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Text mining and topic analysis algorithms which group textual contents in the most efficient way, are becoming increasingly useful to summarise the main information contained in large data corpus of complex scientific fields. Using the literature about reindeer pastoralism as a case study, this methodological investigation addressed the issue related to the identification of the suitable number of topics that provide the best in-depth interpretation of a large data corpus. Two-thousand eight hundred and seventy-five documents extracted from Scopus® regarding the scientific literature of reindeer pastoralism were used. Four simulations with 8, 10, 12, and 20 topics were carried out to define the optimal number of topics that best explained the issues related to reindeer husbandry. The results showed that a reasonable trade-off between the number of articles and the number of topics, based on the reduction of the variance explained within the group, leads to an optimal choice in the search for the most meaningful simulation. The adoption of a too large number of topics, with the excessive fragmentation of the data corpus into small aggregations of documents, encourages the emergence of topics without any technical or practical meaning, solely as a result of the unsupervised iterative process.HIGHLIGHTS Text mining for insight vast and complex scientific fields: a case study on reindeer pastoralism. Optimising topic identification to strike a balance between the size of the articles corpus and the number of topics and achieve the most insightful results. Too many topics can lead to fragmentation and irrelevant results, while too few may oversimplify the complexity of the dataset.

Abstract Background Melting corneal ulcers are a serious condition that affects a great number of animals and people around the world and it is characterised by a progressive weakening of the tissue leading to possible severe ophthalmic complications, such as visual impairment or blindness. This disease is routinely treated with medical therapy and keratoplasty, and recently also with alternative regenerative therapies, such as cross-linking, amniotic membrane transplant, and laser. Plasma medicine is another recent example of regenerative treatment that showed promising results in reducing the microbial load of corneal tissue together with maintaining its cellular vitality. Since the effect of helium plasma application on corneal mechanical viscoelasticity has not yet been investigated, the aim of this study is first to evaluate it on ex vivo porcine corneas for different exposition times and then to compare the results with previous data on cross-linking treatment. Results 94 ex vivo porcine corneas divided into 16 populations (healthy or injured, fresh or cultured and treated or not with plasma or cross-linking) were analysed. For each population, a biomechanical analysis was performed by uniaxial stress-relaxation tests, and a statistical analysis was carried out considering the characteristic mechanical parameters. In terms of equilibrium normalised stress, no statistically significant difference resulted when the healthy corneas were compared with lesioned plasma-treated ones, independently of treatment time, contrary to what was obtained about the cross-linking treated corneas which exhibited more intense relaxation phenomena. Conclusions In this study, the influence of the Helium plasma treatment was observed on the viscoelasticity of porcine corneas ex vivo, by restoring in lesioned tissue a degree of relaxation similar to the one of the native tissue, even after only 2 min of application. Therefore, the obtained results suggest that plasma treatment is a promising new regenerative ophthalmic therapy for melting corneal ulcers, laying the groundwork for further studies to correlate the mechanical findings with corneal histology and ultrastructural anatomy after plasma treatment.

IntroductionLarge clinical studies regarding cervical intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) in Dachshunds are lacking. This retrospective multicentric study therefore aims to describe the clinical features, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and outcomes of Dachshunds diagnosed with cervical IVDE.MethodsMedical records of Dachshunds with cervical IVDE were reviewed for signalment, onset of clinical signs, neurological examination, MRI features, treatment and outcome.ResultsEighty Dachshunds were included in the study, mostly ambulatory (55% grade 1 and 33% grade 2) and without nerve root signature (85% of cases) on presentation. Information on coat type was available for 56% of dogs; specifically, 41% were smooth-haired, 9% were long-haired and 6% were wire-haired Dachshunds. There were 29 (36%) neutered female, 27 (34%) male entire, 15 (19%) male neutered and 9 (11%) entire female dogs. The onset of clinical signs was most often >48 h (84%). The most common intervertebral disc space affected was C2-C3 (38%) and foraminal IVDEs were reported in 14% of dogs. A foraminal IVDE was diagnosed in only 25% of dogs presented with nerve root signatures. Most dogs (77.5%) were treated surgically. In this group, a higher body condition score on presentation and a higher mean spinal cord compression ratio calculated on MRI were directly and moderately associated with a longer hospitalization time (r = 0.490 p = 0.005 and r = 0.310 p = 0.012, respectively). The recovery time was longer in dogs with an onset of clinical signs 48 h (3.1 ± 6.5 days versus 1.6 ± 6.2, p

Since the 1980s, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have been integrated into animal farming technologies for purposes such as enhancing production performances and veterinary epidemiology. In aquaculture, however, there seems to be limited application of GIS, and its potential is widely overlooked, especially for aquatic animal health management. This study describes the results of a world expert opinion elicitation on the current implementation of GIS for surveillance and disease response in the aquatic animal health domain. An online survey was submitted in autumn 2023, including both closed and open questions. With a response rate of 41.2% (21 out of 51), the answer analysis highlighted that, especially when knowledge and practical skills in geomatics, information technology and remote sensing are required, a group of advanced GIS technologies is underutilized (web-based solutions, SDI, citizen science). An artificial intelligence-based inductive text analysis was performed confirming a limited exploitation of GIS mainly due to management (financial support, training, collaboration) and methodology (data suitability, modelling analyses and integration) constraints. Furthermore, despite acknowledging the importance of planning in GIS project development, most experts did not follow any written or unwritten procedures that, according to their answers, should in fact encompass sustainable principles (integration of GIS solutions into other applications or processes), and reuse of resources (guidelines and best practices, data, methods, layouts). Shared guidelines for developing GIS projects, identifying available data sources, and long-term-maintenance planning of GIS and related geospatial data, should be pursued for using GIS technologies more effectively in the aquatic animal health domain.

Metabolic adaptations to negative energy balance, as well as lipomobilization, influence inflammatory responses, immune function, and oxidative stress in animals. This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical profile of Mediterranean buffaloes with different levels of lipomobilization from the prepartum to the postpartum period. A total of 76 Mediterranean buffaloes were enrolled, and a weekly blood sample was taken from 7 weeks before to 6 weeks after calving. The concentration of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) was determined in serum and was used to categorize buffaloes into three lipomobilization groups 7 weeks before calving: mild (NEFA-I; NEFA ≤ 0.29 mEq/L; n = 18), medium (NEFA-II; 0.29 0.29 mEq/L; NEFA-II and NEFA-III) at 7 weeks before calving should be monitored more closely to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases. Furthermore, the medium (NEFA-II) and severe (NEFA-III) lipomobilization groups could be associated with differences in the animals’ ability to manage their metabolic status. Specifically, the severe mobilization group was most associated with a greater energy deficit during both the prepartum and postpartum periods without oxidative stress. On the contrary, the medium mobilization group was associated with a less severe energy deficit but was also associated with an inflammatory status and oxidative stress during the prepartum period. These distinctions highlight the need for tailored management strategies to address varying levels of metabolic stress in dairy buffaloes.

ABSTRACT: The present experiment was conducted to test the effect of a 4% defatted silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae meal (SWM) incorporation into chickens’ diets at different growth phases on meat quality characteristics and sensory traits. Ninety ROSS 308 day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 3 dietary groups, with 5 replicated pens/diet: the first group received a control (C) diet throughout the growing period of 42 d, the second group received a diet with 4% SWM (SWM1) during the starter phase (1–10 d) and the C diet up to slaughter, whereas the third group was fed the C diet during the starter phase and 4% SWM during the grower and finisher phases (SWM2). Diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergy, and birds had free access to feed and water throughout the experimental trial. At 42 d of age, 15 chickens/treatment were slaughtered at a commercial abattoir. Fatty acid (FA) and amino acid (AA) profiles and contents of meat, as well as its oxidative status, were determined in both breast and leg meat cuts. Also, a descriptive sensory analysis was performed on breast meat by trained panelists. Results highlighted that the SWM2 treatment increased the n-3 proportion and content in both breast and leg meat, thereby improving the omega-6/omega-3 (n-6/n-3) ratio in both cuts (P < 0.001). However, the dietary treatment had no significant effect on the oxidative status of either breast or leg meat (P > 0.05). The SWM had a limited impact on overall sensory traits of breast meat, but it contributed to improve meat tenderness in SWM-fed chickens (P < 0.01). Furthermore, SWM1 meat exhibited higher juiciness (P < 0.05) and off flavor intensity (P < 0.05) compared to the control meat. Overall, the present experiment indicated that defatted SWM holds promise as an alternative ingredient in chicken rations, ensuring satisfactory meat quality. Furthermore, administering SWM during the grower-finisher phase demonstrated beneficial effects on meat healthiness, ultimately enhancing n-3 fatty acids content and reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio.

ABSTRACT: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of supplementing live Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae to laying quails (Coturnix japonica) as nutritional enrichment. Live performances, apparent digestibility of nutrients (including that of sole live TM larvae), egg physicochemical quality, sensory traits, and storage stability were considered in this experiment. Sixty laying quails were divided into 2 dietary groups (6 replicated cages/group; 5 quails/cage): a Control group received a basal diet for laying quails and a TM10 group was fed with the Control diet supplemented with live TM larvae (10% of the expected daily feed intake). For the digestibility trial, 30 laying quails were divided into 3 dietary groups: the first 2 groups were fed with the Control and TM10 diets, while the third group received ad libitum live TM larvae (TM100) as a complete replacement for the Control diet. Overall, no mortality was recorded during the trials. Quails fed TM showed a remarkable capability of digesting dietary chitin (P < 0.0001). TM100 quails showed the lowest digestibility for dry matter, crude protein, and energy, but that of ether extract was the highest (P < 0.001). The presence of live TM larvae stimulated quails’ feed intake (P < 0.0001), but did not affect performance traits. Similarly, overall physicochemical quality attributes and storage stability were comparable in Control and TM10 eggs. The sensory features of quail eggs differed in TM10 vs. Control groups: TM10 eggs had the lowest overall flavor (P < 0.01), sulfur (P < 0.05) and greasy-oily (P < 0.01) intensities. Therefore, a 10% TM dietary supplementation is effective in stimulating feeding activity of quails, but it did not provide any productive improvement compared to a standard diet. Further studies should assess the possible beneficial effect of live TM supplementation on quail's gut health. The digestibility trial with the sole live TM larvae allowed to assess the specific nutritional value of this emerging feedstuff which is of utmost importance for future feed formulations.

Lameness is a widespread multifactorial condition affecting the health and performance of dairy cows. Despite the growing support by precision farming technologies, farmers still lack reliable data-driven tools to early identify lame cows. This study used a synthesis of reviews to identify cow’s behavioural and productive parameters most related to lameness and estimate their deviation due to a lameness event. The methodological approach used reviews as starting point to identify the most pertinent studies with the intention of extracting and analysing data from these primary studies. The final dataset used information collected from 31 research papers, cited in 15 reviews, and involved more than 25,000 dairy cows. Five parameters were suitable for the meta-analysis: one about eating behaviour (eating time), three regarding activity and resting behaviour (lying bouts, lying bout duration and lying time) and milk yield. The meta-analysis revealed that all parameters had a significant deviation in cows affected by lameness. The calculation of the pooled means allowed to quantify a mean value for the deviation imposed by a severe lameness event from the value recorded on nonlame cows. Compared to a nonlame animal, a lame cow had a significant negative deviation for eating time (−39 min/day), number of lying bouts (−0.5/day), and milk yield (−3 kg/day). Lame cows had positive deviations for lying bout duration (+12 min/bout) and daily lying time (+42 min/day). The individual or combined use of these mean deviation values as alarm reference thresholds could improve the accuracy of the current automated lameness detection systems.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a lectin associated with fibrosis and inflammation, and increased circulating concentrations are considered a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) in humans. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the serum concentration of Gal-3 in dogs with cardiac disease, both with and without AF. Dogs with AF associated with acquired heart diseases were selected, while cardiac healthy dogs and dogs with heart diseases but without AF served as controls. We statistically compared the serum concentration of Gal-3, which was assessed using a commercial canine-specific ELISA kit, among healthy dogs and dogs with heart disease with and without AF. Additionally, associations between Gal-3 and clinical and echocardiographic variables were evaluated. A total of 73 dogs were included, of which 17/73 (23.3%) were cardiac healthy and 56/73 (76.7%) had heart disease, with 26/56 (46.4%) having AF. No significant difference in Gal-3 concentration was found between cardiac healthy dogs (3.90 ± 1.65 ng/mL) and dogs with heart disease, either with or without AF (3.37 ± 1.04 ng/mL, p = 0.436 and 4.68 ± 1.80 ng/mL, p = 0.332, respectively). Gal-3 showed a significant positive correlation with age (r = 0.47, p < 0.001) and a negative correlation with body weight (r = −0.45, p < 0.001). The results of this study suggest that Gal-3 does not have an important role in the development of AF in dogs, but it is associated with advanced age.

Animal behavior can provide useful information about animal welfare, but methods and tools used to gather behavioral data and data treatment can influence the results. Therefore, this study was carried out on dairy cow (Bos taurus) behavior and interaction with calves early post-partum aiming at comparing two sampling rules, namely continuous and instantaneous sampling at scan intervals of 30 s, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 min, and of two methods to deal with out of sight animals. The study was based on three assumptions: (1) continuous sampling provides the most complete and accurate data, allowing the observation of seldom behaviors and short events; (2) instantaneous sampling can provide accurate measurements of frequency and duration, especially at short scan intervals; (3) differences in behavioral results may occur depending on whether a correction for time out of sight is applied or not. Thus, 10 dams were observed from videos in the 2 h post-parturition. Ruminating, stereotypies, calf-biting and calf-butting were not recorded during the observation period. Other behaviors were observed only with continuous sampling or with continuous and instantaneous at 30-s scan intervals. The recoding of several behaviors was less accurate when applying longer scan intervals. Data from continuous and instantaneous sampling at 30-s scan intervals were compared with Wilcoxon test. Results showed no significant differences for posture, position in the pen and all behaviors (p > 0.05) except vocalizing (p = 0.003). The same test did not highlight significant differences due to method of dealing with out of sight for both sampling rules (p > 0.05). Correlation between continuous and instantaneous sampling were prevalently high at 30-s intervals and they decreased as the length of scan intervals increased for most behaviors. Results confirmed the first two assumptions suggesting that continuous sampling is more accurate, in particular for short and rare behaviors, and caution against the suitability of dam behavioral data collected using instantaneous sampling at scan intervals of minutes. The third assumption was not proven by this study. Results should be considered in light of the development of new technologies that relies on data acquired by sensors and imaging to monitor cow-calf welfare and behavior post-parturition.

Free Choice Profiling (FCP) methodology allows observers to qualitatively assess animal behavior using their own vocabulary. This study aims to investigate the ability of 3 different observer groups to recognize pain-related emotions in 20 dogs using FCP methodology, and to compare FCP data with the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale-Short Form (GCPS- SF) scores. The observer groups consisted of 10 dog owners, 10 veterinary students and 10 veterinarians. Ten healthy ("healthy") dogs and 10 dogs showing clinical signs of pain ("pain") were filmed, and the resulting 20 footages were shown to observers who were blind to the pain-related nature of the study. All observers described and scored animals' emotional expression using FCP; then, students and veterinarians scored all dogs using GCPS- SF. FCP data were analyzed using Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA). Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to determine the correlation among observer groups' FCP scores of the first two FCP dimensions (DIM1 and DIM2), and to compare GCPS-SF scores with FCP scores for the students and veterinarian observer groups. Each observer group reached a significant (p < 0.001) good consensus profile. "Healthy" dogs were mainly described as "quiet" and "lively", while the majority of "pain" dogs were considered "in pain" and "suffering". The correlation among FCP scores was high between owners' DIM1 and students' DIM1 (ρ = -0.86), owners' DIM2 and students' DIM2 (ρ = 0.72) and students' DIM2 and vets' DIM1 (ρ = 0.70). The correlation between GCPS-SF scores and FCP scores was high for students' DIM2 (ρ = 0.77) and for veterinarians' DIM1 (ρ = 0.92). Qualitative methods such as FCP could be used in association with semi-quantitative methods to evaluate the effect of pain on animal emotional expression. Observers' cultural background and personal experience did not substantially affect qualitative behavioral assessment in dogs with acute somatic pain.

