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Simple Summary: Piglets experience a significant temperature drop soon after birth and the time taken to recover can impact their survival and growth. Rectal temperature is the best method currently used to monitor temperature change, however, it is invasive and requires handling which can be stressful. Infrared camera technology has improved and surface temperature has been suggested to be a good substitute for rectal temperature. A study was undertaken to investigate the utility of infrared measurements of piglets from immediately after birth to 24 h old. Results showed that surface temperature had a similar temperature pattern to rectal temperature but was highly affected by the environment and cannot be recommended as a substitute for rectal temperature measurement. The use of infrared cameras to record surface temperature has shown some promise in older pigs, but neonatal piglets are metabolically less mature and experience rapid temperature changes during their first 24 h. The present experiment aimed to compare rectal temperature to surface temperature at the base of the ear, measured using an infrared camera, for piglets of different birth weights. During farrowing, 48 multiparous sows were monitored, and rectal and surface temperatures were recorded for their lower-birth-weight (≤1.2 kg) piglets within 3 min of birth and at 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 1.50, 2, 3, 4, and 24 h. Piglet birth weights were assigned to one of three categories (BWC): BWC1 (≤0.80 kg), BWC2 (0.81 to 1.10 kg), or BWC3 (1.11 to 1.20 kg). Piglet rectal temperatures at 1.25 h after birth were assigned to one of three categories: RC1 (≤32.0 °C), RC2 (32.1 to 35.0 °C), or RC3 (≥35.1 °C). Surface temperatures showed a similar recovery pattern to rectal temperatures in the first 24 h across all piglet birth weights, although large and variable differences seen in the current study militate against surface temperature being an appropriate replacement for neonatal rectal temperature for use in production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Optimum fertility requires the deposition of sperm at the appropriate time relative to ovulation, which can be achieved by using gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to control the time of ovulation. Following insemination, the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy and embryo survival are promoted by progesterone released from the ovarian corpora lutea, also under the control of GnRH-stimulated gonadotrophin release. This review examines the effect of the application of GnRH on the productivity and fertility of food-producing animals. Over several decades, exogenous GnRH and agonists have been employed for controlling reproductive cascades in animals, and treating some reproductive morbidities. The administration of GnRH is used in animals to counter ovarian dysfunction, induce ovulation, and to increase conception and pregnancy rates. GnRH and its agonists are used in the treatment of cystic ovarian degeneration and repeat breeder syndrome. The development of protocols for GnRH administration by intramuscular injection, intramuscular or subcutaneous implants, and intravaginal deposition has empowered their clinical use worldwide. Currently, exogenous GnRH products are a central part of several pre- and post-breeding programs for the enhancement of fertility, including the control of estrous cycles and timing of ovulation, development of fixed-time artificial insemination protocols, improved embryo survival, and the treatment of reproductive morbidity. The aim of the present review is to summarize the application of exogenous GnRH agonists in food animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine colostrum contains a high concentration of immune-related microRNAs (miRNAs) that are packaged in exosomes and are very stable. In this study, 5 immune-related miRNAs (miR-142-5p, miR-150, miR-155, miR-181a, and miR-223) were quantified in dam blood, colostrum, and calf blood using reverse transcription quantitative PCR. Their levels in calf blood after colostrum ingestion were investigated to assess whether miRNAs are transferred from the dam to newborn calves. Three groups of Holstein–Friesian bull calves were bottle-fed 2 L of colostrum or milk from different sources twice per day. The group A calves received colostrum from their own dam and the group B calves were fed foster dam colostrum. Each pair of group A and group B calves were fed identical colostrum from the same milking of the corresponding group A dam for 3 d and then bulk tank milk for 7 d after birth. Group C calves were fed only 2L of "pooled colostrum" from multiple dams d 0 to 4 postpartum, and then fed bulk tank milk thereafter for 7 d after birth. The groups were fed colostrum from different sources and different amounts to assess possible miRNA absorption from the colostrum. All miRNAs were at the highest level in colostrum at d 0 and then decreased rapidly after d 1. The level of miR-150 had the largest decrease from 489 × 106 copies/µL (d 0) to 78 × 106 copies/µL (d 1). MicroRNA-223 and miR-155 were the most abundant in both colostrum and milk. Dam colostrum had significantly higher levels of miR-142-5p, miR-155, and miR-181a than the bulk tank milk. However, only the miR-155 concentration was significantly higher in the dam colostrum than in the pooled colostrum. The concentrations of miRNAs in the colostrum were less than in the cow blood (100- to 1,000-fold less). There was no significant correlation between the level of miRNAs in the dam blood and their colostrum, suggesting that miRNA is synthesized locally by the mammary gland rather than being transferred from the blood. MicroRNA-223 had the highest level in both calf and cow blood compared with the other 4 immune-related miRNAs. Calves were born with high levels of immune-related miRNAs in their blood, and there were no significant differences in miRNA levels between the 3 calf groups at birth or after they were fed different colostrum. This suggests that these miRNAs were not transferred from the colostrum to the newborn calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cow signs are behavioral, physiological, and management parameters that can be observed and measured. Cow signs can be used as a field approach to evaluate the composition of the ration, the quality of rumen fermentation, the quality of digestion, and the general herd health of cattle of interest. This review of cow signs associated with nutrition provides farm advisors, consultants, nutritionists, practitioners, and dairy farmers with an additional toolkit that can be used to improve the assessment of the quality of dairy cattle nutrition. 'Cow signs' are not to be used alone as a sole tool for assessment of the quality or nutrition of dairy cows. Some of the 'cow signs' are incorporated in precision technologies on many dairy farms and are extensively used in the assessment of dairy cow welfare, health, and nutrition. The aim of this review is to provide dairy farm advisors, consultants, nutritionists, practitioners, and their dairy farmer clients with an additional toolkit that can be used in the assessment of the quality of their dairy cattle nutrition. Cow signs are behavioral, physiological, and management parameters that can be observed and measured. They are detected by examining and observing the cattle. Other physiological parameters such as fecal scoring, rumen fill, and body condition scoring are also included in 'cow signs'. The assessment should be both qualitative and quantitative; for example, is the cattle individual lame and what is the severity of lameness. The 'diagnosis' of a problem should be based on establishing a farm profile of 'cow signs' and other relevant information. Information gathered through assessment of cow signs should be used as an advisory tool to assist and improve decision making. Cow signs can be used as part of an investigation and or farm audit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The lighter a piglet is the worse is their ability to keep warm after birth. If they cannot recover from the reduction in temperature from in the womb to the crate they are at higher risk of hypothermia and death. A study was undertaken to investigate if providing them with a warm saline injection could improve their temperature over the first 24 h of life and their survival to weaning. Results show that lightweight piglets who received warmed saline had higher rectal temperatures at 24 h, increased colostrum intake, and greater survival at d 20. Piglets are poor at thermoregulation immediately following birth and take up to 24 h to recover from their initial temperature drop. The present study aimed to determine if providing piglets with a 15 mL intraperitoneal injection of warm (45 °C) saline at birth would improve their internal temperature recovery to 24 h of age, and how the treatment interacted with birth weight (BWC = 1; ≤0.80 kg, BWC = 2; 0.81 