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Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics

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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Cattle".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2023) | Viewed by 19905

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Raphaël Guatteo

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Guest Editor

INRAE, Oniris, BIOEPAR, 44300 Nantes, France
Interests: epidemiology; infectious disease; dairy cattle; lameness; welfare; Johne’s disease; Q fever

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cattle production is one the most important production sectors across the globe, with over 1 billion domesticated animals under our care. Improving the health and welfare of cattle regardless of the type of system is crucial. Infectious, metabolic, and functional diseases jeopardize the efficacy and sustainability of cattle production. In addition, societal demand regarding public health (antibiotic use and misuse), welfare (pain management, increased grazing time for instance), and sustainability (feed efficiency, methane emission,) arise. This has led to the need for efficient husbandry systems, good nutrition, improved diagnostic methods, tailored-made biosecurity procedures, and integrated health and welfare management.

The overall aim of this Special Issue is to gather recent and relevant research focused on cattle, both beef and dairy, which could contribute to the improvement of cattle performances and the health and welfare of cattle. This could include studies on infectious as well as production diseases in beef and dairy cattle of all ages. Research at animal and herd levels, focusing on production, diagnostic, and therapeutics, as well as works advancing our knowledge at the population level, are welcome in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Raphaël Guatteo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cattle
production
individual medicine
population medicine
epidemiology
pain management
therapeutics
welfare

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 5098 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distinguishing Natural Infections of the Bovine Mammary Gland by Staphylococcus from Streptococcus spp. Using Quantitative Milk Proteomics

by Dina Rešetar Maslov, Funmilola Clara Thomas, Anđelo Beletić, Josipa Kuleš, Ivana Rubić, Miroslav Benić, Goran Bačić, Nino Maćešić, Vida Eraghi, Vladimir Farkaš, Tihana Lenac Roviš, Berislav Lisnić, Damir Žubčić, Dalibor Potočnjak and Vladimir Mrljak

Animals 2023, 13(11), 1829; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111829 - 31 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1215

Abstract

Bovine mastitis is the most frequent disease on dairy farms, which leads to a decrease in the health welfare of the animals and great economic losses. This study was aimed at determining the quantitative variations in the milk proteome caused by natural infection by Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species in order to gain further understanding of any discrepancies in pathophysiology and host immune responses, independent of the mastitis level. After identification of Staphylococcus (N = 51) and Streptococcus (N = 67) spp., tandem mass tag (TMT)-labeled quantitative proteomic and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) techniques on a modular Ultimate 3000 RSLCnano system coupled to a Q Exactive Plus was applied on aseptically sampled milk from Holstein cows. Proteome Discoverer was used for protein identification and quantitation through the SEQUEST algorithm. Statistical analysis employing R was used to identify differentially abundant proteins between the groups. Protein classes, functions and functional-association networks were determined using the PANTHER and STRING tools and pathway over-representation using the REACTOME. In total, 156 master bovine proteins were identified (two unique peptides, p < 0.05 and FDR < 0.001), and 20 proteins showed significantly discrepant abundance between the genera (p < 0.05 and FDR < 0.5). The most discriminatory proteins per group were odorant-binding protein (higher in staphylococci) and fibrinogen beta chain protein (higher in streptococci). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that protein kinase C-binding protein NELL2, thrombospondin-1, and complement factor I have diagnostic potential for differentiating staphylococci and streptococci intramammary infection and inflammation. Improved understanding of the host response mechanisms and recognition of potential biomarkers of specific-pathogen mastitis, which may aid prompt diagnosis for control implementation, are potential benefits of this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics)

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13 pages, 721 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Alternatives to Locomotion Scoring for Detecting Lameness in Dairy Cattle in Tanzania: Infrared Thermography

by Chacha W. Werema, Linda J. Laven, Kristina R. Mueller and Richard A. Laven

Animals 2023, 13(8), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081372 - 17 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1087

Abstract

Lameness detection is a significant challenge. Locomotion scoring (LS), the most widely used system for detecting lameness, has several limitations, including its subjective nature and the existence of multiple systems, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether the foot skin temperature (FST) of hind limbs, as measured using infrared thermography (IRT), could potentially be used as an alternative on Tanzanian dairy farms. Each of the three study farms were visited twice during the afternoon milking on consecutive days, with a total of 170 cows assessed. DairyNZ LS (4-point scale (0–3)) was undertaken on the first day as the cows exited the milking parlour after being milked, while on the following day, the plantar aspect of the hind limbs of the cows was thermally imaged while they were standing in the milking parlour, using a handheld T650sc forward-looking infrared camera. Mean FST was higher for cows with a locomotion score of 1 than those with a score of 0; higher for cows with a locomotion score of 2 than those with a score of 1; and higher for cows with a locomotion score of 3 than those with a score of 2, with each one-unit locomotion score increase being associated with a 0.57 °C increase in mean temperature across all zones. The optimal cut-off point of 38.0 °C for mean temperature across all zones was identified using a receiver operator characteristic curve. This cut-off point had a sensitivity of 73.2% and a specificity of 86.0% for distinguishing cows with a locomotion score ≥ 2 (clinical lameness). The prevalence of clinical lameness across all three farms was 33%, which meant that only 72% of cows with a mean FST across all zones ≥ 38.0 °C had been identified as clinically lame using LS. This study confirmed that IRT has the potential to be used to detect lameness on Tanzanian dairy farms. However, before it can be widely used, improvements in accuracy, especially specificity, are needed, as are reductions in equipment (IR camera) costs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics)

