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IntroductionRaising a healthy calf up to puberty is essential for optimal farm performance. It is therefore, it is necessary to promote animal welfare from the three spheres during this short period. Social management has been postulated as essential in lowering stress and consequently improving calf welfare during this period. Only the health sphere has been studied for a long time, but more recent studies have recently promoted positive experiences and emotional states from affective states or cognitive judgment and natural living spheres. A systematic review of different management strategies in rearing dairy calves according to the three spheres of animal welfare has been conducted using an electronic search strategy.MethodsThe analysis and extraction of information from the studies were performed according to a protocol. From 1,783 publications screened, only 351 met the inclusion criteria.ResultsThe publications identified in the search can be divided into two main groups, feeding and social management, based on the main topic of the publication. This review provides an overview of social management, understood as the calf’s interaction with others around it.DiscussionPrimary social management issues that emerged were social housing with congeners, separation from the mother and human-animal interaction, distributed in the three broad spheres of animal welfare. The review highlights unresolved questions about how social management practices affect the three spheres of animal welfare at this life stage and the need to standardize good socialization practices for this stage. In conclusion, all the information shows that social housing has improved animal welfare from affective states, cognitive judgment, and natural living spheres. However, gaps in research were identified in relation to the optimal time to separate the calf from the mother, the optimal time to group with conspecifics after birth and group size. Further research on positive welfare through socialization are needed.

IntroductionCalves are very susceptible to stress in the early stages of life, and it is necessary to ensure maximum welfare. Feeding management has been identified as a major risk factor for calf health and welfare at this stage. However, the management protocol for calf rearing and its impact on animal welfare is unclear. A systematic review of different management strategies for rearing dairy calves according to the three spheres of animal welfare was conducted using an electronic search strategy. In this review, management strategies were studied to identify scientific gaps, to know the welfare problems of these animals in order to prioritize actions and future research and to study the interpretive approach of this management from the three welfare spheres.MethodsA protocol was used to analyze and extract information from the studies. Of the 1,783 publications screened, only 351 met the inclusion criteria for the management or welfare of calves' items.ResultsThe publications identified in the search can be divided into two main groups feeding and socialization, based on the main topic of the publication. The main topics that emerged from the search in the feeding management group were milk replacer, colostrum, and weaning, divided into the three main areas of biological functioning and health, natural life and affective states or cognitive judgement.DiscussionThe main issues to be addressed were the different types of feed consumed by animals from birth to weaning and the weaning management. It has been found that the most researched issues are colostrum and solid starter feed management. Unresolved issues were highlighted, such as the lack of a clear protocol for the administration of milk replacers to reduce hunger and the best management of weaning to reduce stress.

Ejaculates present their own microbiota, and a link between ejaculates' microbiota and sperm quality and fertility exists. With the development of artificial insemination in animal breeding, ejaculates must be manipulated by diluting them with extenders and storing them at temperatures below body temperature. The effects that these processes have on the original semen microbiota have never been studied. This study explores the effects of the protocol for preparing refrigerated goat buck semen doses and storing on seminal microbiota. Semen from six adult goat bucks of the Murciano-Granadina breed (24 ejaculates) was used, cooled to 4 °C in a skimmed milk-based extender, and stored at this temperature for 24 h. Samples were taken in different steps: in the raw ejaculates (ejaculates), after dilution with the refrigeration extender (diluted), immediately after reaching 4 °C (chilled 0 h) and the samples refrigerated at 4 °C and stored at this temperature for 24 h (chilled 24 h). Sperm quality (motility and integrity of plasma and acrosomal membrane, and mitochondrial functionality) was also evaluated. Bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing was used to study the seminal microbiota. Our results indicated that both refrigeration and storage at 4 °C negatively affected sperm quality parameters. Preparing semen doses and their subsequent conservation caused a significant change in the bacterial community structure. Raw ejaculates showed a lower Pielou's evenness index than the other samples (diluted, chilled 0 h and chilled 24 h). Ejaculates also had a lower Shannon's diversity index (3.44) than the diluted semen (4.17) and the semen chilled for 24 h (4.43). Regarding beta diversity, significant differences were detected between ejaculates and the other treatments. Differences were also found in unweighted UniFrac distances between the semen chilled for 0 h and that chilled for 24 h. At the genus level, marked effects of preparing doses and their subsequent conservation were also evident: 199 genera that were absent in ejaculates were found in the semen chilled and stored for 24 h; 177 genera that were present in ejaculates disappeared after 24-h refrigeration. In conclusion, the extender and protocol for preparing refrigerated goat buck semen doses considerably modify microbial ejaculate composition.

