Claviceps cyperi, a new cause of severe ergotism in dairy cattle consuming maize silage and teff hay contaminated with ergotised Cyperus esculentus (nut sedge) on the Highveld of South Africa

During December/January 1996/97 typical summer syndrome (hyperthermia and a 30% drop in milk yield) occurred in succession in two Holstein dairy herds (n=240 and n=150 milking cows, respectively) on the South African Highveld. These farms are situated in the midst of the prime maize and dairy farming areas of South Africa where this condition had never been diagnosed before. The individual components of the concentrate on both farms were negative for ergot alkaloids. Endophytic fungi and/or ergot infestation of teff and other grasses fed to the cows were then suspected of being involved, but neither endophytes nor ergot alkaloids could be implicated from these sources. By measuring the serum prolactin levels of groups of sheep (n=5) fed the first farm's total mixed ration (TMR) or its three individual fibre components for a period of 11 days, the source of the ergot alkaloids was identified. A statistically significant decrease in the level of this hormone occurred only in the group on maize silage (which constituted 28% on dry matter base of the TMR). The involvement of the maize silage was further chemically confirmed by the high levels of total ergot alkaloids, predominantly ergocryptine, found by LC-MS in the silage as well as in the TMR (115-975 ppb and 65-300 ppb, respectively). The ergot alkaloid content (mainly ergocryptine) of the maize silage on the second affected farm was 875 ppb. Withdrawal of contaminated silage resulted in gradual recovery of stock on both farms. Nut sedge (Cyperus esculentus and Cyperus rotundus of the family Cyperaceae) has a world-wide distribution and is a common weed in annual crops, and can be parasitized by Claviceps cyperi. Careful examination of the maize silage from both farms revealed that it was heavily contaminated with nut sedge and that it contained minute sclerotia, identified as those of Claviceps cyperi, originating from the latter. Nut sedge was abundant on both farms and it is believed that late seasonal rain had resulted in mature, heavily ergotised nut sedge being cut with the silage. Claviceps cyperi sclerotia, collected on the affected fields in the following autumn contained 3600-4000 ppm ergocryptine. That the dominant alkaloid produced by this particular fungus was indeed ergocryptine, was confirmed by negative ion chemical ionization MS/MS. In one further outbreak in another Holstein herd, teff hay contaminated with ergotised nut sedge and containing 1200 ppb alkaloids, was incriminated as the cause of the condition. This is the first report of bovine ergotism not associated with the Poaceae infected with Claviceps purpureum or endophytes but with the family Cyperaceae and this particular fungal phytopathogen.     

The scintigraphic evaluation of the pulmonary perfusion pattern of dogs hospitalised with babesiosis

The possibility of coagulopathy in Babesia canis rossi infections in the canine patient has been suggested in the literature, but minimal work has been done to evaluate the clinicopathological nature of it in further detail. Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) has not yet been implicated in canine babesiosis (CB), but may also be one of the causes of the sudden dyspnoea and tachypnoea that are frequently seen in complicated CB patients. The objective of this study was to prospectively evaluate the scintigraphic pulmonary perfusion pattern in hospitalised dogs with babesiosis in an attempt to ascertain whether a scintigraphic pattern consistent with clinically relevant PTE does indeed occur in these patients. The study consisted of a normal control group of 9 mature healthy Beagle dogs (group 1) and a Babesia group with 14 dogs of a variety of breeds that were naturally infected with Babesia (group 2). Pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy was performed after making thoracic radiographs and performing a blood gas analysis in both groups. The scintigraphic images were visually inspected for changes suggestive of PTE, but not a single dog in group 2 had pleural-based, wedge-shaped perfusion defects which would have resulted in a high probability for clinically relevant PTE. The scintigraphic pulmonary perfusion pattern demonstrated was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = 1.00).     

Glucose metabolism in five septic neonatal foals

Objective: Glucose metabolism is often deranged in septic animals. Bacteremia and sepsis are common in foals and clinical experience suggests that glucose metabolism is abnormal in some of these animals. The purpose of this study was to provide initial estimates of rates of glucose appearance, disappearance, and metabolic clearance rate in septic foals.
Series Summary: Rates of glucose entry, and exit from blood were determined by use of infusion of isotopically labeled glucose in 5 foals with confirmed sepsis. Serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon, and cortisol were measured concurrent with measurement of rates of glucose turnover. Median glucose turnover rate was 24 μmol/kg/min (range 17–53 μmol/kg/min), and median glucose metabolic clearance rate was 3.2 mL/kg/min (range 1.7–6.7 mL/kg/min). Median concentration of serum immunoreactive insulin was 55 pmol/L (range 36–190 pmol/L), median serum immunoreactive glucagon was 65 pmol/L (range 19–120 pmol/L), and median serum cortisol was 207 nmol/L (range 100–333 nmol/L).
New or unique information provided: These data, although limited in scope and by the lack of data in healthy foals, demonstrate the magnitude and variation in glucose appearance, disappearance, and metabolic clearance rate in septic foals, provide an estimate of rates of glucose utilization in sick foals, and will be useful in guiding future studies of energy metabolism in healthy and ill foals.     