Abstract Background Endotracheal intubation in rabbits is challenging and supraglottic airway devices, such as laryngeal masks (LMA), represent an alternative as they are easy to insert, and do not stimulate the larynx requiring therefore a lighter plane of anaesthesia for their insertion and positioning than the endotracheal tubes. We investigated whether, compared to an endotracheal tube, the LMA can reduce the negative effects of general anaesthetics on some cardiovascular and respiratory parameters routinely monitored in rabbits anaesthetized for elective gonadectomy. The records of 21 adult mixed breed pet rabbits were collected retrospectively. Rabbits were divided in two groups based on the type of airway device used. A laryngeal mask secured the airway in group LMA (n = 11), and in group ETT (n = 10) an endotracheal tube was used. The amount of propofol used before successful insertion of the airway device was recorded. A pitot-based spirometer was connected and ventilatory variables were measured immediately after insertion. Pulse rate, non-invasive arterial blood pressure, haemoglobin oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, end-tidal carbon dioxide and volatile anaesthetic consumption were also monitored during the surgical procedure; extubation time was noted as well. Results The use of LMA required significantly less propofol (0.8 to 4 mg/kg) for insertion than the ETT (1.2 to 5.6 mg/kg), and the difference was statistically significant (P

This is an observational retrospective study on 85 client-owned dogs, 60 with IBD and 25 clinically healthy dogs. This study aims to assess the clinical relevance of some easy to obtain and cost-effective hematological parameters including red blood cell distribution width (RDW), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in dogs with IBD. Comparison of clinical and laboratory parameters between dogs with IBD and control dogs was carried out and the ability to distinguish between these two groups of dogs was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUCROC). Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis estimated the odds ratio (OR) of developing IBD with a 95% confidence interval (CI). MLR and monocytes count had the highest accuracy in facilitating the discrimination of dogs with IBD from control dogs with an AUCROC of 0.839 and 0.787 at the cut-off of >0.14% and >3.7 cells*102/µL, respectively. According to two multivariable models, monocytes count (OR = 1.29; p = 0.016), NLR (OR = 1.80; p = 0.016), and MLR > 0.14 (OR = 8.07; p < 0.001) and PLR > 131.6 (OR = 4.35; p = 0.024) were significant and independent predictors of IBD for models one and two, respectively. Monocytes count and the hematological ratios MLR, NLR, and PLR can be useful in the diagnostic work-up of dogs with IBD.

Abstract Background Information regarding the frequency of L waves and their prognostic relevance in dogs with secondary atrial fibrillation (AF) is limited. Hypothesis/Objectives To determine whether L waves occur and ascertain their prognostic role, as well as the role of other clinical and echocardiographic variables in dogs with AF. Animals Fifty‐five dogs with AF associated with myxomatous mitral valve disease or dilated cardiomyopathy. Methods Retrospective, multicenter observational study. In addition to L waves analysis, other clinical and echocardiographic variables, including type of antiarrhythmic treatment, were evaluated. A survival analysis was performed to test for predictors of cardiac death and all‐cause mortality using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results L waves were evident in 33/55 dogs (60%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 47%‐72%) but their presence did not influence outcome. Increased left ventricular end‐systolic diameter normalized for body weight (LVSDn) was a significant predictor of both cardiac death (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.41, 95% CI = 1.18‐16.54; P = .03) and all‐cause mortality (HR = 9.39, 95% CI = 2.49‐35.32; P

Weather hazards and changing climatic regimes combined with socio-cultural changes are forcing farmers living in Algerian steppe territories to find new strategies to maintain their business, particularly in terms of animal feeding sources. Animal’s nutritional needs in the past used to be met mainly by grazing lands which nowadays cover less than 40% of feeding sources. This study aimed to determine the status of livestock system practices used by breeders in Algerian steppe territories and presents a novel method in identifying intensive systems. Data were obtained from 90 farms through a survey in the province of Tebessa. The farms were divided by their characteristics with a discriminant analysis by zone to know the characteristics of each region. Moreover, a discriminant analysis was performed to select the variables that best differentiated the farms characterised by a different percentage of feed purchased (PFP), which was taken as an index of intensive management. A stepwise regression analysis was also conducted to get predictors variables that mainly influence the percentage of feed purchased and characterise the intensive livestock farms in this area. As a result, livestock systems in steppe territories are up to changing to more intensive forms. These trends appear as solutions for farmers to improve their productivity in the face of various problems. Nevertheless, not to worsen the situation of livestock farming with the orientation towards the intensive system, it is important for farmers to be informed about international policies for practising intensive livestock farming.HIGHLIGHTS The current state of livestock production and practices was identified in the steppe areas. The percentage of purchased feed had greater effects in determining the nature of the livestock systems and identifying intensive systems. The use of modelling techniques in the identification of livestock intensification could be successfully used in the differentiation of livestock systems.

Abstract The transition from late pregnancy to early lactation is characterized by marked changes in energy balance of dairy ruminants. The mobilization of adipose tissue led to an increase in plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). The aim of this study was to analyze the total plasma fatty acids of healthy and hyperketonemic dairy ewes in early lactation through gas chromatography (GC) to evaluate metabolic alterations. An observational study was used with a cross-sectional experimental design. Forty-six Sarda dairy ewes were enrolled in the immediate post-partum (7 ± 3 days in milk) and divided into two groups according to serum BHB concentration: non-hyperketonemic group (n = 28; BHB

Regenerative medicine for the treatment of skin lesions is an innovative and rapidly developing field that aims to promote wound healing and restore the skin to its original condition before injury. Over the years, different topical treatments have been evaluated to improve skin wound healing and, among them, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have shown promising results for this purpose. This study sought to evaluate the quality of the healing process in experimentally induced full-thickness skin lesions treated with PRP associated or unassociated with MSCs in a sheep second intention wound healing model. After having surgically created full-thickness wounds on the back of three sheep, the wound healing process was assessed by performing clinical evaluations, histopathological examinations, and molecular analysis. Treated wounds showed a reduction of inflammation and contraction along with an increased re-epithelialization rate and better maturation of the granulation tissue compared to untreated lesions. In particular, the combined treatment regulated the expression of collagen types I and III resulting in a proper resolution of the granulation tissue contrary to what was observed in untreated wounds; moreover, it led to a better maturation and organization of skin adnexa and collagen fibers in the repaired skin compared to untreated and PRP-treated wounds. Overall, both treatments improved the wound healing process compared to untreated wounds. Wounds treated with PRP and MSCs showed a healing progression that qualitatively resembles a restitutio ad integrum of the repaired skin, showing features typical of a mature healthy dermis.

Abstract Obesity in dogs is an emerging issue that affects canine health and well-being. Its development is ascribed to several factors, including genetic predisposition and dietary management, and recent evidence suggests that intestinal microbiota may be involved as well. Previous works have shown obesity to be linked to significant changes in gut microbiota composition in humans and mice, but only limited information is available on the role played by canine gut microbiota. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate whether composition of canine faecal microbiota may be influenced by overweight condition and breed. All the enrolled companion dogs were young adults, intact, healthy, and fed commercial extruded pet food; none had received antibiotics, probiotics or immunosuppressant drugs in the previous six months. Labrador Retriever (LR) and Border Collie (BC) were chosen as reference breeds and Body Condition Score (BCS) on a 9-point scale as reference method for evaluating body fat. The faecal microbial communities of 15 lean (BCS 4–5/9; 7 LRs and 8 BCs) and 14 overweight (BCS > 5/9; 8 LRs and 6 BCs) family dogs were analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Moreover, for each dog, the daily intake of energy (kcal/d) and dietary macronutrients (g/d) were calculated according to an accurate feeding history collection. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes resulted the predominant phyla (51.5 ± 10.0% and 33.4 ± 8.5%, respectively) in all dogs. Bioinformatic and statistical analysis revealed that no bacterial taxon differed significantly based on body condition, except for genus Allisonella (p 0.10) or for divergence within the sample set (i.e., beta diversity, p > 0.05). PERMANOVA tests performed on single factors demonstrated the tendency of dietary protein to influence the recruited dogs’ microbiota beta-diversity at amplicon sequence variant level (p = 0.08). In conclusion, the faecal microbiota of dogs involved in this exploratory study showed no major variations based on body condition. However, our findings suggested that certain bacterial taxa previously acknowledged in obesity-related studies may be detected in dissimilar amounts depending on canine breed.

