Acetyl-CoA carboxylase of sheep adipose tissue: problems of the assay and adaptation during fetal development

The rate of fatty acid synthesis of perirenal adipose tissue of fetal lambs decreased by 90% during the last month of gestation. There was also a 90% decrease in the activity of fatty acid synthetase during this period, but the activity of this enzyme exceeded lipogenic flux by a factor of 10. The activity of acetyl CoA carboxylase in the active state (initial activity) was very similar to the lipogenic flux in adipose tissue from lambs at 120 d of gestation; although activity decreased towards term, the decline was insufficient to account for the fall in rate of fatty acid synthesis. The study also shows that assay of acetyl CoA carboxylase in the active state of ovine adipose tissue and of caprine mammary gland requires the presence of citrate, thus differing from that for rat adipose tissue. Evidence that pyruvate carboxylase can interfere in the assay of acetyl CoA carboxylase also is presented.     

Efficiency of food utilization by pregnant and lactating sows. 2. The influence of isocaloric diets with different protein levels on pregnancy and lactation

The efficiency of utilization of feed energy as digestible, metabolizable and net energy is similar in pregnant and lactating sows irrespective of the stage of these physiological conditions. This efficiency with the value of about 71% resembles the one found in the growing and fattening pigs, which enables us to use, for this category of animals, the same system offered evaluation and of the energy requirements based on fat nutritive units. The maintenance energy requirement expressed in ME varies from 467 kJ/kg 0.75 in pregnant sows to 512 kJ/kg 0.75 in lactating sows, for the suckling piglets having intermediary value of 498 kJ/kg 0.75. The efficiency of utilization of diets protein for maintenance and for synthesis is also similar for these categories of pigs, varying from 71% in lactating sows to 75-76% in pregnant sows. In suckling piglets we had recorded an efficiency of DCP utilization which varies parabolically with size of the ingesta and therefore with that of weight gain. The DCP maintenance requirement expressed in g N dig./kg 0.75 varies within narrow limits between 0.345 g N in suckling piglets 0.380 g N in pregnant sows; In lactating sows we have detected an intermediary value of 0.355 g N. Based on these experimental data and also using recent experimental results obtained by Schiemann and Beyer (1984) regarding the energy and N content of the foetuses, of the organs of reproductions and of milk, we could calculate the energy and protein requirements. These requirements when compared with the values used in our country show us higher values of energy in pregnant and lactating sows and lower values of protein for the same categories, including the piglets, where we have also found lower values for the energy too.     

Resistance to fascioliasis--a review

Attempts to actively stimulate or passively transfer resistance to Fasciola hepatica or F. gigantica in various laboratory and farm animals including mice, rats, rabbits, sheep, goats and cattle have been reviewed. These attempts comprised sensitization by primary homologous or heterologous normal or irradiated infections per os, sensitization by subcutaneous, intramuscular or intraperitoneal implantation with the various fluke stages, sensitization by somatic extracts or metabolic products of mature or immature flukes and passive transfer of resistance by immune serum or sensitized lymphocytes.     

Evidence of West Nile virus lineage 2 circulation in Northern Italy

A West Nile virus (WNV) strain belonging to lineage 2 was for the first time detected in two pools of Culex pipiens collected in the province of Udine and in tissues of a wild collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) found dead in the province of Treviso, in North East of Italy. It was molecularly identified by group and WNV lineage specific RT-PCRs and characterized by partial sequencing of the NS3 and NS5 genes. When compared with the sequences of same fragments of NS3 and NS5 of the WNV lineage 2 strain isolated from birds of prey in Hungary (2004), the phylogenetic analysis of these sequences revealed 100% and 99% similarity, respectively. As the Hungarian strain, the NS3 selected sequence differed from the 2010 Greek isolate by one amino-acid located at 249 site which is the site involved in genetic modulation of WNV pathogenicity. The Italian and Hungarian strains have histidine rather than proline at this site. The presence of a lineage 2 strain in regions where the lineage 1 strain is still circulating, creates a new scenario with unpredictable consequences. In this situation comprehensive investigations on the occurrence, ecology, and epidemiology of these different WNV strains circulating in Italy become the highest priority.     

