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Copyright of Manas Journal of Agriculture Veterinary & Life Sciences is the property of Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

IntroductionDiseases have a negative impact on production and profitability of small ruminants. A good herd health program can decrease the number of sick animals and improve herd performance.MethodsIn a longitudinal study, small ruminant herd health interventions such as community-based strategic gastrointestinal (GI) parasite control, prevention and control of major respiratory diseases and capacity development activities were implemented. In four districts of Ethiopia, where the Community Based Breeding Program (CBBP) is implemented, morbidity and mortality data were collected from January 2018 to July 2021 in 1047 smallholder farms with the objective of evaluating the impact of herd health interventions. A total of 2,643 sick animals and 516 deaths of small ruminants were recorded during the study period. The disease cases were categorized into eight groups: gastrointestinal, neurological, reproductive, respiratory, skin, systemic, other diseases (eye disease, foot disease etc) and unknown diseases. Chi-square and proportions were used to analyze morbidity and mortality by district, agro-ecological zone and age of the animal.ResultsThe data showed that the general trend in the occurrence of cases and morbidity rate were decreasing from 2018 to 2021 in intervention villages. Overall, the morbidity rate in young animals (7.36%) was highier than in adults (3.49%) and the mortality rate difference between young and adult animals was also statistically significant (p

Globally, farmers are being increasingly encouraged to use technologies. Consequently, veterinarians often use farm data and technologies to provide farmers with advice. Yet very few studies have sought to understand veterinarians’ perceptions of data and technologies on farms. The aim of this study was to understand veterinarians’ experiences and opinions on data and technology on beef and dairy farms. An online qualitative survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 36 and 24 veterinarians from the United Kingdom and Ireland, respectively. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to generate four themes: (1) Improving veterinary advice through data; (2) Ensuring stock person skills are retained; (3) Longevity of technology; and (4) Solving social problems on farms. We show that technologies and data can make veterinarians feel more confident in the advice they give to farmers. However, the quality and quantity of data collected on cattle farms were highly variable. Furthermore, veterinarians were concerned that farmers can become over-reliant on technologies by not using their stockperson skills. As herd sizes increase, technologies can help to improve working conditions on farms with multiple employees of various skillsets. Veterinarians would like innovations that can help them to demonstrate their competence, influence farmers’ behaviour, and ensure sustainability of the beef and dairy industries.

This publication presents information on the basic mechanisms and types of livestock vaccines available, as well as a few best practices for vaccine management. This information can help improve your herd health and success in your next herd vaccination. Written by Juan M. Campos Krauer and João H. J. Bittar, and published by the Veterinary Medicine—Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension, January 2024.

ABSTRACT: Uptake of advice and the ability to facilitate change on-farm are key elements for successful veterinary practice. However, having the necessary clinical skills and knowledge is not enough to achieve this: effective communication skills are essential for veterinarians to realize their advisory role by exploring and understanding the farmer's worldview. Research of verbal aspects of veterinarian communication supports the use of a relationship-centered communication style; we next need to study how veterinarian-farmer nonverbal communication (NVC) can influence interactions and their outcomes, which has been examined in medical and companion animal practice. In this study, we considered which aspects of NVC should be measured, and how, to provide an essential first step toward understanding the significance of NVC for veterinarians working in dairy practice, which should be of interest to researchers, veterinary educators, and practitioners. Eleven video recordings of routine consultations in the UK were analyzed for farmer and veterinarian NVC. The NVC attributes with established links to positive patient and client outcomes from medical and social science studies were chosen, and a methodology developed for their measurement, by adapting measures typically used in NVC research. Each consultation was segmented into intervals defined by the main activity and location on farm: introduction, fertility examination, discussion, and closing. This approach allowed us to analyze the content more consistently, establish which aspects of NVC featured within each interval, and whether the activity and location influenced the observed NVC. We measured 12 NVC attributes, including body orientation, interpersonal distance, head position, and body lean, which have been shown to influence empathy, rapport, and trust: key components of relationship-centered communication. Future research should seek to establish the significance of NVC in effective communication between veterinarian and farmer, building on our findings that show it is possible to measure nonverbal attributes. Veterinarians may benefit from becoming skilled nonverbal communicators and have more effective conversations during routine consultations, motivating farmers to make changes and improve herd health.

Uptake of advice and the ability to facilitate change on-farm are key elements for successful veterinary practice. However, having the necessary clinical skills and knowledge is not enough to achieve this: effective communication skills are essential for veterinarians to realize their advisory role by exploring and understanding the farmer's worldview. Research of verbal aspects of veterinarian communication supports the use of a relationship-centered communication style; we next need to study how veterinarian-farmer nonverbal communication (NVC) can influence interactions and their outcomes, which has been examined in medical and companion animal practice. In this study, we considered which aspects of NVC should be measured, and how, to provide an essential first step toward understanding the significance of NVC for veterinarians working in dairy practice, which should be of interest to researchers, veterinary educators, and practitioners. Eleven video recordings of routine consultations in the UK were analyzed for farmer and veterinarian NVC. The NVC attributes with established links to positive patient and client outcomes from medical and social science studies were chosen, and a methodology developed for their measurement, by adapting measures typically used in NVC research. Each consultation was segmented into intervals defined by the main activity and location on farm: introduction, fertility examination, discussion, and closing. This approach allowed us to analyze the content more consistently, establish which aspects of NVC featured within each interval, and whether the activity and location influenced the observed NVC. We measured 12 NVC attributes, including body orientation, interpersonal distance, head position, and body lean, which have been shown to influence empathy, rapport, and trust: key components of relationship-centered communication. Future research should seek to establish the significance of NVC in effective communication between veterinarian and farmer, building on our findings that show it is possible to measure nonverbal attributes. Veterinarians may benefit from becoming skilled nonverbal communicators and have more effective conversations during routine consultations, motivating farmers to make changes and improve herd health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited and judicious antimicrobial usage (AMU) is considered the key to saving the success of human and veterinary medicine in treating infections. With the limited alternatives for antimicrobials, farm biosecurity (and herd management) is considered a promising tool to mitigate the non-judicious AMU and to maintain animal health, production, and welfare. The present scoping review aims to analyse the effect of farm biosecurity on AMU in livestock systems and formulate recommendations. Peer-reviewed manuscripts published between 2001–2022 were analyzed using the PRISMA framework using PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct databases. After applying the inclusion criteria, 27 studies were found to assess the effect of farm biosecurity (or management practices) on AMU at the herd/farm level in quantitative/semi-quantitative terms. These studies were carried out in 16 countries, of which 74.1% (20/27) were from 11 European countries. The highest number of studies were from pig farms [51.8% (14/27)], followed by poultry (chicken) farms [25.9% (7/27)], cattle farms [11.1% (3/27)], and a single study from a turkey farm. Two studies include both pig and poultry farms. Most of the studies were cross-sectional [70.4% (19/27)], seven were longitudinal, and one was a case-control study. Complex interactions were observed among factors influencing AMU, such as biosecurity measures, farm characteristics, farmers' attitudes, availability of animal health services, stewardship, etc. A positive association between farm biosecurity and reduction in AMU was observed in 51.8% (14/27) of the studies, and 18.5% (5/27) showed that improvement in farm management practices was associated with a reduction in AMU. Two studies highlighted that coaching and awareness among farmers might lead to a decrease in AMU. A single study on economic assessment concluded biosecurity practices as a cost-effective way to reduce AMU. On the other hand, five studies showed an uncertain or spurious association between farm biosecurity and AMU. We recommend the reinforcement of the concept of farm biosecurity, especially in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Further, there is a need to strengthen the evidence on the association between farm biosecurity and AMU in region- and species-specific farm settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nihon Chikusan Gakkaiho is the property of Japanese Society of Animal Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background Septic arthritis often occurs in young calves when the passive transfer of maternal immunoglobulins has failed, which results in hypogammaglobulinaemia in the calf. Another important cause is suboptimal herd health management which often leads to general health impairment and, subsequently, to septic arthritis. Case presentation A dairy farmer consulted the Herd Health Service of the University Clinic reporting general herd health impairment, a high incidence of respiratory diseases, unsatisfactory weight gain and arthritis in calves, as well as mastitis and high milk cell counts. Clinical examinations were performed, and diagnostic measures were taken. A transtracheal lavage (TTL) was performed, and synovial swab samples were taken from the carpal joint and the subcutaneous tarsal bursae of two calves. Microbiological examinations of synovial swabs revealed co-infections of Trueperella pyogenes and Helcococcus ovis in one calf and Helcococcus ovis in pure culture in the other. The TTLs confirmed the presence of Mycoplasma spp. associated with respiratory diseases. Conclusions Helcococcus ovis is currently regarded as a co-infective bacterial agent. However, it seems to play a significant role as the primary pathogen in this case.

