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Trunk kinematics and limb movement of horses walking backwards and forwards in hand and lifting a single limb
No full textEquine physiotherapy commonly includes basic exercises such as walking backward (BW) and voluntary lifting of single limbs (SLL), but trunk movements during these have not been studied. In order to compare the trunk kinematics during BW and SLL with forward walking (FW), nine horses were measured in FW, BW and during SLL triggered by tactile cue. Kinematics were obtained from skin markers captured by ten high-speed video cameras. Trunk angles were calculated in sagittal and horizontal planes from withers, dorsal to spinous processes of the 16th thoracic vertebra (T16), 2nd and 4th sacral vertebrae (S2, S4), WT16S2 and T16S2S4 respectively. From the hooves, maximum hoof height during swing phase and horizontal distance between hoof and median body plane during swing and stance phases were determined.
Dorsoventral range of motion (ROM) and maximum flexion of WT16S2 was significantly larger in BW than in FW, while laterolateral ROM was significantly smaller during hindlimb swing phase in BW and SLL than in FW. In contrast, dorsoventral ROM of T16S2S4 was significantly smaller during stance and swing phases of hindlimbs in BW compared to FW, and throughout the movement. During forelimb swing phase, T16S2S4 ROM was significantly larger in BW than SLL. Hindhoof height in SLL was significantly higher than in FW. Distance between median body plane and hooves was significantly larger in BW than in FW, and significantly larger in BW than in SLL for hindlimb swing phase. In BW, increased lumbosacral stabilisation and the larger area of support created by fore- and hindlimbs may represent a strategy to enhance body stabilisation, as BW entails some insecurity
Comparison of ruminal fermentation characteristics of two common forages using a coupled in vivo-in situ approach and the in vitro rumen simulation technique RUSITEC
No full textThe increasing demand for a reduction of animal experiments when studying rumen fermentation has led to the development of various in vitro techniques, such as the rumen-simulation technique (RUSITEC) system that is prominently applied in European ruminant research. Yet, comparability with the in vivo situation is rather less explored with a sparse data basis. Therefore, the present study aimed to directly compare the fermentation characteristics and degradability of two common forages, i.e., grass silage (GS) and maize silage (MS), by parallel application of a coupled in vivo-in situ approach in rumen-cannulated sheep as well as the in vitro RUSITEC system. Both forages were incubated in the RUSITEC system as well as fed to rumen-cannulated sheep in six independent runs of 20 days in total with 14 days of adaptation and 6 days of sampling. The degradability coefficients of dry matter, organic matter and acid detergent fibre were affected by the method (each P < 0.05), while neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom) degradability was not different between RUSITEC and in situ measurements (P = 0.10). Likewise, Pearson correlation coefficients confirmed the comparability of in vitro and in situ values for aNDFom degradability, being 0.54 (P = 0.04) and 0.78 (P = 0.02) for GS and MS, respectively. Regarding the fermentation profile, total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were much higher in vitro than in vivo (P < 0.01), likely due to the missing absorptive capacity of the RUSITEC system. A comparison of absolute fermentation values between methods appears not feasible. However, the order of individual VFA proportions was similar between in vivo and in vitro and the correlations for both total and individual VFA further supported this congruency, especially for MS. The in vitro data appeared well comparable to the data from the coupled in vivo-in situ approach, especially for MS, with a high reproducibility in both methods. Therefore, the RUSITEC system may represent a sufficient replacement for laborious in vivo and in situ measurements when assessing nutrient degradability and general fermentation characteristics of feedstuffs. Adjustments in in situ incubation times as well as the frequently requested standardization of the operation of the RUSITEC system may further increase the significance of this in vitro method in the future. Likewise, further research on diurnal fermentation patterns is encouraged to substantiate the present findings
Ökonomie vs. Tierschutz –Tierschutz im Spannungsfeld zwischen wirtschaftlichem Nutzenkalkül und Leistbarkeit.
