A description of local pig feeding systems in village smallholder farms of Western Kenya

We used face-to-face interviews to gather data on pig feeding practices in rural Busia District, Kenya. We visited 164 pig farms three times in the course of the study period. The pigs were weighed in kilograms during the visits. Feeds offered to pigs were described during the interviews. The most frequently fed feedstuffs were; ground maize or "ugali" (88%), kitchen leftovers (83%) and dried fish locally called "omena" (78%). Farmers provided pigs with water separately from the feeds. Sweet potatoes, "ugali" and cassava were available and could serve as good sources of energy for pigs in the district. Fruits and vegetables were also available and could potentially act as good sources of vitamins. Sweet potato vines, "omena" fish and slaughter blood were available and could provide pigs with proteins. The average daily gain (ADG) for pigs ≤ 5 months of age, pigs of 5.1-9.9 months of age and pigs of ≥ 10 months old was 94.5 (± 43), 127 (± 49.8) and 99 (± 92) g, respectively (p = 0.000). This study has outlined the different local pig feeds available in Busia district. We recommend two things: first, additional research on nutrient composition for the identified local feeds, and second, developing and validating simple local feed combinations that would achieve balanced local pig rations.     

Experimental infection by capillary tube feeding of Rhipicephalus sanguineus with Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii

It has been speculated that ticks may serve as vectors of Bartonella species. Circumstantial, clinical, epidemiological and serological evidence suggest that B. vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii (B. v. berkhoffii) might be transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether adult R. sanguineus ticks can be infected with a B. v. berkhoffii genotype II isolate via capillary tube feeding and whether the infection can then be transmitted from adult females to their eggs via trans-ovarial transmission. Furthermore, tick fecal material was also collected and screened as a possible source of infectious inoculum for canine infections. B. v. berkhoffii DNA was detected in 50% (7 of 14) of females that did not oviposit and in 14.3% (2 of 14) of female ticks that laid eggs, but not detected in egg clutches (100 eggs/female). DNA was also detected in tick feces collected on days 2 through 6 post-capillary tube feeding, however, dogs (n=3) did not become bacteremic or seroconvert when inoculated with tick fecal material. Therefore, trans-ovarial transmission of B. v. berkhoffii by R. sanguineus is unlikely, but further studies are needed to determine if tick fecal material can serve as a source of infection to canines.     

Response of Boar Sperm to the Treatment with Cholesterol‐Loaded Cyclodextrins Added Prior to Cryopreservation

Cryopreserved boar sperm is not used extensively for artificial insemination, owing to the poor fertility rates of the sperm after freezing and thawing. The sperm membrane is damaged as the cells are cooled from body temperature to 5°C (cold shock), as well as during the freeze–thaw process. Increasing the cholesterol content of boar sperm membranes could help them survive cryopreservation, similar to sperm from other species that are cold shock sensitive. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal cholesterol‐loaded cyclodextrin (CLC) concentration to use for boar sperm cryopreservation, and the influence of CLCs on the cryosurvival of sperm from boars classified as good or poor freezers. Treating boar sperm with 1 mg of CLC/120 × 10⁶ sperm slightly improved (p < 0.05) the percentage of viable sperm after freezing–thawing. On the other hand, sperm, from both good and poor freezers, responded similarly to CLC treatment. Nevertheless, additional studies will be needed to study the effect of this treatment on other parameters of sperm quality.     

Invasion of canine erythrocytes by Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii

Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii is a recognized cause of endocarditis in dogs and human patients and has been associated with cardiac arrhythmias, myocarditis, granulomatous lymphadenitis, polyarthritis, and granulomatous rhinitis in dogs. Little is known regarding the mode of transmission or cellular localization of this bacteria following infection of a canine host. The aim of the current study was to determine whether erythrocytes may serve as a site of infection by B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii. In the study, we successfully demonstrate the invasion of canine erythrocytes by a B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotype III strain using an in vitro model system. Dog erythrocytes were incubated with B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii after which tubes were treated with gentamicin at 12, 24, and 48 h post-inoculation. After gentamicin elimination of extracellular bacteria, there was a gradual increase in intra-erythrocytic bacteria, as assessed by colony forming units per ml, at each collection time point. The largest recovery of intracellular bacteria occurred at 48 h post-infection. These results suggest that canine erythrocytes may serve in the maintenance of bacteremia due to B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii within an infected host.     

