BackgroundMeningocele and meningoencephalocele of the skull are congenital deformities. Various species, such as pigs, dogs, and cats, are susceptible to congenital meningocele and meningoencephalocele and the incidence is higher in large white and landrace pigs.Case presentationIn this study, swelling was observed in the fontanel areas of the median planes of the skull cap in two female piglets of the same litter. Gross clinical examination, neurological examination, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were conducted on the symptomatic piglets. The gross clinical and neurological examinations revealed no specific findings, except for the swellings. According to the CT results, the length of the defect on the sagittal section of the skull was 4.7 mm in case 1 and 20.62 mm in case 2. Connected flow between the skull swellings and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the lateral ventricles was observed, and partial herniation was identified in case 2. On MRI, CSF with high T2 signals was identified in the arachnoid spaces between the cerebrum and the cerebellum in the two cases, which is consistent with intracranial hypertension. The size of the swelling formed in the parietal bones was 1.6 × 1.1 × 1.8 cm3 (case 1) and 1.2 × 1.38 × 1.7 cm3 (case 2). The increase in intracranial pressure was more obvious in case 2 than in case 1, and was accompanied by posterior displacements of the mesencephalon and cerebellum.ConclusionsCase 1 was diagnosed as meningocele resulting from meningeal herniation and case 2 was diagnosed as meningoencephalocele caused by brain tissue herniation.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of temperature and retention time of the pressurized steam chamber on the ruminal fermentation characteristics and nutrient degradability of corn flakes in three Korean native Hanwoo cows and three Holstein cows implanted with a ruminal fistula. Corn kernels were categorized into 13 groups based on the chamber temperature (range, 100°C–116°C) and retention time (range, 700–950 s). The pH value was lowest in T1 regardless of breed. Propionate concentration was the highest in T2 ( p < 0.05). Total-volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration was slightly but not significantly greater in T2 than in other conditions. Dry matter ( p < 0.05), starch, and crude protein ( p < 0.05) degradability were the highest in T1. At different incubation times and with different breeds, dry matter, starch, and crude protein degradability of corn flakes were the highest in T1. Thus, the present results indicate that the optimal temperature and retention time of the pressurized steam chamber should be 100°C–105°C and 700–720 s.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of probiotic mixed environment improvement agent feeding and spreading on ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions of Hanwoo manure. Three animals were allocated to each pen as an experimental unit.An experiment was performed with three replicates as a complete randomized design and treatments were assigned a control group and a mixed environment improvement agent group. In the result of the feeding trial, at 60 days, ammonia gas emission from Hanwoo manure was significantly lower content in the probiotics mixed environment improvement agent group than in the control group (p = 0.027), hydrogen sulfide gas emission from Hanwoo manure tends to be lower in the probiotics mixed environment improvement agent group than in the control group (p = 0.085). At the 5-day point of the spreading trial, ammonia gas emission from Hanwoo manure was significantly lower in the probiotics mixed environment improvement agent group than in the control group (p = 0.001). As a result, probiotic mixed environment improvement agents could be helpful in lowering the concentrations of odor substances in a farm.