Antibody prevalence of low-pathogenicity avian influenza and evaluation of management practices in Minnesota backyard poultry flocks

Low‐pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses have caused illness in poultry and humans with poultry contact. To determine whether there is evidence of exposure to avian influenza viruses (AIV) among backyard poultry in Minnesota and their human caretakers, 150 flocks of backyard birds were sampled for antibodies to AIV from August 2007 through December 2008. One hundred flocks were tested through routine slaughter surveillance by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health and an additional 50 flocks were contacted and sampled by study investigators. Blood was collected from 10 to 13 birds from each flock and a survey of biosecurity and management practices was administered to the flock owner. Blood samples were tested by agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) for influenza A antibodies. Tested flocks had a median flock size of 100 birds (range: 12–800 birds), and were most commonly owned for meat for personal use (81% of respondents), fun or hobby (58%) and eggs for personal use (56%). Although 7% of flock owners reported that their birds had shown respiratory signs in the previous 3 months, only 1 of 150 flocks tested positive for influenza by AGID. Antibodies to LPAI H6N1 were detected in the positive flock. The owner of the positive flock did not have antibodies to H6 or other common AIV. Based on the findings of this study, the risk of transmission of LPAI viruses from backyard poultry to owners in Minnesota appears to be low under current conditions and management practices.     

A retrospective analysis of the efficacy of Oncept vaccine for the adjunct treatment of canine oral malignant melanoma

Oral malignant melanoma (OMM) in the dog is often locally aggressive with a high metastatic potential and there are few treatment options that have been demonstrated to improve outcome of this disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adjunctive treatment with the Oncept melanoma vaccine affected the outcome of dogs with OMM that had achieved loco‐regional cancer control. Medical records from 45 dogs that presented to the Animal Cancer and Imaging Center were reviewed, including 30 dogs with stage II and III disease. Dogs that received the vaccine did not achieve a greater progression‐free survival, disease‐free interval or median survival time than dogs that did not receive the vaccine.     

The risk of death: the confidential enquiry into perioperative small animal fatalities

Objective To estimate the risks of anaesthetic and sedation‐related mortality in companion animals in the UK. (The Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Small Animal Fatalities, CEPSAF). Study design A prospective cohort study with nested case–control study. Animal population All small animals anaesthetized and sedated at participating centres between June 2002 and June 2004. Methods Patient outcomes at 48 hours (alive, dead and killed) were recorded. Anaesthetic and sedation‐related death was defined as death where surgical or pre‐existing medical causes did not solely cause death. Species‐specific risks of anaesthetic‐related death and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Risks were also estimated in the sub‐sets of dogs, cats and rabbits that were either healthy or sick (ASA 1–2 and 3–5, respectively). Results One hundred and seventeen veterinary practices participated in the study and 98 036 dogs, 79 178 cats and 8209 rabbits were anaesthetized and sedated. Overall risks of anaesthetic and sedation‐related death in dogs were 0.17% (1 in 601, 95% CI 0.14–0.19%), in cats 0.24% (1 in 419, 95% CI 0.20–0.27%) and in rabbits 1.39% (1 in 72, 95% CI 1.14–1.64%) within 48 hours of the procedure. In healthy dogs, cats and rabbits, the risks were estimated to be 0.05% (1 in 1849, 95% CI 0.04–0.07%), 0.11%, (1 in 895, 95% CI 0.09–0.14%) and 0.73% (1 in 137, 95% CI 0.54–0.93%), respectively. In sick dogs, cats and rabbits, the risks were 1.33%, (1 in 75, 95% CI 1.07–1.60%), 1.40% (1 in 71, 95% CI 1.12–1.68%) and 7.37% (1 in 14, 95% CI 5.20–9.54%), respectively. Postoperative deaths accounted for 47% of deaths in dogs, 61% in cats and 64% in rabbits. Most other small animal species had higher mortality risks. Conclusions and clinical relevance Small animal anaesthesia appears to be increasingly safe. Greater patient care in the postoperative period could reduce fatalities.     

