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Background: Calf diarrhea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the livestock sector worldwide and it can be caused by multiple infectious agents. In Ethiopia, cattle are the most economically important species within the livestock sector, but at the same time the young animals suffer from high rates of morbidity and mortality due to calf diarrhea. However, studies including both screening and molecular characterization of bovine enteric pathogens are lacking. Therefore, we aimed to both detect and molecularly characterize four of the major enteric pathogens in calf diarrhea, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (E. coli K99 +), Cryptosporidium spp., rotavirus A (RVA), and bovine coronavirus (BCoV) in calves from central Ethiopia. Diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves were included in the study and fecal samples were analyzed with antigen-ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Positive samples were further characterized by genotyping PCRs. Results: All four pathogens were detected in both diarrheic and non-diarrheic calves using qPCR and further characterization showed the presence of three Cryptosporidium species, C. andersoni, C. bovis and C. ryanae. Furthermore, genotyping of RVA-positive samples found a common bovine genotype G10P[11], as well as a more unusual G-type, G24. To our knowledge this is the first detection of the G24 RVA genotype in Ethiopia as well as in Africa. Lastly, investigation of the spike gene revealed two distinct BCoV strains, one classical BCoV strain and one bovine-like CoV strain. Conclusions: Our results show that Cryptosporidium spp., E. coli K99 + , RVA and BCoV circulate in calves from central Ethiopia. Furthermore, our findings of the rare RVA G-type G24 and a bovine-like CoV demonstrates the importance of genetic characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), is a significant pest in livestock farms and a major concern for both humans and farmed animals due to its ability to transmit over 200 pathogens. The use of pupal parasitoids is a sustainable strategy for controlling this pest. Spalangia cameroni Perkins (Hymenoptera: Spalangiidae) and Muscidifurax zaraptor Girault & Sanders (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) are commonly used as biocontrol agents for M. domestica. The objective of this study was to determine the oviposition peak of female parasitoids in relation to their age and the sex ratio of the adult progeny. For both species, 20 fresh M. domestica pupae (24–48 h old) were provided daily to each fertilised female for 14 days, after which the pupae were checked for parasitoid emergence. A control group of 20 pupae without female parasitoids was maintained. The results showed that S. cameroni had a higher overall percentage of parasitisation (57.7%) compared with M. zaraptor (32.4%). The parasitisation ratio of S. cameroni remained almost constant throughout the 14‐day period, whereas that of M. zaraptor decreased drastically after Day 11. Peak oviposition for S. cameroni was on Day 5 with 13 parasitised pupae per female, whereas M. zaraptor parasitised eight pupae per day on 4 days during its peak oviposition period (between Days 3 and 8). The newly emerged parasitoids had a skewed sex ratio towards females: 81% for S. cameroni and 66% for M. zaraptor. The presence of these parasitoid species resulted in fewer new house fly emergences than in the control group, where natural pupal mortality was lower in the absence of parasitoids. These findings may be useful for optimising the mass production and time‐use of the two parasitoid species for the management of house flies in livestock farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, particularly in developing nations, helminth infections are the leading causes of livestock illness and mortality. Parascaris (P.) equorum, a parasitic worm from the Ascarididae family, significantly impacts the production, health, and working performance of equines. This study aimed to investigate the impact of intraperitoneal sensitization of P. equorum on the immune system, oxidative stress, and histology in Wistar rats. After acclimatization for 7 days, we divided the rats into five groups, each consisting of six rats. Group I, serving as the control, was administered distilled water, followed by groups II (day 7), III (day 14), IV (day 21), and V (day 33). The rats were euthanized every day mentioned (Days 7–33). On day 0, a dosage of 1ml/100 gm rat (containing 500 μg/ml protein content) emulsified crude antigen extract with an incomplete Freund's adjuvant (1:1 volume), followed by a second dose of the same antigen concentration on day 7. To assess the allergenicity of this nematode, we measured a whole blood profile, serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, and IL-33, total immunoglobulins IgE and IgG, and oxidative stress markers. Also, we examined histological changes in the liver, kidney, and spleen. The results showed that values of total leukocyte count, granulocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes were significantly (P < 0.05) increased on day 14 post-infection relative to other days of investigation. It was found that the levels of total immunoglobulins (IgE and IgG) and cytokines (INF-γ, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-33) on days 14 and 21 were significantly higher than in the control group. At all periods of the experiment, the injected group exhibited significantly higher concentrations of MDA and NO compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conversely, GSH and CAT levels (P < 0.05) dropped significantly on days 7, 14, and 21. Different rat tissues showed alterations. Ultimately, this study described the detrimental effects of P. equorum crude antigen administration on the immune system, oxidative states, and histological changes of Wistar rats at various intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In sub-Saharan Africa, pre-weaning young stock mortality (YSM) is in the order of 20 to 30% across most livestock species and production systems. High YSM has significant economic implications for livestock keepers, but few studies provide estimates of the “cost of YSM.” This study explores a bio-economic herd modeling approach to estimate the “cost of YSM” at farming/livestock system level. Methods: The static zero-growth version of DYNMOD was used to calculate the annual physical and monetary output of a sheep flock consisting of 100 breeding females at dierent levels of lamb mortality. Production parameter values and prices were taken from recently published research. Calculations were carried out for values of lamb mortality decreasing from 30% to 0% in 5% intervals, with 20% representing the “baseline” YSM. Calculations were repeated for a “high” fertility scenario (100% vs. 59% parturition rate) to gauge the sensitivity of the cost of YSM to another parameter determining flock productivity. Results: The relation of revenue per head and YSM is close to linear over the range of analyzed YSM with 1% decrease in YSM resulting in an increase in revenue per animal of approximately 1%. At the higher fertility rate, the absolute cost of YSM to sheep farmers is higher while the relative increase in revenue per animal resulting from YSM reduction is lower. The estimated dierence in revenue of the 100-ewe flock between the 20% and 0% lamb mortality scenarios (at baseline fertility) amounts to approximately USD 90 per additionally surviving lamb, which is far above its market value. Discussion: Reduced lamb mortality ultimately impacts flock revenue through increased sales of “mature” animals, which embody the value of a lamb plus the revenue/profit from raising it to marketable age/weight. The modeling results suggest that foregone profit is an important component of the systemic “cost of YSM.” Consequently, expected profit per animal, in addition to its current market value, is essential for estimating the absolute cost of YSM at farming system level [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract African pastoralists suffer recurrent droughts that cause high livestock mortality and vulnerability to climate change. The index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) program offers protection against drought impacts. However, the current IBLI design relying on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) may pose limitation because it does not consider the mixed composition of rangelands (including herbaceous and woody plants) and the diverse feeding habits of grazers and browsers. To enhance IBLI, we assessed the efficacy of utilizing distinct browse and grazing forage estimates from woody LAI (LAIW) and herbaceous LAI (LAIH), respectively, derived from aggregate leaf area index (LAIA), as an alternative to NDVI for refined IBLI design. Using historical livestock mortality data from northern Kenya as reference ground dataset, our analysis compared two competing models for (1) aggregate forage estimates including sub-models for NDVI, LAI (LAIA); and (2) partitioned biomass model (LAIP) comprising LAIH and LAIW. By integrating forage estimates with ancillary environmental variables, we found that LAIP, with separate forage estimates, outperformed the aggregate models. For total livestock mortality, LAIP yielded the lowest RMSE (5.9 TLUs) and higher R2 (0.83), surpassing NDVI and LAIA models RMSE (9.3 TLUs) and R2 (0.6). A similar pattern was observed for species-specific livestock mortality. The influence of environmental variables across the models varied, depending on level of mortality aggregation or separation. Overall, forage availability was consistently the most influential variable, with species-specific models showing the different forage preferences in various animal types. These results suggest that deriving distinct browse and grazing forage estimates from LAIP has the potential to reduce basis risk by enhancing IBLI index accuracy.

