Effect of cutting and vacuum cleaning on the digestibility of oats by horses

Three mature Quarter Horse geldings were used in 2 Latin square experiments to measure the effect of cutting and vacuum cleaning of oats on digestibility. The horses were fed at the maintenance level of digestible energy (DE) as recommended by the NRC.¹²The data were analyzed by Latin square analysis of variance, and Tukey's t test was used to determine any differences between specific means.No significant differences among treatments were observed during either experiment, indicating that the digestibility of nutrients from oats was not affected by cutting and vacuum cleaning. Differences in the digestibility of the ether extract (EE) fraction between periods of experiment 1 were noted.     

Behavioural and physiological responses of sheep to 16 h transport and a novel environment post-transport

The effect of a novel lairage environment on the ability of sheep to recover from 16 h of transport was investigated. Sheep were transported from grass paddocks to either novel outside paddocks or inside pens, and housed groups were transported to either familiar or novel inside pens. During transport, sheep from outside paddocks lay down less than those from inside pens. In sheep transported to inside pens, those from outside paddocks spent more time lying and spent less time eating; hay and water intakes during the first 12 h post-transport were lower than those previously kept inside. There was no obvious effect of a novel environment post-transport on blood biochemistry, suggesting that the lower post-transport feed and water intakes in a novel environment did not have a significant effect on the ability of the sheep to recover from the feed and water deprivation associated with transport.     

Hydraulic Retention Time Influence on Improving Flocculation in the Activated Sludge Processes Through Polyelectrolytes

Hydraulic retention time (HRT) influence improving sludge flocculation with adding the polyelectrolytes (non-ionic, anionic, and cationic) was studied on an activated sludge (AS) system fed with synthetic domestic wastewater (SDW), dairy industry wastewater (DIW), and caramel industry wastewater (CIW). The sludge volumetric index, food/microorganism ratio (F/M), and mixed liquor volatile suspended solids at different HRTs (6, 8 and 10 h) were monitored on an experimental model. Results showed that both SDW and IW had the best sludge flocculation conditions at 8 h and 100 mL of non-ionic polyelectrolyte (0.2 mg L^?1). In addition, this phenomenon reached the organic matter removal efficiencies of 95.9, 95.7, and 94.2% for SDW, DIW, and CIW, respectively. Therefore, optimum HRT increased the organic matter removal efficiencies by 10%, sludge concentration by 37% (22–55%), and F/M ratio by 70%. Moreover, the polyelectrolytes used in AS improved the sludge flocculation by 2.9 times.     

Dietary zinc concentration and lipopolysaccharide injection affect circulating trace minerals,acute phase protein response,and behavior as evaluated by an ear-tag–based accelerometer in beef steers

To assess plasma trace mineral (TM) concentrations, the acute phase protein response, and behavior in response to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge, 96 Angus cross steers (average initial body weight [BW]: 285 ± 14.4 kg) were sorted into two groups by BW (heavy and light; n = 48/group), fitted with an ear-tag–based accelerometer (CowManager SensOor; Agis, Harmelen, Netherlands), and stagger started 14 d apart. Consecutive day BW was recorded to start the 24-d trial (days −1 and 0). Dietary treatments began on day 0: common diet with either 30 (Zn30) or 100 (Zn100) mg supplemental Zn/kg DM (ZnSO₄). On day 17, steers received one of the following injection treatments intravenously to complete the 2 × 3 factorial: 1) SALINE (~2–3 mL of physiological saline), 2) LOWLPS: 0.25 µg LPS/kg BW, or 3) HIGHLPS: 0.375 µg LPS/kg BW. Blood, rectal temperature (RT), and BW were recorded on day 16 (−24 h relative to injection), and BW was used to assign injection treatment. Approximately 6, 24 (day 18), and 48 (day 19) h after treatment, BW, RT, and blood were collected, and final BW recorded on day 24. Data were analyzed in Proc Mixed of SAS with fixed effects of diet, injection, diet × injection; for BW, RT, dry matter intake (DMI), plasma TM, and haptoglobin-repeated measures analysis were used to evaluate effects over time. Area under the curve analysis determined by GraphPad Prism was used for analysis of accelerometer data. Body weight was unaffected by diet or injection (P ≥ 0.16), but there was an injection × time effect for DMI and RT (P < 0.05), where DMI decreased in both LPS treatments on day 16, but recovered by day 17, and RT was increased in LPS treatments 6 h post-injection. Steers receiving LPS spent less time highly active and eating than SALINE (P < 0.01). Steers in HIGHLPS spent lesser time ruminating, followed by LOWLPS and then SALINE (P < 0.001). An injection × time effect (P < 0.001) for plasma Zn showed decreased concentrations within 6 h of injection and remained decreased through 24 h before recovering by 48 h. A tendency for a diet × time effect (P = 0.06) on plasma Zn suggests plasma Zn repletion occurred at a greater rate in Zn100 compared to Zn30. These results suggest that increased supplemental Zn may alter the rate of recovery of Zn status from an acute inflammatory event. Additionally, ear-tag–based accelerometers used in this study were effective at detecting sickness behavior in feedlot steers, and rumination may be more sensitive than other variables.     

