A decision-tree model to detect post-calving diseases based on rumination, activity, milk yield, BW and voluntary visits to the milking robot.

Early detection of post-calving health problems is critical for dairy operations. Separating sick cows from the herd is important, especially in robotic-milking dairy farms, where searching for a sick cow can disturb the other cows' routine. The objectives of this study were to develop and apply a behaviour- and performance-based health-detection model to post-calving cows in a robotic-milking dairy farm, with the aim of detecting sick cows based on available commercial sensors. The study was conducted in an Israeli robotic-milking dairy farm with 250 Israeli-Holstein cows. All cows were equipped with rumination- and neck-activity sensors. Milk yield, visits to the milking robot and BW were recorded in the milking robot. A decision-tree model was developed on a calibration data set (historical data of the 10 months before the study) and was validated on the new data set. The decision model generated a probability of being sick for each cow. The model was applied once a week just before the veterinarian performed the weekly routine post-calving health check. The veterinarian's diagnosis served as a binary reference for the model (healthy-sick). The overall accuracy of the model was 78%, with a specificity of 87% and a sensitivity of 69%, suggesting its practical value.

The effect of routine hoof trimming on locomotion score, ruminating time, activity, and milk yield of dairy cows.

The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of hoof trimming on cow behavior (ruminating time, activity, and locomotion score) and performance (milk yield) over time. Data were gathered from a commercial dairy farm in Israel where routine hoof trimming is done by a trained hoof trimmer twice per year on the entire herd. In total, 288 cows spread over 6 groups with varying production levels were used for the analysis. Cow behavior was measured continuously with a commercial neck activity logger and a ruminating time logger (HR-Tag, SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel). Milk yield was recorded during each milking session with a commercial milk flow sensor (Free Flow, SCR Engineers Ltd.). A trained observer assigned on the spot 5-point locomotion scores during 19 nighttime milking occasions between 22 October 2012 and 4 February 2013. Behavioral and performance data were gathered from 1wk before hoof trimming until 1wk after hoof trimming. A generalized linear mixed model was used to statistically test all main and interactive effects of hoof trimming, parity, lactation stage, and hoof lesion presence on ruminating time, neck activity, milk yield, and locomotion score. The results on locomotion scores show that the proportional distribution of cows in the different locomotion score classes changes significantly after trimming. The proportion of cows with a locomotion score ≥3 increases from 14% before to 34% directly after the hoof trimming. Two months after the trimming, the number of cows with a locomotion score ≥3 reduced to 20%, which was still higher than the baseline values 2wk before the trimming. The neck activity level was significantly reduced 1d after trimming (380±6 bits/d) compared with before trimming (389±6 bits/d). Each one-unit increase in locomotion score reduced cow activity level by 4.488 bits/d. The effect of hoof trimming on ruminating time was affected by an interaction effect with parity. The effect of hoof trimming on locomotion scores was affected by an interaction effect with lactation stage and tended to be affected by interaction effects with hoof lesion presence, indicating that cows with a lesion reacted different to the trimming than cows without a lesion did. The results show that the routine hoof trimming affected dairy cow behavior and performance in this farm.

Development of an automatic cow body condition scoring using body shape signature and Fourier descriptors.

Body condition evaluation is a common tool to assess energy reserves of dairy cows and to estimate their fatness or thinness. This study presents a computer-vision tool that automatically estimates cow's body condition score. Top-view images of 151 cows were collected on an Israeli research dairy farm using a digital still camera located at the entrance to the milking parlor. The cow's tailhead area and its contour were segmented and extracted automatically. Two types of features of the tailhead contour were extracted: (1) the angles and distances between 5 anatomical points; and (2) the cow signature, which is a 1-dimensional vector of the Euclidean distances from each point in the normalized tailhead contour to the shape center. Two methods were applied to describe the cow's signature and to reduce its dimension: (1) partial least squares regression, and (2) Fourier descriptors of the cow signature. Three prediction models were compared with manual scores of an expert. Results indicate that (1) it is possible to automatically extract and predict body condition from color images without any manual interference; and (2) Fourier descriptors of the cow's signature result in improved performance (R(2)=0.77).

Lameness detection based on multivariate continuous sensing of milk yield, rumination, and neck activity.

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a mathematical model to detect clinical lameness based on existing sensor data that relate to the behavior and performance of cows in a commercial dairy farm. Identification of lame (44) and not lame (74) cows in the database was done based on the farm's daily herd health reports. All cows were equipped with a behavior sensor that measured neck activity and ruminating time. The cow's performance was measured with a milk yield meter in the milking parlor. In total, 38 model input variables were constructed from the sensor data comprising absolute values, relative values, daily standard deviations, slope coefficients, daytime and nighttime periods, variables related to individual temperament, and milk session-related variables. A lame group, cows recognized and treated for lameness, to not lame group comparison of daily data was done. Correlations between the dichotomous output variable (lame or not lame) and the model input variables were made. The highest correlation coefficient was obtained for the milk yield variable (rMY=0.45). In addition, a logistic regression model was developed based on the 7 highest correlated model input variables (the daily milk yield 4d before diagnosis; the slope coefficient of the daily milk yield 4d before diagnosis; the nighttime to daytime neck activity ratio 6d before diagnosis; the milk yield week difference ratio 4d before diagnosis; the milk yield week difference 4d before diagnosis; the neck activity level during the daytime 7d before diagnosis; the ruminating time during nighttime 6d before diagnosis). After a 10-fold cross-validation, the model obtained a sensitivity of 0.89 and a specificity of 0.85, with a correct classification rate of 0.86 when based on the averaged 10-fold model coefficients. This study demonstrates that existing farm data initially used for other purposes, such as heat detection, can be exploited for the automated detection of clinically lame animals on a daily basis as well.

Lactation performance and feeding behavior of dairy cows supplemented via automatic feeders with soy hulls or barley based pellets.

The potential of soy hulls to replace barley grain in pellets supplemented to lactating cows was measured in automatic concentrate feeders (ACF). Thirty-six cows were divided into 2 equal groups and fed 1 of the 2 experimental pellet supplements individually for 7 wk. All cows were group-fed a basic mixture along the feeding lane (~64% of dietary DM) plus a pelleted additive containing 50% barley or soy hulls as barley replacer, fed individually to each cow via the ACF in 6 feeding windows. Extent and rate of in vitro DM digestibility were similar for both types of pellets; however, NDF content and digestibility were higher in the soy hulls pellets. Average number of rewarded cow visits at the ACF, pellets intake per meal, and accumulated intake of pellets (8.64 kg/d DM) were similar in the 2 experimental groups. Most pellets were consumed during day and night in the first 2 h after feeding windows were opened. Total visits per day in the ACF and the maximal interval between visits were similar for the 2 pellets, indicating similar attractiveness to the cow. Predicted intake of the basic mixture was similar in both groups (14.8 to 15.1 kg of DM/d). Higher milk fat content was observed in the soy hulls-fed cows, whereas higher milk protein content was found in the barley-fed cows. Milk yield was similar in both groups. Data suggest that replacement of barley pellets with soy hulls pellets may slightly enhance milk fat while reducing milk protein production for dairy herds using automatic milking systems.

Effects of replacing roughage with soy hulls on feeding behavior and milk production of dairy cows under hot weather conditions.

Two total mixed rations (TMR) containing different proportions of roughage neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were fed to lactating cows under Israeli summer conditions, and the effects on feeding behavior and milk production were measured. Forty-two lactating cows were divided into 2 groups fed ad libitum a TMR containing either 18% NDF of roughage origin (control group) or only 12% roughage NDF, in which the corn silage component (16.5% of dry matter [DM]) was replaced with soy hulls (experiment group). This and additional adjustments in TMR were reflected in higher net energy for lactation and in vitro digestibility of the experimental TMR. Cow behavior was investigated at the feeding lane during June 2001; about 11,000 cow visits were analyzed. Feed intake per meal and average meal duration were significantly higher in the experiment group (1.51 kg of DM per meal and 12.1 min per meal, respectively) as compared with the control group (1.22 kg of DM per meal and 9.47 min per meal, respectively). However, number of meals per day recorded in the feeding lane was significantly higher in the control group (21.0 vs. 16.6 meals/d per cow). Distribution of meals and feed intake along the day depended more on management practices, such as milking and feed dispensing times, than on feed composition or weather conditions. These differences between groups were expressed in similar daily eating duration (approximately 200 min), and because the rate of feed consumption was similar for both treatments (approximately 127 g DM/min), the daily average DM intake was also similar (25.0 to 25.7 kg). However, NDF intake was higher in the experiment group. Consequently, the average milk yield was higher in the experimental group, and production of milk fat, 4% fat-corrected milk, and economically corrected milk were significantly higher in the experiment group than in the control group. Data imply that the experimental TMR containing only 12% NDF of roughage origin is more suitable for cows under hot climate conditions compared with the control TMR.

Increased phosphorylation of tyrosine in vinculin does not occur upon transformation by some avian sarcoma viruses.

The level of phosphotyrosine in vinculin was determined in chicken embryo fibroblasts transformed by various strains of avian sarcoma virus. As previously reported (Sefton et al., Cell 24:165-174, 1981), vinculin was phosphorylated at tyrosine residues in most cultures examined, but the level varied greatly and no detectable change was found in cultures infected with Fujinami sarcoma virus or UR2 sarcoma virus. Regardless of the level of vinculin phosphorylation, the number of organized microfilament bundles was found to be decreased in all transformed cells. These results strongly suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of vinculin is not an obligatory step in cell transformation by this class of oncogenes, nor is it correlated with the associated cytoskeletal disarray.

Gastrointestinal metastases from malignant tumors of the lung.

Autopsy data of 423 cases of primary tumor of the lung over a 36-year period were evaluated for the presence of gastrointestinal tract metastases. Fifty-eight cases (14%) were found and were analyzed for histologic nature of tumor, anatomic location, symptomatology and complications. The most common histologic type of lung tumor causing gastrointestinal tract metastasis was squamous cell (19 cases, 33%), followed by large cell (17 cases, 29%), and oat cell (11 cases, 19%). The esophagus was the most common site of involvement (33 cases). Fourteen of the 33 cases were involved by direct extension of the tumor. The middle third of the esophagus had metastases more commonly (16/33, 49%) than the other two sites. Most patients with gastrointestinal metastases had no symptoms. In those patients with symptoms, dysphagia was most common when the tumor involved the proximal gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach), whereas, pain was most commonly seen with involvement of the distal gastrointestinal tract (small bowel, large bowel). Six of 20 patients (30%) with small bowel involvement experienced perforation and peritonitis as complications of metastatic involvement and two patients with large bowel metastasis had obstruction; a third had dehiscence of a previous anastomotic site. Gastrointestinal tract metastases from primary carcinoma of the lung are more common than previously thought and may be associated with serious clinical complications.

Gastrointestinal bleeding in the elderly. Morbidity, mortality and cause.

One hundred thirty-six consecutive patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding were divided by age into three groups, young, middle aged and elderly, and evaluated for the causes and complications of the bleeding episode. Hemorrhagic gastritis was the most frequent source of bleeding in the young, while gastric ulcer was more common in the middle aged and elderly groups. The high mortality in the young (20 percent) was often attributable to associated liver functional abnormalities secondary to alcoholism. The elderly fared better than the young when the source of bleeding was hemorrhagic gastritis, although the results were not statistically significant. On the other hand, the elderly had a significantly higher mortality than the young when the source was gastric ulcer. All three groups did poorly when the source of bleeding was esophageal varices. The mortality rate was essentially the same in the young and elderly patients requiring surgery, suggesting that age alone should not be a deterrent for surgical management of acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

Glycogen debrancher deficiency is reproduced in muscle culture.

Muscle cultured from two adults with debrancher deficiency myopathy showed abnormal glycogen deposits by electron microscopy. Glycogen debranching activity was markedly decreased, but phosphorylase activity was normal. Lack of glycogen debranching activity in muscle cultures from debrancher-deficient patients contrasts with the presence of a fetal isoenzyme of phosphorylase in muscle cultured from patients with McArdle disease and suggests that the genetic control of the debranching enzyme does not change during muscle development.