Body size in relation to cubicle dimensions affects lying behavior and joint lesions in dairy cows.

Adequate cubicle dimensions are important for dairy cows to allow for species-appropriate lying behavior. Even though cow body size has increased in the last 2 decades, the cubicle dimensions of housing systems built many years ago have not been adjusted on most farms. Therefore, cows may be impaired in their lying behaviors, and thus the present study aimed to determine the influence of the ratio of body size to cubicle dimension on lying behavior and joint lesions. We investigated the lying behavior of 144 cows with withers heights of 140 to 163 cm on 8 Swiss dairy farms. Among the farms, the cubicle bed length varied from 187 to 200 cm and lunge space length varied from 47 to 202 cm. Specific behaviors of lying down and standing up movements, as well as lying positions, were observed on 3 d per farm. As outcome variables, the occurrences of these behaviors were calculated as proportions in relation to the respective total number of observations per cow. In addition, the presence of joint lesions was scored once. Data of the individual cows were analyzed in relation to the given cubicle dimensions on the farms by mixed-effects models. The bed length ratio [bed length (cm) on the farm/withers height (cm) of the observed cow] and the lunge space ratio [lunge space length (cm) on the farm/withers height (cm) of the observed cow] were used as explanatory variables. An increase in the bed length ratio was associated with decreased proportions of lying down movements with (1) repeated head pendulum movements, (2) repeated stepping with front legs, and (3) hitting against cubicle elements; decreased proportions of standing up movements with (1) shifting backward, (2) hesitant head lunge movements, and (3) hitting against cubicle elements; and an increased proportion of lying positions without physical contact with cubicle elements. An increase in the lunge space ratio was associated with a decreased proportion of standing up movements with sideways directed head lunge movements. Furthermore, an increase in the bed length ratio decreased the proportion of cows with tarsal joint lesions. To summarize, the lying behavior of large-framed cows was clearly modified given the cubicle dimensions in use on the study farms. In view of the consistency of the obtained results, we recommend adjusting the dimensions of cubicles so that they are suitable for cows whose body size meets the breeding goals of the farm.

Moderate lameness leads to marked behavioral changes in dairy cows.

Lameness is one of the most prevalent diseases affecting the welfare of cows in modern dairy production. Lameness leads to behavioral changes in severely lame cows, which have been investigated in much detail. For early detection of lameness, knowledge of the effects of moderate lameness on cow behavior is crucial. Therefore, the behavior of nonlame and moderately lame cows was compared on 17 Swiss dairy farms. On each farm, 5 to 11 nonlame (locomotion score 1 of 5) and 2 to 7 moderately lame (locomotion score 3 of 5) cows were selected for data collection in two 48-h periods (A, B) separated by an interval of 6 to 10 wk. Based on visual locomotion scoring, 142 nonlame and 66 moderately lame cows were examined in period A and 128 nonlame and 53 moderately lame cows in period B. Between these 2 periods, the cows underwent corrective hoof trimming. Lying behavior, locomotor activity, and neck activity were recorded by accelerometers (MSR145 data logger, MSR Electronics GmbH, Seuzach, Switzerland), and feeding and rumination behaviors by noseband sensors (RumiWatch halter, ITIN + HOCH GmbH, Liestal, Switzerland). Furthermore, visits to the brush and the concentrate feeder, and the milking order position were recorded. In comparison with nonlame cows, moderately lame cows had a longer lying duration, a longer average lying bout duration, and a greater lateral asymmetry in lying duration. Average locomotor activity, locomotor activity during 1 h after feed delivery or push-ups, and average neck activity were lower in moderately lame cows. Eating time and the number of eating chews (jaw movements) were reduced in moderately lame compared with nonlame cows, whereas no effect of moderate lameness was evident for ruminating time, number of ruminating chews and boluses, and average number of ruminating chews per bolus. Moderately lame cows visited the concentrate feeder and the brush less frequently, and they were further back in the milking order compared with nonlame cows. In conclusion, nonlame and moderately lame cows differed in a biologically relevant way in many of the behavioral variables investigated in this study. Therefore, the use of these behavioral changes seems to be promising to develop a tool for early lameness detection.

Can anticoagulation therapy in cerebral venous thrombosis associated with Behçet's disease be stopped without relapse?

There is as yet no consensus on the treatment of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in Behçet's disease, and the place of anticoagulation is also still being debated. This report is of a series of seven patients with Behçet's disease (BD)-associated CVT, for which anticoagulation was stopped, and discusses the possibility of stopping anticoagulation during follow-up while receiving optimal treatment for BD. The diagnosis of BD was established during follow-up, which lasted a median of 120 [range: 60-1490] days after CVT diagnosis. The median duration of anticoagulation therapy was 29.5 months. On stopping anticoagulation, concomitant treatment then included colchicine, steroids and azathioprine, all introduced after BD was diagnosed. With a median follow-up of 25 months after anticoagulation interruption, only one relapse of CVT was observed. No relapse of CVT or other venous thrombosis was observed in the six patients treated by steroids associated with an immunosuppressant or colchicine. Our results emphasize that corticosteroids are essential for the treatment of BD-associated CVT, and that anticoagulant therapy may be safely stopped during follow-up in the presence of optimal BD treatment (steroids alone or with immunosuppressive drugs).

Effects of milking frequency in automatic milking systems on salivary cortisol, immunoglobulin A, somatic cell count and melatonin.

INTRODUCTION: In barns with an automatic milking system (AMS), both the milking frequency and the number of nighttime milkings vary between cows. A low milking frequency might indicate problems in gaining access to the milking unit. Also, nighttime lighting in the waiting area of the AMS and in the milking unit increases exposure to light at night and could suppress nocturnal melatonin synthesis. These effects could result in increased stress, suppressed immune response, and poor udder health. A total of 125 cows (14-16/farm) on 8 farms with AMS were selected based on their average milking frequency. Eight to 10 saliva samples per cow were taken over the course of 4 days, and cortisol, IgA and melatonin concentrations were determined. Somatic cell counts (SCC) were determined in milk samples. Milking frequency had no significant relationship with mean cortisol and IgA levels, but a higher milking frequency tended to be associated with lower SCC levels. Nocturnal melatonin levels tended to be negatively associated with the number of nighttime milkings. In conclusion, no indication of increased stress or reduced immune defense was found in relation to milking frequency on farms with an AMS.

INTRODUCTION: Dans les étables équipées d'un système de traite automatique, la fréquence ainsi que le nombre de traites nocturnes varient d'une vache à l'autre. Une fréquence basse pourrait être le signe de difficultés d'accès à l'unité de traite. D'autre part, l'éclairage dans la zone d'attente et dans l'unité de traite expose les vaches à plus de lumière durant la nuit, ce qui pourrait réduire la sécrétion de mélatonine. Ces éléments pourraient amener un stress et avoir une influence sur la réponse immunitaire et la santé de la mamelle. Pour la présente étude, 125 vaches provenant de 8 exploitations (14­16 animaux par exploitation) ont été choisies en fonction de leur fréquences de traite. On a prélevé 8 à 10 échantillons de salive sur une période de 4 jours et y a mesuré la concentration de cortisol, d'IgA et de mélatonine. On n'observe pas de rapport significatif entre la fréquence de traite et les concentrations moyennes de cortisol et d'IgA mais une fréquence de traite plus élevée a tendance à être corrélée avec un nombre de cellules plus faible. Les concentrations de mélatonine durant la nuit avait tendance à être associées de façon négative avec le nombre de traites nocturnes. De façon générale, on n'a pas d'indice montrant un stress plus élevé ou une réduction de la réponse immunitaire en fonction de la fréquence de traite dans les exploitations équipées d'un système de traite automatique.

Efficacy of anti-TNF alpha in severe and/or refractory Behçet's disease: Multicenter study of 124 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To report the efficacy and safety of anti-TNF agents in patients with severe and/or refractory manifestations of Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: We performed a multicenter study of main characteristics and outcomes of anti-TNF alpha treatments [mainly infliximab (62%), and adalimumab (30%)] in 124 BD patients [48% of men; median age of 33.5 (28-40) years]. RESULTS: Overall response (i.e. complete and partial) rate was 90.4%. Clinical responses were observed in 96.3%, 88%, 70%, 77.8%, 92.3% and 66.7% of patients with severe and/or refractory ocular, mucocutaneous, joint, gastro-intestinal manifestations, central nervous system manifestations and cardiovascular manifestations, respectively. No significant difference was found with respect to the efficacy of anti-TNF used as monotherapy or in association with an immunosuppressive agent. The incidence of BD flares/patient/year was significantly lower during anti-TNF treatment (0.2 ± 0.5 vs 1.7 ± 2.4 before the use of anti-TNF, p < 0.0001). The prednisone dose was significantly reduced at 6 and 12 months (p < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, retinal vasculitis was negatively associated with complete response to anti-TNF (OR = 0.33 [0.12-0.89]; p = 0.03). The efficacy and relapse free survival were similar regardless of the type of anti-TNF agent used. After a median follow-up of 21 [7-36] months, side effects were reported in 28% of patients, including infections (16.3%) and hypersensitivity reactions (4.1%). Serious adverse events were reported in 13% of cases. CONCLUSION: Anti-TNF alpha therapy is efficient in all severe and refractory BD manifestations. Efficacy appears to be similar regardless of the anti-TNF agent used (infliximab or adalimumab).

Habituation of dairy heifers to milking routine-Effects on human avoidance distance, behavior, and cardiac activity during milking.

The onset of lactation marks a significant turning point in a heifer's life, and prior experience with the milking routine could have positive effects on animal welfare and productivity. The objectives of this multifarm (n=5) study were to investigate (1) whether prelactation training sessions affected behavior during milking, cardiac activity, human avoidance distance, and milk yield, and (2) whether these responses would be modified by the heifer's initial level of fear of humans. Trained heifers (TH, n=30) experienced the routine in the milking parlor on at least 10 d prepartum, whereas untrained heifers (UH, n=29) entered the parlor for the first time after calving. Behavior and cardiac activity were recorded on d 1 and 7 after calving, and an avoidance test was carried out on the day of integration into the dairy herd as well as on d 1, 7, and 28 postpartum. Each animal's initial level of fear of humans was classified as high or low based on the first human avoidance distance measured toward an unknown person. Results showed that TH showed less stepping and kicking during the udder preparation phase in the parlor and UH had higher probabilities to put their ears flat on the head, clamp their tail between the hind legs, and have their eyes wide open throughout the different phases in the milking parlor. Heart rate decreased from d 1 to 7, increased from before to during and to after milking and was slightly elevated in TH compared with UH. Milk yield did not differ between TH and UH. Human avoidance distance was not influenced by training, but distance decreased in heifers with a high initial level of fear of humans across repetitions of the test, whereas heifers with a low initial level of fear of humans had generally short avoidance distances. However, initial level of fear of humans neither determined behavior and heart rate during milking nor milk yield of TH and UH. The results indicate that the training regimen applied in the present study habituated heifers, to some extent, to the milking routine.

[Influence of floor surface and access to pasture on claw characteristics in dairy cows kept in cubicle housing systems].

This study aimed at investigating the effect of the floor type used in the walking area of cubicle housing systems and of access to pasture on claw dimensions and claw shape in dairy cows. Data were collected on 36 farms, 12 farms each fitted with mastic asphalt, slatted concrete or solid rubber flooring. With each floor type, cows on half of the farms had access to pasture in summer. The farms were visited three times at intervals of about 6 months and data were collected from 10 cows during each visit. Net growth of the claw horn was highest on rubber flooring and lowest on mastic asphalt. On all floor types, claw angles were larger after the winter period and smaller after the summer period. With regard to claw shape, floor type had an effect on the occurrence of flat, concave and overgrown claw soles. In conclusion, none of the investigated floor types was clearly superior to the others with regard to claw dimensions and claw shape, and access to pasture during summer (median 4 h per day) had only little influence on the investigated claw characteristics.

Cette étude avait pour but de déterminer l'influence du sol dans la zone de sortie ainsi que celle de la mise au pâturage sur les dimensions et la forme des onglons de vaches laitières. Le recueil des données s'est fait dans 36 exploitations avec une stabulation libre à logettes, 12 avec une zone de sortie en asphalte,12 en béton et 12 recouverte de matelas de caoutchouc fixés. Indépendamment de la qualité du sol, les vaches avaient, sur la moitié des exploitations, accès au pâturage durant l'été. On a recueilli sur chaque exploitation des données sur 10 vaches à trois reprises, avec un intervalle d'environ 6 mois. La croissance des onglons était maximale sur les sols en caoutchouc et minimale sur l'asphalte. Quel que soit le type de sol, l'angle de la paroi était plus grand à la fin de la période hivernale et plus petit à la fin de l'été. Le type de sol avait aussi une influence sur l'apparition d'onglons plats, concaves ou trop longs. Dans l'ensemble toutefois, aucun des types de sol ne se révélait nettement supérieur et la mise au pâturage (en moyenne 4 heures par jour) n'avait qu'une faible influence sur les dimensions et la taille des onglons.

Immunosuppressants reduce venous thrombosis relapse in Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and describe the long-term outcome of venous thrombosis in patients with Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: In a retrospective cohort of 807 BD patients, a reported 296 patients (36.7%) (73.3% male, median age 30 years [interquartile range 24-36 years]) met the international classification criteria for BD and had venous thrombosis. We assessed factors associated with thrombosis relapse and mortality. RESULTS: There were a total of 586 venous thrombosis events, including 560 cases of deep thrombosis and 26 cases of superficial thrombosis. Deep venous thrombosis events included 323 cases of limb thrombosis (55.1%), 77 cases of cerebral venous thrombosis (13.1%), 57 cases of pulmonary embolism (9.7%), 63 cases of vena cava lesions (10.7%), 14 cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome (2.4%), and 13 cases of cervical vein thrombosis (2.2%). One hundred of 296 patients (33.8%) experienced at least 1 venous thrombosis relapse. The mortality rate was 6.4% (19 of 296 patients) after a median followup of 4.75 years (interquartile range 2-7 years). In univariate analysis, death was associated with cardiac involvement (P = 0.026) and Budd-Chiari syndrome (P = 0.004). In multivariate analysis, the use of immunosuppressive agents was found to prevent relapse of venous thrombosis (hazard ratio 0.27 [95% confidence interval 0.14-0.52], P = 0.00021), and there was a trend toward prevention of relapse with the use of glucocorticoids (hazard ratio 0.62 [95% confidence interval 0.40-0.97], P = 0.058). CONCLUSION: Immunosuppressive agents significantly reduce venous thrombosis relapse in BD.

