The main subject of the research is the assessment of the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of veterinarians regarding the use of antibiotics (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through a questionnaire conducted among veterinarians in the northern region of Serbia. A total of 62 respondents completed the questionnaire, which represents a response rate of 44.3%. Male veterinarians are less likely to be in the group of veterinarians with insufficient knowledge (p < 0.05). Veterinarians engaged in mixed practice (small and large animals) (p < 0.001) and veterinarians who have over 100 patients per month (p < 0.005) are also less likely to be in the group with insufficient knowledge of antimicrobial resistance. The proportion of those with insufficient knowledge is growing among veterinarians whose source is the Internet (p < 0.01), while the proportion of those with insufficient knowledge about antimicrobial resistance is declining among veterinarians whose source of information is continuous education (p < 0.05). The majority of the respondents (n = 59, 95.2%) completely agreed that AMR is a very big issue in the global health sector right now. Unfortunately, there are crucial gaps in the knowledge and attitudes of the surveyed participants. They do not appear to be aware of the importance of AMU in veterinary medicine and its influence on overall AMR, or the crucial part that non-prescribed antibiotics have in all of it. Positively, many veterinarians use good practice AMU guidelines in their everyday practice and in line with the global trend of AMU reduction, respondents have also decreased their AMU compared to the previous year.

DoiFil - Repository of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) Issued by Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade

Anoplocephala spp. are common equine tapeworm species in Europe, frequently found in grazing horses. Anoplocephala perfoliata is the most pathogenic, clinically significant species associated with gastrointestinal disorders, particularly colic, and can have a fatal outcome in some horses. The aim of this study was to determine the infection prevalence of Anoplocephala spp. in Serbia and to identify relevant risk factors. A total of 173 horses from various regions were tested using a combination of diagnostic methods: coprological analysis via combined sedimentation–flotation and the Mini-FLOTAC technique, as well as serological testing using a commercial ELISA test. The overall prevalence was 38.7%, with a higher number of positive cases being identified by serology. It was demonstrated that coprology and serology are complementary approaches for prevalence studies. Infection risk factors included high stocking density, free-roaming status and co-infection with nematodes, while lower rainfall and temperate climate were associated with reduced risk of tapeworm infection. These findings highlight the challenges of Anoplocephala spp. detection and provide insight into the epidemiology of equine tapeworm infection in Southeastern Europe.

DoiFil - Repository of Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) Issued by Faculty of Philology, University of Belgrade

Summary: The aim of this study was to examine morphometric values of erythrocytes in donkeys and horses. While the hematological and biochemical profiles of horses and donkeys have been previously documented in literature, there are no precise morphometric data regarding erythrocytes in donkeys. Given the increasing presence of donkeys in the world, the need exists to improve knowledge about this species. Balkan donkey is a large autochthonous breed found in Serbia. Blood cell parameters such as red blood cell count (RBC), Mean Corpuscular Volume or Mean Cell Volume (MCV) are well documented in horses. However, papers examining blood morphometry in donkeys, especially erythrocyte size, are scarce. The clinical examination in this study included a total of 72 horses and donkeys. All animals were adults, located in Vojvodina, Northern Province of Serbia. Blood samples were evaluated and analyzed using ImageJ program. Following the analysis of the morphometric diameters of erythrocytes in donkeys and horses, it can be concluded that donkeys have the largest erythrocyte diameters. The precise reason for this phenomenon is still unknown.

Inflammation of the mammary gland alters substrate utilization and metabolite trafficking between the systemic circulation and mammary tissue, leading to metabolic adaptations that affect udder function and milk composition. This study investigated mammary metabolic alterations in dairy cows with different udder health statuses by evaluating mammary venous biomarkers (MV), coccygeal-to-mammary vein (CV/MV) concentration ratios, and their associations with milk quality indicators. Sixty Holstein cows were assigned to clinical mastitis, subclinical mastitis, or healthy control groups (n = 20/group). Milk samples were analyzed for somatic cell count (SCC), bacterial load (CFU), and lactose concentration, while blood samples were analyzed for metabolic, enzymatic, and mineral biomarkers, and CV/MV ratios were calculated. Clinical mastitis was associated with reduced MV concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, and calcium and increased concentrations of NEFA, β-hydroxybutyrate, total protein, globulin, urea, bilirubin, and LDH activity. Compared with healthy cows, clinically mastitic cows also showed distinct CV/MV patterns, with ratios > 1 for NEFA, β-hydroxybutyrate, total protein, globulin, AST, urea, and magnesium and <1 for glucose, triglycerides, albumin, ALT, ALP, LDH, and calcium. These shifts in CV/MV ratios demonstrate altered relationships between systemic and mammary venous metabolic profiles across udder health statuses. Principal component analysis clearly separated clinically mastitic cows from healthy animals based on MV biomarkers and CV/MV ratios, whereas subclinical mastitis showed an intermediate metabolic profile. Among the evaluated biomarkers, LDH showed the strongest associations with SCC, CFU, and milk lactose concentration, highlighting its potential as an indicator of intramammary inflammation and tissue injury. The primary novelty of this study is the demonstration that CV/MV ratios provide an additional, potentially useful tool for monitoring mastitis-associated mammary metabolic alterations by capturing changes in the relationship between systemic and mammary venous metabolism. Combining mammary venous metabolic profiling with CV/MV ratios therefore provides complementary information for improved characterization of udder health status in dairy cows.