Animal Health Services Research Articles

Assessment of Husbandry Practices, Production and Reproductive Performance of Indigenous Cattle in Urban and Peri -urban Areas of Gambella City, Ethiopia

The objective of the present study was to characterize cattle husbandry practices, production and reproductive performance of cattle in the urban and peri-urban areas of Gambella city. Sample of respondents from each selected kebele were selected randomly using simple random sampling technique. A total of 133 household (70 from urban and 63 from peri-urban) were selected for questionnaire interview. Data was analyzed using SPPS version 23 software. The overall mean of the respondents revealed that, the management system practiced was semi-intensive (87.2%), extensive system (12.8%) and there was no intensive management system practiced. the overall mean daily milk yield was 1.58± 0.017 Littre/cow/day. The overall mean daily milk yield analysis of variance was significantly (P<0.05) difference among urban and peri-urban areas. The current result also indicated that, the overall average lactation length was and 10.59± 0.15 months, and was not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the study areas. The overall average age at first services, age at first calving and calving interval was 46.31±0.33, 51.51±0.54, and 19.01±0.11 months respectively. In Addition, disease prevalence, poor animal health service delivery, grazing land and feed shortage were among the major constraints affecting production and productivity in the study areas. In conclusion, Age at first services, age at first calving and calving interval of indigenous cow was low compared to some of the indigenous breed in other regions, animal health and health services delivery are the problems affecting cattle productivity. Hence, all concerned stakeholders need to take urgent interventions in order to improve production and productivity of cattle.

Geographic Analysis of Distribution and Development of Goat Farms

This study investigates the distribution and development of goat farms in Limapuluh Kota District with two main objectives: (a) to map the spatial distribution and development areas of goat farms, and (b) to enhance the capacity of the goat population within the district. Spatial analysis was conducted using ArcGIS 10.9, Location Quotient, and Shift Share Analysis to identify key areas for goat farm distribution and development. The capacity of livestock populations was evaluated through the CIRP method using Microsoft Excel, based on potential land resources. Secondary data from 2017 to 2021 on goat farm production was sourced from the Livestock and Animal Health Service Office and BPS Limapuluh Kota. Results indicated that goat farms are primarily concentrated in the Harau, Suliki, and Bukit Barisan Districts, while the Mungka, Payakumbuh, Guguak, Lareh Sago Halaban, and Kapur Sembilan Districts are identified as development areas. The Situjuh Limo Nagari, Luak, Akabiluru, and Pangkalan Koto Baru Districts are classified as consolidation areas, and the Gunuang Omeh District serves as a supporting area. The analysis highlights that 13 districts have potential for boosting the goat population, whereas Situjuh Limo Nagari and Guguak are categorized in the low group due to their goat population being below the threshold of 200 LU.

Stakeholder analysis and their roles in livestock disease reporting and response in Northern Kenya

