Feeding seaweed to cattle can decrease their amount of methane emissions, recent research has discovered. Delving deeper into this, researchers from Oregon State University will be studying the effect Pacific dulse seaweed, a species that is cultivated commercially along the Oregon Coast, has when incorporated into cattle diet. Specifically, investigators will examine the impact Pacific dulse seaweed has on cattle that graze sagebrush steppe landscape—a widespread ecosystem in the western United States.

“At a time of heightened public concern about greenhouse gas emissions, this project has the potential to help ranchers more sustainably and efficiently produce beef while also providing an economic benefit to seaweed producers,” Juliana Ranches, PhD, project director and an assistant professor at Oregon State’s Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center in Burns, Oregon, said in a university report.

Ruminants, particularly cattle, digest their food by fermenting it in their digestive system. As food gets broken down and fermented, methane is produced and expelled through burps or flatulence.

 According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, a single cow generates approximately 154 to 264 lbs of methane gas annually.

 Moreover, 1.5 billion cattle—raised globally for meat production—release at least 231 billion lbs of methane into the atmosphere each year.

 More than 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector come from the methane cattle produce during enteric fermentation.

The project, which received a $1 million grant from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture, will span 5 years. Approximately 20 cows will be part of the project, grazing each year on a 100-acre pasture at the Northern Great Basin Experimental Range in Riley, Oregon, located between Bend and Burns. These cows will be equipped with GPS collars and contained inside a virtual fence.

These cows’ diet will be supplemented with Pacific dulse from Oregon Seaweed, an aquaculture farm. Researchers will explore various amounts of dried dulse to find the supplementation level that best reduces enteric methane emissions produced during the cattle’s digestive processes.

According to algal physiologist in the Oregon State Department of Microbiology and co-author of the study, James Fox, PhD, the project will also involve examining the way the seaweed is grown and how that affects the compounds of interest that contribute to methane reduction.

Fox and the team will also study how seaweed supplementation influences the bacteria in cattle stomachs and these bacteria’s potential contribution to methane reduction. Additionally, the researchers will deploy an Eddy Covariance Flux Tower—a tool for measuring atmospheric changes—to monitor carbon dioxide and methane levels in the pasture.

“Most of the research on seaweed feed supplementation for cattle has taken place in feedlots,” Rory O’Connor, PhD, MSc, rangeland ecologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Burns and co-director of the project, expressed in the report.

 “Our work is novel because we are focused on cattle that graze in the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem.”

Nealson S. Surf and Turf: Oregon State researchers to study feeding seaweed to cattle. Oregon State University. October 28, 2024. Accessed November 1, 2024. https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/surf-and-turf-oregon-state-researchers-study-feeding-seaweed-cattle

Agriculture and aquaculture: Food for thought. United States Environmental Protection Agency. February 6, 2024. Accessed November 1, 2024. https://www.epa.gov/snep/agriculture-and-aquaculture-food-thought

Articles

Researchers will explore the effect Pacific dulse seaweed supplementation has on grazing cows’ digestive methane production

New study will explore seaweed diet for cattle to reduce their methane emissions

Happy Friday dvm360 readers! We hope all of you, and your pets and families, had a great and safe Halloween night. We are just a little over a month away from our final Fetch conference of 2024, Fetch Long Beach! Join the dvm360 team, our amazing Fetch Faculty, and fellow veterinary professionals to learn, network, and have fun. Registration is still open so learn more and secure your spot 

Once you finalize your registration for Fetch Long Beach, check out what was popular this week on dvm36.com:

, the article includes the perspective of both the human and animal medicine sides to discuss the importance of surveillance, prevention strategies, the one health approach, and more for H5N1.

 with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration for a lapse in opioid oversight and recording keeping, allegedly violating the Controlled Substances Act and other related regulations.

 of the Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360, Carl Palazzolo, DVM, MBA, shared his story into becoming a veterinarian and wildlife photographer and stories of his travels across the globe.

 conducted by researchers at the Oklahoma State University set out to better understand how raw meat-based diets can impact a dog’s fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics, and inflammatory markers when compared to a kibble diet.

 with dvm360, Gaemia Tracy, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) shared more about the lecture he presented at Fetch Coastal in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on managing seizures in canine and feline patients.

