Although there are public expectations regarding improvements to farm animal welfare, farmers’ well-being remains largely overlooked. This is particularly concerning given the high prevalence of physical and mental health issues among farming populations. As key stakeholders in the implementation of animal welfare practices, farmers play an essential role in welfare outcomes. Improving animal welfare may require addressing farmers’ own well-being. To support this hypothesis, it is necessary to examine the relationship between farmers’ well-being and the welfare of their animals. This scoping review aimed to: (1) map the methods used to describe relationships between farmer well-being and animal welfare in primary research; and (2) compile pieces of evidence of such relationships. Following the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews, the same search was carried out on three databases (Web of Science Core Collection, MEDLINE, CABI digital library). Twenty-two articles from the 10,189 retrieved met the inclusion criteria. Results underscored the need to standardise methods to enable cross-study comparisons, as different questionnaires were used to assess the same construct (e.g. four for psychological stress), and none of the animal welfare indicators were fully comparable. Moreover, 94 pieces of evidence regarding the relationships between farmer well-being and the welfare of their animals were compiled. Ninety-three pieces described positive associations where improved farmer well-being was associated with improved welfare of their animals, and vice versa. This result suggests that welfare improvement strategies on farms should address not only animal welfare, but also farmer well-being. The results therefore support a One Welfare approach on commercial farms.

The primary objective of this study was to determine reference blood values for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) luminometry and dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry analysis in healthy newborn dairy calves, to evaluate their potential usefulness for future on-farm detection of sepsis. Secondary methodological objectives were to assess wether ATP luminometry results were influenced by blood collection method, blood matrix (serum, plasma or whole blood), or the addition of a stabilizing solution aimed at minimizing baseline relative light unit (RLU) values. Twenty-one and 19 healthy calves were included in the study for ATP luminometry and dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry analysis, respectively. ATP measurements were performed using AquaSnap Total and AquaSnap Free swabs across the different blood matrices, with and without stabilizing solution. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit were measured to account for potential effects of hemolysis and dilution on ATP results. No significant differences in RLU values were observed between sampling methods. Baseline ATP luminometry values were high across all matrices, with median RLU values of 5,062 for serum, 7,198 for plasma, and 7,547 for whole blood, and substantial interindividual variability, particularly for serum and plasma samples. The addition of stabilizing solution did not reduce baseline RLU values, and neither hemoglobin concentration nor hematocrit allowed for meaningful normalization between individuals. In contrast, dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry demonstrated narrow reference ranges and low interindividual variability, with median (interquartile range) values of 172 (154–192) seconds for activated clotting time, 25 (18–34) units/minute for clot rate, and 3.30 (2.70–3.90) units for platelet function. Overall, these findings indicated that ATP luminometry, under the conditions evaluated, show practical and methodological constraints. Conversely, dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry analysis shows promising analytical stability and warrants further investigation in clinically septic calves to determine its potential for early on-farm sepsis detection in newborn dairy calves.

Background Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, impaired welfare, production loss, and antimicrobial use in cattle. These European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations for antimicrobial and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use in cattle with acute, undifferentiated BRD, balancing animal-level outcomes with antimicrobial stewardship. Methods Recommendations were developed using the GRADE approach and Evidence-to-Decision frameworks, following ENOVAT procedures and RIGHT reporting guidance. Evidence came from two prespecified systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials evaluating individual treatment of clinical BRD: one comparing antimicrobial classes head-to-head and one evaluating NSAIDs as adjunctive treatment or monotherapy. Metaphylaxis and prophylaxis were excluded. Certainty of evidence was assessed with GRADE. Panel judgments incorporated stakeholder-derived thresholds for clinically meaningful differences in short-term therapeutic failure, defined as need for antimicrobial re-treatment, and a merged stewardship perspective based on WHO antimicrobial importance and EMA AMEG categories. Results Across antimicrobial comparisons, no class showed a clinically meaningful advantage in reducing short-term re-treatment sufficient to override stewardship considerations. The panel conditionally suggests penicillin G, oxytetracycline, or florfenicol as first-line empirical treatment, guided by local susceptibility data, herd treatment history, product authorization, withdrawal periods, and suspicion of Mycoplasmopsis bovis infection. Macrolides are conditionally suggested as second-line treatment, preferably guided by culture and susceptibility testing or documented treatment failure. Fluoroquinolones are recommended against as primary or secondary treatment, except in exceptional, justified circumstances consistent with regulations. Adding NSAIDs to antimicrobials did not meaningfully reduce antimicrobial re-treatment; the panel recommends against NSAID use for this specific purpose. Evidence was insufficient to recommend for or against NSAIDs for welfare-related outcomes or as antimicrobial substitutes. Conclusions These guidelines prioritize effective BRD treatment while reducing unnecessary use of higher-priority antimicrobials. Local adoption or adaptation using GRADE-ADOLOPMENT is recommended.

