Dietary protein for young grazing sheep: Interactions with gastrointestinal parasitism

Effects of protein supplementation and of nematode control on production responses in young grazing sheep and on nematode population dynamics were assessed. Young Merino wether sheep (n = 270) were allocated to one of three supplementation (Su) treatments and one of three regimes of nematode control (drench, Dr) in a factorial design. Each of the nine treatments was replicated three times in a randomised complete block. Animals received no supplement (SuO) or were given supplements at a level equivalent to 200 g day⁻¹, fed three times a week. The supplements contained 25% lucerne meal with either 75% sunflower meal (Su1) or 75% formaldehyde-treated sunflower meal (Su2). Nematode control regimes were: not drenched unless survival of individual animals was threatened (DrO); drenched according to a strategic drenching programme (Dr1); treatment with a controlled-release albendazole capsule (Dr2). Infections with Haemonchus contortus were suppressed by use of closantel. Due to drought conditions and lack of pasture growth, lucerne hay was fed to all sheep from Week 14 onwards (350 g per head per day, fed twice a week). Supplementation reduced the need for ‘survival drenching’ in Dr0 sheep considerably. Live-weight gain was increased significantly by supplementation with Su1 or Su2 during the 36-week experiment. Undrenched animals given Su1 or Su2 tended to grow faster than unsupplemented animals in the Dr1 and Dr2 groups. Greasy wool production and fibre diameter were increased by supplementation and anthelmintic treatment. Faecal worm egg counts (FEC) in undrenched sheep were significantly lower for Su1 and Su2 sheep than for Su0 sheep. There were no effects of supplementation on FEC in Dr1 or Dr2 sheep. Worm burden was generally unaffected by supplementation, while the drenching treatments Dr1 and Dr2 reduced worm burden at Week 16 and to a lesser extent at Week 27. Trichostrongylus colubriformis was the predominant nematode species, with smaller numbers of Nematodirus spp., Trichostrongylus vitrinus, Trichostrongylus axei and Ostertagia circumcincta also present. It was concluded that supplementary feeding with protein meal substantially reduced production losses attributable to nematode infections in young grazing sheep. This appears to be due to an enhanced resilience of the host, rather than any major changes in development of protective immunity.     

Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin in Japanese quails and common pheasants

1. The pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin was studied in Japanese quails and common pheasants. Healthy mature birds from both species and both genders were treated intravenously and orally with enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg) and marbofloxacin (5 mg/kg).

2. After intravenous administration enrofloxacin was extensively metabolised to ciprofloxacin. Metabolites of marbofloxacin were not detected. Values of volume of distribution were respectively 4.63 l/kg and 3.67 l/kg for enrofloxacin and 1.56 l/kg and 1.43 l/kg for marbofloxacin. In quails, total body clearance values were higher than those in pheasants and other avian species.

3. After oral application enrofloxacin was rapidly absorbed in quails, more rapidly than marbofloxacin. Pheasants absorbed both antimicrobials at a lower rate. Higher bioavailability was observed for marbofloxacin (118%). Relatively low bioavailability was established in quails for enrofloxacin (26.4%), accompanied by extensive conversion to ciprofloxacin.

4. Generally, quails absorbed and eliminated both fluoroquinolones more rapidly than pheasants; the latter showed pharmacokinetics similar to poultry. Because of favourable pharmacokinetic properties, marbofloxacin should be preferred for oral administration in Japanese quails and pheasants for treatment of infections caused by equally susceptible pathogens.

     

Medical management of a corneal stromal abscess in a female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus).

A 47-yr-old female Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) developed a corneal stromal abscess in her right eye. The elephant was trained to open her eye for topical ophthalmic therapy, and was treated six times daily with antibiotics and an antifungal solution for almost 2 mo. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were used to control pain, and atropine was applied topically to dilate the pupil and provide additional comfort. Vascularization of the abscess began shortly after initiating therapy, and complete resolution was obtained by 7 wk.     

