Estimating the risk of exposure of British livestock to foot-and-mouth disease associated with the importation of ship and aircraft waste

A quantitative risk assessment model was developed to estimate the frequency with which meat waste from ships or aircraft might expose British livestock to infection with foot-and-mouth disease (fmd), and investigate the factors that might contribute to the risk. In the model, the total weight of waste introduced that was contaminated with fmd was estimated to be 26 kg per year, with 90 per cent certainty that it would be between 10 and 53 kg. As a result, it was estimated that there would be a mean of 1429 years between outbreaks of fmd due to ship and aircraft waste, with a 90 per cent certainty that the interval would be between 500 and 10,000 years. These estimates were affected by three principal uncertainties: first, the prevalence of fmd; secondly, the probability of the waste being removed and fed to pigs; and thirdly, the probability that overboard dumping of contaminated waste might expose livestock to fmd. The effect of these uncertainties on the model was investigated in a sensitivity analysis.     

VACCINATION OF PIGLETS AGAINST ESCHERICHIA COLI ENTERITIS

An immunisation procedure involving intraperitoneal followed by oral administration of a killed Escherichia coli vaccine was used to reduce losses associated with colibacillosis in young pigs reared under commercial conditions. Mortality was reduced in both the preweaning and postweaning period. The mortality rate among vaccinated piglets was half that of unvaccinated controls and by 3 weeks after weaning the total weight of pigs produced was 33% higher in the vaccinated group than in the control group.     

Exocrine pancreatic neoplasia in the cat: a case series

Eight cases of feline pancreatic adenocarcinoma and two cases of pancreatic adenoma were reviewed. The adenomas were incidental findings. Most cats with adenocarcinomas had anorexia (75%) and vomiting (63%), while 38% had abdominal pain, a palpable abdominal mass, and/or jaundice. Diagnostic abnormalities included leukocytosis, hyperglycemia, increased alanine aminotransferase activity, poor serosal detail on abdominal radiography, and an abdominal mass effect on ultrasonography. The majority of cats with carcinomas had metastases (mostly to liver, lung, and small intestine), and all were euthanized or died within 7 days of diagnosis. Clinically, feline pancreatic carcinoma may be difficult to distinguish from feline pancreatitis.     

Antral Follicle Populations and Embryo Production – In Vitro and In Vivo – of Bos indicus–taurus Donors from Weaning to Yearling Ages

Interest in indicus–taurus cattle has been increasing, as these animals are likely to present the best characteristics of Zebu and European bovine breeds. The aim of this study was to compare the embryo production of indicus–taurus donors with high vs low antral follicle counts obtained by ovum pickup/in vitro production (OPU/IVP) and superovulation (SOV)/embryo collection. Braford females at weaning age (3/8 Nelore × 5/8 Hereford, n = 137, 9 ± 1 month old) were subjected to six serial ovarian ultrasonographs and were assigned to two groups according to the number of antral follicles ≥3 mm as follows: G‐High antral follicular count (AFC, n = 20, mean ≥40 follicles) and G‐Low AFC (n = 20, mean ≤10 follicles). When the females (n = 40) reached 24 months of age, they were subjected to both OPU/IVP and SOV/embryo collection. The average number of follicles remained highly stable throughout all of the ultrasound evaluations (range 0.90–0.92). The mean number of COCs recovered (36.90 ± 13.68 vs 5.80 ± 3.40) was higher (p < 0.05) for females with high AFC, resulting in higher (p < 0.05) numbers of total embryos among females with high vs low AFC (6.10 ± 4.51 vs 0.55 ± 0.83). The mean number of embryos per collection was also higher (p < 0.05) for G‐High vs G‐Low (6.95 ± 5.34 vs 1.9 ± 2.13). We conclude that a single ultrasound performed at pre‐pubertal ages to count antral follicles can be used as a predictor of embryo production following IVP and SOV/embryo collection in indicus–taurus females.     

Investigation on the possible formation of N-nitroso-N-methylurea by nitrosation of creatinine in model systems and in cured meats at gastric pH

N-Nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU) is a highly potent direct-acting carcinogen that has been shown to induce cancer in a number of animal species. Although previous research has indicated that nitrosation of creatinine (CRN), a common constituent of meats, dried fish, and seafoods, can form traces of NMU, there is uncertainty as to (1) the yield of NMU and (2) whether detectable amounts of NMU can be formed from cured meats following nitrosation under acidic conditions given the low residual levels of nitrite found in cured meats at the present time. Lack of sensitive and specific analytical methods most likely has hindered progress in research in these areas. An HPLC postcolumn denitrosation-thermal energy analyzer technique and a GC-MS confirmation technique were developed for the determination of NMU in cured meats. Both techniques are highly sensitive (0.5 and 0.03 ppb, respectively) and specific. The optimum pH for NMU formation from CRN ranged between pH 1 and pH 3, and the yields of NMU under variable reactant concentrations ranged between 0.00004 and 0.0046%. When 27 samples of various cured meats (10 g aliquots each) were acidified with HCl (final pH values of 0.8-2.5) and incubated at room temperature for 2 h, without any additional nitrite, 24 gave results below detectable levels but 3 formed 2-26 ng of NMU/10 g of meat. Incubation of the negative meats with additional nitrite (50-500 microg/g of meat) formed 0.6-176 ng of NMU/10 g of sample. Although the amounts of NMU formed were extremely small, this seems to be the first reported formation of NMU from cured meats with and without additional nitrite.     

Orangutan movement and population dynamics across human-modified landscapes: implications of policy and management

Landscape Ecology - Agricultural expansion is a leading cause of deforestation and habitat fragmentation globally. Policies that support biodiversity and facilitate species movement across farmland...     

NON-SURGICAL STERILISATION OF RAMS USING A SCLEROSING AGENT

Injection of 0.25 ml of a solution of 3.6% formaldehyde in 90% ethanol direct into the caudae epididymides caused sterility in the rams treated. No live sperm were seen in ejaculates collected 35, 57, 91 and 196 days post-injection. The rams retained their libido and were mated to ewes between 2 and 3 months post-injection with no pregnancy ensuing. The technique offers a simple, safe, quick and effective method of sterilising rams. Attempts to produce sterilisation by injection of the sclerosing agent into the vas deferens were not successful.