Quarantine requirements for the importation of black rhinoceros from Zimbabwe into Australia

SUMMARY The proposal by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales to import 10 southern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) from Zimbabwe as part of an international project for conservation of the species presented the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) with a unique challenge. This importation is, at least in the modern era, the first importation of live herbivores from the African continent. Many of the serious animal diseases in the world are endemic in parts of Africa. Knowledge of which of these diseases infect wild species and may be transmitted from the wild species to domesticated species, is limited. This paper describes the strategies adopted by AQIS to facilitate the importation of rhinoceros while maintaining protection of Australian consumers, rural industries, domestic livestock and fauna against the entry and spread of unwanted pests and diseases.     

Review: The strobilurin fungicides

The original article to which this Correction refers was published in Pest Management Science 58 (7): 649–662 (2002).Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Monitoring distances travelled by horses using GPS tracking collars

Objective The aims of this work were to (1) develop a low-cost equine movement tracking collar based on readily available components, (2) conduct preliminary studies assessing the effects of both paddock size and internal fence design on the movements of domestic horses, with and without foals at foot, and (3) describe distances moved by mares and their foals. Additional monitoring of free-ranging feral horses was conducted to allow preliminary comparisons with the movement of confined domestic horses. Procedures A lightweight global positioning system (GPS) data logger modified from a personal/vehicle tracker and mounted on a collar was used to monitor the movement of domestic horses in a range of paddock sizes and internal fence designs for 6.5-day periods. Results In the paddocks used (0.8–16 ha), groups of domestic horses exhibited a logarithmic response in mean daily distance travelled as a function of increasing paddock size, tending asymptotically towards approximately 7.5 km/day. The distance moved by newborn foals was similar to their dams, with total distance travelled also dependent on paddock size. Without altering available paddock area, paddock design, with the exception of a spiral design, did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled. Feral horses (17.9 km/day) travelled substantially greater mean daily distances than domestic horses (7.2 km/day in 16-ha paddock), even when allowing for larger paddock size. Conclusions Horses kept in stables or small yards and paddocks are quite sedentary in comparison with their feral relatives. For a given paddock area, most designs did not significantly affect mean daily distance travelled.     

Astigmatism in infants

Compared with children of school age, infants show ten times the incidence and considerably greater amounts of clinically significant astigmatism. The amount begins to decrease in the second semester of life, and the incidence declines during the third year. The unanticipated results bear on both the etiology and the neural sequelae of astigmatism.     

Visually guided reaching in infant monkeys after restricted rearing

Infant macaques were reared from birth in an apparatus which pre cluded sight of their body parts. At 35 days postpartum one hand was exposed to view. Visual fixation of this hand was insistent and prolonged; visually guided reaching was poor, but it improved during ten succeeding hours of exposure. Little concomitant improvement occurred in the reaching of the unexposed hand.     

A sampling protocol for the thyrotropin-stimulation test in the horse

A study was designed to assess the secretory response of thyroid glands in horses to an economically feasible dose (5 IU) of thyrotropin injected IV, and to establish valid blood sampling periods in cases in which thyroxine concentrations were different from base-line values. Significant (P less than 0.001) response (doubling or near-doubling of base line) occurred as early as 3 hours after thyrotropin administration, with peak response at 4 to 5 hours. It was concluded that administration of 5 IU of thyrotropin is economical and effective in the horse, with collection of a second blood sample possible as early as 3 hours after administration.     

Solitary osteochondroma of the radius in three horses

Osteochondroma of the distal portion of the radius was diagnosed in 3 horses with a history of lameness and distention of the common tendon sheath of the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons at the level of the carpal canal. In 2 horses, the exostosis was removed through an incision at the caudal border of the lateral digital extensor muscle above the carpal ligament.     

Sperm granuloma in a stallion

A 7-year-old stallion with a history of abdominal pain after it fell was examined and found to have a swelling of the right testis and epididymis. Semen evaluation revealed an increase in secondary sperm abnormalities. The stallion was unilaterally castrated. The histologic diagnosis was sperm granuloma, with no evidence of infection. Periductal fibrosis was observed and appeared to have developed before the trauma occurred. The changes seen could be compatible with chronic blockade of efferent ductules, resulting in extravasation of spermatozoa.