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The objective was to compare the quality of beef from bulls reared in typical Irish indoor systems or in novel grass-based systems. Bulls were assigned to one of the following systems: (a) grass silage plus barley-based concentrate ad libitum (CON), (b) grass silage ad libitum plus 5 kg of concentrate (SC), (c) grazed grass without supplementation (G0), (d) grazed grass plus 0.5 kg of the dietary dry matter intake as concentrate (GC) for (100 days) until slaughter (14.99 months). Carcass characteristics and pH decline were recorded. Longissimus thoracis was collected for analytical and sensory analysis. Lower carcass weight, conformation and fatness scores were found for grazing compared to CON and SC groups. CON bulls had highest intramuscular fat and lighter meat colour compared with grazing bulls. The SC meat (14 days aged) was rated higher for tenderness, texture, flavour and acceptability compared with grazing groups. CON saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) concentration was highest, conversely, omega-3 FA concentration was higher for GC compared with CON, while no differences were found in polyunsaturated FA. In conclusion, while market fatness specification was not reached by grazed grass treatments, beef eating quality was not detrimentally affected and nutritional quality was improved.

Many pre- and post-mowing on-farm traits influence mycotoxin occurrence and conventional chemical compositionin grass silages. The objective of this study was to determine if observed on-farm pre- or post-mowing factors can be used to indicate mycotoxin occurrence or conventional chemical composition traits in grass silages. Over a two year period (2012-2013 and 2013-2014) 290 grass silages were sampled on 145 farms and these consisted of baled (n=115) and pit (n=175) silages. On each farm in each year, a questionnaire was completed and pre- and post-mowingfactors recorded. The preservation quality was better in pit compared to baled silages in both years and in silages made in Year 2 compared with Year 1. On-farm pre- and post-mowing factors were generally not secure indicators of silage conventional chemical characteristics. In contrast, the occurrence of enniatins and beauvericin generally increased with harvesting month (May-October) for grass silages. Visible mould on baled grass silages and a rottedtop layer with pit grass silages were associated with andrastin A, mycophenolic acid and roquefortine C occurrence.

Mycotoxins are heterogeneously distributed analytes such that obtaining a representative sample of silage for analysis can be highly challenging. The objectives of this study were to: (1) identify the variability in mycotoxin concentrations, nutritional value characteristics and fermentation characteristics when 20 cores were taken from individual next-to-be-fed silage bales and five cores were taken from the next-to-be-fed section of the feed face of pit silages, (2) compare the values obtained from intensive sampling of the silage after simulated feed-out to values obtained by the above mentioned core sampling, and (3) describe the impact of reducing the number of core samples taken from the baled and pit silages. Round baled silages (n=10) or sections (2 m wide × 1 m height) of pit silages (n=10) were core sampled at twenty and five positions, respectively. After coring, baled silages were chopped, mixed and placed along a simulated feed trough. Silage in the simulated feed trough was then grab sampled (n=20) to produce an aggregate sample, and this was undertaken in triplicate. For pits, silage was mixed and placed along a simulated feed trough before being sampled, as per baled silage. Variation within or among either baled or pit silages, and for core or feed trough samples, was generally much higher for mycotoxins than for conventional chemical composition traits. Within silage (bale or pit) and among silages, variation was generally reduced when samples were collected from the feed trough, except for mycotoxins in pit silages which had higher variation in the feed trough compared with core samples. Increasing the number of core samples increased the likelihood of detecting a positive sample if present and precise estimates of the true chemical composition of the population. Representatively sampling a next-to-be-fed section or bale of silage for conventional chemical characteristics was achieved with 2-4 core samples or 1-2 feed trough samples. However, in contrast, when sampling silages for mycotoxins, collecting a representative sample using core or feed trough sampling methods sometimes required over 100 and over 20 samples, respectively.

