Environmentally sustainable production of food,feed and fuel from natural resources in the tropics

Responding to the challenges posed by global warming, peak oil and biofuels will require a paradigm shift in the practice of agriculture and in the role of live stock within the farming system. Farming systems should aim at maximizing plant biomass production from locally available diversified resources, processing of the biomass on farm to provide food, feed and energy and recycling of all waste materials. The approach that is the subject of this paper is that the generation of electricity can be a by-product of food/feed production. The concept is the fractionation of biomass into inedible cell wall material that can be converted to an inflammable gas by gasification, the gas in turn being the source of fuel for internal combustion engines driving electrical generators. The cell contents and related structures such as tree leaves are used as human food or animal feed. As well as providing food and feed the model is highly appropriate for decentralized small scale production of electricity in rural areas. It also offers opportunities for sequestration of carbon in the form of biochar the solid residue remaining after gasification of the biomass.     

Search for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella</Emphasis> spp. in ostrich productive chain of Brazilian southeast region

We analyzed ostriches from an equipped farm located in the Brazilian southeast region for the presence of Salmonella spp. This bacterium was investigated in 80 samples of ostrich droppings, 90 eggs, 30 samples of feed and 30 samples of droppings from rodents. Additionally, at slaughter-house this bacterium was investigated in droppings, caecal content, spleen, liver and carcasses from 90 slaughtered ostriches from the studied farm. Also, blood serum of those animals were harvested and submitted to serum plate agglutination using commercial Salmonella Pullorum antigen. No Salmonella spp. was detected in any eggs, caecal content, liver, spleen, carcass and droppings from ostriches and rodents. However, Salmonella Javiana and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica 4, 12: i:- were isolated from some samples of feed. The serologic test was negative for all samples. Good sanitary farming management and the application of HACCP principles and GMP during the slaughtering process could explain the absence of Salmonella spp. in the tested samples.     

Occurrence of anti-<Emphasis Type="Italic">Toxoplasma gondii</Emphasis> antibodies in female cattle in south-west of Iran

Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a significant disease in livestock and humans. In Iran, studies shows that T. gondii infection in humans is relatively high and prevalence is associated mainly with consumption of undercooked meat or meat products. We have examined 450 serum samples from female cattle distributed over all Ahvaz, the center of Khouzestan province, south-west of Iran. IgG antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test using whole tachyzoites of T. gondii, and found in 71 (15.77%) of 450 cattle with titers of 1:25 in 38, 1:50 in 18, 1:100 in 11, 1:200 in three and 1:400 in one. Titers of antibodies were decreased in cattle over 2 years old. These results indicate that T. gondii infection in cattle of Khouzestan is relatively considerable, but not very high and consumption of beef may be a source of infection for humans in south-west of Iran.     

Progesterone supplementation during multiple ovulation treatment in buffalo species (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bubalus bubalis</Emphasis>)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of exogenous progesterone supplementation on superovulatory response in buffaloes that has undergone a multiple ovulation program. Fourteen Mediterranean buffaloes were divided into two groups and received a 4-day decreasing dosage of an equal mixture of 500 IU of FSH and LH starting on day 8 of the cycle. In group A (n = 7) a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device was removed on day 8, whereas in group B (n = 7) it was left till day 10, when PGF_2a {\hbox{PG}}{{\hbox{F}}_{{2}\alpha }} was administered. Eighty hours later, buffaloes were artificially inseminated and after 6 days they undergone uterine flushing. A higher (P < 0.05) number of corpora lutea (8.3 vs. 5.7) and embryo/flushing/buffalo (2.3 vs. 1.3) were recorded in group B vs. group A if responsive buffaloes are considered (n = 12) and the number of corpora lutea was highly correlated with the number of embryos (r = 0.65; P < 0.05). In conclusion, progesterone supplementation during the first 2 days of the superovulation treatment seems to enhance the recovery rate in buffalo species. A high ovulation rate, associated with a high number of corpora lutea, can represent a parameter for estimating embryo recovery.     

A cross-sectional study on bovine tuberculosis in Hawassa town and its surroundings,Southern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hawassa town and its surroundings from October 2007 to May 2008 to estimate the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) based on comparative interadermal tuberculin test (CIDT) and abattoir survey. Accordingly, 39 herds comprising 413 cattle were subjected to CIDT, and the herd and individual animal prevalence were 48.7% (19/39) and 11.6% (48/413), respectively. One of the 16 milk samples collected from tuberculin-positive cows was culture positive. The prevalence significantly differed among the age group (P = 0.001) and management system (P = 0.001). Thus, age group over four (OR = 7.9) and animal with poor management system (OR = 4.1) had a higher odds for tuberculin reactivity compared to those with age group under four and cattle with good management system, respectively. Of the total 1,023 cattle subjected to postmortem examination, 11 (1.1%) were found to be positive for gross tuberculous lesions. Larger proportion (50%) of TB lesion was recorded in the respiratory pathway followed by digestive system (28.6%) and prescapular lymph nodes (21.4%). Of 14 tissue specimens collected from the gross lesions, four (28.6%) were positive for histopathological TB lesions. In conclusion, this study revealed the importance of BTB in the study area in particular and the region in general.     

