Assessing animals’ quality of life (QoL) often relies on caretaker reports providing insights into behavioural and health changes, but possibly overlooking key welfare factors. Understanding which aspects shape caretakers’ perceptions of their cats’ QoL and how these perceptions align with structured, multi-domain welfare assessments can help improve the validity and usefulness of QoL tools. We hypothesised that health, age, outdoor access, enrichment, and human–animal interactions influence caretakers’ perceptions of their cats’ QoL, and examined how these perceptions relate to structured, multi-domain welfare assessments. We used a single caretaker rating of overall QoL (QoL_scale) and explored its relationship with a systematically derived measure (QoL_extensive) based on behavioural, emotional, and health indicators. Caretakers (N = 421) completed an online survey on their characteristics and health (e.g. age, body condition, signs of good/impaired health, medical needs), husbandry (social environment, outdoor access, environmental features, e.g. resting places, enrichment), human-animal interactions, cat behaviour (e.g., frequency of different behaviours towards conspecifics and caretakers including play, aggression) and impressions on emotional states. A principal component analysis (PCA) on 54 of these behaviour, health and emotional states items was used to derive a comprehensive measure of QoL (QoL_extensive). This measure comprised six components: (1) Vitality, (2) Attentiveness, appetite, and enjoyment, (3) Negative emotions, (4) Healthy appearance, (5) Affection towards familiar humans, and (6) Aggression towards familiar humans. Two regression models examined predictors of QoL_scale and QoL_extensive, incorporating factors such as health condition, medical needs, body condition, outdoor access, human-animal interactions and enrichment. For QoL_scale, the six QoL_extensive components were also included to investigate how they relate to the simple assessment. Our findings revealed that caretaker ratings (QoL_scale) were mainly shaped by visible health and emotional states, with attentiveness, appetite, and enjoyment showing a positive (β = 0.25, p < 0.001) and negative emotions showing a negative association (β = –0.21, p < 0.001). Structured assessments (QoL_extensive) highlighted the importance of age (β = –0.29, p < 0.001), body condition (β = 0.16, p = 0.001), and affiliative human–animal interactions (β = 0.17, p = 0.001), underscoring the central role of human-animal relationships in welfare. The weak correlation (r = 0.295, p < 0.001) between the two measures suggests they capture only partly related aspects of feline welfare. Overall, caretaker judgments and structured welfare indicators reflect related but distinct QoL aspects, confirming our objective that comprehensive, multi-domain assessments are required to capture feline welfare accurately. • 3 – 5 bullet points of maximum 85 characters, including spaces, per bullet point. • Predictors of two quality-of-life measures were analysed. • Subjective caretaker ratings reflected health, emotions, and natural behaviours. • Structured assessment revealed the importance of age and body condition Human-animal relationships plays a central role in cat welfare.' Combining subjective and structured assessments improved the QoL assessment scope.

Chronic exposure to pesticides in amphibians: Assessing the effects of flupyradifurone and 2,4-D on the development of Discoglossus galganoi and Pelophylax perezi.

Mycobacterium avium complex in captive swamp wallabies (Wallabia bicolor): a case series highlighting liver, lymphoid and bone predilection.

The rapid expansion of wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations across North America, coupled with increased concern over disease transmission, has intensified the need for effective management strategies. Trapping is widely regarded as the most effective control method; however, trapping events often fail to capture entire sounders. The behavioral responses of untrapped individuals following partial sounder removal remain poorly understood, potentially undermining management efficiency. We evaluated the spatiotemporal movement responses of wild pigs that became socially isolated following trapping events. We deployed GPS collars on 18 female wild pigs from multiple sounders and quantified post-trapping movement patterns using distance from trap site, step length, persistence velocity, space covered and overlap area over a 30-day period. Movement responses were highly variable among individuals, but wild pigs travelled an average of 1.2 km from the trap, with a maximum observed distance of 6.37 km. Space-use overlap was limited, and range sizes remained relatively stable. Individuals originating from sounders with a greater proportion of females moved farther from the trap, whereas wild pigs in better body condition exhibited lower movement velocities. Socially isolated wild pigs generally remained close to trap sites following partial sounder removal and rarely dispersed from the area. This behavioral pattern suggests a predictable post-trapping window during which untrapped individuals remain spatially accessible. These findings provide critical empirical support for adaptive trapping strategies, indicating that follow-up removal efforts can be effectively concentrated near original trap locations to improve management efficiency and reduce the risk of population persistence or disease spread. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Monitoring the second generation of lambs after Haemonchus contortus replacement in ewes: effects of climate, sheep breed, and integrated control strategies in the tropics.