Wrap up: Unpacking the H5N1 threat, and other veterinary news

Covetrus North America LLC, (Covetrus), reached an $1,125,000 settlement with the US Attorney’s Office to rectify allegations that the company violated the Controlled Substances Act and other related regulation.

According to the release from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA),

 as part of the settlement, Covetrus admitted that from March 29, 2016 through June 18, 2018, a veterinary office in West Barnstable, Massachusetts, triggered the company’s suspicious order monitoring (SOM) and flagged 35 opioid orders as suspicious. Covetrus then released each of the orders that were flagged and sent them to the veterinary office, but following a request from the DEA, the company provided insufficient documentation to justify the decision to release the orders.

The US District Court in Boston charged, convicted, and sentenced Melissa Paradise, an employee of the veterinary office, after she admitted to diverting the drugs from the orders that were flagged for personal use.

“The struggle to bring the scourge of the opioid epidemic under control requires a multi prong approach. In addition to traditional law enforcement efforts, preventing the diversion of lawfully manufactured opioids is also critical. Drug distributors have an obligation to handle controlled substances responsibly, including maintaining complete and accurate records, and diligently investigating suspicious orders of controlled substances,” said Joshua S. Levy, JD, Acting United States Attorney.

 “As this resolution demonstrates we not only prosecute individuals who divert controlled substances, but we will hold opioid distributors accountable for their failure to comply with important regulations.”

Covetrus also admitted that an order of hydrocodone-homatropine was lost in-transit to the veterinary office in March 2018, but failed to make notification to the DEA of the lost controlled substance. The release also noted that from January 2015 through July 2023, Covetrus failed to properly review the most recent information available in an automated, comprehensive drug reporting system.

The system monitors controlled substances from the point of manufacturing through distribution and is a requirement of the Controlled Substances Act.

Covetrus and the DEA have entered a 1-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) as part of the settlement. The MOU requires Covetrus to keep improving its SOM system and the DEA can freely inspect and monitor its SOM system, employee training, and overall compliance with federal, state, and local controlled substance statues and regulations.

Covetrus Agrees To Pay $1,125,000 for Failing to Adequately Address Suspicious Opioid Orders and for Inadequate Recordkeeping Practices. News release. United States Drug Enforcement Administration. October 30, 2024. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2024/10/30/covetrus-agrees-pay-1125000-failing-adequately-address-suspicious-opioid

The settlement resolves the allegations Covetrus violated the Controlled Substances Act and other related regulations. 

Animal health company agrees to $1.1M settlement for lapses in opioid oversight and recordkeeping

Gaemia Tracy, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), discusses the topic of his Fetch Coastal session that is available on-demand through dvm360 Flex.

Managing seizures in dogs and cats

 delivers expert-led veterinary continuing education on your schedule. With 

, you can access top-tier sessions anytime, anywhere—whether at home, in the clinic, or on the go. Ready to earn CE credits? Watch this session and more on 

Gaemia Tracy, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), a practitioner at Eastern Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Center in Allentown, recently presented multiple continuing education sessions on neurology topics at the 2024 Fetch dvm360 conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In an interview with 

 at the conference, Tracy discussed a lecture he presented on managing seizures in canine and feline patients. This lecture was also recorded for the 

for the Atlantic City conference and will be made available online in the near future.

: “When things get shaky: managing seizures in dogs and cats” is a talk about what to look for in pets that have seizures [and] how to treat them. What are our options as far as treatment? What do we expect from treatment? As veterinarians, how can we best help the pet owners manage their dogs and cats that have seizures, and what questions we should be asking, how we should be guiding them, and what the best way is to give them the best quality life?

