Dutch Farms Research Articles

Bright spots of agroecology in the Netherlands: A spatial analysis of agroecological practices and income stability

ContextAgroecological practices are known to reduce environmental pressure of farming systems and increase food system resilience in tropical regions. In contrast, in the temperate climate and industrialized agricultural context of the Netherlands, agroecology use remains limited and its impacts are unknown. As agroecological systems can form a sustainable alternative to conventional farming, it is relevant to study to what extent farmers use agroecological practices in the Netherlands, potentially serving as a model for transition. ObjectiveThis study assesses spatial patterns of uptake of agroecological practices and their relationship with income resilience. MethodsUsing data from 735 Dutch farms, we created a composite Agroecology Index to quantify the extent of use of agroecological practices. The FAO's 10 Elements of Agroecology framework was used to select indicators for the index, by selecting the six of the Elements in this framework for which our dataset contained suitable data. Linear regressions explored underlying factors, such as farm size and farm type. Using an outlier analysis, bright and dark spot farms, exceeding or lagging the Dutch average, were mapped. We evaluated the effects of agroecological practices on income resilience over a 10-year period. Results and conclusionsOn a 0–100 scale, agroecology scores ranged from 16.5% to 61.1% (36.6 ± 7.0), with stark contrasts between different Elements of agroecology. Arable farms excelled in Diversity, while livestock farms performed better in Efficiency. Spatial variation was substantial, with both bright and dark spots dispersed across the country. We found highest average scores and the strongest prevalence of bright spots in the province of Flevoland, an area with an exceptional number of organic farmers. Higher agroecology scores were linked to increased income stability, independent of farm size or type. SignificanceThe methods developed in this study provide an approach to address the growing demand for evidence of the upscaling of agroecology in practice. Also, the relationships between agroecology and social and environmental outcomes from farm to regional scales can be addressed, which can guide developments towards sustainable agriculture.

Key udder health parameters on dairy farms with an automated milking system

Despite the increasing use of automated milking systems (AMS), udder health performance of farms has only been limitedly quantified on farms with a milking robot. The objective of this study was to quantify udder health parameters (UHP) at test-day and at herd level on robotic farms using routinely collected somatic cell counts (SCC) from test-day data, and to study the correlations between these UHP. Additionally, the associations between UHP and season, year and farm size as well as the association between the daily milk production and the herd milk SCC were investigated. To this end, we collected SCC test-day data from 48 Belgian and Dutch farms participating in the milk recording of a local dairy herd improvement program. The UHP were calculated based on individual animal records at each test day over three years (2017 until 2019). These UHP included herd milk SCC, average heifer SCC, average cow SCC, percentage of high SCC, percentage of new high SCC, percentage of chronic high SCC, percentage of high SCC cows after calving, and percentage of recovery during the lactation. By fitting a linear mixed model effect for each of the different UHP, significant associations between the UHP and season, year and farm size were observed at test-day level. A poorer udder health was observed during summer compared to other seasons and generally, larger farms performed worse than smaller farms. Using a linear regression model, a significant negative correlation between herd average SCC and average daily milk production was found: an increase of 6,085 cells/mL was associated with a decrease of one kg of milk production. Finally, the cow-level UHP were averaged over all test days of the entire study period per farm to investigate the farm-level udder health performance and correlations between them. At the farm level, UHP analysis revealed most farms had poor udder health performance (i.e. the herd milk SCC, average heifer SCC, average cow SCC, percentage of new high and chronic high SCC were all higher than their target values) as proposed by Barkema et al. (2013). Both at the farm and at test day level, strong correlations were found among the UHP. Similar to studies on farms with conventional milking systems, a strong correlation between herd milk SCC and the percentage of new and chronic high SCC cows was found. This study gives new insights into udder health performance on farms with an AMS and provides veterinarians and other dairy industry stakeholders with concrete benchmarks for udder health performance on farms.

Seasonality of antimicrobial use in Dutch food-producing animals.

