Growth and Apparent Absorption of Minerals in Broiler Chicks Fed Diets with Low or High Tannin Contents

Sorghum grains with low (0.28 per cent catechin equivalent (%CE) or high (1.36 %CE)) tannin contents were used to study the effect of tannin on growth and on the apparent absorption of Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe and Co by chickens. High-tannin sorghum caused a highly significant (p0.01) reduction in the weight gain and feed intake of broiler chicks compared to low-tannin sorghum and increased the feed conversion ratio (p0.01). The amount of tannin did not affect mortality. The apparent absorption of Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe and Co was reduced (p0.01) by feeding sorghum grains with a high tannin content.     

Disposition kinetics of tylosin administered intravenously and intramuscularly to pigs

The distribution of tylosin was studied using a crossover design, in six pigs following i.v. and i.m. administration of 10 mgkg(-1) b.w. Plasma samples were analysed by HPLC and UV absorbance detection. After i.v. administration, t(1/2beta) was 271.3 min, V(d) 14.6 Lkg(-1), V(ss) 9.7 Lkg(-1) and CL 26.8 mLmin(-1)kg(-1). After i.m. administration, a C(max) of 1 microgmL(-1) was reached at 90 min. Mean absorption time was 1988.7 min and bioavailability was 95%.     

Assessment of Transmission Ability of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus-PAV Isolates by Different Populations of Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae

Populations of two aphid species from different geographic regions of Morocco were tested for their ability to transmit five barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV (BYDV-PAV) type isolates using Clintland 64 oat as the test plant. Transmission efficiencies were determined for 10 sub-populations of Rhopalosiphum padi and 12 sub-populations of Sitobion avenae. After a short acquisition access period (AAP) of 4h, all populations transmitted the virus but with different efficiencies. R. padi (Rp-S) and S. avenae (Sa-S) collected in the Settat region were the most efficient vectors, with transmission rates of 38% and 27%, respectively. R. padi (Rp-C) collected at Chaouen and S. avenae (Sa-B) at Berkane, were poor transmitters with respective vectoring abilities of 20% and 16%. These four sub-populations were chosen to study the acquisition of BYDV-PAV and the retention of virus within aphids in more detail. The transmission after two AAPs of 4h and 48h were compared. Starved aphids given a 4h AAP had significantly higher transmission efficiencies than non-starved aphids. However, after a 48h AAP, no difference was observed in the transmission between starved and non-starved aphids. Intraspecific variability was also detected by means of serial transfers of individual aphids after the given AAP. Following the first day of serial transfers, no differences were observed in transmission efficiency and virus titers for sub-populations within each species acquiring the virus during 48h, but there was significant variation when the virus was acquired in 4h. The levels of PAV antigen retained by aphids fed on healthy plants declined rapidly during the first day after acquisition, but remained fairly constant during the next 5–7 days depending on the length of the AAP. Virus antigen could be detected by ELISA in Rp-S and Sa-S for up to 11 days of serial transfer, but it was shown that aphids could retain and transmit BYDV-PAV for at least 3 weeks.     

牛体外受精胚胎衍生干细胞能力影响因素的研究

以牛卵巢卵母细胞体外受精获取囊胚期胚胎，比较体外受精牛胚胎不同获取内细胞团的方法和不同培养液对体外培养胚胎干细胞能力的影响。结果表明，囊胚期胚胎不除去透明带而直接培养产生胚胎干细胞，初次克隆率为55％；胰酶法去透明带分离的内细胞团（ICM）培养产生胚胎干细胞，初次克隆率为90％。免疫外科法去透明带分离的ICM在4种不同的培养液中，初次克隆率分别为16．4％、11．5％、21．8％、18．2％，但是其分离的ICM经传代后形成的衍生细胞不易发生分化，经过4～6代的传代，仍然保持其完整的形态，说明免疫外科法是一种理想的牛ICM分离法，培养液为D20＋LIF（40ng／mL）可用于牛胚胎干细胞培养。     

