生长前期北京鸭生物素需要量及脚裂症的初步探究

本文旨在研究不同生物素水平对生长前期北京鸭生长性能的影响,并对生物素缺乏症———脚裂症进行初步探究。试验选用体重相近的1日龄雄性北京鸭480只,随机分成10组,每组6个重复,每个重复8只鸭。各组分别添加0、0.03、0.06、0.09、0.12、0.15、0.18、0.21、1.50 mg/kg生物素及3 g/kg蛋清粉。试验期4周。结果表明,不同生物素水平对1～21日龄北京鸭平均日采食量和平均日增重有显著影响(P<0.05),但对料重比没有显著影响(P>0.05)。统计发现,各组表现出不同程度的脚裂症,其中3 g/kg蛋清粉组最为严重;生物素添加水平高于0.15 mg/kg时,脚裂症得到有效缓解。不同生物素水平对28日龄北京鸭肝脏磷脂含量和血清谷丙转氨酶(ALT)和天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)活性有显著影响(P<0.05)。通过数据分析得出,以平均日增重为衡量指标,采用直线折线和二次曲线模型估测生物素适宜需要量分别为0.180和0.202 mg/kg,并初步判断脚裂症与脱水存在一定的关系。     

Experimental Pathological Study of Acute African Swine Fever

To study the clinicopathology and histopathology of African swine fever (ASF), and to explore the internal relationship between pathological changes and disease occurrence and development and its pathological mechanism, 13 Landrace pigs with bodyweight about 20 kg were intramuscular injected with African swine fever virus (ASFV), strain Pig/HLJ/18 at a dose of 10²HAD₅₀·mL^-1. During the experiment, all the dead pigs were systematically dissected and sampled, paraffin sections were produced, and haematoxylin-eosin staining was performed. Clinicopathological evaluation standards for acute ASF were established, then pathological lesions (classification variables) were expressed by counting frequency and percentage, and the lesion degree (continuous variables) was graded and scored according to different pathological changes of various tissues and organs. The results showed that all infected pigs were in line with the clinical characteristics of ASF, including acute, febrile and highly infectious, with a 100% incidence rate and 100% mortality. The dead pigs showed typical characteristics of septicemia, cadavers prone to corruption, blood clotting adverse or hemolysis, rigor mortis incomplete. The main pathological lesions were hemorrhagic necrotizing lymphadenitis, acute inflammatory splenomegaly (septic spleen), cerebral edema, pulmonary edema and lung consolidation et al. The spleen and lymphonodus are the target organs attacked by ASFV, with the most significant lesions, the earliest occurrence time, the longest duration and the highest frequency. The most prominent pathological changes are blood circulation disorders, including multiple pathological manifestations such as edema, hyperemia, congestion, hemorrhage, infarction, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), and the most important characteristics are hemorrhagic lesions. The inflammatory reaction of lymphocytic exudation caused by ASFV runs through the whole process, especially in the middle and later stages of the course. The results suggest that the main pathological process of acute African swine fever is a typical immune/inflammatory cascade reaction and severe systemic blood circulation disorder, which resulted in the high incidence rate and high mortality rate of acute ASF.     

An oculo-cerebellar syndrome caused by congenital bovine viral diarrhoea virus-infection

An epizootic characterized by birth of calves severly ataxic and blind were encountered in 3 herds 7–8 months after outbreaks of bovine virus diarrhoea. Serological and virological investigations indicated introduction of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) into previously virus-free herds, followed by transplacental virus infection of the fetuses of cows in the first trimester. Clinical, pathological, serological, and microbiological examinations were performed on 10 calves. Pathological findings included microcephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia, ocular malformations, and thymic hypoplasia. BVDV was isolated from tissue and blood of 7 calves, and 4 calves, 1 of which had not received colostrum, had virus-specific neutralizing antibodies.This is the first report on natural occurrence of congenital bovine infection with BVDV among Danish cattle herds resulting in abortion and birth of calves with severe debilitating congenital anomalies. It draws attention to the importance of this virus for bovines of all age groups.     

Effect of multi-enzymes in combination with a direct-fed microbial on performance and welfare parameters in broilers under commercial production settings

The objective of this study was to determine the response of broilers to the combination of multi-enzymes and direct-fed microbial (DFM) under commercial production settings. A total of 7,000 1-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were distributed over 10 pens (700 broilers/pen). Two dietary treatments were tested using complete randomized design, including a control diet and a test diet with addition of multi-enzymes (xylanase, amylase, and protease (XAP)] and DFM (a combination of spores from 3 strains ofBacillus amyloliquefaciens). Pelleted diets were offered ad libitum in 3 phases and water was freely available. During starter and grower phases (0 to 21 d), the enzyme and DFM combination resulted in improved FE (P < 0.05). During the finisher phase, higher feed intake and BW gain (P < 0.05) were observed for the test group. Overall, there were significantly higher feed intake, BW gain, and lower water-to-feed ratio in test group compared to the control group. This was related to improved (P < 0.05) modified production efficiency factor which was calculated based on final BW, survival rate, feeding period, and mortality-weight-corrected FCR. The test group had improved litter quality and a reduced foot-pad lesion score compared to the control. In addition, there was a tendency (P < 0.1) of reducingClostridium perfringens population in cecal digesta and higher lactic acid content in the ileal digesta, when expressed on an as-is basis, in the test group. In this study, we demonstrated that using a multi-enzymes and DFM combination in the diet for broilers can result in improved FE in starter/grower phases and animal welfare parameters, and lead to improved production efficiency under commercial settings.     

