Ostertagia ostertagi infection in the calf: effects of a trickle challenge on appetite, digestibility, rate of passage of digesta and liveweight gain

The effects of a trickle challenge with the equivalent of 10,000 infective Ostertagia ostertagi larvae per day on appetite, digestibility, rate of passage of digesta and liveweight gain were investigated in 12 calves assigned to infected, pair-fed control and ad libitum-fed control groups. Digestibility of cellulose, nitrogen, organic matter and dry matter was determined using insoluble acid detergent fibre as a marker on two occasions during the study: (i) Between days 31 and 38, when abomasal dysfunction was greatest; and (ii) between days 52 and 58, beginning approximately one week after anthelmintic treatment (day 46). Rate of passage of digesta was measured using chromium mordanted hay, fed to each calf after each digestibility study period. Voluntary feed intake of the infected group was significantly reduced from day 37 with the greatest depression (77 per cent) occurring just before anthelmintic treatment. The drop in appetite was responsible for nearly 73 per cent of the difference in liveweight gain between the infected and ad libitum fed control groups. The apparent digestibility coefficient of nitrogen was significantly depressed (22 per cent) in the infected group though was restored to control levels by anthelmintic treatment. The rate of passage of digesta was significantly reduced in both pair-fed control (50 per cent) and infected (74 per cent) groups. Anthelmintic treatment increased the latter though only to pair-fed control group levels. It is suggested that the marked hypergastrinaemia seen in the infected calves may have been in part responsible for the decreased rate of passage of digesta and in turn for the drop in appetite.     

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.     

Drivers,challenges and opportunities of forage technology adoption by smallholder cattle households in Cambodia

Forage technology has been successfully introduced into smallholder cattle systems in Cambodia as an alternative feed source to the traditional rice straw and native pastures, improving animal nutrition and reducing labour requirements of feeding cattle. Previous research has highlighted the positive impacts of forage technology including improved growth rates of cattle and household time savings. However, further research is required to understand the drivers, challenges and opportunities of forage technology for smallholder cattle households in Cambodia to facilitate widespread adoption and identify areas for further improvement. A survey of forage-growing households (n = 40) in July–September 2016 examined forage technology adoption experiences, including reasons for forage establishment, use of inputs and labour requirements of forage plot maintenance and use of forages (feeding, fattening, sale of grass or seedlings and silage). Time savings was reported as the main driver of forage adoption with household members spending approximately 1 h per day maintaining forages and feeding it to cattle. Water availability was reported as the main challenge to this activity. A small number of households also reported lack of labour, lack of fencing, competition from natural grasses, cost of irrigation and lack of experience as challenges to forage growing. Cattle fattening and sale of cut forage grass and seedlings was not found to be a widespread activity by interviewed households, with 25 and 10% of households reporting use of forages for these activities, respectively. Currently, opportunities exist for these households to better utilise forages through expansion of forage plots and cattle activities, although assistance is required to support these households in addressing current constraints, particularly availability of water, if the sustainability of this feed technology for smallholder cattle household is to be established in Cambodia.     

Mucinous cholangiocarcinoma in a cat

Mucinous cholangiocarcinoma was diagnosed in a 14-year-old, castrated male, domestic shorthaired cat with marked peritoneal effusion. Cytological confirmation of malignancy by fluid analysis and fine-needle, ultrasound-guided aspiration of the liver was followed by histological examination of tissue samples obtained at surgery and necropsy. No observed response followed chemotherapy with doxorubicin and carboplatin. Electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry helped to further characterize this unusual tumor.     

A survey of the prevalence of Giardia in dogs presented to Canadian veterinary practices

Fecal samples (1216) were collected from dogs presented to 15 veterinary practices across Canada and tested for Giardia by ELISA for group-specific antigen. If positive, the presence of Giardia was confirmed by microscopy. Eighty-eight submissions tested positive by ELISA and microscopy. The overall prevalence rate of Giardia was 7.2%.     

