In 11 male reindeer, all esposed to transportation stress, signs of conjunctivitis and later on ulcerative and necrotizing lesions of the mucosa of the nostrils and mouth were recorded. Blood and secretions from the nose were sampled. Antibodies to bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) were detected in 2 animals. No animal had antibodies to bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV). Virus isolation was negative. The sampling was repeated 2 weeks later and complemented with biopsies from the mouth lesions, fixed in formalin. At this occasion 3 animals were seropositive to BHV-1 and in biopsies from 2 of these intranuclear herpesvirus-like particles were found by means of electron microscopy. Four animals, 3 of them seropositive, were treated with cortison during 8 days. The size of the ulcers in the mouth increased in all animals. A herpesvirus was isolated from 3 of them at 10 different occasions. The ultrastructural investigation of the virus suspension demonstrated the presence of typical herpesvirus particles. On day 11 all 4 animals suffered from a severe diarrhoea and anorexia. On day 12 one animal died and on day 13 post challenge with cortison two additional animals died. The remaining animal was slaughtered on day 13. Bacteriological investigation revealed growth of Fusobacterium necrophorum from the spleen and oral wounds of all 4 animals. The animals were obviously subjected to an infection with a herpesvirus colsely related to BHV-1. Virus could be liberated by cortison treatment. It is possible that infections with the found herpesvirus, and the lesions caused by it, may be the background to earlier recorded severe outbreaks of necrobacillosis of the alimentary tract in reindeer herds

Four anthelmintic preparations were tested against some of the most important parasites of reindeer, i.e. warble fly (Oedemagena tarandi), nostril fly (Cephenemyia trompe), brainworm (Elaphostrongylus rangiferi), and lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus). Their efficacy against intestinal nematodes was also registered. Test drugs were Fenthion (Bayer), Fenbendazole (Hoechst), Mebendazole (Janssen), and Ivermectin (Merk Sharp & Dohme). Against O. tarandi and C. trompe Ivermectin was 100% effective and Fenthion 86 and 100% respectively. The efficacy of Fen- and Mebendazole against these parasites was not significant. Against E. rangiferi the benzimidazole compounds were highly effective, with Mebendazole a bit ahead. Ivermectin had a moderate effect and Fenthion had no effect on this parasite. Against D. viviparus Fenbendazole, Mebendazole and Ivermectin were of equal, moderate-high effectiveness. No drug had a complete effect on the «arrested» larvae of D. viviparus. Fenthion had no effect at all. Fenbendazole and Ivermectin were both 100% effective against intestinal nematodes. Mebendazole was less effective and Fenthion had no effects. Ivermectin is considered to be the overall most effective anthelmintic in this test.

En jamforande studie av effekten av fyra anthelmintika mot några betydelsesfulla parasiter hos ren.

Abstract in Swedish / Sammandrag: Fyra antiparasitmedel har prôvats mot några av renens viktigaste parasiter, nàmligen hudkorm (Oedemagena tarandi), svalgkorm (Cephenemyia trompe), hjårnmask (Elaphostrongylus rangiferi) och lungmask (Dictyocaulus viviparus). Vidare har medlens effekt på mag- tarmnematoder (Trichostongylider) också noterats. De prôvade medicinerna var Fenthion (Bayer), Mebendazole (Leo/Janssen), Fenbendazole (Hoechst) och Ivermectin (Merck Sharp & Dohme). Mot hud- och svalgkorm var Ivermectin 100% effektivt medan for Fenthion effekten var 86 resp 100%. Effekten av Fen- och Mebendazole mot de båda parasiterna var inte signifikant. Mot hjårnmask noterades mycket hôg effekt av Mebendazole och aven Fenbendazole medan Ivermectin hade något såmre effekt med den valda doseringen. Fenthion hade ingen effekt på denna parasit. Mot lungmask visade Fenbendazole och Ivermectin god effekt medan Mebendazole visade något lagre effekt. Inget av preparaten hade dock fullgod verkan på de vilande inaktiva 5:te stadiets larverna av denna parasit. Fenthion hade ingen effekt. Mot mag-tarmnematoder var Fenbendazole och Ivermectin 100% effektiva medan Mebendazole hade en något làgre, delvis undertryckande effekt. Fenthion hade ingen effekt. Ivermectin får anses vara det allmånt sett effektivaste maskmedlet i denna undersokning.

