Treatment of Emergency Conditions in Sheep and Goats

Ovarian activation delays in peripubertal ewe lambs infected with Haemonchus contortus can be avoided by supplementing protein in their diets

BACKGROUND

The ewe lamb nutritional and physiological state interfere with the ovarian environment and fertility. The lack or excess of circulating nutrients reaching the ovary can change its gene expression. A protein deficiency in the blood caused by an Haemonchus contortus abomasal infection is detrimental to the organism's development during puberty. The peripubertal period is a time of intensive growth that requires a high level of nutrients. An essential feature controlling pubertal arousal and female reproductive potential is ovarian follicle growth activation. Protein supplementation improves the sheep's immune response to helminthic infections. We aimed to determine if supplementing protein in infected ewe lambs' diet would impact the ovarian environment leading to earlier ovarian follicle activation than in infected not supplemented animals.

METHODS

We fed 18 Santa Ines ewe lambs (Ovis aries) - bred by the same ram - with either 12% protein (Control groups) or 19% protein (Supplemented groups) in their diets. After 35 days of the diet, they were each artificially infected or not with 10,000 Haemonchus contortus L3 larvae. Following 77 days of the diet and 42 days of infection, we surgically collected their left ovaries and examined their genes expression through RNA sequencing.

RESULTS

We found that protein supplementation in infected animals led to an up-regulation of genes (FDR p-values < 0.05) and biological processes (p-value cut-off = 0.01) linked to meiotic activation in pre-ovulatory follicles and primordial follicle activation, among others. The supplemented not infected animals also up-regulated genes and processes linked to meiosis and others, such as circadian behaviour. The not supplemented animals had these same processes down-regulated while up-regulated processes related to tissue morphogenesis, inflammation and immune response.

CONCLUSION

Diet's protein supplementation of peripubertal infected animals allowed them to express genes related to a more mature ovarian follicle stage than their half-sisters that were not supplemented. These results could be modelling potential effects of the interaction between environmental factors, nutrition and infection on reproductive health. When ovarian activation is achieved in a timely fashion, the ewe may generate more lambs during its reproductive life, increasing sheep breeders' productivity.

Changes in cardiac biomarkers in goats naturally affected by pregnancy toxemia

Pregnancy toxemia (PT) is considered one of the most common metabolic diseases with high impact on the production of small ruminants. The objective of this study was investigate possible myocardial damage in goats affected with PT by the determination of serum myocardial biomarkers CK-MB and cTnI. A total of 44 goats affected with PT, and 10 apparently healthy goats (control group or CG) were used in the study. In goats with PT, the serum concentrations of cTnI (0.43 ng/mL) were significantly higher than that in CG goats (0.06 ng/mL). Although CK-MB showed no significant difference, it was approximately three times higher in animals with PT. The serum concentrations of insulin were significantly lower in PT goats (5.03 ppmol/L) compared to CG goats (10.66 pmol/L). The serum concentrations of cortisol in PT goats (155.41 nmol/L) were significantly higher than that in CG goats (36.58 nmol/L). Results of this study indicate that a clinically significant myocardial damage might occur in goats affected with PT leading to significant elevations in values of cTnI and CK-MB. Therefore, these parameters could be used as a potential prognostic indicator in goats affected with this important disease.

Changes in blood enzyme activities and some liver parameters in goats with subclinical ketosis

The aim of the present study was to establish the changes in blood enzyme activities and some liver parameters in goats from the Saanen breed in different physiological conditions with subclinical ketosis (SCK). A total of 113 dairy goats with yearly milk yield of 680 L, in their 2nd to 3rd lactation were included in the study. The goats were divided in three groups: pregnant; recently kidded and lactating. Blood samples were obtained from all animals for determination of β-hydroxybutyrate (ВНВА), glucose (mmol/L), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT, U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT, U/L), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, U/L), alkaline phosphatase (AР, U/L), creatine kinase (CK, U/L), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT, U/L), total protein (TP, g/L), albumin (ALB, g/L) and total bilirubin (TB, μmol/L). The animals were classified as healthy (control) and with SCK according to their blood BHBA levels. Blood BHBA concentrations indicative for clinical ketosis (ВНВА <1.6 mmol/L) were not established in goats from the three groups. Blood biochemical analysis of activities of ASAT, ALAT, LDH, АP, CK and GGT in goats from the three groups with SCK demonstrated a various extent of statistically significant hyperenzymaemia vs control groups. The concentrations of total bilirubin were statistically significantly elevated vs healthy groups, while blood glucose, total protein and albumin values decreased, in result of the impaired liver function in goats with SCK.

A New Method of Assessing Sheep Red Blood Cell Types from Their Morphology

Simple Summary

Haematological tests are an important diagnostic tool for animal diseases. However, little is known beyond the standardly used haematological methods in sheep, especially those in which the detection of sheep red blood cells (RBCs) shape changes is crucial. Our goal is to obtain sheep RBC morphometric parameters as well as RBC subpopulations based on their morphometric parameters. Morphometric parameters of RBC size and shape were determined from stained blood smears using SFORM, a computer-assisted program for automated cell morphometric measurements. Based on their morphometric parameters, three RBC subpopulations were obtained using principal component and cluster analysis: the smallest and most elongated RBCs, the biggest and most rounded ones, and RBCs of average size and shape. When the values of RBC haematological parameters were higher or above the physiological range, a significantly higher proportion of both average size and shape RBCs, as well as the biggest and most rounded RBCs, was obtained. Since they were obtained from healthy animals, these results indicated the importance of determining morphometric parameters of RBCs and the proportion of each RBC subpopulation, which could serve as a basis for future possibilities in the diagnostic interpretation of haematological disorders in sheep, especially those for which the detection of shape changes in ovine RBCs is crucial.

Abstract

Data concerning the morphometric parameters of sheep red blood cells (RBCs) obtained using computer-assisted image analysis have not yet been investigated, and there are no data on any analyses of ovine RBC subpopulations based on their morphometric parameters. The aims of this study are to determine the values of RBC haematological and morphometric size and shape parameters, to form groups according to the obtained values of haematological parameters; to determine the differences in RBC morphometric parameters between the formed groups, and to determine RBC subpopulations and their respective proportions in the formed groups. Thirty-six blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of clinically healthy Lika pramenka sheep, aged between 2 and 5 years. Haematological parameters including haemoglobin (HGB), haematocrit (HTC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and RBC distribution width were analysed using a haematology analyser. Haematological parameters were categorized into two groups: those with lower values or values below the physiological range (Groups 1) and groups with higher values or values above the physiological range (Groups 2). Morphometric parameters of RBCs were determined from stained blood smears using SFORM, a computer-assisted program. Significantly higher values of RBC area, outline, convex, minimal and maximal radius, as well as length and breadth were established in Groups 2 compared to Groups 1 of HGB, HCT, MCV, MCH, and MCHC, respectively. Based on the morphometric parameters of RBCs, three RBC subpopulations were obtained using principal component and cluster analysis: ES 1—the smallest and most elongated RBCs, ES 2—the biggest and most rounded RBCs, and ES 3—average size and shape RBCs. Significantly higher proportions of ES 2 and ES 3 subpopulations, as well as a significantly lower proportion of ES 1 subpopulation, were established in Groups 2 compared to Groups 1 of HGB, HTC, MCV, and MCH, respectively. It can be concluded that ovine RBC subpopulations, based on their morphometric parameters, can be obtained by using computer-assisted image analysis of RBC morphometry and multivariate statistical methods, including principal component and cluster analysis. RBC morphometry, including classification into subpopulations, could serve as a basis for future possibilities in the diagnostic interpretation of anaemic syndromes in veterinary medicine, especially in normocytic, macrocytic, and microcytic anaemias in sheep.

Xenotransfusion with packed bovine red blood cells to a wildebeest calf (Connochaetes taurinus)

A 4-month-old female blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) was presented for bilateral pelvic limb fracture repair. Clinical examination under anaesthesia revealed a water-hammer pulse and a haematocrit of 0.13. A xenotransfusion was performed using bovine (Bos taurus) erythrocytes because of inability to acquire a wildebeest donor. Clinical parameters improved following transfusion and the post-operative haematocrit value was 0.31. The wildebeest remained physiologically stable with a gradually declining haematocrit for the next three days. On the third post-operative day, the wildebeest refractured its femur and was humanely euthanised because of the poor prognosis for further fracture repair. Xenotransfusion using blood from domestic ruminants represents a life-saving short-term emergency treatment of anaemic hypoxia in wild ungulates. Domestic goats could be used as blood donors for rare ungulates where allodonors are not available.

Studies on clinical signs and biochemical alteration in pregnancy toxemic goats

Aim:

This study was planned to reveal the clinical signs and biochemical alterations in pregnancy toxemic goats.

Materials and Methods:

Blood samples were collected from 20 healthy pregnant and 45 pregnancy toxemic goats and analyzed biochemically.

Results:

The most significant clinical findings were observed in naturally affected goats with pregnancy toxemia included anorexia, recumbency, lethargy, opisthotonos, dropped head, periodic convulsion, sweetish fruity odor from breath, apparent blindness, bloat, grinding of teeth, and frothy salivation. In this study, the level of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (84.23±1.44 IU/L), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) (216.01±4.07 IU/L), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (22.24±0.31 mg/dl), creatinine (2.13±0.09 mg/dl), β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) (0.46±0.83 mmol/L), and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) (1.67±0.71 mmol/L) was significantly higher whereas glucose (30.89±0.38 mg/dl) and calcium (8.10±0.20 mg/dl) levels were significantly decreased in pregnancy toxemic goats as compared to healthy goats.

Conclusion:

The goats with pregnancy toxemia exhibited clinical signs include anorexia, recumbency, sweetish fruity odor from breath, apparent blindness, bloat, grinding of teeth, and frothy salivation. Biochemically, there were significantly decreased the level of glucose and calcium, and increased level of SGPT, SGOT, BUN, creatinine, BHBA, and NEFA in the pregnancy toxemic goats.

An alternative surgical approach to treatment of obstructive urolithiasis in a ram

Urolithiasis is defined as calculi formation into the urinary tract. The aetiology is related to mineral imbalance in the diet and in most cases, successful treatment is achieved only through surgical procedures. Furthermore, the breeding ability could be impaired. This report describes the technique of cranial penile urethrostomy associated with partial penectomy performed for the treatment of urolithiasis in a ram. Although limited to cranial obstructions, this technique is low-costs, only the penile tissues are accessed, general anaesthesia is not required and breeding ability may be preserved.