Reproductive losses in a beef herd of 857 heifers with a pregnancy rate of 86.3% are described. After pregnancy testing, 69 abortions were seen during a 3 month period. Before calving season, three heifers had delivered pre-mature non-viable calves. Serum samples from 58 of 69 aborted heifers were available for serological tests. In order to compare the seroprevalence in non-aborted vs. aborted heifers, 214 pregnant animals were bleed during the abortion storm. In addition, blood samples were collected from two heifers with pre-mature calves and from 16 heifers with their calves prior to colostrum intake. All available serum samples were tested for Neospora caninum antibodies using an indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Fifty-nine of 290 (20.3%) evaluated heifers were seropositive. Heifers that aborted and heifers with pre-mature calves were more likely to be seropositive than pregnant heifers and heifers with normal calves [odds ratio (OR), 12.01; 95% CI, 6.18-23.30]. Vaginal mucus from four aborted heifers, and samples from two aborted foetuses and three pre-mature calves were available. Laboratory tests for Tritrichomonas foetus, bacterial and viral isolation, and histological examination were performed. Culture from vaginal mucus and foetal samples were negative. Histological lesions consistent with neosporosis and positive immunohistochemistry (IHC) to N. caninum were found in one aborted foetus and in one pre-mature calf. It is the first description of reproductive losses because of N. caninum in beef herds in Argentina.

Abstract. Poisoning of domestic animals happens frequently in the southeast of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). Intoxications are produced mainly by the ingestion of plants and mycotoxins, but animals are rarely affected simultaneously by both types of agents. One herd of pigs suffered simultaneous intoxications by ergot alkaloids from Claviceps purpurea sclerotia and furocoumarins from Ammi majus seeds. Pigs were fed a diet composed of wheat (poor quality) or corn and protein and vitamin supplements. This diet was completed with forage sorghum. Nervous signs were first observed 5-7 days after the initiation of feeding the suspect ration. These signs were followed by cutaneous irritation. Snout ulcers, eyelid edema, and conjunctivitis were observed in several piglets. Ten days after the start of feeding the incriminated ration, 8 abortions were observed. Many of the sows that were nursing piglets developed udder edema and teat cracking. Dermal lesions were observed in most of the animals with unpigmented areas in the skin but not in a Duroc-Jersey boar. Removal of the incriminated diet and feeding of another diet prepared with good-quality wheat allowed all the animals to recover in 15 days. The herd experienced normal pregnancies and parturitions, litter sizes, and piglet weights when fed a cleaned portion of the poor-quality wheat. No photosensitization lesions were observed. Examination of impurities in the suspected wheat indicated the presence of 2.2% of A. majus seeds and 0.14% of C. purpurea sclerotia. The quantitative analysis indicated the presence of 3.2 g xanthotoxin and 0.65 g bergaptene/100 g A. majus seeds and 0.73 g ergot alkaloids (expressed as ergonovine) per 100 g of C. purpurea sclerotia. Qualitative analysis demonstrated the presence of ergotamine, ergocristine, and ergonovine. These results indicate that clinical signs and lesions were caused by the ingestion of large quantities of these biologically active compounds.

Waste grain and vegetative material (stems and leaves) collected from a maize field several months after harvest was analysed by bi-dimensional thin layer chromatography for the presence of aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, ochratoxin A, sterigmatocystin, T-2 toxin and zearalenone. Deoxinivalenol (0.7 mg/kg) and T-2 toxin (4.1 mg/kg) were found in the grain and zearalenone (3.0 mg/ kg) was found in the stem and leaf. No other toxins were detected. The stubble was examined for the presence of potentially toxigenic Fusarium species, and F. poae, F. moniliforme var. subglutinans and F. crookwellense were isolated and identified. When these isolates were cultured on cracked corn, only F. crookwellense was found to produce micotoxins and then only zearalenone was detected. As corn stubble is commonly grazed in Argentina and in other countries, these findings identify a further source of mycotoxins that may adversely affect animal health and productivity.

