Cellulase Supplementation Does Not Improve the Digestibility of a High-Forage Diet in Horses

Six mature Arabian geldings were used in a two-period crossover study to investigate the effects of cellulase supplementation on fiber digestion. Horses were randomly assigned to either a control (CO; n = 3) or a cellulase (CE; n = 3) treatment for the first period and then treatments were switched for period 2. Each period consisted of a 10-day diet adaptation followed by a 3-day total fecal collection. The enzyme mixture contained 40,000 cellulase units/g and was fed at a rate of 3 g/day split evenly between two feedings. During the diet adaptation period, horses had ad libitum access to timothy hay and were also fed 165 g whole oats as a carrier for the supplement. When eating the CO treatment, horses consumed 16% more hay than when on the CE treatment (P = .004). Fecal output also tended to be greater when horses consumed the CO treatment as compared with CE treatment (P = .07). No differences were found between treatments for fecal percent dry matter (DM%), fecal neutral detergent fiber (NDF), fecal acid detergent fiber (ADF), fecal nitrogen (N), or fecal gross energy (GE). There was a trend for horses consuming the CO treatment to digest more NDF than when consuming the CE treatment (34.6% ± 1.5 vs 31% ± 1.5; P = .07). Horses also digested a greater %ADF, %N, and Mcal of energy when consuming the CO treatment than when consuming the CE treatment (P < .05). Cellulase addition to a hay-based horse diet decreased digestion of fiber components.     

Acute cortisol responses of calves to scoop dehorning using local anaesthesia and/or cautery of the wound

Objective To measure plasma cortisol responses in calves dehorned using a scoop after administration of local anaesthesia and/or cautery of the wounds.
Design A physiological study with controls.
Procedure There were six treatments: control handling with and without local anaesthesia, dehorning, dehorning after local anaesthesia, dehorning followed by wound cautery, and dehorning after local anaesthesia followed by wound cautery. Blood samples were taken before and after dehorning.
Results Dehorning caused an increase in plasma cortisol concentrations, which decreased a little to plateau values and then declined to pretreatment values 3 to 4 h after dehorning. The peak was smaller after local anaesthesia was administered but when its effects wore off, cortisol concentrations increased and thereafter were similar to those in the dehorned animals. The combination of local anaesthesia and cautery resulted in a plasma cortisol response similar to those in control calves with or without local anaesthesia.
Conclusions If plasma cortisol concentrations reflect the distress being experienced by the calves, then local anaesthesia reduces the acute distress for about 3 h after dehorning but not during the subsequent 3 to 4 h. Combining local anaesthetic and cautery prevented the significant increase in plasma cortisol following dehorning and may eliminate the acute distress caused by scoop dehorning.     

Epidemiology and pathogenesis of Mycobacterium bovis infection of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in New Zealand

AIMS: This study was initiated to investigate aspects of the epidemiology, pathogenesis and transmission of tuberculosis in wild red deer, with the aim of determining whether this species may be considered a reservoir host of Mycobacterium bovis in New Zealand. METHOD: One hundred and six wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) carcasses from the Castlepoint and Hauhungaroa Range areas, which are endemic for bovine tuberculosis, were examined for the presence of M. bovis infection. Samples were also examined from 46 skin test-positive farmed deer killed at two deer slaughter premises. Where possible, a standard set of tissues and excretion site samples was collected for mycobacteriological examination. RESULTS: Fifty-eight infected deer were identified, and of these 28% showed no gross lesions. The prevalence of tuberculosis confirmed by culture in the wild deer was 32%. Only one of 18 deer younger than 1 year was infected. Mature deer (>2 years) were 12 times more likely to be infected than those under 1 year of age. Infected older deer were less likely to show typical gross lesions than younger animals. Mycobacterium bovis was isolated from the oropharyngeal tonsil of 34 of 56 (61%) of the infected deer, and this was the most commonly infected site. Gross lesions were found in 18 of the 34 infected tonsils and only one of these showed a purulent tonsillitis. Mycobacterium bovis was recovered from four of 53 nasopharyngeal tonsils, four of 53 oropharyngeal swabs, one of 53 tracheal and nasal swabs, and one of 46 faecal samples, but not from any urine specimens. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that significant bacillary excretion from infected deer was uncommon, and is more likely to occur in severely affected animals. This study has confirmed the importance of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT), particularly the oropharyngeal tonsil, in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis in deer. The findings justify investigation of the hypotheses that the prevalence of tuberculosis in wild deer in New Zealand is high due to transmission of infection from possums, and that in the absence of an infected possum population, the prevalence of tuberculosis in deer is likely to be low, and spatially patchy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The results suggest that about one quarter of infected deer show no detectable gross lesions. This implies that many infected carcasses may enter the food chain unrecognised and that the estimated sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic tests may be erroneous if there is a difference in test performance between those conducted on deer with or without gross lesions. Diagnostic sensitivity following slaughter may be improved by routine culture of oropharyngeal tonsils and careful examination of lungs for adhesions and small subpleural tubercles.     

