The objective of this research was to evaluate the antibody response to multiple doses of an inactivated mixed vaccine against Histophilus somni, Pasteurella multocida, and Mannheimia haemolytica, and to investigate the influence of age at time of vaccination in the field. Healthy female Holstein calves received the vaccine at the age of 5–12 days and 2, 3, or 4 weeks later in the first experiment or at 1, 2, or 3 weeks of age and 4 weeks later in the second. Blood samples were collected at each vaccination and 3 weeks after the booster dose. Based on the antibody titres after the vaccinations, calves were divided into positive and negative groups for each of the bacteria. Calves in the control group were vaccinated only once at the age of 19–26 days. Antibody titres against H. somni and P. multocida were significantly increased by the booster. After the second vaccinations, the titres against each bacterium were higher than those of the control group, and the M. haemolytica-positive percentage in calves with high maternal antibody levels (MAL) exceeded that in calves with low MAL. In the first experiment, a majority of the M. haemolytica-positive calves tended to have received the primary dose at seven days of age or older. A booster dose of the inactivated bacterial vaccine in young Holstein calves increased antibody production and overcame the maternal antibodies. Calves should be vaccinated first at seven days of age or older.

Objective--To assess efficacy and tolerability of robenacoxib for control of pain and inflammation in dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery. Animals--140 client-owned dogs. Procedures--A multicenter, prospective, randomized, blinded field trial was conducted to compare robenacoxib (97 dogs) and meloxicam (43 dogs). After randomization, each dog received an initial dose (robenacoxib, 2 mg/kg; meloxicam, 0.2 mg/kg) via SC injection before surgery and daily doses (robenacoxib, 1 to 2 mg/kg; meloxicam, 0.1 mg/kg) administered orally for up to 15 days after surgery. Efficacy was assessed by veterinarians and owners via numeric rating scales and visual analogue scales. Safety was assessed on the basis of reported adverse events, clinical signs, results of hematologic and biochemical analyses, and buccal mucosa bleeding times. Results--Treatment groups were balanced with respect to baseline and demographic data. Both treatments provided similar adequate pain control, as assessed with a modified Glasgow pain scale as the primary end point and supported by secondary end points in evaluations conducted by veterinarians and owners. For the primary end point, the ratio of the reciprocal of the scores for robenacoxib to meloxicam was 1.16 (95% confidence interval, 0.98 to 1.37). No dogs required rescue analgesia. Both treatments were associated with only minor adverse events, which were not necessarily related to the administered treatments and did not affect mucosal bleeding times. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance--Robenacoxib provided efficacy and tolerability similar to those of meloxicam for the management of perioperative pain and inflammation in dogs undergoing orthopedic surgery.

A clinical field trial was performed to determine the effectiveness of an autogenous Salmonella Typhimurium bacterin compared with a commercial live S. Choleraesuis vaccine in pigs. The association between Salmonella shedding and weight gain was also investigated. Nine cohorts of weaned pigs, (330 to 350 pigs per cohort), were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups (injection with S. Typhimurium bacterin, vaccination via water with S. Choleraesuis vaccine, or a control group receiving no vaccine). In each cohort, the average daily gain was calculated for a selected pen throughout the production stage. Pen (pooled) fecal samples were collected bi-weekly and cultured. The odds of Salmonella shedding in both vaccinated groups was higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). The prevalence of Salmonella shedding declined overall as pigs aged (P = 0.04). However, the control pigs showed the smallest decrease in Salmonella shedding over the entire production stage, while prevalence of Salmonella shedding in the vaccinated groups decreased twice as much as the control group over the entire production stage. Salmonella Typhimurium var. Copenhagen DT104, S. Cerro, and S. Agona, which had been isolated on the study farm previously, were recovered from pigs in this study. Shedding of S. Typhimurium var. Copenhagen decreased over time in both vaccine treatment groups. On the other hand, S. Cerro shedding rate was lower in the control pigs compared with vaccinated pigs and S. Agona could be recovered only from the samples collected from S. Choleraesuis vaccinated pigs. The pigs from pens with a higher Salmonella recovery rate experienced slower growth compared with pigs from pens where Salmonella was not isolated. This latter finding indicates that there might be an economic incentive for producers to try to control endemic salmonellosis if effective programs could be developed.

