Raw mung beans as a protein source for bred gilts

A study involving 546 crossbred gilts from six seasons was conducted to evaluate raw mung beans as a partial replacement for soybean meal in diets for gilts during gestation. Gilts were randomly allotted to either a control sorghum grain-soybean meal diet or a diet in which a portion of the soybean meal was replaced with mung beans. In the first three seasons, gilts were fed diets in which the protein supplement was totally soybean meal or 89% mung beans (high level) and 11% soybean meal. In the last three seasons the level of mung beans in the supplemental protein was reduced to 61% mung beans with 39% soybean meal (moderate level). Feeding the high level of mung beans decreased (P less than .05) weight gain during gestation and reduced (P less than .05) weight loss during lactation compared with gilts fed the control diet or the moderate level of mung beans. Little difference was noted in litter size at birth, but litter size at 21 d for gilts fed moderate levels of mung beans was less (P less than .05) than for gilts fed the control diet or the high level of mung beans. Little difference was noted in survival rate to 21 or 42 d or individual and litter weights at birth and 21 d. Pig and litter weights at 42 d, however were reduced in gilts fed the high level of mung beans (P less than .05 and P less than .10, respectively) compared with the control diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Fine structural and cytochemical studies of eosinophils from fowls and ducks with eosinophilia

The ultrastructure and cytochemistry of eosinophils from adult fowl and ducks with either spontaneous or experimentally induced eosinophilia were examined. The results showed that a high proportion of the eosinophils in the peripheral blood of eosinophilic birds had ultrastructural features different from those of normal eosinophils. In both species, there was a reduction in cell size. Fowl eosinophil granules showed similar morphological changes to those seen in the quail with many crescentic and vacuolated forms being present. In eosinophilic ducks, the crystalline interna of the specific granules were often fragmented or were either partially or completely lysed. Cytochemically, peroxidase activity in both species was generally unaltered in abnormal eosinophils compared with those from normal birds. This correlates with the findings in man. However, amounts of acid phosphatase and trimetaphosphatase were reduced in many cells, with a large proportion of granules being non-reactive. The latter observation corresponds with that in quail but differs from man, in which stimulated eosinophils have increased enzymatic activity.     

Reaction phenotyping of vinblastine metabolism in dogs

Vinblastine is a vinca alkaloid used either as a single agent or in combination therapy for the treatment of canine mast cell tumours and lymphomas. The objective of this study was to determine which isoform of cytochrome P450 enzyme is responsible for the majority of vinblastine metabolism in dogs. A panel of eight recombinant canine cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP3A12, CYP3A26, CYP2B11, CYP2C41, CYP2C21 and CYP2D15) were incubated in vitro with vinblastine. Findings were confirmed by the use of canine polyclonal antibodies of cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP1A1, CYP3A12, CYP2B11 and CYP2C21) that were pre‐incubated with individual and pooled hepatic microsomes that were purified from canine liver. Substrate depletion was observed in the presence of recombinant CYP3A12, whereas depletion did not substantially occur when microsomes were pre‐incubated with polyclonal antibodies against CYP3A12. These findings confirmed that CYP3A12 is the major cytochrome P450 isoform responsible for the metabolism of vinblastine in dogs.     

Implications of hypoxia tolerance for wetland refugia use in Lake Nabugabo,Uganda

Aquatic hypoxia can affect predator‐prey interactions by altering the success rate of the predator and/or the vulnerability of prey. For example, in the Lake Victoria basin of East Africa, native prey exploit hypoxic wetlands as refugia from predation by introduced Nile perch (Lates niloticus). Here, it is predicted that species exploitation of wetlands depends on their hypoxia tolerance relative to the heterogeneity of wetland hypoxia. In this study, we compared the hypoxia tolerance of four fish taxa that differ in their use of hypoxic wetlands in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda: the cichlid Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor victoriae that inhabits the dense swamp interior; and three taxa that inhabit wetland ecotones including Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), L. niloticus and juvenile endemic haplochromine cichlids. We characterised hypoxia tolerance by exposing fish to progressive hypoxia and quantifying variation in aquatic surface respiration (ASR). The effect of body size on tolerance was explored in L. niloticus by quantifying ASR behaviour across a range of size classes. ASR behaviour was also compared between O. niloticus groups from wetland versus open‐water habitats to detect habitat‐associated intraspecific variation. The most tolerant taxon was the swamp specialist P. multicolor, indicated by its low ASR thresholds and small percentage of fish using ASR during the final sample interval. The other three taxa did not differ in ASR behaviour, and no differences were detected between O. niloticus groups. Body size effects were present for L. niloticus suggesting a lower tolerance to hypoxia in larger‐bodied individuals, thus limiting their ability to penetrate wetlands.     

The influence of different management systems and age on intestinal morphology, immune cell numbers and mucin production from goblet cells in post-weaning pigs

At time of weaning, the immune system in piglets is not fully mature resulting in reduced growth and increased mortality. Early-weaned pigs transported to a segregated early weaning (SEW) facility have enhanced performance and gut development compared to conventional (CONV) pigs which may be due, in part, to decreased pathogen challenge. To gain further insight into SEW enhanced performance and gut development, gut samples from pigs weaned at 19+/-2 days were assessed during the post-weaning (PW) period. The numbers of cells expressing CD2, CD4, CD8, and CD172 (the 74-22-15 (SWC3) antibody is now known to be specific for CD172), MHC class II, and CD25 were quantified using immunohistochemistry. Additionally, samples of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were evaluated for the production of neutral, acidic, and sulfuric mucins from goblet cells and morphological measurements were also made. No effects due to the management systems alone were observed for any of the parameters. However, there were interactive effects of age/time post-weaning and management system on the immune cells as well as on the mucin secreting goblet cells. There were no differences in gut morphology between SEW and CONV reared pigs.     

