Assessment of grazing selectivity in relation to land cover: a comparison between sheep and goats

Portugal’s Northeast production of sheep and goats are based on the exploitation of landscape by-products such as spontaneous native vegetation and agriculture leftovers. Shepherds tend the flocks throughout grazing itineraries every day, crossing a mosaic of patches of varied land uses. During the journey, the shepherd acts together with the sheep and goats to select each patch in creating an ordered sequence of land uses. The focus of the research is on the land-use composition of the grazing itineraries; determinate how they depend on the patterns of the landscape mosaic. It is utilized a data set of 26 monthly herd’s itineraries, 13 of sheep and 13 of goats, to investigate the relationship of the land uses crossed by the flocks and the land uses of the landscape, evaluating the land-use preferences and selectivity of the sheep and goats. It is utilized the divergences in the time spent and distance travelled by the herds and the area of the land uses in the landscape, the chi-square test to relate the preferred land used and the season, and the discriminate analysis to distinguish the preferences and the selectivity of the herd of sheep and the herd of goats. The herds of the sheep and the goats presented different land-use preferences over the seasons and the discriminant analysis shows that they have different landscape preferences. The herd of sheep has the highest selectivity indexes for the annual irrigated crops, the agricultural complex systems and the agroforestry land uses. The highest selectivity indexes for the herd of goats were found for the deciduous forest, the agriculture with natural and semi-natural spaces and the shrublands land uses. It was concluded that the landscape management for sheep and goats herding has to be different: the agricultural land uses are essential to the flocks of sheep and the forest land uses are decisive to the flocks of goats.

Effect of maternal cold exposure and nutrient restriction on insulin-like growth factor sensitivity in adipose tissue of newborn sheep

Adipose tissue mass in the newborn is determined in part by insulin-like growth factor (IGF)s, which are dependent on the maternal nutritional and metabolic environment during late gestation. The present study was designed to determine whether maternal cold exposure (CE) commencing in mid gestation could modulate some of the adaptive effects of nutrient restriction in late gestation on adipose tissue endocrine sensitivity in the resulting offspring. Twenty eight pregnant sheep were entered into the study and were either shorn, i.e. cold exposed, from 70 days gestation (term = 147 days), or remained unshorn, and were fed either their total calculated metabolisable energy (ME) requirements for body weight and pregnancy from 110 days gestation or 50% of this amount (n=7 per group). Adipose tissue was sampled from the offspring at one day of age and the mRNA abundance for IGF-I, II their receptors (R) and GH secretagogue receptor-1a (GHSR-1a) were determined. CE mothers produced larger offspring with more perirenal adipose tissue, an adaptation prevented by maternal nutrient restriction. Nutrient restriction in unshorn mothers increased IGF-I and IIR mRNA abundance. The mRNA abundances for IGF-I, II and IIR in adipose tissue were reduced by CE, adaptations independent of maternal food intake, whereas CE plus nutrient restriction increased GHSR-1a mRNA. In conclusion, maternal nutrient restriction with or without CE has very different effects on IGF sensitivity of adipose tissue and may act to ensure adequate fat stores are present in the newborn in the face of very different maternal endocrine and metabolic environments.

Ontogeny and nutritional programming of the hepatic growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor-prolactin axis in the sheep

The liver is an important metabolic and endocrine organ in the fetus but the extent to which its hormone receptor (R) sensitivity is developmentally regulated in early life is not fully established. We, therefore, examined developmental changes in mRNA abundance for the growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) receptors (R) plus insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and –II and their receptors. Fetal and postnatal sheep were sampled at either 80, or 140 days gestation, 1, 30 days or six months of age. The effect of maternal nutrient restriction between early to mid (i.e. 28 to 80 days gestation, the time of early liver growth) gestation on gene expression was also examined in the fetus and juvenile offspring. Gene expression for the GHR, PRLR and IGF-IR increased through gestation peaking at birth, whereas IGF-I was maximal near to term. In contrast, IGF-II mRNA decreased between mid and late gestation to increase after birth whereas IGF-IIR remained unchanged. A substantial decline in mRNA abundance for GHR, PRLR and IGF-IR then occurred up to six months. Maternal nutrient restriction reduced GHR and IGF-IIR mRNA abundance in the fetus, but caused a precocious increase in the PRLR. Gene expression for IGF-I and –II were increased in juvenile offspring born to nutrient restricted mothers. In conclusion, there are marked differences in the developmental ontogeny and nutritional programming of specific hormones and their receptors involved in hepatic growth and development in the fetus. These could contribute to changes in liver function during adult life.

