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Juvenile lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, of similar size were fed one of three isocaloric diets, each differing in protein and lipid content. Oxygen consumption and swimming performance were measured in a recirculating water flume at intervals throughout the 70-d feeding trials (10 °C). Swimming speed was increased by stepwise velocity increments (5 cm∙s−1) and oxygen consumption was measured at each velocity between 20 and 45 cm∙s−1. Oxygen consumption for a given speed did not differ significantly throughout the feeding trial nor among the diets implying a similarity in the quality and quantity of substrate catabolized for energy. Basal metabolism (0 cm∙s−1) was also independent of diet and feeding interval. Critical swimming speed increased with dietary and carcass protein content to suggest a direct association with muscle mass and number of myofilaments.

A survey was carried out to describe the normal aerobic bacterial flora of the conjunctiva and nasal cavity of captive houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata), kori bustards (Ardeotis kori), and white-bellied bustards (Eupodotis senegalensis) maintained at the National Avian Research Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. A total of 58 samples were examined from the nasal cavity and 55 samples from the conjunctiva of healthy bustards. There was no bacterial growth in 45% of conjunctival samples. Bacteria isolated from the conjunctiva of healthy birds included Micrococcus spp., Staphylococcus auricularis, Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus capitis, Staphylococcus warneri, Bacillus spp., and Enterobacter amigenus. Bacteria isolated from the nasal cavity of healthy birds included Bacillus spp., Micrococcus spp., S. auricularis, S. xylosus, Staphylococcus simulans, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Staphylococcus hyicus, Staphylococcus cohnii, Staphylococcus sciuri, Aerococcus spp., and Providencia rettgeri. These findings were compared with bacterial isolates from bustards with clinical signs of ocular or upper respiratory tract diseases. Mycoplasma spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Proteus mirabilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Aeromonas hydrophila, and Staphylococcus aureus were the pathogenic bacteria isolated from the conjunctiva of 34.3% bustards with ocular discharges. Mycoplasma spp., P. aeruginosa, Pseudomonas spp., P. mirabilis, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and S. aureus were the pathogenic bacteria isolated from the nasal cavity of 74% bustards with upper respiratory tract diseases.

A survey was carried out to investigate the aerobic bacterial flora of captive houbara (Chlamydotis undulata), kori (Ardeotis kori) and rufous-crested (Eupodotis ruficrista) bustards maintained at the National Avian Research Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. None of the houbara or rufous-crested bustards sampled were bred in captivity by the Center but four of the kori bustards sampled were captive-bred. Faecal, cloacal, oropharyngeal and skin samples (from under the wing) from clinically normal bustards were taken during routine handling of the birds. Samples were also taken from clinical cases, carcasses and failed eggs. Culture for fungi was also carried out. Bacteria belonging to several different genera were isolated from the three species, they included Staphylococcus aurais and Escherichia coli and also species of Aeromonas, Bacillus, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Micrococcus, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Serratia, Sphingobacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Vibrio. Fungal cultures yielded species of Aspergillus and Candida albicans. This appears to be the first bacterial survey carried out on bustards and shows that they are colonized by a wide range of bacteria, some of which were also isolated from disease conditions.

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