Agroecology Is Affecting Village Chicken Producers’ Breeding Objective in Ethiopia

This study assessed factors that determine village chicken producers’ trait preferences in different agroecologies of Ethiopia. Three hundred and eighty village chicken producers were sampled for individual interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Inbreeding coefficients of chicken populations in the three major agroecologies were estimated. In addition, the multivariate regression model was employed to evaluate the degree to which agroecological difference and socioeconomic and institutional factors impact village chicken producers’ trait preferences. Egg and meat production for consumption and income generation were the three major village chicken production functions in the study. Plumage color and weight were ranked first for male and female chicken, respectively. Red plumage color (52.4%) was the primary choice followed by white color (24.5%). Agroecology and livestock holding (TLU) significantly ( P < 0.05 ) affected farmers’ preference toward economic traits, while land holding significantly ( P < 0.05 ) affected reproductive traits. Distance to market significantly ( P < 0.05 ) affected farmers’ preference toward adaptive traits. The inbreeding coefficient of 0.25, 0.23, and 0.06 was recorded in low, mid, and highland agroecologies, respectively. The agroecological difference is affecting village chicken producers’ breeding objective in Ethiopia. A higher inbreeding coefficient was observed in the low and mid agroecologies. Future breed improvement programs should give due consideration to village chicken producers’ socioeconomic characteristics and agroecological differences.

Identification of Polymorphism within Exon 8 of Bovine HSP90AA1 Gene using PCR-SSCP Technique

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a type of molecular chaperones that aid in the recovery of stressed cells and serve as a major system for intracellular self-defense. A study was conducted during the year 2018–19 at College of Veterinary Science Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telengana State, India to find polymorphisms in exon 8 of the bovine HSP90AA1 gene in Sahiwal (n=50) and crossbred (n=50) cows. Blood samples were collected from the experimental animals and genomic DNA was isolated. Physiological parameters like body temperature and respiration rate for each animal were taken during the experimental period and the heat tolerance coefficient was calculated. The data on production and reproduction traits were obtained from the history sheets of the animals. To detect the polymorphism, a 539 bp fragment of the HSP90AA1 gene covering exon 8 was subjected to the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) technique.The PCR-SSCP of exon 8 of HSP90AA1 gene yielded two genotypic patterns AA and AB corresponding to two allelic variants with frequencies of 0.85, 0.15, 0.81 and 0.19 in Sahiwal and crossbred cows, respectively. The PCR-SSCP patterns obtained were correlated with the physiological, productive, and reproductive traits in both Sahiwal and crossbred cows. The association analysis of SSCP patterns of the exon 8 of HSP90AA1 gene revealed non-significant effect in Sahiwal cows, although the AB genotype had a significantly longer service period in crossbred cows.

Redundância funcional de plantas lenhosas residentes do subosque de dois fragmentos de Mata Atlântica

O desempenho dos organismos em determinada condição ambiental depende das estratégias ecológicas desenvolvidas ao longo da sua evolução, as quais são expressas por combinações de atributos funcionais (AF) que conferem vantagem adaptativa em um dado habitat. Este estudo avaliou o padrão de convergência funcional de espécies de subosque de duas comunidades vegetais de Mata Atlântica, Floresta Ombrófila Densa, no sul do Brasil. Para isso, foram amostradas 15 parcelas por fragmento de estudo, com seleção de 30 espécies nativas residentes de subosque que foram descritas a partir de 16 AF morfológicos, ecofisiológicos, fenológicos e reprodutivos. Radiação luminosa, conteúdo de matéria orgânica e umidade gravimétrica foram as variáveis ambientais mensuradas. A análise funcional das comunidades foi realizada por meio do software SYNCSA. Os AF que maximizam a convergência entre as espécies foram: folha simples, oposta e elíptica, a floração na primavera, a condição ciófita e secundária, a via fotossintética C3, a polinização melitofílica e a dispersão ornitocórica de frutos polispérmicos. As duas comunidades estudadas são medianamente redundantes funcionalmente devido à convergência de AF entre as espécies. A redundância funcional fornece resiliência a comunidade, em consequência das respostas compensatórias das espécies, o que reforça a importância da vegetação do subosque para a manutenção dos processos ecossistêmicos e a latente necessidade de inclusão das espécies desse estrato florestal em ações de restauração ambiental. Functional redundancy of woody plants resident in the understory of two fragments of the Atlantic Forest A B S T R A C TThe performance of organisms in each environmental condition is based on the ecological strategies developed throughout their evolution, expressed in combinations of functional traits (FA) which verifies adaptive advantage in each environment. The study evaluated the trait convergence assembly patterns of understory species in two plant communities of Atlantic Dense Forest in southern Brazil. To answer the question, 15 plots were sampled per fragment of study, with a selection of 30 native species of understory that were described by 16 morphological, ecophysiological, phenological and reproductive traits. Luminous radiation, organic matter content and gravimetric moisture were the environmental variables measured. The functional analysis of communities was measured using the software SYNCSA. The AF that maximized the convergence between species was: simple, opposite and elliptical leaf, flowering during the spring, cyophyte and secondary condition, photosynthesis c3, melitophilic pollination and ornithochoric dispersion of polyspermyc fruits. The two communities studied are moderately functionally redundant due to species functional convergence. Functional redundancy provides resilience to the community, as a result of species compensatory responses, which reinforces the importance of understory vegetation for the maintenance of ecosystem processes and the latent need for the inclusion of the understory species in restoration actions.Keywords: functional traits, functional convergence, ecological strategy, functional redundancy, resilience.

