Resynchronising returns to service in anoestrous dairy cows in the South Island of New Zealand

AIMS: To investigate the effect of targeted resynchronisation of cows treated for non-observed oestrus before the planned start of mating (PSM), that were not detected in oestrus or pregnant 23 days after treatment (phantom cows), on the proportion pregnant at 42 days after PSM and the end of mating.

METHODS: Farm staff from eight herds in two regions of the South Island of New Zealand identified 1,819 cows not showing oestrus by 10 days before PSM. These cows were treated with intravaginal progesterone for 7 days, and I/M gonadorelin 10 days and 1 day before PSM. Three days before PSM they were injected with cloprostenol and equine chorionic gonadotrophin, with fixed time artificial insemination (FTAI) at PSM. By 23 days after PSM, 1,218 cows had not returned to oestrus. Of these, 161 cows confirmed not pregnant by transrectal ultrasonography were randomly assigned to no treatment (control group; n=74) or were resynchronised 25 days after PSM using the same treatment programme as above, with FTAI 35 days after PSM (n=87). All cows that returned to oestrus were artificially inseminated until 42 days after PSM, when natural mating was used. All cows were examined using transrectal ultrasonography 80 to 90 days after PSM to confirm conception dates.

RESULTS: Of the 1,819 anoestrous cows treated before PSM, 526 (29 (95% CI=23.1–34.0)%) had not been observed in oestrus by 23 days after PSM and had not conceived, so were diagnosed as phantoms cows. For resynchronised cows, 42/87 (48 (95% CI=37.8–58.8)%) were pregnant by 42 days after PSM compared to 21/74 (28 (95% CI=18.1–38.7)%) control cows (p=0.009). At the end of mating 58/87 (67 (95% CI=56.6–76.7)%) cows in the resynchronised group were pregnant and 46/74 (62 (95% CI=50.9–73.2)%) in the control group (p=0.554). The hazard of conception from 21 to 42 days after PSM was 1.9 (95% CI=1.07–3.12) times greater for resynchronised than control cows (p=0.026).

CONCLUSION: In cows not observed in oestrus and treated before PSM, resynchronisation increased the proportion pregnant by 42 days after PSM.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The benefit of resynchronisation depends on the number of anoestrous cows before PSM and the number of phantom cows after PSM. However at the herd-level it is likely that providing advice to reduce the known risk factors for cows not being observed in oestrus before the PSM may well be more cost effective than identifying and treating a sub-population of phantom cows.     

Reduced risk of acute poisoning in Australian cattle from used motor oils after introduction of lead-free petrol

Lead (Pb) poisoning of cattle has been relatively common in Australia and sump oil has been identified as an important cause of Pb toxicity for cattle because they seem to have a tendency to drink it. Lead-free petrol has been available in Australia since 1975, so the aim of this study was to assess the current risk to cattle from drinking used automotive oils. Sump or gear box oil was collected from 56 vehicles being serviced. The low levels of Pb found suggest that the removal of leaded petrol from the Australian market as a public health measure has benefited cattle by eliminating the risk of acute poisoning from used engine oil.     

黄土的红外反射光谱与红外光声光谱特征及其差异研究

红外光谱法作为一种新的研究手段已经广泛应用于土壤分析,由其检测区域和手段的不同又可分为多种光谱类 型。本研究以第四纪黄土为例,系统地比较了近红外区和中红外区反射光谱和光声光谱的吸收特征及其差异。结果表明,中红外光谱比近红外光谱的信息更为丰富,且中红外光谱与样品中物质的特征吸收关系更加密切,从而更有利于土壤定性与定量分析。土壤的反射光谱和光声光谱表现出了明显不同的特征,在近红外区,反射光谱和光声光谱吸收明显不同,而在中红外区,反射光谱和光声光谱具有相对应的吸收,但相对吸收强度明显不同,且吸收峰的位置也发生改变,尤其在1 000 ~ 2 000 cm-1谱区,反射光谱相互干扰很强,而光声光谱的吸收特征更为明显。在黄土的分类鉴别上,反射光谱优于光声光谱。红外反射光谱和光声光谱在不同波段下具有不同的吸收灵敏度,在土壤定性与定量分析中各自都将具有其明显的优势。     

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in Fresh and Frozen Semen from Rams in Brazil

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii in semen samples from commercial rams in artificial insemination centres in Brazil, as well as in fresh semen from rams in the northeast of Brazil. In total, 108 semen samples were obtained from artificial insemination centres, and genomic DNA of T. gondii was detected in 24 of 108 (22.2%). The prevalence of antibodies anti‐Toxoplasma gondii among sheep on rural properties was 9.2% (10/109), and 100% of the semen samples of these animals were positive in the PCR for T. gondii DNA. The molecular identity was confirmed through sequencing, which indicated 99.9% similarity with the T. gondii DNA sequences stored in the GenBank. This study reports the first occurrence of T. gondii DNA in the semen of rams, which came from artificial insemination centres in Brazil, as well as the occurrence of T. gondii DNA in the fresh semen of naturally infected rams in the northeast of Brazil.     

