Ruminant Livestock Industry Research Articles

Influence of Feed and Feeding Strategies on Rumen Microbiome: A Review

The presence of complex microorganisms in the rumen of ruminants are able to process the lignocellulose from low quality feed and fodder into volatile fatty acids, convert non-protein nitrogen into microbial protein and synthesize B vitamins, thus, ruminants are able to produce food of animal origin without competition for feed with non-ruminants and man. On the other hand, they contribute 14 per cent of anthropogenic methane, released annually into the atmosphere. Manipulating the rumen microbiome is considered as an important approach to reduce environmental impact, while increasing production efficiency in ruminants. A systematic literature search was undertaken and relevant research and review articles were downloaded, classified and salient points extracted to prepare the narrative review on “Influence of Feed and Feeding strategies on Rumen microbiome”. The microbial community in the rumen is the most diverse composed of bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi and uncharacterized virome. Differences in ruminal microbial community compositions are predominantly attributable to diet. Dietary manipulation offers a viable solution to alter the rumen microbiome so that the present-day challenges faced by the ruminant livestock industry is addressed.

Epiberberine: a potential rumen microbial urease inhibitor to reduce ammonia release screened by targeting UreG

Rumen microbial urease inhibitors have been proposed for regulating nitrogen emission and improving nitrogen utilization efficiency in ruminant livestock industry. However, studies on plant-derived natural inhibitors of rumen microbial urease are limited. Urease accessory protein UreG, plays a crucial role in facilitating urease maturation, is a new target for design of urease inhibitor. The objective of this study was to select the potential effective inhibitor of rumen microbial urease from major protoberberine alkaloids in Rhizoma Coptidis by targeting UreG. Our results showed that berberine chloride and epiberberine exerted superior inhibition potential than other alkaloids based on GTPase activity study of UreG. Berberine chloride inhibition of UreG was mixed type, while inhibition kinetics type of epiberberine was uncompetitive. Furthermore, epiberberine was found to be more effective than berberine chloride in inhibiting the combination of nickel towards UreG and inducing changes in the second structure of UreG. Molecular modeling provided the rational structural basis for the higher inhibition potential of epiberberine, amino acid residues in G1 motif and G3 motif of UreG formed interactions with D ring of berberine chloride, while interacted with A ring and D ring of epiberberine. We further demonstrated the efficacy of epiberberine in the ruminal microbial fermentation with low ammonia release and urea degradation. In conclusion, our study clearly indicates that epiberberine is a promising candidate as a safe and effective inhibitor of rumen microbial urease and provides an optimal strategy and suitable feed additive for regulating nitrogen excretion in ruminants in the future.Key points• Epiberberine is the most effective inhibitor of rumen urease from Rhizoma Coptidis.• Urease accessory protein UreG is an effective target for design of urease inhibitor.• Epiberberine may be used as natural feed additive to reducing NH3 release in ruminants.

NANOPARTICLES ANTIBIOTIC DELIVERY SYSTEM: AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT PROTOCOL FOR CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS.

Caseous lymphadenitis is an infectious zoonotic disease of goats with severe economic implications. A major reason why management of the disease is a problem in the small ruminant livestock industry is because Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis forms biofilm in the host and is resistant to antibiotic drugs resulting in a chronic granulomatous condition. The use of nanoparticles as a means of direct drug delivery to this organism may provide a solution to tackling it. This review focuses on caseous lymphadenitis and the different nanoparticles for antimicrobial drug delivery

Sustainable Small Ruminant Production in Low- and Middle-Income African Countries: Harnessing the Potential of Agroecology

The role of small ruminant production in achieving sustainable and resilient food systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is yet to be fully explored or incorporated into current agroecological practices and policies. This review examines the principles and practices of agroecology, focusing on circular food systems and the sociopolitical aspects of their implementation for small ruminant production in LMICs. It discusses Gliessman’s five levels of agroecological transition and eight principles for integrating small ruminant production into agroecology: input reduction, animal health, soil health, biodiversity, recycling, synergy, economic diversification, and co-creation of knowledge. The review highlights that, while there are differing interpretations in the scientific literature, there is a growing consensus that agroecological practices applied to small ruminant production have the potential to improve integration and self-sufficiency in farming systems, improve animal health, reduce reliance on external inputs, and promote circularity and biodiversity. This reinforces the view that agroecological approaches to small ruminant production can foster a sustainable and interconnected system that strengthens the relationships between animals, plants, and the environment and enhances circularity. To achieve successful implementation and widespread adoption of these approaches, it is crucial to facilitate greater collaboration and cocreation of knowledge among small ruminant farmers and stakeholders in the small ruminant livestock industry.

