Changes In Animal Husbandry Research Articles

Millets, dogs, pigs and permanent settlement: productivity transitions in Neolithic northern China

Abstract The transition to sedentary agricultural societies in northern China fuelled considerable demographic growth from 5000 to 2000 BC. In this article, we draw together archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological and bioarchaeological data and explore the relationship between several aspects of this transition, with an emphasis on the millet-farming productivity during the Yangshao period and how it facilitated changes in animal husbandry and consolidation of sedentism. We place the period of domestication (the evolution of non-shattering, initial grain size increase and panicle development) between 8300 and 4300 BC. The domestication and post-domestication of foxtail (Setaria italica) and broomcorn (Panicum miliaceum) millet increased their productivity substantially, with much greater rate of change than for rice (Oryza sativa). However, millets are significantly less productive per hectare than wet rice farming, a point reflected in the greater geographical expanse of northern Neolithic millet cultures (5000–3000 BC) in comparison with their Yangtze rice-growing counterparts. The domestication of pigs in the Yellow River region is evidenced by changes in their morphology after 6000 BC, and a transition to a millet-based diet c. 4500–3500 BC. Genetic data and isotopic data from dogs indicate a similar dietary transition from 6000 to 4000 BC, leading to new starch-consuming dog breeds. Significant population increase associated with agricultural transitions arose predominately from the improvement of these crops and animals following domestication, leading to the formation of the first proto-urban centres and the demic-diffusion of millet agriculture beyond central northern China between 4300–2000 BC.

Integrating New Prehistoric Palaeopathological Finds from Hungary.

Eight newly identified pathological animal remains identified in two Middle Neolithic assemblages (ca 5330-4940 calBC) in northern and western Hungary were placed within the broader context of relevant prehistoric finds. The aim was to understand the underrepresented Middle Neolithic finds in light of the better-known cases from other prehistoric periods. The newly reported cases include arthritic and inflammatory lesions, as well as dental disorders, such as linear enamel hypoplasia, recognized for the first time in the Hungarian Neolithic. Identifications were based on bone macromorphology. When large samples are available, the frequencies of pathological bone specimens reflect the taxonomic composition. Along with the increasing number of cases, longevity related to exploitation for secondary products also became manifest. Therefore, the effects of assemblage size, disease classification and differences between authors (related to training and the time of publication) need to be considered before pathological lesions can be interpreted in terms of diachronic changes in animal husbandry.

АРХЕОЗООЛОГИЯ БРОНЗОВОГО ВЕКА ЮЖНОГО УРАЛА: СТАБИЛЬНОСТЬ И ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ СКОТОВОДСТВА

The article is devoted to a discussion of the main results of archaeozoological studies of materials from settlements of different periods of the Bronze Age in the Southern Urals (the Sintashta and Alakul cultures) and new methodological approaches to the study of animal bones from archaeological sites. The basis of the life support system of the inhabitants of the settlements throughout the Bronze Age was the breeding of livestock. The main parameters of animal husbandry were relatively stable and did not undergo evolution from the Sintashta to Alakul periods of the Bronze Age. Modern archaeozoological studies have made it possible to fix the specific manner of fragmentation of bones, the alleged working exploitation of cattle and stall keeping of livestock, as well as to reveal the evolution of these processes during the Bronze Age. Drawing upon the results of the study of modern animal husbandry made it possible to identify osteophagy of ungulates, to assess the possibility of a settled model of pastoralism and typical pathologies of livestock for materials from the Bronze Age. The article proposes the use of bones with traces of exposure by ungulates as a reliable marker of the location of livestock in the Bronze Age settlements. The most important changes in animal husbandry include a slight decrease in the size of cattle, a change in the system of bone fragmentation, as well as the alleged termination of the tradition of working use of bulls/oxen in the Alakul time. The analysis of indirect markers and the results of the study of modern animal husbandry allow the reconstruction of a sedentary type of cattle breeding in the Bronze Age of the Southern Urals, in which herds of domestic ungulates graze all year round near settlements.

