Effect of a lime-based bedding conditioner on physical-chemical characteristics and microbiological counts of recycled manure solids.

Bedding materials are aimed at providing a safe and comfortable resting environment for cows. Control of pathogen proliferation in these substrates is crucial to prevent intramammary infections in dairy cows, as these can significantly impact milk quality, cow health, and farm productivity. This is particularly relevant in the case of organic bedding substrates, including manure-derived materials. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effect of a lime-based conditioner (LBC), composed of CaCO3MgCO3 and Ca(OH) 2 * Mg(OH)2, at increasing concentrations on the physical-chemical characteristics and bacterial counts of untreated anaerobically digested manure solids (ADMS) and separated raw manure solids (SRMS). Unused ADMS and SRMS were evaluated at four LBC weight-based concentrations: 0 (as untreated control), 10, 15, and 20% of LBC inclusion. The bedding materials were assessed immediately after LBC addition (0 h) and after 24, 72, and 168 h of storage at 28°C. The dry matter content (DM), and pH were measured for all the time points. Standard microbiological methods were used to assess total bacterial counts (TBC), other Gram-negative bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and streptococci and streptococci-like organism (SSLO). It was observed a linear increase in both DM and pH with increasing concentrations of LBC. Specifically, for each percentage unit increase of LBC, the DM of ADMS and SRMS increased by 0.73 and 0.71%, respectively. Similarly, for each percentage unit of LBC, the pH of ADMS and SRMS increased by 0.15 and 0.19, respectively. Conversely, a linear decrease in TBC, Gram-negative bacteria, coliforms, E. coli, and SSLO was observed with increasing concentrations of the LBC. Manure-derived materials without the inclusion of the LBC had bacterial counts that tended to remain high or increase over time. Otherwise, bedding materials with LBC application had reduced bacterial counts. Based on the results of the present study, it was observed that the higher the concentration of LBC, the more significant the reduction of bacterial counts. Specifically, bacterial recovery was lower when higher concentrations of LBC were applied. Our findings underscore the potential of LBC in effectively controlling environmental bacteria and improving the physical-chemical characteristics of manure-derived bedding materials to improve cow health and welfare.

Influence of age, sex, bodyweight, and training on echocardiographic measurements in healthy mixed-breed donkeys.

The donkey has always been a notable working animal and its importance as a companion animal has been growing over the last few years. However, there are only a few studies about cardiology in this species. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of age, sex, training, and bodyweight on cardiac dimension in mixed-breed donkeys. Forty-five clinically and para-clinically healthy mixed-breed donkeys were included, and B-mode and M-mode echocardiographic measurements were recorded. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify the effect of age, sex, bodyweight, and training on cardiac measurements. Most of the echocardiographic measurements showed a strong statistically significant correlation with bodyweight. Linear regression analysis between echocardiographic measurements and bodyweight was performed to obtain the values of the intercept and slope of the linear equation to calculate the echocardiographic measurements as a function of bodyweight. This is the first study reporting a strong linear correlation between echocardiographic measurements and bodyweight and reporting a correlation between training and echocardiographic parameters in donkeys, suggesting that this variable should be considered when assessing cardiac dimensions in these animals.

An update on non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci in cow milk: unveiling the presence of Staphylococcus borealis and Staphylococcus rostri by MALDI-TOF MS.

Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM) are the microorganisms most frequently isolated from milk. Given their numerosity and complexity, MALDI-TOF MS is one of the preferred species identification approaches. Nevertheless, reference mass spectra for the novel species Staphylococcus borealis were included only recently in the Bruker Biotyper System (MBT) library, and other species of veterinary interest such as S. rostri are still absent. This work provides an updated picture of the NASM species found in milk, gained by retrospectively analyzing the data relating to 21,864 milk samples, of which 6,278 from clinical mastitis (CM), 4,039 from subclinical mastitis (SCM), and 11,547 from herd survey (HS), with a spectrum library including both species. As a result, S. borealis was the second most frequently isolated NASM (17.07%) after S. chromogenes (39.38%) in all sample types, with a slightly higher percentage in CM (21.84%), followed by SCM (17.65%), and HS (14.38%). S. rostri was also present in all sample types (3.34%), reaching 8.43% of all NASM in SCM and showing a significant association (p < 0.01) with this condition. Based on our findings, the presence of S. borealis and S. rostri in milk and their potential association with mastitis might have been overlooked, possibly due to the difficulties in differentiating these species from other closely related NASM. Our results indicate that S. borealis could be a more frequent contributor to bovine udder infections than previously thought and that S. rostri should also not be underestimated considering its significant association with SCM.

Pathogen group-specific risk factors for intramammary infection in water buffalo.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) associated bacteria and to identify risk factors for pathogen group-specific IMI in water buffalo in Bangladesh. A California Mastitis Test (CMT) and bacteriological cultures were performed on 1,374 quarter milk samples collected from 763 water buffalo from 244 buffalo farms in nine districts in Bangladesh. Quarter, buffalo, and farm-related data were obtained through questionnaires and visual observations. A total of 618 quarter samples were found to be culture positive. Non-aureus staphylococci were the predominant IMI-associated bacterial species, and Staphylococcus (S.) chromogenes, S. hyicus, and S. epidermidis were the most common bacteria found. The proportion of non-aureus staphylococci or Mammaliicoccus sciuri (NASM), S. aureus, and other bacterial species identified in the buffalo quarter samples varied between buffalo farms. Therefore, different management practices, buffalo breeding factors, and nutrition were considered and further analyzed when estimating the IMI odds ratio (OR). The odds of IMI by any pathogen (OR: 1.8) or by NASM (OR: 2.2) was high in buffalo herds with poor milking hygiene. Poor cleanliness of the hind quarters had a high odds of IMI caused by any pathogen (OR: 2.0) or NASM (OR: 1.9). Twice daily milking (OR: 3.1) and farms with buffalo purchased from another herd (OR: 2.0) were associated with IMI by any pathogen. Asymmetrical udders were associated with IMI-caused by any bacteria (OR: 1.7). A poor body condition score showed higher odds of IMI by any pathogen (OR: 1.4) or by NASM (OR: 1.7). This study shows that the prevalence of IMI in water buffalo was high and varied between farms. In accordance with the literature, our data highlight that IMI can be partly controlled through better farm management, primarily by improving hygiene, milking management, breeding, and nutrition.

Different Immune Control of Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Mammary Infections in Dairy Cows.

In the dairy industry, bovine mastitis represents a major concern due to substantial production losses and costs related to therapies and early culling. The mechanisms of susceptibility and effective response to intra-mammary infections are still poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated innate immunity in acellular bovine skim milk through cytofluorimetric analyses of bacterial killing activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens. Freshly cultured E. coli and S. aureus strains were incubated with colostrum and milk samples at different lactation time points from two groups of cows, purportedly representing mastitis-resistant and mastitis-susceptible breeds; bacterial cells were analyzed for vitality by flow cytometry following incorporation of vital dyes. N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) activity was also investigated in milk and colostrum samples. Our findings revealed that colostrum and milk bacterial killing activity was greater against S. aureus compared to E. coli., with this activity correlated with milk NAGase levels. Furthermore, both killing of S. aureus and NAGase activity were negatively correlated to the elapsed time of lactation. Interestingly, samples from the allegedly mastitis-resistant breed displayed higher bacterial killing and NAGase activities. Our study suggests that diverse control mechanisms are exerted against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens in the mammary glands of cows, probably beyond those already described in the literature.

Evaluation of a digital stethoscope for electrocardiographic recording in donkeys: Preliminary results.

The digital stethoscope (DS) is a cost-effective single-lead digital stethoscope that allows simultaneous electrocardiographic (ECG) and phonocardiographic recordings on a smartphone. Despite its application in small animals and horses, there are currently no studies on its use in donkeys. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a new smartphone-based DS device in recording ECG tracings in donkeys. Standard base-apex lead ECG (sECG) and single-lead DS ECG (dECG) were simultaneously recorded for at least 30 s. Both sECG and dECG tracings were analysed by the same operator, recording heart rate, ECG waves and intervals, and the presence and duration of artefacts. Thirty-seven donkeys were included. The dECG tracings were interpretable in all the animals (100 %). The results showed perfect agreement between the sECG and dECG data for the classification of heart rhythm and P-wave polarity. Strong agreement was found in the evaluation of heart rate calculated manually and automatically by the smartphone app, QRS complex polarity, T wave polarity, and duration of the PR interval. However, no agreement was found in the evaluation of P wave duration, QRS complex duration and amplitude, and T wave duration and amplitude. In conclusion, although this is only a preliminary study, the DS was a valid, practical, and easy to use electrocardiographic tool for recording good-quality ECG tracings to assess the ECGs of donkeys in the field.

Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci isolated from bovine milk in Italian dairy farms: a retrospective investigation.

Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM) are associated with bovine mastitis and increased milk somatic cell count (SCC) but their relationships with mammary gland health at the species level are not clearly defined. Regional differences have also been reported in their specific prevalence. The implementation of MALDI-TOF MS in milk microbiology is generating large and dependable datasets with the potential of providing useful epidemiological information. We present the retrospective analysis of 17,213 milk samples sent to our laboratory in 2021-2022, including 13,146 quarter samples from cows with subclinical (SCM) or clinical mastitis (CM) from 104 farms, and 4,067 composite herd survey (HS) samples from 21 farms. NASM were isolated from 21.12% of SCM, 11.49% of CM, and 15.59% of HS milk samples. The three most frequently identified NASM in SCM milk were Staphylococcus chromogenes (33.33%), S. haemolyticus (26.07%), and S. epidermidis (10.65%); together with S. microti and S. hyicus, these species were significantly more prevalent in quarters with SCM (p < 0.05). The three most frequently identified NASM in CM milk were S. chromogenes (31.69%), S. haemolyticus (21.42%), and Mammaliicoccus sciuri (18.38%), although no significant associations were found between these NASM species and CM. The three most frequently identified NASM in HS milk were S. chromogenes (44.49%), S. epidermidis (17.84%), and S. haemolyticus (17.23%), with S. chromogenes being isolated in all the farms sending HS milk (100%). In conclusion, this retrospective study provides the first information on the NASM species isolated from cow milk in Italy, expanding our knowledge on the epidemiology of NASM at the species level and providing further insights into their relationships with mammary gland health in modern dairy farms.

Effect of the Selective Dry Cow Therapy on Udder Health and Milk Microbiota.

Recently, the use of antimicrobials on dairy farms has been significantly limited from both the legislative and consumer points of view. This study aims to check the efficacy of selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) versus blanket dry cow therapy (BDCT) on bovine udder in healthy animals. SDTC is when an antibiotic is administered only to infected cows, compared with BDCT, where all cows receive an antimicrobial, regardless of their infection status. The milk samples were collected from enrolled Holstein Friesian cows 7 days before dry-off (T0) and 10 days after calving (T1) to assess somatic cell count (SCC), intramammary infections (IMIs), and milk microbiota variation. After pre-drying sampling, cows are randomly assigned to the following treatments: internal teat sealant alone (ITS; 24 cows), which is a treatment in a cow that does not receive antibiotics in SDTC, or in combination with intramammary antibiotic treatment (A+ITS; 22 cows). Non-statistically significant results are found between the two treatment groups at T1 for SCC, milk yield, and alpha diversity in milk microbiota. A statistically (p < 0.033) T1 IMI decrease is reported in the A+ITS group, and a significant beta diversity analysis is shown between the two timepoints (p = 0.009). This study confirms the possibility of selective drying without new IMI risk or increased SCC at calving, considering healthy cows without contagious infections and SCC values >200,000 cells/mL in the previous lactation.

Assessing failure of transfer of passive immunity by gamma-glutamyl-transferase activity and serum refractometry in holstein-friesian calves affected by neonatal diarrhea.

