Udder cleft dermatitis (UCD) is an endemic disease of dairy cows, initially presenting as skin lesions which can lead to ulceration and deep, persistent infection. Early lesions may go undetected due to their location deep in the intermammary cleft. There is little existing evidence on the prevalence of UCD in UK dairy cattle, however studies in other European countries with similar climates and dairy production systems have found prevalence to be highly variable between herds. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, severity and location of UCD lesions in UK dairy herds, as well as to explore potential risk factors for the disease at both the cow and herd level. An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out, with 8,302 cows examined for UCD lesions on 28 farms. All participating farms were recruited via random selection from the client list of a single large animal practice. Data were collected by the research team in the parlor during routine milking or in locking head yokes in herds with automatic milking systems. The presence, severity and location of any UCD lesions were recorded. In addition, fore udder attachment score, udder depth score, body condition score, hock score and cleanliness score were recorded. A questionnaire was also used to collect additional information about the herd. Descriptive statistics were compiled in Microsoft Excel, then data were transferred to IBM SPSS for further analysis. Within-herd prevalence of UCD lesions ranged from 0.7 to 27.4%, with 9.9% (95% CI 9.3-10.6%) of all sampled cows affected. In total, 39.6% of cows with lesions (3.2% of all cows examined) were classed as having very severe lesions greater than 5cm in size. A 2-level logistic regression model, with cows clustered within herds, was utilized to explore risk factors for the presence of UCD lesions. Cows with strong fore udder attachments and tight udders had lower odds of lesions, while those with loose fore udder attachments and deep udders had higher odds. The final model selected explained only 12.5% of the variance, suggesting there are likely other cow and herd level variables associated with the presence of lesions which were not captured. The association between udder conformation and UCD lesions suggests that this may be a key area of focus for reducing prevalence of this disease. However the findings should be interpreted with caution as the primary focus of the study was to accurately describe prevalence in UK herds, rather than to explore risk factors. Further work is needed to explore additional risk factors, and look at the progression of these lesions over time.
Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in dairy production depends not only on monitoring antimicrobial use (AMU) but also on understanding producer decision-making. In Colombia, evidence on AMU-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among herds certified in good livestock practices (BPG) remains limited. We conducted a cross-sectional KAP survey between January and February 2025 in BPG-certified dairy herds in northern Antioquia. All 65 eligible herds were invited, and 31 producers participated. The questionnaire collected information on herd and producer characteristics, veterinary support, AMU decision-making, information sources, and responses to six clinical scenarios. KAP indices were standardized to a 0-100 scale. Respondents and nonrespondents were similar in herd size and milk production, although respondents had completed more BPG certification cycles. Veterinary involvement was limited and mainly reactive: preventive herd health visits were uncommon, and laboratory support was infrequent (6.5% always; 13.0% never). Antimicrobials were frequently selected in clinical scenarios, including calf diarrhea with mild signs (96.8%), whereas use was less commonly chosen for lameness (38.7%). Knowledge scores for three basic AMR/antibiotic items were high (mean 96.8/100), attitudes were generally favorable (mean 92.9/100), although the latter should be interpreted cautiously because of modest internal consistency, and practices were intermediate (mean 61.0/100), with low uptake of selective dry-cow therapy (12.9%). In exploratory Firth penalized logistic regression, milk withdrawal showed a borderline inverse association with veterinary consultation before AMU. Overall, stewardship-relevant gaps persisted, supporting context-specific AMS interventions within the BPG framework.
Nurse sow selection is aimed at ensuring ideal sows are chosen to manage surplus piglets in hyper prolific herds. This study investigated attributes farm managers preferred when choosing nurse sows. We evaluated seven attributes: Body Condition Score (BCS), Sows' Current Litter Size (SCLS), Sows' Current Litter Health (SCLH), Sow Behaviour (SB), Sow Teat Number (STN), Lactation Stage (LS), and Parity (P). Choice decisions of 51 managers were stratified into five subgroups: gender, age, pig-farming experience, education level, and herd size managed. We used Best Worst Scaling analysis to evaluate relative importance of attributes, while Conditional Logit Model assessed their utility importance, setting P as the baseline. Results showed that SCLH was the most important while P the least important. All six attributes were significantly preferred over the baseline. Female managers showed significant preferences for all attributes than male managers. Younger managers (18-40 years old) placed significant preference on sow physical qualities compared to older managers (> 40 years old). Managers with ≤10 years' experience demonstrated wider significant preference profiles than those of >10 years. Managers with college degree preferred half of the attributes while those with professional degrees (BSc/MSc) gave significant relevance to almost all attributes. Managers managing herds of up to 5000 sows viewed all attributes significant while those in charge of extra-large herds (>5000 sows) gave no preference to SB and LS. This research provides new empirical evidence and nuanced analysis of nurse sow selection, placing SCLH as a priority proxy for selecting a nurse sow.
