Components of electroencephalographic responses to slaughter in halothane-anaesthetised calves: Effects of cutting neck tissues compared with major blood vessels

AIM: To identify whether cutting neck tissues or cutting major blood vessels initiates the mechanisms responsible for electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to slaughter by ventral-neck incision without prior stunning in halothane-anaesthetised calves.

METHODS: Calves were assigned to two groups, viz transection of neck tissues with intact blood circulation through the brain (n=10), or transection of the major blood vessels of the neck but not most other neck tissues (n=7). They were minimally anaesthetised with halothane, using an established anaesthesia protocol. The animals in the neck-tissue transection group had their carotid arteries and jugular veins exposed and cannulated proximal and distal to the proposed site of subsequent ventral-neck incision; this diverted blood fl ow through these vessels so that cerebral perfusion and drainage were preserved. In animals in the blood-vessel transection group, the carotid arteries and jugular veins were exposed bilaterally by surgical dissection. They were then transected without further damage to the remaining structures of the neck. Changes in the median frequency (F50), 95% spectral edge frequency (F95), total power of the EEG (Ptot), and arterial blood pressure were compared within each group before and after neck-tissue or blood-vessel transection, and between groups following treatments.

RESULTS: Neck-tissue transection resulted in little overall change in the F50, an increase in the F95, and an initial increase in Ptot followed by a transient decrease and eventual return to pre-treatment values. There was between-animal variation in these EEG parameters. Transection of the major blood vessels of the neck resulted in a decrease in F50 in most animals; changes in F95 were highly variable, and there was a decrease in Ptot.

CONCLUSIONS: The EEG responses seen following necktissue and blood-vessel transection were qualitatively distinct, and suggested that cutting neck tissues caused greater noxious sensory input than transection of only the major blood vessels of the neck. These observations support the conclusion that the EEG responses seen after ventral-neck incision in intact animals are primarily due to noxious stimulation as a result of incision of ventral-neck tissues and not mainly as a result of loss of blood flow through the brain.     

Comparison of three different methods to prevent heat loss in healthy dogs undergoing 90 minutes of general anesthesia

ObjectiveTo compare a towel under, a warm water pad under or a forced warm air blanket over dogs as techniques to reduce heat loss during a standardized anesthetic.Study designProspective, randomized, crossover study.AnimalsEight, healthy, mixed breed dogs weighing 16.3–19.6 kg.MethodsDogs were anesthetized four times for 90 minutes. Dogs were placed on a steel table (treatment TA), with a cotton towel (treatment TO) or a circulating warm water pad (treatment WP) between the dog and the table, or with, a towel under the dog and covered with a forced warm air blanket (treatment WAB). Rectal temperature (RT) was recorded at 5 minute intervals. Changes in temperature (ΔRT) were calculated as the RT at a given point subtracted from the RT before anesthesia (baseline) and compared over time.ResultsAfter 90 minutes of anesthesia, the ΔRT was 3.42 °C ± 0.29 for TA, 2.78 °C ± 0.43 for TO, 1.98 °C ± 0.29 for WP, and 0.91 °C ± 0.27 for WAB. Significant differences in ΔRT occurred between TA and WAB at 20 minutes (0.94 °C ± 0.42, p = 0.0206), between TO and WAB at 30 minutes (1.16 °C ± 0.62, p = 0.0063), between WP and WAB at 50 minutes (0.96 °C ± 0.98, p = 0.0249), between TA and WP at 35 minutes (1.19 °C ± 0.54, p = 0.0091), between TO and WP at 70 minutes (1.12 °C ± 0.56, p = 0.0248), and between TA and TO at 75 minutes (0.96 °C ± 0.62, p = 0.0313). These differences in ΔRT between each treatment persisted from the times indicated until the end of the anesthesia.Conclusion and clinical relevanceDuring anesthesia, forced warm air blankets were superior to other methods tested for limiting heat loss. An efficient heat loss technique should be used for anesthesia longer than 20 minutes duration in medium sized dogs.     

