bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persistence of the activity of topical ivermectin against biting lice (Bovicola bovis)
Authors: Clymer B. , Newcomb K. M. , Ryan W. G. , Soll M. D.
Published: October 2010

To assess the persistence of the activity of topical ivermectin against a natural challenge with biting lice (Bovicola bovis), 90 mixed‐breed cattle that had been treated to remove lice, were blocked by bodyweight within sex and randomly allocated to three treatments: untreated control, doramectin at 200 μg/kg by subcutaneous injection, and ivermectin at 500 μg/kg by topical application. Forty‐five pens were blocked into three groups of 15, and the blocks of pens were randomly allocated to three 14‐day challenge periods starting 21, 28 and 35 days after treatment. There were five pens per treatment for each challenge period, and one B bovis ‐infested donor calf was introduced into each pen containing two principal calves at the start of the challenge period for that block of pens. The calves were examined thoroughly for B bovis seven, 14 and 21 days after the introduction of the donors. There were no significant differences between the control and doramectin groups for the numbers of animals infested, or the geometric mean louse counts at the final examination for any of the challenge periods. At the final examination for each challenge period, the louse counts of the cattle treated with topical ivermectin were all zero, and significantly (P<0.05) fewer cattle treated with topical ivermectin were infested than either the controls or cattle treated with doramectin.
Salmonella pullorum in the cormon pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Authors: Pennycott T.W. , Duncan G.
Published: October 2010

In 1996, pullorum disease due to Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar pullorum (Salmonella pullorum) was diagnosed in pheasants on a gamebird rearing enterprise in south‐west Scotland. The gross pathology and bacteriological findings are described, as are the results of screening for S pullorum on the site in 1997. The causal organism was readily isolated from the lung, liver, yolk sac and heart blood on direct culture, but less readily from the digestive tract or by the use of selective media. The bacteria recovered from the pheasants were identified as S pullorum phage type 7, a phage type previously associated with pheasants rather than domestic fowl, and the organisms were most probably introduced to the site by the movement of carrier pheasants.
Influence of the number of days spent training in an abattoir with access to live cows on the efficiency of do‐it‐yourself artificial insemination
Authors: Howells M. J. , Davies D. A. R. , Dobson H.
Published: October 2010

Data relating to 35,389 inseminations carried out in the first three years after inseminators were trained were collected by postal questionnaire from 94 do‐it‐yourself (DIY) artificial inseminators in the UK. The mean calving rate from 14,528 inseminations they carried out on 92 farms in the first year after they were trained was 59.4 per cent (range 5 to 92 per cent). In the second year the mean calving rate from 11,515 inseminations by 64 inseminators was 62.3 per cent (range 33 to 88 per cent), and in the third year the mean calving rate from 9346 inseminations by 49 inseminators was 64.6 per cent (range 41 to 92 per cent). There was an increase of 5.2 per cent in the mean calving rate over the three years with an overall mean calving rate of 61.5 per cent. Each trainee carried out an average of 376 inseminations (range 20 to 800) during the three years. Thirteen instructors were responsible for the tuition and the average time the trainees spent in an abattoir with access to live cows was 2.88 days, with a range from none to five days. For the trainees who spent up to three days training in an abattoir there was an increase of 5.9 per cent in the calving rate they achieved in their first year for every day they spent training with access to live cows (P<0.005), but there were no significant effects on the outcome of their inseminations in their second or third years.
Echocardiographic mitral valve prolapse in cavalier King Charles spaniels: epidemiology and prognostic significance for regurgitation
Authors: Pedersen D. , Lorentzen K. A. , Kristensen B. Ø.
Published: October 2010

This study investigated the epidemiology and prognostic significance of mitral valve prolapse, detected by ultrasonography, in 153 cavalier King Charles spaniels which were screened consecutively during a period of one year. Seventy‐five of the dogs, which had either no murmur or a grade I murmur on screening, were reexamined three years later. The screening revealed that 82 per cent of the dogs aged one to three years and 97 per cent of the dogs over three years had various degrees of mitral valve prolapse. The presence and severity of the condition were independent of gender but correlated positively with age and negatively with bodyweight. The degree of mitral valve prolapse at screening correlated with the regurgitation status (murmur intensity and size of the regurgitant jets) at re‐examination and with the percentage increase in the left ventricular end diastolic diameter over the three‐year period. The presence of a grade I murmur was not a useful prognostic indicator.
A blinded, placebo‐controlled study of the efficacy of borage seed oil and fish oil in the management of canine atopy
Authors: Harvey R. G.
Published: October 2010

Twenty‐one dogs with atopy were entered into a blinded, placebo‐controlled study lasting eight weeks. They were randomly divided into three groups and were all given supplementary oils orally once daily. The dogs in groups A and B were given borage seed oil and fish oil in combination (Viacutan; Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica) to provide 176 mg/kg or 88 mg/kg borage seed oil respectively. The dogs in group C were given 204 mg/kg olive oil as a placebo. They were all re‐examined after four and eight weeks and scored for pruritus, erythema, oedema, alopecia and self‐excoriation. After eight weeks the scores for erythema and self‐excoriation, and the total score for the dogs in group A, and the total score for the dogs in group B were significantly reduced (P<0.05). The dogs in group C showed no significant improvement.
Infection of gnotobiotic calves with Escherichia coli 0157:H7 strain A84
Authors: Woodward M. J. , Gavier‐Widen D. , McLaren I. M. , Wray C. , Sozmen M. , Pearson G. R.
Published: October 2010

