Anti-predator behaviour of adult red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) tutors improves the defensive responses of farm-reared broods     

C. Sánchez-García  M.E. Alonso  E.J. Tizado  J. A. Pérez  J. A. Armenteros  V. R. Gaudioso 《British poultry science》2016,57(3):306-316

1. The aim of this work was to improve natural anti-predator behaviour of farm-reared gamebirds.

2. We evaluated the anti-predator behaviour of reared red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa chicks kept in brooder houses in large groups (>350 chicks), trained and not trained by parent red-legged partridges acting as experienced tutors.

3. The experiment consisted of two conditioned tests (a raptor model and a human) and two control tests, which were conducted during three consecutive phases of life (1–4, 15–17 and 30–32 d after hatching). The motor anti-predator behaviour, its duration, the intensity of response in chicks and alarm calls elicited by adults were recorded.

4. Tutors elicited aerial alarm calls (76% of tests) and showed prolonged crouching (59% of tests) in response to the raptor model whereas uttering the ground alarm call (73% of tests) and showing vigilance behaviour (78% of tests) was the main pattern during the human test.

5. Trained and not trained chicks showed similar motor behaviour in response to the raptor model (crouching) and the human test (escaping), but frequency of strong responses (all chicks responding) from chicks trained with tutors was double that of chicks trained without them, and chicks trained with tutors showed a higher frequency of long responses (41–60 s).

6. This study indicates that anti-predator training programmes before release may improve behaviour of farm-reared partridges which may confer benefits to survival of birds.

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Effect of supplementation of beef cattle with different protein levels and degradation rates during transition from the dry to rainy season     

Rodolfo Maciel Fernandes  Chafic Mustafé de Almeida  Bruna Caldas Carvalho  João Alexandrino Alves Neto  Verônica Aparecida Costa Mota  Flávio Dutra de Resende  Gustavo Rezende Siqueira 《Tropical animal health and production》2016,48(1):95-101

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Herd-level prevalence and risk factors for bovine viral diarrhea virus infection in cattle in the State of Paraíba,Northeastern Brazil     

Leise Gomes Fernandes  Adriana Hellmeister de Campos Nogueira  Eliana De Stefano  Edviges Maristela Pituco  Cláudia Pestana Ribeiro  Clebert José Alves  Tainara Sombra Oliveira  Inácio José Clementino  Sérgio Santos de Azevedo 《Tropical animal health and production》2016,48(1):157-165

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Canine fetal echocardiography: correlations for the analysis of cardiac dimensions     

Amália Turner Giannico  Elaine Mayumi Ueno Gil  Daniela Aparecida Ayres Garcia  Marlos Gonçalves Sousa  Tilde Rodrigues Froes 《Veterinary research communications》2016,40(1):11-19

The aim of this study was to develop regression models for correlation of canine fetal heart development with body size to characterize normal development or suggest cardiac anomalies. Twenty clinically healthy pregnant bitches, either brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic, were examined ultrasonographically. Transabdominal fetal echocardiography was conducted every 4 days from the beginning of cardiac chambers differentiation until parturition. Ten cardiac parameters were measured: length, width and diameter of the heart; heart area; left and right ventricular dimensions; left and right atrial dimensions; and aortic and pulmonary artery diameter. Femoral length, biparietal diameter and abdominal cross-sectional area were also recorded. Regression equations were developed for each parameter of fetal body size, and linear and logarithmic models were compared. The model with the highest correlation coefficient was chosen to produce equations to calculate relative dimensions based on the correlations. Only the left-ventricular chamber differed between the two racial groups. Biparietal diameter was the independent parameter that produced the highest correlation coefficient for the most fetal cardiac dimensions, although good correlations were also observed using femoral length and abdominal cross-sectional area. Heart width and heart diameter were used as surrogates of cardiac development, as these measurements showed the best statistical correlation. Quantitative evaluation of fetal cardiac structures can be used to monitor normal and abnormal cardiac development.  相似文献   

Laboratory tests for diagnosing and monitoring canine leishmaniasis          下载免费PDF全文

Saverio Paltrinieri  Luigi Gradoni  Xavier Roura  Andrea Zatelli  Eric Zini 《Veterinary clinical pathology / American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology》2016,45(4):552-578

