Biochemical Profile and Productive Performance in Dairy Cows with Lameness During Postpartum Period

Background: Lameness in dairy cows is classified as a gait change caused by multifactorial process. The phase of the peripartum causes intense physiological changes for the adaptation of late gestation and onset of lactation. The aim of this study was to characterize the changes in the biochemical profile and productive performance in dairy cows with lameness during postpartum period.Materials, Methods & Results: This study was conducted at the University of São Paulo farm, in Pirassununga, São Paulo State, Brazil, from January to March 2017. A total, of 48 multiparous (2 to 3 lactations and 3-4 years old) dairy cows, that had the milk production of 9,200 kg/ dairy cow in a period of 305 days in the previous lactation, were included in the study. All cows were managed under the same conditions and nutritional regimen. Evaluation of body condition score was performed by a single person on -18, -12, -8, -5, and -2 days before parturition, at parturition, and on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition. Milk production was recorded on days 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition and saved in the software program. Blood samples were performed on -18, -12, -8, -5, and -2 days before parturition, at parturition, and on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition. Blood samples were assayed for albumin, calcium, cholesterol, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, urea, creatinine, gamma-glutamil-transferase and total protein concentrations. Dairy cows were divided into a lame group (11) and normal group (37) based on locomotion score from parturition to seven days postpartum. Lame cows was classified if their score was > 2, and normal cows was classified if their score was ≤ 2 and free of any disease. Dairy cows that suffer by any health disorder other than lameness were excluded from this study. Cow diagnosed with lameness outside the diagnostic period were excluded from this study. The averages of the milk production, body condition score and biochemical profile were compared with the Tukey’s test. Lame cows showed lower (P < 0.05) concentrations of albumin (on days -18 -12, -8, -5, -2 relative to parturition, at parturition, and on days 7, 14, 21, 45 and 60 after parturition) calcium (on days -18, -12, -8, -5 and -2 before parturition, and on days 7, 14, 21, 45 and 60 after parturition), cholesterol (on days -12, -8, -5 before parturition and on days 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition) than normal cows. Cow with lameness showed higher (P < 0.05) concentration of triglyceride (on days 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition), non-esterified fatty acids (on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition) and β-hydroxybutyrate (on days -12, -5 and -2 before parturition, at parturition, and on days 1, 14, 21 and 30 after parturition) than normal group. Cows with lameness presented higher (P < 0.05) values of body condition score on days -18, -12 and -8 before parturition, and lower (P < 0.05) values on days 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition than normal cows. Milk production was lower (P < 0.05) for cows with lameness (on days 7, 14, 21, 30, 45 and 60 after parturition) than normal cows.Discussion: The overall prevalence of lameness in the evaluated period was 22.92% (11/48). Among lame cows, 07 presented laminitis, 02 had interdigital hyperplasia and 02 had sole ulcer. Our findings prove that the biochemical profile and productivity of dairy cows during the peripartum and postpartum period were affected by lameness at the early lactation.

Effects of 3 Topical Plant Extracts on Wound Healing in Beef Cattle

Eleven heifers of the Purun&#227; cattle breed were used to evaluate wound healing by second intention. An experimental wound excision model in bovines was created by means of a skin punch of diameter 2cm. The animals were topically treated for 17 days with a saline control or decoctions of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Aroeira mansa), Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb (Ip&#234; Roxo), and Casearia sylvestris Sw.(Gua&#231;atonga) mixed with carboxymethyl cellulose. Centripetal retraction, clinical, and histological aspects of the wounds were observed until complete healing. Decoctions of T. avellanedae and S. terebinthifolius, but not C. sylvestris, had a beneficial effect on wound healing by second intention

Morfologia de placa de bacteriófagos líticos infectando Escherichia coli isolada de amostras de esgoto e rios de Curitiba, Brasil