The main objective of this observational study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of a commercial ATP luminometry swab (AquaSnap Total; Hygiena, CA, USA) and an on-farm bacteriological culture (Petrifilm; 3M aerobic colony count; MN, USA) in identifying bacterial presence in automated milk feeders (AMFs) for calves. The secondary purpose of this study was to examine the association between season, AMF design (Förster-Technik base models, Urban models with non-return valves, and Holm & Laue models with non-return valves and a peristaltic pump), and the type of equipment piece (automatically washed by the system, tube-like parts, other small parts, and nipples) and bacterial presence. Twenty-four dairy farms from Centre-du-Québec (Canada) using AMFs participated in the project. Only one farm used an optional hygiene feature. Each farm was visited 6 times from March 2024 to February 2025. Sterile physiological water was used to rinse each piece of equipment, and the residual liquid was poured in a sterile collection tube. All samples were analyzed with the luminometer (LUM, measured in relative light units; RLU), which detects ATP, and with the Petrifilm (BCT, measured in cfu/mL). We used BCT thresholds of > 10,000, > 20,000, > 50,000, and > 100,000 cfu/mL and selected corresponding thresholds for LUM that maximized sensitivity and specificity. Sensitivity and specificity, with their 95% Bayesian credible intervals (BCIs), were calculated for both tests with Bayesian latent class models assuming conditional dependence between the tests. Risk factors for BCT > 20,000 and > 100,000 cfu/mL were assessed through odds ratios (ORs) with 95% BCIs obtained with Bayesian logistic regression models. A total of 980 samples were collected in winter (n = 183; 18.7%), spring (n = 265; 27.0%), summer (n = 271; 27.7%), and fall (n = 261; 26.6%) from the milk containers (n = 211; 21.6%), nipples (n = 255; 26.0%), tube-like parts (n = 245; 25.0%), and other small parts (n = 269; 27.4%). The median results were 40,000 cfu/mL for BCT (interquartile range = 3,775-340,000) and 334 RLU for LUM (interquartile range = 75-2,184). The correlation between LUM and BCT was strong (rS = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.81-0.86). The LUM thresholds of > 200, > 250, > 350, and > 450 RLU for LUM corresponded to the > 10,000, > 20,000, > 50,000, and > 100,000 cfu/mL thresholds, respectively. The BCT and LUM methods had similar sensitivity and specificity at these thresholds. For example, the sensitivity of BCT and LUM were 0.86 (95% BCI = 0.82-0.90) and 0.81 (95% BCI = 0.75-0.87), and their specificity were 0.80 (95% BCI = 0.74-0.86) and 0.80 (95% BCI = 0.73-0.87) for the > 250 RLU and > 20,000 cfu/mL thresholds, respectively. Samples taken in spring (OR = 1.86; 95% BCI = 1.15-2.74), summer (OR = 1.97; 95% BCI = 1.21-2.87), and fall (OR = 1.69; 95% BCI = 1.09-2.51) had higher odds of being > 450 RLU, as measured by LUM, than the ones collected in winter. Samples taken from designs with non-return valves and a peristaltic pump had lower odds of being > 450 RLU than samples from base models (OR = 0.26; 95% BCI = 0.07-0.59). Manually washed parts had higher odds of being > 450 RLU (nipples: OR = 7.18; 95% BCI = 4.29-10.7; tube-like parts: OR = 3.70; 95% BCI = 2.26-5.46; other small parts: OR = 2.66; 95% BCI = 1.53-3.99) than automatically washed parts (milk container). These results can help investigate hygiene problems of feeding equipment in dairy calf barns.