IntroductionAtrial fibrillation secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) frequently affects large-breed dogs. The aim of the present study was to identify risk factors for the development of atrial fibrillation in dogs of different breeds with an echocardiographic diagnosis of DCM.MethodsIn this multicenter retrospective study, we searched the electronic databases of five cardiology referral centers for dogs with an echocardiographic diagnosis of DCM. A comparison of clinical and echocardiographic variables was performed between dogs developing atrial fibrillation and those not developing atrial fibrillation and the ability to distinguish between these two groups of dogs was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis estimated the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) of developing atrial fibrillation.ResultsWe included 89 client-owned dogs with occult and overt echocardiographic DCM. Of these, 39 dogs (43.8%) had atrial fibrillation, 29 dogs (32.6%) maintained a sinus rhythm, and 21 dogs (23.6%) showed other cardiac arrhythmias. Left atrial diameter had high accuracy (area under the curve = 0.816, 95% CI = 0.719–0.890) to predict the development of atrial fibrillation at the cut-off of >4.66 cm. After multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis, only increased left atrial diameter (OR = 3.58, 95% CI = 1.87–6.87; p < 0.001) and presence of right atrial enlargement (OR = 4.02, 95% CI = 1.35–11.97; p = 0.013) were significant predictors of atrial fibrillation development.DiscussionAtrial fibrillation is a common complication of DCM in the dog and is significantly associated with increased absolute left atrial diameter and right atrial enlargement.

The objective of this study was to assess changes in the echogenicity of the cortex and medulla of canine fetal kidneys in relation to days before parturition (dbp), maternal size and litter size. Monitoring of 10 healthy pregnant bitches (2–8 years old, 8.8–40.3 kg bw) was conducted from −10 to 0 dbp using ultrasound. A single renal sonogram was obtained by scanning in a longitudinal section the three most caudal fetuses. The mean gray level (MGL) and SD of a manually drawn region of interest (ROI) in the renal cortex and medulla were measured using the Fiji Image J software (Image J 1.51h, Java 1.6 0_24 64 bit). A linear mixed model taking into account the maternal size as a fixed effect, dbp and litter size as covariates and the bitch as a random and repeated effect was used. The regression coefficients (b) were estimated. Cortical SD (C-SD) and cortico-medullary SD (C/M-SD) were influenced by dbp, with a significant decrease at the approaching day of parturition (b = 0.23 ± 0.06, p < 0.001 and b = 0.5 ± 0.02, p = 0.038, respectively). Maternal size had a significant impact on C/M-MGL with differences observed in large-sized (1.95 ± 0.13) compared to small- (1.41 ± 0.10, p = 0.027) and medium-sized bitches (1.51 ± 0.09, p = 0.016). The C/M-MGL was influenced by litter size, showing a decrease as the number of pups increased (b = −0.08 ± 0.03, p = 0.018). C-SD and C/M-SD were exclusively affected by dbp, and not by maternal and litter size. This suggests their potential as valuable parameters, warranting further investigations in future studies.

Abstract The mobilization of body reserves during the transition from pregnancy to lactation might predispose dairy cows to develop metabolic disorders such as subclinical ketosis or hyperketonemia. These conditions are not easily identifiable and are frequently related to other diseases that cause economic loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum metabolome differences according to the β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration. Forty-nine Holstein Friesian dairy cows were enrolled between 15 and 30 days in milk. According to their serum BHB concentration, the animals were divided into three groups: Group 0 (G0; 12 healthy animals; BHB ≤ 0.50 mmol/L); Group 1 (G1; 19 healthy animals; 0.51 ≤ BHB

Abstract Although there are many studies on the importance of fatty acids (FA) in our diet and on the influence of dairy diets on FA metabolism, only a few investigate their predictive capacity to discriminate the type, amount and conservation method of farm forages. This research quantifies differences in milk FA concentrations and, using a supervised factorial discriminant analysis, assesses potential biomarkers when replacing maize with other silages, grass/lucerne hays or fresh grass. The statistical modelling identified three main clusters of milk FA profiles associated with silages, hays and fresh grass as dominant roughages. The main implication of a dairy cow feeding system based on poliphytic forages from permanent meadows is enhancing milk’s nutritional quality due to an increase in beneficial omega-3 polyunsaturated FA, conjugated linoleic acids and odd chain FA, compared to feeding maize silage. The study also identified a small but powerful and reliable pool of milk FA that can act as biomarkers to authenticate feeding systems: C16:1 c-9, C17:0, C18:0, C18:3 c-9, c-12, c-15, C18:1 c-9, C18:1 t-11 and C20:0.

Abstract Background Worldwide, veterinary practitioners and students are reported to be at higher risk of suicide, burnout, and depression compared to other occupational groups. The aim of the current study was to apply text mining and topic modelling analysis on scientific literature regarding suicide, burnout, and depression among veterinary practitioners and students to extract meaningful and synthetic information. These statistical approaches can be used to comprehend more in deep the phenomena involving veterinarians and veterinary students and to suggest the potential changes needed in admission to veterinary school, veterinary curricula, and post-graduation initiatives as preventive actions. Results A systematic search protocol was set up to identify scientific literature that published on the topic from 1985 to 2019. Two-hundred-eleven records were selected with abstracts/texts submitted to text mining and topic modelling analysis. Student, stress, work, anim*, and euthanasia resulted the most frequent terms. Topics modelling allowed to differentiate groups of words and papers in 3 areas of interest: 1) students’ difficulties encountered during their studies that increase stress and anxiety impairing their psychological health; 2) exposure to death and euthanasia as risk factor for mental health; and 3) need of support among those providing medical and health care, and of supportive group work to cope with such profession. Conclusion Based on the most frequent words included in the clouds and on the contents of the papers clusterised in them, some suggestions are interfered. It is emphasized that the veterinary curricula should include courses that prepare them early to deal with animal death and post-death grief of pet owners, to handle ethical dilemmas and moral stressors, to communicate with clients and staff members, to work in team, to balance work-family life and to promote individual and team resources. Specific courses for veterinary practitioners could keep them updated on their new roles and ways to handle them among functioning as potential feedbacks to monitor their psychological wellbeing.

The present study describes Malassezia populations in clinically healthy dogs (HD) and dogs with Malassezia overgrowth (MO), and evaluates the correlation with clinical signs and previous treatments. Thirteen clinically HD and 84 dogs with MO were enrolled. Clinical history and previous treatments were recorded. After a complete physical and dermatological examination, Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index_03 scores were calculated. Samples for cytology and mycological cultures were obtained from four body regions and from skin lesions. Malassezia overgrowth was diagnosed by cytology. A global score (GS) for quantitative evaluation of the population of Malassezia was calculated. In dogs with MO, the highest frequency of yeast detection was found in skin lesions (82%, P < 0.001). Sum of GS (GSs) obtained from dogs with MO (68, 0‑621) was significantly higher compared to those of HD (3, 0‑48, P < 0.001). GSs in dogs previously treated with antibiotics (312.5, 30‑975) was significantly higher compared to those of dogs that not have received antibiotics (80, 0‑975, P = 0.015). No difference was found between dogs treated and those not treated with steroids.

