Impact of a Local Government Funded Free Cat Sterilization Program for Owned and Semi-Owned Cats.

In most states of Australia, local governments (councils) are responsible for the enforcement of legislation relating to domestic cats. Traditional methods used for cat management based on trap-adopt or euthanize programs have been ineffective, with cat-related calls and cat impoundments continuing to increase, resulting in many healthy cats being euthanized. This has detrimental effects on the mental health of animal management officers, staff in shelters and council facilities, and cat caregivers. The city of Banyule, Victoria, implemented a free cat sterilization, microchipping, and registration (licensing) program in 2013/14. Initially, it was targeted at three low-socioeconomic suburbs with the highest cat-related calls and intake, and was microtargeted at call locations. An average of 4.1 cats/1000 residents per year were sterilized over eight years. The program included stray cats being fed by caregivers, provided they took ownership. The program was later expanded city-wide. Over eight years, city-wide cat intake decreased by 66%, euthanasia by 82%, and cats reclaimed by owners increased from 6% of intake (2012/13) to 16% (2020/21). Cat-related calls decreased in the target area by 51%, and city-wide by 36%. The council realized cost savings of AU $440,660 associated with reduced costs for cat-related calls to council (AU $137,170) and charges from the contracted welfare agency (AU $303,490), for an outlay of AU $77,490 for sterilization costs. Instead of the traditional management of urban cats, proactive management based on targeted sterilization should be utilized by government and animal welfare agencies in Australia and internationally. These types of programs are effective at reducing cat intake and euthanasia and are cost-effective.

Spontaneous Lesions of Endangered Geriatric Julia Creek Dunnarts (Sminthopsis douglasi, Archer 1979) with Emphasis in Reproductive Pathology.

Julia Creek dunnarts are an endangered species of carnivorous marsupials and the focus of multiple conservation strategies involving significant resources such as captive breeding programs. Despite the relevance for conservation, no study to date has focused on evaluating geriatric diseases in dunnarts. This study describes the pathology findings in a group of one wild and thirty-five captive-born, mostly geriatric Julia Creek dunnarts that failed to produce offspring over multiple breeding periods. A total of 20 females and 16 males were submitted for a postmortem examination, with ages ranging from 9 to 42 and 12 to 42 months for females and males, respectively. Of these, 10 had unremarkable findings. The most common condition in females was cystic glandular hyperplasia (n = 8), typical of hormonal dysregulation profiles in senescence, particularly hyperestrogenism. Rarely, cutaneous disease represented by unidentified dermal round cell infiltrates was observed in females (n = 2). Primary reproductive hormonal dysregulation was also suspected in males diagnosed with testicular degeneration, aspermatogenesis and/or atrophy (n = 3). Cutaneous round cell infiltrates, possibly compatible with epitheliotropic lymphomas, were seen in males (n = 3), and 2/3 affected males also had concurrent testicular degeneration or atrophy, indicating male sex could be a predictor for lymphoid neoplasia in aged dunnarts, especially in individuals with concurrent testosterone-luteinizing hormone dysregulation as it occurs in gonadectomized animals. The role of an underlying viral etiology is also explored. This study is the first to describe major spontaneous diseases in endangered aged Julia Creek dunnarts, providing an important understanding of senescence and geriatric diseases within a conservation context.

The effect of cystic echinococcosis (hydatid disease) on carcase weight in cattle in eastern Australia.

Cystic echinococcosis is caused by the zoonotic tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. There has been ongoing controversy over whether it causes weight loss in cattle. Recently implemented recording of comorbidities at processors has provided opportunity to investigate this effect. Using prevalence-based observational data from 1,648,049 adult cattle processed in seven states and territories in Australia (2019-2022), we explored associations between carcase weight, hydatid cysts, comorbidities, sex, age, and region. Linear mixed-effect regression models estimated the effect of cystic echinococcosis on carcase weight, guided by directed acyclic graphs to reduce bias. The highest, previously unreported, prevalence was in the southeast Queensland region. The estimated effect of cystic echinococcosis cysts on carcase weight ranged from a gain of 0.32 kg/carcase (standard error [se] 0.58 kg; two-tooth 2022) to a loss of -5.45 kg/carcase (se 0.63 kg; six-tooth 2019) with most point estimates (11/16) between 0 and -2.5 kg across all cattle grouped by year and dentition. This effect size would be practically undetectable in live cattle which is an important finding; cattle producers are unlikely to observe increased productivity through weight gain from cystic echinococcosis prevention in cattle, and awareness to strengthen prevention in domestic dogs around cattle properties to reduce human risk remains a public health focus.

Prevalence of Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli and Salmonella Species Isolates from Chickens in Live Bird Markets and Boot Swabs from Layer Farms in Timor-Leste.

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance is a global concern, and high levels of resistance have been detected in chicken populations worldwide. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. isolated from healthy chickens in Timor-Leste. Through a cross-sectional study, cloacal swabs and boot swabs were collected from 25 live bird markets and two layer farms respectively. E. coli and Salmonella spp. from these samples were tested for susceptibility to six antimicrobials using a disk diffusion test, and a subset was tested for susceptibility to 27 antimicrobials using broth-based microdilution. E. coli and Salmonella spp. isolates showed the highest resistance towards either tetracycline or ampicillin on the disk diffusion test. E. coli from layer farms (odds ratio:5.2; 95%CI 2.0-13.1) and broilers (odds ratio:18.1; 95%CI 5.3-61.2) were more likely to be multi-drug resistant than those from local chickens. Based on the broth-based microdilution test, resistance to antimicrobials in the Timor-Leste Antimicrobial Guidelines for humans were low, except for resistance to ciprofloxacin in Salmonella spp. (47.1%). Colistin resistance in E. coli was 6.6%. Although this study shows that antimicrobial resistance in chickens was generally low in Timor-Leste, there should be ongoing monitoring in commercial chickens as industry growth might be accompanied with increased antimicrobial use.

Development and application of a new liver pathology recording system for use in cattle abattoirs.

Liver disease in beef cattle has a significant global economic impact on feedlot and abattoir industries due to reduced animal performance, carcase yield, and carcase quality. This study aimed to create a post-mortem data collection tool which could be deployed at chain speed on an abattoir floor, as well as to evaluate pathological findings in both normal and condemned livers from an Australian beef cattle population. The first 1006 livers were used to formulate a user-friendly, high-throughput liver grading tool for use in an abattoir setting and to evaluate the histological features of common liver abnormalities. Subsequently, over 11,000 livers from a Southeast Queensland abattoir were analyzed. The most observed defects in condemned livers were liver abscessation, fibrosis, adhesions, and liver fluke, with histological features similar to previous reports. Bacterial culture was performed in 29 cases of liver abscessation, revealing a different balance of flora to that reported internationally. This study has developed an easy to use, efficient data collection tool that enables rapid, highly detailed assessment of large numbers of beef cattle livers at slaughter. This tool will allow thorough investigation into the effect of liver disease on beef production, in both industry and research contexts.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of government animal health workers on antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance in Timor-Leste.

Introduction: Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat, and there is growing concern on the inappropriate use of antibiotics in the livestock sector especially in low and middle income countries. The purpose of the study was to understand the knowledge, attitudes and practices on antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance of government animal health workers in Timor-Leste. Method: A cross-sectional survey using a census approach was conducted between August 2021 and January 2022 focusing on government animal health workers involved in field work and access to antibiotics. Interviews were face-to-face in the local Tetun language. Descriptive and regression analysis informed by causal diagrams were performed. Result: The study found poor knowledge of antibiotics among participants, with only 8.0% (13/162) able to correctly answer questions on how antibiotics worked. Knowledge of antibiotic resistance was poor as only 29.0% (47/162) of participants had heard of antibiotic resistance and were able to accurately identify that it made antibiotics less effective. Knowledge of antibiotics and knowledge of antibiotic resistance were crudely associated with being a veterinary technician and having university education. Attitude scores were positively influenced by knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics were most commonly used in pigs, cattle and buffalo, with oxytetracycline being the most commonly used antibiotics in pigs and chicken. However, most participants reported a lack in supply of this antibiotic (137/162, 78.4%) and other antibiotics. Empiric use of antibiotics in sick animals was common, and some participants used antibiotics for parasitic diseases. Less than a fifth of participants reported ever using human antibiotics, and use of antibiotics for growth promotion was uncommon. Conclusion: There is a need to develop Timor-Leste specific treatment guidelines, strengthen veterinary diagnostic support, improve antibiotic procurement, and develop training programs to address knowledge gaps and poor practices found in this study.