BACKGROUND:Total calcium concentration (tCa) poorly reflects ionized hypocalcemia across species, and multiple factors influence ionized calcium concentration (iCa2+). These relationships have not been evaluated in Assaf ewes. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES:Assess the diagnostic accuracy of tCa for detecting hypocalcemia and identify factors associated with iCa2+ during pre- and post-lambing periods. ANIMALS:A total of 105 clinically healthy multiparous Assaf ewes from a commercial flock. METHODS:Prospective observational study. Venous blood samples were collected during pre- and post-lambing periods. Blood gas-electrolytes (pH, pCO₂, pO₂, HCO₃-, TCO₂, Na+, K+, iCa2+) and biochemical analyses (total protein, albumin, tCa, magnesium, phosphorus, β-hydroxybutyrate [BHB], glucose, alkaline phosphatase) were performed. Discriminatory performance of tCa was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis. Variables associated with iCa2+ were assessed using multiple linear regression. RESULTS:During the pre-lambing period, tCa showed moderate diagnostic performance (AUC, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.87; sensitivity, 67%; specificity, 80%) at a cutoff of ≤ 2.42 mmol/L, whereas performance was poor for the post-lambing period (AUC, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.47-0.70; sensitivity, 97%; specificity, 31%) at ≤ 2.77 mmol/L. In multiple regression, tCa, BHB, pCO₂, and pO₂ were associated with iCa2+ during pre-lambing (adjusted R2 = 0.27, P < .001), whereas tCa, BHB, phosphorus, albumin, and Na+ were associated with the post-lambing period (adjusted R2 = 0.25, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:iCa2+ varied by production stage and was influenced by several physiologic variables. Direct measurement of iCa2+ should be prioritized to improve the accuracy of hypocalcemia assessment in Assaf ewes.

BACKGROUND:Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is a reliable and noninvasive tool for detecting pulmonary abnormalities in neonatal calves. Although scoring systems for clinical decision-making are well established in human neonatology, equivalent validated systems for newborn calves are lacking for the perinatal period (0-48 h). HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES:Assess inter-observer agreement among veterinarians regarding a proposed lung ultrasound scoring system for newborn calves adapted from human neonatology score to detect pulmonary problems soon after birth. ANIMALS:Fifty thoracic ultrasound items (25 images and 25 videos) from calves born in commercial Brazilian dairy herds were evaluated by 14 veterinarians with skills in calf LUS from Brazil, Canada, France, and the United States. METHODS:After a 5-min instructional video, raters scored each item (0-4) based on lung aeration and consolidation patterns and graded media quality and diagnostic confidence on a 1-5 Likert scale. Agreement was assessed using raw percentage agreement (PA), Gwet's AC2, Krippendorff's alpha (α), and weighted Fleiss' kappa (κ). RESULTS:Inter-rater reliability for the 0-4 LUS score was very good: PA = 0.957 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.940-0.973), AC2 = 0.845 (95% CI, 0.781-0.909), α = 0.839 (95% CI, 0.827-0.852), and κ = 0.849 (95% CI, 0.736-0.903). Median quality and diagnostic confidence were 4 (interquartile range [IQR] = 4-5). When restricted to high-confidence loops (scores 4-5), agreement increased slightly (PA = 0.960; AC2 = 0.880; α = 0.860). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:The high inter-observer agreement confirmed the reliability of the newborn calf LUS score. This score therefore potentially could be further validated to follow lung changes after delivery in neonatal calves.

Background Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used as ancillary therapy for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) alongside antimicrobials, and interest in NSAID monotherapy has grown amid antimicrobial stewardship and welfare concerns. We evaluated the clinical effectiveness of NSAIDs for BRD as adjunctive or sole therapy. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in cattle with naturally occurring BRD. Databases searched were MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CAB Abstracts (Ovid), Biological Abstracts (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus (search: 22 Apr 2024; update: 12 Sep 2025). Primary outcomes were short-term treatment failure (need for re-treatment); secondary outcomes included relapse, mortality, adverse events, and performance where available. Random-effects pairwise meta-analyses estimated risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs. Risk of bias was assessed with a modified RoB 2.0 tool; certainty of evidence was appraised using GRADE. Registration/protocol: this review extends a prior ENOVAT BRD protocol; no separate registration was created. Funding: COST Action CA18217. Results Seventeen RCTs (22 comparisons; 4,909 animals) compared NSAID+antimicrobial versus antimicrobial alone. Adding an NSAID did not reduce re-treatment (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.84–1.05; I 2 = 0%; moderate certainty). Subgroup (same vs different antimicrobial) and sensitivity analyses (handling of multi-arm trials; follow-up restricted to ≤14 or ≤ 10 days; risk-of-bias restrictions) did not change conclusions. Two RCTs in UK dairy calves compared NSAID monotherapy with antimicrobial monotherapy (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.72–1.97; very low certainty). Re-treatment is an indirect outcome and may not capture analgesia, fever reduction, or growth effects. Conclusions Across RCTs, NSAID use did not confer a clinically relevant reduction in re-treatment when added to antimicrobials, and evidence is very uncertain for NSAID monotherapy versus antimicrobials. Future trials should include validated pain/welfare measures, clinical and ultrasonographic outcomes, and performance metrics, with pathogen identification to explore effect modification.

