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Classical swine fever (CSF) and foot-mouth disease (FMD) are both highly contagious disease and disruptive to commercial trades, but they are examples of foreign animal diseases that biosecurity-based compartmentalization could be used to support trade in free zones in response to an outbreak. This study aimed to evaluate biosecurity compliance to the Federal Normative Instruction #44 from December 4th, 2017 (BRAZIL, 2017) in commercial swine farms located in southern Brazil. A total of 604 swine farms from 10 commercial swine companies were sampled, from which 28.5% were breeding farms, 29.1% nursery, 32.8% finishing, 6.8% multipliers, and 2.8% farrow-to-finish. Cluster analyses revealed that farms with high compliance (n = 303, Cluster 1) performed 71% of the practices, moderate (n = 219, Cluster 2) 47%, and the low (n = 82, Cluster 3) 33%. A spatial logistic regression model estimated that biosecurity compliance was highest in only one of 10 commercial swine companies, and within a company, multipliers (when present) obtained the highest biosecurity compliance (p-value < 0.01). These results suggest that major improvements in biosecurity practices are needed in breeding herds, nursery, and grow-finish farms to be compliant to the Federal Instruction #44. Based on the combination of these analyses, only one commercial swine company was more suitable to establish compartments for CSF and FMD with minimal investments. Still, this study revealed that the majority of commercial swine companies needs to improve biosecurity practice protocols to then target compartmentalization.

Post-weaning fertility failures occur more often in parity 1 (P1) sows due to high metabolic demands for lactation and their inability to meet energy requirements for maintenance, growth, and reproduction. We hypothesized that body condition loss occurs more frequently in P1 sows nursing a large litter, resulting in impairment of ovarian follicle development during lactation and post-weaning, which can negatively impact estrus and subsequent fertility. At 24 h post-farrowing, P1 sows (n = 123) were assigned to treatment (TRT) based on sow weight and the number of functional teats to receive a high number (HN, 15 to 16) or low number (LN, 12) of nursing piglets. At weaning, sows in each TRT were assigned to receive PG600 or None (Control). During lactation, sow body measures were obtained and ovarian follicles were assessed in mid-lactation and post-weaning. Lactation data were analyzed for the effects of TRT, and fertility data after weaning were assessed for TRT x PG600, but there were no interactions (P > 0.10). During lactation, 22.2 % of HN sows lost ≥ 4 piglets due to death or removal, and so these sows were excluded from further analysis. The HN sows were lighter (−6.2 kg), had less backfat (−1.0 mm), had lower body condition score (−0.4), and lost more nursing piglets (−1.2) than LN sows (P < 0.05). However, HN sows weaned more pigs (14.0) than LN sows (11.0). There was no effect of TRT on wean to estrus interval (4.2 d), but the interval was 0.5 days shorter for PG600 (P = 0.004) than control. There were no effects of TRT or PG600 on estrus within seven days after weaning (87.3 %), but PG600 induced smaller (P = 0.002) follicles at estrus (6.7 mm) than control (7.3 mm). In the subsequent parity, there were no effects of TRT or PG600 on farrowing rate (93.9%) and total born (13.2). Overall, HN sows lost more piglets and body condition but still weaned more pigs without any detrimental effects on subsequent reproductive performance.

The control of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) hinges on monitoring and surveillance. The objective of this study was to assess PRRSV RNA detection by RT-PCR in tongue tips from dead suckling piglets compared to serum samples, processing fluids, and family oral fluids. Tongue tips and serum samples were collected from three PRRSV-positive breeding herd farms (farms A, B, and C) of three different age groups: newborns (

A series of europium and gadolinium complexes comprising a β-diketone moiety modified with a fluorinated side-group and thiophene ring have been designed and synthesized and a comparative study of their luminescence properties has been carried out. In this study, when the methyl side group was modified by sequential addition of fluorine substituents and then the perfluorinated carbon chain was extended up to

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) became pandemic in the 1980's and today remains one of the most significant pathogens of the global swine industry. At the herd level, control of PRRSV is complicated by its extreme genetic diversity and its ability to persist in pigs, despite an active immune response. Ultimately, PRRSV control or elimination requires the coordination and active cooperation of producers and veterinarians at the regional level. Early voluntary PRRSV regional control programs focused on routine diagnostic testing and voluntary data-sharing regarding the PRRSV status of participants' herds, but no pre-defined action plans or decision trees were developed to secure project successes (or recover from failures). Given that control of PRRSV is paramount to producer profitability, we propose a coordinated approach for detecting, controlling, and ultimately eliminating wild-type PRRSV from herds participating in regional projects. Fundamental to project success is real-time, multi-platform communication of all data, information, and events that concern the regional project and project participants. New to this approach is the concept of agreed-upon action plans to be implemented by project participants in response to specific events or situations. The simultaneous and coordinated implementation of these strategies allows for early detection of wild-type PRRSV virus introductions and rapid intervention based on agreed-upon response plans. An example is given of a project in progress in the Midwest USA.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes a significant economic impact on swine production. It has been demonstrated that PRRS modified-live virus (MLV) vaccination of pigs, with one full dose, significantly reduces clinical consequences of wild-type PRRSV infection compared to non-vaccinates. However, there is limited information about the effect that two doses of PRRSV MLV vaccine have on the performance of growing pigs, compared to vaccination with a single dose. This study was conducted with the objectives to compare (a) the wild-type PRRSV detection in oral fluids over time, (b) key closeout productivity indicators, and (c) economic performance between lots of growing pigs vaccinated with two doses of Ingelvac PRRS® MLV vaccine and lots vaccinated with a single dose of the same vaccine. This randomized field trial included 15 lots of growing pigs from PRRSV positive-unstable sow farms and 66 lots from PRRSV positive-stable sow farms, according to the American association of swine veterinarians' terminology. All pig lots received the first vaccination either around processing or weaning age. Lots allocated in the two doses group received the second vaccination three to four weeks after the first vaccination. The pig lots were monitored for PRRSV detection over time. Six oral fluids samples were collected in three weeks intervals and were tested for wild-type PRRSV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR and open reading frame 5 (ORF)- 5 sequencing. Regression models were used to compare wild-type PRRSV detection dynamics on oral fluids samples and to compare key closeout performance indicators between one dose group and two doses group. Additionally, a benefit-cost ratio analysis compared economic performance between one dose group and two doses group. The proportion of wild-type PRRSV detection on oral fluids samples and the log counts of viral RNA per ml of oral fluids from the two doses group was lower than the one dose group on lots originated from PRRSV positive-stable sow farms, with a risk ratio of 1.24 and a rate ratio of 1.17, respectively. The two doses group had a significantly lower mortality rate than the one dose group, with a rate ratio of 1.21. The effect size increased on lots originated from PRRSV positive-unstable sow farms, and on lots with higher frequency and diversity of wild-type PRRSV detection during the growth phase. No differences in growth performance were detected between two doses group and one dose group. The second MLV vaccination dose had a benefit-cost ratio of 1.83. For lots originated from PRRSV positive-unstable farms, the benefit-cost ratio was 4.45, and for lots originated from PRRSV positive-stable farms, the benefit-cost ratio was 0.45. Under study conditions, vaccinating growing pig lots with two doses of PRRS MLV vaccine was a useful strategy to immunize growing pigs against PRRSV, lowering the wild-type PRRSV detection, lowering mortality rate, and increasing profitability, compared to lots of growing pigs that received a single dose of the same vaccine.

