Age Of Cattle Research Articles

Temperament Upregulates Mitochondrial Enzymes and Negatively Affects Myofibrillar Fragmentation in Beef of Excitable Bos taurus indicus Cattle.

Bos taurus indicus cattle is known to be temperamental and to produce beef with greater variability in terms of quality compared to beef of Bos taurus taurus. Cattle adaptability and resilience are of great importance to sustain beef production worldwide. The study aimed to understand early post-mortem metabolites among muscles with different fiber types profile of calm and excitable Nellore, as well as its relationship with fragmentation of beef aged up to 28 d. Animals were evaluated based on chute score and exit velocity to calculate a temperament index, which was used to classify them as calm or excitable. At slaughter, the pH and temperature declines of Triceps brachii (TB) and Longissimus lumborum (LL) were measured, muscles were sampled, and aged up to 28 d. Metabolites were determined, and sarcomere length and myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI) were quantified. Metabolomics data were analyzed using a multivariate approach, while other traits were investigated through ANOVA. The pH decline was affected by all three fixed effects investigated (temperament × muscle × time post-mortem: p = 0.016), while temperature decline was affected by muscle × time (p < 0.001). Metabolites differed among muscles and cattle temperament, with excitable cattle showing greater taurine abundance in LL, as well as greater creatine in TB 1 h post-mortem, based on the volcano plot. Sarcomere length and MFI results revealed faster and limited tenderization in excitable cattle beef. Altogether, results emphasized the upregulation of mitochondrial enzymes and reduced tenderization as determinants of inferior beef quality after prolonged aging in excitable cattle.

First seroprevalence survey of bovine anaplasmosis: an emerging tick-borne disease in commercial livestock and dairy farms in Bangladesh.

Bovine anaplasmosis is an infectious, tick-borne disease caused by Anaplasma species, which is accountable for huge economic loss in dairy industry. This study was aimed to determine the seroprevalence of bovine anaplasmosis on randomly selected 61 commercial dairy farms in 3 intensive regions of Bangladesh. A total of 1472 sera were analysed using VMRD Anaplasma Antibody Test Kit cELISA v2 for the presence of Anaplasma-specific antibodies. The highest regional seroprevalence of Anaplasma was 45.93% in individual level and 74.4% in herd level recorded in the southeast region, whereas it was 48.8% in individual level and 83.3% in herd level in Khagrachari and Sherpur districts, indicating an emerging state of the disease. The herd size and type in herd level and regions, districts, sex, age and breed in individual level were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) associated with anaplasmosis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that cattle aged >1 year had 1.86 times higher odds compared to cattle younger than 1 year. Dairy cows had the highest odds (2.25) of anaplasmosis, followed by dairy heifers (1.68), compared to bulls. Compared to herd sizes of <4, the odds of Anaplasma infection were 11.3 and 7.45 times greater in herd sizes of >28 and 4–28. Crossbred cattle had 2.4 times higher odds of anaplasmosis compared to indigenous cattle. This first seroprevalence study signifies the widespread presence and underscores the importance of monitoring and managing anaplasmosis to safeguard cattle health in Bangladesh. Study on the molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of Anaplasma among cattle populations should be prioritized.

Lateral flow assay for cattle age determination: Implications for diagnosing bovine spongiform encephalopathy

Quarantine authorities in East Asia prohibit the import of cattle over 30 months old due to concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Accurately determining the age of cattle is critical for complying with these regulations. However, current methods for determining cattle age are time-consuming and require laboratory analysis, making them impractical for real-time use during import inspections. This creates a pressing need for a point-of-care test (POCT) method that can rapidly determine cattle age from beef samples in the field. To develop a portable POCT method capable of quickly and accurately determining the age of cattle from beef samples in the field. We investigated the expression of cell cycle proteins p53 and p21, and based on these findings, designed a lateral flow assay (LFA) to measure cattle age using the expression patterns of these proteins. We investigated the expression of cell cycle proteins p53 and p21 using immunoblot analysis to determine the age of beef and applied these findings to lateral flow assay (LFA). The expression pattern of p53 remains at baseline levels up to 28 months and then increases sharply after 35 months. In contrast, p21 expression gradually decreases, reaching baseline levels after 30 months. The SPR sensogram of p21 using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) clearly distinguished beef samples between 27-month-old and 31-month-old cattle. We constructed a calibration curve using recombinant p21 protein to determine the age of beef samples from cattle aged 9–33 months. The LFA sensor strip, designed with bovine p21 epitope-based peptide antibody, improved sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD) by more than 10 times.

Genetic improvement of indigenous cattle breeds in Ethiopia: A systematic review of the Fogera cattle open nucleus breeding scheme

Fogera cattle are one of the valuable indigenous milk-type local breeds of Ethiopia, widely adapted to the area around Lake Tana in the Amhara region. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the performance of the Fogera cattle breed under an open nucleus breeding scheme. The review was done systematically by collecting published and unpublished data sources on the breed. The overall milk yield of the nucleus Fogera cattle herd was 2.26±0.794L/day. From the total herd, the top 10% and 25% of them produced daily milk yields of 3.31 and 2.87L, respectively, and some elite cows gave an average of 5.45±0.73L/day with a maximum yield of 8L/day. The predicted 305-day milk yield for the top 10% and 25% of the total herd was 883.64 and 772.83L, respectively. The average lactation milk yield and lactation length were reported to be 489±184L and 243±72.79 days, respectively. The respective heritability estimates for the aforementioned traits were 0.20±0.23 and 0.27±0.001. The birth and weaning weights (at 8 months of age) of village Fogera cattle born from community-based breeding programmes (CBBP) were 23.77±.21 and 85.89±1.07kg, respectively. The average weaning age for the CBBP herds was reduced to 8 months. The overall calf mortality in the nucleus herd was 3%. The CBBP demonstrated that it could act as a significant entry point for ensuring the conservation and restocking efforts of this breed as a country asset.

Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus exposure among febrile patients, cattle herders, and cattle herds in Cameroon

Problem addressedCrimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease with high fatality rates and an expansive geographic distribution, yet disease prevalence data in Cameroon is lacking. ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine CCHF virus (CCHFV) seroprevalence and tick distribution among cattle herders and febrile patients in West and Centre Cameroon. Methods and approachTwo cross-sectional serological studies of human and cattle were conducted from October to December 2021 and from June to July 2022, which included the collection of ticks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect anti-CCHFV antibodies, while a knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) survey assessed tick and tickborne disease related knowledge and behaviors among herders. Tick identification used morphological keys. ResultsThe KAP survey showed adequate tick knowledge (94.5 %) among herders but poor understanding of disease transmission, with favorable attitudes towards tick control (24.7 %) but inadequate implementation. Rhipicephalus annulatus (64.1 %) predominated among the 1,296 ticks collected during each rainy season. Among cattle, 27.4 % were seropositive, and seropositivity was associated with specific villages, cattle age (>4 years), and female sex. Herders had a 17.8 % seroprevalence, while febrile patients had 8.3 %, with higher rates in those >20 years old for both groups. Self-reported tick removal by herders after contact and grazing may increase CCHFV exposure. ConclusionsThis study confirms CCHFV circulation in rural West Cameroon and unexpected exposure risk in Yaounde, highlighting the need for active entomological surveillance and preventive measures in transhumance and cattle market activities. Establishing an occupation-based surveillance system can help identify CCHFV hotspots to prevent outbreaks.

Genetic Perspectives on Feed Event, Meal and Feed Efficiency Traits in Bos taurus indicus Beef Cattle.

Electronic feeders record feeding behaviour as feed events by tracking the animal's in-out visits to the feeder. Another way to measure feeding behaviour is based on meals. However, the two approaches provide different outcomes. The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters (heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations) for feed event and meal traits, and their genetic and phenotypic correlations with feed efficiency traits in Nellore cattle. The present study analysed six feed event traits (DMIFE: dry matter intake per feed event, FED: feed event duration, TBFE: time between feed events, FTd: feeding time per day, FEd: feed events per day, and FR: feeding rate), six meal traits (DMIME: DMI per meal, MED: meal duration, TBME: time between meals, MC: meal criterion, MTd: meal time per day, and MEd: meals per day), and three feed efficiency traits (ADG: average daily gain, DMI, and RFI: residual feed intake). The traits were measured in feed efficiency tests of Nellore cattle (age = 280 ± 41 days and body weight = 258 ± 47 kg at enrolment). The MC was calculated for each animal and ranged from 1.70 to 64.0 min, i.e., any pair of feed events separated by less than the MC value was considered part of the same meal. The heritabilities and correlations were estimated by fitting univariate and bivariate animal models, respectively, using single-step genomic BLUP. The highest heritabilities for feed event traits were 0.35 ± 0.06 (FED), 0.39 ± 0.06 (FTd), and 0.50 ± 0.05 (FTd), and for meal traits were 0.31 ± 0.06 (MED) and 0.45 ± 0.06 (MTd). The genetic correlation between feed event traits and meal traits were weak. FR, FED, and FTd had moderate genetic correlations with RFI (-0.56 ± 0.11, 0.44 ± 0.11, 0.60 ± 0.08, respectively). These results indicate that more efficient animals spent less time at the feeder per feed event and per day, and eat faster compared to less efficient animals. In conclusion, feed event and meal traits must be treated as distinct groups of traits since the genetic and phenotypic correlations were, in general, weak to moderate. Among feed event versus meal traits, feed event traits are more favourable to explain the genetic relationships of feeding behaviour with feed efficiency-related traits.

Identification of DNA methylation markers for age and Bovine Respiratory Disease in dairy cattle: A pilot study based on Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing

Methylation profiles of animals are known to differ by age and disease status. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), a complex infectious disease, primarily affects calves and has significant impact on animal welfare and the cattle industry, due to production losses, increased veterinary costs as well as animal losses. BRD susceptibility is multifactorial, influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. We have performed a pilot study to investigate the epigenetic profile of BRD susceptibility in six calves (three healthy versus three diagnosed with BRD) and age-related methylation differences between healthy calves and adult dairy cows (three calves versus four adult cows) using Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS). We identified 2537 genes within differentially methylated regions between calves and adults. Functional analysis revealed enrichment of developmental pathways including cell fate commitment and tissue morphogenesis. Between healthy and BRD affected calves, 964 genes were identified within differentially methylated regions. Immune and vasculature regulatory pathways were enriched and key candidates in BRD susceptibility involved in complement cascade regulation, vasoconstriction and respiratory cilia structure and function were identified. Further studies with a greater sample size are needed to validate these findings and formulate integration into breeding programmes aiming to increase animal longevity and disease resistance.

Trends in the hormone and antibiotic use for cattle fattening in Bangladesh

The study was conducted to identify trends in the use of hormones and antibiotics, and traditional practices in cattle fattening in the southwest coastal region of Bangladesh. Data were collected from 150 farmers involved in beef cattle fattening through a survey questionnaire. The average numbers of cattle and beef cattle per household were 4.27 ± 1.94 and 3.54 ± 1.31, respectively. An average of 44.67 percent of the beef farmers selected indigenous (zebu) cattle and the rest of the farmers kept a variety of crossbred cattle for fattening. The average age of cattle at the start of fattening was 21.61 ± 8.07 months, the average duration of fattening was 9.71 ± 4.29 months, and farmers marketed cattle at an average weight of 285.50 ± 50.80 kg. The highest percentage (34.67%) of farmers ate beef once a week and 5.33 percent of farmers never ate beef. Among beef farmers, 53.33% and 62.67% applied hormones and antibiotics, respectively, to their beef cattle. The highest percentage of farmers used hormones (33.87%) and antibiotics (29.79%) once a week and the rest of the farmers used them at various intervals. The majority of farmers did not follow any withdrawal period before slaughtering beef cattle for application of hormones (85.48%) and antibiotics (83.58%), whereas the remaining farmers maintained different withdrawal periods. It can be concluded that more than half of the farmers applied hormones and about two-thirds of the farmers used antibiotics for beef fattening, and most of the farmers did not follow the recommended withdrawal periods before slaughter, which is of public health concern.

