牡蛎粗多糖对脂多糖刺激仔猪NF-κB信号通路相关基因转录的影响

旨在初步探讨牡蛎粗多糖对免疫应激仔猪NF-κB信号通路相关基因的影响。选取30头28日龄左右的杜长大三元阉公仔猪,分为5个处理组,即空白对照组(Ⅰ)、免疫应激对照组(Ⅱ)以及牡蛎粗多糖低(Ⅲ)、中(Ⅳ)、高(Ⅴ)剂量组,每组6头猪。Ⅰ、Ⅱ组饲喂基础日粮,Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ组分别饲喂含0.5%、0.8%、1.2%牡蛎粗多糖的基础日粮。试验饲养30d后,Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ组腹腔注射100μg·kg-1 LPS,Ⅰ组注射等量的生理盐水。各组于注射后3h剖检取肝、脾、肾上腺、淋巴结和胸腺等组织,检测TLR-4、p300和p50的相对转录水平。结果:(1)与Ⅰ组相比,Ⅱ组p300相对转录水平在淋巴结中极显著性降低,其他指标在各器官中极显著升高(P0.01)。Ⅲ组TLR-4在淋巴结中,p50在肾上腺中和p300在肝、肾上腺及淋巴结中的相对转录水平均极显著降低(P0.01);p50在肝、胸腺和脾中,p300在胸腺和脾中相对转录水平极显著升高(P0.01)。Ⅳ组TLR-4在淋巴结和脾中,p300在肝、肾上腺和淋巴结中相对转录水平显著降低(P0.05或P0.01);TLR-4在肝、肾上腺和胸腺中,p50在肝和胸腺中相对转录水平均显著升高(P0.05或P0.01)。Ⅴ组TLR-4在脾,p300在肝、淋巴结、胸腺和肾上腺中相对转录水平显著降低(P0.05或P0.01);TLR4在肝、肾上腺和淋巴结中,p50在肝、胸腺和肾上腺相对转录水平显著升高(P0.05或P0.01)。(2)与Ⅱ组相比,除Ⅴ组TLR-4在淋巴结中的差异不显著外,Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ组TLR-4的相对转录水平在各器官中均显著降低(P0.05或P0.01);p50的相对转录水平在肾上腺、淋巴结和脾中极显著降低(P0.01),Ⅲ组p50的相对转录水平在肝中显著降低(P0.01),在胸腺中极显著升高(P0.01),Ⅴ组p50的相对转录水平在胸腺中差异极显著降低(P0.01);p300的相对转录水平在肝、肾上腺、胸腺和脾中极显著降低(P0.01);在淋巴结中,Ⅳ组p300的相对转录水平极显著升高(P0.01)。牡蛎粗多糖可以缓解免疫应激仔猪器官中NF-κB信号通路相关基因的转录水平。     

红芪粗多糖对免疫应激断奶仔猪生长性能、血清生化指标和抗氧化能力的影响

本试验旨在研究红芪粗多糖(CHPS)对细菌脂多糖(LPS)刺激断奶仔猪生长性能、血清生化指标和抗氧化能力的影响。选择健康的32头断奶仔猪,按体重相近的原则随机分为5组:对照组(基础饲粮)、LPS组(基础饲粮+LPS)、CHPS低剂量组(基础饲粮+LPS+200 mg/kg CHPS)、CHPS高剂量组(基础饲粮+LPS+800 mg/kg CHPS),每组8个重复,每个重复1头仔猪。试验期为28 d。试验期间记录每头猪日采食量,试验第1、21、28天称重,计算各阶段平均日采食量、平均日增重和料重比。试验第21天,LPS组以及CHPS低、高剂量组仔猪腹膜注射100μg/kg BW LPS,对照组注射等量的生理盐水,注射后3 h,前腔静脉采血,分离血清,测定血清生化指标。结果表明:1)与对照组相比,应激期(22～28 d)LPS组平均日采食量和平均日增重均极显著下降(P<0.01);血清碱性磷酸酶、谷丙转氨酶活性及甘油三酯、总胆固醇、尿素氮和丙二醛含量均显著或极显著升高(P<0.05或P<0.01),一氧化氮合酶活性显著下降(P<0.05)。2)与LPS组相比,CHPS高、低剂量组平均日采食量和平均日增重均显著升高(P<0.05);CHPS低剂量组血清甘油三酯、总胆固醇和丙二醛含量均显著或极显著降低(P<0.05或P<0.01);CHPS高剂量组血清碱性磷酸酶活性极显著降低(P<0.01)。结果提示,在饲粮中添加一定剂量的CHPS能够有效缓解LPS所致免疫应激引起的断奶仔猪生长性能下降,可降低血清甘油三酯、总胆固醇、丙二醛含量及碱性磷酸酶活性,说明CHPS可以有效缓解LPS所致仔猪免疫应激。     

