Milkability or ease of milking, has higher importance today for Swedish dairy cattle producers after the introduction of milking parlours and automatic milking systems. Milkability is the cow?s ability to quickly milk out and be completely milked. There are several measures of milkability available. Today the farmer measures the traits subjectively in relation to the conformation scoring of the cow 30-270 days after her first calving.

The structural rationalization of the agricultural sector in Sweden has led to many expansive, professional companies orientated towards growth. The agricultural sector is a very capital-intense sector and is characterized by the need for large sums of capital in form of buildings, inventory and arable land. The capital need is especially large for companies who have an ambition of growth and development of the company in the near future. The study is built upon six cases that all can be categorized as large agricultural farms with a turnover exceeding 20 million Swedish crowns. The companies are located in the middle and in the south of Sweden and are in the sector of primary production with focus on dairy-, pork-, egg-, chicken-, beef-, vegetables- and grain production as well as in the business of refining milk towards consumers. The study aims to identify the motives and driving forces that lies behind the growth of a farm-based company. The agricultural companies' motive for growth is studied based on which factors that influence the ambition to grow and to what extent these factors accord to the picture given by earlier research of small companies outside the agricultural sector.

The fertility of the North Swedish horse was investigated using a questionnaire. Data concerning altogether 73 North Swedish stallions and 213 mares used for breeding during the season 2005 were collected and analysed. The survey also included the analyses of 305 breeding case books, especially distributed for this study, from 27 stallions. The aim was to collect information on how the breeding was carried out in the North Swedish horse, and to learn what categories of mares that were covered and what routines were used in these farms. Breeding statistics from 1999 to 2004 was also analysed to complete the questionnaire.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common heart disease in cats. Maine coon is one of the breeds where the disease is overrepresented. Studies have shown that HCM is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in Maine Coon cats. This finding has led to cardiac screening using ultrasound in the breed. The results of the screening are used in a national breeding program constructed to reduce the spread and incidence of HCM in Maine Coon cats.

Myxomatous mitral valve disease is a common disease in older dogs of small- to medium-size breeds. The mitral valve, and less commonly the tricuspid valve may be affected which causes them to leak blood from the ventricle to the atrium of the heart during systole. With increasing severity of mitral valve leakage the forward stroke volume ejected into the aorta decreases, which may lead to an increase in blood pressure in the pulmonary vein resulting in pulmonary edema. A decrease in cardiac output may lead to a decrease in blood pressure, but the body may respond in order to normalize the blood pressure. Franzén showed in 2007 that the systolic blood pressure was increased in dogs with severe mitral insufficiency.

Joint-related diseases including hip dysplasia (HD) and elbow arthritis (ED) can in advance cases lead to that the dog has to be put down, and these diseases are also the cause to expensive veterinary treatments of many large breeds, including Labrador Retrievers. The aim of this study was to make a follow-up study on the 271 Labradors, who previously participated in a study on the effect of nutrition and exercise on hip and elbow status in a birth cohort born year 2000. That study investigated the relationship between nutrition, exercise, and HD and ED. A follow up study on the same dogs at 5-6 years of age investigated the clinical effects of the radiological hip and elbow status at 1 years of age and if was effected by body condition score. This study took place in 2011-2012 and 187 Labrador retrievers participated.

Montagu´s harrier (Circus pygargus) is a diurnal, Eurasian raptor, which migrates from its northern breeding grounds to winter in sub-Saharan Africa. In Sweden, its core breeding area is centred on the island of Öland, with a stable breeding population of approximately 40 pairs. The province of Uppland is on the northern end the distribution range, where 4-8 pairs have regularly bred since the 1980s. In Sweden, the Montagu?s harrier is classified as an endangered (EN) species. This classification is partly due to a lack of preferred nesting habitat, such as shrub-lands or dense wetlands with Claudium spp.

Chronic valvular disease (CVD) is the most common cardiac disease in dogs, which account for 75% of all the cardiac cases. Cavalier King Charles spaniel (CKCS) is the most affected breed and it´s 13th times more likely that a CKCS, between the age of 7-10 years, will die or be euthanized for cardiac disease, compared with other breeds. The prevalence has been proven to bee independent of coat color and weight but highly dependent on age and gender in CKCS. In 2001 the Swedish Kennelclub and the Special club for cavalier King Charles spaniel created a breeding program against CVD in CKCS. In this program dogs are not allowed to breed until 4 years of age and have to have a heart auscultation without murmurs.

