Jens Agger - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Jens Agger
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 1992
This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmiss... more This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmissible venereal tumour. Five hundred and two dogs brought to the animal clinic at Sokoine University of Agriculture were examined. Clinical examination and exfoliative cytology were used to distinguish dogs with (n = 173) and without (n = 329) the disease. Comparison was made between diseased and non-diseased dogs in terms of age, breed, sex, type of dog (use), and other extrinsic factors related to location and management. Management methods that allowed dogs to be in contact with each other predisposed them to the disease. Thus, guard dogs were noted to be at a higher risk of the disease than pets (odds ratio (OR) = 4.46). Dogs kept in high-density areas and in areas with high populations of stray dogs were more likely to contract canine transmissible venereal tumour compared to those raised in low-density areas and areas relatively free from stray dogs (OR = 6.13 and 6.78, respectively). It was concluded that management practices that allow unsupervised contact between dogs are among the important risk factors for canine transmissible venereal tumour.
Journal of dairy science, 2002
The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attri... more The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attributable to the dam. Milk samples were collected from 8131 cows in 110 Danish dairy herds. The level of antibodies to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis was determined by use of an ELISA. Information on dam and sire was obtained from the Danish Cattle database. The following two data sets were analyzed: Data set A contained all cows < or = 400 days in milk (n = 7410); data set B contained 1056 dam-daughter pairs present simultaneously in herds at the day of sampling. Cows > 400 days in milk were excluded. Linear mixed models were used to obtain variance components for the effect of sire in data set A and the effect of sire and dam-daughter pairs in data set B. Models for both data sets A and B included information previously shown to confound antibody level and information of the relative prevalence of paratuberculosis in the herd. In data set A, the effect explained by...
BMC Veterinary Research, 2017
Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the co... more Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the course of wound healing, thereby impacting wound assessment and management on the farms, as well as the assessment of wounds in forensic cases. In this study, we examined the effect of color type on early wound healing in farmed mink. Full thickness excisional wounds (2 × 2 cm) were made on the back in 18 mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris. Gross and microscopic pathology of the wounds was evaluated 2 days post-wounding together with degree of wound size reduction, presence of bacteria and blood analyses. Results: Pathological examination on day 2 showed the greatest mean wound size reduction in Brown mink (11.0%) followed by Blue Iris (7.9%) and Silverblue (1.6%). Bacteria were cultured from all wounds, and predominantly Staphylococcus species were recovered in mixed or pure culture. Histopathology from day 2 wounds showed a scab overlying necrotic wound edges, which were separated from underlying vital tissue by a demarcation zone rich in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Fibroblasts and plump endothelial cells were more numerous in the deeper tissues. Complete blood count parameters were within normal ranges in most cases, however, the mink showed mildly to markedly decreased hematocrit and six mink of the color types Silverblue and Blue Iris showed moderately elevated numbers of circulating segmented neutrophils on day 2. There was a marked increase in concentration of serum amyloid A from day 0 to day 2 in all color types. Conclusions: We have described differences in early wound healing between mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris by use of an experimental wound model in farmed mink. The most pronounced difference pertained to the degree of wound size reduction which was greatest in Brown mink, followed by Blue Iris and Silverblue, respectively.
PubMed, Dec 15, 1994
Various new developments in livestock production confront the veterinarian. In addition to Integr... more Various new developments in livestock production confront the veterinarian. In addition to Integrated Food Chain Quality Control, certification of farms for animal health status and also for production methods is becoming increasingly important. Certification for veterinary practices is forthcoming. In order to optimize national herd health, quantitative information is needed and certain methods have to be improved. The veterinarian must be able to apply new techniques adequately and to interpret disease- and environment-related data properly. Problem areas are highlighted and different ways of dealing with them are elaborated upon. It is concluded that the veterinarian is strategically positioned to solve these problems, but that suitable, complementary training is needed, as well as new quantitative research.
Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A-physiology Pathology Clinical Medicine, Feb 12, 1997
Diagnostic findings in 218 aborted bovine foetuses are reported. The materials were examined in a... more Diagnostic findings in 218 aborted bovine foetuses are reported. The materials were examined in a matched case-control study of 69 Danish dairyherds with a sudden increase in the number of abortions and a corresponding 69 control herds. Foetuses aborted during the subsequent 6-month period were examined to identify the cause of abortion if possible. A total of 186 specimens were submitted from case herds and 32 from control herds. A likely cause of abortion was diagnosed in 73 foetuses. The most common cause was bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV: 13%) followed by Neospora C4lfinum infection (10%), mycosis (5%) and &cil/uslicheniformis infection (4%). Foetal and!or placental lesions were found in a further 27 cases. Only BVDV infection and neosporosis were diagnosed in more than one foetus per herd and only protozoal associated abortions occurred significandy more frequendy in the case, rather than in the control, herds.
PubMed, Jul 1, 1986
Teat lesions in dairy cows occur with a higher frequency than previously reported. The lesions ar... more Teat lesions in dairy cows occur with a higher frequency than previously reported. The lesions are often small and superficial. Most lesions involve the teat ends and more are observed in the left hind teat than in any of the other teats. Cows with injured teats usually exhibit nervous reactions indicating a painful condition.
PubMed, Jul 1, 1986
Even small teat lesions are significantly associated with subclinical mastitis and the risk of ma... more Even small teat lesions are significantly associated with subclinical mastitis and the risk of mastitis increases as the lesions approach the teat canal. Analyses show that at least 7% of cases of subclinic mastitis would have been avoided if no teat lesions had occurred in the herd in question. Analyses also indicate that the risk of mastitis in a quarter increases by about 50% across a 10 months follow-up period (equivalent to one lactation period) after the teat has been injured.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, May 1, 1994
The associations between eight behavioural indicators of "stress" (defined in a very general sens... more The associations between eight behavioural indicators of "stress" (defined in a very general sense) and the occurrence of different stomach lesions were investigated in a cohort study, including 266 pigs from two commercial farms. Behavioural recordings were made in the fourth week after weaning, and the stomachs were examined after slaughter at a liveweight of approximately 95 kg. Using logistic regression, weak associations were found between the frequency of four combinations of redirected oral behaviour patterns and the risk of acute ulcers in the fundus region of the stomach. Based on results from other studies in pigs and humans, these associations could reflect biological associations. Associations were also demonstrated between behaviour and keratinisation of the epithelial layer of the pars oesophagea, but the associations differed between the two herds.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, Jan 21, 2010
During recent years in Denmark higher rates of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii have been detected... more During recent years in Denmark higher rates of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii have been detected in animals and humans than previously reported. A study based on bulk tank milk samples from 100 randomly selected dairy herds was performed to estimate the prevalence and geographical distribution of antibody positive dairy herds. Using the CHEKIT Q-Fever Antibody ELISA Test Kit (IDEXX), the study demonstrated a prevalence of 59% antibody positive herds, 11% antibody intermediate herds and 30% antibody negative herds based on the instructions provided by the manufacturer. The geographical distribution does not indicate a relationship between the regional density of dairy farms and the prevalence of antibody positive dairy farms. The result supports the hypothesis of an increase in the prevalence of positive dairy herds compared to previous years.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, May 1, 1992
This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmiss... more This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmissible venereal tumour. Five hundred and two dogs brought to the animal clinic at Sokoine University of Agriculture were examined. Clinical examination and exfoliative cytology were used to distinguish dogs with (n = 173) and without (n = 329) the disease. Comparison was made between diseased and non-diseased dogs in terms of age, breed, sex, type of dog (use), and other extrinsic factors related to location and management. Management methods that allowed dogs to be in contact with each other predisposed them to the disease. Thus, guard dogs were noted to be at a higher risk of the disease than pets (odds ratio (OR) = 4.46). Dogs kept in high-density areas and in areas with high populations of stray dogs were more likely to contract canine transmissible venereal tumour compared to those raised in low-density areas and areas relatively free from stray dogs (OR = 6.13 and 6.78, respectively). It was concluded that management practices that allow unsupervised contact between dogs are among the important risk factors for canine transmissible venereal tumour.
