Flow injection analysis for the determination of urea in cow's milk

An inexpensive and easily automated flow injection method for determination of urea in cow’s milk was evaluated. Urea is hydrolysed by urease and in a gas diffusion cell the ammonia formed passes a membrane into an indicator solution. The resulting colour change of the indicator is measured at 590 nm.The repeatability of the analysis, expressed as the coefficient of variation (C.V.), was between 0.5 and 1.2%. Measured (y) and expected (x) milk urea concentrations after addition of known amounts of urea were related according to the equation y = 1.00× – 0.12 with a C.V. for the regression of 1.8%. Recommended amounts (0.02 %) of the preservative bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol) added to the milk did not affect the results (P > 0.05).     

Distribution of Serotypes of Group-B Streptococci in Herds and Cows Within an Area of Denmark

During a 3-year period strains of Group-B streptococci from 1227 (94.6 %) of a total of 1297 cases of bovine mastitis were serologically typed. Twenty-seven different antigenic combinations were found. Ab. 70 % of the strains carried polysaccharide antigens among which Type III was predominant (57 %). The protein antigen X was widespread (62 %), and 5 % of the strains were non-type able.Type Ic predominated among “false positive” bulk milk isolates (52.2 %, 12/23), but was rarely isolated from quarter milk samples (3%).Variation in the antigenic structure of infecting strains occurred to some extent and involved at least 10.8 % (132/1227) and probably 25.2 % (132/523) of the strains. Within a herd the antigenic variation was limited, however. Hence a definition of a herd type was possible. During the period of investigation infections caused by Herd Type III decreased numerically while the number of herds infected by other types remained almost stable.     

The Diurnal Variation of Urea in Cow’s Milk and how Milk Fat Content,Storage and Preservation Affects Analysis by a Flow Injection Technique

Six Swedish Red and White dairy cows, producing 20-39 kg of 4% fat-corrected milk were given a ration balanced in energy and protein. They had access to feed from 05.15 to 09.00 and from 13.00 to 16.30 and were milked at 06.15 and 15.30. The milk was analysed for urea with a FIA technique.There was a significant diurnal variation in milk urea. The highest values were found 3–5 h after the beginning of the morning feeding and the lowest values (down to 60% of the max. values) during late night. Within 1 h after the start of the morning feeding the urea values had increased significantly, but they had decreased within the same time after the start of the afternoon feeding. Since there was a pronounced diurnal variation in the milk fat content, the urea concentration was also recalculated to concentration in the water phase of the milk. It was higher in that phase, but the pattern of the diurnal variation was not changed significantly. However, analyses on milk with a very high fat content may give misleading results.There were no important differences in the milk urea concentration of different udder quarters. When calculated as concentration in the water phase of the milk, no differences in urea concentration were found between the beginning and the end of milking. The analytical method had a good precision (coefficient of variation max. 3%). The milk urea concentration was not changed significantly after storage during 10 days at 4°C when no preservative was added; but after 17 days the milk had turned sour and the urea value had increased. When a preservative (bronopole) was added the urea concentration remained unchanged during 17 days. Deepfreezing did not influence the urea concentration.     

