Search Results (200)

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease of small ruminants and remains a major threat to food security and rural livelihoods across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In the Mediterranean, uneven outbreak reporting and intense spatial clustering hinder the identification of regions where environmental and anthropogenic conditions favor disease occurrence. This study applied an interpretable machine-learning ecological niche modeling framework to characterize PPR spatial suitability in North Africa. A merged outbreak dataset (n = 744) was compiled from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) EMPRES-i and the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) databases for 2005–2026. Outbreak locations were linked to environmental and anthropogenic predictors, spatially thinned, and paired with randomly sampled pseudo-absences at a 1:1 ratio. After correlation-based screening and Boruta feature selection, four classifiers were compared under five-fold spatial block cross-validation: a generalized linear model (GLM), a support vector machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). All models showed good discriminatory performance. Random Forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) yielded the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value (AUC = 0.94). Random Forest achieved the highest specificity, XGBoost achieved the highest sensitivity, and the support vector machine showed the most even sensitivity–specificity tradeoff among the machine-learning classifiers. Sheep density, mean diurnal temperature range, temperature seasonality, and human population density were consistently the dominant drivers. Predicted PPR suitability based on reported outbreaks was concentrated along the North African coastal belt and low across most arid inland regions. These findings suggest that passive surveillance is likely to be most informative in coastal production systems where host density, environmental suitability, and reporting opportunity overlap. At the same time, areas of lower reported-outbreak suitability should not be interpreted as disease-free and may require complementary active surveillance approaches. Full article

The objectives were: (i) mapping of bibliometric characteristics of publications related to sheep and goats internationally, (ii) comparison of publications related to each animal species, and (iii) comparison of characteristics in a 55-year long timespan from 1970 to 2024. The Web of Science was used with the following search terms: [sheep OR ovine OR Ovis aries] or [goat* OR caprine OR Capra hircus].account, and 165,052 papers related to sheep and 67,637 papers related to goats were considered. There was a progressive increase in papers published annually, with a higher proportion of papers related to goats published recently. Most papers were published in Small Ruminant Research (2.2% and 4.4% of papers related to sheep and goats, respectively), the journal with most published papers for 21 (sheep) and 29 (goats) years. Most papers originated from the United States of America, the country with most published papers for 52 (sheep) and 41 (goats) years. Most published papers related to sheep or goats were classified in the Dairy and animal sciences topics-meso. The two predominant topics-micro were Ruminant nutrition and Livestock reproduction for published papers related to sheep and papers related to goats. Overall, 31.7% and 34.9% of papers related to sheep and goats, respectively, were published under open access, with a progressive increase yearly. On average, papers related to sheep had received 0.93 citations annually and papers related to goats 0.73 citations annually. Full article

Parasitic infections constitute a common concern for livestock breeders, since they induce animals with various physiological, behavioral, and neurological alterations. Consequently, they negatively affect their health, productivity, and welfare, leading to reduced productivity and increased mortality, and causing severe economic losses to livestock breeders. In the context of recent interest in the development of functional animal feeds and/or feed supplements with potent antiparasitic activity, we exploited the chemical contents and bioactivities of 21 wild and cultivated Fabaceae plant species against Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis, two widely prevalent gastrointestinal nematode parasites of small ruminants. The respective results revealed that four wildly grown plants exhibit potent antiparasitic activity, with Lathyrus laxiflorus exerting the most significant protective effect against both parasites tested. This plant was also found to display the highest antioxidant potency and the richest phenolic and tannin contents, with rutin molecules being the most abundant. Moreover, the extracts of 11 cultivated species were found to display potent antiparasitic activity, while Trifolium repens, Medicago sativa, and Lathyrus sativus species were determined to provide higher extraction yields and display the most potent antiparasitic activities. Results herein are indicative of Fabaceae plants’ potential to act against parasitic infections, either as grazing plants in pasture-based systems, or as bioactive dietary supplements in intensive farming systems, eventually contributing to reductions in antiparasitic drug utilization. Full article