IntroductionLivestock are central to pastoral livelihoods. A major constraint in pastoral production is livestock diseases, which is often exacerbated by inadequate surveillance systems. Reporting of disease outbreaks from pastoral communities to animal health workers is one of the challenges that affects effective and timely response to disease outbreaks. This study aimed to understand animal disease reporting and response in pastoral areas of Northern Kenya. Stakeholders, their roles, information flow among them and methods used for both livestock disease reporting and response and their strengths and challenges were identified.MethodsThe study was carried out in Marsabit County, a pastoral county in Kenya. Pretested tools were used to guide data collection through Focus Group Discussions, Narrative and Key Informant Interviews with pastoralists, County government Animal Health Workers, agrovets and private animal health workers, Community Disease Reporters, Chiefs, County Public Health Officers and local Non-Governmental Organization staff. Net mapping was further used where participants drew links among the various stakeholders and assigned them perceived influence and power. Output from thematic analysis, notes taken during data collection and net maps were used to produce a network of stakeholders and their links using Gephi software. Centrality measures were generated and recorded. Perceived power and influence scores were used to produce a graph and the reasons for the scores documented. Methods used for livestock disease reporting and response were obtained from thematic analysis.ResultsA network of 19 stakeholders with 67 links among them was identified. Major stakeholders were the Animal Owners/Pastoralists, Government Animal Health Workers, County Director of Veterinary Services, the Chief and radio based on network indices of Total degree and Betweenness Centrality, and also based on perceived scores of influence and power. Pastoralists had pivotal roles in both livestock disease reporting and response, Government Animal Health Workers (GAHWs) were mainly involved in disease surveillance and mass interventions including treatment and vaccinations. Non-state actors like NGOs and iNGOs collaborated and supported the County Government with resources to manage outbreaks. Various methods were used for reporting diseases, with use of mobile phones highly mentioned while for response to disease occurrences, the methods included trainings and treatment by both Government and Private AHWs and use of alternative veterinary practices by pastoralists. Various challenges constraining livestock disease response were highlighted, the most frequent challenges centered around low numbers and under resourcing of Animal Health Workers.ConclusionThese findings show that designing an efficient livestock disease surveillance system in pastoral areas requires recognition and utilization of all stakeholders and understanding of their roles. Gaps highlighted in disease response should be prioritized by the government and its development partners for improved animal health service delivery in pastoral areas. These inadequacies in livestock disease response have a direct effect on veterinary practice as mandated by the Government of Kenya Veterinary Surgeons and Para-professionals Act. The results are important for guiding policy formulation to support mitigation of disease impacts in similar areas with limited access to quality veterinary services.

Strategic Resilience and Financial Analysis of Merck & Co., Inc.: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in the Pharmaceutical Industry

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK), a prominent player in the global pharmaceutical industry, known for its significant contributions to healthcare through the development of innovative drugs and vaccines. Merck's core focus areas include pharmaceuticals, vaccines, animal health, and healthcare services, with its flagship oncology drug Keytruda being a major revenue contributor. The company faces challenges such as regulatory changes in drug pricing and competition from biosimilars and generics. To mitigate these challenges, Merck has initiated restructuring plans, including the 2024 Restructuring Plan, to optimize operational efficiency and achieve significant cost savings. The paper also presents a comparison of Merck's financial performance with industry peers - Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb - and evaluates liquidity, solvency and profitability metrics. Despite certain challenges, Merck's robust market positioning, strategic acquisitions, and active involvement in the development of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics underscore its potential for sustainable growth. Overall, the study concludes that Merck's strategic investments, coupled with its strong financial position and proactive restructuring efforts, make it an attractive investment prospect, particularly in its core therapeutic areas of oncology and immunology. This paper suggests that future research could delve deeper into the long-term impact of R&D investments, the intricacies of restructuring plans, and evolving market trends to provide a more nuanced understanding of Merck's strategic planning.

Distribution of Bovine Mastitis Pathogens in Quarter Milk Samples from Bavaria, Southern Germany, between 2014 and 2023-A Retrospective Study.

The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of mastitis pathogens in quarter milk samples (QMSs) submitted to the laboratory of the Bavarian Animal Health Service (TGD) between 2014 and 2023 in general, in relation to the clinical status of the quarters, and to analyze seasonal differences in the detection risk. Each QMS sent to the TGD during this period was analyzed and tested using the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Depending on the result, QMSs were classified as CMT-negative, subclinical, or clinical if the milk character showed abnormalities. Mastitis pathogens were detected in 19% of the QMSs. Non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) were the most common species isolated from the culture positive samples (30%), followed by Staphylococcus (S.) aureus (19%), Streptococcus (Sc.) uberis (19%), and Sc. dysgalactiae (9%). In culture-positive QMSs from CMT-negative and subclinically affected quarters, the most frequently isolated pathogens were NAS (44% and 27%, respectively), followed by S. aureus (25% and 17%, respectively) and Sc. uberis (8% and 22%, respectively). In QMSs from clinically affected quarters, the most frequently isolated pathogens were Sc. uberis (32%), S. aureus (13%), Sc. dysgalactiae (11%), and Escherichia (E.) coli (11%). The distribution of NAS and Sc. uberis increased throughout the study period, while that of S. aureus decreased. From June to October, QMSs from subclinically affected quarters increased and environmental pathogens, such as Sc. uberis, were detected more frequently. In conclusion, this study highlights the dynamic nature of the distribution of mastitis pathogens, influenced by mastitis status and seasonal factors. Environmental pathogens still play an important role, especially in clinical mastitis and seasonal dependency, with the number of positive samples continuing to increase. It is therefore essential to continue mastitis control measures and to regularly monitor the spread of mastitis pathogens in order to track trends and adapt targeted prevention measures.

