Long-term application of animal slurries to grassland alters soil cation balance

Abstract. Soil samples from a 32-year grassland field experiment were taken from 0–5, 5–10, and 10–15 cm soil depths in February 2002. Plots received annual treatments of unamended control, mineral fertilizer, three rates of pig slurry and three rates of cow slurry, each with six replicates. Samples were analysed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), pH and Olsen P. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was calculated as a sodicity indicator. Mean ESP was generally greater for slurry treatments than the control, with a trend of increasing ESP with application rate. This was particularly marked for cow slurry. At 0–5 cm depth ESP increased from 1.18 in the control to 1.75 at the highest rate of pig slurry and 5.60 at the highest rate of cow slurry. Similar trends were shown for CEC, exchangeable Na⁺, K⁺ and Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Olsen P. The build-up of soil P due to slurry applications, together with this combination of physical and chemical factors, may increase the risk of P loss to surface waters, particularly from soils receiving high rates of cow slurry.     

Comparative evaluation of the effect of two maternal diets on fatty acids, vitamin E and carotenoids in the chick embryo.

1. The fatty acid profile of egg yolk and vitamin E and carotenoid accumulation in the egg yolk and embryonic tissues were investigated in relation to the maternal diet. 2. Two hundred fertile eggs (Ross 308 Broiler Breeder), obtained from hens fed on a maize-based (M-diet) or a wheat-based diet (W-diet), were incubated using standard conditions. 3. The egg yolk and embryo tissues (residual yolk, yolk sac membrane, liver, kidney, lung, muscles, adipose tissue and plasma) were collected on d 18 of incubation and on d 21 (newly-hatched chicks) and analysed for fatty acids, vitamin E and carotenoids. 4. The diets did not differ in terms of fatty acid or alpha-tocopherol concentrations. The concentration of carotenoids in the M-diet was 11.8 mg/kg and in the W-diet was 5.6 mg/kg with lutein and zeaxanthin being major carotenoids. 5. Eggs from the M-group contained higher (P<0.01) concentrations of beta+gamma-tocopherols, total carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. Chickens hatched from those eggs were characterised by the increased concentrations of total carotenoids and zeaxanthin in all the tissues studied. The concentration of beta+gamma-tocopherol was enhanced only in the liver and yolk sac membrane. 6. It is concluded that the maternal diet plays an important role in antioxidant systems formation during chick embryonic development; the M-diet can increase the antioxidant potential of the egg yolk and embryonic tissues compared to the antioxidant potential provided by parent birds fed the W-diet.     

Foxtail-induced ulcerative stomatitis outbreak in a Missouri stable.

Twenty of 25 horses in a well-managed Missouri boarding stable were diagnosed with gingivitis/stomatitis. Gross examination of the affected horses revealed varying degrees of gingivitis ranging from mild periodontal swelling to marked swelling and erythema with ulceration and hemorrhage. Fine hair-like material was embedded within the intensely affected areas. Gingival biopsies from 4 affected horses contained pyogranulomatous inflammation with, in some cases, numerous eosinophils and several grass awns in cross and longitudinal section. Numerous foxtail seed heads were identified in hay samples. Examination of the records revealed that all of the affected horses had been fed the suspect hay, with the exception of 1 horse. Although not deliberately fed the suspect hay, this horse did have access to the hay when turned out into the exercise paddock. The lesions resolved following a change in hay source.     

Monthly model for genetic evaluation of laying hens 1. Fixed regression.

1. This paper addresses the possibility of using a monthly model for the genetic evaluation of laying hens, based on the definition of a test day model with fixed regression as used in dairy cattle, in which monthly records were treated as repeated measurements of the same trait. 2. Production records of 6450 hens, daughters of 180 sires and 1335 dams were analysed using an animal model with restricted maximum likelihood (REML). The traits considered were individual monthly egg production and cumulative egg production in 11 months. Four different models were fitted to various combinations of monthly and cumulative records. The covariates were derived from the regression of Ali and Schaeffer (1987). 3. Spearman rank correlations were computed to compare breeding values from different models. Two types of correlations were computed: between individual breeding values and between sire breeding values based on subsets of full-sib records. 4. The results indicated that a monthly model with nested covariates produced higher heritability and permanent environmental variance than the models with non-nested or without covariates. The estimates of heritability obtained from monthly model were lower than the estimates from the cumulative model. The monthly model resulted in higher correlations of sire breeding values between two subsets of full-sib records than those from cumulative models. 5. In conclusion, the monthly model with nested covariates appears to be better than the model with non-nested covariates or without covariate. Although the heritability estimates obtained from the monthly model were lower, the monthly model with nested covariates could be better than the cumulative model for genetic evaluation of laying hens in the 1st cycle of laying period when using either full or part records. The use of information from odd months of production could be of interest for the evaluation of full records.     

Reproductive roles predict sexual dimorphism in internal and external morphology of lake whitefish,Coregonus clupeaformis

Abstract – The different reproductive roles of the sexes can predict the direction and magnitude of sexual dimorphism of external and internal morphology. Males should have enlarged structures that enhance the acquisition of mating opportunities, whereas females are predicted to have enlarged organs that are associated with the production of eggs. We tested these predictions in male and female lake whitefish, a species in which both sexes have similar overall body size and shape. After controlling for body size, male lake whitefish had significantly longer jaws and pectoral and pelvic fins, larger hearts, and more muscle than females. Sexual dimorphism in relative muscle mass may be one of the most fundamental morphological differences between males and females. Females had relatively heavier livers than males. Because the liver is important for the breakdown of fats and vitellogenesis, selection should favour an enlarged liver in females for the processing of energy and the production of large numbers of eggs.     

