scholarly journals Evaluating the Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Mechanism and Its Risk Factors in England’s Cattle Farms

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3451
Author(s):  
Tabassom Sedighi ◽  
Liz Varga
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Dynamic Bayesian Network ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Domain Experts ◽  
Actual Experience ◽  
Complex Evaluation ◽  
Risk Areas ◽  
Cattle Farms

Controlling bovine tuberculosis (bTB) disease in cattle farms in England is seen as a challenge for farmers, animal health, environment and policy-makers. The difficulty in diagnosis and controlling bTB comes from a variety of factors: the lack of an accurate diagnostic test which is higher in specificity than the currently available skin test; isolation periods for purchased cattle; and the density of active badgers, especially in high-risk areas. In this paper, to enable the complex evaluation of bTB disease, a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) is designed with the help of domain experts and available historical data. A significant advantage of this approach is that it represents bTB as a dynamic process that evolves periodically, capturing the actual experience of testing and infection over time. Moreover, the model demonstrates the influence of particular risk factors upon the risk of bTB breakdown in cattle farms.

scholarly journals Bovine Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) Outbreak Duration in Cattle Herds in Ireland: A Retrospective Observational Study

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 815
Author(s):  
Andrew W. Byrne ◽  
Damien Barrett ◽  
Philip Breslin ◽  
Jamie M. Madden ◽  
James O'Keeffe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Mycobacterium Bovis ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
Policy Formation ◽  
Nitrogen Loading ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Retrospective Observational Study

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) outbreaks, caused by Mycobacterium bovis infection, are a costly animal health challenge. Understanding factors associated with the duration of outbreaks, known as breakdowns, could lead to better disease management policy development. We undertook a retrospective observational study (2012–2018) and employed Finite Mixture Models (FMM) to model the outcome parameter, and to investigate how factors were associated with duration for differing subpopulations identified. In addition to traditional risk factors (e.g., herd size, bTB history), we also explored farm geographic area, parcels/farm fragmentation, metrics of intensity via nitrogen loading, and whether herds were designated controlled beef finishing units (CBFU) as potential risk factors for increased duration. The final model fitted log-normal distributions, with two latent classes (k) which partitioned the population into a subpopulation around the central tendency of the distribution, and a second around the tails of the distribution. The latter subpopulation included longer breakdowns of policy interest. Increasing duration was positively associated with recent (<3 years) TB history and the number of reactors disclosed, (log) herd size, beef herd-type relative to other herd types, number of land parcels, area, being designated a CBFU (“feedlot”) and having high annual inward cattle movements within the “tails” subpopulation. Breakdown length was negatively associated with the year of commencement of breakdown (i.e., a decreasing trend) and non-significantly with the organic nitrogen produced on the farm (N kg/hectare), a measure of stocking density. The latter finding may be due to confounding effects with herd size and area. Most variables contributed only moderately to explaining variation in breakdown duration, that is, they had moderate size effects on duration. Herd-size and CBFU had greater effect sizes on the outcome. The findings contribute to evidence-based policy formation in Ireland.

scholarly journals Identifying genotype specific elevated-risk areas and associated herd risk factors for bovine tuberculosis spread in British cattle

Epidemics ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 34-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J. Orton ◽  
M. Deason ◽  
P.R. Bessell ◽  
D.M. Green ◽  
R.R. Kao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Elevated Risk ◽  
Risk Areas

scholarly journals Risk Factors for Dystocia and Perinatal Mortality in Extensively Kept Angus Suckler Cows in Germany

Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiana Hohnholz ◽  
Nina Volkmann ◽  
Kathia Gillandt ◽  
Ralf Waßmuth ◽  
Nicole Kemper
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Perinatal Mortality ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Calving Ease ◽  
Angus Cattle ◽  
Pelvic Parameters ◽  
Calf Survival ◽  
Increasing Risk ◽  
Cattle Farms ◽  
Beef Suckler

