Time Of Slaughter Research Articles

Risk factors in beef cattle for terminal rectal mucosa colonization of Escherichia coli 0157:H7

Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (STEC 0157) is an important foodborne pathogen of humans. Cattle are sub-clinically colonized with STEC 0157 at the terminal rectal mucosa (TRM). Live cattle serve as an important reservoir for human exposure, but it is unknown if health or performance characteristics of cattle predict their risk for colonization. Our objective was to test if disease during the finishing phase, growth performance, or carcass quality measurements at harvest increased the odds of E. coli TRM colonization at the time of slaughter.

Parasite infections of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) from Danish mariculture

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) runts (n = 5) and harvest quality fish (n = 5) were sampled from each of all the net cage mariculture facilities in Denmark at the time of slaughter during autumns of 2012 and 2013. Thus, a total of 190 trout were obtained, represented by 95 runts and 95 fish of harvest quality. Trout were examined for macroscopic ectoparasites as well as helminths of the gastrointestinal tract and body cavity by careful visual inspection, and belly flap musculature by pepsin digestion. Stomach content analysis was performed in order to assess the risk of endoparasite transmission to the net cage cultured trout. Low numbers of salmon lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) (1–9 lice per fish) were found on 9 trout from western localities off the eastern coast of Jutland characterized by water salinity levels of 21–24‰, whereas no lice were detected on fish from areas of lower salinity. Body cavity and musculature of all trout were free from helminths, and the absence of medically important 3rd stage larvae of Anisakidae was thus confirmed. However, transmission of endoparasites was documented by the finding of the nematode Hysterothylacium aduncum in the intestines of 9.5% of the runts (mean intensity = 2.3) and 2.1% of the harvest quality trout (mean intensity = 2.0). A few cestodes (Eubothrium sp.) located in the pyloric caeca, and one acantocephalan (Neoechinorhynchus sp.) found in the intestine, were collected from four trout. The higher prevalence of H. aduncum among runts was associated with a markedly increased intake of parasite intermediate or paratenic hosts, i.e. small fish (mainly three-spined stickleback) and crustaceans (mainly amphipods), by these fish compared to those of harvest quality. Additionally, a higher number of runts than harvest quality fish had eaten biofouling organisms, e.g. mussels and algae, further indicating a difference in feeding behavior between the two quality classes of trout.

Effect of intramuscular fat, breed, and age at slaughter on fatty acid composition in green hams.

The evolution of fatty acid classes (ΣSFA, ΣMUFA, and ΣPUFA) in neutral lipids (NL) and phospholipids (PL) in pigs were studied. The M. biceps femoris in green hams from Norwegian breeds Landrace (LR), Duroc (DU), and Hampshire (HS) slaughtered at 6, 7.5, and 9 mo of age were examined. The parameters were analyzed for age and breed effects with and without adjustment for NL or PL content. The fatty acid class contents of NL were not significantly different between the age groups. However, when NL content was adjusted, deposition of ΣSFA and ΣMUFA in NL significantly increased and deposition of ΣPUFA in NL significantly decreased with age. Duroc had consistently higher fatty acid class contents, but after adjusting for NL content, only the deposition of ΣSFA proved to be genetically different. The nonlinear relationship between NL content and ΣMUFA and ΣPUFA, together with the genetic potential of HS to deposit less ΣSFA than LR, gave significantly different fatty acid class compositions between the breeds. The content and proportion of ΣMUFA in PL increased with age. Specific ratios were also determined. The fat firmness index, C18:0/C18:2n - 6 in NL, increased with age and was lowest in HS due to genetics and highest in DU due to its high NL content. The sensory rancidity index C18:1n - 9/Σn - 6 increased in NL and decreased in PL between 7.5 and 9 mo. The C18:1n - 9/Σn - 6 in NL was highest in DU due to higher NL content. The Σn - 6/Σn - 3 in NL and PL increased between 7.5 and 9 mo. Knowledge of age-related changes and breed differences in fat content and composition would be helpful in determining the optimal breed and slaughter time in terms of raw ham quality.

Surveillance of low pathogenic novel H7N9 avian influenza in commercial poultry barns: detection of outbreaks and estimation of virus introduction time.

