The Schmallenberg virus epidemic in Europe—2011–2013

During the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) epidemic, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) collected data on SBV occurrence across Europe in order to provide an assessment of spread and impact. By May 2013, twenty-nine countries were reporting to EFSA and twenty-two countries had reported cases of SBV. The total number of SBV herds reported was 13,846 and the number of SBV laboratory confirmed herds was 8730. The surveillance activities were based on the detection of SBV clinical cases (either adults or newborns). Malformation in newborns was the most commonly reported clinical sign of SBV-infection. All countries were able to provide the date when the first suspicion of SBV in the herd was reported and nineteen could report the location of the herd at a regional level. This allowed the spread of SBV in Europe to be measured both temporally and spatially. The number of SBV confirmed herds started to increase in December 2011 and two peaks were observed in 2012 (February and May). Confirmed herds continued to be reported in 2012 and into 2013. An increase during winter 2012 and spring 2013 was again observed, but the number of confirmed herds was lower than in the previous year. SBV spread rapidly throughout Europe from the initial area of detection. SBV was detected above the latitude of 60° North, which exceeds the northern expansion observed during the bluetongue virus serotype 8 epidemic in 2006–2009. The impact of SBV was calculated as ratio of the number of herds with at least one malformed SBV positive foetus and the total number of herds in this region. The 75th percentile of the malformations ratio in the various affected countries for the whole reporting period was below 1% and 3% for cattle and sheep herds, respectively. International data collection on emerging diseases represents a challenge as the nature of available data, data quality and the proportion of reported cases may vary widely between affected countries. Surveillance activities on emerging animal diseases are often structured only for case detection making the estimation of infection/diseases prevalence and the investigation of risk factors difficult. The impact of the disease must be determined to allow risk managers to take appropriate decisions. Simple within-herd impact indicators suitable for emerging disease outbreaks should be defined that could be measured as part of routine animal health surveillance programmes and allow for rapid and reliable impact assessment of emerging animal health diseases.     

Estimation of the developmental age of the bovine fetus and newborn calf

Jersey cows from several herds provided 97 fetuses and 24 calves at fixed gestational intervals between 80 and 290 days after conception. The fetuses and calves were killed, weighed and measured and, after dissection, the sizes and weights of a range of skeletal and soft tissues were recorded. Six morphological measurements emerged as most suitable for the determination of developmental age in the normal fetus. By plotting their mean values and 95 per cent tolerance limits, the rates of growth and the variability of each measurement were defined. Long bone length was the most useful single measurement for predicting the developmental age of the fetus. Brain weight, bodyweight, crown-anus length and long bone length showed curvilinear growth patterns; age prediction equations derived from these measurements are complicated to use and additional simplified formulae have been derived. The number of appendicular ossification centres also had predictive value, but it could not be used to determine fetal developmental age between 100 and 160 days gestation.     

Repair of shoulder luxation in a horse

Shoulder luxation in a 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly was treated by closed reduction, using a calf jack to provide traction on the limb. Arthroscopic examination of the shoulder allowed removal of soft tissue and bony debris. After surgery, the filly was confined to a box stall for 6 months. Eight months after surgery, the filly was doing light work and was not lame. Muscular atrophy present before surgery had resolved. Use of a calf jack may allow reduction of shoulder luxation under field conditions.     

Effect of dose of Brucella abortus strain 19 in yearling heifers on the relative risk of developing brucellosis from challenge exposure with strain 2308

Yearling heifers were given SC injections of 10(8) (n = 40), 10(9) (n = 44), or 10(10) (n = 44) colony-forming units of Brucella abortus strain 19 (S19). The proportion of heifers with positive serologic test results at 1 month following vaccination increased as the dose of S19 increased. These proportions decreased with time, and all heifers had negative card, rivanol, and complement fixation test results within 4 months. Positive ELISA results persisted beyond 4 months in all three S19 dose groups; however, all heifers were ELISA-negative within 9 months after vaccination. Comparable lymphocyte transformation activity was stimulated by S19 dose of 10(9) or 10(10) and approximately half of the heifers in both groups had a positive stimulation index at 9 months. Immunity of the pregnant heifers was challenged 9 months after vaccination with 10(7) B abortus strain 2308 as follows: diluent controls (n = 69); 10(8) B abortus S19 (n = 40); 10(9) B abortus S19 (n = 39); and 10(10) B abortus S19 (n = 39). Tissue specimens from heifers were obtained at parturition and necropsy for culturing of B abortus. The proportion of heifers that developed brucellosis, ie, had positive culture results, increased as gestation days at challenge exposure increased. The effect of gestational age was controlled in the analysis using logistic regression. The relative risk of brucellosis was reduced to 0.38, 0.15, and 0.06 for B abortus S19 doses of 10(8), 10(9), and 10(10), respectively, compared with diluent controls at 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Subsequent reproduction and calf performance of nonpregnant cows compared with pregnant cows and replacement females

