Animals

Early detection of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is challenged by the limitations of single diagnostic tools, including owner-reported subjectivity and impractical behavioral testing protocols. This study examined a multidomain strategy integrating questionnaires, behavioral testing, and a circulating biomarker to identify measures associated with mild cognitive impairment in aged d…

This study evaluated the effects of replacing alfalfa (Medicago sativa) with Sesbania cannabina hay on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and ruminal microecology in fattening lambs. Forty 3-month-old Aohu crossbred lambs (initial BW: 22.08 ± 0.31 kg) received five isoenergetic, isonitrogenous diets in which S. cannabina hay replaced 0% (CON), 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of alfalfa during a 6…

This study presents new faunistic records of spiders (Araneae) from Kosovo. A total of 40 species are reported for the first time from the country, simultaneously being the first country records for 14 genera, two of which also being newly recorded families. All newly recorded taxa are documented with photographs of the genital organs to facilitate identification and verification. These findings …

Black soldier fly larvae meal has emerged as a sustainable alternative to fishmeal (FM) in aquafeeds. However, the use of full-fat black soldier fly larvae meal (FF-BSFL) may be limited by its relatively high lipid and chitin contents, which could affect nutrient digestibility and fish performance. This study determined the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of FF-BSFL and evaluated the e…

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins have been investigated as biomarkers in human oncology, but their role in canine PPCs has not been characterized. Immunohistochemistry for MCK, TTF-1, MSH2, and MSH6 was performed and evaluated in relation to clinicopathological parameters. Affected dogs had a median age of 10.6 years. Histologically, 16 tumors were classified as adenocarcinoma and one as adenos…

Carcass traits, which reflect growth performance and muscle development, are economically important in beef cattle, yet their genetic determinants remain poorly characterized. Both single-population Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) methods, such as BLINK, and cross-population meta-analysis approaches are widely used to identify genetic variants, yet their comparative performance in genomic …

CA, a major bioactive component of cinnamon essential oil, possesses broad-spectrum antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities and is widely recognized as a safe food additive. In the context of exploring natural plant extracts for the prevention and alleviation of bovine mastitis, it is noteworthy that research and clinical reports on the use of cinnamon essential oil for bovin…

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive zoonotic pathogen responsible for listeriosis, a severe foodborne disease with high mortality in humans and animals. This study aimed to investigate the molecular epidemiology and genomic characteristics of L. monocytogenes isolated from raw yak meat in Nyingchi, Xizang, China. A total of 231 yak-related samples were collected in Nyingchi, consisting of 2…

Skeletal muscle growth and development represent a pivotal biological process that determines both the yield and quality of poultry meat. As chickens age, there is an observable shift in their muscle structure, function and metabolic properties. However, the molecular mechanisms by which age regulates chicken muscle development and meat quality formation are not yet fully understood. The objectiv…

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis, GPS) is a known causative agent of meningitis. A growing body of research indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are deeply involved in modulating inflammatory responses. In our study, we profiled the expression changes in circRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs using a G. parasuis-induced mouse meningitis model and constructed the ceRNA networks by integrated an…

A 4-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat was referred with history of 8 months of chronic, non-healing draining wounds on the left lateral thigh and left inguinal region. The initial lesions arose from a cat bite wound on the thigh and a concurrent inguinal subcutaneous mass, both of which had failed to respond to empirical antimicrobial therapy. Prior to referral, cytology of the inguin…

Sequential decision-making requires animals to flexibly balance model-based (MB) and model-free (MF) strategies to adapt to changing environments. The hippocampus (Hp) and striatum (ST) are two important components of the broader neural networks supporting these processes; however, how their dynamic interactions reorganize during learning-dependent strategy transitions remains poorly understood. …

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are important infections affecting animal health, and some are zoonotic. Understanding the distribution of TBDs in wildlife is important to evaluate the role of wild animals in the maintenance and spread of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in natural ecosystems. This study investigates the occurrence of selected TBPs, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum and piroplasms (Babes…

Intelligent sheep behavior monitoring is vital for modern husbandry, but faces severe challenges in natural pastures due to high-density flock occlusion. Traditional 2D skeleton-based networks often suffer from depth ambiguity and feature collapse, misclassifying static tremors as dynamic displacement. To overcome this, we propose a robust multimodal dual-stream framework using skeletal and local…

Exercise physiology in Colombian Creole Horses remains poorly characterized despite the breed’s extensive use in athletic activities. The objective of this study was to evaluate exercise-induced changes in blood biochemical and gas parameters and to determine whether these responses differed according to sex, geographic origin, or gait modality. An analytical observational study with repeated mea…

Climate-driven range shifts may create new environmentally suitable areas, but whether these areas provide favourable habitat conditions or adequate protection remains poorly understood. We assessed conservation gaps for three rare pheasants (Syrmaticus humiae, S. ellioti and S. reevesii) in Guizhou Province, southwestern China. Using camera-trap records from 1573 sites surveyed from January 2023…

The morphology and micromorphology of Aristotle’s lantern, the feeding apparatus of Scaphechinus mirabilis, were examined using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray microscopy. S. mirabilis had food grooves on the ventral side, which extended to the mouth. Aristotle’s lantern was a star-shaped calcareous skeletal structure attached to the test by the apophysis and consisted o…

Rex rabbit fur is a high-value material in the textile industry; however, the integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic mechanisms underlying differences in fur traits between fur-type Rex rabbits and meat-type New Zealand White rabbits remain incompletely understood. In this study, 40 rabbits (20 per group) raised under identical feeding conditions were used to evaluate fur quality traits. Dorsa…

The Northwest Xizang White Cashmere goat has a high global reputation for good goat cashmere germplasm characteristics, and its cashmere industry is the economic pillar of the herdsmen in the northwest plateau of Xizang. Cashmere is produced by the secondary hair follicles of the skin, and the key period of hair follicle development is from birth to 3 months old. This study aimed to explore how e…

The original function of many dog breeds no longer fits the requirements of an easy-going companion. Caretakers can also be overdemanding regarding their dogs’ ability to cope with societal expectations. We propose and evaluate four strategies for readjusting the dog–human relationship by highlighting their positive and negative outcomes. (1) ‘Converge’: dog breeds should be changed towards the a…