凝结芽孢杆菌对感染产气荚膜梭菌肉鸡生长性能、肠道病变及免疫器官指数的影响

本试验旨在研究日粮中添加凝结芽孢杆菌对感染产气荚膜梭菌肉鸡生长性能、肠道病变及免疫器官指数的影响。选用312只1日龄科宝500肉鸡公雏,随机分成4个处理,每个处理6个重复,每个重复13只鸡。采用2×2双因子完全随机设计,产气荚膜梭菌分为无感染产气荚膜梭菌组和感染产气荚膜梭菌组,日粮中凝结芽孢杆菌水平分别为0和400mg/kg。试验期35d。结果表明,感染产气荚膜梭菌后15~35日龄肉鸡平均日增重显著降低(P0.05),28日龄肠道病变严重(P0.01),35日龄法氏囊指数极显著降低(P0.01);日粮中添加凝结芽孢杆菌可显著提高15~35日龄肉鸡平均日增重(P0.05),显著降低料重比(P0.05),能缓解感染导致的肠道损伤(P0.05),28日龄肉鸡胸腺指数极显著提高(P0.01),35日龄法氏囊指数极显著提高(P0.01)。肠道病变结果分析表明,日粮中添加凝结芽孢杆菌与感染产气荚膜梭菌有显著交互作用(P0.05)。综上所述,日粮中添加凝结芽孢杆菌能够提高感染产气荚膜梭菌肉鸡生长性能及免疫器官指数,增强动物免疫能力,并能缓解由于产气荚膜梭菌感染而导致的不利影响。     

Introduction and comparison of two methods of assessment of coronary lesions in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L

This study investigated and compared quantitative and semi-quantitative coronary lesion evaluation in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. A total of 121 immature farmed and 47 sexually mature wild Atlantic salmon were included. Coronary arteries from all fish were morphometrically evaluated using a semi-quantitative method. A subsample of 76 salmon was additionally evaluated using a quantitative method. Another subsample of 71 salmon was used for reliability testing of the semi-quantitative method. Ten cross-sections of coronary arteries located on the ventral surface of the bulbus arteriosus were semi-quantitatively scored with regard to myointimal coronary lesions. Quantitative measurements comprised maximal intimal thickness and area lesion (%) while semi-quantitative measurements comprised maximal intimal thickness and lesion degree (%). Scores for individual fish were expressed as the average of lesion score, denoted as mean range lesion. One person performed all evaluations blindly. Two pathologists tested repeatability of the semi-quantitative lesion score measurements blindly. Both semi-quantitative and quantitative variables increased significantly with increasing lesion score. Semi-quantitative estimation gave significantly higher maximal intimal thickness values than quantitative measurement. Semi-quantitative measurements were found to explain 63.2% of variation in quantitatively measured maximal intimal thickness. Due to lack of agreement, the two methods are not directly comparable and one method cannot replace the other. Repeatability within and between observers with regard to semi-quantitative classification was very good with Kappa values larger than 61.5%. The semi-quantitative method was a valid and reliable method for coronary lesion evaluation in Atlantic salmon.     

The apparent prevalence of skin lesions suspected to be human-inflicted in Danish finishing pigs at slaughter

Skin lesions on pigs inflicted by humans compromise animal welfare and are the subject of increased public and political attention in Denmark. Systematic surveillance of such skin lesions was enforced in April 2010 at all Danish pig abattoirs, through the recording of meat inspection Code 904 for the presence of skin lesions suspected to be human inflicted. The objectives of the present study were to (a) estimate the apparent prevalence of Code 904s at the pig and herd owner level; (b) characterise the distribution of deliveries with pigs demonstrating a Code 904; (c) characterise the distribution of herd owners with repeated Code 904 recordings; and (d) determine the developments in Code 904 prevalence over time in Danish finishing pigs in the period from May 1, 2010 to September 30, 2013.     

Use of Contrast‐Enhanced Fluid‐Attenuated Inversion Recovery Sequence to Detect Brain Lesions in Dogs and Cats

Background

The diagnostic value of a contrast‐enhanced T2‐weighted FLAIR sequence (ceFLAIR) in brain imaging is unclear.

Hypothesis/Objectives

That the number of brain lesions detected with ceFLAIR would be no greater than the sum of lesions detected with nFLAIR and ceT1W sequence.

Animals

One hundred and twenty‐nine animals (108 dogs and 21 cats) undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head between July 2010 and October 2011 were included in the study.

Methods

A transverse ceFLAIR was added to a standard brain MRI protocol. Presence and number of lesions were determined based on all available MRI sequences by 3 examiners in consensus and lesion visibility was evaluated for nFLAIR, ceFLAIR, and ceT1W sequences.

Results

Eighty‐three lesions (58 intra‐axial and 25 extra‐axial) were identified in 51 patients. Five lesions were detected with nFLAIR alone, 2 with ceT1W alone, and 1 with ceFLAIR alone. Significantly higher numbers of lesions were detected using ceFLAIR than nFLAIR (76 versus 67 lesions; P = 0.04), in particular for lesions also detected with ceT1W images (53 versus 40; P =.01). There was no significant difference between the number of lesions detected with combined nFLAIR and ceT1W sequences compared to those detected with ceFLAIR (82 versus 76; P =.25).

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Use of ceFLAIR as a complementary sequence to nFLAIR and ceT1W sequences did not improve the detection of brain lesions and cannot be recommended as part of a routine brain MRI protocol in dogs and cats with suspected brain lesions.