Characterization of Influence of Manure Handling System and Feeding on the Level of Ammonia Release Using a Simple Method in Cow Houses

The effects of manure handling system and feeding of dairy cows were studied using a simple method to analyse the level of ammonia release in cow stables. Two ratios based on the balances of ammonia and sensible heat, and ammonia and carbon dioxide, respectively, in animal houses were determined and considered to give characteristic levels of the release of ammonia in relation to the animal density independently of the ventilation rate. This required measurements of ammonia, carbon dioxide and temperature with hand-held instruments in the buildings and in outside air. In total, 34 dairy herds were investigated in the south of Sweden. The results clearly demonstrated higher release of ammonia from free stall barn with liquid manure than from conventional tie stall barn with solid manure. There was a clear effect of the content of crude protein, gram per kg dry matter, in the total feed ration on ammonia release in tie stall barn with liquid manure.     

Genotype by climate interaction in the genetic evaluation for growing traits of Braunvieh cattle in Mexico

The objective of this study was to determine the magnitude of genotype by climate interaction (GCI) in the national genetic evaluation for weaning (WW) and yearling (YW) weights of Mexican Braunvieh cattle. The numbers of performance records and animals in the pedigree were 12,364 and 25,173 for WW, and 7,991 and 18,072 for YW, respectively. Performance records were clustered based on climatological variables into: dry tropic (DT), wet tropic (WT), and temperate (TE) climates. Animal models were used to estimate genetic parameters and predict breeding values in each of the climates. Bivariate analyses were carried out for pairwise combinations of climates on each trait, considering the same trait in different climates as a different trait. Criteria to evaluate GCI were genetic correlations (r _g), correlations between predicted breeding values (r _BV), and frequencies of coincidence (FC) in the ranking of the top 25 sires. Results of comparisons between pairs of climates were variable, depending on specific cases. For WW, the r _g, r _BV, and FC ranged from ?0.36 to 0.84, ?0.60 to 0.97, and 0.16 to 0.92, respectively; whereas for YW, they fluctuated between 0.23 and 0.99, 0.33 and 1.00, and 0.60 and 1.00, respectively. For both traits, the results suggest absence of GCI between DT and TE; however, GCI was detected in the other pairs of climates, where WT was involved. To maximize genetic progress, the joint genetic evaluation should be performed only for animals with performance data in DT and TE, whereas a separated evaluation is suggested for animals with performance records generated under WT conditions.     

非合格种蛋孵化的商品肉鸡生产性能

集约化商品肉鸡生产企业的目标是每只入舍母鸡能够生产出最大数量的可孵化种蛋和最多的高质量雏鸡。在适当的饲养管理条件下,一只母鸡产蛋可超过180个,鸡肉产量达到270kg。这些生产数据在鸡只之间存在着非常大的差距,其原因可追溯至种蛋的收集标准、储存条件和孵化条件。在坚持种蛋选择与分级的基础上进行常规性的饲养管理,生产企业获得最大收益的目标不难实现。     

Relationship between the serum concentrations of serotonin and lipids and aggression in dogs

The serum concentrations of serotonin and lipids--triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein--were determined in 18 normal dogs and 23 dogs diagnosed as aggressive on the basis of interviews with their owners and an assessment of their behaviour with reference to a canine overt aggression chart. The serum serotonin levels in the aggressive dogs were significantly lower than in the normal dogs (P<0.01), but the differences in serum lipids between the two groups were not statistically significant.     

Canine hyperplastic intraepidermal pustular and suprabasal acantholytic dermatosis with features of human pemphigus vegetans

Pemphigus vegetans is a rare autoimmune blistering acantholytic dermatosis of humans that combines unusually hyperplastic and verrucous pustular skin lesions and mucosal erosions. We report herein the clinical, histopathologic, and immunologic findings in a dog whose lesions resembled, but were not identical to, those of human pemphigus vegetans. A 4-year-old male Greater Swiss Mountain Dog presented with multifocal cutaneous verrucous and crusted papules and pustules, as well as skin and mucosal erosions and ulcers. Microscopic lesions consisted of exophytic papillated epidermal hyperplasia, superficial and deep intraepidermal acantholytic neutrophilic and eosinophilic pustules, and suprabasal epidermal clefts leaving rounded basal keratinocytes at the bottom of the vesicles. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence revealed antikeratinocyte IgG autoantibodies. Immunoprecipitation immunoblotting and immunoabsorption experiments with recombinant canine desmogleins confirmed that autoantibodies recognized desmoglein-1. In this dog, clinical and histopathologic features resembled those of human pemphigus vegetans, while circulating autoantibodies against canine desmoglein-1 were solely identified. This antigen target is different from that of the human disease in which antidesmoglein-3 autoantibodies are detected most commonly.     

