ElAshmawy, W. R., E. Okello, D. R. Williams, R. J. Anderson, B. Karle, T. W. Lehenbauer, and S. S. Aly, "Effectiveness of Intramammary Antibiotics, Internal Teat Sealants, or Both at Dry-Off in Dairy Cows: Milk Production and Somatic Cell Count Outcomes", Veterinary Sciences, vol. 9, issue 10, 2022. Abstract

Mastitis is the greatest disease challenge for dairy producers, with substantial economic impacts due to lost milk production. Amongst the approaches implemented to control and prevent mastitis on dairies are vaccination, pre- and post-milking teat dips, and treatments at dry-off including intramammary antibiotics and teat sealants. The objectives of our study were to evaluate the effect of different treatments at dry-off on the subsequent lactation’s milk production and somatic cell count (SCC). A single-blinded controlled block randomized clinical trial was conducted between December 2016 and August 2018 on eight herds from four of the top ten milk-producing counties in California: Tulare, Kings, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin. The trial was repeated with cows enrolled during the winter and summer seasons to account for seasonal variability. Eligible cows were treated at dry-off with either intramammary antibiotics (AB), internal teat sealant (TS), AB + TS, or did not receive any treatment (control), and were followed through 150 days in milk (DIM) post-calving. The milk production and SCC data were extracted from monthly test day milk records (Dairy Comp 305, Valley Ag Software, Tulare, CA, USA). Two-piece spline linear mixed models were used to model the milk production (kg) and natural logarithm-transformed SCC. After accounting for parity, breed, season, and dry period duration, the milk model showed a significant increase in milk production (1.84 kg/day) in cows treated with AB + TS at dry-off in comparison to controls. There was no significant difference in the milk produced by cows that received either AB or TS (0.12 kg/day, and 0.67 kg/day, respectively) in comparison to the untreated cows. Different dry cow treatments were associated with a significant reduction in ln SCC during the first 150 DIM. The greatest reduction was associated with using AB + TS, followed by AB, and finally TS in comparison to controls. Dairies with high SCC may benefit from treating cows at dry-off with AB, TS, or both.

Aly, S. S., E. Okello, W. R. ElAshmawy, D. R. Williams, R. J. Anderson, P. Rossitto, K. Tonooka, K. Glenn, B. Karle, and T. W. Lehenbauer, "Effectiveness of Intramammary Antibiotics, Internal Teat Sealants, or Both at Dry-Off in Dairy Cows: Clinical Mastitis and Culling Outcomes", Antibiotics, vol. 11, issue 7, 2022. Abstract

Intramammary antibiotic (AB) and internal teat sealants (TS) infusion at dry-off have been used to prevent intramammary infections (IMI) in dairy cows during the dry period and reduce the risk of mastitis during the dry period and subsequent lactation. A randomized clinal trial was completed on eight California dairy herds to estimate the effects of different dry cow therapies (AB, TS, AB + TS or None) on clinical mastitis and culling. A total of 1273 cows were randomized to one of the four treatment groups over summer and winter seasons. For each enrolled cow, microbiological testing was done on quarter milk samples collected from the first detection of clinical mastitis within the first 150 days in milk (DIM) in the subsequent lactation. Statistical analysis was done using generalized linear mixed models. There were no significant differences in the odds of clinical mastitis or culling between cows treated with AB, TS, or AB + TS compared to the controls. Dry cow therapy with AB and/or TS had no statistically significant effect on clinical mastitis and cow culling during the first 150 DIM.