BackgroundBoth high and low pathogenic subtype A avian influenza remain ongoing threats to the commercial poultry industry globally. The emergence of a novel low pathogenic H7N9 lineage in China presents itself as a new concern to both human and animal health and may necessitate additional surveillance in commercial poultry operations in affected regions.MethodsSampling data was simulated using a mechanistic model of H7N9 influenza transmission within commercial poultry barns together with a stochastic observation process. Parameters were estimated using maximum likelihood. We assessed the probability of detecting an outbreak at time of slaughter using both real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) and a hemagglutinin inhibition assay (HI assay) before considering more intense sampling prior to slaughter. The day of virus introduction and R0 were estimated jointly from weekly flock sampling data. For scenarios where R0 was known, we estimated the day of virus introduction into a barn under different sampling frequencies.ResultsIf birds were tested at time of slaughter, there was a higher probability of detecting evidence of an outbreak using an HI assay compared to rt-PCR, except when the virus was introduced <2 weeks before time of slaughter. Prior to the initial detection of infection Nsample = 50 (1%) of birds were sampled on a weekly basis once, but after infection was detected, Nsample = 2000 birds (40%) were sampled to estimate both parameters. We accurately estimated the day of virus introduction in isolation with weekly and 2-weekly sampling.ConclusionsA strong sampling effort would be required to infer both the day of virus introduction and R0. Such a sampling effort would not be required to estimate the day of virus introduction alone once R0 was known, and sampling Nsample = 50 of birds in the flock on a weekly or 2 weekly basis would be sufficient.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2334-14-427) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of immunological castration and distiller's dried grains with solubles on carcass cutability and commercial bacon slicing yields of barrows slaughtered at two time points.

Male pigs were randomly assigned to a castration method at birth and allotted to 48 pens (28 pigs/pen). Physically castrated (PC) barrows were castrated at 2 d of age; immunologically castrated (IC) barrows were administered Improvest (GnRF analog diphtheria toxoid conjugate; Zoetis, Kalamazoo, MI) at 16 and 20 wk of age. Distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) feeding strategies included either 0% DDGS (control), 30% DDGS (30% DDGS) fed from 6 wk of age to slaughter, or 30% DDGS fed from 6 wk of age to second dose of Improvest and then fed 0% DDGS until slaughter (withdrawal). Four barrows closest to the median pen weight at 4.5 wk after second dose were selected for evaluation; two were randomly selected and slaughtered at 5 wk and the other two at 7 wk after second dose. Data from each slaughter time were analyzed independently as a 2 × 3 factorial design with pen as the experimental unit. At 5 wk after second dose, bone-in lean cutting yields were 2.63% units greater (P < 0.01) in IC when compared to PC. Bellies were thicker (P < 0.01) and tended to have greater belly flop distances (P = 0.07) in PC compared to IC, however iodine values (IV) were not altered (P = 0.84). Carcass traits (P ≥ 0.10), cutting yields (P ≥ 0.43), and fresh belly characteristics (P ≥ 0.08) were minimally affected by DDGS feeding strategy. Bacon slicing yields (percentage of green weight) were 6.10% units less (P < 0.01) in IC compared with PC. At 7 wk after second dose, bone-in lean cutting yields were 1.57% units greater (P = 0.03) in IC compared with PC. Distiller's grains feeding strategy had no effect (P ≥ 0.83) on boneless carcass cutting yields in IC; while in PC, these yields were 2.32% units less (P < 0.02) in control-fed barrows when compared to other feeding strategies (castration method × feeding strategy; P = 0.03). Bellies from PC tended to be thicker (P = 0.07) and have similar flop distances (P = 0.44) and IV (P = 0.54) when compared with IC. Iodine value was greater (P = 0.03) in 30% DDGS-fed barrows compared with control-fed barrows. Bacon slicing yields (percentage of green weight) were 4.27% units less (P = 0.05) in IC compared with PC. These data suggested that while bacon slicing yield was reduced in IC barrows fed control and 30% DDGS compared with PC barrow counterparts, withdrawal of DDGS improved bacon slicing yields of IC barrows.