Milk ejection in dairy cows can be inhibited if oxytocin is not released from the pituitary gland. The problem with inhibition of the milk let down is not new, but has recently regained interest. It is observed during different types of emotional stress, for example when cows are moved to an unfamiliar environment, during oestrus, changing from suckling to machine milking or when being milked for the first time. The aim of the study was to examine the extent of cows with disturbed milk ejection in Sweden. A survey was sent out to 1000 dairy farmers in order to collect data about herd size, housing systems and routines at calving and milking.

Vaccinology is an ever expanding field. As a member of the veterinary staff it is important to stay up to date with the continuous new scientific data and recommendations that affect the care that our companion animals receive at the veterinary clinic. This paper presents adverse vaccination reactions, their cause, risk factors and suggestions how we can minimize the risk of adverse vaccine events in dogs. Dog owners in Sweden were allowed to answer a questionnaire about adverse events following vaccination. Lethargy, edema and pruritus were among the most frequently seen adverse effects.

A nonsense mutation in the DMRT3 gene has been shown to have a large impact on pattern of locomotion in horses. Horses that can perform several other gaits in addition to the normally occurring gaits, walk, trot and canter, are often hetero (CA)- or homozygous (AA) for this nonsense mutation. Horses that only can perform walk, trot and canter are often homozygous for the wild-type gene (CC). For example the Icelandic Horse is a gaited breed. Five-gaited Icelandic horses can perform both flying pace and tölt, except for the normally occurring gaits, walk, trot and canter, and are often homozygous for this nonsense mutation (AA).

Hemoplus® (Sarstedt, Nümbrecht, Tyskland) is a guaiac-based fecal occult blood test developed for human medicine. Guaiac-based tests make use of the pseudoperoxidase activity of hemoglobin so the test is not specific for human hemoglobin and can therefore be used in veterinary medicine. Peroxidase-containing foods such as meat (hemoglobin and myoglobin) can cause false-positive results of the test. To ensure that a positive result is not caused by diet, it has been suggested that canine patients should be fed a meatless diet for a few days prior to fecal occult blood testing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of commercial dog food on guaiac-based tests. In this study fecal samples from healthy dogs were analyzed with Hemoplus®.

Canine parvovirus is associated with two disorders: enteritis, which is common, and myocarditis, which is rare. Prominent clinical signs of parvovirus enteritis are vomiting, diarrhea and rapid dehydration. Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is very contagious. When CPV-2 first emerged it had high rates of mortality, but later studies have shown that most infections are self-limiting and do not require veterinary care. Mortality rates vary greatly, and therefore it is important to determine risk factors for developing severe canine parvovirus enteritis.

Detection of leukocytes in semen from boars is part of the routine control of semen quality. Leukocytes in semen can cause damage to spermatozoa that leads to impaired fertilization. In the artificial insemination (AI) industry there are standard routines for the quality control of the boars and of the neat semen before use. Since 2001, Quality Genetics has not done the leukocyte examination on semen samples from boars which are used for the production of pigs for slaughter. The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of leukocytes in semen from AI-boars. The questions addressed were whether there are boars that have leukocytes in their semen and how frequently it occurs and, moreover, if there are differences between breeds, or even between individuals whose semen was checked before use in AI-dose production compared to those which were not. The study included a total of 135 AI-boars, of which 67 were Hampshire, 35 Yorkshire and 33 Landrace, all belonging to Quality Genetics AI-station in Hållsta.

The purpose of this candidate thesis is to obtain an overall picture of how many prohibitions against owning or taking care of animals that were announced in Sweden in the years 2006-2008 and on what basis these judicial decisions were taken. What is the situation for the person behind the judicial decisions? Is there a so-called risk category where preventive actions to solve the problem can be taken at an earlier stage?The first Swedish animal welfare legislation came into force in 1944. Previously there was a law of 1857 that only prohibited the maltreatment of farm animals. In 1988 the existing animal welfare law was revised into an in principle new law (1988:534).As early as in the Royal Majesty?s government bill (1944:43) to the 1944 animal welfare legislation, there was a proposal that issued prohibition for those having been convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals.