Assessing the impact of a test and vaccinate or remove badger intervention project on bovine tuberculosis levels in cattle herds.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic, zoonotic infection of domestic and wild animals caused mainly by The Test and Vaccinate or Remove (TVR) project was a 5-year intervention (2014-2018) applied to Eurasian badgers () in a 100 km area of County Down, Northern Ireland. This observational study used routine bTB surveillance data of cattle to determine if the TVR intervention had any effect in reducing the infection at a herd level. The study design included the TVR treatment area (Banbridge) compared to the three adjacent 100 km areas (Dromore, Ballynahinch, and Castlewellan) which did not receive any badger intervention.

Implications of Organic Dairy Management on Herd Performance and Milk Fatty Acid Profiles and Interactions with Season.

Interest in organic cows' milk has increased due to the perceived superior nutritional quality and improved sustainability and animal welfare. However, there is a lack of simultaneous assessments on the influence of organic dairy practices and dietary and breed drivers on productivity, feed efficiency, health parameters, and nutritional milk quality at the herd level. This work aimed to assess the impact of organic vs.

"I don't have chronic back pain anymore": Patient Experiences in Pain Reprocessing Therapy for Chronic Back Pain.

In a recently published randomized controlled trial, two-thirds of the patients receiving a novel psychological treatment, pain reprocessing therapy (PRT), reported elimination or near-elimination of chronic back pain. The mechanisms of PRT and related treatments remain poorly understood but are hypothesized to center on pain reappraisal, fear reduction, and exposure-potentiated extinction. Here, we investigated treatment mechanisms from the participants' perspective.

Pre-Weaned Calf Rearing on Northern Irish Dairy Farms-Part 2: The Impact of Hygiene Practice on Bacterial Levels in Dairy Calf Rearing Environments.

Pre-weaned dairy calves are very susceptible to disease in the first months of life due to having a naïve immune system and because of the numerous physiological stressors they face. Hygiene management is a key element in minimizing enteric disease risk in calves by reducing their exposure to pathogens. Samples of milk, concentrate feed and drinking water, boot swabs of bedding and swabs of feed equipment were collected from 66 dairy farms as part of a survey of calf rearing practice and housing design.

Performance of Dairy Cows Offered Grass Silage Produced within Either a Three- or Four-Harvest System When Supplemented with Concentrates on a Feed-to-Yield Basis.

More frequent harvesting of grass swards provides an opportunity to improve the nutritive value of grass silage. This study investigated the effect of offering silages produced within either a three- (3H) or four-harvest (4H) system on dairy cow performance when concentrate supplements were offered according to the individual cow's milk yield (feed-to-yield). Cows (n = 80) were allocated to either 3H or 4H at calving and remained on experiment for 25 weeks.

Incidence and predictors of toxicity in the management of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma treated with radiation therapy.

Purpose/objective: Given the rarity of vulvar cancer, data on the incidence of acute and late severe toxicity and patients' symptom burden from radiotherapy (RT) are lacking.

Materials/methods: This multi-center, single-institution study included patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma treated with curative intent RT between 2009 and 2020. Treatment-related acute and late grade ≥ 3 toxicities and late patient subjective symptoms (PSS) were recorded.

The effect of naturally acquired rumen fluke infection on animal health and production in dairy and beef cattle in the UK.

The incidence of paramphistomosis, caused by the rumen fluke, , has greatly increased within Europe in the last 15-20 years. However, the production impacts of this disease are poorly understood. This study firstly aimed to investigate the prevalence of rumen fluke in England and Northern Ireland (NI) by conducting an abattoir survey of dairy and beef cattle which also allowed the impact of rumen fluke on carcass weight, conformation and fat classification to be assessed.

Milk Composition and Production Efficiency within Feed-To-Yield Systems on Commercial Dairy Farms in Northern Ireland.

This study examined the relationships between milk yield and diet composition, nutrient intakes, milk composition, and feed use efficiency when concentrates were offered using a feed-to-yield (FTY) approach. The study was conducted on 26 dairy farms in Northern Ireland. Cows ( = 3471) were fully housed and were offered concentrates on an FTY basis.

Impact of adopting non-antibiotic dry-cow therapy on the performance and udder health of dairy cows.

