The clinical,biochemical, haematological and pathological effects of long-term administration of Ipomoea carnea to growing goats

Ipomoea carnea has been held responsible for several poisoning episodes, mainly in goats. This plant contains swainsonine, which inhibits acid or lysosomal -mannosidase enzyme, causing cellular vacuolization. The objective of this study was to evaluate I. carnea toxicosis when four different doses of this plant were fed to growing goats. Twenty-five male goats were divided into five groups, one control group and four experimental groups that received 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 30.0 g of the plant per kg of live weight per day for 4 months. Blood samples were collected for haematological and biochemical determinations and fragments from some tissues were collected for histopathological study. All the experimental goats ingested the plant throughout the trial, presenting nystagmus, muscle tremors, weakness of the hind limbs and ataxia. They also had a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) from the sixth week of the experiment compared to the goats in the control group. There was a significant reduction in haemoglobin concentration in the goats treated with I. carnea. Histopathology revealed degenerative vacuolar alterations in the liver, pancreas, thyroid and kidney cells, and in the neurons of the central nervous system in the animals that received the plant. All these alterations occurred in a dose-dependent manner.     

Changes in Blood Glucose,Plasma Non-esterified Fatty Acids and Insulin in Pregnant and Non-pregnant Goats

The blood glucose and the plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and insulin concentrations were estimated in jugular blood samples from 18 Alpine×Beetal and Sannen×Beetal goats during pregnancy and compared with samples from non-pregnant goats and from goats during the periparturient period. The blood glucose levels in the pregnant goats rose to a peak of about 60±1.36 mg/ml at 42–56 days and then declined to about 46±2.37 mg/ml at 112–126 days. In non-pregnant goats, the blood glucose levels were significantly (p<0.01) higher than in pregnant goats, except between days 42 and 70 (59±1.36 mg/ml). On the day of kidding, the levels declined significantly (p<0.01), increasing again thereafter. The plasma NEFA concentrations were significantly higher in pregnant than in non-pregnant goats from days 56 to 126. The NEFA concentration increased on the day of kidding, followed by a transient fall by day 3. The plasma insulin concentration was usually higher in pregnant than in non-pregnant goats, except between days 56 and 70 and from day 126 onwards. The insulin concentration fell late in pregnancy, but there was a transient increase 2 days after parturition. The blood glucose and plasma NEFA concentrations can be used as indices of nutritional status during pregnancy in goats.     

Pharmacokinetic Disposition of Subcutaneously Administered Enrofloxacin in Goats

The pharmacokinetic disposition of enrofloxacin was studied in goats after subcutaneous (s.c.) administration at a single dose of 7.5 mg/kg body weight. Blood samples were drawn from a jugular vein into heparinized tubes at predetermined time intervals after administration of the drug and the plasma was separated by centrifugation. The concentrations of enrofloxacin in the plasma were determined by a microbiological assay using Escherichia coli as the test organism. The plasma concentration–time data were analysed by non-compartmental methods. Enrofloxacin was rapidly absorbed, an appreciable concentration of the drug (0.30±0.13 g/ml) being present in the plasma by 5 min after s.c. administration. The maximum plasma concentration of enrofloxacin and the time to reach that maximum were 2.91±0.39 g/ml and 2.9±0.51 h, respectively. A detectable concentration of enrofloxacin persisted in the plasma for 12 h. The elimination half-life and mean residence time of enrofloxacin were 2.84±0.57 and 5.74±0.28 h, respectively. It is suggested that enrofloxacin given subcutaneously may be useful in the treatment of susceptible bacterial infections in goats.     

A Comparative Economic Analysis of Smallholder Cattle and Small Ruminant Production Systems in Botswana

Cattle rearing is the single most important activity in the agricultural sector of Botswana, and cattle enjoy a high status among both rural and urban dwellers. In recent years, farmers have begun to intensify the production of small ruminants owing to an increasing recognition by policy makers that they are a potential alternative source of farm income. However, as yet, small ruminants have not approached the social importance of cattle. This may be attributable to several factors, including economic considerations. The present study focused on the economic factor. It comprised a comparative economic assessment of cattle- and goat-rearing enterprises for an average smallholder farm-household to throw light on their relative economic efficiency. It was concluded that rearing either cattle or small ruminants is economically viable in the study area. The net profit measured as the net margin either per enterprise or per animal was far higher for a cattle-rearing enterprise. Nevertheless, when expressed in terms of the return on the capital invested in each enterprise, cattle rearing had only a slight edge (1.93%) over rearing of small ruminants     

