Prevalence of anthelmintic resistance on sheep farms in New Zealand

AIM: To establish the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in parasitic nematodes on sheep farms in New Zealand.

METHODS: A cross-sectional prevalence study was conducted, using a standardised faecal nematode egg count (FEC) reduction (FECR) test (FECRT) for ivermectin, at a full (0.2 mg/kg) and half (0.1 mg/kg) dose rate, and albendazole, levamisole and albendazole-levamisole in combination, on 60 lambs (n=10 per group) on farms selected from throughout New Zealand. Farms that conformed with selection criteria were chosen at random (n=80) or with a history of suspected resistance to macrocy- clic lactone (ML) anthelmintics (n=32). Resistance to an an- thelmintic was inferred when there was <95% reduction in FEC 7-10 days after treatment. Larval cultures were performed for all control groups and for treated groups for which resistance was evident.

RESULTS: Of the farms randomly selected, 36% showed ≥95% FECR for all anthelmintics tested; resistance to ivermectin at 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg liveweight was evident on 36% and 25% of these farms, respectively. Resistance to both ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg) and levamisole was evident on 8/80 (10%) farms, to ivermectin and albendazole on 10/80 (13%) farms, and to iver- mectin, levamisole and albendazole on 6/80 (8%) farms. The prevalence of resistance to a half dose of ivermectin tended to be more prevalent on farms with a history of suspected ML resistance (p=0.06). Resistance to albendazole was seen across all the main parasite genera, and to levamisole in Nematodirus, Ostertagia (= Teladorsagia) and Trichostrongylus species. Resistance to ivermectin was dominated by Ostertagia spp, although Cooperia, Nematodirus and Trichostrongylus species were also implicated.

CONCLUSION: Anthelmintic resistance in parasitic nema-todes of sheep is common in New Zealand. Not only was resistance to albendazole and levamisole common, but resistance to the ML, ivermectin, was at a higher prevalence than expected. Sheep farmers and advisors in New Zealand need to re-evaluate the way they manage parasites, and more research is urgently needed if the steady decline in anthelmintic susceptibility is to be halted.     

The effect of alkaloids and seed extracts of endophyte-infected tall fescue on prolactin secretion in an in vitro rat pituitary perfusion system.

The objective of this research was to measure the effects of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed extract and various alkaloids associated with the endophyte on in vitro prolactin secretion by rat hemipituitaries. Rat anterior pituitaries (AP) were dissected into halves and placed in temperature-controlled culture chambers (37 degrees C). The tissue was perfused with culture media at a flow rate of 12 mL/h. After perfusion for at least 90 min with control media, AP halves were exposed to their respective treatments for 15 min before they were returned to the control media. The treatments for Exp. 1 were .01 micrograms of alpha-ergocryptine/mL of culture medium, .01 microgram of ergonovine/mL of culture medium, .01 gram-equivalents of endophyte-infected tall fescue seed/mL of culture medium, and .01 gram-equivalents of endophyte free tall fescue seed/mL of culture medium. Treatments for Exp. 2 consisted of 10(-4), 10(-6), and 10(-8) M concentrations of perloline, N-formyl loline, N-acetyl loline, N-methyl loline, and alpha-ergocryptine. alpha-Ergocryptine suppressed (P less than .10) prolactin secretion in both experiments. Ergonovine and perloline both stimulated (P less than .10) prolactin secretion. The loline alkaloids (N-formyl loline, N-acetyl loline, N-methyl loline) had no effect on prolactin secretion. The endophyte-infected seed extract treatment suppressed (P less than .10) prolactin secretion. The endophyte-free seed extract treatment had no effect on prolactin secretion. In Exp. 2, prolactin secretion from AP responded to alpha-ergocryptine treatment in a dose-dependent fashion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Blood buffering in sedentary miniature horses after administration of sodium bicarbonate in single doses of varying amounts