Six colostrum‐deprived, hysterotomy‐derived calves were maintained under sterile conditions and fed a milk replacer diet. At five days of age, five of the calves were dosed orally with 109 cfu of Escherichia coli 0157: H7 strain A84. They were killed after, one, two, six, 12 and 24 days, and samples were taken for bacteriological and pathological examination. The sixth uninfected control calf was killed at seven days of age and matched samples were taken for pathological comparison. The animals remained normal throughout the observation period. Bacteriological data indicated a heavy bacterial load of strain A84 throughout the gastrointestinal tract but the bacterium was not found in liver, kidney or muscle. No evidence of ‘attaching and effacing’ lesions in the small or large intestine was found although there was a mild inflammatory response in the intestinal tract consisting mainly of infiltrating eosinophils.
Pattern‐matching models for the differential diagnosis of bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Authors: Cockcroft P. D.
Published: October 2010

This study assessed the performance of a system for making decisions about the diagnosis of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The system consisted of four pattern‐matching models. The sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios and accuracy of each model were determined by using clinical descriptions of 100 susped BSE cases which had been submitted for brain histopathology by veterinary officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 50 of which were true positive cases (confirmed by histopathology) and 50 false positive cases (not confirmed by histopathology). The clinical description of each case consisted of 14 clinical signs, each of which was defined as either present or absent. The system compared the case descriptions with the profiles of possible differential diagnoses, each profile consisting of the frequency of occurrence of the same 14 clinical signs. The pattern‐matching models used the sums of the sign frequencies to rank the differential diagnoses. Models 1 and 2 derived information only from the presence of signs; models 3 and 4 derived information from the presence and absence of signs. Models 2 and 4 excluded diagnoses which did not have in their profile a sign which was observed, and diagnoses which had a sign in their profile which should always be present according to the profile description but which was not observed. The best performances by the models were: sensitivity 96 per cent (model 1 and model 2), specificity 72 per cent (model 4), accuracy 72 per cent (model 4), likelihood ratio of a positive test 2.00 (model 4), likelihood ratio of a negative test 0.21 (model 4).
Acid‐base disorders in milk‐fed calves with chronic indigestion
Authors: Stocker H. , Lutz H. , Kaufmann C. , Rüsch P.
Published: October 2010

Acid‐base disorders were investigated in 50 calves with chronic indigestion and metabolic acidosis. In the calves that were unable to stand up, the acidosis was significantly more severe than in the calves that could stand up. The anion gap and four different components of the base excess were calculated by the method described by Fencl. The anion gap was high in more than half of the calves, and it was significantly associated with the base excess due to unidentified anions. However, in seven of the calves, the excess of unidentified anions would not have been detected without the calculations, which made it possible to measure the effect of sodium, chloride, plasma protein and unidentified anions on the acid‐base balance. Twenty‐four of the calves had a combination of hyperchloraemic and high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Changes in sodium and plasma protein concentrations had a minor impact on the calves' acid‐base status.
Morbillivirus in common seals stranded on the coasts of Belgium and northern France during summer 1998
Authors: Jauniaux T. , Boseret G. , Coignoul F. , Desmecht M. , Haelters J. , Manteca C. , Tavernier J. , Van Gompel J.
Published: October 2010

Sixteen common seals (Phoca vitulina) were stranded on the Belgian and northern French coasts during the summer of 1998. Eleven (10 pups and one adult) were sampled for histopathological, immunohistochemical, serological, bacteriological, parasitological and virological investigations. The main gross findings were severe emaciation, acute haemorrhagic enteritis, acute pneumonia, interstitial pulmonary emphysema and oedema, and chronic ulcerative stomatitis. Microscopical lung findings were acute to subacute pneumonia with interstitial oedema and emphysema. Severe lymphocytic depletion was observed in lymph nodes. Severe acute to subacute meningoencephalitis was observed in one animal. Specific staining with two monoclonal antibodies directed against canine distemper virus (cDv) and phocine distemper virus was observed in a few lymphocytes in the spleen and lymph nodes of three seals. Anti‐cDv neutralising antibodies were detected in sera from six animals. Seven of the seals were positive by reverse transcriptase‐ PCR for the morbillivirus phosphoprotein gene. The lesions observed were consistent with those in animals infected by a morbillivirus, and demonstrated that distemper has recently recurred in North Sea seals.
Prevalence of polycystic kidney disease in Persian cats in the United Kingdom
Authors: Cannon M. J. , Barr F. J. , Rudorf H. , Bradley K. J. , Gruffydd‐Jones T. J. , MacKay A. D.
Published: October 2010

The prevalence of polycystic kidney disease was assessed in 132 Persian cats, 46 of them referred for the investigation and treatment of medical or surgical conditions, and 86 apparently healthy cats referred specifically to be screened for the disease. Cats referred for the investigation of renomegaly or renal failure were excluded, and cats under 10 months old were only included if they had been examined postmortem. One hundred and twenty‐six of the cats were examined ultrasonographically with a 7.5 MHz sector scanner, and the other six cats were examined postmortem. Forty‐nine of the 86 cats referred specifically for screening (57.0 per cent) and 16 of the 46 cats referred for other clinical reasons (34.8 per cent) were affected by the disease, giving an overall prevalence of 49.2 per cent.
Molecular analysis of isolates of feline calicivirus from a population of cats in a rescue shelter
Authors: Radford A. D. , Dawson S. , Kerins A. M. , Sommerville L. M. , Ryvar R. , Gaskell R. M.
Published: October 2010

