The Impact of Increasing Anthelmintic Resistance on Ruminant Performance and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

We are unlikely to see reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ruminants in the UK without changes to the way we farm. However, there are many ways in which emissions can be reduced, without reducing our meat and milk output (which raises the risk of displacement of production and emissions). Improving productivity often leads to reductions in emissions intensity (EI, the kg of GHG emitted per kg of output), thereby enabling emissions to be reduced while maintaining output. One way of improving productivity is to improve ruminant health. Helminth parasites (roundworms and fluke) are among the most important production-limiting pathogens of grazing livestock in the UK. However, there is also evidence of increasing anthelmintic resistance (AR) among some important parasites, which could render current treatments less effective. In this case study, we review the evidence on trends in ruminant emissions and explain why health status is an important determinant of GHG emissions. We then review trends in AR and outline options for tackling it

Analyzing who is relevant to engage in environmental decision-making processes by interests, influence and impact:The 3i framework

Outcomes in participatory environmental processes are strongly affected by choices about who is engaged. Inclusive engagement diversifies the range of interests and perspectives represented, including those from vulnerable and marginalized groups, ultimately contributing to more socially and environmentally sustainable and equitable outcomes. However, existing “stakeholder analysis” methods often bias participant identification away from disenfranchised groups with limited pre-existing interest or influence, instead favoring the most easily accessed and influential stakeholders. This paper draws on research impact theory and practice to propose a new, more inclusive approach, adding impact to the existing interest and influence criteria (which each begin with the letter “i", hence the 3i framework) that are typically used to identify, categorize and prioritize those who are relevant to be included or excluded from engagement processes. As part of this proposed 3i analysis approach, we articulate a new typology of relevant parties to engage in environmental decision-making processes, including: uninterested; uninterested and impacted; uninterested influencers; disinterested, influential and impacted; only interested; interested and impacted; interested influencers; and interested, influential and impacted. Except for the first group, all types of relevant parties should be considered for engagement wherever possible, with participation strategies tailored to their specific 3i profile. The approach was developed and refined through a series of workshops before developing it into a survey instrument that was piloted to gather 3i data efficiently across several national contexts. Survey findings are presented for a case study identifying those relevant to wetland and peatland restoration in a Scottish catchment. If widely adopted, the 3i framework would be the most consequential change in stakeholder analysis methods since the introduction of interest-influence matrices in the 1980s.</p

Cross-cultural variation in understanding of animal welfare principles and animal management practices among veterinary and animal welfare professionals in the UK and Japan

The World Organisation for Animal Health describes animal welfare as a “complex and multifacetedsubject with scientific, ethical, economic, cultural, social, religious and politicaldimensions.” In this study, an online survey in English and Japanese was developed based onthe Five Freedoms, with the aim of investigating attitudes of veterinarians and behaviour/welfarescientists in the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan toward management of companion, farmed,experimental, zoo and wildlife animals. Respondents from the UK (n = 212) were more familiarwith the Five Freedoms than those from Japan (n = 321) but both countries tended to prioritise‘survival-related’ attributes (health and nutrition) over ‘situation-related’ attributes (behaviour)and the environmental impacts (discomfort). In Japan, however, fewer respondents recognisedthe ‘Freedom to express normal behaviour’ as important for domesticated animals compared toUK respondents. When considering vignettes with practical situations of cat management anddog euthanasia, UK respondents considered the provision of outdoor access to represent bettermanagement for cat welfare while most Japanese respondents thought cats should be managedentirely indoors, although the benefits and risks of going outdoors were similarly recognised inboth countries. For the vignette of dog pain relating to an incurable tumour, severe pain and thedog’s mental stress motivated respondents from both countries to consider euthanasia. However,for Japanese respondents, the data suggested a perception that mental stress did not have anassociation with the dog’s inabilities to express normal behaviour. These data highlighted theimportance of understanding the manner in which people perceive animals in different contextsand the value of considering different cultural approaches

Eliciting psychological and social constructs driving pro-environmental behaviour of Nigerian fish farmers: Evidence from a public goods experiment

Given the environmental risks associated with aquaculture, understanding the behavioural drivers behind fish farmers’ decision-making is critical for promoting sustainable practices. This study examines how fish farmers in Nigeria make decisions regarding environmentally sustainable practices. The study is based on a structured survey and an embedded environmental Public Goods Game (PGG) in which farmers made resource allocation decisions for themselves and as advisors in hypothetical situations where pollution from aquaculture negatively impacted both individual farms and the wider ecosystem. Data were collected from 126 randomly selected fish farmers. To interpret behavioural variation, the study applies a novel triadic framework that integrates Construal Level Theory, Social Value Orientation, and Cooperative Orientation and Collective Efficacy. The main findings are that 92% of the 126 fish farmers reported that they would adopt or recommend sustainable practices to others. Most farmers demonstrated consistency between personal and advisory decisions. This suggests internalized and stable normative commitments. The majority of fish farmers were classified as prosocial (i.e., showing concern for collective welfare), with smaller segments identified as strategic-cooperative, individualistic or ambivalent. A low Self–Other decision discrepancy, defined as the gap between choices made for oneself versus others, was significantly associated with prosocial orientation and higher collective efficacy, but not with cooperative orientation. Among demographic variables, only age was significantly related to advisory decision. These findings suggest practical implications including supporting cooperative structures that enable collective action and targeting interventions that strengthen farmers’ belief in group capacity (collective efficacy) to support environmentally responsible aquaculture