The use of cathepsin L1 (FhCL1) serological ELISA in sentinel screening for liver fluke on sheep farms.

Fasciola hepatica is a parasitic helminth (worm) that poses a significant economic threat to the ruminant livestock industry worldwide. The disease, fasciolosis, can result in a range of clinical signs including anaemia, weight loss and death, with the most severe symptoms attributed to early acute infection when the parasite is migrating through the liver. Early diagnosis and intervention are essential for the control and management of the disease to prevent productivity losses. The traditional gold standard method of diagnosis uses faecal egg counts (FEC) that is limited to detecting patent infections from 10 to 12weeks post infection (WPI). In contrast, serological assays can detect pre-patent infections as we have shown that enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) using the F. hepatica cysteine peptidase cathepsin L1 (FhCL1) can detect liver fluke infections from 3 to 4 WPI. Here, we used FEC and ELISA to monitor liver fluke infections in sentinel lambs from three commercial farms in Ireland from September 2021 to March 2022. All three farms showed a significant increase in FhCL1 antibody levels and FEC over this time, with a substantial rise in positive infection detection between late November and January. However, ELISA screening detected infection at least two months prior to FEC (September). This suggests that the regular screening of sentinel lambs for F. hepatica seroconversion in a "test and treat" approach could mitigate the negative damaging impact of early fasciolosis on flock health, welfare and productivity and inform management strategies. In addition, we show that whole blood samples taken on Whatman® protein saver cards could replace conventional serum blood tubes for blood collection. Cards can be stored at room temperature for long periods of time and samples revisited at any time for re-analysis. The adoption of these cards on farm together with the FhCL1 ELISA would provide a simpler, cost-effective, and eco-friendly method for testing sentinel lambs for liver fluke disease.

Using new insights in grazing management to buffer the impacts of climatic variability on pasture resilience

Pasture is the main source of nutrition for the New Zealand ruminant livestock industry. Changing climatic conditions and relentless intensification are putting the ability of pastures to provide that nutrition under pressure. Recent understanding of the interactions between grazing management and the life cycle of roots, leaves and seedheads of pasture species creates further opportunities to increase pasture resilience. Root production is directly related to, though lagging, leaf production and turnover. Tiller production is modified by temperature and seedhead production. Matching grazing patterns to maximise the production of each of these features is generally impossible at the farm scale. However, matching some of these characteristics on some of the farm can be achievable, and have long-lasting benefits for pasture resilience. Therefore, grazing management practices such as deferred grazing in late spring, summer and autumn may be used both to provide a boost to root and tiller production, and to transfer feed from one grazing period to another. Changing our winter management practices away from intensive daily allocations towards 4-day shifting may also increase early spring production, while reducing summer grazing pressure in droughts will aid pasture productivity and persistence in the long term. These techniques have the potential to ensure that the future nutritional needs of grazing ruminants will continue to be met by grazed pasture.

Market integration and agricultural development: The case of Tibet's ruminant livestock industries

AbstractExpanding livestock production is widely promoted as a way of improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers. However the rudimentary, insular and relatively small size of markets in which many smallholders operate means that rapid livestock industry expansion can have an adverse impact on prices and livelihoods. The link between market integration, livestock industry development and smallholder livelihoods is examined in the case of ruminant livestock industry expansion in Tibet. The analysis finds some transmission between Chinese and Tibetan sheepmeat prices and that this integration with the broader Chinese market and its favourable medium term outlook is crucial to any livestock industry expansion given the current low margins for sheep for Tibetan farmers. While Tibet milk prices exceed eastern China prices, and evidence of transmission is less pronounced, the outcome for smallholder Tibetan dairy farmers in doubling their cow numbers is better in an integrated market than in an insular market. Thus the analysis highlights the importance for ruminant livestock industry expansion in Tibet of integration with broader Chinese markets while also highlighting the need to consider market integration when assessing livestock industry development strategies for smallholder farmers. [EconLit Citations: Q12, Q13]

Initial assessment of the economic burden of major parasitic helminth infections to the ruminant livestock industry in Europe