Two visits, six weeks apart, were made to a cat rescue shelter and single oropharyngeal swabs were taken from all the compliant cats. Feline calicivirus was isolated from 14 of 45 swabs (31 per cent) taken on the first visit and 12 of 46 swabs (26 per cent) taken on the second visit. Nucleotide sequences were obtained for nine isolates from the first visit, six isolates from the second visit, and for the vaccine virus used in the cattery. Distance analysis showed that the majority of the isolates could be assigned to one of two groups. All the isolates obtained from cats sharing the same pen or isolates obtained from the same cat on successive visits, were less than 5 per cent distant, whereas most of the isolates from cats in different pens were more than 20 per cent distant. Phylogenetic analysis showed that at least seven distinct field isolates were present in the cattery. The only good evidence for virus transmission within the cattery was a case in which two viruses isolated from cats in different pens had sequences that were less than 5 per cent distant.
Clinical features of renal tubular dysplasia, a new hereditary disease in Japanese Black cattle
Authors: Ohba Y. , Kitagawa H. , Okura Y. , Kitoh K. , Sasaki Y.
Published: October 2010

A new hereditary disease characterised by renal failure, poor growth and long hooves in Japanese Black cattle (wagyu) has been recognised in a region of central Japan since 1990. The number of calves affected has increased gradually, with the incidence reaching 17 of 485 (3.51 per cent) in 1995. Almost all the calves were slightly undersized at birth, and repeatedly had diarrhoea during the neonatal period. They began to show signs of growth retardation with proportional body and elongation of the hooves from about two to five months of age, but they had an almost normal or only slightly decreased appetite. The concentrations of urea nitrogen, creatinine and inorganic phosphorus in serum were high, and the affected calves excreted diluted urine frequently. Among 25 cases, the urine of 21 contained occult blood, 24 contained protein and two contained glucose. In 29 calves observed for 30 to 130 days, the course of the disease varied; in 21 of them it remained unchanged, six became gradually worse and two became severely debilitated and died. The disease was diagnosed as renal tubular dysplasia by histopathological examination.
Efficacy of avian pneumovirus vaccines against an avian pneumovirus/Escherichia coli02:K1 dual infection in turkeys
Authors: Van de Zande S. , Nauwynck H. , Pensaert M.
Published: October 2010

The clinical, pathological and microbiological outcome of a challenge with avian pneumovirus (APv) and Escherichia coli02:K1 was evaluated in turkeys vaccinated with an attenuated APV vaccine and with or without maternally derived antibodies. Two groups of two‐week‐old poults, one with and one without maternally derived antibodies against APV, were vaccinated oculonasally with attenuated APV subtype A or B. A third group remained unvaccinated. Eleven weeks later, the turkeys were inoculated intranasally with either virulent APV subtype A, or E coli02:K1, or with both agents three days apart. After the dual infection, birds vaccinated with attenuated subtype A or B, and with or without maternally derived antibodies, had lower mean clinical scores than the unvaccinated birds. In the vaccinated birds, virus replication was significantly reduced and no bacteria were isolated, except from the birds vaccinated with attenuated subtype B. In the unvaccinated turkeys, large numbers of E coli02:K1 were isolated from the turbinates of the dually infected birds between one‐and‐a‐half and seven days after they were inoculated.
Serological evidence of murine pathogens in wild grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in North Wales
Authors: Greenwood A. G. , Sanchez S.
Published: October 2010

Wild grey squirrels in North Wales were examined for their serological response to a range of laboratory mouse pathogens. Nineteen squirrels were tested against 14 organisms and a high seroprevalence was found to several, including murine cytomegalovirus, mouse adenovirus, reovirus 3, rotavirus and Sendai virus. Four of the squirrels were seropositive for lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, a zoonotic pathogen. None of the infections has previously been reported in squirrels.
Protection of piglets against atrophic rhinitis by vaccinating the sow with a vaccine against Pasteurella muftocidaand Bordetelia bronchiseptica
Authors: Riising H‐J. , van Empel P. , Witvliet M.
Published: October 2010

The efficacy of a new vaccine against atrophic rhinitis in pigs was tested in the Netherlands and Denmark. The vaccine contained protein dO (a truncated Pasteurella multocidatoxin which is immunogenic and nontoxic), inactivated Bordetelia bronchisepticawhole cells, and an adjuvant. The sows were either vaccinated intramuscularly with 2 ml of the vaccine at six to eight and two to four weeks before expected farrowing or left unvaccinated as controls. All the piglets were challenged intranasally with B bronchisepticawhen three to seven days old and with P multocidathree to four days later. Pigs born to the vaccinated sows performed significantly better than pigs born to the control sows when judged on growth, average daily weight gain and snout scores. The challenge organisms were reisolated more frequently from the control pigs than from the pigs in the vaccinated group. The vaccinated sows and their progeny developed high titres of antibodies against B bronchisepticaand P multocidatoxin.
Collagenous and elastic system fibres in the aorta of cattle poisoned by Solanum glaucophyllum
Authors: Portiansky E. L , Costa E. F. , Gimeno E. J. , Alonso C. R.
Published: October 2010

