The specificity of the fluorescent antibody test using the sera of rabbits inoculated with strains of myocobacteria.

Sera from experimentally infected rabbits were used to test the specificity of the fluorescent antibody test. It was possible using mono-specific sera to differentiate antigenically Mycobacterium phlei, M fortuitum, M smegmatis, M avium, M intracellulare, M bovis (BCG) and M johnei. The cross-reactivity within the M avium and M intracellulare group was such that one antigen from these groups would detect infection within that group and exclude M johnei infection. The M phlei growth factor independent strain M johnei 316F was shown to be antigenically distinct from a M phlei dependent strain 9N96. There was loss of specificity when M avium infection was superimposed on a previous M johnei infection and when M johnei infection was superimposed on M avium infection.     

Copper metabolism in experimental Border disease.

The proposal that hypocupraemia and hypocuprosis are characteristic manifestations of Border disease and of aetiological significance has been investigated. Mean plasma copper concentrations in 65 affected and 47 unaffected lambs were similar and in a controlled experiment, plasma and tissue copper concentrations tended to be higher in affected lambs than in controls. It is concluded that hypocupraemia and hypocuprosis are not consistent features of Border disease and thus have no aetiological significance.     

The protein requirement of laying pullets with changing seasons in the tropics.

1. The protein requirements of White Leghorn laying pullets were evaluated in summer and winter using isocaloric diets containing 12-8, 15-0, 16-6, 18-5 and 21-6% protein. 2. The age at 50% production of summer-raised pullets was about 2 weeks later than that of winter-raised pullets irrespective of the concentration of dietary protein. 3. Egg production in summer-increased with increasing concentrations of protein up to 18-5%; further increases had no significant effect: in winter, egg production was similar provided the diet contained at least 15-0%. 4. The data on egg production, food consumption and egg weight indicated that the protein requirement of White Leghorn pullets is met by diets containing about 19% protein in summer and 15% in winter.     

Observations on the occurence and specificity of anti-bodies produced by infected hosts against the acetyl-cholinesterase present in some common gastrointestinal nematode parasites

Sera from hosts infected with a variety of nematodes were examined for the presence of antibodies against nematode acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Antibodies were detected in the serum from hosts infected with Oesophagostomum spp., Ostertagia spp. and Trichostrongylus spp., but not in serum from hosts infected with Cooperia pectinata or Haemonchus spp., Toxocara spp. or Trichuris vulpis. In those infections in which anti-AChE antibodies were found, some individual animals failed to produce detectable antibodies. The enzyme appeared to possess antigenic specificity at the genus but not the species level.     

The microbiology and sensory evaluation of pheasants hung at 5, 10 and 15 degrees C

Pheasants hung for 9 d at 10 °G were found to be more acceptable than those hung for 4 d at 15 °G or for 18 d at 5 °G. The birds stored at 15 °G were tough by comparison with those held for longer at the lower temperatures and the clostridia, including Clostridium welchii, increased considerably in the intestines during the storage period. Microbial growth in the muscle tissue was generally found to occur only in birds in which the gut had been perforated by shot. There is an indication that 9 d at 10 °C produced a more “ gamey “ bird than 18 d at 5 °G or 4 d at 15 °G, but the most “ gamey “ birds, independent of temperature, were those in which the muscle was damaged by shot.     

The bacteriological condition of eviscerated chickens processed under controlled conditions in a spin-chilling system and sampled by two different methods

Quantitative changes have been determined in the flora of chicken carcasses after passage through a series of three separate spin‐chillers. The majority of organisms were eliminated from the chill‐water during processing by using 1.7 1 of water per carcass and 45 to 50 ppm of total residual chlorine in the first two chillers and 1.0 1 of water per carcass and 25 to 30 ppm of residual chlorine in the third chiller.

Total viable counts at 20 and 37 °C and levels of coli‐aerogenes bacteria obtained from the rinsing of whole carcasses were reduced by more than 90% during chilling. Results obtained both with and without the use of chlorination compared favourably with those claimed for other chilling systems. It was concluded that the main effect of chlorination in the chillers was to destroy organisms washed from the carcasses, thus avoiding recontamination.

A comparison of two different sampling methods showed that maceration of neck‐skin usually gave higher counts of both faecal and spoilage bacteria after chilling than the rinsing of whole carcasses.