Precision livestock farming (PLF) is a digital management system that continuously measures the production, reproduction, health and welfare of animals and environmental impacts of the herd by using information and communication technologies (ICT) and controls all stages of the production process. In conventional livestock management, decisions are mostly based on the appraisal, judgment, and experience of the farmer, veterinarian, and workers. The increasing demand for production and the number of animals makes it difficult for humans to keep track of animals. It is clear that a person is not able to continuously watch the animals 24 hours a day to receive reliable audio-visual data for management. Recent technologies already changed the information flow from animal to human, which helps people to collect reliable information and transform it into an operational decision-making process (eg reproduction management or calving surveillance). Today, livestock farming must combine requirements for a transparent food supply chain, animal welfare, health, and ethics as a traceable-sustainable model by obtaining and processing reliable data using novel technologies. This review provides preliminary information on the advances in ICT for livestock management.

Background: In the present era of liver transplantation and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts, the role and choice of shunt surgery for portal hypertension was reviewed. Methods: This retrospective study analysed the management of patients with portal hypertension in a tertiary liver transplant unit between June 1993 and May 2002. During this 9-year interval, 394 patients underwent endoscopic control of varices, 235 transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts were inserted, 1142 liver transplants were performed, while only 29 patients needed a surgical portosystemic shunt. Results: Twenty-nine shunt operations were performed in nine patients with cirrhosis, one patient with congenital hepatic fibrosis and 19 without parenchymal liver disease. There were 12 side-to-side lienorenal, nine mesocaval, three proximal lienorenal, two distal lienorenal, two portacaval and one mesoportal shunts. Encephalopathy was seen in five of 11 patients with a non-selective shunt, but did not occur after side-to-side or selective lienorenal shunt procedures. At a median follow-up of 42·5 months, one mesocaval shunt had thrombosed and one portacaval shunt had stenosed; both were successfully managed by percutaneous intervention. To date, six patients have died; two succumbed to postoperative complications, one of which was related to the shunt. Conclusion: Patients with Budd–Chiari syndrome and cirrhosis can nearly always be managed by a combination of endoscopy, interventional radiology and liver transplantation. In the rare instances when these therapies fail in patients with cirrhosis, a side-to-side lienorenal shunt is a good option.

Artificial insemination protocols depend on efficient behavioral estrus detection and insemination time in Angora goat. Therefore, we aim to determine the accuracy of an estrus scoring system in Angora goats with different PMSG doses during the breeding season. Does (n: 260) were randomly divided into three groups: group-1 (n: 93), group-2 (n: 85) and group-3 (n: 82). All animals received an intravaginal sponge on day 0 for 11 days, and on the day of sponge insertion 150 μg prostaglandin F2Α was administered. Pregnant mare’s serum gonadotropin was injected 300, 400 and 500 IU intramuscularly 24 h before sponge removal to groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Estrus signs were detected with a teaser buck, 24 h after sponge removal according to a visual scoring system. Artificial insemination was performed with 0.25 ml fresh diluted semen at 43 to 45 h after sponge removal. Differences were observed within PMSG groups in terms of standing, tail wagging, courtship behavior, vaginal discharge and vaginal hyperemia (P<0.001). Nevertheless, the most accurate indicators of estrus that result in pregnancy were tail wagging and courtship behavior followed by standing estrus (P<0.05). According to the results obtained, 300 IU PMSG dose is sufficient, both to inseminate at a fixed time (43 to 45 h after sponge removal) and to record the estrus behavior by teaser male 24 h after sponge removal. Higher PMSG doses (400 to 500 IU) altered the timing of ovulation; specifically, 500 IU dose shortened the duration of estrus behaviors. In conclusion, even though the different doses of PMSG displayed similar effects on estrus synchronization and pregnancy rates, we concluded that tail wagging, courtship behavior and standing heat are the most reliable estrus signs for artificial insemination in Angora goat.