Infection dynamics of foot-and-mouth disease virus in pigs using two novel simulated-natural inoculation methods

In order to characterize foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) infection dynamics in pigs, two simulated-natural inoculation systems were developed and evaluated. Intra-oropharyngeal (IOP) and intra-nasopharyngeal (INP) inoculation both enabled precise control of dose and timing of inoculation while simulating field exposure conditions.     

The apparent prevalence of skin lesions suspected to be human-inflicted in Danish finishing pigs at slaughter

Skin lesions on pigs inflicted by humans compromise animal welfare and are the subject of increased public and political attention in Denmark. Systematic surveillance of such skin lesions was enforced in April 2010 at all Danish pig abattoirs, through the recording of meat inspection Code 904 for the presence of skin lesions suspected to be human inflicted. The objectives of the present study were to (a) estimate the apparent prevalence of Code 904s at the pig and herd owner level; (b) characterise the distribution of deliveries with pigs demonstrating a Code 904; (c) characterise the distribution of herd owners with repeated Code 904 recordings; and (d) determine the developments in Code 904 prevalence over time in Danish finishing pigs in the period from May 1, 2010 to September 30, 2013.     

Syndromic surveillance using laboratory test requests: A practical guide informed by experience with two systems

Syndromic surveillance systems can enhance early disease warning, endemic disease monitoring, or help to accumulate proof of disease freedom. In order to provide immediate feedback to achieve these goals, the health data sources scanned should be acquired continuously, in an automated fashion, and should be stored electronically. Recognizing that data from diagnostic test requests often meet these requirements, two systems designed to automatically extract surveillance information from animal laboratory databases have been developed and are described in this paper. These systems are designed to contribute to early disease detection, as well as the timely management of epidemiological information, in a province of Canada and in Sweden, the areas served by the diagnostic laboratories concerned. Classifying in-coming requests into syndromes, the first step, was the most time-consuming and the least portable step between the two systems. The remaining steps were more easily adjusted from one system to implementation in the other. These steps included: retrospective evaluation of data to create baseline profiles following the removal of excessive noise and aberrations; the identification of temporal effects; prospective evaluation of detection algorithms; and finally real-time monitoring and implementation. Building upon the institutions’ existing data management software, all steps to use those data for the purposes of syndromic surveillance were set up using open source software; as a result this approach could be readily adopted by other institutions. Relatively straight-forward development and maintenance is expected to lead to the incorporation of these systems into each institution's surveillance processes, becoming an indispensable tool for diagnosticians and epidemiologists, as well as stimulating further technical development of such systems.     

Using mixed methods to investigate factors influencing reporting of livestock diseases: A case study among smallholders in Bolivia

Livestock disease surveillance is particularly challenging in resource-scarce settings, where disease events are often unreported. Surveillance performance is determined as much by the quantifiable biological attributes of the disease, as it is by motivations and barriers perceived by livestock keepers for disease reporting. Mixed methods designs, which integrate the collection, analysis and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data in a single study, are increasingly used across different disciplines. These designs allow for a deeper exploration of the topic under investigation, than can be achieved by either approach alone.     

Genetic parameters for direct and maternal calving ease in Walloon dairy cattle based on linear and threshold models

Calving ease scores from Holstein dairy cattle in the Walloon Region of Belgium were analysed using univariate linear and threshold animal models. Variance components and derived genetic parameters were estimated from a data set including 33 155 calving records. Included in the models were season, herd and sex of calf × age of dam classes × group of calvings interaction as fixed effects, herd × year of calving, maternal permanent environment and animal direct and maternal additive genetic as random effects. Models were fitted with the genetic correlation between direct and maternal additive genetic effects either estimated or constrained to zero. Direct heritability for calving ease was approximately 8% with linear models and approximately 12% with threshold models. Maternal heritabilities were approximately 2 and 4%, respectively. Genetic correlation between direct and maternal additive effects was found to be not significantly different from zero. Models were compared in terms of goodness of fit and predictive ability. Criteria of comparison such as mean squared error, correlation between observed and predicted calving ease scores as well as between estimated breeding values were estimated from 85 118 calving records. The results provided few differences between linear and threshold models even though correlations between estimated breeding values from subsets of data for sires with progeny from linear model were 17 and 23% greater for direct and maternal genetic effects, respectively, than from threshold model. For the purpose of genetic evaluation for calving ease in Walloon Holstein dairy cattle, the linear animal model without covariance between direct and maternal additive effects was found to be the best choice.     

