Questionnaire study and postmortem findings in backyard chicken flocks in Finland

Background

Although modern commercial poultry production today is based on large farms and intensive husbandry, keeping backyard poultry has regained popularity in industrialized countries. However, the health status of backyard flocks is still relatively poorly documented. A questionnaire was sent to the owners of 376 backyard poultry flocks (<500 birds) in order to study health management procedures and characterize backyard poultry populations in Finland. Information was also collected on the postmortem findings from non-commercial flocks using necropsy data from the Finnish Food Safety Authority (Evira).

Results

Backyard flocks in Finland are small in size (<50 birds), comprising mainly chickens. Based on the results of the questionnaire, the health of such flocks is good, mortality low and vaccinations are not commonly used. Most of the flocks were registered in the national poultry register. The standard biosecurity practices are not generally applied and contact with wild birds, pets and farm animals is frequent, which can make the flocks more prone to infectious diseases. We conducted an 11-year retrospective study of the postmortem necropsy findings of the Evira in order to document the diseases, which caused mortality in backyard chickens in Finland. Necropsy was performed on a total of 132 non-commercial laying hens during 2000 – 2011. The most common postmortem findings were Marek’s disease (27%) and colibacillosis (17%).

Conclusions

This study is the first to report data on characteristics of and management practices for backyard chicken flocks in Finland. Close connections with commercial flocks are rare and farms are usually distantly located suggesting that the risk that these backyard flocks pose to commercial poultry is low.     

牦牛肉宰后成熟嫩化与细胞凋亡酶活力变化研究

为研究宰后牦牛肉成熟过程中前驱肱三头肌(TB)、中部背最长肌(ML)、后驱半膜肌(SM)的剪切力、肌原小片化指数及细胞凋亡酶(caspase)的变化趋势,选取24头甘南黑牦牛进行屠宰,于0~4℃、风速0.5 m/s条件下成熟,在宰后成熟过程中的不同时间点(0.5 h、2 h、5 h、10 h、1 d、2 d、3 d、4 d、5 d、6 d、7 d)进行剪切力、肌原纤维小片化指数和caspase-3、caspase-8、caspase-9活力测定。宰后7 d,TB、ML和SM 3个不同部位肉的剪切力值分别下降了35.6%、27.4%、33.5%;肌原小片化指数值分别升高了69.7%、65.7%、63.0%。TB和SM在宰后1 d caspase-3活力达到最高值(P0.001),ML则在宰后10 h后达到活力最高值。TB和ML在宰后5 h达到caspase-8活力最高值(P0.001),比ML提前达到caspases-8活力最高值。宰后5 h后caspase-9活力显著高于宰后0.5 h(P0.001),且ML和SM的caspase-9活力达到最高值,而TB的caspase-9在宰后10 h后达到最高值,是其初始值的2.39倍;3个不同部位肉的caspase-3与caspase-8活力分别与剪切力和肌原小片化指数呈显著相关性(P0.01),caspase-3活力与caspase-8和caspase-9活力相互之间都呈显著相关性(P0.05)。结果表明:宰后成熟过程使牦牛肉的剪切力降低、肌原小片化指数提高,率先激发caspase-8、caspase-9活力,同时活化了caspase-3,破坏肌原纤维结构,降解细胞骨架蛋白,从而提高牦牛肉的嫩度。     

Tricuspid valve stenosis caused by fibrous adhesions to an endocardial pacemaker lead in a dog

Acquired tricuspid valve stenosis (TVS) is a rare complication of endocardial lead placement in humans that has not been described in the veterinary literature. We describe a 6.5-year-old Border terrier that was presented with right-sided congestive heart failure 5.5 years after placement of a transvenous pacemaker. Severe TVS was confirmed by cardiac ultrasonography and appeared to be secondary to excessive endocardial pacemaker lead within the right atrium. Repositioning of the lead proved impossible and subsequent postmortem examination demonstrated fusion of the tricuspid valve (TV) leaflets around the endocardial lead with associated narrowing of the tricuspid valve orifice. In addition, the loop of the endocardial lead was anchored by thick fibrous tissue to the right atrial wall. This case report suggests that if sufficient endocardial lead is left inside the heart, in dogs undergoing transvenous pacemaker therapy, the redundant lead can become adherent to the tricuspid valve apparatus and cause valvular stenosis.     

Pipemidic acid,a new treatment for recurrent urinary tract infection in small animals

Summary

A new chemotherapeutic agent, pipemidic acid, was used to treat 14 dogs and 2 cats with recurrent urinary tract infection caused by multiresistent strains of Escherichia coli and Proteus spp. Bacterial culture of the urine after treatment revealed disappearance of the microorganisms in all patients.

It is concluded that pipemidic acid is a promising chemotherapeutic agent for urinary tract infections caused by multiresistant E. coli and Proteus spp., with the condition that bacterial culture during the course of treatment is obligatory.

It is concluded that pipemidic acid is a promising chemotherapeutic agent for urinary tract infections caused by multiresistant E. coli and Proteus spp., with the condition that bacterial culture during the course of treatment is obligatory.     

草鱼死后常温贮藏过程中的品质变化

为了研究草鱼死后常温贮藏过程中的品质变化,以草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)背肉为研究对象,测定了草鱼死后30 h内质构、pH、乳酸、游离氨基酸、ATP及其关联化合物等指标的变化。结果显示,草鱼肉的硬度和咀嚼性在死后23 h时达到最大值,弹性、内聚性及回复性均随时间的延长而降低。pH呈先降低后升高的趋势,在23 h达到最大值。乳酸含量则先增加后减少。在整个贮藏过程中,鲜甜味游离氨基酸的总含量逐渐减少,而苦味游离氨基酸的总含量则逐渐增加。ATP含量在草鱼死后10 h内显著增加,具有鲜味的IMP含量则迅速减少,呈苦味的HxR和Hx含量逐渐增加。在整个贮藏过程中,K值一直增加。K值的变化情况表明,草鱼死后常温贮藏10 h内可保持较高鲜度,27 h时,K值达到68.99%,表明鱼肉已经腐败。研究表明,草鱼死后室温贮藏时应在10 h内尽快加工。