Effective biosecurity practices in swine production are key in preventing the introduction and dissemination of infectious pathogens. Ideally, on-farm biosecurity practices should be chosen by their impact on bio-containment and bio-exclusion; however, quantitative supporting evidence is often unavailable. Therefore, the development of methodologies capable of quantifying and ranking biosecurity practices according to their efficacy in reducing disease risk has the potential to facilitate better-informed choices of biosecurity practices. Using survey data on biosecurity practices, farm demographics, and previous outbreaks from 139 herds, a set of machine learning algorithms were trained to classify farms by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus status, depending on their biosecurity practices and farm demographics, to produce a predicted outbreak risk. A novel interpretable machine learning toolkit, MrIML-biosecurity, was developed to benchmark farms and production systems by predicted risk and quantify the impact of biosecurity practices on disease risk at individual farms. By quantifying the variable impact on predicted risk, 50% of 42 variables were associated with fomite spread while 31% were associated with local transmission. Results from machine learning interpretations identified similar results, finding substantial contribution to predicted outbreak risk from biosecurity practices relating to the turnover and number of employees, the surrounding density of swine premises and pigs, the sharing of haul trailers, distance from the public road and farm production type. In addition, the development of individualized biosecurity assessments provides the opportunity to better guide biosecurity implementation on a case-by-case basis. Finally, the flexibility of the MrIML-biosecurity toolkit gives it the potential to be applied to wider areas of biosecurity benchmarking, to address biosecurity weaknesses in other livestock systems and industry-relevant diseases.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo) is generally accepted to be the most common porcine respiratory pathogen worldwide causing big economical losses in swine production by affecting pig's downstream performance. The objective of this study was to develop a partial budget model to determine the payback period and economic value of two Mhyo elimination protocols. Retrospective data recorded from 2004 to 2017 from 70 breeding herds that implemented herd closure or whole-herd medication protocol targeting Mhyo elimination. Close out data was used to estimate differences in downstream performance between Mhyo-negative and positive flows. Assuming a 5000 sows breed-to-finish operation producing 135,870 weaned pigs and 125,000 finishing pigs/year, the total cost for implementing Mhyo elimination was $112,100 using the herd closure protocol, and $185,700 for the medication protocol. Statistically differences (p 0.05) in downstream performance were observed for ADG and mortality, but not for feed conversion rate. The parameters that accounts for the greatest benefits were related to the improvement in ADG, savings in antibiotic medication in growing pigs and improvement in feed conversion rate. The benefit of Mhyo elimination was $877,375 per farm per year, or $7.00 per pig marketed. The estimated project value after 1 year was $616,121 for the herd closure considering a probability of success of 83%, and $323,177 for the medication protocol for 58% chance of success. The project value reached the break-even point when the cost per sow was $145.64 for the herd closure and $101.78 for the medication protocol. The payback period was 2 months after the start of marketing Mhyo-negative pigs for the herd closure, and 7 months for the medication protocol adjusted for the probability of success for each protocol. The protocols described here can be easily applied with a good success rate and showing that the benefits obtained are greater than the costs of project failure. Even if the farm stayed negative only a year, the economic benefits downstream are worth the investment. This information may help producers and veterinarians on decision-making process to conduct a Mhyo elimination protocol in their herds.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is a recognized cause of acute respiratory disease in pigs that can culminate in the decline of performance due to increasing feed conversion and costs of antimicrobial drugs to control secondary infections. Biosecurity practices are the key to prevent transmission of highly contagious agents. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of biosecurity practices on IAV seroprevalence through a cross-sectional study carried out in 404 sows from 21 herds. An indirect ELISA was used to detect antibodies against a nucleoprotein of IAV. To evaluate IAV subtypes (H1N1pdm09, H1N2 and H3N2), all samples positive by ELISA were tested using the hemagglutination inhibition assay (HI). Prevalence ratios (PR) estimates were calculated using multivariate Poisson regression accounted with survey weights. Sixty-four percent (261/404) of sows were positive in the rNP-ELISA and the estimated prevalence was 63.9% (95% CI 55%–73%). All farms had at least one seropositive sow; the frequency of IAV subtypes found in seropositive sows was 51.9% for H1N1pdm09, 38.1% for codetection H1N1pdm09 and H1N2, 8.6% for H1N2, and 0.6% for codetection H1N1pdm09 and H3N2, and 19 herds presented coinfection of H1N1 pdm09 and H1N2. Variables significantly associated with IAV seroprevalence found in the final model were ‘bird-proof net’ (PR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.65–0.86) and ‘gilt acclimatization unit’ (PR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.50–0.66), showing a protective effect against IAV seroprevalence, and ‘external replacement’, which had a positive effect on IAV seroprevalence (PR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.17–1.64). This study suggests that preventing contact among wild species and swine and using an adaptation area for animals before entry into the herd can be strategies to control the influenza virus in breeding herds.

Two studies were conducted to evaluate narasin inclusion level on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of growing-finishing pigs. The studies were carried out using a randomized complete block design with three narasin levels: 0 vs. 15 vs. 20 mg/kg. Study 1 (2,232 pigs) was carried out over a fixed time of 85 days from 33.4 ± 1.7 kg to 117.0 ± 2.6 kg. Study 2 (1,125 pigs) was carried out over a fixed time of 113 days from 28.0 ± 2.2 kg to 124.4 ± 6.0 kg. All pigs were fed diets that met or exceeded nutrient recommendations of growing-finishing pigs (NRC, 2012). Pigs were offered ad libitum access to feed and water throughout the study and weighed on day 0, 28, 56, and 84. Feed additions and feed remaining in the feeder at the time of pig weighing was recorded. Due to disruptions at the slaughter facility, carcass data were not collected on Study 1. For Study 2, pigs were sent for slaughter over five weeks, with the heaviest 20% of each pen being sent for slaughter each week. At slaughter, hot carcass weight was collected. Compared to controls, feeding 15 mg/kg narasin increased (P < 0.05) final body weight (1.2 kg and 1.4 kg for Study 1 and 2, respectively), increased (P < 0.05) hot carcass weight (1.3 kg), and tended (P = 0.07) to improve carcass yield (0.3 percentage units). Feeding 20 mg/kg narasin increased (P < 0.05) overall G:F compared to controls (1.5% and 1.9% for Study 1 and 2, respectively). There were limited differences between the 15 and 20 mg/kg narasin levels. The results of this study confirm improvements in growth performance and carcass characteristics from feeding narasin to growing-finishing pigs. The outcomes of feeding 20 mg/kg narasin were unexpected and warrant further research.

