Plasma progesterone levels during oestrous cycle and their relationship with the ovulation rate in Red Sokoto (Maradi) goats.

Twenty-five 2-3-year-old cycling does weighing 17-25 kg were obtained from semi-nomadic farmers and managed under controlled conditions while simulating the traditional management system. Oestrus was synchronized using progestogen impregnated vaginal pessaries. Blood samples were collected daily for progesterone assay from the day of pessary withdrawal up to one complete oestrous cycle. Oestrus was checked twice daily using vasectomized bucks. Ovulation rate was determined by direct observation of the ovaries following laparotomy on day 5-7 of the oestrous cycle. Following oestrus synchronization, mean ovulation rate was 1.68 +/- 0.13. Mean oestrous cycle length and duration of oestrus were 21.30 +/- 0.28 days and 21.37 +/- 0.24 hours respectively. Plasma progesterone concentrations ranged from non-detectable levels on the day of oestrus to 5.2 +/- 0.28 ng ml at mid-cycle. The duration of elevated progesterone level (greater than 2 ng/ml) was about 12 days. The peak progesterone values did not differ between animals with different ovulation rates. However, the plasma progesterone concentration during the early cycle (days 0-6) was significantly lower in the single ovulators compared with others. There were no major differences in plasma progesterone levels during the oestrous cycle of Red Sokoto does with different ovulation rates.

Single-drug chemotherapy of canine transmissible venereal tumor with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, or vincristine.

During a 21-month period, 48 dogs with spontaneous canine transmissible venereal tumor (clinical stage, T1-T3) were presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and were divided into one control and four treatment groups to test the efficacy of single-agent chemotherapeutic drugs. The dogs were not randomly assigned to groups because each chemotherapeutic agent was not continuously available during the test period. Group I consisted of four dogs that received oral cyclophosphamide (50 mg/M2 body surface area [BSA]) on the first four days for six weeks. No therapeutic response was noted in any of the four dogs. Group II consisted of ten dogs that received intravenous (IV) cyclophosphamide (50 mg/M2 BSA) for four consecutive days per week for six weeks. Two of the ten had a partial remission. Group III consisted of eight dogs that received oral methotrexate (2.5 mg/M2 BSA) every other day for six weeks. No therapeutic response was noted in any of the eight dogs. Group IV consisted of 20 dogs that were administered IV vincristine sulfate (0.5 mg/M2 BSA) weekly until a response was noted. Complete remission occurred in each of the 20 dogs. One dog had recurrence within 12 months. Group V was the untreated control group, consisting of six dogs among which no spontaneous remission was seen. Instead, tumor progression was noted. Adverse responses to medication, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss were seen only with dogs treated with cyclophosphamide and methotrexate.

Monolayer system of cultivating bovine polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL): effect of long-term cultivation on the viability and phagocytic function of the cells.

A monolayer system of cultivating bovine PMNL is described. Poly-L-Lysine (PLL) significantly (P less than 0.01) enhanced the attachment of bovine PMNL to glass. Long-term cultivation up to seven days, in a mixture of calf serum and RPMI 1640, had no effect on the viability of the cells, but cultivation for 3 days or more significantly reduced the ability of the PMNL to phagocytose bacteria.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte function in cattle with left displaced abomasum with or without concurrent infections.

Cattle submitted to the University of Minnesota for surgical correction of left displaced abomasum (LDA) were examined for the in vitro phagocytic and bactericidal activities of their polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). The PMN from cattle with LDA with or without concurrent infection had depressed phagocytic function when compared with PMN from healthy animals (controls). Those with concurrent infection had phagocytic activities lower than those in the group of cattle with LDA without any concurrent infection, and the former group was also observed to have depressed intracellular killing. Cattle with LDA complicated by infection were the only group in which phagocytic function was altered during surgical correction of LDA (and recovery). Treatment of PMN from both groups of affected cattle with levamisole in vitro enhanced intracellular killing, but had no effect on phagocytosis.

Effects of selenium-vitamin E injection on bovine polymorphonucleated leukocytes phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus.

Phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from 8 selenium (Se)-deficient dairy cows from Wisconsin was compared with that in 5 Se-vitamin E injected dairy cows from the same herd. There was no significant difference in the ability of the PMN to phagocytize bacteria. However, PMN of Se-vitamin E injected cows killed the phagocytized bacteria significantly (P less than 0.025) better than did PMN from Se-deficient cows. The defect in the killing capability of PMN of Se-deficient cows might be due to reduced dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate concentration as a result of diminished glutathione peroxidase activity due to Se-deficiency.

Cure of Dermatophilus congolensis infection in cattle by long-acting oxytetracycline.

Under conditions simulating traditional husbandry, a single intramuscular dose (20 mg/kg) of long-acting oxytetracycline was efficacious in treating different grades of bovine dermatophilosis. There was complete healing in 26 out of 28 animals (93 per cent) within four weeks. By contrast, only four out of 11 animals treated with penicillin (70,000 iu/kg) plus streptomycin (70mg/kg) were apparently cured and three relapsed within one month. No spontaneous recoveries were observed among 18 untreated animals. In the group treated with oxytetracycline, two, in the penicillin plus streptomycin, seven, and in the untreated control group, 11 animals died of the disease.