Arthrogenic lameness of the fetlock: synovial fluid markers of inflammation and cartilage turnover in relation to clinical joint pain

REASONS FOR PERFORMING THE STUDY: Joint pain is one of the most common causes of lameness in the horse but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: To investigate which synovial fluid markers may be related to the presence of clinically detectable joint pain in the horse. METHODS: Concentrations of structural (CPII, C2C, GAG) and inflammatory markers (PGE2, LTB4, CysLTs, bradykinin and substance P) were measured in fetlock joint fluid from 22 horses in which lameness was localised to the fetlock region by perineural anaesthesia. Levels of these markers were then compared in horses that responded (n = 15) to those that did not (n = 7) to subsequent intra-articular anaesthesia (IAA). RESULTS: Of all markers analysed, only substance P levels were significantly higher (P = 0.0358) in synovial fluid of horses that showed a positive response to IAA compared to those with a negative response to IAA. Notably, while PGE2 levels were found to be elevated in all 22 lame horses compared to sound controls (P = 0.0025), they were not related to the response to IAA. CONCLUSIONS: While levels of PGE2 are elevated in synovial fluid of lame horses that respond to perineural anaesthesia, only substance P is related to joint pain as detected by the response to intra-articular anaesthesia. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Substance P is associated with clinically detectable joint pain in the horse. Elevated levels of PGE2 in fetlock-lame horses, regardless of their response to IAA, indicate that either this mediator does not reflect intra-articular pain or that IAA might have limitations in differentiating between intra- and peri-articular sources of pain. Either way, a negative response to IAA may not exclude intra-articular pathology.     

Characteristic of duodenal myoelectric activity in relation to food in piglets during the 3rd and 4th week of life

The relationship between duodenal myoelectric activity and liquid food intake was investigated in eight conscious piglets with bipolar electrodes implanted on the wall of the duodenum. Piglets were fed with commercial milk formula and the effects of volume and feed dry matter intake on duodenal myoelectric activity were measured by means of an analog–digital recording system.The cyclic pattern of duodenal myoelectric activity, i.e. the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC), was preserved when piglets received small meals at regular intervals. The duration of the whole MMC cycle, as well as the duration of phase II of the MMC, were only weakly correlated (r = 0.2, P < 0.05 for both parameters, respectively) to the amount of ingested food. However, the increase of the amount of feed dry matter intake of a meal from 2.1 to 4.5 g kg^− 1 of live body mass (LBM) as well as an increase of volume of a meal from 13 to 26 ml kg^− 1 LBM significantly increased the duration of the MMC cycles (P < 0.05) due to the elongation of phase II of the MMC (P < 0.05).The present study shows that in piglets fed with a liquid diet the upper gut motility response to food is similar to that previously observed in adult animals.     

The performance of weaned piglets after a five week weaning period in relation to the weaning weight, the feed composition and the use of an effective ergotropic

In a three-factorial experiment with 216 piglets of the same age (33 +/- 4 days) but a different weight (weaning weight from 5.5 to 9 kg) a conventional piglet rearing feed containing 20% crude protein (standard), a high-energy diet and a low-protein diet (16% crude protein) were tested. In three weaning weight classes the three diets were fed without or with Bisergon [2-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-carbamoyl-3-methylquinoxaline-1.4-dioxide] over a period of 21 days. From the 22nd to the 71st day after weaning all the piglets received the standard diet without ergotropic. Among the factors studied the Bisergon supplement had the biggest effect. The additional weight gain varied from 9% in case of heavy piglets fed the high energy diet to 150% in case of light piglets fed the low protein diet. The ergotropic improved feed conversion by 22% and lowered the frequency of gastrointestinal diseases requiring treatment by 28%. At the end of the rearing period the weight of the piglets initially fed with Bisergon (means = 34.6 kg) was significantly higher than that of the control animals (means = 31.6 kg). The weaning weight and the diets influenced the final weight especially in the groups without ergotropic. In this case the piglets fed with the high-energy diet gained 30% more and those fed with the low-protein diet 40% less compared with the standard group. The average live weight gain of the light piglets (weaning weight 6.1 kg) was 30% lower than that of the heavier piglets (weaning weight 8.5 kg). The frequency of treatment against diarrhoea of the heavy piglets was by one third lower than that of the light animals. The piglets fed with the low-protein diet appeared to show a limitation of gastrointestinal diseases, but these animals also had the lowest feed intake. Independent of the Bisergon supplementation the weaning weight clearly influenced the live weight after the 10-week experiment. The initially better development of the animals started with the high-energy diet was compensated. In contrast to this, the piglets weighing 6.1 and 7.2 kg fed with the low-protein diet could not compensate the retarded development in comparison with the piglets fed with the standard or the high-energy diet. This experiment confirms the enormous improvement of the performance and of the health status of weaned piglets caused by the ergotropic Bisergon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

