Systemic and pulmonary antibody responses of calves to Pasteurella haemolytica after intrapulmonary inoculation.

Systemic and pulmonary antibody responses of calves to Pasteurella haemolytica were evaluated by measuring immunoglobulin production in blood for 9 days and in pulmonary lavage fluid for 7 days after intrapulmonary inoculation. Clinical signs, pulmonary lesions, pulmonary and systemic inflammatory response, and amount of antigen in lavage fluid were used to evaluate the response of calves to challenge with P haemolytica. The pulmonary response consisted of production of IgG, IgE, and IgM antibodies to P haemolytica antigens and a 17- to 68-fold increase of cells in lavage fluid 8 hours after inoculation, with a gradual decrease toward normal. Antibodies of the IgM isotype to P haemolytica were demonstrated as early as 8 hours through 7 days after inoculation in 3 of 3 calves. Of the anti-P haemolytica isotypes, IgM was found in the highest concentration. In all of the inoculated calves, IgE was found 1 to 2 days after inoculation, and IgG was found in 2 of 3 inoculated calves from day 1 through 7 after inoculation. Detection of IgG correlated with smaller pulmonary lesions. Immunoglobulin A was not detected in lavage fluid. Serum was evaluated for IgG and IgM antibody response to P haemolytica. Specific IgM was detectable 5 days after inoculation, and IgG was detectable 7 days after inoculation. Pasteurella haemolytica antigens were not detected in serum or plasma. A transient increase in neutrophil count was found 8 hours after inoculation, with return to baseline values by 24 hours after inoculation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Variability of serum bile acid concentrations over time in dairy cattle, and effect of feed deprivation on the variability.

Twelve nonlactating dairy cows, free of signs of liver disease and with normal serum activities of liver-derived enzymes and normal liver biopsy tissue, were examined over a 72-hour period for serum total bile acid concentrations. The cattle were fed hay twice daily, and blood samples were obtained every hour for 24 hours, every other hour for 24 hours, then every hour for 24 hours. After 3 weeks, the study was repeated on 6 of the cattle, thus providing data for eighteen 72-hour periods. Serum bile acid concentration varied greatly over the 72 hours, with the range being from one third to 3 times the median. There were variations by as much as 60 mumol/L from 1 hour to the next. After another 3 weeks, 8 of the cattle were deprived of hay for 48 hours and then fed hay morning and afternoon of the third (last) day of the study. There was no significant reduction in bile acid concentration after withholding the hay, but the variability was reduced (P = 0.02) during the last 20 hours of the hay-deprivation period. In 3 ancillary studies, serum bile acid concentrations were examined over a 48-hour period in 2 cows in early lactation, 3 cows in midlactation, and two 6-month-old heifers. The cows were fed hay and grain twice daily, and the heifers were fed only hay twice daily. In comparison with values for the 12 nonlactating cows fed hay twice daily, mean serum bile acid concentration in the recently freshened cows was significantly (P < 0.002) higher (62.9 vs 22.0 mumol/L).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Monoclonal antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus: cross-reactivities to field isolates and hog cholera virus strains.

Monoclonal antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) were examined for binding with a large number of North American BVDV isolates and eight strains of the serologically related pestivirus, hog cholera virus (HCV). No single BVDV monoclonal antibody reacted with all BVDV isolates. The most cross-reactive monoclonal antibody was an anti-p80/p125 antibody which showed a positive reaction with 173 of 180 (96%) North American isolates. From a fewer number of isolates tested, one anti-gp53 monoclonal antibody also showed a high cross-reactivity (94%). All BVDV isolates showed a positive reaction with at least one of the seven monoclonal antibodies in the panel. Thus, the results indicated that a pool of these monoclonal antibodies may be used in place of polyclonal antisera for the detection of BVDV contamination of cell lines or for virus isolation. For HCV, all three anti-p80/p125 monoclonal antibodies reacted positively with all eight virus strains. In contrast, none of the anti-gp53 monoclonal antibodies were reactive to HCV strains. Thus, the anti-gp53 monoclonal antibodies may be useful for distinguishing between usually innocuous BVDV infections and the highly significant HCV infections in swine for foreign animal disease surveillance.     