The assessment of dairy cow welfare has become increasingly important in recent years. Welfare assessments that use animal-based indicators, which are considered the most direct indicators, are time consuming and therefore not feasible for assessments on a large number of farms. One approach to reducing this effort is the use of data-based indicators (DBIs) calculated from routine herd data. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between common DBIs and the welfare of 35 dairy herds to evaluate the feasibility of a data-based welfare prediction method. For this purpose, the WelfareQuality® (WQ) protocol was used to assess the welfare of dairy cows on 35 Swiss farms, for each of which 10 commonly used DBIs were calculated from herd data. Spearman's rank correlations were used to investigate the relationship between DBIs and WQ criteria and measurements. The study found only a few statistically weak associations between DBIs and animal welfare, with no associations for measurements or criteria of resting comfort and appropriate behavior. Thus, the multidimensional welfare definition is insufficiently covered, and the present publication does not support the approach of a purely data-based prediction of dairy welfare status at the farm level. Instead, the regular calculation of DBIs that are indicative of isolated animal welfare problems or metrics of animal health could allow monitoring of these specific areas of animal welfare.

Limited and judicious antimicrobial usage (AMU) is considered the key to saving the success of human and veterinary medicine in treating infections. With the limited alternatives for antimicrobials, farm biosecurity (and herd management) is considered a promising tool to mitigate the non-judicious AMU and to maintain animal health, production, and welfare. The present scoping review aims to analyse the effect of farm biosecurity on AMU in livestock systems and formulate recommendations. Peer-reviewed manuscripts published between 2001–2022 were analyzed using the PRISMA framework using PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct databases. After applying the inclusion criteria, 27 studies were found to assess the effect of farm biosecurity (or management practices) on AMU at the herd/farm level in quantitative/semi-quantitative terms. These studies were carried out in 16 countries, of which 74.1% (20/27) were from 11 European countries. The highest number of studies were from pig farms [51.8% (14/27)], followed by poultry (chicken) farms [25.9% (7/27)], cattle farms [11.1% (3/27)], and a single study from a turkey farm. Two studies include both pig and poultry farms. Most of the studies were cross-sectional [70.4% (19/27)], seven were longitudinal, and one was a case-control study. Complex interactions were observed among factors influencing AMU, such as biosecurity measures, farm characteristics, farmers’ attitudes, availability of animal health services, stewardship, etc. A positive association between farm biosecurity and reduction in AMU was observed in 51.8% (14/27) of the studies, and 18.5% (5/27) showed that improvement in farm management practices was associated with a reduction in AMU. Two studies highlighted that coaching and awareness among farmers might lead to a decrease in AMU. A single study on economic assessment concluded biosecurity practices as a cost-effective way to reduce AMU. On the other hand, five studies showed an uncertain or spurious association between farm biosecurity and AMU. We recommend the reinforcement of the concept of farm biosecurity, especially in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Further, there is a need to strengthen the evidence on the association between farm biosecurity and AMU in region- and species-specific farm settings.