The aim of this study was to estimate the bovine leukosis virus (BLV) herd-level and within-herd prevalence (WHP) in dairy herds and to assess the ability of three bulk tank milk (BTM) ELISA-Ab tests (SVANOVIR, Bovichek, and IDEXX) to predict the BLV WHP. A cross-sectional study was performed on a convenience sample of 93 dairy herds from Québec, Canada, where individual milk samples from all lactating cows and a BTM sample were collected. Individual milk ELISA-Ab results (n = 7612 cows) from a previously validated kit were incorporated into a two-stage hierarchical Bayesian latent class model to estimate BLV herd-level prevalence and WHP. To mitigate potential test saturation, we evaluated the three BTM ELISA-Ab tests with and without sample dilutions. Adjusted BTM ELISA-Ab optical density values were linked to the WHP estimates using a zero-inflated beta regression, and dilution-specific predictive models were compared. The herd-level BLV prevalence was estimated at 87% (95% Bayesian credible interval [BCI]: 78, 93), and BLV WHP ranged from 0% to 90%. The best predictive model-dilution combinations were SVANOVIR 1/10 (nonmonotonic curvilinear), Bovichek 1/5 (linear), and IDEXX 1/50 (nonmonotonic curvilinear). Across tests, optical density values increased with WHP, consistent with higher antibody concentrations in bulk milk. BLV remains highly prevalent at the herd level, with substantial variability in WHP among positive herds. These results indicate that BLV WHP can be reliably estimated from a single BTM sample, reducing the need for individual cow testing.

The primary objective of this study was to determine reference blood values for ATP luminometry and dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry analysis in healthy newborn dairy calves in order to evaluate their potential usefulness for future on-farm detection of sepsis. Secondary methodological objectives were to assess whether ATP luminometry results were influenced by blood collection method, blood matrix (serum, plasma or whole blood), or the addition of a stabilizing solution aimed at minimizing baseline relative light unit (RLU) values. Groups of 21 and 19 healthy calves were included in the study for ATP luminometry and dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry analysis, respectively. We performed ATP measurements using HygienaAquaSnap Total and AquaSnap Free swabs across the different blood matrices, with and without stabilizing solution. Hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit were measured to account for potential effects of hemolysis and dilution on ATP results. No significant differences in RLU values were observed between sampling methods. Baseline ATP luminometry values were high across all matrices, with median RLU values of 5,062 for serum, 7,198 for plasma, and 7,547 for whole blood, and substantial interindividual variability, particularly for serum and plasma samples. The addition of stabilizing solution did not reduce baseline RLU values, and neither hemoglobin concentration nor hematocrit allowed for meaningful normalization between individuals. In contrast, dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry demonstrated narrow reference ranges and low interindividual variability, with median (interquartile range) values of 172 (154-192) seconds for activated clotting time, 25 (18-34) units/min for clot rate, and 3.30 (2.70-3.90) units for platelet function. Overall, these findings indicated that ATP luminometry, under the conditions evaluated, shows practical and methodological constraints. Conversely, dynamic viscoelastic coagulometry analysis shows promising analytical stability and warrants further investigation in clinically septic calves to determine its potential for early on-farm sepsis detection in newborn dairy calves.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an economically significant and diagnostically challenging syndrome affecting cattle worldwide. Molecular investigations of BRD in Brazil were based exclusively on single-plex assays. This study presents the development, standardization, and field application of a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) system designed for the detection of 10 agents of BRD in dairy cattle from Southern Brazil using a panel based multiplex qPCR methodology. The qPCR system targeted bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine alphaherpesvirus 1, bovine parainfluenza virus 3, ovine gammaherpesvirus 2, Histophilus somni, Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Mycoplasmopsis bovis. Data were analyzed using descriptive, univariate, and multivariate statistical methods. Associations between pathogen detection, clinical status, and epidemiological factors were assessed using Chi-square tests, Fisher's exact tests, generalized linear models, permutational multivariate analysis of variance, and non-metric multidimensional scaling. Assay repeatability and reproducibility were evaluated using one-way ANOVA. Standard curve analysis demonstrated uniform and robust analytical performance across all assays, with slopes ranging from -3.553 to -3.176, coefficients of determination ≥0.991, and efficiencies between 91.19% and 106.48%. Most pathogens were reliably detected at dilutions up to 1: 10,000 or 1:100,000, confirming high assay sensitivity. Field testing of 115 nasal swabs revealed that 70.4% of cattle were positive for at least one pathogen, with singular detections being most common (43.5%). H. somni was the most frequently identified agent (45.2%), followed by P. multocida (30.4%), BCoV (10.4%), and BRSV (9.6%). Singular, dual, triple, quintuple, and sextuple pathogen detection patterns were identified by the qPCR assay in animals of distinct age-related groups and clinical status. Pathogen detection was significantly associated with age, season, and farm-level factors. BVDV and BRSV varied by age-related group (P ≤ 0.006) and season (P = 0.001), while BCoV (P = 0.041) and H. somni (P = 0.014) showed seasonal associations; multivariate analysis confirmed significant effects of age (P = 0.001), season (P = 0.001), and farm (P = 0.003) on overall pathogen occurrence. One-way ANOVA demonstrated excellent repeatability and reproducibility of the qPCR platform, with highly consistent Cq values across independent analyses, testing days, and assay formats. Comparable performance was observed between single- and multiplex assays, including duplex, triplex, and fourplex configurations, confirming the analytical stability and reliability of the assay (P > 0.05). These results demonstrated that the qPCR assay can detect singular and multiple pathogens in animals of diverse age groups and with and without clinical manifestations of BRD. Collectively, this study provides the first validated multiplex qPCR platform for the detection of BRD pathogens in Brazil and demonstrates its utility for identifying pathogen patterns in symptomatic and asymptomatic cattle. This qPCR system enables the rapid and simultaneous detection of major BRD pathogens, will reduce the cost associated with pathogen detection, and will be fundamental to understand the pathogenesis and epidemiology of BRD in Brazil.

