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The article presents a study on herd composition, mortality, milk yield and reproductive performance of cattle in tsetse-challenged and tsetse-free areas in Dawuro Zone in southern Ethiopia. The study shows no significant changes in herd size, but the proportions of female calves and lactating or dry pregnant cows were significantly higher and those of dry non pregnant cows significantly lower in the tsetse-free areas than in the challenged ones. It concludes that tsetse-challenge and associated trypanosomiasis affect herd composition and performance.

The article discusses a study on using a nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) test to detect bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) on individual and pooled samples of calf sera, bovine plasmas and bovine ear notches. The NASBA test was compared with the antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Two additional positive bovine plasmas were detected by NASBA compared with ELISA. Only one positive sample was detected by the NASBA test among 201 individual ear notches from cows with unknown BVDV status. The findings confirmed the accuracy of using NASBA with the EasyQ Analyzer and the EasyMAG extraction in BVDV screening.

The article provides information about a study on the role of blood transfusion in treating cattle with severe Leptospirosis. It specifically aims to determine the efficacy of a whole blood transfusion as an adjunct to antibiotic and B vitamins in cattle with leptospirosis. The researchers evaluated 42 cattle shedding urinary spirochetes and manifesting clinical symptoms of Leptospirosis. Based on the results, it was concluded that the administration of dihydrostreptomycin-penicillin can remove the urinary shedding of spirochetes. Moreover, blood transfusion is said to have helped in repairing the present collapses, like anemia, hemorrhagic diathesis, and septicemia.

The article discusses the results of a study which attempted to establish a baseline data on the status of cystic echinococcosis (CE). The study was conducted at Mekelle city municipality abattoir, Northern Ethiopia from March 2006 to July 2006. The methodology involves ante- and post-mortem inspection and hydatid cyst characterization. Based on the findings of the study, it is noted that the proportion of animals with fertile, viable cysts is a significant indicator of the relevance of a species as an intermediate host.