Pathology of new world camelids in Ireland: 13 years of disease surveillance and the significance of bovine tuberculosis in alpaca.

Causes of New World Camelid (168 alpacas; 7 llamas) mortality in Ireland based on review of passive surveillance findings of the Irish Veterinary Laboratory Service from 2010 till 2023 were analysed. The most frequently submitted age group were adults (58.8 %), followed by juveniles (20.

Irish farmers' interactions with regional veterinary laboratories- reasons, results, reactions: a survey.

Background: Animal health surveillance is important in ensuring optimal animal health and welfare. Monitoring of diagnostic submissions, including post-mortem examination of carcasses, at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine laboratories, provides the basis for this type of passive surveillance in Ireland. The process requires engagement from veterinarians and farmers from all sectors of the agricultural spectrum.

Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2; GI.2) in Ireland Focusing on Wild Irish Hares (): An Overview of the First Outbreaks and Contextual Review.

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2; GI.2) is a pathogenic lagovirus that emerged in 2010, and which now has a global distribution. Outbreaks have been associated with local population declines in several lagomorph species, due to rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD)-associated mortality raising concerns for its potential negative impact on threatened or vulnerable wild populations.

First detected case of rabbit Haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) in the Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus).

Background: Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is a Lagovirus, a subgroup of the family Caliciviridae. RHDV2 is a variant first described in France in 2010, and has since spread globally. It has been reported in several Lagomorph species (rabbits, hares, and their relatives) as well as other mammals including voles and shrews.

Irish dairy farmers' engagement with animal health surveillance services: Factors influencing sample submission.

A high-quality animal health surveillance service is required to inform policy and decision-making in food-animal disease control, to substantiate claims regarding national animal health status and for the early detection of exotic or emerging diseases. In Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine provides partially subsidized testing of farm animal samples and postmortem examinations to the Irish agriculture sector (farmers) at 6 regional veterinary laboratories (RVL) throughout the country. Diagnoses and data from these submissions are recorded and reported monthly and annually to enable animal health monitoring and disease surveillance.

Flock health survey of Irish Texel society breeders and larynx examination in Texel sheep.

Background: Laryngeal chondritis is a disease of undetermined aetiology, characterised by oedema, ulceration, abscessation and necrosis of the laryngeal mucosa and cartilage. The initial aim of the study was to document flock health issues identified by Irish pedigree Texel breeders using a questionnaire survey. Additionally, given the reports of breed predisposition for laryngeal chondritis in Texels, a further aim was to identify if laryngeal problems were perceived as an issue.

Ivermectin treatment failure on four Irish dairy farms.

We report on the use of the faecal egg count reduction test to evaluate the performance of ivermectin in treating gastrointestinal nematode infections in first grazing season (FGS) calves on four dairy farms in Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. On each farm, FGS calves were injected subcutaneously with ivermectin in accordance with their live weight (day 0).

Descriptive analysis of ovine mortality in sentinel sheep flocks in Ireland.

Background: Studies of sheep mortality or cause-specific mortality, in Ireland or internationally, are relatively scarce but are important in presenting baseline levels and changing trends of endemic disease. This study assessed sheep mortality and cause-specific mortality in 33 sentinel sheep flocks in Ireland.

Methods: Sentinel flocks were requested to submit carcases of all sheep that died to the regional veterinary laboratories (RVLs) of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine during a calendar year (2016).

Spatial patterns of Fasciola hepatica and Calicophoron daubneyi infections in ruminants in Ireland and modelling of C. daubneyi infection.

Background: Fasciola hepatica has always represented a threat to Irish livestock because the Irish climate is highly suitable for the main local intermediate host of the parasite, the snail Galba truncatula. The recent clinical emergence of infections due to Calicophoron daubneyi has raised the question of whether the two parasites, which share a niche during part of their life-cycles, interact in some way. Here, we used geographical information systems (GIS) to analyse the distribution of both parasites in cattle and sheep.

Epidemiological investigation of a severe rumen fluke outbreak on an Irish dairy farm.

Although the rumen fluke, Calicophoron daubneyi is now very common and widespread throughout Western Europe, reports of clinical cases are still rare. This study explores the epidemiological background to a severe rumen fluke outbreak in 6-month-old heifers on a dairy farm in Ireland. Sequence analysis of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (Cox1) gene of the rumen fluke metacercariae on pasture failed to identify predominant, possibly pathogenic subtypes.

Pathogens, patterns of pneumonia, and epidemiologic risk factors associated with respiratory disease in recently weaned cattle in Ireland.

We examined the pathogens, morphologic patterns, and risk factors associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in 136 recently weaned cattle ("weanlings"), 6-12 mo of age, that were submitted for postmortem examination to regional veterinary laboratories in Ireland. A standardized sampling protocol included routine microbiologic investigations as well as polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Lungs with histologic lesions were categorized into 1 of 5 morphologic patterns of pneumonia.

Changing incidence of bovine babesiosis in Ireland.

Background: In Ireland bovine babesiosis is caused by the tick-borne blood parasite, Babesia divergens. A survey of veterinary practitioners and farmers in the 1980's revealed an annual incidence of 1.7% associated with considerable economic losses.