Diversity,seasonality and sites of attachment of adult ixodid ticks on dogs in the central region of the Free State Province,South Africa

Several surveys of ticks infesting dogs belonging to owners in resource-limited and more affluent communities have been conducted in South Africa, but no such investigation has been carried out in the Free State Province of this country. The present study was initiated to meet this shortcoming. Ticks were collected from dogs at six localities in, and to the east of the city of Bloemfontein in the central region of the province. Three of these localities could be classed as resource-limited and two as affluent, while the sixth locality was an animal shelter serving all members of the public. Adult ticks belonging to nine ixodid tick species were collected, of which Rhipicephalus sanguineus was the most numerous. Significantly more R. sanguineus was collected from dogs at resource-limited than at more affluent localities. The greatest proportions of these ticks attached to the backs and necks of the dogs, with the proportions being larger in long-haired than in short-haired dogs. Most R. sanguineus were collected during the warmer months particularly from January to April. The greatest proportions of Haemaphysalis leachi, the next most numerous species, were also collected from the backs and the necks of the dogs. Most of these were present during the period September to November.     

Leptin, GH, PRL, Insulin and Metabolic Parameters Throughout the Dry Period and Lactation in Dairy Cows

Leptin may play a role in the endocrine-metabolic processes that guarantee the physiological course of lactation in dairy cattle. This study was aimed at determining the changes in plasma concentrations of leptin and some of the main hormones and metabolites involved in the lactogenetic process in high-yielding dairy cows throughout lactation; we also wanted to assess whether leptin secretion is subjected to seasonal influences. Blood samples were collected from 23 Italian Friesian dairy cows from the end of a lactation to the ninth month of the subsequent one; in addition, blood was sampled from 47 dairy cows in different phases of lactation during February and July. Plasma concentrations of leptin, growth hormone (GH), insulin, prolactin (PRL), glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and urea were quantified by either validated radioimmunoassay (RIA) or enzymatic colorimetric methods. At the beginning of lactation, GH concentrations significantly increased, while a significant reduction occurred in leptin and insulin. This endocrine condition, such as the significant increase in NEFA plasma concentrations, is indicative of a marked lipid mobilization. In the more advanced stages of lactation, when both energy and protein balances become positive, leptin plasma concentrations increased, whereas GH and NEFA concentrations declined. During the summer months, a significant increase in leptin plasma concentrations, irrespective of the phase of lactation, was observed. Collectively, our findings suggest that, in dairy cows, leptin may represent a 'metabolic signal' of animal's status of fattening and nutritional level; in addition, leptin seems to be influenced by photoperiod and environmental temperature.     

Effects of interferents on the kinetic Jaffé reaction and an enzymatic colorimetric test for serum creatinine concentration determination in cats, cows, dogs and horses.

The effects of acetoacetic acid, acetone, bilirubin, beta-carotene, three cephalospoprin antibiotics, glucose, hemoglobin and lipid on the kinetic Jaffé reaction and an enzymatic reaction for the determination of creatinine concentration were studied in bovine, canine, feline and equine serum. There were no obvious species' differences. The kinetic Jaffé reaction was unaffected by the addition of beta-carotene and hemoglobin. Acetone, cefazolin, cefoxitin, ceftiofur and glucose caused a positive bias while acetoacetic acid, bilirubin, and lipid caused a negative bias when added to the kinetic Jaffé reaction. The enzymatic reaction was unaffected by the addition of acetoacetic acid, acetone, beta-carotene, cefazolin, cefoxitin, glucose and hemoglobin while added lipid, bilirubin and ceftiofur caused a negative bias in the test results. Over all species and interferents, there was no difference in the precision of the two assay methods. In a series of sera from hospitalized patients, the two methods were highly correlated in a linear fashion. The enzymatic creatinine assay deals effectively with most interferents but has a greater cost and shorter shelf-life compared with the kinetic Jaffé reaction.