Cadmium and other heavy metal concentrations in bovine kidneys in the Republic of Ireland

In Ireland, an estimated 15% of Irish soils exceed the EU threshold limit for soil Cd of 1mg/kg. The aim was to determine the concentrations of Cd and other heavy metals (As, Hg and Pb) in kidneys collected from cattle at slaughter. Systematic sampling of eligible animals (animals that were born and reared until slaughter in the same Irish county) at the time of slaughter was conducted, until a threshold number of animals from all 26 counties and 6 age categories was reached. A predictive surface of soil Cd was generated, by kriging the Cd values of 1310 previously reported soil samples. A linear regression weighted model was developed to model kidney Cd concentration, using the risk factors of age, sex, breed, province and estimated soil Cd concentration. Kidney Cd (n=393) concentrations varied between 0.040 and 8.630mg/kg wet weight; while concentrations of As, Hg and Pb were low. The estimated weighted proportion of animals with a high (≥1mg/kg) kidney Cd concentration was 11.25% (95% CI: 8.63–14.53%). Key predictors for high kidney Cd concentration were soil Cd, animal age and province. At a soil Cd concentration of 1.5mg/kg, it was predicted that an age threshold to avoid exceeding a kidney Cd concentration of 1mg/kg in most animals would be ~3y in Connacht, >4y in Ulster, and >5y in Leinster and Munster. In naturally occurring areas of high Cd levels in soils in Ireland, the Cd level in bovine kidneys can exceed the current EU ML of 1mg/kg in older animals. Kidneys of most cattle under three years of age will conform with EU requirements.

STUDIES ON OXYTETRACYCLINE RESIDUES DEPLETION IN RABBIT MEAT

A total of 100 rabbits weighed about 1000-1500 grams (free from any antibiotics by feeding the rabbits on a balanced ration free from antibiotics for three weeks) were divided into two groups ; control group (50) and test group (50) which were injected subcutaneously with oxytetracycline hydrochloride 20mg/kg body weight for five successive days. 5 rabbits from each group were slaughtered at zero time, 24hr, 48hr, 72hr, 96hr, 120hr, 144hr, 168hr (1week), 2weeks and 3weeks. Residue depletion of oxytetracycline was determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The slaughter time strongly affects the concentration of oxytetracycline residues in animal meats, so that by increasing the slaughter time the oxytetracycline residues decreased. Boiling for 30 minutes caused a great degradation of oxytetracyline residues in rabbit meats but not complete destruction. Freezing at -20o c caused a lower degradation than that caused by boiling. So neither boiling nor freezing could be used as reliable methods to get rid of oxytetracycline residues in rabbit meats. The recovery rates for oxytetracycline in rabbit muscles, kidneys and livers were 102%, 92% and 86%, respectively, at a concentration of 20 µg/kg of spiked samples.

Tensile properties of hair fibres obtained from different breeds of pigs

A key by-product of pig farming is the hair or bristle fibres obtained at the time of slaughter. Data on physical properties of pig hair fibres is sparse, restricting its diversified industrial application. A study was conducted to analyse the variations in the tensile properties of the pig hair fibres with respect to breed (Ghungroo, Ninag Megha, Hampshire and Duroc) and location on the body. The mean density of fibres in the body surface of pigs was between 0.079 and 0.154 per mm 2 . The fineness of fibres ranged between 29.1 and 124.2 tex. The mean tensile strength of the pig hair fibre was 14.05 cN tex −1 . The average extensibility and Young's modulus of the pig hair fibre was 31.53% and 6.39 ± 0.19 GPa respectively. The maximum load at rupture of the hair fibres varied from 9.2 to 13.8 N. The overall mean work of rupture and flexural rigidity of the hair fibre was 3.61 × 10 −2 Jm −1 tex −1 and 1059 ± 321 mN mm 2 mm −1 respectively. The coefficient of static friction of the hair fibres was similar among the different breeds of pigs, irrespective of their location on the animal’s body. Some variations in the physical properties of pig hair fibres with respect to breed and/location could be observed. In general, the physical and tensile properties of the fibres were similar to other natural fibres of animal origin and they may find use in the manufacture of diverse, environment friendly products. • The tensile, frictional and flexural properties of pig hair fibres are reported. • The mean tensile strength of the pig hair fibre was 14.05 cN tex −1 . • The extensibility and Young's modulus of fibre was 31.53% and 6.39 GPa respectively. • The maximum load at rupture of the pig hair fibre was between 9.2 and 13.8 N. • The tensile properties hair varied with respect to breed of pig and body location.

