Monthly model for genetic evaluation of laying hens 1. Fixed regression.

1. This paper addresses the possibility of using a monthly model for the genetic evaluation of laying hens, based on the definition of a test day model with fixed regression as used in dairy cattle, in which monthly records were treated as repeated measurements of the same trait. 2. Production records of 6450 hens, daughters of 180 sires and 1335 dams were analysed using an animal model with restricted maximum likelihood (REML). The traits considered were individual monthly egg production and cumulative egg production in 11 months. Four different models were fitted to various combinations of monthly and cumulative records. The covariates were derived from the regression of Ali and Schaeffer (1987). 3. Spearman rank correlations were computed to compare breeding values from different models. Two types of correlations were computed: between individual breeding values and between sire breeding values based on subsets of full-sib records. 4. The results indicated that a monthly model with nested covariates produced higher heritability and permanent environmental variance than the models with non-nested or without covariates. The estimates of heritability obtained from monthly model were lower than the estimates from the cumulative model. The monthly model resulted in higher correlations of sire breeding values between two subsets of full-sib records than those from cumulative models. 5. In conclusion, the monthly model with nested covariates appears to be better than the model with non-nested covariates or without covariate. Although the heritability estimates obtained from the monthly model were lower, the monthly model with nested covariates could be better than the cumulative model for genetic evaluation of laying hens in the 1st cycle of laying period when using either full or part records. The use of information from odd months of production could be of interest for the evaluation of full records.     

Enzootic abortion in a goat herd, caused by mixed infection with Coxiella burnetii and Chlamydia psittaci. Case report]

We report on an outbreak of enzootic abortion in a herd of goats with high losses caused by mixed infection with Coxiella burnetii and Chlamydia psittaci. Both agents could be detected by microscopic investigation of smears from afterbirths by Giménez staining and by a capture enzyme-linked immunofluorescence assay (Capture ELIFA). Additionally, Coxiella burnetii was isolated from the same tissues in BGM cell cultures. Serological investigations with CF, indirect ELIFA, and IF tests revealed high antibody titers against both agents in most animals. Coxiella antigen was still detected 91 days later in milk samples of two infected goats by Capture ELIFA.     

Atrophic rhinitis of swine--a multifactorial disease?

Atrophic rhinitis is caused by toxigenic Pasteurella multocida strains. The infection is supported by Bordetella bronchiseptica and other widespread agents and by non-infectious factors damaging the nasal epithelium. The term "infectious multifactorial disease" means in German, that ubiquitous low-virulent agents cause disease when intensified by non-infectious factors. Atrophic rhinitis does not belong to this group but is an infectious disease, caused by a specific agent and influenced by several factors.     

Effects of transportation on the tonic immobility fear reactions of broilers

1. The fear levels of broilers arriving from slaughter at 4 commercial processing plants were assessed using tonic immobility (TI) tests. The relative effects of selected variables were also examined.

2. Neither the position of the birds on the lorry, nor their sex, nor the ambient temperature nor the identity of the experimeter exerted any significant effects on tonic immobility reactions.

3. Although the longest and shortest immobility responses followed transportation in the fixed crates and metal modules respectively, system comparisons may be confounded by variations in the birds’ genetic and/or experiential backgrounds.

4. Both journey duration and waiting time before transport bore an unambiguous and positive linear relationship with mean TI duration. The duration of transit was the major factor determining fear levels following both commercial and simulated journeys.     

Endocrine and sperminogenic testicular function. 8. Relationships between testicular and plasma testosterone concentrations as well as between the number of Leydig cells in testicular tissue and their cell nucleus volume in boars of different ages]

Testicular tissue and blood samples (V. spermatica interna) were taken from 32 boars during castration. The animals were different age groups. Against this background, studies were conducted into the correlations between testicular and plasma testosterone, on the one hand, and the amount of interstitial cells of Leydig in testicular tissue as well as the latters' cell nuclei volumes, on the other. The results seemed to support the conclusion that any age-dependent increase of testicular and plasma testosterone concentrations was caused unambigously by an absolute increase in volume of androgenic testicular tissue, in concomitance with testicular growth, in other words, by rise in the total number of interstitial cells of Leydig.     

Storage of hatching eggs: The effect on total incubation period

1. A time‐lapse photographic technique has been developed which enables routine recording of the hatching times of up to 192 chicken embryos.

2. Storage of eggs for 14 d caused a delay of 134 h in the mean total incubation period.

3. Female embryos hatched about 3 h earlier than males in the non‐stored eggs but there was no difference between the sexes in eggs stored for 14 d.

4. Rate of weight loss during incubation was similar in both non‐stored and stored eggs: there was no relationship between weight loss at 19 d incubation and total incubation period.

5. Hatchability of fertile eggs was 19.5% lower in eggs stored for 14 d and proportionately more embryos died between 4 d and 18 d incubation than in the non‐stored eggs.