Vaccination-related anthrax in three llamas

Two llama calves died 3 days after inoculation with anthrax vaccine. Concurrent administration of ivermectin and other biologics may have enhanced the infectivity of the Sterne strain vaccine of Bacillus anthracis. This experience suggests that the Sterne strain of anthrax vaccine can induce fatal disease when given to young llamas and should be used only with extreme care and in face of strong "at risk" situations.     

Diarrhoeal diseases of the calf: Observations on treatment and prevention

Abstract

Extract

During the past two decades intestinal absorptive and secretory functions and the intestinal flora have been significantly clarified. Important concepts of intestinal dysfunction have emerged which have proved of immense clinical value(32) Moon, H. W. 1974. Pathogenesis of Enteric Diseases Caused by Escherichia coli. Adv. Vet. Sci. Comp. Med, 18: 179–211. [PubMed] , [Google Scholar] (39) Phillips, S. F. 1972. Diarrhoea: A Current View of the Pathophysiology. Gastroenterology, 63: 495–518.  [Google Scholar] (46) Smith, H. W. 1965. Observations on the Flora of the Alimentary Tract of Animals and Factors Affecting its Composition. J. Pathol, 89: 95–122.  [Google Scholar] (47) Smith, H. W. 1971. The Bacteriology of the Alimentary Tract of Domestic Animals Suffering from E. coli Infection. Ann. N. Y. Acad Set, 176: 110–125.  [Google Scholar] (51) Soergel, K. H. 1973. New Concepts of Intestinal Function. Hepatogaslroenterol, 20: 351–358.  [Google Scholar]. Despite this, the medical and economic consequences of diarrhoea continue to beset the cattle industry(1) Barnum, D. A., Glantz, P. J. and Moon, H. W. 1967. Colibacillosis. CI_RV_eterinary Monograph Series/Two, : 5–44.  [Google Scholar] (18) Hubbert, W. T. 1974. Factors Affecting Survival of the Bovine Fetus and Neonate. Theriogenology, 1: 15–34.  [Google Scholar] (30) Marsh, H. 1968. Prenatal and Postnatal Mortality in Cattle. National Academy of Science. Pub. No. 1685,, : 1–6.  [Google Scholar] (56) Vollmar, R. E. 1974. Diarrhoea Control in a Dairy Operation. Mod Vet. Pract., 55: 509–512.  [Google Scholar] (57) White, R. G. Scours-The Calf Killer. Presented at the California Livestock Symposium. An. Nut. Health, pp.14–18.  [Google Scholar]. Diarrhoeal disease of the calf occurs at a time of complex developmental, environmental and functional change. The surface defences and enzyme systems of the neonatal gut are maturing in a protective film of maternal antibody, while undergoing increasing stimulation from environmental microbial challenge. The precarious nature of this defence system is not surprising. It is contingent upon a balance of such changing conditions as maternal antibody quantity, quality and delivery(5) Bush, L. J., Aguilera, M. A., Adams, G. D. and Jones, E. W. 1971. Absorption of Colostral Immunoglobulins by Newborn Dairy Calves. J. Dairy Sci., 54: 1547–1549.  [Google Scholar], environmental microbial challenge(46) Smith, H. W. 1965. Observations on the Flora of the Alimentary Tract of Animals and Factors Affecting its Composition. J. Pathol, 89: 95–122.  [Google Scholar] (47) Smith, H. W. 1971. The Bacteriology of the Alimentary Tract of Domestic Animals Suffering from E. coli Infection. Ann. N. Y. Acad Set, 176: 110–125.  [Google Scholar] and neonatal immunological and intestinal epithelial maturation(7) Corley, L. D., Staley, T. E., Bush, L. J. and Jones, E. W. 1977. Influence of Colostrum on Transepithelial Movement of E. coli 055. J. Dairy Sci., in press [Google Scholar] (52) Staley, T. E., Corley, L. D., Bush, L. J. and Jones, E. W. 1972. The Ultra-structure of Neonatal Calf Intestine and Absorption of Heterologous Proteins. A rial. Rec, 172: 559–579. [Crossref], [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]. While both infectious and non-infectious etiologic factors are involved(1) Barnum, D. A., Glantz, P. J. and Moon, H. W. 1967. Colibacillosis. CI_RV_eterinary Monograph Series/Two, : 5–44.  [Google Scholar] the former (Escherichia coli, Saltiionsllci and Shigella spp., and reo and corona viruses) is the more significant. Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), a major contributor to neonatal diarrhoeal disease, will be discussed primarily. Four syndromes, septicaemia, enteric-toxaemia, local invasive and enterotoxic have been described(32) Moon, H. W. 1974. Pathogenesis of Enteric Diseases Caused by Escherichia coli. Adv. Vet. Sci. Comp. Med, 18: 179–211. [PubMed] , [Google Scholar] and ad verseoutcomes may result from endotoxic shock and/or hypovolemic shock, from systemic infection and from malnutrition. The clinician is thus faced with the selection of a multi-faceted approach to the problem. Avenues of attack, in addition to prophylactic husbandry, include: passive and active immunization, reduction of challenge, specific antimicrobial therapy, and resolution of fluid and electrolyte loss and shock. This presentation includes a resumé of the calf scour syndrome, together with observations concerning treatment and control. These observations include active and passive immunization, antimicrobial therapy, and modification of intestinal fluid loss.     

