A comparison of the grazing preferences of buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and Ankole cattle (Bos indicus) on three different pastures

Observations of the diet of cattle and buffalo grazing three different pastures of known composition and history were made at the height of the rainy season in Acacia-Cymbopogon/Themeda dry savanna in Ankole, Uganda. Brachiara decumbens, Chloris gayana, Cynodon dactylon, Digitaria melanochila and Setaria aequalis were frequent species which were highly acceptable to both buffalo and cattle. Themeda triandra was highly acceptable to cattle but less so to buffalo. Leersia hexandra, a swamp grass, was eaten by buffalo but the cattle did not graze in wet areas. Loudetia kagerensis and Cymbopogon afronardus were largely unacceptable to both species of animal, although buffalo showed a greater tolerance of C. afronardus than did the cattle. It is suggested that both species of animal showed a need to vary their diet periodically and buffalo chose C. afronardus whereas the cattle browsed A cacia bushes for this purpose. The quantities ingested were small. Preferences of both species of animal varied with choice available and its physical condition. The pretreatment of herbage by other species of animals is considered important in affecting its acceptability. Cattle and buffalo appeared to be competitive for food in the three environments in this study but the buffalo utilized certain environments e.g. standing water, tree shade, to a greater extent than the cattle and so represented an overall improvement in the secondary productivity from the area.     

Polymorphism of Mitochondrial DNAs of Yunnan Domestic Water Buffaloes, Bubalus bubalis, in China, Based on Restriction Endonuclease Cleavage Patterns

Restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns of mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) of three local types of Yunnan native water buffalo were analyzed using 18 enzymes which recognize six nucleotides. Among the 12 animals analyzed, 3 of 18 enzymes, BamHI, EcoRI, and ScaI, revealed polymorphisms. Three mtDNA types were identified. The results indicate that a relatively low level of mtDNA variation exists in Yunnan domestic water buffaloes. The origin of Chinese buffalo derived from Yunnan province of China is discussed.     

Draft genome of the river water buffalo

Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), a large‐sized member of the Bovidae family, is considered as an important livestock species throughout Southeast Asia. In order to better understand the molecular basis of buffalo improvement and breeding, we sequenced and assembled the genome (2n=50) of a river buffalo species Bubalus bubalis from Bangladesh. Its genome size is 2.77 Gb, with a contig N50 of 25 kb and the scaffold N50 of 6.9 Mbp. Based on the assembled genome, we annotated 24,613 genes for future functional genomics studies. Phylogenetic tree analysis of cattle and water buffalo lineages showed that they diverged about 5.8–9.8 million years ago. Our findings provide an insight into the water buffalo genome which will contribute in further research on buffalo such as molecular breeding, understanding complex traits, conservation, and biodiversity.     

Poultry Slaughtering Practices in Rural Communities of Bangladesh and Risk of Avian Influenza Transmission: A Qualitative Study

Slaughtering sick poultry is a risk factor for human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza and is a common practice in Bangladesh. This paper describes human exposures to poultry during slaughtering process and the customs and rituals influencing these practices in two Bangladeshi rural communities. In 2009, we conducted 30 observations to observe slaughtering practices and 110 in-depth and short interviews and 36 group discussions to explore reasons behind those practices. The villagers reported slaughtering 103 poultry, including 20 sick poultry during 2 months. During different stages of slaughtering, humans, the environment, healthy poultry, and other animals were exposed to poultry blood and body parts. Women performed most of the slaughtering tasks, including evisceration. Defeathering required the most time and involved several persons. During festivals, ceremonies, and rituals, many people gathered and participated in the slaughtering of poultry. Exposure to poultry slaughtering created numerous opportunities for potential avian influenza transmission. Strategies that can be further tested to determine if they reduce the risk of transmission include skinning the carcasses of sick poultry, using hot water for defeathering and cleaning, using a bucket to contain slaughtering blood and carcass, burying the offal and encouraging handwashing.     

