Differences in production values between high- and low-productivity swine breeding herds

Data were collected from 80 North American users of a computerized health and management software program for the period August 1985 through July 1986. Fifty-four herds were selected for analysis based on selection criteria of 1) stable herd inventory, 2) complete recorded data, 3) weaning-to-first service interval greater than 3 d and less than 20 d, and 4) culling rate greater than 10%. These herds had an average of 18.2 pigs weaned/(female.year) (PWFY), 2.1 litters/(female.year) (LFY), 81% farrowing rate, 10.2 pigs born live/litter and 14.5% preweaning mortality. Compared with the 14 herds with the lowest values for pigs weaned/(female.year), high-productivity herds (i.e., the 14 herds with the highest values for PWFY) had higher LFY, farrowing rate, total and live pigs born/litter and sow-gilt ratio; they also had lower nonproductive female days (NPFD), lower preweaning mortality and fewer gilts as a proportion of female inventory. Herd size and PWFY were not correlated. A negative correlation between herd size and pigs born live remained after controlling for average lactation length (r = -.30). Nonproductive female days was highly correlated with LFY (r = -.87). Increasing herd age, measured by the sow-gilt ratio, was associated mainly with a reduction in NPFD, although there was a slight positive association with pigs born alive (r = .29).     

The efficacy of a pour-on formulation of moxidectin in young red and wapiti-hybrid deer

AIMS: To measure the efficacy of a pour-on formulation of moxidectin against lungworm and abomasal parasites in weaner wapiti x red deer and to compare this with its efficacy in weaner red deer. METHODS: Six red and six wapiti hybrid deer, naturally infected with lungworm and gastro-intestinal parasites, were treated with pour-on moxidectin at 500 microg/kg body weight and slaughtered 14 or 16 days later, along with six red and six wapiti hybrid untreated control deer. Total worm counts were performed on the lungs, abomasum and abomasal digest of each deer. RESULTS: The efficacy of moxidectin pour-on was 100% against adult and immature lungworms (Dictyocaulus viviparus) in red deer, and 100% and 99.7% effective against adult and immature lungworm in wapiti hybrid deer. The efficacy of moxidectin pour-on was 100, 100, 99.9 and 99.9% respectively against adult, fifth stage, late fourth stage and early fourth stage larvae of Ostertagia-type nematodes (assumed to be Ostertagia, Spiculopteragia, Skrjabinagia and Apteragia spp.) in both red and wapiti hybrid deer. CONCLUSIONS: The pour-on formulation of moxidectin, at 500 microg/kg body weight, is highly effective against mature and immature lungworms and abomasal nematodes in wapiti hybrid deer and equally effective in red deer.     

Zinc Improves Biocontrol of Fusarium Crown and Root Rot of Tomato by Pseudomonas fluorescens and Represses the Production of Pathogen Metabolites Inhibitory to Bacterial Antibiotic Biosynthesis

ABSTRACT Crown and root rot of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici is an increasing problem in Europe, Israel, Japan, and North America. The biocontrol agent Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CHA0 provides only moderate control of this disease. A one-time amendment of zinc EDTA at 33 mug of Zn(2+)/ml to hydroponic nutrient solution in soilless rockwool culture did not reduce disease when used alone, but did reduce disease by 25% in the presence of CHA0. In in vitro studies with the pathogen, zinc at concentrations as low as 10 mug/ml abolished production of the phytotoxin fusaric acid, a Fusarium pathogenicity factor, and increased production of microconidia over 100-fold, but reduced total biomass. Copper EDTA at 33 mug of Cu(2+)/ml had a similar effect as zinc on the pathogen in vitro; it reduced disease when used alone, and increased the biocontrol activity of CHA0 in soilless culture. Ammonium-molybdate neither improved the biocontrol activity of CHA0 nor affected production of fusaric acid or microconidia. Strain CHA0 did not degrade fusaric acid. Fusaric acid at concentrations as low as 0.12 mug/ml repressed production by CHA0 of the antibiotic 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol, a key factor in the biocontrol activity of this strain. Production of pyoluteorin by CHA0 was also reduced, but production of hydrogen cyanide and protease was not affected, suggesting that fusaric acid affects biosynthesis at a regulatory level downstream of gacA and apdA genes. Fusaric acid did not affect the recovery of preformed antibiotics nor did it affect bacterial growth even at concentrations as high as 200 mug/ml. When microbial meta-bolite production was measured in the rockwool bioassay, zinc amendments reduced fusaric acid production and enhanced 2,4-diacetylphloro-glucinol production. We suggest that zinc, which did not alleviate the repression of antibiotic biosynthesis by fusaric acid, improved biocontrol activity by reducing fusaric acid production by the pathogen, which resulted in increased antibiotic production by the biocontrol agent. This demonstrates that pathogens can have a direct negative impact on the mechanism(s) of biocontrol agents.     

