The association between somatic cell count and selective dry cow therapy, milking routine, and dry cow management practices in early-lactation cows from 21 commercial grazing dairy herds.

This observational study aimed to explore the association of farmer-driven selective dry cow therapy (DCT), milking routine and dry cow management practices with SCC in early-lactation cows from 21 commercial dairy herds. Milking routine practices evaluated referred to cow preparation for milking, in-lactation mastitis management, and recording. Dry cow management practices related to dry cow environment and cleaning, dry-off procedure, milk cessation strategy and calving environment.

Evaluation of test-day milk somatic cell count to predict intramammary infection in late lactation grazing dairy cows.

Use of selective dry cow antimicrobial therapy requires to precisely differentiate cows with an intramammary infection (IMI) from uninfected cows close to drying-off to enable treatment allocation. Milk somatic cell count (SCC) is an indicator of an inflammatory response in the mammary gland and is usually associated with IMI. However, SCC can also be influenced by cow-level variables such as milk yield, lactation number and stage of lactation.

Internal teat sealants alone or in combination with antibiotics at dry-off - the effect on udder health in dairy cows in five commercial herds.

In the dairy industry, the dry period has been identified as an area for potential reduction in antibiotic use, as part of a one health approach to preserve antibiotic medicines for human health. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of dry cow treatment on somatic cell count (SCC), intramammary infection (IMI) and milk yield on five commercial Irish dairy herds. A total of 842 cows across five spring calving dairy herds with a monthly bulk tank SCC of < 200 000 cells/mL were recruited for this study.

Abnormalities detected at pre-purchase examination of National Hunt racehorses presented at sale.

Background: Few studies are available concerning prevalences of abnormalities in the Thoroughbred horse population.

Objectives: Determine the prevalence of commonly observed abnormalities in a National Hunt Thoroughbred population using results of pre-purchase examinations conducted at Thoroughbred sales venues.

Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Effect of using internal teat sealant with or without antibiotic therapy at dry-off on subsequent somatic cell count and milk production.

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of treating cows with teat sealant only compared with antibiotic plus teat sealant at drying off on weekly somatic cell count, potential intramammary infection, and milk production across the entire subsequent lactation. In 3 research herds in the south of Ireland, cows with SCC that did not exceed 200,000 cells/mL in the previous lactation (LowSCC) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments at drying off: internal teat sealant alone (ITS) or antibiotic plus teat sealant (AB+ITS). Cows with SCC that exceeded 200,000 cells/mL in the previous lactation were treated with AB+ITS and included in the analyses as a separate group (HighSCC).

Molecular Characterisation of Equine Herpesvirus 1 Isolates from Cases of Abortion, Respiratory and Neurological Disease in Ireland between 1990 and 2017.

Multiple locus typing based on sequencing heterologous regions in 26 open reading frames (ORFs) of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) strains Ab4 and V592 was used to characterise 272 EHV-1 isolates from 238 outbreaks of abortion, respiratory or neurological disease over a 28-year period. The analysis grouped the 272 viruses into at least 10 of the 13 unique long region (U) clades previously recognised. Viruses from the same outbreak had identical multi-locus profiles.

Equid herpesvirus 8: Complete genome sequence and association with abortion in mares.

Equid herpesvirus 8 (EHV-8), formerly known as asinine herpesvirus 3, is an alphaherpesvirus that is closely related to equid herpesviruses 1 and 9 (EHV-1 and EHV-9). The pathogenesis of EHV-8 is relatively little studied and to date has only been associated with respiratory disease in donkeys in Australia and horses in China. A single EHV-8 genome sequence has been generated for strain Wh in China, but is apparently incomplete and contains frameshifts in two genes.

Genetic typing of bovine viral diarrhoea virus in cattle on Irish farms.

The aim was to carry out a phylogenetic study of bovine viral diarrhoea viruses (BVDV) circulating in Irish cattle herds from 2011 to 2014. Three hundred and twenty five viruses from 267 herds were subtyped by nucleotide sequence analysis of the 5'UTR and/or the N regions. All viruses investigated in this study belonged to species BVDV-1 with BVDV-1a as the prominent subtype (97%).

