Effects of clinically occurring chronic lameness in sheep on the concentrations of plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline.

Plasma adrenaline (AD) and noradrenaline (NA) concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection in blood samples from control and lame sheep. The lame sheep suffered from naturally occurring foot rot and showed behavioural characteristics normally associated with chronic pain. The lame sheep were scored both for impairment of gait and pathology of the foot and divided into mild and severely affected groups. Both the mildly and severely lame group showed a significant increase in plasma AD and plasma NA which tended to persist even after clinical resolution of the condition. The measurement of plasma AD and NA may provide information which can be used to assess animals experiencing chronic pain, when taken in conjunction with other parameters, such as nociceptive thresholds and plasma hormone levels.     

Vaccination of sheep against Aujeszky's disease with a gI-deleted mutant]

The use of gl deleted live vaccines against Aujeszky's disease (AD) facilitates to differentiate vaccinated from field-virus infected animals. In this study different modes of vaccination were tried to find out how sheep can be protected from a lethal infection with ADV. It could clearly be demonstrated that Aujeszky disease virus (ADV) is spread by horizontal transmission from infected pigs to sheep. The nasal discharges of infected pigs contained a maximum of 10(8.75)TCID50/g mucus at days 3 and 4 p.i. and those of the contact-pigs 10(8.5)TCID50/g mucus at days 6 and 7 after contact. Non-vaccinated contact sheep were infected horizontally by the pigs. The highest titres ranged from 10(6.25) to 10(7.5)TCID50/g mucus. These animals were sacrificed at day 5 p.i. exhibiting acute symptoms of AD. The nasal discharge of vaccinated sheep contained much lower amounts of ADV (maximum: 10(4.25)TCID50/g mucus). All surviving animals had developed antibodies. Following challenge with the ADV-strain NIA3, no febrile response or virus-shedding was observed in sheep vaccinated 2x s.c. or 2x i.m. with a gl deleted live vaccine, whereas sheep, vaccinated only 1x i.m. (4 out of 4 animals) or 1x i.m. (3 out of 4 animals) or 1x i.n. and 1x i.m. (1 out of 4 animals) had to be sacrificed after showing acute symptoms of AD. In conclusion it can be stated that a double parental vaccination with a gl deleted live vaccine protects sheep against a field-virus AD infection.     

A neurological locomotor disorder in sheep grazing Stachys arvensis

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical signs and pathology of a neurological locomotor disorder in sheep associated with ingestion of Stachys arvensis. DESIGN: Field observations and laboratory examinations. PROCEDURE: Clinical and pathological examinations were performed on sheep with suspected S arvensis intoxication. FIELD OBSERVATIONS: Merino sheep in a flock on the southwestern slopes of New South Wales developed a neurological disorder after grazing S arvensis. Affected animals had pelvic limb paresis and a proprioceptive deficit. When forced to exercise they stumbled and collapsed. Recovery following removal from the plant was slow. Many deaths were associated with the outbreak. RESULTS: Affected sheep developed a mild degenerative myelopathy and peripheral neuropathy. Deficiencies of vitamins A and E were also observed in the affected flock. CONCLUSION: Grazing S arvensis is sometimes associated with a neurological locomotor disorder in sheep.     

A novel nigrostriatal dopaminergic disorder in sheep affected by Tribulus terrestris staggers

An investigation was carried out into the pathogenesis of a unique locomotory disorder of sheep. Thirty sheep which had exhibited clinical signs for more than 15 months were examined for the presence of muscle atrophy, limb paresis, and spontaneous rotational behaviour. A single large dose of levodopa was administered to 12 normal and 12 affected sheep, and the drug-related effects of sedation and excitation were monitored continuously for three hours. The striatum was removed from eight normal and eight affected sheep and assayed for dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC). The findings of asymmetrical atrophy of pelvic limb extensor muscles, asymmetrical paresis of the limbs, a left:right dominance ratio of 50:50, spontaneous rotational behaviour, decreased response to levodopa loading, and decreased levels of DA (19 per cent reduction) and DOPAC (30 per cent reduction) in the striatum of affected sheep, were interpreted as indicative of a primary nigrostriatal dopaminergic disorder. It is suggested that a striatal presynaptic receptor malfunction has occurred.     

Polymorphisms of a scrapie-associated fibril protein (PrP) gene and their association with susceptibility to experimentally induced scrapie in Cheviot sheep in the United States.

