Causes of death in sheep exported live by sea

Post-mortem examinations were conducted on 950 dead and terminally ill sheep during assembly for export and during transport by sea from Fremantle, Western Australia to various Middle East ports. Causes of death were grouped into 5 major categories; inanition (deaths associated with reduced feed intake, including hypocalcaemia and hypomagnesaemia), salmonellosis (enteric and septicaemic), trauma, diseases associated with excessive feed intake (lactic acidosis and enterotoxaemia) and miscellaneous diseases (mostly of farm origin). During assembly the causes of death were salmonellosis 53.4%, miscellaneous diseases 23.8%, trauma 12.6%, inanition 10.2%, acidosis 3.9%, enterotoxaemia 3.4% and no diagnosis was made in 3.4%. During shipping the causes of death in defined populations of sheep in 5 voyages were; inanition 43.4%, salmonellosis 20.2%, trauma 10.6%, miscellaneous diseases 5.9%, enterotoxaemia 1.0% and no diagnosis was made in 19.0%. The range of mortality rates per 10,000 sheep at risk for the first 11 days at sea in 5 voyages were inanition 52.6 to 76.7, salmonellosis 7.8 to 109.8, trauma 2.1 to 17.1, miscellaneous diseases 5.9 to 17.1 and enterotoxaemia nil to 10.3.     

Pflanze und Fluor

Zusammenfassung Es wird über den Fluorgehalt des Bodens sowie über den durchschnittlichen F-Gehalt verschiedener Pflanzen und Pflanzenteile berichtet. Dabei wird festgestellt, daß die F-Werte in Spinat und verschiedenen Gewürzkräutern verhältnismäßig hoch liegen, während sie sonst kaum 5 ppm übersteigen. Eine Ausnahme bildet der Tee (Thea sinensis), in dessen Blättern 178 ppm F und darüber gefunden wurden. Teeaufgüsse stellen somit eine gute Quelle zur Versorgung des menschlichen Körpers mit F dar, weil dieses zu 60–80% durch Wasser aus den Blättern gelöst wird.Eine Erhöhung des F-Gehaltes durch Düngung mit F-Salzen oder Düngemitteln ist möglich, jedoch zu langwierig.Schädigungen durch zu hohe F-Mengen bei Aufnahme aus dem Boden bzw. bei gasförmiger Aufnahme aus der Luft sind beschrieben worden. Die Stärke der Schädigung ist von der Bodenart abhängig.

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Summary A report is given about the contents of fluorine in soil and different plants. It is stated that Spinach and several spice herbages are rich in fluorine (0.98–21.8 ppm) while in other plants are not more than 5 ppm in maximum. An exception is found inThea sinensis with 178 ppm and more. Infusions of tea are therefore a source of fluorine for supply of the human body. An increase of the fluorine contents of plants by manuring with F-salts or mineral manure is possible but of long duration.Damage of plants by uptake of fluorine as well from soil as in gaseous condition from the atmosphere are described. The rate of damage is related to the type of soil in which the plant is grown.

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Résumé Une rapport est donné sur le contenu de fluor dans le sol et des plantes différents. Il est constaté que les épinards et plusieurs her bes d'éspice sont riche de fluor (0,98–21,8 ppm) tandis qu'en autres plantes ne sont pas plus de 5 ppm en maximum. Une exception se trouve dansThea sinensis avec 178 ppm et plus. Des infusions de thé sont pourquoi une source de fluor pour pourvoir le corps humain. Un haussement du contenu de fluor des plantes par fumier est possible mais de longue durée.Dommages des plantes par accueil de fluor tant de sol que de l'atmosphère sont décrits. Les proportions de dommage dépendent du type de sol dans lequel les plantes se trouvent.

     

Selective breeding for the hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops, Rafinesque ×M. saxatilis, Walbaum) industry: status and perspectives

The hybrid striped bass (HSB) farming industry has considerable potential for growth into domestic retail markets, but expansion of this industry is limited by high production costs that dictate high prices for HSB. It is widely recognized within the industry that selective breeding of an improved HSB will be required to increase production efficiency and reduce market prices. A National Program of Genetic Improvement and Selective Breeding for the HSB Industry has been initiated and some progress has been made toward domestication of the parent species of the hybrid. However, uncertainty remains as to which breeding procedures will most rapidly yield sustainable genetic gains in key production traits. This paper consolidates and reviews general information on the biology of temperate basses (genus Morone) relevant to selective breeding of improved HSB. The topics covered include control of reproduction, geographic distribution of stocks and population genetic variation. This is followed by a brief review of the current application of selective breeding techniques, including those based on molecular markers. Finally, we discuss potential avenues for genetic improvement of HSB in a selective breeding program.     

