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Synovial Fluid and Serum MicroRNA Signatures in Equine Osteoarthritis
No full textThe aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum and synovial fluid (SF) samples of control horses and those with osteoarthritis (OA) to identify potential candidates for biomarkers of disease. Total RNA was extracted from serum and SF samples of control (n = 4) and OA (n = 9) horses and sequenced. Differential expression analysis, pathway analysis and miRNA target prediction were performed. A group of six miRNAs (eca-miR-199a-3p, eca-miR-148a, eca-miR-99b, eca-miR-146a, eca-miR-423-5p and eca-miR-23b) was selected for validation in an independent cohort (serum, n = 46; SF, n = 88). The effect of clinical variables on miRNA expression was also assessed. Sequencing analyses found 43 and 23 differentially expressed miRNAs in serum and SF samples, respectively. Pathway analysis showed miRNAs were involved in inflammatory disease/response and associated with OA pathways. miRNA expression in serum was strongly associated with the horses' workload, while age had a pronounced influence on miRNA expression in SF. Distinct patterns of miRNA differential expression were observed in serum and SF samples from horses with OA compared to controls. miR-199a-3p and miR-148a warrant further investigation as potential biomarkers of equine OA. Further characterization of these molecular changes could provide novel insights into the mechanisms of early OA
From flyway to field
No full textClimate change and new agricultural practices have driven a rapid increase in numbers of most European goose populations (Anser, Branta spp.) and a northward expansion of their wintering range, raising growing concerns related to grazing damage to agricultural crops. To mitigate such conservation conflicts, contemporary knowledge about movement patterns and foraging site selection is needed to inform management decisions. This thesis provides ecological insights to guide management and damage prevention, from flyway to field level. Specifically, it addresses migratory patterns, foraging site selection, and local movements by geese in agricultural landscapes. My studies are based on flock surveys of multiple goose species, data derived from Greylag geese fitted with GPS devices, and data on landscape features and field characteristics. My results show that two radically different types of migration strategies occur among Greylag geese breeding in Sweden. Geese in southernmost Sweden are largely resident and remain close to their breeding sites year-round, whereas geese breeding in central Sweden still migrates. My results further show that fields located within 4 km from a roost site and situated more than 200 m from nearest forest edge or human infrastructure have a high probability to attract Greylag geese. My studies also demonstrated that selection patterns tend to vary depending on goose species, season and availability, although stubble fields in general, and barley stubble in particular, were generally selected. The combined results highlight the complexity of goose behaviour, calling for coordinated strategies and joint efforts across multiple spatial scales, from international flyway-level cooperation to collaboration among neighbouring farms and authorities, to successfully integrate the knowledge derived from my study for more accurate risk assessment and effective damage prevention
Lactational performance and enteric methane emissions in dairy cows fed high-oil oats, cold-pressed rapeseed cake, and 3-nitrooxypropanol in a grass silage-based diet
No full textThe objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of high-oil oats and cold-pressed rapeseed cake (RSC) as dietary ingredients, along with supplementation of 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), on apparent total-tract digestibility, milk production, and enteric CH4 emissions in dairy cows fed a grass silage-based diet. Twenty-four lactating Nordic Red cows were grouped into 3 blocks. The experiment was conducted as a cyclic change-over where each treatment had 3 observations per period. The experiment consisted of 4 periods of 28 d each, including 18 d of diet adaptation and 10 d of data and sample collection. The 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design included 2 energy sources (barley or high-oil oats), 2 protein supplements (rapeseed meal [RSM] or RSC), and 3-NOP supplementation at 2 levels (0 or 68 mg/kg of DM), resulting in 8 dietary treatments. The basal diet consisted of 60% grass silage (on a DM basis). Inclusion rates of the experimental concentrates were 27% to 29% and 29% to 31% for barley and high-oil oats, respectively, and 8% to 10% and 10% to 12% for RSM and RSC, respectively. Diets were offered ad libitum as a TMR. Daily DMI, milk yield, BW, and gas emissions were recorded throughout the experiment. Gas emissions were measured using the GreenFeed system. Ether extract (EE) content across experimental diets ranged from 2.9% to 6.1% of DM. Total DMI tended to increase with high-oil oats compared with barley and decrease with RSC compared with RSM. Digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, and EE decreased with high-oil oats versus barley, and EE digestibility increased with RSC versus RSM. Despite lower nutrient digestibility, milk and ECM yield increased by 2.4 kg/d with high-oil oats compared with barley. Milk yield decreased by 1.1 kg/d and ECM yield tended to decrease by 1.0 kg/d with 3-NOP supplementation. Milk protein concentration decreased with high-oil oats versus barley and with RSC versus RSM. Feed efficiency increased with high-oil oats compared with barley. Daily CH4 emissions (g/d), CH4 yield (g/kg of DMI), and CH4 intensity (g/kg of ECM) decreased by 11.2%, 14.2%, and 15.3%, respectively, when barley was replaced with high-oil oats in combination with RSM but were not affected in combination with RSC. Daily CH4 emissions, CH4 yield, and CH4 intensity decreased by 12.5%, 10.6%, and 12.7%, respectively, when RSM was replaced with RSC in combination with barley but not in combination with high-oil oats. Daily CH4 emissions, CH4 yield, and CH4 intensity decreased by 33.5%, 30.9%, and 31.2%, respectively, with 3-NOP supplementation, with slightly greater efficacy on CH4 intensity when barley was used as the energy source. Urinary urea concentration was greater with high-oil oats than with barley, and lower with RSC than with RSM, but only in combination with high-oil oats. In conclusion, both high-oil oats and RSC are practical dietary ingredients for reducing enteric CH4 emissions and CH4 intensity. High-oil oats may additionally improve feed efficiency and production performance in dairy cows. Supplementation with 3-NOP reduced enteric CH4 emissions by more than 30% with additive effects when combined with RSC, but negatively affected production performance
Quo Vadis: Is Corporatisation Reshaping Companion Animal Veterinary Care in Europe?