An investigation of shedding and super‐shedding of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli O157 and E. coli O26 in cattle presented for slaughter in the Republic of Ireland

Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) are an important group of pathogens and can be transmitted to humans from direct or indirect contact with cattle faeces. This study investigated the shedding of E. coli O157 and O26 in cattle at the time of slaughter and factors associated with super‐shedding (SS) animals. Rectoanal mucosal swab (RAMS) samples were collected from cattle (n = 1,317) at three large Irish commercial beef abattoirs over an 18 month period, and metadata were collected at the time of sampling regarding farm of origin, animal age, breed and gender. RAMS swabs were examined for the presence and numbers of E. coli O157 and O26 using a previously developed quantitative real‐time PCR protocol. Samples positive by PCR were culturally examined and isolates analysed for the presence of stx subtypes, eae and phylogroup. Any samples with counts >10⁴ CFU/swab of STEC O157 or O26 were deemed to be super‐shedders. Overall, 4.18% (55/1,317) of RAMS samples were positive for STEC O157, and 2.13% (28/1,317) were classified as STEC O157 SS. For STEC O26, 0.76% (10/1,317) of cattle were positive for STEC O26, and 0.23% (3/1,317) were classified as super‐shedders. Fewer STEC shedders and SS were noted among older animals (>37 months). There was a seasonal trend observed for STEC O157, with the highest prevalence of shedding and SS events in the autumn (August to October). The majority of E. coli O157 (50/55) isolates had stx2 and were eae positive, with no significant difference between SS and low shedders (LS). Interestingly, all STEC O26 (n = 10) were eae negative and had varied stx profiles. This study demonstrates that, while the overall shedding rates are relatively low in cattle at slaughter, among positive animals there is a high level of SS, which may pose a higher risk of cross‐contamination during slaughter.     

Distribution of Pseudomonas populations harboring phlD or hcnAB biocontrol genes is related to depth in vineyard soils

The abundance and population structure of pseudomonads in soils collected from long-(1006 years) and short-(54 years) term grapevine monocultures in Switzerland were examined across five soil horizons within the 1.20-1.35 m range. Soil samples were baited with grapevine, and rhizosphere pseudomonads containing the biocontrol genes phlD (2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol synthesis) and/or hcnAB (hydrogen cyanide synthesis) were analyzed by MPN-PCR. The numbers of total, phlD⁺ and hcnAB⁺ pseudomonads decreased with depth by 1.5-2 log (short-term monoculture) and 3-3.5 log (long-term monoculture). In addition, the percentages of phlD⁺ (except in short-term monoculture) and hcnAB⁺ pseudomonads were also lower in deeper horizons. RFLP-profiling of phlD⁺ and hcnAB⁺ pseudomonads revealed three phlD and twelve hcnAB alleles overall, but the number of alleles for both decreased in relation to depth. The only phlD allele found in deeper horizons was also found in topsoil, whereas one hcnAB allele (k) found in deeper horizons in long-term monoculture was absent in the topsoil. This suggests that certain Pseudomonas ecotypes are adapted to specific depths. Four hcnAB alleles enabled discrimination between monocultures. We conclude that soil depth is a factor selecting phlD and hcnAB genotypes, and that the allelic diversity of the two biocontrol genes decreases with depth.