Six primiparous Holstein cows were fed a Se-deficient diet, beginning at least 90 days before their first calving, and 6 other primiparous cows were given the same diet plus a supplement of 2 mg of Se/cow/d as sodium selenite. All cows were fed their diets for the duration of the experimental period. One uninfected quarter of each cow was injected with 25 microgram of Escherichia coli endotoxin at postpartum week 5. Leukocytes were isolated by centrifugation from milk collected at postinjection hour 16. Isolated cells were 92 +/- 3% neutrophils and were incubated with Staphylococcus aureus or E coli in a 1:300 ratio. Phagocytosis and intracellular killing by neutrophils were assessed after 0, 30, 60, and 90 minutes by a fluorochrome assay, using acridine orange. Viability of neutrophils was assessed by use of trypan blue. Superoxide anion production and hydrogen peroxide production by neutrophils also were determined. Cows fed Se-deficient diets had significantly (P < 0.05) lower blood Se concentration and blood glutathione peroxidase activity than cows fed Se-supplemented diets. Selenium status had no effect on the phagocytic capacity of neutrophils. Neutrophils obtained from cows fed Se-supplemented diets killed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher percentage of ingested bacteria than did neutrophils from cows fed the Se-deficient diet. Viability was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by incubation with S aureus in neutrophils from both groups of cows, with neutrophils from Se-deficient cows having lower viability. Superoxide anion production did not differ significantly between neutrophils from the 2 groups, but extracellular hydrogen peroxide concentration was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in neutrophils harvested from milk of cows fed the Se-deficient diet.

The main objective of the study reported here was to determine whether signs typical of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) are alleviated when affected dogs are fed a diet with low fat content, compared with feeding ordinary commercial dog food or food prepared by the owner. The most cost-effective amount of enzyme supplement also was estimated. The study consisted of 6 test periods. Duration of the first and third periods was 4 weeks, and that of the others was 2 weeks. During the first 2 periods, the dogs were fed their original diet. The amount of enzyme supplement was reduced by half between the first and the second period. During the last 4 periods, the dogs were fed only the low-fat diet, and amount of the enzyme supplement was reduced stepwise. During the entire study, owners were asked to assess daily the severity of 9 signs typical of EPI. A new index was established by adding the daily scores of each individual EPI sign. This index was designated the EPI index and was used as a measure of the general well-being of the dog. When the mean EPI indexes of the original diet periods were compared with those of the corresponding low-fat diet periods, there were no statistically significant differences by use of Turkeys test or the paired t-test. There was considerable variability between dogs, however. The fat content of the original diet did not correlate with the difference in EPI signs when the dogs were fed the low-fat diet. According to our study, feeding a low-fat diet to dogs with EPI did not significantly alleviate clinical signs of the disease. Decreasing the enzyme supplementation by 50% of the recommended of dose did not significantly increase severity of the cumulative EPI score. Decreasing the enzyme supplement by three-fourths of the recommended dose was excessive, and the severity of the clinical signs increased significantly (P < 0.05) The cost of the low-fat diet, compared with that of the original diet, was high.

Immunodeficiency in neonatal and young pigs was studied in terms of T-cell function. Generalized T-cell deficiency did not exist in young pigs on the basis of the in vitro response of blood mononuclear cells to a polyclonal T-cell mitogen, phytohemmagglutinin. However, immunodeficiency that extended from birth up to 4 weeks, was observed in serum antibody concentration and in vitro proliferative responses of blood mononuclear cells from young pigs exposed to a low antigen dose of a T-cell dependent antigen, egg white lysozyme. The low in vitro proliferative response to lysozyme was not attributable simply to a lack of interleukin-2 production, because supplementation with human interleukin-2 did not enhance the in vitro cellular response. Also, pokeweed mitogen-stimulated B cells from young pigs up to the age of 5 to 6 weeks produced immunoglobulin concentration, which also was not affected by the addition of human interleukin-2 to the in vitro cultures. The blood mononuclear cells obtained from pigs within the first 5 to 6 weeks after birth and incubated with monoclonal antibodies reactive to all T cells (MSA4), helper T cells (74-12-4) or suppressor/cytotoxic T cells (76-2-11) did not yield consistent excess of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells. This observed immunodeficiency cannot be attributed to a simple lack of functional T cells or to an excessive number of suppressor/cytotoxic T cells, but may be a property of the ability of specific T-cell clones to respond t o low concentration of T cell-dependent antigens or may be attributable to the induction of a suppressor T-cell population in response to in vitro stimulation with the polyclonal T-cell-dependent pokeweed mitogen system.

