Subcutaneous electronic identification in cattle: a field study

The use of injectable transponders in cattle for identification purposes, for up to 30 months, was investigated. Passive electronic transponders, encapsulated in either polymer or glass, were injected subcutaneously into either the ear base or the earlobe of 652 calves in three populations. The animals were clinically examined weekly, and transponder signalling was checked immediately before and after injection, after two weeks and after about eight months. About 10 per cent of animals in one population were also checked after 20 and 30 months. No severe clinical or visible pathological changes were observed, and the calves' welfare was not apparently affected by the procedure. None of the transponders migrated from their injection sites. Eight months after injection, a signal was detected from 98.2 per cent of transponders injected in the ear base and from 90.5 per cent of those in the earlobe. At 20 and 30 months after injection, 10.4 per cent and 2.6 per cent of transponders, respectively, had ceased to signal. Thus, most transponders in the calves' ear base demonstrated functionality for up to 30 months.     

Persistent spatial clusters of plasmacytosis among Danish mink farms

Aleutian disease (Plasmacytosis) is caused by the Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), an autonomous parvovirus and affects many mustelid species, including the American mink (Neovisonvison). In Denmark, an eradication program reduced the prevalence of test-positive farms from 100% in 1976 to 15% in 1996. Nevertheless, the disease persists in the Vendsyssel district of Northern Jutland, despite the eradication efforts. In this study, we used spatial epidemiological analysis to test for spatial autocorrelation of the distribution of farms positive for the disease. We investigated 2375 farms in Denmark (342 of which were located in the Vendsyssel district), during the period 2000-2008. For the purpose of our study, a farm was considered positive when, on any test conducted in a year, at least three animals were tested positive. To detect spatial clusters, we performed a retrospective analysis with spatial scan statistics. We performed one analysis for each of the nine years (2000-2008). A separate analysis was conducted with only the farms in Vendsyssel included. The spatial cluster analysis revealed a significant cluster throughout the time period studied in Northern Jutland. The only exception was 2002 when an outbreak was detected in the southern part of Jutland, and not in the north. The farm-level prevalence of the disease in Denmark was highest in this year, suggesting that the outbreak in the south could have masked the persistent signal from the north; the northern cluster was still significant when analysing only the Vendsyssel populations. These results confirm that Northern Jutland continues to have a significantly higher number of cases than expected if the disease was randomly distributed.     

Effects of growth hormone and feeding level on endocrine measurements,hormone receptors,muscle growth and performance of prepubertal heifers

Prepubertal Friesian heifer calves (n = 24, initial BW = 195 +/- 5 kg) were assigned to a 2 x 2 factorial block design and used to evaluate the effects of daily GH treatment (0 or 15 mg/d) at either a low or a high feeding level in a 5-wk treatment period on endocrine measurements, hormone receptors, muscle growth, and overall performance. In the pretreatment period, a low feeding level was employed for all calves. During the treatment period, animals at the low feeding level had free access to a roughage-based mixture, whereas animals at the high feeding level had free access to a concentrate mixture and were offered 2 kg/d of the roughage-based mixture. Blood samples were collected weekly starting 3 wk before treatment. Longissimus (LM) and supraspinatus (SS) muscles were obtained at slaughter. Metabolizable energy intake was 81% higher, digestible CP intake was 140% higher, and ADG was 115% higher (all P < 0.001) at the high vs. low feeding level. Feed (DMI, ME, and protein) intake was not affected by GH treatment, but ADG was 18% higher (P < 0.13) in GH-treated than in control heifers at both feeding levels. Although of different magnitudes, the muscle anabolic effects of GH treatment and high vs. low feeding level were additive, and both treatments increased carcass weights (P < 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively), LM (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001), and SS (P < 0.06 and P < 0.003). The anabolic effect of GH treatment was similar in both muscles, whereas the effect of feeding level was most pronounced in LM. Overall, GH treatment increased plasma GH, IGF-I (both P < 0.001), and IGFBP-3 (P < 0.02); however, GH treatment increased total IGF-I, free IGF-I, and IGFBP-3, and decreased IGFBP-2 mainly at the high feeding level (GH x feeding level interaction; P < 0.02, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.10, respectively). The high feeding level increased insulin, free and total IGF-I, and IGFBP-3 (all P < 0.001), but decreased GH and IGFBP-2 (both P < 0.001). High feeding increased type-1 IGF receptor density (P < 0.02), mainly in LM, in accordance with the largest anabolic response in this muscle, whereas GH treatment had no effect on type-1 IGF receptors. The results suggest that in skeletal muscle, the anabolic effects of exogenous GH are related to endocrine changes in the GH-IGF axis, whereas the effects of feeding level also seem to rely on IGF receptor density in the muscles.     

Effect of anionic salt and highly fermentable carbohydrate supplementations on urine pH and on experimentally induced hypocalcaemia in cows

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of dietary grain on calcium homeostasis. Six rumen-fistulated dairy cows with 3 or more previous lactations and no history of parturient paresis were randomly assigned to a sequence of diets in a crossover study with 4 periods of 10 days each. Dietary treatments were: A control ration consisting of wrap grass silage alone (1), the control ration supplemented with ammonium chloride and ammonium sulphate salt solution (2), control ration following a period with supplementation (3) and control ration supplemented with increasing amounts of barley from 4 to 10 kg/cow per day, expected to produce subclinical rumen acidosis (4). Daily intake of the diets was adjusted to 14 kg DM/cow per day. On day 11, the calcium-regulating mechanisms in cows were challenged until recumbency by a standardized intravenous EDTA infusion and cows were left to recover spontaneously. Anion supplementation and the feeding of highly fermentable carbohydrate lowered urine pH below 7.0 due to subclinical acidosis. During spontaneous recovery from EDTA induced hypocalcaemia, the cows more quickly regained a whole blood free calcium concentration of 1.00 mmol/L if they had most recently been supplemented with either anionic salts or with increasing amounts of barley, as compared to the basic ration. It is concluded that so-called slug-feeding or 'steaming up' with highly fermentable carbohydrates before parturition in milk fever susceptible cows enhanced calcium homeostasis similar to the effect seen in cows on anionic diets.     

