The effects of trienbolone acetate on carcass composition,conformation and skeletal growth of Turkeys

1. The carcasses of 66‐ and 73‐d‐old stag turkeys implanted with 20 mg trienbolone acetate (TA) at 49 d of age were analysed and the results compared with those of untreated controls.

2. Treatment with TA improved growth, increased carcass moisture and tended to decrease carcass fat and ash; protein content was not altered by implantation.

3. Treatment with TA produced a marked improvement in efficiency of conversion of dietary protein to carcass protein.

4. Carcass formation of 70‐ and 77‐d‐old turkeys of both sexes implanted with 20 mg TA at 49 d of age was not markedly different from that of controls in terms of the relative proportions of the major body components nor in relative skeletal proportions.

5. Implantation with TA reduced linear and appositional skeletal growth both relative to soft tissue growth and relative to skeletal growth of control turkeys.

6. The rate of bone remodelling was reduced more than the rate of appositional growth so that bone cortical thickness was increased.

7. The changes in the skeleton effected by TA are consistent with the hypothesis that the drug acts by decreasing the rate of protein turnover, with catabolism being depressed more than anabolism.     

The effects of trienbolone acetate and other anabolic agents in growing turkeys

1. Very large increases in growth rates and improvements in the efficiency of food conversion of both male and female turkeys of 70 d of age or older were effected by the subcutaneous implantation of 20 to 40 mg of trienbolone acetate (TA). 2. Implantation of TA (10 to 40 mg) into turkeys of 42 d of age or less caused growth depression, usually following an initial period of positive growth response. 3. During the period of growth depression, food conversion efficiency deteriorated and treated turkeys developed chondrodystrophic skeletal abnormalities and/or "leg weakness". 4. Implantation of oestradiol and of testosterone into 2-d-old turkeys also led to the development of skeletal abnormalities. 5. Implantation of testosterone (25 mg) into 84-d-old stag turkeys produced positive growth responses which were of smaller magnitude and lesser duration than those produced by TA. 6. Implantation of 70-d-old stag turkeys with a combination of TA (20 mg) and hexoestrol (15 mg) resulted in performances which were slightly superior in terms of the growth to those following administration of TA alone but which were markedly inferior in respect of food conversion.     

Effects of dietary electrolyte balance on the chemistry of blood and urine in lactating sows and sow litter performance

One hundred fifty-three sows (average parity of 2.2) were used to determine the effects of dietary electrolyte balance (calculated as mEq/kg of diet for Na + K - Cl) on sows and their litters during lactation. The sows were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets (1.0% lysine, 1.0% valine, 0.95% Ca, and 0.80% P; as-fed basis) starting on d 109 of gestation and throughout the 21-d lactation experiment. Dietary electrolyte balance (dEB) was 0, 100, 200, 350, and 500 mEq/kg (as-fed basis), well above and below the dEB of 185 mEq/kg found in a simple corn-soybean meal-based lactation diet. To achieve the desired dEB, diets had the following: 1) 1.8% HCl (6 N) and 1.06% CaCl2, 2) 1.0% CaCl2, 3) 0.04% NaHCO3, 4) 1.29% NaHCO3, and 5) 2.54% NaHCO3 (as-fed basis). Increasing dEB increased blood pH (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.001), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (linear effect, P < 0.001), HCO3- concentration (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.001), and blood base excess (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.001). However, increased dEB resulted in lower blood concentrations of K (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.04), Cl (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.001), and ionized Ca (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.001). Changing dEB did not affect ADFI; water usage, litter weight gain; sow weight change; sow backfat change; percentages of CP, lactose, and fat in the milk; percentage of sows returning to estrus; days to estrus; and number of pigs born alive in the subsequent litter (P = 0.06). However, piglet survivability to d 10 and overall was greatest with the lower dEB treatments (linear effect, P < 0.05). The pH (linear and quadratic effects, P < 0.001) and colony forming units of total bacteria (linear effect, P < 0.03) in the urine increased as dEB of the diet was increased. In conclusion, dEB had pronounced effects on the physiological status of sows and decreasing dEB below that in a simple corn-soybean meal-based diet decreased bacterial counts in the urine and increased piglet survivability. However, milk composition, sow and litter weights at weaning, and subsequent rebreeding performance of the sows were not affected by dEB.     

