Soil protection for a sustainable future: options for a soil monitoring network for Ireland

The increased recognition of the importance of soil is reflected in the UN Post‐2015 Development Agenda with sustainable development goals that directly and indirectly relate to soil quality and protection. Despite a lack of legally binding legislation for soil protection, the European Commission remains committed to the objective of soil protection. However, the achievement of a legally binding framework for soil protection relies on the implementation of a soil monitoring network (SMN) that can detect changes to soil quality over time. As beneficiaries do not pay for the provision of soil information, the options for soil monitoring are limited. The use of existing data sets should be considered first. Using Ireland as an example, this research explored the opportunities for a SMN for Ireland considering three existing national data sets. The options for a SMN are considered in terms of their spatial and stratified distribution, the parameters to be measured and an economic analysis of the options proposed. This research finds that for Ireland, either a 10 or a 16 km² grid interval stratified by land use and drainage class offers the best potential in relation to the spatial distribution of existing data sets to reflect local data at a national level. With existing data, the stratified SIS data using the 16 km² grid offers the best value for money, with baseline costs for analysis, excluding field costs, of between €706 481 and €2.8 million. Acknowledging the impossibility of measuring all parameters with ideal frequency, this study proposes a two‐tier system for optimized monitoring frequency. Parameters must anticipate future policy requirements. Finally, the implementation of a SMN must be accompanied by standardized methods, defined thresholds and action mandates to maintain soil quality within allowable limits.     

Two-year study of bovine hepatic abscessation in 10 abattoirs in County Cork, Ireland

The livers from 6337, 12- to 16-month-old heifers slaughtered in 10 domestic abattoirs over a period of two years were examined; 368 (5.8 per cent) had gross lesions, of which 120 (1.9 per cent) had abscesses, 74 (1.17 per cent) had only scarring, and 44 (0.7 per cent) had telangiectasis (so-called 'sawdust' liver). Of the 120 livers in which abscesses were detected, 53 (44 per cent) had a single large abscess (>4 cm diameter), 44 (36.6 per cent) had a single small abscess (<4 cm), and 23 (19 per cent) had more than two abscesses; in 20 of them (16.6 per cent) the abscesses were resolving, and in 10 (8.3 per cent) the abscesses were ruptured. Forty-three (35.8 per cent) of the livers with abscesses had adhesions to the diaphragm and diaphragmatic lung lobes, three (2.5 per cent) had adhesions to other abdominal organs, 12 (10 per cent) also had scarring and two (1.7 per cent) also had lesions due to liver fluke. There was no significant association between the liver fluke lesions and the abscesses. In 46 (38.3 per cent) of the livers the abscesses were located in the mid-dorsal diaphragmatic or dorsocranial area of the liver; 28 (23.3 per cent) were adjacent to the posterior vena cava and could as a result have caused thromboembolic disease. Clinical signs attributable to the abscesses were observed in only one animal.     

The prevalence and distribution of gastric ulceration in 345 racehorses

OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence and distribution of gastric ulceration within a group of racehorses and to describe the endoscopic appearance of gastric antrum and pyloric ulceration. DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study. PROCEDURE: Medical records from gastroscopic examinations of 345 racehorses (331 Thoroughbreds and 14 Standardbreds) were reviewed. Prevalence, distribution and severity of gastric ulcers were recorded. Lesions involving the squamous mucosa and the glandular mucosa of the antrum and pylorus were graded and compared. RESULTS: Gastric ulceration was found in 86% of racehorses. The squamous mucosa around the margo plicatus was most commonly affected. The pylorus was examined in 175 horses and 47% were ulcerated. No association was found between presence of lesions of the squamous mucosa and those of the pylorus. Low correlation was found between grade and location of lesions, with the pyloric lesion score being significantly less than the squamous mucosal lesion score. CONCLUSION: Gastric ulceration was present in a large proportion of racehorses. The pylorus was also an important site of ulceration. There was no association between presence of lesion at one site and the other, although there was a low correlation between grade of lesion and location, with the pyloric ulcer grade being lower.     

Grass silage versus maize silage effects on retail packaged beef quality

The effects of three preslaughter diets on heifer beef quality were investigated. Heifers (n = 45) were divided into three groups and fed for ad libitum consumption either maize silage, grass silage, or a 50:50 mixture of maize silage and grass silage. Meat quality was determined by measuring color, lipid oxidation, alpha-tocopherol levels, and fatty acid composition. Beef from the maize silage group had poorest color stability (P < 0.05), whereas beef from the grass silage diet had best (P < 0.05) color stability. The visual panel least preferred the maize silage group after 2 or more days of display, and lipid oxidation was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in this group compared to the 50:50 maize:grass silage and grass silage groups. There was a significant (P < 0.001) difference in the alpha-tocopherol levels detected in the meat from the three dietary groups. Alpha-tocopherol levels increased in the order: maize silage < 50:50 maize:grass silage < grass silage, at levels of 2.08, 2.95, and 3.84 microg/g meat, respectively. Fatty acid analysis indicated 18:3 was significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the maize silage-fed group than in the maize:grass silage and grass silage groups. However, 18:3 was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in the grass silage group than in the other two groups. There were no significant differences in all other fatty acids among the three dietary groups. It was concluded that beef from grass silage-fed animals had better overall quality in terms of color, lipid oxidation, and alpha-tocopherol levels than beef from maize silage fed animals.     

Snake bites recorded by veterinary practices in Australia

Objective To determine the extent of the snake bite problem in domestic animals, its regional significance and the effects of antivenom treatment.
Design A questionnaire was designed seeking information on the number and type of domestic animals referred, whether treated or untreated, type of snakes and management of the bite.
Procedure The survey form was sent to 10% of veterinary surgeons, selected at random throughout Australia.
Results The response of 106 veterinary surgeons revealed that snake bite in domestic animals is frequent, with an estimated 6200 cases reported annually. Bites were more prominent in rural (78%) than urban areas (22%) with brown, tiger and black snakes accounting for 76%, 13% and 6% of cases, respectively. Cats and dogs were the most frequently reported victims. Ninety-one percent of cats and 75% of dogs survived following the administration of antivenom whereas 66% of cats and 31% of dogs survived without antivenom. Overall, in 33% of cases antivenom was not used, and venom detection kits were used in only 1% of cases. A number of drugs were used in various combinations with or without antivenom and intravenous fluids in the treatment of animals with snake bite, but their role in reducing the severity of envenomations was not assessed.
Clinical implications Antivenom significantly improves the chances of survival of domestic animals bitten by snakes.     

Impact of foot-and-mouth disease on mastitis and culling on a large-scale dairy farm in Kenya

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly transmissible viral infection of cloven hooved animals associated with severe economic losses when introduced into FMD-free countries. Information on the impact of the disease in FMDV-endemic countries is poorly characterised yet essential for the prioritisation of scarce resources for disease control programmes. A FMD (virus serotype SAT2) outbreak on a large-scale dairy farm in Nakuru County, Kenya provided an opportunity to evaluate the impact of FMD on clinical mastitis and culling rate. A cohort approach followed animals over a 12-month period after the commencement of the outbreak. For culling, all animals were included; for mastitis, those over 18 months of age. FMD was recorded in 400/644 cattle over a 29-day period. During the follow-up period 76 animals were culled or died whilst in the over 18 month old cohort 63 developed clinical mastitis. Hazard ratios (HR) were generated using Cox regression accounting for non-proportional hazards by inclusion of time-varying effects. Univariable analysis showed FMD cases were culled sooner but there was no effect on clinical mastitis. After adjusting for possible confounders and inclusion of time-varying effects there was weak evidence to support an effect of FMD on culling (HR = 1.7, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.88-3.1, P = 0.12). For mastitis, there was stronger evidence of an increased rate in the first month after the onset of the outbreak (HR = 2.9, 95%CI 0.97-8.9, P = 0.057).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13567-015-0173-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.