Since 2007, African swine fever (ASF) has posed a serious threat to the European swine industry. In Poland, the numbers of reported outbreaks in pigs and affected areas grow every year. In 2018, the disease was noted in Western Europe, in Belgium specifically, where several hundred infected wild boars have been detected so far. In 2018, the virus unexpectedly emerged in pig holdings in eastern China, northern Mongolia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, causing worldwide concern about its further spread. Since there is still no vaccine available, the only approach to control the disease is biosecurity. Identification of potential sources of the virus is extremely important in light of its phenomenal survivability. The review summarises the current knowledge about ASFV survivability and resistance to environmental conditions, and discusses the role of indirect contact in spreading the disease.

The stability of ionized calcium (CaI) concentration and pH in sera (n = 14) stored at 23 or 4 C for 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, or 72 hours, or -10 C for 1, 3, 7, 14, or 30 days was evaluated. Also studied were the effects of oxygen exposure, cold handling, and feeding on CaI and pH values. Results indicated that serum CaI concentration was stable throughout 72 hours of storage at 23 or 4 C, and for 7 days at -10 C. Serum CaI concentration significantly (P < 0.05) decreased by 14 days of storage at -10 C. Serum pH was stable for 6 hours at 23 or 4 C, and for 24 hours at -10 C, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased by 9 hours of storage at 23 or 4 C and by 3 days at -10 C. Exposure of the surface of the serum to air immediately before measurement had no effect on CaI or pH values, but mixing serum with air resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) decreased CaI concentration and increased pH. Handling of blood on ice resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) higher serum pH, compared with blood handled at 23 C, but serum CaI concentration was unaffected. Serum obtained at 2 hours after feeding did not have any significant changes in CaI, total calcium, or pH values. It appears that if canine serum is obtained, handled, and stored anaerobically, CaI concentration can be accurately measured after 72 hours at 23 or 4 C, or after 7 days at -10 C.

Biological and biochemical characteristics of the leukotoxin of Fusobacterium necrophorum were determined. Culture supernatant of F necrophorum was toxic to polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes from cattle and sheep, but not to those from pigs and rabbits. Culture supernatant and sonicated bacterial cell fractions had low hemolytic activity and did not cause dermonecrosis in a guinea pig. Supernatant-derived leukotoxin was inactivated at 56 C for 5 minutes and became unstable at pH > 7.8 or < 6.6. Chemical treatment with 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 0.25% sodium deoxycholate, 5.2% sodium sulfide, or 0.25 mM titanium (III) citrate markedly decreased leukotoxicity. Enzymatic treatment with protease, trypsin, and chymotrypsin inactivated the toxin completely, whereas amylase had no effect. Use of protease inhibitors failed to prevent loss of leukotoxin activity. Using membrane partition chromatography and gel filtration, the estimated molecular weight of the toxin was > 300,000. On reduction and denaturation, the toxin dissociated into several components by use of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (EPI) collected from dogs were sequentially and temporally measured in blood and plasma at 24 C. Heparin and EDTA anticoagulants, in combination with reduced glutathione and EDTA as a preservative, were also compared. Norepinephrine and EPI concentrations were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. In heparinized plasma, NE and EPI concentrations were relatively stable in the absence or presence of preservative after 24 hours at 24 C. In EDTA plasma, NE and EPI values were less stable when compared with those in heparinized samples. Norepinephrine concentrations in EDTA plasma without preservative decreased by 163.2 +/- 8.88 pg over 24 hours, compared with an 86.6 +/- 7.92 pg loss of NE in heparinized plasma. The degradation of EPI in EDTA plasma without preservative was also twofold greater, compared with that in heparinized plasma. Addition of preservative had no stabilizing effect on NE or EPI in heparinized or EDTA plasma. During long-term storage at -70 C, plasma NE and EPI values decreased < 0.6 and < 0.1 pg/d, respectively. Norepinephrine and EPI values were stable in heparinized blood for 6 hours but decreased to < 25% and < 6% of initial base line values, respectively, when plasma separation was delayed 24 hours.

The survival of pseudorabies virus in an aerosol was studied under different environmental conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Pseudorabies virus decayed logarithmically with mean half-lives of 17.4 (85% relative humidity, 22 C), 18.8 (25% relative humidity, 22 C), 27.3 (85% relative humidity, 4 C), 36.1 (55% relative humidity, 22 C), and 43.6 (55% relative humidity, 4 C) minutes. Virus survival was significantly improved in environments at 55% relative humidity, compared with those at 85% relative humidity (P = 0.017). Rates of survival were improved in environment at 4 C in comparison with those at 22 C. Results suggest that, under the best conditions of this study, the infectivity of pseudorabies virus in an aerosol decreases by 50% in < 1 hour.

