Efficacy of ceftiofur for treatment of experimental salmonellosis in neonatal calves

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate therapeutic efficacy of a high extralabel dose of ceftiofur for treatment of experimental salmonellosis in neonatal calves. ANIMALS: Forty-two 1- to 4-day-old Holstein bull calves. PROCEDURE: 36 calves were orally challenged with Salmonella enteritica serovar Typhimurium (6.5 x 10(8) colony-forming units). Six additional calves were retained as nonmedicated nonchallenged control calves. Four days following Salmonella challenge, surviving calves were randomly allocated to ceftiofur-treated (5 mg/kg, IM, q 24 h) or nonmedicated control groups. Calves assigned to the treated group were medicated daily for 5 days starting on day 4 after challenge. Calves were monitored for 18 days following Salmonella challenge. Outcome assessments included clinical parameters (attitude, appetite, fecal characteristics, and rectal temperature), mortality rate, and quantitative Salmonella culture of fecal samples, mesenteric lymph nodes, and cecal contents. RESULTS: Ceftiofur treatment was associated with a significant decrease in rectal temperature and diarrhea. Three of 15 medicated calves and 4 of 14 non-medicated calves died or were euthanatized between days 4 and 18. A significant decrease in fecal shedding of Salmonella organisms was observed in treated calves, compared with nonmedicated calves. Salmonella organisms were isolated from all 10 non-medicated calves at necropsy, whereas no Salmonella organisms were isolated from 5 of 12 medicated calves. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Treatment of salmonellosis in neonatal calves with a high extralabel dose of ceftiofur (5 mg/kg, IM, q 24 h) promotes animal welfare, reduces fecal shedding of Salmonella organisms, and may promote clearance of Salmonella infections when plasma ceftiofur concentrations are maintained above minimal inhibitory concentrations.     

Hemostatic and Fibrinolytic Indices in Neonatal Foals with Presumed Septicemia

Thirteen coagulation tests evaluating hemostatic and fibrinolytic indices and serum cytokine and plasma endotoxin concentrations were obtained in 34 foals with a positive sepsis score (septic group) and 46 age-matched healthy foals. Compared to healthy foals, the prothrombin, activated partial thromboplastin, and whole blood recalcification times were significantly longer in septic foals. The fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products concentrations, percent plasminogen, alpha-2 antiplasmin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor activities, and tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 activities were greater in septic foals. Protein C antigen and antithrombin III activity were significantly lower in septic foals. Blood cultures were positive for growth and endotoxin was detected in 19 of 29 and 15 of 30 septic foals, respectively. In septicemic foals with detectable endotoxin in the plasma, the prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times were significantly longer and the plasminogen and antithrombin III activities were significantly less than in septic foals in which endotoxin was not detected. Twenty-three of the 34 septic foals did not survive. Septic foals that did not survive were most likely to have a positive blood culture in which a gram-negative organism was isolated. Histopathologic evidence of hemorrhage was evident in 11 foals at postmortem examination and thrombosis was identified in 2 foals. The prothrombin time was significantly longer in foals that had multisite hemorrhage at postmortem examination. The results of this study indicate that clinically relevant alternations in hemostatic and fibrinolytic indices occur in neonatal foals with septicemia and that derangements can be correlated with the presence of endotoxin in plasma. Derangements in hemostatic or fibrinolytic indices were helpful in identification of septic foals with increased risk of coagulopathy, but were not helpful in predicting hemorrhage as compared to thrombus formation. Survival of septicemic foals was correlated with gram-negative bacteremia, but not with the presence of endotoxin or coagulopathy.     

