Environmental and behavioural factors affecting the prevalence of foot lameness in New Zealand dairy herds - a case-control study

A case-control study of environmental and behavioural factors influencing foot lameness was undertaken on 62 dairy herds comprising an average of 185 milking cows in Taranaki, New Zealand. Thirty two case herds were identified as having had at least 10 per cent of the cows lame during the milking season in which the herd was studied, and thirty control herds were selected on the basis that no more than 3 per cent of cows in these herds had been lame per year for at least two years immediately prior to investigation. Each herd was visited at both a morning and an afternoon milking, and 58 risk factors were measured between the time the farmer began to assemble the cows for milking and the completion of milking. Comparison of single variables between case and control herds identified 24 which showed differences (p<0.10). These variables were then subjected to stepwise multivariate logistic regression, and statistically significant variables in this analysis were used to create a tentative path diagram of possible causal web relationships between the various risk factors and the outcome variable, the lameness prevalence level. Information from a review of the published literature was used to include further variables to the 24 into the initial (or null hypothesis) path model. Logistic path analysis was then used to eliminate non-significant paths from the diagram, leaving 19 arrows joining 13 variables in the final path diagram, compared with 33 joining 20 variables in the initial version. The most influential variables in explaining variation between case and control herds were the average level of maintenance of the track and the degree of patience shown by the farmer in bringing the cows in for milking. Overall, factors associated with the movement of animals to the milking shed explained 40 per cent of the variation (deviance) with regard to the lameness prevalence level. Risk factors associated with characteristics of the milking process explain 24 per cent, and risk factors associated with characteristics of the cows in the herd explain 9.5 per cent. Recommendations are made on management changes which deserve further investigation as ways of reducing lameness problems in dairy herds.     

A framework for evaluation of on-farm mastitis diagnostics in Australia

Numerous culture-based diagnostics are available on the Australian and international markets for on-farm detection of bacterial pathogens in milk. Use of such diagnostics may provide an opportunity to improve the prudent use of antimicrobials in udder health management. Farms are low-resource settings in terms of diagnostic microbiology capacity. The World Health Organisation has identified criteria for the evaluation of diagnostic tests in low resource settings based on Accuracy, Sensitivity, Specificity, User-friendliness, being Rapid or Robust, Equipment-free and being Deliverable (ASSURED). Here, we review how those criteria can be interpreted in the context of microbiological diagnosis of mastitis pathogens, and how on-farm diagnostics that are currently available in Australia perform relative to ASSURED criteria. This evaluation identifies multiple trade-offs, both with regard to scientific criteria and with regards to convenience criteria. More importantly, the purpose of testing may differ between farms, and test performance should be evaluated relative to its intended use. The ability of on-farm mastitis diagnostics to inform mastitis treatment decision-making in a timely and cost-effective manner depends not just on test characteristics but also on farm-specific pathogen prevalence, and on the farm enterprise's priorities and the farm manager's potential courses of action. With most assay evaluations to date conducted in professional laboratories, there is a surprising dearth of information on how well any of the diagnostic tests perform on-farm and, indeed, of the on-farm decision-making processes that they aim to inform.     

Plants as de-worming agents of livestock in the Nordic countries: historical perspective, popular beliefs and prospects for the future.

Preparations derived from plants were the original therapeutic interventions used by man to control diseases (including parasites), both within humans and livestock. Development of herbal products depended upon local botanical flora with the result that different remedies tended to develop in different parts of the world. Nevertheless, in some instances, the same or related plants were used over wide geographic regions, which also was the result of communication and/or the importation of plant material of high repute. Thus, the Nordic countries have an ancient, rich and diverse history of plant derived anthelmintic medications for human and animal use. Although some of the more commonly used herbal de-wormers were derived from imported plants, or their products, many are from endemic plants or those that thrive in the Scandinavian environment. With the advent of the modern chemotherapeutic era, and the discovery, development and marketing of a seemingly unlimited variety of highly efficacious, safe synthetic chemicals with very wide spectra of activities, herbal remedies virtually disappeared from the consciousness--at least in the Western world. This attitude is now rapidly changing. There is a widespread resurgence in natural product medication, driven by major threats posed by multi-resistant pest, or disease, organisms and the diminishing public perceptions that synthetic chemicals are the panacea to health and disease control. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive account of the depth of historical Nordic information available on herbal de-wormers, with emphasis on livestock and to provide some insights on potentially rewarding areas of "re-discovery" and scientific evaluation in this field.     

Are Endocrine Disrupting Compounds a Threat to Farm Animal Health,Welfare and Productivity?

Contents The sources and characteristics of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are reviewed and discussed with respect to their potential effects on farm animal health, welfare and productivity. The importance of certain properties of these compounds in relation to the expression of their biological effects is addressed together with potential routes of exposure. It is concluded that little is known of factors affecting the tissue concentrations of EDCs in farm animals, the concentrations that are required to perturb physiological function in these species, the effects of prolonged exposure to low doses, the effect of cocktails of EDCs and other pollutants or the responses of specific organs and physiological systems that are affected by EDCs. Much of the available information pertaining to EDCs is derived from epidemiological studies of wildlife species and from laboratory animal studies and while these studies have significant limitations, they are considered to be valuable indicators of potential effects in farm animal species. The results of such studies, together with the small amounts of data from studies of ruminants, indicate that there may be significant effects of exposure to environmental levels of EDCs on farm animal health, even although effects are not generally apparent in practice, at this time.     

