Alternatives in Donkey semen cryopreservation: Mare vs. Jenny Colostrum

The aim of this study was to test and compare two new components in extenders for freezing donkey semen: mare colostrum and jenny colostrum. Colostrum was obtained from four mares and four jennies right after the foal's birth. Ejaculates were collected from five fertile donkeys. Sperm samples were pooled, diluted and cryopreserved in three different experimental extender groups: lactose supplemented with egg yolk extender (20%) as the control group, lactose supplemented with jenny colostrum extender (20%), and lactose supplemented with mare colostrum extender (20%). After thawing, we evaluated the sperm motility by means of computer‐assisted analysis, viability by SYBR‐14 and propidium iodide (PI), membrane functional by HOS test and acrosome integrity by isothiocyanate conjugated with peanut agglutinin (FITC‐PNA) and PI. The results demonstrated that lactose–jenny colostrum extender displayed significantly higher values (p < .05) in nearly all parameters evaluated – Total Motility, Viability, HOS test, VCL, VSL, VAP, LIN, STR and WOB –, compared with mare colostrum and egg yolk extenders after thawing. In conclusion, the extender containing jenny colostrum used for donkey semen cryopreservation improved the donkey sperm quality after the freezing–thawing process.     

河南省驴寄生圆线虫的种类记述——盅口属Cyathostomum

2006-2007年,对河南省34头驴体内寄生圆线虫的感染情况进行调查,共发现22种圆线虫,隶属于2亚科7属。详细观察和描述了盅口属Cyathostomum的3种线虫:四刺盅口线虫Cya-thostomum tetracanthum、碗形盅口线虫Cyathostomum catinatum和蝶状盅口线虫Cyathostomum pateraturm。其中蝶状盅口线虫在河南省属首次报道,为河南省新记录种。     

Mortality and Operational Attributes Relative to Feral Horse and Burro Capture Techniques Based on Publicly Available Data From 2010-2019

Management of excessive feral horse (Equus ferus caballus) and burro (Equus asinus) populations in the United States and globally has been a controversial subject for decades. I reviewed all available US federal feral horse and burro daily gather reports from 2010 to 2019 to extract equine species, technique (bait trapping or helicopter gathering), reason (emergency or other), number gathered, number of mortalities, and mortality attributes (acute or chronic/pre-existing condition, specific cause). I found 70 reports (bait trapping burros n = 10, bait trapping horses n = 24, helicopter gathering horses n = 21) from 9 states (AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WY) representing 28,821 horses and 2,005 burros. For bait trapping, 100 animals died (4 burros, 96 horses) with 16 acute causes (1 burro, 15 horses) and 84 chronic/pre-existing causes (3 burros, 81 horses). For helicopter gathering, 268 horses died with 62 acute causes and 206 chronic/pre-existing causes. Mortality ratios did not differ by capture technique (P > .05) for broken necks, emaciation, acute causes, or chronic/pre-existing causes. The most common mortality-causing problems were structural deformations, club foot, blindness, and emaciation. The more horses gathered per day resulted in a greater proportion of chronic/pre-existing mortalities for both trapping techniques, but only an increase of acute mortalities for helicopter gathering. The slope suggests 1 acute mortality for every 300 horses gathered. The capture mortality rate across all gathers [1.1% (368 mortalities out of 30,826 horses and burros captured)] is below a general threshold of 2% suggested for wildlife studies.     

青海省家驴染色体核型研究

采用外周血淋巴细胞培养方法和常规染色体制备分析技术，对青海省家驴染色体核型进行了研究分析。结果表明：家驴染色体数目为２ｎ＝６２，常染色体形态类型为１６ｓＴ＋１４ｓＭ＋１４Ｍ＋１６Ｔ，性染色体类型Ｘ为ｓＭ，Ｙ为Ｔ，公母驴染色体核型式为６２，ＸＹ和６２，ＸＸ；染色体总臂数为ＮＦ＝１０７（♂），１０８（♀）。     

Assessment of the welfare of working horses, mules and donkeys, using health and behaviour parameters

Working animals provide an essential transport resource in developing countries worldwide. Many of these animals are owned by poor people and work in harsh environments, so their welfare is a cause for concern. A protocol was developed to assess the welfare of working horses, mules and donkeys in urban and peri-urban areas, using direct observation of health and behaviour parameters. In this study, 4903 animals used for draught, pack and ridden work in Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Jordan and Pakistan were assessed between December 2002 and April 2003. The data showed that donkeys were more likely than mules or horses to demonstrate avoidance or aggressive behaviour towards an observer, while horses were most likely to make a friendly approach. Fewer than 8% of working equines had abnormal mucous membranes, ectoparasites or poor coat condition. Body lesions occurred predominantly in the areas of the breast/shoulder, withers and girth in all three species, with mules having the highest prevalence of lesions in these areas (22.5, 21.3 and 28.4%, respectively). Among horses and donkeys, the prevalence of these lesions was influenced by the type of work carried out. Lesions on the head, neck, ribs, flank and tail base were seen in less than 10% of animals. Across all three species approximately 70% of animals were thin, having a body condition score (BCS) of 2 or less on a scale of 1–5 (1, very thin; 5, very fat) and more horses were in very thin condition (BCS 1) than mules or donkeys. Over 75% of animals demonstrated limb deformities and abnormalities of gait. The results of this study are being used as the initial stage of a long-term strategy to inform priorities for welfare interventions in working equines and to establish a welfare benchmark. Subsequent stages will rank the welfare concerns identified, assess the contributing risk factors and implement specific interventions to address these risks. Following intervention, success in improving welfare will be measured by repetition of this protocol and comparison with the benchmark.