Animal Feeding Operations Research Articles

Inorganic Nitrogen Gas‐Aerosol Partitioning in and Around Animal Feeding Operations in Northeastern Colorado in Late Summer 2021

AbstractAmmonia (NH3) from animal feeding operations (AFOs) is an important source of reactive nitrogen in the US, but despite its ramifications for air quality and ecosystem health, its near‐source evolution remains understudied. To this end, Phase I of the Transport and Transformation of Ammonia (TRANS2Am) field campaign was conducted in the northeastern Colorado Front Range in summer 2021 and characterized atmospheric composition downwind of AFOs during 10 research flights. Airborne measurements of NH3, nitric acid (HNO3), and a suite of water‐soluble aerosol species collected onboard the University of Wyoming King Air research aircraft present an opportunity to investigate the sensitivity of particulate matter (PM) formation to AFO emissions. We couple the observations with thermodynamic modeling to predict the seasonality of ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) formation. We find that during TRANS2Am northeastern Colorado is consistently in the NH3‐rich and HNO3‐limited NH4NO3 formation regime. Further investigation using the Extended Aerosol Inorganics Model reveals that summertime temperatures (mean: 23°C) of northeastern Colorado, especially near the surface, inhibit NH4NO3 formation despite high NH3 concentrations (max: ≤114 ppbv). Finally, we model spring/autumn and winter conditions to explore the seasonality of NH4NO3 formation and find that cooler temperatures could support substantially more NH4NO3 formation. Whereas NH4NO3 only exceeds 1 μg m−3 ∼10% of the time in summer, modeled NH4NO3 would exceed 1 μg m−3 61% (88%) of the time in spring/autumn (winter), with a 10°C (20°C) temperature decrease relative to the campaign.

Effects of temperature on the growth, total lipid content and fatty acid composition of Skeletonema dohrnii

The potential of diatoms as aquatic bait, attribute to their abundance in highly unsaturated fatty acids, has been extensively studied. Temperature plays a crucial role in the synthesis of these fatty acids. This study specifically investigated the impact of temperature on the growth, total lipid content, and fatty acid composition of Skeletonema dohrnii, a planktonic diatom commonly associated with red tides and water blooms in China. The aim is to evaluate its suitability as an aquatic bait and provide insights for large-scale factory farming. Results indicated that the highest biomass and maximum growth rate occurred at 28°C, with no significant deviation from the control group at 25°C. At 28°C and 15°C, there was a significant increase in the total lipid content and the total fatty acid content, with a more pronounced effect at 15°C. At 28°C, EPA and DHA content measured at 0.97 ± 0.01 mg.DW.L-1 and 0.264 ± 0.01 mg.DW.L-1 respectively, surpass those at 15°C due to lower biomass. Conversely, at 15°C, substantial synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, with EPA constituting up to 32.24 ± 0.24% of the total fatty acids, is observed. Modulating the temperature could optimize the utilization of S. dohrnii as an aquatic feed source. These findings underscore the potential of S. dohrnii as a high-quality aquafeed and lay the groundwork for its success in ocean warming scenarios.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of intravenous and subcutaneous pantoprazole in sheep and goats

Abomasal ulcers are a significant concern in intensive animal farming due to their impact on animal health and productivity. While proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as pantoprazole (PTZ) show promise in treating these ulcers, data on PTZ's pharmacokinetics (PK) in adult goats and sheep are limited. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating and comparing PTZ's PK in these species following single intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) administrations. Five healthy male goats and sheep were included in the study. PTZ concentrations in plasma samples were determined using a validated analytical method. Non-compartmental analysis was conducted, and statistical comparisons were made between IV and SC administrations and between species. Sheep and goats showed similar systemic exposure levels regardless of the administration route. However, sheep had a shorter t1/2 due to a higher Vd compared to goats. Cl values were comparable in both species, with low extraction ratio values. There were no significant differences in Cmax and Tmax between the two species with regards to SC administration, and complete bioavailability was observed. The MAT exceeded the t1/2 in both species, indicating a potential flip-flop phenomenon. Considering the AUC as a predictor for drug efficacy, and observing no significant differences in systemic exposure between sheep and goats for any route of administration, dosage adjustment between the two species may not be necessary. In field settings, SC administration proves more practical, providing not only complete bioavailability but also a longer half-life compared to IV. Further studies are warranted to explore the PK/PD of PTZ in small ruminants with abomasal ulcers, to fully comprehend its therapeutic efficacy in such scenarios.

