Validating the effectiveness of alternative euthanasia techniques using penetrating captive bolt guns in mature swine (Sus scrofa domesticus)     

Scott A Kramer  Brooklyn K Wagner  Ivelisse Robles  Steve J Moeller  Andrew S Bowman  Justin D Kieffer  Andria Gonalves Arruda  Michael D Cressman  Monique D Pairis-Garcia 《Journal of animal science》2021,99(3)

Euthanasia of mature swine is challenging. Temporal and behind-the-ear locations are two sites that have been identified as alternatives to the more commonly used frontal placement. In stage one, the effectiveness of two penetrating captive bolt gun styles (cylinder or pistol) was evaluated using frontal, temporal, and behind-the-ear placement in anesthetized mature swine (n = 36; weight: 267 ± 41 kg). For stage one, when evaluating treatment efficacy by sex, the cylinder-style equipment was 100% effective in achieving death when applied to all cranial locations (frontal, temporal, and behind-the-ear) for sows; however, the pistol-style equipment was only 100% effective when applied at the behind-the-ear location for sows. For boars, the cylinder-style equipment was 100% effective when applied to the frontal and behind-the-ear location, but the pistol-style equipment was not effective for any cranial location in boars. Therefore, the pistol–frontal, pistol–temporal, pistol–behind-the-ear, and cylinder–temporal were not included for boars, and pistol–frontal and pistol–temporal were not included for sows in stage two. In stage two, commercial, mixed-breed, mature swine (n = 42; weight: 292 +/− 56 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments based on the inclusion criteria described in stage one. A three-point traumatic brain injury (TBI) score (0 = normal; 1 = some abnormalities; 2 = grossly abnormal, unrecognizable) was used to evaluate six neuroanatomical structures (cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hypothalamus, thalamus, pons, and brain stem), and the presence of hemorrhage was also noted. All treatments were 100% effective in stage two. A significant interaction between gun style and placement was determined on predicting total TBI as the cylinder style produced a higher total TBI score compared with the pistol type of the magnitude of +2.8 (P < 0.01). The cylinder style tended to produce a greater TBI score than the pistol in the temporal location (+1.2; P = 0.08). No difference was noted for TBI score behind-the-ear between the cylinder- and pistol-style gun (P > 0.05). TBI tended to be less in boars compared with sows (−0.6; P = 0.08). Hemorrhage was observed in frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes. This study demonstrated that the cylinder-style captive bolt gun more effectively resulted in brain trauma and death compared with a pistol-style gun and the behind-the-ear and temporal placement showed promise as an alternative placement site for euthanizing mature pigs on-farm.  相似文献   

Key Factors Affecting Reproductive Success of Thoroughbred Mares and Stallions on a Commercial Stud Farm          下载免费PDF全文

EA Lane  MLJ Bijnen  M Osborne  SJ More  ISF Henderson  P Duffy  MA Crowe 《Reproduction in domestic animals》2016,51(2):181-187

To evaluate factors contributing to fertility of thoroughbred mares, data from 3743 oestrous periods of 2385 mares were collected on a large thoroughbred farm in Ireland. Fourteen stallions (mean age 8.3 years; range 4–15 years) had bred 2385 mares (mean age 9.4 years; range 3–24 years). Maiden mares accounted for 12%, mares with a foal at foot for 64%, and barren, slipped or rested mares for 24% of the total. The mean pregnancy rate per cycle was 67.8% (68.6% in year 1 and 66.9% in year 2). Backward stepwise multivariable logistic regression analysis was utilized to develop two models to evaluate mare factors, including mare age, reproductive status, month of foaling, dystocia, month of cover, foal heat, cycle number, treatments, walk‐in status and stallion factors including stallion identity, stallion age, shuttle status, time elapsed between covers and high stallion usage on the per cycle pregnancy rate and pregnancy loss. Old age (p < 0.001) and cover within 20 days post‐partum (p < 0.003) were associated with lowered pregnancy rates. High mare age (p < 0.05) and barren, slipped or rested reproductive status (p = 0.05) increased the likelihood of pregnancy loss. Uterine inflammation or infection, if appropriately treated, did not affect fertility. Only high usage of stallions (used more than 21 times in previous week) was associated with lowered (p = 0.009) pregnancy rates. However, shuttle stallions were more likely to have increased (p = 0.035) pregnancy survival, perhaps reflecting a bias in stallion selection. In conclusion, mare age exerted the greatest influence on fertility; nonetheless, thoroughbreds can be effectively managed to achieve high reproductive performance in a commercial setting.  相似文献   