<p>El cipionato de estradiol (CPE) ha sido utilizado para reemplazar al benzoato de estradiol (BE) administrado vía IM 24 h después de retirado el dispositivo intravaginal con progesterona (DISP), sin afectar los porcentajes de preñez. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de dos dosis de CPE inyectado al retirar un DISP, sobre el porcentaje de preñez post inseminación artificial a tiempo fijo (IATF). Como objetivo secundario, se planteó comparar la eficiencia reproductiva de los tratamientos utilizados. Se emplearon 79 vaquillonas de 15 meses de edad. El día 0, se les colocó un DISP más BE. El día 7 se retiró el DISP, se administró D(+) cloprostenol y en forma aleatoria se inyectó 0,5 mg de CPE, 1 mg de CPE o BE 24 h después. Para la IATF (52–56 h) se utilizó semen proveniente de un toro de probada fertilidad. El día 22 se colocó a todas las vaquillonas un DISP de segundo uso, retirándolo 7 días después. Se continuó con detección de celo e IA. El diagnóstico de gestación se realizó por ultrasonografía en dos oportunidades para evaluar preñez de IATF y retorno, así como para verificar mortalidad embrionaria. Se evaluó el efecto de los tratamientos sobre la preñez a la IATF, del retorno y final. No se observaron efectos del tratamiento (p&gt;0,05) sobre los porcentajes de preñez a la IATF (51,9%), del retorno (61,1%) y final (65,8%). Se observó un 7,3% de pérdidas embrionarias (p&gt;0,05). Se concluye que la administración de 0,5 o 1 mg de CPE al retirar un DISP con progesterona en lugar de BE a las 24 h posteriores es igualmente efectiva para implementar una IATF. Además, no resulta afectada la eficiencia reproductiva del rodeo. </p>

Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron evaluar el uso de la gonadotrofina coriónica equina (eCG) administrada al retirar un dispositivo intravaginal con progesterona (DISP) y el efecto del inseminador, en vacas con cría, sin cuerpo lúteo. El día 0, se seleccionaron mediante ecografía vacas sin cuerpo lúteo (n=223), se determinó la condición corporal (CC) y se colocó un DISP (1,2 g de progesterona, EMEFUR®, Merial) más 2 mg de benzoato de estradiol (BE; EMEFUR®, Merial) im. El día 8 se retiró el DISP, se administró (im) 0,15 mg de D (+) Cloprostenol (EMEFUR®, Laboratorio Merial) y los animales se distribuyeron aleatoriamente teniendo en cuenta la CC (=4 o 5-6) y la estructura ovárica predominante (Folículos -F- &lt; o ≥ 10 mm) para recibir o no (Control) 400 UI de eCG (Novormon, Syntex SA). El día 9 se aplicó 1 mg de BE im y los animales fueron inseminados a tiempo fijo (IATF) a las 52-56 h post-retiro del DISP. El diagnóstico de gestación se realizó mediante ecografía a los 28 días post IATF. Se evaluó el porcentaje de preñez según Tratamiento (eCG y control), CC (4 y 5-6), estructura ovárica predominante (EO, folículos -F- &lt;10 mm y F≥10 mm), Inseminador (A y B) y sus interacciones. Para las estadísticas se utilizó el PROC CATMOD del SAS, fijando un nivel de confianza del 95% (α=0,05). No se observaron diferencias significativas para Tratamiento (eCG: 48,6%; Control: 45,5%), CC (4: 37,0%; 5-6: 49,7%) y EO (F&lt;10mm: 45,8%; F≥10mm: 47,6%) (p&gt;0,05). Hubo efecto del Inseminador (A: 53,8%; B: 25,0%; p&lt;0,05). Se concluye que la administración de eCG al final de un tratamiento para IATF en vacas con cría de condición corporal de 4 a 6 y folículos como estructura ovárica predominante, no mejora el porcentaje de preñez. Por el contrario, el técnico inseminador es un factor importante que afecta la eficiencia reproductiva.