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Raising South American domestic camelids is the main source of subsistence in the Peruvian Andes. Under the understanding that pre-slaughter handling and transport practices can affect meat quality an evaluation was done of South American camelids based on animal welfare criteria and carcass lesions. Data were collected at the Huancavelica municipal slaughterhouse, Peru. A total of 203 carcasses were inspected post-slaughter for lesions from trauma. Information collected on transport included number of animals transported per vehicle, transport characteristics and animal handling practices. Every one of the 203 evaluated carcasses exhibited evidence of pre-slaughter mistreatment. A total of 1,418 lesions were recorded, with an average of 6.9 ± 0.2 per carcass; four animals (1.9 %) exhibited generalized traumas. Of the 27 animal group arrivals, half were in cars (50.0 %). Grade 2 and 3 lesions were associated with transport in any vehicle type (OR= 2.20, 95% CI: 1.27 - 3.82), and no vision restriction (OR= 2.26, 95% CI: 1.66 - 3.06). Large area lesions were associated with pre-slaughter wait times greater than 24 h (OR= 1.42, 95% CI: 0.99 - 2.03). South American camelid transport and handling practices at the studied slaughterhouse were generally poor and clearly compromised carcass quality as evidenced by ubiquitous lesions. Animal welfare criteria and regulations for South American camelids were not fulfilled.

In the female dog, the placenta is considered zonal, endotheliochorial and labyrinthic. The distribution of the intermediate filaments as well as the surface glycoproteins in the canine placenta are still unknown. The aim of the present study was to provide this information for further understanding of pathological conditions in the bitch. Samples were obtained from normal uterine horns at the end of gestation. Tissues were routinely fixed and stained. Monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratins, vimentin and desmin were used for immunohistochemical staining. UEA-1, PNA, RCA-1, SBA, DBA, WGA and ConA were used for the lectin histochemical staining. A computer morphometrical analysis was made. Statistical analysis was then accomplished. The results showed the maximun immunohistochemical percentage for vimentin in the supraglandular connective tissue, for pancytokeratin in the spongy zone and for desmin in miometrium. SBA showed the highest staining percentage in the gland cells of the spongy zone, while ConA was the highest in the syncytiotrophoblastic cells and gland cells of the deep glandular zone. The results obtained indicate that the lectin binding pattern is partially different from other animal species. On the contrary, the intermediate filament data coincide with similar observations from other mammals.

This paper describes an approach to study the cells present in the subinvolution of placental sites (SIPS), a pathological post partum condition of the bitch that causes persistent hemorrhage of the genital tract. The expression of intermediate filament proteins was examined to determine the fetal or maternal origin of the cytotrophoblastic-like cells found in this entity. Lectin binding on tissue sections were also studied to characterise cellular glycoconjugates. Image processing and morphometrical analysis of the histological images were done. The results revealed that the cells observed in bitches with SIPS expressed pancytokeratins but neither vimentin nor desmin, in coincidence with normal cytotrophoblasts. The lectin binding pattern of both types of cells was similar, with the only exception of Arachis hypogaea agglutinin (PNA) and Triticum vulgaris agglutinin (WGA). These observations, in addition to the non statistically significant differences between morphometrical characteristics of cytotrophoblastic and cytotrophoblastic-like cells in SIPS, might suggest the fetal origin of the latter cells which could play a role in the pathogenesis of this entity.