Blood acid-base and electrolyte status was studied in four sedentary Miniature Horses treated with 200, 300, 400 and 500 mg of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) per kg of body weight (BW). Arterial blood was collected before treatment with NaHC0₃ and each hour for 5 h after treatment. All treatments resulted in an increase in blood pH, bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻) concentration and base excess (BE) by 1 h post-dosage, which continued through the 5th hour (P < .05). Treatment with 200 mg NaHC0₃/kg BW resulted in less elevated blood HCO₃⁻ concentrations (P < .03) and BE values (P < .01) when compared to the other treatments. Following dosing with NaHCO₃, plasma Na⁺ concentrations increased among all treatments but declined to initial values by 3 h post-treatment. The 200 mg NaHCO₃/kg BW dosage resulted in the smallest increases in plasma Na⁺ concentrations (P < .03). Both plasma K⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ concentrations were lower (P < .05) among all treatment groups 1 h post-dosage but returned to initial values by 5 h and 3 h posttreatment, respectively, with no differences (P >.05) among treatments. All NaHCO₃ dosages increased blood buffering capacity as indicated by increased blood pH, HCO₃⁻ concentration and BE. Maximum blood pH, HCO⁻₃ concentration and BE was reached using a dosage of 300 mg NaHCO₃/kg BW. Also, all treatments altered the plasma electrolyte concentrations.     

Effect of acupuncture on young pigs with induced enteropathogenic Escherichia coli diarrhea

Thirty-four preweaning pigs with induced enteropathogenic Escherichia coli diarrhea were treated with electroacupuncture, traditional acupuncture, or neomycin. In the group treated with electroacupuncture, points GV-1, bilateral ST-36, and Bai-hui were stimulated electrically. In the group treated with traditional acupuncture, points GV-1, bilateral ST-36, BL-20, bulb points, bilateral ear tip, and Shan-gen were used. Acupuncture points CV-12 and bilateral ST-25 also were treated with moxibustion (applying heat generated by a burning herb, Artemisia argyi). Hemoacupuncture also was applied to Shan-gen, bilateral ear tip, and bulb points. Pigs in the third group were given neomycin orally. Five pigs were inoculated with E coli, but were not treated and served as nontreated controls. At postinoculation day 5, 60% of control pigs and greater than 80% of pigs in treated groups recovered from diarrhea. However, at postinoculation day 3, recovery rates for pigs in the control and group treated with electroacupuncture were only 20 and 27.3%, respectively; whereas pigs treated with acupuncture or neomycin attained 81.8 and 71.4% of recovery rates, respectively. Seemingly, traditional acupuncture, but not electroacupuncture, was effective in controlling induced E coli diarrhea in pigs at its early stage.     

Cow type and the nutritional environment: nutritional aspects

Numerous studies have been reported that relate to the influence of cattle type on production efficiency; however, most reported studies have been concerned with output characteristics. This review concentrates on the influence of cattle type on the input requirements and more specifically, energy requirements. Data are presented that show that energy is required for maintenance, growth, gestation and lactation and requirements for each of these functions vary among cattle types. Data are presented that suggest 70 to 75% of total annual energy requirements are required for maintenance functions and variation in requirements for maintenance appear to be greater than variation in requirements for growth, gestation or lactation. In general, variation in maintenance requirements appears to be positively associated with genetic potential for measures of production, e.g., rate of growth or milk production. Reported results suggest that animals having genetic potential for high productivity may have less advantage or be at a disadvantage in a more restrictive environment, suggesting the need for synchronization of production environment and germ plasm resources. Some of the sources of variation in maintenance requirements have been discussed. Data are cited that suggest little of the variation in maintenance energy expenditures is attributable to variation in total body composition per se. However, considerable evidence has accumulated to show that a relatively large proportion of maintenance energy expenditures can be attributed to energy expenditures of visceral organs, especially the liver and gastrointestinal tract. High rates of energy expenditures of these tissues appear to be directly or indirectly associated with the high rates of protein synthesis in these tissues. Greater use of differing research approaches and assimilation of the results are needed to develop an understanding of the reasons for variation among animals in maintenance energy expenditures or energetic efficiency.     

