Animal husbandry is increasingly under pressure to meet world food demand. Thus, strategies are sought to ensure this productivity increment. The objective of this review was to gather advances in the use of bacterial probiotics in animal production. Lactobacilli correspond to the most used bacterial group, with several beneficial effects already reported and described, as well as the and genera - being the latter expressively used in aquaculture. Research on the genus is mostly focused on human health, which demonstrates great effects on blood biochemical parameters. Such results sustain the possibility of expanding its use in veterinary medicine. Other groups commonly assessed for human medicine but with prospective expansion to animal health are the genera and , which have been demonstrating interesting effects on the prevention of viral diseases, and in dentistry, respectively. Although bacteria from the genera and also have great potential for use in animal production, a complete characterization of the candidate strain must be previously made, due to the existence of pathogenic and/or spoilage variants. It is noteworthy that a growing number of studies have investigated the genus , but still in very early stages. However, the hitherto excellent results endorse its application. In this way, in addition to the fact that bacterial probiotics represent a promising approach to promote productivity increase in animal production, the application of other strains than the traditionally employed genera may allow the exploitation of novel mechanisms and enlighten unexplored possibilities.

Several countries have shown an increased prevalence of drug resistance in animal production due to the indiscriminate use of antibiotics and antiparasitics in human and veterinary medicine. This article aims to review existing methods using naturally occurring essential oils (EOs) and their isolated compounds (EOCs) as alternatives to antimicrobials and antiparasitic compounds in animal production and, consequently, to avoid resistance. The most-reported mechanism of action of EOs and EOCs was cell membrane damage, which leads to the leakage of cytoplasmic content, increased membrane permeability, inhibition of metabolic and genetic pathways, morphologic changes, antibiofilm effects, and damage to the genetic material of infections. In parasites, anticoccidial effects, reduced motility, growth inhibition, and morphologic changes have been reported. Although these compounds regularly show a similar effect to those promoted by traditional drugs, the elucidation of their mechanisms of action is still scarce. The use of EOs and EOCs can also positively influence crucial parameters in animal production, such as body weight gain, feed conversion rate, and cholesterol reduction, which also positively impact meat quality. The application of EOs and EOCs is enhanced by their association with other natural compounds or even by the association with synthetic chemicals, which has been found to cause synergism in their antimicrobial effect. By reducing the effective therapeutical/prophylactic dose, the chances of off-flavors – the most common issue in EO and EOC application – is greatly mitigated. However, there is very little work on the combination of EOs and EOCs in large studies. In addition, research must apply the correct methodology to properly understand the observed effects; for example, the use of only high concentrations may mask potential results obtained at lower dosages. Such corrections will also allow the elucidation of finer mechanisms and promote better biotechnologic use of EOs and EOCs. This manuscript presents several information gaps to be filled before the use of EOs and EOCs are fully applicable in animal production.

Antibiotic resistance has become a major health concern globally, with current predictions expecting deaths related to resistant infections to surpass those of cancer by 2050. Major efforts are being undertaken to develop derivative and novel alternatives to current antibiotic therapies in human medicine. What appears to be lacking however, are similar efforts into researching the application of those alternatives, such as (bacterio)phage therapy, in veterinary contexts. Agriculture is still undoubtedly the most prominent consumer of antibiotics, with up to 70% of annual antibiotic usage attributed to this sector, despite policies to reduce their use in food animals. This not only increases the risk of resistant infections spreading from farm to community but also the risk that animals may acquire species-specific infections that subvert treatment. While these diseases may not directly affect human welfare, they greatly affect the profit margin of industries reliant on livestock due to the cost of treatments and (more frequently) the losses associated with animal death. This means actively combatting animal infection not only benefits animal welfare but also global economies. In particular, targeting recurring or chronic conditions associated with certain livestock has the potential to greatly reduce financial losses. This can be achieved by developing novel diagnostics to quickly identify ill animals alongside the design of novel therapies. To explore this concept further, this review employs Johne's disease, a chronic gastroenteritis condition that affects ruminants, as a case study to exemplify the benefits of rapid diagnostics and effective treatment of chronic disease, with particular regard to the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of phage.

