Udder health concepts that comply with organic principles - how to reduce therapies?

Both the consumers and the legislators expect products from healthy organic livestock. Consequently, keeping farm animals healthy has the highest priority in veterinary work on organic farms. Different Swiss FiBL projects on bovine mastitis in recent years were aimed at health concepts that comply with organic livestock production principles. This paper summarises some of the work carried out

Handling the dry-off problem in organic dairy herds by teat sealing or homeopathy com-pared to therapy omission

Avoiding antibiotics is one of the crucial goals in organic dairy herd health management. Thus, a trial with 102 cows (408 quarters) was conducted to com-pare 2 common medical dry-off practices in organic dairying, internal teat sealant (Orbeseal®, Pfizer) and herd specific homeopathic remedies, with an untreated control. Regarding the sub-clinical mastitis protection rate (IPR), the results show no significant benefit for the two treatment groups in general. The homeopathic group had an advantage in the treatment of cows at drying off showing less than 200k cells/ml. The protection OR of these cows was 5.80 (95%-CI 1.36-29.87) compared to control. Teat sealants showed the best results in protection against environmental infections. Only 13% (n=10/80) of the primarily healthy quarters were infected by environmental Streptococci, Enterococci or Coliforms after calving compared to 21% (15/70; n.s.) after homeopathic treatment and 28% in the control group. This is a 3-fold protection chance (3.04 - 95%-CI 1.2-9.0) compared to control. The results indicate that in herds with good udder health with few environmental infections, a treatment at drying off can be omitted, while sub-clinically in-fected cows could be treated by homeopathics. Only in case of increased environmental infection risk, a strategic teat sealant usage is recommended

Treatment of bovine sub-clinical mastitis with homeopathic remedies

Considering the positive results of homeopathic therapy of bovine mastitis, the presented study should evaluate the effects of two standardized homeopathic methods in sub-clinical mastitis using a prospective randomized double-blind placebo control study design. A number of 124 dairy cows from 17 herds with increased somatic cell count were selected and randomly associated to 5 treatment groups. Two groups received a peroral therapy with (a) a homeopathic combination over 5 days and (b) a single treatment with a homeopathic nosode (Tuberculinum). To each treatment group a placebo control group was established with the same treatment frequency. A fifth group served as an untreated control. The bacteriological cure rate after 4 and 8 weeks was 28% and the total cure rate additionally regarding a normalized somatic cell count was 14% and 18%, respectively. There was no significant effect by the remedies at all. The cow somatic cell count over three months after treatment showed no significant difference in the five groups. Standardized homeopathic combinations and Tuberculinum nosodes are not able to control sub-clinical mastitis during lactation. If other factors like age and microbial agent are responsible for the success of homeopathy or if more individualized protocols provide better results has to be answered in further investigations

Controlling excitation avalanches in driven Rydberg gases

Recent experiments with strongly interacting, driven Rydberg ensembles have introduced a promising setup for the study of self-organized criticality (SOC) in cold atom systems. Based on this setup, we theoretically propose a control mechanism for the paradigmatic avalanche dynamics of SOC in the form of a time-dependent drive amplitude. This gives access to a variety of avalanche dominated, self-organization scenarios, prominently including self-organized criticality, as well as sub- and supercritical dynamics. We analyze the dependence of the dynamics on external scales and spatial dimensionality. It demonstrates the potential of driven Rydberg systems as a playground for the exploration of an extended SOC phenomenology and their relation to other common scenarios of SOC, such as, e.g., in neural networks and on graphs

Majorana Loop Models for Measurement-Only Quantum Circuits

Projective measurements in random quantum circuits lead to a rich breadth of entanglement phases and extend the realm of non-unitary quantum dynamics. Here we explore the connection between measurement-only quantum circuits in one spatial dimension and the statistical mechanics of loop models in two dimensions. While Gaussian Majorana circuits admit a microscopic mapping to loop models, for non-Gaussian, i.e., generic Clifford, circuits a corresponding mapping may emerge only on a coarse grained scale. We then focus on a fundamental symmetry of loop models: the orientability of world lines. We discuss how orientability enters in the measurement framework, acting as a separatrix for the universal long-wavelength behavior in a circuit. When orientability is broken, the circuit falls into the universality class of closely packed loops with crossings (CPLC) and features a Goldstone phase with a peculiar, universal $\log^2(L)$-scaling of the entanglement entropy. In turn, when orientability is preserved, the long-wavelength behavior of the circuit mimics that of (coupled) two-dimensional Potts models. We demonstrate the strength of the loop model approach by numerically simulating a variety of measurement-only Clifford circuits. Upon varying the set of measured operators, a rich circuit dynamics is observed, ranging from CPLC to the $1$-state Potts model (percolation), the $2$-state Potts model (Ising) and coupled Potts models (BKT) universality class. Loop models thus provide a handle to access a large class of measurement-only circuits and yield a blueprint on how to realize desired entanglement phases by measurement

