Publications by authors named "Steinhoff-Wagner J"

Introduction: Data regarding the occurrence and virulence of (.) in wild living animals is rare. However, may carry a multitude of virulence factors and express resistance to several antimicrobial substances.

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Article Synopsis
  • Calves require high-quality colostrum immediately after birth for proper immune support, but many farmers face challenges in managing colostrum, particularly in German dairy farms.
  • A survey of 155 German dairy farmers revealed that 89.0% freeze colostrum, primarily due to issues with the dam's milk production, but only a minority assess colostrum quality before or after freezing.
  • Key barriers to freezing colostrum include high labor demands and the availability of fresh colostrum, suggesting a need for better education and resources to optimize colostrum management practices.
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Increasing ambient temperatures lead to higher water intake and higher risks of microbial growth in cattle troughs. This study aims to analyze drinking water quality and dairy cows' drinking behavior ( = 8081 drinking episodes) on a commercial farm with 135 and 144 lactating cows in two climatic conditions, considering trough type and cleanliness, respectively. Daily video recording was conducted at two trough types (two open troughs, 70 L; two-valve troughs, variable volume of 5-15 L) in the first two hours after feeding ( = 60 days in total) under cold (December 2019-February 2020) and warm ambient temperatures (September 2021).

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The mitochondrial matrix peptidase CLPP is crucial during cell stress. Its loss causes Perrault syndrome type 3 (PRLTS3) with infertility, neurodegeneration, and a growth deficit. Its target proteins are disaggregated by CLPX, which also regulates heme biosynthesis via unfolding ALAS enzymes, providing access for pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP).

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This study aimed to determine the metabolic response of growing German Simmental bulls fed rations low in crude protein (CP) supplemented with rumen-protected methionine (RPMET). In total, 69 bulls (on average 238 ± 11 days of age at start and 367 ± 25 kg of bodyweight) were assigned to three dietary treatments ( = 23/group): Positive control (CON; 13.7% CP; 2.

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Environmental, hunting and handling factors affect the microbial load of hunted game and the resulting meat products. The aim of this study was to systematically investigate the influence of several factors on the initial microbial load (IML) of game carcasses during the early hunting chain. Eviscerated roe deer body cavities ( = 24) were investigated in terms of total viable count and the levels of spp.

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Interactions between natural and human-used environments have a significant influence on the spread of antimicrobial resistance in wild ecosystems. Despite current knowledge, fundamental questions about the degree of impact of land use-related factors on the spread of antimicrobial-resistant staphylococci in European wild game animal populations have not yet been answered with certainty. In this study, we evaluated the occurrence of showing reduced susceptibility to cefoxitin in nasal swabs of fallow deer (Dama dama), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) hunted in Brandenburg, Germany.

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Wildlife may host pathogens and chemicals of veterinary and public health relevance, as well as pathogens with significant economic relevance for domestic livestock. In conducting research on the occurrence and distribution of these agents in wildlife, a major challenge is the acquisition of a sufficient number of samples coupled with efficient use of manpower and time. The aim of this article is to present the methodology and output of a sampling approach for game animals, which was implemented from 2017/18 to 2020/21 at drive hunts in Brandenburg, Germany.

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Despite the importance of livestock drinking water quality on animal physiology, welfare, and performance, influences such as biofilm formation on trough surfaces on microbial water quality are rarely researched. The objective of this study was to assess the microbial quality of water offered to lactating dairy cows and identify risk factors for poor water quality. We further aimed to determine the impact of biofilm formation on water quality and evaluate rapid test systems to score the hygiene status of dairy troughs on the farm.

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Identification of cattle by ear tagging is legally required to ensure traceability. However, studies indicate that ear tagging causes pain-associated physiological and behavioural responses. The wound healing process and prevalence of wound lesions in calves remain mostly unknown.

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Piglets often undergo several painful treatments during the initial days of their lives. In this review, we investigate the acute (i.e.

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The immunoglobulin concentration in bovine colostrum should be measured to ensure feeding with sufficient immunoglobulins (≥50 mg immunoglobulin G mL). Adequate feeding prevents diseases, promotes development, and has a positive influence on the adult animal. Indirect and direct measurement methods are available for this purpose.

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Consumers, industrial stakeholders, and the legislature demand a stronger focus on animal welfare of all livestock at the farm level by using suitable indicators in self-assessments. In order to deduce farms' animal welfare status reliably, factors that influence indicators' results need to be identified. Hence, this study aimed to apply possible animal welfare indicators for unweaned dairy calves on conventional dairy farms with early cow-calf separation and evaluate influencing factors such as age and sex of calves or climatic conditions on the applied indicators' results.