Ectoparasites are important to the one health concept because their parasitism can result in the transmission of pathogens, allergic reactions, the release of toxins, morbidity, and even death of the host. Ectoparasites can affect host physiology, as reflected in immune defenses and body condition as well as hematological and biochemical parameters. Thus, evidence that ectoparasites influence host hematological parameters was systematically reviewed, and the methodological quality of these studies was analyzed. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed, and the studies included were limited to those that evaluated changes in hematological tests in ectoparasite-infested and non-infested animals, and bias and methodological quality were evaluated using the Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments guideline. Thirty-four studies were selected and information about the host, ectoparasite infestation, blood collection, and analysis was collected and compared whenever possible. In this review, the presence of ectoparasites influenced both the red series and the white series of hematological parameters. Among the main parameters analyzed, hematocrit, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and lymphocytes showed reductions, probably due to ectoparasite blood-feeding, while including eosinophils, neutrophils, and basophils increased in infested animals due to the host immune response. However, methodologic improvements are needed to reduce the risk of bias, enhance the reproducibility of such studies, and ensure results aligned with the mechanisms that act in the ectoparasite-host relationship.

Due to the increasing demand for antibiotic-free livestock products from the consumer side and the ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters, the poultry feed industry is increasingly interested in developing more alternatives to cope with this problem. Organic acids (butyric acid) have many beneficial effects on poultry health, performance, and egg quality when used in their diet, thus they can be considered for the replacement of antibiotics in livestock production systems. Butyric acid is most efficacious against pathogenic bacteria such as spp. and , and stimulates the population of beneficial gut bacteria. It is a primary energy source for colonocytes and augments the differentiation and maturation of the intestinal cells. Collectively, butyric acid should be considered as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters, because it reduces pathogenic bacteria and their toxins, enhancing gut health thereby increasing nutrient digestibility, thus leading to improved growth performance and immunity among birds. The possible pathways and mechanisms through which butyric acid enhances gut health and production performance are discussed in this review. Detailed information about the use of butyric acid in poultry and its possible benefits under different conditions are also provided, and the impacts of butyric acid on egg quality and osteoporosis are noted.

Nutrition demands in aquaculture can be realized through quality aquafeeds as compounded diets that contribute to the growth and health of aquaculture species. Functional additives in feed, notably probiotics, prebiotics, and their admixture synbiotics, have been recently recognized for their biotherapeutic role as immunostimulants capable of conferring disease resistance, stress tolerance, and gastrointestinal health; counteracting the negative effects of anti-nutrients, pathogenic prevalence, and antimicrobials in finfish aquaculture. Formulated diets based on probiotics, prebiotics, and as a supplemental combination for synbiotics can significantly influence fish gut microbiomes, establishing the modalities of microbial dynamics to maximize host-associated benefits. These microbial functional-feed supplements are acclaimed to be biocompatible, biodegradable, and safe for dietary consumption as well as the environment. In fed fish aquaculture, prebiotic appended probiotic diet 'synbiotic' has propounded larger attention for its additional health and nutritional benefits. Synbiotic, prebiotic, and probiotic usage as functional feeds for finfish aquaculture thus provides promising prospects. Developing trends in their intended application are reviewed here forth.

In people and animals, low birth weight (LBW) is recognized as highly predictive of health trajectory from the neonatal period to elderly ages. Regarding the neonatal period, although LBW is recognized as a major risk factor for neonatal mortality, there does not appear to be a clear definition of 'when a birth weight should be considered low' in all species. The aim of this work was to use the scientific literature available to map the various thresholds proposed to define LBW in domestic mammals. Using a standardized methodology, a scoping review was conducted through a literature search in three different bibliographic databases. After a two-step screening of 1729 abstracts and full-text publications by two independent reviewers, eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Selected publications represented six mammalian species (rat, mouse, dog, pig, cow, and rabbit). Birth weight thresholds were identified through six different methods. In addition to the scarcity of scientific literature about the definition of LBW, this scoping review revealed the lack of standardization for the description, evaluation or the pertinence these definitions. Because the health consequences of LBW could be preventable, providing early identification of at-risk neonates, a consensus for the standardized definition of LBW is required.