香苇二石口服液对大鼠试验性热应激的影响

本试验通过检测大鼠肠道中热休克蛋白基因的表达,探究不同剂量香苇二石口服液对热应激的预防和治疗作用。45只健康雄性大鼠随机分为对照组、热应激组、自然恢复组、高剂量预防组、中剂量预防组、低剂量预防组、高剂量治疗组、中剂量治疗组、低剂量治疗组,建立高温应激模型,利用Real time-PCR技术检测大鼠小肠中HSP27、HSP70、HSP90 m RNA的表达变化。结果表明,高温刺激能极显著增加HSPs m RNA的表达量(P<0.01);香苇二石口服液能显著(P<0.05)和极显著(P<0.01)抑制HSPs m RNA的高表达。表明香苇二石口服液高剂量有极显著预防作用,中剂量有极显著治疗作用。     

香菇多糖对肉仔鸡生产性能及新城疫疫苗免疫效果的影响

为研究香菇多糖对肉仔鸡生产性能与新城疫疫苗(LaSota株)免疫效果的影响,试验选择300只1日龄非免疫AA+肉仔鸡,随机分为5组,分别为空白对照组(不进行免疫及不添加香菇多糖)、免疫对照组(不添加香菇多糖)、低剂量组(香菇多糖添加量为200 mg/kg)、中剂量组(香菇多糖添加量为350 mg/kg)和高剂量组(香菇多糖添加量为500 mg/kg),每组3个重复,每重复20只鸡;饲养至7日龄时,称各组肉仔鸡平均体质量,测定新城疫母源抗体效价,进行为期35 d的饲养试验。结果表明:在肉仔鸡日粮中添加香菇多糖对肉仔鸡的生产性能有促进作用,各试验组肉仔鸡在14、21、28和35日龄时血清中的新城疫HI抗体水平均高于免疫对照组和空白对照组,且在28和35日龄时,中剂量组和高剂量组新城疫HI抗体水平显著高于低剂量组(P0.05),表明香菇多糖具有提高肉仔鸡新城疫HI抗体水平的效果,且以香菇多糖添加量为350 mg/kg时效果最佳。     

黄芪多糖脂质体对肉鸡免疫指标的影响

[目的]评价饲料中添加黄芪多糖脂质体对肉鸡免疫力的影响。[方法]将240只1日龄三黄鸡肉鸡随机分为5组,即空白对照组(饲喂基础日粮),黄芪多糖溶液对照组(基础日粮中添加100 m L/kg黄芪多糖溶液),黄芪多糖脂质体低、中、高剂量组(基础日粮中分别添加50、100、200 m L/kg黄芪多糖脂质体),正式试验期持续42 d。于试验的第14天、第28天和第42天从每组随机选取6只鸡采血,制备血清,测定并比较各组肉鸡血清中的一氧化氮(NO)、溶菌酶(LZM)、白细胞介素-2(IL-2)和干扰素-γ(IFN-γ)含量。[结果]在试验第14天,黄芪多糖脂质体低、高剂量组肉鸡血清中的NO、LZM含量均显著高于空白对照组和黄芪多糖溶液对照组(P0.05),中剂量组的LZM含量显著高于空白对照组和黄芪多糖溶液对照组(P0.05)。在试验第28天,黄芪多糖脂质体低剂量组肉鸡血清中的LZM、IFN-γ含量显著高于空白对照组(P0.05),血清NO含量显著高于空白对照组和黄芪多糖溶液对照组(P0.05);中、高剂量组的血清LZM含量显著高于空白对照组和黄芪多糖溶液对照组(P0.05);高剂量组的血清IFN-γ含量显著高于空白对照组(P0.05)。在试验第42天,黄芪多糖脂质体低剂量组肉鸡血清中的NO、IL-2含量显著高于空白对照组(P0.05);中、高剂量组的血清IL-2含量显著高于空白对照组(P0.05)。综合4项免疫指标来看,黄芪多糖脂质体在肉鸡饲料中的适宜添加量为50 mL/kg,适宜添加时间为28 d。     

