Uganda is one country with fastest growing populations in the world and with more than 25% of the population living in poverty. There is a rapid rural urban migration with increasing demands for food for low income earners especially in these areas. One way to mitigate food insecurity is to increase milk and meat production efficiency, and thus reproductive performance of cows is crucial for good production. A well-documented strategy for improving dairy cow productivity through faster genetic improvement is to breed dairy cows using proven semen via artificial insemination (AI). AI has been used in Uganda for over 60 years but only less than 10 %, a small population of the country?s herd has been bred that way. The aims were to study knowledge, attitude and practices factors influencing cow fertility results on dairy farms around Kampala using AI and to propose ways of promoting increased use of AI in Uganda.

Ovine black coat colour is determined by the MC1R (Melanocortin 1 receptor) and ASIP (Agouti signalling peptide) genes at the Agouti and Extension loci. The black phenotype is caused by production of eumelanin by melanocytes, whereas yellow-tan or light phenotype is the result of phaeomelanin synthesis. The ovine MC1R gene has two known alleles: the wildtype (E+) and the dominant black (ED) alleles. Two missense mutations (c.218T>A and c.361G>A) constitute ED. The presence of a third allele, the e allele, is proposed and believed to give rise to phaeomelanic phenotype.

This study was conducted at VikingGenetics' bull breeding station in Falkenberg, Sweden. The bulls waiting for the results of their progeny testing at this station are either kept in group housing or individual housing. Since both of these housing systems have advantages and disadvantages, it was in the interest of VikingGenetics to know which of these housing systems is the best. The aim of this study was to investigate the welfare of the bulls in these two housing systems through behavioural observations and the use of activity monitors. In the preparations for the study 16 bulls, 8 in each housing system, were chosen.

It is important to ensure and develop the Swedish model for riding schools, since the pupils at a Swedish riding school learn both to ride and to handle horses. There is a pronounced problem of stagnation and in some cases a reduced demand in several of the equine industry sectors including breeding with decreased coverings. The aim of this study was to cast light on how representatives from the horse industry looks at riding schools and their recruitment of horses in the next five years. The research issue was ?Will there be difficulties regarding horse recruitment in 2020 and in that case, what are the consequences?? The results of this work consist mostly of material from a workshop on how the riding school will be affected by reduced breeding in the future.

Recording and analyses of superovulation results and fertility records at the nucleus herd Viken The development of different reproductive technologies aim at increasing the number of progeny per individual parent, and in that improving the possibility of genetic progress. One technique, embryo transfer, have facilitated genetic dissemination and shortened the generation interval also in females. Nötcenter Viken is a company that run embryo collection and embryo transfer in the breeds Swedish Red and Swedish Holstein. It is located outside Falköping. Information is continuously gathered about cows tested at the nucleus herd.

Chiari type I malformation is a condition in humans characterized by a small posterior cranial fossa, downward herniation of the cerebellar tonsils, foramen magnum overcrowding and disturbances of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. Syringohydromyelia is often seen in patients with Chiari type I malformation. Syringohydromyelia is characterized by fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord. This causes damage to the nervous tissue in the spinal cord. In recent years, a condition similar to Chiari type I malformation has been recognized in dogs. It has mostly been seen in Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS). The condition seen in dogs is usually called occipital bone hypoplasia. The aim of the study was to examine whether there is a difference in the shape of the caudal fossa between CKCS, small bred dogs with a similar head shape and dogs with a normal head shape and if occipital bone hypoplasia is related to a head shape with a steep back of the head. Other aims of the study were to examine the crowding of nervous tissue in the foramen magnum in each breed group, the extent of syringohydromyelia and to what extent the malformation had caused neurological signs. Sculls from dogs on autopsy were divided in halves and the position of the cerebellum compared to the level of the foramen magnum was studied.

This study was conducted at VikingGenetics' bull breeding station in Falkenberg, Sweden. The bulls waiting for the results of their progeny testing at this station are either kept in group housing or individual housing. Since both of these housing systems have advantages and disadvantages, it was in the interest of VikingGenetics to know which of these housing systems is the best. The aim of this study was to investigate the welfare of the bulls in these two housing systems through behavioural observations and the use of activity monitors. In the preparations for the study 16 bulls, 8 in each housing system, were chosen.

The aim of this study was to compare activity, lying down and getting up behaviour, weight gain and cleanliness in heifers in cubicles versus on deep-litter. The study was conducted from autumn of 2005 until autumn of 2006 in a commercial organic dairy herd with 340 cows. In 2005 the farm rebuilt half of the young stock accommodation from deep-litter pens to cubicles. The experiment used 150 heifers of the breeds Swedish Red, Swedish Holstein and crossbreeds between these, all born on the farm. The animals were divided into three blocks based on breed and within each block they were sorted after increasing age. The youngest heifer in each block was randomly allocated to one of two groups, cubicle or deep-litter pen.