Genetic parameters for abnormal sucking traits in Austrian Fleckvieh heifers

Cross‐sucking and intersucking are considered abnormal behaviours in cattle and constitute a common problem in dairy farming. Cross‐sucking in calves is defined as sucking any body parts of another calf whereas intersucking in heifers and cows is defined as sucking the udder or udder area. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic variability for abnormal sucking behaviour by estimating genetic parameters and examining individual differences between sires with large progeny groups. By means of a questionnaire, cattle breeders in the federal state Lower Austria were requested to identify all currently kept animals which are known of either inter‐ or cross‐sucking (both defined as the same binary trait ‘sucking’ with 0 and 1 referring to the absence and presence of this abnormal behaviour) or allowing sucking (also treated as a binary trait, scored as 1 if an animal was known of allowing herd mates to suck and 0 otherwise). Records of 1222 farms and 13 332 dual purpose Simmental females aged between 21 and 700 days were investigated applying a linear animal model with fixed herd × year × season and random genetic animal effect and a threshold sire model with the herd × year × season effect being treated as random. In total, 8.6% and 4.1% of all calves/heifers were observed sucking and allowing sucking, respectively. Heritabilities of 0.040 ± 0.014 and 0.007 ± 0.006 (linear animal model) and 0.116 ± 0.041 and 0.026 ± 0.024 (threshold model) were found for the traits sucking and allowing sucking, respectively. Breeding values were estimated applying the same models for the trait sucking. Taking all 254 sires into account, the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients between breeding values estimated by linear animal and sire threshold model were 0.86 and 0.80. Thus, little difference was observed between the two methods.     

发展黄南州草地畜牧业的战略对策

根据黄南州的自然条件和易灾特点,其草地畜牧业的发展,大体可分为两步走:第一步是从强化牧业基础建设入手,变被动抗灾为主动防灾,集中解决冬,春季节牲畜的“温饱”问题。同时,顺应自然条件,发展季节性畜牧业生产,走建设养畜和科学养畜的道路。第二步是在畜牧业生产基本稳定的基础上,加强畜牧业商品基地、服务体系建设,发展区域化、专业化、集约化生产和社会化服务,把资源优势转化为商品优势,向草地畜牧业现代化进军。     

常见动物乳与人乳的营养成分比较分析

乳中富含多种人体所必需的营养成分,对机体的生长发育及免疫功能具有重要作用。除牛乳外,水牛乳、马乳、骆驼乳、山羊乳、驴乳、牦牛乳等特色乳也逐渐进入人们的视野。同时人乳是婴儿最天然的理想食品,是婴儿早期主要的营养物质来源,含有丰富的营养物质及生物活性成分。为了更好的比较7种常见动物乳及人乳的差异性和优势性,本文总结了其在乳糖、乳脂、乳蛋白、矿物质、维生素等营养物质成分方面的差异,发现牦牛乳的蛋白质含量最高,氨基酸种类丰富;马乳的乳糖含量最高;而骆驼乳的乳脂肪含量则较高,水溶性维生素含量也最高;驴乳相比于其他几种常见乳,则具有低脂高糖等特点。     

Lactation-related mammary gland pathologies—A neglected emergency in the bitch

Mastitis is a common reproductive disorder in bitches, reaching a prevalence of 0.71%. Mastitis has a wide range of forms, from asymptomatic to severe gangrenous mastitis that can lead to septic shock and death of the bitch and nurslings. However, most of the time it is overlooked, undiagnosed or mistreated. The present systematic review was performed to revise and summarize the existing knowledge related to this disorder, including diagnosis, treatment and prevention.     

青蒿素及其衍生物在动物生产中的应用研究

青蒿素是一种倍半萜内酯类化合物,其特殊的过氧基团结构使其具有抗疟疾、抗菌、抗炎、抗氧化、抗寄生虫、免疫调节、缓解热应激、促进生长等作用.青蒿素及其衍生物应用于动物生产中可以替代抗生素,具有广阔的应用前景.文章对青蒿素及其衍生物的生理功能、主要提取方式及在动物生产中的应用进行论述.     

对发展我国生态畜牧业的探讨

通过分析当前我国畜牧业存在的问题,指出发展生态畜牧业是我国畜牧业发展的必然选择,并对我国应该如何发展生态畜牧业提出了建议。     

大庆市畜禽粪便处理与利用状况的分析研究

根据大庆市畜牧业现状,分析了畜牧生产所产生的粪、尿数量及畜禽粪便对大庆市环境产生的压力,并对各区县进行了区划分析。分析了大庆市畜禽粪便处理的主要模式,以及利用程度,提出减少畜禽粪便污染的控制措施。