Background: The Karamoja sub-region of Uganda addresses significant challenges in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), deeply linked to public and environmental health and regional development. Objectives: This study applied a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) survey within a One Health framework to assess WaSH conditions, hygiene behaviour, livestock management, and disease prevention in the Moroto and Napak districts. Methods: A total of 195 respondents were surveyed, providing insights into socio-demographic factors, hygiene practices, livestock management, and disease prevention. Results: Findings highlighted gender disparities, with women less likely to achieve good knowledge compared to men (OR = 0.04; p = 0.002), probably reflecting limited access to information in traditionally male-focused community settings, and their greater involvement in water collection tasks. Age significantly influenced WaSH knowledge, with older individuals (aged ≥ 30 years) showing higher odds of good knowledge (OR = 20.39; 95% CI: 2.74–151.83; p = 0.003), probably due to their roles in knowledge transmission within the community. Proximity to water sources shaped behaviours, with greater distances associated with improved attitudes (OR = 3.56; p = 0.002) but reduced hygienic practices (OR = 0.20; p = 0.01). Livestock ownership, particularly of small ruminants, strongly correlates with good hygiene knowledge (OR = 16.89; p = 0.02), probably due to interactions with veterinarians and authorities during vaccination campaigns. Integrated communication strategies, including community meetings, home visits, and radio outreach, were strongly associated with improved practices (e.g., home visits: OR = 30.78; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Despite progress, challenges such as water scarcity, waste management, and gender disparities persist. Improving water infrastructure, promoting equitable access, and integrating tailored communication strategies are essential for fostering sustainable development, health equity, and the empowerment of women in Karamoja. Full article

Small ruminant production is vital for rural livelihoods and food security in Saudi Arabia but faces persistent constraints, including high feed costs, limited veterinary access, low reproductive efficiency, and weak extension services. To address these gaps, a Farm Service Delivery Model (FSDM) was piloted, which involved embedding trained livestock technicians into communities to deliver integrated on-farm services. This study evaluated the impact of the FSDM on 47 farms across three regions over 6–12 months. The key results showed significant improvements: flock size increased by 28%, the lambing rate per ewe doubled from 0.39 to 0.80, twin births tripled, mortality declined from 23.8% to 8.0%, and milk production more than doubled. Economic analysis revealed a benefit–cost ratio of 3.02, indicating high return on investment. Scaling the FSDM nationally could generate up to USD 4.8 billion in added meat and milk value over five years while reducing meat imports by 48%. The model aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 and offers a scalable and sustainable pathway to enhance productivity, resilience, and rural income. Policy recommendations include institutional integration, digital innovation, blended financing, and strengthened breeding programs. Full article

Oxidative stress contributes to reproductive disorders, immune dysfunction, and reduced productivity in livestock during periods of high metabolic demand and environmental challenge. Selenium supports antioxidant defense systems because it is incorporated as selenocysteine into selenoproteins, including glutathione peroxidases and thioredoxin reductases that detoxify peroxides and sustain redox balance. The review summarizes selenium occurrence and chemical forms in feeds, as well as its absorption, transportation, and storage. The review also outlines the major features of selenoprotein biosynthesis and its prioritized allocation, with an emphasis on cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. Evidence from multiple sources indicates that selenium status and supplementation interacts with antioxidant capacity, immune competence, thyroid hormone metabolism, reproductive performance, and the transfer of selenium to milk and offspring. In ruminants, rumen microbial transformations can reduce the bioavailability of inorganic selenium salts, and organic sources, such as selenium-enriched yeast, hydroxy-selenomethionine, and selenitetriglycerides, often increase blood and milk selenium more effectively. In pigs, organic selenium is commonly associated with enhanced antioxidant and immune indices in sows and piglets during late gestation, lactation, and weaning, whereas effects on growth performance are inconsistent. The review emphasizes the narrow margin between adequacy and excess and outlines practical considerations for supplementation and monitoring, alongside research needs for emerging selenium forms and functional biomarkers. Full article