ЕКОЛОГО-ЕКОНОМІЧНА ТА БІОЕНЕРГЕТИЧНА ОЦІНКА ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ ВИРОЩУВАННЯ ПШЕНИЦІ ОЗИМОЇ ПІСЛЯ БОБОВИХ БАГАТОРІЧНИХ ТРАВ

Topicality. The economic crisis requires modern winter wheat cultivation technologies based on the principles of financial feasibility, energy saving and environmental safety. Issues. Changes in animal husbandry have led to the differentiation of fodder crops, which are used as predecessors of winter wheat. Now, other types of perennial legume grasses are grown along with its traditional predecessor meadow clover. However, it is necessary to carry out research and calculations due to the lack of results of the ecological, economic and bioenergy feasibility of non-traditional perennial legume grasses as predecessors of winter wheat. Aim. To investigate the indicators of ecological, economic and bioenergy efficiency of winter wheat cultivation after six species of perennial legume grasses as predecessors, such as meadow clover, alfalfa, sand esparcet, white sweet clover, bird's-foot-trefoil, eastern galega, and also after the maize for silage (control). Methods. Field studies with subsequent calculation of economic efficiency of winter wheat cultivation based on technological charts and costs, as well as the energy efficiency of the technologies under study according to the methods of O.K. Medvedovskyi, P.I. Ivanenko and VASKHNIL were conducted. Results. The highest grain yield was 6.52 t/ha when winter wheat was cultivated after maize for silage with high rates of mineral fertilizers and pesticides. When winter wheat was cultivated after perennial legume grasses, the rates of mineral fertilizers and pesticides were significantly lower. Accordingly, the grain yield of winter wheat grown after perennial legume grasses was by 11.1–38.2 % lower than after silage maize, and it was 4.03–5.80 t/ha. The highest grain yield was observed after meadow clover, and the lowest – after bird's-foot-trefoil. The highest level of profitability (90.7 %) is provided by the cultivation of winter wheat after the predecessor meadow clover. When winter wheat was grown after such predecessors as meadow clover, white sweet clover, sand esparcet and eastern galega with limited rates of pesticides and mineral fertilizers, the level of profitability was 5.7–46.8 % higher than indicator for winter wheat after silage maize with high rates of mineral fertilizers and pesticides At the same time, winter wheat profitability after bird's-foot-trefoil and alfalfa equaled to the indicator for silage maize. Conclusions. The technology of winter wheat cultivation after meadow clover, which provided the highest energy coefficient 4.96, is the most profitable and the least energy-intensive. Key words: economic assessment, bioenergy assessment, cultivation technology, winter wheat, predecessors.

Critical discussion of the current environmental risk assessment (ERA) of veterinary medicinal products (VMPs) in the European Union, considering changes in animal husbandry

BackgroundVeterinary medicinal products (VMPs) administered to livestock might affect the environment. Therefore, an environmental risk assessment (ERA) is conducted during the approval process of VMPs. In the European Union (EU), the ERA, which was established approximately 10 years ago, consists of two phases. In the present review, we examined the first phase. In this phase, VMPs are subjected to a decision-making process comprising 19 questions and several tables with default values published in the “Guideline on environmental impact assessment for veterinary medicinal products in support of the VICH guidelines GL6 and GL38 (European Medicines Agency 2016).”Since a proportion of livestock husbandry systems is currently shifting toward ecological husbandry and free-range production systems, there is a lower risk of VMP consumption in general, but livestock excretions possibly containing VMPs might be directly released into the environment instead of being stored and applied as manure. In the present study, the first phase of the current ERA of VMPs in the EU was critically discussed with respect to the changes in animal husbandry. The large number of default values used in the ERA were checked for topicality. In a three-step approach, firstly trends and changes in animal husbandry in Europe that might be relevant for the ERA were collected, secondly, the interactions between Phase I and animal husbandry were evaluated and thirdly, the default values used in Phase I were verified in order to identify research gaps.ResultsSeveral default values used in the current ERA were identified as outdated. Together with the lack of valid data (e.g., on animal husbandry systems or VMP treatments), this may have an impact on the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) as the central decision threshold of the ERA.ConclusionsThe results of the present study indicate that an update of the ERA of VMPs in the EU is required to consider the changes in animal husbandry. Several aspects related to this issue are critically discussed.

