The groundbreaking impact of digitalization and artificial intelligence in sheep farming.

The integration of digitalization and Artificial Intelligence (AI) has marked the onset of a new era of efficient sheep farming in multiple aspects ranging from the general well-being of sheep to advanced web-based management applications. The resultant improvement in sheep health and consequently better farming yield has already started to benefit both farmers and veterinarians. The predictive analytical models embedded with machine learning (giving sense to machines) has helped better decision-making and has enabled farmers to derive most out of their farms. This is evident in the ability of farmers to remotely monitor livestock health by wearable devices that keep track of animal vital signs and behaviour. Additionally, veterinarians now employ advanced AI-based diagnostics for efficient parasite detection and control. Overall, digitalization and AI have completely transformed traditional farming practices in livestock animals. However, there is a pressing need to optimize digital sheep farming, allowing sheep farmers to appreciate and adopt these innovative systems. To fill this gap, this review aims to provide available digital and AI-based systems designed to aid precision farming of sheep, offering an up-to-date understanding on the subject. Various contemporary techniques, such as sky shepherding, virtual fencing, advanced parasite detection, automated counting and behaviour tracking, anomaly detection, precision nutrition, breeding support, and several mobile-based management applications are currently being utilized in sheep farms and appear to be promising. Although artificial intelligence and machine learning may represent key features in the sustainable development of sheep farming, they present numerous challenges in application.

Use of saline contrast ultrasonography in the diagnosis of complete jugular vein occlusion in a horse.

Background: Thrombophlebitis and thrombosis are the most common causes of jugular vein occlusion in horses. Medical and surgical treatments aim to recanalize the occluded vessel and reduce proximal venous congestion and edema. Case Description: The present report describes a clinical case of equine jugular vein thrombosis (JVT) with complete vein occlusion diagnosed by saline contrast ultrasonography (SCU) and confirmed by contrast venography. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the SCU test can be easily performed and objectively interpreted using standard ultrasound equipment; it is not expensive and it does not require x-ray exposure. The SCU test is a valid tool to assess vessel patency and presence of collateral circulation in JVT. The test could therefore be used to monitor the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of therapy against JVT in horses.

Transthoracic M-mode echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary vein-to-pulmonary artery ratio in healthy horses.

Equine cardiovascular structures and function are routinely assessed by transthoracic echocardiography. Recently, investigators have described the echocardiographic visualization of equine pulmonary vein ostia. In companion animals, the right pulmonary vein (RPV) to right pulmonary artery (RPA) ratio has been used as an index to estimate the severity of cardiac diseases resulting in left ventricular volume overload. We sought to assess the feasibility of measuring RPV and RPA dimensions, and sought to provide various previously examined RPV and RPA variables in clinically healthy horses that could be used to assess cardiopulmonary disease status. Echocardiographic examination was prospectively performed in 70 healthy horses. The RPV and RPA were visualized using a modified right parasternal long-axis view and maximum and minimum diameters of both vessels were measured from 2D guided M-mode traces. The aortic diameter (Ao) was measured from the right parasternal short-axis view in early diastole. These measurements were then used to produce various ratio indices. RPV and RPA were imaged in all 70 horses. Median of the minimum and maximum RPV/RPA was 0.51 and 0.60, respectively. Median fractional dimensional change of vessels was 33% for RPV and 22% for RPA. The medians of the minimum and maximum RPV/Ao and RPA/Ao were 0.18, 0.28, 0.35 and 0.46, respectively. No relationships between either bodyweight or heart rate and any of the vein or artery variables were identified (maximum r2 = 0.04). Inter- and intra-observer measurement variability was very good for all RPV and RPA measurements. Measuring of RPV and RPA diameters using M-mode transthoracic echocardiography is feasible in healthy horses. Further studies of these variables in horses with cardiac diseases are needed to determine the clinical applicability and utility.

Ultrasonography for early diagnosis of Toxocara canis infection in puppies.

Toxocara canis is one of the most common intestinal parasites in dogs and represents a highly infectious zoonotic parasite worldwide. Adult worms live in the bowel of dogs, and infections in puppies are commonly acquired transplacentally. The biology of the parasite and the commonly used diagnostic method, based on faecal examination, often prevent an early diagnosis of toxocariasis in puppies. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of intestinal ascariasis could be a feasible alternative method to diagnose T. canis infection in puppies during the prepatent period. The present study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography for the diagnosis of intestinal toxocariasis in new-born puppies during the prepatent period. Fifty-four new-born puppies were prospectively recruited in the study. Each dog underwent intestinal ultrasonography and copro-microscopic examination every 5 days, starting from the 10th day post-birth. Intestinal ultrasonography visualized adult T. canis nematodes in the puppies' small intestine from the 10th day post-birth. On the 15th day after birth, ultrasonography showed 100% specificity and 85.4% sensitivity in diagnosing T. canis infection, despite negative results deriving from the copro-microscopic examination performed at the same time point. Our results showed that ultrasonography can be used as test for early diagnosis of T. canis infection in new-born puppies during the prepatent period. Early ultrasonographic diagnosis of T. canis infection in puppies could help control the disease in dogs and reduce the zoonotic risk for the human population.

Molecular epizootiology and diagnosis of porcine babesiosis in Sardinia, Italy.

The recent characterization of the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of a pathogenic Babesia species in a domestic sow paved the way for establishing diagnostic and epidemiological tools for porcine babesiosis. Here, we developed the first specific Babesia sp. Suis PCR, and we applied this test to a panel of samples collected from animals living in a typical Mediterranean environment (Sardinia, Italy), including domestic pigs, wild boars, and ticks. In domestic pigs, PCR coupled with sequencing revealed an estimated Babesia infection frequency of 26.2% and the presence of distinct 18S sequence types. The different distribution of sequence types in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects might suggest the existence of phylogenetically closely related strains with variable pathogenicity in pigs. Moreover, molecular identification of tick species indicated Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Rhipicephalus bursa as candidate vectors potentially involved in the transmission of this pathogen. Collectively, the data reveal the suitability of 18S rRNA PCR/sequencing for molecular diagnosis of porcine babesiosis and for large-scale investigations on the presence and geographical distribution of Babesia sp. Suis genetic variants.

First molecular identification and phylogeny of a Babesia sp. from a symptomatic sow (Sus scrofa Linnaeus 1758).

Porcine babesiosis is a widespread yet overlooked disease causing economic losses in many regions of the world. To date, the etiological agent of porcine babesiosis has not been molecularly characterized. Here, we provide the first molecular characterization of a piroplasm detected in a symptomatic sow, phylogenetically closely related to the Ungulibabesids. Results pave the way for future molecular epidemiology studies.