Diagnostic evaluation and short-term outcome as indicators of long-term prognosis in horses with findings suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease treated with corticosteroids and anthelmintics

Background

Recurrent colic and unexplained weight loss despite good appetite and adequate feeding and management practices are common conditions in the horse. However, little information has been published on the systematic diagnostic evaluation, response to treatment, prognostic factors or outcome of either presentation. The aims of this study were to 1) identify possible prognostic indicators and 2) report the short- and long-term response to treatment with corticosteroid therapy of a variety of horses with a presumptive diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Thirty-six horses with a history of recurrent colic and/or unexplained weight loss were screened with a detailed clinical, clinicopathological and diagnostic imaging examination. Twenty horses were subsequently selected that had findings consistent with inflammatory bowel disease based on the fulfilment of one or more of the following additional inclusion criteria: hypoproteinaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, malabsorption, an increased intestinal wall thickness on ultrasonographic examination or histopathological changes in rectal biopsy. These 20 horses were treated with a standardized larvicidal anthelmintic regime and a minimum of three weeks of corticosteroid therapy.

Results

The initial response to treatment was good in 75% (15/20) of horses, with a 3-year survival rate of 65% (13/20). The overall 3-year survival in horses that responded to initial treatment (12/15) was significantly higher (P = 0.031) than in those that did not respond to initial treatment (1/5). The peak xylose concentration was significantly (P = 0.048) higher in survivors (1.36 ± 0.44 mmol/L) than non-survivors (0.94 ± 0.36 mmol/L).

Conclusions

The overall prognosis for long-term survival in horses with a presumptive diagnosis of IBD appears to be fair to moderate, and the initial response to anthelmintic and corticosteroid therapy could be a useful prognostic indicator. The findings of the present study suggest that a low peak xylose concentration in absorption testing is associated with a less favourable prognosis, supporting the use of this test.     

西杂牛连续埋植“畜大壮”效果观察

本试验对甘肃河西地区西杂１－２岁和周岁以下的犊牛连续用促生长剂“畜大壮”分阶段进行耳根埋植,试验结果表明,４－６月龄犊牛全期１８０天,试验组增重和平均日增重分别为５．５ｋｇ和３０８．３３ｇ,试验组比对照组提高３７．２５ｋｇ和２０６．９４ｇ（Ｐ〈０．０１）,１－２岁牛全期１８０天,试验组平均增重和日增重分别为５６．４３ｋｇ和３１４．４９ｇ,试验缄比对照组分别提高３０．０３ｋｇ和１６６．８２ｇ差异显著     

An analysis of age and body weight at first calving for Holsteins in the United States

In a national survey of US dairy producers, only 2.7 ± 0.5% of Holstein dairy operations reported achieving recommended target ranges of age ≤ 24 months and body weight (BW) ≥ 550 kg at first calving. Allowing for wider target ranges, still only 14.6 ± 1.3% of Holstein dairy operations reported achieving age ≤ 25 months and BW ≥ 544.3 kg at first calving. Ages of individual first-calf heifers observed at calving were heavily skewed toward older individuals. Dairy producers reported an average age at first calving that was 1.3 months lower than the mean and 1.0 months lower than median age of first-calf heifers' observed calving on the operations. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify the herd characteristics associated with producers reporting first calvings within the wider age and BW target ranges for Holsteins. Rolling herd average milk production ≥ 7711 kg/yr, using a computer for recordkeeping, and not tying preweaned heifers in a barn with cows, were associated with achieving the target BW and age at first calving.     