福建省大田县山羊的寄生蠕虫种群和群落生态分析（摘要）

从３０只山羊体内检得寄生蠕虫１３种，其中吸虫６种、绦蚴１种、线虫６种。总感染率为１００％，平均感染强度为６４６条。其中以鹿同盘吸虫的感染率、平均感染强度为最高。山羊感染蠕虫种类在１～８种之间。种群分布型均为聚集分布，优势种有８种：即肝片形吸虫、胰阔盘吸虫、鹿同盘吸虫、长菲策吸虫、粗纹食道口线虫、哥伦比亚食道口线虫、微管食道口线虫、捻转血矛线虫。该寄生蠕虫群落中各种群感染率和密度与山羊性别和年龄无关。种间关联分析表明该寄生蠕虫群落中具亲和性的种对有７对，关联和负关联达显著水平以上的种对分别有２对和３对。     

甘肃阿克塞海子地区羊食毛症治疗试验

在阿克塞县羊食毛症流行病区,选择60例患严重食毛癖羊只(山羊45,绵羊15),随机分为对照组和试验组(每组30只)。然后将试验组又随机分为试验Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组和Ⅲ组,分别补饲以硫酸亚铁、硫酸亚铁+硫酸铜、硫酸铝。对照组不作任何治疗处理。临床观察和实验室元素分析结果表明:3个不同试验组近期疗效都达到了100％,其中以硫酸铝组疗效较迅速且稳定;对照组无一例自愈。     

Listeria Monocytogenes Excretion and Humoral Immunity in Goats in a Herd with Outbreaks of Listeriosis and in a Healthy Herd

In a herd of 65 goats with outbreaks of listeriosis (Herd A) blood, faeces and milk were collected just after the outbreaks, about 1 month later and at delivery about 4 months thereafter. Faeces and milk were examined bacteriologically and blood and milk serologically for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), and the results were compared with those of 2 similar samplings in a healthy herd (Herd B).In Herd A Lm was isolated from faeces in 5 of 14 septicaemic does and in 6 of 48 other animals on the first sampling, and in 4 and 1 animals respectively, on the subsequent 2 samplings. In milk Lm was demonstrated just after the outbreaks only, viz. in 3 of 12 septicaemic does and in 16 of the other 32 examined. Four does excreted Lm in both faeces and milk on this date. In Herd B Lm was demonstrated only at delivery, i.e. from 10 of 43 animals. Most of the isolates belonged to serotype 1.Reciprocal geometrical mean titres (GMT) of antibodies in sera from the septicaemic group decreased from 236 to 140 and 136 respectively on the subsequent samplings, whereas GMT of the encephalitic animals and of the remainder of Herd A increased from about 20 to about 100 at delivery. GMT of Herd B increased toward delivery from 23 to 39, with largest increase for the does. GMT in whey were ≤ 18 for all groups.     

利多卡因、布吡卡因行硬膜外阻滞对羊肝、肾功能的影响

为研究利多卡因、布吡卡因硬膜外阻滞对山羊肝、肾功能的影响,将16只成年山羊被随机分成2组(n=8),L3-4之间行硬膜外穿刺、置管后,分别注入2%多利卡因6mg/kg和0.75%布吡卡因2mg/kg。在注药前及注药后的30min、24h、72h和120h采集血样,测定ALT、AST、ALP、γ-GT及LDH的活性和Bilirubin、Grea、UA和Gluc等生化指标。结果表明,利多卡因、布吡卡因行硬膜外阻滞对血清ALT、AST、ALP、γ-GT及LDH活性和Grea、Urea、Gluc和Bilirubin均没有明显影响。     

内蒙古绒山羊与辽宁绒山羊皮肤毛囊周期性变化的比较研究

对内蒙古阿尔巴斯白绒山羊和辽宁绒山羊皮肤及毛囊的组织学周期性变化作了比较研究，结果表明：表皮生发层细胞从3月份开始活动并向下延伸，此时毛囊也开始重建，绒山羊毛囊8-9月份进入兴盛期，12月份进入退行期，2-3月份为休止期。它们进入兴盛期和持续的时间不同，初级毛囊除毛球宽外，其它各性状阿尔巴斯白绒山羊均大于辽宁绒山羊，而次级毛囊各性状辽宁绒山羊都大于阿尔巴斯白绒山羊，在大多数月份二者差异显著。毛囊深、密度、S／P、毛球宽和生长期是影响产绒量的因素。