Austral Journal of Veterinary Sciences
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Effects of the inclusion of brown seaweed (Macrocystis pyrifera) additive in the diet of grass-fed steers on carcass performance, meat quality, and nutrient composition
Get PDFThe objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of a brown seaweed additive (SWA; Macrocystis pyrifera) in the diet of grass-fed steers on carcass performance, beef quality, and nutrient composition. A total of 20 Holstein-Friesian steers were randomly distributed into two groups: Control group (a basal diet without supplementation of SWA) and SWA group (2%-SWA) with basal diet + 30 g/day/animal of SWA during the breeding phase (11 months) and 48 g/day/animal of SWA during the fattening phase (4 months). Steers fed with 2%-SWA were not different (P>0.05) in final body weight, carcass weight, carcass dressing, fat thickness, ribeye area, and marbling score than those from the Control group. Likewise, no effects of 2%-SWA supplementation were detected (P>0.05) for beef quality traits, glycolytic potential, or their metabolites (muscular glycogen, glycose+glucose-6-phosphate, and lactate), evaluated in longissimus lumborum (LL) samples. Sensory evaluation showed a slight preference for Control group samples rather than those from the 2%-SWA group (58.93% and 41.07%; P=0.06). Regarding, proximal composition, the inclusion of SWA only affected the total lipids present in the LL samples, which decreased significantly (P=0.01) in LL samples of grass-fed steers fed with 2%-SWA. The composition of macro (Ca, Na, Mg, P, and K) and micro (Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn) minerals in LL samples were not affected (P>0.05) by the inclusion of SWA in the diet. The inclusion of the additive based on brown seaweed had not a detrimental effect on carcass performance, beef quality, and mineral content, however, it reduced the total lipids content in the LL muscle
Comparisons of beta2-microglobulin, apolipoprotein A1, and immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) detected in the serum and urine from individual cats
Get PDFDetection of serum and urinary proteins is important for normal conditions, but comparison of individual serum and urine proteins is rarely performed. The aim of this study was to examine beta2-microglobulin (beta2-MG), apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I), and immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) in the serum and urine of cats with chronic kidney disease and lower urinary tract disease (LUTD), in addition to healthy cats. Serum and urine samples were analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by immunoblotting for beta2-MG, ApoA-I, IgG, and IgM. The molecular weight of serum beta2-MG was greater than the predicted molecular weight (11,472 Da), and different types of modified beta2-MGs were detected in the urine of healthy and diseased cats including original type in addition to grycocylated and partially digested types. Serum and urinary ApoA-I molecular weights were lower than the predicted molecular weight (28,943 Da), and high levels of urinary ApoA-I were detected in LUTD cats, although urinary ApoA-I was not detected in healthy cats. Under non-reducing conditions, H-chains of urinary IgM pentamers and IgG monomers were detected in healthy cats. These results suggest that urinary beta2-MG is modified in a different manner from serum beta2-MG, urinary ApoA-I is a potential marker of LUTD, and urinary IgM pentamer, IgG monomer, and their H-chains are found after glomerular filtration even in healthy conditions
Determination of copro-prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus and associated factors in domestic dogs: a household cross-sectional study in Huancarama, Peru
Get PDFEchinococcosis is an important disease with regard to public health and the leading role that humans have in fulfilling the transmission cycle. The objective of this study was to determine the copro-prevalence of Echinococcus granulosus in dogs from homes in Huancarama, Peru, and the factors associated with this infection. The research was basic, prospective, quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, and analytical. This study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee for the Use of Animals (CIEA) and the Institutional Research Ethics Committee (CIEI) of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. The sample comprised of 519 homes. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to develop layers of information on the study area with georeferencing of the locations of these homes. Information processing was performed using Excel for Windows 2010, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS 25 software, and ArcGIS 10.8. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression tests were performed to determine the possible associations. Categorical variables were statistically contrasted using the chi-square test with 95% confidence intervals and P ? 0.05, which indicated the extreme degree of significance. It was found that 94.4% of the houses had dogs and that the prevalence of E. granulosus was 27.7% (95/343; 95% CI 22.8-32.6). The distance from the house to the cattle slaughterhouse was associated with disease occurrence (P < 0.01). Locations in the Suni altitude zone presented a higher prevalence (41.8%) (P < 0.05). Lack of knowledge that humans can contract echinococcosis was associated with disease occurrence (P < 0.05)
Diagnosis, treatment and outcome following chronic encircling hobbling wounds in a group of working Donkeys in Morocco
Get PDFOwners of working equids in Morocco, as in other low and middle-income countries hobble their animals around the pastern using different materials (wire, baling twine and ropes). Resulting wounds are very common and can cause serious damage. Some hobbles even embed into the soft tissue and bony structures of the pastern. Using a retrospective study of The American Fondouk hospital’s clinical records, the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of embedding hobbling injuries are described. From 2012 to 2020, sixteen donkeys were presented suffering from unilateral severe lameness (4/5 to 5/5 lameness on AAEP scale) associated with hobble wounds. Circumferential wounds and/or fibrosis in the pastern were present in all these cases. Because of the suspicion of the presence of wire or baling twine, radiographs of the pasterns of all animals were routinely taken. Ten out of sixteen showed wire in situ encircling the pastern and the others showed a ghost outline of a baling twine hobble with similar periosteal reactions. All animals were treated by surgical removal of the hobble, wound flushing, systemic antibiotics, and bandaging. The outcome was good to excellent in all cases. In these authors’ knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of embedded hobbles in Equidae