Comparison of larval thermal maxima between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fundulus heteroclitus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">F. grandis</Emphasis>

Fundulus heteroclitus and F. grandis are resident salt marsh fishes that overlap in distribution over a narrow range in northeastern Florida. The objective of the present study was to examine whether the limits of the species’ ranges could be explained by differences in thermal tolerance. Two populations of each species were collected and then spawned in the laboratory, and 9-day-old larvae were used for critical thermal maxima trials. Mean LOE temperatures of larvae ranged from 43.04 to 43.65°C and showed little difference between species. Therefore, differences in high temperatures experienced cannot account for the differences of the distributions of the two species. Condition-specific competition may play a greater role in determining the observed range of the two species.     

Factors affecting the adoption of agroforestry practices by farmers in Cameroon

This paper presents empirical evidence on the impact of socio-economic factors on the adoption of agroforestry practices in Cameroon. The analysis uses primary farm-level data collected from June to December 1996. Three major provinces of the country were covered, namely Centre, Southwest and Northwest Several agroforestry technologies have been promoted among farmers in the zone, including alley farming, improved fallow, live fencing, cut-and-carry fodder and apiculture. The status of adoption of each agroforestry practice is described and factors that affect adoption identified. These are gender of farmer, household family size, level of education, farmer’s experience, membership within farmers’ associations, contact with research and extension, security of land tenure, agroecological zone, distance of the village from nearest town, village accessibility and income from livestock. Research findings indicate that since factors affecting farmers’ adoption of agroforestry practices differ across techniques, generalisation is to be avoided.     

Synergistic effects of Miconazole and Polymyxin B on microbial pathogens

The therapeutic value of antibiotics depends on the susceptibility of the infecting microorganism and the pharmacological profile of the drugs. To assess the value of an antibiotic combination of polymyxin B and miconazole this study examined the in vitro synergistic potential of the two drugs on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and yeast. Antifungal and antibacterial activity was tested by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of broth macrodilution and urea broth microdilution, by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Synergism was calculated using the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICi). With Staphylococcus intermedius as target we found up to an eightfold reduction of the individual MICs when both drugs were combined. However, the FICi was 0.63 suggesting no real interaction between the two drugs. With Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Malassezia pachydermatis as targets the antimicrobial drug combination reduced the MICs of polymyxin B and miconazole from fourfold to hundredfold resulting in FICi between 0.06 and 0.5 which defines a synergistic action. Thus, if polymyxin B and miconazole are combined their effect is greater than the sum of the effects observed with polymyxin B and miconazole independently, revealing bactericidal and fungicidal synergism. Our results indicate a strong therapeutic value for the combination of these antimicrobial agents against Gram-negative bacteria and yeast and a weaker value against Gram positive bacteria for clinical situations where these pathogens are involved.     

In this issue – November 2011

H1N1 influenza in pigs in Australia · Postnatal neurogenetic disorders · Deltamethrin collar for paralysis ticks in dogs · Myocardial laceration from sewing needle · Physiotherapy for tetanus in a foal · Morbillivirus in a bottle‐nosed dolphin · Sarcoptic manage in a swamp wallaby · Psychological health of veterinarians in Australia · History of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists