Methods for predicting and treating lameness
AssigneeNovus International, Inc.
InventorsKaren Wedekind, Heather Tucker, Mercedes Vazques-Anon, Juxing Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides methods for quantitating the degree of lameness in pigs based on serum biomarker levels. Also provided are methods for treating lameness in pigs induced by fast body weight gain, wherein the methods comprise administering at least one organic mineral. The present disclosure also provides methods for detecting lameness in pigs based upon the levels of saliva biomarkers.
Claims22
A method for quantifying lameness in a pig, the method comprising:
- (a) determining a level of at least one biomarker and/or a ratio of two biomarkers in a serum sample from the pig, wherein the at least one biomarker is C2C, CTX1, CTX2, OC, or P2CP, and the ratio of two biomarkers is OC/CTX1, P2CP/C2C, or P2CP/CTX2;
- (b) generating a test score by standardizing the data from (a) to have a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1;
- and
- (c) using the test score to quantify lameness, wherein increasing deviation of the test score from the mean correlates with increased lameness.
A method for treating lameness due to fast body weight gain in a pig, the method comprising administering at least one metal chelate of methionine hydroxy analog (MHA) to the pig, wherein administering the at least one metal chelate of MHA reduces symptoms of lameness as compared to administering at least one inorganic mineral to a comparable pig afflicted with lameness.
A method for treating lameness due to fast body weight gain in a pig, the method comprising administering at least one organic mineral to the pig, wherein administering the at least one organic mineral increases the serum level of OC, decreases the serum level of P2CP, decreases the serum ratio of P2CP/C2C, decreases the serum ratio of P2CP/CTX2, and/or increases the serum ratio of OC/CTX1 and reduces symptoms of lameness as compared to administering at least one inorganic mineral to a comparable pig afflicted with lameness.
A method for detecting lameness in a pig, the method comprising:
- (a) determining a level of at least one biomarker and/or a ratio of two biomarkers in a saliva sample from the pig, wherein the at least one biomarker is C2C, CTX1, CTX2, OC, or P2CP, and the ratio of two biomarkers is OC/CTX1, P2CP/C2C or P2CP/CTX2, and
- (b) comparing the level of the at least one biomarker and/or the ratio of two biomarkers in the saliva sample to a lameness negative reference, wherein a change in the level of the at least one biomarker and/or the ratio of two biomarkers in the saliva sample relative to the lameness negative reference indicates that the pig is lame or is predisposed to becoming lame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.