Due to globally increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), it is pivotal to understand factors contributing to antimicrobial use (AMU) to enable development and implementation of AMR-reducing interventions. Therefore, we explored seasonal variations of systemic AMU in food-producing animals in the Netherlands. Dutch surveillance data from January 2013 to December 2018 from cattle, pig, and broiler farms were used. AMU was expressed as the number of Defined Daily Dosages Animal per month (DDDA/animal-month) per farm by animal sector, antimicrobial line (first, second, and third), antimicrobial class, and farm type. Seasonality of AMU was analyzed using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) with DDDA/animal-month as outcome variable, and year and month as independent variables. Year and month were modelled as smooth terms represented with penalized regression splines.Significant seasonality of AMU was found in the cattle and pig sectors, but not in broilers. Significant seasonality of AMU was found mainly for first-line antimicrobials. In the cattle sector, a significant increase during winter was found for the use of amphenicols (an increase of 23.8%) and long-acting macrolides (an increase of 3.4%). In the pig sector, seasonality of AMU was found for pleuromutilins (p<0.001) with an increase of 20% in October-November. The seasonality of pleuromutilins was stronger in sows/piglets (an increase of 47%) than in fattening pigs (16% increase). Only in fattening pigs, the use of amphenicols showed a significant seasonality with an increase of 11% during winter (P<0.001). AMU in cattle and pig sectors shows seasonal variations likely caused by seasonality of diseases. In broilers, no AMU seasonality was observed, possibly due to the controlled environment in Dutch farms. In the context of the one health concept, future studies are necessary to explore whether this seasonality is present in other populations and whether it has implications for antimicrobial resistance in humans through the food chain.

Making bird numbers count: Would Dutch farmers accept a result-based meadow bird conservation scheme?

Current management contracts under agri-environmental schemes (AES) are often action-based. This means that farmers are reimbursed for the costs incurred when implementing conservation measures but are not paid based on actual improvements in environmental outcomes. In theory, result-based schemes with payments for outcomes can improve the cost and ecological effectiveness of AES. This article analyses farmers' acceptance of a hypothetical meadow bird management scheme that includes payments for results. The tested scheme was developed together with a Dutch farmer collective and resulted in a hybrid scheme including both result-based and action-based elements. In a discrete choice experiment, farmers were offered (1) a bonus payment that depended on the collective's nature conservation success, and (2) an individual bonus payment that rewarded farmers implementing measures that are expected to contribute more to the success of conservation. Results show that the acceptance of the hypothetical hybrid scheme is high (75%). The collective bonus was evaluated positively when the collective bonus on offer was high (€ 1000/farmer), but a latent class analysis indicates that this does not apply uniformly to all farmers.

Professional farmer collectives for effective agri-environmental management: an assessment

ABSTRACTIn 2013 the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) enabled groups of farmers to be applicants and final beneficiaries of Agri-environmental schemes (AES). The Dutch government went one step further, ruling that only groups of farmers (farmer collectives) could be beneficiaries of AES. The changing role of farmer groups or farmer collectives comes with a variety of challenges. Using the lens of professionalization, we investigated the professionalization of the Dutch farmer collectives after three years of coordinating AESs, with the aim of ascertaining how professional the collectives are and how any differences in professionalism can be explained. The experience of the Dutch collectives is relevant to other groups of farmers in Europe who are starting or are engaged in the process of self-organization and professionalization, as well as to the further development of the Dutch collectives. Our assessment revealed that there are different types of professional collectives, depending on the situation. Most of the collectives scored excellently on the organizational and occupational criteria with an internal focus. All the collectives have criteria that could be improved. There are differences in professionalization based on history, resources and scale.

Optimal use of agricultural robot in arable crop rotation: A case study from the Netherlands

Acute shortages and rising costs of labour in the food and farming sector across Europe exhibit the fragility of agrifood systems. Agricultural robots present an opportunity to strengthen agrifood systems by addressing labour shortages and reduce CO2 emissions. This study proposes a method to investigate the potential use of an autonomous robotic system based on a case study on a typical high-tech Dutch farm that implements both an agricultural robot (AGR) and a conventional tractor (TRC) on a farm of 200 hectares in the region of Oldambt. To demonstrate the optimal use of an AGR, five farming operations (seeding, catch crop seeding, tine weeding, harrowing, inter-row hoeing, and spot spraying) in a crop rotation system of five crops (sugar beets, pumpkins, onions, spring barley and winter wheat) was chosen. The agricultural robot is here considered as a supplement (not substitute) to the farms overall cropping capability. It is found that price of fuel and labour are critical factors where higher fuel and labour price increases the benefit and use of the robot. Besides, time needed for remote supervision of the robot plays an important role.