Comparison of milk culture, direct and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with fecal culture based on samples from dairy herds infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiologic agent of Johne’s disease in cattle and other farm ruminants, and is also a suspected pathogen of Crohn’s disease in humans. Development of diagnostic methods for MAP infection has been a challenge over the last few decades. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between different methods for detection of MAP in milk and fecal samples. A total of 134 milk samples and 110 feces samples were collected from 146 individual cows in 14 MAP-infected herds in southwestern Ontario. Culture, IS900 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR methods were used for detecting MAP in milk; results were compared with those of fecal culture. A significant relationship was found between milk culture, direct PCR, and nested PCR (P < 0.05). The fecal culture results were not related to any of the 3 assay methods used for the milk samples (P > 0.10). Although fecal culture showed a higher sensitivity than the milk culture method, the difference was not significant (P = 0.2473). The number of MAP colony-forming units (CFU) isolated by culture from fecal samples was, on average, higher than that isolated from milk samples (P = 0.0083). There was no significant correlation between the number of CFU cultured from milk and from feces (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.1957, N = 63, P = 0.1243). The animals with high numbers of CFU in milk culture may not be detected by fecal culture at all, and vise versa. A significant proportion (29% to 41%) of the positive animals would be missed if only 1 culture method, instead of both milk and feces, were to be used for diagnosis. This suggests that the shedding of MAP in feces and milk is not synchronized. Most of the infected cows were low-level shedders. The proportion of low-level shedders may even be underestimated because MAP is killed during decontamination, thus reducing the chance of detection. Therefore, to identify suspected Johne’s-infected animals using the tests in this study, both milk and feces samples should be collected in duplicate to enhance the diagnostic rate. The high MAP kill rate identified in the culture methods during decontamination may be compensated for by using the nested PCR method, which had a higher sensitivity than the IS900 PCR method used.     

Screening for ketosis using multiple logistic regression based on milk yield and composition

Multiple logistic regression was applied to milk yield and composition data for 632 records of healthy cows and 61 records of ketotic cows in Hokkaido, Japan. The purpose was to diagnose ketosis based on milk yield and composition, simultaneously. The cows were divided into two groups: (1) multiparous, including 314 healthy cows and 45 ketotic cows and (2) primiparous, including 318 healthy cows and 16 ketotic cows, since nutritional status, milk yield and composition are affected by parity. Multiple logistic regression was applied to these groups separately. For multiparous cows, milk yield (kg/day/cow) and protein-to-fat (P/F) ratio in milk were significant factors (P<0.05) for the diagnosis of ketosis. For primiparous cows, lactose content (%), solid not fat (SNF) content (%) and milk urea nitrogen (MUN) content (mg/dl) were significantly associated with ketosis (P<0.01). A diagnostic rule was constructed for each group of cows: (1) 9.978 × P/F ratio + 0.085 × milk yield <10 and (2) 2.327 × SNF − 2.703 × lactose + 0.225 × MUN <10. The sensitivity, specificity and the area under the curve (AUC) of the diagnostic rules were (1) 0.800, 0.729 and 0.811; (2) 0.813, 0.730 and 0.787, respectively. The P/F ratio, which is a widely used measure of ketosis, provided the sensitivity, specificity and AUC values of (1) 0.711, 0.726 and 0.781; and (2) 0.678, 0.767 and 0.738, respectively.     

Urinary free metanephrines measurement in dogs with adrenal gland diseases using a new simple liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method

Measurement of urinary metanephrines in spot samples is used for the diagnosis of canine pheochromocytoma (PC). We describe a simple analytical method based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for measuring free metanephrine (MN) and normetanephrine (NMN) in spot urine samples. Using the developed method, we evaluated the stability of urinary free-MN and free-NMN at various storing conditions. In addition, we assessed the feasibility of urinary free-MN and -NMN measurement for diagnosing PC. Urine samples were mixed with stable isotope internal standards and thereafter purified by ultrafiltration. The purified samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode after separation on a multimode octa decyl silyl column. The coefficient of variation of free-MN and -NMN measurement was 7.6% and 5.5%, respectively. The linearity range was 0.5–10 µg/l for both analytes. Degradation was less than 10% for both analytes under any of the storage conditions. The median free-NMN ratio to creatinine of 9 PC dogs (595, range 144–47,961) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of 13 dogs with hypercortisolism (125, range 52–224) or 15 healthy dogs (85, range 50–117). The developed method is simple and may not require acidification of spot urine. The results of this preliminary retrospective study suggest that the measurement of urinary free metanephrines is a promising tool for diagnosing canine PC.     

