Ruminal Lesions in Dairy Cows Naturally Infected by Calicophoron microbothrioides (Trematoda: Paramphistomidae)

1. Rumen and caecal wall tissues were taken at slaughter from lambs varying in age from newborn to 11 weeks. The ability of these tissues to metabolize the short-chain fatty acids, acetic, propionic and butyric acid was compared with tissues from adult sheep. Ketone body production was measured.2. The utilization of butyrate by the rumen wall in the newborn lamb was lower than in the adult, but exceeded the adult levels at 3 weeks of age and maintained this higher utilization to 11 weeks and probably longer. Ketone body production was negligible at birth but followed butyrate utilization closely thereafter.3. The caecal wall in the newborn lamb utilized butyrate at a much higher rate than the adult sheep tissue. Foetal lamb caecal tissue utilized butyrate to the same extent as in the newborn lamb. Levels were, however, typical of the adult within a day or two of birth and showed no subsequent effect of age. Ketone body production was negligible at all ages.4. Rumen development in milk-fed lambs slaughtered at 7 and 9 weeks of age was retarded anatomically and showed decreased capacity in the utilization of butyrate.5. The utilization of acetate and propionate by rumen and caecal tissues showed no marked change due to age. Ketone body production from these acids was low.

Globally, ruminant production contributes immensely to the supply of the highest quality and quantity of proteins for human consumption, sustenance of livelihoods, and attainment of food security. Nevertheless, the phasing out of antibiotics in animal production has posed a myriad of challenges, including poor growth, performance and nutrient utilization, pathogen colonization, dysbiosis, and food safety issues in ruminants. Probiotics (direct-fed microbials), comprising live microbial strains that confer health and nutritional benefits to the host when administered in appropriate quantities, are emerging as a viable, safe, natural and sustainable alternative to antibiotics. Although the mechanisms of action exerted by probiotics on ruminants are not well elucidated, dietary probiotic dosage to ruminants enhances development and maturation, growth and performance, milk production and composition, nutrient digestibility, feed efficiency, pathogen reduction, and mitigation of gastrointestinal diseases. However, the beneficial response to probiotic supplementation in ruminants is not consistent, being dependent on the microbial strain selected, combination of strains, dose, time and frequency of supplementation, diet, animal breed, physiological stage, husbandry practice, and farm management. Nonetheless, several studies have recently reported beneficial effects of probiotics on ruminant performance, health and production. This review conclusively re-iterates the need for probiotics inclusion for the sustainability of ruminant production. Considering the role that ruminants play in food production and employment, global acceptance of sustainable ruminant production through supplementation with probiotics will undoubtedly ensure food security and food safety for the world. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Animals with tuberculosis pose some risks to humans, especially in developing countries of the world. In this study, postmortem inspection (PMI) and immunochromatographic assay (ICA) techniques were compared for the detection of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in slaughter cattle in Enugu State, Nigeria using culture as the gold standard. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January-June, 2011 on animals presented at four purposively selected slaughterhouses in the study area, involving a total of 500 randomly selected animals. Blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of selected animals and serum samples harvested for ICA. Thorough PMI was carried out and tissue samples from the lung, liver, intestine, and lymph nodes were collected, with or without lesions for culture; from the animals examined, culture detected 11 positive cases giving a prevalence rate of 2.2%, whereas PMI detected 22 positive cases including 7 (out of the 11) positive cases detected by culture, giving a prevalence rate of 4.4%. Fifteen of the cases detected as positive by PMI were negative by culture. Therefore, the sensitivity and specificity of PMI were 64 and 97%, respectively. ICA detected 59 positive cases including 10 of the 11 positive cases detected by culture, hence, a prevalence rate of 11.8%. Forty-nine of the cases detected as positive by ICA were negative by culture. Hence, the sensitivity and specificity of ICA were 91 and 90%, respectively. In conclusion, the performance of ICA was found sufficiently high to support its use in BTB surveillance and control in cattle in Enugu State, Nigeria.

