Taste aversion learning in horses

The ability of ponies to learn to avoid a relatively novel food associated with illness was tested in three situations: when illness occurred immediately after consuming a feed; when illness occurred 30 min after consuming a feed; and when illness was contingent upon eating one of three feeds offered simultaneously. Apomorphine was used to produce illness. The feeds associated with illness were corn, alfalfa pellets, sweet feed and a complete pelleted feed. The ponies learned to avoid all the fees except the complete feed when apomorphine injection immediately followed consumption of the feed. However, the ponies did not learn to avoid a feed if apomorphine was delayed 30 min after feed consumption. They could learn to avoid alfalfa pellets, but not corn, when these feeds were presented with the familiar "safe foods," oats and soybean meal. Ponies apparently are able to learn a taste aversion, but there were constraints on this learning ability. Under the conditions of this study, they did not learn to avoid a food that made them sick long after consumption of the food, and they had more difficulty learning to avoid highly palatable feeds.     

Detection of a novel chloramphenicol resistance plasmid from "equine" Staphylococcus sciuri

A small chloramphenicol resistance (Cm) plasmid of 4.65 kB could be detected in an "equine" Staphylococcus sciuri-culture. This plasmid, designated as pSC3, was identified by interspecific protoplast transformation. On the basis of restriction endonuclease analyses a detailed restriction map of pSC3 could be constructed. This allowed structural comparisons of pSC3 with Cm-plasmids of other staphylococcal species from infections of humans and animals and identification of pSC3 as a member of the pC 221-family of staphylococcal Cm-plasmids. The pSC3-plasmid encoded an inducible chloramphenicol acetyltransferase as confirmed by enzymatic assays. This enzyme could be demonstrated in cell-free lysates of Cm-induced pSC3-transformants.     

Exclusion of infectious diseases from sheep and goat farms

It is important for practitioners and owners to be aware of the risk associated with an open herd. This article has discussed some of the infectious diseases that might be inadvertently introduced. Many others--including most exotic diseases and some that are regulated by governmental agencies, such as tuberculosis and brucellosis--have been omitted. It should be obvious that a simple health certificate is an inadequate guarantee of freedom from infections. Instead, producers should be prepared to invest both time and money in evaluating the health status of the herd of origin. Some of the diseases discussed, such as foot rot, cause tremendous financial losses. Others, such as pinkeye, can be easily "lived with." The point to be made is that producers should consider all these and other diseases and then make informed decisions based on the probable cost of these diseases if they became established in the herd.     

Lewdness with animals--an animal welfare problem

1. The meaning of the terms bestiality and sadism is determined and each term is defined. 2. Officially known cases are analyzed as well as commented on with respect to the abused animal species, the different practices used, and the social background of the sodomites. 3. Since the 1st penal reform law of June 25, 1969 has come into force the section 175 b StGB (Penal Code) was canceled without substitution, and bestiality is no longer liable to prosecution. The Law of the Protection of Animals of August 18, 1986 does not explicitly mention bestiality. The application of the fixed penality code of the above mentioned Law of the Protection of Animals is discussed in the case of "merely" bestial or sadistic practices. 4. Finally the legal situation in most of the EEC member states as well as in some third-party countries is described and partially commented on.     

A case of interstitial cystitis and Hunner's ulcer in a domestic shorthaired cat

An 8-year-old spayed, domestic, shorthaired cat was examined with signs of feline urological syndrome which were unresponsive to previous therapy with antibiotics and urinary acidifiers. Biopsy of the bladder revealed signs of cystitis similar to interstitial cystitis in humans. Treatment with sodium pentosan polysulphate resulted in a decreased frequency of urination and resolution of haematuria. This condition may be more widespread in cats than realised, as it is only by bladder biopsy that diagnosis can be made.     

Salmonella isolated from feeds and feed ingredients during the period 1982-1988: animal and public health implications

The prevalence of Salmonella in southern Africa in farm feeds and by-products of animal origin during 1982-1988 was determined. Salmonella occurred in 5.18% of the farm feed samples and in 9.54% of the by-product samples. Different serovars were isolated, some only once. The findings underestimate the true prevalence of Salmonella in farm feeds and by-products, and is representative of only the most severely contaminated products. The epidemiology of salmonellosis is discussed with special reference to the importance of multiple resistance to antibiotics, the increase in the number of cases of salmonellosis worldwide and "Salmonella free" feeds and foods. More detailed research on the role of farm feeds in the epidemiology of salmonellosis is required. Efforts should be made to increase awareness of the problem, to improve quality management at farm feed production plants and to develop efficient systems to monitor the hygienic safety of feeds and foods.     

An assessment of the copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland in spring and the effects of daily supplementation with copper sulphate

The copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland regions between 1 August and 30 September was assessed by copper determinations made on composite sera from ten cows in each herd. Comparisons were made between two major groups categorised as as received and supplemented. In the latter, the cows received 2.0-6.0 g/day of copper sulphate orally from late gestation to the end of lactation. Mean copper values were determined from pastures in Taranaki and Northland and from pastures from three soil types in the Waikato. The lowest were in Northland (134.3 micromol/kg) and the highest in Taranaki (173.3 micromol/kg). Calculated dietary available copper levels showed the lowest were from pastures grown on organic soils in the Waikato. These soils also had high molybdenum levels. Serum copper values as received were lowest in Northland (7.30 micromol/l), and were marginal for both Taranaki (9.91 micromol/l) and the Waikato (9.93 micromol/l). The levels in supplemented herds were considerably higher, i.e. from the Waikato 11.7 micromol/l and from Taranaki 11.5 micromol/l. When liver and serum copper levels from paired samples were compared there was a reasonable correlation (r = 0.64) but the standard deviation approximated the mean liver copper level, i.e. 155 +/- 141 micromol/l.