A review of Neospora caninum in dairy and beef cattle--a Canadian perspective

Neospora caninum is one of the most important causes of abortion in cows. The occurrence of N. caninum infection in beef and dairy cattle has been reported worldwide, and in most provinces in Canada. The objective of this review is to summarize our current understanding of N. caninum in dairy and beef cattle for Canadian bovine practitioners. The review covers the life cycle of the agent, its mechanisms of transmission, clinical signs, and tests for diagnosing the infection. Data on the prevalence of the infection in Canadian dairy and beef cattle are reviewed and briefly compared with estimates from other parts of the world. Most importantly for Canadian bovine practitioners, the impacts of the infection, risk factors for its occurrence, and methods of control are also discussed. By reviewing the scientific literature on N. caninum from a Canadian perspective, culling decisions based on the interpretation of diagnostic tests are more effectively made in the control of N. caninum-associated disease.     

Cattle industry and zoonotic risk

The intensive farming of dairy and beef cattle has elicited a decrease in the herds and an increase in the number of animals per herd. The high concentration of cattle and the movement of the animals among herds has led to an increase in the health risks. In this context we have to consider the role of microbial agents of zoonoses, such as bacteria, parasites, and in some cases viruses. Notably, foodstuffs, such as meat, milk and dairy products, are the main sources of zoonoses of bovine origin. In particular, raw milk must be considered at high risk for trasmission of pathogens from cattle to humans. The European Regulation concerning food safety provides specific requirements for animal products and in bovine health management. Given the direct responsibility of the producer, the adoption of a self-regulation regimen on animal health, dairy and meat products must be planned by farmers.     

Cattle industry and zoonotic risk

The intensive farming of dairy and beef cattle has elicited a decrease in the herds and an increase in the number of animals per herd. The high concentration of cattle and the movement of the animals among herds has led to an increase in the health risks. In this context we have to consider the role of microbial agents of zoonoses, such as bacteria, parasites, and in some cases viruses. Notably, foodstuffs, such as meat, milk and dairy products, are the main sources of zoonoses of bovine origin. In particular, raw milk must be considered at high risk for trasmission of pathogens from cattle to humans. The European Regulation concerning food safety provides specific requirements for animal products and in bovine health management. Given the direct responsibility of the producer, the adoption of a self-regulation regimen on animal health, dairy and meat products must be planned by farmers.     

国内外原料乳中金黄色葡萄球菌风险评估研究综述

近年来我国乳品消费量持续增加,乳品质量安全关乎着人们身体健康和生命安全.金黄色葡萄球菌及其肠毒素引起的乳品中毒事件时有发生,逐本求源地针对原料乳开展金黄色葡萄球菌风险评估研究是十分必要的.本文根据国际食品法典委员会拟定的微生物风险评估的原则和指导方针,从危害识别、危害特征描述、暴露评估、风险描述四方面综述了关于原料乳中金黄色葡萄球菌国内外风险评估的研究现状.通过国外成熟的定量风险评估案例,介绍关于原料乳中金黄色葡萄球菌定量风险评估的基本框架,提出未来应加强构建肠毒素预测模型,较为系统的对原料乳从牧场到餐桌进行全程监控和风险评估的建议.     

Bayesian kriging of seroprevalence to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis and Neospora caninum in Alberta beef and dairy cattle

Identifying spatial patterns of risk is important in the study of diseases with ecologic causes. Furthermore, relatively complex hierarchical modeling is required to determine how factors that are organized across levels interact, such as how an ecologic cause interacts with farm management and with animal characteristics. The objective of this study was to map the risk for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP - the causative agent of Johne's disease) and Neospora caninum (NC - the cause of neosporosis) infections in Alberta beef and dairy cattle. This objective utilized Bayesian generalized linear kriging to partition herd effects into a portion attributable to location and a portion that was independent of location. Seropositivity to NC in beef cattle showed strong support for spatial covariance, suggesting that ecologic causes were important for beef cattle but not dairy cattle. There was little evidence of spatial covariance for MAP seropositivity in either beef or dairy cattle.     

