Regulation by gonadal steroids of estrogen and progesterone receptors along the reproductive tract in female lambs.

The regulation of estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER, PR) expression by estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) in the oviduct, uterus and cervix of female lambs was studied. The animals received three intramuscular injections of E2, P4 or vehicle with an interval of 24 h and they were slaugthered 24 h after the third injection. Determinations of ER and PR were performed by binding assays and mRNAs of ER alpha and PR by solution hybridization. High levels of ER and PR in both cervix and oviduct were found in the female lamb, differing from other mammalian species. No significant effects by either E2 or P4 treatment on ER and PR levels in the cervix and oviduct could be observed. E2 treatment increased the mRNA levels of ERa and PR more than 3-fold in the cervix, while P4 treatment increased the mRNA levels of ERa and PR in the uterus. The results show differential effects of gonadal steroids on sex steroid receptor expression along the reproductive tract in female lambs, suggesting that steroid target tissues can modulate responses to the same circulating levels of steroid hormones.     

Litter Size and Vagina–cervix Catheter Penetration Length in Gilts

As in other species, the reproductive tract in pigs increases in size with age and body weight, and the development of the reproductive tract depends on a balance between development of the pituitary–ovarian axis and the influence of metabolic hormones. Two experiments were conducted in prepubertal Duroc gilts, 150–180 days of age, to determine whether litter size is related to vaginal–cervix catheter penetration length during insemination. In experiment 1, oestrus was induced in 452 gilts with a combined dose of 400 IU Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophine (PMSG) + 200 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The gilts were classified into three catheter penetration length groups: Ih, ≤ 21 cm; IIh, > 21 and < 28 cm; IIIh, > 28 cm. The litter size was lowest in group Ih (7.35 ± 0.15) compared with groups IIh (7.81 ± 0.12; p < 0.05) and IIIh (10.0 ± 0.36; p < 0.001). In experiment 2, first oestrus was induced in 162 gilts by boar exposure. The gilts were classified into three catheter penetration length groups at insemination during their second oestrus: In, ≤ 24 cm; IIn, > 24 and < 26 cm; IIIn, > 26 cm. As in experiment 1, the litter size was lowest in the group with the shortest catheter penetration length (8.32 ± 0.19). The litter size was not different among gilts of groups IIn and IIIn (8.84 ± 0.35 and 9.56 ± 0.46, respectively), but litter size was lower (p < 0.05) in group In than in group IIn. Based on the combined data from both experiments, the correlation between the catheter penetration length and total number of piglets born was expressed as: y=5.346 ± 0.104x; r=0.361 (p < 0.05). Fertility rate was not different among the groups of gilts induced into oestrus by hormone treatment or inseminated in the second oestrus; however, the total fertility rate of boar‐exposed gilts was higher (p < 0.0001) than PMSG/hCG treated animals. Thus, it is possible to conclude that litter size at first farrowing is associated with vaginal–cervix catheter penetration length during insemination of the gilt.     

Characterization of Pasteurella haemolytica strains isolated from goats in Hungary

Thirty-five Pasteurella haemolytica strains were isolated in Hungary from goat carcasses sent for postmortem examination from two farms with large goat flocks. All strains belonged to biotype A and with the exception of one strain of serotype A8 they belonged to serotype A2. No untypable strains were found by the indirect haemagglutination test.     

Epizootiological examination of a respiratory disease associated with mycoplasma infection in horse

The authors examined 585 samples from 92 mares of 2 studs and 346 nasal swabs taken from their foals for the presence of mycoplasmas. The positive rates of mares and foals were 81.5% and 71.7%, respectively, with positivity of samples being variable. Clinical symptoms developed in 2-4 waves and lasted 3-7 days, with intervals of 7-12 days. The disease started in April among foals born in February, at an average age of 88 days. Later on, the average age of the affected foals decreased. There was a correlation between presence of mycoplasmas in nasal cavity and disease of foals.     

