Infection criteria,inoculum sources and splash dispersal pattern of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum acutatum</Emphasis> causing bitter rot of apple in New Zealand

Infection of Malus x domestica cv. Royal Gala fruit by Colletotrichum acutatum causing bitter rot was studied in the temperate climate of New Zealand. Temperatures above 15 °C were required for lesions to develop on detached apple wound-inoculated or inoculated without wounding with C. acutatum spores, regardless of maturity. A wetness period of 72 h was required for infection of mature detached apple fruit without wounding. On wound-inoculated detached apple fruits, sporulation was related to temperature and followed a similar pattern. In the field, a mean temperature above 15 °C for 72 h after wound-inoculation was required for lesions to develop. Buds were a more important source of inoculum than twigs, and it was shown that C. acutatum could be isolated more frequently from outer bud scales than from inner scales. Asymptomatic infection of vegetative and reproductive buds was detected. C. acutatum was detected on asymptomic surface-sterilised petals and fruit, more commonly during summer than spring. Symptomless sterilised leaves generally yielded C. acutatum throughout the season, but isolations were more frequent in summer. Recovery of inoculum using a splash meter to detect vertical dispersal showed that in summer inoculum was primarily splashed up from the ground. In spring, inoculum was recovered in similar quantities from all heights up to a metre, suggesting that splash dispersal occurs from the canopy as well as from the ground. A disease cycle for C. acutatum infecting apples and causing bitter rot in New Zealand is suggested.     

Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of granulosa cells during different stages of folliculogenesis in bovine ovaries

Bovine granulosa cells (GC) vary in their morphological aspect during different stages of folliculogenesis. In this study, 10 morphologically normal bovine ovaries were collected to study the structural aspects of different stages of GC using intermediate filament protein antibodies including cytokeratin AE1/AE3 (AE1/AE3), vimentin, nectin‐4 and desmin. Hormonal immunolocalization was assessed using the immunomarkers anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin alpha. In addition, tumour markers and proliferation markers using c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, respectively, were investigated. The immunolabelling of AE1/AE3 in GC was strongest in the early follicle stage and gradually decreased when reaching the Graafian follicle stage. Its immunolabelling increased again as the stage progressed from stage I to stage III. The immunolabelling of inhibin alpha was inversely proportional to that of AE1/AE3 in the developing ovarian follicles as their immunolabelling is opposite to each other during folliculogenesis. AMH was immunopositive in almost all GC stages in different intensities and percentages, except for some negative staining in the atretic IV follicles. The atretic IV follicle is a unique type of atretic follicle that shows Call‐Exner body formation, which was mainly found in older cows in this study. The distinct patterns of immunoreactivity for various types of immunomarkers in the different GC stages will play an important role in diagnostic assistance of various follicle conditions, including cystic ovaries and GC tumours.     

Preliminary Studies on the Concentration of Na+,K+-ATPase in Skeletal Muscle of Draught Cattle in Mozambique: Effect of Sex,Age and Training

The effect of training on the potential for work in draught cattle was assessed by measuring the Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase in the muscle cell membrane and the elevation in the concentration of K⁺ in plasma during exercise. Biopsies of the semitendinosus muscle and venous blood samples were taken from the cattle used for draught work in Mozambique. No differences were found in the plasma ion or Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase concentrations in samples taken from Nguni, Africander and Angoni breeds. There were no significant differences in plasma ions (Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl^–) or muscle Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase concentrations between the Angoni males and females, although the males showed an increase in Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase with age, while the females showed a decrease. The increase in males might be attributed to their higher level of activity in the herds than that of females. After a training period of 15 days, a significant increase in Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase concentration in semitendinosus muscle was found in Angoni cattle. In females, this was significant after 8 days of training (about 30%); in males after 15 days of training (about 16%). On day 15, there was a reduction in the elevation of plasma K⁺ during the 2 h of draught work, indicating an increased capacity of the Na⁺,K⁺ pumps to maintain the extracellular K⁺ concentration in working muscles and a possible delay in the moment of fatigue.     

Culture conditions for blastogenic responses of bovine mammary mononuclear cells

Several experimental parameters were examined to determine optimal conditions for proliferative responses of mammary mononuclear cells (MMC) obtained from six nonlactating dairy cows. These parameters were: pre-incubation of cells in medium prior to assay, mitogen concentration, assay incubation time, and type of culture medium. Response variables included viability of cells and the rate of proliferation as assessed by tritiated thymidine incorporation. Pre-incubation of cells in medium had no effect on the proliferative response of MMC. Whereas Concanavalin A (ConA; 3.3 or 6.6 micrograms/ml) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA; 1, 5, 10 micrograms/ml) did stimulate proliferation of MMC, the higher doses did not stimulate greater proliferation than the lower doses of mitogens. The greatest mitogenic response was obtained on days 2 and 3 of incubation. Proliferative responses were significantly higher at all mitogen levels tested in a 50-50 mixture of Rosewell Park Memorial Institute medium 1640 and Liebovitz-15 medium (RPMI/L-15) than in RPMI alone. Viability of MMC was also significantly higher in the RPMI/L-15 medium. To test whether the significant effect of media on blastogenesis was specific for mononuclear cells from the bovine mammary gland, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from four dairy cows were cultured with ConA and PHA in a mitogen assay in both RPMI and RPMI/L-15. Viability was measured on day of collection and on all culture days. PBL were stimulated equally in both media. PBL viability decreased significantly on day 1 in both RPMI and RPMI/L-15. These results suggest that the optimal culture conditions for blastogenic responses of mammary mononuclear cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes may differ.     

