生物污泥对草地早熟禾耐旱及细胞抗氧化能力的影响

为明确污泥对草地早熟禾(Poa pratensis)抗氧化酶和耐旱性的影响,本试验采用裂区设计,主处理为充分浇水、干旱2种水分条件,副处理包括对照(硝酸铵提供75mg·kg~(-1)的氮素)、半污泥(硝酸铵和污泥各提供1/2的草地早熟禾所需的75mg·kg~(-1)的氮素)和全污泥(污泥提供75mg·kg~(-1)的氮素)。结果表明,与对照相比,充分浇水条件下,全污泥和半污泥均能显著提高草地早熟禾的坪观质量、根重及可溶性糖含量,降低叶片萎蔫度;干旱胁迫下,全污泥和半污泥均能显著提高草地早熟禾的坪观质量、相对含水量并降低其叶片萎蔫度,这表明施用污泥可以促进草地早熟禾在干旱胁迫下的生长状态。充分浇水时,全污泥和半污泥处理的草地早熟禾试验后期叶片超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性与对照相比显著提高了39.5%和50%(P0.05),且半污泥处理叶片过氧化物酶(POD)活性也比对照显著增加了14.2%;极度干旱(土壤含水量为25%)时,施用全污泥和半污泥的草地早熟禾叶片SOD、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性均显著升高,且半污泥处理的草地早熟禾叶片POD活性显著提高,为对照的1.3倍。研究结果表明,生物污泥可以增强草地早熟禾耐旱性,提高其细胞抗氧化能力。     

钾素增强干旱胁迫下草地早熟禾生理耐性的机制

采用不同程度的水分胁迫与5个不同钾素水平进行交互处理,以草地早熟禾品种Merit为试材,研究钾对水分胁迫下草地早熟禾生理特性及草坪质量的影响。结果表明:同一钾素浓度下,水分胁迫显著(P0.05)降低草地早熟禾草坪质量、叶绿素含量、根系活力、抗氧化酶活性,显著(P0.05)增加草地早熟禾电导率及丙二醛、脯氨酸、可溶性糖含量。同一水分条件下,随着钾素浓度的增加,草地早熟禾草坪质量、叶绿素含量、根系活力、脯氨酸含量、抗氧化酶活性先升高后降低,电导率、丙二醛含量先降低后升高,可溶性糖含量不断升高。在重度水分胁迫下,与0mmol/L钾处理相比,9mmol/L钾处理下Merit的POD、SOD、CAT活性分别上升了68%、35%、65%,对于缓解干旱、提高草坪耐受性和坪用质量效果最好。     

乙烯利对干旱胁迫下草地早熟禾生理指标的影响

以草地早熟禾(Poa pratensis)‘Nuglade'品种为试验材料,研究叶片喷施乙烯利对草地早熟禾在水分充足、干旱及复水恢复3种处理下叶片电解质渗透率、叶绿素、可溶性蛋白、丙二醛(MDA)等生理指标的影响。结果表明,乙烯利与对照组(CK)相比,乙烯利在干旱胁迫下保持更高的叶片相对含水量23.5%(对照为11.5%)和更低的电解质渗透率68.1%(对照为90.7%)及MDA含量53.90μmol·g~(-1)(对照检查131.62μmol·g~(-1)),且复水后的电解质渗透率恢复程度更好;此外乙烯利处理提高了复水恢复过程草地早熟禾的可溶性蛋白含量;说明,叶片喷施乙烯利能够缓解草地早熟禾的干旱胁迫损伤,并促进干旱后的复水恢复。     

