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In this study, the daily lactation data of Holstein dairy cows in one lactation period (305 days) were used as lactation time series data. Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) was used to decompose milk yield series. The nonstationary milk yield series with multiple oscillation modes was decomposed into several components. After eliminating the interference components, the interference components were superimposed. Remaining component reconstruction was used to get the denoising milk yield series. The denoising milk yield series retained the basic characteristics of the original milk yield series and corrected the errors of the original data. The back propagation neural network (BPNN) was used to predict and compare the original milk yield series and the denoising milk yield series. The results showed that it was feasible to use EMD to smooth the original daily milk production data. The noise reduction milk production series was beneficial to the learning of prediction model and could improve the accuracy of prediction of daily milk production of dairy cows.

Solute carrier family 11-member A1 (SLC11A1) gene encodes natural macrophage resistance-associated protein which regulates activity of macrophages against intracellular pathogens. The objective of this study was to study the polymorphism in the microsatellites present at 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of the SLC11A1 gene in 113 Zhongdian Yellow cattle (Bos taurus). Using DNA bi-directional sequencing, we detected seven alleles (GT10–16) for the first microsatellite (MS1), five alleles (GT12–16) for MS2, and four alleles (GT4–7) for MS3. MS3 is studied for the first time and revealed four novel variants (alleles GT4–7). Alleles GT12 (45.1%), GT13 (59.3%), and GT5 (85.4%) were the most frequent alleles at MS1, MS2, and MS3, respectively, Genotypes G12/12, G13/13, and G5/5 had the highest frequency 0.239, 0.540, and 0.743 at MS1, MS2, and MS3, respectively. Haplotypic data revealed that GT12/GT13 was the most frequent haplotype observed followed by GT12/14 haplotype. Three nucleotide variations were observed in MS1 and MS2. Comparative analysis of GT12/GT12 and GT13/GT13 genotype with other bovine genotypes showed significant difference (P > 0.05). Our results suggest that the homozygous genotypes GT12/GT12 and GT13/GT13 in Zhongdian Yellow cattle might be related to disease resistance. The findings reported in this study would be helpful in cattle breeding programs.

Chronic heat stress (HS), aggravated by global warming, reduces the production efficiency of the buffalo dairy industry. Here, we conducted a proteomic analysis to investigate the adaptation strategies used by buffalo in response to heat stress. Seventeen differentially abundant proteins with known functions were detected using label-free quantification (LFQ), and five of these differentially expressed proteins were validated with parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). These five proteins were associated with various aspects of heat stress, including decreased heat production, increased blood oxygen delivery, and enhanced natural disease resistance. Lipase (LPL), glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3), cathelicidin-2 (CATHL2, LL-37), ceruloplasmin (CP), and hemoglobin subunit alpha 1 (HBA1) were shown to play cooperative roles in the tolerance of chronic HS in dairy buffalo. We found that high levels of HBA1 increased blood oxygen transport capacity. Our results increase our understanding of the adaptation of dairy buffalo to chronic heat stress.

The mammalian major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays important roles in pathogen recognition and disease resistance. In the present study, the coding sequence and the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions of MHC class II DR alpha chain (the DRA gene) from rare gayal and gaytle were cloned and analyzed to dissect structural and functional variations. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences for the DRA genes in gayal (Bofr-DRA) and gaytle (Bofr × BoLA-DRA) were almost identical to those for cattle and yak (99%). Compared to yak, two amino acids substitutions in the signal peptide (SP) domain for gayal were found within all Bos animals. Except for only one replacement in the amino acid within the α2 domain of the DRA protein in gayal, the additional residues were highly conserved across the species investigated. The 20 peptide-binding sites (PBS) of Bofr-DRA and Bofr × BoLA-DRA were essentially reserved in the α1 domain among all species investigated. The lesser degree of substitution in Bofr-DRA is concordant with the concept that the DRA gene is highly conserved among all mammals. The very high degree of conservativity of the DRA gene among ruminants, including gayal, suggests its recent evolutionary separation.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of UV-B radiation on immunity and carcass characteristics in quail. Three hundred Korean quail at 3 d old were weighed and randomly allocated into 5 groups (i.e., 30 males and 30 females per group), including 1 control group and 4 experiment groups (UV-1, UV-2, UV-3, and UV-4). Quail were subjected to UV-B irradiation with different doses: 0 µW/cm2 (control), 1.4 µW/cm2 (UV-1), 2.8 µW/cm2 (UV-2), 5.6 (UV-3), and 8.4 µW/cm2 (UV-4) each day. At 38 d of age, 15 males and 15 females in each group were randomly selected to measure immune index concentrations and carcass characteristics. The mean serum IgG, IgA, and alexin C4 concentrations of UV-1 quail were significantly improved, whereas UV-3 and UV-4 quail had better live weight and carcass characteristics. Taking into account immunity and carcass characteristics together, we conclude that the optimum dose of UV radiation for Korean quail is 1.4 µW/cm2 each day. Moreover, female quail had better carcass characteristics than males in most indices of carcass characteristics.

