Estimation of gestational age in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) by transabdominal and transrectal ultrasonography.

The aims of the presented study were (1) to examine the relationship between foetal measurements and gestational age (GA), (2) to generate GA formulas, and (3) to investigate the estimation of GA by transabdominal ultrasonography in buffaloes. Thirteen pregnant buffaloes were used in the study. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed between Day (D) 28 and 112 of gestational age, whereas transabdominal ultrasonography was between 126 and 294. The diameters of embryonic (EVD) and amniotic (AVD) vesicles, crown-rump length (CRL), occipito-nasal length (ONL), biparietal diameter (BPD), orbit diameter (OD), cervical, thoracic, lumbar and coccygeal vertebrae lengths (CVL, TVL, LVL, CcVL), abdominal diameter (AD), chest diameter (CD), umbilical cord diameter (UCD), scapula, humerus, radius-ulna, metacarpus, femur, tibia, and metatarsus lengths (SL, HL, RUL, McL, FL, TL, MtL), diameters of transversal heart (THD), stomach (SD), kidney (KD), and outer diameter, circumference and area of placentomas (OPD, OPC, OPA) were measured by ultrasonography. All 26 parameters were highly correlated with GA (r = 0.968 - 0.999). The observation of the foetus was evident in all animals via transabdominal ultrasonography, and all parameters except EVD, AVD, and CRL could be measured on D 126. In addition, heartbeats, the sign of foetal vitality, could be observed in 11 of 13 living foetuses. This study is the first to demonstrate that transabdominal ultrasonography can be used to estimate GA in buffaloes. In addition, GA formulas related to ONL, CVL, TVL, LVL, CcVL, extremity bone lengths, THD, UCD, PC, and PA measurements were created for the first time in buffaloes.

Antibodies to Schmallenberg virus in domestic livestock in Turkey.

This, partly retrospective study, was designed to determine the seroprevalence of Schmallenberg virus (SBV), a new Orthobunyavirus first reported in Germany in late 2011, in domestic ruminants from the Middle Black Sea, West, and Southeast regions of Turkey. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to screen serum samples collected from slaughterhouse animals between 2006 and 2013. The overall seroprevalence was 335/1,362 (24.5 %) with 325/816 (39.8 %), 5/307 (1.6 %), 3/109 (2.8 %), and 2/130 (1.5 %) recorded in cattle, sheep, goats, and Anatolian water buffalo, respectively. This is the first study to demonstrate the presence of antibodies to SBV in Turkish ruminants; it indicates that cattle are more susceptible to infection than sheep, goats, or buffalo and that exposure of domestic ruminants to SBV in Turkey may have occurred up to 5 years prior to the first recorded outbreak of the disease in 2011.

Investigation of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Samsun and Afyon provinces.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in water buffaloes. METHODS: The research was conducted on 131 water buffaloes from Samsun and Afyon provinces. Serum samples of buffaloes were tested for toxoplasmosis with the Sabin Feldman Dye Test (SFDT), using live tachyzoites and methylene-blue dye. RESULTS: 87.79% of buffaloes had anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies titered 1:16 and more. No statistically significant difference was observed between the age and gender of buffaloes with infection (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: These results show that toxoplasmosis is quite common in water buffaloes in the regions of study.