Genome-wide association study (GWAS) for body weights of sussex cattle (Bos taurus) in South Africa

Sussex cattle (Bos taurus) is one of beef cattle breeds in South Africa and it is possible to improve their genetic potential through genomic selection. The aim of this study was carried out to implement Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS) for determining candidate genes of body weights at birth, weaning and yearling stages in Sussex cattle. A total of 96 heads of Sussex cattle consisting of 45 females and 51 males were used for GWAS with Bovine 100K SNP BeadChip (Illumina, USA). The results showed that three SNP markers of BovineHD1000018504 (SNP1), BovineHD100008645 (SNP2) and BovineHD2500008434 (SNP3) were detected as the potential genetic markers for body weight of animals under this study. Among the three identified SNPs, SNP1 was not located in any gene region while SNP2 and SNP3 were located in the region of LOC100335918 (intron 3) and SCLT1 (intron10) genes, respectively. Therefore, both the identified SNPs had the relationship with the body weight at different ages of the Sussex cattle based on the Manhattan plot graphic i.e. birth weight (BW) for SNP2 and weaning weight (WW) for SNP3. In conclusion, a significant association was observed between SNP3 and WW of South African Sussex cattle. Nonetheless, there are no association between SNP2 and BW of Sussex cattle.

202 Longitudinal comparative transcriptomics of dairy cattle at different altitudes reveals unique mechanisms underlying plateau hypoxia adaptation

Abstract The adaptation of livestock to high altitude hypoxic environment (plateau hypoxia adaptation) is important as they have a key role in the socio-economic conditions of the local residents. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of plateau hypoxia adaptation of livestock are poorly understood. This study was objective to 1) construct the longitudinal transcriptional profiles of dairy cattle across five development stages; 2) reveal the transcriptomic changes of peripheral blood under different altitudes environment; and 3) identify key genes involved in plateau hypoxia adaptation in bovine. In this study, 109 peripheral blood samples from 70 Holstein cattle were performed whole transcriptome sequencing, including 56 at high altitude (&amp;gt; 3600 m) at five development stages (1, 2, 6, 12 and 18 mo) from 56 individuals, and 53 at low altitude (~1000 m) at three development stages (1, 2 and 6 mo) from 14 individuals. The peripheral transcriptional profile was obtained for high altitude cattle at five development stages, and for low altitude cattle for three development stages. By the transcriptome profile analysis in plateau cattle across five development stages, it was found that there were significant differences on mRNA transcriptome at different stages, and a noticeable shift occurred between 2 mo and 6 mo. By a comparative analysis of the transcription levels between high and low altitude cattle, 795, 900 and 880 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at the age of 1, 2 and 6 mo, respectively. The DEGs at three stages were enriched in several cellular communication, hypoxia response, and regulation of blood pressure, and immune-related signaling pathways. Furthermore, there were 64 DEGs shared across three comparative analyses at the three stages. By functional annotation analysis, we observed the shared DEGs of the three stages were enriched in the Notch signaling involved in heart development, regulation of phosphorylation, and positive regulation of MAP kinase activity. In summary, this study revealed the development-related transcriptomic shifts from birth to 18 mo of age in dairy cattle, and preliminarily elucidated the important signaling pathways involved in bovine plateau hypoxia adaptation by comparative analysis between high and low altitude cattle. The results of the current study will drive a better understanding of plateau hypoxia adaptation and can provide molecular targets for future breeding of plateau-adapted dairy cattle.

Age-Dependent Changes in Protist and Fungal Microbiota in a Peruvian Cattle Genetic Nucleus.

In this research, the connection between age and microbial diversity in cattle was explored, revealing significant changes in both protist diversity and fungal microbiota composition with age. Using fecal samples from 21 Simmental cattle, microbial communities were analyzed through 18S rRNA gene sequencing. Results indicated significant differences in alpha protist diversity among the three age groups, while fungal composition varied notably with age and was linked to hematological parameters. Despite the stability of fungal alpha diversity, compositional changes suggest the gut as a stable niche for microbial colonization influenced by diet, clinical parameters, and microbial interactions. All cattle were maintained on a consistent diet, tailored to meet the specific nutritional needs of each age group. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding age-related microbial dynamics to enhance livestock management and animal health, contributing to broader ecological and biomedical research. This study was limited by the lack of comprehensive metabolic analyses correlating microbiota changes with specific age-related variations, indicating a need for further research in this area.

