Tick-borne pathogens threaten livestock health and productivity in Southeast Asia. Despite growing regional interest, epidemiological data from the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) remain insufficient and underreported. We collected 227 ticks from 63 cattle across northern, central, and southern Lao PDR. Species were morphologically identified as Rhipicephalus microplus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and confirmed by sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. Pathogen screening was conducted via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with sequence identities verified using the GenBank database. Multivariate analyses assessed regional variation. Detected pathogens included the apicomplexan protozoans Babesia bigemina (7%), Babesia bovis (2.6%), and Theileria sp. (10.6%) as well as the bacteria Anaplasma marginale (18.9%), Anaplasma sp. (2.2%), Ehrlichia sp. (6.6%), Ehrlichia minasensis (0.4%), and Aureimonas altamirensis (1.3%). Anaplasma marginale was the most prevalent. Codetections were common, with multiple ticks harboring two or more pathogens. Some double detection occurred more frequently than expected by chance. This study presents the first comprehensive evidence of diverse tick-borne pathogens circulating in cattle ticks from Lao PDR, revealing high genetic similarity to globally recognized strains alongside distinct region-specific detection patterns. Notably, it also constitutes the first report of A. marginale, E. minasensis, B. bigemina, B. bovis, and Theileria sp. in cattle ticks in the country. These findings underscore the urgent need for integrated tick and pathogen surveillance within a One Health framework, with significant implications for regional disease monitoring, livestock health management, and zoonotic risk mitigation.

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock production is an escalating global public health threat, fuelled in part by the misuse of antibiotics in animal farming. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding antimicrobial use and AMR among poultry farmers in Accra, Ghana.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 400 poultry farmers in five communities across the Greater Accra Region was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The survey collected data on demographics, AMR awareness, antibiotic usage practices (treatment, prophylaxis, or growth promotion), and commonly used antibiotic classes from 14th March to 26th September 2023. Descriptive statistics summarized the findings. Associations between farmer characteristics (age, gender, education, location) and antimicrobial self-medication (treating poultry without veterinary consultation) were evaluated using chi-square tests. A multivariate logistic regression model identified independent demographic predictors of self-medication, with significance set at p < 0.05.ResultsMost farmers (70%) reported self-medicating sick poultry without veterinary consultation, and only 35% of respondents were aware of the concept of AMR. Antibiotics were predominantly used for treating illness (63% of farmers), while 20% used them for prophylaxis and only 4% for growth promotion. The most administered antibiotic classes were tetracyclines (26%), nitrofurans (24%), aminoglycosides (18%), penicillins (17%), and fluoroquinolones (10%). Male farmers and those over 30 years had significantly higher rates of antimicrobial self-medication than female and younger farmers (p < 0.001), and in multivariate analysis, being male (odds ratio ~4.9), age > 30 years (OR ~4.6), and farming in a rural area (OR ~2.7) were independent predictors of self-medication with antibiotics.ConclusionsInappropriate antibiotic use is highly prevalent among poultry farmers in Accra, and awareness of AMR is low. These findings underscore an urgent need to strengthen veterinary oversight and enforce regulations on antibiotic sales. Educating farmers through a One Health approach is also recommended to promote prudent antibiotic use and curb the rise of antimicrobial resistance.

Novel Epichloë endophyte infected tall fescue was commercially introduced to US livestock producers in 2001. Initial acceptance of the technology was poor with sales amounting to a small fraction of market studies. Acceptance of novel technology was attributed to mixed messaging from livestock professionals and companies with novel products. University, industry, and seed companies coalesced in the fall 2012 to develop the Alliance for Grassland Renewal to provide uniform messaging to livestock producers, operating under the assumption that educating producers would increase novel endophyte technology adoption. Methods: A minimum of four ‘producer’ schools were conducted by the Alliance each year beginning in 2013 until present. School topics included: differentiating the endophyte types in tall fescue, common falsehood remedies to fescue toxicosis, methods to renovate toxic tall fescue, pasture management, seed testing for quality control and assurance of novel products, and economics of pasture renovation. The ‘Alliance’ selected Agrinostics Ltd. Co. as the standard laboratory to monitor seed lots for quality (viable infection frequencies, mammalian toxic off types). Agrinostics monitored the number of seed lots tested over time to determine the impact of the Alliance on novel endophyte adoption. Findings: There was a lag in novel endophyte technology acceptance by producers from 2013 through 2016. However, beginning in 2017 there has been a linear increase in the number of seed lots tested. We conclude that novel endophyte technology is gaining acceptance by livestock producers because of the educational efforts provided by the Alliance. However, producer resistance to pasture renovation remains. Resistance to renovation is related to a) current livestock market conditions and b) a poor understanding when renovation is the best strategic option.

