Effects of rearing temperature and level of food intake on organ size and tissue composition in piglets

Piglets are particularly susceptible to cold and nutritional stress because of their poor insulation and low body fat. The purpose of this study was to examine how ambient temperature and level of food intake affect development in piglets. Thirty-two piglets were reared individually from 14 to 56 days of age in either a cold (10 degrees C) or a warm (35 degrees C) environment. Two feeding regimens, restricted and ad libitum, were used to assess the effect of food intake on organ mass. The ad libitum fed pigs in both environments gained weight at the same rate. Paired t-tests of organ weights of ad libitum fed pigs revealed that the mass of the heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, and small intestine, and total nitrogen and the length of the small intestine were greater in cold-reared than in warm-reared littermates of the same body weight. The skin mass and total fat mass, the lengths of the body, extremities, and individual long bones, and the total surface area were greater in warm-reared than in cold-reared individuals. A regression analysis showed body weight was the most important determinant of size for all tissues measured except fat mass, which was affected slightly more by rearing temperature. Of the organs and tissue components that differed in size in warm- and cold-reared pigs, heart, kidney, stomach, skin, nitrogen, and fat mass, and small intestine length and surface area were generally affected more by rearing temperature than by level of food intake. Liver and small intestine mass and femur length were affected more by level of food intake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Detection of quantitative trait loci for body weights and conformation traits in Beijing ducks

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for body weights and conformation traits were detected in Beijing ducks. Traits included body weights (BW) at hatching and at 1-7 weeks of age; lengths of the body (BL), keel bone (KBL), shank (SL) and neck (NL) at 7 weeks of age; width of breast (BTW) at 7 weeks; and girths of shank (SG) and breast (BG) at 7 weeks. Using a half-sib analysis with a multiple-QTL model, linkage between the phenotypic traits and 95 microsatellite markers was studied. Six genome-wide suggestive QTL for three body weights and two conformation traits were identified in CAU1, CAU2, CAU6 and CAU12. Chromosome-wide significant QTL influencing one body weight trait and one conformation trait were located in CAU4 and CAU10 respectively. Twelve chromosome-wide suggestive QTL for six body weight traits and four conformation traits were found in seven linkage groups (CAU1, CAU2, CAU3, CAU4, CAU6, CAU10 and CAU12). In addition, the QTL in CAU6 at 21 and 73 cM jointly affected SG and explained 10.6% of the phenotypic variation. This study provides the first evidence for QTL involved in body weights and conformation traits in ducks, and will stimulate further investigations into the genetic architecture of these traits in this species.     

Multiple-trait QTL mapping for body and organ weights in a cross between NMRI8 and DBA/2 mice

Multiple-trait analyses have been shown to improve the detection of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with multiple effects. Here we applied a multiple-trait approach on obesity- and growth-related traits that were surveyed in 275 F2 mice generated from an intercross between the high body weight selected line NMRI8 and DBA/2 as lean control. The parental lines differed 2.5-fold in body weight at the age of 6 weeks. Within the F2 population, the correlations between body weight and weights of abdominal fat weight, muscle, liver and kidney at the age of 6 weeks were about 0.8. A least squares multiple-trait QTL analysis was performed on these data to understand more precisely the cause of the genetic correlation between body weight, body composition traits and weights of inner organs. Regions on Chr 1, 2, 7 and 14 for body weights at different early ages and regions on Chr 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 17 and 19 for organ weights at 6 weeks were found to have significant multiple effects at the genome-wide level.     

Effect of age and sex on digestive tract morphometry of guinea fowl (Numida meleagris L.)

As guinea fowl age, their body weights and length of the esophagus and crop increased significantly, and relative length (cm x 100 g b.w(-1)) of the small intestine, caeca and total intestine decreased significantly (P < or = 0.05) in males and females. In addition, 52-week-old males had a significantly higher percentage length of rectum and heart weight, and females a significantly higher gizzard weight compared to 13-week-old birds. Compared to females, adult males differed significantly (P < or = 0.05) in the length of caeca and also in the proportion of the gizzard, proventriculus, heart and liver in total weight.     

