Dorsal laminectomy for caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy: postoperative recovery and long-term follow-up in 20 dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the postoperative morbidity and long-term outcome of dogs after dorsal laminectomy for caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy (CCSM). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. SAMPLE POPULATION: Twenty dogs with CCSM. METHODS: Medical records of dogs treated by dorsal laminectomy for CCSM at North Carolina State University and Colorado State University between 1989 and 1999 were reviewed. Information on signalment, onset, progression and duration of clinical signs, diagnostic testing, sites of dorsal laminectomy, postoperative complications, length of hospitalization, and the ambulatory status on discharge was recorded. A minimum follow-up of 7 months was required for inclusion in the study. Neurologic status was graded (0 to 5) preoperatively, 2 days after surgery, and at the time of the study (final score). Improvement or worsening of the neurologic status was assessed by comparison of different scores for each dog. Additional follow-up information was obtained by means of a detailed telephone questionnaire directed at both the owner and referring veterinarian. RESULTS: Mean duration of clinical signs before surgery was 4.9 months. At admission, 15 dogs were ambulatory and 5 were nonambulatory. Neurologic status worsened in 70% of dogs 2 days after surgery but improved in all but 1 dog over the long term. Mean time to optimal recovery was 3.6 months. Long-term follow-up ranged from 7 months to 9 years (mean +/- SD, 3.2 +/- 2.4 years). Four dogs had confirmed recurrence; 2 other dogs may have had recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Dorsal cervical laminectomy is an effective treatment for CCSM in those dogs with dorsal compression or multiple sites of involvement. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although most dogs' neurologic status transiently worsened after surgery, long-term outcome and recurrence rates were comparable to those seen with other surgical techniques for CCSM.     

Relationship between accumulated heat stress during the dry period, body condition score, and reproduction parameters of Holstein cows in tropical conditions

To estimate the relationship between heat stress during the last 60 days prepartum, body condition score and certain reproductive traits in the subsequent lactation of Holstein cows, 564 multiparous cows and 290 primiparous cows from four dairy herds were used in a hot, humid region. Maximum prepartum degree days were estimated to quantify the degree of heat stress. Multiple regressions analyses and logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the effect of prepartum heat stress and body condition change on reproductive parameters, which were obtained from DHIA forms at the end of the lactation. Multiparous and primiparous cows which gained body condition score from calving to 60 d postpartum exhibited 28 and 27 fewer days open (P?<?0.05), respectively, than cows not gaining. There was no effect (P?>?0.05) of heat stress measurement on days open or services per conception in either multiparous or primiparous cows. During hotter months of calving, multiparous cows showed higher services per conception and primiparous cows showed higher days open and services per conception (P?<?0.05). Maximum prepartum degree-days were positively associated (P?<?0.05) with calving difficulty score. Multiparous cows with high body condition score at calving were 1.47 times more likely to present a very difficult calving than cows that calved in October (P?<?0.05). Collectively, these results suggest that reproductive performance was not affected by cumulative prepartum heat stress although it was associated with very difficult calving score.     

Effect of different hand-milking techniques on milk production and teat treatment in Zebu dairy cattle

The aim of the study was to test three different hand-milking techniques (“pull down”, “thumb in”, and “full hand grip”) and their effects on milk production and teat treatment. This is important since milk production in many tropical areas still rely on hand-milking. The study was carried out at a peri-urban farm in the Bobo-Dioulasso area in Burkina Faso. Twelve indigenous Zebu cows in early lactation were used in the study. The sequences of the treatments (hand-milking techniques) and the milkers were balanced for carry-over effects between successive periods and days, respectively. The sequences were constructed by using special Latin squares. Yield and composition of saleable milk was not affected by milking technique but there were differences between the milkers in milk yield. There was also a significant interaction for saleable milk yield between milker and milking technique. Hemoglobin in milk was measured as an indicator of teat damage. The hemoglobin content was numerically higher in post-milking strip milk samples than in saleable milk. It was concluded that the amount of milk removed depends mainly on the milker and how well the milking technique works for the individual milker. No effect of milking technique was observed on teat treatment.     

Environmentally sustainable production of food,feed and fuel from natural resources in the tropics

Responding to the challenges posed by global warming, peak oil and biofuels will require a paradigm shift in the practice of agriculture and in the role of live stock within the farming system. Farming systems should aim at maximizing plant biomass production from locally available diversified resources, processing of the biomass on farm to provide food, feed and energy and recycling of all waste materials. The approach that is the subject of this paper is that the generation of electricity can be a by-product of food/feed production. The concept is the fractionation of biomass into inedible cell wall material that can be converted to an inflammable gas by gasification, the gas in turn being the source of fuel for internal combustion engines driving electrical generators. The cell contents and related structures such as tree leaves are used as human food or animal feed. As well as providing food and feed the model is highly appropriate for decentralized small scale production of electricity in rural areas. It also offers opportunities for sequestration of carbon in the form of biochar the solid residue remaining after gasification of the biomass.     