Evaluation of an in-clinic Serum Amyloid A (SAA) assay and assessment of the effects of storage on SAA samples

Background

An in-clinic assay for equine serum amyloid A (SAA) analysis, Equinostic EVA1, was evaluated for use in a clinical setting. Stability of SAA in serum samples was determined.

Methods

Intra- and inter- assay variation of the in-clinic method was determined. The in-clinic method (EVA1) results were compared to a reference method (Eiken LZ SAA) with 62 patient samples. For samples with SAA concentrations within the assay range of EVA1 (10-270 mg/L), differences between the methods were evaluated in a difference plot. Linearity under dilution was evaluated in two samples. Stability of SAA in three serum pools stored at 4°C and approximately 22°C was evaluated with the reference method day 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 17 and analysed with a two-way ANOVA.

Results

The imprecision (coefficient of variation, CV) for the in-clinic method was acceptable at higher SAA concentrations with CV values of 7,3-12%, but poor at low SAA concentrations with CV values of 27% and 37% for intra- and inter-assay variation respectively. Recovery after dilution was 50-138%. The in-clinic assay and the reference method identified equally well horses with low (<10 mg/L) and high (>270 mg/L) SAA concentrations. Within the assay range of the in-clinic method, 10-270 mg/L, the difference between the two methods was slightly higher than could be explained by the inherent imprecision of the assays. There were no significant changes of serum SAA concentrations during storage.

Conclusions

The in-clinic assay identified horses with SAA concentrations of <10 mg/L and >270 mg/L in a similar way as the reference method, and provided an estimate of the SAA concentration in the range of 10-270 mg/L. The imprecision of the in-clinic method was acceptable at high SAA concentrations but not at low concentrations. Dilution of samples gave inconsistent results. SAA was stable both at room temperature and refrigerated, and thus samples may be stored before analysis with the reference method.     

Effect of dietary phosphorus content on milk production and phosphorus excretion in dairy cows

Background

Phosphorus (P) supplementation is costly and can result in excess P excretion. This study investigated the effects of reducing dietary P on milk production and P excretion in dairy cows over a full lactation.

Method

Forty-five multiparous Holstein dairy cows were divided into 15 blocks according to expected calving date and previous milk yield, and assigned randomly to one of the three dietary treatments: 0.37, 0.47, and 0.57% P (DM basis); these P levels represent the NRC recommendations, Chinese recommendations, and the amount of dietary P commonly fed by Chinese dairy farmers, respectively. Average daily feed intake was calculated from monthly data on feed offered and refused. Milk yields of individual cows were recorded weekly, and milk samples were taken for analysis of protein, fat, solids-not-fat, lactose, and somatic cell count. Blood samples were collected on days −6, −3, 0, 3, 6 relative to calving, and then monthly throughout lactation, and analyzed for P and Ca concentrations. Spot samples of feces and urine were collected for 3 consecutive d during weeks 12, 24, and 36, and P concentrations were analyzed. Reproduction and health data were recorded.

Results

Dietary P did not affect dry matter intake or milk yield (P > 0.10). Milk fat content was slightly higher in cows fed 0.37% P than in cows fed 0.47% P (P = 0.05). Serum concentrations of P and Ca did not reflect dietary P content (P > 0.10). Fecal and urinary P both declined linearly (P < 0.05) as dietary P decreased from 0.57 to 0.37%. Fecal P content was 25% less when dietary P was 0.37% compared to 0.57%. Health events and reproductive performance were not associated with dietary P content (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Lowering dietary P from 0.57 to 0.37% did not negatively affect milk production, but did significantly reduce P excretion into environment.     

