Animal Feeding Operations Research Articles

Stepwise Reduction of Dietary Phosphorus in Diets for Piglets and Fattening Pigs of Different Genetic Origin Housed under Various Station Environments-A Ringtest.

The reduction of emissions of nutrients from livestock is one of the main topics in areas with intensive animal husbandry. In order to minimize the loss of nutrients into the environment, it is common practice to feed animals as close as possible to metabolic demands. For phosphorus (P), there are various studies for swine and poultry, which showed that a reduction of dietary P levels is possible, if a sufficient level of phytase is added to the diet. The supplementation of a sufficient dosage of phytase to plant-based diets leads to an increase in digestible phosphorus (dP) upon the hydrolisation of phytate (InsP6) to P and lower inositol-phosphates. However, most of these studies were conducted under standardized experimental conditions. In terms of transfer to practical conditions with varying housing, management and genetics, there are concerns that have led to speculation by farmers and veterinarians whether the reduction of dietary P could negatively affect bone health and therefore animal welfare. In order to test whether a reduction of dietary P according to the recommendations for dP of the German Society of Nutrition Physiology (GfE) affects bone mineralization and growth performance, a ringtest was conducted where piglets and fattening pigs were fed at four experimental stations with three centrally produced diets from the same batches. The diets contained three different levels of P and were designed to reflect practical diets. The P level decreased from diet one to three, respectively. Diets one and two were calculated to contain P levels, which are typically fed under practical conditions in Germany. The third diet was optimized to fulfill the requirements of dP by the GfE. The animals were fed in two phases as post-weaning piglets (8-15 kg and 15-28 kg BW) followed by a three-phase fattening regime (28-60 kg, 60-90 kg and 90-120 kg BW). Individual body weight and feed consumption (pen basis or individually, depending on the experimental station) were recorded for every feeding phase. At the end of the experiment, animals were slaughtered. At one experimental station, additional blood serum, metatarsi of the left leg and kidney tissue were sampled to analyze serum P concentration, expression of P transporters in the kidney and bone traits. In two experimental stations, femur and vertebra were sampled, and bone ash was determined. Overall, animal performance and all other traits analyzed did not differ between the treatment with the highest and the treatment with the lowest dietary P concentration. The results demonstrate that it is possible to decrease dietary P according to the recommendations for dP of the GfE, without impairing the animals' performance or mineral homeostasis and health. A reduction of total P by reducing mineral P to the levels of the present study require the supplementation of phytase to achieve sufficient concentrations of dP.

An Islamic framework for animal ethics: Widening the conversation to include Islamic ethical vegetarianism

This article explores normative ways of conceptualizing Islamic ethics, animal ethics, and the divergent positions on the ethical treatment of animals by Muslims within Islamic scholarly discourse. Too often, the literature addressing the intersection between Islamic ethics and animal ethics is narrowly focused on the topic of halal slaughter. Therefore, this article proposes a wider conversation about an alternative relationship between Muslims and nonhuman animals in the industrialized factory farming era, suggesting that an ethical-vegetarian lifestyle may more accurately uphold the Islamic principles of compassion and mercy, as well as the Islamic practice of intellectual effort, ijtihad. At the very least, a reconceptualization to that end deserves rigorous consideration within Islamic scholarship, taking the debate beyond simply the moment and manner of an animal’s death.

20 Years of Environmental Injustice and the Mississippi Hog Industry: Spatial and Statistical Analyses for Low-Wealth Communities and Communities of Color

