Strategies for Using eFSH for Superovulating Mares

The standard treatment for superovulation of mares is to administer equine follicle-stimulating hormone (eFSH) for 4 to 5 days to stimulate multiple follicles and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce synchronous ovulations. Objectives of this study were: (1) to determine whether a short-term (3-day) eFSH treatment protocol would result in similar ovulation and embryo recovery rates compared with the standard eFSH protocol; (2) to determine the efficacy of a decreasing dose of eFSH (step-down protocol) on ovulation rate and embryo recovery; (3) to compare the efficacy of hCG and recombinant equine luteinizing hormone (reLH) for inducing ovulation in FSH-treated mares; and (4) to compare embryo recovery rates and embryo size when mares are flushed at 6.5 or 7.0 days after ovulation. Forty light-horse mares were used in 2005 (experiment 1) and 20 different mares were used in 2006 (experiment 2). In experiment 1, mares were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: (1) untreated controls, (2) standard eFSH treatment (12.5 mg intramuscularly twice daily), and (3) 3-day eFSH treatment. In experiment 2, mares were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: (1) untreated controls, (2) standard eFSH protocol, (3) 3-day eFSH treatment, and (4) step-down eFSH treatment (12.5 mg twice daily day 1, 8.0 mg twice daily day 2, 4.0 mg twice daily day 3). Within each treatment, mares were given either hCG (2,500 IU) or equine LH (750 mg, EquiPure LH; reLH) to induce synchronized ovulations. Embryo recovery was performed either 6.5 or 7.0 days after ovulation. In experiment 1, numbers of preovulatory follicles and ovulations were less for mares in the 3-day treatment group than the standard group, but were greater than for controls. Embryo recovery per flush was higher in the standard group (2.6) than the 3-day eFSH treatment (0.8) or control groups (0.8). In experiment 2, the number of preovulatory follicles and number of ovulations were greater in the standard and 3-day treatment groups than in control and step-down groups. The percent embryo recovery per ovulation and mean embryo grade were similar for all groups; however, the embryo recovery per flush was higher for mares in the standard treatment than controls (1.3 vs 0.6) but was similar to the 3-day (1.1) and step-down (0.8) treatments. Embryo recovery was similar for flushes performed on days 6.5 and 7.0 post-ovulation. The percentage of control mares ovulating within 48 hours in response to hCG or reLH was similar. In contrast, a higher percentage of eFSH-treated mares ovulated within 48 hours in response to reLH than hCG (92% vs 71%). In both years, the 3-day eFSH treatment protocol resulted in a greater number of preovulatory follicles and a greater number of ovulations than untreated controls. Unfortunately, the increased ovulation rate for mares administered eFSH for 3 days did not result in a greater number of embryos recovered per flush in either year. Use of a step-down eFSH treatment protocol resulted in fewer preovulatory follicles, fewer ovulations, and fewer embryos as compared with the standard eFSH treatment. In conclusion, the standard eFSH treatment resulted in a greater embryo recovery rate per cycle than either the 3-day or step-down treatment protocols. Recombinant equine LH was more effective than hCG in causing ovulation in eFSH-treated mares.     

A simple restrainer for sheep for abdominal radiography

The construction of a simple, portable restrainer for holding sheep in either the horizontal or vertical position for abdominal radiography is described. Examples of its use in locating slow-release pellets-and needles are given.     

多途径筛选数学审稿专家

新的数学分支学科和边缘学科不断涌现,并且同一研究方向也有很多更细的分支,其研究方法和对象有很大的区别。在选择审稿人的时候将其仔细区别,约请合适的审稿人,否则达不到很好的审稿效果。文中提出可以从整理编辑部资料、通过CNKI寻找审稿人、根据参考文献找审稿人及整理本校教师资料这四个方砸寻找合适的数学审稿人。     

