Functional and molecular determinants of right ventricular response to severe pulmonary hypertension in a large animal model.

Right ventricular (RV) failure is the major determinant of outcome in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Calves exposed to 2-wk hypoxia develop severe PH and unlike rodents, hypoxia-induced PH in this species can lead to right heart failure. We, therefore, sought to examine the molecular and structural changes in the RV in calves with hypoxia-induced PH, hypothesizing that we could identify mechanisms underlying compensated physiological function in the face of developing severe PH. Calves were exposed to 14 days of environmental hypoxia (equivalent to 4,570 m/15,000 ft elevation, n = 29) or ambient normoxia (1,525 m/5,000 ft, n = 25). Cardiopulmonary function was evaluated by right heart catheterization and pressure volume loops. Molecular and cellular determinants of RV remodeling were analyzed by cDNA microarrays, RealTime PCR, proteomics, and immunochemistry. Hypoxic exposure induced robust PH, with increased RV contractile performance and preserved cardiac output, yet evidence of dysregulated RV-pulmonary artery mechanical coupling as seen in advanced disease. Analysis of gene expression revealed cellular processes associated with structural remodeling, cell signaling, and survival. We further identified specific clusters of gene expression associated with 1) hypertrophic gene expression and prosurvival mechanotransduction through YAP-TAZ signaling, 2) extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, 3) inflammatory cell activation, and 4) angiogenesis. A potential transcriptomic signature of cardiac fibroblasts in RV remodeling was detected, enriched in functions related to cell movement, tissue differentiation, and angiogenesis. Proteomic and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed RV myocyte hypertrophy, together with localization of ECM remodeling, inflammatory cell activation, and endothelial cell proliferation within the RV interstitium. In conclusion, hypoxia and hemodynamic load initiate coordinated processes of protective and compensatory RV remodeling to withstand the progression of PH.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Using a large animal model and employing a comprehensive approach integrating hemodynamic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and immunohistochemical analyses, we examined the early (2 wk) effects of severe PH on the RV. We observed that RV remodeling during PH progression represents a continuum of transcriptionally driven processes whereby cardiac myocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and proremodeling macrophages act to coordinately maintain physiological homeostasis and protect myocyte survival during chronic, severe, and progressive pressure overload.

A comparison of a novel time-based summary measure of dairy cow health against cumulative disease frequency.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing push for dairy production to be scientifically grounded and ethically responsible in the oversight of animal health and well-being. Addressing underlying challenges affecting the quality and length of productive life necessitates novel assessment and accountability metrics. Human medical epidemiologists developed the Disability-Adjusted Life Year metric as a summary measure of health addressing the complementary nature of disease and death. The goal of this project was to develop and implement a dairy Disease-Adjusted Lactation (DALact) summary measure of health, as a comparison against cumulative disease frequency. METHODS: A total of 5694 cows were enrolled at freshening from January 1st, 2014 through May 26th, 2015 on 3 similarly managed U.S. Midwestern Plains' region dairies. Eleven health categories of interest were tracked from enrollment until culling, death, or the study's completion date. The DALact accounted for the days of life lost due to illness, forced removal, and death relative to the average lactation length across the participating farms. RESULTS: The DALact consistently identified mastitis as the primary disease of concern on all 3 dairies (19,007-23,955 days lost). Secondary issues included musculoskeletal injuries (19,559 days), pneumonia (11,034 days), or lameness (8858 days). By comparison, cumulative frequency measures pointed to mastitis (31-50%) and lameness (25-54%) as the 2 most frequent diseases. Notably, the DALact provided a robust accounting of health events such as musculoskeletal injuries (5010-19,559 days) and calving trauma (2952-5868 days) otherwise overlooked by frequency measures (0-3%). CONCLUSIONS: The DALact provides a time-based method for assessing the overall burden of disease on dairies. It is important to emphasize that a summary measure of dairy health goes beyond simply linking morbidity to culling and mortality in a standardized fashion. A summary measure speaks to the burden of disease on both the well-being and productivity of individuals and populations. When framed as lost days, years, or lactations the various health issues on a farm are more comprehensible than they may be by frequency measures alone. Such an alternative accounting of disease highlights the lost opportunity costs of production as well as the burden of disease on life as a whole.