Our objective was to determine the effects of different pre-farrow feeding levels on sow and litter performance. On d 112 of gestation, a total of 309 sows (Camborough; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were blocked by parity (P1, P2, P3+) and body weight and allotted to one of three treatments in a randomized complete block design. Treatments consisted of different feeding levels, which included: 1) 1.81 kg/d; 2) 2.72 kg/d; and 3) ad libitum access to feed. Sows were fed a corn-soybean meal-dried distillers grains with solubles-based lactation diet containing 3.36 Mcal of ME/kg and 1.17% SID Lys. Sows were weighed and visual BCS and caliper units were recorded at entry into the farrowing room at d 112 of gestation and at weaning. Daily feed intake was recorded from the beginning of the study until weaning. Litters were cross-fostered within treatment within 24-h after farrowing, and litter weights were collected at 12-h post-farrow and at weaning. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with sow as the experimental unit and block as a random effect. Covariates were used if they significantly improved the model fit. Ad libitum sows had the greatest (P < 0.05) feed intake from d 112 to farrow, followed by 2.72 kg/d and 1.81 kg/d treatments; however, no evidence (P > 0.10) for differences in lactation feed intake were observed. Wean-to-estrus interval was greater (P < 0.05) for ad libitum sows compared to sows fed 1.81 kg/d. Removal plus mortality rate was marginally lower (P < 0.10) for sows fed 2.72 kg/d compared to sows fed 1.81 kg/d. No evidence (P > 0.10) for treatment differences were observed in total born, stillbirth rate, and litter or piglet weight gain during lactation. In conclusion, results from this study do not support increasing feeding levels for sows prior to farrowing starting on d 112 of gestation.

Our objective was to determine the effects of increasing dietary standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys) on the growth performance of late nursery pigs. A total of 1,125 pigs (PIC 337×Camborough, initially 12.0±0.66 kg) were used in a 21-d study. The pigs used in the study were sired by boars ranked in the top 15% of a selected PIC elite boar stud based on index. Pens of pigs were blocked by body weight and randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments containing 0.95, 1.10, 1.20, 1.35, and 1.50% of SID Lys. Diets were corn-soybean meal-based and contained 2,480 Kcal of NE/kg. Treatments were achieved with increasing feed-grade amino acids. There were 9 mixed gender pens per treatment and 25 pigs per pen. Data were analyzed using generalized linear and nonlinear mixed models with pen as the experimental unit. Competing models included linear, quadratic polynomial (QP), broken-line linear (BLL), and broken-line quadratic (BLQ). Increasing SID Lys concentration improved average daily gain (ADG, linear, P < 0.001) and gain to feed ratio (G:F, quadratic, P = 0.011). The best-fitting models for ADG were QP and BLL. The QP model estimated the maximum ADG at 1.43% (95% CI: 1.12 to >1.50%), with 99% of maximum ADG achieved at 1.27%. The BLL plateau was estimated at 1.31% (95%CI: 1.06 to >1.50%). The best-fitting models for G:F were QP, BLL, and BLQ. The QP model estimated the maximum G:F at 1.48% (95%CI: 1.23 to >1.50%), with 99% of maximum G:F achieved at 1.24%. The BLL plateau was estimated at 1.30% (95% CI: 1.18 to 1.41%), whereas the BLQ plateau was estimated at 1.36% (95%CI: 1.14 to >1.50%). In conclusion, the estimated optimum SID Lys concentration for 12- to 26-kg pigs sired by high index boars ranged from 1.30 to 1.48%, depending on the response criteria and statistical model.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding medium energy diets together with feed ingredients (Narasin-Skycis, Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN; Phytonutrient blend-LeanFuel, Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL) as compared to low and high energy diets in high lean genetics during the summer. A total of 1375 pigs (PIC 337×PIC 1050; average 32.92 kg) were used in the experiment and were randomly assigned within block to 1 of 5 treatments by weight and gender, and 5 diet phases were formulated to meet and exceed NRC 2012 requirements, and formulated to a constant Lysine:NE ratio using corn, soybean meal and fat as low-energy, 3307 kcal/kg ME (L), moderate-energy, 3362 kcal/kg (M) and high-energy, 3417 kcal/kg ME (H) diets, and the trial ran from 32.92 kg to slaughter. Treatments 1) L 2) H 3) M with 1135 g/ton of LeanFuel added from 81.65 kg onwards 4) M with 13.6 g/ton Narasin throughout 5) M with 13.6 g/ton Narasin throughout and LeanFuel added from 81.65 kg onwards. Data were analyzed using the PROC GLIMMIX of SAS with pen serving as the experimental unit and blocks included in random effects. There was no difference in removals (P = 0.934). There was no difference in ADG between L and H, but H improved G:F by 2.5% (P < 0.01) as expected. ADG was intermediate for M+LF and M+Nar, with M+Nar+LF having a significantly greater ADG than both L and H by 4.8% for the overall period (P < 0.01). Feed efficiency was significantly lower for H, M+LF, M+Nar and M+Nar+LF as compared to L, but there was no difference for G:F between H and M+LF, M+Nar and M+Nar+LF. Gain per pig was increased by M+Nar+LF by 5.1 kg and 4.5 kg over L and H, respectively (P < 0.01). The combined use of Nar and LF offer an approach to supporting growth rate during the summer.

The objective was to determine the effects of metabolizable energy (ME) and standardized ileal digestible (SID) lysine (Lys) levels on lactating sows and litter performance. A total of 600 sows (Camborough; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were blocked by parity (P1, P2, P3+) on d 112 of gestation and allotted to 1 of 6 treatments arranged in a 2 x 3 factorial with the main effect of ME (3.2 and 3.4 Mcal/kg) and SID Lys (0.70, 0.85, and 1.00 %). Corn-soybean meal-based diets were fed from farrowing until weaning (d 21±2.3). Litters were cross-fostered until 48-h after farrowing to equalize litter size. Sows were weighed at d 112 of gestation and at weaning. Litter size and weight were collected at 24-h post-farrow and weaning. Daily feed intake was recorded from 48-h post-farrow until weaning. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with sow as the experimental unit. There was no evidence of interaction between ME and SID Lys for any response criteria. There was no evidence for an ME effect on sow performance. There was a quadratic effect (P< 0.05) of SID Lys on sow average daily feed intake, with the greatest intake at 0.85% SID Lys. Increasing SID Lys levels increased sow BW change (linear, P< 0.05). Litters from sows fed 3.4 Mcal of ME/kg had greater (P< 0.05) daily gain compared to those from sows fed 3.2 Mcal of ME/kg. Increasing SID Lys levels increased (linear, P< 0.05) litter weight at weaning and piglet daily gain. Wean-to-estrus interval, percentage of sows bred after weaning, total born on the subsequent parity, litter size at weaning, and percent of piglet removals were not influenced by dietary treatments. In summary, increasing ME levels did not affect sow performance, but improved litter and piglet daily gain. Increasing SID Lys levels improved both litter and sow performance.

The Pestivirus genus comprises species that affect animal health and productivity worldwide. Members of the Suidae family are hosts for classical swine fever virus (CSFV), an important pathogen tracked by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). However, swine are also susceptible to other pestivirus species that can result in disease or compromise CSFV detection. We searched for pestivirus infection in swine sera collected from 320 backyard pig herds in southern Brazil. We used reverse-transcription PCR primers for Bungowannah virus; atypical porcine pestivirus (APPV); and a panpestivirus pair that detects bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV)-1, -2, and HoBi-like pestivirus (HoBiPeV), border disease virus (BDV), and CSFV. Two samples were positive using the panpestivirus primer pair and were classified as BVDV-1d and -2a, respectively. Serum samples were tested for virus neutralization against BVDV-1a, -1b, and -2 strains, resulting in 28 (4.4%) positive samples. Of those, 16 samples had the highest titers against BVDV-1a (2), BVDV-1b (5), and BVDV-2 (9). Our results indicate that Bungowannah virus, APPV, CSFV, BDV, and HoBiPeV have not been circulating in these specific backyard swine populations. However, ruminant pestiviruses were detected and must be considered in future pestivirus control programs conducted in Brazil.