Axial stability of equine oblique proxidmal phalangeal osteotonies with application of the standard short limb cast or 1 of 3 configurations of transfixation casts was determined in vitro. Transfixation cast methods included use of parallel pins, divergent pins, or parallel pins incorporating a metal walking bar. Displacement at the osteotomy was recorded for each limb at 4,448 N. Standard short limb casts provided significantly (P = 0.0002) less axial stability than did any form of transfixation cast. Significant differences were not found between the 3 transfixation casts.

Ten coxofemoral joints from 5 dog cadavers were used to study the effect of coxofemoral positioning on passive hip laxity. A material test system was used to measure lateral translation when force was between 20 N of compression and 40 N of distraction. Using the orthogonal coordinate system imposed in this study, neutral position was empirically defined at 15 degrees of extension and 10 degrees of abduction, relative to the plane of the pelvis, and no internal or external rotation of the femur. The hips were mounted in a custom-designed jig that allowed 1 rotational degree of freedom (ie, either flexion/extension, adduction/abduction, or internal/external rotation), while holding the other 2 constant. Lateral translation of the hips was tested at 10 degrees intervals from 30 degrees of flexion to 70 degrees extension, 40 degrees of adduction to 60 degrees of abduction, and 30 degrees of internal rotation to 40 degrees of external rotation. Lateral displacement was maximal at 10 degrees of extension, 20 degrees of abduction, and 10 degrees of external rotation, approximating the neutral coxofemoral position during stance. As the hips were rotated into extreme positions, the amount of lateral displacement occurring with the same applied load decreased significantly to 32.0 to 65.3% of the maximal displacement. Determining the position of the hip associated with maximal passive laxity in vitro is essential to the design of a precise and accurate clinical stress-radiographic method to quantitate joint laxity in dogs. Our results confirm earlier work that passive hip joint laxity is at a maximum with the hip approximately in a neutral weight-bearing position.

This study was conducted to determine the optimum storage temperature for Rinderpest vaccine prepared on vero cells to know the shelf life of the vaccine. The vials were randomly selected from one batch of the vaccine, titrated and stored at minus 20 degree centigrade (Freezer), 4 degree centigrade (refrigerator) and room temperature. The titre was found to be 105.1 per ml. The vials stored at minus 20 degree centigrade & 4 degree centigrade were subjected to titration after an interval of six months for 3 and 2 years respectively. The vials stored at room temperature were tested after 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks. Titration results indicated that the titre of the vaccine vials stored at room temperature decreased by 100.9 101.2 and 101.6 after storage time of 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks respectively. The vials stored at 4 degree centigrade maintained their titre for a period of six months but after that the loss in titre was 100.4, 101.0, and 102.4 after storage time of one, one and half and two 2 years respectively. The vaccine vials stored at minus 20 degree centigrade maintained their original titres (initial titre of the vaccine) even after the storage for three years. It is concluded that vero cell adapted Rinderpest virus vaccine can be stored at 4 degree centigrade for a period of six months, however, at 20 degree centigrade it can be stored for three years without any adverse effect on titre.

The poultry industry is the most advanced and independent among livestock industry in Malaysia with over 100 percent self-sufficient level (SSL) since 2004. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI) has launched National Agrofood Policy 2021-2030 (DAN 2.0) in October 2021. One of the objectives is to increase the poultry’s SSL to 140.2 % by 2030, an increase from 104.10 % in 2020. The objective of this study was to analyze the production cost of selected commercial broiler farms in Malaysia. The scope of the study was to evaluate the economic assessment of broiler production in order to understand the industry widely and also to identify which segments along the production line need to be improved and at the same time to ensure that this industry remains competitive and productive. Production cost data were obtained from selected commercial broilers via questionnaire forms. The result showed that the average broiler production cost is RM4.40/kg. Small farms have higher total average cost per kg, which is RM4.70, followed by commercial scale farms at RM4.43 and medium-scale farms at RM4.29, respectively. Feed cost contributes 66 % of the total production cost of whole expenditure followed by day-old chick’s cost, 19 %. The average profit estimation is RM0.65/kg based on RM5.05/kg for the ex-farm price of live poultry.