Degree of amino acid restrictions during the grower phase and compensatory growth in pigs selected for lean growth efficiency

A total of 32 select line (SL) and 32 control line (CL) Duroc pigs were used in two trials to determine the effect of dietary amino acid contents during the grower (G) phase and selection for lean growth efficiency on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality. In each trial, pigs weighing 20 kg were assigned to 16 pens with two gilts or two castrated males per pen, and pens were randomly assigned within the genetic line to corn-soybean meal G diets formulated to contain 5.0, 7.0, 9.0, or 11.0 g lysine/kg. After 50 kg, all pigs were fed common finisher 1 (F1) and finisher 2 (F2) diets. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to feed and water. After the initial statistical analyses, the data sets from the two trials were combined. During the G phase, pigs consumed less feed [linear (Ln), P < 0.001] and more lysine (Ln, P < 0.001), grew faster (Ln, P < 0.05) but utilized feed more and lysine less efficiently (Ln, P < 0.001) for weight gain as the amino acid content of G diets increased. Increasing dietary amino acids resulted in less ultrasound backfat (Ln, P < 0.001) and more serum urea nitrogen [Ln, P < 0.001; quadratic (Qd), P < 0.01] at the end of the G phase. Pigs grew more slowly during the F1 (Ln, P < 0.01 and Qd, P = 0.05) and F2 (Ln, P = 0.07) phases and utilized feed and lysine less efficiently (Ln, P < 0.05) for weight gain during the F1 phase as the amino acid content of G diets increased. The grower diet had no effect on overall weight gain and feed efficiency, carcass traits, or meat quality scores. The efficiency of lysine utilization for overall weight gain (Ln, P < 0.001) and lean accretion (Ln, P < 0.05) improved as the amino acid content of G diets decreased. The SL pigs grew faster (P < 0.05) and had less (P < 0.001) ultrasound backfat throughout the study compared with the CL pigs. The SL pigs had less 10th rib backfat (P < 0.001) and tended to have larger longissimus muscle area (P = 0.09) than the CL pigs, which were reflected in greater rate (P < 0.001) and efficiency (P < 0.05) of lean accretion. Marbling (P < 0.05) and meat color (P = 0.07) scores were lower in the SL pigs. No grower diet x genotype interactions were observed in response criteria of interest. The results indicate that pigs subjected to dietary amino acid restrictions during the G phase (as low as 5.0 g lysine/kg) compensated completely in terms of growth rate and body composition regardless of the genotype. Compensatory growth can have a positive impact not only on the overall efficiency of pig production but also on the environment by reducing excretion of unused nutrients.     

Renal medullary crest necrosis associated with phenylbutazone therapy in horses

Thirty-five cases of renal medullary crest necrosis morphologically similar to the renal papillary necrosis of analgesic nephropathy as described in man and rats are reported in horses receiving maintenance dosages of phenylbutazone. The primary lesion is a well-demarcated focal medullary necrosis resulting in sequestration of fragments of the renal crest. Renal cortical lesions are considered secondary to the medullary necrosis and consist of segmental pallor as a result of tubular dilatation, filtrate retention, and interstitial edema. Ischemia in concert with phenylbutazone is suggested as the etiology. Renal medullary crest necrosis is presented as more appropriate morphological terminology for this lesion in the equine species than renal papillary necrosis as is used in man and rats.     

Comparative studies on three isolates of Breda virus of calves

Three isolates of Breda virus of calves were compared morphologically and antigenically. The isolates demonstrated similar morphology and shared common antigens, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoelectron microscopy. On the basis of results of the hemagglutination-inhibition test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunoelectron microscopy, the 3 isolates were further subdivided into 2 serotypes: serotype 1 (Breda virus 1) represented by the Iowa isolate 1; and serotype 2 (Breda virus 2), by the Ohio isolate and the Iowa isolate 2. The 3 isolates caused diarrhea in gnotobiotic calves.     

Narthecium asiaticum Maxim. Poisoning of grazing cattle: observations on spontaneous and experimental cases

A total of 39 Holstein cattle were grazed in tracts of wild grassland on account of shortage in pasture grass. Twenty-nine cattle were affected and 26 of them died during a 21-day period. The main signs were depression, anorexia, ascites, and oliguria. There was elevated serum urea nitrogen and sugar and protein in the urine. Pathological examination revealed turbid swelling of the kidney, an increase in the amount of fluid in the body cavity, edema in the perirenal adipose tissue and hemorrhage in various visceral organs and tissues. Histologically, acute tubular necrosis in the kidney, hypoplasia of the erythroblast series in the bone marrow, atrophy and degeneration of the lymphatic tissue and focal necrosis of the liver were observed in many of the cattle. Among cows experimentally fed Narthecium asiaticum Maxim., Polygonum sachalinense Fr. Schum., and Vitis coignetiae Pulliat which were presumed to have been ingested in large amounts by grazing cattle in the field, the cows fed N. asiaticum revealed the clinical, biochemical and pathological changes similar to those noticed in naturally affected cattle. Cows fed P. sachalinense and V. coignetiae showed no distinct systemic symptoms except transient anorexia and hypothermia.     

