Incorporating indigenous knowledge of fodder trees into small-scale silvopastoral systems in Jamaica

A study was conducted to identify and explore indigenous knowledge relating to fodder trees and silvopastoral management systems of small-scale farmers in seasonally dry areas of Jamaica. The objectives of the study were to: 1) explore farmers indigenous knowledge relating to fodder trees and silvopastoral management systems in a subtropical dry climate; 2) examine pastoral land-use systems and technologies in current use; and 3) seek to integrate this information into silvopastoral tree fodder systems. Data were gathered via observation and semistructured interviewing. A snowball sampling strategy was used to purposively select all small-scale farmers who had cattle in the Green Park valley for interview.Of forty farmers interviewed, 37 males (92.5%) and 3 females (7.5%) were primary caretakers of cattle. Twenty-seven of 40 farmers (68%) raised cattle to generate income. During extended droughts farmers are forced to look for alternatives to desiccated, overgrazed pasture grasses, including: 1) local travel to harvest sugar cane tops and to cut Guinea grass (Panicum maximum); 2) purchase of bag feed; and 3) harvest and use of tree fodder. Preferred fodder trees were identified as Bacedar (Guazama ulmifolia), Guango (Albizia saman), Breadnut (Brosimum alicastrum) and Quickstick (Gliricidia sepium).Recommended silvopastoral management systems include fodder hedgerows, three strata forage systems, and living fences. In addition, production of indigenous fodder tree species, introducing improved tree fodder species, and planting improved pasture grasses concurrent with cash trees is suggested.     

Development of utility and location indices for classifying agroforestry species: the case of Rwanda

In a study of farmer knowledge and experimentation of trees and tree cultivation, two categories of farmer consultants were identified, tree experts (n = 44) and control farmers (n = 70), via a two stage process of knowledge ranking and community interviews conducted in three communes in southern Rwanda in 1992. A detailed inventory of tree species was conducted revealing two key characteristics for on-farm trees: multiple utility and high locational flexibility. In order to logically organize the species inventory, two indices, a utility index (UI) and a locational flexibility index (LFI), were developed. The two indices were calculated for each species and then plotted as the axes on a bivariate grid. While few species had both high utility and flexibility indices, the majority that did were indigenous species long used in agroforestry systems (e.g., Euphorbia tirucalli, Vernonia amygdalina, Erythrina abyssinica, etc.). A few naturalized exotics introduced in the 1930s (e.g., Grevillea robusta, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, E. saligna, E. maideni, Cupressus lusitanica and Persea gratissima) were also appreciated for their multiple utility and locational flexibility. Farm sizes varied, averaging 1.27 ha among tree experts and 0.18 ha in the control group. The mean number of species cultivated was significantly higher on tree expert farms (P < 0.01). However, tree density was much lower on tree expert farms (731 trees · ha^–1) than on control farms (1,689 trees · ha^–1). Competitive species were found primarily on larger farms, whereas smaller farms were associated with species of greater UI and LFI. Farmers demonstrated deliberate and rational choices about which trees to plant in accordance with each species utility and flexibility in relation to land availability.     

Changes in Testicular Development, Ultrasonographic and Histological Appearance of the Testis in Buck Kids Immunized Against LHRH Using Recombinant LHRH Fusion Protein

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of recombinant Ovalbumin-LHRL (OL) immunization on changes in testicular size, histological appearance and testosterone production in buck kids. Thirty native buck kids at 18 weeks of age were divided into three groups, control (n = 10), immunization (n = 10) and castration (n = 10) groups. Immunized animals received OL protein generated by recombinant DNA technology. Ultrasonographic and histological examinations of the testes were performed. Animals were slaughtered at 44 weeks of age. Semen and epididymides were evaluated for the presence of sperm cells. Immunized animals generated anti-LHRH antibodies. Testosterone production, testicular and accessory glands development and sperm production were suppressed in the immunized animals (p < 0.01). Semineferous tubule diameters decreased (p < 0.01), basal membrane of the tubule was thickened and hyalinized in immunized kids. Immunization affected ultrasonographic appearance of the testes drastically. While testes of control animals gained their normal ultrasonographic appearance as the age increased, immunized animals had uniform hypoechogenic testicular structure as observed at 18 weeks of age until slaughter. Simultaneous histological and ultrasonographic evaluations indicated that the changes in testicular histology could partly be monitored via ultrasonographic imaging; nevertheless, it is difficult to claim that ultrasonographic image reflects the exact changes in such instances. In conclusion, these results indicate that recombinant OL fusion protein is effective in immunocastration in buck kids and has a potential to be used as an alternative to physical castration. Further researches should be conducted to help assessing reproductive status of testes from ultrasound images.     