Reproductive efficiency is a core factor affecting the economic performance and sustainable development of dairy farms. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the current reproductive status of Chinese Holstein dairy cattle and to identify the key factors affecting their reproductive performance. This observational study utilized production data from 185 dairy farms nationwide collected between 2020 and 2024 to analyze the impact of region, season, farm size and 3 peripartum diseases on reproductive performance, with all analyses conducted at the farm level. Mixed linear models were employed to assess the correlation of these factors with conception rates. Our analysis indicates that from 2020 to 2024, all key reproductive indicators for both heifers and cows in Chinese Holstein cattle exhibited a consistent and significant improvement trend. Analysis of the 2024 data showed that the overall performance of cows in the NWID region was superior to that in other regions. In contrast, both heifers and cows in the Southern Subtropical Humid Climate Zone exhibited lower conception rates, while heifers in this zone also had a significantly higher proportion of non-pregnant heifers at 17 mo (14.66% ± 2.66%). Concurrently, seasonal factors demonstrated a significantly greater impact on reproductive efficiency in cows than heifers. Conception rates for cows across all regions reached their annual low in autumn, with the most pronounced decline observed in the Eastern Warm-Temperate Monsoon Climate Zone (25.54% ± 1.90%) and Southern Subtropical Humid Climate Zone (29.25% ± 2.00%). Analysis of data from dairy operations of different scales reveals that larger-scale farms exhibited superior reproductive performance in dairy cows and significantly mitigated the autumn reproductive trough in cows. Analysis of peripartum disease incidence revealed a significant decrease in the incidence of hypocalcemia with increasing herd size. The incidence of retained fetal membranes was negatively correlated with herd conception rate and was higher in summer (9.13% ± 0.46%). Conversely, metritis demonstrated no substantial variations across herd sizes or seasons and exhibited no statistical correlation with conception rates. In summary, this study emphasized the necessity of comprehending and integrating regional variations in environmental stressors, the buffering value of scaled professional management, and the differential impact patterns of key reproductive diseases when formulating comprehensive strategies to enhance reproductive efficiency in Chinese dairy herds. It provided critical evidence for implementing regionalized and group-specific precision management practices.
Indirect protection from the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) has been negligible, possibly due to vaccination being restricted to children, which may have limited the overall vaccine coverage needed to sufficiently interrupt transmission dynamics across endemic populations. In this study herd protection was evaluated in households and schools with different TCV coverages by conducting secondary analyses of a double-blind cluster-randomised trial on TCV in Bangladesh. TyVAC Bangladesh was a cluster-randomised trial conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh between April 2018 and March 2020 (ISRCTN11643110 at www.isrctn.com). For this study, 150 geographical clusters were randomly assigned to receive TCV or Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine. Children aged 9 months to <16 years were vaccinated. Household-level herd protection was estimated by indirect vaccine effectiveness (iVE), comparing typhoid incidence among residents of all ages who did not receive the assigned study vaccine in TCV clusters with those in JE clusters using mixed-effects Poisson regression. The iVE was calculated as (1 - adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]) × 100%. Household-level coverage was stratified by the number of vaccinated children (0, 1, ≥2) and the presence of eligible children. School-level herd protection was evaluated among students attending 35 primary and secondary schools who did not receive TCV by comparing typhoid incidence in high-coverage (>median) versus low-coverage schools (≤median), where school-level coverage was measured by the proportion of TCV-vaccinated students. The aIRR was estimated by mixed-effects Poisson regression. Household-level analysis included 129,601 unvaccinated residents from 40,435 households in the TCV arm and 129,973 unvaccinated residents from 40,577 households in the JE arm (median household size: 4.0 [IQR: 3.0, 5.0]). During 24-month follow-up between April 2018 and March 2020, the overall aIRR comparing all unvaccinated residents in TCV versus JE clusters was 0.91 [95% CI: 0.43, 1.91]. Stratified by household vaccine coverage, aIRR was 0.81 [95% CI: 0.15, 4.52] in households without eligible children and 0.97 [0.31, 3.04] in households with ≥ 1 eligible children but none vaccinated, and iVE was 25% [95% CI: -234, 83] and -26% [-766, 82] in households with ≥ 1 eligible children and 1, or ≥ 2 vaccinated children, respectively, with no significant interaction between number of vaccinees and arm (p = 0.85). School-level analysis (9209 children, 8%-55% TCV coverage) showed typhoid incidence of 349 [95% CI: 219, 528] and 329 [180, 552] per 100,000 person-years among non-TCV vaccinated students in low- and high-coverage schools, respectively (aIRR: 0.96 [95% CI: 0.28, 3.37]). Our study did not find significant herd protection across vaccine coverage levels in households and schools, although estimates were imprecise with wide confidence intervals. Gates Foundation.
