Blood leukocyte composition and function in periparturient ewes kept on different dietary magnesium supply

Strategic administration of antioxidant multiminerals and vitamins to transitional buffaloes augments antioxidant and udder defense mechanisms in early lactation

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of repeated administrations of antioxidant multiminerals and vitamins in transition buffaloes on udder defense mechanism, antioxidant activity and occurrence of intramammary infection (IMI) in early lactation period. Forty clinically healthy pregnant buffaloes were enrolled 45 days before expected date of calving and randomly allocated into five different supplementation groups (n = 8): only basal ration (control), vitamin E and selenium (VES), multiminerals (MM), ascorbic acid (AA) and chromium (Cr) picolinate in basal diet. The udder defense mechanism was monitored by measuring phagocytic activity (PA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and nitric oxide (NO) productions in milk leukocytes, antioxidant activity was evaluated by measuring total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma and occurrence of IMI was assessed by milk cytology, bacterial count in milk and visible clinical signs of udder until day 28 post-calving. The results showed that the VES and MM supplementations exhibited significantly higher PA, MPO and NO productions of milk leukocytes till first week of lactation whereas, elevated mean TAC in plasma was maintained from day -7 to 1 of calving in MM supplementation group as compared to control group. Statistically, no significant difference in occurrences of subclinical or clinical IMI was noted across the groups until four weeks of lactation. Taken together, it is concluded that repeated administrations of VES and MM to transition buffaloes could be an effective strategy to maintain good udder health by augmenting milk leukocyte functions and antioxidant status and preventing incidence of IMI in early lactation.

Protein Supplementation as a Nutritional Strategy to Reduce Gastrointestinal Nematodiasis in Periparturient and Lactating Pelibuey Ewes in a Tropical Environment

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of energy and protein supplementation on parasitological and hematological response during peripartum and lactation of productive and non-productive Pelibuey ewes in a tropical environment. Forty-eight Pelibuey ewes aged 3–5 years and with a body weight of 31 ± 5 kg were used. Four groups of 12 ewes, including non-pregnant and productive ewes, were formed. A factorial treatment design was formulated, where two levels of energy (low, 9.6 MJ/kg, n = 24; and high, 10.1 MJ/kg, n = 24) and two levels of protein (high, 15% crude protein in diet, n = 24; and low, 8% crude protein in diet, n = 24) were studied. Fecal and blood samples were collected to determine the fecal egg count (FEC) of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), packed cell volume (PCV) and peripheral eosinophil (EOS) count. These variables were rearranged with respect to the lambing date in a retrospective study. The high dietary protein level had a significant effect on reducing the FEC and increasing the PCV of ewes during lactation, in comparison with animals fed with the low protein level. Differences in the study variables were attributed to physiological stage. Lactating ewes showed the highest FEC values (2709 ± 359 EPG), the lowest PCV values (21.9 ± 0.7%) and the lowest EOS (0.59 ± 0.6 Cells × 10³ µL). It is concluded that high levels of dietary protein improve the hematological response and reduce the FEC in Pelibuey ewes under grazing conditions. The non-pregnant ewes maintained some resilience and resistance to GIN infection compared to productive ewes.

Elements and COVID-19: A Comprehensive Overview of Studies on Their Blood/Urinary Levels and Supplementation with an Update on Clinical Trials

Simple Summary

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus spreading mainly through person-to-person contact. It has caused millions of deaths around the world and lasting health problems in individuals who have survived the disease. This review concisely summarizes certain issues related to COVID-19 with a focus on elements and gives an update on clinical trials where some minerals will be tested/have been tested alone or in combination with drugs, vitamins, or plant extracts/herbal formulations in COVID-19 patients and in those at higher COVID-19 risk.

Abstract

The current report provides a brief overview of the clinical features, hematological/biochemical abnormalities, biomarkers, and AI-related strategies in COVID-19; presents in a nutshell the pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic options; and concisely summarizes the most important aspects related to sociodemographic and behavioral factors as well as comorbidities having an impact on this disease. It also gives a brief outline of the effect of selected elements on immune response and collects data on the levels of micro-/macro-elements and toxic metals in the blood/urine of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and on supplementation with minerals in COVID-19 subjects. Moreover, this review provides an overview of clinical trials based on the use of minerals alone or in combination with other agents that can provide effective responses toward SARS-CoV-2 infection. The knowledge compiled in this report lays the groundwork for new therapeutic treatments and further research on biomarkers that should be as informative as possible about the patient’s condition and can provide more reliable information on COVID-19 course and prognosis. The collected results point to the need for clarification of the importance of mineral supplementation in COVID-19 and the relationships of the levels of some minerals with clinical improvement.

