Search Results (10)

Leptospirosis is one of the world’s major neglected tropical zoonotic diseases (NTZDs), implicated in animal health and welfare with economic consequences for livestock production. This study aims to estimate the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. and identify potential risk factors in small ruminant herds. This epidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted in Nuevo León, a semi-arid region of Mexico. A total of 389 blood samples from goats and 385 from sheep older than eight months were randomly collected from 128 herds. Anti-Leptospira antibodies were detected using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine their association with leptospirosis infection. The overall prevalence was 13.5% (105/774), with 14.4% (56/389) in goats and 12.7% (49/385) in sheep. Sejroe was the most predominant serogroup. The main risk factors in sheep were contact with domestic cattle, ≥100 animals per herd, congenital abnormalities, contact with feral pigs, meat production system, absence of veterinary care, and abortions with odds ratios (OR) between 1.7 and 4.1. In goats, the main risk factors included lack of quarantine measures, contact with feral pigs, absence of veterinary care, and abortions where the OR ranged from 1.7 to 3.3. These findings indicate that Leptospira spp. is present in small ruminant herds. This is the first study aimed at understanding leptospirosis epidemiology in the northeastern region of Mexico, as goats and sheep may act as potential reservoirs. Continuous monitoring of Leptospira infections is imperative, as well as developing educational initiatives for farmers to implement biosecurity and prevention measures to prevent infections within herds and protect public health. Full article

The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo leo), a flagship species of conservation significance, has expanded its range beyond the Gir protected areas into multi-use landscapes, including the coastal regions of Saurashtra, Gujarat, India. This study examines the dietary patterns of Asiatic lions in this unique coastal region. Using scat analysis, we identified the prey species consumed and quantified their contributions to the lions’ diet. Results indicate that the lions predominantly consumed wild prey, such as Boselaphus tragocamelus, Sus scrofa, and Axis axis, which together constituted 64% of their diet. Domestic prey contributed 31%. In terms of biomass, wild prey accounted for 70%, with Boselaphus tragocamelus alone contributing 51%. The dietary niche breadth, calculated using Levin’s index, was 0.36, suggesting a relatively specialized diet. This study underscores the importance of prey abundance and habitat structure in shaping lion predation patterns. Lions’ reliance on wild prey, particularly Boselaphus tragocamelus and Sus scrofa, highlights their crucial role in the coastal region. Additionally, the inclusion of domestic prey, such as feral cattle, may reflect their high availability and reduced anti-predator behaviors. These findings emphasize the need for robust prey population monitoring and habitat conservation to ensure the long-term survival of Asiatic lions in the coastal region. Full article

Feral cattle (Bos taurus) live in socially stable herds. Due to farm management practices, intensively managed dairy cows experience frequent regrouping, which can disrupt affiliative bonds and induce social stress. This study examines how changes in herd composition affect milk yield and udder health traits in resident dairy cows exposed to the withdrawal of herd members or the introduction of new individuals. Milk yield, electrical conductivity, and blood presence in milk were measured in 798 cows using precision dairy sensors over 9 years. Milk yield decreased significantly (p < 0.001) one day after the removal of familiar herd members, while introducing cows had no effect. A higher number of cows being withdrawn (up to 10) was associated with reduced milk yield (p < 0.001), elevated milk electrical conductivity (p = 0.01), and an increased prevalence of blood presence in milk (p = 0.01), which can indicate potential udder health issues linked to social stress. Holstein Friesian, primiparous, and first-lactation-stage cows were more affected than Czech Simental and multiparous cows later in lactation. These findings underscore the influence of social stability on dairy cow welfare and productivity, emphasising the need for strategies to mitigate stress when herd changes are necessary. Full article

