Factor analysis for genetic evaluation of linear type traits in dual purpose breeds

Type traits have become a selection goal in many breeder association due to the economic value recognised to some measurements. In dairy cattle, relationships of type with production (Veerkamp and Brotherstone, 1997; Kadarmideen and Wegmann, 2003) and/or with longevity (Larroque and Ducrocq, 2001; Vukasinovic et al., 2002) have been widely investigated in order to use type traits as predictors of herd life

analysis of factors affecting health status of animals under intensive beef production systems

From 2001 to 2003 health data of 588 groups of fattening beefs (38723 animals) of 29 farms and 5 genetic types (Charolais, Female Charolais, French Crosses, Limousine and Polish Friesian) were collected and statistically analysed considering farm, breed, initial body weight, housing system, season, year, diet, average daily gain and density. The main causes of culling were problems of the locomotor and respiratory systems. As regards the genetic type and the initial body weight, the Polish Friesian breed and the lightest weights increased the probability of dying or getting injured respectively of 70 and 34%, while this probability decreased of 8.5% for every 100 g of daily growth higher than the mean value. As regards the other factors, bedding reduced the risk of culling by 33% in comparison with the slatted floor, while this risk increased of 10% for every m2 available/animal over the mean density

Salivary pH, calcium, phosphorus and selected enzymes in healthy dogs: A pilot study

Abstract Background Saliva in dogs, as in humans, is a complex fluid secreted by different salivary glands in the oral cavity to protect the oral mucosa and teeth. The use of saliva as a substitute for blood in diagnosing and prognosticating disease in humans is widely accepted. Salivary biochemistry has also been used as a marker for periodontal disease in humans. No studies have as yet investigated the relation between salivary biochemistry and periodontal disease in dogs, however; neither has the salivary composition of healthy dogs with no oral disease been assessed. The purpose of this study was to obtain an overview on pH distribution and a set of salivary biochemical analytes (calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, lysozyme and amylase) commonly related to oral health in humans in a subset population of healthy young dogs with no periodontal disease or previous oral disease. Data were analyzed to gather salivary reference ranges for pH and each parameter and to assess a possible correlation between salivary and serum analytes. Results Twenty-nine adult client-owned dogs were recruited for the study. Lactate dehydrogenase and lysozyme showed higher concentrations in saliva than in serum, whereas amylase showed the contrary. Salivary biochemistry values did not differ between males and females or between non-neutered and neutered individuals. No significant correlations between salivary and serum calcium, phosphorus, lactate dehydrogenase, amylase and lysozyme were identified in this study. Data allowed intervals for the salivary pH and other analytes investigated to be obtained from healthy dogs with healthy oral conditions. Conclusions These preliminary data can contribute to enlarge our understanding of the functional role of saliva and its relation to oral health in dogs

Pain in Pig Production: Text Mining Analysis of the Scientific Literature

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Milking characteristics, hygiene and management practices in Saanen goat farms: a case of Canakkale province, Turkey

In order to determine the current status of milking characteristics, hygiene and health protection practices in Saanen goat farms in Turkey, data were obtained from 92 farms through surveys in Çanakkale province. The farms are grouped according to the number of animals as small-scale (25–75 heads), medium-scale (76–150 heads) and large-scale (151 and overheads). As a result of the data observed, it has been seen that the majority of the farms (63.04%) had primary education and only 8.69% had education at the university level. While 44 farms have a milking machine or milking system in their farms, the other 48 farms use the hand milking. The 72.8% of the farms stated that they did not receive any training on milking hygiene and milking machines. Breast diseases are among the most common health problems in the farms (61.9%), followed by, digestive system diseases (8.6%), bacterial diseases (5.4%), foot diseases (2.1%) and viral diseases (4.3%), respectively. The prevalence of mastitis which is the leading cause of breast disease differs statistically in terms of scale (p < .05). In this period, the scale of the farms increased and the use of machine milking became widespread in dairy goat farms. Considering that Saanen breed goats, which have high milk yield, are also sensitive to diseases and are delicate breeds, it is important for the farmers to be educated and informed about breeding, herd management, and milking hygiene practices in order to increase milk production and quality and to prevent economic losses.Highlights The current status of milking hygiene and practices was evaluated. Mastitis was the most common disease (39.1%) observed in Saanen goat farms. To prevent economic losses due to diseases, farmers should be trained on hygiene and management practices

Use of maize silage in beef cattle feeding during the finishing period

The research investigated the use of maize silage (MS) in beef cattle diets during the finishing period by monitoring a sample of 406 commercial farms located in the Po Valley. Farms were selected in order to cover the most diverse rearing situations, in terms of farm size and cattle genotype, in which MS was fed to beef cattle during the finishing period. Each farm was visited to collect information about the feeding regimen and representative samples of total mixed ration (TMR) and MS were collected for chemical and physical analysis. Two specific classification factors of the farm population were created for statistical analysis of experimental data. The former considered the quantity of MS included in the TMR and the latter was based on the content of long particles of MS (>13 mm). Regardless of chop length, the quality of MS population was satisfactory both by a nutritional and a preservation standpoint, as indicated by the dry matter (DM) (350 ± 38 g/kg of fresh weight) and the high starch content (310 ± 28 g/kg DM) and lactic acid concentration (49 ± 12 g/kg DM). Physical analysis of MS samples showed a wide range of particle size, as result of the different chopping lengths during harvest. The average content of long particles retained by a 13-mm screen was 143 ± 73 g/kg of fresh weight. On average, MS accounted for 33.4% to the total dietary DM but a large standard deviation (11.4%) was observed across farms. The decision about the amount of MS to be included in the TMR has shown to be independent on both chemical composition and particle size of the roughage. In diets with a high quantity of MS the risk of occurrence of rumen acidosis due to the additional starch brought by this silage is balanced either by a significant reduction in the amount of other starch sources or by the higher NDF content and the coarser size of the dietary particles which should promote a prolonged rumination. The analysis of TMR particle size showed that in more than 30% of the farms MS was damaged during diet preparation with a loss of long particles. A logistic analysis demonstrated that the relative risk of MS damage was significantly increased either by a larger inclusion of the roughage in the TMR or by the use of silage with coarse particles

Genetic Traceability of Chicken Breeds

Aims of this study were to apply AFLP markers to assess the genetic diversity and to define a marker-assisted traceability system in local chicken breeds. Data were based on 107 cocks of three different local chicken breeds from Veneto region (Italy): Robusta (PRR: n=54), Pepoi (PPP: n=33) and Padovana (PPD: n=20). Chickens were individually identified at birth with wing tag and reared in four different herds using a free-range system. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood and AFLP analysis was performed according to the protocol described in Barcaccia et al. (1998). Values of expected heterozygosity (H) and polymorphism information content (PIC) at AFLP loci were calculated for each breed. Genetic similarities of all possible pairs of genotypes were estimates using a Jaccard index; the values obtained were subsequently used in a factorial analysis in order to define latent variables which explain the whole genetic similarity relation system between individuals. The average PIC index within breed was generally low: 24.1% for PRR, 23.6% for PPD and 17.2% for PPP. The average heterozygosities of the three breeds for all markers were 29.5% for PRR and PPD and 21.3% for PPP. In the majority of cases (from 90% to 100% of individuals within breed), marker-assisted traceability system used in this research correctly identified the breed of cocks. Hence, results are promising to identify biological tissue (meat, gamets, embryo, etc.) from these local chicken breeds. However, the method used in this study should be improved in terms of cost reduction for single sample, work effort, reproducibility and accuracy of results obtained

Prognostic value of echocardiographic indices of left atrial morphology and function in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease

Background: The prognostic relevance of left atrial (LA) morphological and functional variables, including those derived from speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), has been little investigated in veterinary medicine. Objectives: To assess the prognostic value of several echocardiographic variables, with a focus on LA morphological and functional variables in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Animals: One-hundred and fifteen dogs of different breeds with MMVD. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Conventional morphologic and echo-Doppler variables, LA areas and volumes, and STE-based LA strain analysis were performed in all dogs. A survival analysis was performed to test for the best echocardiographic predictors of cardiac-related death. Results: Most of the tested variables, including all LA STE-derived variables were univariate predictors of cardiac death in Cox proportional hazard analysis. Because of strong correlation between many variables, only left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao > 1.7), mitral valve E wave velocity (MV E vel > 1.3 m/s), LA maximal volume (LAVmax > 3.53 mL/kg), peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS < 30%), and contraction strain index (CSI per 1% increase) were entered in the univariate analysis, and all were predictors of cardiac death. However, only the MV E vel (hazard ratio [HR], 4.45; confidence interval [CI], 1.76-11.24; P <.001) and LAVmax (HR, 2.32; CI, 1.10-4.89; P =.024) remained statistically significant in the multivariable analysis. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: The assessment of LA dimension and function provides useful prognostic information in dogs with MMVD. Considering all the LA variables, LAVmax appears the strongest predictor of cardiac death, being superior to LA/Ao and STE-derived variables

Physiological and productive response of lactating dairy cows to the alpine transhumance at the end of the summer grazing*

The study aimed at verifying if the prolonged walking and fasting of the driving down transhumance from an alpine pasture to the farm of origin at the end of the summer grazing may impair health and productive response of lactating cows belonging to two specialised dairy breeds. The study considered a herd of 380 dairy cows and heifers of Italian Holstein and Italian Brown breeds that faced a driving down transhumance with a vertical drop of about 1050 m. The animals walked for about 40 km completing the journey in 23 h, including three resting periods. Ten Holstein and nine Brown lactating cows were selected and monitored before and after the driving down transhumance taking individual blood samples and recording milk yield. The prolonged physical exercise and the limited water and energy intake during the driving down transhumance impaired cows' metabolic profile resembling a status of ketosis. A significant drop in milk yield was observed in all the monitored animals regardless of the breed. The production loss was more severe (49.4%) in cows with high milk yield and less days in milk. These animals required also a prolonged time to recover from the milk drop due to the driving down transhumance and, based on these findings, they should be excluded from this practise

Investigation of a standardized qualitative behaviour assessment and exploration of potential influencing factors on the emotional state of dairy calves

open4siopenMarta Brscic , Nina Dam Otten , Barbara Contiero , Marlene Katharina KirchnerBrscic, Marta; Dam Otten, Nina; Contiero, Barbara; Katharina Kirchner, Marlen