Health and growth performance of barrows reared in all-in/all-out or continuous flow facilities with or without a chlortetracycline feed additive.

OBJECTIVE: To compare health and growth performance in barrows reared in all-in/all-out (AIAO) or continuous flow (CF) management systems. ANIMALS: 400 barrows. PROCEDURE: Barrows (approx 2 months old) were allotted to 4 replications (100 barrows each); barrows were housed in AIAO or CF rooms (10 pens/room), and 50 pigs/replicate received chlortetracycline (CTC, 110 mg/kg of feed). Barrows from each pen were slaughtered at 3, 4, 5, and 6 months old. RESULTS: Barrows in the AIAO room had greater total daily gain (TDG) and lean daily gain (LDG) than did barrows in the CF room. Addition of CTC did not improve TDG or LDG in either environment. Barrows in the AIAO room reached body weight of 104.5 kg in 169.7 days, compared with 177.3 days for barrows in the CF room. Feed-to-gain ratio was not affected by management or CTC. Lungs from barrows reared in AIAO facilities had a lower percentage of lesions than did lungs of barrows reared in CF facilities (1.74% vs 9.52%). Addition of CTC did not affect prevalence and extent of lung lesions. Extent of lung lesions was positively correlated with change in serum optical density (OD) to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (r = 0.35), but not with change in serum OD to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Lean growth and serum OD to M. hyopneumoniae and A. pleuropneumoniae were not correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Health and growth performance were better for barrows in an AIAO facility, compared with a CF facility, but addition of CTC to feed failed to enhance health or performance of barrows in either facility.     

Multiple hereditary ocular anomalies in a herd of cattle

A Brahman x Santa Gertrudis herd of cows bred to a Hereford bull was evaluated because of a 3-year history of several calves born with congenital blindness. Multiple congenital ocular anomalies in 2 calves included microphthalmos, microcornea, microcoria, heterochromia iridis, microlentia, cataracts, retinal dysplasia, retinal detachment, anterior segment dysgenesis, acorea, and proliferation of the anterior neuroectoderm. On the basis of the lack of environmental factors and persistence of an intermittent problem when breeding to a single bull, a genetic defect was diagnosed as the probable cause. Dominant inheritance with varied expressivity may have best explained the lack of obvious signs in the bull, with emergence of various anterior and posterior segment defects in offspring from unrelated cows.     

Metabolism of microbial nitrogen in ruminants with special reference to nucleic acids

Characteristically the metabolism of microbial nitrogen (N) compounds in ruminants involves the degradation of dietary N and synthesis of microbial protein (MP), compounds including a small amount of peptides and free amino acids, which may account for 75–85% of total N and the remainder are nucleic acids (NA: DNA and RNA). Generally rumen microbes contain 10–25% NA‐N of the total N while 70–80% is in the form of RNA. This paper describes the degradation and synthesis of NA in the rumen and their fate in the lower digestive tracts. Their physiological and nutritional significance in different types of ruminant animals is also discussed. The research works on NA metabolism in ruminants has been mainly on metabolism of purines after rumen microbial digestion and absorption in the lower gut. Subsequently, the fate of absorbed purines has been intensively investigated to assess the extent of MP synthesis in the rumen. The method for predicting ruminal synthesized MP and subsequently digested MP has been proposed using urinary purine derivative (PD) excretion in sheep and cattle fed on ordinary feed. The latter approach has now been adopted for calculation of protein supply in some feeding standards, although there are still difficulties in predicting representative samples of rumen microbes, and also uncertainties in variations of non‐renal and endogenous purine losses.     

West Nile virus outbreak in captive and wild raptors,Czech Republic, 2018

West Nile virus lineage 2 (WNV‐2) was detected in the brain of 17 goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) that succumbed to neuroinvasive disease in the Czech Republic during 2018: twelve birds were captive and five wild. Furthermore, two wild sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) and three other captive birds of prey (golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, hybrid saker falcon Falco cherrug × F. rusticolus and Harris's hawk Parabuteo unicinctus) also died due to WNV encephalitis. The 2018 outbreak in Czech raptors clearly reflects a new epidemiological situation and indicates an increasing risk of both raptor and human infection with WNV‐2 in the country.     