Pig hair fibre utilization in India: Present status and future perspectives

The hair or bristle, one of the key byproducts of pig slaughter, is used for making of brushes for domestic and industrial use. In the present review, the status of scientific knowledge on pig hair or bristle, SWOT analysis of hair sub- component of the piggery sector, balance of global trade and future prospects for promoting the effective pig hair fibre utilization by industries in India are described. The data on physical properties of pig hair or bristle remains sparse in spite of its widespread use in making different kinds of brushes in India and the world. Analysis of international trade data indicated that, India is primarily an importer of raw fibres and export accounts for less than 0.1% of the global trade. In India, most of the pig hairs/bristles are burned at the time of slaughter, wasting the valuable bio-resource permanently. On the other hand, the country imports raw fibre materials for catering the needs of domestic fibre industries. Thus, there exists abundant opportunities for promotion of pig hair fibre production and utilization in India. The advantages of promoting pig hair/bristle fibre for use in fibre industries include its superior tensile properties, availability, and environment friendliness. The industrial utilization requires detailed studies on physical and chemical characteristics of these fibres in relation with tensile properties. The efforts to promote pig fibre utilization will provide additional income to the pig farmers through better byproduct utilization, paving the way for employment generation for the rural youth through development of fibre based environment friendly industries.

Effects of USDA carcass maturity on sensory attributes of beef produced by grain-finished steers and heifers classified as less than 30 months old using dentition1

This study compared sensory properties of LM steaks from A maturity and B maturity or older carcasses that were produced by grain-finished steers and heifers classified as less than 30 mo old at the time of slaughter using dentition. Carcasses were selected to represent 2 maturity groups and 3 marbling categories within each maturity group, resulting in 6 maturity × marbling subclasses, each subclass consisting of 75 carcasses. Maturity groups consisted of carcasses classified by USDA graders as either A(00) to A(99) overall (A) maturity or B(00) to C(99) overall (B-C) maturity; marbling categories consisted of carcasses with instrument marbling scores of Slight (SL), Small (SM), or Modest(00) or greater (MT+). Carcasses were selected in pairs so that each carcass chosen to represent the B-C maturity group was paired with an A maturity carcass of the same sex and marbling score (± 30 marbling units). Strip loin (LM) steaks were obtained from both sides of each carcass. After a 14-d aging period, 1 LM steak was measured for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and slice shear force (SSF), whereas the other LM steak was used for sensory analysis by a trained descriptive attribute panel. No differences (P > 0.05) in WBSF, SSF, or sensory panel ratings for tenderness, juiciness, or flavor were detected between LM steaks from carcasses classified as A maturity and steaks from B-C maturity carcasses. However, marbling categories effectively stratified carcasses (MT+ > SM > SL) according to differences (P < 0.0001) in LM tenderness, juiciness, meaty/brothy flavor, and buttery/beef fat flavor. Increased marbling also was associated with lesser (P < 0.01) intensities of bloody/serumy and livery/organy flavors and reduced (P < 0.01) values for WBSF and SSF. Of the traits tested, only bloody/serumy flavor was affected (P < 0.05) by the maturity × marbling interaction. Interaction means showed that LM steaks from B-C maturity carcasses with SL marbling had a less intense bloody/serumy flavor than did steaks from A maturity carcasses with SL marbling. Results of this study suggest that, when applied to carcasses from grain-finished cattle whose dental ages are less than 30 mo old at the time of slaughter, USDA quality grades would be no less effective in identifying eating quality differences if the A and B-C maturity groups were combined and quality grades were assigned using only marbling.

