INTERACTIONS BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND APPLICATIONS OF FERTILIZER NITROGEN AND IMPLICATIONS IN EFFICIENCY OF NITROGEN USE

DM yield and N uptake data are presented from primary growth and two successive regrowths of perennial ryegrass treated with combinations of three N treatments for the primary growth viz. 0, 50 and 100 kg N/ha (PN) and four N treatments applied for the second growths, viz. 0, 33, 66 and 100 kg N/ha (SN). Primary growth gave a response of 24·2 kg DM/kg applied N to PN50 with only a further l±0 kg DM/kg applied N from the second PN increment. A significant interaction between PN and SN treatments was shown in second growth. The residual DM response to PN was highest at SN0 and reduced as the level of SN was raised. Substantially greater residual responses to PN treatments were shown in the third growth. Third growth DM responses to SN treatments were high. High apparent recovery of fertilizer N reached 111% of primary N where SN66 followed PN50. High available soil N is partly responsible for both high apparent recovery of N and high DM response. The latter appears to be associated with inclusion of growths given no fertilizer N so that the full residual effects of fertilizer N and ‘priming’ of available soil N can be realised.     

THE INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHATE AND LIME ON THE GROWTH AND N FIXATION OF LOTUS ULIGINOSUS AND TRIFOLIUM REPENS UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

Shoot dry weight, leaf area, leaf lamina dry weight and N-fixation of L. uliginosus cv. Grasslands 4705 were compared with those of T. repens S184 over a 90-day period frotn sowing, in pots in a greenhouse. Three P and three pH levels were imposed and there were three destructive harvests at 30-day intervals. N-fixation was estimated by the acetylene reduction technique prior to the last harvest. L. uliginosus had higjier means than T. repens for all characters measured under all treatments at all harvests. Large increases in shoot weight and leaf area were associated with addition of P, particularly with the first increment of P to L. uliginosus. High P reduced the contribution of lamina to total shoot weight in T. repens more than in L. uliginosus at the second harvest. Raising pH increased shoot weight and leaf area in both species. N-fixation was low in both species at low pH and low P. This was increased by addition of P, a smaller quantity being necessary for the same response in L. uliginosus compared with T. repens. At the higher P levels, the high pH gave rise to lower N-fixation than at the medium pH. Results are discussed in relation to field trials of other workers and the possible suitability of L. uliginosus for low fertility upland conditions.     

Comparison of three immunodiagnostic tests for experimental Heterophyes heterophyes infection in dogs

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of three in-house diagnostic tests, i.e. counter current immunoelectrophoresis (CCIE), intradermal (ID) and indirect fluorescent immunoassay (IFI), for the diagnosis of Heterophyes infection. One hundred and twenty puppies were randomly divided into eight groups (n=15/group). Heterophyes heterophyes infections were established in these puppies by administering a dose of 50 H. heterophyes encysted metacercariae/puppy by gavage. Forty puppies of similar age and sex were divided into eight groups, of five puppies each and were used as negative controls. Sera pooled from separate infected and uninfected groups were tested against H. heterophyes antigens, weekly for 8 weeks post-infection (PI). The ID assay detected infected puppies sooner than any of the serological tests. Sero-conversion was first detected 2 weeks PI by ID assay and 1 week later by CCIE and IFI assays. ID test performed well till the end of the experiment (sensitivity and specificity: 100% and 90%, respectively). Both IFI and CCIE assays had a sensitivity of 40% and 20%, respectively for early detection of antibody, which was less sensitive than ID but both assays were more specific (100%) than the ID assay. The lowest agreement was between ID and IFI tests (40.3%), whilst the highest was observed between CCIE and IFI tests (67.2%). Of the three evaluated methods, the ID test could be recommended for scientific and laboratory diagnosis of heterophyosis in naturally infected animals. However, since none of the investigated method are optimal (i.e, offers 100% specificity and sensitivity), the choice of test employed must depend on the aim of the study.     

Low levels of haptoglobin and putative amino acid sequence in Taiwanese Lanyu miniature pigs

Porcine haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein. Its plasma level increases significantly during inflammation and infection. One of the main functions of Hp is to bind free hemoglobin (Hb) and inhibit its oxidative activity. In the present report, we studied the Hp phenotype of Taiwanese Lanyu miniature pigs (TLY minipigs; n=43) and found their Hp structure to be a homodimer (beta-alpha-alpha-beta) similar to human Hp 1-1. Interestingly, Western blot and high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) analysis showed that 25% of the TLY minipigs possessed low or no plasma Hp level (<0.05 mg/ml). The Hp cDNA of these TLY minipigs was then cloned, and the translated amino acid sequence was analyzed. No sequences were found to be deficient; they showed a 99.7% identity with domestic pigs (NP_999165). The mean overall Hp level of the TLY minipigs (0.21 +/- 0.25 mg/ml; n=43) determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was markedly lower than that of domestic pigs (0.78 +/- 0.45 mg/ml; p<0.001), while 25% of the TLY minipigs had an Hp level that was extremely low (<0.05 mg/ml). In addition, the initial recovery rate (first 40 min) in the circulation of infused fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Hb was significantly higher in the TLY minipigs with extremely low Hp levels than those with high levels. This data suggests that the low concentration of Hp-Hb complex is responsible for the higher recovery rate of Hb in the circulation. TLY minipigs have been used as an experimental model for cardiovascular diseases; whether they can be used as a model for inflammatory diseases, with Hp as a marker, remains a topic of interest. However, since the Hp level varies significantly among individual TLY minipigs, it is necessary to prescreen the Hp levels of the animals to minimize variation in the experimental baseline. The present study may provide a reference value for future use of the TLY minipig as an animal model for inflammation-associated diseases.     