The proportions of fibres of the collagenous and elastic systems were measured in the aortas of three normal heifers and in nine heifers given the calcinogenic plant Solanum glaucophyllum for 15, 30 or 60 days. There were decreases in the amount of collagen relative to reticulin, and in the proportion of elastic fibres which were related to the period of dosing. These changes may have an adverse influence on the animals' cardiovascular function.
Discriminant value of blood and urinary corticoids for the diagnosis of scrapie in live sheep
Authors: Picard‐Hagen N. , Gayrard V. , Laroute V. , Grandjean C. , Toutain P. L. , Andreoletti O. , Schelcher F. , Elsen J. M.
Published: October 2010

The mean (sd) concentration of plasma 20β‐dihydrocortisol in 126 scrapie.affected sheep was 5.5 (7.0) ng/ml compared with 1.1 (0.7) ng/ml in 52 healthy sheep. The mean (sd) concentration of creatinine in the urine of 93 scrapie.affected sheep was 2.43 (1.56) pg/ml compared with 0.94 (0.86) μg/mI in 49 healthy sheep and 1.10 (0.95) μg/ml in 25 sheep with other diseases. These discriminant analyses carried out on healthy and scrapie.affected sheep showed that plasma 20β‐dihydrocortisol and urinary creatinine were the best predictors of the disease, and classified correctly 98 per cent of healthy sheep and 82 per cent of scrapie.affected sheep.
Identification of Escherichia coli 01 57:H7‐ strains from pigs with postweaning diarrhoea and amplification of their virulence marker genes by PCR
Authors: Osek J.
Published: October 2010

Escherichia coli isolated from pigs with postweaning diarrhoea were examined by PCR for the presence of the 0157 rfb gene responsible for the biosynthesis of E coli 0157 lipopolysaccharide. Among the 372 isolates tested, 38 (10.2 per cent) were of the 0157 serogroup, but none of these possessed the H7 determinant. Further analysis of the E coli 0157 isolates revealed that seven of them had the genes responsible for the production of Shiga toxin 1 and eaeA intimin, four other strains had genes responsible for the production of Shiga toxin 2, and four other strains were positive for the enterohaemolysin gene.
Effects of time of year and reproductive state on the proliferation and keratinisation of bovine hoof cells
Authors: MacCallum A. J. , Knight C. H. , Hendry K. A. K. , Wilde C. J. , Logue D. N. , Offer J. E.
Published: October 2010

Cell proliferation and protein synthesis (keratinisation) were measured in vitro in hoof biopsy samples taken from two groups of seven heifers, the first calving in the winter and the second in the summer. Both parameters were significantly higher in summer than in winter irrespective of the heifers' reproductive state. The mean (se) measure of the rate of protein synthesis was 199 (27) dpm/μg DNA/hour in summer and 4 (1) dpm/μg DNA/hour in winter, and the equivalent values for cell proliferation (measured as DNA synthesis) were 375 (56) μm/pg DNA/hour and 17 (4) dpm/μg DNA/hour. Changes around parturition depended on the time of the year. In the winter‐calving heifers, the rates of proliferation and keratinisation increased significantly after calving from 22.3 (7.2) to 70 4 (16.6) and from 2.1 (0.7) to 12.4 (2.8) dpm/μg DNA/hour, respectively. In the summer‐calving heifers, proliferation decreased from 388.2 (91.0) to 66.7 (9.6) dpm/μg DNA/hour but the rate of keratinisation did not change. Lesion scores and locomotion scores deteriorated after parturition, especially in the winter‐calving group. The hooves were harder in summer than winter but their hardness was not affected by the heifers' reproductive state.
Eradication of virulent footrot from sheep and goats in an endemic area of Nepal and an evaluation of specific vaccination
Authors: Egerton J. R. , Dhungyel O. P. , Abbott K. A. , Kristo C. , Ghimire S. C. , Shrestha H. K. , Joshi H. D. , Joshi B. R.
Published: October 2010

Programmes based on the identification and treatment of cases and the culling of animals refractory to treatment had failed to eradicate virulent footrot from two districts in the western region of Nepal. From 1993 to 1996 vaccination against two endemic virulent strains of Dichelobader nodosus was tested for its potential to contribute to the eradication of footrot from the region. Only sheep and goats which had been free of signs of footrot at three inspections at monthly intervals before their annual migration to alpine pastures were eligible for inclusion. From November 1992, the treatment of cases identified during inspections included the injection of specific vaccine. Successfully treated cases migrated with their flocks but were excluded from the vaccine trial. Non‐responding cases were culled. Forty combined flocks of sheep and goats (approximately 9500 animals) were used initially to compare three vaccination regimens. Eleven flocks (sheep and goats) were treated with two doses of specific vaccine (group A), nine (sheep and goats) were treated with commercial vaccine followed by specific vaccine (group B) and 10 (sheep and goats) were treated with two doses of commercial vaccine (group C) in March to April 1993 before the annual migration; 10 flocks (sheep and goats) remained unvaccinated (group D). Only sheep and goats free of signs of footrot were allowed to migrate. Nevertheless, virulent footrot recurred in many flocks three months later. However, its prevalence was significantly lower in group A than in the other three groups combined. Groups A, B and C then received the specific vaccine before their migrations in 1994 to 1996; group D remained unvaccinated. The annual programme of inspection and identification and treatment of cases continued for seven years, but the vaccinations ceased after four years. There was no recurrence of virulent footrot after November 1993. After the first season the virulent strains of D nodosus used in the specific vaccine could no longer be isolated, although antigenically distinct, benign strains of the organism persisted in cases of benign footrot.
Response of pheasants to live attenuated turkey rhinotracheitis vaccine
Authors: Dalton J. R. F. , Niblett J. , Thrusfield M. V.
Published: October 2010

