Measurements of the acid-binding capacity of ingredients used in pig diets

: Some feed ingredients bind more acid in the stomach than others and for this reason may be best omitted from pig starter foods if gastric acidity is to be promoted. The objective of this study was to measure the acid-binding capacity (ABC) of ingredients commonly used in pig starter foods. Ingredients were categorised as follows: (i) milk products (n = 6), (ii) cereals (n = 10), (iii) root and pulp products (n = 5), (iv) vegetable proteins (n = 11), (v) meat and fish meal (n = 2), (vi) medication (n = 3), (vii) amino acids (n = 4), (viii) minerals (n = 16), (ix) acid salts (n = 4), (x) acids (n = 10). A 0.5 g sample of food was suspended in 50 ml distilled de-ionised water with continuous stirring. This suspension was titrated with 0.1 mol/L HCl or 0.1 mol/L NaOH so that approximately 10 additions of titrant was required to reach pH 3.0. The pH readings after each addition were recorded following equilibration for three minutes. ABC was calculated as the amount of acid in milliequivalents (meq) required to lower the pH of 1 kg food to (a) pH 4.0 (ABC-4) and (b) pH 3.0 (ABC-3). Categories of food had significantly different (P < 0.01) ABC values. Mean ABC-4 and ABC-3 values of the ten categories were: (i) 623 (s.d. 367.0) and 936 (s.d. 460.2), (ii) 142 (s.d. 79.2) and 324 (s.d. 146.4), (iii) 368 (s.d. 65.3) and 804 (s.d. 126.7), (iv) 381 (s.d. 186.1) and 746 (s.d. 227.0), (v) 749 (s.d. 211.6) and 1508 (s.d. 360.8), (vi) 120 (s.d. 95.6) and 261 (s.d. 163.2), (vii) 177 (s.d. 60.7) and 1078 (s.d. 359.0), (viii) 5064 (s.d. 5525.1) and 7051 (s.d. 5911.6), (ix) 5057 (s.d. 1336.6) and 8945 (s.d. 2654.1) and (x) -5883 (s.d. 4220.5) and -2591 (s.d. 2245.4) meq HCl per kg, respectively. Within category, ABC-3 and ABC- 4 values were highly correlated: R2 values of 0.80 and greater for food categories i, iv, v, vi, vii and viii. The correlation between predicted and observed ABC values of 34 mixed diets was 0.83 for ABC-4 and 0.71 for ABC-3. It was concluded that complete diets with low ABC values may be formulated through careful selection of ingredients. The final pH to which ABC is measured should matter little as ABC-3 and ABC-4 are highly correlated.     

Fecal incontinence and spinal cord abnormalities in seven dogs

Seven dogs with fecal incontinence and abnormal gaits were evaluated. Fecal incontinence was characterized as defecation of normal stools without posturing. Duration of clinical signs prior to evaluation ranged from 5 months to 3 years. Five dogs had upper motor neuron (UMN) paraparesis, and 2 dogs had UMN tetraparesis. With magnetic resonance imaging, spinal cord abnormalities primarily involving the dorsal aspect of the spinal cord were identified in all dogs. Five dogs had focal abnormalities, and 2 dogs had diffuse abnormalities of the spinal cord. Of the dogs with focal spinal cord lesions, 4 had cystic spinal cord abnormalities and 1 had a meningioma. Surgery was performed on all dogs with focal lesions; 4 of the 5 dogs had resolution of fecal incontinence after surgery. Results in these dogs suggest that fecal incontinence can be associated with spinal cord abnormalities and, depending on the characteristics of the lesion, can resolve after surgical treatment of the abnormality.     

Synovial fluid and plasma concentrations of ceftiofur after regional intravenous perfusion in the horse

OBJECTIVE: To determine radiocarpal (RC) joint synovial fluid and plasma ceftiofur concentrations after regional intravenous perfusion (RIP) and systemic intravenous (IV) administration. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental cross-over study. ANIMALS: Five normal adult horses. METHODS: One RC joint was randomly selected for RIP and the contralateral RC joint was sampled to determine intrasynovial ceftiofur concentrations after IV administration. Wash-out between IV and RIP was > or = 14 days. After surgical introduction of an intraarticular catheter, ceftiofur (2 g) was administered under general anesthesia either IV or by RIP after tourniquet application. Plasma and synovial fluid were collected over 24 hours. Samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and the results were statistically analyzed using a linear mixed effect model. RESULTS: Mean synovial fluid ceftiofur concentrations were consistently higher after RIP than after IV administration and were > 1 mug/mL (minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] for common pathogens) for >24 hours. Mean synovial fluid peak concentration of ceftiofur after RIP and IV administration was 392.7+/-103.29 microg/mL at 0.5 hours postinjection (HPI) and 2.72+/-0.31 mug/mL at 1 HPI, respectively. Large variations in synovial fluid and plasma ceftiofur concentrations were observed between horses regardless of administration technique. RIP did not cause adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Under the present experimental conditions RIP with ceftiofur (2 g) induced significantly higher intraarticular antibiotic concentrations in the RC joint in comparison with IV administration. Moreover, after RIP, synovial fluid ceftiofur concentrations remain above the MIC for common pathogens (1 microg/mL) for > 24 hours. No adverse effects from the technique or the antibiotic were observed. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: RIP with high doses of ceftiofur may be a beneficial adjunctive therapy when treating equine synovial infections which are caused by cephalosporin susceptible microorganisms.     