Swine wean-to-finish (W2F) mortality is a multifactorial, dynamic process and a key performance indicator of commercial swine production. Although swine producers typically capture the relevant data, analysis of W2F mortality risk factors is often hindered by the fact that, even if data is available, they are typically in different formats, non-uniform, and dispersed among multiple unconnected databases. In this study, an automated framework was created to link multiple data streams to specific cohorts of market animals, including sow farm productivity parameters, sow farm and growing pig health factors, facilities, management factors, and closeout data from a Midwestern USA production system. The final dataset (master-table) contained breeding-to-market data for 1,316 cohorts of pigs marketed between July 2018 and June 2019. Following integration into a master-table, continuous explanatory variables were categorized into quartiles averages, and the W2F mortality was log-transformed, reporting geometric mean mortality of 8.69 % for the study population. Further, univariate analyses were performed to identify individual variables associated with W2F mortality (p < 0.10) for further inclusion in a multivariable model, where model selection was applied. The final multivariable model consisted of 13 risk factors and accounted for 68.2 % (R2) of the variability of the W2F mortality, demonstrating that sow farm health and performance are closely linked to downstream W2F mortality. Higher sow farm productivity was associated with lower subsequent W2F mortality and, conversely, lower sow farm productivity with higher W2F mortality e.g., groups weaned in the highest quartiles for pre-weaning mortality and abortion rate had 13.5 %, and 12.5 %, respectively, which was statistically lower than the lowest quartiles for the same variables (10.5 %, and 10.6 %). Moreover, better sow farm health status was also associated with lower subsequent W2F mortality. A significant difference was detected in W2F mortality between epidemic versus negative groups for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (15.4 % vs 8.7 %), and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae epidemic versus negative groups (13.7 % vs 9.9 %). Overall, this study demonstrated the application of a whole-herd analysis by aggregating information of the pre-weaning phase with the post-weaning phase (breeding-to-market) to identify and measure the major risk factors of W2F mortality.

Biosecurity is defined as the set of practices carried out to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious agents in a herd. These practices are essential in swine production, especially for highly infectious agents such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv). Even with years of research and experience over the last three decades, PRRSv is still causing productivity losses and is the major health problem affecting the global swine industry. Despite knowledge of the various ways in which the virus can be transmitted from one herd to another (e.g. animals, semen, truck, air, and people), determining the most frequent ways in which the virus is transmitted in the field is difficult. A systematic approach to assess vulnerabilities at a herd level related to PRRSv transmission could help producers prioritize biosecurity practices to reduce or avoid the occurrence of outbreaks. The aim of this study was to develop a biosecurity vulnerability score that represents the relative vulnerability of swine breeding herds to the introduction of PRRSv. To create the biosecurity vulnerability score (outcome), a multi-criteria decision analysis methodology was used to rank and quantify biosecurity practices based on expert opinion. To validate the biosecurity vulnerability score, a survey of biosecurity practices and PRRS outbreak histories in 125 breed-to-wean herds in the U.S. swine industry was used. Data on the frequency of PRRS outbreaks was used to test the hypothesis that biosecurity vulnerability scores were different between farms that have a low incidence of PRRS outbreaks, compared to farms that have a high incidence. In the two databases used, the scores consistently showed that farms with higher scores have a higher frequency of PRRS outbreaks. In the first validation, farms that had never had an outbreak investigation before had a significant (p 0.02) lower score (0.29; 0.21-0.37) when compared to farms that had 2 or more outbreaks (0.43; 0.39-0.46). In the second, the farms of the control group also had significant (p 0.004) lower scores (0.30; 0.27-0.33) compared to the case group (0.35; 0.33-0.38). Also, the results suggest that events related to swine movements, transmission by air and water, and people movements should be prioritized. The biosecurity vulnerability scores may be useful to assess vulnerabilities on biosecurity protocols in order to reduce the frequency of PRRS outbreaks and may help producers and veterinarians prioritize investments in improving biosecurity practices over time.

Computerized microtomography is the gold standard examination for the evaluation of the three-dimensional bone structure. This experiment was developed to evaluate the structure and bone quality of Caiman yacare with metabolic bone disease using high resolution computerized microtomography (μCT). The animals were distributed into four groups: G1 - hyperphosphatemic diet with sun exposure deprivation (n=4), G2 - hyperphosphatemic diet with sun exposure (n=4), G3 - balanced diet with sun exposure deprivation (n=4), and G4 - balanced diet with exposure to sunlight (n=4). The parameters for the trabecular bone (Trabecular Number, Trabecular Thickness, Trabecular Separation, Bone Pattern Factor, Fractal Dimension, Euler Number, Structural Model Index, Degree of Anisotropy, Eigenvalues 1, 2 and 3, and Centroides X, Y and Z), and cortical bone (Number of Closed Pores, Volume of Closed Pores, Surface of Closed Pores, Closed Porosity, Volume of Open Pores, Open Porosity and Total Porosity). The overall results showed that the structure and bone quality of group G3 and G4 were better than those of groups G1 and G2, and that the diet factor influenced more than the sun exposure factor. The computerized microtomography allowed to evaluate the quality of the cortical and trabecular bones of the Pantanal alligator tibia with osteometabolic disease. The diet and sun exposure factors influenced individually the results of the μCT parameters between the groups, demonstrating the functional and structural complexity. Thus, these parameters can contribute to the interpretation of the mechanical behavior of bones and correlate them with the risk of lesions and fractures associated with osteometabolic diseases. RESUMO: Microtomografia computadorizada é o exame padrão-ouro para a avaliação da estrutura tridimensional do osso. Este estudo experimental foi desenvolvido para avaliar a estrutura e a qualidade óssea de jacarés-do-pantanal (Caiman yacare) com doença óssea metabólica utilizando a microtomografia computadorizada (μCT) de Alta Resolução. Os animais foram distribuídos em quatro grupos, G1 - dieta hiperfosfatêmica com privação de luz solar (n=4), G2 - dieta hiperfosfatêmica com exposição à luz solar (n=4), G3 - dieta balanceada com privação de luz solar (n=4) e G4 - dieta balanceada com exposição à luz solar (n=4). Avaliaram-se os parâmetros para o osso trabecular (Número de Trabéculas, Espessura Trabecular, Separação Trabecular, Fator do Padrão Ósseo, Dimensão Fractal, Número de Euler, Índice do Modelo Estrutural, Grau de Anisotropia, Autovalores 1, 2 e 3 e Centroides X, Y e Z) e osso cortical (Número de Poros Fechados, Volume dos Poros Fechados, Superfície de Poros Fechados, Porosidade Fechada, Volume de Poros Abertos, Porosidade Aberta e Porosidade Total). Os resultados gerais evidenciaram que a estrutura e a qualidade óssea dos grupos G3 e G4 foram superiores aos dos grupos G1 e G2, sendo que o fator dieta influenciou mais do que o fator exposição solar. A Microtomografia Computadorizada permitiu avaliar a qualidade dos ossos cortical e trabecular da tíbia de jacarés do pantanal com doença osteometabólica. Os fatores dieta e exposição solar influenciaram individualmente no resultado dos parâmetros do μCT entre os grupos, demonstrando a complexidade funcional e estrutural. Assim, esses parâmetros podem contribuir na interpretação do comportamento mecânico dos ossos e correlacioná-los com o risco de lesões e fraturas associadas às doenças osteometabólicas.

