Agriculture And Horticulture Development Board Research Articles

Comparison of manual and automated body condition scoring of commercial dairy cattle.

Body condition scoring of dairy cows estimates their body reserves. Automation allows increased data availability and reduced labour costs. The aim of this study was to compare an automated (AUT) body condition score (BCS) system to manual observers on a single commercial dairy farm in south-west England. Three practising veterinary surgeons performed body condition scoring of 315 dairy cows using the agriculture and horticulture development board (AHDB) Body Condition Scorecard. AUT BCSs were obtained from two 3D cameras and compared to the BCSs recorded by the three operators. The AUT system only agreed with manual scorers at a BCS of 3. The system failed to detect cows classified as underconditioned (BCS ≤ 2.25) by any of the operators (sensitivity 0%). It also systematically underestimated the BCS of cows classified as overconditioned (BCS ≥ 3.5) by the operators. For overconditioned cows, the sensitivity of the AUT system ranged from 30.7% to 48.8% when compared with the manual operators. The AUT system also had weaker agreement with operators for Jersey cows, with Cohen's weighted kappa values of 0.28 for Jersey animals and 0.40 for Holsteins. This study used a convenience sample of animals on a single farmat a single time point, so the extent to which the findings can be more widely generalised is unclear. The AUT system failed to detect animals classified as underconditioned by the operators and underestimated the condition of cows classified as overconditioned by the operators. Currently, without improvements to the algorithm, the clinical usefulness of such an AUT system for body condition scoring is limited.

The role of the ideotype in future agricultural production

The crop ideotype was first defined by Donald in 1968 as an idealised structural model of a plant which can theoretically attain maximum yield quantity and quality within a given environment. Many of the major crop species have proposed ideotypes. For example, in wheat (Triticum aestivum), suggested characteristics include a short strong stem, few erect, small leaves and large ears. Breeding for crop ideotypes is a continuous process as beneficial traits are updated to match current needs. Government organisations such as the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in the United Kingdom, publish a recommended list of varieties each year, and so we hypothesise that these recommended varieties will express traits of the ideotype. However, through greenhouse experiments, we show that three recent AHDB recommended wheat varieties differ to that of the ideotype and to each other. This either indicates that the concept may not be universal, or the main target for breeding programmes; that traits may not have successfully been bred yet; or, that other conflicting reasons may be preventing the expression of the ideotype. To this end, we review the factors that may influence plant structure before discussing new tools and methods that can aid ideotype design. Through this paper, we argue that whilst there are benefits to the concept of the ideotype, the ‘power’ of the concept is lost when integrating the multitude of factors that, in combination, determine plant structure and function in a given environment. Nevertheless, regardless of these limitations, we argue that there is still a role for the ideotype in crop breeding, but that this concept needs to be expanded to emphasise the genetic and environmental interactions that influence plant physiology.

Deep learning pose estimation for multi-cattle lameness detection

The objective of this study was to develop a fully automated multiple-cow real-time lameness detection system using a deep learning approach for cattle detection and pose estimation that could be deployed across dairy farms. Utilising computer vision and deep learning, the system can analyse simultaneously both the posture and gait of each cow within a camera field of view to a very high degree of accuracy (94–100%). Twenty-five video sequences containing 250 cows in varying degrees of lameness were recorded and independently scored by three accredited Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) mobility scorers using the AHDB dairy mobility scoring system to provide ground truth lameness data. These observers showed significant inter-observer reliability. Video sequences were broken down into their constituent frames and with a further 500 images downloaded from google, annotated with 15 anatomical points for each animal. A modified Mask-RCNN estimated the pose of each cow to output 5 key-points to determine back arching and 2 key-points to determine head position. Using the SORT (simple, online, and real-time tracking) algorithm, cows were tracked as they move through frames of the video sequence (i.e., in moving animals). All the features were combined using the CatBoost gradient boosting algorithm with accuracy being determined using threefold cross-validation including recursive feature elimination. Precision was assessed using Cohen’s kappa coefficient and assessments of precision and recall. This methodology was applied to cows with varying degrees of lameness (according to accredited scoring, n = 3) and demonstrated that some characteristics directly associated with lameness could be monitored simultaneously. By combining the algorithm results over time, more robust evaluation of individual cow lameness was obtained. The model showed high performance for predicting and matching the ground truth lameness data with the outputs of the algorithm. Overall, threefold lameness detection accuracy of 100% and a lameness severity classification accuracy of 94% respectively was achieved with a high degree of precision (Cohen’s kappa = 0.8782, precision = 0.8650 and recall = 0.9209).

