Microbial and chemical composition of liquid‐associated bacteria in goats' rumen and fermenters

This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between chemical composition and microbial profile of rumen liquid‐associated bacteria (LAB) in vivo (Murciano‐Granadina goats) and in a rumen simulation system (single‐flow continuous‐culture fermenters). To achieve this aim, analyses of purine bases along with some molecular techniques (quantitative PCR to assess abundance and DGGE to identify biodiversity and bacterial profile) were carried out. A control diet (AHC) based on alfalfa hay (AH) and concentrate (C) in a 1:1 ratio and two experimental diets (AHCBI and AHCBII), in which concentrate was partially replaced with multinutrient blocks, were used. Diets AHCBI and AHCBII included multinutrient blocks differing in the relative amount of two‐stage olive cake and the source of protein (sunflower meal vs. fava beans). We aimed to investigate the effect of these blocks on rumen microbiota to evaluate their potential as safe substitutes of cereal‐based concentrates. Similar patterns of response to diet were found for chemical composition, microbial abundances and diversity in LAB isolated from goat's rumen and fermenters. Whereas bacterial density (log₁₀ gene copies/g FM: 11.6 and 9.4 for bacteria and methanogens, respectively, in rumen) and diversity indexes (Shannon index: 3.6) were not affected by diet, DGGE analyses showed that bacterial community profile was affected. The cluster analysis suggested differences in bacterial profile between LAB pellets isolated from the rumen of goat and fermenters. A relationship between chemical composition and bacterial community composition in LAB pellets seems to exist. Changes in the former were reflected in the bacterial community profile. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between chemical and microbial composition of ruminal bacterial pellets with diets of different quality.     

Integration of ecosystem services in spatial planning: a survey on regional planners’ views

Spatial plans shape land-use changes, which in turn are main drivers of anthropogenic ecosystem alterations, therefore influencing the ecosystem services (ES) delivered by a given territory. However, integration of the ES concept in policies and plans is reported as poor in literature. The main goal of this research is to gain insight on the views and perceptions of Portuguese regional spatial planners regarding the ES concept and its integration in spatial plans. For that we designed and administered a questionnaire survey aimed at practitioners and decision-makers from Portuguese regional spatial planning authorities. The survey focused on issues such as the level of awareness and knowledge of the ES concept among planners, the perceived level of current ES integration in regional spatial plans and corresponding strategic environmental assessments, the main factors that either facilitate or obstruct that integration, or the level of importance given to ES integration in the planning process. Findings show that planners know the ES concept, they consider it as important to be integrated in spatial planning and, interestingly, that it is already rather integrated in existing plans. They believe that planning teams and authorities have skilled human resources for ES integration. However, they revealed a low knowledge on the main initiatives intended to push ecosystem services into the political agenda, like for example the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. The questionnaire used can be easily transferred into other spatial planning contexts to draw, e.g. a broader European picture on ES integration in spatial planning.     

First record of the lawn chinch bug Blissus insularis Barber (Hemiptera: Blissidae) in Europe

Phytoparasitica - Since October 2019, chinch bugs have been detected in large sunken dead patches of St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) lawns in different locations of Lisbon and Setubal...     

Efficient Association between PGF2α and Methyl 4‐hydroxybenzoate Sex Pheromone Prior to Electroejaculation in Dogs

Electroejaculation is a technique that can be used to collect semen from canines, but its use with this group of animals is restricted by low success rate and low semen quality. Here, we evaluated whether pharmacological and sexual sensory stimuli, which may affect ejaculation, can increase electroejaculation efficiency and improve ejaculate quality. We worked with 20 dogs of mixed breed weighing between 5.3 and 22.2 kg, divided into two groups. Both groups were exposed to a spayed female for 10 min, but in the second group, the same spayed female had her vagina impregnated with methyl 4‐hydroxybenzoate synthetic pheromone for 10 min and after receiving dinoprost tromethamine IM, 0.1 mg /kg. After stimulation, all dogs were chemically restrained with ketamine, 8 mg/kg, IM; and xylazine, 1 mg /kg, IM, and subjected to electroejaculation protocol. We obtained 100% of antegrade ejaculate in treatments when the spayed female had her vagina impregnated with pheromone and 80% when she did not. Sperm motility was significantly different (p < 0.05) between controls and the test group (10.1 ± 4.5 and 43.0 ± 8.3, respectively). We concluded that the adopted electroejaculation protocol was efficient and that the PGF2α associated with sexual sensory stimulation can improve semen quality in dogs undergoing the procedure.     

Pneumonia associated with Salmonella choleraesuis infection in swine: 99 cases (1987-1990).

Salmonella choleraesuis was isolated in pure or mixed bacterial cultures from 153 swine necropsied between Jan 1, 1987 and Dec 31, 1990. Pneumonia was seen in 99 of 109 swine from which this bacterium was isolated in the absence of other pathogenic bacteria. Pneumonia was seen more frequently than hepatitis, splenomegaly, or colitis. Pleuropneumonia that was grossly indistinguishable from the pleuropneumonia associated with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae was seen in 29 of 99 swine from which S choleraesuis was the only bacterium isolated.     

Polioencephalomalacia in adult sheep grazing pastures with prostrate pigweed

Polioencephalomalacia was diagnosed in 2 animals from different farms. In apparently healthy animals from same farms, fecal thiaminase and a significant reduction in erythrocyte trans-ketolase activity was observed. The presence of thiaminase in Amaranthus blitoides could have contributed to the development of polioencephalomalacia in sheep grazing on natural pastures.     

Effects of an Early Application of Sulphur or Etephon as Foliar Spray on the Growth and Yield of Spring Barley in a Mediterranean Environment

Leaf area development, biomass production and yield of four spring barley varieties grown in a Mediterranean environment (southern Spain) in response to an early application of foliar sulphur or etephon have been studied. Both sulphur and etephon produced similar results compared to the control. Thus, whereas the maximum leaf area index on untreated plots was reached at the beginning of shooting, the growth of foliar area in the treated ones was extended until anthesis and its decline during maturity was similarly retarded. This led to a significant improvement in the biomass at anthesis (which was closely correlated with grain yield) as well as in the leaf area duration during grain filling. These effects were principally due to variations in the number of leaves per plant, caused by a higher tiller production in the treated plants and not by an increase in the number of leaves per tiller or by leaf size.
An application of sulphur or etephon at tillering increases grain yield by raising both the number of ears per plant and per plot, without modifying the number of grains per ear or 1000-grain weight. The similarity between the effects of sulphur and etephon may be due to the fact that sulphur absorbed by the leaves results in an increase in methyonine, the biological precursor or ethylene. The positive correlation between biomass at anthesis and number of ears over grain yield suggests that sink capacity and source activity are closely related and both simultaneously limited by the environment.     

Correction to: Occurrence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies in Rhipidomys spp. from a forest fragment of the Brazilian Cerrado

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The original version of this article unfortunately contains an error. Vanessa do Nascimento Ramos was not included in the original article as one of the...