Search

In the equestrian world, two different types of management can be distinguished: traditional management and natural boarding. The aim of this research was to compare hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters of 47 horses kept in these two different managements. Blood and horsehair of the horses were sampled to determine DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and cortisol concentration through RIA. Moreover, blood count was conducted, and flow cytometry was employed to phenotype lymphocyte subpopulations. Results showed that, in horsehair, DHEA concentration was significantly higher in natural horses, whereas cortisol concentration and cortisol/DEHA ratio significantly lower. These hormonal parameters are used to assess the stress condition and the welfare of animals. The most favorable endocrine framework found in horses kept in natural boarding suggests that this management conveys most with ethological and physiological needs of the species. The research underlines the need of a modification of horses' husbandry systems. For the first time, this study validates the assay of DHEA in horsehair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of different treatments for BRD on health and welfare in fattening bulls. A total of 264 bulls were enrolled. Welfare was assessed on day 2 (T0) and day 15 (T1) after arrival. A decrease in the welfare level was observed from T0 to T1. All bulls were inspected clinically at T0 and T1 revealing an increase of skin lesions and lameness in T1. In both periods, a high incidence of respiratory disease was observed. A prevalence of 79.55% and 95.45% of Mycoplasma bovis using RT-PCR and culture at T0 and T1 respectively was observed. Blood samples were collected for haematology at T0 and T1. At T0, 36 animals were individually treated for BRD with an antimicrobial (IT), 54 received a metaphylactic treatment with tulathromycin (M), 150 received a metaphylactic treatment with tulathromycin plus a second antimicrobial (M + IT) whereas 24 were considered healthy and therefore not treated (NT). Additionally, 128 were treated with a non-steroid anti-inflammatory (NSAID). Neutrophils of M + IT were significantly higher than groups NT and M and the lymphocytes of M + IT were significantly lower than that of IT. White blood cells, neutrophils and N/L ratio of animals treated with an NSAID was significantly higher than that not treated. Lung inspection of 172 bulls at the abattoir indicated that 92.43% presented at least one lung lesion. A statistically significant effect of the NSAID treatment on the lung lesions was observed. Our findings indicate that BRD was a major welfare and health concern and evidence the difficulties of antimicrobial treatment of M. bovis .

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an issue of global concern that includes human, animal, and environmental health. To tackle this phenomenon, a One Health approach is required through the involvement of all these interconnected elements. The environment poses challenges for investigation, but wildlife animals, not directly exposed to antibiotic treatments and interacting with their habitats, can serve as indicators of AMR contamination. Specifically, wild birds could play a significant role in dissemination of AMR, as they can acquire AMR bacteria from wildlife reservoirs and disperse them through environments. This study aims to assess the prevalence of AMR in commensal bacteria isolated from wild birds and their role as bioindicators of environmental AMR. A total of 73 birds belonging to various species were sampled in the Emilia-Romagna region with buccal, cloacal and feather samplings. The samples were cultured on selective media, colonies were identified using MALDI-TOF technology and antimicrobial susceptibility to different drugs was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer method. The birds' data were statistically evaluated in relation to AMR percentages. In total, 117 bacterial strains were isolated, belonging to 23 genera and 46 different bacterial species. The highest non-susceptibility percentages were observed for tetracycline (12.2 %) and enrofloxacin (8.6 %) considering all bacterial isolates, as well as for oxacillin (46.8 %), clindamycin (29.3 %) and rifampicin (20.8 %), among Gram-positive isolates. In the statistical analysis, a higher AMR percentage was correlated with Gram-positive isolates from birds belonging to rural/urban habitat (p = 0.01). Among Gram-positives, a higher oxacillin non-susceptibility percentage was found to be associated with isolates from birds sampled in province of Bologna (p = 0.007), a higher enrofloxacin non-susceptibility percentage revealed an association with rural/urban habitat (p = 0.02), while a higher non-susceptibility percentage towards rifampicin resulted associated with isolates from migratory birds (p = 0.031). In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests a potential role of wild birds as bioindicators for monitoring AMR contamination in the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We hereby declare no financial/personal interest or belief that could affect the objectivity of this research., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Plains zebras are commonly hosted in zoos, but few welfare-related studies are available in the literature. This research aimed to assess the effect of enclosure design on two groups of captive zebras housed at the Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia - GZP (Italy) and Parco Faunistico Valcorba - PFV (Italy) through the analysis of behavior and enclosure use. The groups consisted of an adult pair and a male juvenile at GZP and six adult females at PFV. We collected data in 2019 over 19 sampling days using the continuous focal animal sampling technique. We performed 12 observation sessions per day, with each session lasting 30 min. We analyzed the subjects' behavioral time budget and enclosure use using Generalized Linear Mixed Models and the Electivity Index. The results showed that the time allocated to feeding behavior varied from 8-16% in the enclosure with gravel substrate (GZP) to 72-85% in the exhibit enriched with a pasture (PFV), with this last percentage resembling data reported for wild zebras. Results showed that institution was a significant predictor of feeding behavior, suggesting that the presence of a pasture can stimulate food-related behavioral patterns. Regarding enclosure use, the presence of hay and water troughs influenced the animals' space use. Our findings also suggest that evaluating both behavior and enclosure use can provide a more comprehensive overview of the welfare state of the animals. However, future studies are needed to better investigate the influence of social factors on the behavior and enclosure usage of captive Plains zebras.

