NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
130
ABSTRACTS
[Vol. XXIV, Part II,
was found depleted. It could not be assumed whether parasitic infection occurred
as a result of vitamin A deficiency, but the reverse appeared true because of demand
on vitamin A due to destruction of epithelial lining by the parasite.
Seasonal and regional studies of this nature may help to determine the causes
of excessive lung infection in some parts of India. [H.K.L.]
The experimental reproduction of so called lumber paralysis—epizootic cerebros-
pinal nematodiasis-in goats in Japan. ISHII SUSAM YAJIMA, et al. (1953).
Brit. vet. J. 109, 4, 160-167
T HIS work is further confirmation of investigation by Innes, Shoho and Pilla
[1952] that lumber paralysis or Kumri, now named epizootic 'Cerebrospinal
nematodiasis'; and found in goats, sheep, horses in Japan and Korea, goats in
Ceylon and in horses in India is the result of infection of mosquito stage larva of
Setaria digitata.
In this experiment 19 goats, five months old and weighing 15 kg. each, were,
used, nine being used for inoculation and the remaining 10 kept as untreated controls.
Experimental goats were inoculated hypodermically with micro-filaria, number
varying from 68 to 306. These were bred from mosquito Armigeres obturbans
collected from cesspools of stables, infected from sucking blood of ox—the natural
host of Setaria digitata. No abnormalities were observed in control animals, while
seven out of nine experimental animals showed motor weakness and incoordination
after 14 to 38 days of inoculation. In six out of seven, pathological complex of
cerebrospinal nematodiasis was found in nervous system and in widely differing
anatomical locations. There is no direct proof of the exact path taken by Setaria
larvæ from the sub-cutaneous entry to their final neural destination. [H.K.L.]
REVIEWS
HOBDAY'S SURGICAL DISEASES OF THE DOG AND CAT
BY JAMES MCCUN
(Published by Messrs. Bailliere, Tindall and Cox Ltd., London, 1953, pp. vii+456,
Price 30s.)
T HE publication is an exhaustive treatise on small animal surgery, got up in a
concise form, and the subjects classified and arranged systematically in 25
chapters.
The book is amply illustrated by 330 appropriate photographs and drawings
section-wise and therefore is as practical as comprehensive and illuminating affording
accurate and descriptive instructions of the operations and their indications stage
by stage on almost all the surgical conditions of the dog and cat usually encountered
by the practitioner to grapple with. The book is, therefore, a valuable asset to the
veterinary student, teacher and practitioner alike, as they are sure to find an answer
to any point they may want including the latest development in the field of canine
and feline surgery.
The arrangement of the subjects as already mentioned is methodical and dealt
in a systematic way. The first three chapters of this book have been devoted to a
preliminary consideration and introduction to surgery with particular reference to
the care and management of the patient before and after surgical operations, anti-
septic preparation of instruments and things connected with the operation and proce-
dures and methods of securing and keeping the patient. All these are mostly design-
ed by the author and other renowned men in his field including the editor himself.
The subject of Anæsthesia and the various kinds of anæsthetics employed with
the author's own experience have received good consideration at the hands of the
editor in chapter 4. This is indeed a good feature of the book and is as should be;
because, in these days especially when 'human surgery' has advanced so much,
the veterinary surgeon should not feel complacent and limit himself to the applica-
tion of past achievements. Further, sentiments and humanitarian considerations
also play a large part in the operation on all animals—particularly the pets and hence
the importance of the subject.
Chapters 5 and 6 deal with ordinary surgical conditions, commonly encountered
in daily practice. In combating certain surgical conditions reference to plastic
operations is made frequently (pp. 70, 88, 94, 95, 115, 246, 286, 328, 367). A few
more pages could have been added to elaborate the technique of the operation for
the immense benefit of the students and practitioners.
The classification of tumours, their description and surgical removal and treat-
ment have been dealt at length and the editor has taken pains to describe in a concise
but descriptive way all about the different kinds of cancers of the different organs
and regions internal as well as external with appropriate photographs. The book
is admirable in this respect also because in spite of the vastness of the subject, it
has been covered systematically in a concise but descriptive way in the different
chapters.
131
132
REVIEWS
[Vol. XXIV, Part II,
Regarding the more delicate operations particularly those of the thoracic,
abdominal, pelvic, the male and female generative organs and about dystokia, the
editor has spared no pains to describe every surgical condition and the operation
indicated. The editor's own experience and the latest developments in the technique
employed for the operation have also been dealt with in an excellent way.