New technologies and management systems should demonstrate that they at least preserve, but ideally improve, the welfare of the animals they manage. Halter's virtual fencing (VF) and herding (VH) system is a new technology that uses two primary cues, sound and vibration, followed by an aversive secondary stimulus (electric shock) if the primary cue is ignored, to confine dairy cows to a pasture allocation and herd them from the paddock to the milking shed. This experiment evaluated cow welfare under Halter management. Four groups of 40 mid-lactation dairy cows (Bos taurus, Friesian and Friesian × Jersey, parities 1-8) were studied over 44 days. Two groups were managed with electric fencing (EF) and stockpeople bringing them to the dairy (i.e., 'conventional' system), while the other two were managed with Halter VF and VH. All cows were conventionally managed for the first 6-days of the experiment ("adjustment period") after which training to the Halter system occurred over 10-days ("training period"). Cows were managed in their respective treatments for a further 28-days ("management period") posttraining. Milk production, body condition, and live weight were measured twice daily, while time spent grazing and ruminating was continuously recorded. Milk cortisol concentrations of all cows were sampled on 2 days of the adjustment period, each day of the training period, and 3 days of the management period. No systematic difference was detected in milk cortisol, milk production, body condition, or live weight. VF cows grazed 5% (∼20 min) less per day, but rumination time was unaffected. EF cows touched the electric front-fence an average of once per cow during a 4-6 h grazing period. We conclude that dairy cow welfare under VF and VH did not significantly differ from our conventional management, using a technology that included safety mechanisms, training protocols, and collar designs appropriate for the animals being managed.
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An optimal genetic evaluation model for milk, fat, and protein yield, and somatic cell score traits across the first 3 parities in South Korean Holsteins was developed by comparing alternative random regression models. Variance component estimations and model comparisons were made among 5 different random regression test-day models incorporating herd-related factors, including Herd-Test-day (HTD), Herd-Year of calving (HY), Herd-Year-Season of calving (HYS) and Herd-Year-Month of calving (HYM). The models were compared using multiple indicators to measure the bias, the goodness of fit, and the accuracy of genetic evaluation. When HTD factor was considered as a fixed effect, the model demonstrated the best goodness of fit but showed a large decrease in the accuracy of genetic evaluation. By contrast, when HTD factor was included as a random effect together with the contemporary group factor, both high accuracy of genetic evaluation and superior goodness of fit were maintained. Furthermore, as the contemporary group definition was refined from HY to HYS and to HYM, additive genetic variance, heritability estimates, and the accuracy of genetic evaluation increased markedly, indicating that HYM provides a more appropriate definition of the contemporary group. Consequently, ModelHYM+HTD(R) was determined to be the most appropriate genetic evaluation model for milk production and somatic cell score traits in South Korean Holsteins.
Direct contact with their offspring during the first few weeks makes sows a potential source of resistant bacteria for fattening pigs and food products derived from pigs. Moreover, staff working with breeding pigs are exposed to their bacterial flora which also includes zoonotic pathogens and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. In this study we investigated the antimicrobial resistance of E. coli and the prevalence and the antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella enterica, cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli (CTXR-E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in breeding pigs in Germany in 2015 and 2023 to identify potential changes in the prevalence and resistance over time during a period of reduction of antimicrobial use in farm animals in Germany. Resistance in E. coli to tetracycline and sulfamethoxazole and the prevalence of CTXR-E. coli decreased in breeding herds between 2015 and 2023 in Germany. The proportion of E. coli that were susceptible to all tested substances increased. In contrast, there were no changes in the herd prevalence of Salmonella and MRSA. Resistance of E. coli to some antimicrobials was associated with the presence of MRSA in the herd and to herd size. Larger herds were more prone to harbour MRSA and CTXR-E. coli. Results demonstrate a minor decrease in AMR in E. coli from breeding pigs in Germany but no decrease in the prevalence of Salmonella or MRSA.
