peer reviewed

peer reviewed

International audience

International audience

peer reviewed

peer reviewed | The purpose of this work was to study electrocardiographic features of double-muscled beef cattle. Electrocardiograms were recorded on one to six occasions from each of a group of 18 conventional calves of the Friesian breed and 29 double-muscled calves of the Belgian White and Blue breed. Ages of the calves at the times of examination ranged from eight to 348 days. The Holmes semi-orthogonal lead system was used. The waves and interval durations and the tridimensional P, QRS, and T modal vector orientation and amplitude were calculated. The magnitude of the cardiac vectors was significantly lower and the ventricular waves and QT interval duration significantly shorter in the double-muscled than in the conventional calves. The P modal vector pointed significantly less downwards and the QRS modal vector pointed significantly more forwards and less up- and rightwards in the Belgian White and Blue, than in the Friesian group. Most of the observed differences might be a consequence of the bodily, and more specifically the thoracic, conformation of the former calves. However, the lower cardiac vector magnitude and shorter wave and interval durations might also reflect lower cardiac mass in the double-muscled subjects. | Le but de cette étude était d'etudier les spécificités électrocardiographiques des bovins de boucherie de conformation hypermusclée. Des enregistrements électrocardiographiques ont été réalises de une a six reprises chez chacun des 18 veaux conventionnels de la race Frisonne et des 29 veaux hypermusclés de la race Blanc Bleu Belge investigués et repartis en deux groupes. L'âge des veaux au moment des investigations était compris entre huit et 348 jours. Le système de dérivation semiorthogonal de Holmes a été applique. La durée des ondes et des intervalles électro-cardiographiques ainsi que l'orientation et l'amplitude des vecteurs cardiaques tridimensionnels P, QRS et T ont été calculées. L'amplitude des vecteurs cardiaques était significativement plus petite et la durée des ondes ventriculaires et de l'intervalle QT significativement plus courte chez les veaux hypermusclés que chez les veaux conventionnels. Le vecteur P était oriente dans une direction significativement moins ventrale et le vecteur QRS dans une direction significativement plus craniale et moins dextro-dorsale chez les veaux hyper musclés que chez les veaux conventionnels. La plupart des différences observées pourraient être attribuées a une conformation corporelle, et particulièrement thoracique, spécifique chez les veaux hyper musclés. Cependant, la plus faible amplitude des vecteurs cardiaques et la durée plus courte des ondes et intervalles électro-cardiographiques pourraient également constituer le signe d'une réduction de la masse myocardique chez ces derniers.

peer reviewed | Oral immunization of foxes against rabies, by distributing vaccine-baits in the field, has been in progress since 1993 in the whole of the infected area of Belgium (10,000 km2). A vaccinia-rabies recombinant virus (VR-G) was used as vaccine because of its efficacy, safety and heat-stability. The successive campaigns of fox vaccination have induced a drastic decrease in rabies incidence and in 1993 there were no cases of rabies detected in the fox population. A marked decrease of human post-exposure treatments and the elimination of the disease in domestic animals have been the consequence of fox rabies control.

peer reviewed | The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) modifies respiratory function, specifically, hyperventilation, diffuse bronchoconstriction, and pulmonary arterial hypertension in cattle. We determined whether the IV response to 5-HT in calves was attributable to stimulation of 5-HT2 receptors. Six healthy unsedated young bull calves of the Friesian (n = 4) and of the Belgian White and Blue (n = 2) breeds were used. A specific 5-HT2 antagonist (metrenperone, 0.05 mg/kg of body weight) was administered IM 30 minutes before the cattle were given a 5-minute IV 5-HT infusion. Pulmonary function values were registered before, during, and after the 5-HT challenge infusion. Minute volume increased significantly, because of an increase in respiratory rate. Conversely, lung dynamic compliance, total pulmonary resistance, and pulmonary arterial pressure were not changed. We concluded that in cattle, 5-HT-induced ventilatory response is not mediated through activation of 5-HT2 receptors. However, the 5-HT2 receptors are involved in 5-HT-induced broncho- and pulmonary vasoconstriction.

The role of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor a during endotoxin-induced mastitis in cows was characterized. Six cows had 10 microgram of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide infused into 1 mammary gland. Three other cows served as nontreated controls. Within 1.5 to 2.5 hours after infusion, endotoxin caused obvious edema of the mammary gland and increased serum albumin concentration in milk of infused glands 6 times. Milk somatic cell count began to increase 3 to 5 hours after infusion in all treated glands. At 7 hours after infusion, somatic cell counts were increased > 10 times, compared with counts in milk from control cows. Pyrexia of > 1 C developed in only 1 cow, but all treated cows had serum cortisol concentrations > 50 ng/ml in response to endotoxin treatment. High concentrations of IL-1 (10 to 600 U/ml) and IL-6 (2 to 22 U/ml) were detected in milk of infused glands beginning 2.5 to 4 hours after infusion. Endotoxin did not induce detectable amounts of tumor necrosis factor activity in milk or serum. Swelling and mammary gland permeability changes preceded any detectable increase in IL-1 and IL-6 activity, indicating that these clinical signs of inflammation were not mediated by these cytokines. Systemic responses and the leukocytic influx into endotoxin-infused glands developed after or concurrently with initial increases in IL-1 and IL-6 activities in milk. These results suggested that IL-1 and IL-6 may have a role in mammary gland defenses and in the pathophysiologic changes during endotoxin-induced mastitis.