kg to 1.10 kg, and BWC = 3; >1.10 kg), rectal temperature at 1.5 h (RC = 1; ≤32.0 °C, RC = 2; 32.10 °C to 35.0 °C, and RC = 3; ≥35.10 °C), and colostrum intake (CI = 1; <200 g and CI = 2, ≥200 g) to affect preweaning survival. Treated BWC1 piglets had improved rectal temperatures from 2 to 24 h. BWC3 piglets who consumed insufficient colostrum also had improved rectal temperature between 1 and 24 h post-birth. Colostrum intake was improved with saline injection in BWC2 piglets of RC1 and RC3 (p < 0.001) and BWC3-RC3 piglets (p < 0.001). Treated BWC1 improved survival to 20 d (p < 0.001). Irrespective of BWC, piglets from all RC had greater survival when injected with saline. The greatest difference was for piglets in RC1, likely due to all BWC1 piglets falling within this category. The results suggest that an intraperitoneal injection of warmed saline is an effective way to improve piglet temperature recovery to 24 h, colostrum intake, and survival in low-birth-weight piglets. These findings will be helpful for producers who have large numbers of low-birth-weight piglets born and are able to provide individual care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: Weaning stress in piglets often leads to intestinal damage, inflammation, and subsequent problems, including diarrhea and hindered growth. While antimicrobials have been utilized to mitigate these side effects, concerns regarding antibiotic resistance necessitate the exploration of alternatives. Purified seaweed extracts, notably fucoidan, exhibit promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of administering a preweaning highly purified fucoidan drench to piglets on post-weaning growth, immune response, and intestinal morphology. Results demonstrated that the preweaning fucoidan drench did not elicit adverse effects on piglets. However, neither preweaning fucoidan nor an antimicrobial drench improved growth, immune response, or intestinal morphology compared to the control-treated piglets. Further research should focus on refining preweaning administrative protocols and employing commercial models to comprehensively assess fucoidan's potential to promote the health and productivity of weaner piglets and, ultimately, reduce the industry's reliance on antimicrobials. Weaning stress imposes considerable physiological challenges on piglets, often manifesting in intestinal disturbances, such as inflammation and compromised barrier function, ultimately affecting growth and health outcomes. While conventional interventions, including antimicrobials, have effectively mitigated these sequelae, concerns surrounding antimicrobial resistance necessitate the exploration of alternatives. Fucoidan, derived from brown seaweed, offers promise due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Previous research has been limited to the in-feed supplementation of partially purified fucoidan extracted from brown seaweed. The focus of the present study is assessing the effect of a preweaning drench with highly purified (85%) fucoidan on piglet growth, immune response, and intestinal morphology post-weaning. Forty-eight male piglets at 17 ± 3 days of age (5.67 ± 0.16 kg) were assigned to a saline (control), fucoidan, or antimicrobial group, receiving treatment as a single 18 mL oral drench three days before weaning. Monitoring for seven days post-weaning included body weight measurements, blood sample collection for the inflammatory protein assay, and small intestine morphological analysis. The findings revealed that the preweaning fucoidan drench did not elicit adverse effects on piglets. However, neither fucoidan nor antimicrobial drenches significantly enhanced growth parameters, immune markers, or intestinal morphology compared to that of the control-treated piglets (p > 0.05). The lack of response may be attributed to the high health status of the experimental cohort and the limitation of a single dosage. Future research should consider a more challenging production setting to evaluate the viability and optimal application of fucoidan as an antimicrobial alternative in the pig industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to provide a rapid, accurate and cost-effective diagnostic real time polymerase chain reaction-high resolution melting curve assay (PCR-HRM) to identify and distinguish between four different mycoplasmas and Acholeplasma laidlawii isolated at cow-level from a single commercial dairy farm in South Australia. One set of genus-level universal primers was designed targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Results: Real time PCR-HRM analysis was able to identify and distinguish between five different mollicutes, namely A. laidlawii, M. arginini, M. bovirhinis, M. bovis and uncultured Mycoplasma. Results were confirmed through sequencing. Our developed assay provides rapid and accurate screening for Mycoplasma mastitis detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the present study, we tested whether supplementing dietary calcium for older sows would increase their blood calcium concentrations and decrease the incidence of stillbirths. We found that the increased dietary calcium did not influence blood calcium concentrations or the incidence of stillbirths. However, regardless of treatment, sows with low levels of calcium were associated with an increased incidence of stillbirths. In order to minimize stillbirths, sow nutritional management must aim to maintain adequate serum calcium concentrations. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of daily calcium chloride (CaCl2) supplementation from day of entry into the farrowing house until day of farrowing (6.4 ± 0.3 d) on stillbirth rates. Landrace × Large White sows (parities 4 to 6; n = 53) were offered 40 g/d CaCl2 (n = 28) or served as controls (n = 25). The morning before their estimated farrowing date, a blood sample was obtained from 25 sows for calcium measurement and a urine sample from 22 sows for pH measurement. The feeding of CaCl2 decreased urinary pH compared to the control group (p < 0.001), indicative of an induced metabolic acidosis, but there was no effect of feeding CaCl2 on serum calcium concentrations or the incidence of stillbirths. Nonetheless, regardless of treatment, sows with higher serum calcium concentrations (>2.5 vs. <2.5 mmol) or lower urine pH (<7.0 vs. >7.0) had fewer stillborn piglets (p < 0.001 for both). While showing that low serum calcium levels will increase stillbirth rates, our data indicate that the administration of 40 g/d CaCl2 for 6 d prior to farrowing was not sufficient to increase serum calcium or decrease stillbirth incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine mastitis is an important animal production disease that affects the dairy industry globally. Studies have estimated the prevalence of this disease in approximately 30% of African countries, with the highest prevalence found in Ethiopia. This is despite the wide cattle distribution in Africa, and the largest number of dairy farms and herds in countries such as South Africa, Kenya and Uganda. Furthermore, the estimated financial losses due to direct and indirect impacts of bovine mastitis are lacking in this continent. Therefore, intensive research efforts will help determine the continent-wide economic impacts and advance careful monitoring of disease prevalence and epidemiology. Here, published cases supporting the occurrence and importance of bovine mastitis in certain regions of Africa are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Surface temperature recording has shown promise in older pigs and in piglets but only under controlled conditions. The aim of this experiment was to compare surface temperatures using an infrared thermal camera (pointer), verified by the maximum temperature from the thermal images extracted by an algorithm (MATLAB®R2020), at the base, tip of ear, or eye, with rectal temperature under production conditions. The influence of bodyweight (BWC1; ≤0.80 kg, BWC2; 0.81 kg to 1.10 kg and BWC3; >1.10 kg), time post-partum (0 and 24 h) and colostrum intake (CI1; <200 g and CI2, ≥200 g) were investigated. Ear tip pointer temperatures showed low correlations with rectal temperature (r < 0.39; P = 0.20). Both the ear base and eye had moderate correlations (r = 0.53 and 0.55, respectively; P < 0.001 for both) to rectal temperature, and high correlations between pointer and extracted values (r = 0.73 and 0.82, respectively; P < 0.001 for both). At birth, eye temperatures had a moderate correlation with rectal temperature. The extracted eye, but not rectal or ear base, temperatures were higher (P = 0.01) in piglets consuming greater amounts of colostrum. In contrast to research settings, production conditions are highly variable and increase the inaccuracy of the surface temperature recordings. Therefore, overall, surface temperatures were not appropriate for commercial application in neonatal piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lameness has long been one of the three major economic disorders, particularly