The accuracy of porcine pregnancy diagnosis by a newly developed ultrasonic A-scan tester.

The accuracy of porcine pregnancy diagnosis by a newly developed ultrasonic A-scan tester (developed by Medimatic A/S) is reported. A test to control the accuracy of the equipment showed that 63 observations were correctly designated as pregnant 30-50 days after the last breeding and 31 observations were correctly designated nonpregnant. 2 sows, rated false pregnant, revealed a uterine accumulation of abnormal secretion equivalent to the fetal fluid volume of 2-4 6-week-old embryos. A total of 96 observations included 70 2nd-litter sows. The accuracy of diagnosis was confirmed by slaughter of 61 animals on the day after examination for pregnancy and by farrowing results in 9 animals.     

Plasma progesterone in mares showing oestrus during early pregnancy (author's transl)]

Sixtyfour mares were examined 3 and 6 weeks after mating. Progesterone was measured in 22 mares 3 weeks after mating in order to see if this could be of any help in the oestrous diagnosis. None of the pregnant mares had plasma progesterone below 2 ng/ml. Pregnant mares that did not show oestrus had higher levels of plasma progesterone than pregnant mares showing signs of oestrus 3 weeks after mating. Clinical findings in pregnant and nonpregnant mares 3 weeks after mating is compared, and oestrus in pregnant mares is discussed.     

Parathion poisoning in cattle (author's transl)]

In a herd of dairy cattle half of the cows showed symptoms of acute poisoning. Blood- and hair samples were taken from seven of the cows, of which two did not show any clinical symptoms. The cholinesterase activities were in all the blood samples decreased to about 10 per cent of normal and parathion was found in all hair samples. The cholinesterase activities rose gradually during a 31/2 month period to the lower part of the normal range. Parathion was found in samples from the inner walls of the cowstable, and it was concluded that the poisoning was probably due to parathion spraying in the stable, while a suspicion of winddrift as a source of poisoning was rejected as less probable.     

Actinobacillus infections in swine (author's transl)]

Actinobacilli infections in pigs are relatively rare. Most cases were septicaemic in the first week of life. With increasing age manifestations after generalized infections were characteristic, such as arthritis, polyarthritis, endocarditis, nephritis, osteomyelitis and embolic pneumonia. Of 34 porcine strains 33 were identified as A. equuli and only one was identical with A. suis. The justification of retaining this species is discussed.     

Intrauterine insemination in ewes with frozen semen (author's transl)]

110 ewes were allocated for intrauterine insemination. One succeeded to deposite semen intra uterine in 43 of the ewes and 37 (86%) of these lambed. In the remaining 67 the semen was deposited in cervix, and of these 15 lambed (22,4%). Totally 52 (47,3%) of the inseminated ewes lambed. Similar results were obtained by one or two inseminations in the heat. Dilution 1:3 gave a significantly (p less than 0.05) higher lambing rate than dilution 1:9 when the semen was deposited in the cervix, while the results were similar for dilution 1:3 and 1:9 by intra interine deposition. A group of 49 ewes was inseminated according to the conventional method on the first day of heat and the intra uterine method on the second day. Intra uterine deposition of semen succeeded in 31 ewes and 27 (87,1%) lambed. In the 18 remaining ewes the semen was depposited in the cervix and 9 (50%) lambed. Totally 73,5% of the ewes in this group lambed.     

Repeated freezing of bull semen (author's transl)]

Repeated freeze-thaw cycles have been used as a mean to predict the viability and fertility of bull semen. In order to investigate the level of fertility of bull semen that has been frozen, thawed and refrozen again, two split sample field trials were performed. 25 bulls were used in the trial, and inseminations were performed by 30 technicians. The semen was diluted to 27 million spermatozoas per dose in a skimmilk-fructose extender, and filled in the french mini-straw. The straws were coded by use of a batch number system. The one half of the straws was fixed to the freezing rampes. After freezing and transfering of the rampes to liquid nitrogen, the rampes were placed in a water-bath at + 35 degree C in 7 seconds. Immediately after thawing the straws they were transferred to a refrigidaire room at + 5 degree C, dried, remounted on the rampes and frozen again in the ordinary way. The other half of the straws were frozen according to the normal routine. The semen from the two treatments were distributed in equal numbers to the technicians who were not informed of the trial. The motility after refreezing had decreased and the percentage of intravital eosin spermatozoas after refreezing increased by 23, as an average. Fertility results were estimated as 60 days non returns after 1st inseminations. Single frozen semen: 1488 1st ins. 493 ret. 66,86 N.r.-% Refrozen semen: 1511 1st ins. 500 ret. 65,30 N.R.-% The trials indicate that further investigation should be performed to see if semen might be frozen concentrated, rediluted after thawing and refrozen for distribution to the technicians.     

On human pasteurellosis by inoculation (author's transl)]

Animal pasteurelloses are most frequent and can occur accidentally on humans. Peculiar variety so-called by inoculation is here described, recognised by J. Reilly and P. Tournier in 1952. It follows animal's bite, cat's bite most often, and can be acute like phlegmon or subacute like an algodystrophic syndrome invalidating during long time. Intradermic injection of P. multocida cultivation straining allows both diagnosis and treatment of a disease very resisting to other therapeutics