Evaluation of the humoral immune response and fecal shedding in weanling foals following oral and intra-rectal administration of an avirulent live vaccine of Lawsonia intracellularis

Equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) caused by Lawsonia intracellularis has recently been recognized as an emerging disease in foals. Whilst the clinical entity, diagnostic evaluation and treatment of affected foals have been well established and described, preventive measures for EPE have remained largely unaddressed. The objectives of this study were to investigate the humoral immune response and onset and duration of fecal shedding in foals after oral and intra-rectal administration of a modified-live vaccine of L. intracellularis. Foals were vaccinated twice, 3 weeks apart, via oral drenching after pre-medication with a proton-pump inhibitor (omeprazole; group 1), intra-rectally (group 2) or orally without any pre-medication (group 3). The health status of the foals was monitored daily, with feces and serum collected at regular intervals for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and serology. All foals remained healthy and no adverse vaccine reactions were observed. Fecal shedding lasted from 1 to 12 days and was mainly detected in foals receiving the intra-rectal vaccine 11-15 days following the first vaccine administration. Serological responses were measured in the majority of the vaccinated foals. All foals vaccinated intra-rectally seroconverted after the first vaccine, compared to 50% and 0% of foals in groups 1 and 3, respectively. Pre-medication with omeprazole prior to oral vaccination in group 1 foals led to an earlier and stronger detectable humoral response compared to non pre-medicated foals.     

Standing Lateral Thoracotomy in Horses: Indications,Complications, and Outcomes

Objective: To describe the indications for, complications arising from, and outcome of horses that had standing lateral thoracotomy for pleural or pericardial disease. Study Design: Case series. Animals: Horses (n=16). Methods: Medical records (January 1990–December 2008) of sedated standing horses that had lateral thoracotomy were reviewed. Clinical and surgical findings, perioperative and short‐term complications were recorded. Long‐term (>6 months) outcome was determined through telephone conversations with owners and veterinarians. Results: Mean (±SD) horse age was 6.6±5.3 years (range, 1–15 years). Thoracotomy was most commonly for treatment of recurrent or chronic pleural infection (94%). Anaerobic bacteria were frequently isolated from pleural effusion associated with pleuropneumonia (63%). Right lateral intercostal thoracotomy was performed in 13 horses (82%); intercostal muscle myectomy in 5 horses; and rib resection in 1. Perioperative complications were hemipneumothorax (2 horses) and short‐term complications included cellulitis and abscessation of the thoracotomy site (6 horses). Fourteen (88%) horses survived to discharge and 46% of horses that survived returned to their previous level of athletic activity. Conclusions: Lateral thoracotomy is well tolerated by standing sedated horses with minimal perioperative and short‐term complications. Clinical Relevance: Standing lateral thoracotomy should be considered for the treatment of complicated pleuropneumonia in horses.     

Utilization of beef from different cattle phenotypes to produce a guaranteed tender beef product

Cattle (n = 303) were visually selected from four feed yards to represent six phenotypes (English [EN; n = 50], 3/4 English-1/4 Brahman [ENB; n = 52], 1/2 English-1/2 Exotic [ENEX; n = 56], 1/2 English-1/4 Exotic-1/4 Brahman [ENEXB; n = 47], 3/4 Exotic-1/4 Brahman [EXB; n = 49], and 1/2 Exotic-1/4 English-1/4 Brahman [EXENB; n = 49]). Carcasses were processed at a commercial beef packing facility, and strip loins were collected after 48-h chilling. Strip loins were aged for 14 d at 2 degrees C and frozen at -20 degrees C for 3 to 5 d before three 2.5-cm-thick steaks were cut for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) determinations and sensory evaluations. Phenotype EN had the highest (P < 0.05) adjusted fat thickness, and EXB had adjusted fat thickness that was lower (P < 0.05) than all other phenotypes except EXENB. Carcasses of EN and ENB had smaller (P < 0.05) longissimus muscle areas than phenotypes ENEX, EXB, and EXENB. Phenotype EN produced carcasses with the highest (P < 0.05) numerical yield grade, whereas carcasses originating from phenotype EXB had lower (P < 0.05) numerical yield grades than all other phenotypes except ENEX. No differences (P > 0.05) were found among phenotypes for mean WBSF values or sensory panel ratings for initial and sustained tenderness, initial and sustained juiciness, beef flavor characteristics, and overall mouthfeel. More than 90% of steaks from carcasses of all phenotypes had WBSF values less than 3.6 kg when cooked to an internal cooked temperature of 70 degrees C. Results from this study indicated that all phenotypes represented in this study could be managed to produce tender beef.