A case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services

Non-regulatory animal health issues, such as Johne's disease, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and mastitis will become increasing important, with ongoing globalisation of markets in animals and animal products. In response, Ireland may need to broaden the scope of its national animal health services. However, there have been concerns about the respective roles and responsibilities (both financial and otherwise) of government and industry in any such moves. This paper argues the case for increased private sector involvement in Ireland's national animal health services, based both on theoretical considerations and country case studies (the Netherlands and Australia). The Dutch and Australian case studies present examples of successful partnerships between government and industry, including systems and processes to address non-regulatory animal health issues. In each case, the roles and responsibilities of government are clear, as are the principles underpinning government involvement. Furthermore, the roles and responsibilities (financial and otherwise) of the Dutch and Australian industry are determined through enabling legislation, providing both legitimacy and accountability. There are constraints on the use of EU and national government funds to support non-regulatory animal health services in EU member states (such as Ireland and the Netherlands).     

The brucellosis and tuberculosis status of wood bison in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories, Canada.

Postmortem examinations were done on 51 wood bison (Bison bison athabascae) killed as part of a multidisciplinary research project in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, Northwest Territories, Canada, between 1986 and 1988. There was no gross, histological or bacteriological evidence of brucellosis or tuberculosis in these bison. Traumatic lesions were seen in one calf that had been attacked by wolves and a second calf that had been gored. Antibody titers to Brucella abortus were not found in sera from these 51 animals or an additional 112 wood bison that were chemically-immobilized or killed in the Sanctuary between 1986 and 1990. The combined prevalence of the diseases in the population could not have exceeded 5.95% for the necropsy survey to have missed finding at least one infected animal, and the prevalence of brucellosis in the population would have had to be less than 1.95% for the broader serological survey to have failed to find at least one reactor animal on the battery of tests. These results, and the cumulative epidemiological information on brucellosis and tuberculosis in bison, indicate that bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis are not enzootic in the wood bison population in and around the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, and suggest that the population is free of these diseases. However, this expanding population is at risk of contracting both diseases from the infected bison population in and around nearby Wood Buffalo National Park.     

The impact of access to animal health services on donkey health and livelihoods in Ethiopia

This study was carried out to assess the impact of animal healthcare services on poor donkey owners in Ethiopia. The services provided by the Donkey Sanctuary were used as a case study. A questionnaire survey was designed and carried out in the areas around Debre Zeit in the Highlands of Ethiopia. The staff carried out a survey at 10 sites. Six of these were in Donkey Sanctuary project areas and four were in control areas. The results showed that in project areas donkeys were significantly healthier and more productive than in non-project areas. Donkey owners in project sites felt better off for having access to animal healthcare services; donkey owners in non-project sites were less confident about their incomes and the health of their animals.     

推窗见月关于中国动保现状和未来的几点思考

中国经济三十多年的迅猛发展和可支配收入的大幅增加支持着家庭蛋白质消费的持续增长,我国家庭肉蛋奶的消费量已迅速推高到近发达国家的消费水平。国家对畜牧产业的支持如免税,不同阶段对不同畜牧产业的扶持,以及广阔的农村家庭养殖,和畜牧产业的市场化在满足不断增长的肉蛋奶供应的同时,也推动着畜牧产业的快速成长和进步。     

Attitudes, procedures, and delivery of behavior services by veterinarians in small animal practice

OBJECTIVE: To survey veterinarians in small animal practice concerning their attitudes about delivery of behavior services, frequency of common behavior problems, manner in which services were provided, confidence in their clinical ability to treat these behavior problems, frequency of use of pharmacologic intervention, and number of dogs and cats euthanatized specifically because of behavior problems. DESIGN: Cross-sectional mail survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: Random sample of veterinarians in small animal practice in the United States. PROCEDURE: A self-administered mail survey was sent to a random sample of 2,000 veterinarians. Results were tabulated and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: It was estimated that approximately 224,000 dogs and cats were euthanatized annually in small animal veterinary practices in the United States because of behavior problems. Although veterinarians seemed unwilling to euthanatize animals for behavior problems solely on the basis of a client's request, many veterinarians did not routinely inquire about animal behavior and often were not confident in their clinical skills to treat behavior problems. Female veterinarians tended to be more proactive in addressing behavior problems and to have more positive attitudes than male veterinarians about the importance of animal behavior. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Efforts are needed to increase the number of veterinarians who systematically incorporate inquiries about animal behavior into routine clinical practice and to build the confidence of veterinarians for diagnosing and treating animal behavior problems.     