Characterization of Awassi lamb fattening systems: a Syrian case study

Intensive lamb fattening systems are evolving in developing Middle Eastern countries due to high demand for lambs at favorable prices; however, little is known about their characteristics and constraints. A survey was conducted in Syria involving 241 farmers to characterize the fattening production systems and main constraints, with emphasis on feeding, management, labor, and marketing. Most farmers (90%) considered the income from fattening to be from medium to high, and 57% expressed that lamb fattening along with alternative income sources compose the family's livelihood strategies. Fattening systems offer employment to family members. Market price was the main decision factor to buy and sell lambs, but this was only part of various marketing aspects. Male lambs usually bought at markets at the mean age of 4 months (mean weight of 31 kg) are sold after fattening at a 50–60 kg weight range. The average yearly fattening cycle was 2.7 batches, and the average number of lambs per batch was 232. For 65% (n = 241) of the farmers the major constraint to fattening was feeding cost, and for about a half of farmers (51%, n = 241), disease outbreaks and prices for veterinarian services constituted the second important constraint. Research on least-cost fattening diets and curbing disease problems to increase farmer's income margins is needed. It is expected that due to existing commonalities, the information emerging from this study regarding major constraints to Awassi lamb fattening systems could be useful for an across-synthesis on Awassi fattening production in the region.     

First report of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neospora caninum</Emphasis> infection in cattle in Sudan

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Sudan to determine sero-prevalence and risk factors associated with Neospora caninum infection in non-vaccinated dairy herds and to assess importance of the disease. Blood samples were collected from a total of 262 animals from 25 herds. Sera were tested for antibodies against N. caninum using ELISA test. The prevalence rates of N. caninum antibodies in cattle were high both at herd level (44%) and at individual animal level (10.7%). Herd level infection rates were similar in Khartoum State (43.7%) and at Gazira States (44.4%). The overall prevalence rates were higher (16.1%) in Gazira State than in Khartoum State (9%) but with no significant variation. The sero-prevalence at individual animal level was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in animals with history of abortion (12.8%) than in apparently healthy animal (11.3%), animal with history of infertility (8.1%), or neonatal death of calves (4.3%). In addition, significantly higher (P < 0.05) sero-prevalence was observed in samples collected during the rainy season (6.87%) than winter (3.05%) or summer (0.76%). However, no significant differences in sero-prevalence due to locality, animal breed, sex, and age were observed (p > 0.05). This preliminary study reveals for the first time the existence of natural N. caninum infection in Sudan. Also, the findings of the present study indicated that this disease is highly prevalent in two major areas of dairy production in the country, and this calls for control strategy to be implemented.     

Separating component parts of soil respiration under <Emphasis Type="Italic">Robinia pseudoacacia</Emphasis> plantation in the Taihang Mountains,China

Partitioning the respiratory components of soil surface CO₂ efflux is important in understanding carbon turnover and in identifying the soil carbon sink/source function in response to land-use change. The sensitivities of soil respiration components on changing climate patterns are currently not fully understood. We used trench and isotopic methods to separate total soil respiration into autotrophic (R _A ) and heterotrophic components (R _H ). This study was undertaken on a Robinia pseudoacacia L. plantation in the southern Taihang Mountains, China. The fractionation of soil ¹³CO₂ was analyzed by comparing the δ¹³C of soil CO₂ extracted from buried steel tubes with results from Gas Vapor Probe Kits at a depth of 50 cm at the preliminary test (2.03‰). The results showed that the contribution of autotrophic respiration (fR _A ) increased with increasing soil depth. The contribution of heterotrophic respiration (fR _H ) declined with increasing soil depth. The contribution of autotrophic respiration was similar whether estimated by the trench method (fR _A , 23.50%) or by the isotopic method in which a difference in value of ¹³C between soil and plant prevailed in the natural state (RC, 21.03%). The experimental error produced by the trench method was insignificant as compared with that produced by the isotopic method, providing a technical basis for further investigations.     

Ocular signs of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis: a retrospective study in dogs from Barcelona, Spain

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is a tick-borne disease caused by the rickettsia Ehrlichia canis. Ocular lesions are a common feature of the disease and can be present in all stages. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the prevalence, type and response to treatment of ocular lesions associated with monocytic ehrlichiosis in 46 affected dogs presented to the Autonomous University of Barcelona-Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UAB-VTH) from January 2000 to December 2002. Dogs were included in the study only if they had a positive serologic test for E. canis and information about the clinical outcome was available. Eighteen breeds were represented, with the German Shepherd dog (n = 6) being the most common. There were 25 intact and three castrated males, and 16 intact and two neutered females. Twenty dogs (43.4%) were between 5 and 10 years old. Seventeen dogs (37% of all cases of monocytic ehrlichiosis diagnosed during the study period) had ocular signs, and 11 dogs (64.7% of the ocular cases) had only ocular lesions without apparent systemic signs. Exudative retinal detachment was the most common ocular manifestation; other prevalent findings included anterior exudative uveitis and optic neuritis. Five of the 17 cases with ocular lesions (29.4%) had ocular bleeding disorders (hyphema or retinal hemorrhages). All the dogs with ocular disease presented with bilateral signs. Dogs with posterior segment disease had titers against E. canis that were > or = 1 : 320, while lower titers were noted in dogs with anterior exudative uveitis. Two dogs presented with chronic autoimmune panuveitis after ehrlichiosis treatment. Canine ehrlichiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of exudative retinal detachment and anterior uveal inflammatory lesions.