Risk factors influencing lameness and claw disorders in dairy cows

Claw health of dairy cows was investigated in an observational study in different housing systems in Switzerland. Twenty-five professional hoof trimmers examined lameness and claw disorders in 4621 cows on 290 farms during routine hoof trimming. 82 farms had tie-stall barns without exercise (T1) and 166 had tie-stall barns with exercise (T2), another 42 farms kept their animals in loose housing systems with exercise (L2). The prevalence was 10.0% for lameness (LN), 15.7% for sole disorders (SD), 6.1% for white line disorders (WD), 13.6% for heel erosions (HE), and 5.3% for disorders of skin and interdigital space (ID). LN and SD showed the highest prevalence (13.2%; 16.4%) and the highest odds ratio (OR=1.89; 1.33) in T1. WD was more often detected in L2, accounting for 9.4% (OR=1.0). HE was identified most in T2 (17.1%, OR=4.72) and T1 (13.2%, OR=4.45). Disorders of skin and interdigital space were most frequently found in T2 (7.5%, OR=1.55).     

Bacterial sinusitis as a cause of beak deformity in an Antipodes Island parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor)

CASE HISTORY: From 26 days of age, an Antipodes Island parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor) was noted to have a severe beak deformity and reduced bodyweight gain compared to its nest mate. The bird was euthanised at 43 days of age.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The beak abnormality consisted of distortion of the right nares and severe shortening resulting in deviation of the upper maxilla to the right and cranially. On sectioning the head, copious mucoid material was found in the infraorbital sinus and the bony sinus architecture was disrupted. Histopathological examination of the infraorbital sinuses revealed a large focus of chronic but active inflammation, bony lysis on the right side and pockets of a mixed population of bacteria.

DIAGNOSIS: Severe beak deformity, likely secondary to bacterial sinusitis.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The case illustrates the need to look for underlying aetiologies to beak malformation, particularly in young parrots.     

The effect of hindclaw height differential and subsequent trimming on lameness in large dairy cattle herds in Canterbury,New Zealand

Abstract

AIMS: To determine if inequality in height between claws within each hindlimb of dairy cattle is a risk factor for the development of lameness and to determine the effect of preventive trimming of these claws on the subsequent risk of lameness.

METHODS: Cows (n=2,695) on three dairy farms in Canterbury, New Zealand, were examined and the height differential between their hind claws on each limb was measured. Cows were blocked by age, then breed and grouped by height differential, before being randomly assigned to either treatment or control groups. Cows in the control group were not trimmed, whilst cows in the treatment group were all trimmed according to the ‘Dutch Trimming’ method by an experienced foot trimmer. All subsequent clinical incidences of lameness were identified, recorded and classified according to five categories. The overall incidence of lameness, the effect of claw height differential on the incidence of lameness and the effect of trimming on the incidence of lameness were assessed using both GEE modelling and survival analysis.

RESULTS: The incidence of lameness identified in any untrimmed hindlimb irrespective of diagnosis, measured at a limb level and assessing the first incidence of lameness only, was 10.0% for a 6-month period from November to drying off. The predominant lesion identified was white line disease (WLD; 7.9% incidence and 78.6% of all lameness). The overall incidence of hindlimb lameness measured at cow level for the same period was 14.5%. The risk of lameness was influenced by breed (p=0.016), age (p=0.002) and claw height differential (p=0.026). There were no significant interactions. The risk of lameness was lowest where the claw height differential was 0–2 mm. The incidence of lameness in the first 70 days following trimming was higher in older cows than in younger cows (p<0.001). Trimming did not affect lameness incidence (p=0.185). The Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that farm (p<0.001), trimming group (p=0.021); and age (p=0.021) significantly affected the median days to lameness in the first 70 days following trimming.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Hind feet with lower height differentials between claws had a lower incidence of lameness. Trimming of these feet to remove the height differential did not reduce their overall incidence of lameness, but did increase days to first lameness.     

Clinical and Histopathological Survey of Lesions Similar to Pox Skin Lesions in Three Flocks of a Large Commercial Layer Farm

In this study, we report an outbreak of fowl pox disease in a large commercial layer farm in Iran. Three flocks of this farm were affected. Flock A (23 wk of age), flock B (44 wk of age), and flock C (71 wk of age) showed cutaneous lesions. Beak necrosis was seen at the posterior part of the upper or lower beak. Also, some vesicles were seen in combs, wattles, and eyelids. Beak and comb lesions were scraped and stained with Wright's staining for histopathological examination. Samples showed hyperplasia of epidermis but no Bollinger bodies were seen. Histopathologically, the epidermis had marked hyperplasia (acanthosis) caused by the swelling and increased number of cells in the stratum spinosum. Clinical observations, as well as histopathological findings, led to a diagnosis of fowl pox disease.     

卷铁心粗整形时力学分析及自动接片装置的改进

采用卷叠工艺生产发电机定子铁心具有省料、省时、易实现自动化生产等优点．此工艺实现自动化生产的一个重要环节是齿形带料卷曲后的自动装片和粗整形．本文对粗整形时齿形带料的受力与变形作了较全面的讨论,提出粗整形时影响带料变形的因素及其计算式,并对现有自动装片结构提出改进设计,有实用意义．     

