The presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and resistance to beta-lactams in healthy sheep represents a potential public health risk. This study aimed to characterize STEC isolates in sheep feces for toxin production and resistance to beta lactam antibiotics. In the present study, among the 40 isolates, we found a predominance of subtype Stx1 (22/40), followed by subtype Stx1 + Stx2 (11/40), while the less prevalent group was Stx2 (7/40). Also, we found phenotypical resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in 50% (20/40) of the strains analyzed, forming two groups, one with resistant isolates and the other with non-resistant isolates. The cytotoxicity of the isolates did not vary among the groups. In addition to having this characteristic, some multiresistant isolates produced significant amounts of toxins. This leads to the conclusion that the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance via beta lactamases are present in sheep STEC and that the cytotoxicity of those isolates is variable regarding such resistance.

Gastrointestinal parasites are a significant challenge in sheep farming, and periparturient ewes are one of the most susceptible categories in sheep flocks. This study aimed to verify whether the injection of B vitamins at the acupuncture point governing vessel 14 (GV14) can influence the parasitic load or host parasite interaction in naturally infected ewes during the peripartum period. Four weeks before parturition, 25 ewes were divided into five treatment groups: (1) Dose Control: 0.2 mL of B complex via IM; (2) Drug Control: 2 mL Complex B via IM; (3) Acupoint Control: 0.2 mL of Water at GV14 point; (4) Control; (5) Test group: 0.2 mL of B complex at the GV14 point. Treatments were performed at weeks -3, -1, 2, 4, and 6 about the parturition time. Fecal samples to estimate the parasitic load by fecal egg counts (FEC) and total blood samples for hemogram examination were performed seven days after the treatment, coinciding with weeks -2, 3, 5, and 7 about the parturition time. The number of peripheral eosinophils was higher in group 3 than in group 1 (p <0.05). Although groups 3 and 5 had lower mean values of FEC and higher hematological values at the time of weaning, these differences were not statistically significant (p> 0.05) according to the F test. However, all animals in groups 3 and 5 maintained low parasitism levels until the end of the experiment. Further studies should be performed with larger sample sizes and minor changes to the experimental protocol to elucidate the role of GV14 acupoint stimulation in the host-parasite relationship.

The dairy industry diversifies products with organoleptic, dietary, functional, and nutritional properties according to consumer demands and welfare. This study aimed to examine the profile of consumers, data on milk consumption, knowledge, and familiarity with A2A2 milk in the Tocantins State, Brazil. A qualitative survey was carried out through a questionnaire applied to 389 people, distributed in 34 municipalities. Regarding the consumption of dairy products, 21.31% of participants described having some type of discomfort when consuming them. Among participants, 46.27% consumed one to two liters, 28.28% two to four liters, and 25.45% more than four liters per week. Milk was the main dairy product consumed, according to 59.13% of participants. Of all respondents, 76.10% pay little or no attention to the information on the label, versus 23.90% who did not. Regarding A2A2 milk, 40.36% possessed some knowledge about it, while 59.64% did not. 42.93% and 30.59% of participants stated they would be willing to pay over 10% or 50% more, respectively, whereas 24.94% would not pay any additional amount on the price of A2A2 milk. Willingness to pay a low additional amount was related to consumers who heard of, but knew little about this product, whereas the likelihood of paying higher additional amounts was associated with respondents who heard and know about the product.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of an emulsifier on reduced-energy diets using two fat sources for broilers. The study was designed as a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. The first factor was 2 fat sources (poultry fat or beef tallow). The second factor was a basal diet with the recommended energy levels, a diet with a 0.83 MJ/kg of energy reduction, and a diet with an energy reduction and inclusion of 1 g emulsifier/kg of diet. The emulsifier used in this study was composed of soy lecithin and polyethylene glycol ricinoleate. The emulsifier increased apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance (AMEn) in beef tallow diets compared to energy-reduced diets (P<0.001). Broilers fed poultry fat had higher weights and weight gains at 35 and 42 d of age (p=0.001), and they had higher daily deposition of fat in the carcass (P = 0.025) when compared to diets with beef tallow. The inclusion of emulsifiers in broiler diets improves AME and AMEn but did not affect the energy reduction diets, whichresulted in reduced performance, decreasing daily fat deposition, but without effects on serum lipid profile in broilers.

