The origin of the 'Mycoplasma mycoides cluster' coincides with domestication of ruminants.

The 'Mycoplasma mycoides cluster' comprises the ruminant pathogens Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides the causative agent of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae the agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia (CCPP), Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum, Mycoplasma leachii and Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri. CBPP and CCPP are major livestock diseases and impact the agricultural sector especially in developing countries through reduced food-supply and international trade restrictions. In addition, these diseases are a threat to disease-free countries. We used a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach to gain insights into the demographic history of and phylogenetic relationships among the members of the 'M. mycoides cluster'. We collected partial sequences from seven housekeeping genes representing a total of 3,816 base pairs from 118 strains within this cluster, and five strains isolated from wild Caprinae. Strikingly, the origin of the 'M. mycoides cluster' dates to about 10,000 years ago, suggesting that the establishment and spread of the cluster coincided with livestock domestication. In addition, we show that hybridization and recombination may be important factors in the evolutionary history of the cluster.

Parasite- and predator-induced maternal effects in the great tit (Parus major)

Both predators and parasites can elicit behavioral and physiological responses in prey and hosts, respectively. These responses may involve the reallocation of resources and may thus limit each other. We investigated the effects of concurrent pre-laying exposure of great tit females (Parus major) to both a simulated predation risk and a nest-based ectoparasite, the hen flea (Ceratophyllus gallinae), on nestling growth and development. We manipulated perceived predation risk using models and vocalizations of sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus). At the start of incubation, we swapped whole clutches between treated and untreated nests to separate pre-laying maternal effects from posthatching effects. Since costs and benefits of maternal responses to parasites need to be assessed under parasite pressure, we infested half of the rearing nests with hen fleas. Parasites had negative effects on mass gain and wing growth, both via maternal effects and via direct exposure of nestlings, whereas maternal predation risk had no significant effect. The interaction between predator and parasite treatments was not significant and, thus, suggests the absence of a trade-off between the 2 stressors operating at the level of maternal effects. Alternatively, the complexity of the design, despite a relatively large sample size, may have limited the power for detection of this expected trade-off.

Cage-induced stereotypies, perseveration and the effects of environmental enrichment in laboratory mice.

When kept in barren and restrictive cages, animals frequently develop stereotypic behaviour patterns that are characterized by high repetition rates, conspicuous invariance and an apparent lack of function. Although millions of animals are affected, the underlying causes and mechanisms are still unclear. Growing evidence suggests that cage-induced stereotypies may reflect pathological dysfunction within basal ganglia circuitry expressed by perseverative behaviour. In order to assess whether variation in stereotypy performance and variation in perseverative behaviour may have a common cause in ICR CD-1 mice, we assessed the effects of environmental enrichment on both phenomena. We raised 48 female ICR CD-1 mice in standard or enriched cages from three weeks to either 6 or 11 months of age and measured stereotypy level in the home cage and perseveration on an extinction task. We further examined whether enriched rearing conditions (early enrichment) protect mice from the developing stereotypies later in life and whether stereotypies developed in barren cages would persist in an enriched environment (late enrichment) by transferring standard mice to enriched cages and vice versa for 14 weeks after completion of the extinction task. We found no evidence for a causal relation between stereotypy and perseveration in mice. However, transfer to enriched cages reduced stereotypy levels significantly both at 6 and 11 months of age indicating that stereotypies had not become established yet. Finally, we found that removing enrichments at both ages did not induce higher stereotypy levels, thereby confirming earlier reports of a neuroprotective effect of early enrichment.