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of acute hepatitis worldwide. There is no seroprevalence study in backyard farms, which are characterized by suboptimal hygienic conditions in Brazil. We aimed to determine the seroprevalence and genetic diversity of HEV in backyard pigs in Brazil. Methods Swine serum samples collected in 2012 (n=731) and 2014 (n=713) were analysed. The presence of anti-HEV immunoglobulin G in pig serum was evaluated by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed and phylogenetic analyses were carried out based on the partial ORF1 and ORF2 coding regions. Results Anti-HEV antibodies were detected in 77.6% (567/731; 95% confidence interval [CI] 74.5 to 90.6%) of serum samples in 2012 and 65.5% (467/713; 95% CI 62.0 to 69.0%) in 2014. The herd seroprevalence was 91.7% (187/204; 95% CI 91% to 99%) in 2012 and 83.7% (164/196; 95% CI 78% to 89%) in 2014. Further, HEV RNA was detected in 0.8% (6/713) of samples from 2014. Phylogenetic analysis showed three different genotype 3 subtypes with high similarity to human HEV strains. Conclusions This study showed that backyard pigs are a reservoir of HEV and alerts us to the need to control infection and spillover from backyard farms. GenBank accession numbers MF438128-MF438135.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of IFTA NBS on productive performance in pigs from nursery until the end of 1st grow-finish phase. Total of 1,200 pigs (PIC 337 x 1050; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were allotted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and assigned to blocks based on weight and sex, random allocated to pens with 25 pigs/pen. Diet changes occurred in 4 phases: N1 lasting 7 days, N2 14 days, N3 21 days and F1 21 days. Animals were random assigned to 4 treatments: T1) zinc oxide (ZnO) during N1 (3000 ppm) and N2 (2500 ppm) with no antibiotics; T2) carbadox at 50 g/ton in N1 and N2; T3) IFTA NBS at 500 g/ton during N1, N2 and N3; and T4) IFTA NBS at 500 g/ton during N1, N2 and N3 along with ZnO in N1 (3000 ppm) and N2 (2500 ppm). Treatments were fed a common diet during F1. Outcomes were analyzed as RCBD using SAS PROC GLIMMIX with pen as experimental unit, treatment as main effect and block as random effect. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in weights and average daily gain (ADG) between T2 and T3 during N2. Significant differences on average daily feed intake (ADFI) were observed between T1 and T2 vs. T3 during N2, and between T2 and T3 during N3. During nursery period (N1-N3), ADG and ADFI were different (P < 0.05) between T2 and T3. By the end of the trial, a significant difference in gain:feed between T2 and T3 was detected. Under the conditions of this study, IFTA NBS in combination with ZnO could replace carbadox as it obtained similar weight and FCR during nursery. In addition, the response on gain:feed during the first grow-finish phase deserves further investigation since suggests a beneficial residual effect of IFTA NBS.

The objectives were to evaluate differences in productivity (mortality, number of pigs weaned and litter weights) and electricity usage between farrowing crates equipped with the HAVEN device or standard heat lamps. The HAVEN is a heat element designed to create a microclimate for newborn pigs. A total of 314 sows (Camborough; PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were initially allotted to the study in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) based on parity (P1, P2, P3+). Treatments consisted of control group (standard heat lamps) and treatment group (HAVEN device). Around d112 of gestation the sows were moved to the farrowing house and randomly allotted to the treatment. After farrow, litters were cross-fostered within treatment until 24-h after farrowing to equalize litter number to teat count. Litter size and weight were collected at the time of cross-fostering and at weaning. Sows had an ad libitum access to feed and water during lactation. Data were analyzed as an RCBD using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with litter as the experimental unit and block as a random effect. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between treatments on litter growth performance. However, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between the Control and Haven groups on piglets mortality and removals (%). The Control group had a higher incidence of mortality when compared to the Haven group (11.42% vs. 9.06%, respectively). In addition, the Control group had a higher (P < 0.05) percentage of pigs removed compared to the Haven group (18.41% vs. 15.55%, respectively). Regarding electricity usage, on average the HAVEN device consumed 1.55 Wh/day compared to 2.41 Wh/day from the heat lamp. In conclusion, under the conditions of this trial the HAVEN provided production benefits reducing mortality and removals (%), and also potential savings in electricity.

There has been a tremendous increase in recent years of population-based diagnostic monitoring and surveillance strategies in swine populations. One example is the use of processing fluids (PF) to screen breeding herds for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) activity. An important question from practitioners using such methods is on how intensively can the sample be pooled. More specifically, processing fluids of how many litters can be pooled into a single sample for diagnostic testing to preserve a high probability of PRRSV RNA detection at low prevalence situations? The objective of this study was to model the effect of pooling PF samples on the probability of PRRSV RNA detection. For this study, a PRRSV-positive PF field sample with a RT-rtPCR quantification cycle (Cq) value of 28 was selected to represent a litter of 11 pigs with a single viremic piglet. PF samples from a PRRSV-naïve herd were used to perform 6 replications of 8 two-fold serial dilutions of the PRRSV-positive sample, thus modeling the pooling effect (dilution). Each two-fold dilution represented an increase in the number of PRRS-negative pigs in the sample by a factor of 2. Samples were tested for PRRSV RNA by RT-rtPCR and the data was analyzed using linear and probit regression models. There was an average increment of 1.37 points in Ct for each two-fold dilution. The estimated probability of testing positive on RT-rtPCR was 43 %, 80 %, and 95 % when there was a single PRRSv-positive piglet among 784, 492, and 323 PRRSv-negative piglets contributing to the sample respectively. Results from this study support the practice of collecting and aggregating PF samples from multiple litters for PRRSV RNA testing.

RESUMO: Foi realizado um levantamento nos arquivos do Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária (LPV) da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT) das doenças de bovinos registradas entre os anos 2005 a 2014. Foram revisados 1124 casos. Destes, 27,6% foram amostras obtidas de necropsias realizadas por técnicos do LPV-UFMT e 72,3% foram amostras encaminhadas ao LPV-UFMT por veterinários de campo. Em 49,38% dos casos (555/1124) o diagnóstico da doença foi feito através da análise morfológica de lesões e/ou através de exames complementares. Raiva foi a principal causa de morte de bovinos neste estudo (7,82%). As doenças inflamatórias e parasitárias foram as mais prevalentes sendo diagnosticadas em 27,49% dos casos, seguida das doenças tóxicas e toxiinfecções com 9,78%. As demais categorias foram distribuídas em ordem decrescente em: neoplasmas e lesões tumoriformes (4%), doenças degenerativas (3,02%), distúrbios causados por agentes físicos (2,84%), distúrbios metabólicos e nutricionais (1,42%) e outras categorias (0,71%). ABSTRACT: A survey was conducted on files of the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory (LPV), Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT), about cattle disease recorded during the years 2005 to 2014. From a total of 1124 reviewed cases, 27.6% were samples obtained from autopsies performed by technicians of the LPV-UFMT, and 72.3% were samples sent to LPV-UFMT by field veterinarians. In 49.38% of cases (555/1124) the diagnosis of the disease was made by morphological analysis of lesions and/or through additional tests. Rabies was the major cause of death in cattle in this study (7.82%). Inflammatory and parasitic disease was the most prevalent category diagnosed with 27.49% of cases, followed by toxicoses and toxinfections (9.78%). The other categories were distributed in descending order, as neoplasms and tumor-like lesions (4%), degenerative diseases (3.02%), disorders caused by physical agents (2.84%), metabolic and nutritional disorders (1.42%), and other categories (0.71%).

