Effects of supplemental alfalfa hay on the digestion of soybean hull-based diets by cattle

We evaluated the optimal level of alfalfa inclusion in soybean hull-based diets. In Exp. 1, 20 Holstein steers (319 kg of BW) were used in a complete block design. Treatments included a soybean hull mix (95.7% soybean hulls, 3% molasses, 0.5% urea, 0.8% mineral mix; DM basis) fed alone (100:0) or with 10.4, 20.7, or 30.9% (DM basis) coarsely chopped alfalfa hay (90:10, 80:20, and 70:30, respectively) or alfalfa alone (0:100). Diets were fed once daily at 1.75% (DM basis) of BW. In some cases, orts were present, which caused DM, OM, and NDF intakes to decrease (linear, P < 0.05) as alfalfa was added to the diets. Digestibilities of DM, OM, and NDF decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as alfalfa was added to the diets, but quadratic responses (P < 0.05) indicated that positive associative effects occurred between soybean hulls and alfalfa. Liquid dilution rates increased (linear, P < 0.05) with alfalfa additions to the diets and also demonstrated positive associative effects between soybean hulls and alfalfa (quadratic, P < 0.05). Solid passage rates were similar for 100:0 and 0:100 but were increased (quadratically and cubically, P < 0.05) when combinations of soybean hulls and alfalfa were fed. In Exp. 2, in vitro NDF digestibilities were measured for soybean hulls, alfalfa, and a blend of 85% soybean hulls and 15% alfalfa, each with no N source or supplemented with casein or urea to ascertain the effects of protein from alfalfa on digestibility. Disappearances were increased (P < 0.05) by addition of urea or casein, but no interactions between substrate and N supplement were observed. Addition of 30% alfalfa to diets consisting primarily of soybean hulls led to positive associative effects on diet digestibility, but alfalfa additions led to increased liquid and solid passage rates, suggesting that the benefit was not a result of slower passage of soybean hulls from the rumen.     

Influence of long-time transportation stress on re-activation of Salmonella typhimurium DT104 in experimentally infected pigs

In this study a Salmonella Typhimurium infection model in swine was used in order to investigate the influence of pre-mortal stress induced by long time period transportation on the re-activation of Salmonella in experimentally infected pigs. Salmonella free pigs were exposed to a highly virulent strain of Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 by direct intragastrical administration. Clinical parameters were monitored and the shedding rate in faeces was qualitatively and quantitatively determined by standard bacteriological procedures for 21 days. The distribution of the challenge organism in 14 different internal organs of transported and nontransported animals was determined. All infected animals developed clinical signs of salmonellosis 12 to 24 hours post infection. About 88 to 100% of the fecal samples were culture-positive up to post exposure day 6, and then varied from 71 to 92% until slaughter, respectively. At necropsy S. Typhimurium was recovered most frequently from caecum and ileocolic lymph nodes (83%), colon (79%), palatine tonsils (71%) and mandibular lymph nodes (62.5%). A negative impact of transportation stress on the shedding rate and the general condition of the animals was observed.     

Helminth findings in indigenous raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1843)

Internal organs of 74 racoon dogs originating from the eastern districts of the Federal Land Brandenburg were subjected to a complete helminthological dissection. In addition, samples of diaphragma muscles from 46 further animals were examined for Trichinella larvae. Altogether 3 trematode- (Alaria alata, Isthmiophora melis, Metorchis bilis), 3 cestode- (Mesocestoides sp., Echinococcus multilocularis, Taenia polyacantha) and 7 nematode species (Capillaria aerophila, C. plica, Trichinella spiralis, Uncinaria stenocephala, Molineus patens, Crenosoma vulpis, Toxocara canis) could be identified. Thereby, the racoon dog has a comparable helminth spectrum as well known in red foxes. Differences in the frequency of the occurrence of helminths in both hosts can be explained by different food preferences.     

