A ten-year review of commercial vaccine performance for control of tick infestations on cattle

Ticks are important ectoparasites of domestic and wild animals, and tick infestations economically impact cattle production worldwide. Control of cattle tick infestations has been primarily by application of acaricides which has resulted in selection of resistant ticks and environmental pollution. Herein we discuss data from tick vaccine application in Australia, Cuba, Mexico and other Latin American countries. Commercial tick vaccines for cattle based on the Boophilus microplus Bm86 gut antigen have proven to be a feasible tick control method that offers a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to the use of acaricides. Commercial tick vaccines reduced tick infestations on cattle and the intensity of acaricide usage, as well as increasing animal production and reducing transmission of some tick-borne pathogens. Although commercialization of tick vaccines has been difficult owing to previous constraints of antigen discovery, the expense of testing vaccines in cattle, and company restructuring, the success of these vaccines over the past decade has clearly demonstrated their potential as an improved method of tick control for cattle. Development of improved vaccines in the future will be greatly enhanced by new and efficient molecular technologies for antigen discovery and the urgent need for a tick control method to reduce or replace the use of acaricides, especially in regions where extensive tick resistance has occurred.     

Evaluation of the efficacy of tulathromycin as a metaphylactic antimicrobial in feedlot calves

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of tulathromycin (DRAX) versus tilmicosin (MIC) or oxytetracycline (TET) as a metaphylactic antimicrobial in feedlot calves. Calves that received DRAX had significantly (P<.05) lower initial undifferentiated fever (UF) treatment and relapse rates; lower overall chronicity, overall mortality, and cause-specific mortality rates; higher average daily gains; and improved quality grades. However, calves that received DRAX also had poorer (P<.05) yield grades compared with calves that received MIC or TET and worse feed conversion compared with calves that received MIC. Net advantages in the DRAX group were 3.79CanDollars/animal and 16.96CanDollars/animal compared with the MIC and TET groups, respectively. Based on these results, DRAX is a more efficacious and cost-effective metaphylactic antimicrobial than MIC or TET in feedlot calves at ultra-high risk of developing UF. In addition, this study presents a comparison between two methods ("deads out" and "deads in") of calculating feedlot performance variables.     

Urinary catecholamine and metanephrine to creatinine ratios in healthy dogs at home and in a hospital environment and in 2 dogs with pheochromocytoma

BACKGROUND: Measurement of high concentrations of urine catecholamines and metanephrines is useful in diagnosing pheochromocytoma in humans. Stress increases catecholamine excretion in urine. HYPOTHESIS: Stress of a hospital visit increases urinary catecholamine and metanephrine excretion in dogs. ANIMALS: Fourteen clinically normal dogs, 2 dogs with pheochromocytoma. METHODS: Voided urine samples were collected by the owners 7 days before (t-7), during the hospital visit immediately after diagnostic procedures (t0), as well as 1 (t1) and 7 days (t7) after the hospital visit. Urine catecholamine and metanephrine concentrations were measured using high-pressure liquid chromatography and expressed as ratios to urine creatinine concentration. RESULTS: In client-owned dogs epinephrine and norepinephrine ratios at t0 were significantly higher compared with ratios at t7. Metanephrine and normetanephrine ratios at t-7, t0, and t1 did not differ significantly from each other; however, at t7 they were significantly lower compared to values at t-7. In staff-owned dogs no significant differences were detected among the different collecting time points for any variable. Metanephrine and normetanephrine ratios were significantly higher in client-owned dogs compared to staff-owned dogs at t-7, t0, and t1 but not at t7. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Stress associated with a hospital visit and with the sampling procedure causes increases in urine catecholamine and metanephrine excretion. Urine collection for the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma probably should take place at home after adaptation to the sampling procedure.     