Organic amendments for improving nickel phytomining with Odontarrhena serpyllifolia

Phytomining is an environmentally friendly, cost-effective plant-based technique to recover valuable metals from mineralised or polluted soils. Nickel phytomining has garnered much attention due to the vast number of Ni hyperaccumulator species identified in ultramafic areas worldwide and their promising metal extraction yields. Over the last few decades, the need to optimise phytomining yields through agronomic and crop management practices has been emphasised. Hence, this study evaluated the effects of organic amendments on phytomining yields using the Ni hyperaccumulator species Odontarrhena serpyllifolia, which is endemic to the Bragança and Morais ultramafic massifs in Portugal. The primary objective was to determine if the organic amendments biochar, and a combination of biochar with industrial sludge, and biochar with pig slurry, were appropriate for improving Ni harvestable amounts (governed by plant biomass and Ni accumulation in shoots) with O. serpyllifolia in the Morais massif. Plant seeds and soils were collected from the Morais massif. Organic amendments were added to the collected soil, including 1.5 % and 3 % biochar (w/w), and the same biochar rates were tested in combination with 1 % dried industrial sludge or 1 % pelletized pig slurry. Plants were cultivated in a laboratory greenhouse under controlled conditions. Soil treatments containing both biochar and sludge yielded the most promising results, particularly when the highest biochar rate was applied. This can be attributed to the significant improvement in soil properties and nutrient levels. The application of 1.5 % and 3 % biochar alone had no significant effect. Pig slurry mixed with biochar had a pronounced negative impact on plants, which can be explained by its high salinity levels. This study confirms that certain types of organic waste can be valorised and incorporated into phytomining systems.</p

Optimizing N applications increases maize yield and reduces environmental costs in a 12-year wheat-maize system

ContextMaize plays a crucial role in global food security, while extensive use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers in maize production has posed severe environmental risks. The challenge of optimizing N fertilizer applications to obtain high maize yield, high NUE and low N losses has received considerable attention but lacks evidence from long-term field experiments.ObjectiveThis study aims to quantify the influences of long-term continuous N applications on soil mineral N (SMN) and their subsequent effects on root growth, aboveground biomass accumulation, yield formation, and environmental benefits of maize, and determine the optimal N rate that ensures sustained high maize yield and environmental sustainability over the long-term.MethodsA winter wheat-summer maize double cropping system was established in the North China Plain (NCP) in 2010. This included five continuous N fertilizer treatments during the maize season, comprising 0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 kg N ha−1, which were denoted as N0, N75, N150, N225 and N300 in the study.ResultsIncreasing N rates resulted in higher N surpluses and SMN, leading to much higher aboveground biomass and maize yield, but also caused reduced NUE over the 12-year period. Specifically, the mean maize yield was 6.7, 8.8, 9.9, 10.4 and 10.1 Mg ha−1 for the N0–N300 treatments during 2011–2022, respectively. The low yield in the N0 treatment was mainly because long-term zero N inputs led to low SMN thus restricting roots growth, aboveground biomass accumulation and yield formation. In contrast, high SMN inhibited roots distribution, which subsequently negatively influenced post-silking dry matter remobilization and yield and thus caused a much lower harvest index (HI) in the N300 treatment. Effects of N fertilizer on maize yield intensified along with increasing experimental duration, thus requiring more N to achieve high yields in the latter years. The optimal N rates showed a strong positive correlation with the annual maximum yields over the experimental period, averaging 153 kg N ha−1 in achieving high yield, high NUE and low surplus.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated that the prolonged low N input could result in soil depletion, limiting maize growth and thereby compromising yield sustainability. Conversely, excessive N application led to SMN accumulation and higher N loss risks. The optimal N rate is 153 kg N ha−1 that can obtain long-term high maize yield stability while minimizing environmental costs in the NCP.ImplicationsOur long-term experimental results provide robust evidence for optimizing N fertilizer applications in achieving high yield and high NUE with low N surplus in maize production in the wheat-maize double cropping in the NCP and similar cropping systems worldwide

Using total abundance as a proxy for wild bee species richness:A practical tool for non-experts

