Fenbendazole treatment of pregnant bitches to reduce prenatal and lactogenic infections of Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum in pups

A granulated formulation of fenbendazole was tested in a total of 23 treated and control, pregnant, parasite-free Beagle bitches experimentally infected with Toxocara canis and Ancylostoma caninum. The drug was administered to each treated bitch once daily in canned dog food at a dosage of 50 mg/kg body weight. Each of 2 treatment regimens tested was initiated on the 40th day of pregnancy. One regimen involved daily treatment continuing through the 14th postpartum day, and it resulted in 89% fewer ascarids and 99% fewer hookworms in pups born to medicated bitches, as compared with pups born to unmedicated controls. The other regimen of treatment, which was stopped on the day of parturition, was less effective in reducing ascarid and hookworm burdens (64% and 88% reductions, respectively). Three to 5 bitches from each of the treatment and control groups were allowed to whelp a 2nd litter without further treatment or further exposure to parasite infections. Hookworm burdens in 2nd-litter pups born of bitches that had initially received fenbendazole through the 14th postpartum day were significantly lower (P < 0.01; 85% reduction), when compared with the 2nd-litter control pups. All other parasite burdens were not significantly different. It was concluded that granulated fenbendazole is effective in reducing burdens of Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara canis in newborn pups when the bitch is treated during the last third of pregnancy, especially when treatment (50 mg/kg/day) extends from the 40th day of pregnancy through the 14th postpartum day.     

Differentiation of strains of bean common mosaic virus

Pathogenicity and symptom expression of seventeen described isolates of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) and five previously unreported isolates were compared on many bean cultivars (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). From these cultivars, a standard set of differentials were assigned to nine groups with different disease reactions. The twenty-two virus isolates comprised seven strain (pathotype) groups, three of which were divided into two subgroups each. To promote international standardization in BCMV research, recommendations are given for test conditions and procedures, criteria for strain differentiation, and maintenance of differential cultivars and virus strains.Samenvatting Zeventien beschreven stammen van het bonerolmozaïekvirus en vijf niet geïdentificeerde isolaten (Tabel 1) werden bestudeerd op een uitgebreide reeks van toetsrassen. De meeste van deze toetsrassen waren in de literatuur als zodanig vermeld, maar door de desbetreffende onderzoekers waren vaak verschillende series toetsrassen gebruikt, hetgeen de onderlinge vergelijking van de stammen bemoeilijkte.De bedoeling van dit onderzoek was: vergelijking en indeling van de virusstammen, samenstelling van een standaard-toetsrassenserie en het ontwerpen en beschrijven van werden zowel in Wageningen als in Prosser, Washington, USA, uitgevoerd met dezelfde virusisolaten en dezelfde zaadmonsters van de toetsrassen.De toetsrassen konden op grond van hun differentiële reacties na inoculatie met de virusstammen worden ingedeeld in negen groepen. De rassen binnen een groep hebben hetzelfde resistentiespectrum t.o.v. een standaardserie virusstammen. Uit elke groep werden op grond van hun geschiktheid (duidelijkheid en reproduceerbaarheid van de symptomen) één of meer vertegenwoordigers gekozen, waaruit een standaardserie van toetsrassen werd samengesteld (Tabel 2).De 22 stammen en isolaten werden op grond van hun pathogeniteitsspectrum t.o.v. de standaardserie van toetsrassen ingedeeld in tien groepen en subgroepen (Tabel 1). De stammen en isolaten binnen een groep of subgroep hebben eenzelfde pathogeniteitsspectrum (Tabellen 4 en 6) en worden op grond daarvan als identiek beschouwd. De differentiële reacties tussen de rassen van de standaardserie en de virusstammen en-isolaten zijn vermeld in de Tabellen 3 en 5. Voorgesteld wordt om de naam van de eerstbeschreven stam van iedere groep te handhaven en de andere stammen in een groep of subgroep op te vatten als isolaten daarvan.De toetsmethodiek wordt uitvoerig beschreven om standaardisatie van de stammenidentificatie te bevorderen. Ter verklaring van de in de literatuur gevonden tegenstrijdigheden in de differentiële reactie van de toetsrassen wordt een negental mogelijke oorzaken genoemd, o.a. het gebruik van planten van toetsrassen die reeds vanuit zaad met een onbekende stam waren besmet en het gebruik van onzuivere virusstammen (mengisolaten).De auteurs stellen zich verantwoordelijk voor het distribueren (op aanvraag) van kleine zaadhoeveelheden van de toetsrassen en, op beperkte schaal, van in zaad aanwezige zuivere virusstammen aan onderzoekers die betrokken zijn bij de identificatie van de stammen van dit virus. Bovendien zal zaad van de standaardserie van toetsrassen worden gedeponeerd in het National Seed Storage Laboratory te Fort Collins, Colorado, USA, terwijl de virusstammen (in zaad) in bewaring worden gegeven bij de American Type Culture Collection te Rockville, Maryland, USA, waar ze beschikbaar zullen blijven voor verder onderzoek.     

