Farm management factors associated with bulk tank total bacterial count in Irish dairy herds during 2006/07

Research has shown that total bacterial count (TBC), which is the bacterial growth per ml of milk over a fixed period of time, can be decreased by good hygiene and farm management practices. The objective of the current study was to quantify the associations between herd management factors and bulk tank TBC in Irish spring calving, grass-based dairy herds. The relationship between bulk tank TBC and farm management and infrastructure was examined using data from 400 randomly selected Irish dairy farms where the basal diet was grazed grass. Herd management factors associated with bulk tank TBC were identified using linear models with herd annual total bacterial score (i.e., arithmetic mean of the natural logarithm of bulk tank TBC) included as the dependent variable. All herd management factors were individually analysed in a separate regression model, that included an adjustment for geographical location of the farm. A multiple stepwise regression model was subsequently developed. Median bulk tank TBC for the sample herds was 18,483 cells/ml ranging from 10,441 to 130,458 cells/ml. Results from the multivariate analysis indicated that the following management practices were associated with low TBC; use of heated water in the milking parlour; participation in a milk recording scheme; and tail clipping of cows at a frequency greater than once per year. Increased level of hygiene of the parlour and cubicles were also associated with lower TBC. Herd management factors associated with bulk tank TBC in Irish grazing herds were generally in agreement with most previous studies from confinement systems of milk production.     

Circadian polymorphisms associated with affective disorders

Background  

Clinical symptoms of affective disorders, their response to light treatment, and sensitivity to other circadian interventions indicate that the circadian system has a role in mood disorders. Possibly the mechanisms involve circadian seasonal and photoperiodic mechanisms. Since genetic susceptibilities contribute a strong component to affective disorders, we explored whether circadian gene polymorphisms were associated with affective disorders in four complementary studies.     

Effects on growth,survival, body composition,processing traits and water quality when feeding a diet without vitamin and mineral supplements to Australian red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) grown in ponds

To be profitable, producers must reduce diet costs, which can be as high as 80% of the variable costs of an aquaculture expense. As vitamin and mineral premixes represent a significant cost, eliminating addition of these premixes could reduce diet costs if no adverse effects were observed for growth and production parameters. A 105‐day feeding trial was conducted with juvenile Australian red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) to evaluate the effects of growth, survival, body composition, processing traits and water quality when red claw were fed a supplemental diet containing 28% crude protein (CP) without vitamin and mineral premixes (and supplemented alfalfa hay) compared with red claw fed a diet (control diet) containing 42% CP, vitamin and mineral premixes, and with supplemented alfalfa hay, and compared with red claw only fed alfalfa hay when grown in ponds. Juvenile red claw (mean weight of 15.7 ± 1.0 g) were randomly stocked into nine 0.02‐ha ponds at a rate of 640 per pond (3.2 per m²), and each treatment was used in three ponds. There were two feedings per day, each consisting of one‐half of the total daily ration. At harvest, individual weight, percentage weight gain, specific growth rate, survival and total yield of red claw fed a control diet was significantly higher (P < 0.05) (83.0 g, 398%, 1.53% day^?1, 65.1%,and 1708 kg ha^?1 respectively) compared with red claw only fed alfalfa hay (44.9 g, 202%, 1.04% day^?1, 30.3% and 431 kg ha^?1, respectively), but not different (P > 0.05) from red claw fed the supplemental diet without vitamin and mineral premixes (76.2 g, 367%, 1.47% day^?1, 57.2% and 1378 kg ha^?1). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in feed conversion ratio (FCR) among treatments, which averaged 5.0 (based on prepared diet input). These results indicate that vitamin and mineral supplementation in a diet is not necessary when diet containing 28% CP and alfalfa hay are used in combination for pond grown red claw. These results may help reduce diet costs and possibly increase producers’ profits which might allow for industry expansion.     

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in wildlife on three deer farms with a history of Johne's disease

Abstract

AIM: To determine the prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) infection in wildlife, in pastoral landscapes with a recent history of clinical Johne's disease in livestock.

METHODS: A total of 449 wild mammals and birds from three farms in the South Island of New Zealand with recent histories of clinical Johne's disease in their deer herds were trapped and examined for gross pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, individual mesenteric lymph nodes from 380 mammals, and segments of gastrointestinal tract from 32 birds were excised, homogenised and cultured for viable Map bacilli. The prevalence of Map infection was then calculated for the various species. Faecal samples from those mammals which had culture-positive tissues were further cultured for the presence of Map.

RESULTS: Gross pathological changes were identified in the gastrointestinal tract of four brushtail possums, one cat, six ferrets, 12 hares, six hedgehogs, three rabbits, one stoat, and one paradise shelduck. Infection with Map in the gastrointestinal tract was confirmed in only three of these cases, one each of brushtail possums, hares and hedgehogs. In contrast, Map infection in the absence of gross pathological changes was frequently recorded in enteric tract tissues of mammals and birds. Among mammals, Map infection was recorded in 18/73 (25%) brushtail possums, 4/23 (17%) cats, 15/42 (36%) hedgehogs and 29/113 (26%) rabbits. Among birds, intestinal tract tissue Map infection was recorded in 3/17 (18%) paradise shelducks. Among 64 of the 74 mammals which had Map culture-positive tissues, 38% (n=5) of hedgehogs and 11% (n=3) of rabbits also had culture-positive faecal samples.

CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to identify that Map infection can be prevalent in wildlife in New Zealand. There was a high prevalence of Map infection among both scavenging and grazing wild animals. Both mammals and birds are capable of harbouring viable Map organisms in their gastrointestinal tract; further, viable Map was excreted into the environment via faeces by hedgehogs and rabbits.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Previous studies overseas have postulated a role of wildlife as reservoirs of Map infection and possible vectors of Johne's disease to livestock. Here, brushtail possums, hedgehogs and rabbits and in particular were identified as potential wildlife hosts for Map infection in NewZealand. This suggests that several wildlife species could contribute to the persistence of Map infection within a wildlife/livestock complex, and potentially, perhaps more importantly, to the spread of infection between farms.     

Lectin‐Binding Pattern in Ovarian Structures of Rats with Experimental Polycystic Ovaries

Numerous experimental models in different species have been developed for the study of polycystic ovarian syndrome. In this study, we used a model of induction of polycystic ovaries (PO) in rats by exposure to constant light to study the distribution and variations of glycosylated residues present in the different ovarian structures. Seven biotinylated lectins were used (Con‐A, WGA, DBA, SBA, PNA, RCA and UEA‐I) on tissue sections, and detection was performed using the streptavidin/peroxidase method. In tissue sections was observed an increase in affinity for Con‐A in the granulosa and theca interna of growing follicles and cysts in animals with PO in relation to the control group. Follicular cysts showed higher affinity for WGA and RCA‐I which growing follicles in the same group, and there was a decrease in affinity for PNA in the cysts in relation to the growth of follicles in both groups. Atretic follicles in both groups showed greater labelling with lectins PNA, SBA and RCA‐I in relation to healthy follicles. It could also be noted that the zona pellucida of cystic follicles lost the affinity for the lectin Con‐A. There was no staining on follicles in any category with the lectins DBA and UEA‐I, although it was staining in the corpus luteum (control group) and in the mesothelium and interstitial glands of both groups with DBA. These observations probably reflect changes in the glycosaminoglycans present in the different ovarian compartments or in the glycosylation of cellular components essential for proper follicular dynamics.     

Serum copper, zinc, calcium and phosphorus concentrations of calves stressed by bovine respiratory disease and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis

The relationship between serum minerals and stress and(or) disease has not been fully evaluated in beef cattle. Two trials were conducted to determine the changes in serum Cu and Zn during market-transit stress and(or) disease. Two additional trials were conducted to determine the changes in serum Cu and Zn after inoculation with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV), with one of the trials determining the changes in serum Ca and P. Trials 1 (n = 80) and 2 (n = 100) utilized calves that were handled through a normal market-transit system and transported 1,967 km to the feedlot. Trials 3 (n = 37) and 4 (n = 8) used calves that were sero-negative to IBRV and then challenged with 2.7 x 10(5) plaque-forming units of the virus. Serum samples were collected at specified intervals and serum minerals were measured for each trial. Serum Zn for morbid or IBRV-challenged calves was decreased by 34, 57, 29 and 15% (P less than .05) for the four trials, respectively, at peak morbidity. Serum Cu of morbid or IBRV-challenged calves increased 5, 15, 40 and 33% for the four trials, respectively, at peak morbidity. Feed intakes were lower during morbidity for market-transit trials and after IBRV inoculation. Lower feed intake could partially explain the decrease in serum Zn; however, when feed intake was held constant, serum Zn concentration still decreased. Serum Zn decreased and serum Cu increased during market-transit morbidity or after IBRV.     

Growth performance and carcass traits of pigs subjected to marginal dietary restrictions during the grower phase.

Sixty-four individually housed pigs were used to investigate the effect of amino acid content of finisher diets on growth performance of pigs subjected to marginal dietary amino acid restrictions (80% of the 1988 NRC lysine recommendation) during the grower phase. In each of the two trials, low- and high-amino-acid grower diets (.421 and .765 g lysine/MJ DE, respectively) and four finisher diets (.421, .516, .612, and .707 g lysine/MJ DE) were randomly assigned within sex to 16 gilts and 16 castrated males weighing 23.0 +/- 2.0 kg in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement of treatments. The average weight of pigs after a completion of diet change was 50.4 +/- 2.1 kg. All pigs were slaughtered at an average weight of 105.2 +/- 4.1 kg. Ultrasound backfat thickness was measured at the time of diet change and before slaughter. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to feed and water. During the grower phase, pigs fed the high-amino-acid diet grew faster (P < .001) and more efficiently (P < .001) and had less ultrasound backfat (P < .001) than those fed the low-amino-acid diet. The grower diet had no effect on weight gain during the finisher phase. Consequently, pigs fed the high-amino-acid grower diet had better overall weight gain (P < .01) than those fed the low-amino-acid diet. The rate of lean accretion was, however, similar between the two groups of pigs. Furthermore, pigs fed the low-amino-acid grower diet seemed to have better carcass quality, as indicated by less ultrasound backfat (P < .01) and larger carcass longissimus muscle area (P < .05). Average and 10th rib carcass backfat decreased linearly (P < or = .05) and lean accretion rate improved linearly (P < .05) as the amino acid content of finisher diets increased, but there was no grower x finisher diet interaction in these and other response criteria. Although no evidence of compensatory weight gain was observed, it is possible that compensatory lean tissue growth may have occurred in pigs subjected to early amino acid restrictions at the expense of fatty tissue growth.