A novel treatment for dynamic laryngeal collapse associated with poll flexion: the modified checkrein

Reasons for performing the study: Dynamic laryngeal collapse (DLC) associated with poll flexion is a performance limiting dynamic upper airway disorder commonly diagnosed in Coldblooded trotters. An inspiratory obstruction occurs when affected horses are driven with tension on the reins, inducing poll flexion. To date, surgical treatment and conservative management have failed to improve racing performance in affected horses. Objectives: To test the efficacy of an external device, the modified checkrein, in limiting poll flexion, diminishing laryngeal collapse and improving airway mechanics when horses are driven on a treadmill with tension on the reins and test the hypothesis that the modified checkrein will limit poll flexion thereby improving endoscopic appearance of the larynx and reduce airway obstruction in harness racehorses affected with DLC. Methods: Fourteen Norwegian Coldblooded trotter (NCT) racehorses previously diagnosed with DLC associated with poll flexion exercised on a high‐speed treadmill at speeds that resulted in heart rate >200 beats/min. Upper airway videoendoscopy recordings, tracheal pressures and video recordings of the head and neck position were collected while horses exercised with the conventional checkrein on Day 1 and the modified checkrein on Day 2. Results: The modified checkrein successfully limited poll flexion as measured by no change in head position parameters between phases of no rein tension and phases of rein tension. Endoscopic scores were significantly improved (arytenoids cartilage collapse P<0.0001; vocal fold collapse P<0.0001) and tracheal peak inspiratory pressures were significantly less negative (P = 0.0162) when horses were fitted with the modified checkrein compared to the conventional checkrein. Conclusions and potential relevance: The modified checkrein successfully limited poll flexion and also prevented upper airway obstruction in NCT horses affected with DLC associated with poll flexion. The modified checkrein seems promising in offering a method of conservative management in harness racehorses affected with this disorder.     

Selective and on-demand drenching of lambs: Impact on parasite populations and performance of lambs

AIM: To determine whether drenching regimes for lambs by which a proportion (10%) of the heaviest animals was selectively left untreated, or animals are only drenched ‘on demand’ when faecal nematode egg counts (FEC) exceeded a threshold level, would result in measurable increases in parasite larval challenge in the autumn and/or decreases in the performance of lambs.

METHODS: A replicated study compared three drenching strategies in which mobs of lambs (n=360 in total) received either: a five-drench preventive programme, administered to all animals (Treatment 1); a five-drench preventive programme, but the 10% heaviest animals left untreated each time (Treatment 2); or drench treatments administered only when FEC exceeded 500 eggs per gram of faeces (epg) (Treatment 3). After the five-drench programme, animals in Treatments 1 and 2 were treated according to FEC as for Treatment 3. A triple-combination drench containing ivermectin, oxfendazole and levamisole, administered orally, was used for all treatments. There were nine farmlets, allowing three replicates of each treatment, in a completely randomised design. Parasite infestations on pasture were measured in autumn by pasture plucks, and worm burdens were monitored in tracer lambs, while the performance of lambs was assessed by liveweight gains, fleece weights, and body condition and dag scores.

RESULTS: Increased numbers of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae on pasture were found in the autumn on farmlets treating selectively or on-demand (Treatments 2 and 3). No differences were detected in other parasite species. Mean liveweight gains did not differ between treatments but some differences were detected between drenched and undrenched lambs in Treatment 2. Mean body condition and mean dag scores of lambs in Treatment 3 tended to be lower and higher, respectively, than those of lambs in Treatment 1; Treatment 2 was generally intermediate.

CONCLUSIONS: Drenching strategies for lambs designed to slow the development of anthelmintic resistance, by increasing the pool of susceptible worms available to dilute resistant survivors after treatment, resulted in increased numbers of H. contortus and T. colubriformis but not other species of parasite on pasture. The increased parasite challenge to lambs in the autumn was associated with small production losses, which may be acceptable to farmers wishing to implement such strategies. It is clear that further work is required on the interaction between management practices and the population dynamics of parasites, especially with regard to creating pools of susceptible genotypes to slow the development of drench resistance.     

Effects of intensification of pastoral farming on greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand

Abstract

AIMS: The aims of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the herd and cow-level prevalence of bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) in dairy farms in the northern Taranaki region of New Zealand, and to identify whether there was any spatial clustering of herds with the disease.

METHODS: A survey of 224 dairy farms in the northern Taranaki region of New Zealand was undertaken from September 2014 to February 2015. Following training in robust criteria to confirm BDD visually, a technician inspected the rear feet of every milking cow on the farms during milking. The identity of cows with lesions and the feet involved were recorded. The proportion of cows affected among the inspected population (cow-level prevalence), the proportion of a herd affected (farm-level prevalence), and proportion of farms with ≥1 cow with lesions, were calculated. A bivariate K function analysis was then used to assess whether farms with ≥1 cow with lesions were clustered, after accounting for the distribution of the farms involved in the study.

RESULTS: Bovine digital dermatitis lesions were observed on 143/224 (63.8 (95% CI=57.5–70.1)%) farms. Within-farm prevalence was 0% on 81 (36.2%) farms, between >0 and <3% on 120 (53.5%) farms, with a maximum prevalence of 12.7% on one farm. Overall, cow-level prevalence was 707/60,455 (1.2 (95% CI=0.9–3.0)%), and on affected farms was 707/41,116 (1.7 (95% CI=1.4–2.1)%). In affected cows, 268/707 (37.9%) had a lesion on left foot only, 262/707 (37.1%) on the right foot only and 177/707 (25.0%) on both feet. The K function analysis showed no evidence of clustering of farms with BDD.

