Diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis infection in calves sensitized by mycobacteria of the avium/intracellulare group

Because of the frequent exposure of cattle to mycobacteria of the avium/intracellulare group, an investigation was carried out into the possible repercussions thereof on the diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis. Three calves from a bovine tuberculosis-free herd, scored avian reactors in the gamma-interferon assay for bovine tuberculosis, were sedated and inoculated endotracheally with a virulent Mycobacterium bovis strain. Then, three other avian reactors were housed with the above donor calves. Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from the nasal swabs of the three endotracheally infected, donor calves. On these samples, TB complex-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for IS6110 were also positive, albeit with a different time kinetics. The three contact-infected calves showed clear immunological signs of infection; however, their nasal swabs were always PCR-negative and only Mycobacterium avium was isolated. In the endotracheally infected donor calves there was a rise of the gamma-interferon responses to avian and bovine purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculins, which reached the same stable plateau levels over the whole experiment. The above effect was also observed in the contact-infected calves, even though the response to avian PPD tuberculin always remained at a higher level. By using conventional bovine and avian PPD tuberculins, the comparative intradermal test was generally positive in endotracheally infected, as opposed to contact-infected calves; a positive intradermal test for M. bovis was obtained in two contact-infected calves by different bovine PPD tuberculins based on M. bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) secreted or somatic antigens. It was concluded that M. bovis infection may be concealed for some time in cattle sensitized by mycobacteria of the avium/intracellulare group and that different diagnostic procedures should be adopted for such animals.     

Delayed acute capture myopathy in three roe deer

Delayed acute capture myopathy is the term used to describe the clinical syndrome observed in three roe deer captured by drive-nets and transported to an enclosure for scientific purposes. The animals died 48 h, 60 h and 8 days after being captured. The simultaneous deaths coincided with a previous episode of deliberate human disturbance. The histopathological findings were indicative of acute myopathy and myoglobinaemic nephrosis. These could be related to an ataxic myoglobinuric syndrome brought on by capture and transport operations. The lack of clinical signs and negative prognosis indicators in the period between capture and just before death. the absence of gross muscular lesions in the animal that died after 8 days post-capture, the simultaneous deaths of animals captured at different times and the evidence of deliberate human disturbance in the enclosure are suggestive of death triggered by a second stress episode.     

用耐草甘膦抗农达大豆和用近同基因传统大豆制作的豆粕在生长肥育猪日粮中的应用

前言豆粕是世界各地畜禽饲养中最常用的蛋白质饲料,它有优良的氨基酸构成,可在畜禽饲养中作为玉米、高粱、大麦等谷物的补充。现已培育出了一些作物,包括大豆在内,其中整合入了一个能赋予作物以耐“草甘膦”能力的基因;草甘膦(glyphosate)是常用除草剂“农达”(Roundup~(R))中的活性成分(Padgette等,1995)。该基因编码土壤杆菌属(Agrobacterium sp.)CP4     

Green tea flavan-3-ols and oligomeric proanthocyanidins inhibit the motility of infective larvae of Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis in vitro

The effects of a hot water infusion and an aqueous acetone extract of green tea (Camellia sinensis) on the motility of infective larvae of the sheep nematodes Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis were investigated under in vitro conditions. The infusion and extract dose-dependently inactivated the infective larvae as assessed by the larval migration inhibition (LMI) assay. To determine the components responsible for the inhibitory activity, the hot water infusion and aqueous acetone extract of green tea were fractionated on Sephadex LH-20 and the green tea extract fractions (GTE-I-VIII) characterised by mass spectrometry. The larvae were exposed to increasing concentrations of these GTE fractions. Fractions containing epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and proanthocyanidin oligomers were most effective. GTE fractions were more effective against T. circumcincta than T. colubriformis larvae as assessed by the LMI assay.     

Frequency of the mutant MDR1 allele associated with multidrug sensitivity in a sample of collies from France

A study was performed to determine the frequency of the mutant MDR1 allele associated with ivermectin sensitivity in a sample of collies living in France. Buccal swab samples were collected from approximately 83 collies for determination of MDR1 genotype. DNA was extracted and the polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify a 148 bp (wildtype MDR1 genotype) or 144 bp (mutant MDR1 genotype) amplicon containing the MDR1 mutation. Sequence analysis was performed to determine the genotype of each dog. Adequate quantities of DNA for unequivocal genotyping were obtained from only 25 of 83 swabs. Twenty percent (5/25) of the collies studied were homozygous for the normal allele (normal), 32% (8/25) were heterozygous (carrier), and 48% (12/25) were homozygous for the mutant allele (affected). The results of this study indicate that a high percentage of collies presenting to veterinarians in France harbor the MDR1 mutation, thus impacting some therapeutic decisions.     

