Retention and Long Term Accumulation of EOCl from Pulp Mill Effluents in a Baltic Sea Recipient

The total inventory and distribution of ExtractableOrganic Chlorine (EOCl) has been investigated in anestuary exposed to pulp mill effluents for over 50 yr.The estuarine turnover of suspended particulate matter(SPM) and associated pollutants was studied using a modeldescribing important processes for EOCl accumulation. Therecipient has a low retention of SPM due to dominatingstratified conditions in the water column. The totalinventory of EOCl in the sediment is therefore relativelylow as compared with the total discharge. It was foundthat the vertical distribution of EOCl has a closerelationship to the extent of chlorine use at the mill.Discharges of SPM from the pulp production process play amajor role in establishing the chronology of the sediment.A modernisation of the mill from 1986 to 1991 considerablyreduced the discharges of chlorinated substances. In the near future there will be an accumulation of EOCl in the estuary.     

Comparison of variance components for test-day electrical conductivity of milk and test-day somatic cell score for first lactation cows in an experimental herd

In recent decades, electrical conductivity (EC) has been introduced as an indicator of mastitis, and genetic selection based on this trait may be possible. In this study, genetic parameters for test-day EC and test-day somatic cell score (SCS) were compared. Data were collected from a Danish experimental herd, including daily records of EC and SCS from 265 first lactation cows. Different genetic models were tested, and a random regression animal model with a 4th order Legendre polynomial for the permanent environmental effect for both traits, a 1st order Legendre polynomial for the additive genetic effect of EC and a 2nd order Legendre polynomial for the additive genetic effect of SCS, gave the best fit. The patterns of the curves were similar for both permanent environmental and additive genetic variance for the two traits. Heritability estimates ranged from 0.05 to 0.12, and from 0.01 to 0.09, for EC and SCS, respectively. The estimate of genetic correlation between the traits was high, and ranged from 0.86 to 0.98. Based on these results, EC could be a potential indicator trait in a breeding programme where selection for increased mastitis resistance is included.     

Performance of Four Hybrids of Laying Hens in Modified and Conventional Cages

Abstract

In two trials, production, feed consumption, mortality, egg quality and birds' live weight of a total of 2877 caged laying hens of four hybrids, Dekalb XL, Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) and Shaver 288 in Trial 1 and ISA Brown and LSL in Trial 2, were studied during full production cycles. The cage designs were Get-away cages (GA) with 15 hens per cage, a special version of the “Edinburgh modified cage” called “Modified and enriched cage” (ME) with 4 ISA or 5 Leghorn hens per cage, conventional cages of metal (CO) with 4 hens per cage and conventional cages of plastic (PL) with 3 hens per cage. GA and ME included nests, perches and sandbaths. LSL produced significantly better than the other hybrids. Shaver had a significantly lower live weight than Dekalb and LSL, while ISA was significantly heavier than LSL. Production in ME was similar to that in conventional cages and, in Trial 2, birds in ME, CO and PL produced significantly better than those in GA. The highest mortality was registered in GA, where in Trial 2 it was significantly higher than in ME. GA gave a significantly higher and CO a lower proportion of cracked eggs than ME and PL. In both trials ME gave significantly lower proportions of dirty eggs than GA and in Trial 2, the lowest. Few differences between the systems were registered regarding interior egg quality. It was concluded that ME is better for production, mortality and management than GA but similar to conventional cages.     

Effects of group size on performance,health and birds’ use of facilities in furnished cages for laying hens

A total of 1584 Lohmann Selected Leghorn hens were kept in 144 modified cages furnished with—perch, nest and sandbath for 5, 6, 7 or 8 hens per cage or in 162 conventional cages for 4 hens. Cage floor area was 600 cm² per hen excluding nest and sandbath. Doors to nests and sandbaths were time monitored. Production, mortality, exterior egg quality, health, integument and the birds use of facilities were registered from 20 until 80 weeks. No effects of group size or keeping system on production or mortality were detected, but the furnished cage gave more cracked and less dirty eggs than the conventional cage. Hens in the furnished cage had better plumage condition, less toe pad hyperkeratosis, shorter claws, less rear body wounds and stronger humerus, but dirtier feet than hens in the conventional cage. Hens in the larger group sizes had the dirtiest feet. In the furnished cage, on average, 86% of all eggs were laid in the nests and 0.6% in the sandbaths. The rolling out efficiency from nests was best in the larger group sizes. During night less than 0.5% of the hens stayed in the sandbath and less than 2% stayed in the nest. Average use of perches was 28% during the day and 91% at night. Hens in the small group sizes used the sandbath most. Dust‐bathing behaviour also occurred on the wire floor.     

Evaluation of two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for serodiagnosis of Aleutian mink disease virus infection in mink

Background

Aleutian disease in mink is caused by infection with Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV). In Sweden, the infection most commonly causes classical Aleutian disease in which the immune system fails to neutralize the virus and the infection becomes persistent. Diagnosis of AMDV infection is based on serological methods that detect virus-specific antibodies. Traditionally counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIEP) has been the preferred method, but in order to enable automation interest has been paid to other antibody detecting systems. Recently, at least two different ELISA systems that detect antibodies to AMDV have been manufactured; one is based on an in vitro grown AMDV as antigen, and the other system is based on the AMDV capsid protein VP2 as antigen. The aim of this study was to evaluate the two ELISA systems for detection of antibodies to AMDV using CIEP as the gold standard.

