Studies on Diarrhea in Neonatal Calves: The Plasma Proteins of Normal and Diarrheic Calves During the First Ten Days of Age

The concentration of serum proteins and plasma fibrinogen were determined in 151 normal and 49 diarrheic calves at intervals from birth to ten days of age. There were significant differences in the concentrations of the various serum proteins in normal calves when the results were analysed at six age intervals. There was no significant relationship between the concentration of the various proteins and the season of the year.

Of the diarrheic calves, those that died had significantly lower gamma globulin concentrations than the other calves. Severely diarrheic and dehydrated calves had significantly increased serum albumin and alpha glabulin concentrations and decreased gamma globulin concentrations. No significant variation occurred in total serum protein concentration. Plasma fibrinogen concentrations were similar in normal and diarrheic calves.

     

全混合日粮对断奶后期犊牛生长发育的影响

本试验主要探讨全混合日粮（TMR）对断奶后期犊牛生长发育的影响。试验选取40头3月龄断奶后体重、体型均一的健康母犊牛随机分为试验组（TMR饲养）和对照组（传统饲养）,分别在4、5、6月龄进行体重和体尺的测量。结果显示,TMR对断奶犊牛的生长发育有加快的趋势,阶段末体重和日增重与对照组相比差异均极显著（P＜0.01）;5、6月龄阶段犊牛体尺指标,与对照组相比影响达显著水平（P＜0.05）,表明TMR饲喂模式比传统饲养更有利于断奶后犊牛早期生长发育。     

Quantitative Physicochemical Analysis of Acid‐Base Balance and Clinical Utility of Anion Gap and Strong Ion Gap in 806 Neonatal Calves with Diarrhea

Background

Acid‐base abnormalities in neonatal diarrheic calves can be assessed by using the Henderson‐Hasselbalch equation or the simplified strong ion approach which use the anion gap (AG) or the strong ion gap (SIG) to quantify the concentration of unmeasured strong anions such as d‐lactate.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To determine and compare the clinical utility of AG and SIG in quantifying the unmeasured strong anion charge in neonatal diarrheic calves, and to examine the associations between biochemical findings and acid‐base variables by using the simplified strong ion approach. We hypothesized that the SIG provides a more accurate prediction of unmeasured strong anions than the AG.

Animals

Eight hundred and six neonatal diarrheic calves admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital.

Methods

Retrospective study utilizing clinicopathologic findings extracted from medical records.

Results

Hyperphosphatemia was an important predictor of venous blood pH. Serum inorganic phosphorus and plasma d‐lactate concentrations accounted for 58% of the variation in venous blood pH and 77% of the variation in AG and SIG. Plasma d‐ and total lactate concentrations were slightly better correlated with SIG (r _s  = −0.69; −0.78) than to AG (r _s = 0.63; 0.74).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Strong ion gap is slightly better at quantifying the unmeasured strong anion concentration in neonatal diarrheic calves than AG. Phosphorus concentrations should be included as part of the calculation of A _tot when applying the simplified strong ion approach to acid‐base balance to critically ill animals with hyperphosphatemia.     

Evaluation of a Rapid Reagent Strip Test for Blood Glucose Determination in Diarrheic Calves

Sixty-three blood samples from 10 diarrheic calves were tested for glucose concentration by two methods. Plasma glucose concentration was measured by the conventional glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase method in the clinical laboratory, and the results compared to those obtained using a rapid reagent strip test for blood glucose concentration measurement. The rapid reagent strip test result could not be used to make an accurate prediction of the actual plasma glucose concentration as determined by the conventional method, due to the wide variability in actual plasma glucose concentrations corresponding to each rapid test result.     

单舍单犊饲养模式提高腹泻犊牛成活率的回顾性分析

为探讨单舍单犊饲养模式对犊牛成活率、腹泻发生率和死亡率的影响,采用回顾性队列研究方法,对两个饲养条件类似牛场2013—2018年的犊牛腹泻资料进行统计学分析.结果显示:采用单舍单犊饲养模式的A场与对照B场的犊牛成活率分别为98.11％(468/477)、70.83％(306/432),OR=0.047(95％CI,0....     

