Péter Horn

Sperm Collection From Shot Red Deer Stags (Cervus Elaphus) and the Utilisation of Sperm Frozen and Subsequently Thawed

Sperm samples were collected from the epididymides of 11 hunter-killed stags (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus) within 2 to 17 h post mortem in September 1991. Progressively motile spermatozoa were diluted and deep-frozen in tris-yolk extender by a procedure routinely used for bovine semen. The pre-freezing motility of spermatozoa from 6 stags was higher than 80%, while the sperm of 5 animals was found to be unsuitable for dilution. In the post-thawed sperm of six stags 40-50% of the spermatozoa showed progressive motility and the number of viable spermatozoa ranged from 8.6 to 26.7 x 10(6) per 0.25 ml straw. Two years later, three hinds were superovulated by the use of a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (CIDR type G, Carter, Holt Harvey Plastic Products Group Ltd., Hamilton, New Zealand) for a period of 14 days and with follicle stimulating hormone (Folicotropin inj., Spofa, Prague). Each hind was inseminated artificially 60 h after the withdrawal of CIDR with thawed sperm injected into the uterus via the vagina. Seven days later the uteri were flushed out, as a result of which 3 early blastocysts + 1 ovum, 3 morulae + 4 ova, and 1 morula + 7 ova, respectively, were recovered from the three hinds. Deer embryos were frozen according to a glycerol-based freezing protocol. A further two years later two hinds were oestrus-synchronised with CIDR type G and 300 IU PMSG (Folligon inj., Intervet, NL), and two of the thawed embryos were transplanted into two recipient hinds 7 days after heat. One of these gave birth to a normal stag fawn in June 1996. This was the first deer born in Hungary from embryo transfer. The results obtained indicate that sperm from top stags shot in the course of hunting can prove useful for the preservation of genetic material or in the development of the farmed deer system.

Absorption, distribution and elimination of fumonisin B1 metabolites in weaned piglets

The absorption, distribution and elimination of fumonisin B1 (and B2) after oral administration of Fusarium verticillioides (MRC 826) fungal culture, mixed into the experimental feed for 10 days, was studied in weaned barrows. In order to determine the absorption of FB1 from the feed marked by chromium oxide, a special T-cannula was implanted into the distal part of pigs’ ileum. During the feeding of toxin-containing diet (45 mg FB1 kg−1) and until the tenth day after the end of treatment, the total quantity of urine and faeces was collected and their toxin content analysed. At the end of the trial, samples of lung, liver, kidney, brain, muscle, and fat were also collected and their fumonisin content analysed by LC-MS. The fumonisins appeared to decrease the reduced glutathione content in blood plasma and red blood cell haemolysate, possibly associated with in vivo lipid peroxidation. From a data set of 80 individual data and the concentration and rate of C r and fumonisins (FB1, partially hydrolysed FB1 and aminopentol) in the chymus, it could be established that the accumulative absorption of fumonisin B1 was 3.9% ± 0.7%. In the chymus, the FB1 conversions into aminopentol and partially hydrolysed FB1 were 1.0 and 3.9%, respectively. The degree of metabolism in faeces was variable, although the main product was the partially hydrolysed form, with very small amounts of the aminopentol moiety being recovered. In the investigated tissues the FB1 conversion to aminopentol and partially hydrolysed FB1 was 30 and 20%, respectively.

The effect of initial stocking density on growth and survival of pike-perch fingerlings reared under intensive conditions

Pond-nursed pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) fry were trained to artificial diet and reared under controlled conditions maintained in aquaria using three stocking densities (1.25, 1.66 and 2.08 g/l). Two replicates per treatment were applied. The survival during the 4-week period of the experiment ranged from 44.2 to 49.6%. The majority of the losses were caused by cannibalism; only 8–14% could be attributed to natural mortality. Both cannibalism and natural mortality occurred in the first 2–3 weeks of rearing. The differences in the rate of cannibalism were independent of the stocking density. Natural mortality decreased with increasing density, consequently the highest survival was observed under the highest stocking density. Stocking density did not significantly influence growth, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio of the pike-perch fingerlings (p < 0.05).