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7 pages, 240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Meloxicam Administration in Cows Prior to Caesarean Section on the Efficacy of Passive Immunity Transfer in Calves

by Raphaël Guatteo, Caroline Lesort and Gwenola Touzot-Jourde

Animals 2023, 13(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010037 - 22 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1559

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess in the Charolais cow–calf system, the benefit of meloxicam administered to cows prior to c-section to the efficacy of passive immune transfer to the newborn under the assumption that providing analgesia to the dam could lead to an earlier or longer colostrum intake. This study was performed in Burgundy, France in two veterinary private practices. Colostrum quality, delay between the end of the c-section and the first spontaneous colostrum suckling, and the 24 h after birth calf serum IgG content from cows treated 15 min prior to c-section with meloxicam subcutaneously (0.5 mg/kg) (n = 22) or without analgesia (n = 26) were compared. No significant differences were observed in the quality of the colostrum nor the delay between the end of the surgery and the first spontaneous colostrum suckling between treatment groups. However, the number of calves showing a better transfer of passive immunity (IgG content >15 g/L) was significantly higher (p = 0.023) among those originating from dams receiving meloxicam prior to c-section. This effect was notably observed in multiparous cows (p = 0.041). This study confirms that pre-emptive analgesia in cows prior to c-section benefits the calf through an improved colostrum intake that is of paramount importance for calf short- and long-term survival. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics)

13 pages, 1765 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Delivering an Immunocastration Vaccine via a Novel Subcutaneous Implant

by Andrew K. Curtis, Douglas E. Jones, Michael Kleinhenz, Shawnee Montgomery, Miriam Martin, Mikaela Weeder, Alyssa Leslie, Balaji Narasimhan, Sean Kelly, Drew R. Magstadt, Alfredo Colina and Johann F. Coetzee

Animals 2022, 12(19), 2698; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12192698 - 7 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1980

Abstract

Immunocastration relies on the vaccine-mediated stimulation of an immune response to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in order to interrupt spermatogenesis. This approach offers a less painful alternative to traditional castration approaches but the current, commercially available options require multiple doses of vaccine to maintain sterility. Thus, a series of pilot studies were conducted to determine the feasibility of a single-dose immunocastration vaccine implant. These five studies utilized a total of 44 Holstein bulls to determine the optimal vaccine composition and validate the ability of a stainless-steel subcutaneous implant to deliver a vaccine. Outcome measures included the duration of implant retention, scrotal dimensions and temperature, implant site temperature, anti-GnRH antibodies, and serum testosterone concentration. Over the course of several studies, anti-GnRH antibodies were successfully stimulated by vaccine implants. No significant treatment effects on scrotal dimensions or testosterone were detected over time, but changes in spermatogenesis were detected across treatment groups. Results indicate that a single-dose implantable immunocastration vaccine elicits a humoral immune response and could impact spermatogenesis in bulls. These findings provide opportunities for the refinement of this technology to improve implant retention over longer periods of time. Taken together, this approach will offer producers and veterinarians an alternative to physical castration methods, to improve animal welfare during routine livestock management procedures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics)

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Review

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15 pages, 2429 KiB

Open AccessReview

Precision Livestock Farming: What Does It Contain and What Are the Perspectives?

by Joachim Lübbo Kleen and Raphaël Guatteo

Animals 2023, 13(5), 779; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050779 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 7461

Abstract

Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) describes the combined use of sensor technology, the related algorithms, interfaces, and applications in animal husbandry. PLF technology is used in all animal production systems and most extensively described in dairy farming. PLF is developing rapidly and is moving beyond health alarms towards an integrated decision-making system. It includes animal sensor and production data but also external data. Various applications have been proposed or are available commercially, only a part of which has been evaluated scientifically; the actual impact on animal health, production and welfare therefore remains largely unknown. Although some technology has been widely implemented (e.g., estrus detection and calving detection), other systems are adopted more slowly. PLF offers opportunities for the dairy sector through early disease detection, capturing animal-related information more objectively and consistently, predicting risks for animal health and welfare, increasing the efficiency of animal production and objectively determining animal affective states. Risks of increasing PLF usage include the dependency on the technology, changes in the human–animal relationship and changes in the public perception of dairy farming. Veterinarians will be highly affected by PLF in their professional life; they nevertheless must adapt to this and play an active role in further development of technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics)