Teaching Tip: Teaching Animal Welfare through Competitive Judging Contests.

Animal welfare is an important aspect of veterinary responsibility, yet the current curriculum at many US veterinary schools provides little training in this field. The Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment Contest provides an opportunity for students to learn about general principles of animal welfare, challenging them to apply critical reasoning skills in a competitive environment. Here we provide an overview of the contest and an example of how Colorado State University educates and prepares its students.

Impaired alveolar-arterial oxygen transfer is associated with reduced milk yield in primiparous post-partum dairy heifers at moderate altitude.

Domestic cattle have limited cardiopulmonary reserve for their body size and oxygen requirements. Therefore, it is plausible that impaired alveolar-arterial gas exchange may be detrimental to energetically expensive traits such as milk production which, like all aerobic processes, requires oxygen. The degree of alveolar-arterial oxygen transfer impairment can be determined by estimating the alveolar-arterial oxygen (A-a O2) pressure gradient from arterial blood-gas tensions. The degree of oxygen transfer impairment is proportional to the A-a O2 pressure gradient: the higher the A-a O2 pressure gradient the less oxygen is transferred to the blood for a given ventilation rate. In this study two cohorts of Holstein-Friesian heifers were followed on one northern Colorado dairy farm. Arterial blood-gas analyses were performed up to 9 d post-calving. Heifers were grouped into quartiles based on A-a O2 pressure gradient so that relative comparisons could be made. Heifers in the lowest (Q1) and highest (Q4) quartile had the least and greatest impairment of alveolar-arterial oxygen transfer, respectively. We hypothesised that milk yield over 60 d would be greatest for heifers in Q1 and would decrease with quartile increments. Hyperventilation, as indicated by hypocapnia, was notable. Despite hypoxia, haematocrit was low. Alveolar-arterial O2 pressure gradient was associated with milk production (P=0·03) when controlling for cohort, treatment for disease and calving difficulty score. Heifers in Q1 produced 1992 kg (95% CI=1858, 2127 kg) of milk when controlling for all other variables. Relative to heifers in Q1, heifers in Q2, Q3 and Q4 produced 130 kg (95% CI=313, -52 kg; P=0·45), 285 kg (95% CI=474, 96 kg; P=0·004) and 169 kg (95% CI=395, -57 kg; P=0.14) less milk, respectively. In conclusion, efficacy of alveolar-arterial oxygen transfer was associated with milk yield in dairy heifers on one farm at moderate altitude.

African Swine Fever: A Review of Current Disease Management Strategies and Risks Associated with Exhibition Swine in the United States.

African swine fever is a high-consequence foreign animal disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Sardinia. The U.S. is the world's third largest pork producer, and ASF introduction would severely disrupt the pork supply chain, emphasizing the need to protect market access for U.S. proteins. However, niche producers raising swine intended for exhibition may not follow stringent biosecurity protocols, and livestock show circuits may promote untracked animal movement across the country, potentially exacerbating virus' spread in the event of ASF incursion into the U.S. Youth membership in state or national swine organizations offers a route for outreach and educational activities to enhance foreign animal disease preparedness, and adult presence at swine exhibitions allows a wide variety of programming for all ages to better serve all levels of understanding.

Evaluation of Immune Nanoparticles for Rapid and Non-Specific Activation of Antiviral and Antibacterial Immune Responses in Cattle, Swine, and Poultry.

