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Pregnancy toxemia and lipid mobilization syndrome in two alpaca (Vicugna pacos) at 6 and 10 months of gestation
No full textPregnancy toxemia and lipid mobilization syndrome in two alpaca (Vicugna pacos) at 6 and 10 months of gestation
No full textPrimary ketosis, or pregnancy toxemia, is an uncommon feature of pregnancy in camelids compared to small ruminant species. In severely debilitated females, induction of abortion or parturition should be considered to alleviate the syndrome. This case report describes the clinical findings and medical treatment approach of ketosis in two pregnant alpacas (Vicugna pacos) referred to the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (OVUD) of the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Perugia, Italy.The first patient was a 7-years old female alpaca 6-months pregnant, 80 kg body weight and BCS 3.25, with a 5 days history of anorexia and regurgitation. At initial examination the body temperature was 38.6 degrees C, with a glycaemia of 341 mg/dL. Ultrasound examination of the abdomen revealed no fetal heart activity. On the third day from admission the animal started to feed and the temperature decreased to 37.9 degrees C. On the same day 100 mu g of prostaglandin agonist (Estrumate (R)) were administered IM. On the fourth day of admission, appetite increased and abortion of a dead fetus was noticed. On fifth day of admission, temperature was 37.5 degrees C, the alpaca showed good appetite and rumination, feces were normal and fetal membranes were expelled. Due to the improved general condition the alpaca was dismissed.The second patient was a 3-year old female alpaca, 10-months pregnant, 65 kg body weight and BCS 3.0, which was referred with lethargy, anorexia and signs of colic. At presentation, glycaemia was 141 mg/dL and rumen activity was absent. Ultrasound examination revealed live and vital fetal parameters (heart rate; 110 bpm). A blood sample was taken and, once centrifuged, the serum appeared milky and triglycerides reached 1208 mg/dL. The general condition of the animal improved with fluid and supportive therapy. At day 4 of admission a morphologically normal, female cria was born; however, no suction reflex was present within the first 1.5 hours. The cria was bottle-feed with bovine frozen colostrum, but the general condition constantly declined; failure of passive transfer was noticed through biochemistry profile. Since no response to supportive therapy was achieved, the cria was euthanized at 36 hours of life. Dam's condition improved and, after expulsion of fetal membranes, the alpaca was dismissed.Prognosis for camelids whit fat mobilization syndrome and pregnancy toxemia depends on the timing of diagnosis and intervention. In both reported cases, our approach showed good results in preserving the survival of the dams, while one fetus was diagnosed as already dead upon initial clinical exam, and the other one died within 48h from birth
Assessment of sensitivity and profitability of an intravaginal sensor for remote calving prediction in dairy cattle
Full text linkOne critical point of dairy farm management is calving and neonatal first care. Timely calving assistance is associated with the reduction of calf mortality and postpartum uterine disease, and with improved fertility in dairy cattle. This study aimed to evaluate the performance and profitability of an intravaginal sensor for the prediction of stage II of labor in dairy farms, thus allowing proper calving assistance. Seventy-three late-gestating Italian Holstein cows were submitted to the insertion of an intravaginal device, equipped with light and temperature sensors, connected with a Central Unit for the commutation of a radio-signal into a cell phone alert. The remote calving alarm correctly identified the beginning of the expulsive phase of labor in 86.3% of the monitored cows. The mean interval from alarm to complete expulsion of the fetus was 71.56 ± 52.98 min, with a greater range in cows with dystocia (p = 0.012). The sensor worked correctly in both cold and warm weather conditions, and during day-or night-time. The intravaginal probe was well tolerated, as any cow showed lesions to the vaginal mucosa after calving. Using sex-sorted semen in heifers and beef bull semen in cows at their last lactation, the economic estimation performed through PrecisionTreeTM software led to an income improvement of 119 € and 123 €/monitored delivery in primiparous and pluriparous cows, respectively. Remote calving alarm devices are key components of “precision farming” management and proven to improve animal welfare, to reduce calf losses and to increase farm incomes
