Good Animal Husbandry Practices Research Articles

Pig Farmers’ Preferences for the Adoption of Good Animal Husbandry Practices in Vietnam: A Choice Experiment

As the need for food safety rises, consumers are becoming more interested in certified safe pork products, such as those with safety certification or traceability. Implementing GAHP guidelines for pig farming is one potential approach to achieving food safety in Vietnam. Nevertheless, since GAHP requires a relatively substantial initial investment, its adoption is mostly determined by the economic feasibility of pig farming. A choice experiment was used in this study to investigate farmers’ preferences for adopting GAHP in pig farming in Vietnam. The findings show that pig farmers are strongly inclined to adopt GAHP if specific conditions are met. The presence of guaranteed output contracts, increased yields, and price premiums are important variables influencing their decision to implement GAHP. The findings could be used by policymakers to develop and implement supportive regulations to encourage GAHP adoption, while buyers, processors, and retailers can capitalize on pig farmers’ preferences by establishing and publicizing market channels for GAHP-certified products. Furthermore, these findings could be used to assist pig farmers in making informed choices about their farming practices, allowing them to analyze the possibility of getting output contracts, implementing productivity-boosting initiatives, and exploring market potential for GAHP-certified pigs.

Design Al Amin Science Animal Husbandry Area and GAHP-Based Industrial Park (Living Lab) in Kutalimbaru Sub-District

Al Amin Science and Industrial Park (Living Lab) is an area that is projected to become a field laboratory and workshop center that accommodates all study programs at UNPAB. This area is also planned to become Ecoedutourism. One of the functions that will be developed in this area is the Animal husbandry area. Facing AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) 2015 in the food sector, especially Animal husbandry products, strict standardization is needed so that the concept of Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) needs to be applied. Thus, a good planning of supporting building design concepts is needed in the Al Amin Science and Industrial Park (Living Lab) Animal husbandry area by considering GAHP (Good Anima Husbandry Practice). The implementation of GAHP aims to ensure that the Animal husbandry products produced are safe for consumption with the right quality and appropriate for consumers, while also ensuring that the Animal husbandry products are produced in the right way without causing environmental loss/damage, health, safety and welfare of workers in the Animal husbandry sector. The purpose of this study is to produce the design of supporting buildings in the Animal husbandry area of Al Amin Science and Industrial Park (Living Lab) based on GAHP. The results of this design are expected to be a direction for the development of supporting buildings in the Animal husbandry area of Al Amin Science and Industrial Park (Living Lab). Keywords: Animal husbandry Area; Design; GAHP; Living Lab; Kutalimbaru

Correlation Strength Assessment of Animal Husbandry Components to the Implementation of ASEAN Good Animal Husbandry Practices: A case study in layer farming

ASEAN Good Animal Health Practice (GAHP)is a joint product of ASEAN member countries to be applied in layingfarms. The Researchaimed to explore management practices of laying farms in accordance withthe guidelines from ASEAN GAHP. South Lampung District and East Lampung District were the chosen locations in thisResearch. The ASEAN GAHP-based questionnaires were arranged and used for thisResearch. A variety of data analysis were conducted namely normality analysis, validity analysis, reliability analysis, descriptive analysis, and correlation analysistechnique.TheResult showed there were no significant difference were found between South Lampung District and East Lampung District farmers in the implementation of GAHP components in layer farms. Application of Veterinary Control Number(Nomor Kontrol Veteriner,NKV)issued by Government becomes a strong driver for farmers to implement the ASEAN GAHP. The Research concluded the components which havea strong relationship in the implementation of ASEAN-GAHPwere waste management, personnel hygiene, transportation, water quality and treatment, and surveillance and diseases control.

Assessment of animal welfare in fattening pig farms certified in good livestock practices

ABSTRACT Commercial swine producers are responsible for implementing changes in their production systems to ensure animal welfare. The objective of this study is to evaluate the levels of animal welfare on rearing and fattening farms certified in good animal husbandry practices using the Welfare Quality® protocol. Eighty-one certified commercial farms (n = 2,150 pigs), distributed in six geographical areas of Colombia, were evaluatedby six trained veterinarians. . A multilevel analysis was performed to identify variables associated with the animal welfare/farm rating and to identify behavioral variables. Farms evaluated had an enhanced (n = 68, 83.9%), followed by excellent (n = 7, 8.7%) and acceptable (n = 6, 7.4%) level of animal welfare. Variables significantly associated with the overall protocol rating (R2 = 0.37) were temperature comfort (OR: 1.05, p = 0.008), absence of disease (OR: 1.06, p = 0.02) and absence of pain (OR: 1.06, p = 0.0001). Significant differences in behavioral measures were observed across farms (P < 0.05). The high animal welfare scores of certified farms suggest changes in producers’ understanding and attitudes towards production and animal welfare.