Given the rapid potential spread of agricultural pathogens, and the lack of vaccines for many, there is an important unmet need for strategies to induce rapid and non-specific immunity against these viral and bacterial threats. One approach to the problem is to generate non-specific immune responses at mucosal surfaces to rapidly protect from entry and replication of both viral and bacterial pathogens. Using complexes of charged nanoparticle liposomes with both antiviral and antibacterial toll-like receptor (TLR) nucleic acid ligands (termed liposome-TLR complexes or LTC), we have previously demonstrated considerable induction of innate immune responses in nasal and oropharyngeal tissues and protection from viral and bacterial pathogens in mixed challenge studies in rodents, cattle, and companion animals. Therefore, in the present study, we used in vitro assays to evaluate the ability of the LTC immune stimulant to activate key innate immune pathways, particularly interferon pathways, in cattle, swine, and poultry. We found that LTC complexes induced strong production of type I interferons (IFNα and IFNß) in both macrophages and leukocyte cultures from all three species. In addition, the LTC complexes induced the production of additional key protective cytokines (IL-6, IFNγ, and TNFα) in macrophages and leukocytes in cattle and poultry. These findings indicate that the LTC mucosal immunotherapeutic has the capability to activate key innate immune defenses in three major agricultural species and potentially induce broad protective immunity against both viral and bacterial pathogens. Additional animal challenge studies are warranted to evaluate the protective potential of LTC immunotherapy in cattle, swine, and poultry.

Liver abscess microbiota of feedlot steers finished in natural and traditional management programs.

Liver abscess etiology in feedlot steers involves the escape of bacteria from the digestive tract to form a polymicrobial abscess within or on the external surface of the liver. However, little is known about the effects of feedlot finishing systems on the microbial composition of the liver abscess purulent material. Liver abscesses were collected at the time of harvest from steers originating from a single feedlot managed in either a traditional program (which included tylosin phosphate supplementation) or a natural program (without tylosin phosphate supplementation). The purulent material of liver abscesses from traditionally managed steers (N = 53 abscesses) and that of naturally managed steers (N = 62 abscesses) was characterized using the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Two phyla and three genera were found in greater than 1% relative abundance across all abscesses. The genus Fusobacterium was identified in all liver abscess samples and accounted for 64% of sequencing reads. Bacteroides and Porphyromonas genera accounted for 33% and 1% of reads, respectively. Trueperella was more likely to be found in the liver abscesses of naturally managed steers than traditionally managed steers (P = 0.022). Over 99% of the genus-level bacterial sequences observed across all liver abscesses belonged to Gram-negative genera. Bacteria known to colonize both the rumen and hindgut were identified within liver abscesses. No differences in alpha diversity or beta diversity were detected between liver abscess communities (between the two management programs or individual pens) when tested as richness, Shannon Diversity Index, or weighted UniFrac distances (P > 0.05). These results were consistent with previous identification of Fusobacterium necrophorum as the primary bacteriologic agent within liver abscesses and emphasized the relationship between the gastrointestinal microbiota and liver abscess formation. Though the microbiota of the liver abscess purulent material was similar between steers fed an antibiotic-free diet and those fed an antibiotic-containing diet from the same feedlot, divergence was detected in liver abscess communities with some being dominated by Fusobacterium and others being dominated by Bacteroides.

As feedlot cattle consume grain, the rumen becomes more acidic. If the lining of the digestive tract is damaged, bacteria that normally remain in the digestive tract can enter the body. Certain bacteria like Fusobacterium necrophorum are involved in the formation of liver abscesses. Feedlot cattle are commonly fed an antibiotic (tylosin phosphate) to reduce the occurrence of liver abscesses, but increasing scrutiny is placed on the antibiotic use. However, the effect of eliminating the antibiotic used to prevent liver abscesses on the bacterial communities involved in liver abscess formation is unknown. This study compared the bacteria found within liver abscesses of cattle fed tylosin phosphate with that of cattle not fed tylosin phosphate. All liver abscesses contained F. necrophorum, and Bacteroides was the second most commonly identified bacterium. Trace amounts of bacteria known to colonize the mouth and digestive tract were observed. Trueperella, a bacteria targeted by tylosin phosphate, was found more frequently in liver abscesses from cattle that received no antibiotic. While the core bacterial composition of the liver abscess was unaffected by antibiotic supplementation to feedlot steers, reduced Trueperella in liver abscesses from cattle-fed tylosin phosphate could be related to a reduction in liver abscess prevalence.