Optimum bias in selection index parameters estimated with uncertainty

SUMMARY: In the derivation of selection index weights it is typically assumed that population and economic parameters are known with certainty. In practice, however, estimates of selection index parameters must be used instead of the true parameters. It is shown that when errors in parameter estimates have asymmetrical effects on the efficiency of a selection index, the expected response from selection can be increased by biasing parameter estimates. In this way, the probability of making errors which result in large reductions in efficiency is reduced. A method of deriving optimum (biased) selection index weights when there is uncertainty in parameters is described. The method incorporates the error probability distributions of parameters estimated with uncertainty. In some examples, moderate (2-5%) increases in the expected response from selection occurred with uncertain heritability and economic weight estimates. Overall however, increases in selection response vary depending on the true index and are usually small (0 to .5 %) unless parameter estimates are extremely uncertain. Failure to account for uncertainty in unbiased parameters leads to over estimation of the value of selection. Applications of the method for both practical and theoretical purposes are discussed with specific reference to animal improvement programs. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Optimale Verzerrung von ungenau gesch?tzten Selektionsindex-Parametern Bei der Ableitung von Selektionsindex-Gewichten wird üblicherweise angenommen, da? die Populationsparameter und wirtschaftlichen Gewichte genau bekannt sind. In der praktischen Anwendung müssen jedoch Sch?tzwerte anstelle der wahren Parameter verwendet werden. über- und Untersch?tzungen der Parameter zeigen asymmetrische Effekte auf die Effizienz von Selektionsindices. Es wird gezeigt, da? der erwartete Selektionserfolg gesteigert werden kann, wenn verzerrte Parametersch?tzwerte verwendet werden. Dabei wird die Wahrscheinlichkeit von Fehlern, welche zu gro?en Effizienzverlusten führen, verringert. Es wird eine Methode zur Ableitung der optimalen (verzerrten) Selektionsindex-Parameter beschrieben. Die Methode berücksichtigt die Verteilung der Sch?tzfehler. In einigen Beispielen von ungenau gesch?tzten Heritabilit?ten und wirtschaftlichen Gewichten wurden bescheidene (2 bis 5%) Steigerungen des erwarteten Selektionserfolges gefunden. Im allgemeinen waren die erwarteten Effizienzsteigerungen jedoch klein (0 bis 0,5%), au?er bei Parametern mit extrem gro?en Sch?tzfehlern. Werden die Sch?tzfehler der im Selektionsindex verwendeten Parameter nicht berücksichtigt, wird der erwartete Selektionsfortschritt übersch?tzt. Praktische und theoretische Anwendungsm?glichkeiten werden diskutiert.     

Cryptorchidism and sex ratio are associated in dogs and pigs

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the occurrence of cryptorchidism in a litter is associated with the sex ratio in this litter. The analysis included for dog 1,339 litters of 4 different breeds, of which 12.8% had 1 and 3.1% had 2 cryptorchids, and for pig 119,920 litters of 14 different populations, of which 2.2% had 1 and 0.2% had 2 cryptorchids. The data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. In dog, the presence of cryptorchids in a litter does not affect litter size or the stillborn rate. In pig, litter size increases significantly with an increasing number of cryptorchids in a litter. The stillborn rate in pig is larger in litters with cryptorchids than in litters without cryptorchids. To characterize the imbalance of the sexes in a litter, the sex ratio, defined as the number of live males divided by the number of live offspring, and the sex difference, defined as the number of live males minus the number of live females, were used as dependent variables in the analyses. In both dog and pig, the presence of 1 or 2 cryptorchids in a litter clearly goes together with a shift in both the sex ratio and the sex difference in a litter, in favor of male offspring. Our results in dog and pig suggest a common underlying mechanism affecting both cryptorchidism and sex ratio, which may hold true in other mammals as well.     

Direct and indirect impacts of pumping station operation on downstream migration of critically endangered European eel

Downstream passage of European eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) in catchments with pump(s) for water level management is a major concern. Catchment‐wide acoustic telemetry revealed silver eels quickly migrated downstream through unobstructed reaches (n = 12; mean ± SD = 17.9 ± 1.9 km/day). Fourteen of 17 acoustic‐tagged eels detected at the pumping station (82.1%) retreated back upstream and ten (58.8%) passed through pumps after delays (9.5 ± 11.0 days). Multi‐beam sonar imaging across the intake screen (55‐mm gaps) revealed that peaks in migration occurred during the nights preceding the new moon but 76.7% retreated back upstream. All passive integrated transponder (PIT)‐tagged eels recaptured (n = 56) downstream of a large (2.23‐m diameter) mixed flow pump survived but 96.5% had minor injuries, reduced physical condition and/or abnormal behaviour. By contrast, 64.7% of PIT‐tagged eels recaptured (n = 17) downstream of a small (0.8‐m diameter) axial flow pump died. No acoustic‐tagged eels that passed through the small axial flow pump (n = 10) performed onward migration at sea, unlike “control” eels released downstream (n = 11). This evidence may help develop effective remediation measures, such as operational changes, to maximise escapement of catadromous eel species at pumping stations.     