Within-batch prevalence and quantification of human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis in tonsils of pigs at slaughter

Yersiniosis is a common bacterial zoonosis in Europe and healthy pigs are known to be the primary reservoir of human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis. However, little information is available about the prevalence of these pathogens within pig batches at time of slaughter. The tonsils of 7047 fattening pigs, belonging to 100 farms, were aseptically collected immediately after evisceration in two Belgian slaughterhouses. The batch size varied between 70 and 930 pigs. On average, 70 pigs were sampled per batch. The tonsils were examined by direct plating on cefsulodin–irgasan–novobiocin (CIN) agar plates and the number of suspect Yersinia colonies was counted. Pathogenic Y. enterocolitica serotype O:3 were found in tonsils of 2009 pigs (28.5%), originating from 85 farms. The within-batch prevalence in positive farms ranged from 5.1 to 64.4%. The number of Y. enterocolitica in positive pigs varied between 2.01 and 5.98log10CFUg−1 tonsil, with an average of 4.00log10CFUg−1 tonsil. Y. pseudotuberculosis was found in seven farms, for which the within-batch prevalence varied from 2 to 10%. In five of these farms, both Y. enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis were simultaneously present. Human pathogenic Yersinia spp. are widespread in slaughter pig batches in Belgium as 87% of the tested batches were infected with these pathogens at the time of slaughter. The large variation of the prevalence between batches may lead to different levels of contamination of carcasses and risks for public health.

Ultrasonographic measurements of kidney fat thickness and Longissimus muscle area in predicting body composition of pregnant goats

Non-invasive methods for estimating body composition to monitor nutritional status in goats have been less studied. Therefore, this study estimated the body composition and fat depots of pregnant goats by using indirect measurements, such as bodyweight (BW) and ultrasound measurements of the Longissimus muscle area (LMA) and kidney fat thickness (KFT). Forty-three pregnant goats were slaughtered at 50, 80, 110 and 140 days of gestation to determine the gross energy and fat content in the body, as well as to obtain the mass of renal fat, omental fat and non-carcass fat. After the slaughter, the mass of fat depots was recorded and the whole body of the each animal was ground to take samples for determining gross energy (using a bomb calorimeter) and fat (Soxhlet extraction with ether). Animals were weighed, and ultrasonographic measurements were taken at the time of slaughter. The LMA and KFT measurements were taken between the 12th and 13th rib and after the 13th rib space, respectively, and these measurements were used to estimate total gross energy, body fat content and the renal fat, omental fat and non-carcass fat mass. Multiple regressions were performed using Proc mixed of SAS. No significant correlation was observed between gross energy and body fat composition, the number of fetuses or the days of gestation. LMA and BW were positively related to body fat and gross energy contents. KFT and BW showed a positive correlation with renal fat depots, omental fat content and non-carcass fat mass. The estimated models revealed that the total body fat increased from 15.6% to 20.8% of bodyweight from 50 to 140 days of gestation. This report is the first study using kidney fat thickness as a tool to predict fat depots in goats. LMA, BW and KFT measurements will enable the development of models to aid in the monitoring of the nutritional status of goats during pregnancy.

Grain feeding increases core body temperature of beef cattle

The core body temperature and post slaughter loin temperatures of steers fed on grass pasture was compared with those of steers fed a grain-based feedlot diet. The feeding treatments were grass for 300 days (Grass), grass for 150 days then feedlot for 150 days (Short Feedlot) and feedlot for 300 days (Long Feedlot). Temperature telemeters were inserted under the peritoneum of the steers and temperature measured at intervals of 1 h for the 300 days, and then at intervals of 1 min for the 48-h period before slaughter. The pH and temperature decline post mortem was also measured. The carcasses of the feedlot steers were heavier and fatter than those from the Grass-fed steers. The core body temperature of the steers from the feedlot treatments was 0.3–0.4°C higher than for the Grass treatment at the time of slaughter. The loin temperature was higher in the feedlot treatments than the Grass treatment at all times measured post mortem as was the temperature at pH 6. Feedlotting can increase the likelihood of ‘high rigor temperature’ conditions of high temperature and low pH occurring in beef carcasses, due to an increase in core body temperature before slaughter, a decrease in the rate of cooling and an increase in the rate of pH decline post mortem. These effects are possibly due to a combination of a direct effect of feed type on body temperature as well as indirect effects on bodyweight and condition score.

