[Diseases with relevance to protection of animals with an example of the musculoskeletal system of dogs]

Protection of animals needs major concern in breeding programmes especially if inherited diseases occur which cause pain, suffering and/or damages for the animals. Dogs breeders and people keeping dogs as well as veterinarians should be informed about the etiology on sequels of diseases which cause pain to the animals and from which the animals have to be protected in order to make them more conscious on these problems and to achieve changes in dog breeding programmes. The information system "Inherited Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System of Dogs" should display the already published knowledge about etiology, pathogenesis, appearance, therapy and genetics of these diseases. This information system was built up in such a way that it can be used by students as a learning programme to understand the basic relationships among animal protection, diseases, and dog breeding. The user is also supplied with support for breeding decisions as well as for interpretation of breeding values and genotype probabilities. Additionally, information can be obtained on all in the German Association for Dog Breeding (VDH) represented breeds and breeding clubs. Actions to reduce genetically caused diseases required for members of dog breeding clubs are also available. The information system ist programmed by using HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). Publication is possible on CD-ROM and on Internet. The supplied hyperlinks allow to make use of other publications on the world wide web related to dog and diseases of dogs.

Association analysis between bilateral convergent strabismus with exophthalmus and milk production traits in dairy cattle

Bilateral convergent strabismus with exophthalmus (BCSE) is characterized in cattle by a symmetrical antero-medial rotation and protrusion of the eyeballs. This eye defect is caused by an inherited, centrally insufficient function of the eye muscles recti laterales and retractores. In German Brown cattle a monogenic, autosomal dominant inheritance proved to be most probable in complex segregation analysis. In our study running between October 1993 and May 1995 a total of 200 affected German Brown cows was studied. The investigation of the association between milk production traits and BCSE was based on 10,960 German Brown cows. The analysis revealed no significant differences between affected and non-affected cows, nor between cow families with and without affected members. There was no indication of an association between milk production traits and occurrence of BCSE within cow families. Linkage or pleiotropy of the BCSE locus with quantitative trait loci for milk production traits may be rather unlikely.

[Reproductive performance and milk production of Israeli-Holstein cows with different supplementation during the dry period]

In three field trials comprising 602 Israeli-Holstein dairy cows, the effect of the dry period ration on reproductive performance, culling rate and milk production was investigated. The cows were fed in groups. The basic dry period rations consisted for two herds of medium quality cereal hay and for one herd of corn straw, which were fed ad libitum. In each herd dry cows were assigned to an experimental and control group. Cows of the experimental group were supplemented with 1.5 to 3 kg of lactating cows mixed ration (LMR), whereas in the control group the amount of supplement was increased by the factor two or 3.3. In the experimental group the amount of the supplement was calculated to achieve levels of net energy and of crude protein close to NRC requirements; in the control group the level of net energy and protein was 12 to 18% higher as compared to the experimental group. The amount of LMR supplement in the experimental group of herds A, B, C were 1.5 kg, 1.9 kg, and 3 kg, respectively. In the control groups these amounts were 5 kg, 3.8 kg, and 6 kg, respectively. The groups fed moderate amounts of LMR supplement had a higher conception rate at first insemination, a higher percentage of cows conceiving and fewer cows culled in the consecutive lactation than cows fed increased amounts of LMR supplement. The lactational incidence of reproductive disorders and the milk production were not affected by the differences in feeding during the dry period. Reproductive performance and culling rate appeared to be more favorable for cows fed moderate amounts of supplement during the entire dry period or during the last 3 to 4 weeks of the dry period.

[Segregation of pigment cell anomalies in Munich miniature swine (MMS) Troll crossed with German Landrace]

In order to study the inheritance of melanocytic lesions in the Munich Miniature Swine (MMS) Troll, we established the F1-, F2- and R1-generations, starting with one melanoma-bearing MMS-Troll boar and four German Landrace sows as founder animals. A total of 168 animals were born, 24 in the F1-, 111 in the F2-, 19 in the B1DL-, and 14 in the B1Troll-generation. Benign lesions with lentigoid melanocytic hyperplasia or nests of hyperplastic melanocytes like in human junctional nevus were seen in 10 (41.7%) F1-, 17 (15.3%) F2-, 2 (10.5%) B1DL-, and 6 B1Troll-animals. Malignant melanomas occurred only in the F2-(4 animals; 3.6%) and in the B1Troll-(1 animal; 7.1%) generation. The observed segreation suggests different modes of inheritance for nevi and melanomas. The segregation of nevi can be explained by a major gene model with additional modification by a polygenic component. For melanoma, a major gene model does not fit the data sufficiently. Therefore, a two-or-three-locus model with doubled or tripled recessive affected animals has to be supposed for the inheritance of melanoma. Influence of SLA-haplotypes could not be observed.

