Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.9
2.0
Journals
Veterinary Sciences
Special Issues
The 10th Anniversary of Veterinary Sciences—Recent Advances in the...
share announcement

The 10th Anniversary of Veterinary Sciences—Recent Advances in the Epidemiology of Cattle Health and Welfare

A special issue of Veterinary Sciences (ISSN 2306-7381). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2025) | Viewed by 11278

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sharif S. Aly

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: veterinary medicine; epidemiology; biostatistics
Dr. Wagdy R. Elashmawy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Tulare, CA 93274, USA
Interests: dairy cattle diseases; epidemiology; foreign animal diseases; antimicrobial resistance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cattle are a major source of high-value protein necessary to meet the increasing human population demand for food and income in communities worldwide. Sustainable cattle production necessitates healthy herds and animal welfare. To that end, the best management practices identified using epidemiological study designs and empirical and observational studies on all breeds and production stages of both dairy and beef cattle are paramount to advancing our knowledge.

The current Special Issue seeks to bring together researchers to share their research advances on the occurrence, risk factors, control, and prevention of cattle diseases and the conditions that affect animal welfare.

Scientists, clinicians, and extension and outreach specialists working on advancing cattle health and welfare are invited to submit their research in all areas concerning the health and welfare of dairy and beef cattle. Specifically, cattle management practices, infectious diseases, reproduction, nutrition, behavior, and welfare topics are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Sharif S. Aly
Dr. Wagdy R. Elashmawy
Guest Editors

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. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2100 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
  • health management
  • infectious diseases
  • epidemiology
  • welfare

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

23 pages, 3166 KiB  
Article
Welfare on Dairy Cows in Different Housing Systems: Emphasis on Digestive Parasitological Infections
by Dragisa Paukovic, Tamara Ilic, Milan Maletic, Nemanja M. Jovanovic, Sreten Nedic, Milorad Mirilovic and Katarina Nenadovic
Vet. Sci. 2025, 12(2), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12020125 - 4 Feb 2025
Viewed by 829
Abstract
The aim of this research was to assess welfare indicators in different dairy cow management systems, determine the prevalence of parasitic infections, and examine the impact of these infections on welfare indicators. This study was conducted in 2024 on 45 Holstein-Friesian cows aged [...] Read more.
The aim of this research was to assess welfare indicators in different dairy cow management systems, determine the prevalence of parasitic infections, and examine the impact of these infections on welfare indicators. This study was conducted in 2024 on 45 Holstein-Friesian cows aged 2 to 6 years (first to third lactation) in Northern Serbia. Monitoring was carried out in tie stall, loose, and pasture-based systems, covering three production phases: late dry period, clinical puerperium, and peak lactation. Cow welfare was evaluated using the Welfare Quality® protocol, and parasitological diagnostics from fecal samples. Identified welfare issues included a low body condition score (BCS), dirtiness of udders, flanks, and legs, integument alterations, nasal and ocular discharge, lameness, and diarrhea. Cows in the pasture-based system had significantly higher scores for dirtiness (p < 0.001), while those in tie stalls showed more integument alterations (p < 0.001). Loose-housed cows had higher nasal discharge scores (p < 0.001). Parasites identified included Eimeria spp., Buxtonella sulcata, gastrointestinal strongylids, Moniezia spp., Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Fasciola hepatica, and Paramphistomum spp. Significant correlations (p < 0.001) were found between certain welfare indicators and parasite infections, such as a low BCS with Eimeria oocysts and nasal discharge and hairless patches with Buxtonella sulcata and Dicrocoelium dendriticum. These data indicate needs for improving dairy cows’ welfare and the implementation of effective parasite control measures in all housing systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 10th Anniversary of Veterinary Sciences—Recent Advances in the Epidemiology of Cattle Health and Welfare)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 23108 KiB  
Article
Automated Classification System Based on YOLO Architecture for Body Condition Score in Dairy Cows
by Emre Dandıl, Kerim Kürşat Çevik and Mustafa Boğa
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(9), 399; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11090399 - 1 Sep 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2616
Abstract
Body condition score (BCS) is a common tool used to assess the welfare of dairy cows and is based on scoring animals according to their external appearance. If the BCS of dairy cows deviates from the required value, it can lead to diseases [...] Read more.
Body condition score (BCS) is a common tool used to assess the welfare of dairy cows and is based on scoring animals according to their external appearance. If the BCS of dairy cows deviates from the required value, it can lead to diseases caused by metabolic problems in the animal, increased medication costs, low productivity, and even the loss of dairy cows. BCS scores for dairy cows on farms are mostly determined by observation based on expert knowledge and experience. This study proposes an automatic classification system for BCS determination in dairy cows using the YOLOv8x deep learning architecture. In this study, firstly, an original dataset was prepared by dividing the BCS scale into five different classes of Emaciated, Poor, Good, Fat, and Obese for images of Holstein and Simmental cow breeds collected from different farms. In the experimental analyses performed on the dataset prepared in this study, the BCS values of 102 out of a total of 126 cow images in the test set were correctly classified using the proposed YOLOv8x deep learning architecture. Furthermore, an average accuracy of 0.81 was achieved for all BCS classes in Holstein and Simmental cows. In addition, the average area under the precision–recall curve was 0.87. In conclusion, the BCS classification system for dairy cows proposed in this study may allow for the accurate observation of animals with rapid declines in body condition. In addition, the BCS classification system can be used as a tool for production decision-makers in early lactation to reduce the negative energy balance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 10th Anniversary of Veterinary Sciences—Recent Advances in the Epidemiology of Cattle Health and Welfare)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