A field study on the effects of dietary monensin on milk production and milk composition in dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of 16 ppm of dietary monensin on milk production and composition of dairy cows, and to investigate factors having a potential impact on this effect. Data were generated from a total of 3577 Holstein dairy cows (47 herds) in Quebec enrolled in a herd-level, randomized clinical trial investigating the effects of monensin supplementation. Milk production and composition data were collected from monthly dairy herd improvement (DHI) testing. Monensin increased milk production by 0.9 kg/cow/d in cows under 150 days in milk (DIM) (P < 0.05). Monensin decreased milk fat percentage by 0.18 percentage points during the whole lactation (P < 0.05). This decreasing effect was larger for component-fed cows (P < 0.05) and for cows being fed low levels of dietary physically effective particles (P < 0.05) when compared respectively to cows fed total mixed ration and cows fed high levels of dietary physically effective particles. The results of this study suggest that monensin influences milk production and milk composition of dairy cows, and that diet composition and feeding system influence those effects.     

β-Lactoglobulin Phenotypes in Finnish Ayrshire and Friesian Cattle with Special Reference to Mastitis Indicators

An unselected material consisting of composite milk samples from 1029 Ayrshire and 113 Friesian cows were analysed for the β-lactoglobulin types. The frequencies of β-Lg types were AA 8.3 %, AB 45.5% and BB 46.3 % for Ayrshire cows and 22.1 %, 45.1 % and 32.8 % for Friesian cows, respectively. The relationship between β-Lg type with milk BSA, somatic cell count, protein percentage, fat percentage and milk production were analysed. AA cows were significantly higher in daily milk yield but lower in protein percentage and fat percentage than BB cows; AB types were intermediate. The annual production was highest in AB-animals. There was a tendency for AA cows to have high somatic cell counts but low milk BSA concentrations.β-lactoglobulins; milk BSA; somatic cell count; bovine mastitis; bovine milk; milk proteins.     

A field study on the usefulness of milk progesterone determination to confirm estrus and pregnancy of dairy cows in the Fraser Valley area of British Columbia

A field study was conducted to determine the usefulness of milk progesterone determination at the time of breeding to confirm estrus and at 21 days postbreeding to detect open cows. Twenty-seven dairy farmers collaborated in this study by providing milk samples on the day of breeding and 21 days later, together with pregnancy diagnosis data and information on herd reproductive management. Herd size ranged from 15 to 175 cows, the average being 65 milking cows. Six hundred and sixty-seven breeding-day samples and 472, 21-day samples were provided by the farmers. Analysis of milk samples for progesterone by a solid phase radioimmunoassay showed that only 32 (4.8%) of the services were performed when the cow was not in estrus (progesterone > 1 ng/mL). Of the 472, 21-day samples, 337 (71%) showed progesterone levels of > 1 ng/mL, while 135 (29%) showed progesterone levels of < 1 ng/mL. Subsequently, 243 (72%) of the cows with progesterone > 1 ng/mL and eight (6%) of the cows with progesterone < 1 ng/mL were diagnosed pregnant by transrectal palpation, giving a pregnancy rate of 53%. Progesterone concentration on the day of breeding was not associated with season or herd size. However, progesterone concentration at 21 days and pregnancy rate were associated with herd size. These results indicate that fertillzation failure and/or early embryonic mortality, rather than inaccurate detection of estrus, are the major reproductive problems encountered by the dairy farmers in British Columbia. Furthermore, progesterone values at 21 days were closely related to reproductive status and indicate the usefulness of milk progesterone assay for the early detection of open cows.     

The usefulness of determining urea levels and the acidity of milk for evaluating protein nutrition in cows

Samples of blood, urine and milk were examined in 94 clinically healthy cows of 10 herds. The average milk samples and the feed ration used in these herds were also examined. The determination of urea concentration and milk acidity was evaluated as to its suitability for the assessment of the protein-glycide ratio and acid-base activity of feed ration. The determination of urea content in an average milk sample was found to be an expeditious procedure. The results of this examination can be used for the evaluation of the protein supply to cows with the same reliability as the determination of serum urea. The passage of urea from serum to milk was proportional. The correlation coefficient for the relation of both parameters was statistically highly significant (r = 0.940). According to the calculated equation of regression line (f2 = 0.734 + 0.669 X f1), the values from 2.94 to 4.10 mmol/l are approximately adequate to the reference range of serum urea from 3.30 to 5.00 mmol/l in milk used in Czechoslovakia. The acidity of milk was found to have a low sensitivity for being used with success for the determination of the acid-base activity of feed ration. The examination of the net acid-base urinary output cannot be replaced by the determination of milk acidity.     