BCPC Diseases Review 2022 – Changing Challenges and Changing Tools for Integrated Crop Management

John Lucas, Editorial Board Member and Jon West, Rothamsted Research suggested that the threat posed by Fusarium is likely to increase due to a number of factors including maize crops extending further northwards. The second presentation, given by Derek Croucher, focused on the impact of mycotoxins on producers. The main processor focus on mycotoxins both in the field and during storage is compliance with current legislation, including the ability to test effectively and analyse samples, as well as mitigation measures. There are parallels with legislation of plant protection products, and concerns about potential changes due to exit from the EU. To date these have not occurred, but there is the possibility of GB adoption of EU rules by retailers to facilitate trade. The Food Standards Agency have a priority list of contaminants with maximum limits for mycotoxins in particular foodstuffs, exemplified by current permitted levels for T-2/HT-2 toxins in unprocessed and milled oats. The primary problem in UK oats is Fusarium langsethiae, which causes a mainly symptomless disease, varying in incidence from year to year, with some "high" years, especially in Scotland. There are no commercially viable field mitigation measures. Milling reduces contamination, but this varies and is not batch to batch predictable. There is no reliable rapid test for toxin contamination in oats, and testing by LC-MS/MS is expensive and takes time. In severe years, around 10 – 30% of unprocessed oats would be non-compliant, and as much as 20% of processed products. Identification of compliant versus non-compliant products is challenging and poses a significant risk of recall and reputational damage. The 2022 Diseases review was held at the NIAB Park Farm, Cambridge on October 19th 2022 with a mix of in person and online delegates. The meeting was chaired by Jenna Watts, Head of Plant Health and IPM at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). She outlined the current issues and challenges for crop production including climate change, the evolution of pathogen populations to overcome host resistance and pesticides, alterations in the regulatory framework, and changing consumer priorities. New tools are available for disease diagnosis and control, but how can they be most effectively used for integrated crop management? The first two presentations dealt with the issue of mycotoxin contamination of small grain cereals. Professor Simon Edwards (Harper Adams University College) described the various mycotoxins in cereal crops infected by different Fusarium species causing the head blight complex. On wheat the main problems are deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) produced by F. graminearum and F. culmorum, while HT-2 and T-2 toxins produced by F. langsethiae and F. sporothrichioides are more of an issue in oats. Mycotoxin profiles vary by cereal, region and season, and exceed permitted regulatory limits in some crops and years. Risk factors for head blight are well known and include crop debris (the main source of inoculum), a warm spring, and heavy rainfall with high humidity in summer. In experimental trials, agronomy accounts for relatively little of the variation in mycotoxin levels. Maize as the previous crop is a major risk factor, along with min tillage and direct drilling. Ploughing or chopping and mixing of debris reduce mycotoxin levels in the crop. There is limited current varietal variation in resistance to head blight. Some fungicides including prothioconazole, metconazole and tebuconazole applied at T3 can reduce DON levels, while Adepidyn (pydiflumetofen) a new but not yet registered SDHI shows some promise for head blight control and toxin reduction. Integrated management to minimize Fusarium mycotoxins in milling wheat therefore combines the use of less susceptible varieties, avoiding high risk crops such as maize in rotations, intense cultivation if a high-risk previous crop has been grown, application of an effective fungicide (or mixture) at T2 and especially T3, and ensuring a timely harvest as late harvesting is associated with higher mycotoxin levels. It was noted that these recommendations are not easy to reconcile with some crop management trends such as reducing cultivations. Professor Edwards also presented some data on HT-2 and T-2 occurrence in oats, and tactics for reducing risk such as switching to spring varieties, or taller more Fusarium resistant varieties, long rotations, and the use of cultivations. Climate change models suggest that the threat posed by Fusarium is likely to increase due to a number of factors including maize crops extending further northwards,

Mastitis pattern analysis: epidemiology into practice

Analysis of data to inform decision making in dairy animal practice is a cornerstone of modern dairy herd health work and is routinely carried out in areas such as fertility management and mastitis control. Mastitis in dairy herds continues to be important and relevant to veterinary advisors for many reasons, such as cow welfare, the cost of disease, the use of antimicrobials and the sustainability of farming and food supply, including environmental impact and waste milk. When implementing control measures to reduce mastitis infection rates on farm, herd level analysis of infection ‘patterns’ to inform decision making has been shown to be an important first step. Feedback from participants using the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Dairy Mastitis Control Plan previously indicated that the first stage of the Plan, analysing patterns and making a herd ‘diagnosis’, was often a difficult stage for Plan deliverers. The new AHDB Dairy QuarterPRO scheme offers an ‘entry-level’ method of routinely monitoring mastitis on farm and builds in a rapid method of assessing the predominant mastitis infection patterns present on farm, using somatic cell count and clinical mastitis records. A new fully automated mastitis pattern analysis report is now available to all milk recording dairy herds in the UK through their milk recording organisation, allowing routine assessment of the predominant pattern of infection, and enabling farmers and veterinary surgeons to highlight the most important area on their farm for mastitis control.