Using Pen-Side Measurable Blood Parameters to Predict or Identify Dystocic Lambing Events

Simple Summary

Prolonged or non-progressive labour is the greatest risk factor for loss of newborn lambs in Australia and poses significant welfare and economic concerns worldwide. In this study, we set out to investigate whether pen-side technology could be used to predict which ewes would be at risk of prolonged labour. In our pilot trial, we found potentially useful markers. We next developed a sampling protocol by looking at changes in candidate markers over time in normal lambing events. Finally, we searched for blood markers that could distinguish between normal and difficult lambing events, sampling pre-birth (estimated one week before birth), at birth (within 3 h) and post-birth (16–26 h). Possible predictors of lambing difficulty were chloride, haematocrit and haemoglobin, sampled one week before birth; creatinine, sampled at birth; and acid–base related parameters after birth. In conclusion, we found that pen-side analysis of blood markers showed promise in identifying dystocic lambing events. More information is required to decide whether pen-side diagnostics could be useful to identify and predict dystocic lambing in the future.

Abstract

Dystocia is the greatest contributor to neonatal lamb mortality in Australia and poses significant welfare and economic concerns worldwide. In this study, we set out to investigate whether pen-side analysis technology could be employed to detect blood parameters predictive of dystocic labour events in sheep. In a pilot trial, we collected and analysed blood samples in pen-side assays for glucose, lactate, pH, pCO₂, pO₂, base excess, HCO₃, TCO₂, sO₂, lactate, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, urea nitrogen, creatinine, haematocrit, haemoglobin and anion gap. From the pilot data, we identified creatinine, TCO₂, chloride and calcium as potentially useful markers. To develop a time course and to establish variability of the selected blood parameters, a time series of samples was collected from 12 ewes, from mid-gestation to 48 h after birth. For the main trial, blood samples were collected at mid- and late gestation for glucose determination and for the full set of blood parameters at three time points before, at and after birth. Possible predictors of lambing difficulty were chloride, haematocrit and haemoglobin, sampled one week before birth; creatinine, sampled at birth; and blood pH and base excess after birth. In conclusion, we found that pen-side analysis of blood markers showed promise in identifying dystocic lambing events.

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Product (Olimond BB) Alters the Early Response after Influenza Vaccination in Racehorses

Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) fermentation products (SCFP) are used in animal husbandry as pre- and postbiotic feed supplements. A variety of immunomodulatory effects are noted in many species. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that horses fed with SCFP containing feed additive Olimond BB display a modulated early immune response after influenza vaccination. Six horses received Olimond BB pellets (OLI) and five horses were fed placebo pellets (PLA) for 56 days. On day 40 all horses were vaccinated with a recombinant influenza A/equi-2 vaccine. At the day of vaccination, the groups did not differ in the composition of leukocyte subpopulations and reticulocytes. Twenty-four hours after vaccination total leukocyte counts and numbers of CD4+ T-cells significantly increased in both groups. In PLA horses, the numbers of neutrophil granulocytes significantly increased and numbers of CD8+ T-cells decreased, whereas the numbers of these cell types remained unchanged in OLI horses. Only OLI horses displayed a significant increase in reticulocyte percentages after vaccination. The numbers of lymphocytes, monocytes, CD21+ B-cells, and serum amyloid A levels remained unaffected in both groups after vaccination. Sixteen days after vaccination, PLA and OLI horses differed significantly in their enhanced ELISA IgG titres against Newmarket and Florida Clade 1 influenza strains. The observed differences after vaccination suggest that feed supplementation with Olimond BB leads to modulated early immune responses after influenza vaccination, which may also affect the memory responses after booster vaccination.

Comprehensive phenotyping of peripheral blood monocytes in healthy bovine

Monocytes are bone marrow derived innate myeloid cells that circulate in the blood and play important roles in infection and inflammation. As part of the mononuclear phagocytic system, monocytes provide innate effector functions, support the adaptive immune response, and play a role in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. In addition to their role in sensing pathogen-associated molecular patterns using several pattern recognition receptors, monocytes are characterized by their ability to ingest and kill microbes, to produce cytokines and chemokines, and to present antigens to T cells. For a long time, monocytes have been considered as a homogenous cell population, characterized by the expression of CD14, the receptor of lipopolysaccharide. Studies in several species have shown that the monocyte population consists of phenotypically and functionally different cell subsets. In this review, we report a comprehensive phenotyping of monocyte subsets in cattle. In addition, the most characterizing cell markers and gating strategies for detailed immunophenotyping of bovine monocyte subsets are discussed.