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Human illness due to infections with Escherichia coli O157 is a serious health concern. Infection occurs through direct contact with infected animals or their faeces, through contaminated food or water and/or through person-to-person transmission. A reduction in faecal E. coli O157 shedding in cattle might reduce the burden of human infections. We used systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of direct-fed microbials ( DFM), compared with placebo or no treatment, fed during the pre-harvest stage of production in reducing faecal E. coli O157 shedding in beef cattle during field trials. Four electronic databases, Nebraska Beef Reports and review article reference lists were searched. A total of 16 publications assessing faecal shedding at the end of the trial and/or throughout the trial period were included. The majority of publicly disseminated trials evaluated the prevalence of E. coli O157 faecal shedding; only two evaluated the concentration of organisms in faeces. The prevalence of faecal E. coli O157 shedding in cattle is significantly reduced by DFM treatments (summary effect size for all DFM - OR = 0.46; CI = 0.36-0.60). The DFM combination Lactobacillus acidophilus ( NP51) and Propionibacterium freudenreichii ( NP24) was more efficacious in reducing the prevalence of faecal E. coli O157 shedding at the time of harvest and throughout the trial period compared with the group of other DFM, although this difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, we found that the combination [ NP51 and NP24] treatment was more efficacious in reducing the prevalence of faecal E. coli O157 shedding at the time of harvest and throughout the trial period when fed at the dose of 109 CFU/animal/day than any lesser amount, although this difference was not statistically significant. Feeding beef cattle DFM during the pre-harvest stage of production reduces the prevalence of E. coli O157 faecal shedding and might effectively reduce human infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Q fever in humans and coxiellosis in livestock are both caused by Coxiella burnetii. The public health importance of vaccination against C. burnetii shedding from sheep and goats was evaluated using systematic review and meta-analysis to provide evidence for policy direction to prevent potential zoonotic spread. Publications reporting shedding of C. burnetii in vaginal and uterine secretions, milk, placenta and faeces were included. A single observational (one goat) and seven experimental (four goat and three sheep) vaccine studies were included in the review. No relevant publications on other interventions were identified. Random effects meta-analyses were performed for the risk of shedding in individuals in the control and vaccinated groups and for the mean difference in the level of bacterial shedding in sheep and goats stratified by age and previous exposure status. Limited data were available for further analytic evaluation. From the pooled analysis, an inactivated phase I vaccine significantly reduced the risk of shedding from uterine ( RR = 0.10; 95% CI 0.05-0.20) secretions in previously sensitized goats. Individual studies reported significant risk reduction in milk ( RR = 0.03; 95% CI 0.01-0.26), vaginal secretions ( RR = 0.40; 95% CI 0.22-0.75) and faeces ( RR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.63-0.97) from naïve goats. The pooled mean levels of bacteria shed from placental [mean difference ( MD = −5.24 Log10; 95% CI −6.75 to −3.7)] and vaginal ( MD = −1.78 Log10; 95% CI −2.19 to −1.38) routes were significantly decreased in vaccinated naïve goats compared with controls. Shedding through all other routes from vaccinated goats was not significantly different than shedding from control goats. No effect of vaccination was found on the risk of shedding or the mean level of shedding in vaccinated sheep compared with control sheep. Our conclusions are based on a limited amount of data with variable risk of systematic error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing zoonotic pathogens in food animals prior to harvest will reduce the pathogen burden that enters the food chain and the environment. Consequently, the burden of enteric illness in humans may be reduced. Evaluating interventions to reduce a pathogen in animals often begins with challenge trials, in which animals are deliberately exposed to the pathogen under controlled conditions. Challenge trials are subsequently followed by field trials, also known as randomized controlled trials, in which the animals are naturally exposed to the pathogen. Challenge trials can most effectively inform field trials only if they precede field trials, are robust, internally valid and transparently reported. Using systematic review and meta-analysis methodology, we examined the pre-harvest food safety literature for three intervention-pathogen-species combinations: probiotics/competitive exclusion products in ruminants to reduce Escherichia coli O157 shedding, vaccines in ruminants to reduce E. coli O157 shedding and vaccines in swine to reduce Salmonella shedding. We examined two outcomes, prevalence of faecal shedding at the end of the trial and prevalence of faecal shedding throughout the trial period, to compare challenge trials and field trials. We found that challenge trials occurred concurrently with field trials, challenge trials suffered from reporting deficiencies of methodological features, challenge trials tended to report a more favourable outcome than field trials, and there was some evidence of publication bias among all three intervention-pathogen-species combinations. Challenge trials would better serve to inform field trials if they precede field trials, are methodologically sound, include transparent reporting and are published regardless of their results. In addition, due to our findings of greater efficacy reported among challenge trials compared with field trials, risk models predicting the public health benefits of pre-harvest interventions to reduce zoonotic pathogens in livestock might be best served by field trial results alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-microbial resistance can threaten health by limiting treatment options and increasing the risk of hospitalization and severity of infection. Companion animals can shed anti-microbial-resistant bacteria that may result in the exposure of other dogs and humans to anti-microbial-resistant genes. The prevalence of anti-microbial-resistant generic Escherichia coli in the faeces of dogs that visited dog parks in south-western Ontario was examined and risk factors for shedding anti-microbial-resistant generic E. coli identified. From May to August 2009, canine faecal samples were collected at ten dog parks in three cities in south-western Ontario, Canada. Owners completed a questionnaire related to pet characteristics and management factors including recent treatment with antibiotics. Faecal samples were collected from 251 dogs, and 189 surveys were completed. Generic E. coli was isolated from 237 of the faecal samples, and up to three isolates per sample were tested for anti-microbial susceptibility. Eighty-nine percent of isolates were pan-susceptible; 82.3% of dogs shed isolates that were pan-susceptible. Multiclass resistance was detected in 7.2% of the isolates from 10.1% of the dogs. Based on multilevel multivariable logistic regression, a risk factor for the shedding of generic E. coli resistant to ampicillin was attending dog day care. Risk factors for the shedding of E. coli resistant to at least one anti-microbial included attending dog day care and being a large mixed breed dog, whereas consumption of commercial dry and home cooked diets was protective factor. In a multilevel multivariable model for the shedding of multiclass-resistant E. coli, exposure to compost and being a large mixed breed dog were risk factors, while consumption of a commercial dry diet was a sparing factor. Pet dogs are a potential reservoir of anti-microbial-resistant generic E. coli; some dog characteristics and management factors are associated with the prevalence of anti-microbial-resistant generic E. coli in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An estimated 6 million pet dogs live in Canadian households with the potential to transmit zoonotic pathogens to humans. Dogs have been identified as carriers of Salmonella, Giardia and Campylobacter spp., particularly Campylobacter upsaliensis, but little is known about the prevalence and risk factors for these pathogens in pet dogs that visit dog parks. This study examined the prevalence of these organisms in the faeces of dogs visiting dog parks in three cities in south-western Ontario, as well as risk factors for shedding Campylobacter spp. and C. upsaliensis. From May to August 2009, canine faecal samples were collected at ten dog parks in the cities of Guelph and Kitchener- Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Owners were asked to complete a questionnaire related to pet characteristics and management factors including age, diet and activities in which the dog participates. Faecal samples were collected from 251 dogs, and 189 questionnaires were completed. Salmonella, Giardia and Campylobacter spp. were present in 1.2%, 6.4% and 43.0% of faecal samples, respectively. Of the Campylobacter spp. detected, 86.1% were C. upsaliensis, 13% were C. jejuni and 0.9% were C. coli. Statistically significant sparing factors associated with the shedding of Campylobacter spp. included the feeding of a commercial dry diet and the dog's exposure to compost. Age of dog had a quadratic effect, with young dogs and senior dogs having an increased probability of shedding Campylobacter spp. compared with adult dogs. The only statistically significant risk factor for shedding C. upsaliensis was outdoor water access including lakes and ditches, while dogs >1 year old were at a lower risk than young dogs. Understanding the pet-related risk factors for Campylobacter spp. and C. upsaliensis shedding in dogs may help in the development of awareness and management strategies to potentially reduce the risk of transmitting this pathogen from dogs to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the effect of vaccination in preventing acute Q fever in individuals occupationally exposed to Coxiella burnetii, a systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken in controlled trials and observational studies. Publications were obtained through a scoping study of English and non-English articles, and those reporting a commercially