Effects of chromium nicotinate on performance, carcase characteristics and blood chemistry of growing turkeys

1. The objective of this trial was to study the effects of chromium nicotinate (Cr) supplementation on the performance, carcase characteristics and blood constituents of 9 to 22 week-old male turkeys. 2. Fifty-four 8-week-old male turkeys weighing 2.9 +/- 0.28 kg were allocated at random into 9 groups with 3 dietary treatments and 3 replicates. The dietary treatment was different dietary concentrations of chromium in the basal diet, to provide 0 (control), 1 or 3 mg/kg. The feeding trial lasted for 14 weeks. 3. Results showed that 1 mg/kg chromium supplementation significantly improved weight gain and food intake at 9 to 18 weeks of age but did not significantly influence performance at 19 to 22 week of age. The breast and thigh muscle were significantly increased in birds receiving 1 mg/kg chromium supplementation but were decreased by 3 mg/kg of supplementation. 4. Dietary chromium supplementation did not significantly influence other serum constituents, including insulin, HDL, VLDL+LDL, HDL-C, VLDL-C+LDL-C, total protein, albumin, and gamma-globulin at 18 and 22 weeks of age. 5. The serum triacylglycerol (TG) and uric acid contents were significantly increased, while glycerol and alpha-globulin were significantly reduced by 3 mg/kg chromium supplementation. However, 1 mg/kg chromium supplementation significantly reduced serum cholesterol and glycerol at 18-weeks old. At 22 weeks of age, 1 mg/kg chromium supplementation significantly increased serum glucose and decreased the uric acid concentration whereas 3 mg/kg chromium supplementation significantly increased the creatinine concentration and decreased beta-globulin concentration.     

Effect of energy and lysine intake in gestation on sow performance

Nutrient intake during gestation has an impact on gestation parameters and subsequent lactation performance. The objectives of this experiment were to determine the impact of feeding two levels of amino acids in gestation on sow BW changes in gestation and lactation, and litter size, and to evaluate a factorial method for determining daily energy requirements. At mating, 419 sows (Camborough 15; Pig Improvement Canada, Acme, AB) were assigned randomly within Parities 1, 2 or 3+ to a gestation diet containing either 0.44% (low lysine) or 0.55% (high lysine) total lysine and 3,100 kcal DE/kg; other indispensable amino acids were adjusted to lysine based on ideal protein ratios. Feed allowance in gestation was determined factorially using estimated DE requirements for maintenance, maternal gain, and conceptus growth. Sows were allowed free access to the lactation diet. Gestation BW gain from d 0 to 110 was affected by parity (61.2, 60.0, and 42.3 kg for Parity 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.05) but not (P > 0.10) by gestation lysine level. Sow BW changes from d 0 of lactation to weaning were affected by parity (0.5, 6.8, and 5.8 kg for Parity 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.01) and gestation BW gain (P < 0.01), but not by gestation lysine level (5.0 vs 3.8 kg for low and high lysine, respectively; P > 0.10). Total piglets born was affected by parity (11.5, 12.1, and 12.5, for Parity 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.01) and increased with increasing sow BW gain (P < 0.05). Total piglets born alive (mean = 11.2) was increased with increasing sow BW gain (P < 0.05). Total litter weight born alive was affected by parity (15.9, 18.6, and 19.4 kg for Parities 1, 2, and 3+, respectively; P < 0.01) and gestation BW gain (P < 0.05). The model used to determine daily energy intake requirements resulted in an average BW gain of 10.6 kg above the targets set by the model. Total lysine intakes greater than 10.6 g/d in gestation did not improve sow productivity. Setting target weight gains in gestation and feeding to meet these targets may not always provide predictable results due to a number of factors that affect the energy requirement in the sow.     

Influence of supplementary fibrolytic enzymes on the fermentation of corn and grass silages by mixed ruminal microorganisms in vitro