Brief Report: Case Comparison of Therapy With the Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor Vorinostat in a Neonatal Calf Model of Pulmonary Hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an incurable condition in humans; driven by pulmonary vascular remodeling partially mediated by epigenetic mechanisms; and leading to right ventricular hypertrophy, failure, and death. We hypothesized that targeting chromatin-modifying histone deacetylases may provide benefit. In this Brief Report we describe case comparison studies using the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (suberanilohydroxamic acid, 5 mg/kg/day for the first 5 study days) in an established model of severe neonatal bovine PH induced by 14 days of environmental hypoxia. Echocardiographic, hemodynamic, and pharmacokinetic data were obtained in hypoxia-exposed (one each, vorinostat-treated vs. untreated) and normoxic vorinostat-treated control animals (n = 2). Echocardiography detected PH changes by day 4 and severe PH over 14 days of continued hypoxic exposure. RV dysfunction at day 4 was less severe in vorinostat-treated compared to untreated hypoxic calves. Cardioprotective effects were partially maintained following cessation of treatment through the duration of hypoxic exposure, accompanied by hemodynamic evidence suggestive of reduced pulmonary vascular stiffening, and modulated expression of HDAC1 protein and genes involved in RV and pulmonary vascular remodeling and pathological RV hypertrophy. Control calves did not develop PH, nor show adverse cardiac or clinical effects. These results provide novel translation of epigenetic-directed therapy to a large animal severe PH model that recapitulates important features of human disease.

Characterization of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis disseminated infection in dairy cattle and its association with antemortem test results.

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) disseminated infection in dairy cattle affects animal health and productivity and is also a potential public health concern. The study objectives were to characterize MAP disseminated infection in dairy cattle and to determine the role of antemortem tests in detecting cattle with disseminated infection. Forty culled dairy cows representing a variety of serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results and body conditions were selected for the study. The physical condition of the cows was assessed via clinical examination prior to euthanasia and blood and feces were collected and tested by serum ELISA and fecal culture, respectively. Fifteen tissues were aseptically collected from each cow during necropsy and cultured for isolation of MAP. Disseminated infection was diagnosed when MAP was isolated in tissues other than the intestines or their associated lymph nodes (LNs) and was distinguished from infection found only in the gastrointestinal tissues and from absence of infection. Of the 40 cows in the study, 21 had MAP disseminated infection. Results showed that 57% (12/21) of cows with disseminated infection had average to heavy body condition and no diarrhea. Cows with disseminated infection had no to minimal gross pathologic evidence of infection in 37% (8/21) of cases. Only 76% (16/21) of cows with disseminated infection had positive historical ELISA results and only 62% (13/21) had a positive ELISA at slaughter. Thus, antemortem evidence of MAP infection was lacking in a high proportion of cows where MAP disseminated infection was confirmed.

Dairy cow disability weights.

Over the past 175 years, data related to human disease and death have progressed to a summary measure of population health, the Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY). As dairies have intensified there has been no equivalent measure of the impact of disease on the productive life and well-being of animals. The development of a disease-adjusted metric requires a consistent set of disability weights that reflect the relative severity of important diseases. The objective of this study was to use an international survey of dairy authorities to derive disability weights for primary disease categories recorded on dairies. National and international dairy health and management authorities were contacted through professional organizations, dairy industry publications and conferences, and industry contacts. Estimates of minimum, most likely, and maximum disability weights were derived for 12 common dairy cow diseases. Survey participants were asked to estimate the impact of each disease on overall health and milk production. Diseases were classified from 1 (minimal adverse effects) to 10 (death). The data was modelled using BetaPERT distributions to demonstrate the variation in these dynamic disease processes, and to identify the most likely aggregated disability weights for each disease classification. A single disability weight was assigned to each disease using the average of the combined medians for the minimum, most likely, and maximum severity scores. A total of 96 respondents provided estimates of disability weights. The final disability weight values resulted in the following order from least to most severe: retained placenta, diarrhea, ketosis, metritis, mastitis, milk fever, lame (hoof only), calving trauma, left displaced abomasum, pneumonia, musculoskeletal injury (leg, hip, back), and right displaced abomasum. The peaks of the probability density functions indicated that for certain disease states such as retained placenta there was a relatively narrow range of expected impact whereas other diseases elicited a wider breadth of impact. This was particularly apparent with respect to calving trauma, lameness and musculoskeletal injury, all of which could be redefined using gradients of severity or accounting for sequelae. These disability weight distributions serve as an initial step in the development of the disease-adjusted lactation (DALact) metric. They will be used to assess the time lost due to dynamic phases of dairy cow diseases and injuries. Prioritizing health interventions based on time expands the discussion of animal health to view profits and losses in light of the quality and length of life.

