Some evidence of an age susceptibility to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia

In two separate experiments it was shown that cattle over three years of age were more resistant to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) than younger animals. A statistical analysis of the results of one of the trials indicated that the difference in the response to challenge between calves less than one year old and animals between two and three years old was not significant. However, when these two groups were compared with animals over three years old the results were highly significant (P less than 0.001). When death was used as the sole criterion of response to challenge a similar picture was seen: nine 14 calves died, four of 15 animals aged between one and two years died, five of 11 animals aged between two and three years died, none of 16 animals aged over three years died. No attempt is made to explain this increase in resistance with increasing age. It is suggested that a better knowledge of the factors that influence resistance and susceptibility would be of value in understanding the pathogenesis of CBPP. It is recommended that to ensure maximum susceptibility of control animals in vaccine trials, all animals used should be less than three years old.     

Chondrodysplasia in Australian Dexter cattle

Objective To describe the occurrence of chondrodysplasia in Australian Dexter cattle.
Design A pathological and genetic case report.
Procedure Congenital lethal chondrodysplasia was studied in two female Dexter foetuses aborted mid to late gestation. Clinicopathological findings including histological changes in limb bones, and analysis of pedigree information were evaluated.
Results Characteristic features of congenital lethal chon-drodysplasia (Dexter bulldog) include abortion, disproportionate dwarfism, a short vertebral column, marked micromelia, a relatively large head with retruded muzzle, cleft palate and protruding tongue and a large abdominal hernia. Histological changes in limb bones are consistent with failure of endochondral ossification. Dexter chondrodysplasia is considered to be inherited in an incompletely dominant manner with the homozygous form producing the congenital lethal condition. A preliminary minimum estimate of heterozy-gote frequency is 19% within the registered Australian Dexter herd, based on analysis of the contribution of three obligate heterozygotes whose semen has been widely used by artificial insemination in Australia.
Conclusion Dexter chondrodysplasia is present in Australian cattle and further cases of the homozygous form, congenital lethal chondrodysplasia, are likely to occur.
Recommendation It is requested that spleen and liver tissue from bulldog foetuses and blood from their parents be collected to assist research into Dexter chondrodysplasia.     

Atypical outbreak of caprine cryptosporidiosis in the Sultanate of Oman

An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis occurred in goats ranging in age from two days to adult, on a well-managed closed farm. None of the other animals on the farm, including sheep, cows and buffalo, were affected. Morbidity approached 100 per cent in goats less than six months of age. Despite intensive supportive care, 238 goats died, ranging in age from two days to over one year. Cryptosporidia were detected in large numbers in the intestinal contents of dead animals and in faecal smears of animals with diarrhoea. Massive numbers of the organisms were also demonstrated histopathologically and by electronmicroscopy, and no other significant pathogens were detected. The outbreak was unique in terms of the extreme virulence of the organism, its apparent species-specificity, and the shedding of the organism by animals over four weeks of age.     

Improving smallholder cattle reproductive efficiency in Cambodia to address expanding regional beef demand

This study aimed to identify factors associated with cattle reproductive output in rural smallholder farms in Cambodia in order to determine the main causes of reproductive failure and design efficient interventions for improvement. The majority of the nation’s beef is produced on smallholder farms where productivity is constrained by poor animal reproductivity reflected in the recent livestock population decline of approximately 13 % from 2009 to 2013. Farmers (n?=?240) from 16 villages from five provinces were surveyed in mid-2015 to determine their baseline knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) associated with cattle reproduction. In addition, 16 case studies from three of these provinces were conducted to provide a more detailed assessment of current cattle reproductive husbandry practices. In order to assess the reproductive impact of previously implemented interventions, an endpoint KAP survey and longitudinal health and husbandry study from three Cambodian provinces conducted between 2008 and 2013 were also analysed. Three multivariable prediction models (two KAP and one longitudinal) identified the following significant factors associated with the reproductive outcomes ‘number of calves born’ or probability that cows ‘gave birth’: target feeding (P?=?0.074), growing vegetables (P?=?0.005), attitudes towards cattle vaccination (P?=?0.010), improving bull selection (P?=?0.032), local breed use (P?=?0.005), number of joining attempts (P?<?0.001), discontinuation of animal draught practices (P?=?0.003) and retention of breeding animals (P?<?0.001). The identification of significant factors and interventions in this study has led to intervention recommendations that can potentially improve reproductive efficiency, combat the declining cattle population and improve smallholder capacity to supply to expanding regional meat demand in South-East Asia and China.     

Urinary catheterisation of female dogs: a comparison between three techniques for catheter placement

The objective of this study was to describe a new technique for urinary catheterisation of female dogs using a novel catheterisation device (NCD) and to compare the time taken to place a catheter using this technique with traditional techniques. A secondary objective was to survey participants on which of the techniques they preferred. Female canine cadavers of varying sizes were utilised and veterinary students who had not previously placed a urinary catheter were enrolled. Each participant performed three catheterisation techniques, Visual with speculum (SPEC), Blind Palpation (BP) and catheterisation with NCD on three sizes of dog. Time required using each technique was compared using Kaplan–Meier plots and mixed models Cox Proportional Hazards regression. Median times to catheterisation were 300 s (IQR 261–417 s) with the SPEC method, 420 s (IQR 253–545 s) with the NCD method and 725 s (574–1032s) with the BP method. Both SPEC and NCD methods were significantly faster compared to the BP method, with Hazard Ratios of 3.66 (95% CI 1.94–6.91, P < 0.001) and 3.57 (95% CI 1.87–6.81, P < 0.001), respectively. Six of nine participants found the NCD the easiest technique, 5/9 of the participants found the palpation technique most difficult and 4/9 found the speculum technique most difficult. BP appears to be the technique of least preference and increased time requirement. The novel urinary catheterisation device may provide a simpler method of visualisation of the urethral papilla and may provide a more sterile way of placing the catheter, although further investigation is needed to confirm this.