Jamie Alexander Tratalos, Jamie Michael Madden, Miriam Casey, Catherine McSweeney, Fidelma Mary Farrell, Simon John More
{"title":"An epidemiological investigation into the reasons for high bovine tuberculosis incidence in cattle herds of the Burren, Ireland, prior to 2020.","authors":"Jamie Alexander Tratalos, Jamie Michael Madden, Miriam Casey, Catherine McSweeney, Fidelma Mary Farrell, Simon John More","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00275-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13620-024-00275-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Herd-level bovine tuberculosis (bTB) incidence was examined in the Burren, an area in the west of Ireland where herd owners practice distinctive transhumance practices, with upland winter grazing. Prior to the initiation of our study in 2020, bTB incidence had for many years been unusually high in the Burren in comparison with the rest of the country, although the most recent figures have come down to being closer to the national average. Using data from the period prior to 2020, we mapped bTB infection in Burren herds alongside a range of indicators thought to have an association with it - herd size, herd density, herd type, cattle movement, and badger (Meles meles) population and control data, as well as rainfall and altitude. We also looked at how summary statistics for these variables differed when Burren herds with a history of bTB were compared to other Burren herds, as well as bTB positive and negative herds from outside the Burren. We found that for many indicators Burren herds would be expected to be low risk when compared to other herds in Ireland. An exception to this was for rainfall: hot spot areas for bTB in the Burren were found in areas of higher rainfall, on average herds in the Burren experienced more rainfall than those outside it, and bTB herds in the Burren experienced higher rainfall than non-bTB herds. Separately, for Burren herds only, a logistic regression model was developed to explain bTB breakdown occurrence using a matched case-control approach. Cases were herds which had experienced a new bTB breakdown between 2015 and 2019 (n = 260) and these were matched on herd type and herd size with the same number of herds not experiencing a breakdown during this period. This showed that, of a range of exogenous variables, rainfall was the most strongly associated with herd-level bTB incidence. These results suggest that high levels of exposure to inclement weather, and/or better environmental survival of Mycobacterium bovis in the environment, may contribute to high bTB rates in the Burren. However, as rainfall showed a highly aggregated distribution, this relationship may be due to an unmeasured factor correlated with it. Mapping and graphical output suggested that, although herd sizes in the Burren were on average lower than nationally, within the Burren they were higher in areas of higher prevalence, suggesting that mechanisms associated with herd size, such as increased contacts between and within herd, and with wildlife, may also play a role.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11264904/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141728331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rischi Robinson Male Here, Catherine McAloon, John Donlon, Mark McGee, Mary Duane, David Kenny, Bernadette Earley
{"title":"Summer scour syndrome in weaned dairy calves: case series.","authors":"Rischi Robinson Male Here, Catherine McAloon, John Donlon, Mark McGee, Mary Duane, David Kenny, Bernadette Earley","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00273-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13620-024-00273-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Summer scour syndrome (SSS) is a recently identified pathological condition affecting weaned dairy and dairy-beef calves during their first grazing season in Ireland. The syndrome is characterised by diarrhoea, weight loss, weakness, and can ultimately lead to death in some calves. Oral and oesophageal ulcerations are present in some cases. This study aimed to characterise a series of SSS cases in weaned dairy-bred calves on Irish commercial farms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Five farms with calves having unexplained diarrhoea at grass were referred by private veterinary practitioners (PVP) following preliminary testing to exclude coccidiosis and parasitic gastroenteritis. Farms were visited within 2 to 5 days following PVP's referrals, or 2 days to 3 weeks relative to the onset of clinical signs. Farm management data, grass and concentrate samples, and biological samples from 46 calves (8 to 10 calves/farm) displaying clinical signs were collected. Two farms were subsequently found positive for coccidiosis and/or had chronic pneumonia problems after a thorough herd investigation and were designated as non-case farms (NCF). The remaining three farms were deemed typical SSS outbreaks (case farms; CF). Mean rumen fluid pH per farm ranged from 6.67 to 7.09 on CF, and 6.43-6.88 on NCF. Mean rumen fluid ammonia concentrations ranged from 17.6 to 29.6 mg/L and 17.2-45.0 mg/L on CF and NCF, respectively. Corresponding blood ammonia concentrations ranged from 129 to 223 µmol/L and 22-25 µmol/L. Mean blood copper and molybdenum concentrations were within normal range on all farms. Grass crude protein concentrations on the paddocks where the calves had grazed, and were currently grazing on the day of visit ranged from 137 to 148 g/kg DM and 106-177 g/kg DM, respectively on CF, and 160-200 g/kg DM and 151-186 g/kg DM, respectively on NCF. On CF, inorganic nitrogen fertiliser was applied 1 to 3 weeks pre-grazing, whereas on the two NCF, inorganic nitrogen fertiliser was applied 2 to 3 weeks pre-grazing on one farm and no fertiliser was applied on the other.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that copper or molybdenum toxicity, and ruminal acidosis are not the primary causes of SSS. High blood ammonia concentrations and the timing and level of inorganic nitrogen fertiliser application to paddocks pre-grazing, warrant further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11251238/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141629309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Noeleen Brereton, Mark McGee, Marijke Beltman, Colin J Byrne, David Meredith, Bernadette Earley