Phenological and social characterization of three Lasioglossum (Dialictus) species inferred from long-term trapping collections

Detailed social and phenological data collected from nesting aggregations exist for relatively few sweat bee species because nesting aggregations are rarely found in large numbers, even when local populations are highly abundant. This limits researchers’ abilities to assess the social status of many species, which in turn, limits our ability to trace the sequence of evolutionary steps between alternative social states. To address this problem, we demonstrate the utility of rehydrated, pinned specimens from pan trap and netting collections for generating inferences about the phenology and social status of a well-studied sweat bee species, Lasioglossum (Dialictus) laevissimum. A detailed comparison of phenology and reproductive traits, between pinned specimens and those in a previous nesting study, produced similar results for bivoltine foraging activity and eusocial colony organization typical in this species. We then used pinned specimens from monitoring studies to describe, for the first time, the foraging phenology and social behaviour of two additional Dialictus species, L. hitchensi and L. ellisiae. Both L. hitchensi and L. ellisiae each exhibited two peaks in abundance during their breeding seasons, indicating two periods of foraging activity, which correspond to provisioning of spring and summer broods. Differences in body size, wear, and ovarian development of spring and summer females indicated that L. hitchensi is most likely eusocial, while L. ellisiae is either solitary or communal. This study demonstrates that analyses of specimens obtained from flower and pan trap collections can be used for assessing the phenology and social organization of temperate sweat bees in the absence of nesting data. The phenological and social lability of many sweat bee species make them ideal for studying geographic and temporal variability in sociality, and analyses of pan trap collections can make these studies possible when direct observations are impossible.

Delayed timing of breeding attempts, but not time lost to nest construction, reduces the annual reproductive output of the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

For many birds, nest construction is a costly aspect of parental care, trading finite energetic resources between parental care and self-maintenance. For multi-brooded organisms with short breeding seasons, such as migratory passerines, repeated nest construction could be especially costly if the activity delays the onset of breeding attempts. Earlier studies on passerines that reuse nests between breeding seasons suggested that time lost to initial nest construction reduces seasonal reproductive output. However, costs associated with building new nests between breeding attempts, within the same breeding season, have largely been ignored. Here, we experimentally removed first nests, after fledging or failing, of Eastern Phoebes ( Sayornis phoebe), to evaluate how the annual onset of breeding and nest construction between breeding attempts affected parental investment into second attempts. We found that first egg laying date negatively predicted the probability of second breeding attempts, but experimental treatment (first nest removal vs. control) did not. Neither first egg laying date nor treatment statistically influenced any of the reproductive traits in second breeding attempts (clutch size, nestling body condition, and nestling growth rate). We conclude that in this species, second breeding attempts are limited by the initial onset of seasonal reproduction, and not by time lost to nest construction between breeding attempts.

