Commercial Animal Husbandry Research Articles

Understanding farmers’ biosecurity beliefs and behaviours related to antimicrobial resistant bacteria in Michigan,USA

Context Antimicrobial resistant bacteria (AMRB) are transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa through many pathways, and AMRB has been an issue on farms and in food production systems. Aims The aim of this exploratory study was to understand what preventative measures farmers may or may not be using to decrease human and animal exposure to AMRB in Central Michigan, and develop a set of measures for biosecurity behaviours. Methods Participants selected for the study were involved in commercial animal husbandry in central Michigan. Data from farmers were collected via a mixed methods approach. Semistructured interviews and a structured questionnaire were administered, based on the theory of planned behaviour. Data were analysed using Spearman’s rank correlation and thematic analyses. Key results There were no associations between sex, level of education or personal income with biosecurity beliefs or behaviours. There was a positive correlation between farm revenue and the presence of pests in animal holding areas, and how often farmers quarantine new animals before adding them to their herd or flock. The farmers interviewed had increased perceived control over implementing biosecurity measures that are perceived as simple and fast to implement. Conclusions Generally, the farmers believed they could affect AMRB on their farms, but were not always engaging in biosecurity behaviours. Implications Understanding farmers’ perceptions and beliefs of biosecurity practices may help develop efficient and effective outreach, education and extension services.

Transcriptional Profiles of Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Dendritic Cells in Response to Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus.

Background: Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is the causative agent of PPR, which can cause an acute, highly contagious and fatal disease of sheep and goats, resulting in significant economic losses for commercial animal husbandry due to its high mortality and morbidity. As professional antigen-presenting cells, dendritic cells (DCs) play a unique role in innate immunity. This study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the transcriptional response of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) stimulated with PPRV. Results: Transcriptional profiling was performed using RNA sequencing. Herein, we reported that compared to untreatedBMDCs, 4492 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified following PPRV stimulation, out of these DEGs 2311 were upregulated and 2181 were downregulated, respectively. A total of three gene ontology (GO) term clusters of biological process, cell component and molecular function were significantly enriched in 963 GO terms in the PPRV-stimulated BMDCs. These GO clusters were related to inflammatory response, cell division and vacuole, anchoring junction, positive regulation of cellular component and nucleoside binding. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways of DEGs were enriched in a chemokine signaling pathway, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, cell cycle and mTOR signaling pathway. Additionally, identified DEGs of BMDCs were further validated by qRT-PCR and the results were in accordance with the change of the genes. This study suggested the effects of PPRV stimulation on the maturation and function of BMDCs. Conclusion: We found that the dramatic BMDCs transcriptome changes triggered were predominantly related to an inflammatory response and chemokine signaling pathway.

HIGH SPERM PRODUCTION AS RELATED TO MACRO- AND MICROELEMENT LEVELS IN BLOOD SERUM IN SERVICING BULLS OF THE MODERN SELECTION

Nowadays in commercial animal husbandry the intensive metabolizer genotypes are basically used. In such a case the animal health and performance should be characterized neither by the presence or absence of clinical manifestations of diseases, nor by decreased productivity or reproductive ability, but by the parameters of metabolism and its early violations at a subclinical level. Herein we summarize original data on the levels of the essential macroelements, in particular Ca, P, Mg, Fe and chlorides, and microelements, the Cu, Zn, Se and Mn, in blood serum of the superior sires as influenced by their age, beef or milk specialization and RED-factor expression. In our experiment the 2-7 year meat Aberdeen Angus, Herefordm, Lymousine cattle, milk Red-and-White Holsteine, Black-and-White Holsteine, Ayrshire cattle, and also universal Brown Swiss cattle were assessed (n = 49 in total). The following parameters were investigated: an ejaculate volume, the spermatozoid number per ml, the percentage of spermatozoid motility in the native, diluted, frozen and thawed semen, and in the samples frozen, thawed and then incubated at 38 °N for 5 hours. The total spermatozoid number per ejaculate, semen dose number per each sire, frozen semen dose number sampled during 24 hour, and the percentage of culled native ejaculates were also assessed. It was shown the microelements to influence the semen quality and quantity. Macro- and microelement levels in the sires’ blood serum were shown to depend manly on the diet and should be constantly controlled and adjusted. According to the obtained data, the differences in macro- and microelement levels due to specialization and RED-factor expression are unreliable, while the changes in Na:Ð ratio and Cu, Zn and chloride levels in blood serum influence the semen quality in the bull sires. Our data suggest that in each cattle breed the physiological standard levels of macro- and microelements in blood serum should be revised with respect to age, sex, physiological condition, a season, livestock farming technology and specialization. Besides, the data confirm the need for an integrated control and adjustment of animal supply with macro- and microelements referring to their deficit or excess in different geochemical provinces.