Noseband Use in Equestrian Sports - An International Study.

Nosebands are used by riders to prevent the horse from opening its mouth, to increase control and, in some cases, to comply with the competition rules. While equestrian texts traditionally recommend that two adult human fingers should be able to fit under a fastened noseband, noseband tightness levels are not, in general, regulated in competition. Possible detrimental consequences for the horse, of excessively tight nosebands, include discomfort, pain or tissue damage.

Impact of three inactivated bovine viral diarrhoea virus vaccines on bulk milk p80 (NS3) ELISA test results in dairy herds.

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is endemic in many countries and vaccines are used as a component of control and eradication strategies. Surveillance programmes to detect exposure to BVDV often incorporate the use of bulk milk (BM) testing for antibodies against BVDV p80 (NS3), but vaccination can interfere with these results. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether BVDV vaccines would confound BM testing for specific antibodies in a nationally representative group of commercial dairy farms in the Republic of Ireland.

Prevalence of exposure to bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1) in Irish dairy herds.

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) are contagious bovine viral agents. The objectives of this study were to use quarterly bulk milk and 'spot' testing of unvaccinated youngstock to establish the national prevalence of exposure to BVDV and/or BoHV-1 in Irish dairy herds. Seasonality of bulk milk ELISA results was also examined.

The evaluation of three diagnostic tests for the detection of equine influenza nucleoprotein in nasal swabs.

Background: Equine influenza (EI) is a highly contagious respiratory disease of horses.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate two rapid antigen detection kits (Directigen or DFA, and Espline) and a commercial ELISA for the detection of EI nucleoprotein in nasal swabs.

Method: Nasal swab samples from naturally and experimentally infected horses were used to compare the sensitivity and specificity of these assays to virus isolation (VI) and real-time RT-PCR.

The evaluation of a nucleoprotein ELISA for the detection of equine influenza antibodies and the differentiation of infected from vaccinated horses (DIVA).

Background: Antibodies against equine influenza virus (EIV) are traditionally quantified by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) or single radial haemolysis (SRH).

Objectives: To evaluate an ELISA for the detection of antibodies against influenza nucleoprotein in the diagnosis and surveillance of equine influenza (EI).

Methods: The ELISA was compared with the SRH and HI tests.

A comparison of antibody responses to commercial equine influenza vaccines following primary vaccination of Thoroughbred weanlings--a randomised blind study.

Many racing authorities, sales companies and equestrian bodies have mandatory vaccination policies for equine influenza (EI). The consequences of lack of vaccine efficacy include clinical disease, disruption to training programmes, the cancellation of equestrian events and the introduction of virus to susceptible populations. The correlation between antibody against the virus haemagglutinin and protection against influenza has been well established.

The molecular epidemiology of equine influenza in Ireland from 2007-2010 and its international significance.

Reasons For Performing The Study: Antigenic and genetic drift of equine influenza (EI) virus is monitored annually by the Expert Surveillance Panel (ESP), which make recommendations on the need to update vaccines. Surveillance programmes are essential for this process to operate effectively and to decrease the risk of disease spread through the international movement of subclinically infected vaccinated horses. Not only is surveillance necessary to inform vaccine companies which strains are in circulation, but it serves as an early warning system for horse owners, trainers and veterinary clinicians, facilitating the implementation of appropriate prophylactic and control measures.

Management and environmental factors involved in equine influenza outbreaks in Ireland 2007-2010.

Reasons For Performing Study: Outbreaks of equine influenza (EI) in endemic populations continue to cause economic loss despite widespread vaccination.

Hypothesis: To identify the key management and environmental factors that determine the risk of horses contracting EI in an endemic country and to identify control strategies.

Methods: Real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), virus isolation and haemagglutination inhibition were carried out on nasopharyngeal swabs and clotted blood samples collected from horses and ponies showing signs of respiratory disease.

A comparison of antibody responses to commercial equine influenza vaccines following annual booster vaccination of National Hunt horses - a randomised blind study.

Protection against equine influenza virus (EIV) relies largely on the production of circulating antibodies specific for the haemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein. The objective of this study was to determine the antibody response of National Hunt horses in training to booster vaccination. The antibody response to the six equine influenza vaccines available in Ireland (three whole inactivated vaccines, two subunit vaccines and a canary pox recombinant vaccine), was monitored by single radial haemolysis (SRH) for six months post vaccination.

