Changes in N Composition of Sugar Beet Varieties in Response to Increasing N Supply

The soluble nitrogen (N) components in sugar beet seriously impair sugar recovery. The only N component determined routinely in the sugar factory is amino N (the sum of amino acids in the beet), which is assumed to reflect all the other N components. Amino N is affected by N supply and variety, but only little is known about the other N components such as total soluble N, betaine and nitrate. This study aimed at investigating the effect of N supply on the N composition of sugar beet varieties with special emphasis on N supply by variety interactions. In 2001 and 2002, field trials with four varieties and four N treatments were carried out at six sites in Germany. Storage root yield and the concentrations of sucrose, sodium, amino N, betaine, nitrate and total soluble N in the beet were determined. With increasing N supply, the concentration of amino N increased considerably and that of nitrate slightly, whereas that of betaine remained rather constant. Thus, the N composition of sugar beet changed with increasing N supply and the percentage of amino N of total soluble N increased. Although amino N has the closest correlation with total soluble N, for quality assessment it may overestimate the effect of N supply on other N components. Varieties clearly differed in root yield and quality as well as in all N components. The variety with the lowest amino N had the highest betaine concentration. However, as related to the concentration of total soluble N in the beet, for all varieties amino N as well as betaine showed the same response pattern. This indicates that the N composition of sugar beet is determined by the level of total soluble N, irrespective of variety or N supply. All varieties required the same N supply for obtaining maximum yield or quality. N supply did not affect the ranking of the varieties for all parameters studied, consequently it need not be considered for variety choice.     

Energy metabolism of growing broiler chickens kept in groups in relation to the environmental temperature. 3. Moderated model description of the efficiency of the utilization of variable energy for body energy retention

An attempt is made on the basis of extensive studies on the energy metabolism of growing broilers to describe as a model the efficiency of the energetic utilization of the feed. The following parameters are components of the model: metabolizable energy, energy maintenance requirement, thermoneutral temperature, thermoregulatory heat production, heat production from the partial utilization of metabolizable energy for body energy retention, heat production (total), energy retention, utilization of metabolizable energy (total), live weight, environmental temperature. At environmental temperatures of 35, 30, 25, 20 and 15 degrees C resp. the model statement for the total utilization of metabolizable energy amounts to 32.4, 39.4, 39.6, 37.3 and 36.2% resp.     

Erythrocyte antibodies in porcine eperythrozoonosis

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) was detected in pigs affected by spontaneous eperythrozoonosis. Autoantibodies against red cells were found by hemagglutination and hemolysin tests and direct and indirect antiglobulin tests using immunofluorescence. According to these findings and morphological results, the process in porcine eperythrozoonosis is to be classified as acquired autoimmune hemolytic anemia due to “cold” antibodies.     

Effect of whole-body potassium depletion on plasma, erythrocyte, and middle gluteal muscle potassium concentration of healthy, adult horses.

The effects of whole-body potassium depletion induced by food deprivation on plasma, erythrocyte, and middle gluteal muscle K concentrations was quantified in 16 healthy, adult horses before, during, and at the end of a 7-day period of food deprivation during which water and sodium chloride were available ad libitum. Potassium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Plasma K concentration remained constant (3.49 +/- 0.09 mM K/L of plasma; mean +/- SEM) throughout the study. Erythrocyte potassium concentration decreased from 93.10 +/- 1.94 mM K/L of erythrocytes on day 0 to 88.63 +/- 2.39 mM K/L of erythrocytes on day 2 (decrease of 4.8%; P less than 0.05) and thereafter did not change. The K concentration of the middle gluteal muscle decreased from 91.06 +/- 2.96 microM K/g of muscle (wet weight) to 79.61 +/- 2.09 microM K/g of muscle (decrease of 12.6%; P less than 0.05) on day 4 and decreased further on day 7 to 73.62 +/- 1.85 microM K/g of muscle (decrease of 19.2%; P less than 0.05). There was no correlation between the plasma and erythrocyte K concentrations (r = -0.066), the erythrocyte and middle gluteal muscle K concentrations (r = 0.167), or the plasma and middle gluteal muscle potassium concentrations (r = -0.018). The water content of the middle gluteal muscle remained constant (73.23 +/- 0.36%) throughout the study. Erythrocyte membrane potential did not change (-99.26 +/- 0.87 mV) during the study, whereas the magnitude of the membrane potential of the middle gluteal muscle decreased from -105.84 +/- 1.67 mV on day 0 to -100.93 +/- 2.10 mV on day 7 (P less than 0.05).     