[Assessment of noise exposure in sheep]. / Beurteilung einer Lärmbelastung bei Schafen.

The behaviour of sheep was recorded as a reaction to the sound pressure levels caused by shooting with heavy machine guns. The reactions varied in intensity depending on the distance of the source of the noise from the fold. In the case of salvoes that were fired in the immediate vicinity of the fold and were associated with sound pressure levels higher than 120 dB (LCpeak), the sheep reacted with marked fright reactions, and no adaptation to the shooting noise was observed. It is concluded that the tolerable maximum noise level for sheep with this kind of noise source is likely to be less than 120 dB (LCpeak).

Factors influencing the efficacy of two injections of a pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) nonadjuvanted vaccine in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the factors influencing the efficacy of 2 injections of a pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) vaccine in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: We conducted a single-center, observational prospective study of 111 patients who were vaccinated with a monovalent, inactivated, nonadjuvanted, split-virus vaccine during December 2009 and January 2010 and received a second dose of vaccine 3 weeks later. The antibody response was evaluated using the hemagglutination inhibition assay according to the guidelines recommended for the pandemic vaccine, consisting of 3 immunogenicity criteria (i.e., a seroprotection rate of 70%, a seroconversion rate of 40%, and a geometric mean ratio [GMR] of 2.5). RESULTS: The 3 immunogenicity criteria were met on day 42 (seroprotection rate 80.0% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 72.5-87.5%], seroconversion rate 71.8% [95% CI 63.4-80.2%], and GMR 10.3 [95% CI 2.9-14.2]), while only 2 criteria were met on day 21 (seroprotection rate 66.7% [95% CI 57.9-75.4%], seroconversion rate 60.4% [95% CI 51.3-69.5%], and GMR 8.5 [95% CI 3.2-12.0]). The vaccine was well tolerated. Disease activity, assessed by the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment version of the SLE Disease Activity Index, the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group score, and the Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire, did not increase. In the multivariate analysis, vaccination failure was significantly associated with immunosuppressive treatment or a lymphocyte count of ≤ 1.0 × 109/liter. The second injection significantly increased the immunogenicity in these subgroups, but not high enough to fulfill the seroprotection criterion in patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the efficacy of the vaccine was impaired in patients who were receiving immunosuppressive drugs or who had lymphopenia. A second injection increased vaccine immunogenicity without reaching all efficacy criteria for a pandemic vaccine in patients receiving an immunosuppressive agent. These results open possibilities for improving anti-influenza vaccination in SLE.

Prevalence of tail lesions in Swiss finishing pigs.

INTRODUCTION: Tail biting and lesions are common problems in modern pig production. In 2008 tail docking to prevent tail biting was banned in Switzerland. Since then pigs have been raised with intact tails. This study aimed to assess the current prevalence of tail lesions at Swiss abattoirs and comparing abattoir data with farm-specific data regarding potential risk factors for tail lesions. Data collection was performed in repetitive cycles of two weeks at four abattoirs during all consecutive seasons of one year. Gender, tail length and the tail tip condition were evaluated among other parameters. During 32 weeks in total, 195 704 pigs from 6112 batches from 2510 herds were evaluated. Overall, 63,2 % of the animals included in the analysis were slaughtered with a complete tail (lowest tail length score [TLS]), whereas 36,8 % showed a partial or total loss of the tail. The condition of the tail tip (tail tip condition score [TTCS]) was judged as being intact in 63,0 %, as a healed lesion in 23,7 %, an acute lesion in 1,3 % and a chronic lesion in 12,0 % of all cases. Male animals had significantly higher values for TLS and TTCS than female animals (P ≤ 0,05). TLS values were significantly higher in winter than in spring and summer (P < 0,001). TTCS values were significantly higher in fall than in spring and summer. TLS and TTCS values differed significantly (P < 0,001) between the four abattoirs. Only few significant correlations were found between values of TLS and TTCS and farm-specific data. Recording tail lesions at abattoirs is an accurate method to investigate the prevalence of tail lesions in fattening pigs. However, to monitor animal welfare on herd level, this method is very labor intensive. Moreover, data on tail lesions collected at the abattoir cannot replace veterinary on-farm examination for risk factor identification.

