The nutritional value of degermed,dehulled corn for pigs and its impact on the gastrointestinal tract and nutrient excretion

Three experiments were designed to assess the feeding value and potential environmental benefits of feeding degermed, dehulled corn, a low fiber by-product originating from the corn dry milling process, to pigs. Twelve 27-kg (SE = 0.8) barrows were used in Exp. 1 to measure the apparent fecal digestibility of DM, GE and N of degermed, dehulled corn compared with corn grain. Two diets were formulated to contain either 96.4% of degermed, dehulled corn or corn grain plus supplemental vitamins and minerals. Digestibilities of DM, GE, and N were greater in degermed, dehulled corn (96.2, 96.0, and 93.6%, respectively) compared with corn grain (89.0, 89.0, and 78.4%, respectively) (P < 0.01). Overall, a 67 and 29% reduction in DM and N excretion, respectively, was observed. In Exp. 2, eight 70-kg (SE =1.8) barrows were surgically fitted with ileal cannulae and fed the same diets as in Exp. 1, to measure the ileal digestibility of nutrients in degermed, dehulled corn. Ileal digestibility of DM, energy, and N was 13, 15, and 7% greater in degermed, dehulled corn (P < 0.05). Apparent ileal digestibility coefficients of leucine, methionine, and phenylalanine were greater in degermed, dehulled corn compared with corn grain (P < 0.05) while a trend for a lower tryptophan digestibility in degermed, dehulled corn was observed (P = 0.067). In Experiment 3, 96 nursery pigs with an initial average BW of 8.8 kg (SE = 0.08), fed a starter diet formulated with degermed, dehulled corn or corn grain as the major grain source, were used in a 28-d growth performance study. At the end of the study, 24 pigs (1 pig per pen) were sacrificed and gastrointestinal tract measurements were taken. Daily growth rates of pigs were the same between diets (0.64 kg/d). A trend for reduced feed intake (P = 0.073) in pigs fed degermed, dehulled corn led to a 4% improvement in gain to feed (P < 0.05). Feeding degermed, dehulled corn had no effect on gut fill, gastrointestinal tract weight, or liver weight (P > 0.05). Ileal villus lengths and crypt depths were not affected by feeding degermed, dehulled corn although ileal villus widths were greater in pigs fed corn grain. Results from these trials suggest that corn processed to remove poorly digestible fiber fractions provides more digestible nutrients than corn grain. As a result, degermed, dehulled corn reduces fecal and N excretion, thus providing a means to reduce nutrient excretion.     

Investigation of the role of aldosterone in hypertension associated with spontaneous pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism in dogs

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of aldosterone as an initiating and/or perpetuating factor in hypertension associated with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) in dogs. Thirteen dogs with PDH and 11 healthy control dogs were used. In all dogs, arterial blood pressure and plasma sodium, potassium, basal aldosterone, post-ACTH aldosterone, basal cortisol and post-ACTH cortisol concentrations were measured. The tests were repeated 10 days and three months after the beginning of o,p'-DDD treatment in PDH dogs. In untreated PDH dogs, plasma aldosterone was significantly decreased, whereas cortisol, sodium and arterial blood pressure were significantly increased compared to healthy dogs. Hypertension remained in most treated PDH dogs despite normalisation of cortisol and persistently low aldosterone levels. These results did not demonstrate that aldosterone is involved in the development and perpetuation of hypertension in PDH. However, glucocorticoids seemed to play a major role as an initiating and perpetuating factor in PDH in dogs.     

