Hepatitis E Virus in Livestock-Update on Its Epidemiology and Risk of Infection to Humans

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a public health problem worldwide and an important food pathogen known for its zoonotic potential. Increasing numbers of infection cases with human HEV are caused by the zoonotic transmission of genotypes 3 and 4, mainly by consuming contaminated, undercooked or raw porcine meat. Pigs are the main reservoir of HEV. However, it should be noted that other animal species, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and rabbits, may also be a source of infection for humans. Due to the detection of HEV RNA in the milk and tissues of cattle, the consumption of infected uncooked milk and meat or offal from these species also poses a potential risk of zoonotic HEV infections. Poultry infected by avian HEV may also develop symptomatic disease, although avian HEV is not considered a zoonotic pathogen. HEV infection has a worldwide distribution with different prevalence rates depending on the affected animal species, sampling region, or breeding system.

Lateral-flow assays for bovine paratuberculosis diagnosis

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) causes bovine paratuberculosis (PTB). PTB is responsible for significant economic losses in dairy herds around the word. PTB control programs that rely on testing and culling of test-positive cows have been developed. Current diagnostics, such as ELISA for detecting MAP antibodies in serum samples and PCR detecting MAP DNA in feces, have inadequate sensitivity for detecting subclinical animals. Innovative "omics" technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology-based RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq), proteomics and metabolomics can be used to find host biomarkers. The discovered biomarkers (RNA, microRNAs, proteins, metabolites) can then be used to develop new and more sensitive approaches for PTB diagnosis. Traditional approaches for measuring host antibodies and biomarkers, such as ELISAs, northern blotting, quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), cDNA microarrays, and mass spectrometry are time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes exhibit poor sensitivity. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, low-cost monitoring devices for measuring antibodies against MAP proteins in point-of-care (POC) settings have been developed. Lateral flow assays (LFAs), in particular, are thought to be appropriate for the on-site detection of antibodies to MAP antigens and/or host biomarkers. This review aims to summarize LFAs that have recently been developed to accurately detect antibodies against MAP antigens, as well as the benefits that host biomarkers linked with MAP infection give to PTB diagnosis. The identification of these novel biomarkers could be the basis for the development of new LFAs. The dairy industry and producers are likely to benefit from reliable and rapid technologies capable of detecting MAP infection in situ to establish a quick and sensitive PTB diagnosis.

An Experimental Field Trial Investigating the Use of Bacteriophage and Manure Slurry Applications in Beef Cattle Feedlot Pens for Salmonella Mitigation

Post-harvest Salmonella mitigation techniques are insufficient at addressing Salmonella harbored in cattle lymph nodes, necessitating the exploration of pre-harvest alternatives that reduce Salmonella prior to dissemination to the lymph nodes. A 2 × 2, unbalanced experiment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of pre-harvest treatments applied to the pen surface for Salmonella mitigation in cattle. Treatments included manure slurry intended to mimic pen run-off water (n = 4 pens), a bacteriophage cocktail (n = 4), a combination of both treatments (n = 5), and a control group (n = 5) that received no treatment. Environment samples from 18 feedlot pens and fecal grabs, hide swabs, and subiliac lymph nodes from 178 cattle were collected and selectively enriched for Salmonella, and Salmonella isolates were sequenced. The combination treatment was most effective at reducing Salmonella, and the prevalence was significantly lower compared with the control group for rump swabs on Days 14 and 21. The treatment impact on Salmonella in the lymph nodes could not be determined due to low prevalence. The reduction on cattle hides suggests that bacteriophage or water treatments applied to the feedlot pen surface may reduce Salmonella populations in cattle during the pre-harvest period, resulting in reduced contamination during slaughter and processing.

The combination of vaccines and adjuvants to prevent the occurrence of high incidence of infectious diseases in bovine

As the global population grows, the demand for beef and dairy products is also increasing. The cattle industry is facing tremendous pressures and challenges. The expanding cattle industry has led to an increased risk of disease in cattle. These diseases not only cause economic losses but also pose threats to public health and safety. Hence, ensuring the health of cattle is crucial. Vaccination is one of the most economical and effective methods of preventing bovine infectious diseases. However, there are fewer comprehensive reviews of bovine vaccines available. In addition, the variable nature of bovine infectious diseases will result in weakened or even ineffective immune protection from existing vaccines. This shows that it is crucial to improve overall awareness of bovine vaccines. Adjuvants, which are crucial constituents of vaccines, have a significant role in enhancing vaccine response. This review aims to present the latest advances in bovine vaccines mainly including types of bovine vaccines, current status of development of commonly used vaccines, and vaccine adjuvants. In addition, this review highlights the main challenges and outstanding problems of bovine vaccines and adjuvants in the field of research and applications. This review provides a theoretical and practical basis for the eradication of global bovine infectious diseases.

Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in fetal and placental tissue of bovine abortions and perinatal mortalities

BACKGROUND

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-borne zoonotic bacterium that is the aetiologic pathogen of tick-borne fever (TBF) in ruminants. In clinical bovine cases of TBF, abortion and stillbirth may be observed. However, in this regard, the pathophysiology of TBF has not yet been completely elucidated, and no clear guidelines to diagnose A. phagocytophilum-related abortions and perinatal mortalities (APM) are available.

METHODS

This exploratory study aimed to investigate the presence of A. phagocytophilum in bovine cases of APM and determine whether placental or fetal spleen tissue has the greatest sensitivity for A. phagocytophilum identification. The placenta and fetal spleen of 150 late-term bovine APM cases were analysed using real-time PCR to detect A. phagocytophilum.

RESULTS

A total of 2.7% of sampled placentas were positive for A. phagocytophilum, while none of the fetal spleen samples was.

LIMITATIONS

No histopathology to detect associated lesions was performed. Consequently, no evidence of causality between the detection of A. phagocytophilum and APM events could be achieved.

CONCLUSION

The detection of A. phagocytophilum suggests a potential role of this pathogen in bovine APM, and placental tissue seems to be the most suitable tissue for its identification.

Specific and non-specific effects of Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccination in dairy calves

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic disease mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis, a zoonotic pathogen with economic significance as it leads to reduced milk and meat production, and high costs for control measures. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, primarily used to prevent tuberculosis in humans, has also been studied for controlling bTB. While showing effectiveness in preventing M. bovis infection and disease in cattle, the BCG vaccine can induce non-specific effects on the immune system, enhancing responses to infections caused by unrelated pathogens, and also having non-specific effects on lactation. The aim of this study is to describe both the specific and non-specific effects of BCG vaccination in calves from a commercial dairy herd in central Chile. Diagnosis of M. bovis infection was performed through the IFNγ release assay (IGRA) using ESAT6/CFP-10 and Rv3615c antigens. The records of milk production, somatic cell count (SCC), clinical mastitis (CM) and retained placenta (RP) during the first lactation were compared between vaccinated and non-vaccinated animals. The breed (Holstein Friesian [HF] v/s HF × Swedish Red crossbred [HFSR]) and the season (warm v/s cold) were also analyzed as categorical explanatory variables. Results of IGRA showed significant differences between vaccinated and control groups, indicating a vaccine efficacy of 58.5% at 18 months post vaccination in HFSR crossbred animals. Although milk production did not vary, SCC and CM showed differences between groups, associated to the breed and the season, respectively. When analyzing CM and RP as a whole entity of disease, BCG showed protection in all but the cold season variables. Overall, the BCG vaccine induced protective specific and non-specific effects on health parameters, which may be influenced by the breed of animals and the season. These results provide new features of BCG protection, supporting initiatives for its implementation as a complementary tool in bTB control.

Meat Quality in Katerini and Podolian Young Bulls Raised on Pasture: A Comparison between Organic Production Systems in Greek and Italian Environments

Local and typical agri-food products (TAP) are receiving increasing interest from consumers, since they are perceived as genuine, healthy and tasty because they are produced under environmentally friendly farming systems. This has aroused a renewed interest among breeders from the inner regions of Italy and Greece toward autochthonous animal populations, such as Greek Katerini and Italian Podolian cattle. Twenty animals were used, divided into two homogeneous groups of ten subjects per each genotype. Animals were fed only on natural pasture and were slaughtered at 18 months of age. Meat from the Katerini young bulls showed a lower a* value, higher moisture and was leaner, and its fat was richer in n-3 fatty acids and had a better n-6/n-3 ratio. Meat from Podolian young bulls was more tender and showed a higher redness value and a significantly greater MUFA concentration. This preliminary study provides a contribution to the local actors and relevant authorities to develop a conservation program for the endangered Katerini breed based on the nutritional and sensorial characterization of its products.

