Hiatal hernia with focal megaoesophagus in a Friesian stallion

Hiatal hernia with focal megaoesophagus was diagnosed in a 10-year-old Friesian stallion presenting to the referral hospital for further investigation of recurrent oesophageal obstruction. Oesophageal endoscopy revealed dilation of the distal oesophagus with alterations in the mucosa characteristic of gastric mucosa in the distal oesophagus. In addition, a moderate amount of feed material was identified in the distal oesophagus. Positive contrast radiography showed that approximately half of the stomach was herniated cranially through the diaphragm. Management of the disease included recommendations to elevate the patient’s torso during feeding and provide mash-only feeds. Provided that successful control of the megaoesophagus could be achieved, surgical repair of the hiatal hernia may be an option for the future. This is the first report of hiatal herniation in horses. We report the successful conservative management of a stallion with both megaoesophagus and hiatal herniation through elevated feedings and selective exercise management.     

Effect of strain of Holstein–Friesian and feed system on calving performance, blood parameters and overall survival

The objective of the present study was to quantify the effect of strain of Holstein–Friesian and pasture-based feeding system on calving performance, blood parameters and overall survival within a seasonal calving milk production system. The three strains of Holstein–Friesian compared were high production North American (HP), selected entirely for milk production, high durability North American (HD), selected based on milk production, fertility and muscularity traits, and New Zealand (NZ) selected from a seasonal calving pasture-based system. The three feed systems compared were a high grass allowance feed system typical of spring calving herds in Ireland (MP; control); an increased stocking rate system (HS) and an increased concentrate supplementation system (HC). Data comprised up to 585 lactations on 240 cows. Data were analysed using linear mixed models, generalised estimating equations and survival analysis. Strain of Holstein–Friesian had no significant effect on calving difficulty or rate of stillbirths while the effect of feed system on calving difficulty and rate of stillbirths approached significance. Strain of Holstein–Friesian had no significant effect on plasma metabolite or hormone concentrations around parturition, with the exception of urea concentration. At the beginning of the breeding season the NZ strain had lower plasma concentrations of NEFA (0.20 mmol/l) and higher IGF-I (86.8 ng/ml) than the HD (0.24 mmol/l and 66.9 ng/ml, respectively) and HP (0.26 mmol/l and 64.0 ng/ml, respectively) strains. The higher IGF-I concentration of the NZ strain was maintained during the breeding season. The NZ and HD strains survived longer than the HP strain with median survival days post-first calving of 1372, 1367 and 1033 respectively, while feed system had no significant effect on overall survival rate over the study period.     

Relationship of prepartum plasma concentrations of estrone sulfate and estradiol-17β with the weight of the calf and placental parameters in Holstein–Friesian cows

The aim was to evaluate the relationship of prepartum plasma estrone sulfate (E₁S) and estradiol‐17β (E₂β) concentrations with the weight of the calf and the placental parameters. Holstein–Friesian cows (n = 33) inseminated artificially with Japanese Black beef bull semen at Hiroshima University Farm in Japan were used for the experiment. Blood samples were taken every day from day 270 of gestation until the day after calving. The plasma samples were analyzed for E₁S and E₂β by enzyme immunoassay. The calf birth weight was taken immediately after calving. Complete fetal membranes were collected from 19 cattle and the weights of the placental components and the number of cotyledons were recorded. All 33 cattle delivered singleton normal calves. The prepartum plasma E₁S concentration was found to correlate significantly (P < 0.01) with the calf birth weight (r = 0.83), total fetal membrane weight (r = 0.81), cotyledonary weight (r = 0.79) and inter‐cotyledonary membrane weight (r = 0.64), but it did not correlate significantly with the number of cotyledons, whereas prepartum plasma E₂β was not found to correlate significantly with the weight of either the calf or any of the placental components except the number of cotyledons. In conclusion, prepartum plasma E₁S, not plasma E₂β, was found to correlate significantly with the weight of the calf and the placental components.     

牛朊蛋白(bPrPc)基因的克隆和序列分析

分别从9头牛(3头牦牛、3头荷斯坦牛和3头秦川黄牛)全血中提取基因组总DNA，用所设计引物以聚合酶链式反应扩增出细胞型朊蛋白(PrP^c)基因，并克隆到pMD18-T载体。序列分析表明所克隆的牛PrP。的片段大小为795bp，包含了牛朊蛋白基因的完整编码区序列，为含单一外显子的完整开放阅读框，与国内外报道的已知序列基本相同。本次所报道的牛PrP(bPrP^c)基因含6个短而富含G-C的元件，可编码八肽Pro-His-Gly-Gly-Gly-Trp-Gly-Gln／Arg或九肽Pro-Gin／His-Gly-Gly-Gly-Gly-Trp／Arg-Gly-Gin。这些bPrPC基因序列相比较，其核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别在99．0％～100．0％和99．2％～100．0％之间。在整个18个碱基替换中，多数替换是保守的，为同义突变，仅有5个替换引起氨基酸突变，分别为HN200302的W60R、HN200303的S154N、MN200301的A129V、NN200302的Q234R和NN200303的Q94R突变。发现牦牛朊粒基因在126(A-G)、234(G-A)和678(T-C)位的特征性核苷酸替换，但均为同义码替换。     

Polymorphisms in genes of the somatotrophic axis are independently associated with milk production, udder health, survival and animal size in Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle

The somatotrophic axis consisting of pituitary-derived growth hormone and circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 has been well established as key regulators of animal health, metabolism, lactation, fertility, body composition and growth rate. The aim of this study was to simultaneously quantify the associations between SNPs in candidate genes of the somatotrophic axis (i.e., IGF-1, GH1 and GHR) with performance traits in Holstein-Friesian (HF) dairy cattle. Both novel SNPs identified previously by this group alongside other published SNPs within these genes were analysed for associations with performance in dairy cattle. Multiple regression analyses regressing genetic merit of up to 848 HF sires on novel SNPs (n = 76) and published SNPs (n = 33) were undertaken using weighted animal mixed linear models. Twenty-three SNPs were significantly associated with at least one of 18 traits analysed and involved in milk production, udder health, fertility and growth. Eight traits including milk fat composition, carcass conformation, stature, chest width, body depth, rump width, carcass and cull cow weight were independently associated with SNPs in two genes. Furthermore, for several traits including milk fat yield, somatic cell count, survival and carcass fat, SNPs in all three genes were independently associated with performance. Milk fat yield and carcass fat showed the highest number of independent associations across all three genes with five SNPs associated with both traits. The cumulative effects of the favourable alleles of all five SNPs across GH1, GHR and IGF-1 result in an increase of 5.9 kg and 28.6 units of milk fat and carcass fat, respectively. Cow survival was associated with a single SNP in each of the three genes with a cumulative allele effect of 1.5%. Independent effects of polymorphisms in GH1, GHR and IGF-1 reinforce the central role of the somatotrophic axis on animal development and performance.     

The Friesian horse breed: A clinical challenge to the equine veterinarian?

The Friesian horse breed is a beautiful breed for showing, riding and driving. However, some clinical problems seem to have a higher incidence in the Friesian breed compared to other breeds and this raises suspicions that these clinical entities may have a genetic basis.     

Distichiasis causing recurrent corneal ulceration in two Friesian horses

Two cases of distichiasis with subsequent recurrent superficial corneal ulceration are described in Friesian horses. Case 1 was a 9‐year‐old Friesian stallion with distichiae on the superior and inferior eyelids of both eyes corresponding to areas of recurrent superficial corneal ulceration. Case 2 was a 5‐year‐old Friesian gelding with a single distichia on the inferior lid associated with recurrent superficial corneal ulceration in the right eye. Case 1 underwent cryotherapy and epilation twice under standing sedation without resolution of distichiasis. A partial tarsal plate excision was then performed on the inferior left lid, which was the most severely affected. Cryotherapy was repeated one and 4 months post operatively due to recurrence. Cryotherapy was associated with skin depigmentation and repigmentation several months following the procedure. No recurrence has been reported up to 3 years following the fourth cryotherapy procedure. Case 2 was treated with epilation. Distichiasis should be included as a differential diagnosis when presented with a horse experiencing recurrent superficial corneal ulcerations. There has been no established breed association for Friesian horses and distichiasis but, due to the inherited nature of this condition in some human patients and dogs, this possibility should be investigated.     

Dystocia in Friesian mares: Prevalence,causes and outcome following caesarean section

Friesian horses appear to suffer a relatively high incidence of dystocia but there are, to the authors' knowledge, no published reports on the incidence or types of dystocia in Friesian horses. A retrospective survey of clinical details and post treatment recovery was performed for 66 mares referred to Wolvega Equine Hospital for dystocia during 2001–2006. Friesian mares appear to be particularly prone to dystocia due to fetal ankylosis or transverse presentation. However, despite dystocia of relatively long duration prior to caesarean section, post operative survival and fertility of mares and, more surprisingly, survival of foals were similar to those reported in surveys for other breeds.     

Heterosis effects in a black and white dairy cattle population under different production environments

The effect of the environmental level of production (ENV) on the expression of heterosis for 305-day milk, fat, protein, and fat plus protein (FP) yields, lactation average somatic cell score (LSCS), and age at first calving (AFC) was investigated in first lactation Black and White dairy cows in the Netherlands, and officially enrolled in the Dutch herd-book. Holstein Friesian (HF), Dutch Friesian (DF), and first generation (F₁) crosses obtained from the mating of HF sires and DF dams (HD) were involved in the study, and data from animals with a calving date between 1990 and 2000 were used. A total of 22,930 cows with production and AFC information distributed in 3549 herds and 11,055 cows with LSCS information distributed in 2071 herds, were available. Adjusted lactation yield of milk for each herd was obtained using a model that accounted for fixed effects of herd, year and month of calving, genotype, and AFC. The overall mean of all adjusted data was computed, and 3 ENV were defined on the basis of the overall mean ± 0.5 standard deviations. Once ENV was defined, traits were analysed with a model that included fixed effects of ENV, herd nested within ENV, AFC (only production traits and LSCS), year and month of calving, genotype, and the interaction between ENV and genotype. Least squares means for the interaction effect were used to estimate heterosis and to evaluate its magnitude across ENV. Holstein Friesian achieved higher productions than DF. First generation crosses showed productions close to HF, especially in the low ENV. Estimates of heterosis for yield traits ranged from 2.4% (milk) in the high to 5.3% (fat) in the low ENV, and reduced with increasing ENV. Estimates for LSCS and AFC were low, with the exception of LSCS in the high ENV. Results suggest that the highest non-additive genetic effects for yield traits and LSCS were expressed in the most stressful ENV, i.e., the low one for production and the high one for LSCS.