Excision of the distal sesamoid bone for treatment of infection of the digit in a heifer.

An 8-month-old Holstein heifer was evaluated for right hind limb lameness of 3 weeks' duration. Diagnoses were osteomyelitis and fracture of the distal sesamoid bone, septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint, and osteomyelitis of the third phalanx. After excision of a section of tissue from the plantar aspect of the digit and partial section of the deep digital flexor tendon, the distal sesamoid bone was excised. The third phalanx was curetted, and the surgical wound was lavaged. Twenty months after surgery, the heifer was fully weightbearing on the affected digit. Surgical exploration of the digit should be considered an alternative to claw amputation in cattle that have severe digital infections.     

Correlated Response to Selection for Protein Yield in Oats After Three Cycles of Recurrent Selection

Three oat (Avena saliva L.) populations (i.e., lines of descent), high grain yield (HG), high protein content (HP), and high protein yield per se (HGP), each developed by three cycles of S, recurrent selection, were evaluated for the effect of selection for groat-protein yield upon other agronomic traits. Selections making up the HG line of descent had high protein yield primarily due to high grain yield, and those selected for HP had high protein yield due to both high protein content and high grain yield. Selection in HGP was on the basis of protein yield per se. Selection caused increases in bundle weight, harvest index, vegetative growth rate, and seed number in all lines of descent. Heading date, plant height, and seed weight were unaffected, whereas groat percentage and test weight were decreased in HP and HGP. Heritabilities were high for heading date, plant height, test weight, and seed weight, moderate for harvest index and bundle weight, and low for groat percentage. Genetic variability generally declined from CO to C3 for all traits. Groat-protein yield and amount of protein per groat increased in all lines of descent. In HG, the increase in groat weight was due primarily to increases in the nonprotein fraction, with groat-protein content actually decreasing. In HGP, groat weight increased due to increases in protein and nonprotein fractions, and groat protein content remained constant. In HP, groat weight and amount of nonprotein per groat decreased, thus increasing groat-protein content. Three cycles of recurrent selection resulted in oat lines with groat-protein yields significantly higher than the highest lines from CO. Utilization of index selection may be desirable to obtain populations of greater breeding value.     

Restoration of the anterior dentition of a Canadian beaver (Castor canadensis)

An eight-year-old beaver lost one of its upper central incisors through unknown causes. As the anterior teeth of this species continually erupt in a similar manner to rodents' teeth, the unopposed lower incisor had over-erupted perforating the palate and entered the nasal cavity. The height of the lower incisor tooth was reduced and a cobaltchromium alloy bridge was constructed which was attached to the remaining upper incisor. The occlusal surface of the bridge was of sufficient width that both incisors could contact it. It was cemented into place with composite resin cement and cross-pinned through the labial surface of the metal into the tooth substance. It is unknown how such treatment will affect the biological processes underlying the continually erupting incisor and the animal is being monitored for any adverse effects.     

Scanning electron microscopy of corrosion casts of the optic nerve microcirculation in dogs

Scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts of the optic nerve region in normal and glaucomatous Beagles demonstrated that the blood supply to the laminar optic nerve is derived from short posterior ciliary arteries, cilioretinal arteries, and longitudinal pial vessels. The short posterior ciliary arteries formed a ring of striated pillars around the scleral canal. The central retinal artery was not present in the dog. Differences between the casts in normal and glaucomatous dogs were not detected.     

Multiplication of Xanthomonas campestris pvs secalis and translucens in host and non-host plants (rye and barley) and development of water soaking1