硅对干旱胁迫下草地早熟禾形态及生理特性的影响

摘要：通过测定人工模拟干旱缺水条件下,不同浓度硅处理后草地早熟禾(Poa pratensis)品种蓝宝石(Sapphire)总蒸散量、叶片相对含水量、叶片相对电导率、草坪质量、根干质量、根活性指标变化,研究了硅对干旱胁迫条件下草地早熟禾形态及生理特性的影响。结果表明,干旱胁迫下草地早熟禾的总蒸散量、叶片相对含水量、草坪质量、根干质量、根活性较对照（充分灌水）明显下降,而叶片相对电导率明显上升。在对照处理下,各浓度硅对总蒸散量、叶片相对含水量、草坪质量、根干质量、根活性、叶片相对电导率均没有显著影响;而在干旱胁迫下,硅能明显促进草地早熟禾总蒸散量、叶片相对含水量、草坪质量、根干质量、根活性升高,促进叶片相对电导率明显下降,且以浓度为2.14 mmol/L时效果最佳。     

不同种类早熟禾苗期抗旱性综合评价

在干旱半干旱地区,水分是牧草生长的主要限制因素之一,探究牧草苗期阶段的抗旱性特征对干旱地区牧草引种筛选具有重要意义。本研究选取了青海省海北地区的8份早熟禾属(Poa L.)种质材料,于苗期分别对其进行干旱胁迫处理,并测定干旱胁迫后第5d和第10d各草种叶片的细胞膜透性及丙二醛(MDA)、脯氨酸和叶绿素的含量,运用Fuzzy数学中隶属函数法对8种早熟禾进行抗旱性综合评判。结果表明:随着胁迫时间的延长,8份早熟禾属种质材料的叶绿素含量均显著下降(P0.05),细胞膜透性、脯氨酸和MDA含量则显著增加(P0.05)。综合评价结果表明:不同种质材料间苗期抗旱性差异较大,由强到弱依次为:草地早熟禾高原早熟禾山地早熟禾光稃早熟禾波伐早熟禾早熟禾莫若波利草地早熟禾冷地早熟禾,草地早熟禾和高原早熟禾抗旱性较强,更适合在干旱地区种植。     

不同早熟禾品种对干旱胁迫的生理响应及抗旱性评价

为鉴定评价早熟禾幼苗抗旱性,将14个早熟禾品种的种子经消毒后播种在塑料花盆中,出苗后间苗,2~3个真叶定株,每盆留生长一致、分布均匀的幼苗15株,定期浇水,以保证幼苗的正常生长。待生长到3~4个真叶时进行干旱处理,依据Michel公式计算不同水势所需的PEG-6000的量,然后加入PEG-6000溶液进行干旱处理,处理的水势梯度为0 MPa(即为对照),-0.3,-0.6,-0.9和-1.2 MPa。处理后每2 d进行称重补水以维持溶液浓度。设干旱处理与对照(正常浇水)两组,对14个早熟禾品种幼苗进行模拟干旱胁迫,4次重复。测定叶绿素(CHL)含量、丙二醛(MDA)含量、脯氨酸(Pro)含量、过氧化物酶(POD)以及超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性等生理生化指标。结果表明,随着干旱胁迫的加剧,早熟禾幼苗叶片CHL含量呈下降趋势;Pro含量、MDA含量、SOD活性总体呈上升趋势;POD活性总体呈先降再升后降的趋势;利用隶属函数分析得出14个早熟禾品种的抗旱性强弱顺序依次为:3号恩托佩草地早熟禾>10号细叶早熟禾>1号优异草地早熟禾>2号斗士草地早熟禾=9号蓝钻草地早熟禾>7号草地早熟禾>11号草地早熟禾>4号草地早熟禾>5号瓦巴斯草地早熟禾>8号早熟禾=13号肯塔基草地早熟禾>14号草地早熟禾>6号莫诺波利草地早熟禾=12号菲尔津草地早熟禾。     

