Relationship between quality of facilities, animal-based welfare indicators and measures of reproductive and productive performances on dairy farms in the northwest of Spain

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of facility comfort level on animal-based welfare indicators as well as on productive and reproductive parameters of 187 dairy farms in the northwest of Spain. Fifty-eight facility-based parameters, which included both housing facili- ties and management parameters, were evaluated in each farm and used to classify the 187 farms in 5 groups (from 1: top farms to 5: worst farms). Animal-based welfare indicators and reproductive and productive parameters were compared among farm groups. Lameness score significantly differed (p<.005) in top farms (67% of cows having normal gait) versus groups 4 (55%) and 5 (53%). The proportion of cows with dirty lower legs and udder was lower (p<.05) in top farms (80% and 31%, respectively) than in groups 4 (92% and 51%) and 5 (95% and 56%). Other animal-based indicators were not different among farm groups. Heat detection rate was higher (p<.001) in top farms (56.5%) versus groups 4 (51%) and 5 (47%), and milk produc- tion/cow/day was also significantly higher (p<.001) in top farms (34.4 L) versus groups 3 (31.2 L), 4 (30.5 L) and 5 (27.4 L). Other reproductive or productive parameters were not different among farm groups. Facility-based measures were compared only between the top and worst farms. In top farms, most facility-based parameters met the welfare-related objectives, whereas in the worst farms only a few facility-based parameters met the welfare objectives.This study was partly supported by the Diputación Provincial de Lugo [Convenio 2015-CP011]S

Housing assessment in farms in the Northwest of Spain: main facility weaknesses and strengths

The aim of this research communication was to examine and report the current situation of dairy farms in the province of Lugo (Galicia, Spain) regarding facility problems. We assessed the facilities of 168 free-stall dairy farms, housing in total 9228 Holstein cows in milk. Housing factors related to the resting area, circulation area, feeding area, ventilation area and milking area, as well as animal-handling features, were evaluated. Distance measurements were performed using a laser metre or a roll metric tape. A survey was conducted to gather information about cleaning and preventive protocols. Our results showed that most farms do not comply with the objective for cubicle measurements, width of the crossovers, type of flooring and presence of a quarantine pen, which may have a negative impact on the health and productivity of the animals. Therefore, to maximise the profits of the farm, the recommendations given in this study may be useful as a guide when building a new farm or remodelling the existing onesThis study was partially supported by Diputación Provincial de Lugo (Convenio 2015-CP011). Uxía Yáñez Ramil holds a predoctoral contract (Ref. 2020/122) from the Xunta de GaliciaS

Three Decades of progress in Artificial Insemination in Rabbit Farming: a Review

[EN] The commercial use of artificial insemination (AI) in rabbit farming is relatively recent, especially when compared to other species such as cattle or swine, in which AI has been used for more than 60 years. The large-scale use of AI in rabbit farming dates back to the late 80s. However, despite its short journey, it has not stopped evolving. Although there have been numerous changes, in this review article we aim to highlight two important milestones in optimisation of this technique: the introduction of biostimulation and the addition of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues to the seminal dose to induce ovulation. In the former case, by means of different methods of biostimulation, such as feed and light flushing and/or separation of the litter in the days prior to AI, the use of hormones to synchronise heat with the moment of AI was practically eliminated. Nowadays, the possibility of using pheromones with the same objective is under research, even to increase ovulation rate or improve semen production. Although there are pheromones on the market labelled for use in other species, in the case of rabbit the knowledge of them is limited. Nevertheless, given the verified effects that pheromones produce in other animals, expectations are high. In the latter case, after several attempts by using other methods, the technique commonly used to induce ovulation was the intramuscular administration of GnRH or its synthetic analogues. However, in recent years, it has been proven that administration of GnRH through the vagina is possible, added to the seminal dose, which offers numerous advantages regarding health, animal welfare and the workforce needed. Recently, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved this practice, so in the near future it will probably become the most widely used method. Even so, there is still room for improvement, as the dosage of GnRH needed is higher than the one administered intramuscularly. Research on this topic allows us to predict that this problem should be solved in the coming years. Other alternatives such as the ?-Nerve Growth Factor need further research to become a feasible option.The study was supported by the Xunta de Galicia (Plan Gallego de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Proyectos Ref. 1999/CG321; Ref. 2000/CG3452) and the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación, Proyecto Ref. PID2021-127814OB-I00). The co-authors Yáñez U. and Villamayor P. were funded by Xunta de Galicia (Predoctoral Contract Ref. 2020/122 and ED481A-2020/491430 respectively). We also thank COGAL SL (Pontevedra, Spain) for providing the facilities and animals used in this study, as well as technical support.Quintela Arias, LÁ.; Becerra González, JJ.; Peña Martínez, AI.; Yáñez Ramíl, U.; Rodríguez Villamayor, PR.; Sánchez-Quinteiro, P.; Martínez Portela, P.... (2023). Three Decades of progress in Artificial Insemination in Rabbit Farming: a Review. World Rabbit Science. 31(2):93-107. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2023.186619310731

