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In broiler chickens, fractures of wings and legs are recorded at poultry slaughterhouses based on the time of occurrence. Prekilling (PRE) fractures occur before the death of animal, so the chicken was still able to experience pain and distress associated with the injury (an animal welfare issue). Postkilling (POST) fractures occur when the chickens are deceased and fully bled-out and consequently unable to feel pain (not an animal welfare issue). Current practice dictates that fractures are recognized visually and recorded by the animal welfare officers as mandated by European Union and/or national regulations. However, new potential monitoring solutions are desired since human inspection suffers from some significant limitations including subjectivism and fatigue. One possible solution in detecting injuries is X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning and in this study we aim to evaluate the potential of CT scanning and visual inspection in detecting limb fractures and their causes. Eighty-three chicken wings and 60 chicken legs (n = 143) were collected from a single slaughterhouse and classified by an animal welfare officer as PRE, POST or healthy (HEAL). Samples were photographed and CT scanned at a veterinary hospital. The interpretation of CT scans along with photographs took place in 3 rounds (1. CT scans only, 2. CT scans + photographs, 3. photographs only) and was performed independently by 3 veterinarians. The consistency of the interpretation in 3 rounds was compared with the animal welfare officer's classification. Furthermore, selected samples were also analyzed by histopathological examination due to questionability of their classification (PRE/POST). In questionable samples, presence of hemorrhages was confirmed, thus they fit better as PRE. The highest consistency between raters was obtained in the 2nd round, indicating that interpretation accuracy was the highest when CT scans were combined with photographs. These results indicate that CT scanning in combination with visual inspection can be used in detecting limbs fracture and potentially applied as a tool to monitor animal welfare in poultry slaughterhouses in the future., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The competition-colonization (CC) trade-off is a well-studied coexistence mechanism for metacommunities. In this setting, it is believed that the coexistence of all species requires their traits to satisfy restrictive conditions limiting their similarity. To investigate whether diverse metacommunities can assemble in a CC trade-off model, we study their assembly from a probabilistic perspective. From a pool of species with parameters (corresponding to traits) sampled at random, we compute the probability that any number of species coexist and characterize the set of species that emerges through assembly. Remarkably, almost exactly half of the species in a large pool typically coexist, with no saturation as the size of the pool grows, and with little dependence on the underlying distribution of traits. Through a mix of analytical results and simulations, we show that this unlimited niche packing emerges as assembly actively moves communities toward overdispersed configurations in niche space. Our findings also apply to a realistic assembly scenario where species invade one at a time from a fixed regional pool. When diversity arises de novo in the metacommunity, richness still grows without bound, but more slowly. Together, our results suggest that the CC trade-off can support the robust emergence of diverse communities, even when coexistence of the full species pool is exceedingly unlikely., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Fission-fusion events, i.e. changes to the size and composition of animal social groups, are a mechanism to adjust the social environment in response to short-term changes in the cost-benefit ratio of group living. Furthermore, the time and location of fission-fusion events provide insight into the underlying drivers of these dynamics. Here, we describe a method for identifying group membership over time and for extracting fission-fusion events from animal tracking data. We applied this method to high-resolution GPS data of free-ranging sheep ( Ovis aries ). Group size was highest during times when sheep typically rest (midday and at night), and when anti-predator benefits of grouping are high while costs of competition are low. Consistent with this, fission and fusion frequencies were highest during early morning and late evening, suggesting that social restructuring occurs during periods of high activity. However, fission and fusion events were not more frequent near food patches and water resources when adjusted for overall space use. This suggests a limited role of resource competition. Our results elucidate the dynamics of grouping in response to social and ecological drivers, and we provide a tool for investigating these dynamics in other species., Competing Interests: We have no competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Depending on the interpretation of the European Union (EU) regulations, even marginally visibly contaminated poultry carcasses could be rejected for human consumption due to food safety concerns. However, it is not clear if small contaminations actually increase the already present bacterial load of carcasses to such an extent that the risk for the consumers is seriously elevated. Therefore, the additional contribution to the total microbial load on carcasses by a small but still visible contamination with feces, grains from the crop, and drops of bile and grease from the slaughter line was determined using a Monte Carlo simulation. The bacterial counts (total aerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae , Escherichia coli , and Campylobacter spp.) were obtained from the literature and used as input for the Monte Carlo model with 50,000 iterations for each simulation. The Monte Carlo simulation revealed that the presence of minute spots of feces, bile, crop content, and slaughter line grease do not lead to a substantial increase of the already existing biological hazards present on the carcasses and should thus be considered a matter of quality rather than food safety.