This study was conducted with Angus, Polled Hereford and Santa Gertrudis straightbred and crossbred cows. The subsequent cow breeding and calf performance of cows that were nonpregnant (NP) were compared with cows that were pregnant (PG) at the time calves were weaned. All NP cows had a calf the year previous to their being nonpregnant. They were diagnosed as physically sound with no detection (by rectal palpation) of an abnormal reproductive tract. The NP and PG cows were aged 4 to 9 yr. Also, the NP cows were compared with replacement females exposed to calve first as 2- and 3-yr-olds (H2 and H3, respectively), and with cows exposed for second calving as 3-yr-olds (C2). Cows were assigned within breed composition and age to sire breeding groups on pasture. Subsequent calving and weaning rates were similar for NP, PG and H2 cows, similar for H3 and H2 cows and lowest (P less than .05) for C2 cows. Calves from NP and H3 cows were born earlier (P less than .05) in the calving period than calves from PG and H2 cows, whereas calves from C2 cows were born later (P less than .05) than those from NP, PG and H3 cows. Calving difficulty was similar for NP, PG and C2 and greatest (P less than .05) for H2 cows. Calf 205-d weights were highest (P less than .05) for NP, similar for PG and H3 and lowest (P less than .05) for C2 and H2 cows. Calf weaning weight per cow exposed for breeding from NP cows was 13.8, 32.3, 55.2 and 1.0 kg higher than from PG, H2, C2 and H3 cows, respectively. Causes for cows being nonpregnant were reported. Also, calving patterns during 6 consecutive calving periods (6 yr) were evaluated.     

Ileocecal intussusception in horses: 26 cases (1981-1988)

The case records of 26 horses with ileocecal intussusception over a 7-year period were reviewed to determine clinical features of the disease and response to treatment. The median age of horses with ileocecal intussusception was 1 year and ranged from 2 weeks to 19 years. There was no apparent gender or breed predisposition to this disease. An acute form of ileocecal intussusception was diagnosed in 19 horses with signs of moderate to severe abdominal pain of less than or equal to 24 hours' duration, and a chronic form was diagnosed in 7 horses with signs of intermittent, mild to moderate abdominal pain of more than 3 days' duration. Horses with chronic ileocecal intussusception had a history of weight loss or failure to gain weight, slow growth, poor appetite, low-grade pyrexia, and postprandial signs of abdominal pain. At surgery, the involved segments of intestine (intussusceptum and intussuscipiens) in chronic cases were 2 to 10 cm long, and the ileum and much of the distal portion of the jejunum were flaccid, dilated, and thick walled. In the acute cases, the length of involved intestine ranged from 6 to 457 cm. Whereas only 1 of 7 chronic intussusceptions (14%) could be reduced, 9 of 19 (47%) acute intussusceptions were reducible. Surgical treatment included resection and jejunocecostomy (6 horses), partial resection through a cecotomy and a side-to-side jejunocecostomy (2 horses), and a side-to-side ileocecostomy or jejunocecostomy without resection (12 horses, 7 of which had chronic intussusception). Six horses with acute intussusception were euthanatized before or during surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The Call of the Wild: Call Centers and Economic Development in Rural Areas

This paper attempts to reflect critically on the role which telephone call centers might play in the economic development of rural places in the ‘information age’, drawing mainly on a case study of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. It argues that although call center employment tends mainly to be urban‐based, the growth of this form of work does present opportunities for some rural areas. The paper considers the locational factors rural areas would have to possess or develop in order to attract such work. It suggests call centers can make a valuable, though limited, contribution towards rural economic development, principally through the creation of additional employment opportunities and the stimulation of new skills and competencies. It also suggests that call centers do not represent a panacea for rural areas and that, indeed, it would be dangerous for rural areas to become over‐reliant on employment in this sector.