Background: The industrialization and consolidation of the animal agriculture industry has led to the rise of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). CAFOs and their runoff have been linked to deleterious effects on environmental and human health. A previous study demonstrated that hog CAFOs were disproportionately sited within or near low-wealth communities and communities of color, raising environmental justice concerns. This study aimed at replicated prior methods to assess whether environmental injustices that were identified nearly 20 years ago have been adequately addressed through policy and/or other mechanisms. Methods: CAFO data, including facility size and manure generation, were taken from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Buffer analysis was conducted using CAFO data and block-group sociodemographic data from the 2018 5-year American Community Survey to measure CAFO proximity to communities of concern (low-wealth, communities of color). Statistical analyses (quintile analysis, prevalence ratios, negative binomial regression, spearman correlation assessments) were utilized to measure the correlation between CAFO presence and sociodemographics. Results: The CAFOs in Mississippi were located in block groups that have an average or greater African American population compared with the state. The highest number of hog CAFOs were within block groups with 15.9%–36.9% of people below the poverty line. Conclusion: Race and socioeconomic status could be factors in determining the likelihood of living near a hog CAFO in Mississippi, yet these analyses did not demonstrate a positive correlation between race, socioeconomic status, and the presence of CAFOs. Considering the potential harm that hog CAFOs pose to low-wealth populations and communities of color, policy recommendations include a moratorium on expansion; phasing out the largest CAFOs in the state; and stricter enforcement of environmental protections with regards to animal agriculture.

The Intersectionality of Environmental Injustice, Other Societal Harms, and Farmed Animal Welfare

How we treat nonhuman animals (“animals”) not only reflects the morals and values of society, but our treatment also has enormous effects on society. Our actions toward farmed animals, in particular, cause immense suffering and devastating impact. Building upon a concurring opinion drafted by Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the Fourth Circuit, this article discusses the myriad environmental, animal welfare, and societal harms of factory farming. Addressing the underlying animal-rearing practices that breed these harms will abate many of them. Such practices include caging animals in spaces so small they cannot turn around, warehousing animals in structures with no outdoor access, collecting tons of gallons of animal waste and disposing of it in the surrounding environment, and slaughtering animals at such high rates and line speeds that food and worker safety are put on the line. These actions disregard animal welfare and have enormously harmful external environmental and societal consequences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and people experiencing poverty are affected the most by each of the associated harms. These intersectional injuries demonstrate that farmed animal welfare is an integral component of environmental justice.

Influence different form of selenium to production and metatabolic process of young cattle

Relevance. In modern conditions of intensive animal husbandry, primary importance is attached to the feeding of chelated forms of trace elements, in particular selenium. The purpose of the research was to develop norms for feeding organic selenium for calves in the dairy and post-dairy growing periods.Materials and methods. Scientific, economic and balance experience in JSC «Molodi» of the Chekhov district of the Moscow region on 55 heads of young cattle of a black-and-white Holstein breed. During the studies, the calves of the 1st control group (C-) were fed the feed of the main diet (OR) without any Se additives, while the calves of the 2nd experimental group (C+) were fed OR and Se in an amount of 0.30 mg/kg of dry matter (CB) of the diet (additionally, a premix was set, containing sodium selenite), animals of the 3rd experimental group (E100) were fed in addition to OR Se in organic form plus 0.30 mg/kg of the ration (in the dairy and post-dairy periods, analogues from the 4th experimental group (E75) were fed OR plus 0.22 mg/kg of the Se ration (in organic form), calves of the 5th experimental group (E50) were fed as a part of OR 0.15 mg/kg Se (in organic form).Results. On average, over the period of the experiment, the total average daily increase in live weight of calves of the experimental groups was, respectively, 719 g, 736 g, 781 g, 710 g (or by 6,8%, 9,4%, 16%, 5,5%) and by 8.6% more compared to the control and calves of the 2nd an experimental group that received an inorganic form of selenium according to the norms of the needs of dairy cattle.

