To evaluate the effects of artificial insemination (AI) using sex-sorted semen on the sex of offspring and survival of Holstein dams, the medical records of Holstein dams (n=379,468) with AI history resulting in parturition and the medical records of their offspring were collected from 16 agricultural mutual aid associations in Hokkaido and examined. The proportion of females among the offspring that were conceived using sex-sorted semen (heifers 92.3%, cows 89.4%) was significantly higher than that of offspring conceived using conventional semen (heifers 49.1%, cows 45.4%, P＜0.01). The occurrence of stillbirths when cows were conceived using sex-sorted semen (6.1%) was significantly less than when conventional semen (7.7%, P＜0.01) was used. Heifers and cows that were impregnated through the use of sex-sorted semen had a significantly higher survival rate one-year after their parturition (P＜0.01) than the heifers and cows that were impregnated through the use of conventional semen. Results of this study indicate that AI using sex-sorted semen increases the proportion of female offspring and extends the life of the dam in dairy cattle.

Two 83-day-old pigs presented with emaciation, and were euthanized for laboratory examination. Severe extensive ulcerative colitis was observed in the animals, and a very large number of trophozoites were seen at the lesion. These parasites were genetically identified as E. polecki subtype 3. Through pathological, bacteriological, and virological analyses, it was suggested that the parasite could be associated with the ulcerative colitis in these pigs.

We conducted the following analysis to understand the epidemiologic features of domestic dogs, histologically diagnosed tumors, and the crude incidence of tumors in Gifu prefecture, between April 2013 and March 2014. Among the tumor reports of 33.6% of animal hospitals in Gifu prefecture, we analyzed 731 diagnostic cases. We adjusted the number of domestic dogs and tumor cases by the response rate to the questionnaire, and then calculated the crude incidence of tumors and the crude incidence of malignant tumors. The crude incidence of tumors was 1.5% and the crude incidence of malignant tumors was 0.6%. In addition, the crude incidence of tumors (crude incidence of malignant tumors) was significantly (P＜0.05) higher in Dachshunds at 2.6% (1.3%), Shih Tzus at 2.4%, Schnauzers at 2.5% (1.4%), Pugs at 3.8% (1.9%), Welsh corgis at 3.3% (2.2%), Beagles at 2.2% (1.4%), French bulldogs at 3.2% (1.3%), Shetland sheepdogs at 3.2%, Labrador retrievers at 3.2% (2.5%), Golden retrievers at 2.7% (2.2%) and Bernese mountain dogs at 8.2% (7.1%) than in all breeds. In contrast, the crude incidence of tumors (crude incidence of malignant tumors) was significantly (P＜0.05) lower in Poodles at 1.1% (0.3%), Chihuahuas at 0.5% (0.3%), Pomeranians at 0.9%, Shibas at 0.7% (0.3%) and Mixed breeds at 1.0% (0.6%) than in all breeds.

Feline nasopharyngeal polyp is defined as a pedunculated non-neoplastic lesion that originates from the middle ear or auditory tube. The present study describes the cytopathological features of four feline nasopharyngeal polyps. In the imprint smear from all cases, single or clustered ciliated epithelial cells with many neutrophils and macrophages, scattered lymphocytes and plasmacytes were observed. Histologically, these ciliated cells were the ciliated pseudostratified epithelium covering the polyps, and the existence of ciliated cells was suspected to be the characteristic cytological findings of feline nasopharyngeal polyps that originate from the middle ear or auditory tube.

A study was carried out of the clinical and pathological features of five bovine cases of adenocarcinoma of the endometrium that were detected retrospectively at the Meat Inspection Station, Kanagawa Prefectural Government over sixteen years. All five cases were Holstein cows, and the average age was 5.8 years old. Grossly, in the progressed cases, the uterine horn and uterine body wall were diffusely thickened and had hardened. Cratered depressions were observed in four cases on the surfaces of the uterine tumors, and constriction of the uterine horn was observed in one case. All five cases had metastases, of which three cases had disseminated metastases. Microscopically, the uterine tumors formed a duct-like configuration in the abundant connective tissue in four cases, but not in one case. Immunohistologically, tumor cells in all five cases were positive for cytokeratin, but negative for vimentin. Induration of the uteri by rectal palpation was observed in two of the three cases examined, which finding might be helpful for the antemortem diagnosis of bovine cases of adenocarcinoma of the endometrium, depending on the disease progression.