in dairy cattle. Thin soles, excessive wear of the soles, are only one reason for lameness. Their occurrence varies from farm to farm. Outbreaks may occur on intensively managed dairy farms, particularly on pasture-based systems. However, the disorder has been recognised in housed dairy and feed-lotted beef cows. Typically, thin soles are seen in dairy cows in early lactation exposed to wet conditions at claw level and long walking distances. Abrasive material/s on the walking surfaces and feeding platforms usually speed up the process of excessive wear. Excessive sole wear may be expected in new or re-concreted milking parlours and yards. The new concrete is very abrasive. In such situations, more than half of the herd may develop lameness within a few weeks from exposure to the new/re-concreted area (popularly referred to as ‘new concrete disease’). Early signs of thin soles include a slow, painful gait. The walking style is often described as ‘walking on egg shells’. Milk production is lowered at individual cow and group level. On clinical examination the dorsal wall of the claw is short and the sole is flexible on thumb pressure. Haemorrhages in all claw zones may be present. The incidence of sole ulcers, white line disease, toe ulcers, subsolar abscess and osteitis of the third phalanx is often increased. Control should aim to prevent excessive wear, early detection of the affected cows and improve the claw horn quality. This article discusses the thin sole disorder not addressing that caused by over trimming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes few steps of the application of the modified Calgary-Cambridge Guides (CCG) to consultations in bovine medicine. A review of pertinent clinical communication skills literature in human medicine was integrated with the burgeoning research within veterinary medicine. In particular, there are more recent studies examining companion animal veterinarian's communication skills and outcomes which can be extrapolated to practitioners. This was integrated into a teaching example of a reproductive case consultation. The first article deals with the 1) Preparation, 2) Initiating the Session and 3) Gathering Information sections. The aim of the modified CCG is to provide a set of skills tofacilitate a relationship-centred approach to consultations in bovine medicine, both at the individual animal and population level. They were initially developed for human medicine and expanded recently for use in veterinary medicine. The CCG enable the practitioner tofacilitate interacting with that particular client at the time of the consultation. It is likely that the majority of practitioners do use many of the skills recommended by the modified CCG. These skills are often gained through experience. However, they may not use the skills intentionally and with purpose for a specific communication goal or outcome. Practitioners can improve their communication skills using the set of skills as recommended by the modified CCG. They allow the practitioner to gain insight into the client's understanding of the problem, including underlying aetiology, epidemiology and pathophysiology. The guides also provide opportunity to understand client's expectations regarding the outcome, motivation and willingness to change and adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback is essential for the development of veterinary medical learners. This review explores the theory and practical use of feedback in the modern clinical teaching environment. Our purpose is to assist veterinary teaching institutions engage in effective feedback exchange between instructors and learners. Based on literature evidence, quality feedback requires training for both learners and instructors. Effectively executed feedback should be a powerful learning and teaching tool in the development of competencies of the learner. Following the theoretical discussion, we propose a method for delivering scheduled feedback sessions to veterinary medical learners. This differs from 'on-the-go' feedback during each clinical encounter, which we have discussed in a previous article related to the use of the five microskills in clinical teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Early identification of poor-performing and non-viable piglets is important for effective interventions. Weight has been the consistently used indicator of likely survival in commercial production. We found that piglet survival increased with increasing abdominal circumference (girth) and crown to rump length. When a piglet was proportionately long and wide, they were more likely to be heavier at 24 h and survive until weaning, unless they were a small piglet. Small piglets that were disproportionate were more likely to survive than the proportionate small piglets, especially when they consumed more than 200 g of colostrum. We suggest that the girth and length of the piglet should be used when making production decisions for small piglets. The morphological measures, crown-to-rump length (CR), and abdominal circumference (AC) have been suggested to be as good, if not better, than birth weight for predicting piglet performance. We explored the relationships between CR and AC, and piglet weights at birth and 24 h, to investigate their predictive value for piglet survival. Piglet weight and AC at birth and 24 h, and CR at 24 h were recorded for 373 piglets born to 31 sows. Morphological measures were categorised into two levels for weight and three levels for AC and CR. Further, AC and CR groupings were concatenated to create a new variable (PigProp) to describe the proportionality of piglet morphology. Proportionate piglets had equal CR and AC levels, and disproportionate piglets had contrasting levels. Birth AC was a good predictor of colostrum intake (p < 0.001) when accounting for birth weight, but 24 h weight and PigProp were good indicators of actual colostrum intake (p < 0.001 for both). The significant interaction of colostrum and PigProp showed that within the smaller piglet groups, those who had greater than 200 g of colostrum had higher 24 h weight and survival (p < 0.001 both). As expected, as body weight and colostrum intake increased, so did weight change to d 21 (P = 0.03 and trend at p = 0.1, respectively). A similar pattern was seen with increasing PigProp group (p < 0.001); however, piglets from the disproportionate group 1,3 had the greatest observed weight change (5.15 ± 0.06 kg). Our data show morphological measures may be more predictive of piglet viability in terms of both performance and survival than weight and there may be subgroups that have higher than expected chances of survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, part 2 of a 2-part series, describes the next two steps in the application of the Modified Calgary-Cambridge Guides (MCCG) to consultations in bovine medicine, 'explanation and planning', and 'closing the consultation', and introduces concepts that are associated with all the components of the guide, 'building the relationship with the client' and 'providing structure to the consultation'. Part 1 introduced the aim and framework of the MCCG which enables the practitioner to gain an insight into the client's understanding of the problem, including understanding aetiology, epidemiology and pathophysiology. Part 2 introduces the framework that provides the opportunity to understand the client's expectations regarding the outcome, their motivation and willingness to adhere to recommendations. It also describes how to engage and acknowledge the client as an important part of the decision-making process, how to establish responsibilities of both the client and practitioner, and how to reach out to the client at the conclusion of the consultation to make certain that the client's expectations were met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colostrum quality is generally defined by the IgG concentration in colostrum, and many methods have been used to assess it. Methods to measure colostrum quality both in the laboratory and in the field have been validated in cattle; however, this is only a recent topic of interest for sheep colostrum. Laboratory-based methods are often time consuming and require trained personnel compared with new handheld evaluation tools such as the digital Brix refractometer, which gives real-time results. The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate the relationship between the digital Brix refractometer and constituents indicative of quality (IgG, protein, fat, and lactose) in colostrum and transition milk, and (2) determine an appropriate Brix % cut-off value for the Brix refractometer in sheep colostrum and transition milk. The study used 50 colostrum samples (collected at 0 h postpartum, before lambs' sucking) and 169 transitional milk samples (collected at 4 and 24 h postpartum, after lambs had sucked) collected over 6 lambing trials in 2 years (2019 and 2020). We concluded that the Brix refractometer results correlated weakly with IgG