Spatiotemporal analysis of a population management intervention for dogs and cats in a municipality in central Mexico.

The overpopulation of dogs and cats has generated socioeconomic, political, and animal welfare problems, in addition to an important public health problem, due to the risk of zoonotic diseases. This study aimed to analyze the spatiotemporal coverage of canine and feline sterilization services provided by a governmental agency in the rural and urban areas of the municipality of Tequisquiapan, Querétaro. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Tequisquiapan's municipality, Querétaro, Mexico, from July 2019 to September 2022. The total number of sterilized dogs and cats was obtained from the monthly records of the Tequisquiapan Animal Health and Welfare Services Center (CESSBA, by its Spanish acronym). The collected information was related to the sterilized animals (species and sex) and their responsible guardians (sex and address). Access to dog and cat sterilization services was assessed using a geographic information system. Kernel density and directional ellipse tools were used to analyze the CESSBA coverage of care. Indicators were estimated to compare magnitudes and changes at the census tract level. A total of 4,489 animals were sterilized, with n = 2,611 (58%) dogs, of which 1,939 were female and 672 were male. The remaining n = 1,878 animals were cats, representing 42% of the total, with 1,257 females and 621 males. Up to 73% of the sterilized animals were owned by women. The population management of dogs and cats allowed us to increase the territorial coverage from 71.8% in 2019 to 92.3% in 2022. According to the temporal analysis (2019-2022), there was an annual upward trend in the number of sterilizations performed by CESSBA, with a rate of between 55.6 and 94.3 registered sterilizations per 100 inhabited dwellings and between 166.4 and 302.8 registered sterilizations per 1000 inhabitants. The analysis of the dog and cat sterilization service coverage revealed an upward trend, consisting of an increase in accessibility and participation of responsible caregivers who resided in both urban and rural areas of Tequisquiapan. Although it was not possible to evaluate the impact of the program, the use of georeferenced data and geospatial analysis showed that it can support the control of animal overpopulation.

Domestic Cats Facial Expression Recognition Based on Convolutional Neural Networks

Despite extensive research on Facial Expression Recognition (FER) in humans using deep learning technology, significantly less focus has been placed on applying these advancements to recognize facial expressions in domestic animals. Recognizing this gap, our research aims to extend FER techniques specifically to domestic cats, one of the most popular domestic pets. In this paper, we present a real-time system model that employs deep learning to identify and classify cat facial expressions into four categories: Pleased, Angry, Alarmed, and Calm. This innovative model not only helps cat owners understand their pets' behavior more accurately but also holds substantial potential for applications in domestic animal health services. By identifying and interpreting the emotional states of cats, we can address a critical need for improved communication between humans and their pets, fostering better care and well-being for these animals. To develop this system, we conducted extensive experiments and training using a diverse dataset of cat images annotated with corresponding facial expressions. Our approach involved using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to analyze and learn from the subtleties in feline facial features by investigating the models' robustness considering metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, confusion matrix, and f1-score. The experimental results demonstrate the high recognition accuracy and practicality of our model, underscoring its effectiveness. This research aims to empower pet owners, veterinarians, and researchers with advanced tools and insights, ensuring the well-being and happiness of domestic cats. Ultimately, our work highlights the potential of FER technology to significantly enhance the quality of life for cats by enabling better understanding and more responsive care from their human companions

Veterinary Telemedicine in Lithuania: Analysis of the Current Market, Animal Owner Knowledge, and Success Factors for Digital Transformation of Clinics.

