Search Results (260)

A herd of approximately 300 Spanish meat goats in central Alabama experienced sporadic ocular, respiratory, and reproductive diseases over two years, prompting diagnostic investigation at Auburn University’s JT Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital. Five representative doelings exhibiting ocular lesions were examined. Clinical signs included conjunctivitis, corneal opacity, uveitis, and, in one severe case, systemic illness. Initial treatment with topical and systemic antibiotics provided incomplete resolution, raising suspicion of infectious keratoconjunctivitis of atypical etiology. Comprehensive diagnostic testing was performed, including aerobic and Mycoplasma cultures, Giemsa staining, and molecular assays. Moraxella bovoculi was cultured; however, Giemsa staining revealed Chlamydia elementary bodies, and a FRET-qPCR with DNA sequencing confirmed high Chlamydia pecorum loads (up to 1.1 × 10⁷ copies/swab). Mycoplasma testing was negative. Extended treatment with systemic and topical oxytetracycline led to gradual clinical improvement, with C. pecorum DNA declining over 22,000-fold and becoming undetectable after five weeks. This case represents the first documented report of C. pecorum–associated keratoconjunctivitis in goats in the United States. The findings underscore the diagnostic importance of molecular assays for detecting intracellular pathogens that may be missed by culture. The protracted treatment course highlights the therapeutic challenges posed by chlamydial infections due to their intracellular persistence. Additionally, the concurrent detection of M. bovoculi suggests the potential for mixed infections influencing disease severity. These results emphasize C. pecorum as an emerging pathogen of caprine ocular disease with implications for herd health and management. Full article

The proteins most frequently associated with pregnancy are the pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs), which are abundantly expressed placental products in species belonging to the order Cetartiodactyla. Multiple PAG isoforms are expressed across different species and stages of gestation, with their expression influenced by factors, such as breed and bodyweight. These proteins can be detected in both blood and milk samples using ELISA or RIA assays, serving as early indicators of pregnancy. The present study aimed to detect PAGs in caprine milk through a non-invasive, high-throughput, mass-spectrometry-based proteomic approach. Milk samples were collected from 20 Skopelos breed goats at 20 and 45 days post-mating. Following appropriate processing for whey protein extraction, the samples underwent tryptic digestion to generate peptides for LC-MS/MS analysis. The proteomic investigation identified five distinct PAGs (caPAG₂ on day 20 and caPAG₃, caPAG₅, caPAG₆, and caPAG₁₂,on day 45 post-mating) annotated to Capra hircus, along with 22 additional proteins associated with the fetal–maternal interface, pregnancy progression, and immune-related pathways. These findings demonstrate that LC-MS/MS provides a non-invasive, sensitive, and reliable method for detecting PAGs in caprine milk during the early stages of pregnancy (day 20, as the presence of caPAG₂ revealed), applicable to both individual animals and flock-level monitoring. Full article

Gastrointestinal strongyle infections are a common challenge in dairy goat farming, potentially impacting animal health and milk production. We, therefore, conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of pour-on eprinomectin (EPM) in early-lactating dairy goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal strongyles and to verify the related effects on milk yield and quality. A total of 42 pluriparous Camosciata delle Alpi goats, from two farms (F1 and F2), were involved in the trial. In each farm, the goats were divided into two groups: untreated (CONTROL) or treated (EPM, 1 mg/kg BW). Following the treatment, faeces were individually collected weekly for one month, subjected to copromicroscopic analysis, a faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test, and coproculture; according to the same time schedule, individual milk yield was recorded, and individual milk samples were collected and analysed (fat, protein, lactose, and somatic cell count). Data were statistically analysed by a mixed-model procedure for repeated measures over time. The low efficacy of EPM was demonstrated at all experimental times; overall FECR percentages (90% CI lower and upper bounds) were 39.00% (30.12–50.53) for F1 and 38.82% (30.08–50.10) for F2. Coprocultures allowed the identification of larvae of the genera Haemonchus, Teladorsagia, and Trichostrongylus. Goats treated with EPM showed a lower prevalence of Teladorsagia and Trichostrongylus larvae, and higher prevalence of Haemonchus larvae, compared with CONTROL goats (p < 0.001). The treatment did not significantly improve milk yield or overall milk composition. Full article

