Dystrophic muscular fibers in the muscles of certain breeds of birds

The occurrence of pathologically changed muscular fibers in some wild species of birds and in economically important domesticated species of birds is described. The hydrops of muscular fibers, necrosis and atrophy with connective tissue infiltration in muscular bundles were detected in breast and thigh muscles in wild birds, e. g. in raven, pigeon and pheasant. The same pathological processes were also found in domesticated species, e. g. in guinea fowl, less often in geese and duck. Their incidence in turkeys and laying types of fowl was more frequent, they were observed most often in muscles of broiler hens. Fission of muscular fibers, very thin, but also hypertrophic fibers and resorption of necrotic fibers were detected in hens besides the above changes. The described histological picture is confronted with the picture of hereditary myodystrophy in chickens.     

Laboratory diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis by immunosorbent agglutination assay (IgM ISA)

A group of 401 patients suspected for toxoplasmosis was examined by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). All patients positive in IFAT (176) were examined by the immunosorbent agglutination assay (IgM ISA). In the IgM ISA 154 of them were negative, 10 temporarily and 12 high-positive. Some of high-positive patients were examined repeatedly; decrease of high levels of specific IgM antibodies occurred 2-9 months after the first examination. For the IgM ISA antigen prepared from peritoneal exudate of experimentally infected mice was used. The antigen was stable at 4 degrees C or in liquid nitrogen at least 1 year. The IgM ISA combined with IFAT and IgM IFAT was proved satisfactory for the diagnosis of acquired acute toxoplasmosis and can be recommended for laboratories with lower capacity.     

Sleep and activity of piglets weaned into cages.

The duration and type of sleep and activity were monitored in a group of 9 Duroc piglets weaned at 7 weeks of age and placed into a cage of 1.2 x 1.2 m. Average air temperature in the cage ranged between 20 and 23 degrees C and relative humidity was around 70%. The piglets were fed and watered ad libitum. The measurements were performed one week after the pigs had been transferred to the cages, in the period between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Approximately half of the 5-hour period of observation was occupied by sleep. There were, however, marked individual differences (ranges: 66 and 24%). Non-REM sleep occupied 79% while REM sleep 21% of the whole sleep time. REM episodes lasted, on the average, 3.8 + 0.58 min. The other half of the period studied was occupied by wakefulness which was devoted to movement, lying and, also, massaging and sucking each other. In some animals this activity was high and was the cause of unrest in the whole group. Differences in respiratory rate between non-REM and REM sleep recorded in heavier animals were the result of their heat load.     

Abortion of a sow caused by Pasteurella aerogenes.

Three strains of the Pasteurella aerogenes complex were isolated as sole pathogens from aborted fetuses of a sow aborted at the 12th week of gestation on a farm of 600 sows. Gross pathology showed no characteristic lesions. The isolates were biochemically identical and resembled P. pneumotropica on the basis of their strong indole and urease positivity but they produced gas, were ornithine decarboxylase negative and fermented mannitol but not trehalose. Only a few differences were apparent in biochemical characteristics between the isolated strains and P. aerogenes. They differed from the type strain of P. aerogenes in ornithine decarboxylase activity, indole production and lactose and mannitol fermentation; however, such strains do occur within this heterogeneous species. At the time of abortion the antibody titre of the aborted sow was 1 in 16 when examined with live bacterial suspension and 1 in 128 if boiled antigen was used. Similar strains could not be isolated from the vaginas of aborted sows or pregnant and newly farrowed sows in the same group. The bacteriological, serological and histological findings support the opinion of other workers on the occasional pathogenic nature of P. aerogenes.     

