Familial occurrence of bovine dilated cardiomyopathy in Denmark

Bovine dilated cardiomyopathy (BDCM) is a hereditary disease genetically related to the Canadian Holstein sire Montwick Red Apple Sovereign (MRAS). The occurrence of this disorder in the Red Danish Dairy breed, Holsteins, and Red Holsteins in Denmark is reported. Fourteen cases were diagnosed during a 13-year period. All suffered from congestive heart failure because of progressive myocardial fibrosis. Pedigree information was available in 12 cases revealing both maternal and paternal relationship to MRAS. Several sires were identified as carriers of BDCM. These sires originated from breeding lines used to upgrade Danish cattle populations. The findings indicate that BDCM is a potential health problem for Danish cattle.     

Vertebral Fractures in Newborn Calves

A prospective study on vertebral fractures in newborn calves is described. Vertebral fractures were found in 7.0% of necropsied calves of the Danish Holstein-Friesian (SDM) and Red Danish Dairy (RDM) breeds. Cases were not found in submitted calves of the Jersey breed or beef breeds. At least in beef breeds this was probably due to the low number necropsied. The rate of vertebral fractures in SDM and RDM breeds and between males and females were similar. Most cases occurred in calves born by heifers, and manual traction force had been applied in all cases. All fractures which in most cases consisted of a simple epiphysiolysis were located at the thoraco-lumbar area, and especially the posterior epiphysis of T13 was afflicted.     

Congenital bovine epitheliogenesis imperfecta: a report of three cases from Iran

Epitheliogenesis imperfecta is a recessive hereditary condition characterized by the congenital missing of epithelium on the skin and oral mucosa. These lesions vary in size and location but usually consist of irregular patches of discontinuity of hair and squamous epithelium of skin usually on the distal extremities. Affected calves may also have patchy missing epithelium in the oral mucosa and tongue. The defect is usually incompatible with life. In this report, clinical, gross and histopathogical findings of epitheliogenesis imperfecta were described in two neonatal calves and one stillborn calf. Absence of epithelium over extensive areas of limbs, muzzle, nostrils, tongue, hard palate, cheeks and esophagus were among the remarkable findings.     

Congenital diseases

In this brief section only three congenital cutaneous diseases are outlined. They include epitheliogenesis imperfecta, epidermolysis bullosa and hyperelastosis cutis. The first is an absence of epidermal structures, the second is a defect at the epidermal–dermal junction and the third is a disease of a component of the dermis. The clinical and histopathologic findings for each are described herein.     

Aplasia cutis congenita (epitheliogenesis imperfecta) in swine: observations from a large breeding herd.

Epitheliogenesis imperfecta has been reported in several animal species, and its inheritance is suspected to be autosomal recessive. This term has been used to describe two different diseases, namely epidermolysis bullosa and aplasia cutis congenita, which are both grossly characterized by an absence of epidermis or mucosal epithelium and are most frequently reported on the distal limbs and oral cavity. Epitheliogenesis imperfecta has been described in swine, but the literature on the subject is scarce. To better characterize this condition, 70 piglets with congenital skin defects macroscopically compatible with epitheliogenesis imperfecta were examined. In all but 1 case, only 1 piglet per litter was affected. Of the affected piglets, 65 (93%) were male, suggesting a sex-related problem. More than half of the piglets had multiple skin lesions. All defects were located on the caudal half of the body, and none was found in the oral cavity. Most lesions were characterized by an absence of epidermis and part of the dermis and adnexae. Adnexal dysplasia was also observed at several sites, both with and without epitheliogenesis imperfecta, suggesting a developmental problem. Fluid-filled, congenital subcutaneous bullae were noted grossly on 7 piglets; their relationship, if any, with epitheliogenesis imperfecta remains unknown. As the term epitheliogenesis imperfecta has been used in cases of epidermolysis bullosa, the term aplasia cutis congenita seems to be more appropriate to describe these lesions in swine.     

Genomic predictions across Nordic Holstein and Nordic Red using the genomic best linear unbiased prediction model with different genomic relationship matrices

This study investigated genomic predictions across Nordic Holstein and Nordic Red using various genomic relationship matrices. Different sources of information, such as consistencies of linkage disequilibrium (LD) phase and marker effects, were used to construct the genomic relationship matrices (G‐matrices) across these two breeds. Single‐trait genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) model and two‐trait GBLUP model were used for single‐breed and two‐breed genomic predictions. The data included 5215 Nordic Holstein bulls and 4361 Nordic Red bulls, which was composed of three populations: Danish Red, Swedish Red and Finnish Ayrshire. The bulls were genotyped with 50 000 SNP chip. Using the two‐breed predictions with a joint Nordic Holstein and Nordic Red reference population, accuracies increased slightly for all traits in Nordic Red, but only for some traits in Nordic Holstein. Among the three subpopulations of Nordic Red, accuracies increased more for Danish Red than for Swedish Red and Finnish Ayrshire. This is because closer genetic relationships exist between Danish Red and Nordic Holstein. Among Danish Red, individuals with higher genomic relationship coefficients with Nordic Holstein showed more increased accuracies in the two‐breed predictions. Weighting the two‐breed G‐matrices by LD phase consistencies, marker effects or both did not further improve accuracies of the two‐breed predictions.     