Optimizing the use of breed types in developing country livestock production systems: a neglected research area

Developing country livestock production systems are diverse and dynamic, and include those where existing indigenous breeds are currently optimal and likely to remain so, those where non‐indigenous breed types are already in common use, and systems that are changing, such as by intensification, where the introduction of new breed types represents significant opportunities. These include opportunities to improve the livelihood of the world's poor, increase food and nutrition security and enhance environmental sustainability. At present, very little research has focused on this issue, such that significant knowledge gaps in relation to breed‐change interventions remain. The purpose of this study is to raise awareness of this issue and suggests strategic research areas to begin filling these knowledge gaps. Such strategic research would include (i) assessing the impact of differing breed types in developing country livestock productions systems, from a range of viewpoints including intrahousehold livelihood benefit, food and nutrition security at different scales, and environmental sustainability; (ii) identification of specific livestock production systems within developing countries, and the type of livestock keepers within these system, that are most likely to benefit from new breed types; and (iii) identification of new breed types as candidates for in‐situ testing within these systems, such as through the use of spatial analysis to identify similar production environments combined with community acceptance studies. Results of these studies would primarily assist stakeholders in agriculture, including both policy makers and livestock keepers, to make informed decisions on the potential use of new breed types.     

动物行为与动物园安全管理

野生动物的行为是动物与环境相互作用的结果,动物园中动物的行为也反映出动物与相应的由人为提供的环境之间的关系。本文分析了现阶段在动物园圈养人工控制的环境下,动物展现出的有关动物行为如领域行为、攻击行为、交配行为、学习行为、摄食行为、警戒行为和体温调节行为等,以及由这些行为导致的安全问题,并有针对性地提出了在动物管理中相应的防范措施与解决办法。在动物园日常管理工作中,工作人员要熟知动物行为的目的与意义,观察动物行为,及时发现动物的不适与异常,充分掌握与安全有关的动物行为并及时分析,找出可能存在的对动物造成伤害的安全隐患,避免安全事故,给动物提供更舒适安全符合动物生物学特性的环境,同时也是提高动物福利的重要环节。     

北美落基山自然风光与动植物纪事

北美洲落基山脉纵贯加拿大西南和美国西北部,跨越北极带、寒带和温带高原气候带,是全球著名山脉之一。有奇特的高原地貌、世界最大的冰原、众多冰河、瀑布、高原湖泊、温泉及间歇喷泉等自然景观,以及多种植被、特有动物,每年吸引来自世界各地的众多游客。美国、加拿大政府和联合国教科文组织重视环保,在落基山脉建立众多国家公园,其中有7处划定为《世界遗产目录》《世界遗产公园》。国家公园重视环保,订立各种保育措施,值得借鉴。     

民办高职院校饲料与动物营养专业模块化实训教学体系的构建

近年来,我国民办高职院校迅猛发展,已经成为高职教育中一支不可忽视的生力军。民办高职院校教学的实训、实习以及校企合作正在摸索阶段。文章以饲料与动物营养专业为例,探讨民办高职院校模块化实训教学体系的构建。     

中草药防治动物疾病的研究进展

现阶段的化学药剂、抗生素、生物制剂等对动物疾病的防治容易引起药物残留和耐药性等问题,因此中草药制剂的研究日益受到人们的关注.文章就中草药防治动物疾病的作用特点、效果、应用等三方面进行了综述.