Effects of skirting on processing characteristics of Targhee wool.

Ninety mature Targhee ewes were randomly allocated to nine lots. Lots were randomly assigned to three fleece preparation treatments: 1) nonskirted (control); 2) bellies removed, in which bellies and topknots were removed on the shearing floor; and 3) skirted, in which bellies and topknots were removed and remaining fleece was thrown on a table and lightly skirted. Bellies and topknots composed about 6 to 7% of the fleece weight. An additional 6.6% was removed when fleeces were skirted. Top fiber diameters were not affected (P greater than .10) by skirting. Although not significant (P greater than .10), percentage yield, vegetable content, percentage of noilage, top fiber length, and yellowness indexes tended to be most desirable for skirted lots and least desirable for unskirted lots. Lots with bellies removed were intermediate. Removal of bellies reduced vegetable contamination by 8.4%, with an additional reduction of about .5% by further skirting. Skirting reduced the number of fibers less than 25.4 mm (P less than .10) by 42%. Minimal colored fiber contamination of top was observed. One colored fiber per 15 g of top was detected in two lots of the treatment with bellies removed. All other lots contained no colored fibers. All wools evaluated were well below industry limits set for use in high-quality white or pastel fabrics. All skirted lots of wool evaluated in this study had improved processing characteristics for all processing traits evaluated.     

A quick method for estimating butterfly numbers during surveys

This paper describes how the size of butterfly populations may be quickly assessed during surveys. The method is a development of Pollard's transect technique, which measures changes in adult numbers in time on fixed sites. In this development, comparability between counts made in the same season on different sites is achieved by ensuring that the transect representatively samples each population, and that the results take account of the length of transect, size of site, and the recording date. The accuracy and usefulness of the method are assessed, using examples taken from six recent surveys. It is concluded that the method gives an accurate measurement of numbers for species that fly freely in open habitats, and an adequate, but less accurate, estimate for species that aggregate or fly in heterogeneous habitats.     

Increasing Yields of Channel Catfish Using a Combination of Cage and Open Pond Production Systems1

Channel catfish (lctalurus punctatus) fingerlings stocked at a rate of 450 fish/0.04 ha pond were simultaneously cultured with fingerlings stocked in 1.25 m³ cages (0, 250, 350, or 450 fishlcage; one cage/pond). The fish in the cages were cultured and harvested for a 90–330 g (whole fish) market. The fish in the open ponds were cultured and harvested for a 490–1,140 g market. Harvest weights of open pond fish in all treatments were similar indicating that the presence of the caged fish and the associated higher daily pond feeding rates did not affect open pond production. Ninety-five to 99% of the caged fish and 96 to 98% of the open pond fish were of marketable size at harvest. Survival and food conversion ratios were similar among treatments. Results of this study indicate that total pond production can be increased (in this case up to 19%) by using a combination of open pond and cage techniques and by simultaneously producing fish for two markets.     

Diphenhydramine Intoxication in a Dog1

We report a case of diphenhydramine intoxication in a dog. A five month old intact male Labrador Retriever was presented after ingesting approximately 36 diphenhydramine tablets (50 mg/tablet; approximate ingested dose of 1800 mg or 67 mg/kg). Physical examination findings included severe ataxia, profound disorientation, severe continuous spastic muscle tremors, hyperthermia, tachycardia, tachypnea, and hyperesthesia. The dog was unresponsive to intravenous diazepam and phenobarbital, but rapidly responded to an intravenous bolus and subsequent continuous infusion of guaifenesin and supportive fluid therapy. The serum diphenhydramine level on admission was 537 ng/ml. The toxic level is not reported for dogs, but is considered>60 ng/ml in people. The dog was discharged 24 hours after admission with no apparent residual effects.     

Computer simulation of long-term carbon storage patterns in Florida slash pine plantations

We developed a computer model to simulate carbon storage in managed slash pine plantations in Florida. The model is based on ecosystem level carbon dynamics and land use data structured by age class of planted trees. Based on a scenario of constant planting at the average level (1952–1979), Florida slash pine forests would store carbon at the rate of 2.81 × 10⁶ t year^?1. However, simulated carbon storage is sensitive to the age class distribution of the forests. There will be a 10⁶ t year^?1 decrease in carbon storage between 1980 and 1987, due to reduced levels of planting during the past decade. This trend is relatively independent of current planting levels.     

Insulin-like growth factor-I levels and gene expression in ovine hereditary chondrodysplasia (spider lamb syndrome).

Hereditary Chondrodysplasia or Spider Lamb Syndrome (SLS) is an inherited, semi-lethal, musculo-skeletal disease affecting lambs primarily of Suffolk or Hampshire breeding. Deformities of the limbs and spinal column along with multiple sites of ossification at the anconeal process are diagnostic for the disease. Muscle atrophy is also predominant. We have investigated the relationship between SLS and circulating levels of IGF-I and the IGF-BPs in older (50-80 d of age) animals. Serum IGF-I levels were lower (P less than 0.01) in SLS affected lambs (117 ng/ml) than in phenotypically normal lambs (188 ng/ml) while serum levels of the 32 kDa BP increased (P less than 0.01) 77% in SLS affected lambs as compared to contemporary controls. All other IGF-BPs appeared to be unaffected in this group. Gene expression of IGF-I and -II in the liver and muscle of younger (16-22 d of age) lambs was also measured. There were no differences in IGF-II expression in either muscle or liver between SLS affected and phenotypically normal control lambs. Muscle IGF-I expression also did not differ. However, liver IGF-I expression in SLS affected lambs was nearly double that of control lambs (P less than 0.01). These data suggest that the regulation of IGF-I and the IGF-BPs may be involved in the physical manifestations of this disorder.     

Dietary factors affecting the utilisation of protein by laying hens and their effects on the concentrations of certain nitrogenous constituents in the excreta

New techniques involving extraction with organic solvents and lithium carbonate solution have been used to fractionate nitrogenous components of the excreta from laying hens fed diets in which the supplementary protein was groundnut meal, poor‐quality fish meal or good‐quality fish meal. The effect of adding methionine or lysine or both to the groundnut diet was also studied.

The proportion of ingested nitrogen excreted as uric acid or urate was significantly higher when the dietary protein supplement was groundnut meal than when it was good‐quality fish meal or groundnut meal supplemented with both lysine and methionine. Nitrogen retention, egg production and the apparent digestibility of nitrogen were higher on diets containing good‐quality fish meal than on diets containing groundnut meal alone. Intermediate effects were obtained when feeding diets supplemented with poor‐quality fish meal of groundnut meal containing either lysine or methionine. The implications of these findings are discussed. The main differences in protein utilisation associated with variations in dietary protein quality were reflected in the proportions of ingested nitrogen excreted as urates and as protein. Other nitrogenous components of excreta examined showed little variation with dietary protein quality. Benefits derived from the addition of methionine and lysine to the groundnut diet were obtained mainly by a more efficient use of absorbed amino acids.     

INVESTIGATION OF EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANAEMIA IN QUEENSLAND USING GEL DIFFUSION

An antigen for the gel diffusion test for equine infectious anaemia (EIA) was prepared from the spleen of a horse experimentally infected with the CQ strain of the virus. The antigen produced a single, distinct line of precipitation when tested against a range of known positive serums, and did not react with pre-inoculation and known negative serums. Extracts prepared from uninfected spleens displayed no reaction when similarly tested. Serum from 34 of 451 Queensland horses contained detectable levels of antibody to EIA virus. The positive serums were from horses in widely separated areas of the State.