Foraging differences in cattle: Fecal analysis of three racial categories in a harsh environment

Feces from three racial categories of cattle being raised together in a degraded, desertic-thorn forest environment in northwestern Mexico were compared for plant epidermal cell content. There were statistically significant group differences for approximately one-third of the plant material found in the feces. The proportional fecal differences between racial categories were similar to those found previously for B-system blood types. The feces ofBos taurus-like cattle contained a greater variety of plants than did those ofB. indicus-like animals. The findings have implications for studies of behavioral evolution, the effects of cattle on ecology, and cattle husbandry.The research was supported, in part, by University of California Faculty Research Grants awarded to R.M.M. and C.J.B. M.C.T.P. was on a training grant from the Applied Sciences Unit, Department of Scientific Affairs, Organization of American States.     

Laboratory Findings Suggesting an Association Between BoHV‐4 and Bovine Abortions in Southern Belgium

Abortions cause heavy economic losses for the bovine sector. The use of a standardized panel of analyses covering a large spectrum of pathogens responsible of abortion in cattle allowed demonstrating the direct involvement of at least one pathogen in 57% of analysed abortions in the southern part of Belgium. This result suggests a margin of improvement in the diagnostic efficacy. In order to evaluate the interest to broaden the list of pathogens included in the panel of analyses, the implication of bovine herpesvirus 4 (BoHV‐4) in abortion was assessed by two different studies. In the first study, coupled serology was performed after abortion on 714 dams to identify specific seroconversion against BoHV‐4. The overall seroconversion in cows was 19.5%, with a higher frequency in primiparous compared to multiparous females. In addition, the type of breed (beef cattle) and the time period from the fourth quarter 2008 until the last quarter 2009 were significantly related to the seroconversion of cows. The second study investigated the virus ability to infect the foetus. In this study, 368 cases of bovine abortions were specifically tested for BoHV‐4, using PCR on foetus tissues and ELISA on dam and foetus sera. The results showed a maternal seroprevalence of 64.7%, a foetal seroprevalence of 0.8% and a PCR prevalence in foetuses of 1.1%, demonstrating the ability of BoHV‐4 to infect the foetus.     

Using Synoptic Systems’ Typical Wind Trajectories for the Analysis of Potential Atmospheric Long‐Distance Dispersal of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is an infectious, arthropod‐borne virus that affects mostly cattle. Solitary outbreaks have occurred in Israel in 1989 and 2006. In both years, the outbreaks occurred parallel to a severe outbreak in Egypt, and LSDV was hypothesized to be transmitted from Egypt to Israel via long‐distance dispersal (LDD) of infected vectors by wind. The aim of this study was to identify possible events of such transport. At the first stage, we identified the relevant synoptic systems that allowed wind transport from Egypt to Israel during the 3 months preceding each outbreak. Three‐dimensional backwards Lagrangian trajectories were calculated from the receptor sites in Israel for each occurrence of such relevant synoptic system. The analysis revealed several events in which atmospheric connection routes between the affected locations in Egypt and Israel were established. Specifically, during the 1989, Damietta and Port Said stand out as likely sources for the outbreak in Israel. In 2006, different locations acted simultaneously as potential sources of the outbreak in Israel. These locations were situated in the Nile delta, the Suez Canal and in northern Sinai. The analysis pointed out Sharav low and Shallow Cyprus low to the North to be the most likely systems to enable windborne transport from Egypt to Israel. These findings are of high importance for the analysis of the risk of transmission of vectorborne viruses in the eastern Mediterranean region.     

