Effects of exogenous amylase on the in vitro digestion kinetics of whole-crop maize silages made from flint or dent grain type at different phenological stages grown in tropical condition

The effect of exogenous amylase on the in vitro rumen digestion kinetics of whole-crop maize silage made from dent (RB9004) or flint grain type (RB9308) was evaluated at different phenological stages: soft dough (SOD), early dent (EAD), ½ milkline (½M) and ¾ milkline (¾M). Forage was harvested from 70 to 110 days after sowing. Two rumen-cannulated cows receiving or not exogenous amylase (0.7 g/kg dry matter—DM, provided to achieve 396 kilo Novo units of amylase activity/kg of TMR DM) were used as donor of ruminal fluid. The in vitro gas production kinetics was evaluated according to a dual-pool logistic model. The chemical composition and gas production kinetics were affected by the hybrid and phenological stages. The flint hybrid had lower range for chemical analysis among physiological stages. Harvesting at ½M and ¾M improved DM content, bromatological composition and silage quality parameters compared to dent or flint types. Amylase (i) increased methane (CH₄) production and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) in ½M stage, (ii) improved digestion kinetics by reducing lag time and increasing total gas production and fermentation rates of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) and fibrous carbohydrates (FC), and (iii) increased extent and fermentation rate of NFC and increased fermentation rate of FC fraction in whole-crop maize silages produced from dent or flint types in all phenological stages. Harvesting between ½M and ¾M is the best phenological stage to improve chemical composition and silage quality parameters. Exogenous amylase showed improvements on fibre digestion of silages at ½M and ¾M phenological stages in both grain types of corn.     

A survey of Newcastle disease in Swiss laying-hen flocks using serological testing and simulation modelling

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious viral disease of birds particularly domestic poultry. Switzerland is currently declared free from ND; since vaccination is prohibited, the detection of antibodies against ND virus (NDV) results in the destruction of the respective flock (stamping-out policy). However, in 1995 and 1996, antibody-positive flocks were detected and sporadic ND outbreaks even occurred in Switzerland. Therefore, a serosurvey was done to look for evidence of NDV infections in Swiss laying-hen flocks. The survey was designed to provide 95% confidence of detecting at least one seropositive flock if the flock prevalence were 1%. Thirty blood samples from each of 260 commercial laying-hen flocks were collected during 1996 in a central poultry slaughterhouse. Sera were screened for NDV antibodies with a commercial blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Samples with a questionable or positive test result were retested with the same ELISA. A stochastic computer model was applied to define a cut-off number of test-positive samples to help to differentiate between true- and false-positive flocks and to estimate the true flock prevalence of infection. Four flocks were identified as NDV-seropositive and the NDV true seroprevalence among commercial laying-hen flocks in Switzerland was most likely between 1.35 and 1.55%. This indicates that Swiss laying-hen and parental flocks with more than 150 animals have been in contact with strains of NDV that cause subclinical infection in chicken, because no clinical symptoms have been observed. In this context, computer simulation was a useful technique to interpret survey results.     

An in vitro study of hematopoietic progenitor cells from peripheral blood of rabbits

The purpose of this study was to isolate and cultivate a subpopulation of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) from the peripheral blood of rabbits, which are frequently used in veterinary research as an animal model. Pluripotent stem cells, as described in human beings, are fibroblast-like cells that exhibit a CD34 marker, specific from other hematopoietic stem cells. Commonly used human commercial media has been researched for culturing rabbit PSCs. These findings allow us to contemplate the direct application of this simple and standardized methodology in several areas of study, such as of the pharmacological effect of many drugs on hematopoietic cells, veterinary practice, and even the study of new strategies in cellular therapy for some human diseases.     

Fertility of Holstein cows and heifers submitted to timed artificial insemination and receiving one or two doses (12 h apart) of semen

The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the effect of receiving a single (n = 50,285) or double (n = 4392) artificial insemination (AI), 12 h apart, within a timed artificial insemination protocol on pregnancy per AI (P/AI) in nulliparous heifers (inseminated with either sex-sorted or conventional semen) and pluriparous Holstein cows in a commercial dairy herd. Also, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between temperature-humidity index (THI) and time of the first AI and fertility. Fertility of cows receiving two AI with normothermia (THI <68) was higher (p < .05) than cows receiving a single AI (42.9% vs. 36.4%). P/AI of cows receiving two AI with severe heat stress (THI >85) was higher (p < .05) than cows receiving a single AI (21.0% vs. 12.6%). Regardless of heat stress conditions, applying the first AI in the morning increased (p < .05) P/AI in cows with double AI than in cows whose first AI occurred in the afternoon (38.4 vs. 33.3%). With moderate heat stress, and sexed-sorted semen, P/AI to timed AI was higher (65.0 vs. 51.9%; p < .05) in heifers receiving double AI than those serviced once. It was concluded that double AI, 12 h apart, enhanced fertility at timed AI than herd mates with a single AI, particularly with heat stress at breeding.     

