Circadian and ultradian rhythms of body temperature and peripheral concentrations of insulin and nitrogen in lactating dairy cows

To investigate possible circadian and ultradian periodicities for peripheral insulin and urea in lactating dairy cows, integrated 15-min blood samples were taken sequentially over 48 hr from six cows. In addition, radiotelemetry measurements of body temperature were averaged over the same 15-min periods. Cows were housed in an environmental chamber at 19 degrees C with lights on 0700 to 2300 hr; fed daily at 0900 hr; and milked at 0800 and 2000 hr. For five of the six cows, body temperature showed a circadian rhythm peaking at 2323 hr with an amplitude of 0.34 degree C. For the sixth cow, body temperature was 180 degrees out-of-phase, peaking at 1230 hr with an amplitude of 0.12 degree C. Circadian rhythms for insulin and urea were consistent for all six cows peaking at 1743 hr with an amplitude of 0.74 ng/ml for insulin and at 1034 hr with an amplitude of 3.83 mM for urea. Body temperature and insulin also displayed episodic increases that often exceeded the amplitudes of circadian rhythms. For body temperature, a broad increase in spectral power was seen for periods between 100 and 175 min; time intervals between peaks averaged around 100 min. For insulin, power spectra for individual cows universally indicated rhythms with periods of approximately 45 and 80 min; time intervals between peaks averaged approximately 65 min. For urea, almost all spectral energy was confined to the 24-hr rhythm, although there was evidence of a low-amplitude, 60-min rhythm. In conclusion, when animals are acclimated to a rigidly controlled environment and frequent blood sampling is accomplished with minimal intervention, it is possible to detect rhythms inherent in the regulation of metabolic variables.     

Blood metabolites and their relationship with production variables in dual-purpose cows in Venezuela

A survey was carried out on 79 lactating Bos taurus/indicus cross-bred cows on three dual-purpose cattle farms to measure the blood concentration of metabolites and to evaluate possible relationships with nutritional status and productive variables. A rotational grazing system on Star grass and other tropical pastures (10-12% CP in leaves) was used and 2-3 kg/cow/day of concentrate were fed on two farms. Restricted calf suckling was used in two herds. Average milk yield sold per farm was 6 kg/day/cow and body condition scores (BCS) were between 3.0 and 3.8 on a scale of one-to-five. On two farms, the average interval from calving to conception (ICC) was more than 145 days. Mean blood concentrations of albumin, globulin, urea, beta-hydroxybutyrate and phosphorus were generally within reference values, but a significant group of cows had low levels of albumin and urea and high levels of globulin. Packed cell volume (PCV) was below normal values, with anemia in 63% of cows during the second trimester of lactation, which was negatively correlated to milk yield. The high incidence of anemia could be related to factors such as hematophagic parasites, not evaluated in this study. ICC values were negatively related to albumin level and could be associated with protein deficiency in the diet or with disease, as globulin values were high in many cows. Based on these diagnoses, an experiment was carried out on one of the farms to evaluate the influence of supplementation with 0.5 kg/cow/day of fish meal. Total milk yield was not influenced by the fish meal and reproductive efficiency was high in the two supplemental treatments. It was shown that supplementation with undergraded protein is not required in these cows.     

Associations amongst three feline Porphyromonas species from the gingival margin of cats during periodontal health and disease

Digoxigenin labelled whole chromosomal DNA probes directed against three feline members of the genus Porphyromonas (P. gingivalis VPB 3492, P. circumdentaria NCTC 12469T and P. salivosa VPB 3313) were used to identify and quantify organisms in samples taken from the gingival margins of 40 domestic cats with different grades of periodontal disease. At the right upper canine tooth, the grade of periodontal disease ranged from 0 to 5 and the cfu of facultative/obligate anaerobes ranged from 5.5 x 10(4) to 2.0 x 10(6)). In 38 of the 40 cats, at least one of the three Porphyromonas species was isolated and regression analysis showed that the cfu of total Porphyromonas sp. was a highly significant indicator of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.510). Feline P. gingivalis was isolated from 37 of the 40 cats and regression analysis showed that it was a highly significant predictor of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.561). The cfu of P. salivosa was a significant predictor of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.286) and regression analysis showed that there was a significant positive relationship between cfu of P. circumdentaria and grade of periodontal disease (p = 0.018, R2 0.116). The periodontal grades at the right upper third premolar tooth ranged from 0 to 6. The cfu of facultative/obligate anaerobes isolated ranged from 1.2 x 10(5) to 7.9 x 10(6), and regression analysis showed that cfu was a significant predictor of periodontal grade (p < 0.001, R2 0.378). The cfu of total Porphyromonas species ranged from 1.2 x 10(4) to 1.7 x 10(6) and regression analysis of the cfu against the grade of periodontal disease showed a highly significant association (p < 0.001, R2 0.633). The cfu of P. gingivalis ranged from 0 to 1.1 x 10(6) and regression analysis of the cfu of P. gingivalis against the grade of periodontal disease showed a highly significant association (p < 0.001, R2 0.439). The cfu of P. salivosa was a significant predictor of the grade of periodontal disease (p < 0.001, R2 0.479) and the same association was found between cfu of P. circumdentaria and grade of periodontal disease (p = 0.002, R2 0.204). This study has established Porphyromonas as anumerically significant and highly prevalent genus in feline periodontal disease.     

