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Contrasting effects of high-starch and high-sugar diets on ruminal function in cattle
- Andrea Francesio, Lorenzo Viora, Matt J. Denwood, Will Tulley, Nicola Brady, Peter Hastie, Andrew Hamilton, Christopher Davison, Craig Michie, Nicholas N. Jonsson
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- Journal:
- Journal of Dairy Research / Volume 87 / Issue 2 / May 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 April 2020, pp. 175-183
- Print publication:
- May 2020
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The experiment reported in this research paper aimed to determine whether clinical and subclinical effects on cattle were similar if provided with isoenergetic and isonitrogenous challenge diets in which carbohydrate sources were predominantly starch or sugar. The study was a 3 × 3 Latin square using six adult Jersey cows with rumen cannulae, over 9 weeks. In the first 2 weeks of each 3 week experimental period cows were fed with a maintenance diet and, in the last week, each animal was assigned to one of three diets: a control diet (CON), being a continuation of the maintenance diet; a high starch (HSt) or a high sugar (HSu) diet. Reticuloruminal pH and motility were recorded throughout the study period. Blood and ruminal samples were taken on day-1 (TP-1), day-2 (TP-2) and day-7 (TP-7) of each challenge week. Four clinical variables were recorded daily: diarrhoea, inappetence, depression and ruminal tympany. The effects of treatment, hour of day and day after treatment on clinical parameters were analysed using linear mixed effects (LME) models. Although both challenge diets resulted in a decline in pH, an increase in the absolute pH residuals and an increase in the number of minutes per day under pH 5.8, systemic inflammation was only detected with the HSt diet. The challenge diets differentially modified amplitude and period of reticuloruminal contractions compared with CON diet and both were associated with an increased probability of diarrhoea. The HSu diet reduced the probability of an animal consuming its complete allocation. Because the challenge diets were derived from complex natural materials (barley and molasses respectively), it is not possible to assign all the differential effects to the difference in starch and sugar concentration: non-starch components of barley or non-sugar components of molasses might have contributed to some of the observations. In conclusion, substituting much of the starch with sugar caused no substantial reduction in the acidosis load, but inflammatory response was reduced while feed rejection was increased.
Behavioural adaptations of sheep to repeated acidosis challenges and effect of yeast supplementation
- L. Commun, M. Silberberg, M. M. Mialon, C. Martin, I. Veissier
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This study aims to determine whether sheep modify their feeding and general behaviour when they undergo acidosis challenge, whether these modifications are maintained when acidosis challenges are repeated and whether yeast supplementation affects these modifications. Twelve rumen-cannulated wethers fed concentrate (wheat) and forage (hay) were exposed to three 28-day periods consisting of a 23-day recovery phase (20% of wheat) followed by a 5-day acidosis challenge (60% of wheat). Both diets limited food intake to 90% of ad libitum intake. Six sheep received a daily supplementation of a live yeast product, six received a placebo. Ruminal pH was recorded continuously. Daily consumption of wheat, hay, water and weekly consumption of salt were monitored. Behavioural observations were performed twice in each period: once under the recovery phase and once under acidosis challenge. These observations included video recordings over 24 h (time budget), social tests (mixing with another sheep for 5 min) and nociception tests (CO2 hot laser). As expected, sheep spent more time with a ruminal pH below 5.6 during challenges than during recovery phases (12.5 v. 4.7 h/day). Sheep drank more water (3.87 v. 3.27 l/day) and ingested more salt (16 v. 11 g/day) during challenges. They also spent more time standing than during recovery phases, adopting more frequent alarm postures and reacting more slowly to the hot stimulus. More severe behavioural modifications were observed during the first challenge than the two other challenges. Significant concentrate refusals were observed during challenge 1: from days 3 to 5 of this challenge, sheep ate only half of the distributed concentrate. Sheep were also more active and more aggressive towards each other in challenge 1. These behavioural modifications disappeared as the challenges were repeated: no behavioural modifications were observed between challenges and recovery phases during periods 2 and 3, and furthermore, sheep rapidly ate all the concentrate distributed during the third challenge. Focusing on the effects of yeast, the only differences registered between the two groups concerned ruminal pH, that is, mean ruminal pH values in the supplemented group were lower during the first challenge (5.11 v. 5.60) but higher during the third challenge (5.84 v. 5.28). In conclusion, our experiment suggests sheep can adapt to acidosis challenges, especially with yeast supplementation. Otherwise, ruminal pH values remained low during challenges, indicating that the modifications of general and feeding behaviour in subacute ruminal acidosis situations are not due exclusively to low ruminal pH values.
SARA Three Years Later: Emergency Physician's Knowledge, Beliefs, and Actions
- Linda Y. Landesman, Ralph B. Leonard
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- Journal:
- Prehospital and Disaster Medicine / Volume 8 / Issue 1 / March 1993
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 28 June 2012, pp. 39-44
- Print publication:
- March 1993
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Objective:
Investigate Emergency Physicians' knowledge about the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title III legislation, passed by the United States Congress in 1986, and to determine the factors contributing to their level of preparedness in dealing with patients exposed to toxic chemicals.
Methods:A 115-item questionnaire was mailed to the medical directors of all emergency departments (EDs) in the State of New York. The results of the cross-sectional survey were analyzed using standard statistical methods.
Results:One hundred and eighty-seven (72%) of the directors of EDs in New York State responded to the survey. Three years after SARA was enacted, only 33% of the directors had heard about this legislation. Only 18% had been invited to attend the meetings of the Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC). Sixty percent of the directors knew whether or not the LEPC had devised plans that defined a role for their EDs in responding to environmental emergencies. This knowledge about community planning mainly had an effect on preparedness of the EDs. Preparedness also was predicted by how recently the EDs had treated patients exposed to toxic chemicals, the perception that emergency physicians had a legitimate role in planning for and responding to chemical emergencies, and how often emergency physicians had attended continuing education courses about hazardous materials.
Conclusion:Despite the finding that some emergency physicians are involved in community preparations, two main problems persist in planning a medical response to environmental emergencies. First, the ED directors generally are unaware of the legislation that mandates these preparations and are not interacting with community planners. Second, there is not full involvement by the local EDs in the LEPC planning efforts.
Recommendations:A procedure is needed to disseminate information about legislation which affects emergency physicians, such as SARA, and about regional planning for environmental emergencies. Dissemination should include education about the professions' role in planning for and providing care for patients exposed to toxic chemicals.