BACKGROUND:Determining serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations is critical for the assessment of passive immune status in lambs. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of the Brix refractometer for the determination of passive immune status in lambs. METHODS:Blood samples were collected from 417 randomly selected healthy 1‒7-day-old lambs from nine farms in western Türkiye. Digital Brix refractometry was used as the index test to determine the lambs' serum IgG concentrations, and the radial immunodiffusion (RID) technique was used as the reference test. RESULTS:A strong correlation was detected between the serum RID‒IgG and Brix percentages (r = 0.86). The prevalence of lambs with serum IgG concentrations less than 6 g/L, 6 to less than 10 g/L, 10 to less than 15 g/L, 15 to less than 20 g/L, 20 to less than 25 g/L, 25 to less than 30 g/L, 30 to less than 35 g/L, 35 to less than 40 g/L and 40 g/L or more were 13.4%, 10.3%, 8.6%, 16.8%, 15.1%, 14.2%, 8.4%, 4.1% and 9.1%, respectively. The optimum thresholds determined for the digital Brix refractometer to detect lambs with serum IgG concentrations less than 6, less than 10, less than 15, less than 20, less than 25, less than 30, less than 35 and less than 40 g/L were 8.2 or less, 8.4 or less, 8.4 or less, 8.8 or less, 9.1 or less, 9.3 or less, 9.7 or less and 9.9 or less, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity at each IgG threshold were 80% or above. LIMITATIONS:Production type was not taken into consideration, which may influence serum Brix thresholds to determine passive immunity. Data are clustered by farm and analysis has not taken this into account; thus, prevalence estimates may not be reliable with regards to the true prevalence of inadequate transfer of passive immunity. CONCLUSION:This study demonstrated that the digital Brix refractometer could be used as an accurate tool for the determination of passive immune status in lambs.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a leading cause of illness and death in cattle and a major driver of antimicrobial use. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the clinical effectiveness of five commonly used antimicrobial classes (penicillins, tetracyclines, phenicols, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones) in the treatment of cattle with natural BRD. Cattle from all production systems (feedlot, dairy, slaughter, and stocker) were included, and metaphylaxis trials were excluded. Peer-reviewed trials were searched in several databases, and all reports were screened in duplicate for data extraction and risk of bias. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was employed to evaluate the certainty of evidence. Twenty-eight randomized controlled trials were included. We did not detect clinically meaningful differences between antimicrobial classes in reducing the need for re-treatment (a surrogate for short-term therapeutic failure). Certainty of evidence ranged from very low to moderate, and results should be interpreted cautiously. Subgroup estimates were broadly consistent for production systems (feedlot and non-feedlot) and for trials with Mycoplasma -positive animals; however, these subgroup analyses were small and imprecise and do not allow firm conclusions. Mortality, relapse, and growth outcomes were measured inconsistently and could not be reliably pooled. Overall, we did not identify any class with a clinically meaningful short-term advantage based on our prespecified thresholds. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis will inform the BRD Antimicrobial Use Guidelines of the European Network for Optimization of Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT).

