Impact of vitamin and mineral supplement withdrawal and wheat middling inclusion on finishing pig growth performance,fecal mineral concentration,carcass characteristics,and the nutrient content and oxidative stability of pork

A study was conducted to determine if supplement withdrawal (omission of dietary vitamin and trace mineral premixes and a two-thirds reduction in dietary inorganic phosphorus) for 28 d preslaughter and the feeding of wheat middlings (dietary concentrations of 5, 15, and 30% from weaning to 16, 16 to 28, and 28 kg to slaughter, respectively) affect growth performance, carcass characteristics, and fecal mineral concentrations ofthe pig, as well as the nutrient content and oxidative stability of the longissimus dorsi muscle. Crossbred pigs (n = 64) were blocked by weight and assigned to one of four dietary treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial design (with or without supplement withdrawal, and with or without wheat middlings). Supplement withdrawal and wheat middling inclusion did not influence average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake, gain/feed, or carcass traits, except for a decrease (P < 0.01) in the ADG of pigs from 28 to 65 kg when fed wheat middlings. Supplement withdrawal decreased (P < 0.01) fecal Ca, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations. In diets containing full vitamin and mineral supplementation, wheat middling inclusion decreased (P < 0.01) fecal Ca, Cu, Fe, and Zn concentrations and increased (P < 0.01) fecal Mn. Supplement withdrawal decreased (P < 0.05) concentrations of riboflavin, niacin, and P in the longissimus dorsi muscle, but did not affect longissimus dorsi thiamin, vitamin E, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Ca concentrations. Inclusion of wheat middlings increased (P < 0.04) longissimus dorsi thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and vitamin E concentrations and decreased (P < 0.04) Cu concentrations. However, wheat middling inclusion did not affect (P > 0.05) longissimus dorsi Ca, P, Fe, and Zn concentrations. Dietary treatment did not affect either Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase activity in the longissimus dorsi. The results from this study indicate that supplement withdrawal and dietary wheat middling inclusion alter pork nutrient content and fecal mineral concentration, but not the oxidative stability of pork.     

Management of resistance in horticultural pests and beneficial species in New Zealand

Two related insecticide resistance management programmes are under way in New Zealand horticulture. The first aims to limit the spread and impact of azinphos-methyl resistant lightbrown apple moth (LBAM) in an applegrowing district. In the second, the introduction of pyrethroid (SP) resistance in organophosphate-resistant (OP) Typhlodromus pyri makes it possible to undertake biological control of the European red mite that is compatible with SP and OP control of orchard pests. In the LBAM programme the resistant zone, which includes alternative host-plant reservoirs, has been delineated by detailed resistance monitoring with topical application of males caught using female sex pheromone. In that zone, chlorpyrifos, to which the azinphos-methyl resistant LBAM has low cross-resistance, is used in the short term to control resistant moths, while alternative measures (e. g. other insecticides and mating disruption) are investigated. Recognition of the importance of immigration from alternative host plant reservoirs has led to specific tactics such as the application of pyrethroids to non-crop areas. This resulted in a significant decrease of the resistant population. So far, however, SPs have not been registered in apple orchards because they kill OP-resistant predatory mites which control the European red mite, and also because of the lack of residue tolerances for SPs in some overseas markets. Following the assessment of the potential value of pyrethroids in pipfruit, DSIR started field selection for pyrethroid resistance in predatory mites, which was later expanded to include laboratory selection. The successful development of pyrethroid-resistant predators which retain organophosphate resistance is permitting the introduction of biological control of European red mite compatible with the use of these two classes of insecticides for control of other pests. In future, the lepidopterous pests on New Zealand apples may be controlled by pyrethroids, scales and other minor pests by organophosphates, and European red mite by multi-resistant predatory mites.     

The effects of subcutaneous injections of sodium selenate on blood composition and milk yield in dairy cows.