BMC Veterinary Research, May 22, 2017
Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the co... more Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the course of wound healing, thereby impacting wound assessment and management on the farms, as well as the assessment of wounds in forensic cases. In this study, we examined the effect of color type on early wound healing in farmed mink. Full thickness excisional wounds (2 × 2 cm) were made on the back in 18 mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris. Gross and microscopic pathology of the wounds was evaluated 2 days post-wounding together with degree of wound size reduction, presence of bacteria and blood analyses. Results: Pathological examination on day 2 showed the greatest mean wound size reduction in Brown mink (11.0%) followed by Blue Iris (7.9%) and Silverblue (1.6%). Bacteria were cultured from all wounds, and predominantly Staphylococcus species were recovered in mixed or pure culture. Histopathology from day 2 wounds showed a scab overlying necrotic wound edges, which were separated from underlying vital tissue by a demarcation zone rich in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Fibroblasts and plump endothelial cells were more numerous in the deeper tissues. Complete blood count parameters were within normal ranges in most cases, however, the mink showed mildly to markedly decreased hematocrit and six mink of the color types Silverblue and Blue Iris showed moderately elevated numbers of circulating segmented neutrophils on day 2. There was a marked increase in concentration of serum amyloid A from day 0 to day 2 in all color types. Conclusions: We have described differences in early wound healing between mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris by use of an experimental wound model in farmed mink. The most pronounced difference pertained to the degree of wound size reduction which was greatest in Brown mink, followed by Blue Iris and Silverblue, respectively.
Research in Veterinary Science, 2019
Comparing the treatment effect of narrow spectrum antimicrobial, probiotic and fluid with amoxici... more Comparing the treatment effect of narrow spectrum antimicrobial, probiotic and fluid with amoxicillin in mink kits (Neovison vison) with pre-weaning diarrhea
Animals, Oct 20, 2021
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Journal of Dairy Science, Feb 1, 2002
The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attri... more The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attributable to the dam. Milk samples were collected from 8131 cows in 110 Danish dairy herds. The level of antibodies to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis was determined by use of an ELISA. Information on dam and sire was obtained from the Danish Cattle database. The following two data sets were analyzed: Data set A contained all cows ≤ 400 days in milk (n = 7410); data set B contained 1056 dam-daughter pairs present simultaneously in herds at the day of sampling. Cows > 400 days in milk were excluded. Linear mixed models were used to obtain variance components for the effect of sire in data set A and the effect of sire and damdaughter pairs in data set B. Models for both data sets A and B included information previously shown to confound antibody level and information of the relative prevalence of paratuberculosis in the herd. In data set A, the effect explained by sire was 1.9%, whereas it was 6.3% in data set B. The effect from dam-daughter pairs was 7.7%. Those effects were all significant. It was concluded that the parental contribution was significant, and both heritability of susceptibility and vertical transmission should be considered in any control programs on paratuberculosis in dairy cattle.
BMC Veterinary Research, Nov 8, 2016
Background: Human inflicted bruises in slaughter pigs are hampering animal welfare, are an infrin... more Background: Human inflicted bruises in slaughter pigs are hampering animal welfare, are an infringement of the animal protection act, and are a focus of public attention. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the gross appearance of human inflicted bruises in slaughter pigs and to compare the inflammatory changes in two lesions as a basis for estimating the age of lesions in the same pig. Pigs with human inflicted bruises slaughtered at two major slaughterhouses in Denmark from November 2013 to May 2014 were evaluated. After slaughter, the bruises were examined grossly and skin and underlying muscle tissue from two similar but separate bruises (a and b) on each pig were sampled for histology. Results: Skin and muscle tissue from 101 slaughter pigs were subjected to gross evaluation. Eighty-one of these were also subjected to histological evaluation. Most frequently (51 out of 101 pigs, 50 %), bruises had a tramline pattern due to blunt trauma inflicted with long objects such as sticks. Other bruises reflected the use of tattoo-hammers, plastic paddles, double U profiles and chains. Histological evaluation of two bruises from a pig with multiple lesions was found insufficient to assess the overall age of the lesions as substantial variation in the inflammatory response between bruises was present. Conclusions: Grossly, the pattern of bruises often reflected the shape of the object used for inflicting the lesions. When determining the age of multiple bruises on a pig more than two lesions should be evaluated histologically.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 1992
This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmiss... more This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmissible venereal tumour. Five hundred and two dogs brought to the animal clinic at Sokoine University of Agriculture were examined. Clinical examination and exfoliative cytology were used to distinguish dogs with (n = 173) and without (n = 329) the disease. Comparison was made between diseased and non-diseased dogs in terms of age, breed, sex, type of dog (use), and other extrinsic factors related to location and management. Management methods that allowed dogs to be in contact with each other predisposed them to the disease. Thus, guard dogs were noted to be at a higher risk of the disease than pets (odds ratio (OR) = 4.46). Dogs kept in high-density areas and in areas with high populations of stray dogs were more likely to contract canine transmissible venereal tumour compared to those raised in low-density areas and areas relatively free from stray dogs (OR = 6.13 and 6.78, respectively). It was concluded that management practices that allow unsupervised contact between dogs are among the important risk factors for canine transmissible venereal tumour.