Genomic Analysis of Purebred and Crossbred Angus Cows Quantifies Heterozygosity, Breed, and Additive Effects on Components of Reproduction

Multiple studies have quantified the production differences of Hereford Angus crossbreds compared to purebred Angus for a range of traits including growth, carcass, and reproductive traits. This study aims to quantify breed and heterosis effects on maternal performance using genomics. Thirty Hereford and thirty Angus sires were mated to 1100 Angus heifers and cows in a large commercial herd run on pasture at Musselroe Bay, Tasmania, Australia. Approximately 1650 calves were born. Heifers were weaned, scanned for attainment of puberty prior to joining at approximately 15 months of age, joined, and then recorded for status of pregnancy, calving, lactating, 2nd pregnancy, and weaning of second calf. Heterozygosity effects were significant for heifer pre-joining weight and height as well as proportion pubertal. Breed differences were significant for the same traits plus pregnancy rate at second joining and proportion rearing two calves. Genetic parameters were reported for 13 traits. On average, higher genetic merit (Estimated Breeding Value, EBV percentile) Hereford bulls were used than Angus for growth and puberty, but they were similar for fat and reproduction. Days to calving BREEDPLAN EBVs of the sires were related to puberty and reproduction. Scrotal size BREEDPLAN EBVs of the sires were related to attainment of puberty genomic EBVs calculated. In summary, breed differences in growth and puberty were due to heterosis, but there was an advantage of Hereford genes for reproductive performance. Ongoing emphasis on selection for reduced days to calving and estimation of multi-breed EBVs is important.

The Role of Feed Restriction on DNA Methylation, Feed Efficiency, Metabolome, Biochemical Profile, and Progesterone Patterns in the Female Filial Generation (F1) Obtained From Early Feed Restricted Ewes (F0)

Deficient management of replacement animals in the farm during early developmental windows may promote adverse programming effects on reproductive traits and subsequent transmission to the next generation. In this sense, DNA methylation profiles allow researchers to decode epigenetic regulation mechanisms in mammals and identify novel candidate genes correlated with phenotype differences in both dams and offspring. Therefore, improving knowledge in the field of epigenetics and intergenerational effects caused by prenatal and postnatal early nutritional events (e.g., feed restriction) is crucial for refining strategies dedicated to animal breeding. In this study, we determined differences in the global blood methylation patterns, biochemical profile, and metabolome of ewe lambs (F1) born from either early feed restricted dams (F0-RES) or fed ad libitum (F0-ADL). Our data show that functional categories such as those related to cellular processes, phosphorylation, nervous system, immunity response, or reproductive function were enriched significantly in the F1-RES lambs due to differences in the methylation of genes in these categories. These F1-RES lambs did not show differences in feed efficiency during the replacement period but presented higher levels of insulin and triglycerides and reduced concentration of progesterone, whereas the metabolome profile demonstrated variations in the bile acid composition when compared with the F1-ADL lambs. Taken together, all these results suggest that intergenerational effects caused by early feed restriction of dams (F0) may persist in the F1 female lambs with negative consequences on genes involved in cellular processes and reproductive traits.

​Genetic Polymorphism within Exon 3 of HSP90AA1 Gene and its Association Studies in Sahiwal and Crossbred Cows

Background: Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are molecular chaperones that play a critical role in recovering cells from stress and form a primary system for intra cellular self defense. They are highly conserved and play a crucial role in cellular thermo tolerance and heat stress response. Though there are many HSP genes, thermo tolerance is mainly correlated with HSP70 and HSP90 genes in Livestock species. Polymorphisms in these genes have shown an association with heat tolerance, milk production, fertility and disease susceptibility in livestock. They can be used as genetic markers for the selection of animals with better climate resilience, immune response and superior performance. Methods: The present study was carried out in Sahiwal (n=50) and Crossbred cows (n=50) with the objective to identify polymorphisms in HSP90AA1 gene. A 450 bp fragment of bovine HSP90AA1 gene covering exon3 was subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction-Single-Strand Conformation Polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) technique to identify the polymorphism. PCR-SSCP patterns were correlated with the physiological, productive and reproductive traits in Sahiwal and crossbred cows using the univariate GLM model of SPSS 25. Result: The PCR-SSCP of exon 3 of HSP90AA1 gene yielded two conformational patterns AA and AB corresponding to two allelic variants A and B in both Sahiwal and crossbred cows. The allele frequencies of A and B were 0.78 and 0.22 and 0.84 and 0.16 in Sahiwal and crossbred cows, respectively. The association analysis of SSCP patterns revealed that genotype AA had higher lactation length in Sahiwal cows and higher total lactation milk yield and peak yield in crossbred cows.