To design a monitoring strategy that could be applied to regular veterinary visits to dairy farms to assess the prevalence and association between health conditions (uterine disease, hyperketonaemia and suboptimal body condition score) when diagnosed and treated at 1–7 days post-calving (DPC) and then re-examined at 28–35 DPC. This study evaluated data from 187 high-yielding dairy cows (21 primiparous, 166 multiparous) on one South Australian dairy farm on two occasions; Visit A which was 1–7 DPC and Visit B which was 28–35 DPC. On each visit, the nature of vaginal discharge, concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BOH) in blood and BCS were recorded and assigned a clinical score. This was converted to a categorical outcome denoting the presence or absence of an abnormal health event, namely metritis or endometritis, hyperketonaemia (BOH concentration ≥1.2 mm/L) and suboptimal body condition score (>0.5 from optimum score). Cows with uterine disease or hyperketonaemia at either visit were treated. The prevalence of abnormal health events at each visit was determined and the association between the prevalence of disease at Visit A and Visit B (following appropriate treatment at Visit A) was measured using regression analysis. The prevalence of abnormal vaginal discharge, hyperketonaemia and suboptimal BCS at Visits A and B were 26%, 7%, 35% and 25%,16%, 33% respectively. A higher proportion of primiparous cows (Visit A: 0.86 (95% CI = 0.70–1.00); Visit B: 0.95 (95% CI = 0.86–1.00)) were found to have suboptimal BCS at both visits compared to multiparous cows (Visit A: 0.28 (95% CI = 0.20–0.35); Visit B: 0.24 (95% CI = 0.17–0.32)). A higher prevalence of hyperketonaemia at Visit B for multiparous compared to primiparous cows (19 (95% CI = 12–25)% vs. 0 (95% CI = 0–17) respectively) was identified. An increase in clinical discharge score at Visit A increased the odds of purulent vaginal discharge at Visit B (OR = 1.77 (95% CI = 1.31–2.40)). Failing to calve at target BCS was strongly associated with cows missing target BCS at Visit B (OR = 5.77 (95% CI = 2.35–13.11)) and for every unit increase in BCS at Visit A, BCS at Visit B increased by 0.40 (95% CI = 0.26–0.53). This study describes a pilot monitoring strategy for clinical parameters indicative of post-partum disease at 1–7 and 28–35 DPC. Determining the herd prevalence of these conditions will enable tracking of herd disease status over time. Abbreviations: BCS: Body condition score; BOH: Beta-hydroxybutyrate; DPC: Days post-calving; NEFA: Non-esterified fatty acids; SCHK: Subclinical hyperketonaemia [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim of study: To describe veterinary services and farm management practices in cattle dairy farms in São Miguel Island in the Azores and to identify weak points for improvement. Area of study: São Miguel Island, Azores (Portugal). Material and methods: A questionnaire survey was sent to all veterinarians who work in São Miguel Island. It asked about veterinary activity and perceptions of veterinarians working on dairy farms. The van der Waerden test was used to compare the degree of implementation of measures in farms between cooperative veterinarians and private veterinarians. Main results: The overall questionnaire response rate was 67% (20/30). The percentage of veterinarians dedicated to bovine medicine as the main service was 55.6%. Overall, between 40% and 60% of veterinarians implemented a variety of Veterinary Herd Health Medicine (VHHM) programs such as mastitis control, breeding assessment and postpartum management, and the average implementation score of these VHHM, on a 1 to 5 scale, was 2.8 (95% confidence interval: 2.0-3.5). However, other VHHM programs such as biosecurity or hygiene procedures were implemented at a lower rate, ranging between 20% and 30%, and this needs to be improved. Research highlights: Veterinary practicioners in São Miguel Island, Azores still focus their activity more on individual bovine medicine than in VHHM programs; besides, there is room for improvement in the implementation of some of these programs, such as reproduction, hoof health, nutrition, hygiene and biosecurity. This may be a similar situation to that of other regions in the world with a similar production structure.

Data on the prevalence of major contagious pathogens in bulk tank milk (BTM) in Italy are generally not available. The availability of Real-Time PCR procedures (qPCR) to perform BTM analysis by represents an important step to define herd health status. Therefore, a cross-sectional epidemiological study was designed to assess the prevalence of contagious pathogens and Prototheca spp in BTM samples. The study was performed on 581 herds from four districts in the west Lombardy region of Italy. Additionally, the relationship between pathogens in BTM and SCC or milk yield; the presence of an association between four risk factors (district, herd size, average milk yield and SCC) with pathogens in BTM were assessed. The overall data showed that S. aureus was recovered in 42% of the herds, Str. agalactiae in 10%, Prototheca spp in 11% and M. bovis in 1.5% of the herds. The GLM model applied showed a significant influence of BTM results, district, herd size and their interactions on SCC and on milk yield variance. Particularly, S. aureus or Str. agalactiae have a significant effect on milk yield variability and, in a lesser extent, on SCC. The very high prevalence of contagious pathogens significantly affects milk characteristics and yield, thus affecting economic sustainability of the herds, and suggests the need to implement control programmes to decrease the prevalence of contagious pathogens, This will also allow to decrease the use of antimicrobials and to improve cow welfare.Highlights First study on a large sample of Italian dairy herds on the prevalence of contagious pathogens in bulk tank milk samples. The prevalence value observed exceeded 50%. First study estimating the prevalence of M. bovis in bulk tank milk in a large sample of Italian dairy herds, and the prevalence observed was 1.5%. Prevalence of contagious pathogens has a significant influence on milk yield and SCC. Bulk tank milk SCC confirmed to have a low accuracy to identify infected herds.

Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) is one measure suggested to reduce the use of antibiotics on dairy farms. This procedure may have a negative impact on dairy herds, affecting both milk yield and quality. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the implementation of a SDCT protocol based on the treatment only of cows with SCC at last individual milk test before drying-off >100,000 cells/mL (primiparous cows) or >200,000 cells/mL (pluriparous cows) on udder infection status. We also assessed the association between cow and management factors with the likelihood of cure or of new IMI across the dry period. The study considered 516 dairy cows (2064 quarters), and only 53% of the cows were treated with antibiotics. Before drying-off, 999 quarters (49.1%) were bacteriological negative at two consecutive samples. After calving the negative quarters were 1004 (49.3%). The likelihood of a cure across the dry period was significantly associated with parity, drying-off length and teat sealant application, while the likelihood of new IMI across the dry period was associated to all the risk factors considered (parity, dry period length, teat sealant application, infections status at drying-off and type of long-acting antibiotic applied). The application under field conditions of the proposed SDCT protocol showed to feasible, and to largely reduce the use of antimicrobials at drying-off, with a relatively small impact on cow health.Highlights First observational study in of Italian dairy herds on the application of a selective dry-cow therapy protocol based on SCC. The study showed as a reduction of about 50% in antimicrobial usage at drying off can be achieved. Management and cow factors affect the likelihood of a cure of a new intramammary infection across the dry period.

Background: Heart girth tapes (HGTs) are often used as an alternative to weight scales for calves. This study investigated the accuracy of HGT in estimating bodyweight and daily liveweight gain (DWLG) of pre‐weaned calves, and the impact of inter‐observer variation. Method: In Study 1, 119 calves were weighed using HGT and electronic scales on multiple occasions. Mixed‐effects models for both bodyweight and DLWG were used to determine the accuracy of HGT compared to the electronic scales. Simulation data were used to further analyse the accuracy of DLWG estimation including for factors such as the effect of group size on group DLWG estimates. In Study 2, 10 observers weighed 20 pre‐weaned calves, using HGT and electronic scales. Mixed‐effect model was used to investigate the impact of different observers on the accuracy of HGT on measuring bodyweights. Results: Mixed‐effects model results suggest HGT provides a relatively accurate estimation of weight (MAE: 2.66 kg) and relatively inaccurate estimation of DLWG (MAE 0.10 kg/d). Simulated data identified associations between time between weight dates and error in DLWG estimation, with MAE of individual DLWG estimation decreasing from 0.43 kg/d when 14 days apart to 0.08 kg/d when 70 days apart. Increased calf numbers reduced error rates of group DLWG estimation, with <0.05 kg/d error achieved in >90% of simulations when 12 calves were weighed 70 days apart. Conclusions: HGTs are relatively accurate at estimating individual bodyweights but are unreliable methods for measuring DLWG in individual calves, particularly weighed within a short‐time period. Estimates at group level however are relatively accurate, providing there is a suitable period of time between weigh dates and an appropriate number of calves per group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Endometritis is a prevalent uterine disease in postpartum cows. The disease reduces fertility performance and milk yield, and subsequently, productivity and profitability of dairy farms. The reduction in performance is associated with considerable economic losses on dairy farms. Smallholder farmers are likely to incur considerable economic losses from the disease where they lack knowledge of effective prevention and control measures for the disease. This study used farmer’s perspectives to determine the effectiveness of different management interventions (MIs) for endometritis prevention and control on smallholder farms in Rwanda practicing dairy zero-grazing. The best-worst scaling (BWS) choice method was applied that relied on past 1 year recall data obtained from 154 farmers. These farmers were identified through snowball sampling in a cross-sectional study. Results Of the 20 MIs evaluated, 12 scored highly for effectiveness. The top four most effective are: avoiding sharing equipment with neighbouring farms (45.5%), consulting animal health service provider about disease treatment (31.8%), keeping cows in a clean and dry shed (26.7%), and selecting sires based on calving ease (26.6%). The MIs considered least effective were: maintaining clean transition cow housing (35.1%), removal of fetal membrane immediately after passing (33.1%), disinfecting the equipment used in calving assistance before and after use (32.5%), and selecting sires with low percent stillbirths (29.2%). Conclusion This study has demonstrated the application of BWS object case method in understanding the MIs that farmers consider are most effective in the prevention and control of endometritis disease in the dairy herds. The MIs are on-farm biosecurity and hygiene, seeking veterinary services for disease treatment and selecting sires for ease of calving. These MIs should be considered for prioritization in extension services and research to continuously improve and enhance their practical application on smallholder dairy farms.

