Search Results (1,791)

Accurate body weight monitoring is essential for efficient sheep production, yet conventional weighing methods are labor-intensive and require frequent animal handling. Computer vision provides a promising non-invasive alternative; however, many published studies rely on validation strategies that may overestimate predictive performance because repeated observations from the same animals are simultaneously included in training and testing datasets. This study developed and evaluated an integrated analytical framework for image-based body weight estimation in ewes that combines standardized image processing, robust frame-level quality control, longitudinal statistical modeling, and strict leakage-controlled validation. A longitudinal dataset comprising 20 Dorper ewes monitored over six sampling periods was acquired using top-view depth imaging synchronized with body weight measurements under semi-arid conditions. The analytical framework integrated three complementary modules: longitudinal mixed-effects modeling, early prediction of final body weight, and contemporaneous body weight estimation. Predictive analyses were evaluated using nested leave-one-animal-out cross-validation, in which all preprocessing, correlation filtering, feature selection, model optimization, and model selection were performed exclusively within the training animals of each outer fold. The longitudinal mixed-effects model accurately characterized individual growth trajectories (conditional R² = 0.98). Initial body weight remained the strongest predictor of final body weight (R² = 0.770), whereas image-derived morphometric descriptors alone showed limited predictive performance under strict animal-level validation (R² = −0.899 to −0.031). Combining baseline body weight with selected morphometric descriptors produced modest but biologically informative improvements, achieving a maximum R² of 0.839. Contemporaneous body weight estimation achieved moderate predictive performance (maximum R² = 0.332) and revealed temporal changes in the importance of morphometric descriptors throughout growth. Overall, the proposed framework provides a reproducible methodology for evaluating image-derived phenotypes under rigorous animal-level validation, contributing to the development of more robust, interpretable, and biologically grounded computer vision systems for Precision Livestock Farming. Full article

Background: Accurate assessment of microelement and toxic element content in animal diets is essential for diet formulation, quality control, and exposure assessment; however, predictive additive models may not fully account for variability arising from raw materials and processing factors. Methods: This study evaluated the composition of microelements and toxic elements in the four diets enriched with 4% beetroot cultivars Boldor and Wodan, either without (level 1) or with (level 3) foliar application of the selenium–based plant growth stimulator. Predicted values (calculated using an additive model P = 0.96 × C _{basal diet} + 0.04 × C _{beetroot component}) were compared with experimentally measured concentrations (M). Four dietary variants Boldor 1, Boldor 3, Wodan 1 and Wodan 3 were analyzed. Elemental concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni, Se, Pb, As, Cd, and Sb were determined using ICP-MS. Results: Substantial discrepancies between predicted (P) and measured (M) values were observed. The largest deviations occurred for Cr, Fe, and Sb. Cr and Sb were generally underestimated by the model, whereas Fe was consistently overestimated. Selenium (Se) showed moderate variability, while Cu, Zn, and Ni exhibited close agreement between predicted and measured values. The largest measured cultivar-related differences were observed for As (2.87-fold), Cd (2.78-fold), Pb (2.47-fold), Cr (2.37-fold), Fe (1.73-fold), Sb (1.57-fold), Cu (1.13-fold), and Zn (1.05-fold), all of which occurred at higher concentrations in Wodan than in Boldor. No statistically significant effect of the selenium–based plant growth stimulator was observed. Conclusions: Overall, the results demonstrate that additive models have limited accuracy in predicting trace element composition in complex diets, particularly for elements potentially affected by raw-material variability, sampling heterogeneity, and analytical uncertainty. The contribution of the dietary 4% beetroot component played a key role in shaping element distribution, particularly for elements with high component-to-basal diet ratios. These findings highlight the importance of proper mixing, prevention of segregation in powdered diets, and strict control of raw material quality. Full article

Background: Bacteria of the genus Providencia are emerging pathogens associated with a wide range of infections, particularly in healthcare settings. In veterinary medicine, infections caused by these organisms are uncommon, and, to date, there have been no reports of carbapenem-resistant Providencia spp. causing infection in companion animals. Methods and Results: This study describes a comprehensive investigation of bacterial endocarditis caused by carbapenem-resistant Providencia rettgeri in a cat, including clinical, imaging, pathological, microbiological, and genomic findings. A 1.5-year-old mixed-breed female cat was admitted to a referral veterinary hospital with an extensive pelvic limb wound and a recent history of laparotomy. During hospitalization, a heart murmur was detected, and echocardiographic examination revealed vegetation-like lesion on the mitral valve. Despite intensive treatment, the patient’s clinical condition progressively deteriorated over a 15-day period, ultimately leading to euthanasia. Necropsy confirmed bacterial endocarditis with evidence of systemic septic embolization. P. rettgeri was isolated from blood collected from both heart ventricles and from an endocardial swab and its identity was confirmed by MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated resistance to meropenem. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed the species identification and revealed a Col3M plasmid carrying multiple antimicrobial resistance genes, including the carbapenemase gene bla_NDM-1. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of carbapenem-resistant Providencia spp. causing infection in a companion animal. This case highlights the emergence of Providencia spp. as potential veterinary pathogens capable of causing severe, invasive and fatal infections. Full article

