Investigating Field Efficacy and Safety of Conjunctival Brucella abortus S19 Vaccine in Cattle

Background: Vaccination is the most fundamental strategy in the control and eradication of brucellosis. Several vaccination programs with different vaccines have been carried out in many countries in which brucellosis continues to be a problem in livestock. One of the recommended vaccines against brucellosis in cattle is the live Brucella abortus S19 vaccine. The aim of this study is to evaluate the results of field safety and efficacy trials for the conjunctival Brucella abortus S19 vaccine prior to the mass vaccination program. Methods: In this study, 81 female cattle were vaccinated with a reduced dose of Brucella abortus S19 vaccine with the conjunctival route. The immune response after vaccination was investigated by suggested serological tests; namely, Rose Bengal Plate Test, Serum Agglutination Test and Complement Fixation Test. Result: No adverse effect was observed within the scope of safety. Isolation of vaccine strain was observed only in a milk sample of lactating animals. Excluding the diagnosis criteria of the serological tests, humoral immune response was observed in most of the animals by all the serological tests one month after vaccination. Antibody levels lasted approximately 4 months after vaccination. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrated that besides vaccine-induced antibodies, the vaccine including changes in dose and administration way in this study did not cause any significant risks for the target animals.

Haemato-biochemical and blood gas changes in bovines under multimodal anaesthesia

The study was conducted in six crossbred female cattle aged nine months to five years and weighing between 82-375 kg, to evaluate haematobiochemical and blood gas changes in during multimodal general anaesthesia. The animals were premedicated by intravenous administration of butorphanol (0.05mg/kg body weight) immediately followed by xylazine (0.02 mg/kg body weight). On achieving sedation, the animals were controlled in left lateral recumbency and induction of anaesthesia was carried out by intravenous administration of ketamine and midazolam at the dose rate of 4.0 and 0.2 mg/kg body weight respectively. Endotracheal intubation was performed and maintenance of general anaesthesia was carried out using isoflurane in 100% oxygen. The variation in total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count, volume of packed red cells, platelet count and haemoglobin were non-significant before and after anaesthesia. A non-significant lymphocytopaenia with neutrophilia and mild variations in aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase enzyme levels were also noticed. Blood pH reduced significantly (p<0.05) after induction of anaesthesia and returned to baseline values after recovery whereas PvCO2 (p<0.05) and base excess (p<0.01) values increased significantly after induction of anaesthesia. The blood bicarbonate did not alter significantly following induction of anaesthesia.

Molecular Epidemiology of Theileria annulata in Cattle from Two Districts in Punjab (Pakistan)

The present study was designed to report the molecular prevalence of T. annulata in cattle blood samples collected from Punjab in Pakistan. A total of 428 cattle blood samples were collected from Districts Lodhran (n = 218) and Dera Ghazi Khan (n = 210). The prevalence of T. annulata was determined by the amplification of a fragment from its cytochrome b gene and parasite prevalence was significantly higher (p = 0.03) in the blood samples of cattle collected from Dera Ghazi Khan (70/210; 33%) as compared to Lodhran (52/218; 24%). Presence of T. annulata was also confirmed by the amplification of a fragment from their 30 kDa gene. The amplified PCR products of both genes were confirmed by DNA sequencing and these partial DNA sequences were submitted to GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that amplified partial gene sequences resembled previously reported T. annulata sequences in cattle from India, China, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey and Egypt. The incidence of T. annulata infection was higher in Sahiwal cattle (p = 0.04) than the other enrolled cattle breed from Dera Ghazi Khan. Female cattle from Lodhran (p = 0.02), while males (p = 0.02), animals housed in close compounds (p = 0.04), animals with a tick burden (p = 0.005) and farms with only cattle (p = 0.01) in Dear Ghazi Khan were found to be more susceptible to T. annulata infection. We recommend that large-scale tick and tick-borne disease control strategies be implemented in both districts under investigation, especially in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Bulls for sacrifice, cows for work? Morphometric models suggest that female cattle were used for traction in the Chinese Bronze Age Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300–1046 BCE)

Training animals to pull agricultural equipment and wheeled transport significantly shaped and advanced human economic systems. In this context the use of large domestic animals such as cattle was a milestone event in human history, part of what Sherratt memorably termed the Secondary Products Revolution: the use of the products of live animals such as milk, wool and traction power. It is commonly assumed that male cattle were generally preferred for traction because of their greater strength compared with females, and the importance of the latter for breeding and, in some societies, for milk and for dairy products, but surprisingly little is known of this aspect of the Secondary Products Revolution in prehistoric China. Here we apply established morphometric models to 10 assemblages of cattle bones from Chinese Bronze Age (ca. 2000–221 BCE) contexts. Our results indicate a process of intensified cattle labour exploitation at this time and, intriguingly, we also observe the earliest labour employment of female cattle during the Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300–1046 BCE). It is proposed that female cattle may have been required for traction because of the large numbers of male cattle, especially bulls, that were sent for ritual sacrifice. Such a strategy reveals a sophisticated social management, upon which the Late Shang civilisation eventually developed.

Epidemiological, Morphometric, and Molecular Investigation of Cystic Echinococcosis in Camel and Cattle From Upper Egypt: Current Status and Zoonotic Implications

Cystic echinococcosis has been considered one of the major parasitic zoonoses which is associated with severe economic losses. The present study was undertaken to investigate the occurrence, organ distribution, cyst fertility, and viability of cystic echinococcosis in slaughtered camels and cattle from various abattoirs in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. The work also involved morphological, morphometric, and molecular identification of the parasite. The occurrence of hydatid cysts was investigated in total number of 100 lungs of camels and 574 liver and lungs of cattle admitted to three slaughterhouses at Assiut Governorate, Egypt. Moreover, several individual variable factors, including organ involvement, age, sex, and hydatid cyst characteristics, were studied to identify their possible association with the occurrence of the disease. Genomic DNA was extracted from the hydatid cysts, followed by molecular identification of the parasite through amplification of ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Hydatid cysts were found in 6 camels (6%) out of 100 inspected camels, while 5 hydatid cysts (0.87%) were detected in a total number of 574 cattle examined. The parasite was detected exclusively in lungs of camels, while lungs were the main organ infected by the parasite in cattle and one hydatid cyst was found in the liver (0.17%). In camel, 66.7, 16.65, and 16.65%of detected cysts were fertile, sterile, and calcified, respectively, while in cattle, these percentages were 60, 20, and 20%, respectively. None of the studied variable factors were significantly associated with the occurrence of the disease in camels, with the exception that all cysts were found in the lung. Conversely, we found a significant association (P &lt; 0.05) between the age and sex of the slaughtered cattle and the occurrence of hydatid cysts. In this respect, the rate of infection was higher in female cattle and those cattle more than 5 years (P &lt; 0.05). The morphological, morphometric, and molecular studies confirmed the presence of the parasite. Taken together, our results concluded that camels and cattle play a potential role in maintaining the transmission cycle of this zoonotic parasite.

Mercury in female cattle livers and kidneys from Vojvodina, northern Serbia

Concentrations of mercury (Hg) were analysed in livers (n = 26) and kidneys (n = 26) of female cattle (412–2502 days old) from farms for milk production in the area of Vojvodina. Concentration of Hg was analysed by ICP-OES, after digestion by microwave. The Hg concentrations in the livers and kidneys ranged from below detection limits (LOD < 0.006 mg/kg) to 0.206 mg/kg wet weight and from below detection limits (LOD < 0.006 mg/kg) to 0.018 mg/kg wet weight, respectively.

Slaughter of Pregnant Cattle at an Austrian Abattoir: Prevalence and Gestational Age

The slaughter of pregnant cattle raises ethical–moral questions with regard to animal welfare, but also concerns of consumers because of higher levels of sex steroids in the meat from pregnant cattle. Since no data on the slaughter of pregnant cattle in Austria were available, we examined uteri of slaughtered female cattle in one Austrian mid-size abattoir. Sample size was calculated for an assumed prevalence of 2.5% (±1%; 95% confidence interval) of cows or heifers slaughtered in the last trimester of pregnancy and amounted to 870 cows and 744 heifers. 1633 female cattle of domestic origin were examined, most of them of dual-purpose type. Pregnancy was detected in 30/759 heifers and in 74/874 cows (an overall prevalence of 6.4%). The number of cattle in the last trimester of pregnancy was 16 to 26, depending on the evaluation scheme. We found no significant differences in percentages of pregnant cattle sent to slaughter for beef, dual-purpose and dairy breeds, although the latter group demonstrated the lowest percentage. Our results are comparable with those from previously conducted studies in other member states of the European Union. Measures to avoid sending pregnant cattle to slaughter should be implemented at farm-level.

Increased Number of Corpora Lutea by Creating Additional Corpus Luteum Leads to Enhanced Progesterone Concentrations and Improved Fertility in Bovine Repeat-breeder Females Undergoing the Short-term Fixed-time Artificial Insemination Protocol

