Case report: congenital myoclonus in a German Holstein calf

A female German Holstein calf was not able to stand up after birth. Resting the animal was lying in normal position and could lift its head. Sensory stimuli like auditory or tactile impulses induced myoclonic jerking of the whole body. Afterwards it calmed down quickly. The signs observed correspond to the clinical findings of congenital myoclonus in poll Hereford calves. The pathological examination revealed no indications for changes in organs. The inbreeding coefficient of the calf was 1.56 %. The present type of congenital myoclonus in the calf examined is likely to be genetically determined, even if the point mutation in exon 2 of the glycin receptor alpha 1 gene was not confirmed.     

Circulating ghrelin concentrations fluctuate relative to nutritional status and influence feeding behavior in cattle

The objective of these experiments was to establish the relationship of plasma ghrelin concentrations with feed intake and hormones indicative of nutritional state of cattle. In Exp.1, 4 steers (BW 450 +/- 14.3 kg) were used in a crossover design to compare plasma ghrelin concentrations of feed-deprived steers with those of steers allowed to consume feed and to establish the relationship of plasma ghrelin concentrations with those of GH, insulin (INS), glucose (GLU), and NEFA. After adaptation to a once-daily feed offering (0800), 2 steers continued the once-daily feeding schedule (FED), whereas feed was withheld from the other 2 steers (FAST). Serial blood samples were collected via indwelling jugular catheter from times equivalent to 22 h through 48 h of feed deprivation. Average plasma ghrelin concentrations were greater (P < 0.001) in FAST compared with FED (690 and 123 +/- 6.5 pg/mL) steers. Average plasma ghrelin concentrations for FED steers prefeeding were elevated (P < 0.001) when compared with those postfeeding (174 and 102 +/- 4.2 pg/mL, respectively). Average plasma GH concentration was elevated (P < 0.05) for FAST steers compared with FED steers. Plasma GLU concentrations were not different; however, for FAST steers, NEFA concentrations were elevated (P < 0.001) and INS concentrations were decreased (P < 0.001). In Exp. 2, 4 steers (BW 416 +/- 17.2 kg) were used in a crossover design to determine the effects of i.v. injection of bovine ghrelin (bGR) on plasma GH, INS, GLU, and NEFA concentrations; length of time spent eating; and DMI. Steers were offered feed once daily (0800). Serial blood samples were collected from steers via indwelling jugular catheter. Saline or bGR was injected via jugular catheter at 1200 and 1400. A dosage of 0.08 microg/kg of BW bGR was used to achieve a plasma ghrelin concentration similar to the physiological concentration measured in a FAST steer in Exp. 1 (1,000 pg/mL). Injection of bGR resulted in elevated (P < 0.005) plasma GH concentrations after the 1200 but not the 1400 injection. Plasma INS, GLU, and NEFA concentrations were not affected by bGR injection. For the combined 1-h periods postinjection, length of time spent eating was greater (P = 0.02) and DMI tended to be increased (P = 0.06) for bGR steers. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that ghrelin serves as a metabolic signal for feed intake or energy balance in ruminants.     

Maintenance of body temperature in the neonatal lamb: effects of breed, birth weight, and litter size

To survive, the newborn lamb must be able to maintain body temperature and to stand and move to the udder to suck colostrum to fuel heat production. The objective of this study was to investigate whether neonatal lambs showing slow behavioral progress to standing and sucking also have an impaired ability to maintain body temperature. The time taken to stand and suck after birth, rectal temperatures, and blood samples were collected from 115 newborn single, twin, and triplet lambs of 2 breeds, Scottish Blackface and Suffolk, which are known to show variations in their neonatal behavioral progress. Blood samples were assayed for thyroid hormones, known to be involved in heat production, and cortisol, which plays a role in tissue maturation before birth. In addition, colostrum samples were collected from the 56 ewes that gave birth to the lambs, and assayed for protein, fat, and vitamin contents. Heavy lambs (more than 1 SD above the breed mean), Blackface lambs, and singleton or twin lambs were quicker to stand and suck from their mothers than lightweight (more than 1 SD below the breed mean), Suffolk, or triplet lambs. Low birth weight lambs also had lower rectal temperatures than heavier lambs (P < 0.01), as did Suffolk compared with Blackface lambs (P < 0.001). Lambs that were slow to suck after birth had lower rectal temperatures than quick lambs, and this difference persisted for at least 3 d after birth. Within breed, heavy lambs had greater plasma triiodothyronine and thyroxine immediately after birth than light lambs. Blackface lambs had greater plasma triiodothyronine and thyroxine than Suffolk lambs but tended to have less cortisol. Colostrum produced by Blackface ewes had a greater fat content than that of Suffolk ewes (P < 0.001). Thus, lambs that are behaviorally slow at birth are also less able to maintain their body temperature after birth. Although part of their lower body temperature might be attributable to behavioral influences on thermoregulation, the data also suggest that physiological differences exist between these animals. These differences may be related to different degrees of maturity at birth.     