El benestar animal és un requisit, molt demandat actualment per la societat, que abasta des de l’estat físic fins al mental (Brambell et al., 1965). Es pot definir com l’equilibri entre l’animal i el seu entorn, tant intern com extern (Vandenheede, 2003). Aquest equilibri fa referència a l’estabilitat que, mitjançant una regulació fisiològica i etològica, fluctua en l’organisme dins d’uns límits tolerables. Si algun factor intern o extern sobrepassa aquests límits, l’equilibri s’altera. Aquesta alteració, unida a la incapacitat de l’organisme per a recobrar l’equilibri amb el seu entorn, genera una resposta en forma d’estrés que perjudica el benestar de l’animal. Els agents d’estrés estan relacionats amb l’ambient, les densitats de producció i les grandàries de grup, els sistemes de producció, l’allotjament i la nutrició. A més, el concepte de benestar animal es basa en l’evidència que els animals són éssers que senten, la qual cosa implica una sèrie d’habilitats cognitives.

The perinatal period has a critical impact on viability of the newborns. The variety of factors that can potentially affect the health of a litter during pregnancy, birth, and the first weeks of life requires proper attention from both the breeder and the veterinarian. The health status of puppies can be influenced by various maternal factors, including breed characteristics, anatomy, quality of nutrition, delivery assistance, neonatal care, and environmental or infectious agents encountered during pregnancy. Regular examinations and pregnancy monitoring are key tools for early detection of signals that can indicate disorders even before clinical signs occur. Early detection significantly increases the chances of puppies’ survival and proper development. The purpose of the review was to summarize and discuss the complex interactions between all elements that, throughout pregnancy and the first days of life, have a tangible impact on the subsequent fate of the offspring. Many of these components continue to pose challenges in veterinary neonatology; thus, publications presenting the current state of knowledge in this field are in demand

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731122002166 Using agricultural by-products such as dehydrated orange pulp (DOP) in animal feeds is of interest to increase pig sector sustainability. With this aim, an assay was carried out to assess the effects of increasing inclusion levels of DOP in pig diets regarding animal performance, carcass quality, and environmental impact. Four experimental diets were designed, a control diet (T1) and three more diets with increasing levels of DOP with 80, 160, and 240 g/kg of DOP for diets T2, T3, and T4, respectively. One hundred and sixty growing pigs were used in the experiment. Growth performance (average daily gain, ADG; average daily feed intake, ADFI and feed conversion ratio, FCR) and in vivo backfat thickness (BF) and loin depth (LD) gain were recorded during the finishing phase (from 70 to 130 kg BW). Faecal samples were incubated for bacteria enumeration. At slaughter, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits were measured, and subcutaneous fat was sampled to analyse the fatty acid (FA) profile. Additionally, the slurry excreted by the animals was measured, characterised and subjected to a gaseous emission assay during its storage. The final BW and overall ADFI, ADG and FCR were similar among treatments. In vivo final LD and BF gain decreased (P 0.10) as the inclusion level of DOP increased. No differences were observed in carcass characteristics with the inclusion of DOP, except carcass weight that decreased linearly (P = 0.05) with DOP. Regarding the FA profile of the subcutaneous fat, the ratio of total monounsaturated to saturated FA increased with the inclusion level of DOP. Neither slurry excretion and characterisation nor bacterial counts from faeces showed any significant difference among treatments. The inclusion of DOP led to greater CH4 emissions in mg per L of slurry and hour, whereas these differences disappeared when expressed in mg per animal and day. In all, it has been demonstrated that the inclusion of DOP up to 240 mg/kg in pig diets had minor effects on growth performance, carcass quality traits or gaseous emissions from slurry, favouring the circular economy strategy and pig sector sustainability.

[EN] Simple Summary Heat stress is a major problem for dairy cattle welfare, and it has several implications for milk production. In this work, automatic sensors were used to monitor cows' activity. Different behaviors were recorded for 40 animals at different heat stress conditions. The main aim of the study was to use automatic sensors to identify behavior changes caused by heat stress on dairy cows. All behaviors studied were affected by environmental conditions. Animals adapted to heat stress by modifying their behavior, and automatic sensors provided valuable information in this regard. These findings might be the early development of an automatic early warning system for heat stress based on the behavioral modifications of dairy cattle. Heat stress plays a role in livestock production in warm climates. Heat stress conditions impair animal welfare and compromise the productive and reproductive performance of dairy cattle. Under heat stress conditions, dairy cattle modify their behavior. Thus, the assessment of behavior alterations can be an indicator of environmental or physiological anomalies. Moreover, precision livestock farming allows for the individual and constant monitoring of animal behavior, arising as a tool to assess animal welfare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat stress on the behavior of dairy cows using activity sensors. The study was carried out in Tinajeros (Albacete, Spain) during the summer of 2020. Activity sensors were installed in 40 cows registering 6 different behaviors. Environmental conditions (temperature and humidity) were also monitored. Hourly data was calculated for both animal behavior and environmental conditions. Temperature and Heat Index (THI) was calculated for each hour. The accumulated THI during the previous 24 h period was determined for each hour, and the hours were statistically classified in quartiles according to the accumulated THI. Two groups were defined as Q4 for no stress and Q1 for heat stress. The results showed that animal behavior was altered under heat stress conditions. Increasing THI produces an increase in general activity, changes in feeding patterns and a decrease in rumination and resting behaviors, which is detrimental to animal welfare. Daily behavioral patterns were also affected. Under heat stress conditions, a reduction in resting behavior during the warmest hours and in rumination during the night was observed. In conclusion, heat stress affected all behaviors recorded as well as the daily patterns of the cows. Precision livestock farming sensors and the modelling of daily patterns were useful tools for monitoring animal behavior and detecting changes due to heat stress., Research material was provided thanks to Euronit Cubiertas y Fachadas S.L. funding.

Capsicum oleoresin has recognized effects on digestion and fat metabolism. A total of 100 PIC x Danbred female pigs were divided in two experimental groups (10 pens/group) from 60Kg body weight (BW) to slaughter: one control group (T1) and another group (T2) where the sensorial additive (350ppm) was added from 90Kg to 130Kg BW. The study was carried out in Mediterranean summer conditions. Experimental rooms turned off their cooling systems at 90Kg BW to the end of the study. Temperature and humidity were recorded using dataloggers (HOBO®). Pig BW and intake were recorded before exposure to the additive and at the end of the administration of experimental feeds. Additionally, backfat thickness (BF) and loin depth (LD) were measured. Respiration rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT) were also recorded at 0800, 1100, 1400 and 1700h. Carcass and meat quality parameters were measured in the slaughterhouse. Data was analyzed using Proc GLM (performance, carcass and meat quality) and Proc MIXED of repeated measures (RR, RT) of SAS. Environmental data confirmed heat stress conditions for finishing pigs (THI >71 from 0800 to 2200h). Growth performance, BF and LD did not differ between groups. Animals from T2 showed higher (P< 0.05) RR and lower (P< 0.05) RT compared to T1 at 17:00h. At slaughter, animals from T2 tended (P< 0.10) to have a higher fat content (3-4th rib level and ham) compared to T1. Ham pH at 25min and at 20h post-mortem, and drip losses at 48h post-mortem were lower (P< 0.05) in T2 group vs. T1. Concerning the fatty acid profile, the T2 showed a greater concentration of C18:1 and C20:1 compared to T1. In conclusion, the addition of the sensorial additive at the end of the growing period changed carcass composition and quality traits under heat stress conditions.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/vetr.302 Background: Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis is a zoonotic pathogen isolated in broilers causing great economic losses in the European poultry sector. It is demonstrated that an investment in management measures at farm level could directly affect the control of food chain microorganisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of S. Infantis antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns during the growing period, according to flock density and ventilationmanagement, without antibiotic administration. Methods: The experiment was performed in two identical poultry houses, evaluating commercial and optimal farm conditions. At 24 h of rearing, 20% of the animals were orally infected with a S. Infantis strain susceptible to all the antibiotics tested. To study Salmonella shedding, faeces samples from each experimental groupwere takenweekly and analysed as per ISO/TS 6579- 2:2017. Antibiotic susceptibilitywas assessed according toDecision 2013/653. Results: Salmonella shedding showed that the lowest counts were observed in the first week post-infection and highest at slaughter day for both groups. Moreover, 100% of the isolates were multi-resistant. Conclusion: The acquisition of AMR by S. Infantis starts at the onset of the production cycle and is maintained until the end, demonstrating the importance of transmission of AMR in zoonotic bacteria at farmlevel.

