[Asymmetry in digit length in cows with sole ulcer. A post-mortem study of slaughter cows]. / Längenasymmetrie der Zehen bei Kühen mit Rusterholz'schen Sohlengeschwüren. Eine Post-mortem-Untersuchung an Schlachtkühen.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the disparity between the lengths of the lateral and medial digit in cows with a Rusterholz sole ulcer compared to non-affected cows was investigated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 100 hind feet were collected from slaughtered cows. Twenty-five feet had a pre-ulcerative lesion at the typical site, 26 had an ulcer < 1 cm² and 24 had an ulcer > 1.5 cm². Twenty-five normal feet were used as controls. The lengths of the metatarsal condyles and phalanges (Ph) were measured on plantarodorsal radiographs and three different overall lengths of the digits were generated. The software program SPSS was used for analysis. RESULTS: The mean lengths of Ph1 and Ph2 and the three mean overall lengths of the lateral digit were greater than those of the medial digit while the length of Ph3 was longer on the medial digit. With one exception, the comparison of overall length 2 of the pre-ulcerative lesion with the control group, the within-feet differences of the ulcer groups were not significantly different from the difference of the controls. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These results corroborate the length asymmetry of the bovine digits but further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of the asymmetry of the digits on the development of sole ulcers.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of mastitis pathogens of dairy cows in Switzerland.

This study evaluates the antimicrobial resistance of pathogens cultured from 3'954 quarter milk samples from dairy cows in Switzerland. A total of 1'228 Streptococcus (Strep.) uberis, 1'107 Staphylococcus (Staph.) spp. other than Staph. aureus, 598 coliform, 490 Staph. aureus, 270 Enterococcus spp. and 213 Strep. dysgalactiae isolates were tested for susceptibility to 9 antimicrobial drugs using agar diffusion. Streptococcus uberis, Strep. dysgalactiae and Staph. aureus had the highest antimicrobial sensitivities to amoxicillin clavulanic acid (99.6 %, 100 % and 98.8 %, respectively). Of all isolated pathogens, only 2.6 % were resistant to amoxicillin clavulanic acid and 8.0 % to cefoperazone. The overall resistance level to gentamicin was 45.5 %, to penicillin 39.2 %, and to ampicillin 26.7 %. The highest resistance levels occurred with polymyxin (86.0 %), oxacillin (64.7 %) and lincomycin (53.7 %). Our results showed that at least one resistance exists to one antimicrobial agent examined in this study. Ideally the selection of the antibacterial drug for the treatment of intramammary infection should be based on antibiotic susceptibility testing.

On analyse dans la présente étude les résultats des tests de résistance aux antibiotiques de 3'954 échantillons de laits prélevés en Suisse. Au total, ce sont 1'228 souches de Streptococcus (Str.) uberis, 1'107 souches de Staphylococcus sp., 598 coliformes, 490 souches de Staphylococcus (S.) aureus, 270 souches d' Enterococcus et 213 de Str. dysgalactiae qui ont été testées par difffusion sur gel d'agar quant à leur sensibilité vis-à-vis de 9 substances antibiotiques. Ce sont les isolats de Str. uberis, Str. dysgalactiae et S. aureus qui ont montré la plus grande sensibilité face à l'association amoxicilline/acide clavulanique (99.6 %, 100 % resp. 98.8 % de souches sensibles). Par rapport à l'ensemble des germes isolés, ce sont l'association amoxicilline/acide clavulanique (2.6 %) et le céfoperazon (8 %) auxquels les germes ont été le moins souvent réséstants. Ils étaient suivis par la gentamycine (45.5 % de résistances), la pénicilline (39.2 %) et l'ampicilline (26.7 %). Les plus hauts taux de résistances ont été observés face à la polymyxine, (86 %), l'oxacilline (64.7 %) et la lincomycine (53.7 %). Sur la base des résultats de cette étude, on peut partir de l'idée qu'il existe des résistances contre toutes les substances testées. Le choix de l'antibiotique pour le traitement d'infections intra mammaires doit donc se faire idéalement sur la base d'un test de résistance préalable.

Partial brachial plexus paresis in three calves.

Partial brachial plexus paresis was diagnosed in three calves with unilateral functional lameness in a forelimb based on clinical and neurologic examinations. Clinical signs of radial nerve paresis were the main presenting problems. Electromyography was used to identify the affected nerves with the calves under general anaesthesia. Abnormal spontaneous activity of denervated muscles showed that the radial, musculocutaneous, median and ulnar nerves were compromised. The calves were treated medically, using splint bandages, and with physiotherapy. All calves regained function of the affected legs and normal weight bearing.