The improvement of sow productivity,a review of recent experiments in France

The numerical productivity of the sow is the resultant of a triple product involving fertility rate (or reproductive rhythm), prolificacy rate (or litter size at birth) and survival rate of piglets. The calculation made on the basis of the year of reproductive life must be distinguished from that made on the basis of the year of reproductive life must be The difference between these two modes of estimation ranges about 3–5 weaned piglets/sow/year in favour of the former. Acceleration of the reproductive rhythm, which is inversely proportional to the interval between farrowings, largely depends on the production techniques chosen. It may be obtained by early weaning (0.3 to 0.5 litter/sow/year), by the induction of pregnancy during lactation (0.1 to 0.2 litter/sow/year) or by the utilization of crossbred sows (0.02 to 0.05 litter/sow/year). Furthermore, an early reproductive life, depending on the age at puberty of the sows, may increase the numerical productivity per year of presence of the sows in the herd (0.2 to 0.3 piglet less for a delay of 10 days at first farrowing).The mortality rate of the piglets is about 20% and is still to high. A marked progress may be obtained by improving the rearing and housing techniques and the environmental conditions at birth, as well as by using crossbred animals.The utilization of crossbred animals leads to the most rapid improvement of the litter size (8% at birth and 15% at weaning). However, this technique must be consisered as complementary to selection which, in the long term, remains the most efficient method in spite of a very slow genetic change. The utilization of artificial insemination by means of semen from boars subjected to litter size or female progeny recording may also improve the prolificacy. The slight reduction of the litter size observed after very early weanings is widely counterbalanced by the acceleration of the reproductive rhythm so that this modern technique leads to a spectacular increase in the numerical productivity of the sows. This is not the case for some physiological techniques such as superovulation which is not sufficiently controlled to allow current utilization.     

板栗PAPD影响因素的研究

稳定的RAPD反应体系是进行RAPD分析的关键，分别测试了模板DNA、dNTP、Ｍg^2 、引物、ＴaqDNA聚合酶浓度和变性时间、退火温度及时间、延伸时间、延伸时间、循伸时间、循环次数等对反应结果的影响。通过实验确定了板栗最佳的ＲＡＰＤ反应条件。在５０ul反应体系中含有50ng模板、0.74umol/L随机引物、180umol/LdNTP、3UTaqDNA聚合酶、2.0mmol/LMgCl2。反应扩增程序为：94C预变性5min.40次热循环，每个循环包括：94C变性30sec,36C退火45sec,72C延伸90sec，最后72C终延伸7min。按照优化的RAPD条件进行的重复实验，重现性良好。     

Ixodid ticks on indigenous goats owned by small-scale farmers in four communal grazing areas in South Africa

Indigenous goats belonging to small-scale farmers in 4 communal grazing areas in South Africa were sampled for ixodid ticks during the period September 1991 to May 1993. Three of these areas were in the North West Province (Rietgat, Madinyane and Bethany), and one in Mpumalanga Province (Geluk). No tick control was practised unless requested by the owners. Seven ixodid tick species, of which the majority were immature ticks, were collected from the goats in North West Province. Amblyomma hebraeum was the most numerous of these, followed by Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. Substantially more ticks were collected from goats at Rietgat than at the Madinyane and Bethany grazing areas. Five tick species were collected at Geluk and R. evertsi evertsi comprised more than 95 % of the total population. At Rietgat and Geluk A. hebraeum nymphs were present on goats throughout the year, while most R appendiculatus nymphs were collected during September and October 1991 and most adults during January and February 1992. At both Rietgat and Geluk most immature R. evertsi evertsi were collected from spring to late summer, while adults were present throughout the year.     

Protein aggregation complicates the development of baculovirus-expressed African horsesickness virus serotype 5 VP2 subunit vaccines

This paper describes the expression of a cloned African horsesickness virus (AHSV) serotype 5 VP2-gene by a baculovirus recombinant that was generated by the BAC-TO-BAC system. Immunization of horses with crude cell lysates containing recombinant baculovirus-expressed AHSV5 VP2 did induce neutralizing antibodies, but afforded only partial protection against virulent virus challenge. Further analysis of partially protective crude cell lysates revealed that baculovirus-expressed AHSV5 VP2 was predominantly present in the form of insoluble aggregates. Only approximately 10% of VP2 was present in a soluble form. Immunization of guinea-pigs with aggregated and soluble forms of AHSV5 VP2 established that only soluble VP2 was capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies. This finding adds a new dimension to the development of AHSV VP2s as subunit vaccines. Further investigation is needed to limit formation of insoluble aggregates and optimize conditions for producing VP2 in a form capable of inducing protective immunity.     

Growth rate of different sexes of the European quail (Coturnix coturnix)

1. The Gompertz equation was used to described the growth of the European quail (Coturnix coturnix) from hatching until 107 d of age.

2. Differences (P < 0.05) in growth existed between sexes. Mature mass values of 148.0 ±3.00 and 191.9 ±5.35 g respectively were found for males and females. Males reached maximum growth at 13.4 ± 0.33 d while a value of 16.4 ± 0.46 d was found for females.