Ureaplasma diversum infection in bovine females may result in various reproductive problems, including granular vulvovaginitis, abortion, weak calves, salpingitis, and spontaneous abortion. The presence of U. diversum in a dairy bovine population from midwestern Brazil has not been established. The aim of this study was to determine whether U. diversum was present in dairy cattle from midwestern Brazil using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Vulvovaginal mucus was analyzed from 203 cows located in six municipalities in the north region of Mato Grosso State, Brazil. A total of 25% of dairy cows with vulvovaginitis were positive for U. diversum. The factors evaluated were included in a multivariable logistic regression model with the presence of at least one positive cow in the herd serving as the dependent variable. Three variables were significantly associated with a U. diversum-positive PCR and were included in the final multivariable model: number of parities, vulvar lesions, and reproductive problems. For each new parity, the chance of U. diversum infection decreased 0.03-fold, indicating that cows with the highest number of parities were more protected. The presence of vulvar lesions was increased 17.6-fold in females positive for U. diversum, suggesting that this bacterium could be related to the red granular lesions in the vulvar mucosa, whereas reproductive problems were increased 7.6-fold. However, further investigations should be conducted to ascertain the effects of U. diversum in association with other mycoplasma species in the herds studied.

This study compared internal load variable dynamics across three consecutive football matches and investigated its relationship with the number of sprints performed by players. Twenty-three male players had blood and salivary samples collected for hormonal concentration (testosterone, cortisol, and testosterone-cortisol ratio), and serum analysis (interleukin-6, interleukin-1-beta, and c-reactive-protein), respectively. Sprints were measured through Global Position System devices. Testosterone and testosterone-cortisol-ratio presented a decreasing behavior up to the second match, and all other indicators presented an increasing behavior during the same period, c-reactive-protein was the only indicator observed to significantly rise up to the third match as well (0.38±0.02 mg/L; 0.49±0.05 mg/L; 0.69±0.05 mg/L; 0.89±0.08 mg/L). C-reactive-protein showed strong correlations with sprints in the second and third matches (p

PRRS is a viral disease characterized by increasing reproduction losses in breeding herds and worsening performance of growing pigs, which leads to a considerable economic impact. A better understanding of the differences in the infection patterns of the virus in growing pig batches would help to develop cost-effective surveillance methods and disease control and elimination programs. Therefore, field studies documenting growing pig productivity according to the patterns of wild-type-PRRSV (wt-PRRSV) detection in the field are needed. This study was conducted with the objectives to (1) characterize patterns of wt-PRRSV-1 and wt-PRRSV-2 RNA detection over time in modified-live virus (MLV)-vaccinated batches of growing pigs raised in pig-dense regions of the USA; (2) compare wean-to-finish mortality among batches of growing pigs characterized with the different patterns of wt-PRRSV-1 and wt-PRRSV-2 detection; and (3) compare wean-to-finish mortality among batches of growing pigs characterized with the different patterns of wt-PRRSV-2 detection and vaccinated with two different doses of PRRS MLV vaccine. Eighty-one batches of growing pigs were originated from PRRSV positive-stable and unstable sow farms and vaccinated with two different doses of PRRS MLV vaccine. All batches were monitored for wt-PRRSV by testing six oral fluids every three weeks from weaning to marketing. Diagnostics were conducted to detect wt-PRRSV-1 and wt-PRRSV-2 by RT-qPCR testing and ORF-5 region sequencing. K-means clustering analysis was applied to identify batches sharing similar patterns of wt-PRRSV detection over time. Regression analyses were used to compare mortality among batches of growing pigs characterized with different patterns of wt-PRRSV detection over time. Thirty-eight percent of batches were detected with wt-PRRSV-1 during the growth phase, with three different patterns of detection. Detection of wt-PRRSV-1 was not associated with significant increase on mortality. Ninety-one percent of batches were detected with wt-PRRSV-2 during the growth phase, with four different patterns of detection. Batches originated from PRRSV positive-unstable farms had highest mortality rate (p < 0.0001) and were characterized as Unstable wt-PRRSV-2 detection pattern. Batches characterized with Early wt-PRRSV-2 detection pattern had higher mortality than batches characterized by Mid, Late and No wt-PRRSV-2 detection during the growth phase (p < 0.0001). Batches with Mid wt-PRRSV-2 detection had higher mortality than batches characterized with Late wt-PRRSV-2 detection (p < 0.0124). Mortality rate of batches characterized with Unstable and Early wt-PRRSV-2 detection patterns was lower when pigs were vaccinated with two doses of PRRS MLV vaccine, compared to batches that received only one dose. Results presented in this study suggested that early wt-PRRSV exposure on pig populations was associated with higher wean-to-finish mortality. Additionally, results suggested that vaccination with two PRRS MLV doses was associated with lower mortality rate, when growing pig populations had early wt-PRRSV exposure.

Brazil is the fourth largest producer and exporter of pork in the world, but has never reported yet the occurrence of some economically important diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED). Most of the swine farms in Brazil are characterized by intensive production being part of large integrated companies, where biosecurity practices help to prevent the introduction and spread of disease-causing infectious agents. The assessment of biosecurity in farms is not straightforward because of the large number of practices that constitute an on-farm biosecurity program. It is therefore necessary to combine the measurement of several parameters in order to characterize the level of biosecurity on a given farm. Thus, the objective of the study was to develop a biosecurity score to estimate the biosecurity level (theta or θ) in swine farms using the item response theory (IRT) and explore the relationship between the scores and independent variables. The IRT is a latent trait method extensively used in other fields, and offers the advantage to quantify the latent trait, here the biosecurity level, and to identify the practices that discriminate the farms avoiding the use of extensive questionnaires and redundant questions. In this study, 604 farms were evaluated in the main swine production regions of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Thirty-five practices were considered in order to quantify the biosecurity level on a given farm. After a recursive process 14 practices were selected to compose the biosecurity score to estimate the biosecurity level (θ). The variables identified with greater capacity of distinguishing the farms as to their biosecurity level were if the farm has 'feed bin outside of the barn limit (external feed loading)', has 'perimetral fence around the farm or barn', and if 'transit of trucks inside the farm is prohibited'. The biosecurity level was associated with some independent variables, e.g. the farm operation type, the integrated company and some owner characteristics. In addition, the results demonstrated that biosecurity practices related to management (internal biosecurity) are adopted with higher frequency compared to segregation and sanitation practices (external biosecurity). The IRT model proved useful and valid to estimate the biosecurity level in swine farms. Moreover, the biosecurity score described here has a relatively low number of items, which makes the application of this tool easier and faster compared to other previously described biosecurity assessment.