Bayesian latent class analysis to estimate the optimal cut-off for the MilA ELISA for the detection of Mycoplasma bovis antibodies in sera, accounting for repeated measures.

The MilA ELISA has been identified as a highly effective diagnostic tool for the detection of Mycoplasma bovis specific antibodies and has been validated for serological use in previous studies. This study aimed to estimate the optimal cut-off and corresponding estimates of diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) and diagnostic specificity (DSp) of the MilA ELISA for testing bovine serum. Serum samples from 298 feedlot cattle from 14 feedlots across four Australian states were tested on entry into the feedlot and approximately 42 days later. The paired serum samples were tested with the MilA ELISA, BIO K302 (Bio-X Diagnostics, Belgium) and BIO K260 (Bio-X Diagnostics, Belgium). A cut-off of 135 AU was estimated to be optimal using Bayesian latent class analysis with three tests in multiple populations, accounting for conditional dependence between tests. At this cut-off, the DSe and DSp of the MilA ELISA were estimated to be 92.1 % (95 % highest probability density [HPD] interval: 87.4, 95.8) and 95.5 % (95 % HPD: 92.4, 97.8), respectively. The DSes of the BIO K260 and BIO K302 ELISAs were estimated to be 60.5 % (95 % HPD: 54.0, 66.9) and 44.6 % (95 % HPD: 38.7, 50.7), respectively. DSps were 95.6 % (95 % HPD: 92.9, 97.7) and 97.8 % (95 % HPD: 95.9, 99.0), respectively. Mycoplasma bovis seroprevalence was remarkably high at follow-up after 42 days on the feedlots. Overall, this study estimated a cut-off, DSe and DSp for the MilA ELISA with less dependence on prior information than previous analyses and demonstrated that the MilA ELISA has higher DSe than the BIO K260 and BIO K302 assays.

Epidemiology and Survival of Dogs Diagnosed with Splenic Lymphoid Hyperplasia, Complex Hyperplasia, Stromal Sarcoma and Histiocytic Sarcoma.

Canine splenic fibrohistiocytic nodules traditionally encompassed benign lymphoid hyperplasia, complex hyperplasia, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma. The latter has been recently re-classified into histiocytic sarcoma and stromal sarcoma. Reliable indicators of post-splenectomy survival and demographic factors predisposing to the four types of nodules are not completely understood. This study aims to estimate frequency, survival times, and identify risk factors of splenectomized dogs diagnosed with lymphoid hyperplasia, complex hyperplasia, histiocytic sarcoma, and stromal sarcoma using medical records containing histopathological diagnosis from the VetCompass Australia database (1989−2018), which collects demographic, and clinical information from veterinary clinics. Out of 693 dogs, 315 were diagnosed with fibrohistiocytic nodules, mostly lymphoid hyperplasia (169/693, 24.4%), followed by stromal sarcoma (59/693, 8.5%), complex hyperplasia (55/693, 7.9%), and histiocytic sarcoma (32/693, 4.6%). Dogs aged 8−10 years were more likely to be diagnosed with histiocytic or stromal sarcoma than lymphoid hyperplasia. Dogs diagnosed with lymphoid hyperplasia had a longer survival time than those with other diagnoses (median > 2 years). Dogs diagnosed with histiocytic sarcoma had longer survival times (median 349 days) than stromal sarcoma (median 166 days). Results suggest that knowledge of the type of splenic fibrohistiocytic nodule, patients' age, and sex can be used to increase prognostic accuracy.

Bias Associated with Peripheral Non-Invasive Compared to Invasive Arterial Blood Pressure Monitoring in Healthy Anaesthetised and Standing Horses Using the Bionet BM7Vet.