The heterosis effect and breed group effect of crossbreds between Swedish Holstein (SH) and Swedish Red (SRB) was estimated in this study. Observations on cows born between 1990 and 2012 were used to estimate the heterosis effect and breed group effect for several traits included in the Nordic breeding goals: production, fertility, udder health, calving performance, survival and other diseases. Breeding within the Holstein dairy breed has earlier been focused on increased milk production and conformation. This, combined with an intensive use of individual animals, has resulted in a radical increase of milk yield in the Holstein dairy cow population all over the world. However, this breeding strategy has resulted in increased inbreeding and several functional traits have impaired.

SUMMARYThis work consists of a review of the medical records of 142 horses that visited the Equine dermatology clinic, at the University Animal Hospital, UDS, at Ultuna, Uppsala, Sweden, between January 2007 and June 2010. The study answers certain main questions like clinical signs responsible for the visit, the most common diagnoses, their diagnostic procedures, treatment modalities and finally, the outcome of treatment.Among 50 diagnoses, four were predominant followed by additional 46 diagnoses, each presenting by few or, in many cases, only one horse. The most common dermatological problem diagnosed was Equine Sarcoid representing 18,3 % of the cases (26/142), which probably reflects the initiation of a Sarcoid treatment-trial in 2007, that resulted in an accumulation of sarcoid horses in the clinic .The second most common diagnosis was Atopy 12 % (17/142) followed by Allergy with skin affection 9,2 % (13/142) and Acute superficial pyodermia 4,9 % (7/142). If the horses were divided into diagnostic groups, the majority (34,5 %) belonged to HA5 group, (Immunological skin diseases), followed by group HA4, (Infectious and inflammatory conditions of the skin) (22,5 %) and HA6, (Neoplasia) (21,8 %). Traumatic skin injuries represented only 2,1 % of the cases, compared to 80 % of horses in the Agria insurance statistics for veterinary care.The most common clinical sign and reasons for veterinary consultation was pruritus (35,9 %), suspected sarcoids (17,6 %), alopecia (12,7 %), nodules (12 %), seborrea, scaling and crusts (9,2 %) and excoriations (5,6 %), respectively, followed by a scattered number of more uncommon symtoms.The diagnostic methods most frequently applied were cytology and biopsy, used in 41,5 % and 36,6 % of the cases, respectively.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an important but unusual cause of chronic respiratory disease of young dogs. The purpuse of this paper is to study and present internationally publicated papers on PCD in dogs and present three dogs, in which PCD was suspected. PCD has been reported in many dog breeds as well as in people. In dogs an humans, PCD is caused by inborn genetical defects which causes structural and functional abnormalities of cilia in the respiratory organs and other cilia in the body. Situs inversus occurs in about half the cases in people and probably in dogs as well. Respiratory signs usually predominate.

In June 2013 a debate concerning the consumers? right to a label of origin on food packages was held in the Swedish parliament (www, Riksdagen, 2014). The debate was sparked by some food scandals where labelling was falsely used, claiming something that was not true ? the horse-meat scandal, frozen strawberries infected by Hepatitis A, pork sold as beef, etc. These cases were not only wrong in terms of food safety, but also fraudulent and threating consumers? right to fair origin labelling.

This work is a literature review along with interviews from nine suckler herds. How to reducecalf mortality in the cow herd is the focus of this paper. To get profitability of a herd, it isimportant that you get a live calf per cow and year. Good fertility of the cows thus is veryimportant. During the years 2007 - 2008, approximately 5.5% of all calves born by beef cowsdied and about 8.5% of the calves born by heifers died.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the treatment results and adverse drug effects for 14 dogs receiving a new paclitaxel preparat named Paccal vet. The evaluated dogs are chosen to enter a pharmacogenomical study. Therefore, this paper intends to give an introduction to pharmacogenomics. Finally this study also aims at finding the homologue genesequenses in dogs to seven genes that are important for metabolism of paclitaxel in humans. Materials and metods The dogs went through 2-4 cycles of paclitaxel treatment, they received a new water-soluble formula named Paccal vet, at dosages of 100-150mg/m2. Treatment results and adverse effects are listed for each dog in table 1.

Inbreeding, the mating of related individuals, has been the one dominating breeding strategy for dog breeders during the last 200 years. However, its negative effects on fer-tility and other fitness traits, a phenomenon called inbreeding depression, have been ignored in the quest of perfect unity in conformation or performance. The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that litter size is reduced as a consequence of in-breeding, affected by both the inbreeding coefficient of the dam and the litter and that a rapid increase in the inbreeding coefficient affects litter size more than a slower rate. Data were collected from the Swedish Kennel Club registry of origin. Breeds included in the study were the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Cocker Spaniel, the Golden Retriever, the Rottweiler and the West Highland White Terrier.