The entire crop of 18,120 pheasants for the 2000 rearing season (May 8 to August 7) of one estate in the south of England was vaccinated at one day and five weeks of age with a turkey rhinotracheitis (TRT) vaccine. Blood samples and oropharyngeal swabs were taken from the second week's hatching every three weeks throughout the growing season to assess the response of the birds. There was evidence of seroconversion in samples collected three weeks after vaccination, with positive titres being maintained in 33 per cent or more of the population up to at least 22 weeks of age. Positive titres were also recorded in samples taken on December 6 from shot birds between 22 and 30 weeks of age. Positive titres to infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were identified in a high proportion of the poults as early as one day of age. Reverse‐transcriptase PCR detected IBV‐like virus and TRT of the same subtype as the TRT vaccine administered three weeks previously.
Investigation of the possible spread of foot‐and‐mouth disease virus by the burning of animal carcases on open pyres
Authors: Champion H. J. , Gloster J. , Mason I. S. , Brown R. J. , Donaldson A. I. , Ryall D. B. , Garland A. J. M.
Published: October 2010

An atmospheric dispersion model was used to predict the airborne spread and concentrations of foot‐and‐mouth disease virus within the plumes generated by 11 pyres built to burn infected carcases during the epidemic of 2001 in the UK. On the basis of assumptions about the quantity of virus emitted during the three hours after the pyres were built, and the threshold concentration of virus required to cause an infection in cattle, it was concluded that none of the disease breakdowns which occurred under the plumes was due to the spread of virus from the pyres.
Targeted surveillance to assess the prevalence of BSE in high‐risk populations in western France and the associated risk factors
Authors: Morignat E. , Baron T. , Vinard J‐L. , Biacabe A‐G. , Madec J‐Y. , Bencsik A. , Debeer S. , Calavas D. , Garnier T. , Ducrot C. , Roy P. , Eliazsewicz M.
Published: October 2010

A pilot study was set up for the first time in France in August 2000, to obtain more precise estimates on the BSE epidemic in France. Three categories of cattle at risk of BSE (found dead on‐farm, euthanased and emergency slaughtered) were sampled exhaustively from August 7 to December 22,2000, in the three regions assumed to be the most affected with BSE in France (Basse‐Normandie, Bretagne and Pays de la Loire). The samples were checked by using Prionics tests, and positive samples were confirmed by Western blot or immunohistochemistry. The overall prevalence of positive cattle was 0‐16 per cent. Multifactorial logistic regression showed that there was a significantly higher prevalence among cattle from the birth cohorts July 1993 to June 1994 and July 1994 to June 1995, than among those born before July 1993, and among the categories 'euthanased' and 'emergency slaughtered' than among the category 'dead on‐farm, and a higher prevalence in the regions Pays de la Loire and Bretagne than in Basse‐Normandie. No significant differences in the prevalence of BSE were observed between dairy, beef suckler and mixed herds.
Evaluation of copper sulphate, formalin and peracetic acid in footbaths for the treatment of digital dermatitis in cattle
Authors: Laven R. A. , Hunt H.
Published: October 2010

The efficacy of three non‐antibiotic products (copper sulphate, formalin and peracetic acid) was compared with the efficacy of erythromycin, when the four substances were applied in footbaths for the treatment of cows with digital dermatitis. The cows were divided into four groups on the basis of their current housing and randomly allocated to one of the four treatments. Cattle allocated to the non‐antibiotic treatments were footbathed daily for seven days, but the cattle treated with erythromycin were footbathed for two days only. Complete records were obtained for 252 lesions from 169 cows. There were significant reductions in the lesion scores of all four groups, but there was no significant effect of treatment and no significant interaction between treatment and time.
Helminths isolated from the digestive tract of diurnal raptors in Catalonia, Spain
Authors: Ferrer D. , Molina R. , Adelantado C. , Kinsella J. M.
Published: October 2010

The prevalence of parasitic helminths in the digestive tract of 119 diurnal raptors (Falconiformes), which had died in a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Catalonia, was studied. The birds belonged to 13 species, with 100 of them (84 percent) being kestrels (Falco tinnunculus ), buzzards (Buteo buteo ), sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus ) and goshawks (Accipitergentilis ). Ninety‐five of the birds (79.8 percent) were infected with helminths. Nematodes were the most frequently found helminth (75.6 percent), followed by trematodes, cestodes and ancanthocephalans. All the buzzards and sparrowhawks and 92 per cent of the goshawks were infected, but only 59 percent of the kestrels were infected.
Lectin binding patterns in hyperplastic and metaplastic bullock prostate tissues after diethyistilbestrol administration
Authors: Fernández P. E. , Portiansky E. L. , Gimeno E. J. , Barbeito C. G.
Published: October 2010