Epichloë fungal endophytes are characterized by their biotrophic lifestyle and their highly specific and variable interaction with cool-season Pooideae grasses. These endophytes grow systemically in the apoplast of the aerial tissues and can reproduce sexually, asexually or interspersing both lifecycles. Within the cosmopolitan genus Festuca (Poaceae), Epichloë festucae is one of the most prevalent Epichloë endophytes, appearing in up to 30 taxa. This interaction has been thoroughly studied in agricultural species (e.g., Lolium perenne) due to the impact of endophyte-expressed secondary metabolites on farming and livestock production. To date, four alkaloid classes have been identified: ergot alkaloids, 1-aminopyrrolizidines (including lolines), indole-diterpenes and pyrrolopyrazines (including peramine), exhibiting toxicity or deterrence to vertebrates, insects or both. Our study aimed to characterize the holobionts formed by five fine-leaved Festuca species (F. lambinonii, F. nigrescens, F. rubra subsp. pruinosa, F. yvesii, and F. rothmaleri) and their respective E. festucae strains across diverse Iberian ecosystems. Our specific objectives were: (1) to perform an integrative characterization of both symbionts using molecular, cytogenetic and morphological approaches; and (2) to quantitatively and qualitatively assess the chemotypes and conduct genetic screenings of endophytes in these holobionts. We recorded a wide variety of chemotypes, finding differences between individuals at intra- and interspecific levels. For pyrrolopyrazines, peramine was detected in some individuals within the species F. yvesii and F. rothmaleri, whereas an alternative compound (pyrrolopyrazine 2a) was detected in the remaining individuals of these species and in all F. rubra subsp. pruinosa and F. lambinonii samples. For ergot alkaloids, only F. rubra subsp. pruinosa showed traces of chanoclavine and quantifiable ergovaline. Indole-diterpenes (e.g., paxilline, terpendole isomers, paspaline and 13-desoxypaxilline) were variably present in F. nigrescens, F. yvesii, and F. rothmaleri, whereas 1-aminopyrrolizidines were absent in all samples. Interestingly, results of the alkaloid analyses were not always consistent with the results of the genetic screens: in some cases, the genes of biosynthetic pathways were present, but the corresponding alkaloids were undetected. Altogether, we were able to detect the presence of at least two alkaloid classes for all studied species, with exception of F. lambinonii, suggesting that the host species might obtain protection against invertebrates and, for those that produce certain ergovaline or certain indole-diterpenes, also against vertebrates. We believe that these findings evidence the importance of characterizing naturally distributed holobionts to expand our comprehension regarding the secondary metabolism associated with this symbiosis and the plasticity of E. festucae.

