Pathological Lesions in Swine at Slaughter: V. Pathological Lesions in Relation to Some Environmental Factors in the Herds

The influence of environment on animal health was studied in 40 bacon herds. These herds delivered approx. 11,000 baconers annually to the slaughter-house. The data from the meat inspection was studied in connection with the environmental recordings, and the relationship between 18 lesions and 20 environmental factors were estimated by statistical methods. The data was collected in the period 1975–1977.The influence of environmental factors upon the prevalence of different lesions showed considerable variation. Ten environmental factors were significantly associated with pleurisy and tail lesions (cannibalism). On the other hand none of the environmental factors bore any significant relation to atrophic rhinitis, pericarditis, peritonitis, perihepatitis, polyarthritis, arthritis and claw lesions. Eight environmental factors influenced the proportion of healthy animals.The recorded environmental factors influenced the overall health situation to a varying degree. For example, design of pen walls, insulation of pen floors, occasional use of supplementary feed and free access to drinking water were related to 5–7 lesions, while the nature of the concentrate (meal/pellets) had no significant influence.The study indicated that many details in environment and management could be of importance to the health of bacon pigs. However, statistical analysis also showed that production systems had a considerably stronger influence upon the health situation than any of the “pure” environmental factors – even when these factors were added.     

Long-term anaesthesia with propofol and alfentanil in the dog and its partial reversal with nalbuphine

Prolonged surgical anaesthesia in the dog was induced with propofol (6.5 ± 1.3 mg/kg) followed by alfentanil (25.5 ± 5 μg/kg) (mean ± 1 sd) and maintained with a continuous infusion of propofol (0.14 to 0.18 mg/kg/min) and alfentanil (2 to 3 μg/kg/min). Neuromuscular blockade was produced with vecuronium (0.1 mg/kg). After induction of anaesthesia with propofol, administration of alfentanil to dogs which had received no pre-anaesthetic medication produced cardiac arrest and apnoea. Administration of atropine intravenously immediately prior to alfentanil prevented these cardiac depressant effects. The cardiac depressant effect of alfentanil was not as severe in a second group of dogs in which anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone. After commencing the continuous infusion anaesthetic regime and establishment of IPPV, blood pressure and heart rate remained stable during the remaining 4 to 6 h period of anaesthesia. Recovery from anaesthesia was smooth and uneventful. The depressant effects of alfentanil on respiration and on consciousness were reversed rapidly by administration of nalbuphine (10 mg total dose). The smooth recovery and the integration of anaesthesia and post operative analgesia attained by the reversal of alfentanil with nalbuphine make this an attractive anaesthetic regime for major surgery in dogs, provided that facilities for IPPV are available.     

Conception in mares following intrauterine therapy with amikacin

The semisynthetic aminoglycoside amikacin is a potentially valuable antibiotic in broodmare practice due to its efficiency against Gram negative bacteria which have developed resistance to gentamicin. Each of 4 mares conceived when amikacin at 200 ug/ml in buffered extender was used in artificial insemination or as a prebreeding infusion. After intrauterine infusion of 2 g amikacin in 200 ml saline, 4 mares conceived to natural service or insemination with untreated semen after seven hours. In unbuffered saline solutions, amikacin (1 g/100 ml) and gentamicin (1 mg/ml) were spermicidal in vitro.     

Papillomatosis of the bovine teat (mammary papilla)

A 4th of 667 cattle examined at a Wisconsin abattoir had teat papillomas. Excised teat papillomas were sorted by gross morphologic characteristics into 3 groups: (i) atypical filiform, (ii) atypical flat, and (iii) typical fibropapilloma. Bovine papilloma virus capsid antigen was detected in thin-section slides of the 3 groups of teat papillomas by peroxidase-antiperoxidase assay. The bovine papilloma virus involved with the atypical papillomas could not be characterized by molecular hybridization, because enough pure virus could not be harvested. Homogenates of the 3 groups of teat papillomas were inoculated on 2 ponies and 4 calves. Typical fibropapillomas were produced on the 4 calves, and fibromas, on the 2 ponies. Atypical papillomas were produced only in 2 heifers.     

Changes in the plasma concentrations of prolactin,luteinising hormone,progesterone and d‐(β)‐hydroxybutyrate in turkey hens (meleagris gallopavo), during treatment of broodiness under commercial conditions

1. An experiment was done under commercial conditions to investigate the physiological effects of isolating broody turkey hens, for 72 h, in sand and wire floored pens on the third, 10th and 16th weeks of production.

2. Hens identified as broody and removed from the flock had higher plasma prolactin concentrations than the laying hens at each of the three experimental stages.

3. Confinement in sand and wire floored pens, induced a decline in plasma prolactin concentrations. This decline probably impeded immediate development of broody behaviour. Alternately, levels of prolactin higher than those of laying hens were again measured 7 and 14 days after treatment during third week but not after the 10 th and 16th week of production.

4. Confinement did not induce consistent changes in luteinising hormone (LH) and progesterone concentrations from one period to an other.