licensed or licensable vaccine compared with an unvaccinated or placebo control group were included in the review. Two authors performed independent assessment of risk of systematic error and data extraction. One controlled trial and five cohort publications met the inclusion criteria. All trials used a Henzerling phase I vaccine. A random-effects meta-analysis estimated significant protection in abattoir workers ( RR = 0.07; 95% confidence interval [ CI] 0.02-0.22) compared with the control individuals. In individuals with rare or sporadic contact with the abattoir, a significant benefit of vaccination was also found ( RR = 0.06; 95% CI 0-0.93). Overall, the vaccine effectively prevented acute Q fever in individuals responsible for handling animals or their products and those working in the abattoir but not directly exposed to animals ( RR = 0.06; 95% CI 0.02-0.18). Caution must be taken when interpreting the effect of C. burnetii vaccination as significant heterogeneity amongst publications was observed. A meta-regression found no significant univariate associations. This may reflect the uncertainty provided by reported data in the cohort publications. Potential systematic biases were present in the publications, and evidence included may not be sufficiently robust to extrapolate the effect of vaccination on occupationally exposed groups beyond the population of abattoir employees in Australia where all included studies occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonoses, diseases that can spread under natural conditions between humans and other animals, are become a major public health concern in many countries including Canada. In Canada, investigations of zoonotic disease incidents are often conducted by public health inspectors ( PHIs). However, little is known about PHIs' knowledge of transmission of zoonotic pathogens, their perceptions of zoonotic disease importance or their education regarding zoonotic diseases. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the knowledge, perceptions and education of Canadian PHIs regarding zoonotic diseases. Data were collected from December 2008- January 2009 using an internet-based survey distributed to members of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors national listserv. Responses were received from 229 PHIs in four provinces, with a response rate of approximately 20%. The majority of respondents reported at least 10 years of experience in the public health sector, 80% (181/225) were in frontline positions, and 62% (137/222) were routinely involved in investigations of infectious diseases. Two-thirds believed that the importance of zoonotic diseases with regards to public health would increase in the next 5 years. Whilst most respondents were able to correctly identify animals capable of directly transmitting common zoonotic pathogens, there were gaps in knowledge, particularly with regard to rabies and transmission of gastrointestinal pathogens by companion animals. PHIs tended to feel that their training on zoonotic diseases prior to working as PHIs was deficient in some areas, or left some room for improvement. Their responses also suggested that there is a need for improvement in both the quantity and the quality of continuing education on zoonotic diseases. In particular, less than one-third of PHIs received ongoing continuing education regarding zoonotic diseases, and of those that did, nearly two-thirds rated the quantity and quality as only fair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines in reducing faecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157 in ruminants. A systematic search of eight databases and land-grant university research reports using an algorithm adapted from a previous systematic review of pre-harvest interventions against E. coli O157 was conducted to locate all reports of in vivo trials of E. coli O157 vaccines in ruminants published between 1990 and 2010. All located references were screened by two independent reviewers, and data were extracted from all relevant papers, with treatment effect measured in odds ratios. For trials with a faecal prevalence outcome that did not involve mixing of treated and untreated cattle in the same pen, efficacy was explored using random-effects meta-analysis. Funnel plots were used to evaluate publication bias, and random-effects meta-regression was performed to explore heterogeneity. The search located 20 relevant manuscripts which detailed 24 trials and 46 treatment comparisons; all but one trial involved cattle. There were 9 deliberate challenge trials (19 comparisons), and 15 natural exposure trials (27 comparisons). For Type III protein vaccines, there were 9 natural exposure trials detailing 17 comparisons, and meta-analysis of 8 comparisons revealed that vaccine treatment resulted in a statistically significant reduction in E. coli O157 faecal prevalence [odds ratio (OR) = 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.29, 0.51]. Siderophore receptor and porin protein (SRP) vaccines (three trials/four comparisons) also reduced faecal prevalence (OR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.20, 0.61); however, none of the bacterin vaccine trials ( n = 3, six comparisons) resulted in a statistically significant reduction in prevalence. The results suggest that Type