In situ provision of drinking water to grazing dairy cows improves milk production

AIMS: To determine the effect of providing water within the area grazed by dairy cows on milk yield and quality, compared to requiring cows to walk to a distant water trough, on a dairy farm in the Pampa region of Argentina during summer.

METHODS: Holstein dairy cows were allocated to two herds with similar parity, days in milk and milk production. They were grazed in one paddock that was divided in two, with a fixed water trough at one end. Cows were moved twice daily to grazing plots within the paddock. Control cows (n=66) could only access water from the fixed trough, whereas supplemented cows (n=67) also received water from a mobile trough within the grazing plot. Milk production of each cow, and water consumption of the two herds were measured daily over 62 days. Milk composition for each herd was determined weekly from Days 18 to 60 of the study, and grazing behaviour was observed between 08:00 and 16:00 hours on Days 11–15, 19–22 and 39–43.

RESULTS: Over the 62 days of the study, supplemented cows produced 1.39 (SE 0.11) L/cow/day more milk than Control cows (p=0.027). Estimated mean daily water intake was 50.4 (SE 2.1) L/cow/day for supplemented cows and 58.2 (SE 2.7) L/cow/day for Control cows (p=0.004). Percentage total solids in milk was higher for supplemented (12.5 (SE 0.06)%) than Control (12.4 (SE 0.04)%) cows (p=0.047). During the periods of behavioural observation, a higher percentage of cows in the water supplemented than the Control herd were observed in the grazing area (p=0.012).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This preliminary study demonstrated that provision of water to dairy cows within the grazing plot was beneficial for milk production and composition, and may be associated with longer periods spent within the grazing area, during hot weather in the Pampa region of Argentina.     

Protein Composition of Seminal Plasma in Fractionated Stallion Ejaculates

Seminal plasma (SP) contains several types of compounds derived from the epididymides and accessory glands. The aim of this study was to examine the protein composition of different ejaculate fractions. Trial I: fractionated ejaculates were collected from two normal and two subfertile stallions. Samples containing pre‐sperm fluid and the first sperm‐rich jets (HIGH‐1), the main sperm‐rich portion (HIGH‐2), the jets with low sperm concentrations (LOW), and a combined whole‐ejaculate (WE) sample was centrifuged, and the SP was filtered and frozen. A part of each SP sample was stored (5°C, 24 h) with spermatozoa from HIGH‐2 and skim milk extender. Sperm motility was evaluated after storage in extender mixed with the stallion’s own SP or SP from one of the other stallions (sperm from a normal stallion stored in SP from a subfertile stallion and vice versa). Protein composition was analysed using reverse‐phase liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC), N‐terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry. The area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) was used for quantitative comparison of proteins within fractions. Trial II: semen samples were collected from seven stallions. Fractions with the highest (HIGH) and lowest (LOW) sperm concentrations and WE samples were examined using SDS‐PAGE and densitometry. No significant differences emerged between fractions in the AUC‐values of the Horse Seminal Protein‐1 (HSP‐1) and HSP‐2 peaks, or the peak containing HSP‐3 and HSP‐4 (HSP‐3/4). Levels of HSP‐1, HSP‐2 and HSP‐3/4 were not significantly correlated with total sperm motility, progressive sperm motility or average path velocity after storage. Significant differences between ejaculate fractions in the amount of different protein groups present in SP were not found in Trial I; but in Trial II, the proteins in the 60–70 kDa range were more abundant in LOW than in HIGH and WE, indicating that this band contained proteins derived mainly from the seminal vesicles, which produce most of the SP in LOW.     

Successful treatment of a pancreatic pseudocyst by omentalisation in a dog

CASE HISTORY A 3-year-old male Labrador retriever was presented with a history of dietary indiscretion followed by vomiting and abdominal pain.

CLINICAL FINDINGS AND TREATMENT: Abdominal ultrasonography revealed the presence of a fluid-filled cystic structure in the region of the pancreas. Flocculent, dark fluid was drained from the cystic structure during exploratory celiotomy prior to resection of the lateral cystic wall. Omentum was sutured into the cystic cavity to provide drainage and enhance immune response. A jejunostomy feeding tube was placed. Post-surgical care consisted of antibiotic therapy. The dog was clinically normal at 1 and 7 months post-operatively and the pancreas appeared normal on final ultrasonographic examination.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This case describes the use of omentum to provide physiological drainage of a pancreatic pseudocyst. This surgical technique may help clinicians manage patients with this condition in the future.     