Delayed First Milking in Unassisted Overnight Calving Did Not Affect the Quality of Colostrum but Influenced Serum Brix Refractometry in Holstein Calves at Two Days of Life
Full text linkTimely administration of good-quality colostrum represents the first farm strategy to avoid the failure of passive transfer (FPT). However, calves born during the night are likely to be fed later than recommended. Our aim was to evaluate whether night-occurring calving and delayed first milking affected colostrum quality and immune passive transfer. The dataset included 463 calvings. Four liters of colostrum were administered by an esophageal tube feeder. The mean Brix% of colostrum was 27.43%, while serum Brix% at two days of life in calves was 10.19%. According to the Generalized Linear Model, parity ≥ 4, calving months of March, April, and from September to November positively influenced the quality of colostrum. Dams carrying a male calf produced lower quality colostrum compared with those carrying a female calf (−2.78 ± 1.04 % Brix, p = 0.008); heavier female calves were associated with greater colostrum quality (0.29 ± 0.05 for each Kg increase, p < 0.001). Night-or daycalving had no effect on the quality of colostrum. The only factor influencing the serum Brix% of female Holstein calves at two days of life was the day-or night-occurring birth (−0.386 ± 0.188 Brix% in calves born during the night, p = 0.04). Our results showed that calves born overnight and fed the day after had decreased serum Total Protein concentrations as indicated by reduced Brix refractometer readings, compared with calves born during the day and fed quickly after birth. However, the administration of 4 L of high-quality colostrum likely improved their serum Brix% at two days of life. Alternatively, where the prevalence of good-quality colostrum is lower, improving calving supervision and ensuring timely feeding are important to reduce the risk of FPT
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Estimating the net return of a remote calving alarm system in a dairy farm
Full text linkThe aim of the study was to evaluate the net return of the implementation of a remote calving monitoring system for obstetrical and neonatal assistance on the herd economy in a dairy farm model. A total of 680 parturitions over a 7-yr period were evaluated. Age at first calving was restricted from 23 to 27 mo for primiparous cows to be included. Among groups of cows that were ready to calve in a 15-d interval, primiparous and multiparous were randomly assigned to the experimental group and monitored through a calving alarm system, whereas the others accounted for controls. Final parturition groups were as follows: control primiparous (CPP, n = 218), control multiparous (CM, n = 345), monitored primiparous (MPP, n = 56), and monitored multiparous (MM, n = 61). Monitored groups received prompt calving assistance and first neonatal care, whereas the presence of farm personnel was discontinuous for controls. A biological model was built considering significant differences in calf loss, early culling, milk production, and days open between groups. Then, a partial budget model was used to estimate costs and net return on a simulated herd of 100 lactating cows. Incidence of calf death was greater in control groups (11.06% and 10.73% in CPP and CM, respectively) compared with monitored cows (0.00% and 1.69% in MPP and MM, respectively). Multiparous cows with calf loss had increased relative risk (relative risk = 3.487) for early culling compared with multiparous counterparts with no neonatal loss. Daily milk production in the first 2 mo was 3.79 kg greater in multiparous cows with no dead calf, compared with their counterparts. A significant difference in median days open was found in MPP and CPP (118 and 148 d, respectively). In the final economic model, different simulations were analyzed. They were created assuming different prices or hypothesizing calving monitoring only in primiparous animals. The model estimated different, but always positive, net return. In conclusion, implementing a calving alarm system led to a net return from €37 to 90 per cow per year (€1 = US$1.15 at the time of the study). However, the device alone is not sufficient: it must be supported by qualified calving monitoring and assistance. Optimized personnel presence in the calving area at the right time leads to prompt calving and neonatal calf assistance and colostrum feeding within the first hours of life, thus reducing calf death and days open, and increasing milk production
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