Evaluation of strategies for selection for lean growth rate in pigs

Lean growth rate (LGR) in pigs is a nonlinear biological function of growth rate and lean quantity. According to animal breeding theory, genetic progress for LGR is maximized with selection on a linear index of its component traits, but selection on direct EBV for LGR is also common. In this study, the performance of five criteria for selection on estimated LGR in pigs was evaluated through simulation over five generations: linear indexes of multiple-trait EBV of component traits with or without updating index weights in each generation; a nonlinear index of multiple-trait EBV of component traits; and direct selection on EBV for LGR from a single-trait model or a multiple-trait model that included LGR and component traits. The nonlinear index yielded the highest response in LGR in Generation 5, but the linear index with updating performed almost as well. Not updating weights for the linear index reduced response in LGR by 1.1% in Generation 5 (P < 0.05). Direct selection on single-trait EBV for LGR yielded the lowest responses in Generation 5. Direct selection on EBV for LGR from a multiple-trait animal model yielded a 3.1% greater response in LGR in Generation 5 than direct selection on EBV for LGR based on a single-trait animal model (P < 0.05), but yielded a 1.9% lower response than the nonlinear index. Although differences in response in LGR were limited, alternative selection criteria resulted in substantially different responses in component traits. Linear index selection for LGR placed more emphasis on lean quantity, whereas direct selection for LGR emphasized growth rate. Based on the relative changes in the responses in LGR, selection for estimated LGR based on a nonlinear index or a linear index with updating is recommended for use in the swine industry.     

Opportunities for Increasing Utility of Models for Rangeland Management

A large number of empirical and mechanistic simulation models and decision support tools have been produced for rangelands. Collectively, these models have considerably increased our fundamental knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of ecosystem functions, processes, and structure. We explore three areas where models for rangeland management are often challenging for land managers and enterprise-level decision making: 1) coping with spatiotemporal and climatic variability in implementing scenario forecasting, risk assessments, and adaptive management; 2) addressing outputs of multiple ecosystem goods and services and determining whether they are synergistic or competitive; and 3) integrating experimental and experiential knowledge and observations into decision making. Increasing the utility of models for rangeland management remains a key frontier and a major research need for the modeling community and will be achieved less by further technical advances and model complexity and more by the use of existing topoedaphic databases, the capacity to readily incorporate new experimental and experiential knowledge, and the use of frameworks that facilitate outcome-based, adaptive decision making at the enterprise level with associated economic considerations. Opportunities exist for increasing the utility of models for decision making and adaptive rangeland management through better matching of model complexity with enterprise-level, decision-making goals. This could be accomplished by incorporating a fundamental understanding of herbivory, fire, and spatiotemporal interactions with weather patterns that affect multiple ecosystem functions. Most important, effective models would allow land managers in a changing and variable climate to 1) evaluate trade offs in producing multiple goods and services, 2) optimize the application of conservation practices spatially (comparing costs and benefits accrued across different timescales), and 3) incorporate manager capacity, including experience, skills, and labor input.     

Treatment strategies for digital dermatitis for the UK

Digital dermatitis is a worldwide disease causing lameness in cattle, especially when housed. Despite its widespread nature there are relatively few peer-reviewed articles providing experimental data concerning its treatment and control. At the risk of descending to anecdote, this review attempts to summarise the current state of knowledge. Three approaches to digital dermatitis treatment have been used: (1) systemic antibiotics, (2) individual topical treatment, and (3) mass topical therapy using a footbath. Systemic antibiotics have become a rare treatment because of their cost and perceived lack of efficacy. Individual topical treatment, mainly with antibiotic preparations, is the most commonly reported method. It is widely considered the treatment of choice by virtue of reliable information about efficacy, the advantage of precise targeting of antibiotic usage and the requirements of legislation. However, at least in the UK, mass treatment of digital dermatitis by foot bathing is commonly used on many farms. In some cases, for example with antibiotic footbath solutions, these treatments create legislative, health and safety and environmental difficulties. Despite the widespread use of many different treatments, there is a lack of good comparative data and the consequence is a very variable and somewhat anecdotal approach in the field. There is a pressing need for well-researched treatment strategies for different herd situations.     

Across-breed adjustment factors for expected progeny differences for carcass traits

