An experiment was carried out to investigate the characteristics of the anatomical structure and the locomotor mechanism of the equine carpal joint. A total of 51 equine normal forelegs were collected from 33 thoroughbreds aged 0-day to 78-month-old. The range of movement of the carpal joint, carpal bones and length of the articular cartilage surface were measured and the following results were obtaind.
Range of movement of the carpal joint was 147.17±8.82 degrees and was maintained invariably after 13 months of age. Also, the radiocarpal and intracarpal joints had shown maximum flexion at about 79, 73 degrees respectively. The surface on the relative face of the carpal bones varied in size. The findings of this study supported the concept that the strong restorative force is a factor determining the direction of the longitudinal axis for constriction of flexion to extension movement on the part of the capal joint. It was presumed that this concept might be able to explain the characteristic phenomemon of carpal fracture in race horses.

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One hundred forty-two sows 0 to 8 days postpartum were randomly assigned to the treatment and control groups. In the treatment group of 69 sows, 100 ml of 2% PVP-I solution was infused into the uterus, while the remaining 73 sows were allotted to the nontreated control group.
Vaginal examination was carried out three times at weekly intervals using a special glass cylinder speculum. Vaginal swabs were taken through the speculum from the cervical external os using CulturetteR for bacterial examination. The existing rate of pus in the vagina significantly decreased in the treatment group during two weeks. Decreases of detecting rate of bacteria and the number of bacteria cultured were also significant in the experiment group.
The interval from weaning to the first estrus was 5.9±2.9 days (average±S. D.) in the treatment group and 7.6±4.8 days in the control, the difference between the groups being significant (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were obtained in the conception rate, farrowing rate or litter size.
These results suggest that uterine infusion of PVP-I in early postparturient sows may be effective in stimulating the uterine involution and to prevent delay of recurrence of postweaning estrus.

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We utilized the new type of titanous intramedullary fixation pin in treatment of thigh bone fracture in cats. The pin was developed in order to simplify the surgical procedure, shorten operation time, and quicken recovery of motor function. The pin is made of titanium, which has the properties of light weight and solidity, and it is possible to fold the pin at its center by sliding the external cylinder. Because it was easy to insert the pin into the bone marrow cavity and to reduce the fracture fragments, the operation was finished in a short time. The weight of the pin is also lighter than the stainless steel one. These advantages were suggested as factors in the early recovery of motility in the cats.

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The present study was undertaken in order to interpret the nutritional factors in abomasal displacement (AD) in seven dairy farms at which AD had occurred in aproximately five to 20 percent of the total calving cows during the past year.
On these farms, diets during the late dry period commonly did not meet DM, TDN and CP requirements. Protein deficiency was particularly noted from the late lacatation period in three high producing farms and continued from early lactation period in other farms.
The metabolic profile test of eighteen dry cows on these farms showed a significant decrease in hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen, total protein, albumin and ester ratio of cholesterol, and a significant increase in GOT.
It is suggested that the combination of a nutrional deficiency in the late dry period and a change for yielding diet after parturition is a causative factor in AD.

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Seluenium (Se) and tocopherol (Toc) levels in the blood and foodstuffs were examined in 25 calves and 26 cows in nine barns kept together with calves suffering from white muscle disease.
Marked increase of serum CPK activity was observed in 64% of the calves and 27% of the cows. Deficient levels of serum Toc (under 70μg/100 ml in calves and 150μg/100ml in cows) were recognized in 12% of the calves and 42% of the cows. All the calves and 92% of the cows showed deficient levels of serum Se, less than 35 ppb, and all the calves and cows showed low activity, less than 30 enzyme units in blood GSH-Px.
Close correlation (r=0.81, p<0.01) between serum Se levels and blood GSH-Px activities was recognized in all the cattle.α-Toc concentration of foodstuffs in eight barns was low levels less than 3mg/100g DM, and Se was also deficient levels less than 50 ppb DM. Close correlation (r=0.87, p<0.01) between Se concentration in the main foodstuffs and serum Se levels of the cows was also recognized.
From the results described above, there were many suggestive findings for subclinical muscular disorders which were closely related to deficiencies of Toc and Se in the calves and cows kept together with calves suffering from white muscle disease.

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Mycoplasma hyosynoviae (Mhs) arthritis was frequently found in slaughtered pigs shipped from N farm in Abashiri Prefecture of Hokkaido from 1986 to 1987. A serological survey of Mhs infection at Abashiri was performed on samples collected at random by the indirect hemagglutination test.
The antigen used was prepared from the strain isolated from a diseased pig on N farm. Three of 36 farms were positive (8.3%) in Oct. 1982, whereas 17 of 39 farms were positive (43.6%) in Oct. 1986. The positive farms were mainly located around N farm.
As a result of examination of 29 pigs with arthritis obtained from the slaughter house, Mhs was isolated from three pigs (10.3%) and Mhs arthritis was histopathologically detected in 18 pigs (62.1%). The 16 Mhs isolates were highly susceptible to Tyrosin (MIC:≤0.025-0.01μg/ml).
Therefore, Tyrosin was continuously prescribed to pigs from one to 18 weeks after their birth. Mhs arthritis in Abashiri Prefecture finally decreased as the result of this prescription and the exclusion of certain stresses.

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The latex agglutination test (LA) for detecting antibodies to Aujeszky's disease (AD) virus in swine serum was evaluated in comparison with the serum neutralization test (NT). A total of 1659 samples were tested. The sensitivity and specificity of the LA, relative to NT, were 97.7% and 97.6%, respectively. A judgement agreement between these tests was 97.6%. In pigs experimentally inoculated with virulent AD virus, LA detected the presence of antibodies earlier than NT, this probably due to a higher sensitivity than NT. It was also shown that LA could detect both IgG and IgM antibodies.
It was confirmed that LA is valuable for the detection of antibodies to AD virus in swine sera in terms of sensitivity, specificity, ease of performance and time required to obtain results.

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Storage conditions of blood for plasma progesterone assay were examined using heparinized whole blood from pregnant cows, both with and without addition of sodium azide (NaN₃). Concentrations of plasma progesterone in blood without NaN3 decreased from 7.6±3.2 (Mean±SD) ng/ml to 6.1±2.4ng/ml (4°C) and 5.6±2.4ng/ml (20°C) after two hrs storage.
Thereafter, progesterone levels in the plasma were stable until 48hrs at 4°C, but decreased markedly to 4.0±1.9ng/ml (6hrs) and 2.1±1.4ng/ml (24 hrs) at 20°C. Concentration of plasma progesterone in blood to which NaN₃ (5mg/ml) was added was 5.6±2.1 ng/ml (0.5hrs), which was lower than that in blood without NaN₃. Progesterone levels were stable until 48hrs when blood was stored at 4°C, but the levels decreased to 4.5±2.2ng/ml during the 4hrs when blood was kept at 20°C. These results indicate that the storage of heparinized whole blood at 20°C significantly decreased plasma progesterone levels. Therefore, plasma samples for progesterone assay should be separated from blood cells as soon as possible when the blood is kept at 4°C

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