Dutch Settlers at Voorzorg in Suriname Decimated by 1845 Epidemic: A Multifaceted Approach to Unravel Mystery about Etiologic Microbial Agent

Background. In 1845, an attempt at Dutch farmer colonization of the overseas colony of Suriname failed because within weeks of the arrival of 384 colonists, an outbreak occurred that killed half of them. The outbreak at plantation Voorzorg was identified as ‘gastric biliary fever’, which was later interpreted as typhoid fever. However, sparse data support this diagnosis. Herein, we took a multifaceted approach to characterize the outbreak and establish the likely microbiological cause. Methods. Archival research was combined with identification and excavation of a burial site, analysis of aDNA of skeletal remains as well as modelling of the outbreak on epidemiological findings. Results. A timeline of events constructed from archival records revealed that the 1845 febrile illness affected &gt;95% of the 384 colonists, likely transmitted human-to-human and was characterized by fever, nausea, vomiting, in cases abundant often bloody diarrhea, and progressed into delirium and stupor (‘Typhus’). Within 1-2 weeks of symptom onset, half of the affected persons died (189 of 384) with overrepresentation from the young and elderly. A few postmortems had revealed multiple small, purulent colonic ulcerations. We discovered a burial ground and uncovered 17 skeletal remains presumed to be colonists. Subsequently, metagenomic testing did not reveal a pathogenic microorganism fitting the disease description, but typing mitochondrial DNA (possible in 15 of 17) showed that the skeletal remains sampled likely did not originate from Europe. Mathematical modelling of epidemic curves depicting cumulative mortality of those arriving by subsequent ships revealed that transmission characteristics of bacillary dysentery rather than typhoid fever fitted the epidemiological findings the best. Conclusion. A multifaceted approach revealed that the 1845 outbreak at Voorzorg among Dutch colonists was probably caused by bacillary dysentery and not typhoid fever. Likely, the high mortality was a consequence of dehydration that in tropical conditions particularly affected the young and elderly. This outbreak contributed to the failed colonization attempt.

Tailor-made solutions for regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands

CONTEXTRegenerative agriculture is a farming approach that uses soil health as the entry point to contribute to multiple objectives, such as improved nutrient cycling and climate regulation. To reach these objectives farmers can apply different practices. The objectives and practices, however, are not equally relevant or applicable for every farming system and local context. OBJECTIVEThe main objective of this paper, therefore, was to find out how tailor-made solutions towards regenerative agriculture can be identified and evaluated as such that they result in meaning-full advice for farmers. METHODSIn this study a well-established modelling framework to redesign farming systems was applied to three typical but diverse Dutch farming systems. The modelling framework combined the models Soil Navigator and FarmDESIGN to simultaneously assess five soil functions at field-level and general sustainability indicators (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions) at farm-level. We applied the modelling framework to an arable farm on clay soil, a dairy farm on peat soil, and a mixed farm on sand soil. We subsequently explored a multitude of tailor-made solutions composed of combinations of practices for these farming systems, each showing solutions that contributed in varying degrees towards the objectives of regenerative agriculture. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONIn total, we created 4000 alternative solutions per case-study farm. For all farming systems, environmental performance was improved in the solutions dominated by the use of regenerative practices. For example, for the arable, the dairy, and the mixed case-study farm, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 50% (from 4 to 2 Mg CO2 eq. ha−1), 6% (from 30 to 28 Mg CO2 eq. ha−1), and 23% (from 21 to 16 Mg CO2 eq. ha−1), respectively, while maintaining soil functionality at high capacity for four out of the five soil functions. This overall improvement in environmental performance due to the application of regenerative practices, also resulted in reduced farm profitability for all case-study farms by on average 50%. We discuss that a mechanism to incentivize farmers for their tailor-made contribution to regenerative agriculture is for stakeholders to shift focus from solely primary productivity to also other ecosystem services. SIGNIFICANCEThis study contributes to the wider implementation of regenerative agriculture, by showing which regenerative objectives and farming practices can contribute to the transition towards regenerative agriculture in contrasting contexts. The modelling framework that is used, can underpin regenerative management for farmers and other stakeholders to help, for example, the valorization of multiple regenerative objectives in business models.

Repeated cross-sectional sampling of pigs at slaughter indicates varying age of hepatitis E virus infection within and between pig farms

Humans can become infected with hepatitis E virus (HEV) by consumption of undercooked pork. To reduce the burden of HEV in humans, mitigation on pig farms is needed. HEV is found on most pig farms globally, yet within-farm seroprevalence estimates vary considerably. Understanding of the underlying variation in infection dynamics within and between farms currently lacks. Therefore, we investigated HEV infection dynamics by sampling 1711 batches of slaughter pigs from 208 Dutch farms over an 8-month period. Four farm types, conventional, organic, and two types with strict focus on biosecurity, were included. Sera were tested individually with an anti-HEV antibody ELISA and pooled per batch with PCR. All farms delivered seropositive pigs to slaughter, yet batches (resembling farm compartments) had varying results. By combining PCR and ELISA results, infection moment and extent per batch could be classified as low transmission, early, intermediate or late. Cluster analysis of batch infection moments per farm resulted in four clusters with distinct infection patterns. Cluster 1 farms delivered almost exclusively PCR negative, ELISA positive batches to slaughter (PCR−ELISA+), indicating relatively early age of HEV infection. Cluster 2 and 3 farms delivered 0.3 and 0.7 of batches with intermediate infection moment (PCR+ELISA+) respectively and only few batches with early infection. Cluster 4 farms delivered low transmission (PCR−ELISA−) and late infection (PCR+ELISA−) batches, demonstrating that those farms can prevent or delay HEV transmission to farm compartments. Farm type partly coincided with cluster assignment, indicating that biosecurity and management are related to age of HEV infection.

Crafting First-Person Narrators: Lessons from Toni Morrison's A Mercy

Crafting First-Person Narrators:Lessons from Toni Morrison's A Mercy Daniel Kennedy (bio) A few weeks ago, one of my creative writing students drafted an autofictional piece about high school friends competing for class office. The piece demonstrated good instincts, but it was overwritten. My student recognized this, too, after we read her work aloud. We agreed kids eating breakfast at an IHOP would likely say "tired" instead of "somnambulant." She asked how an author [End Page 97] could write lyrically without overwriting, especially in first person. I think about this challenge a lot. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and tend to write about underprivileged rural characters. Can these characters speak with elevated diction and syntax? Are they capable of ascribing figurative language to visceral feelings? One might encounter these questions in a workshop. While they aren't entirely devoid of merit, they're often framed as reductive binaries. Methods for solving the voice/verisimilitude riddle differ, depending on the work and its author. I wasn't sure this response would be useful to my student. I wanted to equip her with craft strategies—not bog her down with rigid rules. Fortunately, literature contains great examples of first-person narrators who are almost preternaturally articulate and believable. Florens, the protagonist of Toni Morrison's A Mercy, is one such narrator. A Mercy is set in the 1680s. Florens is a Black, teenage enslaved person. She spent her early years on a Maryland plantation before she was sold, at her mother's behest, to Jacob Vaark, an ambitious Dutch farmer. Given the oppressive circumstances in which she lives, Florens would probably not possess Morrison's linguistic skill; and yet, her poetic capability is established on page one: "You can think what I tell you a confession, if you like, but one full of curiosities familiar only in dreams and during those moments when a dog's profile plays in the steam of a kettle." Morrison fearlessly occupies Florens's perspective. She turns constraint into possibility, a craft technique that echoes Florens's personal growth as she wrestles with her life's many constraints. Over the course of the novel, we come to understand Florens's lyricism is true to her character's experience and plausible. How does Morrison strike this exquisite balance? [End Page 98] 1. The Strategic Release of Background Information A Mercy is a challenging read. It contains various points of view and moves back and forth through time. In the first chapter, we learn Florens' sections of the book are written texts: "Confession we tell not write as I am doing now." Her epistolary narrative addresses her mother and the man she loves, a mysterious blacksmith. At the same time, her sections describe much of the novel's central plot. The blacksmith, a free, Black man, arrives among a troupe of laborers to build a mansion for the Vaarks. He and Florens engage in a romance shortly thereafter. She's devasted when he leaves without saying goodbye; the sense of abandonment reminds her of her mother. Vaark dies from smallpox just as his dream home is completed. On the day of his funeral, his wife, Rebekka, realizes she is sick as well. She sends Florens to fetch the blacksmith, who, during his tenure with the Vaarks, healed an enslaved person named Sorrow. The book concludes with the first-person voice of Florens's mother. She addresses Florens, explaining she sent her daughter away to protect her. Florens remains tragically unaware of her mother's motive. The novel's choral narration operates like a set of mirrors. The structure allows Morrison to organically incorporate details of Florens's educational background. Lina, a Native American woman (her tribe is unnamed), lives on the Vaark farm. She becomes Florens's surrogate mother. From Lina, we gather that "[Florens] learned quickly, was eager to know more." Rebekka believes Florens will be successful in her journey to the blacksmith—a journey on which their lives depend—"because [Florens] was clever." Florens's life stems from the horrific abuse her mother endured on the D'Ortega plantation. In the final chapter, her mother notes how a reverend taught her and Florens "letters...

