bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimentally assessed public health risks associated with pigs from farms experiencing anthrax
Authors: Redmond C. , Hall G. A. , Turnbull P. C. B. , Gillgan J. S. 
Published: October 2010

Following an outbreak of anthrax in an intensive pig rearing unit in north Wales in 1989 a study was initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to assess public health risks during such an outbreak. Of 50 pigs infected by the addition of Bacillus anthracis spores to their feed, two died of anthrax six and eight days later. The remainder were observed for 21 days and exhibited only mild and transient clinical signs of disease. As judged by the results of bacteriological culture of appropriate tissues from the survivors, it was concluded that meat from healthy pigs killed 21 days after the latest case during an outbreak would not pose a public health risk.
Value of α1‐acid glycoprotein in the diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis
Authors: Duthie S. , Eckersall P. D. , Addie D. D. , Lawrence C. E. , Jarrett O. 
Published: October 2010

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is notoriously difficult to differentiate from the many other diseases with similar clinical signs and at present the only conclusive diagnostic test is the histopathological examination of a biopsy. The potential value of raised levels of the acute phase reactants, α1‐acid glycoprotein (AGP) and haptoglobin in the diagnosis of the disease was investigated. The concentrations of the two proteins were determined in serum samples from healthy cats and gave reference ranges of 0.1 to 0.48 g/litre and 0.04 to 3.84 g/litre, respectively. Levels of AGP greater than 1.5 g/litre in serum, plasma or effusion samples were found to be of value in distinguishing field cases of FIP from cats with similar clinical signs and differentiated these two groups of cats more effectively than the albumin:globulin ratio. The concentration of haptoglobin was higher in cats with FIP than in the group of healthy cats, but this protein was not of value in the diagnosis of FIP. Serum samples from feline immunodeficiency virusinfected cats were also analysed for these proteins and their concentrations were significantly elevated, illustrating that raised levels of AGP and haptoglobin are not pathognomonic for FIP.
Outbreak of canine distemper in vaccinated dogs in Finland
Authors: Ek‐Kommonen C. , Sihvonen L. , Pekkanen K. , Rikula U. , Nuotio L. 
Published: October 2010

Canine distemper reappeared in dogs in Finland in 1990 after a 16‐year absence. In 1994 to 1995 an outbreak occurred in areas with a high density dog population which involved dogs vaccinated against distemper. The estimated total number of cases was at least 5000, and 865 cases were confirmed by indirect fluorescent antibody testing of 3649 epithelial cell samples. The signs recorded by veterinary clinicians ranged from conjunctivitis, pyrexia and anorexia to signs of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness, with an estimated mortality of 30 per cent. Of the confirmed cases 631 (73 per cent) were between three and 24 months of age; 487 of these had been vaccinated at least once and 351 (41 per cent) had a complete vaccination history. Of these 351 fully vaccinated animals the proportion of dogs vaccinated with the most popular vaccine was significantly higher than would have been expected by its market share. In total, 4676 serum samples were collected from healthy vaccinated dogs during the peak and decline of the outbreak and tested for the presence of virus neutralising antibodies. The decrease in the proportion of young dogs with antibody titres <⅛ coincided with the decline and end of the outbreak during the spring and summer of 1995. It was concluded that a critical decrease in the population's immunity during 1990 to 1994 was a major reason for the outbreak in the summer of 1994 and that the ultimate test for vaccines is an outbreak of disease.
Variations in the force applied to flexion tests of the distal limb of horses
Authors: Keg P. R. , van Weeren P. R. , Schamhardt H. G. , Barneveld A. 
Published: October 2010

A pressure‐sensitive device was developed to measure the force applied to flexion tests of the distal limb of horses. The mean force applied by a group of experienced clinicians was 150 N which results in a moment on the flexed fetlock joint of about 28.5 Nm. The coefficient of variation of the force applied by one experienced clinician was only about 12 per cent, but the coefficient of variation between clinicians was considerably higher (20 per cent), irrespective of whether the clinicians were considered to be experienced or not. The mean force applied by a group of women examiners (114 N) was significantly lower than that applied by the group of male examiners. It is concluded that the flexion test used in the clinical examination of the locomotor system of the horse should be better standardised.
Gastric ulcers in finishing pigs: their prevalence and failure to influence growth rate
Authors: Guise H. J. , Carlyle W. W. H. , Penny R. H. C. , Abbott T. A. , Riches H. L. , Hunter E. J. 
Published: October 2010