Hyperplasia and squamous metaplasia of the prostatic epithelium are conditions induced by oestrogens. Diethylstilbestrol (DES) has been banned from cattle used for beef production because of the health risks. The potential use of molecular markers for the detection of illegal oestrogen administration was evaluated by taking samples of prostatic tissue from control bullocks, bullocks which had been treated with oestrogens, and bullocks sacrificed 21 and 90 days after a single dose of DES. The expression of the glycoconjugates was examined by lectinhistochemistry and the lectin binding pattern was characterised in epithelium and connective tissue. In the animals sacrificed after 21 days there was an increase in the binding of one lectin (JAc) and there was an increase in the binding of one of the other lectins (DBA) in the animals sacrificed after 90 days. An increase in SWGA lectin staining was observed in the bullocks that had probably been treated with oestrogen and in the animals sacrificed 90 days after the inoculation with DES. There were also differences between the binding of SWGA in the control bullocks and the other groups.
Myocardial necrosis in a captive binturong (Arctictis binturong)
Authors: Hollamby S. , Simmons H. , Bell T. , Duncan A. , Stadler C.
Published: October 2010

An adult male binturong,Arctictis binturong, which had been anorexic and lethargic for seven days became acutely dyspnoeic and died under anaesthesia. A postmortem examination revealed left ventricular hypertrophy with a thrombus occluding the left ventricular chamber. Histological findings included moderate to severe multifocal, vasculocentric myocardial degeneration and necrosis with fibrosis replacing myocardiocytes.Escherichia coliandProteus mirabiliswere grown on cultures. The animal's serum vitamin E and selenium levels were considered adequate. The aetiology of the chronic myocardial changes could not be determined.
Investigation of trace elements in soil as risk factors in the epidemiology of scrapie
Authors: Chihota C. M. , Gravenor M. B. , Baylis M.
Published: October 2010

Scrapie is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of sheep and goats which is thought to be caused by a conformational change of the normal prion protein to its pathological isoform. It has been speculated that this change may be mediated by an interaction between the prion protein and various trace elements, in particular manganese and copper, and that the levels of trace elements in soils may therefore be risk factors for TSEs. This hypothesis was tested by comparing the level of trace elements in the soils on farms with and without scrapie and on those with a higher and lower incidence of the disease. The levels of trace elements were obtained from the UK'S National Soil Inventory and deficiencies reported by farmers. The results provide no evidence that trace elements are risk factors for scrapie on farms, and the variations in the levels of trace elements in soils at regional scales do not account for the regional differences in the prevalence of scrapie.
Quantitative estimates of the risk of new outbreaks of foot‐and‐mouth disease as a result of burning pyres
Authors: Jones R. , Kelly L. , French N. , England T. , Livesey C. , Wooldridge M.
Published: October 2010

The risk of dispersing foot‐and‐mouth disease virus into the atmosphere, and spreading it to susceptible holdings as a result of burning large numbers of carcases together on open pyres, has been estimated for six selected pyres burned during the 2001 outbreak in the UK. The probability of an animal or holding becoming infected was dependent on the estimated level of exposure to the virus predicted from the concentrations of virus calculated by the Met Office, Bracknell. In general, the probability of infection per animal and per holding decreased as their distance from the pyre increased. In the case of two of the pyres, a holding under the pyre plumes became infected on a date consistent with when the pyre was lit. However, by calculating their estimated probability of infection from the pyres it was concluded that it was unlikely that in either case the pyre was the source of infection.
T cell lymphoma in the lumbar spine of a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo)
Authors: Hanley C. S. , Wilson G. H. , Frank P. , James D. K. A. , Carmichael K. P. , Pesti D. , Ritchie B.
Published: October 2010

A 22‐month‐old castrated male ferret developed acute pelvic limb paresis. Radiographs and computed tomography revealed a soft tissue mass with associated bony lysis of 15, and ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspirates suggested that it was a lymphoma. Treatment with prednisone at immunosuppressive doses did not produce any detectable improvement in the ferret's clinical signs and it became moribund less than two weeks after they developed. A postmortem biopsy confirmed the presence of a lymphoma which had invaded the vertebral bone. No viruses were detected by cell culture, or electron microscopy.
Disposal and disease rates in British dairy herds between April 1998 and March 2002
Authors: Whitaker D. A. , Macrae A. I. , Burrough E.
Published: October 2010