The duration of the incubation period for scrapie, a fatal transmissible neurodegenerative disorder of sheep and goats, is mainly determined by the Sip gene, which has 2 alleles (sA--susceptible and pA--resistant). A diagnostic test is not available to detect scrapie in live animals. We analyzed genomic DNA extracted from frozen sheep brains collected from Cheviot sheep of the United States that had been inoculated with the SSBP/1 scrapie inoculum. Digestion of the DNA with EcoRI or HindIII followed by the addition of a scrapie-associated fibril protein (PrP)-specific marker probe, yielded fragments of 6.8 (e1) and 4.0 (e3) kb, or 5.0 (h1) and 3.4 (h2) kb, respectively. Fragments e1 and h2 were associated with the histopathologic diagnosis of scrapie, and fragments e3 and h1 were associated with survival. A valine/alanine polymorphism within the PrP coding region that resulted in a BspHI site was further used to determine the genotype of these Cheviot sheep. Digestion of polymerase chain reaction fragments with BspHI resulted in an undigested fragment b- (0.840 kb), digested fragments b+ (0.460 and 0.380 kb), or both types of fragments. Survival time of b+/b+ homozygous sheep was significantly (P < 0.01) shorter (218 +/- 26.0 days) than survival time for b-/b- sheep (> 700 days after inoculation). Results indicated that b+ and b- are markers for the Sip sA and pA alleles, respectively. The intermediate duration of the incubation period for heterozygous sheep (b+/b-; 342.9 +/- 25.3 days) indicated that the Sip sA allele is expressed codominantly to the Sip pA allele.     

青海绵羊血清铁传递蛋白的电泳研究

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法对青海省５个品种共１０５０只绵羊的血清铁传递蛋白进行了电泳研究。结果发现青海绵羊的血清运铁蛋白共有１１个电泳变异体（Ｉ，Ａ，Ｇ，Ｂ，Ｌ，Ｃ，Ｄ，Ｍ，Ｅ，Ｑ，），构成３７种电泳表型（ＩＡ，ＡＥ，ＡＡ，ＡＧ，ＡＢ，ＡＬ，ＡＣ，ＡＤ，ＡＭ，ＡＥ，ＡＢ，ＧＧ，ＧＢ，ＧＬ，ＧＣ，ＧＤ，ＧＭ，ＧＱ，ＢＢ，ＢＣ，ＣＤ，ＣＭ，ＬＣ，ＬＤ，ＬＥ，ＣＣ，ＣＤ，ＣＭ，ＣＥ，ＣＱ，ＣＰ，ＤＤ，ＤＭ，ＤＥＤＱ，ＫＰ，ＭＱ）。在５个品种绵羊中，藏羊血清铁传递蛋白的电泳变异体和电泳表型最多，分别为１１个和２８种，茨盖羊的最少，分别为６个和１６种，青海细毛羊，新疆细毛羊和青海半细胞毛羊介于两者之间。     

Motor neurone disease in molybdenum-deficient sheep fed the endogenous purine xanthosine: possible mechanism for Tribulus staggers

Background The occurrence of Tribulus terrestris motor neurone disease (MND) in sheep is linked with grazing Tribulus growing on cultivation paddocks. A previous survey found that the molybdenum (Mo) content of Tribulus growing on uncultivated soils in the Coonabarabran district of New South Wales was 3.03 ppm, but on cultivated soils it was <0.04 ppm. Tribulus contains the purine, xanthosine, which functions as a neuromodulator, and the catabolism of xanthosine is Mo‐dependent. Design To investigate the relationship between xanthosine ingestion and low Mo concentration, eight sheep were fed Mo‐deficient lucerne chaff (<0.10 ppm), the Mo antagonist, sodium tungstate, and xanthosine (25 mg/kg/day) over 18 weeks and then returned to pasture. Results Signs of MND developed in two sheep 30 months later and astrocyte degeneration occurred in all sheep. Conclusion The findings were similar to those observed in sheep with T. terrestris MND, suggesting that the combination of xanthosine ingestion and Mo deficiency may be the cause of this disorder.     

