Effect of fasting on capillary blood flow in sheep

Capillary blood flow rate was measured in 29 tissues in two hourly fed and 26 hour fasted Blackface and Clun lambs using the radiolabelled microsphere technique. Blood flow declined with fasting in alimentary tract, skin of the ear and some of the larger skeletal muscles. It was concluded that capillary perfusion in nerve tissue was not affected by fasting whereas tissues principally responsible for energy absorption, expenditure and retention can experience a fall in capillary blood flow during fasting.     

Further studies on theophylline-induced hypocalcaemia in sheep.

The effects of various doses of theophylline on the plasma levels of calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium were studied in sheep. The dose of 0.25 mg/kg/min. during 40 min. produced a hypocalcaemia, which was abolished by thyroidectomy. At a higher dose, 1.0 mg/kg/min., thyroidectomy reduced, but did not block, the hypocalcaemic effect of theophylline. Young sheep showed a greater calcium response than did adult ewes. The decrease in plasma calcium was in no case accompanied by hypophosphataemia. Plasma magnesium decreased in all groups after 1.0 mg/kg/min. and was not influenced by thyroidectomy. Theophylline increased the urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium. It is concluded that theophylline-induced hypocalcaemia in sheep is in part a result of increased calcitonin secretion but that also other mechanisms must be involved, e. g. a direct effect of theophylline on bone.     

Feeding-induced hypocalcaemia. Preliminary studies in sheep

The effect of feeding on calcium metabolism was studied in sheep. When crushed oats or pelleted concentrate was added to the diet of hay-fed sheep, there was a profound decrease in serum calcium. Serum calcium fell in spite of an increased daily intake of calcium.     

Liver blood flow and metabolic clearance rate of progesterone in sheep

To study the inverse relationship between feed level and concentrations of peripheral plasma progesterone, 36 ovariectomised ewes were fed rations at levels calculated to maintain liveweight (M). On the seventh day, the ewes were given an intravenous infusion of progesterone and the metabolic clearance rate (MCR) was calculated. The ewes were then randomly allotted to receive either , M or 2M rations for seven days at which time the infusion and blood sampling schedules were repeated. The mean (SE) MCR of infused progesterone in ovariectomised ewes fed either , M or 2M rations for seven days was 7·1 (0·59), 9·9 (1·64 and 13·0 (1·19) litre h⁻¹ kg⁻¹ of liveweight, respectively. Differences in MCR of progesterone between ewes fed and 2M rations were significant (P<0·05). The inverse relationship between level of feed intake and plasma progesterone concentration was attributed to differences in clearance rate of progesterone rather than to changes in the entry rate of the hormone into the blood.     

Adipose tissue capillary blood flow in relation to fatness in sheep

Capillary blood flow rate was measured in eight fat depots in eight Blackface and eight Clun lambs using the radiolabelled microsphere technique. Adipose tissue flow ranged from 3 to 47 ml 100 g-1 min-1 depending upon depot and degree of fatness. Blood flow declined with increasing fatness suggesting that perfusion was not an important constraint on the growth of fat. Blood flow rates were also measured in the fed and 26 hour fasted states but no effect from fasting was observed.     

The influence of ketamine and other intravenous anaesthetic agents on cerebral blood flow in the sheep

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured in sheep by measuring clearance of directly injected ¹³³ Xenon from the cerebral cortex. The influence of ketamine at various dose levels on the CBF was measured and compared to the effects produced by pentobarbitone and CT1341. It was found that ketamine caused an initial depression of CBF followed by a rise, pentobarbitone produced a profound long lasting depression whilst CT1341 caused an initial depression which was rapidly followed by a return to control values.     

Effect of acute heat exposure on blood flow and its distribution in the unrestrained laying fowl (Gallus domesticus)

1. The effect of heat exposure (air temperature 35–45°C) for 1.5 h on blood flow distribution between the abdominal viscera and the muscles of abdominal wall and hind leg was investigated in unanaesthetised, unrestrained laying fowl.

2. Heat stressed fowl showed a significant hyperthermia (+ 1.3°C), rapid shallow breathing (229 breaths/min) and significant hypocapnia ( ? 8 Torr).

3. Significant increases in absolute blood flow (ml/g per min) were measured in the kidneys, spleen, liver and duodenum during hyperthermia, but there was no change in the absolute blood flow to the reproductive tract or the relative perfusion of the reproductive tract compared with the other tissues sampled.