Hardly published data are available to diagnose the failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) in calves affected by neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD). This study evaluated the diagnostic performance and differences among optical serum total protein (STP) concentration and gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT) activity for assessing FTPI in diarrheic Holstein Friesian calves. 72 diarrheic and 19 healthy Holstein Friesian calves aged 1 to 10 days were enrolled. Each calf underwent a complete clinical examination and dehydration assessment. The effect of dehydration status and age on the correlation between the two methods under study (STP and GGT) and the gold standard (Immunoglobulin G [IgG] measured with RID) was investigated with Spearman's correlation index R for ranks. Serum total protein concentration and GGT activity were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to identify the optimal cut-off point to distinguish between diarrheic calves with or without FTPI, also considering the effects of dehydration and age. The results show that GGT activity was affected by the age of calves, while STP was influenced by dehydration. The cut-offs to distinguish calves with IgG < 10 g/L were < 52 g/L of STP in normohydrated calves, < 58 g/L of STP in dehydrated calves, and < 124 IU/L of GGT in calves with aged between 3 and 10 days. In nondehydrated diarrheic calves, the STP refractometer showed better diagnostic accuracy.In dehydrated calves aged between 3 and 10 days, however, its accuracy drops, and it is advisable to use GGT activity.

Tobacco Smoke Exposure in Pregnant Dogs: Maternal and Newborn Cotinine Levels: A Pilot Study.

Active and passive smoking in pregnant women is associated with perinatal morbidity and mortality risk, including abortion, preterm birth, low birthweight, and malformations. No data are available on intrauterine exposure to smoking during pregnancy in dogs. This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the detectability and quantity of cotinine, the major metabolite of nicotine, in maternal (serum and hair) and newborn (amniotic fluid and hair) biospecimens collected at birth in dogs. For this purpose, twelve pregnant bitches, six exposed to the owner's smoke and six unexposed, were enrolled. A further six non-pregnant bitches exposed to passive smoke were included to investigate the role of pregnancy status on cotinine uptake. Exposed dogs, dams, and puppies had greater cotinine concentrations than unexposed ones. Although without statistical significance, serum and hair cotinine concentrations were higher in pregnant compared to non-pregnant bitches, suggesting a different sensitivity to tobacco smoke exposure during gestation. The present results provide evidence for cotinine transplacental passage in the dog. It is conceivable that fragile patients such as pregnant, lactating, and neonate dogs may be more susceptible to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke exposure. Owners should be sensitized to the risk of smoke exposure for their pets.

Association between Mastitis Occurrence in Dairy Cows and Bedding Characteristics of Compost-Bedded Pack Barns.

Compost-bedded pack barns (CB) are receiving increasing attention as a housing system that can potentially improve the welfare of dairy cows. This study characterized the frequency and profile of pathogens isolated from clinical (CM) and subclinical (SCM) mastitis in dairy cows housed in CB. It evaluated the association between mastitis occurrence and bedding characteristics in CB systems. Over six months, seven dairy herds were visited monthly for milk and bedding sample collections. Milk samples from mastitis cases were submitted to microbiological identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF MS). Bedding samples were submitted to physical-chemical (pH, organic matter, moisture, and carbon to nitrogen ratio) and microbiological counting (total bacterial counts, coliforms, streptococci, and staphylococci) analyses. Regression analysis was used to determine the association between mastitis occurrence and CB characteristics. Our results showed that Escherichia coli and environmental streptococci were the most frequently isolated pathogens from CM cases, while Staphylococcus chromogenes and contagious pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae) were the most commonly isolated from SCM cases. Bedding moisture content was positively associated with the incidence of CM. The bedding carbon to nitrogen ratio was negatively associated with the incidence of SCM, and the bedding total bacteria counts tended to be associated with the incidence of SCM. Bedding counts of coliforms positively associated with the prevalence of SCM. Our results can support decision-makers in the dairy industry seeking strategies for bedding management and mastitis control.

Cotinine as a Sentinel of Canine Exposure to Tobacco Smoke.

The adverse health effects of both active and passive tobacco smoke have been well-known in humans for a long time. It is presumable that even pets, which intimately share the owner's lifestyle, may be exposed to the same risks. This study aimed to detect and quantify cotinine (a metabolite of nicotine) in the serum and hair of dogs using a specific commercial ELISA immunoassay kit. A total of 32 dogs, 16 exposed and 16 unexposed to the owner's smoke, were enrolled. The cotinine concentration was higher in the exposed than the unexposed group in both matrices (p < 0.001), with greater values in serum than in hair (p < 0.001). Exposed bitches had higher hair cotinine than male dogs (p < 0.001). Conversely, serum and fur cotinine concentrations were lower in female than male dogs of the unexposed group (p < 0.01). The exposure intensity, age, and weight of the dogs did not affect cotinine concentrations. A cut-off value of 2.78 ng/mL and 1.13 ng/mL cotinine concentration in serum and fur, respectively, was estimated to distinguish between the exposed and unexposed dogs. Cotinine was confirmed as a valuable marker of passive smoking also in dogs. Although owners do not perceive secondhand smoke as a risk for their dogs, greater awareness should be advisable, especially in pregnant animals.