Background: On dairy farms, the prophylactic use of antibiotics at drying-off is being increasingly challenged. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of antibiotic dry-cow therapy (DCT) or non-antibiotic DCT on dairy cow performance and udder health.

Methods: Holstein cows (n = 285) with low risk of intramammary infection (<200,000 cells/ml) were assigned to one of two treatments, either antibiotic DCT (A + TS; antibiotic treatment in combination with internal and external teat sealants) or non-antibiotic DCT (TS; internal and external teat sealant only).

Performance and milk quality parameters of Jersey crossbreds in low-input dairy systems.

Previous work has demonstrated some benefit from alternative breeds in low-input dairying, although there has been no systematic analysis of the simultaneous effect of Jersey crossbreeding on productivity, health, fertility parameters or milk nutritional quality. This work aimed to understand the effects of, and interactions/interrelations between, dairy cow genotypes (Holstein-Friesian (HF), Holstein-Friesian × Jersey crossbreds (HF × J)) and season (spring, summer, autumn) on milk yield; basic composition; feed efficiency, health, and fertility parameters; and milk fatty acid (FA) profiles. Milk samples (n = 219) and breed/diet data were collected from 74 cows in four UK low-input dairy farms between March and October 2012.

Thirty-day Postoperative Adverse Events in Minimally Invasive versus Open Abdominal Radical Hysterectomy for Early-stage Cervical Cancer.

Study Objective: To identify the incidence, type, and grade of postoperative adverse events in minimally invasive radical hysterectomy vs abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) for patients with early-stage cervical cancer and determine risk factors associated with these adverse events.

Design: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) was queried to identify patients with early-stage cervical cancer undergoing radical hysterectomy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess risk factors associated with adverse postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing radical hysterectomy.

Evaluating the risk of bovine tuberculosis posed by standard inconclusive reactors identified at backward-traced herd tests in Northern Ireland that disclosed no reactors.

Bovine tuberculosis is a notifiable disease in Northern Ireland with the national eradication programme of compulsory testing and slaughter of reactor animals costing approximately £40 million per year. Backward tracing, known as Backward Check Tests (BCTs), of reactor animals is used to identify previous herds where the bTB positive animal has resided. The aim of this study was to quantify the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) risk posed by inconclusive reactors (ICs) at BCTs at both the individual animal and the herd level.

The Effect of Frequency of Fresh Pasture Allocation on the Feeding Behaviour of High Production Dairy Cows.

For ruminants, grazing and ruminating activities are essential in nutrient capture and ultimately animal performance however these activities can demand significant time and energy. This study evaluated the effect of three different pasture allocation frequencies (PAF's; 12, 24 and 36 h) on the feeding behaviour of grazing dairy cows. Eighty-seven spring calving dairy cows were divided into three treatments.

Revisiting the Relationships between Fat-to-Protein Ratio in Milk and Energy Balance in Dairy Cows of Different Parities, and at Different Stages of Lactation.

A statistical re-assessment of aggregated individual cow data was conducted to examine trends in fat-to-protein ratio in milk (FPR), and relationships between FPR and energy balance (EB, MJ of ME/day) in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows of different parities, and at different stages of lactation. The data were collected from 27 long-term production trials conducted between 1996 and 2016 at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland. In total, 1321 lactations (1 to 20 weeks in milk; WIM), derived from 840 individual cows fed mainly grass silage-based diets, were included in the analysis.

Effect of Pain Reprocessing Therapy vs Placebo and Usual Care for Patients With Chronic Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Chronic back pain (CBP) is a leading cause of disability, and treatment is often ineffective. Approximately 85% of cases are primary CBP, for which peripheral etiology cannot be identified, and maintenance factors include fear, avoidance, and beliefs that pain indicates injury.

Objective: To test whether a psychological treatment (pain reprocessing therapy [PRT]) aiming to shift patients' beliefs about the causes and threat value of pain provides substantial and durable pain relief from primary CBP and to investigate treatment mechanisms.

The regression of the bovine tuberculin reaction: Results from the Reactor Quality Assurance study in Northern Ireland.

Tuberculin skin tests remain widely used in the control of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. Little is known about the rate of regression of tuberculin reactions after the comparative intradermal cervical test (CICT) in cattle. This study aimed to collect data to describe tuberculin regression in reactors following the CICT at 72 ± 4 h post injection.

