The risk of bacterial infection of the endometrium causing uterine disease in cattle is increased in the progesterone-dominated luteal phase of the ovarian cycle, while oestrogens or oestrus are therapeutic or protective against disease. The first line of defence against bacteria, such as Escherichia coli that cause inflammation of the endometrium, is the innate immune system, which recognises bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This study tested the hypothesis that cyclic variation in ovarian hormone concentrations alters innate immune responses within the bovine endometrium. Ex vivo organ cultures of endometrium, and in vitro cultures of endometrial epithelial and stromal cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), all mounted inflammatory responses to E. coli or LPS, with secretion of inflammatory mediators interleukin 1b (IL1b), IL6 and IL8, and increased expression of mRNA encoding IL1B, IL6, CXCL8 (IL8) and CCL5. However, these inflammatory responses, typical of innate immunity, were not affected by the stage of ovarian cycle in which the endometrium was collected for organ culture, or by exogenous oestradiol or progesterone. Although a dexamethasone-positive control reduced inflammation stimulated by E. coli or LPS, treatment with oestradiol or progesterone, or inhibitors of oestradiol or progesterone nuclear receptors, did not affect endometrial cell or PBMC secretion of IL1b, IL6 or IL8, or IL1B, IL6, CXCL8 and CCL5 gene expression. In conclusion, the stage of the oestrus cycle or ovarian steroids did not modulate the innate immune response in the bovine endometrium in vitro.

Introduction: A feedlot is an intensive farming system for finishing livestock. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a cause of morbidity and mortality in beef cattle, especially in feedlots. Methodology: This study investigated the morbidity and mortality of BRD in a beef cattle feedlot in southeastern Brazil using: clinical diagnoses, therapy, morbidity, and mortality. Pulmonary fragments were collected from five steers, on feed from 3-32 days, with lesions of pneumonia for identification of BRD infectious agents PCR. Results: 188,862 steers were on feed and morbidity was 7.05% (13,315/188,862), mortality 0.64% (1,214/188,862). The causes of morbidity were: BRD (6.13%), lameness (0.29%), trauma (0.21%), clostridiosis (0.13%) and polioencephalomalacia, PEM (0.12%). The causes of mortality were: BRD (0.21%), trauma (0.17%), and clostridiosis (0.13%). When all sick cattle were considered (n=13,315), BRD (86.9%) was the principal cause of morbidity, followed by lameness (4.13%), trauma (3.05%), and clostridiosis (1.82%). The cost of BRD-associated cattle mortality and morbidity was estimated at $14,334.00/10,000 and $16,315.40/10,000 respectively. It was projected that the economic effects due to BRD-associated morbidity in Brazil were $6.31 million/annum, while losses due to mortality were $5.54 million, resulting in an annual loss of $11.85 million. Coinfections in cattle with pneumonia due to Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida were identified in 4/5 steers tested. Conclusions: This is the first longitudinal study that investigated the incidence of BRD in feedlot cattle from Brazil, and the results herein described indicate that BRD contributed significantly to the development of mortality and morbidity of cattle on feed.

We investigated the occurrence of infectious pathogens during an outbreak of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in a beef cattle feedlot in southern Brazil that has a high risk of developing BRD. Nasopharyngeal swabs were randomly collected from steers ( n = 23) and assessed for the presence of infectious agents of BRD by PCR and/or RT-PCR assays. These included: Histophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma bovis, bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), and bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3). Pulmonary sections of one steer that died with clinical BRD were submitted for pathology and molecular testing. The frequencies of the pathogens identified from the nasopharyngeal swabs were: H. somni 39% (9 of 23), BRSV 35% (8 of 23), BCoV 22% (5 of 23), and M. haemolytica 13% (3 of 23). PCR or RT-PCR assays did not identify P. multocida, M. bovis, BoHV-1, BVDV, or BPIV-3 from the nasopharyngeal swabs. Single and concomitant associations of infectious agents of BRD were identified. Fibrinous bronchopneumonia was diagnosed in one steer that died; samples were positive for H. somni and M. haemolytica by PCR. H. somni, BRSV, and BCoV are important disease pathogens of BRD in feedlot cattle in Brazil, but H. somni and BCoV are probably under-reported.

