Responses to submaximal treadmill exercise and training in the horse: changes in haematology, arterial blood gas and acid base measurements, plasma biochemical values and heart rate

Four standardbred horses with subcutaneously relocated carotid arteries were given a seven week training programme of treadmill exercise at a gradient of 19 per cent in order to assess if there were any effects of exercise and training on haematology, arterial blood gas and acid base measurements, plasma biochemistry and heart rate. The exercise consisted of one minute walking at 110 metres/minute followed by five minutes trotting at 200 metres/minute, twice daily in the first week. The period of trotting exercise was increased by one minute per week so that by the seventh week the horses were being given 12 minutes trotting twice daily. Before training commenced venous blood samples, for complete blood counts and plasma biochemistry, and arterial samples, for blood gas, acid base and lactate measurements, were taken at rest, after five minutes and 15 minutes of treadmill exercise (200 metres/minute) and 30 minutes and 60 minutes after completing the exercise. Heart rate was measured by telemetric electrocardiogram at similar intervals. This exercise test and blood collection were repeated after one, three, five and seven weeks of training. The only significant changes were a decrease in exercise lactate with training, increases in exercise and recovery total protein. The haematological response to treadmill exercise included an increase in certain red cell parametes and a leucocytosis which was caused by both a neutrophilia and a lymphocytosis. These effects had largely disappeared by 30 minutes after exercise and all values had returned to resting values by one hour after exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Genetic analysis of ORF5 of recent Korean porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSVs) in viremic sera collected from MLV-vaccinating or non-vaccinating farms

The 23 open reading frame (ORF) 5 sequences of Korean type II porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were collected from viremic sera from the (modified live vaccine) MLV-vaccinating and non-vaccinating farms from 2007 to 2008. The samples were phylogenetically analyzed with previous ORF5 sequences, including type I Korean PRRSV, and previously reported or collected sequences from 1997 to 2008. A MN184-like subgroup of type II Korean PRRSV was newly identified in the viremic sera collected from 2007 to 2008. And of the type I PRRSVs, one subgroup had 87.2~88.9% similarity with the Lelystad virus, showing a close relationship with the 27~2003 strain of Spain. The maximum parsimony tree of type II PRRSV from 1997 to 2008 showed that they had evolved to four lineages, subgroups 1, 2, 3 and 4. Most of the recently collected type II PRRSVs belonged to subgroup 4 (48%). The region of three B-cell epitopes and two T-cell epitopes of ORF5 amino acids sequences was considerably different from the MLV in subgroups 3 and 4. In conclusion, the existence of type I PRRSV, which was genetically different from Lelystad virus (Prototype of type I PRRSV), and heterologous type II PRRSVs of viremic pigs detected even in the MLV-vaccinating farms indicated the need for new vaccine approaches for the control of PRRSV in Korea.     

鸡霍乱口服弱毒疫苗的研究

用经过选择的禽多杀巴氏杆菌自然弱毒菌株Ｒ１－２３菌株制成的鸡霍乱固体培养口服弱毒疫苗，其安全剂量接近于２００个免疫剂量。该口服苗两次饮水免疫的最适总剂量为每羽５０亿个活菌，最佳间隔时间为４８小时。免疫鸡第二次饮苗后第３天即可产生较好的免疫保护率（７／８）。免疫鸡对异型强毒株Ｐ１０５９（８∶Ａ）、Ｐ２７２３（９∶Ａ）和同型强毒株Ｃ４８－１（５∶Ａ）滴鼻攻击的近期保护率平均为５／１０、６／１０和９／１０。６个月免疫期的平均保护率为７６．７０％（４６／６０），一万多羽鸡田间试验结果表明，免疫后２个月的平均保护率为９３．１０％（２７／２９），６个月的平均保护率为７３．５０％（２５／３４），除对产蛋率有轻度影响（下降１．２７％）外，无其它不良反应。野外大面积使用结果表明，该口服苗不但性能稳定，免疫原性优良，而且安全可靠，适用于鸡口服免疫。     

Accuracy of selected neurological clinical tests in diagnosing MRI-detectable forebrain lesion in dogs

This retrospective case study aims to evaluate the accuracy of menace response, response to nasal stimulation and proprioceptive placing in diagnosing forebrain lesion in dogs. A total of 145 client-owned dogs investigated by magnetic resonance imaging study of the brain between December 2017 and June 2019 were evaluated. Seventy-one dogs with no magnetic resonance imaging-detectable intracranial and significant cerebrospinal fluid abnormality or recent history of seizure (<48 h) served as controls. Binary regression analysis was performed to determine the sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratios of each selected test. Older age at presentation was a significant risk factor for the presence of a forebrain lesion. Menace (62.5%) and proprioceptive deficits (40.5%) were common findings in all dogs. They were also significantly associated with the presence of forebrain abnormality. Moreover, they were more sensitive (77.3% and 82.2%, respectively) and specific (50.0% and 62.5%, respectively) when applied to dogs aged 6 years or older. Nonetheless, all of these tests' likelihood ratios, and thus reliability are poor. These neurological tests are commonly employed for diagnosing forebrain disease in dogs, yet are not highly accurate in diagnosing forebrain abnormality. Clinicians should interpret these clinical test results along with the patient history when designing a diagnostic plan.     

Digestible and metabolizable energy concentrations and amino acid digestibility of dried yeast and soybean meal for growing pigs

Energy values and amino acid (AA) digestibility of dried yeast (DY) and soybean meal (SBM) were determined in 2 experiments with growing pigs. Experiment 1 was conducted to determine the digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) in DY and SBM. Thirty barrows with a mean initial body weight (BW) of 20.6 kg (SD = 1.04) were assigned to 5 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with period and BW as blocking factors. A reference diet was prepared with corn, canola meal, and soybean oil as energy-contributing ingredients. Four additional diets were prepared by adding 5% and 10% DY or SBM at the expense of energy-contributing ingredients in the reference diet. The ratio of corn, canola meal, and soybean oil was kept consistent across the experimental diets. Each experimental period consisted of 5-d adaptation and 5-d quantitative collection of feces and urine. Test ingredient-associated DE or ME intake (kcal/d) was regressed against test ingredient intake [kg dry matter (DM)/d] to estimate the DE or ME in test ingredients as the slope of linear regression model. The DE in DY was estimated at 3,933 kcal/kg DM, which was not different from the estimated DE in SBM at 4,020 kcal/kg DM. Similarly, there was no difference between DY and SBM in the estimated ME (3,431 and 3,756 kcal/kg DM, respectively). Experiment 2 was conducted to determine the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA in DY and SBM. Twenty-one barrows with a mean initial BW of 20.0 kg (SD = 1.31) were surgically fitted with T-cannulas at the distal ileum and assigned to 3 dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with BW as a blocking factor. Two semi-purified diets containing DY or SBM as the sole nitrogen source and one nitrogen-free diet (NFD) were prepared. The NFD was used to estimate the basal ileal endogenous losses of CP and AA. Pigs were fed the 3 diets for 5 d as adaptation, followed by 2 d of feeding with ileal digesta collection. The SID of AA, except Gly and Pro, in DY was less (P < 0.05) than in SBM. The SID of indispensable AA in DY ranged from 64.1% for Thr to 85.2% for Arg, and those in SBM ranged from 83.9% for Thr to 91.8% for Arg. In conclusion, energy values of DY are not different from those of SBM, whereas AA in DY is less digestible than in SBM. The estimated DE and ME as well as the SID of AA in DY and SBM can be used in diet formulation for growing pigs using these ingredients.