Effect of age and sex on the eviscerated yield,muscle and edible offal of a commercial broiler strain

1. Comparisons of the effects of age (up to 364 d) and sex on the rate of growth, eviscerated yield, blood loss and yield of skin, breast, thigh and drumstick muscles, heart, liver and gizzard have been made on a commercial British broiler strain.

2. Male broilers grew linearly up to 76 d whereas the females grew more slowly after 35 d. At 364 d the difference in live body weight was small.

3. Up to 56 d, males had a slightly higher eviscerated yield. There was no significant difference between the sexes beyond this age.

4. The proportional yield of breast muscle was variable with age, whereas that of thigh and drumstick increased with age in the male, particularly at 175 and 364 d.

5. After 35 d the proportion of skin was larger in females, whereas the gizzard as a proportion of live body weight in both sexes decreased rapidly between 21 and 76 d. Blood loss during killing was always higher in male broilers after 21 d.     

A cross-sectional study of risk factors for obesity in cats in New Zealand

This study was done to identify risk factors for obesity in an urban cat population in New Zealand. A door-to-door survey (conducted within the city limits of Palmerston North) obtained information on the diet, health and behaviour of 202 cats. One hundred and eighty-two of these cats were weighed and their back and leg lengths were measured. The interviewer's assessment of the body condition of each cat was the dependent variable used in this study. Variables that were identified as significant (p< or =0.1) following univariable analysis were grouped into one of the three models for stepwise logistic multiple regression (one each for cat characteristics, environmental and management variables and feeding variables). A combined logistic-regression analysis was performed on the significant variables identified from the three component models. In the combined model, only three variables were significant: the presence of dogs in a household (decreased odds of obesity), longer leg length and owners underestimating cats' body condition (both increased odds).     

Epidemiology and characterization of animal Salmonella enterica subspecies Enterica serotype typhimurium DT104 in Hungary

Reports on the internationally emerging significance of multiresistant zoonotic Salmonella in animals and man prompted studies to estimate the significance of multiresistant Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) phage type DT104 of animal origin in Hungary. A collection of 231 strains (primarily of goose, turkey, poultry and porcine origin from the years 1997-1998) was tested for resistance against 7 selected antibiotics (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, tetracycline and sulphamethoxazole). Strains with resistance against 3 or more were defined as multiresistant. All strains were phage typed using Felix-Callow's S. Typhimurium phage typing system, and 91 of them (suspect DT104) were also typed according to Anderson's definitive typing (DT) system. In this study, 14% of animal strains from 1997-1998 was classified as DT104, for which turkey, pig and duck seemed to be the main carriers, and the multiresistant non-DT104 strains represented a further 6% of this collection. The prevalence of DT104 was highest among strains of turkey origin (50%), followed by strains of pig (29%), chicken (25%), duck (19%), and goose (3%) origin. The other DT104 related phage types (DT12 and U302) were only detected in the case of 4 strains (2 of porcine, and one each of turkey and of goose origin). The DT104 corresponded to the Felix-Callow types 2/3 or 2c/3 in each case, except in the case of 3 turkey strains where they corresponded to type 35/3. Nalidixic acid resistance was detected in all multiresistant turkey strains and in some of other animal origin but none of these strains were resistant to enrofloxacin. A retrospective analysis (based on the above relationship) indicated that S. Typhimurium strains corresponding to DT104 could be present and increase in the Hungarian farm animal population from about 2% to 20% between 1985 and 1990, in a manner similar to the emergence of human DT104, as reported elsewhere (Pászti et al., 2000). The 91 suspect DT104 strains were also tested for plasmid profile and for spvC gene indicating the presence of the large serotype specific plasmid (Ssp). No characteristic plasmid profile could be attributed to S. Typhimurium DT104. The serovar-specific large plasmid was detected by PCR for spvC in 100% of DT104 strains and in 77% of the non-DT104 strains. The virulence of two DT104 strains was tested in orally infected day-old chicks and compared with virulence of 4 non-DT104 strains. Higher colonizing virulence of DT104 strains could be established as compared to the other strains.