III protein and SRP vaccines significantly reduce faecal shedding in cattle; however, caution should be taken in interpreting the results because of the heterogeneity in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about the completeness and accuracy of reporting of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and the impact of poor reporting on decision-making have been documented in the medical field over the past several decades. Experience from RCTs in human medicine would suggest that failure to report critical trial features can be associated with biased estimated effect measures, and there is evidence to suggest similar biases occur in RCTs conducted in livestock populations. In response to these concerns, standardized guidelines for reporting RCTs were developed and implemented in human medicine. The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement was first published in 1996 with a revised edition published in 2001. The CONSORT statement consists of a 22-item checklist for reporting a RCT and a flow diagram to follow the number of participants at each stage of a trial. An explanation and elaboration document not only defines and discusses the importance of each of the items, but also provides examples of how this information could be supplied in a publication. Differences between human and livestock populations necessitate modifications to the CONSORT statement to maximize its usefulness for RCTs involving livestock. These have been addressed in an extension of the CONSORT statement titled the REFLECT statement: Methods and processes of creating reporting guidelines for randomized control trials for livestock and food safety. The modifications made for livestock trials specifically addressed the common use of group housing and group allocation to intervention in livestock studies, the use of a deliberate challenge model in some trials, and common use of non-clinical outcomes, such as contamination with a foodborne pathogen. In addition, the REFLECT statement for RCTs in livestock populations proposed specific terms or further clarified terms as they pertained to livestock studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conduct of randomized controlled trials in livestock with production, health and food-safety outcomes presents unique challenges that may not be adequately reported in trial reports. The objective of this project was to modify the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement to reflect the unique aspects of reporting these livestock trials. A 2-day consensus meeting was held on 18–19 November 2008 in Chicago, IL, USA, to achieve the objective. Prior to the meeting, a Web-based survey was conducted to identify issues for discussion. The 24 attendees were biostatisticians, epidemiologists, food-safety researchers, livestock-production specialists, journal editors, assistant editors and associate editors. Prior to the meeting, the attendees completed a Web-based survey indicating which CONSORT statement items may need to be modified to address unique issues for livestock trials. The consensus meeting resulted in the production of the REFLECT (Reporting Guidelines for Randomized Control Trials) statement for livestock and food safety and 22-item checklist. Fourteen items were modified from the CONSORT checklist and an additional sub-item was proposed to address challenge trials. The REFLECT statement proposes new terminology, more consistent with common usage in livestock production, to describe study subjects. Evidence was not always available to support modification to or inclusion of an item. The use of the REFLECT statement, which addresses issues unique to livestock trials, should improve the quality of reporting and design for trials reporting production, health and food-safety outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To address concerns about the quality of reporting of randomized controlled trials, and the potential for biased treatment effects in poorly reported trials, medical journals have adopted a common set of reporting guidelines, the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement, to improve the reporting of randomized controlled trials. Hypothesis: The reporting of clinical trials involving dogs and cats might not be ideal, and this might be associated with biased treatment effects. Animals: Dogs and cats used in 100 randomly selected reports of clinical trials. Methods: Data related to methodological quality and completeness of reporting were extracted from each trial. Associations between reporting of trial features and the proportion of positive treatment effects within trials were evaluated by generalized linear models. Results: There were substantive deficiencies in reporting of key trial features. An increased proportion of positive treatment effects within a trial was associated with not reporting: the method used to generate the random allocation sequence ( P < .001), the use of double blinding ( P < .001), the inclusion criteria for study subjects ( P= .003), baseline differences between treatment groups ( P= .006), the measurement used for all outcomes ( P= .002), and possible study limitations ( P= .03). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Many clinical trials involving dogs and cats in the literature do not report details related to methodological quality and aspects necessary to evaluate external validity. There is some evidence that these deficiencies are associated with treatment effects. There is a need to improve reporting of clinical trials, and guidelines, such as the CONSORT statement, can provide a valuable tool for meeting this need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conduct of randomized controlled trials in livestock with production, health, and food-safety outcomes presents unique challenges that might not be adequately reported in trial reports. The objective of this project was to modify the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement to reflect the unique aspects of reporting these livestock trials. A 2-day consensus meeting was held on November 18–19, 2008 in Chicago, IL, to achieve the objective. Before the meeting, a Web-based survey was conducted to identify issues for discussion. The 24 attendees were biostatisticians, epidemiologists, food-safety researchers, livestock production specialists, journal editors, assistant editors, and associate editors. Before the meeting, the attendees completed a Web-based survey indicating which CONSORT statement items would need to be modified to address unique issues for livestock trials. The consensus meeting resulted in the production of the REFLECT (Reporting Guidelines for Randomized Control Trials) statement for livestock and food safety and 22-item checklist. Fourteen items were modified from the CONSORT checklist, and an additional subitem was proposed to address challenge trials. The REFLECT statement proposes new terminology, more consistent with common usage in livestock production, to describe study subjects. Evidence was not always available to support modification to or inclusion of an item. The use of the REFLECT statement, which addresses issues unique to livestock trials, should improve the quality of reporting and design for trials reporting production, health, and food-safety outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to use formal systematic review methods to evaluate the efficacy of interventions to reduce faecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157 in post-weaned ruminants by increasing animal resistance. The methodology consisted of an extensive search to identify all potentially relevant research, screening of titles and abstracts for relevance to the research question, quality assessment of relevant research, extraction of data from research of sufficient quality, and qualitative summarization of results. The interventions evaluated included probiotics, vaccination, antimicrobials, sodium chlorate, bacteriophages and other feed additives. There was evidence of efficacy for the probiotic combination Lactobacillus acidophilus NP51 (NPC 747) and Propionibacterium freudenreichii and for sodium chlorate in feed or water. The effectiveness of vaccination varied among studies and among vaccine protocols and there was no consistent evidence to suggest that antibiotic use was associated with a decrease in faecal shedding of E. coli O157, or that current industry uses of antimicrobials were associated with increased faecal shedding. There were an insufficient number of studies available to address the effectiveness of bacteriophages and several other feed additives. In general, few of the primary studies evaluated the interventions under commercial housing conditions with a natural disease challenge, there were inconsistencies in the results among study designs and in some cases among studies within study designs, and a relatively large proportion of publications were excluded based on quality assessment criteria. Few studies reported on associations between the proposed intervention and production parameters, such as average daily gain and feed: gain ratio. While the results suggest that some interventions may be efficacious, there are knowledge gaps in our understanding of the efficacy of pre-harvest interventions to increase animal resistance to E. coli O157 that require further targeted research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resources in medical education are not evenly distributed and access to education can be more problematic in rural areas. Similar to telemedicine's positive influence on health care access, advances in information and communications technologies (ICTs) increase opportunities for medical education. This paper provides a descriptive overview of the use of ICTs in medical education and suggests a conceptual model for reviewing ICT use in medical education, describes specific ICTs and educational interventions, and discusses opportunities and challenges of ICT use, especially in rural areas. The literature review included technology and medical education, 1996-2005. Using an educational model as a framework, the uses of ICTs in medical education are, very generally, to link learners, instructors, specific course materials and/or information resources in various ways. ICTs range from the simple (telephone, audio-conferencing) to the sophisticated (virtual environments, learning repositories) and can increase access to medical education and enhance learning and collaboration for learners at all levels and for institutions. While ICTs are being used and offer further potential for medical education enhancement, challenges exist, especially for rural areas. These are technological (e.g., overcoming barriers like cost, maintenance, access to telecommunications infrastructure), educational (using ICTs to best meet learners' educational priorities, integrating ICTs into educational programs) and social (sensitivity to remote needs, resources, cultures). Finally, there is need for more rigorous research to more clearly identify advantages and disadvantages of specific uses of ICTs in medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escherichia coli O157:H7 causes foodborne illness in humans; cattle are considered a primary reservoir for the organism, and transmission is often through contaminated food products or water. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of E. coli O157:H7 within a single individual bovine fecal sample based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing. Fecal samples (n = 601) were collected from dairy and beef cattle at three separate facilities, and E. coli O157:H7 was isolated by enrichment, immunomagnetic separation, and plating on selective medium. The prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 was 46 (7.7%) of 601. From each positive fecal sample, up to 10 putative colonies were tested, and isolates from samples with at least seven positive colonies were subtyped using PFGE and tested for six major virulence genes by multiplex PCR. A total of 254 E. coli O157:H7 isolates from 27 samples met these criteria and were included in PFGE analysis. Fifteen PFGE subtypes (<100% Dice similarity) were detected among the 254 isolates, and there were no common subtypes between the three locations. Seven (26%) of 27 fecal samples had E. coli O157:H7 isolates with different PFGE subtypes (mean = 2.1) within the same sample. The virulence gene profiles of different isolates from the same sample were always identical, regardless of the number of PFGE types. The results of this study suggest that determining the PFGE pattern of a single isolate from a bovine sample may not be sufficient when comparing isolates from feces, hides, or carcasses, because multiple PFGE subtypes are present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study related to the development of a framework for public health capacity in Canada. It mentions that a cumulative conceptual framework of public health capacity where each capacity tier builds have been presented. It mentions that the framework is intended for a diverse audience including public health professionals, organizations and academia.

ABSTRACT A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the change in prevalence of Camp ylobacter on chicken carcasses during processing. A structured literature search of 8 electronic databases using the key words for "Campylobacter," "chicken," and "processing" identified 1,734 unique citations. Abstracts were screened for relevance by 2 independent reviewers. Thirty-two studies described prevalence at more than one stage during processing and were included in this review. Of the studies that described the prevalence of Camp ylobacter on carcasses before and after specific stages of processing, the chilling stage had the greatest number of studies (9), followed by washing (6), defeathering (4), scalding (2), and evisceration (1). Studies that sampled before and after scalding or chilling, or both, showed that the prevalence of Campylobacter generally decreased immediately after the stage (scalding: 20.0 to 40.0% decrease; chilling: 100.0% decrease to 26.6% increase). The prevalence of Campylobacter increased after defeathering (10.0 to 72.0%) and evisceration (15.0%). The prevalence after washing was inconsistent among studies (23.0% decrease to 13.3% increase). Eleven studies reported the concentration of Camp ylobacter, as well as, or instead of, the prevalence. Studies that sampled before and after specific stages of processing showed that the concentration of Campylobacter decreased after scalding (minimum dccrease of 1.3 cfu/g, maximum decrease of 2.9 cfu/mL), evisceration (0.3 cfu/g), washing (minimum 0.3 cfu/ mL, maximum 1.1 cfu/mL), and chilling (minimum 0.2 cfu/g, maximum 1.7 cfu/carcass) and increased after defeathering (minimum 0.4 cfu/g, maximum 2.9 cfu/ mL). Available evidence is sparse and suggests more data are needed to understand the magnitude and mechanism by which the prevalence and concentration of Camp ylobacter changes during processing. This understanding should help researchers and program developers identify the most likely points in processing to implement effective control efforts. For example, if contamination will occur during defeathering and likely during evisceration, critical control points postevisceration are likely to have a greater effect on the end product going to the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of free-access acidified milk replacer feeding on the pre- and postweaning health of dairy and veal calves. Individually housed calves were systematically assigned at birth to 1 of 2 feeding programs: free-access feeding (ad libitum) of acidified milk replacer (ACD, n = 249) or traditional restricted feeding (3 L fed twice daily) of milk replacer (RES, n = 249). Calves were fed milk replacer containing 24% crude protein and 18% fat. Acidified milk