Evaluation of urinary carnitine and taurine excretion in 5 cystinuric dogs with carnitine and taurine deficiency

Five client owned dogs with cystinuria were diagnosed with carnitine and taurine deficiency while participating in a clinical trial that used dietary management of their urolithiasis. Stored 24-hour urine samples collected from the cystinuric dogs before enrollment in the clinical diet trial were quantitatively evaluated for carnitine and taurine. These results were compared to those obtained from 18 healthy Beagles. Both groups of dogs were fed the same maintenance diet for a minimum of 2 weeks before 24-hour urine collection. The protocol used for 24-hour urine collections was the same for cystinuric dogs and healthy Beagles except that cystinuric dogs were catheterized at baseline, 8 hours, 12 hours, and at the end of the collection, whereas Beagles were catheterized at baseline, 8 hours, and at the end of the collection. Three of 5 dogs with cystinuria had increased renal excretion of carnitine. None of the cystinuric dogs had increased renal excretion of taurine, but cystinuric dogs excreted significantly less (P < .05) taurine in their urine than the healthy Beagles. Carnitinuria has not been recognized previously in either humans or dogs with cystinuria, and it may be 1 risk factor for developing carnitine deficiency. Cystinuric dogs in this study were not taurinuric; however, cystine is a precursor amino acid for taurine synthesis. Therefore, cystinuria may be 1 risk factor for developing taurine deficiency in dogs. We suggest that dogs with cystinuria be monitored for carnitine and taurine deficiency or supplemented with carnitine and taurine.     

Reliability of taurine concentrations measured in single urine samples obtained from dogs eight hours after eating

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of taurine concentrations measured in a single urine sample obtained from dogs 8 hours after eating, compared with taurine concentrations measured in 24-hour urine samples. ANIMALS: 18 healthy Beagles. PROCEDURE: After emptying the urinary bladder by transurethral catheterization, dogs were fed a canned maintenance diet. Approximately 8 hours later, urine, plasma, and serum samples were obtained for determination of fractional urinary excretion of taurine and urine taurine-to-creatinine concentration ratios (Utaur:Ucr). Results were compared with 24-hour urinary taurine excretion rate. RESULTS: Unbound and total fractional urinary taurine excretion correlated well with unbound and total 24-hour urinary taurine excretion. However, bound fractional urinary taurine excretion correlated poorly with bound 24-hour urinary taurine excretion. Unbound and total Utaur:Ucr correlated well with unbound and total 24-hour urinary taurine excretion. However, bound Utaur:Ucr correlated poorly with bound 24-hour urinary taurine excretion. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Fractional urinary excretion of unbound and total taurine, and unbound and total Utaur:Ucr are reliable indicators of 24-hour urinary unbound and total taurine excretion in healthy dogs. However, determination of 24-hour urinary taurine excretion is recommended for evaluating urinary bound taurine concentrations of dogs.     

Effects of various adjuvants on efficacy of a vaccine against Streptococcus bovis and Lactobacillus spp in cattle

OBJECTIVE: To determine efficacy of vaccines incorporating QuilA, alum, dextran combined with mineral oil, or Freund adjuvant for immunization of feedlot cattle against Streptococcus bovis and Lactobacillus spp. ANIMALS: 24 steers housed under feedlot conditions. PROCEDURE: Steers were randomly assigned to 4 experimental groups and a control group. Animals in experimental groups were inoculated on days 0 and 26 with vaccines containing Freund adjuvant (FCA), QuilA, dextran combined with mineral oil (Dex), or alum as adjuvant. Serum anti-S bovis and anti-Lactobacillus IgG concentrations were measured, along with fecal pH, ruminal fluid pH, and number of S bovis and Lactobacillus spp in ruminal fluid. RESULTS: Throughout the study, serum anti-S bovis and anti-Lactobacillus IgG concentrations for animals in the Dex, QuilA, and alum groups were similar to or significantly higher than concentrations for animals in the FCA group. Serum anti-S bovis and anti-Lactobacillus IgG concentrations were significantly increased on days 26 through 75 in all 4 experimental groups, and there was a linear relationship between anti-S bovis and anti-Lactobacillus IgG concentrations. For animals in the QuilA and Dex groups, mean pH of feces throughout the period of experiment were significantly higher and numbers of S bovis and Lactobacillus spp in ruminal fluid on day 47 were significantly lower than values for control cattle. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that immunization of feedlot steers against S bovis and Lactobacillus spp with vaccines incorporating Freund adjuvant, QuilA, dextran, or alum as an adjuvant effectively induced high, long-lasting serum anti-S bovis and anti-Lactobacillus IgG concentrations. Of the adjuvants tested, dextran may be the most effective.     