Hydatidosis of sheep and goats slaughtered at Addis Ababa Abattoir: prevalence and risk factors

Abattoir survey was conducted on 1,053 sheep and 639 goats slaughtered at Addis Ababa Abattoir, Ethiopia, between October 2007 and May 2008, with the objective to determine the prevalence of hydatidosis and assess the associated risk factors. Routine meat inspection procedure was employed to detect the presence of the cyst in visceral organs (lung, liver, and omentum). Hydatid cysts were found in 206 (19.94%) and 102 (16%) of the sheep and goats inspected, respectively. Statistically significant difference in infection rates was noted between the two species. Likewise, there was significant difference in infection rates between the two sexes and different age groups in both sheep and goats (P < 0.5). The study showed that hydatidosis is prevalent in Ethiopia. Thus, there is a need to introduce appropriate control measures to minimize the rate of infection and reduce the ensuing economic losses.     

Gastric inflammatory pseudotumour secondary to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Actinomyces hordeovulneris</Emphasis> infection in a cat

Background

The authors report the first case of feline gastric actinomycosis associated with infection by Actinomyces hordeovulneris.

Case presentation

A 4-year-old, neutered male, semi-feral European cat, with a 1 year history of chronic vomiting, was referred to the clinic. Abdominal ultrasound examination identified a hypoechoic focal transmural thickening with loss of normal wall layering and hyperechoic speckles at the gastric body. Initial gastroscopic examination showed a tumour-like gastric mass with an ulcerated depression at the level of the greater curvature. Histologic examination of endoscopic biopsy specimens was consistent with a severe lymphoplasmacytic gastritis. After 2 months, due to persistence of abdominal discomfort, surgical exploration and intraoperative sampling of gross abnormalities was recommended. Full thickness gastric wall biopsies, and fine needle aspiration of the gastric thickening and gastric lymph node, were performed. Histopathological examination identified a transmural pyogranulomatous gastritis. Aspirate samples of the gastric wall cultured positive, with colony morphology, biochemical testing and PCR of the 16 s rRNA gene compatible with Actinomyces hordeovulneris. After 4 months of treatment with cefovecin (8 mg/kg subcutaneously every 14 days), the vomiting completely resolved, as well as the ultrasonographic gastric alteration.

Conclusion

This case report of feline gastric actinomycosis, caused by Actinomyces hordeovulneris, suggests that gastric bacterial infection should be considered in cases of focal gastric wall thickening associated with chronic vomiting in the cat, which may otherwise closely resemble neoplastic disease. Once a diagnosis of actinomycosis was obtained, a correct treatment with antibiotic therapy can resolve it.

     

Tenogenic induction of equine mesenchymal stem cells by means of growth factors and low-level laser technology

Tendons regenerate poorly due to a dense extracellular matrix and low cellularity. Cellular therapies aim to improve tendon repair using mesenchymal stem cells and tenocytes; however, a current limitation is the low proliferative potential of tenocytes in cases of severe trauma. The purpose of this study was to develop a method useful in veterinary medicine to improve the differentiation of Peripheral Blood equine mesenchymal stem cells (PB-MSCs) into tenocytes. PB-MSCs were used to study the effects of the addition of some growth factors (GFs) as TGFβ3 (transforming growth factor), EGF2 (Epidermal growth factor), bFGF2 (Fibroblast growth factor) and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) in presence or without Low Level Laser Technology (LLLT) on the mRNA expression levels of genes important in the tenogenic induction as Early Growth Response Protein-1 (EGR1), Tenascin (TNC) and Decorin (DCN). The singular addition of GFs did not show any influence on the mRNA expression of tenogenic genes whereas the specific combinations that arrested cell proliferation in favour of differentiation were the following: bFGF2 + TGFβ3 and bFGF2 + TGFβ3 + LLLT. Indeed, the supplement of bFGF2 and TGFβ3 significantly upregulated the expression of Early Growth Response Protein-1 and Decorin, while the use of LLLT induced a significant increase of Tenascin C levels. In conclusion, the present study might furnish significant suggestions for developing an efficient approach for tenocyte induction since the external administration of bFGF2 and TGFβ3, along with LLLT, influences the differentiation of PB-MSCs towards the tenogenic fate.     

Skin and coat traits in sheep in Brazil and their relation with heat tolerance

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare physical parameters in groups of sheep with different phenotypic characteristics in the Centre-west region of Brazil. Five groups of sheep, with nine animals per group, were selected, three groups of Santa Inês animals with different coat colours (white, brown and black), one group with crossbred animals (Santa Inês × Bergamasca) and one group with animals of the Bergamasca breed. The following traits were evaluated: coat thickness, number and length of hair, pigmentation level in the coat and the skin as well as the percentage area of sweats glands in the skin tissue, carried out by histological analysis. The number of hairs and the area of sweats glands were not significantly different between the evaluated groups. The Bergamasca breed showed low pigmentation of the skin and long hairs. The levels of pigmentation of the hair and of the skin were highly correlated. Between the Santa Inês groups, the group with white hair showed the better parameters for heat adaptation, while the brown hair group showed the lower heat adaptation when compared with another hair breed groups.