{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,14]],"date-time":"2026-10-14T19:27:38Z","timestamp":1792006058596,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,11]],"date-time":"2026-04-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1775865600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2014Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["CERNAS UIDB\/0681\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CERNAS UIDB\/0681\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2014Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["CITAB UID\/04033\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CITAB UID\/04033\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2014Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Inov4Agro LA\/P\/0126\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Inov4Agro LA\/P\/0126\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2014Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["MED UID\/05183\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MED UID\/05183\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"FCT\u2014Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["CBA-UAc UID\/05292\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CBA-UAc UID\/05292\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["CERNAS UIDB\/0681\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CERNAS UIDB\/0681\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00snfqn58","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["CITAB UID\/04033\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CITAB UID\/04033\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00snfqn58","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["Inov4Agro LA\/P\/0126\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Inov4Agro LA\/P\/0126\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00snfqn58","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["MED UID\/05183\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MED UID\/05183\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00snfqn58","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["CBA-UAc UID\/05292\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CBA-UAc UID\/05292\/2025"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00snfqn58","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Bovine ocular squamous cell carcinoma (BOSCC) is the most common ocular tumour in cattle, with a multifactorial aetiology involving ultraviolet (UV) radiation, genetic factors, pigmentation, and management practices. A detailed epidemiological characterisation of BOSCC in the Azores, Portugal, is provided, with particular emphasis on its spatial distribution and potential risk determinants. Data were obtained through an epidemiological questionnaire completed by field veterinarians between August 2023 and March 2025. A total of 85 BOSCC cases were recorded across 62 farms\u201445 on Terceira Island and 17 on S\u00e3o Miguel Island. All affected animals were adult Holstein Friesian dairy cows, managed under extensive pasture-based systems. The nictitating membrane was the most frequently affected structure (69.5%), and multiple lesions occurred in 20% of the cases. Farms located at 200\u2013400 m of altitude presented the highest number of cases. Continuous exposure to UV under pasture-based management represents the main environmental risk factor. Although periocular pigmentation may provide partial protection, other environmental and genetic factors can also contribute to tumour development. Artificial insemination is considered a promising preventive tool, enabling genetic selection for protective traits such as periocular pigmentation. This research provides the first regional epidemiological characterization of BOSCC in the Azores, highlighting the interplay among environmental, genetic, and management-related factors in disease occurrence.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci13040371","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T08:49:02Z","timestamp":1776070142000},"page":"371","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Bovine Ocular Squamous Cell Carcinoma\u2014A Descriptive Epidemiological Survey in the Azores, Portugal"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-1040-2638","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Beatriz","family":"Bilhastre","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Molecular Biology Laboratory, Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM) Egas Moniz University Institute, Quinta da Granja, Monte da Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"MED Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Institute for Advanced Studies and Research, Universidade de \u00c9vora, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6829-4867","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Helena","family":"Vala","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Estudos de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Sociedade (CERNAS), Escola Superior Agr\u00e1ria de Viseu, Instituto Polit\u00e9cnico de Viseu, Av. Coronel Jos\u00e9 Maria Vale de Andrade, Campus Polit\u00e9cnico, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal"},{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o e de Tecnologias Agro-Ambientais e Biol\u00f3gicas (CITAB &Inov4Agro), Universidade de Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, Apartado 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0130-5896","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana","family":"Ribeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Molecular Biology Laboratory, Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM) Egas Moniz University Institute, Quinta da Granja, Monte da Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-1419-4846","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara","family":"Faria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Molecular Biology Laboratory, Egas Moniz Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CiiEM) Egas Moniz University Institute, Quinta da Granja, Monte da Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ci\u00eancias, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2987-0854","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sandra","family":"Branco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MED Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Sciences and Technology, Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy of the EU Veterinary Hospital, University of \u00c9vora, P\u00f3lo da Mitra, 7002-554 \u00c9vora, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5908-4726","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos","family":"Pinto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Biotechnology Centre of Azores, 9700-042 Angra do Hero\u00edsmo, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"409","article-title":"A clinical and histopathological study of ocular neoplasms in dairy cattle","volume":"77","author":"Gharagozlou","year":"2007","journal-title":"Vet. 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