Influenza D virus (IDV) infections have been observed in animals worldwide, confirmed through both serological and molecular tests, as well as virus isolation. IDV possesses unique properties that distinguish it from other influenza viruses, primarily attributed to the hemagglutinin-esterase fusion (HEF) surface glycoprotein, which determines the virus’ tropism and wide host range. Cattle are postulated to be the reservoir of IDV, and the virus is identified as one of the causative agents of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) syndrome. Animals associated with humans and susceptible to IDV infection include camels, pigs, small ruminants, and horses. Notably, high seroprevalence towards IDV, apart from cattle, is also observed in camels, potentially constituting a reservoir of the virus. Among wild and captive animals, IDV infections have been confirmed in feral pigs, wild boars, deer, hedgehogs, giraffes, wildebeests, kangaroos, wallabies, and llamas. The transmission potential and host range of IDV may contribute to future viral differentiation. It has been confirmed that influenza D may pose a threat to humans as a zoonosis, with seroprevalence noted in people with professional contact with cattle. Full article

The increased attention drawn to the negative environmental impact of the cattle industry has fostered a host of market- and research-driven initiatives among relevant actors. While the identification of some of the most problematic environmental impacts of cattle is seemingly more or less unanimous, solutions are complex and might even point in opposite directions. Whereas one set of solutions seeks to further optimize sustainability pr. unit produced, e.g., by exploring and altering the relations between elements kinetically moving one another inside the cow’s rumen, this opinion points to different paths. While acknowledging the importance of possible technological interventions to optimize what occurs inside the rumen, we suggest that broader visions of the potential negative outcomes of further optimization are also needed. Accordingly, we raise two concerns regarding a focus on solving emissions through feedstuff development. First, we are concerned about whether the development of feed additives overshadows discussions about downscaling and, second, whether a narrow focus on reducing enteric gasses brackets other relations between cattle and landscapes. Our hesitations are rooted in a Danish context, where the agricultural sector—mainly a large-scale technologically driven livestock production—contributes significantly to the total emission of CO₂ equivalents. Full article

Environmental damage caused by the intensification of agriculture may be compensated by implementing conservation projects directed towards reducing threatening processes and conserving threatened native species. In Australia, feral cats (Felis catus) have been a ubiquitous threatening process to Australian fauna since European colonisation. On Shamrock Station, in the north-west of Western Australia, the Argyle Cattle Company has proposed intensifying agriculture through the installation of irrigation pivots. There is concern that irrigating land and storing agricultural produce may indirectly increase the abundance of feral cats and European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) on the property, which in turn may negatively impact threatened bilbies (Macrotis lagotis) that also inhabit the property. Feral cat control is required under the approved management plan for this project to mitigate this potential impact. Our baseline study revealed a high density of feral cats on Shamrock Station (0.87 cats km⁻²) and dietary data that suggest the current native mammal assemblage on Shamrock Station is depauperate. Given the high density of feral cats in this area, the effective control of this introduced predator is likely to confer benefits to the bilby and other native species susceptible to cat predation. We recommend ongoing monitoring of both native species and feral cats to determine if there is a benefit in implementing feral cat control around areas of intensive agriculture and associated cattle production. Full article

Well-managed rangelands provide important economic, environmental, and cultural benefits. Yet, many rangelands worldwide are experiencing pressures of land-use change, overgrazing, fire, and drought, causing rapid degradation. These pressures are especially acute in the Hawaiian Islands, which we explore as a microcosm with some broadly relevant lessons. Absent stewardship, land in Hawaiʻi is typically subject to degradation through the spread and impacts of noxious invasive plant species; feral pigs, goats, deer, sheep, and cattle; and heightened fire risk. We first provide a framework, and then review the science demonstrating the benefits of well-managed rangelands, for production of food; livelihoods; watershed services; climate security; soil health; fire risk reduction; biodiversity; and a wide array of cultural values. Findings suggest that rangelands, as part of a landscape mosaic, contribute to social and ecological health and well-being in Hawaiʻi. We conclude by identifying important knowledge gaps around rangeland ecosystem services and highlight the need to recognize rangelands and their stewards as critical partners in achieving key sustainability goals, and in bridging the long-standing production-conservation divide. Full article