Response of lactating dairy cows fed different supplemental zinc sources with and without evaporative cooling to intramammary lipopolysaccharide infusion: metabolite and mineral profiles in blood and milk

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of evaporative cooling and dietary supplemental Zn source on blood metabolites, insulin and mineral concentrations, and milk mineral concentrations following intramammary lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion. Seventy-two multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to one of four treatments with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments included two environments: with or without evaporative cooling using fans and misters over the freestall and feedbunk, and two dietary sources of supplemental Zn: 75 mg/kg of dry matter (DM) supplied by Zn hydroxychloride (inorganic Zn; IOZ) or Zn hydroxychloride (35 mg of Zn/kg of DM) + Zn–Met complex (ZMC; 40 mg of Zn/kg of DM). A subset of cows (n = 16; 263 ± 63 d in milk) was infused with 10 μg of LPS or a saline control in the left or right rear quarters on day 34 of the environmental treatment. Individual milk samples collected from LPS-infused quarters at −4, 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 144 h relative to infusion were analyzed for minerals. Blood samples were collected at the same time with an additional sample collected at 3 h post-infusion to analyze glucose, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), insulin, and minerals. Cooling by time interactions (P ≤ 0.07) were observed for plasma glucose, NEFA, and serum insulin. Compared with cooled cows, non-cooled cows had lower concentrations of plasma glucose except at 3 h following intramammary LPS infusion, greater serum insulin at 3 and 12 h, and lower plasma NEFA at 24 and 48 h after infusion. Relative to cooled cows, non-cooled cows tended (P = 0.07) to have lower serum K concentration and had lower (P < 0.01) serum Zn 6 h following infusion (cooling by time interaction: P < 0.01). Relative to ZMC cows, IOZ cows had greater (P ≤ 0.09) concentrations of plasma Se, skim milk Na and Se, and skim milk Na to K ratio. Regardless of treatment, intramammary LPS infusion reduced (P < 0.01) serum or plasma concentrations of Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, and Se, but increased (P < 0.01) their concentration in skim milk. In conclusion, deprivation of cooling resulted in more rapid and prolonged insulin release and influenced the systemic and mammary mineral metabolism during mammary inflammation induced by LPS of lactating dairy cows. Dietary supplementation of Zn–Met complex reduced blood and milk Se concentrations compared with cows fed Zn from an inorganic source.     

Evaluation of an automated colorimetric assay for the measurement of lipase activity in canine sera.

An automated colorimetric method for determining lipase activity in canine sera was evaluated for precision, linearity and correlation to existing assay methods. The colorimetric method was a commercial reagent that used a series of enzymatic reactions based on the hydrolysis of 1,2 diglyceride by pancreatic lipase. Within-run and between-run coefficients of variation were < 6.8% and < 8.3%, respectively. Linearity was determined to be at least 1366 U/L. Canine serum lipase concentrations attained using the colorimetric method were compared to both titrimetric and dry-film methods for measuring serum lipase activity, resulting in significant (P < or = 0.05) correlation coefficients of 0.92 and 0.77, respectively. Canine serum lipase concentrations measured using the colorimetric assay on 2 different automated analyzers had a significant (P < or = 0.05) correlation coefficient of 0.92. A laboratory reference range using serum samples from 56 healthy dogs (0-561 U/L) was established. There were no significant (P < or = 0.05) differences in mean serum lipase concentrations comparing male and female dogs or comparing young dogs (< or = 3 y) to mature (4-7 y) and older (> 7 y) dogs using this assay. It was concluded that the automated colorimetric assay was a reliable indicator of canine serum lipase activity and offered several advantages, including small sample volume and short analysis time.     