Subtotal ostectomy of dorsal spinous processes performed in nine standing horses

OBJECTIVE: To describe and evaluate subtotal ostectomy of dorsal spinous processes (DSP) performed in standing horses. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Nine adult horses. METHODS: The diseased portions of the DSP were removed with the horses standing and sedated after infiltrating a local anesthetic agent around the affected DSP. Medical records of affected horses were reviewed to determine history, findings of physical and radiographic examination, surgical technique, postoperative complications, and outcome. RESULTS: Five horses had subtotal ostectomy of DSP because of osteomyelitis, and 4 because of impingement and/or fracture of DSP. Affected portions of DSP were removed safely and effectively, with no apparent discomfort to the horses; hemorrhage was minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Subtotal ostectomy of DSP can be performed safely in standing, conscious horses and the risks associated with general anesthesia are eliminated. Hemorrhage is minimal compared to that which occurs when the procedure is performed with horses anesthetized and in lateral recumbency. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Access and visibility are better when subtotal ostectomy of the DSP is performed with the horse standing rather than anesthetized and in lateral recumbency. Performing subtotal ostectomy of diseased DSP with the horse standing avoids the expense and risks of general anesthesia.     

Comparison of three methods for arthrodesis of the distal intertarsal and tarsometatarsal joints in horses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of diode laser surgery (LS), surgical drilling (SD), and intraarticular sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA) as methods for fusing the distal intertarsal (DIT) and tarsometatarsal (TMT) joints in horses. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Adult horses (15) without radiographic signs of osteoarthritis (OA) of the DIT and TMT joints. METHODS: Group 1 (n=3) had LS performed bilaterally on DIT and TMT joints; 1 horse was evaluated for 1 week and 2 horses were evaluated for 2 weeks. Group 2 (n=6) had LS on DIT and TMT joints of 1 tarsus and MIA administration into the contralateral DIT and TMT joints and were evaluated for 6 months. Group 3 (n=6) had LS performed on DIT and TMT joints of 1 tarsus and SD of the contralateral DIT and TMT joints and were evaluated for 12 months. Postoperative comfort, lameness, radiography, microradiography, and histology scores were compared using repeated measures ANOVA, and paired or 2 sample t-tests; significance was set at P<.05. RESULTS: LS caused the least postoperative morbidity. In group 2, horses were less lame in 4 LS-treated limbs and 2 MIA-treated limbs at 6 months when compared with the contralateral limb. In group 3, horses were less lame in 5 LS-treated limbs and 1 SD-treated limb at 6 and 12 months compared with the contralateral limb. On microradiography, 11 MIA joints and 2 LS joints had bone bridging the joint at 6 months whereas 8 SD joints and 5 LS joints had bone bridging at 12 months. Significantly more joint space was bridged by bone in MIA- (51.4%) and SD (46.2%)-treated joints compared with LS joints at 6 (30.6%) and 12 (28.5%) months, respectively (P<.05). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: SD and MIA resulted in more bone bridging of the distal 2 tarsal joints, than LS. However, LS seemingly caused less pain and discomfort to horses in the immediate postoperative period; horses were generally less lame in the LS limb. More laser energy may need to be applied to these joints to promote fusion; however, it may also have beneficial effects beyond fusion. Further research on horses with OA of the distal 2 tarsal joints is needed to determine whether LS can cause soundness without facilitating bony fusion.     

Developmental changes in trans-permethrin and α-naphthyl acetate ester hydrolysis during the last larval instar of Pseudoplusia includens

The hydrolysis of trans-permethrin and α-naphthyl acatate by midgut, fat body, and cuticle homogenates from Pseudoplusia includens (Walker) was monitored during the development of the last instar. The midgut homogenates appeared to have two pH optima (7.6 and 8.6) for the hydrolysis of trans-permethrin, the fat body homogenates had one optimum (7.4–7.8), and the cuticle homogenates had a major optimum at 6.6. Hydrolysis of both substrates peaked during the late feeding stages for midgut and cuticle homogenates, although relative changes were not the same. Hydrolysis of trans-permethrin peaked during the late feeding stage in fat body homogenates, while hydrolysis of α-naphthyl acetate continually increased through the prepupal stage. Thus, the hydrolysis of α-naphthyl acetate is not necessarily associated with the hydrolysis of trans-permethrin. The LD₅₀ values for trans-permethrin on the different stages appeared to reflect the influence of hydrolysis.     

Prediction of field atrazine persistence in an allophanic soil with Opus2

A modified version of the model Opus was applied to measurements of soil water dynamics and atrazine (6-chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) persistence in a Bruntwood silt loam soil (Haplic Andosol, FAO system) in Hamilton, New Zealand. The modified model, Opus2, is briefly described and parameter estimation for the simulations is discussed. Soil water dynamics were more accurately described by applying measured soil hydraulic properties than by estimating them using pedotransfer functions. A parameter sensitivity analysis revealed that degradation was the most relevant process in simulating pesticide behaviour by Opus2. The Arrhenius equation incorporated in Opus2 did not correctly describe the effect of temperature on degradation rates obtained at 10, 20 and 30 degrees C. However, as the Arrhenius coefficient is a very sensitive parameter and soil temperature variation was relatively narrow in the field, the Arrhenius coefficient was approximated from the laboratory study. The simulation results obtained were superior to modelling at constant temperature. Field measured persistence of atrazine in the topsoil was underpredicted using the half-life determined in the laboratory at 10 degrees C. Modelling with a lag phase followed by accelerated degradation by use of a sigmoidal degradation equation in Opus2 significantly improved the modelling results. Nevertheless, degradation processes in the laboratory under controlled conditions did not accurately represent field dissipation, however well the laboratory degradation data could be described by simple kinetic equations. The study indicates the importance of improving field techniques for measuring degradation, and developing laboratory protocols that yield degradation data that are more representative of pesticide dynamics in field soils.