Effects of a multistrain Bacillus-based direct-fed microbial on gastrointestinal permeability and biomarkers of inflammation during and following feed restriction in mid-lactation Holstein cows.

Objectives were to evaluate the effects of a multistrain Bacillus-based (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus blend) direct-fed microbial (DFM) on production, metabolism, inflammation biomarkers and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) permeability during and following feed restriction (FR) in mid-lactation Holstein cows. Multiparous cows (n = 36; 138 ± 53 DIM) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: 1) control (CON; 7.5 g/d rice hulls; n = 12), 2) DFM10 (10 g/d Bacillus DFM, 4.9 × 109 cfu/d; n = 12) or 3) DFM15 (15 g/d Bacillus DFM, 7.4 × 109 cfu/d; n = 12). Before study initiation, cows were fed their respective treatments for 32 d. Cows continued to receive treatments during the trial, which consisted of 3 experimental periods (P): P1 (5 d) served as baseline for P2 (5 d), during which all cows were restricted to 40% of P1 dry matter intake (DMI), and P3 (5 d), a "recovery" where cows were fed ad libitum. On d 4 of P1 and on d 2 and 5 of P2, GIT permeability was evaluated in vivo using the oral paracellular marker chromium (Cr)-EDTA. As anticipated, FR decreased milk production, decreased insulin, glucagon, and BUN but increased nonesterified fatty acids. During recovery, DMI rapidly increased on d 1 then subsequently decreased (4.9 kg) on d 2 before returning to baseline whereas milk yield slowly increased but remained decreased (13%) relative to P1. DFM10-fed cows had increased DMI and milk yield relative to DFM15 during P3 (10%). Overall, milk lactose content was increased in DFM cows relative to CON (0.10 percentage units), and DFM10 cows tended to have increased lactose yield relative to CON and DFM15 during P3 (8 and 10%, respectively). No overall treatment differences were observed for other milk composition variables. Circulating glucose was quadratically increased in DFM10 cows compared with CON and DFM15 during FR and recovery. Plasma Cr area under the curve was increased in all cows on d 2 (9%) and 5 (6%) relative to P1. Circulating lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and haptoglobin (Hp) increased in all cows during P2 compared with baseline (31%, 100%, and 9.0-fold, respectively). Circulating Hp concentrations continued to increase during P3 (274%). Overall, circulating LBP and Hp tended to be increased in DFM15 cows relative to DFM10 (29 and 81%, respectively), but no treatment differences were observed for SAA. Following feed reintroduction during P3, fecal pH initially decreased (0.62 units), but returned to baseline levels whereas fecal starch markedly increased (2.5-fold) and remained increased (82%). Absolute quantities of a fecal Butyryl-CoA CoA transferase (But) gene associated with butyrate synthesis, collected by fecal swab were increased in DFM10 cows compared with CON and DFM15-fed cows. In summary, FR increased GIT permeability, caused inflammation, and decreased production. Feeding DFM10 increased some key production and metabolism variables and upregulated a molecular biomarker of microbial hindgut butyrate synthesis, while DFM15 appeared to augment immune activation.

Effects of direct-fed Bacillus pumilus 8G-134 on feed intake, milk yield, milk composition, feed conversion, and health condition of pre- and postpartum Holstein cows.