Simple SummaryThe economics of livestock production depends upon the feasible feeding resources as feed costs constitute more than 70% of the total expenses of a livestock enterprise. In this regard, searching for alternative and cheaper feeding resources is imperative for economical and sustainable livestock production. Mulberry leaves are an important resource available for feeding livestock, as they possess quite high protein and energy contents as compared to other tree leaves and conventional forages. Moreover, polyphenolic compounds (mainly flavonoids) present in mulberry leaf (ML) possess excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial potential that can beneficially impact animal health and production. Mulberry leaves and its flavonoids have been shown to increase the feed digestibility and milk production in ruminants, while reducing methane emission. Moreover, mulberry flavonoids can positively influence body metabolism and alleviate oxidative stress in animals. This review highlights the importance of this unique feeding resource for ruminants to increase their performance while reducing methane emissions.Leaf biomass from the mulberry plant (genus Morus and family Moraceae) is considered a potential resource for livestock feeding. Mulberry leaves (MLs) contain high protein (14.0–34.2%) and metabolizable energy (1130–2240 kcal/kg) with high dry matter (DM) digestibility (75–85%) and palatability. Flavonoid contents of MLs confer unique antioxidant properties and can potentially help alleviate oxidative stress in animals during stressful periods, such as neonatal, weaning, and periparturient periods. In addition, mulberry leaf flavonoids (MLFs) possess antimicrobial properties and can effectively decrease the population of ruminal methanogens and protozoa to reduce enteric methane (CH4) production. Owing to its rich flavonoid content, feeding MLs increases fiber digestion and utilization leading to enhanced milk production in ruminants. Dietary supplementation with MLFs alters ruminal fermentation kinetics by increasing total volatile fatty acids, propionate, and ammonia concentrations. Furthermore, they can substantially increase the population of specific cellulolytic bacteria in the rumen. Owing to their structural homology with steroid hormones, the MLFs can potentially modulate different metabolic pathways particularly those linked with energy homeostasis. This review aims to highlight the potential of ML and its flavonoids to modulate the ruminal microbiome, fermentation, and metabolic status to enhance productive performance and health in ruminants while reducing CH4 emission.

In mammals, microbial colonization of the digestive tract (GIT) occurs right after birth by several bacterial phyla. Numerous human and mouse studies have reported the importance of early gut microbial inhabitants on host health. However, few attempts have been undertaken to directly interrogate the role of early gut/rumen microbial colonization on GIT development or host health in neonatal ruminants through artificial manipulation of the rumen microbiome. Thus, the molecular changes associated with bacterial colonization are largely unknown in cattle. In this study, we dosed young calves with exogenous rumen fluid obtained from an adult donor cow, starting at birth, and repeated every other week until six weeks of age. Eight Holstein bull calves were included in this study and were separated into two groups of four: the first group was treated with rumen content freshly extracted from an adult cow, and the second group was treated with sterilized rumen content. Using whole-transcriptome RNA-sequencing, we investigated the transcriptional changes in the host liver, which is a major metabolic organ and vital to the calf’s growth performance. Additionally, the comparison of rumen epimural microbial communities between the treatment groups was performed using the rRNA reads generated by sequencing. Liver transcriptome changes were enriched with genes involved in cell signaling and protein phosphorylation. Specifically, up-regulation of SGPL1 suggests a potential increase in the metabolism of sphingolipids, an essential molecular signal for bacterial survival in digestive tracts. Notably, eight genera, belonging to four phyla, had significant increases in abundance in treated calves. Our study provides insight into host liver transcriptome changes associated with early colonization of the microbial communities in neonatal calves. Such knowledge provides a foundation for future probiotics-based research in microbial organism mediated rumen development and nutrition in ruminants.

A limited study was conducted to determine prevalence of brucellosis in domestic ruminants kept in a free range grazing system in Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) which is a world heritage site in which pastoralists communities have been living harmoniously with wildlife for decades. Blood samples from 200 cattle, 87 goats and 13 sheep were collected by venipuncture into plain vacutainer tubes. Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and Microagglutination Test were used to detect antibodies against brucellosis in sera obtained from sampled blood. It was observed that 14.28% adult cows, 7.54% heifers, 2.38% bulls, 11.9 does, 10.7% bucks, and 10% ewes showed positive reactions to RBPT. When same samples were tested with MAT, 10.05% adult cows, 7.54% heifers, 2.38% bulls, 13.8% does, 14.3% bucks, and 3% ewes tested positive. Based on these serological tests it was concluded that brucellosis is endemic in pastoral livestock in NCA and that the reported increase in human brucellosis among pastoralists living in the NCA might be associated with domestic ruminants which are the sole source of food and income for the pastoralist in the area. Wildlife-domestic animals interaction phenomenon in NCA can as well be viewed as a significant means with which zoonoses are maintained in such ecosystem. Key words : Prevalence, brucellosis, livestock-wildlife interface, other zoonoses

• Historically, drinking water for ruminants has been a relatively inexpensive and abundant resource, but this is changing in both developed and developing countries. • Despite the great amount of attention paid to other essential nutrients by animal scientists and livestock farmers in the last century, water nutrition and water quality have not been adequately examined. Even today, drinking water is seldom considered a potentially limiting factor for the productivity and health of ruminants. Farmers rarely have information about the 2 major initial factors for assessing the adequacy of water nutrition on any farm: how much the animals are drinking and what the quality of that water is. • Although livestock will never rival humans for the world’s supply of potable water, they do use large amounts in some production systems. Nonetheless, ruminants also hold a unique niche in the production of food and other tangibles for humans by their ability to consume fi brous and lower quality feedstuffs (e.g., forages and by-products) not utilizable as food directly by humans and other nonruminants, and to convert these feeds into highquality proteins, vitamins, fats, and energy for humans. This unique capacity of ruminants very much depends on suffi cient quantities of water for maintenance, digestion, absorption, and assimilation. • Should potable drinking water become scare in some areas of the world, domestic ruminants may be forced to consume poorer quality water containing anti-quality factors. If we are to sustain the increasing demand for animal products and improve the standard of living globally, the conservation and recycling of clean drinking water on ruminant farms will be critical. Otherwise, the only alternative may be widespread use of water treatment systems. • Doubtless, ruminant farmers must improve their management by carefully using and conserving the available clean water for their animals. The future viability of ruminant production systems depends on it. Through more effi cient use of water, farmers can maximize animal performance and health while simultaneously optimizing on-farm use (from irrigation for feed crop production through recycling and conservation) to reduce the water footprint of each farm. Introduction

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the causal agent of Johne's disease (JD), infects both wild and domestic ruminants, especially dairy cows. In cattle, the usual route of infection is fecal-oral, with young cattle becoming infected by exposure to manure from infected adult cattle or their environment. The disease manifests in adult cows and results in economic losses. Clinical paratuberculosis has been diagnosed in a number of free-ranging wild ruminant species, especially in North America and Europe, such as Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, red deer in the western Alps, key deer, and tule elk. In both cattle and wild ruminants, the gastrointestinal tract is the primary site of infection, predominantly the small intestine. In the United States, infected cattle herds have been considered to be an infection source for wild ruminants. In Scotland, MAP was found in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that shared the same pasture infected by cattle, and a significant association was found between the presence of MAP in rabbits and cattle farms with JD. Despite the obvious link between JD in wild ruminants or rabbits and domestic ruminants, especially dairy cows, no study has evaluated the possible risk factors associated with cross infection between wildlife and domestic ruminants. The objectives of this study were to assess risk of transmission of MAP among dairy cattle, deer and rabbits, and to estimate prevalence of MAP among deer and rabbits surrounding infected and uninfected Minnesota dairy farms using fecal culture.

