Demonstration of non-inferiority of a novel combination intramammary antimicrobial in the treatment of clinical mastitis

AIM: To test the non-inferiority of a novel combination intramammary product containing penicillin and cloxacillin to a reference intramammary product containing oxytetracycline, oleandomycin, neomycin and prednisolone with regard to bacteriological cure and clinical cure.

METHODS: Clinical cases of mastitis were sourced from 30 spring-calving dairy farms in the Southland region of New Zealand. Affected quarters were infused three times at 24 hourly intervals with either the novel combination product containing 1?g penicillin and 200?mg cloxacillin, or a reference product containing 200?mg oxytetracycline, 100?mg oleandomycin, 100?mg neomycin and 5?mg prednisolone. Cows were enrolled when a farmer detected a case of clinical mastitis. Milk samples were collected for microbiological culture immediately before treatment (Day 0) and on Days 9, 16 and 23. Bacteriological cure was compared for 187 and 178 quarters treated with the reference and novel product, respectively, and clinical cure was compared for 235 and 223 quarters, respectively. Non-inferiority was assessed by calculating the difference in cure rates between the two products and constructing a 95% CI around the difference, using the variance inflation factor to account for herd level clustering. The non-inferiority margin was 20% for both bacteriological and clinical cure. Generalising estimating equation models were used to determine predictor variables.

RESULTS: The bacteriological cure percentage, adjusted to account for herd-level clustering, was 8.5 (95% CI=?1.7–21.8)% higher for quarters treated with the novel than the reference product. The adjusted clinical cure percentage was 0.3 (95% CI=?11.2–12.0)% higher for clinical quarters treated with the novel than the reference product. Bacterial species was the only covariate for bacteriological cure (p=0.003), and quarter score at enrolment (indicating udder inflammation) was the only covariate for clinical cure (p=0.032) in the multivariable models.

CONCLUSION: The novel combination product was demonstrated to be non-inferior to the reference product with regards to both bacteriological cure and clinical cure.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinicians treating mastitis now have access to this novel combination intramammary product, and demonstration of its non-inferiority compared to the existing reference product will provide options for treatment approaches. The novel product contains fewer antimicrobials; which are of a narrower spectrum of activity.     

Salmonella in captive and wild Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) in Tasmania

Translocation of Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a common strategy for recovery of the species as carried out by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program. Dasyurids including the endangered Tasmanian devil are well known to asymptomatically harbour the zoonotic bacteria Salmonella enterica in their intestinal tracts. Testing for Salmonella is a routine component of pretranslocation health testing, so a statewide microbiological survey of captive and wild devils was implemented in order to understand prevalence and common Salmonella serotypes, and inform decision-making when positive cultures are identified. This preliminary study identified a significantly higher proportion of Salmonella isolations in wild compared with captive devils. Mississippi and Typhimurium were the most common serotypes, followed by Lexington, Bovismorbificans, Kottbus and Amsterdam. Given the common finding of Salmonella in wild devils and the range of serotypes involved, in addition to numerous isolations in domestic species and humans, it is unlikely that the release of small numbers of captive devils to the wild in Tasmania poses a significant risk to the destination ecosystem. Ongoing monitoring of devils is required as the stress of acclimatisation could predispose devils to clinical disease. Appropriate personal protective attire is pertinent to protect personnel handling animals from this zoonotic infection.     

Effect of processing flax in beef feedlot diets on performance, carcass characteristics, and trained sensory panel ratings