加强组织建设改进工作作风在新形势下开创协会工作新局面在全国饲料工业协会秘书长工作会议上的讲话

全国饲料工业协会秘书长工作会议，是在新世纪的第一年，面临新形势的情况下召开的。会议的主要议题是，总结交流各地协会在工作中取得的成绩和经验，研究如何加强地方协会建设，以江总书记关于“三个代表”重要思想为指导，进一步统一思想，提高认识，努力加强队伍建设，切实改进工作作风，不断开创协会各项工作的新局面。下面，我讲几点意见，供大家参考。 充分认识我国饲料工业面临的形 势和发展的特点，坚定前进的信心 我国饲料工业是伴随着改革开放而兴起的一个朝阳产业，短短的二十多年间，在“饲料工业大家办”方针的正确指引下，在…     

Supplementation of diets containing pea meal with exogenous enzymes: effects on weight gain,feed conversion,nutrient digestibility and gross morphology of the gastrointestinal tract of growing broiler chicks

1. The potential for the nutritional improvement of pea-based diets by supplementation with a cocktail of exogenous carbohydrases was investigated using growing broiler chicks. 2. Pea meals (grown in the UK) were included in wheat-based diets at 300 g/kg as a partial replacement for an approximately isonitrogenous mixture of wheat and soybean meal. A wheat/soybean meal diet served as a control and each diet was supplemented with a cocktail of alpha-amylase, pectinase and cellulase. The diets were fed to 1-d-old broiler chicks for a period of 21 d. Weight gain and feed conversion were monitored weekly and excreta were collected during the final week in order to determine nutrient digestibility coefficients and metabolisable energy. On d 21, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was excised and gross morphology measured. 3. Inclusion of pea meal reduced weight gain, feed conversion, nutrient digestibility and also increased the relative sizes of the distal sections of the GI tract. 4. Enzyme addition partially ameliorated the detrimental effects of pea meal inclusion although similar improvements were also noted for birds fed on the control diet. 5. It is concluded that the nutritive value of pea-meal-based diets can be improved by the addition of carbohydrases, and that some pea cultivars show considerable potential as vegetable protein sources for broiler chicks.     

精补料能量对西杂肉牛育肥性能和成本的影响

选择40头体重接近(400.8±32.1)kg的周岁西杂肉牛随机分为4个试验组,饲喂从5.27 MJ/kg到5.90 MJ/kg增重净能的4组精补料,经过150 d育肥试验全部屠宰测定,探讨4组增重净能精补料饲喂杂交肉牛的育肥性能和成本。结果表明,饲喂增重净能5.90 MJ/kg和5.69 MJ/kg精补料的杂交肉牛总增重、净肉增重、料重比和料肉比均优于饲喂增重净能5.27 MJ/kg和5.48 MJ/kg精补料的杂交肉牛;饲喂增重净能5.90 MJ/kg和5.69 MJ/kg精补料的杂交肉牛单位增重成本比增重净能5.27 MJ/kg和5.48 MJ/kg的平均降低11.71%,单位净肉增重成本平均降低17.33%;饲喂增重净能5.90 MJ/kg精补料的各项试验指标最好,饲喂增重净能5.27 MJ/kg精补料的最差(P0.05,P0.01)。由此结论,高增重净能的精补料明显提高杂交肉牛育肥和产肉性能、改善总增重和净肉增重的饲料效率和成本。     

Growth and carcass characteristics of pigs selected for fast or slow gain in relation to feed intake and efficiency.

Selection in pigs for either fast (line F) or slow (line S) postweaning gain was replicated in spring (SREP) and fall (FREP) farrowing groups. Littermate barrows were sampled from F and S during Generations 2, 3, and 4 of the SREP and Generation 3 of the FREP. Beginning at approximately 35 kg (OTWT), barrows were either allowed ad libitum access to feed (AL) or limited to a standard total feed intake (LIM). Blocks of the line x intake level factorial were removed from test and carcass data collected when the average weight of barrows in the block was approximately 110 kg. Carcass data were also collected on an additional barrow from each litter at OTWT to allow estimation of lean tissue gain per unit of feed consumed (LTFC) of tested barrows. In Generations 3 and 4 of the SREP, F-AL was greater (P less than .01) than S-AL for average daily intake and ADG; carcass backfat was greater (P less than .01) but LTFC tended to be less (P less than .10) for F-AL than for S-AL. When LIM was imposed in the SREP, F barrows gained faster (P less than .05) than S barrows in Generation 4, but across generation the lines did not differ for carcass backfat and LTFC was greater (P less than .01) for F than for S. In the FREP, F-AL was greater (P less than .05) than S-AL for average daily intake and ADG and was less (P less than .05) for LTFC, but F and S did not differ for these traits when LIM was imposed; carcass backfat of F was greater (P less than .01) than that of S by .46 cm under AL and .38 cm under LIM. Most of the response in ADG could be attributed to changes in intake, but results in Generation 4 of the SREP indicated that changes in efficiency had also contributed. Most of the additional intake in F vs S resulted in deposition of fat, probably due in part to the heavier weight of F-AL vs S-AL barrows.     

