Anaerobic bacterial infections causing osteomyelitis/arthritis in a dog.

A 3-year-old German Shepherd Dog was examined for lameness, signs of pain, swelling, a draining fistulous tract, and osteolysis after a dog bite on the left carpus. After failure of the lesion to respond to several antibiotics, Peptostreptococcus sp and Propionibacterium sp were isolated from swab specimens and then from surgically collected bone and soft tissue specimens. The bone fragments had mild purulent osteomyelitis associated with numerous gram-positive rods and cocci. The dog was successfully treated by surgical debridement of the lesion and clindamycin administration.     

Effect of exogenous progesterone and oestrone on litter size in swine

Three hundred sows and gilts on a large commercial unit were divided into four groups according to parity and either injected with corn oil on days 16 and 17 after service, injected with 25 mg progesterone and 12.5 micrograms oestrone on days 16 and 17 after service, or injected with these two hormones on either day 16 or day 17 after service. Animals injected with progesterone and oestrone on both the 16th and 17th days after mating had significantly (P less than 0.05) bigger litters at farrowing. Animals injected on the 17th day or on both the 16th and 17th days after mating had significantly shorter gestation periods (P less than 0.05). The treatments had no effect on the weaning to service interval or on the size of the subsequent litter.     

The effect of benomyl and thiophanate-methyl on earthworm populations in apple orchards

The use of the fungicides benomyl and thiophanate-methyl on experimental orchard plots for 3 years and of benomyl on a commercial orchard for 1 year resulted in a drastic reduction of earthworm populations. The species of earthworms affected were Lumbricus terrestris, L. castaneus, L. festivus, L. rubellus, Allolobophora caliginosa, A. chlorotica, A., longa, A. rosea, A. tuberculata and Octolasium cyaneum. L. terrestris and A. chlorotica were more affected than the other species, both being virtually eliminated after 2 years' spraying. The depleted populations of species other than L. terrestris and A. chlorotica recovered to normal levels after a 2-year rest period following a single year's treatment with benomyl (1.40 kg/ha). The role of the surface-feeding L. terrestris is discussed in relation to the spray fall-out on the sward and to grass management.     

Effect of intrauterine administration of ceftiofur on fertility and risk of culling in postparturient cows with retained fetal membranes, twins, or both

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of intrauterine administration of ceftiofur sodium on fertility and the risk of culling in postparturient cows with retained fetal membranes (RFM), twins, or both. DESIGN: Single-blind randomized clinical trial and prospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 2442 cows that calved from January 1, 2000, to May 31, 2001. PROCEDURE: Cows with RFM, twins, or both were randomly allocated to control or treatment (ceftiofur) groups. Ceftiofur-group cows received 1 g of ceftiofur sodium sterile powder reconstituted with 20 mL of sterile water as a single intrauterine infusion once between 14 and 20 days after parturition. Control-group cows received no treatment. Cows that calved but did not have RFM or twins were considered the referent group. Reproductive, culling, and health data were recorded. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the overall proportion of ceftiofur-group cows confirmed pregnant, compared with cows in the control group. Ceftiofur-group cows were significantly less likely to be culled and were culled at a later time in lactation than control-group cows. In the cohort study, the risk of pregnancy and the risk of being culled in ceftiofur-group cows were not significantly different from cows in the referent group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Intrauterine treatment of cows with RFM, twins, or both with ceftiofur sodium increased longevity of cows in the herd as measured by the risk of culling and the time to culling. Intrauterine administration of ceftiofur in cattle is considered extralabel drug use, and the attending veterinarian must follow the AMDUCA guidelines for extralabel drug use.     

Genetic analysis of reproductive performance in sows during porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome(PRRS) and porcine epidemic diarrhea(PED)outbreaks

Background: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome(PRRS) is one of the most infectious swine diseases in the world, resulting in over 600 million dollars of economic loss in the USA alone. More recently, the USA swine industry has been having additional major economic losses due to the spread of porcine epidemic diarrhea(PED).However, information regarding the amount of genetic variation for response to diseases in reproductive sows is still very limited. The objectives of this study were to identify periods of infection with of PRRS virus(PRRSV) and/or PED virus(PEDV), and to estimate the impact their impact on the phenotypic and genetic reproductive performance of commercial sows.Results: Disease(PRRS or PED) was significant(P 0.05) for all traits analyzed except for total piglets born.Heritability estimates for traits during Clean(without any disease), PRRS, and PED ranged from 0.01(number of mummies; Clean and PED) to 0.41(abortion; PED). Genetic correlations between traits within disease statuses ranged from-0.99(proportion born dead with number weaned; PRRS) to 0.99(number born dead with born alive;Clean). Within trait, between disease statuses, estimates ranged from-0.17(number weaned between PRRS and PED) to 0.99(abortion between Clean and PRRS).Conclusion: Results indicate that selection for improved performance during PRRS and PED in commercial sows is possible and would not negatively impact performance in Clean environments.     

Protein profiles of enzymatically isolated rumen epithelium in sheep fed a fibrous diet

Background: The rumen wall plays a major role in efficient transfer of digested nutrients in the rumen to peripheral tissues through the portal venous system. Some of these substrates are metabolised in the epithelium during this process. To identify the specific proteins involved in these processes, we used proteomic technologies. Protein extracts were prepared from ventral rumen tissue of six sheep fed a fibrous diet at 1.5× maintenance energy requirements.Using a newly developed method, we were able to enzymatically isolate the epithelial cells from underlying tissue layers, thus allowing cytosol and membrane fractions to be independently analysed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(LC MS/MS).Results: Using our procedure we identified 570 epithelial proteins in the Ovis aries sequence database. Subcellular locations were largely cytosolic(n = 221) and extracellular(n = 85). However, a quarter of the proteins identified were assigned to the plasma membrane or organelle membranes, some of which transport nutrients and metabolites. Of these 91 were transmembrane proteins(TMHMM), 27 had an N-terminal signal peptide(signalP) and TMHMM motif,13 had a glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI) anchor and signalP sequence, 67 had beta(β) strands or 17 β strands and a transit peptide sequence, indicating the identified proteins were integral or peripheral membrane proteins. Subunits of the 5 protein complexes involved in mitochondrial cellular energy production were well represented. Structural proteins(15%), proteins involved in the metabolism of lipids and proteins(26%) and those with steroid or cytokine action were a feature of the proteome.Conclusion: Our research has developed a procedure to isolate rumen epithelium proteins from the underlying tissue layers so that they may be profiled using proteomic technologies. The approach improves the number of proteins that can be profiled that are specific to the epithelium of the rumen wall. It provides new insights into the proteins of structural and nutritional importance in the rumen epithelium, that carry out nutrient transport and metabolism, cell growth and signalling.