We report a European wide assessment of the economic burden of gastrointestinal nematodes, Fasciola hepatica (common liver fluke) and Dictyocaulus viviparus (bovine lungworm) infections to the ruminant livestock industry. The economic impact of these parasitic helminth infections was estimated by a deterministic spreadsheet model as a function of the proportion of the ruminant population exposed to grazing, the infection frequency and intensity, the effect of the infection on animal productivity and mortality and anthelmintic treatment costs. In addition, we estimated the costs of anthelmintic resistant nematode infections and collected information on public research budgets addressing helminth infections in ruminant livestock. The epidemiologic and economic input data were collected from international databases and via expert opinion of the Working Group members of the European Co-operation in Science and Technology (COST) action COMbatting Anthelmintic Resistance in ruminants (COMBAR). In order to reflect the effects of uncertainty in the input data, low and high cost estimates were obtained by varying uncertain input data arbitrarily in both directions by 20 %. The combined annual cost [low estimate-high estimate] of the three helminth infections in 18 participating countries was estimated at € 1.8 billion [€ 1.0–2.7 billion]. Eighty-one percent of this cost was due to lost production and 19 % was attributed to treatment costs. The cost of gastrointestinal nematode infections with resistance against macrocyclic lactones was estimated to be € 38 million [€ 11–87 million] annually. The annual estimated costs of helminth infections per sector were € 941 million [€ 488 – 1442 million] in dairy cattle, € 423 million [€ 205–663 million] in beef cattle, € 151million [€ 90–213 million] in dairy sheep, € 206 million [€ 132–248 million] in meat sheep and € 86 million [€ 67–107 million] in dairy goats. Important data gaps were present in all phases of the calculations which lead to large uncertainties around the estimates. Accessibility of more granular animal population datasets at EU level, deeper knowledge of the effects of infection on production, levels of infection and livestock grazing exposure across Europe would make the largest contribution to improved burden assessments. The known current public investment in research on helminth control was 0.15 % of the estimated annual costs for the considered parasitic diseases. Our data suggest that the costs of enzootic helminth infections which usually occur at high prevalence annually in ruminants, are similar or higher than reported costs of epizootic diseases. Our data can support decision making in research and policy to mitigate the negative impacts of helminth infections and anthelmintic resistance in Europe, and provide a baseline against which to measure future changes.

Determining the effects of transplacental and direct transmission on the probability of persistence in a bluetongue virus model in temperate and tropical regions

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is an important concern for the ruminant livestock industry owing to its high morbidity rate. It is mainly transmitted by a midge to a host (vectorial transmission) but even though its replication in the midge ceases during winter in temperate countries, outbreaks re-emerge in the next season. Transplacental and direct transmission have been proposed as mechanisms that facilitate its overwintering (persistence), but to date, their effects on the probability of BTV persistence are not fully understood. In addition, the effects of these mechanisms on the probability of BTV persistence in tropical regions where the virus is endemic are not clear. A deterministic model that accounts for BTV transmission to cattle is formulated and analysed. Using the next generation approach the basic reproduction number (R0) is determined. When R0<1, the model exhibits a backward bifurcation indicating that the virus persists. When R0>1, a continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) model derived from the deterministic model is used to estimate the probability of BTV persistence. By approximating the CTMC model with a multitype Galton–Watson branching process, it is shown that both mechanisms can have a high and a low positive effect on the probability of BTV persistence in temperate and tropical regions, respectively. These results indicate the importance of transplacental and direct transmission for BTV persistence in temperate regions, but not in tropical regions where vectorial transmission is the dominant mechanism as expected.

Genetics of footrot resistance in small ruminants.

Abstract Footrot is a highly contagious disease with significant economic and animal welfare impacts on the small ruminant livestock industry. Host genetics, environmental conditions, nutrition, foot shape and structure, and age contribute to small ruminants' susceptibility to footrot. Selection for footrot resistance is a promising way to classify susceptible or resistant small ruminants without subjecting them to a pathogenic challenge, to reduce disease prevalence, to improve small ruminants' health and welfare and to produce safe, high-quality food. To date, there has been little focus on footrot resistance heritability and response to selection in small ruminants. This review paper (a) explains footrot and its aetiology in small ruminants, (b) describe genetics of disease resistance and marker-assisted selection, (c) discusses footrot resistance heritability, (d) addresses phenotypic and genetic variation in footrot resistance and selection for footrot resistance, and (e) defines phenotypic and genetic assessment for footrot resistance and footrot gene-marker screening test.