Adjustment factors to allow comparison of EPD from several breed associations for birth, weaning, and yearling weights have been available for more than 10 yr. This paper describes steps to calculate adjustment factors for EPD for 4 carcass traits: marbling score, fat thickness, ribeye area, and retail product percentage. The required information is the same as for the weight traits: 1) breed of sire solutions based on measurements on progeny at the US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) that have sires with breed association EPD, 2) mean EPD of sires weighted by number of progeny at USMARC (USMARC progeny not included in breed association EPD), and 3) mean EPD of nonparents from breed associations (defined as animals born 2 yr prior to calculation of EPD). Records at USM-ARC are adjusted to 100% heterozygosity because the purpose of the adjustment factors is to allow prediction of performance of progeny of sires mated to other breeds of dam. A critical step is to adjust breed of sire solutions, which are based on an earlier sample of sires, to the equivalent of a sample from a more recent nonparent group using the difference between mean EPD from information sources 2) and 3). The difference is multiplied by the coefficient of regression of USMARC progeny on EPD of their sires. With weight traits, these coefficients are not greatly different from unity. With the carcass traits, 2 sets of coefficients can be used depending on whether the EPD are based on carcass or ultrasound measurements. The regression coefficients also reflect differences in conditions for USMARC progeny (all steers) and factors associated with breed association EPD. Only for marbling score and ribeye area were any estimates of the regression coefficients near unity. For other traits, the coefficients ranged from 1.65 to 2.82. The solutions for breed of sire, differences in mean EPD, and regression coefficients are then used to calculate adjustment factors for EPD of 11 breeds including the arbitrary base breed, Angus.     

Workshops propose national programme for veterinary helminthology for South Africa

A workshop was held at Onderstepoort on 2-3 July 1999 to set priorities in veterinary helminthology for South Africa. Representatives from 19 organisations attended. The workshop achieved 2 of its 3 aims, namely to identify the priority areas within the field and to set specific objectives to be achieved in addressing these needs. Seven strategies were proposed, namely, motivation, education, therapeutic, worm resistance, animal tolerance, biological control and diagnostic strategies. A follow-up session took place on 8 September 1999 and at this workshop and in subsequent meetings, preliminary action plans were developed for these strategies. It was felt that the proposed activities delineated by this process should form the basis for a National Programme for Veterinary Helminthology and a national forum is to be convened to encourage all stakeholders to consider, discuss and adopt these activities. The forum is scheduled to take place in April 2000.     

Comparison of methods for antimicrobial susceptibility testing and MIC values for pleuromutilin drugs for Brachyspira hyodysenteriae isolated in Germany

In Germany treatment of swine dysentery is hampered by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae strains showing elevated MIC values to the few antibiotics licensed. Therefore, susceptibility testing of clinical isolates is an important service to the swine practitioner. This study compares the established agar dilution procedure for antimicrobial susceptibility testing of this fastidious anaerobe to the broth microdilution test newly developed [Anim. Health Res. 2 (2001) 59; Vet. Microbiol. 84 (2002) 123; J. Clin. Microbiol. 41 (2003) 2596]. A total of 221 isolates were examined twice with either test procedure using tiamulin and valnemulin as antibiotics. Both methods gave reproducible results, and the MIC values for the reference strains B. hyodysenteriae B204 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 corresponded to previously published data. However, the results for individual strains differed significantly for both tests (P < 0.001) with MIC values being on average one dilution step lower in the broth dilution method. The 221 strains used for comparing test procedures were isolated between 1989 and 2001. An additional 102 strains isolated in 2002 were tested only with the broth dilution procedure. A significant rise in the average MIC value for both pleuromutilins could be demonstrated when comparing earlier isolates to those from 2000 to 2001 (P < 0.05), while in 2002 the average MIC significantly decreased when compared to the value in 2000 (P < 0.05). However, strains with MIC values for tiamulin as high as 8 microg/ml (broth dilution) could still be isolated.     

Requirement for additional treatment for dogs with atopic dermatitis undergoing allergen-specific immunotherapy

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is one of the main treatments for atopic dermatitis in dogs, but it often requires additional treatments such as antibacterial and antifungal therapy for secondary bacterial and yeast infections, or antipruritic drugs to control the clinical signs or treat the adverse effects of the immunotherapy. Twenty-seven dogs enrolled in a study of ASIT were clinically assessed four times over a period of nine months; their requirement for treatment for secondary bacterial and yeast infections, for the administration of glucocorticoids as additional antipruritic therapy, and for the treatment of any adverse effects of the ASIT were evaluated. Twenty (74 per cent) of the dogs were treated for superficial bacterial pyoderma, 18 (66.6 per cent) required treatment for Malassezia species dermatitis on one or more occasions, eight (29.6 per cent) required treatment for otitis externa due to Malassezia species or bacteria, and eight required glucocorticoids to control their clinical signs. Five (18.5 per cent) of the dogs experienced adverse effects due to the ASIT and two required treatment with antihistamines (H1 receptor antagonists) in order to continue with the ASIT.     