Limited availability of veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) for small ruminants is a long-standing challenge. This mixed-methods study provides the first systematic definition and assessment of (i) shortages, (ii) lack of availability and (iii) unmet needs for sheep and goats across Europe. Survey data from 96 European veterinarians in 13 European countries (the majority of whom were from Spain, Germany, France, and Greece), a market analysis of authorized and available VMPs via the EMA Union Products Database (UPD) and expert knowledge elicitation (EKE) by 23 specialists were combined. Antimicrobials (36.7%) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (19.9%) were identified as the VMP categories most commonly perceived as critically important. Although nearly 5000 VMPs are authorized for small ruminants at the EU level, UPD market research reveals that there is a reported market availability of 28.9% of ovine and 32.7% of caprine authorized VMPs. Validation by EKE confirmed lack of VMP authorization to be the leading root cause of the lack of availability of ovine (31%) and caprine (43%) VMPs at both the national and EU level. The European Veterinary Medicines Gaps and Needs Compass identifies four highest-priority medicine groups lacking in availability for sheep (anthelmintics and endectocides, bacterial and viral vaccines) and two for goats (anthelmintics and bacterial vaccines). Moreover, 13 highest-priority unmet needs were identified for sheep and 14 for goats across antibacterials, analgetics and anti-inflammatories, antiparasitics and vaccines. Potential actionable solutions advised through EKE include harmonized market access pathways and targeted development (especially for vaccines, NSAIDs, and antibiotic teat injectors) to secure animal health, welfare, and One Health objectives. Full article

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health concern, driven in part by antibiotic use in animal production systems. Despite its relevance, the microbiome and resistome of small ruminant farm environments remain largely underexplored. Methods: In this study, shotgun metagenomics was applied to environmental samples from 46 sheep, goat and mixed-species farms across 14 municipalities in central Portugal. Results: Microbial profiling revealed a well-preserved microbiome with Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, Bacteroidota and Bacillota (syn. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes respectively) as the most dominant phylum across different farm types. Regarding AMR, a total of 706 unique antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), covering 15 antibiotic classes, were detected. Tetracycline, aminoglycoside and macrolide resistance genes dominated across all samples, forming a conserved core resistome. While overall resistome profiles were broadly similar among farm types, significant differences were observed in specific ARG classes, such as pleuromutilin and fosfomycin. Conclusions: These findings highlight small ruminant farm environments as potential reservoirs of clinically relevant ARGs, including WHO highest priority critically important antimicrobial (HPCIA) resistance genes for macrolides (mph(c), erm(f), erm(b)) and fluoroquinolones (qnrD1), as well as critically important antimicrobial (CIA) resistance genes for glycopeptides (vanR-SC, vanR-O) and aminoglycosides (str, aadA), supporting the need to incorporate these environments into surveillance strategies. Full article

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) remain a significant challenge to productivity and sustainability in beef cattle systems in the United States, contributing to subclinical reductions in growth, reproductive performance, and overall herd health across production stages. Control programs have historically relied on routine anthelmintic use; however, increasing reports of anthelmintic resistance highlight the need for alternative management strategies. This narrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature identified through targeted searches of major scientific databases spanning approximately seven decades, with articles selected for relevance to GIN epidemiology, diagnostics, and control in beef cattle. Particular emphasis is placed on life stage-specific susceptibility, host immune development, and the role of diagnostic tools in guiding evidence-based interventions. The review further examines non-anthelmintic strategies such as grazing management, nutritional supplementation, selective breeding, and integrated parasite management practices adapted from small ruminant systems. Across studies, young and immunologically developing cattle experience the greatest productivity losses, while mature animals contribute disproportionately to pasture contamination, reinforcing the importance of targeted control measures. Overall, the literature supports a transition toward integrated, diagnostics-driven parasite control programs that sustain productivity and animal well-being while preserving long-term anthelmintic efficacy. Full article