The gastrointestinal microbiota plays a key role in the health and productivity of llama crias, yet its dynamics under disease conditions remain poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize and compare the fecal microbiota of healthy and diseased llama crias. Fecal samples collected from nine llama crias (six with diarrhea and three clinically healthy controls) were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing targeting the V4 region, followed by bioinformatic processing and statistical analyses, including diversity metrics and generalized linear mixed models. Results showed that microbial communities were dominated by Bacillota and Bacteroidota in both groups; however, diseased animals exhibited increased abundance of Pseudomonadota, particularly Gammaproteobacteria and Enterobacteriaceae. Beta diversity analysis revealed significant differences in community structure between groups, with diseased samples showing higher dispersion. Additionally, a greater number of unique ASVs was observed in diseased individuals, indicating increased microbial heterogeneity. Differential abundance analysis identified distinct microbial signatures associated with health status, with opportunistic taxa enriched in diseased animals and fiber-degrading taxa more prevalent in healthy individuals. Overall, the findings demonstrate an association between diarrhea and differences in the fecal microbiota of llama crias. Because this was a cross-sectional observational study, causal relationships cannot be inferred. These results provide a foundation for future investigations into host–microbiota interactions and gastrointestinal health in South American camelids. Full article

Livestock production in Africa occurs across highly heterogeneous agroecological and management environments, ranging from extensive pastoral and mixed crop–livestock systems to intensive enterprises. These systems are characterized by seasonal and spatial variation in feed resources, reliance on locally available forage and agricultural by-products, climatic stress, endemic diseases, and the use of indigenous and locally adapted breeds. Such conditions create distinctive microbiome–host interactions that remain poorly represented in global livestock omics research. Although the gut microbiome is central to nutrient utilization, immune function, metabolic homeostasis, and resilience, the functional mechanisms linking microbial communities, diet, host physiology, and productivity in African livestock remain insufficiently characterized. African systems are particularly underrepresented in integrated microbiome–metabolomics datasets, longitudinal studies, and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled predictive models, limiting the development of context-specific precision nutrition strategies. This review examines the integration of metabolomics and AI with microbiome and host data to advance precision livestock nutrition within an African and One Health context. It identifies both substantial constraints and strategic opportunities. Limited research infrastructure, high-quality regional datasets, computational capacity, and specialized expertise remain major barriers. Conversely, Africa’s diversity of livestock breeds, feed resources, agroecological conditions, and naturally occurring resilience phenotypes provides an important opportunity to identify microbiome–metabolite signatures associated with feed efficiency, disease resilience, climate adaptation, and product quality. Emerging metabolomics and computational capacity, particularly in South Africa, could support regional research networks and continental data infrastructures. Furthermore, the review proposes an Africa-specific approach that develops locally grounded, scalable, and resource-sensitive precision nutrition strategies, strengthening antimicrobial stewardship, animal health, food safety, climate resilience, sustainable livestock production, and broader One Health objectives. Full article

Tourism has become a critical pathway for town construction, everyday-life improvement, and cultural revitalization. Yet, the mechanisms through which destination image is associated with town attraction remain insufficiently understood, particularly at the fine-grained town scale. Drawing on social media photographs and check-in records from 26 characteristic towns in Tianjin, China, this study deconstructs tourist destination image into image genes and examines their associations with town gravity. A VGG19-based image-recognition model was used to identify and aggregate 68 scene types into nine image-gene categories, while check-in data from Weibo and Little Red Book were used to measure destination gravity. The results show that uniqueness image, cultural custom genes, public space genes, sidewalk density, and POI mix are significantly and positively associated with town gravity, whereas animal genes exhibit a significant negative association. These findings provide an empirical basis for policymakers and planners to strengthen distinctive cultural representation, optimize public-space systems and service diversity, and promote the sustainable attractiveness of town destinations. Full article