Epichloë species are filamentous fungal endophytes within the family Clavicipitaceae that form enduring symbioses with temperate grasses of the Pooideae. These plant-microbe associations are ecologically important constituents of many temperate grassland ecosystems. In New Zealand, selected asexual strains of Epichloë have been incorporated into elite grass cultivars where they predominantly confer protection against invertebrate pests. These novel grass-endophyte associations underpin sustainable pastoral farming practices in managed temperate grasslands in many countries such as in New Zealand, Australia, and the USA. For example, the commercialisation of endophyte strain AR37 in a wide range of ryegrass cultivars has been estimated to contribute NZ$3.6 billion to the New Zealand economy. This has led to greater productivity and persistence of pastures, resulting in increased livestock productivity and improved health and welfare. In New Zealand, a multidisciplinary science team at AgResearch has, and continues to, underpin the development of selected Epichloë-grass technology with many endophyte products now successfully marketed for pasture persistence and wild-life deterrence. The team’s success has relied on their diverse capability set in areas of science such as agronomy, animal science, entomology, plant biology, fungal genetics, mycology, seed science, toxicology, and natural product chemistry, along with the application of fundamental and applied science to study grass-endophyte symbioses. In the pursuit of new agriculturally useful grass-endophyte associations, the team at AgResearch has furthered the understanding of the molecular interactions that govern genetic compatibility between endophyte strains and their grass hosts. This new knowledge has led to the development of novel endophyte associations in cereal crops (e.g. rye and wheat). Additionally, the AgResearch team has developed a gene editing platform to precisely custom design previous genetically intractable Epichloë strains to deliver the ideal combination of chemistry and subsequent conferment of bioactivity within the grass host using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. These scientific endeavours aim to broaden the biocontrol capability of Epichloë strains, particularly to mitigate climate related stresses in globally important agriculturally crops.

The traditional Iberian pig production system in the dehesa ecosystem of southwestern Spain and Portugal represents a significant cultural and ecological model of extensive livestock farming currently facing sustainability challenges. This study aimed to identify eco-efficiency indicators by integrating economic and environmental dimensions across traditional Iberian pig farms. Structured surveys were conducted across 68 farms, complemented by life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate environmental impacts including climate change, acidification, eutrophication, energy demand and land occupation. Multivariate statistical analysis identified two distinct farm types: Mixed-orientation Farms (MF, 45.59% of farms), characterised by diversified production phases and greater reliance on external inputs, and Acorn-Fed Farms (AF, 54.41% of farms), specialised in acorn-based fattening with greater dehesa ecosystem integration. AF demonstrated significantly lower environmental impacts across all categories except land occupation, with reductions ranging from 9% to 18% compared to MF. Furthermore, AF achieved superior eco-efficiency with gross margins 15% higher than MF and economic returns per unit of environmental impact 32% to 59% higher across all indicators. These findings demonstrate that farrow-to-finish farms specialised in montanera systems can simultaneously achieve greater profitability and reduced environmental impacts, providing a replicable model for sustainable livestock production in Mediterranean agroecosystems.

Soil salinization has become a global agricultural issue, reducing agricultural productivity, threatening livestock production and food security. Wild barley (Hordeum brevisubulatum) is widely distributed in lightly saline meadows in northern China and exhibits high salt tolerance. This tolerance can be further enhanced by the presence of Epichloë bromicola, a mutualistic fungal endophyte and this symbiotic association serves as essential germplasm for developing novel salt-tolerant grass lines. This study evaluated the salt tolerance of 16 wild barley-E. bromicola ecotypes under greenhouse conditions. plants (n=15) from each ecotype were subjected to mixed salt stress (NaCl: Na₂SO₄ = 1: 1) at different concentrations (0 mM, 400 mM, 600 mM, and 800 mM) and their growth responses assessed after 30 days. The results demonstrated that salt stress significantly increased leaf mortality, relative membrane permeability, and Na⁺ content, while reducing plant height, stem diameter, tiller number, biomass, K⁺ content, and the concentration of peramine, an endophyte-derived alkaloid that has insect deterrent activity. Notably, peramine content varied significantly among ecotypes, with DB, B1, B2, B3, and R showing no detectable peramine, whereas D2 exhibited the highest level (424 µg/kg-1). Correlation analysis revealed that peramine content was positively correlated with plant chlorophyll content, stem diameter, green leaf rate, and K⁺ content, but negatively correlated with leaf mortality, withering rate, and relative membrane permeability. After 30 days of exposure to 800 mM mixed salt, mortality was detected in a subset of ecotypes. R, DB, LZ E-, D3, and E1 showing mortality rates of 100%, 33%, 33%, 33%, and 27%, respectively. A grey relational analysis ranked the ecotypes' salt tolerance in descending order: D2 &gt; A1 &gt; J &gt; H &gt; G &gt; D1 &gt; K &gt; LZ E+ &gt; B3 &gt; B2 &gt; B1 &gt; E1 &gt; D3 &gt; LZ E- &gt; DB &gt; R. Cluster analysis classified them into five groups: D2 (highest tolerance), A1 (high tolerance), J/ H/ G/ D1/ K/ LZ E+ (moderate tolerance), B3/ B2/ B1 (low tolerance), and E1/ D3/ LZ E-/ DB/ R (lowest tolerance). In conclusion, D2, the most salt-tolerant ecotype, represents a valuable genetic resource for breeding high salt-resistant wild barley-E. bromicola symbiont lines.