Physiological Basis of Irrigation Scheduling for Seed Production in Egyptian Clover Syn. Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) Crop

A field experiment was conducted to find out the critical physiological stages of irrigation schedules inducing better growth, physiological efficiency and seed yield potential of berseem ( Trifolium alexandrinum L., Var. S-99-1). For this purpose eight irrigation treatments were made comprised of four treatments of three irrigation (W₁, W₂, W₃ and W₄), three treatments of four irrigation (W₅, W₇ and W₈) and one treatment of five irrigation (W₆) at various physiological stages i. e. regeneration, flower initiation, full bloom, seed initiation and advance seed development stage.
Thus based on the experimental results the physiological role of watering in berseem seed production could be discussed as:
With-holding of irrigation either at regeneration or at full bloom stage developed potential water stress in plants as indicated by high proline content of irrigation treatments — W₄, W₁ and W₇; and further brought out disturbance on the formation of carotene, synthesis of water soluble sugar and translocation of sugar towards reproductive organs during grain development stage. These stresses adversely affected the plant growth and flowering behaviour. The irrigation at seed initiation stage increased the seed yield. Continuous irrigation did not appear to be useful. Thus it can be concluded that irrigation at three critical physiological stages i. e. regeneration, full bloom and seed initiation was found to be essential for obtaining potential seed yield of berseem.     

Localization of extracellular matrix receptors in ICGN mice, a strain of mice with hereditary nephrotic syndrome.

Fibrotic degeneration was examined in the kidneys of ICR-derived glomerulonephritis (ICGN) mice, a novel inbred mouse line with a hereditary nephrotic syndrome of unknown etiology considered to be a good model of human idiopathic nephrotic syndrome. In the present study, we histochemically revealed changes in accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components and in localization of integrins, cellular receptors for ECM, in the kidneys of ICGN mice with the progression of renal failure. Excessive accumulation of basement membrane (laminin and collagen IV) and interstitial (type III collagen) ECM components were demonstrated in the glomeruli and tubulointerstitum of ICGN mice. Marked deposition of type I collagen and tenascin was seen only in the glomeruli of ICGN mice but not in those of ICR mice as normal controls. Increased expression of integrin alpha1-, alpha2-, alpha5- and beta1-subunits in glomeruli with fibrotic degeneration and abnormal distribution of alpha6-subunit were noted in the kidneys of ICGN mice. Excessive laminin, a ligand of alpha6beta1-integrin, was demonstrated on the tubular basement membrane, but alpha6-subunit diffusely disappeared on the basal side of the tubular epithelial cells. We presumed that abnormal integrin expression in renal tubules causes epithelial cell detachment, and consequently tubular nephropathy, and results in disorder of ECM metabolism causing excessive accumulation of ECM components in the kidneys of ICGN mice.     

Evaluation of an autogenous Salmonella bacterin and a modified live Salmonella serotype Choleraesuis vaccine on a commercial dairy farm.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of a Salmonella bacterin and a modified live Salmonella ser. Choleraesuis vaccine on a commercial dairy. ANIMALS: 450 cows in late gestation and 80 calves. PROCEDURE: Group-1 cows (n = 150) were vaccinated once with a modified live S. Choleraesuis (serogroup C1) strain 54 (SC54) vaccine, group-2 cows (150) were vaccinated on enrollment and 30 days later with a Salmonella ser. Montevideo (serogroup C1) bacterin, and group-3 cows (150) served as unvaccinated controls. One gallon of colostrum harvested from the first 80 cows to calve was fed to each calf. Outcome assessments included fecal shedding of Salmonella spp for the first 10 days after parturition (cows) or birth (calves), milk production, involuntary culling rate, mastitis incidence, antimicrobial use, and mortality rate. RESULTS: Salmonellae were isolated from 306 of 309 (99%) cows and 64 of 74 (86.5%) calves. Shedding frequency was less in SC54-vaccinated cows and calves that received colostrum from those cows, compared with the other groups, and vaccination was specifically associated with less shedding of serogroup C1 salmonellae. Production data were similar among groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Vaccination of pregnant cows with an autogenous Salmonella bacterin had no effect on fecal shedding of salmonellae, whereas vaccination with a modified live S. Choleraesuis vaccine reduced the frequency of fecal shedding of serogroup C1 salmonellae during the peripartum period. A commercial S. Choleraesuis vaccine licensed for use in swine may be more efficacious than autogenous Salmonella bacterins on dairies infected with serogroup C1 salmonellae.     

Protection of turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.), and rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Richardson), against vibriosis using two different vaccines

Abstact. The potency of a whole-cell bacterin (WCB) and a toxoid enriched whole-cell vaccine (WCEB) administered intraperitoncally into rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Richardson), were compared. The most effective vaccine was further evaluated by bathing turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (L.). These vaccines were composed of three strains of V. anguillarun , of the serotypes 01 and 02. Both vaccines conferred the highest protection against strains of serotype 01 within 4 weeks. With the toxoid enriched vaccine giving the best results (77 RPS). When trout were revaccinated after 7 weeks with this vaccine, good protection was achieved against strains of serotypes 01 and 02. Interestingly, when the WCEB was administered by bath to turbot, acceptable levels of protection against strains of both serotypes were obtained after 4 weeks of immunization.