Minimum inhibitory concentrations of tulathromycin against respiratory bacterial pathogens isolated from clinical cases in European cattle and swine and variability arising from changes in in vitro methodology

The in vitro activity of tulathromycin was evaluated against common bovine and porcine respiratory pathogens collected from outbreaks of clinical disease across eight European countries from 1998 to 2001. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for one isolate of each bacterial species from each outbreak were determined using a broth microdilution technique. The lowest concentrations inhibiting the growth of 90% of isolates (MIC90) for tulathromycin were 2 microg/ml for Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica, 1 microg/ml for Pasteurella multocida (bovine), and 2 microg/ml for Pasteurella multocida (porcine) and ranged from 0.5 to 4 microg/ml for Histophilus somni (Haemophilus somnus) and from 4 to 16 microg/ml for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae. Isolates were retested in the presence of serum. The activity of tulathromycin against fastidious organisms was affected by culture conditions, and MICs were reduced in the presence of serum.     

Agents of equine viral encephalomyelitis: correlation of serum and cerebrospinal fluid antibodies.

A survey was conducted by testing 115 paired equine serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples by hemagglutination-inhibition for antibodies to Powassan and snowshoe hare viruses, and by virus neutralization for antibodies to equine herpesvirus type 1. Twenty-five samples were from horses with spontaneous neurological disease and the remainder from horses euthanized because of various nonneurological disorders. All sera and cerebrospinal fluids were negative for antibodies to Powassan virus. Fifty-one sera (44.3%) and 15 cerebrospinal fluids (13.0%) had antibodies to snowshoe hare virus. Ninety-eight sera (85.2%) and four cerebrospinal fluids (3.5%) were positive for antibodies to equine herpesvirus type 1. Powassan virus was inoculated intracerebrally into one, and intravenously into four ponies. Neurological signs associated with a nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis occurred in three ponies. Antibodies to Powassan virus were detected in sera of all animals but in cerebrospinal fluids of only two. Powassan virus was isolated from brain and spinal cord of only the intracerebrally inoculated animal.     

Comparison of supplementary concentrate levels with grass silage, separate or total mixed ration feeding, and duration of finishing in beef steers

Winter finishing of beef cattle is expensive so feed costs per kg carcass gain must be minimised. The objectives of this study with finishing beef steers were (1) to determine the production responses to varying levels of supplementary concentrates with grass silage, (2) to compare the effects of feeding silage and concentrates separately or as a total mixed ration (TMR), and (3) to compare short (S) and long (L) finishing periods. A total of 117 finishing steers were blocked on weight and assigned to 13 groups of 9 animals each comprising a pre-experimental slaughter group and 12 finishing groups arranged in a 6 (feeding treatments) × 2 (durations of finishing) factorial experiment. The 6 feeding treatments were: (1) silage only offered ad libitum (SO), (2) SO plus a low level of concentrates offered separately (LS), (3) SO plus a low level of concentrates offered as a TMR (LM), (4) SO plus a high level of concentrates offered separately (HS), (5) SO plus a high level of concentrates offered as a TMR (HM), and (6) concentrates ad libitum plus restricted silage (AL). Target low and high concentrate levels were proportionately 0.375 and 0.750 of daily dry matter (DM) intake, respectively. S and L finishing periods were 105 and 175 days, respectively. Silage DM intake decreased (P < 0.001) and total DM intake increased (P < 0.001) with increasing concentrate level. Maximum DM intake occurred at the high concentrate level but maximum net energy intake occurred on ad libitum concentrates. Live weight gains for SO, LS, LM, HS, HM and AL were 212, 900, 929, 1111, 1089 and 1207 (S.E. 46.2) g/day, respectively. Corresponding carcass weight gains were 119, 506, 540, 662, 633 and 746 (S.E. 25.4) g/day. Kill-out proportion, carcass conformation score and all measures of fatness increased significantly with increasing concentrate level. Feeding a TMR increased silage intake at the low concentrate level but otherwise had no effect on overall animal performance or carcass traits. Extending the finishing period reduced (P < 0.001) daily live weight gain, but the associated reduction in carcass weight gain was not statistically significant. It is concluded that the response to supplementary concentrates decreased with increasing level, there was no animal production advantage to a TMR over separate feeding of the dietary constituents, and extending the duration of the finishing period reduced mean daily live weight gain and increased fatness.