甘肃野生草地早熟禾萌发期抗旱性鉴定与评价

采用-0.1,-0.3,-0.5和-0.7 MPa的聚乙二醇6000（PEG-6000）模拟不同程度的干旱胁迫,在萌发期分别处理8份野生草地早熟禾（Poa pratensis）种质和2个商用品种21 d,并测定发芽率、发芽势和活力指数等7个鉴定指标,并以其相对值作为评价指标,利用隶属函数法和聚类分析对供试的10份种质材料进行了综合评价和分类,同时,对各鉴定指标在草地早熟禾萌发期抗旱性评价中的作用进行了比较分析。结果表明,用于草地早熟禾萌发期抗旱性研究的适宜PEG-6000浓度为-0.1～-0.3 MPa,种子活力指数和发芽率受干旱胁迫的影响较大,且与抗旱性的关系最为密切,可作为草地早熟禾种质萌发期抗旱性鉴定的重要指标。10份种质材料抗旱性由强到弱依次为：秦州 > 西和 > 陇西 > 安定 > 渭源 > 天祝 > 榆中 > MidnightⅡ > 清水 > Baron;聚类分析可把供试材料按抗旱性强弱分为三类,其中清水和Baron属于干旱敏感种质;安定、渭源和MidnightⅡ等属于中等抗旱种质;秦州、西和和陇西属于抗旱种质,可作为抗旱育种材料。     

水氮交互作用对草地早熟禾生理生化与坪用质量的影响

采用3个不同水分梯度和3个不同氮素浓度的交互处理,研究草地早熟禾细胞抗氧化酶活性等相关生理生化指标与草坪质量的变化。结果表明:在轻度水分胁迫×中氮处理下,草地早熟禾SOD、POD及CAT酶活性均较高,MDA含量相对较低;草地早熟禾的细胞抗氧化能力与叶片可溶性蛋白含量、叶绿素含量、叶片含水量之间不同程度的正相关;草地早熟禾坪用质量与叶片叶绿素含量、可溶性蛋白含量及含水量间呈显著一元线性关系;同等干旱胁迫下,适当增施氮素可提高叶片可溶性蛋白含量、叶绿素含量和含水量,即干旱胁迫导致草地早熟禾坪用质量的降低可通过施适量氮素得到补偿。     

干旱条件下硅对草地早熟禾生长初期的影响

在聚乙二醇(PEG-6000)模拟干旱胁迫条件下,研究了5种硅肥(Na2SiO3)浓度对草地早熟禾Poapratensis种子萌发以及幼苗生长初期形态及生理指标的影响.结果表明:干旱胁迫会显著抑制早熟禾种子的萌发.使其幼苗萎蔫失水、叶片相对含水量降低、生物量下降;干旱胁迫下,硅可以显著提高早熟禾种子的发芽率和发芽势.并且干旱胁迫程度愈大硅的作用效果愈显著,同时硅能有效改善幼苗根系生长状况,利于早熟禾对养分和水分的吸收,提高叶片相对含水量和生物量,从而起到缓解干旱伤害的作用.但超过一定浓度时,硅也会抑制早熟禾的生长.     

五氨基乙酰丙酸对逆境下草地早熟禾萌发及生长的影响

通过发芽试验,探讨不同浓度五氨基乙酰丙酸(5-ALA)对Cd胁迫、盐胁迫及干旱胁迫下草地早熟禾(Poa pratensis)种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响。本试验以草地早熟禾‘午夜’(Poa pratensis‘Midnight’)品种为材料,在Cd(2mg·L~(-1)),NaCl(50 mmol·L~(-1)),PEG(15%)3种处理下分别施加不同浓度的5-ALA(0,5,25,50,100mg·L~(-1)),分析了不同处理下种子发芽势、发芽率、可溶性蛋白等指标。结果表明:不同胁迫下较低浓度(5,25mg·L~(-1))5-ALA均能提高种子的发芽势、发芽率、芽长、根长等指标,而较高浓度(50,100mg·L~(-1))的5-ALA起抑制作用。综合比较4种不同浓度的5-ALA发现,25mg·L~(-1)对胁迫的缓解效应最优,其Cd胁迫下发芽势、发芽率分别比对照增加了21%,33.67%;NaCl胁迫下发芽势、发芽率分别增加了22.67%,23.67%;PEG模拟干旱胁迫下发芽势、发芽率分别增加了15.33%,10.67%。25mg·L~(-1) 5-ALA对NaCl,PEG胁迫下可溶性蛋白含量提高显著,分别提高了6.5和3.8μg·g-1,对于Cd胁迫,可溶性蛋白含量虽有提升但不显著。     

