Degenerative joint disease in cattle and buffaloes in the Amazon region: a retrospective study

A retrospective study of the epidemiological and clinic-pathological aspects of cattle and buffaloes with degenerative joint disease (DJD) was conducted in the state of Pará, Brazil. From 1999 to 2014, eleven cattle and 24 buffaloes were evaluated. All the treated animals with suspected DJD underwent a clinical examination of the musculoskeletal system. In seven cattle and eight buffaloes with clinical signs of the disease postmortem examination was performed. The common clinical signs observed in both species were chronic lameness, stiff gait, postural changes, audible crackles in the affected limb, prolonged recumbency, difficulty in getting up and progressive weight loss. The lesions observed at necropsy were: irregular articular surfaces, erosion of the articular cartilage and the underlying bone tissue, and proliferation of the periarticular bone tissue with formation of osteophytes. The most affected joints in cattle and buffaloes wereof the hind limb. In buffaloes, the main predisposing factor to the onset of DJD was phosphorus deficiency. In cattle, defects of the anatomical conformation of the hind limbs, chronic trauma due to the activities performed, such as semen collection, and advanced age possibly contributed to the emergence of the disease.

Babesia bovis: expression of adhesion molecules in bovine umbilical endothelial cells stimulated with plasma from infected cattle

Ten male, 12-month-old Jersey with intact spleens, serologically and parasitologically free from Babesia were housed individually in an arthropod-free isolation system from birth and throughout entire experiment. The animals were randomly divided into two groups. Five animals (group A) were intravenously inoculated with 6.6 X10(7) red blood cells parasitized with pathogenic sample of Babesia bovis (passage 7 BboUFV-1), for the subsequent "ex vivo" determination of the expression of adhesion molecules. Five non-inoculated animals (group B) were used as the negative control. The expression of the adhesion molecules ICAM-1, VCAM, PECAM-1 E-selectin and thrombospondin (TSP) was measured in bovine umbilical vein endothelial cells (BUVECs). The endothelial cells stimulated with a pool of plasma from animals infected with the BboUFV-1 7th passage sample had a much more intense immunostaining of ICAM-1, VCAM, PECAM-1 E-selectin and TSP, compared to the cells which did not received the stimulus. The results suggest that proinflammatory cytokines released in the acute phase of babesiosis may be involved in the expression of adhesion molecules thereby implicating them in the pathophysiology of babesiosis caused by B. bovis.

Poisoning by Poiretia punctata in cattle and sheep

Poiretia punctata (Willd.) Desv. was associated with cattle and sheep poisoning on nine farms in the State of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. The animals were found dead or died later after showing clinical signs for up to 18 hours. Two sheep that ingested 40g/kg body weight (g/kg) of fresh P. punctata died three and eight hours after ingestion, respectively. Another sheep that ingested 40g/kg five days after plant collection showed mild clinical signs and recovered after 24 hours. Two sheep that received 20g/kg and another that ingested three daily doses of 20g/kg showed clinical signs, but recovered. Two cattle that ingested 20g/kg of the fresh plant exhibited clinical signs and recovered. The clinical observations of poisoning were depression, ataxia, loss of equilibrium, broad-based stance, head down, falls, mandibular trismus, opisthotonous, nystagmus, and recumbence. Significant gross and histologic lesions were not observed. Samples of P. punctata were analyzed for nitrates, cyanogenic glycosides, and sodium monofluouracetate with negative results. It is concluded that P. punctata is a toxic plant that caused death in cattle and sheep in the State of Sergipe.

