Ovarian cysts in cattle--etiology, therapy success, fertility

The functions of the ovaries were controlled in 92 cattle over a period of 12 to 95 days p.p. Cystic follicles developed in 61% (25 from 41) during reconvalescence period and were correlated with a 4.2 days earlier onset of ovarian function, which was assured statistically. All together in 41 animals cystic degeneration was registered. Cysts having appeared before day 39 p.p. receded spontaneously in 24%, those having developed later remained. By application of the GnRH-analogous Buserelin (Receptal), either exclusive or combined with beta-carotene or Prostaglandin Trometamol-Tiaprost (Iliren) ovarian function could be restored in all cases. Restitution was most rapid when using Buserelin plus beta-carotene (Fertilizing insemination 3 weeks post application), but protracted after the consecutive method of therapy. All 92 cattle became pregnant. The P4-level of all "cyst-cows" were low, i.e. between 0.68 and 0.81 ng/ml of skimmed milk. The increase of conductivity of the cervical mucus to above 30 Ohm turned out an evidence of an ovarian cyst to be present. Restoration took longer in correlation with the increasing diameter of the cysts.     

An assessment of the copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland in spring and the effects of daily supplementation with copper sulphate

The copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland regions between 1 August and 30 September was assessed by copper determinations made on composite sera from ten cows in each herd. Comparisons were made between two major groups categorised as as received and supplemented. In the latter, the cows received 2.0-6.0 g/day of copper sulphate orally from late gestation to the end of lactation. Mean copper values were determined from pastures in Taranaki and Northland and from pastures from three soil types in the Waikato. The lowest were in Northland (134.3 micromol/kg) and the highest in Taranaki (173.3 micromol/kg). Calculated dietary available copper levels showed the lowest were from pastures grown on organic soils in the Waikato. These soils also had high molybdenum levels. Serum copper values as received were lowest in Northland (7.30 micromol/l), and were marginal for both Taranaki (9.91 micromol/l) and the Waikato (9.93 micromol/l). The levels in supplemented herds were considerably higher, i.e. from the Waikato 11.7 micromol/l and from Taranaki 11.5 micromol/l. When liver and serum copper levels from paired samples were compared there was a reasonable correlation (r = 0.64) but the standard deviation approximated the mean liver copper level, i.e. 155 +/- 141 micromol/l.     

Trajectories of the mount st. Helens eruption plume

The plume of the major eruption of Mount St. Helens on 18 May 1980 penetrated 10 to 11 kilometers into the stratosphere, attaining heights of 22 to 23 kilometers. Wind shears rapidly converted the plume from an expanding vertical cone to a thin, slightly inclined lamina. The lamina was extruded zonally in the stratosphere as the lower part moved eastward at jet stream velocities, while the upper part slowly moved westward in the region of nonsteady transition from the westerlies to the summer stratospheric easterlies. Trajectories computed to position the NASA U-2 aircraft for sampling in the plume are described. Plume volume after 8 hours of strong volcanic emission is estimated at 2 x 10(6) cubic kilometers. Only about 1 percent of this volume is attributed to the volcano; the rest was entrained from the environment.     

The detection of mastitis in individual quarters using electrical conductivity or somatic cell concentration

In this investigation electrical conductivity (EC) and somatic cell concentration (SCC) were compared in 3 herds for their ability to correctly identify the infection status of quarters. For EC, thresholds of 6.0 and 6.8 mS/cm were used and comparisons were made between quarters within each cow. The method of comparison between quarters was the same as that described by the manufacturers of the AHI Mastitis Detector. For SCC a threshold of 500 x 10(3) cells/ml was used. For both EC and SCC considerable variation was found between herds for sensitivity (the proportion of quarters infected with a major pathogen and detected as abnormal), and specificity (the proportion of quarters free from infection and detected as normal). The mean sensitivity and specificity of EC for the three herds was 49% and 79% respectively, whereas for SCC the means were 71% and 81% respectively. The variation in sensitivity and specificity of EC between herds was attributed to differences in the distribution of EC for quarters of similar infection status. It was concluded that these differences in herd EC precluded the use of pre-determined EC thresholds which were applicable for detecting mastitis in all herds.     

The incidence of bruising in broiler flocks

1. The amount of down‐grading due to bruising in 55 flocks of broilers was investigated.

4. Bruising was classified as light or bad bruising and it is suggested that this division represents two distinct types of bruises with different causes.

3. The incidence of bruising was greater in female flocks than in male although the bruising in the former tended to be less severe.

4. The relationships between incidence of bruising and several variables associated with the flock and the environment were examined using regression analysis. The factors shown to have a significant influence on the incidence of bruising were: the age and mean weight of the flock, and the temperature and humidity on the day of processing.     

The use of immunochemically purified anti-brucella antibody in a direct fluorescent antibody test for Brucella abortus

Antibodies specific for Brucella abortus were purified from the serum of hyperimmunized sheep using immunochemical procedures. They were conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate and used in a fluorescent antibody (FA) test for B. abortus. The conjugate did not stain any heterologous bacterial or fungal species tested and background fluorescence associated with its use on smears and sections of abortion materials was particularly low. Of 239 cases of abortion examined fluorescent microscopy demonstrated B. abortus in all 12 cases in which the organism was isolated. A few areas of fluorescence typical of B. abortus were also seen in 3 cases from which the organism was not cultured. B. abortus was demonstrated in lymph nodes from 6 of 36 Brucella reactor cows by culture and 7 by the FA test. However, only very low numbers of B. abortus were isolated or seen and sampling errors would have been significant. Use of the FA test allows diagnosis of Brucellosis to be made in 2 hours, compared to 6 days by the usual cultural procedures.     

Insect epoxide hydrolase: Properties of a purified enzyme from the southern armyworm (Spodoptera eridania)

An epoxide hydrolase purified from midgut microsomes of southern armyworm (Spodoptera eridania) larvae exhibited high activity toward monosubstituted epoxides (1,2-epoxyoctane, 1,2-epoxypropane, and styrene oxide) and lower activity toward cis-1,2-disubstituted epoxides (cyclohexene oxide, and the cyclodienes HEOM, HCE, and chlordene epoxide). Trisubstituted epoxides (2-methyl-2,3-epoxyheptane and JH-1) as well as several cyclodiene insecticides (dieldrin, endrin, endo-epoxyaldrin, and anti-heptachlor epoxide) were refractory to enzymatic attack. It is concluded that both lipophilic and steric factors dictate the substrate specificity of the enzyme. With cyclohexene oxide the enzyme yields the 1R, 2R enantiomer of the trans-diol. The purified enzyme is inhibited by several epoxides and mixed-function oxidase inhibitors and the potency of 3,3,3-trichloro-1,2-epoxypropane and sodium picrylsulfonate suggest the importance of electronic factors in the inhibitory mechanism. Studies with specific amino acid modifiers suggest the presence of an essential lysine or histidine residue at the active site and indicate that the enzyme lacks a metal ion requirement and an essential cysteine residue. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of 46,000 daltons and amino acid analysis and immunochemical studies show it to be very similar to, but not identical with, the epoxide hydrolase from mammalian liver microsomes.