Ticks on pastures and on two breeds of cattle in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Many studies on the population dynamics of questing ticks on pastures and of parasitic ticks on cattle have been conducted. Few, however, have attempted to link the two in a single study. This study aimed to assess the population dynamics of questing ixodid ticks on pastures and of adult ticks on two breeds of cattle with different levels of susceptibility to tick infestation on the same pastures. Between January 2005 and December 2009 questing ixodid ticks were collected monthly from natural pastures at the Döhne Agricultural Development Institute and at the adjacent Campagna Production System in the Amahlathi District, Eastern Cape province, South Africa. Between February 2007 and January 2010 adult ticks were collected monthly from Bonsmara and Nguni cattle grazing these pastures. Ten tick species were collected from the pastures and 12 from the cattle. Significantly more questing larvae of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus decoloratus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi and Rhipicephalus microplus were recovered from the pastures grazed by Bonsmara cattle than from those grazed by Nguni cattle (p ≤ 0.05). Significantly more adult Hyalomma rufipes, Rhipicephalus follis, R. appendiculatus, R. decoloratus, R. evertsi evertsi and R. microplus were collected from the Bonsmara cattle than from the Nguni cattle (p ≤ 0.05). The study showed that Nguni cattle are less susceptible to tick infestation than are Bonsmara cattle and fewer questing ticks are collected from pastures grazed by Nguni cattle than by Bonsmara cattle.The study was funded by the University of Pretoria, Bayer Animal Health, the National Research Foundation and the Institute for Tropical Medicine, Belgium.http://www.ojvr.or

Development of a Database for Study Data in Registration Applications for Veterinary Medicinal Products

Objective: In the present study, the feasibility of a systematic record of clinical study data from marketing authorisation applications for veterinary medicinal products (VMP) and benefits of the selected approach were investigated.Background: Drug registration dossiers for veterinary medicinal products contain extensive data from drug studies, which are not easily accessible to assessors.Evidentiary value: Fast access to these data including specific search tools could facilitate a meaningful use of the data and allow assessors for comparison of test and studies from different dossiers.Methods: First, pivotal test parameters and their mutual relationships were identified. Second, a data model was developed and implemented in a relational database management system, including a data entry form and various reports for database searches. Compilation of study data in the database was demonstrated using all available clinical studies involving VMPs containing the anthelmintic drug Praziquantel. By means of descriptive data analysis possibilities of data evaluation including graphical presentation were shown. Suitability of the database to support the performance of meta-analyses was tentatively validated.Results: The data model was designed to cover the specific requirements arising from study data. A total of 308 clinical studies related to 95 VMPs containing Praziquantel (single agent and combination drugs) was selected for prototype testing. The relevant data extracted from these studies were appropriately structured and shown to be basically suitable for descriptive data analyses as well as for meta-analyses.Conclusion: The database-supported collection of study data would provide users with easy access to the continuously increasing pool of scientific information held by competent authorities. It enables specific data analyses. Database design allows expanding the data model to all types of studies and classes of drugs registered in veterinary medicine. The needs for detailed data recording and versatility of the data model must be carefully balanced.Application: The database will be used by regulatory authorities.</p

Antibiotic use on German pig farms - A longitudinal analysis for 2011, 2013 and 2014

<div><p>To study antibiotic use in livestock in a temporal context with the development of antimicrobial resistance, long-term changes in antibiotic use must be mapped and their possible causes must be explored. Therefore, the present work assesses the changes in antibiotic use over time in German livestock husbandry. In addition, factors associated with antibiotic use were analyzed to identify possible strategies for further reducing antimicrobial usage. For 2011, 2013 and 2014, antibiotic usage data were collected and examined within the VetCAb project. Three hundred participating pig holdings provided information on their antibiotic use based on obligatory application and delivery forms (ADFs) filled in by their veterinarian as well as information on their current stabling capacities for each production type held. Data on sow, piglet, weaner and fattening pig holdings were described separately, using the semi-annual treatment frequency (TF) to measure antibiotic consumption. Multiple linear mixed models were used to investigate the effects of time, farm size, region and farm management category on the treatment frequency. The study yielded significant time changes with p-values below 0.001 in antibiotic administration with a decreasing median TF in piglets from 3.8 in the first half of 2011 (IQR = 1.1–10.6) to 1.7 in the second half of 2014 (IQR = 0.2–4.5) and in fattening pigs from 5.1 in the first half of 2011 (IQR = 0.2–15.4) to 0.7 in the second half of 2014 (IQR = 0.1–6.7). Meanwhile the TF fluctuated between 8.2 and 12.2 in weaners during the observational period (IQRs between zero (lower quartile) and 37.9 (upper quartile)). Piglet, weaner and fattening pig holdings belonging to the upper third of the holdings in size used significantly more antibiotics than the other holdings investigated. Particularly for weaner and fattening pig holdings, a higher TF was noted for farms without breeding units. The region was only a significant factor in weaners. In conclusion, for 2011, 2013 and 2014, the present study shows a clear reduction in antibiotic treatment frequency in German pig holdings. In addition, the association with various factors such as herd size and farm organization on the antibiotic usage frequency is indisputable. Therefore, these factors should be included in monitoring systems and considered when evaluating intervention measures.</p></div

Percentage and trend line for participating farms with no antibiotic use by half-year for each production type group.

<p>Percentage and trend line for participating farms with no antibiotic use by half-year for each production type group.</p

Multi-factorial model results with square root transformation for the treatment frequency in piglets.

<p>Multi-factorial model results with square root transformation for the treatment frequency in piglets.</p

Multi-factorial model results with square root transformation for the treatment frequency in weaners.

<p>Multi-factorial model results with square root transformation for the treatment frequency in weaners.</p

Multi-factorial model results with square root transformation for the treatment frequency in fattening pigs.

<p>Multi-factorial model results with square root transformation for the treatment frequency in fattening pigs.</p

Multi-factorial model results with logarithm transformation for the treatment frequency in sows.

<p>Multi-factorial model results with logarithm transformation for the treatment frequency in sows.</p