The usage of direct-fed microbials (DFM) has become common in the dairy industry, but questions regarding choice of strain, mode of action, and efficacy remain prevalent. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a DFM (Bacillus pumilus 8G-134) on pre- and postpartum performance and incidence of subclinical ketosis in early lactation. Forty-three multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to 2 treatments in a randomized complete block design; cows in the direct-fed microbial treatment (DFMt, n=21) received 5.0×10(9) cfu/cow of B. pumilus in 28 g of a maltodextrin carrier, whereas cows in the control treatment (CON, n=22) received 28 g of maltodextrin carrier alone. Treatments were top-dressed on the total mixed ration daily. Treatments were applied from 21 d before expected calving date to 154 d after calving. Cows on treatment DFMt tended to have lower serum haptoglobin concentration than CON cows on d 14. Cows on treatment DFMt had higher IgA concentrations in milk than CON cows during the first week after calving. Cows fed DFMt had higher yields of milk, fat-corrected milk, energy-corrected milk, milk fat, and milk protein during the second week of lactation than CON; however, we found no differences between treatments on milk yield and milk components overall. Cows on DFMt tended to have higher feed conversion and to have lower prevalence of subclinical ketosis (beta-hydroxybutyrate >1.2 mmol/L) on d 5 than cows fed CON. Dry matter intake, body weight, and body condition score were not affected by DFMt supplementation. Milk production efficiencies (calculated based on fat-corrected milk and energy-corrected milk) were higher by 0.1 kg of milk per kilogram of dry matter intake in cows that received DFMt compared with cows that received CON. In conclusion, cows receiving DFMt tended to have lower incidence of subclinical ketosis than cows receiving CON. Cows fed DFMt tended to have higher feed conversion and evidence for greater immunity than CON. Supplementation with B pumilus 8G-134 may provide benefits for transition cow health and milk production efficiency.

Protein binding and in vitro serum thromboxane B2 inhibition by flunixin meglumine and meclofenamic acid in dog, goat and horse blood.

Flunixin was highly protein bound in the serum of dogs (92.2 per cent), goats (84.8 per cent) and horses (86.9 per cent). Meclofenamic acid was also highly protein bound, although there were larger differences between the extent of the binding in dogs (90.3 per cent), goats (84.7 per cent) and horses (99.8 per cent). Both flunixin and meclofenamic acid were potent inhibitors of the in vitro generation of thromboxane (Tx) B2 in blood. Flunixin inhibited the generation of TxB2 by 50 per cent of the maximum response (IC50) in dog, goat and horse blood at concentrations of 0.10, 0.02 and 0.04 microM respectively and by 100 per cent (Imax) at 2.07, 0.14 and 2.07 microM respectively. The IC50 values of meclofenamic acid in dogs, goats and horses were 0.77, 0.80 and 0.30 microM respectively and the Imax values were 3.93, 3.63 and 3.56 microM respectively. When the concentrations of flunixin were corrected for protein binding, it was estimated that the IC50 of the unbound fractions in dogs, goats and horses were 0.008, 0.003 and 0.005 microM, respectively. Similarly corrected values for meclofenamic acid were 0.075, 0.122 and 0.001 microM respectively.

Oral absorption and bioavailability of fenbendazole in the dog and the effect of concurrent ingestion of food.

Fenbendazole was administered orally without food to six beagle dogs at 2.5, 5.0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg/kg of body weight. Increasing the dose rate did not significantly increase the amount of fenbendazole absorbed. In a separate study fenbendazole was administered to the same six beagle dogs at a dose rate of 20 mg/kg of bodyweight in food with high, medium and low fat content. The food provided 1.52, 0.70 or 0.34 g of fat per kg of body weight. Administration of fenbendazole in food with different fat contents did not affect its relative bioavailability. Administration of fenbendazole at a dose rate of 20 mg/kg in food, irrespective of fat content, did however significantly increase its bioavailability when compared to administration of the same dose as a bolus on an empty stomach.

Clinical and pharmacological properties of ivermectin in rabbits and guinea pigs.

When 400 micrograms ivermectin/kg was administered subcutaneously to rabbits infected with the ear mite Psoroptes cuniculi it significantly reduced the clinical score, and when 500 micrograms ivermectin/kg was administered subcutaneously to guinea pigs with mange due to Trixacaurus caviae it resulted in a clinical cure. In rabbits a subcutaneous dose of 400 micrograms/kg produced high and sustained concentrations of ivermectin in the tissues and body fluids for at least 13 days and its rate of depletion from tissues was similar to that observed in sheep and rats. The mean (+/- sem) maximum concentration in plasma was 42.0 +/- 9.7 ng/ml 37.2 +/- 5.0 hours after administration and the area under the concentration-time curve was 3543 +/- 580 ng/ml hours. After the administration of 500 micrograms ivermectin/kg to guinea pigs orally, subcutaneously or topically the drug could be detected in the plasma only after subcutaneous administration. The mean concentration 72 hours after its administration to four guinea pigs was 0.7 +/- 0.3 ng/ml.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of piroxicam in dogs.