Bovine reproductive immunoinfertility: pathogenesis and immunotherapy

Infertility is one of the primary factors for cattle reproduction in the present scenario. Reproduction-related immunoinfertility mainly involves immunization against the antigens related to reproductive hormones (LHRH, GnRH, Gonadal steroids, PGF2α and oxytocin), spermatozoa, seminal plasma and ovum. Anovulation, delayed ovulation, sperm immobilization, failure of fertilization, prolonged uterine involution, extended calving interval, prolonged post-partum estrus and reduced conception rate could be a result of immunoinfertility that occur due to the blockage of receptor site by antibodies formed against hormones, sperm and ovum. Immunoinfertility can be treated in the animal by giving sexual rest to females, by using various reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization, gamete intra fallopian tube transfer, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, sperm washing and by treating the animals with immunomodulators such as LPS, Oyster glycogen, etc. This review summarizes the different causes of bovine reproductive immunoinfertility and amelioration strategies to overcome it.

Assessing the Effects of Dietary Cadmium Exposure on the Gastrointestinal Tract of Beef Cattle via Microbiota and Transcriptome Profile

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant, widely existing in soil, and can be absorbed and accumulated by plants. Hunan Province exhibits the worst cadmium contamination of farmland in China. Ruminants possess an abundant microbial population in the rumen, which enables them to tolerate various poisonous plants. To investigate whether the rumen microbiota could respond to Cd and mitigate the toxicity of Cd-accumulated maize to ruminants, 6-month-old cattle were fed with 85.82% (fresh basis) normal whole-plant maize silage diet (CON, n = 10) or Cd-accumulated whole-plant maize silage diet (CAM, n = 10) for 107 days. When compared to the CON cattle, CAM cattle showed significantly higher gain-to-feed ratio and an increased total bacterial population in the rumen, but a decreased total bacterial population in the colon. CAM cattle had higher relative abundance of Prevotella and Lachnospiraceae ND3007 group in the rumen, and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group and Clostridia vadinBB60 group in the colon. Notably, microbial correlations were enhanced in all segments of CAM cattle, especially Peptostreptococcaceae in the jejunum. Transcriptome analysis revealed down-regulation of several immune-related genes in the rumen of CAM cattle, and differentially expressed genes in the rumen were mostly involved in immune regulation. These findings indicated that feeding Cd-accumulated maize diet with a Cd concentration of 6.74 mg/kg dry matter (DM) could stimulate SCFA-related bacteria in the rumen, induce hormesis to promote weight gain, and improve energy utilization of cattle.

Characterizing the influence of various antimicrobials used for metaphylaxis against bovine respiratory disease on host transcriptome responses

Currently, control against bovine respiratory disease (BRD) primarily consists of mass administration of an antimicrobial upon arrival to facility, termed "metaphylaxis." The objective of this study was to determine the influence of six different antimicrobials used as metaphylaxis on the whole blood host transcriptome in healthy steers upon and following arrival to the feedlot. One hundred and five steers were stratified by arrival body weight (BW = 247 ± 28 kg) and randomly and equally allocated to one of seven treatments: negative control (NC), ceftiofur (CEFT), enrofloxacin (ENRO), florfenicol (FLOR), oxytetracycline (OXYT), tildipirosin (TILD), or tulathromycin (TULA). On day 0, whole blood samples and BW were collected prior to a one-time administration of the assigned antimicrobial. Blood samples were collected again on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 56. A subset of cattle (n = 6) per treatment group were selected randomly for RNA sequencing across all time points. Isolated RNA was sequenced (NovaSeq 6,000; ~35 M paired-end reads/sample), where sequenced reads were processed with ARS-UCD1.3 reference-guided assembly (HISAT2/StringTie2). Differential expression analysis comparing treatment groups to NC was performed with glmmSeq (FDR ≤ 0.05) and edgeR (FDR ≤ 0.1). Functional enrichment was performed with KOBAS-i (FDR ≤ 0.05). When compared only to NC, unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs) found within both edgeR and glmmSeq were identified for CEFT (n = 526), ENRO (n = 340), FLOR (n = 56), OXYT (n = 111), TILD (n = 3,001), and TULA (n = 87). At day 3, CEFT, TILD, and OXYT shared multiple functional enrichment pathways related to T-cell receptor signaling and FcεRI-mediated NF-kappa beta (kB) activation. On day 7, Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mediated antigen presentation pathways were enriched in ENRO and CEFT groups, and CEFT and FLOR had DEGs that affected IL-17 signaling pathways. There were no shared pathways or Gene Ontology (GO) terms among treatments at day 14, but TULA had 19 pathways and eight GO terms enriched related to NF- κβ activation, and interleukin/interferon signaling. Pathways related to cytokine signaling were enriched by TILD on day 21. Our research demonstrates immunomodulation and potential secondary therapeutic mechanisms induced by antimicrobials commonly used for metaphylaxis, providing insight into the beneficial anti-inflammatory properties antimicrobials possess.

Ticks are unlikely to play a role in leprosy transmission in the Comoros (East Africa) as they do not harbour M. leprae DNA

Introduction

Leprosy, one of the oldest known human diseases, continues to pose a global challenge for disease control due to an incomplete understanding of its transmission pathways. Ticks have been proposed as a potential contributor in leprosy transmission due to their importance as vectors for other infectious diseases.

Methods

In 2010, a sampling of ticks residing on cattle was conducted on the islands Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli which constitute the Union of the Comoros where leprosy remains endemic. To investigate the potential role of ticks as a vector in transmission of leprosy disease, molecular analyses were conducted.

Results

Out of the 526 ticks analysed, none were found to harbour Mycobacterium leprae DNA, as determined by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay targeting a family of dispersed repeats (RLEP) specific to M. leprae.

Discussion

Therefore, our results suggest that in the Union of the Comoros, ticks are an unlikely vector for M. leprae.

Nutritional Strategies to Promote Bovine Oocyte Quality for In Vitro Embryo Production: Do They Really Work?

The ability of bovine oocytes to reach the blastocyst stage (i.e., embryo with around 150 cells in cattle) in vitro can be affected by technical (e.g., culture medium used) and physiological factors in oocyte donors (e.g., age, breed). As such, the nutritional status of oocyte donors plays a significant role in the efficiency of in vitro embryo production (IVEP), and several nutritional strategies have been investigated in cattle subjected to ovum pick-up (OPU). However, there is no clear consensus on the reliability of nutritional schemes to improve IVEP in cattle. Available evidence suggests that a moderate body condition score (i.e., 3 in a 1-5 scale) in cattle is compatible with a metabolic microenvironment in ovarian follicles that will promote embryo formation in vitro. The usefulness of fatty acid and micronutrient supplementation to improve IVEP in cattle is debatable with the current information available. Overall, the supply of maintenance nutritional requirements according to developmental and productive stage seems to be enough to provide bovine oocyte donors with a good chance of producing embryos in vitro. Future nutrition research in cattle using OPU-IVEP models needs to consider animal well-being aspects (i.e., stress caused by handling and sampling), which could affect the results.

Cattle

Foodborne pathogens pose substantial health hazards and result in considerable economic losses in the U.S. Fortunately, the National Center for Biotechnology Information Pathogen Detection Isolates Browser (NPDIB) provides valuable access to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes and antimicrobial assay data. This study aimed to conduct the first comprehensive investigation of AMR genes in pathogens isolated from U.S. cattle over the past decade, driven by the urgent need to address the dangers of AMR specifically originating in pathogens isolated from U.S. cattle. In this study, around 28,000 pathogen isolate samples were extracted from the NPDIB and then analyzed using multivariate statistical methods, mainly principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (H-clustering). These approaches were necessary due to the high dimensions of the raw data. Specifically, PCA was utilized to reduce the dimensions of the data, converting it to a two-dimensional space, and H-clustering was used to better identify the differences among data points. The findings from this work highlighted Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli as the predominant pathogens among the isolates, with E. coli being the more concerning pathogen due to its increasing prevalence in recent years. Moreover, tetracycline was observed as the most commonly resistant antimicrobial, with the resistance genes mdsA, mdsB, mdtM, blaEC, and acrF being the most prevalent in pathogen isolates from U.S. cattle. The occurrence of mdtM, blaEC, acrF, and glpT_E448k showed an increase in pathogens isolated from U.S. cattle in recent years. Furthermore, based on the data collected for the locations of AMR cases, Texas, California, and Nebraska were the major areas carrying major AMR genes or antimicrobials with detected resistance. The results from this study provide potential directions for targeted interventions to mitigate pathogens' antimicrobial resistance in U.S. cattle.

