Microbiological evaluation of dressing procedures for crocodile carcases in Queensland

SUMMARY Microbiological testing of crocodiles during the dressing procedure has shown that sanitising the skin before skinning reduces the bacterial count on the skin and that dipping crocodile meat in 1.3% acetic acid solution effectively reduces bacterial levels. The total bacterial count on the processed meat sample was comparable with that obtained in the beef, pork and lamb industries. Salmonellae were isolated from 14 of the 72 carcases. Most (65%) of these isolates were in Salmonella subspecies III, formerly classified as Arizona.     

Influence of zeranol and breed on growth, composition of gain, and plasma hormone concentrations

Seven Angus and six Brangus steers averaging 225 and 245 kg, respectively, were assigned randomly to zeranol (36 mg) implant (I) and no implant (NI) treatments. Steers had ad libitum access to a corn silage diet plus .68 kg of a soybean meal-based supplement fed daily. Steers were bled via jugular catheters on d 0, 28, 56, and 84 at 15-min intervals for 4 h before and 4 h after feeding. Concentrations of growth hormone (GH), insulin (INS), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and glucose were determined. Whole-body protein and fat contents were monitored. A breed x I interaction (for d 56 to 84 and d 0 to 84) was observed for ADG (P less than .05 and P less than .07, respectively), feed conversion (P less than .05 and P less than .07, respectively), and protein deposition (for d 0 to 29 and d 0 to 84; P less than .07 and P less than .05, respectively). These interactions were attributed to a greater response to I by Angus than by Brangus steers. A feeding x period interaction (P less than .10) was observed for mean GH concentration, and INS, T4, and T3 concentrations were higher (P less than .05) during the 4-h postfeeding period than during the 4-h prefeeding period. The implant increased (P less than .08) mean GH concentration but did not alter the frequency, duration, or amplitude of plasma GH peaks. Steers that were implanted had lower (P less than .05) plasma T3. Brangus steers had lower (P less than .05) plasma glucose, T3, and T4 concentrations than Angus steers. Results indicate that growth factors beyond those measured are responsible for the anabolic response to zeranol.     

Prevalence and intensity of non-strongyle intestinal parasites of horses in northern Queensland

A quantitative post-mortem study of 57 horses from northern Queensland was done to determine the prevalence and intensity of non-strongyle intestinal parasites. The following species (% prevalence) were found: Draschia megastoma (39%); Habronema muscae (43%); Gasterophilus intestinalis (34%), G. nasalis (30%); Parascaris equorum (15%); Strongyloides westeri (6%); Probstmayria vivipara (2%); Oxyuris equi (26%); Anoplocephala magna (2%); A. perfoliata (32%). Mean parasite numbers of individual species ranged from 10 to 1310. Prevalence and intensity data were compared to recent studies in Western Australia and in the United States of America. Differences between stabled and paddocked horses were noted, particularly for botfly larvae and spiruroids. Climatic and seasonal changes in prevalence were restricted to H. muscae, G. nasalis and P. equorum with highest prevalence in the wet season or in horses from wet coastal areas. Only P. equorum showed any age effect being restricted to horses less than 5 years old. Breed and sex of horses was not important. The likelihood of changing parasite population dynamics with improved anthelmintic regimen is discussed.     

Biodiversity assessment and conservation strategies

The efficient representation of all species in conservation planning is problematic. Often, species distribution is assessed by dividing the land into a grid; complementary sets of grids, in which each taxon is represented at least once, are then sought. To determine if this approach provides useful surrogate information, species and higher taxon data for South African plants and animals were analyzed. Complementary species sets did not coincide and overlapped little with higher taxon sets. Survey extent and taxonomic knowledge did not affect this overlap. Thus, the assumptions of surrogacy, on which so much conservation planning is based, are not supported.     

