Animal Production Industry Research Articles

Review: Sheep Traceability Systems in Selected Countries Outside of North America

<h2>ABSTRACT</h2> Sheep are produced world-wide; more than one billion domesticated sheep populate the planet. To keep up with the ever-changing animal production industry, many countries outside of North America have initiated either mandatory or non-mandatory systems for sheep identification. Sheep identification is primarily for the control of potentially harmful diseases that may have devastating effects if they occur and are not properly managed. Australia, Namibia, and the countries within the European Union have mandatory sheep identification as a method of control and traceability for sources of disease. Non-mandatory animal identification systems are in place in several other countries, which allows those participating to continue exporting sheep meat to countries requiring sheep identification. Most countries with sheep identification use a visual ear tag system with information to allow for trace-back of the animal to its premises of origin. To record changes in ownership or geographic location of animals through the production chain, movement records are required in many countries and must be filed with proper authorities. To ensure a closed-ended system, countries with mandatory sheep identification are also required to have means of recording the death (i.e., termination) of a sheep either for slaughter or rendering purposes to ensure complete traceability of that animal throughout the production chain. Means of identification and tracking of animals continue to become more advanced, and the need for animal identification becomes progressively more critical to ensure the health and safety of the world sheep population.

Developing native fish species for aquaculture: the interacting demands of biodiversity, sustainable aquaculture and livelihoods

Aquaculture continues to be the fastest growing animal production industry and this rate of expansion must continue if aquaculture is to satisfy global demand for fish products in the face of dwindling capture fisheries. The relationship between aquaculture and biodiversity is complex, with examples of positive and negative impacts having been reported. To enable this expansion while avoiding negative impacts from introductions of exotic species, the investigation of indigenous species becomes important and worthwhile.This paper establishes the background to development of new species for culture and describes the example of the Mexican silverside Menidia estor, which has for centuries been the principal species in an artesanal fishery in Lake Patzcuaro, Mexico. The species is geographically isolated and is unique but is now endangered because of a range of factors including overfishing, environmental degradation and introduction of exotic species. Considerable advances have been made recently in developing a closed reproductive cycle, understanding feeding and small-scale on-growing technology for the species. Based on this, a Darwin Initiative programme was developed focused on technology transfer to implement small-scale pilot on-growing thus helping to conserve the species and to improve livelihoods. This has allowed successful pilot scale development of aquaculture for the species while at the same time addressing the objectives of the international Convention on Biodiversity.

The role of animal nutrition in improving the nutritive value of animal-derived foods in relation to chronic disease

Foods derived from animals are an important source of nutrients in the diet; for example, milk and meat together provide about 60 and 55% of the dietary intake of Ca and protein respectively in the UK. However, certain aspects of some animal-derived foods, particularly their fat and saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents, have led to concerns that these foods substantially contribute to the risk of CVD, the metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases. In most parts of Europe dairy products are the greatest single dietary source of SFA. The fatty acid composition of various animal-derived foods is, however, not constant and can, in many cases, be enhanced by animal nutrition. In particular, milk fat with reduced concentrations of the C12-16 SFA and an increased concentration of 18:1 MUFA is achievable, although enrichment with very-long-chain n-3 PUFA is much less efficient. However, there is now evidence that some animal-derived foods (notably milk products) contain compounds that may actively promote long-term health, and research is urgently required to fully characterise the benefits associated with the consumption of these compounds and to understand how the levels in natural foods can be enhanced. It is also vital that the beneficial effects are not inadvertently destroyed in the process of reducing the concentrations of SFA. In the future the role of animal nutrition in creating foods closer to the optimum composition for long-term human health is likely to become increasingly important, but production of such foods on a scale that will substantially affect national diets will require political and financial incentives and great changes in the animal production industry.