Stochastic Assessment of the Economic Impact of Streptococcus suis-Associated Disease in German, Dutch and Spanish Swine Farms.

The economic assessment of animal diseases is essential for decision-making, including the allocation of resources for disease control. However, that assessment is usually hampered by the lack of reliable data on disease incidence, or treatment and control measures, and that is particularly true for swine production diseases, such as infections caused by Streptococcus suis. Therefore, we deployed a questionnaire survey of clinical swine veterinarians to obtain the input data needed for a stochastic model to calculate the costs caused by S. suis, which was implemented in three of the main swine producing countries in Europe: Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. S. suis-associated disease is endemic in those countries in all production phases, though nursery was the phase most severely impacted. In affected nursery units, between 3.3 and 4.0% of pigs had S. suis-associated disease and the mortalities ranged from 0.5 to 0.9%. In Germany, the average cost of S. suis per pig (summed across all production phases) was 1.30 euros (90% CI: 0.53–2.28), in the Netherlands 0.96 euros (90% CI: 0.27–1.54), and in Spain 0.60 euros (90% CI: 0.29–0.96). In Germany, that cost was essentially influenced by the expenditure in early metaphylaxis in nursery and in autogenous vaccines in sows and nursery pigs; in the Netherlands, by expenditure on autogenous vaccines in sows and nursery pigs; and in Spain, by the expenditures in early metaphylaxis and to a lesser extent by the mortality in nursery pigs. Therefore, the differences in costs between countries can be explained to a great extent by the measures to control S. suis implemented in each country. In Spain and in Germany, use of antimicrobials, predominantly beta-lactams, is still crucial for the control of the disease.

Commentary: Development of a Comparative European Orthohantavirus Microneutralization Assay With Multi-Species Validation and Evaluation in a Human Diagnostic Cohort.

In this otherwise excellent article (Hoornweg et al., 2020) cited “Three human SEOV infections were confirmed, of which one was previously described as the first [2018] proven SEOV case in The Netherlands, based on IFT [immuno-fluorescence test] serology and an epidemiological link to SEOV RNA-positive [wild] rats) (Swanink et al., 2018), and now confirmed by comparative VNT [virus neutralization test].” This is historically incorrect: 27 years before Swanink et al, Groen et al. already reported wild rat-induced human SEOV infections in The Netherlands, moreover, in the same Dutch Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven, and with the same IFT (or IFA) technique (Groen et al., 1991). In addition, this 1991 report compared 14 non-laboratory cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), caused by the common European arvicolid orthohantavirus Puumala (PUUV), to 13 cases infected by the then rare (at least in early 1990s Western literature) orthohantavirus Seoul (SEOV), a juxtaposition in one single paper of two different local Dutch pathogenic orthohantaviruses, thus constituting at that moment the earliest such confrontation in nascent Western hantavirus literature (Figure 1). Moreover, not only 11 Dutch and/or Belgian laboratory rat-induced early 1980s SEOV-HFRS cases were detected, but also two wild rat-induced cases (arrows in Figure 1), thereby scoring yet another “first” in western hantavirus literature. Open in a separate window Figure 1 IFA: immuno-fluorescence assay or immuno-fluorescence test (IFT). ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CTB ELISA, complex-trapping blocking, an inhibition ELISA variant. Closed circles: 1980s laboratory rat-acquired human hantavirus infections. Open circles: non-laboratory rat-acquired or “wild” human hantavirus infections, mostly being 1980s PUUV-induced, except for two “wild” cases (arrows), being 1980s wild rat-induced SEOV infections. Thick arrow: Dutch farmer, thin arrow: Belgian homeless vagabond, both with wild rat-exposure. In these two cases, SEOV infection was missed in IFA, showing surprisingly high cross-reacting PUUV titers (A), but confirmed, albeit with lower titers, in ELISA (B), and unmistakably ascertained in CTB-ELISA (C). Consequently, these two cases would have been mistaken for PUUV infections, if relying only on IFT/IFA. Adapted from Groen et al., 1991. Copyright © 1991 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company.

