Abattoir survey of congenital reproductive abnormalities in ewes

A survey of abnormalities of the reproductive tract of female sheep was undertaken at two abattoirs in the south west of England over a period of 12 months. During the survey, 9970 reproductive tracts from cull ewes and 23,536 tracts from nulliparous sheep (prime lambs and hoggets) were examined. A total of 655 (6.57 per cent) ewes and 459 (1.95 per cent) nulliparous sheep had abnormalities of the reproductive tract. Of these, congenital abnormalities of the paramesonephric ducts accounted for 2.4 per cent of the ewes and 7.4 per cent of the nulliparous sheep, congenital abnormalities of the ovaries accounted for 2.6 per cent of the ewes and 7.4 per cent of the nulliparous sheep and cystic structures that were considered to have been of congenital origin accounted for 27.2 per cent of the ewes and 52.7 per cent of the nulliparous sheep. The most common lesion was paraovarian cysts (26.6 per cent of ewes and 39.0 per cent of nulliparous sheep), but few of these appeared to have affected the sheep's reproductive function. Several specific conditions were recorded, including some described for the first time in sheep. Uterus unicornis occurred in 20 sheep and other forms of segmental aplasia of parts of the paramesonephric ducts occurred in a further 13 animals. Uterus didelphys occurred in six sheep, and 11 animals were intersex. Intersex sheep had vestigial structures that were derived from the paramesonephric ducts, hypoplastic or masculinised gonads and some had masculinised external genitalia. Ovarian hypoplasia occurred in 34 sheep, and in a further 12 mainly nulliparous animals, the ovaries were fused. Sixty nulliparous animals and two ewes had hydatids of Morgagni.     

Trachoma in The Gambia

BACKGROUND: As part of the second National Survey of Blindness and Low Vision in the Gambia carried out in 1996, all survey participants were examined for signs of trachoma. The findings were compared with the results of the first survey in 1986, which used the same sampling strategy. METHODS: A multistage stratified cluster random sample, with proportional probability sampling, was obtained. Stratification included settlement size (less than 400 residents, and 400 and more residents). All subjects were examined for trachoma using the simplified WHO grading system. RESULTS: Of the sample of 14,110 people, 13,047 (92.5%) were examined. Active inflammatory trachoma (grade TF or TI) was found in 3.0% of all age groups and 5.9% of children aged 0-9 years old. Trichiasis was found in 3.3% and trachomatous corneal opacities in 0.9% of adults aged 30 and over. The prevalence of blinding trachomatous corneal opacities was 0.02%, compared with 0.10% 10 years previously. CONCLUSION: Compared with a previous national survey undertaken in 1986, prevalence of active trachoma has fallen by 54%. There has been an 80% relative reduction in blinding trachomatous corneal opacities over the 10 year period.     

Status of the tick-borne diseases in sheep and goats in Turkey

A patient treatment is presented to demonstrate a technique using visible-light-cured (VLC) resin to create a characterized denture base for an interim denture. This indication for characterization is routinely seen with African-Americans with dark-pigmented gingiva. Using a combination of blue VLC tray resin and pink VLC denture base resin, the mixture achieves a darker-colored denture base. This technique was used for the fabrication of an interim denture for a patient who required an immediate interim denture. The prosthesis was worn during the healing phase and allowed the patient to function while the definitive prosthesis was being fabricated.     

A comparison of worm burdens in grazing merino sheep and angora goats

The worm burdens of Angora and Merino wethers grazing with their own species or in a mixed flock were compared over a 4 month period. Based on faecal egg counts and larval differentiation, all animals had similar levels and types of infection at the beginning of the experiment when they were 15 months old. Although the initial infection in sheep and goats was similar, sheep subsequently developed a stronger resistance to worms. Therefore, at the termination of the experiment the sheep had significantly fewer worms of all species, except Nematodirus, than did the goats. There was no significant within-host difference in worm burdens whether the animals grazed exclusively with their own species or in the mixed flock.     

Pathophysiology of Oestrus ovis infection in sheep and goats: a review

Oestrus ovis is a very common parasite of sheep and goats in many countries. Its pathological effects are often underestimated because owners and veterinarians are used to seeing the infection. The study of natural and experimental infections has provided information about the evolution of the disease and its pathophysiology. Hypersensitivity is involved; the numbers of mast cells and eosinophils increase but changes in IgE have only recently been examined. Little is known about the development of immunity but it is possible that some animals are immunodeficient.     