ElAshmawy, W. R., S. Marouf, and H. M. Galal, "Detection of Virulence Genes and Antimicrobial Resistance of Bacterial isolates of Diarrhea in Newly Borne Buffalo Calves", RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL SCIENCES, vol. 7, no. 4: RJPBCS RESEARCH JOURNAL PHARMACEUTICAL, BIOLOGICAL & CHEMICAL SCIENCES …, pp. 1728–1735, 2016. Abstract
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El-Ashmawy, W. R., A. - H. I. Bazid, M. Abdelkader, M. A. Sakr, A. M. Fayed, and M. O. H. A. M. E. D. FAWZY, "MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON PESTE DES PETITS RUMINANTS IN EGYPT 2015", SLOVENIAN VETERINARY RESEARCH, 2018. Abstract
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ElAshmawy, W. R., D. R. Williams, A. C. Gerry, J. D. Champagne, T. W. Lehenbauer, and S. S. Aly, "Risk factors affecting dairy cattle protective grouping behavior, commonly known as bunching, againstStomoxys calcitrans (L.) on California dairies (vol 14, e0224987, 2019)", PLOS ONE, vol. 15, no. 7: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE 1160 BATTERY STREET, STE 100, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111 USA, 2020. Abstract
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Diab, E., A. - H. I. Bazid, M. O. H. A. M. E. D. FAWZY, W. R. El-Ashmawy, A. A. Fayed, and M. M. El-Sayed, "Foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in Egypt during 2013-2014: Molecular characterization of serotypes A, O, and SAT2", Vet World. , vol. 12, issue 2, pp. 190–197, 2019. vetworld-12-190.pdf
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Abdelfattah, E. M., P. S. Ekong, E. Okello, T. Chamchoy, B. M. Karle, R. A. Black, D. B. Sheedy, W. R. ElAshmawy, D. R. Williams, D. Califano, et al., "Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on California dairies: descriptive and cluster analyses of AMR phenotype of fecal commensal bacteria isolated from adult cows", PeerJ, vol. 9, 2021. Abstract
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Okello, E., D. R. Williams, W. R. ElAshmawy, J. Adams, R. V. Pereira, T. W. Lehenbauer, and S. S. Aly, "Survey on Antimicrobial Drug Use Practices in California Preweaned Dairy Calves", Front Vet Sci, vol. 2021 Apr 22, issue 8, pp. 636670, 2021. Abstract
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The California (CA) dairy industry was surveyed in July 2017 to evaluate producers' knowledge and perceptions and antimicrobial drug (AMD) use in preweaned dairy calves following the implementation of the nationwide veterinary feed directive final rule (VFD) in January 2017 and prior to statewide implementation of CA Senate Bill (SB) 27 in January 2018. Together, these regulations require veterinary oversight for all uses of medically important antimicrobial drugs (MIADs) administered to livestock in CA. Survey questionnaire was mailed to 1,361 CA Grade A milk producing dairies and calf ranches across CA resulting in a 12% (169) response. Most respondents (83%) were aware of the VFD and SB 27 changes. Use of antibiotics was perceived as important (77%) in raising preweaned dairy calves and judicious use of antibiotics was ranked as the most important antimicrobial stewardship practice, amongst record keeping, observing withdrawal periods, having a valid Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR), and use of alternatives to antibiotics. Treating sick calves was the major indication for AMD use (90.5%); however, few producers reported use of antibiotics to control (12.7%) or prevent disease (11%). Neomycin sulfate, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline and sulfamethazine were the most used AMD. The respondents reported a decreased use of AMD in milk (10%) and in solid feed (5%), and discontinuation of one or more AMDs used in milk (18.6%) or in solid feed (5%) post-VFD rule implementation in 2017. Most respondents reported keeping treatment records and the information recorded included date (82%), dose (44%) and route (15%) of AMD used. A few respondents reported they had initiated use of alternatives to AMDs, such as vitamins (32.6%), minerals (25.6%), herbal remedies (11.6%) and pathogen specific antibodies (7%), post-VFD. The limited changes noted in AMD use could be attributed to the short period between the implementation of the VFD and the time of the survey. Our study outcomes identified opportunities to improve AMD use practices, including record keeping and use of AMD alternatives, and provides a baseline for future evaluation of the impact of these regulatory changes, as well as guidance for the future recommendations on best practices to promote judicious AMD use.