我国兽药监察机构开展科研工作的实践与思考

在问卷调查和数据统计的基础上,分析了我国兽药监察机构科研工作现状,总结科研工作实践经验,探讨变革背景下的兽药监察机构科研发展方向,提出了建立兽药监察科研协作体系、明确重点研究领域的建议。     

Methodologies on estimating the energy requirements for maintenance and determining the net energy contents of feed ingredients in swine: a review of recent work

In the past two decades, a considerable amount of research has focused on the determination of the digestible(DE) and metabolizable energy(ME) contents of feed ingredients fed to swine. Compared with the DE and ME systems, the net energy(NE) system is assumed to be the most accurate estimate of the energy actually available to the animal. However, published data pertaining to the measured NE content of ingredients fed to growing pigs are limited. Therefore, the Feed Data Group at the Ministry of Agricultural Feed Industry Centre(MAFIC) located at China Agricultural University has evaluated the NE content of many ingredients using indirect calorimetry. The present review summarizes the NE research works conducted at MAFIC and compares these results with those from other research groups on methodological aspect. These research projects mainly focus on estimating the energy requirements for maintenance and its impact on the determination, prediction, and validation of the NE content of several ingredients fed to swine. The estimation of maintenance energy is affected by methodology, growth stage,and previous feeding level. The fasting heat production method and the curvilinear regression method were used in MAFIC to estimate the NE requirement for maintenance. The NE contents of different feedstuffs were determined using indirect calorimetry through standard experimental procedure in MAFIC. Previously generated NE equations can also be used to predict NE in situations where calorimeters are not available. Although popular, the caloric efficiency is not a generally accepted method to validate the energy content of individual feedstuffs. In the future,more accurate and dynamic NE prediction equations aiming at specific ingredients should be established, and more practical validation approaches need to be developed.     

Trends in gender, employment, salary, and debt of graduates of US veterinary medical schools and colleges

Objective-To characterize trends in gender, employment, starting salaries, and educational debt of graduates of US veterinary medical schools and colleges from 1988 to 2007. Design-Meta-analysis. Sample Population-Veterinary medical graduates from 26 or 27 of 27 US veterinary schools and colleges from 1988 through 2007. Procedures-Data were obtained from surveys published in the JAVMA. A chi(2) test for trend was used to analyze trends in choices of employment and educational indebtedness for the veterinary graduate populations over time. Results-The greatest changes in employment occurred in predominantly large animal practice, which attracted 10.7% of new graduates in 1989 but only 2.2% in 2007, and in advanced study, which attracted 15.2% of new graduates in 1989 and 36.8% in 2007. In 2007, 75% of graduates were women, but this gender shift was not associated with the decline in the percentage of graduates entering rural practice. From 1989 through 2007, starting salaries in private practice increased at a rate of 4.60%/y. During the same period, educational debt increased at an annual rate of 7.36%, or 60% higher than the rate of increases for starting salaries. As a result, debt at graduation increased from 1.1 times the starting salary in 1989 to 2.0 times the starting salary in 2007. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Veterinary students are now more in debt than they have ever been. This trend together with a substantial increase in the rate of interest charged for government-backed education loans create conditions for new graduates that appear unsustainable.     

Anatomy of the equine temporomandibular joint: study by gross dissection, vascular injection and section

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: The minute anatomy of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in horses is poorly documented in the literature. OBJECTIVES: To examine in detail the anatomy of the normal equine TMJ and the relationship of the joint to adjacent structures. METHODS: The anatomy of the TMJ was examined in 12 equidae using dissections, synovial and vascular injections and frozen and plastinated sections. Relevant structures were photographed. RESULTS: Rostral and caudal compartments were identified in the dorsal and ventral synovial pouches of the TMJ. Lateral and caudal ligaments were identified and attachments of the masticatory muscles over the TMJ were documented. Direct relationships between the TMJ and components of the ear were found, and the vascular supply described. CONCLUSIONS: This joint is related to some components of the ear as in man, and has its own peripheral vascular supply. Potential relevance: A knowledge of the detailed anatomy of the equine TMJ is a prerequisite to interpreting the imaging techniques, and will enable improved diagnosis of TMJ pathologies.     