Epitheliogenesis imperfecta in lambs

In a herd of 23 ewes of the White Alp breed, a congenital epitheliogenesis imperfecta was observed in five twin-births. All lambs originated from the same father. Except in one case, only one of the twins was affected. Characteristic lesions were epidermal defects between the coronary groove and the carpal/tarsal joint, exungulation, and defects in the buccal mucosa (cheeks, palatum durum, tongue). After removal of the ram from breeding, no more abnormalities were observed.     

Spinal muscle atrophy in Brown Swiss x Braunvieh cross calves]

The report describes seven SMA-cases in descendents of crossbreeds of American Brown Swiss x Deutsches Braunvieh. Symptoms and course: After initially normal development of the calves for one to six weeks the disease set in suddenly followed by a rapid lethal course of one to one and a half weeks duration due to asphyxia and/or secondary diseases. Only one case was reported having been sick since birth (?). Characteristic signs were rapidly progressing muscular atrophy, paresis and paralysis of the limbs, the trunk and the diaphragm, usually accompanied by progressive dyspnoea. Signs of congenital neuromyodysplasia (arthrogryposis) of different degree were present in four of the seven calves. Six calves had contracted a secondary pneumonia. Blood gas analysis (6/7) revealed a compensated (1x) or decompensated (4x) respiratory acidosis. Neurohistological findings: Degeneration and loss of motor neurons in the ventral horns of the spinal cord and neurogenic muscular atrophy. Immunohistochemistry revealed a pronounced accumulation of type 200 kD-neurofilaments in perikarya and dendrites of ventral horn motoneurons indicating disturbed mechanisms of the axonal transport. The disease seems to be inherited as a recessive trait.     

Crossbreeding experiment with beef and dual-purpose sire breeds on Danish dairy cows III. Daily gain,feed conversion and carcass quality of intensively fed young bulls

Beef production characteristics of 254 intensively fed young bulls are described. The results are part of a beef × dairy crossbreeding experiment, where sires of eight European beef and dual-purpose breeds were used on cows of RDM (Danish Red Cattle) and SDM (Black Pied Danish Cattle).Daily gain and feed conversion were influenced by the sire breeds. Charolais, Blonde d'Aquitaine and Simmental crosses showed the highest daily gain, followed by Romagnola, Danish Red and White, Chianina, Limousin and Hereford crosses.Carcass composition and carcass conformation were strongly influenced by sire breed with Blonde d'Aquitaine and Limousin crosses producing the most valuable carcasses followed by Chianina, Charolais, Romagnola, Simmental, Danish Red and White and Hereford crosses in descending order.The analysis showed a sire breed × weight/age interaction in carcass composition traits, due to sire breed differences in maturity. That demonstrates the importance of serial slaughtering in breed comparison experiments. Hereford and Limousin produced the earliest maturing crosses and Danish Red and White and Blonde d'Aquitaine the latest maturing crosses.     

Hereditary skeletal muscle diseases in the horse. A review

Since riders nowadays are expecting the highest level of performance from their horses, muscular disorders therefore represent a major problem for the equine athlete. A lot of research has been done to identify muscular disorders and their etiopathogenesis. Both acquired and inherited forms of muscle diseases have been described. In this review only the latter forms will be mentioned. Major signs of all muscle disorders are muscular stiffness, cramping or pain, muscular fasciculations, muscular atrophy and exercise intolerance. Muscle biopsies can help to identify the cause of rhabdomyolysis or muscular atrophy. However, especially in hereditary muscular diseases, a lot of questions are still to be answered. Increasing knowledge of the etiopathogenesis and newer diagnostic tests may lead to a more accurate diagnosis of the individual diseases in future.     