Serological diagnosis of Echinococcus granulosus infection in sheep using cyst fluid antigen processed by antibody affinity chromatography

Serum antibody responses in sheep naturally or experimentally infected with Echinococcus granulosus and/or other larval cestodes were examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with various antigens prepared from sheep hydatid cyst fluid ( SHCF ). Serum donors included: sheep experimentally infected with E. granulosus and their age-matched non-infected controls; sheep experimentally infected with other helminth parasites; sheep naturally infected with E. granulosus both from Tasmania and the Australian mainland; sheep from Tasmania naturally infected with larval cestodes other than E. granulosus; and naturally reared sheep completely free from infection with larval cestodes. Attempts were made to eliminate serological reactions which were not specific for E. granulosus by using a series of antibody affinity chromatography steps to deplete crude SHCF antigen; these included adsorption with a monoclonal antibody, 3EgH 29-2, removal of host IgG using rabbit anti-sheep IgG antibody, and removal of antigens which bound non-specifically to normal sheep immunoglobulin. The final affinity-depleted antigen product was designated AD SHCF . Specific serological reactivity in infected sheep was very low. Affinity depletion of SHCF using 3EgH 29-2 did not appear to increase the specificity of serological diagnosis of E. granulosus infection when experimentally infected sheep were compared with their non-infected controls provided the latter were age-matched with experimental animals. The other affinity adsorption steps significantly reduced non-specific background binding to antigen by normal sheep serum. Despite this reduction in background in the ELISA, only low levels of antibody could be detected in naturally-infected sheep.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in IgM+ B-cells from bovine leukemia virus-infected lymphocytotic sheep

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is thought to be one of the cytokines that account for bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-induced B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, however, information on TNF-alpha expression in B-cells is limited. In this study, the expression of TNF-alpha in IgM(+) B-cells from BLV-infected sheep with or without lymphocytosis was determined. Freshly isolated IgM(+) B-cells from three sheep with lymphocytosis constitutively transcribed TNF-alpha mRNA. Although TNF-alpha mRNA expression in IgM(+) B-cells was transiently up-regulated after cell culture, TNF-alpha mRNA expression was markedly higher in lymphocytotic sheep when compared to that of non-lymphocytotic sheep or uninfected sheep. Expression of membrane-bound TNF-alpha on IgM(+) B-cells was also augmented in lymphocytotic sheep. TNF-alpha expression in lymphocytotic sheep may support the proliferation of B-cells.     

东亚和南亚固有绵羊群体X-蛋白等位基因特有频率分布的研究

本研究利用单向水平板淀粉凝胶电泳以我国5个固有地方绵羊品种包括湖羊（Hu）、同羊（Tong）、滩羊（Tan）、小尾寒羊（Han）、洼地羊（WD）为研究对象对X-蛋白遗传多样性进行了检测,并引用我国周边国家、地区绵羊品种为分析背景。结果表明以喜马拉雅山脉为界的亚洲东部和南部的北部群体和南部群体在编码的X（＋）型的显性等位基因X频率上存在极显著差异（P〈0．01）。北部检测的群体中X等位基因频率范围为0～0．18,平均值为0．0878,包括属于藏羊和蒙古羊系统的小尾寒羊（Han）、不丹羊（Bhutan）、同羊（Tong）、湖羊（Hu）、滩羊（Tan）、洼地绵羊（WD）、Bhyanglung绵羊（Bhy）、Baruwal绵羊（Bar）、云南绵羊（Yunnan）、哈拉和林绵羊（Kh）和乌兰巴托绵羊（Ub）。南部检测的群体中X等位基因频率范围为0．2037～0．4655,平均值为0．3082,包括属于印度绵羊系统的孟加拉国绵羊（Ban）、Kagi绵羊（Kagi）、Lampuchhre绵羊（Lamp）、越南占部落绵羊（Cham）和缅甸绵羊（Mya）。本研究揭示X等位基因可作印度绵羊的标记,在绵羊群体尤其是亚洲东部和南部绵羊系统形成的研究中具有潜在的重要作用。     

Cerebellar abiotrophy and segmental axonopathy: two syndromes of progressive ataxia of Merino sheep

Findings of a study of 39 sheep with progressive ataxia from 14 farms in the Yass district of New South Wales are described. Microscopic lesions in 25 sheep, 3.5 to 6 years of age, diagnosed as having clinical cerebellar disease, consisted of an apparent primary loss of cerebellar Purkinje neurons, and glial cell accumulation. It is suggested that this previously unreported disorder may be an hereditary cerebellar abiotrophy of Merino sheep. A further 14 sheep, 1 to 4 years of age, had distinguishable clinical signs referable to a spinal cord lesion with widespread segmental axonal ballooning, or "spheroids", in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. It is suggested that these sheep have a unique form of neuroaxonal dystrophy, described here as segmental axonopathy, and that this is likely to be the same condition described previously as Murrurindi disease (Hartley and Loomis 1981).     