Prevalence and risk factors of intestinal protozoan infection among symptomatic and asymptomatic populations in rural and urban areas of southern Algeria

BackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections are amongst the most common infections worldwide and have been identified as one of the most significant causes of morbidity and mortality among disadvantaged populations. This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections and to identify the significant risk factors associated with intestinal parasitic infections in Laghouat province, Southern Algeria.MethodsA comparative cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 623 symptomatic and 1654 asymptomatic subjects. Structured questionnaires were used to identify environmental, socio demographic and behavioral factors. Stool specimens were collected and examined using direct wet mount, formalin-ether concentration, xenic in vitro culture and staining methods.ResultsA highly significant difference of prevalence was found between symptomatic (82.3%) and asymptomatic subjects (14.9%), with the majority attributable to protozoan infection. The most common species in the symptomatic subjects were Blastocystis spp. (43.8%), E. histolytica/dispar (25.4%) and Giardia intestinalis (14.6%) and more rarely Enterobius vermicularis (02.1%), Teania spp. (0.6%) and Trichuris trichiura (0.2%), while in asymptomatic population Blastocystis spp. (8%), Entamoeba coli (3.3%) and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (2.5%) were the most common parasites detected with no case of helminth infection. Multivariate log-linear analysis showed that contact with animals was the main risk factor for transmission of these protozoa in both populations. Furthermore, living in rural areas was significantly associated with combined protozoan infection in the asymptomatic population, whereas, in the symptomatic population an increasing trend of protozoan infection was detected in the hot season. In addition, Blastocystis spp. and G. intestinalis infection were found to be associated with host sex and contact with animals across the study period.ConclusionsBased on these results, several strategies are recommended in order to effectively reduce these infections including good animal husbandry practices, health education focused on good personal hygiene practices and adequate sanitation.

Detection of aflatoxin M1 in bovine milk from different agro-climatic zones of Chhattisgarh, India, using HPLC-FLD and assessment of human health risks.

Concerns regarding food safety and 'One Health' are increasing globally. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a human carcinogenic toxin, is excreted by lactating animals in their milk after consumption of feed contaminated with aflatoxin B1. The present cross-sectional study aimed to determine the occurrence of AFM1 in cattle and buffalo milk produced in rural and peri-urban areas under different agro-climatic conditions of Chhattisgarh, India, and assesses human health risks. Analyses of 545 milk samples by validated high-performance liquid chromatography revealed high level of AFM1 contamination in 224 (41.1%) samples with mean concentration of 0.137 ± 0.029 μg/L. Statistically significant differences (p< 0.05) were observed in the levels and frequency of AFM1 occurrence among different agro-climatic zones. AFM1 was more frequently detected in milk samples from Northern hills (64%) followed by Bastar plateau (40.7%) and Chhattisgarh plain (27.3%), with mean concentration levels of 0.396 ± 0.099 μg/L, 0.081 ± 0.025 μg/L and 0.013 ± 0.002 μg/L, respectively. Species wise no significant difference was observed in the detection frequency and concentration of AFM1 in milk from cattle and buffalo. AFM1 contamination above maximum permissible limits established by European commission and Food Safety and Standard Authority of India was detected in 21.3% and 4.4% of samples, respectively. The estimated daily intakes for AFM1 were found to be higher than tolerable daily intakes for both adults and children, especially of Northern hills implying a potentially high risk to consumer's health. This study provides valuable information on the contamination status of milk in one of the fastest developing state of India. It also highlights the importance and need for continuous farmers' awareness on good animal husbandry practices, routine surveillance of mycotoxins in animal feeds and food commodities to safeguard human health.

Farmer constraints on implementing Good Animal Husbandry Practices in Vietnam: case study on household pig production

Farmer constraints on implementing Good Animal Husbandry Practices in Vietnam: case study on household pig production

Good animal husbandry practices can reduce the antimicrobial resistance

Good animal husbandry practices can reduce the antimicrobial resistance

The impact of VietGAHP implementation on Vietnamese households’ pig production

To increase food safety and sustainable environmental development, the Vietnamese government has released a public Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) report for pig production, called “Vietnamese Good Animal Husbandry Practices” (VietGAHP). Studies have yet to investigate not only the institutional factors affecting VietGAHP adoption in household pig farming, but also the impact of such adoption on its criteria’ implementation. The objective of this study is to investigate the factors associated with VietGAHP adoption in household pig production and its impact on implementing its criteria. A Probit model was used to directly indicate the determinants of VietGAHP adoption, and a z test revealed the VietGAHP’s impact by comparing the differences in each criterion’s compliance rates between adopter and non-adopter groups. The results demonstrate that the factors positively contributing to VietGAHP adoption include gender, training, household income, and veterinary services, with the training factor as a substantial contributor. The factors presenting a challenge to this adoption included farm size, the number of family members participating in pig-raising, off-farm income, and biogas, with the latter an especially pivotal factor. Moreover, an expected result of the government’s support was that VietGAHP adoption had a positive impact on 9 out 15 compulsory practices and 8 of 14 optional practices. These imply that to attain food safety and environmental protection goals through a public GAP program for pig production, traditional adoption factors—including a male farmer status, training, household wealth, and veterinary services—remain key pillars on which government policies should focus.