电子鼻在乳及其制品检测中的应用研究进展

电子鼻作为一种基于综合气味信息的气味指纹检测技术,有着快速、无损、便捷、有效、客观等多方面优势,成为了乳及其制品的热门检测技术。与常规仪器分析和感官评价方法结合,电子鼻在乳制品掺假,成分检测,乳制品加工、贮藏过程中品质变化等相关气味信息方面的研究较多,为市场监控乳制品的质量安全提供了有效保障。本文总结了电子鼻在乳制品风味成分鉴别,乳及其制品新鲜度检测,乳制品加工过程监控、掺假检测等方面应用的研究进展,并展望了电子鼻技术在乳及其制品应用方面的进一步研究方向,旨在为其在乳及其制品质量安全快速检测等方面提供参考。     

Trichinella spiralis infection induces β-actin co-localized with thymosin β4

A serological survey for Neospora caninum and Besnoitia besnoiti was carried out in beef and dairy cattle in South Australia. Serum samples of dairy cattle (n=133) from 9 properties and tank milk samples from a further 122 dairy herds were tested. An additional 810 sera from beef cattle from 51 properties were also tested. Testing at the individual animal level by IDEXX NEOSPORA X2 Ab test ELISA revealed a low prevalence of N. caninum antibodies of only 2.7% (95% CI; 1.6-3.7%) sera positive, as did the milk testing that showed 2.5% (95% CI; 1.4-3.6%) of tank milks being positive. At the herd level, 29.4% (95% CI; 16.9-41.9%) of beef, and 44.4% (95% CI; 12.0-76.9%) of dairy cattle herds showed serum antibodies. The highest within-herd prevalence in beef was 20% and 25%in dairy, which explains the low herd prevalence in dairy detected by bulk milk testing. Testing for B. besnoiti antibodies by PrioCHECK(?) Besnoitia Ab 2.0 ELISA initially identified 18.4% (95% CI: 15.8-21.0%) of 869 individual cattle sera as positive by ELISA at the manufacturer's suggested cut-off threshold (15 PP). Additional tests by immunoblot and IFAT, however, could not confirm any of the ELISA results. The use of a higher (40 PP) threshold in the ELISA is suggested to improve specificity. There is thus no evidence of B. besnoiti infection in South Australian cattle.     

Triennial Lactation Symposium: Opportunities for improving milk production efficiency in dairy cattle

Increasing feed costs and the desire to improve environmental stewardship have stimulated renewed interest in improving feed efficiency of livestock, including that of US dairy herds. For instance, USDA cost projections for corn and soybean meal suggest a 20% increase over 2010 pricing for a 16% protein mixed dairy cow ration in 2011, which may lead to a reduction in cow numbers to maintain profitability of dairy production. Furthermore, an October 2010 study by The Innovation Center for US Dairy to assess the carbon footprint of fluid milk found that the efficiency of feed conversion is the single greatest factor contributing to variation in the carbon footprint because of its effects on methane release during enteric fermentation and from manure. Thus, we are conducting research in contemporary US Holsteins to identify cows most efficient at converting feed to milk in temperate climates using residual feed intake (RFI), a measure used successfully to identify the beef cattle most efficient at converting feed to gain. Residual feed intake is calculated as the difference between predicted and actual feed intake to support maintenance and production (e.g., growth in beef cattle, or milk in dairy cattle). Heritability estimates for RFI in dairy cattle reported in the literature range from 0.01 to 0.38. Selection for a decreased RFI phenotype can reduce feed intake, methane production, nutrient losses in manure, and visceral organ weights substantially in beef cattle. We have estimated RFI during early lactation (i.e., to 90 d in milk) in the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Holstein herd and observed a mean difference of 3.7 kg/d (P < 0.0001) in actual DMI between the efficient and inefficient groups (±0.5 SD from the mean RFI of 0), with no evidence of differences (P > 0.20) in mean BW, ADG, or energy-corrected milk exhibited between the 2 groups. These results indicate promise for using RFI in dairy cattle to improve feed conversion to milk. Previous and current research on the use of RFI in lactating dairy cattle are discussed, as well as opportunities to improve production efficiency of dairy cattle using RFI for milk production.     

