Behavioural and physiological responses of sheep to 16 h transport and a novel environment post-transport

The effect of a novel lairage environment on the ability of sheep to recover from 16 h of transport was investigated. Sheep were transported from grass paddocks to either novel outside paddocks or inside pens, and housed groups were transported to either familiar or novel inside pens. During transport, sheep from outside paddocks lay down less than those from inside pens. In sheep transported to inside pens, those from outside paddocks spent more time lying and spent less time eating; hay and water intakes during the first 12 h post-transport were lower than those previously kept inside. There was no obvious effect of a novel environment post-transport on blood biochemistry, suggesting that the lower post-transport feed and water intakes in a novel environment did not have a significant effect on the ability of the sheep to recover from the feed and water deprivation associated with transport.     

补播和划破草皮对退化亚高山草甸植被恢复的影响

在甘肃省甘南州临潭县研究围栏内补播和划破草皮对退化亚高山草甸植被的高度、总盖度、地上生物量和功能群物种多样性总指数的影响。结果表明,在各划破草皮处理中,牧草总盖度、地上生物量和功能群物种多样性总指数随着补播量的增加而增加,植被高度随着补播量的增加呈先增加后降低的趋势。补播和划破草皮有显著互作效果,补播量3[垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)播量为49.1 kg·hm-2,老芒麦(Elymus sibiricus) 播量为67.5 kg·hm-2,紫花苜蓿甘农1号(Medicago sativa cv.Gannong No.1)播量为23.3 kg·hm-2]和划破草皮组合的牧草地上生物量(201.5 g·m-2)、总盖度(88.2%)和功能群物种多样性总指数(1.203)达到最大值,补播量1（垂穗披碱草播量为26.7 kg·hm-2,老芒麦播量为37.5 kg·hm-2,紫花苜蓿甘农1号为0）和划破草皮组合的植被高度(11.7 cm)达到最大值。就各补播水平平均值而言,划破草皮植被高度、总盖度、地上生物量和功能群物种多样性总指数显著高于未划破草皮。综合考虑高度、总盖度、地上生物量和功能群物种多样性总指数,经关联度分析可知,补播量2（垂穗披碱草播量为37.5 kg·hm-2,老芒麦播量为52.5 kg·hm-2,紫花苜蓿甘农1号18.3 kg·hm-2）和划破草皮为最优组合。     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒血清抗体检测

采用Svanova公司牛病毒性腹泻病毒血清抗体ELISA抗体检测试剂盒对采自新疆10个不同地区的875份牛血清进行了牛病毒性腹泻病毒血清抗体检测,共检出抗体阳性血清759份,最高阳性率为100％,最低为55.0％,平均为86.7％.检测结果表明该病已在新疆普遍存在,感染没有明确的地域分布规律.根据ELISA检测结果,从...     

Seasonal and temporal changes in species use of the landscape: how do they impact the inferences from multi-scale habitat modeling?

Context

Multi-scale approaches to habitat modeling have been shown to provide more accurate understanding and predictions of species-habitat associations. It remains however unexplored how spatial and temporal variations in habitat use may affect multi-scale habitat modeling.

Objectives

We aimed at assessing how seasonal and temporal differences in species habitat use and distribution impact operational scales, variable influence, habitat suitability spatial patterns, and performance of multi-scale models.

Methods

We evaluated the environmental factors driving brown bear habitat relationships in the Cantabrian Range (Spain) based on species presence records (ground observations) for the period 2000–2010, LiDAR data on forest structure, and seasonal estimates of foraging resources. We separately developed multi-scale habitat models for (i) each season (spring, summer, fall and winter) (ii) two sub-periods with different population status: 2000–2004 (with brown bear distribution restricted to the main population nuclei) and 2005–2010 (with expanding bear population and range); and (iii) the entire 2000–2010 period.

Results

Scales of effect remained considerably stable across seasonal and temporal variations, but not the influence of certain environmental variables. The predictive ability of multi-scale models was lower in the seasons or periods in which populations used larger areas and a broader variety of environmental conditions. Seasonal estimates of foraging resources, together with LiDAR data, appeared to improve the performance of multi-scale habitat models.

Conclusions

We highlight that the understanding of multi-scale behavioral responses of species to spatial patterns that continually shift over time may be essential to unravel habitat relationships and produce reliable estimates of species distributions.

     

First report of porcine circovirus type 2 infections in Cuba

To obtain information about the porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection status of pigs in Cuba and the probable association of PCV2 with other porcine viruses, tissue samples collected from ill pigs were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR analysis showed that 67.7% of the samples (23/34) from seven swine herds of six different geographic regions were detected to be positive for PCV2. Ten of the 23 PCV2 positive samples (43.5%) shown a concurrent infection with porcine parvovirus (PPV) and 17 of 23 PCV2 positive samples (73.9%) exhibited a concomitant infection with classical swine fever virus (CSFV). This study is the first report of PCV2 infecting pigs with different clinical conditions in Cuban swine herds and provides evidence of PCV2 co-infection with PPV and CSFV in the field.     

