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Since 1956, when the Basle Zoo (Switzerland) initiated the breeding of lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis), 43% of the lesser kudu juveniles died before reaching an age of 6 mo. In this study, the objective was to obtain the pathological findings, nutritional history, and family tree information in order to evaluate the influence of husbandry on juvenile mortality in these animals. The main cause of death was white muscle disease (WMD), diagnosed in 14 cases (26%) of the deceased juveniles. Although enclosure size had remained constant and animal accessibility to the public was constantly high, both herd size and juvenile mortality had increased from 1956-2004. The diet consumed by the whole group in 2004 had deficient levels of vitamin E and selenium. The increasing linear trend of the mortality rate since the 1960s was significant, and there was a significant correlation between herd size and overall juvenile mortality. In contrast, there was no correlation between herd size and the occurrence of juvenile mortality associated specifically with WMD. Other investigated factors (sex, inbreeding, and season) had no significant effect on overall mortality up to 6 mo of age or on mortality associated with WMD. These results characterize both a dietary and a husbandry problem, and are supported by a lack of similar juvenile mortality in another facility where the diet was supplemented with vitamin E, animal numbers were kept low, and the enclosure structure offered more retreat options for the animals.

The present study, compared the genetic variability of seven dog breeds and a test sample from Switzerland by means of 26 microsatellite markers. Five loci were excluded from further analyses because one was monomorphic, one not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all breeds and three in linkage disequilibrium with linked loci. The proportion of shared alleles at the individual level of the remaining 21 microsatellite markers combined with the neighbour-joining method allowed for the clustering of the large majority of the individuals in accordance to their breed. The results were confirmed by analyses using a Bayesian approach for clustering and a Monte Carlo re-sampling method for individual assignment or exclusion to a given population.

We are solving disputed paternities in purebred dogs using microsatellite analysis. An interesting case involved four puppies for which pedigrees were already issued by the Swiss Kennel Club. The investigation had to be carried out without a sample from the stated sire. Even though the relationship of this sire could not be determined conclusively, comparison of microsatellite alleles within this family, including an alleged half-brother of the four puppies, showed clearly that the breeder had made contradictory statements and that false recordings of matings had occurred. The pedigrees for these four puppies were withdrawn and sanctions against the breeder were imposed.

Each year approximately 13,000 new pedigrees for puppies are issued by the Swiss Kennel Club Except for a few cases there are no regulations to verify the paternities independently. This report describes the practical procedure for disputed paternities and summarizes the results from 35 cases which were resolved during the last three years. Most cases relate to unwanted or wanted double matings. Generally the owner of the bitch can not state the sire. For roughly half of the cases where a sire was given as the parent the information was disproven by the genetic analysis in the laboratory. These experiences confirm the need for a better pedigree control in Swiss dog breeds. Breeding without correct pedigree control is restricted to animal keeping.