Analysis of risk factors associated with bovine leukemia virus seropositivity within dairy and beef breeding farms in Japan: A nationwide survey

This cross-sectional study evaluated risk factors associated with farm-level bovine leukemia virus (BLV) seropositivity in 563 dairy and 490 beef farms throughout Japan. Twenty randomly selected cattle on each farm were serologically tested, and farm epidemiologiocal information was obtained through face-to-face interviews. Due to the large number of zero-prevalence dairy and beef farms, data analysis was performed using a zero-inflated negative binomial model, which revealed that the common risk factors associated with higher within-farm seroprevalence were past detection of clinical leukemia and presence of blood-sucking insects. Loose housing on dairy farms and direct contact between calves and adult cattle on beef farms were also identified as risk factors. With regard to farm-level presence of BLV, the presence of purchased cattle was found to be a risk factor in both sectors. Sending heifers to a common ranch was identified as an additional risk factor for dairy farms.     

奶牛健康监测与评价

牛奶的安全问题与奶牛的健康息息相关,只有健康的奶牛才能生产出健康的牛奶.牛群健康管理需要随时观察、定时检测,做到“未病先防”.因此,建立奶牛健康预警系统尤其重要,通过对单个敏感指标（乳体细胞数、牛乳pH、电导率、直肠温度、产奶量等）的变化和行为学观察及体况评分、运动评分、健康指数可以及时发现亚健康牛,减少疾病造成的损失,确保原料奶的品质安全.     

辽宁省原料乳中β-内酰胺酶的检测及结果分析

为了解辽宁省原料乳中是否含有β-内酰胺酶抗生素残留,对其质量状况进行调查.采用《乳及乳制品中舒巴坦敏感β-内酰胺酶类药物检验方法——杯碟法》检验方法对辽宁省送检的186批次原料乳样品进行检测.结果 共检出23批次β-内酰胺酶阳性样品,原料乳阳性样品检出率高达12.4％.调查发现,辽宁省原料乳中β-内酰胺酶检出率较高,在...     

Evaluation of surveillance and sample collection methods to document freedom from infectious bovine rhinotracheitis in cattle populations

OBJECTIVES: To assess the sensitivity of the current surveillance program used in Denmark for detecting outbreaks of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) at the herd level and to evaluate the impact of alternative sample collection strategies on the sensitivity of the system in an acceptable time frame. SAMPLE POPULATION: Data from the Danish Central Husbandry Register on cattle of 24,355 and 25,233 beef herds and on 13,034 and 12,003 dairy herds in the years 2000 and 2001, respectively. PROCEDURES: Surveillance programs were evaluated under current sample collection conditions and under 3 alternative scenarios by use of simulation modeling. Data from the current detection component of the surveillance system were used as input, taking into consideration the sensitivity and specificity of bulktank milk and serologic testing. RESULTS:The current system identifies infected dairy herds within a 3-month period with desired accuracy largely because of the test characteristics and number of bulk-tank milk samples. The system is less likely to detect infected beef herds in a timely manner because surveillance in beef herds depends solely on serologic testing at the time of slaughter. The efficiency of surveillance in dairy cattle herds was not decreased substantially when the slaughter-surveillance component was omitted. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:Geographically targeted sample collection during the high-risk season (winter) was predicted to increase the probability of rapid detection of IBR infection in cattle. This approach can be used for assessing other surveillance systems to determine the best strategies for detection of infected herds.     

Review: Cost of Reproductive Diseases and Conditions in Cattle

Based on information from USDA National Animal Health Reporting System early State pilot studies and more recent national studies, the cost of reproductive diseases and conditions was estimated for beef and dairy cattle. We estimate the total yearly cost of female infertility, abortions/stillbirths, dystocia, retained placentas, and metritis/pyometra to be $441 to $502 million for beef producers and $473 to $484 million for dairy producers with an aggregate national total of approximately $1 billion annually. This loss is over six times more costly than that resulting from respiratory diseases. Three-fourths of the cost for reproductive diseases and conditions can be attributed to female infertility and dystocia and the failure to produce a healthy calf that will survive the first 24 h of life. Aggregate national costs are roughly evenly divided between beef and dairy; per cow costs are more than three times greater for dairy cows ($52.60) than for beef cows ($14.00). Approximately equal national costs are attained because there are more than three times more beef cows than dairy cows. One factor contributing to the greater cost for dairy cows is lost milk production associated with dystocia and retained placentas. Lost milk production accounts for one-third of the costs associated with reproductive diseases and conditions in dairy cattle. We conclude from this review and our resulting estimates that focusing on developing strategies to increase the probability of conception, minimize dystocia, and produce a healthy calf that survives beyond the first 24 h of birth must continue to receive high priority in both dairy and beef cattle management and research.     