Fetal gastrointestinal motility (FGM) was suggested as useful to assess fetal maturity. Our study aimed to quantify FGM in relation to days before parturition (DBP), maternal size, and sex ratio of pups. During the last ten days of pregnancy, 23 clinically healthy pregnant bitches of 16 different breeds ranging in age from 2 to 9 years and body weight from 3.5 to 56.8 kg were monitored twice. The fetal intestine was observed in longitudinal and transversal scan on 3 of the most caudal fetuses in both uterine horns. Gestational age was counted backward from parturition day. The number of fetuses showing FGM was recorded in time in I (−11/−5 DBP) and II (−4/0 DBP). A Mann–Whitney test was performed to analyze variations of FGM% in relation to time and parity. A Kruskal–Wallis test was performed to identify variations of FGM% in relation to maternal size and sex ratio. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. A total of 147 FGM observations on 50 ultrasonographic monitoring points were performed. The FGM% was higher during time II compared to time I (median: 33%, range 0–100% vs. 100%, range 33–100%; P < 0.0001). FGM% was higher in small compared to large size bitches (median: 100%, range 67–100% vs. 67%, range 0–100%; P = 0.01). FGM% was not affected by parity and sex ratio. As previously reported, a significant increase in FGM% was observed in the last five DBP. FGM observation may be influenced by the maternal size, with easier evaluation in small size bitches, as well as ultrasound equipment and positioning.

A large overlap in the ultrasound (US) features of focal pancreatic lesions (FPLs) in cats is reported. Furthermore, only a small number of studies describing the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of FPLs in cats have been conducted today. The aim of this study is to describe the B-mode US and CEUS features of FPLs in cats. Ninety-eight cats cytologically diagnosed with FPL were included. The lesions were classified as adenocarcinoma (n = 40), lymphoma (n = 11), nodular hyperplasia (n = 17), other benign lesion (OBL) (n = 20), cyst (n = 4) or other malignant lesion (OML) (n = 6). Several qualitative and quantitative B-mode and CEUS features were described in each case. OMLs and cysts were not included in the statistical analysis. A decision tree to classify the lesions based on their B-mode and CEUS features was developed. The overall accuracy of the cross-validation of the decision tree was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.63–0.83). The developed decision tree had a very high sensitivity and specificity for nodular hyperplasia (1 and 0.94, respectively) as well as good sensitivity and specificity for both adenocarcinomas (0.85 and 0.77, respectively) and OBLs also (0.70 and 0.93, respectively). The algorithm was unable to detect any specific feature for classifying lymphomas, and almost all the lymphomas were classified as adenocarcinomas. The combination between CEUS and B-mode US is very accurate in the classification of some FPLs, especially nodular hyperplasia and adenocarcinomas. Cytopathology and or histopathology is still a fundamental step FPL diagnostic workflow.

Dystocia in the canine species is a common problem, and elective cesarean sections (C-sections) have become more frequent in breeds that are at risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of C-section and contributing factors and to compare data on elective and emergency C-sections (e.g., regarding stillbirth). Using a questionnaire, a total of 423 bitches of 80 breeds and their 899 litters were included. The mean number of litters per bitch was 2.1 ± 1.1 litters. The overall rate of stillbirth was 6.7%. Of all litters, 194 were born via C-sections (21.6%), of which 35 were declared as elective and 159 as emergency due to dystocia. Significantly more C-sections were performed in either small litters (1-2 pups) or large litters (>12 pups) (p < 0.001). Bitches that have had prior C-sections had a 4-fold increase in the risk of successive C-sections (RR = 4.54 (95%CI 2.56–7.70; p < 0.001). Furthermore, primiparous bitches of advanced age had a significantly higher incidence of emergency C-sections (p = 0.004). Stillbirth was significantly higher in emergency C-sections compared with that in elective C-sections (p = 0.003). Also, timing of intervention had a significant impact on stillbirth in emergency C-sections (p = 0.025). Within a breed-specific evaluation, significant differences were observed between breeds regarding incidence of C-section and stillbirth. Lesser-known breeds were represented in the population, and the results showed that the Norwich Terrier had the highest (51.6%) and the Gordon Setter had the lowest (4.8%) incidence of C-section (p < 0.001). The inclusion and evaluation of lesser-known breeds regarding incidence of C-section is of importance as it shows that certain breeds without phenotypical traits such as brachycephaly may also have an increased incidence of emergency C-section and stillbirth. We further conclude that more importance may be given to the age at first parturition concerning the occurrence of dystocia and the decision making regarding possible elective C-sections.

Background: Deslorelin implant use in cats is a medical alternative to surgical sterilization, and due to its prolonged efficacy, its use has shown growing interest in the veterinary community. In the case of breeding facilities, its removal is often requested for the early restoration of testicular function. As anti-Müllerian hormones (AMH) in males is dependent of testosterone secretion, its assay may determine the restoration of testicular steroid secretion. An average of 3 weeks has been already described for tomcats’ testicular function resumption after implant removal, but information about AMH concentrations in deslorelin-treated tomcats is lacking. Methods: Fourteen tomcats were treated for temporary suppression of fertility with a 4.7 mg deslorelin implant, which was surgically removed after 3, 6 or 9 months (n = 6, 4 and 4 tomcats, respectively). A general clinical and reproductive check with a gonadorelin stimulation test for testosterone determination was performed before deslorelin implant administration. After implant removal, tomcats’ testicles were ultrasonographically checked for volume determination every 1-2 weeks with observation of the glans penis (presence or absence of spikes) and blood collection to assay both testosterone and AMH concentrations. Results: AMH concentrations increased significantly during the deslorelin treatment from 20.95 ± 4.97 ng/mL to 82.41 ± 14.59 ng/mL (p < 0.05). Following implant removal, AMH concentrations progressively decreased to pre-treatment levels, with a value of 28.42 ± 7.98 ng/mL on the third week post-removal where testosterone secretion was again detected. Conclusions: Even if a big variability of AMH concentrations exists between male individuals, resumption of tomcats’ testicular function following a deslorelin treatment can be determined by AMH assay.

IntroductionSteroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) is an immune-mediated disorder of young dogs for which there is no definitive ante-mortem diagnostic test. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can be used to explore other differentials and extensive reports about its usefulness in the diagnosis of SRMA are lacking. The aims of this study were to retrospectively investigate the characteristics of MRI studies of the cervical spine of dogs diagnosed with SRMA and to compare the diagnostic capability of MRI obtained with low-field and high-field units.Materials and methodsThis is a double center, retrospective case series. Databases were searched between 2008 and 2021 for dogs with a diagnosis of SRMA. Dogs were included if the following criteria were fulfilled: a diagnosis of cervical SRMA, results of CSF analysis, and MRI of the cervical spine available for re-evaluation.ResultsSeventy cases were selected. MRI abnormalities were found in 69 cases (98.6%). Enhancement of the meninges, nerve roots, synovium of the articular facets and paravertebral muscles was present in 61 (87.1%), 10 (14.3%), 34 (48.6%), and 34 (48.6%) cases, respectively, when considering all MRI. In the low-field MRI, enhancement of these structures was present in 45 (90%), 4 (8%), 21 (42%) and 23 (46%) cases, respectively. In the high-field MRI, enhancement of these structures was present in 16 (80%), 6 (30%), 13 (65%) and 11 (55%) cases, respectively. Fat suppressed T1W images showed meningeal enhancement better than T1W images. When all the MRIs were considered, a significant increase in cell count of the cerebrospinal fluid was found between the three groups based on the meningeal MRI score (p = 0.001). In cases with no meningeal enhancement but enhancement of synovium of the articular facets and/or muscles a significantly lower cerebrospinal fluid cell count was present (p = 0.043), when considering all MRIs.ConclusionsThe most frequent detection on cervical MRI of dogs affected by SRMA is meningeal enhancement, often accompanied by enhancement of the synovium of the articular facets and/or muscular enhancement. Both low-field and high-field MRI have good diagnostic capability but the latter enables a more thorough investigation thanks to specific sequences. MRI is useful as a complementary tool to cerebrospinal fluid analysis.