Frequency of bovine congenital pseudomyotonia carriers in selected Italian Chianina sires

Bovine congenital pseudomyotonia (PMT) is a genetic disease in Chianina and other breeds of cattle that induces muscular stiffness. PMT in the Chianina breed is caused by a missense mutation in exon 6 of the ATP2A1 gene, which encodes the SERCA1 pump. In this study, the prevalence of PMT carriers and the frequency of the deleterious PMT allele in selected subpopulations of the Chianina breed were estimated. The prevalence of PMT carriers among ranked Chianina sires used for artificial insemination in the years 2007–2011 was 13.6%. The frequency of PMT carriers in young bull calves born in the period January 2007 to June 2011 selected for a performance testing programme was 13.4%. Selective breeding against this genetic defect is restricted to males only and therefore is predicted to require at least seven generations to eradicate PMT.     

Spinal muscular atrophy in Braunvieh calves]

Clinical, neurophysiological and histopathological findings of sixteen cases of spinal muscular atrophy in calves are described. The first clinical signs usually were noticed at 2-6 weeks of age. The animals showed weakness in the hindquarters, trembling and ultimate recumbency. There was a marked muscular atrophy in all four extremities. In addition, secondary bronchopneumonia was evident in 11 cases. Histopathological lesions consisted of degenerative changes in the neurons of the ventral horns and the axons of the spinal cord as well as degeneration of nerve axons in the extremities. Neurophysiological measurements revealed spontaneous activity in the muscles of the limbs. The conditions is autosomal recessive. So far 11 bulls have been identified and excluded from breeding.     

Hereditary canine spinal muscular atrophy: canine motor neuron disease.

Motor neuron diseases, manifest as weakness and atrophy of skeletal muscles, occur in infancy, childhood, and adult life. Some forms of this disease are inherited. Motor neurons are selectively affected and exhibit cytoskeletal pathology, primarily enlargements of proximal axons by accumulations of transported neurofilaments. A motor neuron disease, hereditary canine spinal muscular atrophy, has been discovered in Brittany spaniels. The disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant characteristic and shows striking clinical and pathological features in common with human motor neuron disease. The availability of this excellent animal model of the human condition has allowed neurobiological investigations of the dynamics of structural and chemical pathologies of vulnerable neurons.     

Crossbreeding experiment with beef and dual-purpose sire breeds on Danish dairy cows

The experimental design and objectives are outlined for a crossbreeding experiment with European beef breeds as sire breeds and RDM (Danish Red), SDM (Black Pied Danish) and Danish Jersey as dam breeds.Results from a calving survey of 1006 single calvings are presented. Gestation length, birth weight and calving performance were strongly influenced by breed of sire, breed of dam and sex of calf. The variation in gestation length seemed to have only a slight effect on birth weight. The variation in birth weight had a strong effect on calving performance.The ranking of the sire breeds in descending order according to the frequency of unasisted calvings (which varied from 70 to 26 percent) was as follows: Hereford, Limousin, Danish Red and White Cattle, Simmental, Blonde d'Aquitaine, Chianina, Charolais and Romagnola.     

A review of hereditary diseases of the German shepherd dog

The German shepherd dog (GSD) is a preferred choice of many law enforcement and military agencies across the world. Unfortunately, the breed is afflicted with approximately 50 hereditary diseases. Seven major diseases afflicting the GSD are described herein: pancreatic acinar atrophy, megaesophagus, hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, hemophilia A, von Willebrand disease, and hereditary multifocal renal cystadenocarcinoma and nodular dermatofibrosis. Also included is a discussion of behavior, a characteristic thought to be inherited in the dog and often problematic in larger breeds such as the GSD. Current clinical and genetic research efforts pertaining to these diseases are reviewed.     

Genetic and environmental factors associated with incidence of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis in preweaned beef calves

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is one of the most economically important diseases in preweaned calves. This study examined the health records of 45,497 calves over a 20-yr period to determine environmental and genetic factors influencing the incidence of IBK. Three data sets were analyzed with an animal model. The first data set (n = 41,986) evaluated environmental factors and genetic differences among nine purebred (Angus, Braunvieh, Charolais, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Limousin, Pinzgauer, Red Poll, and Simmental) and three composite breeds (MARC I, MARC II, and MARC III). Weaning weights of calves diagnosed with IBK were 8.9 kg lighter (P < 0.05) than weights of healthy calves. Incidence of IBK was related to age of the calf and the seasonal life cycle of the face fly (Musca autumnalis). Incidence of IBK increased in the spring (June), peaked during the summer months (July to September), and then decreased in the fall. Herefords were the most susceptible breed (P < 0.05) compared with all other purebreds and composites. Estimates of direct heritability for the incidence of IBK were generally low and ranged from 0.00 to 0.28 by breed. The maternal permanent environmental and genetic effects of the dam on the incidence of IBK were not significant for most breeds. The second data set (n = 9,606) was used to estimate heterosis for the incidence of IBK from a Hereford and Angus diallel design. The heterosis effect for the incidence of IBK in reciprocal Hereford/Angus crossbred calves was slightly negative (P = 0.12) but not large. The higher incidence of IBK in Angus x Hereford calves compared with Hereford x Angus calves (13.3 vs. 8.9%) suggests a maternal effect related to the incidence of IBK. Incidence of IBK in crossbred calves sired by tropically adapted breeds (Brahma, Boran, Tuli) compared with purebred and crossbred Bos taurus types was investigated in the third data set (n = 2,622). Crossbred calves sired by tropically adapted breeds had a lower incidence of IBK than most Bos taurus types (P < 0.05), but they were not different than either reciprocal crosses of Hereford and Angus or purebred Angus calves. Response to selection for decreasing the incidence of IBK is likely to be slow because of low heritability and low incidence in most breeds. Significant breed differences for incidence of IBK may be important to some producers and management systems.     

