Standing surgical repair of propagating metacarpal and metatarsal condylar fractures in racehorses

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Repair of spiral and long diaphyseal metacarpal and metatarsal fractures under anaesthesia can be problematic and associated with a high incidence of complications, including fracture propagation necessitating euthanasia. OBJECTIVE: To report on a practical repair technique for which general anaesthesia is not required. METHODS: Thirteen racehorses with a spiral/propagating condylar fracture had the fracture repaired using local anaesthesia and sedation, without the need for general anaesthetic. RESULTS: Ten of the horses returned to training and 8 raced again. Two horses were retired directly to stud. One horse had propagation of the fracture 3 days post surgery, and was subjected to euthanasia. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Results achieved were comparable to those gained using standard repair techniques under general anaesthesia. The described technique removes the need for general anaesthesia for repair of selected condylar fractures.     

Nutrient intake of horses in Thoroughbred and Standardbred stables

SUMMARY Twenty-five Thoroughbred (TB) and 25 Standardbred (SB) stables were visited to determine their feeding practices. The ingredients of the main feed of the day for a mature gelding of average size in full training were weighed at each stable. Nutrient content of diets was calculated using published data for the individual ingredients. Results are expressed as mean±sd. The estimated body weight of TB horses was 493±34 kg and 437±32 kg for SB horses. There was considerable variation in diet composition and nutrient intake between stables. The TB trainers fed 11.0±2.4 kg and SB trainers 11.8±2.5 kg per day. The concentrate component of the diet weighed 7.8±1.6 and 7.7±2.3 kg for TB and SB stables, respectively, and the roughage component for TB horses 3.3±1.4 and SB horses 4.1±1.4 kg per day. The digestible energy intake of horses at TB stables was 129±29 MJ per day and at SB stables 132±31 MJ per day. Crude protein intake of TB horses was 1452±363 g and SB horses 1442±338 g per day. There were differences in some feeding practices at TB and SB stables. Standardbred trainers fed more roughage than TB trainers. Standardbred trainers fed chaffed lucerne (alfalfa) and cereal hays as the major roughage, whereas TB trainers fed more hay. The major hay type fed by TB trainers was lucerne, whereas many SB trainers preferred clover hay. Both trainers fed oats as the major grain, but TB trainers fed slightly more maize (corn) than SB trainers. The SB trainers fed barley as part of the concentrate component of the diet, whereas TB trainers usually fed boiled barley and linseed oil in winter only. Although many trainers used vitamin and mineral supplements, this appeared unnecessary in many Instances, especially with respect to Iron. Calcium and NaCI supplementation was necessary for some diets. We concluded that while there was a wide range in feed intake and diet composition for both TB and SB horses, average nutrient intakes were similar to National Research Council (1989) recommendations for horses performing intense work.     

Plasma and extracellular volume in calves: comparison between isotopic and 'cold' techniques.

While isotopic techniques have largely superseded traditional markers for the determination of the volume of fluid compartments in vivo, they are not always convenient, especially with diarrhoeic animals. A direct comparison was therefore made in week-old calves between Evans blue and radio-iodinated serum albumin as measures of plasma volume and thiocyanate or 24sodium as measures of extracellular fluid space. The correlation coefficients were excellent (1.00, 0.96; P < 0.001) and the calves had plasma and extracellular fluid volumes of 72 +/- 2 and 438 +/- 2 ml kg-1, respectively. The latter value is, though high, typical of young animals and comparable with other data in calves.     

Performance,breast meat yield and abdominal fat deposition of male broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with DL‐xnethionine or DL‐xnethionine hydroxy analogue free acid

1. An experiment was conducted to compare the relative bioefficacy of DL‐methionine hydroxy analogue free acid (DL‐MHA‐FA) with DL‐methionine in broiler chickens. Responses used for comparison were weight gain and food efficiency between 7 and 35 d of age, and breast meat deposition, food cost per kg of breast meat, and abdominal fat at 41 d of age.

2. A total of 2160 seven‐day‐old male broiler chicks were used. The feeding programme consisted of a starter diet from 7 to 21 d, and a finisher diet till the end of the experiment. The starter basal diet contained 6.1 g/kg total sulphur‐containing amino acids (TSAA), and an estimated metabolisable energy (ME) content of 13.2 MJ/kg. The finisher diet contained 5.8 g/kg TSAA and an estimated ME content of 13.6 MJ/kg. Four concentrations of DL‐methionine and DL‐MHA‐FA were added at 0.5g/kg increments on an equimolar basis. Therefore, there were 9 experimental treatments which were each applied to 6 replicates of 40 chicks. Weight gain and food efficiency were determined at 35 d of age. Breast yield and carcase fat were measured at 41 d.

