The veterinarian and animal welfare

At no important point does the Animals Protection Statute mention the competence of Veterinarians, but the "competent Authority". Also, the Animal Epidemics Statute and the Federal Hunting Statute provide for the cooperation of the veterinarian, but not for his competence to make decisions. This situation is even being overlooked by the investigating authorities, when in the case of using animals for "sport" or other problematic events, questions of the animals psychology and ethology have to be dealt with. In the courts the remarks of non-specialist qualified persons can lead to wrong decisions as can either unsuitable or wrong evidence.     

Babesia odocoilei infection in elk

Two male North American elk from a commercial herd were evaluated because of a sudden onset of lethargy, anorexia, and voiding of red urine. These 2 elk were kept in the same pen as 4 other male elk that had died during the preceding 2 months. Laboratory analyses revealed anemia and intraerythrocytic parasites, later confirmed as Babesia odocoilei (a protozoal hemoparasite of cervids). Of the 240 elk remaining in the herd, 59 were screened for B odocoilei by microscopic evaluation of blood smears, protozoal culture of blood, and immunofluorescent antibody testing of serum. Of those 59 elk, 34 (58%) were infected with B odocoilei. Babesia odocoilei infection in elk can be fatal and should be considered in cases of sudden death or acute hemolytic anemia. Familiarity with the disease in elk is essential for practitioners because of the increasing popularity of commercial elk farming.     

Effect of withholding feed on concentration and composition of plasma very low density lipoprotein and serum nonesterified fatty acids in horses

OBJECTIVE: To measure and compare the concentration and composition of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in plasma and selected lipids in serum of horses fed mixed grass hay ad libitum or denied feed for 36 hours. ANIMALS: 4 healthy adult mares. PROCEDURE: Mares were either fed mixed grass hay ad libitum or denied feed for 36 hours beginning at 8:00 AM. Blood samples were collected every 2 hours during the study period and analyzed for nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), triglyceride (TG), VLDL, and glucose concentrations and composition of VLDL. RESULTS: Withholding feed significantly increased mean serum concentrations of NEFA. By 36 hours, a 16-fold increase in mean serum NEFA concentration and 2-fold increase in mean plasma VLDL concentration, compared with baseline values, were detected. Mean plasma TG concentrations significantly increased with time in feed-deprived horses. Significantly lower overall mean plasma glucose concentrations were detected in feed-deprived horses. Mean percentage of protein in VLDL was significantly lower in feed-deprived horses. Plasma VLDL concentrations varied widely among horses in response to withholding feed. Plasma TG and VLDL concentrations remained unaltered in 2 horses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Withholding feed significantly increases blood lipid concentrations in horses, but individual horses respond differently. Serum NEFA concentrations were increased in all 4 horses denied feed, indicating mobilization of tissue triglyceride stores. Variation in plasma VLDL concentration in response to withholding feed suggests that its metabolism is strongly influenced by other, as yet undetermined, factors in horses. Differences in the plasma VLDL concentrations among horses in response to withholding feed may be used as an indication of susceptibility to the hyperlipemic syndrome of Equidae.     

Gossypol toxicity in preruminant calves

SUMMARY Twenty-four of 57 calves fed a diet containing 33% cotton seed meal (CSM) died between 7 and 15 weeks of age. Initial deaths were not accompanied by premonitory signs, but after CSM withdrawal most calves developed rough coats, anorexia, weakness, ascites and subcutaneous oedema. Those that died had large volumes of serous fluid in the body cavities, hard livers of ‘nutmeg’ appearance, and pulmonary congestion. Histopathologically the livers showed periacinar necrosis in acute cases and periacinar fibrosis in chronic cases. Lungs from several calves had oedema, haemosiderosis and fibrosis in some pulmonary vessels. Atrophy of myocardial fibres was present in most cases. The concentration of free gossypol in the diet was 100 to 220 mg/kg. Ante-mortem and post-mortem findings supported a diagnosis of gossypol poisoning. The deaths continued for 4 weeks after withdrawal of CSM from the diet.     

血清中不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素浓度的绵羊感染绵羊肺炎支原体后免疫因子表达的变化

为研究中国美利奴羊不同甘露(聚)糖结合凝集素(MBL)浓度感染绵羊肺炎支原体(MO)的免疫因子水平变化,本研究选择血清中MBL高、低浓度的绵羊各6只(感染组和对照组各3只),感染组人工感染MO,分别在人工感染前和感染后不同时间,采用荧光定量PCR法检测血液中血清因子及补体表达水平。结果显示,不同MBL浓度的绵羊人工感染后MBL m RNA水平呈下降趋势,MBL高浓度促炎因子IL-2和IFN-γ的m RNA表达水平较高,抗炎因子IL-4的m RNA表达水平在感染后1 d升高,此后开始下降,而IL-4的m RNA水平在14 d后有所升高;MBL低浓度羊感染后其TNF-α的m RNA水平显著升高,随炎症的缓解,逐渐降低;补体C1和C3的m RNA在感染后表现出不同的变化,MO感染可以激活补体途径。本研究结果表明,低血清MBL浓度与绵羊支原体肺炎具有一定的相关性,MBL不同浓度组之间其IL-2、IL-4、TNF-α、IFN-γ、补体C1、C3水平存在差异,低浓度MBL的绵羊更易发生比较严重的炎症反应。     

Presentation and first applications of a dynamic population model for brown trout, Salmo trutta L.: aid to river management

A mathematical model representing the long-term change in a trout population under different river management scenarios is presented. It describes the structure of a population broken down into age classes based on the Leslie matrix; if the population structure for any given month is known, the model should be able to estimate that of the following month. The passage from one month to the next takes into account various relevant factors: survival rate of individuals in the different age classes; fertility rate of females; linear and weighted growth rates; displacement linked to habitat fluctuations using weighted usable area (WUA) values. The model was applied to two French rivers. Regular monitoring of trout populations on the River Kernec enabled comparison of the response of the model with no displacement, with actual variations in fish stocks on the first river. In addition, the knowledge of WUA chronologies on the River Echez made it possible to carry out initial simulations of the response of a fish population to different river management scenarios at the second site.