Response of free eggs on infective juvenile root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica through neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) amended soil

Air-dried and 3 mm pore size sieved soil was amended with neem crude formulations (leaves and cake) @ 3% w/w and a refined product, aza @ 0.05 and 0.1 w/w. Three days after treatment, 500 eggs of M. javanica held in 2 ml water were added in each dish. In another experiment, soil was amended with neem crude formulations @ 10. 5, 2.5 and 1% w/w and refined formulation aza @ 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5% w/w. Three days after amendment 1000 plus minus 21 freshly hatched J2 held in 3 ml water were added to the amended soil. Untreated soil was kept as control. Comparison of treatments means showed that all the neem formulations caused significant reduction of hatching. Neem crude formulations were more effective in reducing hatching as compared to commercial product aza. Among the crude formulations, neem leaves were most effective in reducing hatching. In other experiment all the doses of neem crude and refined formulations differed significantly with control in reducing the mobility of juveniles. It was observed that by increasing the dose of the formulations the mobility was reduced accordingly.

Effects of schistosoma mansoni worms and eggs on circulating cholesterol and liver lipids in mice

It has previously been shown that experimental infections of the parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni, the adult worms of which reside in the blood stream of the mammalian host, significantly reduced atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E gene knockout (apoE(-/-)) mice. These effects occurred in tandem with a lowering of serum total cholesterol levels in both apoE(-/-) and random-bred laboratory mice and a beneficial increase in the proportion of HDL to LDL cholesterol. To better understand how the parasitic infections induce these effects we have here investigated the involvement of adult worms and their eggs on lipids in the host. Our results indicate that the serum cholesterol-lowering effect is mediated by factors released from S. mansoni eggs, while the presence of adult worms seemed to have had little or no effect. It was also observed that high levels of lipids, particularly triacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters, present in the uninfected livers of both random-bred and apoE(-/-) mice fed a high-fat diet were not present in livers of the schistosome-infected mice. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beak trimming reduces feeding efficiency of hens

The ability of beak-trimmed and intact laying hens to ingest feed pellets was examined by highspeed video filming of feeding birds. The birds were exposed to either a deep layer of pellets or a single layer of pellets. In the single layer treatment, there was a negative correlation between mandible asymmetry and feeding success. These data have important implications for poultry welfare, since the degree of bill asymmetry caused by beak trimming may, under certain circumstances, result in inadvertent feed deprivation.

Lethality of essential oil constituents towards the human louse, Pediculus humanus, and its eggs

Essential oils have been widely used in traditional medicine for the eradication of lice, including head lice, but due to the variability of their constitution the effects may not be reproducible. In an attempt to assess the contribution of their component monoterpenoids, a range of common individual compounds were tested in in vitro toxicity model against both human lice (Pediculus humanus, an accepted model of head lice lethality) and their eggs, at different concentrations. No detailed study into the relative potencies of their constituent terpenoids has so far been published. Adult lice were observed for lack of response to stimuli over 3 h and the LT50 calculated, and the percentage of eggs failing to hatch was used to generate ovicidal activity data. A ranking was compiled for adult lice and partially for eggs, enabling structure-activity relationships to be assessed for lethality to both, and showed that, for activity in both life-cycle stages, different structural criteria were required. (+)-Terpinen-4-ol was the most effective compound against adult lice, followed by other mono-oxygenated monocyclic compounds, whereas nerolidol was particularly lethal to eggs, but ineffective against adult lice. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of Salmonella enteritidis in eggs by the polymerase chain reaction

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the specific detection of the gene sequence, sefA, encoded by all isolates of Salmonella enteritidis, was developed. The PCR could detect as few as four S enteritidis washed bacterial cells but egg contents inhibited the PCR. Eggs spiked with 50 S enteritidis bacterial cells were homogenised, inoculated into buffered peptone water and grown at 37 degrees C for 16 hours, when the PCR was successful. A positive internal control was developed to differentiate between true and false negative PCR results for the detection of S enteritidis. In a limited trial of the egg handling procedures and the PCR, one of 250 chickens' eggs from retail outlets was found to be contaminated with S enteritidis.