Strain differences in feed efficiency measured as residual feed intake in individually reared rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

The efficient use of feed for growth and meat production is important for all animal production industries including aquaculture. Residual feed intake (RFI) is an alternative measure of feed efficiency that has been widely used in livestock production. Residual feed intake was calculated as the difference between intake observed and intake predicted on the basis of a bioenergetics model; a low RFI indicates greater efficiency. Residual feed intake offers some advantages as a selection criterion for improving production efficiency over traditional feed efficiency statistics because it is not a ratio and it typically has a larger coefficient of variation. The RFI of individually reared rainbow trout progeny from six different genetic cross-types was examined for genetic variation. Proximate analysis and nitrogen retention were also evaluated to determine if differences in RFI correlate to differences in body composition and nutrient retention and varied by cross-type. Differences between cross-types indicated a genetic component for RFI, with the most efficient fish of approximately 160 g consuming 0.99 g less and inefficient fish consuming 0.05 g more feed per day than expected. Lower RFI was associated with higher growth rates (r=−0.38, P<0.05) and greater nitrogen retention (r=−0.82 P<0.001).

Undergraduates\' view of the veterinary profession: A study of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – Nigeria

A study of undergraduates\' view of the veterinary profession was conducted in all the 12 academic faculties of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – Nigeria in May, 1999. Three hundred and fifteen questionnaires were randomly administered, out of which 306 were found usable. Only 21.6% of respondents have an idea of what the veterinary profession is about. Awareness level was lowest in the faculties of arts and education. Low awareness level of the profession was blamed on veterinarians by 187 (61.0%) respondents. Sixty-eight percent of respondents had prior idea of the veterinary profession before entry into the university, however only 33.7% believed that they obtain veterinary services directly or indirectly. Two hundred and nineteen (71.6%) respondents do not include meat, fist, eggs or milk up to 10 times/week in their diet. Majority (60.1%) of the respondents suggested a lower entry point on salary scale for veterinarians than human doctors despite the fact that 53.3% of respondents were of the opinion that both veterinary and medical students study similar courses. However 80.7% believed that veterinarians should be addressed as “Doctor”. When compared with eleven other disciplines, veterinary medicine was ranked most difficult to gain admission, highest in terms of academic work load (average 31.5 hours/week), highest along with human medicine in terms of duration of training (6-9 years) and first in terms of social prestige. Only 155 (50.7%) respondents indicated pleasure in their relation becoming a veterinarian despite the fact that 75.5% of respondents believed that there is a shortage of veterinarians in the country and 63.4% of respondents advocated the need for the federal government to create a separate ministry for livestock. Surprisingly only 46.7% (14 out of 30) of veterinary students indicated interest in relation becoming veterinarian, even though, 40% did not indicate veterinary medicine as first choice in their university entry forms, however 60% of these respondents would rather continue with the course. Fifty-four percent of respondents have an idea of available job opportunities for veterinarians which in order of favourable ranking include Veterinary Clinics, Government Ministries, Animal Production Industries, Biomedical Research Food, Drug and Law Enforcement Agency, Customs, World Bank, Army Police Air Force, And Lastly Petrochemical Industries. Majority of respondents (81.0%) demonstrated awareness of the interrelationship of veterinary medicine with other disciplines such as Agriculture, Pharmacy and Human Medicine, thus the respondents opined that veterinarians and agriculturist together can work towards the realization of FAO standards on food sufficiency which Nigeria is yet to attain. The respondents also believed that veterinarians, pharmacists and physicians can work together in the Food and Drug Administration department to stamp out drug abuse in our society. It is suggested that public relation work of the profession should be directed towards the development of entertaining fictional or nonfunctional television/radio/newspaper series based on veterinary medicine. KEY WORDS: Undergraduates, views, veterinary profession, Zaria, Nigeria Nigerian Veterinary Journal Vol.25(1) 2004: 1-8

Le Guide de Bonnes Pratiques du Médicament vétérinaire dans les cabinets vétérinaires : un référentiel, une démarche qualité

Le médicament vétérinaire est au carrefour des préoccupations des filières de productions animales, de l’industrie pharmaceutique, des vétérinaires et des consommateurs. Pour répondre à ces préoccupations, la Société nationale des Groupements techniques vétérinaires (SNGTV) a décidé de mettre en place une démarche visant à promouvoir les bonnes pratiques du médicament vétérinaire dans les cabinets vétérinaires. Cette démarche a conduit à concevoir un référentiel reconnu : le Guide de Bonnes Pratiques (GBP) du médicament vétérinaire. L’objectif est de faire engager un maximum de cabinets vétérinaires dans cette démarche, de faire reconnaître ceux qui sont engagés et de pouvoir communiquer auprès de l’ensemble des filières sur cet engagement collectif. Cet article expose sur quelles bases ce guide a été élaboré et comment la démarche GBP peut être mise en place dans un cabinet vétérinaire. Les objectifs sont présentés : professionnaliser la gestion et l’utilisation du médicament vétérinaire, apporter des garanties sur une utilisation sécurisée, tant au niveau individuel qu’au niveau collectif, par un engagement dans une reconnaissance validée par Qualitévet.

