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An observational study was carried out in Swedish dairy herds to investigate differences between cows with and without displaced abomasum (DA), in concentrations of glucose, insulin, fructosamine, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol, haptoglobin, increased enzyme activity of aspartate aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase, and the revised Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (RQUICKI). A secondary aim was to study how blood profiles for DA cows vary with time in relation to calving. Sixty-nine DA cows within 2 to 56 d postpartum, in 60 herds, were clinically examined and blood samples were drawn at the time DA was diagnosed. At the same time, 104 healthy control cows matched by herd and stage of lactation were also sampled. The blood parameters were studied using mixed linear models, including herd as a random effect, and DA (case or control), parity, breed, sampling time in relation to calving, other diseases, and the interaction between DA and time as fixed effects. Concentrations were higher in DA cows than in control cows for NEFA (least squares means 1.36 vs. 0.34 mmol/L), β-hydroxybutyrate (1.56 vs. 0.90 mmol/L), aspartate aminotransferase (1.96 vs. 0.97 μkat/L), glutamate dehydrogenase (197 vs. 78 μkat/L), and haptoglobin (0.76 vs. 0.17 g/L), whereas concentrations were lower in DA cows than in control cows for insulin (3.61 vs. 8.48 mU/L) and cholesterol (3.04 vs. 3.75 mmol/L). Glucose (2.83 vs. 2.79 mmol/L) and fructosamine (266 vs. 252 μmol/L) concentrations were similar in both groups; however, a tendency toward lower RQUICKI values (0.42 vs. 0.46) in the DA cows was found, indicating reduced insulin sensitivity. For most blood parameters, differences between DA cows and controls remained constant over time. Seventy-two percent of the DA cows had at least one other disease in the period from 1 wk antepartum to 1 wk after the DA was diagnosed. Haptoglobin could potentially be used to detect treatable infectious or inflammatory conditions in the early postpartum period, possibly reducing the incidence of DA. Consequently, there were major changes in blood profiles in cows with DA compared with healthy control cows, indicating a negative energy balance, liver cell damage, and an inflammatory response. The results contribute to an understanding of the metabolic changes in DA cows.

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BackgroundDespite being the most commonly used mammal in biomedical research, problems with perinatal mortality in mice have received little attention and the causes of pup death are still poorly known. Females are often housed alone with their litters and since the lost pups are generally eaten, it is commonly assumed that the mother has killed them. However, more detailed observations than have been reported previously in the literature are required to establish if the cause of death is infanticide. Litter loss can only be prevented efficiently after underlying causes have been carefully investigated and interpreted. The aim of this study was to investigate if females actively kill their pups by observing the behaviour of females and pups in litters that later were lost. We used video recordings of females that lost their entire litter to observe females in detail from parturition until the pups died. In total, 10 C57BL/6 females (wildtype and the knockouts Hfe−/− and β2m−/−) were studied, housed in Makrolon II cages with or without access to a small amount of nesting material.ResultsThree of the females had pups that were never seen moving, and another three females had one or two pups that never moved, indicating that some pups were most likely still-born. In five females with live-born pups, detailed observations from the time when a pup was last seen moving until it died were possible to carry out. We observed females eating dead offspring and interacting with both moving and dead pups. However, we never observed a pup stop moving when manipulated by the female, nor were any wounds seen in the pups. Hence, we found no evidence of infanticide when studying females that had lost their entire litter.ConclusionThese results suggest that other causes than infanticide plays a major role in mouse pup death, and stress the need for more systematic and careful investigations of the causality of litter loss.

The opportunities for natural animal behaviours in pastures imply animal welfare benefits. Nevertheless, monitoring the animals can be challenging. The use of sensors, cameras, positioning equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles in large pastures has the potential to improve animal welfare surveillance. Directly or indirectly, sensors measure environmental factors together with the behaviour and physiological state of the animal, and deviations can trigger alarms for, e.g., disease, heat stress and imminent calving. Electronic positioning includes Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for the recording of animals at fixed points. Positioning units (GPS) mounted on collars can determine animal movements over large areas, determine their habitat and, somewhat, health and welfare. In combination with other sensors, such units can give information that helps to evaluate the welfare of free-ranging animals. Drones equipped with cameras can also locate and count the animals, as well as herd them. Digitally defined virtual fences can keep animals within a predefined area without the use of physical barriers, relying on acoustic signals and weak electric shocks. Due to individual variations in learning ability, some individuals may be exposed to numerous electric shocks, which might compromise their welfare. More research and development are required, especially regarding the use of drones and virtual fences.