A survey of the causes of mortality in adult mink, with emphasis on the lactation period

A study of the pattern and relative frequency of diseases in adult female mink during the lactation period was undertaken. All adult females that died between parturition (April/May) and July 1, 1990, from 48 farms in southern Ontario were selected for study, and the cause of death was determined by gross necropsy. In addition, the cause of death was determined by gross necropsy for all adults and weaned kits that died on one farm between April 1988 and March 1989.

The mortality rate among farms in the 1990 study, for adult females during the lactation period, ranged from 0.2% to 10.1%, with a median of 1.9%. Nursing disease (56%) was the most common diagnosis, followed by mastitis (11%), metritis (8%), and dystocia (7%). Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp. were the most frequent isolates from the cases of mastitis. In the 1988/1989 study, the mortality rate was highest from May to July, with a large increase in June as a result of nursing disease.

     

The effects of acid rain and ozone on biomass and leaf area parameters of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.)

Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) seedlings in 24 open-top chambers were exposed to combinations of ozone (carbon-filtered (control), ambient, 1.7 x ambient, and 2.5 x ambient) and acidic precipitation (pH 5.3, 4.3 and 3.3) for 16 months (1989 harvest) or 28 months (1990 harvest). Although the effects of acid rain were generally not significant, there was a trend toward increased aboveground biomass and leaf area in seedlings subjected to the low pH treatments. Because N concentrations in the soils generally increased with decreasing pH, we concluded that the effects of acid rain on aboveground biomass and leaf area were a consequence of an increasing concentration of soil N. In the 1989 harvest, seedlings in the 2.5 x ambient ozone treatment had significantly less biomass in all aboveground plant components and significantly less total leaf area than seedlings in the 1.7 x ambient ozone treatment. In the 1990 harvest, there were no significant effects of ozone on total aboveground biomass, although there was a trend toward reduced biomass in seedlings in the 2.5 x ambient ozone treatment. Both total leaf area and leaf biomass were significantly less in seedlings exposed to 2.5 x ambient ozone for 28 months than in both control seedlings and seedlings in the 1.7 x ambient ozone treatment. The greater, but not always significant, aboveground biomass and leaf area of seedlings in the 1.7 x ambient ozone treatment compared with control seedlings may be associated with the observed increase in soil nitrate concentration as a result of increased rates of leaf senescence and litterfall.     

Genotypic differences in speed and magnitude of response to ahemeral lighting

1. The paper compares between three genetically different lines in their egg weight and shell thickness response to a 28‐h cycle.

2. The response in shell thickness to ahemeral lighting was more rapid (2.2 d) than for egg weight (4.2 d).

3. Differences between genotypes were evident in both the speed and magnitude of response.

4. Overall, egg weight and shell thickness on the 28‐h cycle were 7% and 8% greater than on 24 h.

5. The allometric increase indicates that the increase in shell weight was on average 14% more than the increase in egg weight.     

Protein synthesis measured in the whole body of chick embryos cultured in vitro

1. Whole body protein synthesis was measured in chick embryos cultured in vitro. On day 7 of incubation chick embryos were cultured for 60 min in synthetic serum‐free medium containing 4‐[³H]phenylalanine. Specific radioactivities in free and protein‐bound phenylaline in the whole embryo were measured, starting 2 min after commencement of the culture process.

2. The values for fractional synthesis rate (FSR) estimated in vitro at 20, 30, 45 and 60 min during the embryo culture agreed well, ranging from 35 to 40%/d, suggesting that the method would serve as a useful model for studying the effect of growth promoters in chick embryos.

3. Bovine insulin in the synthetic medium did not affect FSR of protein in chick embryos cultured in vitro.