Determination of the dry matter disappearance and the crude protein degradability of the formaldehyde treated feeds in the rumen by in situ method

Sunflower cake (SC), horse bean (HB), and alfalfa meal (AM) were treated with rising doses of formaldehyde (F) from 0.0, 0.2 ... 2.0 g F per 100 g crude protein. We have followed the differences of crude protein solubility, its degradability and disappearance of dry matter in the rumen as well as the amount of reversible bonded F from the F dose. With AM it was found a significant influence of ADF on the degradability and on the amount of acid-labile bonded F and/or on the decrease of N solubility. From the total N content the share of soluble nitrogen decreased in SC by 31%, HB by 24%, and in AM only by 12.5%. With the increase of the F dose its protective effect on proteins against the degradability mainly in SC and HB also rose significantly. The degradability of AM protein was influenced more by the incubation time than by the effect of treatment. The degradability of the SC proteins fell from 95% with untreated to 27% treated with the maximum dose. With AM it fell slowly from 84% to 74% by the determination coefficient R2 = 0.77. It was observed a marked decrease in HB only from the dose of 1.28% F. The changes in dry matter disappearance were similar to the changes in crude protein degradability and to the changes of solubility in SC and AM. The in situ method proved very suitable for the determination of the extent of degradability of the feed proteins in the rumen.     

The distribution and chemical coding of neurons in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex supplying the normal and inflamed ileum in the pig

The present study investigated the chemical coding of neurons in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex supplying the normal (n=4) and inflamed (n=4) ileum (chemically-induced inflammation) in juvenile pigs using retrograde tracing combined with immunohistochemistry. Ileum-projecting neurons (IPN) were predominantly distributed in the left and right superior mesenteric pools of the ganglion. The majority of them were adrenergic (tyrosine hydroxylase-positive) and also contained neuropeptide Y, somatostatin or galanin. No clear-cut differences in the distribution and chemical coding of IPN were found between normal and inflamed pigs. However, in the inflamed group, the density of peptidergic, IPN-associated nerve fibres was higher than that found in the control group.     

Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp.--recent developments and future needs

Cryptosporidia, widely distributed protozoan parasites of vertebrates have recently attracted increasing interest due to several serious waterborne outbreaks, the life-threatening nature of infection in immunocompromised patients, and the realization of economic losses caused by these pathogens in livestock. Genetic polymorphism within Cryptosporidium spp. is being detected at a continuously growing rate, owing to the widespread use of modern molecular techniques. The aim of this paper is to review the current status of taxonomy, genotyping, molecular phylogeny, and characterization of cryptosporidia, and to highlight the need for polyphasic typing, i.e. an integrated approach comprising standardized morphologic, biologic, and molecular methods for describing Cryptosporidium species and isolates, and for establishing "virtual" reference strains.     

Inductive expression of the NOD1 signalling pathway in chickens infected with Salmonella pullorum

1. The aim of this study was to describe the role of Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) receptor signalling in chicken.

2. Tissue-specific expression analysis of NOD1, receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase 2 (RIPK2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 11 (MAPK11 or p38) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed their wide distribution in various organs and tissues.

3. Salmonella pullorum infection activated NOD1 receptor signalling in vivo and in vitro, resulting in significant induction of downstream signalling molecules RIPK2, NF-κB/p65, MAPK11/p38 and the effector molecules IL-1b and IL-8.

4. Activation of NOD1 by its agonist bacterial γ-D-glutamyl-meso-diaminopimelic acid (iE-DAP) in HD11 cells induced the adapter molecular RIPK2 and activated the NF-κB/p65 and MAPK11/p38 pathways, resulting in an increase in IL-8 but not IL-1β. Additionally, inhibition of NOD1 using NOD1-shRNA resulted in downregulation of RIPK2, MAPK11 and IL-8, while NF-κB/p65 and IL-1β were unaltered.

5. These results highlight the important role of NOD1 receptors in eliciting the innate immune response following pathogenic invasion in chicken.     

Drivers,challenges and opportunities of forage technology adoption by smallholder cattle households in Cambodia

Forage technology has been successfully introduced into smallholder cattle systems in Cambodia as an alternative feed source to the traditional rice straw and native pastures, improving animal nutrition and reducing labour requirements of feeding cattle. Previous research has highlighted the positive impacts of forage technology including improved growth rates of cattle and household time savings. However, further research is required to understand the drivers, challenges and opportunities of forage technology for smallholder cattle households in Cambodia to facilitate widespread adoption and identify areas for further improvement. A survey of forage-growing households (n = 40) in July–September 2016 examined forage technology adoption experiences, including reasons for forage establishment, use of inputs and labour requirements of forage plot maintenance and use of forages (feeding, fattening, sale of grass or seedlings and silage). Time savings was reported as the main driver of forage adoption with household members spending approximately 1 h per day maintaining forages and feeding it to cattle. Water availability was reported as the main challenge to this activity. A small number of households also reported lack of labour, lack of fencing, competition from natural grasses, cost of irrigation and lack of experience as challenges to forage growing. Cattle fattening and sale of cut forage grass and seedlings was not found to be a widespread activity by interviewed households, with 25 and 10% of households reporting use of forages for these activities, respectively. Currently, opportunities exist for these households to better utilise forages through expansion of forage plots and cattle activities, although assistance is required to support these households in addressing current constraints, particularly availability of water, if the sustainability of this feed technology for smallholder cattle household is to be established in Cambodia.     