N-乙酰半胱氨酸对脂多糖刺激仔猪小肠黏膜免疫应激的影响

研究N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)对脂多糖(LPS)刺激仔猪免疫应激的影响。选取18头健康仔猪,随机分成3个处理(对照组、LPS组和NAC组),每个处理6个重复。对照组和LPS组饲喂基础日粮,NAC组饲喂基础日粮+500 mg/kgNAC。试验期为20 d。LPS组和NAC组于试验第10、13、20天腹膜注射100μg/kg BW的LPS,对照组注射相应剂量的灭菌生理盐水。第10、20天注射LPS后3 h采血,第21天屠宰,取小肠黏膜。结果表明:NAC缓解了LPS刺激导致的血浆和小肠黏膜中TNF-α、IL-6、PGE2含量的升高(P<0.05),缓解了小肠黏膜HSP70相对表达量的升高(P<0.05)。由此可见,日粮中添加500 mg/kg NAC可有效抑制LPS刺激导致的血浆及小肠黏膜中炎性因子的升高,缓解免疫应激。     

N-乙酰半胱氨酸对脂多糖单次刺激仔猪肠黏膜免疫应激的影响

本试验旨在研究N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)对脂多糖(LPS)单次刺激仔猪肠黏膜免疫应激的影响。选取24头健康仔猪,随机分成4组,每组6个重复,每个重复1头猪。对照组和LPS组饲喂基础饲粮,250和500 mg/kg NAC组在基础饲粮中分别添加250和500 mg/kg NAC。试验第17天,LPS组、250和500 mg/kg NAC组仔猪腹膜分别注射100μg/kg BW的LPS,对照组注射相应剂量的灭菌生理盐水。注射后6 h屠宰,取肠黏膜。结果表明:与对照组相比,饲粮中添加250或500 mg/kg NAC缓解了LPS刺激导致的肠黏膜中白细胞介素-2、白细胞介素-6和前列腺素E2水平的升高及热应激蛋白70(HSP70)表达量的升高(P<0.05)。由此可见,饲粮中添加250和500 mg/kg NAC可有效抑制LPS刺激导致的肠黏膜中炎性因子的升高,缓解急性免疫应激。     

L-精氨酸对脂多糖诱导的免疫应激幼兔生长、血液及脏器相关指标的影响

探索了免疫应激对新西兰幼兔生长性能、内脏器官指数及血液生化方面的影响以及饲料中添加L-精氨酸(L-Arg)对免疫应激的缓解作用。选择35日龄、体重(527.6±0.63)g肉兔100只,随机分成4组,每组25只,试验采用双因子设计,A组:基础日粮+生理盐水(空白对照组);B组:基础日粮+脂多糖(LPS)(应激对照组);C组:基础日粮+LPS+0.3%Arg;D组:基础日粮+LPS+0.6%Arg,研究L-精氨酸对脂多糖刺激幼兔对其生产性能、血液生化指标和内脏器官指数的影响。结果表明:LPS刺激造成了幼兔生长速度的减缓、内脏器官受损以及免疫功能的下降;饲料中添加0.3%或0.6%精氨酸可以缓解免疫应激对幼兔生长和内脏器官发育下降的影响。     

