Animal Feeding Operations Research Articles

Ventilation shutdown and the breath-taking violence of infectious disease emergency management in industrial livestock production

Powerful ventilation systems are a crucial technology in industrial livestock production, mitigating the unhealthy ambient conditions that result from great densities of animal bodies, biowastes, and chemical agents, and enabling the rapid production of massive quantities of flesh and eggs in such crowded indoor spaces. But bad air is just one of many biophysical and technoscientific challenges managed in these spaces, chief among them the ever-present risks of infectious disease transmission and evolution that threaten animal health and productivity and pose untold risks for humans. This article examines the intersection of these two central problems, where ventilation systems that are normally used to manage bad air within enclosures have been repurposed in the context of disease outbreaks to quickly and cheaply kill infected populations by hyperthermia. An analysis of this nascent practice, euphemistically termed “ventilation shutdown,” shows how governments and publicly funded scientific institutions have worked with private industry to develop and systematize the use of this and other technologies of mass death to respond to infectious disease emergencies, a dynamic that, we argue, sheds new light on both the precarity and the violence of industrial livestock production.

Developing a sorptive material of cadmium from pyrolysis of hen manure

A large amount of manure is generated from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), leading to serious environmental issues and hazardous risks from pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, developing an effective method for manure disposal is essential. Thus, in this study, we suggest the use of CO2 in pyrolysis of hen manure (HM) as an effective method to convert the carbon in HM into syngas (especially carbon monoxide (CO)). HM was used and tested as the model compound. From the results of thermo-gravimetric analysis, the decarboxylation of CaCO3 in HM in the presence of N2 was realized at temperatures ranging from 638 to 754 °C. The Boudouard reaction was observed at ≥ 664 °C in the presence of CO2. Despite the lack of occurrence of the Boudouard reaction, more CO formation was observed in the presence of CO2 at ≥ 460 °C. This was deemed as a homogeneous reaction induced by CO2. Considering the high Ca content of HM, HM biochar in N2 and CO2 were used as adsorbent for removal of Cadmium (Cd), which is toxic heavy metal. The adsorption capacities of HM_N2 and HM_CO2 were 302.4 and 95.7 mg g−1, respectively. The superior performance of HM_N2 is mainly attributed to the presence of Ca(OH)2, which provides favorable (alkaline) conditions for precipitation and ion exchange. Our results indicate the environmental benefits from using CO2. Specifically, CO2 (representative greenhouse gas) converted into fuel. Given this, pyrolysis of HM in the presence of CO2 was achieved at ≤ 640 °C, and the atmospheric condition should be switched from CO2 to N2 at ≥ 640 °C to ensure the decarboxylation of CaCO3.

A short history of the phosphorus index and Andrew Sharpley's contributions from inception through development and implementation.

In the 1980s, growing recognition of agricultural phosphorus (P) sources to surface water eutrophication led to scrutiny of animal feeding operations. In 1990, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) invited prominent scientists to find a solution. It was at an initial meeting that Dr. Andrew Sharpley suggested that P assessment could be modeled after the Universal Soil Loss Equation, where a matrix of factors influencing P loss would be associated with farm nutrient management recommendations. After codifying the P assessment into the USDA-NRCS 590 Nutrient Management Standard some 10years later, 48 states chose to develop their own P Index. Sharpley, working with many others, helped develop several state P Indices. In 2000, Sharpley secured funding from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service to support the National P Research Project, which conducted in-field P runoff assessments using standardized rainfall simulated studies across 20 states; this allowed individual trials to be aggregated for agroecological regions that were then incorporated into specific state P Indices. Eventually, comparison of P Indices across state boundaries led to a white paper at the behest of USDA-NRCS that resulted in three regional projects evaluating modeling approaches to support or replace P Indices. Sharpley's national umbrella project pointed to shortcomings in water quality models, such as APEX or TBET, as a replacement for state P Indices, which remain a key part of the USDA-590 standard. As a selfless leader, capable of attracting and assembling diverse, productive interdisciplinary teams, Sharpley was essential to the inception, development, and implementation of the P Index.

