Quantitative review of the effects of environmental temperature on food intake, egg output and energy balance in laying pullets

1. Data from 30 published experiments have been analysed to examine the relationships between environmental temperature and the long-term, adapted responses of laying pullets, measured as metabolisable energy intake, egg output and body weight change. Heat production was also estimated indirectly from the other three variables. 2. The majority of experiments employed White Leghorns, but there were 8 large trials in which brown crossbred pullets had been compared directly with White Leghorns. These trials were used to estimate differences in energy intake and heat output between brown and white birds. 3. A total of over 26,000 birds was involved in the analysis. Individual trials varied in scale from 9 birds to 2,280 birds per treatment and in duration from 8 to 61 weeks. The constant temperatures investigated ranged from 10 degrees C to 34 degrees C, but there were no data for brown pullets beyond 30 degrees C. 4. The relationship between temperature and metabolisable energy intake is curvilinear, with food intake declining more steeply as ambient temperature approaches body temperature. Adapted heat production per bird is also a curvilinear function of temperature, tending towards a value of zero when extrapolated to the point at which ambient temperature equals normal body temperature. However no satisfactory data are available for fully adapted responses in the range 34 to 42 degrees C because egg production declines continuously when these temperatures are maintained for long periods. 5. When energy intake and heat output are expressed as functions of metabolic body size (kg 0.75) they can be represented as linear functions of temperature within the range 15 to 30 degrees C, but the slope must change outside this range. 6. It is calculated that the energy available for production is at a maximum at 23 degrees C for brown birds and at 24 degrees C for White Leghorns. Gross energetic efficiency is at a maximum at 30 degrees C, but egg output is reduced at this temperature. The optimum operating temperature for laying houses will depend upon the local cost of modifying ambient temperature and on the cost of supplying diets of appropriate protein content.     

Observations on growth, sexual maturity and spawning performance of pond-reared Penaeus merguiensis

This 12‐month preliminary study investigated the development of sexual characters, primary sexual maturity, ovarian maturity and spawning performance of pond‐reared Penaeus merguiensis in relation to culture conditions in south‐east Queensland, Australia. Post‐larvae of P. merguiensis were produced and cultured in two 60‐m³ tanks during the first 14 weeks. Before winter, they were harvested and stocked in three different overwintering facilities: a 200‐m² covered pond, two 60‐m³ outdoor tanks and a 15‐m³ indoor, recirculated tank at a stocking density of 10 individuals m^?2. The development of sexual characters was found to be similar to that reported previously in wild P. merguiensis. Males matured at younger ages and smaller sizes than females. Overall, the average size at primary sexual maturity of pond‐reared P. merguiensis was 23.1 mm carapace length for males (possessed spermatophores) and 29.3 mm for females (being impregnated). Water temperature and the availability of natural food strongly influenced prawn growth, maturity rate and their subsequent spawning performance. Growth, maturity rate and spawning performance of prawns in the covered pond were significantly higher than in the other overwintering facilities. Prawns started mating at 6–7 months, reached full ovarian maturation and spawned as early as about 8 (peaked at 9–11) months from hatching, producing high fecundity and viable larvae. There was a strong relationship (P < 0.001) between prawn size and fecundity. The results of this study suggest a potential for using pond‐reared broodstock P. merguiensis for hatchery production and for domestication or selective breeding programmes.     

HST and VLT investigations of the fragments of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR)

At least 16 fragments were detected in images of comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR) taken on 5 August 2000 with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and on 6 August with the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Photometric analysis of the fragments indicates that the largest ones have effective spherical diameters of about 100 meters, which implies that the total mass in the observed fragments was about 2 x 10(9) kilograms. The comet's dust tail, which was the most prominent optical feature in August, was produced during a major fragmentation event, whose activity peaked on UT 22.8 +/- 0.2 July 2000. The mass of small particles (diameters less than about 230 micrometers) in the tail was about 4 x 10(8) kilograms, which is comparable to the mass contained in a large fragment and to the total mass lost from water sublimation after 21 July 2000 (about 3 x 10(8) kilograms). HST spectroscopic observations during 5 and 6 July 2000 demonstrate that the nucleus contained little carbon monoxide ice (ratio of carbon monoxide to water is less than or equal to 0.4%), which suggests that this volatile species did not play a role in the fragmentation of C/1999 S4 (LINEAR).     