Leukocytic responses and intestinal mucin dynamics of broilers protected with Enterococcus faecium EF55 and challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis

The protective effect of Enterococcus faecium EF55 in chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 4 (SE PT4) was assessed. The antibacterial effect on the bacterial microflora in the small intestine in relation to white blood cell count, phenotyping of peripheral blood and intestinal lymphocytes, functional activity of lymphocytes and phagocytes and mucin quantitation were investigated. Day-old chicks (85) were randomly divided into four groups. The probiotic group (EF) and Salmonella + probiotic group (EFSE) received E. faecium EF55 (10⁹ CFU – 3 g/group/day) for 21 days. The Salmonella group (SE) and EFSE group were infected with Salmonella Enteritidis (10⁸ CFU in 0.2 ml PBS) in a single dose per os on day four of the experiment. The control group chicks (C) were fed a commercial diet without added bacteria. Supplementation of EF55 in the diet of the chickens in the EFSE group, challenged with S. Enteritidis, caused the density of the intestinal mucin layer to increase significantly in non-specific regions (duodenum and jejunum), but decrease significantly in target regions (caeca) for S. Enteritidis. Probiotic treatment also appeared to result in a significantly higher number of lymphocytes in peripheral blood and a tendency to increase CD3, CD4, CD8, and IgM positive cells 3 days post-infection with S. Enteritidis. The results demonstrated an antibacterial effect and suggested that EF55 had a moderating effect on intestinal mucin production and leukocytic response in the early phase of S. Enteritidis infection.     

Anthrax undervalued zoonosis

Anthrax is a non-contagious disease, known since ancient times. However, it became a matter of global public interest after the bioterrorist attacks in the U.S.A. during the autumn of 2001. The concern of politicians and civil authorities everywhere towards this emergency necessitated a significant research effort and the prevention of new bioterrorist acts. Anthrax is primarily a disease that affects livestock and wildlife; its distribution is worldwide; and it can represent a danger to humans but especially more so when it occurs in areas considered to be free and in atypical seasons and climatic conditions. The atypicality of the phenomenon may lead health workers to misdiagnose and, consequently, an inappropriately manage of affected carcasses with a consequent and inevitable increase in the risk of human infection. This article emphasises the importance of paying increasing attention to this zoonosis. The biggest risk is its underestimation.     

Evaluation of hemostatic analytes after use of hypertonic saline solution combined with colloids for resuscitation of dogs with hypovolemia.

The effects of hypertonic saline solution (HTSS) combined with colloids on hemostatic analytes were studied in 15 dogs. The analytes evaluated included platelet counts, one-stage prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, von Willebrand's factor antigen (vWf:Ag), and buccal mucosa bleeding times. The dogs were anesthetized, and jugular phlebotomy was used to induced hypovolemia (mean arterial blood pressure = 50 mm of Hg). Treatment dogs (n = 12) were resuscitated by infusion (6 ml/kg of body weight) of 1 of 3 solutions: HTSS combined with 6% dextran 70, 6% hetastarch, or 10% pentastarch. The control dogs (n = 3) were autotransfused. Hemostatic analytes were evaluated prior to induction of hypovolemia (baseline) and then after resuscitation (after 30 minutes of sustained hypovolemia) at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 6 and 24 hours. All treatment dogs responded rapidly and dramatically to resuscitation with hypertonic solutions. Clinically apparent hemostatic defects (epistaxis, petechiae, hematoma) were not observed in any dog. All coagulation variables evaluated, with the exception of vWf:Ag, remained within reference ranges over the 24-hour period. The vWf:Ag values were not statistically different than values from control dogs, and actual values were only slightly lower than reference ranges. Significant (P < or = 0.04) differences were detected for one-stage prothrombin time, but did not exceed reference ranges. The results of this study suggested that small volume HTSS/colloid solutions do not cause significant alterations in hemostatic analytes and should be considered for initial treatment of hypovolemic or hemorrhagic shock.     

VERTEBRAL OSTEOSCLEROSIS IN A CAT SECONDARY TO RHABDOMYOSARCOMA

A 5–year–old cat was presented for pelvic limb weakness. Sclerosis of the vertebral body of T–10 was visible on thoracic radiographs. A compressive lesion at this area was noted on myelography. A tumor was partially removed at surgery, but the cat was killed because of poor postoperative response. Rhabdomyosarcoma was diagnosed at necropsy, with bone marrow necrosis and myelofibrosis, and new bone proliferation of the body of T–10. Causes of bone necrosis are discussed.