Analysis of the genotypes of Influenza A H5N1 in Bulgaria 2021-2023

Circulating HPAI virus H5N1 can be traced back to the original A/goose/Guangdong/1/96 strain. During the epidemiological years 2022 and 2023, a remarkable number of HPAI H5N1 virus isolates were detected and reported in a diverse range of hosts, including wild and domestic birds, mammals and humans, in more than 28 European countries. Interestingly, the potential for cross-species transmission highlights the complex dynamics of viral spread among these different susceptible species. The persistently emerging outbreaks of HPAI H5N1 in animals and humans demonstrate the need for comprehensive understanding of this virus and its public health implications, as well as for detailed genomic mapping and characterization. With increasing reports of human infections and the potential for devastating economic consequences in industrial livestock production, it is imperative to deepen analyzes of HPAI H5N1 to effectively respond to the continued spread of the virus in animals, prevent future outbreaks and transmission to the people. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the emergence and spread of HPAI H5N1, it is necessary to examine the genetic characteristics, mutations in the viral genome, and the evolution of the virus, and to evaluate the effectiveness of current prevention and control strategies.

ANALYSIS OF THE GENOTYPES OF INFLUENZA A H5N1 IN BULGARIA 2021-2023

Circulating HPAI virus H5N1 can be traced back to the original A/goose/Guangdong/1/96 strain. During the epidemiological years 2022 and 2023, a remarkable number of HPAI H5N1 virus isolates were detected and reported in a diverse range of hosts, including wild and domestic birds, mammals and humans, in more than 28 European countries. Interestingly, the potential for cross-species transmission highlights the complex dynamics of viral spread among these different susceptible species. The persistently emerging outbreaks of HPAI H5N1 in animals and humans demonstrate the need for comprehensive understanding of this virus and its public health implications, as well as for detailed genomic mapping and characterization. With increasing reports of human infections and the potential for devastating economic consequences in industrial livestock production, it is imperative to deepen analyzes of HPAI H5N1 to effectively respond to the continued spread of the virus in animals, prevent future outbreaks and transmission to the people. To provide a comprehensive analysis of the emergence and spread of HPAI H5N1, it is necessary to examine the genetic characteristics, mutations in the viral genome, and the evolution of the virus, and to evaluate the effectiveness of current prevention and control strategies.

Comparative Analysis of Nutrients and Mineral Element Contents in Muscles of Pelodiscus sinensis Raised in a Paddy Field and on a Factory Farm

Comparative Analysis of Nutrients and Mineral Element Contents in Muscles of Pelodiscus sinensis Raised in a Paddy Field and on a Factory Farm

КОМПЛЕКСНОЕ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ПРОБИОТИКА «ПРОЛАКСИМ-В» И СЕЛЕНОСОДЕРЖАЩЕГО ПРЕПАРАТА «НУТРИСЕЛ» ПРИ ОТКОРМЕ ИНДЕЙКИ

The industrial cultivation of turkey is a profitable area of agriculture. Turkey care is the same as for many other domestic birds. But the main difference lies in the size of this bird. This is a relatively large poultry. Today, industrial turkey breeding is a very popular business. And its popularity is gradually growing. For profitable meat production, it is necessary to use certain breeds of modern turkeys, which are distinguished by the highest conversion of feed into meat. They consume less food and turn it into meat in a very short time. Each period of the life of a turkey grown on factory farms is controlled in such a way as to maximize the final weight of the turkey in order to make a profit. The industry has increased the number of poultry raised in factories, thanks to breeding, various feed formulations and modern management methods. In modern production, all turkeys grown in factories are bred exclusively by artificial insemination in order to make production as efficient as possible. Turkeys grown at enterprises are too large and muscular to reproduce naturally, so sperm is collected from male turkeys and injected into female turkeys. Feeding turkeys is a serious matter. The food changes several times during the life of the birds. It is always a feed based on corn and soy, but with a different content of additional vitamins and minerals, depending on the stage of growth of turkeys. The texture of the feed also changes as the birds mature. The results of studies on the effect of the combined use of the probiotic «Prolaxim-B» and the seleniumcontaining drug «NutriSel» on the safety of livestock, the growth of experimental poultry and feed consumption per 1 kg of gain, the chemical composition of the total minced meat of the pectoral and femoral muscles are presented. Scientific and economic experiments were carried out on the farm of IP Ermakov on turkeys of the Hybrid Converter cross. To conduct the experiment, a control group and two experimental groups of 250 heads each were formed. The chemical composition of turkey meat was carried out at the age of 120 days

A Review of Alex Blanchette, Porkopolis: American Animality, Standardized Life, and the Factory Farm. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2020, 320 pp.

