Interrelationships between herd management practices and udder health status using canonical correspondence analysis

The relationships between the herd-level distribution of udder health measures (traumatic, physical, functional and congestive udder disorders, clinical mastitis and somatic cell counts (SCC) greater than 400 × 10³, ml⁻¹) and farm (general hygiene, milking practices and housing system) and aggregated individual characteristics were studied by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). This is a correspondence-analysis technique in which the axes representing disease patterns are expressed as linear combinations of potentially explanatory variables. These main axes can be drawn so that the distribution of diseases for combinations of the main-explanatory managerial variables can be visualized. The type of quarantine for newcomers, type of animal housing, presence of shelter at pasture, use of udder towel before milking, milk production and loss of body condition after calving, were strongly correlated with udder health status. Mastitis and physical udder disorders were associated with the combination of no introduction of replacement heifers and low loss of body condition after calving. Congestive disorders were more common on farms when no quarantine for newcomers was combined with high loss of body condition after calving. Higher clinical and subclinical mastitis incidence risks were associated with the combination of no udder towel, loose housing with high animal density and high milk production. In most cases, clinical mastitis and high SCC were explained by the same covariates but with contrasting levels of those covariates.     

千年菊在西宁地区的容器育苗及栽培管理技术的初步研究

以千年菊为试验材料,利用沙子、有机肥、园土为原料,配制成人工育苗栽培的3种不同基质,进行反季节的花卉生产培育。通过利用不同基质培育千年菊苗,对千年菊的株高、茎粗细、开花的早晚、开花期长短进行研究,试验发现:千年菊在人工栽培条件下生长速度快,在西宁地区出苗率、移栽率、成活率较高且花期较长。千年菊生长在园土+有机肥+沙子(1∶1∶1)中较为理想。     

Policies for the vaccination of cats and dogs in New Zealand veterinary practices

AIMS: To determine current practices and attitudes towards vaccination of dogs and cats of veterinarians in New Zealand; the methods used for informing clients on which vaccines to use, and the preferred site for vaccination of cats.

METHODS: A postal questionnaire was sent to all 483 listed veterinary practices in New Zealand during February 2012. Some questions were specific to pet dogs, cats, or working farm dogs. Responses were categorised according to practice type and geographical region of the respondent. Factors associated with respondent recommendation of annual vaccination with modified live viral (MLV) vaccines were examined using logistic regression analysis. Vaccines that were considered to be essential for every animal were defined as core; those that may be recommended for animals whose location or lifestyle placed them at risk, were defined as non-core.

RESULTS: There were 204 useable returns, equivalent to a response rate of 42.2%, distributed across the country. Annual vaccination with MLV vaccines of dogs was recommended by 54/198 (27.3%) respondents, and of cats by 107/181 (59.1%) respondents. Factors associated with the recommendation of annual administration of MLV vaccines to dogs included being a companion animal practice, a desire for policies on vaccination to be left to individual clinics, and having one veterinarian in the practice. Administration of the final vaccination for puppies was recommended at ≥14 weeks old by 55/185 (29.7%) respondents, and for kittens at ≥13 weeks old by 42/183 (23%) respondents. Of respondents that administered MLV vaccines annually, 62/103 (60.2%) believed reducing the frequency of vaccination would reduce income, and 52/103 (50.5%) considered it would have a negative effect on animal health. Advice to enable clients to decide which non-core vaccines were administered was given by 181/199 (91%) respondents. Factors considered when recommending a vaccine included consideration of risk to individual patients (190/203; 93.6%), requirements of boarding kennels/catteries (165/203; 81.3%) and clinic vaccination policy (142/203; 70%). The preferred site for administering MLV vaccines to cats was the dorsal neck or inter-scapular region (137/198; 69.2%). Amongst respondents, 18 wanted disease surveillance information to allow for truly informed decisions to be made about vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Veterinarians can now compare their own vaccination practices and attitudes with those of veterinarians nationally, and internationally. There is a need for national surveillance information and for continued education of the public and commercial kennel and cattery owners for optimal vaccination strategies to be developed.     