Investigations into the time- and dose-dependent effect of fumonisin B1 in order to determine tolerable limit values in pigs

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a metabolite of Fusarium moniliforme, is known to cause oesophageal cancer in humans (carcinogen class 2B in the IARC classification), pulmonary oedema in pigs, and encephalomalacia in horses [Riley et al., Nat. Toxins 4 (1996) 3–15]. Experiments were carried out with weaned piglets, in order to study the dose- and time-dependent effect of FB1. Fungal culture of Fusarium moniliforme was added to the diet so that the FB1 exposure was 0, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg feed (ppm) for 4 weeks; 0, 1, 5 and 10 ppm for 8 weeks; and finally 0, 1, 5, and 10 ppm for 20 weeks. None of the toxin concentrations and the periods examined had any significant effect on feed consumption, body weight gain, and feed conversion of weaned pigs. The haematological parameters proved to be within the range of the physiological limit values. When applying higher doses (20 and 40 ppm), there was a time- and dose-dependent increase in the AST activities. In case of lower doses (1 and 5 ppm) some of the blood parameters (AST, ALT, ALKP, CREA) of the animals that developed toxin-related gross and histopathological changes were outside the physiological range. One ppm dietary FB1 concentration was the lowest one that failed to increase the SA/SO ratio significantly. Ten to 40 ppm FB1 fed for 4 weeks caused mild or severe pulmonary oedema, while even lower doses (1–10 ppm) fed for 2–20 weeks caused irreversible fibrosis in the lung (detected by CT examination, dissection, and histopathology).

Distribution and elimination of fumonisin analogues in weaned piglets after oral administration of Fusarium verticillioides fungal culture

The distribution and elimination of fumonisins after oral administration of 50 mg FB1, 20 mg FB2 and 5 mg FB3 per animal day–1 for 22 days was studied in weaned barrows. At the end of the trial, the lung, heart, liver, kidney, spleen, brain, serum, bile, muscle, fat, urine and faeces samples were collected and their content of fumonisins (FB1, FB2) determined by LC-MS. The highest FB1 concentrations were found in the liver (99.4 ± 37.5 ng g–1) and kidneys (30.6 ± 10.1 ng g–1), whilst the highest average amount of FB2 was in the liver (1.4 ± 2.3 ng g–1) and fat (2.6 ng g–1 ± 4.8) samples. Comparing the FB1/FB2 ratio in different organs (19/1), it was found that the ratio in the abdominal and subcutaneous fat samples (4/1) was markedly different from those in all other tissues, namely the relative proportion of FB2 was higher in latter cases. Of the total quantity of FB1, the 13% taken up during 5 days was excreted unchanged with the faeces and urine. On average, in the urine and faeces, FB1 was detected in nine- and 14-fold quantities, as compared with FB2.

In vitro microbial metabolism of fumonisin B1

There is a lack of information on the effect of swine caecal microbiota on fumonisin metabolism. In this in vitro study, the biotransformation of fumonisin B1 (FB1) by the gut microbiota of adult, healthy pigs was examined. Suspensions of caecal contents and McDougall buffer solution were incubated anaerobically with pure FB1 for 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h. After 48 h, the conversion of FB1 to partially hydrolysed FB1 (46%) was nearly equal to the percentage ratio of FB1, while by 72 h it was 49%. In vitro, the conversion of fumonisin B1 to aminopentol was less than 1%. The results show that the caecal microbiota are capable of transforming fumonisin B1 to the above metabolites. Further studies on FB1 metabolism in the small intestine are clearly justified.