Growth of Salmonella enteritidis in artificially contaminated eggs: the effects of inoculum size and suspending media

Growth profiles of two isolates of Salmonella enteritidis phage type (PT) 4 inoculated into either the albumen of whole shell eggs or into separated albumen were found to be markedly affected by the size of the inoculum and the composition of the medium used to suspend the cells prior to inoculation. Using our model with an inoculum of two cells, multiplication of the Salmonella was not seen in 93% of eggs held at 20 degreesC for 8 days. In approximately 7% of eggs, however, growth occurred during the 8 days of storage. If the inoculum equaled or exceeded 25 cells per egg when eggs were subsequently stored at 20 degreesC, or 250 cells per egg when eggs were stored at 30 degreesC, high levels of growth of Salmonella in the egg occurred significantly more frequently than when the inoculum was two cells. High levels of growth were also seen more frequently if the inoculum was suspended in buffered peptone water or maximal recovery diluent rather than in phosphate buffered saline. Growth of Salmonella in separated albumen occurred very infrequently (1.1% of samples) at low inoculum levels and did not become significant until the inoculum was 250 cells or greater. Growth in the albumen was unaffected by the composition of the suspending medium. Provided that the inoculum was approximately 2 cells per egg and the bacteria were suspended in PBS, observed growth profiles of S. enteritidis inoculated into the albumen of whole eggs resembled those in naturally contaminated eggs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Flagella and curli fimbriae are important for the growth of Salmonella enterica serovars in hen eggs

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is unable to multiply in the albumen of fresh eggs and must gain access to the yolk contents in order to multiply to a high level (> 10(6) c.f.u. per ml egg contents). As human Salmonella infections resulting from the consumption of infected eggs more frequently involve serovar Enteritidis phage type (PT) 4 than other serovars or PTs, a number of isolates of various S. enterica serovars were examined for their ability to multiply to a high level in eggs over a period of 8 days storage at 20 degreesC. Their behaviour was compared to that of a range of defined fimbrial and flagella mutants of S. Enteritidis. Strains that did not express flagella were unable to multiply in eggs, and those deficient for curli fimbriae, including strains of S. Enteritidis PT6, displayed high-level growth in significantly fewer eggs than those able to express curli. Most S. Enteritidis strains multiplied to a high level in between 5 and 10 % of eggs during 8 days storage. One PT4 strain, though, showed high levels of growth in more than 25 % of eggs over this period, significantly higher than the other PTs or the two other isolates of PT4 tested. This ability may be important for the association of PT4 infection with the consumption of eggs.

Analysis of wave phenomena in a morphogenetic mechanochemical model and an application to post-fertilization waves on eggs

Wave solutions to a mechanochemical model for cytoskeletal activity are studied and the results applied to the waves of chemical and mechanical activity that sweep over an egg shortly after fertilization. The model takes into account the calcium-controlled presence of actively contractile units in the cytoplasm, and consists of a viscoelastic force equilibrium equation and a conservation equation for calcium. Using piecewise linear caricatures, we obtain analytic solutions for travelling waves on a strip and demonstrate uiat the full nonlinear system behaves as predicted by the analytic solutions. The equations are solved on a sphere and the numerical results are similar to the analytic solutions. We indicate how the speed of the waves can be used as a diagnostic tool with which the chemical reactivity of the egg surface can be measured.

Consumer attitudes to injurious pecking in free range egg production

Free range egg producers face continuing problems from injurious pecking (IP) which has financial consequences for farmers and poor welfare implications for birds. Beak trimming has been practised for many years to limit the damage caused by IP, but with the UK Government giving notification that they intend to ban beak trimming in 2016, considerable efforts have been made to devise feasible housing, range and management strategies to reduce IP. A recent research project investigated the efficacy of a range of IP reducing management strategies, the mean costs of which came to around 5 pence per bird. Here, the results of the above project’s consumer survey are presented: consumers’ attitudes to free range egg production are detailed showing that, whilst consumers had a very positive attitude towards free range eggs, they were especially uninformed about some aspects of free range egg production. The contingent valuation technique was used to estimate the price premium consumers would be prepared to pay to ensure that hens do not suffer from IP: this was calculated as just over 3% on top of the prevailing retail price of free range eggs. These findings reinforce other studies that have found that whilst consumers are not generally well-informed about certain specific welfare problems faced by animals under free range conditions, they are prepared to pay to improve animal welfare. Indeed, the study findings suggest that producers could obtain an additional price premium if they demonstrate the welfare provenance of their eggs, perhaps through marketing the eggs as coming from birds with intact beaks. This welfare provenance issue could usefully be assured to consumers by the introduction of a mandatory, single, accredited EU-wide welfare-standards labelling scheme.

