UNASSIGNED: Antibiotic resistance has become an issue of global importance due to increasing levels of bacterial infections worldwide. Farm management and usage of antibiotics in livestock are known risk factors associated with the increase in global levels of antibiotic resistance. Goats and sheep are examples of livestock with large populations. Although antibiotic resistance in bacteria from livestock negatively affects both human health and the economy, the global data regarding this issue in goats and sheep are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to provide information on the antibiotic-resistance profile of bacteria isolated from goats and sheep worldwide (Asia, Europe, and Africa).
UNASSIGNED: We performed a systematic review of articles published on this topic without any restriction on the year of publication. We searched the Directory of Open Access Journals, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus using Boolean logic through various keywords. The search generated a total of 1325 articles, and after screening for duplicates and implementing inclusion and exclusion criteria, qualitative synthesis (i.e., qualitative systematic review) was performed on 37 articles.
UNASSIGNED: The synthesized information indicated that 18 Gram-positive and 13 Gram-negative bacterial species from goats and sheep were resistant to ten antibiotics, namely penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, tetracycline, cephalothin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin (CIP), and sulfamethoxazole. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance ranged from 0.4% to 100%. However, up to 100% of some bacteria, namely, Salmonella Dublin, Aeromonas caviae, and Aeromonas sobria, were susceptible to CIP. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were highly resistant to all antibiotics tested. Moreover, eight of the ten antibiotics tested were critically important antibiotics for humans.
UNASSIGNED: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria in goats and sheep are a potential risk to animal and human health. Collaboration between all stakeholders and further research is needed to prevent the negative impacts of antibiotic resistance.

Artificial insemination (AI) and in vivo embryo production (or multiple ovulation and embryo transfer, MOET) programs are both instrumental in accelerating the propagation of genetically and economically superior goats and sheep. The aim of this review was to present the current gestalt of non-surgical AI and embryo recovery (NSER) procedures in small ruminants. Small body size, precluding rectal palpation, and highly limited penetrability of the uterine cervix in ewes are the major reasons for the scarce use of non-surgical assisted reproduction techniques in this species. As a result, AI and embryo recovery techniques in sheep mainly involve laparoscopy or laparotomy (LAP). In does, however, the Embrapa method of AI allows for successful intrauterine deposition of semen, resulting in pregnancy rates from 50 to 80% under field conditions (>3 000 goats inseminated) when frozen-thawed semen is used. After the administration of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), non-surgical (transcervical) embryo recovery is also feasible in goats, with the cervical penetration rate approaching 100%. There is a paucity of information on the efficacy of non-surgical AI using frozen semen in sheep, but the results are satisfactory with fresh, cooled, or chilled ram semen. An application of the NSER technique in ewes has greatly improved over the last decade, and cervical penetration rates of ∼90% can be achieved when a hormonal cervical dilation protocol using PGF2α, oxytocin, and/or estradiol ester (e.g., estradiol benzoate) is applied. In some genotypes of sheep, sufficient cervical dilation can be induced without estradiol ester included in the protocol. Several studies indicated that recovery of transferable quality ovine embryos using NSER is comparable to that employing a ventral midline laparotomy, and NSER is evidently a method of choice when animal welfare is concerned. Considering both the number of retrievable embryos and animal well-being, the NSER is a viable alternative for surgical procedures. With further developments, it has the makings of a primary, if not exclusive, embryo recovery technique in small ruminants worldwide.

Goat-milk-based infant formulas (GMFs) are now available in several countries, having been approved by authorities. We systematically evaluated the effects of GMF compared with cow-milk-based formula (CMF) on infant growth and safety parameters. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched (December 2022) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The risk of bias was assessed using the Revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool (ROB-2). Heterogeneity was quantified by I2. Four RCTs involving a total of 670 infants were identified. All trials revealed some concern in ROB-2. Furthermore, all of the included studies were funded by the industry. Compared with infants fed CMF, those fed GMF showed similar growth in sex- and age-adjusted z-scores for weight (mean difference, MD, 0.21 [95% confidence interval, CI, -0.16 to 0.58], I2 = 56%), length (MD 0.02, [95% CI -0.29 to 0.33], I2 = 24%), and head circumference (MD 0.12, 95% [CI -0.19 to 0.43], I2 = 2%). Stool frequency was similar among the groups. Due to differences in the reporting of stool consistency, no firm conclusion can be drawn. Adverse effects (serious or any) were similar in both groups. These findings provide reassurance that GMFs compared with CMFs are safe and well tolerated.

