Genetic resistance to Leukosis virus infection: effects on mortality and egg production in Leghorn hens

The influence of genotypic differences in resistance to infection from Lymphoid Leukosis (LL) on mortality and egg production was studied in three pairs of sublines. One subline of each pair had been selected for resistance and the other for susceptibility to infection. At 10 months of age, almost no hens with neutralising antibodies against LL were found in the resistant sublines, while in each susceptible subline more than 40% of the hens had LL antibodies. At 21 months of age, very few hens of the resistant sublines had group-specific (gs) antigen in their eggs. Susceptible sublines differed considerably in this respect, from 81% gs antigen-positive hens in one subline to 9% or no positive hens in the others. On the whole, the susceptible sublines had 6% higher mortality during the laying period (8 months) but the size of the difference was influenced by vaccination against Marek's disease (MD) and varied considerably between pairs of sublines. Significant interactions between strain and genotype of resistance to LL infection were observed for mortality from "other causes" in hens vaccinated against MD, as well as for mortality from "Leukosis" and from "MD" in non-vaccinated hens. The average rate of lay from 1 to 8 months was 8% lower in susceptible hens. In the subline with the highest frequency of eggs containing LL group-specific antigen in the albumen, the reduction of laying rate was twice as large as in the other susceptible sublines.     

Retrospective evaluation of xylazine/halothane anesthesia in 125 cattle

A retrospective morbidity and mortality study was carried out on 125 case records of cattle involving xylazine/halothane anesthesia at the Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph between May 1979 and February 1983.     

The pathogenesis of excessive wear in the deciduous teeth of sheep

The teeth and various supporting and ancillary tissues were examined post mortem from two flocks of sheep, one of which had previously shown high deciduous incisor wear. Sheep were killed in groups selected on clinical signs at equivalent ages from birth to 116 weeks of age. At the end of this time the lengths of clinical crowns of the remaining deciduous incisor teeth in the high wear flock were not measurable, whereas the other flock had up to 5.5 mm in visible crown. Using the cingulum as a marker, measurements were made from extracted teeth of the attrition of the crown and size of the root. The tooth root did not grow substantially longer after the 13th week of the sheep;s life. Wear facets were just visible in some sheep at six weeks. More rapid wear occurred three times in the high wear flock. The first of these was relatively small and occurred between the 13th and 27th week of age in I1 and I2. The second was larger and occurred between the 38th and 57th week of age in the winter/spring period. A third period of wear, which was not measured from the cingulum, because this structure had by then been worn away, was seen in the remaining deciduous teeth between the ages of 91 and 110 weeks of age, i.e., during the second winter and spring. In the low wear flock the first of these periods of wear did not occur, the second was of shorter duration and smaller size, and the third equivocal. Eruption of the teeth after the 6th week was principally passive. There was no difference in the degree of wear of the molar teeth from the two flocks. Histological examination showed that the wear was compensated for by the deposition of reparative dentine in the pulp cavity. This usually gave the appearance of an ordered process. However, when wear was excessively rapid, a different, less orderly form of reparative dentine was laid down. In a few cases the reparative process was not fast enough, and a connection developed between the mouth and the pulp causing pulpitis. There was no histological evidence that the supportive tissues of the teeth, or the upper dental pad, contributed to the excessive wear.     

Comparison of an enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) with the cold complement fixation test for the serodiagnosis of Brucella ovis infection

An enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) for the serodiagnosis of Brucella ovis infection in sheep is described and compared with the cold complement fixation (CF) test. ELISA was performed in microtiter plates, using horse-radish peroxidase conjugated to anti-normal sheep serum globulins, and hydrogen peroxide plus o-phenylenediamine as substrate. A heated, cell-free B. ovis extract was used as antigen in both tests. ELISA was easier to perform, distinguished better between positive and negative sera, and did not need heat-inactivated sera.     

Levels of selenium in blood and tissues associated with some selenium deficiency diseases in New Zealand sheep

Whole bloods from weaned lambs with severe selenium responsive unthriftiness usually contain <5 ng Se/ml. Mildly or moderately affected lambs have blood levels of 5-10 ng/ml. Selenium responsive infertility in ewes appears to be associated with whole blood selenium levels below 10 ng/ml.     