In January 2020 Coxiella (C.) burnetii was detected in a small goat flock after the observation of a weak born kid, an abortion as well as a malformed kid. All animals older than 3 months were subsequently primarily vaccinated with Coxevac (2x three weeks apart) until May 2020 and were revaccinated once in October/November 2020 and in May 2021. Young animals were primarily vaccinated annually except for 2023. Surveillance was performed by qPCR-testing of milk samples, vaginal and preputial (genital swabs, GT), nasal (NT) and environmental swabs (UT). Vaccination was controlled by blood and milk samples which were analyzed for phase-(PhI, PhII)-specific antibodies. Data were compared with those that had been collected in a seronegative goat herd in the course of vaccination. The load of C. burnetii steadily decreased in all types of samples until June 2020. Weak positive samples were detected until November (milk) and December 2020 (GT). Two NT tested weak-positive (5 C.b./NT) in May and December 2021. No persistent infection was observed. The detection rate in UT was high until April 2020 (24/24), remained stable during the rest of the year (31/40) and slowly decreased during the following years: 12/24 (2021), 5/16 (2022), 2/8 (2023), 1/8 (2024), and 0/8 (2025). Unexpectedly, vaccination only significantly increased the PhI-titers while PhII-titers remained stable. In contrast, in seronegative kids in the case- and adults in the control-herd vaccination induced a significant increase of PhII- titers while almost no PhI- titers were observed. No short-term effect of vaccination was observed, therefore prophylactic vaccination is very important. A quantitative interpretation is required for environmental samples, these samples are valuable to verify the lack of infection. Positive results may be confirmed by NT or GT. NT are equivalent to GT, and they are collected more easily. Im Januar 2020 wurde Coxiella (C.) burnetii in einem kleinen Ziegenbestand nachgewiesen, nachdem ein Abort, ein lebensschwaches und ein missgebildetes Kitz beobachtet worden waren.Alle Tiere ab einem Alter von 3 Monaten wurden bis Mai 2020 mit Coxevac grundimmunisiert (2x im Abstand von 3 Wochen) und im Herbst 2020 und im Mai 2021 revakziniert. Die Jungtiere wurden mit Ausnahme von 2023 jährlich grundimmunisiert. Die Überwachung erfolgte mit der qPCR-Untersuchung von Milchproben, Vaginal- und Präputial- (Genitaltupfer, GT), Nasen- (NT) und Umgebungstupfern (UT). Blut- und Milchproben wurden auf Phasen-(PhI, PhII)-spezifische Antikörper untersucht, um die Impfung zu kontrollieren. Daten von einer geimpften, seronegativen Herde wurden für Vergleichszwecke herangezogen.Die Erregerlast in allen Probentypen sank bis Juni 2020 kontinuierlich ab. Schwach positive Proben wurden bis November (Milch), Dezember (GT) nachgewiesen. Zwei NT waren im Mai und Dezember 2021 schwach positiv (5 C.b./NT). Die Nachweisraten in UT waren bis April 2020 hoch (24/24), sie verhielten sich über den weiteren Verlauf des Jahres konstant (31/40) und fielen erst in den Folgejahren sehr langsam ab: 12/24 (2021), 5/16 (2022), 2/8 (2023), 1/8 (2024) und 0/8 (2025). Es wurden keine persistent-infizierten Ziegen ermittelt.Unerwartet führte die Impfung der Altziegen zu einem signifikanten Anstieg der PhI-Titer, die PhII-Titer veränderten sich jedoch nicht. Im Gegensatz hierzu führte die Impfung von seronegativen Jungziegen in der Fall- und Altziegen in der Kontrollherde zu einem signifikanten Anstieg der PhII-Titer, während PhI-Antikörper kaum beobachtet wurden.Die Impfung führte zu keiner kurzfristigen Kontrolle der Erregerausscheidung, daher ist die prophylaktische Impfung sehr wichtig. Umgebungsproben erfordern eine quantitative Bewertung, sie sind langfristig für die Überwachung freier Bestände wertvoll. Positive Ergebnisse der Umgebungsproben sollten mit NT oder GT überprüft werden. Genital- und NT sind gleichwertig, NT sind aber einfacher zu entnehmen.