Three groups of four lactating cows received a subcutaneous injection of 0 . 05, 0 . 10 and 0 . 15 mg Se/kg body weighty respectively administered as sodium selenate. A fourth group was injected with saline. In all the cows injected with sodium selenate, the concentration of Se in blood increased rapidly and was significantly higher than in control cows for two days in the group receiving the lowest dose and for 182 days (the duration of the experiment) in the two other groups. The activity of glutathione peroxidase in blood increased slowly in all cows injected with sodium selenate and was significantly greater than in control cows after 15, 22 and 29 days respectively, and remained significantly greater for 63, 91 and 182 days respectively. In a second experiment a single subcutaneous injection of 0 . 15 mg Se/kg body weight had no effect on the mean milk yield of 37 animals (19 . 1 kg/day) compared with the milk yield of a similar group of control animals (19 . 1 kg/day) during 70 days. The concentration of Se in milk was significantly higher on the first (168 microgram/litre) and second (69 microgram/litre) day after injection than in control animals (mean 26 microgram/litre).     

Identification and transmission of Piper yellow mottle virus and Cucumber mosaic virus infecting black pepper (Piper nigrum) in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan black pepper with symptoms of yellow mottle disease contained a mixture of viruses: Piper yellow mottle virus (PYMV) particles (30 × 130 nm), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV, 30 nm diameter isometric particles), and unidentified, isometric virus-like particles (30 nm diameter). An effective purification procedure is described for PYMV. Immunosorbent and conventional electron microscopy successfully detected badnavirus particles only when at least partially purified extracts were used. PYMV was confirmed as the cause of the disease, with the other two viruses apparently playing no part in producing symptoms. PYMV was transmitted by grafting, by the insect vectors citrus mealy bug ( Planococcus citri ) and black pepper lace bug ( Diconocoris distanti ), but not by mechanical inoculation or through seeds. The CMV isolate was transmitted to indicator plants by mechanical inoculation and by the vector Aphis gossypii , but not by Myzus persicae ; but neither mechanical nor insect transmission of CMV to black pepper was successful. A sensitive polymerase chain reaction assay was developed to detect PYMV in black pepper.     

Pregnancy‐Associated Glycoprotein Secretion in North Moroccan Goats

The plasma profile of pregnancy‐associated glycoprotein (PAG) and its relationship with fetal number were studied in 14 North Moroccan goats using a semi‐heterologous radioimmunoassay (RIA). Peripheral blood was collected every day during the first month of pregnancy, afterward the blood samples were collected trice a week. The PAG were first detected at day 20 of pregnancy, their levels increase to week 8 of gestation then decrease slightly until parturition. Statistical differences between goats carrying one or two foetuses are observed from week 5 of pregnancy until parturition. Factorial Discriminant Analysis provides mathematical models for the discrimination between the litter size using the PAG level and the week of pregnancy. Using only one blood sample per week, high sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy (74%, 88% and 81%) were obtained using these models. It is concluded that the PAG RIA is an effective tool for early diagnosis of pregnancy and for discrimination between the litter sizes in North Moroccan goats.     

Aplastic anemia in two kittens following a prescription error

A medication error resulted in two kittens being treated with azathioprine (12 and 12.5 mg/kg) instead of azithromycin for 2 weeks. On clinical examination, the kittens were febrile, weak, and had oronasal hemorrhage. Complete blood cell counts indicated severe bone marrow suppression. Treatment consisted of multiple transfusions, antibiotics, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. One of the kittens responded to therapy and had a complete recovery. The other kitten was treated for 40 days with no clinical response before dying. Both kittens also contracted Mycoplasma hemofelis infection from a contaminated blood transfusion.     

Handling behavior problems in the practice setting

The veterinary clinic plays a critical role in the prevention and treatment of behavior problems. If behavior problems do begin to emerge, the veterinary clinic can help determine who can advise and guide the owners most practically to improve or resolve the problem. This help might involve the veterinarian, a behavioral technician, a trained staff member, an appropriate trainer, or some combination of these persons. This article reviews how these professional roles might be integrated, depending on the complexity of the problem.     