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16 pages, 311 KiB

Open AccessReview

Diagnosing Intramammary Infection: Meta-Analysis and Mapping Review on Frequency and Udder Health Relevance of Microorganism Species Isolated from Bovine Milk Samples

by Daryna Kurban, Jean-Philippe Roy, Fidèle Kabera, Annie Fréchette, Maryse Michèle Um, Ahmad Albaaj, Sam Rowe, Sandra Godden, Pamela R. F. Adkins, John R. Middleton, Marie-Lou Gauthier, Greg P. Keefe, Trevor J. DeVries, David F. Kelton, Paolo Moroni, Marcos Veiga dos Santos, Herman W. Barkema and Simon Dufour

Animals 2022, 12(23), 3288; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233288 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2246

Abstract

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry provides accurate species-level identification of many, microorganisms retrieved from bovine milk samples. However, not all those microorganisms are pathogenic. Our study aimed to: (1) determine the species-specific prevalence of microorganisms identified in bovine milk of apparently healthy lactating quarters vs. quarters with clinical mastitis (CM); and (2) map current information and knowledge gaps on udder health relevance of microorganisms retrieved from bovine milk samples. A mixed study design (meta-analysis and mapping review) was chosen. We gathered several large Canadian, US and Brazilian data sets of MALDI-TOF results for organisms cultured from quarter milk samples. For meta-analysis, two datasets (apparently healthy quarters vs. CM samples) were organized. A series of meta-analyses was conducted to determine microorganisms’ prevalence. Then, each species reported was searched through PubMed to investigate whether inflammation (increased somatic cell count (SCC) or signs of CM) was associated with microorganism’s recovery from milk. A total of 294 different species of microorganisms recovered from milk samples were identified. Among 50,429 quarter-milk samples from apparently healthy quarters, the 5 most frequent species were Staphylococcus chromogenes (6.7%, 95% CI 4.5–9.2%), Aerococcus viridans (1.6%, 95% CI 0.4–3.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (1.5%, 95% CI 0.5–2.8%), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (0.9%, 95% CI 0.4–1.5%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (0.7%, 95% CI 0.2–1.6%). Among the 43,924 quarter-milk CM samples, the 5 most frequent species were Escherichia coli (11%, 95% CI 8.1–14.3%), Streptococcus uberis (8.5%, 95% CI 5.3–12.2%), Streptococcus dysgalactiae (7.8%, 95% CI 4.9–11.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (7.8%, 95% CI 4.4–11.9%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.6%, 95% CI 3.4–8.2%). When conducting the PubMed literature search, there were 206 species identified by MALDI-TOF for which we were not able to find any information regarding their association with CM or SCC. Some of them, however, were frequently isolated in our multi-country dataset from the milk of quarters with CM (e.g., Citrobacter koseri, Enterococcus saccharolyticus, Streptococcus gallolyticus). Our study provides guidance to veterinarians for interpretation of milk bacteriology results obtained using MALDI-TOF and identifies knowledge gaps for future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics)

19 pages, 1361 KiB

Open AccessReview

Technological Tools for the Early Detection of Bovine Respiratory Disease in Farms

by Andrea Puig, Miguel Ruiz, Marta Bassols, Lorenzo Fraile and Ramon Armengol

Animals 2022, 12(19), 2623; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12192623 - 30 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3260

Abstract

Classically, the diagnosis of respiratory disease in cattle has been based on observation of clinical signs and the behavior of the animals, but this technique can be subjective, time-consuming and labor intensive. It also requires proper training of staff and lacks sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp). Furthermore, respiratory disease is diagnosed too late, when the animal already has severe lesions. A total of 104 papers were included in this review. The use of new advanced technologies that allow early diagnosis of diseases using real-time data analysis may be the future of cattle farms. These technologies allow continuous, remote, and objective assessment of animal behavior and diagnosis of bovine respiratory disease with improved Se and Sp. The most commonly used behavioral variables are eating behavior and physical activity. Diagnosis of bovine respiratory disease may experience a significant change with the help of big data combined with machine learning, and may even integrate metabolomics as disease markers. Advanced technologies should not be a substitute for practitioners, farmers or technicians, but could help achieve a much more accurate and earlier diagnosis of respiratory disease and, therefore, reduce the use of antibiotics, increase animal welfare and sustainability of livestock farms. This review aims to familiarize practitioners and farmers with the advantages and disadvantages of the advanced technological diagnostic tools for bovine respiratory disease and introduce recent clinical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cattle Health, Production, Population Medicine and Therapeutics)

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