Chemical Signaling in Bovines: Understanding the Behavior and Way of Communication

Chemical signals that mediate communication within animals of a species have been referred to as ‘pheromone’ a Greek word comprised of ‘pheran’ (means to transfer) and ‘hormon’ (to excite). These chemical messengers are transported outside the body and have a direct developmental effect on hormone levels and behavior, and therefore, have a potential role in modulating animal behavior and reproductive management. The sources of these chemical messengers are urine, vaginal secretions, feces, saliva, milk, sweat, breath and specialized cutaneous glands including the odor produced from hair and wool. After their release, are perceived through the olfactory system, eliciting both behavioral and endocrine responses characterized by profound effects on reproductive activity via the hypothalamic system that generates pulses of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Their potential to transform the animal behavior and reproduction management has led to development and use of synthetic pheromones to manipulate estrous cycle, enhance estrous behavior, determination of time of estrus, and also facilitating collection of semen. Pheromones can act as a marker to detect estrus, diagnosing early pregnancy in farm animals and used for improving sexual desire. There is huge scope of application of pheromones once chemically synthesized and characterized, and would be of great interest to livestock owners and consumers. This chapter will discuss in detail the role of chemical signaling in shaping the behavior, reproduction and understanding the ways of communication in bovines

molekularna epidemiologija bakterije Staphylococcus aureus izolirane iz mlijeka krava s mastitisom

The present study was aimed to understand the molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus (54 isolates), isolated from 422 milk samples obtained from 108 subclinical mastitis affected cows (CMT positive ≥1+ in at least one quarter). The molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus was studied using coagulase (coa) gene polymorphism, 16S-23S ribosomal spascer (RS-PCR) polymorphism and Staphylococcal protein A (Spa) typing. Staphylococcus aureus produced 7 coagulase genotypes and 8 RS genotypes respectively. Coagulase genotype GTIII (730 bp) was the most prevalent (35 strains) followed by GTV (900 bp, 7 strains) and GTIV (800 bp, 4 strains), whereas RS genotypes GTA accounted for the highest number of strains (31 strains), followed by GTB (11strains), GTH (4 strains) and GTE (3 strains). Coagulase genotype CTIII (730 bp) showed the highest diversity, as isolates within it produced 5 RS genotypes, the majority of them belonging to the RS genotype GTA (29 out of 31 strains). Forty out of 54 Staphylococcus aureus samples isolated in this study were correctly typed by spa typing, and were assigned to 21 known spa types, and one new novel spa type t18462. The study revealed high diversity within Staphylococcus aureus strains, consisting of 7 coagulase genotypes, 8 RS genotypes and 22 spa types.Istraživanje je provedeno kako bi se razumjela molekularna epidemiologija bakterije Staphylococcus aureus. Ukupno 54 izolata iz 422 uzorka mlijeka dobivena su od 108 krava sa supkliničkim mastitisom (CMT pozitivni ≥ 1+ u barem jednoj četvrtini vimena). Molekularna epidemiologija S. aureus analizirana je upotrebom polimorfizma koagulaza-gena (coa), polimorfizma 16S-23S ribosomske regije razdvajanja (RS-PCR) i tipiziranjem stafilokoknog proteina A (Spas). Bakterija S. aureus proizvela je 7 genotipova koagulaza i 8 RS genotipova. Koagulaza genotip GTIII (730 bp) bio je najčešći (35 sojeva), zatim GTV (900 bp, 7 sojeva) i GTIV (800 bp, 4 soja), dok je kod RS genotipova najveći broj sojeva sadržavao GTA (31 soj), zatim GTB (11 sojeva), GTH (4 soja) i GTE (3 soja). Koagulaza genotip CTIII (730 bp) pokazao je najveću raznolikost jer su izolati unutar njega proizveli 5 RS genotipova, a većina njih pripadala je RS genotipu GTA (29 od 31 soja). Četrdeset od 54 uzorka bakterije S. aureus izolirana u ovom istraživanju bilo je ispravno tipizirano spas tipiziranjem, i pripisano 21 poznatom spas tipu te jednom novom spas tipu, t18462. Istraživanje je pokazalo veliku raznolikost sojeva bakterije S. aureus s obzirom na postojanje 7 koagulaza genotipova, 8 RS genotipova i 22 spas tipa