Vurdering av effekter på det biologiske mangfoldet, dyrevelferd og dyrehelse ved innførsel, oppdrett og utsetting av fasan og rapphøns i Norge

English: The Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management at Inland University of Applied Sciences was commissioned by Fuglehundklubbenes Forbund (FKF) and their Lavlandskomite (LK) to scientifically review and assess the practice of releasing common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus, pheasant) and grey partridges (Perdix perdix, partridge), and specifically evaluate ecosystem effects, effects on biodiversity, animal welfare during rearing, breeding, transport and release, and animal health and disease risks when importing, breeding, rearing and releasing these birds into Norwegian nature. Ecosystem effects of artificially augmenting populations may be positive, negative or negligible from a conservation standpoint. Negative effects include altering of species interactions via resource consumption, agonistic behaviour or predation. These forms of species interactions are amplified with increasing number of released birds. Under extreme circumstances, vegetation and invertebrate abundance have been negatively affected inside and around pheasant release pens in the UK and in the UK, released birds are also likely sustaining high populations of generalist predators. Positive effects of releases include supporting management actions that target factors limiting survival and population growth like predator control, supplementary feeding and habitat improvement. These factors are prerequisites for successful release programs, and they can benefit the conservation status of several other species. Because of low survival and unrealized reproductive potential, population simulations suggest that partridge and pheasant releases in Norway need supporting management efforts to avoid population extinctions. The goal when breeding partridges and pheasants is to select for wild behaviours and this require different rearing conditions compared to domesticated species. Yet, the knowledge base on rearing conditions that meet the need of pheasants and partridges is low. Increasing space and enriching habitats in rearing systems, however, will reduce stress-related behaviours. Rearing conditions should approximate natural conditions with regards to diet, unrestrained sociality between individuals and the possibility of exposure to natural stressors. Various pathogens have been recorded among pheasants in Scandinavia and imports from abroad can expose native galliformes to species-specific disease they would normally not encounter. Several measures can be adopted to minimize risks of spreading pathogens. They include hygiene at rearing farms, veterinary inspections of birds before import and secure pens that prevents contact with outside wildlife. When assessing unintentional effects on ecosystems following the release of captive-bred birds, it is important to consider the scale and extent of the release. Studies focusing on impacts of releases on fauna and flora have to our knowledge only been conducted in the UK where 47 million pheasants are released on an annual basis. The Norwegian release program is dwarfed by comparison and there is currently no information that supports the hypothesis that partridges and pheasants released in Norway the last decade have had negative effects on Norwegian ecosystems or biodiversity. With our current understanding of animal welfare, it is possible to tailor rearing and release programs which minimize risk of the spreading of pathogens and that produce healthy and viable individuals that are well adapted to a life outside of the release pen.Norsk: Institutt for Skog- og Utmarksfag ved Høgskolen i Innlandet fikk i oppdrag av Fuglehundklubbenes Forbund (FKF) og deres Lavlandskomite (LK) om å gjennomgå og vurdere praksisen med utsetting av fasaner og rapphøns, og spesielt evaluere økosystemeffekter, effekter på biodiversitet, dyrevelferd under oppdrett, avl, transport og utsetting, og risiko for dyrehelse og sykdommer ved import, avl, oppdrett og utsetting av disse fuglene i norsk natur. Økosystemeffektene av å øke populasjoner kunstig kan være positive, negative eller ubetydelige fra et bevaringsperspektiv. Negative effekter inkluderer endringer i artenes samhandling via ressursforbruk, agonistisk adferd eller predasjon. Disse formene for interaksjoner mellom arter forsterkes med økende antall fugler satt ut. Under ekstreme forhold har utsetting av fasan hatt negative effekter på vegetasjonsdekke og virvelløse dyr inne i og på utsiden av akklimatiseringshegn i Storbritannia, og i Storbritannia opprettholder utsatt fugl sannsynligvis også høye bestander av generalistpredatorer. Positive effekter av utsetting inkluderer støttende forvaltningstiltak som tar sikte på å begrense faktorer som reduserer overlevelse og populasjonsvekst som rovdyrkontroll, tilleggsfôring og habitatforbedring. Disse faktorene er forutsetninger for vellykkede utsettingsprogrammer, og de kan bedre bevaringsstatusen til flere andre arter. På grunn av lav overlevelse og uforløst reproduktivt potensial, antyder populasjonssimuleringer at utsatt rapphøns og fasan i Norge trenger støttende forvaltningstiltak for å unngå utdøing. Målet når man avler rapphøns og fasaner er å selektere for vill adferd, og dette krever ulike oppdrettsforhold sammenlignet med domestiserte arter. Kunnskapsgrunnlaget om oppdrettsforhold som oppfyller behovene til fasaner og rapphøns er imidlertid lavt. Å øke plassen og berike habitatene i oppdrettssystemene vil imidlertid redusere stressrelatert adferd. Oppdrettsforholdene bør tilnærme seg naturlige forhold når det gjelder kosthold, uregulert sosialitet mellom individer og muligheten for eksponering for naturlige stressorer. Forskjellige patogener er registrert blant fasaner i Skandinavia, og import fra utlandet kan eksponere norsk hønsefugl for artsspesifikke sykdommer de vanligvis ikke ville påtruffet. Flere tiltak kan iverksettes for å minimere risikoen for spredning av patogener. Disse inkluderer hygiene på oppdrettsanlegg, veterinærundersøkelser av fuglene før import, og sikre oppdrettsanlegg som hindrer kontakt med dyreliv utenfor. Når man vurderer utilsiktede effekter på økosystemer etter utsetting av oppdrettede fugler, er det viktig å ta hensyn til omfanget og skalaen på utsettingen. Studier som fokuserer fauna- og floraeffekter har hva vi kjenner til kun blitt utført i Storbritannia, der 47 millioner fasaner slippes ut årlig. Det norske utsettingsprogrammet er forsvinnende lite i forhold, og det finnes for øyeblikket ingen informasjon som støtter hypotesen om at rapphøns og fasaner som er satt ut i Norge de siste ti årene, har hatt negative effekter på norske økosystemer eller det biologiske mangfoldet. Med nåværende forståelse av dyrevelferd, er det også mulig å tilpasse oppdretts- og utsettingsprogrammer som minimerer risikoen for spredning av patogener og som produserer sunne og levedyktige individer som er godt tilpasset livet utenfor oppdrettsanlegget.Oppdragsgiver/Financed by: Fuglehundklubbenes Forbund v/Lavlandskomitee