Milk utilisation patterns in the low-input production systems in South Africa

Understanding the utilisation patterns of milk assists in designing appropriate dairy development schemes in rural communities. The objective of the study was to determine milk utilisation patterns in different smallholder farming systems in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Data were collected through the administration of recording sheets to 130 randomly selected households in Alice, Fort Beaufort and Queenstown districts. Amounts of milk produced per household ranged from 9 to 21 l per household per day. Milk consumption/household/day was similar among the three districts. Milk consumption in the early lactation doubled the amount consumed in late lactation (P < 0.05). Milk in the communal areas was largely utilised as fresh or sour milk. Fresh milk was mostly used in tea/coffee or to make porridge for children. Sour milk was consumed with thick boiled maize meal. Fort Beaufort (10.2 ± 1.37 l/day) had the highest sour milk sales whilst Queenstown had the highest fresh milk sales (9.7 ± 5.57 l/day). It was concluded that quantities of milk consumed or sold as fresh or sour were generally low and varied across smallholder farming systems.     

Effect of supplementation of Simada sheep with graded levels of concentrate meal on feed intake,digestibility and body-weight parameters

The experiment consisting of 7 days of digestibility and 90 days of feeding trial was conducted at Wogda (Ethiopia) to determine the effect of supplementation of graded levels of concentrate mix (CM) on feed intake, digestibility, and body weight (BW) change in hay-based feeding of Simada sheep. Twenty-yearling Simada sheep with a mean initial BW of 17.9 ± 0.81 kg (mean ± SD) were used in randomized complete block design arranged into five blocks of four animals. The four dietary treatments that consisted of hay alone (T1), hay +150 g dry matter (DM; T2, low), hay +250 g DM (T3, medium), and hay +350 g DM (T4, high) CM were randomly assigned to each sheep within a block. The CM consisted of wheat bran (WB), noug seed (Guizotia abyssinica) meal and safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seed meal at the ratio of (2:1:1), respectively. Supplementation with T2 and T3 increased (P < 0.001) total DM and organic matter intake than the control treatment. Overall, supplementation improved (P < 0.001) crude protein intake, digestibility, feed conversion efficiency, BW gain, and profitability compared to the control, whereas sheep on the high than the low and medium level of supplementation performed better in these parameters among the supplemented treatments. From the results of this study, T4 is recommended as the best level of supplementation since it resulted in better nutrient utilization, animal performance, and profitability.     

Risk factors associated with occurrence of nematodes in free range pigs in Busia District,Kenya

Nematode infections are a serious constraint to pig production, especially where free range pig keeping is practiced. This study investigated the epidemiology of nematodes in free range pigs in Busia District, Kenya. Three hundred and six pigs from 135 farms were sampled for faeces that were analysed for nematode eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces using the McMaster technique. The nematode eggs were also identified to genus and species based on morphology. A questionnaire on risk factors was also administered to the pig owners. The overall prevalence and mean nematode EPG were 84.2% and 2,355, respectively. The nematode eggs were identified as those belonging to Oesophagostomum spp. (75%), Strongyloides ransomi (37%), Ascaris suum (18%), Metastrongylus spp. (11%), Trichuris suis (7%) and Physocephalus sexalatus (3%). The prevalence of nematodes was positively correlated (p < 0.05) with the amount of rainfall in the division of the pigs' origin (all nematodes except S. ransomi). The prevalence of nematodes was also associated with the age of the pigs. A lower burden of nematodes was associated (p < 0.05) with a history of deworming (A. suum) and the provision of night housing (S. ransomi and Metastrongylus spp.). In conclusion, this study has provided information on nematode infections and the associated risk factors for free range pigs in Busia District, which can be used when implementing integrated control measures.     

Pancreatitis in hyperlipemic mink (Mustela vison)

In both man and animals, inflammatory changes in the pancreas often occur with disturbances in lipid metabolism, including hypertriglyceridemia and an excess of free fatty acids. Hyperlipoproteinemia type I is a human condition caused by a deficiency of lipoprotein lipase. A similar metabolic disturbance that occurs in mink is of considerable comparative interest, as it is also followed by pancreatitis. Pancreatic lesions in hyperlipoproteinemic mink included overt variably sized nodules with hemorrhage and necrosis. These lesions began as intralobular necrosis of exocrine cells and progressed to total lobular destruction, with eventual involvement of interlobular tissue. Remnants of epithelial cells and lipid-filled macrophages were seen in necrotic areas, along with other types of inflammatory cells scattered in a lipid-rich exudate. Granulation tissue developed rapidly in necrotic areas. Additional observations included ductal proliferation, replacement of epithelial cells with fat, and mural arterial thickening, most conspicuously with vacuolated cells and endothelial proliferation. Extravasation of lipid-rich plasma is thought to be a major intensifier of the inflammatory response.