Live weight estimation of donkeys in central Mexico from measurement of thoracic circumference

Body measurements (length from nape of neck to the withers; height to withers; length from withers to tail root; length from shoulder to tuber ischii; thoracic circumference; umbilical circumference) were taken and correlated with live weight from 160 donkeys (mean +/- standard deviation = 6 +/- 2.6 years old) in Central Mexico. The age was assessed from dentition. Sex of the donkeys was also recorded. Sex was an important factor of variation (p = 0.011). Live weight was estimated using two allometric models. Model 1: Live weight = beta x (thoracic circumference)beta1. Model 2: Live weight = betao x (height to the withers) beta1 x (thoracic circumference) beta2. Separate prediction equations were produced for males and females, plus one for the total sampled. The 'best fit' models, were those using thoracic circumference to predict the live weight. Males: live weight = 0.018576 x (thoracic circumference)1.84107 (R2 = 0.9839). Females: live weight = 0.031255 x (thoracic circumference)1.72888 (R2 = 0.9839). The equations derived to estimate the live weight of donkeys in Britain, Morocco and Zimbabwe were less satisfactory for use with donkeys from Central Mexico because they overestimated the live weight.     

Use of cabergoline to treat primary and secondary anestrus in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cabergoline would be safe and effective for induction of estrus in dogs with primary or secondary anestrus. DESIGN: Prospective case series. ANIMALS: 6 privately owned otherwise healthy pure-bred dogs with primary or secondary anestrus. PROCEDURE: Dogs were treated with cabergoline (5 microg/kg [2.3 microg/lb], p.o., q 24 h) until 2 days after the onset of proestrus. Follicular development was assessed by means of cytologic examination of vaginal smears; ovulation was assessed by measuring serum progesterone concentration 3 weeks after the onset of estrus. Five bitches were mated during behavioral estrus. RESULTS: All dogs had normal estrus periods, and all 5 dogs that were mated whelped normal litters. Mean duration of cabergoline treatment was 16 days. None of the dogs had any adverse effects associated with cabergoline administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that administration of cabergoline is safe and effective for treatment for primary and secondary anestrus in dogs.     

Disposition of suprofen enantiomers in the cat.

Suprofen (SPF) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which belongs to the 2-arylpropionic acids subclass. As a result of their chiral characteristics, these compounds have shown a marked enantioselective behaviour with a high degree of interspecies variation. They are mainly eliminated by glucuronidation. Plasma, biliary and urine disposition of SPF was investigated in the cat after intravenous administration of the racemate (dose 2 mg/kg). Both enantiomers exhibited similar disposition profiles in plasma with no evidence of chiral inversion. During bile sampling time, recovered acylglucuronides of R (-) and S (+) SPF were less than 1% of the total dose administered. Only free SPF was recovered in the urine, representing 0.12% of the administered racemic SPF dose. The results indicate that neither chiral inversion nor glucuronidation predominate in SPF disposition in cats. Copyright Harcourt Publishers Ltd.     

A preliminary study of the pharmacokinetics of fenoprofen enantiomers following intravenous administration of the racemate to cats

Veterinary Research Communications -     

The effect of spray‐dried porcine plasma on gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) intestinal microbiota

The effect of spray‐dried porcine plasma (SDPP) on the intestinal histological organization and autochthonous microbiota composition was evaluated in Sparus aurata. Fish were fed a basal diet (51 g/kg protein, 17 g/kg fat, 20.6 MJ/kg gross energy) and a diet containing 3 g/kg SDPP for 95 days (initial body weight, BW = 9.5 ± 0.2g, mean ± SD). The inclusion of SDPP promoted growth (p < .05), being fish fed the SDPP diet 6.2% (BW = 88.2 ± 1.6 g) heavier than the control (BW = 82.7 ± 3.2 g). SDPP increased the density of intestinal goblet cells (p < .05), whereas no differences in villi height were found (p > .05) between both groups. Intestinal microbiota was dominated by Proteobacteria (>85%) and Firmicutes (5%–12%), whereas Bacteroidetes never represented more than 1.5%. γ‐Proteobacteria, and Bacilli and Clostridia were the predominant classes. The short administration of SDPP (20 days) resulted in changes in microbiota diversity and richness associated with an increase in the sequences of the genus Lactobacillus and to a decrease in the genus Vibrio, whereas these changes were reverted at 95 days. Intestinal goblet cell density was not correlated to microbiota diversity and richness changes rather than to the immunostimulatory effect of the SDPP.     