Objective: To evaluate efficacy of a recombinant Moraxella bovis pilin-cytotoxin-Moraxella bovoculi cytotoxin subunit vaccine to prevent naturally occurring infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK). Animals: 107 beef steers. Procedures: 2 groups of calves were inoculated SC with an immunostimulating complex (ISCOM) matrix adjuvant (control group; n = 54) or a recombinant M bovis pilin-cytotoxin–M bovoculi cytotoxin subunit antigen with the ISCOM matrix adjuvant (vaccine group; 53); calves received booster injections 21 days later. Calves were examined once weekly for 16 weeks. Investigators and herd managers were not aware of the inoculum administered to each calf throughout the trial. Primary outcome of interest was the cumulative proportion of calves that developed IBK. Serum samples were obtained before inoculation (day 0) and on days 42 and 112. Serum hemolysin-neutralizing titers against native M bovis and M bovoculi cytotoxin were determined. Results: No difference was detected between groups for the cumulative proportion of calves that developed IBK at weeks 8 and 16 after inoculation. Non–IBK-affected calves in the vaccine group had a significantly higher fold change in serum hemolysin-neutralizing titer against native M bovoculi cytotoxin from day 0 to 42 compared to control calves. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: The M bovis pilin-cytotoxin-M bovoculi cytotoxin subunit vaccine with the ISCOM matrix adjuvant was not effective at preventing naturally occurring IBK. It is likely that the incorporation of additional protective antigens in a recombinant Moraxella spp subunit vaccine will be required to yield a product that can be used for effective immunization of cattle against IBK.

We have investigated efficiency of a recombinant subunit Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT) that was mixed with a vaccine consisted of inactivated whole cells of Bordetella bronchiseptica, P. multocida (type A and D). For verification of the efficacy of the vaccine, all experimental pigs (suckling piglets, sow and gilts) in the three farms were vaccinated. Antibody titers against B. bronchiseptica and P. multocida type A of the vaccinated pigs by microplate agglutination were significantly higher than those of the control pigs (p less than 0.05). Similar patterns were observed in the analysis of anti- PMT neutralizing antibody by serum neutralizing method using Vero cell (p less than 0.05). Anti- P. multocida type D antibody titer of the vaccinated sows and gilts by ELISA showed significant differences with those of the non-vaccinated pigs (p less than 0.05). Although antibody titers increased, it was unable to fine out the differences in the clinical signs between the vaccinated and non-vaccinated pigs. However, the increase in body weight of the vaccinated piglets was observed in comparison with the non-vaccinated piglets on a farm. At slaughtering of the pigs, pathological lesions in the turbinate bones of the vaccinated pigs were significantly lower than those of the non-vaccinated pigs (p less than 0.001). These results suggested that efficacy of the vaccine in pigs demonstrated to protect against atrophic rhinitis in Korea.

A field trial was conducted on a commercial swine farm quarantined because of infection with pseudorabies virus. The purpose was to investigate, in growing pigs born to hyperimmunized sows, the immunogenicity of a vaccine with a glycoprotein I (gE) deletion. One hundred twenty pigs were assigned at random to 1 of 3 vaccination schedules at ages: 8 and 12 weeks; 8, 12, and 14 weeks; and 8, 12, and 16 weeks. Immune response was measured at 8, 12, 14, 16, and 18 weeks, using the serum neutralization test, a screening ELISA, and assays of IgG and IgA in serum and nasal secretions. Results of the serum neutralization test and the screening ELISA indicated that, for pigs vaccinated only at 8 and 12 weeks, the percentage of pigs with pseudorabies virus serum antibodies decreased substantially by 18 weeks; for pigs given a booster at 14 or 16 weeks, the prevalence of serum antibodies at 18 weeks was higher, with 16-week booster vaccination eliciting the best response. At each age, nasal IgA and IgG values were highly correlated (r greater than or equal to 0.70), as were serum IgA and IgG values; correlations of serum with nasal IgA and IgG values were somewhat lower (approx range, r = 0.40 to 0.70). Nevertheless, an increase in serum IgA or IgG values on vaccination was no guarantee of an increase in nasal IgA or IgG values. For serum and nasal mucosal antibodies, a poor immune response was associated with high quantities of maternally derived antibodies. Vaccination at 16 weeks was necessary to ensure eliciting of an immune response in almost all pigs.