Sheep and goats can efficiently convert low quality forage into high-quality meat which contains specific nutrients and quality traits. Carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat depend upon several factors and one of most effective strategies amongst these is feeding regimens. In this review, the major aspects of feeding regimens affecting growth rate, carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat are thoroughly discussed, with a particular focus on physical-chemical composition, flavor profile, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Grazing lambs and kids receiving concentrate or under stall-feeding systems had greater average daily gain and carcass yield compared with animals reared on pasture only. However, growth rate was higher in lambs/kids grazing on pastures of improved quality. Moreover, the meat of grazing lambs receiving concentrate had more intense flavor, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and unhealthy FA composition, but comparable color, tenderness, juiciness, and protein content compared to that of lambs grazed on grass only. In contrast, meat of concentrate-fed lambs had more intense color, greater tenderness and juiciness, IMF and protein contents, and lower flavor linked to meat. Additionally, the meat of kids grazed on concentrate supplementation had higher color coordinates, tenderness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, whereas juiciness and flavor protein content were similar. In contrast, kids with concentrate supplementation had superior color coordinates, juiciness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, but lower tenderness and flavor intensity compared to pasture-grazed kids. Thus, indoor-finished or supplemented grazing sheep/goats had higher growth rate and carcass quality, higher IMF content and unhealthy FA composition compared to animals grazed on grass only. Finally, supplementation with concentrate increased flavor intensity in lamb meat, and improved color and tenderness in kid meat, whereas indoor-fed sheep/goats had improved color and juiciness as well as reduced flavor compared to pasture-grazed animals.

Fasciolosis is a significant zoonotic and common parasitic disease for animals and humans, creating public health concerns worldwide. This study retrieved articles related to the occurrence of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica in sheep and goats in China by searching five databases: PubMed, ScienceDirect, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, and the VIP Chinese Journal Database. A total of 60 valid articles were captured. The pooled prevalence of ovine and caprine fasciolosis was 26.00%. It was also found to be higher in the subgroups of Northwest China and Shaanxi Province, as well as in areas with a high altitude, rainfall of ≥800 mm, and temperature ranging between 10 °C and 20 °C. Analysis of the type of season and sampling years showed significant (p < 0.05) difference. In other subgroups, sheep (34.74%), hosts aged over 2 years (32.26%), females (48.33%) and free-range animals (26.83%) showed a higher disease prevalence. These results indicated that ovine and caprine fasciolosis was widely distributed, especially in Northwest China. The sampling years and the type of season are risk factors for the prevalence of ovine and caprine fasciolosis. Therefore, strategies for ovine and caprine fasciolosis control should be developed based on these epidemic risk factors, which will reduce the prevalence of fasciolosis in China.

The discovery of the Robertsonian translocation (rob) involving cattle chromosomes 1 and 29 and the demonstration of its deleterious effects on fertility focused the interest of many scientific groups on using chromosome banding techniques to reveal chromosome abnormalities and verify their effects on fertility in domestic animals. At the same time, comparative banding studies among various species of domestic or wild animals were found useful for delineating chromosome evolution among species. The advent of molecular cytogenetics, particularly the use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), has allowed a deeper investigation of the chromosomes of domestic animals through: (a) the physical mapping of specific DNA sequences on chromosome regions; (b) the use of specific chromosome markers for the identification of the chromosomes or chromosome regions involved in chromosome abnormalities, especially when poor banding patterns are produced; (c) better anchoring of radiation hybrid and genetic maps to specific chromosome regions; (d) better comparisons of related and unrelated species by comparative FISH mapping and/or Zoo-FISH techniques; (e) the study of meiotic segregation, especially by sperm-FISH, in some chromosome abnormalities; (f) better demonstration of conserved or lost DNA sequences in chromosome abnormalities; (g) the use of informatic and genomic reconstructions, in addition to CGH arrays, to predict conserved or lost chromosome regions in related species; and (h) the study of some chromosome abnormalities and genomic stability using PCR applications. This review summarizes the most important applications of molecular cytogenetics in domestic bovids, with an emphasis on FISH mapping applications.