INTRODUCTION: Les morsures et les lésions de la queue sont des problèmes courants dans la production porcine moderne. En 2008, la Suisse a interdit la caudectomie pour prévenir les morsures de la queue. Depuis lors, les porcs sont engraissés avec des queues intactes. Cette étude visait à évaluer la prévalence actuelle des lésions de la queue dans les abattoirs suisses et à comparer les données de l'abattoir avec les données spécifiques à l'exploitation concernant les facteurs de risque potentiels pour des lésions de la queue. La collecte des données a été effectuée par cycles répétitifs de deux semaines dans quatre abattoirs pendant toutes les saisons d'une année. Le sexe, la longueur de la queue et l'état de l'extrémité de la queue ont été évalués parmi d'autres paramètres. Pendant 32 semaines au total, 195 704 porcs provenant de 6 112 lots de 2 510 troupeaux ont été évalués. Dans l'ensemble, 63,2 % des animaux inclus dans l'analyse ont été abattus avec une queue complète (Tail Length Score [TLS] la plus basse), tandis que 36,8 %présentaient une perte partielle ou totale de la queue. L'état de l'extrémité de la queue (Tail Tip Condition Score [TTCS]) a été jugé intact dans 63,0 %des cas, avec une lésion cicatrisée dans 23,7 %des cas, avec une lésion aiguë dans 1,3 %des cas et avec une lésion chronique dans 12,0 %des cas. Les animaux mâles présentaient des valeurs de TLS et de TTCS significativement plus élevées que les animaux femelles (P ≤ 0,05). Les valeurs de TLS étaient significativement plus élevées en hiver qu'au printemps et en été (P < 0,001). Les valeurs de TTCS étaient significativement plus élevées en automne qu'au printemps et en été. Les valeurs TLS et TTCS différaient significativement (P < 0,001) entre les quatre abattoirs. Seules quelques corrélations significatives ont été trouvées entre les valeurs de TLS et TTCS et les données spécifiques à l'exploitation. L'enregistrement des lésions de la queue dans les abattoirs est une méthode précise pour étudier la prévalence de ces lésions chez les porcs d'engraissement. Cependant, pour contrôler le bien-être animal au niveau du troupeau, cette méthode demande beaucoup de travail. En outre, les données sur les lésions de la queue collectées à l'abattoir ne peuvent pas remplacer les examens vétérinaires sur l'exploitation pour l'identification des facteurs de risque.

Effects of the anti-sucking device «SuckStop Müller¼ on calf behavior.

INTRODUCTION: When cross-sucking persists beyond calf-hood, it represents an important problem in dairy heifers and cows. It can cause teat injuries and severe mastitis and lead to significant economic losses. The «SuckStop Müller,¼ a novel anti-sucking device, is designed to give the calf a negative feedback when cross-sucking on a conspecific. The aim of this study was to assess whether wearing a SuckStop would result in behavioral changes other than cross-sucking and thus, impair welfare in the short- and longer-term. Sixteen group-housed calves were observed in groups of four on five days, before and after fitting the SuckStop: day -2, day -1, day 0, day 1, and day 9. Maintenance behaviors (e.g., feeding, drinking, lying) were recorded using instantaneous scan sampling. In addition, the frequency of contact behaviors (e.g., exploring the feeding fence, touching own body) was recorded by means of continuous focal animal observations. Contact behaviors were classified as «impaired¼ or «normal¼ depending on whether or not the calf flinched in response to the contact. Finally, the number of visits to the milk and concentrate feeders was extracted from the computer-controlled feeding system. Fitting a SuckStop resulted in a higher proportion of observations spent lying and less exploration behavior on day 0 and day 1 than on day -2, day -1, and day 9. On day 0 and day 1, 6,3 % of exploration behaviors were classified as impaired, compared to 0,4 % (day -2, day -1) before and 0,2 % (day 9) after fitting the SuckStop. On day 9, all calves had superficial ulcerations on the nasal septum. In four calves, these ulcerations were moderately severe, whereas all other calves had slight ulcerations. In summary, the calves habituated quickly to this novel anti-sucking device. Follow-up studies are necessary to assess the long-term relevance of tissue alterations in the nasal septum for calf welfare as well as the effect of the SuckStop on cross-sucking behavior.

INTRODUCTION: Lorsque la succion croisée persiste au-delà de l'âge de veau, elle représente un problème important chez les génisses et les vaches laitières. Elle peut provoquer des blessures aux trayons et des mastites graves et entraîner ainsi des pertes économiques importantes. Le «SuckStop Müller¼, un nouveau dispositif anti-succion, est conçu pour donner au veau un feedback négatif lorsqu'il suce un congénère. L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer si le port d'un SuckStop pouvait entraîner des changements de comportement autres que la succion croisée et, par conséquent, nuire au bien-être à court et à long terme. Seize veaux logés en groupe ont été observés par groupes de quatre pendant cinq jours, avant et après la pose du SuckStop: jour ­2, jour ­1, jour 0, jour 1 et jour 9. Les comportements d'entretien (par exemple se nourrir, boire, se coucher) ont été enregistrés à l'aide d'un échantillonnage par balayage instantané. En outre, la fréquence des comportements de contact (par exemple, explorer le râtelier, toucher son propre corps) a été enregistrée au moyen d'observations continues de chaque animal. Les comportements de contact ont été classés comme «altérés¼ ou «normaux¼ selon que le veau a tressailli ou non en réponse au contact. Enfin, le nombre de visites aux distributeurs de lait et de concentré a été extrait du système d'alimentation contrôlé par ordinateur. L'installation d'un SuckStop a entraîné une proportion plus élevée d'observations de comportements couchés et moins de comportements d'exploration le jour 0 et le jour 1 que le jour ­2, le jour ­1 et le jour 9. Le jour 0 et le jour 1, 6,3 % des comportements d'exploration ont été classés comme déficients, contre 0,4 % (jour ­2, jour ­1) avant et 0,2 % (jour 9) après la pose du SuckStop. Au jour 9, tous les veaux présentaient des ulcérations superficielles sur la cloison nasale. Chez quatre veaux, ces ulcérations étaient modérément graves, tandis que tous les autres veaux présentaient de légères ulcérations. En résumé, les veaux se sont rapidement habitués à ce nouveau dispositif anti-suceur. Des études de suivi sont nécessaires pour évaluer la pertinence à long terme des altérations tissulaires de la cloison nasale pour le bien-être des veaux ainsi que l'effet du SuckStop sur le comportement de succion croisée.

