Follicle population dynamics in sheep with different ovulation rate potentialsDynamique folliculaire terminale chez des ovins de potentiel ovulatoire variéVeränderungen der follikelzahl in schafpopulationen mit unterschiedlich hoher ovulationsrate

To investigate the factors contributing to the different ovulation rates observed in two strains of sheep (Booroola 5.2, Merino, 1.2) and after immunization against androstenedione (Immunized 1.8, Control 1.3), in vivo monitoring of follicular kinetics followed by histological examination of the ovaries was performed during the late luteal and follicular phases. Ewes had the three largest follicles of each ovary ink-labelled at days 13 and 15 and were ovariectomized after the beginning of oestrus.High ovulation rate was not associated with a more numerous antral follicle population in either Booroola ewes or immunized ewes. Furthermore, in Booroola ewes (r = 0.22) and in immunized ewes (r = ?0.02), there was no correlation between the number of antral follicles per ovary and the ovulation rate.The reasons for the high ovulation rate became clear when preovulatory enlargement was followed by ink-labelling. An extended period of time during which recruitment of ovulatory follicles takes place, together with a low incidence of selection through atresia and the ability of fully grown follicles to wait for ovulation are the features involved in the high ovulation rate of the Booroola ewes. A lower incidence of selection together with an unaltered recruitment leads to the increased ovulation rate noticed after immunization.     

Uterine Activity after Induction of Hypocalcaemia in the Ovariectomized Camel (Camelus Dromedarius)

Al-Eknah, M.M., Homeida, A.M., Dafalla, E.A., Galil, A.K.A. and Al-Tahir, A.Y., 1997. Uterine activity after induction of hypocalcaemia in the ovariectomized camel (Camelus dromedarius). Veterinary Research Communications, 21 (1), 45-50.Bilateral ovariectomy was performed in three parous, non-pregnant camels. Intrauterine and intra-abdominal pressure changes were recorded using balloon-tipped catheters. Uterine contractions were induced and maintained in the ovariectomized camels by daily intramuscular injections of 5 mg oestradiol benzoate throughout the experimental period. The frequency of uterine contractions varied from 6 to 9 per minute, whereas the amplitude varied from 2 to 3 kPa in all the animals. Inducing hypocalcaemia to a level of 0.5 mmol/L by Na2EDTA reduced the amplitude of the contractions to below 1 kPa (p<0.001). The frequency of the contractions was not affected.     

Studies on the pathogenicity ofBabesia bovis in water buffaloes after cryopreservation and resuscitation

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Packed erythrocytes infected withBabesia bovis were mixed with an equal volume of 16% dimethyl sulphoxide (DMS0) in Alsever’s solution and dispensed...     

荷斯坦育肥牛日粮中添加碳酸氢钠的增重效果

荷斯坦育肥牛日粮中添加５０ｇ碳酸氢钠，观察增重效果，试验期５０ｄ。结果表明，试验组牛头均日增重比对照组提高１８．０％，差异显著。     

中国南方荷斯坦奶牛κ-CN基因第四、第五外显子的多态性研究

本文利用PCR-RFLP技术，检测了中国南方荷斯坦牛κ-酪蛋白（κ-casein，κ-CN）基因第4、第5外显子的遗传多态性。结果表明：κ-CN基因第4、第5外显子均存在遗传多态性，第4外显子上存在突变位点g．10943A〉C，第5外显子上存在突变位点g．15153T〉C。第4外显子有两种基因型（AA，AB），等位基因频率分别为0．9379和0．0621，第5外显子有三种基因型（AA，BB，AB），等位基因频率分别为0．6512和0．3488。κ-CN两个外显子PCR-RFLP位点的基因型分布符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡定律（p〉0．05）。κ-CN基因第4、第5外显子座位的多态信息含量分别为0．1097和0．3511，第4外显子呈现低度多态，第5外显子呈现中度多态；其杂合度、有效等位基因数分别为0．1165、1．1318和0．4543、1．8324。     

Plasma enteroglucagon and neurotensin levels in gnotobiotic calves infected with enteropathogenic and non-enteropathogenic viruses

Five gnotobiotic calves were each infected with five viruses. Each calf was inoculated with coronavirus at seven days old, followed by astrovirus, Newbury agent, parainfluenzavirus type 3 and rotavirus at intervals of two weeks. Three of the viruses were enteropathogenic (bovine coronavirus, bovine calici-like virus and bovine rotavirus) and two were not (bovine astrovirus and parainfluenzavirus type 3). Plasma levels of the peptide hormones enteroglucagon and neurotensin and faecal output were measured daily and xylose absorption was studied before and after each infection. A close correlation was found between a rise in plasma enteroglucagon and neurotensin and infection with enteropathogenic viruses. The three enteropathogenic viruses caused increased daily faecal output, and elevated plasma levels of enteroglucagon and neurotensin, while the non-enteropathogens did not. The calici-like virus and rotavirus but not the coronavirus caused xylose malabsorption.     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies to exogenous avian leukosis virus

A microplate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies to avian leukosis virus (ALV) of subgroups A and B in infected chickens was developed with the use of Rous-associated virus (RAV)-1 (subgroup A) and RAV-2 (subgroup B) antigens purified by sucrose-gradient centrifugation. The antigen was used for ELISA after treatment with Triton X-100. In the ELISA, the subgroup viral antigen reacted strongly with homologous antiserum but also reacted with heterologous antiserum. Tests with serum absorbed with purified homologous and heterologous virus and tests for antigen-blocking by group-specific antibodies to ALV revealed that the reaction was caused mainly by subgroup-specific antibodies. The ELISA was 8 to 32 times more sensitive than the virus-neutralization (VN) test and detected antibodies to ALV earlier than the VN test in chickens infected experimentally with RAV-1 and RAV-2. In field application of the ELISA, 44.2% of 484 chicken sera were positive for RAV-1 and/or RAV-2 antigen, and 80.4% of flocks were positive. These findings indicate that ELISA is superior to the VN test in sensitivity, simplicity, rapidity, and applicability for large-scale field surveys for ALV infection.     

An indirect hemagglutination test for the detection of antibodies to Clostridium chauvoei

An indirect hemagglutination (IHA) test using sonicated extract as the antigen was developed for the detection of antibodies to Clostridium chauvoei. This antigen can be adsorbed onto glutaraldehyde-fixed sheep red blood cells treated with tannic acid and can be destroyed by trypsin and heat treatment. It corresponded well with the flagella of the organism, when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the gel diffusion test. No serological cross-reactivity was found in the IHA test when the antigen was tested against 4 species of clostridial antibodies. Our results suggest that the IHA test mainly detects antibodies against the flagella of C. chauvoei.