Animal husbandry between the Roman times and the High Middle Ages in central Europe: a biometrical analysis of cattle, sheep and pig

This paper presents a meta-analysis of biometrical data of cattle (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), and pig (Sus domesticus), with a diachronic, long-term approach (first–twelfth centuries AD) and at a large regional scale (Switzerland and adjacent areas of France), with the aim of looking at changes in animal husbandry during the transition between Roman times and the Early Middle Ages. With this in mind, a comprehensive biometrical analysis is carried out, on the basis of the log-ratio technique (or logarithmic size index — LSI). The results show an increase of the size of domesticates during the Late Roman period, as well as a long period of size decrease in the subsequent centuries. The possible reasons behind this size decrease are discussed, focusing on three factors: a genetic change, less direct control over feeding and breeding, and changing patterns of herd sex ratios. We argue that these changes should be seen as an efficient adaptation of animal husbandry strategies to broader social, economic, and political transformations.

Innovative technology of obtaining organic marble beef

The aim was to develop an innovative technology for obtaining high-quality organic marble beef. In the experimental farm “Polyvanivka” of the Institute of Grain Crops NAAS the cultivation of bulls of the gray Ukrainian breed up to 30 months of age has been organized using fodder which is traditional for steppe zone of Ukraine. The work has been performed according to the research program of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine no. 37 “System of work in populations and conservation of biological diversity of genetic resources of farm animals” (“Preservation of breed gene pool”). The expediency of organic production of high-quality marble beef obtained in the steppe zone of Ukraine from gray Ukrainian cattle has been proven. This breed has such economically useful features as the duration of production use, longevity, high growth energy (stable average daily gain over 1 kg), and the conversion of diet into products (feed consumption is 70–80 MJ per 1 kg of growth) correlating with the age of the animal, slaughter rates (>60%, meat content is >4 kg per 1 kg of bones, hard skin is >30 kg which belongs to the category of bull production). We have found that it is necessary to determine the cattle fatness not by subcutaneous fat which has no dietary value, but by the beef marbling as a sign of its quality which takes into account the presence of intramuscular and intermuscular fat including unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A and D, as well as the amount of protein and moisture and taste and culinary features of the carcass flesh, such as tenderness, juiciness and aroma. This meets the requirements of the consumer. The proposals based on the results of research on technological changes in animal husbandry promote the development of meat cattle breeding and are of great economic importance for strengthening the health of the population and food safety in Ukraine.

Leptospira: An emerging zoonotic pathogen of climate change, global warming and unplanned urbanization: A review

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic infection with a much greater incidence in tropical regions and has now been identified as one of the emerging infectious diseases. The epidemiology of leptospirosis has been modified by changes in animal husbandry, climate and human behavior. Resurgent interest in leptospirosis has resulted from large outbreaks that have received significant publicity. The transmission cycle of leptospirosis involves maintenance hosts, carrier hosts, environment and human beings. The carrier animals in India include rats, pigs, cattle, bandicoots and dogs. Intervention strategies include vaccination, rodent control and improved environmental hygiene to eliminate possibility of water, soil and food contamination. Mass awareness or public education is of utmost importance. The development of simpler, rapid assays for diagnosis has been based largely on the recognition that early initiation of antibiotic therapy is important in acute disease but also on the need for assays which can be used more widely. The gold standard is microscopic agglutination test though serological studies are widely conducted for the diagnostic purpose. The antibiotics use for the treatment of leptospirosis includes oral doxycycline, azithromycin and penicillins. Among the parenteral therapy Intravenous penicillin G and third generation cephalosporins are used. We reviewed the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of leptospirosis in this study.