Recent studies of baled silages produced in Ireland have identified considerable filamentous fungal contamination. Many of these fungi are toxigenic, capable of producing secondary metabolites, namely mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are potentially detrimental to livestock health and some can pose a risk to consumers of animal products. Baled (n=20) and pit (n=18) silages from a sample of farms (n=38) in Co. Meath were examined to assess the occurrence of mycotoxins and ascertain whether sampling position within the pit silos (feed face vs. 3 m behind the feed face) has an effect on mycotoxin content or other chemical compositional variables. Of the 20 mycotoxins assayed, baled silages contained [mean of positive values (no. of values in mean)] mycotoxin concentrations (μg/kg dry matter) of beauvericin 36 (2), enniatin (enn.) A 9.3 (3), enn. A154 (8), enn. B 351 (9), enn. B1136 (10), mycophenolic acid (MPA) 11,157 (8) and roquefortine C (Roq. C) 1037 (8) and pit silages contained beauvericin 25 (2) enn. A118 (2), enn. B 194 (9), enn. B157 (3), MPA 287 (6), Roq. C 3649 (6) and zearalenone 76 (1). There was no difference (P>0.05) observed in the mycotoxin concentrations between baled and pit silages, and 11 of the 20 mycotoxins assayed were below the limits of detection. The position of sampling had no effect on the mycotoxin concentration detected in pit silages. It is concluded that mycotoxin concentrations detected in these pit and baled silages in Co. Meath did not exceed EU regulation or guidance limits, and that similar chemical composition and mycotoxin concentration values occurred at the pit silage feed face and 3 m behind this feed face.

Toxicogenic fungal moulds have been previously identified in Irish farm silages and are known to be capable of producing mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are detrimental to animal health and performance and can be transferred through feed to animal produce. The objectives of this study were to identify and quantify the challenge posed to livestock from mycotoxins in Irish silages and determine whether conventional chemical characteristics could be used as indicators of mycotoxin occurrence. Over the 2-year period, 300 silages were sampled on 150 farms and these consisted of round-baled grass silages (n = 115) and pit silages of either grass (n = 175) or maize (n = 10). There was no significant difference in mycotoxin concentrations across silage types in either year, except for baled silage containing higher concentrations of enniatin B compared with pit silage in Year 1. Conventional chemical characteristics of silages were generally not reliable predictors for mycotoxin incidences; however, dry-matter digestibility, crude protein, fermentation products and ash did predict the incidence of enniatins and beauvericin. The incidence and concentration of the twenty measured mycotoxins were generally low and individual mycotoxin concentrations recorded were considerably lower than current EU directive or guidance thresholds. Non-regulated mycotoxins measured were similar to or lower than concentrations reported in the literature. Based on current knowledge and the concentrations of individual mycotoxins detected in this study, the challenge to Irish livestock and livestock products from animal consuming silage is generally low. However, the additive or synergistic effects of multiple mycotoxins in silage are unknown.

An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) multi-mycotoxin analytical method was developed to simultaneously identify and quantify 20 mycotoxins in grass silages, inclusive of mycotoxins that are currently regulated in European Union feeds. Extraction of mycotoxins from dried grass silages was performed using of a modified QuEChERS extraction employing an acidified aqueous extraction (0.1 N HCl) with no further clean-up. Following chromatographic separation, analytes were detected using a fast polarity-switching MS/MS method that allowed both positive and negative ions to be analysed from a single injection, thus the reducing time and cost of analysis. The limits of detection and quantification ranged between 3 µg kg(-1) DM (aflatoxin B1, beauvericin and enniatin A and A1) and 200 µg kg(-1) DM (deoxynivalenol), and between 10 µg kg(-1) DM (aflatoxin B1, beauvericin and enniatin A1) and 500 µg kg(-1) DM (deoxynivalenol), respectively. Inter-assay accuracy and precision ranged between 90% and 107% and between 3.9% and 15.0% CV, respectively. The accuracy of the method was assessed through the application to a range of incurred samples in an inter-laboratory study.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (Paxillus involutus, Suillus grevillei and two unidentified basidiomycetes from excised Sitka spruce mycorrhizas) were isolated from stands of Sitka spruce either in monoculture or in a mixture with Japanese larch in an Irish conifer plantation. The growth of these fungi and their mycorrhizal formation in Sitka spruce and Japanese larch were examined after incubation in modified Melin-Norkrans medium containing either KH2PO4, Ca3(PO4)2 or Fe phytate as the phosphorus (P) source. P. involutus and S. grevillei utilized all three P sources. The unidentified basidiomycetes had limited ability to utilize Fe phytate. Basidiomycete 1 showed poor growth on KH2PO4 whereas growth of basidiomycete 2 was low on Ca3(PO4)2. Pure culture synthesis studies confirmed that P. involutus and the two basidiomycetes formed mycorrhizas with both tree species but S. grevillei was mycorrhizal only on Japanese larch. P. involutus formed more mycorrhizas in both conifers than the other fungi. Following inoculation with each of the four fungi, shoot and root dry mass of both Sitka spruce and Japanese larch seedlings was enhanced compared with uninoculated/nonmycorrhizal controls. On Fe phytate, Paxillus-inoculated Sitka spruce seedlings had the lowest primary root length and on KH2PO4, Suillus-inoculated Japanese larch had the greatest number of short roots. The only differences when Sitka spruce seedlings were grown in either monoculture or in a mixture with Japanese larch mycorrhizal with S. grevillei were primary root length and number of short roots after growth on media containing Fe phytate.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (Paxillus involutus, Suillus grevillei and two unidentified basidiomycetes from excised Sitka spruce mycorrhizas) were isolated from stands of Sitka spruce either in monoculture or in mixture with Japanese larch in an Irish conifer plantation. They were grown for 35 d on modified Melin-Norkrans liquid medium containing ferric phytate as the phosphorus source. The cultures were then separated into wall- and membrane-bound, cytoplasmic and extracellular fractions and assayed for phosphatase. Wall- and membrane-bound fractions contained the most active acid phosphatase. The unidentified basidiomycetes showed a lower substrate affinity and higher velocity of reaction than P. involutus and S. grevillei. Wall- and membrane-bound and cytoplasmic phosphatase activities were optimum over a broad pH range (4·0–6·0). Various methods were used to release the wall-bound phosphatase and a high proportion (49–88%) appeared to be tightly held within the wall. Phosphatase released from the wall by sonication had a similar Km to wall-bound phosphatase but Vmax was lower. The use of a number of substrates demonstrated a high affinity for inorganic pyrophosphate and sodium β-glycerophosphate but a low phytase activity.