[EN] This study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial activity of two aminopeptidase inhibitors and chitosan-based nanoparticles in liquid-stored rabbit semen. This study reports that the aminopeptidase inhibitors used to prevent bacterial growth could be used in semen extender as a suitable alternative to antibiotics. Although great attention is paid to hygiene during semen collection and processing, bacteria are commonly found in the semen of healthy fertile males of different species. As the storage of extended semen might facilitate bacterial growth, extenders are commonly supplemented with antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), bestatin and chitosan-based nanoparticles added to rabbit semen extender and their effect on reproductive performance under field conditions. Four different extenders were tested, supplemented with antibiotics (TCG+AB), with EDTA and bestatin (EB), with EDTA, bestatin and chitosan-based nanoparticles (QEB) or without antibiotics (TCG-AB). Extended semen was cooled at 15 degrees C for three days. Cooled samples were examined for bacterial growth and semen quality every 24 h for 3 days. The enterobacteria count increased considerably during storage at 72 h in semen extended with TCG+AB and TCG-AB, while extenders EB and QEB showed a bacteriostatic effect over time. After 24, 48 and 72 h, quality characteristics were retained in all groups, with no significant motility differences, either in acrosome integrity, membrane functionality or the viability of spermatozoa. Additionally, bacterial concentration present in fresh semen did not affect reproductive performance. In conclusion, EDTA and bestatin exerted a potent bacteriostatic effect over time and could be used as an alternative to conventional antibiotics in rabbit semen extenders., Funding from the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (Research project: AGL2017-85162-C2-1-R) is acknowledged.

Simple Summary This research was designed to evaluate the differences in caecal microbiota in broilers reared under two different farm conditions (commercial vs. optimal) during the growing period, using 16 rRNA sequencing analysis. Microbiota composition is affected by stress; for this reason, it could be considered a biomarker of poultry welfare and health. The main results demonstrated that no statistically significant differences were found between groups on microbiota composition from the beginning to the mid-period. However, significant differences were found at the end of growing, when a higher level of microbiota diversity was observed in the optimal farm conditions group. In conclusion, microbiota composition could be an interesting tool to evaluate new management conditions at field level, and could be developed to improve animal welfare during the growing period. Abstract Poultry is one of the main agricultural sub-sectors worldwide. However, public concern regarding animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance has risen in recent years. Due to the influence of management practices on microbiota, it might be considered to evaluate poultry welfare and health. Therefore, the objective of this research was to analyse the influence on microbiota balance of broilers under commercial and optimal farm conditions, using 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. The research was performed in two identical poultry houses (commercial vs. optimal). Results showed a higher level of microbiota complexity in the group reared under optimal farm conditions at the end of rearing. Regarding microbiota composition, Firmicutes was the dominant phylum during the entire growing period. However, the second most prevalent phylum was Proteobacteria at the arrival day, and Bacteroidetes from the mid-period onward in both groups. Moreover, the most predominant genera identified were Oscillospira, Ruminococcus, Bacteroides, and Coprococcus. In conclusion, it is necessary to optimize farm management as much as possible. Using gut microbiota diversity and composition as biomarkers of animal health could be an important tool for infectious disease control, with the aim of reducing the administration of antibiotics at field level.

La investigación en bienestar animal en España ha crecido de forma notable en los últimos años. Cada vez existen más grupos dedicados a este objetivo en centros de investigación y universidades. Sin embargo, este rápido crecimiento a veces no ha ido acompañado de un incremento de la colaboración entre investigadores de esta área, ni tampoco de una estrategia clara para abordar los retos en el contexto estatal. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la investigación en bienestar animal que se ha llevado a cabo en España, e identificar los retos de futuro en esta materia. Para este fin, se analiza la bibliografía publicada hasta la fecha, seguido de una propuesta participativa basada en grupos focales de expertos que puedan identificar las áreas de investigación que merecen atención.

Uno de los grandes retos de la ganadería actual y, por ende, de la cunicultura, es la mejora del bienestar de los animales durante su vida productiva, además de ser una exigencia de la sociedad. Para conseguir complacer esta exigencia social, hay que buscar un equilibrio entre la demanda de los consumidores, los costes de producción, la productividad y la seguridad alimentaria (Szendrö et al., 2012), lo que tiene grandes implicaciones sobre los sistemas de alojamiento y producción.