Should vegans have children? A response to Räsänen

Joona Räsänen argues that vegans ought to be anti-natalists and therefore abstain from having children. More precisely, Räsänen claims that vegans who accept a utilitarian or rights-based argument for veganism, ought to, by parity of reasoning, accept an analogous argument for anti-natalism. In this paper, I argue that the reasons vegans have for refraining from purchasing animal products do not commit them to abstaining from having children. I provide novel arguments to the following conclusion: while there is good reason to believe that factory farming results in a net disutility and involves treating non-human animals as mere means, there is not good reason to believe that having children results in a net disutility or involves treating the children as mere means. Subsequently, I respond to what I take to be Räsänen’s underlying reasoning—that vegans are committed to abstaining from other practices which cause unnecessary suffering. I respond by arguing that this is plausibly false as various practices which cause unnecessary suffering are likely permissible, whereas factory farming is not.

Treatment of Dairy Farm Runoff in Vegetated Bioretention Systems Amended with Biochar

Nitrogen and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in runoff from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) can impair surface and groundwater quality. Bioretention systems are low impact nature-based technologies that can effectively treat CAFO runoff if modified with an internal water storage zone (IWSZ) or amended with biochar. In this study, the performances of four pilot-scale modified bioretention systems were compared to assess the impacts of (1) amending bioretention media with biochar and (2) planting the systems with Muhlenbergia. The system with both plants and biochar amendment had the best performance, with an average of 5.58 log reduction in E. coli and 98% removal of total nitrogen (TN). All systems treated the first pore volume well as new runoff flushed the treated water from the IWSZ. Biochar improved TN and FIB removal due to its high capacity to adsorb or retain ammonium (NH4+), dissolved organic nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, and E. coli. Planting improved performance, possibly by increasing rhizosphere microbial activity.

Production of cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs by handmade cloning

With the rapid development of intensive animal husbandry in the livestock industry, large quantities of manure waste containing phytate phosphorus are being generated. Phytase can effectively solve the problem of high phosphorus pollution in the feces of monogastric animals. Enviropig, which produces phytase in the salivary glands and secretes the enzyme in the saliva, were first generated in 1999. However, phytase is easily inactivated during digestion. To address this problem, cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs were generated using handmade cloning in this study. Transgene construction was improved and three cell lines carrying Cafp were obtained. In total, 810 blastocysts were generated and 712 good-quality were transferred into six recipients. Fourteen piglets were born, of which six survived after weaning. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing results showed that seven (three live and four dead) of the fourteen piglets carried Cafp. Phytase activity in the saliva of the six live cloned pigs was tested at four months of age, and only one pig had 0.155 FTU/mL enzyme activity. The other five pigs may not have been activated in the transgenic parotid gland. Among all the transgenic pigs, the highest phosphorus digestion rate was 59.2% of intake, representing a 25.4% decrease in fecal emission compared to the average of controls. Immunohistochemical results on the three Cafp-positive pigs that died after six months of age showed that the transgene was only expressed in parotid glands, confirming tissue-specific gene expression. In conclusion, cleavage-resistant phytase transgenic pigs were successfully produced through handmade cloning. The cloned pigs offer a unique biological approach to managing phosphorus nutrition and environmental pollution in animal husbandry.

211 Analysis of microbial communities from a commercial-size swine manure pit and their association with production of volatile organic compounds

Abstract Global pollution and emission concerns have been linked to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Indeed, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) warns that there is a significant danger to human health, soil, and water quality from CAFOs. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are amongst air contaminants that pose a serious risk, are abundantly produced in swine manure pits. While VOC emissions from swine manure have been well studied, the microbial species responsible for their production remain mostly uncharacterized. Thus, a deeper comprehension of the microorganisms responsible for VOC production in swine manure pits may help in the development of management approaches that target the microbiome in these environments. In this context, this study aimed to identify the major bacterial species populating the manure pit of a commercial-size swine wean-to-finish research facility. Manure collected from two sampling locations at different time points were analyzed using the 16S rRNA gene through PCR-amplification of the V1-V3 regions from microbial genomic DNA, followed by Illumina MiSeq 2X300 sequencing. An analysis of the most highly represented microorganisms identified 24 bacterial Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs), with only four showing a species-level nucleotide sequence identity to currently known or valid species. As these results indicated that the majority of bacterial species from this manure pit were unknown, a metagenomics approach was used to assemble partial to full length genomes from the two most abundant OTUs: Pit_9-00239 [5.09% - 19.44%; Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum (96.60%)] and Pit_ 7-00035 [5.58% - 17.30%; Bacteroides eggerthii (87.66%)]. From genome assembly analysis, 979 contigs were generated for a combined length of 12,367,510 bp, which together included 21,776 coding sequences. Predicted metabolic functions from these contig sets included pathways involved in carbohydrate utilization (glycolysis), vitamin synthesis (riboflavin), and butyrate production (volatile fatty acids). Notably, an enzyme responsible for the production of indole, a common VOC produced from swine manure pits, was also identified. Together, the results from this analysis provide insights on metabolic capabilities of abundant bacterial species from manure pits. These can in turn be used for the future development of management strategies or products that can reduce VOC emissions that result from swine CAFO manure storage.