The etiology and pathologic findings of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in adult dairy cows (n = 35) from a commercial dairy herd in Southern Brazil were investigated. Pulmonary samples were examined for histopathologic patterns and specific features within these patterns, while immunohistochemical (IHC) assays were designed to

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The bovine respiratory disease (BRD) complex is a multietiological and multifactorial disease associated with a wide range of viral and bacterial pathogens. This study evaluated the contribution of specific infectious disease agents in the development of BRD in cattle from Brazil and determined if a virus within the malignant catarrhal fever virus (MCFV) group and Mycoplasma bovis, acting individually or in conjunction, can be associated with the development of BRD. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pulmonary sections were used in immunohistochemical assays to determine the intralesional presence of six antigens associated with BRD: bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), MCFV, and M. bovis. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 82.7% (120/145) of all cattle evaluated. Interstitial pneumonia (60%, 72/120) and suppurative bronchopneumonia (25.8%, 31/120) were the most frequent patterns of pneumonia identified. Intralesional antigens of MCFV (53.3%, 64/120) were the most frequently associated with BRD, followed by M. bovis (47.5%, 57/120), BVDV (42.5%, 51/120), BoHV-1 (28.3%, 34/120), BRSV (24.2%, 29/120), and BPIV-3 (8.3%, 10/120). Additionally, antigens of BVDV, MCFV, and M. bovis were the most frequently identified agents associated with singular and concomitant infections. The MCFV identified during this study is more likely to be ovine gammaherpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2), since OvHV-2 is the only MCFV identified within the geographical region of this study. Interstitial pneumonia with proliferative vascular lesions may be a useful histologic feature to differentiate MCFV-induced pneumonia from other viral pneumonias of cattle. These results demonstrate that MCFV and M. bovis, in single or mixed infections, can produce pneumonia in cattle and should therefore be considered as primary agents in the development of BRD.

ResumoA bioquímica sérica permite estabelecer valores de referência utilizados na avaliação clínica e metabólica de bezerros, reduzindo as perdas na criação bovina. Neste contexto, objetivou-se avaliar o perfil bioquímico sérico e a influência do fator etário em bezerros da raça Senepol, do nascimento até 120 dias de idade. O experimento foi realizado no município de Uberlândia-MG, Brasil, em quatro momentos após o nascimento (0 -15º, 30º, 60º e 120º dia de vida). As amostras de sangue foram obtidas por venopunção da jugular para determinação das concentrações séricas de proteínas totais, albumina, globulina, triglicerídeos, colesterol, AST, GGT, FA, cálcio, fósforo, magnésio, creatinina e uréia. O colesterol manteve-se abaixo ou nos valores mínimos de referência em todos os momentos. Os animais aos 30 dias apresentaram os valores mais baixos do proteinograma, minerais e triglicerídeos que se normalizaram aos 60 dias de vida, exceto a albumina que apresentou recuperação mais lenta. Concluiuse que há influência da faixa etária no comportamento dos constituintes bioquímicos analisados e que há diferenças quando comparados a outras raças. Palavras-chave: Bezerros, bioquímica sérica, colesterol, Bos taurus abstract The serum biochemical values allow to establish reference used in metabolic and clinical evaluations of calves, reducing losses in cattle breeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of age on serum biochemical profile in Senepol calves, at the first 120 days of age. The experiment was conducted in the city of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in four periods after birth (0-15, 30, 60 and 120 days of age). Blood samples were obtained by jugular venipuncture for determination of serum total protein, albumin, globulin, triglycerides, cholesterol, AST, GGT, FA, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, creatinine and urea. Cholesterol remained at minimum reference values or below throughout the experiment. Animals at 30 days showed the lowest values of protein concentrations, minerals and triglycerides that normalized up to 60 days of life, except to albumin that slower recovery was showed. Our data showed that the serum biochemical profile in Senepol is influenced by age up to 120 days of age; moreover there are differences with other breeds.

In dairy cattle, uterine infections are not life threatening and often unavoidable; however, they reduce fertility and increase the production costs of properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of subclinical endometritis from 32 to 70 days in milk (DIM) and its effects on the reproductive performance of crossbred dairy cows. Lactating cows (Holstein/Gir; n = 172), with no history of retained placenta, without clinical signs of uterine infection were used. The body condition score (BCS) was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 5. Ultrasound examination was performed to evaluate uterine lining and ovarian activity, while vaginal mucus was analyzed by gloved hand. The diagnosis of subclinical endometritis was performed by endometrial cytobrush technique. The samples were collected, stained, and examined microscopically; positive cases for subclinical endometritis were considered with the presence of ≥5 % of neutrophils. Later, the cows were submitted to conventional artificial insemination or timed artificial insemination. The incidence of subclinical endometritis in the herd was 26 %, and this was not affected by the season of calving, presence of corpus luteum, DIM, and parity. Cows with a BCS ≤2.50 had a higher incidence of subclinical endometritis. The conception rate to first insemination and pregnancy rate at 150 days postpartum were not influenced by the presence of subclinical endometritis in crossbred dairy cows.