The aim of this study was to examine the opinions of farmers on a consulting project, which was established for organic dairy farms in Northern Germany involving different animal health experts who participated in the meetings. Furthermore, the properties of measures that are of decisive importance for implementation on the farms were identified to improve consultancy services for dairy farming. Once a year, the farmers met on a host-farm in one of three groups consisting of five to nine farms, a facilitator and an expert. At each meeting, a host-farm was visited and the analysed data of all participating farms of the previous year were presented to the group members. Each farmer had the possibility to report on success stories and issues concerning his herd. During discussions, the farmers first proposed mutual farm-specific measures for improving herd health and animal welfare. Afterwards, the expert named possible interventions and commented on the given measures of the farmers. All measures were noted by the facilitator. At the end of each meeting, each farmer could choose which of the given measures he wanted to implement. Open group-interviews as well as anonymous questionnaires for the farmers were used at the meetings in winter 2016/2017 to evaluate their perception of this consulting project and to determine which properties of measures were important for implementation on the farms. Based on the results of this study, the participating farmers were very positive towards this kind of consulting project. They favoured the participation of an expert during the meetings and the analysis of farm specific data. Farmers mostly chose measures for implementation proposed by farmers and approved by the expert, followed by those proposed by the expert only. Measures were chosen when they were practical in the implementation, effective, efficient and took a low additional workload for implementation.

The primary objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of cold plasma therapy in managing subclinical mastitis in cows caused by Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli . After detection of mastitis pathogens, 38 cows were selected for cold plasma therapy for five days. On the fifth day of treatment, the mastitis agents were re-examined and no causative agents were identified. An additional evaluation conducted 28 days later confirmed the absence of mastitis. Cow productivity, milk composition and quality indicators were assessed at the beginning of the experiment and 32 days from the start (28 days after treatment cessation). After the mastitis treatment, the somatic cell count decreased significantly by between 2.89 and 7.09 times, and the milk yield of the cows at the end of the experiment increased from 0.63 kg per day to 2.82 kg per day ( P < 0.01). These results highlight the potential of this innovative approach for managing a prevalent disease that causes substantial losses in the dairy industry. Furthermore, they lay the groundwork for expanded research involving larger sample sizes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Septic arthritis often occurs in young calves when the passive transfer of maternal immunoglobulins has failed, which results in hypogammaglobulinaemia in the calf. Another important cause is suboptimal herd health management which often leads to general health impairment and, subsequently, to septic arthritis. Case presentation: A dairy farmer consulted the Herd Health Service of the University Clinic reporting general herd health impairment, a high incidence of respiratory diseases, unsatisfactory weight gain and arthritis in calves, as well as mastitis and high milk cell counts. Clinical examinations were performed, and diagnostic measures were taken. A transtracheal lavage (TTL) was performed, and synovial swab samples were taken from the carpal joint and the subcutaneous tarsal bursae of two calves. Microbiological examinations of synovial swabs revealed co-infections of Trueperella pyogenes and Helcococcus ovis in one calf and Helcococcus ovis in pure culture in the other. The TTLs confirmed the presence of Mycoplasma spp. associated with respiratory diseases. Conclusions: Helcococcus ovis is currently regarded as a co-infective bacterial agent. However, it seems to play a significant role as the primary pathogen in this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective-Feline upper respiratory infection (URI) is a common, multi-factorial infectious disease syndrome endemic to many animal shelters. Although a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in shelter cats, URI is seldom formally monitored in shelter cat populations. Without monitoring, effective control and prevention of this often endemic disease is difficult. We looked at an integrated case management software system (a) for animal care organizations, widely used in shelters across the United States. Shelter staff routinely enter information regarding individual animals and disease status, but do not commonly use the software system to track frequency of disease. The purpose of this study was to determine if the software system (a) can be used to track URI frequency and selected risk factors in a population, and to evaluate the quality and completeness of the data as currently collected in a shelter. Design (type of study)-Descriptive Survey. Animals (or Sample)-317 cats in an animal shelter. Procedures-Reports from the software system (a) containing data regarding daily inventory, daily intake, animal identification, location, age, vaccination status, URI diagnosis and URI duration were evaluated. The reports were compared to data collected manually by an observer (Ann Therese Kommedal) to assess discrepancies, completeness, timeliness, availability and accuracy. Data were collected 6 days a week over a 4 week period. Results-Comparisons between the software system (a) reports and manually collected reports showed that 93% of inventory reports were complete and of these 99% were accurate. Fifty-two percent of the vaccination reports were complete, of which 97% were accurate. The accuracy of the software system's age reports was 76%. Two-hundred and twenty-three cats were assigned a positive or negative URI diagnosis by the observer. The predictive value of the URI status in the software system (a) was below 60% both for positive and negative URI diagnosis. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-data currently collected and entered into the software systems in the study shelter, was not useful for tracking URI frequency and risk factors, due to issues with both data quality and capture. However, the potential exists to increase the practicality and usefulness of this shelter software system to monitor URI and other diseases. Relevant data points, i.e., health status at intake and outcome, vaccination date and status, as well as age, should be made mandatory to facilitate more useful data collection and reporting.

The prevalence of tail lesions evaluated at the slaughterhouse varies considerably between herds. These lesions result mainly from tail biting, a harmful behavior with multifactorial origin. This study sought to investigate if a batchwise inspection of tails at slaughterhouse could be a useful method to estimate the animal welfare situation in finishing pig herds, and if so, what type and detail of tail scoring such an inspection should utilize. We investigated the distribution of different types of tail lesions and how well their scoring at slaughterhouse was associated with the situation recorded on-farm by a veterinarian as part of routine herd health visits. We also wanted to determine if animal welfare-related herd-level parameters, recorded by herd veterinarians during herd health visits, are associated with tail scoring at the slaughterhouse. A total of 10,517 pigtails from 84 herds were scored for this study. Herd data were collected from the national health classification register for pig farms in Finland and also included annual herd production quality data collected by the slaughterhouse. The scores of the tails varied considerably between the herds. On average, 48.1% (sd = 19.3) of the tails with an average length of 30.4 cm (sd = 2.7) were fully intact, 37.3% (13.9) had healed (length = 26.4, sd = 5.1 cm), 12.4% (9.0) (length = 28.9, sd = 4.3 cm) had minor acute wounds, and 2.3% (2.1) (length = 24.2, sd = 6.0 cm) had major acute wounds. Proportions of different tail lesions at slaughterhouse were associated with or tended to be associated with the following herd-level parameters in regression models: use of wood as enrichment (p < 0.1), one health parameter (leg problems other than arthritis, p < 0.05), and long-term animal welfare estimate (annual mortality, p < 0.05). Detailed tail evaluation at the slaughterhouse shows potential in estimating the tail lesions and long-term welfare level on the farm. By recording only one type of tail condition (such as tails with major acute lesions) at the slaughterhouse, it is not possible to estimate the total tail lesion situation in the herds before slaughter. A more detailed scoring similar to the one used in this trial is recommended.

• Investigated veterinarians' experiences of data and technology use on cattle farms. • Data can make veterinarians feel more confident in the advice they give to farmers. • Veterinarians were concerned that farmers can become over-reliant on technologies. • Veterinarians thought that technologies can help to improve working conditions on farms. • Veterinarians' needs for farm innovations were identified: competence, impact, and security. Globally, farmers are being increasingly encouraged to use technologies. Consequently, veterinarians often use farm data and technologies to provide farmers with advice. Yet very few studies have sought to understand veterinarians' perceptions of data and technologies on farms. The aim of this study was to understand veterinarians' experiences and opinions on data and technology on beef and dairy farms. An online qualitative survey was conducted with a convenience sample of 36 and 24 veterinarians from the United Kingdom and Ireland, respectively. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to generate four themes: (1) Improving veterinary advice through data; (2) Ensuring stock person skills are retained; (3) Longevity of technology; and (4) Solving social problems on farms. We show that technologies and data can make veterinarians feel more confident in the advice they give to farmers. However, the quality and quantity of data collected on cattle farms were highly variable. Furthermore, veterinarians were concerned that farmers can become over-reliant on technologies by not using their stockperson skills. As herd sizes increase, technologies can help to improve working conditions on farms with multiple employees of various skillsets. Veterinarians would like innovations that can help them to demonstrate their competence, influence farmers' behaviour, and ensure sustainability of the beef and dairy industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to identify and quantify factors presenting simultaneous moderate or strong influence on gestation length and perinatal mortality (until 4 days postpartum) in Holstein-Frisian dams. The overall gestation length least square mean was 278.2 ± 0.2 days (n = 962). According to the multivariate model (p < 0.001), a shorter gestation length was observed in Holstein-Friesian (–2.0 days) and Red Holstein-Friesian (–3.9 days) breed sires whereas Brown Swiss (2.0 days) and Aberdeen-Angus (2.3 days) breed sires showed a longer gestation length. Primiparous cows and twin pregnancies, as well calving in June and July, shortened gestation length in –1.4, –4.0, –1.9 and –1.8 days, respectively. The perinatal mortality incidence was 7.4% (n = 72) and was more likely to occur in twin pregnancies (p < 0.01) than in pregnancies carrying female (odds ratio = 8.1) or male (odds ratio = 7.9) singletons, as well in primiparous (odds ratio = 2.6) than multiparous dams (p < 0.05). In conclusion, parity and twinning were the major factors which influenced simultaneously gestation length of dams and perinatal mortality incidence. Nevertheless, all studied factors had a significant impact on gestation length and should be considered for reproductive management programs of dairy herds.

