Density estimates of rural dog populations and an assessment of marking methods during a rabies vaccination campaign in the Philippines

We estimated the population density of dogs by distance sampling and assessed the potential utility of two marking methods for capture-mark-recapture applications following a mass canine rabies-vaccination campaign in Sorsogon Province, the Republic of the Philippines. Thirty villages selected to assess vaccine coverage and for dog surveys were visited 1 to 11 days after the vaccinating team. Measurements of the distance of dogs or groups of dogs from transect lines were obtained in 1088 instances (N = 1278 dogs; mean group SIZE = 1.2). Various functions modelling the probability of detection were fitted to a truncated distribution of distances of dogs from transect lines. A hazard rate model provided the best fit and an overall estimate of dog-population density of 468/km² (95% confidence interval, 359 to 611). At vaccination, most dogs were marked with either a paint stick or a black plastic collar. Overall, 34.8% of 2167 and 28.5% of 2115 dogs could be accurately identified as wearing a collar or showing a paint mark; 49.1% of the dogs had either mark. Increasing time interval between vaccination-team visit and dog survey and increasing distance from transect line were inversely associated with the probability of observing a paint mark. Probability of observing a collar was positively associated with increasing estimated density of the dog population in a given village and with animals not associated with a house. The data indicate that distance sampling is a relatively simple and adaptable method for estimating dog-population density and is not prone to problems associated with meeting some model assumptions inherent to mark-recapture estimators.     

Inactivated canine parvovirus vaccines: an alternative method for assessment of potency

Groups of three-week-old chickens were given graded doses of inactivated canine parvovirus vaccines. Blood samples were taken three weeks later and the sera examined by ELISA for antibodies to canine parvovirus. Reproducible, linear, log-dose serological responses were observed, enabling the potency of the vaccines to be compared. The simultaneous administration of other components of canine multivalent vaccines appeared to reduce the response to the parvovirus component. When its results have been correlated with the degree of protection in dogs this test could be used to assess the potency of inactivated canine parvovirus vaccines.     

Hereditary nephritis in the bull terrier: evidence for inheritance by an autosomal dominant gene

A high prevalence of renal failure has been reported in bull terriers in Australia. The pattern of inheritance was analysed in a family of 33 bull terriers in which 10 dogs had renal disease manifested by proteinuria, ultrastructural abnormalities in the glomerular basement membrane, renal failure, or 'end stage' kidneys. The presence of at least one affected parent for each affected offspring, the approximately equal male/female ratio and the apparent absence of 'generation-skipping', strongly supported an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance, assuming a fully penetrant single major gene locus. Further evidence was not compatible with either an autosomal recessive or X-linked inheritance pattern. This contrasts with the X-linked inheritance shown in Alport's-type human hereditary nephritis and hereditary glomerulopathy in the samoyeds. Hereditary nephritis in the bull terrier should be a useful model for non-Alport's-type human hereditary nephritis, which is also reported to have an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.     

Effect of Reducing Dietary Digestible Energy to Protein Ratio on Weight Gain and Body Fat of Juvenile Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus1

A laboratory feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of reducing digestible energy to protein (DE:P) ratios of practical diets on body fat and weight gain of channel catfish. Five diets were formulated to contain 32, 28, or 24% crude protein with typical DE:P ratios of 8.5, 9.9, or 11.4 kcal/g protein, respectively, and 28% or 24% protein with a reduced DE:P ratio of 8.5 kcal/g protein. Cellulose was used to adjust the DE:P ratio. Juvenile channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (initial weight: 5.2 g/fish) were fed the experimental diets twice daily to apparent satiation for 12 wk. Fish fed the 28% protein diet with a reduced DE:P ratio of 8.5 kcal/g protein gained less weight and converted feed less efficiently than those fed the 28% protein diet with a typical DE:P ratio of 9.9 kcal/g protein. Fish fed the 24% protein diet with a reduced DE:P ratio of 8.5 kcal/g protein had a similar weight gain but converted feed less efficiently than those fed the 24% protein diet with a typical DE:P ratio of 11.4 kcal/g protein. Weight gain and feed conversion efficiency of fish fed the 32% protein diet with a typical DE:P ratio of 8.5 kcal/g protein were higher than for fish fed other diets except those fed the 28% protein diet with a DE:P ratio of 9.9 kcal/g protein. There were no differences in feed consumption and survival among dietary treatments. Fillet fat of fish fed the 24% and 28% protein diets with a reduced DE:P ratio was lower than that of the fish fed diets containing the same protein concentrations with typical DE:P ratios. At a DE:P ratio of 8.5 kcal/g protein, there were no differences in fillet fat concentration among fish fed diets containing different protein concentrations. There were no differences in fillet protein, moisture, and ash between fish fed the 24% or 28% protein diets containing reduced and typical DE:P ratios. Results from this study show that reducing DE:P ratios in practical diets lowers body fat but also depresses weight gain of channel catfish; thus it would not be economical to use this strategy to reduce body fat of the fish.     

Oil separation from wet-milled corn germ dispersions by aqueous oil extraction and aqueous enzymatic oil extraction

The many recent dry-grind plants that convert corn to ethanol are a potential source of substantial amounts of corn oil, if an economical method of separating it can be developed. Oil separation from corn germ by aqueous extraction (AE) was studied. Batches of 5–20% germ in a buffer solution were preheated in a pressure cooker, ground in a blender or colloid mill, churned in an incubator/shaker and centrifuged to separate a free oil fraction. The highest oil yields were obtained when the germ mass fraction was between 0.1 and 0.16. Addition of an enzyme solution to the ground germ suspension prior to churning, aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) gave an oil yield twice as high as the AE yield, carried out using similar conditions. Both types of extraction produced the most oil after a 122 °C cook followed by churning at 160 rpm and 70 °C. Oil yield increased linearly with dispersion loading, from 0.5 up to 1.0 g/cm² based on beaker cross-section (0.09–0.12 germ mass fraction). Over a several month period the germ used for the extractions became more difficult to extract, despite storage at 4 °C.     

Porcine group C rotavirus as a cause of neonatal diarrhea in a Quebec swine herd.

A porcine group C rotavirus was found to be the unique cause of a problem of enzootic neonatal diarrhea in a minimal disease herd composed of 190 sows on a continuous farrowing program. During the outbreaks of diarrhea, 10 to 80% of the litters were affected with a morbidity rate of 100% and case fatality rates of 5 to 10%. Clinical signs began 24 to 48 h after birth and were characterized by a profuse yellow diarrhea lasting a few days. Piglets from different outbreaks of diarrhea were necropsied. They had multifocal villous atrophy in the small intestine, especially in the ileum. Group C rotavirus was demonstrated by direct immunofluorescent staining of frozen intestinal sections and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of viral RNA extracted from the intestinal contents of diarrheic piglets. The infection with clinical illness and lesions was reproduced experimentally in newborn piglets by oral inoculation of a suspension prepared from a pool of intestinal contents from diarrheic piglets.     

A questionnaire survey of the prevalence of scrapie in sheep in Britain

An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire has been used in two independent surveys to try to determine the prevalence of scrapie in the national sheep flock. The disease was recorded in 35 counties in England and Wales. About a third (26.5 and 37.3 percent) of respondents owning 100 or more sheep indicated that they had seen sheep with scrapie in their flocks. The incidences of clinical cases recorded in affected flocks in the two surveys were 0.5 and 1.1 cases/100 ewes/year. At present there is no control over the disposal of these animals. If as has been suggested, an increase in the prevalence of scrapie was a contributory factor in the emergence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, it would seem logical that measures should be introduced to monitor the prevalence and incidence of scrapie and to control the disposal of clinical cases.     

Experimental model of hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis caused by diversion of abomasal outflow in sheep

Hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis accompanied by hypokalemia and hyponatremia was induced experimentally in 7 adult sheep by diversion (loss) of gastric contents through an Ivan and Johnston cannula placed in the cranial part of the duodenum just distal to the pylorus. Cannula placement was easily accomplished, and cannulae were tolerated well by the sheep. Volume of effluent produced during the 60- to 120-hour period of diversion ranged from 7.7 to 14.9 L and tended to be greatest during the first 24 hours. All sheep became dehydrated, with mean PCV and plasma total protein concentration increases of 94.2 and 61.7%, respectively. Plasma chloride concentration decreased in linear fashion from a prediversion mean of 113 mEq/L (range, 111 to 117 mEq/L) to an end-point mean of 54 mEq/L (range, 45 to 65 mEq/L). Plasma sodium and potassium concentrations also decreased, though potassium concentration increased terminally. There were rapid increases in arterial blood pH and bicarbonate and base excess concentrations during the first 48 hours after diversion. However, during the final stages of diversion, sheep developed superimposed metabolic acidosis with increased plasma lactate concentration and high anion gap.     

Development of a forest certification standard compatible with PEFC and FSC's management requirements. A case study from Greece

Greece currently has no national forest certification standard.This paper explains how a draft forest management standard forGreece was developed to be compatible with both the Forest StewardshipCouncil and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certificationschemes requirements. The draft standard was tested in two contrastingforest areas to investigate its ease of operation, to indicatenecessary refinements to the standard and to reveal major areasof weakness in current forest management practices. Field testingshowed that the standard was operationally efficient and thatrelatively few changes to the standard were necessary. Majorweaknesses in current management practices were identified asbreaches of health and safety, poor training of forest workersand inadequate consultation with stakeholders.     

Decomposition and phosphorus release from organic residues as affected by residue quality and added inorganic phosphorus

The combined use of organic residue and inorganic fertiliser-phosphorus (P) is appropriate in meeting both the short and long-term P requirement of crops. To assess the influence of added inorganic fertiliser-P on the processes of decomposition and P release from the residue and the relationships with quality, prunings of Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephela, Senna siamea, Acacia mangium and Paraserienthus falcataria were incubated without and with added inorganic fertiliser-P for 56 days. Soil was added only as inoculum. Decomposition rate and amounts of acid extractable-P (P release) were in the same order: G. sepium >S. siamea > L. leucocephela >P. falcataria > A. mangium. Unlike the other residues, A. mangium released no P despite the loss of half its mass during the 8 weeks of incubation. The residue P content correlated with P release. However, decomposition rate did not correlate with residue P content but with the lignin, polyphenol and cellulose content, and ratios to P. These ratios were negatively correlated with P release suggesting that lignin and polyphenol contents influence P release more when the residue-P content is low. Results suggest that rate of decomposition influences the release of P. The critical residue P content for P release was estimated to be 0.12% < P < 0.19%. Added P had no effect on decomposition and P release from the residues.