Austral Journal of Veterinary Sciences
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Effect of oregano oil dietary supplementation on production parameters, height of intestinal villi and the antioxidant capacity in the breast of broiler
Oregano additives could contain growth stimulating compounds for poultry, however, a great variation attributed to their main components is observed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of oregano oil dietary supplementationon the productive variables, the height of the intestinal villi and the accumulation of antioxidant compounds in the breast of broilers. In total, 480 broilers were reared from 1 to 42 d of age and since the first day of life were allocated into four treatments, each with four replications of 30 birds. The formulated diet was based on corn and soybean meal and 0, 100, 200 or 400 mg of oregano oilper kg of feed were incorporated in the diets of treatment 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion andmortality rates were weekly recorded. At 21 and 42 days of age the intestinal villi height and antioxidant capacity in the chicken breast were measured. Oregano oil used contained 43.17% and 29.16% of thymol and carvacrol, respectively. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion rate and mortality were not affected by oregano oil dietary supplementation. The height of intestinal villi increased with the level of oregano oil supplementation (P<0.05). However, the size of the intestinal villi was greater in the duodenum compared to the other parts (P<0.05), and jejunum and ileum had the same height. Antioxidant capacity of chicken breast at the 6th week was increased in the group that was dietary supplemented with 400 mg of oregano oil per kg of feed
Fatal dual infection of avian polyomavirus and psittacine beak and feather disease virus in Chile
oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/1A 6 week old Plum-headed parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala) from a private bird collection in the Metropolitan Region of Chile died after presenting depression, ataxia, tremors of the head, subcutaneous hemorrhage and delayed crop emptying. Histological examination of liver tissue revealed intranuclear viral inclusion bodies and focal necrosis. Liver tissues and blood contained both avian polyomavirus (APV) and psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) viral nucleic acids (DNA), indicating dual viral infection. The purpose of this report is to describe the first case of concurrent psittacine beak and feather disease virus PBFDV and APV infection in a psittacine bird in captivity in Chile. PBFDV has not been reported until now in Chile
Effect of oil supplementation extracted from nontoxic purging nut (Jatropha curcas L) on carcass traits, tissue composition, muscle CLA concentration, and visceral mass of feedlot lambs
The effects of purging nut (Jatropha curcas, JCO) supplementation (0, 2, 4, and 6%, DM basis of diet) on carcass traits, tissue composition and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) concentration in muscle was evaluated in twenty intact male lambs fed a finishing diet during 56 d. The linoleic acid proportion in JCO was 50%. Lambs were harvested at a final weight of 54.03±2.9 kg. There were no treatment effects on hot carcass weight (HCW), longissimus muscle (LM) area nor kidney-pelvic fat. However, as JCO supplementation increased, dressing percentage was decreased and fat thickness was increased. Increasing JCO in diet decreases the proportion of muscle and increases the proportion of fat in whole shoulder clod. Content of stearic acid (C18:0) in LM was not affected by JCO. However, JCO linearly increased total CLA, and hence, the CLA:C18:0 ratio. Empty body or visceral mass were not affected by JCO. Increasing JCO in diet increases visceral fat mainly through increased mesenteric fat. It is concluded that supplemental JCO does not negatively affect HCW and LM area, and represents a viable alternative for increasing CLA concentration in meat of finishing feedlot lambs
Antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus associated with subclinical and clinical mastitis in Uruguay during an eight-year period
Records of in vitro susceptibility tests performed between 2008 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed in order to evaluate the dynamic profiles of possible changes in antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from milk samples of cows with subclinical mastitis from 12 different Uruguayan Provinces. The results of 1,631 isolates tested by disk diffusion techniquefor susceptibility to penicillin and erythromycin were analysed. The possible tendency or changes in the behaviour of this pathogen against penicillin and erythromycin in the 8 year period was evaluated using the chi-square tests for trend and the homogeneity. The highest rate of resistance was observed for penicillin (36.9% in 2010), while erythromycin showed a resistance rate significantly lower (5.7% in 2015). The test for trend showed a significant trend towards decreased resistance to penicillin, whereas for erythromycin an increased resistance trend was observed. The determination of the scope of the problem is essential for the formulation and monitoring of effective response to anti-microbial resistance (AMR). Antibiotic assessment in Uruguay is now being reviewed with the objective of limiting antibiotics prescription to professionals trained to select a successful therapy, choosing the appropriated drug and treatment duration according each situation. To generate knowledge on the magnitude and tendency of the AMR problem using country-specific information must be a priority
Clinical presentation and biochemical profile of horses during induction and treatment of hypocalcemia
The aim of this study was to examine the clinical presentation, biochemical profile and response to treatment among horses with experimentally-induced hypocalcemia. Twelve adult, mixed breed mares were used. A 5% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium (Na2EDTA) solution was infused into all the mares until the animals presented clinical signs of hypocalcemia, at which point they were divided into a control group (n = 5) and a treatment group (n = 7). The treated group received an infusion of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and glucose at a dosage of 1 mL/kg/BW during 30 minutes. The control group received 0.9% saline solution at the same dosage. Clinical examination and blood sample collection were performed at the times T0 (baseline- thirty minutes before beginning the Na2EDTA), T1 (at the end of the Na2EDTA infusion), T2 (at the end of the treatment) and T3 (24 hours after the end of the experiment). Serum calcium and magnesium concentrations decreased in response to Na2EDTA administration. The clinical signs of hypocalcemia in the mares included tachycardia, tachypnea, hypophonesis and cecal atony. These signs disappeared over the course of treatment, while total calcium and magnesium increased. Treatment produced recovery from clinical hypocalcemia within 30 minutes and promoted return of the main biochemical parameters to baseline values
Absorption and cutaneous deposition of yellow pigment in male and female broilers in response to different levels of xanthophylls from Tagetes erecta
To determine the saturation point of absorption and cutaneous deposition of yellow xanthophylls (XA) in broilers, two hundred and sixteen Ross 308 chickens (108 males and 108 females) were sorted by sex and randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments containing 6 replications of 6 birds each. Treatments consisted of increasing levels of xanthophylls from Aztec marigold flower (Tagetes erecta) (65, 92, 119, 146, 173, and 200 ppm). Weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion were measuredweekly. Plasma pigment levels and skin yellowness in live birds were measured twice per week. Growth performance was analysed through ANOVA for a 6X2 factorial arrangement, where the first factor was the XA adding at six levels, and the second factor was sex at two levels. Pigment plasma concentration and skin yellowness were fitted into a multiple linear regression model. Results indicated that the highest levels of plasma xanthophylls and skin yellowness were found after 28 d of feeding. Skin yellowness increased by 2.24 b* for every d of xanthophylls consumption. In the females, skin yellowness was 1.35 b* higher than in the males. Increasing dietary xanthophylls by 10 ppm was reflected in 0.83 b* of increase in skin yellowness
Presence of Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) and Pic (Triatoma dimidiata) infected with Trypanosoma cruzi in urban areas: preliminary evaluation in the city of Campeche, Mexico
The aim of this study was to identify the infection prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi in opossums and triatomines captured in urban areas of Campeche City, Mexico. We collected 25 specimens of marsupials of Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) species showing a T. cruzi infection prevalence of 52% (13/25). Also, 36 specimens of Pic (Triatoma dimiata) vectors were collected, showing a T. cruzi infection prevalence of 41.6% (15/36). All T. cruzi isolates were TcI, which correspond to the predominant lineage in mammals of Mexico, irrespective of the mammalian host species or vector
Pregnancy rate in dairy cows treated with human chorionic gonadotropin five days after insemination
This study tested whether the administration of hCG five days after insemination increased progesterone concentration and pregnancy rate (PR) in dairy cows. A total of 989 lactating Holstein cows with different parity and number of prior services were used. Cows were inseminated after overt estrus or at a fixed-time. Five days post-insemination, cows were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: hCG (n=482), which received 3500 IU of hCG by intramuscular injection; and the control group (n=507), which did not receive any treatment. Pregnancy was diagnosed by ultrasound on day 30 post-insemination, and gestation was confirmed on day 60 post-insemination by rectal palpation. In 15 cows from each treatment group, plasma progesterone concentration was determined on days 5, 11, and 15 post-insemination. Pregnancy rate was analysed using logistic regression. Variations in progesterone concentration between treatments were tested by ANOVA for repeated measurements. Progesterone concentration was higher on days 11 and 15 in cows treated with hCG, compared to the control group (P<0.05). Treatment with hCG increased pregnancy rate (47.5 vs. 37.4%. Odds ratio 1.3; P<0.05). No interaction was observed between treatment and body condition, prior services, milk production, parity, or insemination type (overt estrus or fixed time). Treatment with hCG did not reduce pregnancy losses between day 30 and 60 post-insemination (P>0.1). We conclude that injection of hCG five days after insemination increased progesterone concentration and pregnancy rate in dairy cows
Morphologic expression of the right coronary artery in horses. Comparative description with humans, pigs and other animal species
The objective of this research was to characterise morphologically the right coronary artery and its branches in the horse. The right coronary arteries of 120 horse hearts were perfused with semi-synthetic resin (85% Palatal GP40L; 15% styrene) and mineral red dye. The morphological and biometric characteristics of the right coronary artery and its branches (digital calibrator) were assessed. The diameter of the right coronary artery was 6.72 ± 2.58 mm. The interventricular subsinusal branch ended at theapex in 94 specimens (78.4%). The right circumflex branch originated at the site of intersection of the subsinnusal interventricularsulcus and the atrioventricular septum, extended along the coronary sulcus with a convoluted trajectory, ended at the obtuse edge ofthe heart or even at the anterior aspect of the left ventricle in 62 hearts (52.5%), and at the middle segment of the left ventricle in 42 cases (35.6%), whereas in 14 samples (11.9%) it ended at the adjacent surface of the left ventricle. The right conus branch was found in 98 specimens (81.6%) and in 2 of them (1.7%) it emerged directly from the right aortic sinus (third coronary artery). The hearts exhibited right coronary dominance in 118 specimens (98.3%) and in 2 specimens (1.7%) the coronary dominance was balanced. No myocardial bridges were observed. The high incidence of right coronary dominance observed in this study is consistent with previous studies. Due to its similarity with the human heart, we may ratify the equine model for procedural and hemodynamic applications
Detection of Neospora caninum antibodies in beef cattle in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Case report
The objective of this study was to determine whether Neospora caninum is prevalent in beef cattle in Tamaulipas (Mexico), using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit in 182 serum samples from six municipalities with different climates. The overall seroprevalence was 11.9% in animals and 78.6% in herds