Comparison of disease severity scoring systems for dairy cattle with acute coliform mastitis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare use of 4 disease severity scoring systems to predict bacteremia (yes vs no) and outcome (survived vs died or culled) in dairy cows with acute coliform mastitis (ACM). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. ANIMALS: 99 dairy cows with ACM. PROCEDURES: Cows were classified as having mild, moderate, or severe disease with a scoring system based on systemic disease signs alone (systemic severity score [SSS] system), a system based on local disease signs alone (local severity score [LSS] system), and 2 previously described systems based on a combination of local and systemic signs (local-systemic score 1 [LS1] and local-systemic score 2 [LS2] systems). Test performance was calculated to determine whether a severe disease classification could be used to predict bacteremia or outcome. RESULTS: 21%, 53%, 63%, and 38% of cows were classified as having severe disease with the SSS, LSS, LS1, and LS2 systems, respectively. For both bacteremia and outcome, sensitivity was highest for the LS1 system, but specificity and accuracy were highest for the SSS system. Examination of a scatterplot of true-positive rate versus false-positive rate for each of the scoring systems indicated that the SSS and LS2 systems were similar in their ability to correctly identify cows with bacteremia or an adverse outcome. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that the SSS scoring system was better for identifying cows with bacteremia or an adverse outcome than was the LSS system and that the LS1 and LS2 systems were intermediate in their discriminatory abilities.

Consensus recommendations on diagnostic testing for the detection of paratuberculosis in cattle in the United States.

The report provided here contains a simplified set of diagnostic testing recommendations. These recommendations were developed on the basis of research funded by the USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Veterinary Services through a cooperative agreement. The report is intended to provide simple, practical, cost-effective consensus testing recommendations for cattle herds that are not enrolled in the US Test-Negative Program. The information has been reviewed by paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) experts at the USDA and academic centers as well as stakeholders in various segments of the cattle industry. The recommendations were accepted by the National Johne's Working Group and Johne's Disease Committee of the US Animal Health Association during their annual meetings in October 2006. The report is intended to aid veterinarians who work with cattle producers in the United States. The recommendations are based on information available up to October 2006. There is a paucity of large-scale, high-quality studies of multiple tests conducted on samples obtained from the same cattle. It is understood that there may be special circumstances that require deviation from these recommendations. Furthermore, as new information becomes available and assays are improved and their accuracy is critically evaluated, changes to these recommendations may be necessary.

Survey of animal welfare, animal behavior, and animal ethics courses in the curricula of AVMA Council on Education-accredited veterinary colleges and schools.

OBJECTIVE To explore the extent to which veterinary colleges and schools accredited by the AVMA Council on Education (COE) have incorporated specific courses related to animal welfare, behavior, and ethics. DESIGN Survey and curriculum review. SAMPLE All 49 AVMA COE-accredited veterinary colleges and schools (institutions). PROCEDURES The study consisted of 2 parts. In part 1, a survey regarding animal welfare, behavior, and ethics was emailed to the associate dean of academic affairs at all 49 AVMA COE-accredited institutions. In part 2, the curricula for the 30 AVMA COE-accredited institutions in the United States were reviewed for courses on animal behavior, ethics, and welfare. RESULTS Seventeen of 49 (35%) institutions responded to the survey of part 1, of which 10 offered a formal animal welfare course, 9 offered a formal animal behavior course, 8 offered a formal animal ethics course, and 5 offered a combined animal welfare, behavior, and ethics course. The frequency with which courses on animal welfare, behavior, and ethics were offered differed between international and US institutions. Review of the curricula for the 30 AVMA COE-accredited US institutions revealed that 6 offered a formal course on animal welfare, 22 offered a formal course on animal behavior, and 18 offered a formal course on animal ethics. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that AVMA COE-accredited institutions need to provide more formal education on animal welfare, behavior, and ethics so veterinarians can be advocates for animals and assist with behavioral challenges.