This study investigates two types of covered piglet creep boxes in a naturally ventilated swine farrowing building with regards to air quality (ammonia and carbon dioxide levels), piglet usage of the box, and piglet health and performance. The covered creep boxes featured either double plastic curtains along the entire width of the box (designated as the DC box) or an arc-shaped access opening occupying about one-third of the box width (designated as the AO box). The study was conducted with 12 farrowing crates, six per box regimen, during wintertime. Continuous, 24-h video observations of the piglet behaviors were made at days 2, 9, and 16 of post-parturition. Ammonia and CO2 concentrations inside the creep boxes were measured using portable electronic sensors. The results showed that the interior NH3 levels tended to be lower for the DC type than for the AO type, although the magnitude was quite low in both cases (averaging 4 to 6 ppm). No significant difference was found in the interior CO2 concentrations between the two box types. Pre-weaning piglet culling rate (mean±S.D.) was 2.5±0.08% and 11.3±1.17% for the DC and AO litters, respectively (p < 0.001). Although there was no significant treatment effect (p = 0.26), piglet diarrhea morbidity was numerically lower for the DC litters (0.80±0.03%) than for the AO litters (1.29±0.12%). At 21-d weaning age, the DC litters showed heavier body weight (6.18±0.23 kg) than the AO litters (5.69±0.18 kg) (p < 0.05). Results of the present work, despite the relatively small sample size, indicate that the DC-style covered creep box seems more conducive to enhancing piglet usage of the box and piglet health and performance.

The limited space in farrowing crate imposes many challenges, such as prolonged farrowing duration and high piglet stillbirth rate. Although the features of farrowing pens compensate for the drawbacks of farrowing crates, they are associated with high piglet crushing mortality caused by the greater space afforded to sows and their rolling-over behaviour. Therefore, a freedom farrowing pen was designed to overcome the drawbacks of both farrowing crates and farrowing pens. The main features of the freedom farrowing pen are its left anti-crushing bar and detachable right anti-crushing bar on the sides of the sow lying area. It also has a 10 cm-high anti-crushing bar in the non-lying area. Eighteen healthy, multiparous Yorkshire sows (3-7 parity) were averaged and randomly assigned to farrowing crates, farrowing pens, and freedom farrowing pens to compare the effects of the farrowing systems on sow behaviour and performance. Results showed that the farrowing duration and the mean piglet birth intervals were longer for the sows in farrowing crates than for those in farrowing pens and freedom farrowing pens (P0.05), but there was no difference between the sows in farrowing pens and those in freedom farrowing pens (P0.05). The piglet stillbirth rate was higher for the sows in farrowing crates than for those in farrowing pens and freedom farrowing pens (P0.001). Crushing mortality was higher among piglets in farrowing pens (P0.001), but there was no difference between piglets in freedom farrowing pens and those in farrowing crates (P0.05). The freedom farrowing pen and the farrowing pen allowed sows to turn around and move freely, but because of the different structures of their anti-crushing bars, the increase in sow movement did not cause higher piglet crushing mortality (P0.05). Sows in freedom farrowing pens were found to be more protective of their piglets.

Modern commercial swine farrowing crates are typically equipped with slatted iron floor to improve management efficiency (e.g., ease of manure handling, cleanliness of the farrowing crates and hence improved animal hygiene). However, the bare and hard floor surface can impair the welfare of the sow-litter because of some undesirable impacts on the pigs, such as foreleg abrasion, large temperature gradients between the cold floor surface and the abdomen of the piglets (hence higher susceptibility to diarrhea), and higher pre-weaning mortality or morbidity. Although straw bedding has been shown to be conducive to providing better environment for the sow-litter, use of straw creates challenges in terms of economics, hygiene and manure handling. This study investigates the use of neoprene mat (NM) in key areas of the farrowing crates - underneath the sow and in the piglet suckling area to improve the microenvironment and hence welfare of the sow-litter. Two experiments were conducted, each involving 12 sow-litters. The first experiment was to evaluate the thickness of a rectangular-shaped NM (7, 10 or 13 mm) vs. the slatted iron floor (control or Ctrl) and collect the corresponding animal response data; while the second follow-up experiment was to verify the benefits of supplying an improved, double concave (or H)-shaped NM with 10mm thick (CNM10) vs. Ctrl for the farrowing operation. Results of both experiments demonstrated considerable benefits of the NM placement in the farrowing crates. Specifically, the NM reduced the piglet foreleg lesion area and joint swellings (0% for NM vs. 8-10% for Ctrl during suckling periods in both Expts 1 and 2, P0.001); reduced pre-weaning piglet crushing mortality (18.5+/-5.0%, 6.7+/-3.3% and 9.1+/-5.2% and for Ctrl, NM7 and NM10 and in Expt 1, P0.05); and reduced piglet diarrhea morbidity (0.6+/-0.2% for CNM10 vs. 2.7+/-0.3% for Ctrl in Expt 2, P0.01). Piglets in the NM litters had smaller temperature gradients between the abdomen and the contact floor surface (3.8+/-2.3 degrees C for NM vs. 7.6+/-0.5 degrees C for Ctrl in Expt 1, P0.001; 9.2+/-0.5 degrees C for CNM10 vs. 15.9+/-0.5 degrees C for Ctrl in Expt 2, P0.001). Moreover, sows in the NM regimens showed longer transition time when changing from standing to lying position (7.4+/-0.3s for CNM10 vs. 4.5+/-0.2s for Ctrl in Expt 2, P0.05), indicative of more floor comfort for the NM condition. Results of this study suggest that supply of NM underneath the sow and in the piglet suckling area is conducive to enhancing comfort, health and welfare of the sow and litter.