Herd health management programs are commonly implemented on dairy farms to improve farm reproductive performance. In year‐round calving systems, herd health programs can be supported by extension programs such as InCalf, which focus on improving the 100‐day in‐calf rate (100DICR) as a key reproductive performance indicator. The effect of implementing a herd health program was evaluated by analysing the 80‐day submission rate (80DSR) and 100DICR during the initial 18‐month period following commencement of regular herd health visits at 11 year‐round calving dairy farms. The mean 80DSR and 100DICR was calculated for each of six consecutive three‐month intervals following the initial herd health visit at 11 dairy farms distributed across the north and south coasts of New South Wales (NSW). On the 11 study farms 80DSR increased from 36.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 36.7–37.2) at 0–3 months to 61.9% (95% CI 61.4–62.4) and 100DICR increased from 19.1% (95% CI 18.9–19.3) at 0–3 months to 28.5% (95% CI 28.0–29.0) at 15–18 months. 80DSR increased at similar rates on north coast farms compared to south coast farms; however, north coast farms had a lower 100DICR at 0–3 months which increased at a greater rate compared to south coast farms. 100DICR on north coast farms increased from 12.8% (95% CI 12.5–13.2) at 0–3 months to 27.6% (95% CI 26.8–28.4) at 15–18 months, whereas 100DICR on south coast farms increased from 26.7% (95% CI 26.3–27.0) at 0–3 months to 29.6% (95% CI 28.8–30.5) at 15–18 months. Participation in a regular herd health program resulted in an increased 80DSR and 100DICR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) is one measure suggested to reduce the use of antibiotics on dairy farms. This procedure may have a negative impact on dairy herds, affecting both milk yield and quality. The aim of this observational study was to evaluate the implementation of a SDCT protocol based on the treatment only of cows with SCC at last individual milk test before drying-off >100,000 cells/mL (primiparous cows) or >200,000 cells/mL (pluriparous cows) on udder infection status. We also assessed the association between cow and management factors with the likelihood of cure or of new IMI across the dry period. The study considered 516 dairy cows (2064 quarters), and only 53% of the cows were treated with antibiotics. Before drying-off, 999 quarters (49.1%) were bacteriological negative at two consecutive samples. After calving the negative quarters were 1004 (49.3%). The likelihood of a cure across the dry period was significantly associated with parity, drying-off length and teat sealant application, while the likelihood of new IMI across the dry period was associated to all the risk factors considered (parity, dry period length, teat sealant application, infections status at drying-off and type of long-acting antibiotic applied). The application under field conditions of the proposed SDCT protocol showed to feasible, and to largely reduce the use of antimicrobials at drying-off, with a relatively small impact on cow health. First observational study in of Italian dairy herds on the application of a selective dry-cow therapy protocol based on SCC. The study showed as a reduction of about 50% in antimicrobial usage at drying off can be achieved. Management and cow factors affect the likelihood of a cure of a new intramammary infection across the dry period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the prevalence of major contagious pathogens in bulk tank milk (BTM) in Italy are generally not available. The availability of Real-Time PCR procedures (qPCR) to perform BTM analysis by represents an important step to define herd health status. Therefore, a cross-sectional epidemiological study was designed to assess the prevalence of contagious pathogens and Prototheca spp in BTM samples. The study was performed on 581 herds from four districts in the west Lombardy region of Italy. Additionally, the relationship between pathogens in BTM and SCC or milk yield; the presence of an association between four risk factors (district, herd size, average milk yield and SCC) with pathogens in BTM were assessed. The overall data showed that S. aureus was recovered in 42% of the herds, Str. agalactiae in 10%, Prototheca spp in 11% and M. bovis in 1.5% of the herds. The GLM model applied showed a significant influence of BTM results, district, herd size and their interactions on SCC and on milk yield variance. Particularly, S. aureus or Str. agalactiae have a significant effect on milk yield variability and, in a lesser extent, on SCC. The very high prevalence of contagious pathogens significantly affects milk characteristics and yield, thus affecting economic sustainability of the herds, and suggests the need to implement control programmes to decrease the prevalence of contagious pathogens, This will also allow to decrease the use of antimicrobials and to improve cow welfare. First study on a large sample of Italian dairy herds on the prevalence of contagious pathogens in bulk tank milk samples. The prevalence value observed exceeded 50%. First study estimating the prevalence of M. bovis in bulk tank milk in a large sample of Italian dairy herds, and the prevalence observed was 1.5%. Prevalence of contagious pathogens has a significant influence on milk yield and SCC. Bulk tank milk SCC confirmed to have a low accuracy to identify infected herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A significant number of lactating dairy cows are affected by health disorders in the early postpartum period. Precision dairy farming technologies have tremendous potential to support farmers in detecting disordered cows before clinical manifestation of a disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate if activity and rumination measures obtained by a commercial 3D-accelerometer system, i.e. "lying", "high active", "inactive", and "rumination" times, can be used for early identification of cows with health deviations before the clinical manifestation of disease. A total of 312 Holstein cows equipped with an ear attached accelerometer (Smartbow GmbH, Weibern, Austria) were monitored and analyzed from 14 days prior to parturition to eight days in milk (DIM). Animals were checked daily for clinical disorders from zero to eight DIM using standard operating procedures and by blood β-hydroxybutyrate measurements at three, five, and eight DIM. Cows that presented no symptoms of health problems and with BHB concentrations <1.2 mmol/L in the first eight DIM were classified as healthy (n = 156) and used as the reference in this study. Cows with disorders were allocated in groups with one disorder (n = 65) and >1 disorders (n = 91). "Rumination" durations per day were already shorter five days before the clinical diagnosis (D0) in diseased cows (401.9 ± 147.4 min/day) compared with healthy controls (434.6 ± 140.3 min/day). "Rumination" time decreased before the diagnosis, with a nadir at Day −1 for healthy cows and cows with >1 disorder (392.0 ± 147.9 vs. 313.4 ± 162.6 min/day). Cows with one disorder reached a nadir on Day −3 (388.8 ± 158.6 min/day). Similarly, the "high active" time started to become shorter three days before the clinical diagnosis in diseased cows compared to healthy cows (164.1 ± 119.1 vs. 200.3 ± 111.5 min/day). The times cows spent "inactive" were significantly longer three days before clinical diagnosis in diseased cows compared to healthy cows (421.7 ± 168.3 vs. 362.8 ± 117.6 min/day). "Lying" time started to become significantly longer one day before the diagnosis of disorders in disordered cows compared to healthy cows (691.8 ± 183.3 vs. 627.3 ± 158.0 min/day). On average, these results indicated a strong disturbance of physiological parameters before the clinical onset of disease. In summary, it was possible to show differences between disordered and healthy cows based on activity and "rumination" data recorded by a 3D-accelerometer. • Differences in activity and rumination data recorded by a accelerometer were observed between healthy and diseased cows. • Rumination times per day were shorter starting 5 days before clinical diagnosis in diseased cows compared with healthy cows. • 'High active' time started to be shorter 3 days before the clinical diagnosis in diseased cows. • Times cows spent 'inactive' were significantly longer 3 days before the clinical diagnosis. • Lying time started to be longer 1 day before the clinical diagnosis of disorders in diseased cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification of bovine milk production in the Azores has led farmers to increase farm size and specialization in grasslands, implementing confined and semi-confined production systems. Fixed milking parlours (FMP) have progressively gained more popularity, at the expense of conventional mobile milking systems (MMS). The present study aimed to evaluate the associations between production and health management in dairy cattle farms, with FMP or MMS, in grasslands (São Miguel, Azores), according to the farmers’ perspective. A total of 102 questions about production and health management were surveyed in 105 farms with >30 dairy cows each. Farms with FMP were associated (p ≤ 0.05) with larger herd size, better facilities, and specialized management, however, the adoption of preventive and biosecurity measures should be improved by these farmers. MMS farms implemented a lower level of disease prevention or control programs, less frequent transhumance, and showed a wider vocation to dual-purpose (milk and cross beef) than FMP farms. In conclusion, MMS and FMP farms tried to optimize yield and economic viability in different ways using grasslands. Several biosecurity and health prevention constraints were identified for improvement.