Retrospective study of 108 foals with septic osteomyelitis

Objective   To determine the clinical characteristics, short-term outcome and future athletic performance of foals with septic osteomyelitis.
Design   Retrospective clinical study of 108 Thoroughbred foals with radiographic evidence of bone infection that were presented at the Scone Veterinary Hospital between August 1995 and December 2001. Medical records were reviewed and information concerning signalment, the clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings, treatment and outcome was obtained. Racing records were obtained and evaluated for surviving foals that had reached racing age.
Results   Mean age of foals at initial evaluation was 39 days (range 1–180 days); 21 foals had multiple radiographic bone lesions (19.4%), and 76 had concurrent septic arthritis (70.4%). The most frequently affected bones were the femur, tibia and distal phalanx. In total, 87 foals were discharged from the hospital (80.6%), 79 survived long-term to reach racing age and 52 raced (65.8%). Overall, 48% (52/108) of the foals treated for osteomyelitis raced. Foals less than 30 days of age at the time of diagnosis, critically ill foals and those with multiple bones or joints affected were significantly less likely to be discharged from hospital. Multiple septic joints, but not multiple bone involvement, had an unfavourable prognosis for racing.
Conclusions   The prognosis for survival of foals with septic osteomyelitis or osteitis is favourable. Multiple bone or joint involvement is an important short-term prognostic indicator; however, the involvement of multiple joints, but not multiple infected bones, is associated with an unfavourable prognosis for racing.     

Inhibited development of trichostrongylid worms in grazing cattle

Inhibition of development of gastro-intestinal trichostrongylid worms was studied using successive groups of tracer calves and groups of continuously grazed calves over one year in the Tully area of North Queensland lowland wet tropics. The results, assessed by means of worms from these calves recovered at necropsy 3 weeks after their removal from pastures, showed inhibition in the development of Haemonchus placei and Cooperia punctata at the early fourth stage at the approach to and during the relatively dry period in the area. Inhibition was however minor and inhibited larvae formed but only a small percentage of worm burdens in both categories of calves, indicating that they were not in any way of major epidemiological importance. It was suggested that the minor nature of inhibition was due to the mild climatic conditions which could not produce appropriate conditioning treatment, or caused only mild selection pressure for inhibition in the area.     

Effects of Water Temperature, Density, and Sex Ratio on the Spawning Rate of Red Claw Crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens)

Effects of water temperature on red claw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus spawning rates was evaluated for 3 mo at 22, 26 and 30 ± 1 C. A 20/m² stocking density and a 1:2 M: F sex ratio was used. Spawning rate increased as temperature increased, with 30 C providing the highest spawning rate ( P < 0.05). Effects of stocking density and sex ratio on the reproduction of red claw crayfish were also evaluated at densities of 10.15 and 20/m², with a sex ratio of 1:1, and at three sex ratios (1:1. 1:3 and 1:5 M: F) at a density 10/m². Water temperature was maintained at 28 ± 1 C and photoperiod was maintained at 14L: 10D for 6 mo during the density and sex ratio experiments. Spawning rates were not significantly different ( P > 0.05) within the three stocking densities at a sex ratio of 1:1, nor were they different ( P > 0.05) for the three sex ratios at a density of 10/m². Results revenled that densities as high as 20/m² and sex ratios of 1 male to 5 females can be used to increase spawning per tank. Also, high temperature (28 ± 1 C) and long day lengths (14L: 10D) can be utilized to stimulate peak spawning rates, but high spawning rates cannot be maintained for more than about 3 mo.     

江苏省实施兽药GSP试点工作的基本做法与推进思考

江苏省GSP试点工作通过加强组织领导、广泛宣传推动、强化培训指导和注重检查交流等措施,基本建立了兽药GSP制度的框架,进一步提高和统一了对兽药GSP的认识,提高了试点企业的质量管理水平。但在兽药GSP实施过程中,存在对其重要性认识不足,部分暂行管理办法内容与实际脱节,技术指导力量薄弱等问题。     

Predicted Glycemic Index and Glycemic Index of Rice Varieties Grown in Taiwan

Two cooked brown rice and six white rice varieties were selected for assessing the variations in predicted glycemic index (pGI) determined by using in vitro starch digestion and the glycemic index (GI) determined in vivo. Marked varietal differences in apparent amylose content, dietary fiber content, pGI, and GI were observed. Most of the tested rice samples were classified as medium‐GI foods. The varieties Khazar and Taikeng 9 were categorized as high‐GI foods when bread was used as the reference. But brown and white rice samples of TRGC9152 and Taichung Sen 17 fell into the low‐GI category when glucose was used as the reference. A significant correlation coefficient (r = 0.946) was found between pGI and GI of rice samples by using bread as the reference with a regression equation of GI = 28.778 + 0.717 × pGI (R² = 0.8951, P ≤ 0.001). Overall, the in vitro pGI measurement is a rapid and useful method to predict the GI of cooked rice samples.