Dystocia in a Rothschild giraffe leading to a caesarean section

A 9-year-old female Rothschild giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi), weighing approximately 900 kg, at Longleat Safari Park, Wiltshire, UK was presented with dystocia in September 2005. This paper details the surgical and anaesthetic procedures carried out performing a caesarean section to remove a dead male calf and the successful recovery of the giraffe.     

Animal models for human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections

Since its detection in 2001 the human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a member of the Paramyxoviridae family, was observed to be a serious pathogen in human respiratory infections during childhood. Meanwhile, several animal models have been established to study the virus-host interactions and pathogenic effects. Mainly, small laboratory animals like mice and cotton rats have been used, although the usage of these two species for HMPV research is controversially discussed and contradictious results were obtained by different groups. Further trials with ferrets, hamsters and non human primates were performed revealing different success in their individual usage. In this review we present the different animal models, summarize their advantages and disadvantages, and discuss the controversial results from different studies.     

Assessment of the socio-economic impacts associated with the arrival of apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) in Mwea irrigation scheme,Kenya

Background

In Kenya, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is mainly produced under irrigation by small-scale farmers. Mwea irrigation scheme (MIS) in Kirinyaga County accounts for 80–88% of rice production. Here, rice is the main source of livelihood and a source of revenue generation for the county. However, a recently established invasive freshwater snail, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck) (family: Ampullariidae), a species of apple snail, presents a serious threat to rice production.

Results

Household surveys, focus group discussions and key informant interviews highlight apple snail as a serious problem in MIS. Households that observed at least a moderate level of infestation (>20% of cultivated area) experienced significant reductions in rice yield (~14%) and net rice income (~60%). Farmers reported increased use of chemical pesticides for management of apple snail. In addition, the cost of hired labor for physical removal of egg masses and snails is resulting in substantial negative effects on net income. Farmer age, area of land owned, responsibility for decision-making, receipt of extension advice, training, and membership of a farmer organization, were all statistically significant variables to explain farmers awareness of the need for area-wide apple snail management.

Conclusion

Strategies to limit the spread of apple snail are urgently needed. A Multi-Institutional Technical Team (MITT) has been established to spearhead management efforts and consolidate advice to farmers on how to manage apple snail. However, without action to mitigate spread, the consequences could be disastrous for rice production and food security in Kenya, and for other rice growing regions across Africa. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Chronic eosinophilic granulomatous tenosynovitis in a Quarter Horse mare

A 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare was presented to the Michigan State University Equine Surgery Service for evaluation of a right hind metatarsophalangeal joint injury. On presentation, the horse was a grade 4/5 lame. Radiographs and ultrasonography showed peritendinous ossification/mineralisation of soft tissue structures and digital flexor tenosynovitis with profound intracapsular mineralisation. A digital flexor tendon sheath tenoscopy was performed with a plantar annular ligament desmotomy and a manica flexoria ligament tenotomy. During surgery, a significant amount of tan granular material was found within the digital tendon sheath. Approximately 80% of this material was removed, and a sample was sent for histopathology. The horse was diagnosed with eosinophilic granulomatous tenosynovitis. Long-term follow-up revealed improvement with four treatments of intralesional triamcinolone given 2–4 weeks apart. The horse became serviceably sound (grade 1/5) and was beginning light work under the saddle approximately 5 months post-tenoscopy.     

Measured and estimated water use and crop coefficients of grapevines trained to overhead trellis systems in California’s San Joaquin Valley

The use of overhead trellis systems for the production of dry-on-vine (DOV) raisins and table grapes in California is expanding. Studies were conducted from 2006 to 2009 using Thompson Seedless grapevines grown in a weighing lysimeter trained to an overhead arbor trellis and farmed as DOV raisins for the first two years and for use as table grapes thereafter. Maximum canopy coverage for the two lysimeter vines across years was in excess of 80 %. Seasonal (15 March–31 October) evapotranspiration for the lysimeter vines (ET_Lys) was 952 mm in 2007 (farmed as DOV raisins) and 943 and 952 mm (when farmed as table grapes). The maximum crop coefficient (K _cLys) across all 4 years ranged from 1.3 to 1.4. These maximum values were similar to those estimated using the relationship where K _c is a function of the amount of shaded area measured beneath the canopy at solar noon (K _c = 0.017 × percent shaded area). Covering the lysimeter’s soil surface with plastic (and then removing it) numerous times during the 2009 growing season (1 June–14 September) reduced ET_Lys from an average of 6.4 to 5.6 mm day^?1 and the K _c from 1.07 to 0.93. A seasonal basal K _c (K _cb) was calculated for grapevines using an overhead trellis system with a 13 % reduction in the K _cLys across the growing season.     