Influence of subclinical endometritis on the reproductive performance of dairy cows

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of subclinical endometritis (SE) on the reproductive performance of dairy cows. Ninety-four dairy cows of parity 1 to 8, distributed in 25 herds, were examined once between 30 and 45 days in milk using transrectal palpation, vaginoscopy and ultrasonography. A cytological sample of the endometrium was taken only from cows with an apparent healthy uterus (n=65). Serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, total proteins, albumin, urea and hepatic enzymes were analyzed. Reproductive indexes were recorded during the next 11 months. Endometrial cytology was considered indicative of SE if percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils was superior to 5% of all cells present in the smear, except erythrocytes. Results indicated that 14.9% of the cows sampled for uterine cytology had SE, and that healthy cows become pregnant significantly before than those with SE (hazard ratio=2.35; 95% confidece interval: 1.05-5.3). From all the metabolic and productive variables analyzed, only triglycerides affected negatively to reproduction; serum albumin concentration, body condition score and milk production had positive effects on the reproductive performance. In conclusion, our results indicate that SE has a negative impact on reproductive performance and uterine cytology is necessary to diagnose it since almost 15% of the affected animals were not detected by other diagnosis methodsXunta de Galicia (Programa Sectorial de Medio Rural, Proyecto Ref. PGIDIT07MRU002E) and FEFRIGA, Santiago de Compostela, SpainS

Validation of a simple method for the interpretation of uterine cytology in cows

One of the main drawbacks of using endometrial cytology in cows is the time required for sample collection and interpretation. It is recommended to count a large number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and to calculate their overall percentage. However, since counting a large number of cells is a laborious method, it would be preferable to simplify the analysis by counting the number of PMN in few microscopic fields. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether a simple test, based on calculating the average number of PMN in 10 fields at 1000×, could be a reliable technique for the diagnosis of endometritis. Two hundred and sixty endometrial samples were taken from Holstein cows at different postpartum stages using an adapted cytobrush. Smears obtained were air-dried for fixing and stained with a Romanowsky-type procedure. To evaluate the counting method, the percentage of PMN in 150 cells was calculated as well as the average number of PMN in 10 fields at 1000×. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was constructed to evaluate both methods, the percentage of PMN (used as reference) and the average number of PMN. It was observed that the area under the curve is (regardless of cut-off used) higher than 0.99 and the correspondence between both methods were 1.58 PMN/field for the cut-off value of 15% and 2.40 PMN/field for the cut-off value of 20%. These results show that this simple method could be used to determine the percentage of PMN in endometrial cytological samples and to diagnose endometritis in cowsSupported by the Xunta de Galicia (Galician Plan for Research and Technological Development; Grant No. PGIDIT07MRU002E) and the Friesian Federation of Galician, A Coruna, SpainS

Duración del período gestacional en la raza rubia gallega

Se realizó un estudio sobre la duración de la gestación en la raza bovina Rubia Gallega explotada en sistemas de producción tradicional en la provincia de Lugo. Así mismo se valoraron distintos factores que pueden afectar, en mayor o menor medida, a la duración de este parámetro. La duración de la gestación en esta raza fue de 291,41 días comprobando que se ha producido un notable incremento de la misma en los últimos años, probablemente debido a la selección genética a la que ha sido sometida. Se comprobó que la edad de la vaca, el genotipo fetal, el sexo de la cría y la estación de parto condicionan, en mayor o menor medida, la magnitud de este parámetr

Genomic Characterization of Host Factors Related to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in People with Dementia and Control Populations: The GR@ACE/DEGESCO Study

