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.     

Heterosis and recombination effects in Hampshire and Landrace swine: II. Performance and carcass traits.

Twelve different mating types among the Hampshire and Landrace breeds were used to determine direct, maternal, heterosis, and recombination effects for performance and carcass traits. Mating types used were two purebred, two F1, two F2, two F3, and four backcross. Carcass data were collected on 238 barrows and 262 gilts over four replications. Traits measured were length (LENG), 10th rib off midline backfat (BF10), longissimus muscle area (LMA), and dressing percentage (DRS%). Average backfat (AVBF) was calculated as the mean of three midline fat depths measured opposite the first rib, last rib, and last lumbar vertebra. The model used to evaluate the carcass traits included main effects of mating type, farrowing season, and sex and included slaughter weight as a covariate. The performance traits of ADG, feed efficiency (FE), daily feed consumption (DFC), lean gain per day (LNGN), and lean efficiency (LNEF) were measured on a pen basis. Comparisons of reciprocal F1 crosses showed that carcasses from pigs sired by Hampshire boars were leaner and had more LMA than those sired by Landrace boars. Heterosis percentages were significant for AVBF (7.2%; P less than .01), BF10 (8.8%; P less than .01), DRS% (1.5%; P less than .01), ADG (11.5%; P less than .01), DFC (10.2%; P less than .01), LNGN (10.6%; P less than .01), and LNEF (6.0%; P less than .05). Epistatic recombination losses in the offspring were significant for LENG (3.6 cm; P less than .05) and approached significance for BF10 (6.1 mm; P less than .10).     

Hemostatic defects associated with two infusion rates of dextran 70 in dogs.

We investigated changes in hemostatic function after infusion of 6% dextran 70 (high molecular weight dextran) at 2 rates. Six healthy dogs underwent 3 regimens: 20 ml of dextran/kg of body weight administered in 1 hour (trial A), 20 ml of dextran/kg administered in 30 minutes (trial B), and 0.9% sodium chloride solution as a control administered over 1 hour to achieve hemodilution equivalent to that for 20 ml of dextran/kg (trial C). Before and at 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after the start of trials A and B, we measured PCV, total solids (TS) concentration, amount of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWf:Ag), factor VIII coagulant activity (VIII:C), prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), platelet retention in a glass bead column, and buccal mucosa bleeding time (BMBT). Values were not obtained at 8 and 24 hours for trial C. Saline-induced changes in hemostasis were significant (P less than 0.05) from baseline throughout the sample collection period. Significant differences (P less than 0.05) between trial A and control were observed for vWf:Ag, VIII:C, BMBT, APTT, TS, and PCV values at 2 hours, and for VIII:C at 4 hours. Significant differences (P less than 0.05) between trial B and control were observed for APTT, TS, and PCV values at 2 hours, and for vWf:Ag, VIII:C, BMBT, APTT, TS, and PCV values at 4 hours. During trials A and B, mean values of analytes infrequently deviated from reference intervals, and clinical signs of bleeding were not observed in any dog.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of porcine somatotropin on number of granulosa cell luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin receptors, oocyte viability, and concentrations of steroids and insulin-like growth factors I and II in follicular fluid of lean and obese gilts.

Prepubertal gilts of obese (n = 24) or lean (n = 24) genetic lines were injected (s.c.) daily with 0, 2, or 4 mg of porcine somatotropin (pST) for 6 wk starting at 160 d of age to determine whether pST affects follicular function. Blood and ovaries were collected at slaughter 24 h after the last injection. Surface follicles greater than or equal to 1.0 mm in diameter were counted, and pools of follicular fluid (FFL) and granulosa cells were collected from 1.0- to 3.9-mm (small) and 4.0- to 6.9-mm (medium) follicles. Oocytes were collected from small and medium follicles and evaluated for maturational stage and viability. Porcine somatotropin increased (P less than .08) the numbers of small but not the numbers of medium follicles per gilt (P greater than .10). Oocyte maturation and viability were not affected by pST or genetic line. Porcine somatotropin increased (P less than .05) concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in serum and FFL of both obese and lean gilts; IGF-I was lower (P less than .01) in lean gilts. Treatment with pST decreased (P less than .05) IGF-II in FFL of lean but not in that of obese gilts. Dose of pST and line had no effect on concentrations of progesterone in FFL of small or medium follicles or on concentrations of estradiol in FFL of small follicles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A Potential Screening System for Identifying Sorghum Ecotypes with Increased Lysine in the Seeds

Classical “high-lysine” sorghum lines are characterized by smaller seeds than average, due to a decrease in prolamin synthesis and a subsequent decrease in yield. To exploit the natural variation in lysine content and to identify ecotypes with a seed lysine content higher than average, characterized by plump seeds, a method was developed based on root-growth inhibition of seeds growing on a medium containing aminoethylcysteine (AEC), a lysine analogue. By using a collection of sorghum mutants and ecotypes a correlation coefficient of 0.926 between root length and lysine content was established. This method, which uses the root length of plants growing on aec to indicate which lines have a potential elevated lysine content, can be applied for the screening of sorghum germplasm. Since this is a non-destructive method it can also be used at the individual seed level, for example for screening progenies of regenerated plants from in vitro culture to exploit the somaclonal variation.     