Diarrhea in young ruminants is a global issue and causes significant economic losses worldwide. In addition to common pathogens like rotavirus, coronavirus, and astrovirus, new viruses can be identified through unbiased next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. Here, we report the initial identification of a hunnivirus from a one-month-old goat with diarrhea using shotgun metagenomic NGS. A complete hunnivirus genome was recovered. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that this goat hunnivirus was more closely related to cattle hunnivirus than to small ruminant hunnivirus strains, suggesting a prior cross-species transmission event. The genome was used to design primers/probes for the conserved 3D^pol RdRP gene for real-time RT-PCR to screen banked ruminant fecal samples. Screening of 144 ruminant fecal samples showed that 9 of 38 goat, 22 of 96 cattle, and 0 of 8 sheep samples were positive for hunnivirus. Sequencing of the 3D^po region was performed on selected positive samples and revealed two lineages of hunnivirus circulating in North America. Our study highlights the importance of further investigation and monitoring of fecal samples using unbiased metagenomic tools to identify potential pathogens or co-infections in ruminants. Full article

Background: Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) is a major viral disease of goats, caused by small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), associated with chronic arthritis, mastitis, pneumonia, and encephalitis, leading to economic losses and reduced animal welfare. This study aimed to estimate the true prevalence of CAE in Hungarian goat herds, based on nationwide sampling and statistical modeling. Methods: Blood samples from 1218 goats in 53 herds were tested using ELISA, and true prevalence was estimated by Bayesian analysis. Results: The mean herd true prevalence (HTP) was 29.1% (95% CrI: 20.8–38.5%), while within the infected herds, the conditional within herd prevalence (CWHP) reached 58% ± 27.1%. Medium- and large-sized herds (>50 animals) showed the highest mean HTP (77.8% and 74.9%, respectively). No significant regional differences were observed, indicating that CAE is uniformly distributed across the country. Conclusions: Our findings place Hungary among moderately to highly affected European countries and highlight the need for a nationwide control strategy integrating routine serological surveillance, biosecurity improvements, farmer education, and long-term tools such as selective breeding. Full article

This paper describes a detailed evaluation of published works, in which proteomics methodological approaches and technologies were used to advance knowledge about small ruminants. The specific objective of this assessment was the presentation of quantitative characteristics on the content and the bibliometric details of publications on the use of proteomics methodological approaches and technologies in small ruminant work. For the search of published papers, the following topical search string was used: [sheep OR ovine OR Ovis aries OR goat* OR caprine OR Capra hircus] AND [proteom*], in the Web of Science database. In total, 481 published papers (448 original articles and 33 reviews) were evaluated individually. These originated from 56 countries, mostly from China and the United States of America, and increased gradually with time. Most (85.7%) original articles presented experimental work with animals, most often in sheep/goat production (37.4%) and reproduction (21.8%), and less often in physiology (19.0%) or diseases (17.9%). Tissues analyzed more often were milk (17.9%), blood (10.3%), and muscle (9.2%). The proteomics methodological approach and technology employed most frequently was the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (52.9% of articles). The journal, in which papers were published most frequently, was the Journal of Proteomics (8.3%). There were 3689 authors in total in the published papers, with a median number of 7 per paper Median number of references was 50 per published paper. Median number of citations was eight per published paper, and median number of annual citations was 2.0 per published paper. Significant predictors for the number of annual citations were (a) for reviews, the number of references, and (b) for original articles, the number of references, the topic of study, and the animal species referred to in the articles. The Epimetre briefly reviews the contribution of proteomics in the health management of sheep and goats. Overall, the results have indicated that the use of proteomics methodological approaches and technologies in sheep and goat work has advanced our knowledge and understanding of the biology of these two animal species in a multitude of fields and topics internationally, with an increasing dissemination and applicability. Full article

