Vaccine efficacy for reducing turbinate atrophy and improving growth rate in piggeries with endemic atrophic rhinitis

Two vaccines, based on formalin-killed whole cells of toxigenic Pasteurella multocida type D and Bordetella bronchiseptica combined with a partially toxoided cell extract of P multocida, were prepared with Freund's incomplete adjuvant (vaccine 1) or by alum precipitation (vaccine 2). Each was tested for safety and efficacy in reducing the severity of nasal turbinate atrophy and improving the growth rate of pigs in three Western Australian commercial piggeries with endemic atrophic rhinitis. In safety experiments with vaccine 1, no adverse clinical effects were observed in vaccinated sows or their progeny. Piglets receiving vaccine 2 showed no injection site abnormalities, pyrexia or turbinate atrophy. In field trials, vaccine 1 significantly reduced the prevalence of moderate to severe nasal turbinate atrophy (Done score 3 to 5) when used in two piggeries (A and B). Progeny from vaccinated sows in piggery B also grew significantly faster than controls. When vaccine 2 was used in piggery A at a later date and in another piggery (C), growth rate was not improved in either piggery and the prevalence of moderate to severe turbinate atrophy was reduced only in piggery C.     

Survival and fertility after uterine prolapse in dairy cows

Sixty-eight cases of uterine prolapase in pastured dairy cows were treated in 2 consecutive spring calving seasons in East Gippsland, Victoria. Fifty cows survived (73.5%). Of 43 cows available for followup, 36 (84%) conceived in the mating period following the prolapse, taking 10 d longer to conceive than herd mates that calved on the same day. Three of the 36 cows (8%) that conceived, aborted, this occurring in the middle trimester of pregnancy. No prolapses occurred at the following calving but one case had suffered uterine prolapse 2 years previously. The conclusions drawn from these observations are that cows with uterine prolapse have a good chance of surviving if treated, that treatment is cost-effective, that uterine prolapse is unlikely to reoccur and treated cows have a good chance of conceiving. The veterinarians involved in this investigation were reasonably accurate in their ability to predict long term survival but not as good in predicting ability to conceive again.     

Supplementation with sunflower seeds in beef cattle did not impact on oocyte and in vitro embryo production

Supplementation with compounds rich in linoleic acid, including sunflower seed supplementation, promotes increase in conception rates in cows. We aimed to evaluate whether the sunflower seed (linoleic acid source) supplementation in beef donor females alters the plasma concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL, increases the number and quality of oocytes, increases the cleavage rates and determines an improvement in number and quality of in vitro produced blastocysts. Thus, Nelore females were divided into two groups of 15 animals to receive supplementation with or without sunflower seed for 57 days. Females underwent follicular aspiration and the oocytes were subjected to in vitro embryo production. There was no difference (p > .1) between control group and group supplemented with sunflower seed on the number of displayed follicles; number of aspired oocytes; recovery rate; cleavage rate; number of embryos; number of blastocysts; embryos number of grades I and II; plasma concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides; HDL and LDL. Therefore, sunflower seed supplementation in oocyte donors did not increase the number and quality of oocytes, cleavage rates and the number and quality of blastocysts produced in vitro.     

Identification of Apoptotic Bodies in Equine Semen

Apoptosis in the testis is required to ensure an efficient spermatogenesis. However, sometimes, defective germ cells that are marked for elimination during this process escape elimination in the testes, giving rise to ejaculates with increased percentages of abnormal and apoptotic spermatozoa and a high percentage of apoptotic bodies. Apoptosis markers in the ejaculate have been associated with low fertility, either in animals or humans. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate whether fresh equine semen contains apoptotic bodies [initially named Merocyanine 540 (M540) bodies] and to study the relationship between the quantity of these bodies and cell concentration, the volume of ejaculate, viability and motility. Moreover, we also studied whether the presence apoptotic bodies in fresh semen was related to the resistance of the stallion spermatozoa to being incubated at 37°C or being frozen and thawed. Fresh equine semen was stained with fluorescent dyes such as M540 and Annexin‐V. Active Caspase 3 was studied in fresh semen through Western blotting and immunofluorescence with a specific antibody. Sperm kinematics was assessed in fresh, incubated and thawed samples using computer‐assisted semen analysis, and viability was evaluated with the LIVE/DEAD Sperm Viability Kit. Overall, our results demonstrate for the first time the presence of apoptotic bodies in equine semen. The quantity of apoptotic bodies was highly variable among stallions and was positively correlated with Caspase 3 activity in fresh samples and negatively correlated with the viability and motility of stallion spermatozoa after the cryopreservation process.     