The aim of this paper is to review the most significant livestock-associated zoonoses. Human and animal health are intimately connected. This idea has been known for more than a century but now it has gained special importance because of the increasing threat from zoonoses. Zoonosis is defined as any infection naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans. As the frequency and prevalence of zoonotic diseases increase worldwide, they become a real threat to public health. In addition, many of the newly discovered diseases have a zoonotic origin. Due to globalization and urbanization, some of these diseases have already spread all over the world, caused by the international flow of goods, people, and animals. However, special attention should be paid to farm animals since, apart from the direct contact, humans consume their products, such as meat, eggs, and milk. Therefore, zoonoses such as salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, tuberculosis, swine and avian influenza, Q fever, brucellosis, STEC infections, and listeriosis are crucial for both veterinary and human medicine. Consequently, in the suspicion of any zoonoses outbreak, the medical and veterinary services should closely cooperate to protect the public health.

Background: This is the first report describing levels of APPs in European bison. Serum concentration of acute phase proteins (APPs) may be helpful to assess general health status in wildlife and potentially useful in selecting animals for elimination. Since there is a lack of literature data regarding concentration of APPs in European bisons, establishment of the reference values is also needed., Methods: A total of 87 European bison from Polish populations were divided into two groups: (1) healthy: immobilized for transportation, placing a telemetry collar and routine diagnostic purposes; and (2) selectively culled due to the poor health condition. The serum concentration of haptoglobin, serum amyloid A and α1-acid-glycoprotein were determined using commercial quantitative ELISA assays. Since none of the variables met the normality assumptions, non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used for all comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistica 13.3 (Tibco, USA)., Results: The concentration of haptoglobin and serum amyloid A was significantly higher in animals culled (euthanised) due to the poor condition in respect to the clinically healthy European bison. The levels of α1-acid-glycoprotein did not show statistical difference between healthy and sick animals., Conclusions: Correlation between APPs concertation and health status was proven, therefore the determination of selected APPs may be considered in future as auxiliary predictive tool in assessing European bison health condition., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This review aims to characterize promising novel markers of ovine mastitis. Mastitis is considered as one of the primary factors for premature culling in dairy sheep and has noticeable financial, productional, and animal welfare-related implications. Furthermore, clinical, and subclinical mammary infections negatively affect milk yield and alter the milk composition, thereby leading to lowered quality of dairy products. It is, therefore, crucial to control and prevent mastitis through proper diagnosis, treatment or culling, and appropriate udder health management particularly at the end of the lactation period. The clinical form of mastitis is characterized by abnormalities in milk and mammary gland tissue alteration or systemic symptoms consequently causing minor diagnostic difficulties. However, to identify ewes with subclinical mastitis, laboratory diagnostics is crucial. Mastitis control is primarily dependent on determining somatic cell count (SCC) and the California Mastitis Test (CMT), which aim to detect the quantity of cells in the milk sample. The other useful diagnostic tool is microbial culture, which complements SCC and CMT. However, all mentioned diagnostic methods have their limitations and therefore novel biomarkers of ovine subclinical mastitis are highly desired. These sensitive indicators include acute-phase proteins, miRNA, and cathelicidins measurements, which could be determined in ovine serum and/or milk and in the future may become useful in early mastitis diagnostics as well as a preventive tool. This may contribute to increased detection of ovine mammary gland inflammation in sheep, especially in subclinical form, and consequently improves milk quality and quantity.