Use of phenytoin to treat digitalis-induced cardiac arrhythmias in a miniature Shetland pony

Two miniature Shetland ponies showing clinical signs of Digitalis purpurea (foxglove) poisoning were examined. One animal died shortly afterwards, but the second was treated successfully with the anti-arrhythmic agent, phenytoin, and was discharged after 16 days.     

Properties of threshold model predictions

Estimation of genetic parameters and accuracy of threshold model genetic predictions were investigated. Data were simulated for different population structures by using Monte Carlo techniques. Variance components were estimated by using threshold models and linear sire models applied to untransformed data, logarithmically transformed data, and transformation to Snell scores. Effects of number of categories (2, 5, and 10), incidence of categories (extreme, moderate, and normal), heritability in the underlying scale (.04, .20, and .50), and data structure (unbalanced and balanced) on accuracy of genetic prediction were investigated. The real importance of using a threshold model was to estimate genetic parameters. An expected heritability of .20 was estimated to be .22 and .10 by a threshold model and a linear model, respectively. Accuracy increased significantly with a larger number of categories, a more normal distribution of incidences, increased heritability, and more balanced data. Even threshold models were shown to be more efficient with more than two categories (e.g., binomial). Transformation of scale did not accomplish the purpose intended.     

Heat processing changes the protein quality of canned cat foods as measured with a rat bioassay

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of increasing heat treatment on the protein quality of a canned cat food. A standard recipe cat food was canned and heat-treated for different times in a standard laboratory autoclave to obtain experimental diets containing different lethality values. Estimates of the lethality value of the different diets were calculated using the temperature-time relationship recorded with a data logger positioned at the center of the can. The experimental diets were analyzed for crude protein, amino acids, and reactive lysine (fluorodinitrobenzene and O-methylisourea) and were used in a rat bioassay for the determination of the true ileal digestibility of amino acids. The heat treatment of the cat food resulted in experimental diets with lethality values of 5.3, 8.6, 17.2, and 24.3 min. There was no decrease in the amino acid content of diet with increasing heat treatment. The reactive lysine content of the diets also showed no change with heat treatment. There were significant (P < .05) changes in the true ileal digestibility of all amino acids and amino acid nitrogen, and the digestibility of most amino acids decreased with increasing heat treatment.     

Streptococcus uberis: A Permanent Barrier to the Control of Bovine Mastitis?

The prevalence of bovine mastitis has been reduced over the past 25 years due to the implementation of a five-point control plan aimed at reducing exposure, duration and transmission of intramammary infections by bacteria. This has markedly reduced the incidence of bovine mastitis caused by bacteria which show a contagious route of transmission, but has had little effect on the incidence of mastitis due to bacteria which infect the gland from an environmental reservoir. Streptococcus uberis is one such bacterium which is responsible for a significant proportion of clinical mastitis worldwide.The inadequacies of the current methods of mastitis control have led to the search for additional measures, particularly vaccines to prevent intramammary infection by this bacterium. Such an approach requires detailed knowledge of the pathogenesis of intramammary infection. Our understanding of this area has grown in recent years but a lack of information still hampers disease control. Both live vaccines and, recently, crude sub-unit vaccines have shown promise against bovine mastitis due to S. uberis. Vaccines against mastitis must, however, be able to control infection without the participation of a marked inflammatory response. This review provides an overview of the recent advances which have been made in our understanding of host-pathogen interactions which promote infection and disease and highlights areas for strategic research aimed at controlling this bacterial infection.     

Bone plate fixation of distal radius and ulna fractures in small- and miniature-breed dogs.

Bone plate fixation was reviewed in 29 distal radial fractures of small- and miniature-breed dogs. Twenty-two fractures in 18 dogs were available for follow-up. Number of complications and return to function were evaluated. Complications occurred in 54% of the fractures. Catastrophic complications occurred in 18% of fracture repairs with follow-up, while minor complications occurred in 36%. Sixteen (89%) of 18 dogs had a successful return to function. Bone plate fixation is a successful repair method for distal radius and ulna fractures in small-breed dogs, compared to previously reported methods.     

Vaginal position and length in the bitch: relationship to spaying and urinary incontinence

A study was undertaken to determine if the vagina might be a suitable site for the measurement of intra-abdominal pressure during cystometry in the bitch. The position of the cranial vagina and vaginal length were measured radiographically and the effects of spaying and urinary incontinence on these variables were evaluated in 30 continent and 30 incontinent bitches. The study used retrograde vaginourethrograms which had been obtained from animals used in a previous study. The cranial vagina was intra-abdominal on 36 of the vaginourethrograms, being least commonly intra-abdominal in incontinent bitches (11/30). Vaginal position was related linearly to vaginal length and continence status (P < 0.01), while its length was related to bodyweight (P < 0.01). Allowing for bodyweight, neutered animals had significantly shorter vaginas than entire bitches (P < 0.01). Measurement of intra-abdominal pressure with concomitant measurement of intravesical pressure is essential if accurate assessment of detrusor pressure is to be determined during cystometry. The vagina is unlikely to be a useful location from which to measure intra-abdominal pressure since any pressure-measuring catheter inserted into it may fall outside the abdominal pressure zone. This is particularly true of neutered and/or incontinent bitches, the groups in which urodynamic investigations of urinary incontinence are most frequently indicated.