Identification of animal Pasteurellaceae by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Species of the family Pasteurellaceae play an important role as primary or opportunistic, predominantly respiratory, pathogens in domestic and wild animals. Some of them cause severe disease with high economic losses in commercial animal husbandry. Hence, rapid and accurate differentiation of Pasteurellaceae is important and signifies a particular challenge to diagnostic laboratories. Identification and differentiation of Pasteurellaceae is mostly done using phenotypic tests or genetic identification based on sequence similarity of housekeeping genes, such as the rrs gene encoding the 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA). Both approaches are time consuming, laborious, and costly, therefore often delaying the final diagnosis of disease or epidemics. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry represents an alternative rapid and reliable method for the differentiation of most members of the family Pasteurellaceae. It is able to differentiate within a few minutes the currently known 18 genera and most of the over 60 species and subspecies of Pasteurellaceae including many members encountered in veterinary diagnostic laboratories. A few closely related species and subspecies that cannot be discriminated by MALDI-TOF are easily identified further by complementary simple tests, such as hemolysis done simultaneously or routinely during pathogen isolation.

In-vitro Antimycoplasmal Activity of Triclosan in Combination with Fluoroquinolones against Five mycoplasma Species.

Mycoplasmosis caused by mycoplasma has immensely reduced the performance of commercial animal husbandry, along with prevalence and increase of drug resistance in mycoplasma, thus new agents and therapies are urgently needed. Triclosan is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent with a favorable safety profile. In the present study, we tested the antimycoplasmal activity of triclosan alone, as well as the in-vitro interaction of triclosan and the fluoroquinolones, gatifloxacin (GAT), moxifloxacin (MXF), levofloxacin (LVX), sparfloxacin (SPX), ciprofloxacin (CIP), enrofloxacin (EFX), and norfloxacin (NOR), against five mycoplasma species. This study demonstrated that triclosan had antimycoplasmal activity against both fluoroquinolones-sensitive species and a fluoroquinolones-resistant species isolated from clinic, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 16.0-64.0 μg/mL and 64.0 μg/ mL, respectively. A synergistic antimycoplasmal effect between triclosan and GAT, MFX or EFX against the five mycoplasma species was observed, with modulation factors (MFs) of 4-8, 4-16, 8-32, respectively, and fractional inhibitory concentration indexes (FICIs) of 0.375- 0.500, 0.350-0.500, 0.281-0.375, respectively. The combination of triclosan with LVX, SPX, CIP or NOR displayed either synergistic activity or indifference against the same mycoplasma species with MFs of 2-64, 4-16, 2-16, 2-64, respectively, while FICI values range from 0.516- 0.750, 0.500-0.625, 0.306-0.750, and 0.615-0.750, respectively. No antagonism was observed for any drug combination against any of the species tested. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that triclosan has synergistic activity with fluoroquinolones against mycoplasma species.

Routine Phenotypic Identification of Bacterial Species of the Family Pasteurellaceae Isolated from Animals

Pasteurellaceae are bacteria with an important role as primary or opportunistic, mainly respiratory, pathogens in domestic and wild animals. Some species of Pasteurellaceae cause severe diseases with high economic losses in commercial animal husbandry and are of great diagnostic concern. Because of new data on the phylogeny of Pasteurellaceae, their taxonomy has recently been revised profoundly, thus requiring an improved phenotypic differentiation procedure to identify the individual species of this family. A new and simplified procedure to identify species of Actinobacillus, Avibacterium, Gallibacterium, Haemophilus, Mannheimia, Nicoletella, and Pasteurella, which are most commonly isolated from clinical samples of diseased animals in veterinary diagnostic laboratories, is presented in the current study. The identification procedure was evaluated with 40 type and reference strains and with 267 strains from routine diagnostic analysis of various animal species, including 28 different bacterial species. Type, reference, and field strains were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rrs) and rpoB gene sequencing for unambiguous species determination as a basis to evaluate the phenotypic differentiation schema. Primary phenotypic differentiation is based on beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (beta-NAD) dependence and hemolysis, which are readily determined on the isolation medium. The procedure divides the 28 species into 4 groups for which particular biochemical reactions were chosen to identify the bacterial species. The phenotypic identification procedure allowed researchers to determine the species of 240 out of 267 field strains. The procedure is an easy and cost-effective system for the rapid identification of species of the Pasteurellaceae family isolated from clinical specimens of animals.

From Resilience to Resistance: Political Ecological Lessons from Antibiotic and Pesticide Resistance

This article investigates the interplay of natural and human systems with reference to the growing global problem of antibiotic resistance. Among the diverse causes of antibiotic resistance, we focus broadly on three related causes: pharmaceutical practice and the liberal consumption of antibiotics, the use of antibiotic-containing products in the home, and the use of antibiotics in commercial animal husbandry and agriculture. We draw a parallel between pesticide and antibiotic resistance and examine whether lessons learned from one case may be applicable to the other. Although our main focus is a microecological analysis examining how humans are changing their environments, our conclusion addresses larger implications of this problem for global health. Through the theoretical lens of political ecology, we ask how we may address the “tragedy of the antibiotic commons” through public education and consumer activism as well as global health governance.