Multiplication of the rye-specific and barley-specific pathovars secalis and translucens, respectively, of Xanthomonas campestris (earlier named Xanthomonas translucens f. sp. cerealis) was determined in two rye and two barley cultivars. Fresh bacterial cultures were suspended in boiled tap water, adjusted to about 3 × 10⁷ cfu ml^?1 and infiltrated into the mesophyll of young leaves. In the compatible combinations, a generation time of 1.7–2.1 h was determined. Significantly higher multiplication rates than in incompatible combinations were not observed before 3 or 4 days after inoculation. At this time, the first small water-soaked areas appeared. Bacteria multiplied up to the seventh day after inoculation, reaching a maximum of at least 10⁹ cells per cm², the same time at which the water-soaked areas had reached their maximum size. Thus, the rate of bacterial multiplication paralleled with the development of the water-soaked areas. In the incompatible combinations, nearly the same generation times were detected during the exponential growth phase. However, water-soaked areas did not appear, and the final bacterial concentration ranged from 1:1000 to 1:100 of that determined in compatible combinations. A distinct early lag phase, characterized by a decrease of the bacterial population down to 1:100 of the starting concentration, was detected in all cases.     

油脂在提高公猪生产力和生育力上的潜在作用

精子及其相关精浆中所含的脂肪成分在组成和脂肪酸成分上是非常独特的。长链多不饱和脂肪酸 (即具有 2 0或 2 2个碳原子并含三个以上双键的脂肪酸 )在绝大多数主要组织所含脂肪中的含量非常有限 ,但在精子和精浆中的含量相当高 ,并具有明显的种属特异性。油脂的这种特性现在日益被认为是使受精最终成功所特别需要的。本综述根据最近一的些研究结果撰写而成 ,从精液质量和功能的一系列决定因子的角度论述了使现代种公猪精子中脂肪 /脂肪酸参数最佳化的可能性 ,可见人们对一系列参数所作的一系列重要研究 ,产生了使公猪和母猪的繁殖能力都得到提高的高度有益结果。文章还从主要的营养学特性和化学特性方面对研究结果进行了讨论 ,并与其它家畜进行了比较 ,还讨论了其对猪繁育部门可能的商业应用价值。     

Effect of folic acid supplements on homocysteine concentration in plasma of gestating sows.

An experiment comprising 19 German Landrace sows was established to evaluate the effect of folic acid supplements (10 mg/kg concentrate) on homocysteine and folic acid concentration in plasma and serum, respectively, of highly pregnant sows as compared to an unsupplemented control (basal diet contained 0.62 mg folic acid/kg concentrate). Blood samples were taken between day 75 and 110 of gestation for homocysteine analysis and on day 100 of gestation for folic acid determination. Due to the folic acid supplements serum folic acid concentration increased significantly (104 nmol/l in controls and 140 nmol/l in supplemented sows). In contrast, homocysteine concentration in the plasma was not significantly influenced by folic acid supplements (16.6 mumol/l in controls and 15.2 mumol/l in supplemented sows). Further investigations seem to be necessary to clarify the physiology of homocysteine metabolism in swine.     

Immunohistochemical Detection of Mycoplasma agalactiae in Formalin‐Fixed,Paraffin‐Embedded Tissues from Naturally and Experimentally Infected Goats

Samples from the mammary tissue of 14 lactating goats (12 naturally infected and two experimentally infected) were examined for the presence of Mycoplasma agalactiae. A monoclonal antibody (5G12) was applied to formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐wax‐embedded sections and labelled by the avidin–biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) method. Histological examination of tissue sections revealed strong immunoreactivity in all animals included in the study. Mycoplasma agalactiae antigen was mainly detected in the cellular debris at the periphery of purulent exudates present within lactiferous sinuses, and lactiferous and interlobular ducts. In addition, M. agalactiae organisms appeared in the cytoplasm of the epithelium of ducts, and in infiltrating macrophages and neutrophils within the ducts, alveoli, interstitial tissue and regional lymph node sinuses. It is concluded that this monoclonal antibody‐based immunohistochemical technique is an efficient and specific method for the post‐mortem detection of M. agalactiae in cases of clinical mastitis as well as being a useful tool for the study of the route of infection and cellular types involved during mastitis caused by this organism.     

关于饲料的胆碱含量

关于饲料中胆碱含量化学分析值的资料很多。饲料中的胆碱含量因饲料种类、出产国别、出产年份等的不同而不同。问题还不止于此，据发现，测定饲料中胆碱含量时所用的技术也不能给出充分可靠的结果，因而需要一种新技术。