Stakeholder Challenges and Opportunities of GPS Shock Collars to Achieve Optimum Welfare in a Conservation or Farm Setting

Virtual fences for livestock facilitated by a GPS shock collar (GPS-SC) and phone app were introduced to the UK in cattle herd trials in 2020. Technology which uses aversive shocks to control livestock movement on farms and in other settings poses a significant risk to livestock welfare. There are currently no welfare protocols in place in the UK to ensure the ethical use of GPS-SCs. The objective of this study was to understand how GPS-SCs were being used in practice in the UK and gather data to assist researchers and policymakers in the future research and development of a welfare protocol for the UK. We studied how the technology performs in terms of welfare challenges and opportunities, covering extensive livestock production, conservation settings, "rewilding", and regenerative farming practices, where the technology is currently being applied. Semistructured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders. In-depth interviews (n = 8) supported the previous literature that the use of GPS-SCs in restricted grazing settings poses a risk to animal welfare. This is due to the wavering virtual fence boundary line (which is affected by satellite movements), a lack of visual markers, and, in some "rewilding" and conservation settings, livestock keepers, which require training and support to enable optimal welfare in practice and prevent misuse of the technology. Results also indicated that there are opportunities for enhancing livestock welfare with GPS-SCs in very extensive farm settings, where targeted care can be facilitated by using the data to monitor and track livestock using GPS-SCs, and which can also prevent cattle injury or fatality through virtual pastures designed to protect livestock from hazards such as roads or bogs. Future research is needed to focus on minimising shocks in the training period and to better understand the value of visual electric fences in the training process.

Degree of leukochimerism with calf age in Angus-crossbred twin sets

Twinning in cattle is infrequent and usually undesired. It can result in an increased occurrence of abortion and dystocia, reduced calf survival and a high likelihood of freemartinism in mixed-sex twins. Twin gestations are also commonly associated with the formation of placental vascular anastomoses (PVA) between twins. Through PVA they share blood, hormones (leading to freemartinism in mixed sex twins) and hematopoietic stem cells, which are the progenitors of white blood cells. The sharing of stem cells between twins can result in leukochimeric twin sets. These are twins that have white blood cells derived from both self and the co-twin owing to the fetal migration of hematopoietic stem cells from the extraembryonic mesoderm of the yolk sac to final sites like bone marrow and thymus. This study examined the degree to which this leukochimerism changes with age. DNA was extracted from hair bulbs containing mesenchymal dermal papilla to determine the individual's true genotype and blood samples were obtained at six time points from 1 week to 8 months of age to assess leukochimerism. Samples were genotyped using a medium density SNP chip, and quantitative estimates of allele frequency were determined using SNPs for which members of a twin set had alternative homozygous genotypes. The results indicate statistically significant changes in the proportion of self and co-twin with age and suggest that by 2-4 months of age the genotypic mix in white blood cells represents the hematopoetic stem cell population resident in the individual (i.e. permanently found in thymus and bone marrow).

Effects of dietary inclusion of 3 Nordic brown macroalgae on enteric methane emission and productivity of dairy cows

Macroalgae are receiving increased attention as antimethanogenic feed additives for cattle, but most in vivo studies are limited to investigating effects of the red macroalgae Asparagopsis spp. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the CH4 mitigating potential of 3 brown macroalgae from the Northern Hemisphere when fed to dairy cows, and to study the effects on feed intake, milk production, feed digestibility, and animal health indicators. The experiment was conducted as a 4 × 4 Latin square design using 4 lactating rumen, duodenal, and ileal cannulated Danish Holstein dairy cows. The cows were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) without any macroalgae or the same TMR diluted with, on a dry matter basis, either 4% ensiled Saccharina latissima, 4% Ascophyllum nodosum (NOD), or 2% Sargassum muticum (MUT). Each period consisted of 14 d of adaptation, 3 d of digesta and blood sampling, and 4 d of gas exchange measurements using respiration chambers. Milk yield and dry matter intake (DMI) were recorded daily. Blood was sampled on d 13 and 16 and analyzed for health status indicators. None of the 3 species affected the CH4 emission. Moreover, milk yield and DMI were also unaffected. Total-tract digestibility of crude protein was significantly lower for NOD compared with other diets, and additionally, the NOD diet also tended to reduce total-tract digestibility of neutral detergent fiber compared with MUT. Blood biomarkers did not indicate negative effects of the dietary inclusion of macroalgae on cow health. In conclusion, none of the 3 brown macroalgae reduced CH4 emission and did not affect DMI and milk production of dairy cows, whereas negative effects on the digestibility of nutrients were observed when A. nodosum was added. None of the diets would be allowed to be fed in commercial dairy herds due to high contents of iodine, cadmium, and arsenic.

DYRK1B haploinsufficiency in a Holstein cattle with epilepsy

In this study, epilepsy with focal seizures progressing to generalized seizures was diagnosed in a 6-month-old Holstein heifer. The seizures were characterized by a brief pre-ictal phase with depression and vocalization. During the ictal phase eyelid spasms, tongue contractions, nodding and abundant salivation were observed, rapidly followed by a convulsive phase with bilateral tonic, clonic or tonic-clonic activity and loss of consciousness. Finally, during the postictal phase the heifer was obtunded and disorientated, unable to perceive obstacles and hypermetric, and pressed its head against objects. In the inter-seizure phase, the heifer was clinically normal. Neuropathology revealed axonal degeneration in the brainstem and diffuse astrocytic hypertrophic gliosis. Whole genome sequencing of the affected heifer identified a private heterozygous splice-site variant in DYRK1B (NM_001081515.1: c.-101-1G>A), most likely resulting in haploinsufficiency owing to loss-of-function. This represents a report of a DYRK1B-associated disease in cattle and adds DYRK1B to the candidate genes for epilepsy.

Development of a high-affinity anti-bovine PD-1 rabbit-bovine chimeric antibody using an efficient selection and large production system

Immune checkpoint molecules PD-1/PD-L1 cause T-cell exhaustion and contribute to disease progression in chronic infections of cattle. We established monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that specifically inhibit the binding of bovine PD-1/PD-L1; however, conventional anti-PD-1 mAbs are not suitable as therapeutic agents because of their low binding affinity to antigen. In addition, their sensitivity for the detection of bovine PD-1 is low and their use for immunostaining PD-1 is limited. To address these issues, we established two anti-bovine PD-1 rabbit mAbs (1F10F1 and 4F5F2) and its chimeric form using bovine IgG1 (Boch1D10F1), which exhibit high binding affinity. One of the rabbit mAb 1D10F1 binds more strongly to bovine PD-1 compared with a conventional anti-PD-1 mAb (5D2) and exhibits marked inhibitory activity on the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. In addition, PD-1 expression in bovine T cells could be detected with higher sensitivity by flow cytometry using 1D10F1. Furthermore, we established higher-producing cells of Boch1D10F1 and succeeded in the mass production of Boch1D10F1. Boch1D10F1 exhibited a similar binding affinity to bovine PD-1 and the inhibitory activity on PD-1/PD-L1 binding compared with 1D10F1. The immune activation by Boch1D10F1 was also confirmed by the enhancement of IFN-γ production. Finally, Boch1D10F1 was administered to bovine leukemia virus-infected cows to determine its antiviral effect. In conclusion, the high-affinity anti-PD-1 antibody developed in this study represents a powerful tool for detecting and inhibiting bovine PD-1 and is a candidate for PD-1-targeted immunotherapy in cattle.

White Adipose Tissue Heterogeneity in the Single-Cell Era: From Mice and Humans to Cattle

Adipose tissue is a major modulator of metabolic function by regulating energy storage and by acting as an endocrine organ through the secretion of adipokines. With the advantage of next-generation sequencing-based single-cell technologies, adipose tissue has been studied at single-cell resolution, thus providing unbiased insight into its molecular composition. Recent single-cell RNA sequencing studies in human and mouse models have dissected the transcriptional cellular heterogeneity of subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT), and intramuscular (IMAT) white adipose tissue depots and revealed unique populations of adipose tissue progenitor cells, mature adipocytes, immune cell, vascular cells, and mesothelial cells that play direct roles on adipose tissue function and the development of metabolic disorders. In livestock species, especially in bovine, significant gaps of knowledge remain in elucidating the roles of adipose tissue cell types and depots on driving the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders and the distinct fat deposition in VAT, SAT, and IMAT in meat animals. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the transcriptional and functional cellular diversity of white adipose tissue revealed by single-cell approaches and highlights the depot-specific function of adipose tissue in different mammalian species, with a particular focus on recent findings and future implications in cattle.

Characterization of Robertsonian and Reciprocal Translocations in Cattle through NGS

This study presents a novel approach that combines next-generation sequencing (NGS) and cytogenetic technologies for identifying chromosomes involved in chromosomal anomalies. This research focuses on a chromosome anomaly discovered in male Alpine Grey cattle, as well as two previously reported cases of reciprocal translocations (rcps), namely rcp(9;11) and rcp(4;7). Abnormal chromosomes from Alpine Grey cattle were microdissected from conventional preparations, and the amplified products were sequenced using NGS. The sequencing reads were then mapped to the reference genome, and the leverage effect was calculated to identify abnormal reads/Mb values. The result revealed the presence of rob(26;29), which was further confirmed through traditional cytogenetic analyses such as Giemsa staining, CBA-banding, RBA-banding, and FISH techniques. Furthermore, the feasibility of this approach on preserved metaphases was demonstrated through analysis of old slides from previously characterized cases. The study highlights the challenges involved in identifying and characterizing chromosomal aberrations in bovine species and offers a potential solution for analyzing historical anomalies when fresh blood material is unavailable. The combination of NGS and cytogenetic techniques provides a cost-effective and reliable approach for characterizing chromosomal anomalies in various species, including those identified before the availability of modern banding technologies and FISH mapping using specific molecular markers.

A Comparative Study of Growth Performance, Blood Biochemistry, Rumen Fermentation, and Ruminal and Fecal Bacterial Structure between Yaks and Cattle Raised under High Concentrate Feeding Conditions

This study compared the growth performance, serum biochemical indicators, rumen fermentation parameters, rumen bacterial structure, and fecal bacterial structure of cattle and yaks fed for two months and given a feed containing concentrate of a roughage ratio of 7:3 on a dry matter basis. Compared with cattle, yak showed better growth performance. The serum biochemical results showed that the albumin/globulin ratio in yak serum was significantly higher than that in cattle. Aspartate aminotransferase, indirect bilirubin, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and total cholesterol were significantly lower in yaks than in cattle. The rumen pH, acetate to propionate ratio, and acetate were lower in yaks than in cattle, whereas the lactate in yaks was higher than in cattle. There were significant differences in the structure of ruminal as well as fecal bacteria between cattle and yaks. The prediction of rumen bacterial function showed that there was a metabolic difference between cattle and yaks. In general, the metabolic pathway of cattle was mainly riched in a de novo synthesis of nucleotides, whereas that of yaks was mainly riched in the metabolic utilization of nutrients. This study provides a basis for understanding a rumen ecology under the condition of a high concentrate diet.

Heat Stress Mitigation Strategies in Feedyards: Use, Perceptions, and Experiences of Industry Stakeholders

The purpose of this study was to: (1) understand heat mitigation strategies currently used and recommended by feedyard operators, veterinarians, and nutritionists, (2) understand their perceptions of heat mitigation strategies related to cattle health, performance, welfare, and carcass quality, (3) quantify the frequency of extreme heat events, and (4) understand industry needs associated with heat stress mitigation strategies. An online survey was shared via 11 industry association listservs. Descriptive statistics were performed on 56 responses (n = 22 operators, 26 veterinarians and eight nutritionists). Thematic analysis was performed on free-response questions. Sixteen (72.7%) operators, 23 (88.5%) veterinarians and eight (100%) nutritionists utilized at least one heat mitigation strategy. "Changing processing and shipping hours" (n = 42, 75%) had the most "strongly agree" responses when asked about strategy effectiveness. The majority of respondents agreed that heat stress negatively impacts cattle health, performance, and welfare (Mean ± SD; ≥7.8 ± 2.6 for all roles). Forty-two (75%) respondents experienced cattle death loss from extreme heat events. Thematic analysis indicated that respondents perceived pen infrastructure and water/feed management as important considerations for better mitigating heat stress impacts. When asked what resources would be helpful, respondents indicated research and data regarding the effectiveness of various strategies.

Measuring the Phytochemical Richness of Meat: Effects of Grass/Grain Finishing Systems and Grapeseed Extract Supplementation on the Fatty Acid and Phytochemical Content of Beef

Grass-finished beef (GFB) can provide beneficial bioactive compounds to healthy diets, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and secondary bioactive compounds, such as phytochemicals. The objective of this study was to compare fatty acids (FAs), micronutrients, and phytochemicals of beef fed a biodiverse pasture (GRASS), a total mixed ration (GRAIN), or a total mixed ration with 5% grapeseed extract (GRAPE). This was a two-year study involving fifty-four Red Angus steers (n = 54). GFB contained higher levels of n-3 PUFAs, vitamin E, iron, zinc, stachydrine, hippuric acid, citric acid, and succinic acid than beef from GRAIN and GRAPE (p < 0.001 for all). No differences were observed in quantified phytochemicals between beef from GRAIN and GRAPE (p > 0.05). Random forest analysis indicated that phytochemical and FA composition of meat can predict cattle diets with a degree of certainty, especially for GFB (5.6% class error). In conclusion, these results indicate that GFB contains higher levels of potentially beneficial bioactive compounds, such as n-3 PUFAs, micronutrients, and phytochemicals, compared to grain-finished beef. Additionally, the n-6:n-3 ratio was the most crucial factor capable of separating beef based on finishing diets.

Consider the Source: The Impact of Social Mixing on Drylot Housed Steer Behavior and Productivity

Cattle are a social species in which social mixing can induce physical and psychosocial stress; however, the impact of social mixing on cattle welfare is unknown. Two different sources of genetically similar Angus crossbred steers were transported to the same feedlot and assigned to a pen where they were either socially mixed or housed with individuals from their source herds. Social mixing did not impact average daily gains in pens, feed intake, or feed efficiency; pens of socially mixed steers were more active. Sources differed in their responses to social mixing. One source was unaffected, whereas social mixing negatively impacted productivity for the other source. Irrespective of social mixing, the sources differed in the amount of time per day they spent ruminating and drinking. Group analyses indicated that socially mixing two sources of feedlot steers did not negatively impact group productivity, yet the impacts that were observed at the individual level suggest that prior experiences may influence their ability to cope with social stress, emphasizing the importance of early-life experiences to long-term welfare and productivity. Social mixing was not universally detrimental to cattle welfare, and the source of cattle may have the greatest affect on their performance regardless of whether a social mixing event has occurred.

Complete genome sequence of Mannheimia bovis isolated from a healthy feedlot calf in Saskatchewan, Canada

A lack of whole genome sequences for Mannheimia spp. other than Mannheimia haemolytica complicates their identification. Here, we present the genome sequence of Mannheimia bovis 39324.S-11, isolated from a healthy calf on a feedlot in Saskatchewan, Canada, and compare it to ZY190616T, which is currently the only other isolate of M. bovis for which sequence is publicly available.

Genome sequences of 11 Alkalihalobacillus clausii, Bacillus safensis, and Escherichia coli bacteriophages isolated from bovine rumen and vagina

Here, we present the coding-complete genomes of 11 lytic bacteriophages isolated from bovine ruminal fluid and vaginal swabs that can infect the bacterial hosts Alkalihalobacillus clausii, Bacillus safensis, and Escherichia coli.

Characterization of Bovine Intraepithelial T Lymphocytes in the Gut

Intraepithelial T lymphocytes (T-IELs), which constitute over 50% of the total T lymphocytes in the animal, patrol the mucosal epithelial lining to defend against pathogen invasion while maintaining gut homeostasis. In addition to expressing T cell markers such as CD4 and CD8, T-IELs display T cell receptors (TCR), including either TCRαβ or TCRγδ. Both humans and mice share similar T-IEL subsets: TCRγδ+, TCRαβ+CD8αα+, TCRαβ+CD4+, and TCRαβ+CD8αβ+. Among these subsets, human T-IELs are predominantly TCRαβ+ (over 80%), whereas those in mice are mostly TCRγδ+ (~60%). Of note, the majority of the TCRγδ+ subset expresses CD8αα in both species. Although T-IELs have been extensively studied in humans and mice, their profiles in cattle have not been well examined. Our study is the first to characterize bovine T-IELs using flow cytometry, where we identified several distinct features. The percentage of TCRγδ+ was comparable to that of TCRαβ+ T-IELs (both ~50% of CD3+), and the majority of bovine TCRγδ+ T-IELs did not express CD8 (CD8-) (above 60%). Furthermore, about 20% of TCRαβ+ T-IELs were CD4+CD8αβ+, and the remaining TCRαβ+ T-IELs were evenly distributed between CD4+ and CD8αβ+ (~40% of TCRαβ+ T-IELs each) with no TCRαβ+CD8αα+ identified. Despite these unique properties, bovine T-IELs, similar to those in humans and mice, expressed a high level of CD69, an activation and tissue-retention marker, and a low level of CD62L, a lymphoid adhesion marker. Moreover, bovine T-IELs produced low levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IFNγ and IL17A, and secreted small amounts of the immune regulatory cytokine TGFβ1. Hence, bovine T-IELs' composition largely differs from that of human and mouse, with the dominance of the CD8- population among TCRγδ+ T-IELs, the substantial presence of TCRαβ+CD4+CD8αβ+ cells, and the absence of TCRαβ+CD8αα+ T-IELs. These results provide the groundwork for conducting future studies to examine how bovine T-IELs respond to intestinal pathogens and maintain the integrity of the gut epithelial barrier in animals.

