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Biomedical subjects

I R Dohoo

Publications and source records attributed to I R Dohoo.

64 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Subclinical ketosis: prevalence and associations with production and disease.

Cows in 32 southern Ontario Holstein herds were monitored for subclinical ketosis for a period of two and one half years. Milk samples were routinely collected and the level of milk ketone bodies determined by the use of a commercial nitroprusside based test powder (reactions scored as negative, +1 or +2). Approximately 92% of positive reactions were observed in the first 65 days of lactation and for that time period the prevalence of ketosis was 12.1%. Based on this prevalence, the minimum possible duration of subclinical ketosis would be 7.9 days and the minimum possible lactational incidence rate would be 12.1%. The prevalence during the first 65 days of lactation in individual herds ranged from 0 to 33.9%. Subclinical ketosis was more likely to be found in cows experiencing metritis than in unaffected cows. Detection of elevated levels of milk ketones also indicated that the cow had a significantly higher risk of having clinical ketosis, metritis or cystic ovaries diagnosed within the following four days. Milk ketone scores of +1 and +2 were found to be associated with a reduction in daily milk production of 1.0 and 1.4 kg of milk respectively.

Acidosis↗

A retrospective evaluation of postbreeding infusions in dairy cattle.

Health and fertility data were recorded in 32 southern Ontario Holstein herds over a period of two and a half years. During that time 2.6% (80/3123) of breedings were followed by a postbreeding infusion. Breedings were divided into groups according to the breeding number (first to fifth), age group (less than 3 yr, 3 to 5.9 yr, greater than or equal to 6 yr) and disease status of the reproductive tract (four groups). The rate of use of infusions was higher following third to fifth breedings, increased with the age of the cow and was much higher in cows with a diagnosis of uterine infection. For each individual group of breedings the odds of a breeding followed by an infusion resulting in a pregnancy was compared to the odds of a breeding not followed by an infusion resulting in a pregnancy. In general the ratios of these odds were less than one, possibly indicating a detrimental effect due to the infusion. Summary odds ratios were calculated for each breeding number, each age group and each infection category. Again, in general, the odds ratios were less than one although the differences from one were not significant at p = 0.05. Two estimates of the overall summary odds ratio (based on all breedings) indicated that breedings followed by an infusion were only approximately 0.7 times as likely to result in a pregnancy as breedings not followed by an infusion. The two estimates of the summary odds ratio were not significantly different from one at p = 0.05. Several possible sources of bias in this type of trial, and their potential effects on the results are discussed.

Animals↗

Somatic cell counts in bovine milk: relationships to production and clinical episodes of mastitis.

The relationships between somatic cell counts, milk production and episodes of clinical mastitis were evaluated using data collected between 1979 and 1981 in 32 southern Ontario Holstein herds. Somatic cell counts were logarithmically transformed and the distribution of the resulting counts is presented. The seasonal pattern in cell counts was evaluated using a formal statistical procedure. Counts were lowest in the winter and spring and highest in the early fall but the differences amongst monthly geometric mean cell counts were small. Assuming a linear relationship between log somatic cell counts and test day milk production it was found that a unit increase in the log count resulted in a loss of 1.44 kg of milk. Regression analyses within specific log cell count ranges indicated that the previous estimate may underestimate losses at low cell counts and overestimate losses at higher cell counts. The relationships between cell counts and episodes of mild or acute clinical mastitis were evaluated by comparing counts preceding and following the clinical episodes to comparable counts in matched control cows. Mild cases of mastitis were preceded by higher cell counts than were found in control cows but the same phenomenon was not observed in acute cases of mastitis. Both mild and acute cases were followed by higher cell counts than were found in control cows.

