Quantitation of adenine nucleotides in equine colonic mucosal tissue using high performance liquid chromatography.

The objectives were to use high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to validate an established method for adenine nucleotide separation in equine colonic mucosal tissue, to determine the inherent variability in the tissue and extraction method, and to determine the stability of ATP, ADP, and AMP in the tissue with time. Equine colonic mucosal tissue obtained from a single horse was immediately submersed in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -70 degrees C. Samples were lyophilized, extracted, and separated by HPLC. The limit of quantitation was 0.05 microg/mL. The coefficient of variation for the instrument was less than 10% for all nucleotides measured. When the tissue was not homogenized prior to sampling, there were significant differences in adenine nucleotide content between samples. However, when the tissue was homogenized prior to analysis, these differences were no longer significant. There was no significant decrease in ATP, ADP, or AMP content over a 54-day analysis period.     

Comparison of sesame cake and cottonseed as supplementary sources of protein to weaned N'Dama bull calves in The Gambia

Summary The potential for increased productivity of N'Dama cattle in response to small supplementary inputs of proteinaceous by-products has been shown to be substantial under village husbandry conditions in The Gambia. Young N'Dama bulls were used to compare sesame cake with cottonseed as sources of supplementary protein during the wet and early dry seasons of 1987. They were fed 0, 40, 80 or 160 g crude protein/day in these forms for four months. Supplementation significantly increased growth rate from 169 g/d in controls to means of 272 and 271 g/d for those given sesame cake and cottonseed respectively; there were no significant differences among the supplemented groups. During the four months of the dry season immediately after supplementation ceased all previously supplemented groups grew significantly more rapidly than the controls (at leastP<0·05), indicating a substantial carry over effect of the supplements. Over this period the mean gain of the groups previously given sesame cake exceeded that of those that had received cottonseed (217 cf. 158 g/d;P<0·01). The economic benefits of these responses were substantial.

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Comparacion de torta de sesamo y de semilla de algodon como fuente suplementaria de proteina para terneros destetos N'Dama en Gambia

Resumen Se ha demonstrado el potencial para incrementar la productividad del ganado N'Dama, como resquesta a peque?as cantidades de insumos suplementarios de proteína, bajo condiciones de villorrio en Gambia. Se utilizaron terneros destetos N'Dama par comparar la torta de sésamo y de semilla de algodón como fuente de proteína suplementaria durate la estaicón lluviosa y principio de la seca del a?o 1987. Se les dió a los animales 0, 40, 80 o 160 g de proteína cruda/día en éstas formas durante cuatro meses. La suplementación incrementó significativamente la tasa de crecimiento, de 169 g/día en controles a 272 y 271 g/día en aquellos que recibieron torta de sésamo y de algodón respectivamente; no hubo diferenca estadística entre los grupos suplementados. Durate los cuatro meses de la estación seca inmediatamente después de que la suplementación fue suspendida, todos los grupos que habían sido suplementados crecieron sgnificativamente más rápido que los controls (P<0·05), indicando un efecto compensatorio en los suplementados. Durante ese período la media de crecimento de los grupos que recibieron torta de sésamo excedió a aquella de los que habían recibido torta de algodón (217 cf. 158 g/d;P<0·01). Los beneficios económicos de estos resultados fueron substanciales.

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Comparaison entre le tourteau de sesame et la graine de coton comme sources complementaires de proteines pour les taurillons N'Dama sevres en Gambie

Résumé Le potentiel de réponse à de petites quantités supplémentaires de sous-produits proteiniques pour accroitre la productivité de bétail N'Dama, s'est révélé manifeste, dans les conditions d'élevage villageois en Gambie. De jeunes taureaux N'Dama ont été utilisés pour comparer le tourteau de sésame et la graine de coton en tant que source de complémentation protéinique pendant la saison sèche et le début de la saison humide au cours de l'année 1987. Ils ont re?u respectivement 0, 40, 80 ou 160 g de proteines brutes par jour sus ces deux formes pendat quatre mois. Cette supplémentation a accru de fa?on significative le taux de croissance, de 169 g/jour pour les témoins jusqu'à des moyennes de 272 et 271g/jour respectivement pour ceux qui ont re?u du tourteau de sésame et de la graine de coton. Quant aux groupes complémentés, il n'ont révélé aucune différence significative. Pendat les quatre mois de la saison sèche et immédiatement après l'arrêt de la supplémentation, tous les lots ayant fait précédemment l'objet d'une distribution complémentaire ont eu une croissance significativement plus rapide que les animaux témoins, du moins pourP<0,05, ce qui indique un effet important de report des suppléments. Durant cette période, le gain moyen des lots qui ont re?u le tourteau de sésame a dépassé celui des lots auxquels on a donné de la graine de coton, soit 217 g/jour contre 158 g/jour pourP<0,01. Les profits économiques de ces réponses ont été appréciables.

     

Transmission of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus from persistently infected sows to contact controls.

The objective of this study was to determine if porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) could persist in non-pregnant sows and if persistently infected sows could transmit virus to naive contact controls. Twelve PRRSV-naive, non-pregnant sows (index sows) were infected with a field isolate of PRRSV and housed in individual isolation rooms for 42 to 56 days postinfection. Following this period, 1 naive contact sow was placed in each room divided by a gate allowing nose-to-nose contact with a single index sow. Index sows were not viremic at the time of contact sow entry. Virus nucleic acid was detected by polymerase chain reaction, and infectious virus was detected by virus isolation in sera from 3 of the 12 contact sows at 49, 56, and 86 days postinfection. All 3 infected contacts developed PRRSV antibodies. Virus nucleic acid was detected in tissues of all of the 12 index sows at 72 or 86 days postinfection. Nucleic acid sequencing indicated that representative samples from index and infected contacts were homologous (> 99%) to the PRRSV used to infect index sows at the onset of the study. This study demonstrates that PRRSV can persist in sows and that persistently infected sows can transmit virus to naive contact animals.     

The influence of chronic pain on the analgesic effects of the α2-adrenoceptor agonist, xylazine, in sheep

A comparison of the analgesic potency of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, xylazine, in control healthy sheep and sheep suffering chronic pain from footrot, indicated that the analgesic effectiveness of xylazine was significantly reduced in the animals experiencing chronic pain. This was measured by recording the threshold to a mechanically applied pressure stimulus. Furthermore, when the condition was apparently resolved, by conventional treatment over a period of 2 to 3 weeks, the decreased analgesic effectiveness of the alpha 2-agonist was still apparent although the animals were clinically cured of the footrot.     

The Role of Hepatic Ultrasonography in Small Animal Medicine: From the Identification of the Lesions to Diagnosis

Veterinary Research Communications -     

Enhanced recovery of avian influenza virus isolates by a combination of chicken embryo inoculation methods.

Since 1993, 14 cases of avian influenza from four different states in the U.S.A. have been diagnosed by virus isolation from eight avian species. Only 11 of the 14 avian influenza virus (AIV) primary isolations would have been successful if only the standard protocol for AIV isolation, i.e., inoculation of specific-pathogen-free embryonating chicken eggs (ECEs) by the chorioallantoic sac (CAS) route, had been followed. Primary isolation attempts were negative for AIV in three cases in which ECEs were inoculated by the CAS route; AIV could not be detected by hemagglutinating activity, agar gel immunodiffusion test or negative stain electron microscopy. However, in these three cases, primary isolations of AIV were achieved by inoculation of ECEs into either the yolk sac or onto the chorioallantoic membrane.