Diarrhea in kids is a significant health and economic concern for small-scale ruminant farms. This study aims to investigate the properties of Lactobacillus amylovorus as a treatment for kids with diarrhea and its effect on the composition of the gut microbiota. A total of 20 neonatal goats (approximately 2 months old) were divided into three groups: healthy control (HC, n = 4), diarrhea (D, n = 8), and diarrhea treated with probiotic (DT, n = 8). We tracked gut microbial profiles, fecal consistency, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and clinical symptoms. Probiotic-treated kids recovered fully from diarrhea within two weeks, while their untreated counterparts showed signs of clinical deterioration and gradual emaciation. Kids with diarrhea had lower microbial richness, according to alpha diversity analysis, and this was only partially restored after probiotic treatment. The kids with diarrhea had the lowest Shannon, ACE, Simpson, Dominance, Pielou-e, and Chao1 indices compared to the HC group, while the administration of Lactobacillus amylovorus significantly (p < 0.05) restored their normal enrichment in the DT group compared to the D group. The healthy group had a higher abundance of Verrucomicrobiota, while Firmicutes and Bacteroidota predominated in all groups. Bacteroides and Akkermansia predominated in the healthy and treated groups. At the genus level, analysis showed elevated levels of Escherichia-Shigella and UCG-005 in kids with diarrhea. In addition, the concentration of each SCFA in the D group was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than in the HC group. This study provides novel evidence that Lactobacillus amylovorus administration not only alleviates diarrhea but also uniquely restores the production of key SCFAs—including butyrate, acetate, and propionate—in neonatal goats, a finding not previously reported in this species. The concurrent recovery of microbial diversity and SCFA profiles highlights the dual mechanistic potential of Lactobacillus amylovorus as a gut microbiota modulator and metabolic therapeutic in young ruminants. These results lend credence to its potential as a probiotic treatment for small ruminant enteric diseases. Full article

Intensive sheep and goat farming in hot-arid regions faces unique welfare challenges that differ substantially from those encountered in cooler climates; however, few practical and validated assessment tools are specifically designed to assess welfare under such extreme conditions. In this study, the term practical refers to field feasibility under routine farm conditions, limited assessment time, and suitability for reliability-based application, rather than comprehensive validation of welfare outcomes. This study aimed to develop and pilot-test a simplified welfare assessment protocol, based on a reduced set of clearly defined, field-applicable indicators supported by explicit operational definitions and standardized scoring criteria, tailored for the United Arab Emirates, with a specific focus on extreme heat and intensive husbandry conditions. Candidate indicators were identified from validated international sources and screened for applicability to arid climates, meat-oriented production, and intensive systems. The refined indicator set was converted into operational scoring sheets and applied by trained undergraduate animal science students as assessors to 100 animals at an intensive research farm. Inter-observer reliability was calculated using Fleiss’ Kappa to evaluate consistency across assessors. Most behavioural and health indicators demonstrated substantial to almost perfect inter-observer agreement (κ-based), while environmental and some tactile indicators, such as body condition and hydration tests, showed moderate reliability. Based on the most reliable indicators, a climate-sensitive Arid-Hot Small Ruminant Welfare Index (ASR-WI) was developed by weighting four welfare domains—Behaviour and Mental State, Environment, Nutrition, and Health. The findings confirm that a simplified welfare assessment protocol can be reliably implemented under intensive hot-arid conditions when clear scoring criteria and structured assessor training are provided. The resulting protocol and index offer a practical foundation for routine welfare monitoring under intensive hot-arid conditions, as well as for policymaking and future longitudinal research. Full article

RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has emerged as a transformative technology for dissecting cellular heterogeneity and immune complexity in livestock species. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of single-cell transcriptomics to livestock health, with a particular focus on immune system organization and host–pathogen interactions in cattle, pigs, poultry, and small ruminants. We highlight the development of large-scale, multi-tissue cell atlases—such as the Cattle Cell Atlas and resources generated through the Farm Animal Genotype-Tissue Expression (FarmGTEx) consortium—that provide foundational reference frameworks for livestock genomics. These atlases have enabled the identification of tissue- and species-specific immune cell populations, clarified cellular tropism of major bacterial and viral pathogens, and revealed distinctive immunological features, including the prominent role of γδ T cells in ruminant immunity. We discuss how single-cell immune receptor sequencing has advanced monoclonal antibody discovery and informed rational vaccine design. Key technical and analytical challenges, including incomplete genome annotations, tissue processing constraints, and cross-platform data integration, are critically assessed. Finally, we outline future directions integrating spatial transcriptomics and multi-omics approaches to further resolve immune function within tissue contexts. Collectively, these advances position single-cell transcriptomics as a central framework for improving disease resistance, vaccine efficacy, and translational research in livestock health. Full article

Small ruminants, such as newborn lambs, rely on timely colostrum intake to acquire passive immunity through the absorption of immunoglobulin (Ig). Evaluating Ig transfer is important for ensuring lamb health and survival. However, current methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radial immunodiffusion (RID) are widely used but remain costly and require specialized facilities. The immunocrit assay has been proposed as a lower-cost alternative for evaluating serum Ig concentrations. This study aimed to evaluate the immunocrit method in lambs by comparing it with ELISA, RID, and total serum protein. Serum was collected from 135 Katahdin-Easycare lambs 24–36 h after birth. Samples were analyzed using sheep immunoglobulin G ELISA, Sheep immunoglobulin G RID, serum protein, and the immunocrit method. Pearson’s correlation was used to assess linear relationships between the methods, and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate test accuracy, with RID as the gold standard (15 mg/mL cutoff). The immunocrit showed a high correlation with RID (r = 0.870), moderate correlation with serum protein (r = 0.725), and good correlation with ELISA (r = 0.607). The ROC analysis showed that the immunocrit had a sensitivity of 100% at a cutoff of 4.34%. These results indicate that the immunocrit method provides comparable accuracy to RID and serum protein, and could serve as a reliable, practical, and inexpensive tool for on-farm evaluation of passive transfer in Katahdin-Easycare crossbred lambs between 24 and 36 h after birth. Full article

Food supply veterinarians, those who service the dairy, swine, poultry, small ruminant, and beef cattle industries, benefit society by protecting animal and public health and ensuring a safe, wholesome food supply. However, there are not enough entering the workforce to meet current and future demands. Non-formal learning environments can be used as a recruitment tool to provide participants with positive interactions and hands-on experiences. To build awareness of food supply veterinary medicine (FSVM) in youth, we developed an immersion program designed to provide high school students with hands-on experiences with food animal species. Day camps were held during the summers of 2022 and 2023, each coordinated with multiple partners at different locations in central Ohio. Year One camp utilized registration and post-test surveys and Year Two utilized matching pre- and post-test for analysis. Over the two programs, 110 participants engaged in hands-on experiences, including: outbreak investigations, measuring clinical parameters, performing diagnostics, and basic veterinarian procedures. Pre- and post-test evaluations were performed to measure changes in participants’ attitudes and perceptions, and a McNemars test was used to evaluate Year Two data. In Year One, we saw positive shifts in those interested in FSVM careers. In Year Two, we saw positive shifts in knowledge of FVSM careers, with biosecurity knowledge increasing. Outreach activities like day camps can be replicated in other locations to increase interest in FSVM careers. Full article

Gastrointestinal parasites are a major health and economic concern in small ruminants. The classic microscopic approach using the manual McMaster method serves to quantitatively count parasite eggs, which are labor-intensive and prone to variation. Artificial intelligence-based systems (Parasight^®, powered by Fecalsight AI™) could provide quicker and more objective alternatives; therefore, independent validation is necessary before clinical implementation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agreement, classification consistency, and diagnostic performance of Parasight^® relative to the manual McMaster method, with a focus on its suitability as a screening and decision-support tool. Fecal samples from 44 Kiko goats over 3 sampling times were analyzed using both methods, with manual counts performed independently by 2 observers. Agreement between methods was assessed using Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient, Bland–Altman analysis, and Cohen’s Kappa for categorical classification. Diagnostic performance for identifying animals exceeding the clinical treatment threshold (>1000 eggs per gram) was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and regression modeling was used to characterize associations between methods. Manual observers showed high reliability, confirming the suitability of the McMaster method as a reference. Compared with manual counts, Parasight^® consistently underestimated egg counts, resulting in poor-to-moderate absolute agreement; however, it reliably ranked animals by parasite burden and showed excellent discrimination for identifying animals above the treatment threshold (AUC = 0.90–0.96). Regression analyses further demonstrated linear or curvilinear associations depending on egg counts. Overall, the Parasight^® device reliably captured relative parasite burden but required a lower operational threshold to match manual treatment decisions. Full article