Piroxicam was administered to beagle dogs intravenously and orally at a dose rate of 0.3 mg/kg bodyweight. It had an elimination half-life of 40.2 hours, a volume of distribution of 0.29 +/- 0.02 litres/kg and a body clearance rate of 0.066 litres/hour. When administered orally it was 100 per cent bioavailable and maximum plasma concentrations were achieved quickly (3.1 +/- 1.0 hours). Piroxicam inhibited the generation of thromboxane B2 in the blood of dogs by more than 70 per cent and more than 50 per cent inhibition was maintained in most animals for 48 hours.

Pharmacokinetics of fenbendazole in dogs.

Fenbendazole was administered to dogs at a dose rate of 20 mg/kg body weight on a single occasion in gelatin capsules, on 5 consecutive days in feed, and on a single occasion as an alginate suspension. It was also administered at a dose rate of 100 mg/kg body weight on a single occasion in feed. Following single administration of 20 mg/kg fenbendazole mean maximum concentrations (Cmax) of the parent drug and its known active sulphoxide metabolite were 0.42 +/- 0.05 and 0.31 +/- 0.05 microgram/ml, respectively. Mean times until maximum concentrations were achieved (tmax) were 12.67 +/- 4.18 and 15.33 +/- 2.81 h, respectively, and areas under the plasma concentration-time curves (AUC) were 5.83 +/- 0.65 and 4.60 +/- 0.57 microgram.h/ml, respectively. Administration in feed increased the apparent bioavailability and administration for 5 consecutive days provided sustained plasma concentrations, generally greater than 0.2 microgram/ml. Administration as an alginate did not increase bioavailability or extend the persistence in plasma. It did increase the tmax to 16.80 +/- 2.93 and 20.00 +/- 2.53 h for fenbendazole and its sulphoxide metabolite, respectively. Increasing the dose from 20 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg did not substantially increase the Cmax or AUC.

Serum thromboxane generation by platelets in several domestic animal species.

Blood collected from calves, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, horses, ponies and donkeys, was allowed to clot under standard conditions. Thromboxane B2 generated during the clotting process was measured by radioimmunoassay in serum harvested from each sample. Highly significant differences were found between species and also between genera within a species. Highest concentrations of thromboxane B2 were detected in the dog samples (887.7 +/- 123.7 ng/ml) and lowest concentrations in samples from sheep (2.7 +/- 0.2 ng/ml). The amount of thromboxane produced per unit number of circulating platelets or per unit volume of platelets in each species was not the same and it would appear that platelets from each species have different inherent ability to produce thromboxane under the stimulus applied, or that some species generate thromboxane from other sources during the clotting process.

Flunixin pharmacokinetics and serum thromboxane inhibition in the dog.

Flunixin meglumine administered orally to beagle dogs at doses of 0.55, 1.10 or 1.65 mg/kg bodyweight was rapidly absorbed to produce maximum mean plasma concentrations of 2.40 +/- 0.70, 4.57 +/- 1.12 and 7.42 +/- 2.07 micrograms/ml, respectively. Thereafter, the plasma concentrations of flunixin fell rapidly to values less than 0.10 micrograms/ml from 24 hours after drug administration at all dosage levels. The maximum mean inhibition of serum thromboxane B2 was 91.5 per cent after the lowest dose of flunixin and 98.8 per cent for both the intermediate and high dose rates. At plasma concentrations of flunixin above 2 micrograms/ml there was more than 90 per cent inhibition of thromboxane.

Pharmacokinetics of levamisole in sheep.

Levamisole, at a dose rate of 7.5 mg/kg, produced mean peak plasma concentrations of 3.1, 0.7 and 0.8 microgram/ml in four sheep after administrations by the subcutaneous, oral and intraruminal routes respectively. The mean peak concentrations in abomasal fluid were 33, 164 and 21 micrograms/ml respectively. The bioavailability of levamisole to the systemic compartment was less after oral and intraruminal administration than after subcutaneous administration. In six sheep there were no significant differences in the plasma concentrations obtained after subcutaneous administration in the thoracic, neck or gluteal regions. Dividing the dose between five sites in the gluteal region produced higher peak plasma concentrations than when injected into a single site.