Dairy calves in the western United States are commonly raised individually in wooden hutches with a space allowance of 1.23m(2)/calf. Recent legislative initiatives in California and across the United States were passed regarding concern over space allowance for farm animals. The objective of this study was to determine if rearing male Holstein calves in wooden hutches modified to increase space allowance would influence measures of performance, lying time per day, health, and respiratory immunocompetence. At 4d of age, 60 calves were randomly assigned to 1 of 3housing treatments: (1) conventional housing (CONV; 1.23m(2)/calf), (2) 1.5 × CONV (MOD; 1.85m(2)/calf), or (3) 3 × CONV (MAX; 3.71m(2)/calf). Intakes of milk and solid feed were recorded daily and body weight was measured at 0, 3, 6, 10, and 12 wk of age. For the first 3 wk of the trial, calves were scored daily for fecal consistency, hydration, and hide cleanliness. In addition, calves were scored for respiratory health (i.e., nasal and eye discharge, ear position) until 7 wk of age. The total lying duration per day was recorded using data loggers at 3, 6, and 10 wk of age. Eight clinically healthy calves from each treatment were sensitized with subcutaneous ovalbumin (OVA) and then challenged with aerosolized OVA to assess calf respiratory immunity at 11 wk of age. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected 4d after the OVA challenge and analyzed for leukocyte differentials and OVA-specific IgG, IgG1, IgA, and IgE. Calf average daily gain and body weight were positively associated with space allowance at approximately 3 wk before weaning and throughout postweaning, respectively. A greater space allowance decreased lying time after 46d. Space allowance did not influence fecal consistency, but there was a tendency for MAX calves to take 1d longer to recover from loose feces than MOD calves. The MAX calves had the fewest (%) observations with feces on their body compared with CONV or MOD. At 3 wk of age, peripheral eosinophil concentrations decreased with increased space allowance. However, observations (%) of eye discharge increased with greater space allowance. Among calves challenged with OVA, MOD calves had the least BALF OVA-IgE, and the percent of BALF eosinophils decreased with increased space allowance. Increased space allowance for calves raised in wooden hutches may improve some measures of calf performance, health, and respiratory immunocompetence.

Pyomyositis is a disease of abscess formation deep within large striated muscles. Outside of the tropics it is a rare disease which occurs mainly in certain patient populations such as the immunosuppressed or intravenous drug users (IDUs). A case of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) pyomyositis in an IDU is described. The incidence of both CA-MRSA and pyomyositis is currently increasing. To the authors' knowledge this is the first reported case of CA-MRSA pyomyositis in the UK. Cases of CA-MRSA pyomyositis are likely to increase and it may be necessary to empirically treat certain patients with glycopeptides.

Inorganic P is often added to growing horse diets because organic P, or phytate-P, is believed to have lower digestibility. If horses can efficiently digest organic P, then the need for inorganic P may be reduced. Much of the P in grain-based concentrates fed to growing horses is in the form of phytate-P. Little is known about the ability of growing horses to degrade phytate-P or whether horse age affects mineral digestion in horses. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of age on P, Ca, and Mg digestibility as well as phytate-P degradation. Four yearling geldings and 4 mature geldings were fed a diet of alfalfa cubes, timothy cubes, and a pelleted concentrate. The diet contained 0.28% total P and 17.4% of that P was in the phytate form. There was a 14-d diet adaptation period followed by a 4-d fecal collection period. Apparent total tract P digestibility was higher for yearlings than mature geldings ( = 0.036; 7.7 and -6.6% for yearlings and mature geldings, respectively). Phytate-P disappearance was 94.8% and did not differ between ages ( = 0.190). Apparent Ca digestibility was lower in mature geldings ( = 0.043), but apparent Mg digestibility did not differ between ages ( = 0.414). Phytate is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract, but the low P digestibilities suggest that either degradation occurs after the site of P absorption or liberated P is recycled back into the gastrointestinal tract. Yearlings can utilize organic P as well as mature horses; therefore, diets without inorganic P are acceptable for growing horses.

Minerals excreted in feces have the potential to leach or runoff to water-ways, negatively impacting water quality. This study examined the effect of dietary trace mineral levels, and their source, on the leaching potential of minerals from equine feces. Nine horses were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin Square, with three dietary treatments provided as pellets: no added trace minerals (CON), added inorganic trace minerals (ING), and added organic trace minerals (ORG). Supplemental trace minerals included Co, Cu, Mn, and Zn. Horses were allowed ad libitum access to forage and fed their treatment pellets for 16 days prior to fecal sample collection. Estimated dietary mineral intake exceeded requirements for supplemented minerals. Regardless of the source, adding dietary trace minerals increased the fecal leaching potential of Cu, Zn, and P (p < 0.05). More Co leached from ORG compared to ING, while Zn leached in greater amounts from ING compared to ORG (p < 0.05). Fecal bacterial Zn content was greater (p < 0.05) for ORG compared to ING. Negative correlations were observed between bacterial mineral content and leaching for several minerals. Supplementing trace minerals in forms that increase microbial incorporation may provide a strategy to control fecal mineral leaching.Sustainability 2019, 11, 7107 2 of 12 commonly available organic trace minerals used in domestic animal diets include Co, Cu, Mn, Fe, and Zn [13]. The value of replacing inorganic trace minerals with organic sources can include the increased bioavailability of the mineral to the animal, and also increased availability for uptake by intestinal microorganisms. An increase in the bioavailability of the mineral might result in less mineral being excreted, depending on the biological need for that mineral by the horse. Increased uptake by microbes is believed to reduce the solubility of the mineral and could thus have an impact on the leaching potential of that mineral, as shown in soil microbial communities and P leaching potential [14,15]. However, the effect of the trace mineral source on the leaching potential of equine manure has not been investigated.The objective of this study was to examine the effect of trace mineral level and source (inorganic or organic) on fecal mineral excretion, bacterial mineral incorporation, and fecal mineral leaching potential. The hypothesis was that the supplementation of trace minerals to well above recommended amounts [12] would increase the fecal excretion of those minerals and that organic trace minerals would reduce leaching potential. Materials and MethodsThe animal part of this study was approved the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the University of Kentucky.Nine mature geldings (mean ± SD; 9.1 ± 2.1 years; 600.9 ± 50.6 kg initial body weight (BW)) were blocked by age into three groups. The groups were housed in pastures containing cool-season grasses and clovers. When the pasture supply was not sufficient due to changes in season, grass hay that was cut from the same farm was supplied in the fo...

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