Tracking en tracing in de mengvoerketen: een kritische beschouwing

Dit rapport geeft een beschrijving van de huidige logistieke keten van mengvoergrondstoffen en verschaft inzicht in de huidige situatie van traceerbaarheid van grondstoffen in de mengvoerketen (op basis van een case in de varkensvoerketen). Knelpunten voor tracering zijn geïdentificeerd. De belangrijkste bij een tracking- en tracingsysteem in de mengvoerketen betrokken groepen actoren zijn geïdentificeerd: het mengvoerbedrijfsleven, de overheid en de retail. De strategische doelen met een tracking- en tracingsysteem van deze groepen zijn bepaald door middel van interviews met organisaties in en rond de mengvoerketen. Denkrichtingen ter ondersteuning van de discussie over de langetermijnvisie van de actoren met betrekking tot een tracking- en tracingsysteem in de mengvoerketen worden gegeven door middel van scenario's. Hierbij wordt ingegaan op de invulling van het tracking- en tracingsysteem en op de groep actoren die het voortouw nemen

Onderzoek naar alternatieven voor antimicrobiele groeibevorderaars (AMGB's) van start

Het gebruik van AMGB's staat ter discussie. Het is niet uitgesloten dat het gebruik van AMGB's binnen een aantal jaren volledig verboden gaat worden. Dit zou met name voor de diercategorie gespeende biggen gevolgen kunnen hebben voor technische resultaten en gezondheid

In vivo testing of alternatives for conventional treatment of Ascaris suum in pigs

Summary The percentage of disapproved livers of growing and finishing pigs has been increased significantly during the last years. In organic pig farms, this percentage is often higher than in conventional pig farms. In most cases, disapproved livers are the result of an infection with Ascaris suum. Usually, an infection of Ascaris suum is treated or controlled by using conventional synthetic drugs belonging to the benzimidazoles, levamisole and macrocyclic lactones. Organic farmers, however, prefer a non-pharmaceutical approach of worm control. Therefore, phytotherapy could be an perspective alternative. The objective of this study was to test herb alternatives for the prevention and control of a mild infection of Ascaris suum in growing and finishing pigs. Two different herb mixtures were tested. Feed was supplemented with 3% of a herb mixture, thereby adding 1% Thymus vulgaris, 1% Melissa officinalis and 1% Echinacea purpurea to the diet, or with 4% of a herb mixture, thereby adding the mentioned herbs plus 1% Camellia sinensis (black tea) to the diet. Pigs were infected by 1000 worm eggs each. Comparatively, a negative control group (no treatment) and a positive control group (treatment with conventional synthetic drug Flubendazole) were included. An experiment was conducted with 32 young boars (average starter weight was 24 kg) purchased from a SPF-pig farm. The pigs were monitored during 67 days in the period December 2006 until February 2007. In this study, four experimental treatments were compared: 1. negative control: no treatment was applied to prevent or control an infection with Ascaris suum; 2. positive control: pigs were treated with a conventional anthelmintic (Flubendazole) one week before slaughter; 3. herb mixture: pigs were fed a diet supplemented with a herb mixture; 4. herb mixture + tea: pigs were fed a diet supplemented with a herb mixture (as treatment 3) plus black tea. From this experiment it was concluded that a diet with a herb mixture containing 1% Thymus vulgaris, 1% Melissa officinalis and 1% Echinacea purpurea for growing and finishing pigs did not decrease the number of pigs which are infected with Ascaris suum, but did reduce the average number of worms in the gastro intestinal tract. The addition of 1% black tea to this herb mixture did not result in a lower number of infected pigs and also did not reduce the average number of worms in pigs. Flubendazole appeared to be an effective deworming product. On organic farms with a low worm infection probably a combination of a conventional synthetic drug and a diet with herb mixture containing 1% Thymus vulgaris, 1% Melissa officinalis and 1% Echinacea purpurea is an option. It depends on the level of worm infection whether it is an opportunity to deworm sows, weaners and/or growing finishing pigs with a diet containing the herb mixture to keep the level of Ascaris suum at an acceptable low level. Examination of faeces of sows, weaners and growing and finishing pigs regularly, and also the percentage of disapproved livers of growing and finishing pigs, can support to monitor the level of worm infection on the farm. Based on this monitoring probably a strategy of varying deworming with a synthetic drug and a diet with herb mixture can be developed for the different categories of pigs. Further research on this method, and also the suitable period to supply this herb mixture to sows related to stage of pregnancy and weaners related to age and feed intake, is desirable

Bio-processing of algal bio-refinery: a review on current advances and future perspectives

Microalgae biomass contains various useful bio-active components. Microalgae derived biodiesel has been researched for almost two decades. However, sole biodiesel extraction from microalgae is time-consuming and is not economically feasible due to competitive fossil fuel prices. Microalgae also contains proteins and carbohydrates in abundance. Microalgae are likewise utilized to extract high-value products such as pigments, anti-oxidants and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids which are useful in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry. These compounds can be extracted simultaneously or sequentially after biodiesel extraction to reduce the total expenditure involved in the process. This approach of bio-refinery is necessary to promote microalgae in the commercial market. Researchers have been keen on utilizing the bio-refinery approach to exploit the valuable components encased by microalgae. Apart from all the beneficial components housed by microalgae, they also help in reducing the anthropogenic CO2 levels of the atmosphere while utilizing saline or wastewater. These benefits enable microalgae as a potential source for bio-refinery approach. Although life-cycle analysis and economic assessment do not favor the use of microalgae biomass feedstock to produce biofuel and co-products with the existing techniques, this review still aims to highlight the beneficial components of microalgae and their importance to humans. In addition, this article also focuses on current and future aspects of improving the feasibility of bio-processing for microalgae bio-refinery

Results of an international phosphorus digestibility ring test with broiler chickens

The objective of this ring test was to investigate the prececal phosphorus (P) digestibility of soybean meal (SBM) in broiler chickens using the trial protocol proposed by the World's Poultry Science Association. It was hypothesized that prececal P digestibility of SBM determined in the collaborating stations is similar. Three diets with different inclusion levels of SBM were mixed in a feed mill specialized in experimental diets and transported to 17 collaborating stations. Broiler chicks were raised on commercial starter diets according to station-specific management routine. Then they were fed the experimental diets for a minimum of 5 d before content of the posterior half of the ileum was collected. A minimum of 6 experimental replicates per diet was used in each station. All diets and digesta samples were analyzed in the same laboratory. Diet, station, and their interaction significantly affected (P < 0.05) the prececal digestibility values of P and calcium of the diets. The prececal P digestibility of SBM was determined by linear regression and varied among stations from 19 to 51%, with significant differences among stations. In a subset of 4 stations, the prececal disappearance of myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakis (dihydrogen phosphate)-P; InsP6-P) also was studied. The prececal InsP6-P disappearance correlated well with the prececal P digestibility. We hypothesized that factors influencing InsP6 hydrolysis were main contributors to the variation in prececal P digestibility among stations. These factors were probably related to the feeding and housing conditions (floor pens or cages) of the birds in the pre-experimental phase. Therefore, we suggest that the World's Poultry Science Association protocol for the determination of digestible P be should extended to the standardization of the pre-experimental period. We also suggest that comparisons of P digestibility measurements among studies are made only with great caution until the protocol is more refined

Melioidosis in travelers: An analysis of Dutch melioidosis registry data 1985–2018

Background: Melioidosis, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is an opportunistic infection across the tropics. Here, we provide a systematic overview of imported human cases in a non-endemic country over a 25-year period. Methods: All 5