Within-herd Use of Boar Semen at 5°C, with a Note on Electronic Monitoring of Oestrus

A system was designed to allow a small swine farm in a northern latitude to use its own boars for artificial insemination (AI) conveniently. Semen was collected twice weekly for 3 day use (days 0, 1 and 2), extended in an egg yolk extender and stored at 5°C. Farm personnel were trained to manage the entire AI programme. For simplicity all semen collected was used for insemination. In the first test 47 gilts and 15 sows were inseminated with semen from four boars. One boar was subfertile with a farrowing rate of 36%. The averages for the other boars ranged from 71 to 100%. Then semen was collected from seven boars and all was used to inseminate 70 gilts and 55 sows with 3 × 10⁹ or more sperm. Overall 63% farrowed an average of 10.1 piglets per litter. Litter size for sows was 1.5 piglets larger than for gilts. There was no difference in farrowing rate when more than 3 × 10⁹ sperm were inseminated. The feasibility of initiating a complete AI programme within a small herd using herd boars was established. However, selection of the boars, use of only high quality semen, and experience with detecting oestrus was required to increase the farrowing rate. The use of various agents to protect sperm against cold shock below 15°C is worthy of further investigation. A new type of electronic probe, which measures the conductivity of cervical mucus, could be helpful if a boar is not available for conventional detection of oestrus.     

Amino terminal myristylation of the protein kinase p60src, a retroviral transforming protein

The transforming protein of Rous sarcoma virus, p60src, was shown to be acylated at its amino terminus with the long-chain fatty acid myristic acid by isolation of a tryptic peptide with the following structure: myristylglycylserylseryllysine. The occurrence of this unusual posttranslational modification in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase and in several transforming protein kinases of mammalian retroviruses suggests that myristylation of the amino terminal glycyl residue may be critical for the function of certain proteins related to cell transformation and growth control.     

Über den Fluorgehalt der Pflanzen

Zusammenfassung Mehrjährige Untersuchungen über den Fluorgehalt von Pflanzen aus industriefreien Gebieten ergaben, daß der natürliche Fluorgehalt der Pflanzen sich je nach Pflanzenart in Grenzen von etwa 0,2–2,0 mg je 100 g Trockensubstanz bewegen kann. Die Fluoraufnahme aus dem Boden erfolgt weitgehend unabhängig vom Fluorgehalt des Bodens.Fluorgehalte in Pflanzen, die höher liegen als die mitgeteilten natürlichen Werte, lassen auf eine Einwirkung von fluorhaltigen Immissionen schließen.

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Summary Several years researches on the fluorine content of plants in regions without industry have shown that the natural fluorine content of these plants may vary between about 0.20–2.0 mg on each 100 g dry matter. The uptake of fluorine from the soil will go on largely independent from the fluorine content of the soil.Fluorine contents in plants higher than the above noticed natural values allow to suppose the influence of fluorine immission.

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Diese Untersuchungen wurden durch Bereitstellung von Mitteln durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft gefördert, wofür auch an dieser Stelle verbindlichst gedankt sei.     

The structure of the upper atmosphere of mars: In situ accelerometer measurements from mars global surveyor

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) z-axis accelerometer has obtained over 200 vertical structures of thermospheric density, temperature, and pressure, ranging from 110 to 170 kilometers, compared to only three previous such vertical structures. In November 1997, a regional dust storm in the Southern Hemisphere triggered an unexpectedly large thermospheric response at mid-northern latitudes, increasing the altitude of thermospheric pressure surfaces there by as much as 8 kilometers and indicating a strong global thermospheric response to a regional dust storm. Throughout the MGS mission, thermospheric density bulges have been detected on opposite sides of the planet near 90 degreesE and 90 degreesW, in the vicinity of maximum terrain heights. This wave 2 pattern may be caused by topographically-forced planetary waves propagating up from the lower atmosphere.