Validation of a direct time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for progesterone in milk from dairy and beef cows

The aim of this study was to validate a direct time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) for quantifying progesterone concentrations in milk during the bovine oestrous cycle. Holstein-Friesian and suckled and non-suckled Japanese Black cows were used to demonstrate the relationship between milk and plasma progesterone concentrations and to monitor progesterone profiles in milk and plasma during the oestrous cycle. The minimum detection level of the assay was 1.53ng/mL. Progesterone concentrations in milk and plasma changed in a similar manner throughout the oestrous cycle in dairy and beef cows, and milk and plasma progesterone profiles were significantly correlated (P<0.001). The study confirmed that a direct TR-FIA can be used to monitor the oestrous cycle in cattle and to quantify progesterone concentrations in whole milk.     

新疆生鲜奶质量安全风险研究初探

新疆具有发展绿色健康奶业得天独厚的资源与地缘优势,近年来随着奶牛养殖规模的不断扩大,新疆生鲜奶质量中的质量安全隐患也日益显现,而且在质量安全监管措施方面较为薄弱,尤其是关于生鲜奶质量安全风险因子的预警、分析、应急处置和消除体系仍处滞后阶段。作者试图通过分析新疆生鲜奶生产现状和质量安全现状,初步探讨其中可能存在质量安全风险因子,以期对新疆生鲜奶质量安全风险因子的分析、预警和体系构建有所帮助。     

Comparative study of mammary gland development and differentiation between beef and dairy heifers

Sixteen Hereford and 16 Holstein heifers were used to study the relationship of milk production potential to mammary development and differentiation. Heifers were slaughtered 150, 180, and 260 days of first gestation and at 49 days of first lactation. Prolactin binding capacity of mammary tissue was 2.5 fold higher in dairy than beef heifers at day 260 of gestation (27.2 vs 11.0 fmols/mg protein). In both breeds, maximal growth hormone binding in liver coincided with the beginning of the rapid phase of mammary growth at 180 days. Mammary tissue from dairy heifers released more casein and alpha-lactalbumin during in vitro incubations than tissue from beef heifers. No differences were observed between breeds with respect to incorporation of [¹⁴C]acetate into lipids. Mass of dairy mammary tissue at 49 days of lactation was 3.3 times greater (16.4 vs 4.9 kg) and produced 5.7 times more milk (20.3 vs 3.5 kg/day) than its beef counterpart. The total DNA content and the RNA/DNA ratio of lactating dairy mammary tissue was approximately twice that of lactating beef mammary tissue. The data suggested that the higher milk production observed in dairy cattle is a result of a greater number of secretory cells and greater activity per cell.     

The use of beef bull semen reduced the risk of abortion in Neospora-seropositive dairy cows

There is an evidence that the epidemiology of neosporosis differs in dairy and beef cattle, such that beef cattle carry a lower risk of abortion. The aim of the present study was to establish whether artificial insemination using semen from beef bulls could reduce the risk of abortion in dairy cows seropositive for the Neospora caninum parasite. Our study was based on yearly serological screening for neosporosis and on the confirmation of Neospora infection in aborted fetuses in two high-producing dairy herds with a mean 28% seroprevalence of N. caninum antibodies. The study population comprised of 273 pregnancies in seropositive animals: 156 pregnancies monitored after insemination using Holstein-Friesian semen and 117 after insemination using beef bull semen. Abortion rates for these animals were 28.2% (77 of 273), 34.6% (54 of 156) and 19.7% (23 of 117). Logistic regression analysis indicated no significant effects of lactation number and previous abortion on the abortion rate. Based on the odds ratio, a 1-unit increase in the Neospora antibody titre yielded a 1.01-fold increase in the abortion rate. The likelihood of abortion was two times higher for cows in one of the two herds and 2.8 times lower (one of 0.36) for pregnant cows inseminated with beef bull semen rather than Holstein-Friesian semen. Our results indicate that the use of beef bull semen can reduce the risk of abortion in dairy cows, and suggest that annual screening for neosporosis, specifically the antibody titre to the protozoan, could be an useful predictor of abortion risk in reproductive health programmes.     

