Retroperitoneal hemangiosarcoma causing chronic hindlimb lameness in a dog.

The clinical, radiographic, ultrasonographic, computed tomographic, surgical and histopathological findings in a Boxer dog with retroperitoneal hemangiosarcoma are described in this study. A seven-year-old, male, castrated Boxer dog was referred for evaluation of chronic hindlimb lameness. The physical examination revealed muscle atrophy and sciatic nerve deficits. Radiography and ultrasonography revealed a caudodorsal abdominal mass. Computed tomography revealed that the mass involved the left margin of the L7 vertebra, lumbosacral canal, and lumbosacral plexus. At surgery, a large retroperitoneal haematoma was removed. Histopathology of amorphous tissue found near the haematoma was consistent with haemangiosarcoma. The owner declined any further treatment. Ten weeks after discharge, the dog was euthanatized due to collapse and haemo-abdomen.     

Differentiation of Staphylococcus sciuri Strains Isolated from Free‐Living Rodents and Insectivores

Twenty‐nine Staphylococcus sciuri strains isolated from free‐living insectivores and rodents were comparatively analysed for their biochemical capacities and their SmaI macrorestriction patterns. The 29 S. sciuri isolates represented 21 different biotypes and 22 different SmaI macrorestriction types. This observation confirmed that S. sciuri isolates obtained from insectivores and rodents living in natural environments constituted a heterogeneous population. Cluster analysis revealed that the macrorestriction patterns and the biochemical profiles matched in some cases. However, S. sciuri isolates that exhibited the same or closely related biochemical profiles were also found to be associated with different macrorestriction patterns. Analysis of the 29 S. sciuri isolates for their plasmid content and their sensitivity to antimicrobial agents showed that most of the isolates were plasmid‐free and susceptible to all antimicrobial agents tested.     

Correlation between spontaneous feeding behavior and neuropeptide Y profile in the third ventricular cerebrospinal fluid of goats

Feeding behavior is regulated by neural signals in the hypothalamus, but secretory activities of these signals in vivo and their relationship with spontaneous feeding remain to be solved. In the present study, we investigated the correlation between neuropeptide Y (NPY) and somatostatin (SRIF) profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and spontaneous feeding behavior in goats. CSF samples were collected every 15 min for 8 h from the third ventricle and feeding behavior was observed throughout the experimental period. The spontaneous feeding behavior, the mean duration of which was 58 min, occurred with an interval of 146 min. NPY in the CSF fluctuated in an episodic fashion with a 145 min interval. Each NPY episode was followed by spontaneous feeding with a time lag of 24 min. SRIF levels in CSF changed more frequently in a pulsatile manner and were related to neither NPY profiles nor feeding behavior. These results suggest that NPY, but not SRIF, is a physiological signal to drive feeding in goats.     

Comparing the detection of exposure to Ehrlichia ruminantium infection on a heartwater-endemic farm by the pCS20 polymerase chain reaction assay and an indirect MAP1-B enzyme linked immunosorbent assay

Detection of heartwater is not always easy especially because all the serological assays so far available either have poor sensitivity or specificity. The indirect MAP-1B ELISA has been reported to be the most specific test for heartwater, although it does also detect antibodies to some closely related ehrlichial agents. This study was undertaken to compare two methods for the detection of heartwater infection caused by the ehrlichial agent Ehrlichia (Cowdria) ruminantium. Fifteen cattle on a heartwater-endemic farm infested with high numbers of Amblyomma hebraeum ticks, and hence exposure to E. ruminantium infection were monitored over an 8-week period by pCS20 PCR and an indirect MAP-1B ELISA. Infection was detected by pCS20 PCR in most animals with the highest number of positives (60%) in week 6 of the study. Similarly, exposure to E. ruminantium was detected by indirect MAP-1B ELISA in some animals, with the highest number of seropositives (27%) at weeks 2-6 of the study. The data demonstrated a fluctuating rickettsaemia in cattle in a heartwater-endemic area. Comparison of the two tests indicated that the pCS20 PCR assay was more reliable because it detected more infections than the indirect MAP-1B ELISA and would therefore be the method of choice for detection of E. ruminantium infection.     

