The effect of different combinations of lignocaine,ketoprofen, xylazine and tolazoline on the acute cortisol response to dehorning in calves

AIMS: The aims of this study were (a) to evaluate the effect of xylazine and tolazoline, with and without lignocaine, on the cortisol response of calves following amputation dehorning and (b) to assess the effect of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (ketoprofen) and local anaesthesia on the cortisol response of calves to amputation dehorning.

METHODS: Plasma cortisol concentrations were measured in 100 dehorned or non-dehorned 3-month-old calves over an 8-h period following five different sedative/analgesic or control treatments. Sedative/analgesic treatments were: control (no anaesthesia); local anaesthesia and ketoprofen; local anaesthesia and xylazine; local anaesthesia, xylazine and tolazoline; and xylazine only. Within each sedative/analgesic treatment group, half the calves (n=10 per group) were amputation dehorned and half were not dehorned.

RESULTS: The change in plasma cortisol concentrations in calves dehorned after being given ketoprofen and local anaesthesia did not differ significantly from that of non-dehorned control calves for at least 8 h. In contrast, the cortisol response of dehorned calves not given analgesic drugs peaked 30 min after dehorning and lasted >4 h. Xylazine injected before dehorning significantly reduced but did not eliminate the peak of the cortisol response. When both xylazine and local anaesthesia were administered before dehorning the peak in the cortisol response was virtually eliminated. In the dehorned calves that received xylazine with or without local anaesthesia, cortisol concentration increased significantly 3 h after dehorning and did not return to baseline until at least 5 h later. When tolazoline was administered shortly after xylazine, it caused a marked cortisol response, higher than the response to any other treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: Combining ketoprofen and local anaesthesia minimised the cortisol response, and by inference the pain- induced distress, following amputation dehorning in calves. Xylazine reduced the initial cortisol response to dehorning but not as much as when local anaesthesia was also given. The increase in cortisol concentration from 3–8 h after dehorning in calves given xylazine alone or in combination with local anaesthesia suggests that calves experienced pain-induced distress during this time and that xylazine had no long-term analgesic effect. Tolazoline, used to reverse the sedative effects of xylazine, caused a marked cortisol response in calves via a mechanism which remains unclear.     

Influence of supplemental nitrogen source on digestion of nitrogen, dry matter and organic matter and on in vivo rate of ruminal protein degradation

Seven Holstein steers (340 kg) fitted with ruminal, duodenal and ileal cannulae were used to measure the influence of supplemental N source on digestion of dietary crude protein (CP) and on ruminal rates of protein degradation. Diets used were corn-based (isonitrogenous, 12% CP on a dry matter basis, and isocaloric, 80% total digestible nutrients) with urea, soybean meal (SBM), linseed meal (LSM) or corn gluten meal (CGM) as supplemental N. Ruminal ammonia N concentrations were higher (P less than .05) in steers fed LSM than in those fed CGM, but did not differ from those in steers fed urea or SBM (11.7, 6.7, 9.1 and 9.2 mg/100 ml, respectively). Due to the high degradability of urea, ruminal digestion of dietary CP was greater (P less than .05) in steers fed urea than in those fed CGM, but intermediate in steers fed SBM and LSM (58.4, 48.8, 53.1 and 53.9%, respectively). Flow of bacterial nonammonia N to the duodenum was highest (P less than .05) in steers fed SBM or LSM, intermediate (P less than .05) for urea and lowest (P less than .05) for CGM (86.8, 86.1, 76.3 and 65.9 g/d, respectively). Efficiency of bacterial protein synthesis was lowest in steers fed CGM and differed (P less than .05) from SBM (15.6 vs 21.8 g N/kg organic matter truly digested, respectively). Rate of ruminal digestion for SBM-CP differed (P less than .05) from that of CGM-CP but not from that of LSM-CP (17.70, 5.20 and 10.13%/h, respectively). The slow rate of ruminal degradability of CGM resulted in increased amounts of dietary protein reaching the intestinal tract but lower amounts of bacterial protein, thus intestinal protein supply was not appreciably altered.     

SFB‐based S‐haplotyping of apricot (Prunus armeniaca) with DHPLC

Most cultivars that belong to the Rosaceae are self‐incompatible and depend on cross‐pollination. The pollen donor and pollen recipient have to flower synchronously and must be genetically compatible. Genetic compatibility is governed by the S‐locus, which holds the S‐RNase and S‐haplotype‐specific F‐Box (SFB) genes. Thus, the S‐genotype of cultivars is an important feature and is characterized molecularly by the S‐RNase and SFB alleles which are distinctive for each S‐haplotype. Here, we report the usage of DNA chromatography (denaturing high‐performance liquid chromatography – DHPLC) for identifying the S‐genotypes of European apricots on the basis of their SFB alleles. DHPLC is amenable to high‐throughput automation, and therefore is valuable for breeding and for high‐quality plant typing in the nursery.     

Diverse antimicrobial killing by Enterococcus faecium E 50-52 bacteriocin

An effective bacteriocin was identified and characterized. Lactic acid bacteria were screened against Campylobacter jejuni. One bacteriocin producer, Enterococcus faecium (NRRL B-30746), was studied. The isolate was grown, and the bacteriocin was purified to single-band homogeneity. Biochemical traits indicated that the peptide was a Class IIa bacteriocin, and it was named E 50-52. The bacteriocin had a molecular weight of 3339.7 and an isoelectric point of 8.0. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of E 50-52 against C. jejuni, Yersinia spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, Shigella dysenteriae, Morganella morganii, Staphylococcus spp., and Listeria spp. ranged from 0.025 to 32 microg/mL. In therapeutic broiler trials, oral treatment with E 50-52 reduced both C. jejuni and Salmonella enteritidis by more than 100,000-fold in the ceca, and systemic S. enteritidis was reduced in the liver and spleen. The wide range of antibacterial activity of bacteriocin E 50-52 against pathogens provides a promising alternative to antibiotics.     

Remote sensing of crop residue cover and soil tillage intensity

Management of plant litter or crop residues in agricultural fields is an important consideration for reducing soil erosion and increasing soil organic C. Current methods of quantifying crop residue cover are inadequate for characterizing the spatial variability of residue cover within fields or across large regions. Our objectives were to evaluate several spectral indices for measuring crop residue cover using satellite multispectral and hyperspectral data and to categorize soil tillage intensity in agricultural fields. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and EO-1 Hyperion imaging spectrometer data were acquired over agricultural fields in central Iowa in May and June 2004. Crop residue cover was measured in corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max Merr.) fields using line-point transects. Spectral residue indices using Landsat TM bands were weakly related to crop residue cover. With the Hyperion data, crop residue cover was linearly related to the cellulose absorption index (CAI), which measures the relative intensity of cellulose and lignin absorption features near 2100 nm. Coefficients of determination (r²) for crop residue cover as a function of CAI were 0.85 for the May and 0.77 for the June Hyperion data. Three tillage intensity classes, corresponding to intensive (<15% residue cover), reduced (15–30% cover) and conservation (>30% cover) tillage, were correctly identified in 66–68% of fields. Classification accuracy increased to 80–82% for two classes, corresponding to conventional (intensive + reduced) and conservation tillage. By combining information on previous season's (2003) crop classification with crop residue cover after planting in 2004, an inventory of soil tillage intensity by previous crop type was generated for the whole Hyperion scene. Regional surveys of soil management practices that affect soil conservation and soil C dynamics are possible using advanced multispectral or hyperspectral imaging systems.     

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