Thiafentanil-azaperone-xylazine and carfentanil-xylazine immobilizations of free-ranging caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in Alaska

Master i anvendt økologi. Evenstad 2015Carfentanil-xylazine (CX) has been the primary drug combination used for immobilizing free-ranging ungulates in Alaska, US, since 1986. We investigated the efficacy of a potential new drug of choice, thiafentanil (Investigational New Animal Drug A-3080). To determine effective doses for helicopter darting to immobilize free-ranging caribou calves (Rangifer tarandus granti) for radiocollaring, initial dosing trials were conducted on captive adult caribou. Captive trials indicated thiafentanil-azaperone-medetomidine could provide good levels of immobilization. However, field trials conducted in October 2013 on free-ranging caribou calves found the combination too potent, causing three respiratory arrests and one mortality. The protocol was revised to thiafentanil-azaperone-xylazine (TAX), with good results. The induction time was not significantly different between the two combinations. However, the recovery time was significantly shorter for the TAX group than the CX group. A physiological evaluation was performed on 12 animals immobilized on CX and 15 animals on TAX. Arterial blood was collected after induction and again after 10 minutes of intranasal oxygen supplements (1 L/min). Both groups had significant increases in PaO2 after oxygen treatment. There was a concurrent significant increase in PaCO2 in both groups. Rectal temperature increased significantly in both groups during the downtime, which is consistent with other studies of potent opioids in ungulates. Based on our results, we found TAX to be a potential alternative for the current CX protocol for immobilizing free-ranging caribou calves via helicopter darting

Interactions between the rabies virus and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: A potential role in rabies virus induced behavior modifications

Rabies causes approximately 60,000 casualties annually and has a case fatality rate approaching 100% once clinical signs occur. The glycoprotein on the surface of the virion is important for the host immune response and facilitates interaction of the virion with host cell receptors. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were the first receptors identified as a molecular target for the rabies virus. Additional targets, including neural cell adhesion molecule, p75 neurotrophin receptor, metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 2, and integrin β1, have been added to the list, all of which can mediate viral entry into the cell. Multiple receptors and different subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors result in a complex picture of virus-receptor interactions. In addition, some data suggest that the rabies virus glycoprotein inhibits cell signalling events mediated by various nicotinic receptor subtypes that have been implicated in altering behaviour in unaffected animals. This review focuses on interactions between the rabies virus glycoprotein and nicotinic receptors and proposes possible functional consequences, including behavioural modifications and therapeutic approaches for future research.publishedVersio

