Function of neutrophils and chemoattractant properties of fetal placental tissue during the last month of pregnancy in cows.

Neutrophils were isolated from the blood of pregnant cows on days 255, 265, and 275 of pregnancy, and on the day of parturition (n = 5/group), and in addition, simultaneously from 4 ovariectomized healthy cows (control animals). Neutrophils were subjected to neutrophil function assays (chemotaxis against zymosan-activated serum, random migration, ingestion of 125I-iododeoxyuridine [IdUR]-labeled Staphylococcus aureus, iodination of proteins, cytochrome C reduction, antibody-independent and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity). Results were expressed as percentage of control animals. Fetal placental tissue (cotyledon), uterine wall tissue, and skeletal muscle were obtained from the principal animals on the aforementioned days via laparotomy, and tissue suspensions were prepared. Chemotaxis of neutrophils was tested against tissue supernatants. Compared with day 255, there was an increase in ingestion of 125I-IdUR-S aureus at parturition, whereas iodination of proteins and cytochrome C reduction were reduced on the day of calving. The other neutrophil functions tested did not change over time of gestation. Fetal placental and uterine wall tissue attracted neutrophils with uterine wall tissue having a tendency to be more potent than cotyledonary tissue. Skeletal muscle tissue did not attract neutrophils. There was no change in chemotaxis response of neutrophils evoked by intrauterine and uterine tissues over time of gestation. It was concluded that at parturition, neutrophil function is impaired with respect to their bactericidal effects, which may render the animal more susceptible to bacterial infections, and that the chemoattractant properties of fetal placental and uterine wall tissues are tissue-specific, at least when compared with skeletal muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ranking cows’ methane emissions under commercial conditions with sniffers versus respiration chambers

This study assessed the ranking of dairy cows using individual-level correlations for methane (CH₄) emission on-farm using sniffers and in respiration chambers. In total 20 lactating dairy cows, ten Holstein and ten Jerseys were recorded using sniffers installed in milking robots for three weeks of lactation and subsequently in respiration chambers (RC) where they were each recorded on three occasions within the RC. Bivariate linear mixed models were used to determine the individual-level correlations (r_I) between sniffer and RC phenotypes as proxies for genetic correlations. Despite differences in feeding and management, the predicted CH₄ production from sniffers correlated highly with RC CH₄ production r_I?=?0.77?±?0.18 and CH₄ breath concentration correlated nearly as well with RC CH₄ production r_I?=?0.75?±?0.20. These correlations between sniffers on-farm and RC demonstrate the potential of sniffers measurements as large-scale indicator traits for CH₄ emissions in dairy cattle.     

Meat inspection education in Finnish veterinary curriculum

This article describes the Finnish meat-inspection curriculum and presents an expert-panel evaluation of meat-inspection education. The work tasks of the meat-inspection veterinarian are challenging and include classical meat inspection, meat hygiene, hygiene control, and animal disease and welfare. The meat-inspection veterinarian is not only an inspector, which by itself is very demanding, but also an expert or "consultant" on food safety. The significant role of the meat-inspection veterinarian in society puts high demands on meat-inspection education, which should provide veterinary students with sufficient tools to perform meat inspection and hygiene control in slaughterhouses, cutting premises, and further processing plants. To be of high quality, such education must be evaluated from time to time. An expert panel evaluated Finnish undergraduate meat-inspection education and found that it provides veterinary students with good knowledge of meat inspection. The structure of the curriculum, with theoretical studies followed by four weeks of practice in a slaughterhouse, was considered vital for learning and for creating interest in meat inspection. The evaluation also revealed that certain subjects should receive greater emphasis and some new subjects should be introduced. Hygiene-control tasks, in particular, have increased and should receive more emphasis in education. Personnel management and interaction skills should be introduced into the curriculum as these skills influence all the duties of the meat-inspection veterinarian. This article outlines the subjects to be included in the modern, high-quality meat-inspection curriculum recommended by the expert panel.     

Clinical features of inflammatory liver disease in cats: 41 cases (1983-1993)

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical and clinicopathologic findings in and prognosis for cats with lymphocytic portal hepatitis (LPH) versus cats with acute or chronic cholangiohepatitis (CH). DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 25 cats with LPH; 16 cats with CH (7 acute, 9 chronic). PROCEDURE: Cats with LPH and CH were selected by evaluating records from liver biopsy specimens submitted to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Teaching Hospital during a 10-year period. Clinical and clinicopathologic data were retrieved. RESULTS: Cats with CH had higher segmented and band neutrophil counts, alanine aminotransferase activities, and total bilirubin concentrations than did cats with LPH. Cats with acute CH had higher segmented and band neutrophil counts and lower serum alkaline phosphatase activities and total bilirubin concentrations than did cats with chronic CH. Twelve of 14 cats with LPH or CH had coarse or nodular texture to the liver on ultrasonography, with loss of portal vein wall clarity noticed in 4 of 8 cats with LPH. Sixteen of 23 cats with LPH and 8 of 15 cats with CH survived > 1 year. Of those cats living < 1 year, all cats with LPH and 5 of 7 cats with CH had a serious concurrent illness that may have been responsible for their deaths. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: LPH and CH can be detected and tentatively differentiated through evaluation of clinical laboratory test results, but histologic evaluation of liver specimens is necessary for definitive differentiation. Survival time was good regardless of the type of inflammatory liver disease.     

Reference values of chemical blood parameters in puppies during the first eight weeks of life

Reference values were determined for blood plasma concentrations of albumin, total protein, glucose, total bilirubin, urea, creatinine, cholesterin, triglycerides, total calcium und anorganic phosphate as well as the activities of alkaline phosphatase, alanine-amino-transferase (ALT) and glutamate-dehydrogenase based on 109-124 healthy puppies at different times (1st-3rd, 8th-10th, 28th-33rd, and 50th-58th day of life). In addition, all the results were calculated separately for the breeds involved in this study (Beagle [n = 34-40], German Shepherd [n = 32-35] and Golden Retriever [n = 43-53]). Furthermore, male and female puppies were compared. All examined parameters showed remarkable dynamics during the suckling period. Often the values exceeded respectively fell below the reference ranges for adult dogs. Significant systematic breed influences as for instance a significantly lower glucose concentration for the German Shepherd puppies were also found for other parameters, especially for alkaline phosphatase and ALT. However, differences between male and female animals were only present sporadically and were of minor clinical relevance. The gathered breed differences show that it is worthwhile not only to acquire age specific reference ranges but also breed specific reference ranges for selected parameters. On the other hand, reference ranges without the definition of the breed can only be used for orientation.     

Freezing cycles enhance winter injury in Picea rubens

We examined changes in chlorophyll absorbency in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) foliage in response to simulated freezing cycles. Current-year branch tips were collected from 16 trees on January 8, January 20, February 8 and February 26, 1996. Tissue was subjected to freezing cycle treatments with a minimum of -35 degrees C and a maximum of 3 degrees C for a one-cycle treatment, and -9, -6, -3, 0 or 3 degrees C for four-cycle treatments. Samples were frozen at a rate of 5 degrees C h(-1), and warmed at 12 to 15 degrees C h(-1). Controls were held at -9 degrees C. Temperatures during the three-day periods preceding each sample date averaged -18, 4.7, -9.6 and 3.7 degrees C, respectively. On January 8, treated trees showed no significant (P > 0.1) increase in the breakdown of chlorophyll, as measured by the ratio of chlorophyll a absorbency (435 nm) to phaeophytin a absorbency (415 nm), compared with control branch tips. On later sampling dates, seven trees consistently exhibited needle reddening and nine exhibited few symptoms (< 10% of total needle surface reddened) after four-cycle treatments. On February 26, chlorophyll degradation in trees with needle reddening differed (P < 0.05) from the control by 26, 26, 16, 14 and 15% for the 3, 0, -3, -6 and -9 degrees C maxima, respectively. No detectable chlorophyll degradation occurred after a one-cycle treatment in any trees on any sampling date. Freezing cycles with sub-zero maxima and a -35 degrees C minimum enhanced winter injury in red spruce after a midwinter thaw had rendered the trees susceptible to freezing damage.     

Impact of relationships between test and training animals and among training animals on reliability of genomic prediction

One of the factors affecting the reliability of genomic prediction is the relationship among the animals of interest. This study investigated the reliability of genomic prediction in various scenarios with regard to the relationship between test and training animals, and among animals within the training data set. Different training data sets were generated from EuroGenomics data and a group of Nordic Holstein bulls (born in 2005 and afterwards) as a common test data set. Genomic breeding values were predicted using a genomic best linear unbiased prediction model and a Bayesian mixture model. The results showed that a closer relationship between test and training animals led to a higher reliability of genomic predictions for the test animals, while a closer relationship among training animals resulted in a lower reliability. In addition, the Bayesian mixture model in general led to a slightly higher reliability of genomic prediction, especially for the scenario of distant relationships between training and test animals. Therefore, to prevent a decrease in reliability, constant updates of the training population with animals from more recent generations are required. Moreover, a training population consisting of less‐related animals is favourable for reliability of genomic prediction.     

Isolation of Streptococcus suis from 2 lambs with a history of lameness

Streptococcus suis was isolated postmortem from 2 lambs with a history of lameness. Identity of S. suis was confirmed by species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. One isolate was untypable by serotyping and non-encapsulated, while the other isolate was serotype 33. The lambs had come from the same farm, and there was no evidence of contact between the lambs and pigs. Although the natural niche for S. suis is considered to be the pig, a wide range of host species may be affected by this pathogen.