concentration determined by radial immunodiffusion assay in colostrum collected at 0 h postpartum (r = 0.11) and in transition milk collected at 4 h postpartum (r = 0.12); however, a moderate to strong correlation was shown in transition milk samples collected at 24 h (r = 0.66). Brix % was significantly correlated with fat %, lactose %, and protein % at all timepoints. To determine an appropriate Brix % cut-off value indicating an IgG concentration of 20 mg/mL, we analyzed sensitivity and specificity of the Brix refractometer at 0, 4, and 24 h. In samples collected at 0 and 4 h, the highest combination of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy was achieved at a Brix % cut-off value of 29%; in samples collected at 24 h postpartum, a Brix % cut-off value of 27% gave the highest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Overall, the Brix refractometer has potential as a useful in-field tool for researchers and producers in both extensively and intensively managed flocks to measure and determine the quality of sheep colostrum and transition milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐temperature short‐time (HTST) pasteurisation is not sufficient for complete elimination of Bacillus sp. in milk. Hence, it is important to assess their prevalence, phenotypic and genetic antimicrobial resistance profiles in pasteurised milk. In this study, we investigated Bacillus prevalence and their phenotypic resistance to 25 antimicrobials and prevalence of five plasmid antimicrobial resistance genes. All isolates were resistant to β‐lactams; most isolates were susceptible to chloramphenicol (n = 52), ciprofloxacin, meropenem, sulphonamides, tetracycline and vancomycin (n = 56). Intriguingly, despite phenotypic sulphonamide and tetracycline sensitivity, Sul2 and tetA genes were detected in different Bacillus species, signifying a potential risk of horizontal gene transfer of these mobile resistance genes through pasteurised milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review explores the practical use of the (Observer)—Reporter—Interpreter—Manager—Expert ((O)RIME) model in the assessment of clinical reasoning skills and for the potential to provide effective feedback that can be used in clinical teaching of veterinary learners. For descriptive purposes, we will use the examples of bovine left displaced abomasum and apparently anestric cow. Bearing in mind that the primary purpose of effective clinical teaching is to prepare graduates for a successful career in clinical practice, all effort should be made to have veterinary learners, at graduation, achieve a minimum of Manager level competency in clinical encounters. Contrastingly, there is relatively scant literature concerning clinical teaching in veterinary medicine. There is even less literature available on strategies and frameworks for assessment that can be utilized in the different settings that the veterinary learners are exposed to during their education. Therefore, our intent for this review is to stimulate and/or facilitate discussion and/or research in this important area. The primary aim of preparing this review was to describe a teaching technique not currently used in the teaching of veterinary medicine, with potential to be useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical reasoning is an essential competence of veterinary graduands. It is a complex competence with cognitive, metacognitive, social, and situational activities. The literature on clinical reasoning in veterinary medical education is relatively scarce or focused on theoretical rather than practical applications. In this review, we address the practicality of teaching clinical reasoning to veterinary learners utilizing a practical example of a cow with allergic rhinitis. Learners should be guided through all the domains of clinical reasoning, including concepts, data collection and analysis, take action, and reflection on an encounter. Each of these domains needs to be clearly but concisely explained and practiced repeatedly by learners throughout the veterinary curricula. The teaching of clinical reasoning should start as early in the curriculum as possible, preferably in the pre-clinical years, with a gradual scaffolding and building of complexity before work-based learning begins, with an increase in demanding for advanced clinical reasoning competence. The teaching of clinical reasoning is best performed in specialized sessions and continued as a horizontally and vertically integrated activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the global prevalence of bovine parainfluenza-3 virus (BPI3V) in cattle, a significant pathogen in the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). By systematically reviewing and meta-analysing data from 71 articles across 32 countries, the study reveals variations in BPI3V prevalence based on different detection methods, including antibodies, antigen and nucleic acid detection, and virus isolation. The findings indicate a similar prevalence of BPI3V in cattle with BRDC compared to that in the general cattle population. This research underscores the need for dedicated BPI3V studies to better understand its role within BRDC and inform targeted disease management strategies. Bovine parainfluenza-3 virus (BPI3V) is an important respiratory pathogen in cattle, contributing to syndromes in the bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). Despite its significance, the understanding of its prevalence remains fragmented, especially within the larger framework of BRDC. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the global prevalence of BPI3V in cattle using varied detection methods and to highlight associated risk factors. Of 2187 initially retrieved articles, 71 were selected for analysis, covering 32 countries. Depending on the detection method employed, the meta-analysis revealed significant variations in BPI3V prevalence. In the general cattle population, the highest prevalence was observed using the antibody detection method, with a proportion of 0.64. In contrast, in cattle with BRDC, a prevalence of 0.75 was observed. For the antigen detection method, a prevalence of 0.15 was observed, exclusively in cattle with BRDC. In nucleic acid detection, a prevalence of 0.05 or 0.10 was observed in the general and BRDC cattle populations, respectively. In virus isolation methods, a prevalence of 0.05 or 0.04 was observed in the general and BRDC cattle populations, respectively. These findings highlight the differences in the detection ability of different methods in identifying BPI3V. Other factors, such as country, study year, coinfections, farm size, the presence of respiratory signs, sex, and body weight, may also affect the prevalence. Most studies were anchored within broader BRDC investigations or aimed at detecting other diseases, indicating a potential under-representation of focused BPI3V research. BPI3V plays an important role in BRDC, with its prevalence varying significantly based on the detection methodology. To further understand its unique role within BRDC and pave the way for targeted interventions, there is an evident need for independent, dedicated research on BPI3V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The dairy industry in Australia and New Zealand is pasture-based, therefore, monitoring failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) is challenging. This study involved a systematic literature search and meta-analysis of papers reporting FTPI data from dairy calves within eight days of birth in Australia and New Zealand, until the end of 2022. An overall prevalence of 33% of FTPI in dairy calves in Australasia and a prevalence of 38% at the farm level were calculated from the meta-analysis, comparable to rates observed elsewhere. Factors, such as the frequency of calf removal from the calving area, time of the first colostrum feed after birth, colostrum volume and quality, and other management practices, were found to play a significant role in FTPI in Australasia. Monitoring and minimizing the prevalence of failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) in dairy replacement calves within the first week of life is crucial for calf health and farm profitability. In this study, a systematic literature search and meta-analysis were conducted on papers reporting the prevalence of FTPI in calves from pasture-based dairy farms in Australia and New Zealand. Two search methods, a "traditional method" and a "search engine method", were conducted to identify published studies on FTPI in Australia and New Zealand. Data from a total of 13,430 calves from eight studies in Australasia were included in the analysis for FTPI within 8 days of birth. The meta-analysis revealed that the average prevalence of FTPI was 33% across the two countries, with the lowest FTPI (9%) in Western Australia and the highest FTPI (59%) in New Zealand. Using farm data from three studies, the average prevalence of FTPI at the farm level in Australasia was 38%, with the lowest prevalence