Veterinary telemedicine is used to provide animal health care information, education, and care remotely. Digital transformation of veterinary clinics is a fundamental process for the evolution of telemedicine and is changing the way veterinary care and animal health services are delivered. This study aimed to evaluate the current televeterinary market and to assess the knowledge of animal owners and clinic managers. The goals of this study were met by conducting an analysis of the current televeterinary market through a pet owner (n = 200) survey as well as clinic owner (n = 5) interviews. In contrast to other countries, only 1.85% of Lithuanian veterinary clinics offered a paid veterinary remote consultation service on their websites. In addition, more than half of animal owners who participated in the survey did not even know that remote veterinary consultations existed. The most important established factors for the success of digital transformation of veterinary telemedicine were investments in the marketing of the services, management leadership, the competencies and experience of veterinarians, convenient working hours for the client, faster service availability, and lower price. It is recommended to involve marketing and information technology company professionals and to invest in the specialty, digital, and communication skills of veterinarians.

Antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Streptococcus canis in quarter milk samples from Bavaria, Southern Germany, between 2012 and 2022

The objective of this study was to analyze the in vitro antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Streptococcus (Sc.) dysgalactiae, Sc. agalactiae, and Sc. canis over a 10-year period from 2012 to 2022 against the most commonly used antimicrobial agents. For this purpose, all quarter milk samples (QMS) submitted to the milk laboratory of the Bavarian Animal Health Service (TGD) were analyzed. Each QMS was tested using the California Mastitis Test (CMT) and categorized as negative (N), subclinical (S), or clinical (C) mastitis if the milk character was abnormal. Samples with Sc. dysgalactiae, Sc. agalactiae, or Sc. canis were included and a subset of isolates were further tested for in vitro antimicrobial resistance by breakpoint analysis with broth microdilution. Sc. dysgalactiae (61%, n = 65,750) was the most abundant pathogen among those 3 species, followed by Sc. agalactiae (28%, n = 30,486), and Sc. canis (11%, n = 11,336). All 3 species showed the highest resistance to the same 4 antimicrobial agents: erythromycin, marbofloxacin, pirlimycin, and cefalexin/kanamycin with varying degrees of resistance. Throughout the study period, Sc. dysgalactiae, Sc. agalactiae, and Sc. canis were largely susceptible to the remaining antimicrobial agents tested (penicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, oxacillin, cefazolin, cefoperazone, cefquinome). Only less than 14% of isolates of Sc. dysgalactiae and Sc. canis were resistant against any of the antimicrobials tested. Sc. agalactiae was the species with the highest percentage of resistant isolates. While the percentage of resistant isolates from Sc. canis and Sc. dysgalactiae decreased, the percentage of resistant Sc. agalactiae isolates increased since 2017. In summary, most isolates were not resistant to the most commonly used antimicrobial agents for mastitis therapy, including β-lactam antibiotics and penicillin should remain the first-choice therapy against streptococcal mastitis.

In vitro antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella oxytoca, and Klebsiella pneumoniae on Bavarian dairy farms between 2014 and 2022

The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance of E. coli, K. oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, and S. marcescens from quarter milk samples submitted to the udder health laboratory of the Bavarian Animal Health Services (TGD) in Southern Germany between 2014 and 2022. All samples were tested with the California Mastitis Test and analyzed with a standard microbroth dilution to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). The antimicrobials tested were amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefazoline, kanamycin/cefalexin, cefoperazone, cefquinome, and marbofloxacin. Breakpoints were chosen in accordance with CLSI. Over the study period, E. coli, K. oxytoca, and K. pneumoniae showed only few resistances to all antimicrobials tested. For those pathogens MIC 50 and MIC 90 were below breakpoint for all antimicrobials except cefoperazone over the 9 years. A decrease in MIC could be seen for E. coli and K. oxytoca for all of the antimicrobials. While the MIC for K. pneumoniae stayed more stagnant, the prevalence of resistance still decreased overall. S. marcescens isolates were proven intrinsically resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanate and cefazolin and while in vitro resistances were low for all other antimicrobials tested, S. marcescens tended toward higher MIC for most of the antimicrobials over the years. Over time, there was also an overall increase in the number of isolates for all 4 pathogens per year. Starting 2018 there was steep increase in the number of isolates particularly from clinical cases. This jump in numbers coincided with a change of the regulation for veterinary drug prescriptions in Germany in 2018 that required, among other things, antimicrobial resistance testing before a change of antibiotics in the course of treatment and the use of critically important antimicrobials. Overall, while the pathogens increased in numbers, the prevalence of their antimicrobial resistance remained low.