This study was done to determine the effectiveness of supplementary enzymes at increasing the fiber digestion by ruminal microorganisms and to assess whether enzyme activity limits the rate of fiber digestion in ruminal digesta. In vitro comparisons of enzyme activities in two feed enzyme preparations (A and B) with enzyme activities extracted from ruminal fluid indicated that the addition of fibrolytic enzymes at the application rates recommended by the manufacturers would not be expected to increase significantly glycanase and polysaccharidase activities in ruminal fluid. Preparations A and B both increased (P < 0.001) the rate of gas production from freeze-dried corn and grass silages in in vitro incubations with ruminal fluid, but only at concentrations much higher than recommended application rates. Autoclaved controls had little or no effect. Ultrafiltration of enzyme B indicated that most stimulation was due to components >100 kDa, which is consistent with the cause of the stimulation being enzyme activity. Fibrolytic enzymes from other sources were also able to stimulate gas production: increased rates of gas production were observed in seven out of eight combinations of "cellulase" and corn or grass silage (P < 0.05). The comparison of glycanase and polysaccharidase activities with gas-stimulatory activity in the different enzyme preparations indicated that the highest correlation was between increased gas production and enzyme activity against microgranular cellulose (P < 0.05). In a wider range of fibrolytic enzyme preparations, those with endo-(beta-1,4)- or exo-(beta-1,4)-xylanase activity equal to that of preparation A did not produce similar increased rates of fermentation of corn silage when glucanase activity was low (P > 0.05). In contrast, preparations with glucanase activity similar to enzyme A gave at least as great (P < 0.05) an improvement in gas production than enzyme A, irrespective of xylanase activity. It was concluded that enzyme activity, probably a type of endo-(beta-1,4)-glucanase activity, limits the rate of fermentation of corn and grass silage in the rumen. Enzyme supplements of the type used in these experiments are unlikely to possess sufficient activity to overcome this limitation by direct application to ruminal digesta, implying that treatment of the ration prefeeding will be key to harnessing the potential of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes in ruminant nutrition.     

Identification of focal adenomyosis as a uterine lesion in two dogs

A focal uterine adenomyosis is described in two bitches. In both cases, the uterus showed knobbly enlargements of 4 to 8 cm in diameter, which resulted in distinct clinical symptoms. Other pathological changes of the uterus were not present. One bitch was presented because of a history of vaginal discharge of several months' duration. Radiographs, as well as ultrasonography, revealed a soft tissue lesion at the cervix. The other bitch showed a marked reduction in its general condition and a sudden onset of a tense abdomen. Radiologically, a lesion of soft tissue opacity was observed in the mid-abdomen and was seen to originate from the left uterine horn during exploratory laparotomy. A torsion of the lesion was present, which explained the clinical signs in this second case.     

Multifactorial mortality in bongos and other wild ungulates in the north of the Congo Republic

Wildlife mortality involving bongos, Tragelaphus eurycerus, and other ungulates was investigated in the north of the Congo Republic in 1997. Four bongos, one forest buffalo, Syncerus caffer nanus, and one domestic sheep were examined and sampled. Although an outbreak of rinderpest had been suspected, it was found that the animals, which had been weakened by an Elaeophora sagitta infection and possibly also by adverse climatic conditions, had been exsanguinated and driven to exhaustion by an unusual plague of Stomoxys omega.     

Culicoides antigen extract stimulates equine blood mononuclear (BMN) cell proliferation and the release of eosinophil adherence-inducing factor(s)

Intradermal injection of a Culicoides antigen extract (CAgX) induces T lymphocyte and eosinophil accumulation in the skin of horses with sweet itch. Blood mononuclear (BMN) cells from normal ponies proliferate when stimulated by mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin, PHA) or antigen (tetanus toxoid, TT) and, as shown here, release soluble factor(s) that induce eosinophil adherence. CAgX also caused concentration dependent proliferation of BMN cells from sweet itch and normal ponies [stimulation index: 29 (13) and 17 (7) for BMN cells from sweet itch and normal ponies, respectively during the active phase of disease; 4 microg protein ml(-1)CAgX; 168 h]. A heat labile factor(s) which caused eosinophil adherence was also released [sweet itch ponies: 6.0 (1.6) per cent adherence versus 1.3 (0.4) per cent; normal ponies: 6.6 (0.5) per cent adherence versus 0.9 (0.1) per cent for supernatants from CAgX (4 microg protein ml(-1); 48 hours) stimulated versus unstimulated BMN cells, respectively]. These results suggest that soluble proteins released from T lymphocytes could affect eosinophil function in the lesional skin of sweet itch horses.     

Prevalence of chronic wasting in Dutch dairy herds with a history of chronic health problems

The prevalence of chronic wasting in cattle in March and April 2000 was studied on 218 dairy farms with a history of health problems accompanied by wasting, following reports in the media suggesting that chronic wasting was a substantial problem on Dutch dairy farms. A telephone call revealed that the health problems had resolved on 41 farms; 16 of these farms had culled all cattle. Two farmers refused co-operation. On the remaining 175 farms the animals were inspected and was completed a questionnaire. A high percentage of culling for of health reasons (on average 18.1% of young stock and adult cattle) and an increased mortality rate (4.8%) were reported on the farms visited. In only two of the 175 inspected herds, more than 20 percent of cattle were found showing signs of wasting. These two herds were identified as 'chronic wasting herds'. The prevalence of such herds was low in this study. Consequently, it is likely that there were very few 'chronic wasting herds' among the whole Dutch dairy population in March/April 2000.