Changes in the lipidome of water buffalo milk during intramammary infection by non-aureus Staphylococci.

This study aimed to determine the lipidome of water buffalo milk with intramammary infection (IMI) by non-aureus staphylococci (NAS), also defined as coagulase-negative staphylococci, using an untargeted lipidomic approach. Non-aureus Staphylococci are the most frequently isolated pathogens from dairy water buffalo milk during mastitis. A total of 17 milk samples from quarters affected by NAS-IMI were collected, and the lipidome was determined by liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results were compared with the lipidome determined on samples collected from 16 healthy quarters. The study identified 1934 different lipids, which were classified into 15 classes. The abundance of 72 lipids changed in NAS-IMI milk compared to healthy quarters. Significant changes occurred primarily in the class of free fatty acids. The results of this study provided first-time insight into the lipidome of dairy water buffalo milk. Moreover, the present findings provide evidence that NAS-IMI induces changes in water buffalo milk's lipidome.

Peptidomic changes in the milk of water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) with intramammary infection by non-aureus staphylococci.

Mastitis by non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) is a significant issue in dairy buffalo farming. In a herd with subclinical NAS mastitis, we identified Staphylococcus microti as the predominant species. To assess milk protein integrity and investigate potential disease markers, we characterized 12 NAS-positive and 12 healthy quarter milk samples by shotgun peptidomics combining peptide enrichment and high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). We observed significant changes in the milk peptidome. Out of 789 total peptides identified in each group, 49 and 44 were unique or increased in NAS-positive and healthy milk, respectively. In NAS-positive milk, the differential peptides belonged mainly to caseins, followed by milk fat globule membrane proteins (MFGMP) and by the immune defense/antimicrobial proteins osteopontin, lactoperoxidase, and serum amyloid A. In healthy milk, these belonged mainly to MFGMP, followed by caseins. In terms of abundance, peptides from MFGMP and immune defense protein were higher in NAS-positive milk, while peptides from caseins were higher in healthy milk. These findings highlight the impact of NAS on buffalo milk quality and mammary gland health, even when clinical signs are not evident, and underscore the need for clarifying the epidemiology and relevance of the different NAS species in this dairy ruminant.

Immunohistochemical insights into a hidden pathology: Canine cryptorchidism.

Cryptorchidism is a common disorder in the canine population with some aspects still unclear. Although the bilateral condition is known to lead to fertility problems and predisposition to testicular cancer, the neoplastic risk for scrotal testis in unilateral cryptorchid dog is controversial. Therefore, the therapeutic approach to the canine unilateral cryptorchid is arbitrary so far. This study aimed to investigate precancerous testicular lesions, such as immaturity and atrophy, and compare them in scrotal and undescended testes using an in-depth diagnostic analysis based on immunophenotypic patterns. With this purpose, 26 adult male dogs of different ages and breeds, affected by unilateral or bilateral cryptorchidism were enrolled. After surgical removal, testes were examined immunohistochemically to assess their positivity for specific markers of the canine foetal/neonatal period, that is vimentin (VIM), cytokeratin (CK), desmin (DES), inhibin-α (INH), and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) in Sertoli cells, and placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) in germ cells. Except for the ubiquitous VIM, all the markers were more expressed in neoplastic gonads compared to healthy ones (P < 0.05). Similarly, testes detected with Sertoli cell-only tubules as well as with Sertoli cells hyperplasia showed higher expression than gonads without such alterations for CK, DES, AMH and PLAP, and for CK and DES, respectively (P < 0.05). The same trend was observed in undescended respect to scrotal testes even though their positivity was significant only for DES, INH and AMH (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemical positivity found in scrotal testes of unilateral cryptorchid dogs, even in absence of detectable anatomical abnormalities, was suggestive of precancerous lesions. Despite the limited sample size, this study could help to clarify the predisposition to neoplastic development in normally descended testes. These markers expression in adult life could allow identifying the early stages of the testicular carcinogenesis process besides suggesting a precautionary bilateral surgical approach in unilateral cryptorchid dogs.