The influence of diet on the morphology of reindeer ruminal papillae was investigated in 4 groups of 3 free-ranging reindeer calves at different seasons, and in 11 groups of 3 reindeer calves fed experimental diets. Length, cross-sectional perimeter and density (number/cm2) of the ruminal papillae were measured in 4 sample sites in the rumen wall, and the ruminal surface enlargement factor (SEF) was calculated at each sample site. The range of group means were 2.3 to 3.4 mm for overall papillary length (mean of the four sample sites), 2.2 to 3.5 mm for overall cross-sectional perimeter, 85 to 189 papillae/cm2 for overall papillar density and 5.8 to 18.6 for overall SEF. Differences between sample sites wete observed, atrium ruminis having the highest and caudodorsal blind sac the lowest SEF (25% over and 24% below overall value, respectively). The differences between sample sites were considered to be small, indicating a homogenous ruminal content. The SEF of free-ranging animals showed a seasonal pattern, with high overall SEF (18.6) in September (late summer) and lower overall SEF {9.1) in April (late winter). Groups fed timothy silage with low content of cellulose (18.7% of dry matter) showed highest overall SEFs of the fed animals (17.8 and 13.9), while groups fed timothy silage with high content of cellulose (30.4%' of dry matter) showed lowest overall SEFs (5.8 and 7.0), indicating low ability to ferment silage with high content of cellulose. The SEF in animals fed experimental diets seemed partly to be influenced by SEF at the beginning of the feeding period.

A manipulação nutricional da capacidade de absorção de ácidos graxos voláteis pela parede do rúmen pode ser uma estratégia para controlar acidose em vacas leiteiras. Objetivando induzir variação morfológica da parede do rúmen através da dieta e estabelecer marcadores morfológicos eficientes para epitélio ruminal, dois experimentos foram relizados. No experimento um, sete vacas com cânula ruminal foram alimentadas com concentrado uma ou quatro vezes ao dia por 19 dias seguidos por 72 horas de jejum. Papilas ruminais foram coletadas nos dias zero, quatro, 12 e 19 do período de tratamento e 24, 48 e 72 horas após o início do período de jejum. Baixa freqüência de alimentação concentrada foi associada a um aumento de insulina plasmática através do tempo (P=0,02) e a um maior (P=0,03) índice mitótico (IM), mas não afetou outros parâmetros morfológicos. No experimento dois, foram realizados dois ensaios não-simultâneos com três ovinos canulados no rúmen, os quais foram submetidos abruptamente a 72 horas de jejum. Papilas ruminais foram coletadas no final do período de alimentação e no final do jejum. O IM foi mais alto no período de alimentação do que no período de jejum (P<0,01), mas outros parâmetros morfológicos não foram capazes de responder à variação nutricional. Entres os marcadores morfológicos estudados o IM parece ser a melhor variável para avaliação da resposta morfológica do epitélio ao plano alimentar. A freqüência de alimentação concentrada pode ser usada para regular a morfologia das papilas ruminais.

Poor feeding during pre-natal, neonatal and post-natal stages of calves leads to higher age at first calving and overall loss of productive life. Supplying calves an optimal nutrition right from the prenatal stage is vital for their growth and development, and it also allows calves to express their full genetic potential for milk production and reproductive efficiency during the entire lifespan. Maternal nutrition during the last trimester is considered important to genetic programming in utero . The influence of maternal nutrition also reaches the neonatal calf through hormones, growth factors and immune-stimulants incorporated into colostrum, milk and milk replacers. The key is to accelerate the rate of maturation of the calf's ruminal papillae (rumen wall) through the provision of calf starter and grower feeds and good-quality roughages, which favour the digestion of larger proportions of fodder at an early age. Feeding and management practices to promote these processes in crossbred calves are well established; however, in most of the developing nations little is known about these processes in buffalo calves and indigenous ( Bos indicus ) cow calves. Feeding buffalo calves and indigenous cow calves on scientific lines, and rearing them using improved management practices to assist the animals reach puberty sooner, are central factors for improving their productivity and productive life in tropical and sub-tropical regions. By 2050, people living in these regions are estimated to consume about 70% of the additional milk produced.