Distribution and Bioavailability of Trace Elements in Livestock and Poultry Manure By-Products

“Depending on the degree of intensification of livestock feeding, animal manures have turned from a precious resource into a waste product.” (Eck and Stewart, 1995) Intensive confined livestock and poultry production systems generate large quantities of manure by-products, which have the potential for being recycled on arable land. Protecting the quality of the environment is a major consideration when developing management practices to effectively use manure by-products as a nutrient resource and soil conditioner in agricultural production system. To date, most of the environmental problems associated with land application of manure by-products have centered on the contamination of groundwater and/or surface water with two major nutrients, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). With increasing use of trace elements (metal is substituted for trace elements for brevity throughout the text) as nutritional supplement in the form of feed additive in intensive animal production industries, manure application has emerged as an important source of certain metals (e.g., As, Cu, and Zn) input in soils. Unlike application of sewage sludge, where application rate is limited based on allowable metal loadings, regulations governing livestock and poultry manure by-products are generally based on total N and/or P loading. Both sewage sludge and manure by-products are applied on land to primarily benefit from their N and/or P content but without regard to metals in the latter. The danger lies in accumulation of manure-borne metals since they virtually don't degrade with the potential of eventually becoming phytotoxic. In order to reduce the risk of offsite contamination, it is prudent to propose that land application guidelines for manure by-products be developed that consider their total composition rather than just only specific component (i.e., N and/or P). The present review aims to examine the impact of increased usage of certain metals, especially As, Cu, and Zn, in livestock and poultry production on the quality of manure by-products in relation to their distribution in soils and their subsequent bioavailability to plants. The review first discusses the various sources, concentration, and distribution of these metals in manure by-products. The beneficial effects of manure addition to overcome the deficiency of these metals in soils and the detrimental effects of manure-borne metals on plant growth and microbial functions are also examined. The practical implications of manure-borne metals on environmental contamination are discussed in relation to management guidelines for the safe and beneficial use of manure by-products in agricultural soils.

The Missing Links Between the Veterinary and Medical Fields in Saudi Arabia

The Missing Links Between the Veterinary and Medical Fields in Saudi Arabia

Infrared technology in animal production

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is based on the principle that the chemical bonds in organic molecules absorb or emit infrared light when their vibrational state changes. In the near IR part of the spectrum, large changes in vibrational state are observed (overtones), while in the mid IR region, primary vibrations are produced. The latter yields sharper, more clearly defined peaks that are better suited for quantitative purposes. Raman spectroscopy, in which the decay of the vibration is observed after strong excitation of the sample, is a variant on mid IR spectroscopy. A major challenge in applying IR spectroscopy to animal production is sample presentation. Transmission is the most powerful method well suited to liquids and gases but is inappropriate for undiluted solids. Although reflection offers an alternative for solids, it is less than ideal for quantitative purposes as the path length is not known. For pastes and opaque liquids, attenuated total reflectance offers good possibilities for the future as it acts like a transmission device but sample application is simple. A novel method is photo-acoustics in which the heating of a sample (as it absorbs the IR light) is measured using a microphone. IR spectroscopy is typically fast and easy to use. In feedmills it allows the quality (e.g. proximate and nutritionally relevant parameters such as metabolisable energy) of feed ingredients and complete feeds to be monitored. In meat processing IR spectroscopy offers the opportunity to assess meat and fat quality, and perhaps even palatability (texture and flavour). New developments in IR spectroscopy will expand its applications further. These include hand-held instruments that may find use in determining digestive disorders among birds in the field, fibreoptics that will allow instantaneous measurements to be made in almost any part of a plant, tunable lasers (with their much stronger signals) that will make IR spectroscopy much more powerful, and imaging IR spectroscopy which may be used to determine the homogeneity of meat (e.g. colour). IR spectroscopy, with its speed, ease of use and versatility, could be about to become one of the most powerful analytical techniques available to the animal production industries. It promises to allow for improved quality control in virtually every aspect of production, from feed manufacture to final product evaluation.

