Dose-response relationship of the ionophore tetronasin in growing-finishing cattle

The dose-response relationship of the ionophore tetronasin was defined in growing-finishing cattle (84 heifers and 84 steers). Cattle were allotted by sex and weight replication (light and heavy) to 24 pens. Six dosages (D) of tetronasin (0, 3.7, 7.3, 11.0, 14.7 and 18.3 mg/kg, dry matter [DM] basis) were fed. Diets containing 40, 25 and 10% roughage were fed for 84, 56 and either 56 (heavy replication) or 91 d (light replication), respectively. Average starting weights were 242 and 270 kg and ending weights were 433 and 480 kg for heifers and steers, respectively. No interactions existed for ionophore with sex (P greater than .2) over the trial. Ionophore treatment did not affect overall average daily gain (.94 kg/d; P greater than .2). Daily DM intake (kg/d) decreased linearly as the level of tetronasin increased (8.4-.042D (dosage), r2 = .83, P less than .001). Gain efficiency (gain/feed, kg/100 kg DM) increased curvilinearly as ionophore dosage increased (11 + .16D - .0058D2, r2 = .77, P less than .001). Solving the first derivative indicated an optimum dose for gain efficiency improvement of 13.8 mg/kg. The gain efficiency response was greatest the first 84 d, less the next 56 d and minimal the last 56 or 91 d (20, 7 and 2% improvement for D = 14.7 mg/kg, respectively). Tetronasin was found to improve gain efficiency by about 10% over control at an optimum dosage of 13.8 mg/kg.     

Dose-response relationship for the antipyretic effect of meloxicam in an endotoxin model in cats

The antipyretic efficacy of meloxicam was evaluated in a feline endotoxin model using a replicated change-over design. Twelve adult cats of both sexes were allocated at random to three experimental groups. At 30 min prior to the intravenous (i.v.) endotoxin challenge (0.5 µg/kg body weight(b.w.)), 2 animals in each group received an i.v. injection of 0.1, 0.3 or 0.5 mg meloxicam/kg b.w. and the two remaining animals in each group received physiological saline. In a second phase, 21 days later, the meloxicam/placebo treatment was exchanged within each group. The rectal temperature and scores for general demeanour were determined at 30-min intervals from before dosing to 300 min after the endotoxin challenge. Haematological parameters were analysed before and 60 min after administration of endotoxin. The results indicated a significant dose-dependent antipyretic response to meloxicam after endotoxin challenge. The antipyretic response in the medium- and high-dose meloxicam groups did not differ significantly, but both were significantly different from the low-dosage group. The individual effects of endotoxin on general demeanour were rather variable but meloxicam tended to have a beneficial effect. Endotoxin induced a reduction in the white blood cell count but this was not influenced by meloxicam. It was concluded that the pyretic endotoxin model is very suitable for studying new NSAIDs in cats and that the optimum single dose of meloxicam in this model was 0.3 mg/kg b.w.Abbreviations AUC area under the curve - b.w. body weight - i.v. intravenous - LPS lipopolysaccharide - MCV mean corpuscular volume - NSAID non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug - WBC white blood cell count     

Neuromuscular block monitoring after the administration of 1 mg/kg intravenous cis‐atracurium in the anaesthetized pig

Neuromuscular blocking agents should be included as part of a balanced anaesthetic protocol to improve anaesthetic management, although doses are not always established for each species. Cis‐atracurium is a benzylisoquinolinium neuromuscular blocking agent with an intermediate duration of action devoid of significant adverse effects previously used in pigs with a wide dosage range. Cis‐atracurium was administered at 1 mg/kg bolus to sixteen pigs to establish its time profile and effects. The pigs were premedicated intramuscularly with 4 mg/kg azaperone, 8 mg/kg ketamine and 0.2 mg/kg morphine IM and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. After cis‐atracurium administration, neuromuscular monitoring via acceleromyography was started until the recovery of the 90% of the train of four ratio. Complete decrease in the train of four ratio was accomplished in eleven pigs. Onset of action was 70 s, with a recovery of the fourth twitch at 26 min and a recovery of a train of four ratio greater than 90% in 60 min. In conclusion, 1 mg/kg intravenous cis‐atracurium in the pig allowed for a rapid onset of action and a complete recovery after 60 min although high variability in the time profile is seen.     