replacer was prepared to a target pH between 4.0 and 4.5 using formic acid. Calves were weaned off milk replacer at approximately 6 wk of age. Weaning occurred over 5 d, and during this weaning period, ACD calves had access to milk replacer for 12 h/d and RES calves were offered only one feeding of milk replacer (3 L) daily. Calves were monitored daily for signs of disease. Fecal consistency scores were assigned each week from birth until weaning. A subset of calves was systematically selected for fecal sampling at 3 time points between 7 and 27 d of age. Fecal samples were analyzed for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F5, Cryptosporidium parvum, rotavirus, and coronavirus. Hip width, hip height, body length, heart girth, and body weight were measured at birth and weaning. Postweaning body weight measurements were collected from the heifers at approximately 8 mo of age. Postweaning body weight and carcass grading information was collected from the veal calves at slaughter once a live weight between 300 and 350 kg had been achieved. The odds of ACD calves being treated for a preweaning disease event tended to be lower than that of the RES calves (1.2 vs. 5.2%, respectively). Preweaning mortality, postweaning disease treatment, and postweaning mortality did not differ between feeding treatments. The ACD feeding treatment supported greater preweaning average daily gain (0.59 vs. 0.43 kg/d) and structural growth than RES feeding. Postweaning average daily gain and carcass characteristics were similar for ACD and RES calves. These results indicate that free-access acidified milk replacer feeding tended to support improved health, and greater body weight gain and structural growth during the preweaning period; these effects did not persist in the postweaning period. The growth advantage observed before weaning in the ACD calves likely disappeared due to the weaning methods used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review and Bayesian sequential pair-wise meta-analyses were conducted to assess the efficacy of internal teat sealants (ITS) administered at dry-off in comparison to no treatment for preventing new intramammary infections (IMI) and clinical mastitis (CM) in dairy cattle. This work updated a previous systematic review and network meta-analysis conducted in 2019 but employed a narrowed scope and eligibility. The updated eligibility included studies that used ITS without concurrent therapy compared to a no treatment control (NTC), a study population of dairy cows or prepartum heifers, controlled trial design, and assessed one of the following outcomes: incidence of new IMI at calving or CM during the first 30 days in milk (DIM). Risk of bias was assessed through the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Evidence quality was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). There were 141 potentially relevant records identified from the updated search conducted on April 29, 2021, with a publication date restriction of 2018 or later; one study passed full-text screening and was included. Of the 32 studies included in the previous review, 12 studies were relevant after applying the modified eligibility criteria, totaling 13 studies included in this review (12 addressing IMI at calving outcome, 4 addressing CM at 30 DIM outcome). Sequential meta-analysis was conducted for both outcomes in R 3.6.0. Decisions for stopping were assessed at each analysis for intervention effect or futility in finding an effect based on a priori minimum clinically relevant values (OR δ =0.5, 0.75). ITS at dry-off significantly reduced odds of new IMI at calving compared to NTC at the second meta-analysis (OR 2 =0.27, 95% CI=0.22-0.34), and onward (OR 12 =0.29, 95% CI=0.27-0.32). For CM at 30 DIM, significance was reached at the second meta-analysis (OR 2 =0.59, 95% CI=0.47-0.73), and onward (OR 3 =0.47, 95% CI=0.42-0.51). Stopping for effect occurred at the second analysis in both outcomes and OR δ s, but low-quality evidence and heterogeneity concerns were noted. A continuity-correction to include zero-event CM studies showed significance at the third meta-analysis (OR 3 =0.79, 95% CI=0.73-0.86), stopping for effect at the fourth for OR δ = 0.75 (OR 4 =0.77, 95% CI=0.72-0.83), and stopping for futility at the second for OR δ = 0.5 (OR 2 =0.94, 95% CI=0.75-1.20), but the main CM analysis was considered more appropriate due to the sensitivity analysis' very low-quality evidence assessment. Based on sequential evidence available, sufficient research currently exists for practical use, and cessation of future research until substantial changes to ITS application occur may be appropriate., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acidification is a practical way of preserving the bacteriological quality of milk so that it can be fed to calves under free-access conditions. The objectives of this study were to evaluate how milk replacer acidification and free-access feeding affect dairy calf behavior during the first week of life. Sixteen Holstein male calves were purchased at birth and transported to the University of Guelph Kemptville Campus Dairy Education and Research Centre. Calves were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 milk feeding programs: (1) free-access (ad libitum) feeding of acidified