The Use of Antigen-capture Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for the Diagnosis of Rinderpest and Peste des Petits Ruminants in Ethiopia

Rinderpest had been reported in most parts of Ethiopia when the Pan African Rinderpest Campaign (PARC) was launched. As a result of intensive disease investigation and strategic vaccination, most parts of the country are now considered provisionally free, and widespread vaccination has been replaced by clinical and serological surveillance. Details of any episodes of disease are recorded and followed up after laboratory confirmation of suspected cass using antigen-capture ELISA. This paper is based on observations on the performance of the antigen detection ELISA compared to the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test, which also differentiates rinderpest from peste des petits ruminants (PPR). The stability of the specific viral antigen was monitored for 4 days, and rinderpest and PPR antigens were still detected, depending on the type of specimen. Antigen capture ELISA is more rapid, sensitive and virus specific than the AGID. Even if the cold chain of the specimen is compromised for a day or two during sample collection and submission, the specimen may still be suitable for testing by ELISA.     

Evolution of Fructosaminaemia and Glucaemia during the Growth of Unweaned and Early Weaned Half-bred Zebu Calves

The purposes of the study were to obtain the confidence intervalsfor serum fructosamine concentrations in unweaned and early weaned calves, to verify the changes in this glycated protein during growth, when glucaemia declines, and to assess the changes in both parameters attributable to stress or alarm. Sixty out of 120 suckling half-bred zebu calves (60–75 days old) were weaned at day 0 and then received a commercial balanced diet, while the remainder continued to suck. Blood samples were taken at 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 60, 90 and 120 days and the serum fructosamine and glucose concentrations were measured by conventional methods. Both biochemical parameters declined with time, but there were no statistical differences between the unweaned and weaned calves. The fall in fructosamine concentration correlated significantly with the decline in glucose concentrations in both groups. The confidence interval for fructosamine concentration decreased with age, from 294–303 mol/L at 2 months old to 215–232 mol/L at 6 months old. At the same time, glucaemia declined from 7.5–8.6 mmol/L to 4.8–5.3 mmol/L. Acute elevations in glucaemia, especially in the younger calves, were attributed to alarms, such as those caused by handling and blood extraction. The absence of resultant increases in fructosamine concentration discounts the existence of prolonged hyperglucaemias (stress) in early weaned calves.     

调整玉米播期对玉米粗缩病控制作用研究初报

通过罩笼接虫和自然开放式状态下试验 ,对不同播期的玉米粗缩病病情进行了比较 ,明确了玉米敏感叶龄为可见叶 9叶以下 ,展开叶为 6叶以下。研究证实 ,将田间灰飞虱转移迁入高峰期与玉米敏感叶龄期错开 ,可以减轻玉米粗缩病的发病 ,春玉米播期 4月 10～ 15日 ,夏玉米在 6月 10～ 15日 ,能显著控制玉米粗缩病的危害。     

陕西省渭北旱原种植制度的研究

通过“八五期间试验，在渭北旱原：（１）优势作物是红薯和花生。干旱年、平水年二者均有较高经济效益。玉米的种植，生育期降雨不足４００ｍｍ时不可种植。烤烟，棉花效益不好，近年不宜扩大。中药材具有一定开发潜力；（２）对作物产量影响较大的处理是麦草覆盖、增施农肥和豌豆轮作等项措施；（３）本试验水分生产率最高、耗水系数最低的轮作制是：玉米→玉米→玉米和（小麦＋绿豆）→（玉米＋大豆）→小麦。在不同轮作制同一个周期里，玉米生产潜力最大（干旱年例外），其次依次是小麦豌豆，油菜，绿豆和大豆；（４）蒸发量最大是（小麦＋绿豆）→（玉米＋大豆）→小麦，最小是玉米→玉米→五米和麦草覆盖等轮作处理。夏收后在休闲期，以麦草覆盖增补水最多，油菜裸露地最少；（５）油菜、莞豆是理想的肥地作物，应予推广。     

不同断奶日龄仔猪消化道酸度和胃蛋白酶活性的动态变化

将12窝同日龄新生仔猪随机分成4组，每组3窝，每窝为一个重复组，分别采取17、21、28和35日龄断奶，在断奶后12h、1周、2周和3周从每个重复组中随机抽取1头屠宰，共测定了54头仔猪胃、十二指肠、空肠和回肠食糜pH值及胃食糜中胃蛋白酶的活性。结果发现断奶后12h胃食糜pH值均高于同龄哺乳仔猪，并且达该组整个试验期间的最高，随后逐渐降低。4组仔猪在断奶后胃pH值回复到3.5所需的时间分别为3、2、1和1周，这表明断奶日龄越早，胃中pH值回复到3.5所需要的时间越长。 除十二指肠外，空肠和回肠食糜pH值基本上不受日龄和断奶的影响。哺乳仔猪从18－36日龄胃蛋白酶相对活性（U/ml胃液）和比活（U/mg蛋白质）增加10倍以上。不同断奶日龄仔猪各组在断奶后12h胃蛋白酶的相对活性和比活均聚然升高，达到该日龄铒猪阶段正常值的2倍左右，特别是小日龄断奶仔猪为明显，随后在3周内逐渐降低，至50日龄时稳定在一个较低水平。     