120 Gene editing: From the general public perspective

Abstract The public controversy around genetically engineered (GE) products, aka genetically modified organisms (GMO), has been ongoing for almost 40 yr fueled in part by well-funded misinformation campaigns disseminated by activist organizations. Polls reveal that public perception of GE animals is generally negative, with biomedical applications being more positively perceived than agricultural applications. Opposition to GE animals is often conflated with opposition to use of animals in research in general, as well as opposition to aspects of intensive animal agriculture. In general, concerns about animal biotechnology are influenced by views around the moral status of animals, the boundary between “natural” and “unnatural,” and perceived risks and benefits of GE animals to health and the environment (personal and cultural characteristics); the purpose of the application (e.g., disease resistance > fast growth), the method(s) being used, and the motivation of the research group making the genetic modification (public or private); and the species being modified (animal characteristics). There were three factors that aggravated opposition to GE products including 1) a lengthy and expensive regulatory step uniquely associated with commercializing products developed using that breeding method, 2) competing business interests (e.g., organic, non-GMO project) that were able to monetarize fear around the method to extract value (rent seeking) and selling their value-added (more expensive) product that avoided the use of GE, and 3) there is a mandatory labeling requirement to track/differentiate products produced with (or without) that breeding method to enable value-added marketing. Even so, when GE products that people wanted were allowed to reach the market (e.g., Impossible Burger with GE heme, GloFish, AquAdvantage salmon), they met with commercial acceptance. Now it has been suggested that the public will similarly reject animal products derived from gene edited (GnEd) animals, but that idea has only recently been put to the test as such food products were not previously available. A 2022 Japanese paper noted that with regard to GnEd food (gene knock-out tomatoes and fish) there was a “gap between anticipated and actual public response”. They noted that “even though there were some petitions against the use of genome-editing made by consumer groups; they did not develop into a mass mobilization, and media coverage was mostly positive.” These GnEd food products were developed by startups from Japanese universities, required no unique regulatory step before commercialization or mandatory labeling with Japanese regulatory agencies transparently sharing a summary of the information and notification on their websites, and businesses were encouraged to share information on products to respect The right of consumers to know. Successful commercialization of GnEd animal products has so far occurred in countries (e.g., Argentina, Brazil, Japan) where regulations treat simple GnEd products with no “foreign DNA” to be “non-GMO” and analogous to conventional breeding.

Porkopolis: American Animality, Standardized Life, and the Factory Farm

Porkopolis: American Animality, Standardized Life, and the Factory Farm

Contribution of Livestock Farming to Environmental Pollution in China

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine contribution of livestock farming to environmental pollution in China. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study found that livestock farming in China significantly contributes to environmental pollution, posing substantial challenges to water, air, and soil quality. Intensive livestock operations, characterized by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), generate large quantities of animal waste containing nutrients and pathogens that contaminate water bodies. Additionally, livestock farming contributes to air pollution through emissions of ammonia and other pollutants, particularly in areas with intensive farming practices. Soil degradation and nutrient imbalance further exacerbate environmental degradation, with higher livestock densities associated with increased soil compaction and nutrient runoff. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Tragedy of the Commons & Ecological Modernization Theory may be used to anchor future studies on contribution of livestock farming to environmental pollution in China. Promote the adoption of sustainable livestock management practices through capacity building, training, and extension services for farmers. Encourage the implementation of integrated farming systems that optimize resource use, minimize waste generation, and enhance environmental resilience. Strengthen regulatory frameworks and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with environmental standards and promote responsible livestock production. Implement stringent measures to control water pollution from livestock waste, including mandatory wastewater treatment and monitoring programs.

Phenomenology and Critical Hermeneutics of the “Livestock” Industry and Associated Sanctuaries

Abstract A phenomenology of factory farms and slaughterhouses, as well as associated animal sanctuaries, is mounted. It is found that other animals in the former situations are reified into machine-like beings, as are the workers who deal with them. In terms of critical hermeneutics, it is found that alienation from the process and product of work and from each other and themselves happens for both human and nonhuman denizens of these contexts. In animal sanctuaries, it is found that a contrary movement of “subjectification” occurs. The ethical ramifications of these patterns are that animals become bereft of moral standing in the former institutions and are restored to moral considerability in the latter context.