One hundred sixty-one strains of adherent bacteria were isolated under anaerobic conditions from four sites on the rumen epithelial surface of sheep fed hay or a hay-grain ration. Before isolation of bacteria, rumen tissue was washed six times in an anaerobic dilution solution, and viable bacteria suspended in the washings were counted. Calculation indicated that unattached bacteria would have been removed from the tissue by this procedure, but a slow and progressive release of attached bacteria also occurred. Nevertheless, a wide range of characteristic morphological types remained associated with the epithelium as demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy. Most of these types were represented among the isolates. Characterization and presumptive identification of the isolates showed that 95.0% belonged to previously described genera of functionally significant rumen bacteria, including Butyrivibrio sp. (31.1%), Bacteroides sp. (22.4%), Selenomonas ruminantium (9.9%), Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens (8.7%), Streptococcus bovis (8.1%), Propionibacterium sp. (4.3%), Treponema sp. (3.1%), and Eubacterium sp., Lachnospira multiparus, and Ruminococcus flavefaciens (2.5% each). Eight isolates (5.0%) were not identified. L. multiparus was recovered only from hay-fed animals; all other genera were obtained from animals fed either ration. All S. bovis strains and two strains each of Bacteroides sp. and Butyrivibrio sp. were aerotolerant; all other strains were strictly anaerobic. Bacteria representing the gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic flora associated with rumen wall tissue (R. J. Wallace, K.-J. Cheng, D. Dinsdale, and E. R. Ørskov, Nature (London) 279:424-426, 1979) were therefore not recovered by the techniques used; instead a different fraction of the adherent population was isolated. The term "epimural" is proposed to describe the flora associated with the rumen epithelium.

The present meta-analysis aimed to determine the underlying effects of different saponins extracted from different sources on the production performance, milk yield, digestibility, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, and nitrogen utilization of ruminants. A total of 26 papers comprising 66 in vivo studies (148 data points of dietary treatments) were evaluated in the present study. The databases were statistically analyzed using the mixed model procedure of SAS, where experiments considered random effects and tannin-related factors were treated as fixed effects. Statistical procedures were then continued in comparing different sources of saponin extract through Mixed Model analysis, where experiments were also random factors and sources of saponin extract were fixed factors. The evidence revealed in the present meta-analysis that saponin supplementation of up to 40 g/kg DM appears to have no detrimental impact on feed intake across ruminant types, suggesting that it does not significantly affect diet palatability. However, the results indicated that there are species-specific responses to saponin supplementation, particularly in relation to palatability and nutrient absorption efficiency, with larger ruminants being better able to tolerate the bitterness induced by saponin extracts. Furthermore, the study found that saponin extracts can influence nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation dynamics, with different effects observed in large and small ruminants. While some saponin extracts can enhance average daily weight gain and milk yield, others can have adverse effects, highlighting the importance of considering both saponin sources and animal physiological condition when developing nutritional strategies. Additionally, optimization of ruminant production by utilizing saponin extracts is necessary to avoid negative health implications, such as increased blood creatinine levels. Different saponin extracts utilization in ruminant nutrition and environmental management, have a distinct understanding associated to their various bioactive properties. However, among the saponin sources, saponin extracted from Quilaja saponaria is more likely to improve large ruminant production performance while maintaining ruminant health and metabolism, but negatively affect small ruminants. Further research is needed to unravel the intricate effects of different saponin sources on ruminant health and productivity, emphasizing the importance of tailored dietary strategies that consider the unique physiological and metabolic characteristics of the target livestock.