Influence of Livestock Grazing and Climate on Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis) Dynamics

Over the last century there has been marked expansion and infilling of pinyon (Pinus spp.)–juniper (Juniperus spp.) woodlands into grassland and shrubland ecosystems across the western United States. Although range expansions in pinyon-juniper populations have been documented with changing climate throughout the Holocene, over the last century, local scale impacts such as livestock grazing, changes in fire regimes, and increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are thought to be more recent drivers of pinyon-juniper woodland distribution. Our objective was to examine the role of historical livestock grazing relative to past climate in regulating pinyon (Pinus edulis Engelm.) recruitment and growth over the last century in a persistent pinyon-juniper woodland. We compared pinyon dynamics on a remote mesa site, minimally grazed by domestic livestock, to a nearby historically grazed site in southeastern Utah. The presence of a significant number of old trees (> 200 yr) at both sites suggests that these populations were well established prior to the 20th century. No differences in pinyon density or basal area were observed between grazed and ungrazed sites. Stand age structure data showed that pinyon recruitment across these sites was highly synchronous, with a large recruitment event occurring during the early 1900s; 17% of the pinyons on both sites dated to the 1920s. Climatic conditions during this decade were consistently cool and wet—conditions known to support enhanced recruitment and growth in pinyon pines. Pinyon growth was also strongly synchronous across sites (r = 0.96). Pinyon growth was significantly correlated with winter/spring precipitation and negatively correlated with June temperature. Taken together, our results suggest that past climate may be more important in structuring pinyon populations than historical land use in these persistent pinyon-juniper woodlands. Given future climate projections of increasing temperature and more extended drought periods, regeneration of pinyon populations following the recent regional-scale dieback may be slow. Moreover, prolonged drought combined with potentially slow regeneration times for pinyon under future climate scenarios could result in substantial declines in pinyon populations across the region, a result that land managers should consider when planning for future restoration treatments in persistent pinyon-juniper woodlands.     

Sequential interplay of nicotinic and GABAergic signaling guides neuronal development

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), the major inhibitory transmitter in the brain, goes through a transitory phase of excitation during development. The excitatory phase promotes neuronal growth and integration into circuits. We show here that spontaneous nicotinic cholinergic activity is responsible for terminating GABAergic excitation and initiating inhibition. It does so by changing chloride transporter levels, shifting the driving force on GABA-induced currents. The timing of the transition is critical, because the two phases of GABAergic signaling provide contrasting developmental instructions. Synergistic with nicotinic excitation, GABAergic inhibition constrains neuronal morphology and innervation. The results reveal a multitiered activity-dependent strategy controlling neuronal development.     

Sulfur-associated polioencephalomalacia in cattle grazing plants in the Family Brassicaceae

Polioencephalomalacia was diagnosed histologically in cattle from two herds on the Darling Downs, Queensland, during July–August 2007. In the first incident, 8 of 20 18-month-old Aberdeen Angus steers died while grazing pastures comprising 60% Sisymbrium irio (London rocket) and 40% Capsella bursapastoris (shepherd's purse). In the second incident, 2 of 150 mixed-breed adult cattle died, and another was successfully treated with thiamine, while grazing a pasture comprising almost 100% Raphanus raphanistrum (wild radish). Affected cattle were either found dead or comatose or were seen apparently blind and head-pressing in some cases. For both incidents, plant and water assays were used to calculate the total dietary sulfur content in dry matter as 0.62% and 1.01% respectively, both exceeding the recommended 0.5% for cattle eating more than 40% forage. Blood and tissue assays for lead were negative in both cases. No access to thiaminase, concentrated sodium ion or extrinsic hydrogen sulfide sources were identified in either incident. Below-median late summer and autumn rainfall followed by above-median unseasonal winter rainfall promoted weed growth at the expense of wholesome pasture species before these incidents.     

Predicted fates of ground-nesting bees in soil heated by wildfire: Thermal tolerances of life stages and a survey of nesting depths

Periodic wildfire defines plant community composition and dynamics in many of the world’s semi-arid biomes, whose climates and floras also favor wild bee diversity. Invasive flammable grasses, deforestation, historical fire suppression and human ignition are increasing fire frequency and intensifying its severity, as well as introducing fire to previously fireproof biomes. In many of these habitats, bees are key pollinators. Many, often most of the solitary bee species and individuals in these biomes nest underground (so-called “mining” bees). To evaluate their susceptibility to fire, we tested heat tolerances of bees’ four life stages using an experimental design that mimicked heat conduction dynamics of natural soils. All life stages survived heating of up to 45 °C for 27 min, but none survived heating at 54 °C for 9 min; the pupal stage survived best. At near-lethal temperatures, more prolonged heating caused more mortality. These data were related to published studies of heat penetration depths in soil during fire and an exhaustive compilation of published nesting depths reported for mining bees. We conclude that a small fraction (9%) of the shallowest-nesting mining bee species is likely to die from soil heating by wildfire. Among these, ground-nesting megachilids (Osmia, Megachile) will be most vulnerable, owing to their shallow horizontal nests. Because mining bees prevail in most biomes of the temperate zone, any vegetation rehabilitation efforts should therefore expect that bee communities will largely survive the immediate effects of wildfire, and therefore will need pollen and nectar resources in the year(s) after fire.