No full textÖkonomische Interessen stehen in einem inhärenten Spannungsverhältnis zu den Interessen des Tierschutzes. Dieser Interessenkonflikt, der sich in Zeiten wirtschaftlicher Krisen zuspitzt, besteht vor allem, aber nicht nur, im Bereich der erwerbswirtschaftlichen Nutzung von Tieren, bei der es um die Erzielung von Einkünften und um Gewinnmaximierung geht. Der österreichische Gesetzgeber misst ökonomischen Interessen bereits auf einfachgesetzlicher Ebene (im Tierschutzgesetz) – z.B. im Zusammenhang mit der Festlegung von Mindestanforderungen an die Tierhaltung – besondere Bedeutung zu; abgesehen davon sind diese Interessen auch im Gesamtzusammenhang der Rechtsordnung, insbesondere im Verhältnis zu den Grundrechten, zu berücksichtigen und zum Ausgleich zu bringen, wobei eine Abwägung zwischen den wirtschaftlichen Interessen des Einzelnen einerseits und dem öffentlichen Interesse am Tierschutz andererseits vorzunehmen ist. Der Grundsatz der Verhältnismäßigkeit gebietet es, die Interessen des Tierschutzes sowohl in der Gesetzgebung als auch im Rahmen der Rechtsanwendung umfassend und in einer seiner Bedeutung angemessenen Weise zu berücksichtigen, wobei bei der Gewichtung des Rechtsgutes „Tierschutz“ dessen Aufwertung im Unionsrecht und auf nationaler Ebene zu beachten ist. Eine angemessene Berücksichtigung der Interessen des Tierschutzes ist jedenfalls dann nicht gegeben, wenn der Tierschutz substanziell eingeschränkt bzw. in seinem Kernbereich verletzt wird. Die Grenze der Berücksichtigung ökonomischer Interessen ist jedenfalls dort anzunehmen, wo die Nutzung von Tieren zu deren Instrumentalisierung führt. Obwohl die Nutzung von Tieren zur Erzielung von Einkünften nicht nur zulässig, sondern auch durch Grundrechte geschützt ist, stellt sich im Hinblick auf den verfassungsrechtlich abgesicherten Auftrag zur Sicherung des Wohlbefindens der Tiere die Frage, wie weit sich ökonomische Interessen – z.B. an der Tötung von Tieren als kostengünstige Alternative zu deren Behandlung bzw. Aufzucht, an der Einsparung von Tierarztkosten oder an der Bemessung der Dauer von Übergangsfristen – zu Lasten des Tierschutzes auswirken dürfen. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird zunächst aufgezeigt, welche Rolle der Gesetzgeber ökonomischen Interessen im Tierschutzgesetz zuerkennt und zu welchen Ergebnissen die Rechtsprechung bei der Beurteilung der Verhältnismäßigkeit von Grundrechtseingriffen zugunsten des Tierschutzes gelangt. Sodann werden ausgewählte Interessenkonflikte auf dem Gebiet der Haltung und Nutzung von landwirtschaftlichen Nutztieren, Heim- und Versuchstieren dargestellt und der Versuch unternommen, Prozess und Ergebnis der Interessenabwägung mit Hilfe einer Matrix zu veranschaulichen
Joseph Seifert, k.k. Hoftierarzt, der vergessene Pionier der Veterinäranästhesie in Wien
No full textJoseph Seifert wurde 1798 in Steinamanger (Szombathely, Ungarn) geboren. Er absolvierte bis 1830 in Wien eine veterinär- und eine humanmedizinische Ausbildung. Im Jahr 1835 wurde er als k.k. Hoftierarzt angestellt und betreute unter anderem die Pferde in den k.k. Hofstallungen. Als am 17.12.1846 in London eine Nachricht aus den Vereinigten Staaten bezüglich der erfolgreichen Anwendung der Ätherinhalation für schmerzlose chirurgische Eingriffe beim Menschen eintraf, bemühte J. Seifert sich schon ab Mitte Januar 1847 und damit vielleicht als erster Tierarzt in Europa, die Inhalationsanästhesie mit Äther (und später Chloroform) bei Tieren zu erforschen. Anfang Februar 1847 veranstaltete er während drei Tagen in den Hofstallungen öffentliche Vorführungen von diversen mit Äther durchgeführten Operationen bei zahlreichen Pferden und einigen Nutztieren und Haustieren, wobei eine von ihm entwickelte Apparatur zum Einsatz kam. Er untersuchte auch die (letztlich erfolglose) rektale Applikation von Äther. Er beobachtete bei den Tieren die Effekte der Ätheranästhesie, benutzte aber auch labortechnische und physikalische Methoden, um die Anwesenheit von Äther in Blut, Milch und Fleisch zu bestätigen. Die Befunde und die Einschätzung des Stellenwerts dieser neuen Methode bei Tieren wurden von ihm in humanmedizinischen Zeitschriften in Österreich veröffentlicht. J. Seifert hielt die Ätheranästhesie für einen enormen positiven Beitrag an das Tierwohl, da man nun Tiere schmerzfrei operieren konnte. Außerdem sah er die- se neue Methode als einen großen Fortschritt zur Sicherheit der behandelnden Ärzte und Helfer. Er eta- blierte die Ätheranästhesie schon im Februar 1847 als das