36 pages, 927 KiB  
Review
Applications of Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies and Statistical Tools in Identifying Pathways and Biomarkers for Heat Tolerance in Livestock
by Gajendirane Kalaignazhal, Veerasamy Sejian, Silpa Mullakkalparambil Velayudhan, Chinmoy Mishra, Ebenezer Binuni Rebez, Surinder Singh Chauhan, Kristy DiGiacomo, Nicola Lacetera and Frank Rowland Dunshea
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(12), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11120616 - 2 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1656
Abstract
The climate change-associated abnormal weather patterns negatively influences the productivity and performance of farm animals. Heat stress is the major detrimental factor hampering production, causing substantial economic loss to the livestock industry. Therefore, it is important to identify heat-tolerant breeds that can survive [...] Read more.
The climate change-associated abnormal weather patterns negatively influences the productivity and performance of farm animals. Heat stress is the major detrimental factor hampering production, causing substantial economic loss to the livestock industry. Therefore, it is important to identify heat-tolerant breeds that can survive and produce optimally in any given environment. To achieve this goal, a clearer understanding of the genetic differences and the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with climate change impacts and heat tolerance are a prerequisite. Adopting next-generation biotechnological and statistical tools like whole transcriptome analysis, whole metagenome sequencing, bisulphite sequencing, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and selection signatures provides an opportunity to achieve this goal. Through these techniques, it is possible to identify permanent genetic markers for heat tolerance, and by incorporating those markers in marker-assisted breeding selection, it is possible to achieve the target of breeding for heat tolerance in livestock. This review gives an overview of the recent advancements in assessing heat tolerance in livestock using such ‘omics’ approaches and statistical models. The salient findings from this research highlighted several candidate biomarkers that have the potential to be incorporated into future heat-tolerance studies. Such approaches could revolutionise livestock production in the changing climate scenario and support the food demands of the growing human population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 10th Anniversary of Veterinary Sciences—Recent Advances in the Epidemiology of Cattle Health and Welfare)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1691 KiB  
Review
Lumpy Skin Disease: Insights into Molecular Pathogenesis and Control Strategies
by Ali Haider, Zaheer Abbas, Ahsen Taqveem, Abid Ali, Mohsin Khurshid, Rania F. El Naggar, Mohammed A. Rohaim and Muhammad Munir
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(11), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11110561 - 13 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4688
Abstract
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral infection that affects buffaloes and cattle across various regions, including both tropical and temperate climates. Intriguingly, the virus–carrying skin sores remain the primary source of infection for extended periods, exacerbated by the abundance of vectors in [...] Read more.
Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a viral infection that affects buffaloes and cattle across various regions, including both tropical and temperate climates. Intriguingly, the virus–carrying skin sores remain the primary source of infection for extended periods, exacerbated by the abundance of vectors in disease–endemic countries. Recent scientific advances have revealed the molecular aspects of LSD and offered improved vaccines and valuable antiviral targets. This review summarizes the molecular features of LSD and its effect on various livestock species. We then provide an extensive discussion on the transmission dynamics of LSD and the roles of vectors in its continued spread among livestock populations. Additionally, this review critically analyses the rationales behind, as well as the affordability and effectiveness, of current control strategies worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 10th Anniversary of Veterinary Sciences—Recent Advances in the Epidemiology of Cattle Health and Welfare)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop