Differential Responses to Pea Bacterial Blight in Stems, Leaves and Pods Under Glasshouse and Field Conditions

Resistance to pea bacterial blight (Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi) in different plant parts was assessed in 19 Pisum sativum cultivars and landraces, carrying race-specific resistance genes (R-genes) and two Pisum abyssinicum accessions carrying race-nonspecific resistance. Stems, leaves and pods were inoculated with seven races of P. s. pv. pisi under glasshouse conditions. For both race-specific and nonspecific resistance, a resistant response in the stem was not always associated with resistance in leaf and pod. Race-specific genes conferred stem resistance consistently, however, there was variability in the responses of leaves and pods which depended on the matching R-gene and A-gene (avirulence gene in the pathogen) combination. R2 generally conferred resistance in all plant parts. R3 or R4 singly did not confer complete resistance in leaf and pod, however, R3 in combination with R2 or R4 enhanced leaf and pod resistance. Race-nonspecific resistance conferred stem resistance to all races, leaf and pod resistance to races 2, 5 and 7 and variable reactions in leaves and pods to races 1, 3, 4 and 6.Disease expression was also studied in the field under autumn/winter conditions. P. sativum cultivar, Kelvedon Wonder (with no R genes), and two P. abyssinicum accessions, were inoculated with the most frequent races in Europe under field conditions (2, 4 and 6). Kelvedon Wonder was very susceptible to all three races, whereas P. abyssinicum was much less affected. The combination of disease resistance with frost tolerance in P. abyssinicum enabled plants to survive through the winter. A breeding strategy combining race-nonspecific resistance derived from P. abyssinicum with race-specific R-genes should provide durable resistance under severe disease pressure.     

Population-based study of fecal shedding of Clostridium perfringens in broodmares and foals

OBJECTIVE: To determine the percentage of broodmares and foals that shed Clostridium perfringens in their feces and classify the genotypes of those isolates. DESIGN: Prospective cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: 128 broodmares and their foals on 6 equine premises. PROCEDURES: Anaerobic and aerobic bacteriologic cultures were performed on feces collected 3 times from broodmares and foals. All isolates of C. perfringens were genotyped. RESULTS: Clostridium perfringens was isolated from the feces of 90% of 3-day-old foals and 64% of foals at 8 to 12 hours of age. A lower percentage of broodmares and 1- to 2-month-old foals shed C. perfringens in their feces, compared with neonatal foals. Among samples with positive results, C. perfringens type A was the most common genotype identified (85%); C. perfringens type A with the beta2 toxin gene was identified in 12% of samples, C. perfringens type A with the enterotoxin gene was identified in 2.1% of samples, and C. perfringens type C was identified in < 1% of samples. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clostridium perfringens was identified from the feces of all but 6 foals by 3 days of age and is likely part of the normal microflora of neonatal foals. Most isolates from broodmares and foals are C. perfringens type A; thus, the clinical relevance of culture results alone is questionable. Clostridium perfringens type C, which has been associated with neonatal enterocolitis, is rarely found in the feces of horses.     

Effects of dietary flaxseed oil supplementation on equine plasma fatty acid concentrations and whole blood platelet aggregation