3. A plateau in daily food intake was reached when the time of mature mass was approached.     

Epidemiology of paratuberculosis in wild ruminants studied by restriction fragment length polymorphism in the Czech Republic during the period 1995-1998

In two studies carried out during the period 1995-1998, paratuberculosis was diagnosed in domestic and wild ruminants in the Czech Republic. The isolated Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis strains were analysed by standardised restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) [Pavlik, I., Horvathova, A., Dvorska, L., Bartl, J., Svastova, P., du Maine, R., Rychlik, I., 1999. J. Microbiol. Methods 38, 155-167]. In December 1992, 19 late pregnant Charolais heifers were imported to the Czech Republic from Hungary (original import from France to Hungary). One 11-month-old heifer roamed in the wild in a range of approximately 15-20km for 7 months from November 1993 to May 1994. Upon capture, the animal showed clinical signs of paratuberculosis (emaciation and diarrhoea). Seven other animals from the same herd were infected with the identical RFLP type B-C1 of M. paratuberculosis. During the period 1995-1996, samples were taken and examined from the small intestine and corresponding lymph nodes of 84 wild ruminants: 19 red deers (Cervus elaphus) and 65 roe-deers (Capreolus capreolus). These wild ruminants originated from 44 different locations within the same district from as the infected escaped heifer. Five M. paratuberculosis strains were isolated: one strain of RFLP type B-C1 from a stag and three strains of RFLP type B-C1 and one strain of RFLP type B-C9 from roe-deer. The three wild ruminants (one stag and two roe-deer) infected with the same RFLP type B-C1 were detected in the same area as the heifer, suggesting that this was the likely infection source. However, the infection source of the roe-deer infected with strain of RFLP type B-C9 was obviously different, and the stags that escaped from the farm were purchased from an area infected with this RFLP type. In the second study carried out during 1997-1998 in the whole Czech Republic (divided into 76 districts), 718 wild ruminants were examined from 90% of the districts. M. paratuberculosis was isolated from 25 (3.5%) animals from the wild, from farms and from game parks: 7.1% of 132 red deers, 1.5% of 336 roe-deers, 3.9% of 178 fallow deers (Dama dama), and 4.2% of 48 moufflons (Ovis musimon). This study discovered three RFLP types (B-C1, D-C12 and M-C16). A surprising finding was that of M. paratuberculosis (RFLP type B-C1) infection in roe-deer and a fallow deer in their natural habitat. The infection source was determined to have originated from two imported Holstein and Limousine cattle herds infected with the same strain. In the case of a mother and daughter roe-deer infected with RFLP type M-C16 and a fallow deer infected with RFLP type D-C12, all roaming in their natural habitat, the infection source was not discovered. The highest incidence of clinically ill wild ruminants was found in farmed red deer, and no relationship was found between the RFLP type or ruminant species and clinical status of animal.     

Bovine mastitis therapy and why it fails

Treatment of bovine mastitis depends on the cause, the clinical manifestation and the antibiotic susceptibility of the agent. Mastitis therapy is commonly unsuccessful owing to pathological changes that occur in the udder parenchyma as a result of the inflammatory reaction to mastitogenic bacteria, pharmacokinetic properties of antimicrobial mastitis drugs, mastitogenic bacterial and related factors, and poor animal husbandry and veterinary interventions.     

Efficacy of a novel formulation of metaflumizone plus amitraz for the treatment of demodectic mange in dogs

A novel spot-on formulation containing metaflumizone plus amitraz (ProMeris/ProMeris Duo for Dogs, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Overland Park, KS) was evaluated for efficacy against demodectic mange mites in naturally infested dogs. Sixteen dogs were allocated to two equal groups and individually housed. Eight of the dogs were treated topically with metaflumizone plus amitraz at the proposed minimum dose rate (20mg/kg of each of metaflumizone and amitraz, 0.133ml/kg) on Days 0, 28, and 56. The other eight were treated with metaflumizone plus amitraz at the proposed minimum dose rate on Days 0, 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70. Mite numbers were estimated from skin scrapings taken on Days -3 to -1, 28, 56, and 84. Clinical signs of mange and the extent of demodectic lesions on each dog were evaluated when skin scrapings were conducted. Efficacy of the treatment was based on a reduction in mite numbers and an assessment of the clinical signs associated with canine demodectic mange. Treatment at monthly or two-weekly intervals for 3 months resulted in a rapid reduction in mite numbers (>94 and >99% for the monthly and two-weekly treatments, respectively) and an improvement in clinical signs. Success rates, based on zero mite counts in skin scrapings at Day 84 were 42.9 and 62.5% of dogs for the monthly and two-weekly regimens, respectively.     

Phytophthora chlamydospora and P. megasperma associated with root and crown rot of sour cherry in Turkey

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Sour cherry is a very important commercial crop of Turkey. In a newly established orchard in Ankara province of Turkey, some of young sour cherry trees...