Search

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of lameness on Irish dairy herds. Lameness is a painful condition that affects cow welfare, fertility, and milk production. It is primarily caused by foot disorders, with non-infectious disorders being the most common in Irish dairy farms. The prevalence of lameness is around nine percent in Irish dairy farms, and it has significant economic costs, including treatment expenses and decreased milk production. Lameness negatively affects milk yield and reproductive performance in dairy cows, leading to reduced profitability. Studies have shown that lame cows have lower conception rates and increased risks of culling. Reducing lameness prevalence can improve both farm profitability and cow welfare. The article provides valuable insights for researchers and library patrons interested in understanding the consequences of lameness in dairy cows. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: The Lidia breed is an autochthonous Spanish breed linked to the pasture-based dehesa system, where extensive livestock farming is practiced and plays an important role in ecosystem conservation and rural development. This system is linked to the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable agricultural practices. However, it faces important challenges that make it necessary to explore new strategies to help farmers. In this study, we sought to understand the carcass and meat traits (technological and sensorial) as a strategy that would allow it to compete and differentiate itself from other meats. We used 300 Lidia females slaughtered at different ages. Age at slaughter influenced meat quality, with particular importance on sensory variables such as flavor, juiciness, overall tenderness and overall acceptability. Technological variables were acceptable and the results of a trained sensory panel pointed to the good qualities of this meat. To our knowledge, this is the first work evaluating carcass traits and the technological and sensory quality of meat with a large sample of animals of the Lidia breed. The aim of this study was to assess the carcass and meat quality of female Lidia cattle slaughtered at different ages, in order to deepen our understanding of the breed's unique characteristics. The effect of slaughter age on carcass traits and meat quality attributes of m. Longissimus was investigated in Lidia heifers (n = 200) and cows (n = 100) reared and finished in an extensive system. The animals were slaughtered at 24–36 months (Heifer I), 36–48 months (Heifer II) or >48 months (Cull cow). The carcasses (~120 kg) presented poor conformation (O, O+) and medium fatness (2, 2+). The dissection of the 6th rib yielded mean values of 58.6%, 14.3% and 24.8% for lean, fat and bone, respectively. The cows had a higher proportion of dissectible fat (p < 0.05). Subcutaneous fat was classified as dark and yellowish, and meat (aged for 21 days) as dark (L* = 25.5), reddish (a* = 14.4) and moderately yellowish (b* = 12.9), with acceptable water-holding capacity (TL = 5.34%; DL = 0.97%; PL = 8.9%; CL = 22.1%) and intermediate tenderness (WBSF = 4.6 kg/cm2). The b* value of meat was higher (p < 0.05) in cull cows. The meat of cull cows was more yellowish (p < 0.05) and obtained higher scores for flavor (p < 0.05), juiciness p < 0.01), overall tenderness (p < 0.001) and overall acceptance (p < 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Single Intradermal Comparative Tuberculin Test (SICTT) and the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) assay are the approved diagnostic tests for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in Ireland. The aim of this pilot study was to explore if there was any added diagnostic benefit from applying the Enferplex bTB test (an antibody test) in severe bTB herd breakdowns after the removal of cattle that had tested positive to the SICTT and the IFN-γ test. In addition to the normal bTB testing and management protocols, the animals in these herds that tested negative to SICTT and the IFN-γ test were followed forward for a period of two years. All animals were tested by Enferplex at enrolment. The time to subsequent bTB detection (diagnosed with SICTT/IFN-γ tests or detection of visible lesions at routine slaughter) for animals that tested positive or negative to the Enferplex bTB test at the start of the study was compared using Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox based survival models. Of the 484 enrolled animals (from 11 herds), 171 (35.3%) and 151 (31.1%) initially tested positive in the Enferplex assay under the high sensitivity and high specificity interpretation settings respectively. The results of the survival analysis showed that there was no difference in the survival time to a positive diagnosis with bTB during the follow-up period between animals initially classified as positive and negative by the Enferplex test. Further research is warranted to explore the potential benefit of using the Enferplex test in other scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a zoonotic notifiable disease that can cause high mortality rates in most domestic poultry and in some wild bird species. Since 2003, HPAI H5 [...]

Influenza D virus is a recently characterized addition to the family Orthomyxoviridae. This virus was originally detected in pigs in the United States (1); however, cattle are now believed to [...]