The book depicts a dynamic experiment in industrializing the pork industry in the post-industrial United States. The author demonstrates how in the heart of the Global North corporations seek to create and maintain the life of a standardized industrial pig which serves as a source material for more than a thousand commodities. “Porkopolis” introduces the reader to the workplaces of a factory farm that changes the daily lives of workers and the hierarchy of humans and non-humans. Thereby it opens the possibility of reimagining life shared with other species. A rich ethnography, equally sensitive to both phenomenology and the political economy of labor, challenges some aspects of contemporary Euro-American common sense. Industrialization as a basic feature of the capitalist mode of production still plays a fundamental role in agriculture, and changing the basis of industrial food production is not possible by transforming individual consumption practices.

ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ ОТБОР КАК ФАКТОР ПОЛУЧЕНИЯ АЛЬТЕРНАТИВНЫХ ИСТОЧНИКОВ ЭНЕРГИИ В СОВРЕМЕННОМ СКОТОВОДСТВЕ

Experts believe that global animal husbandry is an obstacle to the environmental safety. It is estimated that meat and milk production has increased from 758 million tons in 1990 to 1247 million tons in 2020, and continues to grow. At the same time, biogas emitted by animals provides energy for cars and space heating: 7.5 million vehicles in the world run on methane, 27 million on propane-butane. (Research Purpose) The research purpose is studying technological breegin as a factor in producing biogas, an alternative source of renewable energy. (Materials and methods) Carried out an analysis of literature data, theoretical and practical developments of the issue under consideration in the Russian Federation and foreign countries with developed dairy and beef cattle breeding. Methods of creating statistical groupings using system and statistical models, comparison, generalization and analysis of parameters and modes given in scientific and reference literature and obtained in industrial practice were applied. (Results and discussion) It was established that the selection of cattle to increase productivity is also manure breeding: in 1865, a cow gave 40 kilograms of methane per head per year with a productivity of 5,000 kilograms of milk per lactation, with an increase in milk yield to 8-9 thousand kilograms of milk, it produces almost 60 kilograms, that is, several gas cylinders daily. It has been shown that intensive animal husbandry increases not only milk yields and weight gain, but also gas exhaust. It was determined that technological features are taken into account in breeding plans and programs for the development of herds. (Conclusions) It was revealed that under the Kyoto Protocol, through the use of advanced technologies, a number of European countries plan to reduce emissions and become climate neutral in the following periods: Finland by 2035, Sweden by 2045, Germany to reduce emissions by 95 percent by 2049, Russia by 2050.

A systematic review of the definitions, narratives and paths forwards for a protein transition in high-income countries

The protein transition, aiming to rebalance protein intake between animal and alternative proteins, is gaining momentum in scientific and policy discussions on food system transformation. Here, using a systematic review approach, we identified 33 articles that address challenges in reducing the environmental impacts of protein production and consumption, providing healthy diets for a growing population and preventing adverse effects of industrial livestock production systems. We found unclear definitions of the protein transition, conflicting views on reduction or replacement of dietary protein and a lack of attention to systemic change by reducing protein to its macronutrient function. Three narratives were identified, namely, the consumer narrative focusing on consumption-based solutions targeting dietary changes; the techno-centred narrative developing new, more resource-efficient protein production systems; and the socio-technological narrative that intends to transition the agri-food system from an animal-dominated regime to an alternative protein regime. We conclude that solutions should consider factors such as scale, initiating actors and expected impact to support complementary protein transition approaches.

