Reproductive characteristics of the fishery important temperate demersal berycid Centroberyx gerrardi indicate greater reproductive output in regions of upwelling

The reproductive biology of Centroberyx gerrardi (Günther) was investigated across ~2,000 km of its southern Australian distribution, encompassing different jurisdictions and varying environmental features. Greater gonad mass and prevalence of spawning fish, along with lower ratios of lengths at maturity:maximum lengths and ages at maturity:maximum ages, were identified at the western‐most (Capes) and eastern‐most (Great Australian Bight; GAB) regions. Across the study region, spawning peaks in summer/autumn, when water temperatures are warmest. Regional differences in potential “reproductive output,” while not consistent with the eastward decline in mean monthly water temperature, may instead be related to summer upwelling in the Capes and GAB, driving greater oceanic productivity prior to peak spawning, supporting larval survival. In autumn, the prevailing southward and eastward flowing, downwelling Leeuwin Current (LC) strengthens, providing a dispersal mechanism along the west and south Australian coasts, but limiting upwelling effects. Predicted changes in environmental conditions and their potential impacts on C. gerrardi are discussed, in particular how these factors may affect recruitment to stocks and fisheries, requiring a better understanding of source‐sink relationships for this species. As environmental changes occur, management strategies to sustain fish resources must adapt to spatially variable and changing reproductive output and be collaborative across jurisdictions.     

AAFP and ISFM feline-friendly handling guidelines

BACKGROUND: The number of pet cats is increasing in most countries, often outnumbering pet dogs, yet cats receive less veterinary care than their canine counterparts.(1) Clients state the difficulty of getting the cat into a carrier at home, driving to the clinic, and dealing with the fearful cat at the veterinary clinic as reasons for fewer visits.(2) Educating and preparing the client and the veterinary team with regard to respectful feline handling is necessary in order to avoid stress and accomplish the goal of good health care. Without such preparation, feline stress may escalate into fear or fear-associated aggression. The resulting stress may alter results of the physical examination and laboratory tests, leading to incorrect diagnoses (eg, diabetes mellitus) and unnecessary treatments.(3-5) Without compassionate and respectful handling by the veterinary team, clients may feel the team lacks skills and compassion, or does not understand cats. Injury may occur to the cat, client and/or veterinary team.(6) Clients who want to avoid stress for their cat may avoid veterinary visits or choose another practice instead. GOALS: The use of feline-friendly handling techniques should reduce these problems. Handling is most successful when the veterinary team adapts the approach to each individual cat and situation. The goal of these guidelines is to provide useful information for handling cats that can lead to: ? Reduced fear and pain for the cat. ? Reinforced veterinarian-client-cat bond, trust and confidence, and thus better lifelong medical care for the cat. ? Improved efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction for the veterinary team. ? Increased client compliance. ? Timely reporting and early detection of medical and behavioral concerns. ? Fewer injuries to clients and the veterinary team. ? Reduced anxiety for the client.     

Chronic Idiopathic Neutropenia in a Cat

Persistent neutropenia (0-0.6 X 10(9) neutrophils/l) was documented during a 10-month period in a 4-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat that was presented for anorexia and depression. Salient abnormalities detected on physical examination were fever (40.3 degrees C), dehydration, and gingivitis. The cat was neutropenic (0.5 X 10(9) neutrophils/l) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for feline leukemia virus was negative. A bone marrow aspirate showed decreased numbers of mature granulocytic cells. In vitro bone marrow cultures for colony-forming units-granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM) were performed comparing bone marrow from the patient with that of a normal cat. The patient had fewer CFU-GM than the control. The number of CFU-GM increased when bone marrow mononuclear cells were cultured in the presence of 10(-5) and 10(-6) mol/l of hydrocortisone, but the cat did not respond to oral prednisolone therapy. The pathogenesis of the neutropenia in this cat remains obscure, but resembles the chronic idiopathic neutropenia syndrome of man.     

Response of Yield Attributes of Isogenic Tall, Semidwarf, and Doubledwarf Winter Wheats to Nitrogen Fertilizer and Seeding Rates

Relationships between grain yield attributes and response to agronomic practices of dwarf and tall genotypes in the major U.S. wheat region were investigated. Isogenic tall, semidwarf, and doubledwarf (Norin 10/5/Pawnee) 'Pawnee' winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) lines were planted in a split-split-plot design with nitrogen fertilizer rates of 0, 50, and 100 kg ha⁻¹ as main plots and seeding rates of 30, 60, and 90 kg ha⁻¹ as subplots in four replications at Hutchinson and Manhattan, Kansas, during 1980–1981. There was no evidence that dwarf lines responded better than the tall line to nitrogen fertilizer; however, percentage fertile spikelets, spike length, harvest index, and kernel number per spike of the semidwarf line were favored by high nitrogen rates. Grain yield was more responsive to seeding rate in the doubledwarf line than in the other lines, and test weight and spike number per unit area were more responsive to seeding rate in one or both dwarf lines than in the tall line. Grain yield of each genotype depended highly on the predominant yield attributes — usually spike number per unit area and/or kernel weight — at one or both locations.     

Nutrition for critical gastrointestinal illness: feeding horses with diarrhea or colic.

Horses with GI diseases such as colic and diarrhea are often intolerant of adequate enteral nutrition. Nutritional intervention should be an early part of therapeutic management in such cases. Protein and energy malnutrition in critically ill horses can have deleterious effects, including poor wound or incisional healing, reduced immunity, and weight loss. Early enteral or parenteral support should be provided to supply resting DE requirements in the equine ICU.     

Effectiveness and comparison of citronella and scentless spray bark collars for the control of barking in a veterinary hospital setting

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a citronella bark collar and a new, scentless spray bark collar in a veterinary hospital or a similar kennel-type environment. Forty-one dogs were included in the study. The efficacy of each collar was evaluated independently in comparison to control as well as in a crossover design. Thirty of the dogs were evaluated with the citronella collar, with 76.7% showing a reduction in barking. Twenty-nine dogs were evaluated with the scentless collar, with 58.6% showing a reduction in barking. The improvement over the control collars was statistically significant with both the citronella and scentless collars.