Selected ruminal variables and purine urinary excretion rate of steers subjected to feeding, fasting, and re-feeding conditions

The effects of feeding, fasting, and re-feeding on the ruminal profile of growing cattle were studied. Ruminal fluid and urine samples were obtained from 12 crossbred steers weighing approximately 300 kg during the following periods: 11 h of normal feeding (postprandial period), 48 consecutive hours of fasting, and followed by 48 h of re-feeding. Fasting promotes changes in the ruminal profile, such as an increase in ruminal pH, reduction in the number of rumen protozoa and bacteria, and decrease in the urinary excretion of allantoin; however, it does not change the urinary uric acid excretion rate. The overall mean ruminal pH was higher during fasting (7.53±0.27) in comparison to those at normal feeding (6.72±0.25) and re-feeding (6.62±0.31) (p⟨0.05). During re-feeding, the ruminal profile returned to normal, except for the protozoa count, which despite a slight increase only after 48 h of re-feeding, did not recover to baseline values.

Hypertonic saline solution (NaCl 7.2%) enhances renal excretion of acids in cattle with acute ruminal lactic acidosis

The present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of hypertonic saline solution (HSS) as a novel treatment of acute ruminal lactic acidosis (ARLA) in cattle, focusing on urinary excretion of acids. Twelve cannulated steers were submitted to experimentally induced ARLA by adminis- tering sucrose into the rumen. Twenty hours later, the cattle were randomly divided into two equal groups. The first group was treated with 7.5% HSS (5 mL/kg) over 15 min, and isotonic saline solution (ISS; 20 mL/kg) for the subsequent 165 minutes. The control group was administered ISS instead of HSS. Rumen and urine samples were collected at different times during the experiment from the baseline to 64 h post-induction. The induction caused a medium-to-moderate ruminal acidosis, and a moderate degree of systemic acidosis and dehydration. Steers treated with HSS increased by 50% its glomerular filtration rate (1.61 mL/min) compared to ISS group (1.06 mL/ min; p⟨0.03). The overall volume of urine excreted by HSS group was higher than that in ISS group (1.62 L vs 0.7 L; p⟨0.02). This increase in total volume of urine provided by HSS favored a greater excretion of H+ ions in urine, which was 3.39-fold higher in HSS group (64.3*10-7 vs 18.9*10-7 Mol) as well as lactate (241.7 vs 181.8 mMol) and P urinary excretion (3.8 vs 1.1 mMol) that reduced the urine pH (5.3 vs 5.7). Only the HSS group decreased significantly blood total lactic acid concentration (20.3 %) throughout the treatment. A positive relationship was found between the excretion of urinary phosphorus and urinary pH (r2=0.562). The results showed that this novel treatment with HSS enhanced renal excretion of acids and may be recommended as an additional treatment for cattle with lactic acidosis.

Avaliação hemogasométrica, bioquímica e hematológica de ovinos suplementados com melão

RESUMOO presente trabalho avaliou os efeitos da administração de duas diferentes quantidades de melão sobre variáveis hemogasométricas, bioquímicas e hematológicas de ovinos não adaptados. Foram utilizados 12 ovinos canulados, pesando 25kg de peso vivo, que nunca receberam ração concentrada. Os animais receberam dieta à base de feno (2,3% do peso vivo) e água à vontade. Os ovinos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos e receberam 25% ou 75% da matéria seca (MS) da dieta de melão triturado (G25% e G75%, respectivamente) diretamente no rúmen. Foram realizadas coletas de sangue e determinação do pH ruminal nos seguintes tempos: zero, 3, 6, 12, 18 e 24 horas após oferecimento do melão. Foi realizada análise hemogasométrica, do volume globular, determinação da concentração plasmática de lactato-L, glicose e osmolaridade sérica. No G25%, o pH sanguíneo variou entre 7,40 e 7,31, enquanto o G75% apresentou pH entre 7,38 e 7,26. Maiores concentrações de glicose plasmática foram detectadas no G75% no T3, T6 e T12 (P<0,05). Os ovinos que receberam 25% de melão mantiveram parâmetros sanguíneos dentro da normalidade, ao passo que, no G75%, os ovinos apresentaram discreta acidose metabólica sistêmica e hiperglicemia. A suplementação com 25% de melão pode ser uma alternativa segura na alimentação de ovinos.

