouse and to unravel its underling mechanism.The mouse peritoneal macrophages were isolated and subsequently cultured in vitro,and the mRNA expression of TNF-αwas examined quantitatively by real-time fluorescent quantitative RT-PCR.Compared with the LPS-stimulated group,there was no significant difference in the mRNA expression of TNF-αin the CP control group(P>0.05);TLR2-and TLR4-BBPs decreased extremely significantly the mRNA and protein expression of TNF-αin peritoneal macrophages of mouse(P<0.01).These results demonstrate that TLR2-and TLR4-BBPs has inhibitory effect on mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α.

In order to suppress the local immune response in swine uterus induced by artificial insemination(AI)and to improve the AI application efficiency,the regulative effect of different dosages of heparin(0,100,500,1 000μg/mL)on changes of chemotaxis and phagocytosis of swine polymorphonuclear neutrophils(PMNs)against sperm were observed with the presence of 10%serum in an in vitro culture system.The results showed that the chemotaxis and phagocytosis of swine PMNs against sperm was found to be significantly inhibited by heparin at the dosage of 100-1 000μg/mL(P<0.05 or P<0.01).It is demonstrated that heparin can effectively suppress the immune response in swine uterus induced by AI,and it is prospected to be used as the protectant of swine semen diluents to improve the conception rate of the artificially inseminated female swine.

In order to assess the anticoagulant activity of different parts of Sophora alopecuroides plant,the in vitro clotting time of rabbit blood after co-incubation of alcohol extraction(under ambient temperature)of beans,pods,leaves and shoot apex of Sophora alopecuroides plant collected in autumn was determined by plate blood coagulation method,respectively.The results showed that the alcohol extraction of beans had complete anticoagulant effect;compared to the negative control[(0.9%sodium chloride,(282±11)s],the alcohol extraction of pods[(413±47)s,P<0.01],leaves[(456±32)s,P<0.01]and shoot apex[(317±33)s,P<0.05]significantly extended the clotting time of rabbit blood.The present results indicate that Sophora alopecuroides can prolong the clotting time of blood and has anticoagulant activity,suggesting that this plant is prospected to be developed as a thrombosis-preventive preparation or anticoagulant.

In the present study,the ACTA1 gene of Yanbian Yellow cattle was cloned by RT-PCR assay and subsequently bioinformatically analyzed with bioinformatics analysis software.The results showed that the CDS of ACTA1 gene was composed of 1 134 nucleotides which encoded 377 amino acid residues;topological prediction revealed that the protein encoded by ACTA1 gene had four casein kinaseⅡphosphorylation sites,eight N-myristoylation sites,and one ACTIN conserved domain.Results of this study provide references for understanding the mechanism underling the regulative effect of ACTA1 gene on meat quality in bovine.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the production performance of hybrid offspring of Simmental and Zhongdian yak(Simmental-yak hybrids).The chosen female individuals of Zhongdian yak were subjected to estrus synchronization treatment and were artificially inseminated with the introduced frozen semen of Simmental bull.The main parameters associated with production performance of the Simmental-yak hybrids were assessed and compared with that of the hybrid offspring of local Yellow cattle and Zhongdian yak(local cattle-yak hybrids).The results showed that the calving rate of the female artificially inseminated Zhongdian yak was 59.26%,and the survival rate of the Simmental-yak hybrids was 75.00%;the average pregnancy duration of the Simmental-yak hybrids lasted for 271 days;the average body height,body slanting length,chest circumference,cannon circumference and body weight of the 6-month-old Simmental-yak hybrids were 89.3 cm,92.5 cm,115.0 cm,13.4 cm and 112.4 kg,respectively.Except for survival rate,the Simmental-yak hybrids had better performance in the other reproduction and production parameters than the local cattle-yak hybrids.

Embryo culture in vitro is one of the basic techniques of animal embryo engineering,and it is also an important basis for embryo transfer.Because the early embryos are sensitive to environmental changes during in vitro culture,the success rate of early embryos developing to blastocysts is not high.Therefore,how to increase blastocyst rate has become the core problem in study concerning animal early embryos culture in vitro.In this paper,the research progress on culture environment of animal early embryo culture in vitro,the additive of embryo culture medium and the system of embryo culture in vitro were reviewed.Furthermore,some problems existing in embryo culture techniques in vitro were summarized,and the research of embryo culture in vitro was prospected.

