Norfloxacin nicotinate in the treatment ofPseudomonas aeruginosa infection in the genital tract of a bull

Consecutively collected semen samples from a breeding bull were found to be contaminated withPseudomonas aeruginosa. Palpation through the bull's scrotum revealed inflammatory changes suggestive of chronic orchiepididymitis in one testicle. For 10 months, all the bull's 13 ejaculates were discarded because the post-thaw viability was <20%. Norfloxacin nicotinate was injected intramuscularly into the bull at 5 mg/kg daily for 7 days. Serum and semen samples were collected at 24-h intervals during the course of treatment and afterwards and were assayed for NFN concentrations. Drug concentrations in the semen, by microbiological assay, during treatment and up to 120 h after the last treatment ranged from 2.6 to 5.1 µg/ml, 14.2 to 43.2 times the corresponding serum drug levels.P. aeruginosa was not isolated from the semen 4 or 15 days after the last injection but was re-isolated after 32 and 64 days. A second similar course of NFN was administered andP. aeruginosa was not isolated from semen samples collected on four occasions, 6, 22, 44 and 94 days after the last treatment.Abbreviations HPLC high-pressure liquid chromatography - IM intramuscular - MIC minimal inhibitory concentration - NFN norfloxacin nicotinate     

种公牛微量元素营养状况对精液品质的影响

为了查找种公牛精液品质下降的原因并探讨精液品质与微量元素的关系,试验测定了种公牛基础日粮及血液、被毛、精液中锌(Zn)、铜(Cu)、铁(Fe)、锰(Mn)、铬(Cr)5种微量元素含量。结果表明:饲料中Zn、Cu含量明显低于美国NRC推荐标准,Fe、Mn、Cr三种元素能满足种公牛的营养需要;精液品质正常牛及异常牛血液、被毛、精液中Fe、Mn、Cr差异不显著(P>0.05),被毛、血液中Zn、Cu两种元素含量差异显著(P<0.05),精液中Zn元素含量差异极显著(P<0.01)、Cu元素含量差异显著(P<0.05)。     

海福特牛精液品质及保存稀释液配方研究

对饲养在三峡库区重庆境内的4头海福特牛的精液品质及标温（37℃）和低温（0～5℃）条件下精液保存稀释液配方进行了研究。结果表明:海福特公牛精液品质符合种用公牛繁殖要求,精液呈乳白色或稍带黄色,云雾状明显,采精量为（8.28±1.13）mL,pH值为7.03±0.09,精子密度为（10.67±1.67）亿/mL,活力为0.88±0.05,精子畸形率（％）为9.52±2.46。对4头公牛精液品质进行了排序,提出了常温和低温条件下适宜的精液保存稀释液配方。     

Addition of methyltestosterone to bull semen. 1. Effect on metabolism of spermatozoa

Added to bull semen preserved by deep freezing, methyltestosterone at a concentration of greater than or equal to 1 mg per ml diluted semen reduced the respiratory rate, glycolysis, lactate index of spermatozoa and the rate of radiosodium exchange through the spermatozoal membrane. The mode of action is discussed.     

Effect of colostrum administration by use of oroesophageal intubation on serum IgG concentrations in Holstein bull calves

OBJECTIVE: To determine the amount of colostral IgG required for adequate passive transfer in calves administered colostrum by use of oroesophageal intubation and evaluate the impact of other factors on passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulins in calves. ANIMALS: 120 Holstein bull calves. PROCEDURES: Calves were randomly assigned to specific treatment groups on the basis of volume of colostrum administered and age of calf at administration of colostrum. Colostrum was administered once by oroesophageal intubation. Equal numbers of calves received 1, 2, 3, or 4 L of colostrum, and equal numbers of calves received colostrum at 2, 6, 10, 14, 18, or 22 hours after birth. Serum samples were obtained from calves 48 hours after birth for IgG determination by radial immunodiffusion assay. Effects of factors affecting transfer of colostral immunoglobulins were determined by use of a stepwise multiple regression model and logistic regression models. RESULTS: A minimum of 153 g of colostral IgG was required for optimum colostral transfer of immunoglobulins when calves were fed 3L of colostrum at 2 hours after birth. Substantially larger IgG intakes were required by calves fed colostrum > 2 hours after birth. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Feeding 100 g of colostral IgG by oroesophageal intubation was insufficient for adequate passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulins. At least 150 to 200 g of colostral IgG was required for adequate passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulins. Use of an oroesophageal tube for administration of 3 L of colostrum to calves within 2 hours after birth is recommended.     

Effect of separating bull semen into X and Y chromosome-bearing fractions on the sex ratio of resulting embryos.