Optimizing water consumption at the pig factory farms

Optimizing water consumption at the pig factory farms

Dispersal and Risk Factors for Airborne Escherichia coli in the Proximity to Beef Cattle Feedlots

California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement (LGMA) established food safety metrics with guidance recommendations of 366 m (1,200 feet) and 1,609 m (1 mile) distances between production fields of leafy greens and a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) containing >1,000 and >80,000 head of cattle, respectively. This study evaluated the effect of these distance metrics and environmental factors on the occurrence of airborneEscherichia coliin proximity to seven commercial beef cattle feedlots located in Imperial Valley, California. A total of 168 air samples were collected from seven beef cattle feedlots during March and April 2020, which were the months implicated in the 2018 Yuma Arizona lettuce outbreak of E. coli O157:H7. The distance between air sampling sites and the edge of the feedlot ranged from ∼0 to ∼2,200 m (∼1.3 mile), with each sample comprised of 1,000 L of processed air taken at a 1.2 m elevation over a 10-minute duration. E. colicolonies were enumerated on CHROMagar ECC selective agar and confirmed with conventional PCR. Meteorological data (air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, relative humidity) were collectedin situ. The prevalence and mean concentration ofE. coliwere 6.55% (11/168) and 0.09 CFU per 1,000 L of air, with positive samples limited to within 37 m (120 ft) of the feedlot.Based on logistic regression, the odds of airborne E. coli detection were associated with little to no wind and close proximity to a feedlot. This pilot study found limited dispersal of airborne E. coli in proximity to commercial feedlots in Imperial Valley, with light-to-no wind and proximity within 37 m of a feedlot significant factor-associated airborne E. coli in this produce-growing region of California.

Photovoice Reveals Residents' Concerns for Air and Water Quality in Industry-Impacted Rural Community.

Rural communities of color in the southeastern U.S. experience a high burden of environmental hazards from concentrated industry placement. Community-engaged research and qualitative methods can improve our understanding of meaning-making in a community impacted by polluting facilities. This study applies the photovoice method to assess how a predominantly African American community in rural North Carolina, impacted by a landfill and confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), perceives their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Two research questions were developed with community-based partners: (a) How do environmental health concerns in this community influence residents' perceptions of their HRQoL? and (b) How do community and county factors facilitate or inhibit community organizing around these concerns? Three photo assignment sessions were held to engage participants in discussions related to the research questions. Researchers analyzed discussion audio recordings and identified themes related to concerns about the following issues: health and quality of life, the landfill industry's influence on community cohesion and self-determination, and actions to address environmental injustice in Sampson County. Photovoice benefits community-engaged researchers by providing a process for assessing the research interests of a community. Photovoice also serves community organizers by providing residents with a structured way to discuss their lived experiences and strategize ways to reduce hazard exposure.

Pharmacological Evidence Suggests That Slo3 Channel Is the Principal K+ Channel in Boar Spermatozoa.

Sperm ion channels are associated with the quality and type of flagellar movement, and their differential regulation is crucial for sperm function during specific phases. The principal potassium ion channel is responsible for the majority of K+ ion flux, resulting in membrane hyperpolarization, and is essential for sperm capacitation-related signaling pathways. The molecular identity of the principal K+ channel varies greatly between different species, and there is a lack of information about boar K+ channels. We aimed to determine the channel identity of boar sperm contributing to the primary K+ current using pharmacological dissection. A series of Slo1 and Slo3 channel modulators were used for treatment. Sperm motility and related kinematic parameters were monitored using a computer-assisted sperm analysis system under non-capacitated conditions. Time-lapse flow cytometry with fluorochromes was used to measure changes in different intracellular ionic concentrations, and conventional flow cytometry was used to determine the acrosome reaction. Membrane depolarization, reduction in acrosome reaction, and motility parameters were observed upon the inhibition of the Slo3 channel, suggesting that the Slo3 gene encodes the main K+ channel in boar spermatozoa. The Slo3 channel was localized on the sperm flagellum, and the inhibition of Slo3 did not reduce sperm viability. These results may aid potential animal-model-based extrapolations and help to ameliorate motility and related parameters, leading to improved assisted reproductive methods in industrial livestock production.

Agribusiness and the COVID-19 syndemic: The unsustainable pathways.