Results

When employing the mean optical density of the samples from CIEP negative mink plus three standard deviations as cut-off value, the ELISA with the VP2 antigen had a sensitivity of 99.7% and a specificity of 98.3% compared to CIEP (n = 364). Analysis of samples with the AMDV-G antigen based ELISA employing an assay cut-off value based on the negative control samples, as suggested by the manufacturer, resulted in a sensitivity of 54.3% and a specificity of 93.2% with reference to CIEP as the gold standard (n = 359). When employing the mean optical density of the samples from CIEP negative mink plus three standard deviations as cut-off value, the AMDV-G ELISA had a sensitivity of 37.6% and a specificity of 98.3%.

Conclusions

The ELISA system based on VP2 antigen had high sensitivity and specificity, and was concluded to be an alternative to the CIEP as a diagnostic tool for AMDV antibodies. In contrast, the AMDV-G ELISA suffered from low sensitivity when compared to CIEP.     

A radiological study on the development of vertebral deformities in cultured Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

This study investigated the development of skeletal deformities in individually tagged Atlantic salmon (n = 805) from the parr stage (Sept 2001, 70 g mean ± 34 g S.D.) until 10 month after transfer to seawater (Feb 2003, 3040 g mean ± 1097 g S.D.). A subgroup of the total population (n = 129) was radiographed as parr (Feb 2002) and again 10 months after transfer to seawater (Feb 2003). Eight percent of the males matured sexually during their first autumn in sea (jack), and were excluded from further analysis. Based on an external examination of each fish (n = 773), 1.8% (n = 14) developed skeletal deformities (0.1% operculum deformities (n = 1), 0.4% jaw deformities (n = 3), 1.3% vertebral deformities (n = 10)) during the experiment. Based on evaluation of radiographs (n = 129), the prevalence of vertebral deformities was 7.0% (n = 9) at the parr stage, and 12.4% (n = 16) 10 months after transfer to seawater. From radiographs, longitudinally compressed vertebral bodies without intervertebral spaces were classified as ankylosis and compression, longitudinally compressed vertebral bodies with intervertebral spaces were classified as compressions, and dislocated vertebral bodies with a normal morphology and without intervertebral spaces were classified as ankylosis and dislocation. Of the fish that developed deformities during the experiment, 8 had ankylosis and compressions, 7 had compressions and 1 had ankylosis and dislocation. Ankylosis and compression developed in the region between vertebrae number 1 and 16, whereas compressions developed in the region between vertebrae number 13 and 49. Most of the individuals with compression 10 months after transfer to seawater had normal vertebral columns as parr, whereas all individuals with compression and ankylosis 10 months after transfer to seawater had deformed vertebral columns as parr.     

分子证据表明苏拉威西岛特有鸟种苏拉山鸫(Geomalia heinrichi)属于地鸫属(Zoothera)(鸫科,鸟纲)(英文)

苏拉威西地区特有鸟种苏拉山鸫(Geomalia heinrichi)的分类地位,是属于画眉科还是鸫科,长期以来一直备受争议。基于线粒体细胞色素 b 基因、细胞核肌红蛋白内含子 2 以及鸟氨酸脱羧酶内含子 6–7 基因,我们估计了鸫科 43 个分类群的系统发育关系。结果表明,苏拉山鸫是地鸫属的一个分支,并具有较高的支持率。我们建议将 Geomalia 并入地鸫属(Zoothera),并命名为 Zoothera heinrichi。     

Anthrax outbreak in a Swedish beef cattle herd - 1st case in 27 years: Case report

After 27 years with no detected cases, an outbreak of anthrax occurred in a beef cattle herd in the south of Sweden. The outbreak was unusual as it occurred in winter, in animals not exposed to meat-and-bone meal, in a non-endemic country.The affected herd consisted of 90 animals, including calves and young stock. The animals were kept in a barn on deep straw bedding and fed only roughage. Seven animals died during 10 days, with no typical previous clinical signs except fever. The carcasses were reportedly normal in appearance, particularly as regards rigor mortis, bleeding and coagulation of the blood. Subsequently, three more animals died and anthrax was suspected at necropsy and confirmed by culture and PCR on blood samples.The isolated strain was susceptible to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and ampicillin. Subtyping by MLVA showed the strain to cluster with isolates in the A lineage of Bacillus anthracis.Environmental samples from the holding were all negative except for two soil samples taken from a spot where infected carcasses had been kept until they were picked up for transport.The most likely source of the infection was concluded to be contaminated roughage, although this could not be substantiated by laboratory analysis. The suspected feed was mixed with soil and dust and originated from fields where flooding occurred the previous year, followed by a dry summer with a very low water level in the river allowing for the harvesting on soil usually not exposed. In the early 1900s, animal carcasses are said to have been dumped in this river during anthrax outbreaks and it is most likely that some anthrax spores could remain in the area.The case indicates that untypical cases in non-endemic areas may be missed to a larger extent than previously thought. Field tests allowing a preliminary risk assessment of animal carcasses would be helpful for increased sensitivity of detection and prevention of further exposure to the causative agent.