利用角质颚形态判别东海两种常见枪乌贼

为了尝试利用角质颚对东海2种常见枪乌贼类种类进行判别,本研究对2015年11月采集的69尾中国枪乌贼和100尾杜氏枪乌贼的角质颚,采用主成分分析法、逐步判别分析法、傅里叶法对2种枪乌贼进行种类判别。结果显示,在所有12个形态参数的比较中,中国枪乌贼和杜氏枪乌贼都存在极显著差异,杜氏枪乌贼角质颚在雌雄群体间存在显著差异。采用逐步判别分析法对2种枪乌贼进行分类,中国枪乌贼判别正确率为92.4%,杜氏枪乌贼为85.3%,总判别正确率为88.2%。根据主成分分析结果,以2种枪乌贼主成分特征值大于1的因子中,负载值最高的形态参数比例指标构建判别函数,中国枪乌贼的判别正确率为98.5%,杜氏枪乌贼为84.2%,总判别正确率为90.1%。分雌雄对2种枪乌贼进行分类判别,雄性的总判别正确率为83.3%,雌性为97.8%。利用傅里叶法进行判别分析,基于上颚的判别总正确率为83.3%,基于下颚的判别总正确率为95.0%。研究表明,角质颚外部形态可用于2个枪乌贼种类的判别。     

利用iTRAQ蛋白质组技术筛选与鸡喙畸形相关的候选蛋白

【目的】中国地方鸡种如北京油鸡、清远麻鸡存在喙畸形现象,表现为上下喙咬合不全,呈交叉状。严重影响鸡饮水和采食,从而影响个体发育和生产性能的发挥,造成一定经济损失。笔者根据喙畸形个体的系谱记录,发现喙畸形的形成受到遗传因素的影响,但具体机制尚不明确。蛋白是行使各种生物学功能的最终形式之一,喙畸形个体的发生可能是由于核心蛋白或者相关调控蛋白代谢异常造成的。利用同位素标记相对和绝对定量（isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation,iTRAQ）技术以及生物信息学分析方法,筛选鸡畸形喙与正常喙中差异表达的蛋白,作为喙畸形相关的重要候选蛋白,为进一步研究北京油鸡喙畸形的遗传机制奠定基础。【方法】挑选3只120日龄喙畸形的公鸡作为试验组,编号为W1、W2、W3,同时,挑选与试验组个体为同胞关系（全同胞或半同胞）的喙正常公鸡作为对照组,编号为Z1、Z2、Z3。将喙畸形与其同胞正常个体作为一个比对组,iTRAQ试验具体包含3个比对组,即W1 vs Z1,W2 vs Z2,W3 vs Z3。屠宰个体后,剔除喙组织周围肌肉和筋膜,分离得到喙上颌骨和下颌骨,提取总蛋白样品,应用6个 iTRAQ标签标记各蛋白样品,经过色谱层析预分离,联合液相串联质谱分析,采用Mascot 2.3.02软件对蛋白进行鉴定和定量分析。试验组（W）与其同胞对照组(Z)样本比较（W1 vs Z1,W2 vs Z2,W3 vs Z3）,选择肽段数≥2,表达差异值＞1.2（上调）或＜0.83（下调）,且P＜0.05的蛋白作为差异表达蛋白。【结果】利用iTRAQ技术一共在喙组织中鉴定到3 372个蛋白,鉴定到的特异性肽段有12 769个。其中原鸡蛋白1 869个,分子质量主要分布在10-100 kD之间。3个比对组共鉴定出159个表达量有显著差异的蛋白质,其中包含70个表达上调的蛋白,89个表达下调的蛋白。统计各比对组蛋白表达差异值发现,表达量差异较大的上调蛋白质有LPL、MLC-2、CO9A1、MATN3、HSP90B1等,表达量差异较大的下调蛋白质有MBP、RLA1、PRVM、HAPLN1等。结合已经报道的这些蛋白的生物学功能,其中CO9A1、MATN3、HAPLN1与软骨合成和软骨骨化相关,CO9A1是带状软骨纤维的组成物质,MATN家族是非胶原性细胞外基质蛋白家族,HAPLN1是软骨细胞外基质的重要组成成分;PRVM是细胞内钙离子结合蛋白,参与调控Ca2+离子信号通路;LPL是多功能酶,主要在脂质代谢和转运过程中起作用,参与调控PPAR信号通路。初步筛选出CO9A1、MATN3、HAPLN1、PRVM、LPL作为与鸡喙畸形相关的候选蛋白。【结论】差异表达蛋白的发现为鸡喙畸形形态的发生提供蛋白质水平上的理论依据。     

大果型芒果枝梢处理技术研究

尼日利亚北方芒果是树体生长在雨季,而果实生长在旱季。需要在芒果生产中组织一套顺应当地的气候、适合当地生产条件的综合配套技术。为此笔者设计并进行试验。试验证明,在树形选择上以多主枝开心形和少主枝开心形为好;当年生枝梢的留枝量以280条/株为佳;在施肥和修剪上以2次施肥和2次修剪为技术路线的综合配套技术。为当地芒果生产水平的提高,制定相应的技术措施。     

Farriery for the foal: A review part 2: Therapeutic farriery

The extensive nature of this topic warrants this review paper to be divided into two parts: ‘Basic trimming in foals’ and ‘Therapeutic farriery in foals’. Management of the feet and limbs during this juvenile period will often dictate the success of the foal as a sales yearling or mature sound athlete. Overall hoof care in the foal is often a joint venture between the veterinarian and the farrier. The orthopaedic disorders discussed in this paper that require input from the two professions are flexural limb deformities (FLD) and angular limb deformities (ALD). The concept of protecting the foot from the deleterious effects of mal-loading created by many FLDs and ALDs is just as important as using the symptomatology as an instrument to correct the deformity. This paper presents a review of the current information regarding the farriery for these two limb deformities while dispelling some of the anecdotal methodology, such as the use of toe extensions to treat flexural deformities, that presently exists. Considering the deficiency of information in the literature, segments of this text will be based on the author's extensive clinical practice, comprehensive clinical records and comparisons of case outcomes.