Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Mudron Author-Workplace-Name: , J. R 2, M. H 2, H. S 2 1University of Veterinary Medicine, Košice, Slovak Republic Author-Name: J. Rehage Author-Workplace-Name: , J. R 2, M. H 2, H. S 2 1University of Veterinary Medicine, Košice, Slovak Republic Author-Name: M. Holtershinken Author-Workplace-Name: , J. R 2, M. H 2, H. S 2 1University of Veterinary Medicine, Košice, Slovak Republic Author-Name: H. Scholz Author-Workplace-Name: , J. R 2, M. H 2, H. S 2 1University of Veterinary Medicine, Košice, Slovak Republic Title: Venous and arterial ammonia in dairy cows with fatty liver and hepatic failure Abstract: In the present study we aimed to compare the arterial and venous plasma ammonia in dairy cows with fatty liver and hepatic failure. 75 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows were used in the investigation. Clinical examinations revealed liver failure in 14 cows (group LF). Diagnosis of hepatic failure was based on the clinical signs of hepatic encephalopathy, including anorexia, depressed consciousness, ataxia, somnolence, and coma, and on venous plasma ammonia >35 µmol/l. The other cows were divided according to their liver triglyceride content (wet tissue) into the following groups: low triglycerides (LT) < 30 mg/g (n = 24), medium triglycerides (MT) 30-100 mg/g (n = 31), and high triglycerides (HT) >100 mg/g (n = 6). Both arterial and venous plasma ammonia levels were highest in cows with hepatic failure (93.0 ± 44.9 and 70.4 ± 34.1 µmol/l, respectively). We observed that arterial ammonia was significantly higher than venous ammonia (p < 0.01) only in the dairy cows suffering from liver failure, implying a higher informative value of arterial ammonia in detection of liver function damage in cattle demonstrating signs of hepatic encephalopathy. Keywords: dairy cows, blood ammonia, fatty liver, liver failure, hepatic encephalopathy Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 187-190 Volume: 49 Issue: 6 Year: 2004 DOI: 10.17221/5693-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5693-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200406-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:49:y:2004:i:6:id:5693-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Skrivanova Author-Workplace-Name: , M. M 1,2, R. D 3 1Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhrineves, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Marounek Author-Workplace-Name: , M. M 1,2, R. D 3 1Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhrineves, Czech Republic Author-Name: R. Dvorak Author-Workplace-Name: , M. M 1,2, R. D 3 1Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague-Uhrineves, Czech Republic Title: Digestibility of total and phytate phosphorus in young calves Abstract: Two experiments were conducted to determine digestibility of total and phytate phosphorus (P) in young calves. In the 1st experiment 14 male calves received a commercial milk replacer (6 l of milk per day) and had free access to a starter concentrate. In the 2nd experiment 21 male calves were divided into 3 groups and fed ad libitum a milk replacer (Group I), milk replacer and starter concentrate (Group II), and milk replacer and silaged maize cobs (Group III). Digestibility measurements were carried out at the age of 10 weeks (1st experiment), and 12 and 16 weeks (2nd experiment). In the 1st experiment phytate P accounted for 27.0% of the total P intake. Phytate P was assayed by capillary isotachophoresis. On average, 27.9% of ingested P, but only 3.0% of phytate P were recovered from the faeces. The proportion of phytate P in total faecal P was 5.8%. In the 2nd experiment phytate P accounted for 8.9, 13.8 and 8.6% of total P in diets of calves of Group I, II and III, respectively. On average, 6.6% of ingested P and 3.6% of phytate P were recovered from the faeces. Dry matter of faeces contained total P, phytate P and phosphate P at 9.74, 0.65 and 4.69 mg/g, respectively. Faecal concentrations of total P significantly correlated with those of calcium (r = 0.71). It can be concluded that young calves utilised phytate P very efficiently as no more than a few % of phytate escaped degradation in the digestive tract. Keywords: digestion, milk nutrition, starter concentrate, faeces Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 191-196 Volume: 49 Issue: 6 Year: 2004 DOI: 10.17221/5694-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5694-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200406-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:49:y:2004:i:6:id:5694-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: K. Burski Author-Workplace-Name: ,2, T. U 1, R. M 3 1Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, National University Hospital, Oslo, Norway Author-Name: T. Ueland Author-Workplace-Name: ,2, T. U 1, R. M 3 1Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, National University Hospital, Oslo, Norway Author-Name: R. Maciejewski Author-Workplace-Name: ,2, T. U 1, R. M 3 1Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, National University Hospital, Oslo, Norway Title: Serum amylase activity disorders in the course of experimental diabetes in rabbits Abstract: We evaluated the influence of experimental diabetes on the amylase release in exocrine pancreatic cells. Following a single alloxan injection, male rabbits were divided into control and four experimental groups according to the disease duration. Respectively after 21, 42, 90, and 180 days intervals, the final levels of glucose and amylase in the sera were determined spectrophotometrically by the use of an enzymatic method. The mean serum glucose level in healthy controls was 6.4 mmol/l. It reached its top value of 32.0 mmol/l after 42 days of diabetes, and decreased to 23.12 mmol/l on day 180. The mean serum amylase activity was 124 U/l in healthy controls, 57 U/l on day 21, 138 on day 42, 84 U/l on day 90, and 56 U/l after 180 days of diabetes. The initial drop of the amylase activity may be interpreted as a result of decreased stimulating insulin effect on exocrine pancreatic cells, whereas the transient increase in activity on day 90 seems to be related to the increased destruction processes of the pancreatic tissue. Keywords: amylase, experimental diabetes, pancreatic exocrine activity, rabbits Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 197-200 Volume: 49 Issue: 