Native cattle breeds in Europe are vital to agricultural heritage and livestock production, combining adaptation to diverse environments with desirable traits such as high-quality beef and milk. To investigate genetic diversity, local adaptation, and productivity-related characteristics, we generated whole-genome sequences from 289 cattle representing 11 native breeds and the commercial Holstein-Friesian breed across Finland, the Netherlands, and Portugal. These breeds span diverse climates and management systems, from cold northern regions to Mediterranean environments in southern Europe. The dataset comprises over 11 terabytes of paired-end Illumina NovaSeq6000 sequencing data, with an average depth of ~10 × and an alignment rate of ~99.7% against the ARS-UCD1.2 and 2.0 cattle reference genomes. Variant calling identified about 30 million SNPs and 2.7 million small indels distributed unevenly across the genome. Annotation linked many variants to known genes. This genomic resource provides an important foundation for studying genomic diversity, environmental adaptation, small structural variants discovery, and genomic mapping of economically important traits, offering insights for future breeding and conservation programs in European cattle.

The interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health drives emerging threats, such as antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. The widespread use of the same antimicrobials in both human and livestock may play a role in interspecies bacterial transmission by disrupting natural microbial communities and creating an environment favouring resistant bacteria. Pigs and poultry receive high levels of antimicrobials and are reservoirs of multidrug-resistant bacteria, including Streptococcus suis, a zoonotic pig pathogen. S. suis detection in non-porcine hosts, particularly poultry, raises a critical question: is this due to transient spillover or does it represent sustained host jumps and adaptation? Analysing over 3000 S. suis genomes from a diverse range of hosts-including pigs, wild boar, humans, cats, dogs, cattle, fish, otter, and birds-we identify a multidrug-resistant lineage, distinct from the lineage responsible for most zoonoses, that has undergone multiple host jump events into birds. Unlike transmission to humans, which is exclusively derived through contacts with pigs, we find evidence of S. suis adaptation to birds. This includes phylogenetic persistence, independent acquisition of bird-specific mobile genomic islands, enhanced survival in chicken versus pig blood, and subsequent transmission from poultry to wild birds. While chickens may not be a source of zoonotic S. suis infections, shared antibiotic usage in pigs and poultry may have promoted host jumps of multidrug-resistant S. suis, leading to onward transmission to wild bird populations. Our results suggest that antibiotic use in livestock production may promote transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria to other hosts, thereby expanding the ecological range of bacterial pathogens.

Dam Rong District (old) of Lam Dong Province before the merger, was one of the 61 poorest districts in the country; enjoyed special mechanisms for socio-economic development according to Resolution No.30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 of the Government on the Program to support rapid and sustainable poverty reduction for 61 poor districts (Resolution No.30a). Ethnic minorities in Dam Rong District have been supported with jobs, production (seeds, fertilizers, crops, livestock, science and technology, pesticides,etc.), human resource training, infrastructure investment, etc. With special mechanisms lasting for decades, Dam Rong District has now been removed from the list of the poorest districts in the country; The number of poor households in Dam Rong district in 2024 is only 624, accounting for 4.27% of the district's population, the number of near-poor households is 1,077, accounting for 7.36% of the district's population. There are many reasons leading to multidimensional poverty of ethnic minorities in Dam Rong district, one of which is the influence of culture, customs and practices. In this article, the author will focus on clarifying this issue.