During the 1986 lambing season, 33 Michigan sheep producers submitted all lambs that had died before weaning to the Michigan State University Diagnostic Laboratory for necropsy. Inductively coupled argon plasma emission spectroscopy was used to measure 22 elements in the liver of 888 of the lambs submitted. Mean concentrations of each element were established and compared with literature values of established deficient, normal, and toxic concentrations. Mean values in milligrams per kilogram of wet weight were as follows: A1, 3.843; As, less than 1; Ba, 0.176; Ca, 128.2; Cr, 0.778; Cu, 56.82; Fe, 491.6; Hg, less than 2; K, 2,150; Mg, 138.4; Mn, 2.776; Mo, 0.489; Na, 1,384; P, 2,583; Pb, 1,453; Sb, less than 1; Tl, less than 5; Zn, 68.31. In only 11 lambs did the liver contain As, B, Cd, Co, Hg, Sb, Se, or Tl in detectable concentrations.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was analyzed the influence of mycotoxins on state of energy metabolism and development of energy deficient states of bred and milking sows maintained in the production breeding conditions. Clinical status of sows was characterized by concurrent mycotoxicoses. As a result of action of mycotoxins in sows there was developed an energy deficiency and state of acidosis. The mentioned above changes played an important part in the pathogenesis of mycotoxicosis. There were presented the following results: analysis of groups of pregnant sows and suckling-pigs; the content of mycotoxins in mixed fodders; symptoms revealed at sows and pigs; indexes of carbohydrate and lipide exchanges in blood of sows; the content of trace elements in blood of sows; gas composition of sow blood. | Исследования проведены на супоросных и подсосных свиноматках, содержащихся в условиях промышленной технологии. Клинический статус свиноматок характеризовался сочетанным микотоксикозом. В результате действия микотоксинов у свиноматок развились энергодефицит и состояние ацидоза. Данные изменения являются важной составной частью патогенеза при микотоксикозах. В табличной форме представлены группы супоросных и подсосных свиноматок, содержание микотоксинов в комбикормах, симптомы, выявленные у свиноматок и поросят, показатели углеводного и липидного обменов в крови свиноматок, содержание макроэлементов в крови свиноматок, газовый состав крови свиноматок.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was realized the determination of efficiency of application of saline and chelate forms of copper and cobalt for treatment of anemic syndrome of cattle. It was found out that lack of copper and cobalt in cattle diets in the conditions of normal supply of iron could be a cause of cattle anemic syndrome. It took place because of the iron adsorption disorder in intestines and its inclusions in haem, as well as lowering of ehritropoztin synthesis. In the conditions of administration of copper and cobalt-containing preparations for animals there was noted the increasing of iron and haemoglobin content in blood. Administration of ethylene diamine tetraacetates of cobalt and copper made it possible to reduce considerably all evidences of clinical and laboratory symptoms of anemia and hypomicroelementosis in comparison with application of copper sulphate and cobalt.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus clinic and production conditions there was analyzed the prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy of a new national complex iron dextrane preparation Ferovital against deficiency (nutritional) anemia of new-born cattle and swine. In course of the study there were analyzed results of hematological and biochemical tests of blood of piglets which were administrated with Ferovital preparation. There were also marked the general economic index: live weight gain, disease incidence, piglet death rate, etc. Research results showed that the Ferovital preparation had an expressed prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy both in clinic and production conditions.

The influence of iron deficiency state on metabolic processes and intensity of lipids peroxidation processes at dawn-calving cows was analysed in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. In course of study there was determined the intensity of lipids peroxidation processes in blood plasm depending on the level of hemoglobin and red blood corpuscle quantity. It was studied that in animals with low hemoglobin the oxidizing stress proceeded more actively than in animals with the normal hemoglobin level. Data analysis of lipids peroxidation processes showed that pregnancy condition was accompanied by strengthening of mentioned above processes. That fact was proved by the indicators of lipids peroxide oxidations presented both in absolute and in relative units. The content of diene conjugates, containing in 1 mg of lipids, was in 1,3-1,8 times higher at pregnant cows in comparison with non-pregnant ones, trieneketones content - in 1,2-1,6 times. Similar differences were observed in the process of analysis of diene conjugates and trieneketones values rated per 1 ml of plasma. More considerable differences were stated for trieneketones; the analysed indicator was in 1,6-2,1 times higher at pregnant cows