Background: Endometritis is a prevalent uterine disease in postpartum cows. The disease reduces fertility performance and milk yield, and subsequently, productivity and profitability of dairy farms. The reduction in performance is associated with considerable economic losses on dairy farms. Smallholder farmers are likely to incur considerable economic losses from the disease where they lack knowledge of effective prevention and control measures for the disease. This study used farmer's perspectives to determine the effectiveness of different management interventions (MIs) for endometritis prevention and control on smallholder farms in Rwanda practicing dairy zero-grazing. The best-worst scaling (BWS) choice method was applied that relied on past 1 year recall data obtained from 154 farmers. These farmers were identified through snowball sampling in a cross-sectional study. Results: Of the 20 MIs evaluated, 12 scored highly for effectiveness. The top four most effective are: avoiding sharing equipment with neighbouring farms (45.5%), consulting animal health service provider about disease treatment (31.8%), keeping cows in a clean and dry shed (26.7%), and selecting sires based on calving ease (26.6%). The MIs considered least effective were: maintaining clean transition cow housing (35.1%), removal of fetal membrane immediately after passing (33.1%), disinfecting the equipment used in calving assistance before and after use (32.5%), and selecting sires with low percent stillbirths (29.2%). Conclusion: This study has demonstrated the application of BWS object case method in understanding the MIs that farmers consider are most effective in the prevention and control of endometritis disease in the dairy herds. The MIs are on-farm biosecurity and hygiene, seeking veterinary services for disease treatment and selecting sires for ease of calving. These MIs should be considered for prioritization in extension services and research to continuously improve and enhance their practical application on smallholder dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative animal health and performance outcomes are associated with disease incidences that can be labor-intensive, costly, and cumbersome for many farms. Amelioration of unfavorable outcomes through early detection and treatment of disease has emphasized the value of improving health monitoring. Although the value is recognized, detecting hyperketonemia (HYK) is still difficult for many farms to do practically and efficiently. Increasing data streams available to farms presents opportunities to use data to better monitor cow and herd health; however, challenges remain with regard to validating, integrating, and interpreting data. During the transition to lactation period, useful data are presented in the form of milk production and composition, milk Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) wavelength absorbance, cow management records, and genomics, which have been employed to monitor postpartum onset of HYK. Attempts to predict postpartum HYK from test-day milk and performance variables incorporated into multiple linear regression models have demonstrated sufficient accuracy to monitor monthly herd prevalence; however, they lacked the sensitivity and specificity for individual cow diagnostics. Subsequent artificial neural network prediction models employing FTIR data and milk composition variables achieved 83 and 81% sensitivity and specificity for individual cow diagnostics. Although these results fail to reach the diagnostic goals of 90%, they are achieved without individual cow blood samples, which may justify acceptance of lower performance. The caveat is that these models depend on milk analysis, which is traditionally done every 4 weeks. This infrequent sampling allows for a single diagnostic sample for about half of the fresh cows. Benefits to farms are greatly improved if postpartum cows can be milk-tested weekly. Additionally, this allows for close monitoring of somatic cell count and may open the door for use of other herd health monitoring tools. Future improvements in these models may be achievable by maximizing sensitivity at the expense of specificity and may be most economical in disorders for which the cost of treatment is less than that of mistreating (e.g., HYK). Genomic predictions for HYK may be improved by incorporating genome-wide associated SNP and further utilized for precision management of HYK risk groups. Development and validation of HYK prediction models may provide producers with individual cow and herd-level management tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximization of profit is one of the main interests of any farmer. Profit depends on managerial decisions and many economic factors, but also on the health of the herd. Thus, it is important to study how different factors related to herd health impact farms' economic performance. The objective of this paper is to determine how herd health influences farm technical efficiency by comparing Estonian farm data from two periods, the years 2012 and 2017. Typically, the major herd health issues are related to udder problems, followed by reproduction issues and limb disorders. We used the FADN (Farm Accounting Data Network) database and data from Estonian Livestock Performance Recording Ltd. The two-stage mathematical approach was chosen as the research method. In the first stage the DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) was used to estimate farms' technical efficiency. The output-oriented VRS (Variable Returns to Scale) approach was applied to the data of 64 farms. In the second stage, we used the FRM (Fractional Regression Model) to define which the technical efficiency drivers were among herd health and economic factors. The study revealed that major changes have occurred between the two periods analysed. The main herd health factors influencing farms' technical efficiency are the somatic cell count (SCC) and age at first calving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving herd health and welfare improvement increasingly relies on cattle veterinarians to train and advise farmers, placing veterinary interactions at the heart of knowledge exchange. Cattle veterinarians recognize their influence and the need to be proactive advisors but struggle with acting upon this awareness in daily practice, reporting a need to enhance their advisory approach to inspire farmer behavior change. Understanding how veterinarian-farmer interactions positively or negatively influence the enactment of change on farm is therefore essential to support the cattle veterinary profession. This paper adopts a qualitative approach to conceptualize how and under what circumstances veterinary advice has the potential to support and inspire farmer engagement with behavior change on the UK dairy farm. Fourteen UK dairy farms were recruited to take part in a qualitative study involving research observation of a typical advisory consultation between veterinarian and farmer (n = 14) followed by separate, in-depth interviews with the farmer(s) and their respective veterinarian. Interview data were organized using a template coding method and analyzed thematically. While accuracy of veterinary advisory content was valued, it was a relational context of trust, shared veterinarian-farmer understanding, and meaningful interpretation of advice at a local (farmer) level that was most likely to enact change. Critically, these relational factors were reported to work together synergistically; a trusting relationship was an essential, but not necessarily sufficient, component to create a culture of change. Findings suggest that cattle veterinarians may benefit from tailoring advisory services to the farmer's specific world view, facilitated by a shared understanding of the farmer's immediate and long-term motivational drivers. In consequence, cattle veterinarians seeking to positively engage farmers in advisory interactions could consider a focus on farmer priorities, motivations, and goals as paramount to frame and inform advisory messages. This explicit collaborative communication encourages the selection of appropriate and timely veterinary expertise, leading to better integration and adoption of advice on farm given enhanced advisory relevance for farmers' unique circumstances. This farmer-centered approach, involving active co-creation of plans between individuals, is critical for engagement and commitment when tackling complex problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of a herd has a tremendous impact on reproductive efficiency, and estrous synchronization can be used as a tool to help get more animals to conceive early. In comparisons among synchronization protocols, pregnancy success did not differ between newer protocols. The factors that had the greatest impact on pregnancy success were estrous cycling status before the breeding season (estrous cycling > non-cycling; P < 0.01) and expression of estrus before fixed-time AI (estrual > non-estrual; P < 0.01). Thus, herd management, before the breeding season, has a large impact on reproductive success. Timing and type of vaccine used prebreeding can impact pregnancy success and luteal function (killed vaccine > modified live; P < 0.05). Nutritional changes can also impact reproductive efficiency. A decrease in available energy pre-(P = 0.05) or post-breeding (P = 0.02) decreased embryo quality (stage and grade, respectively) and subsequent concentrations of progesterone (P < 0.01). Cattle fertility is not only controlled by the female but is also controlled by the male. Stage of sexual maturity in bulls impacted scrotal circumference P < 0.0003), motility (P < 0.001), as well as mitochondrial membrane potential (P < 0.01), but stage of bull maturity did not influence viability, chromatin structure, nor amount of reactive oxygen species. Prenatal stress of a bull impacted the portion of sperm with DNA damage (control > prenatal stress; P = 0.04), but did not impact scrotal circumference, motility, mitochondrial membrane potential, or reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, sperm from bulls that were stressed in utero did not have differences in fertilization compared with control bulls; however, possible epigenetic modifications, to the sperm produced, resulted in fewer embryos making it to blastocyst stage (P = 0.03). Thus, management decisions made throughout the year can have a tremendous impact on reproductive efficiency and the percentage of animals that conceive early not only in the present breeding season but also in future breeding seasons as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussion and incorporation of best practices for animal welfare have been increasing in research, and in commercial operations, including through welfare assessment initiatives. The aim of this study was to explore dairy farmers' perceptions about being approached and receiving advice about animal welfare (i.e., lameness, hock injuries, and disbudding practices). It is useful for dairy consultants, researchers, or animal welfare assessment programs to gain an in-depth understanding of farmers' expectations when broaching the subject of animal welfare issues to facilitate communication about what can be perceived as a sensitive topic. We collected qualitative data using a focus group methodology. Five focus groups of farmers (n = 36 in total), took place in Ontario, Canada. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Participant age ranged from 21 to 80 yr (median = 47). Represented herd size ranged from 25 to 550 milking cows (median = 75). Farm type included free stall (n = 14) and tie stall (n = 22). Rigor was incorporated by using systematic thematic analysis: transcripts were coded line by line, and codes were categorized and then expanded and collapsed into themes, which were further refined to reflect farmer perceptions in a thematic map. Thematic analysis of the focus group discussions suggested 6 major themes related to farmers' receptivity to and expectations of animal welfare advice. Themes 1 to 4 provided insights into what farmers expected from those who were broaching topics: (1) an established relationship with the farmer; (2) expertise in dairy care/welfare; (3) prevention of "barn blindness"; and (4) provision of animal care services before and after welfare issues are broached. Theme 5 helped determine how welfare topics should be broached: the communication approach. Theme 6 identified who farmers feel should broach animal welfare topics on farm. Focus group discussions also provided insights into potential disconnects between farmer and veterinary expectations about animal welfare issues during herd health visits. Those who have established relationships with farmers are better received and are expected to broach welfare issues, especially if they are perceived to be an expert in animal care and welfare, and if they communicate the issue tactfully and work with the farmer to establish a plan of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccination is becoming increasingly important, particularly with the current pressures on the pig industry to reduce the use of antimicrobials. A number of factors contribute to a successful and effective vaccination session, not only for pig health but also for worker welfare. The timing of vaccination is crucial in ensuring the stimulation of an effective immune response to prevent disease outbreaks. Pig handling and duration of the session can also have an impact on the quality of vaccination. Data collected from vaccination sessions provides traceability and can be utilised when considering lung health and revising vaccination protocols on farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision-making processes to assess and improve the health of dairy herds are often unstructured due to the complexity of interactions that exist between the health and productivity of the herd, for which there are no ready to hand solutions. Decisions made in the face of these complex herd health problems are often based on the experience and perceptions of what might be a quick or the easiest solution. To shift from this unstructured process to semistructured decision-making requires a more holistic understanding of potential health problems and access to herd productivity information and to analytical methods suitable for examining and evaluating such data. Technological advances in agriculture have made the development of such information technology systems both possible and relatively accessible to decision makers working with dairy herds (e.g., veterinarians). The timely access and appropriate analysis of herd productivity data provides the herd health advisor with the opportunity to track and benchmark the performance of dairy herds. Thus, a decision support system (DSS) will use best available evidence to guide the allocation of resources to specific, most promising herd health interventions. This article presents an example of a DSS-based on collection of data and algorithm of analysis.