Feeding Pre-weaned Calves With Waste Milk Containing Antibiotic Residues Is Related to a Higher Incidence of Diarrhea and Alterations in the Fecal Microbiota.

The cows receiving antibiotics for intra-mammary infection (IMI) produce milk that cannot be marketed. This is considered waste milk (WM), and a convenient option for farmers is using it as calf food. However, adding to the risk of selecting resistant bacteria, residual antibiotics might interfere with the gut microbiome development and influence gastrointestinal health. We assessed the longitudinal effect of unpasteurized WM containing residual cefalexin on calf intestinal health and fecal microbiota in an 8-week trial. After 3 days of colostrum, six calves received WM and six calves received bulk tank milk (BM) for 2 weeks. For the following 6 weeks, all 12 calves received milk substitute and starter feed. Every week for the first 2 weeks and every 2 weeks for the remaining 6 weeks, we subjected all calves to clinical examination and collected rectal swabs for investigating the fecal microbiota composition. Most WM calves had diarrhea episodes in the first 2 weeks of the trial (5/6 WM and 1/6 BM), and their body weight was significantly lower than that of BM calves. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, WM calves had a lower fecal microbiota alpha diversity than that in BM calves, with the lowest p-value at Wk4 (p < 0.02), 2 weeks after exposure to WM. The fecal microbiota beta diversity of the two calf groups was also significantly different at Wk4 (p < 0.05). Numerous significant differences were present in the fecal microbiota taxonomy of WM and BM calves in terms of relative normalized operational taxonomic unit (OTU) levels, affecting five phyla, seven classes, eight orders, 19 families, and 47 genera. At the end of the trial, when 6 weeks had passed since exposure to WM, the phyla Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Saccharibacteria were lower, while Chlamydiae were higher in WM calves. Notably, WM calves showed a decrease in beneficial taxa such as Faecalibacterium, with a concomitant increase in potential pathogens such as Campylobacter, Pseudomonas, and Chlamydophila spp. In conclusion, feeding pre-weaned calves with unpasteurized WM containing antibiotics is related to a higher incidence of neonatal diarrhea and leads to significant changes in the fecal microbiota composition, further discouraging this practice in spite of its short-term economic advantages.

Genotyping and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiling of Streptococcus uberis Isolated from a Clinical Bovine Mastitis Outbreak in a Dairy Farm.

Streptococcus uberis, an environmental pathogen responsible also for contagious transmission, has been increasingly implicated in clinical mastitis (CM) cases in Europe. We described a 4-month epidemiological investigation of Strep. uberis CM cases in an Italian dairy farm. We determined molecular characteristics and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance of 71 Strep. uberis isolates from dairy cows with CM. Genotypic variability was investigated via multiplex PCR of housekeeping and virulence genes, and by RAPD-PCR typing. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed for 14 antimicrobials by MIC assay. All the isolates carried the 11 genes investigated. At 90% similarity, two distinct clusters, grouping 69 of the 71 isolates, were detected in the dendrogram derived from the primer ERIC1. The predominant cluster I could be separated into two subclusters, containing 38 and 14 isolates, respectively. Strep. uberis strains belonging to the same RAPD pattern differed in their resistance profiles. Most (97.2%) of them were resistant to at least one of the drugs tested, but only 25.4% showed a multidrug resistance phenotype. The highest resistance rate was observed for lincomycin (93%), followed by tetracycline (85.9%). This study confirmed a low prevalence of ß-lactam resistance in Strep. uberis, with only one isolate showing resistance to six antimicrobial classes, including cephalosporins.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Teat-Sealant and Antibiotic Dry-Cow Treatments for Mastitis Prevention Shows Similar Effect on the Healthy Milk Microbiome.