Background: Lower concentrations of endogenous progesterone (P) after fertilization, due to corpus luteum (CL) dysfunction, leads to an increased embryonic loss and reduced pregnancy outcomes not only in female cattle but also in women. Therefore, an increase in the number of corpora lutea (CLs) may improve fertility in infertile bovine females. The aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of increased number of CLs by creating accessory CL on plasma P concentration and fertility in bovine repeat-breeder females undergoing the short-term fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocol.Methods: In experiment 1, 32 female cattle had induced ovulation with the short-term (5-day) P-based protocol. To induce additional CL, cows were treated with gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) on day 5 post-induction. On day 14, only female cattle with at least one CL on their ovaries were classified into two groups: 1CL (original CL; n = 14) and 2CLs groups (original CL + accessory CL; n = 8). In experiment 2, 213 bovine repeat-breeder females were bred using the short-term FTAI protocol. On day 5 post-FTAI, cows were divided into two groups: treatment with (GnRH5-treated group; n = 113) or without (GnRH5-untreated group; n = 100) GnRH. On day 14 post-FTAI, cows were sub-divided into two groups: 1CL (n = 115) and 2CLs (n = 39) groups.Results: In experiment 1, the ovarian luteal diameter, area, and volume per total CLs were greater in 2CLs group compared with 1CL group (P < 0.001). On days 12 and 14 post-induction, female cattle bearing two CLs had greater P concentrations than female cattle bearing only one CL on their ovaries (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, CL number and pregnancy rates were greater in GnRH5-treated group compared with GnRH5-untreated group (P < 0.01). Pregnancy rates were greater in 2CLs cows compared with 1CL cows (P < 0.01). Moreover, female cattle bearing two CLs had a greater likelihood of pregnancy (odds ratio = 20.86) than female cattle bearing only one CL on their ovaries (P = 0.001). Conclusions: In bovine model, our findings confirmed a beneficial effect of an additional CL on ovarian hormone and fertility in infertile female cattle. The results highlighted that increased number of CLs by creating additional CL leads to enhanced peripheral P concentrations and improved pregnancy outcomes in bovine repeat-breeder females undergoing the short-term FTAI protocol.

Rift Valley fever and Brucella spp. in ruminants, Somalia

Background Fourteen-years after the last Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus (RVFV) outbreak, Somalia still suffers from preventable transboundary diseases. The tradition of unheated milk consumption and handling of aborted materials poses a public health risk for zoonotic diseases. Limited data are available on RVF and Brucella spp. in Somali people and their animals. Hence, this study has evaluated the occurrence of RVFV and Brucella spp. antibodies in cattle, goats and sheep sera from Afgoye and Jowhar districts of Somalia. Methods Serum samples from 609 ruminants (201 cattle, 203 goats and 205 sheep), were serologically screened for RVF by a commercial cELISA, and Brucella species by modified Rose Bengal Plate Test (mRBPT) and a commercial iELISA. Results Two out of 609 (0.3 %; 95 %CI: 0.04–1.2 %) ruminants were RVF seropositive, both were female cattle from both districts. Anti-Brucella spp. antibodies were detected in 64/609 (10.5 %; 95 %CI: 8.2–13.2 %) ruminants by mRBPT, which were 39/201 (19.4 %) cattle, 16/203 (7.9 %) goats and 9/205 (4.4 %) sheep. Cattle were 5.2 and 2.8 times more likely to be Brucella-seropositive than sheep (p = 0.000003) and goats (p = 0.001), respectively. When mRBPT-positive samples were tested by iELISA, 29/64 (45.3 %; 95 %CI: 32.8–58.3 %) ruminant sera were positive for Brucella spp. Only 23/39 (58.9 %) cattle sera and 6/16 (37.5 %) goat sera were positive to Brucella spp. by iELISA. Conclusions The present study showed the serological evidence of RVF and brucellosis in ruminants from Afgoye and Jowhar districts of Somalia. Considering the negligence of the zoonotic diseases at the human-animal interface in Somali communities, a One Health approach is needed to protect public health.

The New Method for Increasing the Genetic Potential in a Nucleus of Romanian Buffaloes, by Unicornual Artificial Insemination with Sexed Semen, after Stimulation with OvSynch Protocol

Although artificial insemination can mean a slow and progressive improvement of animal genetics, in buffalo-cow its practical application is difficult the results are incomparably lower then cattle. The purpose of this article is to develop a new methodology, a well-known technique to make AI biotechnology more applicable to the buffalo, in order to improve the conception rate. The protocol we follow is to stimulate hormonal ovarian activity, inducing the dominant follicle, causing ovulation and scheduling the moment of sexed artificial insemination deep in the uterine horn only ipsilateral to the ovary that will ovulate. The experiment was performed on 40 primiparous buffaloes-cows in two groups for AI separated by two bulls whit 2 Millions female sperm straws. The groups was compiled after a thorough gynecological examination, and subsequently the OvSynch therapeutic protocol was started. The results were 82,5% buffaloes (33/40) had dominant follicle (DF) and inseminated, on hot/cold seasons the distribution was 75%vs90%. The conception rate was 63,6% (21/33), on hot/cold seasons 60%vs66,6%, and after calving 92.5% (20/21) female cattle were obtained. Thus, by implementing UcFTAI protocol, we state that the goal of increasing the genetic potential of CIB by becomes achievable and can be extended to a larger scale. Our Improved Protocol (UcFTAI) aims to reduce waste and maximize OvSynch hormone therapy.