Negative interactions between Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora in calves

The interactions between Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora were studied in calves by concurrent and sequential infections. A reciprocal negative interaction between the 2 species was found in sequential, but not in concurrent infections. This result was supported by the finding of serological cross-reactions. It is suggested that the negative interaction is immunologically mediated. The depression of weight gain found after infection was similar for O. ostertagi- and C. oncophora-infected calves.     

Locomotor effects in sheep of alkaloids identified in Australian Tribulus terrestris

Fresh, mature, ungrazed Tribulus terrestris plant material was subjected to a standard alkaloid extraction procedure. The extract was fractionated by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two major alkaloid fractions were demonstrated. These fractions were identified by means of TLC, ultraviolet spectrofluorimetry (UVS) and HPLC, as the beta-carboline indoleamines harmane and norharmane. The extractable alkaloid content was determined to be 44 mg/kg dry matter. Synthetic harmane and norharmane were administered subcutaneously to sheep at a dose rate of 54 mg/kg. Both compounds caused similar nervous effects. The main effect observed was limb paresis, which in some sheep was body side blased. The clinical signs observed in the experimental sheep were consistent with those described for naturally occurring cases of Tribulus terrestris staggers. It was proposed that harmane and norharmane accumulate in tryptamine-associated neurones of the central nervous system, during months of tribulus ingestion, and gradually interact irreversibly with a specific neuronal gene DNA sequence.     

Economic and financial model to the mass-rearing of Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur) (Heteroptera: Miridae), a biological control agent against the tomato moth Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in protected culture

BACKGROUND

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is a major pest of tomato produced in glasshouses and open field, causing severe damages to crops, reducing the quality of tomato fruits. The current maintenance of the pest populations below the economic threshold is not achieved by natural and classical control, thus requiring the continuous application of biological control agents (BCAs), under an augmentative or inoculative approach. The present study aims to develop an economic and financial model to evaluate the commercial viability of a continuous mass production of Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur), a BCA commonly used against the tomato moth, Tuta absoluta, in protected culture. The estimations for our model were based on two approaches: the farm-level impact analysis and the benefit–cost analysis.

RESULTS

The results of the farm-level analysis show that the adoption of a more sustainable biological control approach is profitable for farmers and the benefit–cost analysis provides evidence that the investment on a new factory dedicated to the mass rearing of M. pygmaeus to control tomato moth populations generates a positive net present value (NPV) of 7.2 million euros, corresponding to an internal rate of return (IRR) of 28.4% per year.

CONCLUSION

Our results are in line with (i) the more recent European Commission proposals for a new Regulation on sustainable use of plant protection products, which includes the reduction of 50% the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 2030 and (ii) most of the existing literature which conclude that new projects on BCA production are worth investments. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Anatomy of the patent ductus venosus in the cat

The biplanar mesenteric vein portovenograms of 10 cats with left divisional intrahepatic portosystemic shunts consistent with a patent ductus venosus (PDV) were reviewed. A corrosion cast of the hepatic portal vasculature was made post mortem from one individual that died post operatively following surgical attenuation of the shunting vessel. On the basis of the combined surgical, post mortem and imaging data, these left divisional shunts were found to have consistent anatomy, each having a straight vessel which drained into a venous ampulla before draining into the caudal vena cava at the level of the diaphragm. The left phrenic vein and left hepatic vein both entered the ampulla independently of the shunting vessel. The anatomical similarity between these findings in the cat and the PDV in the dog suggest that it is appropriate to describe this particular portosystemic shunt as a PDV.     

Growth performance of Nile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus,fed diets containing levels of pyridoxine and haematological response under heat stress

In order to assess the effect of dietary pyridoxine supplementation on the growth performance of Nile tilapia and the haematological response under heat stress, 192 fingerlings (8.41 ± 0.22 g) were randomly distributed into eight tanks and fed practical diets supplemented with increasing levels of pyridoxine (0.0; 5.0; 10.0 and 20.0 mg of pyridoxal HCl kg^?1 diet) for 91 days. The fish were then weighed and the diet was quantified to determine the growth performance [weight gain (WG), feed intake, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency rate, protein retention (PR) and survival percentage]. Haematological analyses (red blood cell count, haematocrit, haemoglobin, total leucocyte and differentiation, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, albumin, globulin and albumin/globulin ratio) were carried out and then 32 fish were transferred and subjected to heat stress (32 °C) for 3 days, after which the haematological parameters were analysed. The fish fed the unsupplemented diet showed the lowest WG and PR. For the normal growth and health of the Nile tilapia, the Pyridoxine requirement in a practical diet is 10.0 mg of pyridoxine HCl kg^?1.