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the scientific literature evaluating the efficacy and comparative efficacy of antimicrobials (AMs) for the treatment of diarrhea in calves. Eligible studies were non- and randomized controlled trials evaluating an AM intervention against a positive and negative control, with at least one of the following outcomes: fecal consistency score, fever, dehydration, appetite, attitude, weight gain, and mortality. Four electronic databases were searched. Titles and abstracts (three reviewers) and full texts (two reviewers) were screened. A total of 2899 studies were retrieved; 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed. Most studies had incomplete reporting of trial design and results. Eight studies compared AMs to a negative control (placebo or no treatment). Among eligible studies, the most common outcomes reported were diarrhea severity ( = 6) and mortality ( = 6). Eligible studies evaluated very different interventions and outcomes; thus, a meta-analysis was not performed. The risk of bias assessment revealed concerns with reporting of key trial features, including disease and outcome definitions. Insufficient evidence is available in the scientific literature to assess the efficacy of AMs in treating calf diarrhea.

Dietary fiber (DF) is receiving increasing attention, and its importance in pig nutrition is now acknowledged. Although DF for pigs was frowned upon for a long time because of reductions in energy intake and digestibility of other nutrients, it has become clear that feeding DF to pigs can affect their well-being and health. This review aims to summarize the state of knowledge of studies on DF in pigs, with an emphasis on the underlying mode of action, by considering research using DF in sows as well as suckling and weaned piglets, and fattening pigs. These studies indicate that DF can benefit the digestive tracts and the health of pigs, if certain conditions or restrictions are considered, such as concentration in the feed and fermentability. Besides the chemical composition and the impact on energy and nutrient digestibility, it is also necessary to evaluate the possible physical and physiologic effects on intestinal function and intestinal microbiota, to better understand the relation of DF to animal health and welfare. Future research should be designed to provide a better mechanistic understanding of the physiologic effects of DF in pigs.

In basic research, testing of oral fluid specimens by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has been used to evaluate changes in gene expression levels following experimental treatments. In diagnostic medicine, qPCR has been used to detect DNA/RNA transcripts indicative of bacterial or viral infections. Normalization of qPCR using endogenous and exogenous reference genes is a well-established strategy for ensuring result comparability by controlling sample-to-sample variation introduced during sampling, storage, and qPCR testing. In this review, the majority of recent publications in human ( = 136) and veterinary ( = 179) medicine did not describe the use of internal reference genes in qPCRs for oral fluid specimens (52.9% animal studies; 57.0% human studies). However, the use of endogenous reference genes has not been fully explored or validated for oral fluid specimens. The lack of valid internal reference genes inherent to the oral fluid matrix will continue to hamper the reliability, reproducibility, and generalizability of oral fluid qPCR assays until this issue is addressed.

Livestock welfare assessment helps monitor animal health status to maintain productivity, identify injuries and stress, and avoid deterioration. It has also become an important marketing strategy since it increases consumer pressure for a more humane transformation in animal treatment. Common visual welfare practices by professionals and veterinarians may be subjective and cost-prohibitive, requiring trained personnel. Recent advances in remote sensing, computer vision, and artificial intelligence (AI) have helped developing new and emerging technologies for livestock biometrics to extract key physiological parameters associated with animal welfare. This review discusses the livestock farming digital transformation by describing (i) biometric techniques for health and welfare assessment, (ii) livestock identification for traceability and (iii) machine and deep learning application in livestock to address complex problems. This review also includes a critical assessment of these topics and research done so far, proposing future steps for the deployment of AI models in commercial farms. Most studies focused on model development without applications or deployment for the industry. Furthermore, reported biometric methods, accuracy, and machine learning approaches presented some inconsistencies that hinder validation. Therefore, it is required to develop more efficient, non-contact and reliable methods based on AI to assess livestock health, welfare, and productivity.

The objective of this study was to summarize peer-reviewed literature on the prevalence and concentration of non-O157 STEC (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) serogroups and virulence genes ( and ) in fecal, hide, and carcass samples in pre- and peri-harvest cattle worldwide, using a systematic review of the literature and meta-analyses.