Particulate matter annual emission factors for dairy facilities and cattle feedlots of Texas, USA

The direct emission of inhalable particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10) from agricultural sources imposes major concern to human health. It is imperative to keep regular update of the pollutant emissions to scrutinize the sources and take necessary preventive measures. Two representative animal feeding operations, one dairy and one feedlot of Texas were selected during the year 2021 for summer and winter sampling using programmable Federal Reference Method (FRM) samplers and Texas A&M University (TAMU) designed samplers. Additionally, for quick and simple emission concentration determination, handheld particle counters were utilized parallel to the FRM and TAMU designed samplers. The air quality index showed that the PM2.5 pollutant fell into ‘Moderate’ category for about 20.93% times and 13.89% times in the dairy and the feedlot respectively. The maximum mean of daily PM10 concentration observed in the Feedlot during the summer was 1676.3 μg/m3 which can be aggravating. The correlation developed using the emission data from the FRM and handheld samplers demonstrated linear relationship and 0.66 of goodness of fit. During the summer, maximum mean PM2.5 emission factors (EF) of 0.84 kg 1000 hd−1 d−1 and 8.09 kg 1000 hd−1 d−1 were determined for the dairy and for the feedlot respectively. However, the winter and the summer PM10 EF for the dairy did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). Although there has not been enough record of PM2.5 annual EF, the current study PM10 annual EF was benchmarked with some of the previously published EFs. This investigation on the air pollutant EFs from the animal feeding operations can greatly benefit in preventing the pollution and updating the most recent EFs. However, continuous monitoring and further research are suggested to improve data quality and develop strategic management practices.

State Capitalism as a Crisis of Imagination. Factory Farms in the Polish People’s Republic in the 1970s


 
 
 In this article I will discuss the first, failed attempts to introduce factory farming in Poland in the 1970s and locate them within historical changes in social meat-related imaginaries. My main hypothesis is that the spread of wide-scale meat consumption in Poland was a consequence of emulating Western, capitalist patterns of food production and its accompanying discourse. I argue that the logic of capitalism that dominated food production in the 1970s dramatically changed interspecies relations and promoted meat as something unlimited, available on a daily basis.
 
 

Utilitarianism, Deontology, and Ethical Veganism

Abstract Two individuals can both be ethical vegans but disagree on the normative basis of their moral beliefs. This article will look at the development of two competing theories that hold prominence in debates among animal advocates: utilitarianism and deontology. Next, we turn toward their divergence in epistemology, the moral status of experiences and individuals, and the limits of permissibility. Last, we unite utilitarianism and deontology by noting where they converge. This union comes from enlightenment thinking, the postulation of direct duties to animals, disapproval of factory farming conditions, and, most importantly, the goal of improving the lives of many animals.

Produire des protéines

This article claims that the pursuit of protein specifically, not meat in general, is woven into the very fabric of industrial hog farming and the devalued animals at its centre. Further, this piece forces a critical lens and reclassification of the value of protein sourced from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), using Goodman, Sorj and Wilkinson’s (1987) concepts of substitutionism and appropriationism as a framework to unpack how hog production in Canada is structured on producing protein for mass consumption. Lastly, this article categorically extends the work of Goodman et al., (1987) to argue that hogs are not only industrialized within a capitalist food system, but now hog flesh is able to supplant or be used interchangeably with other forms of protein – a sort of proteinaceous substitutionism: the creation of generic, atomized, protein inputs. Commodity hogs are so valueless, the animal now exists to be a source of cheap protein.

Beef, Beans, or Byproducts?

Flexitarianism was one of the top food trends of the summer in 2020. Characterizing reductions in meat eating as representative of the reflections on personal and societal health that were taking place at the time, Canada’s largest food retailer, Loblaw situated the company’s expanded plant-based offerings as a response to a “new us” that was emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. This article explores the protein pathways that Loblaw opens and closes by promoting “flexitarian choices for our changing lifestyles”. Focussing on reduced beef consumption as a target of flexitarian intervention, I situate flexitarianism in relation to calls for a “protein transition”, which would address the risks the dominant beef industry poses to animal, human, and planetary wellbeing. Drawing from a larger case study on beef shopping at Loblaw supermarkets, I consider the extent to which the version of flexitarianism on display at Loblaw supermarkets might support the status quo in the dominant beef industry. As a flexible framework, flexitarianism holds potential to respond contextually to the needs of varying food networks in Canada. As a defined consumer demographic, however, flexitarianism is poised to reroute this flexibility away from diverse food systems toward adaptable investments, which would insulate financial portfolios from the risks of intensive animal agriculture without requiring meaningful changes within those industries.

