Bovine viral diarrhea virus subgenotype 1a in a mummified fetus from a Brazilian dairy cattle herd

We describe the molecular analysis of a wild-type field strain of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) identified in a mummified fetus from a small Brazilian dairy cattle herd. Nucleic acids extracted from samples of the lung, liver, heart, spleen, and kidney were tested by PCR assays for bovine alphaherpesvirus 1, Neospora caninum, Leptospira spp., Histophilus somni, and Brucella abortus, a nested PCR assay for Mycoplasma bovigenitalium and Ureaplasma diversum, and a RT-PCR assay for BVDV. Amplicons were only obtained in the RT-PCR assay for the partial amplification of the BVDV 5′UTR (288 bp) in kidney and spleen samples and the Npro (438 bp) gene in the kidney sample. Nucleotide sequencing of the amplified products and phylogenetic analyses based on the 2 BVDV genomic regions enabled the BVDV strain to be classified as subgenotype 1a.

New Brucella variant isolated from Croatian cattle

Background A novel Brucella strain closely related to Brucella (B.) melitensis biovar (bv) 3 was found in Croatian cattle during testing within a brucellosis eradication programme. Case presentation Standardised serological, brucellin skin test, bacteriological and molecular diagnostic screening for Brucella infection led to positive detection in one dairy cattle herd. Three isolates from that herd were identified to species level using the Bruce ladder method. Initially, two strains were typed as B. melitensis and one as B. abortus, but multiplex PCR based on IS711 and the Suis ladder showed that all of them to belong to B. melitensis, and the combination of whole-genome and multi-locus sequencing as well as Multi-Locus Variable numbers of tandem repeats Analysis (MLVA) highlighted a strong proximity within the phylogenetic branch of B. melitensis strains previously isolated from Croatia, Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Two isolates were determined to be B. melitensis bv. 3, while the third showed a unique phylogenetic profile, growth profile on dyes and bacteriophage typing results. This isolate contained the 609-bp omp31 sequence, but not the 723-bp omp31 sequence present in the two isolates of B. melitensis bv. 3. Conclusions Identification of a novel Brucella variant in this geographic region is predictable given the historic endemicity of brucellosis. The emergence of a new variant may reflect a combination of high prevalence among domestic ruminants and humans as well as weak eradication strategies. The zoonotic potential, reservoirs and transmission pathways of this and other Brucella variants should be explored.

THE RESULTS OF GROWING AND REPRODUCTIVE QUALITY OF REPAIR YOUNG GROWTH ON THE BREEDING FARM

The article discusses the results of the best breeding plant for the reproduction of dairy cattle herd. We gave results of growth dynamics study and development of young animals obtained from the bulls of Alta Ge-netics, which was evaluated in comparison with the development and growth of young animals obtained from the bulls of JSC "Moscow" breeding farm. The studies were carried out in a highly productive herd of cattle of black-and-white breed CJSC PZ "Kalinin" Kalinin district of Tver region. At the age of 1-month heifers from sires "Moscow" is somewhat superior in live weight to heifers and bulls of Alta breed. Indicators of the repro-ductive qualities of rearing received from the bulls, OAO "Moscow" suggests that heifers reach live weight acceptable for the reproduction on average 405,3 kg, at an early age - 14 months. The comparative analysis clearly shows the advantage in the development of young offspring maintenance from Alta Genetics. Repair young growth received from sires of Alta Genetics is developing faster: to 14 months average live weight of Alta Genetics heifers is 403,3 kg. Fruitful insemination age is on average 14.9 months. Indicators of reproductive abilities of repair heifers show that heifers obtained from the producers of Alta at the first insemina-tion are superior to other heifers in live weight. However, early insemination and the production of offspring does not guarantee that such young animals will grow into a healthy functional cow.