Nanomechanical Characteristics of Meat and Its Constituents Postmortem: A Review

Tenderness/toughness are two important factors in meat evaluation and can be well explained by their mechanical and nanomechanical characteristics, which in turn are highly affected by the complex arrangement of meat numerous constituents and the influence of endogenous enzymes on this biological structure. It has been also revealed that post-slaughter variations in muscle characters that make muscle to transform to meat are a consequence of changes in the nanomechanical properties of myofibrillar proteins through linkage with each other or even through their breakdown. However, background toughness that is related to the connective tissues exists just at the time of slaughter and does not change over the time. The most famous instruments that measure the mechanical characters of myofibrils in pico/nano scale are atomic force microscopy, also known as scanning force microscope, optical tweezer, and glass microneedle. In this regard, mechanical terms such as torsional strength, rotational Brownian motion, elastic modulus, viscoelasticity, flexibility, etc. are generally used to show different behavior of meat ultrastructure and the changes that usually occur in postmortem muscle. It is expected that the evaluation of nanomechanical properties of muscle cells and connective tissues, particularly when the muscle undergoes different changes, be useful in order to justify many features of meat postmortem.

Estimation of milk leakage into the rumen of milk-fed calves through an indirect and repeatable method

In milk-fed calves, quantification of the milk that enters the rumen (ruminal milk volume, RMV) because of malfunction of the esophageal groove reflex may explain part of the variability observed between animals in their growth performance. The RMV can directly be quantified by adding an indigestible marker to the diet and measuring its recovery in the rumen at slaughter, but this technique cannot be repeated in time in the same animal. The objective of the study was to evaluate three indirect methods for estimating RMV. The first method was based on the assumption that ruminal drinking delays and limits acetaminophen appearance in blood after ingestion of milk supplemented with acetaminophen. The second method was based on a negative linear relationship between RMV and urinary recovery of non-metabolizable monosaccharides (3-O-methylglucose, l-rhamnose and d-xylose) added to the milk, owing to rumen fermentation. In the third method, RMV was calculated as the difference between total milk intake and the increase in abomasal milk volume (AMV) at feeding, measured through ultrasonography shortly after feeding, or estimated from the mathematical extrapolation of AMV to feeding time, based on consecutive measurements. These methods were tested in three experiments where calves (n=22, 10 and 13) were bucket fed or partly tube fed (i.e. by inserting milk replacer into the rumen via a tube to mimic ruminal drinking). In addition, Co-EDTA and Cr-EDTA were used as an indigestible marker in one experiment to trace bucket-fed or tube-fed milk replacer, respectively, to measure RMV. The relationship between AMV measured by ultrasonography and AMV measured at slaughter improved when kinetics of AMV were extrapolated to the time of slaughter by mathematical modeling (error between predicted and measured AMV equaled 0.49 l). With this technique, RMV during feeding averaged 17% and 24% of intake in Experiments 2 and 3, respectively. Plasma acetaminophen kinetics and recovery of non-metabolizable monosaccharides in urine were partly associated with ruminal drinking, but these techniques are not considered quantitatively accurate without further information of rumen degradation and absorption. The recovery of indigestible marker measured at slaughter gave a quantitative estimate of RMV (2% in Experiment 3), but improper measurement of emptying rate of fluid from the rumen may lead to underestimation. In conclusion, measuring changes in AMV by ultrasonography, in response to milk feeding, was the most promising indirect method to quantify RMV in veal calves.

The comparison of peroxynitrite action on bovine, porcine and human fibrinogens

Abstract Subjects of bovine and porcine flocks are sometimes susceptible to death before time of slaughter, and some of those deaths may be due to cardiovascular problems connected with stress. The role of oxidative stress in farm animals is yet unexplored. Human fibrinogen seems to be highly susceptible to nitration. Peroxynitrite produced from superoxide and nitric oxide initiates noticeable changes in the structure of human fibrinogen molecule. The objective of this work is to compare the in vitro interactions of peroxynitrite with human fibrinogen and with fibrinogen from mammals of great economic importance, namely cows and pigs. Using western blots and ELISA we show that porcine fibrinogen is susceptible to tyrosine nitration induced by peroxynitrite whereas, bovine fibrinogen is more resistant. Moreover, porcine fibrinogen polymerization is susceptible to peroxynitrite action, whereas bovine fibrinogen is the least susceptible to inhibition of polymerization caused by peroxynitrite. These observed differences may result from differences in amino acid sequence of fibrinogen chains, mostly including tyrosine content and location in the Aα chain. Protection against toxic effects of peroxynitrite activity in the circulatory system seems to be important in avoiding cardiovascular diseases and may prevent production loss in pig breeding herds.