How Stallion Sperm Age In Vitro? Scenario for Preservation Technologies

Recent findings on the molecular damage occurring in the stallion spermatozoa are reviewed. Mechanisms leading to cell death or survival are briefly overviewed, and recent discoveries on molecular pathways leading to sperm death and sublethal damage are discussed. Increasing the understanding of this particular area may disclose clues to develop new strategies to improve current sperm conservation methods.     

Dimethylformamide Improves the In vitro Characteristics of Thawed Stallion Spermatozoa Reducing Sublethal Damage

A total of 42 ejaculates were used in the experiment; six ejaculates per stallion, obtained from seven Pure Spanish stallions (PRE), were split and frozen in freezing media with different concentrations and combinations of cryoprotectant (CPA): (i) Cáceres (skim milk based extender) containing 2.5% glycerol (2.5GL), (ii) Cáceres containing 1.5% glycerol and 1.5% dimethylformamide (1.5%GL–1.5%DMFA), (iii) Cáceres extender supplemented with 1.5% glycerol and 2.5% dimethylformamide (1.5%GL–2.5%DMFA) and (iv) Cáceres extender supplemented with 4% dimethylformamide (4%DMFA). After at least 4 weeks of storage in liquid nitrogen (LN), straws were thawed and semen analysed by computer‐assisted sperm analysis and flow cytometry (membrane lipid architecture (Merocyanine 540), integrity and sublethal damage (YoPro‐1) and mitochondrial membrane potential (JC‐1)). After thawing, better results were observed in samples frozen in 4%DMFA or in combinations of 1.5%GL–2.5%DMFA, in fact total motility increased by 16% in the 4%DMFA group compared to 2.5%GL (P < 0.05). Also, there was an increment in the percentage of progressive motile sperm in the 1.5%GL–2.5%DMFA group (9.8% 2.5GL vs 19% in the 1.5%GL–2.5%DMFA group p < 0.05); also, samples frozen in the 4%DMFA group had more intact (YoPro‐1 negative) sperm post‐thawing, 29.3% in 2.5%GL vs 36.7% in 4%DMFA group (p < 0.05). Membrane lipid architecture was not affected by any of the cryoprotectants tested, while samples frozen in 4%DFMA had a lower percentage of mitochondria with lower membrane potential. It is concluded that DMFA improves the outcome of cryopreservation of stallion spermatozoa mainly reducing sublethal cryodamage.     

The membrane of the mammalian spermatozoa: much more than an inert envelope

Sperm plasma membrane is a very important structure that functions to protect sperm against extracellular injuries and to respond to physiological challenges. It plays a crucial role during sperm capacitation, in sperm-egg interaction and, finally, in fertilization. Concerning sperm technology, possibly the most important factors causing damage in mammalian spermatozoa membranes are initiated by the osmotic stress generated by dehydration of the cells during freezing and thawing. These changes are rapidly derived to the plasma and organelle membranes that gradually experiment loss of membrane architecture, causing unbalanced production of reactive oxygen species and increased lipid peroxidation. Other procedures such as sperm sorting or liquid storage of sperm also induce harmful changes in the integrity of the membrane. The specific composition of lipids of the sperm membranes may provide clues for understanding the mechanisms behind the differences found in the response to stress in different species. In the present review, we deal with the composition, architecture and organization of the sperm plasma membrane, emphasizing the factors that can affect membrane integrity. The intracellular signalling pathways related with membrane reorganization during capacitation and acrosome reaction are also reviewed.     

Development of a molecular marker for self‐compatible S4′ haplotype in sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) using high‐resolution melting

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) has stylar gametophytic self‐incompatibility, which is controlled by the multi‐allelic S‐locus and encompasses the highly polymorphic genes for the S‐ribonuclease (S‐RNase) and S‐haplotype‐specific F‐box (SFB), which are female and male determinants, respectively. The self‐compatible mutant SFB4′ corresponds to an allele variant of SFB4 and presents a frameshift mutation. Even though male‐determinant molecular markers can discriminate between SFB4 and SFB4′ alleles, the methods required are laborious, time‐consuming and expensive, and not suitable for massive analysis and integration into breeding programmes. Our aim was to develop molecular markers for the evaluation of self‐compatibility alleles in sweet cherry, that could be used as a high‐throughput screening strategy to identify SFB4 and SFB4′ alleles, based on a marker for male determinacy. Our results were consistent using primers flanking the mutation responsible for the SFB4′ allele. We designed a specific molecular marker and confirmed it in sweet cherry commercial varieties. This new molecular marker is feasible for self‐compatibility alleles in the male determinant in sweet cherry‐assisted breeding programs.