Studies on the chemical control of blackgrass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) in winter wheat in the West Midlands

In trials carried out in 1978–80, blackgrass populations in winter wheat growing on heavy soil were substantially reduced by all chemical treatments tested, the least effective being methabenzthiazuron. Wild oat populations were also reduced by all treatments except chlofop-isobutyl and methabenzthiazuron. On average of the 3 years only metoxuron treatment gave wheat yields significantly higher than the unsprayed crop.     

Snake bites recorded by veterinary practices in Australia

Objective To determine the extent of the snake bite problem in domestic animals, its regional significance and the effects of antivenom treatment.
Design A questionnaire was designed seeking information on the number and type of domestic animals referred, whether treated or untreated, type of snakes and management of the bite.
Procedure The survey form was sent to 10% of veterinary surgeons, selected at random throughout Australia.
Results The response of 106 veterinary surgeons revealed that snake bite in domestic animals is frequent, with an estimated 6200 cases reported annually. Bites were more prominent in rural (78%) than urban areas (22%) with brown, tiger and black snakes accounting for 76%, 13% and 6% of cases, respectively. Cats and dogs were the most frequently reported victims. Ninety-one percent of cats and 75% of dogs survived following the administration of antivenom whereas 66% of cats and 31% of dogs survived without antivenom. Overall, in 33% of cases antivenom was not used, and venom detection kits were used in only 1% of cases. A number of drugs were used in various combinations with or without antivenom and intravenous fluids in the treatment of animals with snake bite, but their role in reducing the severity of envenomations was not assessed.
Clinical implications Antivenom significantly improves the chances of survival of domestic animals bitten by snakes.     

Impact of foot-and-mouth disease on mastitis and culling on a large-scale dairy farm in Kenya

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly transmissible viral infection of cloven hooved animals associated with severe economic losses when introduced into FMD-free countries. Information on the impact of the disease in FMDV-endemic countries is poorly characterised yet essential for the prioritisation of scarce resources for disease control programmes. A FMD (virus serotype SAT2) outbreak on a large-scale dairy farm in Nakuru County, Kenya provided an opportunity to evaluate the impact of FMD on clinical mastitis and culling rate. A cohort approach followed animals over a 12-month period after the commencement of the outbreak. For culling, all animals were included; for mastitis, those over 18 months of age. FMD was recorded in 400/644 cattle over a 29-day period. During the follow-up period 76 animals were culled or died whilst in the over 18 month old cohort 63 developed clinical mastitis. Hazard ratios (HR) were generated using Cox regression accounting for non-proportional hazards by inclusion of time-varying effects. Univariable analysis showed FMD cases were culled sooner but there was no effect on clinical mastitis. After adjusting for possible confounders and inclusion of time-varying effects there was weak evidence to support an effect of FMD on culling (HR = 1.7, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.88-3.1, P = 0.12). For mastitis, there was stronger evidence of an increased rate in the first month after the onset of the outbreak (HR = 2.9, 95%CI 0.97-8.9, P = 0.057).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-015-0173-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The solid solution equilibria of lead and cadmium in polluted soils

A method for the measurement of Pb and Cd in equilibrium soil solutions involving soil equilibration with a dilute Ca electrolyte, centrifugation and filtration to <0.2 μm was evaluated. The procedure was subsequently used for the analysis of 100 Pb- and 30 Cd-contaminated soils. Solutions were analysed for Pb- and Cd using graphite-furnace AAS and the concentrations of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ were estimated using standard speciation calculations. The concentrations of Pb and Cd found in the soil solutions were in the range 3.5–3600 μg dmp ^?3 and 2.7–1278 μg dm ^?3 respectively; both ranges represented less than 0.1% of the total metal concentration in the soils. Depending on solution pH, Pb ⁺² accounted for between 42–78% of Pb in solution while about 65% of Cd in solution was present as Cd⁺². The concentrations of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ in solution suggested that the soil solutions were undersaturated with respect to the solid phases PbC0₃ and CdC0₃ but supersaturated with respect to Pb₅(P0₄)₃Cl and, for some samples, Cd₃(P0₄)₂ respectively. However, for both metals, a good empirical relationship was obtained between the total metal concentration in soil (mol kg^?1), free metal concentration in solution (mol dm^?3) and solution pH. The relationships took the general form of a pH-dependent Freundlich adsorption equation: For both lead and cadmium relationships, the values ofn and K₁ were close to unity, so that the distribution coefficient could be estimated from pH and a single metal-dependent constant, K₂. The algorithms appeared to be valid over a metal concentration range of four logarithmic units and pH range of 3.5–7.5.     

Evaluation of the effect of ketoprofen on experimentally induced ephemeral fever in dairy heifers

Objective To evaluate ketoprofen for the therapy of ephemeral fever.
Design A blind controlled clinical trial.
Animals Sixteen cattle (one immature Holstein bull, eight Holstein and seven Jersey heifers).
Procedure Ephemeral fever was induced by the intravenous injection of blood leucocyte layer from a clinical case. Ketoprofen solution or a coded placebo was injected intramuscularly at the rate of 3 mg/kg daily for three days.
Results Ketoprofen reversed locomotor dysfunctions significantly compared with controls, but did not have any effect on rectal temperatures, leucocyte counts, plasma fibrinogen concentrations, ionised Ca-concentrations or the presence of dyspnoea.
Conclusion Ketoprofen is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of locomotor symptoms of milk fever, but has no effect on the duration of clinical respiratory abnormalities.