Gossypol toxicity in preruminant calves

SUMMARY Twenty-four of 57 calves fed a diet containing 33% cotton seed meal (CSM) died between 7 and 15 weeks of age. Initial deaths were not accompanied by premonitory signs, but after CSM withdrawal most calves developed rough coats, anorexia, weakness, ascites and subcutaneous oedema. Those that died had large volumes of serous fluid in the body cavities, hard livers of ‘nutmeg’ appearance, and pulmonary congestion. Histopathologically the livers showed periacinar necrosis in acute cases and periacinar fibrosis in chronic cases. Lungs from several calves had oedema, haemosiderosis and fibrosis in some pulmonary vessels. Atrophy of myocardial fibres was present in most cases. The concentration of free gossypol in the diet was 100 to 220 mg/kg. Ante-mortem and post-mortem findings supported a diagnosis of gossypol poisoning. The deaths continued for 4 weeks after withdrawal of CSM from the diet.     

Recruitment of catarina scallop (Argopecten ventricosus) larvae on artificial collectors off the NE coast of the Gulf of California

We evaluated recruitment of larvae of catarina scallop, Argopecten ventricosus, in the area of Puerto Peñasco, NE Gulf of California. We moored artificial collectors in six sites from June 2007 to August 2008 and replaced them every 2 months. We used monthly (July 2002–September 2011) sea surface temperature (SST, °C) and surface chlorophyll‐a concentration (SSChl, mg m^?3) Aqua/MODIS satellite data to describe seasonal environmental behaviour study area. Also, we recorded bottom temperature at each site every 4 h, and every 2 months measured sea surface salinity, temperature and dissolved oxygen. We used a repeated measures anova to evaluate differences in the number of recruited spat between main factors, and analysed the presence of multimodal spat shell size frequency distributions. Overall, spat recruitment was negatively correlated with seawater temperature and showed higher spat recruitment abundances throughout winter, which is the season with the highest surface chlorophyll a concentration. We estimated multimodal shell size frequency distributions characterized by more than one modal size. The natural collection of A. ventricosus spat on artificial collectors in the area can be successfully performed over a protracted period (November–December to May–June). Our results extend the area where collection of A. ventricosus spat can be successful.     

Effect of rice growth stages and silicon on sheath blight development

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to determine the effect of silicon (Si) and rice growth stages on tissue susceptibility to sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani Kühn) under controlled conditions. Rice plants (cv. Rio Formoso) were grown in pots containing low-Si soil amended with Si at 0, 0.48, 0.96, 1.44, and 1.92 g pot(-1) and inoculated with R. solani at the following days after emergence: 45 (four-leaf stage), 65 (eight-leaf stage), 85 (tillering), 117 (booting), and 130 (panicle exsertion). For plants inoculated with R. solani at all growth stages, Si concentration in straw increased as rate of Si increased from 0 to 1.92 g pot(-1). Concentration of calcium in the straw did not differ among plant growth stages. Although incubation period was not affected by the amount of Si added to the soil, this variable was shorter at booting and panicle exsertion stages. As the rates of Si increased in the soil, the total number of sheath blight lesions on sheaths and total area under the relative lesion extension curve decreased at all plant growth stages. The severity of sheath blight was lower at booting and panicle exsertion stages as the rates of Si increased in the soil. In general, plants grown in Si-nonamended pots and inoculated with R. solani were more vulnerable to infection at all growth stages, but especially at 45 days after emergence. Plant dry weights for inoculated plants increased as the Si rates increased from 0 to 1.92 g pot(-1). The greatest dry weight increases occurred for plants inoculated at booting and panicle exsertion stages. Si fertilization is a promising method for controlling sheath blight in areas where soil is Si deficient and when cultivars that exhibit an acceptable level of resistance to sheath blight are not available for commercial use.     

Comparative study of the characteristics of the carcass and the meat of the Chato Murciano pig and its cross with Iberian pig, reared indoors

The Chato Murciano pig is a breed catalogued as a Special Protection breed in danger of extinction. At present it is commonly reared in an intensive system. We have studied the mineral composition and other characteristics of its carcass and meat. Samples from the Musculus longissimus lumborum were taken from a total number of 43 animals, divided into two groups, Chato Murciano and Chato Murciano crossed with Iberian, reared in a conventional indoor system. The resulting meat of the Chato Murciano pig and its cross with Iberian was especially rich in iron and copper, rich in phosphorus, and marginally poor in calcium and sodium. The evolution of the pH of the carcass was that of pigs which do not produce PSE (pale, soft and exudative) meat. Some relevant positive correlation coefficients between minerals (P ≤ 0.05) have been found.     

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.     