Lead poisoning in cattle and chickens in the state of Pará, Brazil

The present study describes the occurrence of lead poisoning in cattle and chickens in Pará, Brazil. In a lot composed of 80 calves from a dairy herd, 10 animals became sick and nine died, but one animal recovered after being removed from the paddock. Upon inspection of this paddock, the presence of truck batteries used to store energy captured by solar panels was found. The clinical signs observed in calves included difficult breathing, nasal discharge, excessive salivation, corneal opacity, pushing of the head against objects and recumbency. The chickens had decreased oviposition and produced eggs with thin or malformed shells. The necropsy findings of the cattle, as well as the histopathological changes observed, were of little significance except for one animal that showed mild astrocytosis histopathology in the cerebral cortex. In one of the chickens, renal histopathology showed mild multifocal acute tubular necrosis. The mean lead concentrations in the livers and kidneys of the cattle were 93.91mg/kg and 209.76mg/kg, respectively, and the mean concentration detected in chicken livers was 105.02mg/kg. It was concluded that the source of lead poisoning in these calves and chickens were the truck battery plates, which were within reach of the animals.

Selenium and vitamin E enriched diet increases NK cell cytotoxicity in cattle

A number of studies has shown that antioxidants, fatty acids and trace minerals may modulate different immune cell activities, and that their deficiency may be associated with diseases and impaired immune responses. In innate immunity, natural killer (NK) cells have a central role, killing virally infected and cancerous cells, and also secreting cytokines that shape adaptive immune responses. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of enriched diets in selenium plus vitamin E and/or canola oil on complete blood count and on NK cell cytotoxicity from blood lymphocytes of Nellore bulls. Bulls that received selenium plus vitamin E had (P=0.0091) higher NK cell cytotoxicity than control bulls. This result positively correlated with serum selenium levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that showed immunostimulatory effects of selenium plus vitamin E on NK cell cytotoxicity of Nellore bulls.

Histophilus somni-induced thrombotic meningoencephalitis in cattle from northern Paraná, Brazil

Thrombotic meningoencephalitis (TME) is a fatal neurological disease of cattle, predominantly from North America, that is caused by Histophilus somniwith sporadic descriptions from other countries. This manuscript describes the occurrence of spontaneous TME in cattle from northern Paraná, Brazil. Most cattle had acute neurological manifestations characteristic of brain dysfunction. Hematological and cerebrospinal fluid analyses were not suggestive of bacterial infections of the brain. Histopathology revealed meningoencephalitis with vasculitis and thrombosis of small vessels that contained discrete neutrophilic and/or lymphocytic infiltrates admixed with fibrin at the brainstem, cerebral cortex, and trigeminal nerve ganglion of all animals. All tissues from the central nervous system used during this study were previously characterized as negative for rabies virus by the direct immunofluorescence assay. PCR and RT-PCR assays investigated the participation of infectious agents associated with bovine neurological disease by targeting specific genes of H. somni, Listeria monocytogenes, bovine herpesvirus -1 and -5, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and ovine herpesvirus-2. PCR and subsequent sequencing resulted in partial fragments of the 16S rRNA gene of H. somni from brain sections of all animals with histopathological diagnosis of TME; all other PCR/RT-PCR assays were negative. These findings confirmed the participation of H. somni in the neuropathological disease observed in these animals, extend the geographical distribution of this disease, and support previous findings of H. somni from Brazil.

Follicle and corpus luteum size and vascularity as predictors of fertility at the time of artificial insemination and embryo transfer in beef cattle

Abstract:Two ultrasound based fertility prediction methods were tested prior to embryo transfer (ET) and artificial insemination (AI) in cattle. Female bovines were submitted to estrous synchronization prior to ET and AI. Animals were scanned immediately before ET and AI procedure to target follicle and corpus luteum (CL) size and vascularity. In addition, inseminated animals were also scanned eleven days after insemination to target CL size and vascularity. All data was compared with fertility by using gestational diagnosis 35 days after ovulation. Prior to ET, CL vascularity showed a positive correlation with fertility, and no pregnancy occurred in animals with less than 40% of CL vascularity. Prior to AI and also eleven days after AI, no relationship with fertility was seen in all parameters analyzed (follicle and CL size and vascularity), and contrary, cows with CL vascularity greater than 70% exhibit lower fertility. In inseminated animals, follicle size and vascularity was positive related with CL size and vascularity, as shown by the presence of greater CL size and vascularity originated from follicle with also greater size and vascularity. This is the first time that ultrasound based fertility prediction methods were tested prior to ET and AI and showed an application in ET, but not in AI programs. Further studies are needed including hormone profile evaluation to improve conclusion.