Although several reviews on canine leishmaniasis have been published, none thoroughly described clinicopathologic abnormalities and their clinical usefulness. The aim of this review was to provide information concerning current diagnostic tests relevant for clinical pathologists and from a practical perspective. Specifically, in canine leishmaniasis, nonregenerative normocytic normochromic anemia, thrombocytopenia, or leukogram changes may be present. Clinical chemistry and urinalysis may indicate renal dysfunction (azotemia, decreased urine specific gravity, proteinuria) and an inflammatory/immune response (increased acute phase proteins [APP] or α₂‐ and/or γ‐globulins). Although a potential gammopathy is usually polyclonal, it may also appear oligo‐ or monoclonal, especially in dogs coinfected by other vector‐borne pathogens. When lesions are accessible to fine‐needle aspiration (lymphoadenomegaly, nodular lesions, joint swelling), cytology is strongly advised, as the presence of Leishmania amastigotes in a pattern of pyogranulomatous inflammation or lymphoplasmacytic hyperplasia is diagnostic. If the cytologic pattern is inconclusive, the parasite should be identified by histology/immunohistochemistry or PCR on surgical biopsies. Alternatively, cytology and PCR may be performed on bone marrow samples where amastigotes, along with erythroid hypoplasia, myeloid hyperplasia, plasmacytosis, or secondary dysmyelopoiesis can be observed. Dogs with overt leishmaniasis generally have high antibody titers, while low titers predominate in immunologically resistant infected dogs or in exposed dogs with no parasite confirmation. Quantitative serology is recommended in clinically suspect dogs as high‐titer antibodies titers may confirm the clinical diagnosis. In confirmed and treated dogs, renal function and inflammatory/immune response variables should be periodically monitored.  相似文献   

Effect of Pimobendan in Dogs with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease and Cardiomegaly: The EPIC Study—A Randomized Clinical Trial          下载免费PDF全文

A. Boswood  J. Häggström  S.G. Gordon  G. Wess  R.L. Stepien  M.A. Oyama  B.W. Keene  J. Bonagura  K.A. MacDonald  M. Patteson  S. Smith  P.R. Fox  K. Sanderson  R. Woolley  V. Szatmári  P. Menaut  W.M. Church  M. L. O'Sullivan  J.‐P. Jaudon  J.‐G. Kresken  J. Rush  K.A. Barrett  S.L. Rosenthal  A.B. Saunders  I. Ljungvall  M. Deinert  E. Bomassi  A.H. Estrada  M.J. Fernandez Del Palacio  N.S. Moise  J.A. Abbott  Y. Fujii  A. Spier  M.W. Luethy  R.A. Santilli  M. Uechi  A. Tidholm  P. Watson 《Journal of veterinary internal medicine / American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine》2016,30(6):1765-1779

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Effect of dietary Schizochytrium microalga oil on selected markers of low‐grade inflammation in rats          下载免费PDF全文

T. Komprda  Z. Sládek  O. Škultéty  S. Křížková  V. Rozíková  B. Němcová  T. Šustrová  M. Valová 《Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition》2016,100(6):1169-1178

The objective of the present study was to evaluate a potential of Schizochytrium microalga oil to alleviate possible negative effects of high‐fat‐high‐energy diets. Forty adult male rats (Wistar Albino) were fed 7 weeks the diet containing beef tallow + evaporated sweetened milk (diet T) intended to cause mild obesity and low‐grade systemic inflammation. Consequently, the animals were divided into four groups by 10 animals each and fed either the T‐diet (control) or the diet containing 6% of safflower oil (S), 6% of fish oil (F) and 6% of Schizochytrium microalga oil (A), respectively, for another 7 weeks. The A‐diet decreased (p < 0.05) live weight to 86% and glycaemia to 85% of control, respectively; an effect of the S‐ and F‐diet on these markers was insignificant (p > 0.05). In comparison with control, higher (p < 0.05) deposition of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the epididymal adipose tissue (EAT) of the A‐rats correlated with increased (p < 0.05) plasma adiponectin concentration, but it was without the effect (p > 0.05) on cellular adiponectin content in the EAT. Higher (p < 0.05) EPA+DHA deposition in the liver of the A‐rats correlated with higher expression (149% of control; p < 0.05) of the gene coding for peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma, and with lower expression (82% and 66%; p < 0.05) of the genes coding for adiponectin receptors AdipoR1 and AdipoR2; no relationship to the expression of receptor GPR120 was found. The A‐diet did not affect amount of the nuclear fraction of the nuclear factor kappa B in the liver, but increased plasma level of anti‐inflammatory cytokine TGF‐β1 (p < 0.05). The presented data agree with results of other in vivo rodent and human studies, but not with literature data regarding in vitro experiments: it can be concluded that the effects of dietary oils on inflammatory markers need further investigation.  相似文献   