The evolution of Kenya’s animal health surveillance system and its potential for efficient detection of zoonoses

Introduction: Animal health surveillance systems in Kenya have undergone significant changes and faced various challenges throughout the years.Methods: In this article, we present a comprehensive overview of the Kenya animal health surveillance system (1944 to 2024), based on a review of archived documents, a scoping literature review, and an examination of past surveillance assessments and evaluation reports.Results: The review of archived documents revealed key historical events that have shaped the surveillance system. These include the establishment of the Directorate of Veterinary Services in 1895, advancements in livestock farming, the implementation of mandatory disease control interventions in 1944, the growth of veterinary services from a section to a ministry in 1954, the disruption caused by the Mau Mau insurrection from 1952 to 1954, which led to the temporary halt of agriculture in certain regions until 1955, the transition of veterinary clinical services from public to private, and the progressive privatization plan for veterinary services starting in 1976. Additionally, we highlight the development of electronic surveillance from 2003 to 2024. The scoping literature review, assessments and evaluation reports uncovered several strengths and weaknesses of the surveillance system. Among the strengths are a robust legislative framework, the adoption of technology in surveillance practices, the existence of a formal intersectoral coordination platform, the implementation of syndromic, sentinel, and community-based surveillance methods, and the presence of a feedback mechanism. On the other hand, the system’s weaknesses include the inadequate implementation of strategies and enforcement of laws, the lack of standard case definitions for priority diseases, underutilization of laboratory services, the absence of formal mechanisms for data sharing across sectors, insufficient resources for surveillance and response, limited integration of surveillance and laboratory systems, inadequate involvement of private actors and communities in disease surveillance, and the absence of a direct supervisory role between the national and county veterinary services.Discussion and recommendations: To establish an effective early warning system, we propose the integration of surveillance systems and the establishment of formal data sharing mechanisms. Furthermore, we recommend enhancing technological advancements and adopting artificial intelligence in surveillance practices, as well as implementing risk-based surveillance to optimize the allocation of surveillance resources

Development of machine learning models to predict cancer-related fatigue in Dutch breast cancer survivors up to 15 years after diagnosis

Purpose: To prevent (chronic) cancer-related fatigue (CRF) after breast cancer, it is important to identify survivors at risk on time. In literature, factors related to CRF are identified, but not often linked to individual risks. Therefore, our aim was to predict individual risks for developing CRF.Methods: Two pre-existing datasets were used. The Nivel-Primary Care Database and the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) formed the Primary Secondary Cancer Care Registry (PSCCR). NCR data with Patient Reported Outcomes Following Initial treatment and Long-term Evaluation of Survivorship (PROFILES) data resulted in the PSCCR-PROFILES dataset. Predictors were patient, tumor and treatment characteristics, and pre-diagnosis health. Fatigue was GP-reported (PSCCR) or patient-reported (PSCCR-PROFILES). Machine learning models were developed, and performances compared using the C-statistic.Results: In PSCCR, 2224/12813 (17%) experienced fatigue up to 7.6 ± 4.4 years after diagnosis. In PSCCR-PROFILES, 254 (65%) of 390 patients reported fatigue 3.4 ± 1.4 years after diagnosis. For both, models predicted fatigue poorly with best C-statistics of 0.561 ± 0.006 (PSCCR) and 0.669 ± 0.040 (PSCCR-PROFILES).Conclusion: Fatigue (GP-reported or patient-reported) could not be predicted accurately using available data of the PSCCR and PSCCR-PROFILES datasets.Implications for Cancer Survivors: CRF is a common but underreported problem after breast cancer. We aimed to develop a model that could identify individuals with a high risk of developing CRF, ideally to help them prevent (chronic) CRF. As our models had poor predictive abilities, they cannot be used for this purpose yet. Adding patient-reported data as predictor could lead to improved results. Until then, awareness for CRF stays crucial

Retention and loss of PIT tags and surgically implanted devices in the Eurasian beaver

