Health status of northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) in eastern Kansas

The health status of wild northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) from Lyon County, Kansas, was evaluated by conducting comprehensive health assessments on 25 birds. Gross lesions indicative of avian pox, ulcerative enteritis, and quail bronchitis were not present. Serologic tests for antibodies to Salmonella pullorum, Salmonella gallinarum, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, and avian adenoviruses were all negative. Intestinal coccidia (Eimeria spp.) were found in 36% of the birds. Only three species of helminth parasites were found: Dispharynx nasuta in two birds, Cyrnea colini in one bird, and larval Physaloptera sp. in four birds. Arthropod parasites (ticks, lice, mites, and/or chiggers) were present on 96% of the birds examined. Compared with wild bobwhite populations in the southeastern United States, the diversity, prevalence, and intensities of microbial and parasitic agents were low.     

Effect of age and body weight on plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone in turkey hens before and after photostimulation

The independent effects of age and body weight (BW) on photostimulatory response in turkey breeder hens were studied by measuring changes in plasma luteinizing hormone (LH; ng/mL) before and 3 d after photostimulation. The study was conducted with hens from two BW groups at 24–25, 27–28, and 31–32 wk of age. There was approximately a 1-kg difference in BW between groups within an age. Six hens per BW and age group were cannulated (jugular vein) and serially sampled during each of two 6-hr periods. Samples were collected at 10-min intervals. The two sampling periods were the last 6 hr of the short-day photoperiod (SD) and the same period during the third long day after photostimulation (LD). The photostimulatory response (PR) or difference between the SD and LD baseline LH concentrations was greatest in the 24–25-wk-old hens. The PR was unaffected by hen BW at any age. The baseline LH concentration during the SD photoperiod declined as hens aged. After photostimulation, baseline LH and LH peak amplitude concentrations were higher in 24–25-wk-old hens compared with the older ages. The number of LH peaks increased after photostimulation, but there were no significant effects attributable to age or BW within an age. In conclusion, the PR was affected by hen age but not hen BW or BW within a particular age.     

Comment on "Absence of cooling in New Zealand and the adjacent ocean during the Younger Dryas chronozone"

Barrows et al. (Reports, 5 October 2007, p. 86) presented cosmogenic exposure dates and data from an ocean sediment core that challenge evidence for glacier advance in New Zealand during the Younger Dryas event. We use modeling of geomorphic processes to argue that their cosmogenic exposure dates are inconclusive.     

Environmental Controls on the Fate of Escherichia coli in Soil

An improved understanding of factors that influence the survival and/or growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in soil is essential to allow the formation of land management practices to control the spread of the pathogenic strains of the bacteria, whose transmission to fresh produce is a threat to food safety. Persistence of E. coli in soils held at different water potentials and with carbon additions then subjected to post-freezing incubation temperatures and in the presence of Klebsiella terrigena (K. terrigena) were investigated. Soil samples adjusted to different water potentials (?0.03, ?0.1 and ?1.5 MPa) were inoculated with a multi-antibiotic resistant strain of E. coli (E. coli 2+), which allowed recovery of the organism from soil samples. In addition to manipulation of water content, different C levels were added and samples were frozen for varying lengths of time, thawed and incubated. In freezing studies, initial soil moisture content significantly affected E. coil 2+ survival in soils following thawing, resulting in lower survival rate (k) at water potential of ?0.03 than at ?0.1 and ?1.5 MPa. The effect of length of freezing time was significant only at ?0.03 MPa. Glucose addition at 1.25 mg C g^?1 improved survival rate versus glucose at 0.125. The low level glucose increased die-off rate versus no addition, suggesting that unless amendments provide C above a certain threshold level, they might facilitate the death of the bacteria. E. coli 2+ survival improved in the presence of K. terrigena at 6°C but not at 23°C. Persistence of E. coli under the interactive influence of various environmental factors highlights the urgency and importance of understanding its potential for transmission to fresh produce and water bodies.     

