The influence of crossbreeding on collagen solubility and tenderness of Infraspinatus and Semimembranosus muscles of semi‐intensively reared young bulls

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of crossbreeding on collagen content and solubility, shear force (WBSF) and the eating quality of Infraspinatus (INF) and Semimembranosus (SM) muscles of young bulls and the relationships between collagen content and solubility, shear force and the eating quality of beef. The experimental material comprised muscles of crossbred young bulls (about 600 days old) of Polish Holstein‐Friesian (PHF) × Limousine (LM) (n = 10), PHF × Charolaise (CH) (n = 9), PHF × Hereford (HER) (n = 9) breeds. The crossbreeding influenced WBSF, aroma and taste, total, water‐soluble, acid‐soluble, total soluble and insoluble collagen content, as well as the acid‐soluble, total soluble and insoluble collagen proportions. WBSF was significantly negatively correlated with sensorial tenderness and water‐soluble collagen content. The eating quality of beef obtained from different crossbreds was similar; however, the meat from PHF × LM and PHF × HER bulls had lower WBSF values than PHF × CH bulls. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

Anatomical Variations of the Blood Vascular System in Veterinary Medicine: The Internal Iliac Artery of the Dog — Part Three

The aim of this study was to analyse and describe the variability of the umbilical artery. Two hundred and thirty‐two pelvic halves from 116 adult dogs were examined. To study the permeability of the umbilical artery, ten adult dogs, nine newborns and thirteen foetuses between 35 and 50 days of gestation were also used. In relation to the origin of the umbilical artery, six anatomical variations were found. From which five involved a cranial (n = 4) or caudal (n = 1) relocation of its origin, and in one case (n = 1), the umbilical artery arose from the median sacral artery. In eight cases, the umbilical artery gave off the prostatic (n = 1) or vaginal (n = 7) arteries. The permeability of the umbilical artery was the most significant anatomical variation: permeability was detected in 45% (106 of 232 pelvic halves) of all cases, from which 36 were males and 70 females. Interestingly, an equal vascular permeability in both hemipelvises was found for 82% of the dogs, thus additional data related to such feature of the umbilical artery was also recorded. In accordance with the statistical study, the main anatomical variations described showed significant values for gender, side of the body, size and profile variables.     

Prevalence of feline herpesvirus 1, Chlamydophila felis, and Mycoplasma spp DNA in conjunctival cells collected from cats with and without conjunctivitis

OBJECTIVE: To use PCR assays to determine the prevalence of feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), Chlamydophila felis, and Mycoplasma spp DNA in conjunctival cells collected from cats with and without conjunctivitis; to compare results of conventional and real-time fluorogenic PCR assays for amplification of FHV-1 DNA; and to determine whether copy numbers of FHV-1 DNA are correlated with conjunctivitis. ANIMALS: 55 cats with active conjunctivitis, 39 healthy cats that never had conjunctivitis, and 32 cats with a history of conjunctivitis that had been resolved for at least 3 months. PROCEDURES: Samples were obtained by rolling cotton-tipped applicators on the ventral conjunctiva of awake cats treated topically with proparacaine. The DNA was extracted from the swab specimens and assessed in PCR assays to detect DNA of FHV-1 (fluorogenic PCR assay and conventional PCR assay), Mycoplasma spp (conventional PCR assay), and C felis (conventional PCR assay). RESULTS: Overall prevalence rates of FHV-1, C felis, and Mycoplasma spp as assessed by the conventional PCR assays were 6.7%, 3.2%, and 9.6%, respectively. Percentage concordance between conventional PCR and fluorogenic PCR assays for FHV-1 was 92.5%. There were no significant differences among the 3 groups of cats for the mean copy number of FHV-1 divided by the copy number of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Mycoplasma spp were the most prevalent organism detected and was associated with conjunctivitis. This study could not confirm that there are increased copy numbers of FHV-1 DNA in cats with conjunctivitis, compared with the copy numbers for cats without conjunctivitis.