Effects of maternally-derived antibodies on serologic responses to vaccination in kittens

The optimal vaccination protocol to induce immunity in kittens with maternal antibodies is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of maternally-derived antibody (MDA) on serologic responses to vaccination in kittens. Vaccination with a modified live virus (MLV) product was more effective than an inactivated (IA) product at inducing protective antibody titers (PAT) against feline panleukopenia virus (FPV). IA vaccination against feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV) and feline calicivirus (FCV) was more effective in the presence of low MDA than high MDA. Among kittens with low MDA, MLV vaccination against FCV was more effective than IA vaccination. A total of 15%, 44% and 4% of kittens had insufficient titers against FPV, FHV and FCV, respectively, at 17 weeks of age. Serologic response to vaccination of kittens varies based on vaccination type and MDA level. In most situations, MLV vaccination should be utilized and protocols continued beyond 14 weeks of age to optimize response by all kittens.     

Gonadotropin‐Releasing Hormone Administration to Dairy Cows without a Corpus Luteum 4 Weeks after Calving Increases Reproductive Performance

This field study investigated whether the administration of a single dose of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) to dairy cows without a corpus luteum (CL) 4 weeks after calving can improve reproductive performance. Holstein dairy cows underwent ultrasonography to assess the presence of ovarian structures at 29.2 ± 5.2 days post‐partum, and cows were divided into two main groups based on the presence (CL group, n = 230) or absence (non‐CL group, n = 460) of a CL. The non‐CL group was further randomly divided into two subgroups based on the administration of GnRH (non‐CL GnRH group, n = 230) or no GnRH (non‐CL control group, n = 230). Subsets of cows from non‐CL control (n = 166) and non‐CL GnRH (n = 175) groups received a second ultrasonography at 44.5 ± 5.4 days post‐partum to assess CL formation. The percentage of cows with CL at the second ultrasonography was greater in the non‐CL GnRH group (70.9%) than in the non‐CL control group (53.0%, p = 0.0006). The hazard of the first post‐partum insemination by 150 days in milk (DIM) was higher in the CL group than in the non‐CL control group (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.36, p = 0.001). The probability of a pregnancy to the first insemination was higher in non‐CL GnRH (odds ratio [OR]: 1.50, p = 0.04) and CL groups (OR: 1.55, p = 0.03) compared to the non‐CL control group. Furthermore, the hazard of pregnancy by 210 DIM was higher in non‐CL GnRH (HR: 1.30, p = 0.01) and CL (HR: 1.51, p = 0.0001) groups than in the non‐CL control group. In conclusion, administration of GnRH to dairy cows without a CL 4 weeks after calving was associated with an increase in ovulation and improved reproductive performance.     

A comparison of serum vitamin A and vitamin E concentrations in shelter, feral, and pet cats

Upper respiratory infection (URI) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in shelter cats. Malnutrition, specifically vitamin A deficiency, has been associated with respiratory tract infections in humans in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to determine whether feral cats and cats in shelters have lower serum vitamin A concentrations than pet cats, because it was surmised that a vitamin A deficiency may predispose these cats to develop URI. This was a cross-sectional study in which serum retinol, α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and beta carotene concentrations were measured from 48 shelter cats, 56 feral cats, and 42 pet cats, using HPLC. Retinol, α-tocopherol, and γ-tocopherol concentrations were found to be significantly lower in the shelter and feral cat populations than in pet cats (p ≤ 0.0001). There was no evidence of an effect of sex or neuter status on vitamin concentrations. Sick feral cats had a higher beta carotene level than did healthy feral cats. Within shelter and feral populations, no other effect of health status was found. The lower mean serum retinol and tocopherol concentrations in the feral and shelter cat groups could be due to oxidative or other forms of stress, the amount of vitamin consumed, or combinations of these. Further studies are needed to determine whether supplementation of fat-soluble vitamins improves the health status of feral or shelter cats.     

