Evaluating the Impact of Minimized GnRH and PGF Analogues-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticles on Ovarian Activity and Fertility of Heat-Stressed Dairy Cows.

: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of gonadotropin-releasing hormone-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticles (GnRH-CNPs) and prostaglandin F-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticles (PGF-CNPs) within the Ovsynch protocol for enhancing reproductive performance in heat-stressed dairy cows. : Thirty-six cyclic purebred Friesian cows not detected in standing heat for more than 90 days postpartum were randomly allocated to three treatment groups. The control group (OVS, n = 12) followed the standard Ovsynch protocol with conventional doses.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) and Its Agonists in Bovine Reproduction II: Diverse Applications during Insemination, Post-Insemination, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Periods.

The administration of GnRH and its agonists benefits various aspects of bovine reproductive programs, encompassing physiological stages such as estrous synchronization, post-insemination, pregnancy, and the postpartum period. The positive impact of GnRH administration in overcoming challenges like repeat breeder cows, early embryonic loss prevention, and the management of cystic ovarian disease (COD) is thoroughly surveyed. Furthermore, this review focuses on the significance of GnRH administration during the postpartum period, its role in ovulation induction, and how it enhances the productivity of embryo transfer (ET) programs.

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) and Its Agonists in Bovine Reproduction I: Structure, Biosynthesis, Physiological Effects, and Its Role in Estrous Synchronization.

GnRH is essential for the regulation of mammalian reproductive processes. It regulates the production and release of pituitary gonadotropins, thereby influencing steroidogenesis and gametogenesis. While primarily produced in the hypothalamus, GnRH is also produced in peripheral organs, such as the gonads and placenta.

Effect of postpartum drenching on plasma parameters of cows at a large-scale dairy farm.

The aim of the present study was to explore the influence of postpartum drenching with a feed additive on the plasma concentration of biochemical parameters while factoring in prepartum rumination times (RT). One hundred and sixty-one cows were fitted with a Ruminact© HR-Tag approximately 5 days before calving. Drenching and control groups were established based on calving dates.

Academics meet practitioners: Interactive exchange instead of consuming knowledge on dairy calving management.

Consensus on optimal calving management is difficult to achieve among veterinarians. Some of this discordance may stem from asymmetry between the literature written by subject matter experts (SME) and the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of non-SMEs and veterinary practitioners. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess how veterinary practitioners KAPs in calving management compared with the findings in the literature.

Noninfectious Causes of Pregnancy Loss at the Late Embryonic/Early Fetal Stage in Dairy Cattle.

In cattle, initial pregnancy diagnosis takes place during the late embryonic/early fetal stage of gestation. From this point onward, pregnancy loss may occur in up to one fifth of pregnancies before the initial pregnancy diagnosis is confirmed. This means the early identification of risk factors is a key part of pregnancy diagnosis and herd management.

Pregnancy evaluation with a point-of-care pregnancy test in dairy cattle.

Primiparous and multiparous dairy cattle were evaluated for pregnancy using both transrectal ultrasonography and a point-of-care pregnancy test (Alertys OnFarm Test), which measures pregnancy-associated glycoproteins through lateral diffusion, between Days 28-34 of pregnancy results were compared. A total of 637 animals were included in this study. Pregnancy was confirmed via manual palpation between Days 57-64.

Comparative evaluation of Duragen® and skim milk extenders to enhance ram semen quality and fertility: A promising alternative in ovine artificial insemination.

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Duragen® and skimmed milk (SM) extenders on the quality parameters, bacterial load and fertilization ability of stored ram semen. A total of 50 ejaculates from Sardi rams (n = 5) aged 2.5-3 years, were collected and stored in Duragen® and SM at 15°C.

Clinical management of pregnancy-related problems between days 28 and 60 in the dairy cow.

The biological and economic impacts of pregnancy loss in dairy herds are well recognized. This review examines clinical aspects of late embryonic/early fetal loss of non-infectious cause in the dairy cow. The period of interest spans from shortly after observation of at least one embryo with a heartbeat upon pregnancy diagnosis, at around Day 28 of pregnancy (late embryonic period), until approximately Day 60 of pregnancy (early fetal period).