Quinupristin/dalfopristin-resistant enterococci of the satA (vatD) and satG (vatE) genotypes from different ecological origins in Germany.

The semisynthetic streptogramin combination quinupristin/dalfopristin (Synercid) is a promising alternative for treatment of infections due to multiply resistant gram-positive bacteria including vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. Resistance is mediated by acetyltransferases SatA (VatD) or SatG (VatE). Recent papers have indicated a possible link between the use of the streptogramin virginiamycin S/M as a feed additive in commercial animal husbandry and a selection of quinupristin/dalfopristin-resistant E. faecium (QDRE). We screened manure samples from two different turkey farms and from six different pig farms (using virginiamycin), samples from a sewage water treatment plant, 24 broiler carcasses, 10 pork samples, and 200 stool samples of nonhospitalized humans for QDRE. Our strain culture collection of hospital E. faecium isolates from the last 2 years was also reviewed for QDRE. All manure and sewage samples were positive for QDRE, as well as 11 from broiler carcasses (46%), 1 from pork (10%), and 28 from human stool specimens (14%). Thirty-six hospital isolates of E. faecium exhibited resistance to quinupristin/dalfopristin. In 141 QDRE of different origin satA (vatD) and satG (vatE) genes were detected (seven isolates from humans with an unknown resistance mechanism). Streptogramin resistance determinants were tansferable in filtermating experiments for 5 of 10 satA (vatD) and 9 of 22 satG (vatE) isolates. Different EcoRI patterns of satG (vatE) plasmids and corresponding hybridizations of the satG (vatE) gene indicated nonhomologous resistance plasmids in isolates of different origin. The results of this study indicate a common gene pool for streptogramin resistance in E. faecium of different ecological origin. A selection of QDRE using the streptogramin virginiamycin S/M as a feed additive and a spread of the resistance via the food chain to humans is probable.

Decreased Incidence of VanA-type Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci Isolated from Poultry Meat and from Fecal Samples of Humans in the Community after Discontinuation of Avoparcin Usage in Animal Husbandry

The use of the glycopeptide antibiotic avoparcin (AVO) as a feed additive in animal husbandry of many European countries led in 1994-1995 to frequent isolation of VanA-type vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from commercially produced animal foodstuffs as well as from fecal samples of nonhospitalized persons in Germany (Saxony-Anhalt state). However, at the end of 1997, a decreasing number of such VRE was detected in frozen and fresh poultry meat (chickens and turkeys) from German producers. At this point in time, AVO had been discontinued in animal husbandry for more than 2 and one-half years in Denmark/Norway, nearly 2 years in Germany, and about 8-9 months in all countries of the European Community and Switzerland, respectively. VRE were then only detected in very low concentrations in one-quarter of the poultry meat samples (eight of 31, originating from 18 distinct German producers and bought in 12 different supermarkets). A decline of VRE prevalence was also observed in the gut flora of healthy persons (VRE carriers) in the same region (Saxony-Anhalt state, Germany), having fallen from 12% (12/100) in 1994 when AVO was being used to 6% (6/100) in 1996 and 3% (13/400) in 1997 after it was discontinued. These results likely indicate the importance of antibiotic selective pressure by glycopeptides such as AVO for the presence of VRE in animal meat products from commercial animal husbandry. Additionally, it underlines the role of animal products for the spread of resistant bacteria and transferable resistance genes to humans in the community.

Optimal models for the development of commercial feed production as a synthetic industry

Purpose. Development of animal husbandry is dependent on quality feed production. The activity of the field feed production as a synthetic industry is associated with the preparation of feed, their long-term storage due to the preservatives, appropriate packaging. The article discusses the optimal models for the production, harvesting, storage of forages, taking into account the peculiarities of technological parameters, production technologies of harvesting and storage. The role of feed production optimization for agricultural enterprises, aimed at meeting the needs of the commercial animal husbandry using elements of simulation is clarified and effectiveness of commercial feed production formation as a synthetic industry is revealed. Methods. In the process of the research, the following methods were used: theoretical generalization, economic model and analysis of absolute, relative and average values. Theoretical generalization – to determine the importance of the development of the feed market and commercial feed production. Economic model – to reveal the interdependence and connection between various economic phenomena and processes in production and storage of various types of feeds. Analysis of absolute, relative and average values – for the technical and economic characteristics of storage types of silage and haylage. Results. The real development of fodder production is seen in the transformation of cultivated crop products, in particular grain, into finished livestock products. It is possible, due to cross-sectoral integration, to sell not only raw materials, ready-made high-quality feed to the market to meet the needs of live-stock production. Conclusions. A special place in the implementation of the innovative policy of the field feed production belongs to the transfer of innovations in the "field-storage-feeder" system, which will act as one of the effective tools for ensuring the increase in production of high-quality feed. It was found that there are no narrowly targeted government programs for the development of fodder production as a synthetic industry.