Gonadotropin‐induced Puberty Does Not Impair Reproductive Performance of Gilts over Three Parities     

OHO Eckhardt  SMMK Martins  ME Pinese  FC Horta  AC Rosseto  MA Torres  AFC De Andrade  BBD Muro  CT Marino  PHM Rodrigues  AS Moretti 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2014,49(6):964-969

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive performance of three parities of gilts treated or not treated with gonadotropin to induce puberty. Sixty gilts received 600 IU of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) followed by 2.5 mg of porcine luteinizing hormone (LH) 72 h later. Fifty‐nine other gilts were exposed only to a mature boar for 15 min twice daily. Artificial insemination (AI) was performed at 0, 12 and 24 h after the detection of oestrus, and gestation was confirmed by ultrasound after 35 days. Sows were inseminated at the first post‐weaning oestrus. The total numbers of piglets born, piglets born alive, stillborn, mummified foetuses, as well as pregnancy and farrowing rates were evaluated for each of the three parities. Culling rates, farrowing intervals and weaning‐to‐oestrous intervals (WEI) were also analysed. Mean age at puberty and oestrous manifestation were not significantly different between treatments (p = 0.0639; 179.20 ± 17.52 compared with 173.96 ± 16.94, 91.66% compared with 94.92%) across the experimental period. However, females that underwent puberty induction showed modest increases both in the number of total pigs born and in the number of piglets born alive. In conclusion, puberty induction through exogenous gonadotropin administration in field conditions did not induce a more concentrated first oestrous manifestation, but trended to a modest increase in the number of pigs born alive in the first parity and a reduced culling rate during the first gestation.  相似文献   

Vaccination of dogs with multi-component vaccines     

DH DAVIES  S. PIDFORD 《Australian veterinary journal》1991,68(5):183-184

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The Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment: Accurate ranges have given a large improvement in the lunar orbit and new selenophysical information     

Bender PL  Currie DG  Poultney SK  Alley CO  Dicke RH  Wilkinson DT  Eckhardt DH  Faller JE  Kaula WM  Mulholland JD  Plotkin HH  Silverberg EC  Williams JG 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1973,182(4109):229-238

The lunar ranging measurements now being made at the McDonald Observatory have an accuracy of 1 nsec in round-trip travel time. This corresponds to 15 cm in the one-way distance. The use of lasers with pulse-lengths of less than 1 nsec is expected to give an accuracy of 2 to 3 cm in the next few years. A new station is under construction in Hawaii, and additional stations in other countries are either in operation or under development. It is hoped that these stations will form the basis for a worldwide network to determine polar motion and earth rotation on a regular basis, and will assist in providing information about movement of the tectonic plates making up the earth's surface. Several mobile lunar ranging stations with telescopes having diameters of 1.0 m or less could, in the future, greatly extend the information obtainable about motions within and between the tectonic plates. The data obtained so far by the McDonald Observatory have been used to generate a new lunar ephemeris based on direct numerical integration of the equations of motion for the moon and planets. With this ephemeris, the range to the three Apollo retro-reflectors can be fit to an accuracy of 5 m by adjusting the differences in moments of inertia of the moon about its principal axes, the selenocentric coordinates of the reflectors, and the McDonald longitude. The accuracy of fitting the results is limited currently by errors of the order of an arc second in the angular orientation of the moon, as derived from the best available theory of how the moon rotates in response to the torques acting on it. Both a new calculation of the moon's orientation as a function of time based on direct numerical integration of the torque equations and a new analytic theory of the moon's orientation are expected to be available soon, and to improve considerably the accuracy of fitting the data. The accuracy already achieved routinely in lunar laser ranging represents a hundredfold improvement over any previously available knowledge of the distance to points on the lunar surface. Already, extremely complex structure has been observed in the lunar rotation and significant improvement has been achieved in our knowledge of lunar orbit. The selenocentric coordinates of the retroreflectors give improved reference points for use in lunar mapping, and new information on the lunar mass distribution has been obtained. Beyond the applications discussed in this article, however, the history of science shows many cases of previously unknown, phenomena discovered as a consequence of major improvements in the accuracy of measurements. It will be interesting to see whether this once again proves the case as we acquire an extended series of lunar distance observations with decimetric and then centimetric accuracy.  相似文献   