Semiquantitative Risk Evaluation Reveals Drivers of African Swine Fever Virus Transmission in Smallholder Pig Farms and Gaps in Biosecurity, Tanzania.

African swine fever (ASF) has remained persistent in Tanzania since the early 2000s. Between 2020 and 2021, pig farms in twelve districts in Tanzania were infected with ASF, and ≥4,804 pigs reportedly died directly due to the disease with disruption to livelihoods. We conducted semiquantitative field investigations and rapid risk assessment (RRA) to understand the risk factors and drivers of ASF virus (ASFV) amplification and transmission in smallholder pig farms, and determine the gaps in biosecurity through hazard profiling, focus group discussions and expert opinion. Outbreaks were connected by road and aligned along the pig product value chain and reported in the northern, central, and southern parts of Tanzania. The patterns of outbreaks and impacts differed among districts, but cases of ASF appeared to be self-limiting following significant mortality of pigs in farms. Movement of infected pigs, movement of contaminated pig products, and fomites associated with service providers, vehicles, and equipment, as well as the inadvertent risks associated with movements of animal health practitioners, visitors, and scavengers were the riskiest pathways to introduce ASFV into smallholder pig farms. Identified drivers and facilitators of risk of ASFV infection in smallholder pig farms were traders in whole pigs, middlemen, pig farmers, transporters, unauthorized animal health service providers, and traders in pork. All identified pig groups were susceptible to ASFV, particularly shared adult boars, pregnant and lactating sows, and other adult females. The risk of ASF for smallholder pig farms in Tanzania remains very high based on a systematic risk classification. The majority of the farms had poor biosecurity and no single farm implemented all identified biosecurity measures. Risky practices and breaches of biosecurity in the pig value chain in Tanzania are profit driven and are extremely difficult to change. Behavioural change communication must target identified drivers of infections, attitudes, and practices.

Cattle Health Management through Vitamin B-Complex Injection Program in Konda District, South Konawe Regency

Community service activities carried out by the Postgraduate Lecturer Team and Faculty of Animal Husbandry in collaboration with the Livestock and Animal Health Service Office and UPTD livestock breeding focusing on Lawoila Village, Konda Subdistrict, South Konawe District. The aim is to introduce livestock health management to improve cattle productivity, livestock health, and ensure livestock products have the desired quality standards. The methods applied included observation, counseling, and evaluation. Results showed that the livestock health service was well received by farmers in Lawoila Village. The local community showed high enthusiasm in understanding livestock health management with the hope of improving overall livestock productivity. This effort reflects an effective collaboration between academia, local government, and the community in improving the welfare of farmers and strengthening the livestock sector.

Assessment of veterinary pharmaceutical warehouse management practices and its associated challenges in four selected zones and Bahir Dar city of Amhara regional state, Ethiopia.

