42 research outputs found
Effect of pimobendan on left atrial function: an echocardiographic pilot study in 11 healthy cats
No full textObjectives: – To evaluate the effect of a single dose of pimobendan on left atrial (LA) function in healthy cats. Animals: – Eleven client owned healthy cats. Material and methods: – Standardized and repeated echocardiographic examinations were performed on healthy and conscious cats before and after a single dose of orally administered pimobendan (1.25 mg/cat). Left atrial systolic functional parameters were assessed. Results: – Some of the tested parameters of LA function showed significant improvement after pimobendan administration, whereas no significant effect on left ventricular function was observed. In particular, LA minimal diameters obtained from M-mode images in short (p=0.018) and long (p=0.009) axis reduced after pimobendan administration, whereas LA fractional shortening from short (p=0.027) and long (p=0.042) axis and LA appendage emptying velocity (p<0.001) significantly increased. A mild increase in heart rate (p=0.001), and a transient increase on the peak systolic wave pulmonary vein velocity (p=0.008) were also recorded as a possible effect. Conclusions: – A single dose of pimobendan appears to impact LA function in healthy cats. However, because of the small number of cats included, and the absence of a placebo group, these results cannot be definitively separated from the effect of time. Additional studies are needed to understand if similar effects are observed in cats with cardiomyopathy and LA dilatation
Effects of multi-strains yeast supplementation on health and performances in male Holstein calves
No full textIntroduction. Use of antibiotics in livestock production has become a sensitive issue due to the reported cases of antibiotic resistance to pathogens in humans [1]. A correct and specific diet in beef cattle breeding cycle plays a key role to grant a better health and welfare of the animals [2]. The use of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in particular) in the diet of livestock animals, it is now a well-established practice [3, 4] and the positive effects obtained are known [5].
Animals, materials and methods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the health and the performances of young male dairy calves (17±3d) after S. cerevisiae and C. jadinii fractions product supplementation. At a commercial farm, 158 veal calves were enrolled and divided in two groups balanced for live weight: a control group (CTR) 57 animals (no supplementation) and a treated one (TRT) 101 animals (multi-strains yeast supplementation). Both groups were fed with a mixture of milk replacer (chemical composition %: CP 19, EE 17, ash 8) from 400 to 2600g/h/d in 4-16L/h/d, and grain mix with chopped straw (chemical composition %: CP 13.5, EE 3.2, CF 8.2, ash 4.1, DM 88) from 100 to 3500g/h/d. For TRT multi-strains yeast was added in the milk replacer: 5g/h/d during the first 30d, then 3g/h/d until d90. The diet was the same for both groups from d90 to 190 (slaughter). For all animals, mortality, morbidity (veterinary treatments) and individual carcass weights were collected. Blood parameters (Hg, RDW, MCV; d30, 73, 115, 150) and electrophoresis for blood protein characterization (d47, 118) were analysed in 23 randomly selected animals (12 CTR and 11 TRT). On sampled animals, body weights were measured (d0, 47, 82). All data were subjected to AOV procedure then T-test when significant differences were detected.
Results and discussion. Health of calves was improved, but no difference was observed in mortality. Morbidity was reduced from 56% in CTR to 38% in TRT (P<.05), with a reduction of number of chronic animals (≥2 treatments per animal) by 50% (P<.05, table 1). Numerically, the reduction of veterinary treatments was mainly due to reduction of enteric treatments in TRT (-26%). Sampled animals’ ADG was impacted. ADG in TRT was 263g/d and 321g/d higher than in CRT (P<.01) from d0 to 47 and 47 to 82 respectively. Total carcass weight was numerically higher in TRT (+3.4%) than in CTR. Content of total proteins was higher in TRT (P<.01), with higher percentage of γ-globulins (P<.01) and higher percentage of α1-globulins (P<.01). These analyses are in favour of a better activated immune system of veal calves in TRT. No differences were observed on RDW and MCV. No differences in Hg average concentration, but more homogeneity in TRT.
Table 1. Therapies carried out during the trial.
CTR TRT P
% healthy calves (0 treatment) 43.9b 63.4a <.05
% animals treated once 26.3a 21.8a
% animals treated twice or more (chronic) 29.8a 14.9b
Conclusion. This study demonstrates that the addition of multi-strains yeast supplement in the milk replacer during the first 90d of the lifecycle improved the health of veal calves. These results are in line with reduction in use of antimicrobial treatments in farms.