Comparison of three methods of feeding sows in gestation and the subsequent effects on lactation performance

A total of 684 sows from breeding groups over 6 wk was used to compare three methods of feeding during gestation on gestation and lactation performance. Control gilts and sows were fed according to body condition based on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = thin, 5 = fat). Sows were visually assessed for body condition at breeding and were assigned a daily feed allowance to achieve a BCS of 3 at farrowing. Treatment 2 used feeding levels based on backfat thickness (measured between d 0 and 5 after breeding) and weight at weaning for sows or service for gilts. Feed allowance was calculated to achieve a target backfat of 19 mm at farrowing, and remained constant from d 0 to 101 of gestation. Feed allowances were based on modeled calculations of energy and nutrient requirements to achieve target sow maternal weight and backfat gains. Treatment 3 was identical to Treatment 2, except that feeding pattern was altered for thin sows and gilts (<15 mm at service) in an attempt to reach 19 mm by d 36 of gestation. Sows were weighed at the previous weaning, and gilts were weighed at service, with both weighed again between d 112 and 114 of gestation. Backfat was measured between d 0 and 5, and again between d 108 and 113 of gestation. At farrowing, sows on Treatments 2 and 3 had 19 and 19.1 mm of backfat, respectively, whereas control sows tended to have greater (P < 0.07) backfat (20 mm). On average, sows targeted to gain 6 to 9 mm of backfat failed to reach target gains regardless of feeding method. Feeding sows in gestation based on backfat (Treatments 2 and 3) resulted in a numerically higher proportion of sows in the target backfat range of 17 to 21 mm (40.2, 53.3, and 52.6% for control and Treatments 2 and 3, respectively) at farrowing and a numerically lower percentage of fat sows (>21 mm), but no difference in the percentage of thin sows (<17 mm) compared with feeding based on body condition. In conjunction with this observation, sows fed based on BCS were fed higher (P < 0.05) feeding levels in gestation than were sows fed based on backfat depth. Gestation feeding method had no effect on performance during lactation. Feed intake in lactation was lower (P < 0.05) for high backfat sows (>21 mm) at farrowing compared with sows with <21 mm. The high proportion of sows in the optimal backfat category demonstrates that feeding based on backfat and BW has potential for facilitating more precise feeding during gestation.     

Effect of anionic salt and highly fermentable carbohydrate supplementations on urine pH and on experimentally induced hypocalcaemia in cows

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of dietary grain on calcium homeostasis. Six rumen-fistulated dairy cows with 3 or more previous lactations and no history of parturient paresis were randomly assigned to a sequence of diets in a crossover study with 4 periods of 10 days each. Dietary treatments were: A control ration consisting of wrap grass silage alone (1), the control ration supplemented with ammonium chloride and ammonium sulphate salt solution (2), control ration following a period with supplementation (3) and control ration supplemented with increasing amounts of barley from 4 to 10 kg/cow per day, expected to produce subclinical rumen acidosis (4). Daily intake of the diets was adjusted to 14 kg DM/cow per day. On day 11, the calcium-regulating mechanisms in cows were challenged until recumbency by a standardized intravenous EDTA infusion and cows were left to recover spontaneously. Anion supplementation and the feeding of highly fermentable carbohydrate lowered urine pH below 7.0 due to subclinical acidosis. During spontaneous recovery from EDTA induced hypocalcaemia, the cows more quickly regained a whole blood free calcium concentration of 1.00 mmol/L if they had most recently been supplemented with either anionic salts or with increasing amounts of barley, as compared to the basic ration. It is concluded that so-called slug-feeding or 'steaming up' with highly fermentable carbohydrates before parturition in milk fever susceptible cows enhanced calcium homeostasis similar to the effect seen in cows on anionic diets.     

An evaluation of mycophage therapy, chemotherapy and vaccination for control of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection

The control of ovine Johne's disease (OJD) is important for domestic trade, the viability of farming units and possibly also for public health. Current strategies in Australia have included quarantine and pasture spelling to decrease prevalence and shedding rates and reduce numbers of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (Mptb) ingested by susceptible sheep. However, alternative procedures are needed and vaccination with Gudair has recently commenced. This review examines prospects for the control of OJD by chemotherapy, vaccination and mycophages. Current chemotherapeutic regimes for treatment of M. paratuberculosis in ruminants are prohibitively expensive and of dubious efficacy, and apart from environmental concerns, mycophage therapy lacks a track record of success against intracellular bacteria. There is substantial evidence that live and killed mycobacterial vaccines reduce the incidence of clinical disease and shedding rates in OJD. An appraisal of recent experimental results suggests that neonatal vaccination with a defined dose of M. paratuberculosis offers the best prospects for the induction of protective Th1-type immunity.     

Serotyping and virulence genes detection in Escherichia coli isolated from fertile and infertile eggs, dead-in-shell embryos, and chickens with yolk sac infection

Escherichia coli is a common avian pathogen mainly associated with extraintestinal infections such as yolk sac infection (YSI). The aim of this study was to determine the serotypes and the presence of some virulence genes of E. coli strains isolated from different samples in a vertically integrated poultry operation in Mexico. Two hundred sixty-seven E. coli isolates from different samples were serotyped using rabbit serum against the 175 somatic (O) and 56 flagellar (H) antigens of the typing schema. Virulence genes were determined by colony blot hybridization, using DNA probes for st, eae, agg1, agg2, bfp, lt, cdt, slt, and ipaH diarrhea-associated virulence factors. The serogroup of 85% of the strains was determined; O19 (12%), 084 (9%), 08 (6%), and 078 (5%) were the most common. Using the complete antigenic formula (O and H), O19:NM (n = 31) was the serotype most frequently isolated from dead-in-shell embryos and in broilers that had died on the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh days after hatch. One hundred ten strains (41.2%) hybridized with one or more of the used probes. Of these, ipaH (72%), eae (30%), and cdt (27%) were the most common. Considering the origin of the respective isolates, 40% of the broiler farm strains were positive for at least one probe. Results show that some avian E. coli strains isolated in Mexico are included in avian pathogenic E. coli serotypes not previously reported, suggesting that they could be specific for this geographic area. The wide distribution of the ipaH gene among nonmotile strains suggests that this invasiveness trait could be important in YSI pathogenesis. On the other hand, some other genes could contribute to E. coli virulence during YSI.