Molecular detection of Brucella melitensis in sheep and goat milk in Iran

Purpose: To detect Brucella melitensis in the milk of reared sheep and goats from Isfahan and Shahrekord regions, Iran. Methods: A total of 225 milk samples (sheep = 125; goat = 100) were collected from Isfahan and Shahrekord regions, Central Iran. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the presence of B. melitensis in the milk following standard procedures. Results: From 225 milk samples, 20 (8.9 %) were positive for B. melitensis. Out of 125 sheep milk, 12 (9.6 %) had B. melitensis, and of these, 8 (66.6 %) were milk collected from Shahrekord and 4 (33.3 %) from Isfahan region. On the other hand, out of 100 goat milk samples, 18 (18 %) were positive for B. melitensis, out of which 10 (55.5 %) were from Shahrekord and 8 (44.4 %) from Isfahan. Conclusion: The findings show that B. melitensis is present in a significant proportion of caprine and ovine milk in a section of Iran.

Characterization of protection afforded by a bivalent virus-like particle vaccine against bluetongue virus serotypes 1 and 4 in sheep

BACKGROUND Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an economically important, arthropod borne, emerging pathogen in Europe, causing disease mainly in sheep and cattle. Routine vaccination for bluetongue would require the ability to distinguish between vaccinated and infected individuals (DIVA). Current vaccines are effective but are not DIVA. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are highly immunogenic structural mimics of virus particles, that only contain a subset of the proteins present in a natural infection. VLPs therefore offer the potential for the development of DIVA compatible bluetongue vaccines. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Merino sheep were vaccinated with either monovalent BTV-1 VLPs or a bivalent mixture of BTV-1 VLPs and BTV-4 VLPs, and challenged with virulent BTV-1 or BTV-4. Animals were monitored for clinical signs, antibody responses, and viral RNA. 19/20 animals vaccinated with BTV-1 VLPs either alone or in combination with BTV-4 VLPs developed neutralizing antibodies to BTV-1, and group specific antibodies to BTV VP7. The one animal that showed no detectable neutralizing antibodies, or group specific antibodies, had detectable viral RNA following challenge but did not display any clinical signs on challenge with virulent BTV-1. In contrast, all control animals' demonstrated classical clinical signs for bluetongue on challenge with the same virus. Six animals were vaccinated with bivalent vaccine and challenged with virulent BTV-4, two of these animals had detectable viral levels of viral RNA, and one of these showed clinical signs consistent with BTV infection and died. CONCLUSIONS There is good evidence that BTV-1 VLPs delivered as monovalent or bivalent immunogen protect from bluetongue disease on challenge with virulent BTV-1. However, it is possible that there is some interference in protective response for BTV-4 in the bivalent BTV-1 and BTV-4 VLP vaccine. This raises the question of whether all combinations of bivalent BTV vaccines are possible, or if immunodominance of particular serotypes could interfere with vaccine efficacy.

Characterization of the immune response induced by a commercially available inactivated bluetongue virus serotype 1 vaccine in sheep

The protective immune response generated by a commercial monovalent inactivated vaccine against bluetongue virus serotype 1 (BTV1) was studied. Five sheep were vaccinated, boost-vaccinated, and then challenged against BTV1 ALG/2006. RT-PCR did not detect viremia at any time during the experiment. Except a temperature increase observed after the initial and boost vaccinations, no clinical signs or lesions were observed. A specific and protective antibody response checked by ELISA was induced after vaccination and boost vaccination. This specific antibody response was associated with a significant increase in B lymphocytes confirmed by flow cytometry, while significant increases were not observed in T lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4(+), CD8(+), and WC1(+)), CD25(+) regulatory cells, or CD14(+) monocytes. After challenge with BTV1, the antibody response was much higher than during the boost vaccination period, and it was associated with a significant increase in B lymphocytes, CD14(+) monocytes, CD25(+) regulatory cells, and CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes.

Effect of Preventive Chlamydia abortus Vaccination in Offspring Development in Sheep Challenged Experimentally

Ovine enzootic abortion, caused by Chlamydia abortus, leads to important economic losses worldwide. In addition to reproductive failures, infection may impact lamb growth during the first weeks after birth, yet this effect has not been well characterized. Vaccination can help to control the disease but variable efficacy values have been described, possibly related with factors associated with the host, the vaccine, the parameter used for efficacy determination and the challenge conditions. In this context, we evaluated the efficacy of an inactivated standard commercial vaccine and a 1/2 diluted dose in pregnant sheep challenged with C. abortus by examining multiple indicators ofvaccine effect (including incidence of reproductive failures, bacterial excretion, and evolution of weight gain of viable lambs during the first month of life). Three groups of ewes [control non-vaccinated, C (n = 18); vaccinated with standard dose, SV (n = 16) and vaccinated with 1/2 dose, DV (n = 17)], were challenged approximately 90 days post-mating and tested using direct PCR (tissue samples and vaginal swabs) and ELISA (serum) until 31 days post-reproductive outcome. There were not significant differences in the proportions of reproductive failures or bacterial shedding after birth/abortion regardless the vaccination protocol. However, a beneficial effect of vaccination on offspring growth was detected in both vaccinated groups compared with the controls, with a mean increase in weight measured at 30 days of life of 1.5 and 2.5 Kg (p = 0.056) and an increase in the geometric mean of the daily gain of 8.4 and 9.7% in lambs born from DV and SV ewes compared to controls, respectively. Our results demonstrate the effect of an inactivated vaccine in the development of the offspring of C. abortus-infected ewes at a standard and a diluted dose, an interesting finding given the difficulty in achieving sufficient antigen concentration in the production of EAE-commercial vaccines.

Proposal to minimize the difficulty of recording abortion data in sheep

Background: The most frequent viral diseases which can cause abortion in sheep are Blue tongue, Border disease virus, Cache Valley fever and Schmallenberg virus. The diagnosis of abortion, namely virus-induced represents a challenge to field clinicians, since clinical signs presented by the dam are discrete, non-specific and variable (Agerhom et al., 2015). On the other hand, while some foetuses reveal characteristic and visible malformations, others do not reveal any lesions. In face of it, definitive diagnosis requires an appropriate history collection, as well as sending fresh samples, namely abortion material, foetus, placenta and umbilical cord, to a specialty laboratory, to obtain a precise diagnosis. Objectives: The authors suggest a registration method of all mandatory data, in order to further assist the diagnosis of viral diseases at the laboratories, including the most frequent congenital malformations reported in sheep abortions. Methods: Abortion samples of suspected viral origin were collected and all data were registered, in worktables optimized for this purpose. Results: The authors document, using macroscopic figures lesions of malformations in abortions, emphasizing the frequency and the importance of documenting each case, proposing practical and effective worktables to assist the fieldwork. Conclusions: Field clinician’s awareness of the importance of early detection of viral diseases causing abortion outbreaks stimulates a proper data collection for each case of abortion, in order to contribute to a precise diagnosis and posterior consistent epidemiological studies, which may allow diminishing of economic losses.

Congenital thoracic vertebral malformations in brachycephalic “screw-tailed” dog breeds: Validation of a human classification scheme and a method of Cobb angle measurement in the assessment of vertebral column deformity

Congenital vertebral malformations are common in brachycephalic “screw-tailed” dog breeds such as French bulldogs, English bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pugs. Those vertebral malformations disrupt the normal vertebral column anatomy and biomechanics, potentially leading to deformity of the vertebral column and subsequent neurological dysfunction. The initial aim of this work was to study and determine whether the congenital vertebral malformations identified in those breeds could be translated in a radiographic classification scheme used in humans to give an improved classification, with clear and well-defined terminology, with the expectation that this would facilitate future study and clinical management in the veterinary field. Therefore, two observers who were blinded to the neurologic status of the dogs classified each vertebral malformation based on the human classification scheme of McMaster and were able to translate them successfully into a new classification scheme for veterinary use. The following aim was to assess the nature and the impact of vertebral column deformity engendered by those congenital vertebral malformations in the target breeds. As no gold standard exists in veterinary medicine for the calculation of the degree of deformity, it was elected to adapt the human equivalent, termed the Cobb angle, as a potential standard reference tool for use in veterinary practice. For the validation of the Cobb angle measurement method, a computerised semi-automatic technique was used and assessed by multiple independent observers. They observed not only that Kyphosis was the most common vertebral column deformity but also that patients with such deformity were found to be more likely to suffer from neurological deficits, more especially if their Cobb angle was above 35 degrees.

