Investigations into novel pathogens associated with bovine reproductive failure Nick Wheelhouse
Bovine Reproductive failure Economics Poor reproductive performance across a herd costs estimated 231 per lactating cow in lost production 1 A single abortion in a dairy herd estimated 630 2 GHG emissions Feeding and maintaining less productive livestock Reproductive problems one of the major reasons for culling dairy cattle in the US and Europe 7.5% increase in g C0 2 equivalents/litre milk -- 20 to 30% replacement rate 3 1 Inchaisari et al, 2010. Theriology 74, 835-846 2 Cabell, 2007. In Practice 29:455-463 3 Greenhouse gas emissions on British dairy farms, DairyCo, 2012.
Ovine 4.5 2.9 1.2 1.2 12.3 26.9 Fetopathies 1995-2009 (VIDA) 7.4 Chlamydia abortus Toxoplasma gondii 43.5 Campylobacter spp. Salmonella spp. Listeria monocytogenes Trueperella pyogenes Bacillus licheniformis Other 44.7 Diagnosis not reached Bovine 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.7 2.3 23.2 22.6 11.9 Neospora caninum Salmonella spp. Bacillus licheniformis Leptospira spp. Trueperella pyogenes Fungi of any species Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus 77.5 5.2 Listeria monocytogenes 2.4 5.3 5.4 9.2 10.3 Campylobacter spp. Bovine Herpesvirus-1 Brucella abortus Diagnosis not reached Chlamydia abortus Coxiella burnetii Other
Emerging cattle chlamydial infections Borel et al. 2006. Chlamydia-related abortions in cattle from Graubunden, Switzerland. Borel et al. 2007. Parachlamydia spp. and related Chlamydia-like organisms and bovine abortion. Ruhl et al. 2009. Evidence for Parachlamydia in bovine abortion. Wheelhouse et al, 2010. Chlamydia-like organisms in UK bovine abortions Deuchande et al, 2010. Case study; Parachlamydia observed in abortions Blumer et al, 2011. Parachlamydia and Chlamydia in Bovine abortions in Switzerland Wheelhouse et al, 2012. Parachlamydia identified in 20% surveillance samples.. Wheelhouse et al, 2014. Chlamydia and Parachlamydia in Irish bovine abortions (20%) Aduriz et al, 2015. Parachlamydia in a case of bovine abortion in Spain Wheelhouse et al, 2015. Parachlamydia in bovine abortions in England and Wales (10%)
Emerging Chlamydia-like organisms as novel causes of bovine reproductive failure David Longbottom, Mark Dagleish, Nick Wheelhouse Javier Guitian, Dirk Pfeiffer (Barbara Wieland) Environmental route of transmission Association causal role?? Isolation & pathogenesis studies Generation of antibody reagents Prevalence studies in UK Epidemiological studies across the UK dairy industry
Cross-sectional study Neospora caninum IBR BVD Leptospira Salmonella sp. Coxiella burnetii Bulk milk 260 farms BVDv Chlamydia sp. Coxiella burnetii Data obtained from questionnaires and production records
Longditudinal study 12 months 20 farms recruited with/ without reproductive performance issues (20-30 animals/farm) Screened for exposure to common abortifacient agents
Where are we? Prevalence Chlamydia-like organisms have been identified in cattle abortions: England & Wales, Ireland, Spain However prevalence possibly greater in beef cattle!
Where are we? Cross-sectional study Lab analysis is completed Individual farmers have been contacted Data analysis is yet to be completed Regional differences? Impacts of pathogens upon productivity to be assessed (Effects upon GHG emissions!) Longitudinal study Farms recruited March/ April Sampling is underway (>200 serum samples to date)
Acknowledgements MRI David Longbottom Michelle Sait Allen Flockhart Morag Livingstone Kevin Aitchison Kim Wilson RVC Javier Guitien Bhagyalakshmi Chengat Prakashbabu Martina Velasova Gilbert Greub (Lausanne) Nicole Borel (Zurich) Kim Willoughby Ellie Wright Dylan Turnbull Mark Dagleish Frank Wright (BioSS) Rita Deuchande (SRUC/ Huntingdon) Jo Gidlow (SRUC) VIOs SRUC Rebecca Mearns (APHA/ Biobest) Jim O Donovan (DAFM, Ireland)