Heavy metals, gastrointestinal polymer-related materials, and gut microbiome in an Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) recovered from a fisheries bycatch-related event in the East China Sea.

A cohort study of factors associated with the incidence rate of keratoconjunctivitis in dairy heifers farmed under Mediterranean climatic conditions.

Prevalence, vector density and associated risk factors of caprine trypanosomosis: a cross-sectional study in Arbaminch, Southern Ethiopia.

Investigating attributes for selecting nurse sows in swine herds of Minnesota, USA, using Best-Worst Scaling analysis.

Introduction of a standardized semi-quantitative body condition scoring system for cattle and pigs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Double burden: microfilariae infection amplifies metabolic costs of moult in breeding male village weavers (Ploceus cucullatus).

Microplastics and sea turtle reproduction: A systematic review on nest contamination and developmental risks.

A juvenile bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) was first observed among a group of approximately 12 dolphins on 10 December 2024, repeatedly breaching off Riverhead, Auckland, New Zealand. On subsequent observations, material consistent with fishing debris was seen entangled around the dorsal fin and tail flukes. While most conspecifics departed the area, a larger dolphin remained in close association with the entangled individual. The pair remained within the local area for at least 29 days prior to human intervention efforts to disentangle the animal. During the interim period, the entangled dolphin exhibited progressive deterioration in body condition and reduced activity compared with the free-swimming conspecific. The animal was found dead shortly thereafter. Within 48 hours of death, post-mortem MRI and necropsy were conducted on the cadaver, which was scored as decomposition carcass code 1 (within rigor mortis). These identified an emaciated, sexually immature female bottlenose dolphin. Gross examination revealed severe, multifocal to coalescing lacerations and abrasions affecting the dorsal fin and caudal peduncle, with associated soft-tissue loss and irregular wound margins. Histologically, sections from the dorsal fin laceration showed evidence of severe, subacute to chronic, ulcerative necrosuppurative dermatitis with secondary bacterial infection. Pulmonary tissue samples revealed an acute, severe bacterial pneumonia characterised by neutrophilic infiltration and short bacilli. The liver and spleen showed findings of hepatitis and splenitis, suggestive of bacterial septicaemia. Swab isolates from these pooled tissues identified moderate growth of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Pseudomonas spp. Collectively, in vivo evidence and post-mortem gross and histopathological findings were consistent with poor body condition resulting from a progressive wasting disease primarily associated with chronic entanglement, leading to chronic active deep infectious necrosuppurative dermatitis and subsequent fatal bacterial septicaemia. Bacterial septicaemia. This case highlights the importance of timely intervention in entanglement events to reduce the risk of secondary complications, including impaired foraging, progressive loss of body condition, and infection. Based on post-mortem findings, death was consistent with bacterial septicaemia in the context of a deep skin lesion to the dorsal fin caused by fishing gear and its subsequent pathological effects. From an animal welfare perspective, the prolonged duration of entanglement, progressive debilitation, and evidence of systemic wasting disease support a period of substantial and sustained welfare compromise prior to death. This incident would be classified as high-intensity, long-duration suffering.

INVITED REVIEW: A review of dairy quality assurance programs: What do we know and where are we headed?

