[en] With an incidence of 0.7% inhabitants per year, acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is a common occurrence (20). Its incidence in the upper extremities, however, is not as precisely known; the literature reports that 1% to 10% of all DVT cases involve the upper limbs. Acute DVT of upper limb is mainly iatro-genic following interventions like implantation of pacemakers or central venous catheters, and is more likely to occur in obese patients or those with malignant diseases. Life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE) may occur if acute DVT remains undetected. The presented case report demonstrates the feasibility of ⁹9mTc-apcitide scintigraphy for diagnosis of acute DVT of the upper limb and exclusion of PE in a single examination

[en] High altitude or brisket disease of cattle is common at high altitude areas. It is characterized by right ventricular hypertrophy and edema of the chest and brisket, because of reduced blood oxygen saturation at high elevation. It is similar to altitude sickness in humans and frequently ends with the death of the affected animal unless transferred to lower altitude. The incidence and severity of the disease increase with altitude. Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) is an indicator of proneness to the disease. High values (>50 mm HG) indicate high risk and low values (<35 mmHG) indicate resistance to the disease. Analyses of heritability of PAP, mostly performed on Angus cattle in the Rocky Mountains at altitudes of 2000-3800 m indicate a relatively high heritability, in the range of 0.30-0.50. This provides options for selection, which is performed routinely in the Rocky Mountains. The Semien Mountains are the highest mountain range of Ethiopia, peaking at the Ras Dashen (4620 m). Cattle are kept at altitudes of up to almost 4000 m. Along the western side of the mountain range, there is a rather continuous drop in altitude down to about 600 m, over a rather short distance (250 km). The cattle in the region are partly of different type (Zebu, Sanga) and partly a mixture (Zenga = Zebu x Sanga). The phenotypic differentiation in terms of body size along levels of altitude is strong. A study was conducted to assess the prevalence rate of high altitude disease and as well as to compare adaptive characteristics of indigenous cattle populations and their crosses with European types towards altitude, in particular, to high altitude disease. In January 2007, 218 animals situated within an altitude range of 1730 - 3500 m were tested for PAP by an experienced veterinarian from Colorado State University. Local breeds and crosses with Holstein Friesian and Jersey were measured. The results in Table I indicate that no sign of brisket disease is observed among the studied populations. All PAP scores (21- 47 mm Hg) fall within the range of low to moderate risks. Differences in means were not significant for any pair of populations. Some of the readings (values <28 mm HG) for the Semien cattle group measured at 3500 m are out of the range of readings of approx. 100,000 cattle that the veterinarian has taken in the Rocky mountains in the course of 20 years. Crosses of the local cattle with Holstein Friesian and Jersey were not more prone to brisket disease than local cattle measured at the same altitudes. In a study comparing PAP readings in yak, cattle and their crosses, the crosses had equally low PAP readings as the yaks. Yaks are known to be resistant to high altitude disease due to an adaptation of vascular system, indicated by thin-walled small pulmonary arteries. The authors speculated about an autosomal dominant gene transmitting genetic attenuation of the hypoxic vasoconstrictor response. We conclude that cattle breeds of North Western Ethiopia are genetically adapted to high altitude. To get an insight on the mechanism of adaptation an in depth histological study on the internal anatomy of cardiovascular and respiratory systems of these genotypes is currently being undertaken. (author)

[en] A new production system in which pastoral communities are becoming more sedentary and are keeping different genotypes (Holstein-Friesians or their crosses and pure Ankole) is emerging in South Western Uganda. In this system the Ankole, cattle are being crossed with Holstein-Friesian and the two genotypes are being kept in separate herds on the same farm. This is in response to the rapidly growing population, new land policies that favour individual land ownership high demand of livestock products in the urban centres and improved rural infrastructure. As part of a larger research program that aims at evaluating the ecological and economic sustainability of the new pastoral systems, a survey was undertaken of sixteen farmers selected from 3 sub-counties in Kiruhura District in South West Uganda. Two sets of detailed structured questionnaires were used to collect information from the farms. The 1st set was administered at the beginning of the study in April 2007, and the 2nd one was administered on a monthly basis for a period of the last 12 months. On each farm visit performance traits such as milk yield (MY), heart girth measurement (HG) and Body Condition Score (BCS) of the animals were recorded. Comparative MY, BCS and body weight performance for mature cows for the different genotypes are considered here. because the crossbreds gave them more marketable milk, while the Ankole provides security in case diseases or prolonged drought affected the crossbreds. Another group (19.9%) stated that they still prefer to keep Ankole cattle besides the crosses because they are hardy, while others (13.3%) stated that they kept Ankole for beef production because they were easier to sell off for this purpose and the crosses for milk production. Another 13.3% stated that the crossbreds were kept for income through milk sales and Ankole were kept for cultural reasons. Different reasons were given for rearing the animals in separate herds: (i) to control breeding (ii) Ankole cattle scare the Holstein Friesian crosses with their large horns (iii) The two genotypes have different grazing behaviour (iv) The two genotypes require different management. One farmer stated that he kept the two genotypes separate because he had enough land that allows for this. According to the farmers' statements the selected farms had, a combined 4,886 animals of this (56%) were Holstein Friesian- Ankole crosses and the rest Ankole. The combined herd sizes were between 91 and 725 animals. While herd, sizes of the different cattle types (genotypes) were between 32 to 453 animals. genotypes are kept. All interviewed farmers owned the land on which they were grazing the animals, land size ranged between 100 to 750 Hectares. Two of the farmers stated that they had rented additional land to ensure that their animals had enough pastures. The calculated mean stocking density on the farms was 1.36 Hectares per Tropical Livestock Unit. The crossbreds gave significantly higher daily milk yields and had higher body weights than the Ankole. Other areas that were covered in this study include nutrition of the animals, herd health management (disease occurrence, disease control measures and costs involved), labour (hired and costs involved), challenges of the new production system (fluctuations in amounts of pasture and water available for production and unstable milk prices). The paper reports findings on all the above, highlights existing knowledge gaps and finally appropriate technical interventions are recommended. (author)

[en] In response to increasing land pressure due to rapidly growing population, growing demand for livestock products in urban centres and new land policies which encourage individual land ownership in Uganda, pastoralists rearing the long horned Ankole cattle in south western Uganda have now become sedentary and less dependent on communal grazing systems. Crossbreeding of Ankole cattle with the Holstein Friesian for increased milk production is taking place at a very fast rate. A new production system in which pure bred Ankole and crosses of Ankole with Holstein Friesian are reared in separate herds on one farm has now emerged in the area. As part of a programme evaluating the ecological and economic sustainability of breeding in pastoral systems, a survey of sixteen farmers selected from three sub-counties in Kiruhura District in south west Uganda was undertaken. Two sets of detailed structured questionnaires were used to collect information from the farmers. Set one was administered at the beginning of the study in April 2007, while set two was administered on a monthly basis for a period of 12 months. In addition, production data from the animals was collected monthly. Results show that crossbreeding is taking place with no defined programme, farmers still have an attachment to the Ankole cattle and that the most important challenges to the production system are insufficient pasture during the dry season and livestock diseases. The crossbreeds produce significantly more milk than the Ankole and have higher live weights. There is need to formulate appropriate breeding programmes for the farmers and to develop guidelines for suitable stocking densities. (author)