Variations in parameters of liver function and plasma progesterone related to underfeeding and ketosis in a dairy herd

Twenty-eight Norwegian Red Cattle dairy cows were fed silage ad libitum and restricted amounts of concentrates. Blood samples were collected before morning feeding, once or twice weekly, from 2 weeks before to 12 weeks after calving. Parameters of liver function, carbohydrate status and fertility were recorded in order to assess their interrelationships. Eight cows were treated for clinical ketosis. Four of these had to be treated 2 or 3 times. Aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin showed the highest within-animal coefficients of correlation with acetoacetate. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of carbohydrate status (indicated by plasma acetoacetate levels) on the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase and sorbitol dehydrogenase, though only a small part of the total variation was explained by this factor. The estimated volume density of liver fat in the 4th week of lactation averaged 6.0 +/- 6.4% (+/- SD) ranging from 0.1-25.1%. Liver fat content at this stage of lactation was not significantly correlated with other indicators of liver function or carbohydrate status. Cows treated for clinical ketosis had significantly lower plasma progesterone values at the time of first ketosis treatment than untreated multiparous cows. The frequency of high progesterone values (greater than 3 ng/ml) being significantly lower in treated than in untreated cows during the period from 3-5 weeks post partum, though not at later stages. In conclusion, the results revealed a significant relationship between carbohydrate status and liver function, and also between clinical ketosis and luteal function.     

Plasma triglyceride concentration during intravenous infusions of propofol and Intralipid in sheep

Plasma triglyceride concentrations were measured in sheep given Intralipid or propofol, which is carried in a vehicle very similar to 10% Intralipid. A bolus dose was administered followed immediately by an infusion of the same agent for 2 h. In the animals that received propofol, the measured concentration increased by a mean amount of 3.39 mmol/l when the infusion rate was l ml/min (Group Pl) and by 7.13 mmol/l when it was 2 ml/min (Group P2). When 10% Intralipid was administered and infused at 1 ml/min (Group I10), the measured concentration increased only by 0.95 mmol/l. One hour after stopping the infusion, the excess of measured concentration over baseline had decreased in the Pl and I 10 groups to 0.52 and 0.13, respectively, of the corresponding maximum excess. The method adopted for measuring plasma triglycerides is widely used in hospitals; however, an incidental observation revealed that it is inappropriate in the presence of injections of propofol or Intralipid. Despite this, evidence and argument are presented to support the conclusion that, with propofol, plasma triglyceride concentrations increased more rapidly during the infusions and returned to baseline more slowly than with a corresponding amount of Intralipid.     

Inheritance of myotonic discharges in American quarter horses and the relationship to hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.

Electromyography (EMG) was used to detect myotonic discharges in Quarter Horse breeding stock and to follow the results of mating horses with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HPP). The studies were performed on two brood mare farms. A total of six breeding stock showed myotonic discharges and 15 were nonmyotonic. Myotonic discharges were seen in five of six horses belonging to the blood line previously implicated as being predisposed to HPP. Two of these horses had shown clinical signs of HPP. Only one of 15 breeding horses unrelated to the HPP predisposed blood line showed myotonic discharges. When both parents were non-myotonic on EMG than the F1 generation (n = 6) were also nonmyotonic. When a stallion with HPP and myotonic discharges was mated to eight nonmyotonic mares over a six year period half the animals of the F1 generation (n = 25) showed myotonic discharges. When both parents showed myotonic discharges four F1 offspring were myotonic and two were nonmyotonic on EMG testing. There was no evidence of sex linkage. The results are consistent with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and myotonic discharges on EMG may be different manifestations of the same underlying defect.     

