Analysis of Growth and Productivity of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea) in Relation to FYM, Nitrogen and Source of Fertilizer

A field experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 1992–93 and 1993–94 at Anand to study the effect of FYM, nitrogen and source of fertilizer on growth and yield of mustard [ Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj & Cosson]. The results showed significant variation in leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), dry matter production and seed yield. The direct effect of farmyard manure (FYM) was conspicuous in improving the growth of mustard. FYM application at 10 tonnes ha⁻¹ significantly increased the LAI, CGR and dry matter accumulation per plant at almost all the stages during first year study (1992–93) and in pooled analysis. Similarly, nitrogen application registered maximum LAI, CGR at 75 kg level and RGR and NAR at 50 kg level at almost all the during both years. Sulphur carrying source (Ammonium sulphate plus single super phosphate) increased all stages growth characters. Maximum dry matter accumulation per plant and seed yield were recorded with highest levels of FYM (20 tonnes ha⁻¹), N (75 kg ha⁻¹) and source having S. Seed yield was strongly associated with LAI and dry matter accumulation per plant at all the stages.     

吉林黄牛引入牦牛血液杂交改良效果

采用含有1／2野牦牛血液的冻精为吉林当地10头黄牛输配。结果，受配牛妊娠率为100％，产犊成活率为100％，杂种后代牛在采食性能、抗寒暑能力及生长速度方面都优于本地黄牛。初步表明利用含1／2野牦牛血液的冻精改良本地黄牛有较强的种间杂种优势，可为生产利用。     

Effect of Integration of Fertilizer and Green Manure Nitrogen on Yield Attributes, Nitrogen Uptake and Yield of Lowland Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai, India, during the wet seasons of 1992 and 1993 to study the effect of full and partial substitution of fertiliser N with green manure N (Sesbania rostrata) on nitrogen uptake, yield attributes and yield of rice. The experiment consisted of eight treatments with two levels of N (100 and 200 kg ha⁻¹) and three sources of N application viz., fertilizer, integrated (1:1 fertilizer and green manure N) and green manure N compared to the recommended practice (150 kg fertilizer plus 6.25 t ha⁻¹ (72 kg N) green manure) and a no N control. Nitrogen application markedly increased the N uptake. Combined use of the two N sources at 200 and 222 kg N ha⁻¹ and of single fertilizer N at 200 kg N ha⁻¹ recorded the maximum N uptake, increased the yield attributes such as number of panicles per unit area, weight per panicle, number of total and filled grains per panicle and test weight. At 200 kg N ha⁻¹ full substitution of N by green manure reduced the grain yield but only partial substitution of N by green manure resulted in almost similar yield as single fertilizer N. Thus 200 kg N ha⁻¹ applied in equal proportions of fertilizer and green manure N can be recommended for medium duration rice cultivars.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF DIFFUSE HEPATOCELLULAR DISORDERS IN DAIRY CATTLE

Ultrasonography of the liver was performed in 200 Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle using a 3.5 MHz transducer with a linear array electronic scanner. Liver samples were taken, processed and examined microscopically and the fat occupying rate was calculated. The hepatic ultrasonograms were evaluated according to the presence of bright pattern, dark pattern, deep attenuation, vascular blurring and blurring of edges. Of the 200 animals, 96 had a normal liver, 63 had hydropic degeneration of the liver, 37 had fatty infiltration of the liver, 3 had liver dystrophy and I had hepatic amyloidosis, diagnosed through histopathological examination. Amyloidosis was characterized by bright pattern and blurring of edges. Liver dystrophy had higher percentages of bright pattern and blurring of edges than normal liver. Hydropic degeneration had higher percentages of dark pattern and blurring of edges than normal liver. Fatty infiltration had higher percentages of bright pattern, deep attenuation, vascular blurring and blurring of edges than normal liver. The present results suggest that different ultrasonographic patterns can be observed in various diffuse hepatocellular disorders in dairy cattle     

The effect of eradication of lice on the occurrence of the grain defect light flecks and spots on cattle hides.

The influence of an eradication programme for lice on the prevalence of light flecks and spots on cattle hides was studied in 33 dairy cattle herds during a period of two and a half years. Lice were eradicated from the main group of herds after 9 to 12 months and the quality of the hides before and after treatment was compared. Hides from slaughtered animals were collected during the study period, tanned and examined with special emphasis on the occurrence of the grain damage light flecks and spots. The prevalence of hides without light flecks and spots increased from 24.2% before treatment to 61.6% after treatment. The prevalence of hides free from the damage increased significantly in all examined anatomical regions. The improvement in hide quality was most marked in the shoulders and neck region which corresponded to the major predilection site of cattle lice. The prevalence of hides with light flecks and spots started to decrease in the first period (2-40 days) after eradication. The changes after treatment suggested that most healing process took place over a period of about 4 months. The eradication programme eliminated the seasonal variation in the prevalence of light flecks and spots which was present before treatment.     

