Characteristics and challenges of the modern Belgian veal industry

In this paper, the modern Belgian veal industry is situated in a European context, and an overview is provided of the major past, present and future challenges for veal production. The production of white veal requires a specific diet and housing conditions to assure a controlled iron anemic state resulting in pale carcasses. In response to the increasing public concern about animal welfare, legal limits for hemoglobin (in 1990), the provision of a minimum quality of solid feed to assure ruminal health and group housing from the age of eight weeks on (in 2007), have been implemented sector-wide. The integrated structure of the sector likely made it possible to realize these radical changes at relatively short notice. Despite the pioneers role the veal industry played in the development of quality labels for food safety and all efforts made towards improved nutrition and housing, the veal production remains highly liable to public criticism on welfare issues. Nowadays, especially the intensive antimicrobial use in relation to high levels of antimicrobial resistance in commensal, pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria in veal calves is strongly criticized. The future challenge lies in the development of veal production systems, which require only few antibiotics, but safeguard animal welfare and revenue

Antimicrobial use and risk factors in veal calves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoiyhcYfSCk&feature=youtu.b

Gastrokine-1, an anti-amyloidogenic protein secreted by the stomach, regulates diet-induced obesity

Obesity and its sequelae have a major impact on human health. The stomach contributes to obesity in ways that extend beyond its role in digestion, including through effects on the microbiome. Gastrokine-1 (GKN1) is an anti-amyloidogenic protein abundantly and specifically secreted into the stomach lumen. We examined whether GKN1 plays a role in the development of obesity and regulation of the gut microbiome. Gkn1−/− mice were resistant to diet-induced obesity and hepatic steatosis (high fat diet (HFD) fat mass (g) = 10.4 ± 3.0 (WT) versus 2.9 ± 2.3 (Gkn1−/−) p < 0.005; HFD liver mass (g) = 1.3 ± 0.11 (WT) versus 1.1 ± 0.07 (Gkn1−/−) p < 0.05). Gkn1−/− mice also exhibited increased expression of the lipid-regulating hormone ANGPTL4 in the small bowel. The microbiome of Gkn1−/− mice exhibited reduced populations of microbes implicated in obesity, namely Firmicutes of the class Erysipelotrichia. Altered metabolism consistent with use of fat as an energy source was evident in Gkn1−/− mice during the sleep period. GKN1 may contribute to the effects of the stomach on the microbiome and obesity. Inhibition of GKN1 may be a means to prevent obesity

Risk factors for antimicrobial use in veal calves and the association with mortality

The intensive use of antimicrobials in the veal industry is heavily criticized, but drivers for antimicrobial usage (AMU) are still poorly understood. The industry fears that a drastic reduction in AMU would increase mortality, creating an unacceptable welfare issue. The objectives of the present study were to identify risk factors for AMU and to explore the relationship between AMU and mortality. A retrospective cohort study was performed on the antimicrobial registration data from the largest Belgian veterinary veal practice. The data set contained 295 production cycles from 78 farms, representing 146,014 calves and 8 veal companies (also called integrations). The average AMU was 32.3 defined daily dose animal per year (standard deviation: 11.04), of which 76.2% was administered orally and 23.8% parentally. The AMU remained stable between 2014 and 2016 with only a slight, but significant increase in total AMU between 2015 (31.0 defined daily dose animal per year, standard deviation: 10.5) and 2016 (35.1, 10.8). Use of almost all antimicrobial classes decreased over 2014 to 2016; however, use of long-acting macrolides, doxycycline, and aminosides increased significantly. Analysis identified breed (higher use in beef calves compared with dairy and crossbreeds), month of arrival (lower use when arrived in April or May compared with winter months), and veal company as risk factors. The veal company not only significantly affected total AMU, but also affected the majority of the antimicrobial classes. Additionally, breed differences were present for oxytetracycline, colistin, and classic macrolides, and a month effect was present for doxycycline only. These data illustrate that this veterinary practice realized a reduction of 46% in total AMU and of 96% in critically important antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins of the third and fourth generation) compared with the Belgian benchmark from 2007 to 2009. Replacement of critically important drugs by an increased use of long-acting macrolides is worrisome. Mortality risk was very low compared with benchmarks referenced internationally and did not increase with decreasing AMU. Use of trimethoprim-sulfonamides was a risk factor, whereas use of oxytetracycline was a protective factor for mortality. The absence of a relationship with mortality at the current levels of AMU suggests that a further rational reduction is possible. Attention should be paid to consider different AMU benchmarks for different breeds and to include the veal company as a target for antibiotic awareness campaigns

Short communication: Herd-level analysis of antimicrobial use and mortality in veal calves : do herds with low usage face higher mortality?

The veal calf sector fears that a too-rapid and large decrease in antimicrobial use (AMU) as demanded by European authorities would increase mortality, causing economic and welfare issues. To determine whether this concern is justified, the relationship between AMU (total and different classes) and mortality in dairy-type white veal calves, managed by 2 large veal companies, was explored. A retrospective cohort study was performed on electronically collected antimicrobial consumption and mortality data from the largest Belgian veal practice during the period 2014 to 2016. Mixed linear [mortality (%) as continuous outcome] and generalized linear mixed models with binary outcome for event and trial approach were built to identify factors associated with mortality. Data consisted of 76 production cycles from 29 farms managed by 2 veal companies (1 and 2) arid covering 45,001 calves. Average AMU was 30.1 +/- 10.4 defined daily doses for animals per year (+/- standard deviation) and was higher in veal company 2 than in veal company 1 (35.9 +/- 9.3 and 22.4 +/- 5.7 defined daily doses for animals per year, respectively). In contrast, mean mortality was lower in veal company 2 (2.3 +/- 1.4%) than in veal company 1 (4.1 +/- 1.4%). Both models showed a positive association between AMU arid mortality in veal company 1 and no association in veal company 2. The final linear model identified increasing herd size and the use of third- or fourth-generation cephalosporiris as risk factors for mortality arid the use of long-acting macrolides as a protective factor. The final logistic model identified an increased mortality risk with increased use of third- or fourth-generation cephalosporiris arid sulfonarnidee-trimethoprim and decreased mortality when using long-acting macrolides. Based on these data, at the current levels of AMU in Belgian veal calves, an increase in mortality when reducing AMU could riot be evidenced. Differences in herd size and factors other than AMU likely better explain why one veal company faces almost double the mortality of another one. Abandoning the use of longacting macrolides might have negative consequences for mortality under the current state of the industry. The most ethical way to further reduce AMU in veal calves is likely simultaneously monitoring AMU and animal welfare parameters, starting with, but not limited to, mortality