计算机视觉技术在智能养猪中的研究进展

计算机视觉是人工智能的重要发展方向,可以显著改善人与世界的交互方式,加强计算机视觉技术在智能养猪中的研究和应用必将为养猪业带来一场变革。本文综述了计算机视觉技术在猪只识别、行为监测、体尺测量、体重估测、肉品质评定、疾病监测等方面的研究进展,以期促进我国养猪业的智能化发展。     

秦川牛运铁蛋白多态性与体尺、体重性状的关系分析

秦川牛运铁蛋白 (Tf)多态性与体尺、体重性状之间的关系分析表明 :( 1 )秦川牛体尺、体重的优势基因为TfD1与TfE ;( 2 )在胸深性状上 ,TfEF型的LSE值极显著地大于其它各基因型值 (P <0 .0 1 ) ,TfD1E、TfD1D2 、TfAA、TfEE、TfD2 E、TfD1D1、TfD2 D2 、TfAD1的LSE值显著地大于TfD2 F值 (P <0 .0 5) ;( 3)其他 8个性状各基因型值间差异不显著 (P >0 .0 5)。     

Effectiveness of strategic anthelmintic treatments in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fasciola gigantica</Emphasis> in cattle in Iringa region,Tanzania

A longitudinal field trial was conducted to determine the effectiveness of strategic anthelmintic treatments in the control of gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes and Fasciola gigantica in cattle. A total of 167 cattle (6–18 months) from three large-scale dairy farms, four traditional farms and nine small-scale dairy farms were randomly selected. The selected animals on each farm were ear tagged and allocated into three groups based on live weight and treated as follows: Group T4 was treated with albendazole 10% drench at 10 mg/kg four times a year (mid rainy, end of the rain, mid dry and late dry/early rainy season). Group T2 was treated with albendazole 10% drench at 10 mg/kg two times a year (mid rainy and late dry/early rainy season). Group UT remained as untreated control. Faecal, blood and pasture samples were taken every month for 13 months. In addition, individual body weight (BWT) was measured on every sampling date. Results showed that two and four strategic treatments significantly reduced faecal egg counts (FEC) by 49.5% and 62.3% respectively compared to untreated control animals (P < 0.001). Two and four strategic treatments per year significantly reduced the proportion of animals passing Fasciola eggs in faeces by 30.6% and 51.7% (P < 0.001), respectively. Animals treated two and four times a year significantly outgained untreated animals by 14.8 kg and 17.7 kg respectively at the end of the trial (P < 0.05). The management system had a significant effect on packed cell volume and the proportion of animals passing Fasciola eggs in faeces (P < 0.05). The programme of two strategic treatments per year was only effective in controlling GI nematodes. It is concluded that a programme of four strategic treatments per year was effective in controlling GI nematodes and F. gigantica and improved weight gain.     

Effects of Diet and Weight Gain on Body Condition Scoring in Thoroughbred Geldings

In the horse, the body condition score (BCS) system to assess subcutaneous fat deposition is a useful tool for making feeding management decisions. The system includes assessing fat deposition at six body areas (neck, withers, shoulders, ribs, loin, and tail head) and was developed in Quarter Horse mares. It has not been tested for use on other breeds or genders, possibly compromising the system's ability to describe fat accretion in other classes of horse. The objective of this study was to examine the ability of the previously developed fat accretion characteristics to describe fat deposition in mature Thoroughbred (TB) geldings. An additional goal was to determine whether fewer body areas could be used. Fifteen mature TB geldings were fed for weight gain over an 8-month period on one of two diets and were independently assessed for BCS on a monthly basis by two judges. BCS was determined by averaging the scores that were assigned to each of the six body areas. Fat accretion characteristics were also recorded. Across both diets, the neck area scored significantly higher than the withers and loin (P < 0.05) throughout the study. A BCS derived only from the body areas of neck, shoulders, ribs, and tailhead was found to accurately predict the six body area−derived mean BCS. The results of this study provide justification for modifications of the BCS system for use in TB geldings and also demonstrated that fewer body areas can be used to accurately predict mean BCS.     

不同日粮组成下育成母羊饲喂效果及效益比较

为探讨饲喂苜蓿（Medicago sativa）干草、羊草（Leymus chinensis）和玉米（Zea mays）青贮与单纯饲喂玉米秸秆相比,对育成母羊增重、饲料转化效率和经济效益的影响。选取体重、年龄相近,健康的育成母羊20只,随机分成4组,每组5只,分别饲喂不同种类粗饲料日粮,精粗比为40：60。结果表明：与粗饲料单纯为玉米秸秆（100%）相比,苜蓿干草（50%）+羊草（50%）组日增重提高11.11%,饲料转化效率不明显,增收也不明显;苜蓿干草（33.3%）+玉米青贮（33.3%）+羊草（33.3%）组日增重可提高30.72%,饲料转化效率提高 18.16%,每天每只增收0.54 元;苜蓿干草（50%）+玉米青贮（50%）组日增重可提高83.01%,饲料转化效率提高 40.74%,每天每只增收可达1.91 元。表明,饲喂苜蓿干草（50%）+玉米青贮（50%）时,育成母羊增重、饲料转化效率、以及经济效益都能达到最好的状态。     

中草药复合添加剂防治兔球虫病及增重效果研究

选用无感染幼兔４２只,随机分为Ａ、Ｂ、Ｃ、Ｄ、Ｅ５组,进行防治兔球虫病和增重试验,其中Ａ组为中药加矿微加喹乙醇组,Ｂ组为中药加矿微组,Ｃ组为西药对比组,Ｄ组为感染不给药组,Ｅ组为不感染不给药组;在同样饲料、同等饲养条件下,饲养３０天。结果,Ａ组保护率９０％,增重率９８．２％;Ｂ组保护率１００％,增重率１３２．１％;Ｃ组保护率９０％,增重率７６．６％;Ｄ组兔于第１１天全部死亡;Ｅ组保护率１００％,增重率９６．２％。试验结果证明,保护率以纯中药Ｂ组最佳,Ａ组次之,增重率Ａ、Ｂ组均高于Ｃ组和Ｅ组,以Ｂ组最佳。     

Foraging behavior of heifers with or without social models in an unfamiliar site containing high plant diversity

Grazing behavior, diet selection and weight gain of heifers (with or without social models) were assessed in an unfamiliar site containing high plant diversity. The study was performed within a tropical forest ecosystem containing a mixture of grass forb/herb, shrub and tree species. Ten inexperienced crossbred Bos taurus × Bos indicus heifers (7 ± 1 months old) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: naive or naive + social model (sm) and two experienced heifers (16 months old) were assigned to the second group. Naive heifers were bottle-nursed from days 2 to 90 after birth and began grazing at 1 month of age in tropical grass monocultures, while experienced animals had been foraging in sites containing a high diversity of plant species for 3 months prior to the study. Each group grazed in separate paddocks for a 12-week period during the rainy season, and animals were observed using focal sampling from 7:00 to 19:30 h to assess diet composition based on bite counts. Weight gain was assessed every 14 days. Paddocks contained from 1481 to 1789 kg/ha of herbaceous dry matter, enough to support the heifers throughout the study without affecting diet selection. Shrub and tree cover ranged from 55.2 to 58.4% across treatments. Bites per minute were adjusted to a log-scaled quadratic-plateau model and the curves showed no differences between treatments (P = 0.756). However, diet composition differed between groups (P < 0.001), with naive + sm heifers ingesting a greater proportion of trees (P < 0.001) and shrubs (P = 0.02), while naive heifers ingested more forb/herbs (P = 0.02); no difference in grass consumption was observed (P = 0.92). Heifers in both treatments consumed the same plant species (50 from 26 families). Over time, utilization of several plant species increased or decreased (P < 0.05), eventually leveling off for the remainder of the study. Although differences in diet composition were observed, they did not affect overall weight gain (117 and 113 g/day in the naive and naive + sm groups, respectively; P = 0.913). However, initial post-weaning weight loss was avoided in the naive + sm group. Social learning facilitates a higher use of shrubs and trees in tropical pastures containing a high diversity of plant species with different growth habits. As many plant species have high potential as forage, more effort should be placed on developing mechanisms to increase their dietary inclusion by cattle.