CONCLUSIONS: Bovine digital dermatitis was widespread among the survey farms, but there was no evidence that there was any clustering of herds with BDD. The cow-level prevalence on affected farms was much lower than reported elsewhere.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the prevalence at the cow level was low, if these data are representative of other regions of New Zealand, BDD could easily become a major problem on dairy farms in New Zealand, as has been observed in other countries.     

河南省陆地植被净第一性生产力估算及其时空分布

基于地理信息系统和卫星遥感技术,利用地面气象数据和MODIS数据,同时考虑河南省自身实际地理和植被覆盖情况,在对最大光利用率和水分胁迫系数的获取进行改进的基础上,利用CASA模型对河南省植被净第一性生产力（NPP）进行了估算,并分析了其时空分布。结果表明,2008年河南省NPP生产量为34.87 Mt C,NPP空间分布和植被类型有密切关系,森林植被最大,然后依次是灌丛、草地、农田等。12、1和2月NPP最小,植物基本停止生长,植被的NPP只占全年的1.38％;5、7和8月的NPP最大,占全年总量的56.84％。与Miami、Montreal、Chinkugo模型相比,本研究结果和Miami模型结果最为接近,植被类型NPP均值排序和Chinkugo模型相似;与实测数据对比结果显示,模拟值接近于实测值,说明模型适用于河南省NPP的模拟。     

基于RNA-Seq技术的苜蓿根蘖性状发生相关下调基因

为了从分子水平上分析苜蓿(Medicago sativa)根蘖性状的发生机制,对根蘖型苜蓿的根蘖与非根蘖根部进行RNA-seq转录组文库构建,并分析差异表达基因及其功能。分别提取品系"BL-101"的根蘖型苜蓿根蘖与非根蘖部位总RNA,利用磁珠法分离m RNA后通过PCR扩增构建RNA-Seq转录组文库,并对差异表达基因进行分析,得到差异表达基因15 978条,本研究重点分析下调基因,通过生物过程分类,发现与根蘖性状发生有关的表达下调的基因为5个,经生物学信息分析确定,其中2个属于Lon蛋白酶家族,其余分别属于植物肌动蛋白酶家族,硫氧还蛋白和脂氧合酶,其与植物抗逆性相关,且与植物激素ABA的调控有关。研究结果可以为探讨苜蓿根蘖性状发生的分子机制提供理论依据。     

赤峰市优质肉牛饲养管理技术规程的应用

优质肉牛产业化在内蒙古赤峰市畜牧业发展中占有重要地位。肉牛业的发展对于调整优化畜牧业结构、增加农牧民收入、振兴国民经济等都有着非常重要的现实意义。《赤峰市优质肉牛饲养管理技术规程》是指导农牧民进行肉牛养殖的科学性、规范性、可操作性的技术规程,该规程有利于肉牛业可持续、健康、稳定发展,可以更好地推广应用肉牛饲养管理、繁殖改良、饲料调制、育肥等技术,可加快肉牛产业化、规模化、集约化、现代化发展的进程。     

Indicators of success for smart law enforcement in protected areas: A case study for Russian Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) reserves

Although considerable conservation resources have been committed to develop and use law enforcement monitoring and management tools such as SMART, measures of success are ill‐defined and, to date, few reports detail results post‐implementation. Here, we present 4 case studies from protected areas with Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in Russia, in which indicators of success were defined and evaluated at each. The ultimate goal was an increase in tiger numbers to 1 individual/100 km² at each site. We predicted that improvements in law enforcement effectiveness would be followed by increases in prey numbers and, subsequently, tiger numbers. We used short‐term and long‐term indicators of success, including: (i) patrol team effort and effectiveness; (ii) catch per unit effort indicators (to measure reductions in threats); and (iii) changes in target species numbers. In addition to implementing a monitoring system, we focused on improving law enforcement management using an adaptive management process. Over 4 years, we noted clear increases in patrol effort and a partial reduction in threats. Although we did not detect clear trends in ungulate numbers, tiger populations remained stable or increased, suggesting that poaching of tigers may be more limiting than prey depletion. Increased effectiveness is needed before a clear reduction in threats can be noted, and more time is needed before detecting responses in target populations. Nonetheless, delineation of concrete goals and indicators of success provide a means of evaluating progress and weaknesses. Such monitoring should be a central component of law enforcement strategies for protected areas.     

岷县草产业发展现状及策略

岷县地处秦岭、黄土高原和青藏高原的交汇带。本研究通过分析其草产业现状,指出岷县草产业发展主要存在天然草地退化严重、栽培草地管理粗放和特色草产业加工技术不完善的问题,提出岷县草产业今后发展的方向是分区管理和分类经营,从建立草地生态补偿基金、发展草地观光旅游业、提高栽培草地生产力、提高草地资源的利用效率和培训农民能手等方面提出了岷县草产业的发展策略。     

舍饲和放牧BMY牛血液生化指标比较

[目的]为了解不同饲养管理条件下,BMY牛血液生化指标的变化情况,以到达补充BMY牛的基础性资料,为BMY牛的人工饲养、疫病防治提供理论依据的目的。[方法]采用试剂盒对20头不同饲养管理条件下的BMY年母牛的血液生化指标进行了检测。[结果]显示:舍饲牛的STB、A/G、LDL、GLU、Crea和P等指标显著高于放牧组,放牧牛的GLO、ALT、AST/ALT、GGT和TG等指标显著高于舍饲牛(P<0.05),TP、HGB、ALP、BUN、URIC、T-CHOL、Ca、HDL在两组间差异不显著(P>0.05),舍饲牛的血液生化指标的变异系数要明显小于放牧牛。[结论]舍饲BMY牛的血液生化指标明显要优于全放牧条件下的BMY牛。