Theileria mutans in Nigeria.

Two strains of bovine Theileria from northern Nigeria were shown to be identical to Theileria mutans in the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. One of the strains was transmitted by the tick Amblyomma variegatum; large macroschizonts, typical for T mutans, could be demonstrated in infected cattle. It is concluded from these experiments and from the literature that there is reliable evidence so far for the occurrence in Nigeria of only two bovine Tehileria species, T mutans and T velifera.     

Experience of the metabolisable energy system.

Advisory experience concerning the metabolisable energy standards for cattle and sheep introduced in 1976 is reviewed. The change appears to have proceeded smoothly, the new terminology and units being mastered and then used in discussions on dairy cow feeding. The system proposed has thrown new light on some old problems and also on established methods of feeding dairy cattle. "Feeding according to yield" and "lead feeding" need to be reinterpreted in the light of the probable dry matter intakes and live-weight changes of cows in early lactation. These parameters also affect the calculated levels of protein received in dairy compound feeds in early lactation. Group feeding of cows by stage of lactation, level of milk yield and live-weight change is readily accepted by managers of the larger dairy herds. Confidence in the accuracy of the dairy ME system has been built up, and its application to suckler cows has also proved successful. The variable net energy system for growing cattle enables ration formulation to be accomplished speedily and linear programming if desired. Published experiments have been used to confirm the accuracy of predicted live-weight gains when compared with observed gains. No sex effects are included in the system, although differences of +/- 10 per cent have been recorded in natural or hormone induced sex effect trials. The requirements for pregnant ewes have been shown to be too low and liable to reduce lamb birth-weights. In the case of growing lambs, a review of published experiments has shown that lambs grew faster than predicted, suggesting that the energy allowances are too high.     

Serum chloramphenicol levels and the intramuscular bioavailability of several parenteral formulations of chloramphenicol in ruminants

Summary Serum chloramphenicol concentrations were determined by microbiological and chemical assay methods in cows, ewes, and goats treated parenterally with seven different veterinary parenteral chloramphenicol products, including the water soluble sodium succinate ester of chloramphenicol and solutions of 20%, 25% and 50% of chloramphenicol base in various organic solvents. Serum drug concentrations were analyzed for the effect of product formulation differences, dosage, whether the drug was administered i.m. at a single body site or to two sites, and the method of assay, on the absorption from the injection site, peak drug levels, and the persistence in serum of effective concentrations of the drug i.e. 5 to 10 ug / ml. Although differences were observed among the 6 products containing chloramphenicol base in respect to absorption rate and peak serum drug levels, and although these differences significantly influenced the persistence of microbiologically-active serum drug concentrations at the level of ≥ 10 μg / ml, they did not at the level of ≥ 5 μg / ml. In the animal species examined, injections given at 2 sites appeared to influence the duration of predetermined serum drug levels more than the differences among the products in respect of the absorption and elimination rates from serum, the peak serum concentrations, and the dose. The shapes of the concentration-to-time curves in cows and ewes injected with the same dose of a given product were essentially the same, but they were different in goats. Serum chloramphenicol concentrations measured chemically after treatment with chloramphenicol base were 20% to 46% higher than those measured microbiologically. For 60 minutes after the sodium succinate ester had been administered i.v. and i.m. to ewes, the chemically determined chloramphenicol levels were more than twice as high as the respective concentrations determined by microbiological assay, but thereafter, the magnitude of those differences was not greater than observed after treatment with chloramphenicol base. Intramuscular bioavailability of the products containing chloramphenicol base injected at 2 sites was rather poor (51% to 80.5%ofthe dose) and even lower values were calculated after injection at a single site. Results are briefly discussed of the effect of dosage form on the persistence of microbiologically effective serum drug levels. A dose of at least 50 mg / kg to be administered i.m. at two sites are essential prerequisits for chloramphenicol therapy in ruminants.     

Blood parasites of sheep in the Netherlands. I. Anaplasma mesaeterum sp.n. (Rickettsiales, Anaplasmataceae)

Summary On two occasions an anaplasm was isolated from sheep on the Dutch island of Ameland. The organism proved to be highly pathogenic for splenectomised sheep; a non-splenectomised animal recovered spontaneously after the packed cell volume had decreased by 40%. Treatment with oxytetracycline was effective. Its pathogenicity for goats appeared to be low, and the organism was apparently not infective to splenectomised cattle. This anaplasm differs from Anaplasma ovis in that less than 30% of the organisms are marginally situated in the red cell, as against over 70% in A. ovis; cross-immunity with A. ovis was incomplete and the latter appeared to be far more pathogenic to goats than the Dutch anaplasm, for which the name Anaplasma mesaeterum sp.n. is proposed. Its ultrastructure is similar to that of A. marginale and A. ovis. The vector is either Ixodes ricinus or Haemaphysalis punctata. Its practical importance remains to be ascertained.