OBJECTIVE To determine whether Mycobacterium bovis remains viable in ensiled forages. SAMPLE Alfalfa, mixed mostly grass, and corn silages. PROCEDURES For each of 10 sampling days, six 250-g replicate samples of each feedstuff were created and placed in a film pouch that could be vacuum sealed to simulate the ensiling process. Within each set of replicate samples, 4 were inoculated with 10 mL of mycobacterial liquid culture medium containing viable M bovis and 2 were inoculated with 10 mL of sterile mycobacterial liquid culture medium (controls) on day 0. Pouches were vacuum sealed and stored in the dark at room temperature. On the designated sampling day, 1 control pouch was submitted for forage analysis, and the other pouches were opened, and forage samples were obtained for M bovis culture and analysis with a PCR assay immediately and 24 hours later. RESULTS None of the control samples had positive M bovis culture or PCR assay results. Among M bovis-inoculated samples, the organism was not cultured from alfalfa and corn silage for > 2 days but was cultured from mixed mostly grass silage for 28 days after inoculation and ensiling initiation. Mycobacterium bovis DNA was detected by PCR assay in samples of all 3 feedstuffs throughout the 112-day observation period. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that properly ensiled forages would be an unlikely source for M bovis transmission to cattle. Further research is necessary to determine whether ensiling kills M bovis or forces it to become dormant and, if the latter, elucidate the conditions that cause it to revert to an infectious state.

This is a study conducted to test the effectiveness of Azadirachta indica (Neem), Clinacanthus nutans (Sabah Snake Grass) water extracts and neem decoction against natural gastrointestinal helminthsin 4 groups of goats for a period of 4 weeks. This study was done on 24 experimental goats which were randomly chosen from a private farm at Gopeng, Perak. They were divided into four groups; control (n=6) and three treatment groups (n=6). Faecal egg counts and faecal culture to identify the L3 larvae were done and recorded weeklyfrom January until February 2015. Blood parameters such as FAMACHA and PCV were observed and recorded twice at the beginning and end of the study. The FEC results indicated that none of the threetreatments were significantly different to control group (P > 0.05).

OBJECTIVE To determine whether exercise on alternative terrain affects the development of the digital cushion and bony structures of the bovine foot. ANIMALS 20 weaned bull calves. PROCEDURES Two-month-old calves were randomly allocated to an exercise or control group. For 4 months, the control group was maintained in grass paddocks, and the exercise group was maintained in a 0.8-km lane with a mixed terrain of dirt, stones (0.32- to 0.95-cm pea gravel and 5-cm crusher run), and grass. Water and food for the exercise group were located at opposite ends of the lane; calves were fed twice daily, which ensured they walked 3.2 km/d. Pedometers were applied to all calves to measure distance traveled. All calves were slaughtered at 6 months of age. The right forefeet and hind feet were harvested for MRI and CT evaluation. RESULTS Control calves walked a mean of 1.1 km daily, whereas the exercised calves walked a mean of 3.2 km daily. Mean digital cushion volume and surface area were 25,335 mm3 and 15,647 mm2, respectively, for the exercised calves and 17,026 mm3 and 12,745 mm2, respectively, for the control calves. When weight was controlled, mean digital cushion volume and surface area for the exercise group were increased by 37.10% and 18.25%, respectively, from those for the control group. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that exercise on alternative terrain increased the volume and surface area of the digital cushion of the feet of dairy calves, which should make them less susceptible to lameness.

This project evaluated the use of an ingestible temperature sensor to measure body core temperature (Tc) in exercising dogs. Twenty-five healthy, unconditioned Labrador retrievers participated in an outdoor 3.5-km run, completed in 20 min on a level, 400-m grass track. Core temperature was measured continuously with a telemetric monitoring system before, during, and after the run. Data were successfully collected with no missing data points during the exercise. Core temperature elevated in the dogs from 38.7 +/- 0.3 degrees C at pre-exercise to 40.4 +/- 0.6 degrees C post-exercise. While rectal temperatures are still the standard of measurement, telemetric core temperature monitors may offer an easier and more comfortable means of sampling core temperature with minimal human and mechanical interference with the exercising dog.

Research on preserving ability of the biological preserving agent Bioplant for grass and maize silage making was realized in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. Application of Bioplant in course of grasess and maize encilaging promoted the faster accumulation of the significant amount of milk acid and decreasing of рН up to 4,1-4,2. Silage which was prepared with preserving agent Bioplant corresponded to the top grade of quality. Application of Bioplant for preparation of siloed forages promoted the reduction of losses at their storage. For example, in grass-legume and cereal silage there was a reduction of dry matter losses in comparison with control silage - on 4,7 and 4,2%, crude protein - on 5,6 and 5,0%, respectively. In maize silage the addition of the preserving agent there was stated the decreasing of nutrient losses in comparison with the control: dry matter - on 5,2%, crude protein - on 6,2%. Feeding of wedder hogs with the silage preserved by the preserving agent Bioplant provided higher digestibility of crude protein in comparison with the control group: on 3,2% in the conditions of grass-legume silage use, on 2,4% - in the conditions of feeding with cereals, and on 2,9% - in the conditions of feeding with maize silage

For soil – climatic conditions of a northeast part of the Republic of Belarus is recommended cultivating four-componential – fodder grass with two leguminous components (meadow clover + Lucerne sowing+ meadow timothy+ meadow fescue), productivity of which green weight has made 500 – 550 centers per hectare, gathering of crude fiber-19-21 centers per hectare. Inclusion of Lucerne sowing in clover-cereal fodder grass has provided a share of a leguminous component on average for four years no less than 75%