Effects of dietary inclusion of Rhus coriaria on internal milieu of rabbits

The aim of the present work was to investigate the effect of Rhus coriaria L. inclusion to the diet on some biochemical, haematological parameters and the level of antioxidant status of male rabbits. Adult rabbits were divided into five groups: one control (C) and four experimental groups. Experimental animals received sumac per os in feed in various doses (0.50%, 0.75%, 1.00% and 1.50%) for 90 days. Significant increase in PDWc (platelet distribution width) in E3 group when compared with control group was recorded. Sumac administration resulted in decreased cholesterol levels in all experimental groups vs. control group. Significantly lower level of cholesterol was found in E4 group with highest dose of sumac (1.50%). Higher values of total antioxidant status (TAS) and albumins were observed in all experimental groups in comparison with control group. A significant increase in TAS was detected in group E1 and E4. Concentrations of albumins were significantly higher in groups E3 and E4 vs. control group. Sumac administration had no significant effect on bilirubin content. In conclusion, these results show a positive effect of sumac consumption on antioxidant status and cholesterol level in adult male rabbits.     

Use of ultrasound in the reproductive management of dairy cattle

The significant decrease in fertility observed in dairy cattle during the last few decades and increasing requirements by the farmers have made a regular control of reproduction indispensable to urgently identify and solve potential problems affecting reproductive efficiency. Traditionally, the main diagnostic methods used for reproductive control in cattle included rectal palpation, inspection of vaginal discharge and vaginoscopy. Since the 1990 s, the use of ultrasound (US) has become a common diagnostic method as a result of the new advances made in the development of US scans: smaller size, high level of autonomy, high image quality and accessible prices. Ultrasound improves accuracy in the diagnoses of stages of the oestrous cycle, ovarian and uterine pathologies, and pregnancy diagnosis. In addition, it facilitates the diagnosis of alterations during pregnancy (embryo mortality, foetal malformations, etc.) and helps determining foetal sex from day 55 of pregnancy.     

Parvovirus-like enteropathy in Missouri turkeys

A viral enteric disease of young turkeys characterized by stunting of affected birds, diarrhea, and increased mortality is described. Eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies were found in the absorptive epithelial cells of the ileum. Electron microscopy of formalin-fixed tissue revealed that the intestinal inclusions contained numerous loosely packed 15-to 20-nm hexagonal particles. The size, shape, and intranuclear location have been used to tentatively identify these particles as parvoviruses.     

Preliminary observations on reproduction in a female sheep-goat chimaera.

Four oestrous cycles of a female sheep-goat chimaera were monitored by using a vasectomised ram. The mean (+/- se) length of the cycle was 18.5 +/- 0.64 days with a range from 17 to 20 days. The chimaera was superovulated twice, bred to fertile rams, and the embryos recovered by laparotomy 13 or five days after oestrus, so that karyotype analysis could reveal the genotype of the oocyte. After the first superovulation one ovine day-13 embryo was collected; two fragments of another embryo (or embryos) were also collected, but readable chromosome spreads were not obtained from these embryos or from the two four-cell embryos that were collected five days after the second superovulation. Two surgical embryo transfers to the chimaera resulted in pregnancies. The first transfer involved an eight-cell ovine embryo and two caprine morulae and ended in the abortion of an ovine fetus between days 110 and 130. The second pregnancy occurred after the transfer of two ovine and two caprine morulae. A healthy lamb was born on day 147 of pregnancy. Both placentae had small numbers of cotyledons. A histological evaluation of the cotyledons revealed an abnormal placentome structure in the first pregnancy but not in the second.     

Physiological responses of newborn Bos indicus and Bos indicus x Bos taurus calves after exposure to cold

Brahman (n = 9) and 1/2 Simmental x 1/4 Brahman x 1/4 Hereford (n = 11) calves were utilized to determine the influence of exposure to cold on the physiology of the neonate. All calves were removed from their dams within 20 min of birth and prior to suckling. Calves were assigned randomly within breed to either a warm (W; 31 degrees C) or cold (C; 4 degrees C) environmental treatment group. Jugular blood samples were collected via indwelling catheters at 20-min intervals for 180 min. At 100 to 120 min of sampling, all calves were given 1.2 liters of colostrum from their dams via stomach tube. At 120 min, C calves were placed in the W environment. Calf vigor score (CVS) and rectal temperature were determined at each time blood was collected. Serum or plasma was analyzed for glucose (GLU), lactate (LAC), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), hemoglobin (HEM), triglyceride (TRG), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), insulin (INS), cortisol (CORT) and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration. Rectal temperature was lower (P less than .01) in C Brahman than in W Brahman and C or W crossbred calves. Crossbred calves had higher (P less than .01) CVS than Brahman calves. Calves in W had lower (P less than .01) GLU than C calves. Brahman calves had higher GLU, LAC, BUN, TRG, T3, T4 and CORT (P less than .05) than crossbred calves. The C Brahman calves had the highest (P less than .05) TRG, CORT, T3 and T4 of all groups. Concentration of NEFA were higher (P less than .01) in C than in W calves.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

非洲猪瘟自然弱毒株演变进程

自2018年非洲猪瘟(African swine fever,ASF)传入中国以来疫情得到了有效控制.但2021年以后,我国的ASF流行情况出现了新的变化,临床中出现了"自然变异株".这些毒株可能导致感染后临床症状不典型,容易与其他疫病混淆等问题.这与国外的流行演变规律一致,即当ASF在一个国家或地区流行较长时间后,其...     