In veterinary medicine, Cannabis has been used to treat pain conditions, inflammation, and seizures. However, little is known about its effect on dogs' behavior. This preliminary research aims to address this knowledge gap by evaluating the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) oil in canine behavioral therapy. Twenty dogs, diagnosed with behavioral disorders and housed in a municipal shelter, participated in a double-blind trial. Ten dogs received CBD oil treatment, while the other ten received a control oil without CBD. Before (T0) and after (T1) the treatment, all the dogs underwent a temperament test to assess their behavior in the presence of four different stimuli: a human stranger, a novel object, a child-like doll, and a conspecific (another dog). Each stimulus was presented individually, and the dogs' behaviors were recorded on video and analyzed. Additionally, hair samples were collected using a shave-reshave technique for cortisol determination through Radio-Immuno-Assay. No behavioral differences were found between the two groups at both T0 and T1. There were no significant differences in the behavioral responses of either group when comparing T0 and T1. However, individual responses to the CBD oil treatment appeared to vary among subjects. A significant increase in hair cortisol levels (p-value <0.05) was observed in the group treated with CBD oil [T0 = 1.60 (1.44-1.93) pg/mg, T1 = 4.81(2.57-6.01) pg/mg]. These findings highlight the importance of individualized treatment when using Cannabis and encourage further research on the use of CBD oil in animal behavioral medicine., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a complete hay-based total mixed ration (TMR) for calves, focusing on their feed intake, animal growth performance, and fecal output, and to develop a preliminary estimation equation for solid feed intake and body weight in Holstein heifer calves. Twenty female Italian Holstein calves (37.14 ± 2.72 kg) born between February and July were studied from the day of birth until 77 days of age. From the fourth day of life, they were fed 3 L/day of pasteurized milk twice daily and supplemented with the same hay-based TMR. The data on feed intake, fecal characteristics, and growth performances were collected and showed that these calves had adequate parameters. Moreover, the data collected was used to create equations to predict body weight and solid feed intake using a mixed model. The goodness of fit of the developed equations was evaluated by coefficients of determinations (R 2 ). The equation obtained shows high R 2 (0.98 for solid feed intake and 0.99 for calf weight), indicating the satisfactory precision and accuracy needed to predict female calves' body weight and solid feed intake.

Affective states are of increasing interest in the assessment of animal welfare. This research aimed to evaluate the possible limitations in the application of a spatial judgment bias test (JBT) in horses, considering the influence of stress level, personality traits, and the possible bias due to the test structure itself. The distinction between two positions, one rewarded (Positive) and the other not (Negative), was learned by 10 horses and 4 ponies,. Then, the latency to reach three unrewarded ambiguous positions (Near Positive, Middle, Near Negative) was measured. Furthermore, the validated Equine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (E-BARQ) was employed to assess personality traits. Fecal and hair cortisol levels were measured through radioimmunoassay (RIA), and the frequency of behavioral stress indicators was recorded. Results showed that horses that had the rewarded position (Positive) on the right approached Near Negative and Middle faster than those that had Positive on the left. Certain personality traits influenced the latency to reach Middle and Near Positive, but chronic stress did not seem to affect horses' judgment bias. This preliminary study highlighted several limitations in the employment of spatial JBT for the assessment of affective state in horses and that personality traits can partially influence the cognitive process. Further research is needed to refine the use of this test in horses, considering the peculiarities both of species and of individuals.

The Lake Alaotra gentle lemur ( Hapalemur alaotrensis ) is one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world and shows low success rate in captive breeding programmes. It is therefore vital to further understand its reproductive biology. We studied a captive troop consisting of five individuals hosted at Jersey Zoo during breeding and non-breeding periods over 1 year. We collected behavioural data ( n = 318 h) using all occurrence of some behaviours and ad libitum sampling methods, as well as faecal ( n = 54) and anogenital scent ( n = 35) samples of the breeding female. We measured sex hormone levels using enzyme immunoassay technique and investigated the volatile component of odour signals using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We observed sexual and aggressive behaviours occasionally during the breeding period. Our regression analysis showed that only period significantly predicted rates of female anogenital scent-marking, whereby the female performed anogenital scent-marking more frequently during the breeding rather than the non-breeding period. In contrast, female hormone levels did not significantly explain variation in rates of neither male nor female olfactory, sexual and affiliative behaviours, suggesting that individuals' behaviour alone is not an effective indicator of the ovulation window. The volatile chemical profile of anogenital odour secretions changed over the study, with four compounds distinguishing the fertile window during the breeding period. In conclusion, our findings suggest that anogenital scent-marking may signal the reproductive status of captive female gentle lemurs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Fontani, Kaburu, Marliani, Accorsi and Vaglio.)

