Opto-electronic counters for postlarvae and juveniles of Machrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man); design and tests of Type A counter

Postlarvae or juveniles of Macrobrachium rosenbergii produced in Mauritius are sold at unit price to prawn farmers and are counted individually by hand. This process is time consuming, labour intensive, subject to error and may stress the juveniles; safe rapid electronic counting would be highly advantageous.The design of the hydraulic component of a successful counter prototype, Type A, is described. The counter has 10 parallel channels through which juveniles are carried in a water current. The detection of juveniles passing through these channels can be done photo-electrically. The counter accepts juveniles up to 15 mm in length (eye orbit to tip telson) and has the significant advantage that it can be constructed using only simple hand tools.Survival and growth rate tests, and microscopic examination for damage to appendages of juveniles were done on machine counted and hand counted juveniles. There was no reduction of growth or survival caused by passage through the counter by comparison with the hand counting method, and it is concluded that the counter is not detrimental to juvenile prawns.About 70% of all juveniles tested showed highly variable amounts of damage. The great majority of this damage appears to originate in the hatchery tanks, prior to the experimental treatments. Only in the case of antennules could the use of the counter be shown to increase damage significantly, i.e. from 25% to 38%, but this has no detectable effect on subsequent survival or growth.This appears to be the first counter made specifically for counting macroscopic crustacean juveniles, and via suitable scaling, adaptation to counting other species of crustaceans, fish larvae, etc., should be possible.     

Comparison of Tifton 85 and Coastal bermudagrasses for yield, nutrient traits, intake, and digestion by growing beef steers.

A study was undertaken to compare Tifton 85 (T85) and Coastal (CBG) bermudagrasses for effects of cultivar and age at harvest on yields of DM and digestible DM, in vitro digestion, nutrient content, cell wall composition, in situ digestion kinetics, and feed intake and digestion by growing beef steers. In Exp. 1, T85 and CBG forages staged for growth in May or July of 1993 were harvested at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 wk from subplots. Tifton 85 bermudagrass had 7.1% greater DM yield, 18.2% higher (P < .05) digestible DM yield, and 7.1% greater IVDMD than CBG, and, after 5 wk of forage growth, IVDMD of both T85 and CBG decreased with increased age at harvest (P < .05). In Exp. 2, T85 and CBG forages staged for growth in July 1997 were harvested at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 wk from subplots. Even though T85 had higher concentrations of NDF and ADF than CBG, T85 had 34.1% higher DM yield, 47.9% higher digestible DM, 55.0% higher digestible NDF, 91.7% higher digestible ADF, greater IVDMD, in vitro NDF and ADF disappearances, and higher in situ DM and NDF digestion (P < .05). Coastal bermudagrass had higher concentrations of lignin and lower concentrations of total neutral sugars, arabinose, glucose, and xylose than T85 (P < .05). In vitro digestibilities of DM, NDF, and ADF were lower and concentrations of ADF and lignin were greater for 7- vs 6-wk harvests of both T85 and CBG (P < .05). In Exp. 3, T85 and CBG forages staged for growth in July 1997 were harvested as hay at 3, 5, and 7 wk from .8-ha pastures and fed to 36 individually penned growing beef steers (initial BW = 244 kg) to quantify ad libitum intake without supplementation. Tifton 85 bermudagrass had lower concentrations of lignin and ether-linked ferulic acid and greater concentrations of NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, and cellulose than CBG (P < .05). Steers fed T85 had higher (P < .05) digestion of DM, OM, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, and cellulose than steers fed CBG. Digestion of NDF, ADF, hemicellulose, and cellulose decreased (P < .05) with increased age at harvest for both cultivars. In conclusion, T85 produced more DM and had more digestible nutrients in vitro, in situ, and in vivo than CBG, and 3 and 5 wk of growth would be recommended ages to harvest either cultivar.     

Anthephora pubescens nees

Grondwaterherverspreiding vind vinnig in die hele grondprofiel van drie subhabitatte nl. Eragrostis pallens, Ochna pulchra en Grewia flavescens van ‘n Burkea‐savanna plaas. Na ‘n reënbui van 50 mm herversprei water binne 12 uur tot op ‘n diepte van 90 cm in ‘n sandgrond wat as die Chesterserie van die Huttonvorm geklassifiseer is. In die E. pallens en O. pulchra subhabitatte vind wateropname hoofsaaklik in die boonste 60 cm van die grondprofiel plaas terwyl vog vrylik beskikbaar is in die ondergrond selfs in die droogste maande nl. Junie, Julie en selfs Augustus. In die G. flavescens subhabitat vind wateropname deur die hele grondprofiel plaas tot op ‘n diepte van 120 cm. Die G. flavescens subhabitat blyk meer onderhewig aan vogstremminge te wees.     

