Interferon in sheep]

There is only limited information on sheep interferon available. Recent publications have reported on: 1. an interferon (IFN) alpha subtype, which is secreted by the fetal trophectoderm into the lumen of the uterus between the 10th and 21st day of gestation. It was therefore named ovine trophoblast protein (oTP-1), and is responsible for signalling pregnancy to the ewe via high affinity receptors in the endometrium. It is thought that oTP-1 acts by directly influencing prostaglandin metabolism. 2. the role of lentivirus-induced interferon (LV-IFN) in the pathogenesis of Maedi/Visna. The results indicate that LV-IFN limits viral replication and therefore contributes to virus persistence and is also responsible for a chronic inflammatory process. 3. the mitogen- or antigen-dependent induction of ovine interferon gamma (IFN gamma) and its characterization.     

Vererbung des β-Glucangehaltes der Haferkaryopse

Inheritance process for β-glucan content in oat caryopsis
Due to the fact that there are only few studies concerning β-glucans in oat caryopsis with regard to plant-breeding aspects, three oat crosses were performed (cross 19 = low × high, cross 86 = low × low, cross 98 = high × high). In all of the three oat crosses, lower β-glucan content (% DM) was recorded in F, than in F, indicating that the β-glucan content (% DM) at a higher heterozygoty grade is lower than at a reduced heterozygoty grade. This points to a dominant inheritance of lower β-glucan content (% DM). A tendency towards the female β-glucan content (% DM) could not be proven. Thus, it can be started from a nuclear genetic inheritance of the β-glucan content (% DM). In most cases, the experiments showed a normal distribution of β-glucan content (% DM), indicating for several genes a quantitative inheritance of β-glucan content (% DM). By means of the regression of the F₃-lines to the F₂-plants, the narrow-sense heritability could be calculated for the cross 86 (h²= 0.51***) and the cross 98 (h²= 0.48***). The heritability for the cross 19 was not significant.     

Clinical equine dysautonomia and autonomic neuron damage.

Damage to the neurons of selected autonomic ganglia was quantified in relation to the severity of the clinical signs shown in acute, subacute and chronic cases of dysautonomia (grass sickness). No connection between the clinical severity of acute or subacute dysautonomia and the amount of neuronal damage in the superior cervical, stellate and coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia could be demonstrated. However, a higher proportion of normal neurons were found in chronic cases. Jejunal submucosal neuronal damage was correlated with clinical severity but further work is required to confirm this finding and to establish how widespread the alimentary neuronal lesions are in dysautonomia of different severities.     

An outbreak of infectious chicken anemia in fattening chickens in Switzerland]

An outbreak of infectious anaemia in 46 broiler flocks due to chicken anaemia agent (CAA) is described. The vertically acquired infection led to increased mortality (3.6-19.8%) in 16 to 24 day-old broiler chickens. At necropsy severe atrophy of thymus and anaemia with pale bone marrow was observed. The histologic findings were depletion of cortical thymocytes and of hematopoietic cells in the bone marrow. The CAA was isolated from 15 of 35 examined broiler flocks.     

Enzyme Immunoassays for the Determination of Ovine LH and FSH

The development of competitive enzyme immunoassays for ovine plasma LH (oLH) and FSH (oFSH) is described. Standards and plasma samples were preincubated with diluted antiserum to oLH or oFSH and the reacted solution (100 μl per well) was transferred to plates previously coated with oLH or oFSH, respectively. The second antibody used was anti‐rabbit IgG horseradish peroxidase. The measuring range was 0.39–50 ng/ml for each hormone and the 50% relative binding sensitivity was 9 ng/ml for oLH. The respective value for oFSH was 3.5 or 34 ng/ml with different hormone and antibody preparations used for the assay. The enzyme immunoassays were used to determine oLH and oFSH levels in plasma from ewes of two breeds during the oestrous cycle. The assays detected the first FSH surge coincident with the LH surge, the second FSH surge about 24 h later and the periodic fluctuations of FSH concentrations during the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle. These enzyme immunoassays are an efficient and economic alternative to the established radioimmunoassays (RIA) for oLH and oFSH.     

The effect of repeated administration of carbetocin (Depotocin, Spofa) in the first days postpartum on levels of thyroxine, triiodothyronine, 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone and on fertilization]

Application of new procedures in the sphere of the control of sexual functions requires an extension of present knowledge of postparturient endocrinium or endogenic factors comprised in postparturient physiology of sexual activity. According to recent data, oxytocin, besides its uterotonic and luteolytic activity, acts as an ovarian factor in the local intrafollicular regulation of stereidogenesis and as a modulator of uterine secretion of prostaglandines. Based on present knowledge of oxytocin effects, this study was aimed at investigation of the influence of repeated carbetocin (Depotocin inj. Spofa) administration on the dynamics of changes in thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), 17 beta-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) concentrations and their mutual correlations from the 36th hour till the 51st day after parturition. Simultaneous study of a possible delayed influence of applied carbetocin on conception of ewes after oestrus evocation on day 51 after lambing was carried out. Nineteen ewes of the Slovak Merino breed, lambed in the first decade of February, were assigned to the experimental (n = 9) and to the control group (n = 10). Experimental ewes were subjected to repeated postparturient carbetocin treatment at the dose 0.07 mg per animal. The first dose was applied i. m. in 24 hours, and the second in 72 hours after parturition. On day 51 oestrus was induced in nine ewes of each group by combined treatment with chlorsuperlutin (Agelin, vaginal pessaries, Spofa) and PMSG (500 I.U./animal). On the day of PMSG application ewes were housed together with rams for the period of the next six days. Samples of blood were taken 24 hours before parturition (-1st day), up to 36 h after parturition and on days 4, 7, 14, 17, 21, 25, 34, 42 and 51 after parturition. Concentrations of T4, T3, E2 and P4 were determined by commercial kits RIA-test-T4; RIA-test-T3; RIA-test-ESTRA and RIA-test-PROG (URVJT Kosice). Animal of the control group showed variations of T4 concentrations (Tab. I, Fig. 1) at the level of original values (59.4 +/- 9.69 nmol.l-1) up to the 21st day with the exception of temporary drop on day 4 and rise on day 7, insignificant compared to the -1st day. T4 concentrations of the control group displayed an intermittent increasing trend with the statistically insignificant peak after 36 h and on day 17, compared to the -1st day. After the 21st day controls revealed a sustained moderate increase while the experimental ewes displayed a decline of its concentrations until the 51st day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effect of folic acid supplements on homocysteine concentration in plasma of gestating sows.

An experiment comprising 19 German Landrace sows was established to evaluate the effect of folic acid supplements (10 mg/kg concentrate) on homocysteine and folic acid concentration in plasma and serum, respectively, of highly pregnant sows as compared to an unsupplemented control (basal diet contained 0.62 mg folic acid/kg concentrate). Blood samples were taken between day 75 and 110 of gestation for homocysteine analysis and on day 100 of gestation for folic acid determination. Due to the folic acid supplements serum folic acid concentration increased significantly (104 nmol/l in controls and 140 nmol/l in supplemented sows). In contrast, homocysteine concentration in the plasma was not significantly influenced by folic acid supplements (16.6 mumol/l in controls and 15.2 mumol/l in supplemented sows). Further investigations seem to be necessary to clarify the physiology of homocysteine metabolism in swine.