Early development and location of embryos in the reproductive tract of Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): a retrospective analysis

One year data on embryo recovery were analyzed to study the development and descent of preimplantation embryos in Nili Ravi water buffalo. Forty-five superovulatory attempts were performed on 23 buffalo. A total of 45 embryos were recovered either nonsurgically or after slaughtering the animals at various time intervals (85 to 176 h) post estrus. Embryos were located in the oviducts at 85 h after estrus. At 108 h post estrus, most of them (78%) were recovered from the uteri. The embryos had 8 to 16 cells at 85 h post estrus, grew to morulae at 108 h and to compact morulae at 125 h post estrus. Early blastocysts were observed at 141 h post estrus. Blastocysts were predominant (69%) at 156 to 176 h after estrus; no hatched blastocysts were recovered during this time interval. Based on our findings, embryo recovery at around 150 h post estrus (i.e., Day 6 of the cycle) is recommended for compact morulae or blastocysts in the water buffalo.     

The detection and recovery of Erysipelothrix spp. in meat and abattoir samples in Western Australia

AIMS: To investigate the occurrence of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and other Erysipelothrix spp. in abattoir and meat samples in Western Australia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Samples were collected from various parts of pig and sheep carcasses, as well as different sections of slaughtering line, pen soil and effluent. Previously evaluated culture methods were applied for the isolation of Erysipelothrix spp., in conjunction with phenotypic and genotypic detection and identification procedures. Of 109 samples from the two abattoirs, 35 (32.1%) were Erysipelothrix genus-specific PCR-positive. These came from swabs of animal exterior surfaces and joints, slaughtering areas, pig pen soil and abattoir effluent. Four samples (3.7%) from sheep arthritic joints and pig abattoir effluent were also E. rhusiopathiae species-specific PCR-positive. Of 123 carcass washing samples, 12 (9.8%) were genus-specific PCR-positive, and these came from all five kinds of meat samples tested, including beef, lamb, mutton, pork and chicken. Four of them (3.3%) were also species-specific PCR-positive. A total of 25 isolates was recovered from the samples, of which seven were identified as E. rhusiopathiae, seven were consistent with E. tonsillarum, and the remaining 11 were other species of Erysipelothrix. CONCLUSIONS: Erysipelothrix spp. can still be isolated and identified from specimens of animal origin with relative ease, provided that appropriate cultural and molecular procedures are used. Clinical microbiology laboratories may need to improve their diagnostic protocols. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study confirms that E. rhusiopathiae and other species of Erysipelothrix continue to colonize and contaminate farmed animals and animal products. Erysipelothrix infection still poses a potential threat to the economy of the farmed animal industry, as well as being a potential human public health hazard.     

Do feral buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) explain the increase of woody cover in savannas of Kakadu National Park,Australia?

Aim To study changes in woody vegetation in both floodplains and eucalypt savanna over a 40‐year period using multi‐temporal spatial analysis of variation in density of a large introduced herbivore, the Asian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Feral buffalo built up to high densities in the study area until c. 1985, after which a control programme almost eliminated the animals. From 1990, low densities of managed buffalo were maintained inside an enclosure. We compared trends in woody vegetation when buffalo were high‐density feral, low‐density managed or absent. Location The study area was located in and around a 116‐km² buffalo enclosure inside Kakadu National Park, in monsoonal northern Australia. Methods We analysed sequences of digitized and geo‐rectified aerial photographs, acquired in 1964, 1975, 1984, 1991 and 2004, to chart changes in woody cover on the floodplain and in the savanna. On the floodplain we assessed whether trees were present at these times at 14,568 points, and buffalo density was estimated from the density of animal tracks. In the savanna we estimated woody cover at pre‐selected sites. Generalized linear modelling was used to analyse changes in woody vegetation, using elevation and presence of woody vegetation in neighbouring points on the floodplain, and buffalo regime and initial woody cover in the savanna. Results Changes in animal track density reflected park‐wide historical estimates of buffalo numbers. Tree cover increased in both floodplain and savanna, but this was only weakly related to buffalo density. The best predictor of whether a floodplain cell converted from treeless to woody, or the converse, was the woodiness of neighbouring vegetation. There was slightly less thickening with high buffalo densities. In savanna, low densities of managed buffalo were weakly associated with increases in tree cover relative to either high densities of feral buffalo or no buffalo. Main conclusions Our study indicates that buffalo are not a major driver of floodplain and eucalypt savanna dynamics. Rather, the observed increase in woody cover in both savanna and flood plains concords with regional trends and may be related to increased atmospheric CO₂, increasing rainfall and changing fire regimes during the study period.     

