Feasibility of open recirculating system in temperate climate – a case study

The increasing number of depleted, overexploited and recovering world marine stocks, together with increasing demand for fish and need for sustainable management of aquatic resources has led to a gradual shift to inland intensive aquaculture with water reuse. Intensive recirculating systems are becoming a rapidly developing sector of aquaculture, with the objectives to increase production and minimize environmental impact. However, transfer of technologies from original sites to locations of different climate is not always successful. The present study evaluates the use of an open recirculating system in a temperate climate. The 3‐year study showed successful production with better fish growth and feed utilization than in a flow‐through facility at the same site, but presented significant issues necessitating changes in technology as well as physical adaptations. A positive effect of the technology with respect to the environment is possible, but systems must be adapted to temperate climatic conditions.     

Mapping of quantitative trait loci affecting organ weights and blood variables in a broiler layer cross

1. A genome scan was performed to locate genomic regions associated with traits that are known to vary in birds (most commonly broilers) suffering from heart, lung or muscular dysfunction and for weight of the dressed carcass and some internal organs. 2. The F2 population studied was derived from a cross between a broiler and a layer line and consisted of over 460 birds that were genotyped for 101 markers. 3. There was strong support for segregation of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for carcass and organ weights and blood variables. We identified 11 genome-wide significant QTL (most of them for dressed carcass weight) and several genome-wide suggestive QTL. 4. The results point to some genome regions that may be associated with health-related traits and merit further study, with the final aim of identifying linked genetic markers that could be used in commercial breeding programmes to decrease the incidence of muscular and metabolic disorders in broiler populations.     

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in wild animal species and cattle in Styria/Austria

Infections with Mycobacterium ovium ssp. paratuberculosis (M. paratuberculosis) are increasingly recognised worldwide. In addition to an increased prevalence of paratuberculosis in Austrian cattle herds, recent years have also shown a rise in infections with M. paratuberculosis in wild red and roe deer, chamois and mouflon. During the period from June 2002 to September 2004, mesenteric lymph nodes were taken from a total of 483 wild animals hunted or found dead and from 338 deceased cattle. Samples were analysed using PCR and cultivation methods. In the case of pathomorphological changes or anamnestic indications, investigations also included an analysis of organ samples (e.g. liver, lung) or foetuses. The tests revealed that 129 wild animal samples (red deer, roe deer, chamois, mouflon, fallow deer, ibex, foxes, mountain hare, yellow-necked field mouse, and capercaillie) contained M. paratuberculosis. The major symptoms in the wild aninodes. Evidence of diarrhoea was only observed in about 15% of the positive cases. The study for the first time provided evidence of intrauterine transmission of M. paratuberculosis in red deer (3 cases) and chamois (1 case) and succeeded in the isolation of the pathogen from the liver, lung and subcutaneous granulomas of wild animals. Of the total of 338 mesenteric lymphnodes of cattle from 303 herds, 80 samples from 77 herds tested positive for paratuberculosis. Twenty-two wild animal and 3 cattle isolates have so far been molecularly typed using IS900-RFLP and RAPD analyses in order to prove epidemiological relationships between occurrences in cattle and wild animals. The increase of paratuberculosis in wild animal species is assumed to have been caused by the purchase of animals, a strong increase in suckler cow farming (cow-calf herds) with a concentration of pathogens in the environment and by inadequate feed hygiene for wild animals.     

Conventional and alternative housing systems for poultry--point of view of infectious disease medicine

The use of conventional battery cages for hens will be prohibited in Germany in 2007. Only few studies, however, have considered the differences between battery cages and alternative systems with regard to infectious diseases. The existing gaps in the current knowledge need to be closed by research and measures must be developed that will prevent the spread of viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections in alternative poultry housing systems.With regard to virus infections, avian influenza requires particular attention. Since wild birds, particularly anseriformes, represent a reservoir for avian influenza viruses, free-ranging poultry is much more at risk of infection than birds in closed hen-houses. Appropriate measures must prevent direct contact with wild birds and transmission via contaminated water, feed, or equipment. Several bacterial infections of poultry represent zoonoses. Salmonella and Campylobacter are considered as particularly important. To avoid a potential increase in the risk of infection for consumers due to poultry keeping systems that might favour infections with bacterial zoonotic agents, there is a special need for research in this area. With regard to parasitic infections, coccidioses may cause problems in alternative poultry housing systems, and lead to considerable economic consequences. The epidemiological situation concerning infections with Histomonas meleagridis needs to be analysed. Since all compounds that had been used for prophylactic or therapeutic purposes in the past have been banned, there is a need to develop new drugs which are safe for animals and humans.     

AN OUTBREAK OF BOVINE ABORTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH LEPTOSPIROSIS

A severe abortion storm on a grazing property, in which 50% of Hereford cows aborted in 2 months, is described. Serological evidence suggested that the abortion storm was due to leptospirosis. Epidemiological factors associated with the abortion storm were (a) introduction of infected cows into a susceptible population; (b) the practice of seasonal calving, which resulted in the susceptible population being in the last third of gestation when exposed to infection; and (c) environmental conditions suitable for the propagation of leptospira being coincident with the introduction of infection into the susceptible herd.     