A remote fluorescein staining and photography protocol for monitoring of ulcerative keratitis in small animal patients: A pilot study

Objective

To describe a protocol for corneal ulcer monitoring utilizing daily fluorescein staining and evaluation of owner-acquired anterior segment images.

Animal studied

Nine client-owned small animal patients (eight dogs, one cat) diagnosed with superficial corneal ulcers at the University of Georgia Veterinary Capitalize Hospital.

Procedure(s)

In addition to routine ulcer therapy, patients were discharged with supplies to perform daily fluorescein staining including a Quikvue® cobalt blue light camera adapter. Fluorescein staining was performed daily, photographs and/or videos were acquired at home by the patient's owner(s), and images were analyzed daily by trained personnel. In-house examinations were performed weekly and within 24 h after the ulcer had appeared healed on photographs.

Results

All (9/9) owners were able to take interpretable photographs. The majority (6/9) of patients had images successfully detailing their ulcer healing progress. One (1/9) patient appeared healed on images, but on subsequent examination had persistent ulceration covered by third eyelid elevation. Two (2/9) patients had persistent ulceration, consistent on both images and examination, but exited the study prematurely prior to ulcer healing.

Conclusions

Remote fluorescein staining and image evaluation can be considered as an adjunct for monitoring ulcer healing but should not be used alone or as a substitute for ophthalmic examinations. Ulcers under the third eyelid have potential to be missed on image evaluation alone.     

常见几种微量元素与健康的研究进展

人体及畜禽的必须微量元素现代人多称之为“生命元素” ,它在人体及动物有机体中起着重要的作用 ,维护机体的健康乃至生命的作用是不可替代的 ,它几乎参与人及动物有机体的全部生理活动过程。必需微量元素的摄取不足或吸收失衡都直接影响到机体的正常运作 ,有些营养学家称微量元素是比蛋白质、脂肪、糖和维生素更重要的营养素。目前 ,对人及动物的微量元素摄入量及营养需要量和耐受量在国内外都做了大量的研究 ,并研制了大量的微量元素保健产品 ,如富硒蛋、高碘蛋、高锌蛋、富硒大米、富硒茶等。1　微量元素的生物功能1 1　营养功能必需微…     

Socio-economic and organizational determinants of the efficiency of animal health and production services in sub-Saharan Africa

Mr S.N.H. Putt, BVM&S, DTVM, MPVM, MRCVS: It is deeply regretted that following the Workshop and the preparation of this paper Mr Putt died after a short period of illness     

我国动物保健业中存在的问题及其对畜禽产品国际贸易的影响

加入世贸组织前,我们曾认为,我国拥有比较优势的劳动密集型农产品,如畜禽产品及水产品等,在加入世贸组织后出口会大幅增加。但在加入WTO后,我国畜禽产品出口却阴雨连绵、困难重重,多种出口产品在一些国家和地区纷纷遭到封杀、退货。有资料显示,在2002年,我国有71%的出口企业,39%的出口产品受到国外技术壁垒的限制,出口因国外技术壁垒影响损失170亿美元,均高于我国加入世贸组织前出口受技术壁垒影响的程度。其中,2002年食品土畜产品出口贸易在欧盟和日本因技术壁垒造成的损失分别为45.4亿美元和37.3亿美元。进入2003年,我国畜禽产品出口仍…     

Diversity and health status specific fluctuations of intrauterine microbial communities in postpartum dairy cows

For the interpretation of clinical findings of endometritis and the development of disease prevention and intervention strategies a better understanding of the dynamics and interactions within intrauterine bacterial communities in healthy and diseased cows is required. To gain deeper insights into fluctuations within the uterine microbiota, intrauterine samples were collected from 122 cows at the day of calving, days 3, 9, 15, 21 and 28 postpartum. A total of 2052 bacterial isolates were identified by Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy. This culturomics-based approach showed that the aerobic uterine microflora comprised a huge diversity of bacteria belonging to 202 different species, representing 76 genera, with members of the genus Staphylococcus (24.2%) being predominant. On species level the uterine microflora was dominated by Trueperella pyogenes (13.2%), Escherichia coli (11.2%), Staphylococcus xylosus (5.4%), Bacillus pumilus (5.2%) and Streptococcus uberis (4.9%). Comparative analysis of uterine bacteria from cows with different vaginal discharge scores (VDS) revealed health status specific temporal microbial diversifications. Although the intrauterine flora of all VDS groups was dominated by T. pyogenes, E. coli and Staphylococcus spp., the relative number of bacteria differed between VDS groups. The presence of T. pyogenes on days 15 and 21 significantly increased the risk of VDS 2 and 3 at day 21, whereas Staphylococci at day 9 reduced the likelihood of VDS 3 (P < 0.05). This study demonstrates that intrauterine bacterial infections are highly dynamic processes and that bacterial species follow specific patterns of progression, which require further research to decipher their potential role in uterine disease development.     