The geographical distribution of producing area,yield,nutritional characteristics,processing method as feed stuff,and application in different species of animals of sunflower disc were expounded in this paper.The factors limiting its use as animal feed stuff were analyzed:perishability in storage,unstable nutritional content,undetermined adding ratio in basal diet,and poor digestibility.Some countermeasures were put forward in the light of the above problems.

The present study was designed to evaluate the influence of removing premix from diet on carcass traits and meat quality in finishing pigs during late fattening period.A total of 180 Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire(DLY)hydride pigs with body weight of approximate 80 kg were randomly assigned to one of three groups such that control group(n=60)fed the basal diet containing 4%of commercial premix,experimental group 1(n=60)whose premix was removed(replacing with zeolite powder)from the basal diet two weeks prior to slaughtering,experimental group 2(n=60)whose premix was removed(replacing with zeolite powder)from the basal diet four weeks prior to slaughtering.The parameters associated carcass traits and meat quality of the slaughtered finishing pig were determined and statistically assessed.The results showed that removing premix from diet during late fattening period(two and four weeks prior to slaughtering)had no significant effect on carcass traits and meat quality in finishing pigs(P>0.05).Our study provides references for reducing the environmental contamination caused by excrements emission from swine production and decreasing the feeding cost of finishing pigs.

[Objective]In order to develop the high-productivity technology of forage sweet sorghum in autumn idle land,the association of planting density and line spacing with individual plant productivity was assessed.[Methods]Using split-plot experiment design method and LSD method of IBM.SPSS.Statistics.v22 statistics software,a field experiment was conducted to compare the single plant productivity of the forage sweet sorghum cultured with different planting density and line spacing.[Results]The results showed that planting density and line spacing had important influence on individual plant productivity of forage sweet sorghum in autumn idle land.Moreover,the optimal combination of plant productivity was determined as A1B4 with the planting density of 7.50×104 plants/hm2 and the line spacing of 40 cm.Under this configuration,the fresh and dry weight per plant was 654.37 g/plant and 147.11 g/plant,respectively.[Conclusion]Our results provided a theoretical basis for improving the production of forage sweet sorghum in autumn idle land.

Medicago falcata L.is a leguminous perennial herb with strong resistance to stress and is considered as an eximious feeding plant due to its rich protein content.From the year of 2014,the introduction and domestication of ecotype Medicago falcata L.have been conducted in Hohhot of Inner Mongolia.The results showed that the ecotype Medicago falcata L.grew well in Hohhot urban area and its winter survival rate exceeded 98%;the yield of ecotype Medicago falcata L.was determined in the second year after sowing,and the three-year period average yield of hay and seed were 9 957 kg/hm2 and 137 kg/hm2,respectively.

As a dominant species or constructive species in the arid desert pasture,Ceratoides is a perennial super-xerophilous semi-shrub,which is one of the most precious wild plant resources in semi-desert grassland.However,the deteriorating situation such as reduced population,short life and serious abortion,has restricted its promotion,development and utilization.To solve the problems above and provide some reference materials,this article summarizes various contents as followed:Ceratoides developmental physiology,abortion physiology,storage physiology,deterioration physiology,and germination physiology.

In order to investigate the adaptability of six varieties of Elymus forage in high altitude area,including wild Elymus dahuricus Turcz.,Elymus sibiricus L.cv.Tongde,excellent lines of Elymus sibiricus L.cv.Tongde,Elymus sibiricus L.cv.Hongyuan,Elymus sibiricus L.cv.Qingmu No.1 and Elymus breviaristatus Keng cv.Tongde,the trial planting were designed and conducted at Haiyan County of Qinghai Province.Furthermore,the plant height,grass yield,fresh/dry weight ratio and stem/leaf ratio of the six selected varieties of Elymus forage were determined and compared.The results showed that the varieties of Elymus sibiricus L.cv.Tongde and Elymus sibiricus L.cv.Hongyuan had higher plant height at initial flowering stage;Elymus sibiricus L.cv.Hongyuan exhibited higher fresh grass yield,indicating this variety could be promoted and utilized after further regional test.

Electronic Swine Performance Testing System(ESPTS)has been widely used in many large-scale intensive pig farms in China.The data correctness of ESPTS is influenced by a series of factors.If the porcine growth performance data cannot be guaranteed to be correct,the efficiency and direction of breeding work will be affected and misled.This study found that the data correctness of ESPTS was affected by three fundamental factors:the systematic error,the random impacting factor generating during the equipment running,and the interfering factor associated with animal behavior.We also pointed out that the incorrect data were mainly observed in the following four aspects:data-chain interruption,feeding supplying interruption,mechanical sticking on scales,and abnormal animal behavior.Two aspects of work are recommended to be done for ensuring the data correctness:enhancing management so as to control the emerging of factors affecting the data correctness;analyzing and revising the incorrect data according to the actual situation.Data maintenance is one of the most important works in data quality management system of ESPTS.The scientific analysis and rational maintenance of the data obtained from ESPTS can objectively reveal the animal behavior to the largest extent,embody the significance of the testing data,and make the data be of practical significance in evaluation,application and communication.