Vertailevatutkielma neljan loislaakeaineen vaikutuksesta muutamia tarkeita porojen loisia vastaan.

Abstract in Finnish / Yhteenveto: On kokeiltu neljaa loislaakeainetta muutamia porojen tarkeinpia loisia vastaan, nimittain...

Serological investigations on different cervidae have indicated the presence of several viruses common in domestic ruminants (

Induced responses in plants, initiated by herbivory, create potential for trait‐mediated indirect interactions among herbivores. Responses to an initial herbivore may change a number of plant traits that subsequently alter ecological processes with additional herbivores. Although common, indirect interactions between taxonomically distant herbivores, such as mammals and insects, are less studied than between taxonomically related species (i.e., insect–insect). In terms of mammal–insect interactions, effects on insect numbers (e.g., density) are relatively well studied, whereas effects on performance (e.g., fecundity) are rarely explored. Moreover, few studies have explored mammal–insect interactions on coniferous plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mammalian induced responses on insect performance. We specifically investigated the effect of moose (Alces alces) browsing on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and subsequent effects on sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer) performance. Sawfly larvae were reared on browsed, clipped, and unbrowsed control pine trees in a controlled field experiment. Afterward, cocoon weight was measured. Needle C:N ratio and di‐terpene content were measured in response to browsing. Sawfly performance was enhanced on trees browsed by moose. Cocoon weight (proxy for fecundity) was 9 and 13% higher on browsed and clipped trees compared to unbrowsed trees. Cocoon weight was weakly related to needle C:N ratio, and browsed trees had lower a C:N ratio compared to unbrowsed trees. Needle di‐terpene content, known to affect sawfly performance, was neither affected by the browsing treatments nor did it correlate with sawfly weight. We conclude that mammalian herbivory can affect insect herbivore performance, with potential consequences for ecological communities and with particular importance for insect population dynamics. The measured plant variables could not fully explain the effect on sawfly performance providing a starting point for the consideration of additional plant responses induced by mammalian browsing affecting insect performance.

An attempt was made to assess the level of heavy metal transfer from forage plants to reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) in an area in northern Lapland affected from dust from an open pit copper mine. Botanical analyses of rumen contents from reindeer provided information about the main plant species in the diet. Representative plant material was collected from sample plots within an 8 km radius from the central part of the mine and from a reference area situated about 200 km upwind of the mining site. The following plant species were analysed: Bryoria jremontii, Br. juscescens, Cladina rangiferina, Equisetum fluviatile, Descbampsiaflexuosa, Eriopborum vaginatum, Salix glauca, Salix pbylicifolia, Betula nana, and Vaccini-um myrtillus. The greatest difference between metal concentrations in the plants collected from dust contaminated area and from the reference area was found in lichens. Copper is the main metallic component of the ore and was found in higher concentrations in lichens coming from the area around the mine than in lichens from the reference area. Smaller differences were found in vascular plants. Dust particles, remaining on outer surfaces after snow smelt contributed to a limited extent to the metal contents. Species—specific accumulation of metals was observed in some plants. The uptake of lead and cadmium in some vascular plants was somewhat higher in the reference area compared with plants growing in the perifery of the mining center, probably due to the metal concentrations in the bedrock. Organ material (liver and kidney) was collected from reindeer in both areas. No noticable effect on metal concentrations in the liver of the reindeer were found. Although the lead, cadmium and copper concentrations were higher in the organs collected from animals in the reference area than in those from the mining area, the levels were still below the concentrations regarded as harmful for the animals from toxicological point of view. The material collected during this study would also lend itself to research into the trace element nutrition of the reindeer