References: [1] Langford et al. (2003) J. Dairy Sci. 86:3963-3966; [2] Heinrichs et al. (2011) J. Dairy Sci. 94:336-341; [3] Alugongo et al. (2017) J. Dairy Sci. 100:1189-1199; [4] Xiao et al. (2019) Animals. 9:4; [5] Robinson et al. (2009) Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 149:185-98
Effects of YANG (multi-strains yeast) supplementation effects on health and performances in male Holstein calves
No full textThe objective of this study was investigate the effects of a multi-strains yeast (S. cerevisiae and C. jadinii) fractions product, YANG, on the health and performance of young male dairy calves (17±3d). At a commercial farm, 158 veal calves were enrolled and divided in two groups: a control group (CTR) 57 animals (no supplementation) and a treated one (TRT) 101 animals (YANG supplementation), both balanced for live weight. TRT received YANG through the milk replacer: 5g/h/d during the first 30d, then 3g/h/d until d90. From d90 to 190 (slaughter) the diet was the same for both groups. For all animals, individual carcass weights, mortality and morbidity (veterinary treatments) were collected. Blood parameters (Hg, RDW, MCV; d30, 73, 115, 150) and electrophoresis for blood protein characterization (d47, 118) were analysed in 23 randomly selected animals (12 CTR and 11 TRT). On sampled animals, body weights were measured (d0, 47, 82). No differences were observed on carcass weights at slaughter and carcass classification between the two groups. However, sampled animals’ ADG was impacted. ADG from d0 to 47 and 47 to 82 was 263g/d and 321g/d higher, in TRT than in CTR (0.47kg/d, P=0.01; 1.01kg/d, P<0.01 respectively). No difference was observed in mortality, however health of calves was improved. Morbidity was reduced from 56% in CTR to 38% in TRT (P=0.02), with a reduction of number of chronic animals (≥2 treatments per animal) by 50% (P=0.03). Numerically, the reduction of veterinary treatments was mainly due to reduction of enteric treatments in TRT (-25.6%). TRT animals showed higher content of total proteins (P<0.01), with higher percentage of γ-globulins (P<0.01) and higher percentage of α1-globulins (P<0.01). These analyses are in favour of a better activated immune system of veal calves in TRT. No differences were observed on RDW and MCV. No differences in Hg average concentration, but more homogeneity in TRT. This study demonstrates that the health of veal calves was improved during their whole lifecycle with the addition of YANG in the milk replacer during the first 90d. These results are in line with reduction in use of antimicrobial treatments in farms
Activation of metallic open-cell foams via washcoat deposition of Ni/MgAl2O4 catalysts for steam reforming reaction
No full textPreparation of active washcoats of Ni/MgAl2O4 steam-reforming catalysts on FeCrAlloy foams is reported in this work. The MgAl2O4 powdered support was prepared via co-precipitation method, and Ni/MgAl2O4 was obtained via dry impregnation of 10% (w/w) of Ni. After full characterization of the powders, the deposition of the catalyst over the foams was performed by percolation followed by air-blowing (percolation-blowing). The resulting washcoat layers were quite homogeneous, uniform, and well adherent to the metallic support. Prototype catalytic foam samples, tested at the lab-scale, were found to be active in the steam reforming process
Health status blood parameters in northern Italian Holstein growing calves.
No full textThe wellbeing of growing Holstein female calves is a crucial point in
dairy farms. Set up a normal blood parameters list could be important to
check young herd health. The objective of this study was to investigate in
growing female Holstein calves (fHc, 7–77d of life) major blood indicators
of health status and their variation during this period. Nine health fHc
(7 ± 2 d of life) kept at the same conditions (individual box, winter-spring
period, north Italy, Grana Padano cheese production area), were enrolled
and sampled at d 7, 42, 63 (weaning time) and 77. Performance parameters
and blood indicators were analyzed. Dry TMR (15CP, 2EE, 28NDF,
27starch, %) and pasteurized milk (3.6fat, 3.2prot, 5lact, %; 6L/h/d) were
used for feeding. A mixed model was performed to evaluate all the parameters
at the time point sampled with each fHc as the experimental unit.
Results showed as ADG was 600g and ave. daily TMR intake was 700g
af overall the study. Table 1 shows the most relevant parameters as LSM
95% range of variability during the period sampled (7–77 d of life). In our
study, we provided a list of parameters, a range of normality to help veterinarians
and farmers to interpret common analysis and suggested values
of health status for fHc fed daily dry TMR and 6 kg/d of pasteurized milk
Hydroconversion of Fischer-Tropsch waxes: Assessment of the operating conditions by factorial design experiments
No full textRoom-temperature self-regeneration of heteropolyacids dispersed in silica gel, after use as oxidation catalysts
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