Antler development and coupled osteoporosis in the skeleton of red deer Cervus elaphus: expression dynamics for regulatory and effector genes

Antlers of deer display the fastest and most robust bone development in the animal kingdom. Deposition of the minerals in the cartilage preceding ossification is a specific feature of the developing antler. We have cloned 28 genes which are upregulated in the cartilaginous section (called mineralized cartilage) of the developing (“velvet”) antler of red deer stags, compared to their levels in the fetal cartilage. Fifteen of these genes were further characterized by their expression pattern along the tissue zones (i.e., antler mesenchyme, precartilage, cartilage, bone), and by in situ hybridization of the gene activities at the cellular level. Expression dynamics of genes col1A1, col1A2, col3A1, ibsp, mgp, sparc, runx2, and osteocalcin were monitored and compared in the ossified part of the velvet antler and in the skeleton (in ribs and vertebrae). Expression levels of these genes in the ossified part of the velvet antler exceeded the skeletal levels 10–30-fold or more. Gene expression and comparative sequence analyses of cDNAs and the cognate 5′ cis-regulatory regions in deer, cattle, and human suggested that the genes runx2 and osx have a master regulatory role. GC–MS metabolite analyses of glucose, phosphate, ethanolamine-phosphate, and hydroxyproline utilizations confirmed the high activity of mineralization genes in governing the flow of the minerals from the skeleton to the antler bone. Gene expression patterns and quantitative metabolite data for the robust bone development in the antler are discussed in an integrated manner. We also discuss the potential implication of our findings on the deer genes in human osteoporosis research.

Examination of the heart capacity of meat- and fat-type pigs by means of ECG-gated dynamic magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography

The cardiovascular capacity of animals is considerably affected by the selection procedure for high lean meat production. To determine the genotype and live weight-related changes of some quantitative characteristics of the pig heart function, serial measurements were carried out. Intensive meat (Hungarian Large White×Belgian Landrace×Pietrain×Norvegian Landrace) and extensive fat type (Mangalica) pigs were examined using whole body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a spiral computer tomograph (CT). Based on our dynamic MRI examination, the following live weight-dependent significant differences were found. (1) The means of the measured left ventricular stroke volume values were at body weights of 30, 60 and 90 kg: 29.1, 41.2, 63.5 and 38.1, 54.0, 55.8 ml in case of meat- and fat-type pigs, respectively. (2) The average cardiac output (CO) values were: 3.8, 4.4, 5.8 and 3.1, 3.9, 3.8 l/min. (3) The estimated relative CO value (skeletal muscle tissue volume measured by CT/CO unit) of the meat- and fat-type pigs were 4.0, 5.6, 6.0 and 2.4, 3.9, 4.8 dm3/(l min−1), respectively, in sedentary conditions. The significant genotype effect measured with this in vivo method in the relative CO values demonstrates the usability of this technique in selection.

Computed Tomographical (CT) Anatomy of the Thoracoabdominal Cavity of the Male Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

With 10 figures

EMERGING CHALLENGES FOR ANIMAL PRODUCTION, DANGERS AND OPPORTUNITIES

At the experimental field of Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing at Žalec an experiment was conducted in 2006/07 to detect the impact of fertilization by K2SO4 and gypsum on the yield, oil content, oil yield, protein content, protein yield and fatty acids composition at two different cultivars of oilseed rape (cultivar Smart and hybrid Toccata). In the conditions of the experiment the source of sulphur did not impact the yield, but a negative impact of spring fertilization by sulphur at cultivar Smart was detected. At hybrid Toccata positive impact of gypsum was detected when it was fertilized at sowing. Oil content was higher at cultivar Smart by 3.32% compared to hybrid Toccata. At cultivar Smart no source of sulphur impacted significantly the yield of oil, while at the conditions of the experiment positive impact of spring applications of sulphur on the yield of oil was detected at hybrid Toccata. Oil yield was higher at cultivar Smart compared to hybrid Toccata. Protein content was not impacted by sulphur fertilization. The share of linoleic acid was higher at hybrid Toccata by 2.2% to 2.4%, the share of oleic acid was higher at cultivar Smart by 2.2% to 3.1%, the shares of other investigated acids did not differ a lot between Smart and Toccata.