To assess the effects of flax addition and flax processing on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics, 128 yearling beef heifers (360 +/- 14 kg of initial BW) were blocked by weight and assigned randomly to feedlot diets that included no flax (control), whole flax (WHL), rolled flax (RLD; 1,300 microm), or ground flax (GRD; 700 microm). Heifers were fed a growth diet (31% corn, 30% corn silage, 18% barley malt pellets, 14% alfalfa, 4% linseed meal, and 3% supplement; DM basis) for 56 d, after which they were adapted to a finishing diet (79% corn, 7% corn silage, 7% alfalfa, 4.75% linseed meal, and 2.25% supplement; DM basis). In WHL, RLD, and GRD, flax replaced all linseed meal and partially replaced corn at 8% of diet DM. All diets provided 0.5 mg of melengestrol acetate, 2,000 IU of vitamin E, and 232 mg of monensin per heifer daily. Cattle were slaughtered by block after 96, 97, and 124 (2 blocks) d on feed. At 24 h postmortem, carcass data were collected, and a portion of the loin was removed, vacuum-packaged, and aged for 14 d. After aging, 2 steaks were removed from each loin for Warner-Bratzler shear force measurement, sensory panel evaluation, and fatty acid analysis (approximately 100 g of muscle was collected). Flax inclusion (WHL, RLD, and GRD vs. control) did not affect DMI (P = 0.79), fat thickness over the 12th rib (P = 0.32), or LM area (P = 0.23). Flax inclusion increased ADG (P = 0.006), G:F (P = 0.006), and USDA yield grade (P = 0.01). Flax processing (RLD and GRD vs. WHL) increased ADG (P = 0.05), G:F (P = 0.08), and apparent dietary NEm and NEg (P = 0.003). Muscle from heifers fed flax had greater phospholipid 18:3n-3 (P < 0.001), 20:5n-3 (P < 0.001), 22:5n-3 (P < 0.001), and 22:6n-3 (P = 0.02) fractions, and greater neutral lipid 18:3n-3 (P < 0.001). Feeding 8% flax to feedlot heifers increased gain and efficiency, and processing flax increased available energy and resulted in increased efficiency of gain. Feeding 8% flax also increased levels of n-3 fatty acids in fresh beef.     

Grain source and processing in diets containing varying concentrations of wet corn gluten feed for finishing cattle

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate combinations of wet corn gluten feed (WCGF) and barley, as well as the particle size of dry-rolled barley and corn, in finishing steer diets containing WCGF. In Exp. 1, 144 crossbred steers (initial BW = 298.9 +/- 1.4 kg) were used to evaluate barley (0.566 kg/L and 23.5% NDF for whole barley) and WCGF combinations in finishing diets containing 0, 17, 35, 52, or 69% WCGF (DM basis), replacing barley and concentrated separator byproduct. A sixth treatment consisted of corn (0.726 kg/L and 11.1% NDF for whole corn), replacing barley in the 35% WCGF treatment. In Exp. 2, 144 crossbred steers (initial BW = 315.0 +/- 1.5 kg) were used to evaluate coarse or fine, dry-rolled barley or corn (0.632 and 0.699 kg/L; 26.6 and 15.9% NDF for whole barley and corn, respectively) in finishing diets containing WCGF. A factorial treatment design was used; the factors were grain source (corn or barley) and degree of processing (coarse or fine). The diets contained 50% WCGF, 42% grain (corn or barley), 5% alfalfa hay, and 3% supplement (DM basis). In Exp. 1, DMI and ADG responded quadratically (P < or = 0.03), peaking at 35 and 52% WCGF, respectively. The efficiency of gain was not affected (P > or = 0.42) by dietary treatment. Steers fed dry-rolled corn and 35% WCGF had heavier HCW, lower DMI, greater ADG, increased G:F, increased s.c. fat thickness at the 12th rib, and greater yield grades compared with steers fed dry-rolled barley and 35% WCGF (P < or = 0.04). The apparent dietary NEg was similar among the barley and WCGF combinations (P > or = 0.51); however, the corn and 35% WCGF diet was 25% more energy dense (P < 0.001) than was the barley and 35% WCGF diet. In Exp. 2, no grain x processing interactions (P > or = 0.39) were observed. Particle size was 2.15 and 2.59 mm for fine- and coarse-rolled barley and was 1.90 and 3.23 mm for fine- and coarse-rolled corn. Steers fed a combination of corn and WCGF had increased ADG, greater G:F, heavier HCW, larger LM area, more s.c. fat thickness at the 12th rib, greater yield grades, increased marbling, and more KPH compared with steers fed a combination of barley and WCGF (P < or = 0.03). Fine-rolling of the grain increased fat thickness (P = 0.04). The addition of WCGF to the barley-based diets increased DMI and gain. Decreasing grain particle size did not greatly affect performance of the steers fed the 50% WCGF diets; however, carcasses from the steers fed the fine-rolled grain contained more fat.     

