The effect of calcium and phosphorus supplementation on bone metabolism in young, mature, and aged horses during inactivity and subsequent aerobic training

An experiment was performed to determine the effects of Ca and P supplementation, inactivity, and subsequent aerobic exercise on bone metabolism in young, mature, and aged horses. Twelve stock-type geldings were blocked into three groups: 2 and 3, 7 to 11, and 15 to 21 years of age. Horses within age groups were evenly divided and randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments; control (C) or Ca and P supplementation (T). Horses consuming C and T received about 133% and 275% of National Research Council (NRC) requirements for Ca and P, respectively. The trial consisted of eight 21-day periods. During periods I, II, and III, all horses were inactive and received no forced exercise. During periods IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII, all horses were placed on an ascending aerobic exercise regimen. Blood samples were taken at the beginning of period I and at 21-day intervals thereafter to determine serum concentrations of osteocalcin (OST) and type I carboxyterminal telopeptide (ICTP). Dorsal-palmar and lateral-medial radiographs were taken of the left third metacarpal at the beginning of period I and at 21-day intervals thereafter to monitor changes in bone densities, as indicated by radiographic bone aluminum equivalencies (RBAE). Mean serum OST was affected by age (P < .004) and the interaction of time and age (P < .006). Mean serum ICTP was affected by age (P < .001), time (P < .001), the interaction of time and age (P < .001); and the interaction of time and treatment (P < .05). There was an effect of treatment on overall mean medial (MRBAE; P < .04) and total (TRBAE; P < .04) RBAE. Overall mean dorsal RBAE (DRBAE; P < .001), palmar RBAE (PRBAE; P < .003), lateral RBAE (LRBAE; P < .001), MRBAE (P < .001), normalized MRBAE (P < .001), TRBAE (P < .05), and normalized TRBAE (P < .05) were affected by time. There was an effect of the interaction of time and age on overall mean DRBAE (P < .05), LRBAE (P < .002), MRBAE (P < .02), normalized MRBAE (P < .02), TRBAE (P < .005), and normalized TRBAE (P < .005). Overall mean DRBAE (P < .02) and PRBAE (P < .001) were affected by the interaction of time, treatment, and age. Biochemical and radiographic data from this experiment indicate that dietary Ca and P supplementation may affect bone remodeling in aerobically exercised horses of varying ages following a period of inactivity. Furthermore, the data indicate that bone in horses of varying ages responds differently to inactivity and exercise.     

Hydrogeomorphic controls of early post-logging successional pathways in a southern floodplain forest

Successful management or restoration of southern floodplain forest ecosystems requires an understanding of how subtle changes in environmental conditions such as site hydroperiod affect species suitability as well as the importance of recruitment limitation. In this research, we examined the effects of elevation, modeled flood regime, soil conditions and forest proximity on early, post-logging succession in clearcuts on the Congaree River floodplain near Columbia, South Carolina. Analyses of community composition clearly demonstrated that regeneration was structured along environmental gradients associated with site hydroperiod, with obligate wetland species dominating sites with the lowest elevations and deepest projected flood inundation depths. The effects of soil characteristics on site composition were in some cases inter-correlated with site hydroperiod, reflecting the influence of flood regime on soil drainage, aeration, and soil redox potential. In other cases, though, site composition was distinguished along a second, but equally important, orthogonal axis that was more reflective of the effects of geomorphic history on edaphic conditions. There was no evidence that fine-scale dispersal limitation affected succession, in part because of the effects of resprouting, but it is possible that past human activities have altered landscape-scale patterns of commercially valuable species such that seed and sprout sources for advance regeneration may have been absent at the time of the most recent clearcutting. Our examination of regeneration patterns, processes and controls clarified the relationships between current conditions and community composition, but, because patterns of elevation, flooding and soil characteristics across a floodplain have their roots in geomorphic processes, they are also ultimately a reflection of past hydrogeomorphic events.     

Chlamydia psittaci: a suspected cause of reproductive loss in three Victorian horses

Chlamydia psittaci was detected by PCR in the lung and equine foetal membranes of two aborted equine foetuses and one weak foal from two different studs in Victoria, Australia. The abortions occurred in September 2019 in two mares sharing a paddock northeast of Melbourne. The weak foal was born in October 2019 in a similar geographical region and died soon after birth despite receiving veterinary care. The detection of C. psittaci DNA in the lung and equine foetal membranes of the aborted or weak foals and the absence of any other factors that are commonly associated with abortion or neonatal death suggest that this pathogen may be the cause of the reproductive loss. The detection of C. psittaci in these cases is consistent with the recent detection of C. psittaci in association with equine abortion in New South Wales. These cases in Victoria show that C. psittaci, and the zoonotic risk it poses, should be considered in association with equine reproductive loss in other areas of Australia.     

Oocyte holding in the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus): Effect of initial oocyte quality and epidermal growth factor addition on in vitro maturation

Current in vitro embryo production protocols in the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) need to be optimized; oocyte harvesting in situ followed by overnight holding could reduce the human effort and shipping costs. In our work, post‐mortem ovaries were retrieved, and the oocytes were harvested and allocated to G1 group (good quality) or G2 + G3 group (low quality). The oocytes were separately subjected to immediate in vitro maturation (IVM) or held overnight in a holding medium composed of 40% of TCM 199 with Earle's salts, 40% TCM 199 with Hanks' salts and 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS), at room temperature (16 hr). In vitro maturation was carried out in a basal medium supplemented or not with 50 ng/ml of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Our data showed that addition of EGF to the maturation medium increases the percentage of G1 oocytes reaching metaphase II (3.9% vs. 50%, basal vs. EGF; p < .001) and decreased their degeneration rate (69.9% vs. 22.2%, basal vs. EGF; p < .01) when oocytes were immediately matured. Overnight holding increased the meiotic competence of G1 oocytes (37.5% matured in basal medium) and EGF increased prophase arrest in G2 + G3 oocytes (16.1% vs. 38.8% in germinal vesicle [GV] stage in basal medium vs. EGF added medium; p < .05). Our data demonstrate that oocyte holding can be used in Iberian red deer oocytes. Interestingly, EGF addition increases the oocytes' meiotic competence in immediately matured oocytes but not after oocyte holding depending upon initial oocyte quality.