Comparison of serological tests forBrucella melitensis infection in sheep

Summary A comparative study of the standard tube agglutination test (SAT), Rose Bengal plate agglutination test and counter immuno-electrophoresis (CIEP) was made on 647 sera from naturally aborting ewes, orchitic, in-contact and apparently healthy sheep with no history of vaccination against brucellosis. No individual test could detect all the 13 known positive reactors (the foetuses of which yieldedBrucella melitensis) but by combination of two tests all 13 were positive. The SAT detected more reactors during the early stage of infection while CIEP performed better in later stages of infection. All these tests may be carried out in a field laboratory at very low cost.

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Resumen Se llevó a cabo un estudio donde se comparó la efectividad de la aglutinación en tubo, la prueba Rosa de Bengala y la contrainmunoelectroforesis en 647 sueros de ovejas que habían abortado naturalmente, machos con orquitis, ovejas en contacto y ovejas aparentemente sanas, sin previa historia de vacunación contra brucelosis. Ninguna de las pruebas utilizadas pudo detectar individualmente todos los 13 reactores positivos (de los fetos de los cuales se aislóBrucella melitensis), pero la combinación de dos pruebas detectó todos los reactores positivos. La prueba de la aglutinación en tubo detectó la mayoría de reactores en los estadíos iniciales de la infección, mientras que la contrainmunoelectroforesis se comportó bien en estadíos iniciales de la infección, mientras que la contrainmunoelectroforesis se comportó bien en estadíos tartíos de la infección. Todas estas pruebas pueden realizarse, en laboratorios de campo a un costo bajo.

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Résumé Les auteurs ont réalisé une étude comparative entre l'agglutination en tube standard (SAT), le test d'agglutination sur lame au Rose Bengale (RBPT) et la contre immunoélectrophorèse (CIEP), à partir de 647 sérums prélevés sur des brebis ayant avorté naturellement ou sur des moutons atteints d'orchite ou ayant été en contact mais restés apparement sains et sans passé vaccinal contre la brucellose. Aucun test individuel n'a pu reconna?tre comme positif l'un des 13 animaux reconnus réagissant (dont les foetus hébergeaientBrucella melitensis), mais par combinaison des deux tests, tous les 13 se sont révélés positifs. Le SAT a décelé plus de réagissants au cours des premiers stades de l'infection. Par contre, le CIEP a été plus sensible dans les derniers stades. Tous ces tests peuvent être réalisés dans un laboratoire de terrain à, un co?t trés bas.

     

The role of vitamin C in calcium uptake by fish

Calcium uptake in experimentally induced scorbutic snake heads, Channa (= Ophicephalus) punctatus, fed vitamin C-deficient diet for 210 days is reported, using ⁴⁵Ca as tracer. When compared with a parallel control on completely synthetic diet, the results show decreased absorption and utilization of calcium by gill, skin, muscle and bone of scorbutic fish from surrounding water. The physiological significance of these results is discussed, and its practical utility in aquaculture is indicated.     

Surgical Correction of Uterine Torsion and Mare–Foal Survival in Advance Pregnant Equine Patients

This article describes the surgical management of uterine torsion by midline celiotomy and cesarean section on 12 mares presented with signs of colic to a teaching veterinary hospital. The mares were either in full term of gestation (n = 7) or in advanced stage of pregnancy (n = 5). Six mares were in first parity. Uterine torsion was diagnosed by per rectal and per vaginal examinations. For surgical intervention, mares were anesthetized using a combination of xylazine (1.1 mg/kg) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg), intravenously. After intubation, the animals were maintained on halothane (n = 4) or isoflurane (n = 8) inhalation anesthesia. Midline celiotomy was performed, and foals were delivered by cesarean section. In 11 mares, before closing the abdominal wound, the uterus was detorted manually and confirmed for its normal position. Both anesthetic protocols using halothane and isoflurane were found satisfactory for surgical correction of uterine torsion. After long-term follow-up, the study reported 75.0% (9/12) survival rate for mares. One mare was euthanized because of devitalized, necrosed, and adhered uterus to the abdominal wall. Of the nine surviving mares, seven were successfully bred. Three foals were born alive, and only one could survive on long-term basis. Of the nine dead foals, two had umbilical cord torsion.     

