THE USING EFFICIENCY OF PROBIOTICS, BASED ON LACTIC ACID BACTERIA, DURING THE RATION COMPOSITION CHANGE PERIOD AT THE LACTATION TRANSIT PHASE in DAIRY COWS

In a scientific and economic experiment, it was studied the effect of the multifunctional probiotic preparation Bionorm K on the stabilizing digestion process and dairy cow milk productivity-increasing during the transition from one ration composition to another. The probiotic drug Bionorm K is a multi-strain product, which consists of 14 strains of bifidobacteria and lactobacillus. Moreover, it has a protective shell, which retains the microorganism activity after passing the acid barrier of the cow's abomasum. It was found that the diet probiotic addition is advisable to start from the first day after calving and continues for 45 days in a dose of 5 g per head per day. The experimental group animals outpaced the control animals by the consumption of dry matter of the diet by 2.6 %. At the same time, the likelihood of developing digestive disorders and the incidence of diarrhea is reduced by 2-2.5 times. At the end of the studies, none of the cows suffered from digestive upsets. Besides, cows, which injected the probiotic to the ration, had improved the ruminative processes due to an increase in the frequency of their contractions compared to the control. Already on the fifth day, the number of ruminal contractions at the experimental animals was 12.5% higher than the control. The higher intensity of rumen work at the experimental cows was maintained during the entire time of probiotic addition into the diet, although the difference with the control was constantly decreasing. The feed probiotic addition promotes a gradual increase in milk production by 7.64 % and an increase in the fat level in milk by 0.02 % compared to the control. At the same time, feed costs of 1 kg of milk decreased by 5.6 %. The probiotic stabilizes the biochemical composition of the cow blood quickly and increases the gamma globulin level at blood serum, which indicates an increase in the immune status of cows in the experimental group.

Effects of Tetracycline on Ruminal Activity and Blood Calcium in Sheep

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of tetracycline administration on the frequency of ruminal contractions and serum calcium concentrations. Rumen contractions were monitored by auscultation in 23 sheep prior to the administration of oxytetracycline and recorded every 12 hours for 84 hours after the intramuscular injection of the antibiotic. The blood for calcium analyses was collected by venipuncture of the jugular vein before and at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after the administration of oxytetracycline. The serum calcium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyse the time effect of tetracycline treatment on the rumen contractions and serum calcium concentrations. There was a significant decrease (P < 0.01) in ruminal contractions following the application of oxytetracycline, with a maximum decrease at 24 hours following oxytetracycline application and a return to the initial rumen contraction frequency by 60—72 hours following the oxytetracycline application. The oxytetracycline administration resulted in a serum calcium decrease from 2.42 mmol.l–1 to 2.26 mmol.l–1 24 hours after the administration (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the administration of tetracycline in sheep can be associated with a decline in ruminal motility potentially causing production losses, particularly in lactating ewes. Despite the resulting transient production decreases, oxytetracycline remains the antibiotic drug of choice for the treatment of bacterial infections in small ruminants, including foot rot especially.

Evaluation of analgesic and sedative effects of repeated and increasing doses of xylazine HCl in sheep

Five clinically healthy Akkaraman rams were used. Xylazine was administered intramuscularly at an initial dose of 0.4 mg/kg to induce sedation. The second, third and fourth doses were 20% larger than the previous dose, that is, 0.48, 0.57 and 0.68 mg/kg doses, respectively. They were administered intramuscularly four times at 4-day intervals. The rectal temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate, as well as the rumen motility of all animals, were evaluated before and after xylazine administration. The depths of sedation and analgesia and the control of reflexes, along with various biochemical parameters, were studied. Although the respiration rate increased until the 15th min, it approached the control value at the 30th min and decreased after the 45th min. Ruminal contractions progressively decreased from the 5th min to the 60th min. All levels of sedation were observed in all sheep. The degree of analgesic effect was 0 during mild and moderate sedation periods, and 1–2 during deep sedation. Of all biochemical parameters assessed, only the glucose concentration increased. It was therefore concluded that in order to obtain the same sedation level in sheep in the 4 days following an administration of xylazine, the previous dose should be increased by 20%.

Applied study for general inhalation anaesthesia in sheep

General inhalation anaesthesia has been evaluated in twelve local sheep, which were divided in two equal groups. First group anaesthtized by induction with intravenous injection of ( Atropine sulfate 0.4 mg/kg B.W) and after 10 to minuts ( xylazine 0.02 mg/kg . B.W.) and ( Ketamine 10 mg/kg . B.W.). While the second group has been inducted with ( xylazine 0.02 and pentobarbiton sodium 15 mg /kg B.W) with intravenons injection premidirated with (Atropine sulfate 0.4 mg/kg B.W). The general anaesthesia has been maintained in both groups with inhalation of halothane and oxygen 1-2% concentration by (( To and Fro)) inhalation closed system. The changes in the parameters of pulse rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature and ruminal contractions has been considered from time 0 to 60 minutes to evalute the general anaesthesia .xylazine and ketamine induction followed with halothane show effective and safe gerenal anaesthesia with excellent muscle relaxation , analgesia and ensured rapid and safe recovery with minium cardio-pulmonary depression .

The effect of roughage quality on intake, digestion and rumen function in sheep

In a previous experiment (Hovell et al. (1987)) it was found that with two roughages, one of good (hay) and the other of poor (straw) degradability, both ground and pelleted, that the voluntary intake of the hay was (60% greater than that of the straw. This was despite the fact that rumen DM pool sizes were very similar. The outflow of undegraded material from the rumen was much greater with the hay although particle size should not have been a constraint to outflow with either roughage (Poppi et al. (1980)), and indeed their particle size distributions were very similar. It was suggested that there might have been an effect of roughage quality on rumen outflow rate, possibly mediated through an effect on reticulo-rumen contractions.The objective of the experiment reported here was to examine the effect of roughages with different degradabilities on voluntary intake, rumen volume, rumen outflow rate, and on reticulo-ruminal contractions.

MODULATION OF RETICULO-RUMINAL MOTILITY IN GOATS AND SHEEP BY OPIOID MECHANISMS

Normorphine and naloxone were administered via selective routes in sheep and goats. The results with normorphine indicate the presence of both (1) a central action depressing frequency and amplitude and, (2) a peripheral action — probably on the intramural plexus — depressing only the amplitude of the cyclical reticulo-ruminal contractions. Key words: Sheep, goat, normorphine, naloxone, forestomach motility

INHIBITION OF FORESTOMACH MOTILITY BY SHORT-CHAIN VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS IN SHEEP

Ruminal infusions of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) abolished intrinsic forestomach contractions (vagotomized sheep) and secondary ruminal and reticular contractions at similar concentrations. Lower VFA concentrations abolished primary ruminal contractions. VFA mixtures were inhibitory by summation of individual VFA effects. Inhibition may involve direct effects on the forestomach musculature or myenteric plexus. Key words: Sheep, forestomach motility, volatile fatty acids