Über gelöstes und kristallisiertes Eiweiss in der Kartoffelzelle(Solanum tuberosum)

Zusammenfassung Im Gegensatz zu den zahlreichen chemischen und physikalischen Untersuchungen des in mancher Hinsicht wichtigen Kartoffeleiweisses ist in mikroskopisch-zellphysiologischer Hinsicht noch wenig getan.Durch Fällungen, Färbungen und Messung der UV-Absorption wird gezeigt, dass das als Tuberin bezeichnete Kartoffelprotein, ein leicht fällbares Globulin, hauptsächlich im Zellsaft gelöst, vorhanden ist. In den peripheren Zellschichten und manchmal auch im Mark wird vom Protoplasma ebenfalls ein Globulin in Form der bekannten Eiweisswürfel auskristallisiert. Diese zeigen besonders intensive Eiweissfärbungen.In den Makroanalysen des Tuberins dürfte z.T. auch gebundenes Struktur- bzw. Enzymeiweiss, das vor allem von Chondriosomen und Sphärosomen stammt, eingegangen sein.

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Summary There are many chemical and physical investigations on potato protein being important in several regards, but only few are dealing with microscopical and cellphysiological aspects.Precipitations, colour-reactions and measuring of UV-absorption show that potato protein, the so-called tuberin, is an easily precipitable, in the main cell-sap-soluble globulin.In the outer cell layers and sometimes in the medulla the protoplasm produces also a globulin, shaped as well known cubical protein crystals. These crystals give pronounced colours by some protein reactions. The chemical analysis of tuberin however may contain some structural and enzymatical protein, originating principally from spherosomes and chondriosomes.

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Résumé Au contraire des nombreuses analyses chimiques et physicales de la protéine des pommes de terre, une protéine importante en sens divers, il n'y a pas beaucoup de publications au point de vue microscopique et de physiologie cellulaire.Par précipitations, colorations et mésurements de l'absorption en ultra-violet les auteurs indiquent que la protéine des pommes de terre, nommée tuberin est un gobulin, facilement à précipiter qui se trouve dans le suc cellulaire. Dans les couches periphères des tubercules et parfois aussi dans la médulle centrale un autre globulin en forme des bien connus cubes de protéine cristallise en protoplasme. Ces cristallisations montrent très intenses couleurs à quelques réactions de protéine.Les analyses du tuberin contiennent propablement aussi de protéine enzymatique et structurale se dérivant surtout des chondriosomes et sphérosomes.

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Konservierende Bodenbearbeitungssysteme

In Austria due to the cultivation of grain maize, corn silage, green corn, sugar beets, sunflowers, soybeans, potatoes and vineyards about 450.000 hectares are seen as potential risk of erosion. For this reason the cause of soil erosion and the possibilities for reduction and prevention have been investigated. From 1994 to 2004 eight different tillage systems were tested at three locations in Lower Austria. Five tillage systems were tested in Tulln – located 30 km from Vienna. The systems included conventional tillage with plough as well as mulch and direct drilling with cover crops in autumn. No till and ridge tillage also were tested. The Institute of Hydraulics and Rural Water Management of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Science Vienna (Prof. Dr. A. Klik) measured surface runoff, soil loss, nitrogen, phosphorus and herbicide loss, Mycotoxins were analysed in Tulln. Between 1994 and 2004 the average soil loss at the three locations dropped from 16.2 t/ha/year (conventional tillage) to 4.2 t/ha/year with conservation tillage in cover crops, and to 2.2 t/ha/year with direct drilling systems. Nitrogen and Phosphorus losses showed similar tendencies. Herbicide loss declined 1.9% of the application rate in conventional tillage; 1.2% in conservation tillage and 0.5% in direct drilling systems.     

Monensin toxicosis in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis).

The consumption of monensin-containing feed resulted in deaths of water buffaloes from a feedlot in which cattle and buffaloes were kept together. The monensin formulation was recommended only for use in cattle. Anorexia, muscular weakness, dyspnea, and recumbency were the major clinical findings. The most significant gross lesions were focal pale areas in semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles, in which segmental necrosis of myofibers was seen microscopically. To compare susceptibilities of species to monensin, 3 bovine calves and 3 buffalo calves were orally dosed. At 5, 7.5, and 10 mg/kg of monensin, only the buffaloes became ill and died. Clinical signs initiated 18-20 h postdosing and were comparable to those from field cases. Gross changes consisted of ascites, hydrothorax, hydropericardium, hepatomegaly, and focal pale areas in the myocardium and to a lesser degree in semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles. Histopathological changes also resembled those from the field cases, but were especially pronounced in the myocardial cells. The hypothesis that buffaloes could have a lower tolerance to monensin than cattle has been supported by experimental cases.     

Rams with poor feed efficiency are highly responsive to an exogenous adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) challenge

An animal's response to a stressor is to increase metabolic rate, and thus energy consumption through the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Changes to energy use by an animal are likely to influence the efficiency with which it is utilised. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that less efficient sheep are more responsive to exogenous administration of adrenocorticotropin hormone. This was done by firstly determining the appropriate dose (0.4, 1.6 or 6.4microg/kg LW) and peak serum cortisol response time (45min) to exogenous administration of adrenocorticotropin hormone in a pilot study (n=3 sheep). Following this, adrenocorticotropin hormone (2.0microg/kg LW) stimulated cortisol levels were measured in a larger group of sheep (n=50) of known feed efficiency (feed conversion ratio and residual feed intake values). Less efficient sheep (more positive residual feed intake values) were found to have a greater (P<0.001) increase in cortisol concentration in comparison to more efficient animals. Those sheep which had higher levels of cortisol also had a greater proportion (P<0.001) of fat tissue. These data clearly demonstrated that efficiency of energy use, when measured as residual feed intake, is significantly related to an animal's stress response. These findings have important implications for understanding the physiological mechanisms underpinning efficiency of energy use, and may be useful in successfully identifying animals which are superior in terms of feed efficiency.