To compare arterial blood pressure (ABP) measured invasively (IBP) to ABP measured non-invasively (NIBP) via oscillometry in healthy anaesthetised and standing horses using the Bionet BM7Vet. Fourteen horses were anaesthetised for elective procedures (anaesthetised group) and 10 horses were enrolled for standing blood pressure manipulation (standing group). In both groups, IBP and NIBP-corrected to heart level were measured every 3 min using the Bionet BM7Vet. The overall mean difference (bias), standard deviation and limits of agreement (LOA) were calculated for paired IBP and NIBP systolic (SAP), mean (MAP) and diastolic (DAP) blood pressure measurements. In anaesthetised horses, the NIBP cuff was placed at either the proximal tail base or the metacarpus. Invasive MAP was used to retrospectively characterise measurements into hypotensive (≤70 mm Hg), normotensive (71-110 mm Hg) or hypertensive (≥111 mm Hg) subgroups. In standing horses, the NIBP cuff was placed at the tail base only and invasive MAP was manipulated to achieve hypertension (≥126 mm Hg) and hypotension (≤90 mm Hg) using phenylephrine and acepromazine, respectively. When measuring NIBP at the tail in anaesthetised horses, the Bionet BM7Vet failed on 8/185 occasions and overestimated SAP, MAP and DAP during hypotension and normotension. The biases (lower, upper LOA) for MAP were -11.4 (-33.3, 10.5) and -6.0 (-25.8, 13.8) mm Hg, respectively. Hypertension could not be evaluated. When measuring NIBP at the metacarpus in anaesthetised horses, the Bionet BM7Vet failed on 24/65 occasions and underestimated SAP, MAP and DAP when all ABP subgroups were combined. The bias (lower, upper LOA) for pooled MAP was 3.6 (-44.3, 51.6) mm Hg. When measuring NIBP at the tail in standing horses, the Bionet BM7Vet failed on 64/268 occasions and underestimated SAP, MAP and DAP during hypotension, normotension and hypertension. The biases (lower, upper LOA) for MAP were 16.3 (-10.5, 43.1), 16.6 (-19.5, 52.7) and 30.0 (-8.1, 68.0) mm Hg, respectively. Monitoring NIBP on the Bionet BM7Vet in anaesthetised horses overestimated ABP at the tail and underestimated ABP at the metacarpus. The device inaccurately detected hypotension and should be used cautiously. In standing horses, the Bionet BM7Vet underestimated ABP at the tail, especially during pharmacologically induced hypertension.

Survival Analysis of Training Methodologies and Other Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Injury in 2-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorses in Queensland, Australia.

Musculoskeletal injuries remain a global problem for the Thoroughbred racing industry and there is conflicting evidence regarding the effect of age on the incidence of injuries. The ideal time to commence race training is strongly debated, with limited supporting literature. There is also conflicting evidence regarding the effect of high-speed exercise on musculoskeletal injuries. There is a strong interest in developing training and management strategies to reduce the frequency of injuries. The types of musculoskeletal injuries vary between 2-year-old and older horses, with dorsal metacarpal disease the most common injury in 2-year-old horses. It is likely that risk factors for injury in 2-year-old horses are different than those for older horses. It is also likely that the risk factors may vary between types of injury. This study aimed to determine the risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries and dorsal metacarpal disease. We report the findings of a large scale, prospective observational study of 2-year-old horses in Queensland, Australia. Data were collected weekly for 56-weeks, from 26 trainers, involving 535 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses, 1, 258 training preparations and 7, 512-weeks of exercise data. A causal approach was used to develop our statistical models, to build on the existing literature surrounding injury risk, by incorporating the previously established causal links into our analyses. Where previous data were not available, industry experts were consulted. Survival analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards or Weibull regression models. Analysis of musculoskeletal injuries overall revealed the hazard was reduced with increased exposure to high-speed exercise [Hazard ratio (HR) 0.89, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.84, 0.94, p < 0.001], increased number of training preparations (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.50, 0.67, p < 0.001), increased rest before the training preparation (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83, 0.96, p = 0.003) and increased dam parity (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77, 0.97, p = 0.01). The hazard of injury was increased with increasing age that training commenced (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.06, 1.19, p < 0.001). Analyses were then repeated with the outcome of interest dorsal metacarpal disease. Factors that were protective against dorsal metacarpal disease and musculoskeletal injuries overall included: increased total cumulative distance (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82, 0.97, p = 0.001) and total cumulative days exercised as a gallop (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92, 0.99, p = 0.03), the number of the training preparations (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.30, 0.61, p < 0.001). The age that training commenced was harmful for both dorsal metacarpal disease (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.07, 1.28, p < 0.001 and overall musculoskeletal injuries.). The use of non-ridden training modalities was protective for dorsal metacarpal disease (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.81, 0.97, p = 0.008), but not musculoskeletal injuries overall. The male sex increased the hazard of DMD compared to females (HR 2.58, 95% CI 1.20, 5.56, p = 0.02), but not MSI overall. In summary, the hazard of musculoskeletal injury is greatest for 2-year-old horses that are born from uniparous mares, commence training at a later age, are in their first training preparation, have undertaken little high-speed exercise or had limited rest before their training preparation. The hazard of dorsal metacarpal disease is greatest for 2-year-old horses that are males, commence training at a later age, are in their first training preparation, have undertaken little high-speed exercise or had limited use of non-ridden training modalities. Close monitoring of these high-risk horses during their training program could substantially reduce the impact of MSI. Furthermore, an understanding of how training methodologies affect the hazard of MSI facilitates modification of training programs to mitigate the risk impact of injury. The strengths of this study include a large sample size, a well-defined study protocol and direct trainer interviews. The main limitation is the inherent susceptibility to survival bias.