Patterns of Cattle Farm Visitation by White‐Tailed Deer in Relation to Risk of Disease Transmission in a Previously Infected Area with Bovine Tuberculosis in Minnesota,USA

The main objective of this study was to characterize spatial patterns of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) movement related to bovine tuberculosis (bTB) transmission risk to cattle in north‐western Minnesota. Twenty‐one adult deer (16 females and 5 males) were captured during winter (January–March) 2011 in areas adjacent to where an outbreak (2005–2009) of bTB occurred in deer and cattle. Deer were fitted with GPS collars programmed to collect deer location information every 90 min over a 15‐month period. The exact locations of cattle, cattle feeding areas, and stored forage that were available to collared deer were assessed seasonally. In total, 47% (n = 9) of collared deer survived to the end of the study. Causes of mortality included wolves (n = 6), hunters (n = 1) and unknown (n = 2); additionally, 2 deer were censored due to collar malfunctions. Our results indicated that 5 deer (25%) had home ranges that included 6 cattle farms (20%). Most (77%) of the deer visits occurred in areas where cattle were present, with most visits (60%) from 00:00 to 06:00. March to May revealed the most farm visitations by deer (37%). This study provided baseline information regarding cattle–deer interactions critical to transmission of bTB in this region and suggested that risk mitigation practices should be implemented to separate wildlife and domestic livestock when feasible.     

莱菔硫烷对过氧化氢诱导牛眼小梁细胞氧化应激损伤的保护作用

背景 研究表明小梁网组织的氧化应激损伤是开角型青光眼的基本病理过程之一,莱菔硫烷(SFN)可通过激活Nrf2/ARE通路发挥其抗氧化应激作用,但其是否可对氧化应激损伤的小梁细胞发挥作用目前尚不清楚. 目的 探讨SFN对H2O2诱导的牛眼小梁细胞氧化应激损伤的防护作用. 方法 采用组织块培养法对新鲜摘取的黑牛眼球小梁组织进行小梁细胞原代培养,将第3代牛小梁细胞以1x 103/孔的细胞密度接种于96孔板中培养24 h后将细胞分为4个组,空白对照组加入100μl无血清培养基,H2O2组细胞在空白对照组的基础上加入100 μl终浓度为100 μmol/L H2O2建立细胞氧化应激损伤模型,SFN组在培养液中加入100μl终浓度为10μmol/L SFN,而SFN+H2O2组在SFN组的基础上加入100 μmol/L H2O2,细胞培养后6h采用CCK-8法检测各组牛眼小梁细胞活力,采用Annexin V-FITC/PI双染流式细胞仪检测各组细胞的凋亡率.结果 传至第3代的细胞呈梭形,形状和大小较均一,细胞质丰富,可见色素颗粒,核仁大.H2O2组和SFN+H2O2组相对细胞活力分别为空白对照组的(67.00±1.27)％和(80.00±6.25)％,其中SFN+H2O2组相对细胞活力低于空白对照组和SFN组,但明显高于H2O2组,差异均有统计学意义(均P＜0.01).空白对照组、H2O2组、SFN组和SFN+H2O2组细胞凋亡率分别为(11.33±0.77)％、(32.31±1.03)％、(10.44±0.68)％和(17.68±0.21)％,各组间总体比较差异均有统计学意义(F-539.96,P＜0.01),其中SFN+H2O2组细胞凋亡率明显低于H2O2组但高于空白对照组和SFN组,差异均有统计学意义(均P＜0.01).结论 SFN可以增强H2O2诱导的牛眼小梁细胞的抗氧化应激能力,减轻氧化应激对牛眼小梁细胞的损伤.     

Therapeutic effect of carbonate buffer mixture on gastrointestinal atony in cattle

AIM To substantiate the therapeutic effects of carbonate buffer mixture on naturally occurringgastrointestinal atony in cattle.METHODS Therapeutic effects of carbonate buffer mixture (Na2CO350 g, NaHCO3420 g, KCI 20 g, NaC1100 g, water 10 L) were observed in 120 cases of gastrointestinal atony including forestomach atony, rumenimpaction, rumen acidosis, omasum impaction and intestinal constipation. Judgement of curative effects ascure: after treated, the cases become clinically normal in general conditions, appetite, rumination, ruminalperistalsis and defecation; uncure: after giving two doses, the gasto-intestinal atony has not been eliminated.RESULTS Average cure rate of carbonate buffer mixture on above-mentioned diseases were 95%, andaverage dose was 1.4±0.5.CONCLUSION Being a new approach for treatment of gastrointestinal atony in ruminants, the carbonatebuffer mixture can eliminate the gastrointestinal atony originated from the over acidity in gastrointestinalcanal.     