A comparative study of production performance and animal health practices in organic and conventional dairy systems

Health and production management strategies influence environmental impacts of dairies. The objective of this paper was to measure risk factors on health and production parameters on six organic and conventional bovine, caprine, and ovine dairy herds in southeastern Brazil over six consecutive years (2006–2011). The organic operations had lower milk production per animal (P?≤?0.05), lower calf mortality (P?≤?0.05), less incidence of mastitis (P?≤?0.05), fewer rates of spontaneous abortions (P?≤?0.05), and reduced ectoparasite loads (P?≤?0.05) compared to conventional herds and flocks. Organic herds, however, had greater prevalence of internal parasitism (P?≤?0.05) than conventional herds. In all management systems, calves, kids, and lambs had greater oocyte counts than adults. However, calves in the organic group showed lower prevalence of coccidiosis. In addition, animals in the organic system exhibited lower parasitic resistance to anthelmintics. Herd genetic potential, nutritive value of forage, feed intake, and pasture parasite loads, however, may have influenced productive and health parameters. Thus, although conventional herds showed greater milk production and less disease prevalence, future research might quantify the potential implications of these unreported factors.     

Community participation and the delivery of veterinary services in Africa

Community participation is now widely promoted as an important feature of aid projects in less-developed countries. However, definitions, uses and expectations of community participation vary considerably among professionals (including veterinarians). A lack of common understanding of community participation hinders the comparison of experiences between projects and can lead to false hopes regarding how community participation should be used and what it might deliver. This paper provides an overview of experiences with community participation in animal-health service development and research in Africa. By examining two types of community-based animal-health intervention, the paper also describes how community participation can vary in veterinary projects and relates this variation to project impact and sustainability. Projects that encourage types of community participation such as interactive participation and self-mobilisation are most likely to result in sustained benefits for livestock keepers.     

A questionnaire survey of perceptions and preventive measures related to animal health amongst cattle owners of rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

A questionnaire survey of 315 cattle owners from the rural districts of KwaZulu-Natal was carried out. The aim of the survey was to improve our understanding of local farmers' perceptions and practices of animal disease prevention and control and to establish the extent of their relationship with veterinary services. The survey showed that many owners practice preventive measures such as deworming, tick control and vaccination. Traditional medicines were in use by over half the respondents (58.9 %). Diseases are regarded as an important management problem (56.1 %); ticks, worms and diarrhoea dominated the mentioned health problems in cattle. Veterinary services still play an important role and are a frequent source of advice to owners. The findings of the survey and their context are discussed.     

硼对动物健康及生产的关键作用(综述)(续1)

硼(Boron,B)在植物和动物的生物学、机体代谢和生理过程中具有多种有益功能。它在维持动物健康和预防营养失调方面发挥着至关重要的作用。硼缺乏会导致免疫功能低下以及骨质疏松症的高发,这会增加死亡风险。硼过量则会导致人类和多种动物的细胞损伤和毒性。在过去几年中,人们对明确硼的多效性予以了关注,包括免疫反应的激活、抗氧化解毒活性、影响骨代谢、提高动物生产性能和调节多种机体系统的作用。此外,硼作为抗热应激剂在植物中的作用已经得到证实,并且研究人员也提议在动物上进行研究。研究表明,日粮中添加硼后,奶牛的肝脏代谢有显著改变。同样,向动物饲料中添加硼可以增强动物的骨密度、加快伤口愈合速度和促进胚胎发育。此外,硼对许多矿物质和酶的代谢具有潜在影响。基于以上硼的益处,高或低水平的硼均值得关注。同样,还需要对硼的影响进行更深入的研究,并调整不同动物物种对硼的需求。     

A preliminary study of behavioural methods for assessing the influence of electric cow-trainers on animal health

Various behavioural patterns were assessed for their usefulness in analysing any possible effects of electric cow-trainers on the health of dairy cows. Four cows in a commerical herd were used, which had not previously been exposed to cow-trainers. Two of these were exposed to conventionally installed and managed cow-trainers and two were controls. It was concluded that preparation to lie down, lying-down movements and comfort behaviour are suitable for the study of relationships between the use of electric cow-trainers and impaired health in cows.