Reaction of Calves to Two Flooring Materials Offered Simultaneously in One Pen

Now that group housing is replacing individual crates, so that calves can lie, stand and walk on the pen floor, the quality of the floor for group-housed calves has become the focus of attention. The reaction of two groups of four calves to a double area of floor made from two materials (wooden slats and synthetic slats with a rubber coating) was examined round the clock for 5 days. The calves were switched between pens twice, and in each case the 5 day observation period was repeated. In all three phases all calves spent significantly more time ( P <0.01) lying on the wooden floor: on average 656 min day -1 compared with 294 min day -1 on the synthetic floor. The time spent in the standing/walking position on both floors, occurrence of slip incidents and self-maintenance behaviour did not differ significantly between floors. The observations on use of the pen floor for lying and for standing/walking in combination with feeding, plus observations on fouling of the floors with excreta suggest that future pen design could be functionally divided into lying and walking/eating areas.     

Effects of concentrate or ryegrass-based diets (Lolium multiflorum) on the meat quality of lambs grazing on semi-natural pastures

Abstract

With the objective of studying the effects of production systems on meat quality, 75 Norwegian White Sheep lambs were subjected to one of the following treatments: continuous grazing on a semi-natural lowland pasture until slaughtering (Control); continuous grazing followed by either stall-feeding on concentrate and grass silage or grazing ryegrass pasture for 44 or 24 days before slaughtering (Conc44, Conc24, Rye44, Rye24). Loin samples of M. longissimus dorsi including the subcutaneous fat were analysed for sensory attributes and fatty acid composition. Compared with the control group, a lower intensity of acid taste (P<0.05) and a lower content of C18:3n-6 fatty acids (P<0.001) were observed in the Conc44 group. The n-6/n-3 ratio was higher (P<0.001) in meat tested from the concentrate treatments compared to the ryegrass treatments. These findings indicate that the fattening of lambs on improved pastures or a concentrate-based diet prior to slaughter may alter meat characteristics.     

The Effect of Low-Dose Marine n-3 Fatty Acids on Plasma Levels of sCD36 in Overweight Subjects: A Randomized,Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled Trial

CD36 is a scavenger receptor involved in lipid uptake and inflammation. Recently, non-cell-bound CD36 (sCD36) was identified in plasma and suggested to be a marker of lipid accumulation in the vessel wall. Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may have cardioprotective effects. This study evaluated the effect of marine n-3 PUFA on sCD36 levels in overweight subjects. Fifty overweight subjects were randomized to 1.1 g of n-3 PUFA or 2 g of olive oil daily for six weeks. Neutrophils were isolated at baseline and after six weeks of treatment while an adipose tissue biopsy was obtained at baseline. The content of n-3 PUFA in adipose tissue and neutrophils was analyzed by gas chromatography, while plasma levels of sCD36 were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After six weeks of supplement plasma sCD36 did not differ between supplements (P = 0.18). There was no significant correlation between plasma sCD36 levels and n-3 PUFA in neutrophils at baseline (r = −0.02, P = 0.88), after six weeks supplement (r = −0.03, P = 0.85) or in adipose tissue (r = 0.14, P = 0.34). This study therefore does not provide evidence for a cardioprotective effect of n-3 PUFA acting through a CD36-dependent mechanism.     

Skeletal deformities associated with nutritional congenital rickets in newborn lambs

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A group of 545 pregnant rising 2-year-old Coopdale ewes on a Southland sheep farm were grazed over winter on a fodder beet (Beta vulgaris) crop. Subsequently, 45 out of approximately 750 lambs were born with a variety of skeletal deformities, including shortened limbs, varus and valgus angular limb deformities, palmar grade stance and cranial bowing of the carpus. Analysis of the crop showed the fodder beet contained a low percentage of phosphorus. In addition, 60 out of 460 rising 2-year-old ewes that had been grazed on the fodder beet crop as 1-year-olds had incisor abnormalities and malocclusion.

PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Two affected lambs (1-day-old and 3-days-old) with representative clinical signs examined postmortem were found to have markedly enlarged costochondral junctions, and noticeably enlarged long bone metaphyses. In addition, one lamb had a dense band of metaphyseal sclerosis beneath the physes of all long bones examined. Histopathological findings included small islands and columns of chondrocytes and eosinophilic cartilage matrix present in the metaphysis. Metaphyseal trabeculae were disorganised and often lined by accumulations of pale pink osteoid; similar pale pink osteoid was also present in the cortices. Unerupted molar teeth in the affected lambs lacked a layer of enamel, and the dentine was irregular with globular basophilia.

DIAGNOSIS: The gross and histopathological lesions were consistent with a diagnosis of rickets.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nutritional congenital rickets has not been previously diagnosed in sheep, but is a recognised disease of human infants with vitamin D deficient mothers. The rickets in affected lambs was most likely associated with phosphorus deficiency as a result of the pregnant ewes grazing fodder beet during gestation. While vitamin D deficiency was not definitively ruled out in these cases, practitioners are alerted to the possible effects of feeding phosphorus-deficient fodder beet to ewes for long periods during gestation and to 1-year-old sheep during important growth periods.     