Loser cows in Danish dairy herds: definition, prevalence and consequences

During the last few years, many Danish dairy farmers have expressed increasing concerns regarding a group of cows, which we have chosen to term ‘loser cows’. Until now, a loser cow has not been described scientifically. We defined a loser cow on the basis of a clinical examination of the cow. A total of 15,151 clinical examinations were made on 6,451 individual cows from 39 randomly selected, large Danish dairy herds with loose-housing systems using a clinical protocol. Scores for the clinical signs lameness, body condition, hock lesions, other cutaneous lesions, vaginal discharge, condition of hair coat and general condition were converted into a loser cow score. Cows with a loser cow score of 8 or more were classified as loser cows. The overall prevalence of loser cows was 2.15%, 4.50% and 2.98% during the first, second and third round of herd visits, respectively.

The associations between the loser cow state and milk production, mortality, morbidity, culling and workload for the farmer were evaluated using data from herd visits and from the Danish Cattle Database and a number of different statistical techniques. It was concluded that the loser cow state has significant negative consequences for both the farmer and the cow. On average, loser cows yielded 0.61 to 2.24 kg energy corrected milk less per day than non-loser cows depending on parity. Hazard ratio for death or euthanasia was 5.69 for loser cows compared to non-loser cows. Incidence rate ratio for disease treatments was 0.69 for non-loser cows compared to loser cows. Loser cows were often culled in an ‘unfavourable’ way and generally caused extra workload for the farmer.

A simplified version of the loser cow score was evaluated and is recommended for future research and use in practice.     

Acute oral toxicity of zinc phosphide: an assessment for wild house mice (Mus musculus)

Irregular plagues of house mice, Mus musculus, incur major economic impacts on agricultural production in Australia. The efficacy of zinc phosphide (ZnP), the only registered broadacre control agent for mice, is reported as increasingly variable. Have mice become less sensitive over time or are they taking a sub-lethal dose and developing aversion? In this laboratory study, the sensitivity of mice (wild caught; outbred laboratory strain) was assessed using oral gavage of a range of ZnP concentrations. The estimated LD₅₀ values (72–79 mg ZnP/kg body weight) were similar for each mouse group but are significantly higher than previously reported. The willingness of mice to consume ZnP-coated grains was determined. ZnP-coated grains (50 g ZnP/kg grain) presented in the absence of alternative food were consumed and 94% of wild mice died. Mice provided with alternative food and ZnP-coated wheat grains (either 25 or 50 g ZnP/kg grain) consumed toxic and non-toxic grains, and mortality was lower (33–55%). If a sublethal amount of ZnP-coated grain was consumed, aversion occurred, mostly when alternative food was present. The sensitivity of wild house mice to ZnP in Australia is significantly lower than previously assumed. Under laboratory conditions, ZnP-coated grains coated with a new higher dose (50 g ZnP/kg grain) were readily consumed. Consumption of toxic grain occurred when alternative food was available but was decreased. Our unambiguous findings for house mice indicate a re-assessment of the ZnP loading for baits used for control of many rodents around the world may be warranted.     

Inverse Modeling to Quantify Irrigation System Characteristics and Operational Management

Remotely sensed (RS) data is a major source to obtain spatialdata required for hydrological models. The challenge for thefuture is to obtain besides the more direct observable data(landcover, leaf area index, digital elevation model andevapotranspiration), non-visible data such as soilcharacteristics, groundwater depth and irrigation practices.In this study we have explore the option of using inversemodeling to obtain these non-RS-visible data. For a commandarea in Haryana, India, we applied for the 2000–2001 rabiseason a RS-GIS-combined inverse modeling approach to derivenon-RS-visible data required in the regional application ofhydrological models. A Genetic Algorithm loaded stochasticphysically based soil-water-atmosphere-plant model (SWAP) wasdeveloped for the inverse problem and used in the study. Theresults showed good agreement with the inventoried data suchas soil hydraulic properties, sowing dates, groundwaterdepths, irrigation practices and water quality. The deriveddata could be used to predict the state of the system at anytime in the cropping season, which can be used to evaluateoperational management strategies.     

Quinone Binding Sites of Membrane Proteins as Targets for Inhibitors

Quinones are a central component of most photosynthetic and respiratory electron transfer chains. The proteins that reduce and oxidise these quinones have quinone binding sites—Q sites—that are good targets for pesticides. This paper reviews the diversity of these sites, their possible structure, and the types of compounds that act upon them.