Experimental rickets in broilers: gross, microscopic, and radiographic lesions. II. Calcium deficiency

Day-old broiler chicks were fed a calcium-deficient diet for 30 days. Gross, microscopic, and radiographic examinations of the proximal tibiotarsus were done at 2, 3, and 4 weeks of age. In 2-week-old chicks, the growth-plate proliferating-prehypertrophied zone (P-PHZ) was variably lengthened and disorganized, cartilage columns of the degenerating hypertrophied zone and metaphyseal primary spongiosa were shortened, and bone spicules of the secondary spongiosa were bordered by increased osteoid. In 3-week-old chicks, lesions were either similar or more pronounced, with the additional finding of metaphyseal peritrabecular fibrosis. In 4-week-old chicks, the P-PHZ decreased in relative length, osteoid seams and fibrous connective tissue were less prominent, and tibial dyschondroplasia-like lesions were present. Results demonstrated that dietary calcium deficiency produced rachitic lesions, that the lesions were very different from those of phosphorus deficiency or calcium excess, and that the lesions were variable over time.     

Ovarian follicular growth, function and turnover in cattle: a review

Studies in cattle assessing changes in number and size of antral follicles, concentrations of estradiol, androgens and progesterone in serum and follicular fluid, and numbers of gonadotropin receptors per follicle during repetitive estrous cycles and postpartum anestrus are reviewed. The rate of growth of small follicles (1 to 3 mm) into larger follicles increases as the estrous cycle progresses from d 1 to 18 (d 0 = estrus). Size of the largest antral follicle present on the ovary also increases with advancement of the estrous cycle. Most large follicles (greater than 10 mm) persist on the ovarian surface for 5 d or more between d 3 and 13 of the bovine estrous cycle. After d 13, most of these large follicles are replaced more frequently by new growing follicles (turnover) with an increased probability for recruitment of the ovulatory follicle after d 18. More research is needed to determine the time required for growth of bovine follicles from small to large antral size and evoke recruitment of the ovulatory follicle. Factors that regulate selection of the ovulatory follicle are unknown but may involve increased frequency of LH pulses in blood, altered blood flow and(or) changes in intrafollicular steroids and proteins. Quantitative evaluation of ovarian follicles indicated occurrence of consistent short-term changes in fluid estradiol and numbers of luteinizing hormone receptors in cells of large follicles only during the pre-ovulatory period. Presumably, low concentrations of follicular estradiol found during most of the estrous cycle are not due to a lack of aromatizable precursor or follicle-stimulating hormone receptors. Follicular fluid concentrations of progesterone increase only near the time of ovulation. Little is known about changes in follicular growth, turnover and function during postpartum anestrus in cattle. However, preliminary data suggest that the steroidogenic capacity of large follicles changes markedly during the postpartum period.     

The relationships of birth weight, preweaning gain and postweaning gain with the bovine major histocompatibility system

A total of 739 cattle from nine breeds maintained at the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska were tested for 42 class I antigens of the bovine major histocompatibility system (BoLA). Each antigen appears to be the product of a distinct co-dominant allele of the BoLA-A locus. The number of antigens present in each breed ranged from a minimum of 10 in Hereford to a maximum of 21 in Charolais cattle. There were large differences among breeds in the frequencies of antigens. The effect of each antigen on birth weight, preweaning weight gain and postweaning weight gain was estimated in a gene substitution model. Each breed was analyzed separately. There were significant effects of some BoLA antigens on birth weight, preweaning weight gain and postweaning weight gain, which is consistent with previous reports showing associations between the major histocompatibility system and growth parameters in mice, rats and pigs. However, further research is necessary to confirm these findings and to determine the biological mechanisms underlying these associations.     

Pathological lesions in swine at slaughter. VI. The relation between some mainly non-environmental factors, diseases, weight gain and carcass quality

The influence of some diseases (lesions at slaughter) on daily weight gain and the relation between some mainly non-environmental factors and diseases, weight gain and carcass quality were studied in 12 herds running an all in/all out fattener production. The material consisted of 9800 baconers slaughtered in the period 1975–1977. The piglets were purchased when about 10 weeks old. The number of batches was 60.The investigation showed that 6 of the 12 diseases included in the analyses had a statistically significant influence on daily weight gain: pyaemia, atrophic rhinitis, severe and moderate pneumonia, tail lesion and scabies. The effect varied from a calculated reduction of 60 g in daily weight gain in pigs having atrophic rhinitis to a positive influence of 5 g/day in animals with recorded scabies lesions.It was also found that an increase in weight of marketing piglets would reduce the risk of contracting many diseases and accordingly increase the frequency of healthy animals. It also seemed possible to increase the frequencies of healthy animals by buying quality piglets. Further, quality piglets had a positive relation to weight gain and best paid carcasses (highest quality). Analyses of flock based antiparasitic treatment were inconclusive with regard to weight gain, parasitic hepatitis and scabies.