Time Empty and Ketone Body Status in the Early Postpartum Period of Dairy Cows

This study aimed to assess the effect of ketone body status early postpartum on time empty in 74 multiparous dairy cows under field conditions. Animals were equally distributed across eight farms and were controlled by the same herd‐fertility‐monitoring programme. Cows were visited twice antepartum and six times postpartum at weekly intervals between 0530 and 0830 a.m. On these occasions, body condition scores and milk yields were measured, blood and milk samples were taken, cows were gynaecologically examined, and parameters of reproduction were recorded. Cows with a time empty of less or more than 80 days were classified as early and late conceiving cows (EC and LC, respectively). A time empty of 80 days results in calving‐to‐calving intervals of 1 year and classification based on this threshold value resulted in groups of equal size and equal distribution of EC and LC within farms. Ketone bodies measured were β‐hydroxybutyrate in blood and acetoacetate and acetone in blood and milk. Blood and milk ketone body concentrations, as well as the ratios of acetoacetate and acetone to β‐hydroxybutyrate, over the first 6 weeks postpartum were higher in LC than in EC, whereas plasma glucose and non‐esterified fatty acids and milk fat, protein and urea concentrations did not exhibit clear differences between groups. Ketone body concentrations were as good predictors of time empty as ketone body ratios and might have practical impact in herd‐fertility‐monitoring programmes.     

Application of a hydraulic model for testing management decisions at distributary level

Summary This study was conducted on the Lagar Distributary of Gugera Branch of Lower Chenab Canal, Punjab, Pakistan. A computer model MISTRAL was adopted for evaluating management options. The study showed that the model can be used as a decision support tool for prioritizing management options. The model suggests that under current physical conditions of this distributary the combination of rotation between the distributaries and along the distributary canals can improve the equity of water discharge. For example, in case of Lagar Distributary the discharge of tail outlets can be increased threefold by introducing rotation between the tail of the distributary and an offtaking minor canal. A small decrease in the discharge of the minor would result from adopting this option. A combination of rotations between this and neighboring distributaries and along the Lagar itself can increase the discharge of tail outlets up to seven times. The results of the model indicate that operational changes can improve the discharge of tail outlets to some extent, but the improvement of physical conditions of the distributary is needed to achieve equity conditions, as specified in the design.     

Eclogitic diamond formation at jwaneng: No room for a recycled component

Eclogitic diamonds have a large range of delta13C values, whereas peridotitic diamonds do not. Paired delta15N-delta13C-N variations in 40 eclogitic diamonds from the Jwaneng kimberlite in Botswana show that neither the influence of recycled biogenic carbon nor the global and primordial heterogeneity of mantle carbon are likely for the origin of the large delta13C range; the data instead support a fractionation process. It is proposed that carbonatitic mantle melts from which diamonds crystallize undergo different evolutions before diamond precipitation, when percolating through either a peridotite or an eclogite. These different evolutions, reflecting the presence or absence of olivine, can account for their respective delta13C distributions.     

Effects of N‐acetyl‐cysteine and N‐acetyl‐cysteine‐amide Supplementation on In Vitro Matured Porcine Oocytes

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of the antioxidant N‐acetyl‐cysteine (NAC) supplemented to the maturation medium on porcine embryo development. Concentrations of NAC and its synthetic derivative, NAC‐amide (NACA) were evaluated for effects on nuclear maturation, fertilization success and embryo development. Concentrations of NAC (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 5.0 mm ) were supplemented to maturing oocytes, and embryo development was analysed at 48 and 144 h post‐fertilization. There were no differences among cleavage rates for any of the treatment groups. Blastocyst formation for 1.5 mm NAC (56.5 ± 9.2%) was higher (p < 0.05) than all other supplementations. There were no differences in nuclear maturation or fertilization or in cleavage rates when comparing 1.5 mm NAC and 1.5 mm NACA supplementation to the control. Blastocyst formation for 1.5 mm NAC (44.4 ± 4.7%) and 1.5 mm NACA (46.2 ± 3.4%) supplementation were higher (p < 0.05) than the control (32.1 ± 6.2%) oocytes. These results indicate that supplementing 1.5 mm of NAC or NACA to the oocyte maturation medium increased the percentage of viable embryos reaching the blastocyst stage of development.     

Neurological diseases of ruminant livestock in Australia. II: toxic disorders and nutritional deficiencies

The second in this series of clinical reviews on neurological diseases in ruminant livestock in Australia examines toxic disorders associated with plant and microbial toxins as well as the neurological effects of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The aim of these reviews is to assist in the surveillance of neurological diseases, especially the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.     

谈提高农业水分生产率

21世纪初，人类面临的主要挑战之一就是解决水危机问题。这一危机主要是缺水、由水引起的生态系统功能退化和营养不良。为了解决水资源短缺，保证粮食安全，人们投入了大量资源开发用于农业的水资源。然而，我们知道，由于工业与城市生活对水的需求越来越多，加之考虑环境用水需求，未来用于农业的水会更少。     

Alzheimer type II astrocytes in the brains of pigs with salt poisoning (water deprivation/intoxication)

The finding of Alzheimer type II astrocytes, in addition to the pathognomonic combination of laminar cerebrocortical necrosis and eosinophil infiltration, in the brains of pigs is reported for the first time in cases of indirect salt poisoning following water deprivation.