The aims of this study were the evaluation of a quantitative method for the assessment of pneumonia lesions applied to heavy-weight slaughtered pigs, the identification of risk factors connected with the increase in the prevalence and severity of the lesions and the evaluation of a possible correlation between the presence of pneumonia lesions and the decrease in the carcass quality. The lungs of 10 041 pigs (109 slaughtered batches) coming from 91 farms located in Northern Italy were examined. Lung lesions were scored using the method developed by Madec and Kobisch (Journ. Rech. Porc. Fr., 14, 1982, 405). Before the scoring, anamnestic information regarding the farm of origin of each batch were collected. For 41 batches (3603 pigs), information about carcass quality were also collected. Pneumonia lesions were found in 59.6% of the lungs (range 3-91%), and the average batch score was 2.11 (range 0.03-7.15). We identified as farm risk factors those related to an increase in the severity of the lung lesions, the presence of breeders within the herd, the starting of a growing cycle during the winter season and the lack of vaccination programmes to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Moreover, we also found a statistically significant association between the increase in the mean lung score of the batch and the decrease of the carcass quality.

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The aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the influence of anaerobic digestion and storage on indicator microorganisms in swine and dairy excreta. Samples were collected every 90 days for 15 months at eight farms, four pig, and four dairy farms, four of them having a biogas plant. Moreover, to evaluate storage effects on samples, 20 l of manure and slurry taken at each farm (digested manure only in farms with a biogas plant) were stored in a controlled climatic chamber at 18 °C, for 6 months. The bacterial load and the chemical-physical characteristics of excreta were evaluated at each sampling time, stored slurry, and manure were sampled and analyzed every 2 months. A high variability of the concentration of bacteria in the different excreta types was observed during the experiment, mainly depending on the type and time of treatment. No sample revealed either the presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 or of Salmonella, usually linked to the temporary rearing of infected animals in facilities. Anaerobic digestion and storage affected in a significant way the reduction of indicator bacteria like lactobacilli, coliforms, and streptococci. Anaerobic digestion lowered coliforms in pig slurry (- 2.80 log, P < 0.05), streptococci in dairy manure (- 2.44 log, P < 0.001) and in pig slurry (- 1.43 log, P < 0.05), and lactobacilli in pig slurry (- 3.03 log, P < 0.05). Storage lowered coliforms and the other indicators counts, in particular in fresh wastes, while clostridia did not show a reduction in concentration.

In this Research Communication we report the results of a controlled study conducted under field conditions in which we analysed milk ejection curves in cows with chronic mastitis, and assessed the influence of antinflammatory treatment with ketoprofen. Total milking time was reduced in chronic mastitis cows, irrespective of ketoprofen treatment, and the proportion of bimodal flow curves was increased. This latter effect was partially reversed by ketoprofen. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that chronic mastitis has a significant effect on the milk ejection curve. Antinflammatory treatment with ketoprofen was shown to be efficacious in reducing these negative effects, re-establishing a pattern close to the one observed in healthy cows.

A new integrated approach to analyze bulk tank milk and raw milk filters for the presence of the E. coli serogroups frequently associated with VTEC status, Research in Veterinary Science (2017Science ( ), doi: 10.1016Science ( / j.rvsc.2017 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. AbstractWe optimized a combination of microbiological and molecular methods to quickly identify the presence of the O157 and the six non-O157 serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145) most frequently associated with VTEC status, at herd level. The lower detection limit of this methodology is 10 1 CFU/ml for each of the serogroups tested.We tested 67 bulk tank milk (BTM) and raw milk filters (RMF) derived from dairy herds located in Lombardy and Trentino Alto Adige. We identified 3 positive samples and 20 positive samples out of 67 respectively in the BTM and RMF. Interestingly, several samples showed positivity for more than one serogroups at the same time. We also identified the presence of E.coli O45 and O121 for the first time in raw milk and raw milk filters. Once screened the seven serogroups of interest in our ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T2 samples, we evaluated the real pathogenicity of our positive, non-O157 samples through two parallel molecular biology methods: virulence gene research by PCR, and HRMA and sequencing.The most frequently isolated serogroups in milk were O157 (2.64%), O103 (2.11%), and O145(1.06%), while in RMF the frequencies were, respectively 14.92%, 4.48%, and 2.98%. Moreover, this is the first published report in Italy of positive recovery of O45 and O121 serogroups in milk and milk filters. The new diagnostic approach proposed investigate the presence of the O157 and big six non-O157 serogroups at farm level and not to identify VTEC hazard only once the product is processed and/or is ready to be consumed.