Effect of age at slaughter on carcass traits and meat quality of Italian heavy pigs

Barrows and gilts (n = 128) from four breed crosses were used to investigate the effect of age at slaughter on carcass traits, proteolytic enzyme activity, and meat and fat quality. Pigs were blocked by breed cross into four blocks, and within blocks, one pen (eight barrows and eight gilts) was assigned randomly to be slaughtered at either 8 or 10 mo of age. Pigs were fed a corn-barley-soybean meal finisher diet from 104 +/- 2.5 d of age (37.7 +/- 0.33 kg BW) to the appropriate slaughter age. Carcasses from older (10 mo) pigs had lower (P < 0.01) muscularity indexes and lean cut yields than those of younger (8 mo) pigs, but dressing percentage and longissimus muscle area increased (P < 0.01) with age. Older pigs produced a redder (P < 0.01) and darker (P < 0.05) semimembranosus, with lower (P < 0.01) ultimate pH and cathepsin B and B + L activities, as well as higher (P < 0.01) aminopeptidase hydrolyzing activity than younger pigs. Moreover, the longissimus muscle of pigs slaughtered at 10 mo of age had lower (P < 0.01) drip and cooking loss percentages than that from pigs slaughtered at 8 mo of age. Ham subcutaneous fat from 10-mo-old pigs had greater (P < 0.05) percentages of oleic acid and lower (P < 0.01) proportions of moisture, linoleic, and linolenic acids than subcutaneous fat from pigs slaughtered at 8 mo of age. Results from this study indicate that fresh hams from pigs slaughtered at 10 mo of age would be more suitable for the production of high-quality, Italian, dry-cured hams.     

Effects of postexsanguination vascular infusion of carcasses with calcium chloride or a solution of saccharides,sodium chloride,and phosphates on beef display-color stability

Hereford x Angus crossbred steers (n = 36) were stunned, exsanguinated, and infused via the carotid artery either with an aqueous solution containing 98.52% water, 0.97% saccharides, 0.23% sodium chloride, and 0.28% phosphates (MPSC; n = 12) or with 0.3 M CaCl2 (n = 12). The remaining 12 steers served as noninfused controls. At 48 h postmortem, the quadriceps muscles and subcutaneous fat were removed from the carcasses, frozen, and later made into ground beef (18 to 20% fat). The longissimus lumborum (LL), semimembranosus, and psoas major (PM) also were removed, vacuum packaged, aged until 14 d postmortem, and then one steak was sliced from each muscle for visual and instrumental color evaluations. The inside (ISM) and outside (OSM) portions of the SM were evaluated separately. The LL and OSM steaks from MPSC-infused carcasses had a lighter red (P < 0.05) initial appearance than steaks from the other treatments. The LL steaks from noninfused carcasses had the most (P < 0.05) uniform color; the MPSC treatment was intermediate, and the CaCl2 treatment was the most two-toned. Steaks from both infusion treatments had higher (P < 0.05) L* values for the LL, ISM, and OSM muscles compared with noninfused carcasses. In general, the LL from CaCl2-infused carcasses had lower (P < 0.05) a* values, saturation indices, and 630 nm to 580 nm reflectance values, and had larger (P < 0.05) hue angles. Infusion with MPSC increased (P < 0.05) hue angles in the LL and OSM. Display color stability was lowest (P < 0.05) for LL steaks from CaCl2-infused carcasses, whereas steaks from MPSC-infused carcasses were lighter red in initial color, but otherwise had display color stability similar to those from noninfused carcasses. No differences (P > 0.05) due to infusion were found for any color traits for the PM muscle and ground beef. Carotid artery vascular infusion of carcasses with CaCl2 resulted in undesirable meat colors, whereas the MPSC solution lightened loin and inside round color in a desirable way, but the color stability was slightly less compared to muscle from noninfused carcasses. Infusion effects were not consistent among muscles, and further research will be needed to determine what caused these differences.     

Use of artificial neural networks to estimate production variables of broilers breeders in the production phase

1. Although the poultry industry uses state-of-the-art equipment and up-to-date services, in Brazil it generally makes decisions involving all its production variables based on purely subjective criteria. This paper reports the use of artificial neural networks to estimate performance in production birds belonging to a South Brazilian poultry farm. 2. Recorded data from 22 broiler production breeder flocks were obtained, from April, 1998 to December, 1999, which corresponded to 689 data lines of weekly recordings. 3. These data were processed by artificial neural networks using the software NeuroShell 2 version 4.0 (Ward Systems Group). The artificial neural network models generated were compared and selected based on their largest determination coefficient (R2), lowest Mean Squared Error (MSE), as well as on a uniform scatter in the residual plots. The authors conclude that it is possible to explain the performance variables of production birds, with the use of artificial neural networks. 4. The method allows the decisions made by the technical staff to be based on objective, scientific criteria, allows simulations of the consequences related to these decisions, and reports the contribution of each variable to the variables under study.     

Admixture analysis in relation to pedigree studies of introgression in a minority British cattle breed: the Lincoln Red

Investigation of historic population processes using molecular data has been facilitated by the use of approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), which enables the consideration of multiple alternative demographic scenarios. The Lincoln Red cattle breed provides a relatively simple example of two well‐documented admixture events. Using molecular data for this breed, we found that structure did not resolve very low (<5% levels) of introgression, possibly due to sampling limitations. We evaluated the performance of two ABC approaches (2BAD and DIYABC) against those of two earlier methodologies, ADMIX and LEADMIX, by comparing their interpretations with the conclusions drawn from herdbook analysis. The ABC methods gave credible values for the proportions of the Lincoln Red genotype that are attributable to Aberdeen Angus and Limousin, although estimates of effective population size and event timing were not realistic. We suggest ABC methods are a valuable supplement to pedigree‐based studies but that the accuracy of admixture determination is likely to diminish with increasing complexity of the admixture scenario.     

Volatile fatty acid profile for grass hay or alfalfa hay fed to alpacas (Vicugna pacos)

The purpose of this study was to determine the diurnal composition and concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and to determine VFA composition and concentration differences between stomach compartment 1 (C1) and caecum of alpacas fed grass and alfalfa hay. The study was divided into two experiments. In Experiment 1 (EXP 1), 10 male alpacas (3+ years old, 65 kg BW) were divided into two groups, housed in drylot pens, provided ad libitum water and fed alfalfa (AH) or grass hay (GH) for 30 days. The alpacas were slaughtered and the digestive tract collected, divided into sub‐tract sections, weighed and digesta sampled for pH, dry matter (DM) and NDF. Volatile fatty acid composition and concentration were determined on C1 and caecal material. Four adult male (3+ years old, 60 kg BW), C1 fistulated alpacas were housed in metabolism crates and divided into two forage groups for Experiment 2 (EXP 2). Alpacas were fed the forages as in EXP 1. Diurnal C1 VFA samples were drawn at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 h post‐feeding. There were no differences between forages for tract weight, C1 and caecum digesta DM or NDF. Differences were noted (p < 0.05) for pH between forages and sub‐tract site. Volatile fatty acids concentrations were different (p < 0.05) for forage and site, and total VFA was higher for AH than GH (110.6 and 79.1 mm ) and C1 than caecum (40.7 and 27.6 mm ). Proportion of VFA was significant (p < 0.05) for forage and site, C1 acetate highest for GH (84.8 vs. 74.0 mm ) and caecum acetate 83.7 and 76.2 mm for GH and AH respectively. These data demonstrate the level of VFA produced in C1 and the caecum of alpacas and the diurnal VFA patterns. Composition of VFA is similar to other ruminant species.     

N‐Terminal Pro‐C‐Natriuretic Peptide and Cytokine Kinetics in Dogs with Endotoxemia

Background

Serum N‐terminal pro‐C‐natriuretic peptide (NT‐proCNP) concentration at hospital admission has sufficient sensitivity and specificity to differentiate naturally occurring sepsis from nonseptic systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). However, little is known about serum NT‐proCNP concentrations in dogs during the course of sepsis.

Objective

To determine serum NT‐proCNP and cytokine kinetics in dogs with endotoxemia, a model of canine sepsis.

Samples

Eighty canine serum samples.

Methods

Eight healthy adult Beagles were randomized to receive Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 μg/kg) or placebo (0.9% NaCl) as a single IV dose in a randomized crossover study. Serum collected at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 24 hours was stored at −80°C for batch analysis. Serum NT‐proCNP was measured by ELISA and 13 cytokines and chemokines by multiplex magnetic bead‐based assay.

Results

Serum NT‐proCNP concentrations did not differ significantly between LPS‐ and placebo‐treated dogs at any time. When comparing serum cytokine concentrations, LPS‐treated dogs had higher interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IL‐10, TNF‐α and KC‐like at 1, 2, and 4 hours; higher CCL2 at 1, 2, 4, and 24 hours; and higher IL‐8 and CXCL10 at 4 hours compared to placebo‐treated dogs. There were no differences in serum GM‐CSF, IFN‐γ, IL‐2, IL‐7, IL‐15 or IL‐18 between LPS‐ and placebo‐treated dogs.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Serum NT‐proCNP concentration does not change significantly in response to LPS administration in healthy dogs. Certain serum cytokine and chemokine concentrations are significantly increased within 1–4 hours after LPS administration and warrant further investigation as tools for the detection and management of sepsis in dogs.