Riding arenas and different riding track surfaces in relation to the airway contamination in horses. Laboratory studies on riding surfaces]

29 samples of commonly used surfaces were tested for their water characteristics (litre weight, water capacity, water binding, water evaporation) and their contribution to airborne fungal spores (dust formation, dust setting). The results are discussed in comparison to the literature with regard to the environment. The results are: 1. Any surface--no matter of what material--eventually causes air pollution with fungal spores and dust. 2. Correct watering prevents air pollution by any surface. 3. Artificial products have no advantage over natural materials in the parameters tested. 4. The question of proper disposal of old surface material has to be clarified before purchase. The results show that a mixture of sand and wood shavings should be recommended as a surface for indoor arenas, especially in regard to environmental protection and proper disposal.     

Characterization of ovine strains of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis by restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA hybridization.

Restriction endonuclease analysis and DNA hybridization revealed five ovine strains of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis from South Africa had identical DNA patterns to an ovine strain from Canada. Genetically this strain type has features in common with the two major groups of M. paratuberculosis.     

Humoral recognition of lipopolysaccharide core antigens of gram-negative bacteria in neonatal swine

Serologic recognition of common lipopolysaccharide core antigens has been related to enhanced resistance to gram-negative bacterial disease in several species. Class-specific titers (IgG, IgM) were determined by direct ELISA, using intact Escherichia coli (J5) as a plate antigen. Serum samples were obtained from 224 neonatal swine between the ages of 36 and 60 hours. The mean (+/- SEM) log10 IgG titer against gram-negative core antigens was 1:1,713 +/- 0.4718 and the mean log10 IgM titer was 1:202 +/- 0.5644. The IgG titer was directly related with litter size, birth weight, and serum total IgG concentration; IgM titer was directly related with dam parity and serum total IgG concentration.     

Studies on feasibility of producing Salmonella-free turkeys

The feasibility of producing salmonella-free turkeys was investigated over a 5-year period. In Phase 1, a hatchery-breeder flock operation was monitored extensively for 4 years. Hatching eggs from a primary breeder over this period (1978-81) resulted in salmonella-free day-old poults from which 7500 hens and 600 tons were selected for breeders each of the 4 years. Approximately 2.5 million poults were produced over the 4 years. Salmonella arizonae was isolated from the hatchery debris over a 2-week period in 1980. The pelleted feed contained no animal protein products except fish solubles. A sample of feed from each delivery was cultured with no salmonella isolations. Environmental samples of dust and litter remained negative for salmonella. Phase 2 involved monitoring seven grow-out flocks initiated with salmonella-free poults with extra precautions directed at the feed and environment. The intestinal tracts of five of seven flocks at the time of marketing were negative for salmonella. Phase 3 involved a primary breeder-hatchery that had a 10-year history of S. sandiego infection in its breeder flocks and poults. A vaccination program using an autogenous oil-adjuvant bacterin supplementing other sanitation and management efforts resulted in elimination of S. sandiego. Because the breeder went out of business, it was not possible to determine if the freedom from salmonella could be sustained over a period of years.     

Ostertagia ostertagi infection in the calf: effects of a trickle challenge on appetite, digestibility, rate of passage of digesta and liveweight gain

The effects of a trickle challenge with the equivalent of 10,000 infective Ostertagia ostertagi larvae per day on appetite, digestibility, rate of passage of digesta and liveweight gain were investigated in 12 calves assigned to infected, pair-fed control and ad libitum-fed control groups. Digestibility of cellulose, nitrogen, organic matter and dry matter was determined using insoluble acid detergent fibre as a marker on two occasions during the study: (i) Between days 31 and 38, when abomasal dysfunction was greatest; and (ii) between days 52 and 58, beginning approximately one week after anthelmintic treatment (day 46). Rate of passage of digesta was measured using chromium mordanted hay, fed to each calf after each digestibility study period. Voluntary feed intake of the infected group was significantly reduced from day 37 with the greatest depression (77 per cent) occurring just before anthelmintic treatment. The drop in appetite was responsible for nearly 73 per cent of the difference in liveweight gain between the infected and ad libitum fed control groups. The apparent digestibility coefficient of nitrogen was significantly depressed (22 per cent) in the infected group though was restored to control levels by anthelmintic treatment. The rate of passage of digesta was significantly reduced in both pair-fed control (50 per cent) and infected (74 per cent) groups. Anthelmintic treatment increased the latter though only to pair-fed control group levels. It is suggested that the marked hypergastrinaemia seen in the infected calves may have been in part responsible for the decreased rate of passage of digesta and in turn for the drop in appetite.