Based on the meteorological data collected by Meteorological Bureau of Ewenk Autonomous Banner of Inner Mongolia from 1961 to 2017,the development and application of the animal husbandry associated climate resources,including light energy,heat energy,water resource and wind energy,was analyzed and prospected by using statistical analysis and comparative analysis methods.The results showed that Ewenk region had rich light energy resource and high photosynthetic potential,which was favorable for the growth of forest trees and the grain formation of forage grass;the heat resource was not abundant,which was not conducive to the growth of warm crops;the atmospheric precipitation was distributed concentratively in June to September,which was favorable for the growth of forest trees and forage grass;the wind energy resource was less and was concentrated in spring.The general situation of climate resources in Ewenk region was introduced;combined with the actual situation of this region,the rational development and application of climate resources was prospected;the countermeasures regarding the development and application of climate resources was proposed.This paper concluded that with the economic development and social progress,the development and application of climate resources will become increasingly important.

With the rapid development of livestock industry in China,a large amount of manure produced by livestock has become the most serious pollution source.The contamination of livestock manure may result in ecological environment destruction in the future if not be treated in time.The innocuous microorganism inoculants play an important role in the re-utilization of livestock manure.They can fully decompose the organic matter and release nutrients through microbe fermentation.Furthermore,the high temperature generated during the fermentation can kill pathogenic microorganisms and parasite eggs as well as produce high-quality microbial organic fertilizer,which is favorable to the purification of the environment.In this paper,the application of microorganism inoculants in livestock manure treatment and the effect of microbial organic fertilizer were briefly introduced.

Sheep and Goat Production is a main course for animal science major in agricultural colleges and universities which emphasizes the combination of theoretical knowledge and practical ability.In the current teaching environment,this course is challenging for both professors and students.In view of the existing problems during the teaching process,such as wide coverage of content,strong practicality and limited class hours,this paper makes a reform exploration on the curriculum of Sheep and Goat Production from the following aspects:expanding teaching content,innovating the teaching methods,and reforming the examination system.Through the implementation of teaching reform measures,the teaching quality of this course has been significantly improved,laying a good foundation for cultivating high-quality professional and technical personnel to adapt to the modern sheep and goat industry.

Practice teaching is an important part in teaching system of animal science major which has great significance to cultivate comprehensive quality and improve practical ability of undergraduates.In order to explore the establishment of practical teaching system of animal science major,the production and study combination mode characterized by resident practice and comprehensive practice training in agricultural experiment base is applied during the teaching practice of Swine Production,and the practical teaching mode of this course is reformed and innovated.

Animal Derived Food Hygiene is a comprehensive compulsory course in veterinary medicine.In the course of teaching,theoretical knowledge and practical teaching should be emphasized.They are both complementary and indispensable.In recent years,the issue of animal source food safety has been paid more and more attention.The contents of Animal Derived Food Hygiene play important roles in ensuring the safety of breeding industry,public health safety and animal food safety.We carried out a teaching reform by improving teaching methods,optimizing experiment teaching contents,strengthening the construction of teaching base,and perfecting examination system to improve the quality of classroom teaching of Animal Derived Food Hygiene and practice ability of students.

Livestock Breeding is one of the main courses in animal science major.The traditional curriculum examination system cannot meet the needs of college curriculum construction and talent cultivation any more.The curriculum formative assessment system highly emphasizes the assessment of the undergraduates′learning process and gives full play to the functions of the assessment such as evaluation,supervision,feedback and guidance.The curriculum teaching and assessment are simultaneously improved in this system.Furthermore,the formative assessment system makes the undergraduates understand the concept,method and principle of the curriculum,consolidates the foundation of the undergraduates′theoretical course learning,and improves the quality of the talents training in an all-round way.

From the perspective of innovating the personnel training approach,this paper discusses the application of high quality resources from the scientific research platform of the applied undergraduate university represented by Anhui Science and Technology University,such as opening the scientific research platform,holding a series of scientific research reports and lectures,offering elective courses of scientific research,setting the second classroom of large equipment watching,and building the Maker laboratory of scientific research for undergraduates,so as to provide strong support for training of scientific research-and innovative-typed undergraduate talents.Our practice and experience may provide references for exerting the service role of the scientific research platform in innovative talents training in the same type colleges and universities.