Salinity, drainage and selenium problems in the Western San Joaquin Valley of California

Highly productive, irrigated agriculturecan be found in California's Central Valleymade up of the Sacramento, San Joaquin, andTulare Lake basins. High water tablesthroughout much of the San Joaquin andTulare Lake portions of the Valley threatenthis highly productive region. Due totopographic and environmental constraintsmuch of the region is currently withoutdrainage. In 1990 State and Federalgovernment agencies combined to produce areport that outlined possible steps to dealwith the drainage issue. These stepsincluded: 1) Source control (practices toreduce the amount of drainage water); 2)Drainage reuse; 3) Evaporation systems; 4)Land retirement (cease irrigation); 5)Groundwater management; and 6) Discharge tothe San Joaquin River. General backgroundinformation to the history and hydrology ofthe Valley as well as a discussion of thefeasibility and constraints of providingdrainage by discharging drain water to theSan Joaquin River are presented. Inaddition a general discussion of thetechnical and political limitations ofproviding drainage in the River arediscussed.     

Growth and competitiveness of the New Zealand tree species Podocarpus cunninghamii is reduced by ex-agricultural AMF but enhanced by forest AMF

The composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities found in agricultural systems has been found to be very different to that of forest. The implications of this, if any, for the restoration of indigenous forest on ex-agricultural land is poorly understood. This study investigated the effect that AMF communities isolated from ex-agricultural and forest soils have on the growth of an indigenous New Zealand tree species (Podocarpus cunninghamii). The forest AMF community was isolated from a remnant stand of P. cunninghamii forest and the ex-agricultural AMF from a retired grazing grassland. In addition, the study examined how the two AMF communities affected the competitiveness of P. cunninghamii when grown in competition with an invasive grass species (Agrostis capillaris), which is frequently dominant on ex-agricultural land in New Zealand. P. cunninghamii growth was significantly decreased by inoculation with ex-agricultural AMF compared to forest AMF. Furthermore, the forest AMF community was able to significantly increase P. cunninghamii root production when in competition with A. capillaris. The findings suggest that when attempting to restore indigenous forest on ex-agricultural land, inoculation of tree seedlings with appropriate forest AMF may improve their growth and survival.     

Land-use history has a stronger impact on soil microbial community composition than aboveground vegetation and soil properties

The response of soil microbial communities following changes in land-use is governed by multiple factors. The objectives of this study were to investigate (i) whether soil microbial communities track the changes in aboveground vegetation during succession; and (ii) whether microbial communities return to their native state over time. Two successional gradients with different vegetation were studied at the W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan. The first gradient comprised a conventionally tilled cropland (CT), mid-succession forest (SF) abandoned from cultivation prior to 1951, and native deciduous forest (DF). The second gradient comprised the CT cropland, early-succession grassland (ES) restored in 1989, and long-term mowed grassland (MG). With succession, the total microbial PLFAs and soil microbial biomass C consistently increased in both gradients. While bacterial rRNA gene diversity remained unchanged, the abundance and composition of many bacterial phyla changed significantly. Moreover, microbial communities in the relatively pristine DF and MG soils were very similar despite major differences in soil properties and vegetation. After >50 years of succession, and despite different vegetation, microbial communities in SF were more similar to those in mature DF than in CT. In contrast, even after 17 years of succession, microbial communities in ES were more similar to CT than endpoint MG despite very different vegetation between CT and ES. This result suggested a lasting impact of cultivation history on the soil microbial community. With conversion of deciduous to conifer forest (CF), there was a significant change in multiple soil properties that correlated with changes in microbial biomass, rRNA gene diversity and community composition. In conclusion, history of land-use was a stronger determinant of the composition of microbial communities than vegetation and soil properties. Further, microbial communities in disturbed soils apparently return to their native state with time.