Accurate detection of bronchopneumonia in calves is essential for management under field conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and agreement of three methods for detecting bronchopneumonia: clinical examination including auscultation (CE), thoracic ultrasonographic examination (TUS) (with positivity threshold ≥1 cm consolidation depth), and bacterial culturing from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) (with a dominant or pure culture of ≥10 colonies of Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and/or Histophilus somni). Bayesian latent class analysis and Cohen's kappa were used to analyze data from 155 Norwegian calves in 15 herds with enzootic pneumonia, including two subpopulations, dairy and fattening herds, with expected difference in disease prevalence. TUS had the highest estimated sensitivity (Se) (89.5% [95% Bayesian credible interval 74.0-98.3%]), closely followed by CE (83.1% [68.7-93.9]), while BAL had the lowest Se (43.3% [29.1-62.7]). Bacterial culturing from BAL samples had the highest specificity (Sp) (98.6% [92.9-99.9]), followed by CE and TUS which had similar Sp of 77.5% (63.5-93.4) and 76.4% (62.1-92.1), respectively. Despite BAL's high Sp, its invasiveness and long turnaround time make it more suitable for identifying agents and conducting antimicrobial susceptibility testing than detecting bronchopneumonia. A serial interpretation of CE and TUS resulted in a Se of 74.4% (58.5-88.7) and a Sp of 94.4% (89.2-98.8). In calves from herds with enzootic pneumonia, TUS reduces the number of false negatives to a minimum; however, CE is nearly as sensitive. Conversely, a serial interpretation of CE and TUS increased Sp and reduced false positives, potentially supporting more targeted decisions under field conditions.

BACKGROUND:Lung auscultation is a common method for the routine diagnosis of calf bronchopneumonia. However, its repeatability among operators has been criticized. OBJECTIVE:Determine agreement among veterinarians for specific lung sounds after a short tutorial to standardize the definition of lung sounds. ANIMALS:Forty lung sounds from a larger dataset collected at 4 veal calf farms that housed 495-815 animals were submitted online to 10 different veterinarians. METHODS:After a short tutorial on lung sound auscultation, the raters were asked to detect the presence of any abnormal sounds and to differentiate among wheezes, crackles, and bronchial sounds. Raw percentage of agreement (PA), Gwet's agreement coefficient type 1 (AC1), Krippendorff's alpha (Ka), and Fleiss kappa (KFleiss) were chosen as agreement indicators in the absence of a gold standard indicator to assess agreement. The different indicators were interpreted based on a priori reported benchmarks. RESULTS:The agreements were fair to good for almost all lung sound indicators. For the presence of any abnormal lung sound, the reported agreements (95% confidence intervals [CI]) were 0.781 (0.716-0.845), 0.646 (0.514-0.777), 0.403 (0.351-0.455), and 0.293 (0.137-0.493) for PA, AC1, Ka, and KFleiss, respectively. The same indicators were 0.769 (0.694-0.845), 0.615 (0.446-0.784), 0.426 (0.378-0.475), and 0.425 (0.293-0.563) for wheezes, 0.754 (0.685-0.823), 0.643 (0.503-0.782), 0.21 (0.146-0.275), and 0.208 (0.097-0.327) for crackles, and 0.636 (0.571-0.701), 0.345 (0.179-0.512), 0.182 (0.131-0.232), and 0.18 (0.081-0.279) for bronchial sound detections, respectively. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:Agreement among raters auscultating calf respiratory sounds was higher than previously reported. However, improvement is still possible to increase auscultation agreement.

