Digital technologies and implications for Veterinary Services

Livestock and environmental characterization of Colombian municipalities: study of vesicular stomatitis

Amid the surge in data volume generated across various fields of knowledge, there is an increasing necessity for advanced analytical methodologies to effectively process and utilize this information. Particularly in the field of animal health, this approach is pivotal for enhancing disease understanding, surveillance, and management. The main objective of the study was to conduct a comprehensive livestock and environmental characterization of Colombian municipalities and examine their relationship with the distribution of vesicular stomatitis (VS). Utilizing satellite imagery to delineate climatic and land use profiles, along with data from the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) concerning animal populations and their movements, the research employed Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to explore the correlation between environmental and livestock-related variables. Additionally, municipalities were grouped through a Hierarchical Clustering process. The assessment of risk associated with VS was carried out using a Generalized Linear Model. This process resulted in the formation of four distinct clusters: three primarily characterized by climatic attributes and one predominantly defined by livestock characteristics. Cluster 1, identified as "Andino" due to its climatic and environmental features, exhibited the highest odds ratio for VS occurrence. The adopted methodology not only provides a deeper understanding of the local population and its context, but also offers valuable insights for enhancing disease surveillance and control programs.

The impact of digital presence and use of information technology on business performance of veterinary practices: a case study of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction

The veterinary profession is facing various challenges in the 21st century, such as livestock production intensification, shifting distribution of infectious diseases, growing focus on food safety alongside growing demand for companion animals' veterinary services. Information technologies and digitalization trends had driven changes in many business sectors, including providing veterinary services thus opening new avenues to overcome the existing challenges this profession is facing.

Methods

A study was conducted among 244 veterinary practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The gathered information related to subjects involving digital presence, the utilization of information technologies, and the business performance. To obtain this information, a personalized questionnaire was utilized as the means for collecting data.

Results

The study revealed that only 10.2% had a business-associated website, and 54.9% were present on at least one social media platform. The study suggests that a positive impact on annual profit can be achieved through the implementation of effective digital marketing strategies such as web presence, search engine optimization, Google business account existence, website Google advertisement, continuous administration of social media, and social media advertisement. The statistical analysis indicates that Google advertisements, website search engine optimization, and social media advertisements greatly affect annual profit.

Discussion

Improving digital presence of veterinary businesses with professionally managed websites, use of social media platforms, investment in online marketing strategies, and adopting telehealth services and online access to patient records positively affects business performance and better fits the growing needs of clients and society.

Disease control tools to secure animal and public health in a densely populated world

Animal health is a prerequisite for global health, economic development, food security, food quality, and poverty reduction, while mitigating against climate change and biodiversity loss. We did a qualitative review of 53 infectious diseases in terrestrial animals with data from DISCONTOOLS, a specialist database and prioritisation model focusing on research gaps for improving infectious disease control in animals. Many diseases do not have any appropriate control tools, but the prioritisation model suggests that we should focus international efforts on Nipah virus infection, African swine fever, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, peste des petits ruminants, sheeppox and goatpox, avian influenza, Rift Valley fever, foot and mouth disease, and bovine tuberculosis, for the greatest impact on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Easy to use and accurate diagnostics are available for many animal diseases. However, there is an urgent need for the development of stable and durable diagnostics that can differentiate infected animals from vaccinated animals, to exploit rapid technological advances, and to make diagnostics widely available and affordable. Veterinary vaccines are important for dealing with endemic, new, and emerging diseases. However, fundamental research is needed to improve the convenience of use and duration of immunity, and to establish performant marker vaccines. The largest gap in animal pharmaceuticals is the threat of pathogens developing resistance to available drugs, in particular for bacterial and parasitic (protozoal, helminth, and arthropod) pathogens. We propose and discuss five research priorities for animal health that will help to deliver a sustainable and healthy planet: vaccinology, antimicrobial resistance, climate mitigation and adaptation, digital health, and epidemic preparedness.