Mortality in Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To report the long-term mortality in patients with Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: A cohort of 817 patients fulfilling the international criteria for BD from a single center in France were analyzed for causes of death, the standardized mortality ratio (SMR), and the factors associated with mortality. RESULTS: Among the 817 patients with BD, 41 (5%) died after a median followup of 7.7 years, of whom 95.1% were male. The mean ± SD age at death was 34.8 ± 11.9 years. Main causes of death included major vessel disease (mainly, arterial aneurysm and Budd-Chiari syndrome) (43.9%), cancer and malignant hemopathy (14.6%), central nervous system involvement (12.2%), and sepsis (12.2%). The mortality rate at 1 year and 5 years was 1.2% and 3.3%, respectively. There was an increased mortality among patients ages 15-24 years (SMR 2.99, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.54-5.39) and those ages 25-34 years (SMR 2.90, 95% CI 1.80-4.49) as compared with age-and sex-matched healthy controls. The mortality decreased in patients older than age 35 years (SMR 1.23, 95% CI 0.75-1.92). In multivariate analyses, male sex (hazard ratio [HR] 4.94, 95% CI 1.53-16.43), arterial involvement (HR 2.51, 95% CI 1.07-5.90), and a high number of BD flares (HR 2.37, 95% CI 1.09-5.14) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. CONCLUSION: The overall mortality in our BD cohort was 5% after a median followup of 7.7 years. Male sex, arterial involvement, and the number of flares were associated with mortality in BD.

Unilateral carotid granulomatous arteritis and Crohn's disease.

Chronic idiopathic granulomatous arteritis of the large vessels - and, specifically, "Takayasu's arteritis" and "giant cell arteritis" - is an unusual condition that rarely leads to stroke and is only occasionally associated with Crohn's disease. We report here on a unique case of a 56-year-old man with a 25-year history of Crohn's disease who also had a 4-year history of recurrent right-sided ischaemic strokes and partial seizures, and a unilateral progressive retrograde occlusion of the right internal and common carotid arteries. Biopsies of the temporal and carotid arteries showed large-vessel granulomatous arteritis, with features of both giant cell and Takayasu's arteritis.

Risk factors for tail lesions in undocked fattening pigs reared on Swiss farms.

INTRODUCTION: Tail lesions caused by tail biting are a major welfare and economic concern in fattening pigs. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence and incidence of tail lesions in undocked pigs on individual animal level during the fattening period, to elucidate potential risk factors associated with tail lesions, and to describe the stockpersons' attitudes towards tail biting on Swiss farms. Thirty-eight farms were visited three times during the fattening period (beginning, mid-point, end). During each farm visit, tail lesions were scored on 30-126 individually marked pigs per farm (total: 2209 pigs), information on potential risk factors for tail lesions was recorded, and a standardized interview with the farmer was conducted to explore his/her opinion on tail biting. Potential risk factors were defined by indices when adequate, and their influence on the occurrence of tail lesions was analyzed using mixed effects logistic regression models. During the first and the second half of the fattening period, on average 14,1 and 15,4 pigs, respectively, out of 100 developed new tail lesions or aggravation of old lesions. The risk for new or aggravated tail lesions increased with higher scores for a «disease index¼ and with increasing group size, and it decreased with higher space allowances and with restrictive compared with ad libitum feeding. The prevalence of tail lesions on arrival was not associated with the incidence of tail lesions in the first and the second half of the fattening period, neither at farm level nor at pen level. In the interviews, farmers expressed their interest in getting professional advice on how to reduce tail biting on their farms. In conclusion, our study identified several risk factors for tail lesions in undocked fattening pigs indicating that the incidence of tail lesions could be reduced by improving animal health and housing conditions.