ESBL-Producing, Carbapenem- and Ciprofloxacin-Resistant Escherichia coli in Belgian and Dutch Broiler and Pig Farms: A Cross-Sectional and Cross-Border Study.

Background. The use of antibiotics in food production selects for resistant bacteria and may cause a threat to human and animal health. Belgium and the Netherlands have one of the highest densities of broilers and pigs in Europe, making active monitoring of antibiotic use and resistance in this region vital. Objectives. This study aimed to quantify ESBL-producing (ESBL-E. coli), carbapenem- and ciprofloxacin-resistant (CiproR) Escherichia coli in animal feces on broiler and pig farms with a history of high antibiotic use in Belgium and the Netherlands. Methods. A total of 779 broiler and 817 pig fecal samples, collected from 29 conventional broiler and 31 multiplier pig farms in the cross-border region of Belgium and the Netherlands, were screened for the presence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli using selective culturing. Results. Carbapenem-resistant E. coli were not detected. ESBL-E. coli were remarkably more prevalent in samples from Belgian than Dutch farms. However, CiproR-E. coli were highly prevalent in broilers of both countries. The percentage of samples with ESBL- and CiproR-E. coli was lower in pig compared to poultry farms and varied between farms. No clear association with the on-farm antibiotic use in the year preceding sampling was observed. Multidrug resistance was frequently observed in samples from both countries, but ESBL-production in combination with ciprofloxacin resistance was higher in samples from Belgium. Conclusions. This study demonstrated marked differences in antibiotic resistance between countries, farms and within farms. The observed variation cannot be explained straightforward by prior quantity of antibiotic use suggesting that it results from more complex interactions that warrant further investigation.

Reduction of Greenhouse Gases from Peat Soils in Dutch Agriculture

SummaryPeat soils that are drained to enable productive agriculture result in land subsidence and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These have negative effects on the environment, in particular climate change, and rural infrastructure. This article reviews the EU and Dutch regulatory requirements for reducing GHG emissions and discusses options to reduce the negative effects of peat soils. An optimisation farm model based on Dutch farm data provides estimates of farm income losses for three different changes in water levels in peat soils associated with changes in production methods for three options of NH3 emission reductions and three options for nature conservation areas. Model results suggest that carbon credits are an excellent method of financing the costs that farmers face when adapting to legal requirements for lower emissions, ideally raising water levels to –20 cm below field level. The comparison of scenario results also outlines the need to take account of different policy objectives simultaneously in policy evaluation, as do farmers when they adapt their farm practices to the policy environment. Opportunities to add value from markets could also help reduce the income loss from the adoption of more environmentally‐friendly practices.

Methods of treating ruminants’ diseases in veterinary hospital in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State

The aim of this study was to investigate methods of treating ruminants’ diseases in Ekiti State. Information about the methods used in treating ruminants’ diseases were collected from a veterinary hospital in Ado-Ekiti. Major diseases that affected the ruminants include diarrhea, mange, Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), mastitis, dystocia, uterine prolapse and so on. They were treated using modern drugs like; Albendazole (Leeford Health care ltd, India 1 tab), ivomec (A menarini India PVtLtd, India, 0.5 ml), Oxylet (Kachhela medex private limited, India,1 ml), Penstrep (Dutch Farm International BV, Holland, 3 ml), Emvit (Uni-med, India, 2 ml), Oxytcin (FPP manufacturers, India, 1 ml), B complex (Estrellas life sciences private limited, India, 0.5 ml), Salphen (Industrial corporation of India, 1 ml) and so on. Treating the diseases of ruminants can help reduce the rate of diseases outbreak and enhance the economy value of the ruminant farmers and the that of Ekiti state at large