In modern livestock, the demand for sperm sex selection technologies is high, as the ability to deliberately produce offspring of a specific sex offers significant economic advantages. Traditionally, sperm sorting is performed using Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting. However, the flow cytometric method is expensive, technically complex, and associated with reduced sperm viability. An alternative promising method involves the use of Toll-like TLR7/8 receptors for the selective binding of spermatozoa of a particular sex. It was discovered previously that the activation of TLR7/8 by its ligand(s) selectively inhibits the motility of X-bearing sperm without affecting the motility of Y-bearing sperm. The swim-up technique, which separates sperm based on sex chromosome type by isolating fractions enriched in either X- or Y-bearing gametes due to differences in their motility, can be used with this method. Sperm sex sorting via the TLR7/8 activation is cheap, technically non-complex, and does not affect sperm viability negatively. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the TLR7/8-dependent sperm sorting method. Further, we discuss why the method of sperm sorting via TLR7/8 activation is successfully implemented in some animal species (such as murine, caprine, ovine, and bovine) but fails in others, like swine and canine. Full article

Gastro-intestinal nematodes (GINs) are still of great concern in grazing ruminants, such as camelids, ovines and caprines, affecting animal health and productivity. This is mainly due to the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR) to the compounds used long term, without much evaluation on their efficacy, including ivermectin (IVM), the most used anthelmintic drug in livestock. The aims of this study were to determine the efficacy of IVM and identify which GIN species are affecting different ruminant farms in Quebec (QC), Canada. Firstly, we collected fecal samples from six farms with different ruminant species (camelids, goats and sheep) before and after IVM treatment when applicable, analyzing them by Fecal Egg Count (FEC) and further assessments on IVM efficacy through the Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT). In addition, molecular analyses were conducted using PCR, targeting the ITS-2 and COX-1 genes to identify GIN species. FECRT was applied only for three farms, showing that variable results with optimal efficacy (ranging from 95.5–100%) were obtained in only one farm, whereas on the other two farms, FECRT exhibited reduced efficacy, suggesting the development of IVM resistance. Among the GIN species found, Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus vitrinus were identified in most of the farms, being present in sheep, goat, llama and alpaca farms, whereas Teladorsagia circumcincta was identified only in sheep and llama samples from four farms but not in alpaca samples. Trichostrongylus axei and Chabertia ovina were present in two farms (sheep and sheep and llamas). Oesophagostomum venulosum was detected in one sheep and one alpaca farm. Only one sheep farm was positive for Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Cooperia curticei. Also, Nematodirus spp. and Trichuris spp. were found in four farms, including sheep and camelids. In addition, three other species were found in camelids, including Camelostrongylus mentulatus (only in the llama samples), whereas Lamanema chavezi and Marshallagia marshalli were identified in one alpaca farm. Therefore, our work reports evidence of an uneven efficacy of IVM against GINs from ruminant farms, including the most likely emergence of IVM resistance. The diversity of GIN species found in ruminant farms in QC along with the inconsistent IVM efficacy are helpful information for veterinarians and animal producers in setting an optimal parasite management programs, including the proper use of IVM and alternative anthelmintic drugs to control these pathogens in grazing livestock. Full article

The keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) are a class of wool proteins. They form a matrix that cross-links the wool intermediate filament keratins. The KAPs are thought to affect wool fibre structure and properties and have been associated with variation in wool fibre traits. There are many KAP genes in sheep, but not all have been identified. Recently a second member of the KAP22 gene family, KRTAP22-2, was identified in goats, and variation in this caprine gene was associated with cashmere fibre traits. In this study, we identified ovine KRTAP22-2. To ascertain the extent of variation in KRTAP22-2, sheep from eight breeds were investigated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. This revealed two unique banding patterns, which upon sequencing gave two novel DNA sequences. These differed by two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding region. Three genotypes of the novel KRTAP22-2 sequences were observed in the eight sheep breeds studied. The ovine KRTAP22-2 variant sequences were similar to a goat KRTAP22-2 variant, but a search of ovine expressed sequence tags revealed no matching mRNA sequences in the ovine databases. In a second part of the study, no association was found between the KRTAP22-2 genotypes and mean fibre diameter, fibre diameter standard deviation, coefficient of variation in fibre diameter, and mean fibre curvature, for either the fine wool or heterotypic hair fibres of 255 Chinese Tan lambs. These results suggests that sheep have a KRTAP22-2 gene, but that there may be species-specific differences in the gene’s expression or function. The gene may not affect wool traits in the way that it appears to in goats. Full article

