Wounds of the pastern and foot region managed with phalangeal casts: 50 cases in 49 horses (1995–2006)

Objective   Describe the use of a phalangeal cast as treatment for wounds in the pastern and foot region of horses. Secondly, to evaluate the healing and soundness of horses treated with phalangeal casts.
Design   Retrospective study of 49 horses.
Procedures   Medical records of 49 horses that were treated with a phalangeal cast for 50 cases of wounds in the pastern and foot region at equine referral hospitals from 1995 to 2006 were reviewed and follow-up information was obtained.
Results   Treatment consisted of wound debridement, lavage, wound closure (28 wounds), cast application and antibiotics (84%). At follow-up, the majority of horses were sound (42 of 47 wounds, 89.4%), three horses were still lame and one horse was euthanased because of persistent lameness. Three horses were lost to follow-up. There was no statistical difference between the outcomes of horses treated acutely (<24 h) or after a 24-h delay. Similarly, the involvement of synovial structures in the wound did not significantly influence outcome.
Conclusions   In this study, wounds involving the pastern and foot that were treated with a phalangeal cast carried a good prognosis for soundness (89.4%) and cosmetic healing (89.5%). The phalangeal casts were well-tolerated and effective.     

Evaporative cooling in late gestation heat‐stressed Murrah buffaloes increases efficiency of next reproductive cycle

Evaporative cooling during late gestation period improves post‐partum reproductive performance in Murrah buffaloes. To prove this hypothesis, sixteen pregnant dry Murrah buffaloes at sixty days pre‐partum were selected and divided into two groups of eight animals each. Group 1 of buffaloes (Cooled/CL) was managed under fan and mist cooling during dry period, whereas second group of buffaloes (non‐cooled/NCL) remained without the provision of cooling. After parturition, all the animals were managed under evaporative cooling till the end of experimental period. Reproductive performance in cooled (CL) and non‐cooled (NCL) groups, respectively, viz. 1st and 2nd ovulation from calving (48.63 ± 2.41, 69.25 ± 2.34 days and 57.75 ± 3.35, 93.63 ± 2.84 days); calving to conception interval (117.88 ± 4.21 days and 117.88± 4.21 days); conception rate (87.5% ± 2.16% and 57% ± 2.26%); and follicular diameter at the time of 1st and 2nd ovulation (14.84 ± 0.16, 15.75 ± 0.13 mm and 12.65 ± 0.13, 13.35 ± 0.11 mm) varied significantly (p < .05). Total peak oestrogen concentration was significantly (p < .05) higher in cooled (26.7 ± 1.32 pg/ml) relative to non‐cooled (20.7 ± 1.22 pg/ml) buffaloes. Time from onset of oestrus to ovulation varied significantly (p < .05) in cooled (32 ± 2.22 hr) and non‐cooled (40 ± 2.86 hr) buffaloes. The peak progesterone concentration reached to (4.25 ng/ml) in cooled group and (4.16 ng/ml) in non‐cooled group after first ovulation.     

Epigenetic Programming of Porcine Endometrial Function and the Lactocrine Hypothesis

Epigenetic programs controlling development of the female reproductive tract (FRT) are influenced by the effects of naturally occurring bioactive agents on patterns of gene expression in FRT tissues during organizationally critical periods of foetal and perinatal life. Aberrations in such important cellular and molecular events, as may occur with exposure to natural or manmade steroid or peptide receptor-modulating agents, disrupt the developmental program and can change the developmental trajectory of FRT tissues, including the endometrium, with lasting consequences. In the pig, as in other mammals, maternal programming of FRT development begins pre-natally and is completed post-natally, when maternal effects on development can be communicated via signals transmitted in milk. Studies involving relaxin (RLX), a prototypic milk-borne morphoregulatory factor (MbF), serve as the basis for ongoing efforts to identify maternal programming events that affect uterine and cervical tissues in the neonatal pig. Data support the lactocrine hypothesis for delivery of MbFs to neonates as a specific consequence of nursing. Components of a maternally driven lactocrine mechanism for RLX-mediated signalling in neonatal FRT tissues, including evidence that milk-borne RLX is delivered into the neonatal circulation where it can act on RLX receptor (RXFP1) -positive neonatal tissues to affect their development, are in place in the pig. The fact that all newborn mammals drink milk extends the timeframe of maternal influence on neonatal development across many species. Thus, lactocrine transmission of milk-borne developmental signals is an element of the maternal epigenetic programming equation that deserves further study.     

