Ruminants

Reproductive tract prolapses in cattle include vaginal prolapse, sometimes with cervical involvement, and uterine prolapse. These are clinically distinct disorders with different timing, mechanisms, urgency, prognosis, and management priorities. This narrative review examines the literature published primarily from 2015 to August 2026 and retains older primary studies where they offer more direct bovine evidence. Vaginal prolapse is mainly a late-gestational disorder described in association with pelvic tissue relaxation and mucosal exposure; causal contributions of proposed mechanical factors and the magnitude of recurrence remain uncertain. Uterine prolapse is a postpartum emergency that requires rapid evaluation of the cow and uterus, protection of exposed tissue, complete replacement of the uterus, and correction of shock, hemorrhage, or hypocalcemia when present. Direct bovine evidence is sparse; population denominators and comparative treatment studies are particularly scarce, and many management practices rest on case series or clinical consensus. Therefore, recommendations are interpreted according to the supporting evidence: observational data, case-based evidence, expert consensus, extrapolation from related postpartum disease, or biologically plausible mechanisms. The review identifies unresolved questions, including recurrence quantification, genetic and metabolic risk, prognostic indicators, comparative efficacy of retention techniques, antimicrobial decision-making, and long-term reproductive outcomes. This evidence-informed synthesis supports practical clinical decisions while defining priorities for prospective studies on bovine reproductive tract prolapses.

Ensiling ground corn after rehydration improves its conservation and increases starch susceptibility to ruminal degradation, potentially replacing costly chemical preservatives. Three complementary experiments were conducted. Intake, ingestive behavior, and blood parameters were evaluated in 32 growing goat kids; nutrient digestibility and N-balance were evaluated in 24 growing goats; and ruminal parameters and in situ degradability were assessed in four rumen-cannulated, castrated male Santa Inês sheep (30.4 ± 6.0 kg) using a 4 × 4 Latin square design, evaluating the replacement of ground corn (GC) with rehydrated GC silage using water (RCSwater), cactus pear cladode mucilage (RCSmucilage), or whey (RCSwhey). Dry matter intake was higher (p < 0.05) with RCSmucilage than with RCSwhey, whereas crude protein and neutral detergent fiber intakes were lower (p < 0.05) with RCSwhey than with GC and RCSmucilage. The proportion of ingested N excreted in urine was lower in goats fed GC and similar for rehydrated silages. RCSmucilage resulted in the highest N intake and lowest N-fecal/N-intake ratio and ruminal pH. RCSwhey also resulted in the lowest ruminal N-NH₃ concentration. Overall, RCSmucilage showed potential to replace ground corn at 415 g/kg diet in growing goats based on nutrient intake, digestibility, and N-utilization responses. Ruminal measurements obtained in cannulated sheep provided complementary information on the evaluated corn sources and should not be directly extrapolated to growing goats. Future studies should validate these responses across animal species and production conditions and test other rehydrating additives.

Gastrointestinal nematodes represent a major challenge to the health and productivity of small ruminants, particularly in the context of increasing resistance to conventional anthelmintic drugs. In this regard, medicinal plants are considered a potential source of compounds with antiparasitic activity. Cassia fistula L. (Fabaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine and contains anthraquinones, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and other secondary metabolites. This narrative review summarizes the available information on its botanical characteristics, phytochemical composition, and anthelmintic potential against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and goats. A literature search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for publications available up to August 2026. Studies addressing the phytochemical composition of C. fistula and its experimental anthelmintic activity against gastrointestinal nematodes of small ruminants were prioritized, while publications lacking relevant phytochemical or parasitological information were excluded. A total of 52 references were cited in the manuscript. Current studies report effects on egg hatching, larval development and migration, and adult survival; however, the experimental evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, with a predominance of in vitro assays and only a few in vivo studies. Differences in plant organs, extraction methods, concentrations, and parasite models make direct comparisons among studies difficult. Further research is therefore needed to standardize preparations, identify the metabolites responsible for the observed activity, and confirm their efficacy and safety in small ruminants.