Effect of carazolol on the oestrous behaviour and concentrations of luteinising hormone and steroids in lactating cows during the periovulatory period

Twelve multiparous, cycling, lactating Holstein-Friesian cows were synchronised with prostaglandin F(2alpha) and treated with either 2.5 mg carazolol or saline. There were no differences between the peripheral blood concentrations of oestradiol or progesterone, but in the cows treated with carazolol the periovulatory surge of luteinising hormone was delayed, and oestrous behaviour was expressed later than in the control cows.     

A quantitative approach to analysing cortisol response in the horse

The cortisol response to glucocorticoid intervention has, in spite of several studies in horses, not been fully characterized with regard to the determinants of onset, intensity and duration of response. Therefore, dexamethasone and cortisol response data were collected in a study applying a constant rate infusion regimen of dexamethasone (0.17, 1.7 and 17 μg/kg) to six Standardbreds. Plasma was analysed for dexamethasone and cortisol concentrations using UHPLC‐MS/MS. Dexamethasone displayed linear kinetics within the concentration range studied. A turnover model of oscillatory behaviour accurately mimicked cortisol data. The mean baseline concentration range was 34–57 μg/L, the fractional turnover rate 0.47–1.5 1/h, the amplitude parameter 6.8–24 μg/L, the maximum inhibitory capacity 0.77–0.97, the drug potency 6–65 ng/L and the sigmoidicity factor 0.7–30. This analysis provided a better understanding of the time course of the cortisol response in horses. This includes baseline variability within and between horses and determinants of the equilibrium concentration–response relationship. The analysis also challenged a protocol for a dexamethasone suppression test design and indicated future improvement to increase the predictability of the test.     

Milk casein and fatty acid fractions in early lactation are affected by nutritional regulation of body condition score at the beginning of the transition period in primiparous and multiparous cows under grazing conditions

The objective was to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) at 30 days before calving (−30 days) induced by a differential nutritional management, parity and week of lactation (WOL) on milk yield and composition, and milk casein and fatty acid composition. Primiparous and multiparous Holstein cows with high BCS (PH, n = 13; MH, n = 9) and low BCS (PL, n = 9; ML = 8) under grazing conditions were sampled at WOL 2 and 8 (before and after peak of lactation). Milk yield was greater in multiparous than in primiparous cows and tended to decrease from WOL 2 to 8 only in ML cows. Milk protein, fat and casein yields were greater in multiparous than in primiparous cows and decreased from WOL 2 to 8. Milk casein concentration in milk protein was greater in MH cows than in ML, PH and PL cows at WOL 2. Milk κ‐casein was greater, and β‐casein was less in multiparous than in primiparous cows. As lactation progressed, proportion of casein fractions were not altered. Only κ‐casein fraction was affected by BCS at −30 days as PL showed a higher concentration than PH. The de novo (4:0–15:1) and mixed‐origin fatty acids (16:0–16:1) in milk fat increased, whereas preformed fatty acids (≥17:0) decreased from WOL 2 to 8. Saturated (SAT) fatty acids tended to be greater and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were less in multiparous than in primiparous cows. High‐BCS cows had greater concentrations of polyunsaturated (PUFA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) as well as n‐6 and n‐3 fatty acids in milk fat than low‐BCS cows. The results indicate that casein and fatty acid fractions in milk were affected by parity and may be modified by a differential nutritional management during the pre‐calving period (BCS at −30 days) in cows under grazing conditions.     

Tagging and mapping a second resistance gene for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> wilt race 0 in chickpea

A second gene conferring resistance to the chickpea wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp ciceris race 0, has been mapped to linkage group 2 (LG2) of the chickpea genetic map. Resistance to race 0 is controlled by two genes which segregate independently; one present in accession JG62 (Foc0 ₁ /foc0 ₁ ) and mapping to LG5 and the second present in accession CA2139 (Foc0 ₂ /foc0 ₂ ) but remaining unmapped. Both genes separately confer complete resistance to race 0 of the wilt pathogen. Using a Recombinant Inbred Line (RIL) population that segregated for both genes (CA2139 × JG62) and the genotypic information provided by two markers flanking Foc0 ₁ /foc0 ₁ ten resistant lines containing the resistant allele Foc0 ₂ /foc0 ₂ were selected. Genotypic analysis using these ten resistant lines paired with ten susceptible RILs, selected in the same population, revealed that sequence tagged microsatellite sites (STMS) markers sited on LG2 were strongly associated with Foc0 ₂ /foc0 ₂ . Linkage analysis, using data from two mapping populations (CA2139/JG62 and CA2156/JG62), located Foc0 ₂ /foc0 ₂ in a region where genes for resistance to wilt races 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 have previously been reported and which is highly saturated with tightly-linked STMS markers that could be used in marker-assisted selection (MAS).