The expression of genes related to adipocyte differentiation in pigs

The purpose of this study was to detect differential expression of genes related to adipocyte differentiation in pigs by suppression subtractive hybridization. Adipocytes and stromal vascular cells (a fraction containing preadipocytes) from pig adipose tissue were isolated for mRNA extraction. The cDNA from preadipocytes was subtracted from the cDNA from adipocytes. The subtracted gene fragments were cloned into pGEM-T Easy TA cloning vector. We selected 384 clones for gene sequence determination and for further analysis. These genes were subjected to a differential screening procedure to confirm the differential expression of genes between the 2 cell types. We found that at least 36 genes were highly expressed in the adipocytes compared with preadipocytes. Among these, 6 genes including 2 novel genes with the greatest differences were selected and confirmed by Northern analysis. We found that angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE), ataxia-telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM), calpain 1, and stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase 1 (SCD1) were highly expressed in adipocytes compared with preadipocytes (P < 0.05). The relative mRNA abundance of ACE, ATM, calpain 1, SCD1, and 2 novel genes discovered in the current study was increased at the later stages of adipocyte differentiation (P < 0.05). The results confirmed that the genes involved in lipid metabolism and adipocyte differentiation were highly expressed in porcine adipocytes. However, further investigation is needed to demonstrate specific functions of the novel genes discovered in the current study.     

Influence of steam-flaked corn moisture level and density on the site and extent of digestibility and feeding value for finishing cattle

Performance and digestibility experiments were conducted to determine the influence of moisture and flake density (FD) on the feeding value of steam-flaked corn (SFC). Dietary treatments consisted of finishing diets that contained 78% (DM basis) SFC that was tempered using 0, 6, or 12% moisture and processed to either 360 (SF28) or 310 (SF24) g/L. A 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was used. In Exp. 1, 78 steers were individually fed the respective treatments for 106 d. Moisture added during tempering tended (linear; P < 0.10) to increase starch availability but linearly decreased (P < 0.01) particle size. Decreasing flake density increased (P < 0.001) starch availability and also decreased (P < 0.001) particle size. Starch availability (P < 0.001), moisture (P < 0.001), and particle size (P = 0.05) were all greater for SFC that was collected the day of processing compared with SFC that had been processed the previous day. Steers fed diets containing SF24 consumed less DM as the moisture level increased, whereas steers fed diets containing SF28 had increased DMI as moisture level increased (moisture x FD interaction; P < 0.01). Nonetheless, ADG, G:F, and most carcass characteristics did not differ among treatments. In Exp. 2, 6 multicannulated Jersey steers were used in a 6 x 6 Latin square using the same treatments as in Exp. 1. Increasing moisture intake linearly decreased (P < 0.05) starch intakes. Organic matter and N intakes followed similar trends but were not different. Decreasing FD tended to increase (P < 0.10) microbial N flow to the duodenum and increased microbial efficiency (P < 0.05). Ruminal starch digestibility was 90.5%, and total tract starch digestibility was 99.5% without adding moisture or processing beyond SF28. Moisture additions to corn before steam flaking resulted in few differences in performance or digestibility, despite increases in starch availability that occurred as moisture increased. Processing corn more extensively than SF28 may be unnecessary and cost-prohibitive.     

Virulent systemic feline calicivirus infection: local cytokine modulation and contribution of viral mutants

Virulent systemic feline calicivirus (VS-FCV) is a novel, emerging pathogen with mortality up to 67% even in previously healthy adult cats; VS-FCV has resulted in at least six epidemics since 1998. Affected cats have systemic vascular compromise and hemorrhagic-fever like signs in part due to viral invasion of epithelium and endothelium, coupled with host cytokine responses. Affected skin tissues had, on average, 3.8 elevated cytokines compared with control tissue, with prominent upregulation in IL-10, TNF-alpha, and MIP-1alpha. Sequencing of most of the genomes of two VS-FCV strains documented patterns of virus relatedness and implicated changes in the capsid gene in the emerging phenotype, possibly through initiation of immune mechanisms manifest in the cytokine changes. Understanding the features contributing to the emergence of this disease is critical for management and prevention of this and similar outbreaks attributable to RNA viruses in animals and humans.     

