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Item The prevalence of damaged tails in beef cows, pregnant dairy heifers and weaned dairy calves(Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, 2025-07-09) Cuttance EL; Mason WA; Bryan MA; Laven RAAims: To determine the prevalence of tail deviations, trauma and shortening in weaned dairy calves, pregnant dairy heifers and beef cows on a selection of New Zealand farms, and to compare results to those recorded in lactating dairy cows. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study. For beef cows, 25 farms were randomly selected from two veterinary practices. For dairy heifers and calves, data were collected from farms (70 and 76, respectively) previously involved in a study of tail damage in lactating cows. All cattle were tail scored using a modification of the New Zealand Veterinary Association Scoring System. Tails were palpated and lesions recorded as deviated (non-linear deformity), shortened, or traumatic (all other lesions). Cows could have more than one lesion, but for the prevalence calculations, only the presence/absence of a particular lesion was assessed. Descriptive herd-level prevalence data were reported for all farms/cattle types. For dairy heifers, the prevalence of tail deviation was compared to that in adult cows on the same farm. Results: For beef cattle, median prevalence of any tail damage was 4.0% (min 0.0, max 37.5%), and for deviations + trauma, it was 2.0% (min 0.0, max 16.7%). For dairy heifers, equivalent figures were 1.7% (min 0.0, max 17.8%) and 1.3% (min 0.0, max 17.8%). In weaned calves, the median prevalence of any damage was 0% (min 0.0, max 11.6%): almost all damage (61/64 cases) was deviation. Farms with a heifer prevalence of deviations > 2% had a mean cow prevalence of deviations 3.65 (95% CI = 0.7–6.6)% higher than herds with heifer prevalence ≤ 2%, but this explained only 9% of the variation in log percentage cow prevalence. Conclusions and clinical relevance: In all groups, median prevalence of tail damage was low (and lower than reported in dairy cows), but individual farms had high levels of damage. Beef cows were more likely to have shortened or traumatised tails than dairy heifers/calves, perhaps from an increased prevalence of faecal tail rings. Limited association between the prevalence of tail deviations in heifers and lactating cows on the same farm, and generally lower levels of tail damage in heifers, do not support the hypothesis that tail damage in cows principally results from damage earlier in life. This study adds support to our hypothesis that poor handling/infrastructure are responsible for most tail damage in dairy cows.Item Can we estimate herd-level prevalence of lameness in dairy cow herds kept at pasture by sampling part of the herd?(Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, 2025-03-26) Sapkota S; Laven RA; Müller KR; Yang DAAims: To assess whether herd-level lameness prevalence can be estimated on New Zealand dairy farms, by scoring the first, middle, or last 100 cows in the milking order. In pasture-based herds, whole herd locomotion scoring requires an assessor outside the milking parlour throughout milking. If sufficiently predictive, sampling a proportion of the herd based on milking order, could reduce the costs and time of welfare assessments. Methods: Six pasture-based, spring-calving, dairy farms in the Manawatū region of New Zealand were conveniently selected. Visits occurred at approximately 6-week intervals between October 2021 and May 2022. Cows were scored using the DairyNZ lameness score (0–3). The assessor tallied cows as they left the parlour and recorded the milking order of those with a lameness score ≥ 2. Data were analysed to determine the association between farm, visit and the proportion of lame cows in the first, middle, and last 100 cows, and the agreement between the prevalence of lame cows in those groups and from whole herd scoring. Results: Across all visits, 263 lame cows were recorded. Of these, 40.7% were in the last 100, 25.9% in the middle 100, and 14.4% in the first 100. Farm, visit and their interactions with group were all statistically significant (p < 0.001). While, overall, the last 100 cows had the highest proportion of lame cows, this pattern varied across farms and visits, Limits-of-agreement plots showed that as herd prevalence increased, agreement between the prevalence in each sample group and herd prevalence worsened. When herd prevalence exceeded 5%, only the middle 100 sampling group had a limits-of-agreement < 5%. Conclusions: Variations across farms and seasons in the proportion of lame cows in each part of the milking order lead to variations in the accuracy of predicting overall lameness from such samples. Based on limits-of-agreement, observing the middle 100 cows is likely to be the most accurate sample, but is still likely to be of limited value on New Zealand dairy farms, especially as a single, one-off measurement. Clinical relevance: On New Zealand dairy farms, locomotion scoring the middle 100 cows in the milking order as part of a welfare assessment would reduce costs and time but would not produce an accurate estimate of whole-herd lameness prevalence. However, it may be useful as a screening tool in herds routinely locomotion scoring throughout the year.Item Prevalence of the ABCB1-1Δ gene mutation in a sample of New Zealand Huntaway dogs(Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group, 2023-03-13) Gedye K; Poole-Crowe E; Shepherd M; Wilding A; Parton K; Lopez-Villalobos N; Cave NAIMS: To determine the prevalence of the ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily B Member 1-1Δ mutation (ABCB1-1Δ; previously Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) mutation) in a cohort of New Zealand Huntaway dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples were opportunistically collected from Huntaway dogs (n = 189) from throughout New Zealand. Buccal swabs were collected from 42 Huntaways from the Wairarapa region and 147 blood samples from Huntaways from the Gisborne, Waikato, Manawatū/Whanganui, Hawkes Bay, Canterbury and Otago regions. DNA was extracted from all samples and tested for the presence of the ABCB1-1Δ allele. RESULTS: Of 189 Huntaway dogs that were tested, two were found to be heterozygous carriers of the ABCB1-1Δ allele and the remaining 187/189 dogs were homozygous for the wild type allele. No dogs homozygous for the mutation were identified. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The results of this study show that the ABCB1-1Δ allele is present in Huntaway dogs. The low prevalence in this convenience sample suggests that the prevalence of this allele in the Huntaway population is likely to be low. We recommend that veterinary clinicians discuss the potential for this mutation in Huntaways with dog owners including the clinical implications for dogs that are homozygous for the mutated allele and the potential for testing for the mutation, as they would do for other known mutations.Item Nourishing the Infant Gut Microbiome to Support Immune Health: Protocol of SUN (Seeding Through Feeding) Randomized Controlled Trial.(JMIR Publications, 2024-09-02) Wall CR; Roy NC; Mullaney JA; McNabb WC; Gasser O; Fraser K; Altermann E; Young W; Cooney J; Lawrence R; Jiang Y; Galland BC; Fu X; Tonkie JN; Mahawar N; Lovell AL; Ma SBackground: The introduction of complementary foods during the first year of life influences the diversity of the gut microbiome. How this diversity affects immune development and health is unclear. Objective: This study evaluates the effect of consuming kūmara or kūmara with added banana powder (resistant starch) compared to a reference control at 4 months post randomization on the prevalence of respiratory tract infections and the development of the gut microbiome. Methods: This study is a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of mothers and their 6-month-old infants (up to n=300) who have not yet started solids. Infants are randomized into one of 3 groups: control arm (C), standard kūmara intervention (K), and a kūmara intervention with added banana powder product (K+) to be consumed daily for 4 months until the infant is approximately 10 months old. Infants are matched for sex using stratified randomization. Data are collected at baseline (prior to commencing solid food) and at 2 and 4 months after commencing solid food (at around 8 and 10 months of age). Data and samples collected at each timepoint include weight and length, intervention adherence (months 2 and 4), illness and medication history, dietary intake (months 2 and 4), sleep (diary and actigraphy), maternal dietary intake, breast milk, feces (baseline and 4 months), and blood samples (baseline and 4 months). Results: The trial was approved by the Health and Disability Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Health, New Zealand (reference 20/NTA/9). Recruitment and data collection did not commence until January 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection and analyses are expected to conclude in January 2024 and early 2025, respectively. Results are to be published in 2024 and 2025. Conclusions: The results of this study will help us understand how the introduction of a specific prebiotic complementary food affects the microbiota and relative abundances of the microbial species, the modulation of immune development, and infant health. It will contribute to the expanding body of research that aims to deepen our understanding of the connections between nutrition, gut microbiota, and early-life postnatal health. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000026921; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378654 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/56772 JMIR Res Protoc 2024;13:e56772Item The prevalence of damaged tails in New Zealand dairy cattle.(Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-03-11) Cuttance EL; Mason WA; Hea SY; Bryan MA; Laven RAAIMS: To undertake a survey of the prevalence of tail deviations, trauma and shortening on a representative selection of New Zealand dairy farms, and to assess whether sampling based on milking order could be used instead of random sampling across the herd to estimate prevalence. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study, with 200 randomly selected farms enrolled across nine regions of New Zealand via selected veterinary practices (one/region). Veterinary clinics enrolled 20-25 farms each depending on region, with 1-2 trained technicians scoring per region. All cows (n = 92,348) present at a milking or pregnancy testing event were tail scored using a modified version of the New Zealand Veterinary Association Industry Scoring System. Palpated lesions were recorded as deviated (i.e. non-linear deformity), shortened (tail shorter than normal) or traumatic (all other lesions). The location of lesions was defined by dividing the tail into three equal zones: upper, middle and lower. A cow could have more than one lesion type and location, and/or multiple lesions of the same type, but for the prevalence calculation, only the presence or absence of a particular lesion was assessed. Prevalence of tail damage calculated using whole herd scoring was compared to random sampling across the herd and sampling from the front and back of the milking order. Bootstrap sampling with replacement was used to generate the sampling distributions across seven sample sizes ranging from 40-435 cows. RESULTS: When scoring all cows, the median prevalence for deviation was 9.5 (min 0.9, max 40.3)%; trauma 0.9 (min 0, max 10.7)%, and shortening was 4.5 (min 1.3, max 10.8)%. Deviation and trauma prevalence varied between regions; the median prevalence of deviations ranged from 6% in the West Coast to 13% in Waikato, and the median prevalence of all tail damage from 7% in the West Coast to 29% in Southland. Sampling based on milking order was less precise than random sampling across the herd. With the latter and using 157 cows, 95% of prevalence estimates were within 5% of the whole herd estimate, but sampling based on milking order needed > 300 cows to achieve the same precision. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The proportion of cows identified as having damaged tails was consistent with recent reports from New Zealand and Ireland, but at 11.5%, the proportion of cows with trauma or deviation is below acceptable standards. An industry-wide programme is needed to reduce the proportion of affected cows.Item Prevalence and incidence rate of clinical lameness in three New Zealand dairy goat farms(Taylor and Francis Group, 2024-01-01) Jaques N; Turner S-A; Vallee E; Heuer C; Deeming L; Lopez-Villalobos NClinical lameness has an impact on animal welfare and profitability in different livestock industries. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence and incidence rate of clinical lameness within New Zealand dairy goat farms. Up to 3246 goats on three dairy goat farms were observed 4–5 times over one year. Data on locomotion scores and animal information were collected between June 2019 and June 2020. A 5-point (0–4) locomotion scoring scale was used, where scores 3 and 4 were classified as clinical lameness. The average herd-level prevalence of clinical lameness for farms A, B, and C were 23, 12, and 10%, respectively. The annual incidence rate of clinical lameness for farms A, B, and C were 104, 56, and 55 cases per 100 goat-years, respectively. Lameness appears to be a significant welfare issue, with incidence varying between farms and between goats. Investigating both farm-level and goat-level factors is required to understand the epidemiology of lameness and design evidence-based control and prevention measures. Further investigation should be undertaken to identify variables affecting the goat's odds of becoming clinically lame. This study sets the foundation for future study of lameness in commercial dairy goat farms nationally and internationally.Item Owner-Reported Health Events in Australian Farm Working Dogs.