乙酸钠对西门塔尔牛日粮能量平衡和氮平衡的影响

选用4头装有永久性瘤胃瘘管,年龄3.5岁,体重约500kg,体况良好的西门塔尔阉牛。采用4×4拉丁方设计,以混合精料和玉米秸秆为基础日粮,研究乙酸钠(0、200、400和600g/d)对西门塔尔牛日粮能量平衡和氮平衡的影响。结果表明:400g/d组和600g/d组消化能、代谢能、沉积能显著高于对照组和200g/d组(P<0.05),其中200g/d组沉积能显著高于对照组(P<0.05);400g/d组和600g/d尿能、消化能/总能、代谢能/总能、沉积能/消化能显著高于对照组(P<0.05);各处理组总能、气体能、产热量差异不显著(P>0.05);400g/d组和600g/d组粪氮含量显著降低(P<0.05);尿氮含量差异不显著(P>0.05);400g/d组和600g/d组可消化氮和沉积氮含量、氮利用率显著高于对照组和200g/d组(P<0.05),400g/d组显著高于600g/d组(P<0.05)。由此推断日粮中乙酸钠的适宜添加量为400g/d。     

The effects of tannins-containing ground pine bark diet upon nutrient digestion,nitrogen balance,and mineral retention in meat goats

Background

Pine bark is a rich source of phytochemical compounds including tannins, phenolic acids, anthocyanins, and fatty acids. These phytochemicals have potential to significantly impact on animal health and animal production. The goal of this work is to measure the effects of tannins in ground pine bark as a partial feed replacement on feed intake, dietary apparent digestibility, nitrogen balance, and mineral retention in meat goats.

Results

Eighteen Kiko cross goats (initial BW = 31.8 ± 1.49 kg) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups (n = 6). Dietary treatments were tested: control (0 % pine bark powder (PB) and 30 % wheat straw (WS)); 15 % PB and 15 % WS, and 30 % PB and 0 % WS. Although dry matter (DM) intake and digestibility were not affected (P > 0.10) by feeding PB, neutral detergent fiber (linear; P = 0.01), acid detergent fiber (linear; P = 0.001) and lignin digestibility (linear; P = 0.01) decreased, and crude protein (CP) digestibility tended to decrease (P = 0.09) as PB increased in the diet, apparent retention of Ca (P = 0.09), P (P = 0.03), Mg (P = 0.01), Mn (P = 0.01), Zn (P = 0.01) and Fe (P = 0.09) also increased linearly. Nitrogen intake and fecal N excretion were not affected (P > 0.05) by addition of PB in the diet, but N balance in the body was quadratically increased (P < 0.01) in the 15 % PB diet compared to other diets. This may be due to more rumen escape protein and less excreted N in the urine with the 15 % PB diet. The study showed that a moderate level of tannin-containing pine bark supplementation could improve gastrointestinal nitrogen balance with the aim of improving animal performance.

Conclusion

These results suggest that tannin-containing PB has negative impact on fiber, lignin, and protein digestibility, but positively impacted on N-balance.     

The effects of tannins-containing ground pine bark diet upon nutrient digestion,nitrogen balance,and mineral retention in meat goats

Background:Pine bark is a rich source of phytochemical compounds including tannins,phenolic acids,anthocyanins,and fatty acids.These phytochemicals have potential to significantly impact on animal health and animal production.The goal of this work is to measure the effects of tannins in ground pine bark as a partial feed replacement on feed intake,dietary apparent digestibility,nitrogen balance,and mineral retention in meat goats.Results:Eighteen Kiko cross goats(initial BW = 31.8 ± 1.49 kg) were randomly assigned to three treatment groups(n = 6).Dietary treatments were tested:control(0%pine bark powder(PB) and 30%wheat straw(WS));15%PB and 15%WS,and 30%PB and 0%WS.Although dry matter(DM) intake and digestibility were not affected(P0.10) by feeding PB,neutral detergent fiber(linear;P = 0.01),acid detergent fiber(linear;P = 0.001) and lignin digestibility(linear;P = 0.01) decreased,and crude protein(CP) digestibility tended to decrease(P = 0.09) as PB increased in the diet,apparent retention of Ca(P=0.09),P(P = 0.03),Mg(P = 0.01),Mn(P = 0.01),Zn(P = 0.01) and Fe(P = 0.09) also increased linearly.Nitrogen intake and fecal N excretion were not affected(P0.05) by addition of PB in the diet,but N balance in the body was quadratically increased(P 0.01) in the 15%PB diet compared to other diets.This may be due to more rumen escape protein and less excreted N in the urine with the 15%PB diet.The study showed that a moderate level of tannin-containing pine bark supplementation could improve gastrointestinal nitrogen balance with the aim of improving animal performance.Conclusion:These results suggest that tannin-containing PB has negative impact on fiber,lignin,and protein digestibility,but positively impacted on N-balance.     

The presence of salmonellae during the rearing of Turkeys

1. The incidence of salmonellae was investigated in two batches of turkeys in the environmentally‐controlled houses and naturally ventilated pole‐barns of a commercial turkey enterprise.

2. The poults were free from contamination on arrival at the rearing house but were contaminated via the water supply from troughs which had been ineffectively fumigated.

3. Foodstuffs did not appear to be a source of contamination.

4. The spread of salmonellae in this turkey rearing enterprise was very similar to that in chicken rearing houses.     

The Effect of Season on Testicular Weight and Spermatogenesis in Turkeys

Semen collection was carried out on Large White and Auburn turkeys over a nine month period beginning in February.