N-乙酰半胱氨酸对脂多糖刺激仔猪肠道损伤的缓解作用

试验研究了N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)对脂多糖(LPS)刺激仔猪小肠黏膜DNA含量、RNA/DNA和TP/DNA比值、二糖酶活性及空肠黏膜occludin相对表达量的影响,探讨NAC对LPS刺激所导致的肠道损伤是否具有缓解作用。选取24头健康仔猪,采用单因子设计随机分成4个处理组:空白对照组、LPS组、0.025%NAC组和0.05%NAC组。每个处理6个重复,每个重复1头猪。空白对照组和LPS组饲喂基础日粮,0.025%NAC组和0.05%NAC组在饲喂基础日粮的基础上分别添加0.025%NAC和0.05%NAC。于试验第17 d,对LPS组、0.025%NAC组和0.05%NAC组仔猪分别腹膜注射100μg/kg BW的LPS,空白对照组注射等量的生理盐水。注射LPS后6 h屠宰全部仔猪,刮取小肠黏膜。结果表明:①与空白对照组相比,LPS组的空肠黏膜RNA/DNA和TP/DNA比值均显著升高(P<0.05),空肠黏膜DNA含量,十二指肠黏膜乳糖酶活性,空肠黏膜麦芽糖酶、乳糖酶活性及空肠黏膜occludin相对表达量均显著降低(P<0.05)。②与LPS组相比,0.025%NAC组空肠黏膜RNA/DNA比值显著降低(P<0.05),空肠黏膜DNA含量、十二指肠黏膜乳糖酶活性及occludin相对表达量均显著提高(P<0.05);0.05%NAC组空肠黏膜RNA/DNA和TP/DNA比值均显著降低(P<0.05),十二指肠黏膜乳糖酶活性,空肠黏膜麦芽糖酶、乳糖酶活性及occludin相对表达量均显著提高(P<0.05)。试验结果表明,日粮中添加0.025%或0.05%NAC对LPS刺激所导致的肠道损伤有缓解作用。     

香菇多糖对肉仔鸡生产性能和部分免疫指标的影响

为了研究香菇多糖对肉仔鸡生产性能与免疫器官的影响,试验选择1日龄AA+肉仔鸡200只,随机分成4组,每组设5个重复,每个重复10只。对照组、低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组肉仔鸡分别饲喂含香菇多糖0 mg/kg、200 mg/kg、350 mg/kg和500 mg/kg的日粮,进行为期35 d的饲养试验。结果表明:在肉仔鸡的日粮中添加香菇多糖后,在14~21日龄、21~28日龄、28~35日龄时,低剂量组、中剂量组、高剂量组肉仔鸡的平均日增重均显著高于对照组(P0.05);在21~28日龄、28~35日龄时,低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组的料重比均显著低于对照组(P0.05);在35日龄时,低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组肉仔鸡的免疫器官指数均显著高于对照组(P0.05)。说明在肉仔鸡的日粮中添加香菇多糖对肉仔鸡的生产性能有促进作用,亦可以提高肉仔鸡的免疫器官指数,以香菇多糖添加量为350 mg/kg时效果最佳。     

白术、微米白术和白术多糖对断奶仔猪生长性能和肠道形态及微生态区系的影响

试验选用96头平均体重14.82 kg左右的杜×长×大断奶仔猪,随机分成4组,每组3栏,每栏8头(公母各半)。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验1、2、3组分别添加1%80目白术、0.2%白术多糖和1%微米白术。试验期30 d。结果表明:在生长性能方面,与对照组相比,1%微米白术添加组可显著提高日增重(P0.05)、降低饲料增重比和腹泻率,而且效果优于1%80目白术组和0.2%白术多糖组,在肠道形态和肠道微生态区系方面,与对照组相比,日粮添加1%80目白术、0.2%白术多糖、1%微米白术均可不同程度的提高十二指肠和空肠的绒毛高度,加深十二指肠和空肠的隐窝深度,并且增加肠道微生态区系的多样性,其中以1%微米白术添加组的效果最佳。     

Prevalence and seasonal incidence of nematode parasites and fluke infections of sheep and goats in eastern Ethiopia

