Prevalence of Mycoplasma agassizii and Chelonian herpesvirus in captive tortoises (Testudo sp.) in the United Kingdom.

During the months of April to August in 1999 and 2002, oral swabs were collected from 146 tortoises (Testudo sp.) in private collections in the United Kingdom and tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of Mycoplasma agassizii and Chelonian herpesvirus (ChHV). The presence of M. agassizii was confirmed by restriction digestion of the PCR product. A 307-bp fragment of the ChHV UL5 homologue gene was sequenced and found to show most similarity to equine herpesvirus type 1. A prevalence of 15.8 and 8.2% was found for M. agassizii and ChHV, respectively. Comparison of the carriage of both M. agassizii and ChHV in different species of tortoises correlated the presence of M. agassizii with Testudo horsfieldii and ChHV with Testudo marginata and Testudo graeca iberia. An association of ChHV with stomatitis was also found. Mixed infections with both agents were detected. The findings further demonstrate this pathogen-tortoise association and the cross transmission of these infections if different tortoise species are housed together.     

Applying Local Measures of Spatial Heterogeneity to Landsat-TM Images for Predicting Wildfire Occurrence in Mediterranean Landscapes

In mountainous Mediterranean regions, land abandonment processes in past decades are hypothesized to trigger secondary vegetal succession and homogenization, which in recent years has increased the size of burned areas. We conducted an analysis of temporal changes in landscape vegetal spatial pattern over a 15-year period (1984–1998) in a rural area of 672.3 km² in Eastern Spain to investigate the relationship between local landscape heterogeneity and wildfire occurrence. Heterogeneity was analyzed from textural metrics derived from non-classified remote sensing data at several periods, and was related to wildfire history in the study area. Several neural network models found significant relationships between local spatial pattern and future fire occurrence. In this study, sensitivity analysis of the texture variables suggested that fire occurrence, estimated as probability of burning in the near future, increased where local homogeneity was higher.     

Swine viscera preservation in hypersaturated salt solution after alcohol fixation as a preparation method for educational purposes

The use of live animals for educational purposes is an old practice that is still employed in teaching and research institutions. However, there are several objections to this practice, whether for ethical or humanitarian reasons. Surgical techniques teaching using anatomical pieces and/or preserved cadavers promotes greater learning efficiency, provides exercise repetition and increases the confidence and satisfaction of the students when compared to the use of live animals. The current work aimed to analyse the feasibility of using fresh swine urinary bladder and small intestines (jejunum), obtained from slaughterhouses, fixed in 99.8% ethyl alcohol (EA) and preserved in sodium chloride hypersaturated solution (SCHS) at 30%, for 7, 14 and 21 days, as an alternative method for surgical skills training (SST). Swine viscera, fixed in EA and preserved in SCHS, presented a realistic appearance, absence of odour and maintained the viable morphological characteristics during the performance of the operative techniques. Preservation solutions had low cost, were easy to acquire and did not offers risks to human health. Therefore, urinary bladders and small intestines fixed in 99.8% EA for 30 days and maintained in 30% SCHS at different periods were demonstrated as a good viable option as a preservation method for surgical skills training.     

Effects of thermal energy on extrusion characteristics,digestibility and palatability of a dry pet food for cats

The influence of specific thermal energy (STE) applications on extruder preconditioner was evaluated in a dry food for cats. In the first study, six STE applications were tested with mass temperatures of 45°C, 55°C, 65°C, 75°C, 85°C and 95°C. The extrusion parameters, starch gelatinization and kibble formation were evaluated. Diets were given to cats to evaluate digestibility, faecal characteristics and palatability. In the second experiment, three treatments were compared: low STE—a preconditioner temperature of 45°C (_LSTE); high STE—a preconditioner temperature of 95°C (_HSTE); high STE (preconditioner temperature of 95°C) combined with an increase in the mass flow rate to obtain a motor amperage similar to that of the _LSTE (_HSTE_flow). Data were analysed by polynomial contrasts (Experiment 1) or Tukey's test (Experiment 2; p < 0.05). An increase in STE reduced motor amperage, mass pressure and specific mechanical energy (SME) implementation (p < 0.001) and increased total specific energy (TSE) and mass temperature (p < 0.01). The increase in STE induced greater kibble expansion and starch gelatinization (p < 0.001). No changes in apparent nutrient digestibility or faeces characteristics were observed (p > 0.05). Lower STE and starch gelatinization induced higher butyrate and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) contents in faeces (p < 0.01). Cats showed greatest preference for the formulation with the highest STE (p < 0.01). In the second experiment, when the motor amperage was increased in the _HSTE_flow treatment to a value similar to that of the _LSTE, the mass flow rate increased 40%, and the electric energy consumption remained unchanged (p < 0.001), with gains observed for efficiency and cost. In conclusion, STE application is important for sufficient TSE implementation, enhancing kibble expansion, starch gelatinization, cat preferences for food, extruder productivity and reducing SME application. Foods with lower starch gelatinization lead to increased VFA in faeces, with possible implications for gut health.     