Driving factors of direct greenhouse gas emissions from China’s pig industry from 1976 to 2016

Livestock cultivation is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for 14.5% of the total anthropogenic emissions. China is responsible for a considerable share of the global livestock emissions, particularly caused by pork production. We used the Kaya identity and the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) to decompose the national annual GHG emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management in pig farming in China from 1976 to 2016. We decomposed the sources of the emissions into five driving factors: (1) technological progress (e.g., feed improvement); (2) structural adjustment in the livestock sector; (3) structural adjustment in agriculture; (4) affluence; and (5) population growth. The results showed that the net GHG emissions from the pig sector in China increased 16 million tons (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq) during the study period. The decomposition analysis revealed that structural adjustment in agriculture, growing affluence, and population growth contributed to an increase of the GHG emissions of pork production by 23, 41, and 13 Mt CO2eq, respectively. The technological progress and structural changes in animal husbandry mitigated emissions by –51 and –11 Mt CO2eq, respectively. Further technological progress in pig production and optimizing the economic structures are critical for further reducing GHG emissions in China’s pig industry. Our results highlight the dominant role of technological changes for emission reductions in the pig farming.

Cattle, Sheep/Goats and Pigs from Northern and Central Hampshire: Iron Age, Roman and Early Saxon Faunal Remains from Excavation Assemblages

This paper is a survey of overall species counts from northern and central Hampshire sites, of Iron Age, Roman and early Saxon date, and their implications for chronological changes in animal husbandry and diet. Three zones, around Basingstoke, Andover, and central Hampshire, are compared with each other, and also with the Roman urban centres of Silchester and Winchester. The Andover region shows the greatest degree of continuity from Iron Age to Roman times and later, while the Basingstoke region has a pattern of change from sheep/goat dominated assemblages to ones with higher cattle numbers. This may be due to agricultural intensification, and an orientation of the animal economy in northern Hampshire more towards the Thames Valley and supply to Silchester, than an earlier 'Wessex pattern' more focussed on sheep and wool production.

Global trends of epidemiological research in livestock tuberculosis for the last four decades.

Animal tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) bacteria remains as one of the most significant infectious diseases of livestock, despite decades of eradication programmes and research efforts, in an era where the livestock sector is among the most important and rapidly expanding commercial agricultural segments worldwide. This work provides a global overview of the spatial and temporal trends of reported scientific knowledge of TB in livestock, aiming to gain insights into research subtopics within the animal TB epidemiology domain and to highlight territorial inequalities regarding data reporting and research outputs over the years. To deliver such information, peer-reviewed reports of TB studies in livestock were retrieved from the Web of Science and Google Scholar, systematized and dissected. The validated data set contained 443 occurrence observations, covering the 1981-2020 period (39years). We highlight a clear move towards transdisciplinary areas and the One Health approach, with a global temporal increase in publications combining livestock with wildlife and/or human components, which reflect the importance of non-prototypical hosts as key to understanding animal TB. It becomes evident that cattle is the main host across works from all continents; however, many regions remain poorly surveyed. TB research in livestock in low-/middle-income countries is markedly growing, reflecting changes in animal husbandry, but also mirroring the globalization era, with a marked increase in international collaboration and capacitation programmes for scientific and technological development. This review gives an overview of the most prolific continents, countries and research fields in animal TB epidemiology, clearly outlining knowledge gaps and key priority topics. The estimated growth trend of livestock production until 2050, particularly in Asia and Africa, in response to human population growth and animal-protein demand, will require further investment in early surveillance and adaptive research to accommodate the higher diversity of livestock species and MTC members and raising the possibility to fine-tune funding schemes.

Toxocara spp. in dogs and cats in Canada.

Toxocara spp. (T. canis and T. cati) are the dominant ascarids of domestic dogs and cats, respectively, in populated regions of southern Canada, where they pose animal and public health concerns. A review of the published literature indicated that prevalence of both parasites is declining in more recent studies (post 2000), likely due to changes in animal husbandry as well as use of anthelmintics. Geographically, prevalence was higher in the east (Atlantic), and in more southerly locations, possibly due to more favourable climate conditions for egg survival and development. At northern latitudes and in wild felids and canids in general, the non-zoonotic ascarid Toxascaris leonina appears to outcompete Toxocara spp.; however, T. leonina is rare in domestic cats in Canada. Prevalence of Toxocara spp. was higher in cats than dogs, shelter/rural/remote/feral/stray vs owned animals, and young vs adult animals, as has been observed in many other studies and regions of the world. While the regional prevalences in this review should be interpreted carefully in light of variation in diagnostic methods and study populations, they generally follow the same trends observed in a recent national study of shelter animals. This review is a timely summary of the state of the published knowledge on prevalence of Toxocara spp. in Canada, and highlights knowledge gaps to be addressed, including the northern distributional limits of these species in Canada, the potential for transmission to and from wildlife hosts, and the public health significance of the parasite in the mainstream Canadian population.