Relationships between nutrition and foraging behavior of free-ranging sheep and goats

Goats generally tolerate dry season forage conditions in northeastern Brazil's tropical deciduous woodland better than sheep do, but the mechanisms underlying sheep and goat response to wet and dry season conditions are not well understood. We evaluated aspects of nutrition and behavior of free-ranging sheep and goats in this woodland to improve our understanding of these mechanisms. Body weight changes, dietary botanical and chemical composition, and daily activities were measured for sheep and goats that foraged in this woodland during four defined periods of a year. Vegetation available to these animals was also measured. Although there was much less available vegetation during the wet season than during the dry season, body weights and dietary crude protein content of sheep and goats increased during the wet season and decreased during the dry season. During the four periods of the year, weight changes of sheep, and possibly those of goats, were positively related to the content of crude protein in their diets. Foraging times of sheep and goats were generally greater during the dry season than during the wet season and were positively related to available browse and inversely related to dietary crude protein content. Sheep and goats may have foraged longer during the dry periods because they were spending more time searching through the large quantity of low-quality vegetation for dietary items with relatively higher levels of crude protein.     

Fine structure of the raphe nuclei of sheep and goats]

The medullary raphe system of sheep and goat can be divided in the solitary nuclei raphe magnus and pallidus besides the impaired Nucleus raphe paramedianus. The nucleus raphe magnus begins in the caudal end of the medulla oblongata running far to the pons. On the other hand you can follow the nucleus raphe pallidus and paramedianus only in distinct area near the obex. Different types of neurons are isolated and described in light- and electronmicroscopical investigations. All three nuclei are poor of synapses.     

Nitrogen metabolism of sheep and goats consuming Acacia brevispica and Sesbania sesban

We described the effects of two East African browses, Acacia brevispica and Sesbania sesban, on nitrogen metabolism of sheep and goats. The A. brevispica had a substantial amount of proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins); S. sesban did not. The browses were fed at three levels in combination with vetch (Vicia dasycarpa) and teff straw (Eragrostis abyssinica). Fecal N, N balance, and plasma urea N (PUN) were estimated with intact animals. Ruminal ammonia (RuA) and VFA concentrations were estimated with ruminally fistulated animals. Urinary N loss, PUN, RuA, and VFA concentrations were higher for S. sesban diets than for A. brevispica diets. Fecal N was highest with diets including A. brevispica due to high levels of fecal neutral-detergent insoluble N. Nitrogen retention was highest for diets including S. sesban. Nitrogen retention was adequate for A. brevispica diets because low urinary N compensated for high fecal N. Four hypotheses describe possible effects of tannins on N metabolism: 1) escape of protein from the rumen to the lower tract; 2) increased microbial yield; 3) increase in N-containing endogenous products; and 4) protein made indigestible in tannin-protein complexes. The effect of tannins in A. brevispica on N metabolism can best be described by the formation of indigestible tannin-protein complexes, although increased production of endogenous products is also possible.     

Photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision in cows, goats, and sheep

Electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry was used to measure the spectral properties of cones in three common ungulates-cattle (Bos taurus), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries). Two cone mechanisms were identified in each species. The location of peak sensitivity of an S-cone mechanism varied from about 444 to 455 nm for the three species; analogous values for an M/L-cone were tightly clumped at about 552-555 nm. Each of these three species has the requisite photopigment basis for dichromatic color vision and they are, thus, similar to other ungulates examined earlier.     

Anti-toxoplasma antibodies in butchers and slaughtered sheep and goats in Jeddah Municipal abattoir, Saudi Arabia

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite of world-wide distribution. It is more or less endemic in all countries of the Middle East. In Jeddah Municipal abattoir, anti-Toxoplasma IgG was found to be 39% in sheep and 28% in goats as indicated by IHAT. On the other hand, anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM in butchers were 80% and 20% respectively, as indicated by the micro-ELISA. The risk of Toxoplasma transmission particularly, from meat inadequately cooked was discussed.     

Morphological study of the surface structure of the omasal laminae in cattle, sheep and goats

The mucosal relief of the omasum in cattle, sheep and goats was examined by the naked eye, stereoscopic microscope and scanning electron microscope. The mucosal relief of the omasum showed wide variations both between and within these species. Omasal papillae on the laminae varied highly in shape, i.e. conical, rounded, claw-like, wart-like, finger-like etc. They decreased gradually in size from the oral to the aboral region of the omasal lamina. Ridge-like structures and linear arrangements of the papillae were also seen on the omasal laminae of cattle and sheep. Many grooves and folds were found on the lateral surface of the omasal papillae in adult cattle and on the inter-papillar surface of the laminae of all three species. The mucosal relief of the omasum in cattle seemed to be more well-developed than those of sheep and goats. Dietary effects on the omasal mucosa were also discussed.     