Octodon degus are long-lived, diurnal, and highly social rodents increasingly used in studies of aging and neurodegeneration. However, behavioral profiles of aged laboratory-housed degus remain incompletely characterized, limiting the interpretation of aging-associated functional and molecular phenotypes in this species. Here, we evaluated age-associated changes in locomotor activity, open-field exploration, social novelty behavior, and manually scored ethological responses in young and old degus maintained under long-term laboratory housing conditions. Automated behavioral tracking was performed during open-field testing and three-chamber social behavior testing. During open-field testing, old degus showed increased locomotor activity compared with young animals, including greater total distance moved, higher mean velocity, increased moving frequency, and longer cumulative movement duration. Old degus also showed increased center-zone duration and reduced thigmotaxis score. Manual ethological scoring revealed increased rearing and fecal boli in old animals during open-field exposure. In the three-chamber social behavior assay, young degus showed higher investigation frequency toward the novel intruder than toward the familiar cagemate, whereas old degus showed a lower social novelty discrimination index compared with young animals. Exploratory sex-stratified analyses identified selective differences in center–border exploration in the young cohort: young males spent more time in the center zone and showed lower thigmotaxis than young females, whereas no significant sex-associated differences were detected in the other open-field or social novelty measures examined. Together, these findings indicate that aging in laboratory-housed degus is associated with a mixed behavioral profile involving increased stress-related ethological responses and reduced social novelty discrimination, affecting behavioral domains relevant to dementia and neurodegenerative aging. This behavioral framework provides a practical reference for future studies examining behavioral heterogeneity and molecular or neuropathological correlates of brain aging in degus. Full article

Semen quality is a critical factor for the success of artificial insemination programs in swine production, and is influenced by collection method, genetic lineage, collection interval and pharmacological interventions. This study evaluated the effects of Dinoprost-tromethamine (DP; Lutalyse^®, Zoetis, Parsippany, NJ, USA), a prostaglandin F₂α analog, on boar semen quality in a commercial stud, considering manual versus semi-automatic collection systems, four genetic lines and resting time between collections. A total of 653 boars (146 Large White, 210 Landrace, 282 Duroc and 15 Hybrid [Duroc × Pietrain]) were monitored over 12 months, resulting in 22,977 semen collections. DP was administered intramuscularly as a single dose of 1 mL per boar (6.71 mg of active compound; approximately 0.028 mg/kg body weight), 20 min before semen collection, exclusively to animals classified with low libido (scores 1–3), whereas boars with normal libido (scores 4–6) remained untreated. Semen parameters (ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total motility and kinematic traits assessed by CASA) were analyzed using mixed-effects models including collection method, DP treatment, genetic line and their interactions. Semi-automatic collection increased ejaculate volume and total motility but resulted in lower sperm concentration compared with manual collection. DP administration increased sperm motility and sperm concentration while reducing ejaculate volume, with the greatest improvement in motility observed in Hybrid boars and more modest or nonsignificant responses in the other genetic lines. Longer collection intervals were associated with higher sperm concentration, whereas ejaculate volume and motility were not affected by resting time. These findings indicate that the impact of DP, collection method and collection interval on semen quality is breed-dependent and highlight the need to tailor reproductive management protocols according to boar genetics, libido and collection technology. Full article

The current study evaluated the effects of different levels of inclusion of ensiled pomegranate by-product (PS: 0, 5, 10, and 15% DM) into the diet of lactating dairy goats on production performance and metabolic status. Seventy-two Murciano-Granadina goats were used and balanced split into the four treatments (18 goats/treatment × 4 treatments) and also distributed into two homogeneous batches per treatment to record diet and water ingestion at batch level, according to individual variables (milk yield, body weight, SCC, and parity) obtained in a pre-experimental sampling, when all the variables at the individual (milk yield and composition, body weight, blood) and batch level (DM and water intake) were recorded. Later, the feeding trial was started and conducted for 8 weeks, with body weight, milk yield, and milk composition—fat, crude protein, lactose, milk urea, somatic cell count (SCC)—recorded biweekly. Water intake (WI) and dry matter intake (DMI) were registered weekly over 2 consecutive days. Physiological and oxidative status were reviewed through hemogram, serum biochemical profile, and plasma antioxidant activity at the last sampling. Individual level variables were analyzed using mixed linear models with repeated measures, including diet, sampling, and their interaction as fixed effects, the covariate in the pre-experimental sampling, and the animal and the batch nested to diet as the random effects (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS v9.4). Additionally, observed means and standard deviations of WI and DMI were recorded. The results showed that milk yield and its composition were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by up to 15 PS inclusion. The statistical differences observed in the hematological and plasma biochemical profiles, as well as in the antioxidant activity, had no practical relevance, as all measured values remained within the established physiological reference ranges. In conclusion, PS can be added to dairy goats diet up to 15% with no evidence of negative effects on production and animal physio-metabolic response during the study period, although longer trials considering complete lactation periods are needed to corroborate these findings. Full article

Background: Secondary lymphedema is a chronic complication of oncologic surgery and radiotherapy for which effective disease-modifying therapies remain lacking. While mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown partial benefit in experimental models, direct functional comparison with lineage-committed lymphatic endothelial progenitor cells (LEPCs) remains limited. Methods: Secondary lymphedema was induced in C57BL/6J mice by circumferential tail skin excision with disruption of superficial lymphatics. Animals received intradermal phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), MSCs, or adipose-derived LEPCs on postoperative days 1 and 7. Lymphatic function was longitudinally quantified using IVIS-based near-infrared indocyanine green (ICG) imaging with standardized region-of-interest analysis. Tail diameter was measured serially throughout follow-up as a complementary morphometric parameter. Tissue remodeling was assessed by Picrosirius Red staining and qualitative LYVE-1 immunofluorescence. Statistical analysis incorporated mixed-effects modeling to evaluate treatment group, sex, time, and their interaction terms, with estimation of effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals. Results: LEPC-treated mice demonstrated higher IVIS signal intensity than MSC- and PBS-treated animals, consistent with improved lymphatic transport at the injury site. Longitudinal tail diameter analysis showed a more favorable temporal profile in the LEPC group relative to controls, with exploratory analysis suggesting potential variations in temporal profiles between sexes that warrant further investigation in larger cohorts. Histologic analysis showed reduced non-tissue/void area and a more favorable qualitative pattern of LYVE-1 staining in LEPC-treated tissue. Conclusions: LEPC administration enhanced functional and structural recovery in a murine model of secondary lymphedema. These findings support further translational evaluation of LEPC-based approaches as a regenerative strategy for secondary lymphedema. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of precision dietary crude protein (CP) reduction through corn dust substitution for soybean meal on lactational performance, milk fatty acid composition, and antioxidant status in mid-lactation dairy cows. Six Holstein Friesian cows were assigned to a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with three 28-day periods and fed total mixed rations containing 17.40% (TMR17), 16.29% (TMR16), or 15.18% CP (TMR15). Forage was maintained at 40% of dietary dry matter. Dry matter intake and plasma metabolites were unaffected by dietary treatment (p > 0.05). However, apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein declined significantly (p < 0.05), while acid detergent fiber digestibility showed a linear downward tendency (p = 0.06). Actual milk yield, lactose yield, and solids-not-fat (SNF) yield were unaffected by treatments (p > 0.05), but milk protein percentage decreased linearly (p = 0.01) as dietary CP declined. Body weight change also tended to decline (p = 0.09), suggestive of possible increased body reserve mobilization, although this was not confirmed with body condition score or direct metabolic indicators. Milk urea nitrogen decreased linearly (p = 0.05), which suggested improved nitrogen utilization. Plasma superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, GSH-Px activity, and total antioxidant capacity were not significantly modified (p > 0.05); however, plasma DPPH radical scavenging capacity increased linearly with higher protein levels (p = 0.01; Trt: p = 0.02). Conversely, TMR15 improved milk lipid quality by significantly increasing monounsaturated fatty acids (p = 0.03; Trt: p = 0.05), particularly oleic acid (p = 0.05), whereas total saturated fatty acids remained unchanged (p = 0.55). Overall, reducing dietary CP improved MUFA proportions and nitrogen efficiency but decreased milk protein percentage and plasma DPPH antioxidant protection, highlighting a trade-off between production performance, animal health, and milk quality. Full article

Goat milk composition is an important determinant of the nutritional, technological, and economic value of dairy products and is influenced by feeding management. This study examined the associations between feeding practices implemented during different lactation stages and goat milk quality, expressed as a latent construct comprising fat, protein, lactose, and solids-not-fat, in semi-intensive dairy goat farms in Northern Greece. Data were collected from 242 commercial farms through milk sampling and a structured questionnaire on feeding management, animal characteristics, and farm practices. Associations between feeding practices and milk quality were evaluated using structural equation modeling. The final model showed satisfactory fit and explained 46.6% of the variance in the latent milk-quality construct. Moderate concentrate supplementation (300–500 g/day) during mid and late lactation showed the strongest positive association with milk quality, followed by grass–legume hay, protein concentrate supplementation, dairy mixes containing vitamins and minerals, pasture intake of 3–4 kg/day, and goat balancer use. Annual milk yield was negatively associated with milk quality, whereas goat age showed a positive association. These findings indicate that lactation-stage-specific feeding management emphasizing moderate concentrate supplementation and high-quality forage is associated with improved milk composition and may help optimize feeding strategies in semi-intensive dairy goat systems. Full article