Effect of Initial GnRH and Duration of Progesterone Insert Treatment on the Fertility of Lactating Dairy Cows

The study compared response to prostaglandin F2α (PG), synchrony of ovulation and pregnancy per AI (P/AI) in a 5‐ vs a 7‐day Ovsynch + PRID protocol and investigated whether the initial GnRH affects P/AI in lactating dairy cows. Two hundred and seventy‐six cows (500 inseminations) were assigned to one of four timed‐AI (TAI) protocols: (i) PRID‐7G; 100 μg GnRH im, and a progesterone‐releasing intravaginal device (PRID) for 7 days. At PRID removal, PG (500 μg of cloprostenol) was given im. Cows received the second GnRH treatment at 60 h after PRID removal and TAI 12 h later. (ii) PRID‐5G; as PRID‐7G except the duration of PRID, treatment was 5 days and PG was given twice (12 h apart). (iii) PRID‐7NoG; as PRID‐7G except the initial GnRH, treatment was omitted. (iv) PRID‐5NoG; as PRID‐7NoG except the duration of PRID, treatment was 5 days. Response to treatments and pregnancy status at 32 and 60 days after TAI was determined by ultrasonography. The percentage of cows ovulating before TAI was greatest in PRID‐7G (17.1%), and the percentage of cows that did not have luteal regression was greatest in PRID‐5G (9.5%). The overall P/AI at 32 and 60 days did not differ among TAI protocols. However, during resynchronization, cows subjected to the 5‐day protocols had greater (p < 0.05) P/AI (45.3% vs 33.6%) than cows subjected to the 7‐day protocols. Pregnancy loss between 32 and 60 days tended (p = 0.10) to be greater in cows that did not receive initial GnRH (14.8%) compared to those that received GnRH (8.2%). In conclusion, the PRID‐5G protocol resulted in fewer cows responding to PG, but P/AI did not differ among TAI protocols. A 5‐day protocol resulted in more P/AI in resynchronized cows, and cows that did not receive initial GnRH tended to experience more pregnancy losses.     

Size selectivity of the Spisula solida dredge in relation to tooth spacing and mesh size

A study was undertaken on the northwestern coast of Portugal to evaluate the selectivity effect of both tooth spacing and mesh size on the catch of the white clam (Spisula solida). Two typical clam dredges, equipped with different tooth spacing and mesh size, were towed side by side. Three tooth spacing (20, 40 and 60 mm) and three mesh sizes (35, 40 and 50 mm) were investigated. The dredge selectivity experiments were performed by attaching a cover bag with a 20 mm mesh to the gear. Individual hauls were analysed by the SELECT model. The Fryer’s mixed model of between-haul variation was also applied to data. The results showed that the space between teeth does not have an effect on selectivity. Tooth length was directly related to the dredge’s capture efficiency. The only factor that contributed to dredge size selection was mesh size. The 50% retention lengths estimated for mesh sizes 30, 40 and 50 mm were 25.68, 26.35 and 31.94 mm, respectively. For all mesh sizes, very narrow selection ranges were observed. The most appropriate mesh size to be enforced within the Portuguese northwestern S. solida fishery should be 40 mm.     

Arthropods as surrogates of diversity at different spatial scales

This study evaluates the effectiveness of taxonomic, colonization and trophic groups of arthropods from native forests of the Azores archipelago as surrogates of the diversity of other arthropod groups and of the remaining arthropods. Consistency in the performance of surrogates was tested across three spatial scales and using two measures of diversity. Pitfall and beating samples from 109 transects, 18 forest fragments and seven islands were analysed. The results showed that Araneae, Hemiptera and small orders taxonomic groups; native, endemic and introduced colonization groups; and the herbivores trophic group were consistent surrogates of the remaining diversity across the three spatial scales analysed, for both alpha and dissimilarity diversities. However, none of the subsets considered was significantly related with all of the other subsets at any of the three spatial scales. The effectiveness of surrogacy was dependent on the spatial level considered, and groups behaved inconsistently depending on the measure of diversity used. The value of a group as a diversity surrogate should be evaluated for a study area for a given spatial scale and diversity measure, in accordance with the scale and measure that will be used for biodiversity assessments and monitoring programs in that area.     

The effect of footrot on body weight and wool growth of sheep

Body weight and traits associated with production of wool were measured over a 2-year period between 1985 and 1987 in south-western New South Wales in a flock of Merino wethers experimentally infected with footrot. The disease was allowed to spread freely amongst 150 of the flock but kept at very low prevalence in the remaining 50 by preventive footbathing during transmission periods. Severe, underrunning footrot had a significant adverse effect on body weight, for each year of the trial. Body weight was most severely reduced at times of the year when footrot was spreading among animals and lesions were severe. The mean body weight of the infected group at the end of the 2 years of observation was 7.3 kg (11.6%) below that of the control group. Footrot also depressed wool growth, with the mean clean fleece weight of the infected group being 0.4 kg (8%) lighter than that of the controls at each of the 2 annual shearings. There were no consistent differences between the groups for the other wool characteristics measured.     

Cross-protective immunity and the serological classification system for Bacteroides nodosus

The relationship between the serological classification system for serogroup B and for serogroup H of Bacteroides nodosus and cross-protection between subgroups within these serogroups was examined. Protection against ovine footrot following vaccination was achieved against other subgroup strains provided sufficient cross-reactive antibody was induced by shared pilus antigens. Within serogroup B, better cross-protection against one subgroup was obtained with a pili vaccine than a whole cell vaccine which correlated with higher pilus antibody titres induced by the former. For serogroup H, a lack of cross-protection and serological reactivity between subgroups was demonstrated, which indicates that the prototype strain of subgroup H2 should be designated a new serogroup.