Effect of postpartum drenching on rumination time and reticuloruminal pH at a Hungarian dairy farm.

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of drenching with a feed additive on rumination time (RT) and reticuloruminal pH post-partum at a Hungarian large-scale dairy farm. One hundred and sixty-one cows were fitted with a Ruminact© HR-Tag and from these 20 also received SmaXtec© ruminal boli approximately 5 days before calving. Drenching and control groups were established based on calving dates.

Importance of Monitoring Fetal and Neonatal Vitality in Bovine Practices.

Prior to initiating any obstetrical intervention for anterior or posterior presentation, it is imperative to emphasize the need for a precise and accurate diagnosis of fetal viability and to select the most appropriate approach for assistance. In uncertain cases, diagnostic tools such as ultrasonography, pulse oximeter, or measurement of acid-base balance or lactate concentration may be employed to confirm the diagnosis. In situations of severe asphyxia, a cesarean section is preferred over traction, even if the duration of asphyxia is less than 60 s, to maximize the likelihood of the survival of the fetus.

Epidemiology and Clinical Manifestation of West Nile Virus Infections of Equines in Hungary, 2007-2020.

West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging pathogen in Hungary, causing severe outbreaks in equines and humans since 2007. The aim of our study was to provide a comprehensive report on the clinical signs of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) in horses in Hungary. Clinical details of 124 confirmed equine WNND cases were collected between 2007 and 2019.

Changes of Acid-Base Variables in Dairy Cows with Chronically Implanted Fetal and Maternal Catheters during Late Gestation and Calving.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the changes in maternal and fetal arterial acid-base variables withdrawn from catheterized dams and fetuses during the last days before and during calving. The average gestation length in nine cows with chronically catheterized fetuses was 285 ± 10 (SD) days. The arterial acid-base variables of a catheterized dam and fetus were very stable during late gestation.

Accuracy to Predict the Onset of Calving in Dairy Farms by Using Different Precision Livestock Farming Devices.

Besides traditional methods such as evaluation of the external preparatory and behavioral signs, which even presently are widely used also in large dairy farms, there are several new possibilities such as measuring body (intravaginal, ventral tail-base surface, ear surface, or reticulo-ruminal) temperature, detecting behavioral signs (rumination, eating, activity, tail raising) or detecting the expulsion of the device inserted into the vagina or fixed to the skin of the vulva when allantochorion appears in the vulva to predict the onset of the second stage of calving. Presently none of the single sensors or a combination of sensors can predict the onset of calving with acceptable accuracy. At the same time, with the exception of the iVET birth monitoring system, not only the imminent onset of calving could be predicted with high accuracy, but a significantly lower prevalence rate of dystocia, stillbirth, retained fetal membranes, uterine diseases/clinical metritis could be reached while calving-to-conception interval was significantly shorter compared with the control groups.

The Uterus as an Influencing Factor for Late Embryo/Early Fetal Loss-A Clinical Update.

Here we revise circumstances of non-infectious causes in which the uterus may be associated with pregnancy loss during the late embryo/early fetal period (following a positive pregnancy diagnosis in lactating dairy cows). As the uterine size increases with parity and pregnant heifers with no detrimental effects of a previous parturition, a primigravid uterus is proposed as a reference for identifying risk factors that negatively influence pregnancy in lactating cows. Cows suffering placenta retention or with a large uterus at insemination were selected as topics for this revision.

Single-dose meloxicam treatment improves standing ability of low-vitality dairy calves.

A promising strategy to improve newborn calf survival could be the administration of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) especially in cases of low vitality calves born from difficult calvings. The objective of this clinical trial was to determine the effect of a single-dose meloxicam treatment [target dosage = 0.5 mg/kg ad usum veterinarium (A.

The role of selenium and vitamin E in a Transylvanian enzootic equine recurrent rhabdomyolysis syndrome.

A severe form of recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis occurs enzootically in a well-defined region of Transylvania, Harghita county. At the highest lying two settlements (more than 800 m above sea level), the prevalence of equine rhabdomyolysis is between 17 and 23%, while in the neighbouring villages in the valley it is less than 2%. The objective of our study was to clarify the role of selenium and vitamin E in the high prevalence of rhabdomyolysis in that region.

