Effect of folic acid supplements on homocysteine concentration in plasma of gestating sows.

An experiment comprising 19 German Landrace sows was established to evaluate the effect of folic acid supplements (10 mg/kg concentrate) on homocysteine and folic acid concentration in plasma and serum, respectively, of highly pregnant sows as compared to an unsupplemented control (basal diet contained 0.62 mg folic acid/kg concentrate). Blood samples were taken between day 75 and 110 of gestation for homocysteine analysis and on day 100 of gestation for folic acid determination. Due to the folic acid supplements serum folic acid concentration increased significantly (104 nmol/l in controls and 140 nmol/l in supplemented sows). In contrast, homocysteine concentration in the plasma was not significantly influenced by folic acid supplements (16.6 mumol/l in controls and 15.2 mumol/l in supplemented sows). Further investigations seem to be necessary to clarify the physiology of homocysteine metabolism in swine.     

The effect of eradication of lice on the occurrence of the grain defect light flecks and spots on cattle hides.

The influence of an eradication programme for lice on the prevalence of light flecks and spots on cattle hides was studied in 33 dairy cattle herds during a period of two and a half years. Lice were eradicated from the main group of herds after 9 to 12 months and the quality of the hides before and after treatment was compared. Hides from slaughtered animals were collected during the study period, tanned and examined with special emphasis on the occurrence of the grain damage light flecks and spots. The prevalence of hides without light flecks and spots increased from 24.2% before treatment to 61.6% after treatment. The prevalence of hides free from the damage increased significantly in all examined anatomical regions. The improvement in hide quality was most marked in the shoulders and neck region which corresponded to the major predilection site of cattle lice. The prevalence of hides with light flecks and spots started to decrease in the first period (2-40 days) after eradication. The changes after treatment suggested that most healing process took place over a period of about 4 months. The eradication programme eliminated the seasonal variation in the prevalence of light flecks and spots which was present before treatment.     

Immunohistochemical Detection of Mycoplasma agalactiae in Formalin‐Fixed,Paraffin‐Embedded Tissues from Naturally and Experimentally Infected Goats

Samples from the mammary tissue of 14 lactating goats (12 naturally infected and two experimentally infected) were examined for the presence of Mycoplasma agalactiae. A monoclonal antibody (5G12) was applied to formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐wax‐embedded sections and labelled by the avidin–biotin peroxidase complex (ABC) method. Histological examination of tissue sections revealed strong immunoreactivity in all animals included in the study. Mycoplasma agalactiae antigen was mainly detected in the cellular debris at the periphery of purulent exudates present within lactiferous sinuses, and lactiferous and interlobular ducts. In addition, M. agalactiae organisms appeared in the cytoplasm of the epithelium of ducts, and in infiltrating macrophages and neutrophils within the ducts, alveoli, interstitial tissue and regional lymph node sinuses. It is concluded that this monoclonal antibody‐based immunohistochemical technique is an efficient and specific method for the post‐mortem detection of M. agalactiae in cases of clinical mastitis as well as being a useful tool for the study of the route of infection and cellular types involved during mastitis caused by this organism.     

关于饲料的胆碱含量

关于饲料中胆碱含量化学分析值的资料很多。饲料中的胆碱含量因饲料种类、出产国别、出产年份等的不同而不同。问题还不止于此，据发现，测定饲料中胆碱含量时所用的技术也不能给出充分可靠的结果，因而需要一种新技术。     

Presentation of postweaning Escherichia coli diarrhea in southern Ontario, prevalence of hemolytic E. coli serogroups involved, and their antimicrobial resistance patterns

Post-weaning Escherichia coli diarrhea (PWECD) in Ontario was investigated using a case-control study involving 50 Ontario nurseries. The clinical signs and the impact on productive parameters were determined by means of a producer survey. The hemolytic E. coli serogroups involved in PWECD (O149:K91:K88) were examined in this study. Based on a polymerase chain reaction test, the hemolytic E. coli from 82% of the case herds were positive for 3 enterotoxins (STa, STb, and LT), those from 12% of the case herds were positive for STb and LT only, and those from one herd (6%) were positive for 3 enterotoxins, as well as for verotoxin and F18 pili. The E. coli involved in disease were resistant to multiple antibiotics. Case farms commonly used a wide variety of antibiotics either in the feed or water, or as injectable drugs. The most common antibiotic used to treat PWECD on the study farms was apramycin, but evidence of resistance to this antibiotic was noted. The PWECD problem was commonly seen within a week of weaning but onset of diarrhea was reported as late as the grower-finisher stage. Growth rate was poorer in case herds and mortality was higher than in control herds, demonstrating that PWECD is an economically important disease in Ontario.     

