Numbers of Lucilia cuprina (Australian sheep blowfly), Chrysomya spp., and Calliphora spp. blowflies caught on sticky traps baited with various synthetic attractants or a standard liver/sodium sulfide attractant in western Queensland were recorded. Numbers of each genus collected were influenced by the composition of the chemical attractants. Attractant mixtures based on 2-mercaptoethanol, indole, butanoic/pentanoic acid, and a sodium sulfide solution gave 5- to 20-fold higher L. cuprina catches than the liver standard. These blends attracted similar numbers of Chrysomya spp. (0.85-2.7x) and fewer Calliphora spp. (0.02-0.2x) compared to the liver standard. These synthetic attractants were more effective and selective for L. cuprina than the standard liver/sodium sulfide attractant, and they can be packaged in controlled-release dispensers to generate constant, prolonged release of the attractant.

Genetic analyses were carried out on 935 Large White and 767 Land-race boars performance-tested from 25 kg to 80 kg live weight under individual andad libitumfeeding conditions. Traits analysed were daily weight gain (GR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), daily feed intake (FI) and subcutaneous fat depth (F). Genetic parameters were estimated from sire components obtained by conventional hierarchical analyses of variance and covariance.Large White pigs grew faster, had higher intakes of feed and utilized it more efficiently than Landrace. There was no breed difference in fat depth. Heritabilities, pooled over both breeds, were 0·36 ± 0·10, 0·27±0·08, 0·62±0·13 and 0·47±0·11 for GR, FCR, FI and F respectively. Noteworthy among the correlation estimates were strong and positive correlations between FI and the other three traits. A positive genetic correlation between GR and FCR arose from a very high coefficient of genetic variation for FI.Selection indexes emphasising efficiency of lean growth were constructed using some or all of the 4 traits as measured variables. Their use is expected to reduce FI and GR on feeding ad libitum. The results indicate the need to select pigs on the same level of feeding as that used in production.

No abstract

No abstract

A selective motility medium was used as a secondary selective enrichment medium to examine specimens naturally contaminated with salmonellae. The medium, incubated at 37°C, was inoculated from either selenite brilliant green sulfa enrichment broth or Muller-Kauffman tetrathionate broth, both of which had been incubated at 42°C. The use of the selective motility medium resulted in an increase in the number of positive specimens from 65 and 74% to 80 and 82%, when inoculated at 24 and 48 h, respectively, from tetrathionate broth. Tetrathionate broth, when used singly, was significantly better than selenite brilliant green sulfa broth, which detected 55% of positive specimens at both 24 and 48 h. The use of the selective motility medium of Harper and Shortridge (J. Hyg. 67: 181-186, 1969) for the further examination of specimens culturally negative on primary selective enrichment is advocated.