Prevalence of tail biting in pigs and associations to carcass condemnations - a Finnish pilot study

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of tail biting in Finland and the relationship between tail biting and carcass condemnation

Antibacterial Effect of Bovine Lactoferrin Against Udder Pathogens

The antibacterial effect of lactoferrin (Lf) was tested on isolates of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) as well as on Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), originally isolated from bovine mastitis. Concentrations of Lf used were 0.67 mg/ml, 1.67 mg/ml, and 2.67 mg/ml. Growth of udder pathogens was monitored by turbidometry either in broth culture or in whey prepared from normal milk. We focused on 3 different growth variables: lag time, slope, and maximum absorbance of bacterial growth curves. Growth inhibition was seen in the broth but hardly at all in whey. The isolates of E. coli and CNS did not grow sufficiently well in whey to draw any conclusions. The most effective inhibitory activity of Lf was seen against E. coli and P. aeruginosa. All 5 E. coli isolates had similar growth patterns. Inhibition of growth by Lf was concentration-dependent. The concentration of 0.67 mg/ml in broth and whey was generally too low for a significant inhibitory effect

The effect of milk feeding method on calves' behavioural sleep

Our aim was to study how calves' sleep could be affected by the milk feeding and housing methods. We concluded that possibility to suck milk increased the amount of calves' behavioural quiet sleep and sleepiness after feeding, possibly due to suck-induced hormonal effects

Persistence of Trichinella spiralis in Rat Carcasses Experimentally Mixed in Different Feed

Trichinella spiralis infected rat carcasses were incubated for 6 weeks in several animal feeds to assess how long Trichinella can present a risk for an outbreak in contaminated feeds. In groups of 6, 24 infected target rats were placed in silage, grained barley, propionic acid-preserved feed, and also into simulated pasture conditions. Test environments were sampled after one-, 2-, 4-, and 6-week-incubations. Trichinella larvae were recovered by digestion, and their infectivity was evaluated in rats. A two-week incubation reduced the number of recovered larvae, but still after 6 weeks low numbers were isolated from all feeds except from the experimental group simulating pasture conditions. After 2 weeks storage, the larvae were infective in all storage environments. However, up to 4 weeks, they survived only in the propionic acid-fermented feed and there in small numbers with reduced reproductive capability. This indicates the possibility of farm animals to get infection from rats or other infected material being hazardously mixed with hay or other feed. If silage is stored for at least one month before use, however, the risk from this forage appears to be minimized

Performance of endophyte infected tall fescue in Europe and North America

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Viral and Bacterial Pathogens in Bovine Respiratory Disease in Finland

Pathogens causing bovine respiratory tract disease in Finland were investigated. Eighteen cattle herds with bovine respiratory disease were included. Five diseased calves from each farm were chosen for closer examination and tracheobronchial lavage. Blood samples were taken from the calves at the time of the investigation and from 86 calves 3–4 weeks later. In addition, 6–10 blood samples from animals of different ages were collected from each herd, resulting in 169 samples. Serum samples were tested for antibodies to bovine parainfluenza virus-3 (PIV-3), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine coronavirus (BCV), bovine adenovirus-3 (BAV-3) and bovine adenovirus-7 (BAV-7). About one third of the samples were also tested for antibodies to bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) with negative results. Bacteria were cultured from lavage fluid and in vitro susceptibility to selected antimicrobials was tested. According to serological findings, PIV-3, BAV-7, BAV-3, BCV and BRSV are common pathogens in Finnish cattle with respiratory problems. A titre rise especially for BAV-7 and BAV-3, the dual growth of Mycoplasma dispar and Pasteurella multocida, were typical findings in diseased calves. Pasteurella sp. strains showed no resistance to tested antimicrobials. Mycoplasma bovis and Mannheimia haemolytica were not found

Alkaloid quantities in endophyte-infected tall fescue are affected by the plant-fungus combination and environment

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Phenotypic and genetic variation in natural populations of Festuca rubra s.l. in Europe

Background: Phenotypic variation within species challenges the identification of meaningful taxonomic units and the quantification of evolutionarily relevant biodiversity. Aims: We studied usefulness of the present taxonomic classification of species and subspecies within Festuca rubra complex. Methods: We categorised F. rubra s. l. plants collected from natural populations across Europe such as the endemic species of F. rothmaleri and F. rubra subspecies (subsp. rubra and arctica) or between-subspecies hybrids (arctica x rubra). The plants were grown in a common garden, which was followed by an examination of variation in regard to 17 morphological traits, ploidy levels, nuclear ribosomal DNA, and chloroplast DNA. Results: Phenotypic and cpDNA markers demonstrated stronger differentiation between geographic regions than between species or subspecies. Of the morphological traits, only lemma hairiness distinguished between F. rubra subspecies. Ploidy level varied within the F. rothmaleri and F.rubra subspecies. cpDNA and nrDNA markers showed no genetic differentiation among the F. rubra subspecies and their hybrids but clustered F. rubra taxa and F.rothmaleri as separate groups. Several additive polymorphic sites in nrDNA sequences indicated hybridisation in the F. rubra taxa. Conclusion: Commonly used traits may not be reliable in determining evolutionary relevant taxonomic entities within F. rubra complex.</div

Performance of Endophyte Infected Tall Fescue in Europe and North America

Human assisted plant invasions from Europe to North America have been more common than the reverse. We tested endophyte-mediated performance of tall fescue in parallel three year experiments in Europe and the USA using endophyte infected and uninfected wild and cultivated plants. Experimental plants were subjected to nutrient and water treatments. Whereas endophyte infection increased tall fescue performance in general, the effects of endophytes on plant growth and reproduction varied among plant origins under different environmental conditions. Naturally endophyte-free Finnish cultivar 'Retu' performed equally well as 'Kentucky-31' in both geographic locations. All Eurasian origin plants performed well in the US. In Finland, plants established well and both cultivars survived over the first winter. However, winter mortality of 'Kentucky-31' plants was higher, particularly in fertilized soils in the subsequent winters. Our results suggest that tall fescue ecotype 'Kentucky-31' that flourishes in North America is poorly adapted to Northern European conditions