INTRODUCTION: Les lésions de la queue causées par morsure sont un problème majeur de bien-être et d'économie chez les porcs d'engraissement. Les objectifs de cette étude étaient de décrire la prévalence et l'incidence des lésions de la queue pendant la période d'engraissement chez les porcs non écaudés au niveau de chaque animal, d'élucider les facteurs de risque potentiels associés aux lésions de la queue et de décrire les attitudes des éleveurs à l'égard des morsures de queue dans les exploitations suisses. Trente-huit exploitations ont été visitées trois fois pendant la période d'engraissement (début, mi-parcours, fin). Lors de chaque visite, les lésions de la queue ont été notées sur 30 à 126 porcs marqués individuellement par l'exploitant (total: 2209 porcs), des informations sur les facteurs de risque potentiels de lésions de la queue ont été enregistrées et un entretien standardisé avec l'éleveur a été mené pour connaitre son avis sur les morsures de queue. Les facteurs de risque potentiels ont été définis par des indices lorsqu'ils étaient adéquats et leur influence sur la survenue des lésions caudales a été analysée à l'aide de modèles de régression logistique à effets mixtes. Pendant la première et la deuxième moitié de la période d'engraissement, en moyenne 14,1 et 15,4 porcs, respectivement, sur 100 ont développé de nouvelles lésions de la queue ou une aggravation d'anciennes lésions. Le risque de nouvelles lésions de la queue ou d'aggravation augmentait avec des scores plus élevés pour un «indice de maladie¼ et avec l'augmentation de la taille du groupe et il diminuait avec des allocations d'espace plus élevées et avec une alimentation restrictive par rapport à l'alimentation à volonté. La prévalence des lésions de la queue à l'arrivée n'était pas associée à l'incidence des lésions de la queue dans la première et la seconde moitié de la période d'engraissement, ni au niveau de l'exploitation ni au niveau des boxes. Dans les entretiens, les agriculteurs ont exprimé leur intérêt à obtenir des conseils professionnels sur la façon de réduire les morsures de queue dans leurs exploitations. En conclusion, notre étude a identifié plusieurs facteurs de risque de lésions de la queue chez les porcs d'engraissement non écaudés indiquant que l'incidence des lésions de la queue pourrait être réduite en améliorant la santé animale et les conditions de logement.

[Necrotizing folliculitis in Behçet's disease]. / Folliculite nécrosante atypique et maladie de Behçet.

We report a 24-year-old man with a known Behcet's disease who was lost to follow-up for a year. The patient was admitted for the association of scrotal ulceration and inguinal folliculitis, suggesting a Behcet's disease flare-up. Necrotizing course of the folliculitis led to the diagnosis of skin infection caused by a community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain, carrying Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes. Bacteriological analysis should be mandatory in the absence of specific criteria for the diagnosis of Behcet's disease.

[Pregnancy and systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Grossesse et lupus systémique.

Pregnancy is widely authorized in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Fertility is similar in SLE and in the general population although the age of menarche seems higher. Some cases of sterility might be attributed to SLE because of autoimmune ovaritis or antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). These antibodies might lead to endothelial activation and thrombosis by influencing homeostasis, complement activation, inhibition of protein C and annexin V. They might have a deleterious effect on embryonic implantation by adhesion to the trophoblast, inhibition of invasion and placentation and decreased hCG production. The most important part of sterility seems secondary to the use of cyclophosphamide and might be prevented by acetate leuprolide administration. Maternal morbidity seems correlated to SLE activity (controlled by pregnancy planning), hypertension, preeclampsia, Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzymes, Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome, therapy and aPL. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) should be maintained throughout pregnancy. Aspirin is prescribed alone in patients with asymptomatic aPL and in addition to heparin if there is a history of thrombosis or fetal loss with aspirin. Fetal and neonatal morbidity correlate with prematurity, adverse effects or maternal steroid therapy and maternal anti-SSA antibodies with 1 to 2% risk of congenital atrioventricular block. Abnormal obstetrical echography-doppler examination is the best predictor of pregnancy outcome. Abnormal umbilical artery flow on the second trimester echodoppler examination and history of thrombophlebitis predict fetal or neonatal death. Abnormal uterine notch on the second trimester echodoppler examination predicts adverse pregnancy outcome. Except for the preventive therapy of congenital atrioventricular block, modalities of SLE pregnancy monitoring and therapy are now well established.

Effect of rubber mats and perforation in the lying area on claw and limb lesions of fattening pigs.

Claw and leg lesions are frequently observed in finishing pigs and are likely to compromise their welfare. Providing softer than the usual concrete flooring may reduce both the frequency and severity of these lesions. Therefore, this study evaluated the influence of rubber mats and floor perforation in the lying area on claw and leg health of finishing pigs. A total of 240 Swiss Large White finishing pigs from on average 24.9 kg until 102.3 kg were used in four batches, with six groups of 10 animals per batch. The six experimental pens initially measured 1.85×3.55 m and were enlarged after 6 weeks to 1.85×5.25 m. In all pens, one third of the floor space was built as a defecating area consisting of a concrete floor with 15% perforation. The remaining two thirds of the pen were designed as a lying area whose floor quality differed between the pens. It either consisted of concrete elements or was covered with rubber mats, and perforation of both floor types was either 0%, 5% or 10%. All individuals were scored for claw and leg lesions at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the 12-week fattening period. Lesions were summarised in scores based on the results of a principal component analysis. The influence on lesion scores of floor material, amount of perforation in the lying area, assessment time, and sex was examined using mixed-models. The total claw lesion score and the total limb lesion score as well as the claw angle increased from the beginning to the end of the fattening period. The values for both scores were slightly lower for animals kept on rubber mats compared with animals kept on concrete floor. There was no effect of the percentage of perforation on the examined outcome variables. In conclusion, our results indicate that rubber mats in the lying area bring about improvements in some aspects of claw and leg health in fattening pigs, whereas there is no effect of floor perforation.