Examination of gastrointestinal helminth in livestock grazing in grassland of Bangladesh

To determine association of grassland with parasitic diseases of livestock in Bangladesh, the 'Tracer' animals (two cow calves and two goats) were released for a month in a grassland used for communal grazing of livestock near school premise in Kanthal, Trishal, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. After slaughtering of the tracer animals, their gastrointestinal tract examination revealed six species of nematode and one cestode. The nematode species were Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus axei, Mecistocirrus digitatus, Oesophagostomum spp., Trichuris spp. and Bunostomum sp. The cestode was one of the genus Moniezia. With this preliminary study, grasslands are thought to be one of the main sources of gastrointestinal parasitic diseases of livestock in Bangladesh.     

The Prevalence of Toxoplasma Antibodies in Swine Sera in Finland

A total of 1847 swine sera obtained from the 10 largest abattoirs slaughtering swine in Finland were examined by ELISA for toxoplasma antibodies. The sample represented 0.64 % of the total number of swine slaughtered in these abattoirs over a period of 2 months. The prevalence of toxoplasma antibodies in swine sera was 2.5 %.     

Factors associated with whole carcass condemnation rates in provincially-inspected abattoirs in Ontario 2001-2007: implications for food animal syndromic surveillance

Background  

Ontario provincial abattoirs have the potential to be important sources of syndromic surveillance data for emerging diseases of concern to animal health, public health and food safety. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe provincially inspected abattoirs processing cattle in Ontario in terms of the number of abattoirs, the number of weeks abattoirs process cattle, geographical distribution, types of whole carcass condemnations reported, and the distance animals are shipped for slaughter; and (2) identify various seasonal, secular, disease and non-disease factors that might bias the results of quantitative methods, such as cluster detection methods, used for food animal syndromic surveillance.     

Conditioning of nyala (Tragelaphus angasi) to blood sampling in a crate with positive reinforcement

Habituation and positive reinforcement procedures were successfully used for low stress blood sampling of nyala (Tragelaphus angasi) at the Denver Zoological Gardens. Four adult females and three offspring were conditioned with a food reward voluntarily to enter a plywood crate for bimonthly blood sampling from the rear leg. Habituated and conditioned, nonsedated nyala could also be given intramuscular injections and be palpated on the udder and abdomen. Highly palatable sliced yams and carrots were used to train the seven animals to enter the crate and allow a handler to confine each animal in it by closing a remotely controlled, vertical slide gate. The next step was slow, careful desensitization and habituation of each animal to having its legs and body touched by a person who reached through a small hole in the side of the crate. The animal was given yam treats during this procedure. The solid sides on the crate helped keep the animal calm. Conditioning and habituation were done slowly and carefully over a period of 3 months to avoid frightening the animals or causing a dangerous escape attempt. All animals remained calm during both conditioning and blood sampling procedures. Investing the time and effort to train nyala to crate handling resulted in improved animal welfare and blood samples that were not confounded by stress. The nyala were trained for a vitamin E supplementation study. In captivity, nyala often suffer from myopathy due to vitamin E deficiency. Vitamin E levels will change when an animal is stressed. Training the animals to cooperate during blood sampling eliminated handling stress. This made it possible to accurately measure vitamin E levels, which will aid nutritionists in determining supplementation levels. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Vitiligo in Two Water Buffaloes: Histological,Histochemical, and Ultrastructural Investigations

Vitiligo, a skin disease, characterized by the spontaneous loss of melanin, has been described in several animals as well as in humans. Most of the reports of large domestic animals have dealt with clinical investigations without morphological data. In this report, the histological and ultrastructural characteristics of two cases of vitiligo in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are presented. Interestingly, many of the ultrastructural observations for vitiliginous buffaloes resemble those previously described for other species, e.g., humans, mouse, and chicken. These data suggest that one or more forms of human vitiligo may have a similar etiopathogenesis to that of the buffalo. Therefore, it is proposed that vitiliginous buffalo may prove to be a useful animal model for the human disease.     

High prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum by perfusion in naturally exposed water buffalo in a region of the Philippines endemic for human schistosomiasis

In the past decade, ecological surveys emphasized rats and dogs as the most significant animal reservoirs for Schistosoma japonicum (S.j) in the Philippines. However, recent studies demonstrated 51–91% prevalence of schistosomiasis among water buffalo using qPCR in the Sj endemic regions in the Philippines. In order to resolve the inconsistency of reported surveys regarding Sj endemicity among carabao, a domestic water buffalo that is the most important draught animal, we introduced 42 schistosome negative water buffalo to Macanip, Jaro municipality, Leyte, the Philippines, a subsistence rice-farming village that has been the focus of schistosomiasis japonica studies of our group for the past 20 years. We conducted perfusion to the remaining 34 buffalo that survived 10 months of nature exposure and Typhoon Haiyan. Thirty-three water buffalo were found to be positive with at least 1 pair of worms from the mesenteric vein. The infection rate is 97%, with the worm burden of 94 (95% confidence interval, 49–138 worms) worms. To our knowledge, this is the first report about S. japonicum worm burden in naturally infected water buffalo in the Philippines. The fact that with less than one-year of exposure, in this human schistosomiasis endemic area, only 1 out of 34 water buffalo was uninfected is striking. Urgent attention is needed for a cost-effective technique for monitoring Sj infection in animals and humans. Meanwhile, intervention implementation, including water buffalo treatment and vaccination, should be taken into consideration.     

Global transboundry disease politics: the OIE perspective

Reviewed in this paper are the steps for listing or de-listing of an aquatic animal disease, the current list of OIE listed aquatic animal diseases, and the reporting requirements for listed diseases by member countries. The current OIE listed aquatic animal diseases includes two diseases of amphibians, nine of fish, seven of mollusks, and eight of crustaceans. Of interest is the difference in importance of the listed diseases in each of the four groups of aquatic animals. In mollusks, parasitic diseases dominate the list, while in fish and crustaceans virus diseases are dominant. Whether a listed disease is due to a virus, fungus, bacterium or a parasite, the occurrence of the disease may adversely affect international trade among trading partners that have, or do not have, the listed disease. By its very nature, the international trade in terrestrial animals and aquatic animals, and their products, is influenced by national and international politics. When the occurrence of an OIE listed or emerging disease becomes an issue between trading partners, trade restrictions may be put in place and disputes are often a consequence. The World Trade Organization named the OIE as the reference body for animal health as it relates to international trade. This action recognized the 88 year history of the work by the OIE in disease control, listing of diseases, the development of the terrestrial and aquatic codes and the diagnostic manuals, and the prompt notification of members by the OIE of the occurrence of listed diseases. The intent of the WTO with this action was likely to minimize disease related trade disputes brought before the WTO.     

Strong and stable geographic differentiation of swamp buffalo maternal and paternal lineages indicates domestication in the China/Indochina border region

The swamp type of the Asian water buffalo is assumed to have been domesticated by about 4000 years BP, following the introduction of rice cultivation. Previous localizations of the domestication site were based on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation within China, accounting only for the maternal lineage. We carried out a comprehensive sampling of China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Nepal and Bangladesh and sequenced the mtDNA Cytochrome b gene and control region and the Y‐chromosomal ZFY, SRY and DBY sequences. Swamp buffalo has a higher diversity of both maternal and paternal lineages than river buffalo, with also a remarkable contrast between a weak phylogeographic structure of river buffalo and a strong geographic differentiation of swamp buffalo. The highest diversity of the swamp buffalo maternal lineages was found in south China and north Indochina on both banks of the Mekong River, while the highest diversity in paternal lineages was in the China/Indochina border region. We propose that domestication in this region was later followed by introgressive capture of wild cows west of the Mekong. Migration to the north followed the Yangtze valley as well as a more eastern route, but also involved translocations of both cows and bulls over large distances with a minor influence of river buffaloes in recent decades. Bayesian analyses of various migration models also supported domestication in the China/Indochina border region. Coalescence analysis yielded consistent estimates for the expansion of the major swamp buffalo haplogroups with a credibility interval of 900 to 3900 years BP. The spatial differentiation of mtDNA and Y‐chromosomal haplotype distributions indicates a lack of gene flow between established populations that is unprecedented in livestock.     