Citrus and Winery Wastes: Promising Dietary Supplements for Sustainable Ruminant Animal Nutrition, Health, Production, and Meat Quality

Citrus and grapes are the most widely grown fruits globally, with one-third of total production used for juice and wine making. The juice and winemaking processes generate large quantities of solid organic wastes including citrus pulp and grape pomace. These fruit wastes pose serious economic, environmental, and social challenges, especially in low-to-middle-income countries due to financial, technological, and infrastructural limitations. They are, however, rich in valuable compounds which can be utilized in the ruminant livestock industry as novel, economical, and natural sources of cellulose, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and phytochemicals, which have nutritional, anthelmintic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Despite citrus and grape fruit wastes having such potential, they remain underexploited by the livestock industry in low-to-middle-income countries owing to lack of finance, skills, technology, and infrastructure. Inclusion of these fruit wastes in ruminant diets could combine the desirable effects of enhancing animal nutrition, health, welfare, production, and meat quality attributes with the prevention of challenges associated with their disposal into the environment. The current review explores the valorization potential of citrus and winery wastes as dietary supplements to sustainably enhance ruminant animal nutrition, health, welfare, production, and meat quality.

Global Change and Helminth Infections in Grazing Ruminants in Europe: Impacts, Trends and Sustainable Solutions

Infections with parasitic helminths (nematodes and trematodes) represent a significant economic and welfare burden to the global ruminant livestock industry. The increasing prevalence of anthelmintic resistance means that current control programmes are costly and unsustainable in the long term. Recent changes in the epidemiology, seasonality and geographic distribution of helminth infections have been attributed to climate change. However, other changes in environment (e.g., land use) and in livestock farming, such as intensification and altered management practices, will also have an impact on helminth infections. Sustainable control of helminth infections in a changing world requires detailed knowledge of these interactions. In particular, there is a need to devise new, sustainable strategies for the effective control of ruminant helminthoses in the face of global change. In this paper, we consider the impact of helminth infections in grazing ruminants, taking a European perspective, and identify scientific and applied priorities to mitigate these impacts. These include the development and deployment of efficient, high-throughput diagnostic tests to support targeted intervention, modelling of geographic and seasonal trends in infection, more thorough economic data and analysis of the impact of helminth infections and greater translation and involvement of end-users in devising and disseminating best practices. Complex changes in helminth epidemiology will require innovative solutions. By developing and using new technologies and models, the use of anthelmintics can be optimised to limit the development and spread of drug resistance and to reduce the overall economic impact of helminth infections. This will be essential to the continued productivity and profitability of livestock farming in Europe and its contribution to regional and global food security.

Prevalence and clinical impact of Toxocara vitulorum in cattle and buffalo calves in northern Lao PDR

This study was completed to determine the prevalence and distribution of Toxocara vitulorum infection in cattle and buffalo calves and investigate its clinical impact in northern Lao PDR (Peoples Democratic Republic). The results aim to assist decisions on disease control measures that can contribute to increasing cattle and buffalo productivity within smallholder farming systems in tropical areas. A prevalence survey for T. vitulorum in buffalo and cattle calves aged <3 months was conducted between September 2009 and June 2010 in five provinces of northern Lao PDR using a two-stage sampling technique to select 69 villages and 899 calves, with faecal samples collected and examined for T. vitulorum eggs at a local laboratory. At the time of sampling, data on calf morbidity and anthelmintic treatment was also collected. Factors potentially associated with infection and severity of infection were analyzed at univariable and multivariable levels, using T. vitulorum status (positive/negative) and on the positive calves only, faecal egg count levels as outcome variables. The estimated prevalence of T. vitulorum in northern Lao was 22.6 % (95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.28), and 76.8 % of villages had at least one positive calf. Province was the only significant (p < 0.05) variable investigated associated with calf infection status. Species (buffalo) was the only variable significantly (p < 0.05) associated with higher egg per gram of faeces levels among infected calves. Prevalence in calves aged 1-21 days, the reported prepatent period, was 17.5 % (CI 0.11-0.24). Treatment levels were very low (8.2 %) and if treatment occurred it was mostly unsuccessful. The high and wide spread infection of T. vitulorum in cattle and buffalo calves identified in this survey is likely to result in suboptimal cattle and buffalo productivity. Improved management of T. vitulorum infection in cattle and buffalo calves in northern Lao PDR is indicated to reduce potential negative production impacts and enable more efficient development of large ruminant livestock industry as a pathway from rural poverty for smallholder farmers in northern Lao PDR. In addition to quantifying this disease problem in calves, the conduct of this applied participatory research study provided an important opportunity to improve animal health services by increasing the parasite, large ruminant handling and research knowledge and capacity of government animal health staff and farmers.