A pharmaceutical warehouse is part of the pharmaceutical supply chain and is essential to maintaining the quality and efficacy of veterinary pharmaceuticals for successful animal health service delivery. However, poor storage conditions, improper handling, and inappropriate use and disposal constitute challenges for veterinary supplies in animal health services. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the existing practices and challenges in warehouse management in government veterinary clinics and private veterinary drug wholesalers in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 37 veterinary health facilities in four selected zones (south Gondar, west Gondar, central Gondar, and west Gojam zones) and Bahir Dar administrative city. Zones were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, pre-defined and tested observational checklists, and semi-structured interview guides. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data, while qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic approach. The study revealed the presence of poor stock management practices, such as the absence of standard operating procedures for warehouse activities in ~59.5% of facilities surveyed. In none of the surveyed facilities, bin cards and system software utilization were satisfactory. The absence of disposal guidelines was detected in 83.8% of the facilities, and the practice of timely disposal of expired drugs was not satisfactory. Compared to the government veterinary clinics, private veterinary drug wholesalers had better storage practices (86.25%) following theoretical recommendations. The storage conditions in government clinics were rated poor at 48.3% (>80%, which is the limit to the acceptable rate for good storage conditions). The challenges of inadequate infrastructure, a lack of qualified staff, problems with the availability and affordability of pharmaceutical products, insufficient regulatory practice, and budget constraints were identified. A holistic approach involving related stakeholders should be followed to improve the existing challenges and the sector's efficiency.

Mapping the flow of veterinary antibiotics in Kenya.

To effectively regulate and reduce antibiotic use, in the livestock sector, a thorough understanding of the flow of veterinary antibiotics will help to identify key nodes in the chain for targeted interventions. The aim of this study was to understand the flow of antibiotics from import to end-user, and identify relevant governance mechanisms. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data in three Kenyan counties (Nairobi, Kiambu, and Kajiado). Focus group discussions (n = 23), individual interviews (n = 148), and key informant interviews (n = 10) were conducted. The key actors identified include primary wholesalers, secondary wholesalers, retailers, animal health service providers (AHSPs), and farmers. Kenya imports 100% of its veterinary antibiotics: primary wholesalers legally import antibiotics as finished pharmaceutical products (90%) or active pharmaceutical ingredients (10%) after approval by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Secondary wholesalers play a major role in the distribution of antibiotics (60% of antibiotics) from importers to farmers, AHSPs, and retailers. Some of the illegal sources of antibiotics include unlicenced/unauthorized middlemen and online platforms that sell directly to retailers, AHSPs, and farmers. Despite the presence of various laws and regulations governing the antibiotic value chain, implementation has been a challenge due to financial and human resource constraints. This contributes to over-the-counter sale of antibiotics without prescription, unlicensed businesses selling antibiotics, illegal importation, and presence of poor-quality drugs. There is a need to review the applicability of existing policies and address policy gaps (e.g., product containing antibiotic combinations, and use of human critically important antibiotics) to ensure the prudent sale and use of antibiotics, pharmacovigilance, antimicrobial use surveillance, and developing a business model that aligns with antibiotic stewardship. Additional interventions include awareness raising and capacity building of the different stakeholders along the antibiotic distribution chain to reduce antibiotic mis- and overuse.

Challenges Perceived by Para – vets in Varanasi District for Delivery of Animal Health Services

Challenges Perceived by Para – vets in Varanasi District for Delivery of Animal Health Services

Analysis of Strategies to Improve Human Resource Performance in Employees Technical Implementation Unit Paser Belengkong Animal Health Center

The Paser Belengkong Animal Health Center Technical Implementation Unit (Puskeswan) was established in the context of developing animal health services and to support the prevention and control of strategic and contagious animal disease (zoonosis) programs. The concept of UPT Puskeswan Paser Belengkong is to be the spearhead of animal health services in its working area which is modern, advanced, effective, efficient, safe, comfortable. Therefore, to support the implementation of achieving these goals, it is necessary to know the extent of performance conditions and determine strategies for improving the performance of human resources for animal health services at UPT Puskeswan in Paser Belengkong District. Data analysis in this study uses SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for S: Strength, W: Weakness, O: Opportunity, T: Threts (threat). This SWOT analysis is basically a strategy by taking into account the organization's internal consisting of strengths and weaknesses and external conditions consisting of opportunities and threats. Internal conditions are conditions that are controllable (can be influenced/controlled), while external conditions are more uncontrollable (cannot be influenced/controlled). Based on the results of the SWOT research, it was concluded that the strategy for improving HR performance at UPT Puskeswan Paser Belengkong is a strategy: (1) HR arrangement according to work capacity; (2) Continue education (CE) or continuing education; (3) Increase promotion to the public.

Determinants of animal disease and nontherapeutic antibiotic use on smallholder livestock farms.

Reducing nontherapeutic antibiotic use (ABU) in livestock animals has been identified as an important way of curbing the growth of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, nontherapeutic ABU may be important for managing animal disease. In order to reduce nontherapeutic ABU, farmers may need to implement other complementary interventions to safeguard animal health and minimize risk. We should therefore investigate if nontherapeutic ABU is associated with better animal health outcomes before advocating to reduce it. We should also investigate non-antibiotic factors which protect animal health and can make nontherapeutic use less necessary, as well as factors which can encourage farmers to improve their antibiotic stewardship. The study investigated these questions using data from the AMUSE survey, which is designed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to AMR in smallholder livestock farms. The sample included 320 animal herds from 216 smallholder livestock farms in Burkina Faso, with livestock species including poultry, small ruminants, and cattle. The determinants of the occurrence of animal disease and nontherapeutic ABU were investigated using binary logistic regression. Results revealed that nontherapeutic ABU was positively associated with animal disease, although the potential reverse causality of this relationship should be investigated further. Going primarily to a public veterinarian for animal health services, and having a higher level of formal education, were negatively associated with the occurrence of disease. Going primarily to a community animal health worker was positively associated with using antibiotics nontherapeutically, whereas going primarily to a public veterinarian was negatively associated with this outcome. Having an animal health professional (of any kind) provide diagnosis and treatment was positively associated with nontherapeutic antibiotic use for goats and sheep. These findings support the expansion of education access and public veterinary services as a way to encourage better antibiotic stewardship while guarding against any animal health risks associated with doing so. They also highlight that animal health professionals other than public veterinarians may prioritize animal health outcomes over antibiotic stewardship goals.

Whole-genome sequencing of some Ukrainian isolates of SARS-COV-2 virus and analysis of its genetic variability

Aim. The aim was to gain experience of the animal health services to detect and properly identify SARS-CoV-2 virus with whole-genome sequencing method and its genetic variability in Ukraine in relation to possible future spread of the virus in animals. Methods. Sixteen SARS-CoV-2 positive samples, not sequenced before, were pro- vided by the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. These samples were obtained from hos- pitalized patients from early October to mid-November of 2021. The viral RNA was isolated from nasopharyngeal swab samples of SARS-CoV-2 qPCR positive (Ct 21-28) patients (males and females) with moderate and severe symptoms who were being hospitalized. The samples were fully anonymized. The Ion Torrent S5 instrument (Ox- ford Nanopore, the USA) was used to sequence the mentioned SARS-CoV-2 isolates, originating from Ukraine. TorrentSuite 5.16.1 was used for data processing and analysis. Nextclade 2.3.0 was used for phylogenetic analysis to locate the 6 sequenced samples on the global phylogenetic tree. It was determined phylogenetic relations be- tween tested 6 sequences and 495 verified sequences of high quality, reported in Ukraine and deposited in the GI- SAID EpiCoVTM database, (https://gisaid.org/) for the period of January 2020 – December 2022. In the compari- son of sequences obtained, the sequence of SARS-CoV-2 virus isolate Wuhan-Hu-1 (GenBank NC_045512.2) was used as a reference sequence, according to which the sequences were aligned. All studies were carried out in the laboratory of the Research Training Center for Animal Disease Diagnostics at the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Results. Among the 16 isolates tested, all were confirmed to con- tain SARS-CoV-2 RNA, of which only six isolates were sequenced with sufficient quality and could be classified, five of them as Delta variants (two belong to lineage AY.126 (B.1.617.2.33), two to AY.122 (B.1.617.2.122), and one to AY.4.2.3 (B.1.617.2.4.2)), and one isolate as an Omicron variant (BA.1.18). Important mutations detected in our isolates were a S:N501Y substitution and S:H69 deletion in the gene of the virus envelope spike protein. Among the examined isolates, the Omicron variant (BA.1.18) was found to exhibit greater genetic variability, with over 60 mutations compared to previous variants. In our investigation, we identified mutations in the sequenced Delta variants too, ranging from 35 mutations in AY.122 (B.1.617.2.122) to 41 mutations in AY.126 (B.1.617.2.33) in the genome compared to the reference Wuhan-Hu-1 (MN908947) variant. Important mutations found regarding infectivity were 1) for the Delta variants: T478K, L452R mutations in the RBD region, and 2) for the Omicron variant: S371L, G339D, S375F, S373P, K417N, N440K, S477N, G446S, E484A, T478K, Q493R, Q498R, G496S, N501Y, and Y505H mutations in the RBD region. Conclusions. The whole-genome sequencing of 6 isolates of SARS-CoV-2 virus was performed, and three sublines of the Delta variant were found: AY.126 (B.1.617.2.33), AY.122 (B.1.617.2.122), AY.4.2.3 (B.1.617.2.4.2) and one subline for the Omicron variant (BA.1.18), all of which were deposited in the international database GISAID as EPI_SET_230516yp. The data obtained in this study add to the existing ones delivered by the Ministry of Health in Ukraine and can be used in laboratories, (including veterinary ones), detecting the SARS-CoV-2 virus in risk animal populations, in order to prevent the spread of the disease to humans and animals, as well as to detect possible mutational changes in the pathogen genome that may affect infectivity and pathogenicity.