Objective—Feline upper respiratory infection (URI) is a common, multi-factorial infectious disease syndrome endemic to many animal shelters. Although a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in shelter cats, URI is seldom formally monitored in shelter cat populations. Without monitoring, effective control and prevention of this often endemic disease is difficult. We looked at an integrated case management software system a for animal care organizations, widely used in shelters across the United States. Shelter staff routinely enter information regarding individual animals and disease status, but do not commonly use the software system to track frequency of disease. The purpose of this study was to determine if the software system a can be used to track URI frequency and selected risk factors in a population, and to evaluate the quality and completeness of the data as currently collected in a shelter. Design (type of study)—Descriptive Survey. Animals (or Sample)—317 cats in an animal shelter. Procedures—Reports from the software system a containing data regarding daily inventory, daily intake, animal identification, location, age, vaccination status, URI diagnosis and URI duration were evaluated. The reports were compared to data collected manually by an observer (Ann Therese Kommedal) to assess discrepancies, completeness, timeliness, availability and accuracy. Data were collected 6 days a week over a 4 week period. Results—Comparisons between the software system a reports and manually collected reports showed that 93% of inventory reports were complete and of these 99% were accurate. Fifty-two percent of the vaccination reports were complete, of which 97% were accurate. The accuracy of the software system’s age reports was 76%. Two-hundred and twenty-three cats were assigned a positive or negative URI diagnosis by the observer. The predictive value of the URI status in the software system a was below 60% both for positive and negative URI diagnosis. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—data currently collected and entered into the software systems in the study shelter, was not useful for tracking URI frequency and risk factors, due to issues with both data quality and capture. However, the potential exists to increase the practicality and usefulness of this shelter software system to monitor URI and other diseases. Relevant data points, i.e., health status at intake and outcome, vaccination date and status, as well as age, should be made mandatory to facilitate more useful data collection and reporting.

An estimated 1.9 million animals are affected by bovine respiratory disease (BRD) each year in the UK cattle industry with costs estimated at around £60 million annually. The principal pathogens assumed to be implicated in BRD have been identified and their epidemiology and pathogenesis generally understood. A range of effective therapeutic (anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial products) and preventative tools (vaccines) have been developed and offer positive opportunities for control. However, BRD is complex, multi-factorial and despite the available tools continues to represent a threat to cattle health, welfare and farm profitability. A fundamental appreciation of animal–pathogen–environment interactions is necessary to understand the success and failure of current control measures. This article explores whether some current control strategies are actually unsuccessful, is knowledge exchange inadequate, are recommendations generally being ignored or are there new developments, pathogens or approaches that merit investigation? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Malaysia, an increasing number of new dairy goat farms are being opened by smallholders due to increasing demand for dairy goat products. However, most of the dairy goat farms are not managed well due to poor knowledge and information about the standard management of dairy goat. Indeed, low performance of dairy goats with respect to growth performance, feed utilisation, disease resistance and milk production has been associated with improper rearing protocol, specifically, herd health protocol. For this reason, implementation of a herd health management programme is important as a standard rearing management and disease control programme for dairy goat farms. A herd health management programme is a preventive programme intended to keep the herd healthy and free of disease through comprehensive husbandry management that includes nutrition management, breeding, parasite control, vaccination, biosecurity and environmental management with the goal of improving the herd's performance and productivity. However, the level of acceptance from farmers for implementing herd health management programmes varies, especially among smallholder farmers. Thus, veterinarians play an important role as advisor in transferring knowledge of the importance of herd health management to the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]