Simple Summary This experiment was designed to evaluate the differences in antimicrobial and multidrug resistance dynamics in broilers reared under two different farm conditions (commercial vs. improved) during the growing period, using Escherichia coli as sentinel bacterium. Although no antibiotics were applied during rearing for two different management conditions tested, high rates of antimicrobial and multidrug-resistant bacteria were observed throughout rearing, with the percentages of resistant bacteria observed being of particular concern in day-old chicks on arrival day and in chickens at the end of the growing period, just before delivery to the slaughterhouse. Abstract New measures applied to reduce antimicrobial resistances (AMR) at field level in broiler production are focused on improving animals’ welfare and resilience. However, it is necessary to have better knowledge of AMR epidemiology. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate AMR and multidrug resistance (MDR) dynamics during the rearing of broilers under commercial (33 kg/m2 density and max. 20 ppm ammonia) and improved (17 kg/m2 density and max. 10 ppm ammonia) farm conditions. Day-old chicks were housed in two poultry houses (commercial vs. improved), and no antimicrobial agents were administered at any point. Animals were sampled at arrival day, mid-period and at slaughter day. High AMR rates were observed throughout rearing. No statistical differences were observed between groups. Moreover, both groups presented high MDR at slaughter day. These results could be explained by vertical or horizontal resistance acquisition. In conclusion, AMR and MDR are present throughout rearing. Moreover, although a lower level of MDR was observed at mid-period in animals reared under less intensive conditions, no differences were found at the end. In order to reduce the presence of AMR bacteria in poultry, further studies are needed to better understand AMR acquisition and prevalence in differing broiler growing conditions.

En producción ganadera, uno de los mayores retos es optimizar el bienestar animal. En el caso de las terneras, en las primeras etapas de su vida, son muy susceptibles al estrés. Además, un correcto crecimiento durante estas etapas tiene un gran impacto en el desarrollo y capacidad productiva en el futuro (Kaske et al., 2010). Hay muchos factores de estrés, pero destaca fundamentalmente el programa de alimentación en la lactancia. En este caso, lo más importante es reducir lo máximo posible la sensación de hambre. Otro factor a tener en cuenta es la socialización entre las terneras, ya que a mayor socialización, presentan menor estrés (Hulbert y Moisá, 2016). Así, el objetivo general es desarrollar nuevas estrategias de alimentación y socialización en la fase peri-destete de terneras con aptitud lechera para optimizar su bienestar animal y futura productividad.

The effect of collective rearing of breeding does was assessed in terms of milk yield and behavioural patterns. A total of 40 breeding does were used, 20 of them housed in individual cages (50x90x50 cm) and 20 in a collective system in groups of 4 rabbits (200x90x50 cm) since 14 days post-partum until 28 days, in which weaning took place. Milk production was assessed during the 1st and 2nd parturition, finding differences between groups only in the second one, when does from the part-time system produced less milk. Straw was offered to animals as environmental enrichment ant its consumption was assessed, finding that does reduced straw consumption in the part-time system compared to individual cages. This effect might be related to the presence of social stimuli. In addition, the number of kits stolen by does from alien nests was higher during the first days after grouping, achieving 60% of the kits.

Cooling goat sperm insemination doses to 4 &deg, C causes a delay in their delivery. However, chilling these doses during the transportation period could expedite their delivery and the insemination process. In this study, an economical and simple apparatus for chilling goat semen doses in itinere was developed, and the in vitro quality and in vivo fertility of these doses were compared with those chilled by means of a programmable water bath in the laboratory at a rate of &minus, 0.18 &deg, C/min. Of the tested prototypes, the one that provided an optimal combination of the chilling rate (average of &minus, 0.09 &deg, C/min) and time required to reach 4 &deg, C (3 h 45 min) was selected for further testing. Immediately after chilling and 24 h later, the doses chilled in the prototype were determined to be of higher quality than the samples chilled in the programmable water bath. Finally, the kidding rate was similar between the doses chilled in the programmable water bath (61.7% &plusmn, 7.1%) and in the prototype (56.1% &plusmn, 5.9%). In conclusion, successful chilling of goat sperm doses during transport is possible, thereby accelerating the delivery of insemination doses.

La utilización de una jaula de mayores dimensiones y con plataforma (Pl) se ha comparado con las jaulas utilizadas (Es) en dos explotaciones comerciales, utilizando 56 conejas en cada grupo durante 6 ciclos productivos. Los resultados indican pocas diferencias productivas entre los dos tipos de jaulas, pero algunas de ellas relevantes. La mortalidad de gazapos en el nido fue mayor en Pl que en Es (11% vs. 9,1%), así como la pérdida total de camadas (5,6% vs. 2,6%), el peso del gazapo al destete fue menor (1005g vs. 1032g) y el índice de conversión en lactación aumentó (2,9 vs. 2,5). Un mayor número de conejas se mostraron agresivas en Pl que en Es (2,2% vs. 0,4%) cuando eran manipuladas y más jaulas estaban sucias y necesitaron limpieza durante cada ciclo (13% vs. 0,9%).

