A simple method for evaluation of colostrum status in calves

A simple immunoassay system has been evaluated for use on farm to examine the level of maternal immunoglobin absorbed by newborn calves. Whole blood can be used in the test rather than serum. The test proved easy and reliable when used in studies on 10 farms with 650 calves. More than 50 per cent of the animals were found to be colostrum deficient and, as with other studies, such calves were subject to health breakdown and poor performance although this could be adequately offset by good management.     

Microbiological and histopathological effects of an induced-molt fasting procedure on a Salmonella enteritidis infection in chickens.

A study was undertaken to determine if a 2-week feed-removal protocol, as is used by industry to induce a molt in aging hens, would affect the course of a Salmonella enteritidis infection. White leghorn hens aged 69-84 weeks were deprived of feed to induce a molt, and on day 4 of the fast, the birds were orally infected with 5 x 10(6) S. enteritidis. S. enteritidis organisms were enumerated in the spleen on day 6 and from the alimentary tract on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. Little difference was detected in numbers of S. enteritidis from spleens of molted and unmolted hens. Significantly more molted hens shed detectable intestinal S. enteritidis than unmolted hens on day 14 (one of two trials) and day 21 (one of two trials). Intestinal levels of S. enteritidis were increased 100- to 1000-fold in the molted birds on day 7 (one of two trials) and day 14 (two of two trials), and many of the hens exhibited bloody alimentary secretions. Histological examination of the intestinal tract of S. enteritidis-infected molted hens showed increased inflammation in the epithelium and lamina propria of colons and ceca, compared with unmolted infected hens.     

Sow vaccination by combined oral and intramuscular antigen: a field study of maternal protection against neonatal Escherichia coli enteritis.

A field trial was conducted to test the efficacy of a vaccination programme which combines oral and parenteral antigen administration to produce IgM antibody in the colostrum of the sow. The trial involved 11 herds, each selected because of their history of neonatal Escherichia coli enteritis. Following more than 2300 farrowings, the progeny from vaccinated sows required 75 per cent less medication to maintain a good standard of health. The average neonatal mortality decreased from 13.8 to 7.0 per cent and the number of pigs weaned increased by 0.6 per litter.     

Characterization of three berry standard reference materials for nutrients

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been working with the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements to produce Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) of interest to analysts of dietary supplements. Some of these SRMs are traditional foods including SRM 3281 Cranberry (Fruit), SRM 3282 Low-Calorie Cranberry Juice Cocktail, and SRM 3287 Blueberry (Fruit), which have been characterized for nine nutritional elements and sugars. The blueberries have also been characterized for proximates, two water-soluble vitamins, and amino acids. These new materials are intended for use in method development and validation as well as for quality assurance and traceability in the assignment of values to in-house control materials. Foods can be difficult to analyze because of matrix effects. With the addition of these three new SRMs, it is now possible to more closely match controls to matrices and analyte levels for fruit and vegetable test samples. Several nutritional elements in these three SRMs are present at lower levels than in other food-matrix SRMs.     

寄生红火蚁的蚤蝇类群野外监测新技术

通过试验研究,设计出了3个适于监测、收集红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren天敌-蚤蝇Pseudacteon的诱集器,并提出了该诱集器的制作和野外设置的技术要求。测试了野外该诱集器对蚤蝇的监测、收集效果,证实该装置是可行的和实用的。