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.     

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。     

对一起饲料产品检验不合格案的思考

在饲料执法抽检中,云南省德宏州动物卫生监督所发现某店经营的饲料产品成份与标签标示不一致,由此开展立案调查,并依法进行惩处。通过剖析案件,认为该类监督执法案件要注重采样符合程序,样品检测机构资质健全且检验报告合法,保护当事人的合法权益。同时也建议饲料经营户要合规经营,明确合同保障,积极配合监管等。     

Heat stress and effect of shade materials on hormonal and behavior response of dairy cattle: a review

In tropical countries, at high temperatures, several physiological rearrangements occur in cows as they attempt to facilitate heat dissipation and/or reduce metabolic heat production. Following exposure to heat, cattle appear to acclimatize within 2–7 weeks. The failure of homeostasis at high temperatures may lead to reduced productivity or even death. The situation is even worse when humidity adds to high temperature. Livestock with elevated body temperature exhibit lower DMI and growth with less efficiency, reducing profitability for dairy farms in hot and humid climates. Shading of feed and water also offers production advantages. Although several elaborate methods for reducing heat stress in cows have been reported, simple shade materials appear to be the most cost-effective methods that are currently applicable to tropical developing countries. Different materials are being used to provide shade during warm weather. The shade material determines the microclimate—it should be light, strong, durable, weatherproof, good looking and a bad conductor of heat, and free from tendency to condense moisture inside. This review discusses various shade materials and their advantages and disadvantages in different situations.     

Clinicopathological studies on facial eczema outbreak in sheep in Southwest Turkey

After very hot summer, 22 sheep from 5 different flocks consisting of approximately 150-200 animals each were diagnosed with facial eczema in September 2005, in southwest Turkey. Photophobia, corneal opacity, severe ulcers of the facial skin, especially localized around the eyes and mouth, and 3% mortality were the most prominent clinical symptoms. GGT levels of the animals were very high and varying between 261- 328 U/l. While the activities of ALT and total bilirubin were elevated and AST was normal in affected sheep. Total bilirubin level was higher than normal. Seven of the 22 sheep were euthanatized and necropsy was performed on all of these animals. Severe icterus, hepatomegaly, enlarged gallbladder, congestion of mesenteric vessels were the common necropsy findings. Histopathological changes of the liver included necrosis of the hepatocytes, cholangiohepatitis characterized by mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate in the portal area and mild to severe fibrosis around bile ducts. A diagnosis of sporidesmin toxicosis was made based on the histopathology of the livers, the elevation in liver enzymes, and the development of cutaneous lesions consistent with photosensitization and high spore counts in the ruminal contents. Surviving sheep were treated with procaine penicillin + dihidrostreptomycin sulfate, multivitamin complexes and flunixin meglumine. Additionally, zinc sulphate was also given at a dose of 6 gr per 100 lt drinking water for 28 days. All treated sheep recovered. Pasture spore counts were between 96,300- 267,500 spores/g grass.     

柔嫩艾美耳球虫棒状体颈部蛋白2基因真核表达载体的构建及在293T细胞中表达

为构建柔嫩艾美耳球虫棒状体颈部蛋白2(Eimeria tenella rhoptry neck protein 2,EtRON2)基因的重组质粒pCAGGS-EtRON2,并转染293T细胞进行表达,以柔嫩艾美耳球虫孢子化卵囊cDNA为模板,经PCR扩增其核心编码区的一部分,将其克隆至pGEM-Teasy载体,构建pGEM-Teasy-EtRON2质粒,双酶切出目的片段后与相应酶切的真核表达载体pCAGGS连接,构建真核表达质粒pCAGGS-EtRON2。该重组质粒经酶切和测序鉴定后转染293T细胞进行表达,分别用免疫印迹和间接免疫荧光鉴定EtRON2基因的表达情况。所构建的真核表达质粒pCAGGS-EtRON2经过双酶切鉴定,可见一条大小约为1172 bp的目的条带,测序结果与GenBank所登录序列完全一致;免疫印迹实验可见大小约为43 kDa的目的蛋白条带,间接免疫荧光实验可以检测到特异性红色荧光。研究结果表明已成功构建了EtRON2的真核表达质粒pCAGGS-EtRON2,并在真核细胞中获得表达,为深入研究EtRON2的生物学功能奠定了基础。     