Journal of dairy science, 2002
The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attri... more The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attributable to the dam. Milk samples were collected from 8131 cows in 110 Danish dairy herds. The level of antibodies to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis was determined by use of an ELISA. Information on dam and sire was obtained from the Danish Cattle database. The following two data sets were analyzed: Data set A contained all cows < or = 400 days in milk (n = 7410); data set B contained 1056 dam-daughter pairs present simultaneously in herds at the day of sampling. Cows > 400 days in milk were excluded. Linear mixed models were used to obtain variance components for the effect of sire in data set A and the effect of sire and dam-daughter pairs in data set B. Models for both data sets A and B included information previously shown to confound antibody level and information of the relative prevalence of paratuberculosis in the herd. In data set A, the effect explained by...
BMC Veterinary Research, 2017
Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the co... more Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the course of wound healing, thereby impacting wound assessment and management on the farms, as well as the assessment of wounds in forensic cases. In this study, we examined the effect of color type on early wound healing in farmed mink. Full thickness excisional wounds (2 × 2 cm) were made on the back in 18 mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris. Gross and microscopic pathology of the wounds was evaluated 2 days post-wounding together with degree of wound size reduction, presence of bacteria and blood analyses. Results: Pathological examination on day 2 showed the greatest mean wound size reduction in Brown mink (11.0%) followed by Blue Iris (7.9%) and Silverblue (1.6%). Bacteria were cultured from all wounds, and predominantly Staphylococcus species were recovered in mixed or pure culture. Histopathology from day 2 wounds showed a scab overlying necrotic wound edges, which were separated from underlying vital tissue by a demarcation zone rich in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Fibroblasts and plump endothelial cells were more numerous in the deeper tissues. Complete blood count parameters were within normal ranges in most cases, however, the mink showed mildly to markedly decreased hematocrit and six mink of the color types Silverblue and Blue Iris showed moderately elevated numbers of circulating segmented neutrophils on day 2. There was a marked increase in concentration of serum amyloid A from day 0 to day 2 in all color types. Conclusions: We have described differences in early wound healing between mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris by use of an experimental wound model in farmed mink. The most pronounced difference pertained to the degree of wound size reduction which was greatest in Brown mink, followed by Blue Iris and Silverblue, respectively.
PubMed, Dec 15, 1994
Various new developments in livestock production confront the veterinarian. In addition to Integr... more Various new developments in livestock production confront the veterinarian. In addition to Integrated Food Chain Quality Control, certification of farms for animal health status and also for production methods is becoming increasingly important. Certification for veterinary practices is forthcoming. In order to optimize national herd health, quantitative information is needed and certain methods have to be improved. The veterinarian must be able to apply new techniques adequately and to interpret disease- and environment-related data properly. Problem areas are highlighted and different ways of dealing with them are elaborated upon. It is concluded that the veterinarian is strategically positioned to solve these problems, but that suitable, complementary training is needed, as well as new quantitative research.
Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A-physiology Pathology Clinical Medicine, Feb 12, 1997
Diagnostic findings in 218 aborted bovine foetuses are reported. The materials were examined in a... more Diagnostic findings in 218 aborted bovine foetuses are reported. The materials were examined in a matched case-control study of 69 Danish dairyherds with a sudden increase in the number of abortions and a corresponding 69 control herds. Foetuses aborted during the subsequent 6-month period were examined to identify the cause of abortion if possible. A total of 186 specimens were submitted from case herds and 32 from control herds. A likely cause of abortion was diagnosed in 73 foetuses. The most common cause was bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV: 13%) followed by Neospora C4lfinum infection (10%), mycosis (5%) and &cil/uslicheniformis infection (4%). Foetal and!or placental lesions were found in a further 27 cases. Only BVDV infection and neosporosis were diagnosed in more than one foetus per herd and only protozoal associated abortions occurred significandy more frequendy in the case, rather than in the control, herds.
PubMed, Jul 1, 1986
Teat lesions in dairy cows occur with a higher frequency than previously reported. The lesions ar... more Teat lesions in dairy cows occur with a higher frequency than previously reported. The lesions are often small and superficial. Most lesions involve the teat ends and more are observed in the left hind teat than in any of the other teats. Cows with injured teats usually exhibit nervous reactions indicating a painful condition.
PubMed, Jul 1, 1986
Even small teat lesions are significantly associated with subclinical mastitis and the risk of ma... more Even small teat lesions are significantly associated with subclinical mastitis and the risk of mastitis increases as the lesions approach the teat canal. Analyses show that at least 7% of cases of subclinic mastitis would have been avoided if no teat lesions had occurred in the herd in question. Analyses also indicate that the risk of mastitis in a quarter increases by about 50% across a 10 months follow-up period (equivalent to one lactation period) after the teat has been injured.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, May 1, 1994
The associations between eight behavioural indicators of "stress" (defined in a very general sens... more The associations between eight behavioural indicators of "stress" (defined in a very general sense) and the occurrence of different stomach lesions were investigated in a cohort study, including 266 pigs from two commercial farms. Behavioural recordings were made in the fourth week after weaning, and the stomachs were examined after slaughter at a liveweight of approximately 95 kg. Using logistic regression, weak associations were found between the frequency of four combinations of redirected oral behaviour patterns and the risk of acute ulcers in the fundus region of the stomach. Based on results from other studies in pigs and humans, these associations could reflect biological associations. Associations were also demonstrated between behaviour and keratinisation of the epithelial layer of the pars oesophagea, but the associations differed between the two herds.
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, Jan 21, 2010
During recent years in Denmark higher rates of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii have been detected... more During recent years in Denmark higher rates of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii have been detected in animals and humans than previously reported. A study based on bulk tank milk samples from 100 randomly selected dairy herds was performed to estimate the prevalence and geographical distribution of antibody positive dairy herds. Using the CHEKIT Q-Fever Antibody ELISA Test Kit (IDEXX), the study demonstrated a prevalence of 59% antibody positive herds, 11% antibody intermediate herds and 30% antibody negative herds based on the instructions provided by the manufacturer. The geographical distribution does not indicate a relationship between the regional density of dairy farms and the prevalence of antibody positive dairy farms. The result supports the hypothesis of an increase in the prevalence of positive dairy herds compared to previous years.
Preventive Veterinary Medicine, May 1, 1992
This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmiss... more This study had the objective of elucidating factors involved in the causation of canine transmissible venereal tumour. Five hundred and two dogs brought to the animal clinic at Sokoine University of Agriculture were examined. Clinical examination and exfoliative cytology were used to distinguish dogs with (n = 173) and without (n = 329) the disease. Comparison was made between diseased and non-diseased dogs in terms of age, breed, sex, type of dog (use), and other extrinsic factors related to location and management. Management methods that allowed dogs to be in contact with each other predisposed them to the disease. Thus, guard dogs were noted to be at a higher risk of the disease than pets (odds ratio (OR) = 4.46). Dogs kept in high-density areas and in areas with high populations of stray dogs were more likely to contract canine transmissible venereal tumour compared to those raised in low-density areas and areas relatively free from stray dogs (OR = 6.13 and 6.78, respectively). It was concluded that management practices that allow unsupervised contact between dogs are among the important risk factors for canine transmissible venereal tumour.