Response to bio-terrorism directed against animals.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has a long history of rapid direction, control, and eradication of devastating diseases. Our immediate response mechanisms to diseases such as avian influenza, Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis, and Newcastle disease, have long been recognized by the global emergency response community as models of control and eradication. APHIS and the U.S. livestock industries, in partnership with the Animal Agriculture Coalition, re-evaluated the Nation's animal health emergency preparedness and response systems. The group identified areas that negatively impact, biologically and/or economically, the Nation's animal and food production industries. To counter the increased risks including bioterrorism, APHIS plans to establish a world-class "Center of Excellence for Animal Health Emergency Management." APHIS, Intelligence agencies, other Federal departments, State governments, and industries are working together to provide accurate information on the foreign and domestic threats posed to the U.S. agricultural sector by biological weapons. Additionally, the same agencies and organizations are evaluating, updating, and improving the coordination and training mechanisms necessary to respond in the even of a widespread pest or disease outbreak.

Use of the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD)

Objectives To report the results of 3 surveys evaluating the extent that the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) is used by veterinarians, the profession's perception of the need for the program, barriers that prevent veterinarians from fully using the service, and the perceptions that animal production industry groups have regarding FARAD. Design Telephone and mail surveys were used to collect information using cross-sectional, case-control, and directed sample studies. Sample Population Food animal veterinarians and veterinarians and nonveterinarians in allied animal industries or with special interest in production animal medicine. Results The use of FARAD was high among dairy and general practitioners, but low among beef practitioners and veterinarians with minor commitment to food animal medicine. Solo practitioners and veterinarians with less than 13 years in practice were less likely to use FARAD. Dairy practitioners who had not used FARAD were most likely to prescribe extralabel products. Clinical Implications Results imply that dairy and general food animal practitioners have either greater need or access through educational networks and are more aware of FARAD than practitioners who work with beef and those with a minor component of their practice involving food animals. The difference in familiarity and use of FARAD between practice type is an important finding, but the root of the difference is not clear; it may be attributable to a difference in the effectiveness of knowledge transfer for the groups, or the message is ignored because the issue of drug residues is less compelling for veterinarians and their clients in the beef sector. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1999;214:344–350)

Manipulation of Rumen Function by the Inoculation of Novel Microorganisms

The use of inoculants to improve the performance of animals is practised widely in many intensive animal production industries, but this practice is less widespread in the extensive grazing systems. Here we describe the background and some recent developments in the area of utilizing ruminal micro-organisms for the modification and improvement of productivity in ruminants. The inoculants, designed for establishment in the new domestic ruminant host, have specific, superior or modified activities, but currently have a restricted geographical or species distribution. Current work has focused on three novel or augmented activities, namely: reducing the toxicity of particular plant poisons, increasing the utilization of plant fibre and the modification of protein supply. The most successful projects so far have tackled the detoxification of the plant poisons, mimosine and fluoroacetate, but projects aimed at increasing the utilization of plant fibre are now well advanced. Molecular techniques have significantly assisted in the identification, differentiation and tracking of organisms and are essential for the construction of modified organisms.

Biotechnology — the possibilities

AbstractA review of recent trends in animal science is used to provide a flavour of how, from a purely technical viewpoint, evolving biotechnology may influence animal production systems in the foreseeable future. The areas considered are: the nutritive value of foods and forages, animal health and welfare, the temporary alteration of production traits to meet an immediate goal, and the permanent alteration of traits to meet an immediate goal, and the permanent alteration of traits by genetic selection or by the production of transgenic animals. In improving the nutritive value of foods, modern biotechnology has produced food grade enzymes and amino acid supplements. Genetically engineered cereals, grasses and legumes, rich in essential amino acids, are on the horizon. In disease prevention, genetically engineered vaccines may be preferable to conventional ones in that they have a defined composition, with a degree of control during manufacture which allows amino acid substitution within the peptide to confer specificity to a particular serotype.Modern techniques with the potential to promote a transitory alteration in a production trait involve either immunization against an inhibitory biochemical pathway or active promotion of a stimulatory pathway by the administration of recombinant-derived hormones and proteins. Strategies for permanent alteration of traits by gene transfer, initially directed to enhancing growth, are now shifting in emphasis towards the transfer of genes for enhanced nutrient digestion, disease resistance, and improved product quality. The role of recombinant DNA technology in the development of diagnostic probes for use in genetic selection programmes and in the monitoring of disease is also expanding rapidly.In all areas of animal science, molecular biology is promoting a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms that control production. By so doing it should ensure that science fulfils its primary rôle of providing animal production industries with a range of options from which to choose the most acceptable way forward.