Abstract Floras and botanical collections are essential tools for understanding plant diversity, promoting its conservation, and supporting a wide range of scientific applications. Uruguay, located in the biodiverse grassland region of southern South America, has had only an incomplete Flora, the most comprehensive of which was published more than a century ago. We review the country's flora and the history of its study, and introduce the new Flora Uruguaya Online (FUO; https://florauruguaya.org ), which when completed will provide a comprehensive record of all vascular plant species, including information on their distribution, morphological, ecological, and phenological characteristics. This online Flora presently contains information on 182 families, 1053 genera, and 3112 species, 85.4% of which are native to Uruguay and 2.2% endemic. Although Uruguay accounts for only 25% of the surface area of the Río de la Plata Grasslands, it contains over 60% of their species and more than 50% of their endemic taxa, reflecting its core geographical position. Uruguay's flora faces increasing pressure from land‐use change, habitat fragmentation, and invasive species. FUO provides critical support for addressing these challenges, offering systematic botanical data for basic and applied research, conservation, sustainable uses, and land management, including practical applications such as the identification of toxic plants affecting livestock production. We highlight key features of FUO with its research‐enabling tools for the exploration of Uruguay's botanical richness by scientists, as well as by policymakers, educators, conservationists, and citizens. These features include its accessibility, interactivity, multiple filters (e.g., geographic regions, ecological characteristics, conservation status, or specific species attributes), rich graphics, and multiple sources of data inputs tied to herbarium specimens.

Abstract The production of livestock sector is one of the main pillars of food security in Egypt. However, it faces economic and structural challenges that affect its efficiency and economic value. The research problem is represented by the existence of several challenges facing the livestock production sector in Egypt, the most important of which is the increasing rates of population growth at rates exceeding the rates of growth in livestock production, accompanied by the low value of investment allocations for this sector, which led to the emergence of a food gap in animal products, the value of which amounted to about 8.862 billion dollars during the research period, compared to the value of this gap in Saudi Arabia, which amounted to about 1.18 billion dollars. The research aims to analyze and measure the impact of several economic factors on the worth of livestock produce over the years 1990 to 2023, using the Autoregressive-Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. The Outcomes of the cointegration test demonstrated a long (term) equilibrium The association between the elements, with the Correction of errors parameter rreaching -0.826, indicating that approximately 82.6% of short (term) imbalances are corrected within approximately one year and two months, reflecting the stability and explanatory power of the model The results showed that both the Feed Production and the number of agricultural workers had a significant and direct influence on The worth of production of livestock, with a 1% rise in both leading to a 3.051% and 2.956% rise in animal production, respectively. In contrast, agricultural loans had an inverse and significant influence of -0.755%, indicating that they were not appropriately directed towards productive animal activities. Foreign direct investment also had a negative impact of -0.215%, and mechanical technology had a negative impact of -1.403%. Chemical technology and government support had no significant impact. In light of these results, we recommend restructuring agricultural lending policies and directing them towards actual animal production activities. We also recommend monitoring disbursement and utilization mechanisms to ensure the desired developmental impact, enhance human capacity, and promote agricultural integration. We also recommend adopting modern standard models in formulating evidence-based agricultural policies.

Monitoring and risk profiling of eight pesticides in livestock products

Formal and informal antimicrobial trade and usage in farmed animals of the urban area of Lomé, Togo.

Potential of traditional Chinese medicine as an antibiotic alternative for mitigating antibiotic resistance: A case study of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum.

Assessing the agroecological impact of digital tools in livestock production: A systematic review

Defect-driven bifunctional Cu/N co-doped biochar for synchronized adsorption and instant catalysis in organic pollutant degradation.

Gastrointestinal modification based on probiotic feed additive enviro-alleviators to reduce enteric methane production in ruminant and non-ruminant livestock

Pectin-modified PCN-222 for detecting nitrofurazone residues with dual signals in livestock, poultry, and aquatic products

Transformative potential of insect bioconversion and its role in circular economy.