Detection of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in the Philippines and the complexity of PCV2-associated disease diagnosis.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), an important pig viral pathogen, can cause porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD), resulting in economic losses associated with decreased growth and mortalities. The diagnosis of PCVAD is complex requiring clinical, pathological and virological approaches. This study assessed PCV2 infection using histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue samples and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on serum samples from 47 grower-finisher pigs allocated in three clinical groups in the Philippines. Typical PCV2 histopathological lesions were observed in mediastinal lymph nodes (MLN) of eight of 47 pigs. Lymphoid depletion was seen in all eight pigs and granulomatous inflammation in one of these pigs. Four of these eight pigs were PCV2 positive by both IHC and qPCR. IHC revealed PCV2 antigen in 8 pigs in at least one of the following tissues: MLN (5/8), spleen (3/8), tonsils (4/8) and lungs (5/8). PCV2 antigen was observed in 3/8 MLN with lymphoid depletion and in one MLN with depletion and granulomatous inflammation. The qPCR test showed that 33 sera had a non-detectable level, twelve had < 106 and two had > 106 PCV2 DNA copies/ml serum. One pig with lymphoid depletion had > 106 PCV2 DNA copies/ml serum, and another pig without MLN lesions also had > 106 PCV2 DNA copies/ml serum. These findings suggest that PCVAD is present in the Philippines and confirm the challenges of PCVAD diagnosis as different patterns of results were obtained from the different tests.

Antimicrobial Use in Animals in Timor-Leste Based on Veterinary Antimicrobial Imports between 2016 and 2019.

Monitoring veterinary antimicrobial use is part of the global strategy to tackle antimicrobial resistance. The purpose of this study was to quantify veterinary antimicrobials imported into Timor-Leste between 2016 and 2019 and describe the antimicrobial import profile of importers. Data were obtained from import applications received by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) of Timor-Leste. Import quantities were analysed by antimicrobial class, importance for human medicine, recommended route of administration and type of importer. An average of 57.4 kg (s.d. 31.0 kg) and 0.55 mg/kg (s.d. 0.27 mg/kg) animal biomass of antimicrobials was imported per year. Tetracyclines (35.5%), penicillins (23.7%), and macrolides (15.9%) were the commonly imported antimicrobial classes. Antimicrobials imported for parenteral administration were most common (60.1%). MAF was the largest importer (52.4%). Most of the critically important antimicrobials for human medicine were imported by poultry farms for oral administration and use for growth promotion could not be ruled out. In conclusion, the use of antimicrobials in animals in Timor-Leste is very low, in keeping with its predominantly subsistence agriculture system. Farmer education, development of treatment guidelines, and strengthening of the veterinary service is important for addressing the potential future misuse of antimicrobials especially in the commercial poultry industry.

