Osteomalacia as a result of phosphorus deficiency in beef cattle grazing subtropical native pastures in Uruguay

We investigated 2 outbreaks of osteomalacia as a result of phosphorus (P) deficiency in herds of lactating beef cows grazing subtropical native pastures in Uruguay. Cows exhibited pica, difficulty to stand and walk, rib fractures, and body weight loss even with adequate forage availability. Osteopenia and severe osteomalacia were observed on gross and histologic examination. The concentrations of bicarbonate-extractable P in soil (4.0, 4.1 mg P/kg), total P in pasture (0.9, 1.1 g P/kg), inorganic P in serum (1.0, 0.71 mmol P/L), and P in bone (73 mg P/mL) were all low. Although injectable and mineral salt supplements provided additional P in both outbreaks, these supplementary amounts were insufficient to prevent P deficiency. The P ingested by the cows from the pasture and supplements would have provided 20–55% of their daily P requirements of ~21 g P/d. Osteomalacia occurred in cattle at the 2 ranches as a result of severe P deficiency in the soil and forage, and inadequate P supplementation. Following diagnosis, control of P deficiency in beef cattle requires estimation of the amount of pasture P ingested and provision of sufficient additional supplementary P to meet the animals’ requirements.     

Management, breeding, and health records from a captive colony of pekin robins (Leiothrix lutea), 2001 - 2010

Pekin robins (Leiothrix lutea) were once the most widely kept softbills in captivity. As a result of the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES-1997), the worldwide trade of wild-caught pekin robins has been prohibited due to the depletion of native populations of this species. In Brazil, as in other countries, pekin robins imported prior to the enactment of the CITES have disappeared from aviaries because the end of the birds' natural life span has passed, and only very few captive-bred pekin robins now exist. While captive propagation fails to address the primary causes of wild bird population decline, it might help the recovery of populations of this species. This article presents records made over a 10-yr period of a captive colony of pekin robins. Emphasis is placed on the management of the flock, the ailments affecting the birds, and the findings associated with bird losses. The main causes of bird losses included rearing management failures and age-related disorders.     

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.     

Outbreak of type C botulism in captive wild birds

In late summer 2010, an outbreak of type C botulism affected the birds kept in a dam at a southern Brazilian zoo. A total of 14(10 black-necked swans, Cygnus melancoryphus; 3 Muscovy ducks, Cairina moschata; and 1 fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor) out of 100 birds died after showing flaccid paralysis of the skeletal muscles characterized by general locomotion deficit, flight and swimming disorders, dropped neck, and severe dyspnea. Carcasses of dead birds (some infested by larvae of sarcophagus fly) scattered in the bird enclosure, and oxygen-free, organically rich mud and/or shallow standing waters present at the edges of the weir were identified as possible toxin sources. Postmortem examinations revealed no significant pathological changes. Epidemiologic and clinical findings indicated the diagnosis of type C botulism toxin, which was confirmed by mouse bioassay and seroneutralization.     

Assessment of Sperm Apoptosis in Cryopreserved Bull Semen After Swim-up Treatment: A Flow Cytometric Study

The techniques used to prepare bovine spermatozoa for in vitro fertilization, to enhance the percentage of motile sperm cells include the swim-up (SU) method, among others. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the phosphatidylserine (PS) translocation and plasma membrane integrity as the indicator of apoptosis and necrosis in post-thaw bull sperm after SU treatment using annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/propidium iodide (PI) assay. A flow cytometric method was employed to measure apoptosis levels on frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa. The assay detects PS translocation across the plasma membrane using a fluorescein-labelled annexin-V and PI. By using the annexin V/PI assay four different subpopulations of sperm were observed: (i) a population of apoptotic sperm, labelled with annexin V-FITC but not with PI; (ii) a population of early necrotic spermatozoa, sperm labelled with annexin-FITC and PI; (iii) a population of necrotic sperm, labelled with PI but not with annexin-FITC; and (iv) a population of fully viable sperm cells, sperm not labelled with annexin V-FITC and without PI. Results clearly indicated that SU technique itself could have an adverse effect on the spermatozoa membrane stability. It has also been found, significant differences between bulls in the levels of apoptotic sperm, after SU treatment.