白术、微米白术和白术多糖对断奶仔猪生长性能和肠道形态及微生态区系的影响

试验选用96头平均体重14.82 kg左右的杜×长×大断奶仔猪,随机分成4组,每组3栏,每栏8头(公母各半)。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验1、2、3组分别添加1%80目白术、0.2%白术多糖和1%微米白术。试验期30 d。结果表明:在生长性能方面,与对照组相比,1%微米白术添加组可显著提高日增重(P0.05)、降低饲料增重比和腹泻率,而且效果优于1%80目白术组和0.2%白术多糖组,在肠道形态和肠道微生态区系方面,与对照组相比,日粮添加1%80目白术、0.2%白术多糖、1%微米白术均可不同程度的提高十二指肠和空肠的绒毛高度,加深十二指肠和空肠的隐窝深度,并且增加肠道微生态区系的多样性,其中以1%微米白术添加组的效果最佳。     

Prevalence and seasonal incidence of nematode parasites and fluke infections of sheep and goats in eastern Ethiopia

Sissay, M.M., Uggla, A. and Waller, P.J., XXXX. Prevalence and seasonal incidence of nematode parasites and fluke infections of sheep and goats in eastern Ethiopia. Tropical Animal Health and Production, XXXX. A 2-year abattoir survey was carried out to determine the prevalence, abundance and seasonal incidence of gastro-intestinal (GI) nematodes and trematodes (flukes) of sheep and goats in the semi-arid zone of eastern Ethiopia. During May 2003 to April 2005, viscera including liver, lungs and GI tracts were collected from 655 sheep and 632 goats slaughtered at 4 abattoirs located in the towns of Haramaya, Harar, Dire Dawa and Jijiga in eastern Ethiopia. All animals were raised in the farming areas located within the community boundaries for each town. Collected materials were transported within 24 h to the parasitology laboratory of Haramaya University for immediate processing. Thirteen species belonging to 9 genera of GI nematodes (Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus axei, T. colubriformis, T. vitrinus, Nematodirus filicollis, N. spathiger, Oesophagostomum columbianum, O. venulosum, Strongyloides papillosus, Bunostomum trigonocephalum, Trichuris ovis, Cooperia curticei and Chabertia ovina), and 4 species belonging to 3 genera of trematodes (Fasciola hepatica, F. gigantica, Paramphistomum {Calicohoron} microbothrium and Dicrocoelium dendriticum) were recorded in both sheep and goats. All animals in this investigation were infected with multiple species to varying degrees. The mean burdens of adult nematodes were generally moderate in both sheep and goats and showed patterns of seasonal abundance that corresponded with the bi-modal annual rainfall pattern, with highest burdens around the middle of the rainy season. In both sheep and goats there were significant differences in the mean worm burdens and abundance of the different nematode species between the four geographic locations, with worm burdens in the Haramaya and Harar areas greater than those observed in the Dire Dawa and Jijiga locations. Similar seasonal variations were also observed in the prevalence of flukes. But there were no significant differences in the prevalence of each fluke species between the four locations. Overall, the results showed that Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, Nematodirus, Oesophagostomum, Fasciola and Paramphistomum species were the most abundant helminth parasites of sheep and goats in eastern Ethiopia.     