Intravenous hypertonic saline solution (7.5%) and oral electrolytes to treat of calves with noninfectious diarrhea and metabolic acidosis

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of treating osmotic diarrhea and dehydration in calves with hypertonic saline solution (HSS) IV, isotonic electrolyte solution (IES) PO, and a combination of these 2 solutions (HSS + IES).

Experimental Design

Eighteen male calves 8–30 days of age were used to evaluate the efficacy of 3 methods of fluid therapy after induction of osmotic diarrhea and dehydration. The diarrhea and dehydration were induced by administration of saccharose, spironolactone, and hydrochlorothiazide for 48 hours. The animals were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups: Group 1: 7.2% hypertonic saline solution‐HSS (5 mL/kg IV); Group 2: oral isotonic electrolyte solution IES (60 mL/kg PO); or Group 3: HSS+IES. Clinical signs and laboratory finding observed 48 hours post‐induction (Time 0) included diarrhea, dehydration, lethargy, and metabolic acidosis.

Results

Calves treated with HSS + IES experienced decreases in hematocrit, total protein concentration, albumin concentration, urea nitrogen concentration, and plasma volume as well as increases in blood pH, blood bicarbonate concentration, and central venous pressure between 1 and 3 hours post‐treatment. These findings also were observed in animals treated with IES, however, at a slower rate than in the HSS + IES‐treated animals. Animals treated with HSS continued to display signs of dehydration, lethargy, and metabolic acidosis 24 hours post‐treatment.

Conclusion

Treatment with a combination of HSS and IES produced rapid and sustainable correction of hypovolemia and metabolic acidosis in calves with noninfections diarrhea and dehydration.

Preventive Treatment with Vitamin E Alleviates the Poisoning Effects of Carbon Tetrachloride in Cattle

Fifteen yearling steers were used to study the preventive effect of vitamin E on the protection against free radicals produced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The animals were randomly divided in three equal groups and treated as follows: group A--previously injected (i.m.) with 15 IU/kg BW on the 15th and second day before the trial and drenched with 0.05 ml/kg BW CCl4; group B--only drenched with the same dose of CCl4; group C--drenched with a placebo. Food intake was recorded and blood samples collected daily for 8 days after the CCl4 drenching to compare the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) and the levels of erythrocyte reduced glutathione (GSH) and serum malonyldialdehyde (MDA). Food intake was reduced in group B for the first 3 days (P < 0.05); higher activities of AST and gamma-GT were observed in the poisoned groups, nevertheless the overall values were lower in the group A than B (P < 0.02); only the group A reached the basal values of AST at the seventh day; higher levels of GSH and MDA were recorded in the poisoned cattle indicating the generation of free radicals. It was concluded that the preventive use of Vitamin E lessened the damage in hepatic tissue caused by the free radicals and prevented the anorexia caused by CCl4.

Accumulative sodium poisoning in Brazilian swine fed whey

Fifty 3-4-mo-old piglets died of accumulative sodium poisoning, but none of the 60 adult pigs with the same feeding and management did. The average ambient temperature throughout the period was 32 C. The herd had been regulary fed whey, ground corn and vegetables, but for at least 2 d the pigs were deprived of water and then water was offered ad libitum. Twenty hours later 20 piglets had died and the remaining exhibited classical nervous signs and died within 14 h. Only the piglets had a high degree of dehydration caused by water deprivation and exacerbated by the high average ambient temperature. Pulmonary edema was evident in most piglets. Acute cerebral edema and meningoencephalitis were present in all animals, but there was no polioencephalomalacia. The sodium accumulation was caused by the continuing intake of whey which contained 10,810 mg sodium/L. To produce the whey, 2 kg of sodium chloride had been added to every 100 kg of milk.

Ammonia toxicity from urea in a Brazilian dairy goat flock

A flock of goats received a diet with 1% urea for at least 1 y. A new batch of concentrate was offered increasing the level of urea to 4.2%. Eighteen of 54 goats showed acute signs of ammonia toxicosis. Ten goats died within 60 min; 4 goats and a buck with convulsions recovered when treated by administration of vinegar and infusion of saline solution, diuretics, and atropine. Three goats with mild signs recovered within 1 h without treatment. The mean ammonia concentration and rumen pH content were 820 mg/L and 7.7, respectively. Generalized congestion, intense pulmonary edema, and slight tubular nephrosis were found in 3 goats on necropsy. The outbreak was self-limiting and no more cases occurred when the diet was removed.