Reduction in the mRNA expression of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 is associated with the selection of dominant follicle in cows

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is essential for follicular development by promoting follicular angiogenesis, as well as for the proliferation and survival of granulosa cells. The biological effects of VEGF are regulated by two membrane receptors, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, and two soluble receptors, sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, which play an antagonistic role. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the mRNA expression pattern of total VEGF, VEGFR1, VEGFR2, sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 in bovine preselected follicles (PRF) and post‐selected follicles (POF). The mRNA expression of these five genes in both granulosa cells (GC) and theca cells (TC) was compared between follicles classified as PRF and POF based on their diameter and on their ratio of estradiol/progesterone (E2/P4). Results showed a lower expression of mRNA of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2 in POF than in PRF (p < .05). Regarding the mRNA expression of total VEGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, there was no difference between POF and PRF follicles (p > .05). Our results showed that the mRNA expression of VEGFR2 and sVEGFR1 was more abundant than the expression of VEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, while GC was the main source of mRNA for total VEGF. On the other hand, TC was the follicular compartment where the receptors were most expressed. Our results suggest that non‐dominant follicles maintain a greater concentration of the mRNA expression of both membrane and soluble VEGF receptors. On the other hand, follicular dominance is related to a reduction in the mRNA expression of sVEGFR1 and sVEGFR2, which may favour VEGF binding with VEGFR2 and, hence, improve the follicular health and development.     

Use of intralesional cisplatin to successfully treat distal limb haemangiosarcoma in a foal

A 4-month old, 200 kg, grey warmblood colt presented for a firm, non painful mass on the distal medial aspect of the left third metatarsus. Excisional biopsy revealed a diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma. Equine haemangiosarcoma is uncommon and only limited reports of successful treatment are available. The prognosis for survival is therefore considered to be poor. After two separate incidences of recurrence with incomplete excision of the tumour, intralesional treatment with cisplatin without excision or debulking was performed on three separate occasions. Intralesional cisplatin injection was performed at monthly intervals for three treatments. Four years post treatment with cisplatin, the horse remained in remission. This case report describes the diagnostic and treatment challenges for successful treatment of a primary haemangiosarcoma on the distal limb of a warmblood foal using intralesional cisplatin chemotherapy.     

Effect of the route of administration on the mucosal and systemic immune responses to Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine in pigs

In an on‐farm study, 40 weaned piglets aged 3 weeks were vaccinated with Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine orally, IM or IP while a fourth group remained unvaccinated. All vaccinated animals showed increased serum levels of L. intracellularis‐specific IgG antibodies, but significantly elevated concentrations of specific IgG, IgA and cytokines were generated in ileal mucosal secretions from the orally and IP vaccinated pigs when examined at 17 days after vaccination.     

Johne's disease in alpacas (Lama pacos) in Australia

SUMMARY: Johne's disease was diagnosed in 10 alpacas ( Lama pacos ) in Australia between February 1993 and May 1994. Eight of the animals were between 12 and 24 months of age, one was a 6-year-old female, and one was a 4-year-old male. Five, including the 6-year-old and the 4-year-old alpacas, showed weight loss and diarrhoea before death or slaughter. The other cases showed no clinical signs of Johne's disease but 4 gave a positive result on faecal culture and one gave a positive result on testing with the caprine ACID assay and had acid-fast organisms in its faeces. At necropsy, all cases had grossly enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. Johne's disease was diagnosed after histological examination of the lymph nodes with conventional culture and polymerase chain reaction testing of tissue samples. This report outlines the clinical, epidemiological, and pathological findings in these cases.     

Aboveground biomass production of a semi-arid southern African savanna: towards a new model

Following a field campaign to determine the species composition, canopy cover, aboveground annual production and leaf area index (LAI) of the semi-arid savanna of north-western Namibia, we present a production model that can be used by graziers to determine the livestock carrying capacity. The model predicts the annual aboveground net primary production (ANPP) from regression equations of canopy cover by annual production fraction for plant functional classes. We tested the output of the model against another fully independent net primary production (NPP) model, namely the MODIS NPP product. The mean MODIS NPP for the 29 sites was 343 ± 22?kg dry matter (DM) ha^?1 y^?1 as opposed to 285 ± 142?kg DM ha^?1 y^?1 for the fAP model that used the regression method (p < 0.01). As a proof of concept, these landscape-scale ANPP values are used to calculate a recommended livestock carrying capacity for the Ehirovipuka Communal Conservancy, a 1 980 km² communal area with both wildlife and livestock populations. In addition, we also provide details of a field method for predicting landscape-scale LAI from line transect data. This approach can be used to ground reference the LAI values generated from the MODIS LAI product.     

Obtaining Wisent early blastocyst in vitro is a basic for protection and creation of biodiversity for this threatened species

Wisent, or European bison (Bison bonasus), is listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is therefore protected by international law. For the first time, a Wisent embryo has been obtained in vitro. This procedure creates a new opportunity to protect and increase Wisent reproductive potential and thereby opens new possibilities for the establishment of a controlled and broad reserve of the gene pool.     

Planet Within a Planet: Rotation of the Inner Core of Earth

The time dependence of the orientation of Earth's inner core relative to the mantle was determined using a recently discovered 10-degree tilt in the axis of symmetry of the inner core's seismic-velocity anisotropy. Two methods of analyzing travel-time variations for rays traversing the inner core, on the basis of 29 years of data from the International Seismological Centre (1964-1992), reveal that the inner core appears to rotate about 3 degrees per year faster than the mantle. An anomalous variation in inner-core orientation from 1969 to 1973 coincides in time with a sudden change ("jerk") in the geomagnetic field.