Artificial Insemination with Frozen Semen in Ewes at Different Times of the Breeding Season

Totally 13575 ewes of two different breeds, Dala and Spel, were inseminated with semen, frozen in straws and thawed at 70°C for 8 sec. An insemination dose of 0.2 ml containing approx. 150 × 10⁶ spermatozoa with at least 45 to 50% progressive motility was imerted 5 to 12 mm into the cervix. The insemination was performed once between 12 and 30 h after the onset of heat. The NR rate of the Dala ewes increased significantly during the season. The NR rate of the ewes inseminated before 15. November was 44.3%, from 15. to 20. November 52.2%. from 20. to 25. November 55.3% and from 25. November and later 61.4%. The corresponding values for the ewes of the Spel breed were 57.3, 58.7, 61.5 and 71.0% respectively, and only the difference between the two last values was statistically significant. The difference between the fertility of the two breeds was significant within each of the periods .     

Exposure of Ankole and crossbred cattle to theileriosis in Rwanda

Summary Susceptible Ankole (Sanga:Bos indicus/Bos taurus) and crossbred Ankole x Jersey (B. taurus) and Ankole x Sahiwal (B. indicus) cattle derived from a farm in Rwanda with no recent history of theileriosis, were infected withTheileria parva stocks from Rwanda either by feeding infectedRhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks on the ears, inoculation of tick derived stabilate or natural exposure to tick challenge. The Ankole cattle originated from local stock born and bred in East Coast fever (ECF) endemic areas of Rwanda. Disease, followed by spontaneous recovery, was observed in 49 of the 72 Ankole cattle after infection withT. parva (68%); the other 23 animals (32%) died of ECF. In contrast 21 of the 33 infected crossbred cattle (64%) died of ECF. It is concluded that the partialTheileria tolerance of the Ankole is, to a great extent, genetic. The basis of this partial tolerance seems to be their ability to limit the explosive multiplication of macroschizonts during the acute phase of the disease.

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Resumen Se infectó ganado Ankole susceptible (Sanga:Bos indicus/Bos taurus) y ganado cruzado Ankole x Jersey (Bos taurus) y Ankole x Sahiwal (Bos indicus) proveniente de una finca en Rwanda sin historia reciente de theileriosis, conTheileria parva procedente de Rwanda, mediante la adhesión en la oreja deRhipicephalus appendiculatus infectado, inoculación de estabilados derivados de garrapatas, o exposición natural a la enfermedad a través del vector. El ganado Ankole era originario de un área endémica de theileriosis en Rwanda. Se observó la enfermedad seguida de recuperación, en 49 de 72 animales Ankole infectados conT. parva (68%); los otros 23 animales murieron (32%). En contraste, 21 de los 33 animales cruzados infectados (64%), murieron. Se concluye, que la tolerancia parcial del ganado Ankole es de origen genético. Las bases de ésta tolerancia genética, parece debida a la habilidad para limitar en cierto modo la multiplicación explosiva de macroesquizontes, durante la fase aguda de la enfermedad.

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Résumé On a infecté du bétail sensible, de race Ankolé (Sanga:Bos indicus/Bos taurus) et des croisés Ankolé x Jersey (B. taurus) et Ankolé x Sahiwal (B. indicus), provenant d'une ferme au Rwanda sans cas récents de theilériose, avec des souches deTheileria parva du Rwanda, par l'application de tiques (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus) infectées sur les oreilles, par inoculation de stabilat de tiques infectées ou par l'exposition à un challenge naturel de tiques. La souche d'Ankolé était originaire du cheptel local Rwandais, né et élevé dans les régions où la theilériose est endémique. La maladie suivie par la guérison spontanée fut observée dans 49 des 72 Ankolés (68%), les autres 23 animaux (32%) ont succombé à la theilériose. Par contre 21 des 33 croisées infectées (64%) ont succombé à la theilériose. Nous concluons que la tolérance partielle des Ankolés contre la theilériose, est génétique. La base de cette tolérance semble être leur capacité de limiter la multiplication explosive des macroschizonts pendant la phase aigu de la maladie.

     

Importance of Some Biochemical Parameters in the Quality and Yield of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

Samples of rapeseed from three Italian growing environments (Bologna, Perugia and Palermo) were analysed for glucose content and dry weight of 1000 seeds every three or four days starting from the end of flowering until complete ripening. In addition, the content of oil, soluble and total proteins, glucosinolates and myrosinase activity was determined in samples of mature seeds. The cultivars used were jet Neuf and Lingot (type 0) and Tandem, Jade and Santana (type 00). From the results it emerged that the point of intersection of the two branches of the linear regression plots for different glucose-consumption kinetics found during seed filling, in addition to being strongly affected by the climate of the test environment, is correlated with quantitative and qualitative production, independently of the genotype.     

Characterization of and radioimmunoassay for canine thyroglobulin

Canine thyroglobulin (cTg) has been isolated and purified. It has similar electrophoretic patterns as Tg from other mammalian species. The main fraction had a MW of 660,000, whereas also fractions of a MW of approximately 1,300,000 (dimer) and 330,000 (subunit) were present. The iodine content was 0.8 to 1.0 % (w/w). cTg did not cross-react with antibodies against human Tg to a degree that would allow the use of a radioimmunoassay for human Tg for the determination of cTg in serum or plasma. Therefore a polyclonal antiserum was raised against cTg and a homologous radioimmunoassay was developed, which was sensitive (0.4 μg/l) and specific (cross-reactivity in cTg assay of human Tg, goat Tg, T₄, T₃, and DIT < 0.01 %).

Plasma Tg levels in normal dogs of both sexes and aged 3–15 years amounted to 192 ± 73 μg/l (mean ± SD, n=30). There was no relation between plasma Tg and T₄ levels.