The interaction of Cytolin and NAA on cropping red ‘Delicious’ apple

A trial, at Spreyton in north-western Tasmania, studied the effects of Cytolin and NAA sprays on the thinning and shape of ‘Delicious’ apples. Untreated control and hand thinned trees were compared with trees treated with Cytolin or NAA alone, or in combination. Cytolin was applied at 25 mg 1~‘ at the king petal (KP) stage. NAA was applied at 8 mg I“1 at full bloom (FB) and 7,10, or 15 days after full bloom (AFB). Cytolin alone had no effect on thinning, fruit weight or on pip numbers but it did improve fruit shape. The combination of cytolin and NAA at FB overthinned. Cytolin and NAA combinations applied at all times after FB significantly decreased both mean fruit weight and pip numbers and reduced the percentage of fruit > 70 mm. All Cytolin-NAA combinations and the NAA treatments applied at 10 and 15 days AFB resulted in unacceptably high percentages of apples < 45 mm in diameter (pygmy fruit). It is recommended that Cytolin and NAA should not be used in the same spray programme. NAA alone is a most effective thinner at FB or seven days AFB.     

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy influences offspring wool production and wool follicle development

The effects of maternal nutrition on offspring wool production (quality and quantity) were evaluated. Primiparous Rambouillet ewes (n = 84) were randomly allocated to 1 of 6 treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial design. Selenium treatment [adequate Se (ASe, 9.5 μg/kg of BW) vs. high Se (HSe, 81.8 μg/kg of BW)] was initiated at breeding, and maternal nutritional intake [control (CON, 100% of requirements) vs. restricted (60% of CON) vs. overfed (140% of CON)] was initiated at d 50 of gestation. Lamb birth weight was recorded at delivery, and all lambs were placed on the same diet immediately after birth to determine the effects of prenatal nutrition on postnatal wool production and follicle development. At 180 ± 2.2 d of age, lambs were necropsied and pelt weights were recorded. Wool samples were collected from the side and britch areas, whereas skin samples were collected from the side of each lamb only. Although Se status did not influence side staple length in males, female lambs born from ewes on the ASe treatment had a shorter staple length (P < 0.05) when compared with females from ewes on the HSe treatment. Maternal nutritional intake and Se status did not influence (P ≥ 0.23) wool characteristics on the britch. However, at the britch, wool from female lambs had a reduced comfort factor (P = 0.01) and a greater (P = 0.02) fiber diameter compared with wool from male lambs. Maternal Se supplementation, maternal nutritional plane, sex of the offspring, or their interactions had no effect (P > 0.13) on primary (29.10 ± 1.40/100 μm(2)) and secondary (529.84 ± 21.57/100 μm(2)) wool follicle numbers. Lambs from ASe ewes had a greater (P = 0.03) secondary:primary wool follicle ratio compared with lambs from HSe ewes (20.93 vs. 18.01 ± 1.00). Despite similar postnatal diets, wool quality was affected by maternal Se status and the maternal nutritional plane.     

Effects of maternal selenium supply and plane of nutrition during gestation on passive transfer of immunity and health in neonatal lambs

To investigate the influence of maternal Se supply and plane of nutrition on lamb morbidity, mortality, and passive transfer of IgG, pregnant ewe lambs were used in 2 experiments with 2 × 3 factorial treatment arrangements. Supplementation of Se began at breeding and was either adequate Se (ASe, 9.5 μg/kg of BW) or high Se (HSe, 81.8 μg/kg of BW) in Exp. 1 or ASe (11.5 μg/kg of BW) or HSe (77.0 μg/kg of BW) in Exp. 2. On d 50 or 40 of gestation for Exp. 1 or 2, respectively, ewes were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 nutritional planes: 60% (RES), 100% (control, CON), or 140% (HI) of NRC requirements. This resulted in the following treatments: ASe-RES, ASe-CON, ASe-HI, HSe-RES, HSe-CON, and HSe-HI. Upon parturition, lambs were separated from their dams and serum samples obtained. Lambs were fed artificial colostrum for the first 20 h and then placed on milk replacer and grain pellets until completion of the study (Exp. 1, 57 d; Exp. 2, 21 d). Twenty-four hours after parturition, lamb serum samples were collected for IgG analysis. All lambs were reared similarly and morbidity and mortality assessed. Main effects were considered significant when P ≤ 0.05. In Exp. 1, there was a Se × plane of nutrition interaction (P ≤ 0.01) for lamb morbidity from birth to weaning and for 24-h IgG concentration. Lambs from ASe-RES and HSe-HI ewes were treated more frequently (P < 0.01) for respiratory and gastrointestinal disease, and lambs from HSe-HI ewes had the smallest (P < 0.01) 24-h serum IgG concentration. In Exp. 1, lambs from HI ewes also had the greatest (P < 0.01) mortality rates from birth to weaning compared with lambs from CON and RES ewes. In Exp. 2, there was an effect (P < 0.01) of maternal plane of nutrition with lambs from RES ewes having increased 24-h IgG compared with lambs from CON and HI ewes. There was no effect of maternal Se supplementation on lamb 24-h IgG in Exp. 2; however, there was a Se × plane of nutrition interaction (P < 0.01) for morbidity. From birth to 21 d of age, lambs from ASe-CON ewes had fewer (P < 0.01) treatment days compared with lambs from any of the other treatment groups. There also tended (P = 0.08) to be an effect of maternal Se supplementation on lamb mortality with increased mortality observed in lambs from HSe ewes. Results from the studies show a restricted maternal plane of nutrition can increase lamb serum IgG concentration. Selenium results were not consistent between the 2 experiments and may be due to differences in maternal Se.     