Maturing patterns of organ weights in mice selected for rapid postweaning gain

Summary Correlated responses to selection for increased 3–6 week postweaning gain in male mice were estimated for seven internal organs (testes, spleen, liver, kidneys, heart, small intestine (S intest) and stomach) weighed at specific degrees of maturity in body weight (37.5, 50.0, 62.5, 75.0, 87.5 and 100%). Correlated responses in organ weights were generally large, but the magnitude and direction of response depended upon whether 1) comparisons were made at the same age, degree of maturity or body weight and 2) absolute or proportional organ weights were used. The selected line (M16) weighed more and had larger organ weights than controls (ICR) when compared at either the same degree of maturity or the same age, indicating positive genetic correlations between body weight and the respective organ weights. Positive correlated responses were found in spleen weight/body weight at all degrees of maturity and in liver and S intest weights as a proportion of body weight at some degrees of maturity. Testes, kidneys, heart and stomach weights as a proportion of body weight had negative correlated responses, though this was consistent only for kidneys across all degrees of maturity. Correlated responses in organ weights adjusted for body weight by covariance analysis were positive for spleen, S intest and stomach and negative for testes and kidneys. Based on the constrained quadratic model, degree of maturity in organ weight relative to degree of maturity in body weight responded positively for testes, kidneys and S intest and negatively for spleen and liver. Selection for increased growth caused negative correlated responses in allometric growth of testes, kidneys, S intest and stomach.Paper No. 10,545 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, 27695-7601. The use of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service of the products named, nor criticism of similar ones not mentioned     

不同周龄SD大鼠脏器重量及其变化趋势分析

目的分析不同周龄SD大鼠的脏器重量及其变化趋势,为评判药物毒性反应提供理论参考。方法分别选取试验第13、26、52、78和104周对照组动物脑、脾脏、心脏、肺脏、肝脏、肾脏、肾上腺、睾丸、卵巢的重量数据并分析。结果从13～104周SD雌鼠脑、脾脏、心脏、肺脏、肝脏、肾脏、肾上腺、卵巢的重量呈升高趋势。从13～104周SD雄鼠脑、脾脏、心脏、肺脏、肝脏、肾脏重量均重于雌鼠,但雌鼠肾上腺重量、脏体比和脏脑比均显著高于雄鼠。结论本研究首次在国内建立了符合我国实验动物现状的,不同周龄SD大鼠的脏器重量背景数据和参考值范围,并分析了不同周龄SD大鼠脏器重量变化趋势。     

Quantitative trait loci for body size components in mice

Do body size components, such as weights of internal organs and long bone lengths, with different functions and different developmental histories also have different genetic architectures and pleiotropic patterns? We examine murine quantitative trait loci (QTL) for necropsy weight, four long bone lengths, and four organ weights in the LG/J × SM/J intercross. Differences between trait categories were found in number of QTL, dominance, and pleiotropic patterns. Ninety-seven QTLs for individual traits were identified: 52 for long bone lengths, 30 for organ weights, and 15 for necropsy weight. Results for long bones are typically more highly significant than for organs. Organ weights were more frequently over- or underdominant than long bone lengths or necropsy weight. The single-trait QTLs map to 35 pleiotropic loci. Long bones are much more frequently affected in groups while organs tend to be affected singly or in pairs. Organs and long bones are found at the same locus in only 11 cases, 8 of which also include necropsy weight. Our results suggest mainly separate genetic modules for organ weights and long bone lengths, with a few loci that affect overall body size. Antagonistic pleiotropy, in which a locus has opposite effects on different characteristics, is uncommon.     