Prevalence of Fascioliasis in Slaughtered Cattle in Ağrı Province

OBJECTIVE

In this study, it was aimed to reveal the frequency of fascioliasis in cattle slaughtered in the slaughterhouses of Ağrı province.

METHODS

The study was carried out on 230 cattle. The presence of Fasciola hepatica eggs in stool and bile fluid samples taken from each cattle was investigated by sedimentation-zinc sulfate flotation method, and the presence of adult parasites in the liver and bile ducts by postmortem examination.

RESULTS

The study was conducted on 230 cattle samples. Fasciola spp. eggs were observed in 43 (18.7%) of the stools examined. As a result of the postmortem examination of the liver and gall bladder, F. hepatica adults were found in 52 (22.6%) cattle. All cattle positive in stool examination were also positive in liver and gallbladder examination. Fasciola gigantica adults were not detected in any of the cattle, and there was no statistically significant difference in terms of gender and race.

CONCLUSION

In this study conducted on cattle in the Ağrı region, F. hepatica was found to be significantly common. The data obtained show that in order to prevent economic losses in animal husbandry, which is an important source of livelihood of the local people, effective prevention and control programs should be planned and implemented, and both sheep and cattle breeders should be made aware of the prevention of this infection.

in Cattle in Representative Areas of Shanxi Province, North China

Both Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis sp. are common intestinal protozoa, which can cause zoonotic diseases and economic losses to livestock industry. To evaluate the prevalence and genetic population structure of Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis sp. in beef and dairy cattle in Shanxi Province, north China, a total of 795 fecal samples were collected from beef and dairy cattle in three representative counties in Shanxi Province, and these fecal samples were examined using molecular approaches based on 18S small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) of Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis sp., respectively. Among 795 cattle fecal samples, 23 were detected as Cryptosporidium-positive and 103 were detected as Blastocystis-positive, and the overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis sp. in cattle in Shanxi Province was 2.9% and 13.0%, respectively. For Cryptosporidium spp., DNA sequence analysis indicated that all 23 positive samples were identified as C. andersoni. Furthermore, five known subtypes (ST1, ST10, ST14, ST21 and ST26) and three unknown subtypes of Blastocystis sp. were detected among 103 positive samples using DNA sequence analysis. This study reported the occurrence and prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Blastocystis sp. in cattle in Shanxi Province for the first time, which extends the geographical distribution of these two zoonotic parasites and provides baseline data for the prevention and control of these two important zoonotic parasites in cattle in Shanxi Province.

Forage lignocellulose is an important factor in driving the seasonal dynamics of rumen anaerobic fungi in grazing yak and cattle

Anaerobic fungi (AF) inhabit the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants and play an important role in the degradation of fiber feed. However, limited knowledge is available on seasonal dynamics and inter-species differences in rumen AF community in yak and cattle under natural grazing systems. Using the random forests model, the null model, and structural equation model, we investigated the seasonal dynamics and key driving factors of fiber-associated rumen AF in grazing yak and cattle throughout the year on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). We found that the richness and diversity of rumen AF of grazing yak and cattle in cold season were significantly higher than those in warm season (P < 0.05). We identified 12 rumen AF genera, among which , Cyllamyces, and Orpinomyces were predominant in the rumen of both grazing yak and cattle. LEfSe and random forest analysis showed that Feramyces, Tahromyces, and Buwchfawromyces were important seasonal indicator of rumen AF in grazing yak (P < 0.05), and Caecomyces, Cyllamyces, and Piromyces in grazing cattle (P < 0.05). Null model analysis revealed that the dynamic changes of rumen AF community structure were mainly affected by deterministic factors. Notably, mantel test and structural equation model revealed that forage physical-chemical properties, including dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and hemicellulose contents (HC) were the key factors driving the seasonal variations of the rumen AF community (P < 0.05). The results revealed that forage lignocellulose was probably an important factor affecting the seasonal dynamics and inter-species differences of the rumen AF community under natural grazing conditions. IMPORTANCE The seasonal dynamics of rumen anaerobic fungi in nature grazing yak and cattle were determined during cold and warm seasons based on pasture nutritional quality and environmental data sets. The main driving factors of anaerobic fungi in yak and cattle rumen were explored by combining random forest and structural equation models. In addition, the dynamic differences in the composition of the anaerobic fungi community in the yak and cattle in different seasons were characterized. It was found that some rumen anaerobic fungi have contributed to high fiber degradation rate in yak. These novel findings improve our understanding of the association of environmental and dietary seasonal variations with anaerobic fungal community, facilitating yak adaptation to high altitude.

Economics of East Coast fever: a literature review

East Coast fever (ECF) is a cattle disease caused by a protozoan parasite called Theileria parva (T. parva). Theileria parva is transmitted among cattle by ticks. It is endemic in parts of central, eastern, and southern Africa and imposes an economic burden through illness and death of approximately a half of a billion U.S. dollars annually. This paper reviews existing science on the economics of ECF. We utilize a conceptual model that defines primary categories of economic costs due to ECF and use it to organize a synthesis of the literature on aggregate and micro level direct costs of the disease and the costs and benefits related to various ECF management strategies. We then identify knowledge gaps to motivate for future research.

Zoonotic tuberculosis in a high bovine tuberculosis burden area of Ethiopia

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of ill health and one of the leading causes of death worldwide, caused by species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), with Mycobacterium tuberculosis being the dominant pathogen in humans and Mycobacterium bovis in cattle. Zoonotic transmission of TB (zTB) to humans is frequent particularly where TB prevalence is high in cattle. In this study, we explored the prevalence of zTB in central Ethiopia, an area highly affected by bovine TB (bTB) in cattle.

Method

A convenient sample of 385 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB, N = 287) and tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBLN, N = 98) were included in this cross-sectional study in central Ethiopia. Sputum and fine needle aspirate (FNA) samples were obtained from patients with PTB and TBLN, respectively, and cultures were performed using BACTEC™ MGIT™ 960. All culture positive samples were subjected to quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays, targeting IS1081, RD9 and RD4 genomic regions for detection of MTBC, M. tuberculosis and M. bovis, respectively.

Results

Two hundred and fifty-five out of 385 sampled patients were culture positive and all were isolates identified as MTBC by being positive for the IS1081 assay. Among them, 249 (97.6%) samples had also a positive RD9 result (intact RD9 locus) and were consequently classified as M. tuberculosis. The remaining six (2.4%) isolates were RD4 deficient and thereby classified as M. bovis. Five out of these six M. bovis strains originated from PTB patients whereas one was isolated from a TBLN patient. Occupational risk and the widespread consumption of raw animal products were identified as potential sources of M. bovis infection in humans, and the isolation of M. bovis from PTB patients suggests the possibility of human-to-human transmission, particularly in patients with no known contact history with animals.

Conclusion

The detected proportion of culture positive cases of 2.4% being M. bovis from this region was higher zTB rate than previously reported for the general population of Ethiopia. Patients with M. bovis infection are more likely to get less efficient TB treatment because M. bovis is inherently resistant to pyrazinamide. MTBC species identification should be performed where M. bovis is common in cattle, especially in patients who have a history of recurrence or treatment failure.

Occurrence and surveillance of Taiwanese bovine arboviruses using hematophagous insects in dairy farms during 2012-2019

Culicoides-borne viruses are an important arbovirus group causing bovine diseases. During 2012-2019, 2,525 pools consisting of 108,937 specimens of vectors were subjected to PCR detection of bovine arbovirus belonging to Orthobunyavirus, Orbivirus, and Ephemerovirus. Twelve virus RNAs, of which 6, that is, Shuni virus, Shamonda virus, and Sathuperi virus in Orthobunyavirus and Sathuvachari virus and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotypes 4 and 7 in Orbivirus were detected for the first time in the area. Potential vector species were evaluated by the minimum infection rate, and the population abundance of Culicoides oxystoma, Culex tritaeniorhynchus, and Anopheles sinensis indicated that they were the main potential vector species in dairy farms in Taiwan.