Dispersal mechanisms of phytopathogenic fungi and oomycetes are critical components of forest disease dynamics. While wind and water are well-studied pathways, the role of large forest herbivores as passive vectors remains significantly overlooked. This study quantifies and compares the pathogen loads carried on the hooves and hair of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) to evaluate their epidemiological potential. Swab samples were collected from the hooves and hair of harvested deer in the Czerwony Bór Forest District, Poland. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays targeting the ITS1 region were deployed to detect total fungal DNA, Alternaria alternata, Fusarium avenaceum/F. tricinctum, and several Phytophthora species. A linear mixed-effects model was implemented to statistically evaluate variations in pathogen loads across anatomical sampling locations while controlling for individual animal variability. Fungal DNA was detected in 87.5% of hoof samples, showing significantly lower Ct values (13.85–18.54) compared to fur samples (17.02–29.56), which exhibited a more patchy distribution (p = 0.016). Similarly, A. alternata transfer was highly favored by hooves (p < 0.001). Conversely, F. avenaceum was more frequently detected on hair. Among oomycetes, Phytophthora pseudosyringae was detected in all sampled animals, whereas Phytophthora cactorum occurred rarely, and other tested Phytophthora species were not detected. Wild deer carry DNA of multiple fungal and oomycete pathogens and may act as potential passive carriers within forest ecosystems. Hooves constitute the primary vector for soil-borne pathogens due to sustained contact with topsoil, whereas hair facilitates the movement of specific canopy or airborne taxa. These findings suggest that wildlife movements should be considered in future forest biosecurity assessments for comprehensive forest health management and for understanding pathogen exchange between forest and agricultural ecosystems. Full article

To improve the feeding value of forage mulberry as a non-grain feed, solid-state mixed fermentation with Lactobacillus plantarum and Pichia membranifaciens (1:1) was optimized via single-factor tests and an L₉ (3⁴) orthogonal design. The optimal conditions (7 days, 28 °C, 30% inoculum, 1:1.2 solid-to-water ratio) reduced crude fiber (CF) content by 44.60%, and increased crude protein (CP), crude fat (EE), and total amino acids (TAA) by 35.77%, 68.85%, and 40.85%, respectively (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, the organic acids produced by L. plantarum lowered the fermentation pH to 4.0–4.5. This pH change was likely associated with the observed 50.84% increase in yeast cellulase activity. Yeast metabolites appeared to promote the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This implies a potential synergistic interaction between the two strains under acidic conditions. The in vitro ruminal dry matter digestibility (DMD) and CP digestibility reached 72.30% and 78.60%, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those of the unfermented control (p < 0.01). Therefore, this pH-enzyme synergistic fermentation strategy can effectively degrade anti-nutritional components. It also improves the feeding nutritional quality of mulberry forage for animal production. Full article

The return of the wolf is causing controversy. Herders (hereafter referred to interchangeably as shepherds) are among the groups most strongly affected and yet scarcely investigated. Using a mixed-methods online questionnaire, 82 German-speaking herders provided information on their assessment of the wolf’s return, their perception of the risk to their livestock, and their evaluation of the socio-political debate. Overall, the shepherds view the wolf rather critically; at the same time, their opinions are nuanced: opposition is less pronounced than might be expected based on similar studies. Negative assessments are grounded in three ethical lines of reasoning: agent-centered, since the wolf increases the workload and mental strain for the shepherds; anthropocentric, as it threatens pastoral farming; and pathocentric, because the grazing animals suffer from its presence. Positive assessments reflect biocentric–holistic arguments, according to which the wolf has a right to exist and is welcomed as part of a diverse natural environment. In addition, supporters point out that the wolf’s return leads to greater appreciation of the shepherding profession. The effectiveness of herd protection measures is subject to widely differing assessments. Generally, the wolf is considered one of several risk factors; however, unlike force majeure events such as lightning strikes or falls, the wolf is perceived by critical voices as anthropogenic and therefore avoidable. The perception that the wolf’s return has been intentionally facilitated by humans appears to reinforce the rejection. Respondents criticize the socio-political debate on the wolf as detached from practical realities, dominated by actors who lack on-site experience and are not directly affected. Full article