Nominees for AVA ballot

A total of six AVA members have formally nominated for the two positions to be contested in the coming election to choose a President-Elect and a member of the AVA Board. There are three candidates for President-Elect and four for the Board position (one nominee has chosen to contest both ballots). The candidates for President-Elect are: Tom Lonsdale, Norm Blackman and Ian Denney (a member of the current Board). The nominees for the Board are: Norm Blackman, Joanne Sillence, Breck Muir and Robert Baker. Each of the nominees was requested to submit a 200 to 300* word'biography for publication in this edition of the AVJ (see below) as a means of indicating to members why they are seeking support for the positions they are contesting.     

The ELISA for the examination of hare sera for anti-Brucella antibodies

Hare brucellosis is caused primarily by Brucella suis biovar 2. Hares along with wild boars are the natural reservoir of this microorganism. In view of restriction of applicability of traditional serological methods the work aimed to develop the ELISA to examine hare sera for the presence of anti-Brucella antibodies. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigen obtained from the strain S19 of Brucella abortus and the conjugate of antibodies against rabbit immunoglobulin with horseradish peroxidase were used in the test. Hares' sera positive and negative in the CFT were used as controls of the ELISA. The sera collected from 9 hares suspected to be infected with Brucella organisms, positive in CFT (in this number 7 hares revealed clinical symptoms or anathomopathological lesions characteristic of brucellosis), 6 sera from hares showing no symptoms of the disease, negative in CFT and 520 sera from hares monitored for brucellosis were tested. All serum samples from hares suspected for Brucella infection were positive in ELISA and 2 of them were negative in RBPT. Additionally among the samples from hares monitored 12 sera were positive in ELISA and CFT, whereas 9 sera from 12 ones were also positive in the RBPT. The obtained results indicated that the ELISA developed in our laboratory proved to be equivalent in specificity to CFT. In addition, ELISA proved to be more sensitive than RBPT for the diagnosis of Brucella infection in hares.     

N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase test for screening milk samples for subclinical mastitis.

The use of the N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) test for detecting subclinical mastitis was investigated in surveys of milk samples from 20 farms. A milk sample was considered to be mastitic if it had a milk cell count above 400,000 cells/ml, and the NAGase test results were graded accordingly. The test gave an average of 16.6 per cent false positives and 2.0 per cent false negatives per herd. It was concluded that the NAGase test could be used as a rapid screening method for selecting suspect samples for further analysis by standard methods.     

Antibiotic stewardship for reptiles

This review discusses the general principles underlying responsible antibiotic usage in reptiles. Very little evidence underlies antibiotic usage in reptiles, and there are no published guidelines for responsible antibiotic usage. A literature search was performed to review the evidence for bacterial involvement in the pathology of selected common diseases of reptiles, allowing the development of recommendations for responsible antibiotic treatment of those diseases.     

The scientific basis for establishing solubility criteria for veterinary species

The relationship between factors influencing the in vitro and in vivo drug solubilization is highly dependent upon the physiology of the individual animal species and the physico-chemical properties of the drug. The solubilization of a drug in an aqueous medium is controlled by the strength of the interaction between a molecule of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and the molecules of the solvent. In this regard, the stronger this interaction, the greater the likelihood that the drug will go into solution. Counteracting this solubilization process is the strength of the affinity of the solute for itself, or how tightly bound the compound is to its own solid state form. The stronger affinity of a solute for itself, the more difficult it will be for that molecule to go into solubility. However, solubility is not a universal value. Rather, it should be considered from the perspective of the interactions between the API in its solid form and the solution conditions such as: pH, the nature of the primary solvent, the presence of co-solvents, the presence of solubilizing additives, the ionic strength of the medium, incubation time, and temperature. Each of these factors needs to be considered when evaluating potential interspecies differences in drug solubility.     

Diagnostic techniques for dermatophytosis

This article reviews the use of common diagnostic tools for the identification and isolation of dermatophyte infections in small animals. The use of the Wood's lamp as a screening tool is discussed, along with its usefulness as an aid in the microscopic examination of hairs for fungal elements. Tests for the definitive diagnosis of dermatophytosis are highlighted and include: direct examination of hair for ectothrix spores, fungal cultures, and skin biopsy. Sampling techniques, procedures, and interpretation of test results are also detailed.     

