Importance of animal husbandry and production management on food safety in livestock production systems

Production and management systems do significantly effect animal health and therewith the use of drugs and prophylactic treatments. This may lead to residues and a change for the worse in food safety. The consequent implementation and use of hygiene and management tools and measures is needed, as well as a combination of these measures with effective programmes (e.g. vaccination, procedure with cleaning and disinfection, all in all out etc.) in order to limit the use of drugs in sick animals so they are used only when absolutely necessary. A better education among producers is also an important step towards higher food safety on farm level

The Intergenerational Transmission of Attitudes: Analyzing Time Preferences and Reciprocity

The present research adds to the question on intergenerational correlation of attitudes between parents and children. So far, it is not clear whether the transmission process is purely genetic or whether parents take an active role in socializing their children. The transmission of time preferences and reciprocity is analyzed by focusing on three aspects: (1) direct transmission from parents to children; (2) the impact of prevailling attitudes in children’s surrounding environment; (3) parents' positive assortative mating. The findings support all three channels. Differences in the size of the intergenerational correlation according to family or parental characteristics suggest that the process is not purely genetic. The present analysis is of even greater importance, as the analyzed attitudes determine economic success sustainably

Untersuchungen zu genetisch bedingten Unterschieden in der Parasitenresistenz von Legehennen – Testung unter den Bedingungen einer Stations- und Feldprüfung

Die in der ökologischen Geflügelhaltung genutzten genetischen Herkünfte eignen sich aus verschiedenen Gründen in unterschiedlichen Maß für diese Verfahren. Die Bewertung der Eignung reduziert sich bisher im Wesentlichen auf Aspekte der Leistung (u.a. Eizahl, Eigewicht, Futterverwertung) sowie in gewissem Maße des Verhaltens (u.a. Kannibalismus). Aspekte der Tiergesundheit werden häufig auf Mortatiltätsraten reduziert, so dass u.a. subklinisch verlaufende Erkrankungen unberücksichtigt bleiben. In ökologischen Haltungsverfahren für Legehennen zählen die Parasitosen, insbesondere die Helminthosen, vor allem verursacht durch Ascaridia galli, Capillaria-Arten und Heterakis gallinarum, zu den bedeutendsten Erkrankungen (KAUFMANN und GAULY, 2009). Der notwendige Medikamenteneinsatz verursacht Kosten, führt zu Wirkstoffresistenzen, bedingt Rückstandsprobleme und belastet die Umwelt, was den elementaren Zielsetzungen ökologischer Tierhaltung widerspricht. In der Nutzung genetisch bedingter Unterschiede in der Parasitenresistenz kann ein erfolgsversprechender Ansatz zur Reduktion der Problematik gesehen werden. Es wurden bereits züchterisch nutzbare Resistenzen gegenüber Endoparasiteninfektionen bei verschiedenen Tierarten und Rassen beschrieben (ISRAEL, 1975; GAULY et al., 2002). Die Arbeiten beziehen sich allerdings bisher ausschließlich auf künstliche Infektionen mit nur einem Innenparasit (Monoinfektion) und wurden darüber hinaus nur an wenige Genotypen durchgeführt. Entsprechend ist die Einbeziehung weiterer im ökologischen Landbau eingesetzter Herkünfte notwendig. In einem zusätzlichen Schritt muss auch die Schätzung der Resistenz unter Feldbedingungen, d.h. unter der Situation von Mischinfektionen erfolgen. Möglicherweise lassen sich daraus unterschiedliche Empfehlungen ableiten. Das Gesamtziel des Projekts ist es, genetisch bedingte Unterschiede in der Resistenz gegenüber Wurminfektionen an Legehennen verschiedener genetischer Herkünfte auf der Basis einer experimentellen (Stationsprüfung) und anschliessend einer natürlichen Infektion (Feldprüfung) darzustellen und damit deren Eignung für die Bedingungen der Boden- bzw. Freilandhaltung zu bewerten. Die daraus resultierenden Ergebnisse sollen praktischen Landwirten des ökologischen Landbaus als Entscheidungshilfe bei der Genotypenwahl dienen und Zuchtunternehmen mögliche Perspektiven der Gestaltung von Zuchtprogrammen aufzeigen

Review: Challenges for dairy cow production systems arising from climate changes.