Interaction between atracurium and suxamethonium in the dog

The depolarising muscle relaxant suxamethonium (0.3 mg kg-1) and the non-depolarising relaxant atracurium (0.6 mg kg-1) were administered to four dogs. In the first series of experiments atracurium was administered, followed at 50 per cent return of neuromuscular activity by suxamethonium. At 50 per cent return of activity atropine and neostigmine were administered to reverse the block. In the second series of experiments the sequence was reversed and atracurium was administered after suxamethonium. At 50 per cent recovery atropine and neostigmine were given. In the first series of experiments it was demonstrated that the prior administration of atracurium reduced the duration of action of suxamethonium. However, in the second series it was shown that the prior administration of suxamethonium had no significant effect on the duration of action of atracurium.     

Reversal of atracurium neuromuscular block with neostigmine in the dog

A dose response relationship and the time of onset to 50 per cent and 100 per cent peak action were investigated for neostigmine reversal of atracurium in the dog. Two levels of neuromuscular block were used, 10 per cent and 50 per cent of the first twitch of the train of four. The ED50 from the first group was 0.1 mg kg-1 and for the second group was 0.019 mg kg-1. There was little difference between the onset times at the two levels of block. It is concluded that the main factor in determining the dose of neostigmine is the depth of the initial blockade.     

Distribution of orexin B and its relationship with GnRH in the pig hypothalamus

Increasing evidence suggests that orexins--hypothalamic neuropeptides--act as neurotransmitters or neuromediators in the brain, regulating autonomic and neuroendocrine functions. Orexins are closely associated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the preoptic area and alter luteinizing hormone (LH) release, suggesting that they regulate reproduction. Here, we investigated the distribution of orexin B (immunohistochemical technique) and the relationship between orexin B and GnRH containing fibres and neurons in the pig hypothalamus using double immunofluorescence and laser-scanning confocal microscopy. Orexin B immunoreactive neurons were mainly localized in the perifornical area (PeF), dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH), zona incerta (ZI) and the posterior hypothalamic area (PH), with a sparser distribution in the preoptic and anterior hypothalamic area. Immunoreactive fibres were distributed throughout the central nervous system. Approximately 30% GnRH neurons were in close contact with orexin B immunoreactive fibres, among these approximately 6% of GnRH neurons co-localized with orexin B perikarya in the region between the caudal preoptic area and the anterior hypothalamic area. Orexin B may regulate reproduction by altering LH release in the hypothalamus.     

Estimates of the actual relationship between half‐sibs in a pig population

Genomic relationships based on markers capture the actual instead of the expected (based on pedigree) proportion of genome shared identical by descent (IBD). Several methods exist to estimate genomic relationships. In this research, we compare four such methods that were tested looking at the empirical distribution of the estimated relationships across 6704 pairs of half‐sibs from a cross‐bred pig population. The first method based on multiple marker linkage analysis displayed a mean and standard deviation (SD) in close agreement with the expected ones and was robust to changes in the minor allele frequencies (MAF). A single marker method that accounts for linkage disequilibrium (LD) and inbreeding came second, showing more sensitivity to changes in the MAF. Another single marker method that considers neither inbreeding nor LD showed the smallest empirical SD and was the most sensible to changes in MAF. A higher mean and SD were displayed by VanRaden's method, which was not sensitive to changes in MAF. Therefore, the method based on multiple marker linkage analysis and the single marker method that considers LD and inbreeding performed closer to theoretical values and were consistent with the estimates reported in literature for human half‐sibs.     

Clinical observations on the use of the muscle relaxant atracurium in the dog

The use of the new neuromuscular blocking agent, atracurium besylate, is described in 22 dogs undergoing a variety of surgical procedures under general anaesthesia. An initial dose of 0.5 mg/kg proved effective and produced a block of 40 min duration. Incremental doses of 0.2 mg/kg were used. Reversal of the neuromuscular block by neostigmine preceded by atropine was rapid and effective. No untoward side-effects were observed with this drug.     

Neuromuscular and cardiovascular effects of atracurium in isoflurane-anesthetized chickens.