{"title":"Effect of suckler cow breed type and parity on the development of the cow-calf bond post-partum and calf passive immunity.","authors":"Noeleen Brereton, Mark McGee, Marijke Beltman, Colin J Byrne, David Meredith, Bernadette Earley","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00276-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13620-024-00276-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Development of the cow-calf bond post-partum and passive immunity of calves from spring-calving beef × beef (B×B) and beef × dairy (B×D) cow genotypes was determined using primiparous and multiparous (Experiment 1), and primiparous and second-parity (Experiment 2) animals. In Experiment 1, calves either suckled colostrum naturally ('natural-suckling') (n = 126), or were fed colostrum, using an oesophageal-tube ('artificially-fed') (n = 26), from their dam within 1-h post-partum. In Experiment 2, all calves (n = 60) were artificially-fed colostrum from their dam. Prior to colostrum suckling/feeding, colostrum was sampled for IgG analysis. The cow-calf bond was assessed using CCTV recordings during the first 4-h post-partum. Calves were blood sampled at 48-h post-partum to determine IgG and total protein (TP) concentrations, and zinc sulphate turbidity (ZST) units.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There was no difference (P > 0.05) in cow licking behaviours and calf standing and suckling behaviours between the genotypes, except in Experiment 2 where B×D calves had more attempts to suckle before suckling occurred (P ≤ 0.05) compared to B×B calves. In Experiment 1, multiparous cows licked their calves sooner (P ≤ 0.05) and for longer (P < 0.01), and their calves had fewer attempts to stand (P < 0.001), stood for longer (P = 0.05), and had fewer attempts to suckle before suckling occurred (P < 0.001) than primiparous cows; there was no parity effect on cow-calf behaviour in Experiment 2. Colostrum IgG concentrations and measures of calf passive immunity did not differ (P > 0.05) between the genotypes in either Experiment. In Experiment 1, colostrum IgG concentrations were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in multiparous compared to primiparous cows and their calves had superior (P ≤ 0.05) passive immunity; no effect of parity was found in Experiment 2. Passive immunity did not differ (P > 0.05) between suckled and artificially-fed calves in Experiment 1.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cow genotype had little effect on cow-calf behaviours, but under 'natural-suckling' conditions primiparous cows expressed maternal inexperience and their calves were less vigorous than multiparous cows. Colostrum IgG concentration and calf passive immunity measures were unaffected by genotype, but under 'natural-suckling' conditions calves from primiparous cows had lower passive immunity.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11225149/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141538984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Karen McGrath, Áine Regan, Emer Kennedy, Tomás Russell
{"title":"Development of an animal health testing tool to reduce antimicrobial use on farms: perceptions, implications, and needs of Irish dairy farmers and farm veterinarians.","authors":"Karen McGrath, Áine Regan, Emer Kennedy, Tomás Russell","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00268-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13620-024-00268-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The threat of antimicrobial resistance is triggering the need for behavioural change towards antimicrobial use on Irish farms. Newly introduced veterinary medicine regulations are mandating the restricted and more prudent use of antimicrobials in the animal health sector. The need to reduce antimicrobials has placed a greater emphasis on the importance of animal health testing, however, issues with current testing practices are affecting diagnosis and subsequent drug usage. There is potential for digital technologies to address these issues and reduce antimicrobial use on farms, however, for these tools to be successful, they would need to be developed in collaboration with future end users.