[Inheritance of notched ears in Highland cattle]

The present study describes an anomaly of the pinna of the ear and its distribution in Highland Cattle. The investigation is based on a questionnaire survey in farms in Bavaria keeping robust breeds and on registering data in 15 selected farms. In the year 1991, there were registered 548 Highland stud book cows in 108 farms. In four herds animals of the breed Highland Cattle were observed which showed crop ears. Always both ears were affected and this ear defect could be already observed in newborn calves. Crop ears appeared in very different forms. In some cases only small changes of the external ear could be recognized, in more severe cases, grooves in the external ear could be found and in the most severe case, the external ear was totally deformed and drastically reduced in size. In one herd, 45 animals out of the progeny of 46 of one affected breeding bull showed crop ears. The pedigrees indicated that this defect of the ear pinna is inherited and a single autosomal gene with nearly additive (incomplete dominant) action may be involved. Homozygote recessive animals are free from crop ears, animals homozygote for the mutated allele carry totally deformed external ears and heterozygote animals do not show as severe forms of crop ears as homozygote ones.

[An unusual eye defect in Highland cattle: diverging unilateral strabismus]

In the course of an investigation on breeding, management, health and economic problems in seven Highland Cattle farms, two castrated (male) full sibs were detected showing divergent unilateral strabismus (DUS). The reason being found for this eye-defect was a displacement of the M. rectus lateralis by 40 degrees to ventral. Besides DUS, both full sibs were affected by crop ears. It seems probable that DUS is an inborn defect, but the pedigree was not so informative that conclusions on the inheritance of DUS could be drawn.

[Urea and acetone content in milk as indicators for nutritionally caused fertility disorders of dairy cows]

In 915 records of cows of the breeds German Simmental and German Brown the relationships between fertility parameters and milk urea as well as acetone content were analysed with linear models regarding systematic effects of herd, month, lactation number and breed-Brown-Swiss blood proportion. Milk urea concentration showed significant curvilinear associations to following fertility parameters: days open, days between first and last breeding as well as number of inseminations per service period, conception rate at first insemination after calving and lactational incidence of endometritis. The reproductive traits showed an optimum at a milk urea concentration between 15 and 25 mg/dl. The regression of the fertility parameters on acetone content in milk was nearly linearly decreasing and with the exception of days to first breeding after calving significantly different from zero. An increase of milk acetone by 0.01 mmol/l lead to a prolongation of days from first to last breeding in the service period by more than one day, and to a decrease of conception rate at first insemination by nearly one percent. An approach was developed which is suitable to quantify the influence of milk constituents on fertility traits. The model developed can consider nonlinear relationships, more than one metabolic parameter and systematic effects. Thresholds for milk parameters are no longer needed as the negative effects of the metabolic influences caused by nutritional factors are quantified in terms of fertility parameters.

[Analysis of environmental and genetic influences on the urea and acetone content in milk from the breeds German spotted cattle and German brown cattle]

In total, records of 915 cows of the breed German Simmental and German Brown were available to investigate the influences of herd, month, lactation number, stage of lactation, milk production, diseases at calving, breed-Brown-Swiss blood proportion and additive-genetic effect of the cow on milk urea and acetone content. Significant differences between herds, months and lactation numbers could be shown for milk urea and acetone content. Acetone content decreased significantly in the first 100 days post partum by 0.06 mmol/l. Milk fat content was significantly correlated with milk urea and acetone. The heritabilities for milk urea were estimated in German Simmental cows as h2 = 0.06 +/- 0.04 and in German Brown cows as h2 = 0.25 +/- 0.11. Using milk samples up to 50 days post partum, heritability estimates were between h2 = 0.10 +/- 0.09 and h2 = 0.17 +/- 0.12 in German Simmental cows.

