Suspected Vestia foetida poisoning in young goats

CASE HISTORY: Two crossbred, castrated male goats, a 5-month-old and an 8-month-old, were observed ingesting Vestia foetida (Solanaceae). Later, the goats were seen standing splay-legged and apparently disoriented.

CLINICAL FINDINGS: When examined, both goats were in sternal recumbency and had mydriasis; the younger goat had a diminished menace response. When the goats were made to stand, they were ataxic and had muscle fasciculations of the hindquarters and face. Both had halitosis consistent with the odour of crushed Vestia leaves. The animals were treated with a mixture of vitamins and intravenous diazepam. The older goat recovered but the younger goat died and was necropsied. This animal had severe periacinar necrosis and fatty change in the liver, as well as fatty nephrosis.

DIAGNOSIS: Probable Vestia foetida poisoning.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The introduction of Vestia foetida to New Zealand and the apparent palatability of the plant necessitate that veterinarians and owners be knowledgeable about its potential toxicity. Differential diagnoses for the liver lesions (in New Zealand) would include Cestrum poisoning, acute seneciosis, acute blue-green algal poisoning, and acute and chronic copper poisoning.     

Dietary protein and fat effects on protein status in Arabian horses during interval training and repeated sprints

This study tested the hypothesis that decreasing dietary protein quantity while increasing protein quality may reduce the undesired effects of excess protein without risking protein deficiency in exercising horses. Twelve horses were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial experiment: 2 fat levels, 3% low-fat (LF) or 13% high-fat (HF), and 2 protein levels, 7.5% low-protein (LP) or 14.5% high-protein (HP) crude protein (CP). Horses were fed the diets for a 4-week period, then underwent a standardized exercise test (SET). Horses were then trained for 11 weeks, and then underwent another SET. Blood samples were taken every 2 weeks and during SETs. Plasma concentrations of albumin, total protein, urea nitrogen, and creatinine were determined.

The plasma urea nitrogen concentration was higher for horses in HP groups during the experiment, as well as during SET-1. An interaction existed for plasma urea nitrogen during SET-2 but was higher for HP only in combination with HF. During SET-2, higher total protein was associated with HP. An interaction developed during SET-2 for creatinine but was higher for LP only in combination with HF.

These observations indicated no detrimental effect of LP on protein status and suggest that improving protein quality by limiting amino acids while limiting protein quantity in combination with fat may improve the amino acid profile of the diet, contributing to improved protein utilization, which may aid in supporting muscle mass and minimizing excesses of amino acids.     

Survey of food products for volatile N-nitrosamines.

A variety of food products containing nitrite were analyzed for 14 volatile N-nitrosamines by using a method demonstrated to be sensitive to 10 ppb. A total of 121 food samples were screened for volatile N-nitrosamine content. N-Nitrosopyrrolidine was confirmed in fried bacon at levels up to 139 ppb. N-Dimethylnitrosamine, N-nitrosopyrrolidine, and N-nitrosopiperidine were also confirmed in spice-cure mixtures at levels ranging from 50 to 2000 ppb.     

铲式成穴器成穴性能的试验研究

根据铲式成穴器的成穴机理确定了其结构参数和工作参数的设计变化范围并按照二次回归试验设计方法进行了成穴器参数地成穴性能影响的试验,通过对试验结果垢统计分析,查明了成穴器参数对穴孔长度,穴孔宽度穴距和滑移系数的影响。