Association of oxidative status and insulin sensitivity in periparturient dairy cattle: an observational study          下载免费PDF全文

A. Abuelo  J. Hernández  J. L. Benedito  C. Castillo 《Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition》2016,100(2):279-286

Post‐parturient insulin resistance (IR) is a common feature in all mammalian animals. However, in dairy cows, it can be exacerbated because of high milk yield, leading to excessive negative energy balance, which is related with increased disease incidence, reduced milk production and worsened reproductive performance. IR has been extensively investigated in humans suffering from diabetes mellitus. In these subjects, it is known that oxidative stress (OS) plays a causative role in the onset of IR. Although OS occurs in transitional dairy cattle, there are yet no studies that investigated the association between IR and OS in dairy cattle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between OS and IR in dairy cattle. Serum samples were taken repeatedly from 22 dairy cows from 2 months prior to the expected calving date to 2 months after calving and were analysed for markers of metabolic and redox balance. Surrogate indices of insulin sensitivity were also calculated. Generalised linear mixed models revealed an effect of the oxidative status on peripheral insulin concentration and on indices of insulin sensitivity. Hence, field trials should investigate the effectiveness of antioxidant therapy on insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues during the transition period of dairy cattle.  相似文献   

Profile of Steroid Receptors and Increased Aromatase Immunoexpression in Canine Inflammatory Mammary Cancer as a Potential Therapeutic Target          下载免费PDF全文

PJ De Andrés  S Cáceres  M Clemente  MD Pérez‐Alenza  JC Illera  L Peña 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2016,51(2):269-275

Canine inflammatory mammary cancer (IMC) has been proposed as a model for the study of human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). The aims of this study were to compare the immunohistochemical expression of aromatase (Arom) and several hormone receptors [estrogen receptor α (ERα), estrogen receptor β (ERβ), progesterone receptor (PR) and androgen receptor (AR)], in 21 IMC cases vs 19 non‐IMC; and to study the possible effect of letrozole on canine IMC and human inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) in vitro using IPC‐366 and SUM‐149 cell lines. Significant elevations of the means of Arom Total Score (TS), ERβ TS and PR TS were found in the IMC group (p = 0.025, p = 0.038 and p = 0.037, respectively). Secondary IMC tumours expressed higher levels of Arom than primary IMC (p = 0.029). Non‐IMC PR‐ tumours contained higher levels of Arom than non‐IMC PR+ tumours (p = 0.007). After the addition of letrozole, the number of IMC and IBC cells dropped drastically. The overexpression of Arom found and the results obtained in vitro further support canine IMC as a model for the study of IBC and future approaches to the treatment of dogs with mammary cancer, and especially IMC, using Arom inhibitors.  相似文献   

Expert opinion based modelling of the risk of human infection with H5N1 through the consumption of poultry meat in Germany     

Greiner M  Müller-Graf C  Hiller P  Schrader C  Gervelmeyer A  Ellerbroek L  Appel B 《Berliner und Münchener tier?rztliche Wochenschrift》2007,120(3-4):98-107

According to current scientific opinion the risk of human infection with H5N1 via preparation and consumption of poultry meat is negligible.This opinion has not yet been challenged by a formal risk assessment, due to the lack of empirical data. We have developed a scenario pathway model as a conceptual framework for a formal assessment of the H5N1 risk to humans through consumption of poultry meat and parameterise the model using information derived from expert opinions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the notion of an overall negligible risk via the oral infection route is consistent with ad hoc data and expert opinions on the relevant parameters of the model.The model is mainly based on expert opinion. A stochastic Monte-Carlo simulation was conducted which took into consideration (amongst others) the exposure and infection of chicken (broiler and layer), turkeys, ducks and geese, the probabilities of detection prior to slaughter, virus survival and contamination during slaughter, as well as during the cutting and preparation of meat in commercial plants and in private households, respectively. The empirical consumption pattern for poultry meat in Germany was taken into account in the simulation.The results show that the risk for the individual consumer is practically zero whereas up to 23 cases per year in Germany might occur if the upper (more pessimistic) ranges of the expert opinions apply.The finding of a low but non-negligible risk to the population is discussed in relation to the epidemiological information available from recent outbreaks in South East Asia.  相似文献