Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is a major threat for cattle health and production in Africa. This disease is caused by the small-colony type of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides (MmmSC). Transmission occurs from direct and repeated contacts between sick and healthy animals. Veterinary services recently reported a resurgence of CBPP in the province of West Wellega, in the Ethiopi...

A survey amongst sheep and goat producers and veterinarians was undertaken to collect epidemiological data on orf in South Africa. Previous epidemiological studies on the presence of the disease in the country have not been documented and this report is the first descriptive epidemiological study of orf in South Africa. A seven-month investigation, realised by direct and indirect interviews...

Successful initiation and continuation of lactation in the postpartum mare depends on normal hormonal activity and a lack of any inhibitory influences on the mare. Impediments to adequate lactation include underlying systemic disease of the mare, pathology of the mammary gland, malnutrition, and diminished neonatal vigor reducing normal suckling activity. Author’s address: Rood and Riddle Equin...

Yawning is a curious behavioural phenomenon that at times may be described as ‘contagious’, appearing to spread from one individual to another. Contagious yawning is seen in several primate species, including humans (Provine 1986; Baenninger 1997; Campbell et al. 2009; Palagi et al. 2009). Here we argue that contagious yawning, particularly the newly documented phenomenon of cross-species conta...

Contagious yawning (i.e., yawning triggered by perceiving others’ yawning) is a well-documented phenomenon, but the mechanism underlying it is still unclear. In this chapter, I review the current evidence about (a) developmental studies with typically and atypically developing population and (b) comparative studies in non-human animals. Developmental studies have revealed that contagious yawnin...

Contagious yawning-the urge to yawn when thinking about, listening to, or viewing yawning-is a well-documented phenomenon in humans and animals. The reduced yawn contagion observed in the autistic population suggested that it might be empathy related; however, it is unknown whether such a connection applies to nonclinical populations. We examined influences from both empathy (i.e., autistic tra...