Some of the delicate operations, e.g. Splenectomy, Gastrotomy, Enterotomy,
Ovarotomy, Hysterotomy,etc., were not very commonly practised in all the veterinary
hospitals before the advent of the modern sulfa drugs, penicillin and other antibiotics.
Further, owners of dogs and cats were also not so keen about such operations in
their pets. But now things have changed and veterinary surgeons in charge of
hospitals are called upon to undertake all kinds of operations.
Besides their practical value, these operations are of great academic interest
also, for it is only on this result and experiences gained by these operations on dogs,
human surgery develops. Possibly because of its unimportance in veterinary
patients, nothing is mentioned in the book about the heart, surgical conditions of
the heart and operations indicated.
Very interesting observations are recorded about the different kinds of fractures
of the different bones and the editor's experience and the methods of reduction and
surgical treatment are indeed very illuminating and will be helpful to the students
and practitioners. The editor should be congratulated for the excellent and appro-
priate skiagraphs and pictures given in this connection.
The subject of Radiology could have been dealt in more detail. But in a book
of this size, perhaps it is not possible to give all the details regarding deep X- ray and
Radio Therapy and the implications involved.
The editor has ended the book with a chapter on nursing of small animals
which contains a lot of valuable information to guide the students and the practi-
tioner.
In short, it is an excellent book on the subject, thoroughly practical, very
interesting and instructive to the profession, and those engaged in small animal
practice should feel grateful to the author and the present editor for bringing
out this excellent publication (K.S.S.)
VETERINARY ANAESTHES A
BY JOHN G. WRIGHT
(Published by Messrs Baillier Tindell & Cox, London, 1952, pp. 267, Price 21s.)
T HE first edition of this book appeared in 1941 and second in 1947, now an
enlarged and modified third edition of this publication, wherein the contents
have been brought up-to-date in the light of modern knowledge on the subject, is
published. The book is divided into 29 chapters and deals with all the aspects and
modes of administration of anæsthesia in domestic animals. The local, regional,
spinal and epidural anæsthesia as applied to horse, ox, dog, sheep and pig are dealt
with while chapters on producing narcosis in all animals are also included.
The
antidotal measures in cases of collapse during inhalation anæsthesia are clearly
June, 1954]
REVIEWS
135
The poultry section has an educative value in advocating deep litter system
for feeding poultry and running poultry and pigs together, a saving indeed in many
respects. The construction of modern hen-yard is another good feature.
The second section—Reference Section—has been a usual feature and perhaps the
more important of the two sections, for it consolidates within a space of about 100
pages the most valuable information which all engaged in any phase of farming or
livestock raising require to know. It has an index too at the end. The contents
here list all those in the Ministry of Agriculture, agricultural colleges and research
institutes, National Farmers Union, Agricultural Workers Union, Advisory Service,
and Boards dealing with land, agriculture, livestock and livestock products, livestock
shows and sales during the year. Returns for livestock raising, agricultural returns
of all kinds and prices and farming records, tractor specifications, etc., are included
while there is a buyers' guide also to help all.
The book is of very great value to all engaged in any phase of agriculture or
livestock production. The get-up of The book is nice. (M.R.M.)
MGIPC—M—18 AR/53—12-7-54—760.
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
EFFECT OF SEASON OF LAMBING ON BODY WEIGHT
AND MEASUREMENTS OF LAMBS IN EGYPT
By A. A. ASKER, M. T. RAGAB and A. E. BASTAWISY
Animal Breeding Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt
(Received for publication on 24 September 1953)
L AMBING season in sheep is usually so arranged from both biological and
economical standpoints, that the ewes drop their young ones during the most
favourable time of the year. The general practice for the sheep farmers in Egypt
is to mate their ewes during the months of May and June, so that lambing takes
place at the beginning of autumn. This is the beginning of both mild weather and
grazing season in this country. In the Northern parts of Egypt, where the heat
of the summer is within bearable limits, farmers leave their rams with ewes for the
whole year ; thus a two-lamb crop for each year could be obtained.
The purpose of this paper is to compare lambs produced during summer with
those born in winter, for their body weights and measurements. If summer-lambing
proves to have no harmful effect on lambs, the amount of mutton produced in this
country can be increased by resorting to summer-lambing. However, any increase
in this respect will be appreciable, since there is a shortage of meat in Egypt that
necessitates the import of a large amount of mutton every year.