Rabeprazole is the only proton pump inhibitor that enhances the content of gastric mucin in experimental animals. We have studied, therefore, the effect of rabeprazole on the content of gastric mucin, mucus, and its viscosity in 21 asymptomatic volunteers in a double-blind study. The mucus content during rabeprazole administration significantly increased both in pentagastrin-stimulated (3.36 +/- 0.39 vs 1.50 +/- 0.32 mg/ml, P0.001) and basal (3.31 +/- 0.38 vs 2.28 +/- 0.36 mg/ml, P0.01) conditions. The content of mucin during rabeprazole was 2.6-fold (0.96 +/- 0.08 vs 0.36 +/- 0.06 mg/ml, P0.0001) and 41% (0.82 +/- 0.09 vs 0.58 +/- 0.09 mg/ml, P0.05) higher in stimulated and basal conditions, respectively. The viscosity of gastric juice during rabeprazole administration was also significantly higher both in stimulated (P0.01) and basal (P0.05) conditions. In conclusion, the unique pharmacological property of rabeprazole, significantly augmenting production of gastric mucus and mucin, may translate to additional clinical benefits in protecting the upper alimentary tract mucosa during the acid-related challenge.

Beginning in 1990, all patients encountered by the author requiring cholecystectomy were attempted by laparoscopy. This study reports the results of 83 patients with acute cholecystitis who were urgently treated, nonselectively, by laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Acute cholecystitis was diagnosed clinically by the presence of right upper quadrant peritoneal pain, gallbladder phlegmon and fever, and/or increased white blood cell count. In addition, a confirming pathology report and/or elevated white blood cell count was present in all 83 patients. Age ranged from 18 to 82 years with an average of 39.4 years. Fifteen patients were male and 68 female. Insufflation was obtained in all patients without a complication. Discharge occurred by postoperative Day one for 24 patients, Day two for 66 and by Day three for 75 patients (range 19-300 hours). No patient had common duct stones. Most patients had stones impacted in the cystic duct, including one patient who had Mirizzi's syndrome. Operative time ranged from 28 to 300 minutes, with an average of 106.3 minutes. No conversion to open cholecystectomy was required. Complications included bile spillage in five patients, stone spillage in ten, and ileus in three patients. One patient with Mirizzi's syndrome required a postoperative radiological procedure for removal of a cystic duct stone remnant that was not completely removed at the time of operation. The high complication rate initially associated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy probably resulted from violating cardinal principles of surgery, not from the inappropriateness of laparoscopy. In conclusion, it is recommended that urgent laparoscopy is an appropriate initial approach for patients with acute cholecystitis.