Variances of direct genetic effects, maternal genetic effects, and cytoplasmic inheritance effects for milk yield, fat yield, and fat percentage

Milk yield, fat yield, and fat percentage during the first three lactations were studied using New York Holsteins that were milked twice daily over a 305-d, mature equivalent lactation. Those data were used to estimate variances from direct and maternal genetic effects, cytoplasmic effects, sire by herd interaction, and cow permanent environmental effects. Cytoplasmic line was traced to the last female ancestor using DHI records from 1950 through 1991. Records were 138,869 lactations of 68,063 cows calving from 1980 through 1991. Ten random samples were based on herd code. Samples averaged 4926 dams and 2026 cytoplasmic lines. Model also included herd-year-seasons as fixed effects and genetic covariance for direct-maternal effects. Mean estimates of the effects of maternal genetic variances and direct-maternal covariances, as fractions of phenotypic variances, were 0.008 and 0.007 for milk yield, 0.010 and 0.010 for fat yield, and 0.006 and 0.025 for fat percentage, respectively. Average fractions of variance from cytoplasmic line were 0.011, 0.008, and 0.009 for milk yield, fat yield, and fat percentage. Removal of maternal genetic effects and covariance for maternal direct effects from the model increased the fraction of direct genetic variance by 0.014, 0.021, and 0.046 for milk yield, fat yield, and fat percentage; little change in the fraction was due to cytoplasmic line. Exclusion of cytoplasmic effects from the model increased the ratio of additive direct genetic variance to phenotypic variance by less than 2%. Similarly, when sire by herd interaction was excluded, the ratio of direct genetic variance to phenotypic variance increased 1% or less.

Glucose metabolism in the erythrocytes of the buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

(CO2)-C-14 production from [1-C-14] glucose, the rate of glycolysis measured by the value of lactate production and the activities of various enzymes were determined in buffalo erythrocytes. Buffalo red cell glycolytic metabolites were estimated and used for the calculation of the mass action ratios of reactions catalyzed by the glycolytic enzymes of Bubalus bubalis. A comparison of the values of the mass action ratios with the equilibrium constants of the various glycolytic reactions indicate that hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, phosphoglycerate kinase and pyruvate kinase reactions are displaced from equilibrium, suggesting a regulatory role for each of these enzymes in buffalo erythrocyte glycolysis. (C) 1997 Elsevier B.V.

Analysis of the Stayability in Milk Buffaloes using Survival Models

In this study the trait Stayability (SA) was evaluated according to the year of cull after first calvin, i.e., SA 1 to 6 for 1 to 6 years from first calving in lactating females from bubaline milk herds spread in nine farms located in São Paulo state. Informations were used regarding 1027 lactating Murrah breed buffaloes. The statistical analyses were made using LIFEREG (SAS, 1999) procedure. The SA was evaluated using the fixed effects: farm production, birth year, calving season (Season 1- April to September and Season 2 October - March) and class of milk yield at 270 days. The age at first calving (AFC) was considered as a random effect. The mean observed for total milk yield was 1458.75Kg. Calving Season 2 encloses 65.6% of births. The means of cull age, in months, and the percentage of SA were, respectively: 10.69 e 69% (SA1), 19.30 e 63% (SA2), 26.4 e 54% (SA3), 33.15 e 42% (SA4), 38.53 e 36% (SA5) e 42.65 e 26% (SA6). It is verified that most of culls happens after the first lactation, among the sixth and eleventh month after first calving. It was observed that the factors: farm production, birth year and class of milk yield at 270 days affected significantly all SAs. Factors like calving season and the age at first calving (AFC) were only significant for SAL Being significant the factor AFC in level of 1% and factor time in 10%. For other SAs these factors were not statistically significant.

Cytogenetics of three breeds of river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis L.), with evidence of a fragile site on the X chromosome

The cytogenetic study of 182 river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis L., 2n=50) of Murrah, Mediterranean and Jaffarabadi breeds, from the State of São Paulo, was carried out to characterize their chromosomes and to detect possible chromosomal abnormalities. The karyotypes were indistinguishable with conventional staining as well as with C and replication R banding techniques. In about 44% of the sample (8 males and 72 females), an X marker chromosome due to a fragile site was shown. The frequency of metaphases expressing the fragility site on the X was highly variable, from 2.86 to 41.03%. In females, the fragile site, rarely appeared on both X chromosomes. Most of the metaphases showed only 1 marker chromosome. In R-banded metaphases using 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) treatment, it corresponded in general to the late replicating X chromosome. No correlation between the X fragile site and altered phenotype was found. Structural and numerical chromosome rearrangements were ruled out in the present sample of buffalo. (C) 1998 by Elsevier B.V.