Background Passive integrated transponder devices (PIT tags) are a valuable tool for individual identification of animals. Similarly, the surgical implantation of transmitters and bio-loggers can provide useful data on animal location, physiology and behavior. However, to avoid unnecessary recapture and related stress of study animals, PIT tags and bio-loggers should function reliably for long periods of time. Here, we evaluated the retention of PIT tags, and of very high frequency (VHF) transmitters and bio-loggers that were either implanted subcutaneously or into the peritoneal cavity of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). Results Over a 21-year period, we implanted PIT tags in 456 individuals and failed to detect a PIT tag at recapture in 30 cases, consisting of 26 individuals (6% of individuals). In all instances, we were still able to identify the individual due to the presence of unique ear tag numbers and tail scars. Moreover, we implanted 6 VHFs, 36 body temperature loggers and 21 heart rate loggers in 28 individuals, and experienced frequent loss of temperature loggers (at least 6 of 23 recaptured beavers) and heart rate loggers (10 of 18 recaptured beavers). No VHFs were lost in 2 recaptured beavers. Conclusions Possible causes for PIT tag loss (or non-detection) were incorrect implantation, migration of the tag within the body, a foreign body reaction leading to ejection, or malfunctioning of the tag. We speculate that logger loss was related to a foreign body reaction, and that loggers were either rejected through the incision wound or, in the case of temperature loggers, possibly adhered and encapsulated to intestines, and then engulfed by the gastro-intestinal tract and ejected. We discuss animal welfare implications and give recommendations for future studies implanting bio-loggers into wildlife

Arterial oxygenation and acid-base status before and during oxygen supplementation in captive European bison (Bison bonasus) immobilized with etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine

Chemical immobilization of captive European bison (Bison bonasus) is often required for veterinary care, transportation, or husbandry practices playing an important role in conservation breeding and reintroduction of the species. We evaluated the efficiency and physiological effects of an etorphine-acepromazine-xylazine combination with supplemental oxygen in 39 captive European bison. Animals were darted with a combination of 1.4 mg of etorphine, 4.5 mg of acepromazine, and 20 mg of xylazine per 100 kg based on estimated body mass. Arterial blood was sampled on average 20 min after recumbency and again 19 min later and analyzed immediately with a portable i-STAT analyzer. Simultaneously, heart rate, respiratory rate, and rectal temperature were recorded. Intranasal oxygen was started after the first sampling at a flow rate of 10 mL.kg(-1).min(-1) of estimated body mass until the end of the procedure. The initial mean partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) was 49.7 mmHg with 32 out of 35 sampled bison presenting with hypoxemia. We observed decreased respiratory rates and pH and mild hypercapnia consistent with a mild respiratory acidosis. After oxygen supplementation hypoxemia was resolved in 21 out of 32 bison, but respiratory acidosis was accentuated. Bison immobilized with a lower initial drug dose required supplementary injections during the procedure. We observed that lower mean rectal temperatures during the immobilization event were significantly associated with longer recovery times. For three bison, minor regurgitation was documented. No mortality or morbidity related to the immobilizations were reported for at least 2 months following the procedure. Based on our findings, we recommend a dose of 0.015 mg.kg(-1) etorphine, 0.049 mg.kg(-1) acepromazine, and 0.22 mg.kg(-1) xylazine. This dose reduced the need for supplemental injections to obtain a sufficient level of immobilization for routine management and husbandry procedures in captive European bison. Nevertheless, this drug combination is associated with development of marked hypoxemia, mild respiratory acidosis, and a small risk of regurgitation. Oxygen supplementation is strongly recommended when using this protocol

Pharmacokinetics of a long-acting subcutaneous eprinomectin injection in semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) - a pilot study

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are exposed to the pathogenic parasitic nematode Elaphostrongylus rangiferi during grazing. The severity of disease is dose-dependent. Prophylactic anthelmintic treatment is needed to improve animal health and reindeer herding sustainability. Herds are traditionally only gathered once during the summer, requiring a drug with a persistent effect. In this study we investigated the suitability of long-acting eprinomectin, given as a single subcutaneous injection at 1mg/kg bodyweight in adult reindeer and calves. Plasma and faeces concentrations were determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Plasma concentrations remained above the presumed effect level of 2ng/mL for 80 days, demonstrating the drug's potential. Pharmacokinetic parameters were compared to other species using allometric scaling. Calves and adults had slightly different profiles. No viable faecal nematode eggs were detected during treatment. Eprinomectin was measurable in the reindeer faeces up to 100 days, which is of environmental concern