凉山半细毛羊微卫星标记与体重性状的相关关系的研究

在绵羊1、2、3、9号染色体上选取了22个微卫星基因座,对实验绵羊群体所有的表型资料按基因型分组进行方差分析和多重比较。结果表明:5个微卫星基因座对体重影响显著。标记BMS835的基因型AD(182/190)、BMS1126的基因型DG(107/113)、BMS1636的基因型AC(124/128)、OARCP79的基因型EF(109/111)和BMC1009的基因型DE(292/284)为体重的有利基因型。     

6个绵羊品种微卫星多样性分析

为检测兰坪乌骨绵羊的遗传多样性及其与其他5个绵羊品种（湖羊、小尾寒羊、杜泊羊、特克塞尔羊和无角陶赛特羊）的亲缘关系,试验选择9个微卫星位点对共计117个体进行了检测,将各微卫星位点的PCR扩增产物进行非变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳,POPGEN32软件计算遗传参数。结果表明,9个微卫星位点均表现为高度多态,各绵羊群体内的PIC平均值为湖羊（0.7211）>陶赛特羊（0.6780）>小尾寒羊（0.6492）>乌骨绵羊（0.6479）>特克塞尔羊（0.5930）>杜泊羊（0.5728）。6个品种中乌骨绵羊的平均杂合度最大（0.9543）,而杜泊羊最小（0.2556）。UPGMA聚类分析表明,湖羊与小尾寒羊首先聚为一类,乌骨绵羊与湖羊、小尾寒羊遗传距离较近,而与3个引进品种的遗传距离较远。这些结果提示乌骨绵羊可与湖羊或小尾寒羊杂交提高繁殖力,与引进品种杂交提高肉用性能。     

Amino acid neurotransmitter release from cerebrocortical synaptosomes of sheep with severe ryegrass staggers in New Zealand

Enhanced unstimulated release of the excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters aspartic acid and glutamic acid was measured in cerebrocortical synaptosomes prepared from sheep showing severe symptoms of ryegrass staggers. A similar pattern of deviation from neurologically normal animals was seen whether the sheep had contracted the disorder naturally or whether they had been deliberately caused to develop the disorder by grazing specific pastures rich in endophyte infected ryegrass. Deranged neurotransmitter release may reasonably be involved in the chemical pathology of ryegrass staggers and the findings are in accord with the putative synonymy of lolitrem toxicosis and ryegrass staggers.     

A natural outbreak of Aujeszky's disease in farm animals

An outbreak of Aujeszky's disease (AD) occurred in a herd of domestic animals that led to the death of seven cattle, three goats, three sheep, two cats and one dog, all of them with CNS signs. The animals were not in direct contact with swine. The ADV was detected in the tissue of affected animals by celi culture methods and PCR. Genome strains of ADV were characterized by restriction endonuclease analysis using BamH I. The results indicated that the strains of virus were identical and belonged to the type genome I of AD. Compared with vaccine and isolated strains obtained from the pig in the same region, considerable differences in DNA patterns were detected. Interestingly, the strains isolated from the dead animals were similar to Buk T-900 reference strains.     

杜泊羊、萨福克羊与蒙古羊在低温环境下生理、血清生化指标及免疫性能的对比研究

本研究旨在阐明低温环境对杜泊羊和萨福克羊生产性能的影响,并进一步探究其影响机制,为内蒙古地区杜泊羊和萨福克羊引种改良、杂交利用提供数据参考。试验选取12月龄体重相近、健康无病的杜泊羊和萨福克羊各20只(公母各半)进行研究,蒙古羊20只(公母各半)作为对照,测定3种羊的生理、血清生化指标及免疫性能并做对比研究。结果显示:杜泊羊和萨福克羊体温、呼吸频率及心率全天均无显著差异(P>0.05);与蒙古羊相比,杜泊羊和萨福克羊全天心率较低(P<0.05),且杜泊羊上午的体温显著低于蒙古羊(P<0.05),全天的呼吸频率显著高于蒙古羊(P<0.05)。杜泊羊和萨福克羊血清中谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性及三碘甲腺原氨酸(T3)和甲状腺素(T4)水平与蒙古羊无显著差异(P>0.05),谷草转氨酶(AST)和碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性显著高于蒙古羊(P<0.05);萨福克羊的乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)活性显著高于杜泊羊和蒙古羊(P<0.05)。与蒙古羊相比,杜泊羊和萨福克羊血清白介素2(IL-2)、白介素4(IL-4)、免疫球蛋白A(IgA)、免疫球蛋白M(IgM)及免疫球蛋白G(IgG)含量均无显著差异(P>0.05),但杜泊羊血清中IL-2的浓度显著高于萨福克羊(P<0.05)。综上所述,在内蒙古冬季低温环境下,杜泊羊和萨福克羊全天心率显著低于蒙古羊,血清中ALT和AKP活性显著高于蒙古羊;杜泊羊血清中LDH活性显著低于萨福克羊,IL-2的含量显著高于萨福克羊。除AST活性超出正常范围,杜泊羊和萨福克羊其余血清生化指标均在正常范围内。说明在内蒙古低温环境下,杜泊羊和萨福克羊可以维持正常的生理状态,并较好地适应内蒙古地区的环境气候。     