Preoperative and Surgical Predictors of the Treatment Outcome of Dairy Cows with Right Abomasal Displacement-A Retrospective Study of 234 Cases

The displacement of the abomasum to the right (RDA) is a common condition regularly encountered in dairy cows, which requires urgent surgical correction. The survival of the patient primarily depends on early diagnosis and timely treatment, but other factors contributing to the outcome have been discussed in the literature. The objective of this study was to identify preoperative clinical, hematological, as well as intraoperative parameters that are associated with the prognosis of cows with RDA or abomasal volvulus (AV). This retrospective study included patients admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital over a period of 6 years with a diagnosis of RDA or AV. A total of 234 cows were included, of which 193 were discharged after treatment and thus classified as survivors. In contrast, 41 cases died or were euthanized during or after surgery and were categorized as non-survivors. Non-survivors showed more severe dehydration, higher heart rate, lower sodium, as well as higher L-lactate and phosphorus concentration in their blood prior to surgery compared with the survivors. During surgery, the abomasum of non-survivors was markedly dilated and twisted more frequently than in survivors. The results presented here can facilitate the early identification of animals with poor prognosis requiring more intensive peri- and postoperative care.

Applying assisted reproductive technology and reproductive management to reduce CO2-equivalent emission in dairy and beef cattle: a review

Methane emission from beef and dairy cattle combined contributes around 4.5-5.0% of total anthropogenic global methane. In addition to enteric methane (CH4) produced by the rumen, cattle production also contributes carbon dioxide (CO2) (feed), nitrous oxide (N2O) (feed production, manure) and other CH4 (manure) to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) budget of beef and dairy production systems. The relative contribution in standard dairy systems is typically enteric CH4 58%, feed 29% and manure 10%. Herds with low production efficiency can have an enteric CH4 contribution up to 90%. Digestibility of feed can impact CH4 emission intensity. Low fertility herds also have a greater enteric CH4 contribution. Animals with good feed conversion efficiency have a lower emission intensity of CH4/kg of meat or milk. Feed efficient heifers tend to be lean and have delayed puberty. Fertility is a major driver of profit in both beef and dairy cattle, and it is highly important to apply multi-trait selection when shifting herds towards improved efficiency and reduced CH4. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified for feed efficiency in cattle and are used in genomic selection. SNPs can be utilized in artificial insemination and embryo transfer to increase the proportion of cattle that have the attributes of efficiency, fertility and reduced enteric CH4. Prepubertal heifers genomically selected for favourable traits can have oocytes recovered to produce IVF embryos. Reproductive technology is predicted to be increasingly adopted to reduce generation interval and accelerate the rate of genetic gain for efficiency, fertility and low CH4 in cattle. The relatively high contribution of cattle to anthropogenic global methane has focussed attention on strategies to reduce enteric CH4 without compromising efficiency and fertility. Assisted reproductive technology has an important role in achieving the goal of multiplying and distributing cattle that have good efficiency, fertility and low CH4.

Unconventional Sites for Diagnosis of Leptospirosis in Bovine Anicteric Fetuses

BACKGROUND

Bovine leptospirosis is an important reproductive disease and abortion is a major sign, leading to economic impacts. Due to its multifactorial etiology, the proper diagnosis of the cause of the abortion is crucial. Necropsy of the fetuses followed by molecular analysis is recommended for diagnosis, and the investigation mainly occurs in the kidneys and liver. This study aimed to analyze unconventional sites for the presence of leptospiral DNA in bovine anicteric aborted fetuses.

METHODS

Five fetuses of the same herd were received for necropsy and diagnosis. Conventional lipL32-PCR was performed in the fetuses' kidneys, livers, lungs, hearts, spleens, subcapsular kidney content, abomasal fluid, and in the cavity's hemorrhagic contents. To complete the investigation, the sera of 30 cows of the herd were collected to perform the serologic screening by Microscopic Agglutination Test. In addition, six subfertile non-pregnant cows from the same herd were selected due to their low reproductive performance, and genital samples (uterine fragment and cervicovaginal mucus) and urine were collected for lipL32-PCR. PCR-positive samples were submitted to a nested PCR of the secY gene and intended for sequencing.

RESULTS

The herd presented seroreactive animals (11/30, 36.6%), all against the Sejroe serogroup, with titers between 200 and 1600. In necropsy, four fetuses showed hemorrhagic and anicteric lesions, while one fetus had no macroscopic lesions. Regarding molecular analysis, all the fetuses were positive in lipL32-PCR and the positive sites were the heart, lungs, subcapsular kidney content, thymus, kidneys, liver, and abomasal fluid. Only one fetus presented positive results in the kidney and liver, while three fetuses were positive in the abomasal fluid. Five of six cows were positive for lipL32-PCR, all being positive only in genital samples. Of the fetuses and the cows, seven sequences were obtained and all were identified as Leptospira interrogans serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjoprajitno.

CONCLUSIONS

In order to improve the diagnosis of leptospirosis in cows, it is recommended to perform a comprehensive analysis of the samples, beyond the kidneys and liver. Thus, we highly encourage testing multiple organs by PCR to investigate abortions suspected of bovine leptospirosis, particularly in anicteric fetuses.

CNN-Bi-LSTM: A Complex Environment-Oriented Cattle Behavior Classification Network Based on the Fusion of CNN and Bi-LSTM

Cattle behavior classification technology holds a crucial position within the realm of smart cattle farming. Addressing the requisites of cattle behavior classification in the agricultural sector, this paper presents a novel cattle behavior classification network tailored for intricate environments. This network amalgamates the capabilities of CNN and Bi-LSTM. Initially, a data collection method is devised within an authentic farm setting, followed by the delineation of eight fundamental cattle behaviors. The foundational step involves utilizing VGG16 as the cornerstone of the CNN network, thereby extracting spatial feature vectors from each video data sequence. Subsequently, these features are channeled into a Bi-LSTM classification model, adept at unearthing semantic insights from temporal data in both directions. This process ensures precise recognition and categorization of cattle behaviors. To validate the model's efficacy, ablation experiments, generalization effect assessments, and comparative analyses under consistent experimental conditions are performed. These investigations, involving module replacements within the classification model and comprehensive analysis of ablation experiments, affirm the model's effectiveness. The self-constructed dataset about cattle is subjected to evaluation using cross-entropy loss, assessing the model's generalization efficacy across diverse subjects and viewing perspectives. Classification performance accuracy is quantified through the application of a confusion matrix. Furthermore, a set of comparison experiments is conducted, involving three pertinent deep learning models: MASK-RCNN, CNN-LSTM, and EfficientNet-LSTM. The outcomes of these experiments unequivocally substantiate the superiority of the proposed model. Empirical results underscore the CNN-Bi-LSTM model's commendable performance metrics: achieving 94.3% accuracy, 94.2% precision, and 93.4% recall while navigating challenges such as varying light conditions, occlusions, and environmental influences. The objective of this study is to employ a fusion of CNN and Bi-LSTM to autonomously extract features from multimodal data, thereby addressing the challenge of classifying cattle behaviors within intricate scenes. By surpassing the constraints imposed by conventional methodologies and the analysis of single-sensor data, this approach seeks to enhance the precision and generalizability of cattle behavior classification. The consequential practical, economic, and societal implications for the agricultural sector are of considerable significance.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Related to Bovine Brucellosis in Continental Ecuador

Bovine brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic contagious disease. According to World Animal Health Information System reports Ecuador has presented an increasing number of bovine brucellosis outbreaks in the continental territory over the past years (756 in 2018 versus 964 in 2021), generating economic losses for producers and causing a risk to public health. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis and associated risk or protective factors between May and June 2018. This stratified random study was implemented in 290 cattle herds located in the 23 provinces of continental Ecuador, which represents a total of 3737 cows aged 24 months or older. A competitive ELISA was used to detect Brucella antibodies. Simultaneously, an epidemiological survey was implemented to assess the brucellosis risk or protective factors. The apparent prevalence of bovine brucellosis at the herd level was 21.3% (95% CI: 16.8-26.6) and 6.2% (95% CI: 5.5-7) at the animal level. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between the potential factors associated with the presence of bovine brucellosis. The risk factors identified after multivariate analysis were a surface in ha per herd > 70 ha (OR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.18-6.32) and the number of parturitions per animal (two or more with OR ≥ 1.8 and p-value ≤ 0.047). On the contrary, the protective factors were the region (farms located in the eastern region) and the absence of reported clinical signs. In addition, in herds where extensive production predominates, farmers have a low level of knowledge, and the farm biosecurity level is low. These results can guide the authorities in managing the risk factors identified, understanding the current epidemiological situation in Ecuador, improving the bovine brucellosis control program and food safety, as well as increase the one-health approach.

