Effect of early feed restriction on reproductive performance in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

Reproductive performance of quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) was evaluated following feed restriction (100, 85, and 70% of ad libitum) between 2 to 5 wk of age with three replicates of 12, 2-wk-old chicks per replicate. Body weight, feed conversion, and leucocyte distribution were measured during feed restriction. After experimental feed treatment, BW, age at first egg, egg production, fertility, hatchability, and embryonic mortality were evaluated from five replicates of two females and one male per treatment. Feed-restricted female chicks had lower BW from 3 to 5 wk of age, but male weights were depressed only during the most severe restriction at 4 and 5 wk. No treatment differences were observed among BW within a sex from 6 to 13 wk. Body weights at first egg were significantly heavier for females fed 70% ad libitum than for birds on other treatments. Fertility, age at first egg, feed conversion, egg production, and egg weight were unaffected by feed restriction. Although hatchability was unaffected by feed restriction, percentage of late dead and total dead embryos were significantly reduced in eggs from restricted quail. Thirty quail fed 70% of ad libitum control intake had significantly increased egg specific gravity. Feed restriction increased the percentage of heterophils and basophils and the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, whereas the percentage of lymphocytes and eosinophils decreased. Feed can be restricted to 85 or 70% of ad libitum feed intake from 2 to 5 wk of age without detrimentally affecting reproductive parameters between 6 to 13 wk of age.

Effect of acetyl salicylic acid in drinking water on reproductive performance of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

The impact of acetyl salicylic add (ASA) on reproductive performance during periods of heat stress was studied in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). During a season when daily high temperatures averaged between 34 and 40 degrees C, four treatments each containing four replicates of five males and five females were given 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 g/L ASA in drinking water from 34 to 45 wk of age. At 39 wk of age control quail were lighter than quail fed ASA. Quail receiving 1.5 g/L ASA exhibited increased fertility, hatchability, and egg production and decreased late dead and total embryonic mortality. Early dead embryos, pips, chick weight, and egg weight were not different among treatments. The lumen of uterovaginal junction sperm host glands (UVJSHG) from control quail was apparently devoid of spermatozoa, whereas quail receiving 1.5 g/L ASA had the greatest apparent accumulation of spermatozoa. Control caudal infundibulum host glands (CPOI) were devoid of spermatozoa in contrast with CPOI from quail receiving ASA. Results show that UVJSHG lumens from quail receiving 1.5 g/L ASA had larger inside diameters than other treatment groups. However, the CPOI inside diameter and the outside diameters of both UVJSHG and CPOI were not affected by ASA. Adding 1.5 g/L ASA to the drinking water of quail under heat stress improved body weight, fertility, hatchability, embryonic mortality, egg production, egg specific gravity, and sperm storage capacity.

Effect of feeding time on the reproductive performance of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

Several feeding regimens are applied to improve performance of fertile egg production during times of heat stress. During a period of heat stress (34 to 36 degrees C), two feeding periods were used to measure the impact of feeding time on reproductive performance of Japanese quail (Coturnix cotunix japonica) between 44 and 60 wk of age. Each feeding time treatment had 25 individually caged male and female pairs. Quail were fed ad libitum between 0600 to 1400 or 1400 to 2200 h daily. Results indicated that feeding between 0600 to 1400 h reduced BW, fertility, hatchability, egg production, and egg specific gravity when compared with the effects of feeding between 1400 to 2200 h. Feeding time had no effect on total embryonic mortality, egg weight, or the period between subsequent ovipositions. The different feeding times affected the distribution curve of oviposition over time. An instrument designed to record oviposition time is described. Results showed that selection of the time of day for application of an 8-h restricted feeding regimen affected BW, fertility, hatchability, egg production, egg specific gravity, and oviposition time in Japanese quail.

