Behavioural and physiological responses of sheep to 16 h transport and a novel environment post-transport

The effect of a novel lairage environment on the ability of sheep to recover from 16 h of transport was investigated. Sheep were transported from grass paddocks to either novel outside paddocks or inside pens, and housed groups were transported to either familiar or novel inside pens. During transport, sheep from outside paddocks lay down less than those from inside pens. In sheep transported to inside pens, those from outside paddocks spent more time lying and spent less time eating; hay and water intakes during the first 12 h post-transport were lower than those previously kept inside. There was no obvious effect of a novel environment post-transport on blood biochemistry, suggesting that the lower post-transport feed and water intakes in a novel environment did not have a significant effect on the ability of the sheep to recover from the feed and water deprivation associated with transport.     

Epidemiology of porcine non-specific colitis on Scottish farms

The objective of this study was to investigate epidemiological risk factors for porcine non-specific colitis (NSC). Forty-seven Scottish pig farms, with and without a clinical history of diarrhoea during the growing period (15-40 kg), were selected. The study included farm visits, clinical inspection of pigs, completion of farm management questionnaires, pathological tests into the cause of the diarrhoea and analysis of the non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) content of feeds. The results from 17 farms designated as NSC and 10 control farms suggest dietary associations with NSC. Farms with NSC fed diets with significantly higher levels of NSPs, especially containing the sugars glucose, arabinose and xylose. Few management factors were identified, although the high prevalence of infectious colitis reduced the power of the study.     

Detection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae Infection in Pigs

It is difficult to control the spread of porcine haemophilus pleuropneumonia caused by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae because there is no sensitive and specific way to accurately determine whether or not a pig herd is infected. This paper reports bacteriological and serological techniques used to detect A. pleuropneumoniae infection in pigs from a herd with endemic disease.

The bacteria were isolated from the anterior nasal mucosa of grower pigs, but not from younger or older pigs. Bacteriological culture of several tissues from the respiratory tract showed that nine of ten young finishing pigs were infected, but culture of lung tissue from slaughtered hogs detected infection in only 39 of 288 (13.5%). Both cooler storage temperature and use of selective medium prolonged the time that lung tissue could be stored and the organism still recovered. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detected serotype-specific antibodies in serum of infected pigs.

     

Toxicity and neurophysiological effects of selected insecticides on the mole cricket, Scapteriscus vicinus (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae)

Mole crickets (Scapteriscus spp.) are severe subterranean pests of turfgrasses, commonly targeted with neurotoxic insecticides. Ideally insecticides used against mole crickets should induce quick knockdown or mortality to minimize damage caused by their tunneling. However, neurophysiological effects of insecticides on mole crickets are mostly unknown. The aims of this study were to investigate neurophysiological and toxic effects of several insecticides on tawny mole cricket (Scapteriscus vicinus Scudder) adults and nymphs, and potential synergy between pyrethroid and neonicotinoid insecticides. Bifenthrin, fipronil, and the combination of bifenthrin + imidacloprid provided the fastest median mortality when injected. The combination of bifenthrin + imidacloprid elicited faster toxicity than either active ingredient alone. Imidacloprid, bifenthrin, and bifenthrin + imidacloprid caused immediate knockdown, whereas fipronil immobilized mole crickets within 1-2 h. Acephate, bifenthrin, fipronil, imidacloprid, and bifenthrin + imidacloprid caused significant neuroexcitation. Bifenthrin + imidacloprid resulted in greater increases of spontaneous neural activity than the additive effects of imidacloprid and bifenthrin alone. Excitatory compounds acting at sodium and chloride channels (bifenthrin and fipronil) were the most toxic against S. vicinus. Combining a sodium channel toxin (bifenthrin) and a synaptic toxin (imidacloprid) led to greater than additive neurophysiological and toxic effects, which to our knowledge provides the first documented evidence of synergistic neurological “potentiation”.     

The performance of a thermometer screen on an automatic weather station

The performance of a Didcot-type thermometer screen on an Automatic Weather Station and a conventional Stevenson screen were compared, both with each other and against an aspirated Assmann psychrometer. Maximum temperature in the Didcot screen exceeded the conventional screen maximum by up to 1 K on calm, sunny days, and Didcot minimum temperatures were as much as 1.5 K less than the screen minima on still, clear nights; mean temperature discrepancies between screens were + 0.3 and − 0.4 K for maxima and minima, respectively. The apparent psychrometric constant for the Didcot screen was 1.0 mbar K⁻¹ which increased to 1.2 mbar K⁻¹ when u < 2 m s⁻¹ in contrast to the value of 0.799 mbar K⁻¹ frequently used for the Stevenson screen.     

Effect of reducing dietary mineral content on growth performance, water intake, excreta dry matter content and blood parameters of broilers

1. The objective of this study was to investigate whether it is possible to reduce phosphorus (P) excretion by feeding a lower level of dietary P than that currently recommended, without compromising welfare, and whether this is sensitive to the level of dietary calcium (Ca). 2. A randomised complete block design was used with a total of 224 1-d-old male chicks of a commercial genotype in two batches. Chicks had a 10-d adaptation period. After this, they were moved to cages and allocated to one of 4 dietary treatments (4 and 3 birds per cage in batch 1 and 2, respectively). A standard level of Ca and P (8.3 and 6.6 g/kg, respectively) was compared with three lower levels of Ca (7.3, 6.3 and 5.3 g/kg) all at the same reduced level of P (5.5 g/kg). Records were made of live weight of birds on an individual basis and feed and water consumption on a cage basis. Every 7 d, the dry matter (DM) content of a sample of mixed excreta from each cage was measured. Birds were slaughtered and samples taken for analysis of plasma mineral content, retention of N, Ca and P and tibia bone strength. 3. The initial reduction in dietary mineral level did not adversely affect performance or bone strength. However, decreasing dietary Ca level below 7.3 g/kg, at constant P, led to reduced feed consumption and bone strength. Dietary treatment had no significant overall effect on water intake, water : feed ratio, excreta DM content, Ca and P retention or metabolisability of DM. There was no significant correlation between mean plasma Ca or P level and DM content of rectal digesta. 4. In conclusion, reducing dietary P from 6.6 to 5.5 g/kg to reduce potential environmental impact of broiler production had an adverse effect on bird welfare when the level of Ca was reduced below 7.3 g/kg, as a result of decreased feed intake in the early growth period and reduced skeletal strength.     

Resistance to benzimidazole and macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics in cattle nematodes in Argentina

In April 2003, persistent scouring and ill-thrift that was reported in calves form an intensive beef rearing operation in central Argentina despite treatments with benzimidazole and ivermectin. In order to conduct a controlled faecal egg count reduction test on this herd, 40 calves 5-8-months-old were selected on the basis that they had a nematode eggs per gram (epg) of faeces count greater than 150. Animals were divided into four groups (1-4) of 10 calves. Calves of groups 1-3 were treated, respectively, with subcutaneous injection of ivermectin (200 mcg/kg), ricobendazole (4 mg/kg) and levamisole (7.5 mg/kg), while calves of group 4 remained as untreated controls. The egg count reductions carried out 10 days later were lower than 15% in calves treated with ivermectin and ricobendazole, but 100% in animals receiving levamisole. Pooled post-treatment faecal cultures showed larval percentages of 92 and 95 for Haemonchus and 8 and 5 for Cooperia in the faeces of calves treated with ivermectin and ricobendazole, respectively. This is the first reported case of Haemonchus parasiting cattle showing simultaneous resistance to avermectins and benzimidazole type anthelmintics.