Determination of enrofloxacin stability and in vitro efficacy against Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in four ear cleaner solutions over a 28 day period

Chemical stability and in vitro bactericidal efficacy of 0.9% enrofloxacin‐compounded solutions were evaluated following storage at room temperature for 28 days. Chemical stability of enrofloxacin was determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in five compounded solutions, including sterile water. Bactericidal efficacy was determined by spiral plating serial 10‐fold dilutions of bacteria and solutions followed by colony counts. Tris–EDTA [TrizEDTA^® (TE)], Tris–EDTA and 0.15% chlorhexidine [TrizChlor^® (TC)], 2.5% lactic acid, 0.1% salicylic acid and 0.1% parachlorometaxylenol [Epi‐Otic (EO)], and 0.1% free salicylic acid, 0.1% parachlorometaxylenol and 0.5% EDTA [Epi‐Otic Advanced (EA)] were used. High‐performance liquid chromatography was carried out with one‐step liquid/liquid extraction to detect and quantify enrofloxacin stability. Mean recoveries for compounded samples run in triplicate at 28 days were 97.7% (TE), 99.9% (TC), 98.1% (EO) and 97.8% (EA). Kruskal–Wallis analysis showed no significant difference in the percentage recovery (H = 0.0539, df = 3, P = 0.9967). American Type Culture Collection strains of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used to evaluate in vitro efficacy following 30 min incubation on days 0, 14 and 28. Consistent in vitro bactericidal efficacy of all compounded solutions, indicated by killing >2.3 × 10⁷ colony‐forming units/mL, was seen; however, bactericidal efficacy decreased for compounded TC on day 14. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was more sensitive to the ear cleaners and enrofloxacin than S. pseudintermedius. The HPLC and in vitro data suggest that 0.9% enrofloxacin compounded with sterile water, TE, EO and EA maintains chemical stability and bactericidal efficacy for 28 days.     

Chronic sialolithiasis in a Trakehner mare

An 11-year-old Trakehner mare was presented with a firm moveable mass over the left maxilla. Radiography revealed a discrete opaque ovoid mass. Sialolithiasis of left parotid duct was diagnosed. The sialolith was excised by using a transoral approach and found to contain an organic nidus. The mare recovered without complications.     

Indirect oscillometric and direct blood pressure measurements in anesthetized and conscious neonatal foals

Objective: To investigate the agreement between indirect oscillometric and direct blood pressure measurement in the equine neonate. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Animals: Ten crossbred foals of 30–46 hours of age. Interventions: Six animals (Group 1) were anesthetized. Four animals (Group 2) were restrained on a mat. All animals were instrumented with a catheter in the greater metatarsal artery and an oscillometric blood pressure cuff over the coccygeal artery. Blood pressure was varied with dobutamine, phenylephrine, nitroprusside, and increased depth of anesthesia (Group 1) or dopamine (Group 2). Measurements and main results: Simultaneous direct and indirect blood pressure measurements were obtained from the greater metatarsal artery and the coccygeal artery, respectively. There was good agreement between the 2 methods for mean and diastolic blood pressures in both groups, but not for systolic pressure. The agreement was best in mean blood pressure of anesthetized foals (mean bias –1.07; limits of agreement – 9.39, 7.25 mmHg). Conclusions: Indirect oscillometry appears to be an acceptable method for measuring mean arterial blood pressure in both anesthetized and conscious neonatal foals, and may be a valid method of monitoring critically ill foals.     

Fish meal replacement by Cirina butyrospermi caterpillar's meal in practical diets for Clarias gariepinus fingerlings

Fifty‐six days feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Cirina butyrospermi caterpillar meal (CBM) as protein source in replacement of fish meal (FM) for Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. Six hundred African catfish (initial mean weight = 2.42 ± 0.01 g) were fed with four approximate isonitrogenous (48.97% crude protein), isolipidic (15.85% crude lipid) and isocaloric (21.10 kJg^?1) formulated diets, in which CBM progressively replaced FM at 0 (D1), 50 (D2), 75 (D3), 100% (D4) levels. At the end of the trial period, the best growth performance and nutritional utilization were observed in the group of fish fed with D2 and was not significantly different from those fed with D1 (the control diet). The survival rates, which ranged from 85.33% to 90.33%, were not significantly different among fish from the four diet treatments. The proximate whole‐body composition of C. gariepinus fingerlings fed the different diets showed similar moisture and protein contents. However, in contrary to ash which decreased, whole‐body lipid increased significantly when fish fed with diet containing CBM inclusion superior or equal to 75% (D3 and D4). The higher gross profit was obtained with D2 (16.73$), while the lowest was observed with D4 (10.16$). This study demonstrates that 50% of fish meal can successfully be replaced with CBM in C. gariepinus fingerlings diet without a negative impact on growth or feed utilization. This will yield a cheaper feeding for profitable production of African catfish fingerlings.     

Preliminary use of cashew kernel oil in Clarias gariepinus fingerlings diet: comparison with fish oil and palm oil

International Aquatic Research - The present study was performed to investigate the effect of fish oil (FO), palm oil (PO), and cashew kernel oil (CKO) as the dietary lipid sources on the growth...