Antimicrobial activity of Brazilian propolis extracts for Staphylococcus aureus of sheep and goats mastitis origin

Twenty-four S. aureus isolates were analysed. From those, 22 were isolated from milk of goats and sheep with clinical and subclinical mastitis, from the region of Vale do São Francisco in the Brazilian Sertão and S. aureus ATCC 25923 plus a MRSA strain were added. Alcoholic extracts were produced from several batches of green, red and brown propolis consisting of 300 g of raw propolis in 700 mL of 70 % ethanol. Four genes related to antimicrobial resistance were assessed: blaZ that determines the resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, and genes icaA, icaD and bap that influence the production of biofilm. For the tests of susceptibility to different types of propolis the microdilution method was used, in triplicate, and dilutions between 0.003672 and 15% were tested, 70 % ethanol consisted of a negative control. The gene blaZ was found in 15 isolates; icaA gene was present in 3 isolates, icaD gene in 2 and bap gene was detected in 6 isolates. All the propolis tested exhibited antimicrobial activity, ranging from 44 to 100 % of susceptible isolates depending on different propolis batches. According to the results of this experiment the green and red propolis appear to have better antimicrobial activity than the brown variety.

Antibiofilm activity of Brasilian propolis extracts against Staphylococcus aureus producers isolated from goat and sheep mastitic milk

The aim of this study was to investigate the action of inhibiting S. aureus biofilm formation, and the ability to eliminate formed biofilm, by alcoholic extracts of green, red and brown propolis from Brazil. Ten isolates of S. aureus have been tested, 8 field isolates, 1 MRSA and 1 ATCC 25923, by microplate quantitative method. For the evaluation of inhibitory action, the isolates were inoculated, in triplicate, in TSB 1% glucose in the presence of green (1), red (2) and brown (4) propolis extracts. Biofilm formation was evaluated by optical reading, compared to a negative control consisting of a mixture of TSB and extract. For biofilm elimination assay, extracts were added to plates with 24h cultures of the same isolates. Assays were repeated three times on three different days. Eight out of the 10 isolates produced less biofilm in the presence of the green propolis extracts, so the inhibitory effect is 80%. Brown propolis extracts inhibited the formation of biofilm in 10% to 70% of the isolates and the red extracts in 30% to 80%. Regarding the biofilm elimination activity, green propolis extract was positive for 9 out of the 10 isolates (90%), the brown propolis extracts were positive for 0% to 100% isolates and red extracts for 0% to 10% isolates.

Survey of demographic and phenotypic data of local pig breeds of Treasure Project

Local genetic resources represent an important reservoir of biodiversity in the animal sector. Sustainable use of these resources can be an important source of income for farmers taking advantage of the peculiar characteristics of their products. The different European local pig breeds have a different level of knowledge of their characteristics both at demographic and phenotypic level. This information, however, is fundamental to the management of the breeds and represent one of the first steps in a project for the enhancement of production. This paper reports the results of a survey on the demographic and phenotypic characterization of the 20 European local pig breeds involved in the TREASURE* project. The first part of the survey shows, for all populations involved, the available demographic parameters, the structure of the breed (i.e. number of males, females and replacements), the main morphological features, the reproductive information as well as some additional information collected at herd-level (i.e. temperament, holding, mating practices). A second module reports the results related to the origins and development of the breeds, to market characteristics and the presence and distribution of niche products. The survey concludes with a module related to the specific characteristics of each breed and the management of the same in relation to food and the environment. The survey is the starting point of the genetic and productive characterization of the breeds involved that are future actions of the TREASURE project.

Cryopreservation of Sheep Produced Embryos – Current and Future Perspectives

Due to economical and scientific limitations, sheep embryo reproductive technologies are less commercially applied than in other animal species. However, it is very clear that, in the near future, those techniques are expected to have a central role in animal production as a consequence of genetic and reproductive demands. One drawback is that results obtained after sheep embryo cryopreservation are unattractive for commercial purposes. It is expected that a successful cryopreservation of sheep embryos can push forward all other reproductive biotechnologies in this species, such as multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET), artificial insemination, or in vitro production of embryos. This paper tries to discuss the current and future perspectives of cryopreservation of in vivo- and in vitro-produced sheep embryos concerning advantages and limitations for its practical use and possible solutions for improving methods to allow a higher survival rate of cryopreserved embryos.