Dystocia and perinatal mortality are major animal health, welfare and economic issues in beef suckler cow production. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for dystocia and perinatal mortality and to analyze the relationships of both traits to external pelvic parameters in extensively kept beef suckler cows. Calving ease and calf survival were recorded for 785 births on five Angus cattle farms in Germany. The prevalence of dystocia and perinatal mortality was 3.4% and 4.3%, respectively. A hierarchical model was used to predict dystocia and perinatal mortality. First-parity dams had a higher probability of dystocia (p < 0.0001) than later-parity ones. Increasing birth weight was associated with an increasing risk for dystocia (p < 0.05). The probability of perinatal mortality (p < 0.0001) was higher in assisted births than in unassisted births. Calves from first-parity dams had a higher risk (p < 0.01) of being stillborn than calves from dams in later parities. An increase in the length of the pelvis was associated with an increase in odds for perinatal mortality (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the study indicates that dystocia and perinatal mortality are mainly problems in first-parity suckler cows. Concerning the predictive value of external pelvic parameters, further research is necessary.

scholarly journals Prevalence and herd-level risk factors of bovine tuberculosis in the State of Santa Catarina

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (5Supl2) ◽  
pp. 3659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flávio Pereira Veloso ◽  
Karina Diniz Baumgarten ◽  
Ana Lourdes Arrais de Alencar Mota ◽  
Fernando Ferreira ◽  
José Soares Ferreira Neto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
The State ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Santa Catarina ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The University

With the aim of supporting the strategic planning of the National Program for Control and Eradication of Brucellosis and Tuberculosis, different Brazilian states have been conducting cross-sectional studies, coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply and with scientific support from the University of São Paulo and the University of Brasilia. In Santa Catarina, the State Animal Health Agency (CIDASC) conducted a study on bovine tuberculosis (TB) prevalence and assessment of risk factors in 2012. The state was divided into five regions and, in each region, independent sampling was performed in two steps: (i) cattle herds with reproductive activity were randomly selected; and (ii) in each herd, a sample of females aged 24 months or older underwent the intradermal comparative tuberculin test. A questionnaire was used to collect data on production characteristics and management practices that could be associated with the tuberculosis infection. Herd prevalence of bovine TB was 0.50% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.074–0.93%) while the prevalence of TB in adult females was 0.06% (95% CI: 0–0.12%). No significant difference in the prevalence of infected herds and of positive females was observed among the five regions. The logistic regression model revealed that herds with 19 or more females showed an odds ratio (OR) of 7.68 (95% CI: 1.22–48.39) compared to smaller herds, while dairy herds presented an OR of 10.43 (95% CI: 2.00–54.25) relative to beef or dual-purpose herds. The results suggest that dairy herds, in which animals are kept in partial or total confinement, and larger herds, which tend to acquire animals more often, are at a higher risk of bovine TB. Given the low prevalence and the type of higher-risk properties, a bovine TB surveillance system should be targeted at the state’s dairy basins, particularly the western region that accounts for the major industries and more intensive dairy farms.

scholarly journals Prevalence, distribution, and risk factors for canine blastomycosis in Michigan, USA

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 609-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie M Shelnutt ◽  
John B Kaneene ◽  
Paulo A M Carneiro ◽  
Daniel K Langlois
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Upper Peninsula ◽  
Tourist Destinations ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Risk Areas ◽  
Canine Blastomycosis

Abstract Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection that most commonly affects dogs and humans. The disease is thought to be endemic in southern regions of Michigan, USA, but epidemiologic investigations have not been reported in detail for this state. The primary aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and distribution of canine blastomycosis cases in Michigan and to identify risk factors for infection. Over 200 primary care veterinary clinics throughout the state were surveyed regarding blastomycosis prevalence, and demographic information was obtained from medical records of affected dogs that were evaluated at these clinics. A retrospective case control study was conducted for an additional 49 dogs with blastomycosis that were evaluated at specialty referral centers located in the southern mid-Michigan region. Prevalence rates were calculated for each county, and cases were mapped using geocoding software. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to identify risk factors for infection. Prevalence rates were ≥100 cases per 100,000 dogs in five counties. Most blastomycosis cases originated from the Upper Peninsula or from a high-density area in the northern Lower Peninsula. Multivariable regression analysis identified travel or residence north of the 45th parallel as a strong risk factor for infection (P &lt; .001). Blastomycosis was uncommon in southern counties. These results refute previous speculations and should be of value to both human and animal health. Given that many heightened risk areas are popular tourist destinations, practitioners across the USA should be mindful of the spatial distribution of blastomycosis in Michigan.