Sissay, M.M., Uggla, A. and Waller, P.J., XXXX. Prevalence and seasonal incidence of nematode parasites and fluke infections of sheep and goats in eastern Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production, XXXX. A 2-year abattoir survey was carried out to determine the prevalence, abundance and seasonal incidence of gastro-intestinal (GI) nematodes and trematodes (flukes) of sheep and goats in the semi-arid zone of eastern Ethiopia. During May 2003 to April 2005, viscera including liver, lungs and GI tracts were collected from 655 sheep and 632 goats slaughtered at 4 abattoirs located in the towns of Haramaya, Harar, Dire Dawa and Jijiga in eastern Ethiopia. All animals were raised in the farming areas located within the community boundaries for each town. Collected materials were transported within 24 h to the parasitology laboratory of Haramaya University for immediate processing. Thirteen species belonging to 9 genera of GI nematodes (Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus axei, T. colubriformis, T. vitrinus, Nematodirus filicollis, N. spathiger, Oesophagostomum columbianum, O. venulosum, Strongyloides papillosus, Bunostomum trigonocephalum, Trichuris ovis, Cooperia curticei and Chabertia ovina), and 4 species belonging to 3 genera of trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica, Paramphistomum {Calicohoron} microbothrium and Dicrocoelium dendriticum) were recorded in both sheep and goats. All animals in this investigation were infected with multiple species to varying degrees. The mean burdens of adult nematodes were generally moderate in both sheep and goats and showed patterns of seasonal abundance that corresponded with the bi-modal annual rainfall pattern, with highest burdens around the middle of the rainy season. In both sheep and goats there were significant differences in the mean worm burdens and abundance of the different nematode species between the four geographic locations, with worm burdens in the Haramaya and Harar areas greater than those observed in the Dire Dawa and Jijiga locations. Similar seasonal variations were also observed in the prevalence of flukes. But there were no significant differences in the prevalence of each fluke species between the four locations. Overall, the results showed that Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, Nematodirus, Oesophagostomum, Fasciola and Paramphistomum species were the most abundant helminth parasites of sheep and goats in eastern Ethiopia.     

Feline intracranial neoplasia: retrospective review of 160 cases (1985-2001)

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of different tumor types within a large cohort of cats with intracranial neoplasia and to attempt to correlate signalment, tumor size and location, and survival time for each tumor. Medical records of 160 cats with confirmed intracranial neoplasia evaluated between 1985 and 2001 were reviewed. Parameters evaluated included age, sex, breed, FeLV/FIV status, clinical signs, duration of signs, number of tumors, tumor location(s), imaging results, treatment, survival times, and histopathologic diagnosis. Most of the cats were older (11.3 +/- 3.8 years). Primary tumors accounted for 70.6% of cases. Metastasis and direct extension of secondary tumors accounted for only 5.6 and 3.8% of cases, respectively. Twelve cats (7.5%) had 2 or more discrete tumors of the same type, whereas 16 cats (10.0%) had 2 different types of intracranial tumors. The most common tumor types were meningioma (n = 93, 58.1%), lymphoma (n = 23, 14.4%), pituitary tumors (n = 14, 8.8%), and gliomas (n = 12, 7.5%). The most common neurological signs were altered consciousness (n = 42, 26.2%), circling (n = 36, 22.5%), and seizures (n = 36, 22.5%). Cats without specific neurological signs were common (n = 34, 21.2%). The tumor was considered an incidental finding in 30 (18.8%) cats. In addition to expected relationships (eg, meninges and meningioma, pituitary and pituitary tumors), we found that lesion location was predictive of tumor type with diffuse cerebral or brainstem involvement predictive of lymphoma and third ventricle involvement predictive of meningioma.     

