IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—FDG‐PET/CT OF A CANINE SPLENIC PLASMA CELL TUMOR

An 8‐year‐old Shih Tzu developed abdominal pain and hyperglobulinemia. A round splenic mass was noted radiographically and sonographically. The patient was evaluated by fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography coupled with computed tomography (FDG‐PET/CT). There was no evidence of metastasis or bone marrow involvement on PET/CT images. The standardized uptake value (SUV) of the splenic mass was increased over the reference range (SUV=4.83). The patient was diagnosed as splenic extramedullary plasmacytoma through immunohistopathologic study. After the splenectomy, the globulin level normalized and the patient is alive without complications.     

Increased tolerance to annual ryegrass toxicity in sheep given a supplement of cobalt

SUMMARY To determine whether oral cobalt supplements could modify the clinical onset of annual ryegrass toxicity, groups (n = 5) of sheep were dosed orally with 0, 4 or 16 mg cobalt/day. After 3 weeks on this treatment, toxic ryegrass seed was added to their feed to provide 0, 0.15 and 0.30 mg corynetoxins/kg body weight, daily. Sheep receiving cobalt ingested 30% more toxin than did unsupplemented sheep before clinical signs developed (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference between groups receiving 4 and 16 mg cobalt. The results showed that cobalt delayed, but did not prevent, the onset of clinical signs of annual ryegrass toxicity.     

Forestry on the Scottish Border Hills

The physical conditions of the Border hills are briefly described.The general problems of both private and State-owned woodlandsare discussed; in particular those of afforestation of peatareas and the danger of windblow. Future management and regenerationis considered and the probable methods to be used are suggested.     

THE EFFECT OF FARMYARD MANURE ON MATRIC SUCTIONS PREVAILING IN A SANDY LOAM SOIL

Soil matric suctions under a crop of ryegrass on farmyard manure-treated and untreated plots were determined over a total period of 24 weeks from March to November. The soil moisture characteristic of each plot was determined five times throughout this period, and for each plot and on every occasion a linear relationship was found between moisture content and log matric suction. A formula was derived to account for the seasonal changes in moisture characteristic and it was then possible to obtain matric suction values from the soil moisture contents obtained from twice-weekly sampling of each plot. Although differences between available-water capacity of the manured and unmanured plots were small throughout the 6-month period of sampling, the soil matric suctions of the manured plots were almost always lower than those of the unmanured plots. The lower suctions prevailing in the manured soil could be a factor contributing to the higher yields of ryegrass obtained from the manured plots as compared with those obtained from the unmanured plots.