found in a farm in South Australia (6%). In conclusion, the meta-analysis confirmed the need for good management of cows and newborn calves after birth in pasture-based systems to reduce FTPI in calves. Collecting newborn calves from pasture at least twice per day after birth and providing colostrum of sufficient quantity and quality as soon as possible were the best practices for preventing FTPI in Australasian dairy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship (entrepreneurial behaviour of employees) foster business innovation and growth and support wealth creation and employment in both privately owned and corporate businesses such as those that deliver contemporary veterinary services. Yet we know little about the propensity for entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship of entrants to the veterinary sector. In our study population of veterinary science, entrepreneurship, and human nursing final-year students, veterinary respondents stood out overall for their high entrepreneurial intention and outcome expectations of business ownership but low financial self-efficacy and corporate work intentions. These findings raise questions about (i) the effectiveness of veterinary business curricula which focus on expense management and (ii) the goals and expectations of new entrants to the veterinary sector. However, cluster analysis of responses to these measures revealed that 28.8% of veterinary respondents were entrepreneurial, 17.8% entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial (particularly men), and 13.1% intrapreneurial only (i.e., ~31% intrapreneurial), signalling the opportunities and risks for large veterinary businesses to harness these individuals and their intrapreneurial tendencies. Post hoc analysis revealed cluster differences per veterinary school. To inform curricular change, we recommend further research to evaluate the relative impact of individual factors, admissions factors, and the formal or hidden curricula on entrepreneurial intention in veterinary final-year students. Little is known about veterinary entrepreneurial predisposition. Yet entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship (entrepreneurial behaviour of employees) foster business innovation and growth and support wealth creation and employment in both privately and corporately owned businesses which deliver contemporary veterinary services. We used responses from 515 final-year students in Australian entrepreneurship, nursing, and veterinary programs to capture entrepreneurial intention (EI), outcome expectations (OE-sb), entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), and corporate/large organisation work intentions (CWIs). Veterinary respondents stood out for their high EI and high OE-sb, but low financial ESE and low CWI. Proportions of veterinary, entrepreneurship, and nursing respondents differed markedly across distinct cluster profiles representing entrepreneurial, intrapreneurial, both entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial, indifferent, and corporate employment intentions and attributes. Post hoc analysis revealed proportional cluster membership differences for respondents from different veterinary schools. Our findings raise questions regarding (1) the effectiveness of veterinary business curricula competencies which focus on expense management and (2) the implications of the mismatch of motivations and goals of new veterinary sector entrants whose low intent to work in a corporate environment is at odds with increasing corporate ownership of veterinary practices. To inform curricular change, we recommend further research to evaluate the relative impact of individual factors, admissions factors, and the formal or hidden curricula on entrepreneurial intention in veterinary final-year students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Calves are born with an underdeveloped immune system, and therefore must absorb immune components, such as immunoglobulins, from their dam's first milk (colostrum) to help fight infectious disease. If they do not receive enough good-quality colostrum within 24 h of birth, their immune status is compromised, and they are more likely to have poor growth and health in their first 12 weeks of life. Colostral immunoglobulin uptake can be estimated by measuring serum total protein with a digital refractometer in calves 1–7 days of age. The aim of this study was to estimate the uptake of colostral immunoglobulin in female dairy calves from five pasture-based dairies in the southeast of South Australia to evaluate the proportion of calves that did not receive an adequate amount of colostrum. The objective of this observational study was to estimate the incidence of inadequate transfer of passive immunity (ITPI) on five pasture-based dairy farms in South Australia. Heifer calf uptake of colostrum was evaluated within the first 1–7 days of age (n = 2638) using a digital refractometer to estimate each calf's serum total protein concentration, as an indicator of colostrum uptake. Results of <51 g/L indicated inadequate transfer of passive immunity (ITPI). The data showed that the incidence of ITPI on the farms was 6.5%, 31.3%, 48.8%, 49.7% and 52.4%. The incidence of ITPI was calculated in relation to the age of the calf at testing and the breed of calf, and no significant differences were found. A significant difference was found in the incidence of ITPI when comparing the calf's first feed after separation from the dam (colostrum versus a colostrum-transition milk mixture). The farm with the lowest incidence of ITPI collected calves twice a day, measured colostrum quality on farm with a Brix refractometer and ensured that each calf received an appropriate amount of high-quality colostrum soon after collection. Further studies are required to establish the risk factors of ITPI in South Australian dairy heifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) enterococci is a global public and animal health concern. Due to a fear of their spread to humans, the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) in enterococci in agricultural production creates controversy between the producers and consumers. The aim of this study was to characterize the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant enterococci isolated from beef cattle in South Australia at two time points, the entry and the exit (at slaughter). Overall, the AMR prevalence remained largely static between the entry and the exit except for the increased resistance to nitrofurantoin and quinupristin/dalfopristin in the absence of antimicrobial selection pressure. Therefore, regular monitoring of AMR is essential to combat the antimicrobial-resistant infections. Enterococcus faecium are commensal bacteria inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans and an important cause of drug-resistant nosocomial infections. This longitudinal study aimed to determine whether changes in the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotype and genotype occurred among Enterococcus spp. isolated from cattle rectal samples obtained at the entry to and exit from an Australian feedlot. The samples obtained at the feedlot induction yielded enterococci (104/150; 69.3%), speciated as E. hirae (90/104; 86.5%), E. faecium (9/104; 8.7%), E. mundtii (3/104; 2.9%), E. durans, and E. casseliflavus (1/104; 1.0% each). AMR was observed to lincomycin (63/104; 60.6%), daptomycin (26/104; 25.0%), nitrofurantoin (9/104; 8.7%), ciprofloxacin (7/104; 6.7%), tetracycline (5/104; 4.8%), tigecycline (4/104; 3.9%), and quinupristin/dalfopristin (3/104; 2.9%). From the rectal swab samples collected at the abattoir from the same animals (i.e., the feedlot exit), the enterococci recovery was significantly higher (144/150; 96.0%), with a marked shift in species distribution dominated by E. faecium (117/144; 81.3%). However, the prevalence of AMR to individual antimicrobials remained largely static between the entry and exit except for the increased resistance to nitrofurantoin (77/144; 53.5%) and quinupristin/dalfopristin (26/144; 18.1%). Overall, 13 AMR genes were observed among the 62 E. faecium isolates. These included aac(6′)Ii, aac(6′)-Iid, and ant(6)-Ia (aminoglycosides); eatAv, lnu(G), vat(E), msr(C), and erm(B) (macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramins); efmA (fluoroquinolones); and tet(45), tet(L), tet(M), and tet(S) (tetracyclines). The results confirm the presence of fluoroquinolone- and streptogramin-resistant enterococci in cattle faeces at the feedlot entry in the absence of antimicrobial selection pressure. E. faecium, exhibiting increased nitrofurantoin resistance, became the dominant Enterococcus spp. during the feeding period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess a phage‐displayed MilA protein of Myc. bovis in an indirect ELISA for the detection of Myc. bovis antibodies in milk samples. Methods and Results: The desired sequence of milA gene was synthesized and cloned into pCANTAB‐F12 phagemid vector. The