Y‐chromosomal variation of local goat breeds of Turkey close to the domestication centre

Genetic variations in chromosome Y are enabling researchers to identify paternal lineages, which are informative for introgressions and migrations. In this study, the male‐specific region markers, sex‐determining region‐Y (SRY), amelogenin (AMELY) and zinc finger (ZFY) were analysed in seven Turkish native goat breeds, Angora, Kilis, Hair, Honaml?, Norduz, Gürcü and Abaza. A SNP in the ZFY gene defined a new haplotype Y2C. All domestic haplogroups originate from Capra aegagrus, while the finding of Y1A, Y1B, Y2A and Y2C in 32, 4, 126 and 2 Turkish domestic goats, respectively, appears to indicate a predomestic origin of the major haplotypes. The occurrence of four haplotypes in the Hair goat and, in contrast, a frequency of 96% of Y1A in the Kilis breed illustrate that Y‐chromosomal variants have a more breed‐dependent distribution than mitochondrial or autosomal DNA. This probably reflects male founder effects, but a role in adaptation cannot be excluded.     

A brief history of the prevention of infectious diseases by immunisations

Infectious diseases have always been a terrible scourge for humans. The appearance of these plagues, as they were called without distinction, was generally connected to various conditions: asters, climatic changes or religious reasons. The concept of contagious, and then infectious, diseases came slowly. Variolation, i.e. transmission of ‘virulent’ matter to induce a natural disease and the immunity against it, was brought from Constantinople to England by Lady Montague, in 1721. This ‘variolation’ technique was also often performed in veterinary medicine against diseases like sheep-pox or pleuropneumonia. As ‘vaccination’ is the term generally accepted for ‘immunisation’, variolation can be the word designating such a technique. The second period of the history of immunisation began, in 1880, with the studies of Pasteur and his collaborators. A great number of bacterial vaccines were developed: dead, live but attenuated or only parts of pathogens. The viruses were produced in animals, then in eggs and at last, in tissue cultures. Second generation vaccines appeared with genetic engineering: recombinant vaccines, vector vaccines, nucleic acids vaccines, and markers vaccines, among others. These novel technologies can permit the development of new ones and improve the quality of the vaccines already existing.     

Micronutrient Content of Certain Tropical Conventional and Unconventional Feed Resources of Southern India

The ash, silica and certain important micronutrients were estimated in conventional and unconventional feed and fodder resources available in Southern India. Commonly used dry roughages, such as paddy straw, ragi straw, maize kadbi/stalk, jowar kadbi/stalk, bajra stalk and wheat straw, were high in ash (9.9% +/- 0.77%) and silica (6.4% +/- 0.65%) and low in most of the other micronutrients, except iron, with paddy straw containing most silica (>9%). Cultivated non-leguminous (maize, jowar) and improved green crops (hybrid napier, guinea, green panic, NB-21, CO-1) were also high in ash (10.5% +/- 0.60% and 12.5% +/- 0.51%) but were moderate sources of P, Mg and Cu and good sources of Zn (98 +/- 13.8 ppm and 55 +/- 6.7 ppm). Leguminous green fodders (stylosanthus, lucerne, cow pea, soyabean) were excellent sources of Ca (1.9% +/- 0.16%), Mg (0.40% +/- 0.05%), Cu (30 +/- 5.2 ppm), Zn (121 +/- 14.7 ppm) and Fe (1234 +/- 166 ppm) and moderate sources of P. Mixed local grasses and weeds were high in silica (6.9% +/- 1.00%) but were good sources of Cu, Zn and Fe. Cereal grains (maize, wheat, rice, ragi) were low in ash (2.9% +/- 0.33%) and were relatively poor sources of Ca (0.22% +/- 0.03%), Mg (0.19% +/- 0.03%) and Cu (13 +/- 3.1 ppm). Pulses were low to medium sources of most minerals and good sources of Fe (1230 +/- 293 ppm). Oil seed cake/extractions (groundnut cake, cotton seed cake, soyabean meal, sunflower cake, safflower cake) and cereal by-products (rice polish, rice bran, wheat bran) were excellent sources of P (1.1% +/- 0.47% and 2.3% +/- 0.19%) and good sources of Zn (65 +/- 3.9 ppm and 66 +/- 10.7 ppm) and Fe (938 +/- 130 ppm and 662 +/- 126 ppm). Among the unconventional feeds screened, orange peel, sunflower heads, meat meal, rubber seed cake, spirulina algae and sea weeds contained plentiful Ca, Zn and Fe: tree leaves/top feeds (mulberry, erythrina, glyricidia, banana, subabul, groundnut haulms) were excellent sources of Ca (1.5% +/- 0.13%), Zn (120 +/- 22.9 ppm) and Fe (1033 +/- 133 ppm) but relatively poor sources of P. Soyabean husk, cocoa seed husk, rubber seed cake and meat meal were moderate to good sources of P (1.0% and 0.33%). The high Zn and Fe values of most feeds/fodders were probably due to soil contamination. This account of the micronutrient content of feed/fodder resources should help in strategic supplementation intended to alleviate local deficiencies.     