Biotechnology - The possibilities

An increasing proportion of Agricultural Research funding is being directed to biotechnology and to cell and molecular biology. This shift in funding has two effects on animal production research. First it provides a certain amount of novel information and technology with which to improve current production systems. Second, it leaves less of the research budget for whole animal experiments. It behoves us therefore to keep abreast of the achievements and aspirations of the molecular and cellular biologists. The diverse interests and expertise of the BSAP membership in research, development, advisory work and teaching make the Society a unique forum for conducting the open and on-going debate that is needed to ensure that the results of modern biotechnology are examined critically and applied to the animal production industries in an efficient and acceptable manner.

Recent changes in legislation affecting the animal production industry

AbstractThe economics of production of the livestock sector is heavily influenced by changes to price and support systems but also by the standards set under both domestic and European Community (EC) legislation in the food safety, consumer protection and animal health and welfare areas. This paper addresses these latter issues.In the last 3 years or so the incidence of BSE has led the government to enact several measures to protect both animal and public health. The measures taken and regular publication of information on the disease and research undertaken, has helped restore public confidence in animal products. Increased record keeping and for example, bans on the feeding of ruminant derived protein to ruminants have been designed to eliminate the disease but costs have been borne by the industy. Increased incidence of Salmonella also resulted in much new legislation to which changes have been made as new evidence has emerged. The poultry industry has nevertheless faced new burdens as a result of measures to tackle the disease and restore consumer confidence in poultry products.In the context of the completion of the EC single market the coverage of harmonized trade rules, many of which have existed since 1964, is being widened and rules for domestic and intra-Community trade are being aligned. However, the EC will continue to face the challenge of preventing the spread of disease without frontier controls. This has led so far to new measures, including surveillance arrangements for certain diseases and also to the organization of a disease control infrastructure.The government has given high priority to the promotion of high animal welfare standards. There is also heightened public interest in this issue and legislation has been enacted to phase out certain types of farming systems and require prescribed standards in the handling of livestock. Other initiatives are now on the EC agenda including, for example, the proposed battery hens directive and further rules on the transport of animals.Other issues discussed in the paper are the implications of the Food Safety Act 1990, EC measures on fresh meat hygiene and their enforcement and general food hygiene rules. There has also been much public consultation on the labelling of food. All of these measures have, or could have, significant implications for the livestock sector and these the paper will address.

Use of Diagnostic Laboratory Data to Monitor Mastitis

The concept of disease monitoring in veterinary medicine has been discussed for decades. Its importance becomes more apparent as diseases that cause catastrophic illness are less prevalent and the main health challenge facing the animal production industry is low productivity. Disease monitoring schemes are proposed and discarded on a regular basis. In 1975, an international conference on disease monitoring was held. One of the participants, M.E. Hugh-Jones commented: "At any conference on disease monitoring there is usually one articulate, optimistic speaker who has the perfect system. This computerized philosopher's stone is not quite ready, but within a few months it will be working perfectly, turning mercury into gold. Little more is heard of these schemes, but occassionally an older and wiser man emerges to breifly describe his experiences."(1) With this caveat, the objective of this paper is to describe a system for mastitis monitoring. This system was developed using diagnostic laboratory data as the core information. These data integrate with other record systems to provide a method to monitor herd performance over time and allow interpretation of trends to suggest interventions to improve herd performance.

