Pregnancy Rates to Fixed Embryo Transfer of Vitrified IVP Bos indicus,Bos taurus or Bos indicus × Bos taurus Embryos

The pregnancy rates obtained after the transfer of cryopreserved in vitro‐produced (IVP) embryos are usually low and/or inconsistent. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pregnancy rates of Holstein, Gyr and Holstein × Gyr cattle after the transfer of vitrified IVP embryos produced with X‐sorted sperm. Seventy‐two Gyr and 703 Holstein females were subjected to ovum pickup (OPU) sessions, followed by in vitro embryo production using semen from sires of the same breeds. Embryos (1636 Holstein, 241 Gyr and 1515 Holstein × Gyr) were exposed to forskolin for 48 h prior to vitrification. The pregnancy rate achieved with Gyr dam and sire was 46.1%, which was similar (p = 0.11) to that of Holstein dam and Gyr sire (40.3%). Crossing Gyr dams with Holstein sires resulted in a pregnancy rate of 38.9% and did not differ (p = 0.58) from the pregnancy rate obtained with the cross between Holstein dams and Gyr sires. The rate obtained with Holstein dam and sire was 32.5%. The average pregnancy rate was 36.6%, and no difference was found in the proportion of female foetuses (88.8%, in average) among breeds (p > 0.05). In conclusion, transfer of cryopreserved X‐sorted embryos represents an interesting choice for dairy cattle. Despite the small differences between pregnancy rates, we highlight the efficiency of this strategy for all of the racial groups studied.     

Pathological investigations of pigs with porcine multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS)

Extract

Pathological changes and immunohistochemical (IHC) examination for porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) in nine weaner pigs from a property with PMWS are reported. The pigs were in moderate to poor body condition, and several had diarrhoea and noisy respiration. The outstanding pathological changes related to microscopic lesions in lymphoid tissues, including lymph nodes, palatine tonsils, Peyer's patches, peribronchial lymphoid aggregates and spleen. While there was variability of expression of change between and within cases, the main features of lesions could be summarised as depletion of lymphoid cells, infiltration of histiocytes (often syncytial), and the presence of botryoid intra-cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in macrophages. The changes in lymphoid tissue were typical of those described in PMWS. Also characteristic of this syndrome were histiocyte-dominated cellular inflammatory infiltrates in kidney, liver and lung. There was strong correlation between IHC positivity for PCV-2 and the lesions in lymphoid, pulmonary and renal tissues. Concurrent diseases that are probably promoted by immune suppression may complicate the diagnosis of PMWS. In the present cases, salmonellosis, attaching and effacing Escherichia coli infections, and secondary bacterial bronchopneumonia were identified.     

Fibre type-dependent response of broiler muscles to dietary antioxidant supplementation for oxidative stability enhancement

1. The influence of dietary antioxidants and quality of oil on the oxidative and physico-chemical properties of chicken broiler breast and thigh meat stored was studied in either an oxygen-enriched (HiOx: 80% O₂/20% CO₂) or an air-permeable polyvinylchloride (PVC) packaging system during retail display at 2–4°C for up to 14 and 7 d, respectively.

2. Broilers were fed on a diet with either a low-oxidised (peroxide value (POV) 23 meq O₂/kg) or a high-oxidised (POV 121 meq O₂/kg) oil, supplemented with or without an algae/selenium-based antioxidant with organic minerals, for 42 d.

3. Lipid and protein oxidation, myofibrillar protein profile and purge loss were analysed. In both packaging systems, lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances [TBARS]) was inhibited by up to 65% and 57% in chicken breast and thigh, respectively, with an antioxidant-supplemented diet compared to those without. In both breast and thigh samples, protein sulfhydryls and water-holding capacity (purge loss) were better protected by the antioxidant dietary treatment, regardless of oil quality.

4. Thigh muscles had up to sevenfold greater TBARS formation and more myosin heavy chain losses compared to breast samples. Antioxidant supplementation was more protective against lipid oxidation and water-holding capacity in the group fed on high-oxidised oil compared to those fed on low-oxidised oil.

5. The results suggest that dietary antioxidants can minimise the negative impact of oxidised oil on broiler meat quality, and this protection was more pronounced for thigh than breast muscle, indicating inherent variations between muscle fibre types.

     

A Possible Intracluster Origin for the Excess Soft X-ray Component in Some Clusters

The soft x-ray spectra of the Virgo and Coma clusters cannot be modeled by emission from the well-known hot intracluster medium attenuated by photoelectric absorption along the line of sight in our galaxy. If the excess soft emission is due to thermal emission in the clusters from gas at about 1 million kelvin, then the gas should be rapidly cooling. The high rate of cooling poses problems for the origin of the gas and its sink. A model in which the component is due to turbulent mixing layers around clouds scattered throughout the intracluster medium may explain the excess emission. The gas in the mixing layer is reheated after cooling, so that the total mass remains relatively small.     

The effect of Ridomil™ on the flavor of riced baked potatoes

Baked Monona and Abnaki potatoes from plants treated with Ridomil? 2EC on a 14 day schedule at the rate of 0.375 1b AI/A (1.5 pt formulation/A) were compared with an untreated control sample of the respective varieties by sensory panels of 13 and 18 members. No off-flavor was associated with the application of Ridomil at this level.