Y‐chromosomal variation of local goat breeds of Turkey close to the domestication centre

Genetic variations in chromosome Y are enabling researchers to identify paternal lineages, which are informative for introgressions and migrations. In this study, the male‐specific region markers, sex‐determining region‐Y (SRY), amelogenin (AMELY) and zinc finger (ZFY) were analysed in seven Turkish native goat breeds, Angora, Kilis, Hair, Honaml?, Norduz, Gürcü and Abaza. A SNP in the ZFY gene defined a new haplotype Y2C. All domestic haplogroups originate from Capra aegagrus, while the finding of Y1A, Y1B, Y2A and Y2C in 32, 4, 126 and 2 Turkish domestic goats, respectively, appears to indicate a predomestic origin of the major haplotypes. The occurrence of four haplotypes in the Hair goat and, in contrast, a frequency of 96% of Y1A in the Kilis breed illustrate that Y‐chromosomal variants have a more breed‐dependent distribution than mitochondrial or autosomal DNA. This probably reflects male founder effects, but a role in adaptation cannot be excluded.     

A brief history of the prevention of infectious diseases by immunisations

Infectious diseases have always been a terrible scourge for humans. The appearance of these plagues, as they were called without distinction, was generally connected to various conditions: asters, climatic changes or religious reasons. The concept of contagious, and then infectious, diseases came slowly. Variolation, i.e. transmission of ‘virulent’ matter to induce a natural disease and the immunity against it, was brought from Constantinople to England by Lady Montague, in 1721. This ‘variolation’ technique was also often performed in veterinary medicine against diseases like sheep-pox or pleuropneumonia. As ‘vaccination’ is the term generally accepted for ‘immunisation’, variolation can be the word designating such a technique. The second period of the history of immunisation began, in 1880, with the studies of Pasteur and his collaborators. A great number of bacterial vaccines were developed: dead, live but attenuated or only parts of pathogens. The viruses were produced in animals, then in eggs and at last, in tissue cultures. Second generation vaccines appeared with genetic engineering: recombinant vaccines, vector vaccines, nucleic acids vaccines, and markers vaccines, among others. These novel technologies can permit the development of new ones and improve the quality of the vaccines already existing.     

Micronutrient Content of Certain Tropical Conventional and Unconventional Feed Resources of Southern India

The ash, silica and certain important micronutrients were estimated in conventional and unconventional feed and fodder resources available in Southern India. Commonly used dry roughages, such as paddy straw, ragi straw, maize kadbi/stalk, jowar kadbi/stalk, bajra stalk and wheat straw, were high in ash (9.9% +/- 0.77%) and silica (6.4% +/- 0.65%) and low in most of the other micronutrients, except iron, with paddy straw containing most silica (>9%). Cultivated non-leguminous (maize, jowar) and improved green crops (hybrid napier, guinea, green panic, NB-21, CO-1) were also high in ash (10.5% +/- 0.60% and 12.5% +/- 0.51%) but were moderate sources of P, Mg and Cu and good sources of Zn (98 +/- 13.8 ppm and 55 +/- 6.7 ppm). Leguminous green fodders (stylosanthus, lucerne, cow pea, soyabean) were excellent sources of Ca (1.9% +/- 0.16%), Mg (0.40% +/- 0.05%), Cu (30 +/- 5.2 ppm), Zn (121 +/- 14.7 ppm) and Fe (1234 +/- 166 ppm) and moderate sources of P. Mixed local grasses and weeds were high in silica (6.9% +/- 1.00%) but were good sources of Cu, Zn and Fe. Cereal grains (maize, wheat, rice, ragi) were low in ash (2.9% +/- 0.33%) and were relatively poor sources of Ca (0.22% +/- 0.03%), Mg (0.19% +/- 0.03%) and Cu (13 +/- 3.1 ppm). Pulses were low to medium sources of most minerals and good sources of Fe (1230 +/- 293 ppm). Oil seed cake/extractions (groundnut cake, cotton seed cake, soyabean meal, sunflower cake, safflower cake) and cereal by-products (rice polish, rice bran, wheat bran) were excellent sources of P (1.1% +/- 0.47% and 2.3% +/- 0.19%) and good sources of Zn (65 +/- 3.9 ppm and 66 +/- 10.7 ppm) and Fe (938 +/- 130 ppm and 662 +/- 126 ppm). Among the unconventional feeds screened, orange peel, sunflower heads, meat meal, rubber seed cake, spirulina algae and sea weeds contained plentiful Ca, Zn and Fe: tree leaves/top feeds (mulberry, erythrina, glyricidia, banana, subabul, groundnut haulms) were excellent sources of Ca (1.5% +/- 0.13%), Zn (120 +/- 22.9 ppm) and Fe (1033 +/- 133 ppm) but relatively poor sources of P. Soyabean husk, cocoa seed husk, rubber seed cake and meat meal were moderate to good sources of P (1.0% and 0.33%). The high Zn and Fe values of most feeds/fodders were probably due to soil contamination. This account of the micronutrient content of feed/fodder resources should help in strategic supplementation intended to alleviate local deficiencies.     