Background and Aim: Ketosis is a prevalent metabolic disorder in dairy cows during the transition period, resulting in reduced productivity, impaired reproductive performance, and significant economic losses. Propylene glycol (PG) is widely used as a gluconeogenic precursor to mitigate negative energy balance and control ketosis. However, variations in farm-level health programs lead to inconsistent outcomes. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the effectiveness of different PG-based health programs implemented across multiple commercial dairy farms. Materials and Methods: A multi-farm observational study was conducted on 480 multiparous Holstein cows from four commercial dairy farms in Heilongjiang Province, China. Data were collected at six time points from 7 days prepartum to 80–100 days postpartum. Parameters assessed included body condition score (BCS), milk yield, reproductive performance, disease incidence, and blood biochemical indicators such as glucose, β-hydroxybutyric acid, and insulin. Statistical analyses were performed using linear mixed models and Chi-square tests, with significance declared at p &lt; 0.05. Results: Significant differences were observed among farms in metabolic status, production performance, and disease incidence. Farm A, which applied a targeted PG administration strategy based on ketosis diagnosis, maintained optimal BCS (~3.4), achieved the highest milk yield (46.3 kg/d at 80–100 days postpartum), and exhibited stable glucose and insulin concentrations. The incidence of ketosis in Farm A (28.9%) was lower than that in Farm D (&gt;35%), which showed poorer metabolic control, higher disease incidence, and reduced reproductive performance. Farm B demonstrated the lowest ketosis incidence (20.0%) but relied on blanket PG administration. Economic analysis revealed that Farm A achieved the highest total economic benefit (¥166,823.69). Conclusion: Targeted and time-specific PG administration is more effective than blanket or inconsistent strategies in controlling ketosis and improving productivity in dairy cows. The PG health program implemented in Farm A represents a practical and economically efficient model for commercial dairy systems. Further controlled studies are required to validate these findings and optimize long-term PG application strategies. Keywords: body condition score, dairy cows, ketosis, metabolic disorder, negative energy balance, production performance, propylene glycol, transition period.

ABSTRACTWildfires are increasingly frequent in forests from arid regions due to human activities and climate change, deeply changing vegetation structure and the availability of nesting materials and food resources for breeding birds. There is however a paucity of knowledge about bird responses to wildfires in Mediterranean forests, where the frequency of wildfires is expected to increase due to climate change. To contribute to filling this knowledge gap, we used the Great Tit (Parus major) as a study model to evaluate nest construction and parental investment in response to post‐fire habitat changes in Mila Province, northeastern Algeria. We conducted the study at three sites in two forests, representing burned (severely impacted by 2019 fires) and unburned (at least since 1997) habitats, in order to assess how these fire regimes shaped reproductive investment across its different stages, from nest construction to fledging success. Nest materials in unburned forests were dominated by moss, while nests in burned areas were constructed with more fibers and contained more dust, reflecting a shift to alternative materials when moss was unavailable. Clutch size correlated positively with the proportion of fibers but was unaffected by fire regime. While eggs were lighter in burned forests, nestling body condition was not directly affected. Hatching success was influenced mainly by first‐egg laying date, with early clutches producing more hatchlings. Notably, fledging success was higher in burned than in unburned forests. Overall, our research shows that wildfires are likely to alter nest materials, but this does not necessarily entail a reduction in the number of fledglings produced. Moreover, despite the high flexibility of Great Tits, their breeding performance was still strongly influenced by seasonal‐related and individual quality factors. By focusing on breeding birds in North Africa, our study provides timely insights into avian resilience to wildfire disturbance in a region where fire risk is projected to increase.