A comparative antibody study of the potential susceptibility of Thoroughbred and non-Thoroughbred horse populations in Ireland to equine influenza virus.

Background: In Ireland, horses may be protected against equine influenza virus (EIV) as a result of natural exposure or vaccination. Current mandatory vaccination programmes are targeted at highly mobile horses. A correlation between antibody levels as measured by single radial haemolysis (SRH) and protective immunity against EIV has been established.

Real-time RT-PCR for the detection and quantitative analysis of equine rhinitis viruses.

Reasons For Performing Study: Equine rhinitis viruses (ERV) cause respiratory disease and loss of performance in horses. It has been suggested that the economic significance of these viruses may have been underestimated due to insensitive methods of detection.

Objectives: To develop a sensitive, rapid, real-time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) assay suitable for the routine diagnosis and epidemiological surveillance of the A and B variants of ERV.

Influenza A viruses with truncated NS1 as modified live virus vaccines: pilot studies of safety and efficacy in horses.

Reasons For Performing Study: Three previously described NS1 mutant equine influenza viruses encoding carboxy-terminally truncated NS1 proteins are impaired in their ability to inhibit type I IFN production in vitro and are replication attenuated, and thus are candidates for use as a modified live influenza virus vaccine in the horse.

Hypothesis: One or more of these mutant viruses is safe when administered to horses, and recipient horses when challenged with wild-type influenza have reduced physiological and virological correlates of disease.

Methods: Vaccination and challenge studies were done in horses, with measurement of pyrexia, clinical signs, virus shedding and systemic proinflammatory cytokines.

Intramammary infusion of a live culture for treatment of bovine mastitis: effect of live lactococci on the mammary immune response.

In the accompanying article, we demonstrated that a live culture of Lactococcus lactis compares favourably with antibiotics for treatment of bovine mastitis in two initial field trials. In an effort to explain the mechanism involved, this study investigated the effect of culture administration on the local immune response. In this respect we initially observed that infusion of the live culture Lactococcus lactis stimulated substantial recruitment of polymorphonucleocytes (PMN) and lymphocytes to the udder.

Occlusal angles of cheek teeth in normal horses and horses with dental disease.

The angle between the occlusal surface of the tooth and the horizontal plane of 687 cheek teeth from the skulls of 22 horses without gross dental disorders and 11 horses with dental disorders were measured by using stiff malleable wire as an imprint. Each measurement was repeated five times and the mean angle was recorded. In the normal skulls, the mean occlusal angles of the mandibular cheek teeth ranged from 19.

Facial hair whorls (trichoglyphs) and the incidence of motor laterality in the horse.

Several species demonstrate obvious motor laterality (sidedness, handedness) in their motor function. Motor laterality in the horse affects locomotion and subsequently equine performance during training and may have inherent safety implications for equitation. Some of the most commonly used identification features in the horse are hair whorls (trichoglyphs), since their specific location and character vary to some degree in every horse.

Effects of milking frequency on phagocytosis and oxidative burst activity of phagocytes from primiparous and multiparous dairy cows during early lactation.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of milking frequency on the phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and monocytes of primiparous and multiparous cows under 2 nutritional management regimens during early lactation. At calving, 12 primiparous and 12 multiparous cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments, in which animals were milked once (OAD) or twice a day at a high or low nutritional level. Blood samples were taken 1 to 7 d before calving (prepartum) and 1 to 7, 14 to 21, and 42 to 49 d postpartum.

Pro-inflammatory and antiviral cytokine expression in vaccinated and unvaccinated horses exposed to equine influenza virus.

Most studies of the cytokine response to influenza virus infection have been carried out in human, porcine and murine models, however the data available on equine cytokines is limited. An experimental challenge study was undertaken in unvaccinated naïve horses and horses vaccinated with a commercial inactivated influenza vaccine. The humoral antibody response to vaccination and virus challenge was measured by single radial haemolysis (SRH) assay and clinical signs of influenza and viral shedding were monitored post-challenge.