The impact of the fipronil crisis on the financial performance of Dutch laying hen farms

BackgroundIllegal use of fipronil as an insecticide in 2017 has caused substantial damage to Dutch laying hen farms. We assessed how the fipronil crisis has affected the financial performance of affected farms as well as unaffected farms. While affected farms faced culling their flocks and lost revenue, unaffected farms benefitted from temporary high egg prices.MethodsA three-step normative modelling approach is taken using financial statements and a partial budget. The estimations are for a 50,000 laying hen farm facing the fipronil crisis for 5 months. First, a baseline is created by generating an income statement of this laying hen farm representing a ‘normal year’. Second, incremental costs and revenue as a result of the fipronil crisis are estimated. Third, the baseline income statement is updated with the outcomes of the partial budget. This results in two additional income statements that report the net operating result of this farm being unaffected and affected by the fipronil crisis.ResultsWhile in a normal year this average-sized farm has a net operating result of around 18,000 euros, profitability was estimated to be − 369,000 euros and + 169,000 euros for the affected and unaffected farm due to the crisis respectively. For affected farms, impacts were especially high as there was no government compensation or insurance.ConclusionsAs Dutch farms typically operate as independent family farms, there was also no compensation from other chain actors. The affected farms therefore likely have faced financial distress and have had to increase debt or use their financial reserves for household consumption and restarting the business. Outcomes contribute to discussions around liability claims and cost-benefit assessments of measures to improve the chain food safety and rapid alert systems.Graphical

Milk losses and dynamics during perturbations in dairy cows differ with parity and lactation stage

Milk yield dynamics during perturbations reflect how cows respond to challenges. This study investigated the characteristics of 62,406 perturbations from 16,604 lactation curves of dairy cows milked with an automated milking system at 50 Belgian, Dutch, and English farms. The unperturbed lactation curve representing the theoretical milk yield dynamics was estimated with an iterative procedure fitting a model on the daily milk yield data that was not part of a perturbation. Perturbations were defined as periods of at least 5 d of negative residuals having at least 1 day that the total daily milk production was below 80% of the estimated unperturbed lactation curve. Every perturbation was characterized and split in a development and a recovery phase. Based hereon, we calculated both the characteristics of the perturbation as a whole, and the duration, slopes, and milk losses in the phases separately. A 2-way ANOVA followed by a pairwise comparison of group means was carried out to detect differences between these characteristics in different lactation stages (early, mid-early, mid-late, and late) and parities (first, second, and third or higher). On average, 3.8 ± 1.9 (mean ± standard deviation) perturbations were detected per lactation in the first 305 d after calving, corresponding to an estimated 92.1 ± 135.8 kg of milk loss. Only 1% of the lactations had no perturbations. On average, 2.3 kg of milk was lost per day in the development phase, while the recovery phase corresponded to an average increase in milk production of 1.5 kg/d, and these phases lasted an average of 10.1 and 11.6 d, respectively. Perturbation characteristics were significantly different across parity and lactation stage groups, and early and mid-early perturbations in higher parities were found to be more severe with faster development rates, slower recovery rates, and higher milk losses. The method to characterize perturbations can be used for precision phenotyping purposes that look into the response of cows to challenges or that monitor applications (e.g., to evaluate the development and recovery of diseases and how these are affected by preventive actions or treatments).

Comparing Farm Biosecurity and Antimicrobial Use in High-Antimicrobial-Consuming Broiler and Pig Farms in the Belgian-Dutch Border Region.