The aim of this paper is to describe the association between selected dietary minerals and mastitis in dairy cows. Minerals are a group of nutrients with a proven effect on production and reproductive performance. They also strongly affect immune system function. In particular their deficiencies may result in immunosuppression, which is a predisposing factor for udder inflammation occurrence. The role of selected dietary minerals (including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, copper and zinc) has been reviewed. Generally, minerals form structural parts of the body; as cofactors of various enzymes they are involved in nerve signaling, muscle contraction and proper keratosis. Their deficiencies lead to reduced activity of immune cells or malfunction of teat innate defense mechanisms, which in turn promote the development of mastitis. Special attention was also paid to minerals applied as nanoparticles, which in the future may turn out to be an effective tool against animal diseases, including mastitis. To conclude, minerals are an important group of nutrients, which should be taken into account on dairy farms when aiming to achieve high udder health status.

Background: Hepatopathies are an important group of disorders in dogs where proper nutritional care is crucial. Supplementation with a hepatoprotectant like silybin can improve liver function and should not interfere with nutrient digestibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of both pure silybin and commercial hepatoprotectant on nutrients digestibility, liver function indices and health status in healthy dogs (EXP1). Moreover, the second experiment (EXP2) investigated the effect of commercial hepatoprotectant on liver function tests and liver-associated miRNAs concentration in dogs with idiopathic liver disorder., Results: Nutrient digestibility was not affected by treatment in EXP1. Supplementation did alter the serum fatty acid profile, with no clinical relevance. The levels of liver markers such as ALT, AST and GGT significantly decreased. In EXP2, supplementation with commercial hepatoprotectant containing silybin improved liver function tests. A decrease was observed in liver serum markers such as ALT, AST and miR122 concentration., Conclusions: EXP1 confirmed that silybin (whether pure or as a commercial hepatoprotectant) does not interfere with digestion which subsequently exerts no detrimental effect on dogs' health and metabolism. In EXP2, dietary supplementation with commercial hepatoprotectant containing silybin resulted in a decreased activity of serum liver markers, accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of liver-specific miRNA molecules. Liver function indices were consequently improved. Silybin supplementation can thus serve as an effective therapeutical tool in dogs with hepatopathies.

Background: The purpose of the study described here was to evaluate the effects of different supportive treatments - such as antioxidants, immunomodulators, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - in mastitic cows treated with intramammary antibiotics on the efficacy of mastitis therapy and fertility indices. Fertility indices, including time to first insemination, conception rate, time between calving and conception (open days), and number of services per conception (insemination index), were evaluated for 300 dairy cows. Sixty cows without apparent clinical signs of mastitis were assigned 100 days after calving to a Control group. Another 240 cows with clinical mastitis were systematically divided into four experimental groups (I-IV) of 60 cows each. All mastitic cows were treated with approved intramammary antibiotics in recommended doses. Cows in Group I were treated with intramammary antibiotics only. Cows in Groups II, III, and IV, received intramammary antibiotic therapy and a single injection with antioxidants, an immunomodulator (lysozyme dimer), or an NSAID (flunixin meglumine), respectively., Results: The lowest treatment efficacy of mastitic quarters and cows was noted in Group I (51.6 and 53.3%; p > 0.05). The best recovery rate was noted in Group II (63.3 and 66.7%; p > 0.05), followed by Group III (58.3 and 60.9%) and Group IV (58.3 and 58.0%; p > 0.05). The above data did not differ statistically (p > 0.05). The animals with mastitis (Groups I-IV) showed prolonged time to first insemination, more open days, higher insemination index, and lower conception rate than the control cows (p <  0.05). The conception rate of healthy cows and of successfully treated cows was insignificantly lower than that of cows required prolonged antibiotic therapy. Supportive treatments improved the mastitis recovery rate compared with intramammary antibiotics only. The efficacy of mastitis treatments affected the reproduction indices: in cows requiring prolonged treatment with antioxidants, a shorter time to first insemination was needed than in other groups (p <  0.05). Fewer days open were observed between the group with antioxidants and the control group (p <  0.05)., Conclusions: Clinical mastitis negatively affects reproductive indices (days open, pregnancy rate after first AI, NSC) in dairy cows. Different types of supportive medicine, such as antioxidants (vitamin C and E, and β-carotene), lysozyme dimer, or NSAID can be useful in improving fertility in mastitis cows treated with antibiotic only. It has been proven that each supportive treatment improved antibiotics efficiency and the antibiotic combined with the antioxidants was the most effective treatment.