The confidential enquiry into perioperative equine fatalities (CEPEF): mortality results of Phases 1 and 2

Objectives To document the equine perioperative mortality rate and to highlight any factor associated with an increased risk of death up to 7 days after anaesthesia. Study design A prospective observational epidemiological multicentre study. Methods Data were recorded from all equidae undergoing general anaesthesia in 62 clinics. Power calculations indicated that 45 000 cases were required to detect the significance of important variables. Details of each horse, operation, anaesthetic agents and clinic personnel were recorded. Outcome at 7 days was recorded as: alive, put to sleep (PTS) or dead. Data were analysed by a standard multilevel logistic regression approach, considering the effects of clustering at the level of clinic. Results Data were collected from 41 824 cases over 6 years. A total of 39 025 (93.3%) were alive on day 7 and 785 were dead giving an overall death rate of 1.9% (95% CI: 1.8–2.0) and 2014 (4.8%) were PTS. About 5846 horses undergoing emergency abdominal surgeries (‘colics’) were excluded from subsequent analyses. A total of 35 107 ‘noncolic’ horses were alive at 7 days and 328 dead giving a death rate for noncolics of 0.9% (95% CI: 0.8–1.0). Five hundred and forty‐three (1.5%) noncolic horses classified PTS were excluded from further analyses. There were 109 (33%) deaths from cardiac arrest or post‐operative cardiovascular collapse, with 107 (32%) from fractures and myopathies. Fracture repair, out of hours surgery, and age below 1 month was associated with increased risk of dying whereas the use of acepromazine and intravenous anaesthetic agent maintenance of anaesthesia was associated with reduced risk. Conclusions A number of potential contributors to the high risk of anaesthetic‐related mortality have been identified. Further investigation of the underlying mechanism for their apparent harmful effects and development of alternative techniques is merited.     

Cellular and extracellular vesicular origins of miRNAs within the bovine ovarian follicle

The ovarian follicle components must provide an ideal environment to ensure the success of reproductive processes, and communication between follicular cells is crucial to support proper oocyte growth. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the presence of extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying microRNAs (miRNAs) in follicular fluid represents an important autocrine and paracrine communication mechanism inside the ovarian follicle. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the miRNA content of EVs isolated from ovarian follicular (granulosa and cumulus–oocyte complexes) cell‐conditioned culture media is dependent upon cell type. We initially screened bovine granulosa cells (GCs) and cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs), as well as their derived EVs for 348 miRNAs using real‐time PCR, and detected 326 miRNAs in GCs and COCs cells and 62 miRNAs in GCs and COCs EVs. A bioinformatics analysis of the identified cell‐specific and differentially expressed miRNAs predicted that they likely modulate important cellular processes, including signalling pathways such as the PI3K‐Akt, MAPK and Wnt pathways. By investigating the origins of miRNAs within the follicular fluid, the results of this study provide novel insights into follicular miRNA content and intercellular communication that may be of invaluable use in the context of reproductive technologies, diagnostic of ovarian‐related diseases and/or the identification of biomarkers for oocyte and embryo quality.     

The serological responses of chickens to mass vaccination with a live V4 Newcastle disease virus vaccine in the field and in the laboratory 2. Layer pullets

Layer chickens on a commercial started pullet farm were vaccinated once at 31 to 52 days of age by drinking water or aerosol with live V4 Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine. Flockmates which had been rehoused in laboratory isolation pens shortly beforehand were similarly vaccinated. Samples of birds were bled at intervals and the serums tested for haemagglutination inhibiting antibody to NDV. Log2 mean titres of up to 4.88 and assumed protection levels (based on the percentage of birds with log2 titres of 4 or greater) of up to 81%, were obtained in the field trials within 4 weeks of vaccination. A subsequent laboratory trial further compared the response of different breeds of chicken to different routes of vaccination. Differences were observed between breeds, routes of vaccination, and parallel field and laboratory trials. The results show that this V4 vaccine can produce an adequate serological response following mass vaccination of Australian layer pullets housed under commercial conditions, and that care should be exercised in extrapolating results obtained under laboratory conditions.