(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2024-06-27) Pattison NA; Isaksen KE; Cogger N; Dorman DCWorking farm dogs are an integral part of livestock farming in Australia but, currently, no studies have investigated their overall health. This study aimed to identify the prevalent diseases and injuries among these dogs, offering a baseline dataset. A total of 125 farm dog owners were recruited at a public working dog event and interviewed about the health of their dogs in the preceding 12 months. Information was provided about 526 dogs. Most dogs were Kelpies, and not neutered. Nine percent of the dogs had been sold, 6% had died, and 1% had been retired. Of the 444 remaining dogs, 24% had a health event in the past 12 months, while 13% had a health event that affected their work. The injuries (11%) mostly involved the musculoskeletal system or skin, while the non-traumatic illnesses (13%) commonly included arthritis. Forty-five percent of the injured dogs and 26% of the ill ones received veterinary treatment. The results indicate similarities to previous studies into working farm dogs. Given their unique challenges, further research is needed to ensure optimal care for farm dogs in AustraliaItem Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Aotearoa, New Zealand: Estimates of prevalence and indications of inequity.(John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs, 2023-02-21) Romeo JS; Huckle T; Casswell S; Connor J; Rehm J; McGinn VINTRODUCTION: Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is 100% caused by alcohol. The lifelong disability caused by prenatal alcohol exposure cannot be reversed. Lack of reliable national prevalence estimates of FASD is common internationally and true of Aotearoa, New Zealand. This study modelled the national prevalence of FASD and differences by ethnicity. METHODS: FASD prevalence was estimated from self-reported data on any alcohol use during pregnancy for 2012/2013 and 2018/2019, combined with risk estimates for FASD from a meta-analysis of case-ascertainment or clinic-based studies in seven other countries. A sensitivity analysis using four more recent active case ascertainment studies was performed to account for the possibility of underestimation. RESULTS: We estimated FASD prevalence in the general population to be 1.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0%; 2.7%) in the 2012/2013 year. For Māori, the prevalence was significantly higher than for Pasifika and Asian populations. In the 2018/2019 year, FASD prevalence was 1.3% (95% CI 0.9%; 1.9%). For Māori, the prevalence was significantly higher than for Pasifika and Asian populations. The sensitivity analysis estimated the prevalence of FASD in the 2018/2019 year to range between 1.1% and 3.9% and for Māori, from 1.7% to 6.3%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study used methodology from comparative risk assessments, using the best available national data. These findings are probably underestimates but indicate a disproportionate experience of FASD by Māori compared with some ethnicities. The findings support the need for policy and prevention initiatives to support alcohol-free pregnancies to reduce lifelong disability caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.Item Evaluation of fully oxidised β-carotene as a feed ingredient to reduce bacterial infection and somatic cell counts in pasture-fed cows with subclinical mastitis(Taylor and Francis Group on behalf of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, 2021-09) McDougall SAIMS: To assess the effect of oral supplementation with fully oxidised β-carotene (OxBC) on bacteriological cure, the incidence of clinical mastitis, and somatic cell counts (SCC) in pasture-fed cows with subclinical intramammary infection. METHODS: Cows from four dairy herds were enrolled in early lactation if they had quarter-level SCC >200,000 cells/mL and they had a recognised bacterial intramammary pathogen in one or more quarters. They were randomly assigned to be individually fed from Day 0, for a mean of 40 days, with 0.5 kg of a cereal-based supplementary feed that either contained 300 mg of OxBC (treatment; n = 129 quarters) or did not (control; n = 135 quarters). Quarter-milk