A cross-sectional study of suckling calves' passive immunity and associations with management routines to ensure colostrum intake on organic dairy farms.

Background: For suckling dairy calves, different management routines to ensure sufficient colostrum intake are applied: visual assessment, hand feeding supplemental colostrum or assistance. However, knowledge on the efficacy of these methods to prevent failure of passive transfer [FPT: serum immunoglobulin (IgG) < 10 g/L] is lacking. Our objectives were to explore FPT prevalence in suckling dairy calves and associations with common management routines to ensure colostrum intake.

Transfer of Deoxynivalenol (DON) through Placenta, Colostrum and Milk from Sows to Their Offspring during Late Gestation and Lactation.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination of feed may result in reduced growth, feed refusal, immunosuppression, and health problems in swine. Piglets can be exposed to DON via placenta before birth and via milk during lactation. The extent of early-life exposure of piglets to DON is, however, not fully known.

Effects of feeding naturally contaminated deoxynivalenol diets to sows during late gestation and lactation in a high-yield specific pathogen-free herd.

Background: The most prevalent mycotoxin in grains is deoxynivalenol (DON). Contamination of swine feed with DON can result in reduced consumption and poor growth performance. Gestating and lactating sows need sufficient feed intake for fetus development during late gestation and milk production and body maintenance during lactation.

Prediction of deoxynivalenol toxicokinetics in humans by in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation and allometric scaling of in vivo animal data.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most prevalent mycotoxin in cereals worldwide. It can cause adverse health effects in humans and animals, and maximum levels in food and feed have been implemented by food authorities based on risk assessments derived from estimated intake levels. The lack of human toxicokinetic data such as absorption, distribution, and elimination characteristics hinders the direct calculation of DON plasma levels and exposure.

Effects and biotransformation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol in growing pigs fed with naturally contaminated pelleted grains with and without the addition of Coriobacteriaceum DSM 11798.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most prevalent Fusarium mycotoxins in grain and can cause economic losses in pig farming due to reduced feed consumption and lower weight gains. Biodetoxification of mycotoxins using bacterial strains has been a focus of research for many years. However, only a few in vivo studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of microbial detoxification of fusariotoxins.

Fecal microbiota of calves in the clinical setting: effect of penicillin treatment.

The effect of parenteral penicillin treatment on the intestinal microbiota was determined by monitoring the phenotypic antimicrobial resistance among Escherichia coli in 19 calves (15 calves received treatment and four calves were healthy controls) and by examining changes in the fecal microbial community structure using molecular fingerprinting techniques in a subset of eight calves (five treated calves and three control calves). After five days of penicillin treatment an increased resistance to multiple unrelated antimicrobial agents, including non-β-lactams, was seen in E. coli from treated calves, and this was not seen in the controls.

Effects of 4-methylimidazole on cerebral glutamate decarboxylase activity and specific GABA receptor binding in mice.

4-methylimidazole (4MeI) is a tremorogenic and convulsive agent of concern both in human and veterinary toxicology. The in vitro effects of 4MeI (5 microM-20 mM) on cerebral glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) activity and (in concentrations up to 50 mM) on binding of [(3)H]GABA to cerebral GABA receptors were tested in brain tissue from B6D2 mice. The effects of 1-methylimidazole (1MeI), 2-methylimidazole (2MeI), 4-methylhydroxy-imidazole (4MeOHI), imidazole-4-acetic acid (4AcI) (all in concentrations of 5-20 mM) and imidazole (20 mM) on GAD activity were also tested.

Vitamin E and selenium plasma concentrations in weanling pigs under field conditions in Norwegian pig herds.

Background: The status of alpha-tocopherol (vit E) and selenium (Se) has been shown to influence disease resistance in pigs, and may be important for the health of weanling pigs.

Methods: Plasma levels of both vit E and Se were followed in weanling pigs under field conditions in six Norwegian pig herds. Plasma vit E and Se were measured in 3 sows from each herd and 4 piglets in the litter of each sow at the day before weaning (day -1); and in the same piglets at days 4, 8 and 18 after weaning.

Hepatic and renal concentrations of 10 trace elements in crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in the Kafue and Luangwa rivers in Zambia.

Hepatic and renal concentrations of the elements arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, selenium and zinc were determined in samples collected from four crocodiles from the Kafue River, Kafue National Park and five crocodiles from the Luangwa River, Luangwa National Park, Zambia. The concentrations of the essential elements were similar to those reported in other vertebrates. Arsenic and cadmium concentrations were low (medians below 0.

Acute selenium poisoning from selenium-containing iron supplement in suckling pigs.

We report an outbreak of acute selenium poisoning among suckling pigs; 92 piglets were found dead or moribund without preceding symptoms. Necropsy revealed acute congestion of liver and small intestine. The source was a powdered iron supplement contaminated by sodium selenite.

Concentration of selenium in liver in relation to copper level in normal and copper-poisoned sheep.

Copper absorption, liver accumulation and development of copper toxicosis in sheep are influenced by a variety of other elements, in particular molybdenum, sulphur and zinc ( 1977). In a previous study on liver concentrations of copper, molybdenum and zinc in normal and copper-poisoned sheep, no direct correlation was found between the concentrations of the three metals, but molybdenum was significantly lower in the livers from sheep dead from chronic copper poisoning than in normal animals ( 1976).