Diallel Analysis of Growth Traits in Mice

Two replications of a complete diallel cross experiment were performed among four partially inbred lines of mice. These inbred lines originated from a random-bred ICR strain and were produced by 12 generations of full sibbing (F congruent to 92%). Individual body weight was recorded for each animal at 12, 21, 42 and 56 days of age. Body weight gain traits were examined for intervals 12-21, 21-42 and 42-56 days. Simultaneous least squares analyses of inbred and linecrossed groups were used. Sex differences were highly significant for all traits. Replicate differences were significant but made a small contribution to the total variation. Inbred lines differed greatly. Crosses showed growth trends similar to their contemporary maternal and paternal inbreds. Heterosis was highly significant for all traits except 21-day weight. Inbreds were heavier at 12 days of age, but linecrossed progeny were superior to inbreds for all postweaning weights. General combining ability was highly significant for 12- and 56-day weights and 21-42-day gain. Specific combining ability was highly significant for 21-day weight, 12-21- and 42-56-day gain. Significant maternal effects were found for all individual weights but not for 12-21- and 21-42-day gain. Residual reciprocal effects were significant for all traits. Estimated variances among linecrossed groups contained a large maternal component, a fluctuating additive genetic component and consistent non-additive genetic influence on all growth parameters measured.     

Growth to sexual maturity of dwarf and nondwarf White Rock chickens divergently selected for juvenile body weight

Summary Growth from hatching to the onset of lay (sexual maturity) was studied in White Plymouth Rock pullets from lines selected for high (HN) and low (LN) 56-day body weight, their reciprocal F₁ crosses, an F₂ cross, and two dwarf populations originating from the HN and LN parental lines. The highest R²s for describing growth for all populations except HN were obtained when body weight was expressed relative to body weight at sexual maturity. Modes of inheritance differed depending on whether patterns of growth were expressed in a chronological time frame or on a physiological basis. Heterosis observed for age at sexual maturity and for body weight after the age when selection was made was not in evidence when ages and weights were expressed as a proportion of those at sexual maturity.This research was supported, in part, by BARD Project No. US-675-83C     

Gross anatomy of Watase's shrew, Crocidura horsfieldi watasei

The Watase's shrew (Crocidura horsfieldi watasei) which is a native in the Nansei Islands in Japan, is one of the smallest mammalian species with 5-8 g of the body weight. Both males and females were caught in the field of the Amami Islands, and their internal organs in the thoracic and abdominal cavities were examined under the dissecting microscope and by the serial cross sections method. In comparison with the musk shrew belonging to the same subfamily Crocidurinae, the following features were basically similar; very short intestine in comparison with the body length, the absence of cecum, and the structure of the genital organs. Besides, the following were different; the small sized body, the small sized spleen compared with the body weight, and the cardiac glands limited in the end of the esophagus.     

[树]麻雀羽再生的能量预算和水代谢散热调节

为探讨[树]麻雀的羽再生能力、能量预算对策和有效的散热调节方式,对3组(对照CF、去飞羽FF和去尾羽组TF)[树]麻雀(Passer montanus)进行4周驯养(Acclimation)。结果发现:[树]麻雀具有较强的羽再生能力和飞羽参与个体保温。羽再生[树]麻雀能量收支水平降低极显著(P﹤0.001),FF组和TF组比CF组减少依次为:摄入能19.77%和7.17%、消化能18.79%和6.47%、同化能18.73%和6.46%、粪能28.66%和13.35%、水代谢散热热能26.95%和7.43%、排泄次数33.71%和14.40%,增加依次为:消化率1.23%和0.78%、同化率1.35%和0.84%。个体能值水平,体重CF、TF和FF组(P﹤0.05)依次降低,体温组间变化不显著(P﹥0.05)。体内能量储备,血糖、肌糖原、体脂和水分含量组间差异不显著(P﹥0.05),肝糖原含量、体脂重组间差异显著(P﹤0.05)。器官水平包括心脏、肾脏、腺胃、小肠、盲肠和总消化道长度及质量出现积极的响应。日代谢水量组间差异极显著(P﹤0.001)。组间日排泄次数最少平均为56.11次和最多可达96.34次/只。结果表明:羽再生[树]麻雀分别选择了不同程度的降低能量收支水平,提高摄入食物的消化、吸收效率,动用体内能量储备来获取摄入能量不足部分,降低器官总能耗的能量预算对策和不同的新羽(再生羽枚数:飞羽部分和尾羽全部)再生的能量投资对策。泄殖腔排出(粪尿混合物)水是鸟类特有的、迅速的和有效的散热调节方式。     