The effect of intra-articular methylprednisolone acetate and exercise on equine carpal subchondral and cancellous bone microhardness

Dorsal carpal osteochondral injury is a major cause of lameness in horses undergoing high intensity training. Intra-articular corticosteroid treatment is used commonly to manage exercise-associated articular pain, but its use remains highly controversial in the equine athlete. This project, therefore, aimed to compare the mechanical properties of intra-articular MPA and diluent-treated middle carpal subchondral and cancellous bone in horses undergoing a short-term treadmill exercise programme. It was hypothesised that subchondral and cancellous bone mechanical properties are influenced by intra-articular administration of methylprednisolone acetate (MPA). Eight 2-year-old female horses had MPA or diluent administered into contralateral middle carpal joints at 14 day intervals, for a total of 4 treatments per horse. Horses underwent a standard treadmill exercise protocol until euthanasia (Day 70). Standard sites were located on the dorsal aspect of third, radial and intermediate carpal bones. Osteochondral samples from each test site were divided into subchondral bone and cancellous bone portions. These were dried, resin-embedded and gold-coated. Microhardness measurements were obtained at each test site. No significant effect of intra-articular treatment was detected. At each site, cancellous bone trabecular struts had an 18-19% higher microhardness value than the overlying subchondral bone. These findings indicate that intra-articular administration of MPA at this dose has no effect on subchondral or cancellous bone adaptation to short-term exercise and, therefore, on the propensity of carpal bones to injury. Further investigation into the calcified cartilage layer, effect of different corticosteroid preparations and diffusion of medication are required.     

Comparative Expression Analysis of Gametogenesis‐Associated Genes in Foetal and Adult Bubaline (Bubalus bubalis) Ovaries and Testes

This study was conducted to identify and analyse the expression of gametogenesis‐associated genes and proteins in foetal and adult buffalo gonads of both the sexes. Relative quantification of the genes was determined by qPCR and Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was also performed for various gametogenesis‐associated proteins in foetal and adult gonads of both the sexes. We observed significantly (p < 0.05) increased expression of primordial germ cell‐specific, meiotic as well as genes associated with oocyte maturation and development in foetal ovaries as compared to the adult ones. However, significantly (p < 0.05) increased expression of proteins associated with oocyte maturation like GDF9 and ZP4 was found in adult ovaries, indicating temporal regulation of mRNA translation during oogenesis. Meiotic genes showed significantly (p < 0.05) increased expression in adult testes as compared to foetal testes and ovaries, indicating onset of meiosis at a later stage in spermatogenesis. In general, the expression of primordial germ cell‐associated as well as meiotic genes was higher in adult testes, indicating the increased biological activity in the organ. Immunohistochemistry revealed localized expression of gametogenesis‐associated proteins in ovarian follicles and seminiferous tubules of testes, while the surrounding somatic tissues were devoid of these proteins. The study gives an understanding of the sequential and temporal events of gene expression as well as mRNA translation during male and female gametogenesis. It could also be concluded that follicles and seminiferous tubules are the functional units of the female and male gonads, respectively, and their function could be enhanced by appropriate chemical and genetic intervention of the somatic tissue immediately surrounding them. This assumes importance in the context that buffalo attains sexual maturity at an older age of 2–3 years and have smaller ovaries with lesser number of primordial follicles in comparison with cattle, which is suggested to be the main reason of their poor breeding performance.     

A new approach to trenching experiments for measuring root-rhizosphere respiration in a lowland tropical forest

Soil respiration in tropical forests is a major source of atmospheric CO₂. The ability to partition soil respiration into its individual components is becoming increasingly important to predict the effects of disturbance on CO₂ efflux from the soil as the responses of heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration to change are likely to differ. However, current field methods to partition respiration suffer from various methodological artefacts; root-rhizosphere respiration is particularly difficult to estimate. We used trenched subplots to estimate root-rhizosphere respiration in large-scale litter addition (L+), litter removal (L−) and control (CT) plots in a lowland tropical semi-evergreen forest in Panama. We took a new approach to trenching by making measurements immediately before-and-after trenching and comparing them to biweekly measurements made over one year. Root-rhizosphere respiration was estimated to be 38%, 17% and 27% in the CT, L+, and L− plots, respectively, from the measurements taken immediately before and one day after trenching in May-June 2007. Biweekly measurements over the following year provided no estimates of root-rhizosphere respiration for the first seven months due to decomposition of decaying roots. We were also unable to estimate root-rhizosphere respiration during the dry season due to differences in soil water content between trenched and untrenched soil. However, biweekly measurements taken during the early rainy season one year after trenching (May-June 2008) provided estimates of root-rhizosphere respiration of 39%, 24% and 36% in the CT, L+, and L− plots, respectively, which are very similar to those obtained during the first day after trenching. We suggest that measurements taken immediately before and one day after root excision are a viable method for a rapid estimation of root-rhizosphere respiration without the methodological artefacts usually associated with trenching experiments.     

National Bureau of Standards reference materials as organic nutrient standards: a preliminary study

A preliminary study was conducted to determine if the available National Bureau of Standards (NBS) Standard Reference Materials (SRM) Non-Fat Powdered Milk, Oyster Tissue, Wheat Flour, Rice Flour, Spinach, and Albacore Tuna would be suitable for use as organic nutrient standards. These materials were assayed for folates, total pantothenates, vitamin B6, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and protein. Vitamins A, E, D, K, and C were also assayed but, for the most part, were not detected. Based on results from this study, it appears that at least some of the NBS SRMs would be useful as organic nutrient standards.