Neosporosis is caused by Neospora caninum, an obligate intracellular protozoan with a wide range of intermediate hosts, including goats, in which it can cause reproductive and neurological disorders. Despite its importance in goats, to date, there are no epidemiological data on neosporosis in this animal species in the state of Goiás, Brazil, a fact that motivated the present study. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the seroprevalence, spatial distribution, and risk factors associated with N. caninum infection in goats in the state of Goiás, Brazilian cerrado region. For this purpose, 781 blood serum samples obtained from goats from the five mesoregions of the state were analyzed using the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the detection of anti-N. caninum IgG antibodies. At the time of sampling, epidemiological data regarding animal sex and age, breed, farm size, rearing system, type of farming, purpose of the herd, water source, carcass disposal, veterinary assistance, herd replacement, slaughter location, and presence of domestic or wild canids were collected and analyzed as potential risk factors. Statistical analyses included odds ratio (OR) calculations using Statistica software, version 10. The overall seroprevalence found was 18.56% (145/781), ranging from 10.96% (16/146) in the East mesoregion to 27.83% (32/115) in the Northwest mesoregion, and from 0% in the Pires do Rio microregion to 41.86% in the Rio Vermelho microregion. The following factors were identified as statistically associated with seropositivity (p ≤ 0.05): purpose of the herd (subsistence and reproduction), carcass disposal (abandoned in the pasture and buried), slaughter location (at the abattoir), and the absence of veterinary assistance. Caprine neosporosis is widely distributed across all regions of the state of Goiás, which reinforces the need for the adoption of biosecurity measures to control the disease in the locality.
Intramammary infections (IMI) are often associated to elevated somatic cell counts (SCC), a key indicator of udder inflammation and milk quality. This condition leads to significant economic losses, primarily through its direct impact on milk production. In addition to reducing milk yield, IMI can negatively affect milk components such as fat, protein, and lactose. Consequently, the main objective of this longitudinal study was to estimate the association of IMI caused by these microorganisms on the somatic cell score (SCS), milk yield (kg/d), and milk components at quarter level. A secondary objective was to describe the quarter level incidence and elimination rates of IMI caused by microorganisms other than Staphylococcus spp. A convenience sample of 5 dairy herds using an automated milking system was selected and visited every 2 weeks for milk sample collection. Daily quarter-milk yield data was extracted from the software of automatic milking system. The determination of SCC and milk composition parameters was performed by Lactanet. Bacteriological culture was performed according to the National Mastitis Council guidelines. The different types of colonies were counted and identified using MALDI-TOF. For the first objective, we used generalized linear models with robust variance to estimate the incidence rate, and elimination rate of IMI. For the second objective, given the hierarchical structure of the data, a 4-level, linear mixed model with herd, cow, and quarter as random intercepts was built with either the test-day SCS, milk yield, lactose, protein or fat as the outcome. The most prevalent non-Staphylococcus microorganisms in primiparous cows were A. viridans, S. dysgalactiae, and C. bovis with mean prevalences (95%CI) of 3.8 (3.3, 4.4), 0.9 (0.7, 1.3), and 0.9 (0.7, 1.2), respectively. Similarly, for multiparous cows, the 3 most prevalent pathogens were C. bovis, A. viridans, and S. dysgalactiae, with mean prevalences (95%CI) of 5.2 (4.8, 5.5), 3.7 (3.4, 4.0), and 2.8 (2.5, 3.1), respectively. For both primiparous and multiparous cows, the incidence rate of S. dysgalactiae was low, at 0.1 and 0.2 new intramammary infections/100 quarters-week, respectively. However, quarters infected with S. dysgalactiae exhibited a lower elimination rate compared with infections caused by other microorganisms. A similar pattern was observed for S. uberis infections in multiparous cows. In primiparous cows, quarters infected by S. dysgalactiae produced 1.3 kg/day less compared with healthy quarters. In multiparous cows, milk yield was not significantly associated with IMI status; however, quarters infected with S. dysgalactiae produced 0.7kg/day less than healthy quarters, though this difference was only numerical. Regarding milk composition, quarters infected by S. dysgalactiae in primiparous cows had a 0.2% reduction in lactose content, with no significant differences observed for protein or fat content. In multiparous cows, S. uberis infections resulted in a 1.0% reduction in fat content, while S. dysgalactiae infections led to a 0.2% reduction in lactose content. Intramammary infections caused by S. dysgalactiae had a moderate impact on milk yield, particularly in primiparous cows. Although the effects on milk composition were minimal, the reductions in milk production underscore the importance of managing infections to mitigate economic losses in dairy herds.
