Development of computational models for the purpose of conducting individual livestock and premises traceback investigations utilizing National Animal Identification System-compliant data

Many of the efforts surrounding the development of the National Animal Identification System have encompassed the identification of livestock production and handling premises as well as individuals or herds of animals, whereas little effort has been directed toward the ultimate goal of animal traceback within 48 h. A mock data set representative of the Colorado cattle population was created for modeling of cattle traceability. Using this data set, algorithms were developed to complete rapid and accurate traceback and traceforward of animals or premises or both. On July 19, 2005, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, conducted a test exercise pertaining to homeland security. The exercise team randomly identified animal number 926,583 (of the 2 million total animals) as a potentially infected animal of interest and requested a traceback of this animal. Traceback was accomplished in 215 s, and 540 primary coresident animals were identified. However, due to animal movements, the number of coresidents (animals exposed, directly or indirectly, to the animal of interest) expanded with coresidency level (level 1 = direct contact; level 2 = direct contact with an animal that had direct contact with the animal of interest; level 3 = direct contact with an animal that had contact with an animal that had direct contact with the animal of interest, etc.) to more than 1.2 million coresidents at level 4, and more than 90% of all animals identified as a coresident at some level. In addition to the coresidency results, the premises containing the coresidents were identified and sorted by the number of coresidents. Because of animal movement, all 19,391 premises included in the data set had coresidents at some level. This exercise demonstrated the capability of the developed algorithms to complete rapid traceback and the complexity of the resulting animal traceback output.

Effect of vaccination with the R mutant Escherichia coli (J5) antigen on morbidity and mortality of dairy calves

A prospective cohort study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of Escherichia coli 0111:B4 (J5) vaccination in dairy calves. Calves on 2 units were vaccinated when they were 2 to 3 days old and 2 weeks later with the J5 antigen or they were left unvaccinated, and were observed during the first 60 days of age for morbidity and mortality. Events recorded were death, the first case of illness, the first sign of a respiratory tract condition, the first sign of diarrhea, and the first treatment. The time to death or to a morbid event was examined as a function of vaccination status, using the Cox model of survival analysis, where serum IgG concentration at 2 to 3 days of age and gender of the calf were included to control confounding. Signs of morbidity in 517 calves were followed, 189 from unit 1 and 328 from unit 2. Vaccination was associated with a 2.15-fold reduction in risk of death on unit 2 (P = 0.042), but with a 2.43-fold increase in risk of death on unit 1 (P = 0.0035). The only association found between vaccination and morbidity was a 1.34-fold reduction in risk of respiratory tract signs for vaccinated calves on unit 2 (P = 0.055). Necropsy results and clinical investigations indicated that calves on unit 1 were poorly nourished and emaciated. Antibodies to J5 2 weeks after vaccination were significantly (P = 0.0002) lower in calves on unit 1 than in calves on unit 2. The findings offered a possible explanation for the adverse vaccination effect in calves on unit 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Immunohistological demonstration of virus and tumor associated antigens in tissues experimental and spontaneous bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection

Expression of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) antigens in vivo has not been shown. After BLV infection, however, production of antibodies directed towards BLV proteins (e.g. gp51) can be easily demonstrated. Thus, production of BLV proteins has to take place somewhere in infected cattle. Tissues and organs of experimentally infected cattle were fixed in acetone and embedded in paraffin. Monoclonal antibodies directed to gp51 were used to demonstrate BLV expression immunohistologically by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method. The same samples were also used to demonstrate a tumor associated antigen (TAA) employing a monoclonal antibody. Our results indicate that very few cells, found in the intestinal mucosa, produce gp51 in vivo. The expression of TAA, however, increases significantly shortly after infection with BLV and remains high throughout life.