The scarcity of feed during dry seasons challenges ruminant productivity, requiring exploration of underutilised fodder species. This study evaluates the nutritional value and fermentative characteristics of Samanea saman, Terminalia catappa, and Blighia sapida leaves, focusing on their proximate compositions, fibre fractions, mineral content, bioactive compounds, in vitro fermentation characteristics, and potential for reducing methane gas emissions. Nutritionally, S. saman had the highest (p < 0.05) dry matter content (96.60%) and crude protein (22.98%) compared to B. sapida (15.98%) and T. catappa (22.46%). Blighia sapida had the highest (p < 0.05) crude fibre (46.21%) and ash content (8.69%), while T. catappa had the highest (p < 0.05) nitrogen-free extract (46.57%) and metabolizable energy (221.49 MJ/g). In terms of minerals, S. saman had the highest (p < 0.05) phosphorus (0.72%), potassium (1.83%), and iron (220.35 mg/kg), while B. sapida had the highest (p < 0.05) calcium (1.62%) and magnesium (0.84%), and T. catappa had the highest (p < 0.05) copper (90.17 mg/kg). For bioactive compounds, T. catappa had the highest (p < 0.05) tannin, phytate, and oxalate levels, while B. sapida had the highest (p < 0.05) saponin content. At 96 hours of in vitro ruminal incubation, T. catappa exhibited the highest (p < 0.05) total gas production (15.00 ml/200g DM), followed by B. sapida (14.17 ml/200g DM) and S. saman (7.58 ml/200g DM). Blighia sapida and Terminalia catappa had higher insoluble fractions (12.39 -13.07 mL), while S. saman and T. catappa showed faster fermentation rates (0.10 - 0.11 mL/h). Terminalia catappa also produced the highest (p < 0.05) levels of lactic acid (13.02 mmol/100g), total volatile fatty acids (148.43 mmol/100g), butyric acid (9.54 mmol/100g), propionic acid (9.99 mmol/100g), methane gas (59.33%), and short-chain fatty acids (0.22 mol/100g). Samanea saman followed with moderate levels of volatile fatty acids and methane (54.59%), while B. sapida had the lowest values for lactic acid (6.45 mmol/100g), total volatile acids (73.54 mmol/100g), and methane gas (51.44%) (p < 0.05). However, B. sapida recorded the highest (p < 0.05) acetic acid (10.47 mmol/100g) and valeric acid (9.49 mmol/100g) levels, with the highest ruminal pH (7.49) among the fodder species. In conclusion, all the fodder plant species have demonstrated distinct nutritional and fermentative benefits that can enhance ruminant productivity during dry seasons. Further research should focus on their optimal inclusion rates and long-term impacts on ruminant health and productivity.

Climate change intensifies water scarcity and soil salinization, threatening agriculture and livestock systems, especially in arid Mediterranean regions. Halophytes and salt-tolerant plants offer sustainable alternatives to support ruminant health and productivity where traditional crops fail, helping mitigate climate impacts. This work evaluated seasonality effects on the biochemical properties, including proximate composition, minerals, antioxidant properties, and the phenolic composition of the aerial organs of halophytes and salt-tolerant species, aiming at their future exploitation in ruminant production as novel nutraceutical or phytotherapeutic products. Target species included four halophytic species according to the eHaloph database (Calystegia soldanella (L.) R. Br. 1810, Medicago marina L. 1753, Plantago coronopus L. 1753, and Limoniastrum monopetalum (L.) Boiss. 1848) and five salt-tolerant plants (Pistacia lentiscus L. 1753, Cladium mariscus (L.) Pohl 1809, Inula crithmoides L. (syn. Limbarda crithmoides Dumort. 1827), Helichrysum italicum subsp. picardii (Boiss. & Reut.) Franco 1984, and Crucianella maritima L. 1753). H. italicum, M. marina, and C. soldanella appear well-suited for nutraceutical applications, while P. lentiscus, L. monopetalum, and C. mariscus hold promise for the development of, for example, phytotherapeutic products. This research underscores the significance of seasonal and species-specific variations in nutrient and phytochemical composition, displaying a range of opportunities for novel, sustainable, and tailored solutions to ruminant production systems in arid environments.