Sectional notes

American Journal of Potato Research -     

The long-term effects of fire regime on primary production of montane grasslands in South Africa

Natural grasslands deliver essential ecosystem services through plant production, which enhances water supply, nutrient cycling, soil retention and greenhouse gas mitigation. Although the condition of montane grasslands for provision of ecosystem services is maintained by regular annual or biennial burning, controversy exists over the impact of different frequencies and seasons of burning on grassland productivity. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term effects of different burning regimes on primary production and quality of the montane grasslands of the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg. There were no significant differences in the mean standing live mass between 30 years of annual winter and biennial spring burning. However, in unburnt areas productivity was 20% lower (118.2?g m?2) than in regularly burnt grassland (144.7–154.5?g m?2). Crude protein did not vary between the annual winter and biennial spring treatments (95–113?kg ha?1), but was significantly lower in unburned areas (45?kg ha^?1). However, an infrequent fire in a protected area caused a temporary spike in crude protein (16%) compared with regular burning (5–10%), which can benefit wildlife. We conclude that montane grasslands can be burnt annually or biennially in the dormant season to promote long-term productivity.     

Mental health in the veterinary profession: an individual or organisational focus?

The veterinary profession is experiencing a shortage of veterinarians, with attrition recognised as a substantial contributor. Research has also indicated increased levels of mental ill health and alarming suicide rates in practitioners. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the impact of eleven modifiable workplace factors on mental health outcomes, job appreciation and intention to leave the veterinary profession. The second aim was to ascertain whether workplace factors influence mental health outcomes after controlling for individual resilience. An online survey was completed by 73 practising Australian veterinarians. Unfavourable workplace factors correlated with adverse outcomes including depression, stress, reduced job appreciation and increased likelihood of leaving both the role and the profession. Workplace factors remained linked with the outcomes of job appreciation, depression and stress whilst controlling for practitioner resilience. Job appreciation was a significant predictor of intention to leave both the current role and the profession. Via multiple linear regression, two categories were identified as associated with improved psychological outcomes and job appreciation. These were workplace factors that represent breaks from workload and control or decision latitude in the workplace. Whilst resilience represents a key area for intervention, workplace factors potentially represent an easier-to-modify area for intervention.     

The effect of breed,sex, and oral meloxicam administration on pain biomarkers following hot-iron branding in Hereford and Angus calves