Platelet distribution width and mean platelet volume in the interpretation of thrombocytopenia in dogs

Objectives : To investigate the use of platelet volume indices in the interpretation of thrombocytopenia in dogs with systemic disease. Methods : Case records of 80 control dogs and 159 thrombocytopenic dogs with systemic disease were reviewed retrospectively. The relationships between mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width and platelet count in systemically well dogs were established. Knowledge of these relationships was used to interpret thrombocytopenia in terms of the underlying disease process. Results : There was a positive relationship between platelet distribution width and mean platelet volume. Both platelet distribution width and mean platelet volume varied in a negative relationship with platelet count, which was unaffected by signalment, underlying disease, variations in haematological parameters or serum proteins. Clinical Significance : The interpretation of mean platelet volume and platelet distribution width in dogs requires simultaneous reference to the platelet count. Platelet volume indices did not aid interpretation of thrombocytopenia in terms of underlying pathological processes in the population studied.     

Characterization of the dimer-monomer equilibrium of the papaya Copper/Zinc superoxide dismutase and its equilibrium shift by a single amino acid mutation.

The coding region of the copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD) cDNA from papaya fruit, Carica papaya L. cv. Tainong 2, was cloned into an expression vector, pET-20b(+). The Cu/Zn SOD was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by His-tag technique. Two active forms of the enzyme (30% dimer and 70% monomer) in equilibrium were observed. The activity of the dimeric enzyme was higher than that of the monomeric form. The thermal inactivation rate constant K(d) values calculated for the dimer and monomer at 90 degrees C were -0.0203 and -0.0216 min(-1), and the half-lives for inactivation were 41.9 and 31.8 min, respectively. This indicated that the dimeric enzyme was more stable than its monomeric form. The dimerization of the enzyme was inhibited under acidic pH (below 3.0) or imidazole buffer (above 0.5 M), whereas it was not affected under alkaline pH (above 9.0). Both activity and forms of the enzyme were not affected by 1-4% SDS. Furthermore, the dimeric enzyme was much more resistant to proteolytic attack after 3 h of incubation at 37 degrees C with trypsin or chymotrypsin. In addition, mutation of the papaya Cu/Zn SOD at position 48 from Leu to Phe (L48F) affected the association of monomer, whereas a mutant with Lys substitution (L48K) at the same position tended to dissociate into monomeric form.     

Identification of a spatially efficient portfolio of priority conservation sites in marine and estuarine areas of Florida

• 1. A systematic conservation planning approach using benthic habitat and imperilled species data along with the site prioritization algorithm, MARXAN, was used to identify a spatially efficient portfolio of marine and estuarine sites around Florida with high biodiversity value.
• 2. Ensuring the persistence of an adequate geographic representation of conservation targets in a particular area is a key goal of conservation. In this context, development and testing of different approaches to spatially‐explicit marine conservation planning remains an important priority.
• 3. This detailed case study serves as a test of existing approaches while also demonstrating some novel ways in which current methods can be tailored to fit the complexities of marine planning.
• 4. The paper reports on investigations of the influence of varying several algorithm inputs on resulting portfolio scenarios including the conservation targets (species observations, habitat distribution, etc.) included, conservation target goals, and socio‐economic factors.
• 5. This study concluded that engaging stakeholders in the development of a site prioritization framework is a valuable strategy for identifying broadly accepted selection criteria; universal target representation approaches are more expedient to use as algorithm inputs, but may fall short in capturing the impact of historic exploitation patterns for some conservation targets; socio‐economic factors are best considered subsequent to the identification of priority conservation sites when biodiversity value is the primary driver of site selection; and the influence of surrogate targets on portfolio selection should be thoroughly investigated to ensure unintended effects are avoided.
• 6. The priority sites identified in this analysis can be used to guide allocation of limited conservation and management resources.

Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.