In an abattoir survey the stomachs of 1242 pigs from 15 farms were examined. Ulceration of the pars oesophagea was present in 22.95 per cent with a range from 4.7 to 57.4 per cent. The ulcers were graded mild in 9.5 per cent and severe in 13.4 per cent of the stomachs. Bile staining and hyperkeratinisation of the pars were significantly more common in stomachs with ulcers than in those without (P<0.001), although the difference between the hyperkeratinisation in cases with severe ulcers and cases without ulcers was not significant. The daily liveweight gains of 208 males and 150 females from two units with a high prevalence of ulcers were calculated from their weaning weights at about five weeks of age and their slaughter weights at around 90 kg. At the abattoir their stomachs were examined for the presence of ulcers of the pars. The daily liveweight gain of the males was significantly greater than that of the females (P<0.001), but the presence of mild or severe ulcers had no influence on the rate of gain of the pigs from either unit. The prevalence of ulcers in the males and females was 57.2 and 49.3 per cent, respectively, but the difference was not significant.
Elimination of mucosal cyathostome larvae by five daily treatments with fenbendazole
Authors: Duncan J. L. , Bairden K. , Abbott E. M. 
Published: October 2010

The efficacy of five daily treatments with 7.5 mg fenbendazole/kg bodyweight against mucosal cyathostome larvae was evaluated in 20 12‐ to 24‐month‐old ponies with naturally acquired cyathostome infections. After three weeks communal grazing on infected pasture and six weeks indoors, one group of 10 ponies were treated. Six weeks later, both groups of ponies were humanely destroyed and their burdens of large intestinal cyathostome worms, including luminal parasites and mucosal larvae, were assessed. In the control animals approximately 7 per cent of the total worm burden was present in the gut lumen and 93 per cent was present as larvae in the large intestinal mucosa. The efficacy of fenbendazole against the luminal cyathostomes was 90.7 per cent (P<0.01). The total numbers of mucosal larvae, recovered after digestion, were reduced by 95.3 per cent (P<0.0005); mucosal late third and fourth stage larvae were reduced by 99.4 per cent (P<0.0001), and early inhibited third stage larvae by 91.5 per cent (P<0.005).
Choosing appropriate space allowances for slaughter pigs transported by road: a review
Authors: Warriss P. D. 
Published: October 2010

In the United Kingdom pigs can spend up to 11 hours in transit to slaughter but on average travel for two to three hours. In the past, international journeys have lasted up to 40 hours and have been over 900 miles long. There is evidence that pigs, like calves and sheep, but unlike adult cattle, prefer to lie down if provided with suitable conditions, particularly bedding, on the vehicle. They will, however, sometimes stand during short journeys, possibly when excessive vibration or uncomfortable flooring, particularly a lack of sufficient bedding, cause discomfort. Current UK legislation and EU Directive 95/29/EC specify that, in general, pigs must have sufficient space to lie down during transit. Measurements of the space needed for sternal recumbency, and direct observations of pigs at different stocking densities, suggest that the minimum space required is equivalent to about 250 kg/m2 for normal slaughter pigs of 90 to 100 kg liveweight. This figure may not be appropriate for very small or very large pigs. In the UK at present, more than half of all slaughter pigs are transported at densities greater than that prescribed (235 kg/m2) in the EU Directive. At stocking densities above about 250 kg/m2 there may not be enough room available for all the pigs to lie down, leading to continual disturbance of recumbent animals by those seeking a place to rest. A stocking density of 322 kg/m2 leads to clear evidence of physical stress. During long journeys (≥25 hours) meat quality is reduced by high stocking densities, implying muscle glycogen depletion and possibly fatigue. Higher stocking densities are also associated with higher mortality. There is evidence of wide variations in air temperature inside transporters, particularly for international journeys. Although there are small variations within vehicles, the temperature of the air inside is closely related to the outside temperature. It has been recommended that the temperature within the vehicle should not exceed 30°C in order to remain within the pig's thermoneutral zone. Such temperatures, together with acceptably low concentrations of potentially noxious gases, such as carbon dioxide, can be achieved in moving vehicles by adequate ventilation, provided there is adequate space above the animals' heads. In tripledecked lorries, the height between decks has tended to be reduced and can be as little as 90 cm. Further work is needed to decide whether this is sufficient for modern slaughter pigs.
Studies on the efficacy of hyperbaric rendering procedures in inactivating bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and scrapie agents
Authors: Schreuder B. E. C. , Geertsma R. E. , van Keulen L. J. M. , van Asten J. A. A. M. , Enthoven P. , Oberthür R. C. , de Koeijer A. A. , Osterhaus A. D. M. E. 
Published: October 2010