The objective of the study was to quantify the effect of administering intrauterine cephapirin in cows ≥100 d in milk (DIM) affected by purulent vaginal discharge (PVD) or endometritis (ENDO) on pregnancy. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 31 conveniently selected commercial dairy herds. In these herds, cows ≥100 DIM identified as nonpregnant during regular veterinary herd health visits were enrolled and tested for PVD (Metricheck score: fleck of pus or worse) and ENDO (cytobrush combined with a leukocyte esterase test: trace leukocytes or worse). Cows could be enrolled more than once during the study period, and the unit of interest in this study was enrollment (enrollments nested within cows nested within herds). Cows that tested positive for PVD (including cows with PVD only and those with both PVD and ENDO) or ENDO only were randomly allocated to either a treatment, which received 500 mg of intrauterine cephapirin benzathine, or a negative control that received no treatment. Cows unaffected by PVD or ENDO did not receive treatment (healthy control group). Cows from the 5 study groups were reinseminated by artificial insemination (AI) 10 d after enrollment following the same standardized timed-AI protocol (Ovsynch56). We used generalized linear mixed models (logit link) accounting for clustering at the cow and herd levels to compare study groups and compute the probability of pregnancy at AI. Season, DIM, and parity were included in the final model as confounders. Data from 1,686 enrollments (from 1,423 cows) were analyzed. A total of 498 examinations (29.6%) were classified as PVD (PVD only: n = 431; PVD and ENDO: n = 67), and 506 (29.9%) were classified as ENDO. The remaining 682 enrollments (40.5%) were classified as unaffected. Based on the final model, the probability of reproductive success was 42.9% for unaffected cows, 23.2% and 25.1% for untreated cows with PVD and ENDO, respectively, and 37.1% and 37.9% for treated cows with PVD and ENDO, respectively. These results showed that cephapirin improved the reproductive odds of cows ≥100 DIM affected by PVD or ENDO.

The first objective of this study was to quantify the utility of welfare and health indicators for preweaning dairy calves based on the opinion of bovine veterinarians. The second objective was to assess these indicators' inter- and intrarater reliability. A total of 37 veterinarians interested in the health and welfare of preweaning calves were initially identified in a previous study. An email invitation to participate in the utility assessment through an online questionnaire was sent, and 24 of them agreed to participate. Thirty-two dairy calf welfare indicators were evaluated, with each indicator assigned a utility value on a visual analog scale from 0 (no utility) to 10 (high utility). Indicators were categorized into low (≤3.4), average (3.5-6.9), or high (≥7.0) utility based on their median values. Each indicator utility's interquartile range (IQR) was stratified into 3 categories (low, average, and high) based on percentiles. In the second phase, 4 trained observers (3 veterinarians, including 2 PhD students in clinical science and 1 postdoctoral veterinarian working on calf welfare, and 1 veterinary student) were selected to assess reliability. The student was replaced by a professor (veterinarian) with expertise in calf health for the reliability assessment using pictures and videos, due to the student's involvement in selecting the material. Twenty-five indicators were included in the inter-rater reliability assessment and 21 in the intrarater reliability assessment. Reliability was evaluated using both on-farm and online approaches. In the on-farm approach, 40 calves were assessed by the trained observers 3 times on the same day, whereas the online approach involved rating indicators based on pictures and videos of calves and their living environment. The intraclass correlation coefficient was used to assess reliability for quantitative indicators, with benchmarks of <0.5 (poor), 0.5-0.75 (moderate), 0.75-0.9 (good), and >0.9 (excellent). For qualitative indicators, Gwet's agreement coefficients AC1/AC2 were employed, with benchmarks of <0.2 (poor), 0.21 to 0.40 (fair), 0.41 to 0.60 (moderate), 0.61 to 0.80 (good), and 0.81 to 1.00 (very good). The majority (30/32) of the indicators had a high median utility (≥7.0). The highest median utilities were observed for rectal temperature (10/10), dehydration (10/10), body condition (lean calf), and lesions (9.5/10). Indicators with high median utility and low IQR included rectal temperature (10/10, IQR = 1), dehydration (10/10, IQR = 1), navel discharge (9/10, IQR = 1.25), bedding wetness (calf area, 8/10, IQR = 1.25), bedding cleanliness in the calf area (8/10, IQR = 1.25), calf hygiene score (rear, 7.5/10, IQR = 1.25), wall cleanliness (calf area, 7/10, IQR = 1), and calf hygiene score (belly, 7/10, IQR = 1.25). The indicators classified with average utility and high IQR were those with the lowest median utility (i.e., umbilical hernia [6.5/10, IQR = 3] and avoidance [5/10, IQR = 2.5]). Most of the selected welfare and health indicators had good inter- and intrarater agreements. Five indicators had moderate inter-rater reliability: hip height, length from the withers to the lumbosacral junction, swollen navel, avoidance, and dehydration (skin tent test), and only hip height had a moderate inter-rater agreement. No indicator had poor or fair agreement for the reliability assessment. This study highlights indicators with high utility but also emphasizes the importance of considering utility variability when assessing welfare at the herd level. Indicators with high reliability were identified, and for those with moderate reliability, better rater training, adjustments to the categories, or using other indicators are encouraged to improve reliability. It also represents an essential step for implementing these indicators in assessing calf welfare across multiple farms.