Diagnostic ultrasonography in ruminants.

The use of diagnostic ultrasound equipment is becoming widespread within various sectors of veterinary practice. Ultrasonographic examination has several advantages over other imaging modalities and it can be applied in hospital and ambulatory settings. It has the potential for widespread use in the diagnosis of disorders of several body systems in food animal species. This article describes its application to gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, cardiothoracic, urogenital, and umbilical disorders. Normal and abnormal findings are portrayed and discussed. Accurate and timely use of this diagnostic modality requires a modest amount of training and practice, but it allows for relatively rapid, inexpensive, and noninvasive acquisition of clinically relevant data.     

Effect of previous locoweed (Astragalus and Oxytropis species) intoxication on conditioned taste aversions in horses and sheep

Locoweed species (Astragalus and Oxytropis spp.) are a serious toxic plant problem for grazing livestock. Horses and sheep have been conditioned to avoid eating locoweed using the aversive agent LiCl. The objective of this study was to determine if previous locoweed intoxication affects food aversion learning in horses and sheep. Horses and sheep were divided into 3 treatment groups: control (not fed locoweed and not averted to a novel feed); locoweed-novel feed averted (fed locoweed and averted to a novel feed); and averted (not fed locoweed and averted to a novel feed). Animals in the locoweed-novel feed averted groups were fed locoweed during 2 periods of 21 and 14 d, respectively, with each feeding period followed by a 14-d recovery period. Animals were averted to a novel test feed at the end of the first locoweed-feeding period, and periodically evaluated for the strength and persistence of the aversion. During the first recovery period, locoweed-novel feed averted horses ate less (9.5% of amount offered) of the test feed than did control horses (99.8%) and did not generally differ from averted horses (0%). During recovery period 2, locoweed-novel feed averted horses (4.3%) differed (P = 0.001) in consumption (% of offered) of the test feed from controls (100%) and the averted group (0%). Locoweed-novel feed averted sheep differed (P = 0.001) from controls (14.4 vs. 99.5%, respectively, during recovery period 1), whereas locoweed-novel feed averted sheep did not differ (P > 0.50) from averted sheep (0.6%). During the second recovery period, control sheep (100%) differed (P < 0.05) from averted (0%) and locoweed-novel feed averted (12.2%) groups. Two intoxicated sheep (locoweed-novel feed averted) partially extinguished the aversion during the first recovery period, but an additional dose of LiCl restored the aversion. Two of 3 intoxicated horses had strong aversions that persisted without extinction; 1 horse in the locoweed-novel feed averted group had a weaker aversion. These findings suggest that horses and sheep previously intoxicated by locoweeds can form strong and persistent aversions to a novel feed, but in some animals, those aversions may not be as strong as in animals that were never intoxicated.     

Effect of system of feeding and watering on performance of lactating sows

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of ad libitum access to feed and water and the option to mix feed and water, all in the same feeder, on the performance of multiparous lactating sows. Feed and water were made available to sows using a self-fed wet/dry (SFWD) or a hand-fed (HF) feed-water system. In the SFWD system, feed and water were dropped into a common trough area of the feeder. The sow determined when and how much of each was dropped. With feed falling onto the flat area of the bottom of the SFWD feeder trough and water falling into the shallow bowl area, and with the 2 areas seamlessly connected, the sow also determined the wetness of the feed consumed. In the HF system, sows were given dry feed twice daily in a J-shaped feeder that was independent of the sow's water source. Sows (n = 114) were assigned to treatments based on parity and genotype. Total feed disappearance per sow during lactation (20 +/- 0.2 d) was greater (P < 0.01) with the SFWD system than with the HF system (120 vs. 110 +/- 4.1 kg, respectively). The SFWD sows had greater (P < 0.01) BW gains during lactation than HF sows (6.2 vs. 0.6 +/- 1.85 kg, respectively). Backfat depth change during lactation did not differ (P = 0.37) between treatments. Likewise, percentage of sows displaying estrus by d 11 post-weaning did not differ (P = 0.51). Piglet weaning BW was greater (P < 0.01) with the SFWD system than with the HF system (6.63 vs. 6.12 +/- 0.22 kg, respectively). Sow average daily water intake and total feed wastage during lactation did not differ (P > 0.66) between treatments. However, sows with the SFWD system wasted less water (P < 0.01) than those with the HF system (15 vs. 232 +/- 12 L, respectively). From a commercial swine production perspective, the difference in waste water volume would result in a significant variation in costs associated with manure storage and distribution. In conclusion, use of a SFWD feed-water system in lactation, which provides sows choices of when to eat, how much to eat, and if dry feed should be mixed with water during consumption, enhances sow appetite, improves litter growth performance, and wastes less water than a HF feed-water system.