No full textIn recent years, the European companion animal veterinary care market has experienced significant growth, with 166 million households (50%) owning one or more of Europe’s 352 million companion animals. This expansion is accompanied by a notable market trend toward the corporatisation of veterinary practices, particularly in urban areas and certain countries. Corporatisation has reshaped the profession, offering benefits such as economies of scale, advanced veterinary treatments, and structured career pathways for early-career veterinarians. However, this shift also prompted discussions on the impact it has on rising costs of care, professional autonomy constraints, and potential reductions in rural practice attractiveness. Our comprehensive study, combining a large-scale survey of European veterinarians, semi-structured questionnaires, and an extensive literature review, maps the current state of corporatisation in Europe, identifies key players, and examines its impact on the veterinary profession and broader society. The findings underscore the rapid expansion of corporate veterinary practices and the accompanying competitive pressure on independent vet-owned clinics. To ensure a sustainable future for the profession, our research highlights the need for further investigation to fully comprehend the effects of corporatisation. Addressing these challenges is essential to protect the interests of animals and their caretakers, veterinarians, and the wider society
Functional diversity of soil microbial communities increases with ecosystem development
No full textLand abandonment is the single largest process of land-use change in the Global North driving succession and afforestation at continental scales, but assessing its impacts on soil microbial communities remains a challenge. Here, we establish a nationwide successional gradient of paired grassland and forest sites to track developments in microbial structure and functioning following land abandonment and gradual land-use change to forests. We show that microbes generally respond through threshold dynamics, leading to increasing functional but decreasing taxonomic diversity. Succession also entailed specialization of microbial nutrient (C-N-P) cycling genetic repertoires while decreasing genetic redundancy. This highlights a putative trade-off between two desirable ecosystem properties: functional diversity and functional redundancy. Fungal functional diversity underpins higher microbial C-cycling capacity, underscoring the link between functional traits and ecosystem processes. Changing litter quality similarly provides a mechanistic link between plant and microbial communities despite otherwise largely decoupled successional developments above- and belowground. While land abandonment is frequently touted as an opportunity to increase biodiversity and carbon storage, our results show that deeper knowledge about the multifaceted development of soil microbial communities and their links to plant communities during succession may be needed to fully grasp the impacts of global land abandonment processes
"The landscape of love": sex-specific habitat-use during the mating season in a solitary large carnivore
No full textContextIn mammals, reproductive strategies and movement behavior can differ between sexes, influenced by biological and environmental factors. Whereas males typically adopt a "roam-to-mate" strategy, increasing movement to locate females, females may also adjust their behavior to enhance mating opportunities. Habitat and human disturbance can further shape the spatial structure of mating encounters.ObjectivesThis study investigates sex-specific habitat use during mating in brown bears. We test (1) which habitats facilitate initial male-female encounters, and (2) how habitat use differs between solitary and consorting individuals, focusing on sex-based differences and responses to anthropogenic features.MethodsWe used GPS data from 70 unique adult brown bears (44 females, 26 males) during the mating season in Sweden (2006-2016). We contrasted initial encounter areas of male-female pairs with surrounding available habitat to assess encounter site preferences, accounting for natural and anthropogenic landscape features. Additionally, we compared habitat use for each sex when solitary versus consorting.ResultsBears most often encountered the opposite sex in clearcuts and young forests. When consorting, males moved farther away from anthropogenic areas than when solitary and increased their use of clearcuts, whereas females reduced their use of young and old forests, in contrast to males. Both sexes approached roads more when consorting.ConclusionThis study revealed distinct sex-specific habitat preferences during brown bear consorting behavior, supporting the evidence of female "roam-to-mate" behavior by adjusting to males' habitat use. Our findings emphasize the importance of managing anthropogenic landscapes for conservation efforts, especially if they disrupt mating behaviors
Foderkonsumtion och tillväxt hos unga stutar utfodrade med bioraffinerad presskaka från gräs/klöverensilage