Viruses of pome fruit trees in Syria

A survey was conducted to evaluate the sanitary status of pome fruit trees in Syria during spring 2003 and 2004 in 6 governorates: Damascus, Al-Qunaitara and Al-Sweida (Southern region), Homs and Hama (Central region) and Latakia (Costal Western region), as the main production areas of pome fruits. Leaf samples from 1077 apples, 54 pears and 14 quince were collected and tested for the presence of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) and Apple mosaic virus (ApMV) in 70 commercial orchards and 3 varietal collections by ELISA. Results showed that the virus infection rates were 34 and 2% in apple and pear, respectively. Quince trees were found to be virus tested free. ACLSV was prevailing on apple with 34%, whereas ASGV and ApMV were found in 2 and 0.2% of tested trees, respectively. Pear trees were infected only with ACLSV (2%). 21 apples and 15 pears representative budwood samples were indexed by grafting on the following indicators: (i) Malus pumila cvs. Virginia Crab and Radiant for apple and (ii) M. pumila cv. V. Crab and Pyrus communis cv. Nouveau Poiteau for pear. The virus infection rates by woody indexing were much higher than ELISA, Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) and ASGV were found in 86 and 82% of apple tested samples, whereas they were 80 and 60% of pear tested samples, respectively. Additional RT-PCR testing carried out for a limited number of samples confirmed the high incidence of ACLSV ASPV, ASGV and the presence of ApMV. This is the first report on pome fruit viruses in Syria, indicating an unsatisfactory sanitary status of the industry. As a consequence, a certification program is recommended for producing locally healthy propagating material.     

Concentrations of constitutive alk(en)ylresorcinols in peel of commercial mango varieties and resistance to postharvest anthracnose

Mature green mango fruits of commercially important varieties were screened to investigate the levels of constitutive antifungal compounds in peel and to assess anthracnose disease after inoculation with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. High-pressure liquid chromatography was used to quantify the levels of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol and 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol in the peel extracts. The fruit peel of the varieties ‘Kensington Pride’ and ‘Keitt’ were observed to have the highest levels of both 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol (107.3–123.7 and 49.9–61.4 μg/g FW, respectively) and 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol (6.32–7.99 and 3.30–6.05 μg/g FW, respectively), and the fruits of the two varieties were found to have some resistance to postharvest anthracnose. The varieties ‘Kent’, ‘R2E2’, ‘Nam Doc Mai’, ‘Calypso’ and ‘Honey Gold’ contained much lower concentrations of resorcinols in their peel and three of these varieties were found to be more susceptible to anthracnose. Concentrations of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol were significantly lower at the ‘sprung’ and ‘eating ripe’ stages of ripening compared to levels at harvest. Concentrations of 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol did not differ significantly across the three stages of ripening. The levels of these two resorcinols were found to be strongly inter-correlated (P<0.01, r²=0.71), with concentrations of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol being an average 18 times higher than those of 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol. At the ‘eating ripe’ stage, significant relationships were observed between the concentrations of each type of alk(en)ylresorcinol and anthracnose lesion areas following postharvest inoculation, P<0.001, r²= 0.69 for 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol, and P<0.001, r²= 0.44 for 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol.     

Prevalence and infection pattern of Trypanosoma evansi in camels in mid-eastern Sudan

The antigen detection enzyme immunoassay (AgELISA) in conjunction with parasitological examination of blood were used to study the enzootic situation of cameline trypanosomiasis in mid-Eastern Sudan. A one year survey showed that the infection is endemic among pastoral camels with a prevalence of 5.4% based on parasitological examination and 31.3% based on AgELISA. The infection rate was higher during the dry period (November to May) than the wet season. Young camels had a much lower infection rate as detected by parasitological techniques, but not with AgELISA. A lower prevalence of infection was detected by buffy coat technique (BCT) in herds of camels raised by nomads compared with those kept by agropastoralists and in camels located in the southern districts of mid-Eastern Sudan.     

Pharmacokinetics and tissue residues of kitasamycin in healthy and diseased broilers

The pharmacokinetics of kitasamycin after intravenous and oral administration in a dose of 300 mg/kg b.wt. was studied in 18 healthy and 18 Salmonella gallinarum naturally infected chickens. The tissue residue of the studied antibiotic was estimated in 36 normal chickens when it was given orally for 7 successive days. Therapeutic level of kitasamycin was achieved after 15 minutes and persisted for 20-22 hours after its oral administration. Higher serum kitasamycin concentrations were recorded in Salmonella gallinarum infected chickens. The elimination half-life of kitasamycin calculated after single intravenous injection was 9.03 hours in diseased chickens corresponding to 3.74 hours in healthy birds. The body clearance was significantly reduced in diseased chickens (23.86 ml/kg/min) when compared to that in normal ones (62.03 ml/kg/min). Kitasamycin treated broilers should not be slaughtered before 3 days from the last dose as it was detected only in bile and caecum at that time but not in edible tissues.     

Pathogenicity of peste des petits ruminants virus isolated from Egyptian goats in Egypt

2 Egyptian goats and Boscat rabbits were experimentally inoculated with peste des petits ruminants (PPR) local Egyptian strain (PPR, Egypt 87). The inoculated animals contracted the disease with minor clinical manifestations, accompanied by rise of neutralizing antibodies to PPR virus. Virus was isolated from ocular and nasal secretions, buffy coat, spleen, and liver. No contact infection was observed between inoculated and healthy goats.