The effects of vaccination of Merino ewes with an attenuated Australian bluetongue virus serotype 23 at different stages of gestation   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

M. FLANAGAN  SJ JOHNSON 《Australian veterinary journal》1995,72(12):455-457

SUMMARY A cell culture attenuated Australian bluetongue virus serotype 23 (BLU23) prototype vaccine was assessed for its effects on pregnant Merino sheep. Seventy-six ewes were vaccinated at 5 different stages of gestation, and the failure to lamb at term was as follows: 35 to 43 days of gestation, 20/36 (56%); 57 to 64 days of gestation, 3/10 (30%); 81 to 88 days of gestation, 3/10 (30%); 109 to 116 days of gestation, 0/10 (0%); 130 to 137 days of gestation, 0/10 (0%). Of 30 ewes vaccinated with a cell culture supernatant fluid control between 35 and 43 days of gestation, 6.7% (2/30) failed to lamb at term. Two ewes vaccinated with BLU23 vaccine between 35 and 43 days of gestation had lambs with hydranencephaly. All other lambs born were clinically normal. Three ewes vaccinated with BLU23 aborted. Two of these were vaccinated between 35 and 43 days of gestation, the 3rd between 81 and 88 days of gestation. Five lambs were born with BLU group antibody. Four of these were from ewes vaccinated between 35 and 43 days of gestation, and 2 of these had hydranencephaly. The fifth was from a ewe vaccinated between 57 and 64 days of gestation. The vaccine did not produce disease in adult sheep, but was a potent cause of early foetal death and to a much lesser extent foetal malformation.  相似文献   

Examination of the relationship between the estrogen receptor gene and reproductive traits in swine   总被引：13，自引：0，他引：13  

Isler BJ  Irvin KM  Neal SM  Moeller SJ  Davis ME 《Journal of animal science》2002,80(9):2334-2339

The relationship between estrogen receptor (ESR) genotype and reproductive traits in a population of Yorkshire, Large White, and crossbred animals was studied. Reproductive tract and litter data were analyzed for associations with ESR genotype, parity, and breed. Forty-six Yorkshire, 31 Large White, and 70 crossbred females from the above population were mated to Hampshire boars and slaughtered at 75 d of gestation. Data collected included ovulation rate, uterine horn length, number of fetuses, fetal weight, uterine weight, number of mummies, fetal sex, fetal placement, fetal survival, and fetal space. Data were analyzed using a model that included the fixed effects of ESR genotype, breed, parity, and all significant two-way interactions. Litter data representing 212 litter records were analyzed in a model that included the fixed effects of ESR genotype of dam, parity, farrowing month, dam breed, sire breed, and all significant two-way interactions. The ESR genotype was significantly associated with the total litter weight of piglets born and total litter weight of piglets born alive. Dams with the AA genotype had significantly (P = 0.04) heavier litters at birth (14.44 +/- 0.36 kg) than dams with the BB genotype (13.43 +/- 0.47 kg). Ovulation rate was significantly (P < 0.05) different between animals of parity 1 (17.22 +/- 0.41) and parity > or = 3 (19.92 +/- 0.85). Significant breed effects were observed for fetal weight, with purebred Large White animals having a greater fetal weight per horn (3,909 +/- 114 g) than purebred Yorkshire animals (3,553 +/- 92 g). Notable, but nonsignificant, trends with respect to ESR genotype were also observed for number of piglets alive at weaning and total litter weight at weaning. The ESR gene is positively associated with several previously uninvestigated reproductive traits.  相似文献   

Gram-negative Mastitis in Early Lactation May Interfere with Ovarian and Certain Endocrine Functions and Metabolism in Dairy Cows   总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1  

G Huszenicza  S Jánosi  M Kulcsár  P Kóródi  SJ Dieleman  J Bartyik  P Rudas  P Ribiczei-Szabó 《Reproduction in domestic animals》1998,33(3-4):147-153