Exploring public support for farmed animal welfare policy and advocacy across 23 countries

Farmed animal policy and advocacy efforts both attempt to generate and depend upon public support. However, relatively little is known about the factors that predict support for animal protection legislation and advocacy across the globe. We analyse data from a large international survey (23 countries, n = 20,966) alongside other data sources on animal advocacy to investigate knowledge of factory farming, the connection between attitudes towards animals and the strength of animal protection legislation, attitudes towards animals based on their food status in different countries, and the connection between personal support for policy, animal advocacy, civic activism, and animal advocacy organisations. We found that higher support for animal welfare is associated with stronger farm animal protection legislation across countries and that concerns about specific animals can vary depending on cultural and religious factors. Contrary to study hypotheses, we did not find greater support for advocacy in countries with more advocacy organisations, suggesting important opportunities to pursue advocacy in relatively neglected regions. Results are interpreted in terms of how farmed animal advocates can take advantage of and potentially generate support for animal welfare throughout the world.

The analysis of complete genome sequence and comparative genomics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus LF1113 in Hainan

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative, halophilic and polymorphic coccobacillus. It is world-widely distributed and has resulted in great economic losses since its first appearance. In this study, a pathogenic strain was isolated from diseased pearl gentian grouper and identified as V. parahaemolyticus based on the sequencing results of 16S rDNA gene. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of this isolation, the whole genome sequencing was conducted. Phylogenetic analysis of the complete genomes of 16 Vibrio species showed that LF1113, ATCC17802, ATCC33787, 2210633, FORC 004, and 160807 were the most closely related. Animal experiments demonstrated that the isolated LF1113 strain was pathogenic in a fish model.This study is the first study to describe the complete genome sequence of a V. parahaemolyticus isolate, which infected pearl gentian grouper from an outbreak in a fish factory farm in Hainan. The results will expand our understanding of genetic characteristics, pathogenesis, diagnostics and disease prevention of V. parahaemolyticus, and lay the foundation for further study.

Metagenomic insights into the impact of litter from poultry Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) to adjacent soil and water microbial communities

In recent decades, human food consumption has led to an increased demand for animal-based foods, particularly chicken meat production. The state of Georgia, USA is one of the top broiler chicken producers in the United States, where animals are raised in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Without proper management, CAFOs could negatively impact the environment and become a public health risk as a source of water and air pollution and/or by spreading antimicrobial resistance genes. In this study, we used metagenome sequencing to investigate the impact of the application of the CAFO's litter on adjacent soils and downstream creek waters in terms of microbial diversity and antimicrobial resistance profile changes. Our data indicate that while a few microbial groups increased in abundance within a short period of time after litter application, these populations subsequently decreased to levels similar to those found prior to the litter application or to below the detection limit of our metagenome sequencing effort. Microbial taxonomic composition analyses, relative abundance of Metagenome-Assembled Genomes (MAGs) and detection of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARGs) allow us to conclude that this practice of litter application had a negligible effect on the microbiome or resistome profile of these soils and nearby waterways, likely due to its dilution in the field and/or outcompetition by indigenous microbes, revealing a minimal impact of these poultry facilities on the natural microbial communities.

Microalgae cultivation using ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations typical of pig barns

ABSTRACT While global population growth drives increased production efficiency in animal agriculture, there is a growing demand for environmentally friendly practices, particularly in reducing air pollutant emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations. This study explores the potential of cultivating microalgae in photobioreactors (PBRs) as an eco-friendly and cost-effective approach to mitigate NH3 and CO2 emissions from pig barns. Unlike traditional physicochemical mitigation systems, microalgae offer a renewable solution by converting pollutants into valuable biomass. The research focused on Scenedesmus dimorphus growth under typical NH3 and CO2 concentrations found in the indoor air of pig barns. Four NH3 (0, 12, 25, and 50 ppm) and four CO2 concentrations (350, 1200, 2350, and 3500 ppm) were tested using photobioreactors. Results showed a maximum specific growth rate of 0.83 d−1 with 12 ppm NH3 and 3500 ppm CO2. The dry biomass concentration was significantly higher (1.16 ± 0.08 g L−1; p < 0.01) at 25 ppm NH3 and 2350 ppm CO2 than other test conditions. S. dimorphus demonstrated the peak NH3 and CO2 fixation rates (23.8 ± 2.26 mg NH3 L−1 d−1 and 432.24 ± 41.09 mg CO2 L−1 d−1) at 25 ppm NH3 and 2350 ppm CO2. These findings support the feasibility of using algae to effectively remove air pollutants in pig barns, thereby improving indoor air quality.