milk replacer (22% crude protein and 17% fat, 150 g/L; FA); (2) restricted (6 L/d, 150 g/L) feeding of acidified milk replacer (RA); (3) free-access feeding of nonacidified milk replacer (FN); and (4) restricted feeding of nonacidified milk replacer (RN). Formic acid was used to acidify milk replacer to a target pH between 4.0 and 4.5. Video recordings of each calf at 1, 2, and 6 d were analyzed continuously over 24 h for all occurrences of each behavior in the ethogram. Feeding behavior observations were organized into sucking bouts, from which feeding behavior outcome variables were calculated. Calves consuming acidified milk replacer demonstrated more fragmented feeding patterns, characterized by more pauses within a sucking bout (FA, FN, RA, and RN calves = 12.4, 4.4, 13.7, and 11.9 pauses/bout, respectively) and longer sucking bout duration (FA, FN, RA, and RN calves = 8.8, 5.2, 9.3, and 8.1 min/bout, respectively), than calves fed nonacidified milk replacer. Restricted-fed calves tended to have longer sucking bouts and performed more within-bout sucks (FA, FN, RA, and RN calves = 10.7, 5.8, 13.5, and 14.1, respectively) and pauses than free-access calves. Acidification and free-access feeding did not affect lying duration. Calves assigned to the acidified feeding treatments tended to perform more grooming behavior than those fed nonacidified milk replacer (FA, FN, RA, and RN calves = 0.9, 0.5, 0.8, and 0.6 h/d, respectively). Free-access feeding did not affect grooming duration. The observed differences in feeding and grooming behavior suggest that acidification to a pH between 4.0 and 4.5 may have altered the palatability of milk replacer. Calves assigned to the acidified milk replacer feeding treatments did not, however, show avoidance toward this feedstuff during the first week of life., (Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Study design labels are used to identify relevant literature to address specific clinical and research questions and to aid in evaluating the evidentiary value of research. Evidence from the human healthcare literature indicates that the label "case series" may be used inconsistently and inappropriately., Objective: Our primary objective was to determine the proportion of studies in the canine and feline veterinary literature labeled as case series that actually corresponded to descriptive cohort studies, population-based cohort studies, or other study designs. Our secondary objective was to identify the proportion of case series in which potentially inappropriate inferential statements were made., Design: Descriptive evaluation of published literature., Participants: One-hundred published studies (from 19 journals) labeled as case series., Methods: Studies were identified by a structured literature search, with random selection of 100 studies from the relevant citations. Two reviewers independently characterized each study, with disagreements resolved by consensus., Results: Of the 100 studies, 16 were case series. The remaining studies were descriptive cohort studies (35), population-based cohort studies (36), or other observational or experimental study designs (13). Almost half (48.8%) of the case series or descriptive cohort studies, with no control group and no formal statistical analysis, included inferential statements about the efficacy of treatment or statistical significance of potential risk factors., Conclusions: Authors, peer-reviewers, and editors should carefully consider the design elements of a study to accurately identify and label the study design. Doing so will facilitate an understanding of the evidentiary value of the results., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

The conduct of randomized controlled trials in livestock with production, health and food-safety outcomes presents unique challenges that may not be adequately reported in trial reports. The objective of this project was to modify the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement to reflect the unique aspects of reporting these livestock trials. A 2-day consensus meeting was held on 18-19 November 2008 in Chicago, IL, USA, to achieve the objective. Prior to the meeting, a Web-based survey was conducted to identify issues for discussion. The 24 attendees were biostatisticians, epidemiologists, food-safety researchers, livestock-production specialists, journal editors, assistant editors and associate editors. Prior to the meeting, the attendees completed a Web-based survey indicating which CONSORT statement items may need to be modified to address unique issues for livestock trials. The consensus meeting resulted in the production of the REFLECT (Reporting Guidelines for Randomized Control Trials) statement for livestock and food safety and 22-item checklist. Fourteen items were modified from the CONSORT checklist and an additional sub-item was proposed to address challenge trials. The REFLECT statement proposes new terminology, more consistent with common usage in livestock production, to describe study subjects. Evidence was not always available to support modification to or inclusion of an item. The use of the REFLECT statement, which addresses issues unique to livestock trials, should improve the quality of reporting and design for trials reporting production, health and food-safety outcomes.