Preliminary characterization and interaction of tubulin from Trichinella spiralis larvae with benzimidazole derivatives

Tubulin was estimated to account for 0.3% of the total soluble protein in Trichinella spiralis cytosolic fractions. Tubulin from T. spiralis was partially purified by precipitation with either taxol or vinblastine sulphate. Immunoblotting with alpha- and beta-tubulin monoclonal antibodies revealed the presence of tubulin in T. spiralis partially purified preparations. Electrophoretic mobility of T. spiralis tubulin in sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gels was very similar to that shown by pig brain tubulin. Further studies with colchicine binding assays indicated that T. spiralis tubulin has binding features similar to that of tubulin from other nematodes: colchicine association constant = 8.1 x 10(-4) M and competitive inhibition of colchicine binding by podophyllotoxin, with an inhibition constant of 1.3 x 10(-6) M. Finally, inhibition of colchicine binding by several benzimidazoles (mebendazole, fenbendazole, oxibendazole and albendazole) was investigated. All the benzimidazoles inhibited colchicine binding in a competitive manner, with inhibition constant values ranging from 1.4 x 10(-7) M (mebendazole) to 3.9 x 10(-6) M (fenbendazole).     

Relationship between reproductive and productive performance in poultry flocks

The author analyses the interrelationship between the hygienic prerequisites of reproduction and performance in poultry farming, with regard to their impact on human health. The main factors influencing the hatching rate of poultry eggs are reviewed along with their epizootiological and economic aspects, and the possibilities of the prevention of egg-transmitted diseases are discussed.     

Analysis of growth curves of fowl. I. Chickens.

1. The Richards function was used to describe the growth curves (n = 989) of 9 broiler lines. Chickens were fed ad libitum and body weight was recorded every second week from hatching to 26 weeks of age. 2. The accuracy of curve fit measured by the coefficient of determination (R2) was better for males than for females (0.9986-0.9995 vs 0.9972-0.9988, respectively). 3. The estimation of the asymptotic final weight (A) for different lines enabled the degree of maturity (ut = yt/A) to be determined at any fixed point of the curve. At the age of 7 weeks this had a value of 0.318-0.369 for cockerels and 0.325-0.377 for pullets and represented the slaughter maturity of individual lines. The ratio of inflection/asymptotic weight (y+/A = 0.370-0.388) indicated that in some cases chicken growth can be described approximately by the Gompertz function (y+/A = 0.368). 4. It was found that the age at the inflection point of curves (t+ 48.2-55.7 d for cockerels and t+ = 47.8-52.8 d for pullets) roughly corresponds to the slaughter age of the chickens. 5. The interline differences in the parameters of maturation rate for weight (y+/A, k, t+, u7) are low in comparison with the differences in body weight (A, y+, y7) and absolute growth rate (v, v+). 6. The intragroup phenotypic correlation among growth parameters and the importance of the mathematical models are discussed.     

Analysis of growth curves of fowl. II. Ducks.

1. Growth curves of nine selected lines and one random-bred control population (in total, n = 1070) were evaluated by the Richards function. The ducks were weighed at 7-d intervals and, after the tenth week, every second week (up to 18 weeks). Food and water were supplied ad libitum. 2. The predicted curves closely fitted the weight data points (R2 = 0.9991-0.9997). 3. The ducks are characterized by early maturity rate. The peak of the absolute growth rate (the inflection point of the curve) occurred at 24.1-27.6 d of age (t+). A higher ratio of the inflection to the asymptotic weights (y+/A = 0.380-0.424) was found in comparison to those from the Gompertz-type function of growth (y+/A = 0.368). 4. In the selected lines the degree of maturity at a slaughter age of 7 weeks (u7 = y7/A) ranged from 0.784 to 0.835 for males and from 0.819 to 0.889 for females. 5. Ducks within the non-selected control line had a significantly lower maturing rate than the selected lines. 6. Sexual dimorphism was recorded for all growth parameters analysed. Females have faster maturation rate than males (higher values of y+/A, u7, k and a shorter auto-acceleration phase of growth). 7. High interline differences were found for body weight (A, y+, y7) and for absolute growth rate (v, v+) and smaller ones for parameters of the maturation rate (y+/A, u7, k and t+). 8. The intragroup phenotype correlation between growth parameters and the use of weight data only up to 7 weeks of age for the estimation of parameters of the Richards function are discussed.