Gamma herpesvirus carrier status of captive artiodactyls

Between 1998 and 2000, 103 individuals of 19 species of the order Artiodactyla at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park were tested for evidence of infection with gamma herpesviruses in order to distinguish between species which are susceptible to malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), caused by alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AlHV-1) of wildebeest (Connochaetes sp.) or ovine herpesvirus-2 (OvHV-2) of domestic sheep, and species which carry related viruses sub-clinically. Gamma herpesvirus DNA was detected in the known, or suspected, carrier species: roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), gemsbok (Oryx gazella), musk ox (Ovibos muschatus) and mouflon (Ovis musimon). In six other species: lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) yak (Bos grunniens), sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekei), greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) and Nile lechwe (Kobus megaceros), DNA was present in some newborn calves and over 30% of adults, strongly suggesting a carrier state. In contrast five Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) and two swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli) died of MCF during the study. A virus isolated from scimitar-horned oryx calves produced cytopathic effects in scimitar-horned oryx kidney cell-culture and caused MCF in a rabbit.     

Trilostane treatment of 78 dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism

The efficacy of trilostane in the treatment of canine pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) was evaluated in 78 dogs with the condition which were treated for up to three years. The drug appeared to be well tolerated by almost all the dogs, and only two developed clinical signs and biochemical evidence of hypoadrenocorticism. Polyuria and polydipsia completely resolved in 70 per cent of the dogs that had these problems, and skin changes resolved in 62 per cent of the dogs that had skin abnormalities. There was a significant reduction (P<0.001 in each case) in both the mean basal and post-adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) cortisol concentrations after a mean of 12.3 days of treatment. The post-ACTH cortisol concentration decreased to less than 250 nmol/litre in 81 per cent of the dogs within one month of the start of treatment and in another 15 per cent at some later time. The median survival time of the 26 dogs which died was 549 days, and 51 of the dogs were alive at the completion of the study. One was lost to follow up after 241 days treatment.     

Occurrence of clinical and sub-clinical mastitis in dairy herds in the West Littoral Region in Uruguay

Twenty-nine dairy farms were selected to determine the incidence of clinical mastitis, prevalence of sub-clinical mastitis and bacterial aetiology in the West Littoral Region of Uruguay. In samples taken by the owner and frozen at -20 degrees C during a week the incidence rate of clinical mastitis was determined as 1.2 cases per 100 cow-months at risk. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common isolated pathogen in 37.5% of 40 milk samples from clinical cases obtained in 1 month. No bacteria grew in the 32.5% of the total samples. A sub-sample including 1077 dairy cows from randomly selected farms was used to determine the prevalence of sub-clinical mastitis. These samples were taken on one visit to each farm. The prevalence was 52.4% on a cow basis and 26.7% on an udder quarter basis. In 55.1% of the quarters of the selected animals with more than 300,000 cells/ml there was no growth. The isolated pathogens from sub-clinical cases and their relative frequencies were: Staphylococcus aureus 62.8%, Streptococcus agalactiae 11.3%, Enterococcus sp. 8%, coagulase-negative staphylococci 7.4%, Streptococus uberis 6.4%, Streptococcus dysgalactiae 1.8%, Escherichia coli 1.5% and Staphylococcus hyicus coagulase-positive 0.6%.     

Influence of boar and semen parameters on motility and acrosome integrity in liquid boar semen stored for five days

Ninety ejaculates from a total of 76 AI boars were extended in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS). Boar identity, breed, weight of the ejaculate and sperm concentration were registered. Motility and acrosome integrity were assessed after storage at 16-18 degrees C for 6, 30, 54, 78, and 102 h. Storage time had a significant influence on both motility (p < 0.01) and acrosome integrity (p < 0.001). The Least Square Means for percentage of motility showed a small decline from 79.8% after 6 h of storage to 78.4% at 102 h. Motility at 78 and 102 h was significantly different from motility at 6 h (p < 0.05). The percentage of sperm cells with normal acrosomes declined throughout the experiment. The Least Square Means for 6, 30, 54, 78, and 102 h of storage were 93.9%, 90.6%, 88.0%, 84.8%, and 78.2%, respectively. The decrease in acrosome integrity from one storage time to the next was highly significant throughout the trial (p < 0.001). There was a significant influence of boar (p < 0.001) and sperm concentration (p < 0.01) on motility, while acrosome integrity was affected only by boar (p < 0.001). Breed of the boars and weight of the ejaculate did not influence the dependent variables.