Special Issue: Working Equids
No full textEditorial (January 2023)
Vol. 55 Nº 1 Special Issue of Austral Journal of Veterinary Sciences gathers several studies regarding the critical contribution working equids have made throughour history developing societies, which leads us to encourage its health and welfar
Vertebral osteomyelitis associated with Enterococcus faecalis in Broiler Breeders in Chile
Get PDFVertebral osteomyelitis is a re-emerging disease characterized by inflammation and necrosis of the thoracic vertebral body, caused by Enterococcus cecorum. Here, we report the first case of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by Enterococcus faecalis in Broiler Breeders, in Chile, which also causes infections in humans and is resistant to multiple antimicrobials, representing a risk to public health
Zoonoses and traumatic injuries among practicing veterinarians in the Los Lagos Region, Chile
Get PDFThis research addresses the occurrence of clinical signs and related symptoms of zoonotic diseases, traumatic injuries, and the frequency of healthcare seeking among practicing veterinarians, whose job was performed in the Los Lagos Region, Southern Chile. An online standardized survey collected from 140 practicing veterinarians was conducted between March and July 2020. The surveyed participants reported the occurrence of brucellosis, ringworm, scabies, cat scratch disease, anthrax, toxocariasis, salmonellosis, pediculosis, and flea infestation among veterinarians. The clinical signs and symptoms related to these events include diarrhea, allergies, and muscle pain. Mild and severe traumatic injuries were also declared by the participants, in which the frequency of severe trauma increased as the time of professional practice increased. Nevertheless, the use of professional healthcare was low among the surveyed veterinarians. This study emphasizes the need to consider veterinarians’ health-related occupational risks using the “One Health” approach
Caesarean surgery and ovariohysterectomy in a precocial rodent Octodon degus
No full textThe common degu (Octodon degus) is a trendy rodent pet in Europe and the USA, but is also widely used in scientific research. Information about degu housing, nutrition, behavior, disease diagnosis, and disease treatment is abundant in scientific literature. However, information on reproductive management, such as cesarean section, ovariohysterectomy, ovariectomy, and orchiectomy, is scarce and anecdotal. Our general objective was to develop a protocol for cesarean section and ovariohysterectomy for degus. Our results indicated that cesarean post-surgical survival was 100% for mothers and 97% for offspring, while ovariohysterectomy female postsurgical survival was 100%. Cesarean surgeries lasted an average of 61.82 min, while ovariohysterectomies lasted an average of 32.65 min. The initial recovery times for cesarean sections and ovariohysterectomies were an average of 8.18 and 5.53 min, respectively. The full recovery time for cesarean section was an average of 50.18 min, whereas that for ovariohysterectomies was an average of 15.38 min. These results suggest that both protocols are viable for use in veterinary clinics that use mid-level equipment. We discuss our results with data from other rodent species and rabbits and with orchiectomy and ovariectomy procedures practiced in degu. Finally, we discuss in detail four critical considerations for cesarean and ovariohysterectomy surgeries performed on small mammals such as degu
May the force be with you: an investigation into logging methods using donkeys
Get PDFWorking equids represent major sources of energy worldwide, and assume an increasingly important role in line with increasing requirements for sustainable energy. The effectiveness of their contributions relies on welfare, especially in the case of donkeys that, due to their size, face more adverse working conditions compared to larger equids. In this study, heart rate and force exerted were monitored while logging using three methods: direct pull, sled, and vehicles. A swingle tree incorporating a dynamometer and data logger was developed for this project, allowing continuous recording of forces. It was hypothesized that logging techniques that suspend (partially or totally) the load from the ground, reduce the force exerted, thus reducing physical effort. This study also aimed to understand if heart rate can be used as an alternative proxy measure when pulling different loads using different methods. Results showed that the greatest force was measured during direct pull (369.66 N), requiring 20% greater force compared to the sled (299.10 N, P <0.001), and 60% greater force than the vehicle (125.11 N, P <0.001). The sled required an additional 58% of force compared to the vehicle (P <0.001). This determines vehicles are the best option for reducing the force exerted by donkeys. Affordability and skills needed to work with this technique, however, are important considerations. Sleds represent a user-friendly solution; reducing the force needed when compared to direct pull, requiring less skills and equipment. The dynamometer proved an excellent method for force monitoring. Heart rate as a proxy measure for force didn’t provide accurate data for lighter loads. Increasing load weight, followed by the increasing force requirements, correlation and explanatory power became greater, indicating that with heavier logs, or methods that display greater force requirements, heart rate may be used as a proxy method for force, but further studies are needed
Serosurvey of canine distemper virus in culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) and chilla (Lycalopex griseus) foxes of the Araucanía region, Chile
Get PDFOur goal was to assess whether free-ranging foxes have been exposed to canine distemper virus (CDV) in the Araucanía region in Chile. The study was conducted at three sites in rural areas where free-ranging foxes were trapped and bled from 2009 to 2012. We sampled two species of foxes: the culpeo (Lycalopex culpaeus) (n=13) and the chilla (Lycalopex griseus) (n=14). A serum virus neutralization assay was used to detect the presence and magnitude of functional systemic antibodies to CDV. Overall, CDV seroprevalence in culpeo and chilla foxes was 7.7 and 21.4%, respectively. Exposure to CDV did not differ among the sites. Despite the relatively low seroprevalence found in free-ranging foxes, the presence of CDV-seropositive dogs previously reported in rural sites nearby, suggests a potential risk of pathogen spill over from domestic dogs to foxes in the area