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Physical activation of biochar and its meaning for soil fertility and nutrient leaching – a greenhouse experiment     

A. Wolf  R. Aeckersberg  H. W. Scherer  A. Moeller  W. Amelung 《Soil Use and Management》2012,28(2):177-184

The slow alteration of the surface of charred biomass (biochar) over time may contribute to an improved nutrient retention and thus fertility of tropical soils. Here, we investigated soils from temperate climates and investigated whether a technical steam activation of biochar could accelerate its positive effects on nutrient retention and uptake by plants relative to nonactivated biochar. To this aim, we performed microcosm experiments with sandy or silty soil, mixed with 2.0, 7.5 and 15.0 g/kg soil of fine (<2 mm) or coarse‐sized (2–10 mm) biochar from beech wood (Fagus sp.). After initial fertilizer (NPK), ashes and excess nutrients were leached with water, and the microcosms were planted for 142 days with Italian Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum ssp. italicum). Thereafter, leachate, soil and plant samples were analysed for their nutrient contents. The results showed that biochar additions of ≤15 g/kg soil left elevated contents of available P and N in the surface soil but reduced their uptake into the plants. As a result, total biomass production was unchanged. Different particle size and application amounts influenced these findings only marginally. Nitrate leaching was enhanced in the sandy soil (+41% for nitrate, but reduced in the silty soil ?17%) and P was immobilized. Hence, the fertility of the temperate soils under study was only marginally affected by pure biochar amendments. Steam activation, however, almost doubled the positive effects of biochars in all instances, thus being an interesting option for future biochar applications.  相似文献   

Imaging of intermittency in ripple-wave turbulence     

WB Wright  R Budakian  DJ Pine  SJ Putterman 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1997,278(5343):1609-1612

The dynamics of a fluid surface filled with high-amplitude ripples were studied with a technique (diffusing light photography) that resolves the height at all locations instantaneously. Even when nonlinearities are strong enough to generate a (Kolmogorov) cascade from long wavelength (where energy is input) to shorter wavelength, the resulting turbulent state contains large coherent spatial structures. The appearance of these structures in a thermal equilibrium state (with the same average energy) would be highly improbable.  相似文献   

Some Observations on the Electrolyses of Solutions of Rare-Earth Metal Salts in Basic Solvents     

Moeller T  Zimmerman PA 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1954,120(3118):539-540

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Patches with links: a unified system for processing faces in the macaque temporal lobe     

Moeller S  Freiwald WA  Tsao DY 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2008,320(5881):1355-1359

The brain processes objects through a series of regions along the ventral visual pathway, but the circuitry subserving the analysis of specific complex forms remains unknown. One complex form category, faces, selectively activates six patches of cortex in the macaque ventral pathway. To identify the connectivity of these face patches, we used electrical microstimulation combined with simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging. Stimulation of each of four targeted face patches produced strong activation, specifically within a subset of the other face patches. Stimulation outside the face patches produced an activation pattern that spared the face patches. These results suggest that the face patches form a strongly and specifically interconnected hierarchical network.  相似文献   

Evaluation of a regimen using a progesterone releasing intravaginal device (CIDR) and PMSG as a treatment for post partum anoestrus in dairy cattle     

TF. JUBB  P. BRIGHTLING  J. MALMO†  MT. LARCOMBE  GA. ANDERSON  SJ. HIDES‡ 《Australian veterinary journal》1989,66(10):334-336

Anoestrous dairy cows in seasonally calving herds in the Macalister Irrigation District of Gippsland, Victoria were treated at the start of the mating period with a progesterone releasing intravaginal device (CIDR). The CIDR was inserted for 7 days and 400 IU of PMSG was injected intramuscularly at removal. There was no clinically useful difference among cows receiving the CIDR, a placebo and untreated cows in the interval from treatment to either first oestrus or conception, the conception rate to first service or percent pregnant by the end of mating. Analyses of data from 2-year-old cows, older cattle, cows calved at least 45 days or cows calved at least 55 days and cows treated 3 weeks after the start of mating did not show improved reproductive performance following treatment with the CIDR.  相似文献