Data derived over four years from 434 dairy herds in 1998/99 to 244 in 2001/02 revealed average disposal rates of 22.6 per cent per year, half of which were for poor fertility, mastitis and lameness. The quartile of herds with the lowest disposal rates sold an average of 11.5 per cent annually and the quartile with the highest rates sold 35.5 per cent. Average annual disease rates over the four years were as follows: for assisted calving 7.8 per cent, for digestive disease 1.2 per cent, for ketosis 0.5 per cent, for hypomagnesaemia 0.5 per cent, for hypocalcaemia 5.0 per cent and for injuries 0.8 per cent. The incidence of mastitis increased from 36.0 to 43.3 per cent of cows per year. The incidence of lameness decreased from 23.3 per cent in 1998/99 to 20.7 per cent in 2000/01 but increased to 21.9 per cent in 2001/02. Data received from the same 219 farms during the first three years showed no effective differences from the full set of data for each of the three years. The lowest annual incidences of mastitis and lameness on individual farms were below 7 per cent and 2.5 per cent, respectively. In general, housing cows in cubicles was associated with a greater risk of lameness, and housing them in straw yards with a greater risk of mastitis. However, some of the lowest rates of lameness were recorded in cubicle.housed cows and some of the lowest rates of mastitis were recorded in cows housed in yards. Larger herds were not associated, in general, with higher rates of mastitis.
Effects of a synthetic progestogen, altrenogest, on oestrus synchronisation and fertility in miniature pigs
Authors: Shimatsu Y. , Uchida M. , Niki R. , Imai H.
Published: October 2010

Groups of six, six and eight miniature gilts, respectively, received 5, 10 or 15 mg/day of altrenogest for 18 days, and the numbers of corpora lutea and residual follicles were counted approximately 14 days after the treatment by an exploratory laparotomy. They were compared with the numbers in a control group of eight gilts which were examined six to eight days after oestrus. The interval between the last dose of altrenogest and the onset of oestrus increased with the dose of altrenogest, and was significantly longer after the treatments with 10 or 15 mg/day than after 5 mg/day (P<0.01). Significantly more corpora lutea were observed in the gilts receiving 5 or 10 mg/day of altrenogest than in the control gilts (P<0.01). Groups of six, seven and six miniature gilts that had respectively received 5, 10 or 15 mg/day of altrenogest were artificially inseminated; four, six and five of the gilts in these groups farrowed, and their mean (sd) litter sizes were 5.5 (2.4), 6.8 (1.2) and 5.0 (2.3), respectively. All six of a group of control gilts farrowed and their mean litter size was 5.8 (1.2).
Survey of the provision of prophylactic dental care for horses in Great Britain and Ireland between 1999 and 2002
Authors: Dixon P. M. , Andrew R. , Brannon H. , Burgess R. , Gibson A. , Little J. C. , Orange B. , Ross L. , Rudolph T. , Shaw D. J.
Published: October 2010

A survey of 854 horse owners, trainers and equestrian managers in 10 regions of Great Britain and Ireland showed that 83 per cent provided their horses with routine prophylactic dental care at fixed intervals, including 49 per cent at intervals of 12 months and 30 per cent at intervals of six months; a further 10 per cent provided it only when they felt it was required and 7 per cent did not provide it at all. Overall, 44 per cent of the owners had their horse's wolf teeth (first premolar) extracted routinely; when prophylactic dentistry was provided, it was carried out solely by equine dental technicians (EDTs) for 53 per cent of owners, solely by veterinarians for 35 per cent, by both EDTs or veterinarians for 10 per cent of owners and by other than veterinarians or EDTs for 1 per cent. There was confusion among some horse owners concerning the qualifications of the EDTs, because no recognised British qualification was available until towards the end of this survey in 2001. Several reasons were cited by owners for choosing between veterinarians and EDTs including their perceived qualifications, personal recommendations, costs, the availability of a wide range of dental equipment and sedation, and the time and effort devoted to the procedures.
Comparative haematology and chemistry of endangered lizards (Gallotiaspecies) in the Canary Islands
Authors: Martinez Silvestre A. , Rodriguez Dominguez M. A. , Mateo J. A. , Pastor J. , Marco L. , Lavin S. , Cuenca R.
Published: October 2010

Blood samples were taken from the ventral coccygeal vein of 15 El Hierro giant lizards (Gallotia simonyi) (seven females and eight males), six La Gomera giant lizards (Gallotia bravoana) (four males and two females) and four Tenerife giant lizards (Gallotia intermedia) (two males and two females), and 31 blood parameters were measured. Among the haematological parameters there were significant differences between the three species in heterophils, azurophils and lymphocytes, but no significant differences in red blood cell count, white blood cell count, haemoglobin, packed‐cell volume, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. in terms of blood chemistry there were significant differences between the three species in cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, sodium, chloride, urea, uric acid, total proteins, prealbumin, albumin and gamma globulins, but no significant differences in calcium, potassium, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, bile acids, alpha‐i and alpha‐2 globulins and beta globulins.
Mortality of Swedish horses with complete life insurance between 1997 and 2000: variations with sex, age, breed and diagnosis
Authors: Egenvall A. , Penell J. C. , Bonnett B. N. , Olson P. , Pringle J.
Published: October 2010