Cannabis is used in the treatment of several human conditions; however, its use is still less explored in veterinary medicine. This systematic review aims to summarize the evidence of efficacy and safety of the use of cannabis for the treatment of animal disease. A literature search was performed for studies published until 16 March 2021 in five databases. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that reported the efficacy or safety of cannabis in the treatment of animal disease were included. The RoB 2 Tool was used to assess the risk of bias. A total of 2427 records were identified, of which six studies fully met the eligibility criteria. RCTs were conducted in dogs with osteoarthritis ( = 4), with epilepsy ( = 1), and with behavioral disorders ( = 1). All studies used cannabidiol (CBD) oil in monotherapy or in combination with other drugs. Studies used CBD at 2 or 2.5 mg kg twice daily ( = 4), orally ( = 5), during 4 or 6 weeks ( = 3), and compared CBD with placebo ( = 5). CBD significantly reduced pain and increased activity in dogs with osteoarthritis ( = 3). Moreover, CBD significantly reduced the frequency of seizures in dogs with epilepsy ( = 1) and the aggressive behavior of dogs ( = 1). Although promising results were identified, studies were heterogeneous and presented risks of bias that required caution in the interpretation of findings. Therefore, there was some evidence to support the use of CBD in dogs with osteoarthritis to reduce pain and increased activity, but limited evidence against epilepsy and behavioral problems. In addition, CBD was well tolerated with mild adverse effects. More RCTs with high quality of evidence are needed, including greater numbers of animal subjects, additional species, and clear readout measures to confirm these findings.

The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence of leptospirosis among stray and sheltered dogs worldwide. Six databases were searched, which resulted in the retrieval of 476 articles. Sixty articles were selected for analysis according to 10 quality criteria. Among the selected papers, 26 papers [43.4% (26/60)] met five of the 10 quality criteria established, 10 papers [16.7% (10/60)] met three criteria, nine papers [15.0% (9/60)] met four criteria, six papers [10.0% (6/60)] met six criteria, four papers [6.7% (4/60)] met eight criteria, and three papers [5.0% (3/60)] met nine of the 10 criteria, whereas two papers [1.7% (1/60)] met two and seven [1.7% (1/60)] criteria. Publications originated mainly from the Americas [45.0% (27/60)] and in the last 16 years (2003-2019) [81.7% (49/60)], and most of the sampled dogs were stray dogs [65.0% (39/60)]. The most commonly used diagnostic test for leptospirosis was the microscopic agglutination test [78.4% (47/60)] followed by polymerase chain reaction [21.7% (13/60)], and the most common serovars were Canicola [71.4% (35/49)], Icterohaemorrhagiae [65.3% (32/49)], Grippotyphosa [40.8% (20/49)], and Pomona [40.8% (20/49)]. In conclusion, our results showed that spp. are present in unowned dogs worldwide; however, the low-methodological quality of the recovered cross-sectional studies precluded a meta-analysis.

Sepsis is a complex clinical syndrome triggered by an inflammatory host response to an infection. It is usually complicated to detect and diagnose, and has severe consequences in human and veterinary health, especially when treatment is not started early. Therefore, efforts to detect sepsis accurately are needed. In addition, its proper diagnosis could reduce the misuse of antibiotics, which is essential fighting against antimicrobial resistance. This case is a particular issue in farm animals, as antibiotics have been traditionally given massively, but now they are becoming increasingly restricted. When sepsis is suspected in animals, the most frequently used biomarkers are acute phase proteins such as C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin, but their concentrations can increase in other inflammatory conditions. In human patients, the most promising biomarkers to detect sepsis are currently procalcitonin and presepsin, and there is a wide range of other biomarkers under study. However, there is little information on the application of these biomarkers in veterinary species. This review aims to describe the general concepts of sepsis and the current knowledge about the biomarkers of sepsis in pigs, horses, and cattle and to discuss possible advances in the field.

Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) of cattle has been recognized for many decades. While the pathogenesis and risk factors for this condition in pastured cattle are relatively well characterized, there remains a poor understanding of the disease as it occurs in intensively fed cattle such as in beef feedlots. Specifically, in pastured cattle, AIP results from excessive ruminal production of the pneumotoxicant 3-methylindole (3-MI). In feedlot cattle, the evidence to substantiate the role of 3-MI is comparatively deficient and further investigations into the cause, pathogenesis, and control are sorely needed. This review highlights our current understanding of AIP with a focus on the disease as it occurs in feedlot cattle. Additionally, it illustrates the need for further work in understanding the specific animal factors (e.g. the ruminal microbiome, and the role of concurrent diseases), management factors (e.g. animal stocking and vaccination protocols), and dietary factors (e.g. dietary supplements) that may impact the development of AIP and which are relatively unique to the feedlot setting. All stakeholders in the beef industry stand to benefit from a greater understanding of what remains a pressing yet poorly understood issue in beef production.

Castration of male piglets in the United States is conducted without analgesics because no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved products are labeled for pain control in swine. The absence of approved products is primarily due to a wide variation in how pain is measured in suckling piglets and the lack of validated pain-specific outcomes individually indistinct from other biological responses, such as general stress or inflammation responses with cortisol. Simply put, to measure pain mitigation, measurement of pain must be specific, quantifiable, and defined. Therefore, given the need for mitigating castration pain, a consortium of researchers, veterinarians, industry, and regulatory agencies was formed to identify potential animal-based outcomes and develop a methodology, based on the known scientific research, to measure pain and the efficacy of mitigation strategies. The outcome-based measures included physiological, neuroendocrine, behavioral, and production parameters. Ultimately, this consortium aims to provide a validated multimodal methodology to demonstrate analgesic drug efficacy for piglet castration.Measurable outcomes were selected based on published studies suggesting their validity, reliability, and sensitivity for the direct or indirect measurement of pain associated with surgical castration in piglets. Outcomes to be considered are observation of pain behaviors (i.e. ethogram defined behaviors and piglet grimace scale), gait parameters measured with a pressure mat, infrared thermography of skin temperature of the cranium and periphery of the eye, and blood biomarkers. Other measures include body weight and mortality rate.This standardized measurement of the outcome variable's primary goal is to facilitate consistency and rigor by developing a research methodology utilizing endpoints that are well-defined and reliably measure pain in piglets. The resulting methodology will facilitate and guide the evaluation of the effectiveness of comprehensive analgesic interventions for 3- to 5-day-old piglets following surgical castration.

Neonatal mortality in puppies is a problem frequently encountered by dog breeders. Often, only postmortem examination allows diagnosis and implementation of measures to save the rest of the litter. This article presents the key steps of the postmortem examination, namely, autopsy, histopathology, bacteriology, molecular identification of pathogens, and coproscopy. Sampling, samples' conservation, and interpretation of the obtained results are presented as well as their relative importance for the final diagnosis. Finally, examples of the most frequent syndromes observed under postmortem examination in canine newborns, together with the results from a complementary analysis looking for infectious agents responsible for death, are discussed.

Necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by Clostridium perfringens (CP), is one of the most common of poultry diseases, causing huge economic losses to the poultry industry. This review provides an overview of the pathogenesis of NE in chickens and of the interaction of CP with the host immune system. The roles of management, nutrition, probiotics, and vaccination in reducing the incidence and severity of NE in poultry flocks are also discussed.

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), caused by Bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), is a disease of cattle responsible for significant economic losses worldwide. IBR is under certain communitarian regulations. Every member state can approve its own national IBR control program for the entire territory - or part of it - and can demand additional guarantees for bovids destined to its territory; therefore, every member state can be officially declared as entirely or partly IBR-free. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of IBR control and eradication programs in European countries. BoHV-1 control schemes were first introduced in the late 1970s, mainly in Northern and Central Europe. Depending on the seroprevalence rate, control strategies rely on identification and removal of seropositive animals or the use of glycoprotein E (gE)-deleted marker vaccines in infected herds. The implementation of a novel law for disease eradication at the EU level and of a European IBR data flow could make the goal of IBR eradication in all European countries easier to achieve.