The role of shelter in Australia for protecting soils,plants and livestock

The purpose of this review is to examine the current knowledge of the role of trees in providing shelter for pastures, crops, and livestock, for controlling erosion of soils and improving productivity and sustainability of agricultural production in Australia — and the extent to which this knowledge has been applied.Land degradation — tree loss and associated soil salinity, water and wind erosion, soil acidification, soil structural decline and nutrient degradation — is evidence that our primary production systems are not sustainable. We have sought increased production without proper consideration of the ecological context of that system. About half of Victoria's crop and pasture lands are affected or at risk, and in Western Australia about 25% of the cleared agricultural land is wind-eroded and 60% is potentially susceptible, salinity affects 0.43 m ha and half of the divertible surface water is affected by salinity. Similar problems occur in other States. At least 43 m ha or 13% of our rangelands are seriously degraded by wind erosion caused by overgrazing, often coinciding with drought or a run of drier years.Minimum tillage and stubble management for erosion control in cropping has been a major extension and research activity in Australian agriculture. Severe weather, combined with imperfect adoption of appropriate grazing and crop management systems, shows the weakness of complete reliance on these methods of erosion control. An effective system must accommodate the impact of extreme events, which are the most damaging. However, the complementary use of windbreaks to reduce soil erosion is rare, and their establishment has not been promoted, despite the wide-spread adoption of this technology by other countries.In the cropping and higher rainfall grazing areas, the systematic planting of 10% of the land in a net of shelterbelts/timberbelts/clusters could achieve a 50% windspeed reduction; this would substantially improve livestock and pasture production in the short and long-term. Wind erosion could be dramatically reduced and crop production probably increased by the use of windbreaks. Wheat and oat yield at Rutherglen (Victoria), and lupin yield at Esperance (Western Australia), were increased in the sheltered zone by 22% and 47%, and 30%, respectively.In semi-arid and dry temperate areas, planting of 5% of the land to shelter could reduce windspeed by 30–50% and soil loss by up to 80%. This planting would also contribute substantially to achieving other objectives of sustainable agriculture. Agroforestry — particularly timberbelts applications — will be important in the long-term strategy for achieving revegetation. If some of the trees yield a marketable product then the adoption of the system will be more readily achieved.In the arid (pastoral) areas there is an urgent need to promote the ethic that preservation and improvement of the perennial grass and shrub vegetation is critical for the protection of the soil and maintenance of land capability. Control of animal grazing remains the sole means of preventing erosion in much of this zone. While satellite imagery allows us to assess the condition of leasehold lands, we have failed to achieve stocking policies that will halt the degradation of our rangelands.     

Establishment of an agroforestry research network in Victoria,Australia (1983–85)

From 1983 to 1985, a network of agroforestry research trials was established at six localities throughout Victoria. This paper describes experimental designs and establishment procedures used at the trial sites. The overall aim of the research program is to provide definitive information on the costs and benefits of a wide range of agroforestry combinations. Accordingly, trials were established at the following locations to test a total of 93 tree species grown in combination with specific types of agriculture:

1. Carngham (near Ballarat) — sheep grazing andPinus radiata D. Don (radiata pine);
2. Hamilton (several sites) — sheep grazing and mixed tree species;
3. Kyabram — irrigated pastures andEucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden (flooded gum);
4. Rutherglen — cereal cropping and shelterbelts;
5. Myrtleford — irrigatedMentha spp. (mint) and two clones ofPopulus spp. (poplar); and
6. Neerim South (near Warragul) — cattle grazing and mixed tree species.

Conventional and systematic experimental designs have been used in setting up these trials, which in total constitute the most comprehensive agroforestry research in Australia. This paper describes these trials in detail, and stresses the importance of their continued expert management, so that the full benefits of the work can be realised for rural Victoria.     

Global genotype by environment trends in growth traits for Eucalyptus dunnii

New Forests - Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden (Dunn’s white gum) is a fast-growing tall tree with a restricted natural distribution in south-east Australia and favorable wood properties for pulp...