The \u2018long\u2019 sixteenth century: a key period of animal husbandry change in England

Although many historians have extensively discussed the agricultural history of England between the Late Middle Ages and the Modern Era, this period of crucial changes has received less attention by archaeologists. In this paper, zooarchaeological evidence dated between the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period is analysed to investigate changes in animal husbandry during the ‘long’ sixteenth century. The size and shape of the main domestic animals (cattle, sheep, pig and chicken) is explored through biometrical data and discussed in line with evidence of taxonomic frequencies, ageing and sex ratios. Data from 12 sites with relevant chronologies and located in different areas of the country are considered. The results show that, although a remarkable size increase of animals occurred in England throughout the post-medieval period, much of this improvement occurred as early as the sixteenth century. The nature and causes of such improvement are discussed, with the aim of understanding the development of Early Modern farming and the foundations of the so-called Agricultural Revolution.

Evolution of Salmonella within Hosts.

Within-host evolution has resulted in thousands of variants of Salmonella that exhibit remarkable diversity in host range and disease outcome, from broad host range to exquisite host restriction, causing gastroenteritis to disseminated disease such as typhoid fever. Within-host evolution is a continuing process driven by genomic variation that occurs during each infection, potentiating adaptation to a new niche resulting from changes in animal husbandry, the use of antimicrobials, and emergence of immune compromised populations. We discuss key advances in our understanding of the evolution of Salmonella within the host, inferred from (i) the process of host adaptation of Salmonella pathovars in the past, and (ii) direct observation of the generation of variation and selection of beneficial traits during single infections.

Roman Conquest and Changes in Animal Husbandry in the North-East of the Iberian Peninsula: Searching for Patterns, Rates and Singularities

The conquest of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula by the Roman Empire brought about changes to the socio-political and socio-economic organization of the communities settled in this territory. These changes, however, did not take place all at once, but rather happened throughout the 200 years following the conquest. Bearing this in mind, the aim of this article is to characterise the changes that underwent in livestock management practices in the north-eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula as a result of its Roman conquest, analysing the type and timing of these changes, and evaluating how they affected the different animal species that comprised the livestock at the time.The study of faunal remains recovered from 11 sites located in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula and dated between the fifth century BC and third century AD, and their comparison to the existing archaeozoological data for the area under study, have enabled us to document that the changes in livestock practices did not all arise at the same time and neither did they affect all taxa equally. These results are correlated with the possible roles played by both the local communities and Rome in the achievement and acceptance of these changes.

Settlement, Land Use and Society in the Late Antique Mediterranean, 4th–7th c. An Overview

Abstract This paper outlines some key transformations in rural society and settlement patterns in the 4th to 7th c. western Mediterranean, as revealed by archaeological evidence. An overview of discernible trends and current debates about their socio-political contexts is illustrated with examples of well-investigated sites. From this data, two contrasting patterns emerge: intensive, and partly state-stimulated, cultivation of land; systematic animal breeding and specialised production up to the end of the 4th c.; and much more varied patterns of exploiting the landscape, including changes in animal husbandry, changes in land use and crops, and increasing use of uncultivated areas, in the 5th–7th c. This overview is intended to provide a broader framework for the detailed examination of environmental evidence which follows in this volume.

Effects of experimentally necessary changes in husbandry on olfactory memory: Chronic food restriction and social isolation

Changes to typical procedures in animal husbandry are often necessary to accommodate the needs of behavioral experiments. Two common changes in husbandry for rodents are light chronic food restriction (to motivate animals in reward-association tasks) and social isolation (to accommodate individual feeding schedules or need to reduce interactions because of implants for example). Each of these intervention individually has been shown to modulate behavioral state and with it performance in behavioral tasks. We here systematically test how social isolation and light chronic food restriction modulate olfactory memory in rats. Our results show a strong modulation of olfactory memory after both types of husbandry interventions. These results suggest that common changes in animal husbandry promote distinct and relevant changes in animal behavior.