Effects of latent infection, temperature, precipitation, and irrigation on panicle and shoot blight of pistachio in california

ABSTRACT Panicle and shoot blight, caused by a Fusicoccum sp., is an economically important disease of pistachio in California. Between 1999 and 2001, the disease severity was monitored throughout the growing season in 10 pistachio orchards, irrigated with drip, microsprinklers, low-angled (12 degrees ) sprinklers, or flood. The effect of temperature, precipitation pattern, irrigation system, and incidence of Fusicoccum sp. latent infection on panicle and shoot blight severity was quantified with a generalized linear model for repeated measures. The number of continuous rainy days in April and May and the cumulative daily mean temperatures from June to early September had a significant positive effect on panicle and shoot blight of pistachio leaves and fruit. Drip irrigation significantly decreased disease risk. Other factors, such as the number of discontinuous rainy days in April and May, the cumulative deviation from the 30-year average temperature during the dry days of April and May, the incidence of latent infection (only on leaves), and irrigation with microsprinklers or lowangled (12 degrees ) sprinklers were weak explanatory variables of panicle and shoot blight severity. Knowledge of panicle and shoot blight risk may contribute significantly to decisions regarding the appropriate application of fungicides, especially in years or fields of low risk.     

Application of an electronic nose to predict total volatile bases in capelin (Mallotus villosus) for fishmeal production

An electronic nose was used as a rapid technique to monitor changes in the headspace gas above capelin (Mallotus villosus) during storage at 0 and 5 degrees C. At both temperatures, refrigeration was compared with an ice/seawater cooling system. At 5 degrees C, the effect of added 0.2% acetic acid was also tested. Electronic nose measurements were compared to measurements of total volatile bases (TVB), gas chromatography of volatile compounds, and sensory analysis. TVB analysis indicated less spoilage in seawater/ice systems than in refrigeration, but the other measurements indicated more spoilage in the seawater system compared to refrigeration. The possibility of using only a few sensors in the electronic nose to predict TVB was studied using partial least squares regression and a saturated generalized linear model. The results reported herein indicate that rapid electronic nose measurements, which require no sample preparation, can be used to predict the TVB value of the raw material stored under different conditions.     

Effect of lasalocid on weight gains, ruminal fermentation and forage intake of stocker cattle grazing winter wheat pasture

Fifty fall-weaned heifers with initial weights of 209 kg (yr 1) and 222 kg (yr 2) were used to determine effects of lasalocid on weight gains, forage intake and ruminal fermentation of stocker cattle grazing winter wheat pasture. The heifers grazed a single wheat pasture for about 100 d each year, and were individually fed 1.06 kg of supplement (6 d/wk) pro-rated to supply 0, 100 or 200 mg lasalocid.head-1.d-1. Also, eight mature Hereford steers with large rumen cannula were used to evaluate further effects of lasalocid (0 or 300 mg) on ruminal fermentation during two grazing periods (immature and mature wheat forage) of yr 2 and an additional third year. Daily gains of heifers fed 200 mg lasalocid/d were .11 kg greater (P less than .05) than those of heifers fed 0 or 100 mg lasalocid/d. One hundred milligrams lasalocid did not increase weight gains. Digestibilities of forage dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) were similar (P greater than .05) among treatments, and lasalocid did not affect (P greater than .10) forage intake. Ruminal ammonia concentrations (10.57, 15.22 and 17.81 mg/dl +/- 1.71) were increased (P less than .05) by both levels of lasalocid in yr 1, but differences among treatment means of 8.32, 11.95 and 11.66 (SE +/- 1.44) were not significant in yr 2. Lasalocid did not consistently affect total volatile fatty acids concentrations. The acetic:propionic acid ratios in heifers were not different (P greater than .05) among treatments, but were decreased (P less than .10) by lasalocid in cannulated steers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of soybean meal substitution by different concentrations of sunflower meal on egg quality traits of white and coloured dwarf dam lines

1. The effect of soybean meal substitution by different concentrations of sunflower meal on egg quality traits of white and coloured dwarf dam lines was investigated.