Financial Performance of Dairy Cooveratives in West Java-Indonesia During the Covid-19 Pandemic and Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreak

Dairy cooperatives play an important role to collect milk production from dairy farmers, distribution of milk to the milk processing industry, concentrate supply services, credit guarantees, artificial insemination and animal health services, savings and loan services, and various other services carried out by cooperatives. This condition causes the dependence of dairy farmers on cooperatives to be quite high. External factors can influence cooperative resilience, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the performance of cooperative milk production, and to the financial performance of cooperatives in the post-pandem Covid-19 period and during FMD. The method used in this study was a survey method to KPBS Pangalengan which represents large cooperatives, KSU Tandangsari which represents medium-sized cooperatives, and KPS Bogor which represents small cooperatives. The analysis method used standard cooperative performance methods through regulations of the Deputy for Supervision of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (KUKM) of the Republic of Indonesia Number 06/Per/Dep.6/IV/2016 and key perfomance index to assess the financial performance of cooperatives. The results of the study showed that the performance of cooperative milk production decreased by 19.45% during the Covid-19 pandemic to the FMD as a result of the dairy cow mortality rate of 20.14%. The financial performance of dairy cow cooperatives was in the adequate category, both during the Covid-19 pandemic and FMD, but there was a decline in the ratio in all aspects of financial performance during the FMD. Thus, the performance of milk production and the financial performance of dairy cooperatives was better during the Covid-19 pandemic than during the FMD period. Therefore, strengthening milk production by providing new dairy cows and strengthening finances is very important

Analysis of Beef Cattle Production and Population at Manokwari West Papua, Indonesia

One important factor in determining beef cattle development policies is knowing the trend model for beef cattle production and population based on a large of data. This research aims to analyze the trend model of beef cattle production and population and predict them. The data collected from 2011 to 2020 consists of the production and population of beef cattle. Data was taken from the West Papua Province Livestock and Animal Health Service. The trend models and prediction data were analyzed using Minitab version 17. The research showed that the contribution of beef cattle production and population in Manokwari to West Papua is 0.251 and 0.354, respectively. The results of the trend model for the production and population of beef cattle are Yt = 1475291- 440243t + 47760t^2 and Yt = 21626-3t-14t^2, respectively. It can be concluded that the growth rate of the beef cattle population and production in Manokwari is -0.364% and 13%, respectively. Based on the model, in 2026 the number of beef cattle in Manokwari started to decline, and vice versa, production increased in 2025.