3. Significant responses to graded amounts of both methionine sources were observed in weight gain, food efficiency, breast meat percentage, and food cost per kg of breast meat. The responses fitted exponential regression curves. Based on the regression coefficients, equimolar bioefficacy of DL‐MHA‐FA relative to DL‐methionine was 80% for daily gain, 83% for food efficiency, 51% for breast meat yield, and 66% for food cost per kg of breast meat. Differences between the 2 sources were significant (P< 0.05) for breast meat yield and food cost per kg of meat and (P< 0.10) for food efficiency.     

评估调质时间和温度对猪颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度和维生素沉积的影响

本论文研究了饲料加工的两个关键参数(调质温度和时间)对育肥猪颗粒饲料淀粉糊化度和维生素沉积的影响。日粮配方为含30%干酒糟及其可溶物的玉米-豆粕型基础日粮。整个试验中配方保持不变。本试验采用2×3双因子设计,调质温度分别为77℃和88℃,调质时间分别15秒、30秒和60秒。此外,本试验还设置一个对照组,对照组饲料不采用调质制粒工艺,而是采用粉料饲喂。因此,本试验共有7个处理组。采集调质后制粒前(热干粉)、制粒后冷却前(热制粒)、以及制粒冷却后(冷制粒)的样品,并分析这三种样品的总淀粉率、淀粉糊化     

Body composition and exercise in racing pigeons

Exercise-related changes in body protein 'turnover' and in the absolute amounts of body protein were studied in racing pigeons. Whole body radioactivity was followed in racing and control (limited exercise) birds after protein labelling by the injection of 75Seselenomethionine. Because of re-utilisation of the label this does not give a true picture of body protein turnover but the comparative data suggested an increased turnover in racing compared to control birds. Carcase analysis on a group of pigeons demonstrated a water content for lean body mass of 72.7 per cent +/- 3.54. Lean body mass and exchangeable body potassium were used as indices of total body protein in a group of pigeons participating in an endurance race (15 + hours of flying). The results indicated that no body protein had been used as an energy source. These findings are compatible with the presence in pigeons of a small labile pool or pools of protein. The presence and characteristics of such pools remains to be determined.     

Use of iohexol for myelography in the horse

The use of iohexol as a contrast agent for myelography is reported in two groups of horses. Group 1 (n = 6) were used only for myelography and to assess the clinical and pathological effects of intrathecal administration of iohexol. A volume of 20 ml at a concentration of 300 or 350 mg iodine/ml gave satisfactory myelographic detail with no serious clinical or neurological side effects. Only a minimal inflammatory response could be demonstrated in cerebrospinal fluid at four and 14 days after injection. At post mortem examination 14 days after myelography there was no evidence of meningitis nor was any other pathological change detected. Group 2 (n = 19) comprised a series of clinical cases of suspected cervical vertebral malformation. The only untoward sequelae recorded involved two horses in which iohexol was diluted with sterile water prior in intrathecal injection. A progressive necrotising meningitis developed in both cases which necessitated euthanasia. It was concluded that the major advantages of iohexol for use in the horse were its diagnostic quality, safety and low cost.     

Problems of Display Postures in the Charadrii (Aves: Charadriiformes)

Studies of displays in the Charadrii (= waders or shorebirds) show that the same posture in different species, even quite closely related, may have a different function in a given context. As a corollary to this, two species even in the same genus may have quite different display postures to convey the same message. The problem is thus twofold: (a) to interpret the function of the display in the bird's world and (b) to trace the evolution of the display within a single well-defined suborder of birds such as the Charadrii. Threat displays are especially informative in such studies, but courtship, distraction and other displays are also useful. The value of display postures in the systematics of the waders is discussed.     

Progress in breeding interspecific hybrid ryegrasses

Stable hybrids were produced between tetraploid perennial and Italian ryegrasses derived from commercial varieties and germplasm introduced from European collections. Spaced plant characteristics were used to select Fl plants for the production of F2 families which were assessed in small plots for growth and quality traits. Ten of the 19 selected hybrid families were based on perennial ryegrass collected from the Zurich Uplands. The influence of this parental material in improving vegetative growth during early spring, late summer and autumn was demonstrated. Its use in improving feeding value by increasing the water-soluble carbohydrate content of hybrids was also shown. Consequently, selected hybrid varieties based on this new genetic resource showed considerable improvements in seasonal growth and quality over the older hybrid variety Augusta and Italian ryegrass variety RvP.