‘The Trio-Model’

In light of the United Nations’ aim to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and recognizing that the international community is nowhere near to achieving this aim, this paper argues for a change in practice and perspective regarding animals used for food, particularly those animals used in the industrial animal agriculture industry, and consequently calls for a transformative change in human-animal relationships. Using the global practice of factory farming as a case study, the paper aims to show that the interests of humans, nonhumans, and the environment overlap considerably and that the current anthropocentric stance, that provides the ethical framework for the SDGs, undermines itself in its attempt to meet the needs of present and future human beings whilst considering human interests only as of direct moral concern. Drawing on the concepts of “one health” and “doughnut economics”, the paper concludes with an urgent call for a more inclusive biocentric approach to global environmental problems, health, and disease. Such an approach should recognize the good of other than human beings in and of itself, and be guided by relevant anti-speciesist egalitarian principles and practices. This framework of biocentrism, doughnut economics, and one health the authors term the ‘trio-model’, for short.

A Review on Emerging Strategies for Heavy Metal Remediation from Various Sources

The current review addressed a research gap by identifying the most effective different remediation techniques and reducing soil contamination by adapting less cost-effective heavy metal contamination reduction techniques. Around 20 million hectares of terrestrial have been polluted by heavy metals that are above the geobaseline or regulatory limitations. These metals include Arsenic, Chromium, Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Cobalt, Nickel, Zinc, and Selenium. Land reclamation benefits both the natural world and the economy. For environmental and health reasons, we should prohibit agricultural practices Nitrogen-based fertilizers, chemical pesticidesdepraved management practices include poorly managed animal feeding operations, overgrazing, plowing, fertilizer, and improper, excessive, or badly timed use of pesticides that degrade local air quality. Many people feel that lead is the most hazardous metal there is. Production, use, and disposal of gasoline, fertilizers, paints, and explosives contribute to lead contamination, which is damaging to creatures besides the environment. Heavy metal contamination of the soil endangers wellbeing of all living creatures. An overview of the global problem of heavy metal poisoning of soil, the rate at which metals accumulate at toxic levels in plants, and the various types of soil contamination controls. Some in-situ and ex-situ remedy strategies for heavy metal contamination removal comprise external capping, encapsulation, landfilling, soil flushing and washing, electrokinetic extraction, stabilization, solidification, vitrification, phytoremediation, and bioremediation. The main objective is to preferred elimination/abstraction of impurities over the immobilization of hazardous containments, and among numerous methods in-situ soil remediation is more cost-effective than ex-situ handling. Reducing heavy metal exposure in people and plants is made easier with the help of the many strategies presented in this article.

Seasonal ammonia emissions from an intensive beef cattle feedlot in Victoria Australia

Ammonia (NH3) emitted from concentrated animal feeding operations can cause environmental and health problems, and indirectly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Cattle feedlots are known to be large sources of NH3, but few studies have documented seasonal emissions from Australian feedlots. We conducted two field campaigns to measure NH3 emissions from an intensive beef cattle feedlot in southeast Australia, and these results were combined with previous measurements at the same feedlot to document seasonal variations in emissions and to derive annual feedlot emission factors (EFs). Emission rates were calculated with an inverse dispersion modelling (IDM) technique, based on NH3 concentrations measured at the feedlot with open-path lasers (OPLs). The average area emission rates in spring, summer, autumn and winter were 90.5, 167.4, 96.2 and 86.8 μg NH3 m−2 s−1 from the cattle pens, and 22.5, 18.1, 7.7 and 20.7 μg NH3 m−2 s−1 from the manure stockpile area, respectively. The total per-animal EFs ranged from 126.0 (autumn) to 190.2 g NH3 animal−1 d−1 (summer), representing a loss of 47.5–64.6% of the fed N. Seasonal variations in emissions were related to air temperature. Slight changes in crude protein content of the cattle diet may also have impacted seasonal variability. Taking seasonal variations into consideration, the average feedlot EF was 160.4 g NH3 animal−1 d−1, with 90% of the emissions coming from the cattle pens. Extrapolating the EF to all feedlot cattle in the country, the direct NH3 emissions from Australian feedlots amount to 65.2 Gg NH3 annually, or 3.7% of the national total. Our study benchmarks seasonal and annual EFs and N losses for Australian commercial feedlots, and provides a baseline for extrapolating the impacts of mitigation efforts.