5. An increase in the plasma concentration of D‐(/?)‐hydroxybutyrate was observed in the hens which had an egg present in the oviduct on day 2, 3 and/or 4 of the treatment. Subsequently, a decrease in ovulation rate was observed in the hens with higher concentrations of D‐(β)‐hydroxybutyrate while under treatment, during the 10th week of production.

6. These data confirm that the effectiveness of the traditional methods for broodiness prevention under commercial conditions is related to the induction of a decrease of prolactin.     

Strangulation of the duodenum just oral to its caudal flexura caused by a volvulus

An 8-year-old Haflinger mare with a 10-day-old foal at foot was referred with mild abdominal pain. On the basis of clinical examination, blood and peritoneal fluid analysis, the cause of pain was suspected septic peritonitis. The horse was initially managed medically, with the horse placed in box confinement under close monitoring. No permission was given for an exploratory laparotomy, and it was decided to perform a diagnostic laparoscopy in the standing horse. The laparoscopy revealed a 360-degree anticlockwise partial duodenal volvulus of the caudal descending duodenum, which was manually reduced (hand-assisted laparoscopy). After the release, the mesentery of the duodenum showed an ischaemic band (yellowish white and dark red with a hyperaemic side) and the duodenum had a distinct ischaemic ring (orally and aborally) distinguishing the incarcerated part from the normal duodenum. Ten minutes after the release, the colour remained the same. In conjunction with the owner, it was decided to euthanise the pony. Pathology confirmed the presence of a strangulation ring and the ischaemic condition of the involved duodenum.     

Distribution of Brucella abortus organisms in calves after conjunctival exposure

Thirty calves (3 to 4 months old) were exposed conjunctivally to a pathogenic strain of Brucella abortus. Calves were euthanatized and necropsied at postexposure hours 2 and 4, and at postexposure days (PED) 1, 4, 7, 14, 21, 42, and 49. Selected ocular, pharyngeal, and lymphoid tissues were cultured bacteriologically for brucellae to determine organism distribution. Brucella abortus organisms initially localized in the third eyelids, bulbar conjunctivae, and parotid lymph nodes and were detected in these structures until PED 42, 21, and 49 respectively. In calves euthanatized at PED 7, organisms were in other cranial lymph nodes (mandibular and retropharyngeal), and in calves euthanatized at PED 21, organisms were isolated from peripheral lymphoid tissues. Brucellae were not isolated from mesenteric and bronchial lymph nodes and from the spleen until PED 21. The pattern of isolation indicated that conjunctival exposure probably resulted in entrance of brucellae into the host via ocular tissues.     

Immune and bone properties of chicks consuming corn contaminated with a Fusarium that induces dyschondroplasia

A study was conducted to contrast the dyschondroplasia-inducing capability of several species of Fusarium with that of the natural fungi found in poultry diets and litter. Day-old broiler chicks were fed pure corn cultures of specific fungal isolates for 3 weeks. Humoral immunity to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), body weight, valgus and varus leg deformities, incidence of dyschondroplasia, and mechanical properties of the tibiotarsi were examined. F. equiseti #15 was the only fungal isolate to induce dyschondroplasia to any significant degree, which confirmed previous work in Minnesota. This isolate also suppressed growth rate and humoral immunity, although dyschondroplasia sometimes did occur without associated immunosuppression and growth depression. Bone strength of the tibiotarsal diaphysis was normal, and gross lesions of valgus and varus leg deformities did not appear to be related to the incidence of dyschondroplasia in the 3-week-old chicks.     

Estimates of genetic parameters for carcass measures of body composition and growth in swine

Records for pigs included in an experiment on reciprocal recurrent selection conducted from 1956 through 1971 at the USDA Beltsville Agriculture Research Center were analyzed to obtain estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations and to derive prediction equations for estimating weight of lean cuts (WTLC) and percentage of lean cuts of shrunk slaughter weight (LCPC). Lean cuts growth rate (LCGR) was then estimated as WTLC/age of pig at slaughter. The base population consisted of two unrelated crossbred strains. A total of 1,294 records of F1 and F2 crossbred pigs were analyzed with one barrow and one gilt from each litter. Estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations were computed with sire components of variance and covariance from a nested analysis of variance with an assumed model of years, strain-lines within years, sire within strain-lines, dams within sires and residual. Degrees of freedom were 307 for sires in strain-lines, 270 for dams in sires and 646 for residual. Heritability (h2) estimates were .42 +/- .13, .41 +/- .13 and .27 +/- .18 for WTLC, LCPC and LCGR, respectively, and .71 +/- .16, .38 +/- .13, .31 +/- .13 and .25 +/- .15 for carcass length, average backfat thickness, longissimus muscle area and ADG in BW, respectively. These estimates were apparently the first published genetic estimates involving LCGR based on carcass data. It was recommended that prediction equations to estimate WTLC, LCPC and LCGR for use in swine testing programs be derived from current meat-type pigs.