Emergy analysis of a silvo-pastoral system, a case study in southern Portugal

The Mediterranean silvo-pastoral system known as Montado, in Portugal, is a complex land use system composed of an open tree stratum in various densities and an herbaceous layer, used for livestock grazing. Livestock also profit from the acorns, and the grazing contributes to avoid shrub encroachment. In the last 20 years, subsidies from the European Union have greatly promoted cattle rearing in this system and the introduction of heavy breeds, at the expense of sheep, goats or the native cattle breeds. The balance of the traditional system is thus threatened, and a precise assessment of the balance between the different components of the system, therefore is highly needed. The goal of this study was to gain a better under- standing of a Montado farm system with cattle rearing as the major economic activity by applying the emergy evaluation method to calculate indices of yield, investment, environmental loading and sustainability. By integrating different ecosystem components, the emergy evaluation method allows a comprehensive evaluation of this complex and multifunctional system at the scale of an individual farm. This method provides a set of indices that can help us understand the system and design management strategies that maximize emergy flow in the farm. In this paper, we apply the emergy evaluation method to a Montado farm with cattle rearing, as a way to gain a better understanding of this system at the farm scale. The value for the transformity of veal (2.66E?06 sej J-1) is slightly higher, when compared to other systems producing protein. That means that the investment of nature and man in this product was higher and it requires a premium price on the market. The renewa- bility for Holm Oaks Farm (49 %), lower than for other similar systems, supports the assumption that this is a farm in which, comparing with others, the number of purchased inputs in relation to renewable inputs provided by nature, is higher. The Emergy Investment Ratio is 0.91 for cattle rearing compared to a value of 0.49 for cork and 0.43 for firewood harvesting, making it clear that cattle rearing is a more labor demanding activity comparing with extractive activities as cork and firewood harvesting.

Intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance of rations containing different levels of murumuru meal in sheep diets.

A pesquisa objetivou estudar o potencial de utilização da torta de murumuru (Astrocaryum murumuru var. murumuru, M art.) (TM) em dietas de ovinos, em substituição à gramínea Mombaça (Panicum maximum Jacq) com teores crescentes. Realizou-se ensaio metabólico, com 20 ovinos machos, castrados, na Embrapa Amazônia Oriental, Belém, Pará, durante 26 dias. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado, em cinco dietas e quatros repetições. TM0: 100% de gramínea; TM10: 10% de TM e 90% de gramínea; TM20: 20% de TM e 80% de gramínea; TM40: 40% de TM e 60% de gramínea e TM60: 60% de TM e 40% de gramínea. Foram avaliados o consumo e o coeciente de digestibilidade aparente da matéria seca (CMS e CDMS), matéria orgânica (CMO e CDMO), proteína bruta (CPB e CDPB), bra em detergente neutro (CFDN e CDFDN), bra em detergente ácido (CFDA e CDFDA), extrato etéreo (CEE e CDEE), celulose (CCEL e CDCEL), hemicelulose (CHEM e CDHEM) e balanço de nitrogênio (BN) das dietas experimentais. O CMS, CMO, CMM, CPB, CFDN e CFDA apresentaram efeito linear decrescente em função dos teores de substituição da gramínea Mombaça por TM na dieta. O CEE e o CLIG apresentaram efeitos quadráticos em função dos teores de substituição da TM na dieta. O CDMS, CDMO e CDHEM tiveram efeitos lineares crescentes, entre TM0 e TM60. O CDEE, CDFDN, CDFDA e CDCEL apresentaram efeito quadrático, com teores de substituição ótimos de 56,65%, 41%, 31,33% e 27,46%, respectivamente. O balanço de nitrogênio apresentou efeito linear negativo no intervalo de inclusão de 0% a 60% de torta. Conclui-se que a torta de murumuru constitui alternativa para a suplementação alimentar de ruminantes, em substituição à gramínea Mombaça, pois proporciona aumento na digestibilidade dos nutrientes por ovinos. Entretanto, deve-se respeitar um limite de inclusão, considerando-se que a partir de 27,46%, 31,33%, 41% e 56,65% de substituição ocorrem decréscimos, respectivamente da CDCEL, CDFDA, CDFDN e CDEE, embora não ocorra valor negativo para o balanço de nitrogênio.