African pastoralists suffer recurrent droughts that cause high livestock mortality and vulnerability to climate change. The index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) program offers protection against drought impacts. However, the current IBLI design relying on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) may pose limitation because it does not consider the mixed composition of rangelands (including herbaceous and woody plants) and the diverse feeding habits of grazers and browsers. To enhance IBLI, we assessed the efficacy of utilizing distinct browse and grazing forage estimates from woody LAI (LAIW) and herbaceous LAI (LAIH), respectively, derived from aggregate leaf area index (LAIA), as an alternative to NDVI for refined IBLI design. Using historical livestock mortality data from northern Kenya as reference ground dataset, our analysis compared two competing models for (1) aggregate forage estimates including sub-models for NDVI, LAI (LAIA); and (2) partitioned biomass model (LAIP) comprising LAIH and LAIW. By integrating forage estimates with ancillary environmental variables, we found that LAIP, with separate forage estimates, outperformed the aggregate models. For total livestock mortality, LAIP yielded the lowest RMSE (5.9 TLUs) and higher R2 (0.83), surpassing NDVI and LAIA models RMSE (9.3 TLUs) and R2 (0.6). A similar pattern was observed for species-specific livestock mortality. The influence of environmental variables across the models varied, depending on level of mortality aggregation or separation. Overall, forage availability was consistently the most influential variable, with species-specific models showing the different forage preferences in various animal types. These results suggest that deriving distinct browse and grazing forage estimates from LAIP has the potential to reduce basis risk by enhancing IBLI index accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study is focused on achieving operational resilience through the practices of kaizen across the operational structure. The research is based on a case study of a commercial livestock farm in Nigeria. The study views the practice of kaizen from the perspective of the commitment of the members of the case study organisation who are directly involved with the operations of the organisation. Design/methodology/approach: The study applies a qualitative approach to explore the topic, engaging members of the case study organisation in the research to gather relevant data on the implementation of kaizen practices and the drive to attain resilience in the case study organisation. Semi-structured personal interviews and workshops were used for data collection. The study adopts systems theory to explore the topic, identifying and engaging relevant stakeholders. Findings: Parts of the findings relating to kaizen are the issues with the livestock production process, aggressive leadership and the issue of livestock mortality in the case study organisation. These were discussed based on extant literature. The study affirms the importance of organisational members' commitment and adequate leadership support to achieve sustainable kaizen practices. The study highlights the need to align kaizen practices with relevant organisational practices, such as reward systems and contextual requirements for its implementation in an operational process. The study suggests that further study can focus on the dynamics of the legal system on the implementation of kaizen, especially from a developing economic background like Nigeria, where this study was conducted. Originality/value: The study projects learning about the spatial factors that can affect the practices of kaizen in critical sectors like livestock management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, drought is occurring more frequently today, which is considerably affecting rural households' agricultural productivity and socioeconomic development. Understanding households' perceptions of drought is thus important for resilience-building work because people act based on their views, and the resilience of people is tied to their views, knowledge, culture, and attitudes. This study analyses the rural households' perceptions of drought occurrence and its influence on livelihood strategies in northeast Ethiopia. This was achieved through a mixed-methods approach with a concurrent research design. The quantitative data were collected from 354 randomly selected household heads, whereas the qualitative data were collected from purposefully selected household head focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informants. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, whereas the qualitative data were analyzed using thematic data analysis techniques. The results show that climate variability and drought occurrence were perceived by the households as decreasing rainfall, increasing temperature, variations in rainfall onset and cessation, variations in heat waves and cold waves, heavy rainfall events, changes in sporadic rain, a lesser coverage of clouds, and adverse weather events. Within the last 25 years, households have perceived the number of extreme, severe, or moderate droughts to be increasing. Household perceptions of temperature changes match meteorological records, but their perceptions of rainfall changes do not. The drought hampered income sources, brought food shortages, and threatened family well-being. It increased water stress, livestock morbidity and mortality, insect invasions, fire outbreaks, grazing resource depletion, abnormal migration, school dropout rates, and human health problems. The findings have important policy implications to mitigate drought risk, enhance drought adaptation, and develop pathways out of drought vulnerability, so it is worthwhile to harmonize the household perceptions with climate change policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas are important for wildlife conservation but they are also used by many local communities for livelihood activities. This often leads to conflicts and erodes the tolerance of local people for wildlife, particularly towards carnivores that prey on livestock. To enhance conservation success and improve the social carrying capacity of carnivores, it is essential to understand the factors influencing such conflicts and the attitudes of people interacting with carnivores. We used structured questionnaire surveys to assess the extent of livestock mortality and community responses to common leopards Panthera pardus in Kishtwar National Park, a relatively understudied protected area in the Greater Himalayan region of India. The mountainous Park and its surroundings have historically served as a haven for the local agro-pastoralists and transhumant pastoralists, resulting in complex human–wildlife interactions across the larger landscape. Our results showed that leopards were responsible for high livestock depredation (71 incidents in 2 years), and households with larger livestock holdings experienced a higher predation rate compared to those with smaller livestock holdings. An ordinal logistic regression model revealed that respondents' age and period of activity in the Park significantly influenced their opinions regarding leopards. Large losses suffered by otherwise low-income households resulted in more negative attitudes towards these predators. Our study indicates that financial compensation for livestock losses is a key factor in improving human–leopard coexistence. A comprehensive, cross-sector collaborative approach would help to improve conflict resolution and promote favourable attitudes towards these predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their high vulnerability, mountain communities are adversely affected by climate change and variability causing significant challenges to their livelihood strategies. The objective of this paper is to examine the perceptions of local households in the Eastern Free State Region of South Africa regarding how climate change impacts their livelihoods. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 400 respondents on whom a semi-structured household questionnaire survey was administered to gather information about the impacts of climate change on rural livelihoods. Sixty-seven percent of the agriculture-based mountain households reported declining water quality and quantity as the most significant impact, while 48%, 33%, 38% and 68% considered crop loss, reduced crop yields, animal diseases, and livestock mortality as the most significant impacts, respectively. Agriculture-based mountain households also cited climate-related socio-economic impacts- higher prices, farm and non-farm income loss, and increased labour as impacts of climate change. These findings reveal that the impacts of climate change effects on on-farm and off-farm activities can be contextualised according to households' primary livelihood activities. The paper concludes that understanding the mountain communities' perceptions about climate change impacts on their livelihoods could be useful for identifying context-specific adaptation strategies applicable to these communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of existing data to provide surveillance intelligence is widely advocated but often presents considerable challenges. Two data sources could be used as proxies for the mortality experienced by the Scottish cattle population: deaths recorded in the mandatory register [Cattle Tracing System (CTS)] and fallen stock collections by the National Fallen Stock Company (NSFCo) with a nationwide voluntary membership. Methods: Data for the period 2011-2016 were described and compared to establish their strengths and limitations. Similarities and differences in their temporal, seasonal and spatial patterns were examined overall, at postcode area level and for different age groups. Temporal aberration detection algorithms (TADA) were fitted. Results: Broadly, similar patterns were observed in the two datasets; however, there were some notable differences. The observed seasonal, annual and spatial patterns match expectations, given knowledge of Scottish cattle production systems. The registry data provide more comprehensive coverage of all areas of Scotland, while collections data provide a more comprehensive measure of the mortality experienced in 0-1-month-old calves. Discussion: Consequently, estimates of early calf mortality and their impact on the livestock sector made using CTS, or successor registers, will be under-estimates. This may apply to other registry-based systems. Fitted TADA detected points of deviations from expected norms some of which coincided in the two datasets; one with a known external event that caused increased mortality. We have demonstrated that both data sources do have the potential to be utilized to provide measures of mortality in the Scottish cattle population that could inform surveillance activities. While neither is perfect, they are complementary. Each has strengths and weaknesses, so ideally, a system where they are analyzed and interpreted in parallel would optimize the information obtained for surveillance purposes for epidemiologists, risk managers, animal health policy-makers and the wider livestock industry sector. This study provides a foundation on which to build an operational system. Further development will require improvements in the timeliness of data availability and further investment of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumonic pasteurellosis is the leading cause of recurrent morbidity and mortality in ruminant livestock in Ethiopia. Its control is mainly done using an annual vaccination with a monovalent whole broth culture of Pasteurella (P.) multocida. However, the multiplicity of the serotypes circulating in the field and the lack of cross-protective immunity hinder the effectiveness of the vaccination program warranting the development of a vaccine with better efficacy. To this effect, the identification, and characterization of the strains from different regions of the country is necessary. In this paper, Pasteurella organisms collected from camels, cattle, goats, and sheep with respiratory signs suggestive of pasteurellosis in the Afar, Tigray, and Benishangul Gumuz regional states were isolated, and characterized. From clinically