Food – a fact of life

Food – a fact of life

A Retrospective Case Study into the Effect of Hoof Lesions on the Lying Behaviour of Holstein-Friesian in a Loose-Housed System.

Simple SummaryLameness is a substantial welfare and economic problem in production animals. It can alter indicators of welfare such as lying time. Lying down is very important for cows, and they are highly motivated to perform this behaviour for 12 h or more per day. Conversely, cows that lie down too much or are uncomfortable standing may miss an opportunity to feed or drink if there is competition from sound (non-lame) cows. This study monitored different lesions that cause lameness in cattle through the use of accelerometers. The lesions included sole ulcers, sole haemorrhage, white line disease, interdigital hyperplasia and phelgmon, and digital dermatitis. Leg-based activity monitors that track the cows’ lying behaviour and mobility were used. From these data, it was found that cows with lesions on the foot spent longer lying down than those with no lesions, and cows with lesions in the soft tissue spent less time lying down than those with foot lesions. Trimming the cows’ feet altered the lying times of the cows with foot lesions and returned them closer to those of cows with no lesions.The association between hoof lesions and lying behaviour was assessed on a Holstein–Friesian dairy farm in England. Twenty-nine cows were included in the study. Cows with claw horn disruption lesions (CHDL, n = 8), soft tissue lesions (STL, n = 6), and no lesions (NL, n = 15) were assessed. Data were collected on parity, days in milk (DIM), and mobility scores. Cows were trimmed and treated, and lesions were recorded by a professional foot trimmer. Lying behaviour was assessed before and after claw trimming. The milking herd (n = 96) prevalence of lameness was 32.3%. Mobility was scored using the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Mobility Scoring system. Mobility scores were significantly different across lesions groups (p = 0.022). CHDL cows had a mean mobility score of 2.0 ± 0.9 (mean ± SD), STL were scored 1.2 ± 1.3, and NL cows were 0.9 ± 0.7. CHDL were associated with longer lying times (15.00 ± 1.04 h/d; p = 0.0006) and shorter standing times (9.68 ± 2.38 h/d; p = 0.0351) compared with NL lying times (11.77 ± 1.67 h/d) and standing times (12.21 ± 1.67 h/d). STL cows spent significantly less time lying (11.30 ± 2.44; p = 0.0013) than CHDL but not NL cows. No significant differences were found with any of the other lying behaviours. After trimming, CHDL cows spent significantly less time lying down than before trimming (13.66 ± 0.98; p = 0.0125). Cows with NL spent significantly more time lying down (12.57 ± 1.90; p = 0.0398) and had a shorter minimum lying bout duration (0.17 ± 0.09; p = 0.0236) after trimming. In conclusion, lying behaviour in dairy cattle was impacted by type of hoof lesions and hoof trimming.

More research less waste

More research less waste

Youngstock housing design

The design of livestock systems needs to address the requirements of the animals to be housed, as well as those for labour, safety, and sustainability, including finance. Youngstock housing is no different, except that the industry appears to have forgotten the first part, and insists on placing youngstock in general purpose buildings, or buildings that were originally designed for another purpose. The output data on calf health and performance is an indictment of the lack of the well-designed youngstock housing. The following is intended to promote further development of calf systems by addressing the basic design requirements for youngstock. The basic requirements for space, bedding, ventilation, feed and water are all freely available in Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) publications ( AHDB 2018a , 2018b ).

Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for fludioxonil in rhubarbs.

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) submitted a request to the competent national authority in the United Kingdom to modify the existing maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance fludioxonil in rhubarbs. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive an MRL proposal of 0.7 mg/kg for rhubarbs. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of fludioxonil in the plant matrix under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of fludioxonil according to the reported agricultural practice is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.

Modification of the existing maximum residue level for cyprodinil in rhubarbs.

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in the United Kingdom submitted a request to the competent national authority to modify the existing maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance cyprodinil in rhubarbs. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive an MRL proposal of 2 mg/kg for rhubarbs. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of cyprodinil in the plant matrix under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the short‐term and long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of cyprodinil according to the reported agricultural practice is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.