Ruminal impaction due to plastic materials - An increasing threat to ruminants and its impact on human health in developing countries.

Ruminal impaction due to plastic materials is a condition, in which indigestible plastic foreign bodies accumulate in the rumen of ruminants leading to ruminal impaction, indigestion, recurrent tympany, and many other adverse health effects. It is caused by the indiscriminate feeding of ruminants on indigestible plastic waste materials. The disease is primarily noticed in stray animals residing in urban areas of developing countries. Ingested plastic materials in the rumen slowly release the chemicals in rumen fluid, which intern enter the food chain through milk and meat products. These chemicals have a detrimental effect on human health. At present, exploratory rumenotomy is the only choice for both diagnosis and treatment of ruminal impaction due to plastic materials in ruminants. Control measures include good animal husbandry practices and proper disposal of plastic waste materials. The present review discusses in depth about the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of ruminal impaction due to plastic materials in ruminants and also highlights its impact on human health.

The importance of legislation and forensic findings from the analysis of turkey meat

The aim of this study was to investigate the importance of legislation regarding the process of testing the presence of Salmonella spp. in turkeys for slaughter and forensic investigation of the presence of antimicrobial drugs residues in turkey meat. The investigation was performed on a fattening farm, just before the delivery of turkeys for slaughter. Two pooled faecal samples were taken from turkeys and sent for analysis. Both samples were tested positive for Salmonella spp. Antibiogram was performed after that and the drug of choice for treatment was enrofloxacine. After turkeys were treated with antibiotics, again two pooled faecal samples were sent for analysis and now both were negative. Turkeys were sent for slaughter, but at the same time there were some suspicions that the owner did not comply with the time of the withdrawal period for the antibiotic used and a forensic investigation was performed in order to determine the presence of antimicrobial drug residues in slaughtered turkeys. Samples of liver, kidney and fat of turkeys were taken at the slaughter line and were sent for analysis for the presence of antimicrobial drugs residues. All of the samples were free of antimicrobial drug and the suspicions were rejected. Recommendations were made regarding the improvement of biosecurity and hygiene measures on farms and good animal husbandry practices in order to limit the use of antimicrobial agents.

Factors associated with high prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections among patients in Sana'a City, Yemen.

BackgroundIntestinal protozoan diseases in Yemen are a significant health problem with prevalence ranging from 18% to 27%. The present study is a cross-sectional study aimed at determining the factors associated with the high prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections among patients seeking health care in Sana'a City, the capital of Yemen.Methodology/Principal FindingsStool samples were collected from 503 patients aged between 1 and 80 years old; 219 were males and 284 females. Biodata were collected via pretested standard questionnaire. Faecal samples were processed and examined for (oo)cysts or ova using a wet mount preparation after formal-ether concentration technique. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected using the Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. The overall prevalence of intestinal protozoan infections was 30.9%. Infection rates of Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and Cryptosporidium were 17.7%, 17.1% and 1%, respectively. Other parasites detected included Ascaris lumbricoides (2.4%), Schistosoma mansoni (0.3%), Hymenolepis nana (1.4%) and Enterobius vermicularis (0.4%). Multivariate analysis using forward stepwise logistic regression based on intestinal protozoan infections showed that contact with animals (OR = 1.748, 95% CI = 1.168–2.617) and taking bath less than twice a week (OR = 1.820, 95% CI = 1.192–2.779) were significant risk factors of protozoan infections.Conclusions/SignificanceThis present study indicated that intestinal protozoan infections are still a public health problem in Yemen, with Giardia and Entamoeba infections being most common. Statistical analysis indicated that low personal hygiene and contact with animals were important predictors for intestinal protozoan infections. As highlighted in this study, in order to effectively reduce these infections, a multi-sectoral effort is needed. Preventive measures should include good hygienic practices, good animal husbandry practices, heightened provision of educational health programs, health services in all governorates including rural areas. Furthermore, it is also essential to find radical solutions to the recent water crises in Yemen.