封闭群五指山小型猪主要脏器重量与体重的相关性分析

目的测定封闭群五指山小型猪主要脏器重量和脏器系数,对脏器重量与体重的相关性进行分析,并计算出相应的直线回归方程和多元回归方程。方法实验选用6-10月龄普通级封闭群五指山小型猪30头（其中♂16头、♀14头）,分别测定体重和7个主要脏器重量,计算脏器系数,通过SAS软件进行脏器系数的性别间比较和各脏器重与体重间的相关与回归分析。结果性别间比较,小型猪仅有心脏的脏器系数差异有显著性（P〈0.05）。除公猪的胃脏和母猪的肺脏外,所测脏器重量与体重间均有明显的正相关线性关系;多因素分析显示公猪的肝脏和肾脏,母猪的心脏、肝脏和肾脏对各自体重有影响。结论封闭群五指山小型猪主要脏器系数性别间差异较小,其体重与某些脏器重量存在一定的线性关系。     

Internal organ weights of the blue penguin Eudyptula minor

Abstract

This work presents a database of weights of normal internal organs for the blue penguin, Eudyptula minor. During a necropsy study of 213 adult and fledged immature blue penguins, external body measurements and internal organ weights were recorded. The relationship between organ weights and body weights shows that the liver and abdominal fat pad are most closely correlated with the body mass index, a quantitative indication of adequacy of condition.     

Mapping QTLs on chicken chromosome 1 for performance and carcass traits in a broiler x layer cross

With the objective of mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for performance and carcass traits, an F2 chicken population was developed by crossing broiler and layer lines. A total of 2063 F2 chicks in 21 full-sib families were reared as broilers and slaughtered at 42 days of age. Seventeen performance and carcass traits were measured. Parental F(0) and F1 individuals were genotyped with 80 microsatellites from chicken chromosome 1 to select informative markers. Thirty-three informative markers were used for selective genotyping of F2 individuals with extreme phenotypes for body weight at 42 days of age (BW42). Based on the regions identified by selective genotyping, seven full-sib families (649 F2 chicks) were genotyped with 26 markers. Quantitative trait loci affecting body weight, feed intake, carcass weight, drums and thighs weight and abdominal fat weight were mapped to regions already identified in other populations. Quantitative trait loci for weights of gizzard, liver, lungs, heart and feet, as well as length of intestine, not previously described in the literature were mapped on chromosome 1. This F2 population can be used to identify novel QTLs and constitutes a new resource for studies of genes related to growth and carcass traits in poultry.     

不同周龄Balb/c小鼠脏器质量及其变化趋势分析

目的:测定不同周龄Balb/c小鼠主要脏器质量、脏器系数,并进行比较。方法:取120只3周龄、5周龄、7周龄的Balb/c小鼠,雌雄各半,精确测量小鼠体重和主要脏器质量,计算脏器系数。结果:①雌性与雄性Balb/c小鼠脏器质量相比较:3周龄时肝、脾有显著差异(P0.05);5周龄时肝有非常显著差异(P0.01),脾、肺有显著差异(P0.05);7周龄时肝、肺及双肾有非常显著差异(P0.01),心、脾有显著差异(P0.05)。②雌性与雄性Balb/c小鼠脏器系数相比较:3周龄时肝、脾有显著差异(P0.05);5周龄时肝、脾有非常显著差异(P0.01),膀胱有显著差异(P0.05);7周龄时肺、双肾有非常显著差异(P0.01),脾、膀胱有显著差异(P0.05)。结论:随着周龄的增长,Balb/c雌、雄性小鼠之间,存在差异的脏器也在增多。     

不同周龄Balb／c小鼠脏器质量及其变化趋势分析

目的：测定不同周龄Balb／c小鼠主要脏器质量、脏器系数,并进行比较。方法：取120只3周龄、5周龄、7周龄的Balb／c小鼠,雌雄各半,精确测量小鼠体重和主要脏器质量,计算脏器系数。结果：①雌性与雄性Balb／c小鼠脏器质量相比较：3周龄时肝、脾有显著差异（P〈0．05）;5周龄时肝有非常显著差异（P〈0．01）,脾、肺有显著差异（P〈0．05）;7周龄时肝、肺及双肾有非常显著差异（P〈0．01）,心、脾有显著差异（P〈0．05）。②雌性与雄性Balb／c小鼠脏器系数相比较：3周龄时肝、脾有显著差异（P〈0．05）;5周龄时肝、脾有非常显著差异（P〈0．01）,膀胱有显著差异（P〈0．05）;7周龄时肺、双肾有非常显著差异（P〈0．01）,脾、膀胱有显著差异（P〈0．05）。结论：随着周龄的增长,Balb／c雌、雄性小鼠之间,存在差异的脏器也在增多。     