Prediction of the biogas production using GA and ACO input features selection method for ANN model

This paper presents a fast and reliable approach to analyze the biogas production process with respect to the biogas production rate. The experimental data used for the developed models included 15 process variables measured at an agricultural biogas plant in Germany. In this context, the concentration of volatile fatty acids, total solids, volatile solids acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, neutral detergent fibre, ammonium nitrogen, hydraulic retention time, and organic loading rate were used. Artificial neural networks (ANN) were established to predict the biogas production rate. An ant colony optimization and genetic algorithms were implemented to perform the variable selection. They identified the significant process variables, reduced the model dimension and improved the prediction capacity of the ANN models. The best prediction of the biogas production rate was obtained with an error of prediction of 6.24% and a coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.9

Safety and Efficacy of Mistletoe extract (Viscum album) Iscador(R) P in Equine Sarcoid

Equine Sarcoid (ES), a semi malignant skin tumour, is the most common neoplasia of horses (Marti et al.1993). There is no generally effective single treatment existing and the recurrence rate is high (Martens et al.2001). Furthermore as a treatment obstacle, Sarcoids tend to occur as multi-focal tumours or can be found in critical locations (peri-ocular) where success of surgical interventions is very limited (Carstanjen et al.1997). Due to encouraging results in human medicine and small animals practice after adjuvant cancer treatment by mistletoe extracts (Biegel et al.2007) the viscum therapy could hypothetically fill a therapy gap for equine tumour diseases as well. Hence, goal of this clinical trial was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Viscum album pini (Iscador® P) as a primary therapy of Equine Sarcoid in the context of a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study. Material and Methods: 53 horses with histologically confirmed diagnosis Equine Sarcoid were randomly assigned as Iscador (I; n=32) or Control group (C; n=21). There are 23 mares, 25 geldings and 5 stallions ranged in age from 3 to 17 years with an average of 7.2 years. The horses received scalating dosages of Iscador® P starting at 0.1mg up to 20 mg extract per 1 ml dose or physiological NaCl solution 3 times a week over 105 days sub-cutanously into the pectoral region. The number, localization and morphology of the ES were observed and documented over 12 months. As target variable the positive outcome rate (PO rate) was calculated representing the patients status at the end of the investigation. Results: In the Iscador Group 13 horses (41%) showed an improvement (at least 50% tumour remission). Of these cases a number of 9 patients showed complete cure (28%). In the Control Group only 3 cases (14%; all with complete cure) were classified as improved (p<0.05). Discussion & Conclusions: Iscador® P extract (viscum album pini) represents a safe and efficient therapy alternative in Equine Sarcoids, particularly in cases of multi-focal character. In tumours grown in problematic localizations a therapy attempt with viscum album extracts should be conducted to avoid the risk of damage the intact surrounding tissue, particularly in the eye area. Iscador® P shows significantly better outcomes (cure and improvement) compared to placebo control. Younger horses and horses with more than 2 tumours are responding with higher PO rates than older patients and horses with 1 to 2 ES. This fact could support the control of multiple sarcoids which can be excised only by immense surgery expense. Further investigations to understand factors of response and non-.response have to be conducted in the future. Additionally, due to the good tolerance by the patients and the acceptance of long-term protocol the practicability of Iscador ® P therapy can be assumed. Younger horses responded more often with a positive outcome (PO) than older (Fig. 2a) with PO rates of 57%, 40% and 13% for horses being less than 5 years, 5 to 9 years and more than 9 years, respectively compared to PO 25%, 10% and 0% in control. A significant better therapy course appeared in the Iscador group for horses with >2 ES (Fig. 2b): a number of 12 of 25 horses (48%) showed an improvement, 9 of these a complete remission (36%) including ES localized at the critical areas (head and around the eyes) compared to 6% in the control group. Iscador® P extract (viscum album pini) represents a safe and efficient therapy alternative in Equine Sarcoids, particularly in cases of multi-focal character. In tumours grown in problematic localizations a therapy attempt with viscum album extracts should be conducted to avoid the risk of damage the intact surrounding tissue, particularly in the eye area. Iscador® P shows significantly better outcomes (cure and improvement) compared to placebo control. Younger horses and horses with more than 2 tumours are responding with higher PO rates than older patients and horses with 1 to 2 ES. This fact could support the control of multiple sarcoids which can be excised only by immense surgery expense. Further investigations to understand factors of response and non-.response have to be conducted in the future. Additionally, due to the good tolerance by the patients and the acceptance of long-term protocol the practicability of Iscador ® P therapy can be assumed