To assess the rabies vaccination program in dogs in Japan, a system to monitor the proportion of domestic dogs in Japan with immunity at population level is critical but has yet to be established. We developed a mathematical model to capture the history of vaccination over the course of a dog's life. To quantify the system, an epidemiological survey of dog owners was carried out (n = 534 owners), allowing us to reconstruct the age-specific history of vaccination as a function of calendar time and age and to estimate conditional probabilities of vaccination at age a given the dog's vaccination status at the previous age a-1. The age-specific vaccination coverage was estimated to be 83.3% at age 0 years, 71.7% at age 1 year, and approximately 50% at older ages. Using the vaccination coverage at age 0 years in the latest year of 78.8% (95% confidence interval: 58.7, 97.7), we reconstructed the vaccination history of the entire population; the overall immune proportion in 2021 was estimated to be 64.3%. If vaccine uptake were three times greater than the actual rate among previously unvaccinated dogs, the immune fraction of the population would exceed 80%. By extending the annual vaccination cycle to every 2 years, the immune fraction would fall short of the herd immunity threshold. Although not substantially high, the domestic dog population in Japan is considered to have continued to achieve sufficient herd immunity to prevent major epidemics, i.e., the critical immune fraction at 58.7% as calculated from the basic reproduction number of 2.42. Dogs aged 0 years were shown to be the age group most vulnerable to rabies infection.
Klossiella equi Baumann, 1946 (Apicomplexa: Coccidia) is a globally distributed adeleorinid parasite that infects the kidneys of equid hosts. Considered an uncommon parasite, when K. equi is detected, it is typically an incidental finding during histologic examination of the kidneys as part of routine necropsy. In the present study, kidney was collected opportunistically from 3 different equine populations: 1) routine necropsies at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC; n = 48); 2) natural mortalities from the Sable Island wild horse herd (n = 25); and 3) routine necropsies of animals from University of Kentucky parasitological research herds (mares n = 3, foals n = 16). A Polymerase Chain Reaction-based method targeting a 575 base pair region of the K. equi mitochondrial genome was developed and applied to DNA extracted from kidney to detect K. equi infections. Overall prevalence was 45% (41/92); no animal < 10 months-of-age was infected. Among animals ≥ 1 year-of-age, prevalence was 58% (40/67) and high at all locations: OVC prevalence of 50% (24/48); Sable Island prevalence of 56% (14/25); and 100% of the mares (3/3) from Kentucky were infected. Twenty of the K. equi-positive cases necropsied at OVC also had routine histological evaluation that failed to detect any K. equi infections. A DNA sample from sporocysts shed in urine by an Argentinian horse was used for sequenced-based genotyping; the resulting sequence matched the K. equi reference (MH203050) at 100% over 957 base pairs. These data confirm that K. equi is grossly underreported and histological evaluation is an insensitive method of detection.