Equal numbers of each strain were slaughtered periodically throughout the summer and fall. The testicles were recovered, weights recorded, and histological sections were prepared and examined for signs of active spermatogenesis.

Significant differences occurred in the testes weight between the two strains studied in the May and September tested birds. Significant differences also occurred in the testes weight within strains between the males slaughtered in May and October.

Microscopic examination of histological sections revealed a progressive reduction in active spermatogenesis between testes recovered in early summer and those recovered in the fall.

     

The clinical pathology of heartwater. I. Haematology and blood chemistry

Clinical pathological studies were undertaken in 5 calves with experimentally-induced heartwater. The most important findings include a progressive anaemia which may be associated with bone marrow depression and fluctuations in the total and differential white cell count, of which an eosinopenia and a lymphocytosis were the most marked. A severe drop in serum protein, especially in the albumin levels, was observed in all 5 cases. This disease is probably associated with an increased capillary permeability, as the protein content of the pericardial fluid in 1 case that died, approximated that of the serum. The osmolality of the effused fluid was also higher than that of the blood. No significant changes in the serum electrolyte levels occurred, except for total calcium levels which tended to decrease to below normal during the acute stage of the disease. Marked increases in total bilirubin were recorded. This, however, was not associated with liver pathology or haemolysis and may possibly be ascribed to a fasting hyperbilirubinaemia. Darkening of plasma colour was associated with peak rises in total bilirubin. Increases in both blood urea and creatinine levels indicate interference with renal glomerular filtration during the acute stage of the disease.     

Apoptotic effects of tamoxifen on leukocytes from horse peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid

A reduction in inflammatory cell apoptosis is an important concept in the maintenance of inflammation and a potential target for the resolution of inflammation in many inflammatory diseases. Dysregulation of apoptosis has been implicated in a range of diseases, including tumors, neurodegenerative disorders and autoimmunity, and may also be implicated in allergic asthma. In horses, recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is an asthma-like condition that is characterized increased survival neutrophil bronchial. Tamoxifen is a synthetic, non-steroidal, anti-estrogen agent that is widely used for treating all stages of breast cancer and has been approved for the prevention of breast cancer in high-risk women. The observed efficacy of tamoxifen has been attributed to both growth arrest and the induction of apoptosis. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the ability of tamoxifen to induce apoptosis in vitro in granulocytic cells from peripheral blood and in mononuclear cells from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in horses. Flow cytometry using commercial AnnexinV-FITC and propidium iodide was used to quantify early and late apoptotic leukocytes, respectively. The results showed a significant increase in early apoptosis in peripheral blood and bronchial granulocytic cells treated with tamoxifen. The rate of early apoptosis of mononuclear cells from blood and BALF when incubated with tamoxifen was significantly lower compared with granulocytic cells. We did not observe a direct effect of tamoxifen on late apoptosis in any of the in vitro assays in the cell types used here. These results indicate that the apoptotic mechanisms under these experimental conditions would affect only blood and BALF granulocytic cells, particularly in early apoptosis. Finally, further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to better understand apoptotic mechanisms because tamoxifen could be used to treat chronic, inflammatory pathologies associated with granulocytes and allergic diseases, such as asthma or equine RAO.     

Synovial fluid and plasma kinetics of methylprednisolone and methylprednisolone acetate in horses following intra-articular administration of methylprednisolone acetate

Synovial fluid and plasma kinetics of methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) and methylprednisolone (MP) after a single intra-articular administration of MPA at a therapeutic dose (111 mg in toto) was measured in five horses. MPA was detected in synovial fluid for two to six days post injection and MP, which results from synovial MPA hydrolysis, was present in pharmacologically significant concentrations for 4.8 to 39 days, depending on the horse. MPA synovial concentration was maximal (289 +/- 284 micrograms/ml) at the first sampling time (2 h after administration) and MP synovial concentration was maximal (from 58.9 to 379.5 micrograms/ml) at the first or second sampling time (2 to 10 h after administration). Thereafter, both MP and MPA declined rapidly. From time of administration to about five days later, MP synovial fluid concentration fell progressively with a half-time of 9.95 h. Subsequently, the MP synovial fluid concentration decreased more slowly with an apparent half-time of 115 h. During the first 24 h following MPA administration, trace amounts of MP (less than 5 ng/ml) were detected in plasma. Plasma hydrocortisone levels were depressed for three to four days after administration but adrenal responsiveness to adrenocorticotrophic hormone tests remained unaffected.     

Maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in heart failure.

Advanced heart failure and its treatment are often associated with a variety of hemodynamic, fluid, and electrolyte derangements. This article gives the practitioner an overview of the pathophysiology of common fluid and electrolyte alterations present in animals with heart failure, highlighting specific clinical correlates. Additionally, specific therapeutic interventions are discussed to manage these fluid and electrolyte abnormalities.