Production,chemical composition,and fatty acid profile of milk from buffaloes fed with cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) cake and murumuru (Astrocaryum murumuru) cake in the Eastern Amazon

The objective was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation using by-products of the Amazonian industry on milk production, milk composition, and milk fatty acid profile of dairy buffaloes. Twelve lactating buffaloes (544.5 ± 35.6 kg, 6.4 ± 2.2 years old, 59 ± 6 days in milk) were allotted in a pasture of Mombaça grass and managed under rotational grazing (4 days occupancy/28 days rest). A 3 × 3 Latin square was adopted, and each animal alternately received three supplementary treatments based on corn bran + soybean meal or cupuaçu cake or murumuru cake for 21 days per treatment. Murumuru cake increased the levels of lauric acid and myristic acid in the milk (p < 0.05). Murumuru cake reduced the unsaturated fatty acid contents in the milk compared with animals fed control diet or cupuaçu cake (24.27% vs. 25.24% vs. 25.08%). The n-6/n-3 ratio was 2.6, 1.97, and 2.0 in the control, cupuaçu, and murumuru groups, respectively. Based on this parameter, cakes made from cupuaçu as well as murumuru could be considered to be adequate for inclusion in dairy water buffalo feed. However, the murumuru cake addition requires some caution because its use induces the secretion of higher levels of lauric and myristic fatty acids that are related to human cardiovascular disease.     

Free-range system and supplementation of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol increases the performance and serum vitamin levels in mixed-parity sows

Improvements in sow productivity have raised questions regarding dietary vitamin D recommendations. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the housing system with access to sunlight exposure and supplementation of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol on performance and serum levels of 25(OH)D₃ in sows during gestation and lactation. Sows were distributed in an experimental design with two housing systems: gestation crates or gestation free-range system with external area for sunlight exposure; and two diets: 0 or 50 μg of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol kg⁻¹. The use of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol tended (P = 0.052) to improve total born and influenced (P = 0.046) on number of born alive. Litter weight at birth was also increased (P = 0.01) by 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation; 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation and housing system (free-range with sunlight exposure) tended to increase weaning weight (P = 0.07) and litter daily gain (P = 0.051) during lactation. Exposure to sunlight and 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation increased 25(OH)D₃ serum levels when compared with control treatment during gestation (136.95 vs. 113.92 ng mL⁻¹; P = 0.035) and lactation (120.29 vs. 88.93 ng mL⁻¹; P = 0.026). In conclusion, the association of 25-hydroxicholecalciferol supplementation with exposure to sunlight during gestation improved significantly 25(OH)D₃ serum levels and consequently performance traits in gestation and lactation.     

Influences of Sex and Age on the Hematological Profile of the Jundiá (Silver Catfish) Rhamdia quelen

In this study, sex and age influenced the hematological profiles of Jundiá (Silver Catfish) Rhamdia quelen. Females showed lower levels of hemoglobin, young fish increased lymphocyte counts, and older fish increased hematocrit values. These results indicate that, depending on age and sex, the fish have disparate hematological profiles. For this reason, it is important to consider the sex and age of an R. quelen when examining the impact of environmental and management factors on this species in terms of their hematological profiles.

Received May 24, 2015; accepted March 24, 2016 Published online August 2, 2016     

Gastrointestinal parasitism reduces the plasma availability of doramectin in lambs

A study was undertaken to investigate the effect of parasitism on plasma availability and pharmacokinetic behaviour of doramectin (DRM) in lambs. Fourteen parasitised grey face Suffolk lambs (26.9 ± 1.5 kg bodyweight) were selected for the study. Seven pairs of lambs were allocated to two groups to obtain an approximately even weight distribution. Group I (non-parasitised) was pre-treated with three repeated administrations of 5 mg/kg fenbendazole to maintain a parasite free condition. In group II (parasitised), the lambs did not receive any anthelmintic treatment. After the 85-day pre-treatment period, both groups of animals were treated with DRM by subcutaneous (SC) injection in the shoulder area at 200 μg/kg. Throughout the experimental period, both groups were maintained together under similar feeding and management conditions. Blood samples were collected by jugular venepuncture at different set times between 0.5 h and 60 days post-treatment. After plasma extraction and derivatisation, samples were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. A computerised kinetic analysis was performed and the data were compared using the Student’s paired t test.The parent molecule was detected in plasma between 30 min and either day 20 (parasitised) or day 35 (non-parasitised) post-DRM treatment. The AUC values of the parasitised group (143.0 ± 18 ng d/mL) were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those observed in the parasitically naïve animals (229.6 ± 21.7 ng d/mL). The mean residence time (MRT) in the parasitised group (3.4 ± 0.3 days) was significantly shorter (P < 0.05) than in the healthy group (6.6 ± 0.6 days). Study results have shown that parasitic disease, through alteration in the body condition, can produce significant changes in the plasma disposition of DRM when administered SC to parasitised lambs.     

Phylogenetic characterization of rabies virus isolates from Carnivora in Brazil

The incidence of canine rabies has been widely reported in Brazil, and new rabies virus (RV) variants, genetically similar to canine RV, have recently been isolated from foxes. In order to derive the epidemiological characteristics of Brazilian Carnivora RV, Brazilian RVs isolated from dogs, cats, and foxes were genetically analyzed. Brazilian Carnivora RV isolates were divided into 2 main lineages. The predominant lineage was found in dogs and cats, which included the Argentinean and Bolivian Carnivora RV isolates, and was extensively distributed throughout Brazil and surrounding countries. The other lineage consisted of three sublineages containing Brazilian dog and fox RV isolates, with the dog sublineages located on an internal branch of 2 fox sublineages, suggesting that RV transmission events might have occurred between foxes and dogs in the past. These results suggest that contact between dogs and wildlife has the potential to generate new rabies variants and that it is important to control RV infection cycles in both dogs and wildlife to prevent spread of rabies infection.