Recovery of Mollicutes from the reproductive tract of dairy cattle in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to report the occurrence of members of the Mollicutesclass in the reproductive system of dairy cattle in Brazil. Five farms containing dairy cattle were visited in January of 2012. In total, 100 cows of different ages, breeds and stages of lactation were examined in the present study. The cows were part of intensive or semi-intensive management systems and were submitted to mechanical milking or hand milking. The samples were collected after washing the vulvar region with water and soap, and then drying it with paper towels and disinfecting the area with alcohol (70°GL). Vaginal mucous was collected using a sterile alginate cotton swab, which was rubbed on the vagina, as well as the lateral and internal walls. Vulvovaginal mucous samples were cultured in both liquid and solid modified Hayflick´s medium, for mycoplasmas, and UB medium, for ureaplasmas. The PCR assays for Mollicutesand Ureaplasmaspp. were performed according to the standard protocols described in the current literature. During isolation, the frequency of Mycoplasmaspp. was of 13.0% (13/100) and for Ureaplasmaspp. was of 6.0% (6/100). In the PCR assays the frequency of Mollicuteswas of 26.0% (26/100) and for Ureaplasmaspp. was of 13.0% (13/100) in the dairy cattle studied. This is the first report of these agents in reproductive system of bovine of the Pernambuco state. Further studies are necessary to determine the pathogenic potential and species of these field isolates.

Presence of Porphyromonas and Prevotella species in the oral microflora of cattle with periodontitis

Abstratc: Bovine periodontitis is a progressive purulent infectious process associated with the presence of strictly and facultative anaerobic subgingival biofilm and epidemiologically related to soil management in large geographic areas of Brazil. This study aimed to detect species of the genera Porphyromonas and Prevotella, which occurr in periodontal pockets of cattle with lesions deeper than 5mm (n=26) and in gingival sulcus of animals considered periodontally healthy (n=25). Presence of the microorganisms was evaluated by independent-culture medium diagnostic method, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers of Porphyromonas asaccharolytica, P. endodontalis, P. gingivalis, P. gulae, Prevotella buccae, P. intermedia, P. loescheii, P. melaninogenica, P. nigrescens, P. oralis and P. tannerae. The species P. endodontalis (80.7%), P. melaninogenica (73.1%) and P. intermedia (61.5%) were the most predominant in samples of cattle with periodontitis. Regarding non-injured gingival sulcus of cattle, P. endodontalis (40%) and P. loeschei (40%) prevailed. Porphyromonas gingivalis, P. gulae and Prevotella tannerae were not detected in the 51 samples studied. Data evaluation by T test, enabled to verify that ocorrence of Porphyromonas asaccharolytica (p=0.000003), P. endodontalis (p=0.0023), Prevotella buccae (p=0.0017), P. intermedia (p=0.0020), P. melaninogenica (p=0.00006) and P. oralis (p=0.0028) is correlated with bovine periodontitis.

Rising to the impossible challenge: the storage of all research data, forever?

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

k-Casein gene frequencies support subdivision and historical origin of Argentine Creole cattle

Gene frequencies at the k-casein locus were estimated in six different herds (N = 180) of Argentinean Creole cattle. The results showed a strong influence of subdivision and independent evolution on the divergence of the observed gene frequencies. These results suggest that the population structure of these herds favor the maintenance of polymorphism, which is of crucial importance for the long-time survival of populations.