Q fever, caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii, is a globally distributed zoonosis for which ruminants are considered to be the main reservoir. In Germany, the majority of human Q fever cases are linked to small ruminants. Epidemiological investigations show clear regional differences in herd prevalence, with higher detection rates in southern Germany, particularly associated with out-of-season lambing. Diagnosis in animals relies on both indirect (primarily ELISA) and direct pathogen detection (primarily PCR), although neither method can confirm the pathogen-free status of individual animals, emphasizing the need for standardized surveillance. Currently, no effective treatment is available for coxiellosis in ruminants. Therefore, vaccination with an inactivated phase I vaccine is the main measure used to reduce pathogen shedding and abortion rates. European animal health legislation (the Animal Health Law) places a general emphasis on the clear responsibilities of livestock keepers, veterinarians, and authorities for the reporting, prevention, and control of coxiellosis. The interdisciplinary consortium Q-GAPS has developed a practical management guideline for Q fever in small ruminants, providing recommendations for outbreak investigations and risk communication. It underscores that effective prevention and control of Q fever require a combination of vaccination, hygiene, and environmental management, as well as close cooperation between veterinary and human medicine, which aligns with the One Health approach. Q-Fieber, verursacht durch das obligat intrazelluläre Bakterium Coxiella burnetii, ist eine weltweit verbreitete Zoonose, bei der Wiederkäuer das wichtigste Reservoir darstellen. Die Mehrzahl der humanen Q-Fieber-Fälle in Deutschland sind auf kleine Wiederkäuer zurückzuführen. Epidemiologische Untersuchungen zeigen deutliche regionale Unterschiede in der Herdenprävalenz, mit höheren Q-Fieber-Nachweisraten in Süddeutschland, die insbesondere mit der asaisonalen Lammzeit zusammenhängen. Die Diagnostik am Tier beruht sowohl auf dem indirekten (v. a. ELISA) als auch direkten Erregernachweis (v. a. PCR), wobei beide Methoden keine eindeutige Aussage über die Erregerfreiheit einzelner Tiere zulassen. Dies verdeutlicht auch die Notwendigkeit einer standardisierten Überwachung. Eine wirksame Therapie der Coxiellose bei Wiederkäuern steht derzeit nicht zur Verfügung. Die Impfung mit einem inaktivierten Phase-I-Impfstoff ist daher die zentrale Maßnahme zur Reduktion der Erregerausscheidung und Abortraten. Das europäische Tiergesundheitsrecht (Animal Health Law), betont die Verantwortung von Tierhaltenden, Tierärztinnen und Tierärzten sowie Behörden für Meldung, Prävention und Bekämpfung der Coxiellose. Das interdisziplinäre Konsortium Q-GAPS hat dazu einen praxisorientierten Leitfaden unter anderem für Ausbruchsuntersuchungen und Risikokommunikation erarbeitet und weist darauf hin, dass eine effektive Prävention und Bekämpfung des Q-Fiebers ein Zusammenspiel aus Impfung, Hygiene- und Umweltmanagement sowie einer engen Kooperation zwischen Veterinär- und Humanmedizin im Sinne des One-Health-Ansatzes erfordert.
Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a severe, highly contagious, and fatal viral disease of small ruminants that causes significant production losses and mortality in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to July 2022 to determine the seroprevalence of the disease in the study area. Samples were collected from the outbreak to conduct viral isolation and molecular detection, focusing specifically on sheep and goats as the study animals in the investigation. Clinical specimens were first collected from small ruminants showing signs suggestive of PPR. Paired swab samples and postmortem tissue specimens were obtained for virus isolation and molecular characterization. During necropsy, representative tissue sections were aseptically trimmed and processed. Of 250 clinically suspected animals, 25 were selected for detailed virus isolation and molecular detection of PPR virus (PPRV). PCR-positive samples were further confirmed through virus isolation in cell culture. Subsequently, blood samples (4 mL) were collected from the jugular vein of 384 small ruminants older than 6 months for serological analysis. Serum was separated and analyzed to determine the seroprevalence of the infection. PPRV was detected in 10 of 25 samples (40%)using reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), and of these RT-PCR-positive samples, PPRV was isolated from four samples using Vero cells. The overall seroprevalence of PPRV was 20.6% (n = 384). Age, herd composition, and history of the recent introduction of new small ruminants were significantly associated with seropositivity of PPR (p < 0.05). The study confirmed widespread circulation of PPRV in the study areas, significantly affecting small ruminant productivity. High seroprevalence indicated endemicity, with identified risk factors including introducing new small ruminants and herd composition. Recommendations emphasize integrating small ruminants with other livestock and supporting government efforts. Caution is needed due to regional variations, highlighting the importance of further molecular characterization of circulating PPRV strains.