Animals↗

Pharmacokinetics of erythromycin in foals and in adult horses.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of erythromycin in foals were determined following intravenous administration of 5.0 mg/kg to animals aged 1, 3, 5 and 7 weeks. The distribution of the drug was described by a two-compartment open model, and no significant differences were observed between coefficients on which the parameters were based. Pharmacokinetic values were also determined for four mares given 5.0 mg/kg intravenously and for six 10-12-week-old foals given 20.0 mg/kg intravenously. The half-life of erythromycin for all groups of animals (foals less than 7 weeks, mares, foals 10-12 weeks) was 1.0-1.1 h; the apparent volume of distribution was between 2.3 and 7.2 l/kg, and the clearance of the drug from the body was between 1.9 and 5.0 mg/kg/h. No drug could be detected in the serum following oral administration of 5.0 mg/kg erythromycin estolate; detectable levels were found for 5 h in mares given 12.5 mg/kg, and for 8 h in foals given 20.0 mg/kg orally. Peak levels in foals given the drug orally were 0.42 micrograms/ml at 120 min after administration. Foals given 10.0 mg/kg of erythromycin base intramuscularly had serum concentrations detectable 12 h later; the peak level achieved was 1.44 micrograms/ml serum 90 min after administration and concentrations exceeded 0.25 micrograms/ml for 6 h. In the mares the milk concentrations were approximately twice those in serum. Recommendations were made for drug dosage to be used in the treatment of Corynebacterium equi pneumonia of foals.

Administration, Oral↗

Magnesium oxide induced metabolic alkalosis in cattle.

A study was designed to compare the metabolic alkalosis produced in cattle from the use of an antacid (magnesium oxide) and a saline cathartic (magnesium sulphate). Six, mature, normal cattle were treated orally with a magnesium oxide (MgO) product and one week later given a comparable cathartic dose of magnesium sulphate (MgSO(4)). The mean percent dry matter content of the cattle feces changed significantly (P<0.001) following administration of both MgO (15.6-8.1) and MgSO(4) (17.0-8.7) but there was no significant difference between treatments. The mean rumen pH values changed significantly (P<0.001) following administration of both MgO (7.-8.7) and MgSO(4) (7.3-8.3) but there was no significant difference between treatments. However, use of the MgO product caused a more severe (P<0.001) metabolic alkalosis as determined by base excess values. The base excess values remained elevated for 24 hours in the MgO treated group compared to only 12 hours after MgSO(4) administration. Following MgO administration, mean hydrogen ion concentration (pH), bicarbonate ion concentration ([HCO(3)-]) and base excess were 7.44, 33.3 mmol/L and +8.0 respectively compared to 7.38, 27 mmol/L and +3.0 after MgSO(4). Since the oral use of MgO in normal cattle causes a greater and more prolonged metabolic alkalosis compared to MgSO(4), MgO is contraindicated as a cathartic in normal cattle or in cattle with abomasal abnormalities characterized by pyloric obstruction and metabolic alkalosis.

Alkalosis↗

Pathogenicity of Campylobacter jejuni isolates from animals and humans.

Fourteen isolates of Campylobacter jejuni of different serotypes and one Campylobacter coli isolate, from various human and animal sources, were tested for potential pathogenic mechanisms. Enterotoxin production was not detected in the infant mouse test or by calf and piglet ligated intestinal loop studies. Isolates were not invasive by the Sereny test. All isolates associated with and penetrated HeLa cells, although both actions occurred generally in a minor way under the conditions of our study. The C. coli isolate showed extensive HeLa cell association, but three other C. coli isolated tested did not. None of the 15 isolates produced diarrhea or death in 3-day-old chickens inoculated orally and observed for 3 days, nor did they consistently produce diarrhea and death in 9- to 10-day-old infant mice over a 3-day period after oral inoculation. Diarrheal disease and mortality were not observed when 3-day-old gnotobiotic chickens were infected with one of five isolates and observed over a 2-week period.

Animals↗

Use of total and differential somatic cell counts from composite milk samples to detect mastitis in individual cows.