4. We conclude that in these acute conditions of heat exposure, blood flow to the reproductive tract of the laying fowl is not compromised by any simultaneous thermoregulatory needs.     

Effect of 1-24ACTH administration on sheep blood granulocyte functions

The objective of the present study was to determine the efficiency of blood neutrophils (PMN) taken from sheep during acute stress. Ten healthy Charolle sheep were sampled before treatment (T0) and 1 (T1), 2 (T2), 24 (T24) and 48 (T48) hours after 1-24ACTH administration. Ten sheep serving as the controls were sampled at the same time intervals, using saline solution instead of 1-24ACTH. At each time sampling, rectal temperature, heart rate, cortisol, glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total and differential leukocyte counts were evaluated. PMN were isolated after centrifugation of whole blood and hypotonic lysis of RBC. Chemotaxis was evaluated on a modified Boyden chamber using a nitrate cellulose filter and both Zymosan activated serum (ZAS) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) as chemoattractants. Phagocytosis was measured using both non-opsonized latex beads and fluoresceinated yeasts opsonized with homologous serum. Superoxide (O(-)2) production was evaluated by measuring superoxide dismutase-inhibitable reduction of ferricytochrome C, and adherence by a colorimetric assay of acid phosphatase activity of adherent cells. The administration of 1-24ACTH induced an acute stress reaction, indicated by the presence of clinical, biochemical and hematological changes. Adherence significantly increased from T0 to T2 in treated sheep. This might be responsible for the depression of non-specific immunity in stressed animals. Studies using stressors other than 1-24 ACTH are needed to verify the influence of other components of the stress reaction on PMN functions.     

Effect of flow parameters of rumen digesta on effective degradability and microbial yield in sheep

The aim of this experiment was to examine the effect of rumen digesta flow parameters on effective degradability (EDG) and microbial nitrogen (MBN) yield in sheep fed diets of identical provision of both metabolizable energy and rumen degradable nitrogen (RDN). Ruminal degradation parameters of early‐harvested perennial ryegrass hay (EH), late‐harvested perennial ryegrasses hay (LH) and winter sown barley straw (BS) were determined by a nylon bag technique. Subsequently, three experimental diets (EHD, LHD and BSD) were formulated using the tested forages, sucrose and urea as supplements. An in vivo feeding study was conducted using four rumen cannulated sheep in a partial Latin square design. Digestibility, rate constants of rumen particle breakdown and passage, ruminal fermentation parameters and MBN supply to the small intestine were determined. Animals thoroughly consumed the forages fed at a restricted level. Digestion coefficients were greater for EHD than for LHD and were lowest for BSD (P < 0.05). The rate constant of large particle breakdown was 4.3, 5.9 and 6.7 %/h, respectively, and small particle passage was 5.3, 4.7 and 6.3 %/h for EHD, LHD and BSD, respectively. The estimates differed (P < 0.05) between the diets. The overall passage rate constant of total rumen particles was estimated to be higher for BSD than that for EHD or LHD (P < 0.05). Ruminal fermentation parameters were unaffected by dietary treatments (P > 0.05). Intake levels of rumen degradable organic matter (RDOM) and RDN were estimated to be greater for LHD than that for EHD or BSD (P < 0.05). Although dietary arrangements were made to give identical microbial efficiency, the estimated value was higher for EHD than that for LHD or BSD (P < 0.05); and the MBN yield for BSD was estimated to be lower than that for EHD or LHD (P < 0.05). Rumen kinetic parameters of degradation and particle flow of forage affected EDG values and MBN yield from forage‐related RDN intake, although those had little effect on the efficiency of MBN yield from forage‐related RDOM intake.     

非蛋白氮日粮中添加益生素对绵羊生长性能和血液指标的影响

选用40只5月龄的杂交绵羊(萨福克×小尾寒羊),随机分为2组,包被尿素组饲喂A日粮(2%包被尿素)、组合组饲喂B日粮(2%包被尿素+0.2%益生素)。研究益生素对杂交绵羊的生长性能、血清中的碱性磷酸酶(AKP)、谷氨酸转氨酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸转氨酶(AST)、尿素氮(BUN)等指标的影响。结果表明:①添加益生素对绵羊的总增重和日增重差异不显著,但组合组的总增重和平均日增重要高于包被尿素组;②添加益生素对绵羊的碱性磷酸酶值影响差异不显著(P>0.05),但组合组碱性磷酸酶高峰值要低于包被尿素组;③饲喂后2h即10:30,血清中的天门冬氨酸转氨酶活性包被尿素组显著高于组合组(P<0.05),饲喂6h以后各个组别逐渐接近并趋于正常值;④饲喂后3h,组合组的丙氨酸转氨酶值显著低于包被尿素组(P<0.05),饲喂7h以后,各组血清中的丙氨酸转氨酶活性差异不显著;⑤饲喂后各组之间尿素氮差异不显著(P>0.05),但组合组血液中的尿素氮达到高峰的时间要长于包被尿素组。     

