Quarantine requirements for the importation of black rhinoceros from Zimbabwe into Australia

SUMMARY The proposal by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales to import 10 southern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) from Zimbabwe as part of an international project for conservation of the species presented the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) with a unique challenge. This importation is, at least in the modern era, the first importation of live herbivores from the African continent. Many of the serious animal diseases in the world are endemic in parts of Africa. Knowledge of which of these diseases infect wild species and may be transmitted from the wild species to domesticated species, is limited. This paper describes the strategies adopted by AQIS to facilitate the importation of rhinoceros while maintaining protection of Australian consumers, rural industries, domestic livestock and fauna against the entry and spread of unwanted pests and diseases.     

Review: The strobilurin fungicides

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Pest Management Science 58 (7): 649–662 (2002).Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Incisional complications following exploratory celiotomy: does an abdominal bandage reduce the risk?

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Post operative complications following exploratory laparotomy can be potentially life-threatening, increase post operative morbidity and result in an increase in the length of hospitalisation of the affected individual. No study has evaluated the efficacy of specific strategies to reduce the incidence of post operative incisional complications. HYPOTHESIS: The use of an abdominal bandage following colic surgery through a celiotomy incision would significantly reduce the prevalence of post operative incisional complications. METHODS: A controlled, randomised clinical trial to test the hypothesis was devised. Horses eligible for inclusion in the study were assigned randomly either to the study or control group following recovery from general anaesthesia. Any post operative incisional complications occurring during hospitalisation were recorded. Long-term follow-up was obtained via telephone questionnaires. Absolute risk reduction (ARR) and number needed to treat (NNT) were calculated. Multivariable analyses were conducted for all outcomes of interest. RESULTS: There was an ARR of the likelihood of developing a post operative incisional complication of 45% when using compared to not using an abdominal bandage in the post operative period. Therefore, it would be necessary to treat 2.2 horses with an abdominal bandage in order to prevent one horse developing any post operative incisional complications. CONCLUSIONS: Although incisional complications continue to be a problem following an exploratory celiotomy for colic, the proportion of horses affected was significantly reduced by use of a bandage. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Using an abdominal bandage following an exploratory laparotomy may help reduce the prevalence of post operative incisional complications, and prevent the development of potentially life-threatening complications.     

Identification and quantification of amines in the equine caecum

Acute laminitis has been associated with the release of compounds, as yet unidentified, produced by hindgut fermentation which affect blood flow to the digit. The objectives of this study were to identify amine compounds in equine caecal and colonic contents, some of which are known to have vasoactive properties. In addition, the concentrations of amines in caecal contents of horses fed either grass or hay diets were compared. Fifteen amines were identified in equine hindgut contents in concentrations greater than 1 microM. The caecal concentrations of phenylethylamine, isoamylamine, cadaverine, diaminoheptane and spermidine were significantly higher in horses on spring/summer grass compared with those on winter grass or hay. These data show that many amines are present in the equine hindgut, some of which may have the potential to cause peripheral vasoconstriction if released into the circulation from the gastrointestinal tract.     

Density and binding characteristics of beta-adrenoceptors in the normal and failing equine myocardium