Bedouin in the Negev and Environmental Studies: Current and Future Research Prospects

Environmental aspects are increasingly being integrated in Negev Bedouin studies by both, NGO activists and scholars. We will present these recent works and discuss new concepts and methodologies of environmental studies with potential relevance in the field of Negev Bedouin studies. We will then identify research areas where environmental and development approaches converge or diverge with mainstream social sciences on this specific field of research. While most of the Bedouin population in southern Israel lives in urban centers in the Northern Negev, a large part of Bedouin people live in unrecognized clusters of houses in remote areas. Extensive livestock rearing is an important source of livelihood at least for non-urbanized Bedouin, the latter forming the lowest economic strata of the Israeli spectrum of incomes. Numerous stressors affect this Bedouin community enduring uncertain livelihood and access to land. The erratic precipitations from year to year and long-term changes in precipitation trends are a source of great uncertainty. With a significant price increase for feeding supplements to compensate for dry years, livestock rearing has become a harsher source of livelihood. Land scarcity for grazing adds to the difficulty in ensuring enough income for living. Studies in the last 15 years have described several livelihood strategies based on a livestock rearing semi-nomadic economy in the Negev. A number of other analyses have shown how Bedouin herders and governmental agencies have found agreements at the advantage of both, the agencies and the herders. New concepts such as transformability, resilience and adaptation strategies are important tools to analyze the capacity of vulnerable communities to cope with an ever increasing livelihood uncertainty. Such research concepts can assist in better understanding how Bedouin herders in the Negev may adapt to climate and political risks.

Genetic analysis of white facial and leg markings in the Swiss Franches-Montagnes Horse Breed

White markings and spotting patterns in animal species are thought to be a result of the domestication process. They often serve for the identification of individuals but sometimes are accompanied by complex pathological syndromes. In the Swiss Franches-Montagnes horse population, white markings increased vastly in size and occurrence during the past 30 years, although the breeding goal demands a horse with as little depigmented areas as possible. In order to improve selection and avoid more excessive depigmentation on the population level, we estimated population parameters and breeding values for white head and anterior and posterior leg markings. Heritabilities and genetic correlations for the traits were high (h(2) > 0.5). A strong positive correlation was found between the chestnut allele at the melanocortin-1-receptor gene locus and the extent of white markings. Segregation analysis revealed that our data fit best to a model including a polygenic effect and a biallelic locus with a dominant-recessive mode of inheritance. The recessive allele was found to be the white trait-increasing allele. Multilocus linkage disequilibrium analysis allowed the mapping of the putative major locus to a chromosomal region on ECA3q harboring the KIT gene.

The influence of the rearing period on intramammary infections in Swiss dairy heifers: A cross-sectional study

Healthy replacement heifers are one of the foundations of a healthy dairy herd. Farm management andrearing systems in Switzerland provide a wide variety of factors that could potentially be associated withintramammary infections (IMI) in early lactating dairy heifers. In this study, IMI with minor mastitispathogens such as coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), contagious pathogens, and environmentalmajor pathogens were identified. Fifty-four dairy farms were enrolled in the study. A questionnaire wasused to collect herd level data on housing, management and welfare of young stock during farm isitsand interviews with the farmers. Cow-level data such as breed, age at first calving, udder condition andswelling, and calving ease were also recorded. Data was also collected about young stock that spent aperiod of at least 3 months on an external rearing farm or on a seasonal alpine farm. At the quarterlevel, teat conditions such as teat lesions, teat dysfunction, presence of a papilloma and teat lengthwere recorded. Within 24 h after parturition, samples of colostral milk from 1564 quarters (391 heifers)were collected aseptically for bacterial culture. Positive bacteriological culture results were found in 49%of quarter samples. Potential risk factors for IMI were identified at the quarter, animal and herd levelusing multivariable and multilevel logistic regression analysis. At the herd level tie-stalls, and at cow-level the breed category “Brown cattle” were risk factors for IMI caused by contagious major pathogenssuch as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). At the quarter-level, teat swelling and teat lesions were highlyassociated with IMI caused by environmental major pathogens. At the herd level heifer rearing at externalfarms was associated with less IMI caused by major environmental pathogens. Keeping pregnant heifersin a separate group was negatively associated with IMI caused by CNS. The odds of IMI with coagulase-negative staphylococci increased if weaning age was less than 4 months and if concentrates were fed tocalves younger than 2 weeks. This study identified herd, cow- and quarter-level risk factors that may beimportant for IMI prevention in the future.