scholarly journals Bovine Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) Outbreak Duration in Cattle Herds in Ireland: A Retrospective Observational Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew William Byrne ◽  
Damien Barrett ◽  
Philip Breslin ◽  
Jamie Madden ◽  
James O'Keeffe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Mycobacterium Bovis ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Herd Size ◽  
Policy Formation ◽  
Nitrogen Loading ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Retrospective Observational Study

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) outbreaks, caused by Mycobacterium bovis infection, are a costly animal health challenge. Understanding factors associated with the duration of outbreaks, known as breakdowns, could lead to better disease management policy development. We undertook a retrospective observational study (2012-2018) and employed Finite Mixture Models (FMM) to model the outcome parameter, and to investigate how factors were associated with duration for differing subpopulations identified. In addition to traditional risk factors (e.g. herd size, bTB history), we also explored farm geographic area, parcels/farm fragmentation, metrics of intensity via nitrogen loading, and whether herds were designated controlled beef finishing units (CBFU) as potential risk factors for increased duration. The final model fitted log-normal distributions, with two latent classes (k) which partitioned the population into a subpopulation around the central tendency of the distribution, and a second around the tails of the distribution. The latter subpopulation included longer breakdowns of policy interest. Increasing duration was positively associated with recent (&lt;3 yrs) TB history and the number of reactors disclosed, (log) herd size, beef herd-type relative to other herd types, number of land parcels, area, and being designated a controlled finishing unit (&ldquo;feedlot&rdquo;), and having high annual inward cattle movements within the &ldquo;tails&rdquo; subpopulation. Breakdown length was negatively associated with year of commencement of breakdown (i.e. a decreasing trend) and non-significantly with the organic nitrogen produced on the farm (N kg/hectare), a measure of stocking density. The latter finding may be due to confounding effects with herd size and area. Most variables contributed only moderately to explaining variation in breakdown duration, that is, they had moderate size effects on duration. Herd-size and CBFU had greater effect sizes on the outcome. The findings contribute to evidence-based policy formation in Ireland.

scholarly journals Prevalence and risk factors of bovine tuberculosis in dairy cattle farms in Egypt

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-359
Author(s):  
Yassin K. Hamed ◽  
Essam Nasr ◽  
Mohamed Azooz ◽  
Hassan Youssef
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Cattle Farms

scholarly journals Prevalence and risk factors for bovine tuberculosis in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (5Supl2) ◽  
pp. 3673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Augusto Dias ◽  
Francisco Miroslav Ulloa-Stanojlovic ◽  
Ana Paula Cunha Belchior ◽  
Rodrigo De Souza Ferreira ◽  
Rita Coelho Gonçalves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
Fixed Number ◽  
The State ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Apparent Prevalence ◽  
Primary Sample

A cross sectional study was carried out between May and November 2011 to investigate the epidemiological situation of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The state was divided into seven regions. Three hundred farms from each region, with reproductive activity, were randomly chosen and included as primary sample units. A fixed number of bovine females, older than 2 years of age, were randomly selected and tested, using the comparative cervical tuberculin test. An epidemiological questionnaire based survey was conducted in the selected farms. Our results show that in the state of São Paulo, the apparent prevalence of positive farms was 9% (95% confidence interval, 95% CI = 7.8 – 10.5%). The prevalence in the individual regions varied between 3.5% (95% CI = 1.7 ? 6.8%) and 13.9% (95% CI = 10.2 – 18.8%). The apparent prevalence of positive animals in the state was 1.3% (95% CI = 0.9 – 1.7%) and varied from 0.3% (95% CI = 0.2 – 0.6%) to 2.5% (95% CI = 1.4 – 4.5%) in the regions. The risk factors associated with tuberculosis in the state were (i) number of adult females in a herd is ? 24 (Odds ratio, OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.32 – 2.75), (ii) type of farm enterprise (dairy: OR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.40 – 5.21; mixed: OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.08 – 3.82), (iii) milking process (milking parlor: OR = 4.12, 95% CI = 1.46 – 11.64; portable milking machine: OR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.42 – 6.09), and (iv) pasture sharing (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.07 – 2.33). The state of São Paulo should implement a structured surveillance system to detect and mitigate the disease. Further, an efficient animal health education program, which encourages the farmers to test replacement animals for bTB prior to introduction in their herds and to avoid pasture sharing with farms of unknown sanitary conditions should also be implemented.

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