BMC Veterinary Research, May 22, 2017
Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the co... more Background: Individual differences of mink, including color type, are speculated to affect the course of wound healing, thereby impacting wound assessment and management on the farms, as well as the assessment of wounds in forensic cases. In this study, we examined the effect of color type on early wound healing in farmed mink. Full thickness excisional wounds (2 × 2 cm) were made on the back in 18 mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris. Gross and microscopic pathology of the wounds was evaluated 2 days post-wounding together with degree of wound size reduction, presence of bacteria and blood analyses. Results: Pathological examination on day 2 showed the greatest mean wound size reduction in Brown mink (11.0%) followed by Blue Iris (7.9%) and Silverblue (1.6%). Bacteria were cultured from all wounds, and predominantly Staphylococcus species were recovered in mixed or pure culture. Histopathology from day 2 wounds showed a scab overlying necrotic wound edges, which were separated from underlying vital tissue by a demarcation zone rich in polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Fibroblasts and plump endothelial cells were more numerous in the deeper tissues. Complete blood count parameters were within normal ranges in most cases, however, the mink showed mildly to markedly decreased hematocrit and six mink of the color types Silverblue and Blue Iris showed moderately elevated numbers of circulating segmented neutrophils on day 2. There was a marked increase in concentration of serum amyloid A from day 0 to day 2 in all color types. Conclusions: We have described differences in early wound healing between mink of the color types Brown, Silverblue and Blue Iris by use of an experimental wound model in farmed mink. The most pronounced difference pertained to the degree of wound size reduction which was greatest in Brown mink, followed by Blue Iris and Silverblue, respectively.
Research in Veterinary Science, 2019
Comparing the treatment effect of narrow spectrum antimicrobial, probiotic and fluid with amoxici... more Comparing the treatment effect of narrow spectrum antimicrobial, probiotic and fluid with amoxicillin in mink kits (Neovison vison) with pre-weaning diarrhea
Animals, Oct 20, 2021
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Journal of Dairy Science, Feb 1, 2002
The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attri... more The objective of this study was to examine transmission of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle attributable to the dam. Milk samples were collected from 8131 cows in 110 Danish dairy herds. The level of antibodies to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis was determined by use of an ELISA. Information on dam and sire was obtained from the Danish Cattle database. The following two data sets were analyzed: Data set A contained all cows ≤ 400 days in milk (n = 7410); data set B contained 1056 dam-daughter pairs present simultaneously in herds at the day of sampling. Cows > 400 days in milk were excluded. Linear mixed models were used to obtain variance components for the effect of sire in data set A and the effect of sire and damdaughter pairs in data set B. Models for both data sets A and B included information previously shown to confound antibody level and information of the relative prevalence of paratuberculosis in the herd. In data set A, the effect explained by sire was 1.9%, whereas it was 6.3% in data set B. The effect from dam-daughter pairs was 7.7%. Those effects were all significant. It was concluded that the parental contribution was significant, and both heritability of susceptibility and vertical transmission should be considered in any control programs on paratuberculosis in dairy cattle.
BMC Veterinary Research, Nov 8, 2016
Background: Human inflicted bruises in slaughter pigs are hampering animal welfare, are an infrin... more Background: Human inflicted bruises in slaughter pigs are hampering animal welfare, are an infringement of the animal protection act, and are a focus of public attention. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the gross appearance of human inflicted bruises in slaughter pigs and to compare the inflammatory changes in two lesions as a basis for estimating the age of lesions in the same pig. Pigs with human inflicted bruises slaughtered at two major slaughterhouses in Denmark from November 2013 to May 2014 were evaluated. After slaughter, the bruises were examined grossly and skin and underlying muscle tissue from two similar but separate bruises (a and b) on each pig were sampled for histology. Results: Skin and muscle tissue from 101 slaughter pigs were subjected to gross evaluation. Eighty-one of these were also subjected to histological evaluation. Most frequently (51 out of 101 pigs, 50 %), bruises had a tramline pattern due to blunt trauma inflicted with long objects such as sticks. Other bruises reflected the use of tattoo-hammers, plastic paddles, double U profiles and chains. Histological evaluation of two bruises from a pig with multiple lesions was found insufficient to assess the overall age of the lesions as substantial variation in the inflammatory response between bruises was present. Conclusions: Grossly, the pattern of bruises often reflected the shape of the object used for inflicting the lesions. When determining the age of multiple bruises on a pig more than two lesions should be evaluated histologically.