Repvas Current Issue

Due to global climate change, more attention needs to be paid to the control of some parasites. One of these, Varroa destructor, a honey bee parasite, is a pest that requires regular monitoring and effective treatment. At this point, healthy bees are vital for much pollination and sustaibale biodiversity. Honeybee colonies face threats like diseases and Varroa mite infestations. Beekeepers use acaricides such as amitraz for control. In tests on 14 mite-infected colonies, honey analysis showed 95.1% effectiveness, with residues below MRL. Honey sampled from the colonies was tested for residues at the National Veterinary Reference Laboratory in the Etlik, Ankara. The reference laboratory conducted an analysis of amitraz residues utilizing the techniques of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Through this process, the laboratory was able to examine and identify these residues with the use of advanced GC-MS technology. Mite infestation level, antiparasitic efficiency and side effects of treatment were tested. The therapeutic efficacy of amitraz was evaluated using the Henderson-Tilton formula. This formula was employed as the method to effectively assess how well amitraz performs in treatment. The formulation and application of flash- amitraz are crucial for safety and effectiveness. Flash fumigation offers effective mite control while maintaining residue levels near the MRL, making it a reliable method for managing Varroa destructor in honey production. Amitraz-based acaricides are licensed veterinary preparations available in various commercial forms and remain widely preferred worldwide. Antiparasitic drug resistance poses a significant threat to bee health and colony productivity. Residue-free foods are crucial for global food safety and consumer health, particularly within the "One Health One Medicine" framework.

Brucellosis in bovines is an infectious disease that leads to significant health, productivity, and economic losses. It is also a zoonotic disease, posing a serious threat to public health. This disease is widespread in Türkiye as well as globally. Vaccination is a crucial and cost-effective measure, with the most commonly utilized vaccine strains worldwide for bovine brucellosis control being B. abortus S19 and RB51. In this study, the results of the intensive efforts to combat bovine brucellosis between 2011 and 2015 in Çankırı province, as well as the results of the mass B. abortus S19 conjunctival vaccination campaigns carried out within the scope of the Ministry project in 2012-2013, are evaluated. Within the scope of the research, retrospective data obtained from various public institutions affiliated with the ministry were evaluated. The results of disease control, eradication and vaccination studies carried out in the field were evaluated epidemiologically within the framework of legal regulations. As a result of close monitoring of bovine brucellosis outbreaks and mass conjunctival vaccination in Çankırı province, the number of outbreaks has decreased more than four times compared to the average in Türkiye. Additionally, there is a 95-fold reduction in the number of animals compensated for the disease and a more than 200-fold decrease in the total amount of compensation paid. This study examines the efforts to control bovine brucellosis in Çankırı province, particularly focusing on mass conjunctival vaccination campaigns using the B. abortus S19 vaccine strain. Given the conditions in Türkiye, the B. abortus S19 vaccine strain is currently deemed the most effective for preventing brucellosis in bovines. Ultimately, to attain the planned objectives in bovine brucellosis control in Türkiye, the study concludes that vaccination during a suitable period, which does not pose a risk to pregnancy and ensures robust herd immunity, is the optimal approach.

This study was carried out using the data of the National Anatolian Water Buffaloes (AWB) Breeding in Farm Project, which is being carried out in Çorum Region. Data of 292 AWB gave birth between 2019 and 2023 and their calves (n=292) raised in 30 enterprises were used. Age at First Calving (AFC), Lactation Milk Yield (LMY), Lactation Period (LP), Daily Average Milk Yield (DAMY), Calf Birth Weight (CBW), Calf Gender (CG), and Calving Season (CS) were evaluated. The highest milk yield was detected in the buffaloes that were first bred after 50 months while the lowest LMY was observed in buffaloes with AFC less than 38 months (p=0.003). According to data, an increase in milk yield can be expected as AWB get older. Furthermore, the difference between LP and AFC and calving season, sex of calves were not significant. The difference between DAMY and the effect of AFC and CS was statistically significant (p<0.05). While the LMY of the buffaloes with the highest AFC were high, there was a difference between the other two groups. The milk yield of the AFC in summer was significantly lower than in other seasons (p<0.05). AWB with high AFC had high LMY and prolonged lactation period. When AFC was in the summer months, LMY and LP decreased, so arranging calving in the spring can be recommended. In addition, although the effect of first breeding at older ages appears to be positive on CBW, the disadvantage of first breeding at older ages in terms of sustainable herd management should also be considered.

