Biochemical study of resistance to imidacloprid in B biotype Bemisia tabaci from Guatemala

Systemic uptake bioassays using excised cotton leaves confirmed resistance to imidacloprid in a Guatemalan population of the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of naphthyl esterases identified the insects as B-types. Upon collection from the field, resistance was determined to be 58-fold relative to a susceptible strain originating in the Imperial Valley of California. Resistance levels increased to 126-fold in this population during its continuous exposure to systemically treated cotton. In biochemical investigations, there was no detectable NADPH-dependent mixed function oxidase metabolism of 14C-imidacloprid at any time during the selection process. In contrast, microsomal preparations from housefly abdomens readily produced significant amounts of the mono-hydroxy and olefin derivatives of the parent compound. Detoxification of imidacloprid by housefly MFOs may account for reports of lower toxicity of the insecticide towards this insect compared with whiteflies, despite similar binding properties between imidacloprid and the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in both species.     

Effects of administration of antimicrobials in feed on growth rate and feed efficiency of pigs in multisite production systems

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effect of various regimens for administration of antimicrobials in feed on growth rate and feed efficiency (feed/gain) of pigs in multisite production systems. DESIGN: Controlled trial. ANIMALS: 24,099 growing pigs in 3 multisite production systems. PROCEDURE: 10 trials involving various regimens for administration of antimicrobials in feed were evaluated. Trial 1 compared effects of 2 antimicrobial regimens on finishing pig performance. Trials 2 through 10 compared growth rate and feed efficiency of nursery and finishing pigs given antimicrobials in feed with values for control pigs not given antimicrobials. RESULTS: In trial 1, no significant differences were observed between the 2 antimicrobial regimens. In the remaining trials, growth rate of nursery pigs fed antimicrobials was significantly improved, compared with growth rate of control pigs. However, growth rate of finishing pigs and feed efficiency of nursery and finishing pigs were not significantly improved by adding antimicrobials to the feed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that use of antimicrobials in the feed to promote growth should be limited to the nursery phase in multisite pig production systems. Use of antimicrobials in the feed of finishing pigs should be limited to therapeutic applications in which a diagnosis of bacterial infection susceptible to the antimicrobial to be used has been confirmed.     

Minimum space allowance for transportation of swine by road

Space allowance for animals in transit is a consistent concern in many countries that are developing codes of practice and regulations to assure humane treatment of food producing animals. The minimum space allowance requirements for a broad size range of swine in transit has not been well described or scientifically substantiated. A maximal loading pressure recommendation for pigs weighing from 5 to 250 kg was derived by a consultative process involving the swine transportation industry, animal welfare groups, and a literature review. The recommended maximal loading pressure under ideal conditions for swine loaded in groups can be described as a hoerl model y = (37.53)(0.9969)w(W0.5008), where y = loading pressure in kg body weight/m2 and W = average animal body weight in kilograms.     

Morphologic lesions in type 2 BVDV infections experimentally induced by strain BVDV2-1373 recovered from a field case

Widespread outbreaks of severe acute BVDV, some associated with hemorrhagic syndrome (HS), were reported in Quebec and Ontario in 1993. These outbreaks caused significant economic hardship in infected herds. In the Ontario outbreak 150 dairy, 600 beef and 100 milk and grain fed veal herds were affected with losses estimated at $40000-$10000 per herd in lost animals, milk production, abortions and genetics. Fever, pneumonia, diarrhea, and sudden death occurred in all age groups of cattle. Abortions were frequently observed in pregnant cattle. The viruses associated with this outbreak were determined to be noncytopathic BVDV from the type 2 genotype. All BVDV2 associated with these outbreaks were noncytopathic. One of the viruses isolated from the Ontario outbreak, BVDV2-1373, was used to experimentally induce HS in 5-6 weeks old colostrum deprived, seronegative calves. All animals developed leukopenia and thrombocytopenia within 6-10 days with some developing bloody diarrhea and becoming moribund. Animals were killed for necropsy between 6 and 11 days postinfection. Histopathologically lesions were similar, but more severe, to those seen early on (within first 9 days after superinfection) in animals with experimentally induced mucosal disease (MD). There were no erosions and ulcerations present in the upper digestive tract. In hemorrhages in the mucosa, virus antigen (VA) was present in macrophages of both the lamina propria and the submucosa and in basal epithelial cells. Cells containing VA were vacuolated and separated from each other. The most severe lesions observed in the digestive tract were in the Peyers patches and were characterized by depletion of lymphocytes and proliferation of crypt cells resulting in crypthyperplasia. Apoptotic cells were present in crypts and areas of lymph follicles where viral antigen was detected. Out of the six animals, VA was present in four animals in the pancreas, three animals in the pituitary and in two animals in the adrenal glands. The results suggest that the pathology resulting from acute infection with a highly virulent noncytopathic BVDV2 differs from the pathology observed in classic mucosal disease.     

Toxoplasma gondii in an African crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata).

An adult female crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) was evaluated for acute onset of neurologic signs including head tilt, circling, and ataxia. She was found dead in her holding area 2 days after initially exhibiting clinical signs. Necropsy was unremarkable. Histopathology of brain tissue revealed the presence of protozoal cysts associated with inflammation as the underlying cause of clinical signs and death. Immunohistochemical staining of brain tissue for Toxoplasma gondii was strongly positive. PCR on fresh brain confirmed T. gondii as the causative organism. An adult male in the same enclosure has demonstrated similar neurologic signs over the past 3 years and has failed to respond to various medical treatments. Clinical disease associated with T. gondii has not been previously reported in this porcupine species or any other Old World porcupines, although there are several reports of clinical toxoplasmosis involving New World porcupine species.     

Accidental intra-auricular artery injection of ceftiofur in two beef steers.

Two beef steers accidentally injected into a branch of the auricular artery with an oil-based formulation of ceftiofur died within 5 minutes of injection. Notable pathologic findings included distention and obstruction of cerebral and cerebellar arteries by a whitish tan material and hemorrhages within meningeal spaces, the choroid plexus, cerebrum, and cerebellum. Lipid material was identified within cerebral blood vessels in frozen sections stained with oil red O. This report describes an unusual case of brain ischemia in beef cattle.     

仔猪的饲养管理策略

1 前言一个成功的仔猪营养方案的基本准则是： (1)开饲体重尽可能高： (2)尽可能饲喂简单的日粮； (3)着重于幼畜的饲养管理。我们不能忽视猪的初生体重、年龄、饲养管理质量对于整个饲养过程影响的重要性。     

龙游县碳化篾生产现状及其存在的问题

通过对龙游县碳化篾生产企业(业主)的调查,全县自2008年以来,发展碳化篾生产企业(业主)32家,碳化炉65只,集中分布在龙游县庙下乡、溪口镇,占全县生产企业的97％.年消耗竹材2 202万支,实现销售利润l 357.2万元,产品附加值低.在碳化篾生产过程中,产生大量的废水,年产生废水27 300 t；由于废水处理成本高,得不到及时处理,大部分生产企业乱排,给当地的水质造成严重污染.该文通过对全县碳化篾生产企业的调查分析,指出当前碳化篾生产过程中存在的主要问题,希望引起政府重视,并根据碳化篾生产的实际情况,制定有效措施,及时解决碳化篾生产过程中的一系列问题.