Subcellular location of corticosteroid-induced alkaline phosphatase in canine hepatocytes

Dogs received either 4 mg/kg of prednisone or sterile saline daily for 32 days. Serum samples were assayed every 4 days for total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and corticosteroid-induced ALP isoenzyme (CIALP) activity. The initial and major increase of serum ALP was attributed to the liver isoenzyme of ALP (LALP), however, CIALP began to increase by day 8 and was significantly increased by day 24. Prior to treatment and on day 32, sections of liver from control and prednisone-treated dogs were stained for ALP activity after blocking the staining activity of LALP with levamisole. The staining activity of CIALP was compared to the staining activity of LALP in liver sections from control dogs and from dogs in which the bile duct was ligated. It was determined that CIALP was located in that area of the hepatocyte membranes which comprise the bile canaliculi.     

Pharmacokinetics of diacetoxyscirpenol in cattle and swine: effects of halothane

In swine and cattle given 0, 0.1, or 0.5 and 0, 0.5 mg of diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS)/kg of body weight, IV, respectively; DAS had a large volume of distribution and total body clearance. The shortness of the interval between halothane and DAS exposures significantly (P greater than 0.05) decreased DAS biotransformation. Urinary excretion of DAS as a parent compound was not an important route of elimination. In swine and cattle, DAS was transformed by sequential deacetylation to monoacetoxyscirpenol and scirpentriol.     

Superovulation beim Rind: Hormonprofile bei Stimulation mit Serum-gonadotropin (PMSG) bzw. hypophysärem FSH*)

Contents: Superovulation in cattle: Hormonal profdes during superovulation with PMSG or pituitary FSH.: Hormonal profiles for LH, FSH, PMSG, progesterone in peripheral blood and oestrogens in urine during superovulation with PMSG (1500–3100 IU i. m.) or pituitary porcine FSH (5 mg i.m. 2 times daily for 5 days) were evaluated radioimmunologicaly. Two days after the begin of treatment luteolysis was induced by means of 0.5 mg Estrumat® i. m. The experiments were performed with 14 heifers and 2 cows. Blood samples were taken in 6 or 12 h intervals. Preovulatory LH and FSH peaks occurred coinciding with the onset o f oestrus in good responding animals instead of a few hours later, as in weakly responding animals or during normal oestrous cycle. PMSG could be still measured in peripheral blood 10 days after application. Preovulatory gonadotropin peaks are preceded in good responding animals by clear oestrogen peaks contrary t o weak responding ones. Progesterone concentrations of good responding animals increase faster after the preouulatory LH peak and reach higher absolute values compared t o bad responding ones or during normal oestrous cycle. Furthermore there was a clear difference in progesterone values between both stimulation methods. Progesterone concentrations after induction of superovulation with PMSG are significantly higher f o r about the same number of corpora lutea as after stimulation with pituitary FSH. For judgement of the success of stimulation the determination of progesterone can be considered as parameter. From the hormonal profiles no conclusion can be drawn why some animals don't respond to the stimulation.     

The digestibility of crude nutrients in horses. 1. Methods of determining digestibility

The ascertainment of the digestibility of crude nutrients in rations for horses requires the inclusion of movement-based performance as influencing factor. Under the consideration of this requirement, indicator methods gain significance in comparison with the standard method of collecting faeces completely. In two experiments the digestion of the crude nutrients in rations for horses was tested according to the standard method (complete collection of faeces) and the indicator method 4 N HCl-insoluble ash). According to the indicator method the digestibility of crude nutrients was slightly higher, the differences to the values of the standard method were statistically insignificant. Under consideration of the inhomogeneity of horse faeces and the possibility of doing without the complete collection of faeces, the indicator method with 4 N HCl-insoluble ash is to be preferred to the standard method. The analysis of air-dried faeces connected with the indicator method resulted in improved reproducibility due to the significantly better homogeneity. A recommendation is made for carrying out digestibility experiments with horses, in which the 4 N HCl indicator method is used.