An automated micro-method for the enzymatic determination of D-B-hydroxybutyrate in ruminant plasma

1. An enzymatic ‘reaction rate’ micro-method for the rapid routine estimation of D-B-hydroxybutyrate (D-B-HOB) in ruminant plasma, using an I.L. Multistat III centrifugal analyzer, is described.
2. Reaction conditions were optimized to give a linear response for plasma D-B-HOB concentrations between 100 and 2500 μmoles per litre, at 30°C and pH 9.0.
3. For the standardized method the within-run and between-run coefficients of variation for deproteinised ovine plasma were consistently less than 3.5%.
4. There was good agreement between plasma concentrations obtained by the present method and both original U.V. end-point technique (r=0.927b=0.950) and a colorimetric end-point procedure (r=0.937. b=0.879).
5. Utreated ovine and bovine plasma consistently exhibited high ‘blank’ activity and this was directly correlated with plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in both species (r=0.971; p<0.001 and r=0.949; p<0.001 respectively). The distribution of LDH activity in man was similar to sheep but, contrastingly, non-specific interference was extremely low in human plasma and unrelated to LDH. Horse, chicken and rat had negligible ‘blank” activity and comparatively low LDH levels. In both cattle and sheep non-specific interference was abolished by perchloric acid precipitation. In the sheep subtraction of ‘blank’ activity gave D-H-HOB concentrations for untreated plasma comparable to those in deproteinised samples. However, in the bovine, D-B-HOB levels remained significantly (t=6.44; p<0.001) higher even after ‘blank’ correlation. In contrast to man and other non-ruminants, perchloric acid precipitation is essential in ruminants to avoid false overestimation of plasma D-B-HOB levels.
6. Plasma with EDTA as anticoagulant and serum gave concentrations of D-B-HOB approximately 60% lower, than samples containing heparin or oxalate/fluoride. However, heparin was associated with much higher (up to 50%) non-specific NAD rduction than oxalate/fluoride.
7. High levels of acetoacetate (400–1000 μmoles per litre) reduced the recovery of D-B-HOB from ovine plasma by less than 10%. This effect was negated by the inclusion of hydrazine hydrates in the reaction mixture. Perchlorate ion concentrations above 25 μmoles per litre per test dramatically inhibited the assay in ovine plasma, and therefore precipitation conditions must be carefully controlled.
8. Plasma with oxalate/fluoride as anticoagulant showed the greatest stability in storage; 24 hours at room temperature, one week at +4°C and at least one month at ?20°C.

     

The overwintering mode ofBemisia tabaci and its parasitoids in Israel

Wild and cultivated plants in the vicinity of Kibbutz Nahshon and a few additional locations in Israel were sampled for the presence ofBemisia tabaci Genna-dius (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). The whiteflies, together with their parasites,Eretmocerus mundus andEncarsia lutea, were found to develop on numerous host species throughout the winter. Especially high levels were reached onLan-tana camara, Abutilon grandifolium andIpomoea batatas. During late winter and spring the population on these hosts declined. From April onwards the populations increased on potatoes and sunflowers.     

Detection of beet yellows virus in sugarbeet plants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

Beet yellows virus can be detected in leaf extracts of infected sugarbeet plants by ELISA. The use of discs was studied and proved to be a valuable and qualitatively reliable method. Leaf material could be stored at 4^o or 22°C for at least six days without affecting the detection of this virus by ELISA. A dramatic decrease in ELISA values was found when leaf extracts were frozen.In an analysis of the distribution of virus over the plant it was found that young leaves present at the moment of infection and those which had still to develop after infection will contain virus. Symptoms produced by systemic virus invasion occur on the oldest leaves containing virus.Samenvatting Het bietevergelingsvirus kan op betrouwbare wijze met de ELISA methode in geïnfecteerde bieteplanten worden aangetoond. Een aanzienlijke vereenvoudiging van de procedure kan worden bereikt met de zogenaamde disc-method, waarbij intacte ponsstukjes in de putjes van de ELISA-plaat worden geïncubeerd. Hierbij komt voldoende virus uit de ponsstukjes voor ELISA vrij. Bladmateriaal kon op verschillende wijzen bewaard worden zonder dat de mogelijkheid om het virus aan te tonen achteruitging. Met bladextracten die ingevroren waren, werden echter slechte resultaten verkregen.In een analyse naar de verdeling van het virus over het loof bleek het virus voor te komen in de geïnoculeerde bladeren, in die bladeren die op het tijdstip van inoculatie minder dan de helft van hun uiteindelijke lengte bereikt hadden en in de bladeren die nog moesten verschijnen. De symptomen ontwikkelden zich op de oudste systemisch geïnfecteerde bladeren.     

Multiple cytopenias associated with monocytic proliferation in a dog

An unusual combination of blood cytopenias and monocytic proliferation was observed in a dog. Initial hematologic findings included severe thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, mild nonregenerative anemia and apparently normal bone marrow. Subsequently, a severe persistent monocytosis developed and the bone marrow became populated with monocytes and cytophagic macrophages. Splenomegaly was due to reticuloendothelial hyperplasia and extramedultary hematopoiesis. Treatment consisted of splenectomy and azathioprine but the response was poor and the dog was euthanized. Postmortem examination revealed a hypocellular bone marrow which contained moderate numbers of monocytes and plasma cells. Neoplastic proliferation was absent in visceral organs. No definite diagnosis was established; chronic blood cell consumption, perhaps immune-mediated, may have been responsible for the extensive reticuloendothelial hyperplasia and cytophagia.