In this study, 49 dairy farms (total cow number: 2234) in Ereğli district of Konya province were surveyed using a face-to-face questionnaire to obtain information about the dairy farms’ animal nutrition, care, and reproductive efficiency of dairy farms. The research material consisted of the data obtained from breeders through the questionnaire. The mean values of the calving interval and number of days open were 374.73 (days), and 95.61 (days), and the number of artificial inseminations and natural mating per pregnancy were 2.27 and 1.7 respectively. In our study, the mean duration of the first postpartum estrus was found to be 44.30 days and 71.42% of the dairy farms had estrus between 20-45 days. It was observed that 95.9% of the dairy cattle owners thought that the energy level of the ration, 85.7% of the protein level of the ration, and 73.5% of the vitamin-mineral supplementation were effective on fertility. It was observed that only 10.2% of dairy cattle owners used pasture for nutritional purposes and 89.8% of those who used pasture thought that pasture was inadequate. It is also observed that the breeders in the region are aware of the nutritional conditions. It is also observed that the dairy farmers in the area are aware of the nutritional conditions. In conclusion, it is observed that the dairy cattle farms in the Ereğli district of Konya province are not effective in terms of the reproductive parameters evaluated in the study. Also, these results regarding grazing clearly show that grazing is insufficient in terms of animal nutrition.

This study examines the impact of varying doses of Doxorubicin (DOX) on body weight in rats, with a focus on the drug's cachexia-inducing properties. While DOX is a widely used anticancer drug, it is associated with significant side effects, including cardiotoxicity and cachexia, which occur through mechanisms such as reduced insulin sensitivity, impaired glucose uptake, and decreased adipogenesis. In this study, 12-week-old male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: Control (C), low-dose DOX (DOX-L), high-dose DOX (DOX-H), and cumulative-dose DOX (DOX-C). The rats' weights were measured after administering various doses of DOX. Results indicated that the DOX-H group, which received a single high dose of DOX, experienced greater body weight loss compared to the other groups. The DOX-C group, which received the same total dose of DOX in cumulative doses, showed less weight loss compared to the DOX-H group. This suggests that single high-dose DOX applications lead to more significant body weight loss than cumulative dosing. The similarity in body weight loss between the DOX-L group (receiving a single low dose) and the control group indicates that DOX dosage is more influential than exposure duration. Given the potential for DOX to exacerbate cachexia in cancer patients, it is concluded that administering DOX in lower or cumulative doses may be preferable to a single high dose. In light of this information, we recommend further studies to determine the optimal dosage and duration of DOX administration, and to explore potential protective agents that could reduce DOX-related side effects on treatment.

The study was conducted at the International Livestock Research and Training Center Directorate and investigated the effects of ewes' body condition score (BCS) on certain body measurements of their lambs at birth and at 3 months of age in Akkaraman and Lalahan (Kıvırcık x Akkaraman G1 crossbred) sheep in Ankara province. The animal material consisted of 106 lambs (Akkaraman = 33, Lalahan = 73) at birth and 144 lambs (Akkaraman = 33, Lalahan = 111) at 3 months, along with their dams. The BCS values of the ewes were divided into three groups for analysis: low (≤2.5), medium (3.0), and high (≥3.5). The general means of BCS values of the ewes at birth and at 3 months were found to be 2.86 and 2.84, respectively. The effects of genotype and dam age on BCS were not significant in either period. The live weight (LW), wither height, rump height, chest depth, body length, and chest girth values of the lambs were 4.8 kg, 42.1 cm, 42.6 cm, 16.6 cm, 33.0 cm, and 38.5 cm at birth, and 24.0 kg, 62.2 cm, 63.0 cm, 27.8 cm, 58.8 cm, and 65.3 cm at 3 months of age, respectively. Ewes with high BCS had heavier LW lambs at both birth (low: 4.5 kg, medium: 4.8 kg, high: 4.9 kg; P<0.05) and 3 months (low: 24.3 kg, medium: 25.1 kg, high: 25.8 kg; P>0.05). A similar pattern was observed in the daily live weight gain (DLWG) of lambs (low: 0.205 kg, medium: 0.221 kg, high: 0.242 kg; P<0.001). In conclusion, it can be said that ewes with a high BCS adequately meet their nutritional needs during lactation, thereby providing better care for their lambs.