Food Adulteration Detection is a compulsory course for the food quality and safety specialty which has strong practicality.Whether the teaching arrangement of the experimental course is rational or not determines the whole teaching quality of this curriculum.The teaching reform and practice of experimental course of Food Adulteration Detection set by the food quality and safety major of Shenyang Agricultural University are conducted from the following aspects:analyzing the existing problems in the teaching process,improving the teaching methods,updating the teaching idea,optimizing the teaching content,and reforming the examination ways on experimental operating skills.In order to cultivate the problems-analyzing and-solving ability and enhance the practical ability of the undergraduates,the teaching effect of the Food Adulteration Detection are expected to be improved,which will lay a solid foundation for their further study and employment in the future.

Livestock breeding at home and abroad is developing rapidly.New theories and research results in this discipline are emerging.The novel methods and technologies are playing increasingly important roles in livestock breeding production.Accordingly,the content of Livestock Breeding is also constantly enriched.In the teaching process of Livestock Breeding in College of Animal Science and Technology of Henan University of Science and Technology,there is lack of comprehensive and practical experiment.Furthermore,the undergraduates lack interests in practical operating in the experiment course.In view of the above problems,the GBS breeding and analysis system is applied in the experimental teaching of Livestock Breeding,which is embodied in single breeding value estimation,multi-trait breeding value estimation,inbreeding coefficient calculation,selection plan and so on.After the implementation of the above experimental teaching reform,the enthusiasm of the undergraduates′participation in experimental course of Livestock Breeding has been improved and their professional skills have been enhanced.

Intestinal constipation,including idiopathic and secondary cases in clinic,is a commonly observed digestive tract disease in canine.The correct diagnosis and early therapy is decisive to the course and prognosis of this disease.We introduced the therapeutic protocols of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine:enema is applied in time to soften the excrement;acupuncture at related acupoint is used to improve the circling of Qi and blood in the meridians,so as to enhance the intestinal function.

Allopatry fattening has become the main mode of beef cattle production in China.Scientific measures are expected to be taken to release the stress response of the purchased store cattle caused by long-distance transportation as soon as they arrive at the farm;the feeding and management during the transition period should be emphasized;for the purpose of precise feeding,the beef cattle individuals should be clustered into different groups according to their body weight,physical fitness and feed intake speed;for the store cattle with body weight lower than 200 kg,the crucial points of feeding are as follows:promoting the growth and development of skeleton,viscera and muscle,gradually enhancing the functions of digestive organs,providing the diet containing high-quality protein,offering appropriate concentrations of calcium,phosphorus,minerals and vitamin;for the store cattle with body weight ranging from 200 kg to 250 kg,high protein diet should be offered,and the abundant roughage should also be offered to stimulate the development of rumen;for the store cattle with body weight ranging from 250 kg to 300 kg,the diet should be composed of high-ratio roughage and complementary concentrate;when the body weight of the store cattle reaches up to 350 kg,the characteristic of the dietary nutritional requirement is that the protein content and energy level are recommended to be higher at the early and late stage of fattening period,respectively.The feed conversion ratio reduces with the increase of body weight for sale.Accordingly,the fattening strategies and marketing time of the beef cattle should be rationally applied and determined according to the fattening purpose,respectively.

Tibetan pig is a common and free-grazed pig species in plateau and alpine region.Although this pig species has high adaptability to the low oxygen and poor climatic conditions of the high altitude area as well as the extensive feeding and management conditions,its low production performance leads to the low breeding economic benefits.We elaborate the main measures to improve the economic benefits of Tibetan pig breeding,in hoping to provide references for the local pig farmers.

In this paper,the current situation and main measures taken in pig slaughtering supervision in Anhui Province was introduced;the existing problems in supervising work,for instance,the setting of pig slaughtering houses(sites)was unreasonable,the harmless treatment facilities and equipment for dead animals and substandard animal products in inspection and quarantine were deficient,and the implementation of slaughtering houses(sites)′s primary responsibility was improper;some corresponding countermeasures,such as establishing and implementing the whole-process regulatory system covering the links of approval,construction,operation and exit,enhancing the joint law enforcement mechanism of the relevant administrative departments,perfecting the harmless treatment system construction for dead animals and substandard animal products in inspection and quarantine,were proposed;furthermore,the possibility that the qualified and professional organization delegated by slaughtering enterprises fulfilled the meat quality examination was prospected.