It has been suggested that it would be more appropriate to term the COVID-19 pandemic a syndemic, as the infection interacts synergistically with pre-existing chronic conditions such as obesity. Both conditions occur with steep socio-economic inequalities, and Brazil is suffering a heavy burden from both. What and who drives the clustering and interaction of these disorders? In this commentary, we examine the pathways leading to the COVID-19 syndemic. Deforestation, declining biodiversity and factory farming are promoting the emergence of new pathogens. Widespread use of pesticides influences immune, endocrine and metabolic systems. The ingestion of ultra-processed food promotes malnutrition and obesity in a country where at the same time poverty and food insecurity is rising. Brazilian agribusiness is focused on the production and global export of agricultural commodities, mainly for animal food and meat production. It is made possible through a combination of expanded land use, with deforestation in Amazonas and other Brazilian biomes, and the intensification of land use and cultivation of genetically modified crops with fertilizers and pesticides. This development is not sustainable for either population health or the environment.

Sustainable production systems of urban agriculture in the future: a case study on the investigation and development countermeasures of the plant factory and vertical farm in China

IntroductionIn recent years, innovative sustainable agricultural production technologies, including vertical farms and plant factories, have been developing rapidly around the world. The development of plant factories and vertical farms is currently receiving a lot of attention from Chinese academia and industry. However, the recognition and satisfaction of the government, producers, sales companies, and consumers are low, and their attitudes are mixed, mainly due to high pre-construction and post-operation costs, low comprehensive utilization of resources, low product diversity, low market share, high prices, and low core competitiveness, which limit its healthy and sustainable development. This paper designed a questionnaire from the perspectives of industrialization, commercialization, and sustainability in order to understand the respondents' level of awareness, doubts and concerns, purchase intentions and consumption expectations, as well as their trust and recognition of branded products in this new agricultural production system.MethodTo determine the diversity of respondents, this paper examines the group structure of participants from management, research and development, manufacturing, sales, consumers, regional development, and other industrial sectors. The survey was conducted using both face-to-face interviews and electronic questionnaires. As an online survey, the questionnaire was distributed to social groups through social media platforms. A total of 729 valid questionnaires were submitted. For the purposes of categorizing, enumerating, compiling statistics, and analyzing the questionnaires used in this study, descriptive statistics, multi-factor cross-analysis, and other statistical methods were employed. The social roles, functions, and interaction styles of various plant factory practitioners are examined from the perspective of social relationships, and pertinent development concepts and suggestions are proposed based on the survey results.Results and conclusionsThe study found that an increasing number of consumers are understanding and accepting this new form of plant production and are willing to purchase plant products from plant factories and vertical farming. Plant factories and vertical farms are widely regarded as one of the most important methods of future urban agricultural production. Awareness, purchase intent, price expectations, brand awareness, and price expectations of plant factories and vertical farms varied significantly by gender, age, education level, occupation, and income. In addition, there are numerous findings that provide governments, producers, marketers, managers, and consumers with great value and assistance.Development recommendationsWe should take the opportunity of developing plant factories to adjust the structure of the plant industry, enrich the “vegetable basket” of urban residents, increase the supply capacity of the market, enhance agricultural modernization and technological innovation, improve the quality of agricultural products from plant factories, strengthen the brand sales of plant products, and develop more functional plant products with high added value. Through the development of plant factories and vertical farms, we can improve the nutrition and healthy diet structure of citizens' diets, increase the modern plant industry's contribution to the national economy, and promote the comprehensive and sustainable development of the urban productive plant industry.