Enterococcus Species and Their Antimicrobial Resistance in an Urban Watershed Affected by Different Anthropogenic Sources

Different anthropogenic sources can have a significant influence on bacterial populations and their antimicrobial activities. In this study, the impact of anthropogenic activities on Enterococcus species was studied in an urban watershed in southern California affected by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), recreational activities, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), urban runoff, and control sites. Water samples were collected quarterly for two years for the enumeration of Enterococcus species based on the Enterolert most probable-number (MPN) assay. Concentrations of enterococci were higher in the sediment compared to surface water (4.5 × 106 CFU/g of sediment vs. 2.3 × 105 MPN/100 mL of water). The species diversity was dominated by E. mundtii (32%), E. faecalis (27%), and E. faecium (25%). E. faecium exhibited the highest antibiotic-resistant phenotype. Resistances were mostly to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Tetracycline and erythromycin resistance genes, encoded by tet (C, K, O, S) and ermB, respectively, were more common in isolates from sediment (42.9%) compared to water (12.7%). E. mundtii was sensitive to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and high levels of vancomycin. A significant percentage of E. faecalis were also resistant to these antibiotics. E. faecium and E. faecalis exhibited resistance to multiple antibiotics. Our data suggest that resistant Enterococcus species within the watershed might provide some useful data to determine pollutant types and sources in that watershed. Therefore, the widespread occurrence and abundance of E. faecium and E. faecalis, and their resistance genes associated with multiple antibiotics may potentially pose risks to the local populations exposed to these water sources during recreational activities.

Influenza risks arising from mixed intensive pig and poultry farms, with a spotlight on the United Kingdom

Diseases passed to humans from animals (zoonoses) constitute 75% of emerging infectious diseases. Farmed animals are considered a high zoonotic risk, especially poultry and pigs as evidenced by recent outbreaks of avian and swine influenza. This review sought to collate recent knowledge of the disease risks from keeping pigs and chickens intensively and in close proximity to each other. Recent knowledge on influenza viruses compounds the public health concerns; no longer are concerns about “mixing vessel” hosts limited to pigs, but several other animal species too at a high level of probability—most notably chickens and humans. More generally, scientific literature establishing positive associations between intensive animal farming, human population growth, reduced biodiversity, and increased zoonoses risks is abundant. This includes the publication of relevant systematic reviews. The collected scientific evidence on this issue is clear: there is exceptionally strong evidence for a link between low animal welfare levels and high zoonotic risks, exacerbated by animal crowding, low genetic diversity, compromised hygiene, and high animal stress levels which compromise immune systems. Based on this evidence, further industrialized animal farms—especially poultry and pig farms or a mix thereof, and particularly in areas that already have a high concentration of farmed animals—should not generally be permitted to proceed. Instead, efforts should concentrate on supporting arable agriculture (or transitions toward this) and de-intensifying remaining animal farms, in alignment with One Health/One Welfare approaches within which animal health and welfare are integral parts of any farming operation. Among numerous other factors, this would involve reducing stocking densities down to 11 kg/m2 (around five chickens/m2) for meat chickens, and down to one pig/1.5 m2 for pigs (assuming a 100 kg pig).

Synchronization of farrows at a pig factory farm

Synchronization of farrows at a pig factory farm

ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES AND THREATS OF THE RIPARIAN FOREST VEGETATION IN LAKE TRICHONIDA (GR2310009)

This paper presents the main environmental problems, pressures and threats faced by the riparian forests of Lake Trichonida, which is located in Western Greece (a protected area of Natura 2000 network with Code GR2310009), with the method of completing "questionnaires”. The main threat is human activities, such as intensive agriculture and animal husbandry, but also biotic factors such as the fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata f. sp. platani, which was recently identified in the plane forests of the lake. The majority of respondents pointed out bulky waste as the first, hierarchically, problem for the region. In the opinion of the respondents, the riparian forests of Lake Trichonida are largely threatened by: abandonment (60%), insufficient management (58%) and the risk of fire (32%). The lakeside forests are least threatened by: agriculture (60%), high number of visitors (50%), fire (48%).