Standardprozedere für die in den Hofstallungen üblichen jährlichen Operationen an den Pferden und kann so als europäischer Vorreiter auf dem Gebiet dar¬gestellt werden. Trotzdem werden J. Seifert und seine Leistung in der modernen historischen Literatur kaum erwähnt. Joseph Seifert verstarb im Jahr 1854 in Wien.Joseph Seifert was born in 1798 in Steinamanger (Szombathely, Hungary). He completed studies in human and veterinary medicine in Vienna. In 1835 he was appointed Veterinarian to the Imperial Court and became responsible for the Imperial Stables. Here, Seifert was among, if not the first veterinarian on the continent to administer di-ethyl ether (and later chloroform) by inhalation to horses. This was only about 6 weeks after news reached London (on 17th December 1846) that ether inhalation had demonstrably rendered surgery painless in a human patient at the Massachusetts General Hospital on the 16th October 1846. The results of pilot trials in January 1847 encouraged him to organize public demonstrations of ether anaesthesia on animals in the Imperial Stables on the 5th, 6th and 9th of February when he performed various surgical interventions on anaesthetized horses, ruminants and pets, using his own specifically developed equipment. The rectal route of administration was also demonstrated but was unsuccessful. He reported his clinical observations of ether’s effects at different doses and the physicochemical methods he used to prove the presence of ether in blood, milk and meat. These reports, and his profound appreciation of the new method were published in Austrian medical journals. Seifert considered ether anaesthesia a unique and major breakthrough in animal welfare because it allowed surgery without inflicting pain. He also recognised it was a major contributor to the veterinarian\u27s and his assistants\u27 safety as it made animal restraint considerably easier. From this time on, ether anaethesia was considered the method of choice for con¬ducting standard surgical procedures on horses at the Imperial Stables. These achievements reveal the ma¬jor and pioneering role of J. Seifert in the development of veterinary anaesthesia. A fact which has hitherto been unrecognized – his name and achievements are seldom mentioned in modern texts describing the his¬tory of veterinary anaesthesia. Joseph Seifert died in Vienna in 1854.Joseph Seifert wurde 1798 in Steinamanger (Szombathely, Ungarn) geboren. Er absolvierte bis 1830 in Wien eine veterinär- und eine humanmedizinische Ausbildung. Im Jahr 1835 wurde er als k.k. Hoftierarzt angestellt und betreute unter anderem die Pferde in den k.k. Hofstallungen. Als am 17.12.1846 in London eine Nachricht aus den Vereinigten Staaten bezüglich der erfolgreichen Anwendung der Ätherinhalation für schmerzlose chirurgische Eingriffe beim Menschen eintraf, bemühte J. Seifert sich schon ab Mitte Januar 1847 und damit vielleicht als erster Tierarzt in Europa, die Inhalationsanästhesie mit Äther (und später Chloroform) bei Tieren zu erforschen. Anfang Februar 1847 veranstaltete er während drei Tagen in den Hofstallungen öffentliche Vorführungen von diversen mit Äther durchgeführten Operationen bei zahlreichen Pferden und einigen Nutztieren und Haustieren, wobei eine von ihm entwickelte Apparatur zum Einsatz kam. Er untersuchte auch die (letztlich erfolglose) rektale Applikation von Äther. Er beobachtete bei den Tieren die Effekte der Ätheranästhesie, benutzte aber auch labortechnische und physikalische Methoden, um die Anwesenheit von Äther in Blut, Milch und Fleisch zu bestätigen. Die Befunde und die Einschätzung des Stellenwerts dieser neuen Methode bei Tieren wurden von ihm in humanmedizinischen Zeitschriften in Österreich veröffentlicht. J. Seifert hielt die Ätheranästhesie für einen enormen positiven Beitrag an das Tierwohl, da man nun Tiere schmerzfrei operieren konnte. Außerdem sah er die- se neue Methode als einen großen Fortschritt zur Sicherheit der behandelnden Ärzte und Helfer. Er eta- blierte die Ätheranästhesie schon im Februar 1847 als das Standardprozedere für die in den Hofstallungen üblichen jährlichen Operationen an den Pferden und kann so als europäischer Vorreiter auf dem Gebiet dar¬gestellt werden. Trotzdem werden J. Seifert und seine Leistung in der modernen historischen Literatur kaum erwähnt. Joseph Seifert verstarb im Jahr 1854 in Wien
Dogs do not use their own experience with novel barriers to infer others\u27 visual access
