Ergovaline does not alter the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B

AIM: To investigate a possible interaction between lolitrem B and ergovaline by comparing the incidence and severity of ryegrass staggers in sheep grazing ryegrass (Lolium perenne) containing lolitrem B or ryegrass containing both lolitrem B and ergovaline.

METHODS: Ninety lambs, aged approximately 6 months, were grazed on plots of perennial ryegrass infected with either AR98 endophyte (containing lolitrem B), standard endophyte (containing lolitrem B and ergovaline) or no endophyte, for up to 42 days from 2 February 2010. Ten lambs were grazed on three replicate plots per cultivar. Herbage samples were collected for alkaloid analysis and lambs were scored for ryegrass staggers (scores from 0–5) weekly during the study. Any animal which was scored ≥4 was removed from the study.

RESULTS: Concentrations of lolitrem B did not differ between AR98 and standard endophyte-infected pastures during the study period (p=0.26), and ergovaline was present only in standard endophyte pastures. Ryegrass staggers was observed in sheep grazing both the AR98 and standard endophyte plots, with median scores increasing in the third week of the study. Prior to the end of the 42-day grazing period, 22 and 17 animals were removed from the standard endophyte and AR98 plots, respectively, because their staggers scores were ≥4. The cumulative probability of lambs having scores ≥4 did not differ between animals grazing the two pasture types (p=0.41).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There was no evidence for ergovaline increasing the severity of ryegrass staggers induced by lolitrem B. In situations where the severity of ryegrass staggers appears to be greater than that predicted on the basis of concentrations of lolitrem B, the presence of other tremorgenic alkaloids should be investigated.     

Relationship of blood corticosterone, immunoglobulin and haematological values in young crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) to water temperature, clutch of origin and body weight

Objective To examine whether sub-optimal temperature induced stress and immunosuppression in farmed saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) hatchlings. Design A clinico-pathological study. Animals A total of 140 hatchlings were used. Procedure Body weight and length, plasma corticosterone and immunoglobulin concentrations and total and differential white blood cell counts were measured in 140 hatchlings from five clutches divided between five water temperature treatment groups. Initially all groups were housed at 32°C for 10 weeks, then two groups (L, LC) were changed to low temperature (28°C) and two groups (H, HC) to high temperature (36°C), while one group (C) remained at 32°C. The LC and HC groups were maintained at these temperatures for 10 days, after which the water temperature of both groups was returned to 32°C. Blood samples were collected twice (at 6 and 9 weeks of age) before the initial temperature change, and at 10 days and 4 weeks after the initial temperature change (at 11.5 and 14 weeks of age). Results Except for an increase in plasma corticosterone in the HC group and a decrease in the L group when the temperature change was first introduced, changes in plasma corticosterone were not significant. There were no significant changes in immunoglobulin concentrations. There were, however, significant decreases in the total white cell and lymphocyte counts in the LC group after the temperature was decreased to 28°C, and an increase in these counts after water temperature was returned to 32°C. Clutch of origin had significant effects on body weight and length gains, and there were negative relationships between body weight and corticosterone concentrations and between body weight and immunoglobulin concentrations. Conclusions As haematological changes indicative of stress were not associated with significant changes in serum corticosterone, immunosuppression in young crocodiles may be independent of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortical axis.     

Growth hormone (GH) and reproduction: a review

Interaction between growth and reproduction occurs in many vertebrates and is particularly obvious at certain stages of the life cycle in fish. Endocrine interactions between the gonadotropic axis and the somatotropic axis are described, the potential role of GH being emphasised. A comparative analysis of these phenomena in mammals, amphibians and fish, suggests a specific role of GH in the physiology of puberty, gametogenesis and fertility. It also shows the original contribution made by studies on the fish model in this field of investigations.     

Surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza in migratory shorebirds at the terminus of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway

AIM: To determine if migratory birds arriving in New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere spring of 2004 were infected with the highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) virus, H5N1.

METHODS: Cloacal and faecal samples were collected from migratory red knots following their arrival in New Zealand in October 2004. Two species of resident sympatric birds, wrybill and mallard duck, were sampled prior to, and following, the arrival of migratory birds.

RESULTS: No AI viruses were isolated from migratory or resident shorebirds. Non-pathogenic AI viruses were isolated from six resident mallard ducks, comprising the endemic subtypes H4 (n=2), H7 (non-pathogenic), H10, and H11 (n=2).

CONCLUSIONS: Highly pathogenic AI H5N1 virus was not detected in migratory shorebirds or sympatric water birds in the Firth of Thames, New Zealand, in 2004-2005, despite the possible proximity of migratory birds to outbreaks of the disease in East Asia in 2004.