Antimicrobial residues in milk. Comparison of different agar diffusion methods

Different agar diffusion methods were compared in order to find a sensitive method for the detection of various antimicrobial residues in milk. A total of 588 producer milk samples were analyzed using subsets of the most sensitive methods.With the IDF method, 2 positive cases (0.34 %) appeared among the producer milk samples, with the Thermocult method 13 positive cases (2.21 %) and with the Test agar pH 8 method with trimethoprim and glucose 4 positive cases (0.68 %). A combination of the IDF method and the Test agar pH 8 method resulted in 6 positive cases (1.02 %) and a combination of the Thermocult method and the Test agar pH 8 method in 17 positive cases (2.89 %). With penicillinase 41 % of the positive cases were identified as β-lactam antibiotics and with p-aminobenzoic acid 18 % of the positive cases were identified as sulphonamides. 41 % of the positive cases remained unexplained.The best combination for the detection of antimicrobial agents in milk seems to be that of the Thermocult method and the Test agar pH 8 method with trimethoprim and glucose.     

Bulk milk urea concentrations and their relationship with cow fertility in grazing dairy herds in southern Chile

Milk urea determination is being used as a broad indicator of protein/energy imbalance in dairy herds. The main purpose of this study was to compare blood and bulk milk urea values in grazing herds, to evaluate their seasonal variation under South Chilean conditions, and to examine their potential relationships with herd fertility. The association between herd blood urea concentration (mean of seven lactating cows) and bulk milk urea concentration (tank containing milk from the previous 24 h) was determined in 21 diary herds. Reference values, seasonal and herd variance, and the frequency of herds with values outside a range of 2.5 to 7.3 mmol/l were determined in bulk milk samples obtained monthly for a period of one year from 82 suppliers at two creameries located in southern Chile. Finally, bulk milk urea was measured every two weeks in samples from 24 herds, and the first service conception rate (FSCR) from 2153 dairy cows was determined. Mean bulk urea concentration was highly correlated with mean herd blood urea concentration (r = 0.95; p < 0.01). Mean urea concentration in the bulk milk samples obtained during one year from 82 herds was 4.9 +/- 1.2 mmol/l, with a range of 1.5 to 11.6 mmol/l. The highest values were found during spring and the lowest values during the summer. There was a high seasonal variation (CV = 13-47%) and between-herd variation (CV = 20-31%). Out of a total of 984 samples, 5.4% had urea values > 7.3 mmol/l and 3.8% had values < 2.5 mmol/l. Of the 82 herds, 27% had values outside the reference interval (2.5-7.3 mmol/l) on two or more occasions. FSCR was lower in herds when the bulk milk urea was > 7.3 mmol/l (50.7%) than in cows, where the urea concentration was < 5.0 mmol/l (73.8%) at the time of insemination. The study concluded that bulk milk urea concentrations provided information similar to herd blood urea concentrations in local grazing dairy herds. There was a high frequency of herds with abnormal values, with large variations between herds and between seasons. Increased milk urea concentrations during spring were associated with lower conception rates.     