Bacteriophages, natural viruses targeting bacteria, present a promising solution to the persistent chal-lenge of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in human and veterinary medicine. Despite a century of efforts, this issue remains unresolved. Regardless, this paper focused on illustrating the plaque morphologies that were disclosed by bacteriophages isolated from rivers and urban sewage from Curitiba, Paraná, southern Brazil. Laboratory analysis unveiled distinctive features in the macromorphology of Escherichia coli phage plaques, representing various morphotypes. Obtaining this data is a relatively quick and inexpensive process that highlights the significance of primary screening for the successful recovery of phages to be further used in combating E. coli through phage technology.Os bacteriófagos, vírus naturais que atacam bactérias, apresentam uma solução promissora para o desafio persistente das bactérias resistentes aos antimicrobia-nos na medicina humana e veterinária. Apesar de um século de esforços, esta questão permanece sem solução. Todavia, este artigo se concentrou em ilustrar as morfologias de placas reveladas por bacteriófagos isolados de rios e esgotos urbanos em Curitiba, Paraná, sul do Brasil. A análise laboratorial revelou características distintivas na macromorfologia das placas de fagos de Escherichia coli, representando vários morfotipos. A obtenção destes dados é um processo relativamente rápido e barato, que destaca a importância da triagem primária para a recuperação bem-sucedida de fagos para serem posteriormente utilizados no combate à E. coli através da tecnologia de fagos

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Teat Structure and Detection of Prominent Annular Folds in Brazilian Dairy Buffaloes

Udder and teat characteristics differ between buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) and cattle (Bos taurus) and the differences are important in relation machine milk ability. Dairy buffalo milk out more slowly and are more difficult to milk than dairy cows, especially when milking machines are used. The goal of this study was to determine the ultrasonographic characteristics of udder and teat morphology in dairy buffaloes in Brazil, a country with a relatively recent history of buffalo farming. External assessment of the udder type and ultrasonography of the teat were done in 63 purebred Murrah and Mediterranian x Murrah dairy buffalo cows on three farms with different management systems. Udder types differed among farms; the rear-heavy udder type was most prevalent on two farms and the ball-shaped type occurred frequently on the third farm. Ultrasonographic measurements of the teat were made on one farm and showed correlations between the width of the teat tip and teat canal length, between the width of the teat tip and teat wall thickness and between the width of the teat tip and teat length. During the ultrasonographic examination of the teat, hyperechogenic membrane-like structures in the region of the annular folds, referred to as prominent annular folds (pAFs), were detected in at least one teat in 98 % of all buffaloes. These folds caused narrowing of the lumen between the teat cistern and gland cistern, but their physiological function and relevance concerning machine milk ability remain unclear. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of prominent annular folds on milk flow characteristics during mechanical milking in dairy buffaloes

EFFECTS OF 3 TOPICAL PLANT EXTRACTS ON WOUND HEALING IN BEEF CATTLE

Eleven heifers of the Purunã cattle breed were used to evaluate wound healing by second intention. An experimental wound excision model in bovines was created by means of a skin punch of diameter 2cm. The animals were topically treated for 17 days with a saline control or decoctions of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi (Aroeira mansa), Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex Griseb (Ipê Roxo), and Casearia sylvestris Sw.(Guaçatonga) mixed with carboxymethyl cellulose. Centripetal retraction, clinical, and histological aspects of the wounds were observed until complete healing. Decoctions of T. avellanedae and S. terebinthifolius, but not C. sylvestris, had a beneficial effect on wound healing by second intention

Seleção de ovinos geneticamente resistentes ao scrapie

A susceptibilidade dos ovinos ao scrapie está relacionada a polimorfismos do gene da proteína priônica celular (PRNP). Polimorfismos nos códons 136 (alanina, A/ valina, V), 154 (arginina, R/ histidina, H) e 171 (glutamina, Q/ arginina, R/ histidina, H) são os principais determinantes de susceptibilidade/resistência ao scrapie clássico. Eles são combinados em 4 principais variantes do alelo ancestral ARQ: VRQ, AHQ, ARH e ARR. Programas de melhoramento genético na União Europeia e Estados Unidos têm utilizado como estratégia selecionar o alelo resistente ARR, diminuindo a frequência do alelo susceptível VRQ em populações de ovinos. No Brasil, há poucos dados de genotipagem do gene PRNP e, até o momento, nenhum tipo de controle baseado em cruzamentos direcionados foi implementado. Esta revisão focará aspectos importantes como epidemiologia e resistência genética, como ferramenta de programas de controle de scrapie