Parasite Prevalence in Slaughtered Animals in Relation to Host Origin and Host Age

Background: The productivity of livestock production has been greatly impacted by parasitic diseases. The infection prevalence of parasites in native and imported slaughtered animals has not received much attention, despite the fact that Saudi Arabia has data on animal parasites. This study aimed to determine the infection prevalence of parasites in slaughtered animals in relation to host origin and host age. Methods: This investigation was conducted at Al Makhwah area in southwestern Saudi Arabia for six months from September 2021 to February 2022. The examined animals were 1208 in total, including goats (504), sheep (440), and cattle (264). All the animals examined were slaughtered at official abattoirs. The collected parasites were preserved, processed, and identified. Result: Out of 1208 examined, 72 were infected (5.96%). The parasite community consisted of six species, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Fasciola hepatica, F. giagantica, Monezia expansa, Echinococcus granulosus (Hydatiid cyst), and Haemonchus contortus. Hydatidosis was a more prevalent parasitic disease. The infection prevalence of hydatidosis in the examined animals was high in cattle (4.85%) while were 3.76 and 4.77% in goats and sheep respectively. Significant differences in prevalence per host age in goats, sheep, and cattle were found. The prevalence of parasites in imported animals was higher (16.67, 17.5, and11.36 % in cattle, sheep, and goats respectively) as compared to that in native ones (5.42, 6.5, and 3.69% in cattle, sheep, and goats respectively). Based on our findings, Hydatidosis was identified as the most prevalent parasitic disease. Imported animals had a higher parasitic infection compared to local animals. It is essential to take necessary measures to prevent the transmission of Hydatidosis and improper organ condemnation from abattoirs. We recommend conducting further research to identify the reasons why imported animals are more likely to become infected than local animals.

Frequency of Besnoitia besnoiti and Neospora caninum antibodies in cattle and small ruminants from greater Cairo and Beni Suef governorates, Egypt

Livestock industry is a pivotal sector for providing food, work places and monetary support for Egyptian people. Besnoitia besnoiti and Neospora caninum are protozoan parasites that are responsible for significant economic losses in ruminants, particularly in cattle. Besnoitia besnoiti can cause fertility problems and a general loss in productivity, while N. caninum is a major cause of abortion and neonatal abnormalities in infected animals. There is little information on the existence of these protozoa in Egypt, thus we conducted this study to reveal the current situation in cattle (n = 264), sheep (n = 151), and goats (n = 25). Serum samples were collected from governorates of Cairo, Giza, and Beni Suef, representing the most densely populated regions in Egypt. Using commercial ELISAs, an overall estimation among all tested animals (n = 440) revealed 7.7%, 13.2%, and 0.9% as seropositive rates for B. besnoiti, N. caninum, and mixed infection, respectively. Animal species (cattle vs sheep vs goat) and age of cattle (less than vs >1 year old) were analyzed as risk factors for infection. Regarding B. besnoiti, the seroprevalence was significantly higher in cattle than in sheep and goats and in adult cattle than calves. For N. caninum infection, no significant differences were recorded, although the seropositive rates were higher in cattle, and in adult cattle. This study provides the first seroprevalence data for B. besnoiti in all surveyed animals in the regions included, and in sheep and goats from Egypt, and supports the current knowledge for the occurrence of N. caninum in Egypt.

Survey of Strongyloides infection in Maiduguri cattle abattoir, Nigeria

Gastro-intestinal infection constitutes major constraint to viable livestock industries. The study revealed information on the prevalence of Strongyloides infection in cattle in Maiduguri and environs with reference to sex, age and breeds of cattle in the study area. The result revealed the prevalence of 51 (25.5%) cases after examining 400 faecal samples using faecal sedimentation technique. The result of Strongyloides species infection recorded according to sex of cattle was higher in females with a prevalence of 40 (20.0%) compared to males with a prevalence of 11 (5.5%). The prevalence of infection based on age of cattle revealed higher percentage of 14 (7.0%) after examining 48 cattle in the age bracket of seven (7) years. A lower prevalence of 5 (2.5%) was recorded in cattle within the age bracket of 4 years after examining 36 samples. Breed-wise distribution of infected cattle indicated that Abore was more susceptible, followed by Ambala and Bakoloji breeds with prevalence of 20.5%, 4.5% and 0.5% respectively after examining 150, 36 and 11 faeces from respective breeds. Wadara appeared non-susceptible and therefore had no records of infection after examining low number of three samples from the breed. Bovine Strongyloides infection in Maiduguri and environs was established as a common finding and farmers should therefore be educated on proper use of antihelmintics and with emphasis on strategic antihelmintic medication. Good management practices including improved general hygiene and supplementary feeding of animals during periods of low grazing will have immunity boosting role in control of the parasite.