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE AND METHODS OF ANALYSIS
This experiment was carried out on both Rahmani and Ossimi sheep, in two
flocks belonging to the Animal Breeding Department, Faculty of Agriculture, at
Giza (Middle Egypt). The winter-lambing started in October 1951 and ended in
March 1952, while the summer-lambing extended from June to August in the year
1952. The number of lambs born during summer was 67 compared to 73 dropped
in winter. Ewes that produced the summer crop included some lactating ones also.
Lambs were weighed and measured within 24 hours of their birth, then every
two weeks till they were weaned at four months of age. Heart girth, body length
and height at shoulder were measured to the nearest centimeter, while weights were
recorded to the nearest 0.01 kilogram. Observations taken at birth and at weaning
age were utilised in this report.
Lambs born in winter were fed on Egyptian clover (Trifolium alexandrinum)
till the end of May, then on hay and a little of concentrates. Lambs dropped during
the summer were fed only on hay and concentrates with a little green corn. The
mixture used for feeding lambs during the summer consisted mainly of corn, cotton-
seed cakes and rice bran. Each lamb received about one pound of this mixture
everyday.
(137)
57 AR/54.
1
138
EFFECT OF SEASON OF LAMBING ON BODY WEIGHT [Vol. XXIV, Part III,
Means, standard errors and co-efficients of variability for weights and
measurements were worked out [Snedecor, 1946]. In preparing Table I, the anti-
logs were obtained and used for calculating means, standard errors and co-
efficients of variability.
RESULTS
The means, standard errors and co-efficients of variability for both birth and
weaning-weights of lambs are shown in Table I, which indicate that lambs dropped
during summer were lighter than those born in winter. Difference between seasons
was highly significant at both birth and weaning time.
It was interesting to note that co-efficients of variability of the summer lambs
were higher than those born in the winter season. Moreover, differences between
weights of lambs of various groups different in either sex or type of birth, were
significant at birth, while at weaning time there were no significant differences. As
far as ages of lambs was concerned, the variability of weights at birth for both
summer and winter lambs was higher than that measured at weaning age.
In the case of heart girth it was found that lambs born during winter time had
a greater heart girth than those born in summer (Table II). The differences between
the two crops of lambs in this respect were highly significant.
In this case too, the effect of both type of birth and sex of lambs showed itself
to be significant at birth and insignificant at weaning time, thus following the same
trend as body weight.
Analysing the data obtained on body length and height at shoulder (Tables
III and IV), it was found that lambs born in winter were superior to those born in
summer ; the differences between the two-lamb crops in this respect were highly
significant.
TABLE I
Birth and weaning weights of lambs born in summer and winter
(in kilograms)
Group
Birth weight
Ossimi single
Ossimi single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
Weaning weight
Ossimi single
Ossimi single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
Sex
|
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
No.
9
8
4
8
12
13
9
4
3
3
..
.. 10 8
5
2
Summer
Mean.
3.13
2.75
2.89
2.98
3.04
3.39
2.81
2.98
10.55
12.73
..
.. 12.67
12.89
8.53
15.19
S.E.
0.247
0.304
0.310
0.166
0.124
0.294
0.287
0.545
3.659
2.428
..
.. 1.057
0.678
0.772
0.773
C.V.
23.64
31.27
21.45
15.77
14.14
31.27
30.60
36.57
60.00
33.00
..
.. 26.33
14.90
2.03
7.22
No.
9
6
15
11
10
6
8
8
8
6
15
11
10
6
8
7
Winter
Mean.
3.65
3.77
2.65
3.06
3.66
3.99
2.84
3.24
13.31
13.56
13.02
13.17
13.43
13.47
13.14
13.12
S.E.
0.220
0.176
0.147
0.226
0.120
0.224
0.431
0.184
0.859
0.846
0.568
1.729
0.351
0.820
0.806
1.030
C.V.
18.08
11.41
21.51
24.51
10.38
13.90
43.06
16.10
18.25
15.24
16.90
42.24
8.30
16.90
17.50
20.80
S.E.—Standard Error
C.V.—Co-efficient of Variability
September, 19.54] A. A. ASKER, M. T. RAGAB AND A. E. BASTAWISY 139
This work illustrates that males and single lambs are heavier at birth than twin
and female ones, except in the case of Ossimi lambs born in summer, where males
are lighter than females. In the case of body measurements, our results are in
close agreement with those reported by Ragab, et al. [1953]. On the other hand,
Daniel, et al. [1953], found that twins were smaller than singles in all measurements
except heart girth and round measurements. However, at weaning age, the effect
of type of birth and sex of lamb on body weight and measurements were not statis-
tically significant.