pneumonic cases, 793 nasal swabs (286 goats, 276 sheep, 168 camels, and 63 cattle) were collected aseptically and cultured on Blood Agar. Bacteria pathogens were identified at the species level by biochemical tests. Culture positivity was 29.3% (243/793). The isolation frequencies of B. trehalosi, M. haemolytica, and P.multocida were 47.7% (116/243), 43.2% (105/243), and 9.1% (22/243), respectively. A higher isolation rate was observed in sheep (37.4%), and the lowest in cattle (6.2%). Mixed infection with B. trehalosi and M. haemolytica was observed in sheep, goats, and camels. Despite the higher frequencies of isolation of B. trehalosi and M. haemolytica from all host species, the vaccine currently being used in Ethiopia consists of only P. multocida biotypes A for sheep and goats and biotype B for cattle. Moreover, camels are not considered in the pasteurellosis vaccination program in the country. Therefore, the result of the study suggests the need to include B. trehalosi and M. haemolytica in the vaccine preparation as well as underlines the relevance of considering camels in the vaccination program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The El Guájaro reservoir, situated in northern Colombia, holds significant economic and ecological importance. It is categorized as eutrophic due to factors such as wastewater discharges, agricultural practices, and the dragging of limestone material. These factors create favorable conditions for cyanobacterial proliferation. This study evaluates the diversity and abundance of cyanobacteria, with special attention to the genera identified as toxin producers, and bloom formers within the reservoir. Sampling was conducted in the photic zone at seven stations during both rainy and dry seasons between 2015 and 2019. Abundance and diversity were quantified using the iNEXT program, while a beta diversity analysis assessed community differentiation in relation to environmental parameters. A total of 86 species from 12 orders and 42 genera were identified, with 44% of these species noted as potentially toxic. A significant predominance of filamentous species was identified. Pseudanabaena and Phormidium were the most frequent and abundant genera. The results reveal distinct distribution and abundance patterns influenced by seasonal fluctuations. A notable bloom, co-dominated by Microcystis and Dolichospermum, occurred during the 2019 dry season, leading to the mortality of livestock and other animals. Urgent governance measures and control strategies are imperative to mitigate the health impact of such blooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted webinars in 2020 about livestock mortality composting (LMC). Forty-five attendees completed a survey to evaluate the webinar and help define future educational needs. Major barriers to LMC were lack of experience, public and neighbor perceptions, and environmental management. Most respondents indicated convenience, cost, biosafety, use of product, and environmental management as benefits. An unexpected emotional theme indicated that LMC also supports the "circle of life" and "respect for the animal." We propose that this theme may be a uniting message to improve public and producer perception of LMC, increase use of LMC, and improve public-producer relationships overall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Livestock production is a key livelihood source for many people in developing countries. Poor control of livestock diseases hamper livestock productivity, threatening farmers' wellbeing and food security. This study estimates the effect of livestock mortalities attributable to disease on the wellbeing of livestock farmers. Methods: Overall, 350 ruminant livestock farmers were randomly selected from three districts located in the north, middle and southern belts of Ghana. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to estimate the relationship between animal health and farmer wellbeing. Farmer wellbeing was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF tool, as the mean quality-of-life in four domains (physical, psychological, social, and environmental). Animal health was assessed as annual livestock mortalities to diseases adjusted for herd size, and standardized in tropical livestock units to account for different ruminant livestock species. We adjusted for the potential confounding effect of farmers' age, sex, educational attainment, farmland size, socio-economic status, perception of disease risk to herd, satisfaction with health, previous experience of disease outbreaks in herds, and social support availability by including these as fixed effects, and community as random effects, in a pre-specified model. Results: Our results showed that farmers had a median score of 65.5 out of 100 (IQR: 56.6 to 73.2) on the wellbeing scale. The farmers' reported on average (median) 10% (IQR: 0 to 23) annual herd mortalities to diseases. There was a significantly negative relationship between increasing level of animal disease-induced mortality in herds and farmers' wellbeing. Specifically, our model predicted an expected difference in farmers' wellbeing score of 7.9 (95%CI 1.50 to 14.39) between a farmer without any herd mortalities to diseases compared to a (hypothetical) farmer with 100% of herd mortalities caused by diseases in a farming year. Thus, there is a reduction of approximately 0.8 wellbeing points of farmers, for the average of 10% disease-induced herd mortalities experienced. Conclusions: Disease-induced livestock mortalities have a significant negative effect on farmers' wellbeing, particularly in the physical and psychological domains. This suggests that veterinary service policies addressing disease risks in livestock, could contribute to improving the wellbeing of livestock dependent populations, and public food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian Influenza is an infectious, contagious disease of an acute evolutionary type with an epizootic enzootic character, affecting numerous species of domestic and wild birds, clinically characterized by serious general disorders, accompanied by respiratory, digestive, nervous phenomena and an edema of the subcutaneous connective tissue from head and neck region, and morphopathologically through hemorrhagic lesions in various tissues and organs. At present it is spread in most European countries, America, Asia and Africa. It is of great economic importance due to its very high morbidity and mortality. Because the disease is underdiagnosed, and people do not notice the illness or mortality occurring in their livestock, the virus is very difficult to control. The number of cases of infection increases in the spring and autumn due to the migrations that migratory birds perform. They either start the migration already infected, or become infected during the migration, in the stopovers where the disease develops. Infected birds do not manage to reach the end of the migration, the body being weakened due to the fight against the virus, they can no longer fly and end up dying in the territories of the free countries, leading to new outbreaks of Avian Influenza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited opportunities to generate income in community‐protected areas (CPAs) often lead to the illegal harvesting of wildlife and natural resources, undermining the aim of protected areas. Sustained livestock production can be an alternative income source. Objectives: To understand the effectiveness and feasibility of livestock production in CPAs. Methods: We conducted a livestock asset transfer intervention in 25 CPAs across three agroecological zones in Cambodia. We monitored livestock mortality, consumption and sales of livestock over 2 years. Participant observations and structured questionnaires were conducted to elicit information about constraints for livestock production perceived by the participants. A total of 756 households were recruited and 320, 184 and 252 households received chicken, pigs and cattle, respectively. All participants received technical training in livestock production and biosecurity management practices. Results: After the intervention, the number of chickens, pigs and cattle increased on average by 5.9 (range: 0.3–26.3), 0.5 (−1 to 2.7) and 0.12 (0–0.35) per 1 input animal, respectively. The extent of increase was significantly different between zones only for chickens (Kruskal–Wallis test p = 0.004). The number of chickens and pigs sold per household was significantly different among zones. We observed that training was ineffective to alter livestock management practices in some CPAs, which partially explains their suboptimal performance of livestock production. Conclusions: Understanding contextual factors required for successful livestock production in CPAs is crucial for improving livelihoods and preventing biodiversity loss in Cambodia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helminth parasitic infections are a considerable constraint to the livestock industries worldwide. Nematode parasites cause the major proportion of harm to livestock. The infections caused are accountable for severe economic losses in cattle, goat and sheep farming industries. Morbidity and mortality in livestock due to parasitic diseases are increasing alarmingly. Also, their zoonotic influence on human health is considered significant. Anthelmintic drugs have been developed occasionally to curb this disease and prevent major losses. But the development of resistance against these drugs has put another constraint on this flourishing industry. Helminth parasites have developed resistance against three main classes of anthelmintics: benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones and nicotinic agonists. With the intensification of resistance, various screening and confirmatory tests have been developed for the speedy introduction of newer drugs in the livestock industry. At the same time, designing and launching novel anthelmintics is time-consuming and economically restrained. Phytochemicals attract much attention because of their pharmacotherapeutic potential, least toxic profile and low environmental hazards. A lot of work is going on plant-based anthelmintic drugs throughout the world. Plants possessing anthelmintic activity have been found efficacious against gastrointestinal parasites. Nevertheless, these herbal medicines have various drawbacks, which include poor efficacy and the absence of target selectivity. These problems are now being taken care of with the help of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles improve the drug's effectiveness, enhance drug delivery, and target selectivity at specific sites. A comprehensive literature survey was carried out via electronic searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases and based on inclusion and exclusion criteria; articles were selected for this review. The review aims at providing a comprehensive overview of plant-based nanoparticles as therapeutic alternatives over conventional synthetic anthelmintic drugs. It also encompasses the methods of detection of resistance and the ways to overcome this menace. The effectiveness of various