No full textDespite extensive research into the Theory of Mind abilities in non-human animals, it remains controversial whether they can attribute mental states to other individuals or whether they merely predict future behaviour based on previous behavioural cues. In the present study, we tested pet dogs (in total, N = 92) on adaptations of the \u27goggles test\u27 previously used with human infants and great apes. In both a cooperative and a competitive task, dogs were given direct experience with the properties of novel screens (one opaque, the other transparent) inserted into identical, but differently coloured, tunnels. Dogs learned and remembered the properties of the screens even when, later on, these were no longer directly visible to them. Nevertheless, they were not more likely to follow the experimenter\u27s gaze to a target object when the experimenter could see it through the transparent screen. Further, they did not prefer to steal a forbidden treat first in a location obstructed from the experimenter\u27s view by the opaque screen. Therefore, dogs did not show perspective-taking abilities in this study in which the only available cue to infer others\u27 visual access consisted of the subjects\u27 own previous experience with novel visual barriers. We conclude that the behaviour of our dogs, unlike that of infants and apes in previous studies, does not show evidence of experience-projection abilities
Brain gene expression reveals pathways underlying nocturnal migratory restlessness
No full textMigration is one of the most extreme and energy demanding life history strategies to have evolved in the animal kingdom. In birds, champions of long-distance migrations, the seasonal emergence of the migratory phenotype is characterised by rapid physiological and metabolic remodelling, including substantial accumulation of fat stores and increases in nocturnality. The molecular underpinnings and brain adaptations to seasonal migrations remain poorly understood. Here, we exposed Common quails (Coturnix coturnix) to controlled changes in day length to simulate southward autumn migration, and then blocked the photoperiod until birds entered the non-migratory wintering phase. We first performed de novo RNA-Sequencing from selected brain samples (hypothalamus) collected from birds at a standardised time at night, either in a migratory state (when restlessness was highest and at their body mass peak), or in a non-migratory state and conducted differential gene expression and functional pathways analyses. We found that the migratory state was associated with up-regulation of a few, yet functionally well defined, gene expression networks implicated in fat trafficking, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Further analyses that focused on candidate genes (apolipoprotein H or APOH, lysosomal associated membrane protein-2 or LAMP2) from samples collected during the day or night across the entire study population suggested differences in the expression of these genes depending on the time of the day with the largest expression levels being found in the migratory birds sampled at night. We also found that expression of APOH was positively associated with levels of nocturnal activity in the migratory birds; such an association was absent within the non-migratory birds. Our results provide novel experimental evidence revealing that hypothalamic changes in expression of apolipoprotein pathways, which regulate the circulatory transport of lipids, are likely key regulatory activators of nocturnal migratory movements. Our study paves the way for performing deeper functional investigations on seasonal molecular remodelling underlying the development of the migratory phenotype
Molecular Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes in the Food Chain of the Republic of Kosovo from 2016 to 2022
No full textThe present study describes the genetic characterization of L. monocytogenes strains found in the Republic of Kosovo\u27s food chain. From 2016 to 2022, 995 samples were collected. Overall, 648 samples were from ready-to-eat (RTE) food products, 281 from food products consumed cooked (FPCC), 60 from raw materials, and 6 from environmental samples. Overall, 11.76% (117 out of 995) of the samples were contaminated by L. monocytogenes, comprising 6.33% (41 out of 648) from RTE products, 14.95% (42 out of 281) from FPCC, 55.00% (33 out of 60) from raw materials, and 16.66% (1 out of 6) from environmental samples. All isolates were subjected to molecular serotyping and clonal complex (CC) identification by using real-time PCR, as well as multilocus sequence typing. All isolates were grouped into four molecular serotypes, IIa (34.19%), IIb (3.48%), IIc (32.48%), and IVb (29.91%), as well as Lineage I (33.33%) and Lineage II (66.66%). In total, 14 CCs were identified from 41 RTE isolates; however, CC29 (7), CC2 (6), and CC6 (6) were the most dominant. By contrast, CC9 was by far the most represented CC in both FPCC (21) and RM (14). Moreover, 30 isolates expressed CC1, CC2, CC4, or CC6, which are particularly associated with severe human infections
Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites and Hair Cortisone/Cortisol Measurements in Domestic Pigs Exposed to Road Transportation and Dexamethasone Treatment
No full textPig homeostasis is challenged by stressful production practices, like road transportation. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are mediators of reactive homeostasis, and their concentrations are frequently used as a stress indicator. The adrenocortical activity of fattening female and castrated male pigs was monitored over a 5-day longitudinal study. A bi-factorial experimental design was applied on day 2; 18 pigs in pen 1 were transported for 3 h (T; 1.2 m2/pig), and 18 pigs were kept in pen 2 (NT). Ten pigs from each pen were treated with dexamethasone (T-D or NT-D), and eight with saline solution (T-SS or NT-SS). Adrenocortical activity was assessed by measuring the levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) and hair cortisol and cortisone. In T-SS pigs, the level of FGMs was higher after transportation than in NT-SS pigs. The level of FGMs of T-D pigs initially increased but then reached similar levels to those of NT-SS sooner than T-SS. In contrast, hair cortisol and cortisone did not respond to the treatments. Nevertheless, the hair cortisone/cortisol ratio increased due to transport and decreased after dexamethasone administration. Daily faecal sampling proved still more reliable than 60-day hair sampling for assessing adrenocortical activity. Transported pigs recovered their adrenocortical baseline levels within 24 h. Dexamethasone attenuated the response to transport
The impact of citrus pulp inclusion on milk performance of dairy cows: A meta-analysis
No full textConsidering sustainability and circular economy, citrus pulp could become a common dairy feedstuff. Yet, there is no clear indication of the amount of citrus pulp that can be fed without compromising milk performance or that could deliver benefits. In our meta-analysis, we investigated the impact of varying citrus pulp inclusion levels, i.e., no (0 %), low (>0-10 %), medium (>10-20 %), and high (>20 %), on milk performance variables. Replacing cereal grains with citrus pulp increased pectins and sugars while decreasing starch. At the low inclusion level, citrus pulp increased milk yield without affecting feed intake. At higher inclusion levels, citrus pulp reduced feed intake and milk yield but with higher fat contents, the milk energy content was similar to no inclusion. Concluding, citrus pulp is a good energy source with lipogenic properties in dairy cows. We encourage research to fill in the existing gap of knowledge at the rumen and systemic levels
Case report: Giant cell tumor of bone in the mandible of a goat-diagnostics, surgical treatment, and outcome
No full textNeoplastic processes of the mandible and their treatment are rarely reported in large animal species. Specifically, giant cell tumor of bone is an uncommon tumor in animals and has been associated in humans with locally invasive behavior and a high recurrence rate. En-bloc resection is the treatment of choice, but depending on the localization of the tumor, this may result in functional deficits. This report details the diagnostic work-up, treatment, and long-term outcome of a giant cell tumor of bone involving the rostral mandible and mandibular symphysis of a goat. Extensive rostral mandibulectomy involving the entire mandibular symphysis without surgical fixation of the hemimandibles was performed. Histological and electron microscopic findings of the tumor were consistent with a giant cell tumor of bone. Although a mutation of the H3F3A gene is considered the driver of tumor development in human giant cell tumors, using molecular analysis, this gene mutation could not be confirmed in this case. Follow-up examinations revealed spontaneous secondary fusion of both hemimandibles and no signs of tumor recurrence. Nearly 1 year after surgery, the owners reported no signs of tumor regrowth