Synthesis of Novel Thin-Film Materials by Pulsed Laser Deposition     

DH Lowndes  DB Geohegan  AA Puretzky  DP Norton  CM Rouleau 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1996,273(5277):898-903

Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a conceptually and experimentally simple yet highly versatile tool for thin-film and multilayer research. Its advantages for the film growth of oxides and other chemically complex materials include stoichiometric transfer, growth from an energetic beam, reactive deposition, and inherent simplicity for the growth of multilayered structures. With the use of PLD, artificially layered materials and metastable phases have been created and their properties varied by control of the layer thicknesses. In situ monitoring techniques have provided information about the role of energetic species in the formation of ultrahard phases and in the doping of semiconductors. Cluster-assembled nanocrystalline and composite films offer opportunities to control and produce new combinations of properties with PLD.  相似文献   

Qualitative differences between day- and night-time rhizodeposition in maize (Zea mays L.) as investigated by pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry     

A. Melnitchouck  K.-U. Eckhardt 《Soil biology & biochemistry》2005,37(1):155-162

Rhizodeposition is an important pathway of atmospheric C-input to soil, however, quantity and quality of plant rhizodeposition are insufficiently known. Therefore, the composition and diurnal dynamics of water-soluble root-derived substances and products of their interaction with sandy soil were investigated in maize plants (Zea mays L.) by pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS). In both night- and day-rhizodeposits the C, N and S concentrations were larger by factors ranging from 3.0 to 9.7 than the samples from non-cropped soil. The rhizodeposition was larger during the day than during the night-time and the composition of these deposits was different. The largest differences in the Py-FI mass spectra resulted from signals assigned to amino acids (aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamic acid, leucine, isoleucine, hydroxyproline and phenylalanine) and carbohydrates, in particular pentoses, which were exuded in the photosynthetic period. Marker signals in the Py-FI mass spectra and the curves of their thermal volatilization provided unequivocal evidence for the occurrence of free amino acids in the day-rhizodeposits. Other compounds detected in the Py-FI mass spectra were interpreted as constituents of rhizodeposits (lipids, suberin, fatty acids) or products of the interaction of rhizodeposits and microbial metabolites with stable soil organic matter (lignin dimers and alkylaromatics). It was concluded that the diurnal dynamics in the molecular-chemical composition between day- and night-rhizodeposits resulted from the exudation carbohydrates and amino acids during the photosynthetic period, the deposition of other root-derived compounds such as lipids, suberin and fatty acids, and the microbial metabolism of all available organic compounds in the rhizosphere. Furthermore, applications of the presented approach in C-turnover and phytoremediation research, and for risk assessment of genetically modified crops are proposed.  相似文献   

The recognition and prevalence of Bacteroides nodosus serotype M in Australia and New Zealand     

DH CHETWIN  LC WHITEHEAD  SEJ THORLEY 《Australian veterinary journal》1991,68(4):154-155

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Systemic candidiasis in a Suffolk ram     

TF JUBB  JD BAIRD  DH PERCY 《Australian veterinary journal》1988,65(10):333-335

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Ovariectomy as treatment for ovarian bacterial granulomas in a Duvaucel's gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii)     

AT Le Souëf  M Barry  DH Brunton  R Jakob-Hoff  B Jackson 《New Zealand veterinary journal》2013,61(6):340-344

CASE HISTORY: An adult female Duvaucel's gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii) from a threatened species breeding programme presented due to a prolonged gestation period and distended abdomen.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: The gecko was in lean body condition with an irregularly shaped, firm mass in the coelomic cavity. Radiographically there was a diffuse radio-opacity within the coelomic cavity with cranial displacement of the right lung field. Ultrasonography revealed a round homogenous abdominal mass of medium echogenicity with an echogenic capsule. Haematology showed a leucocytosis with a moderate left shift in heterophils and toxic changes. Bilateral ovariectomy was performed to remove two ovarian granulomas and Salmonella enterica subspecies houtenae (IV) was cultured from the ovarian tissue. The gecko recovered well from the surgery, regained weight and remained in good health 3 years following the surgery.