To conduct ex-situ creole pig conservation programs, it is essential to determine which breeding animals will be used, preferentially those with a more significant Iberian genetic component to preserve their origin. This study used a Yucatan black hairless pigs (YBHP) subpopulation to estimate its genetic diversity and population structure. One hundred four adult pigs were selected for the absence of hair, black skin (without spots), black hoof, and straight snout. The porcine-GGP-50K chip was used for SNP genotyping in YBHP, and information on Iberian and Yucatán hairless pigs from the United States (USYU) was taken from databases. All analysis was performed using PLINK v1.9 and v2.1 software. Inbreeding and fixation index values were lower in YBHP, with high observed heterozygosity and allogamy index values, which agree with those obtained in the populations of Canarias and Chato Murciano. According to the clusters generated by the “Genome-Wide Identity by State” analysis, four groups were identified, one of which included pigs from Guadyerbas, USYU, and YBHP. Between populations, YBHP was closely related to the hairless pigs from Guadyerbas, USYU, and Canarias. Principal component analysis showed the same result. According to the results obtained from the runs of homozygosity investigation, aimed to get pools consensus of regions of overlapping, 119 SNPs associated with genes and biological processes were identified. The BMP7 and NSUN2 genes were associated with epithelial cell differentiation, morphogenesis, and epithelial development. For nutrient metabolism: energy, the HADHA, PPARA, ADD1/SREBF1, and FAT1genes were identified.

Abortions in domestic ruminants cause significant economic losses to farmers. Determining the cause of an abortion is important for control efforts, but it can be challenging. All available diagnostic methods in the bacteriology laboratory should be employed in every case due to the many limiting factors (autolysis, lack of history, range of samples) that complicate the investigation process. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the recovery of diagnostically significant isolates from domestic ruminant abortion cases could be increased through the use of a combination of the existing aerobic culture and Brucella selective method with methods that are commonly recommended in the literature reporting abortion investigations. These methods are examination of wet preparations and impression smears stained by the modified Ziehl–Neelsen method, anaerobic, microaerophilic, Leptospira, Mycoplasma and fungal culture. Samples of placenta and aborted foetuses from 135 routine clinical abortion cases of cattle (n = 88), sheep (n = 25) and goats (n = 22) were analysed by the new combination of methods. In 46 cases, bacteria were identified as aetiological agents and in one case a fungus. Isolation of Brucella species increased to 7.4% over two years compared with the previous 10 years (7.3%), as well as Campylobacter jejuni (n = 2) and Rhizopus species (n = 1). Salmonella species (5.9%) and Trueperella pyogenes (4.4%) were also isolated more often. In conclusion, the approach was effective in removing test selection bias in the bacteriology laboratory. The importance of performing an in-depth study on the products of abortion by means of an extensive, combination of conventional culture methods was emphasised by increased isolation of Brucella abortus and isolation of C. jejuni. The combination of methods that yielded the most clinically relevant isolates was aerobic, microaerophilic, Brucella and fungal cultures.

Ergot alkaloids (EAs) are toxic substances naturally produced by Claviceps fungi. These fungi infest a wide range of cereals and grasses. When domestic animals are exposed to EAs through contaminated feeds, it is detrimental to them and leads to significant economic losses. For that reason, it is important to monitor feed for the presence of EAs, especially with methods enabling their determination in processed materials.

The molecular contamination of an animal facility was investigated during and after an infection with highly pathogenic African swine fever virus (ASFV) among domestic pigs. The investigation evaluated the risk of indirect transmission of the disease and indicated points that may facilitate cleaning and disinfection processes.

Eosinophils represent the most active cells in mammals that show protective and assistive activity in the host immune defence against helminth parasites. These cells are also responsible for the reduction of allergic and inflammatory reactions. The eosinophils play a key role in allergic reactions by secretion of different chemical molecules leading to swelling, lesions and granuloma onset.

Milk from cows, goats and sheep was analysed in terms of content of fourteen perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs).