Metabolic and microbial responses in western crossbred and Meishan growing pigs fed a high-fiber diet

Four Duroc x White composite crossbred (21.8 +/- 1.0 kg BW) and four 12-wk-old Meishan purebred (20.7 +/- 1.6 kg BW) growing barrows were used to determine the relative breed differences in metabolic and microbial responses to a high-fiber diet. The pigs were trained to consume 700 g of a diet containing 35% (as-fed basis) dehydrated alfalfa meal once daily. The pigs' daily intakes of DM, N, GE, NDF, and ADF were 610 g, 16.6 g, 2.64 Mcal, 150 g, and 88 g, respectively. On d 12 after surgical catheterization of the portal vein, ileal vein, and carotid artery, a 3-d total urine and feces collection was conducted. On d 24 after surgery, each pig was placed in an open-circuit calorimeter, and its catheters were connected to a system for simultaneous measurements of oxygen consumption by portal-drained viscera and by whole body, and the net portal absorption of VFA after a 24-h fasting and during a 5-h postprandial period. The VFA measured included acetic, propionic, isobutyric, butyric, isovaleric, and valeric acids. A second 3-d total urine and feces collection was conducted on d 30 after surgery. There were no differences (P = 0.13) between the first and second collections in apparent total-tract digestibility coefficients for nutrients and N retention of pigs. Compared with Duroc x White composite crossbred pigs, Meishan pigs had lower (P = 0.05) apparent digestibility coefficients for DM, N, NDF, hemicellulose, and N retention, but their portal-drained viscera used a greater (P = 0.05) fraction of whole-body oxygen consumption. No differences (P = 0.12) were found between Duroc x White composite crossbred and Meishan pigs in total viable bacteria and cellulolytic bacteria from fecal samples, in vitro digestibility of alfalfa NDF fractions by fecal inocula, whole-body oxygen consumption, net portal absorption of VFA, total energy of absorbed VFA, and the potential of absorbed VFA for meeting the energy needs for whole-body heat production. These results indicate that, in contrast to previous beliefs, the ability of Meishan growing pigs to utilize a high-fiber diet is not superior to that of Duroc x White composite crossbred growing pigs.     

Mutations in the juxtamembrane domain of c-KIT are associated with higher grade mast cell tumors in dogs

Mast cell tumors are among the most commonly seen tumors of the skin in dogs and are more highly aggressive than mast cell tumors of other species. Some breeds display a markedly higher incidence of mast cell tumor development than others and appear to have some genetic predisposition. Recently, mutations have been found in canine mast cell tumor tissues and cell lines within the juxtamembrane domain of the protooncogene c-KIT In previous studies utilizing a small number of cases, no association between the presence of a mutation and the breed of dog or grade of the tumor could be identified. An expanded study with a larger sample set was performed to explore this possibility. The juxtamembrane domain of c-KIT was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction from genomic DNA preparations of 88 paraffin-embedded mast cell tumors from selected breeds. Mutations, consisting of duplications and deletions, were found in 12 of the tumors. A significant association was found between the presence of a mutation and a higher grade of tumor but not between breed and grade or between breed and the presence of a mutation.     

Mechanical injury and fungal infection induce acquired resistance in Norway spruce

Norway spruce trees (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) pretreated by wounding and fungal infection showed highly enhanced resistance to a subsequent challenge inoculation with the pathogenic bluestain fungus Ceratocystis polonica (Siem.) C. Moreau. This is the first time the effectiveness of the constitutive and inducible defenses has been shown to depend on prior wounding and infection in conifers, although such acquired resistance has previously been found in several angiosperms. Trees that were pretreated with a combination of 12 bark wounds (1.6 x 10 cm), four fungal inoculations and four sterile inoculations 1-15 days before mass inoculation with C. polonica at 400 inoculations per square meter over a 0.8 m stem section had significantly shorter necroses in the phloem, less bluestained sapwood, and less dead cambium than untreated control trees. Pretreatment with four fungal or sterile inoculations alone did not lead to enhanced resistance. Pretreatment by bark wounding alone seemed to provide an intermediate degree of resistance compared to bark wounding, fungal inoculations and sterile inoculations combined. All trees had a marked increase in the number of resin ducts in the year of inoculation compared with previous years, suggesting that formation of traumatic resin ducts play an important role in the development and maintainance of enhanced resistance.     

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.     

Evidence‐Based Medicine in Canine Reproduction: Quality of Current Available Literature

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of published literature on reproduction in dogs. A systematic search in online databases revealed 287 papers that met the inclusion criteria. For evaluation a questionnaire comprising 40 criteria regarding materials and methodology, study design, statistics, presentation and information content, applicability and conclusions was developed. In a pre‐test including seven independent scientists the applicability and explanatory power of the questionnaire and its results were validated. Out of 287 publications evaluated, 90 (31.4%) were classified as clinical trials. The remaining 197 publications were case reports or contained information based on personal experience. Not a single meta‐analysis was found. Sixty (66.7%) of the 90 clinical trials included a control group. Randomization was conducted in 23 and blinding in eight articles respectively. In total five articles were determined as randomized, controlled and blinded clinical trials. Information content of the publications was variable concerning details on included animals, type or dosage of used remedies or conducted interventions. For example, in 99.7% of the articles, the exact number of animals was given, but in 79.8%, housing and feeding of the animals were not described. Statistical procedures of clinical trials were determined adequate in 55.6%. However, the data of 67.9% of the articles were evaluated to be not sufficient to draw valid conclusions. This study revealed evidence of deficits in the field of canine reproduction. The demand for more high quality clinical research is obvious. Requisite for the further implementation of the evidence‐based veterinary medicine is an improvement of the quantity and the quality of well‐designed, conducted and reported clinical trials. The practitioner should always assess the quality of information before implementing results into practice to provide best available care for the animals.     

Preparation and evaluation of antigens used in serological tests for caprine syncytial retrovirus antibody in sheep and goat sera

Methods used to prepare antigens from caprine syncytial retrovirus (CSR) for use in the agarose gel immunodiffusion test (AGID) or an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are described. Caprine and ovine sera were tested for antibody to CSR using the AGID test and ELISA incorporating a caprine system (CSR antigen and rabbit anti-goat IgG) or an ovine system (maedi-visna virus antigen and rabbit anti-sheep IgG). Good correlation was achieved in the results of the 3 tests when sera were devoid of antibody or were strongly positive. Variations in the results on weakly positive sera were considered to be more a matter of interpretation than due to basic differences in the reagents employed.