Botulism outbreak associated with poultry litter consumption in three Brazilian cattle herds

One hundred fifty-five of 201 cattle from 3 different farms showed clinical signs and died of botulism after eating the same batch of poultry litter contaminated with poultry and rodent carcasses. The cattle had access to poultry litter for only 1 d; afterwards it was removed from the diet. Death occurred over a period of 17 d after the poultry litter intake. The peak mortality was on day 4; 20 animals died within 10 d of the ingestion. The greater the intake of poultry litter, the higher the cattle mortality. Three steers which died on the first day had peracute effects while the remaining cattle showed classical signs. Twenty-five of the 46 surviving cattle had mild clinical signs, but recovered in a few days. Type C Clostridium botulinum toxin was found in extracts of the poultry litter, carcasses and cattle intestinal contents. Nutrient composition of the poultry litter was normal but pH was lower (6.9) than usual (7.5 to 9.3).

Induction of lactic acidosis in cattle with sucrose: relationship between dose, rumen fluid pH and animal size

To determine an efficient way to induce rumen lactic acidosis (rumen fluid pH 4.2 to 3.9 at 20 h after dosing), different dosages of sucrose on a basis of body weight (BW; 12 g/kg BW), metabolic weight (MW; 60 g/kg BW0.75 and corrected metabolic weight (CMW; y = 1057 + 43.1 BW0.75) were used in cattle of different size. In all cases rumen lactic acidosis occurred, although yearling steers given sucrose on a basis of BW had higher rumen fluid pH than yearlings given sucrose on a basis of MW and CMW. The heavier the yearlings given sucrose were (on a basis of BW and MW), the lower the rumen fluid pH. Bullocks given sucrose on a basis of BW and MW presented lower rumen fluid pH than those given sucrose on a basis of CMW. The heavier the bullocks given sucrose on a basis of BW and MW, the lower the rumen fluid pH. Only cattle given sucrose on a basis of CMW had a predictable rumen fluid pH within the desired range in both animal sizes. Larger cattle were more vulnerable to rumen lactic acidosis than smaller ones.

Treatment of ammonia intoxication in rats through the use of amino acids from the urea cycle

To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment of severe ammonia intoxication with amino acids from the urea cycle (arginine, citrulline and ornithine) and alpha-ketoglutarate, 371 rats were used. The rats were poisoned with a lethal ip dose (99.9%) of ammonium acetate. Five min later they were treated with bidistilled water (control) or with standard urea-cycle mixed amino acid solutions containing 2, 4 or 6 mM arginine/kg bw as the marker basic amino acid or 2 mM arginine + 4 mM alpha-ketoglutarate/kg bw. The clinical picture and plasma urea concentration were followed. All 4 treatment groups had higher survival rates (20.83%-35.71%) than did the controls (1.18%). Surviving animals had a less severe clinical picture and presented fewer convulsive episodes than did fatally-poisoned rats. The higher doses of arginine increased the mean survival time of rats which died. The overall mean plasma urea concentration in surviving rats was higher (75.1 +/- 10.8 mg/dL) than in fatally-poisoned rats (44.4 +/- 4.9 mg/dL). Treatment with urea-cycle amino acids increased hepatic detoxication of ammonia; however, there was no relationship between the doses used and survival rates. There was no apparent synergism between urea-cycle amino acids and alpha-ketoglutarate.

Comparison of staphylococcal co-agglutination with other assays for rapid diagnosis of rotavirus infection in humans, calves and piglets

Co-agglutination was used for rapid diagnosis of rotavirus infection. Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I sensitized with rabbit antiserum to rotavirus demonstrated the presence of this virus in stools of children, calves and piglets with clinical signs of diarrhea. A total of 415 fecal samples were examined by the co-agglutination test and the results were compared with those of ELISA, electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel and latex agglutination. The co-agglutination test, when compared to these three methods, presented a correlation which varied between 87.2 and 94.2%.