Characterization of cattle of a five-breed diallel: VI. Fat deposition patterns of serially slaughtered bulls

Dissection and chemical analysis data from 197 bulls of 15 breedtypes were used to examine the distribution of total fat (TOTFAT) among carcass fat (CFAT), viscera fat (VIF), kidney plus pelvic fat (KPF) and blood fat (BLF). The bulls were obtained from a five-breed diallel involving Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Holstein and Jersey; reciprocal crosses were pooled. One or two bulls of each breedtype were slaughtered at each of seven ages: 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 24 and 30 mo. An allometric equation was utilized to describe growth rate of each fat depot relative to either TOTFAT or carcass side weight (CSW). The pooled within-breedtype differential growth rates obtained from the allometric equation indicated that as TOTFAT or CSW increased, the proportion composed of CFAT and KPF increased (growth coefficients significantly greater than 1), whereas the proportion composed of VIF and BLF decreased (growth coefficients significantly less than 1). Holstein and Jersey tended to have more CFAT than Hereford, Angus and Brahman. Jersey had more KPF than other breeds. Crossbreds exhibited positive heterosis for CFAT and VIF, and negative heterosis for KPF. On a constant CSW basis, there were no significant breedtype differences in TOTFAT: nevertheless, differences in fat distribution among breedtypes persisted. There were different amounts of fat at the depots studied, but fat growth coefficients relative to TOTFAT tended to be homogeneous among breedtypes.     

Effect of location and season on body and testicular growth in Brahman and Hereford bulls

To determine the effects of location and season on growth of bulls, Hereford bulls from Montana (MH; n = 15) and Nebraska (NH; n = 15) and Brahman bulls from Texas and Louisiana (BB; n = 18) were moved to three locations: Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE) or Texas (TX). Each location received 5 NH, 5 MH and 6 BB. Control bulls (not relocated) were maintained at each location. All bulls were pubertal at the time of relocation in May 1984. At 28-d intervals, body weight, hip height, testis length and scrotal circumference were recorded for each bull for 22 mo after relocation. Paired testes volume (PTV) was calculated. Among Hereford bulls, body weights were similar (P greater than .10) in all control and relocated bulls by the end of the study, except that MH bulls moved to TX had lower body weights (P less than .01). Brahman bulls moved to northern locations had dramatically reduced body weights, compared to control Brahmans kept in TX; body weight of Brahman bulls in MT remained lower (P less than .01) at the end of the study. Brahman bulls in NE and MT had smaller scrotal circumference and PTV (P less than .01) than did control Brahmans in TX during the 1st yr after relocation. Relocated BB exhibited marked seasonal fluctuations in testis size, with increases during the summer and decreases during the winter (P less than .01); seasonal changes were not apparent in control Brahmans in TX. These results indicate that moving Brahman bulls to northern environments reduced body weight gain and caused dramatic seasonal changes in testis size; these effects were more pronounced in Brahman bulls moved to the most northern location.     

Concurrent use of corticosteroids and antimicrobial drugs in the treatment of infectious diseases in large animals

A selection of the potential risks and benefits to be gained from the concurrent use of anti-inflammatory corticosteroids and antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infectious disease processes in large animals is reviewed. Although this form of combination therapy appears to be rational, there is cause for serious concern. Precautions and guidelines are presented for the therapeutic management of those cases in which the use of corticosteroids in conjunction with antibacterial agents is unavoidable.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF STRESS FRACTURES IN A HORSE

In humans, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the method of choice for the diagnosis of stress fractures. In this paper, bilateral stress fracture of the lateral condyle of the third metacarpal bone in a French trotter is described. Results of the radiographic, MR imaging, and histologic examinations are presented, with a focus on the MR signal abnormalities found. Based on this patient, the potential use of MR imaging for the diagnosis of stress fractures in horses is discussed.