Gametic imprinting effects on rate and composition of pig growth.

Genetic improvement schemes in livestock are based on the assumption that the expression of relevant genes is independent of parent of origin. Until now no evidence has been found to reject this assumption. The present study on three purebred pig populations, however, shows that a significant proportion of the phenotypic variance in backfat thickness (5-7%) can be explained by genes subject to paternal imprinting.

The production of anti-H-Y monoclonal antibodies: their potential use in a sex test for bovine embryos.

In an attempt to improve the accuracy of sexing bovine embryos, new anti-H-Y monoclonal antibodies were produced and selected, using an extended screening procedure. In addition to the commonly used screening of soluble H-Y antigen sources, such as testis supernatant and Daudi supernatant, the binding specificity to cell surface H-Y antigen was tested also. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) employing male and, as a control, female bovine lymphocytes, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) on solubilized membrane fractions resulted in the selection of a number of clones producing monoclonal antibody (mAb) with male-enhanced binding.

The use of a high pressure waterjet combined with electroimmobilization for the stunning of slaughter pigs: Some aspects of meat quality.

It is considered that waterjet stunning may be a humane stunning method to apply in slaughter facilities. An experiment was conducted in a slaughterhouse to examine the effects of waterjet stunning combined with electroimmobilization during exsanguination on the occurrence of haemorrhages in the muscles and on meat quality. Slaughter pigs (n = 31) were stunned by waterjet (3900 bar) in a V-type restrainer and immobilized electrically (40 V) during exsanguination.

Subcutaneous tissue reaction to polyethylene terephtalate-covered electronic identification transponders in pigs.

Polyethylene terephtalate-covered identification transponders were injected in 4 week old piglets to examine clinically and histologically the reaction in the surrounding tissue after 4, 7 and 21 days and 6 months. Inflammatory signs at the injection site were clinically noticed from 2 days onwards and gradually decreased after day 3. A second series of inflammatory events occured in some animals around day 7.

A comparative study on the use of bovine and murine monoclonal antibodies for passive immunization in cattle.

In the present experiments the efficacy of murine and bovine monoclonal antibodies for passive immunization in cattle was compared. The in vivo immunoneutralization of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) by murine and bovine antibodies after repeated administration was chosen as a model for this study. Results indicate that repeated injections of murine monoclonal antibodies against PMSG (mMCA) alone did not, or only to a small extent, elicit an anti-mouse immune response.

Development of a high capacity radioimmunoassay procedure: ovine follicle stimulating hormone determination in blood plasma as a model.

A sensitive, specific and accurate homologous radioimmunoassay (RIA) for ovine follicle stimulating hormone (oFSH) has been developed, using a [125I]oFSH tracer and a polyclonal rabbit anti-OFSH-serum at a final dilution of 1:224,000. The separation of free and antibody-bound tracer is based on the double antibody solid phase system. The assay was found to be specific for oFSH; cross-reactivity with oLH, oPrl and oGH was lower than 0.