organic and inorganic nanoparticles against helminthes is also discussed in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) epizootic outbreaks often result in the deaths of large numbers of swine either through confirmed or suspected disease or depopulation for outbreak control. Identification of effective biosecure livestock mortality disposal methods, capable of inactivating ASF virus (ASFV) in contaminated carcasses, remains an important component for development of localized outbreak response and recovery plans. In this study, we evaluated ASFV inactivation and viral DNA degradation during composting of ASFV-infected swine carcasses in an Animal Biosafety Level 3-Ag (ABSL3-Ag) high-containment vivarium utilizing virus isolation (VI) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Four ASFV-infected pigs, approximately 54 kg, were composted for 37 days in a static, nonaerated windrow assembled using wood chips, horse manure, and pine shavings as the primary sources of carbon. The windrow daily temperature was sustained at ≥55°C for 18 days. Spleen samples, collected over 28 days, were negative for infectious ASFV by virus isolation on day 5 but remained positive for ASFV DNA by RT-PCR through day 28. At the conclusion of the study, bone marrow, muscle, and pinna samples were collected from composted carcasses, in addition to carbon materials in the windrow. No infectious ASFV was detected by virus isolation in any of the decomposed tissues or carbon samples. However, ASFV DNA remained detectable in all swine tissues (n = 36) and in 14/16 sentinel carbon samples at the end of the study, indicating that positive detection of ASFV DNA did not correlate with virus infectivity. In conclusion, infectious ASFV was rapidly eliminated in ASFV-infected swine during composting of whole carcasses by day 5, coinciding with a temperature increase in the compost pile to ≥55°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa rely on rain-fed agriculture, which exposes them to the risks of agricultural drought. Agricultural drought has become a significant threat to the extreme mortality of livestock, thus negatively impacting social vulnerability and household resilience to agricultural drought and extreme events. Researchers rarely empirically assess the connection between vulnerability and resilience, which are highly related concepts. By measuring and connecting vulnerability and resilience concepts closely related to disasters such as agricultural drought, this article makes a contribution to the body of disaster literature. The study aimed to empirically examine the relationship between smallholder livestock farming households' social vulnerability and their resilience to agricultural drought. A survey of 217 smallholder livestock farmers was conducted. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), the Agricultural Drought Resilience Index (ADRI), and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for data analysis. A correlation was identified between resilience to agricultural drought and social vulnerability, indicating that smallholder livestock farmers are more susceptible to harm and lack the means to rebound effectively. Unsurprisingly, the majority of resource-poor smallholder livestock farmers (79%) lack safety nets during agricultural droughts. They are less resilient and more vulnerable households, leading them to social vulnerability. This study provides input/guidance to identify farming households with high social vulnerability and less resilience to threats and their capabilities of recouping and adopting after experiencing an agricultural drought. Additionally, looking at household resilience and social vulnerability to agricultural droughts could provide a way to pinpoint at-risk areas, assisting emergency planners in directing resources and intervention programs to those areas where assistance is most likely to be needed during disasters such as agricultural droughts. This implies that thorough policy intervention programs need to be tailored toward reducing damage or finding the path to recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock depredation by large carnivores has been documented across the entire Indian subcontinent. The failure of managers to mitigate livestock losses in landscapes dependent on subsistence agriculture poses a threat to the conservation of carnivores. For much of Gujarat, a western Indian state characterized by extensive semi-arid habitats, the Indian leopard (Panthera pardus fusca) is considered an apex predator. Increasing regional leopard populations in response to protection efforts has led to more attacks on humans, along with an increase in rates of livestock depredation. In many cases, the regional forest department financially compensates livestock owners for depredation caused by leopards. Herein, we report on data we collected on leopard-caused livestock depredations in the Chhota Udepur district of Gujarat for 2019-2020. Between November 2020 and March 2021, we recorded 104 distinct cases of leopard depredations that resulted in 134 livestock mortalities. Most attacks occurred in the middle of the night, with the greatest frequency occurring between 2100 and 0400 hours (n = 53). Interestingly, livestock depredations by leopards appeared to occur more in the monsoon season (66%) than during the drier seasons (Fisher's least significant difference [LSD], P < 0.05). We also found that not everyone enduring losses to leopards received full compensation for the value of their animals. Livestock kept in corrals at night were more vulnerable to leopard attack (R2 = 38.6, P = 0.01) compared to free-ranging livestock foraging by day in farms and forests. We recommend that livestock compensation claims filed by communities be investigated and processed quickly and that compensation be based on fair value for domestic animals lost. To better understand the drivers of human-leopard conflict, we also encourage rigorous surveys of potential leopard prey species in forested areas adjacent to conflict hotspots as well as research to identify the most effective methods communities might use to safeguard their livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries, long-term conservation goals are hindered by the high economic costs of human–wildlife conflicts. The grey wolf is one of the prominent species indulged in these incidents. We investigated human–wolf conflicts (HWCs) by interviewing 104 respondents from five villages in Kumrat Valley, northern Pakistan. The respondents declared the grey wolf a common and highly dangerous carnivore. The grey wolf was found implicated in livestock predation, inflicting a yearly economic loss of USD 9225 (USD 88.70 per household (with monthly average income of 119 USD)). Our results confirmed that livestock predation was the main reason for the community's hostile attitude (65.38%) and perception of the grey wolf. Concerning occupation, farmers have the most significant negative attitude (p = 0.040) towards the grey wolf, yet employees (p = 0.025) and students (p = 0.030) showed a positive attitude. In addition, the other factors contributing to the negative attitude towards the grey wolf were the grey wolf sightings and livestock predation (p = 0.016 and p = 0.006), respectively. Based on the findings, we believe that predation compensation and livestock vaccination programs (as done in Gilgit-Baltistan Province of northern Pakistan as a measure of snow leopard conservation, to prevent mass mortalities of livestock due to diseases and in turn safeguarding the predator from retaliatory killing by locals in case of livestock predation) educating the populous can be very promising in minimizing the HWCs in the study area. We also recommend robust and continuous coordination between the local communities and the concerned departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial-temporal impacts and coping strategies to climate variability vary across human communities. Focusing on Malipati Communal Area in Chiredzi District, southeast Zimbabwe, the study analysed the impacts of climate variability and coping strategies adopted by local communities. Data were collected between May and June 2018 in five (5) villages in Ward 15 of Malipati Communal Area, where a total of 133 participants were involved through focus group discussions, questionnaires, and key informant interviews. The results showed an increase in livestock mortality and in contrast no significant changes in crop yields between 1990 and 2018. Further, the study established that local communities have negative perceptions towards the adaptive coping strategies to climate change, especially on the production of small grains. There is a need for other innovative strategies to enable communities to continuously buffer the impacts of climate variability inclusive of diversifying economic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses pose a major threat to animal health worldwide, causing significant mortalities and morbidities in livestock, companion animals and wildlife, with adverse implications on human health, livelihoods, food safety and security, regional/national economies and biodiversity. The Greater and Lesser Antilles consist of a cluster of islands between the North and South Americas and is habitat to a wide variety of animal species. This review is the first to put together decades of information on different viruses circulating in companion animals, livestock and wildlife from the Caribbean islands of Greater and Lesser Antilles. Although animal viral diseases have been documented in the Caribbean region since the 1940s, we found that studies on different animal viruses are limited, inconsistent and scattered. Furthermore, a significant number of the reports were based on serological assays, yielding preliminary data. The available information was assessed to identify knowledge gaps and limitations, and accordingly, recommendations were made, with the overall goal to improve animal health and production, and combat zoonoses in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture in general, and livestock production in particular, serve as a livelihood source for many people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In many settings, lack of control of infectious diseases hampers livestock productivity, undermining the livelihood of rural populations. This scoping review sought to identify veterinary interventions previously evaluated as well as their relative effectiveness in controlling infectious livestock diseases. To be included, papers had to be written in English, German or French, and had to describe the effectiveness and/or profitability of preventive veterinary intervention(s) against anthrax, blackleg, bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, contagious caprine pleuropneumonia, foot-and-mouth disease, goat pox, lumpy skin disease, pasteurellosis, peste des petits ruminants, and/or sheep pox in any SSA country. Of the 2748 publications initially screened, 84 met our inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Most of the studies (n = 73, 87%) evaluated the effectiveness and/or profitability of