Running the trophic gauntlet: Empirical support for reduced foraging success in juvenile salmon in tidally mixed coastal waters

The productivity of Fraser River sockeye salmon has declined in recent years, with 2019 being the lowest return on record. The cause of the decline is still not fully understood; however, bottom‐up drivers and trophic interactions during the early marine migration are considered to be important contributing factors. McKinnell et al. (Fisheries Oceanography, 23, 2014 and 322) developed a “trophic gauntlet hypothesis,” proposing that low biological productivity leads to an energy deficit from poor foraging opportunities in migrating salmon. When combined with poor foraging conditions in typically productive waters elsewhere on the migration, low marine survival may result. Our study examined prey availability and stomach fullness of juvenile sockeye salmon along the 120 km stretch of the coastal migration through the Discovery Islands and Johnstone Strait to determine whether this section of the migration is indeed food limited. We observed low stomach fullness throughout tidally mixed waters, providing empirical support for the trophic gauntlet hypothesis. Zooplankton abundance was high in these regions so it appeared that unfavourably small prey size may have been the cause of low foraging success. We also observed foraging hotspots at both ends of the gauntlet, indicating that such areas may be key feeding grounds for migratory salmon.     

Within-canopy nitrogen and photosynthetic gradients are unaffected by soil fertility in field-grown Eucalyptus globulus

A significant and well-supported hypothesis is that increased growth following nitrogen (N) fertilization is a function of the relationships among photosynthesis, tissue N content and the light environment-specifically, the within-canopy allocation of N among leaves and the within-leaf allocation of N between Rubisco and chlorophyll. We tested this hypothesis in a field trial that included annual applications of N,P,K fertilizer (from planting) to a Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantation growing on uniform leached sands. Growth of 4-year-old E. globulus increased significantly in response to fertilization. Leaf N and phosphorus concentrations were 0.1-0.5 g m(-2) and 0.4-0.5 g m(-2) higher in fertilized trees compared to unfertilized trees, respectively. Stomatal conductance (g(s)) at the maximum photosynthetic rate (A(max)) was between 0.2 and 0.4 mol m(-2) s(-1) higher in fertilized trees, but A(max) and the concentration of Rubisco (Rub(a)) were unaffected by fertilization. This seeming paradox, where there was no response of A(max) to fertilization despite increases in g(s) and leaf N concentration, was explained by reduced in vivo specific activity of Rubisco in fertilized trees. Acclimation to light, measured by redistribution of N between Rubisco and chlorophyll, was unaffected by fertilization. Distribution of leaf N followed irradiance gradients, but A(max) did not. Maximum photosynthetic rate was correlated with leaf N concentration only in unfertilized trees. These findings indicate that the relationships among photosynthesis, N and the light environment in E. globulus are affected by N,P,K fertilization.     

Comparing the impact of conventional pesticide and use of a transgenic pest-resistant crop on the beneficial carabid beetle Pterostichus melanarius

The potential impact of a chemical pesticide control method has been compared with that of transgenic plants expressing a protease inhibitor conferring insect resistance by utilising a tritrophic system comprising the crop plant Brassica napus (L.) (Oilseed rape), the pest mollusc Deroceras reticulatum (Müller) and the predatory carabid beetle Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger). Cypermethrin, as the most widely used pesticide in UK oilseed rape (OSR) cultivation, was selected as the conventional treatment. OSR expressing a cysteine protease inhibitor, oryzacystatin-1 (OC-1), was the transgenic comparator. In feeding trials, D. reticulatum showed no significant long-term effects on measured life history parameters (survival, weight gain, food consumption) as a result of exposure to either the cypermethrin or OC-1 treatment. However, D. reticulatum was able to respond to the presence of the dietary inhibitor by producing two novel proteases following exposure to OC-1-expressing OSR. Similarly, P. melanarius showed no detectable alterations in mortality, weight gain or food consumption when feeding on D. reticulatum previously fed either pesticide-contaminated or GM plant material. Furthermore, as with the slug, a novel form of protease, approximately M(r) 27 kDa, was induced in the carabid in response to feeding on slugs fed OC-1-expressing OSR.