Comparing Occurrence of Bovine Respiratory Pathogens Detected by High-Throughput Real-Time PCR in Nasal Swabs and Non-Endoscopic Bronchoalveolar Lavage Samples from Dairy and Veal Calves.

This study aimed to enhance our understanding of the agreement between two sampling methods for the detection of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) pathogens in calves using high-throughput real-time qPCR (ht-RT-qPCR). In total, 233 paired nasal swab (NS) and non-endoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (nBAL) samples were collected from 152 calves from 12 Danish cattle herds. In 202 of the observations, the calves were examined using a standardized clinical protocol.

Bilateral bronchoalveolar lavage cytology profiles in a warmblood horse population during a 1-year period.

Background: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cytology results from 1 lung might not be representative of both lungs.

Objectives: To determine whether the lung site sampled would influence the horse's BAL cytology profile, and if a pooled BAL sample would be superior with regard to BAL cytology diagnosis in a cohort of healthy and subclinical asthmatic warmblood horses.

Animals: Fifty-nine horses in 2021 and 70 horses in 2022, the follow-up included 53 of the same in each year.

Erratum: Identifying areas of animal welfare concern in different production stages in Danish pig herds using the Danish Animal Welfare Index (DAWIN) - CORRIGENDUM.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1017/awf.2023.

Identifying areas of animal welfare concern in different production stages in Danish pig herds using the Danish Animal Welfare Index (DAWIN).

Animal welfare is of increasing public interest, and the pig industry in particular is subject to much attention. The aim of this study was to identify and compare areas of animal welfare concern for commercial pigs in four different production stages: (1) gestating sows and gilts; (2) lactating sows; (3) piglets; and (4) weaner-to-finisher pigs. One welfare assessment protocol was developed for each stage, comprising of between 20 and 29 animal welfare measures including resource-, management- and animal-based ones.

Atrial fibrillation as a risk factor for exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage following a standardised exercise test.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been proposed as a risk factor for exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) due to increased pressure in the left atrium.

Objective: To evaluate if AF was associated with EIPH following a standardised exercise test (SET) to fatigue.

Study Design: Two-arm controlled experiment.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a potential biomarker for equine asthma.

Background: Studies in people have found neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) concentrations are increased in asthma and can be used to distinguish between asthma subtypes. NGAL has not yet been investigated in equine asthma (EA).

Objectives: To investigate the ability of NGAL concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and serum to distinguish between control horses, horses with mild-moderate EA (MEA) and horses with severe EA (SEA).

Application of Methods to Assess Animal Welfare and Suffering Caused by Infectious Diseases in Cattle and Swine Populations.

Control of infectious diseases in livestock has often been motivated by food safety concerns and the economic impact on livestock production. However, diseases may also affect animal welfare. We present an approach to quantify the effect of five infectious diseases on animal welfare in cattle (three diseases) and pigs (two diseases).

Evaluation of Treatment With Respiratory Gene Technology and Serum in a Group of Standard Bred Racehorses With Cytological Evidence of Mild Equine Asthma.

Alternative treatment options to glucocorticoids for equine asthma is desirable due to withdrawal time. The objective was to evaluate if serum and Respiratory Gene Technology (RGT), a commercial kit to produce autologous conditioned serum, was effective in reducing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) neutrophils and mast cells in racehorses with cytological evidence of mild equine asthma . Thirty-six Standardbred trotters in active training were enrolled in this randomized clinical trial; a healthy control group (n=11), a RGT group (n=12) and a serum group (n=13).

Evaluation of Dynamic Structural Disorders in the Upper Airways and Applied Rein Tension in Healthy Dressage Horses During Riding in Different Gaits and Head-Neck Positions.

Flexion of the horse's head and neck during dressage riding reduces the pharyngeal lumen with the risk of increased upper airway resistance and upper airway obstructions. According to the Fédération Equestre Internationale, hyperflexion is achieved through force, whereas the position low-deep-round is nonforced. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (1) applied rein tension and (2) dynamic structural disorders in the upper airways in dressage horses in different gaits and different head-neck positions (HNPs).

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytokine, cytology and IgE allergen in horses with equine asthma.

The pathophysiology of equine asthma (EA) is still not fully described, but the involvement of an allergic reaction is strongly suspected. This theory has led to the use of allergen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E tests to support a diagnosis of asthma. The objective of this descriptive study was to evaluate the correlation between four subgroups of EA (mastocytic mild equine asthma [MEA], neutrophilic MEA, mixed MEA, and severe equine asthma [SEA]), allergen specific IgE (measured in both serum and BALF) and mRNA expression of selected genes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).

Evaluation of the performance of register data as indicators for dairy herds with high lameness prevalence.

Background: The modern dairy industry routinely generates data on production and disease. Therefore, the use of these cheap and at times even "free" data to predict a given state of welfare in a cost-effective manner is evaluated in the present study. Such register data could potentially be used in the identification of herds at risk of having animal welfare problems.

Age-related dynamics of pro-inflammatory cytokines in equine bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and peripheral blood from horses managed on pasture.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the natural age-related variation and compare the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood and lower airways of horses. The mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 TNF-α TLR-4 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were studied by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and differential cell count cytology from 44 horses of different ages. A significant age-related increase was found for the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, TLR-4 and TNF-α in stimulated BAL cells and for TNF-α in stimulated PBMC.