Variance and covariance components for weaning weight for Herefords in three countries

Records from the Hereford Associations of the United States (USA), Canada, and Uruguay were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic variances and covariances for weaning weight. Estimation was done using a complete animal model, relatively large data sets, and the same methodology for the three countries in order to determine whether genetic parameters for weaning weight were homogeneous across environments. Data were composed of 2,322,722, 487,661, and 102,986 edited weaning weight records for USA, Canada, and Uruguay, respectively. Ten samples were obtained from each country by eliminating data from small herds with fewer than 500 records, selecting herds at random from the entire data set after removing the small herds, and then retaining the direct-sire-connected contemporary groups within each sample. The final sample sizes ranged from 9,832 to 46,377 records. An accelerated EM-REML algorithm was used in estimating the (co)variance components in each sample. The estimates were pooled by calculating the arithmetic mean of the 10 samples from within each country. Direct and maternal (in parentheses) heritability estimates were .24 (.16), .20 (.16), and .23 (.18) for USA, Canada, and Uruguay, respectively. Maternal heritabilities reported here are nearly 50% smaller than the values currently used in national genetic evaluation for the breed, which were estimated using sire-maternal grandsire models. Covariance between direct and maternal was negative in all countries, accounting for 6, 8, and 10% of the total phenotypic variation, and the total dam effect was 32.5, 37.0, and 34.0% in USA, Canada, and Uruguay, respectively. Total heritabilities were similar among the countries, with values of .19, .19, and .17 for the three respective countries. The similarity of genetic and environmental parameters across the three countries suggests that joint genetic evaluation is feasible across environments provided that the genotype x environment interaction is negligible and can be ignored.     

Advantages and guidelines for using ketamine for induction of anesthesia.

Ketamine in combination with a sedative or tranquilizer is a relatively safe and effective drug for intravenous induction of anesthesia in dogs and cats. If properly dosed, the combination can be used to induce anesthesia with minimal adverse cardiovascular effects, and it is a reasonable method for induction of anesthesia in patients with cardiac disease. If dosage is kept low, the rate of recovery is acceptable, and some of the drugs commonly used in the regimen with ketamine are reversible with appropriate antagonists.     

特殊医学用途婴儿配方食品中乳铁蛋白的检测

建立特殊医学用途婴儿配方食品中乳铁蛋白的高效液相色谱（high performance liquid chromatography,HPLC）检测方法。试样中的乳铁蛋白经磷酸盐缓冲液提取,肝素亲和柱净化后,用反相-HPLC分离,以0.1%三氟乙酸和乙腈作为流动相进行梯度洗脱,HPLC仪紫外检测器检测,外标法定量。结果表明：在乳铁蛋白质量浓度50～500 μg/mL范围内,检测结果呈现良好线性关系;该方法的检出限为5 mg/100 g,定量限为15 mg/100 g,平均回收率为93.9%;同一质量浓度乳铁     

Prevalence estimates for paratuberculosis adjusted for test variability using Bayesian analysis

The ELISA tests that are available to detect an infection with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) have a limited validity expressed as the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp). In many studies, the Se and Sp of the tests are treated as constants and this will result in an underestimation of the variability of the true prevalence (TP). Bayesian inference provided a natural framework for using information on the test variability (i.e., the uncertainty) in the estimates of test Se and Sp when estimating the TP.

Data from two prevalence studies for MAP using an ELISA in several regions in two locations were available for the analyses. In location 1, all cattle of at least 3 years of age were sampled in approximately 90 randomly sampled herds in each of the four regions of the country. In location 2, in 30 randomly sampled herds in each of three regions, approximately 30 randomly selected cows were sampled. Information about the unknown test Se and Sp and MAP prevalence was incorporated into a Bayesian model by joint prior probability distributions. Posterior estimates were obtained by combining the actual likelihood with the prior distributions using Bayes’ formula.

The corrected cow-level TP (proportion of infected cows in a herd) was low, 5.8 and 3.6% in locations 1 and 2, respectively. Certain regions within a location differed significantly in herd-level TP (proportion of infected herds). The herd-level TP was 54.3% in location 1 (95% credible interval (CI) 46.1, 63.3%) and 32.9% in location 2 (95% CI: 14.4, 73.3%). The variation in the herd-level TP estimate for location 2 was more than three times as large as the variation in location 1 mainly because of the relatively small number of investigated herds in location 2. In future prevalence studies for MAP, sample size calculations should be based on a very low cow-level prevalence. Approximately 50 and 90% of the herds in the current study had an estimated cow-level TP below 4 and 10%, respectively.