Parental body build and developmental progress in the offspring

Children selected for study according to the body build of their parents were found to differ in rate of growth and in timing of osseous development. Boys and girls with large-chested parents were taller and heavier during the growing period and were more advanced in skeletal development than offspring of narrow-chested parents.     

Comparison of a competitive inhibition ELISA and the card agglutination test for detection of antibodies to Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma centrale in cattle

OBJECTIVE: To compare a recently developed recombinant MSP-5 competitive inhibition ELISA with a card agglutination test for detection of antibodies to Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma centrale in Australian cattle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ELISA was compared with the card agglutination test using 208 sera from cattle in Anaplasma-free herds, 86 sera from cattle experimentally infected with A marginale or A centrale and 757 sera from cattle in areas endemic for A marginale. RESULTS: The specificity of the ELISA, based on testing 208 sera from cattle in Anaplasma-free areas, was 99.5%, and the sensitivities for detection of antibodies to A marginale and A centrale in sera from the experimentally infected cattle were 98.0% and 100%, respectively. For the same sets of sera, the specificity of the card agglutination test was 98.6% and the sensitivities for detection of antibodies to A marginale and A centrale were 98.0% and 100%, respectively. For the 757 sera collected from cattle in areas endemic for A marginale, the agreement between the ELISA and the card agglutination test depended on the positive threshold selected for the ELISA. The maximum achievable agreement was 91.5% (kappa = 0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.66, 0.79). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the competitive inhibition ELISA is a useful alternative to the card agglutination test for detection of A marginale or A centrale infection in cattle. The assay should be particularly useful for epidemiological applications such as prevalence studies and control programs.     

鸭传染性浆膜炎的防治措施

鸭传染性浆膜炎是侵害雏鸭的一种慢性或急性败血性传染病，病原体为鸭疫里默氏杆菌，已经为危害养鸭业的主要传染病。采取免疫接种、鸭舍消毒、治疗等，控制鸭传染性浆膜炎的发生。     

A comparison between supplements to silage of high digestibility offered to dairy cows

Grass silage containing 180 g crude protein and 660g digestible organic matter per kg DM was offered to forty-two dairy cows for 20 weeks in a self-feeding system. In addition, supplements of either mineralized barley (130 g crude protein per kg DM) or barley plus groundnut (180 g crude protein per kg DM) were offered. The mean daily milk yields were 18·5 and 19·4 kg per cow respectively.     

Detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in skeletal muscle and blood of ewes from a sheep farm in New Zealand

Abstract

AIM: To determine whether viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) is present in skeletal muscle and blood in ewes with and without Johne's disease confirmed histologically.

METHODS: A total of 51 mixed-aged ewes in poor body condition from a farm with a history of clinical Johne's disease were culled and examined at necropsy. BACTEC radiometric culture was performed on samples of skeletal muscle from the biceps femoris, mononuclear cells in peripheral blood (hereafter referred to as blood), and ileum. Histological sections and Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN)-stained impression smears of terminal ileum and mesenteric lymph nodes were examined. Ewes were defined as having confirmed Johne's disease if there was histopathological evidence typical of the disease within the ileum and adjacent lymph nodes.

RESULTS: Eighteen of 21 (86%) ewes with confirmed clinical Johne's disease were culture-positive for Map from sites peripheral to the alimentary tract, comprising 15 from skeletal muscle and 13 from blood. Five of 30 (17%) ewes that did not have Johne's disease were culture-positive, with four from skeletal muscle and one from blood. The likelihood that ewes with confirmed Johne's disease had systemic Map infection compared with ewes without was determined as OR=30 (95% CI=6.3–142.0; p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Map infection of skeletal muscle and blood in ewes with confirmed Johne's disease was 71% and 62% respectively, and in unaffected ewes was 13% for muscle and 3% for blood.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Skeletal muscle and blood are potential sources of exposure of humans to Map, and the risk appears higher from sheep with Johne's disease.     

Tuberculosis in a New Zealand (Hooker's) sea lion

Extract

Tuberculosis has been described in seven species of pinnipeds. Based on host preference, phenotype and genetic and antigenic testing, the causal bacterium has been classified as a distinct species, Mycobacterium pinnipedii, within the M. tuberculosis complex. An adult male New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) was found dead on the Otago coastline in mid 2005. Gross necropsy revealed multiple caseous foci throughout the lungs, subcutaneous and thoracic lymph nodes, and mesenteric lymph nodes. Histopathological examination showed granulomatous lesions containing numerous intra-lesional acid fast organisms. The organism was confirmed as being a member of the M. tuberculosis complex, based on restriction enzyme analysis. Spoligotyping is pending. This is the first confirmed case of mycobacterial disease in a New Zealand sea lion.     

A preliminary investigation comparing pre-operative morphine and buprenorphine for postoperative analgesia and sedation in cats

Objective To compare the postoperative analgesic and sedative properties of buprenorphine and morphine in cats. Study Design Prospective, randomized, blinded study. Animals Thirty‐two domestic cats undergoing surgery. Methods Cats received pre‐anaesthetic medication with acepromazine (0.05 mg kg^?1) given intramuscularly and were randomly allocated to group M and given morphine (0.1 mg kg^?1) intramuscularly (IM) or to group B and given buprenorphine (0.01 mg kg^?1) IM. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with halothane in oxygen and nitrous oxide. Pain and sedation scores using visual analogue scales, and heart and respiratory rates, were measured immediately before, and 30, 60, 120, 180, 300 and 420 minutes after anaesthesia. Results Pain scores were significantly lower at 60, 120 and 180 minutes after anaesthesia in group B. Group B also had higher heart rates at 30 minutes. There were no other statistically significant differences between the groups. Clinical relevance Buprenorphine (0.01 mg kg^?1) appeared to provide better postoperative analgesia than morphine (0.1 mg kg^?1) and may also have a longer duration of action.     

An economic assessment of porcine parvovirus vaccination

SUMMARY A decision analysis model was designed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of a vaccination program for preventing endemic or epidemic porcine parvovirus (PPV) Induced reproductive failure in a 100-sow pig herd. The results showed that the cost of vaccination was less than the cost incurred by continuing endemic PPV infection, or the cost of a severe epidemic. A long term vaccination program is a cost effective method for controlling PPV-induced reproductive failure in pig herds suffering endemic and epidemic PPV infection.