Detection of antibiotic residues and association of cefquinome residues with the occurrence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria in waste milk samples from dairy farms in England and Wales in 2011

Waste milk samples from 103 farms in England and Wales were examined for the presence of β-lactam antibiotics and ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Approximately 10 months after the initial sampling, further waste milk, environmental and faecal samples from farms shown to be positive for CTX-M Escherichia coli were investigated further. Isolates with an ESBL phenotype were tested by PCR for the presence of bla_CTX-M, bla_OXA, bla_SHV and bla_TEM genes. Isolates positive for bla_CTX-M were sequenced to determine CTX-M type. Representative isolates were further examined by PFGE, plasmid replicon typing and serotyping. Of particular interest, 21.4% of waste milk samples contained residues of the cephalosporin cefquinome, which was significantly associated with CTX-M bacteria. Such bacteria occurred in 5.8% of the waste milk samples (including 3.9% CTX-M E. coli). CTX-M types identified were 1, 14, 14b and 15, but none of the E. coli were serotype O25, the serotype of the human pandemic strain.     

Exercising the Pregnant Mare from Day 16 to Day 80 of Gestation

Our previous research has demonstrated moderate exercise can be detrimental to early pregnancy in the mare, but little work has examined exercise after pregnancy has been detected. We exercised mares (n = 8) 6 days a week for 45 min from Day 16 until Day 80 of gestation. Color Doppler ultrasonography was used to evaluate embryonic vesicle size, fetal length, and uterine blood flow. Blood was sampled every other day to analyze cortisol and progesterone concentrations. Results indicated that exercising pregnant mares (n = 4) led to greater (P < .01) cortisol concentrations 30 min after the exercise period. No overall treatment effect could be detected in progesterone concentrations; however, following Day 60 of gestation, progesterone concentrations were lower (P < .05) in exercised mares. Additionally, progesterone concentrations peaked earlier in exercised mares at Day 52 of gestation compared to peak levels at Day 68 of gestation for control mares. No significant effects were detected in embryonic vesicle size. Fetal length tended (P = .06) to be longer in the conceptus of exercised mares. Uterine blood flow did not differ between groups but increased as pregnancy progressed (P < .001) in both groups. All mares in this study went on to deliver healthy foals and suffered no difficulties during parturition. These results indicated that moderate exercise was not detrimental to mare pregnancy.     

Swimming performance,whole body ions,and gill Al accumulation during acclimation to sublethal aluminium in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Juvenile rainbow trout (2–5 g) were chronically exposed (for 22 days) to acidified softwater (Ca²⁺ = 25 Eq/l, pH 5.2) in the presence or absence sublethal Al (30 g/l). Al-exposed fish (5.2/Al group) suffered 20% whole body Na⁺ and Cl^– losses and a 30% reduction in the maximum sustainable swimming speed (U_crit) over the initial 7 days. These disturbances were approximately 2 fold greater than those observed in the fish exposed to low pH alone (5.2/0 group). However, whole body ion levels were completely restored in the 5.2/Al fish by day 22, whereas they merely stabilized at a new reduced level in the 5.2/0 group. Increased resistance to acutely lethal Al (200 g/l at pH 5.2) was observed from day 17 onwards in the 5.2/Al fish. Despite this acclimation and recovery of whole body ions, U_crit remained significantly lower than in the 5.2/0 group throughout. Growth on a restricted diet of 1% body wt. /day was normal in the 5.2/0 group compared with controls maintained in pH 6.5 softwater, whereas 5.2/Al fish suffered a 50% reduction in growth rate on the same diet. The 5.2/Al fish accumulated large amounts of Al on the gills, reaching an initial peak after 4 days, followed by a decline at 7 days, and a secondary rise thereafter. Therefore acclimation and recovery of whole body ionic status was not associated with a reduction in the gill Al burden. Some of the metabolic costs of acclimation to Al, namely a continued impairment of swimming speed and growth, are discussed in light of the physiological and structural changes reported to occur at the gills.     

