Welfare assessment in intensive and semi-intensive dairy cattle management system in Sicily

The present study aimed to compare the welfare of dairy cows kept in two traditional husbandry systems (semi-intensive and intensive farming) in south-eastern Sicily. A total of 18 dairy farms (nine semi-intensive and nine intensive) were evaluated with a multicriteria system adapted for Sicilian conditions and obtained simplifying the model of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Values of welfare measures, collected by inspections of the farms (general well-being indicators, ventilation system, resting areas [cubicles or bedding], flooring, milking parlours and waiting area, manger and watering equipment), and those of health categories (cases of abortions, hypocalcemia, displacement of abomasum, acidosis/ketosis, enteritis, hoof problems, and mastitis) obtained through the farm records, were compared using Mann–Whitney and Chi-squared tests, respectively. Data showed significant differences (p ≤ .05) about the variables related to welfare categories such as housing ventilation system, resting area, manger, and water equipment that were better in the semi-intensive system than the intensive system. No significant differences were observed about the variables related to health indicators. The results demonstrated that in Sicily the semi-intensive farm is better than the intensive to satisfy the conditions of animal welfare.     

Genetic parameters estimation in an Italian horse native breed to support the conversion from agricultural uses to riding purposes

Horses are nowadays mainly used for sport and leisure purposes, and several local breeds, traditionally used in agriculture, are exposed to the risk of extinction. The long-term survival of local horse breeds depends on strategies to both monitor their genetic diversity and to find their sustainable role in the equine market. Thus, several local horse breeds need to adapt their breeding objective to allow a modernization process. The Bardigiano is an example of such horse breeds; we, therefore, studied the existing evaluation protocol from a genetic standpoint to assess the protocol's suitability to convert the Bardigiano from an agricultural to a riding horse. To this end, we estimated genetic parameters for four conformation measurements, ten grading traits and 23 linear traits. For conformation measurements, the heritabilities ranged from 0.31 for cannon bone circumference to 0.63 for height at withers. For conformation and attitude grading traits, the highest heritability (0.34) was estimated for development and the lowest (0.09) for gaits. The heritabilities for linear traits ranged from 0.05 for the leg straightness to 0.32 for the coat colour. Genetic correlations between linear traits and corresponding grading traits varied considerably, ranging from −0.42 to 0.98. This study showed that the current evaluation protocol in the Bardigiano horse is appropriate for genetic evaluation. Genetic parameters estimation can, in turn, be used to develop novel breeding values to help this conversion. Our study paves the way to optimize the Bardigiano horse breeding programme, and it may help several other local horse breeds experiencing similar issues.     

Leiopathes glaberrima millennial forest from SW Sardinia as nursery ground for the small spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula

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New sites expanding the “Sardinian cold‐water coral province” extension: A new potential cold‐water coral network?

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Variability of wood properties in two wild cherry clonal trials

There has been an increase in wild cherry cultivation over recent decades, revealing a need for improvements in planting material to be used for the production of high quality timber. To date, trial tests have been carried out mainly on growth and tree architectural traits, while no investigations have focused on wood properties. The present study investigated the variability of the growth traits and the physical and mechanical properties of wild cherry wood, both within the tree, within and among clones and between sites. The aims of the study are to provide useful information on the genetics of wood traits in valuable hardwoods and to discuss how within-tree variation can affect early selection of genotypes. The results suggest that site was the most important source of variation in growth traits and in the proportion of heartwood, although differences among clones were highly significant. The number of sapwood rings was very homogeneous both between sites and among clones. Concerning the wood traits, most variation was detected within the tree, rather than within or among clones or between sites. Within tree variability seems to be mainly due to heartwood/sapwood presence. However, since there is a high correlation between heartwood and sapwood properties, a quite efficient selection made on the basis of sapwood should provide an efficient means of selecting heartwood traits.     

Pharmacodynamics and enantioselective pharmacokinetics of racemic carprofen in the horse

Carprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug of the 2-arylpropionate subclass. It contains a single chiral centre and exists in two enantiomeric forms. In this study rac-carprofen, at two dosages, 0.7 and 4.0 mg/kg, and placebo were administered i.v. to six New Forest horses in a three period cross-over study. The concentration-time profiles were established for R(-) and S(+)-carprofen for plasma and both inflamed (exudate) and noninflamed (transudate) tissue cage fluids. R(-)-carprofen was the predominant enantiomer in all three fluids, as indicated by plasma area under the curve (AUC) values for R(-) and S(+)-carprofen of 117.4 and 22.6 microg h/mL (low dose carprofen) and 557.5 and 138.1 microg h/mL (high dose carprofen) respectively. Penetration of both enantiomers into exudate was slow and limited and passage into transudate was even lower. The pharmacodynamics of rac-carprofen was investigated at both the molecular level and in terms of the ability to suppress components of the tissue cage inflammatory response. Low dose carprofen produced only moderate and transient inhibition of serum thromboxane (Tx)B2 but failed to affect exudate prostaglandin (PG)E2 concentrations, whilst suppression of exudate leukotriene (LT)B4 and beta-glucuronidase was not significant. High dose carprofen produced greater and more persistent inhibition of serum TxB2 and virtually abolished exudate PGE2 synthesis. Some inhibition of LTB4 and beta-glucuronidase in exudate was also obtained. At both dosages rac-carprofen reduced the swelling produced by intradermal bradykinin injection but only high dose carprofen was anti-inflammatory as indicated by suppression of temperature rise over exudate tissue cages and neither dose affected leucocyte numbers in exudate. When considered in conjunction with previous data on carprofen, the present findings indicate that carprofen is not a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX) isoenzymes, COX-1 and COX-2 in the horse, although it may show some preference for COX-2 inhibition. Because low dose carprofen, which is the clinically recommended dosage, produces minimal inhibition of COX, it is likely to achieve its therapeutic effects at least partially through other pathways, possibly including weak to moderate inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and of enzyme release. The good safety margin of carprofen in clinical use might also be explained by weak COX inhibition and by other actions at the molecular level.     

The role of species composition in the emergence of alternate vegetation states in a temperate rainforest system

Landscape Ecology - Forest systems are dynamic and can alternate between alternative stable states in response to climate, disturbance and internal abiotic and biotic conditions. Switching between...     

Efficacy of a diet containing caseinate hydrolysate on signs of stress in dogs

The purpose of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was to evaluate the efficacy of a diet containing caseinate hydrolysate (CH) on signs of stress in 2 groups of dogs (defined as Anxious and Nonanxious), using physiological (serum cortisol and lysozyme, N:L ratios and heart rate) and behavioral parameters.From an initial group of 40 female Beagle dogs, ranging in age from 10 months to 4 years (mean = 1.47 years; SD = 0.53) belonging to a dog colony, 32 were selected for this study according to their level of anxiety. A group of 16 Anxious dogs and a group of 16 Nonanxious dogs were identified.A baseline period, aimed to obtain reference values of investigated parameters, preceded the experimental phase. Both groups (Anxious and Nonanxious) were divided into a treatment group, which received the diet containing CH, and a control group which received a placebo diet (PD). Anxious CH and PD groups were balanced for anxiety level. Each dog was evaluated 3 times a day at 4 weeks intervals (T1-T2-T3). Each evaluation lasted 2 days and involved a Reactivity Evaluation Form, a blood sampling, heart rate recording, and a 10-minute behavioral video recording. Results from Reactivity Evaluation Form scores showed that although at T1 Anxious dogs had significantly higher scores (Mann–Whitney test, P < 0.001) compared with Nonanxious dogs, no difference was found between Anxious dogs fed with CH diet and Nonanxious fed with PD or CH diet at T3. Behavioral observations evidenced some signs of improvement in Anxious dog fed with CH diet. Cortisol level significantly decreased in Anxious dogs fed with CH diet (Friedman test, P < 0.05). Individual differences in physiological measures of stress responses may have contributed to the large variability, making interpretation of these measures difficult. These results suggest that CH may be used as a functional ingredient alleviating stress in dogs.     

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of ketoprofen enantiomers in sheep

OBJECTIVE: To establish pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of a racemic mixture and individual R(-) and S(+) enantiomeric forms of ketoprofen (KTP) in sheep and determine pharmacodynamic variables of KTP by pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling. ANIMALS: 8 female Dorset crossbred sheep. PROCEDURE: A tissue cage model of inflammation was used. Carrageenan was administered into tissue cages. Time course of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibition was determined in vivo by measurement of exudate prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentrations. Time course of COX-1 inhibition was determined ex vivo by measurement of serum thromboxane B2 (TXB2) concentrations. In addition, plasma concentration-time course and penetration of KTP enantiomers into inflammatory exudate and transudate (noninflamed tissue cage fluid) were investigated. Four treatments were compared: placebo, racemic mixture (rac-KTP [3 mg/kg of body weight, IV]), S(+) KTP (1.5 mg/kg, IV),and R(-) KTP (1.5 mg/kg, IV). RESULTS: Both KTP enantiomers had elimination half-life and mean residence time measurements that were short and volume of the central compartment and steady state volume of distribution that were low. Clearance was rapid, particularly for R(-) KTP Elimination of both enantiomers from exudate was > 10 times slower than from plasma. Both rac-KTP and the individual enantiomers significantly inhibited serum TXB2 concentrations for 12 hours. Rac-KTP and S(+) KTP, but not R(-) KTP, also significantly inhibited PGE2 synthesis in exudate for 12 hours. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Inhibition of serum TXB2 concentration and exudate PGE2 synthesis for similar time courses after S(+) KTP administration indicates that it is a nonselective inhibitor of COX in sheep.