Response of broiler chickens to well‐balanced protein mixtures

1. Four experiments were conducted on broiler chickens between one and three weeks of age to determine their response to dietary protein concentrations.

2. Diets prepared by serial dilution of a concentrated protein mixture, well‐balanced with respect to all essential amino acids, were fed in three experiments, while in a fourth experiment, a lysine‐deficient protein mixture was used.

3. Response curves relating body‐weight gain to increasing concentrations of protein and of lysine intake are presented.

4. A table is presented from which optimum protein intakes can be calculated according to changes in input and output costs and changes in growth potential of the chickens.     

Morphological and Physiological Responses of Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and Chicory (Cichorium intybus) to Water Stress and Defoliation Frequency

Plants are often subjected to periods of water stress. There are little data examining the effect of water stress on the forage species Plantago lanceolata and Cichorium intybus. In two pot experiments with P. lanceolata and C. intybus, morphological responses under optimum, dry, and very‐dry water treatments with weekly, fortnightly and 3‐weekly defoliation intervals and physiological responses under optimum and very‐dry water treatments were measured. A third experiment compared the rooting depths of P. lanceolata and C. intybus under field conditions. These findings suggest that both P. lanceolata and C. intybus can survive and continue to grow under water stress conditions with the main differences between the two species being attributable to morphological characteristics (root mass, taproot diameter and shoot mass fraction) rather than differences at a physiological level. Overall, the results suggest plantain may be more productive under moderate drought due to its greater shoot mass fraction, whereas chicory may be more productive and persistent under severe drought due to its greater root mass, taproot diameter and root depth under field conditions.     

Teratogenic effects of chronic ingestion of high levels of vitamin A in cats

High concentrations of retinoids occur in some commercial cat food formulations as a result of the use of animal liver as an ingredient. Our objective was to study the teratogenic potential of dietary vitamin A in cats. We investigated the incidence of birth defects in kittens of queens given diets with retinyl acetate concentrations of 6000, 306000, or 606000 retinol equivalents (RE)/kg diet (control, 306K, or 606K groups, respectively) for approximately 3 years [1 RE=1 micro g retinol=3.3 International Units (IU)]. Each group comprised 12-15 age-matched, nulliparous domestic short-haired queens that were exposed to toms. There were a total of 396 kittens born in 97 litters. Pregnancy rate, number of kittens per gestation and gestations per year were not significantly different among treatment groups. A total of 2, 5 and 11 malformed kittens occurred in the control, 306K and 606K groups, respectively. Malformations included cleft palate, cranioschisis, foreshortened mandible, stenotic colon, enlarged heart and agenesis of the spinal cord and small intestine, which are typical foetal defects consistent with ingestion of excess retinoids in other species. This study demonstrated that a concentration of 306000 RE/kg diet has a potential for causing birth defects in the kittens.     