Semi-feral local livestock populations, like Maremmana cattle, are the object of renewed interest for the conservation of biological diversity and the preservation and exploitation of unique and potentially relevant genetic material. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic diversity parameters in semi-feral Maremmana cattle using both pedigree- and genomic-based approaches ($F_{IS}$ and $F_{ROH}$), and to detect regions of homozygosity (ROH) and heterozygosity (ROHet) in the genome. The average heterozygosity estimates were in the range reported for other cattle breeds ($H_E=0.261$, $H_O=0.274$). Pedigree-based average inbreeding (F) was estimated at $4.9\%$. The correlation was low between F and genomic-based approaches ($r=0.03$ with $F_{IS}$, $r=0.21$ with $F_{ROH}$), while it was higher between $F_{IS}$ and $F_{ROH}$ ($r=0.78$). The low correlation between F and $F_{ROH}$ coefficients may be the result of the limited pedigree depth available for the animals involved in this study. The ROH islands identified in Maremmana cattle included candidate genes associated with climate adaptation, carcass traits or the regulation of body weight, fat and energy metabolism. The ROHet islands contained candidate genes associated with nematode resistance and reproduction traits in livestock. The results of this study confirm that genome-based measures like $F_{ROH}$ may be useful estimators of individual autozygosity, and may provide insights on pedigree-based inbreeding estimates in cases when animals’ pedigree data are unavailable, thus providing a more detailed picture of the genetic diversity. Full article

According to the prevailing scholarly opinion, Geometric bronze animal figurines found at Olympia represent cattle and horses which were put under the protection of the divinity in this form. This view is challenged here for various reasons including literary testimony and comparisons with contemporary shrines containing similar dedications (especially Kato Syme on Crete). This paper argues that the bovines depicted were feral, and the figurines were offered by foreign aristocrats visiting the sanctuary especially for the sake of hunting these animals. Similarly, the horse figurines are interpreted as depicting feral equines, which were presumably captured and taken away by the visitors. After examining the cultic regulations related to the Olympic Games (timing, crowns, exclusion of married women and the penteteric periodicity), it is suggested that excessive hunting led to the extinction of some game animals and thus to a radical shift in the cult practice and ultimately resulted in the introduction of athletic events, i.e., in the Olympic Games. Full article

Indigenous groups are increasingly combining traditional ecological knowledge and Western scientific approaches to inform the management of their lands. We report the outcomes of a collaborative research project focused on key ecological questions associated with monsoon vine thickets in Wunambal Gaambera country (Kimberley region, Western Australia). The study mapped monsoon rainforests and analysed the environmental correlates of their current distribution, as well as the historical drivers of patch dynamics since 1949. Remote sensing was used to chart the effectiveness of an intervention designed to re-instate Aboriginal fire regimes according to customary principles. We identified the most vulnerable patches based on size, distance from neighbouring patches, and fire frequency. More than 6000 rainforest patches were mapped. Most were small (<1 ha), occurring predominantly on nutrient-rich substrates (e.g., basalt) and fire-sheltered topographic settings (e.g., slopes and valleys). Rainforests with low fire frequency and no cattle were more likely to expand into surrounding long-unburnt savannas. Frequent fires and cattle did not cause substantial contraction, although the latter affected rainforest understories through trampling. Fire management performed by Aboriginal rangers effectively shifted fire regimes from high-intensity late dry season fires to early dry season fires, particularly in areas with clusters of vulnerable rainforests. The remote sensing methods developed in this project are applicable to the long-term monitoring of rainforest patches on Aboriginal-managed land in North Kimberley, providing tools to evaluate the impacts of fire management, feral animal control, and climate change. The study confirmed the importance of the cattle-free and rarely burnt Bougainville Peninsula as one of the most important rainforest areas in Western Australia. Full article