Breed differences and intra-breed genetic variability of dermatoglyphic pattern of cattle

SUMMARY: Muzzle dermatoglyphics - n. ridges, granula and vibrissae - were analysed in various breeds. Differences among these in most traits were significant. Herd effects accounted for about 1/10 of the variance and heritability, estimated by combining sib, halfsib and dam-daughter correlations corrected for herd differences was above 50% for ridges and vibrissae and about 30% for granula. Genetic correlations between ridge counts and n. vibrissae in different nose fields, respectively, were high as they were between the former and n. granula but they were negative or very low between vibrissae and the other two traits. Asymmetry among the counts in the two muzzle sides was significant for nearly all traits, Heritabilities were low, around 10 to 20%, and the crossbreds had less asymmetry than their parental breeds. The correlations among asymmetry measures were low. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Rassenunterschiede und genetische Variabilit?t von Flotzmaulmustern Flotzmaulmerkmale - Zahl von Leisten, Warzen und Haaren - wurden in verschiedenen Rassen untersucht. Unterschiede zwischen diesen waren für alle Merkmale signifikant. Herdeneinflüsse verursachten etwa 1/10 der Varianz und Heritabilit?tswerte, gesch?tzt aus Korrelationen zwischen Zwillingen, Halbgeschwistern und T?chter-Müttern, korrigien für Herdeneinflüsse, variierten zwischen 36 und mehr als 50%. Genetische Korrelationen zwischen Leistenzahl und Zahl von Haaren in verschiedenen Flotzmaulfeldern waren hoch, ebenso wie die zwischen ersteren und Zahl von Warzen, aber sie waren negativ oder sehr gering zwischen Haaren und den andern beiden Merkmalen. Asymmetrie zwischen Zahlen in beiden Flotzmaulh?lften war signifikant für fast alle Merkmale. Heritabilit?tswerte waren niedrig, etwa 10-20% und Kreuzungstiere zeigten weniger Asymmetrie als ihre Herkunftsrassen. Die Korrelationen zwischen Asymmetriema?en waren niedrig.     

Changes in liveweight and behaviour of alpaca dams and offspring following weaning

The effects of offspring sex, weight, age, and level of interaction with the dam on responses to weaning were examined to assist in the development of a weaning protocol for alpacas. In the first study, preand post-weaning activities, and weight change over Days -12-0,0-7 and 7-16 with respect to weaning, were recorded for 20 dam-offspring (hembra-cria) pairs aged 81-200 days. Pre-weaning changes in dam and offspring weights were positively related (P<0.05). Although heavier crias tended to be found closer to their dams than lighter crias (P<0.05) no additional effect of age on the dam-offspring relationship was found. Following weaning, cria growth rates were low over Days 0-7 but improved over Days 7-16, and hembra weight change followed the same pattern. Over Days 0-2, grazing and sitting activities of hembras and crias were replaced by standing and walking along paddock fencelines, although by Day 2 fenceline activities had decreased (P<0.05). Crias which were more frequently observed at fencelines had lower post-weaning growth rates (P<0.05). In the second study, pre-weaning sucking behaviour, and weight change over Days -30-0, 0-8 and 8-16 with respect to weaning, were recorded for 19 hembra-cria pairs aged 124-160 days. During 10 hours of observation on Days -5 and -4, the total duration of sucking by individual crias varied from 0-18 minutes, and the mean +/- SEM duration of sucking was 1.94 +/- 0.113 minutes. Cria sucking behaviour was positively related to growth rate prior to and weight at weaning (P<0.05). As in the first study, pre-weaning changes in dam and offspring weights were positively related (P<0.05). Following weaning, growth rates of the crias were depressed and the hembras lost weight over Days 0-8 and 8-16. The changes in growth rate and behaviour in Studies 1 and 2 indicated that weaning can be stressful for hembras and crias. However, there was no evidence from either study that pre-weaning behavioural or physical characteristics were related to the changes.     

The pharmacokinetics of thiamphenicol in lactating cows

The pharmacokinetics of thiamphenicol were studied after intravenous and intramuscular administration of 25 mg/kg body weight in lactating cows. Distribution (t _1/2) and elimination (t _1/2) half-lives of 6.10±1.39 min and 1.60±0.30 h, respectively, were obtained after intravenous administration. The body clearance was 3.9±0.077 ml/kg per min and the apparent volume of distribution was 1220.79±256.67 ml/kg. The rate at which thiamphenicol appeared in the milk, as indicated by the penetration half-life (t _1/2P) (serum to quarters), was found to be 36.89±11.14 min. The equivalent elimination half-life (t _1/2E) (quarters to serum) from the milk was 3.62±1.06 h and the peak thiamphenicol concentration in the milk was 23.09±3.42 µg/ml at 2.5±0.32 h.After intramuscular injection, the elimination half-life was 2.2±0.40 h, the absorption half-life was 4.02±1.72 min and the peak concentration in the serum was 30.90±5.24 µg/ml at 23±8.4 min. The bioavailability after intramuscular administration approached 100%. The penetration half-life was 50.59±6.87 min, the elimination half-life was 5.91±4.97 h and the mean peak concentration in the milk was 17.37±2.20 µg/ml at 3.4±0.22 h.Abbreviations AUC area under the concentration-time curve - CAP chloramphenicol - C _max peak concentration - IM intramuscular - IV intravenous - TAP thiamphenicol - t _1/2 distribution half-life - t _1/2 elimination half-life - V _c volume of central compartment - V _d volume of distribution