expression of the MilA on the phage surface was confirmed by Western blotting. The recombinant phage was used in the development of an indirect ELISA to detect Myc. bovis antibodies in milk samples. There was a significant agreement between the results of phage‐based ELISA and recombinant GST‐MilA ELISA for the detection of Myc. bovis antibodies in milk samples. Conclusions: The inexpensive and convenient phage‐based ELISA can be used instead of recombinant protein/peptide ELISA as an initial screening of Myc. bovis‐associated mastitis. Significance and Impact of Study: Mastitis associated with Myc. bovis is a continuous and serious problem in the dairy industry. Sero‐monitoring of Myc. bovis infection cases are one of the key factors for surveillance of the infections in dairy farms. Despite the existence of some commercially serological assays for Myc. bovis antibodies, they have some limitations regarding their sensitivity and availability. The development of accurate diagnosis tools could contribute to control programmes of Myc. bovis‐associated mastitis in the dairy herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major concern for animal and human health. The use of antimicrobials is the main factor contributing to the development of AMR in food-producing animals but is unlikely to be the only factor. It is important to determine if antimicrobial use in a feedlot setting contributes to the overall resistance burden and what proportion of animals may already harbour resistant bacteria at feedlot entry. This project aimed to assess the level of AMR in E. coli isolated from beef cattle in South Australia at two time points, the entry and exit (at slaughter) from the beef feedlot. AMR frequency in E. coli isolated from entry compared to exit increased for tetracycline (0 to 17.8%), ampicillin (0.7 to 5.4%), streptomycin (0.7 to 4.7%), and sulfisoxazole (0 to 3.9%). Therefore, the regular inspection of these bacteria and their resistance determinants in food animals would be crucial to tracking changes in AMR and applying control mechanisms. This study investigated the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile of fecal Escherichia coli isolates from beef cattle (n = 150) at entry and exit from an Australian feedlot. Sample plating on MacConkey agar and Brilliance ESBL agar differentiated generic from extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli, respectively. Resistance profiles were determined by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing and further analyzed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). At entry, the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin, streptomycin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was very low (0.7%, each). At the exit, the resistance prevalence was moderate to tetracycline (17.8%) and low to ampicillin (5.4%), streptomycin (4.7%), and sulfisoxazole (3.9%). The most common AMR genes observed in phenotypically resistant isolates were tet(B) (43.2%), aph(3″)-Ib and aph(6)-Id (32.4%), blaTEM-1B, and sul2 (24.3%, each), which are responsible for resistance to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, β-lactams, and sulfonamides, respectively. The ESBL-producing E. coli were recovered from one sample (0.7%) obtained at entry and six samples (4.0%) at the exit. The ESBL-producing E. coli harbored blaTEM (29.7%), blaCTX m(13.5%), and blaCMY (5.4%). The resistance phenotypes were highly correlated with resistance genotypes (r ≥ 0.85: p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that E. coli isolated from feedlot beef cattle can harbour AMR genes, but the low incidence of medically important resistance reflected the prudent antimicrobial use in the Australian industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Colostrum contains bioactive components that significantly increases offspring survival. • Colostrum improves development, future production and reproductive efficiency of offspring. • Maternally-derived factors such as parity, nutrition and hormones effects colostrum quality. • Colostrum quality can be assessed using both laboratory assays and hand-held devices. In contrast to pigs and cattle, research focussed on sheep colostrum is limited, especially regarding measuring and defining colostrum quality. Colostrum is the first mammary gland secretion available to offspring and it is accumulated during the last term of gestation. Colostrum is an essential source of nutrition, immunoglobulins and bio-actives, and adequate consumption significantly increases the neonate's chance of surviving the challenging ex utero environment. Colostrum plays an important role during development of the immune system, post-natal growth and thermoregulation, and also mediates the creation of the ewe-lamb bond. In addition to increasing the neonate's ability to survive, access to colostrum during the neonatal period has the potential to improve the future production, development and reproductive efficiency of lambs, as studies in pigs have shown that access to colostrum during the neonatal period promotes maturation of the reproductive tract and increases reproductive efficiency later in life. Colostrum effects many developmental aspects of the neonate therefore, it is important that it is of high quality to ensure maximum future productivity. This review summarises the information currently available on sheep colostrum, including supporting research conducted in cattle and pigs, with particular focus on the impact of colostrum composition and quality on progeny performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colostrum is essential for good neonate health; however, it is not known whether different calves absorb the nutrients from colostrum equally well. In this study, the absorption of protein, IgG, and γ-glutamyl transferase was compared in newborn dairy bull calves for 1 wk after feeding colostrum from different sources. Thirty-five Holstein-Friesian bull calves were randomly allocated into 3 groups and fed colostrum within 4 h after birth. Group A calves (n = 12) were bottle fed colostrum from their own dam for 3 d. Colostrum from these group A cows was also used as foster cow colostrum for the group B calves (n = 12), such that each group A and B calf pair received identical colostrum from each milking of the respective group A dam (10% of birth weight per day). The group C calves (n = 11) were fed 1 bottle (2 L) of pooled colostrum and transition milk (referred to as pooled colostrum), as was the standard practice on the dairy farm. The pooled colostrum was collected from the other dairy cows on the farm 0 to 4 d postpartum and stored at 4°C for less than 12 h. Blood was sampled from calves before the first feeding and at 1, 2, 3, and 7 d after birth. Levels of total solids, total protein, and IgG were higher in the dam colostrum than in the pooled colostrum. At birth, there were no differences between the calf groups for any measurements, and all calves had very low IgG levels. After receiving colostrum, the glucose, plasma γ-glutamyl transferase, serum total protein, and IgG concentrations increased significantly in all calves. There were no differences in any blood measurements at any time point between the pairs of group A and group B calves that received colostrum from the same cow except for the IgG concentration 2 d after birth. However, the group A calves had a higher total serum protein level and IgG concentration than the group C calves for all the time points after the first feeding. The group B calves had a higher IgG concentration than the group C calves on d 1, 2, and 7 after birth. Compared with groups A and B, there was no difference in the proportion of calves in group C that failed to have passive immunity transferred adequately based on the IgG threshold (<10 g/L). Thus, the calves receiving identical colostrum from the same cow had the same levels of IgG, and even the pooled colostrum provided sufficient transfer of IgG as the calves were fed within 4 h after birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the considerable advances that have been made to improve dairy food safety, there is rising concern that pasteurization is not sufficient for the destruction of plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes of resistant bacteria and could stimulate bacteria to enter into a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state. In the current study, we surveyed the prevalence of 1 genomic and 9 plasmid-mediated AMR genes in 100 samples (bulk tank milk and milk filter socks) at the farm level and 152 commercial milk samples (pasteurized and UHT milks) and assessed the VBNC state in dairy bacteria. Results revealed that sul2 was the most prevalent plasmid-mediated gene in milk filter socks (96%), bulk tank milk (48%), pasteurized milk (68%), and UHT (43%) milk; in contrast, mecA was not detected in any sample. Additionally, commercial pasteurization (as currently practiced) failed to decrease the prevalence of the bla TEM-B1 (43%), tetK (30%), and tetA (55%) plasmid-mediated AMR genes; thus, commercial pasteurization may be one of the factors creating the VBNC state in some dairy bacteria. Continued research is necessary to identify bacterial species entering the VBNC state after pasteurization, to assess their potential hazard level and shed more light on the expression and possibility of horizontal gene transfer of those plasmid-mediated AMR genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to detect Mycoplasma bovis specific antibodies using a recently reported MilA ELISA with the aim to detect M. bovis antibodies in milk. An indirect ELISA, based on a recombinant fragment of the Mycoplasma immunogenic lipase A (MilA) protein, was conducted on 291 milk samples for the detection of M. bovis antibodies. Samples were also tested with conventional Mycoplasma culture and M. bovis PCR. Samples were collected from individual cows from 2 commercial dairy herds in South Australia. Of 291 samples tested, 68 (23.4%) were detected positive for M. bovis antibodies, 150 (51.5%) were positive for M. bovis in PCR and 166 (57.0%) in bacterial culture. These results indicate that MilA indirect ELISA can be utilized for the detection of M. bovis antibodies in milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycoplasma mastitis raises significant concerns in the dairy industry worldwide. The study objective was to develop an accurate and rapid screening method for identification of field isolates of Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma species and investigate relative merits of conventional microbial culture versus PCR-based method for detecting Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma species in bovine milk. A total of 368 milk samples collected at individual cow level from a single dairy farm in South Australia, 192 (52%) tested positive for mollicutes using a conventional culturebased method. DNA extracted directly from milk and used for amplification through specifically designed universal mollicutes PCR-based method. Of them, 269 (73%) tested positive. Sequencing results of 30 positive samples targeting the 16S rRNA gene, showed five different mollicutes species involved, including Acholeplasma laidlawii, Acholeplasma axanthum, Mycoplasma arginini, Mycoplasma bovirhinis, Mycoplasma bovis. According to these results, species-specific PCR was conducted on all samples. DNA amplifications using species-specific PCR yielded 256 (70%) positive mollicutes samples. The developed universal PCR demonstrated best concordance with species-specific PCR (Cohen's Kappa = 0.747±0.031). Co-infection by two or more of the above-mentioned mollicutes showed highest prevalence. It is recommended surveying mollicutes using the universal PCR used in this study. The PCR system used in this study showed significant rapidity and sensitivity compared to the conventional bacteriological culture method for screening Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma species in dairy herds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Increasing reports of multidrug‐resistant bacterial infections in animals has created a need for novel antimicrobial agents that do not promote cross‐resistance to critically important antimicrobial classes used in human medicine. In response to the recent emergence of antimicrobial resistance in several bovine mastitis pathogens, in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility was determined for four polyether ionophores (lasalocid, monensin, narasin and salinomycin) against Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. isolated from clinical cases. In addition, erythrocyte haemolysis and WST‐1 cell proliferation assays were used to assess in vitro mammalian cell cytotoxicity and biofilm susceptibility testing was performed using the minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC™) biofilm assay. Lasalocid, monensin, narasin and salinomycin exhibited bacteriostatic antimicrobial activity against all pathogens tested, including methicillin‐resistant staphylococci, with MIC90 values <16 μg/ml. Narasin and monensin displayed the least toxicity against mammalian cell lines and all compounds significantly reduced viable cell numbers in a Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. Based on in vitro characterization, all four ionophores offer potentially novel treatments against bovine mastitis but in vivo studies will be essential to determine whether acceptable safety and efficacy is present following intramammary administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) have recently emerged as a significant cause of bovine mastitis worldwide. Here we describe the isolation of MRCoNS from cases of bovine mastitis from a single dairy farm in Australia. Fourteen CoNS isolates were identified as MRCoNS on the basis of having an oxacillin MIC of ≥0.5 μg/mL. The isolates were speciated as S. chromogenes (n = 1) S. fleurettii (n = 1) , S. haemolyticus (n = 2) , S. sciuri (n = 5) , S. simulans (n = 1) S. succinus (n = 2) and S. xylosus (n = 2). Five of the isolates ( S. fleuretti, S. haemolyticus S. sciuri and two S. succinus ) were mecA -positive. We also detected a previously described S. sciuri mecA homolog in four oxacillin-resistant S. sciuri isolates. The remainder of the putative MRCoNS did not contain any mecA -related resistance determinants in their genomes. Comparative genomic analysis of three previously published S. sciuri isolates, from humans, a squirrel and a cereal crop (rice), and a representative isolate from our study demonstrated clustering and a high degree of genetic homogeneity (>95%), suggesting S. sciuri has low host specificity. In conclusion, CoNS, in particular S. sciuri , may act as a reservoir for SCC mec elements that can easily be spread between different host species by direct cross-infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Currently, there is no consensus protocols regarding the combination of glycerol (GLY), gelatin or foetal bovine serum (FBS) with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) as cryoprotectants for Mycoplasma bovis in bovine milk samples. This study aimed to compare different cryopreservation compounds and storage temperatures for M. bovis. Results: There were significant differences in the survival of M. bovis on different media. Differences were also observed between different storage conditions. All additives improved the survival of M. bovis in comparison to control (CON). The combination of GLY and DMSO was shown to be significantly different to CON with 57.1% (95% CI = 21.43–133.34) and 19.1% (95% CI = 11.73–60.27), respectively at week 16, and its use should be encouraged as a cryoprotectant for M. bovis at − 20 and − 80 °C. GEL/DMSO showed the highest survival rate for M. bovis with 57.14% (95% CI = 21.43–133.34) at 4 °C in comparison with CON 14.29% (95% CI = 9.60–50.39). FBS/DMSO showed the highest survival rate for the short-term preservation similarly to other additives. The evaluated cryopreservative compounds would improve survivability of M. bovis in milk for both transport and long-term storage. Hence, it is recommended to use the mentioned methods for routine transportation or storage purposes for suspicious M. bovis milk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop a predictive model for mastitis incidence, independent from Somatic Cell Count (SCC), to provide an alternative, simple, and cost-effective approach for mastitis risk management based on available milking parameters. The test-day Somatic Cell Count (SCC) is the most common indicator for Sub-Clinical Mastitis (SCM) surveillance in dairy industries worldwide. However, SCC is highly variable between days, raising major concerns for its reliability. This caveat highlights the need for longitudinal/frequent monitoring of SCC and/or developing alternative approaches for SCM surveillance. A considerable proportion of available milking data such as Milk Volume, Protein, Lactose, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Milking Time, and Peak Flow provide the possibility of pattern recognition and model discovery towards mastitis occurrence. Developing a predictive model involves: (1) finding the threshold (cutoff) of different predictive milking parameters and (2) finding the best combination of features that lead to mastitis and their hierarchical pattern/order. Here, in a large-scale study on 346,248 milking records, for the first time, we evaluated four different decision tree algorithms (Decision Tree, Stump Decision Tree, Parallel Decision Tree and Random Forest Decision Tree) with four different criteria (Accuracy, Info Gain, Gini Index and Gain Ratio) run on 11 datasets (original dataset and 10 created datasets by attribute weighting selection algorithms). Therefore, 572 models were evaluated and compared by 10-fold cross validation. The performance of each decision tree in drawing an inverted tree; with the most important feature at the root and less important variables as the leaf; was calculated by 10-fold cross