Development of a Luminex microbead-based serotyping assay for Glaesserella parasuis.

Glaesserella parasuis consists of 15 serovars with some of them highly virulent and some of them avirulent. As killed vaccines do not provide crossprotection across serovars, serotyping is of importance. Serotyping, previously done by gel diffusion, is now done by multiplex PCR followed by electrophoresis. Accurately differentiating 15 serovars by electrophoresis is problematic. To overcome this problem, a Luminex microbead-based multiplex assay was used to differentiate the serovars. The assay consisted of a multiplex PCR assay followed by hybridisation to microbeads which were then analysed on a Luminex machine. The newly developed assay was compared to the multiplex serotyping PCR and the gel diffusion/indirect haemagglutination assay (GD/IHA). The microbead-based assay worked very well for the 15 reference strains but when used on the 74 Australian field strains displayed some problems. The main problems were with the eight out of nine serovar 4 field isolates and the five serovar 7 and three serovar 14 field isolates. While the microbead-based assay could differentiate between the serovar 5 and 12 reference strains, which the serovar multiplex PCR could not, all four field isolates identified by GD/IHA as serovar 12 were identified as serovar 5 by the microbead-based assay. Serovar 4 has been noted to have a high diversity especially among strains from different countries. Our work clearly shows that the diversity of strains at both the national and the international level has to be taken into account when developing diagnostic assays.

A scoping review of African swine fever virus spread between domestic and free-living pigs.

Since 2007, African swine fever virus (ASFV) has spread to countries in Europe, Asia and Oceania and has caused devastating impacts on pigs and the pork industry. Transmission can be direct or indirect, and epidemiologic scenarios have been described in which spread occurs between free-living and domestic pigs. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify primary research in which authors made statements to support ASFV transmission between free-living and domestic pigs and assess the circumstances in which transmission events occurred. A search was conducted in five bibliographic databases and the grey literature. Two reviewers (from a team of ten) independently screened each record and charted data (demographics of the pig populations, their husbandry [domestic pigs] and habitat [free-living pigs], the spatial and temporal distribution of ASF, the occurrence or burden of ASF in the populations, and whether ticks were present in the geographic range of the pig populations). Data synthesis included statistics and a narrative summary. From 1,349 records screened, data were charted from 46 individual studies published from 1985 to 2020. Outbreak investigations revealed that whilst poor biosecurity of domestic pig operations was often reported, direct contact resulting in transmission between free-living and domestic pigs was rarely reported. Studies in which quantitative associations were made generally found that spread within populations was more important than spread between populations, although this was not always the case, particularly when domestic pigs were free-ranging. We conclude that there is limited evidence that transmission of ASFV between free-living and domestic pigs is an important feature of ASF epidemiology, especially in the current ASF epidemic in Europe and the Russian Federation. If ASFV elimination cannot be achieved in free-living pigs, compartmentalization of domestic pig populations from free-living populations via biosecurity strategies could be used to support trade of domestic pigs.

Knowledge and Practices on Antibiotic Use and Antibiotic Resistance Among Smallholder Pig Farmers in Timor-Leste.

Antibiotic resistance is an emerging global health threat which is linked to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. This study was conducted to understand the knowledge and practices of smallholder pig farmers on antibiotic use and resistance in Timor-Leste. A cross-sectional study using a structured face-to-face interview was conducted in three municipalities. The interview was piloted and implemented in the local Tetun language. This study found that knowledge of antibiotics was very poor as only 12.7% (95% CI: 6.3-23.9) of farmers reported knowing what antibiotics were, and of these only one was able to correctly explain how an antibiotic worked. None of the farmers knew about antibiotic resistance and were able to explain the concept correctly. After the definition of antibiotic was explained to the farmer, only 3.6% (95% CI: 0.8-14.9) reported that their pigs had ever received antibiotics, and the majority of farmers whose pigs had not received antibiotics reported the lack of access to veterinary services. When used, antibiotics were only used for treatment with no reported use for disease prevention or growth promotion. None of the commonly used antibiotics were critically important antimicrobials. Compliance with withdrawal periods was not routinely followed. There is a need to improve access to government veterinary services for farmers in Timor-Leste, while addressing identified knowledge gaps on antibiotics and promoting prudent use practices. The findings from this study serve as baseline information to inform future interventions.

