Heat stress and effect of shade materials on hormonal and behavior response of dairy cattle: a review

In tropical countries, at high temperatures, several physiological rearrangements occur in cows as they attempt to facilitate heat dissipation and/or reduce metabolic heat production. Following exposure to heat, cattle appear to acclimatize within 2–7 weeks. The failure of homeostasis at high temperatures may lead to reduced productivity or even death. The situation is even worse when humidity adds to high temperature. Livestock with elevated body temperature exhibit lower DMI and growth with less efficiency, reducing profitability for dairy farms in hot and humid climates. Shading of feed and water also offers production advantages. Although several elaborate methods for reducing heat stress in cows have been reported, simple shade materials appear to be the most cost-effective methods that are currently applicable to tropical developing countries. Different materials are being used to provide shade during warm weather. The shade material determines the microclimate—it should be light, strong, durable, weatherproof, good looking and a bad conductor of heat, and free from tendency to condense moisture inside. This review discusses various shade materials and their advantages and disadvantages in different situations.     

对兽医卫生信息资源整合共享的思考

近年来,兽医卫生信息化建设蓬勃发展,信息资源愈加丰富,但存在各自为政、重复采集、一数多源、标准规范缺失、共享利用不足等问题。为打通数据壁垒,深入挖掘信息资源价值,提升兽医卫生风险防控能力,本文提出了统筹规划国家、省级两级信息平台建设,制定标准规范,加强数据共享交换和大数据分析应用的兽医卫生信息资源整合共享思路。     

疙瘩皮肤病概述

疙瘩皮肤病(LSD)又称结节性皮炎或块状皮肤病,是世界动物卫生组织(OIE)规定的A类疫病之一。LSD是由LSDV引起的,以发热,皮肤、粘膜、器官表面广泛性结节,消瘦,淋巴结肿大,皮肤水肿为特征,严重时会引起死亡。此病能大幅度降低产乳量,损坏皮张,常带来较大的经济损失。目前,此病在非洲、以色列等国家和地区发生流行,我国尚无此类疫病的发生。本文仅就疙瘩皮肤病的病原、流行病学、临床与病理、诊断、预防及控制等方面作一概述。     

Clinicopathological studies on facial eczema outbreak in sheep in Southwest Turkey

After very hot summer, 22 sheep from 5 different flocks consisting of approximately 150-200 animals each were diagnosed with facial eczema in September 2005, in southwest Turkey. Photophobia, corneal opacity, severe ulcers of the facial skin, especially localized around the eyes and mouth, and 3% mortality were the most prominent clinical symptoms. GGT levels of the animals were very high and varying between 261- 328 U/l. While the activities of ALT and total bilirubin were elevated and AST was normal in affected sheep. Total bilirubin level was higher than normal. Seven of the 22 sheep were euthanatized and necropsy was performed on all of these animals. Severe icterus, hepatomegaly, enlarged gallbladder, congestion of mesenteric vessels were the common necropsy findings. Histopathological changes of the liver included necrosis of the hepatocytes, cholangiohepatitis characterized by mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate in the portal area and mild to severe fibrosis around bile ducts. A diagnosis of sporidesmin toxicosis was made based on the histopathology of the livers, the elevation in liver enzymes, and the development of cutaneous lesions consistent with photosensitization and high spore counts in the ruminal contents. Surviving sheep were treated with procaine penicillin + dihidrostreptomycin sulfate, multivitamin complexes and flunixin meglumine. Additionally, zinc sulphate was also given at a dose of 6 gr per 100 lt drinking water for 28 days. All treated sheep recovered. Pasture spore counts were between 96,300- 267,500 spores/g grass.     

维生素A在泌乳奶牛消化道内的动态变化研究

选择3头条件一致的荷斯坦奶牛,安装永久性的瘤胃瘘管、十二指肠瘘管和回肠瘘管,用Co-ETDA做标记物。采用3×3拉丁方设计研究了不同维生素A添加水平对奶牛瘤胃、十二指肠、回肠和血液中维生素A浓度的影响,以及维生素A在小肠中的吸收情况,研究结果表明：瘤胃、十二指肠、回肠和血液中维生素A浓度随着维生素A剂量增加而极显著上升（P〈0.01）,其中回肠末端维生素A浓度上升的幅度随着添加剂量的增加而加大,其余三者中维生素A浓度上升的幅度随着添加剂量的增加而逐步降低。小肠中维生素A的吸收量随着维生素A剂量的增加而极显著上升（P〈0.01）,但上升的幅度随着添加剂量的增加而逐步降低。     

藏系绵羊随机扩增多态性DNA最佳反应体系的研究

以高原型藏羊的基因组DNA为模板，通过对RAPD反应体系中的各种参数进行优化试验，建立了适宜于藏系绵羊RAPD分析的最佳反应体系：在PE2400型DNA扩增仪的25μL反应体系中，模板DNA的量为60－120ng，引物量为4－8pmol，Mg^2 浓度为2.0mM，Taq DNA聚合酶为1－2.5U,dNTP浓度为150－200μM;94℃预变性3分钟后35次循环的参数设定为：94℃1分钟，36℃1分钟，72℃2.5分钟，最后72℃延伸10分钟，利用这些条件对藏系绵羊的基因组DNA进行RAPD分析，其结果的重复性和可靠性大为提高。     

互花米草生境中人工巢巢捕食研究

为了研究江苏大丰麋鹿国家级自然保护区互花米草生境中繁殖鸟巢的被捕食情况及影响捕食的因素,2014年3~6月,在保护区第三核心区鸟类繁殖生境中,使用人工巢及真实鹌鹑蛋进行巢捕食实验的方法进行巢捕食实验,分析不同巢高度、覆盖度、边缘距离、植被密度等因素对鸟巢被捕食的影响。实验共放置520个人工巢,1 040枚卵,使用红外相机对部分人工巢进行监测。结果表明:在江苏大丰麋鹿自然保护区互花米草生境内,人工巢存在较高的被捕食率,共有352巢被捕食,占67.7%,对11个变量进行逻辑斯蒂回归,巢高度、植被均高、主要植被密度、距边缘距离、水平覆盖度、上层垂直覆盖度等6个变量进人最终模型,巢高度、距边缘距离与巢被捕食显著相关。通过红外相机拍摄从102个监测巢中记录到69个捕食事件,68巢黑线姬鼠(Apodemus agrarius)和1巢黑眉锦蛇(Elaphe taeniura)捕食。我们认为互花米草生境中缺乏啮齿类动物的天敌是当地人工巢被捕食的主要原因。     

Incidence and molecular characterisation of lumpy skin disease virus in Zimbabwe using the P32 gene

Between January, 2013 and December, 2014, there was a lumpy skin disease (LSD) outbreak that affected cattle in different localities of Zimbabwe. The outbreak resulted in severe economic losses to the livestock industry. A retrospective study was conducted by examining stored veterinary records of the LSD outbreak at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) in Harare, Zimbabwe. Over the 2-year period, a total of 10,038 cases and 880 deaths (8.77 %) were recorded. LSD was reported from all regions of the country, with the highest incidence occurring in Mashonaland West (30.95 %) and Midlands province (14.59 %). The frequency of reported outbreaks was highest in March and April, with the lowest reported cases occurring in November. A total of 25 representative specimens (skin biopsies) were collected from nodular skin lesions of infected cattle, and after viral DNA isolation, the P32 gene was successfully amplified, by using PCR, in 88 % (22/25) of all assayed specimens. Out of the 22 samples that showed amplification, 16 (73 %) were selected for DNA sequencing, and from these, 13 sequences were submitted to GenBank and assigned accession numbers: KX033494, KX033495, KX033496, KX033497, KXO33498, KX033499, KX033500, KX033501, KX033502, KX033503, KX033504, KX033505 and KX033506. Phylogenetic analyses of the 13 sequences was done by using MEGA 7 and showed that the viruses formed two major clusters implying that at least two strains of LSDV are in circulation in Zimbabwe. This study provides the first report on the incidence and molecular characterisation of LSDV in Zimbabwe.