As antimicrobial resistance is a worldwide problem, threatening both livestock and public health, understanding the drivers for resistance in different settings and countries is essential. Therefore, 30 pig and 30 poultry farms with country-specific high antimicrobial use (AMU) were recruited in the Belgian–Dutch border region. Information regarding production parameters, farm characteristics, biosecurity, and AMU was collected. On average, more biosecurity measures were implemented on Dutch farms, compared to Belgian farms in both animal species. In addition, more opportunities were found to increase the level of internal biosecurity compared to external biosecurity in both countries. AMU, quantified as treatment incidence (TI), differed marginally significant between broiler farms in Belgium and the Netherlands (median BE: 8; NL: 3), whereas in weaned piglets (median BE: 45 and NL: 14) and finishing pigs (median BE: 5 and NL: 1), there was a substantial difference in AMU between farms from both countries. Overall, Dutch farms showed less between-farm variation in TI than did Belgian farms. In both poultry and pig production, the majority of antimicrobials used were extended-spectrum penicillins (BE: 32 and 40%; NL: 40 and 24% for poultry and pigs, respectively). Compared to Belgian farms, Dutch poultry farms used high amounts of (fluoro)quinolones (1 and 15% of total AMU, respectively). None of the production parameters between broiler farms differed significantly, but in pig production, weaning age in Belgian farms (median: 23) was lower than in Dutch farms (median: 27). These results indicate considerable room for improvement in both countries and animal species. Farm-specific preventive strategies can contribute to lowering the risk for animal disease and hence the need for AMU.

FINANCIAL SECURITY OF FARMS IN SELECTED European Union COUNTRIES IN THE CONTEXT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS

The article deals with the issue of financial security in an average farm in the Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands and Germany. The data collected under the FADN in the period 2013-2017 was used in this work. Financial security was measured using a cash adequacy indicator and the variability of family farm income is used. The work also used the subsidy rate, which determined how much farmers can feel safe in financial terms without any subsidies or financial support. Research shows that the worst situation from the perspective of the relationship between cash flows and debt servicing occurred on an average Dutch farm, and the highest sufficiency index was shown by a Polish farm. However, these discrepancies are the result of risk aversion in recent uncertain financial times. If additional requirements for outlays related to environmental protection appear, then the most difficult situation will occur on farms in the Czech Republic and Poland due to the fact that, for them, direct payments constitute a significant source of income. In these countries, a lack of compensation for any possible consequences arising from environmental restrictions may cause a feeling of financial insecurity.

Lying Postures of Dairy Cows in Cubicles and on Pasture.

Simple SummaryCows housed indoors with cubicles are probably more restricted in their choice of lying posture and orientation compared with cows housed on pasture. We therefore studied lying postures on pasture in Uruguay and the Netherlands, and in cubicles in the Netherlands, also recording orientation on pasture in Uruguay and divider and bedding type in Dutch cubicles. Cows on pasture in Uruguay showed more long postures, lying on their belly with the neck stretched, and, per herd, cows preferred a specific lying orientation. Dutch cows on pasture showed more wide postures, lying on their side with three legs stretched, while in cubicles they showed more narrow postures, lying on their side with folded hind legs. More long and less short postures were seen in cubicles with soft floors and English dividers; more narrow postures were seen in cubicles with concrete floors. Wide postures were seen more in cubicles with mattresses and free-hanging dividers. We conclude that since cows in cubicles show more narrow postures than on pasture and cannot choose lying orientation, their choice in showing preferred behavior is restricted. More research is needed to study the consequences of restricted choice in lying behavior on the health and welfare of dairy cows.Cows housed indoors with cubicles are probably more restricted in their choice of lying posture and orientation compared with cows housed on pasture. We therefore compared lying postures on pasture in Uruguay and the Netherlands with lying postures in cubicles in the Netherlands, also recording orientation on pasture in Uruguay and divider and bedding type in Dutch cubicles. We visited one farm with four herds in Uruguay, doing live observations, and 25 Dutch farms, taking pictures of cows. Observations of 205 cows on pasture in Uruguay showed more long postures, lying on their belly with their neck stretched. Two herds preferred lying towards north and south, while one herd preferred west and east. Pictures of 217 cows on pasture in the Netherlands showed more wide postures (lying on the side with three or four legs stretched out). Pictures of 527 cows in cubicles in the Netherlands showed more narrow postures (lying on the side with hind legs folded). More long postures (lying on the belly with a stretched neck) and less short postures (lying with the head folded back) were seen in cubicles with soft floors and English dividers; more narrow postures were seen in cubicles with concrete floors. Wide postures were seen more in cubicles with mattresses and free-hanging dividers. We conclude that since cows in cubicles show more narrow postures than on pasture and cannot choose their orientation, their choice in showing preferred behavior is restricted. More research is needed to study the consequences of restricted choice in lying behavior on the health and welfare of dairy cows.