Publications by authors named "S Strain"
Background: Sheep scab, caused by the highly infectious mite, is considered to be endemic in Northern Ireland, although little investigation has been reported. A pilot project was undertaken to engage farmers, confirm cases with diagnostic methods and identify specific barriers to control, with the aim of informing future control programmes.
Methods: Through farmers self-reporting suspected outbreaks, on-farm risk assessments and clinical investigations were carried out by the farm's veterinary surgeon, who utilised light microscopy and serological testing to diagnose scab.
Johne's disease in cattle is a significant global animal health challenge. Johne's disease is chronic, affecting the gastrointestinal tract of cattle and other ruminants and is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium avium ssp. Paratuberculosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) is caused by Pestivirus A and Pestivirus B. Northern Ireland (NI) embarked on a compulsory BVD eradication scheme in 2016, which continues to this day, so an understanding of the composition of the pestivirus genotypes in the cattle population of NI is required.
Methods: This molecular epidemiology study employed 5' untranslated region (5'UTR) genetic sequencing to examine the pestivirus genotypes circulating in samples taken from a hotspot of BVD outbreaks in the Enniskillen area in 2019.
Sheep scab, caused by infestation with the ectoparasitic mite , is an endemic disease in the Northern Ireland (NI) sheep flock and constitutes significant economic and welfare burdens for the NI farming industry. Despite its endemic nature, historically, little research has been undertaken to support the control of the disease in NI. This study offers the first attempt to analyse the psychological and behavioural factors influencing farmers' intentions to implement effective sheep scab control measures in NI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The dairy industry faces challenges such as climate change and public perceptions, which have increased interest in identifying resilient animals with good reproductive and milk-producing traits.
- Research hypothesized that in utero events, influenced by the developmental origins of health and disease, could affect calves' lifelong resilience and aimed to quantify lifetime resilience scores (LRS) based on various factors.
- Analysis revealed that calves born to dams experiencing higher heat stress and low milk quality during pregnancy had lower LRS, while higher parity in dams was associated with decreased resilience scores in their offspring.