An 18-week feeding trial was performed to investigate the effects of an omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid-enriched ration on plasma fatty acid concentrations and platelet aggregation in healthy horses. Flaxseed oil served as the source of the n-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Twelve horses were fed dietary maintenance requirements using a complete pelleted ration (80%) and timothy grass hay (20%) for a 2-week acclimation period before being randomly assigned either to a treatment (group 1) or control (group 2) group. Group 2 horses (n = 6) were fed the diet described in the acclimation period, whereas group I horses (n = 6) were fed a 10% flaxseed oil-enriched complete pellet (80%) and grass hay (20%). Biological samples and physical measurements were collected at one point during the acclimation period (week 0) and every 4 weeks thereafter (weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16). Body weight, CBC (including platelet count), plasma fibrinogen. electrolyte (Na, K, and Cl) concentrations, and biochemical profile enzyme activities (aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and creatine kinase) did not change markedly with diet. Platelet aggregation was not altered by the supplementation of flaxseed oil in these healthy horses, although increases in plasma cis-polyunsaturated 18-carbon fatty acids C18:3; n-3 (ALA) and C18:2; n-6 (linoleic acid), biologically active C20:5; n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evident. There were no marked decreases in C20:4; n-6 (arachidonic acid [AA]) or increases in C22:6; n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]), signifying that flaxseed oil may have had a high percentage of omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids as well as n-3 fatty acids, and this relatively high n-6: n-3 fatty acid ratio may have affected the biochemical effect of n-3 fatty acids. In healthy horses supplemented with flaxseed oil, platelet aggregation was not altered, which may have been due to the limited biologic effect in healthy subjects or the inability of flaxseed oil to induce the necessary biochemical effect of replacing n-6 fatty acids with n-3 types.     

An introduction to biosecurity of cattle operations.

Recent world events have heightened awareness for the need to safeguard our livestock industries from disease agents. Biosecurity is the outcome of all activities undertaken to preclude introduction of disease agents into an animal population. The concepts of biosecurity are not new. Activities directed at ensuring biosecurity include controlling exposure and optimizing resistance. Programs for biosecurity must be individually tailored to specific situations to account for varying risks and perceptions of risk by decision makers. It is important for practitioners to take a holistic approach to disease control, considering the epidemiology of the disease in addition to the available vaccines and therapeutics.     

Comparison of temperature readings from a percutaneous thermal sensing microchip with temperature readings from a digital rectal thermometer in equids

OBJECTIVE: To compare temperature readings from an implantable percutaneous thermal sensing microchip with temperature readings from a digital rectal thermometer, to identify factors that affect microchip readings, and to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the microchip for fever detection. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 52 Welsh pony foals that were 6 to 10 months old and 30 Quarter Horses that were 2 years old. PROCEDURES: Data were collected in summer, winter, and fall in groups 1 (n = 23 ponies), 2 (29 ponies), and 3 (30 Quarter Horses), respectively. Temperature readings from a digital rectal thermometer and a percutaneous thermal sensing microchip as well as ambient temperature were recorded daily for 17, 23, and 19 days in groups 1 through 3, respectively. Effects of ambient temperature and rectal temperature on thermal sensor readings were estimated. Sensitivity and specificity of the thermal sensor for detection of fever (rectal temperature, >or= 38.9 degrees C [102 degrees F]) were estimated separately for data collection at ambient temperatures 15.6 degrees C. RESULTS: Mean ambient temperatures were 29.0 degrees C (84.2 degrees F), -2.7 degrees C (27.1 degrees F), and 10.4 degrees C (50.8 degrees F) for groups 1 through 3, respectively. Thermal sensor readings varied with ambient temperature and rectal temperature. Rectal temperatures ranged from 36.2 degrees to 41.7 degrees C (97.2 degrees to 107 degrees F), whereas thermal sensor temperature readings ranged from 23.9 degrees (75 degrees F) to 42.2 degrees C (75 degrees to 108 degrees F). Sensitivity for fever detection was 87.4%, 53.3%, and 58.3% in groups 1 to 3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The thermal sensor appeared to have potential use for initial screening of body temperature in equids at ambient temperatures > 15.6 degrees C.     

