Summer scour syndrome in weaned dairy calves: case series.

Background: Summer scour syndrome (SSS) is a recently identified pathological condition affecting weaned dairy and dairy-beef calves during their first grazing season in Ireland. The syndrome is characterised by diarrhoea, weight loss, weakness, and can ultimately lead to death in some calves. Oral and oesophageal ulcerations are present in some cases.

Health-associated changes of the fecal microbiota in dairy heifer calves during the pre-weaning period.

Introduction: Neonatal calf diarrhea is a multifactorial condition that occurs in early life when calves are particularly susceptible to enteric infection and dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. Good calf health is dependent on successful passive transfer of immunity from the dam through colostrum. There are limited studies on the developing gut microbiota from birth to weaning in calves.

Survey of farm, parlour and milking management, parlour technologies, SCC control strategies and farmer demographics on Irish dairy farms.

Background: This cross-sectional study describes a survey designed to fill knowledge gaps regarding farm management practices, parlour management practices and implemented technologies, milking management practices, somatic cell count (SCC) control strategies, farmer demographics and attitudes around SCC management on a sample of Irish dairy farms.

Results: We categorized 376 complete responses by herd size quartile and calving pattern. The average respondent herd was 131 cows with most (82.

Investigation into the safety, and serological responses elicited by delivery of live intranasal vaccines for bovine herpes virus type 1, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza type 3 in pre-weaned calves.

Despite the fact that pneumonia remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in pre-weaned calves, relatively little is known regarding the effects of the concurrent administration of intranasal pneumonia virus vaccines, particularly in calves with high levels of maternally derived antibodies. The objective of this study was to use a cohort of 40 dairy and dairy-beef female and male calves (27 females and 13 males) to determine serological responses to concurrent administration at 3 weeks of age (22 ± 4.85 days) of two commercially available intranasal (IN) vaccines for the viruses: bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine herpes virus 1 (BoHV-1), and parainfluenza-3-virus (PI3-V).

Sensitivity and specificity of mobility scoring for the detection of foot lesions in pasture-based Irish dairy cows.

Lameness is an important production disease in dairy cows worldwide and has detrimental effects on cows' welfare, production, and reproductive performance, thus affecting the sustainability of dairy farming. Timely and effective detection of lameness allows for effective treatment, minimizing progression of disease, and maximizing the prognosis of recovery. Mobility scoring (MSc) is a 4 point (0-3) visual lameness scoring system that is the industry standard in several countries.

Correction: Quinn et al. GlnH, a Novel Antigen That Offers Partial Protection against Verocytotoxigenic Infection. 2023, , 175.

In the original publication [...

GlnH, a Novel Antigen That Offers Partial Protection against Verocytotoxigenic Infection.

Verotoxin-producing (VTEC) causes zoonotic infections, with potentially devastating complications, and children under 5 years old are particularly susceptible. Antibiotic treatment is contraindicated, and due to the high proportion of infected children that suffer from severe and life-changing complications, there is an unmet need for a vaccine to prevent VTEC infections. Bacterial adhesins represent promising candidates for the successful development of a vaccine against VTEC.

Prescribing and sales of intramammary antimicrobials in Ireland in 2019 and 2020: the role of milk purchasers.

Background: In Ireland between 2008 and 2022, intramammary antimicrobial (AM) products could be prescribed by a veterinary practitioner under what was known as Schedule 8 (or remote) prescribing. Under this prescribing route, an annual herd visit was not required when criteria were met as outlined in Animal Remedies Regulation 2007 to 2017 (statutory instruments No. 786/2007 and 558/2017).

Mastitis Control and Intramammary Antimicrobial Stewardship in Ireland: Challenges and Opportunities.

The Veterinary Medicines Regulation (EU 2019/6) came into force in all EU member states on 28 January 2022. This regulation places particular emphasis on prudent and responsible antimicrobial use in food animal production. Key changes include restrictions on the prophylactic use of antimicrobials in animals, and the possibility to reserve certain antimicrobials for humans only.

Intramammary antimicrobial sales in Ireland: a 2020 descriptive update.

Intramammary (IM) antimicrobial sales data are currently the only feasible means to gain broad insights into on-farm usage of antimicrobials (AMs) relevant to mastitis control within the Irish dairy industry. The aim of this study was to update earlier work describing sales data of intramammary antimicrobial usage in the Irish dairy industry in 2020. Previously reported data from 2013 to 2019 is included for reference and 2020 sales data is reported using similar methodology to previously published work in this area.

The new Veterinary Medicines Regulation: rising to the challenge.

This article focuses on the new Veterinary Medicines Regulation, which is applicable across all Member States of the European Union, including Ireland, from 28 January 2022. From this date, prophylactic use of antimicrobials (AMs) in groups of animals is banned, metaphylactic use in groups of animals is restricted, and certain AMs are reserved for humans only. In the Irish dairy industry, as elsewhere, successful implementation of the Regulation will require a high level of mastitis control across all herds, and measures to support high standards in antibiotic stewardship.

Engaging with selective dry cow therapy: understanding the barriers and facilitators perceived by Irish farmers.

Background: Selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) is widely promoted in dairy farming as a method to reduce antimicrobial usage. New legislation introduced by the European Union will restrict and regulate the prophylactic and metaphylactic use of antibiotics from January 2022. Blanket dry cow therapy continues to be a practice engaged in by many farmers in Ireland and for many of these farmers, moving towards SDCT would require a significant infrastructural, behavioural and/or cultural change on their farm.

Diagnosis of respiratory disease in preweaned dairy calves using sequential thoracic ultrasonography and clinical respiratory scoring: Temporal transitions and association with growth rates.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in dairy calves is a multifactorial condition, involving environmental, host, and pathogen factors. Thoracic ultrasound scoring (TUS) has recently been validated as an accurate method of detecting BRD-related lung pathology in dairy calves. Previous studies investigating the use of TUS in preweaned dairy calves have largely been based on cross-sectional data from all-year production systems.

Trends in estimated intramammary antimicrobial usage in the Irish dairy industry from 2003 to 2019.

The objective of this study is to update earlier work on intramammary (IM) antimicrobial (AM) usage in Ireland. There is a need to measure AM usage in food-producing animals given increasing societal concerns about AM resistance as well as recent regulatory changes that dictate changes in how AM are used in food-producing animals and how AM sales and usage are recorded. National sales data were collected and used in this analysis.

An unusual presentation of developmental anomalies of the cardiovascular system including tetralogy of fallot, double outlet right ventricle, patent foramen ovale and persistent right aortic arch in a Friesian calf.

Background: Congenital heart diseases are occasionally encountered in the bovine species. Ventricular septal defects (VSD) and atrial septal defects (ASD) are reported to be the most common; however, a vast collection have been reported [1, 2]. Congenital heart diseases is thought to represent less than 3% of all congenital abnormalities in calves [3].