Expression of behavioural signs of oestrus during mid-cycle in a dairy cow

Abstract

Extract

Routine monitoring of commercial dairy herds has confirmed the occurrence of oestrus during the luteal phase of the cycle in a small proportion (<5%) of cows (Royal et al 2000 Royal, MD, Darwash, AO, Flint, APF, Webb, R, Wooliams, JA and Lamming, GE. 2000. Detecting fertility in dairy cattle: changes in traditional and endocrine parameters of fertility. Animal Science, 70: 487–501.  [Google Scholar]). One such event occurred in one of four Friesian dairy cows being intensively monitored for progesterone and luteinising hormone (LH) concentrations in daily milk samples and 6-hourly blood samples collected from the jugular vein, throughout the postpartum period (Peters et al 1981 Peters, AR, Lamming, GE and Fisher, MW. 1981. A comparison of plasma LH concentrations in milked and suckling post-partum cows. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 62: 567–573.  [Google Scholar]; Fisher 1983 Fisher, MW. 1983. “The control of reproduction in the post-partum cow”. In PhD thesis, Sutton Bonington, , UK: Nottingham University.  [Google Scholar]). Consequently, the endocrine parameters associated with heat during the luteal phase were noted (Figure 1). Although an observation on a single cow, the intensive sampling data available for this animal warrant publication.     

Effects of maternal environment during gestation on ovarian folliculogenesis and consequences for fertility in bovine offspring

Mammals such as cattle, swine, sheep and humans are born with a highly variable number of ovarian follicles and oocytes in the ovaries that dwindle during ageing and are never replenished. This variation in the ovarian reserve is reflected in the numbers of antral follicles in the ovaries at all ages after birth. As numbers of follicles in ovaries are determined during gestation, the role of maternal nutrition and health during gestation (at time of ovarian development in their foetuses) has been investigated as factors that may impact oogonia proliferation and thus follicle numbers post-natally. These studies have found that both nutrition and health impact numbers of follicles in their offspring. The idea that numbers of follicles and oocytes in ovaries impact fertility is a long-held belief in reproductive biology. This has recently been tested in cattle, and it has been shown that cows with a relatively high number of antral follicles in ovaries have higher pregnancy rates, shorter calving to conception intervals and fewer artificial inseminations during the breeding season compared with cows with a lower number of follicles, and similarly, heifers with many follicles had higher pregnancy rates than those with fewer follicles. Studies summarized in this review highlight the importance of the maternal environment during gestation in determining the size of the ovarian reserve in their offspring and also the contribution of the ovarian reserve to subsequent fertility in cattle.     

Potential susceptibility of Australian flora to a NA2 isolate of Phytophthora ramorum and pathogen sporulation potential

Phytophthora ramorum is an invasive plant pathogen and the cause of considerable and widespread damage in nurseries, gardens and natural woodland ecosystems of the USA and Europe. It is considered to be a significant plant disease as it could cause biodiversity loss and severe economic losses in plant industries in areas where it is not yet known to exist, such as Australasia. Foliar susceptibility and sporulation potential were tested using detached‐leaf assays for 70 Australian native plant species sourced from established gardens and arboreta in California using a NA2 isolate of P. ramorum. Correa‘Sister Dawn’, Eucalyptus regnans, Isopogon cuneatus, I. formosus, Leptospermum scoparium, L. lanigerum and Melaleuca squamea were identified as potentially highly susceptible host species. Hedycarya angustifolia, Olearia argophylla, Phyllocladus aspleniifolius, Pittosporum undulatum and Podocarpus lawrencei were identified as potentially resistant. All 70 species were able to be infected with P. ramorum, as confirmed by reisolation. Putative sporulating hosts include five members of the Myrtaceae, Agonis flexuosa, Corymbia ficifolia, Eucalyptus haemastoma, E. delegatensis and E. viminalis. As a part of a precautionary strategy, the potentially highly susceptible species found in this study are suitable candidates for targeted surveillance programmes in high‐risk incursion areas of Australia and within the global horticultural trade.     

Incidence of lameness requiring veterinary treatment in dairy cattle in Queensland

A survey of the incidence of lesions causing lameness in dairy cattle was conducted by veterinarians in 9 practices in Queensland between November 1984 and July 1985. One hundred and eighty five cases were treated in 83 dairy herds. The average incidence of lameness which required treatment by veterinarians was 2.7 cases per 100 cows per 9 months, with a range of 1.4 to 5.5% in the 9 practices. Foot lesions constituted 83.2% of all lesions; the most common being interdigital necrobacillosis (15%), deep sepsis (8.9%), white line disease (8.4 per cent), axial groove fissure (8.4%), bruised sole (5.6%) and foreign body in the sole/heel (5.6%). Sixty-five per cent of foot lesions occurred in the hind feet and 63% of these lesions occurred in the lateral claw, while 37% of foot lesions occurred in abnormally shaped claws. Limb lesions accounted for the remaining 16.8% of lesions, and 50% of these lesions occurred in the hip and stifle, while trauma was the main cause of limb lesions.