Investigating abortions in small ruminants

2020 ◽  
Vol 186 (4) ◽  
pp. 116-117

This focus article was prepared by Amanda Carson and colleagues of the APHA Small Ruminant Expert Group.

2020 ◽  
Vol 187 (5) ◽  
pp. 182-184

This focus article has been prepared by Amanda Carson, veterinary lead of the Small Ruminant Expert Group, with Lévon Stephan and Alastair George of the Veterinary Exotic and Notifiable Disease Unit in the APHA.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Agustin del Prado ◽  
Pablo Manzano ◽  
Guillermo Pardo

Abstract Recent calls advocate that a huge reduction in the consumption of animal products (including dairy) is essential to mitigate climate change and stabilise global warming below the 1.5 and 2°C targets. The Paris Agreement states that to stabilise temperatures we must reach a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the second half of this century. Consequently, many countries have adopted overall GHG reduction targets (e.g. EU, at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990). However, using conventional metric-equivalent emissions (CO2-e GWP100) as the basis to account for emissions does not result in capturing the effect on atmospheric warming of changing emission rates from short-lived GHG (e.g. methane: CH4), which are the main source of GHG emissions by small ruminants. This shortcoming could be solved by using warming-equivalent emissions (CO2-we, GWP*), which can accurately link annual GHG emission rates to its warming effect in the atmosphere. In our study, using this GWP* methodology and different modelling approaches, we first examined the historical (1990–2018) contribution of European dairy small ruminant systems to additional atmosphere warming levels and then studied different emission target scenarios for 2100. These scenarios allow us to envision the necessary reduction of GHG emissions from Europe's dairy small ruminants to achieve a stable impact on global temperatures, i.e. to be climatically neutral. Our analysis showed that, using this type of approach, the whole European sheep and goat dairy sector seems not to have contributed to additional warming in the period 1990–2018. Considering each subsector separately, increases in dairy goat production has led to some level of additional warming into the atmosphere, but these have been compensated by larger emission reductions in the dairy sheep sector. The estimations of warming for future scenarios suggest that to achieve climate neutrality, understood as not adding additional warming to the atmosphere, modest GHG reductions of sheep and goat GHG would be required (e.g. via feed additives). This reduction would be even lower if potential soil organic carbon (SOC) from associated pastures is considered.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 784
Author(s):  
Ricardo de Miguel ◽  
Marta Arrieta ◽  
Ana Rodríguez-Largo ◽  
Irache Echeverría ◽  
Raúl Resendiz ◽  
...  

Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLV) are highly prevalent retroviruses with significant genetic diversity and antigenic heterogeneity that cause a progressive wasting disease of sheep called Maedi-visna. This work provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 40 years (1981–2020) of scientific publications on SRLV individual and flock prevalence. Fifty-eight publications and 314 studies were included. Most articles used a single diagnostic test to estimate prevalence (77.6%), whereas articles using three or more tests were scarce (6.9%). Serological tests are more frequently used than direct methods and ELISA has progressively replaced AGID over the last decades. SRLV infection in sheep is widespread across the world, with Europe showing the highest individual prevalence (40.9%) and being the geographical area in which most studies have been performed. Africa, Asia, and North America show values between 16.7% to 21.8% at the individual level. South and Central America show the lowest individual SRLV prevalence (1.7%). There was a strong positive correlation between individual and flock prevalence (ρ = 0.728; p ≤ 0.001). Despite the global importance of small ruminants, the coverage of knowledge on SRLV prevalence is patchy and inconsistent. There is a lack of a gold standard method and a defined sampling strategy among countries and continents.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 196-203
Author(s):  
K. Agyeman ◽  
S. O. Apori

A study was carried out to identify species used as fodder by small ruminant farmers in the selected villages in the Komenda‐Edina‐Eguafo‐Abrem district of the Central Region of Ghana. Livestock farmers in fifteen communities were interviewed using questionnaires to obtain information on the personal background and livestock feeding and management practices. The main aim of the study was first to identify existing browse species and to determine problems associated with the use of those existing browse species. Some problems identified include harboring of insects, causing of abortion as well as causing bloat. The survey showed that Ficus exasperata, Ficus umbellate, Baphia nitida, Griffonia simplifolia, Antiaris africana, Terminalia catappa, Grewia carprinifolia, Pethecellobium dulceand Leucaena leucocephala were the main browse species that were used in the district to feed small ruminants. Other feedstuffs that were used in feeding animals such as Aspillia africana and Manihot esulentus tops (leaves and peels) were also identified. The level of browse usage showed that Ficus exasperata had the highest value of 66.7% and Terminalia catappa had the lowest value of 13.3%. Farmers in the district preferred Ficus exasperata which they perceived to promote the best production response in livestock. Various reasons were assigned for the selection of a particular browse plant. Farmers in the district may have to be helped to cultivate browse plant in order to sustain the availability and usage of  browse for livestock feeding due to the rateof destruction of browse (shrubs and trees) resulting from urbanization, use of stem of shrubs and trees for fuelwood and other livelihood activities and desertification arising from human related activities.


Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Schulz ◽  
Christine Fast ◽  
Ulrich Wernery ◽  
Jörg Kinne ◽  
Sunitha Joseph ◽  
...  

Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV) causes a severe respiratory disease in small ruminants. The possible impact of different atypical host species in the spread and planed worldwide eradication of PPRV remains to be clarified. Recent transmission trials with the virulent PPRV lineage IV (LIV)-strain Kurdistan/2011 revealed that pigs and wild boar are possible sources of PPRV-infection. We therefore investigated the role of cattle, llamas, alpacas, and dromedary camels in transmission trials using the Kurdistan/2011 strain for intranasal infection and integrated a literature review for a proper evaluation of their host traits and role in PPRV-transmission. Cattle and camelids developed no clinical signs, no viremia, shed no or only low PPRV-RNA loads in swab samples and did not transmit any PPRV to the contact animals. The distribution of PPRV-RNA or antigen in lymphoid organs was similar in cattle and camelids although generally lower compared to suids and small ruminants. In the typical small ruminant hosts, the tissue tropism, pathogenesis and disease expression after PPRV-infection is associated with infection of immune and epithelial cells via SLAM and nectin-4 receptors, respectively. We therefore suggest a different pathogenesis in cattle and camelids and both as dead-end hosts for PPRV.


2017 ◽  
Vol 181 (14) ◽  
pp. 366-367 ◽  

Trigger factors for Salmonella infectionsSalmonella Typhimurium DT104 updateControl measures for Salmonella in livestockPublic health considerationsThese issues are considered in this month’s surveillance focus article, which has been prepared by Gareth Hateley, veterinary lead of the Cattle Expert Group, and Amanda Carson, veterinary lead of the Small Ruminant Expert Group, of the APHA Surveillance Intelligence Unit.


2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahidou Salifou ◽  
Sabbas Attindéhou ◽  
Chakirath Folakè Arikè Salifou ◽  
Louis-Joseph Pangui

An epidemiological survey was undertaken from March to September 2010 to assess the prevalence and zoonotic aspects of scabies in small ruminants in two agro-ecological zones in southern Benin. Small ruminant (n = 444) smallholders and 1,807 of their animals (1,233 West African dwarf goats and 574 West African dwarf sheep) were included in the study. The animals underwent physical examination and, when scabies-like lesions were found, crusts and integument scrapings were collected for microscopic parasitological tests. The samples collected in each survey were coded in accordance with the owner-animal pairings in order to assess the degree of correlation between mange cases in humans (smallholders) and their animals. The overall prevalence of scabies was 28.33% and 9.5% in animals and smallholders (human cases) respectively. Infestations were significantly (p < 0.001) more frequent in goats (39.6%) than in sheep. The uniqueness of the etiological agent (Sarcoptes scabiei), the very high predictive value of human scabies in infected farms (83.67%) and a very high odds ratio (OR = 2,019.25) indicate that small ruminant scabies has been transmitted to smallholders by their animals. Close contact between these smallholders and their animals was a determining factor in this interspecies communicability of sarcoptic mange.


Author(s):  
Stelian BARAITAREANU ◽  
Doina DANES ◽  
Marius DAN ◽  
Mihai DANES

Chlamydophila abortus is an important pathogen of small ruminants, causing reproductive failure manifested through abortion during the last 2-3 weeks of gestation, stillbirth, or delivery of weak lambs or kids, and orchitis and seminal vesiculitis in males. Also, C. abortus is a zoonotic bacteria, involved in influenza-like illness, pneumonia and abortions sometimes with severe complications in humans. The aim of this article is to evaluate the immunological status to C. abortus of Romanian small ruminant populations, geographically isolated, whose spontaneous uncontrolled contact is excluded. This paper is also assessing the risk of humans exposure to contaminated animals and food. The immunological status of the investigatet small ruminants was evaluated using an ELISA commercial kit and the results were analysed in correlation with the history of vaccination and type of animal breeding (traditional/professional farms). According to these results, the exposure of C. abortus is still to consider in traditional breeding farms, but in professional herds the serological tools are useless to uncover the circulation of wild strains, once the immunoprofilactic programs has been implemented. The public health risk relate to the close contact with the infected sheep and goats, common event in the traditional breeding.


2019 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-18 ◽  

This focus article has been prepared by Amanda Carson, veterinary lead of the APHA’s Small Ruminant Expert Group


2019 ◽  
Vol 184 (6) ◽  
pp. 191-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen C Hughes ◽  
Tito K Kibona ◽  
William A de Glanville ◽  
Felix Lankester ◽  
Alicia Davis ◽  
...  

AbstractA neurological syndrome of small ruminants, known locally as ‘ormilo’, has been reported among pastoralist livestock keepers in Tanzania. This study was carried out in four affected pastoral communities to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors, characterise the clinical signs and investigate the aetiology of the syndrome. Questionnaires were administered at all households (n=480) within four study villages. Overall, 94 per cent of households reported at least one case in the previous 12 months. By village, the individual-level 12-month period prevalence ranged from 11 per cent to 34 per cent, equivalent to about 10,000 small ruminants across the four villages. Thirty-eight households were randomly selected for further investigation. Proprioceptive deficits and weakness were the most commonly observed clinical signs in affected animals. Brain and spinal cord cysts consistent with Taenia multiceps infection were detected in 32 (82 per cent) of 39 affected animals selected for postmortem examination. Feeding small ruminant brains to dogs was identified as an important risk factor for the syndrome, even in households that did not own dogs. This study confirms cerebral coenurosis as a major cause of small ruminant neurological disease in northern Tanzania and highlights the urgent need for further investigation to quantify the disease burden and to identify and implement control measures.


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