This study investigated the possible occurrence of pulmonary disease in beef cattle from 13 municipalities within the State of Mato Grosso (MT), Brazil. The state of MT is a leading player in beef cattle production in Brazil, but with comparatively few data relative to the occurrence of pulmonary disease or ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvGHV2)-related infections in cattle. Pulmonary samples from 44 beef cattle, with ages ranging between 18 and 28 months, were collected during slaughter and processed to determine the patterns of pulmonary lesions. Additionally, duplicate fragments were used in immunohistochemical (IHC) assays designed to detect malignant catarrhal fever (MCFV) antigens and in molecular assays to amplify 10 agents associated with the development of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Interstitial pneumonia (IP) was diagnosed in most of the lungs (98%; 43/44) evaluated from all municipalities. MCFV antigens were detected in 37% (16/43) of the animals with IP. Only four pathogens were amplified by molecular assays within the lungs of cattle with IP: OvGHV2 (23%; 10/43), bovine viral diarrhea virus (12%; 5/43), bovine coronavirus (7%; 3/43), and Mannheimia haemolytica (2%; 1/43). The nucleic acids of bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine alphaherpesvirus 1, bovine parainfluenza virus 3, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni, and Mycoplasmopsis (Mycoplasma) bovis were not amplified. Singular infections in cattle from municipalities were associated with MCFV (n = 3) and OvGHV2 (n = 2), while OvGHV2 occurred in all dual and triple infections. However, in four animals with IP, none of the disease pathogens identified were detected. Statistically, MCFV antigens were more frequently (p = 0.048) detected in the lungs of female (75%; 12/16) cattle with IP relative to males (25%; 4/16). Additionally, there was a positive correlation (p < 0.001) between the IHC detection of MCFV antigens within the bronchial epithelium and the epithelium of peribronchial glands of cattle with IP. This is the first study to statistically demonstrate that female cattle are at greater risk of developing MCFV-related infections as compared to male animals. The detection of OvGHV2 in singular and multiple infections during this investigation supports earlier studies that associate this pathogen with the development of pulmonary disease in cattle, indicating that OvGHV2 can contribute to the etiology of IP. Additionally, the detection of OvGHV2-induced infections in asymptomatic cattle suggests that all animals were subclinically infected, confirming that subclinically OvGHV2-induced infections may be widespread in ruminants from Brazil. Furthermore, the occurrence of atypical interstitial pneumonia cannot be discarded, particularly in animals with IP but without any associated pathogen. These initial findings suggest the need for a more elaborate investigation to understand the dynamics of pulmonary disease within this state.

Although bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is a key contributor to bovine respiratory disease (BRD) worldwide, there are few detailed reports of BRSV-related outbreaks in Brazil. This study describes the clinical, pathological, immunohistochemical (IHC), and molecular findings from a BRD outbreak in adult dairy cows from Southern Brazil. The affected cattle had dyspnea, nasal discharge, and coughing. One cow died, and samples were collected for diagnosis. Histopathology revealed interstitial pneumonia with multinucleated giant cells. IHC identified BRSV antigens in pulmonary tissue. A multiplex real-time PCR identified BRSV, Histophilus somni, and Pasteurella multocida in nasal and oral swabs, while only BRSV and H. somni were detected in the tissues of the cow that died. All animals had co-infections involving BRSV. The average cycle threshold (Cq) values for BRSV were 27.43 (nasal) and 32.68 (oral), with significant differences (p = 0.016), indicating higher nasal shedding. This qPCR assay was effective for detecting BRD pathogens, the quantification of viral and bacterial loads in animals with BRD and can be used for the rapid detection of respiratory pathogens. The elevated BRSV detection in oral samples suggests that this route may be an alternative for the collection of samples in cattle with profuse nasal discharge.