Controlling excitation avalanches in driven Rydberg gases

Recent experiments with strongly interacting, driven Rydberg ensembles have introduced a promising setup for the study of self-organized criticality (SOC) in cold atom systems. Based on this setup, we theoretically propose a control mechanism for the paradigmatic avalanche dynamics of SOC in the form of a time-dependent drive amplitude. This gives access to a variety of avalanche dominated, self-organization scenarios, prominently including self-organized criticality, as well as sub- and supercritical dynamics. We analyze the dependence of the dynamics on external scales and spatial dimensionality. It demonstrates the potential of driven Rydberg systems as a playground for the exploration of an extended SOC phenomenology and their relation to other common scenarios of SOC, such as, e.g., in neural networks and on graphs

Spontaneous polyploidisation of interspecific and intersectional Pelargonium hybrids during embryo rescue

Modern Pelargonium crispum hybrids (section Pelargonium) show low genetic and phenotypic variation due to the domestication effect. Species of the sections Cortusina, Ligularia, and Pelargonium are potential breeding partners at the diploid level (2n = 2x = 22). Five P. × crispum cultivars were used as seed parents and pollinated with one genotype of P. grandiflorum (section Pelargonium) and three genotypes of P. fulgidum (section Ligularia). In both combinations, embryo rescue was necessary. Embryos were rescued and cultured on Murashige &amp; Skoog medium supplemented with phytohormones. After callus and adventitious shoot regeneration 15 viable interspecific hybrids were obtained from crossbreeding with P. grandiflorum and 11 intersectional hybrids from crossings with P. fulgidum, respectively. The hybrids were cultivated in the greenhouse until flowering. Their hybrid character was evident due to the intermediate morphological traits. Molecular investigations using dp-RAPD analysis confirmed this. Within the F1 population P. × crispum with P. grandiflorum three hybrids and after crossing with P. fulgidum one hybrid possessed larger flowers and fully developed anthers, respectively. Their ploidy level was confirmed as tetraploid using flow cytometry. Therefore, a spontaneous polyploidisation occurred during in vitro regeneration. The tetraploid F1 hybrids are fertile and could be used for further breeding

Organic conform udder health concepts. How to reduce therapies

Both consumers and governments expect quality products from healthy organic livestock. In consequence, keeping farm animals healthy has the highest priority in veterinary work on organic farms. Different Swiss FiBL projects in mastitis of the last years were aimed in health concepts conform to organic livestock principles. One project includes 20 Farms (with an average of 15 cows per farm) of a Swiss high mountain region. It puts emphasis on milking hygiene, milking technology, mastitis treatment during lactation (homeopathy versus antibiosis) and dry-off treatment (homeopathy versus placebo and partially additional antibiotic). The overall result was a reduction of cows with a somatic cell count higher than 150’000/ml based on milk recording dates between January and May from 35% in 1998 to 17% in 2000. During the project the average number of treated mastitis cases per farm decreased from 10 to 4. A second project considering farms in the north west of Switzerland was aimed at the implementation of an organically conform udder health concept putting emphasis on the reduction of the use of antibiotics. In order to achieve this, it was envisaged that factors contributing to mastitis will consistently be eliminated or at least reduced by implementation of herd health management and, in addition, by the establishment of complementary therapy and prophylaxis in udder health in co-operation with the veterinarian. On the 3 pilot farms a reduction in the use of antibiotics from 70 treatments per 100 cow and year in 2000 (previous the start of the project) to 2 treatments per 100 cow and year in 2002 (second project year) could be shown. Thereby, the udder health status of the herds remained stable with around 65% of cows with a somatic cell count lower than 100’000/ml. The objective of the current project is the enlargement and implementation of the previous concept into practice. A project team of 5 veterinarians and 2 agronomists will collect data of mastitis causing factors on 100 new farms per year in Switzerland: housing, feeding, human-cow interaction, milking technology, milking hygiene. These data will be connected to the mastitis status of the herd based on quarter milk samples and milk recording dates. During a period of at least 2, years these farms will be intensively advised by the project team and the practical veterinarian. Therapies will primarily be based on homeopathic remedies. The development of mastitis causing factors and the mastitis status of the farms is followed up at regular intervals to show possible correlations between (changing) factors and mastitis status. In addition, an Internet based network of health data should be implemented for providing information for farmers and veterinarians in herd health management