Evaluation of the Total Carbon Dioxide Apparatus and pH Meter for the Determination of Acid-Base Status in Diarrheic and Healthy Calves

Three simple tests of acid-base status were evaluated for field use. Blood samples were collected from 20 diarrheic and 24 healthy calves less than six weeks of age. One sample was collected anaerobically and immediately analyzed on a blood gas analyzer. The other samples were used for measurement of blood and serum pH using a pH meter and pH paper, and for serum total carbon dioxide (TCO₂) using a TCO₂ apparatus. The TCO₂ apparatus gave the best results and would be useful in the field. TCO₂ apparatus measurements had a high correlation, r=0.91, with blood gas analyzer blood bicarbonate values. Healthy calves have a serum TCO₂ content of 30 mmol/L and bicarbonate requirements for correcting metabolic acidosis in diarrheic calves can be calculated:

Bicarbonate required (mmol) = (30-TCO₂) × Body Weight × 0.6 This can be converted to grams of sodium bicarbonate by dividing by 12.

     

断奶犊牛瘤胃微生物区系建立和发育的影响因素

瘤胃微生物区系对瘤胃行使正常的反刍消化功能起着重要作用。犊牛瘤胃在尚未发育阶段,其瘤胃中含有的微生物在断奶期间会受多种因素影响而发生巨大变化,且逐步建立并发育形成成熟的瘤胃微生物区系。稳定完善的微生物区系的建立有利于获得后期产奶潜力和饲料利用率的最大化,因此深入探讨犊牛断奶期间瘤胃微生物区系建立发育的影响因素对科学研究和实际生产至关重要。本文综述了断奶期间犊牛瘤胃微生物区系建立与发育的过程及其影响因素,从而为犊牛早期科学饲养管理、营养调控以及断奶期间的精细养殖提供参考依据。     

Risk Factors for the Development of Haemorrhagic Anovulatory Follicles in the Mare

Haemorrhage into the dominant follicle during the reproductive season is a subtle but definitive cause of infertility in the mare population. This condition however can be of high relevance for an individual in which its incidence is abnormally high. Little is known about the nature and factors affecting the incidence of haemorrhagic anovulatory follicles (HAFs) in the mare. The objectives of the study were to define and characterize the ultrasonographic development and incidence of HAFs and to investigate possible risk factors influencing its occurrence. Detailed reproductive and ultrasound records of seven mares studied during their entire reproductive lives (>10 years and 612 oestrous cycles) were analysed retrospectively and computed into a statistical mixed model. Of all animal studied, two mares were found to have an unusually high incidence of HAFs of approximately 25%. Time of season and use of induction treatments (Cloprostenol) were found to influence its incidence. It appears that early‐enhanced stimulatory effect of LH on an ovary with the presence of small and immature follicles might increase the risk of ovulatory failure of those follicles later in the cycle. Mares during the months of highest follicular activity (May to August) and after treatment with hormones to induce oestrus and ovulation are at greater risk to develop HAFs. The potential relevance of this study is two folds: clinical relevance for the practitioner to better understand this condition and so improve reproductive management of mares with abnormally high incidence; and to provide useful insights for researchers willing to further investigate the nature of this phenomenon.     

Comparison of three markers for the determination of bacterial protein in terminal ileal digesta in the growing pig

The aim of the study was to compare three methods commonly used to determine the concentrations of bacterial protein in digesta collected from the terminal ileum of growing pigs that had been fed a casein‐based diet. The amounts of bacterial protein in terminal ileal digesta were determined using three different markers: 2.6‐diaminopimelic acid (DAPA) and the d ‐amino acids, d ‐aspartic acid (d ‐Asp) and d ‐glutamic acid (d ‐Glu). The effectiveness of each marker was compared against a control based on physical fractionation by centrifugation. The total bacterial protein concentrations derived from the markers d ‐Asp and d ‐Glu were significantly different (p = 0.05) to those calculated from DAPA and the control, but there was no difference between DAPA and the control. The percentage of bacterial nitrogen ranged from 40% to 52% dependent on the marker used. Bacterial protein expressed as a percentage of the total protein, ranged from 48% to 62%, a substantial proportion of which (12–28%) was derived from lysed bacterial cells. Statistical correlations between the estimation methods were low. Such poor correlation between the markers may be the result of random errors such as variance in the epimerization of the two d ‐amino acids during protein hydrolysis. DAPA was accepted as a reliable marker for determining microbial protein in ileal digesta.     