Comparison of functional aspects in two automatic milking systems and auto-tandem milking parlors.

Milk yield, milking frequency, intermilking interval, teat-cup attachment success rate, and length of the milking procedure are important functional aspects of automatic milking systems (AMS). In this study, these variables were compared for 2 different models of AMS (AMS-1, with free cow traffic, and AMS-2, with selectively guided cow traffic) and auto-tandem milking parlors (ATM) on 4 farms each. Data on milking-stall visits and milkings of 20 cows were recorded on 3 successive days by means of video observations. Data were evaluated with mixed-effects models. Milk yield did not differ among the 3 milking systems. Milking frequency in the AMS was 2.47/d [95% confidence interval (CI) = (2.38, 2.56)], and was significantly higher than the 2 milkings/d in ATM. Milking frequency was lower for cows with a higher number of days in milk (DIM) in AMS-1 [change of -0.057/10 DIM, CI = (-0.070, -0.044)], but remained constant for cows with varying DIM in AMS-2 [change of -0.003/10 DIM, CI = (-0.034, 0.027)]. As a consequence, milking frequency was higher in early lactation [by 0.603, CI = (0.102, 1.103)] and lower in late lactation in AMS-1 than in AMS-2 [by -0.397, CI = (-0.785, -0.008)]. The intermilking interval showed the opposite pattern. Teat-cup attachment was more successful in AMS-1 than in AMS-2 (98.4 vs. 94.3% of the milkings), with some variation among farms (range: AMS-1 96.2 to 99.5%; AMS-2 91.5 to 96.1%). The length of the entire milking process did not differ among the milking systems [454 s, CI = (430, 478)], although the preparation phase was longer [changes in comparison with ATM: in AMS-1 by a factor of 2.90, CI = (2.30, 3.65), and in AMS-2 by 5.15, CI = (4.09, 6.48)] and the actual milking phase was shorter in both AMS-1 and AMS-2 than in ATM [changes in comparison with ATM: in AMS-1 by a factor of 0.76, CI = (0.62, 0.94), and in AMS-2 by 0.75, CI = (0.60, 0.93)]. The admission [changes in comparison with ATM: in AMS-1 by a factor of 2.56, CI = (1.55, 4.22), and in AMS-2 by 3.07, CI = (1.86, 5.08)] and preparation phases lasted longer in AMS-2 than in AMS-1, whereas the time required by the cows to leave the milking stall did not differ among the systems [changes in comparison with ATM: in AMS-1 by a factor of 0.89, CI = (0.55, 1.44), and in AMS-2 by 1.02, CI = (0.63, 1.66)]. In conclusion, different technical approaches to automatic milking led to differences in teat-cup attachment success rates, in the duration of several phases of the milking process, and in milking frequency. The capacity of an AMS could be further improved by shortening the preparation phase and reducing the proportion of failed milkings.

Leg lesions and cleanliness of finishing bulls kept in housing systems with different lying area surfaces.

The influence of the quality of different lying surfaces on lesions and swellings at the joints as well as on the cleanliness of finishing bulls throughout the fattening period was studied. On 17 farms (623 bulls), pens with fully slatted concrete floors (CONCRETE), with rubber coated slats (RUBBER), with cubicles (CUBICLES, provided with five different types of soft lying mat) and with a littered lying area (STRAW) were compared. Bulls kept on STRAW developed the smallest lesion scores at the joints. In CUBICLES, there was a huge variability in the lesion scores depending on the type of lying mat, ranging from values comparable to STRAW up to and greater than the values for CONCRETE. The highest lesion scores at the carpal joints were found on CONCRETE, with intermediate values on RUBBER and in CUBICLES. At the tarsal joints, lesion scores were similar on CONCRETE and RUBBER and in the same range or worse on most mats in the CUBICLES. Swelling scores were highest on CONCRETE and intermediate on RUBBER and in CUBICLES compared to STRAW. In general, there was a steady increase in the lesion scores of the leg joints throughout the fattening period on CONCRETE, RUBBER and STRAW, whereas on some of the mats in CUBICLES these scores were at a high level from early on in the fattening period. Animals in all the housing systems were clean over the whole fattening period. Littering the lying area in CUBICLES affected neither the lesion scores nor the swelling scores at the joints nor animal cleanliness. In conclusion, both rubber coated slats and cubicles provided with soft lying mats were favourable with regard to the levels of lesions and swellings of the leg joints of finishing bulls compared to concrete slats. However, these levels were even lower in pens with a straw bedded lying area.