Motivations and support for regulations: a typology of eastern wild turkey hunters

To determine the diverse motivations of eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) hunters, a self-administered questionnaire was developed and mailed to a sample of 5,000 licensed turkey hunters in Tennessee (response rate = 36%). A cluster analysis yielded three types of respondents in terms of their hunting motivations: social harvesters (44%), experiential harvesters (22%), and social outdoor enthusiasts (34%). Hunters in these segments were then analyzed to compare their support for various hunting regulations. While 61% of Tennessee eastern wild turkey hunters reported to be satisfied with current regulations, harvest-motivated hunters were less receptive to regulations that would limit season lengths or bag limits while socially motivated hunters were more accepting. The hunter groups did not differ in their preference for decentralizing regulations by management zones. Findings from this article may guide wildlife managers in designing socially acceptable regulations.     

Effects of copper source and concentration on in vitro phytate phosphorus hydrolysis by phytase

Five copper (Cu) sources were studied at pH 2.5, 5.5, and 6.5 to determine how Cu affects phytate phosphorus (PP) hydrolysis by phytase at concentrations up to 500 mg/kg diet (60 min, 40-41 degrees C). Subsequently, Cu solubility with and without sodium phytate was measured. Adding Cu inhibited PP hydrolysis at pH 5.5 and pH 6.5 (P < 0.05). This inhibition was greater with higher concentrations of Cu. Tri-basic copper chloride and copper lysinate inhibited PP hydrolysis much less than copper sulfate pentahydrate, copper chloride, and copper citrate (P < 0.05). A strong negative relationship was observed between PP hydrolysis and soluble Cu at pH 5.5 (r = -0.76, P < 0.0001) and 6.5 (r = -0.54, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, pH, Cu concentration, and source influenced PP hydrolysis by phytase in vitro and were related to the amount of soluble Cu and the formation of insoluble copper-phytin complexes.     

Bench‐top validation testing of selected immunological and molecular Renibacterium salmoninarum diagnostic assays by comparison with quantitative bacteriological culture

No gold standard assay exhibiting error‐free classification of results has been identified for detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum, the causative agent of salmonid bacterial kidney disease. Validation of diagnostic assays for R. salmoninarum has been hindered by its unique characteristics and biology, and difficulties in locating suitable populations of reference test animals. Infection status of fish in test populations is often unknown, and it is commonly assumed that the assay yielding the most positive results has the highest diagnostic accuracy, without consideration of misclassification of results. In this research, quantification of R. salmoninarum in samples by bacteriological culture provided a standardized measure of viable bacteria to evaluate analytical performance characteristics (sensitivity, specificity and repeatability) of non‐culture assays in three matrices (phosphate‐buffered saline, ovarian fluid and kidney tissue). Non‐culture assays included polyclonal enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), direct smear fluorescent antibody technique (FAT), membrane‐filtration FAT, nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) and three real‐time quantitative PCR assays. Injection challenge of specific pathogen‐free Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), with R. salmoninarum was used to estimate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Results did not identify a single assay demonstrating the highest analytical and diagnostic performance characteristics, but revealed strengths and weaknesses of each test.     

Footing and gait of pigs on different concrete surfaces

Because pigs frequently lose their footing and slip, it is important to understand slipping and its relation to different floor surfaces. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the gait and footing of young pigs walking on concrete floor surfaces having known friction characteristics and to determine critical skid resistance values in terms of the fitness of a concrete surface for flooring in pig quarters. Barrows were cinematographed with a high-speed 16-mm camera as they walked on various surfaces, and gait and footing were subsequently analyzed in motion studies. The six concrete floor test pads with different surface treatments (fine and coarse sand, fine and coarse broom, wood float and steel trowel) were evaluated for friction coefficient (skid resistance value) using a British pendulum tester both before and after pig tests. Leg angle, pastern angle and time variables were not related with average skid resistance value of the different floors. However, slip variables during a stride's stance phase per se were well related to surface-treatment differences in average skid resistance. Thus, the average skid resistance value generated by the British pendulum tester yielded one piece of objective information useful in assessing the fitness of concrete surfaces for floors in pig quarters. All the surfaces except the steel trowel surface had average skid resistance value of greater than 65 British pendulum number, and they all reduced a pig's chance of slipping relative to the steel trowel (less than 60 British pendulum number). The front leg was a more sensitive indicator than the rear of a floor's effect on the pig's gait and footing.