Analysis and pharmacokinetics of cimaterol in growing Holstein steers.

Pharmacokinetic parameters for the beta 2-adrenergic agonist, cimaterol (CIM), were determined in growing Holstein steers. Compartmental analysis was used after measurement of CIM in body fluids by affinity chromatography and HPLC using UV detection. Recoveries from spiked plasma and urine standards were 70 +/- 1.2% and 68 +/- 1.1%, respectively. The minimum detection level in plasma was 1 ng/mL and the average CV was 5.1% for concentrations that ranged from 1 to 30 ng/mL. Four steers (276 +/- 24 kg) received 15 mg of CIM by bolus intravenous injection. Plasma CIM levels declined in a biphasic manner with half-lives of 2.5 min for the distribution phase and 54 min for the elimination phase. A two-compartment open model was used to describe the disappearance of CIM and the following pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained: central compartment volume (Vc) = .76 L/kg, apparent volume of distribution (Vd) = 4.1 L/kg, and transfer rate constants from the central to peripheral compartment (k12) = .177/min, from the peripheral to central compartment (k21) = .054/min and elimination from the central compartment (kel) = .074/min. After 8 h, total urinary CIM accounted for only 18.3% of the administered dose. Results suggest that circulating concentrations of CIM in growing steers are influenced by its accumulation in an unidentified peripheral pool and its conversion into unknown metabolite(s) before elimination.     

Studies on efficacy and stability of a vaccine bait containing ERA strain of rabies virus propagated in a BHK-21 cell line.

In a dose response study in foxes, the median protective dose of ERA BHK21 vaccine in a blister pack bait was 10(6.0) tissue culture infective doses (TCID)/mL, while artificially aged baits with titers of 10(6.3) TCID/mL induced seroconversion in 78% of foxes. There was no significant difference in the development of antibodies in foxes receiving 1, 2 or 3 mL volumes of vaccine in the bait. When baits were exposed to the elements and fed to foxes over a 21 day period, 85% of the animals seroconverted. Age, sex and the way in which the vaccine container was contacted did not appear to be factors in the responses of these animals. Juvenile foxes, approximately six months of age, were marked more readily with the tetracycline bait marker than older animals. Approximately 25% of foxes did not appear to respond well to vaccination and the titer of the vaccine was a critical factor in producing seroconversion in these animals.     

Spondylosis deformans in the boxer: Estimates of heritability

This study presents the estimates of heritability for spondylosis deformans in the boxer based on 353 offspring from 24 randomly selected sires, each with at least three radiographically investigated offspring. The estimated heritability (h²) for maximum degree of osteophyte development was high, both when estimated by paternal half-sib correlation (0·42) and by the regression of offspring based on the parents (0·62). The heritability for the number of affected discs estimated by paternal half-sib correlation was also high (0·47). The estimate of heritability for the number of affected discs based on regression of offspring on the parents was lower at 0·13. All heritabilities had large standard errors. A positive phenotypic correlation between spondylosis deformans and hip dysplasia was observed. Assuming a significant portion of the correlation is genetic, this fact may permit selection against spondylosis deformans without negatively influencing the incidence of hip dysplasia. Since the incidence of spondylosis deformans is high even in young dogs, it should be possible to detect a large proportion of genetically predisposed animals by radiographic examination of the spine at one year of age; at the same time that dogs are presented for a routine test for hip dysplasia.     

Efficacy of abamectin against natural infections of gastrointestinal nematodes and lungworm of cattle with special emphasis on inhibited, early fourth stage larvae of Ostertagia ostertagi.

The anthelmintic efficacy of abamectin (avermectin B1) was evaluated against gastrointestinal nematodes, including Ostertagia ostertagi inhibited larvae and lungworm, in yearling crossbred beef heifers during late spring. The calves were grazed on contaminated pasture for 10 weeks and then held under conditions free of nematode infection for 3 weeks prior to allotment and treatment on 5 June. Thirteen calves were randomly assigned to two groups of six by restricted randomization on body weights; the extra lightest calf was assigned to the non-treated control group. Group 1 calves were treated with abamectin at 200 micrograms kg-1 body weight by s.c. injection and Group 2 calves were not treated; all were killed at 14 days after treatment. Ostertagia ostertagi was present in all controls; arithmetic mean numbers of adults, developing fourth stage larvae (L4) and inhibited EL4 were 7683, 605 and 36,102, respectively. Other nematode genera present in controls in sufficient numbers for the experiment were Haemonchus placei adults, Trichostrongylus axei adults, Cooperia spp. adults, Oesophagostomum radiatum adults, Bunostomum phlebotomum adults, Dictyocaulus viviparus adults and E5 (immature adults). Abamectin was highly effective (consistently greater than 99% efficacy and P less than 0.05) in removing all nematodes present in treated calves as represented in non-treated controls, including the primary target of Ostertagia ostertagi inhibited EL4. The lowest efficacy was 93.8%, against D. viviparus E5.