Comparison of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone versus Estrogen-Based Fixed-Time Artificial Insemination Protocols in Grazing Bos taurus Suckled Beef Cows

Fixed-timed artificial insemination (FTAI) protocols for beef cattle in South America are primarily based on estradiol esters and intravaginal progesterone-releasing devices (IVPD). The objective of this study was to determine the optimal gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-based protocol as an alternative to the use of estrogen-based protocols in grazing Bos taurus suckling beef cows. All cows received an IVPD on the day of protocol initiation and prostaglandin F2α (PG) plus equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) treatments at the time of IVPD removal. In Experiment 1, cows (n = 235) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: (i) 7-day estradiol = 2 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) at IVPD insertion on Day 9 and 1 mg of estradiol cypionate (ECP) at IVPD removal on Day 2; (ii) 7-day GnRH = 10 µg of GnRH at IVPD insertion on Day 10, IVPD removal on Day 3 and GnRH at FTAI; (iii) 7 & 7 estradiol = PG at IVPD insertion on Day 16, EB on Day 9 and ECP at IVPD removal on Day 2; (iv) 7 & 7 GnRH = PG at IVPD insertion on Day 17, GnRH on Day 10, IVPD removal on Day 3 and GnRH at FTAI. In Experiment 2, cows (n = 462) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: (i) 6-day estradiol = EB at IVPD insertion on Day 9, IVPD removal on Day 3 and GnRH at FTAI; (ii) 7-day estradiol; (iii) 7-day GnRH; (iv) 7 & 7 GnRH. In Experiment 1, plasma progesterone concentrations and percentage of cows with a corpus luteum (CL) at IVPD removal, and pregnancy per AI (P/AI) were greater for cows subjected to GnRH-based protocols compared with cows subjected to estrogen-based protocols (p < 0.01). In Experiment 2, cows subjected to the 7 & 7 GnRH protocol had the greatest P/AI (p < 0.01). In summary, GnRH-based FTAI protocols resulted in similar or greater P/AI compared to estrogen-based FTAI protocols in grazing postpartum Bos taurus suckled beef cows. The greatest P/AI was attained with the 7 & 7 GnRH protocol.

Persistence of orthopaedic hoof blocks for the treatment of lame cattle kept permanently at pasture

AIMS

To compare the retention by New Zealand dairy cows kept at pasture in a lame cow group, of three hoof block products commonly used in the remediation of lameness.

METHODS

Sixty-seven farmer-presented Friesian and Friesian x Jersey dairy cows from a single herd in the Manawatū region (New Zealand) suffering from unilateral hind limb lameness attributable to a claw horn lesion (CHL) were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: foam block (FB), plastic shoe (PS) and a standard wooden block (WB). Blocks were applied to the contralateral healthy claw and checked daily by the farm staff (present/not present) and date of loss was recorded. Blocks were reassessed on Day 14 and Day 28 and then removed unless further elevation was indicated. Daily walking distances were calculated using a farm map and measurement software. Statistical analyses included a linear marginal model for distance walked until block loss and a Cox regression model for the relative hazard of a block being lost.

RESULTS

Random allocation meant that differences between products in proportion used on left or right hind foot or lateral or medial claw were small. Mean distance walked/cow/day on farm tracks whilst the block was present was 0.32 (min 0.12, max 0.45) km/day; no biologically important difference between products in the mean distance walked was identified. Compared to PS, cows in the WB group were five times more likely to lose the block (HR = 4.8 (95% CI = 1.8-12.4)), while cows in the FB group were 9.5 times more likely to lose the block (HR = 9.5 (95% CI = 3.6-24.4)).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, PS were retained for much longer than either FB or WB. As cows were managed in a lame cow group for the study duration, walking distances were low and did not impact on the risk of block loss. More data are needed to define ideal block retention time.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

In cows with CHL the choice of block could be based on the type of lesion present and the expected re-epithelisation times.

Isolation, adaptation, and characterization of lumpy skin disease virus from cattle in Bangladesh

Objective

The research aimed to isolate, adapt to cell culture, and characterize the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) from clinically infected cattle in Bangladesh.

Materials and Methods

From September 2019 to June 2020, 37 skin nodules and skin swabs were aseptically collected from afflicted cattle in the outbreak regions of Jhenaidah and Kishoreganj in Bangladesh. The LSDV was isolated from embryonated specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicken eggs along the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) route and the Vero cell line after several blind passages. The viral attachment protein was targeted for molecular detection using polymerase chain reactions (PCR). For phylogenetic analysis, PCR-positive products were partially sequenced.

Results

The virus was evident in the cell line, showed cytopathic effects after the 13 blind passage, and on the CAM of SPF chicken eggs, exhibited thickening of the CAM with pock-like lesions. A total of 12 samples (32.43%) tested positive for LSDV by PCR. Phylogenetic analysis of the present isolates (accession numbers MN792649 and MN792650) revealed 100% similarity with strains from India (MN295064), Kenya (AF325528, MN072619, KX683219), Greece (KY829023), Serbia (KY702007), and Kazakhstan (MN642592); moreover, 99.43% to 100% similarity to the sheep pox virus.

Conclusion

Partially sequenced LSDV was developed as a vaccine seed and was first isolated in Bangladesh and characterized at the molecular level.

Safety evaluation of the food enzyme triacylglycerol lipase from the pregastric tissues of calves, young goats and lambs

The food enzyme containing triacylglycerol lipase (triacylglycerol acylhydrolase; EC 3.1.1.3) is prepared from the pregastric tissues of calves, young goats and lambs by Caglificio Clerici SpA. The food enzyme is intended to be used in the production of cheese. As no concerns arose from the animal source of the food enzyme, from its manufacture and based on the history of safe use and consumption, the Panel considered that toxicological data were not required and no exposure assessment was necessary. A search for the similarity of the amino acid sequence of the food enzyme to known allergens was made and no match was found. The Panel considered that a risk of allergic reactions upon dietary exposure cannot be excluded, but the likelihood is low. Based on the data provided, the Panel concluded that this food enzyme does not give rise to safety concerns under the intended conditions of use.

Epidemiological study of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in healthy free-ranging bantengs (Bos javanicus) and domestic cattle

Background and Aim

Antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms (ARMs) have been increasing among wild animals. Interactions occurring at the interface between wildlife, humans, and livestock can lead to the transmission of ARMs. Thus, the prevalence of ARMs in wild and domestic animals should be determined to address and prevent this issue. This study aimed to determine the resistance patterns of cefotaxime (CTX)-resistant Escherichia coli and identify the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes in ESBL-producing E. coli among a population of wild banteng (Bos javanicus) and domestic cattle kept on farms located close to the Lam Pao non-hunting area, Kalasin province, Thailand.

Materials and Methods

Forty-five fecal samples were taken from wild bantengs inhabiting the Lam Pao non-hunting area in Thailand, alongside 15 samples from domestic cattle. Bacterial culture, triple sugar iron, and motile indole lysine tests were conducted to identify E. coli. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was conducted for specific confirmation. MacConkey agar supplemented with 2 μg/mL of CTX was used to identify CTX-resistant E. coli, which would be used to identify ESBL production based on a double-disk synergy test. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing samples were subjected to disk diffusion tests to determine resistant patterns, and the sizes of PCR bands and DNA sequencing were used to differentiate ESBL gene types.

Results

All samples tested positive for E. coli. Forty-five isolates from 15 banteng samples and three isolates from one domestic cattle sample displayed CTX-resistant and ESBL-producing traits. The banteng and domestic cattle populations exhibited nine and three distinct resistant patterns, respectively. The PCR results indicated that the banteng isolates harbored the following genes: Cefotaxime-M1 (n = 38), CTX-M9 (n = 5), and the SHV group (n = 2). All three isolates from the domestic cattle sample contained the CTX-M1 gene. Classification of ESBL genes based on the DNA sequences of the banteng isolates showed the characteristics of CTX-M15 (n = 20), CTX-M55 (n = 6), CTX-M14 (n = 5), and CTX-M79 (n = 1). The three domestic cattle isolates exhibited the characteristics of CTX-M15, CTX-M55, and CTX-M79.