Review on the epidemiology and dynamics of BSE epidemics

The paper describes how the comprehensive surveillance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and studies carried out on these data has enhanced our knowledge of the epidemiology of BSE. Around 7, 000 BSE cases were detected through the screening of about 50 million cattle with rapid tests in Europe. It confirmed that the clinical surveillance had a poor capacity to detect cases, and also showed the discrepancy of this passive surveillance efficiency between regions and production types (dairy/beef). Other risk factors for BSE were being in a dairy herd (three times more than beef), having a young age at first calving (for dairy cattle), being autumn-born (dairy and beef), and being in a herd with a very high milk yield. These findings focus the risk on the feeding regimen of calves/heifers. Several epidemiological studies across countries suggest that the feedborne source related to meat and bone meal (MBM) is the only substantiated route of infection - even after the feed ban -, while it is not possible to exclude maternal transmission or milk replacers as a source of some infections. In most European countries, the average age of the cases is increasing over time and the prevalence decreasing, which reflects the effectiveness of control measures. Consistent results on the trend of the epidemic were obtained using back-calculation modelling, the R(0) approach and Age-Period-Cohort models. Furthermore, active surveillance also resulted in the finding of atypical cases. These are distinct from previously found BSE and classified in two different forms based on biochemical characteristics; their prevalence is very low (36 cases up to 1st September 2007), affected animals were old and some of them displayed clinical signs. The origin and possibility of natural transmission is unknown.     

Drinking frequency effects on the performance of cattle: a systematic review

This study used a systematic literature review methodology to determine whether there is evidence that drinking frequency has effects on cattle performance, what performance responses to drinking frequency are documented and how performance responses vary according to environmental and animal factors. Electronic databases were searched for English language articles with original data on at least one performance attribute (e.g. water intake, feed intake, live weight) of cattle in response to voluntary drinking frequency or controlled access periods to water. Sixteen experiments on dairy cows and 12 experiments on beef cattle were retrieved from the literature. For beef cattle, all experiments reported reduced water and feed intake with access to water once every second and/or third day compared with once‐daily access. Median reductions of 15% and 25% in water intake and 16% and 9% in feed intake were found across experiments respectively. Live weight responses of beef cattle to access to water were limited and yielded positive, negative and no effects. For dairy cows, most experiments reported reduced water intake, milk yield and milk fat content with access to water twice or once daily compared with controls (ad libitum or ad libitum except at the dairy). Median reductions of 13% and 12% in water intake, 2% and 1% in milk yield and 1% and 2% in milk fat content were found across experiments respectively. Water availability effects on feed intake and live weight were very limited for dairy cows and yielded positive, neutral and negative effects. Season, climate, experiment conditions, animal class and animal genotype were identified to potentially influence intake responses of cattle. The review highlights a number of important gaps in the literature where future work is required to better understand the optimum drinking frequency of cattle and implications of water availability on health, welfare and performance.     

A review of current timed-AI (TAI) programs for beef and dairy cattle

This is a review of the physiology and endocrinology of the estrous cycle and how ovarian physiology can be manipulated and controlled for timed artificial insemination (TAI) in beef and dairy cattle. Estrus detection is required for artificial insemination (AI), but it is done poorly in dairy cattle and it is difficult in beef cattle. Protocols that synchronize follicle growth, corpus luteum regression and ovulation, allowing for TAI, result in improved reproductive performance, because all animals are inseminated whether they show estrus or not. As result, TAI programs have become an integral part of reproductive management in many dairy herds and offer beef producers the opportunity to incorporate AI into their herds. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-based protocols are commonly used in North America for estrus synchronization as part of a TAI program. Protocols that increase pregnancy rates in lactating dairy cows and suckling beef cows have been developed. Protocols that improve pregnancy rates in heifers, acyclic beef cows, and resynchronized lactating dairy cows are also discussed.