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Using qualitative approaches (focus groups), this study engages with dairy farmers and farm veterinary practitioners to detail current challenges with animal health diagnosis and to explore the initial development of a rapid, on-farm animal health testing tool to address these challenges. Issues with timing and testing, the role of knowledge and experience, and veterinarian availability all affect the ability of farmers and veterinarians to diagnose animal health issues on farm. These issues are having negative implications including the increased and unnecessary use of antimicrobials. An on-farm testing tool would help mitigate these effects by allowing veterinarians to achieve rapid diagnosis, facilitating the timely and targeted treatment of animal illnesses, helping to reduce overall antimicrobial use on farms. However, engagement with end users has highlighted that if a tool like this is not developed correctly, it could have unintended negative consequences such as misdiagnosis, increased antimicrobial use, challenges to farmer-veterinarian relationships, and data misuse. This study outlines initial end user needs and requirements for a testing tool but suggests that in order to successfully design and develop this tool, co-design approaches such as Design Thinking should be applied; to mitigate future negative impacts, and to ensure a testing tool like this is designed specifically to address Irish dairy farmers and farm veterinarians' values and needs, ensuring responsible and successful uptake and use.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Digital tools can be effective in reducing antimicrobial use on farms, however, to be successful, these tools should be designed in a user centred way.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11191197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141437830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Johannes Buchallik-Schregel, Frederik Kiene, Juliane Buchallik, Hannah Marahrens, Nina Ossowski, Carolin Viktoria Schumacher, Berit Gerstel, Ulla Reimers, Martin Ganter, Matthias Gerhard Wagener
{"title":"Relationships between body condition score, body weight and body measurements in alpacas.","authors":"Johannes Buchallik-Schregel, Frederik Kiene, Juliane Buchallik, Hannah Marahrens, Nina Ossowski, Carolin Viktoria Schumacher, Berit Gerstel, Ulla Reimers, Martin Ganter, Matthias Gerhard Wagener","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00274-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13620-024-00274-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The nutritional status in alpacas is often masked by their dense fibre coat. Its assessment is commonly approached by different body condition scores (BCS) that rely on manual palpation of defined anatomical regions. However, BCS is an important diagnostic tool to aid recognition of diseased South American camelids (SACs) and low BCS has been associated with conditions like anaemia and neutrophilia. For dose-dependent veterinary treatment, body weight (BW), that should be as accurate as possible, is required. As on-site weighing with scales is often not possible, BW can mostly only be roughly estimated. To date, it remains unclear whether BCS in alpacas provides reliable information on BW or the ratios of BW to body length commonly known as Body Mass Index (BMI) or Ponderal Index (PI). Equations to estimate BW based on body measurements are available in the literature. Nonetheless, respective equations were developed in growing alpacas or adult llamas and BCS was not included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>To compare six different BCS approaches and to examine the relationship between BCS and BW, body measurements and BCS scores were recorded in a herd of 105 alpacas. The examined BCS approaches showed significant (p < 0.05) but poor to moderate positive correlations to BW, BMI or PI. A solely visual inspection of BCS, in contrast, was not correlated with BW, BMI or PI. Equations previously developed in other studies provided an accurate estimation of BW. Multiple linear regression showed that the accuracy in predicting BW could be further increased by adding BCS data and sex.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our observations indicate that most selected BCS approaches are not only important measures of nutritional status but can also be used to create more accurate models for BW calculation in alpacas. The study also supports the claim that a purely visual inspection of alpacas is not an adequate method to evaluate the nutritional status of these animals.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11138088/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141181581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Petculescu Ciochina Liliana, Gabi Dumitrescu, David McCleery, Ioan Pet, Tiberiu Iancu, Lavinia Stef, Nicolae Corcionivoschi, Igori Balta
{"title":"Organic acids mitigate Streptococcus agalactiae virulence in Tilapia fish gut primary cells and in a gut infection model.","authors":"Petculescu Ciochina Liliana, Gabi Dumitrescu, David McCleery, Ioan Pet, Tiberiu Iancu, Lavinia Stef, Nicolae Corcionivoschi, Igori Balta","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00272-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13620-024-00272-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Streptococcus agalactiae, a Gram-positive bacterium, has emerged as an important pathogen for the aquaculture industry worldwide, due to its increased induced mortality rates in cultured fish. Developing interventions to cure or prevent infections based on natural alternatives to antibiotics has become a priority, however, given the absence of scientific evidence regarding their mode of action progress has been slow.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of a mixture of organic acids (natural antimicrobials), AuraAqua (Aq), on the virulence of S. agalactiae using Tilapia gut primary epithelial cells and an in vitro Tilapia gut culture model. Our results show that Aq was able to reduce significantly, in vitro, the S. agalactiae levels of infection in Tilapia gut primary epithelial cells (TGP) when the MIC concentration of 0.125% was tested.