Market strategies in the Roman provinces: Different animal husbandry systems explored by a comparative regional approach

The Roman occupation led to urbanisation, trade and population increases in the northwestern provinces, which caused an increased demand for food. The adaptation of agrarian regimes to satisfy this increased demand is still little understood. Zooarchaeological data from two regions were analysed in order to identify and explain broad patterns in animal husbandry in regions that are known to have had a different development. Such a systematic and direct comparison of zooarchaeological data from two regions in the Roman Empire has not been carried out before. The data set contains 128 assemblages from 81 rural sites in the Lower Rhine region in the Netherlands and the northern part of modern Switzerland, with a total of over 68,000 bone fragments of cattle, sheep or goat and pig. Analysis revealed differences in species proportions, with cattle and horse more important in the Dutch research area and pig and chicken in the Swiss research area. Slaughter ages revealed further differences in exploitation, with a larger focus on meat in the Dutch research area, and a larger emphasis on arable farming, transport and industry in the Swiss research area. The Swiss research area also shows evidence of more intensive pork production. Cattle increase in size in both research areas, but are generally larger in the Swiss research area. The differences in animal husbandry can be related to different modes of agrarian production, with a larger scale of farming and a higher extent of specialisation found in the Swiss research area. The conclusion of this study is that while changes in animal husbandry occur throughout the Roman Empire as a result of economic and demographic developments, different regions responded in different ways.

Histomonas meleagridis—New insights into an old pathogen

The protozoan flagellate Histomonas meleagridis is the etiological agent of histomonosis, first described in 1893. It is a fastidious disease in turkeys, with pathological lesions in the caeca and liver, sometimes with high mortality. In chickens the disease is less fatal and lesions are often confined to the caeca. The disease was well controlled by applying nitroimidazoles and nitrofurans for therapy or prophylaxis. Since their introduction into the market in the middle of the previous century, research nearly ceased as outbreaks of histomonosis occurred only very rarely. With the ban of these drugs in the last two decades in North America, the European Union and elsewhere, in combination with the changes in animal husbandry, the disease re-emerged. Consequently, research programs were set up in various places focusing on different features of the parasite and the disease. For the first time studies were performed to elucidate the molecular repertoire of the parasite. In addition, research has been started to investigate the parasite's interaction with its host. New diagnostic methods and tools were developed and tested with samples obtained from field outbreaks or experimental infections. Some of these studies aimed to clarify the introduction of the protozoan parasite into a flock and the transmission between birds. Finally, a strong focus was placed on research concentrated on the development of new treatment and prophylactic strategies, urgently needed to combat the disease. This review aims to summarize recent research activities and place them into context with older literature.

English

Ensuring food safety to protect public health remains a significant challenge in both developing and developed countries. In the last decade, large efforts have been made on the global level towards development and implementation of food safety management systems to assure food safety in the agri‐food chain. Current and new challenges to food safety include changes in animal husbandry, food or agricultural technology, lifestyle and consumer demands and others. In Ethiopia, key stakeholders involved in food safety management include Ministry of Health , Ministry of Agriculture, Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia, Environmental Protection Authority, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Trade, different Federal and Regional Governmental Bodies, Research Institutions, Ministry of Education, Food Manufacturers, Food distributors and Hotels. Even though effective food safety systems are vital to maintain consumer confidence in the food system and to provide a sound regulatory foundation for domestic and international trade in food, there are gaps in Ethiopian food safety system on legal and policy frame work, food-borne diseases surveillance, coordination of organizations involved in food safety management, and laboratory services for relevant food hazards. Lack of appropriate food safety assurance systems are problems that have become obstacles to Ethiopia’s economic development and public health safety. There is no appropriate policy framework that guides food safety management. Initiating the establishment of National food safety Authority/policy, upgrading the capacity of existing public health laboratory, personnel, food-borne diseases surveillance, and legal and policy frame work are as such suggested to overcome these problems. Key words: Ethiopia, food safety, regulatory body, policy.