The efficacy of the procedures in use at the two rendering plants in the Netherlands was assessed on a laboratory‐scale using procedures that simulated the pressure cooking part of the rendering process. A pool of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BsE).infected brainstem from the United Kingdom and a pool of scrapie.infected brainstem from Dutch sheep were used to spike the rendering materials. The mixtures were subjected to various time‐temperature combinations of hyperbaric heat treatment related to the conditions used in Dutch rendering plants in the early 1990s, and to the combination of 20 minutes at 133°C required by the EU Directive on rendering of 1996. The efficacy of the procedures in inactivating BSE or scrapie infectivity was measured by titrating the materials before and after heat treatment in inbred mice, by combined intracerebral and intraperitoneal inoculations at limiting dilutions. Two independent series of experiments were carried out. The design of the study allowed for minimum inactivations of up to 2.2 log (2.0 in the second series) to be measured in the diluted infective material and 3.1 log in the undiluted material. After 20 minutes at 133°C there was a reduction of BSE infectivity of about 2.2 log in the first series (with some residual infectivity detected), and in the second series more than 2.0 log (with no residual infectivity detected). With undiluted brain material there was an inactivation of about 3.0 log (with some residual infectivity detected). With the same procedure, scrapie infectivity was reduced by more than 1.7 log in the first series and by more than 2.2 log in the second series. With undiluted brain material there was an inactivation of more than 3.1 log. In each case no residual scrapie infectivity was detected. The BSE agent consistently appeared to be more resistant to heat inactivation procedures than the scrapie agent, particularly at lower temperatures and shorter times.
Investigation of mortality and pathological changes in a 14.month birth cohort of boxer puppies
Authors: Nielen A. L. J. , van der Gaag I. , Knol B. W. , Schukken Y. H. 
Published: October 2010

This paper presents puppy mortality and postmortem findings for a birth cohort of boxer puppies born in the Netherlands between January 1994 and March 1995. In all, 457 litters were registered, of which 414 (90.6 per cent) were involved in the study. The 414 litters contained 2629 puppies, a mean litter size of 6.4 puppies. Of the 2629 puppies 571 (21.7 per cent) died or were euthanased before they were weaned at 50 days of age; there were 147 (25.7 per cent) stillbirths; 102 (17.9 per cent) were euthanased because they were white; 269 (47.1 per cent) of the puppies died during the first 21 days of life and 53 (9.3 per cent) puppies died between days 22 and 50. The cause of death or the reason for euthanasia was assessed by either the breeder or the veterinarian in 176 of these 269 puppies but was not determined in the other 93 puppies. Three hundred and two puppies were examined postmortem; the most important causes of death or reasons for euthanasia were inflammatory disorders (102; 33.8 per cent), non‐inflammatory disorders such as asphyxia and malnutrition (66; 21.9 per cent), euthanasia because they were white (51; 16.9 per cent), and congenital abnormalities (45; 14.9 per cent). No cause of death or reason for euthanasia could be found for 38 puppies (12.6 per cent).
Adventitious bursitis of the hock in finishing pigs: prevalence, distribution and association with floor type and foot lesions
Authors: Mouttotou N. , Green L. E. , Hatchell F. M. 
Published: October 2010