Beta-adrenoceptors are important regulators of cardiac function and their characteristics are known to change in human and canine diseased myocardium. This study aimed to determine the density and subtypes of beta-adrenoceptors in the normal and failing equine ventricular myocardium. Membrane preparations of the left papillary muscles were incubated with increasing concentrations of the nonselective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist [3H]-CGP12177. Saturable and reversible binding of [3H]-CGP12177 to myocardial membranes was demonstrated with Kd values (+/- s.d.) of 0.49 +/- 0.40 and 0.43 +/- 0.22 nmol/l and Bmax values of 93.4 +/- 20.5 and 110.0 +/- 21.2 and fmol/mg protein for normal (n = 19) and heart failure (n = 10) tissues, respectively. Heart failure had no significant effect on the density of ventricular beta-adrenoceptors. The cardiac beta-adrenoceptors were further characterised by studying displacement of [3H]-CGP12177 (0.6 nmol/l) with the beta1-selective antagonists CGP20712A and the beta2-selective antagonist ICI118.551. In normal ventricular muscle, CGP20712A was 26 times more potent than ICI118.551 (Ki values 30.4 +/- 24.8 and 814.1 +/- 485.2 nmol/l, respectively). In heart failure cases, CGP 20712A curves were monophasic with a Ki value of 45.6 +/- 39.7 nmol/l. ICI 118.551 curves were biphasic in 5 horses where 11-31% of the cardiac beta-adrenoceptors had a high affinity for ICI 118.551. These data suggest that the normal equine ventricular myocardium possesses predominately beta1-adrenoceptors, with no evidence for co-existence of a significant population of beta2-adrenoceptors. The density of beta-adrenoceptors did not appear to change in heart failure, but the appearance of receptors with a high affinity for ICI118.551 may suggest that, in some cases, heart failure increases the expression of beta2-adrenoceptors in equine ventricular myocardium. This study provides an insight into the role of the adrenergic system in heart disease in the horse. Further studies in this area are warranted.     

Retrospective study of the relationships between age, inflammation and the isolation of bacteria from the lower respiratory tract of thoroughbred horses

A total of 1235 tracheal aspirates taken from 724 thoroughbreds in race training, aged from two to 10 years, were examined cytologically and bacteriologically. An inflammation scoring system on a scale of 0 to 9 was devised to allow the severity of lower airway disease to be assessed from the cytological results. The inflammation scores were closely related to the isolation of bacteria (P<0.001), and the most common bacterial isolates were Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pasteurella/Actinobacillus-like species. Lower airway disease was less common in older horses (P = 0.031), and the groups at highest risk were the two- and four-year-olds. Lower airway inflammation was more common in the four-year-olds at National Hunt yards than in the four-year-olds at flat racing yards (P = 0.040, odds ratio = 3.80).     

Monitoring distances travelled by horses using GPS tracking collars

Objective The aims of this work were to (1) develop a low-cost equine movement tracking collar based on readily available components, (2) conduct preliminary studies assessing the effects of both paddock size and internal fence design on the movements of domestic horses, with and without foals at foot, and (3) describe distances moved by mares and their foals. Additional monitoring of free-ranging feral horses was conducted to allow preliminary comparisons with the movement of confined domestic horses. Procedures A lightweight global positioning system (GPS) data logger modified from a personal/vehicle tracker and mounted on a collar was used to monitor the movement of domestic horses in a range of paddock sizes and internal fence designs for 6.5-day periods. Results In the paddocks used (0.8–16 ha), groups of domestic horses exhibited a logarithmic response in mean daily distance travelled as a function of increasing paddock size, tending asymptotically towards approximately 7.5 km/day. The distance moved by newborn foals was similar to their dams, with total distance travelled also dependent on paddock size. Without altering available paddock area, paddock design, with the exception of a spiral design, did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled. Feral horses (17.9 km/day) travelled substantially greater mean daily distances than domestic horses (7.2 km/day in 16-ha paddock), even when allowing for larger paddock size. Conclusions Horses kept in stables or small yards and paddocks are quite sedentary in comparison with their feral relatives. For a given paddock area, most designs did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled.     

Aortic valvular dysplasia in a calf.

Aortic valvular dysplasia, a congenital abnormality not previously reported in cattle, was diagnosed in a calf with a pulsating mass at the base of its neck, an enlarged area of cardiac dullness and a loud (grade IV/V) systolic cardiac murmur. Electrocardiography and thoracic radiography demonstrated that the left atrium and ventricle were enlarged. Dysplasia of two aortic valve cusps and post stenotic dilatation of the ascending aorta were identified by echocardiography and confirmed post mortem.