A new approach to managing health in Swine operations

It is proposed that just as the stethoscope and thermometer are fundamental tools for individual medicine, production and health recording systems are fundamental tools for effective population medicine. Treatment and control of clinical diseases as the primary objective is no longer considered appropriate for livestock population. Disease in populations now describes a deviation between what is happening and what is expected to happen. This redefinition of disease implies that it is of multifactorial origin and thus a different problem solving approach must be implemented. Therefore, a swine enterprise must be considered as a system, a set of interdependent components continuously interacting to produce pork. As a system, it is characterized by certain properties: change, environment, counterintuitive behavior, drift to low performance, interdependency, and organization. A redefinition of diseases implies also that they are not only “treated” but managed. Management consists of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and analysis. For this process to be implemented successfully, a goal-directed recording system providing a farm-based infrastructure for problem solving is essential. Clinical problem solving (diagnosis) is thus based on epidemiological and demographic methods.     

Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum infection in Neotropical primates in the western Amazon,Brazil

The Brazilian Amazon is endemic for malaria and natural infections by Plasmodium spp. have been detected in Neotropical primates. Despite the diversity of primate species in the region, studies on infections by these agents are limited. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency of infection by Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum in free‐born primates that were kept in captivity, in the western Amazon, Brazil. Blood samples were collected from 98 Neotropical primates. Detection of P. vivax and P. falciparum DNA was performed using a semi‐nested PCR, and the amplified products were sequenced. Plasmodium spp. DNA was detected in 6.12% (6/98) of the primates. P. vivax, and P. falciparum DNA was detected in 2.04% (2/98) and 4.08% (4/98) of these mammals, respectively. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the results obtained from the semi‐nested PCR. The presence of infected non‐human primates (NHP) can be auxiliary in the maintenance of P. falciparum and P. vivax and may have implications for the malaria surveillance and control in the Brazilian Amazon. It is necessary to structure an efficient surveillance system for the aetiological agents of malaria that infect NHP and humans to reduce the risk of Plasmodium spp. introduction into new areas, to protect all susceptible species.     

Cycle‐Characteristic Odour of Cow Urine Can Be Detected by the Female Face Fly (Musca autumnalis)

Due to declining dairy cow fertility rates, there is great interest in developing tools for oestrus detection. Compounds in the volatile profile of oestrous cows are suggested as oestrus‐specific, but consistent results have not been presented. Certain haematophagous arthropods can discriminate stages of the mammalian reproductive cycle based on host volatiles. This study investigated whether the face fly, Musca autumnalis de Geer (Diptera: Muscidae), can discriminate between urine from cows in oestrus and urine collected during the luteal phase. Individual flies were tested in a two‐choice behavioural assay with choice between odour of oestrous or luteal urine and water (control). Flies chose the control arm significantly more when exposed to oestrous urine than when exposed to luteal urine. Analysis of volatiles showed that 1‐hexadecanol (cetyl alcohol) was released in greater amounts from oestrous urine than from urine collected during the luteal phase. In a dose response assay, flies were significantly attracted by 0.01 ng of 1‐hexadecanol but significantly repelled by 0.1 ng, a pattern consistent with fly responses to urine. In conclusion, M. autumnalis can discriminate between oestrous and luteal urine, and this may be mediated by differences in 1‐hexadecanol concentration.     

Effect of prepubertal feeding regimen on reproductive development and performance of gilts through the first pregnancy

Development of gilts that conceive early and continue to produce offspring is an objective of swine production. We investigated different patterns of growth on reproductive development and performance of gilts through the first farrowing. At 13 wk of age and 43 kg BW, 286 white crossbred gilts were penned individually and assigned to treatments: Ad lib, ad libitum intake from 13 to 25 wk of age; Control, ad libitum intake from 13 wk of age until 100 kg BW and then 90% of ad libitum intake until 25 wk of age; and Restricted, 74% of ad libitum intake from 13 wk to 25 wk of age. Feed was formulated to restrict energy intake. The study was replicated in three seasons. At 25 wk of age, gilts were moved by treatment to group pens, fed for ad libitum consumption, and estrus detection was initiated. Gilts were inseminated at first estrus, and those recycling were remated. Postmating gilts were fed 1.5x maintenance until 105 to 110 d of pregnancy. Gilts were moved either to the farrowing facility or the abattoir at 105 to 110 d of pregnancy. Those taken to the abattoir were slaughtered and number, weight, and condition of the fetuses were recorded. Gilts moved to the farrowing facility were allowed to farrow, and number, weight, and condition of the piglets were recorded. Daily feed intake during breeding was 3.4 kg/d by Restricted gilts, 2.9 by Control gilts, and 2.7 kg/d by Ad lib gilts. Increased feed intake by Restricted gilts during breeding resulted in compensatory gains that overcame the reduced reproductive performance that resulted from the reduced BW and backfat these gilts carried at the start of breeding. Days to first estrus and pregnancy were not influenced by development period treatment (P < 0.13). Percentage of Ad lib, Control, and Restricted gilts that successfully completed their pregnancies were 61, 74, and 66, respectively (P > 0.19). Total feed fed from 13 wk of age to end of the first pregnancy per gilt assigned did not differ among Ad lib (506 kg) and Control (498 kg) gilts but was less (P < 0.01) in Restricted gilts (451 kg). Number of piglets born per gilt assigned (P > 0.09) and piglets produced per kilogram of feed fed from 13 wk of age to term (P > 0.29) were 6.47 and 0.0134 in Ad lib gilts, 7.26 and 0.0150 in Control gilts, and 6.38 and 0.0149 in Restricted gilts, respectively. Moderate feed restriction, 74% of ad libitum intake, reduced feed consumed from 13 wk of age to end of the first pregnancy with no significant impact on efficiency of piglet production.