RESUMO: Os neoplasmas cutâneos em cães apresentam elevada e relevante prevalência em todo o Brasil. Sendo assim, objetivou-se determinar a frequência e algumas características epidemiológicas dos neoplasmas cutâneos em cães diagnosticados no Laboratório de Patologia da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (LPV-UFMT), Cuiabá, entre os anos de 2007 a 2014. Foram revisados os protocolos de necropsias e biopsias do LPV-UFMT, de cães com neoplasmas cutâneos. Dados referentes à idade, sexo, raça dos cães afetados, localização anatômica, tamanho, diagnóstico histomorfológico e comportamento biológico foram coletados e analisados através de uma análise estatística descritiva. Adicionalmente o teste χ2, foi utilizado para associações entre comportamento biológico e tamanho da massa. Dos 3566 exames realizados, 656 (18,4%) foram diagnosticados como tumores cutâneos sendo cães adultos e idosos das raças Pit Bull, Boxer e Poodle os mais acometidos. Dentre os 11 padrões morfológicos mais diagnosticados o mastocitoma, carcinoma de células escamosas (CCE) e os tumores de origem vascular foram os mais frequentemente relatados. Em relação ao sítio anatômico, a cabeça foi a mais acometida. A maioria dos tumores benignos apresentaram menos de 1cm de diâmetro e os malignos de 3 a 5cm. O aumento de neoplasmas em adultos e idosos pode estar relacionado ao somatório de danos causados por agentes carcinogênicos e o comprometimento imunológico.

Reproductive failure in swine herds is often difficult to diagnose and is important to swine production. The present study aims to identify the potential risk factors (infectious/noninfectious) for stillborn piglets in two commercial swine farms situated in midwestern region of Brazil. The potential risk factors were included in a multivariable logistic model, and the dependent variable was defined as the presence of at least one stillborn piglet in a given litter (yes or no). In the best fit model, two variables from the multivariable analysis, total litter size (p = 0.01), and average birth weight (p = 0.03) were significantly associated with the presence of stillborn piglets at the farms examined in this study. Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) was detected in 29.1 % of the litters. Neither parvovirus (PPV) nor leptospirosis infections were identified in this study, suggesting that they have a minor impact on reproductive disease.

One of the most commonly observational study designs employed in veterinary is the cross-sectional study with binary outcomes. To measure an association with exposure, the use of prevalence ratios (PR) or odds ratios (OR) are possible. In human epidemiology, much has been discussed about the use of the OR exclusively for case-control studies and some authors reported that there is no good justification for fitting logistic regression when the prevalence of the disease is high, in which OR overestimate the PR. Nonetheless, interpretation of OR is difficult since confusing between risk and odds can lead to incorrect quantitative interpretation of data such as "the risk is X times greater," commonly reported in studies that use OR. The aims of this study were (1) to review articles with cross-sectional designs to assess the statistical method used and the appropriateness of the interpretation of the estimated measure of association and (2) to illustrate the use of alternative statistical methods that estimate PR directly. An overview of statistical methods and its interpretation using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted and included a diverse set of peer-reviewed journals among the veterinary science field using PubMed as the search engine. From each article, the statistical method used and the appropriateness of the interpretation of the estimated measure of association were registered. Additionally, four alternative models for logistic regression that estimate directly PR were tested using our own dataset from a cross-sectional study on bovine viral diarrhea virus. The initial search strategy found 62 articles, in which 6 articles were excluded and therefore 56 studies were used for the overall analysis. The review showed that independent of the level of prevalence reported, 96% of articles employed logistic regression, thus estimating the OR. Results of the multivariate models indicated that logistic regression was the method that most overestimated the PR. The findings of this study indicate that although there are methods that directly estimate PR, many studies in veterinary science do not use these methods and misinterpret the OR estimated by the logistic regression.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) causes substantial economic impact due to significant losses in productivity. Thus, measuring changes in farm productivity before and after PRRS infection enables quantifying the production and economic impact of outbreaks. This study assessed the application of exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA), a statistical process control method, on selected production data (number of abortions, pre-weaning mortality rate and prenatal losses) to supplement PRRS surveillance programs by detecting significant deviations on productivity in a production system with 55,000 sows in 14 breed-to-wean herds in Minnesota, U.S.A. Weekly data from diagnostic monitoring program (available through the Morrison's Swine Health Monitoring Project) implemented on the same herds was used as reference for PRRS status. The time-to-detect, percentage of early detection of PRRSv-associated productivity deviations, and relative sensitivity and specificity of the production data monitoring system were determined relative to the MSHMP. The time-to-detect deviations on productivity associated with PRRS outbreaks using the EWMA method was -4 to -1 weeks (interquartile range) for the number of abortions, 0-0 for preweaning mortality and -1 to 3 weeks for prenatal losses compared to the date it was reported in the MSHMP database. Overall, the models had high relative sensitivity (range 85.7-100%) and specificity (range 98.5%-99.6%) when comparing to the changes in PRRS status reported in the MSHMP database. In summary, the use of systematic data monitoring showed a high concordance compared to the MSHMP-reported outbreaks indicating that on-farm staff and veterinary oversight were efficient to detect PRRSv, but can be more efficient if they were monitoring closely the frequency of abortions. The systematic monitoring of production indicators using EWMA offers opportunity to standardize and semi-automate the detection of deviations on productivity associated with PRRS infection, offering opportunity to early detect outbreaks and/or to quantify the production losses attributed to PRRS infection.