Conclusion

Despite no previous antibiotic applications, approximately one-third of the banteng samples displayed CTX resistance, indicating ARM contamination within the ecosystem. The similarity in ESBL genes between the banteng and domestic cattle populations suggests potential gene transmissions between these animal groups. However, the initial source of ARMs remains unclear, as the banteng population exhibited more ESBL genes than the domestic cattle, suggesting the possibility of multiple ARM sources. These findings raise concerns because the banteng population inhabits an area that is an important source of freshwater and nourishes the entire north-east region of Thailand and other South-east Asian countries, including Laos, Cambodia, and Southern Vietnam.

Investigation of haematological, inflammatory and immunological response in naturally infected cattle with Theileria annulata

In this study, we aimed to investigate haematological, pro-inflammatory, inflammatory, anti-inflammatory and immunological responses in naturally Theileria annulata-infected cattle. The study material consisted of 25 Simmental cattle, 2-4 years of age, one of which was a control group consisting of healthy animals (Control group, n = 10), and the other was a Theileria group that include animals positive for Theileria annulata (Theileria group, n = 15). Haematological analysis (red blood cell [RBC], haemoglobin [HGB], haematocrit [HCT]), pro-inflammatory (tumour necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], nuclear factor kappa B [NF-ĸB] and interleukin-1 beta, [IL-1β]), inflammatory (neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio [NLR]), anti-inflammatory (interleukin-10 [IL-10]) and antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) analyses were performed by using ELISA kit from blood samples. It was found that the rectal temperature of the Theileria group was found to be significantly higher (p < .001) than that of the control group. Haematological and biochemical analysis revealed that the RBC and HGB count and HCT percentage decreased (p < .001), while NF-ĸB (p < .001), TNF-α (p = .002), IL-1β (p < .001), IL-10 (p = .012), NLR (p < .001) and CAMP (p = .037) levels increased in Theileria group compared to the control group. There was a strong correlation between NF-ĸB and TNF-α, NF-ĸB and IL-10, NLR and IL-1β, NF-ĸB and CAMP, TNF-α and CAMP and IL-10 and CAMP. As a result of this study, it was revealed that a pro-inflammatory and immunological response also occurs along with the anti-inflammatory response in the inflammatory process.

Plasma lipopolysaccharide elevations in cattle associated with early-stage infection by Fasciola hepatica

Fasciolosis is an endemic zoonotic parasitic disease with significant impacts on human health and both animal health and production. Early post-infection impacts on the host remain unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the changes, if any, to levels of endotoxin in cattle plasma in response to early-stage infection with Fasciola hepatica. Thirty-six (36) commercial bred cattle were experimentally infected with approximately 400 viable metacercariae. Plasma lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) levels were examined on 24 occasions from 0 h before infection to 336 h after infection using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate chromogenic end point assay and compared with that of six (6) uninfected control animals. Peak lipopolysaccharide levels in infected animals were reached at 52 h after infection and returned to pre-infection levels at time 144 h after infection. Infected animals had significantly elevated lipopolysaccharide levels between 24 and 120 h after infection when compared to uninfected animals. The mean change in endotoxin units (EU)/mL over time after infection was statistically significant in infected animals. Elevations of lipopolysaccharide occurred in all infected animals suggesting a possible repeatable and titratable endotoxemia conducive to therapeutic agent model development.

Identification of homozygosity-rich regions in the Holstein genome

In this study, 371 Holstein cows from six herds and 26 Holstein bulls, which were used in these herds, were genotyped by the Illumina BovineSNP50 array. For runs of homozygosity (ROH) identification, consecutive and sliding runs were performed by the detectRUNS and Plink software. The missing calls did not significantly affect the ROH data. The mean number of ROH identified by consecutive runs was 95.4 ± 2.7, and that by sliding runs was 86.0 ± 2.6 in cows, while this number for Holstein bulls was lower 58.9 ± 1.9. The length of the ROH segments varied from 1 Mb to over 16 Mb, with the largest number of ROH having a length of 1-2 Mb. Of the 29 chromosomes, BTA 14, BTA 16, and BTA 7 were the most covered by ROH. The mean coefficient of inbreeding across the herds was 0.111 ± 0.003 and 0.104 ± 0.004 based on consecutive and sliding runs, respectively, and 0.078 ± 0.005 for bulls based on consecutive runs. These values do not exceed those for Holstein cattle in North America. The results of this study confirmed the more accurate identification of ROH by consecutive runs, and also that the number of allowed heterozygous SNPs may have a significant effect on ROH data.

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus infection in feedlot cattle cases in Argentina

Although bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) infection has been reported in cattle in Argentina, it has not been associated with pneumonia in Argentina. We report here 5 cases of bovine pneumonia associated with BRSV. Autopsies were performed on 35 beef cattle with gross and/or microscopic lesions of pneumonia from 3 commercial feedlots. Lung samples in 5 of 35 animals were BRSV-positive by reverse-transcription nested PCR. The lungs of 2 of these 5 animals were coinfected with Mannheimia haemolytica, and 1 with bovine viral diarrhea virus 1. Microscopically, the lungs of 3 of the 5 BRSV PCR-positive animals had fibrinosuppurative bronchopneumonia, with or without pleuritis; 2 of the 5 had interstitial pneumonia. We conclude that BRSV is part of the bovine respiratory disease complex in Argentina.

Integrating Omics Technologies for a Comprehensive Understanding of the Microbiome and Its Impact on Cattle Production

Ruminant production holds a pivotal position within the global animal production and agricultural sectors. As population growth escalates, posing environmental challenges, a heightened emphasis is directed toward refining ruminant production systems. Recent investigations underscore the connection between the composition and functionality of the rumen microbiome and economically advantageous traits in cattle. Consequently, the development of innovative strategies to enhance cattle feed efficiency, while curbing environmental and financial burdens, becomes imperative. The advent of omics technologies has yielded fresh insights into metabolic health fluctuations in dairy cattle, consequently enhancing nutritional management practices. The pivotal role of the rumen microbiome in augmenting feeding efficiency by transforming low-quality feedstuffs into energy substrates for the host is underscored. This microbial community assumes focal importance within gut microbiome studies, contributing indispensably to plant fiber digestion, as well as influencing production and health variability in ruminants. Instances of compromised animal welfare can substantially modulate the microbiological composition of the rumen, thereby influencing production rates. A comprehensive global approach that targets both cattle and their rumen microbiota is paramount for enhancing feed efficiency and optimizing rumen fermentation processes. This review article underscores the factors that contribute to the establishment or restoration of the rumen microbiome post perturbations and the intricacies of host-microbiome interactions. We accentuate the elements responsible for responsible host-microbiome interactions and practical applications in the domains of animal health and production. Moreover, meticulous scrutiny of the microbiome and its consequential effects on cattle production systems greatly contributes to forging more sustainable and resilient food production systems, thereby mitigating the adverse environmental impact.

Differentiation of Bos grunniens and Bos taurus based on STR locus polymorphism

Differentiation of closely related biological species using molecular genetic analysis is important for breeding farm animals, creating hybrid lines, maintaining the genetic purity of breeds, lines and layering. Bos grunniens and Bos taurus differentiation based on STR locus polymorphism will help maintain the genetic isolation of these species and identify hybrid individuals. The aim of this study is to assess the differentiating potential of 15 microsatellite loci to distinguish between domestic yak (B. grunniens) bred in the Kalmak-Ashuu highland region (Kochkor district, Naryn region, Kyrgyz Republic) and cattle (B. taurus) of three breeds (Aberdeen-Angus, Holstein and Alatau) using molecular genetic analysis. The samples were genotyped at 15 microsatellite loci (ETH3, INRA023, TGLA227, TGLA126, TGLA122, SPS115, ETH225, TGLA53, BM2113, BM1824, ETH10, BM1818, CSSM66, ILSTS006 and CSRM60). Twelve of the loci were from the standard markers panel recommended by ISAG. Statistical analysis was performed using GenAlEx v.6.503, Structure v.2.3.4, PAST v.4.03, and POPHELPER v1.0.10. The analysis of the samples' subpopulation structure using the Structure v.2.3.4 and 15 STR locus genotyping showed that the accuracy of assigning a sample to B. taurus was 99.6 ± 0.4 %, whereas the accuracy of assigning a sample to B. grunniens was 99.2 ± 2.6 %. Of the 15 STRs, the greatest potential to differentiate B. grunniens and B. taurus was found in those with the maximal calculated FST values, including BM1818 (0.056), BM1824 (0.041), BM2113 (0.030), CSSM66 (0.034) and ILSTS006 (0.063). The classification accuracy of B. grunniens using only these five microsatellite loci was 98.8 ± 3.4 %, similar for B. taurus, 99.1 ± 1.2 %. The proposed approach, based on the molecular genetic analysis of 5 STR loci, can be used as an express test in Kyrgyzstan breeding and reproduction programs for B. grunniens.