Yields of cultured Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas Thunberg improved after one generation of selection

Parental families (G₀) in three lines of Pacific oysters were selected based on live weight and meat yields at harvest. The average live weight yield of progeny (G₁) from crossing G₀-selected lines in seven trials was 9.5% greater than that of nonselected control families and live weight yields were significantly greater (ANOVA, P<0.001) in four out of seven trials. The response to selection was greater if G₁ families were tested at the same site as their parents' selection site rather than at a different site, although this effect was only significant for G₁ families of cohort 5 (P<0.01) but not cohort 7 (P>0.05). A significant genotype×environment interaction affected yields in both cohort 5 and cohort 7 (ANOVA; P<0.001). In addition, correlation between the yields of the same families planted at both intertidal and subtidal sites was positive but weak (cohort 5, r=0.30; cohort 7, r=0.35), indicating that selection for high yield in one environment would likely result in a low correlated response in a different environment. Nonetheless, it was possible to identify six families in cohort 5 and four families in cohort 7 that were among the top 10 families at both sites. Further evaluation of families across a wider range of environments is needed to determine if it is possible to substantially improve yields by selecting “generalist” families that perform well along the whole Pacific coast, or whether it will be necessary to select lines that are suited to particular sites.     

Frozen mysids as an alternative to live Artemia in culturing seahorses Hippocampus abdominalis

This investigation examined the effects on growth and survival of seahorses Hippocampus abdominalis Leeson 1827 fed a 25% body weight (wet weight) daily ration of live Artemia sp. enriched with Algamac‐3050, frozen mysids Amblyops kempi or a combination of live enriched Artemia and frozen mysids. After 3 months there was no difference in seahorse length, wet weight, condition factor (CF), or food conversion ratios (FCR) between the treatments. Mean daily specific growth rate (SGR) was higher for the Artemia‐only treatment than for the mysid‐only treatment (P<0.05). FCRs ranged from 6.14 g to 8.72 g dry weight of food required to give a 1‐g dry weight increase in seahorses. There was no difference in survival between treatments. Fatty acid analysis revealed that mysids had a higher percentage composition of EPA, 20 : 5n‐3, and DHA, 22 : 6n‐3, but a lower composition of AA, 20 : 4n‐6, than enriched Artemia. Percentage n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in mysid levels were approximately twice that of Artemia. Proximate analysis revealed mysids to be higher than the enriched Artemia in protein and fats, and lower in water content. This experiment demonstrates that, although no growth advantage was derived from the use of frozen mysids, they can be used successfully as an alternative food to live enriched Artemia for H. abdominalis. The use of frozen mysids is highly recommended in commercial seahorse culture if the seahorses are to be sold into the live aquarium trade, as this may increase their chances of survival after sale.     

Evaluation of VI-alpha and PIT-tagging of the seahorse <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hippocampus abdominalis</Emphasis>

The suitability of visible implant alphanumeric (VI-alpha) and passive integrated transponder (PIT)-tagging to individually identify seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis) was assessed in two trials. For each trial, 24 seahorses were tagged and mortality, growth, tag retention and tag visibility/readability assessed, together with 24 control seahorses, over a period of 3 months. For VI-alpha tagging, a single tag was inserted under the skin between the first two anterior lateral tail rings of the seahorses. There was no difference in final seahorse length, wet weight, or mean SGR in tagged seahorses, compared with control seahorses, after 3 months. Tag retention was 100%, as was survival, in both treatments. Tag detection with the naked eye was generally poor but improved using LED blue light. However, readability of tag codes was highly variable and insufficiently reliable for VI-alpha to be suitable for identification of individual seahorses. In PIT-tagged seahorses, a single FDX-B transponder was inserted into the abdominal cavity of seahorses. There was also no difference in final seahorse length, wet weight, or mean SGR, compared with control seahorses, after 3 months. Tag retention was also 100%, as was survival in both treatments. Readability of transponders was reliable and quick using a compact reader. PIT-tagging is considered suitable for individual identification of large H. abdominalis.     