Long-tailed macaques are highly social primates that are commonly used in biomedical research as animal models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different kinds of enrichment on the behaviour and faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) level in a colony of ex-laboratory long-tailed macaques during a programme of rehabilitation. The research was carried out in three periods, divided into two sessions each. Every period was composed of one control session (SC) and one session characterised by one type of enrichment: feeding enrichment (FE), manipulative enrichment (ME), and the last session during which manipulative and feeding enrichment were provided every day but in a mixed way (MIX). The results showed that manipulative and mixed enrichments caused positive changes to the activity budget of the colony, with a decrease in abnormal behaviour rates and an increase in play compared with control sessions. The rate of affiliative behaviours and low rate of aggression were probably because the group was composed mostly of females and it was stable, with a well-defined hierarchy. The research underlines the importance of a well-studied enrichment programme for the welfare of captive animals, which should exploit species-specific motivations.

Captive breeding is vital for primate conservation, with modern zoos serving a crucial role in breeding populations of threatened species and educating the general public. However, captive populations can experience welfare issues that may also undermine their reproductive success. To enhance the wellbeing of endangered zoo primates, we conducted a study to assess the effects of a new scent enrichment program on captive red-ruffed lemurs (Varecia rubra), black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya), siamangs (Symphalangus syndactylus), lar gibbons (Hylobates lar) and orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus). We combined behavioral observations and fecal endocrinology analyses to evaluate the effects of a series of essential oils (benzoin, lavender, lemongrass) on five captive troops (N = 19) housed at Dudley Zoo & Castle and Twycross Zoo (UK). We recorded observations of natural species-specific and abnormal stress-related behaviors for 480 h using instantaneous scan sampling. We collected 189 fecal samples and measured the fecal cortisol concentrations using radioimmunoassay. We found a significant effect of the scent enrichment on behaviors, with red-ruffed lemurs and black howler monkeys reducing their social interactions, as well as red-ruffed lemurs and lar gibbons decreasing their stress-related behaviors after they were exposed to the series of essential oils. We also found that red-ruffed lemurs displayed a significant increase in fecal glucocorticoids following exposure to essential oils. Our contradictory findings suggest that the effects of this series of essential oils may change depending on the species-specific social lives and olfactory repertoires of primates. In conclusion, we cannot recommend using these essential oils widely with zoo primates without additional evaluation., (© 2021 The Authors. American Journal of Primatology Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The increasing interest in animal welfare and the knowledge of equine physiological and ethological needs have led to the development of different types of horses' management and housing systems. The research presented here aimed to assess the daytime activity budget of horses. Focal animal sampling was used as an observational sampling method, and the five animals were observed for a total of 9920 minutes in the paddock and inside the stall. The results showed that horses spent most of the daytime in foraging behaviors, followed by resting behaviors, and locomotion. Social behaviors (s.e. allogrooming, olfactory investigation) were rare, and the stereotypic behaviors (s.e. oral and locomotor stereotypies) occupied 2.74%±2.74% of the total time. The percentage of time spent in foraging, resting, and locomotion, reflects the activity budget observed in free-roaming feral horses. However, the rare occurrence of positive social interactions and the presence of some stereotypies could be aspects to ameliorate. This kind of housing facility could be considered a good alternative to traditional management; indeed, it might offer a better trade-off between the needs of the horse and the management goals from humans.

Tamarins and marmosets are small-bodied social callitrichines. Wild callitrichines feed on exudates, such as sap and gum; particularly, marmosets are mainly gummivores, while tamarins consume gums only occasionally and opportunistically. Zoo marmosets and tamarins are usually provided with gum arabic as an alternative to the exudates normally found in the wild. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a gum feeder on the behavior and well-being of four zoo-managed callitrichines. We studied four cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus), four red-handed tamarins (S. midas), two pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea), and three Geoffroy's marmosets (Callithrix geoffroyi) housed at Parco Natura Viva (Italy). We conducted the study over two different periods, a baseline (control, without the gum feeder) and then a gum feeder (when the gum feeder was provided) period. We used continuous focal animal sampling to collect behavioral data, including durations of social and individual behaviors. We collected 240 min of observations per period per study subject, with a total of 3,120 min for all the subjects in the same period and of 6,240 min in both periods. We analyzed data by using nonparametric statistical tests. First, we found that the gum feeder promoted species-specific behaviors, such as exploration, and diminished self-directed behaviors, suggesting an enriching effect on tamarin and marmoset behavior. Moreover, in red-handed tamarins, the provision of the gum feeder reduced the performance of self-directed and abnormal behavior, specifically coprophagy. These results confirm that gum feeders are effective foraging enrichment tools for zoo marmosets and tamarins., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Mammalian gastrointestinal tract is colonized by a large number of microorganisms, known as gut microbiota, that play a key role in the physiological and pathological states. In particular, the gastrointestinal tract of dogs and cats harbors a complex and highly biodiverse microbial ecosystem. Recent studies see it involved in a wide range of life processes, including energy needs, metabolism, immunological activity, and neuro-behavioral development. This review focuses on the role of the microbiota on the health of pets and will discuss changes that occur in the disease.