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>At bacterial level, Aq was able to downregulate bacterial capsule polysaccharide (CPS) gene expression, capC, resulting in a significant decrease in bacterial surface capsule production. The decrease in CPS production was also associated with a reduction in the pro-inflammatory IFNγ, IL1β, TNFα, SOD and CAT gene expression and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> production in the presence of 0.125% Aq (P < 0.0001). The antimicrobial mixture also reduced the levels of S. agalactiae infection in an in vitro gut culture model and significantly reduced the IFNγ, IL1β, TNFα, SOD, CAT gene expression and H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> production in infected tissue. Moreover, genes involved in Tilapia resistance to S. agalactiae induced disease, MCP-8 and Duo-1, were also downregulated by Aq, as a consequence of reduced bacterial levels of infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Conclusively, our study shows that mixtures of organic acids can be considered as potential alternative treatments to antibiotics and prevent S. agalactiae infection and inflammation in the Tilapia fish digestive tract.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11129440/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141155319","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mohammed Hussien, Eslah Abdelhabib, Abdalsalam Hamid, Azza Musa, Huyam Fadolelgaleel, Shima Alfaki, Abdel Rahim El Hussein
{"title":"Seroepidemiological survey of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia among cattle in El Jazeera State (Central Sudan).","authors":"Mohammed Hussien, Eslah Abdelhabib, Abdalsalam Hamid, Azza Musa, Huyam Fadolelgaleel, Shima Alfaki, Abdel Rahim El Hussein","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00271-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13620-024-00271-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is an economically important infectious disease that is characterized by a variable course and insidious nature. A cross-sectional study was conducted in El Jazeera State, Central Sudan, to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of CBPP in cattle from seven localities. A total of 218 serum samples were randomly collected from apparently healthy cattle aged older than 6 months between April and May 2021 and were tested serologically using a commercial ELISA kit.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall seroprevalence of CBPP was 50.5% (110/218). Univariate analysis showed a significant difference (p < 0.05) between sex, locality and water source and seropositivity to CBPP. Multivariate analysis revealed that the independent risk factors (sex, locality and water source) were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). At herd level, out of 20 herds 16 (80%) proved to be positive for CBPP antibodies. It is apparent from the present study that CBPP infection is prevalent among cattle in El Jazeera State, Central Sudan.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first seroepidemiological study on CBPP infection in Central Sudan. The authors recommend major awareness both in the production area and quarantine centers, as CBPP may result in restrictions on the international trade of animals and animal products.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140960922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alice Uí Chearbhaill, Pablo Silva Boloña, Eoin G Ryan, Catherine I McAloon, Alison Burrell, Conor G McAloon, John Upton
{"title":"Survey of farm, parlour and milking management, parlour technologies, SCC control strategies and farmer demographics on Irish dairy farms.","authors":"Alice Uí Chearbhaill, Pablo Silva Boloña, Eoin G Ryan, Catherine I McAloon, Alison Burrell, Conor G McAloon, John Upton","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00267-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13620-024-00267-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This cross-sectional study describes a survey designed to fill knowledge gaps regarding farm management practices, parlour management practices and implemented technologies, milking management practices, somatic cell count (SCC) control strategies, farmer demographics and attitudes around SCC management on a sample of Irish dairy farms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We categorized 376 complete responses by herd size quartile and calving pattern. The average respondent herd was 131 cows with most (82.2%) operating a seasonal calving system. The median monthly bulk tank somatic cell count for seasonal calving systems was 137,000 cells/ml (range 20,000 - 1,269,000 cells/ml), 170,000 cells/ml for split-calving systems (range 46,000 - 644,000 cells/ml) and 186,000 cells/ml for 'other' herds (range 20,000 - 664,000 cells/ml). The most common parlour types were swing-over herringbones (59.1%) and herringbones with recording jars (22.2%). The average number of units across herringbone parlours was 15, 49 in rotary parlours and two boxes on automatic milking system (AMS) farms. The most common parlour technologies were in-parlour feeding systems (84.5%), automatic washers on the bulk tank (72.8%), automatic cluster removers (57.9%), and entrance or exit gates controlled from the parlour pit (52.2%). Veterinary professionals, farming colleagues and processor milk quality advisors were the most commonly utilised sources of advice for SCC management (by 76.9%, 