The Effects of Forced Exercise on Collagen Type II Fragments,Lysyl Oxidase Concentrations,and Total Protein Concentrations in Sera and Synovial Fluid of Lambs

Excessive exercise may induce osteoarthritis, which is a leading cause of lameness and decreased use in horses. The purpose of this study was to utilize a sheep model to determine the effects of circular and linear exercise on biochemical markers in serum and synovial fluid (SF). Twenty lambs (5 months) were assigned to three groups: circular exercise (C, 8.5 m diameter; n = 8), straight-line exercise (S, treadmill; n = 8) and nonexercised control (CON, n = 4). Lambs (C and S) were exercised up to 8 weeks at 1.3 m/s for up to 30 minutes, 6 days per week. Serum and SF from a metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint was collected. Serum total protein (P = .66), Collagen Type II cleavage [3/4] fragments concentrations (P = .44) and lysyl oxidase (LOX) (P = .15) activity were not different among treatment groups throughout the study. There was a polynomial response to serum LOX over time (R² = 0.7464). There were no differences in SF total protein (P = .94, right MCP; P = .68, left MCP) or SF LOX specific activities (P = .9, right MCP; P = .93, left MCP) among groups throughout the study. However, SF LOX specific activity did increase over time (P = .001) for all treatment groups. These results indicated that the biochemical markers utilized in this study were unable to detect differences between groups with respect to exercise protocols. However, the LOX activity did increase over time possibly as a result of growth.     

Thermographic Eye Temperature as an Index to Body Temperature in Ponies

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a passive, remote, and noninvasive method of measuring surface temperatures. Select surface locations, such as the eye, could indicate body temperature. To investigate whether thermographic eye temperatures were associated with body temperatures and could be used to detect febrile ponies, we measured IRT eye temperatures, rectal temperatures, and implanted thermal microchip temperatures from 24 male ponies daily for 3 consecutive days. Information regarding distance of the pony from the IRT device, presence of direct sunlight during the measurement period, and ambient temperature were also collected. A multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that 60.41% of the variance in IRT was accounted for by rectal temperature, sunlight, and distance between the camera and the pony, with rectal temperature being the major contributor to variance (46.23%). Using a rectal temperature of >38.6°C (101.5°F) as the indicator of febrile status, sensitivity and specificity of the IRT device used to detect the febrile ponies were found to be 74.6% and 92.3%, respectively, when using the maximum IRT eye temperature per pony per day. In conclusion, IRT eye temperature could be a preliminary screening tool to determine whether a more time-consuming, labor-intensive, and invasive method (e.g., rectal temperature) is warranted for fever validation.     

Outcome of equids with clinical signs of West Nile virus infection and factors associated with death

OBJECTIVE: To determine outcome of equids in the western United States with clinical signs of West Nile virus (WNV) infection and identify factors associated with risk of death in infected equids. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS: 484 equids in Nebraska and Colorado. PROCEDURE: Owners of 484 equids with laboratory-confirmed West Nile virus infection in Nebraska and Colorado were contacted by telephone, and a questionnaire was used to obtain information on signalment, management, clinical signs, date of disease onset, duration of disease, WNV vaccination status, and health status at the time of the interview. RESULTS: 137 of 482 (28.4%) animals died or were euthanatized. Ataxia, lethargy, muscle fasciculations, and weakness were the most common clinical signs of disease. Animals > or = 3 years old were more likely to die than were animals < or = 2 years old. Unvaccinated equids were twice as likely to die as were animals that had been vaccinated at least once prior to the onset of disease. Animals that were recumbent and unable to rise were 78 times as likely to die as were animals that never lost the ability to rise. Females were 2.9 times as likely to die as males. Two hundred seventy-one of 339 (79.9%) animals that survived recovered fully; mean duration of disease for these animals was 22.3 days. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Among equids with WNV infection, age, vaccination status, an inability to rise, and sex were associated with the risk of death.     

An overview of infection control strategies for equine facilities, with an emphasis on veterinary hospitals.

Infection control entails preventing or minimizing exposure to infectious agents or optimizing resistance to infection at the individual and population levels should exposure occur. The degree to which each of these strategies is applied varies according to the attributes of the disease agent and the population at risk. In developing an infection control, biosecurity, or biocontainment plan, it is important to decide which agent or agents are to be controlled, the method by which they might be introduced to the individual or population, and methods by which they might spread once at a farm or veterinary clinic.