Hot-iron branding uses thermal injury to permanently identify cattle causing painful tissue damage. The primary objective was to examine the physiological and behavioral effects of oral meloxicam (MEL), compared to a control, administered at the time of hot-iron branding in Angus and Hereford steers and heifers. The secondary objectives were to investigate breed and sex effects on pain biomarkers. A total of 70 yearlings, consisting of 35 heifers and 35 steers (Angus, Hereford, or Angus × Hereford), were enrolled in the study. Animals were blocked by sex, randomized across weight, and assigned to receive MEL (1 mg/kg) or a placebo (CON). Biomarkers were assessed for 48 h after branding and included infrared thermography (IRT), mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT), accelerometry and a visual analog scale (VAS), and serum cortisol and prostaglandin E₂ metabolites (PGEM). Wound healing was assessed for 12 wk. Hair samples to quantify cortisol levels were taken prior to and 30 d post-branding. Responses were analyzed using repeated measures with calf nested in treatment as a random effect, and treatment, time, treatment by time interaction, breed, and sex as fixed effects. There was a treatment by time interaction for PGEM (P < 0.01) with MEL having lower values than CON at 6, 24, and 48 h (MEL: 18.34 ± 3.52, 19.61 ± 3.48, and 22.24 ± 3.48 pg/mL, respectively; CON: 32.57 ± 3.58, 37.00 ± 3.52, and 33.07 ± 3.48 pg/mL; P < 0.01). MEL showed less of a difference in maximum IRT values between the branded (2.27 ± 0.29 °C) and control site (3.15 ± 0.29 °C; P < 0.01). MEL took fewer lying bouts at 0–12 h (4.91 bouts ± 0.56) compared with CON (6.87 bouts ± 0.55; P < 0.01). Compared with Hereford calves, Angus calves exhibited greater serum but lower hair cortisol, greater PGEM, more lying bouts, and less healed wound scores at 3, 4, and 5 wk. Compared with heifers, steers exhibited lower PGEM, lower branding site and ocular IRT, higher MNT, and lower plasma meloxicam levels. Steers spent more time lying, took more lying bouts and had greater VAS pain, and more healed wound scores at 5 wk than heifers. Meloxicam administration at branding reduced branding and control site temperature differences and reduced lying bouts for the first 12 h. Breed and sex effects were observed across many biomarkers. Changes from baseline values for IRT, MNT, lying time, step count, VAS pain, and wound scoring all support that branding cattle is painful.     

Carbon isotopic ratios of wetland and terrace soil sequences in the Maya Lowlands of Belize and Guatemala

This article provides new data and synthesizes earlier findings on the carbon isotope ratios of the humin part of soil organic matter from a range of sites in the central Maya Lowlands. Changes down the soil profile in carbon isotope ratios can provide an important line of evidence for vegetation change and erosion over time, especially in well dated aggrading profiles. Research thus far has provided substantial evidence for significant inputs from C₄ vegetation in buried layers from the Ancient Maya periods in depositional soils but equivocal evidence from sloping soils. We present new findings from soil profiles through ancient Maya wetland fields, upland karst wetlands, ancient Maya aguadas (reservoirs), and ancient Maya terraces. Most of the profiles exhibited δ¹³C enrichment greater than the 2.5–3‰ typical from bacterial fractionation. Seven of nine ancient Maya wetland profiles showed δ¹³C enrichment ranging from 4.25 to 8.56‰ in ancient Maya-dated sediments that also contained phytolith and pollen evidence of grass (C₄ species) dominance. Upland karst sinks and ancient reservoirs produced more modest results for δ¹³C enrichment. These seasonal wetland profiles exhibited δ¹³C enrichment ranging from 1 to 7.3‰ from the surface to ancient Maya-period sediments. Agricultural terraces produced mixed results, with two terraces having substantial δ¹³C enrichment of 5.34 and 5.66‰ and two producing only equivocal results of 1.88 and 3.03‰ from modern topsoils to Maya Classic-period buried soils. Altogether, these findings indicate that C₄ plants made up c. 25% of the vegetation at our sites in the Maya Classic period and only a few percent today. These findings advance the small corpus of studies from ancient terraces, karst sinks, and ancient wetland fields by demonstrating substantial δ¹³C and thus C₄ plant enrichment in soil profile sections dated to ancient Maya times. These studies are also providing a new line of evidence about local and regional soil and ecological change in this region of widespread environmental change in the Late Holocene.     

Agriculturally productive yet biodiverse: human benefits and conservation values along a forest-agriculture gradient in Southern Ethiopia

Landscape Ecology - It remains unclear how agricultural landscapes can best serve multiple purposes such as simultaneously maintaining agricultural productivity and conserving biodiversity. Our...