The impact of neurotrophin-3 on the dorsal root transitional zone following injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Morphological and Stereological assessment of the dorsal root transitional zone (DRTZ) following complete crush injury, using light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of exogenous neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) on the response of glial cells and axons to dorsal root damage. SETTING: Department of Anatomy, University College Cork, Ireland and Department of Physiology, UMDS, University of London, UK. METHODS: Cervical roots (C6-8) from rats which had undergone dorsal root crush axotomy 1 week earlier, in the presence (n=3) and absence (n=3) of NT-3, were processed for LM and TEM. RESULTS: Unmyelinated axon number and size was greater in the DRTZ proximal (Central Nervous System; CNS) and distal (Peripheral Nervous System; PNS) compartments of NT-3-treated tissue. NT-3 was associated with a reduced astrocytic response, an increase in the proportion of oligodendrocytic tissue and a possible inhibition or delay of microglial activation. Disrupted-myelin volume in the DRTZ PNS and CNS compartments of treated tissue was lower, than in control tissue. In the PNS compartment, NT-3 treatment increased phagocyte and blood vessel numbers. It decreased myelinating activity, as sheath thickness was significantly lower and may also account for the noted lower Schwann cell and organelle volume in the test group. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that NT-3 interacts with non-neuronal tissue to facilitate the regenerative effort of damaged axons. This may be as a consequence of a direct action or indirectly mediated by modulation of non-neuronal responses to injury.

An immunohistochemical investigation of the adult stage of the equine parasite Strongylus vulgaris.

Adult Strongylus vulgaris, collected from the caecum of infected horses and embedded in paraplast using standard methods, were sectioned for immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies. Antibodies were raised in rabbit against the excretory-secretory product (ESP) and against two constituent protein bands (28-30 kDa). The use of sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting indicated the immunogenicity of ESP and of the subunits (28-30 kDa). In ELISA, both rabbit hyperimmune sera recognized the ESP and (28-30 kDa) bands consistently and strongly. Both hyperimmune sera recognized most ESP subunits (80, 60, 54, 42, 35, 30, 20 and 15 kDa) in immunoblots. IHC, using light microscopy, suggested that the following worm tissues reacted strongly and positively with both antisera: amphids, tooth core, intestine, excretory gland and ducts, and hypodermis. Thus, either these are antigen-producing tissues, or antigens sharing common epitopes occur in them. The following tissues reacted weakly: body cuticle, buccal capsule cuticle, oesophagus, and also somatic muscle (non-contractile portion) perhaps due to diffusion of antigen from adjacent tissues. Preimmune serum gave a negative reaction with most worm tissues.

Ultrastructural aspects of feeding and secretion-excretion by the equine parasite Strongylus vulgaris.

Light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy were employed to provide further data on the putative origins of the immunogenic secretory-excretory product (ESP) of Strongylus vulgaris (Looss 1900). The sharply delineated but superficial attachment to the equine caecum by the mouth leaves behind an oval area devoid of epithelial cells. Attachment does not extend deeply enough to reach the muscularis mucosa layer of the equine intestine. The progressive digestion of the ingested plug of tissue (epithelial cells, blood cells and mucous) was visualized. The coelomocytes, floating cells and membranous structures located in the pseudocoelom and intimately associated with the digestive, excretory and reproductive systems, and with the somatic muscles are described. The secretory-excretory system comprises two, ventrally-located, secretory-excretory glands connected to tubular elements. These glands synthesize granules of various sizes and densities that are delineated.

Ultrastructural aspects of the oesophageal and reproductive systems of the equine parasite Strongylus vulgaris.

The ultrastructure of the dorsal oesophageal gland ampulla and its relationship with the oesophagus, oesophageal ultrastructure, and control mechanisms in oesophageal activity were studied. Terminal ducts of the sub-ventral glands open through the oesophageal crown at the base of the buccal cavity. The terminal duct of the dorsal oesophageal gland running through the dorsal gutter opens to the exterior at the rim 'groove' of the buccal capsule. The posterior oesophageal region is clavate and the cuticle of the lumen folds to form outlet valves, 'valvulae'. An inconspicuous oesophago-intestinal valve (three lobes) connects oesophagus and intestine and is visualized in the open and shut position. In the female reproductive tract, with the exception of the uterus, the cells lie on a thick, irregular (convoluted) basal lamina. The apical plasma membrane of the uterus, and seminal receptacle, extend into the lumen by microvilli-like projections with which spermatozoa make intimate contact. The lumen of the uterus is filled with oocytes, fertilized and unfertilized. Testicular cells have two parts linked by a rachis. Spermatocytes are elongated with a large nucleus, distinct nuclear membrane, and many granules. The apical membrane of the rachis forms long microvilli-like projections with balloon-like tips. The amoeboid spermatozoa contain membrane specializations, a nucleus devoid of a membrane, and are enclosed by a pseudopodial-like extension.