Antibiotic resistance is recognized as one of the major challenges in public health. The global spread of antibiotic resistance is the consequence of a constant flow of information across multi-hierarchical interactions, involving cellular (clones), subcellular (resistance genes located in plasmids, transposons, and integrons), and supracellular (clonal complexes, genetic exchange communities, and microbiotic ensembles) levels. In order to study such multilevel complexity, we propose to establish an experimental epidemiology model for the transmission of antibiotic resistance with the cockroach Blatella germanica . This paper reports the results of five types of preliminary experiments with B. germanica populations that allow us to conclude that this animal is an appropriate model for experimental epidemiology: (i) the composition, transmission, and acquisition of gut microbiota and endosymbionts; (ii) the effect of different diets on gut microbiota; (iii) the effect of antibiotics on host fitness; (iv) the evaluation of the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in natural- and lab-reared populations; and (v) the preparation of plasmids harboring specific antibiotic resistance genes. The basic idea is to have populations with higher and lower antibiotic exposure, simulating the hospital and the community, respectively, and with a certain migration rate of insects between populations. In parallel, we present a computational model based on P-membrane computing that will mimic the experimental system of antibiotic resistance transmission. The proposal serves as a proof of concept for the development of more-complex population dynamics of antibiotic resistance transmission that are of interest in public health, which can help us evaluate procedures and design appropriate interventions in epidemiology.

Eukaryotes have established symbiotic relationship with microorganisms, which enables them to accomplish functions that they cannot perform alone. In the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, the obligate endosymbiont Blattabacterium coexists with a rich gut microbiota. The transmission of Blattabacterium is vertical, but little is known about how the gut microbiota colonizes newborn individuals. In this study, we treated B. germanica populations with rifampicin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic, during two generations and analyzed gut bacterial composition and the Blattabacterium load in control and rifampicin-treated populations. Rifampicin exerted a drastic effect on gut microbiota composition, which recovered in the second generation in the case where the antibiotic was not added to the diet. Furthermore, we observed that bacterial species present in the diet, and particularly in the feces, contribute significantly to establishing the gut microbiota. Finally, the Blattabacterium population remained unaffected by the antibiotic treatment of adults during the first generation but was strongly reduced in the second generation, suggesting that this intracellular symbiont is sensitive to rifampicin only during the infection of the mature oocytes, when it is in an extracellular stage., This work was supported by grant BFU2015-64322-C2-1-R (cofinanced by FEDER funds and the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, Spain) to AL and PrometeoII/2014/065 (Conselleria d’Educacio, Generalitat Valenciana, Spain) to AM.

The present work aims to define the optimal conditions to perform a resident-intruder test in individually housed breeding does as a measure of aggressiveness and describe the biological characteristics of aggressiveness in rabbit does: severity, frequency, duration and latency of aggressive events. Sixty-four nulliparous does at 90 d of age were used for this experiment, half (32 does) as residents and the rest as intruders, testing them once a week for 14 wk. The time and duration of each aggressive behaviour was recorded and analysed to assess the aforementioned measures. According to the results, and regarding the studied effects, the origin of the animals caused no effect, whereas the level of aggressiveness seemed to be clearly increased in weeks 3-7 of the experiment, when animals were 110-140 d of age. In conclusion, a resident-intruder test lasting 1 min is enough to assess individual aggressiveness in adult breeding does, the response of which evolves with age and repetition.

Animals perceive humans as a threat, therefore handling could cause stress reactions and fear in rabbits. Stress induced hyperthermia (SIH) is a physiological response produced when a stressful situation takes place and is supposed to occur in rabbits. In this work, the SIH response is assessed when different groups of rabbits (young males, nulliparous does and multiparous does) are handled. A benzodiazepine (Midazolam®) was administered to half of the animals to assess handling response also under drug effects. Rectal temperature was not increased by handling in male rabbits and multiparous does, whereas nulliparous females showed presented SIH after 30 min of handling. In addition, Midazolam® has been revealed as useful for pharmacological validation of SIH after 25 min from injection.