6个绵羊群体骨形态蛋白受体1B基因多态性分析

试验旨在分析6个绵羊群体骨形态蛋白受体1B（bone morphogenetic protein receptor-1B，BMPR-1B）基因多态性，为绵羊繁殖力的标记辅助选择和育种提供理论依据。采集新吉细毛羊、中国美利奴羊（无角型）、东北细毛羊、杜×寒杂交羊（F1）、杜×寒杂交羊（F3）、白头杜泊羊6个绵羊群体共381只个体的血样，通过PCR-RFLP技术检测BMPR-1B基因多态性，并用DNAStar软件预测蛋白质二级结构，利用Excel 2003软件计算基因频率、基因型频率、Hardy-Weinberg平衡，以及遗传多样性参数（杂合度（He）、纯合度（Ho）、有效等位基因数（Ne）和多态信息含量（PIC））。结果显示，新吉细毛羊、东北细毛羊、中国美利奴羊（无角型）、白头杜泊羊BMPR-1B基因均不存在多态性；杜×寒杂交羊（F1）、杜×寒杂交羊（F3）具有多态性，存在3种基因型：++、B+和BB。杜×寒杂交羊（F1）χ²值达到显著水平，处于Hardy-Weinberg不平衡状态；杜×寒杂交羊（F3）χ²值未达到显著水平，处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态。杜×寒杂交羊（F1）、杜×寒杂交羊（F3）的PIC分别为0.311和0.264，为中度多态。推测BMPR-1B基因不是新吉细毛羊、东北细毛羊、中国美利奴羊（无角型）、白头杜泊羊4个绵羊群体多胎性状的主效基因，但可作为杜×寒杂交羊（F1）、杜×寒杂交羊（F3）多胎性状的主效基因。     

杜泊羊、萨福克羊与蒙古羊在低温环境下生理、血清生化指标及免疫性能的对比研究

本研究旨在阐明低温环境对杜泊羊和萨福克羊生产性能的影响,并进一步探究其影响机制,为内蒙古地区杜泊羊和萨福克羊引种改良、杂交利用提供数据参考。试验选取12月龄体重相近、健康无病的杜泊羊和萨福克羊各20只（公母各半）进行研究,蒙古羊20只（公母各半）作为对照,测定3种羊的生理、血清生化指标及免疫性能并做对比研究。结果显示：杜泊羊和萨福克羊体温、呼吸频率及心率全天均无显著差异（P>0.05）;与蒙古羊相比,杜泊羊和萨福克羊全天心率较低（P<0.05）,且杜泊羊上午的体温显著低于蒙古羊（P<0.05）,全天的呼吸频率显著高于蒙古羊（P<0.05）。杜泊羊和萨福克羊血清中谷丙转氨酶（ALT）、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性及三碘甲腺原氨酸（T₃）和甲状腺素（T₄）水平与蒙古羊无显著差异（P>0.05）,谷草转氨酶（AST）和碱性磷酸酶（AKP）活性显著高于蒙古羊（P<0.05）;萨福克羊的乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）活性显著高于杜泊羊和蒙古羊（P<0.05）。与蒙古羊相比,杜泊羊和萨福克羊血清白介素2（IL-2）、白介素4（IL-4）、免疫球蛋白A（IgA）、免疫球蛋白M（IgM）及免疫球蛋白G（IgG）含量均无显著差异（P>0.05）,但杜泊羊血清中IL-2的浓度显著高于萨福克羊（P<0.05）。综上所述,在内蒙古冬季低温环境下,杜泊羊和萨福克羊全天心率显著低于蒙古羊,血清中ALT和AKP活性显著高于蒙古羊;杜泊羊血清中LDH活性显著低于萨福克羊,IL-2的含量显著高于萨福克羊。除AST活性超出正常范围,杜泊羊和萨福克羊其余血清生化指标均在正常范围内。说明在内蒙古低温环境下,杜泊羊和萨福克羊可以维持正常的生理状态,并较好地适应内蒙古地区的环境气候。