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Onchocerca lupi and its Wolbachia endosymbiont

The morphology of Onchocerca lupi, responsible for canine ocular onchocercosis, is unique within the genus. Earlier analyses of the 5S ribosomal RNA gene spacer region sequence of the parasite and the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence of its Wolbachia endosymbiotic bacteria (Rickettsiales) supported the morphological and biological arguments that O. lupi is a distinct species. However, the exact phylogenetic position of O. lupi and its endosymbiont could not be unambiguously determined. Herein we report analyses based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene of the filarial species and the Wolbachia surface protein (wsp) and the bacterial cell-cycle ftsZ genes of their wolbachiae. Our results indicate that O. lupi separated from other Onchocerca spp. early in evolution. This is in line with the previous morphological analysis demonstrating that O. lupi is an atypical Onchocerca species showing both primitive and evolved characters. The phylogenetic trees generated for the COI sequences of filariae and the wsp and ftsZ sequences of their wolbachiae were congruent with each other, which supports the hypothesis that nematodes and their Wolbachia endobacteria share a long co-evolutionary history.     

Fat-Tailed Sheep Traits as Affected by Docking

The literature mostly indicates that docking fat-tailed lambs initially reduces growth but that post-weaning growth and feed conversion efficiency then increase. The amount of fat deposited, the total separable lean meat to fat ratio and the meat quality all increase, while the percentage of bone in the carcase either decreases or does not change in the carcases of the docked lambs. Wool growth and characteristics are, in general, not affected and reproductive traits in ewes and lambs are improved by docking. The rectal temperature, respiration rate and pulse rate are decreased following docking. The concentrations of immunoreactive beta-endorphin and cortisol in the plasma and the incidence of foot stamping and restlessness, as indicators of stress, increase after docking. Other constituents of the blood are not significantly altered following docking or by the methods of docking. Docking of fat-tailed sheep using rubber rings at one day of age can be recommended. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mapping genomic regions for reproductive traits in beef cattle: Inclusion of the X chromosome

Although the second largest chromosome of the genome, the X chromosome is usually excluded from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Considering the presence and importance of genes on this chromosome that are involved in reproduction, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of its inclusion in GWAS on reproductive traits (scrotal circumference [SC], early pregnancy [P16] and age at first calving [AFC]) in a Nelore herd. Genotype data from 3,263 animals with the above-mentioned phenotypes were used. The results showed an increase in the variances explained by the autosomal markers for all traits when the X chromosome was not included. For SC, there was an increase of more than 10% for the windows on chromosomes 2 and 6. For P16, the effect was increased by almost 20% for windows on chromosome 5. The same pattern was found for AFC, with an increase of more than 10% for the most important windows. The results indicate that the noninclusion of the X chromosome can overestimate the effects of autosomes on SC, P16 and AFC not only because of the additive effect of the X chromosome itself but also because of its epistatic effect on autosomal genes.     

Treatment of experimental ureteral strictures by endourological ureterotomy and implantation of stents in the porcine animal model

The objective of this study is to evaluate the dilation of the ureter using endoureterotomy and an expanding-sheath double pigtail ureteral stent in the treatment of experimentally induced ureteral strictures in the porcine animal model. This is a new treatment in the ureteral strictures resolution in Veterinary Urology, although it is not a common affection, it usually appears as a consequence of ureteritis and in the iatrogenic female genital surgery. The experimental study is design in three phases: induction of experimental stricture, diagnosis and treatment of the stricture and follow-up. We have used 10 healthy Large White female pigs. The internal ureteral diameter was measured prior to laparoscopic ligature stricture induction using retrograde ureteropyelography (RUPG). Experimental stricture was diagnosed 4 weeks after intervention, using RUPG and ultrasound, and treated by endoureterotomy and subsequent placement of a double pigtail ureteral stent, which was removed 6 weeks later. The study finished 4 weeks later with measurement of ureteral diameters using RPUG and ultrasound evaluation. Except in one case, all ureters displayed permanent dilation of the strictured area for 10 weeks after treatment (6 weeks with ureteral stent and 4 more weeks without stent). Finally, this technique proved to be effective in cases of short-length and short-living ureteral strictures, and represents a viable alternative to conventional surgery in animals.