Recent Possibilities for the Diagnosis of Early Pregnancy and Embryonic Mortality in Dairy Cows.

One of the most recent techniques for the on-farm diagnosis of early pregnancy (EP) in cattle is B-mode ultrasonography. Under field conditions, acceptable results may be achieved with ultrasonography from Days 25 to 30 post-AI. The reliability of the test greatly depends on the frequency of the transducer used, the skill of the examiner, the criterion used for a positive pregnancy diagnosis (PD), and the position of the uterus in the pelvic inlet.

Practical Aspects of Twin Pregnancy Diagnosis in Cattle.

Twin pregnancies are an economically unwanted phenomenon in dairy cattle, not only because they increase pregnancy losses, but also because antibiotics usage and culling rate of the dam are also dramatically increased due to them, furthermore animal welfare issues are also affected through them. In cattle, under field conditions using an early pregnancy determination tool, the first accurate diagnosis from the pregnancy status is available from around day 28, although further confirmations of pregnancy are required. Twin pregnancy diagnosis is available either by rectal palpation or ultrasonography.

Salivary cortisol as a non-invasive approach to assess stress in dystocic dairy calves.

The intensity and the magnitude of saliva cortisol responses were investigated during the first 48 h following birth in newborn dairy calves which underwent normal (eutocic, EUT, n = 88) and difficult (dystocic, DYS, n = 70) calvings. The effects of parity and body condition of the dam, the duration of parturition, the time spent licking the calf, the sex and birth weight of the calf were also analyzed. Neonatal salivary cortisol concentrations were influenced neither by factors related to the dam (parity, body condition) nor the calf (sex, birth weight).

A field study using different technologies to detect calving at a large-scale hungarian dairy farm.

The objective of this study was to investigate three different calving detection systems in order to assess and compare their efficiency. The study was conducted at a large-scale dairy farm involving 54 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows and heifers. Animals were fitted with multiple devices: a rumination measuring device (Ruminact (RA)), an intravaginal thermometer (Vel'Phone (VP)) and a tail movement sensor (Moocall (MC)) 5 to 7 days before expected calving and were removed after parturition.

Asthmatic Disease as an Underlying Cause of Dorsal Displacement of the Soft Palate in Horses.

It is important to treat the upper and lower respiratory tracts as a single unit, as lower respiratory tract diseases can often cause upper respiratory functional disorders, whereas upper respiratory obstructions could be a factor in lower respiratory problems. The present study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that asthmatic diseases may be an underlying cause of dorsal displacement of the soft palate in horses. Pleasure or sport horses (n = 57) with a history of asthmatic disease were incorporated in the study.

Kisspeptin Neurons in the Infundibular Nucleus of Ovariectomized Cats and Dogs Exhibit Unique Anatomical and Neurochemical Characteristics.

Neurons co-synthesizing kisspeptin (KP), neurokinin B (NKB), and dynorphin ("KNDy neurons") in the hypothalamic arcuate/infundibular nucleus (INF) form a crucial component of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)/luteinizing hormone (LH) "pulse generator." The goal of our study was to characterize KP neuron distribution, neuropeptide phenotype and connectivity to GnRH cells in ovariectomized (OVX) dogs and cats with immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed hypothalamic tissue sections. In both species, KP and NKB neurons occurred in the INF and the two cell populations overlapped substantially.

Family aggregation analysis shows a possible heritable background of equine grass sickness (dysautonomia) in a Hungarian stud population.

Equine grass sickness (also known as dysautonomia) is a life-threatening polyneuropathic disease affecting horses with approx. 80% mortality. Since its first description over a century ago, several factors, such as the phenotype, intestinal microbiome, environment, management and climate, have been supposed to be associated with the increased risk of dysautonomia.

Characterisation of the cerebrospinal fluid of horses with West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes between wild birds (natural hosts) and other vertebrates. Horses and humans are incidental, dead-end hosts, but can develop severe neurological disorders. Owing to the close contact of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with the extracellular fluid of the brain, the analysis of CSF composition can reflect central nervous system (CNS) impairments enabling the diagnosis and understanding of various neurodegenerative CNS disorders.