Demographic dynamics and off-take of cattle herds in southern Mali

The herds of 95 families were monitored for 1 year in eight villages in the cotton-growing region of southern Mali. In 2006–2007, reproduction performances were average, with 0.54 calvings/year per cow, and mortality was low. Herd numerical productivity is not very high, less than 0.13/year, because of the high proportion of males kept for animal draught. Depending on the herd size, the behaviour of the families differs, in terms of off-take and in-take of animals. Families that only have one or two draught animals seek to increase their animal draught capacity, with a negative net off-take (−0.13/year). Families with two to three cows have a very low net off-take (0.02/year), with culling of adult animals compensated by purchase. They therefore capitalised this year, with an annual herd growth of 8%. Families with a very large herd (20 to 50 cows) take off more of their stock, with a net off-take of 0.08/year (very few animal purchases) and make a stock growth of 5%. And finally, families with an average-sized herd (6 to 19 cows) take off the whole of the year’s production, with a net off-take of 0.11/year and a nil stock growth rate. The use of a demographic model made it possible to measure the sensitivity of the productivity rate to the different demographic parameters.     

Improvement of trivalent leptospira vaccine by removal of anaphylactic agents

The anaphylactic reactions in cattle following leptospira vaccination mostly booster dose in different parts of Iran have been reported. The serum proteins as allergic substances are components of liquid phase of the vaccine. Therefore, the vaccine was modified by washing the whole cultures by centrifugations. The modified vaccine was safe in laboratory animals and cattle as well as under field conditions. Microagglutination test revealed a similar pattern of antibody response to the three Leptospira interrogans serovars (Canicola, Grippotyphosa, and Sejro hardjo) in all vaccinated cattle groups while was higher than the response of control animals. The results of the present investigation revealed that we can minimize postvaccination shock in vaccinated cattle populations with removing the shock proteins.     

Comparative study on responses of cattle and water buffalo (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bubalus bubalis</Emphasis>) to experimental inoculation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brucella abortus</Emphasis> biovar 1 by the intraconjunctival route—a preliminary report

The preliminary study was conducted to assess the virulence of a strain of Brucella abortus (1969D) and to compare the susceptibility of water buffalo and cattle calves to infection by the intraconjunctival route. Seven of each cattle and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves aged 3–6 months were inoculated intraconjunctivally with counts ranging from 1.5 × 10⁷ to 1.7 × 10¹⁰ colony forming units of B. abortus. Animals were monitored over an 8-week period for clinical manifestations and serological and hematological evidence of infection. At slaughter, eight lymph nodes from each animal were sampled for bacteriological and histopathological assessments. Lymph nodes from three water buffalo (43%) and five cattle (71%) yielded B. abortus (P = 0.048). Parotid/prescapular lymph nodes were most sensitive in detecting B. abortus. Our data suggest that B. abortus strain 1969D may be used as challenge strain, and water buffalo appeared to have a lower susceptibility to B. abortus infection than cattle.     

Effects of artemisinin in broiler chickens following chronic oral intake

Artemisinin has been used for centuries to treat malaria, intestinal tract helminthosis, diarrhea, and used as an antipyretic and sedative agent, but the usage in veterinary medicine is a new field. Recently, it has been used successfully to control experimental poultry coccidiosis. The present study aimed to determine the effects of different doses of artemisinin in broiler chickens with chronic usage. Sixty birds divided into one control and four treatment groups that fed rations mixed with artemisinin at doses of 17, 34, 68, and 136 ppm for 36 days. During the experiment, birds showed no clinical signs except anemia. In microscopic examinations, heart, lung, and spleen had no lesion, but liver, kidney, and brain showed various lesions. Degenerative lesions like intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions were seen in both kidney and liver but fatty change was seen only in liver. There was no relationship between severity of the liver lesions and drug dosage. Central chromatolysis, scattered neuronal necrosis, and mild spongy changes were observed in five regions of the brain that were chosen for sectioning (motor cortex, cerebellar nuclei, midbrain nuclei, and hindbrain nuclei at two separate levels). Severity of lesions in brain was dose-dependent, and cerebral cortex was the most vulnerable area. Haematologic tests showed lower values for hematocrit and red blood cell count dose-dependently. In conclusion, artemisinin is a promising drug for prevention and control of coccidiosis in broiler chickens and its side effects are not too much serious especially at therapeutic doses.     

Seroprevalence of brucellosis and its contribution to abortion in cattle,camel, and goat kept under pastoral management in Borana,Ethiopia

The involvement of Brucella infection in causing abortion was investigated in a breeding female subpopulation of 283 cattle, 756 camels, and 757 goats. Serum samples were serially tested using the Rose Bengal test and complement fixation test. The study showed that anti-Brucella antibodies were prevalent in 10.6% (95% confidence interval (CI), 7.4, 14.9), 2.2% (95%CI, 1.4, 3.7), and 1.9% (95%CI, 1.1, 3.2) of cattle, camel, and goats, respectively. Abortion was more commonly reported in camels (23.4%) than cattle (13.8%) and goats (12.4%). The results of this study suggested that Brucella infections contribute significantly to abortion in cattle (odds ratio (OR), = 4.7; 95%CI, 2.0, 10.8) and goats (OR = 6.9; 95%CI, 2.2, 21.7) but not in camels. The number of young animals produced by breeding females seems to be apparently reduced in seropositive groups. Keeping more than two animal species at household level was found to be the risk factor for cattle (OR = 3.1; 95%CI, 1.2, 7.9) and camel (OR = 5.3; 95%CI, 1.2–23.5) seropositivity to Brucella infection when compared to those animals from households that keep only two animal species. This may suggest a possibility of cross species transmission of Brucella infection under such mixed herding. Wet season (OR = 4.8; 95%CI, 1.3, 18.1) was found to be associated with seropositivity in goats, linked to a coincidence of increased deliveries in flocks with possible excretion of Brucella organisms. The study results suggest that Brucella infection is the likely cause of abortion in cattle and goats while other causes largely outweigh brucellosis as a cause of abortion in camels in Borana, hence, contributing to reproductive loss.     