Equine epitheliogenesis imperfecta in two american saddlebred foals is a lamina lucida defect

Necropsy of two American Saddlebred fillies diagnosed with epitheliogenesis imperfecta (EI) revealed missing patches of epithelium of the skin and oral mucosa as well as dental abnormalities. Examination of the digestive tract did not reveal signs of pyloric atresia in either foal. Histopathologic examination revealed separation of the epidermis from the dermis. In both foals a division within the lamina lucida of the basal lamina was observed by transmission electron microscopy. In comparison with an age-specific control, the ultrastructure of intact skin from the EI-affected foals showed abnormal hemidesmosomes, which lacked a subbasal plate. The morphological and ultrastructural defects observed in the EI-affected American Saddlebred foals were similar to those observed in Herlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa-affected human newborns, which is caused by a defect in one of the subunits of laminin-5. The close similarity of lesions of the human and equine diseases suggests that EI may be caused by a laminin-5 defect.     

Studies on the immune status of calves with chronic inflammation and thymus atrophy

The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ where the primary T cell repertoire is generated. Thymus atrophy is induced by various conditions, including infectious diseases, glucocorticoid treatment, and poor breeding management. Cattle with thymus atrophy tend to exhibit weak calf syndrome, a condition in which approximately half of neonates die shortly after birth. Calves with thymus atrophy that survive the first month typically contract chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we analyzed the populations of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells and thymocytes in calves with thymus atrophy. In addition, we evaluated polarization of master gene and cytokine mRNA expression in peripheral blood CD4⁺ cells in the calves. The population of CD4⁺CD8⁺ cells in thymus of the calves with thymus atrophy was lower than that of control calves. IL10 mRNA expression in peripheral blood CD4⁺ cells of calves with thymus atrophy was significantly lower than that of control calves. TBX21 mRNA expression in peripheral CD4⁺ cells of thymus atrophy calves was tended to be higher than that of the control group. In addition, FOXP3 mRNA expression in peripheral CD4⁺ cells of the thymus atrophy calves was tended to be lower than that of the control calves. Thymus atrophy calves exhibited chronic inflammatory disease leading, in severe situations, to conditions such as pneumonia with caseous necrosis. These severe inflammatory responses likely are due to decreases in IL10 mRNA expression, impairing control of macrophages, one of the main cell fractions of natural immunity.     

Reciprocal cross effects on growth hormone and prolactin secretion in cattle: influence of genotype and maternal environment

The influence of prenatal maternal and reciprocal cross effects on growth and growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) secretion in calves was investigated through the use of embryo transfer. Eight full-sib pairs of Angus-Red Poll reciprocal cross calves whose gestational development occurred in cows of either the Angus or Red Poll breeds were used in the study. The calves were nonsurgically transferred to recipient cows of each breed 8 d post-estrus. Three to five days after birth the calves were removed from their gestational dams and thereafter raised on milk replacer. The male calves were castrated at birth. At an average age of 61 d, blood samples were collected at 15-min intervals for an 8-h period via indwelling jugular cannula. The concentrations of GH and PRL were quantitated by radioimmunoassay. The temporal concentrations were analyzed and estimates of the secretory patterns determined. Sex influenced mean and basal GH concentrations and amplitude of GH peaks (P less than .1). Difference between reciprocal crosses (Angus X Red Poll vs Red Poll X Angus) was significant for basal PRL concentration. Birth weight and 150-d weight were significantly affected by recipient breed and reciprocal cross was significant for 150-d weight, birth to 150-d average daily gain, and mean concentration and number of GH peaks. The interaction of recipient breed and sex was significant for 150-d weight and mean GH concentration. These data add secretion of GH and PRL to those traits influenced by prenatal maternal environment.