利木赞牛改良互助本地黄牛的效果

为了研究利木赞牛对互助黄牛的改良效果,本试验测定了初生、6月龄和1岁利本F1代的体尺、体重,并与本地黄牛进行了比较。结果表明,利本F1代牛的各项被检指标均比本地黄牛有明显的提高(P<0.01)。     

妊娠黄牛的血液动力流变学观察

首次应用XXG－A型心血管功能测试仪以无创伤检测技术对16例妊娠黄牛22项血液动力流变学指标做了检测，并首次对怀孕黄牛的血液动力流变学特征做了报道。     

Inflammation-related changes in cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in bovine mastitis

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) cocentrations in milk and plasma samples from healthy and mastitic cows were determined by radioi-immunoassay and compared with prostaglandins (PGE2, PGF2 and thromboxane B2 [TXB2]), phospholipids and other relevant parameters in milk and blood. The concentrations of cAMP were about five times higher in plasma (p<0.01) than in milk, whereas the cGMP concentration in milk was three times higher (p<0.01) than that in plasma in both healthy and diseased animals. In mastitic milk, the cAMP and cGMP concentrations were 19% and 65% and in blood plasma 13% and 84% higher respectively than in healthy animals. In milk, cyclic nucleotide concentrations correlated with the markedly elevated cell count and also with the prostaglandin concentration and pH. In blood, cAMP correlated positively with phospholipids and cGMP with reduced glutathione (GSH). These changes are considered to be important in the disease process and, in particular, the increase in cGMP deserves further study.     

In vitro expression and inhibition of procoagulant activity produced by bovine alveolar macrophages and peripheral blood cells

Local and systemic activation of coagulation is frequently associated with bacterial sepsis. The coagulopathy is due, at least in part, to expression of tissue factor (TF) by monocytes and macrophages. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of procoagulant activity by bovine alveolar macrophages, leukocytes and platelets, and to determine the relative potency of three chemical inhibitors of TF expression (pentoxifylline, retinoic acid, and cyclosporin A). Bovine alveolar macrophages were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from Pasteurella haemolytica or recombinant bovine tumour nervous factor (TNF) and dose- and time-dependent effects on TF expression were studied. LPS and TNF induced TF expression in alveolar macrophages and LPS treatment of whole blood induced TF expression in mononuclear cells. Neutrophils and platelets also expressed procoagulant activity, but this activity was not inhibited by anti-bovine TF monoclonal antibody. Pentoxifylline (40 mol/L), retinoic acid (0.01 mmol/L) and cyclosporin A (0.08 mol/L) inhibited TF expression when added concurrently with LPS or TNF, but not when added 4 h after stimulation. TF mRNA was not detected in unstimulated alveolar macrophages by Northern blot analysis. In contrast, exposure to LPS or TNF for 6 h induced marked expression of TF mRNA, which was inhibited by treatment with pentoxifylline, retinoic acid and cyclosporin A. Expression of TNF by alveolar macrophages stimulated with LPS was also inhibited by these compounds. Our results indicate that procoagulant activity expressed by alveolar macrophages and monocytes is associated with expression of TF, whereas procoagulant activity expressed by neutrophils and platelets is not. The concentrations of pentoxifylline and retinoic acid necessary for inhibition of TF expression in vitro may not be achievable in vivo owing to their toxic effects. However, the in vitro concentration of cyclosporin A that inhibited TF expression did not exceed the plasma concentration observed in humans, and therefore may be useful for inhibition of TF expression in vivo.Abbreviations BAL bronchoalveolar lavage - LPS lipopolysaccharide - cDNA cloned deoxyribonucleic acid - cAMP cyclic adenosine monophosphate - GAPDH glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase - mRNA messenger ribonucleic acid - TF tissue factor - TNF tumour necrosis factor - DPBS Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline     

A seroepidemiological study on bluetongue virus in dairy cattle in the central valley of California

A seroepidemiological study on bluetongue virus (BTV) infection in California dairy cattle was conducted to estimate the prevalence and distribution by age and season of BTV group-reactive antibodies and to look for possible associations between the presence of antibodies and cattle age or breed and farm. Between December 1985 and March 1987, a sample of cattle was tested at approximately two-month intervals for BTV group-reactive antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data taken during the month of December 1986 were used to evaluate possible associations between a positive antibody test and certain intrinsic (age, breed) and extrinsic (farm) factors.Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses using the -square test for associations and multiple logistic regression, respectively, were carried out for possible associations between positive antibody tests to BTV and each factor of interest. The strengths of the associations were determined using estimates of the odds ratio.Of the 3774 serum samples tested, 238 (6.3%) were from calves, 1045 (27.6%) were from heifers and 2492 (66.0%) were from cows. Seroprevalence varied from nil in calves on two occasions to over 90% on several occasions in cows. Cows consistently had higher prevalence rates than heifers or calves across all test dates (p<0.05). The seroprevalence of BTV group-reactive antibodies also showed a seasonal fluctuation, with the highest rates occurring during the warmer months of the year. These highest prevalence rates coincided with heavy activity of the known vector of BTV, Culicoides spp. Breed and farm effects were not statistically significant (p>0.05). With the exception of one farm, all cattle were of the Holstein breed, which reduced confidence in assessing any breed effect in this study. Relative estimates of the sensitivity and specificity of BTV ELISA were 87% and 100% respectively, compared to the standard agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test.The observations support previous findings of seasonal distribution of BTV antibodies and suggest an age relationship, whereby older cattle are more likely to be positive to BTV group-reactive antibodies than younger cattle.