Latent class analysis identifies multimorbidity patterns in pigs with respiratory disease.

Respiratory disease is one of the major causes of losses to the pig industry worldwide. The pig subsector is the largest component of the livestock sector in the Philippines. Using lung scoring, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of thoracic lesions in slaughter-age pigs in two provinces in the Philippines (Batangas and Albay) and define classes for respiratory health of pigs characterised by different patterns of thoracic lesions. A total of 260 pigs from Batangas and 300 pigs from Albay from either commercial or backyard farm types were included in this cross-sectional study. Lungs were scored for cranio-ventral pneumonia (0-55) and pleurisy (0-3). Presence or absence of pericarditis as well as focal dorso-caudal pneumonia were recorded. Latent class analyses considering four indicator variables, and province and farm type as covariates were used to explore different patterns of thoracic lesions across the study populations. Using a threshold of ≥7, the prevalence of a high lung score was 51.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 42.3-61.4%) and 13.7% (95% CI: 8.1-22.2%) in Batangas and Albay, respectively. Similarly, the prevalence of a pleurisy score of ≥1 was 56.9% (95% CI: 37.5-74.4%) and 5.0% (95% CI: 2.9-8.4%), pericarditis 24.6% (95%CI: 10.1-48.6%) and 1.7% (95%CI: 0.3-6.7%) and focal dorso-caudal pneumonia lesions 7.7% (95% CI: 3.7-15.5%) and 0% (97.5% one-sided CI: 0-1.2%), respectively. Latent class analyses identified four classes based on lung score, pleurisy score and the presence/absence of pericarditis: "healthy", "mild respiratory disease", "moderate pneumonia", and "multi-lesion". The relative frequency of these classes differed with province and farm type. Most pigs from Albay were "healthy", whereas in Batangas most pigs from commercial farms were "multi-lesion" and those from backyard farms were in the "mild respiratory disease" class. This study has provided baseline data on thoracic lesions in slaughter-age pigs for the provinces of Batangas and Albay in the Philippines. Targeting farms and areas where "multi-lesion pigs" are most common and further research to identify risk factors for particular classes should maximize impact of future control measures. The latent class analysis approach used could be applied more widely and could add value to analysis of multi-morbidity data collected routinely as part of ongoing monitoring schemes.

Lameness in dairy cows: farmer perceptions and automated detection technology.

This Research Reflection provides an overview of three interrelated topics: (i) lameness in dairy cows, demonstrating the underpinning importance of the condition, (ii) dairy farmer detection, diagnosis and treatment of lameness and associated foot lesions as well as dairy farmer perceptions towards the condition and (iii) lameness detection technologies, and their potential application on farm to automate the detection of lameness in commercial dairy herds. The presented literature clearly demonstrates that lameness is a major health issue in dairy herds, compromising dairy cow welfare and productivity, and resulting in significant economic implications for dairy farmers. Despite this, dairy farmers fail to perceive lameness as a serious threat to their dairy business. This restricted perception of the importance of lameness may be a product of limited ability to detect lame cows. Many automated lameness detection technologies have been proposed to assist dairy farmers in managing their herds. However, limitations such as cost, performance and dairy farmer perception of the usefulness of these technologies, has lead to poor uptake. It can, therefore, be concluded that there is a need to more thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of these technologies under on-farm conditions, potentially in the form of a demonstration farm network. This will allow generation of the necessary data required to show dairy farmers that these technologies are reliable and are economically rational for their dairy business.

First steps in managing the challenge of African Swine Fever in Timor-Leste.

Since September 2019, African Swine Fever has caused extensive mortalities to the pig population of Timor-Leste, where pigs are important for traditional ceremonies and for monetary income. At the time of the outbreak we were developing a sustainable model for smallholder pig raising in Timor-Leste. We added basic biosecurity measures at our nine trial sites and conducted public awareness meetings in trial sukus (villages). This approach was largely successful as, despite extensive pig mortalities in the areas, few pigs died at trial sites once measures had been adopted and trial pig mortalities appeared to be linked to social issues that could be reduced through improved public awareness. We believe this approach can cost-effectively reduce the risk of mortalities due to African Swine Fever in settings where smallholder pig raising is very basic and resources limited, but pigs are of great socio-economic importance.

Clinical evaluation of arterial blood pressure in anesthetized dogs by use of a veterinary-specific multiparameter monitor.

OBJECTIVE: To compare noninvasive blood pressure (NIBP) measurements with invasive blood pressure (IBP) measurements of arterial blood pressure (ABP) in anesthetized dogs as obtained with a veterinary-specific multiparameter monitor. ANIMALS: 21 client-owned healthy female dogs anesthetized for routine ovariohysterectomy. PROCEDURES: ABP measurements were obtained with a single veterinary-specific multiparameter monitor via a pneumatic cuff placed over the medial dorsal metatarsal artery (NIBP) and a transducer connected to a catheter placed in the contralateral artery (IBP). The 224 paired ABP measurements (complete data set) were categorized into 3 subsets-hypotension, normotension, and hypertension-on the basis of invasive measurements of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP). The NIBP and IBP measurements of systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure (SAP and DAP, respectively) and MAP were compared. RESULTS: NIBP measurements were frequently lower than IBP measurements. The greatest underestimation was for the hypertension subset of NIBP measurements, with biases for SAP of 15.7 mm Hg, DAP of 14.1 mm Hg, and MAP of 12.0 mm Hg. Considering the complete data set, precision was acceptable (SD of the differences between paired measurements ≤ 15 mm Hg for DAP [9.0 mm Hg] and MAP [12.1 mm Hg]); however, precision was not acceptable for SAP (SD, 18.6 mm Hg). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: NIBP measurements with the studied veterinary-specific multiparameter monitor generally agreed with IBP measurements during hypotensive and normotensive periods for anesthetized healthy female dogs undergoing routine ovariohysterectomy. However, inaccuracies, frequently underestimations, were observed during periods of hypertension, and therefore, NIBP measurements should be interpreted cautiously.

Australian beef producers' knowledge and attitudes relating to hydatid disease are associated with their control practices.

Despite available control strategies, hydatid disease in beef cattle has been shown to have a wider geographic range and higher prevalence than previously recognised in Australia. The aim of the current study was to determine whether producer knowledge and attitudes are associated with farm management practices that could influence transmission among domestic dogs, wildlife, livestock and humans. Between June and August 2019, a cross-sectional study was conducted among beef producers throughout Australia (N = 62). Producers were asked to complete an online survey to obtain information on their knowledge about hydatid disease, their attitudes towards the disease and their farm management practices that could affect transmission. Descriptive statistics were conducted to investigate potential predictors for practices that might influence transmission of the parasite. A Bayesian network (BN) model was then constructed to evaluate the interrelationships between variables. The results show that most respondents (87 %; 54/62) had heard of hydatid disease. However, only 61 % of respondents knew how hydatid disease is transmitted (38/62) and only half knew how to prevent transmission (52 %; 32/62). Of respondents that knew that hydatid disease could affect humans (44/62), many did not think their family was at risk (46 %, 20/44) because they dewormed their dogs and prevented their dogs' access to offal. However, most respondents who owned dogs did not deworm their dogs frequently enough to prevent patency of Echinococcus granulosus infection (86 %; 49/57). Almost all respondents (94 %; 58/62) said they would take action if they found out their cattle were infected. BN analysis revealed that implementation of practices that could reduce the risk of hydatid disease transmission were associated with producers' knowledge and attitudes. In the model, practices were most influenced by attitudes (percentage change in variance = 42 %). All respondents in the "hydatid prevention" practices group were in the "good" knowledge group and the "less concerned" attitudes group. In comparison, most of the respondents in the "standard husbandry" practices group were in the "poor" knowledge group and the "more concerned" attitudes group. In summary, the results indicate that greater knowledge of hydatid disease among beef producers is associated with practices that reduce hydatid risk and attitudes of less concern about hydatid impact on properties. Therefore, increasing producer knowledge is warranted to encourage adoption and improvement of hydatid prevention practices and would be well received by beef producers.