Use of Forest Vegetation by Sheep as Recorded by Radio Telemetry

The effect of straw bedding on aggression, production and welfare in loose-housed, pregnant sows was studied in 14 commercial farms, half of them with straw bedding and the other half with a concrete floor. The herds were visited twice and agonistic behaviour was observed. Body lesions, movement disorders and production results were also recorded. There were no significant differences in aggression, body lesions or production results between herds with concrete floor and herds with straw bedding. Movement disorders were more common in herds with concrete floor than in herds with straw bedding. Herds with a high score for movement disorders tended to have a higher percentage of sows returning to oestrus than herds with a low score. Individual data showed no significant correlation between production variables and body lesion score. However, the sows that were culled had a higher mean score for body lesions than the means of both types of farms. Altogether, this study shows that straw bedding was advantageous in preventing leg problems, but the presence of straw did not affect the aggression among sows, the incidence of body lesions or the production results.     

Ferulic acid from aleurone determines the antioxidant potency of wheat grain (Triticum aestivum L.)

Grain is an important source of phytochemicals, which have potent antioxidant capacity. They have been implicated in the beneficial health effect of whole grains in reducing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The aim of the present study was to identify the most important antioxidant fractions of wheat grain. It was found that the aleurone content of these fractions was highly correlated with the antioxidant capacity of the fractions (r = 0.96, p < 0.0001). Ferulic acid appeared to be the major contributor to the antioxidant capacity in fractions with higher antioxidant capacity. The contribution of protein was rather limited. It was concluded that the antioxidant potency of wheat grain fractions is predominantly determined by aleurone content, which can be attributed to the presence of relatively large amounts of phenolic compounds, primarily ferulic acid.     

Role of perennial plants in determining the activity of the microbial community in the Negev Desert ecosystem

Perennial plants are known to be one of the most influential parameters in desert ecosystems affecting microbial activity. In this study, we examined the importance of these perennial shrubs and attempted to determine the most influential factor that contributes the most to the ecosystem by separating the physical part and the organic contribution of perennial plants. The study site is located in the northern Negev Desert, Israel, where 50 Hammada scoparia shrubs and 50 artificial plants were randomly marked to be used as a tool for the above objectives. Soil samples were collected monthly in the vicinity of the canopies of both shrubs while control samples were collected from the open areas between the shrubs. All samples were collected from the upper (0–10 cm) and the deeper (10–20 cm) soil layers. The contribution to microbial activity was measured by evaluation of the microbial community functions in soil. The results of the research showed a trend of a strong influence of the perennial H. scoparia shrubs on microbial community function. The functional aspects of the microbial community that were measured were CO₂ evolution, microbial biomass, microbial functional diversity, and the physiological profile of the community. High values for all parameters were observed under the vicinity of the H. scoparia shrubs, while the artificial plants were found to have a weaker effect on the community according to soil depth. The upper-soil layer at both locations (artificial plant canopy and control samples) showed higher values of the functioning parameters than that of the deeper soil layer. The results indicate the importance of the organic contribution (plant litter) in comparison to the physical part of desert shrubs.     

Genetic diversity of the African hexaploid species Solanum scabrum Mill. and Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae)

Two hexaploid species of Solanum sect. Solanum are present in Africa: Solanum scabrum and S. nigrum. Solanum scabrum is a widely cultivated species and is used as a leafy vegetable, as a source of medicine and as a source of ink dye. In previous studies a wide range of morphological diversity has been reported in this species and in some studies subspecies have been proposed. Subspecies are also recognized in S. nigrum. However, it has not been established whether or not the morphological differences are reflected at the genomic level. The present study applies AFLPs to study the genetic diversity in S. scabrum and its relationship to geographical provenance, morphological differences and the possible existence of subspecies within S. scabrum and S. nigrum. The data obtained were analyzed with cluster analysis (using UPGMA and NJ). The results indicate that the genetic variation within S. scabrum was higher within accessions than between accessions. Accessions did not cluster according to their geographical provenance, indicating that accessions from different geographical areas were not significantly different genetically. The clustering reflected neither morphological differences nor domestication status (cultivated or wild). The morphological differences exhibited by S. scabrum could be due to selection by farmers for different plant types. The AFLP derived clustering pattern did not segregate the subspecies recognized in S. scabrum and S. nigrum into separate subclusters.     

Positive Streptobacillus moniliformis PCR in guinea pigs likely due to Leptotrichia spp

Streptobacillus moniliformis is a zoonotic bacterium. We obtained positive S. moniliformis PCR results in oral swab samples from guinea pigs from an experimental colony and the breeding colony of origin. Comparison of the DNA sequence of an amplicon with deposited 16S rDNA sequences revealed that Leptotrichia sp. can be the source of a false positive S. moniliformis PCR outcome.