The efficacy of a piglet-specific inactivated Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) vaccine was evaluated with clinical field trials, as recommended by the Republic of Korea’s Animal, Plant & Fisheries Quarantine & Inspection Agency. Three farms were selected on the basis of their history of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome. On each farm 60, 1-week-old pigs were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 treatment groups: vaccination at 1 and 3 wk of age or no vaccination. The 2-dose schedule of vaccination with inactivated PCV2 vaccine improved the average daily weight gain from birth to 16 wk of age, the PCV2 load in the blood, and the frequency and severity of lymph node lesions. Inactivated PCV2 vaccine seems to be very effective in controlling PCV2 infection under field conditions.

Objective: To measure the effect of induced myopia on field trial performance in dogs. Animals: 7 Labrador Retrievers and 1 Chesapeake Bay Retriever trained in field trial competition. Procedures: Dogs were commanded to retrieve targets at 137.2 m (150 yards). Each dog participated in 3 trials while their eyes were fitted with 0- (plano), +1.50-, or +3.00-diopter (D) contact lenses, applied in random order. Retrieval times were measured objectively, and dog performances were evaluated subjectively by masked judges. Results: Retrieval times were significantly faster with plano lenses than with +1.50- or +3.00-D lenses, but there were no significant differences in times between +1.50- and +3.00-D lenses. Masked judges assigned the best performance scores to dogs with plano lenses and the lowest scores to dogs fitted with +3.00-D lenses. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Even mild myopic defocusing had a significant negative impact on both the subjective and objective assessments of dogs' performances. Dogs with demanding visual tasks or signs of visual deterioration should be evaluated retinoscopically to determine the refractive state because they may have ametropia.

Napier Pakchong (Cenchrus purpureus cv. Pakchong) is another cultivar of Napier grass which was introduced from Thailand. This cultivar is mostly adapted for local soil conditions in Malaysia, has high yield and relatively high protein content making Napier Pakchong suitable for ruminant feeding. This experiment was carried out to determine the dry matter yield and nutritive values of Napier Pakchong at three different cutting ages (6ᵗʰ, 7ᵗʰ and 8ᵗʰ weeks old). All plots underwent a standard preparation and basal fertilizers during grass establishment. The cutting treatments were carried out 3 times at the 6ᵗʰ, 7ᵗʰ and 8ᵗʰ weeks. After each harvest, the rates of maintenance fertilizer used were NPK 150:60:100 (kg/ha/year). The harvested forage was weighed and sent for dry matter yield and proximate analysis. The data were analysed by one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the programme of SAS (Package Version 9.4). The difference between treatment means was measured by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5 % level of significance. The data showed that dry matter yield production increased in line with the cutting interval. Crude protein (CP) value declined as the harvesting interval increased. Even though the CP value declined, the CP percentage still fulfils the protein requirements for ruminants. It is suggested that Napier Pakchong harvested at 7th to 8th weeks due to optimum dry matter yield and nutritive value.

Feeding replacement heifers of 6-12 months of age with mixed feed that contains 20-25% of rape and lupine grain within winter and summer diets instead of sunflower cake allows to obtain the average daily weight gain of 893-927 g at forage spends of 6,0-6,3 с of forage units. The cost of these mixed feeds is decreased at 14% and prime cost of 1 c of weigh gain-at 6-15%