An outbreak of polio-encephalomalacia in cobalt-deficient sheep

Extract

A great deal of evidence has now accumulated that immunity to helminth infection is acquired following natural exposure. Although this immunity is not absolute, animals that have been exposed to infection and survived are able to tolerate a much heavier intake of infective larvae than animals that have never been exposed.     

Further studies on feline respiratory virus diseases

Extract

The July 1973 issue of the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture discussed the Tama revolution. No mention was made of the possibility of nitrite poisoning in cattle grazing ‘Grasslands Tama’ (tetraploid westerwolds) ryegrass. There have been deaths from nitrite poisoning in cattle grazing Tama ryegrass and other crops in many districts this year, and this experience with a brief discussion on nitrite/nitrate poisoning is presented for the guidance of those who may be considering Tama ryegrass as a fodder crop.     

A vitamin e response in a young dog

Extract

This subject will be covered in three sections, first, a brief history of how the idea of using trained dogs to help the blind was conceived, then the present-day methods of training guide dogs, and, finally, how the blind person is trained with their guide dog to work together as a team.     

Porcine parvovirus infection in a commercial piggery

Abstract

Extract

Madam:– We have recently been involved in a consultative role with a 60-sow commercial piggery. Over the year preceding the incident recorded here, this unit had approximately doubled in size by the purchase of improved large white gilts. An infertility problem involving irregular returns to service and small litter sizes was first noted around Christmas 1984. In early January 1985 all the adult stock were bled and serological tests undertaken. There was no evidence of infection with Aujeszky's disease virus or leptospires, but 42 sows had haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titres(2 Joo, H.O., Donaldson-Wood, C. and Johnson, R.H. 1976. A standardised haemagglutination inhibition test for porcine parvovirus antibody. Aust. vet. J., 52: 422–424.  [Google Scholar]) of >320 against porcine parvovirus (PP), and were considered to have been actively infected. (1 Johnston, R.H., Donaldson-Wood, C., Joo, H.O. and Allender, U. 1976. Observations on the epidemiology of porcine parvovirus. Aust. vet. J., 52: 80–84.  [Google Scholar]) Seventeen other gilts and sows in their second pregnancy had titres ?320 and were considered to be still susceptible to infection. These animals were bled again 75 days later and HI tests on the paired sera showed that 15 of the 17 had now scroconverted (minimum titre 1,280). Eleven of these animals were in early to mid-pregnancy during the period of seroconversion. Five of these animals subsequently failed to farrow, and the remaining six produced a mean of only 6.5 (S.D. 2.8) live piglets at birth. In contrast the two animals which did not seroconvert, and four other previously infected gilts with HI titre of >10,240 at the first bleeding, produced a mean of 9.8 (S.D. 1.7) live piglets. This was considered a satisfactory live birth rate for this age group, and was significantly higher (Student's t-test; P<0.05) than for the six sows which seroconverted and produced live pigs.     

Protein and lipid sources affect cholesterol concentrations of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone)

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of protein and lipid sources on cholesterol, AA, and fatty acid content, and on biological performance of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone). In Exp. 1, seven isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were prepared using fish meal; soybean meal; casein; fish meal + soybean meal; fish meal + casein; soybean meal + casein; and fish meal + soybean meal + casein. In Exp. 2, seven isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were prepared using fish oil; soy oil; poultry fat; fish oil + soy oil; fish oil + poultry fat; soy oil + poultry fat; and fish oil + soy oil + poultry fat. Nine shrimp (average BW 570 mg) were stocked per 60-L tank, with three tanks per diet in each experiment. Shrimp were fed to apparent satiation twice daily for 28 d. Protein sources affected shrimp cholesterol, feed consumption, feed efficiency, protein consumption, protein efficiency ratio, and crude body fat (P < or = 0.05), but not weight gain, survival, hepatosomatic index, body protein, ash, and AA composition. Body (without hepatopancreas) cholesterol concentrations were the highest in shrimp fed the diet containing fish meal (0.81%), lowest for those fed the casein diet (0.64%), and intermediate in the other dietary treatment groups (range 0.71 to 0.74%). Lipid source also affected shrimp body cholesterol, body fatty acid profiles, and fatty acid profiles in the hepatopancreas (P < or = 0.05), but not growth performance, body protein, fat, ash, and cholesterol concentrations in the hepatopancreas. Shrimp fed the fish oil diet had the highest body cholesterol (0.75%), whereas those fed the soy oil or poultry fat diets were lowest (0.66 and 0.65%, respectively). Results indicate that by replacing fish meal and fish oil with soybean meal and soy oil, shrimp growth performance is not affected, but body cholesterol concentration is reduced.