Partial colonic obstruction following ovariohysterectomy: a report of three cases

Partial extramural obstruction of the descending colon was diagnosed in two dogs and a cat as a complication of elective ovariohysterectomy. In each case, the obstruction was caused by fibrous tissue that encircled or crossed the descending colon, severely restricting the organ's normal mobility and luminal diameter. Clinical signs secondary to obstipation were observed in two cases, five weeks and 27 months after elective ovariohysterectomy. In one dog without clinical signs, the adhesion was an incidental finding during a laparotomy performed nine years after the ovariohysterectomy. The fibrous adhesions were removed surgically in all three cases without additional complications.     

Disease of geese caused by a new herpesvirus

A goose flock farmed outdoors in south-eastern Queensland suffered an outbreak of peracute disease with high death rate (97%). Small button ulcers and large plaques overlying lymphocyte aggregates were present on the mucosa of the small intestine of affected birds. Small white foci of necrosis and focal haemorrhages were seen in the livers. Numerous intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed microscopically in hepatocytes and a herpesvirus which grew rapidly in chicken kidney cells was isolated from tissues. Duck virus enteritis (DVE) was suspected but DVE antiserums failed to neutralise the virus. Further serological studies with a limited range of known avian herpesviruses have failed to identify the virus. Experimental transmission resulted in high mortality in geese (100%), lower mortality in ducklings and nil mortality in chickens. Surveillance studies showed no evidence of infection in domestic and wild birds beyond the original farm and the infection appears not to have been established in the area. Wild ducks, which were frequent visitors to the farm dam, were considered the most likely source of the infection.     

Molting,Mortality, and the Effects of Density in a Soft-Shell Crawfish Culture System 1

The molting and mortality patterns at a crawfish density recommended for commercial-scale soft-shell crawfish culture systems showed that, over a 116 day period, 74% of the crawfish molted, 22% died, and 4% remained in the system at the end of the study. Approximately three weeks of adaption to the system were required before molting rates of the crawfish began to increase. By the sixth week, the number of malted crawfish per day exceeded the overall mean and remained at this level until 10 days before moltable crawfish were depleted. In a second study, three density levels (3.7,4.9, and 6.1 kg crawfish/m²) were tested for 60 days. The lowest density produced significantly fewer (P < 0.05) molted crawfish. Mortality was significantly greater (P < 0.05) at the highest density compared with the lowest density. The highest density (6.1 kg crawfish/m²) showed a higher molting rate than the lower densities, but it was not significantly different (P < 0.05) from the molting rate of 4.9 kg/m².     

Phosphorus requirements of poultry. IV. The effects on growing pullets of feeding diets containing no animal protein or supplementary phosphorus

Pullets reared to 18 weeks of age on diets containing no animal protein supplements and to which no source of inorganic phosphorus was added showed no clinical symptoms of rickets and no significant differences in average body weight, feed consumption, efficiency of feed conversion or livability compared with pullets reared on comparable diets supplemented with inorganic phosphorus.

The results indicate that growing pullets are able to use effectively organic sources of dietary phosphorus for growth and bone formation and can be reared satisfactorily on starter diets containing lower levels of total phosphorus than currently recommended.

Replacing protein of animal origin in pullet starter and growers' diets by soyabean meal and DL‐methionine or by extracted soyabean meal and extracted sunflower seed meal did not result in any adverse effects.     

Phosphorus requirements of poultry. V. The effects during the subsequent laying year of feeding growing diets containing no animal protein or supplementary phosphorus

Pullets reared to 18 weeks of age on diets containing no feeding stuffs of animal origin and without phosphorus supplementation showed no significant difference in egg yield compared with similar pullets fed rearing diets containing animal protein and added phosphorus.

During the laying stage, diets in commercial use at this centre gave significantly higher egg yields, better average egg prices due to superior grading results and a higher margin over food cost than the same diets modified to conform with the nutrient recommendations of the National Research Council of America (1960).

Where the supplementary protein in both types of layers' diet was of vegetable origin, egg yield, food cost and margin of income over food cost were all significantly inferior to groups fed comparable diets containing supplementary protein of both vegetable and animal origin.

Soyabean meal and sunflower seed meal gave significantly poorer results when used in combination as the sole protein supplement compared with soyabean meal plus methionine.