Atracurium besylate, a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent, was administered to 24 isoflurane-anesthetized domestic chickens. Birds were randomly assigned to 4 groups, and atracurium was administered at dosage of 0.15, 0.25, 0.35 or 0.45 mg/kg of body weight. The time of onset of twitch depression, the amount of maximal twitch depression, and the duration of muscular relaxation were recorded. After return to control twitch height, atracurium was further administered to achieve > 75% twitch depression. When twitch depression reached 75% during noninduced recovery, 0.5 mg of edrophonium/kg was administered to reverse the muscle relaxation. Throughout the experimental period, cardiovascular, arterial blood gas, and acid-base variables were monitored. The effective dosage of atracurium to result in 95% twitch depression in 50% of birds, (ED95/50) was calculated, using probit analysis, to be 0.25 mg/kg, whereas the ED95/95, the dosage of atracurium to result in 95% twitch depression in 95% of birds, was calculated by probit analysis to be 0.46 mg/kg. The total duration of action at dosage of 0.25 mg/kg was 34.5 +/- 5.8 minutes; at the highest dosage (0.45 mg/kg), total duration increased to 47.8 +/- 10.3 minutes. The return to control twitch height was greatly hastened by administration of edrophonium. Small, but statistically significant changes in heart rate and systolic blood pressure, were associated with administration of atracurium and edrophonium. These changes would not be clinically relevant. In this study, atracurium was found to be safe and reliable for induction of muscle relaxation in isoflurane-anesthetized chickens.     

Effect of gentamicin administration on the neuromuscular blockade induced by atracurium in cats

Atracurium besylate, a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent, was administered as an infusion to 8 anesthetized cats in which neuromuscular blockade was assessed, using the train-of-four response. Once 50% depression of the first-twitch (T1) response was achieved, the infusion was held constant for 60 minutes before being discontinued and the recovery time was determined. The time for recovery was recorded as the time for the train-of-four (T4 ratio) to increase from 50% to 75%. After recovery, atracurium infusion was reinstituted and the cats were again maintained for 60 minutes at 50% depression. A single bolus of gentamicin sulfate (2.0 mg/kg of body weight) was administered IV, and the infusion was continued for another 60 minutes before it was discontinued and the time for recovery was recorded. Within 1 minute of gentamicin administration, the mean +/- SD T1 response decreased from 49 +/- 5% to 33 +/- 8% of baseline and the T4 ratio decreased from 28 +/- 19% to 14 +/- 11%. Peak effect occurred at 5 minutes, with a T1 response of 29 +/- 6% of baseline and a T4 ratio of 13 +/- 12%. By 60 minutes after gentamicin administration, the T1 response had increased to 38 +/- 7% of baseline and the T4 ratio had increased to 21 +/- 13%. The time for recovery significantly (P less than 0.03) increased from 9.9 +/- 3.4 minutes during the control study to 18.1 +/- 10.7 minutes during the gentamicin study. In this study, gentamicin potentiated the neuromuscular blockade induced by atracurium and increased the recovery time. Residual blockade, observed after gentamicin administration was reversed with edrophonium.     

Diabetes mellitus does not affect the neuromuscular blocking action of atracurium in dogs

Objective

To compare the duration of action of atracurium in diabetic and nondiabetic dogs.

民猪生殖激素变化规律与繁殖性能关系的研究

对 2 0头民猪经产母猪妊娠早期的四种生殖激素 (孕酮、1 7β -雌二醇、促黄体素、促卵泡素 )水平的测定结果显示 ,孕酮在妊娠 1 2d达峰值 ,1 8d后孕酮水平急剧下降 ,雌二醇水平迅速增加到40 1 2 pg/ml。对激素水平与总产仔数的相关分析结果表明 ,妊娠 1 2d的雌二醇水平与产仔数呈明显的负相关 ,说明此时的雌二醇的水平对母猪的繁殖成绩有很大的影响。妊娠早期促黄体素和促卵泡素未见特征性变化。     

Occurrence of haemolytic Escherichia coli serogroups and their relationship to pig diseases in Queensland

Serological examination of 177 strains of haemolytic Escherichia coil from pigs from 95 piggeries showed that 50 isolates from 28 piggeries were agglutinated by serums prepared against 0141:K85ab, 45 from 20 piggeries by 0141:K85ac, 32 isolates from 19 piggeries by 08 and four isolates from two piggeries by 0139:K82. Forty-six strains from 26 piggeries were unclassified. Ninety strains were isolated from intestine and/or mesenteric lymph nodes and 87 from other organs. Of the 95 outbreaks associated with haemolytic E. coli, 41 were diagnosed as oedema disease, 40 as coli-enteritis and the remainder were miscellaneous conditions. The clinical and pathological features of outbreaks associated with colibacillosis and septicaemic salmonellosis were compared and discussed.