Prediction of the mobility and persistence of eight antibiotics based on soil characteristics

Antibiotics are widely used in intensive animal husbandry in the Netherlands and are subsequently emitted to soil via manure. To predict degradation and mobility in soil, generic sorption models have been derived. However, most of the coefficients used in generic models are based on a limited range of soils and have not been validated for agricultural soils in the Netherlands. To improve model predictions and assess to what extent differences among soils affect sorption and degradation, an experimental study has been performed. Using a recently developed experimental approach, both the degradation (DT50) and mobility (Kd) of eight selected commonly used antibiotics were determined in 29 typical Dutch agricultural soils. Median DT50 values range from 5.3 days for Sulfadiazine to 120 days for Trimethoprim but are affected by soil type. The ratio of the lowest and highest DT50 for a given antibiotic among soils can be as large as 151, for Tylosin. Measured values of the logKd also range from 0.19 for Sulfadiazine to more than 2 for Doxycycline, Flumequine, Trimethoprim, Tylosin and Enrofloxacine. The impact of soil on Kd is large, especially for more mobile antibiotics such as Sulfadoxine and Sulfadiazine. Both the range in DT50 and Kd can be predicted reasonably well using a Freundlich type regression model that accounts for the variation in soil type and sampling depth. Organic matter, iron oxides, pH and clay content appear to be the main constituents and explain between 29 % (Trimethoprim) and 77 % of the variation in DT50 and between 64 % (Lincomycin) and 87 % (Sulfadoxine and Sulfadiazine) of the variation of Kd. The effect of depth on DT50 and Kd is however limited. The information thus obtained in combination with local data on soil type can be used to more accurately predict the potential risk of relevant antibiotics in soil and transport to ground- and nearby surface waters.

Corn and the range: rethinking ranching, agriculture and the feedlot

ABSTRACT Debates about modern beef production suffer from a major historical blind spot. For over a century, the feedlot relied on a closed nutrient loop to sustain soil fertility in the United States Corn Belt. Driven by industrial capitalist urbanization, a cattle-grain-beef complex shaped land use, tenure systems, management practices and environmental politics on the expanding frontier, sacrificing the tall-grass prairies and fracturing agrarian resistance to corporate concentration and the Union Stock Yards. Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) emerged after 1950, breaking the nutrient cycle of the original feedlot and turning the relationship between ranching and agriculture into a dysfunctional one.

Arresting calcium-regulated sperm metabolic dynamics enables prolonged fertility in poultry liquid semen storage

The preservation of liquid semen is pivotal for both industrial livestock production and genetic management/conservation of species with sperm that are not highly cryo-tolerant. Nevertheless, with regard to poultry semen, even brief in vitro storage periods can lead to a notable decline in fertility, despite the in vivo capacity to maintain fertility for several weeks when within the hen’s sperm storage tubules. For fertility in sperm, intracellular calcium ions ([Ca2+]i) play a key role in signaling towards modifying energy metabolism. While reducing [Ca2+]i has been found to enhance the preservation of sperm fertility in some mammals, the connection between semen fertility and calcium availability in avian sperm has received limited attention. In this study, we demonstrate that the use of extracellular and intracellular calcium chelators in liquid semen extenders, specifically EGTA and EGTA-AM, has distinct effects on prolonging the fertility of chicken sperm. These results were validated through in vivo fertility tests. Mechanistically, the effects observed were linked to coordination of mitochondrial metabolism and ATP catabolism. Despite both calcium chelators inducing hypoxia, they differentially regulated mitochondrial respiration and ATP accumulation. This regulation was closely linked to a bimodal control of dynein ATPase activity; a direct initial activation with reduction in [Ca2+]i, and subsequent suppression by cytoplasmic acidification caused by lactic acid. These findings not only contribute to advancing poultry liquid semen preservation techniques, but also elucidates biologically relevant mechanisms that may underlie storage within the female reproductive tract in birds.