Folate Receptor Alpha Is Preferentially Expressed in the Carcinoma Component of Endometrial Carcinosarcomas: A Potential Target for Adjuvant Therapy.

Carcinosarcomas (CSs) of the endometrium are biphasic malignancies, composed of high-grade carcinomatous and sarcomatous components. Surgical stage and pathologic characteristics are the most important prognostic findings, with a 5-yr survival of 15% to 30% in advance stage disease. Folate receptor alpha (FRA) overexpression has been observed in endometrial carcinomas and not yet studied in CSs.

The Effect of Frequency of Fresh Pasture Allocation on Pasture Utilisation and the Performance of High Yielding Dairy Cows.

Pasture allocation frequency (PAF) can influence pasture availability and grazing behaviour, which subsequently may impact on animal performance. Limited research to-date has investigated grazing management methods to improve the performance of high production dairy cows whilst also achieving high grass utilisation rates. This study evaluated the effect of three different PAF's (12, 24 and 36 h) on pasture utilisation, the performance of high yielding dairy cows and the interaction with parity.

The Effect of Beef Production System on the Health, Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality of Holstein Bulls.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of production system on the health, performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of autumn born (AB) and spring born (SB) Holstein bulls. The study involved a total of 224 Holstein bulls and was conducted over two years (2017/18, 2018/19). The four production system treatments differed during the grower period and consisted of: (i) grazed with no concentrate supplementation (G), (ii) grazed with 2 kg concentrate supplementation per day (G2), (iii) grazed with ad libitum access to concentrates (GA) and (iv) housed with ad libitum access to concentrates and grass silage (HA).

Co-infection status of novel parvovirus's (PPV2 to 4) with porcine circovirus 2 in porcine respiratory disease complex and porcine circovirus-associated disease from 1997 to 2012.

As global pig health diseases, porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) and porcine circovirus-associated disease (PCVAD) generate substantial economic losses despite pigs been vaccinated against the primary causative virus, highlighting the importance of understanding virome interactions and specifically co-factor infections. Established primary endemic pathogens for PRDC include porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) and swine influenza virus (SIV), and PCV2 aetiology in interaction with other co-infecting viruses can result in PCVAD. Porcine parvovirus (PPV) 1 is a well-characterized virus with an available vaccine preventing reproductive failure in sows.

What is the current significance of low birthweight pigs on commercial farms in Northern Ireland in terms of impaired growth and mortality?

There is little modern data addressing the differential lifetime growth of commercially reared low and average birthweight pigs born into large litters (>14 piglets). As such, the main aim of this study was to quantify the lifetime growth and mortality rate of low and average birthweight pigs on commercial farms in Northern Ireland. It was also aimed to analyze the level, stage and cause of mortality within each birthweight category.

Impact of sow lactation feed intake on the growth and suckling behavior of low and average birthweight pigs to 10 weeks of age.

Improved genetics in commercial pig production have resulted in larger litter sizes. However this has increased the prevalence of compromised pigs exhibiting inferior birthweights, weaning weights, and lifetime performance. This study aimed to determine the effects of increased sow lactation feed intake on growth of low and average birthweight piglets until 10 wk of age.

The effect of calf jackets on the health, performance, and skin temperature of dairy origin beef calves.

Variations and extremities in climatic conditions can result in cold stress for dairy calves during the preweaning period. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of calf jackets on the health, performance, and skin temperature of dairy-origin beef calves. This study took place in a designated calf rearing unit, spanned for a duration of 1 yr, and consisted of five batches of calves.

Modern Holstein-origin dairy cows within grassland-based systems partition more feed nitrogen into milk and excrete less in manure.

The objective was to determine whether modern Holstein-origin dairy cows, when managed within grassland-based systems, partitioned more feed nitrogen (N) into milk and excreted less in manure, in comparison to an earlier population of Holstein-origin dairy cows. Data used were collated from total diet digestibility studies undertaken in Northern Ireland from 1990 to 2002 (old dataset, n = 538) and from 2005 to 2019 (new dataset, n = 476), respectively. An analysis of variance indicated that cows in the new dataset partitioned a significantly higher proportion of consumed N into milk and excreted a lower proportion in urine and total manure, compared to cows in the old dataset.