Multiple species in the toxic marine diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia have been identified in the Northwestern Atlantic region encompassing the Gulf of Maine (GOM), including the Bay of Fundy (BOF). To gain further knowledge of the taxonomic composition and toxicity of species in this region, Pseudo-nitzschia isolates (n=146) were isolated from samples collected during research cruises that provided broad spatial coverage across the GOM and the southern New England shelf, herein referred to as the GOM region, during 2007-2008. Isolates, and cells in field material collected at 38 stations, were identified using electron microscopy (EM). Eight species ( P. americana, P. fraudulenta, P. subpacifica, P. heimii, P. pungens, P. seriata, P. delicatissima and P. turgidula ), and a novel form, Pseudo-nitzschia sp. GOM, were identified. Species identity was confirmed by sequencing the large subunit of the ribosomal rDNA (28S) and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) for six species (36 isolates). Phylogenetic analyses (including neighbor joining, maximum parsimony, and maximum likelihood estimates and ITS2 secondary structure analysis) and morphometric data supported the placement of P . sp. GOM in a novel clade that includes morphologically and genetically similar isolates from Australia and Spain and is genetically most similar to P. pseudodelicatissima and P. cuspidata . Seven species (46 isolates) were grown in nutrient-replete batch culture and aliquots consisting of cells and growth medium were screened by Biosense ASP ELISA to measure total domoic acid (DA) produced (intracellular + extracellular); P. americana and P. heimii were excluded from all toxin analyses as they did not persist in culture long enough for testing. All 46 isolates screened produced DA in culture and total DA varied among species (e.g., 0.04 to 320 ng ml -1 for P. pungens and P . sp. GOM isolates, respectively) and among isolates of the same species (e.g., 0.24 - 320 ng ml -1 for P . sp. GOM). The 15 most toxic isolates corresponded to P. seriata, P . sp. GOM and P. pungens , and fg DA cell -1 was determined for whole cultures (cells and medium) using ELISA and liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection (FLD); for seven isolates, toxin levels were also estimated using LC - with mass spectrometry and ultraviolet absorbance detection. Pseudo-nitzschia seriata was the most toxic species (up to 3,500 fg cell -1 ) and was observed in the GOM region during all cruises (i.e., during the months of April, May, June and October). Pseudo-nitzschia sp. GOM, observed only during September and October 2007, was less toxic (19 - 380 fg cell -1 ) than P. seriata but more toxic than P. pungens var. pungens (0. 4 fg cell -1 ). Quantitation of DA indicated that concentrations measured by LC and ELISA were positively and significantly correlated; the lower detection limit of the ELISA permitted quantification of toxicity in isolates that were found to be nontoxic with LC methods. The confirmation of at least seven toxic species and the broad spatial and temporal distribution of toxic Pseudo-nitzschia spp. have significant implications for the regional management of nearshore and offshore shellfisheries resources.

In Massachusetts, paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is annually recurrent along the coastline, including within several small embayments on Cape Cod. One such system, the Nauset Marsh System (NMS), supports extensive marshes and a thriving shellfishing industry. Over the last decade, PSP in the NMS has grown significantly worse; however, the origins and dynamics of the toxic Alexandrium fundyense (Balech) populations that bloom within the NMS are not well known. This study examined a collection of 412 strains isolated from the NMS and the Gulf of Maine (GOM) in 2006-2007 to investigate the genetic characteristics of localized blooms and assess connectivity with coastal populations. Comparisons of genetic differentiation showed that A. fundyense blooms in the NMS exhibited extensive clonal diversity and were genetically distinct from populations in the GOM. In both project years, genetic differentiation was observed among temporal samples collected from the NMS, sometimes occurring on the order of approximately 7 days. The underlying reasons for temporal differentiation are unknown, but may be due, in part, to life-cycle characteristics unique to the populations in shallow embayments, or possibly driven by selection from parasitism and zooplankton grazing; these results highlight the need to investigate the role of selective forces in the genetic dynamics of bloom populations. The small geographic scale and limited connectivity of NMS salt ponds provide a novel system for investigating regulators of blooms, as well as the influence of selective forces on population structure, all of which are otherwise difficult or impossible to study in the adjacent open-coastal waters or within larger estuaries.