Surgical technique to cannulate the rete testis of the goat

A surgical technique was devised to collect rete testis fluid from 14 mature goats. The tubular portion of the extratesticular rete testis was cannulated where it penetrated the tunica albuginea of the testis under the center of the head of the epididymis. The tip of the cannula was sutured in place in the extratesticular rete testis and the opposite end was passed through the scrotum and into a plastic collection bottle. The bottle was glued to pillow ticking, which was sutured to the scrotum. Continuous flow of rete testis fluid occurred for 0 to 14 days and was usually terminated by a sperm clot in the cannula. The flow rate was 0.59 +/- 0.37 ml/hr.     

Treatments for elephants: a challenge fo the zoo veterinarian

The existence of the elephant is heavily threatened. It is of great importance--for saving our largest land mammal on earth--to research into biology of the elephant quickly and thoroughly. Keeping elephants in Zoos and circus should be improved, breeding efforts must be enhanced and veterinary treatment has to be intensified. This is imperative for all zoo veterinarians.     

Grass awn migration in dogs and cats: a retrospective study of 182 cases

A retrospective study of 182 cases of grass awn migration in dogs and cats seen during a 1-year period was performed. The 182 cases comprised 61% of all foreign body-related cases during that year. Compared with the total hospital population, there was an increased prevalence of grass awn problems in the Springer Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Brittany Spaniel, and Airedale Terrier, but a decreased prevalence in German Shepherd Dogs, Miniature Poodles, and Dachshunds. The most common site of grass awn localization was the external ear canal, involving 51% of grass awn cases. Other common sites of grass awn localization included the interdigital webs, eye, nose, lumbar area, and thoracic cavity. Only 8 of the 182 animals were cats and 7 of the 8 had ocular involvement.     

Equine bullous pemphigoid IgG autoantibodies target linear epitopes in the NC16A ectodomain of collagen XVII (BP180, BPAG2)

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune subepithelial blistering dermatosis of humans, dogs, cats and pigs. It is characterized by skin-fixed and circulating IgG autoantibodies that target one or both BP antigens. An immunological homologue of BP in humans was diagnosed in two horses with cutaneous and mucosal ulcerations as well as microscopic subepithelial vesiculation. Immunological investigations revealed similar findings for both the horses. Direct immunofluorescence demonstrated the presence of IgG deposited linearly at the dermoepidermal junction in mucosal and skin biopsy specimens. Indirect immunofluorescence testing confirmed the existence of circulating basement membrane-specific IgG autoantibodies. Using intact and salt-split epithelial substrates, serum IgG were shown to target antigens situated not only at the basal, but also at the lateral and apical aspects of stratum basale keratinocytes. Immunoblotting and ELISA corroborated that the IgG from affected horses, but not those from normal controls, exhibited high immunoreactivity against the NC16A extracellular domain of type XVII collagen (BPAG2, BP180). Equine BP could be proposed, therefore, as another spontaneous model of this most common basement membrane autoimmune dermatosis of humans.     

Treatment of wobbler syndrome in dogs with electroacupuncture

Based on favorable experiences with acupuncture for the treatment of hind limbs paralysis, lumbo-sacral alterations, and other spinal cord problems; a clinical trial, involving 40 dogs affected with wobbler syndrome was carried out. Patients were graded in three categories according to the severity of each case and then randomly divided in two groups. Both groups contained all three grades. Group 1 (20 dogs) was treated using orthodox medical and surgical interventions, while Group 2 (20 dogs) were treated mainly with electroacupuncture, and in few cases with surgical intervention as well. The study was carried out in a three-year period. Acupuncture treatments were given every other day delivering 150 to 300 mVolts at 125 Hz, equivalents to approximately 20 microAmps, in ten acupuncture points per treatment. Deep needle insertion was used. Overall per cent success in Group I was only 20%, while in group II the corresponding value was 85%. The number of acupuncture treatments required to achieve full recovery in Group II was dependent upon the severity of the case, as follows: Grade I: 18.5 +/- 2.5; Grade II: 25 +/- 5.4; and Grade III: 34 +/- 6.7 (r = 0.962). No adverse effects were observed with acupuncture. The use of this technique is proposed for large-scale clinical trials.