The so-called global change refers to changes on a planetary scale. The term encompasses various issues like resource use, energy development, population growth, land use and land cover, carbon and nitrogen cycle, pollution and health, and climate change. The paper deals with challenges for dairy cattle production systems in Europe arising from climate change as one part of global changes. Global warming is increasing, and therefore ecosystems, plant and animal biodiversity, and food security and safety are at risk. It is already accepted knowledge that the direct and indirect effects of global warming in combination with an increasing frequency of weather extremes are a serious issue for livestock production, even in moderate climate zones like Central Europe. The potential and already-measurable effects of climate change (including increase in temperature, frequency of hot days and heat waves), in particular the challenges on grassland production, fodder quality, nutrition in general, cow welfare, health as well as performance of dairy production, will be reviewed. Indirect and direct effects on animals are correlated with their performance. There are clear indications that with selection for high-yielding animals the sensitivity to climate changes increases. Cumulative effects (e.g. higher temperature plus increased pathogen and their vectors loads) do strengthen these impacts. To cope with the consequences several possible adaptation and mitigation strategies must be established on different levels. This includes changes in the production systems (e.g. management, barn, feeding), breeding strategies and health management

Relationship between herd size and measures of animal welfare on dairy cattle farms with freestall housing in Germany

The objective of this study was to examine the association of herd size with animal welfare in dairy cattle herds. Therefore, 80 conventional dairy cattle farms were classified by the number of cows into 4 herd size classes, C1 (100 cows), C2 (100-299 cows), C3 (300-499 cows), and C4 (≥500 cows), and assessed using multiple animal-based measures of the Welfare Quality Assessment protocol for dairy cattle. Data were recorded from April 2014 to September 2016 by an experienced single assessor in northern Germany. Each farm was visited 2 times at an interval of 6 mo (summer period and winter period) to avoid seasonal effects on the outcome. The average herd size was 383 ± 356 Holstein-Friesian cows (range 45 to 1,629). Only farms with freestall (cubicle) housing and a maximum of 6 h access to pasture per day were included in the study. Data were statistically analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model. None of the farms reached the highest overall rating of "excellent." The majority of the farms were classified as "enhanced" (30%) or "acceptable" (66%), and at 6 assessments the farms were rated as "not classified" (4%). Regarding single indicators, mean trough length per cow, percentage of cows with nasal discharge, and vulvar discharge increased with increasing herd size, whereas it was vice versa for displacements of cows. Percentage of lean cows, percentage of dirty lower legs, and duration of the process of lying down showed a curvilinear relationship with the number of cows per farm. Herd size was not associated with any other measures of the Welfare Quality protocol. In conclusion, herd size effects were small, and consequently herd size cannot be considered as a feasible indicator of the on-farm animal welfare level. Housing conditions and management practices seem to have a greater effect on animal welfare than the number of dairy cows per farm

Opinion paper: What needs to be changed for successful future livestock farming in Europe?

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Endoparasitic infections and prevention measures in sheep and goats under mountain farming conditions in Northern Italy

Abstract In mountainous areas, where small ruminants form an integral part of livestock farming, an effective control of parasites is of high importance, because the animals are grazing on communal pasture land during the summer months. But knowledge on the infection status of the animals, which is needed for an effective control, is very limited in these areas. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of endoparasitic infections and the use of preventive measures in sheep and goat farms in South Tyrol, a mountainous region of Northern Italy. A questionnaire was used to collect information on farm structure and management as well as routine parasite control measures. Following the survey, a total of 3536 individual fecal samples from 123 sheep and goat flocks were analysed over three periods in autumn 2015, spring and autumn 2016 with routine methods including fecal egg counts (FEC) and oocysts counts (FOC). Animals were classified into 12 months of age. Goat flocks had an average herd size of 31 (range 5–125) and sheep flocks of 28 animals (range 2–100). Mountain sheep and goat breeds were dominant. More than 60% of the sheep and 40% the goat flocks were grazed on communal summer pastures at altitudes >1500 m a.s.l. Both sheep and goat farmers perceived gastrointestinal strongylid nematodes (GIN) as the most frequent parasites. Only 16% of the sheep and 30% of the goat farmers ever before this study did coprological examinations. More than 90% of the farms applied anthelmintic treatments; usually once (sheep: 32%, goats: 53%) or twice (sheep: 68%, goats: 42%) per year. Independent of the season, macrocyclic lactones were the most commonly used anthelmintics. More than 30% of the sheep-12 months and 16% >12 months were GIN-negative. Sheep  0.05). Third-stage larvae identified in coprocultures were dominated by Teladorsagia/Trichostrongylus in both sheep (56.5 ± 24.5%) and goats (60.5 ± 25.8%). While in sheep lambs had a higher FOC than both other age classes, kids did not differ from goats at an age of 7–12 months but only from those >12 months (P  12 months, while these parasites were identified in 18.5, 7.3 and 5.7% in goats 12 months, respectively. The prevalence of lungworms at flock level varied between seasons from 18 to 50% in sheep and 44–78% in goats. This first report on endoparasitic infections of sheep and goats in the mountainous region of South Tyrol reveals a high prevalence of endoparasites, especially GIN at a medium infection level, tapeworms and lungworms. Anthelmintics are regularly used, while fecal sampling for selective treatment only exceptionally. Therefore, parasite control measures should be optimized to reduce the risk for the development of anthelmintic resistance, which was already reported from neighboring regions

The Extended Pillar Integration Process (ePIP): A Data Integration Method Allowing the Systematic Synthesis of Findings From Three Different Sources

Mixed methods research requires data integration from multiple sources. Existing techniques are restricted to integrating a maximum of two data sources, do not provide step-by-step guidance or can be cumbersome where many data need to be integrated. We have solved these limitations through the development of the extended Pillar Integration Process (ePIP), a method which contributes to the field of mixed methods by being the first data integration method providing explicit steps on how to integrate data from three data sources. The ePIP provides greater transparency, validity and consistency compared to existing methods. We provide two worked examples from health sciences and automotive human factors, highlighting its value as a mixed methods integration tool

Confinement of sows for different periods during lactation: effects on behaviour and lesions of sows and performance of piglets.

Alternatives to farrowing crates with continuous confinement of the sow are urgently needed because the animal welfare is negatively impacted. Given the increase of herd sizes, practical experience with loose-housing is needed to force the implementation of these systems in the field. Next to aspects of labour efficiency, detrimental piglet mortality rates that may occur during the first days postpartum (pp) is a major criticism. Therefore, loose-housing after a crating period limited to the first days pp might be a feasible alternative to improve welfare under intensive production conditions. The aim was to investigate the effect of crating sows during lactation for different periods on their behaviour and integument alterations and on piglets' performance. Gilts from a commercial herd were observed from 5 to 26 days pp and housed in farrowing crates (1.85×2.50 m) that could be altered between confinement crates and loose-housing pens. Animals were divided into three groups, that were either crated continuously from birth until weaning (Group A, n=55), until 14 days pp (Group B; n=54) or 7 days pp (Group C, n=59). The behaviour of six randomly selected gilts per group was video recorded from 5 to 26 days pp and analysed by time sampling technique. Lesions on the legs, shoulder and lumbar vertebra were scored on days 7, 14 and 25 pp. Piglets were weighed weekly, causes of losses recorded and weight losses of gilts measured. Not different between groups (P>0.05), animals spent 72 to 76% lying laterally, 14 to 17% lying in abdominal or semi-abdominal position, 9 to 10% standing and 1 to 3% sitting. B-sows were lying longer in week 3 and 4 of lactation compared to A- and C-sows (P0.05), whereas almost 90% of the losses occurred in the first week pp. In conclusion, loose-housing of lactating gilts after a reduced postnatal crating period of 7 days affected neither the activity level of the gilts and lesions on the integument nor pre-weaning mortality. Therefore, it is recommended to allow sows to move around to some extent during the later lactation period

Immune Response of Bos indicus

Antigens of anti-tick vaccines are more efficacious for homologous challenge with local tick strains. cDNA clones encoding for Bm91 from local Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus strains were developed to immunize Bos indicus cattle under field conditions. Three groups of six animals each were injected with the antigen Bm91, saline, and adjuvant, respectively. Animals were immunized three times at 3-week intervals and a fourth time after six months. The anti-Bm91 antibody level, measured by ELISA, was monitored for 7 months and the reproductive performance of naturally infested R. (B.) microplus was determined. Bm91-immunized animals developed a strong immune response expressed by high anti-Bm91 levels remaining on high levels until the end of the study. Western blot analysis confirmed that Bm91 is immunogenic. Compared to control animals, the reproductive efficiency index and the egg viability were 6% and 8%, respectively, lower in the Bm91 group (P<0.05). In conclusion, it was demonstrated that Bm91 induced a long-lasting immune response. However, the effect on the tick reproduction was not sufficient for an efficient tick control. Further studies under field conditions are warranted to enhance the effect on the tick reproduction by optimizing the immunization regimen, alone or in combination with other vaccine candidate antigens