乳牛舍内环境空气中细菌数量与乳房炎的关系研究

采用自然沉降法对规模化泌乳奶牛舍内消毒前后空气细菌含量进行检测,同时对泌乳牛群进行乳房炎调查,对乳房炎奶牛乳汁中病原菌分离鉴定。结果表明,不同的牛舍不同的培养基其结果均不相同,NA培养基菌落数最高达77.8×103cfu/m3,S.S培养基在多个分布点无细菌生长。牛舍经过消毒后环境空气中的细菌总数大幅度减少,运动场空气细菌总数明显低于舍内。奶牛乳房炎的发生率与牛舍环境空气中的细菌总数呈正相关,细菌总数多的牛舍奶牛乳房炎的发病率也高。环境空气中和乳房炎奶牛乳汁中同时分离到金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌、伤寒沙门氏菌、肺炎克雷伯氏菌等。     

Thermal features,ambient temperature and hair coat lengths: Limitations of infrared imaging in pregnant primitive breed mares within a year

Infrared thermography is a non-invasive technique which allows to distinguish between pregnant and non-pregnant animals. Detecting accurate body surface temperatures can be challenging due to external factors altering thermograph measurements. This study aimed to determine the associations between the ambient temperature, the hair coat features and the temperatures of mares' abdomens. It compared pregnant and non-pregnant mares throughout 11 months. The research was carried out on 40 Konik Polski mares, which were divided into pregnant and non-pregnant groups. The temperature (Tmax, maximal; Taver, average; Tmin, minimal) of the mares' abdomen was evaluated in two regions of interest: the whole area of the lateral surface of the mares' abdomen (Px1) and the flank area of the lateral surface of mares' abdomen (Px2). During the increasing period, the slopes in the linear regression equation did not differ significantly for ambient (Tamb) and surface temperatures in both groups. In the decreasing period, the slopes did not differ significantly for Tamb and Tmax in the non-pregnant group. They also did not differ for Tamb and Taver in Px1 and Tamb and Tmin in Px1 in both pregnant and non-pregnant groups respectively. Other slopes varied significantly (p < .001). There was no evidence of parallel changes in hair coat features and measured temperatures. The flank area appears more suitable for thermal imaging in pregnant mares due to the seasonal fluctuations in hair coat lengths.     

黑龙江省和谐自然保护区理论体系的构建

随着黑龙江省自然保护区数量及占地面积的迅速增长,自然保护区质量提升滞后以及建设与管理过程中诸多矛盾冲突的不和谐现状也随之显现,解决这些问题的关键在于推进自然保护区和谐发展.自然保护区的和谐是和谐社会内容的一部分,有关这方面的研究有利于促进我国社会主义和谐社会目标的最终实现.但目前我国关于构建和谐自然保护区的相关研究还处于初级阶段.本文在研究国内外自然保护区建设和管理相关理论的基础上,从法律保障体系建设、社区共管体系建设、生态补偿机制建设和区域发展援助基金成立,以及生态旅游开展等方面,提出了黑龙江省构建和谐自然保护区管理建议,为黑龙江省的生态文明和和谐社会建设提供了参考.     

口蹄疫病毒通用型和A型二重实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法的建立

为建立一种快速、敏感、特异的口蹄疫病毒(Foot-and-mouth disease virus,FMDV)分型鉴别诊断实时荧光RT-PCR(Fluorescence quantitative,FQ-PCR)检测方法,根据O、A、AsiaⅠ三种血清型FMDV保守基因序列,设计能够检测到FMDV的特异性通用检测引物和A型检测引物,以及不同荧光素标记的MGB探针。通过对PCR反应体系和反应条件的优化筛选,建立了FMDV通用型和A型二重实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法,并对该方法进行了特异性、敏感性、重复性试验;利用所建立的方法,对123份疑似FMDV感染的临床样品进行了检测。结果显示,建立的FMDV通用型、A型二重实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法在10~1～10~7拷贝/μL模板范围内有很好的线性关系;对pGEM-T/FMDV-T和pGEM-T/FMDV-A重组质粒出现阳性扩增信号,但对正常细胞培养物对照和其他7种病原对照未扩增出特异性曲线;自123份疑似FMDV感染样品中,检出10份FMDV-T阳性,6份FMDV-T/FMDV-A双阳性并且与基因测序结果一致。结果表明,本研究建立的FMDV通用型、A型二重实时荧光RT-PCR检测方法重复性好、敏感性高、特异性强,最低检测模板浓度为10拷贝/μL,可用于FMDV的快速分型检测,为FMDV的早期检测及临床诊断提供了新方法。