Molecular epidemiological studies of veterinary arboviral encephalitides

Recent studies using molecular genetic approaches have made important contributions to our understanding of the epidemiology of veterinary arboviral encephalitides. Viruses utilizing avian enzootic hosts, such as Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) and North American Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), evolve as relatively few, highly conserved genotypes that extend over wide geographic regions; viruses utilizing mammalian hosts with more limited dispersal evolve within multiple genotypes, each geographically restricted. Similar findings have been reported for Australian alphaviruses. This difference may be related to vertebrate host relationships and the relative mobility of mammals and avians. Whereas EEEV and Venezualan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) utilize small mammalian hosts in the tropics, most WEEV genotypes probably utilize avian hosts in both North and South America. The ability of mobile, infected avian hosts to disperse alphaviruses may result in continual mixing of virus populations, and thus limit diversification. This high degree of genetic conservation is also exhibited by EEE and Highlands J viruses in North America, where passerine birds serve as amplifying hosts in enzootic transmission foci. Most equine arboviral pathogens, including EEEV, WEEV and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), occur in a naturally virulent enzootic state and require only appropriate ecological conditions to cause epizootics and epidemics. However, VEE epizootics apparently require genetic changes to convert avirulent enzootic strains into distinct epizootic serotypes. All of these arboviruses have the potential to cause severe disease of veterinary and human health importance, and further molecular epidemiological studies will undoubtedly improve our ability to understand and control future emergence.     

Liquid chromatographic monitoring of the depletion of carbadox and its metabolite desoxycarbadox in swine tissues

A liquid chromatographic method was used to monitor a depletion study of carbadox (and its most important metabolite, desoxycarbadox) in young pigs fed carbadox-treated rations for 1 week. Carbadox was found in blood (20 ppb), blood serum (26 ppb), and muscle tissue 24 h after withdrawal from treated ration; residues were reduced to a trace (less than 2 ppb) in 48 h, and eliminated by 72 h. Desoxycarbadox, although not detected in blood, was found in muscle (17 ppb) 24 h after withdrawal; it was reduced to 9 ppb at 48 h and to a trace by 72 h. Although no carbadox was detected in liver 24 h after withdrawal, appreciable desoxycarbadox (125 ppb) was found in liver 24 h after withdrawal; it was reduced to 17 ppb at 48 h and to a trace by 72 h. Whereas only a trace of carbadox was found in kidney 24 h after withdrawal, 186 ppb desoxycarbadox was found in kidney at 24 h, 34 ppb at 48 h, and a trace at 72 h. No metabolite of carbadox other than desoxycarbadox was found in extracts of swine tissues during this medicated feed trial, and no metabolite was found in blood extracts by using the established methodology. The effect of tissue storage (aging) at -20 degrees C on levels of the drug and its metabolite was a modest alteration of residue levels. The inadvertent use of feed adulterated with furazolidone and initially medicated with chlortetracycline, sulfamethazine, and penicillin G, did not affect the uptake of carbadox in this depletion study or interfere with the analytical methodology.     

Diagnosis of lumbosacral intervertebral disc disease and protrusion in a horse using ultrasonographic evaluation and computed tomography

This case report describes the clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging modalities, treatment and post mortem evaluation of lumbosacral intervertebral disc protrusion in a mature Quarter Horse gelding 10 days after initial signs were noted. Grade 3 hindlimb ataxia, conscious proprioceptive deficits, urinary and faecal incontinence were present, which did not improve with anti‐inflammatories, antimicrobial therapy, corticosteroids, antioxidant therapy, cold‐laser therapy or electroacupuncture. Imaging modalities utilised ante mortem were computed radiography, transcutaneous and transrectal ultrasonography. Transrectal ultrasonography yielded findings highly suggestive of lumbosacral intervertebral disc protrusion and due to the lack of improvement and a poor prognosis, the horse was humanely subjected to euthanasia. Post mortem computed tomography, necropsy and histopathological evaluation confirmed lumbosacral intervertebral disc disease and protrusion into the spinal canal with subsequent impingement of the spinal nerve roots. Lumbosacral intervertebral disc protrusion as a clinical disease in the horse has not been previously described and should be included as a differential diagnosis in cases with acute hindlimb ataxia, proprioceptive deficits, and urinary and faecal incontinence.