2. A total of 144 dwarf hens (38 weeks of age) from the same hatch were randomly divided into 12 groups of 12 birds (4 dietary treatments × 3 replicates).

3. A 2 × 4 factorial design was used to study the effect of 2 lines (Factor A) and substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with 4 concentrations (0, 10, 15 and 20%) of sunflower meal (SFM) [Factor B] on egg quality traits of dwarf dam line hens.

4. All the diets were designed to be isocaloric (11?3 MJ ME/kg) and isonitrogenous (180 g/kg crude protein) The duration of the experiment was 12 weeks.

5. Analysis of variance indicated a highly significant line effect. There were non-significant effects of substitution of soybean meal with different concentrations of sunflower meal on egg quality traits except for Haugh unit.

6. White plumaged dwarf broiler breeder dam line produced significantly fewer, but larger, eggs than coloured dwarf dam line hens.     

Changes in fox squirrel anti-predator behaviors across the urban–rural gradient

Predator stimuli created by humans in the urban environment may alter animals’ anti-predator behaviors. I hypothesized that habituation would cause anti-predator behaviors to decrease in urban settings in response to humans. Additionally, I hypothesized that populations habituated to humans would show reduced responses to other predator stimuli. I observed three populations of squirrels (urban, suburban and rural) responses to human approaches, red-tailed hawk vocalizations (Buteo jamaicensis) and coyote (Canis latrans) vocalizations. Mahalanobis distances of anti-predator behaviors in response to human approaches were consistent with the urban–rural gradient. Flight initiation distances (X ² = 26.33, df = 2, P < 0.001) and amount of time dedicated to anti-predator behavior (X ² = 10.94, df = 2, P = 0.004) in response to human approaches were also consistent with the urban–rural gradient. Supporting the habituation hypothesis, naive juvenile squirrels increased flight initiation distances (X ² = 35.89, df = 1, P < 0.001) and time dedicated to anti-predator behaviors (X ² = 9.46, df = 1, P = 0.002) relative to adult squirrels in the same urban environment. Time dedicated to anti-predator behaviors differed among all three sites in response to both coyote (X ² = 9.83, df = 2, P = 0.007) and hawk (X ² = 6.50, df = 2, P = 0.035) vocalizations. Responses to both vocalizations on rural sites (coyote = 45%, hawk = 55%) greater than twice that found on the urban sites (coyote = 11%, hawk = 20%). This is possibly the first case of a transfer of habituation demonstrated under field conditions.     

The effect of extended grazing time and supplementary forage on the dry matter intake and foraging behaviour of cattle kept under traditional African grazing systems

An experiment was carried out at Alemaya University in Ethiopia to investigate the effect of night kraaling on the dry matter intake (DMI), live weight gain (LWG) and foraging behaviour of Ogaden cattle. Three groups of four animals were given either 7 h access to pasture per day, simulating traditional grazing (TG) practice; extended grazing (EG) access for 11 h per day; or traditional grazing access plus a nocturnal forage supplement (TF). Live weight gain, DMI and foraging behaviour were measured during the late dry season (EP1) and the wet season (EP2). None of the treatments had any significant effect on either DMI or LWG during EP1 or EP2. Extending pasture access time from 7 h to 11 h did not significantly increase the amount time spent grazing, but grazing intensity was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced during the non-common grazing hours. Step rate was significantly lower (p < 0.01) during EP2 than during EP1 and bites per step were significantly higher (p < 0.001) during EP2 than EP1, indicating that animals had to travel a shorter distance before selecting material to eat during the wet season (EP2). Providing supplementary forage (TF) had no significant effect on any measured parameter. In this study neither of the two low-cost methods (EG and TF) of improving access to forage had any beneficial effect on cattle productivity. It is concluded that, under the prevailing conditions, the traditional grazing practices of this part of Ethiopia do provide sufficient pasture access time to achieve daily voluntary food intake.