The objective of this study was to ascertain the value of variables measured on composite milk samples as predictors of mastitis in individual cows. The standard of comparison was the results obtained from the bacteriological examination of individual quarter foremilk samples. Cows were classified as negative or positive with regard to mastitis on the basis of one quarter sampling only and cows which were impossible to classify in this manner were omitted from subsequent analyses. The variables that were examined were: the presence or absence of specific bacteria, demographic data, and logarithmically transformed total somatic cell counts and percentages of cell volume in channels 7 through 12 of a Coulter Counter. It was found that the inclusion of all variables resulted in correct classification of 95.9% of cows with regard to their mastitis status. Sequential elimination of individual variables or groups of variables in an attempt to simplify the procedure reduced the correct classification to 86.8% when only the log transformation of the total somatic cell count and the demographic data were included. The ability of a function which included the logarithm of the total somatic cell count, the logarithm of the percentage in channel 8 and demographic data, to classify cows was examined in detail and the sensitivity and specificity of the function also discussed. It is also shown that with increasing age the minimum total somatic cell count required to classify a cow as positive increased and possible explanations of this phenomenon are discussed.

Age Factors↗

The effects of storage and method of fixation on somatic cell counts in bovine milk.

Fresh milk samples and potassium dichromate preserved milk samples were stored at both ambient, approximately 21 degree C, and refrigerator temperatures, 3-5 degree C, for varying lengths of time before somatic cell counts were performed on an electronic particle counter. Fresh milk samples stored at ambient temperatures became unacceptable for somatic cell counting by 16 hours while those stored in the refrigerator were acceptable for up to three days. Once dichromate had been added to the milk no difference in cell counts attributable to temperature of storage were detected and there was very little change with time up to 14 days. On the average the addition of the dichromate elevated the cell counts/mL. As well a method of rapid fixation of milk involving the addition of glutaraldehyde prior to counting was evaluated. In fresh milk samples the use of glutaraldehyde as a fixative required adjustment of the threshold setting on the cell counter in order to produce results comparable to those obtained from formalin fixed samples. With dichromate preserved milk samples, glutaraldehyde fixation generally elevated the cell counts but the results were variable.

Animals↗

Model to predict septicemia in diarrheic calves.

The difficulty in distinguishing between septicemic and nonsepticemic diarrheic calves prompted a study of variables to predict septicemia in diarrheic calves <28 days old that were presented to a referral institution. The prevalence of septicemia in the study population was 31%. Variables whose values were significantly different (P < .10) between septicemic and nonsepticemic diarrheic calves were selected using stepwise, forward, and backward logistic regression. Variables identified as potentially useful predictors were used in the final model-building process. Two final models were selected: 1 based on all possible types of predictors (laboratory model) and 1 based only on demographic data and physical examination results (clinical model). In the laboratory model, 5 variables retained significance: serum creatinine > 5.66 mg/dL (>500 micromol/L) (odds ratio [OR] = 8.63, P = .021), toxic changes in neutrophils > or = 2+ (OR = 2.88, P = .026), failure of passive transfer (OR = 2.72, P = .023), presence of focal infection (OR = 2.68. P = .024), and poor suckle reflex (OR = 4.10, P = .019). Four variables retained significance in the clinical model: age < 5 days (OR = 2.58, P = .006), presence of focal infection (OR = 2.45, P = .006), recumbency (OR = 2.98, P = .011), and absence of a suckling reflex (OR = 3.03, P = .031). The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit chi-square statistics for the laboratory and clinical models had P-values of .72 and .37, respectively, indicating that the models fit the observed data reasonably well. The laboratory model outperformed the clinical model by a small margin at a predictabilty cutoff of 0.5, however, the predictive abilities of the 2 models were quite similar. The low sensitivities (39% and 40%) of both models at a predicted probability cutoff of 0.5 meant many septicemic calves were not being detected by the models. The specificity of both models at a predicted probability cutoff of 0.5 was >90%, indicating that >90% of nonsepticemic calves would be predicted to be nonsepticemic by the 2 models. The positive and negative predictive values of the models were 66-82%, which indicated the proportion of cases for which a predictive result would be correct in a population with a prevalence of septicemia of 31%.

Animals↗