Multiple resistance in Trichostrongylus and Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) in goats to oxfendazole,levamisole and moxidectin,and ineffi cacy of trichlorphon

Extract

We wish to report the identification, from a flock of commercially-traded goats, of nematode worms that we have been unable to kill using the anthelmintic groups currently registered for use in sheep in New Zealand.     

A case of "watery mouth" in a New Zealand Romney lamb

Watery mouth was diagnosed as the cause of illness and subsequent death in a 3-day-old Romney lamb which had not received early colostrum. The history, clinical signs and post-mortem findings were typical of the disease as seen in other countries, including Great Britain. The diagnosis was based on the clinical signs and was supported by an absence of post-mortem findings of other specific neonatal diseases. The potential importance of watery mouth under conditions of intensive husbandry in New Zealand is discussed.     

Leptospirosis in a lamb

Abstract

Extract

Recently, we reported on outbreaks of Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona infection in newly weaned lambs(1) Vermunt, JJ, West, DM, Cooke, MM, Alley, MR and Collins-Emerson, J. 1994. Observations on three outbreaks of Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona infection in lambs. New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 42: 133–6. [Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]. It was suggested that wet environmental conditions played an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease in that class of sheep. This communication presents observations on another case of ovine leptospirosis, one that occurred under different circumstances, i.e. different season, age and environmental conditions.     

Epidemiology and diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus).

The deaths of two Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in August 1996 led the United States Department of Agriculture to require the testing and treatment of elephants for tuberculosis. From August 1996 to September 1999. Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was confirmed by culture in 12 of 118 elephants in six herds. Eight diagnoses were made antemortem on the basis of isolation of M. tuberculosis by culture of trunk wash samples; the remainder (including the initial two) were diagnosed postmortem. We present the case histories, epidemiologic characteristics, diagnostic test results, and therapeutic plans from these six herds. The intradermal tuberculin test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay serology, the blood tuberculosis test, and nucleic acid amplification and culture are compared as methods to diagnose M. tuberculosis infection in elephants.     

A study of naturally occurring cases of ovine foot abscess in New Zealand

A study was made of various aspects of 53 naturally occurring cases of foot abscess in sheep in New Zealand. Radiographic techniques were used to follow the progress of the lesion and from this it was concluded that foot abscess could be defined as an infection of the distal interphalangeal joint. The term foot abscess was considered preferable to the term "infective bulbar necrosis". The attack rate of foot abscess was reported to be higher for rams than for ewes and the condition was less prevalent during summer. Once infection was established in the distal interphalangeal joint a relatively uniform and thus predictable series of events took place that inevitably resulted in some permanent damage and deformity to the digit. If rupture of the axial collateral ligaments occurred, the joint became unstable and the degree of permanent deformity was greater. Treatment with antibiotics did not appear to markedly affect the progress of the lesion or the outcome, once infection had become established in the joint. Although the prognosis for complete recovery was poor, in most cases the foot healed sufficiently after a period of about two months to allow the animal to walk normally.     

Suspected photosensitisation in lambs grazing birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

Suspected photosensitisation occurred in three groups of lambs grazing birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus c.v. Grasslands Goldie). In one group, sucking lambs aged about 10 weeks, grazing birdsfoot trefoil, developed skin lesions while lambs of a similar age and from the same flock grazing lucerne (Medicago sativa) or a mixed sward of both species showed no signs of photosensitisation. Affected lambs had lesions on their backs and ears. In a few animals the tips of the ears were shortened by 2-3 cm. In the affected lambs, serum liver enzymes (gamma-glutamyltransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase), bilirubin and serum Vitamin B12 levels were within the normal range. At necropsy, no significant pathological changes were detected in the liver and histological changes in the skin were consistent with primary photosensitisation. In the second group, three of 80 weaned lambs grazing the same birdsfoot trefoil at a restricted intake were affected in the same manner as the first group. In the third group, 15 animals from 28 sets of sucking twin lambs were also affected. In only two sets of twins were both lambs affected. None of the ewes grazing with the lambs in the first or third groups showed any clinical signs of photosensitisation.