Application of subjective methods to the determination of the likelihood and consequences of the entry of foot-and-mouth disease into New Zealand

New Zealand has a history of continuous freedom from foot-and-mouth disease and relies on a two-tier system of surveillance to maintain this status. The first involves border control procedures and stringent importation standards, and the second is an exotic disease and pest response programme. As part of an economic evaluation comparing the exotic disease and pest response programme against a hypothetical lower grade ;measured response programme subjective judgements of the risks involved were required. Twenty-eight selected animal health professionals, predominantly veterinarians, were posted a questionnaire that used three techniques (single point estimates, three point estimates and elicitation methods) to determine the risk components in a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The two key variables were the probability of an outbreak in New Zealand, and the number of secondary properties to which the disease spread during the epidemic. A Delphi conference of ten selected participants then focused mainly on the two key variables, with a second round postal extension to this group for the first variable. The individual data sets were then analysed and combined using a stochastic simulation technique. The final mean probability of an outbreak was about once in 50 years (0.0199). The mean numbers of farms to which disease would spread during an epidemic under the existing exotic disease and pest response programme, a measured response programme which allowed vaccination and a measured response programme which excluded vaccination were estimated to be 61, 478 and 2230 respectively. The policy implications arising from the quantification of these two key variables are that more expenditure on preparedness is justifiable and current resource planning is barely adequate.     

疾病的演化

许多因素造成了疾病的演化 ,我们会面临什么样的未来呢 ?     

Disease and mortality on red deer farms in New Zealand

A longitudinal observational study of 15 red deer farms was carried out in New Zealand for two years from March 1992. The deer were monitored for performance and health problems, and farm management practices were recorded. Numbers at risk were 4,683 hind-years, 2,459 stag-years and 3,202 weaner-years. The numbers of primiparous and adult hinds at risk of losing their progeny by weaning were 653 and 3,364, respectively. Where possible, postmortem examinations were carried out, and organs were sampled for histological and microbiological investigation. Rates of mortality varied with season with most stag and hind deaths in winter and weaner deaths in autumn and winter. Overall mortality rates were 1.77, 2.60 and 5.87 per 100 deer-years for hinds, stags and weaners, respectively. Malignant catarrhal fever accounted for 0.53 stag and 0.17 hind deaths per 100 deer-years at risk Misadventure, including broken bones, accounted for 15.4 per cent of weaner mortalities, or 0.53 weaner mortalities per 100 weaner-three months in autumn. Yersiniosis was confirmed in 18.6 per cent of weaner deaths, or 1.09 weaners per 100 weaner-years during the first six months after weaning, but was also suspected but unconfirmed in a further 41 per cent of weaner mortalities. Overall, 17 per cent of yearling hinds, and 9.2 per cent of adult hinds lost their progeny between pregnancy diagnosis in June and weaning in March. One outbreak of osteochondrosis was recorded. Mortality rates varied between farms and many mortalities were preventable.     

Demonstration of uniformity of calcium absorption in adult dogs and cats

A meta‐analysis was conducted to understand quantitative aspects of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) absorption in adult dogs and cats. 34 studies in dogs and 14 studies in cats met the criteria for inclusion in the meta‐analysis. Intake and faecal excretion values of Ca and P were subjected to a modified Lucas test and subsequent regression analyses. According to the current scientific consensus, Ca true digestibility (absorption) should increase at low Ca intake and decrease at high Ca intake. If true, this should result in a nonlinear relationship between the percentage of Ca excreted and dietary Ca intake. The present meta‐analysis showed a highly significant linear relationship (p < 0.0001) between Ca intake and Ca excretion suggesting a lack of systematic quantitative adaptation in true Ca digestibility. This finding suggests either that the time period covered by standard digestion trials is too short to induce adaptation mechanisms or that dogs and cats at maintenance will not efficiently alter quantitative Ca absorption percentage according to the amount ingested. If the latter is true, a dietary Ca supply differing greatly from the recommended dietary intake might impair the health of cats and dogs when fed long term. The data plots for P intake and faecal excretion were less uniform suggesting other factors not just dietary intake influence faecal P excretion. In adult cats, the dietary Ca:P ratio strongly influenced the true digestibility of P, whereas this effect was less marked in adult dogs. Faecal P excretion was significantly correlated to faecal Ca excretion in both species (p < 0.0001), and surprisingly, the level of P intake did not appear to be an important determinant of true digestibility of P.