Goats are considered to be the ideal climate-resilient animal species in the tropics. Fewer studies are documented assessing the heat stress response of caprine ruminal microbiota, which can also be a crucial indicator of the resilience and/or adaptability of animals. This study was conducted to comparatively assess the heat stress responses of two indigenous goat breeds, Nandidurga and Bidri, based on changes associated with the rumen fermentation pattern and distribution pattern of rumen microbiota. A total of 24 adult animals were randomly allocated into four groups of six animals each, NC (n = 6; Nandidurga control), NHS (n = 6; Nandidurga heat stress), BC (n = 6; Bidri control) and BHS (n = 6; Bidri heat stress). The animals were reared in climate chambers for a duration of 45 days wherein the NC and BC animals were maintained under thermoneutral temperature while the NHS and BHS animals were subjected to simulated heat stress. Heat stress was observed to significantly reduce the rumen ammonia, extracellular CMCase, intracellular carboxy methyl cellulase (CMCase) and total CMCase both in Nandidurga and Bidri goats. In addition to this, a significant reduction in acetate, propionate and total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was observed in Nandidurga goats. The V3–V4 16s rRNA sequencing further revealed a significant alteration in the rumen microbiota in heat-stressed Nandidurga and Bidri goats. While both the breeds exhibited nearly similar responses in the rumen microbial abundance levels due to heat stress, breed-specific differences were also observed. Furthermore, the LEFSe analysis revealed a significant alteration in the abundances of microbes at the genus level, which were observed to be relatively greater in Bidri goats than Nandidurga goats. Furthermore, these alterations were predicted to impair the functional pathways, especially pathways associated with metabolism. This study therefore provided an insight into the rumen microbial dynamics in heat-stressed goats. Though both the breeds exhibited excellent resilience to the subjected heat stress, there were relatively less ruminal alterations in Nandidurga goats than in Bidri goats. Full article

To achieve the goals of productivity and sustainability across diverse livestock systems, reproductive factors play a pivotal role. Historically, reproductive research has primarily focused on females, as they are responsible for maintaining pregnancy and delivering offspring following oocyte fertilization. However, since the early 2000s, the biological significance of sperm RNAs has been increasingly recognized in various livestock species. These RNAs contribute both genetically and epigenetically at the time of fertilization and during early embryonic development. Multiple types of sperm RNA have been identified in bovine, porcine, ovine, buffalo, and caprine spermatozoa. Notably, transcriptomic profiling has shown potential to differentiate between high- and low-fertility males, even when conventional semen quality values appear normal in both groups. This opens the possibility for more accurate identification of highly fertile sires. Nevertheless, a definitive marker or set of markers has yet to be established, likely due to the transcriptome’s sensitivity to environmental conditions and to the variability in evaluation methodologies. Therefore, global scientific efforts should aim to establish standardized, robust protocols, as sperm RNA represents a promising avenue for enhancing the sustainability of animal production systems. Full article

Gastrointestinal (GI) parasites not only significantly impact goat health and productivity but can also affect human health due to the zoonotic potential of some species. This study investigates the prevalence of internal parasites within the tropical monsoon ecosystem of southern Thailand, focusing on both phenotypic and molecular characteristics of the parasites and identifying associated risk factors in caprine farming systems. A total of 276 meat goats from Nakhon Si Thammarat province were examined, indicating an overall GI parasite prevalence of 88.8% (245/276), with strongyles and Eimeria spp. identified as the dominant parasites. In addition, mixed parasitic infections were observed in 72.2% of cases, whereas single infections comprised 27.8%. Strongyle-positive fecal samples were cultured and genetically sequenced, revealing the presence of Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, and Oesophagostomum asperum. For associated risk factors, gender and grazing with other herds significantly impacted overall GI parasitic infections, while the gender, breed, and packed cell volume (PCV) affected the strongyle infection. A correlation analysis revealed a substantial relationship between strongyle egg per gram (EPG) counts and clinical parameters, indicating that monitoring animals with low body condition scores (BCS) and high Faffa Malan Chart (FAMACHA) scores could be an effective strategy for controlling strongyle infections. These findings highlight the importance of continued research and effective farm management practices to address strongyle infections in meat goats, improving their health and agricultural productivity in tropical regions. Moreover, the detection of four zoonotic parasites (Giardia spp., H. contortus, T. colubriformis, and Fasciola spp.) indicates the necessity for the routine surveillance and monitoring of zoonotic parasites in goats to mitigate potential human health risks. Full article