Claw disorders are a relevant welfare issue in the cattle industry, fast and accurate diagnoses are essential for successful treatment and prevention. The present study aimed to develop an equation to assess the presence of solar hemorrhages from real-time ultrasound images texture analysis at slaughter. Eighty-eight hind feet were collected at the slaughterhouse from 44 Holstein male veal calves. The claws were trimmed by a veterinarian hoof-trimmer, approximately 30 min after the calves' slaughter, and classified into healthy and affected by solar hemorrhages. At the same time, ultrasound images were collected for each claw. Sole soft tissues' thickness was measured, and texture analysis was performed using MaZda software. The resulting parameters from sole soft tissues' measurements and texture analysis were screened with a stepwise linear discriminant analysis using the absence or presence (0/1) of solar hemorrhages as the dependent variable. Results from the stepwise analysis identified 9 variables (among 279) as predictors, and an equation was developed and used to predict the presence or absence of solar hemorrhages on the scanned claws by binary measure: values ≤0.5 counted as 0, while those >0.5 as 1. Validation of the equation was performed by testing predicted lesions (LESpred) against the clinically evaluated lesions (LESeval) with a confusion matrix, a ROC analysis, and a precision-recall curve. Results of the present study suggest that the equation proposed has a good potential for detecting effectively hemorrhages of the sole by ultrasound imaging texture means, and could be used to monitor unsatisfactory housing and management conditions at the farm level, and for early management intervention and prevention.

This study analysed potential associations between the prevalence of rumen, abomasum, liver, and claw disorders detected in 26 batches of Holstein veal calves through a post-mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse, and on-farm mortality and feeding management data. Organs of 15–16 calves per batch (16.5 rumens, 15.9 abomasa, 15.1 livers, and 31.1 claws) were inspected by 3 veterinarians in the slaughter-line. ‘Batch’ refers to group of calves belonging to the same farm and slaughter group. Hyperkeratosis and plaques were detected in over 60% of rumens per batch, and some cases, in all rumens. More than 85% of abomasa showed ulcerations. Sole haemorrhages were detected in 64 to 97% of claws. During fattening, calves received on average 312 kg of milk-replacer (MR) and 162 kg of solid feed (SF), composed mainly of corn grain (85–93% as-fed basis). Rumens with hyperkeratosis were positively correlated to the percentage of corn grain. Abomasa with large-sized-lesions in the pyloric area were positively correlated to the SF amount. Ulcerated abomasa were positively correlated to calves’ mortality reported by farmers. Cluster analysis identified 3 feeding plans. The first, based on MR administration and moderate SF amount, produced lighter carcasses and low-developed rumens, but reduced the prevalence of rumen hyperkeratosis and sole haemorrhages; the other two, more ‘aggressive’ by increasing the amount of SF or both SF and MR, produced heavier carcasses but worsened rumen and claw conditions. This study suggests the existence of different feeding practices used by veal producers that should be reviewed to improve calves’ welfare.Highlights Feeding plans based on moderate amount of solid feed together with the liquid diet reduce the prevalence of rumen alterations and sole haemorrhages The provision of greater amount of high-grain solid feed throughout the fattening rises the prevalence of rumen hyperkeratosis and sole haemorrhages None of the feeding plans were capable of decreasing the occurrence of abomasal ulcerations, which were positively associated with on-farm mortality

Pain alleviation associated with surgical castration of piglets is a debated welfare issue. The present study compares the effect of different protocols involving analgesia and/or anaesthesia or sedation suitable under field conditions, with the aim to alleviate pain due to castration in piglets. A randomised within-litter design, with 50 replicates, compared 7 treatments applied 10 min before castration: HAND: positive control, handling only; CTRL: negative control, physiological saline, i.m.; MEL: meloxicam, i.m.; AZA: azaperone, i.m.; PROC: local anaesthesia with procaine and adrenaline, subcutaneously; AZA-MEL: joint administration of azaperone and meloxicam; PROC-MEL: procaine and meloxicam. Efficacy of pain relief was assessed during a 180 min period after castration by serum cortisol and glycaemia, algometry and behaviour. CTRL, AZA, PROC and AZA-MEL piglets showed an increase in cortisol concentration 60 min after castration compared to HAND. Both groups with azaperone (AZA and AZA-MEL) developed concentrations even higher than CTRL (p .05). CRTL and PROC piglets reacted to the algometer at an average lower pressure than HAND (p = .03), differently to the other treatments that showed similar skin sensitivity to HAND (p > .05). No differences in glycaemia and behaviour were observed among treatments. The results suggest that using meloxicam alone might offer a promising option in reducing the expression of pain-related parameters in piglets after surgical castration, however, it appears more efficient when used alone than in association with the anaesthetic agents tested. Procaine administered alone and azaperone seems unsuited to the purpose considered.HIGHLIGHTS Meloxicam used alone is suggested for reducing the expression of pain-related parameters in piglets after surgical castration; When a protocol using procaine is used on the farm during piglets castration, the association with meloxicam reduces some pain-related indicators; Procaine administered alone and azaperone seems unsuited to manage pain after surgical castration of piglets.

Pain alleviation associated with castration of piglets is a debated welfare issue. This study compares practical aspects, resource efficiency and economic implications of two protocols involving both analgesia and anaesthesia compared to a control group: conventional castration without pain relief (CTRL); joint administration of azaperone and meloxicam (AZA-MEL), i.m.; procaine (PROC-MEL), s.c., and meloxicam, i.m. A total number of 356 male piglets (56 L), was involved. Labour, mortality during the lactation period and costs for procedures were analysed. The total amount of labour required for each single male piglet and the risk of recording at least one dead piglet during lactation in litters were significantly higher in AZA-MEL and PROC-MEL groups than in CTRL group (labour: 02:04 and 02:04 vs. 01:18 min, respectively, p

The study aimed to evaluate the most predictive traits of fresh maize and the most appropriate multivariate approach for estimating silage fermentation quality. The use of near infrared (NIRs) instruments allowed rapid, accurate and cheap analysis. Samples of fresh maize plant (n = 822) from hybrids (Class Cultivar) of early and late classes, were harvested at three maturity stages: early, medium and late, in three areas (level input field) of ‘low’, ‘medium’ and ‘high’ soil fertility, along three consecutive years. Several algorithms of feature selection, regression, classification and machine learning, were tested. Maize silage fermentative quality was summarised through a Fermentative Quality Index (FQI). We found the most predictive traits as dry matter (DM), starch, and acid detergent lignin (ADL), with negative coefficients, or water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) with a positive coefficient. FQI was significantly (p

The housing and management of commercial breeding sows is of crucial importance for their productivity and welfare. The aim of the present study is to evaluate how the scientific community addressed the subject of pregnant sow welfare, how it has changed over the past 30 years and what were the drivers of this change. A search of the literature in Scopus identified 318 articles, which were screened for inclusion criteria. Over one hundred of these publications (n = 102) were deemed relevant for the systematic review. Globally, the number of papers on sow welfare during pregnancy increased, but in the last 5 years the trend changed both in terms of publishing country, the interventions studied and the welfare outcomes employed. Up to 2014, published papers about gestating sow welfare came from Europe and North America, with housing system as the most studied topic, followed by nutrition and feeding, and behaviour as the most common welfare outcome. In the last five years, publications from Europe and North America decreased, while publications from Oceania, America Latina and Asia started to appear. Papers on the management of sows in groups and to a lesser extent, environmental enrichment, increased in number. In addition, while prior to 2009 behaviour was the most common welfare outcome, a more diverse range of welfare outcomes were employed in papers in the last 10 years. In order to support new legislation and to respond to consumer requests, future studies should focus on improving sow comfort during gestation.Highlights The changing geographical pattern of papers on sow welfare reflects the growing concerns internationally for animal welfare. Future studies should focus on emerging topics, such as the management of sows in groups and environmental enrichment. It’s important to continue the increasing multidisciplinarity of welfare assessment and to focus on new minimally invasive methods.