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential usefulness of the database maintained by the Swedish insurance company Agria for providing mortality statistics on Swedish horses. Mortality statistics (incidence rates and survival) were calculated, both crudely and stratified by sex, age, breed, breed group and diagnosis, for the horses with complete life insurance, which covers most health problems. The total mortality was 415 (95 per cent confidence interval [CI] 399 to 432) deaths per 10,000 horse‐years at risk, and the diagnostic mortality, including only deaths with an assigned diagnosis, was 370 (95 per cent CI 355 to 386) deaths per 10,000 horse‐years at risk. The diagnostic mortality of geldings was 459 (95 per cent CI 431 to 487), of mares 345 (95 per cent CI 322 to 365) and of stallions 214 (95 per cent CI 182 to 247) deaths per 10,000 horse‐years at risk. The mortality rates increased with age and differed widely between breeds. Survival analysis showed that the median age at death of the horses enrolled before they were one year of age was 18·8 years. The most common cause of death or euthanasia was joint problems, which were responsible for 140 (95 per cent CI 130 to 149) deaths per 10,000 horse‐years at risk. The results of multivariable models developed by using Poisson regression generally agreed well with the crude results.
Investigations of the potential risk factors associated with cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Bavaria, Germany
Authors: Clauss M. , Sauter‐Louis C. , Chaher E. , Pottgiesser C. , Goebel S. , Selhorst T. , Wichmann H‐E. , Klee W. , Kienzle E.
Published: October 2010

In order to identify the management and feeding practices that might have contributed to the occurrence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Bavaria, Germany, information from 110 dairy farms on which a case of BSE had been reported was compared with information derived from a questionnaire sent to approximately 10,000 Bavarian farms on which no case of BSE had been reported up to February 2003. Representative information was obtained from 4006 dairy farms. The results indicated that in comparison with these control farms a higher proportion of the BSE farms had also kept pigs or poultry, although the difference was not significant, and that a significantly higher proportion of the BSE farms had fed proprietary concentrates and/or milk replacers to their calves.
Effects of salinity and the use of shackle/leg sprays on the electrical conductivity of a commercial waterbath stunner for broilers
Authors: Perez‐Palacios S. , Wotton S. B.
Published: October 2010

The effect of salinity and temperature on the electrical conductivity of a waterbath stunner was assessed in a commercial broiler processing plant. During a break in production, the waterbath was emptied and filled with either cold water, cold water plus sodium chloride, warm water, or warm water plus sodium chloride. Different concentrations of sodium chloride in distilled water at different temperatures were prepared in the laboratory and their conductivities were compared with the results obtained in the processing plant. No significant increase in conductivity was achieved through an increase in water temperature in either the laboratory or the processing plant, but there was an increase in conductivity after the addition of sodium chloride. However, the increase in conductivity was lost after 20 to 30 minutes of birds passing through the waterbath. The effects of the use, the location and the water temperature of the shackle/leg sprays on electrical conductivity were also studied, but under the conditions of the experiment none of these factors increased the electrical conductivity.
Prospective evaluation of postoperative pain in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy by a midline or flank approach
Authors: Burrow R. , Wawra E. , Pinchbeck G. , Senior M. , Dugdale A.
Published: October 2010

Twenty entire female cats were randomly assigned to two groups of 10; the cats in one group underwent ovariohysterectomy by a midline approach and the cats in the other group by a flank approach. Cats were assessed for signs of pain and scores were assigned pre‐ and postoperatively. There was a tendency for the cats neutered by a flank approach to be in more pain postoperatively (P=0·05). The final pain score for cats in either group was equal to or lower than their baseline score.
International disease monitoring, January to March 2006
Authors: Sabirovic M. , Raw L. , Lock F. , Hall S. , Coulson N.
Published: October 2010

Classical swine fever in Bulgaria, Germany and Brazil

Newcastle disease in Europe, Azerbaijan, Mexico and Japan

Highly pathogenic avian influenza in European Union member states, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and East Asia

Foot‐and‐mouth disease in Brazil, Argentina, Egypt, Turkey, China and Russia

Rinderpest in Gabon

African horse sickness in Swaziland

– These are among matters discussed in the international disease monitoring report for January to March 2006, prepared by DEFRA ’s International Animal Health Division
Evidence for the expression and enzymatic activity of haem oxygenase‐1 in the lungs of horses
Authors: Wyse C. A. , Nixon C. , McLaughlin M. , Dowell F. J. , Philbey A. W.
Published: October 2010

The aim of this study was to characterise the expression of haem oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) in healthy lung tissue from horses and to measure its activity. Samples of lung tissue were collected from six horses euthanased for reasons other than respiratory disease. HO‐1 expression and activity were detected in type II alveolar epithelial cells, macrophages and neutrophils in all the samples examined. The activity was dependent on the presence of NADPH and inhibited quantitatively by the addition of increasing concentrations of a competitive inhibitor of HO‐1, tin mesoporphyrin IX.
Isolation of different serovars of Salmonella enterica from wild birds in Great Britain between 1995 and 2003
Authors: Pennycott T. W. , Park A. , Mather H. A.
Published: October 2010

Postmortem examinations were carried out on the carcases of 779 wild birds. Salmonellosis was a common cause of death in greenfinches (Carduelis chloris), house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and chaffinches (Fringilla coelebs), and was also responsible for the deaths of other birds such as goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis), feral pigeons and different species of gulls. Most cases of salmonellosis in finches occurred between January and March, whereas salmonellosis in house sparrows tended to occur between October and March. Salmonella Typhimurium DT40 and DT56 (variant) predominated in finches and sparrows, DT41 and DT195 were the most common strains isolated from gulls, and DT2 and DT99 were recovered from feral pigeons. These ‘wild bird’ strains of Salmonella made up less than 0·5 per cent of the isolates of Salmonella recovered from cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens or turkeys in Great Britain over the same period, but they made up nearly 3 per cent of the isolates from more extensively reared avian livestock such as gamebirds, ducks and geese.