Perspectives on the Changing Landscape of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Control

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) is an insect-transmitted viral disease of wild and domestic ruminants. It was first described following a 1955 epizootic in North American white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), a species which is highly susceptible to the causative agent of EHD, epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV). EHDV has been detected globally across tropical and temperate regions, largely corresponding to the presence of Culicoides spp. biting midges which transmit the virus between ruminant hosts. It regularly causes high morbidity and mortality in wild and captive deer populations in endemic areas during epizootics. Although cattle historically have been less susceptible to EHDV, reports of clinical disease in cattle have increased in the past two decades. There is a pressing need to identify new methods to prevent and mitigate outbreaks and reduce the considerable impacts of EHDV on livestock and wildlife. This review discusses recent research advancements towards the control of EHDV, including the development of new investigative tools and progress in basic and applied research focused on virus detection, disease mitigation, and vector control. The potential impacts and implications of these advancements on EHD management are also discussed.     

Identification and Genetic Characterization of Viral Pathogens in Ruminant Gestation Abnormalities,Israel, 2015–2019

Infectious agents including viruses are important abortifacients and can cause fetal abnormalities in livestock animals. Here, samples that had been collected in Israel from aborted or malformed ruminant fetuses between 2015 and 2019 were investigated for the presence of the following viruses: the reoviruses bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), the flaviviruses bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and border disease virus (BDV), the peribunyaviruses Shuni virus (SHUV) and Akabane virus (AKAV), bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) and bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV). Domestic (cattle, sheep, goat) and wild/zoo ruminants were included in the study. The presence of viral nucleic acid or antigen could be confirmed in 21.8 % of abnormal pregnancies (213 out of 976 investigated cases), with peribunyaviruses, reoviruses and pestiviruses being the most prevalent. At least four different BTV serotypes were involved in abnormal courses of pregnancy in Israel. The subtyping of pestiviruses revealed the presence of two BDV and several distinct BVDV type 1 strains. The peribunyaviruses AKAV and SHUV were identified annually throughout the study period, however, variation in the extent of virus circulation could be observed between the years. In 2018, AKAV even represented the most detected pathogen in cases of small domestic ruminant gestation abnormalities. In conclusion, it was shown that various viruses are involved in abnormal courses of pregnancy in ruminants in Israel.     

不同补饲水平对肉乳兼用型西门塔尔杂种牛育肥效果的研究

选取60头月龄分别为七月龄、九月龄、十五月龄西门塔尔肉乳兼用杂种牛,按不同月龄分为试验1组、试验2组、试验3组及对照组(CN1、2、3),在放牧+补饲育肥下分别按每头日2.5、3.0、3.5 kg的水平补饲精料,90d育肥达到十、十二、十八月,试验结果表明,育肥组的增重水平和育效益明显优于对照组(CN),其中试验组1、2、3(七、九、十五月龄)经90d短期育肥分别达到73.8kg、85.68kg、88.65kg,较对照组58.50kg、60.75kg、59.76kg,分别提高26％、41％、48％,差易极显著(P<0.01),表明在放牧补饲条件下能提高育肥增重,缩短育肥时间,增加肉牛育肥效益。     

Urinary bladder lesions in bovine enzootic haematuria

In cattle, bracken fern chronic toxicity is characterized by the presence of multiple tumours in the bladder (bovine enzootic haematuria). From October 1999 to March 2003, 433 urinary bladders with macroscopical lesions were collected in the slaughterhouse of S?o Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal), an endemic area where Pteridium aquilinum infestation in pastures is high. Bladder lesions were divided into three main categories (inflammatory lesions, non-neoplastic epithelial abnormalities and tumours) and described in detail. In some cases, neoplastic growth was confined to a single site, but in most cases multiple tumours developed within the same bladder. Epithelial tumours alone were present in 51.2% of the affected bladders, mesenchymal tumours alone in 17.4%, and both epithelial and mesenchymal tumours in the remaining 31.4%. The large number of tumours examined (870) revealed new categories not yet included in other veterinary classification systems, namely, inverted papilloma, papillary neoplasm of apparent low malignant potential, and haemangioendothelioma.