Study the Prevalence of Anestus in Relation to Some Threats in Heifer and Postpartum Cows

The objectives of current study were to assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with postpartum anestrus in lactating dairy cows in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. A total of 160 postpartum cows of different breed, genotype and age were selected randomly from different dairy farms in studied area. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from farm owner on prevalence and risk factors for postpartum anestrus. Observed heat within 60 days after parturition was considered as normal cyclic cows and others were considered as postpartum anestrus. The prevalence of postpartum anestrus was 54.42%. The study shows that older cows take relatively more time for ovarian resumption. The highest percentage (54.64%) of cows showed anestrus in crossbred cows that native in Rajshahi. When compared with genotype the highest percentage anestrus was observed 100.00 in Local x Jersey than 66.66% in Local x Sahiwal genotype to 53.07% in Local x Friesian and lowest was 50.00% in indigenous cattle. The age of cattle also relation to anestrus and the highest, lowest and average percentage of anestrus were showed 60.00%, 39.39% &amp; 50.49% in &lt; 4 year, &gt; 6 years and 4 to &lt; 6 years age group of cattle at Rajshahi area of Bangladesh.

The Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites from Beef Cattle on Sumedang Regency, Indonesia

Abstract Gastrointestinal parasites are common parasitic agents of cattle across the world, causing both clinical and subclinical parasitism that causes massive financial losses. The aim of this research was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) parasites in cattle in Sumedang Regency, West Java, Indonesia. Between October and November 2022, 105 cattle had been chosen at random. The sex, breed, age, frequent deworming, cleaning frequency, and management system of each beef cattle were recorded. Fecal samples were obtained through rectum from the selected animals and submitted to flotation and sedimentation procedures. Overall, the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites was 47.62% (95% CI = 0.3791−0.5733). Strongyle-type eggs (STE), Strongyloides spp., Trichuris sp., Moniezia spp., Fasciola sp., and Paramphistomum sp. ova were found. 38.09% of the total samples were positive for Strongyle eggs infection and commonly seen in single infections, followed by Eimeria spp. infection. Mixed infections were found in 25 cattle, with double to multiple parasite infections. As a result, it was determined that beef cattle in Sumedang Regency in Indonesia were infected with a variety of gastrointestinal helminth parasites. Thus, frequent anthelmintic treatment, excellent management techniques, and public education about helminth parasites are critical.

Prevalence and Evolutionary Characteristics of Bovine Coronavirus in China.

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine rotavirus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, and bovine astrovirus are the most common intestinal pathogenic viruses causing diarrhea in cattle. We collected 1646 bovine fecal samples from January 2020 to August 2023. BCoV was the major pathogen detected, with a positive rate of 34.02% (560/1646). Of the 670 diarrheal samples and 976 asymptomatic samples, 209 and 351 were BCoV-positive, respectively. Studying the relevance of diarrhea associated with BCoV has shown that the onset of diarrheal symptoms post-infection is strongly correlated with the cattle's age and may also be related to the breed. We amplified and sequenced the hemagglutinin esterase (HE), spike protein, and whole genomes of the partially positive samples and obtained six complete HE sequences, seven complete spike sequences, and six whole genomes. Molecular characterization revealed that six strains were branched Chinese strains, Japanese strains, and partial American strains from the GⅡb subgroup. Strains HBSJZ2202 and JSYZ2209 had four amino acid insertions on HE. We also analyzed ORF1a and found disparities across various regions within GIIb, which were positioned on separate branches within the phylogenetic tree. This work provides data for further investigating the epidemiology of BCoV and for understanding and analyzing BCoV distribution and dynamics.

The first evidence of bovine viral diarrhea virus circulation in Libya.

Bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) is endemic in North Africa and the Mediterranean Basin with high socioeconomic impacts. However, there are no data on this disease in Libya. One of the aims of this study was to provide data on BVD in Libya, to fill in the gap in the region and to investigate the level of seroprevalence of BVD virus (BVDV) in Libya and associated risk factors. A total of 1599 serum samples were collected from cattle herds belonging to seven Libyan regions. All sera were assayed using a screening enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of antibodies against BVDV. The overall seroprevalence of BVDV was estimated to be 48.6% (95% confidence interval, 46.08%-50.98%). A seroprevalence rate of 36.8% was detected in cattle aged <1 year, 41.0% in cattle aged between 1 and 2 years, and 49.7% in cattle aged >2 years. Statistically significant differences (p = 0.001) were observed between age groups. BVDV seroprevalence was significantly associated with geographical region (p = 0.033). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on BVD in Libya, and the results suggest that BVD is endemic in Libya. Further studies are required to isolate and characterize the circulated BVDV in Libya.

Prenatal transportation stress and sex influence the metabolomic profile of the liver of 28-day-old Brahman bulls and heifers

Prenatal transportation stress (PNS) reportedly induced differential DNA methylation of genes related to behavior, immune function, stress response, and metabolism in Brahman heifer and bull calves (doi:10.1093/jas/skz368). The objective of the present experiment was to conduct a metabolomics analysis of liver samples of 25-day-old beef calves to identify biochemicals and determine effects of PNS and sex classification. Mature Brahman cows artificially inseminated to the same Brahman sire were assigned to be either Control (n=35; not transported) or PNS (n=37; 2 h of transportation at 60, 80, 100, 120, and 140±5 d of gestation). Livers were obtained from 16 Control (8 bulls and 8 heifers) and 16 PNS (8 bulls and 8 heifers) calves that were humanely euthanized at 25±2 d of age. Liver samples (200 mg) were submitted to Metabolon, Inc. to identify metabolites by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem high resolution/accurate mass spectrometry chromatography methods. An estimate of the false discovery rate was calculated and following log transformation, two-way ANOVA was used to identify significant interactions and biochemicals that differed significantly ( p ≤ 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) was also used to compare PNS and sex effects. A total of 851 biochemicals were identified and categorized; this report emphasizes energy pathways and lipid mediators of inflammation. PNS increased 45 metabolites and decreased 21 whereas 23 were increased and 30 decreased in bulls versus heifers. Significant interaction of PNS and sex was noted for 33 metabolites. Glucose did not differ due to PNS; however, it was increased in bulls versus heifers. Maltotriose and maltose were higher in PNS, and it was greater in heifers than bulls. Lactate was higher in bulls than heifers. Lipid mediators of inflammation were elevated in PNS calves. to our knowledge this is the first report on the liver metabolome of prenatally stressed calves. These observations suggest an influence of prenatal stress and sex on liver metabolomics within 1 month of age in cattle. USDA NIFA Award No. 2019-67015-29573. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Microscopic and molecular epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes in dairy and beef cattle in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand.

Gastrointestinal (GI) nematode infection remains an important problem in livestock, particularly cattle. The infection may lead to serious health complications and affect animal products. The objective of this study was to investigate GI nematode infection and its associated risk factors in dairy and beef cattle farmed in Pak Chong District of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeast Thailand. Fecal specimens were collected from 101 dairy cattle and 100 beef cattle. Formalin-ethyl acetate concentration techniques were used to process the samples and the samples were observed under a light microscope. Samples were subjected to molecular identification of specific genera using conventional polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. The overall prevalence of GI nematode infection was 33.3%. The strongyle nematode was the most significant GI nematode in this area with a prevalence of 28.4%. The prevalence of strongyle nematodes was 58.0% in beef cattle and only 7.9% in dairy cattle. Trichuris spp. was another nematode found in both types of cattle with an overall prevalence of 5.0% with 9.0% in beef cattle and 1.0% in dairy cattle. The results of the epidemiological study indicate that the age of cattle, food, water sources, farming system, and housing floor are the most important risk factors. Among the strongyle nematodes, Ostertagia spp. was the most prevalent (82.0%), followed by Haemonchus spp. (62.3%) and Trichostrongylus spp. (8.2%), respectively. Infection with GI nematodes still exists in this area, particularly in beef cattle. Our reported data may benefit local parasitic control policies in the future.