The continued global spread of WOAH-listed pathogens via trade, transport, and travel calls for the implementation of biosecurity measures to protect the health of our national livestock industries, plus ongoing surveillance to verify that such measures are operative. Despite this urgency, surveillance must be practical and affordable. Herein, we evaluated the performance and cost of participatory surveillance, a nontraditional surveillance design, using the U.S. swine industry as an example. In this context, "participatory" meant that herd veterinarians and/or producers collected and submitted samples from the herd to accredited laboratories for testing. To create an infected population (Phase 1), we simulated the introduction and spread of an unspecified notifiable pathogen within the 48 contiguous U.S states (66,637 swine farms, within 8,080,470 km2) using the USDA Animal Disease Spread Model software (v3.5.10.0). In Phase 2, we calculated the probability of detecting ≥1 infected farm as a function of producer participation, farm-level sensitivity, farm-level prevalence, and sampling frequency. The participatory design was effective: ≥90% probability of detecting the notifiable pathogen at 0.05% farm prevalence (33 positive farms among 66,637 farms) when farm-level sensitivity was ≥20% and producer participation was ≥40%. Depending on the specimen collected, the shipment method, and the test selected, costs ranged from $0.03 to $0.07 USD (€0.02 to €0.06) per pig in inventory. Thus, a surveillance design based on collecting and testing specimens from a few targeted pigs on each of many farms would be both affordable and effective at a national level.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, timely vaccination was crucial in acquiring herd immunity. While high-income countries typically had better access to vaccines, interventions were implemented to improve accessibility for low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Vaccine uptake presented major barriers to achieving herd immunity globally and was more significant in LMICs. Vaccine hesitancy was amplified by misinformation, including but not limited to social media misinformation. This scoping review aims to: (1) explore the role of misinformation in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in LMICs and (2) identify primary sources, key themes, and dissemination channels of this misinformation, encompassing all relevant sources but with an emphasis on social media, given the infodemic context which proved to be particularly significant during the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Five databases (Scopus, Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were searched using predefined search terms. All identified articles underwent a rigorous screening process, and if eligible, proceeded to data extraction. In total, 119 studies were included in this review. Primary dissemination platforms included Facebook, WhatsApp, X, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Zalo. Key themes of misinformation identified included (1) malicious intent, (2) fear of side effects, (3) concerns about vaccine development and safety, (4) religious and cultural beliefs, and (5) natural immunity. Overall, this scoping review addresses the literature gap in the role of misinformation pertaining to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and suggests investing in misinformation-mitigation interventions to reduce public harms and disruptions.
In recent years, interest in biosecurity practices on livestock farms has expanded considerably, with improvements noted in pig and poultry farms but limited progress in cattle farms. In France, data regarding biosecurity practices in cattle farms remains scarce. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is one of the main animal health challenges. Each case leads to mandatory epidemiological investigation, led by state services. Biosecurity practices are also described. This creates a valuable data source to describe biosecurity practices in bTB-affected farms. This study aimed to describe biosecurity practices in French bTB-affected farms and identify factors associated with their biosecurity levels. Official investigation questionnaires from bTB-affected cattle farms between 2016 and 2023 located in two French administrative regions were collected, and 153 of them were analysed. Thanks to nine international experts in cattle biosecurity and/or bTB, risk scores were calculated regarding biosecurity practices related to animal introductions, contacts between herds, contacts with wildlife, visitors' management, equipment sharing, and effluent management. A global risk score was then calculated. Regression models were used to examine relationship between risk scores and predictors (e.g., herd size, production type, previous bTB outbreaks). Results revealed significant variability in biosecurity practices, with higher mean risk scores for animal introduction and wildlife-livestock contact. Production type, presence of a non-bovine unit, location and presence of wild boars around the farms significantly influenced biosecurity scores. Although the data provided by these questionnaires were incomplete, this first study suggests that biosecurity practices could be linked to farms typologies.
In Europe, where livestock has largely replaced wild ungulates over the centuries, dung beetle assemblages have become largely dependent on livestock farming. The radical changes in livestock farming practices during the 20th century have therefore had a profound impact on these assemblages. Trophic rewilding with large herbivores is an important focus in European rewilding projects, and dung beetle assemblages appear to be good indicators of the success of rewilding. By comparing the composition of dung beetle assemblages and the rate of dung disappearance in three neighboring grassland habitats in southern France, maintained respectively by a population of Przewalski horses managed by natural selection and two herds managed for production purposes (a flock of sheep and a herd of endurance horses), our study shows a) significant differences in the composition of the dung of the three animals; b) a single pool of dung beetle species; c) but a different assemblage structure. While tunnelers dominated across all the sampled habitats, rollers were the second most abundant group in domestic farms, and were replaced by dwellers in the Przewalski horse rangelands. Differences in dung beetle assemblages and dung composition between the three grazers could both explain that sheep droppings were removed faster than horse dung. Understanding how herbivore types and management shape these assemblages helps refine decisions for conservation and/or rewilding. However, the place of ecological heritage and species co-occurences in these changes need to be examined, since in this region the history of dung beetles is closely linked to that of sheep pastoralism as for other types of semi-natural grasslands in Europe.