The prevalence, severity and distribution of adventitious bursitis were estimated in 3989 finishing pigs from 21 units in south‐west England. The overall prevalence of adventitious bursitis was 51.0 per cent and ranged from 10.1 to 84.0 per cent in the different units. Bursae were found on four different aspects of the hock: lateroplantar, plantar, medial and point of the hock (capped hock). The median severity of the bursae at all the different sites was mild (score 1). There was a large variation in the prevalence of different bursal lesions. Lateroplantar bursae (41.8 per cent) were the most prevalent followed by plantar (12.0 per cent), medial (4.8 per cent) and capped hock (3.7 per cent). There was a significant trend in the prevalence of bursitis with floor type; pigs kept on solid concrete floors with deep straw (>10 cm) had the lowest risk of having bursitis, and the prevalence increased successively when the floors were solid concrete with sparse straw (<10 cm), semi‐slatted and fully slatted. There was a significant association between the presence of bursitis and foot lesions.
Biliary elimination of endogenous nortestosterone by pregnant cows
Authors: McEvoy J. D. G. , McVeigh C. E. , McCaughey W. J. , Hewitt S. A. 
Published: October 2010

A temporal study of the biliary elimination of endogenous 19‐nortestosterone during two successive pregnancies was made in three cows with cannulated gall bladders. Bile samples were analysed for 17β‐19‐nortestosterone (β‐NT) and the 17α‐epimer (α‐NT) by using high resolution gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. No β‐NT was detected in any of the samples analysed. However, α‐NT was detected from around 120 days of gestation in each of the cows. Peak concentrations were observed in the last week before calving and ranged from 9.5 to 36.7 ng/ml. After parturition, the concentrations of α‐NT declined rapidly and were undetectable by seven days after calving, and it was not detected again until after 120 days of gestation. The biliary concentrations of α‐NT detected subsequently were similar to those observed in cattle several weeks after an exogenous injection of the synthetic ester β‐NT phenylpropionate.
Effect of vaccine‐induced immune activation on the performance of early‐weaned pigs
Authors: Fangman T. J. , Ostlund E. N. , Tubbs R. C. , Henningsen‐Dyer K. 
Published: October 2010

Two groups of 96 pigs were studied to determine the influence of weaning age, nursery site and a challenge to their immune system on their performance. The weaning ages were 11 to 16 days and 16 to 21 days. One nursery was on‐site and the second nursery was off‐site. Immune activation was stimulated by the administration of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR) vaccine to half of the pigs at each site. Serum virus neutralisation titres to IBR and total immunoglobulins were monitored in some of the pigs in each group. Performance was measured in terms of feed intake, average daily gain in weight, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The mean serum immunoglobulin concentrations of all the groups of pigs tended to decrease in the first two weeks after weaning and then increase. Twelve of 20 pigs vaccinated with IBR had neutralisation titres to the virus. The site of the nursery did not significantly affect average daily gain in weight, feed intake or FCR. Pigs weaned at 16 to 21 days of age had a significantly better daily gain in weight than the pigs weaned at 11 to 16 days of age. Immune stimulation of the older weaned pigs did not influence their performance, but it had a significantly (P<0.016) negative effect on the performance of the younger weaned pigs.
Salmonella typhimurium DT104 infection in people and animals in Scotland: a collaborative epidemiological study 1993–96
Authors: Calvert N. , Stewart W. C. , Reilly W. J. 
Published: October 2010

This paper describes a comparative analysis of human and farm animal salmonellosis in Scotland between 1993 and 1996, with particular reference to Salmonella typhimurium definitive type 104 (DT104). Cattle were the main reservoir, accounting for 73.1 per cent of incidents involving all salmonellae and 69.5 per cent of those involving S typhimurium DT104. The annual rates of incidence in people and cattle were recorded in each Health Board area. Dumfries and Galloway had the highest rate of incidence in cattle for all salmonellae (19.0 per 100,000) but people were affected uniformly across mainland Scotland. However, the rate of incidence of S typhimurium DT104 was highest in Dumfries and Galloway for both people (10.1 per 100,000) and cattle (13.0 per 100,000). In Dumfries and Galloway, Wigtownshire had the highest rates for all salmonellae and for S typhimurium DT104 in both people and cattle. In Dumfries and Galloway, 37.8 per cent of the adult cases of S typhimurium DT104 in people were among those known to have had regular contact with animals, and children under six years of age accounted for 36.3 per cent of the human infections in this region.
Determination of the aversion of farmed mink (Mustela vison) to carbon dioxide
Authors: Cooper J. , Mason G. , Raj M. 
Published: October 2010