RUMINANT NUTRITION SYMPOSIUM: Acidosis: New insights into the persistent problem1

The Ruminant Nutrition Symposium titled "Acidosis: New insights into the persistent problem" was held at the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, American Society of Animal Science, Poultry Science Association, Asociación Mexicana de Producción Animal, Western Section-ASAS, and the Canadian Society of Animal Science in Denver, Colorado, July 11 to 15, 2010. The objective of the symposium was to provide the ruminant nutrition community with new insights and perspectives from recent research findings on acidosis. Under modern production systems, ruminants are fed high-grain diets to maximize their energy intake and productivity. However, feeding highly fermentable diets often causes excess fermentation and results in accumulation of fermentation acids in the rumen, leading to a decrease in feed intake, poor feed efficiency, liver abscesses, and lameness in feedlot cattle or lactating dairy cows. Although our understanding of nutritional factors (i.e., effects of type and processing method of grains and importance of physically effective fiber) affecting rumen pH have increased substantially over the past few decades, rumen acidosis has continued to be a common problem in the ruminant livestock industry. The symposium program was organized to review recent research findings in acidosis with more emphasis on physiological aspects, and provide novel insights into the persistent problem.

International approaches to the concept of integrated control of nematode parasites of livestock

Livestock production systems throughtout the world are under severe and sustained pressures. These are diverse and multi-factorial, ranging from the need to redress the oversupply of livestock commodities from the protected industries of the industrialised world, meeting animal welfare expectations, attempts to ease animal-induced land degradation and pollution, and competition with alternative products. As a consequence, funding for research to the ruminant livestock industries has been contracting universally. This applies particularly to research on those diseases of grazing livestock that are not zoonotic, threats to trade, or major “killer” diseases. Gastrointestinal helminths fall outside these priorities. The last decade has witnessed a major contraction throughout the world in the number of research centres and staff involved in applied veterinary parasitology research. This coincides with a time when these livestock industries need the most help. Resistance to anthelmintic drugs amongst the major nematode parasites of sheep and goats has now reached alarming proportions throughout the world and threatens the future viability of continued small ruminant production in many countries. Anthelmintic resistance is also increasing in the important nematode parasites of cattle. Also, this time coincides with the apparent reduction in the discovery and development of entirely new anthelmintic products by the pharmaceutical industry. As a consequence, those remaining researchers and extension personnel who have the responsibility of providing support to the ruminant livestock industry, are showing innovation and lateral thinking in ways to combat the perennial problem of internal parasites in grazing livestock. There are a number of excellent examples of parasite-control schemes, which do not rely entirely on anthelmintic treatment. These are now being supplemented with some exciting novel approaches to dealing with particularly pressing parasite problems. Also there is a move towards the development of true integrated approaches in the control of nematode parasites of livestock, which employ several of these methods when appropriate. This proves that as far as worm control in livestock is concerned, the old adage “necessity is the mother of invention”, holds true.

Effects of Maturity on Chemical Composition and Digestibility of Bird Resistant Sorghum Plants When Fed to Sheep as Silages

ALTHOUGH corn has provided the base crop both as a grain and silage source for the ruminant livestock industry in the midwest, diseases and severe predations by birds in some areas have forced a search for substitute crops of similar nutritive value. Grain sorghums offer yield potentials similar to corn, possibly greater drought resistance and greater latitude of soil fertility. High grain producing varieties of sorghums have recently been developed which are resistant to bird damage at least in the milk and dough stages due to high tannin content in the seed pericarp (Fuller, Potter and Brown, 1966; Harris, Johnson and Stacy, 1964). Recent studies at this research center 4 have shown that 100% of a non bird resistant variety was destroyed while five bird resistant varieties of sorghum were undamaged. Bird resistant sorghums have been fed to cattle with no apparent problems (Davies and Stallcup, 1966; Merwine, 1961). Fox et al. (1970) found, however, that the net energy value and digestibilities of AKS 614 bird resistant sorghum were considerably less than those values for corn, both when fed as a grain and a silage to beef cattle. They found that the sorghum grain at late maturity was highly resistant to digestion unless the hull was broken by grinding.