samples were collected on Days 21 and 42 for microbiology and SCC assessment. Bacteriological cure was defined as having occurred when the bacteria present on Day 0 were not isolated from samples collected on Days 21 or 42. A new intramammary infection was defined as a bacterial species isolated either on Day 21 or 42 differing from that isolated on Day 0. Clinical mastitis was diagnosed and recorded by herdowners up to Day 42. RESULTS: The bacteriological cure rate was greater for quarters from cows in the treatment group (13.9 (95% CI = 4.1-23.7)%) than for cows in the control group (6.9 (95% CI = 4.8-9.1)%; p = 0.02). The percentage of quarters that developed a new intramammary infection at Day 21 or 42 was greater for cows in the treatment group (17.9 (95% CI = 6.7-29.1)%) than for cows in the control group (13.0 (95% CI = 4.3-21.8)%; p < 0.01). The prevalence of quarters that were infected on Day 42 was less in cows in the treatment group (79.9 (95% CI = 62.3-97.6)%) than the control group (88.2 (95% CI = 78.4-97.9)%; p = 0.009). The incidence of quarters diagnosed with clinical mastitis by Day 42 was lower in cows from the treatment group (1/129 (0.78 (95% CI = 0.02-4.24)%)) than in cows from the control group (6/135 (4.44 (95% CI = 1.65-9.42)%; p = 0.03)). Mean quarter-level SCC was not statistically different between treatment groups (p = 0.34). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Feeding 300 mg/cow/day of OxBC resulted in a higher bacteriological cure rate, a lower prevalence of intramammary infection, and a lower incidence of clinical mastitis compared to untreated controls. However new intramammary infections increased in treated cows, and the magnitude of the increased bacteriological cure was low, resulting in 80% of cows remaining infected at Day 42. Therefore treatment with OxBC should be considered as an adjunct to other mastitis control measures.Item Prevalence of Anxiety Symptoms and Their Association With Loss Experience in a Large Cohort Sample of the Oldest-Old. Results of the AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe Study(Frontiers Media S.A, 2019) Welzel FD; Stein J; Röhr S; Fuchs A; Pentzek M; Mösch E; Bickel H; Weyerer S; Werle J; Wiese B; Oey A; Hajek A; König H-H; Heser K; Keineidam L; van den Bussche H; van der Leeden C; Maier W; Scherer M; Wagner M; Riedel-Heller SGBackground: Anxiety in adults is a common mental health problem. However, studies on anxiety in the oldest-old are lacking. We sought to identify the age- and gender-specific prevalence of anxiety symptoms in a large sample of general practice patients. Furthermore, we investigated relevant associations of anxiety specifically with respect to recent experience of loss. Methods: Based on the German Study on Ageing, Cognition and Dementia in general practice patients, a sample of 897 patients aged 82 years and older was assessed. Anxiety was assessed using the short form of the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI-SF). For the assessment of loss, patients were asked whether there were cases of death in their closer social environment since the last assessment. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were run. Results: Of the oldest-old individuals (aged 82+ years, mean age: 86.8), 14.5% (95% CI 12.4–16.8) suffered from anxiety symptoms. Highest prevalence rates were found for 82- to 85-year-old women (17.2%, 95% CI 12.6–22.1) and for 86- to 90-year-old patients (both sexes) in general (15.9%, 95% CI 12.6–19.2). Older individuals who experienced cases of death in their close social environment within the last 18 months had almost twice the odds [odds ratio (OR) 1.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15–3.17] of reporting anxiety compared to those without a recent loss. As expected, depression and impaired cognitive status were associated with the presence of anxiety symptoms. No relation was found between social network, gender, age, frailty, or physical illness and anxiety in regression analysis. Conclusions: This study provides for the first time age- and gender-specific prevalence rates of anxiety symptoms and associated risk factors among a large population-based sample of oldest-old primary care attenders. Anxiety is highly prevalent in individuals aged 82 years and older. Depression, impaired cognitive status, and recent experience of loss are associated with late-life anxiety. Our findings support the idea that recent experience of loss should be taken seriously in the context of clinical practice with respect to diagnosing and treating anxiety in old age.