An eight-month-old, female Japanese Black calf weighing 213 kg showed bilateral hindlimb edema of unknown origin. The animal had no abnormalities in general condition and gait. As a result of a blood check, the presence of underlying diseases developing edema were not suspected. Clinical examinations and diagnostic treatments in this case eliminated systemic diseases including cardiac and nutritional disorders or regional inflammation and peripheral vascular disease as causes for the bilateral edema, but it was speculated to be due to a partial lymph flow disturbance. Lymphangiography was performed using an iodine based oily contrast medium, and the contrast medium was injected subcutaneously in the carpus and tarsus regions in both forelimbs and both hindlimbs. Sequential radiographs showed an inflow of the contrast medium into the lymphatics of both forelimbs, but not of both hindlimbs. Based on these findings, this calf was clinically diagnosed with lymphedema, and pathological examination confirmed the disease.

In October 2022, three heads of beef breeding cattle died after showing symptoms of astasia, drooling, ruminal motility arrest, cessation of defecation and hypothermia. Botulinum neurotoxin type D (BoNT/D) and the D/C mosaic neurotoxin gene were detected in the culture medium from the digestive tract contents of these affected cattle and crow feces in the barn. Necrotizing vasculitis in the rumen and heart was observed by histopathological examination. Based on the results of epidemiological surveys, clinical examinations and detection of BoNT/D, this case was diagnosed as bovine botulism caused by C. botulinum producing the D/C mosaic neurotoxin. The affected cattle were thought to have developed the disease by ingesting spores of C. botulinum in crow feces. To prevent the disease, the botulinum vaccination was given at the cattle farm, and the barns were covered with anti-bird nets. Cleaning and disinfection of barns is important to stop invasions by wild animals and prevent infection with the bovine botulism.

The surveillance of bovine rotavirus A (RVA) diseases was performed using 516 diarrhea stool samples from 507 calves (2‐257 days old) collected in Okayama prefecture from 2017 to 2021. Bovine RVAs were detected in 152 of these samples (29.5%). There were no correlations between bovine RVA infection and number of treatments, age, outcome, season, or gender using statistical analyses. The G and P genotypes of the RVA in 25 bovine RVA-positive fecal samples were determined by sequencing the VP7 and VP4 genes. As a result, it was identified that the frequency of G6P[5], G6P[11], and G10P[11] were 32, 24 and 32%, respectively. These findings demonstrated there were multiple genotypes of bovine RVA in Okayama prefecture. The high prevalence of bovine RVA in calves with diarrhea in Okayama prefecture as well as those reported previously in other prefectures strongly suggests that bovine RVA is one of the major pathogens causing calf diarrhea.

Nine slaughtered broiler chickens, about 50 days of age, developed systemic amyloidosis. Macroscopically, growth retardation was found in 7 cases. The livers were markedly enlarged, discolored and firm with occasional waxy appearance in all cases. The spleens were mildly to moderately swollen in 6 cases, and small white mottles were observed on the cut surface in 2 of 6 cases. Orange-yellowish materials were deposited within the articular cartilages and synovial membrane of the bilateral femorotibial joints in 1 case. Histologically, amyloid deposits, showing congophilia and green birefringence, was found in the hepatic Disse's spaces as well as the splenic ellipsoid capillary walls and their surrounding tissues in all cases. Amyloid was also deposited around the synoviocytes and in the nutritional blood vascular walls of the articular cartilage in the femorotibial joints in 1 case. Chronic purulent inflammation was observed in the femoral bone marrows in 2 cases and in the abdominal air sac in 1 case. These results suggest that systemic amyloidosis with amyloid deposits in joints could be found among broiler chickens brought to poultry processing plants.

We compared total aerobic plate counts (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae counts on Japanese black cattle (wagyu) carcasses obtained by a non-destructive method (i.e. sponge swabbing method and cotton-tipped swabbing method). A total of 100 samples were collected by each method year around. Each sample obtained by the sponge swabbing method was 400 cm², with 100 cm² swabbed at the surface of each of four different parts (rump, flank, short plate, and brisket). The sample obtained by the cotton-tipped stick method was swabbed near the sponge swabbing area. APC obtained by the sponge sampling method were significantly higher than that obtained by the sponge swabbing method (P＜0.001). The correlation of APC and Enterobacteriaceae between the sponge swabbing method and the cotton tipped swabbing methods seemed to be low. Because the cotton-tipped swabbing method may not detect failures in sanitary control, the sponge swabbing method is recommended for evaluating the control in the beef slaughter and dressing process.