振兴蚕业任重道远

自2009年底以来,丝绸行业开始复苏,茧丝价格一路上扬,一定程度上刺激了蚕桑生产发展,形成了蚕农增收、企业盈利的良好态势。然而,随着我国经济的高速增长,城市化步伐不断加快,这种茧丝价格上涨与蚕桑发展并不成正比,蚕茧总量并无增加,这几年     

青藏高原牦牛奶产业发展的现状及问题——基于那曲市的调研

牦牛奶产业是青藏高原巩固脱贫攻坚、实现畜牧产业良性发展的重要选择,政府、企业和牧户等多元主体在推动产业链建设上发挥着不同作用。本研究以那曲市色尼区为例,通过实地调研发现,龙头企业成为牦牛奶价值增值的关键主体,养殖合作社成为牧民增收的重要载体,供销合作社成为市场发展的重要补充,牧户在牦牛奶产业发展中显著受益,农村基层组织建设管理水平明显提高。当前,那曲牦牛奶产业存在产业发展初级、产品同质竞争、草原过载过牧、合作社管理不规范、行政干预过多以及食品安全风险等问题。基于牦牛奶产业对青藏高原可持续发展的战略地位,下一步应通过加强基础研究和科技投入、积极引育管理人才、完善产业链利益联结机制、厘清多元主体职责定位等,推动当地牦牛奶产业健康可持续发展。     

禽流感病毒PB2亚单位抗血清的制备

采用RT-PCR方法分段扩增PB2基因,将目的基因定向克隆至含HisTAG的原核表达载体pET-32a,经序列验证正确后,转化BL21大肠杆菌,诱导表达重组蛋白。靶蛋白经Ni+柱纯化后与弗氏免疫佐剂混合免疫新西兰大耳白兔,获得高效价的抗PB2的抗血清。Western-blot检测结果证实制备的抗血清可与PB2蛋白发生特异性反应。进一步将PB2全长基因准确插入真核表达载体pCAGGS,转染293T细胞表达PB2蛋白,通过IFA检测发现,抗血清与细胞表达的PB2蛋白发生反应,出现特异性荧光,经激光共聚焦检测PB2亚单位只在细胞核中出现荧光,说明PB2亚单位单独表达仅限于细胞核内。上述研究为进一步探索PB2亚单位的生物学特性及其结构与功能研究打下基础。     

Incidence and molecular characterisation of lumpy skin disease virus in Zimbabwe using the P32 gene

Between January, 2013 and December, 2014, there was a lumpy skin disease (LSD) outbreak that affected cattle in different localities of Zimbabwe. The outbreak resulted in severe economic losses to the livestock industry. A retrospective study was conducted by examining stored veterinary records of the LSD outbreak at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) in Harare, Zimbabwe. Over the 2-year period, a total of 10,038 cases and 880 deaths (8.77 %) were recorded. LSD was reported from all regions of the country, with the highest incidence occurring in Mashonaland West (30.95 %) and Midlands province (14.59 %). The frequency of reported outbreaks was highest in March and April, with the lowest reported cases occurring in November. A total of 25 representative specimens (skin biopsies) were collected from nodular skin lesions of infected cattle, and after viral DNA isolation, the P32 gene was successfully amplified, by using PCR, in 88 % (22/25) of all assayed specimens. Out of the 22 samples that showed amplification, 16 (73 %) were selected for DNA sequencing, and from these, 13 sequences were submitted to GenBank and assigned accession numbers: KX033494, KX033495, KX033496, KX033497, KXO33498, KX033499, KX033500, KX033501, KX033502, KX033503, KX033504, KX033505 and KX033506. Phylogenetic analyses of the 13 sequences was done by using MEGA 7 and showed that the viruses formed two major clusters implying that at least two strains of LSDV are in circulation in Zimbabwe. This study provides the first report on the incidence and molecular characterisation of LSDV in Zimbabwe.