豆米轮作对春玉米土壤固氮细菌群落结构及多样性的影响

为探明大豆-玉米轮作对土壤固氮细菌的影响,以玉米连作为对照(MMM),以nif-H基因为指示,采用高通量测序技术,分析大豆-玉米2年轮作周期(MSM)和大豆-玉米-玉米3年轮作周期(SMM)下土壤固氮细菌群落结构及多样性。结果表明：大豆-玉米轮作下0～20、20～40 cm土层土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮、铵态氮和硝态氮均显著增加。固氮细菌的Chao1指数和ACE指数在0～20、20～40 cm土层均为轮作高于对照,轮作下MSM显著高于SMM;Shannon指数和Simpson指数在0～20 cm土层轮作显著高于MMM;20～40 cm土层MSM显著高于MMM。在门水平上,MSM和SMM的0～20、20～40 cm土层变形菌门的相对丰度均高于MMM。在属水平上,2个轮作类型0～20 cm土层的慢生根瘤菌属、弗兰克氏菌属和纤毛菌属相对丰度显著较高;20～40 cm土层慢生根瘤菌属、伪食酸菌属、地杆菌属和固氮弧菌属相对丰度显著较高;MSM 0～20、20～40 cm土层慢生根瘤菌属、甲基孢囊菌属和固氮弧菌属较SMM均提高。方差分析表明,固氮细菌丰度指数（Chao1和ACE指数）与有机质、碱解氮...     

Effect of Humidity on Broiler Health and Corresponding Measures

With the development of intensive broiler raising, the influence of environmental factors on broiler health are increasingly prominent. Relative humidity is one of the most important indicators of broiler house environment.But in the production process of broiler farming,it is often neglected on the management of humidity in house. Neither low humidity nor high humidity is conducive to the healthy growth of broilers. It is of great significance to strengthen the monitoring of the humidity in broiler houses and study the effects of relative humidity on the health of broiler for guiding the rational control of the humidity in broiler houses and the development of healthy breeding. In this paper, we summarized and analyzed the effects of relative humidity on thermal regulating,growth performance, reproductive performance, blood parameters, meat quality and respiratory tract of broilers, and the monitor and control measures of humidity in the poultry house, aimed to provide a reference for further research on the mechanism of relative humidity affects broiler health and rational regulation of humidity in broiler house.     

Study on Environmental Quality Parameters in Broiler House with Three-overlap Cages in Winter and Autumn

The study was conducted to detect the indoor environmental quality parameters of broiler house with three-overlap cages and analyze the differences in winter and autumn. In the process of feeding, the same farming house in the same farm was chosen to carry out the test. The indoor ambient temperature, humidity and the air quality were determined in chicken house in different seasons. The measure points were distributed in 4 different positions in the house. The experiment period was from 3 to 6 weeks of broilers.The results showed that there was no significant difference in the ambient temperature between autumn and winter during experimental period (P >0.05). The ambient temperature in the house in winter was slightly higher than in autumn. The humidity in autumn was significantly higher than that in winter (P <0.05).The temperature and humidity in two seasons could meet the requirements of broiler growth. There was no significant difference in ammonia concentration between autumn and winter, while ammonia level in winter was slightly higher than that in autumn. The carbon dioxide in the house was significantly higher in winter than that in autumn (P <0.05). The total number of airborne bacteria in winter was significantly higher than that in autumn (P <0.05). The indoor temperature kept constant in autumn and winter seasons in closed poultry house. In winter, the humidity was reduced, the carbon dioxide concentration was increased, and the total number of bacteria in the air was increased.So, the ventilation should increase at the same time of heating in winter.