ElAshmawy, W. R., E. M. Abdelfattah, D. R. Williams, A. C. Gerry, H. A. Rossow, T. W. Lehenbauer, and S. S. Aly, "Stable fly activity is associated with dairy management practices and seasonal weather conditions", PLOS ONE , vol. 16, issue 7, pp. e0253946, 2021. Abstract
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Stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) are blood-sucking insects commonly associated with cattle production systems worldwide and are known to cause severe irritation to cattle due to painful bites. Cattle react to biting stable flies with an aggregating behavior known as bunching. Bunching behavior reduces grazing or feed consumption and thus reduces cattle productivity and welfare. Cattle's fly-repelling behaviors include foot stomping, head tossing, tail switching and skin twitching. A longitudinal study was conducted in 2017 on 20 California dairies (average lactating herd size = 2,466 (SE±28.392)) during the stable fly season from April to July. The study objectives were to estimate the association between environmental factors and dairy characteristics including facility design, feed and manure management, total mixed ration (TMR) components fed to cattle, and operational pest management procedures and the outcome stable fly activity on California dairies. Stable fly activity was measured by counting stable flies on cow forelimbs (leg count) and on Alsynite traps (trap count) over the 13-week study period. Weekly leg counts were performed for cattle in lactating cow pens (31 pens from 10 study dairies) with counts made during the morning (AM) and again during the afternoon (PM). Trap counts were performed on all 20 study dairies. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models which revealed temporal variation in the average leg and trap counts with stable fly activity increasing from May to June and then decreasing to the lowest activity in July. Leg counts were higher during the afternoon compared to morning. Ambient temperatures ≤30⁰C and relative humidity (RH) measurements <50% were associated with higher leg and trap counts. Traps located at the periphery of study dairies had higher stable fly counts compared to traps located in the interior of the dairy. Cow pens with trees on the periphery had higher leg counts in comparison to pens away from trees. Specific TMR components were associated with both leg and trap counts. Dairies feeding by-products including almond hulls, wet distillers' grain, fruits, and vegetables had higher trap counts compared to dairies that did not feed these ingredients. At the pen level, pens with rations that contained straw had lower average leg counts compared to pens fed with rations that did not contain straw. A similar association was observed for pens with rations that contained wheat silage when ambient temperatures were ≤30⁰C. In contrast, pens with water added to the TMR while the RH was ≥50% had higher average leg counts compared to pens without water added to the TMR. Dairies that applied insecticides for fly control to their entire facility had lower trap counts compared to dairies that did not apply insecticides. Stable fly activity measured on California dairies using leg and trap counts varied according to the month, environmental factors, pen surroundings, trap location, TMR components, and insecticide use.

Depenbrock, S., S. Aly, J. Wenz, Deniece Williams, W. ElAshmawy, K. Clothier, H. Fritz, G. McArthur, M. Heller, and M. Chigerwe, "In-vitro antibiotic resistance phenotypes of respiratory and enteric bacterial isolates from weaned dairy heifers in California", PLOS ONE, vol. 16, issue 11, pp. e0260292, 2021. Abstractjournal.pone_.0260292.pdf
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Antimicrobial drug (AMD) use for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) continues to be concerning for development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in respiratory and enteric bacteria of cattle. This study aimed to provide data regarding AMR in respiratory isolates, and identify relationships between respiratory and enteric AMD susceptibility, in weaned dairy heifers. A cross-sectional study was performed between June of 2019 and February 2020, on 6 calf rearing facilities in California. Deep nasopharyngeal and rectal swabs were collected from 341 weaned heifers and submitted for selective bacterial culture and AMR testing. Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, and Histophilus somni were selectively isolated from respiratory samples; Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. were selectively isolated from rectal swabs. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined for selected isolates against 19 AMD. The proportion of resistant isolates was calculated using Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (respiratory) or USDA NARMS (enteric) breakpoints; when no applicable breakpoint was available, the distribution of MIC was described and compared. Association between AMR in a calf's respiratory isolate and a higher or lower MIC of the matched enteric isolates was determined. More than 50% of P. multocida isolates were resistant to each of 7 AMD commonly used to treat BRD (florfenicol, gamithromycin, tildipirosin, tilmicosin, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin and tetracycline). Resistance in respiratory isolates was only associated with higher matched enteric MIC for gamithromycin and tulathromycin. Multidrug resistance was reported in >70% of P. multocida and M. haemolytica isolates. Antimicrobial resistance, including multidrug resistance, in respiratory isolates appears to be widespread in weaned dairy heifers; this finding has not previously been reported and raises concern for the future efficacy of AMD used to treat respiratory diseases in weaned dairy heifers. Enteric bacterial MIC appear to have limited direct association with respiratory isolate AMR classification.

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