Lactating cows are routinely treated at dry-off with antibiotic infusions in each quarter for the cure and prevention of pathogenic intramammary infection, which remains the most common disease in dairy herds. This approach is known as blanket dry-cow therapy, usually effective for the prevention and cure of infections, but has been shown to potentially contribute to the emergence and spreading of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains. Exploring the use of non-antibiotic treatments coupled with selective dry-cow therapy is necessary to reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance and potential interference with milk microbiome balance. The impact of selective dry-cow therapy on the physiological milk microbiome needs to be carefully evaluated. In this small-scale trial, five healthy (no mastits, SCC <200,000 cells mL-1) second-parity cows from dry-off to 5 days after calving were sampled. For every cow, each quarter received a different treatment: (i) bismuth salnitrate (internal teat sealant, OrbSeal®, Zoetis, Italy), front right quarter; (ii) cephalonium dihydrate (Cepravin®, MSD, Italy), rear right quarter; (iii) benzathine cloxacillin (Cloxalene dry, Ati, Italy), rear left quarter. No treatment was applied to the remaining quarter (front left) which served as experimental control. For 16S rRNA gene sequencing, bacterial DNA was extracted from 5 ml of milk samples, amplified using the primers for the V3-V4 hypervariable regions and sequenced in one MiSeq (Illumina) run with 2 × 250-base paired-end reads. Bacteriological results confirmed that the quarters were all healthy. The phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were the most abundant for all treatments and controls at all three timepoints, accounting for over 80% of the entire milk microbiota composition. No significant differences were found between treatments and controls in terms of the major alpha and beta diversity indexes, revealing that antibiotic, and non-antibiotic treatments for selective dry-cow therapy did not alter significantly the milk microbiome of dairy cows. The milk microbiota composition showed a clear evolution over the lactation cycle, and the overall changes in the milk microbiota diversity over the lactation cycle were mainly independent of treatments.

Comparison of Lateral and Dorsal Recumbency during Endoscope-Assisted Oophorectomy in Mature Pond Sliders (Trachemys scripta).

Ovariectomy via the prefemoral fossa is a well-described technique for sterilization in chelonians. The choice between lateral and dorsal recumbency is generally left to the surgeon's preference, with no data supporting an objective superiority of one over the other. Twenty-four sexually mature female pond sliders (Trachemys scripta) were enrolled for elective prefemoral endoscope-assisted oophorectomy, and were randomly divided in two groups: 12 animals were placed in right lateral recumbency with a left fossa approach (Group A), and 12 in dorsal recumbency with a right fossa approach (Group B). Scoring systems were applied to assess the ease of access to the coelomic cavity, and the ease of identification of the ovary opposite to the surgical incision. A negative correlation was found between the body weight of the animals and the ease of access to the coelom (p = 0.013), making the access easier in smaller animals. No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of ease of access to the coelomic cavity, first ovary removal time, ease of identification of the second ovary, second ovary removal time, or total surgery time.

The Role of Innate Immune Response and Microbiome in Resilience of Dairy Cattle to Disease: The Mastitis Model.

Animal health is affected by many factors such as metabolic stress, the immune system, and epidemiological features that interconnect. The immune system has evolved along with the phylogenetic evolution as a highly refined sensing and response system, poised to react against diverse infectious and non-infectious stressors for better survival and adaptation. It is now known that high genetic merit for milk yield is correlated with a defective control of the inflammatory response, underlying the occurrence of several production diseases. This is evident in the mastitis model where high-yielding dairy cows show high disease prevalence of the mammary gland with reduced effectiveness of the innate immune system and poor control over the inflammatory response to microbial agents. There is growing evidence of epigenetic effects on innate immunity genes underlying the response to common microbial agents. The aforementioned agents, along with other non-infectious stressors, can give rise to abnormal activation of the innate immune system, underlying serious disease conditions, and affecting milk yield. Furthermore, the microbiome also plays a role in shaping immune functions and disease resistance as a whole. Accordingly, proper modulation of the microbiome can be pivotal to successful disease control strategies. These strategies can benefit from a fundamental re-appraisal of native cattle breeds as models of disease resistance based on successful coping of both infectious and non-infectious stressors.