Identification of focal adenomyosis as a uterine lesion in two dogs

A focal uterine adenomyosis is described in two bitches. In both cases, the uterus showed knobbly enlargements of 4 to 8 cm in diameter, which resulted in distinct clinical symptoms. Other pathological changes of the uterus were not present. One bitch was presented because of a history of vaginal discharge of several months' duration. Radiographs, as well as ultrasonography, revealed a soft tissue lesion at the cervix. The other bitch showed a marked reduction in its general condition and a sudden onset of a tense abdomen. Radiologically, a lesion of soft tissue opacity was observed in the mid-abdomen and was seen to originate from the left uterine horn during exploratory laparotomy. A torsion of the lesion was present, which explained the clinical signs in this second case.     

Dermatophilus congolensis Infection in Goats in Tanzania

When goats in Eastern Tanzania were screened for skin diseases, Dermatophilus congolensis was isolated from the skin lesions in 8 of 484 animals examined. In one severely affected case, the disease was also characterized by histological studies (Gram stain, Giemsa stain and routine HE studies) and electron microscopy. The histological picture was characterized by hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis, folliculitis and an inflammatory cellular reaction involving the epidermis. Gram stain and Giemsa stain revealed longitudinal and transverse branching filaments in the deeper layers of the epidermis. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated D. congolensis in various morphological forms, ranging from filamentous to tuber-shaped structures, mixed with numerous coccoid bodies of variable size. In some instances, the organisms were geometrically arranged in parallel rows of beading and were present in and among the degenerated epithelial cells. Several host cells showed degenerative changes. Ticks present on the goats were Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus evertsi, Rhipicephalus pravus and Boophilus sp. The clinical signs, pathological lesions, diagnosis, epidemiology and pathogenesis of the disease are discussed.     

Persistence of Ehrlichia phagocytophila infection in two age groups of lambs

Tick-borne fever (TBF) is caused by the rickettsiae Ehrlichia phagocytophila and is a common disease in sheep in tick (Ixodes ricinus) infested areas in Norway. Earlier investigations have shown that some sheep could remain infected for several months after the primary infection. In this study, the persistence of E. phagocytophila after experimental infection was investigated in 2 age groups of lambs. Six lambs (1-2 weeks old) and 14 lambs (6-8 months old) were inoculated intravenously with an ovine strain of E. phagocytophila and thereafter examined clinically (including daily body temperature recording) and by haematological and serological (E. equi antibodies) methods for the next 4 months. At the end of this period, the lambs were examined for a TBF infection by blood smear investigation and blood inoculation studies. The infection was demonstrated in 19 (95%) of the 20 lambs.     

The effect of two different oxytetracycline treatments in experimental Ehrlichia phagocytophila infected lambs

The effect of 2 different oxytetracycline treatments in acute E. phagocytophila infected lambs was investigated. Twenty 5-month-old lambs of the Dala and Rygja breeds were used. Ten lambs were inoculated intravenously with a stabilate of an ovine E. phagocytophila strain. On the third day of fever, 4 lambs were given long-acting oxytetracycline (Terramycin prolongatum vet, Pfizer) (20 mg/kg) intramuscularly and another 4 lambs were given short-acting oxytetracycline (Terramycin vet, Pfizer) (10 mg/kg) intravenously for 5 consecutive days. The lambs were examined for the presence of Ehrlichia infection by blood smear evaluation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody titre against E. equi. One month after the last antibiotic treatment, 250 ml citrate blood from each of these lambs were inoculated into each of 10 susceptible lambs, which were observed during the following 6 weeks. The results indicate that oxytetracycline given in the acute stage of the infection may effectively terminate the development of fever, rickettsemia and weight reduction in E. phagocytophila infected lambs. No difference was observed between the 2 treatment groups. However, at least 3 of 8 antibiotic treated lambs (37.5%) were still infected with granulocytic Ehrlichia 3 months after treatment.     