The impact of genetic merit on ewe performance and efficiency parameters

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ewe genetic merit on ewe performance and efficiency parameters. The study consisted of three genetic merit groups (New Zealand [NZ], High Irish, and Low Irish) and ran from 2016 to 2019, inclusive. Each genetic merit group contained 30 purebred Suffolk and 30 purebred Texel ewes, which were selected based on their maternal genetic indexes in their country of origin, namely Ireland (€uro-star Replacement index) or New Zealand (New Zealand Maternal worth). Ewe body condition score (BCS), ewe body weight (BW), milk yield, milk composition, dry matter intake (DMI), and efficiency parameters were all analyzed using linear mixed models. Ewe BW was similar across all genetic merit groups at each time point (P > 0.05). In comparison to both High and Low Irish ewes, NZ ewes had a higher BCS at mating, mid-pregnancy, lambing, week 10 post-lambing (PL, P < 0.05). Ewe BW change was similar across genetic merit groups, except between mating and mid-pregnancy where ewe BW loss was greater for NZ ewes than Irish ewes (P < 0.05) and between weeks 6 PL and 10 PL, where NZ ewes gained BW and High and Low Irish ewes lost BW (P < 0.01). Ewe milk yield, milk fat, total solids, and gross energy content were superior for milk produced by NZ ewes at week 6 PL in comparison to milk produced by High Irish and Low Irish ewes (P < 0.01). NZ ewes produced a greater quantity of milk solids/kg of BW at week 6 PL compared with High Irish ewes (P < 0.01), whereas Low Irish ewes did not differ from either NZ or High Irish (P > 0.05). Low Irish ewes had a greater daily DMI than High Irish ewes in late lactation (week 10 PL, P < 0.05) and had a greater DMI/kg of ewe BW compared with the High Irish ewes at the same time point (P < 0.05). NZ ewes weaned a litter BW equivalent to 60.4% of their mating BW, which was more than the Low Irish ewes who weaned 57.1% of the ewe’s BW at mating (P < 0.01), whereas the High Irish ewes did not differ from either the NZ or Low Irish ewes at 59.3% of the ewe’s BW at mating (P > 0.05). This study presents a range of parameters across ewes of high and low genetic merit, demonstrating the ability to achieve gains through selection of animals of high genetic merit. Sheep producers should consider genetic indexes as a tool to assist in the decision-making process of selecting replacement ewes and/or breeding rams, once satisfied the animal is correct, and meeting the breeding objectives of the system.     

Quantitative Comparisons of Acidic Prealbumin (Pr) Phenotypes in Horses

Comparisons of Pr protein amounts in horse sera have been performed using Mancini et al.’s (1965) immunodiffusion technique. Relative values against a chosen standard of 100 % were determined for a total of 435 horses.There was considerable variation between horses, the highest Pr value being 125 % and the lowest 50 % of the standard. In animals of the same Pr phenotype the mean Pr values were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in foals than in mares. In Norwegian Trotter horses the Pr value of Pr NN animals was significantly higher than that of Pr SS phenotypes, whereas the mean Pr values of Pr SS was significantly higher than that of Pr UU Warmblood Trotter horses, the Pr value of Pr SS being 90 % and the Pr-UU 80 % of that of Pr NN.No difference between sexes with regard to Pr values was found.     

Evaluation of a portable test system for assessing endotoxin activity in raw milk

The aim of the present study was to compare endotoxin activities detected in raw milk samples obtained from cattle by a commercially available portable test system (PTS) and traditional microplate limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL)-based assay, which determined activities using a kinetic turbidimetric (KT) assay. Raw milk samples were obtained from 53 and 12 dairy cattle without and with clinical mastitis, respectively. Comparison between the KT and PTS was performed by the Friedman test. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate associations between any two continuous variables. Linear regression model analysis was also performed to obtain the equation describing the relationship between PTS and KT assay. The endotoxin activities detected in 200- or 400-fold diluted milk samples were similar between PTS and KT assay, whereas a significant difference was observed in 100-fold diluted milk (P<0.001). The results obtained from 200- (r²=0.778, P<0.001) and 400-fold diluted milk samples (r²=0.945, P<0.001) using PTS correlated with those using KT assay. The median milk endotoxin activities in Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinical mastitis cows were 0.655 and 11,523.5 EU/ml, respectively. The results of the present study suggest that PTS as a simple and easy test to assess endotoxin activity in raw milk is efficient, simple and reproducible.