Third‐compartment cannulation in alpacas using a polyurethane gastrostomy tube

Objective To develop a simple and effective surgical technique for third‐compartment cannulation in alpacas. Design Prospective study using six adult male alpacas. Methods General anaesthesia was induced and a polyurethane gastrostomy tube was surgically implanted into the distal portion of the third compartment. Results Three of the alpacas retained their cannulas for a 100‐day period; however, three cannulas were dislodged during the study. Two of the three dislodged cannulas were replaced during a second surgical procedure. Cannulas were well tolerated by the alpacas and all animals remained clinically healthy during the study period. Third compartment contents did not leak from the cannulation site. The tubes were manually removed following the completion of the study and the small defect in the body wall quickly healed over in all animals. Conclusion Surgical placement of polyurethane tubes designed for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a useful method of cannulating the third compartment in camelids. This technique can be used for experimental studies and possibly could be used for nutritional support and fluid therapy in sick camelids that might need long‐term care.     

Congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia and dyskeratosis in Australian Poll Hereford calves

Congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia (CDA) is a heterogeneous group of rare genetic disorders that in humans is characterised by ineffective haematopoiesis with morphological abnormalities in erythroid precursor cells and secondary iron overload. In the 1990s, a syndrome of CDA with dyskeratosis and progressive alopecia was reported in Poll Hereford calves in Canada and the USA. We report the clinical and pathological findings in two Poll Hereford calves with this syndrome from separate properties in South Australia. The animals had a variably severe anaemia, associated with abnormal nucleated red blood cells in peripheral blood, and large numbers of rubricytes and metarubricytes with a characteristic nuclear ultrastructure in the bone marrow. Both calves were born with a wiry hair coat and a progressively ‘dirty‐faced’ appearance associated with hyperkeratosis and dyskeratosis (apoptosis).     

Phylogeography and Genotype-Symptom Associations in Early and Late Season Infections of Canola by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

ABSTRACT Both typical late season stem infections and atypical early season rosette infections of canola, a relatively new crop in the southeastern United States, were caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The 51 DNA fingerprints (from 71 isolates) did not match any fingerprints from previous studies of canola or other crops. Single locus haplotypes from nuclear DNA sequences included 18 in the intergenic spacer (IGS) of the rRNA repeat, four in 44.11, six in translation elongation factor 1alpha, three in calmodulin (CAL), and two in chitin synthase 1. Contingency permutation testing for associations of infection type with DNA fingerprint, single- or multilocus haplotype, or hierarchically nested clades based on single locus haplotypes found significant association of haplotype with mycelial compatibility group and DNA fingerprint for all loci except CAL. Significant association of IGS haplotypes with symptom type was detected in one pathogen population. Southeastern U.S. canola was infected by both recently evolved, geographically dispersed pathogen genotypes and older, indigenous genotypes (Carbone and Kohn, 2001. Mol. Ecol. 10:947-964). Indigenous haplotypes are infection-type generalists, and the most frequently isolated from rosette infections. In contrast, haplotypes from the most recently evolved, dispersed population were associated one-to-one with infection type, with only the most recently evolved haplotypes infecting rosettes.     

Monoclonal antibodies to equine IgM improve the sensitivity of West Nile virus-specific IgM detection in horses

West Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic pathogen of global importance. In horses with neurological signs, detection of WNV-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) in serum is widely used to identify clinical cases of WNV encephalitis. Here, we describe the development of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to equine IgM which were used in a WNV IgM-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Their performance was compared to an established assay based on polyclonal anti-IgM. Check test serum samples from the National Veterinary Service Laboratory (NVSL) were used to evaluate the performance of the three anti-IgM antibodies. The anti-IgM 1-22 mAb correctly identified all NVSL samples. Both the polyclonal antibody and monoclonal anti-IgM 2B-63 identified eight out of ten samples correctly. The three assays were then compared using serum samples from clinically healthy animals (n=33) and horses with neurological signs (n=21). High Spearman rank correlations (0.76-0.86) were found among the ELISA results. Inter-test agreements (weighted kappa) for assay interpretation resulted in strong agreement (0.95) of the results obtained by the mAbs and moderate agreements when monoclonal and polyclonal anti-IgM-based assays were compared. To determine the analytical sensitivities of anti-WNV IgM detection, serial dilutions of WNV IgM-positive serum samples were analyzed. The highest sensitivity was obtained by using the anti-IgM 1-22 mAb to capture IgM from equine serum. In conclusion, the use of monoclonal anti-IgM antibodies can improve the sensitivity of IgM detection in the acute phase of WN disease.