The turnover of I(131)-labelled IgG has been studied in cattle with mild hypoimmunoglobulinemia secondary to gastrointestinal disorders. A gastrointestinal loss of immunoglobulin was the most likely cause of the hypoimmunoglobulinemic condition. Thus, 6 animals with severe digestive symptoms (diarrhoea) had increased turnover rates of I(131)-IgG, whereas animals that had recovered from diarrhoeal diseases had normal or even low turnover rates (table I). It is concluded that the pattern of immunoglobulin metabolism is closely related to the clinical picture of the digestive disease.

Agammaglobulinemia↗

PubMed1966

Metabolism of bovine immunoglobulin. I. Metabolism of bovine IgG in cattle with chronic pyogenic infections.

Isolation of IgG-slow by anion exchange chromatography is described. The turnover of IgG-I(131) has been studied in 10 cows, 5 of which were hyperimmunoglobulinemic, i. e. with serum immunoglobulin levels above 3.0gm/100 ml. These hyperimmunoglobulinemias were caused mainly by pyogenic infections. When these cows were compared with 5 normoimmunoglobulinemic cows the salient turnover data were, high fractional turnover rates, short plasma half lives, low Ev:Iv ratios and extended plasma volumes (table I). The results are discussed in relation to similar findings in other animal species and man. Possible mechanisms of the observed hypercatabolism are outlined.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Isoimmune purpura thrombocytopenica in piglets (author's transl)].

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Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sheep farming in Greenland. Its history, managemental practices and disease problems.

The economy of the Greenlandic sheep industry has always operated on a thin edge, the balance being determined by long-term changes in climate and year-to-year weather fluctuations. During the last decades sheep farming has been intensified in many areas, and more rational management systems have been introduced under the guidance of agricultural and veterinary consultants. Improvements include winter feeding, strategic breeding and lambing practices and disease control programmes. Successful efforts are being made to prevent the recurrence of previous dramatic declines in the sheep population and to diminish losses of growing lambs grazing the extensive rangelands. However, the overall disease situation and the effect of environmental stresses on the breeding stock and growing lambs in this unique, subarctic region are far from being fully explored.

Animal Husbandry↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Studies on the helminth parasites of sheep in Southern Greenland.

The nematode population of sheep on Greenland is dominated by Ostertagia circumcincta and three Nematodirus species: N. spathiger, N. helvetianus and N. abnormalis. These results are compared with those for other Nordic countries. Great similarities exist with subarctic Norway but there is a lesser degree of correlation with Iceland and lowland Norway which tend to have a richer spectrum of species. N. helvetianus and N. abnormalis, however, have not been reported from sheep in these countries. The abomasal worm population was remarkable in that it contained specimens with an abomally large body size. The epidemiology of infection followed the pattern recognized throughout Europe with an early-season periparturient rise in the faecal egg-count of the ewe being followed by increasing levels of infection in lambs in late summer. The epidemiology of Nematodirus infections was quite distinct from that seen in most of Europe. Species differences and the cool summer climate were thought to account for this disparity and a hypothesis was advanced to explain the observed pattern of events. Levels of infection were apparently similar in undergrazed and fully-utilized grazing areas. Dosing ewes during the winter (between November to March) eliminated the periparturient egg rise. Lambs could be kept almost worm free by keeping them on clean rangeland and dosing at 3-5 week intervals. A clear weight-gain advantage over conventionally reared lambs was only recorded in one year of the study.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The serum pepsinogen analysis and its relation to bovine ostertagiasis (author's transl)].

An outline of literature on the pepsinogen analysis and its application, especially within the veterinary parasitology, is given. The pepsinogen content of the blood in experimental infection with Ostertagia larvae is mentioned. The authors state their own experiences with the analysis. Testing of 100 parasite-free calves kept indoors gave a mean value of 0.5 units tyrosin/litre. 95 of the calves were within the range 0.3-0.7 units. Flutuations of serum pepsinogen in the course of a subclinical infection in 6 calves during their first grazing season are described and compared to pasture contamination and egg excretion of the calves. In a second experiment the authors give a critical evaluation of the correlation between pasture contamination, weight gain, pepsinogen, and eggs in faeces. The correlation between pepsinogen and weight gain was found to be considerably higher than the correlation between e.p.g. and weight gain. A highly significant correlation between pasture contamination and serum pepsinogen (r=0.60-0.75) was found. The correlation between pasture contamination and e.p.g. was considerably lower (r=0.10-0.43) and only significant in a single case. The value of pepsinogen determinations in epidemiological experiments and weight gain experiments with calves is emphasized and the authors indicate possibilities of their application in practice.

Animals↗