Influence of ileo-caecal cannulation and oxytetracycline on ileo-caecal and rectal coliform populations in pigs

The effect of surgery (insertion of an ileo-caecal cannula) and a subsequent parenteral treatment with oxytetracycline on the ileo-caecal and rectal coliform populations in 7 Swedish Yorkshire castrates were studied. Samples were collected during surgery as well as 3, 7, 14 and 20 days post surgery. The diversity of the enteric coliform flora was initially high both in the ileo-caecal ostium and in rectum. No alteration in the diversity of the enteric coliform flora was observed following surgery and treatment with oxytetracycline. As the insertion of ileo-caecal cannulas did not affect the intestinal coliform flora this study gives support to the use of this technique to mirror processes in the small intestine of pigs. Further, the diversity of the enteric coliform flora was unaffected by the parenteral treatment with oxytetracycline.     

SV40 Immortalization of feline fibroblasts as targets for MHC-restricted cytotoxic T-cell assays

CTL assays in outbred cats have been difficult to perform because of a lack of a good source of syngeneic target cell. Primary fibroblasts from cats are widely used as target cells for MHC-restricted cytotoxic T-cell (CTL) assays, but their limited life-spans of 8-10 culture passages can be problematic for longitudinal studies. To circumvent the life-span limitations of primary fibroblast cultures, we developed a procedure for immortalizing feline primary fibroblast cells by transfection with a molecular clone of simian virus 40 (SV40). Fibroblast cultures from skin biopsies of 28 cats were immortalized using this procedure and have been passaged for longer than 6 months without showing any phenotypic difference from the original primary cells. Non-SV40 transfected feline fibroblasts from a selection of animals in the same group survived for only 6-8 weeks before reaching senescence. The immortalized fibroblasts expressed SV40 T-antigen and Class I MHC protein, and were successfully used as target cells in 51Cr release CTL assays in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cats and in vitro stimulated allogeneic T-cell cultures.     

The effects of health classification and housing and management of feeder pigs on performance and meat inspection findings of all-in-all-out swine-finishing herds

The effects of health classification and of housing and management on performance and meat inspection findings were studied in 166 all-in-all-out finishing herds in Finland in 1995 and 1998. Producers could buy either health-classified (certified free of certain diseases) or standard-class pigs for their farms. Herds that had attained a certain level of housing and management were eligible to join the LSO 2000 management system for finishing herds. In 1995, none of the study herds were LSO 2000 units. In 1998, 76 of them had become LSO 2000 units, while 90 had remained as non-LSO 2000 units. Continuous outcome variables (daily gain and time in the finishing unit) were analysed with a mixed-model procedure with repeated measurements from the same farms. Discrete variables were analysed either with Poisson regression (mortality, whole- and partial-carcass condemnations, organ condemnations, arthritis, abscesses) or logistic regression (liver condemnations, pneumonia, pleuritis). The models were adjusted for the year, size of the herd and the average slaughter weight of the batch.The benefits obtained by the health classification of the feeder pigs included a substantial increase in daily gain (37g, about 5%) and decrease in time in the finishing unit (4 days, about 4%), decrease in mortality (odds ratio, OR 0.68), a substantial decrease in pneumonia (OR 0.37) and pleuritis (OR 0.60), and a substantial decrease in liver (OR 0.45) and organ (OR 0.72) condemnations. Classification of the pigs did not have an effect on the prevalence of whole-carcass condemnations, arthritis or abscesses. The health-classified pigs had, unexpectedly, more partial-carcass condemnations (OR 1.15) than the standard-class pigs. The obtained benefits of the LSO 2000 units were an increase in daily gain (14g, about 2%), decrease in time in the finishing unit (2 days, about 2%), a decrease in mortality (OR 0.69) and a decrease in whole-carcass (OR 0.69) and partial-carcass (OR 0.81) condemnations. The LSO 2000 units did not have any advantage over the non-LSO 2000 units in their prevalence of liver or organ condemnations, arthritis, abscesses, pneumonia or pleuritis.