Germany/Australia Index of Sperm Sex Sortability in Elephants and Rhinoceros

Flow cytometric sexing of spermatozoa followed by application in artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization provides a unique opportunity to predetermine the sex of offspring and might enhance the conservation management of endangered species in captivity such as the elephant and rhinoceros. To obtain an indication of the sortability of spermatozoa from these species, the relative DNA differences between X and Y chromosome bearing spermatozoa (fresh, frozen thawed, epididymal) from three rhinoceros species [white ( Ceratotherium simum ), black ( Diceros bicornis ), Indian ( Rhinoceros unicornis )] and both elephant species, the Asian and the African elephant ( Elephas maximus, Loxodonta Africana ), were determined through separation of spermatozoa into X and Y chromosome bearing populations, using a modified high speed flow cytometer. The head profile areas of spermatozoa from all five species were measured using light microscopy. By multiplying the relative DNA differences and the head profile areas, the sperm sorting indices were calculated to be 47, 48 and 51 for white, black and Indian rhinoceros respectively. The calculated sorting index for the Asian elephant was 66. In the African elephant, we determined the highest sorting index of 76. These results indicate the practicability of flow cytometric sex sorting of spermatozoa from the tested rhinoceros species and both elephant species. The lower sorting indices in rhinos indicate that sex sorting of spermatozoa from the rhinoceros will be more challenging than in elephants.     

Development of Procedures for Sex-sorting Frozen–Thawed Bovine Spermatozoa

Dairy bull sperm may be sex‐sorted, frozen and used to artificially inseminate heifers with acceptable fertility if the herd is well‐managed. One drawback to the technology is that donor bulls must be located within a short distance of the sorting facility in order to collect semen, which limits the number of bulls from which sorted sperm are available. A successful method used to overcome this limitation in sheep is sex‐sorting from frozen–thawed semen and refreezing for artificial insemination. This technique is attractive to the dairy industry, and therefore a series of three experiments was designed to investigate the optimal methods to prepare, sex‐sort and re‐freeze frozen–thawed bovine sperm. Sperm were prepared for sorting by density gradient separation in either PureSperm^® or BoviPure?, followed by staining in one of three diluents (Androhep^®, Bovine Sheath Fluid + 0.3% BSA or TALP buffer). Sperm were sorted and collected into Test yolk buffer, and frozen in an extender containing 0, 0.25, 0.375 or 0.5% Equex STM Paste. Frozen–thawed sperm were better orientated (p = 0.006) and had fewer damaged membranes (8.7 ± 0.6% vs 19.5 ± 2.4%; p = 0.003) after centrifugation in PureSperm^® rather than BoviPure? gradients. Sperm orientation (p < 0.05) and motility (69.9 ± 3.0 vs 55.6 ± 4.0; p < 0.001) were highest after staining in Androhep^® rather than in TALP buffer. Sperm were more motile (58.2 ± 4.7 vs 38.7 ± 3.5; p < 0.001) and had better acrosome integrity (74.3 ± 2.9 vs 66.8 ± 2.0; p < 0.001) after freezing in an extender containing 0.375% Equex STM Paste than in extender without Equex. Hence, a protocol has been developed to allow frozen–thawed bull sperm to be sex‐sorted with high resolution between the sexes, then re‐frozen and thawed with retention of motility and acrosome integrity.     

Effects of dietary magnesium and short-duration transportation on stress response, postmortem muscle metabolism, and meat quality of finishing swine

Crossbred pigs, heterozygous for the halothane gene, were used to determine the effects of long-term dietary supplementation of magnesium mica (MM) and short-duration transportation stress on performance, stress response, postmortem metabolism, and pork quality. Pigs were blocked by weight, penned in groups (six pigs per pen), and pens (three pens per diet) were assigned randomly either to a control corn-soybean meal diet or the control diet supplemented with 2.5% MM (as-fed basis; supplemented at the expense of corn). Diets were fed during the early-finisher (0.95% lysine, as-fed basis; 43.7 to 68 kg) and late-finisher (0.85% lysine, as-fed basis; 68 to 103 kg) periods. At the conclusion of the 71-d feeding trial, 12 pigs from each dietary treatment were selected randomly and subjected either to no stress (NS) or 3 h of transportation stress (TS). Dietary MM had no effect (P > or = 0.40) on ADG or ADFI; however, G:F was improved (P < 0.05) during the early-finisher period when pigs were fed MM-supplemented diets. Plasma glucose concentrations were increased in TS pigs fed the control diet, but transportation did not affect plasma glucose in pigs fed 2.5% MM (diet x transportation stress; P = 0.02). Dietary MM did not affect blood lactate, cortisol, insulin, NEFA, Ca, or Mg concentrations in response to TS (diet x transportation stress; P > or = 0.13); however, circulating lactate, cortisol, and glucose concentrations increased in TS pigs (transportation stress x time; P < 0.01). The LM from TS pigs fed MM had higher initial (0-min) and 45-min pH values than the LM from NS pigs fed the control diet (diet x transportation stress x time; P = 0.07). Lactic acid concentration and glycolytic potential were greater in the LM of TS pigs fed MM than TS pigs fed control diets (diet x transportation stress; P < or = 0.01). Although some trends were identified, neither MM (P > or = 0.15) nor TS (P > or = 0.11) altered the color or water-holding capacity of the LM and semimembranosus. The transportation model elicited the expected changes in endocrine and blood metabolites, but dietary MM did not alter the stress response in pigs. Conversely, although pork quality traits were not improved by dietary MM, delaying postmortem glycolysis and elevating 0- and 45-min muscle pH by feeding finishing diets fortified with MM may benefit the pork industry by decreasing the incidence of PSE pork in pigs subjected to short-duration, routine stressors.