利用高冰草在旱地建植大面积绿化的研究

新疆盲目开垦的旱地面积很大 ,生产力水平低 ,弃荒地多 ,水土流失严重。从新疆农垦科学院引进的澳大利亚牧草—高冰草 (Agropyronelongatum)具有耐旱、耐寒、耐盐碱、品质优、青绿期长、产量高等优良特性 ,在降水量 2 50 350mm的山前缓坡旱地种植高冰草 ,建植绿地恢复植被 6 6 .7hm2 。结果表明 :高冰草在该地区能正常完成生育期 ,生育期为 152d、绿期长 2 10d ,分蘖力强、单株分蘖数 110个 ,植株高 10 0～ 16 0cm。营养期粗蛋白含量为 19.14% ,产量高峰期的第 3a干草产量 74 19.0kg/hm2 ,与对照 (蒿属 +羊茅型荒漠草原 )相比 ,提高 2 86 1.7% ,种子产量 150kg/hm2 ,干草适应喂马、牛、羊等家畜 ,为旱地大面积退耕还草建植绿地 ,减少水土流失 ,保护环境起到了前期试验示范作用。     

The effects of low doses of Senna occidentalis seeds on broiler chickens

The effects of 0.5%, 0.3% and 0.1% w/w concentrations of Senna occidentalis (So) seed mixed with commercial ration were studied in 18 groups of 32 broiler chicks each, from 1 day to 49 days of age. Three groups were fed one of the rations throughout their lives (TL). Three other groups were fed one of the rations from the 1st to the 28th day of life (starter phase, SP), and the final 3 groups were fed one of the rations from the 29th to 49th day (finisher phase, FP). Each experimental group was matched by a control group fed the same diet over the same period but without the inclusion of So. All the animals were killed at 49 days of age, and blood was collected from 10 birds in each group for biochemical studies (ALT, AST, GGT, LDH, UA). A complete necropsy was performed on 3 birds from each group. No significant differences in the biochemical parameters in the serum were found between the control and experimental chicks, but animals treated with 0.5% So in groups FP and TL, gained less weight and chicks that received 0.3% So or 0.5% So in the ration throughout life (TL) had a larger feed conversion ratio. Besides this, degenerative changes were found in the striated skeletal muscle in the chest, in the myocardium and in the liver in the animals that received the higher concentrations of So seeds.     

An Outbreak of Diarrhoea in One-week-old Piglets Caused by Group A Rotavirus Genotypes P[7],G3 and P[7],G5

Thirty-two group A isolates of rotavirus detected in faecal samples from diarrhoeic piglets, were selected for P and G genotyping using a Multiplex RT-PCR. Ten isolates, from animals less than 8 days old, characterized an outbreak of diarrhoea caused by group A rotavirus in animals. P[7],G3 (CRW8-like) and P[7],G5 (OSU-like) genotypes were detected in 5 animals each. Isolates of a group A rotavirus of genotypes compatible with the OSU prototype were those most frequently identified in single infections in older animals (20/32 strains). In addition to these, 20 isolates from piglets with diarrhoea caused by group A rotavirus, collected between May 1998 and June 1999, but not from the outbreak month, were analysed. These isolates were used to compare the types observed on the farm outside the outbreak in May 1999 and the CRW8-like genotype was found in none of these faecal samples. P[7],G5 was the most frequent genotype (10/20 strains). No outbreak of diarrhoea caused by rotavirus in 1-week-old piglets was found in any other period during the 13 months of this study.     

Prevalence of Bovine Dermatophilosis in a Tropical Highland Region of Ethiopia

A study was made of bovine dermatophilosis on 540 animals at a high altitude (2400–2500 m above sea level) in Ethiopia. Eighty-two (15.4%) of the animals were affected by the disease which was more prevalent in local animals than was previously assumed. There was a significant (p<0.05) difference in the prevalence among different age groups. However, the difference in the prevalence of the disease between males and females was not significant (p>0.05). Associated risk factors included the relatively high average annual rainfall and humidity, tick infestation (76%) and management, related to the mixed crop-livestock production system. The possible impact of the disease on Ethiopian agriculture is indicated.