Pharmaceuticals are fast becoming a major source of environmental pollution. Many pharmaceuticals are endocrine disruptors and can thus interfere with the endocrine system of exposed organisms, leading to a suite of behavioural and physiological alterations. While numerous studies have shown that exposure to pharmaceutical contaminants can disrupt the reproductive ecology of oviparous fishes, far less attention has been given to understanding the impacts on viviparous fishes, despite their ecological and evolutionary importance. Here, we investigated the impacts of the pharmaceutical contaminant 17ɑ-ethinylestradiol (EE2) on the reproductive biology of a marine livebearer, the Southern crested weedfish (Cristiceps australis). Adult weedfish were exposed to one of three nominal concentrations of EE2 (0, 30, and 300 ng/L) for 14 days. We then assessed the impacts of exposure on morphology of both sexes, and female gametogenesis. In doing so, we found no differences in the body length, weight, or condition of fish between treatment groups. We additionally found no differences in gonadosomatic index (GSI) or gametogenesis between exposed and unexposed females. In contrast to reports in other taxa, our findings suggest that short-term exposure to EE2 does not produce detectable effects on weedfish growth and reproduction. However, the extent to which exposure duration influences these responses is unknown. Ultimately, these results emphasise the importance of assessing the effects of EE2 on a diverse range of organisms if we are to gain a more comprehensive understanding of its ecological impacts.

Developmental and systemic toxicity of the triazole fungicide tetraconazole in zebrafish: Integrated evidence from ER stress, apoptosis, and metabolomic disruption.

Sustainable utilization of farm animal genetic resources requires a comprehensive understanding of farmer breeding management and selection criteria. However, site-specific data for indigenous goats in the Ahferom district of Northern Ethiopia was lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the breeding objectives and selection practices of 147 smallholder goat farmers across midland and lowland agro-ecologies. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather data. In addition, focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with eight to ten knowledgeable farmers and key informants. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. The goat flock structure (Mean ± Standard Error of the Mean = SEM; 17.35 ± 0.17) was characterized by a high proportion of breeding does. Farmers exhibited a strong market-oriented focus, prioritizing income generation (Index = 0.39) and meat production (0.21) as primary breeding objectives. While most farmers (61.2%) maintained their own breeding bucks, mating remained largely uncontrolled (83.0%). Selection for the next generation was driven by productivity and morphological traits, with litter size (0.29) and body conformation (0.29) identified as the top criteria for does and bucks, respectively. Castration, practiced by over 93% of respondents, was strategically timed (typically at 1-2 years of age) to maximize market value through improved body condition. In the Ahferom district, goat breeding objectives are multi-functional but lean toward market-oriented traits. Hence, breed improvement programs must prioritize marketable body size and rapid growth rates, which are the top ranked selection criteria for bucks while focusing on mothering ability and litter size for does. Furthermore, the significantly (p < 0.05) larger flock sizes, and higher proportion of breeding does in the lowland compared to the midland suggest that improvement strategies should be tailored to the specific management scales and environmental pressures of these distinct agro-ecological zones.

To visualize and describe the anatomy of the lower respiratory system in obese and nonobese white cockatoos, red-tailed hawks, and New World vultures, and discuss the use of current body condition scoring (BCS) methods in avian veterinary practice. Using micro-CT of live, sedated obese and nonobese birds, 3D anatomical models were built to visualize and extract air sac volumes. All live birds were imaged for clinical purposes unrelated to this specific study, and the DICOM image stacks were later donated to the project. Internal adipose tissue affected the volume and displacement of the air sacs in all obese birds examined. In obese and egg-bearing specimens, the caudal group of air sacs (abdominal and caudal thoracic) was compressed, resulting in a reduced total volume, while the cranial group of air sacs (cervical, interclavicular, and cranial thoracic) and their diverticula often expanded into the cervical and axillary regions. The effects of obesity on air sac volume and shape varied in the birds examined, and further work is needed to determine the functional implications of these differences. Additionally, current avian BCS methods do not account for internal adipose distribution or its potential anatomical effects in avian patients. Excess internal adipose may alter air sac volume and displacement patterns, with potential implications for clinical and perioperative management. Species-specific BCS methods should be employed when possible to assess obesity in birds.