Risk of removal and effects on milk production associated with paratuberculosis status in dairy cows.

OBJECTIVE: To determine effects on production and risk of removal related to Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) infection at the individual animal level in dairy cattle. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. ANIMALS: 7,879 dairy cows from 38 herds in 16 states. PROCEDURE: A subset of dairy cattle operations that participated in the National Animal Health Monitoring System Dairy 2002 study was evaluated via a serum ELISA for antibodies against MAP and categorized according to ELISA score. Dairy Herd Improvement Association records were obtained to collect current and historical lactation data and removal (ie, culling) information. Production variables were evaluated on the basis of serum ELISA category. RESULTS: Cows with strong positive results had mature equivalent (ME) 305-day milk production, ME 305-day maximum milk production, and total lifetime milk production that were significantly lower than cows in other categories. No differences were observed for ME 305-day fat and protein percentages, age, lactation, and lactation mean linear somatic cell count score between cows with strong positive results and those with negative results. After accounting for lactation number and relative herd-level milk production, cows with strong positive results were significantly more likely to have been removed by 1 year after testing. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Without management changes designed to reduce the farm-level prevalence of MAP infection, paratuberculosis will continue to reduce farm income by decreasing milk production and potentially increasing premature removal from the herd.

Assessment of test results when using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of paratuberculosis in repeated samples collected from adult dairy cattle.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the proportion of adult cattle that change test status when an ELISA for antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) is used to assay samples collected twice at variable intervals and to determine whether cows with an initial strong positive result were more likely to maintain positive status, compared with all cows with an initial positive result. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. ANIMALS: 3,757 adult dairy cattle. PROCEDURE: Serum samples were obtained twice from cattle at intervals ranging from 77 to 600 days between collections. Samples were tested with an ELISA for detection of antibodies to MAP. RESULTS: Of 157 cattle with initial positive results (value for the sample divided by the value for positive-control serum [S/P] > or = 0.25), 62 (39.5%) had negative results for the second sample. Of 71 cattle with an initial S/P value > or = 0.40, 13 (18.3%) had a negative result (S/P < 0.25) for the second sample. Of 33 cattle with an initial S/P > or = 0.70, 3 (9.1%) had a negative result (S/P value < 0.25) for the second sample. Interval between collection of samples did not affect results. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Many cows changed ELISA status between samples collected at variable intervals. Cows with an initial high S/P value (> or = 0.70) were more likely to maintain positive status than cows classified as positive on the basis of cutoff values of > or = 0.25 or > or = 0.40. Veterinarians should expect variability in ELISA results when repeated testing of cattle is used as part of an MAP control program.

Potentially hazardous sulfur conditions on beef cattle ranches in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the sulfur content of water and forage samples from a geographically diverse sample of beef cow-calf operations in the United States and to estimate frequency and distribution of premises where forage and water resources could result in consumption of hazardous amounts of sulfur by cattle. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE POPULATION: 709 forage samples from 678 beef cow-calf operations and individual water samples from 498 operations in 23 states. PROCEDURE: Sulfur content of forage samples and sulfate concentration of water samples were measured. Total sulfur intake was estimated for pairs of forage and water samples. RESULTS: Total sulfur intake was estimated for 454 pairs of forage and water samples. In general, highest forage sulfur contents did not coincide with highest water sulfate concentrations. Overall, 52 of the 454 (11.5%) sample pairs were estimated to yield total sulfur intake (as a percentage of dry matter) > or = 0.4%, assuming water intake during conditions of high ambient temperature. Most of these premises were in north-central (n = 19) or western (19) states. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that on numerous beef cow-calf operations throughout the United States, consumption of forage and water could result in excessively high sulfur intake. All water sources and dietary components should be evaluated when assessing total sulfur intake. Knowledge of total sulfur intake may be useful in reducing the risk of sulfur-associated health and performance problems in beef cattle.

Seroprevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis infection among dairy cows in Colorado and herd-level risk factors for seropositivity.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate seroprevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP) infection among adult dairy cows in Colorado and determine herd-level factors associated with the risk that individual cows would be seropositive. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study. ANIMALS: 10,280 adult (> or = 2 years old) dairy cows in 15 herds in Colorado. PROCEDURE: Serum samples were tested with a commercial ELISA. A herd was considered to be infected with MAP if results of mycobacterial culture of > or = 1 individual cow fecal sample were positive or if > or = 1 culled cow had histologic evidence of MAP infection. RESULTS: 424 of the 10,280 (4.12%) cows were seropositive. Within-herd prevalence of seropositive cows ranged from 0% to 7.82% (mean, 2.6%). Infection was confirmed in 11 dairies. Cows in herds that had imported > or = 8% of their current herd size annually during the preceding 5 years were 3.28 times as likely to be seropositive as were cows in herds that imported < 8%. Cows in herds with > or = 600 lactating cows were 3.12 times as likely to be seropositive as were cows in herds with < 600 lactating cows. Cows in herds with a history of clinical signs of MAP infection were 2.27 times as likely to be seropositive as were cows in herds without clinical signs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Annual importation rate, herd size, and whether cows in the herd had clinical signs typical of MAP infection were associated with the risk that individual cows would be seropositive for MAP infection.

Biosecurity and bovine respiratory disease.

Although biosecurity practices play a role in minimizing respiratory disease in cattle, they must be used in combination with other management strategies that address the many other risk factors. Because the pathogens involved in bovine respiratory disease are enzootic in the general cattle population, biosecurity practices aimed at the complete elimination of exposure are currently impractical. Several animal husbandry and production management practices can be used to minimize pathogen shedding, exposure, and transmission within a given population, however. Various combinations of these control measures can be applied to individual farms to help decrease the morbidity and mortality attributed to respiratory disease.

An introduction to biosecurity of cattle operations.

Recent world events have heightened awareness for the need to safeguard our livestock industries from disease agents. Biosecurity is the outcome of all activities undertaken to preclude introduction of disease agents into an animal population. The concepts of biosecurity are not new. Activities directed at ensuring biosecurity include controlling exposure and optimizing resistance. Programs for biosecurity must be individually tailored to specific situations to account for varying risks and perceptions of risk by decision makers. It is important for practitioners to take a holistic approach to disease control, considering the epidemiology of the disease in addition to the available vaccines and therapeutics.

Myosin heavy chain 15 is associated with bovine pulmonary arterial pressure.

Bovine pulmonary hypertension, brisket disease, causes significant morbidity and mortality at elevations above 2,000 m. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) is moderately heritable, with inheritance estimated to lie within a few major genes. Invasive mPAP measurement is currently the only tool available to identify cattle at risk of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. A genetic test could allow selection of cattle suitable for high altitude without the need for invasive testing. In this study we evaluated three candidate genes (myosin heavy chain 15 [MYH15], NADH dehydrogenase flavoprotein 2, and FK binding protein 1A) for association with mPAP in 166 yearling Angus bulls grazing at 2,182 m. The T allele (rs29016420) of MYH15 was linked to lower mPAP in a dominant manner (CC 47.2 ± 1.6 mmHg [mean ± standard error of the mean]; CT/TT 42.8 ± 0.7 mmHg; P = 0.02). The proportions of cattle with MYH15 CC, CT, and TT genotypes were 55%, 41%, and 4%, respectively. Given the high frequency of the deleterious allele, it is likely that the relative contribution of MYH15 polymorphisms to pulmonary hypertension is small, supporting previous predictions that the disease is polygenic. We evaluated allelic frequency of MYH15 in the Himalayan yak (Bos grunniens), a closely related species adapted to high altitude, and found 100% prevalence of T allele homozygosity. In summary, we identified a polymorphism in MYH15 significantly associated with mPAP. This finding may aid selection of cattle suitable for high altitude and contribute to understanding human hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.