vaccination, applied exclusively, applied jointly with, or compared to strategies like deworming, antimicrobial treatment, surveillance, feed supplementation, culling and dipping in reducing morbidity and/or mortality to livestock diseases. The effectiveness and/or profitability of antimicrobial treatment (n = 5), test and slaughter (n = 5), and use of lay animal health workers (n = 1) applied exclusively, were evaluated in the other studies. Vaccination was largely found to be both effective and with positive return on investment. Ineffective vaccination was mainly due to loss of vaccine potency under unfavorable field conditions like adverse weather events, cold chain failure, and mismatch of circulating pathogen strain and the vaccines in use. In summary, vaccination is the most effective and profitable means of controlling infectious livestock diseases in SSA. However, to achieve effective control of these diseases, its implementation must integrate pathogen surveillance, and optimal vaccine delivery tools, to overcome the reported field challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) is one of the most important medicinal succulent and perennial plant which belongs to Liliaceae family and its leaves have several medicinal and therapeutic properties. Aloe vera leaves contain more than 200 nutrients and plant bioactive compounds especially anthraquinones, anthrones, chomones, flavonoids, tannins, polysaccharides and saponins. These active principles posses growth stimulatory, immunomodulatory, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, wound healing, antidiabetic and antioxidant properties. The major mortality in livestock is recorded due to enteric infections. To overcome these implications, the excessive or repetitive prophylactic use of drugs against problems is not only costly but also renders animals and human body prone to development of drug resistance; it prompted researchers to look for alternative of drugs to control the disease. Phytogenic feed additives are a new class of feed additives for poultry and livestock industry that have gained attention as a result of their beneficial properties like antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and growth promoters. Realizing this, a number of phytogenic feed additives (PFA) have been identified for their use as feed additive including Aloe vera which in turn may improve the performance of livestock. Presently, Animal nutritionists have carried out lot of studies to harvest the potential of Aloe vera as herbal feed additive. In this review article, major studies have been included which were carried out by various researchers to find out the effect of Aloe vera as herbal feed additive on growth, health and economic parameters of livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass livestock mortality events during severe winters, a phenomenon that Mongolians call dzud, cause the country significant socioeconomic problems. Dzud is an example of a compound event, meaning that multiple climatic and social drivers contribute to the risk of occurrence. Existing studies argue that the frequency and intensity of dzud events are rising due to the combined effects of climate change and variability, most notably summer drought and severe winter conditions, on top of socioeconomic dynamics such as overgrazing. Summer droughts are a precondition for dzud because scarce grasses cause malnutrition, making livestock more vulnerable to harsh winter conditions. However, studies investigating the association between climate and dzud typically look at a short time frame (i.e., after 1940), and few have investigated the risk or the recurrence of dzud over a century-scale climate record. This study aims to fill the gaps in technical knowledge about the recurrence probability of dzud by estimating the return periods of relevant climatic variables: summer drought conditions and winter minimum temperature. We divide the country into three regions (northwest, southwest, and east Mongolia) based on the mortality index at the soum (county) level. For droughts, our study uses as a proxy the tree-ring-reconstructed Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) for three regions between 1700–2013. For winter severity, our study uses observational data of winter minimum temperature after 1901 while inferring winter minimum temperature in Mongolia from instrumental data in Siberia that extend to the early 19th century. Using a generalized extreme value distribution with time-varying parameters, we find that the return periods of drought conditions vary over time, with variability increasing for all the regions. Winter temperature severity, however, does not change with time. The median temperature of the 100-year return period for winter minimum temperature in Mongolia over the past 300 years is estimated as -26.08 ∘ C for the southwest, -27.99 ∘ C for the northwest, and -25.31 ∘ C for the east. The co-occurrence of summer drought and winter severity increases in all the regions in the early 21st century. The analysis suggests that a continued trend in summer drought would lead to increased vulnerability and malnutrition. Prospects for climate index insurance for livestock are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial diseases cause tremendous economic losses due to high morbidity and mortality in livestock animals. F17A protein, the major subunit of F17 fimbriae, is one of the most prevalent and crucial virulence factors among the pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from diarrheic and septicemic animals of various species. Purification and detection of this protein is regarded as an interesting field of investigation due to its important role as a therapeutic target, such as vaccines, and as a diagnostic tool. In this context, polyclonal rabbit antibodies recognizing F17A protein (anti−F17A antibody) were developed and used for its detection. In fact, sandwich biosensor using anti−F17A/gold nanoparticles conjugates as capture probe and anti−F17A antibody labelled with horseradish peroxidase as signal amplification probe was developed for electrochemical and fluorescent detection of purified F17A protein and live F17–positive E. coli bacteria. Good specificity and sensitivity for detection of F17–positive E. coli strains were obtained. The dynamic range for the biosensor varies from 1 × 102 to 1 × 109 CFU·mL−1 (R2 = 0.998) and the detection limit (LOD) and the IC50 value were estimated to be 37 CFU·mL−1 and 75 CFU·mL−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers in Africa, including those in South Africa, rely on rain-fed agriculture, which exposes them to the risks of agricultural drought. Agricultural drought has become a major threat to agricultural production, including the extreme mortality of livestock in recent years, thus negatively impacting household food security. Hence, this paper is aimed at (i) assessing the coping strategies employed by smallholding livestock-farming households during food insecurity shocks, and (ii) assessing the relationship between coping strategies and agricultural drought resilience to food insecurity in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. Interviews, more specifically survey interviews, were conducted with 217 smallholder livestock farmers. The data was analyzed using the agricultural drought resilience index (ADRI), the household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS), and structural equation modeling. Smallholder livestock farming households utilized various coping strategies, ranging from selling livestock (21%) to leasing out their farms (1%). The coping strategies of farming households included using alternative land (20%), storing food (20%), requesting feed for their animals (16%), searching for alternative employment (6%), migrating (6%), raising drought-tolerant breeds (5%), receiving relief grants (3%) and using savings and investments (2%). A statistically significant relationship between coping strategies and agricultural drought resilience to food insecurity means that these strategies have important policy implications. Implementing strategies that encourage households to protect their livelihood and utilize their assets (selling livestock) to increase their resilience is crucial for reducing food insecurity and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end hunger and poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Zoonotic diseases, such as brucellosis, Q fever and Rift Valley fever (RVF) caused by Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii and RVF virus, respectively, can have devastating effects on human, livestock, and wildlife health and cause economic hardship due to morbidity and mortality in livestock. Coinfection with multiple pathogens can lead to more severe disease outcomes and altered transmission dynamics. These three pathogens can alter host immune responses likely leading to increased morbidity, mortality and pathogen transmission during coinfection. Developing countries, such as those commonly afflicted by outbreaks of brucellosis, Q fever and RVF, have high disease burden and thus common coinfections. A literature survey provided information on case reports and studies investigating coinfections involving the three focal diseases. Fifty five studies were collected demonstrating coinfections of Brucella spp., C. burnetii or RVFV with 50 different pathogens, of which 64% were zoonotic. While the literature search criteria involved 'coinfection', only 24/55 studies showed coinfections with direct pathogen detection methods (microbiology, PCR and antigen test), while the rest only reported detection of antibodies against multiple pathogens, which only indicate a history of co‐exposure, not concurrent infection. These studies lack the ability to test whether coinfection leads to changes in morbidity, mortality or transmission dynamics. We describe considerations and methods for identifying ongoing coinfections to address this critical blind spot in disease risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Diarrhea and vomiting caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) F17 are considered significant threats to animal farming. In the present study, RNA-Seq was performed to investigate the potential circRNA and miRNA biomarkers for E. coli F17-antagonism (AN) and -sensitive (SE) lambs. The results indicated that circRNA and miRNA expression is closely associated with the susceptibility of E. coli F17 in lambs. Numbers of circRNAs and miRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers for intestinal inflammatory response against E. coli F17 infection. Our study can provide a preliminary understanding of the underlying mechanisms of intestinal immunity. It has long been recognized that enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the major pathogen responsible for vomiting and diarrhea. E. coli F17, a main subtype of ETEC, is characterized by high morbidity and mortality in young livestock. However, the transcriptomic basis underlying E. coli F17 infection has not been fully understood. In this study, RNA sequencing was performed to explore the expression profiles