Long-term application of animal slurries to grassland alters soil cation balance

Abstract. Soil samples from a 32-year grassland field experiment were taken from 0–5, 5–10, and 10–15 cm soil depths in February 2002. Plots received annual treatments of unamended control, mineral fertilizer, three rates of pig slurry and three rates of cow slurry, each with six replicates. Samples were analysed for cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), pH and Olsen P. Exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) was calculated as a sodicity indicator. Mean ESP was generally greater for slurry treatments than the control, with a trend of increasing ESP with application rate. This was particularly marked for cow slurry. At 0–5 cm depth ESP increased from 1.18 in the control to 1.75 at the highest rate of pig slurry and 5.60 at the highest rate of cow slurry. Similar trends were shown for CEC, exchangeable Na⁺, K⁺ and Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Olsen P. The build-up of soil P due to slurry applications, together with this combination of physical and chemical factors, may increase the risk of P loss to surface waters, particularly from soils receiving high rates of cow slurry.     

AN OESOPHAGEAL DIVERTICULUM IN A DOG

An 11-month-old male Miniature Poodle was found to regurgitate small volumes of fluid and food particles due to a diverticulum in the thoracic oesophagus. The diverticulum was removed surgically. Histologically the wall contained extensive scar tissue. Longterm recovery was uneventful and 5 months after surgery the dog is in good health     

A comparison of the effect of short-acting and long-acting cloxacillin-based dry-cow therapy on somatic cell counts after calving in cows also given internal teat sealants

AIM: To compare, in cows treated with an internal teat sealant, the effect of short-acting and long-acting cloxacillin-based dry-cow therapy on somatic cell counts (SCC) after calving.

METHODS: Cows from a spring-calving, pasture-based dairy farm in the Manawatu-Whanganui region of New Zealand were randomly allocated to receive either a short-acting cloxacillin and ampicillin dry-cow therapy and internal teat sealant (n=291) or a long-acting cloxacillin and ampicillin dry-cow therapy and internal teat sealant (n=288) at the end of lactation. Cows were managed on-farm with routine husbandry procedures through the dry period and following calving. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine the association between length of action of dry-cow therapy and the proportion of cows with a SCC >150,000?cells/mL at the first herd test after calving.

RESULTS: Age of cow, mean SCC for the preceding season and interval from calving to the first post-calving herd test were all associated with the proportion of cows with an individual SCC >150,000?cells/mL at the first herd test (p<0.001) Treatment with the short-acting dry-cow therapy was not associated with decreased odds of cows having a SCC >150,000?cells/mL at the first herd test compared with treatment with long-acting dry-cow therapy (OR=0.724; 95% CI=0.40–1.30).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In this herd, which routinely used internal teat sealants, the use of short-acting cloxacillin-based dry-cow therapy did not result in an increased proportion of cows with elevated SSC post-calving. This was a single farm, single year study but indicates that in this herd, changing from a long-acting to a short-acting antimicrobial may have no impact on the prevalence of subclinical mastitis.     

Distribution and metabolism of abamectin in larval stages of Spodoptera littoralis boisduval and Heliothis armigera hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Comparisons were made between the amounts of abamectin and total radioactivity recovered from Spodoptera littoralis and Heliothis armigera larvae after topical application of [³H]abamectin. Penetration (as shown by wash-off experiments) did not differ significantly between the Spodoptera instars. Significantly more abamectin was recovered from ventral nerve cord samples of larvae showing symptoms of poisoning than from larvae not showing these symptoms. Fifth-instar S. littoralis larvae had a significantly lower proportion of radioactivity as abamectin in the ventral nerve cord than in sixth-instar S. littoralis or fifth- and sixth-instar H. armigera. The proportion of radioactivity present as abamectin (but not total radioactivity) was significantly increased when the fifth-instar S. littoralis larvae were pre-treated with piperonyl butoxide (PB) suggesting that the relative insensitivity of fifth-instar S. littoralis larvae to abamectin is due at least in part to greater metabolism, particularly by microsomal oxidases. Fat body samples consistently had a greater proportion of radioactivity as abamectin than the nerve cord and the former may act as storage sites for abamectin.     

Allelopathic potential of watermelon tissues and root exudates

Allelopathic potential of watermelon in hydroponic culture was investigated using the continuous root exudates trapping system (CRETS). Laboratory bioassays and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used for quantification of phytotoxins in different plant tissues and root exudates collected using XAD-4 resin. Seedling growth of both watermelon and lettuce was significantly inhibited by watermelon root exudates and the degree of inhibition increased with increasing concentration of exudates. Root exudates had inhibitory effects throughout the experiment and these were most pronounced during the period 41–50 days after transplanting. Inhibitory effects of various plant tissues were demonstrated using the bioassay tests. Frulic acid was the dominant component found using HPLC and the amounts of allelochemicals found in the plant extracts were correlated with the bioassay results using the Petri dish test. The results indicate that the allelopathic potential of watermelon may play an important role in the phenomenon referred to as ‘soil sickness’.     

Acute cortisol responses of calves to scoop dehorning using local anaesthesia and/or cautery of the wound

Objective To measure plasma cortisol responses in calves dehorned using a scoop after administration of local anaesthesia and/or cautery of the wounds.
Design A physiological study with controls.
Procedure There were six treatments: control handling with and without local anaesthesia, dehorning, dehorning after local anaesthesia, dehorning followed by wound cautery, and dehorning after local anaesthesia followed by wound cautery. Blood samples were taken before and after dehorning.
Results Dehorning caused an increase in plasma cortisol concentrations, which decreased a little to plateau values and then declined to pretreatment values 3 to 4 h after dehorning. The peak was smaller after local anaesthesia was administered but when its effects wore off, cortisol concentrations increased and thereafter were similar to those in the dehorned animals. The combination of local anaesthesia and cautery resulted in a plasma cortisol response similar to those in control calves with or without local anaesthesia.
Conclusions If plasma cortisol concentrations reflect the distress being experienced by the calves, then local anaesthesia reduces the acute distress for about 3 h after dehorning but not during the subsequent 3 to 4 h. Combining local anaesthetic and cautery prevented the significant increase in plasma cortisol following dehorning and may eliminate the acute distress caused by scoop dehorning.