MSIF-MobileNetV3: An improved MobileNetV3 based on multi-scale information fusion for fish feeding behavior analysis

Assessing the intensity of fish feeding activity using fish feeding behavior can help farmers efficiently decide on the amount of feeding bait. However, accurate extraction of fish feeding behavior features is difficult because of the small area of fish in the image and the randomness of fish swimming. To address this problem, an improved MobileNetV3 network, namely multi-scale information fusion (MSIF)-MobileNetV3, was proposed for analyzing the fish feeding behavior. Specifically, MSIF is a novel channel attention module used to replace the Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) module that improves the attention of the model to fish schools behavior in feeding images using spatial information integration and multi-scale feature fusion. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, its performance was compared with that of the MobileNetV3 network optimized using multiple training strategies and other classical convolutional neural networks. It was trained and tested using a self-built dataset, and the experimental results showed that the MSIF-MobileNetV3 network using a basic training strategy obtained an optimal classification accuracy of 96.4 % on the test set. Thus, by analyzing the feeding activity of fish, the proposed method can assist in the automatic selection of bait feed under factory farming conditions.

Gut Health and Influencing Factors in Pigs.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a complex, dynamic, and critical part of the body, which plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of ingested nutrients and excreting waste products of digestion. In addition, GIT also plays a vital role in preventing the entry of harmful substances and potential pathogens into the bloodstream. The gastrointestinal tract hosts a significant number of microbes, which throughout their metabolites, directly interact with the hosts. In modern intensive animal farming, many factors can disrupt GIT functions. As dietary nutrients and biologically active substances play important roles in maintaining homeostasis and eubiosis in the GIT, this review aims to summarize the current status of our knowledge on the most important areas.

Animal Resistance in the Global Capitalist Era

Animal Resistance in the Global Capitalist Era

The Future of Animal Law

The Future of Animal Law

Capture: American Pursuits and the Making of a New Animal Condition

Capture: American Pursuits and the Making of a New Animal Condition

What Should Health Professions Students Know About Industrial Agriculture and Disease?

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) perpetuate deforestation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change; increase risk of zoonotic disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance; and exacerbate environmental and health injustice. Risks CAFOs pose to human health demand the attention of clinicians and those who teach them, since they have duties to respond with care to patients and communities where health is undermined by CAFOs' presence.

The Disneyfication of Animals

The Disneyfication of Animals

Stocking Density and Homogeneity, Considerations on Pandemic Potential

Zoonotic pathogens, an increasing threat to human health, typically originate in the wild but spill over to humans from domestic animals because of the high contact with them. Industrial farming involves an increased number of animals of a single species per given area. Such high stocking density facilitates pathogen transmission. This speeds evolution and also offsets the natural tendency of pathogens to trend toward mildness. On the other hand, close contact reduces transmission dependence on host mobility and thus could favor virulence. Forestalling this problem requires understanding opportunities for spillovers and evolution created by animal farming technologies and human-animal-ecosystem interactions. This manuscript considers two important risk factors of intensive animal farming, stoking density and homogeneity, to inform practices that could stop the next pandemic at its source.

Gradual behaviour change towards meat reduction: Development and validation of a novel decisional balance scale

Meat reduction is gaining attention among consumers, marketers, policymakers and scientists. Yet little is known about decision-making processes and behaviour change towards meat reduction. This paper explores the applicability of the decisional balance (DB) framework to the field of meat reduction. A novel DB scale to measure the perceived importance of beliefs about meat reduction at different stages of behaviour change was developed and validated in two studies with German meat eaters. In Study 1 (N = 309), the item inventory was tested using an exploratory factor analysis and then validated in Study 2 (N = 809). The results yielded two higher-order DB factors (pros and cons), which were subdivided into five lower-order factors (perceived benefits of a plant-based diet, downsides of factory farming, health barriers, legitimation barriers and feasibility barriers). The pros and cons were summarised in a DB index. All DB factors and the DB index were tested for internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥.70) and aspects of validity. The typical DB pattern of the pros and cons of behaviour change was confirmed: the cons outweighed the pros for consumers who did not intend to reduce meat consumption, while the pros outweighed the cons for consumers who intended to reduce meat consumption. The new DB scale for meat reduction has proven to be a suitable measure to gain insights into consumers' decision making and could be used to develop targeted meat reduction interventions.