Lack of a specific immune response against a recombinant capsid protein of Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus in sheep and goats naturally affected by enzootic nasal tumour or sheep pulmonary adenomatosis

Enzootic nasal tumour (ENT) and sheep pulmonary adenomatosis (SPA) are two contagious adenocarcinomas of the respiratory tract of sheep and goats. Both diseases are associated with related, but distinct, type-D-retroviruses (ENTV and JSRV respectively). No evidence of circulating antibodies has been described in animals affected by either ENT or SPA using antigens from natural sources. We evaluated the usefulness of a recombinant JSRV capsid protein (JSRV-CA) as antigen to study the antibody responses of animals naturally affected by ENT or SPA, using immunoblotting. Positive reactions were detected in the sera of both affected and unaffected sheep and goats. The reactivity was abolished completely by absorption with the GST fusion partner but not by JSRV-CA, suggesting that it was not specific. The results support prior observations indicating that sheep and goats infected by JSRV and ENTV do not develop specific humoral responses to these retroviruses.     

A review of the use of B. melitensis Rev 1 vaccine in adult sheep and goats

The live Brucella melitensis Rev 1 strain is considered the best vaccine available for the prophylaxis of brucellosis in small ruminants. The classically recommended exclusive vaccination of young replacement animals has failed to control brucellosis in some developed countries and is frequently inapplicable in the developing world. Accordingly, whole-flock vaccination is the only feasible alternative to control B. melitensis infection in small ruminants under the extensive management conditions characteristic of these countries. This review describes the practical problems encountered and the experience acquired over the past decade (particularly in Spain) using the Rev 1 based control strategy. The vaccination of pregnant animals with full standard doses of Rev 1 administered subcutaneously is followed by abortion in most vaccinated animals. Reducing the dose of vaccine has been suggested as a method of avoiding this problem and, accordingly, a reduced-dose vaccination strategy has been widely used and has been reported as a safe and effective method of controlling small ruminant brucellosis. However, we reviewed field and experimental results supporting the fact that as a result of the induction of abortion in pregnant animals and the low degree of immunity conferred, reduced doses of Rev 1 should not be recommended as an alternative to the full standard doses. When tested in a mouse model, differences in residual virulence and immunogenicity have been demonstrated between the different Rev 1 vaccines produced world-wide. These differences could account for the discrepancies in safety results obtained in mass vaccination trials in different countries. The induction of abortions when vaccinating pregnant animals means that there is no entirely safe strategy for Rev 1 vaccination. Conjunctival vaccination is safer than subcutaneous vaccination but is not safe enough to be applied regardless of the pregnancy status of the animals, and should be used only under restricted conditions. For sheep, conjunctival administration of standard doses of Rev 1 during the late lambing season or during lactation is recommended as a whole-flock vaccination strategy.     

Hemoglobin switching in sheep and goats. Preparation and characterization of complementary DNAs specific for the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-globin messenger RNAs of sheep

Specific complementary DNAs (cDNAs) for the messenger RNAs coding for sheep alpha-, betaA-, betaB-, betaC-, and gamma-globins were prepared by thermal denaturation of heterologous hybrids (e.g. alphabetaB-cDNA-alphagamma-mRNA) followed by hydroxylapatite chromatography. Each cDNA represented a nearly full-length copy of its globin mRNA complement as determined by electrophoretic analysis in polyacrylamide gels containing 98% formamide. The purity of each cDNA fraction was estimated by hybridization analysis and thermal denaturation. The beta- and gamma-cDNAs contained 5 to 20% contaminating alpha-cDNA while the alpha-cDNA was 25 to 30% contaminated with non-alpha-cDNA. The melting temperatures (Tm) of homologous duplexes between each non-alpha chain cDNA and its mRNA complement ranged from 69.5-71.5 degrees in 50% formamide while alpha-alpha duplexes melted with a Tm of 75-76 degrees. The Tm values of heterologous duplexes formed between each non-alpha-cDNA and the various globin mRNAs (e.g. betaB-cDNA-Hb C mRNA) ranged between 64.5 degrees and 68 degrees and thus were only 1.5-5.0degrees below that of homologous duplexes. These results suggest that the nucleotide sequence divergence among the various non-alpha-mRNAs (or cDNAs) is not greatly different from the minimum predicted from the amino acid sequence differences of the corresponding globins. When annealing reactions were performed above the Tm of the heterologous hybrids (68 degrees), each non-alpha-cDNA hybridized only to its own complementary mRNA. Thus the purified cDNAs provide molecular probes for the quantitation of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-globin-specific nucleotide sequences.