From the point of public health, the objective of the slaughterhouse is to guarantee the safety of meat in which meat inspection represent an essential tool to control animal diseases and guarantee the public health. The slaughterhouse can be used as surveillance center for livestock diseases. However, other aspects related with animal and human health, such as epidemiology and disease control in primary production, control of animal welfare on the farm, surveillance of zoonotic agents responsible for food poisoning, as well as surveillance and control of antimicrobial resistance, can be monitored. These controls should not be seen as a last defensive barrier but rather as a complement to the controls carried out on the farm. Regarding the control of diseases in livestock, scientific research is scarce and outdated, not taking advantage of the potential for disease control. Animal welfare in primary production and during transport can be monitored throughout ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection at the slaughterhouse, providing valuable individual data on animal welfare. Surveillance and research regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at slaughterhouses is scarce, mainly in cattle, sheep, and goats. However, most of the zoonotic pathogens are sensitive to the antibiotics studied. Moreover, the prevalence at the slaughterhouse of zoonotic and foodborne agents seems to be low, but a lack of harmonization in terms of control and communication may lead to underestimate its real prevalence.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite of importance to both human and animal health. The parasite has various transmission routes, and the meat of infected animals appears to be a major source of human infections in Europe. We aimed to estimate T. gondii prevalence in a selection of animal host species. A systematic literature review resulting in 226 eligible publications was carried out, and serological data were analyzed using an age-dependent Bayesian hierarchical model to obtain estimates for the regional T. gondii seroprevalence in livestock, wildlife, and felids. Prevalence estimates varied between species, regions, indoor/outdoor rearing, and types of detection methods applied. The lowest estimated seroprevalence was observed for indoor-kept lagomorphs at 4.8% (95% CI: 1.8-7.5%) and the highest for outdoor-kept sheep at 63.3% (95% CI: 53.0-79.3%). Overall, T. gondii seroprevalence estimates were highest within Eastern Europe, whilst being lowest in Northern Europe. Prevalence data based on direct detection methods were scarce and were not modelled but rather directly summarized by species. The outcomes of the meta-analysis can be used to extrapolate data to areas with a lack of data and provide valuable inputs for future source attribution approaches aiming to estimate the relative contribution of different sources of T. gondii human infection.

The milk casein genes in goats, are highly polymorphic genes with numerous synonymous and non-synonymous mutations. So far, 20 protein variants have been reported in goats for alpha-S1-casein, eight for beta-casein, 14 for alpha-S2-casein, and 24 for kappa-casein. This review provides a comprehensive overview on identified milk casein protein variants in goat and non-coding DNA sequence variants with some affecting the expression of the casein genes. The high frequency of some casein protein variants in different goat breeds and geographical regions might reflect specific breeding goals with respect to milk processing characteristics, properties for human nutrition and health, or adaptation to the environment. Because protein names, alongside the discovery of protein variants, go through a historical process, we linked old protein names with new ones that reveal more genetic variability. The haplotypes across the cluster of the four genetically linked casein genes are recommended as a valuable genetic tool for discrimination between breeds, managing genetic diversity within and between goat populations, and breeding strategies. The enormous variation in the casein proteins and genes is crucial for producing milk and dairy products with different properties for human health and nutrition, and for genetic improvement depending on local breeding goals.

Toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, results in congenital disorders and miscarriages among livestock and humans worldwide. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to determine the prevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep and goats in Pakistan from 2000 to 2020. We searched the PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases and selected 17 publications that fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Eight studies were conducted in Southern Punjab, six in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two in Northern Punjab, and one in Central Punjab. The diagnostic tests used in the included articles to confirm toxoplasmosis were the latex agglutination test in 56% of the studies, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 38%, and the indirect hemagglutination assay in 6%. The infection rates were substantially higher among sheep > 1 year of age (37%) than among sheep ≤ 1 year old (19%). Statistically significant differences in infection rates were found between male and female sheep and goats. The overall infection rate by age was also significant among sheep and goats. Sex and age variability between sheep investigations were significant, and sex heterogeneity and age homogeneity were significant among goats. Hence, robust infection control protocols should be implemented to prevent infection in animals and humans.