Drinking water application of Denargard Tiamulin for control of Brachyspira pilosicoli infection of laying poultry

Avian intestinal spirochaetosis (AIS) caused by Brachyspira spp., and notably Brachyspira pilosicoli, is common in layer flocks and reportedly of increasing incidence in broilers and broiler breeders. Disease manifests as diar- rhoea, increased feed consumption, reduced growth rates and occasional mortality in broilers and these signs are shown in layers also associated with a delayed onset of lay, reduced egg weights, faecal staining of eggshells and non-productive ovaries. Treatment with Denagard® Tiamulin has been used to protect against B. pilosicoli colonisation, persistence and clinical presentation of AIS in commercial layers, but to date there has been no de- finitive study validating efficacy. Here, we used a poultry model of B. pilosicoli infection of layers to compare the impact of three doses of Denagard® Tiamulin. Four groups of thirty 17 week old commercial pre-lay birds were all challenged with B. pilosicoli strain B2904 with three oral doses two days apart. All birds were colonised within 2 days after the final oral challenge and mild onset of clinical signs were observed thereafter. A fifth group that was unchallenged and untreated was also included for comparison as healthy birds. Five days after the final oral Brachypira challenge three groups were given Denagard® Tiamulin in drinking water made up following the manufacturer's recommendations with doses verified as 58.7 ppm, 113 ppm and 225 ppm. Weight gain body condition and the level of diarrhoea of birds infected with B. pilosicoli were improved and shedding of the organism reduced significantly (p = 0.001) following treatment with Denagard® Tiamulin irrespective of dose given. The level and duration of colonisation of organs of birds infected with B. pilosicoli was also reduced. Confirming previous findings we showed that the ileum, caeca, colon, and both liver and spleen were colonised and here we demonstrated that treatment with Denagard® Tiamulin resulted in significant reduction in the numbers of Brachyspira found in each of these sites and dramatic reduction in faecal shedding (p b 0.001) to ap- proaching zero as assessed by culture of cloacal swabs. Although the number of eggs produced per bird and the level of eggshell staining appeared unaffected, egg weights of treated birds were greater than those of untreated birds for a period of approximately two weeks following treatment. These data conclusively demonstrate the ef- fectiveness of Denagard® Tiamulin in reducing B. pilosicoli infection in laying hens.

Drinking water application of Denagard® Tiamulin for control of Brachyspira pilosicoli infection of laying poultry

Avian intestinal spirochaetosis (AIS) caused by Brachyspira spp., and notably Brachyspira pilosicoli, is common in layer flocks and reportedly of increasing incidence in broilers and broiler breeders. Disease manifests as diarrhoea,increased feed consumption, reduced growth rates and occasional mortality in broilers and these signs are shown in layers also associated with a delayed onset of lay, reduced egg weights, faecal staining of eggshells and non-productive ovaries. Treatment with Denagard® Tiamulin has been used to protect against B. pilosicoli colonisation, persistence and clinical presentation of AIS in commercial layers, but to date there has been no definitive study validating efficacy. Here, we used a poultry model of B. pilosicoli infection of layers to compare the impact of three doses of Denagard® Tiamulin. Four groups of thirty 17 week old commercial pre-lay birds were all challengedwith B. pilosicoli strain B2904with three oral doses two days apart. All birdswere colonised within 2 days after the final oral challenge and mild onset of clinical signs were observed thereafter. A fifth group that was unchallenged and untreated was also included for comparison as healthy birds. Five days after the final oral Brachypira challenge three groups were given Denagard® Tiamulin in drinking water made up following the manufacturer's recommendations with doses verified as 58.7 ppm, 113 ppm and 225 ppm. Weight gain body condition and the level of diarrhoea of birds infected with B. pilosicoli were improved and shedding of the organism reduced significantly (p = 0.001) following treatment with Denagard® Tiamulin irrespective of dose given. The level and duration of colonisation of organs of birds infected with B. pilosicoli was also reduced. Confirming previous findings we showed that the ileum, caeca, colon, and both liver and spleen were colonised and here we demonstrated that treatment with Denagard® Tiamulin resulted in significant reduction in the numbers of Brachyspira found in each of these sites and dramatic reduction in faecal shedding (p b 0.001) to approaching zero as assessed by culture of cloacal swabs. Although the number of eggs produced per bird and the level of eggshell staining appeared unaffected, egg weights of treated birds were greater than those of untreated birds for a period of approximately two weeks following treatment. These data conclusively demonstrate the effectiveness of Denagard® Tiamulin in reducing B. pilosicoli infection in laying hens.