In order to determine the current status of milking characteristics, hygiene and health protection practices in Saanen goat farms in Turkey, data were obtained from 92 farms through surveys in Çanakkale province. The farms are grouped according to the number of animals as small-scale (25–75 heads), medium-scale (76–150 heads) and large-scale (151 and overheads). As a result of the data observed, it has been seen that the majority of the farms (63.04%) had primary education and only 8.69% had education at the university level. While 44 farms have a milking machine or milking system in their farms, the other 48 farms use the hand milking. The 72.8% of the farms stated that they did not receive any training on milking hygiene and milking machines. Breast diseases are among the most common health problems in the farms (61.9%), followed by, digestive system diseases (8.6%), bacterial diseases (5.4%), foot diseases (2.1%) and viral diseases (4.3%), respectively. The prevalence of mastitis which is the leading cause of breast disease differs statistically in terms of scale (p

The aim of the study was to describe the CT features of focal splenic lesions (FSLs) in dogs in order to predict lesion histotype. Dogs that underwent a CT scan and had a FSL diagnosis by cytology or histopathology were retrospectively included in the study. For the statistical analysis the cases were divided into four groups, based on the results of cytopatholoy or hystopathology, namely: nodular hyperplasia (NH), other benign lesions (OBLs), sarcoma (SA), round cell tumour (RCT). Several qualitative and quantitative CT features were described for each case. The relationship occurring between each individual CT feature and the histopathological groups was explred by means of c chi-square test for the count data and by means of Kruskal-Wallis or ANOVA for the continuous data. Furthermore, the main features of each group were described using factorial discriminant analysis, and a decision tree for lesion classification was then developed. Sarcomas were characterised by large dimensions, a cystic appearance and an overall low post contrast-enhancement. NH and OBLs were characterised by small dimensions, a solid appearance and a high post-contrast enhancement. OBLs showed higher post-contrast values than NH. Lastly, RCTs did not exhibit any distinctive CT features. The proposed decision tree had a high accuracy for the classification of SA (0.89) and a moderate accuracy for the classification of OBLs and NH (0.79), whereas it was unable to classify RCTs. The results of the factorial analysis and the proposed decision tree could help the clinician in classifying FSLs based on their CT features. A definitive FSL diagnosis can only be obtained by microscopic examination of the spleen.

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) as a consequence of left atrial (LA) dilatation, and it affects survival and quality of life. Objectives To evaluate the usefulness of echocardiography in predicting the first occurrence of AF in dogs with MMVD. Animals Forty‐four client‐owned dogs with MMVD, 22 dogs that developed AF, and 22 dogs that maintained sinus rhythm. Methods Retrospective observational study. Medical databases were reviewed for dogs that developed AF during the year after diagnosis of MMVD (AF group). The last echocardiographic examination obtained while still in sinus rhythm was used to derive selected variables. For each dog with AF, a control dog matched for body weight, class of heart failure, and LA dimension was selected. Echocardiographic results including LA volumes and LA speckle tracking echocardiography (STE)‐derived variables were measured. Results Among the tested echocardiographic variables, only LA diameter (P = .03) and left ventricular internal diameter in diastole (P = .03) differed significantly between groups, whereas body weight‐indexed variables of cardiac dimension as well as LA volumes and volume‐derived functional variables were not different. Among the STE‐derived variables, peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) results differed significantly between the AF group (23.8% ± 8.6%) and the control group (30.5% ± 9.6%; P = .03). A value of PALS ≤28% predicted AF occurrence with sensitivity and specificity of 0.80 and 0.65, respectively. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Absolute cardiac diameters and LA STE (in particular, PALS) are useful echocardiographic predictors for the development of AF in dogs with MMVD.

For sows introduced into new groups, the aggressive behavior associated with establishing a social hierarchy represents a period of severe stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of providing sows with an improved pen environment (straw in racks and ropes) on aggressive behavior after mixing and to understand the role played by sow back fat thickness and parity order. At 29 d post-service, sows were mixed into IMPROVED or CONTROL pens with individual feeding stalls (6 groups/treatment, 20 sows/group). Aggressive behavior was recorded for 2 h at mixing (T0) and 24 h (T1) and 3 weeks post-mixing (T21). Overall, the sows in the CONTROL pens performed more fighting behavior compared to the IMPROVED sows (p < 0.001). This difference was significant only at T21 (p < 0.001). Additionally, the sows in the CONTROL pens generally initiated more aggressive behaviors than the sows in the IMPROVED pens (p = 0.02). The sows with a low back fat thickness initiated more aggressive behaviors, but parity had no significant effect on any of the aggressive behaviors. These results indicate a beneficial effect of improvements to the pen environment on the aggression performed by group-housed sows between the time of mixing and three weeks later. The effect was reduced on the day of mixing, which is in accordance with the necessity for sows to employ aggression to establish the dominance hierarchy.

Tail biting is an economical and behavioral problem in the pork production system worldwide and systematic tail docking has been applied for decades to decrease the risk of its onset. However, legal and market-driven requirements are leading pig producers to rear undocked animals. The aim of this work was to monitor tail, pluck (lungs, pleurae, and liver), stomach, carcass, and thigh lesions in slaughtering pigs belonging to either docked or undocked batches. A total of 525 batches were evaluated at slaughter: 442 docked and 83 undocked batches. The presence of tail lesions was only recorded in undocked batches (44.0 ± 0.402 vs. 0.2 ± 0.2% compared to docked ones, p < 0.001), with a prevalence of severe chronic lesions of 27.3% ± 0.032, suggesting that more and alternative wide efforts to manage long-tailed animals are needed. On the contrary, docked animals showed more frequent ear lesions (9.6% ± 0.037 vs. 4.6% ± 0.019; p = 0.0001). Severe lung lesions were found more frequently in undocked animals (9.2% ± 0.043 vs. 6.6% ± 0.011, p = 0.006), as well as gastric ulcers (26.1% ± 0.021 vs. 20.3% ± 0.37, p = 0.006). These lesions might share the same predisposing factors of tail lesions; the latter might be investigated as an iceberg indicator for other pathological conditions in undocked pigs and eventual causal association among lesions in these organs should be explored.

This study aimed to assess the prognostic value of red cell distribution width (RDW) RDW-to-calcium ratio (RDW/Ca), neutrophils-to-lymphocytes ratio (N/L), platelets-to-lymphocytes ratio (P/L) and other easy to obtain and inexpensive hematological and biochemical parameters in dogs with acute pancreatitis. This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study including 70 client-owned dogs. The accuracy of clinical and laboratory variables to predict short-term death (i.e., dead by 14 days) was tested by calculating the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC). Independent predictors of death were identified using the multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model. The survival rate was 72.9% (51 dogs) and 19 dogs died within 14 days of admission from AP. RDW and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) had good accuracy to predict short-term dead with AUC of 0.74 and 0.70 at the cut-off of >12.7% and >42 mg/dL, respectively. According to the multivariable model, RDW (hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval [HR, 95% CI] = 5.08, 95% CI = 1.14–22.67; p = 0.03), BUN (HR = 1.00, 95% CI = 1.00–1.01; p < 0.01) and bilirubin (HR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.38–4.39; p < 0.01) were independent predictors of death. The results indicate that RDW, BUN and bilirubin are useful predictors of short-term death in dogs with acute pancreatitis.

Plasmatic dimethylarginines, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) are considered biomarkers of endothelial and renal dysfunction, respectively, in humans. We hypothesize that plasmatic concentration of dimethylarginines in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is influenced by heart disease stage. Eighty-five client-owned dogs with MMVD, including 39, 19, and 27 dogs in ACVIM stages B1, B2, and C+D, respectively, and a control group of 11 clinically healthy dogs were enrolled. A prospective, multicentric, case-control study was performed. Each dog underwent a complete clinical examination, arterial blood pressure measurement, thoracic radiography, six-lead standard electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiography, CBC, biochemical profile, and urinalysis. Plasmatic concentration of dimethylarginines was determined through high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Median ADMA was significantly increased in dogs of group C+D (2.5 μmol/L [2.1–3.0]) compared to those of group B1 (1.8 μmol/L [1.6–2.3]; p < 0.001) and healthy dogs (1.9 μmol/L [1.7–2.3]; p = 0.02). Median SDMA was significantly increased in dogs of group C+D (0.7 μmol/L [0.5–0.9]) compared to those of groups B1 (0.4 μmol/L [0.3–0.5]; p < 0.001), B2 (0.4 μmol/L [0.3–0.6]; p < 0.01), and the control group (0.4 μmol/L [0.35–0.45]; p = 0.001). In the final multivariable analysis, ADMA and SDMA were significantly associated with left atrium to aorta ratio (p < 0.001), and creatinine (p < 0.001), respectively. Increased plasmatic concentrations of dimethylarginines suggest a possible role as biomarkers of disease severity in dogs with decompensated MMVD.

Background: The approach to farm animal welfare evaluation has changed and animal-based measures (ABM), defined as the responses of an animal or effects on an animal, were introduced to assess animal welfare. Animal-based measures can be taken directly on the animal or indirectly and include the use of animal records. They can result from a specific event or be the cumulative outcome of many days, weeks, or months. The objective of the current study was to analyze the use of general ABM codified terms in the scientific literature, the presence of their definitions, and the gap mapping of their use across animal species, categories, years of publication, and geographical areas of the corresponding author's institution. The ultimate aim was to propose a common standard terminology to improve communication among stakeholders. In this study, data models were populated by collecting information coming from scientific papers extracted through a transparent and reproducible protocol using Web of ScienceTM and filtering for the general ABM codified terms (or synonyms/equivalents). A total of 199 papers were retained, and their full texts were assessed. The frequency of general codified ABM terms was analyzed according to the classification factors listed in the objectives. These papers were prevalently European (159 documents), and the most represented species was cattle. Fifty percent of the papers did not provide a definition of the general ABM terms, and 54% cited other sources as reference for their definition. The results of the study showed a very low penetration of the general codified ABM term in the literature on farm animal welfare, with only 1.5% of the papers including the term ABM. This does not mean that specific ABM are not studied, but rather that these specific ABM are not defined as such under a common umbrella, and there is no consensus on the use of terminology, not even among scientists. Thus, we cannot expect the stakeholders to use a common language and a standardized terminology. The recognition and the inclusion of ABM in the lists of commonly accepted abbreviations of scientific journals could be a first step to harmonize the terminology in the scientific literature.

To describe the computed tomographic (CT) features of focal liver lesions (FLLs) in dogs, that could enable predicting lesion histotype. Dogs diagnosed with FLLs through both CT and cytopathology and/or histopathology were retrospectively collected. Ten qualitative and 6 quantitative CT features have been described for each case. Lastly, a machine learning-based decision tree was developed to predict the lesion histotype. Four categories of FLLs - hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, n = 13), nodular hyperplasia (NH, n = 19), other benign lesions (OBL, n = 18), and other malignant lesions (OML, n = 19) - were evaluated in 69 dogs. Five of the observed qualitative CT features resulted to be statistically significant in the distinction between the 4 categories: surface, appearance, lymph-node appearance, capsule formation, and homogeneity of contrast medium distribution. Three of the observed quantitative CT features were significantly different between the 4 categories: the Hounsfield Units (HU) of the radiologically normal liver parenchyma during the pre-contrast scan, the maximum dimension, and the ellipsoid volume of the lesion. Using the machine learning-based decision tree, it was possible to correctly classify NHs, OBLs, HCCs, and OMLs with an accuracy of 0.74, 0.88, 0.87, and 0.75, respectively. The developed decision tree could be an easy-to-use tool to predict the histotype of different FLLs in dogs. Cytology and histology are necessary to obtain the final diagnosis of the lesions.

Beef cattle are the third most numerous terrestrial farmed animals worldwide. Factors such as geographical region, animal category, breed, and rearing system pose specific animal welfare challenges that can have an impact on animal and public health. This article uses text mining (TM) and topic analysis (TA) to explore the scientific literature on beef cattle welfare published in English from 1990 to 2019. Our aim was to reveal the main research topics and their evolution over time. Our analysis showed that the three most relevant themes in research since 1990 have to do with calf behaviour and management, efficiency, and environmental sustainability, and the effects of transport and slaughter on meat quality. Topics showing the most marked increase in the number of papers published deal with stakeholders' perceptions and market opportunities for added-value beef products and risk factors for morbidity and mortality, especially in relation to calf health, antimicrobial use, and antimicrobial resistance. The results indicate a particular focus on the welfare of calves, especially in the veal industry. Pain relief during the castration of calves and bulls also featured prominently. Research is also increasingly assessing aspects of beef cattle welfare that are interlinked to meat quality, the social and environmental sustainability of the sector in relation to market opportunities, and public health. The identified topics represent a basic source of information that can be used for further and more detailed analyses (e.g., systematic reviews) focussed on specific research themes or geographical areas.

Abattoir post-mortem inspections offer a useful tool for animal disease surveillance. The present cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the prevalence of rumen mucosa, lung, and liver lesions in 153 randomly selected batches of finishing beef cattle through a post-mortem inspection at the abattoir. At least 15 animals per batch were inspected at slaughter by two veterinarians for a total of 2,161 animals (1,376 bulls; 785 heifers) coming from 80 Italian commercial farms. Rumens were inspected by recording as binary variables (presence/absence) signs of hyperkeratosis, ruminitis, ulcer, and star scars. Similarly, lungs were inspected for signs of pneumonia and livers for signs of lipidosis, abscesses, and/or adherence. Hyperkeratosis of the mucosa and signs of ruminitis were detected in 58 and 30% of the inspected rumens, respectively. Ruminal star scars were more prevalent in bulls than in heifers (18 vs. 11%; P < 0.05). Signs of severe pneumonia were observed in 10% of the lungs; abscess and/or adherence in 4% of the livers. Hyperkeratosis of rumen mucosa was correlated to signs of ruminitis, and signs of ruminitis were correlated to star scars. No correlations were found between hepatic lesions and any other rumen or lung disorders. The wide variability observed among batches for the prevalence of specific lesions suggested the development of a benchmarking system to provide feedback to the farm veterinarians, as these lesions can be reflective of a subclinical disease status not easy to be detected in the live animal. Quartiles of the batch prevalence of rumen, lung, and liver alterations (if ≥1%) were calculated as a benchmarking tool, and third quartile value was proposed as an alarm threshold for each lesion. The use of the benchmarking system could allow to allocate each inspected batch to a specific “health class.” Critical batches with a prevalence above the alarm threshold for a given lesion should be reported to veterinarians of the origin farms where actions should be taken in order to identify and lower the risk factors for that specific health issue. Knowledge of post-mortem inspection data along with the implementation of the proposed benchmarking system should help farm veterinarians to improve herd management from a health and welfare perspective.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227807.].

Estimating the dry matter losses (DML) of whole-plant maize (WPM) silage is a priority for sustainable dairy and beef farming. The study aimed to assess this loss of nutrients by using net-bags (n = 36) filled with freshly chopped WPM forage and buried in bunker silos of 12 Italian dairy farms for an ensiling period of 275 days on average. The proximate composition of harvested WPM was submitted to mixed and polynomial regression models and a machine learning classification tree to estimate its ability to predict the WPM silage losses. Dry matter (DM), silage density, and porosity were also assessed. The WPM harvested at over 345 (g kg−1) and a DM density of less than 180 (kg of DM m−3) was related to DML values of over 7%. According to the results of the classification tree algorithm, the WPM harvested (g kg−1 DM) at aNDF higher than 373 and water-soluble carbohydrates lower than 104 preserves for the DML of maize silage. It is likely that the combination of these chemical variables determines the optimal maturity stage of WPM at harvest, allowing a biomass density and a fermentative pattern that limits the DML, especially during the ensiling period.

The Western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, has been a serious quarantine pest to maize in Europe since the mid-1990s. The integrated pest management of WCR requires an accurate knowledge of the factors that contribute most to risks of crop damage, as well as knowledge of effective area-wide strategies based on agronomic measures, such as crop rotation. In Italy and Croatia, agronomic and cultural factors in fields damaged by WCR were evaluated through a long-term survey. Based on the survey results, high-WCR densities contribute most to risks of damage to maize. Extensive field research in north-eastern Italy compared large areas of continuous maize production with areas under different crop rotation systems (i.e., a structural one with one-time maize planting in a three-year rotation and a flexible one with continuous maize planting interrupted when beetle populations exceed the threshold). The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of different rotation regimes as possible best practices for WCR management. Captures of beetles in yellow sticky traps, root damage, larval densities, and damage to maize plants (e.g., lodging) were assessed at the center of each area. The results demonstrated the both structural and flexible crop rotation systems were effective strategies for maintaining WCR below damage threshold densities without the need for insecticides.