It should be noted that in spite of the small numbers of lambs in the corres-
ponding groups either for summer or winter lambing, yet superiority of winter lamb
over those born in summer was significant in both body weight and measurements.
However, at weaning age the number of lambs was still smaller because of the high
mortality rate among this group. Hamada and Badawy [1953] in Alexandria,
have shown that there were no significant differences in birth weight of Rahmani
lambs born in summer and those born in winter. Moreover, their analyses indicated
that winter-born lambs were superior to those born in summer in growth rate,
especially after the 13th week of age.
TABLE II
Heart girth of lambs at birth and weaning
(in centimeters)
Group
At birth
Ossimi single
Ossimi single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
At weaning
Ossimi single
Ossimi single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
Sex
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Summer
No.
7
8
4
7
12
11
7
4
3
3
1
..
10
3
5
2
Mean
29.16
28.69
28.60
29.64
29.36
30.67
27.57
29.05
45.5
44.7
44.2
..
44.18
46.07
40.22
44.40
S.E.
0.611
1.000
0.930
0.374
0.479
0.822
0.830
1.375
3.751
1.341
..
..
0.883
0.993
1.008
0.722
C.V.
5.56
9.86
6.50
3.34
5.65
8.90
7.98
9.47
14.26
5.19
..
..
6.32
6.10
5.64
2.39
Winter
No.
9
6
12
7
10
5
5
7
8
6
15
11
10
6
8
7
Mean
32.17
33.73
28.59
29.81
32.28
33.64
31.06
30.98
52.02
54.72
47.71
50.07
52.08
54.05
49.32
48.21
S.E.
0.433
0.310
0.479
0.785
0.522
0.355
0.665
0.656
0.986
1.322
0.638
1.205
0.430
1.147
0.41
1.298
C.V.
4.04
2.25
5.81
6.98
5.11
2.35
4.80
5.62
5.36
5.92
5.18
7.99
2.61
5.20
4.83
7.14
S E.—Standard Error
C.V.—Co-efficient of Variability
140
EFFECT OF SEASON OF LAMBING ON BODY WEIGHT [Vol. XXIV, Part III,
TABLE III
Body length of lambs at birth and weaning
(in centimeters)
Group
At birth
Ossimi single
Ossimi Single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
At weaning
Ossimi single
Ossimi single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
Sex
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
No.
7
8
4
7
12
11
7
4
3
3
1
.. 10 8
5
2
Summer
Mean
27.53
25.59
26.92
27.54
27.37
29.31
26.63
28.15
45.50
44.30
43.20
.. 45.08
46.76
41.12
47.50
S.E.
0.611
1.004
0.845
0.177
0.396
0.226
0.830
1.430
3.751
0.665
..
.. 0.889
0.813
0.492
0.965
C.V.
5.95
11.10
6.28
1.71
5.01
2.56
8.26
10.16
14.26
2.60
..
.. 6.23
4.92
2.64
2.86
No.
9
6
12
7
10
5
5
7
8
6
15
11
10
6
8
7
Winter
Mean
28.02
30.73
25.23
27.08
29.85
30.81
28.64
28.30
48.25
50.75
43.99
45.83
50.36
50.93
47.59
46.53
S.E.
0.580
0.412
0.393
0.509
0.272
0.518
0.656
0.472
0.664
0.906
0.615
1.027
0.377
0.804
0.622
1.362
C.V.
6.21
3.29
5.39
4.99
2.88
3.77
5.13
4.42
3.90
4.37
5.41
7.44
2.36
3.87
3.70
7.76
S.E.—Standard Error
C.V.—Co-efficient of Variability
TABLE IV
Height at shoulder of lambs at birth and weaning
(in centimeters)
Group
At birth
Ossimi single
Ossimi single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
At weaning
Ossimi single
Ossimi single
Ossimi twin
Ossimi twin
Rahmani single
Rahmani single
Rahmani twin
Rahmani twin
Sex
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
Females
Males
No.
7
8
4
7
12
11
7
4
3
3
1
..