Towards sustainable parasite control practices in livestock production with emphasis in Latin America

Endo and ectoparasites of domestic ruminants directly or indirectly contribute to reduce sustainability affecting food security in subsistence or small scale farming systems, food safety (food borne diseases and pesticide residues), environment (pesticides, pollution and ecotoxicity) and farmer's equity (limited or uneven access to relevant technical information/training). This is especially true for some regions of Latin America where there still are huge areas of natural grazing land for cattle, sheep and goats. Sustainable parasite control is not an absolute concept given the different regions and productive systems of the world and therefore, could have different levels of adoption and impact on farmers. This article develops a conceptual framework to better understand where each region or country is situated in terms of attaining a reasonable increase in animal production while preserving sustainability. Within this context the capacity to prioritize the target parasite species for control according to local epidemiology and production systems, the early diagnosis and monitoring of parasite resistance as well as the availability of well trained field professionals acquire a major role, creating an enabling environment for present and future decision support system approaches. Until new and different means of controlling parasites become available; the challenge is to utilize Good Animal Husbandry Practices and Integrated Parasite Management (IPM) principles in a pragmatic way allowing the rational use of pesticides.

Análisis de las buens prácticas ganaderas y su aplicación epidemiológica

A comparative analysis was made of 229 technical specifications for 33 good animal husbandry practices relating to 10 spheres defined by two international organisations and Chile's Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) with the aim of establishing epidemiological indicators and assessing the impact of applying the indicators to disease prevention, control and eradication programmes. The information compiled was analysed using frequency charts and comparative tables. The analysis revealed that 11 good animal husbandry practices and 65 technical specifications could be applied directly to prevention and control programmes. The specifications for good animal husbandry practices did not include assessment systems based on the estimation of epidemiological indicators of morbidity and mortality. An assessment was made of the records from 292 family livestock farms in southern Chile enrolled in the PABCO official certification programme for livestock establishments for the purpose of promoting good animal husbandry practices. Even though more than 90% of the establishments were found to use

Parasitic helminths of veterinary importance in cattle, sheep and goats on communal farms in the northeastern Free State, South Africa

The purpose of the study was to record and determine intensities, seasonal incidence and distribution of helminth parasites of veterinary importance that occur in cattle, sheep and goats in the northeastern Free State. The study was conducted at Harrismith and Kestell and in Qwa-Qwa from March 2000 to May 2001. Cattle of various breeds (including Bonsmara, Simmentaler and Friesian), Merino sheep and Angora goats were sampled. Faecal samples were analysed using the McMaster and Visser sieve techniques for egg counts and faecal cultures for 3rd-stage nematode larvae identification. Haemonchus and Oesophagostomum were the dominant nematode genera found to be infecting the animals. The socioeconomic status of the farmers in the study area was determined through a questionnaire survey aimed at recording their management strategies. It indicated that 81% of farmers take care of their livestock by feeding them with supplements. The low to moderate faecal egg counts from cattle showed that helminth infections in this region are still under control even though helminthosis seems to be a problem in small-stock, since EPG counts of more than > 1000 were found. Cattle farmers in this region are encouraged to continue with good animal husbandry practices that have ensured that helminth infections rates are kept low. Small-stock farmers are, however, encouraged to control helminth infections in their sheep and goats by anthelmintic treatment.

Poultry meat and food safety: pre- and post-harvest approaches to reduce foodborne pathogens

Poultry and poultry products have repeatedly been implicated as a source of foodborne infection for humans. The significant increase in the number of reported foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide has altered opinions on food safety. It has become clear that current legislation alone is inadequate, and that industry must accept a greater share of responsibility for the quality and safety of the food it produces. The fact that processing plants are not able to reduce the incidence of pathogenic bacteria effectively in poultry products means that every effort must be made to reduce infection in and/or contamination of the live birds with foodborne pathogens before dispatch to processing plants. The main control strategy should include the following: cleaning the production pyramid from the top, as in the case of Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium, by destroying infected flocks (with compensation), sanitising hatching eggs and limiting the introduction and spread of pathogens at the farm through Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHPs). To achieve GAHPs, effective measures of hygiene should be applied to poultry houses and the feed. Reducing salmonella colonisation by using antimicrobial feed additives, competitive exclusion treatment or vaccines is worth consideration. Furthermore, hygienic systems for catching and transporting live poultry must be included. To reduce carcass contamination during processing, thorough schedules for cleaning and disinfection of the equipment and plant are essential. Machine design must permit easy and thorough cleaning. Because the success of any food safety programme on the farm and in the processing plant depends on the hygiene practices of the staff, it is essential to incorporate education programmes for all people involved in the poultry production chain. In the farm-to-fork concept, post-processing food handling is also a very important factor in reducing foodborne infections. Finally, the development and application of acceptable methods for end product decontamination and preservation in the processing plant must be pursued.