Emerging studies have suggested several chromosomal regions as potential host genetic factors involved in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease outcome. We nested a COVID-19 genome-wide association study using the GR@ACE/DEGESCO study, searching for susceptibility factors associated with COVID-19 disease. To this end, we compared 221 COVID-19 confirmed cases with 17,035 individuals in whom the COVID-19 disease status was unknown. Then, we performed a meta-analysis with the publicly available data from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. Because the APOE locus has been suggested as a potential modifier of COVID-19 disease, we added sensitivity analyses stratifying by dementia status or by disease severity. We confirmed the existence of the 3p21.31 region (LZTFL1, SLC6A20) implicated in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and TYK2 gene might be involved in COVID-19 severity. Nevertheless, no statistically significant association was observed in the COVID-19 fatal outcome or in the stratified analyses (dementia-only and non-dementia strata) for the APOE locus not supporting its involvement in SARS-CoV-2 pathobiology or COVID-19 prognosis

New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Characterization of the genetic landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADD) provides a unique opportunity for a better understanding of the associated pathophysiological processes. We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study totaling 111,326 clinically diagnosed/'proxy' AD cases and 677,663 controls. We found 75 risk loci, of which 42 were new at the time of analysis. Pathway enrichment analyses confirmed the involvement of amyloid/tau pathways and highlighted microglia implication. Gene prioritization in the new loci identified 31 genes that were suggestive of new genetically associated processes, including the tumor necrosis factor alpha pathway through the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex. We also built a new genetic risk score associated with the risk of future AD/dementia or progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD/dementia. The improvement in prediction led to a 1.6- to 1.9-fold increase in AD risk from the lowest to the highest decile, in addition to effects of age and the APOE ε4 allele

Multiancestry analysis of the HLA locus in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases uncovers a shared adaptive immune response mediated by HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes

Across multiancestry groups, we analyzed Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) associations in over 176,000 individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) versus controls. We demonstrate that the two diseases share the same protective association at the HLA locus. HLA-specific fine-mapping showed that hierarchical protective effects of HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes best accounted for the association, strongest with HLA-DRB1*04:04 and HLA-DRB1*04:07, and intermediary with HLA-DRB1*04:01 and HLA-DRB1*04:03. The same signal was associated with decreased neurofibrillary tangles in postmortem brains and was associated with reduced tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid and to a lower extent with increased Aβ42. Protective HLA-DRB1*04 subtypes strongly bound the aggregation-prone tau PHF6 sequence, however only when acetylated at a lysine (K311), a common posttranslational modification central to tau aggregation. An HLA-DRB1*04-mediated adaptive immune response decreases PD and AD risks, potentially by acting against tau, offering the possibility of therapeutic avenues

Evaluation of tubal patency in repeat breeder Holstein cows

Aim of study: To evaluate tubal patency in repeat breeder Holstein cows with the purpose of estimating the frequency of oviduct obstruction as a cause of the repeat breeding syndrome. Area of study: Lugo (NW Spain) Material and methods: In 50 repeat breeding cows, a solution of the dye phenol-sulphon-phthalein (PSP) was instilled into one uterine horn with the aid of a balloon catheter. Urine was collected 15, 25 and 45 min post-PSP infusion. Urine of a reddish color was used as indicator of tubal patency, as the PSP had passed across the oviduct into the abdominal cavity and was eliminated in urine. The other oviduct was evaluated on a different day. Main results: Of the 50 cows tested, 44% had some degree of oviduct obstruction: 4% had bilateral oviduct occlusion, 20% unilateral oviduct occlusion, 16% bilateral oviduct stenosis and 4% unilateral oviduct stenosis. No significant relationship could be established between tubal impermeability and postpartum reproductive or metabolic diseases. Research highlights: Tubal stenosis or occlusions were frequent and they are likely to contribute to the repeat breeding syndrome in dairy cows; thus, tubal patency should be routinely evaluated in repeat breeders. The PSP test is easy to perform, well tolerated by animals, and allows evaluating both oviducts separately.Xunta de Galicia, Spain: Programme for consolidating and structuring competitive research groups: GRC2015/003. Xunta de Galicia, Spain: Project ‘RUMIGAL: Rede de estudo multidisciplinar dos ruminantes en Galicia R2014/005S