Response to dietary phosphorus deficiency is affected by genetic background in growing pigs

Concern over the environmental effect of P excretion from pig production has led to reduced dietary P supplementation. To examine how genetics influence P utilization, 94 gilts sired by 2 genetic lines (PIC337 and PIC280) were housed individually and fed either a P-adequate diet (PA) or a 20% P-deficient diet (PD) for 14 wk. Initially and monthly, blood samples were collected and BW recorded after an overnight fast. Growth performance and plasma indicators of P status were determined monthly. At the end of the trial, carcass traits, meat quality, bone strength, and ash percentage were determined. Pigs fed the PD diet had decreased (P < 0.05) plasma P concentrations and poorer G:F (P < 0.05) over the length of the trial. After 4 wk on trial, pigs fed the PD diet had increased (P < 0.05) plasma 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and decreased (P < 0.05) plasma parathyroid hormone compared with those fed the PA diet. At the end of the trial, pigs fed the PD diet had decreased (P < 0.05) BW, HCW, and percentage fat-free lean and tended to have decreased LM area (P = 0.06) and marbling (P = 0.09) and greater (P = 0.12) 10th-rib backfat than pigs fed the PA diet. Additionally, animals fed the PD diet had weaker bones and also decreased (P < 0.05) ash percentage and increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of 1alpha-hydroxylase and parathyroid hormone receptor mRNA in kidney tissue. Regardless of dietary treatment, PIC337-sired pigs consumed more feed and gained more BW than their PIC280-sired counterparts (P < 0.05) during the study. The PIC337-sired pigs also had greater (P < 0.05) HCW, larger (P < 0.01) LM area, and tended to have (P = 0.07) greater dressing percentage. Meat from the PIC337-sired pigs also tended to have greater (P = 0.12) concentrations of lactate but decreased (P = 0.07) concentrations of total glucose units 24 h postslaughter. Although plasma 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) concentrations were elevated (P < 0.05) in all the animals fed the PD diet, this elevation due to P deficiency tended (P = 0.09) to be greater in the PIC337-sired pigs after 12 wk on the treatment. The PIC337-sired pigs had stronger (P < 0.01) bones with greater ash percentage than the PIC280-sired pigs. The difference in the strength of the radii between the PIC337-sired pigs fed the PA and PD diets was greater than their PIC280-sired counterparts, which resulted in sire line x treatment interactions (P < 0.05). These data indicate differing mechanisms of P utilization between these genetic lines. Elucidating these mechanisms may lead to strategies to increase efficiency of growth in a more environmentally friendly manner.     

Effect of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on soil microbial activity and soil organic carbon build-up under rice in west coast of India

The effect of medium-term (5 years) application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients (as mineral or inorganic fertilizers) on soil organic carbon (SOC), SOC stock, carbon (C) build-up rate, microbial and enzyme activities in flooded rice soils was tested in west coast of India. Compared to the application of vermicompost, glyricidia (Glyricidia maculate) (fresh) and eupatorium (Chromolaena adenophorum) (fresh) and dhaincha (Sesbania rostrata) (fresh), the application of farmyard manure (FYM) and combined application of paddy straw (dry) and water hyacinth (PsWh) (fresh) improved the SOC content significantly (p < 0.05). The lowest (p < 0.05) SOC content (0.81%) was observed in untreated control. The highest (p < 0.05) SOC stock (23.7 Mg C ha^?1) was observed in FYM-treated plots followed by recommended dose of mineral fertilizer (RDF) (23.2 Mg C ha^?1) and it was lowest (16.5 Mg C ha^?1) in untreated control. Soil microbial biomass carbon (C_mb) (246 µg g^?1 soil) and C_mb/SOC (1.92%) were highest (p < 0.05) in FYM-treated plot. The highest (p < 0.05) value of metabolic quotient (qCO₂) was recorded under RDF (19.7 µg CO₂-C g^?1 C_mb h^?1) and untreated control (19.6 µg CO₂-C g^?1 C_mb h^?1). Application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients impacted soil enzyme activities significantly (p < 0.05) with FYM causing highest dehydrogenase (20.5 µg TPF g^?1 day^?1), phosphatase (659 µg PNP g^?1 h^?1) and urease (0.29 µg urea g^?1 h^?1) activities. Application of organic source of nutrients especially FYM improved the microbial and enzyme activities in flooded and transplanted rice soils. Although the grain yield was higher with the application of RDF, but the use of FYM as an organic agricultural practice is more useful when efforts are intended to conserve more SOC and improved microbial activity.     

Weed Management in Rice-Wheat Cropping System through Remote Sensing： A Review

The productivity of the flee-wheat rotation of the Indo-Gangetie Plains is critical to India＇s food security. Severe weed competition resulting from the change in morphological characteristics of the modem high yielding varieties （HYV） led to intensive use of herbicides for weed control. Continuous and indiscriminate use of herbicides led to pollution as well as build up of resistant biotypes. This necessitates the need based use of herbicides. Identification of predominant weeds in rice-wheat cropping system through remote sensing and Geographic Information System （GIS） would help in reducing the load of herbicide on agro-eco system by reducing spray volume, application time and non-target spraying. This will help in developing site-specific weed management technique by geating only those areas with herbicide where weed densities exceed the economic threshold and may reduce application rate of herbicides in patches where weed densities are low. This paper reviews the literature on role of remote sensing for weed management not just to review their empirical findings, but to evaluate the role they have played and have the potential to play-in actual for weed management in flee-wheat cropping system （food bowl of India）.