Staphylococcus aureus is a versatile pathogen that can survive in diverse host environments and produce a wide range of diseases both in humans and animals. This versatility depends on its ability to modulate gene expression and the synthesis of virulence determinants. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the distribution of bacterial virulence determinants in the most prevalent S. aureus strain types causing lesions in rabbits. Sixty-nine S. aureus strains were isolated from rabbit does with different chronic purulent lesions from 30 Spanish industrial rabbitries. Genotyping characterization of the strains was performed based on the analysis of the polymorphic regions of the coa, spa and clfB genes, as well as Multylocus Sequence Typing (MLST) on one strain of each of the most frequent genotypes. The isolates were also analyzed for the presence of forty virulence genes by PCRs and Southern blot, in order to determine their relationship with the genotype and the type of infection respectively. The great majority of isolates belonging to the same genotype were related to the same virulence factors, even though certain virulence factors were variable inside a genotype. However, the type of infection could not be related to any combination of virulence factors.

Animal welfare is a major concern in livestock production. The impact of housing conditions on animal well-being is under study in several species such as chickens, laying hens, or pigs and, some European Directives have been developed in order to protect animal welfare. In these Directives aspects related to housing conditions have been regulated. Several attempts have been done to propose a European Directive for rabbit farming in terms of welfare protection, but any agreement have been reached for now. One of the main hot spots is related to cages design. Strong efforts are being made nowadays in order to reach a compromise to define cages characteristics which really benefit rabbits’ welfare. In this context, the main aim of this work is to develop a critical review about rabbit does space needs in relation to cages design. It becomes necessary to determine the behavioural needs of rabbits in terms of welfare, so that the space requirements can be known. This might lead to define appropriate housing conditions, although the needs of the animal can change according to age, learning, diurnal rhythm, season and genetic relations. In general, regarding the height of the cages (as well as width), few papers have been found and a European Food Safety Authorities’ report recognises, that in the absence of scientific evidence concerning these needs of rabbits, it may be important for growing rabbits to be able to sit and stand with ears erect, as well as rear up occasionally. Regarding the use of platforms, enriching the cage with raised platforms aims at satisfying the doe’s need for isolation from the litter, rather than stimulating exercise. Nevertheless, the use of platforms may cause hygiene problems which have to be solved. Therefore, elevated platforms might be considered as environmental enrichment elements and not as structural needs. The patent general lack of information in the topic must be considered when new housing conditions are being proposed, and only those aspects which could lead to real improvement of rabbit’s welfare have to be taken into account. The authors propose a cage size for lactating does of 45×75×38 cm (height, length and width) with a minimum surface of 3,500 cm2 (nest-box not included).

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen that also causes economically important infections of livestock. In a recent paper, we employed a population genomic approach to investigate the molecular basis of ruminant host adaptation by S. aureus. The data suggest that the common pathogenic clone associated with small ruminants originated in humans but has since adapted to its adopted host through a combination of allelic diversification, gene loss and acquisition of mobile genetic elements. In particular, a new subfamily of staphylococcal pathogenicity islands (SaPI) was identified encoding a novel von Willebrand factor-binding protein (vWBP) with ruminant-specific coagulase activity. The wide distribution of vWBP-encoding SaPIs among ruminant strains implies an important role in hostadaptation. In the current article we summarize the findings of the paper and comment on the implications of the study for our understanding of the molecular basis of bacterial host adaptation

La agresividad puede convertirse en un problema en los alojamientos de hembras en grupo puesto que parece aumentar con la edad y podría suponer un problema en el momento en que se mezclen animales. Por otra parte, los animales alojados en una misma sala podrían reconocerse por el olor, y la familiaridad podría resultar en un comportamiento diferente al esperado al formar los grupos. En este estudio se pretende determinar, mediante la realización de un test de residente-intruso, la edad a la cual la agresión entre hembras alojadas individualmente alcanza los niveles más altos y la influencia que puede tener la procedencia del intruso en la intensidad de la agresión. Setenta y cuatro conejas fueron utilizadas en este estudio actuando treinta y dos como residentes, dieciséis como intrusos procedentes de la misma sala y las dieciséis restantes como intrusos procedentes de otra sala. De cada cruce se registró el inicio de los diferentes comportamientos agresivos observados obteniendo la latencia al primer comportamiento agresivo y la latencia a una pelea que provocara la interrupción del test. La edad tuvo un efecto claro sobre la latencia a la primera agresión y sobre la latencia a pelea grave de modo que a partir de la pubertad estas latencias se vieron ampliamente reducidas y, por tanto, incrementado el nivel de agresividad. La procedencia del intruso únicamente tuvo efecto sobre la latencia a pelea grave, siendo esta inferior cuando éste procedía de la misma sala que el residente (P

Staphylococcus aureus es una importante causa de mastitis, pododermatitis y abscesos subcutáneos en conejos. Suele colonizar diferentes localizaciones, destacando la cavidad nasal por su frecuencia. Se examinaron 283 conejos procedentes de 12 granjas con el objetivo de detectar S. aureus en nariz y lesiones. El estudio mostró que el 43,81% de los conejos portaba S. aureus en su nariz, con una mayor incidencia en los animales que presentaban lesiones por S. aureus (75,75%) comparado con animales aparentemente sanos (15,89%). El tipado molecular de las cepas aisladas de 65 animales portadores nasales con lesiones, reveló que en un 92% de los casos las cepas eran iguales. Además, se estudió la presencia en dichas cepas de genes de virulencia, como toxinas exfoliativas, leucotoxinas, superantígenos y MSCRAMMs. Los resultados mostraron que las cepas aisladas de nariz contenían la misma combinación de factores de virulencia que las cepas aisladas de lesiones. Estos datos sugieren que la combinación de genes necesaria para causar enfermedad podría ser también necesaria para la colonización nasal y, además, el desarrollo de lesiones podría depender en mayor medida de factores del hospedador.

El Bienestar Animal es un aspecto clave en la producción animal actual. La sociedad europea es una de las que más fuertemente apuesta por este concepto y de hecho desde la Comisión Europea se le da la máxima importancia a esta cuestión. Por este motivo durante los últimos años se ha pretendido legislar para las distintas especies ganaderas de forma que se mejore el bienestar de los animales. Tras las directivas referentes a porcino, aves o terneros ahora le llega el turno a la cunicultura. En estos momentos se está debatiendo la posible directiva para conejos, sin embargo los estudios relativos al bienestar animal en cunicultura son escasos por lo que es difícil definir las condiciones que pueden resultar más beneficiosas para los animales de producción. Respecto al diseño de jaulas sí existe algún estudio como el realizado por Stauffacher (1992) en el que se sugería que era necesario reconsiderar el diseño de las jaulas para proveer a las hembras de un área de descanso o huida de modo que puedan mantenerse alejadas de los gazapos. Así, propuso tres vías de proporcionar esta área de huida: la instalación de un área elevada (plataforma), la disposición de un compartimento al que la coneja pudiera acceder pero no los gazapos y la inclusión de un túnel. De estas tres propuestas la más viable parece ser la que incluye plataformas elevadas en el diseño ya que es la única que permitiría aumentar el espacio disponible para los animales sin incrementar la superficie se suelo necesaria por jaula (Finzi et al., 1996). De este modo, parece probable que en la directiva una de las medidas que se proponga sea la implantación de jaulas con plataforma en las explotaciones cunícolas.

A primeros del siglo XX se hizo la primera descripción de un hembra adulta del ácaro que actualmente es responsable de la Varroosis y fue bautizado con el nombre de Varroa jacobsoni (Qudemans, 1904). Por entonces parasitaba colonias de abejas de miel asiáticas, sobre todo la especie Apis cerana, Esta especie de abeja de miel asiática es explotada por los apicultores de estas regiones pero no es tan productiva como la especie Apis mellifera, que ha sido el soporte de la apicultura en Occidente y que en la actualidad se ha difundido por todo el mundo. La difusión de A. mellífera, provocada artificialmente por el hombre, desencadenó un fenómeno que de forma natural parecía improbable, la invasión del territorio de A. cerana y la convivencia forzada de las dos especies.

Se ha realizado un seguimiento de la evolución de la población del acaro ectoparásito Varroa jacobsoni Oud. en colonias de abejas melíferas situadas en la Comunidad Valenciana. Se ha registrado periódicamente la mortalidad natural del parásito y el porcentaje de infestación de abeja adulta. Para comprobar el efecto del acaro sobre las colonias se han determinado mensualmente la cantidad de cría, población de abeja adulta, peso de las colonias y peso medio de las abejas. Los máximos en la población del acaro se dieron en los meses primaverales. Disminuyó la cantidad de cría, población de abeja y peso de las abejas. Las colonias que no recibieron ningún tratamiento acaricida murieron entre los 10 y 12 meses después de la infestación inicial.