For more coverage of the 2024 Fetch Coastal event, including articles and videos, visit our 

Videos

In an interview with dvm360, Gaemia Tracy, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology), discusses the 2024 Fetch Coastal session he presented for the Fetch On-Demand program

With the rise in pet owners feeding their dogs nontraditional raw diets, a team of researchers from Oklahoma State University (OSU) set out to explore how a raw meat-based diet impacted dogs’ fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics, and inflammatory markers in comparison to a kibble diet.

Veterinarians lack sufficient research data to help clients make informed choices regarding the option of raw diets for their pets, explained Lara Sypniewski, DVM, clinical associate professor in small animal primary care at OSU College of Veterinary Medicine and co-author of the study, in a university release.

“Overall, I think this study offers people the opportunity to start with a discussion regarding a less processed or raw diet with their veterinarian,” Sypniewski said. “I believe this information can offer another feeding option for dogs with chronic inflammatory GI disease as it may improve gut homeostasis.”

The study, published earlier this year, looked at 55 dogs that that had been fed either a raw meat-based diet or a kibble diet for more than a year.

 Sypniewski first conducted a physical examination of each dog to confirm their overall health and collected samples to establish baseline laboratory values.

The dogs were then fed a standardized diet consisting of a single brand of either kibble or raw meat for 28 days. The dogs returned for a follow-up physical examination and sample collection on day 28. Serum and fecal samples were taken to analyze microbiota, metabolomics, and inflammatory markers.

According to the research paper, which was published in 

, the fecal microbiota composition of the dogs on the kibble diet versus the raw meat-based diet was different.

 Results indicated that higher protein diets, especially those devoid of plant-based carbohydrates, affect the fecal microbiome population.

“Although microbiome populations were different, there was no significant difference in the systemic inflammatory markers evaluated, but we have to remember all dogs were healthy to begin with,” Sypniewski noted in the release.

“Sixty- three serum metabolites differed between [kibble diet] and [raw meat-based diets]-fed dogs with the majority reflecting the differences in macronutrient composition of the two diets. Fecal [intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP)], [immunoglobulin G (IgG)] and IgA were significantly higher in [raw meat-based diet-fed] dogs compared to [kibble diet-fed] dogs, while systemic markers of inflammation, including serum c-reactive protein (CRP), galectin, secretory receptor of advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE), haptoglobin, and serum IgG were similar in dogs fed either diet,” wrote the study’s authors.

According to Sypniewski, raised fecal IgA is beneficial, as low levels may be linked to inflammatory and autoimmune disease.

“Fecal IgA responds to pathogens and allergens. It is a protective immunoglobulin and important for immune tolerance and keeping the commensal bacteria local to the lumen of the gut,” explained Sypniewski in the release.

Speaking on the raised levels of IAP in dogs fed raw meat-based diets, Sypniewski said “…IAP is a protective enzyme which was much higher in raw fed dogs. Dogs with chronic enteric disease, or gastrointestinal disease, have reduced IAP. We theorize that the IAP levels in raw-fed dogs could be a sign they have reduced susceptibility to inflammatory conditions.”

OSU researchers study which is a healthier option for pet diets. Oklahoma State University. October 24, 2024. Accessed October 31, 2024. 

https://news.okstate.edu/magazines/veterinary-medicine/vet-voices/articles/2024/osu_researchers_study_which_is_a_healthier_option_for_pet_diets.html

Hiney K, Sypniewski L, DeSilva U, et al. Fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics, and markers of inflammation in dogs fed a raw meat-based diet compared to those on A kibble diet. 

. 2024;11. doi:10.3389/fvets.2024.1328513

The study looked at the effect these 2 diets have on fecal microbiota composition, serum metabolomics, and inflammatory markers in dogs

Study explores effects of raw vs kibble diets on canine fecal microbiota and more

Many clients enjoy including their pets in Halloween festivities, from serving treats to dressing in costume. However, the holiday is also an opportunity for veterinary professionals to communicate with clients, providing education and reminders, about dangerous foods and items that their pets can ingest on Halloween and during the autumn season.

The Pet Poison Helpline annually sees a 12% increase of calls to the veterinarian during the week of Halloween, according to the agency. One of the most common dangers is chocolate, of which exposure accounted for more than 1100 calls to the Pet Poison Helpline in the past year. Of these calls, 98% involved dogs.

“Chocolate is one of the most problematic candies as dogs and cats cannot metabolize it as well as people. Thus, it places them at risk for poisoning,” Ahna Brutlag, DVM, senior director of veterinary services and senior toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline, said on the agency’s website.

, Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, senior veterinary toxicologist and DVM supervisor at Pet Poison Helpline, also discussed chocolate as a pet toxin.

 “If [pets] get into a large amount of [chocolate], the first thing they typically will do is vomit, a lot of them will vomit on their own. Some of them that don't may have a little bit of agitation or restlessness if they got into a large amount of chocolate,” she said.

Food hazards commonly reported to the Pet Poison Helpline include overindulgence of sweets, as well as raisins, in addition to chocolate. “Each year we experience a sharp increase in calls around Halloween, especially during the weekends surrounding the holiday,” Brutlag added.

 “Most often, these calls involve pets accidentally ingesting Halloween candy or décor.”

It is important that clients avoid feeding treats containing xylitol to their pets. Xylitol can lead to sudden, life-threatening changes in blood sugar and liver toxicity, according to Lily Richards, BVSc, MRCVS, BSc Hons, a veterinary surgeon.

 “Although sugars like honey, brown, and white sugar are generally safe for dogs and cats, foods high in sugar often cause vomiting and diarrhea in pets,” Richards said in a news release. “Watch out, particularly for sugar-free treats containing xylitol.”

Schmid further discussed some hazardous candies and ingredients that clients should be warned about.

 “There's also a concern with even just sugared candies, so gummies, gummy worms, gummy bears, the [chewy candies], the Sour Patch Kids, things like that. If they get into a large amount of those, those can actually cause a fluid shift into the GI tract,” she said.

Richards provided warnings for foods such as raw pumpkin and berries.

 “Naturally rich in vitamins, minerals, and soluble fiber, pumpkin can help ease digestion,” Richards said. “Fresh pumpkin, including the seeds, can be a tasty treat in moderation, but watch out for canned products that may contain xylitol.”

Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, New York, noted in a press release that some costume elements can be dangerous to pets. Small buttons, loose decorations and long fabrics are risky if a pet chews on them or becomes tangled. The Level 1 veterinary trauma center recommends costume designs with Velcro closures or soft ties that can be easily adjusted on an animal.

Richards identified autumn flowers—particularly mums and chrysanthemums—and glow sticks, which can contain toxic chemicals and can lead to choking if part or all of the stick is swallowed, as dangerous items for pets.

 Brutlag said candy wrappers also pose a risk.

The experts suggested that even if pets are not being fed dangerous foods, they may be able to still access them. Therefore, it’s important that clients keep dangerous foods and items out of the reach of their pets. Halloween parties require extra vigilance. “It's not uncommon for the family pet to get into something when a guest has left their drink on the coffee table or somewhere where the animal can get to it,” said Schmid.

Halloween dangers to dogs and cats. Pet Poison Helpline. Accessed October 31, 2024. 

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/seasons/halloween/

McCafferty C, Burke J. Keeping pets safe from toxins this Howl-O-weekend. 

. October 28, 2022. Accessed October 31, 2024.

https://www.dvm360.com/view/keeping-pets-safe-from-toxins-this-howl-o-weekend

Halloween horrors: what you vet wants you to know about pet safety. News release. Trusted Housesitters. October 29, 2024. [email]

Dressing up pets for Halloween: Safety tips from NYC’s Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. News release. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. October 2, 2024. [email]

Burke J. Halloween pet safety tips: keep the “spooky” in spooky season just for humans. 

. October 28, 2024. Accessed October 31, 2024. 

https://www.dvm360.com/view/halloween-pet-safety-tips-keep-the-spooky-in-spooky-season-just-for-humans

Education is important and reminders are key for keeping patients safe during the holiday season