RESUMO: O granuloma leproide canino (GLC) é uma doença micobacteriana que cursa com lesão nodular, cutânea ou subcutânea, tipicamente auto limitante, decorrente de infecção pelo Mycobacterium. É uma doença dermatológica rara, usualmente relatada em países de clima tropical. O objetivo deste trabalho é caracterizar as alterações microscópicas e epidemiológicas de casos de GLC. Além disso, utilizar exames complementares para demonstração do Mycobacterium sp. na lesão analisada utilizando coloração de Ziehl-Neelsen, imuno-histoquímica e PCR para classificação e sequenciamento da espécie de Mycobacterium. Foram analisados 27 casos de GLC diagnosticados no período compreendido de 2005 a 2014 (21 exames histológicos e seis citológicos). A raça mais acometida foi Boxer (33,3%), seguida da Dachshund (11,1%). Foi frequente o acometimento de caninos de grande porte (64%) e de pelame curto (96%). Não foi possível estabelecer qualquer padrão de sazonalidade do GLC. As lesões se localizaram anatomicamente no pavilhão auricular na maioria dos casos (93%), constituindo-se de nódulos únicos ou múltiplos, ulcerados ou não. Em nenhum dos casos foi observado acometimento sistêmico. Lesões histológicas seguiram três padrões que variaram de nodulares a difusos, com infiltrado granulomatoso/piogranulomatoso com envolvimento de derme superficial e profunda. A observação de bacilos pela coloração de Ziehl-Neelsen confirmou o diagnóstico. Este teste demonstrou grande variação na quantidade de bacilos nas lesões, não relacionado estatisticamente ao tipo da lesão nem ao período evolutivo. A imuno-histoquímica foi positiva em 90% dos casos, e em alguns casos facilitou a identificação de bacilos, entretanto, em dois casos ocorreram resultados negativos mesmo havendo marcação pela coloração de Ziehl-Neelsen. Na técnica de PCR realizada em 18 amostras, 44% dos casos foram positivos, duas sequências inespecíficas, e demonstrou ainda, que Mycobacterium murphy foi responsável por 2 casos e Mycobacterium hodleri em um caso. Em outros três casos não se obteve 100% de semelhança entre o produto sequenciado e os demais Mycobacterium. ABSTRACT: Canine leproid granuloma (CLG) is cutaneous diseases caused by mycobacteria that course with nodular cutaneous or subcutaneous lesion, typically self-limiting, due to Mycobacterium infection. It is an unusual dermatological disease, usually reported in tropical countries. The objective of the present study is to describe the epidemiological and histopathological findings of CLG. Furthermore, use additional tests for demonstration of Mycobacterium sp. in the lesion were performed, e.g. Ziehl-Neelsen staining, immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for classification and genetic sequencing of Mycobacterium species. Twenty seven cases of CLG diagnosed between 2005 and 2014 were studied (21 cases by histological examination and six by cytological examination). Boxer dogs were the breed most affected (33.3%) followed by Dachshund dog breed (11.1%). The disease affected dogs with mainly large size (64%) and short-coated (96%). There was no evidence predilection for occurrence in any season. The lesions were localized, in most cases, at the pinna (93%), comprise one or multiple nodules, ulcerated or not. None of the cases was observed with systemic involvement. Histopathological findings included three patterns of nodular to diffuse, with inflammatory infiltration granulomatous/pyogranulomatous that involved superficial and deep dermis. Definitive diagnosis was made by the presence of acid-fast bacilli by Ziehl-Neelsen stain, showing wide variation in the number of bacilli in the lesions, not being statistically correlated to the type of injury or the evolution period. Immunohistochemistry was effective, and in some cases facilitated the identification of bacilli, but in two cases were negative even with marking by Ziehl-Neelsen staining. The immunohistochemistry was positive in 90% cases, and in some cases facilitated the identification of bacilli, but in two cases were negative even with marking by Ziehl-Neelsen staining. The PCR technique was positive in 44% of cases, demonstrating that Mycobacterium murphy was responsible for two cases of GLC and Mycobacterium hodleri by a one case. In other three PCR-positive cases if not got 100% similarity between the sequenced and other Mycobacterium.

Investments in biosecurity practices are made by producers to reduce the likelihood of introducing pathogens such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv). The assessment of biosecurity practices in breeding herds is usually done through surveys. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of machine-learning (ML) algorithms to identify key biosecurity practices and factors associated with breeding herds self-reporting (yes or no) a PRRS outbreak in the past 5 years. In addition, we explored the use of the positive predictive value (PPV) of these models as an indicator of risk for PRRSv introduction by comparing PPV and the frequency of PRRS outbreaks reported by the herds in the last 5 years. Data from a case control study that assessed biosecurity practices and factors using a survey in 84 breeding herds in U.S. from 14 production systems were used. Two methods were developed, method A identified 20 variables and accurately classified farms that had reported a PRRS outbreak in the previous 5 years 76% of the time. Method B identified six variables which 5 of these had already been selected by model A, although model B outperformed the former model with an accuracy of 80%. Selected variables were related to the frequency of risk events in the farm, swine density around the farm, farm characteristics, and operational connections to other farms. The PPVs for methods A and B were highly correlated to the frequency of PRRSv outbreaks reported by the farms in the last 5 years (Pearson r = 0.71 and 0.77, respectively). Our proposed methodology has the potential to facilitate producer’s and veterinarian’s decisions while enhancing biosecurity, benchmarking key biosecurity practices and factors, identifying sites at relatively higher risk of PRRSv introduction to better manage the risk of pathogen introduction.

Twenty-six cattle and 7 horses were diagnosed with rabies. Samples of brain and spinal cord were processed for hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). In addition, refrigerated fragments of brain and spinal cord were tested by direct fluorescent antibody test and intracerebral inoculation in mice. Statistical analyses and Fisher exact test were performed by commercial software. Histologic lesions were observed in the spinal cord in all of the cattle and horses. Inflammatory lesions in horses were moderate at the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral levels, and marked at the lumbar enlargement level. Gitter cells were present in large numbers in the lumbar enlargement region. IHC staining intensity ranged from moderate to strong. Inflammatory lesions in cattle were moderate in all spinal cord sections, and gitter cells were present in small numbers. IHC staining intensity was strong in all spinal cord sections. Only 2 horses exhibited lesions in the brain, which were located mainly in the obex and cerebellum; different from that observed in cattle, which had lesions in 25 cases. Fisher exact test showed that the odds of detecting lesions caused by rabies in horses are 3.5 times higher when spinal cord sections are analyzed, as compared to analysis of brain samples alone.

The purpose of this study was to use mixed logistic regression to evaluate the association between Neospora caninum serostatus and abortion, accounting for the effects of farms. The main objective was to explore the interpretation of this model and discuss the contribution of this analysis to our understanding of the disease's epidemiology. A mixed-effects logistic model using farms as a random effect and the serostatus for N. caninum, age of cattle and farm location as fixed effects was performed. The data from 1256 cows over 15 months of age from 60 farms were used, and the abortion information was obtained from farm records. A significant association between N. caninum serostatus and abortion was found (p0.0001). Seropositive cows had 6.63 times greater odds of having a history of previous abortion (95% CI: 4.35-13.37). There was remarkable variability across farms in the probability of a cow having a history of an abortion. Including the effects of the farms in the regression, it was possible to estimate an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 16%. That means that 16% of the variation in abortion occurrence that was not explained by the fixed effects was due to farms. In practical terms, this variation means that while there are farms with several seropositive cows and no/few abortion cases, the opposite is also true, with a high number of abortions in farms with low/medium seroprevalence. The remaining variability (84%) was not explained by the effect of N. caninum, age, region, and the effect of farms, i.e., it is due to unknown factors that are causing abortions. The results of this study reinforce the importance of N. caninum as a cause of abortions and demonstrate the significant heterogeneity in the probability of a cow having a history of an abortion that cannot be explained completely by N. caninum serostatus, age or location. Including the hierarchical structure of the population along with correct interpretation of the model estimates helps us understand the effect of the farms, i.e., the probability of a cow abortion conditional to the farms, which also contributes to our understanding of the epidemiology of abortions caused by neosporosis. The use of hierarchical models and reporting the ICC should be encouraged.

Ureaplasma diversum has been associated with various reproductive problems in cattle that include granular vulvovaginitis, weak calves, and abortion. This study was conducted in a beef herd situated in the Middle-West region of Brazil, and the objectives were to verify the presence of U. diversum and to elucidate its possible relationships with independent variables in this bovine herd population. A total of 134 vaginal mucous swabs were taken for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of these, 51 (38 %) were PCR positive for U. diversum. Of the 58 heifers with vulvovaginal lesions characterized by hyperemia, granulated lesions, and edema distributed throughout the vulvar mucosa, 37 (64 %) were U. diversum positive; of the 76 heifers without reproductive lesions, 14 (18 %) were U. diversum positive. All tested samples were negative for bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the following two variables were significantly associated with the presence of U. diversum: the presence of vulvar lesions (p = 0.001) and the presence of a progesterone (P4) device (p = 0.001). These findings indicate that U. diversum should be considered a pathogen that is associated with pustular vulvovaginitis in heifers from the Mato Grosso state and that additional studies of the risk factors associated with intravaginal P4 device transmission should be performed.