6 Year: 2004 DOI: 10.17221/5695-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5695-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200406-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:49:y:2004:i:6:id:5695-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: I. Kaya Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Author-Name: B. Karademir Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Author-Name: O. Ucar Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Title: The effects of diet supplemented with sodium bicarbonate upon blood pH, blood gases and eggshell quality in laying geese Abstract: The effects of diet supplemented with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) upon blood pH, blood gases and eggshell quality during the laying cycle in geese were investigated. Fourteen geese aged 2 yr old were divided into two groups as; control (Group C, n = 7) and 0.5% NaHCO3 -supplemented group (Group T, n = 7). After 15 days of adaptation period, blood samples were collected every 6 h during a single laying cycle (over 42 h) and the data obtained were analysed for the pH, base excess (BE-B), HCO3- concentration, partial CO2 pressure (pCO2) and total CO2 concentration (tCO2). The parameters of eggshell quality (i.e. thickness and weight) were also measured following the laying. No correlation was found between the groups for the same blood parameters measured. But, there was a significant correlation (min. r = 0.946 and P < 0.05) between all the parameters except for the pH in the groups. Following NaHCO3 supplementation of diet however, there was no significant improvement in eggshell thickness and weight. These findings indicate that the NaHCO3 supplementation of diet may support the maintenance of venous blood pH, BE-B, HCO3-, pCO2 and tCO2 levels at the physiological ranges which are required for normal health and production status of goose during the laying cycle. Keywords: feeding, bicarbonate, blood, laying period, goose Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 201-206 Volume: 49 Issue: 6 Year: 2004 DOI: 10.17221/5696-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5696-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200406-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:49:y:2004:i:6:id:5696-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: D. Horky Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: F. Tichy Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Submicroscopic structure of canine articular cartilage Abstract: Canine articular cartilage was studied in male dogs at age 1, 4, 5 and 8 years. Samples collected from four hip joints and two humeral joints in each age category were processed by standard methods to be examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The cartilage of both joints was similar in structure. In the superficial cartilage layer of one-year-old animals, individual spindle-shaped chondrocytes in the extracellular matrix were, together with associated collagen fibrils, located parallel to the surface. When viewed by scanning electron microscopy, they were distinctly prominent above the surrounding surface. Changes in the thickness and arrangement of both the chondrosynovial membrane and intercellular matrix were apparent in the 4-, 5- and 8-year-old animals, indicating the onset or progression of an osteoarthritic process. The middle cartilage layer in young animals showed elliptical chondrocytes occurring in pairs. The voluminous cytoplasm contained a great amount of granular endoplasmic reticulum, a large Golgi complex and numerous transport vesicles. The pericellular matrix, up to 1 µm thick, was composed of aperiodic fibrils. In the old animals the pericellular matrix was absent and was replaced by thick collagen fibrils with a marked periodicity. The deep cartilage layer in young dogs included groups of three to four chondrocytes situated in a common territory. The cytoplasm contained distinct bundles of intermediary filaments. The pericellular matrix occasionally formed septa between adjoining cells. The intracellular matrix included bundles of collagen fibrils arranged in a matted structure. In the old animals aggregation of chondrocytes into groups almost disappeared. The cytoplasm showed only short cisternae of granular endoplasmic reticulum, small numbers of mitochondria and transport vesicles, frequent lipid droplets and small glycogen deposits. The intercellular matrix consisted of only short collagen fibrils with no distinct periodicity. Keywords: chondrocytes, pericellular matrix, intercellular matrix, arthritis, dog Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 207-216 Volume: 49 Issue: 6 Year: 2004 DOI: 10.17221/5697-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5697-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200406-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:49:y:2004:i:6:id:5697-VETMED Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Kajerova Author-Workplace-Name: , V. B 2, I. L 1 1Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: V. Barus Author-Workplace-Name: , V. B 2, I. L 1 1Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: I. Literak Author-Workplace-Name: , V. B 2, I. L 1 1Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Nematodes from the genus Ascaridia parasitizing psittaciform birds: a review and determination key Abstract: In parrots (Psittaciformes), seven nematode species of genus Ascaridia have been found so far, both in wild birds and in birds in captivity. Five species are specific for parrots: Ascaridia hermaphrodita, A. sergiomeirai, A. ornata, A. nicobarensis and A. platyceri. Two species: A. galli and A. columbae, that infect gallinaceous and columbiform birds, respectively, were found also in parrots. On the basis of data from the literature and our own observations the taxonomy, synonyms and list of definite hosts of these nematode species were reviewed. The morphometrical features of nematode species were compiled and a determination key was added. Keywords: ascarids, parrots, morphometry, distribution Journal: Veterinární medicína Pages: 217-223 Volume: 49 Issue: 6 Year: 2004 DOI: 10.17221/5698-VETMED File-URL: http://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5698-VETMED.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/vet-200406-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlvet:v:49:y:2004:i:6:id:5698-VETMED