The relationship between carcass characteristics,plasma hormones and metabolites in young fattening bulls

Six Belgian Blue bulls (double-muscled type) and six Friesian bulls were offered a fattening diet for 34 weeks. Plasma samples were obtained once a week and also every 20 min over a 24 h period, 7 weeks before slaughter.No differences were observed between the breeds in plasma glucose, urea and free amino nitrogen concentrations, while creatinine was significantly higher in the Belgian Blue bulls. Tri-iodothyronin, tetra-iodothyronin, insulin-like growth factor 1, insulin and testosterone concentrations were higher in the Holstein group. In contrast, the Belgian Blue bulls appeared to produce more growth hormone. The slaughter weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and proportion of lean meat were significantly higher in the Belgian Blue group. The characteristics of muscle mass (carcass weight, dressing percentage and proportion of lean meat) were positively correlated with creatinine and with the total peak area or peak amplitude of growth hormone. The insulin concentration was positively correlated with the proportion of adipose tissue in the carcass and negatively correlated with the proportion of muscle. There were no correlations between the carcass characteristics and insulin-like growth factor 1 or testosterone. No further information was provided when the ratios of the hormones were correlated with carcass characteristics.     

The use of sensitivity discs in the identification of Campylobacter species

Filter paper discs were impregnated with a solution containing 20 mg of triphenyltetrazolium chloride per millilitre, and used in the typing of catalase-positive Campylobacter species. Also used were filter paper discs impregnated with cephalothin at 30 micrograms/ml, 60 micrograms/ml and 3 mg/ml and nalidixic acid at the same concentrations, as well as commercially available discs containing 30 micrograms of, respectively, cephalothin and nalidixic acid. Results obtained proved the technique to be reliable and easier to interpret than previously used methods, and laboratory prepared filter paper discs compared favourably with commercial discs.     

Nutritional and economic benefits ofLeucaena andGliricidia as feed supplements for small ruminants in humid West Africa

Summary Considering leguminous trees Leucaenaand Gliricidiaas good sources of quality food, on-station and on-farm studies were conducted in the humid zone of West Africa to establish animal responses to levels, times and forms of browse supplementation, to develop alternative feeding strategies for utilising limited feed supply and to assess the economic benefits of feed supplements as against the use of tree foliage as mulch for crop production. Results indicate that at any level of supplement, sheep grew twice as fast as goats. The main benefits of supplementation came through increased growth and survival. Form and level of supplementation had significant effect on intake. Economic analyses showed that crop response to mulching was the principal competing determinant of whether the use of tree foliage as feed supplement was economic.

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Beneficios Nutricionales Y Economicos De La Utilizacion DeLeucaena YGliricidia Como Suplementos Para Pequenos Rumiantes En Zonas Humedas Del Africa Occidental

Resumen Considerando que los árboles de los génerosLeucaena y Gliricidia son fuentes de alimento de buena calidad, se llevaron a cabo estudios en granjas y estaciones experimentales en zonas húmedas del Africa Occidental para determinar (1) la respuesta de los animales a diferentes niveles, momentos y formas de suplementación, (2) desarrollar estrategias de alimentación alternativas para aprovechar alimentos escasos y (3) determinar los beneficios económicos de la utilización de las hojas de los árboles mencionados como suplemento en lugar de como sistema de protección de los cultivos. Los resultados indicaron que, para cualquier nivel de suplementación, las ovejas crecieron dos veces más deprisa que las cabras. Los principales beneficios de la suplementación fueron un aumento en el crecimiento y en la supervivencia. La forma y el nivel de suplementación tuvieron efectos significativos sobre la ingestión. Los análisis económicos indicaron que la respuesta de los cultivos a la protección con hojas y estiercol fue el pricipal factor a tener en cuenta a la hora de decidir acerca de si la utilización de las hojas como suplemento para el ganado resultaba económica.

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Interets Economiques Et Nutritionnels DeLeucaena EtGliricidia En Tant Qu’Apports Alimentaires Pour Les Petits Ruminants De L’Afrique Humide De l’Ouest

Résumé Considerées comme des sources nutritionnelles de qualité, des études furent menées surLeucaena etGliricidia dans les fermes et les lieux d’élevage dans la zone humide d’Afrique de l’ouest dans le but d’établir les résponses des animaux aux niveaux, durées et formes du broutage, pour développer des stratégies alternatives d’alimentation pour l’utilisation limitée d’apports alimentaires et pour estimer les avantages économiques des suppléments nutritionnels par opposition à l’utilisation de ces legumineuses comme terreau pour la production de récolte. Les resultats montrent que quel que soit le niveau d’apport nutritionnel, la croissance des moutons fut deux fois plus rapide que celle des chèvres. Les principaux intérêts de l’apport nutritionnel résiderent dans l’augmentation de croissance et de la survie des animaux. La nature et le niveau de l’apporteurent un effet significatif sur la consommation. Des analyses économiques montrérent que la résponse des récoltes après apport en terreau fut le principal facteur en compétition d’un point de vue économique, pour l’utilisation de ces légumineuses comme supplément alimentaire.