红三叶草总异黄酮对小公鸡生长及血清睾酮水平的影响

日粮中添加红三叶草总异黄酮（４．３８ｍｇ／ｋｇ饲料）,饲喂４５－５６日龄红布罗肉用公仔鸡,与对照组比较,总异黄酮实验组公仔鸡日增重提高５．１％,料重比下降９．２％,提高了饲料的利用率。屠宰结果表明,腹脂重、腹脂／胴体显著降低,鸡冠重、睾丸重增加,鸡冠、睾丸和体重间的相关分析,睾丸石蜡切片和血清睾酮含量的放射免疫测定,均表明总异黄酮能提高血清睾酮水平,促进雄性动物生殖系统发育。     

Availability of water affects organ growth in prenatal and neonatal snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina)

We manipulated the amount of water that was available to prenatal and neonatal snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in order to assess the impact of water on growth by different organs in these animals. Three treatments were used: (1) turtles that completed their incubation on a wet substrate, (2) turtles that completed their incubation on a dry substrate, and (3) turtles that spent a few days in water after completing incubation on a dry substrate. Turtles hatching on a dry substrate (treatment 2) were smaller than animals in the other two treatments (which did not differ in size), so data for mass of different organs were adjusted by ANCOVA to remove effects of body size. Scaled masses of liver, stomach, lungs, kidneys, and small intestine did not differ between turtles emerging in wet environments and those hatching in dry environments, but hearts of turtles hatching in dry settings were substantially larger than those of animals hatching in wet ones. Thus, the mass of most organs in turtles developing in wet and dry environments scaled to body size, whereas the heart was hypertrophied in embryos developing in dry environments. Turtles that spent a few days in water after hatching from eggs in dry environments grew rapidly in size, and the increase in body size was accompanied by disproportionately rapid growth in the liver, stomach, lungs, kidneys, and small intestine. The heart did not increase in size during this period, despite the substantial increase in body mass over that at hatching. The enlarged heart of turtles hatching on dry substrates may have been caused by a circulatory hypovolemia late in incubation; the rapid growth of organs other than the heart when these animals were placed in water may reflect a release from constraints on growth once circulatory volume was restored. Accepted: 2 November 1999     

The inclusion of ground hay, straw and paper in the diets fed to growing rabbits

In 3 experiments growing rabbits were divided into 2 groups. In each case half received a basal ration while the other half was given this ration supplemented with a ground fibrous material: 20% hay, 10% straw or 10% paper. All the diets were fed in pelleted form. In all the experiments the rabbits fed on the diets containing the added fibrous materials gained in weight slightly more rapidly and had slightly higher food conversion ratios than did those on the control diet, but the differences in the means were not significant. A study of the small intestine and caecum weights expressed as percentages of body weight and as the weights of 1-cm lengths showed that the added fibrous materials increased these weights except in 1 instance where the results were the same. Significant changes were recorded in the case of hay in both the percentage weight and the weight of 1-cm lengths of caecum and in the straw experiment in the weight of 1-cm lengths of small intestine. There were no significant changes in the results from the paper-fed rabbits.     

肉鸡消化器官生长规律的研究

选艾维茵肉鸡商品雏２００只,按常规饲养管理,于初生和１～７周龄的周末,分性别各解剖８只,测量消化器官重量及消化道各部分长度,并进行与体重变化的回归分析。结果：消化器官重量及消化道各部分的长度随体重同步变化,约在４周龄时消化器官重超过饲养阶段的平均数。消化器官重量及消化道长度与体重变化的幂回归的相关系数最高。