Bovine Mastitis in Selected Areas of Southern Ethiopia

A study on bovine mastitis, designed to determine the causal agents, prevalence of infection and impact of risk factors in three cattle breeds, was conducted in selected areas of southern Ethiopia. A total of 307 lactating and non-lactating cows, of which 162 were indigenous Zebu, 85 Jersey and 60 Holstein-Friesian, were examined by clinical examination and the California mastitis (CMT) test. Of these, 40.4% were positive by CMT and bacteriology for clinical or subclinical mastitis, with prevalence rates of 37.1% and 62.9%, respectively. Out of 1133 quarters examined, 212 (18.7%) were found to be infected, 83 (39.2%) clinically and 129 (60.8%) subclinically. The prevalence of mastitis was significantly higher in Holstein-Friesian than in indigenous Zebu, in non-lactating cows than in lactating cows, in the early lactation stage than in the mid-lactation stage, in cows with lesions and/or tick infestation on skin of udder and/or teats than in cows without this factor, and in the wet season than in the dry season. Mastitis increased with parity number (R = 0.9). Of 248 CMT and clinically positive udder quarter samples analysed microbiologically, 212 were culturally positive for known mastitis pathogens and 36 were negative. Of the 199 positive samples, Staphylococcus accounted for 39.2%, Streptococcus for 23.6%, coliforms for 14.1%, Micrococcus and Bacillus species for 8.0% each and Actinomyces or Arcanobacterium (Corynebacterium) for 7.0%. It was concluded that there was a high prevalence of clinical and subclinical mastitis, mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae and Escherichia coli, in this study area.     

不同日粮氮水平对山羊氮代谢和微生物蛋白质合成的影响

本试验旨在探讨不同日粮氮水平对内蒙古白绒山羊氮代谢和微生物蛋白质合成(MCP)的影响,以达到提高氮利用率,减少环境污染和饲料资源的浪费。试验选用9只体况良好、体重为(43.83±2.95)kg,装有瘤胃瘘管的内蒙古白绒山羊,按体重随机分为3组,每组3只。日粮分为低氮7.5%、中氮10.5%、高氮13.5%3个氮水平。试验使用常规试验方法分析测定粪尿血液等生化指标,通过全收尿法和尿嘌呤衍生物法估测MCP。结果表明:随着氮水平增加,氨氮(NH3-N)浓度、氮摄入量、尿氮排出、尿中尿素氮(UUN)和MCP显著增加(P0.05),干物质采食量(DMI)显著降低(P0.01);沉积氮占总摄入氮的比例在中氮组最高,MCP在高氮组最高。综上所述,适当降低日粮氮水平可减少粪尿氮排放,提高反刍动物氮利用率。     

Microsporidial keratopathy in two dogs

A microsporidial keratopathy is described in two dogs. Both dogs presented with a unilateral stromal keratopathy characterized by multifocal coalescing opacities, and the diagnosis was made on histopathologic examination of keratectomy specimens. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded corneal tissue was performed in one dog, and the morphologic features were consistent with Nosema species infection. Both dogs were initially diagnosed and treated by superficial keratectomy. One dog received additional antifungal medication and underwent a penetrating keratoplasty following local recurrence two years later. No other systemic lesions attributable to the microsporidial infection were identified clinically. The clinical and diagnostic pathology findings, treatment, and follow‐up are discussed.     