Application and crop safety parameters for soil fumigants

Metam sodium alone and in combination with 1,3-dichloropropene plus 17% chloropicrin (1,3-D+C-17) were evaluated under polyethylene mulch film as alternatives for methyl bromide in tobacco and tomato transplant production for both efficacy against pests and crop safety. Eight different weed species, 10 genera or species of fungi and several agronomic criteria were evaluated at three different sites. In general both the metam sodium alone and in combination with 1,3-D+C-17 were highly efficacious when compared to methyl bromide. Short polyethylene film retention times and short aeration times resulted in poor stands and poor crop vigor while relatively long polyethylene film retention times and long aeration periods at the same rates typically resulted in high stand counts and vigor. Combination treatments were more phytotoxic to germinating seed of tobacco and tomato. Vigor and stand counts of the seedlings were higher as aeration time increased, suggesting phytotoxic residues dissipate with time. Method of application of metam sodium, either injected with chisels or sprayed onto the soil surface and incorporated with a tractor-powered tiller alone or co- applied with 1,3-D+C-17 chisel injected, did not affect the efficacy of the treatments. Caution regarding phytotoxicity must be exercised when seeding into soil fumigated with metam sodium alone or combined with 1,3-D+C-17. Additional work will be required to establish safety periods required prior to transplanting crops into fumigated soil.     

泰山月观峰和索道站冲沟生态治理探讨

为保护自然生态，对泰山月观峰和索道站冲沟采取了生态治理措施，取得了良好的效果，恢复了泰山自然景现，达到了保护生态环境的目的。     

Influence of rootstock on the susceptibility of sweet cherry scions to bacterial canker, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pvs morsprunorum and syringae

In a field trial to determine whether the rootstock influenced the susceptibility of cherry cultivars to bacterial canker three cultivars (Napoleon, Roundel and JI 14039), each grafted on two rootstocks (F 12/1 and Colt), were subjected to natural infectionand to inoculation with three bacterial canker pathogens (Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum races 1 and 2 and P. syringae pv. syringae). Inoculations were made through leaf scars and through wounds. The high susceptibility of Napoleon and high resistance of JI 14039 were confirmed. Napoleon was more susceptible to inoculation through branches when on F12/1 than when on Colt but the reverse was true for leaf scar inoculations. JI14039 was more susceptible to race 1 inoculated through leaf scars when grown on F12/1 than when on Colt. No rootstock/scion interaction was detected with Roundel.
The complexity of the relationships between the pseudomonad pathogens and their cherry hosts is briefly discussed.     

Differences in Wheat Cultivar Response to N Supply. I: Differences in Grain Yield Formation

Two-year field trials with winter wheat cultivars Batis and Toronto were conducted in Southern Bavaria, Germany, to investigate the possible causes of cultivar differences in response to N supply varying in total amount and time of application. Cultivar-related differences in grain yields were observed in treatments with low and medium N supply. High doses of N supply resulted in grain yield adjustment or grain yield advantage for cv. Toronto. The results of this study revealed a consistent, genotypic pattern in response to N fertilization in spite of strong seasonal effects. Systematic modifications in canopy growth rates in response to N supply were of particular relevance and a main factor for differences in tillering intensity resulting in modified stand densities. In the present study, cultivar differences in spike development and interactions with N supply related more to abortion than to initiation processes for number of spikelets and number of flowers per spikelet. High grain density (grains per m²) of cv. Toronto was evident during reproduction stages even under conditions of medium N supply. However, decreased growth rates during the later part of grain filling in combination with low 1000 grain weight, which was barely modified by N fertilization, allowed only partial utilization of this potential. It is assumed that sink limitations were of particular relevance for grain yield development in cv. Toronto, while cv. Batis combined a less intense response to N supply with more stability in the development of grain yield components.