Veterinary significance of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157

Verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157 is a serious pathogen in man that is carried by ruminants and has been isolated from some other animal species. Except in the very young of certain species and in greyhounds, the organism is not associated with disease in animals. Humans may be infected by ingestion of the organism through direct animal contact, from contaminated food or water or from the environment. Great efforts have been made to improve hygienic food production and handling, to protect water supplies and to give adequate advice to people handling animals. It is also essential to try to reduce the numbers of organisms shed by animals and, to do this, a clear understanding of the ecology of the organism is required. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Bioelectrical impedance analysis for the prediction of fat-free mass in buffalo calf

The objective of this study has been to develop a prediction equation of fat-free mass (FFM) from buffalo calves. Twenty buffaloes were fed ad libitum access at unifeed, with vitamin-mineral integration, for 14 months. Seven days before slaughtering, the animals were weighed and bioelectrical impedance measurements were collected. The data were analyzed by multiple linear regressions to evaluate the relationship between FFM and various predictor variables. Stepwise regression was used to eliminate variables that did not influence variation in the model. The value of resistance collected showed a decrease when the electrical frequency increases, while the values of reactance (Xc) increase. When using live weight (LW) and reactance at 500 and at 1000 kHz as independent variables, we obtained the best R2 Adj (0.967) and Durbin Watson statistic (2.596) that explain the prediction model (FFM = - 30.59 + 0.993LW + 0.150Xc500 - 0.123Xc1000 + 9.11). These results indicate that the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis has excellent potential as a rapid method, with minimal perturbation for the animal, to predict FFM in buffalo.     

Theileria lawrencei: infection in the Indian water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis

Two Indian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), experimentally infected with Theileria lawrencei (Serengeti) by inoculation of stabilate material, died from acute theileriosis. Macroschizonts were first detected in both buffalo in the peripheral lymph node regional to the site of inoculation 8 days later. No microschizonts were seen in either animal and intraerythrocytic theilerial piroplasms were only detected in one in very low numbers. Both buffalo had marked febrile responses and died on Days 15 and 16 after exposure, when only low numbers of lymphoid cells were parasitized with macroschizonts, the vast majority of which contained few nuclei. Both buffalo showed evidence of terminal leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. On post mortem both animals showed generalised hyperplasia and edema of all lymphoid tissues, gross edema of the lungs, and hemorrhages in the heart and kidneys. T. lawrencei (Serengeti) infections of water buffalo and of cattle are compared and shown to be very similar.     

Genetic diversity of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene in swamp buffalo

The swamp buffalo (Bubalus carabanensis) is mainly bred for meat, transport and rice cultivation in China and Southeast Asian countries. In the current study, we investigated the genetic diversity, maternal origin and phylogenetic relationship of swamp buffalo by analyzing 1,786 mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) sequences from China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, India and Bangladesh. Our results indicated that the swamp buffalo can be divided into two major lineages (SA and SB with the sublineages) and three rare lineages (SC, SD and SE), which showed strong geographic differentiation. The SA1 lineage represented a major domestication event, which involved population expansion. Regions III and V showed higher haplotype diversity than the other regions, indicating that the regions of Southwest China and IndoChina are potential domestication centers for the swamp buffalo. In addition, the swamp buffalo showed a closer phylogenetic relationship to tamaraw. In conclusion, our findings revealed a high level of genetic diversity and the phylogenetic pattern of the swamp buffalo.     

Variation in the geometry of foreleg claws in sympatric giant water bug species: an adaptive trait for catching prey?

When giant water bugs (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae) encounter prey animals that are larger than they are themselves, they first hook the claw of their raptorial legs onto the animal, and then use all their legs to pin it. The claws of the raptorial legs in giant water bugs play an important role in catching larger prey, but the relationship between the claws, body lengths of predators, and prey size has not been fully investigated. To elucidate the functioning of claws in catching prey, we investigated prey body size relative to predator size in nymphs of two sympatric belostomatid giant water bug species, the vertebrate eater Kirkaldyia (=Lethocerus) deyrolli Vuillefroy and the invertebrate eater Appasus japonicus Vuillefroy, captured in rice fields. The younger nymphs of K. deyrolli caught preys that were larger than themselves, whereas those of A. japonicus caught preys that were smaller. Younger nymphs of K. deyrolli had claws that were curved more sharply than those of A. japonicus. The more curved claws of younger nymphs of K. deyrolli probably hook more easily onto larger vertebrates and thus this shape represents an adaptation for acquiring such prey.