A new allele of peptidase-B in cattle

Electrophoretic analyses of peptidase-B were carried out on red cell hemolysates from Holstein, Mantiqueira and Gyr cattle, using cornstarch, known in Brazil as Penetrose-30. We describe a new peptidase-B allele, denoted Pep-B1, in Mantiqueira cattle, belonging to the Bos taurus group, which are the result of a cross of native cattle of Portuguese origin introduced in Brazil during colonial times (16th century) with Holstein and Caracu cattle. The genetic control of peptidase-B was determined by typing parents and progeny segregating for all three alleles, confirming that peptidase B is controlled by a single autosomal locus with three codominant alleles, denoted Pep-B1, Pep-B2 and Pep-B3 The use of the citrate-phosphate buffer system, at pH 5.9, on 14% gel, under the electrophoretic conditions standardized in this study permitted good visualization of all peptidase-B variants.

Milk protein polymorphisms in Brazilian Zebu cattle

Five bovine milk protein polymorphisms were studied in Zebuine cattle raised in Brazil, through horizontal electrophoresis on starch gel containing urea and 2-mercaptoethanol, using basic and acidic buffer systems. Allelic frequencies for a-La, b-Lg, aS1-Cn, b-Cn and k-Cn loci were estimated in six Gyr herds (N = 283), six Guzerat herds (N = 205), one Nelore herd (N = 17) and one Sindi herd (N = 22), all from São Paulo or Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Genotypic frequencies observed for each locus and breed studied are in accordance with the assumption of genetic equilibrium, demonstrating absence of high inbreeding levels for the breeds tested. The FST value found indicated significant genetic differentiation among breeds; however, the Gyr and Guzerat herds showed significantly different gene frequencies. Genetic distance estimates among zebuine breeds studied and the Holstein breed, taken as a reference for a taurine breed, showed strong differences between these two racial groups

Differential in vitro pathogenicity of predatory fungi of the genus Monacrosporium for phytonematodes, free-living nematodes and parasitic nematodes of cattle

In vitro tests were carried out on the pathogenicity of nine isolates of the predatory fungi of the genus Monacrosporium (5 M. sinense isolates, 3 M. appendiculatum and 1 M. thaumasium isolate) for a phytonematode (second stage juveniles from Meloidogyne incognita, race 3), a free-living nematode (Panagrellus spp), and two gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes of cattle (infective larvae of Cooperia punctata and Haemonchus placei). A suspension containing 2,000 nematodes from each species was added to Petri dishes containing fungi and grown on 2% water-agar medium at 25oC in the dark for up to 7 days. The dishes were examined every other day for 7 days and predation-free nematodes were counted. The results showed that the free-living nematodes, Panagrellus spp, were the most susceptible (P<0.05), followed by the phytonematode M. incognita, while the controls were ³98.5% viable. However, a variable susceptibility of the nematodes to different fungi was observed. This indicates that the use of predatory fungi for the environmental control of nematodes will be limited by the multiplicity of nematodes in the environment and their differential susceptibility to fungal isolates of the same genus.

Recombinant E2 glycoprotein of bovine viral diarrhea virus induces a solid humoral neutralizing immune response but fails to confer total protection in cattle

Two recombinant baculoviruses were produced in order to obtain a bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) immunogen: AcNPV/E2 expressing E2 glycoprotein, and AcNPV/E0E1E2 expressing the polyprotein region coding for the three structural proteins of BVDV (E0, E1, and E2). Mice were immunized with Sf9 cells infected with the recombinant baculoviruses in a water in oil formulation and the production of neutralizing antibodies was evaluated. Since E2 elicited higher neutralizing antibody titers than E0-E1-E2 polyprotein, it was selected to immunize cattle. Calves received two doses of recombinant E2 vaccine and were challenged with homologous BVDV 37 days later. The recombinant immunogen induced neutralizing titers which showed a mean value of 1.5 ± 0.27 on the day of challenge and reached a top value of 3.36 ± 0.36, 47 days later (84 days post-vaccination). On the other hand, sera from animals which received mock-infected Sf9 cells did not show neutralizing activity until 25 days post-challenge (62 days post-vaccination), suggesting that these antibodies were produced as a consequence of BVDV challenge. Even when no total protection was observed in cattle, in vitro viral neutralization assays revealed that the recombinant immunogen was able to induce neutralizing antibody synthesis against the homologous strain as well as against heterologous strains in a very efficient way.