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The prevalence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis isolated from the feces of wild European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) humanely trapped at a feedlot in central Kansas was assessed. All E. coli and Salmonella isolates recovered were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility using National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System panels and the E. coli isolates were classified as to their content of genes associated with pathogenic E. coli of birds and cattle, including cvaC, iroN2, ompTp, hlyF2, eitC, iss, iutA, ireA, papC, stxI, stxII, sta, K99, F41, and eae. Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis were not detected and Salmonella was isolated from only three samples, two of which displayed antimicrobial resistance. Approximately half of the E. coli isolates were resistant to antimicrobial agents with 96% showing resistance to tetracycline. Only one isolate was positive for a single gene associated with bovine pathogenic E. coli. An interesting finding of this study was that 5% of the E. coli isolates tested met the criteria established for identification as avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC). Thus these findings suggest that starlings are not a significant source of Salmonella spp., Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, E. coli O157, or other shiga toxin-producing E. coli in this feedlot. However, they may have the potential to spread APEC, an important pathogen of poultry and a potential pathogen to human beings.

Brown rice is used as a bait-carrier for the avicide DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methylaniline) when baiting blackbirds (Icteridae). In March and April 1996 and 1997, we assessed non-target granivorous bird use of rice-baited plots placed in harvested corn and soybean fields in eastern South Dakota for 168 observation hours. In both years combined, we identified 10 and 14 granivorous species in corn and soybean fields, respectively. In 1996 (X = 0.2, SE = 0.04) and 1997 (X = 1.2, SE = 0.38), total numbers of granivores min(-1) were similar between crops (P > or = 0.322). In 1996, bird numbers were higher (P = 0.069) in rice-baited fields (X = 0.3, SE = 0.07) than in unbaited reference fields (X = 0.1, SE = 0.04). In 1997, bird numbers (X = 1.2, SE = 0.38) did not differ between treatments (P = 0.456). Our data show that small numbers of non-target birds visited the rice-baited plots. However, total number of different individual birds using the plots was unknown.

Female reproductive tracts from 84 bats were examined by light and/or electron microscopy to electron microscopy to observe early embryology and implantation in Macrotus. The earliest pregnancy was observed in October and by the end of October all bats were pregnant. Implantation had begun in most specimens from late October. In late November females were carrying implanted blastocysts in which differentiation of endoderm was noted. Reichert's membrane was first observed in November. In early December the trophoblast had begun to differentiate into cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast and by the end of January this differentiation was most evident. Reichert's membrane persisted until late January. Endoderm in the January sample completely surrounded the yolk sac cavity. By late February the embryos were at the embryonic disc stage had differenitated mesoderm. The uterine-fetal relationship was complex and an early placenta was recognized. In late March the embryos spanned a range of development from neural plate to limb-bud stages. Parturition occurred in June. This lengthy gestation period is characterized by an embryonic diapause of approximately four and one-half months. The roles of food supply and/or temperature in controlling this growth rate and the evolutionary implications of this development are discussed.

Lymphocytes from 5 clinically normal lambs and 5 lambs affected with ovine hereditary chondrodysplasia (spider syndrome) were cultured, G-banded, and karyotyped. Fifty metaphase karyotypes and one heterogram were evaluated for chromosome number and morphologic features. All lambs had normal diploid (2n) chromosome numbers of 54,XX or 54,XY, and there were no apparent differences in the morphologic features of the chromosomes.

Ovulation occurred from the left ovary in all 5 bats that had had the right ovary removed and an implanting blastocyst was found in the left uterine horn in 2 of these bats. All ovulations in the control and sham-operated bats occurred from the right ovary.