[Systematic control of claw health in cows raised in loose housing systems for the total year]

Claw health was systematically checked and recorded in the dairy herd of the experimental and teaching unit at Oberschleissheim. The project started in March 1988 and ended in July 1989. In total 158 dairy cows and 50 heifers of the breeds German Black and White as well as German Simmental were examined for claw health at intervals of six weeks. Heel erosion was diagnosed most frequently, followed by interdigital dermatitis and contusion of the sole. Contusions and ulcerations of the sole were located especially in the claws of the hindleg. More than 90 percent of lameness occurred in the hindleg. Frequency and severity of claw disorders were reduced significantly over the 1.5 year period of systematic veterinary supervision of claw health. Thirty percent of dairy cows were diagnosed as having not any claw disorder at the end of the investigation period. The percentage of dairy cows without any claw disorder was increased by 5-10 percent. Cows of the breed German Simmental in their first lactation were a high risk group for contusions of the sole. The repeatability of the claw measurements of angle of the dorsal wall, length of the dorsal wall and of the heel, height of the heel, diagonal length of the claw and ground surface was usually 0.5 and higher. For the claw disorders heel erosion, interdigital hyperplasia and in part contusions of the sole, fairly high correlations were estimated between heifers and cows as well as between consecutive lactations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Epidemiologic and genetic analysis of veterinary data of German Brown cattle]

In totally 3740 cows of the breed German Brown Swiss distributed over 115 herds risk factors for the occurrence of diseases were analysed using a threshold model. Disease data were recorded by ten practitioners in southern Bavaria. The most frequent diseases were fertility disorders, followed by metabolic, udder and calving disorders. The influence of the herds could demonstrated clearly for all diseases analysed. The effect of the lactation number contributed significantly to the frequency of milk fever, mastitis, retained placenta, endometritis/metritis and ovary cysts. Heritability estimates vary between h2 = 0.5% and h2 = 4.2% with exception of anestrus/acyclia (h2 = 8.8%). With higher milk yield of cows the disease frequencies increase, especially fertility diseases. However, increasing herd milk yield is associated with decreasing disease frequencies. A depression of A.I.-parameters and an increase of culling rate caused by diseases could be observed. In the case of the occurrence of uterus- and ovary disorders days open are elongated by 58 days in comparison to cows without diseases. Recording of disease data for use in electronic data processing seems necessary, in order to diminish production diseases by breeding and herd control programmes. An important prerequisite in organization of disease data recording is an efficient cooperation between the veterinary practitioner, farmer, inseminator and the official milk recording organisation.

[Heritability of strabismus convergens with exophthalmos in cattle]

Six pedigrees including 107 animals of the breed German Brown Swiss were available to test for a single gene conditioning for convergent strabismus with exophthalmus. The regressive logit models of the segregation analysis showed that a major gene model with additively acting genes explained the segregation of affected animals in the pedigrees in the best way. Additionally, polygenic and environmental effects might be of importance in the occurrence of convergent strabismus with exophthalmus.

[Analysis of environmentally-conditioned and genetic influences on the frequency of hip joint dysplasia in German Shepherd dogs]

The importance of environmental and genetic influences on the frequency of hip dysplasia was studied in 10,595 German shepherd dogs. Systematic effects were analysed using mixed linear and mixed nonlinear threshold models. Following effects were regarded in the models applied: sire and mother of the dog as random effects, age at x-raying, sex, birth year and season of the x-rayed dogs, litter size, percentage of x-rayed dogs in each litter and sex ratio of the litter as fixed effects. Sire, mother, sex and age at x-raying showed significant influence on the occurrence of hip dysplasia. The heritability estimates in a hierarchical data design (sire, mother within sire) for the polychotomous trait hip dysplasia were for full sibs h2 = 0.30, for maternal half sibs h2 = 0, 48, and for paternal half sibs h2 = 0.11. Only the heritability estimates of the paternal half sibs seem to be reliable because kennel and breeder effects are confounded with the mother effect. Analysing the frequency of hip dysplasia as all-or-none traits, the heritability estimates were usually lowered by 50%. Selection programmes to reduce frequency of hip dysplasia can be improved if the estimation of breeding values with respect to environmental effects and frequency of hip dysplasia in all relatives will be implemented.