validation. Random Forest Decision Tree with Gini Index criterion was the best model for predicting mastitis from milking parameters with a high accuracy of 90%. Decision Tree models identified a strong pattern for SCM in milking data where all (100%) of cows with low levels of lactose (Lactose ≤ 4.5 g/L) and low milk volume (Volume ≤ 21.7 L) had mastitis. In addition, a significant pattern was found for identifying healthy cows by high levels of lactose (Lactose ≥ 4.5 g/L) and low levels of EC (EC ≤ 5.2). This study doccuments that milking parameters mined by the Decision Tree Random Forest model can be utilised to accurately predict SCM. The findings can be employed to increase the reliability of test-day SCC or as SCC-independent and cost-effective predictors of SCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the simple summary conclusion, "...to combat the antimicrobial-resistant infections" should be replaced with "...to monitor resistance trends in beef cattle". Reference 1 Messele Y.E., Hasoon M.F., Trott D.J., Veltman T., McMeniman J.P., Kidd S.P., Low W.Y., Petrovski K.R. Longitudinal analysis of antimicrobial resistance among Enterococcus species isolated from Australian beef cattle faeces at feedlot entry and exit. Longitudinal Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance among Enterococcus Species Isolated from Australian Beef Cattle Faeces at Feedlot Entry and Exit. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Mycoplasma mastitis is increasingly posing significant impact on dairy industry. Although the effects of major conventional mastitis pathogens on milk components has been widely addressed in the literature, limited data on the effects of different Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma spp. on milk quality and quantity is available. The aim of this study was to determine the casual relationship of Mycoplasma spp. and A. laidlawii to mastitis and compare them to subclinical mastitis caused by conventional mastitis pathogens from a single dairy herd in South Australia; Mycoplasma spp. and A. laidlawii were detected using PCR applied directly to milk samples. The herd had mastitis problem with high somatic cell count and low response rate to conventional antimicrobial therapy. A total of 288 cow-level milk samples were collected aseptically and used in this study. Results: Conventional culture showed a predominance of coagulase-negative staphylococci, followed by coagulasepositive staphylococci, Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., E. coli, and Klebsiella spp. PCR results showed a high prevalence of mycoplasmas (76.7%), including A. laidlawii (10.8%), M. bovis (6.2%), M. bovirhinis (5.6%), M. arginini (2%), and (52.1%) of cows were co-infected with two or more Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma species. Mycoplasma co-infection significantly increased somatic cell counts (SCC) similar to conventional mastitis pathogens and compared to non-infected cows with 389.3, 550.3 and 67.3 respectively; and decreased the milk yield with 29.0, 29.9 and 34.4 l, respectively. Mycoplasma co-infection caused significant increase in protein percentage, and significant decrease in fat percentage and total milk solids, similar to other conventional mastitis pathogens. In contrast, changes in milk composition and yield caused by various individual Mycoplasma species were non-significant. Conclusions: Mycoplasma mastitis had on-farm economic consequences similar to common conventional mastitis pathogens. Results of our study indicate that co-infection Mycoplasma mastitis caused similar effect on milk composition to other mastitis pathogens and we hope these findings raise the awareness of the importance of their detection on routine diagnostic panels.e [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens poses a serious threat to public health worldwide. Recent approaches towards combating antimicrobial resistance include repurposing old compounds with known safety and development pathways as new antibacterial classes with novel mechanisms of action. Here we show that an analog of the anticoccidial drug robenidine (4,6-bis(2-((E)-4-methylbenzylidene)hydrazinyl)pyrimidin-2-amine; NCL195) displays potent bactericidal activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus by disrupting the cell membrane potential. NCL195 was less cytotoxic to mammalian cell lines than the parent compound, showed low metabolic degradation rates by human and mouse liver microsomes, and exhibited high plasma concentration and low plasma clearance rates in mice. NCL195 was bactericidal against Acinetobacter spp and Neisseria meningitidis and also demonstrated potent activity against A. baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter spp. in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and polymyxin B. These findings demonstrate that NCL195 represents a new chemical lead for further medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical development to enhance potency, solubility and selectivity against serious bacterial pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop an in vitro release model for intramammary drug delivery system (IMDS) evaluation. This study was the first to establish an in vitro–in vivo correlation with investigation of an IMDS containing lasalocid. Three different methods including the standard United States Pharmacopeia dissolution method with apparatus 2, a modified United States Pharmacopeia method using a dialysis bag, or a specifically designed enhancer cell system, were assessed for the release study. Full cream milk and water were selected as the release media. In vivo evaluation was carried out by administering lasalocid IMDS into the udder of lactating Holstein dairy cows. Milk samples were collected and analyzed at selected time points after treatment. Dissolution data were fitted to various kinetic models. The results indicated that the release rate of lasalocid from IMDS was controlled by factors other than diffusion, which could include the sedimentation of lasalocid to the interface and the wetting of lasalocid particles by water at the interface of oil in the formulation and release media. The results obtained in vivo and in vitro were consistent. The in vitro assessment supports formulation design for early stage development and potentially for in vivo performance analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Invisible (subclinical) mastitis decreases milk quality and production. Invisible mastitis is linked to an increased use of antimicrobials. The risk of the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is a major public health concern worldwide. Therefore, early detection of infected cows is of great importance. Machine learning has opened a new avenue for early mastitis prediction based on simple and accessible milking parameters, such as milk volume, fat, protein, lactose, electrical conductivity (EC), milking time, and milking peak flow. However, farm heterogeneity is a major challenge where multiple patterns can predict mastitis. Here, we employed a classification based on associations and scaling approach for multiple pattern discovery over multiple years. The approach we have developed helps to address farm heterogeneity and generalise machine learning-based diagnosis of mastitis worldwide. Subclinical mastitis, an economically challenging disease of dairy cattle, is associated with an increased use of antimicrobials which reduces milk quantity and quality. It is more common than clinical mastitis and far more difficult to detect. Recently, much attention has been paid to the development of machine-learning expert systems for early detection of subclinical mastitis from milking features. However, differences between animals within a farm as well as between farms, particularly across multiple years, are major obstacles to the generalisation of machine learning models. Here, for the first time, we integrated scaling by quartiling with classification based on associations in a multi-year study to deal with farm heterogeneity by discovery of multiple patterns towards mastitis. The data were obtained from one farm comprising Holstein Friesian cows in Ongaonga, New Zealand, using an electronic automated monitoring system. The data collection was repeated annually over 3 consecutive years. Some discovered rules, such as when the milking peak flow is low, electrical conductivity (EC) of milk is low, milk lactose is low, milk fat is high, and milk volume is low, the cow has subclinical mastitis, reached high confidence (>70%) in multiple years. On averages, over 3 years, low level of milk lactose and high value of milk EC were part of 93% and 83.8% of all subclinical mastitis detecting rules, offering a reproducible pattern of subclinical mastitis detection. The scaled year-independent combinational rules provide an easy-to-apply and cost-effective machine-learning expert system for early detection of hidden mastitis using milking parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]