Effects of florfenicol on the immune responses and the interferon-inducible genes in broiler chickens under the impact of E. coli infection

Florfenicol (FFC) as a chloramphenicol's derivative is a special broad-spectrum antibiotic that was used in veterinary clinics. In the present study, we investigated the effect of different doses of FFC on the humoral immune response of broiler chickens to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine under the impact of E. coli infection. In addition, the expression of the interferon-inducible genes (IRF7, 2'-5'OAS and Mx1) were analyzed in the spleen tissue of these chickens using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The non-treated group with FFC and non-infected with E. coli had the highest immune responses against NDV compared with the FFC treated groups. In the case of E. coli infection, the group treated with FFC (30 mg/Kg BWt) showed lower NDV HI and IgG ELISA Ab levels compared to the group treated with FFC (60 mg/Kg BWt). A dose dependent up-regulation was observed in the level of the interferon-alpha pathway related genes (IRF7 and 2'-5'OAS) in the FFC treated groups compared to the non-treated group. At the slaughter time, the numbers of adipocyte in the bone marrow were significantly higher with moderate atrophy of the hematopoietic lineages in the FFC treated birds compared to the non-treated birds. These results indicated that this FFC dosage dependent increase in the humoral immune responses against NDV vaccine could be attributed to its efficient therapeutic effect on the E. coli infection. However, the increase in the FFC dosage can negatively but temporarily affect the chicken body weights. Additionally, it can exert up regulation effect on the chicken innate immune response with moderate hypoplasia of the bone marrow cells.

Forensic cases of bruises in pigs

Bruises in pigs inflicted by blunt trauma are a significant animal welfare problem, and affected skin and underlying muscle are regularly submitted for forensic investigation. Central to the evaluation is...

Fasting up to 34 °C days in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, has little effect on flesh quality

Abstract Pre-slaughter handling of fish can have important effects on product quality, although few studies have related fasting duration with water temperature and flesh quality in trout. In this study, 90 rainbow trout were fasted for 1, 2 and 3 days (11.5, 22.9 and 34.1 °C days, respectively) and slaughtered at 08H00, 14H00 and 20H00 to observe the effect of fasting duration and hour of slaughter on flesh quality indicators up to 72 h post mortem. The values of the fasted fish were compared with 90 control fish kept under similar conditions but not fasted. Results indicate that the interaction between fasting, hour of slaughter and storage time had a significant effect on pH, rigor and water holding capacity, although differences were small. Flesh colour was more affected by storage time than fasting time, with a tendency for higher lightness (L*) values as storage time increased and lower a* and b*-values. Muscle glycogen and R-values were not affected by fasting or time of slaughter, although the high values of the latter indicate some kind of pre-slaughter stress. Overall, these results suggest that fasting up to 34 °C days has little effect on fillet quality.

Effect of Different Feed Structures and Bedding on the Horizontal Spread of Campylobacter jejuni within Broiler Flocks

In this study, we investigated the effects of different feed structures and beddings on the spread of C. jejuni in broiler flocks, and the effect on the cecal microbiota. Broiler chickens raised in 24 eight-bird group cages on either rubber mat or wood shavings were fed either a wheat-based control diet (Control), a diet where 50% of the ground wheat was replaced by whole wheat prior to pelleting (Wheat), or a wheat-based diet, such as the control diet diluted with 12% oat hulls (Oat). Samples from the cloacal mucosa of all birds were taken daily for C. jejuni quantification and cecum samples were collected at the end of the experiment for C. jejuni quantification and microbiota analyses. We have shown a statistically significant effect of increased feed structure on the reduced spread of C. jejuni in chicken flocks, but no significant differences were detected between types of structure included in the feed. No significant changes in the dominating microbiota in the lower lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract were observed, which indicates that feed structure only has an effect on the upper GI tract. Delaying the spread of C. jejuni in broiler flocks could, at time of slaughter, result in fewer C. jejuni-positive broilers.