Mycoplasma infections in farm animals: specific prevention of infectious (contagious) agalactia in the sheep and goat

The authors of this paper have produced live vaccine to cope with infectious agalactia in goat. The vaccine (culture) was used on 360, 924 goats kept on ajmaks in Bajanchongor and Gobi-Altaj, in 1986. The number of pathologically affected goats went down by a factor of 4.5, as compared to 1985. Mortality was reduced to one third. Abortions declined by a factor of 2.6 and infertility among goats by 1.6. The conclusion is that sheep of the Mongolian breed are not susceptible to infectious agalactia. Large-scale production tests of live cultures supported hopes for successful action on this infectious disease under Mongolian conditions.     

Aspects of the adsorption of pirimicarb by smectites and soils

A study was conducted to examine the adsorption and interaction mechanism of pirimicarb with smectites and soils. Studies were carried out in pesticide-smectite or soil-water systems and in pesticide-smectite-organic solvent systems, using homoionic samples of montmorillonite, smectites of different layer charge and soils with smectite in their clay fraction. The adsorption isotherms obtained at 30° and 45°C follow the empirical equation of Freundlich. In the adsorption of the pesticide by soils a highly significant correlation was seen between adsorption (distribution coefficient) and the content of smectite in them. In the studies in organic medium the formation of a smectite-pirimicarb bilayer complex with a basal d₀₀₁ spacing of 18.55 Å was observed; the formation of this is also related to the nature of the interlayer cation and the layer charge of the smectite. According to the I.R. results, the interlayer cations of the silicate and the oxygen atom of the C–O group of the pesticide molecule are involved in the interaction mechanism.     

Leptospirosis in Colombia: Isolation ofLeptospira SPP. from the kidneys of brown rats (Rattus Norvegicus) trapped on infected piggeries

Summary Leptospira interrogansserotypes pomonaand icterohaemorrhagiaewere isolated from the kidneys of Rattus norvegicustrapped on pomonainfected piggeries.The isolation of pomonafrom one of 111cultured kidneys, although of interest, strongly suggests that this rat does not play an important part in the epidemiology of infection by this serotype. Kidney tubular degeneration, focal mononuclear infiltrations and fibroplasia are morphological traces which remain after an attack of leptospirosis. The high percentage (48.6)of these lesions found in the rat kidneys examined does not seem to be related to serotype pomonabut to icterohaemorrhagiae.The importance of this last serotype in swine in the Cauca Valley has yet to be assessed.

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Leptospirosis En Colombia: Aislamiento DeLeptospira SPP. De Riñones De Ratas Pardas (Rattus Norvegicus) Atrapadas En Porquerizas Infectadas

Resumen Se aislóLeptospira interrogans serotipospomona eicterohaemorrhagiae de riñones deRattus norvegicus atrapadas en porquerizas infectadas porpomona. El aislamiento depomona de 1/111 riñones cultivados, aunque de interés, sugiere que esta rata no desempeña parte importante en la epidemiología de las infecciones por este serotipo.Degeneración tubular renal, infiltración mononuclear focal y fibroplasia son huellas morfológicas que quedan después de un ataque de leptospirosis. El alto porcentaje (48.6) de estas lesiones encontradas en los riñones de las ratas examinadas no parece estar relacionado con el serotipopomona sino con elicterohaemorrhagiae. La importancia de este último seroptipo en cerdos en el Valle del Cauca no se ha evaluado todavía.

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Leptospiroses En Colombie: Isolement DeLeptospira SPP. De Reins De Rats Bruns (Rattus Norvegicus) Captures Dans Des Porcheries

Résumé Les sérotypespomona eticterohaemorrhagiae deLeptospira interrogans ont été isolés de reins deRattus norvegicus capturés dans des porcheries infectées de (pomona?). L'isolement depomona sur une seule des 111 cultures de rein effectuées, bien qu'interessant, suggère fortement que ce rat ne joue pas un rôle important dans l'épidémiologie de l'infection par ce sérotype.La dégénerescence tubulaire des reins, des infiltrations ponctuelles par des monocucléaires et l'aspect fibreux constituent les traces morphologiques qui demeurent après une attaque de leptospirose. Le pourcentage élevé (48,6) de ces lésions trouvées dans les les reins des rats examinés semble être plus en rapport avec le sérotypeicterohaemorrhagiae qu'avec le sérotypepomona. L'importance du sérotypeicterohaemorrhagiae chez le porc de la Cauca Valley est encore à vérifier.