As there is growing interest among non-specialists in participating in pollinator conservation initiatives, developing proxies for wild bee species richness that could be potentially used by non-experts can aid conservation, decision support systems for managers and policymakers, and create entry points for future taxonomists. We used data from 63 independent studies in which wild bees were sampled, covering all main European habitats and climates. We tested two proxies for wild bee species richness: abundance of all wild bees (excluding the honeybee) and abundance of bumblebees. These proxies require basic taxonomic training and have the potential for routine implementation by non-experts. Within-region, the abundance of wild bees was a strong predictor of wild bee species richness at the local scale, with an average correlation exceeding 0.80. Bumblebee abundance was a poorer proxy for total wild bee species richness (correlation coefficient of ~0.55) and was unsuitable for warm-temperate and Mediterranean climates. Observed abundance-richness correlations were consistent across climates, habitats and sampling methods, suggesting that, after a simple training, counting all bee individuals in transect walks provides a non-lethal, robust estimate of wild bee species richness. We observed a weak negative relationship between sample coverage and the strength of the abundance-richness correlation. Synthesis and applications. The use of a simple but effective proxy could be an important starting point for the expansion of wild bee monitoring initiatives at the regional scale, particularly given the growing involvement of non-specialists. We provided here a simple implementation framework to use this proxy in rapid biodiversity assessments, such as the evaluation of payment-by-result schemes by farmers and measuring the efficacy of conservation actions in urban green areas or protected areas by citizens and site managers, respectively. It is important to stress that we are not advocating for the replacement of the urgently needed long-term monitoring of pollinator status and trends. Instead, we propose that employing an effective proxy for non-experts could enhance the evaluation of many local and regional conservation initiatives that currently lack any basic assessment schemes.</p

Exercise as a welfare strategy? Insights from horse (Equus caballus) owners in the UK

Obesity and its comorbidities (e.g. laminitis) are identified as major welfare issues among domestic equids in the United Kingdom (UK) and abroad. Weight-management typically focuses on restricting consumption (e.g. limiting pasture grazing), often facilitated through stabling. This leads to social isolation, prompting other welfare issues. Increased exercise may be a preferable solution for equine obesity, if viable. The aims of this study were to explore horse (Equus caballus) owner perceptions regarding the importance of exercise, and to investigate how exercise provision related to welfare outcomes. Data obtained via an online survey from 804 UK horse owners indicated that most respondents’ horses were managed in obesogenic conditions, and 40% were owner-reported as overweight/obese. Exercise-related variables (e.g. if a horse was ridden) correlated with physical health problems, including decreased reports of laminitis and Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Approximately 90% of respondents reported that barriers outside of their control substantially limited opportunities to provide human-led exercise (e.g. riding, lunging). Analysis of a hypothetical weight-management scenario found owners with horses at livery yards felt significantly less able to increase horses’ self-directed exercise (e.g. free movement in fields/pastures) than owners keeping horses on their own properties. These findings indicate that while increased exercise may improve welfare, owner knowledge is not the only barrier that must be overcome to implement this prospective solution. Both human-led and self-directed exercise appear limited by a lack of opportunities available to horses and humans. These results justify future investigations into alternative management strategies as potentially viable methods of increasing exercise to improve welfare.</p

Dairy cow performance is associated with longitudinal microRNA profiles

Modern high producing dairy cows are still affected by poor fertility and disease, despite improvements achieved through genetic selection programs. Additional biomarkers of health and performance traits in cattle could enhance animal welfare and profitability by allowing farmers to cull animals before problems occur. We performed pilot investigations of plasma microRNA (miRNA) profiles during early life as potential biomarkers associated with future performance in dairy cows. The latter included survival to two years of age, age at first calving, yield of milk, fat and protein, mastitis and lameness traits, conception rate, number of services per conception, and calving interval. Using qPCR, we obtained longitudinal measurements and ratios involving nine miRNAs (miR-126-3p, miR-127, miR-142-5p, miR-154b, miR-27b, miR-30c-5p, miR-34a, miR-363, miR-425-3p) in plasma samples from three age groups: calves (&lt;1 month), heifers (14–23 months), and first lactation cows (29–35 months). Changes in miR-126-3p from calf to first lactation cow were associated with first lactation milk yield and second lactation milk somatic cell count (an udder health indicator). Moreover, the miR-127 to miR-30c-5p ratio in cows was associated with milk fat and protein yield in the first two lactations, whereas miR-142-5p levels and several miRNA ratios involving this miRNA, were associated with second calving interval (a cow fertility trait). Our results identified novel early life biomarkers that warrant further investigation to determine whether they may predict dairy cattle performance.</p

Deep Learning-Based Classification of Stress in Sows Using Facial Images

Stress in pigs is a significant factor contributing to poor health, increased antimicrobial usage, and the subsequent risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which poses a major challenge for the global pig farming industry. In this paper, we propose using deep learning (DL) methods to classify stress levels in sows based on facial features captured from images. Early identification of stress can enable targeted interventions, potentially reducing health risks and mitigating AMR concerns. Our approach utilizes convolutional neural network (CNN) models, specifically YOLO8l-cls, to classify the stress levels of sows (pregnant pigs) into low-stressed and high-stressed categories. Experimental results demonstrate that YOLO8l-cls outperforms other classification methods, with an overall F1-score of 0.74, Cohen’s Kappa of 0.63, and MCC of 0.60. This highlights the model’s effectiveness in accurately identifying stress levels and its potential as a practical tool for stress management in pi g farming, with benefits for animal welfare, the farming industry, and broader efforts to minimize AMR risk