Immunolocalization of angiogenic growth factors in the ovine uterus during the oestrus cycle and in response to Steroids

The vascular changes associated with endometrial maturation in preparation for embryo implantation depend on numerous growth factors, known to regulate key angiogenic events. Primarily, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family promotes vascular growth, whilst the angiopoietins maintain blood vessel integrity. The aim was to analyse protein levels of VEGFA ligand and receptors, Angiopoietin‐1 and 2 (ANG1/2) and endothelial cell receptor tyrosine kinase (TIE‐2) in the ovine endometrium in the follicular and luteal phases of the oestrus cycle and in response to ovarian steroids. VEGFA and its receptors were localized in both vascular cells and non‐vascular epithelium (glandular and luminal epithelium) and stroma cells. VEGFA and VEGFR2 proteins were elevated in vascular cells in follicular phase endometrium, compared to luteal phase, most significantly in response to oestradiol. VEGFR1 was expressed by epithelial cells and endothelial cells and was stimulated in response to oestradiol. In contrast, Ang‐1 and Ang‐2 proteins were elevated in luteal phase endometrium compared to follicular phase, and in response to progesterone, evident in vascular smooth muscle cells and glands which surround TIE‐2‐expressing blood vessels. Our findings indicate that VEGFA is stimulated by oestradiol, most predominantly in follicular phase endometrium, and Ang‐1 and 2 are stimulated by progesterone and were increased during the luteal phase of the oestrus cycle, during the time of vascular maturation.     

Detection and isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from fresh semen of naturally infected dogs in Southern Brazil

The aim of this study was to isolate Toxoplasma gondii and determine the viability of the parasite in fresh semen samples of clinically healthy adult dogs naturally infected. Eleven seropositive dogs with T. gondii IgG antibodies from southern Brazil were selected to confirm the presence and viability of T. gondii in fresh semen samples using in vitro isolation in Vero cell culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis. The presence of viable T. gondii was confirmed by in vitro isolation and PCR in five semen samples. The ITS1 region of the isolated protozoa (TG S4) was amplified and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence obtained was 99% compatible with the T. gondii DNA sequences stored in the GenBank. It has been shown that T. gondii tachyzoites may be isolated in vitro from fresh semen samples of clinically healthy dogs seropositive for T. gondii.     

Invited review: Amino acid bioavailability and digestibility in pig feed ingredients: terminology and application

In this review, the terminology that is used to describe the bioavailability and ileal digestibility of AA in pig feed ingredients is defined. Aspects of the methodology to establish bioavailability and ileal digestibility values also are discussed, and recommendations about the use of these values are provided. Two main factors can contribute to differences between bioavailability and ileal digestibility of AA. First, some AA, such as Lys, may be absorbed in chemical complexes that preclude their use for metabolism. Second, fermentation in the upper gut may result in a net loss or gain of AA to the animal. In addition, dietary effects on the efficiency of using bioavailable AA intake for tissue growth or milk production should be considered and may be attributed to endogenous AA losses in the hindgut and the metabolic costs associated with endogenous gut protein synthesis and losses. Ileal digestibility values may be expressed as apparent ileal digestibility (AID), standardized ileal digestibility (SID), or true ileal digestibility (TID). These terms are used to specify how ileal endogenous AA losses are reflected in digestibility values. Ileal endogenous AA losses may be separated into basal losses, which are not influenced by feed ingredient composition, and specific losses, which are induced by feed ingredient characteristics such as levels and types of fiber and antinutritional factors. Values for AID are established when total ileal outflow of AA (i.e., the sum of endogenous losses and nondigested dietary AA) is related to dietary AA intake. A concern with the use of AID values is that these are not additive in mixtures of feed ingredients. This concern may be overcome by correcting AID values for defined basal endogenous losses of AA, which yields SID values. Furthermore, if the AID values are corrected for basal and specific endogenous losses, then values for TID are calculated. However, reliable procedures to routinely measure specific endogenous losses are not yet available. It is recommended that basal ileal endogenous losses of AA should be measured in digestibility experiments using a defined protein-free diet and that these losses are reported with observed AID and SID values. It is suggested that SID values should be used for feed formulation, at least until more information on TID values becomes available.