The objective of this work was to identify the serum metabolites and the body condition score (BCS) of Holstein cows associated with the occurrence of periparturient diseases, when under heat stress. Blood samples were collected from 181 cows one week after calving, and the BCS was recorded at calving. Cows with β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentration ≥ 0.8 mmol L-1 were 2.2 times more likely to develop metritis and 4.4 times more likely to develop clinical endometritis (CE). Cows with serum creatinine levels ≥ 2.0 mg dL-1 showed 2.2 and 4.5 greater risk (p ≤ 0.05) of suffering from metritis and CE, respectively, during the current lactation. The odds of metritis and CE occurrence were 2.7 and 4.6 times greater (p < 0.01) in cows with serum total protein (TP) ≥ 5.0 mg dL-1. Cows with serum glucose levels ≤ 70 mg dL-1 and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) ≥ 0.5 had 9.4 and 8.8 times greater odds of developing clinical ketosis, respectively, than cows with lower glucose and NEFA blood levels. The strategic use of metabolic tests to monitor transition Holstein cows, aiming to prevent some postpartum diseases due to heat stress, should focus on blood BHBA, NEFAs, glucose, creatinine, and TP. Additionally, the BCS ≤ 3.2 should be avoided to prevent endometritis.

Colostrum is the first mammary secretion and is the only way in which calves can obtain passive immunity. This study aimed to correlate the quality of colostrum from high-yielding dairy cows using either a colostrometer or Brix digital refractometry (°Bx). Samples (N=340) of colostrum were taken from cows and analyzed with a colostrometer and Brix refractometry. A linear regression was performed, the coefficient of determination (R2) was calculated. All statistical analyzes were done with the SPSS 25.0 statistical package. Means with colostrometer were 87.94±110, while with Brix refractometer they were 26.19±18, with R2 0.706 and a P<0.0001. In conclusion, the refractometer and the colostrometer are effective methods to determine immunoglobulins. Brix refractometer had an acceptable correlation, which could be a useful tool for verifying the colostrum’s quality next to the cow. http://dx.doi.org/10.21929/abavet2024.5 e2021-82 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw5YXZU0af8 El calostro es la primera secreción mamaria y es la única forma en la cual las becerras adquieren inmunidad pasiva. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la correlación de la calidad del calostro de vacas lecheras de alta producción medido con calostrómetro y refractometría digital de grados Brix (°Bx). Se tomaron 340 muestras de calostro del mismo número de vacas y fueron analizadas mediante el calostrómetro y refractometría de °Bx. Se realizó una regresión lineal simple y se determinó el coeficiente de determinación (R²). Todo a través del paquete estadístico SPSS 25.0. La media de con calostrómetro fue de 87.94±110, mientras con refractometría Brix fueron de 26.19±18, con una R2 0.706 con un valor de P<0.0001. En conclusión, las lecturas de refractometría y el calostrómetro, son métodos efectivos en determinar las inmunoglobulinas. El refractómetro Brix tuvo una correlación aceptable, lo cual puede ser una herramienta fácil de verificación de calidad de calostro al pie de la vaca. http://dx.doi.org/10.21929/abavet2024.5 e2021-82 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw5YXZU0af8 http://dx.doi.org/10.21929/abavet2024.5 e2021-82 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw5YXZU0af8

The genus Juniperus species is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet Earth. These species are notable for their ability to adapt to extreme environmental conditions, playing a crucial role in ecosystem structure and function. Currently, their expansion is being driven by anthropogenic activities and climate change, posing significant challenges for both control and conservation. The objective of this review was to synthesize the available evidence regarding the ecological importance and impacts of Juniperus on ecosystems, promoting a holistic perspective that contributes to the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A systematic literature search was conducted using the Scopus database, and only the documents published between 2001 and 2025 were considered for the investigation. The results showed that these species possess a high ecological versatility, favoring their invasive success in disturbed ecosystems, particularly under the influence of climate change and land-use changes. Conversely, Juniperus species facilitate positive ecological outcomes by providing essential ecosystem services that benefit both the human population and the flora and fauna present in these ecosystems. Nevertheless, their expansion also causes negative effects, such as the suppression of herbaceous shrubs and understory cover, alteration of the hydrological function, and accelerated soil erosion, among others. Consequently, the genus Juniperus exhibits a dual ecological role, acting as a hero to many species within these ecosystems, yet a villain to others. In this sense, given its remarkable adaptive dynamism under scenarios of climate change and continuous anthropogenic alterations, it is imperative to promote comprehensive conservation and restoration strategies. These should include ecological monitoring, invasive species control, genetic management, and habitat restoration. Such efforts must be supported by long-term interdisciplinary research to understand and mitigate the ecological, genetic, and social impacts resulting from its expansion. Furthermore, these investigations and strategies must be flexible and locally contextualized to promote genuine ecosystem resilience in the face of the ongoing environmental transformations.

The objective of this research was to identify Cryptosporidium spp. in water tanks of dairy farms in the Comarca Lagunera. Water samples were analyzed using the conventional Ziehl-Neelsen technique, from 36 outdoor ponds with or without polyethylene covers and four stainless steel tanks from dairy farms in the Comarca Lagunera. In addition, a n=28 sampling of feces from 10 farms divided into two was carried out. Cryptosporidium spp. was found using the Ziehl-Neelsen technique in five water samples (12.5%) of the 33 water samples from outdoor ponds without polyethylene covers, leaving 28 samples (84.9%) where it was not detected. For the three water samples from outdoor ponds with polyethylene covers and the four stainless steel tank samples, the parasite was not detected. For the Cryptosporidium spp. feces samples, It was present in 57% of the 28 samples, in seven stables where Cryptosporidium spp. was found in the water and in nine stables where the parasite in question was not determined, leaving twelve samples where the parasite was not detected according to the conventional Ziehl Neelsen technique. These results show the presence of the parasite in farms with conventional diagnostic techniques. In future research, it is necessary to perform an analysis to determine whether the species found are zoonotic in nature, thus preventing possible diseases among humans and animals. Keywords: Zoonoses, Protozoan, Cattle, México