ECONOMIC, MARKETING AND POLICY CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING ANIMAL PRODUCTION IN CANADA

The current economic, marketing and policy constraints facing the animal production industry in Canada are examined. An historical review indicates the consequences (sometimes unintended) of economic or policy changes in the past in the areas of land settlement, marketing and grading. Natural factors constraining production such as gestation periods and climate and human factors such as consumption potential both physically and socially are considered. Government policy is identified as a key determinant in the animal production industry and an alternative explanation of the activity of government in the economy is outlined. The effect of economic and policy variables including interest rates, feed prices, economies of scale, productivity gains, trade policy, tax policy, grain and livestock marketing and stabilization on animal production are described. Throughout, the importance of government policy in determining the development of the animal production industry is emphasized. The major areas of tax policy and grain support programs in Western Canada are key determinants of regional livestock production patterns. The future of these policies is uncertain and this uncertainty is a major constraint to animal production in Canada. Uncertainty has always been a major constraint on animal production. Producers have developed mechanisms to deal with market variation, biological factors such as disease, fluctuating interest rates and the whims of the environment. However, a major source of uncertainty has not been addressed: — government policy. In part, this uncertainty is due to the on-again, off-again policies governments have followed. But history indicates it is foolish to believe that all important variables are within the control of government. Policy evolves through a political process that often reflects the interests of special interest groups rather than the long-term interests of producers or consumers. Change occurs slowly, impeded by resistance from those in favored positions within the current system. Policy uncertainty remains as a key variable to be addressed by the livestock industry in Canada. Key words: Animal production, economic constraints, policy constraints, policy uncertainty

Attitudes to dietart fats and health: implications for animal production

The COMA report on “Diet and Cardiovascular Disease“ has stimulated government Initiatives which form the beginnings of a national food and health policy. Recommended changes to food consumption patterns are significant and refer principally to fat Intakes. COMA recommended an average decrease for saturated fatty acids of 25 per cent. The average recommended decrease for total fats is 17% (assuming P:S ratio of diet changes to 0.45) or 25% (If P:S ratio remains 0.23). This advice is of particular relevance to the animal production Industries as animal sources account for 55.3% of total fats in the British diet and 66% of saturated fatty acids. The implications of the COMA panel recommendations for British agriculture have been discussed elsewhere.

4.2 Flow of Information from Research

The remit of this paper is to discuss “…provision of appropriate information to write suitable software for the animal production industry” and … how much material has actually flowed from Universities and Research Institutes into useable computer programs and what are seen as being the main stumbling blocks to the rate of flow and effectiveness of take-up?”. Canvassing opinion from several people, including some of those who have contributed at this Meeting, gave many useful ideas but some of them would not wish these ideas to be associated with their names, for a variety of reasons. Therefore, the author is reluctantly unable to thank those who helped by name but is very pleased to do so collectively. The remit has also been broadened slightly to include the feedback from the use of models in the field to the research worker and uses examples of the author's own attempts to model voluntary food intake in ruminants to illustrate some shortcomings.

Chronic Appendicitis

<h3>Introduction</h3> Canadian salmon aquaculture is a high-risk industry with injury rates that surpass provincial averages in Atlantic Canada, yet few publications address occupational health hazards. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence is a growing public health concern, and the marine aquatic environment with its rich microbiota is particularly vulnerable to selection of AMR. Antibiotic use in the industry and other anthropogenic activities that result in the deposit of pollutants contaminated with antibiotics into the marine environment can together amplify selective pressure propagating AMR. Similar to terrestrial animal production facilities, there is concern for the development of hotspots for occupational exposures to AMR among aquaculture workers. As the fastest growing food production network globally, the aquaculture industry has been appealed by the Food and Agriculture Organization, among others, to standardize monitoring and to generate an evidence base to better understand the aetiology of AMR emergence in aquaculture settings. <h3>Objectives</h3> This case study will identify Canadian policies and practices that promote antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance in the aquaculture industry. Methods i) Compare antibiotic use by Canadian salmon aquaculture to other global industry leaders. ii) Compare regulatory regimes and surveillance strategies across industry leaders. <h3>Results</h3> Prescribed antibiotic use in Canadian salmon aquaculture exceeds that of Norway, the industry leader, which has implemented an array of strategies to drastically reduce antibiotic use since the 1990s. Unlike Norway, Canadian aquaculture lacks monitoring programmes for AMR and, furthermore, has yet to document possible occupational exposure pathways to this hazard. Current data repositories do not elucidate health risks associated with AMR emergence in aquaculture settings. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Canadian salmon aquaculture has an opportunity to lead the country’s animal production industries in the development of a standardized sentinel surveillance network to accommodate formal risk analyses and early warning systems. Continuous AMR surveillance coordinated with current public health monitoring would promote health protective strategy development and antimicrobial stewardship within the country.