Evaluation of efficacy of several disinfectants against Campylobacter jejuni strains by a suspension test

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of 16 active compounds and 11 commercial disinfectants against Campylobacter jejuni. Two reference strains (one of avian origin and the other isolated from bovine) and two avian field strains were tested in suspension test in the presence and absence of serum. Chloramine-T, povidone–iodine (1% available iodine), cetylpiridinium chloride, ethanol, isopropanol, chlorhexidine digluconate, formaldehyde, phenol, and 10 of the 11 commercial formulations (eight of them based on quaternary ammonium compounds) showed an excellent disinfectant capability, resulting in the highest level of reduction (>6-log₁₀) in colony-forming units of the four C. jejuni strains compared regardless of the presence or absence of organic material. These compounds might be helpful in the adoption of environmental control measures against C. jejuni.     

An extension approach for the national grazing strategy based on farmer characteristics in the eastern cape 1

Abstract

The development of a sound communication programme for the National Grazing strategy should be based on an understanding of the characteristics of the farmer population of the area concerned. The social, socio‐demographic, socio‐economie, socio‐psychological, communication and agricultural production characteristics of the population must be identified, and then be used to formulate a communication programme. Information obtained from 153 farmers in six farming communities was used to develop an extension approach for the National Grazing Strategy.     

野生植物扁蓄的坪用价值研究

对3种野生草本植物进行了坪用栽培,详细观察研究了3种植物的物候期表现、生长习性和绿化效果。试验表明:扁蓄极耐严寒,对干旱、水涝、高温等逆境适应性强,抗污染能力强,保持绿色时间长,发挥绿化功能快,不择土壤,种植管理方便,可作为园林草坪绿化的优良地被植物。     

The Influence of Stable Management and Feeding Practices on the Abnormal Behaviors Among Stabled Horses in Malaysia

The present study aimed to provide preliminary data on the prevalence of oral stereotypic, locomotory stereotypic, and redirected behaviors as well as their associations with stable management and feeding practices. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 207 working horses used for leisure riding, equestrian sport, polo, endurance, and patrolling were selected from seven equine facilities. Data on the stable management and feeding practices were obtained through the stable records, interviews, and on-site monitoring visits, whereas the prevalence of abnormal behaviors in the studied population was determined using the instantaneous scan sampling method. Most horses in the present study worked for more than 8 hours per week (n = 93). In addition, more horses were fed three times per day (n = 65) with different amounts of hay, concentrate, and chaff. Among the study population, oral stereotypic behaviors had the highest prevalence (n = 281; 54%), followed by redirected behavior (n = 181; 34%), and locomotory stereotypic behaviors had the lowest prevalence (n = 63; 12%). The oral stereotypic behavior was found to be significantly influenced (P < .05) by the working hours, amount of hay, and amount of concentrate. Both locomotory stereotypic and redirected behaviors were found to be influenced (P < .05) by the number of feedings per day and the amount of hay. In summary, the present study has proven that the stable management and feeding practices could influence the prevalence of different abnormal behaviors in the majority of working horses, with oral stereotypy being the most common abnormal behavior in this country.     

果桑品种“大10”的引种与栽培

果用及果叶兼用桑品种大10，三倍体，由浙江省从广东省引进。经在浙江省种植表明，成林桑园每667m^2可产鲜果约1000kg，果型大、味甜，无籽；同时还可产桑叶约1600kg，桑叶养蚕叶质较好。耐寒性较弱，易感桑椹菌核病。     

刈割和封育对松嫩草原碱化羊草草地土壤跳虫群落的影响

应用类群数、个体密度和多样性指数等多个群落参数,研究刈割活动和围栏封育对松嫩草原碱化羊草草地土壤跳虫群落特征的影响.本研究共捕获土壤跳虫1 086只,分别隶属于8科18属.研究结果表明,围栏封育能够提高草地土壤跳虫的类群数、个体密度和多样性,其中个体密度提高最为迅速和显著;但长期刈割活动造成恶化的土壤理化环境对跳虫类群数量增长和群落食物网的复杂性与稳定性的提高制约是长期的;凋落物的存在与否对草地土壤跳虫群落有较大的影响,其中凋落物的累积有助于退化草地土壤跳虫群落的恢复,而凋落物的流失可能会使草地土壤跳虫群落进一步退化.