Assessing obesity in adult dogs and cats presenting for routine vaccination appointments in the North Island of New Zealand using electronic medical records data

Aims: To assess the prevalence of obesity in adult dogs and cats presented to first-opinion veterinary clinics in the North Island of New Zealand for routine vaccination appointments, using electronic medical records.

Methods: Ten first-opinion veterinary clinics across the North Island of New Zealand provided electronic medical records for all routine vaccination appointments for adult (>1 year old) dogs and cats between 1 January 2011 and 30 June 2016. Animals with a body condition score (BCS) of 6 or 7 on a 9-point scale and 4 on a 5-point scale were classified as overweight; those with a BCS of 8 or 9 on a 9-point scale and 5 on a 5-point scale were classified as obese. A total of 106,144 records were available over the study period, of which 48,041 (45.2%) had both a recorded weight and BCS.

Results: Of the 24,247 records for dogs with both BCS and weight, 6,324 (26.1%) were classified as overweight, and 551 (2.3%) as obese. The prevalence of dogs classified as overweight or obese was highest in dogs aged between 5–13 years. The odds of desexed dogs being classified as overweight or obese was greater than the odds for intact dogs (OR=1.42 (95% CI=1.29–1.57), p<0.001) adjusting for the effects of age. Of the 23,794 records for cats with a recorded weight and BCS, 5,222 (21.9%) were classified as overweight, and 622 (2.6%) as obese. The prevalence of cats classified as overweight or obese was highest in cats aged between 5–11 years. The odds of desexed cats being classified as overweight or obese tended to be greater than the odds for intact cats (OR=1.14 (95% CI=0.98–1.31); p=0.075), adjusting for the effects of age.

Conclusions: Although there are limitations with using electronic medical records to estimate the prevalence of obesity in companion animal populations, the results highlight that a significant number of animals presenting for routine vaccination appointments were classified as overweight or obese.

Clinical Relevance: It is important for veterinarians to record both patient body condition and weight during routine preventative care appointments to allow accurate ongoing monitoring of trends in obesity at both the patient and population levels.

Abbreviations: BCS: Body condition score     

Haematological and histopathological findings after ovariectomy in Trypanosoma cruzi infected mice

The aim of this study was to investigate the influences of ovariectomy on histopathological and hematological parameters during the course of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Hematological and immunological homeostasis is influenced by gonadal steroid hormones. Ovariectomy exerts profound influences on parasitic diseases including T. cruzi infection through modulation of the host's immune response. Three groups of female Mus musculus were infected with 4000 blood trypomastigotes of the Y strain of T. cruzi. One group was subjected to ovariectomy, another to simulated surgery before the infection, and a third group of unoperated animals were used as controls. Marked differences were detected in the responses of blood and tissue parasites. On day 9, post-infection parasitism was significantly higher in ovariectomized animals (P<0.05). These results were confirmed by histopathological studies, in which ovariectomized animals displayed hearts with higher number of amastigote burdens, increased inflammatory infiltrate, enhanced tissue fibers disorganization and decreased lytic antibody percentage, when compared to their counterparts. On day 9 the hematological changes were more apparent, with a decrease in erythrocytes, platelets and leucocytes for ovariectomized infected animals. Simulated surgery, as a stressful agent, did not cause any imbalance in parasitism or in the hemogram profile. The results confirm the importance of the female steroids in resistance against T. cruzi infection.