Development of a lameness model in sheep for assessing efficacy of analgesics

Objective To develop a lameness model to assess the efficacy of analgesics for alleviating pain, swelling and systemic signs of inflammation in sheep. Procedures The response to subcutaneous injection of 0.1 or 0.2 mL turpentine in a forelimb pastern (n = 4 ewes per dose) was examined at 0, 3, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h. In a second experiment, responses were measured at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 24 h in ewes receiving 0.1 mL turpentine ± meloxicam 1 mg/kg IV at 0 h (n = 6 per group). Responses measured included forceplate pressure, skin temperature, limb circumference, nociception, leucocyte count, neutrophil : lymphocyte ratio, haptoglobin and daily feed intake. Results Turpentine injection caused a decrease in weight borne on the treated limb, increased skin temperature, increased sensitivity at the injection site and leucocytosis by 2 h and increased limb circumference by 4 h. Weight borne and sensitivity of the injected limb returned to control levels after around 24 h, whereas tissue swelling, elevated skin temperature and elevated haptoglobin levels persisted for at least 72 h. Treatment with meloxicam improved weight borne by and tolerance to pressure exerted on the turpentine‐injected limb. Conclusions The local and systemic signs of inflammation and pain, temporary reduction in function of the affected limb and partial amelioration of some of these changes by the dose of meloxicam used here suggest that injection of turpentine in the lower forelimb provides a suitable model for examining the efficacy of analgesics for alleviation of pain and inflammation in sheep.     

Unilateral granulomatous orchitis in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena): a case report

This case report describes orchitis in a stranded adult sexually mature free-living harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Orchitis, with or without epididymitis, is a rare finding in harbour porpoises and has been reported to be associated with infection with Brucella species or fungi. This porpoise was examined as part of an ongoing investigation into causes of death in harbour porpoises stranded on the Dutch coast. At necropsy, the animal was in very poor body condition and the most significant pathological change encountered was unilateral chronic granulomatous orchitis. Histologically, the seminiferous tubules were multifocally severely distended by large numbers of macrophages and fewer neutrophils that often showed central necrosis, with intra- and extracellular rod-shaped bacteria that stained negatively with Gram stain. No acid-fast bacteria, fungal elements, or spirochetes were detected when the lesions were stained with Ziehl-Neelsen, Fite-Faraco, Warthin-Starry, and Periodic acid-Schiff stains. Culture of samples taken from the testis revealed a pure culture of a bacterium of the Alcaligenaceae family. Further analysis by biochemistry, fatty acid profiling, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques identified the bacterium as a Castellaniella species. The association of this bacterium with the observed lesions remains uncertain.     

Changes in liveweight and behaviour of alpaca dams and offspring following weaning

The effects of offspring sex, weight, age, and level of interaction with the dam on responses to weaning were examined to assist in the development of a weaning protocol for alpacas. In the first study, preand post-weaning activities, and weight change over Days -12-0,0-7 and 7-16 with respect to weaning, were recorded for 20 dam-offspring (hembra-cria) pairs aged 81-200 days. Pre-weaning changes in dam and offspring weights were positively related (P<0.05). Although heavier crias tended to be found closer to their dams than lighter crias (P<0.05) no additional effect of age on the dam-offspring relationship was found. Following weaning, cria growth rates were low over Days 0-7 but improved over Days 7-16, and hembra weight change followed the same pattern. Over Days 0-2, grazing and sitting activities of hembras and crias were replaced by standing and walking along paddock fencelines, although by Day 2 fenceline activities had decreased (P<0.05). Crias which were more frequently observed at fencelines had lower post-weaning growth rates (P<0.05). In the second study, pre-weaning sucking behaviour, and weight change over Days -30-0, 0-8 and 8-16 with respect to weaning, were recorded for 19 hembra-cria pairs aged 124-160 days. During 10 hours of observation on Days -5 and -4, the total duration of sucking by individual crias varied from 0-18 minutes, and the mean +/- SEM duration of sucking was 1.94 +/- 0.113 minutes. Cria sucking behaviour was positively related to growth rate prior to and weight at weaning (P<0.05). As in the first study, pre-weaning changes in dam and offspring weights were positively related (P<0.05). Following weaning, growth rates of the crias were depressed and the hembras lost weight over Days 0-8 and 8-16. The changes in growth rate and behaviour in Studies 1 and 2 indicated that weaning can be stressful for hembras and crias. However, there was no evidence from either study that pre-weaning behavioural or physical characteristics were related to the changes.     

Equine mammary gland disease with a focus on botryomycosis: A review and case study

Mammary gland problems occur incidentally in horses and one of the rarer conditions is botryomycosis (bacterial pseudomycosis, bacterial granuloma, staphylococcal pseudomycetoma). This article includes a short review of equine mammary gland problems inappropriate lactation, mastitis and neoplasia and botryomycosis, and additionally 2 clinical cases of botryomycosis of the udder resulting from Staphyloccocus aureus infection will be discussed. Both cases involved nonpregnant, nonlactating mares referred for chronic mammary inflammation with draining abcessation. In both mares, botryomycosis caused by S. aureus was confirmed by histopathology and a bacterial culture. Both mares recovered fully after surgical hemimastectomy under general anaesthesia.