High concentrations of carbon dioxide are commonly used to kill mink before their pelts are removed. The aversiveness of this procedure was investigated by using a passive avoidance technique. Eight mink were trained to obtain a reward (a novel object) by entering a chamber which could be filled with carbon dioxide, as under commercial conditions (over 80 per cent by volume). In the absence of carbon dioxide, mink entered the chamber within a mean (sd) of 16 (2.1) seconds and spent 45 (12) per cent of the next 10 minutes interacting with the novel object. When there was carbon dioxide in the test chamber, the mink would not enter it and coughed and recoiled from the chamber's entrance instead. It was concluded that the mink detected and avoided high concentrations of carbon dioxide, and that if mink are to be killed humanely, less aversive techniques should be used.
Ambient temperature below which pigs should not be continuously showered in lairage
Authors: Knowles T. G. , Brown S. N. , Edwards J. E. , Warriss P. D. 
Published: October 2010

Showering pigs with cold water during preslaughter lairage is thought to be useful in reducing the body temperature of hot, easily stressed animals. However, showering when the ambient temperature is too low could chill them too severely. To assess the effects of showering and to determine a temperature below which pigs should not be showered, pigs from one source, passing through a commercial slaughterhouse lairage, were split into two groups of approximately 50 each, showered and unshowered, on 10 days with a range of ambient temperatures. The pigs' behaviour and any damage to their skin were recorded, various measures of body temperature were taken before and after showering, and blood taken at slaughter was analysed for plasma creatine kinase, cortisol and lactate. Showering prevented the usual reduction in activity observed in pigs in lairage at high ambient temperatures. On the basis of the reduction in their flank temperature during showering, it is recommended that pigs should not be showered continuously if the temperature inside or outside the lairage falls below 5°C, and showering should cease if they are seen to be shivering.
Comparison of pethidine, buprenorphine and ketoprofen for postoperative analgesia after ovariohysterectomy in the cat
Authors: Slingsby L. S. , Waterman‐Pearson A. E. 
Published: October 2010

Sixty cats which underwent an ovariohysterectomy were randomly allocated into four treatment groups. One group (controls) received no analgesics postoperatively, and the others received either a single dose of buprenorphine (0.006mg/kg) intramuscularly, or pethidine (5 mg/kg) intramuscularly, or ketoprofen (2 mg/kg) subcutaneously. The analgesia obtained after each treatment was assessed by three measures. There were significant differences between the groups both for the requirement for intervention analgesia (P=0.0008) and for the overall clinical assessment (P=0.0003) with ketoprofen requiring least intervention analgesia and having the best overall clinical assessment, followed by buprenorphine then pethidine. The control group required the most intervention analgesia and had the worst overall clinical assessment. Visual analogue scale scoring for pain produced significant differences between the groups from one hour after the operation, with the cats which were given ketoprofen tending to have lower pain scores than the other groups.
Experimental oral transmission of Ehrlichia phagocytophila to calves
Authors: Pusterla N. , Huder J. , Wolfensberger C. , Lutz H. , Braun U. 
Published: October 2010

Three groups of four calves were used to determine whether Ehrlichia phagocytophila could be transmitted orally to calves via infected milk. Groups 1 and 2 consisted of four‐week‐old calves and group 3 of newborn calves. The calves in group 1 were fed for several days with milk from cows infected experimentally with E phagocytophila. The calves in groups 2 and 3 were fed 200 ml of whole blood containing E phagocytophila organisms; for group 2 the blood was added to milk before being fed, and for group 3 the blood was added to colostrum before being fed within three hours after birth. Blood samples for haematological, serological and cytological examination, and for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were collected from all the calves, starting on the first or only day of administration and then every four days for four weeks. The calves of groups 1 and 2 showed no clinical, haematological or serological changes, and there was no direct or indirect evidence of the agent. In contrast, all the calves in group 3 had mild pyrexia and seroconverted on day 8, and in one of them E phagocytophila organisms were visible in leucocytes, and the PCR on the buffy coat was positive on day 8.