Effect of restricted suckling on milk yield,milk composition and udder health in cows and behaviour and weight gain in calves,in dual-purpose cattle in the tropics

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of restricted suckling (RS) in dual-purpose cows and calves compared to artificial rearing (AR). Twelve Holstein-Zebu cows with calves were assigned to each treatment. Cows were milked once daily in the morning with calves present to stimulate milk let-down. RS calves suckled 30 min after milking and 30 min in the afternoon, whereas AR calves were milk-fed from nipple bottles. The daily saleable milk yield was higher in RS than in AR cows (p < 0.01; 7.44 vs 6.50 kg/day), whereas RS cows had lower milk-fat content (p < 0.001). AR cows had higher California Mastitis Test scores (p < 0.001) and lower lactose content (p < 0.001) compared to RS cows, which indicates an improved udder health in RS cows. AR calves displayed more ‘cross-suck’ during suckling/milk feeding (p < 0.001) and during observations of general behaviour (p < 0.05), and more ‘lick and sniff interior’ during milking (p < 0.05) and suckling/milk feeding (p < 0.01), compared to RS calves. During observations of general behaviour the RS calves were more often observed to ‘walk’ (p < 0.01) and ‘lick self’ (p < 0.05) and less frequently to ‘eat concentrate’ (p < 0.05) than AR calves. Results support the hypothesis that RS increases milk yield, influences milk composition and improves udder health in cows, and decreases abnormal sucking in calves.     

Analysis of the reactivity of anti-bovine CD8 monoclonal antibodies with cloned T cell lines and mouse L-cells transfected with bovine CD8

Mouse L-cells transfected with bovine CD8 and two Theileria parva-infected cloned T cell lines expressing bovine CD8 were used to screen the panel of ten monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) submitted to the workshop. Eight of the ten mAbs reacted with the transfectant and both the cloned T cell lines. However, two mAbs CC58 and BAT82A did not recognise the transfectant and only reacted with one of the T cell lines. Further biochemical studies indicated that the eight mAbs react with both homo- and heterodimeric forms of bovine CD8 whilst the two mAbs CC58 and BAT82A react with only heterodimeric forms. These data suggest that bovine DC8 is encoded by two genes as is the case in mouse and man.     

基于深度学习的病虫害智能化识别系统

我国农作物种植覆盖面广、分散度高,病虫害发生种类多、区域性发生规律复杂,传统的人工鉴定技术从效率、能力与精度方面均难以满足新形势下重大病虫测报要求。针对这一实践需求,以测报灯下害虫图像数据库(约18万张)、田间病虫害图像数据库(约32万张)为基础,构建了基于深度学习方法的病虫害种类特征自动学习、特征融合、识别和位置回归计算框架,并研发了移动式病虫害智能化感知设备和自动识别系统。通过近2年的精确度和实操运行效率检验,该系统在自然状态下对16种灯下常见害虫的识别率为66%～90%,对38种田间常见病虫害(症状)的识别率为50%～90%。随基础数据库的不断丰富、神经网络深层特征提取的不断完善,该系统有望进一步提高识别准确率,从而真正实现田间病虫害识别自动化、智能化和高效率。     

Comparison of slot blot nucleic acid hybridization, immunofluorescence, and virus isolation techniques to detect bluetongue virus in blood mononuclear cells from cattle with experimentally induced infection.

A slot blot hybridization technique was applied for detection of bluetongue virus (BTV) in blood mononuclear cells (BMNC) obtained from cattle with experimentally induced infection. This technique lacked sensitivity to detect the viral nucleic acid directly in clinical specimens. When aliquots of mononuclear cells from these cattle were cultivated in vitro for 10 days to amplify virus titer, only 33.3% of the samples collected during viremia gave a positive signal in the slot blot hybridization format. By contrast, results for 34.3% of noncultured and 63.3% of cultured mononuclear cell samples collected during viremia were positive by immunofluorescence. The average number of infected cells, as detected by immunofluorescence in the noncultured mononuclear cell samples, was 1 to 5/300,000, and was usually > 10/300,000 in the cultured cell samples. Virus was isolated from all postinoculation blood samples obtained from 4 heifers that were seronegative at the time of inoculation, but was not isolated from any of the preinoculation samples, or from any of the postinoculation samples obtained from 2 heifers that were seropositive at the time of inoculation. When virus isolation was attempted from separated mononuclear cells in 2 heifers, 43.7% of the noncultured and 87.5% of the cultured samples had positive results.     

Evaluation of the anatomic effect of physical therapy exercises for mobilization of lumbar spinal nerves and the dura mater in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To adapt and standardize neural tissue mobilization exercises, quantify nerve root movement, and assess the anatomic effects of lumbar spinal nerve and dural mobilization in dogs. ANIMALS: 15 canine cadavers. PROCEDURES: 5 cadavers were used in the preliminary part of the study to adapt 3 neural tissue mobilization physical therapy exercises to canine anatomy. In the other 10 cadavers, the L4 to L7 nerve roots and the dura at the level of T13 and L1 were isolated and marked. Movements during the physical therapy exercises were standardized by means of goniometric control. Movement of the nerve roots in response to each exercise was digitally measured. The effects of body weight and crownrump length on the distance of nerve root movement achieved during each exercise were also assessed. Each exercise was divided into 4 steps, and the overall distance of neural movement achieved was compared with distances achieved between steps. RESULTS: Neural tissue mobilization exercises elicited visible and measurable movement of nerve roots L4 to L7 and of the dura at T13 and L1 in all cadavers. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The physical therapy exercises evaluated had measurable effects on nerve roots L4 to L7 and the dura mater in the T13 and L1 segments. These exercises should be evaluated in clinical trials to validate their efficacy as primary treatments or ancillary postsurgical therapy in dogs with disorders of the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral segments of the vertebral column.