优质肉鸡S3系体重与体尺性状指标的主成分分析

为研究地方优质肉鸡S3系体重和体尺性状之间的内在相关性,12周龄时选取同一饲养条件下的150只鸡(公母各半)进行体重和体尺性状等7个指标的测定。结果表明:S3系公鸡的体重、体斜长、龙骨长、胸角均显著高于母鸡(P0.05);公母鸡体重、体斜长、胸宽、胫围这4项指标变异系数较大,有较大选育空间;体重与体斜长、龙骨长、胸宽、胸角、胫围呈极显著正相关(P0.01),相关系数分别为0.57、0.52、0.51、0.49和0.47,与胸深、胫长呈显著相关(P0.05),相关系数分别为0.44和0.39;其他各体尺指标间也存在不同程度的正负相关性(P0.05或P0.01);体重和7个体尺性能指标综合成5个复合指标,累计贡献率达92.6355%,其中第l、2、3、4、5主成分分别解释总变异的36.5353%、22.8642%、13.3115%、10.4535%和8.4710%;各主成分的特征根分布较广,经统计计算入选的5个主成分所包含信息的侧重点各有相同,分别都在一定程度上反映了S3鸡的体型特征和生长发育规律,为今后选育出更加符合市场需求的屠宰加工优质型肉鸡指明了的方向。     

Efficacy of tropicamide,homatropine, cyclopentolate,atropine and hyoscine as mydriatics in Angora goats

Abstract

AIM: To document the efficacy of five commercially available mydriatics for their potential for diagnostic and therapeutic use in Angora goats.

METHODS: Over 8 weeks, the mydriatic effects of 1% tropicamide, 2% homatropine, 1% cyclopentolate, 1% atropine and 0.25% hyoscine were evaluated. Given as block treatments, drugs were applied randomly to one eye of 10 Angora goats, and the contralateral eye served as a control. Vertical and horizontal pupil diameters were measured to document onset ofeffect, time to reach a difference of 5 mm in the vertical/horizontal pupil diameter between eyes, time to maximum pupillary dilation, and duration of mydriatic action.

RESULTS: Onset of mydriasis for all drugs occurred within 15 minutes. Time to reach a difference of 5 mm in the vertical pupil diameter between eyes was shortest for 1% tropicamide and 0.25% hyoscine (0.5 h), then 2% homatropine and 1% atropine (0.75 h), and longest for 1% cyclopentolate (1.5 h). The maximum vertical pupillary dilation occurred earliest with 1% tropicamide and 1% atropine (2 h), followed by 0.25% hyoscine (3 h), 2% homatropine (4 h), and latest with 1% cyclopentolate (8 h). The duration of vertical dilation of the pupil was shortest with 1% tropicamide (6 h), then 2% homatropine (12 h), 1% cyclopentolate (12 h), 1% atropine (24 h), and longest for 0.25% hyoscine (96 h).

The time to reach maximum horizontal dilation of the pupil in treated eyes was shortest with 1% cyclopentolate (1 h), followed by 1% tropicamide (1.5 h), 0.25% hyoscine (3 h), 2% homatropine (3.5 h), and 1% atropine (4 h). The duration of horizontal pupil dilation was shortest with 1% tropicamide (4.5 h), and longest with 0.25% hyoscine (48 h).

CONCLUSION: All five mydriatics induced clinical dilation. Tropicamide (1%) had the shortest duration of effect, but gave incomplete dilation. Good dilation was achieved with 1% cyclopentolate and 2% homatropine, but took too long to reach maximum dilation for routine mydriasis. The largest vertical dilation of the pupil was achieved with 1% atropine and 0.25% hyoscine, but pupils remained dilated for more than 24 h.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For routine mydriasis in goats, it is recommended that 1% tropicamide be used, though there may be incomplete dilation. For a longer duration of mydriasis, such as in the treatment of anterior uveitis, 1% atropine or 0.25% hyoscine would be the drugs of choice.