10
8
5
2
Summer
Mean
35.46
34.39
35.55
35.78
34.60
35.34
32.86
34.15
47.93
47.66
49.20
..
47.83
50.18
43.40
49.20
S.E.
0.502
0.819
0.200
0.332
0.531
0.904
0.649
1.020
2.694
0.739
..
..
1.098
0.459
1.120
0.844
C.V.
3.75
6.75
1.13
2.46
5.32
8.77
5.23
5.97
9.51
2.69
..
..
7.25
2.59
5.81
2.42
No.
9
6
12
7
10
5
5
7
8
6
15
11
10
6
8
7
Winter
Mean
37.05
37.57
34.06
33.93
36.74
38.62
36.20
35.46
54.22
57.05
50.41
52.50
55.13
55.50
53.47
51.07
S.E.
0.763
0.559
0.413
0.449
0.278
0.683
0.754
0.381
0.908
0.976
0.525
0.928
0.282
1.396
0.452
0.777
C.V.
6.18
3.65
4.20
3.51
2.40
3.96
4.67
2.85
4.74
4.20
4.03
5.87
1.65
6.16
2.39
4.03
S.E.—Standard Error
C.V.—Co-efficient of Variability
DISCUSSION
The results reported in this paper indicate clearly that lambs born in winter
are superior to those born during summer in weight, heart girth, body length and
height at shoulder either at birth or at weaning age. Our findings can be explained
by the fact that ewes and lambs during winter time are under a higher level of
nutrition than the group that lambed in summer.
142
EFFECT OF SEASON OF LAMBING ON BODY WEIGHT [Vol. XXIV, Part III
SUMMARY
An experiment has been carried out on a flock of Rahmani and another of Ossimi
sheep, belonging to the Animal Breeding Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Giza,
Egypt. The aim was to study the effect of summer-lambing in both breeds on body
weight and development. Development was studied through body measurements
namely, body length, heart girth and height at shoulder. The number of lambs
involved in the study was 140 of which 67 were born during the summer and 73
in winter. Observations were taken from birth time till the age of four months.
The results obtained proved that summer-lambing is a failure in Giza or where
environmental conditions are alike. The summer lambs in all their stages of
life were inferior to winter lambs in both weight and measurements. Differen-
ces in these two respects, between the two crops of lambs were statistically
significant.
REFERENCES
Asker, A. A., Ragab, M. T. and Kadi, M. R. (1952). The influence of some environmental factors
affecting weight of Ossimi and Rahmani sheep. Fac. agri., Fouad I Univ., Egypt, bull. 19
Bonsma, F. N. (1939). Factors influencing the growth and development of lambs, with special reference
to crossbreeding of Merino sheep for fat lamb production in South Africa. Publ. Univ.
Petroria, Agric. Ser. 1,48
Daniel, W., Cassard, P. W., Gregory, J. F., Wilson, W. C., Rollins and Weir, W. C. (1953). Environ-
mental factors affecting body size and conformation in Rambouillet yearling ewes. J. Anim
Sci., 2, 140—147
Espe, D. (1946). Secretion of Milk, third edition. Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa
Hamada, M. K. O. and Badawy, A. M. (1953). A study of growth in weight in the Egyptian,Rahmani
sheep. Proc. Egypt. Soc. Anim. Prod. (In Press)
Hammond, J. (1952). Farm animals, their breeding, growth and inheritance, second edition. Edward
Arnold and Co., London
Hazel, L. N. and Terril, C.E. (1945). Effects of some environmental factors on weaning traits of range
Rambouillet lambs. J. Anim. Sci., 4, 331—341.
Ragab, M. T., Asker, A. A. and Youssef, A. A. (1953). Comparative study of body weight and measure
ments of Ossimi and Rahmani sheep. Fac. Agri. Cairo Univ., Egypt, bull. 27
Snedecor, G. W. (1946). Statistical methods, fourth edition. Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa
Terril, C. E., Sidwell, G. M. and Hazel, L. N. (1947). Effects of some environmental factors on yearling
traits of Columbia and Targhee ewes. J. Anim. Sci., 6, 115—118
Verges, J. B. (1939). The effect of plane of nutrition of the ewe on weight and development of the lamb
at birth. Proc. 4th inter. Congr. Anim. Breed, Zurich
Wallace, L. R. (1948). The growth of lambs before and after birth in relation to level of nutrition.
J. agric. Sci., 38, 93—401