Organ blood flow and distribution of cardiac output in hypocapnic ketamine-anesthetized swine

Organ blood flow and distribution of cardiac output (CO) were determined in 9 awake (control) and ketamine-anesthesized swine (4 mg/kg bolus followed by continuous infusion of 0.3 mg/kg/min, IV), using 15 micron diameter radionuclide-labeled microspheres. Absolute values of blood flow (per 100 g basis) were determined for various organs and peripheral tissues. Internal organs of the swine, which constituted 8.25 +/- 0.79% of the total body mass, received 55.83 +/- 5.13% of the CO. The fraction of CO received by brain, heart, kidneys, liver (via hepatic artery), and gastrointestinal tract was 1.10%, 2.67%, 19.84%, 11.81%, and 16.84%, respectively. During ketamine anesthesia, the fraction of CO perfusing the kidneys and liver (hepatic artery) increased from control and values for brain, heart, and splanchnic organs remained unchanged. Blood flow (per unit weight) of brain, cardiac, and splanchnic organs decreased; kidney and skeletal muscle blood flow was unaltered; and hepatic arterial blood flow increased from the awake (control) values. The hyperdynamic state often associated with ketamine anesthesia was not evident in these pigs during intermittent positive-pressure ventilation resulting in hypocapnia.     

放牧季节和绵羊年龄对松嫩草地放牧绵羊血液指标的影响

草地饲草季节动态变化是影响放牧家畜营养的主要因素,而如何通过放牧家畜自身的变化揭示草地质量变化的影响及程度还需要系统的探讨。本研究分别选择3月龄羔羊、3岁和6岁成年母羊各8只,分别在春季、夏季、秋季和冬季采集血样进行分析测定,对松嫩草地放牧绵羊血液常规指标和矿物质指标进行了动态监测,明晰不同季节、不同年龄对这些指标的影响及变化规律,旨在筛选评估家畜营养状态的敏感指标,为放牧家畜营养管理提供理论依据。结果表明,放牧季节和绵羊年龄以及季节和年龄互作均对放牧绵羊血中总蛋白、白蛋白、尿素氮、甘油三酯和葡萄糖含量有显著影响(P0.05)。血液常量矿物质结果标明,年龄对血液中钠没有显著影响,季节有显著影响(P0.05),但二者互作对血液中的钠无显著影响(P0.05);年龄和季节对血液中钾和氯有显著影响(P0.05),而且年龄和季节的互作对血液中氯含量有显著影响(P0.05);年龄和季节对血液中钙有显著影响(P0.05),但二者互作对其无显著影响(P0.05);年龄和季节对血液中磷含量有显著影响(P0.05),二者互作对其也影响显著(P0.05);年龄对血液中镁没有显著影响(P0.05),季节有显著影响(P0.05)。总之,从变化幅度来看,血液中尿素氮和磷是绵羊血液中随季节变化较为敏感的指标。     

The effect of induced hypocalcaemia on the cardiac output and blood pressure of dairy cattle

A mean reduction of plasma calcium level to 51 per cent of normal infusion of 4.7 per cent Na2EDTA solution into four cows was associated with a mean reduction of 48 per cent in cardiac output. Hypocalcaemia sufficient to produce sternal recumbency in a further four cows resulted in a highly significant fall in the mean arterial blood pressure, which returned to normal immediately after treatment with an intravenous infusion of 350 ml of 32.5 per cent calcium borogluconate.     

Effects of hypocalcaemia on abomasal motility

Abomasal mechanical and myoelectric activity were measured in two adult Holstein cows. Hypocalcaemia was induced using a constant infusion of disodium EDTA and serum total and diffusible calcium concentrations were measured. Abomasal motility remained normal in the face of declining calcium concentrations until a threshold value was reached (1.2 +/- 0.2 mmol litre-1) below which all mechanical and electrical activity was absent. A similar threshold effect was observed when calcium concentrations were allowed to rise. These data do not support hypocalcaemia as being a clinically important cause of abomasal atony.