Influence of feeding regime on intraspecific competition, fin damage and growth in 1+ Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar L.) held in freshwater production cages

The feeding behaviour, growth and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of cage‐held Atlantic salmon parr (Salmo salar L.) were studied when in 576 m³ (12 m × 12 m × 4 m) commercial freshwater cages under ambient water temperature (8.84±3.53°C) and photoperiod (11.02±2.05 h) for 205 days. The effect of feeding regime on fin damage was also investigated. Six groups (n=31 234±2051 fish group⁻¹, initial stocking density 1.25±0.14 kg m⁻³) were fed to satiation using either (a) an imposed regime involving scheduled, fixed ration feeding every 10 min from dawn till dusk or (b) on demand from dawn till dusk using commercial interactive feedback systems. During feeding, there were no significant differences in aggression although swimming speeds and turning angles were significantly higher in fish under the imposed regime. On‐demand feeding significantly reduced the incidence of dorsal fin damage. There was no clear relationship between fish size, feed regime and the incidence of fin damage until 1 week before the fish were transferred to marine cages, when the smallest fish under each feeding regime had the highest incidence of fin damage. Interestingly, growth did not differ between regimes, but fish under the imposed regime were significantly overfed and achieved higher FCRs.     

Fish meal replacement by plant and animal by-products in diets for the Australian short-finned eel, Anguilla australis australis (Richardson)

In this experiment, 23% of fish meal protein was replaced with protein from Australian soybean meal (SBM), lupin meal (LM), corn gluten meal (CGM) and meat meal (MM) in nutritionally balanced experimental diets. Growth and growth efficiencies of juvenile Australian short‐finned eel Anguilla australis australis (Richardson) elvers (2.23±0.4‐g average wet weight) were compared. Elvers were fed twice a day to a total of 5% body weight per day for 63 days. Total weight gain (g), specific growth rate (% day^?1), protein efficiency ratio (%) and productive protein value (%) were significantly higher (P<0.05) for elvers fed the MM diet than for those fed the LM diet. There were no differences in diurnal ammonia‐nitrogen excretion rates. However, diurnal urea‐nitrogen excretion rates were significantly (P<0.05) affected by diet and rates were two to three times higher for all diets, except CGM, 4 h following the afternoon feed. Diet significantly affected apparent digestibility (AD); ADs of protein for SBM and LM were significantly (P<0.001) higher than for control diet, CGM and MM; AD of energy for LM was significantly (P<0.05) lower than for all the other diets. Fish meal protein was replaced by CGM, SBM and MM without compromising growth rates of the Australian short‐finned eel. However, whole lupin seed meal (LM) depressed growth and growth efficiencies most likely because of the high indigestible carbohydrate content.     

Fish and flows: Abiotic drivers influence the recruitment response of a freshwater fish community throughout a regulated lotic system of the Murray-Darling Basin,Australia

1. Fish assemblages in dryland rivers have life-history strategies that have evolved in response to environmental conditions and triggers, particularly water temperatures and flow regimes. The regulation of rivers through the construction of dams, weirs and other water diversion structures has altered natural flow regimes and the associated ecological processes of river systems worldwide.
2. Over a 3-year period, using standardized fish sampling and daily otolith ageing, the recruitment of eight freshwater fish species was monitored in response to various abiotic drivers, including hydrology and water temperatures, throughout the Macquarie River, a large regulated river system of the Australian Murray-Darling Basin.
3. A data-driven statistical classification system is provided that groups species into reproductive guilds, based on their recruitment response to hydrology and water temperature, specifically designed for use in environmental flow management.
4. The eight species were grouped into three distinct reproductive guilds that showed similar recruitment responses to the abiotic drivers. Murray-Darling rainbowfish, Murray cod, and eel-tailed catfish were considered as a single guild, characterized by seasonal recruitment during a relatively narrow thermal window under low to moderate stable discharges. The second group included common carp, bony herring, and golden perch, which recruited primarily in association with larger flow events. Un-specked hardyhead and Australian smelt formed a more differentiated guild, recruiting over a broad range of temperatures and discharges. Limitations associated with using a reproductive guild approach to simplify water management are discussed.
5. This study highlighted important relationships among hydrology, water temperatures, and successful recruitment that can, in turn, be used to inform development of adaptive flow management plans and effective use of environmental water for the conservation management of native fish communities. Important considerations in the design of studies that aim to examine relationships between recruitment and abiotic drivers are also discussed.