Leg health and performance of broiler chickens reared in different light environments

1. The effects of light source and intensity on leg health and performance of female ROSS 308 broiler chickens were investigated in a 2 x 2 experimental design (8 groups of 275 chicks) of two light sources (Osram biolux and Osram warm-white) and two light intensities (5 and 100 clux, adjusted to fowl-perceived illuminance). 2. At 41 d of age, body weight, gait-score, footpad dermatitis and hock-burn were measured on 50 birds from each light environment. In addition, weekly feed intake and body weight were determined on a group basis and mortality was recorded continuously. 3. The light environment did not affect the severity of the gait-score or hock-burns. The risk of moderate to severe lameness and hock-burns increased with body weight. Birds weighing more than 2400 g had an increased probability of moderate footpad lesions in biolux light. 4. Weight and gait-score, as well as gait-score and hock-burn were positively correlated. Podo-dermatitis was weakly correlated with hock-burn, which contradicts earlier findings. The light environment did not affect feed intake, body weight or mortality. 5. The light sources and intensities employed in this study did not adversely affect production or leg health of broiler chickens reared semi-commercially.     

Histomorphometry of fragmented medial coronoid process in dogs: a comparison of affected and normal coronoid processes

OBJECTIVE: To determine if fatigue microdamage is associated with fragmented medial coronoid process (FMCP). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: Thirty-eight dogs were admitted for subtotal coronoid ostectomy as treatment for FMCP. Surgical specimens of medial coronoid process (MCP) were retrieved from treated dogs. Normal MCP were collected from 5 age- and breed-matched dogs and 2 age-matched research beagles that were euthanatized for reasons other than elbow disease. METHODS: MCP specimens from affected elbows were classified into 4 groups based on disease severity. Specimens were bulk-stained for microdamage using 1% basic fuchsin, embedded in polymethylmethacrylate and sectioned at 130 microm. Specimens were evaluated using epifluorescent microscopy (425-440 excitation, 475 nm barrier filter) for diffuse damage (D.DX), osteocyte loss, and porosity. Cartilage thickness was evaluated using bright field microscopy. Qualitative observations were also made. RESULTS: MCP specimens from affected elbows had increased D.Dx, increased osteocyte loss, and greater porosity than normal groups. Specimens classified as severe FMCP (Classes 3, 4) had the most fatigue microdamage. Some Class 1 specimens, defined as having no visible fissuring of the articular cartilage (AC), had large microcracks in trabecular bone. CONCLUSIONS: Accumulation of subchondral fatigue microdamage, is associated with MCP fragmentation. Fissuring occurs in the subchondral bone before gross fibrillation of articular cartilage develops. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Accumulation of fatigue microdamage in the MCP is important in the pathogenesis of FMCP. The underlying cause of this microdamage accumulation must be identified before treatment plans that will prevent further osteoarthritis of the elbow joint can be designed.     

Expression of rabbit interleukin-4 and characterization of its biologic activity on T and B-cells

The purpose of the current study was to express recombinant rabbit IL-4 (rRbIL-4) and to characterize its biological activity. The cDNA of RbIL-4 was cloned into an insect cell expression vector that allowed for constitutive expression in Sf9 cells and incorporated a 6-histidine tag on the recombinant protein for purification. The purified protein corresponded to the predicted size of rRbIL-4 and was recognized by an anti-human IL-4 antibody in immunoblotting. As shown for IL-4 from other species, a dose-dependent proliferative response was observed in T-lymphoblasts cultured with rRbIL-4. rRbIL-4 also induced increased expression of MHC class II molecules on the surface of rabbit B-cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that we have produced recombinant rabbit IL-4 that exhibits expected biological activity on rabbit B and T-cells.     

Congenital heart diseases in the boxer dog: A retrospective study of 105 cases (1998-2005)

Subaortic stenosis (SAS) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases (CHD) in dogs with Boxers being predominantly affected. However, the increasing availability of modern diagnostic imaging systems now allows a better assessment of cardiac morphology and function, thereby facilitating early detection of CHD in awake animals. In this context, the case records of Boxer dogs diagnosed with CHD using echocardiography combined with Doppler mode, were retrospectively reviewed (1998-2005). One hundred and five Boxers exhibiting either a single CHD (53/105, 50.5%) or association of several CHD (52/105, 49.5%) were included. The most common CHD was atrial septal defect (ASD) observed in 56.2% of these animals (59/105), followed by mitral dysplasia (58/105, 55.2%), and SAS (49/105, 46.7%). SAS was associated with one or two CHD in 29.5% of cases (31/105). Most of the dogs with a low intensity left heart base systolic murmur had an isolated ASD whereas most of the dogs with a similar but high intensity murmur had SAS, either isolated or associated with a concurrent CHD. The incidence of ASD and mitral dysplasia in Boxer dogs is higher than previously assumed, and ASD is a common cause of left heart base systolic murmur in this breed of dog. This confirms that the detection of such a murmur should not be used as the unique criterion for diagnostic confirmation of SAS.