Seventy-six, day 12 to day 15 bovine embryos, collected from 14 donors which had been inseminated with either X or Y chromosome-bearing spermatozoa fractions of semen separated by a thermal convection counterstreaming sedimentation and forced convection galvanization process, were processed for sexing by chromosomal analysis. Fifty-seven embryos were sexed; 20 from Y chromosome-bearing and 37 from X chromosome-bearing fractions of semen. Statistical analysis of the sexing data indicated that there was no significant difference in the male: female ratio for donors receiving male fractions compared to those receiving female fractions. The Y chromosome-bearing fractions produced a male: female ratio that was indistinguishable from the expected 1:1 ratio. However, the X chromosome-bearing fractions of semen produced a highly significant deviation from the expected 1:1 ratio towards the male.     

Rapid freezing of bull semen in straws

Summary A method is described in which bovine spermatozoa, packaged in plastic straws, can be frozen rapidly with uniformofreezing rates. Best survival rates were obtained when straws were cooled from +5 °C to –120 °C in 180 seconds and then plunged into liquid nitrogen. This could easily be performed with the use of a specially constructed freezing box, in which flowing air was cooled to a temperature of –120 °C. Conception rates of over 400.000 first inseminations with semen frozen in this way, were satisfactory. Inhalt Schnelles Tiefgefrieren von Bullenspermien in Pailetten Es wird eine Methode zur schnellen Tiefgefrierung von bovinen Rinder-Spermatozoen, die in Plastikröhrchen verpackt sind, beschrieben. Mit dieser Methode können einheitliche Einfriergeschwindigkeiten erzielt werden. Beste Überlebensraten wurden erzielt, wenn die Röhrchen von +5° auf –120° innerhalb von 80 Sekunden heruntergekühlt wurden und dann in flüssigen Stickstoff getaucht wurden. Dies konnte leicht mit Hilfe einer speziell konstruierten Gefrierkammer erreicht werden, in der durchflieβende Luft auf eine Temperatur von –120° gebracht wurde. Konzeptionsraten von über 400 000 Erstbesamungen mit auf diese Weise tiefgefrorenen Samen waren zufriedenstellend.     

Study of the effect of total serum protein and albumin concentrations on canine fructosamine concentration.

The relationship among serum fructosamine concentration and total serum protein and albumin concentrations were evaluated in healthy and sick dogs (diabetics and dogs with insulinoma were not included). Fructosamine was determined using a commercial colorimetric nitroblue tetrazolium method applied to the Technicon RA-500 (Bayer). Serum fructosamine concentration was not correlated to total protein in normoproteinemic (r = 0.03) and hyperproteinemic dogs (r = 0.29), but there was a high correlation (r = 0.73) in hypoproteinemic dogs. Similar comparison between serum fructosamine and albumin concentrations showed middle correlation (r = 0.49) in normoalbuminemic dogs and high degree of correlation (r = 0.67) in hypoalbuminemic dogs. These results showed the importance of recognizing serum glucose concentration as well as total serum protein and albumin concentrations in the assay of canine serum fructosamine concentration.     

Bovine enterovirus BEV-T64. Biological characteristics. Experimental genital and digestive tract infection

A virus isolated from a healthy cow was tested for biological characteristics. It was resistant to lipid solvents, stable at pH 3 and to 50 °C for 1 hr. and showed a remarkable stability during storage at various temperature levels. The virus replicated and caused deaths in chicken embryos, whereas no pathogenicity for mice was recorded. Chickens immunized developed high-levels of humoral antibodies to the virus. A sedimentation constant between 140 and 150 S was recorded. The agent possesses the characteristics of an enterovirus and is designated BEV-T64.Limited studies on experimental infections in heifers indicated that the animal genitally infected developed higher levels of circulating antibodies than those infected intranasally or orally (by contact). The shedding of virus from the genital tract terminated after 10 days, whereas virus was reisolated for as long as 44 and 70 days in cases of alimentary canal infection. No clinical signs of disease could be observed.     

Observations on the genital tract of cull ewes.

Genital tracts were collected from non-pregnant cull ewes in early April and examined for macroscopic abnormalities. An assessment was made of the possible effect of any abnormality on the ability of the animal to become pregnant. It was found that 23.2 per cent of the tracts had abnormalities and it was considered that 16.8 per cent had abnormalities likely to interfere with the establishment of pregnancy.     

Prediction of serum IgG1 concentration in beef calves based on age and serum gamma-glutamyl-transferase activity

This study examined the relationship between serum gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) activity and passive transfer status in beef calves less than 18 days of age. Immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) concentrations were measured in 69 commercial beef calves between the ages of 24 and 72 hours. GGT activities were then measured in these same calves at various ages between 3 and 18 days of age. Models were developed predicting serum IgG1 concentration as a function of calf age and serum GGT activity. Minimal association was present between initial serum IgG1 concentration and serum GGT activity when all calves less than 18 days of age were considered (r2 = 0.065). When the study population was restricted to calves less than 8 days of age, the fit of the developed model was greatly improved (r2 = 0.438). Serum GGT activity has no apparent advantage relative to other assay procedures for predicting passive transfer status in beef calves. If serum GGT activity is to be used to assess passive transfer status in beef calves, application of this procedure should be restricted to calves less than 8 days of age.