初乳对犊牛胃肠道、内分泌和代谢的影响

犊牛在出生后一段时期内消化道、代谢和内分泌的变化十分明显。消化初乳和常乳的能力需要胃肠道特殊的结构和功能。初乳的成分在哺乳期开始后发生变化。初乳的摄入对被动免疫和营养素的供给非常重要。此外,初乳中还含有对犊牛生长起重要作用的激素、生长因子、细胞分裂素、多胺和核苷。血清中的必需氨基酸的模式和谷氨酸盐/谷氨酸酯的比例也依赖于是否饲喂初乳和喂初乳的时间。初乳喂养的时间和数量对激素有相当大的影响。本文综述了有关初乳对胃肠道、内分泌和代谢作用的研究进展。     

Use of an Endoscopic Suturing Device for Laparoscopic Resection of the Apex of the Bladder and Umbilical Structures in Normal Neonatal Calves

OBJECTIVE: To develop a laparoscopic technique using an endoscopic suturing device for the resection of the apex of the bladder and the umbilical structures in large-animal neonates. Study Design-Experimental study. Animals or Sample Population-Seven healthy male Holstein calves. METHODS: A laparoscopic technique for resection of the apex of the bladder was developed on 2 calf cadavers, then evaluated on 5 anesthetized calves. The calves were positioned in dorsal recumbency, and 4 ventral abdominal portals were used. The umbilical vessels were double-ligated using an endoscopic suturing device and subsequently transected. The apex of the bladder was transected between a row of laparoscopic clips applied near the apex and atraumatic laparoscopic forceps applied distally; then, the edges were apposed using an endoscopic suturing device. The dissected umbilical remnants were removed from the abdomen through a small incision centered at the umbilicus. One month later, the calves were euthanatized and a second-look laparoscopy performed; then, bladders were collected for gross and histologic examination. RESULTS: No major complications occurred during or after surgery. The endoscopic suturing device permitted both effective ligation of the umbilical vessels and closure of the bladder. During second-look laparoscopy, healing of the peritoneal surface of the bladder and umbilical vessels was assessed to be excellent in 4 calves. A focal adhesion of omentum to the bladder suture line was observed in 1 calf. Focal adhesions of the omentum to the umbilical incision site occurred in 2 calves. The bladder mucosa was completely healed at the surgical sites. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Resection of the apex of the bladder and umbilical vessels in calves can be accomplished laparoscopically using an endoscopic suturing device.     

Evaluation of the Accutrend for lactate measurement in dogs

BACKGROUND: Lactate concentrations are increasingly quantified in dogs using point-of-care instruments, but often without canine-specific method evaluation and instrument-specific reference intervals. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to 1) determine the precision of the Accutrend (Roche Diagnostics) for lactate determination in dogs, 2) determine the accuracy of the Accutrend using the Rapidlab 865 (Bayer Diagnostics) as the reference method, and 3) establish and compare reference intervals for lactate concentration in clinically healthy dogs for both instruments. METHODS: Precision was evaluated using low and high control materials, and variable (1 drop) and fixed (25 microL) sample volumes. Accuracy was determined by comparing lactate concentrations obtained with the Accutrend with those from the Rapidlab 865 in 273 heparinized canine jugular venous blood samples from 100 clinically healthy dogs and 107 systemically ill dogs (173 samples). Lactate reference intervals were established for both analyzers using data from the 100 clinically healthy dogs. RESULTS: The precision of the Accutrend was good (coefficients of variation, < or = 5.3%) for 25-microL samples but not when a drop was used. Lactate concentrations obtained on the Accutrend correlated poorly with those from the Rapidlab 865 (r = 0.864, mean bias = 0.66 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57-0.76 with 95% limits of agreement = -0.87 (lower limit, 95% CI = -1.03 to -0.71) and 2.20 (upper limit, 95% CI = 2.04 to 2.36). The reference interval for canine lactate concentration on the Accutrend was 1.2-3.1 mmol/L compared with 0.46-2.31 mmol/L on the Rapidlab. CONCLUSION: Although precision was good with fixed sample volumes, blood lactate concentrations obtained on the Accutrend were significantly different than those on the Rapidlab 865, with systematic and random errors resulting in a positive bias. Further evaluation of the Accutrend is required before its use in dogs can be recommended.