A dairy herd cash flow model

A model that estimates milk production, revenue from milk sales and concentrate requirements for a diary herd is described. The model is designed for a programmable calculator for use by staff of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in their consultancy work on farms.     

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to cervine herpesvirus-1.

Fourteen hybridoma cell lines secreting monoclonal antibodies (Mab) to cervine herpesvirus-1 (CerHV-1) produced following the fusion of NSO myeloma cells with splenocytes of BALB/c mice previously immunized with gradient purified CerHV-1 were selected using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) employing CerHV-1 antigen and tested by the ELISA against four other ruminant alphaherpesviruses from cattle (bovine herpesvirus type 1.1 and 1.2) goat (caprine herpesvirus-2) and reindeer (rangiferine herpesvirus-1). Comparison of all five ruminant alphaherpesviruses with these Mabs confirmed their close antigenic relationships, with two Mabs reacting against all viruses. Ten Mabs which were able to differentiate between the viruses reacted with a 64 kDa polypeptide in a western blot. Four Mabs including two specific only for CerHV-1 with neutralizing activity against the virus used for immunization were directed against a 74 kDa viral protein.     

Successful treatment of a pancreatic pseudocyst by omentalisation in a dog

CASE HISTORY A 3-year-old male Labrador retriever was presented with a history of dietary indiscretion followed by vomiting and abdominal pain.

CLINICAL FINDINGS AND TREATMENT: Abdominal ultrasonography revealed the presence of a fluid-filled cystic structure in the region of the pancreas. Flocculent, dark fluid was drained from the cystic structure during exploratory celiotomy prior to resection of the lateral cystic wall. Omentum was sutured into the cystic cavity to provide drainage and enhance immune response. A jejunostomy feeding tube was placed. Post-surgical care consisted of antibiotic therapy. The dog was clinically normal at 1 and 7 months post-operatively and the pancreas appeared normal on final ultrasonographic examination.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This case describes the use of omentum to provide physiological drainage of a pancreatic pseudocyst. This surgical technique may help clinicians manage patients with this condition in the future.     

Reduction in the mRNA expression of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 is associated with the selection of dominant follicle in cows

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is essential for follicular development by promoting follicular angiogenesis, as well as for the proliferation and survival of granulosa cells. The biological effects of VEGF are regulated by two membrane receptors, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, and two soluble receptors, sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, which play an antagonistic role. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the mRNA expression pattern of total VEGF, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 in bovine preselected follicles (PRF) and post‐selected follicles (POF). The mRNA expression of these five genes in both granulosa cells (GC) and theca cells (TC) was compared between follicles classified as PRF and POF based on their diameter and on their ratio of estradiol/progesterone (E2/P4). Results showed a lower expression of mRNA of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 in POF than in PRF (p < .05). Regarding the mRNA expression of total VEGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, there was no difference between POF and PRF follicles (p > .05). Our results showed that the mRNA expression of VEGFR2 and sVEGFR1 was more abundant than the expression of VEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, while GC was the main source of mRNA for total VEGF. On the other hand, TC was the follicular compartment where the receptors were most expressed. Our results suggest that non‐dominant follicles maintain a greater concentration of the mRNA expression of both membrane and soluble VEGF receptors. On the other hand, follicular dominance is related to a reduction in the mRNA expression of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, which may favour VEGF binding with VEGFR2 and, hence, improve the follicular health and development.     

Seizures during medetomindine sedation and local anaesthesia in two dogs undergoing skin biopsy

Each of two dogs presented for multiple skin biopsies were sedated with intravenous medetomidine and lignocaine was injected subcutaneously to provide local anaesthesia for skin biopsy. One dog had a seizure during skin biopsy and again immediately following reversal of medetomidine with atipamezole. The other dog developed seizures 2 h following skin biopsy at which time the medetomidine was reversed with atipamezole. Both dogs were neurologically normal with no history of seizures prior to the procedure and remained neurologically normal for 14 weeks and 9 months, respectively, following the procedure. A drug interaction between the α₂-adrenergic agonist medetomidine and lignocaine is suspected and highlights the potential for seizures following the subcutaneous administration of relatively large doses of lignocaine under medetomidine sedation.