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Postnatal metabolism depends on maturation of key metabolic pathways around birth. In this regard, endogenous glucose production is impaired in calves born preterm. Concerning protein metabolism, the rates of protein turnover are greater during the neonatal period than at any other period of postnatal life.

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Organic fertilizers from animal production might contain undesirable components, such as veterinary medical product (VMP) residues, that are released into the environment during application. In addition to measures to reduce the use of VMPs through animal health measures, manure management could be an expedient strategy to prevent VMPs from entering the environment. The quantity applied is mainly determined by the nitrogen content.

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The objective of the present study was to elucidate the effect of feeding either colostrum or milk-based formula on the mRNA abundance of genes related to pathogen recognition [toll-like receptors (TLR1-10)], antimicrobial defense [β-defensin 1 (DEFB1) and peptidoglycan recognition protein 1 (PGLYRP1)], and tight junctions (claudin 1 = CLDN1, claudin 4 = CLDN4, and occludin = OCLN) in different sections of the small intestine of neonatal calves at d 4 of life. Holstein dairy calves were fed either colostrum (COL; n = 7) or milk-based formula (FOR; n = 7) with comparable nutrient composition but lower contents of several bioactives in the formula than in the respective colostrum group until d 4 of life. Following euthanasia on d 4 (2 h after feeding), tissue samples from the duodenum, jejunum (proximal, middle, and distal), and ileum were collected.

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Monitoring the temperature of piglets after birth is critical to ensure their well-being. Rectal temperature measurement is time-consuming, requires fixation of the animal and is stressful for piglets. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of infrared thermometry and thermography as compared to rectal temperatures.

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To improve the welfare of livestock, it is important to assess management practices on farms and to identify areas where current scientific recommendations are rarely implemented. Differences in the implementation of recommendations might be explained by the individual farm as well as the characteristics of survey respondents and their attitude toward animal welfare. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess dairy calf management practices, compare them with current scientific recommendations, and to explore factors that influence implementation of the recommended management practices.

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Background: Although the tearing of tissues during castration is forbidden in the EU, it is still routinely applied in many countries. The goal of this study was to evaluate vocalizations and movements of male piglets undergoing castration by applying different techniques and pain treatments based on scores under practical conditions (Trial 1, n = 50) and to investigate anatomical features after castration of dead piglets with different techniques (Trial 2, n = 28).

Results: In Trial 1, treatment groups did not significantly influence the duration of castration.

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In calf rearing, the first weeks of life are critical and associated with the highest mortality due to enteric and respiratory diseases. A well-implemented hygiene management can help to protect calves' health preventively by reducing the load of pathogenic bacteria and interrupting infection chains. The aim of this study was to identify deficiencies in hygiene management of individually housed dairy calves by surveying current practice and examining feeding and housing equipment with different hygiene indicators.

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On a commercial broiler farm with substantial health problems, shown by a reported loss rate of approx. 10% and regular antibiotic use, samples were taken at different locations in 2 barns, with the aim of analyzing possible entry routes and persistence of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria as well as revealing weak points in sanitation. Therefore, swab samples for biofilm and water samples from animal drinking water lines and the spray cooling system were taken twice immediately before restocking.

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Fattening pig husbandry and associated negative environmental impacts due to nitrogen inputs by ammonia emissions are current issues of social discussion. New resource-efficient feeding systems offer great potential to reduce excess nutrient inputs into the environment. Using ultrasound measurements, fattening pigs can be divided into performance groups based on their backfat/muscle ratio to feed them according to their nutritional needs.

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The objective of the current study was to elucidate the effect of feeding colostrum or milk-based formula on the tissue mRNA abundance of the most relevant branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) transporters and catabolizing enzymes in newborn calves. German Holstein calves were fed either colostrum (COL; n = 7) or milk-based formula (FOR; n = 7) with comparable nutrient composition but lower contents of free BCAA, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-I in the formula than in the respective colostrum for up to 4 d of life. Tissue samples from liver, kidney fat, 3 different muscles [M.

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Haptoglobin (Hp), one of the major positive acute phase proteins in cattle, is released in response to proinflammatory cytokines. Colostrum intake might influence the response of the innate immune system, including Hp gene expression. Thus, we hypothesized that plasma concentrations and tissue mRNA expression of Hp in neonatal calves might be influenced by early nutrition in the neonatal calf and would thus be greater if receiving colostrum compared with milk-based formula.

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