Yield instability of winter oilseed rape modulated by early winter temperature

Yield stability is a major problem in oilseed rape with inter-annual variation accounting for between 30–50% of the crop value among the major global rapeseed producers. The United Kingdom has persistent problems with yield instability, but the underlying causes remain unclear. We tested whether temperature plays a role in UK winter oilseed rape (WOSR) yield variation through analysis of aggregated country-wide on-farm yield data and in annual Recommended List variety trial data run by the UK Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Our analyses of the two independent datasets both show that mean temperature in early winter is strongly and uniquely linked to variation in WOSR yield, with a rise in mean temperature of 1 °C associated with an average reduction of 113 (+−21) kg ha−1 in yield. We propose that understanding the mechanism by which early winter chilling affects WOSR yield will enable the breeding of varieties with a more stable and resilient yield in Western Europe as climatic variation increases.

Pesticides in agriculture

Pesticides in agriculture

Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for mandipropamid in various crops.

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the applicants Syngenta Crop Protection B.V. and Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) submitted, respectively, a request to the competent national authorities in the Netherlands and United Kingdom to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRLs) for the active substance mandipropamid in various crops. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for beetroots, radishes, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, witloofs/Belgian endives, peas (without pods) and globe artichokes. Adequate analytical methods for enforcement are available to control the residues of mandipropamid in plant matrices under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the risk assessment results, EFSA concluded that the intake of residues resulting from the use of mandipropamid according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.

Evaluation of key performance indicators to monitor performance in beef herds

Key performance indicators can be used to monitor the efficiency of production, identify areas where improvements could be made, and monitor the effects of any management changes. Their use in the beef sector is increasing, however the evidence behind which performance indicators are most useful in achieving overall enterprise success is limited. A collaborative project between The University of Nottingham and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Beef and Lamb aims to investigate the relationships between key performance indicators and enterprise success using focus group discussion, data analysis and simulation modelling.

Modification of the existing maximum residue level for deltamethrin in kale.

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) submitted a request to the competent authority in the United Kingdom (evaluating Member State (EMS)) to modify the existing maximum residue level (MRL) for the active substance deltamethrin in kale. To accommodate for the intended use of deltamethrin, it was considered necessary to raise the existing MRL. Based on the evaluation report prepared by the EMS in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, EFSA concludes that the applicant provided sufficient data to derive an MRL proposal of 0.15 mg/kg for the proposed uses in kale. Adequate analytical enforcement methods are available to control compliance with the proposed MRL for deltamethrin in kale. In a tentative risk assessment, no consumer concern has been identified; however, the risk assessment was affected by non‐standard uncertainties. Further risk management considerations are required to decide whether the MRL proposal is acceptable.

Modification of the existing maximum residue levels for clopyralid in spring/green/Welsh onions and leeks.

In accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 396/2005, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) submitted a request to the competent national authority in the United Kingdom, to modify the existing maximum residue levels (MRL) for the active substance clopyralid in spring onions and leeks. The data submitted in support of the request were found to be sufficient to derive MRL proposals for spring onions/green onions and Welsh onions and for leeks based on the residue definition for enforcement in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. An adequate analytical method for enforcement is available to control the residues on the commodities under consideration at the validated limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 mg/kg. Based on the available information, EFSA concluded that the long‐term intake of residues resulting from the use of clopyralid according to the reported agricultural practices is unlikely to present a risk to consumer health.The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, are presented.

OUTLOOK 2015 - a One-day conference, jointly hosted by the BPEX, DairyCo and EBLEX divisions of the UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), held at One, Great George Street. Westminster, London, February 2015

International Journal of Dairy TechnologyVolume 69, Issue 1 p. 153-154 Symposium OUTLOOK 2015 – a One-day conference, jointly hosted by the BPEX, DairyCo and EBLEX divisions of the UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), held at One, Great George Street. Westminster, London, February 2015 John Sumner, Corresponding Author John SumnerAuthor for correspondence. E-mail:john@thesumners.infoSearch for more papers by this author John Sumner, Corresponding Author John SumnerAuthor for correspondence. E-mail:john@thesumners.infoSearch for more papers by this author First published: 23 December 2015 https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0307.12307Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume69, Issue1February 2016Pages 153-154 RelatedInformation

OUTLOOK 2012 A one-day conference, jointly hosted by the BPEX, DairyCo and EBLEX divisions of the UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), held at 1, Great George Street, Westminster, London, on 2 May 2012

OUTLOOK 2012 A one-day conference, jointly hosted by the BPEX, DairyCo and EBLEX divisions of the UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), held at 1, Great George Street, Westminster, London, on 2 May 2012

Controlling BVD – call for practitioners

THE Cattle Health and Welfare Group (CHAWG) has recently identified bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) control as a priority for the English cattle industry. In November last year, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) was granted Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) funding from Defra to help support …