Effect of experimental trypanosomosis on body weight, packed cells volume and reproductive characteristics in Gudali zebu and Namchi taurine bulls

Thirty-two young Gudali zebus and Namchi taurine bulls were infected to assess the effect of trypanosomosis on body weight (BW), packed cells volume (PCV) and some reproductive characteristics such as scrotal circumference (SC) and Testosterone (T), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) blood levels. Gudali zebus are known to be trypanosusceptible, while Namchi taurine are trypanotolerant.  Trypanosomes were detected in the blood stream 14 days post infection. Parasitaemia reached the maximum on day 28 post infection. Trypanosoma infection led to significant decrease in weight gain (WG),  PCV and SC. These parameters were significantly lower in infected Gudali, compared to Namchi. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.66) between parasitaemia and PCV levels. Clinical signs such as fever, weakness, rough coat and weight loss were exhibited by day 28 post infection in Gudali bulls. There were significant differences between infected Gudali and Namchi for FSH and T levels. Significant negative correlations were registered between T levels and BW (r = -0.41) and scrotal circumference (r = -0.49).Keywords: Reproduction, body condition, trypanosomosis, cattle

Characterizing degradation of palm swamp peatlands from space and on the ground: an exploratory study in the Peruvian Amazon

Peru has the fourth largest area of peatlands in the Tropics. Its most representative land cover on peat is a Mauritia flexuosa dominated palm swamp (thereafter called dense PS), which has been under human pressure over decades due to the high demand for the M. flexuosa fruit often collected by cutting down the entire palm. Degradation of these carbon dense forests can substantially affect emissions of greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change. The first objective of this research was to assess the impact of dense PS degradation on forest structure and biomass carbon stocks. The second one was to explore the potential of mapping the distribution of dense PS with different degradation levels using remote sensing data and methods. Biomass stocks were measured in 0.25 ha plots established in areas of dense PS with low (n = 2 plots), medium (n = 2) and high degradation (n = 4). We combined field and remote sensing data from the satellites Landsat TM and ALOS/PALSAR to discriminate between areas typifying dense PS with low, medium and high degradation and terra firme, restinga and mixed PS (not M. flexuosa dominated) forests. For this we used a Random Forest machine learning classification algorithm. Results suggest a shift in forest composition from palm to woody tree dominated forest following degradation. We also found that human intervention in dense PS translates into significant reductions in tree carbon stocks with initial (above and below-ground) biomass stocks (135.4 ± 4.8 Mg C ha−1) decreased by 11 and 17% following medium and high degradation. The remote sensing analysis indicates a high separability between dense PS with low degradation from all other categories. Dense PS with medium and high degradation were highly separable from most categories except for restinga forests and mixed PS. Results also showed that data from both active and passive remote sensing sensors are important for the mapping of dense PS degradation. Overall land cover classification accuracy was high (91%). Results from this pilot analysis are encouraging to further explore the use of remote sensing data and methods for monitoring dense PS degradation at broader scales in the Peruvian Amazon. Providing precise estimates on the spatial extent of dense PS degradation and on biomass and peat derived emissions is required for assessing national emissions from forest degradation in Peru and is essential for supporting initiatives aiming at reducing degradation activities

Genetic screening in Europe

Genetic screening has been defined as any kind of test performed systematically for the early detection or exclusion of a genetic disease, genetic predisposition or resistance to a disease, or to determine whether a person carries a gene variant that may produce disease in his or her offspring. In comparison to 'genetic testing', the term 'genetic screening' should be reserved for the explicit and systematic application of a diagnostic genetic test across a whole population of asymptomatic people (population screening) or a subset of a population such as pregnant women (prenatal/antenatal screening) or newborn infants (neonatal screening). This survey intends to present the current (2006-2008) status of genetic screening and the organization of genetic screening programmes in selected European countries as a background for future attempts to harmonize standards and procedures of genetic screening, an explicit aim of the European Network of Excellence, EuroGentest (www.eurogentest.org). Our report builds on the first comprehensive assessment of genetic screening programmes in Germany by the European Society of Human Genetics, starting with a workshop of experts in 1999, the production of background documentation in 2000, and a final report in 2003. Copyright (C) 2010 S. Karger AG, Base

International Journal of Livestock Production

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