Caprine arthritis and encephalitis (CAE), caused by small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), is a key disease of goats, with chronic inflammation of joints and brain symptoms leading to losses in milk production and animal trade. In this study, we analyzed gene expressions in the milk somatic cells (MSCs) of seropositive (SRLV-SP) and seronegative (SRLV-SN) goats to identify transcriptomic changes using a non-invasive sampling method. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on goats of two Polish breeds (Polish Improved White and Polish Improved Fawn), which were kept at the Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, during their first lactation. MSCs were isolated from milk, and gene expression was analyzed using the Goat Gene Expression Microarray. The results were verified by RT-qPCR for five genes (DUSP26, PRLR, SCARA3, APBB2, OR4F4). Statistical analysis was performed in GeneSpring 12 software. Results: Microarrays showed reduced expression of DUSP26, PRLR, SCARA3, APBB2, and OR4F4 genes in SRLV-SP goats. RT-qPCR confirmed changes for DUSP26, SCARA3, and APBB2. Functional analysis indicated associations with immune processes and HIV-like pathways. Discussion: The results suggest that SRLV induces transcriptomic perturbations, especially in immunity-related genes. MSCs are an effective model for non-invasive studies, and further studies may support strategies for combating CAE. Full article

Tusavirus 1 of species Protoparvovirus incertum 1 (family Parvoviridae) was first identified in humans and later in small ruminants (caprine and ovine). This study reports the full-length coding sequences (~4400–4600 nt) of three novel tusavirus-related protoparvoviruses from ovine (“misavirus”, PV540792), for the first time bovine (“sisavirus”, PV540793) and subsequently from caprine (“gisavirus” PV540850/51) fecal samples, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and PCR techniques. Their NS1, VP1 and VP2 proteins shared 61–63% amino acid identities with each other and with tusaviruses, suggesting these three viruses belong to three novel species in the genus Protoparvovirus. Phylogenetic analyses placed them with tusaviruses on a separate main branch, implying a shared origin among these most likely ruminant protoparvoviruses. A small-scale epidemiological investigation on 318 ruminant enteric samples using novel generic NS1 primers found misavirus in 14/51 (27.5%) ovine and sisavirus in 19/203 (9.4%) bovine samples from multiple Hungarian farms. Tusavirus was present in 5/51 (9.8%) ovine and 15/62 (24.2%) caprine samples, all from one farm. The highest prevalences for all three viruses were found in animals aged 2–12 months, though sporadic cases were also found in other age groups. Partial NS and VP sequence-based phylogenetic trees showed virus-specific lineages for misa-, sisa-, gisa- and tusaviruses, with various strains forming sub-lineages. These findings suggest the presence of multiple genotypes and/or members of additional species, which was supported by a VP sequence-based hierarchical cluster analysis. The study’s viruses were mostly phylogenetically separated by host; however, two bovine sisavirus strains with diverse phylogenetic localizations in the NS (belonging to bovine sisaviruses) and VP1 trees (distantly related to ovine misaviruses) could indicate previous (interspecies?) recombination events. Full article

Cryptosporidiosis is a gastrointestinal disease affecting terrestrial and aquatic vertebrates worldwide. This study investigated molecularly and microscopically the prevalence and the diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in goats across the Bouira communes, Algeria. A total of 559 fecal samples were collected from 70 farms, representing 16.6% of the regional goat population. Samples were analyzed using microscopy (modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining) and molecular methods (i.e., qPCR and nested PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene, followed by sequencing). Microscopy detected Cryptosporidium in 6.1% of samples, while qPCR revealed a significantly higher prevalence of 13.6% (p < 0.00001), confirming the superior sensitivity of molecular diagnostics. Spatial analysis identified significant clustering (Moran’s I = 0.330, p = 0.0003), with communes-level prevalence ranging from 6.7% to 45.7%. Infection rates correlated positively with humidity and rainfall but negatively with temperature. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed Cryptosporidium xiaoi as the sole species circulating, showing 100% genetic similarity to global caprine isolates. Despite C. xiaoi’s host adaptation, a GenBank review highlighted six other zoonotic species infecting goats worldwide, underscoring potential cross-species transmission risks. The study emphasizes the need for PCR-based surveillance to assess true prevalence and zoonotic threats, while climatic findings support targeted interventions in high-risk areas. Full article