Genetic analysis of reproductive disorders in Israeli Holstein dairy cows

The heritability of common reproductive disorders was asessed in Israeli Holstein cows. Data were collected from 76,000 calvings on 102 collective farms (kibbuts) over a 36-mo period. The disorders considered were those of retained placenta, abnormal lochia, endometritis, anestrus, ovarian cysts with anestrus and ovarian cysts with nymphomania. The statistical model included fixed effects of herd-year, month of calving, duration of previous pregnancy, interaction between calving difficulty and sex of offspring, and the random effect of the sire. Herd-year effects consituted 0.68 of the explained variance of the incidence of retained placenta and approximately 0.89 of all the other disorders. Sire and calving-month effects were significant (P<0.05) for all the disorders. Heritability estimates of the disorders were 0.01 for retained placenta, abnormal lochia, and endometritis; 0.02 for anestrus; and 0.03 for all disorders. Correlations between any two disorders did not exceed 0.20. High genetic correlations were found between retained placenta and either abnormal lochia (0.90) or endometritis (0.70), while moderate genetic correlations were found among each of these and anestrus (0.30). Reproductive disorders occur as part of a complex which may be efficiently controlled by management measures. Nevertheless, breeding for resistance to reproductive disorders may also be feasible by using appropriate sires evaluated on a large number of daughters.

[Computer-assisted analysis of pressure distribution on cattle claws]

A newly developed measuring device was applied to quantify in 5 first and 5 second lactation cows of the breed German Black and White the pressure distribution underneath the claws of one front limb. The pressure distribution of cows was recorded five times in intervals of four weeks. At each measuring date each had to undergo three tests. Procedures for image processing were applied in analysis of pressure distributions. The average pressure per sqcm was about 19 N, the maximum pressure measured was 59 N per sqcm in first lactating cows and 56 N per sqcm in second lactation cows. Factors were developed which characterize the patterns of pressure distributions. Especially the "gradient factor" seems to be well suited to recognize inhomogeneous pressure distributions.

[Effect of the composition of the ration during the dry period on fertility and milk production of Holstein cows in Israel]

In each for of kibbutzin herds located in Israel the dry cows were divided in two feeding groups. The experimental group, in totally 266 cows, obtained only oat, barley or wheat hay ad libitum, whereas the control group (n = 253) was fed additionally mix or silage up to four kg dry matter. The cows in the control group responded in the following lactation with a 1.3 kg higher average FCM per day (p = 0.02) and with a 1.7 kg higher maximum FCM (p = 0.01) in comparison to the experimental group. The differences between the experimental and control group in A. I.-parameters days open, conception rate on first insemination and percent problem cows were rather small. However, the frequency of retained placenta and ovary cysts was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in the control group than in the experimental group. In one herd the influence of body condition between the end of lactation, dry period and 50-80 days p.p. as well as the change of body weight between the end of lactation and calving on milk production and fertility could be evaluated. A decrease of one body condition score unit between the dry period and 50-80 days p.p. was associated with an increase of FCM by 2.01 kg (p less than 0.01), a decrease of the conception rate by 21% (p less than 0.05) and an elongation of the days open by 23.6 days (p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Cervical hygroma in the calf as an absolute cause of dystocia. An unusual malformation possibly of hereditary genesis in Braunvieh x Brown-Swiss breeds]

Large cervical lymphocytes causing dystocia were observed in two Braunvieh x Brown-Swiss calves. The cysts were located on both sides of the neck and contained aqueous liquid. One of the animals was necropsied. The volumetric capacity of the cysts was 11 and 4 liters respectively. The hygroma are supposed to be the result of an interruption in the development of the lymphatic system resulting in the persistence of embryonic lymph sacs. Hypoplasia of the diaphragm, the pericardium and the mediastinum, and malformations of internal organs and the skeletal system were additional pathological findings. The lymphocysts and the other morphological anomalies, except those which may be explained as a consequence of cyst development are considered to be combined accidentally. Analysis of the pedigrees indicates that the lymphocysts may represent a hereditary malformation.