DIAGNOSIS: Pre-ovulatory stasis and ovarian granulomas associated with infection with Salmonella enterica subsp. houtenae.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The surgery described in this case resulted in recovery of the gecko, which despite its loss of reproductive capability is of value as an education animal. This is the first report of pre-ovulatory stasis and ovarian granulomas associated with infection with Salmonella enterica in a Duvaucel's gecko and is also the first reported case of pre-ovulatory stasis in a viviparous lizard species. The case adds to knowledge regarding potential reproductive pathology in lizards, which is particularly important information for managers of captive lizard breeding programmes.  相似文献   

Early Pregnancy Diagnosis by Serum Progesterone and Ultrasound in Sheep Carrying Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer-Derived Pregnancies     

B Alexander  G Coppola  GF Mastromonaco  E St. John  ER Reyes  DH Betts  WA King 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2008,43(2):207-211

Early pregnancy diagnosis and monitoring play an important role following embryo transfer in sheep. The aims of the current study were to investigate (i) the pattern of serum progesterone profiles in sheep carrying somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)‐derived (clone) pregnancies, and (ii) the frequency of pregnancy loss during development following SCNT embryo transfer. Sheep SCNT embryos were made using standard nuclear transfer techniques. Day 7 embryos were surgically transferred to oestrus‐synchronized recipients (n = 27). As a control, normal fertile ewes (n = 12) were bred by natural breeding. Serum was collected from all the ewes on the day of estrus (day 0 sample), 7 days post‐estrus (day 7 sample) and 19 days post‐estrus (day 19 sample) and every 10 days thereafter until lambing or pregnancy loss occurred. Serum progesterone (P4) was assessed using enzyme immunoassay. Pregnancy was confirmed by ultrasound scanning on day 35 of pregnancy followed by subsequent scanning every 10 days. In control ewes, pregnancy rate on day 35 was 83.3% (10/12), whereas in the ewes that received SCNT embryos, it was 22.2% (6/27; p < 0.05). The day 45 pregnancy rate in the control ewes was 83.3%, whereas in the SCNT embryo recipients it was 11.0% (p < 0.05). Hormone analysis revealed that SCNT embryo recipients exhibited a significantly lower P4 profiles at different time points in pregnancy compared to controls (p < 0.05). This study highlights the use of serum progesterone in combination with ultrasound for the investigation of embryo loss and crucial times during development of normal and SCNT embryos in sheep. Further, the serum P4 levels directly reflect the degree of placental development in these two groups.  相似文献   

Slaughter findings feedback systems--its use for farms of origin?     

Eckhardt P  Fuchs K  Kornberger B  Köfer J 《Berliner und Münchener tier?rztliche Wochenschrift》2010,123(11-12):468-476

Over a period of 22 months 13 official meat inspection authorities examined a number of 152 520 swine at an Austrian slaughterhouse for pathologic-anatomic changes (five parameters). Of those veterinarians whose reliability in the recording of findings was a given, the results were analysed by employing a mathematical model which assessed whether the activities of 25 attending veterinarians and 223 farmers actually lead to an improvement of animal health in their livestock. Mild pneumonia was registered in 14.5% of swine; no attending veterinarians had any influence whatsoever on the occurrence of this parameter. Farmers' activities improved animal health on two farms (0.9%), six farms of origin (2.69%) showed significantly lower findings than the average of all farms. Pleurisy was ascertained in 22% of all slaughter pigs. Through measures taken, four attending veterinarians (16%) caused a reduction of incidents, two works managers (0.9%) made worse, six farmers (2.69%) improved animal health of their live stock. Seven farmers (3.14%) showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher, 28 farms (12.6%) lower prevalence. Pericarditis affected 4.5% of the animals in question. On all farms of origin the condition of health remained unchanged by measures taken by veterinarians. On two farms (0.9%) the influence exercised by farmers led to a deterioration of the health of swine, six businesses (2.69%) showed higher, one (0.45%) lower prevalence than on average. 6.2% of swine showed white spots. Attending veterinarians did not influence this parameter at all. With preventive measures taken five farms (2.24%) showed less, three farms (1.35%) higher prevalence by the end of the 22 month term. Mange concerned 2.2% of all slaughter pigs. The activities of one veterinarian (4%) caused the number of incidents to double; on six farms (2.69%) a significantly higher prevalence was registered. Whatever influence exercised, the status of health of slaughter pigs remained unchanged throughout the duration of the study.  相似文献