Genetic Parameters For the Somatic Cells Count In the Milk of Buffaloes Using Ordinary Test Day Models

The buffaloes dairy milk production (BDMP) has increased in the last 20 years, mainly for the manufacturing of mozzarella cheese, which is recognized by its high nutritional quality. However, this quality can be affected by several factors i. e. high somatic cells count (SCC) provokes changes in the milk's constituents. As in bovine dairy milk, the SCC is used as diagnostic tool for milk quality; because it enables the diagnosis of sub-clinic mastitis and also allows the selection of individuals genetically resistant to that disease. Based on it, we collected information about SCC and BDMP along the lactation in Murrah breed buffaloes, during the period between 1997 and 2005. Curves were designed to estimate genetic parameters. These parameters were estimated by ordinary test-day models. There were observed variations in the estimated heritability for both characteristics the lowest score for somatic cells count (SSCC) was seen at first month (0.01) and the highest at sixth months (0.29 the genetic correlation between these traits varied from -1 at the 1 and 9(th) months to 0.31 and 0.30 in the2 and 4(th) month of lactation. Phenotypic correlations were all negative (-0.07 in the second month and up to -0.35 in the eighth month of lactation). These results showed that environmental factors are more important than genetics in explain SCC, for this reason, selection for genetic resistance to mastitis in buffalos based in SCC should not be done. In the other hand, negative phenotypic correlations demonstrated that as the SCC increased, the milk production decreased.

AN IMPROVED ENRICHMENT PROCEDURE FOR THE ISOLATION OF YERSINIA-ENTEROCOLITICA AND RELATED SPECIES FROM MILK

A new enrichment procedure is proposed to improve the isolation of Yersinia enterocolitica and related species from milk. This procedure uses tryptic soy broth plus Polymyxin (5 IU/ml) and Novobiocin (10 mug/ml) - TSPN broth - incubated at 18-degrees-C for 3 d. Using raw milk and pasteurized milk inoculated with Yersinia strains, the efficiency of this procedure was compared to that of SB broth (sorbitol bile salts broth) incubated at 4-degrees-C for up to 21 d. Despite of the presence of antibiotics in TSPN broth, there were difficulties in recovering Yersinia organisms. Nevertheless, TSPN broth incubated at 18-degrees-C for 3 d showed better efficiency than that other method. In pasteurized milk samples, TSPN medium at 18-degrees-C for 3 d gave better results than the SB broth at 4-degrees-C for 7 d, showing that the proposed procedure is the preferable one due to the shorter period of incubation.

Antibiosis associated to Lactobacillus acidophilus growth .2. Optimization of some culture parameters in whey and soy milk medium

Whey supplemented with soy milk has been used as a low-cost alternative in the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus for the production of antimicrobial compounds. Response Surface Metodology has been employed in order to study the effects of initial pH, incubation temperature and soy milk rate for supplementation in the production of antimicrobial substance. It has been observed that both tested microrganisms used (S. aureus and E. coli) were inhibited by antimicrobial substance produced by L. acidophilus. The results obtained with E. coli inhibition did not follow the employed statistical model. on the other hand, when the tested microorganism S. aureus was used, the best inhibition results have been obtained when L. acidophilus was incubated at 36.80 degrees C in whey with 5.6 initial pH and 31,90% (v/v) rate supplemented with soy milk. The analysed antimicrobial substances were nor acids neither hidrogen peroxid.

Use of chemically modified silica with beta-diketoamine groups for separation of alpha-lactoalbumin from bovine milk whey by affinity chromatography

Silica gel surface was chemically modified with beta-diketoamine groups by reacting the silanol from the silica surface with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane and 3-bromopentanedione, With this material, copper ions were adsorbed from aqueous solutions, the chemical analysis of the silica-gel-immobilized acetylacetone provided a quantity of 0.67 mmol g(-1) of organic groups attached to the support and 0.63 mmol g(-1) of copper, This material was used as a stationary phase in IMAC (immobilized metal affinity chromatography), to separate alpha-lactoalbumin from bovine milk whey, the results showed an efficient separation in the chromatographic column, the possibility of reutilization of the stationary phase was also investigated. (C) 1997 Academic Press