Die Wurzelentwicklung von Zuckerrübenpflanzen auf einem Sandlöß-Standort und ihre Bedeutung für die Stickstoffernährung

Root development of sugar beet plants on a sandy loess site with regard to nitrogen nutrition.
Root development of sugar beet plants in a sandy loess soil (Haplic Phaeozem) was observed from the early seedling stage up to harvest by measuring at first the greatest vertical and lateral extension of the root systems of single plants and later the rooting density of the whole plant stands (auger method, profile wall method).
During the seedling stage not only the subsoil, but also large parts of the topsoil between the plants remained unoccupied by the root systems. In this phase the greatest lateral extension of single roots reaches nearly the length of the greatest leaf of the plant. With the closure of the canopy the rooting density in the topsoil accounts to 1–2 cm cm⁻³.
In summer roots penetrate to a depth of 100–150 cm with rooting densities of 0.1 to 1 cm - cm⁻³. Thus, the plants gain not only access to water reserves, but sometimes meet remarkable amounts of nitrate which under the relatively dry conditions of the region tends to accumulate in 60–120 cm depth and – when taken up by the beet plants in the late stage of growth – affects crop quality negatively.     

The effect of body condition, live weight, breed, age, calf performance, and calving date on reproductive performance of spring-calving beef cows.

Data from 321 spring-calving cows (mean calving date March 27) were used to assess the effects of body condition, live weight, cow age (from 4 to 13 yr), and breed (237 Hereford x Friesians and 84 Blue-Greys) and time of calving on the proportion of cows that became pregnant, the number of days from the start of mating to pregnancy, and calving interval. Mating started at turn-out to pasture in mid-May and lasted 9 to 10 wk. Body condition at calving and breed were the most significant animal factors affecting reproductive performance. Cows calving in higher body condition had shorter (P less than .001) calving intervals (11.2 d per unit of body condition at calving). Blue-Grey cows became pregnant in a higher proportion (90%) and calving interval was shorter (364 d) than in Hereford x Friesians (83%; 374 d). Body condition at the start of mating was less important and body condition at the end of mating had no effect. Live weight at calving and changes in live weight from calving to the start of mating and during the mating period had no significant effect. The proportion of cows becoming pregnant decreased significantly with age in Hereford x Friesian cows older than 7 yr. The variance in calving interval accounted for by calving date, body condition at calving, breed, and age was 42%.     

Identification of the surface components of Trypanosoma evansi.

125I-labelling was used to characterise the surface components of five stocks of Trypanosoma evansi. Two components of 67 and 60.5 kD were labelled in two of the stocks, a single 60.5 kD component in two other stocks and no components in the remaining stock. These differences are probably related to the labelling method and biochemical differences between the stocks.     

High-resolution computed tomography of the mammalian lung.

High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed in 21 isolated animal lungs, from 4 mammalian species (pigs, rabbits, dogs, sheep). Gross and subgross central and peripheral lung morphology was determined by HRCT. Three distinct types of lungs can be identified, principally based on the extent of interlobular septal development; the relationship of major vessels to airways; and the thickness of the visceral pleura. Type-I lung is found in pigs, sheep, and cattle; type-II lung is found in rabbits, dogs, cats, and monkeys; and type-III lung is found in human beings and horses. These mammalian lungs were compared with human lungs. The potential use of HRCT to investigate specific human lung diseases in the aforementioned species also was considered.     

Effect of initial restraint, weaning, and transport stress on baseline and ACTH-stimulated cortisol responses in beef calves of different genotypes.

The productivity and well-being of animals can be substantially affected by stress. This is particularly true in the case of beef calves that are subjected to a multitude of stressors over a short period during the first year of life. Perhaps the most often studied stress-responsive variable has been blood corticosteroid concentrations. Factors such as age, gender, genetics, and degree of prior experience, can influence how an animal perceives and responds to a given stressor. Few studies have tried to control these variables, and accordingly, many conflicting results have been published regarding the impact of various stressors on cortisol response. We measured baseline plasma cortisol concentration over a 44-day study in Bos indicus and Bos taurus calves. Plasma cortisol values in Bos indicus calves were higher (32.60 +/- 0.66 ng/ml) than values in calves of Bos taurus (25.81 +/- 0.76) breeding. A precipitous decrease in cortisol concentration was observed 7 days after transport stress in all calves. Baseline cortisol concentration did not provide any indication of the intensity of the various stressors. However, significant differences were readily observed after ACTH administration. On the basis of cortisol secretion, stresses of transport and weaning were similar and were the most stressful to calves, regardless of genotype.