Bovine Mastitis in Selected Areas of Southern Ethiopia

A study on bovine mastitis, designed to determine the causal agents, prevalence of infection and impact of risk factors in three cattle breeds, was conducted in selected areas of southern Ethiopia. A total of 307 lactating and non-lactating cows, of which 162 were indigenous Zebu, 85 Jersey and 60 Holstein-Friesian, were examined by clinical examination and the California mastitis (CMT) test. Of these, 40.4% were positive by CMT and bacteriology for clinical or subclinical mastitis, with prevalence rates of 37.1% and 62.9%, respectively. Out of 1133 quarters examined, 212 (18.7%) were found to be infected, 83 (39.2%) clinically and 129 (60.8%) subclinically. The prevalence of mastitis was significantly higher in Holstein-Friesian than in indigenous Zebu, in non-lactating cows than in lactating cows, in the early lactation stage than in the mid-lactation stage, in cows with lesions and/or tick infestation on skin of udder and/or teats than in cows without this factor, and in the wet season than in the dry season. Mastitis increased with parity number (R = 0.9). Of 248 CMT and clinically positive udder quarter samples analysed microbiologically, 212 were culturally positive for known mastitis pathogens and 36 were negative. Of the 199 positive samples, Staphylococcus accounted for 39.2%, Streptococcus for 23.6%, coliforms for 14.1%, Micrococcus and Bacillus species for 8.0% each and Actinomyces or Arcanobacterium (Corynebacterium) for 7.0%. It was concluded that there was a high prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis, mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli, in this study area.     

不同日粮氮水平对山羊氮代谢和微生物蛋白质合成的影响

本试验旨在探讨不同日粮氮水平对内蒙古白绒山羊氮代谢和微生物蛋白质合成(MCP)的影响,以达到提高氮利用率,减少环境污染和饲料资源的浪费。试验选用9只体况良好、体重为(43.83±2.95)kg,装有瘤胃瘘管的内蒙古白绒山羊,按体重随机分为3组,每组3只。日粮分为低氮7.5%、中氮10.5%、高氮13.5%3个氮水平。试验使用常规试验方法分析测定粪尿血液等生化指标,通过全收尿法和尿嘌呤衍生物法估测MCP。结果表明:随着氮水平增加,氨氮(NH3-N)浓度、氮摄入量、尿氮排出、尿中尿素氮(UUN)和MCP显著增加(P0.05),干物质采食量(DMI)显著降低(P0.01);沉积氮占总摄入氮的比例在中氮组最高,MCP在高氮组最高。综上所述,适当降低日粮氮水平可减少粪尿氮排放,提高反刍动物氮利用率。     

Microsporidial keratopathy in two dogs

A microsporidial keratopathy is described in two dogs. Both dogs presented with a unilateral stromal keratopathy characterized by multifocal coalescing opacities, and the diagnosis was made on histopathologic examination of keratectomy specimens. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded corneal tissue was performed in one dog, and the morphologic features were consistent with Nosema species infection. Both dogs were initially diagnosed and treated by superficial keratectomy. One dog received additional antifungal medication and underwent a penetrating keratoplasty following local recurrence two years later. No other systemic lesions attributable to the microsporidial infection were identified clinically. The clinical and diagnostic pathology findings, treatment, and follow‐up are discussed.