Raised environmental temperature and food rationing as means of restricting growth of the replacement pullet

1. Four rearing temperature regimes (15, 20, 25, 30 °C) and three feeding schedules (ad libitum, restricting to the ad libitum intake of the 12th week and feeding 70% of this rate) were carried out with layer replacement pullets to 170 d of age. From this age, during lay, birds were kept at either 21 °C or on a 24‐h cycle of 21 for 18 h and 28 °C for the 6 h before lights out. Both a white and a brown egg‐laying strain were used.

2. Body weight at 169 d of age varied from, on average, 1409 g (15 °C, ad libitum) to 943 g (30 °C, 70% schedule) for the white strain and 1947 to 1250 g for the same treatments respectively for the brown strain. Sexual maturity was considerably delayed by the 70% feeding schedule, only slightly by rearing at 30 °C.

3. Rearing at 30 °C tended to depress subsequent egg output. The 70% feeding schedule at least maintained egg output compared with birds fed ad libitum in rearing.

4. There was a highly significant effect of temperature treatment during lay on food intake. The reduction in food intake due to the 21–28 °C cycle, however, appeared small.     

沙棘油脂

果实 沙棘果实由果肉（68%）、种子（23%）和果皮（7.75%）组成（Zadernowski et al.,1997）.Yang和Kallio（2001）最近发现,从中国、芬兰和前苏联（FSU）等地大量选择后采集的沙棘果实中23%～28%是种子,72%～77%是柔软的果肉/果皮.沙棘果实可提取3种油：种子油、果肉油和果皮油.不同于其他植物,沙棘果实的各部分都能合成并积累脂肪.有时果肉油和果皮油没有区别,因此统称为果实油或果肉油.沙棘叶也含油,这部分内容将在稍后部分进一步说明.     

Hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats

OBJECTIVE: To determine hepatotoxicity of stanozolol in cats and to identify clinicopathologic and histopathologic abnormalities in cats with stanozolol-induced hepatotoxicosis. DESIGN: Clinical trial and case series. ANIMALS: 12 healthy cats, 6 cats with chronic renal failure, and 3 cats with gingivitis and stomatitis. PROCEDURES: Healthy cats and cats with renal failure were treated with stanozolol (25 mg, i.m., on the first day, then 2 mg, p.o., q 12 h) for 4 weeks. Cats with gingivitis were treated with stanozolol at a dosage of 1 mg, p.o., every 24 hours. RESULTS: Most healthy cats and cats with renal failure developed marked inappetence, groomed less, and were less active within 7 to 10 days after initiation of stanozolol administration. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity was significantly increased in 14 of 18 cats after stanozolol administration, but serum alkaline phosphatase activity was mildly increased in only 3. Four cats with serum ALT activity > 1,000 U/L after only 2 weeks of stanozolol administration had coagulopathies; administration of vitamin K resolved the coagulopathy in 3 of the 4 within 48 hours. All 18 cats survived, and hepatic enzyme activities were normal in all cats tested more than 4 weeks after stanozolol administration was discontinued. Two of the 3 cats with gingivitis developed evidence of severe hepatic failure 2 to 3 months after initiation of stanozolol treatment; both cats developed coagulopathies. Histologic evaluation of hepatic biopsy specimens from 5 cats revealed diffuse hepatic lipidosis and cholestasis without evidence of hepatocellular necrosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that stanozolol is hepatotoxic in cats.     

Soil carbon distribution and quality in a montane rangeland-forest mosaic in northern Utah

Relatively little is known about soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in montane ecosystems of the semi-arid western U.S. or the stability of current SOC pools under future climate change scenarios. We measured the distribution and quality of SOC in a mosaic of rangeland-forest vegetation types that occurs under similar climatic conditions on non-calcareous soils at Utah State University's T.W. Daniel Experimental Forest in northern Utah: the forest types were aspen [Populus tremuloides] and conifer (mixture of fir [Abies lasiocarpa] and spruce [Picea engelmannii]); the rangeland types were sagebrush steppe [Artemisia tridentata], grass-forb meadow, and a meadow-conifer ecotone. Total SOC was calculated from OC concentrations, estimates of bulk density by texture and rock-free soil volume in five pedons. The SOC quality was expressed in terms of leaching potential and decomposability. Amount and aromaticity of water-soluble organic carbon (DOC) was determined by water extraction and specific ultra violet absorbance at 254 nm (SUVA) of leached DOC. Decomposability of SOC and DOC was derived from laboratory incubation of soil samples and water extracts, respectively.

Although there was little difference in total SOC between soils sampled under different vegetation types, vertical distribution, and quality of SOC appeared to be influenced by vegetation. Forest soils had a distinct O horizon and higher SOC concentration in near-surface mineral horizons that declined sharply with depth. Rangeland soils lacked O horizons and SOC concentration declined more gradually. Quality of SOC under rangelands was more uniform with depth and SOC was less soluble and less decomposable (i.e., more stable) than under forests. However, DOC in grass-forb meadow soils was less aromatic and more bioavailable, likely promoting C retention through cycling. The SOC in forest soils was notably more leachable and decomposable, especially near the soil surface, with stability increasing with soil depth. Across the entire dataset, there was a weak inverse relationship between the decomposability and the aromaticity of DOC. Our data indicate that despite similar SOC pools, vegetation type may affect SOC retention capacity under future climate projections by influencing potential SOC losses via leaching and decomposition.     

Longitudinal data collection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies Paratuberculosis infections in dairy herds: the value of precise field data

Longitudinal infection data on Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was collected on three dairy farms in Northeastern United States during approximately 10 years. Precise data on animal characteristics and animal location within farm were collected on these farms. Cows were followed over time with regard to MAP status during biannual fecal and serum sampling and quarterly serum sampling. Approximately 13 000 serum samples, 6500 fecal samples and 2000 tissue samples were collected during these years. Prevalence of positive samples was 1.4% for serological samples, 2.2% in fecal samples and 16.7% in tissue samples. Infection dynamics of MAP was studied and resulted in a number of potential changes in our understanding of MAP infection dynamics. First, a high prevalence of MAP infection was observed in these herds due to lifetime follow up of cows, including slaughter. Second, two distinctly different infection patterns were observed, so called non-progressors and progressors. Non-progressors were characterized by intermittent and low shedding of MAP bacteria and a virtual absence of a humoral immune response. Progressors were characterized by continuous and progressive shedding and a clearly detectable and progressive humoral immune response. Strain typing of MAP isolates on the three farms identified on two of three farms a dominant strain type, indicating that some strains are more successful in terms of transmission and infection progression. Continuous high quality longitudinal data collection turned out to be an essential tool in our understanding of pathobiology and epidemiology of MAP infections in dairy herds.