of circRNAs and miRNAs in the jejunum of E. coli F17-antagonism (AN) and -sensitive (SE) lambs. A total of 16,534 circRNAs and 271 miRNAs (125 novel miRNAs and 146 annotated miRNAs) were screened, and 214 differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs and 53 DE miRNAs were detected between the AN and SE lambs (i.e., novel_circ_0025840, novel_circ_0022779, novel_miR_107, miR-10b). Functional enrichment analyses showed that source genes of DE circRNAs were mainly involved in metabolic-related pathways, while target genes of DE miRNAs were mainly enriched in the immune response pathways. Then, a two-step machine learning approach combining Random Forest (RF) and XGBoost (candidates were first selected by RF and further assessed by XGBoost) was performed, which identified 44 circRNAs and 39 miRNAs as potential biomarkers (i.e., novel_circ_0000180, novel_circ_0000365, novel_miR_192, oar-miR-496-3p) for E. coli infection. Furthermore, circRNA-related and lncRNA-related ceRNA networks were constructed, containing 46 circRNA-miRNA-mRNA competing triplets and 630 lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA competing triplets, respectively. By conducting a serious of bioinformatic analyses, our results revealed important circRNAs and miRNAs that could be potentially developed as candidate biomarkers for intestinal inflammatory response against E. coli F17 infection; our study can provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of intestinal immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mortality of livestock caused by pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) still accounts for a large proportion of deaths in large‐scale production and reproduction, which causes devastating economic losses to the pig breeding industry. The aims of this study were to investigate the antibacterial activity of combined aditoprim (ADP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) against clinical isolates of E. coli from pigs and to develop a pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PK‐PD) model to formulate the optimal dose of ADP/SMZ for the treatment of pig colibacillosis. Blood and ileum fluid samples were collected at different times after single intramuscular injection of ADP/SMZ (5/25 mg/kg b.w.) to healthy pigs and E. coli‐infected pigs. Concentrations of ADP and SMZ in plasma and ileum fluid were analyzed by HPLC. The peak concentration (Cmax) and the area under the concentration–time curve (AUC0‐24h) in ileum fluid of healthy pigs were 1.76 ± 0.27 µg/ml and 18.92 ± 2.87 µg·h/ml for ADP and 19.15 ± 2.63 µg/ml and 125.70 ± 11.86 µg·h/ml for SMZ, respectively. Cmax and AUC0‐24h in ileum fluid of infected pigs were 1.88 ± 0.13 µg/ml and 15.12 ± 0.75 µg·h/ml for ADP and 19.71 ± 3.68 µg/ml and 133.92 ± 17.14 µg·h/ml for SMZ, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of combined ADP and SMZ (ADP/SMZ) against 185 strains of E. coli from pigs were determined. The MIC50 and MIC90 of ADP/SMZ were 0.5/2.5 and 4/20 µg/ml, respectively. The MIC of the selected pathogenic E. coli SHC28 was 0.5/2.5 µg/ml in Mueller‐Hinton broth and 0.25/1.25 µg/ml in ileum fluid, respectively. In vitro, the mutant prevention concentration, the post‐antibiotic effect, growth, and time‐killing curves in vitro and ex vivo of ADP/SMZ against the isolate SHC28 were assayed for PD studies. The results showed that ADP/SMZ exhibited strong concentration‐dependent antimicrobial activity against E. coli. After integrating the in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters of infected pigs and ex vivo PD data using the sigmoid Emax (Hill) equation, the AUC24h/MIC values in ileum fluid for bacteriostatic, bactericidal, and bacterial eradication were 18.84, 65.39, and 110.68 h, respectively. In conclusion, a dosage of 3.45/17.25 mg/kg ADP/SMZ by intramuscular injection daily for 3 consecutive days may be sufficient to treat swine colibacillosis due to E. coli with a MIC of 0.5/2.5 µg/ml. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is renowned for its cultural and biological diversity and covers an important share of lion habitat in Africa, providing connectivity between East and Central Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of lions and human–lion conflict in several protected areas of Ethiopia and to present an overview on lion distribution nationally. We used call-ups and semi-structured interviews with 809 randomly selected pastoralists to investigate human–lion conflict and pastoralist perceptions towards lions in five priority sites and collected further anecdotal information for all other known or possible lion range. We had chance encounters with six lions, but we observed no lion responses to the call-ups. We recorded 145 spotted hyaena and 23 jackal responses at, respectively, 25 and 13 of the 46 call-up stations. Overall, respondents viewed lions as dangerous carnivores, but nonetheless responded that lions should be present regionally, preferably in restricted areas. Most respondents disagreed that the killing of lions should be allowed, but we note that a small minority strongly agreed to killing. A large majority of respondents agreed that more people need to be given information about lions. Respondents mentioned spotted hyaena and leopard as the main predators on all livestock followed by jackal (shoats) and lion (mainly cattle). The impact of depredation on livestock mortality was nearly twice that of disease. Our results strongly suggest that lion densities are low and may have substantially decreased in Awash, Nechisar, Chebera-Churchura, and Mago National Parks and in Kaffa Biosphere Reserve due to conflict, habitat loss and especially ineffective protection. Anecdotal information suggests that lions are widespread but rare and that there is no stronghold in Ethiopia. Considering the unique evolutionary background of Ethiopia as the bridge between Central and East African lion populations, and the significant role of the lion in Ethiopian history and culture, we argue that more emphasis should be given to the protection of prioritized lion populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mannheimia haemolytica primarily causes pneumonia leading to heavy morbidity and mortality in domestic livestock world-wide. Recently, outer membrane lipoproteins have emerged as targets for inducing protective immunity against the Pasteurella infection. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate recombinant outer membrane lipoprotein E (PlpE) from the ovine M. haemolytica isolate, as a potential vaccine candidate. Methods: Recombinant PlpE was constructed using pET26 (b) expression vector in Escherichia coli. Expressed recombinant PlpE was purified and injected subcutaneously to mice. The protection index of the vaccine was evaluated by challenge of mice intraperitoneally. Results: Anti-PlpE antibody responses in the immunized mice was significantly increased in comparison with the control group which in turn, provided effective protection when challenged with strain of virulent M. haemolytica. Conclusion: Recombinant PlpE from ovine M. haemolytica isolate had the potential to be used as a vaccine candidate against M. haemolytica infection in sheep flocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass livestock mortality events during severe winters, a phenomenon that Mongolians call dzud, cause the country significant socioeconomic problems. Dzud is an example of a compound event, meaning that multiple climatic and social drivers contribute to the risk of occurrence. Existing studies argue that the frequency and intensity of dzud are rising due to the combined effects of climate change and variability, most notably summer drought and severe winter conditions, on top of socioeconomic dynamics such as overgrazing. Summer droughts are a precondition for dzud because scarce grasses cause malnutrition, which in turn makes livestock more vulnerable to harsh winter conditions. However, these studies typically look at a short time frame (i.e., after 1940); few have investigated either the risk or the recurrence of dzud over a century-scale climate record. This study aims to fill the gaps in technical knowledge about the recurrence probability of dzud by estimating the return levels of relevant climatic variables: summer drought conditions and winter minimum temperature. We divide the country into three regions (Northwest, Southwest, and East Mongolia) based on the mortality index at the soum (county) level. For droughts, our study uses as a proxy the tree-ring reconstructed Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for three regions between 1700-2013. For winter severity, our study uses observational data of winter minimum temperature after 1901 while inferring winter minimum temperature in Mongolia from instrumental data in Siberia that extends to the early 19th century. The Generalized Extreme Value (i.e., the statistical method to infer the probability of very rare or extreme events) shows that the return levels of drought conditions are changing over time, with variability increasing for all the regions. Winter severity, however, is constant. The median 100-year return levels of the winter minimum temperature in Mongolia have been, over the past 300 years, -26.08 °C for the Southwest, -27.99 °C for the Northwest, and -25.31 °C for the East. This study thus suggests that continued summer drought would lead to increased vulnerability and malnutrition. Here, we link meteorological characteristics to socioeconomic impacts related to livestock populations and draws attention to the need for livestock index insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heat stress in tropics is generally associated with significant economic losses resulting from reduced performance, morbidity, and mortality of livestock. To avoid serious consequences of heat stress, it is imperative to better understand the physiological responses and biochemical changes under the state of altered body homeostasis during different seasons of the year. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the seasonal dynamics of physiological, oxidative and metabolic responses of lactating Nili‐Ravi buffaloes to the tropical climate of South China. Methods: Physiological responses including rectal temperature (RT), body surface temperature (BST) and respiratory rate (RR) along with serum biochemical and antioxidant parameters of 20 lactating Nili‐Ravi buffaloes were evaluated during different seasons of the year. Results: Higher temperature‐humidity Index (THI) during the summer season (>80) resulted in a significant increases in RR and BST as compared to the winter season. Higher oxidative stress was observed in the summer season as revealed by significantly higher MDA while lower serum antioxidant enzyme (TAC, GSH‐Px, SOD and CAT) contents. Moreover, serum cortisol was also significantly higher in summer and autumn. The levels of growth hormone and ACTH were also significantly (P < 0.05) lower in summer and autumn as compared to other seasons. The negative association of THI with physiological and antioxidant parameters was observed while it was positively associated with serum MDA and cortisol levels. Conclusions: Our study revealed moderate heat stress in lactating buffaloes in the summer season which calls for attention to avoid economic losses and animal welfare issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF), classical swine fever (CSF) and foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) are considered to be three of the most detrimental animal diseases and are currently foreign to the U.S. Emerging and re‐emerging pathogens can have tremendous impacts in terms of livestock morbidity and mortality events, production losses, forced trade restrictions, and costs associated with treatment and control. The United States is the world's top producer of beef for domestic and export use and the world's third‐largest producer and consumer of pork and pork products; it has also recently been either the world's largest or second largest exporter of pork and pork products. Understanding the routes of introduction into the United States and the potential economic impact of each pathogen are crucial to (a) allocate resources to prevent routes of introduction that are believed to be more probable, (b) evaluate cost and efficacy of control methods and (c) ensure that protections are enacted to minimize impact to the most vulnerable industries. With two scoping literature reviews, pulled from global data, this study assesses the risk posed by each disease in the event of a viral introduction into the United States and illustrates what is known about the economic costs and losses associated with an outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culicoides biting midges are small dipterous insects (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) which are known to be vectors of arboviruses, bacteria, protozoan and helminth parasites that can cause disease and mortality in livestock and poultry globally. Detailed knowledge of the Culicoides species composition and biology is essential to assess the risk of the introduction and transmission of pathogens. The aim of this study was to obtain data on Culicoides species composition and flying activity in southeastern Lithuania and to determine the meteorological variables related to the abundance of Culicoides biting midges. Biting midges were collected in Verkiai Regional Park, southeastern Lithuania, using an Onderstepoort trap once a week from April to October 2016 and 2018, and from April to July 2019; 7332 Culicoides females belonging to 22 species were identified. Both morphology and DNA barcoding were used for identification. The number of specimens trapped was highest for the Obsoletus Group, followed by Culicoides kibunensis and Culicoides impunctatus. The highest relative abundance and diversity of biting midges were found in May and June. The number of trapped biting midges correlated positively with the mean air temperature. The first biting midges in spring were caught when the mean daily temperature rose higher than 10 °C. No Culicoides were detected when the air temperature dropped below 5 °C in autumn. Wind speed and air humidity had no statistically significant effect on Culicoides abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contextualization: Neonatal diarrhea is a common pathology in calves, causing high mortality and decreased livestock productivity. Knowledge gap: A proposed option for their control is the immunization of dams against enteropathogens, which has not had enough research in Colombia. Purpose: The objective of this work was to determine indicators of passive immunity in bovine neonates, born of cows vaccinated with commercial bacterin against pneumoenteritis applied in the last third of gestation. Methodology: Twenty-one crossbred pregnant cows were distributed in three groups: T1, control; T2, application of a dose of the biological 30 days prepartum, and T3 application of two doses at 30 and 15 days prepartum; and a fourth group, T4, for active immunity determination, of neonates vaccinated with bacterin at 24 hours of life. The experimental period for cows ranging from 30 days antepartum until calving, calves between 24 and 72 hours after birth. Results and conclusions: In the calves, indicators of protein metabolism and immunoglobulins (Ig) were analyzed. Colostrum quality, five indicators of protein metabolism and cortisol as an immune modulator were analyzed in cows, they did not present significant statistical differences between treatments, with the exception of T3 in AST. In neonates IgA and IgG had no significant differences between treatments or for time. IgM and albumin had significant differences for treatments or time, while globulins and total proteins only for time. No effect of bacterin applications was evidenced and no failure was found in the transfer of passive immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative interactions with humans resulting from livestock predation is a major factor influencing the decline of African lion Panthera leo populations across Africa. Here we investigate lion depredation within two Maasai communities in southern Kenya where people and lions coexist in the absence of any formal protected areas. We explore the factors that increase the frequency and severity of lion attacks on pastoralists and their livestock and assess the effectiveness of livestock guarding to reduce damage. Finally, we examine in which circumstances lion depredation triggers retaliation by people. Over a period of 26 months, lions attacked livestock 29 times, resulting in 41 livestock deaths and 19 injuries. There were also two attacks on people. Lions preferred cattle over the more numerous sheep and goats. Attacks on livestock occurred mostly during the dry season and were not affected by changes in prey density or variation in pastoral settlement that brought livestock into closer proximity with lions. Livestock were guarded during 48.2% of lion attacks. Active guarding at pasture disrupted the majority of lion attacks, resulting in lower mortality rates. Passive guarding in corrals at night also disrupted attacks but did not lead to lower livestock mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic, viral, mosquito-borne disease that causes considerable morbidity and mortality in humans and livestock in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In June 2018, 4 alpaca inoculated subcutaneously with live attenuated RVF virus (RVFV) Smithburn strain exhibited pyrexia, aberrant vocalization, anorexia, neurologic signs, and respiratory distress. One animal died the evening of inoculation, and 2 at ~20 d post-inoculation. Concern regarding potential vaccine strain reversion to wild-type RVFV or vaccine-induced disease prompted autopsy of the latter two. Macroscopically, both alpacas had severe pulmonary edema and congestion, myocardial hemorrhages, and cyanotic mucous membranes. Histologically, they had cerebral nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis with perivascular cuffing, multifocal neuronal necrosis, gliosis, and meningitis. Lesions were more severe in the 4-mo-old cria. RVFV antigen and RNA were present in neuronal cytoplasm, by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization (ISH) respectively, and cerebrum was also RVFV positive by RT-rtPCR. The virus clustered in lineage K (100% sequence identity), with close association to Smithburn sequences published previously (identity: 99.1–100%). There was neither evidence of an aberrant immune-mediated reaction nor reassortment with wild-type virus. The evidence points to a pure infection with Smithburn vaccine strain as the cause of the animals' disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Luvuvhu River catchment experiences rainfall variability with a high frequency of extremely dry and wet conditions. Understanding the frequency of drought and floods in this catchment area is important to the agriculture sector for managing the negative impacts of these natural hazards. This study was undertaken to investigate the frequency and severity of drought/floods and linkages with the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. Poor and resource-limited small-scale farmers in the Luvuvhu River catchment area struggle to adjust due to decreasing crop yields and livestock mortality caused by drought and floods. Monthly rainfall data from 15 grid points (0.5° × 0.5°) was used to compute the Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) for the period between 1979 and 2016. The 3-month SPI was calculated for the December-January- February (DJF) period. The second half of the agricultural season was selected because the influence of ENSO is high during the late summer season (DJF) in the catchment. The SPI results indicate that the agricultural seasons 1982/83, 1991/92 and 2015/16 were characterised by extreme drought. Conversely, the SPI values also show that the wettest seasons were recorded in 1998/99 and 1999/00. The catchment experiences a high frequency of moderate to severe drought in the north and north-eastern parts. Spatially, the occurrence of moderate to severe dry conditions covers large areas in the north and south-western parts. Severe to extreme wet conditions cover large areas in the north and south-eastern parts of the catchment. The SST index (Niño 3.4) shows a strong influence on rainfall variability in the catchment, resulting in either dry or wet conditions. Therefore, this study recommends further research focusing on more climatic modes that influence rainfall variability, as well as further development of drought and flood forecasting to improve farmers' adaptations options and reliability of weather forecasts used as a tool to manage crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ticks transmit several diseases that result in high morbidity and mortality in livestock. Tick-borne diseases are an economic burden that negatively affect livestock production, cost countries billions of dollars through vaccine procurement and other disease management efforts. Thus, understanding the spatial distribution of tick hotspots is critical for identifying potential areas of high tick-borne disease transmission and setting up priority areas for targeted tick disease management. In this study, optimised hotspot analysis was applied to detect hotspots and coldspots of 14 common tick species in Zimbabwe. Data on the spatial distribution of tick species were obtained from the Epidemiology Unit of the Division of Veterinary Field Services of Zimbabwe. Results: A total of 55,133 ticks were collected with Rhipicephalus decoloratus being the most common species (28.7%), followed by Amblyomma hebraeum (20.6%), and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (0.06%) being the least common species. Results also showed that tick hotspots are species-specific with particular tick species occupying defined localities in the country. For instance, Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus decoloratus, Rhipicephalus compostus, Rhipicephalus microplus, Rhipicephalus pravus, and Rhipicephalus simus were concentrated in the north and north eastern districts of the country. In contrast, Amblyomma hebraeum, Hyalomma rufipes, Hyalomma trancatum and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were prevalent in the southern districts of Zimbabwe. Conclusion: The occurrence of broadly similar hotspots of several tick species in different districts suggests presence of spatial overlaps in the niche of the tick species. As ticks are vectors of several tick-borne diseases, there is high likelihood of multiple disease transmission in the same geographic region. This study is the first in Zimbabwe to demonstrate unique spatial patterns in the distribution of several tick species across the country. The results of this study provide an important opportunity for the development of spatially-targeted tick-borne disease management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: anthrax is endemic in some parts of Kenya causing mortalities in livestock and morbidity in humans. On January 20th, 2018, news media reported suspected anthrax in a remote southern Kenyan village after villagers became ill following consumption of meat from a dead cow that was confirmed, by microscopy, to have died of anthrax. We assessed community knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) to identify intervention gaps for anthrax prevention. Methods: we conducted a KAP survey in randomly selected households (HHs) in villages from selected wards. Using multi-stage sampling approach, we administered structured questionnaire to persons aged ≥15 years to collect KAP information from February 11th -21st, 2018. From a set of questions for KAP, we scored participants’ response as “1” for a correct response and “0” for an incorrect response. Univariate analysis and Chi-square tests were performed to explore determinants of KAP. Concurrently, we gathered qualitative data using interview guides for thematic areas on anthrax KAP from key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative data were transcribed in Ms Word and analyzed along themes by content analysis. Results: among 334 respondents: 187/334 (56%) were male; mean age, 40.7±13.6 years; 331/334 (99.1%) had heard of anthrax and 304/331 (91.8%) knew anthrax to be zoonotic. Transmission was considered to be through eating dead-carcasses by 273/331 (82.5%) and through contact with infected tissue by 213/331 (64.4%). About 59% (194/329) regularly vaccinated their livestock against anthrax, 53.0% (174/328) had slaughtered or skinned a deadanimal and 59.5% (195/328) practiced home slaughter while 52.9% (172/325) treated sickanimals by themselves. Sex (p≤0.001), age (p=0.007) and livestock-rearing years (p≤0.001) were significantly associated with knowledge and practice. Conclusion: there were differences in knowledge and practices towards anthrax by agegroup and sex. Enhanced public health education and targeted interventions by relevant government agencies is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the role of forecast-based financing . Topics discuses include addresses the opportunities, challenges and limitations associated with using forecast-based financing (FbF) to support early humanitarian action in the context of disaster displacement; and Disaster displacement varies across countries, communities and regions depending on the type of natural hazard involved.

Piglets experience a rapid decrease in body temperature immediately after birth, increasing the risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of drying and/or warming piglets at birth on rectal temperature over the first 24 h after birth. The study was carried out at a commercial sow facility using a completely randomized design with four treatments (applied to piglets at birth): Control (no drying or warming), Desiccant (dried using a desiccant), Warming Box (placed in a box under a heat lamp for 30 min), and Desiccant + Warming Box (both dried and warmed as above). Farrowing pens had one heat lamp, temperatures under which were similar to the warming box (35 °C). A total of 68 litters (866 piglets) were randomly allotted to a treatment at the birth of the first piglet. At birth, each piglet was identified with a numbered ear tag and weighed; rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1,440 min after birth. Data were analyzed using a repeated-measures model using PROC MIXED of SAS. Litter was the experimental unit, piglet was a subsample of the litter; and the model included the fixed effects of treatment, time (the repeated measure), and the interaction. Rectal temperatures at birth and 1,440 min after birth were similar (P > 0.05) for all treatments. At all times between 10 and 120 min after birth, Control piglets had lower (P ≤ 0.05) temperatures than the other three treatments. The Desiccant and Warming Box treatments had similar (P > 0.05) temperatures at most measurement times, but the Desiccant + Warming Box treatment had the highest (P ≤ 0.05) rectal temperatures at most times between 10 and 60 min. In addition, for all treatments, light (<1.0 kg) birth weight piglets had lower (P ≤ 0.05) temperatures than medium (1.0–1.5 kg) or heavy (>1.5 kg) piglets at all times between 10 and 120 min. In addition, at these measurement times, the deviation in temperature between the Control and the other three treatments was greater for light than medium or heavy piglets. In conclusion, both drying and warming piglets at birth significantly increased rectal temperatures between 10 and 120 min after birth, with the combination of the two interventions having the greatest effect, especially for low birth weight piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piglets are born wet, and evaporation of that moisture decreases body temperature, increasing the risk of mortality. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of two commercially applicable methods for drying piglets at birth on piglet rectal temperature over 24 h after birth. The study was carried out in standard commercial farrowing facilities with 52 litters, using a completely randomized design with three Drying Treatments: Control (not dried); Desiccant (dried at birth using a cellulose-based desiccant); Paper Towel (dried at birth using paper towels). Litters were randomly allotted to treatments at the birth of the first piglet. At birth, piglets were individually identified, and the treatment was applied. Rectal temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 1,440 min (24 h) after birth. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures model with PROC MIXED of SAS, with litter as the experimental unit and piglet a subsample of the litter. The model included the fixed effects of treatment and time (as a repeated measure), and the interaction. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of treatment on temperature at birth, or 10 or 1,440 min after birth. Piglet temperatures between 20 and 120 min after birth were similar (P > 0.05) for the Desiccant and Paper Towel treatments, but were greater (P ≤ 0.05) than the Control. The effect of birth weight on the response to Drying Treatment was evaluated by dividing the data into Light (<1.0 kg), Medium (1.0 to 1.5 kg), or Heavy (>1.5 kg) piglet Birth Weight Categories. Piglet rectal temperature data at each measurement time were analyzed using a model that included the fixed effects of Birth Weight Category, Drying Treatment, and the interaction. Temperatures of Light piglets were lower (P ≤ 0.05) than those of Heavy piglets between 20 and 120 min after birth, with Medium piglets being intermediate and generally different to the other two weight categories at these times. The difference in temperature between Light as compared with Medium or Heavy piglets was greater for the Control than the other two Drying Treatments at 60 min after birth. These results suggest that drying piglets at birth is an effective method to reduce rectal temperature decline in the early postnatal period, especially for low birth weight piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize and groundnut are important crops for both commercial and smallholder farming in Zambia, whose production is being threatened by their susceptibility to aflatoxin contamination. Despite this threat, there is limited knowledge of household growers' behaviour and applications related to suitable agricultural management practices, as well as growers' perception and knowledge of aflatoxins and their effects. This limited knowledge has major implications for acute human health effects such as liver cirrhosis and death, cancer, stunting in children, immune system suppression, impaired food conversion, and reduced livestock productivity and/or increased livestock mortality. This cross-sectional survey of smallholder household growers in Zambia was conducted to identify the gaps in the knowledge and application of aflatoxin-associated agricultural management practices. A sample of 3865 maize- and groundnut-producing smallholder farm households were selected in 27 priority districts implementing the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)/First 1000 Most Critical Days Programme (MCDP) Phase II. Among the five pre-harvest management practices for maize and groundnuts – namely, controlling weeds, timely planting, controlling pests, and applying basal and top-dressing fertilisers – few households (8%) reported practising all of them. Among the recommended techniques for harvesting and handling maize and groundnuts, the most common harvest-management practices under maize production were drying (95.2% of households) and sorting at harvest (72%). In contrast, very few households (2%) practised at least three of four maize harvest management practices. Similarly, very few households (10%) practised at least 4 of the 6 groundnut harvest-management measures. Comparatively, post-harvest and storage management practices were more commonly practised, although most households did not practise all six post-harvest and storage management measures. Overall, very few households (1% for maize and 4% for groundnuts) were observed to be practising at least 12 of the 14 recommended management practices, implying that there are considerable gaps in the implementation of aflatoxin-related management practices along all stages of maize and groundnut production, consequently posing a significant threat to health and contributing to malnutrition levels in Zambia. As such, there is a need to develop tailored interventions and trainings for farming households, extension officers, and frontline health workers to prevent and manage aflatoxin contamination at different stages of crop production. Furthermore, the elimination of policy constraints, practical barriers of affordability and consumer awareness, and the value attached to the commercial product of Aflasafe, noted to reduce aflatoxin contamination by 80–100%, are of utmost urgency. • Aflatoxin management practices can reduce threats to health and malnutrition. • Compromised storage structures, and produce attracted mould and insects. • Lack of use of storage bags such as jute, hermetic, and polyethylene bags. • Lack of awareness of the chronic health risks of aflatoxins. • Major gaps in the implementation of aflatoxin-related crop management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]