No full textIntresset för bioraffinering av gräs/klöver har ökat. Om ensilage används kan en sådan anläggning köras året runt, vilket bör förbättra lönsamheten. En annan sak som kan förbättra lönsamheten är om användningsområden för presskakan kan hittas. I denna studie undersökte vi effekten av att ersätta ensilage med presskaka i en foderstat för unga stutar.Ensilage, presskaka eller en blandning av ensilage och presskaka utfodrades i fri tillgång till holsteinstutar som vägde mellan 100 och 350 kg. Upp till 250 kg levande vikt utfodrades de med två kg kraftfoder per djur och dag. De stutar som utfodrades med en blandning av ensilage och presskaka växte lika bra som de som utfodrades med ensilage som enda grovfoder. De stutar som utfodrades med presskaka växte signifikant sämre, särskilt under den period när inget kraftfoder utfodrades. Ättiden ökade med hur stor andel presskaka som utfodrades.Det går att ersätta 50 % av ensilaget med presskaka till unga stutar utan att tillväxten sjunker. Möjligheten att använda presskaka till äldre stutar borde vara ännu högre beroende på deras låga behov av protein
Kartläggning av djupa livsmiljöer för fisk i Västerhavet
No full textBehovet av utbredningskartor över viktiga fiskhabitat är stort inom kust- och havsförvaltningen, både på regional och nationell nivå. Kartorna efterfrågas inom fiskförvaltning, områdesskydd och havsplanering, liksom vid hanteringen av tillstånds- och dispensärenden gällande byggnation och vattenverksamhet. För att ta fram heltäckande utbredningskartor utgående från provfiskedata kan man tillämpa habitatmodellering, där man statistiskt beskriver förekomst och abundans av arter i provfisken i relation till en uppsättning miljövariabler och därefter predikterar utbredningen av lämpliga habitat med hjälp av kartor över miljövariablerna.I denna studie användes data från provtrålningar i Skagerrak, Kattegatt och Öresund för åren 2005–2022 för att ta fram heltäckande kartor över abundans och lämpliga habitat för 26 arter av fiskar och en art av bläckfisk (för kartor över hajar och rockor, se Erlandsson med flera 2024). Kartorna skapades med hjälp av en teknik som kallas deltamodellering, där man först kartlägger förekomsten av lämpliga habitat och sedan predikterar abundansen inom dessa områden med hjälp av abundansmodeller. För både förekomst- och abundansmodellerna användes modellensembler, där ett flertal konceptuellt olika statistiska modelleringsmetoder kombinerades för att få så säkra och robusta utbredningskartor som möjligt.De förekomstmodeller som låg till grund för kartorna av lämpliga habitat blev genomgående starka, med AUC-värden på 0.82–0.99, vilket innebär att de hade god förmåga att identifiera lämpliga habitat. Abundansmodellerna hade en förklaringsgrad på 0–36, vilket visar att tillförlitligheten i abundansprediktionerna var lägre. De slutliga modellerna hade korrelationskoefficienter på 0.08-0.56. För många arter finns det främsta informationsvärdet därmed i förekomstmodellerna, det vill säga var i kartprediktionerna lämpliga habitat är utpekade, med abundansvärdena är mer osäkra. Kartorna som tagits fram i denna studie kan användas inom arbetet med fiskförvaltning, områdesskydd och havsplanering
Molecular identification and antimicrobial resistance profiling of pathogenic E. coli isolates from smallholder livestock households in Central Ethiopia
Get PDFEscherichia coli of different pathotypes are frequently involved in morbidity and mortality in animals and humans. The study aimed to identify E. coli pathotypes and determine antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles in Ethiopian smallholder livestock households. The pathotyping included 198 E. coli isolates identified from human and environmental samples collected from 98 households. AMR profiling was conducted on selected E. coli pathotypes from 89 households, along with known isolates from calf samples obtained from the same households. Morphological and biochemical tests were used to identify presumptive E. coli isolates. DNA was extracted and then singleplex PCR was used to amplify virulence genes. A disc diffusion test was applied for AMR profilings in E. coli pathotypes. Data were evaluated using chisquare tests and logistic regression. Calf (79.8 %) and human (73.7 %) samples were more likely to contain pathotypes (OR 3.2; 95 % CI: 1.7, 5.9; p = 0.001 and OR 2.3; 95 % CI: 1.2, 4.1; p = 0.008 , respectively) than the environmental samples (55.6 %). ETEC (32.3 %) and STEC (15.2 %) were the most common pathotypes detected in the study samples. Out of the 176 isolates selected for AMR profiling, 85 % were resistant to at least one drug and 36 % were multi-drug resistant (MDR). The MDR isolates were found in 44 households, with 11 sharing identical pathotypes and resistance profiles among the different samples. Thus, E. coli strains were likely circulated among humans, animals, and the environment. This in turn calls for a One-health approach to improve antimicrobial usage standards and promote proper waste disposal practices