50.0% and 39.2% of respondents respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this study, we successfully utilised a national survey to quantify farm management practices, parlour management practices and technology adoption levels, milking management practices, SCC control strategies and farmer demographics on 376 dairy farms in the Republic of Ireland. Rotary and AMS parlours had the most parlour technologies of any parlour type. Technology add-ons were generally less prevalent on farms with smaller herds. Despite finding areas for improvement with regard to frequency of liner changes, glove-wearing practices and engagement with bacteriology of milk samples, we also found evidence of high levels of documentation of mastitis treatments and high use of post-milking teat disinfection. We discovered that Irish dairy farmers are relatively content in their careers but face pressures regarding changes to the legislation around prudent antimicrobial use in their herds.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11071209/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140864416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maresa Sheehan, Patricia A Pesavento, Francis Campion, John Lynch, Shane McGettrick, Brian Toland, Aideen Kennedy
{"title":"First reported case in an Irish flock of MCF- like systemic necrotizing vasculitis in sheep associated with ovine herpesvirus 2.","authors":"Maresa Sheehan, Patricia A Pesavento, Francis Campion, John Lynch, Shane McGettrick, Brian Toland, Aideen Kennedy","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00269-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13620-024-00269-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) is the causative agent of sheep associated malignant catarrhal fever (MCF). As sheep are the adapted host for OvHV-2, it is generally presumed that infection is not associated with disease in this species. However, a recent case review combined in-situ hybridisation, PCR and histopathology and correlated the viral distribution with systemic necrotizing vasculitis and concluded OvHV-2 was the likely agent responsible for sporadic, MCF-like vascular disease in sheep.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>Using similar methods this case study reports on the findings of the first reported cases in an Irish Flock of MCF- like systemic necrotizing vasculitis in sheep associated with OvHV-2. Sheep A, a 16-month-old Texel-cross hogget displayed signs of ill- thrift, Sheep B, a nine-month-old Belclare-cross lamb, was found dead having displayed no obvious symptoms. Both cases occurred on the same farm, however the animals were not related. Lymphohistiocytic vasculitis of various tissues was the predominant histopathological finding in both animals.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>By combining histopathology, PCR and in-situ hybridisation results, MCF- like systemic necrotizing vasculitis associated with OvHV-2 has been diagnosed for the first time in an Irish flock.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11069233/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140872714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eilidh Elizabeth Thomson, Emmet Thomas Kelly, Marijke Eileen Beltman, Eoin Gerard Ryan
{"title":"A retrospective case series of the surgical management of thirty-one penile fibropapilloma cases presented to University College Dublin Veterinary Hospital (UCDVH) between 2017 and 2023.","authors":"Eilidh Elizabeth Thomson, Emmet Thomas Kelly, Marijke Eileen Beltman, Eoin Gerard Ryan","doi":"10.1186/s13620-024-00270-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13620-024-00270-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Penile fibropapilloma is a condition caused by bovine papilloma virus and is frequently encountered in young bulls. Penile fibropapillomatosis is thought to be spread through homosexual mounting behaviour. Fibropapillomas of the penis are painful, often bleed and can impede normal intromission. Treatment may range from allowing time for slow, spontaneous regression to surgical resection but recurrence following surgery is reported by some authors.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>Thirty one bulls that were presented to University College Dublin Veterinary Hospital from March 2017 to March 2023 for surgical resection of penile fibropapillomas were included in this retrospective case series. Twenty-seven of the 31 bulls (87%) were under two years of age. The majority (42%) of bulls presented were Hereford, but Angus, Charolais, Holstein-Friesian and Limousin breeds were also seen. Following examination and diagnosis of penile fibropapilloma, regional anaesthesia (xylazine-procaine epidural and internal pudendal nerve block) and standing surgical intervention (resection and cautery) was performed in each case. Phone call follow-up was performed by one author (EET) in all 31 cases and 2 cases out of the 28 that were contactable showed post-surgical recurrence of penile fibropapillomatosis (i.e., 7.1% recurrence rate).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This case series summarises the history and presenting findings of 31 bovine penile fibropapilloma cases and describes a regional anaesthetic and standing surgical approach for successful case management.</p>","PeriodicalId":54916,"journal":{"name":"Irish Veterinary Journal","volume":"77 1","pages":"6"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11059740/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140869577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}