Identification of Microbial and Gaseous Contaminants in Poultry Farms and Developing Methods for Contamination Prevention at the Source

Microbial concentrations in poultry houses increase over time and contribute to the sick building syndrome. Very high and often logarithmic growth rates are reported for aerobic mesophilic bacteria, which account for the majority of known pathogenic bacteria. Bioaerosols suspended in air also contain mold spores and mold fragments, mostly fungi of various genera, including pathogenic fungi that produce mycotoxins. Microbiological mineralization of organic compounds, processes that involve litter and fecal microbes, produces toxic gases, including ammonia, carbon dioxide (CO2), as well as volatile toxic and aroma compounds. The above threats have led to the initiation of various measures to limit pollution at the source, including legal regulations and methods aiming to neutralize the adverse effects of pollution (dietary, production, and hygiene standards). Hygienic methods are recommended as alternative methods of reducing contamination in poultry houses. Essential oil mist, organic and organic-mineral biofilters, litter additives, such as aluminosilicates (bentonite, vermiculite, halloysite), microbiological and disinfecting preparations, herbal extracts, and calcium compounds may improve hygiene standards in poultry farms

The Effect of Dairy Cattle Housing Systems on the Concentrations and Emissions of Gaseous Mixtures in Barns Determined by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations and emissions of greenhouse and odorous gases in different types of dairy cattle housing systems with the use of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The study was performed in autumn and winter in four types of dairy cattle barns with different process and technical systems (free-stall, deep litter – FS-DL; free-stall, sub-floor manure storage – FS-SFM; free-stall, litter in stalls – FS-LS; tie-stall, litter in stalls – TS-LS) in northern Poland. Analyses of gaseous mixtures in barn air were conducted by infrared spectrometry with the multi-component Gasmet DX4030 analyzer. A total of 200 measurement spectra were acquired and subjected to qualitative and quantitative analyses with the Calcmet Professional program with a library of reference spectra for 200 chemical compounds. The results of the study indicate that housing systems and the technological solutions applied in barns exert a considerable influence on the production of greenhouse and odorous gases. Free-stall housing with slatted floors and sub-floor manure storage appears to be the optimal solution for reducing the animals’ exposure to the presence of the analyzed chemical compounds in air, improving animal welfare and minimizing GHG emissions to the environment (considering the optimal ventilation rate). It should be noted that the concentrations of other potentially harmful compounds, for which the maximum safe levels have been specified, were also relatively low in the remaining systems, which points to the observance of high sanitary standards and the use of efficient ventilation systems in the evaluated barns

Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in broiler chicken flocks in northern Poland in 2014–2016

Zoonotic serotypes of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica are an important biological factor that poses a threat to public health, and broilers are often asymptomatic carriers of these bacteria. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Salmonella serotypes in broiler chicken flocks in northern Poland in 2014–2016. The study was conducted on commercial flocks monitored by the Institutes of Veterinary Hygiene in Gdańsk and Olsztyn in 2014–2016. A total of 4,331 samples were investigated. Identification of Salmonella spp. was performed by a culture-dependent method followed by biochemical and serological confirmation tests, in accordance with Polish Standards. The total percentage of infected flocks in northern Poland reached 1.57%. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. in broiler chickens decreased from 2.19% in 2014 to 1.22% in 2016. The percentage of flocks infected with S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium was 1.18% and 0.12%, respectively (S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium were detected in 1.29% of flocks). The most common serotypes that had not been covered by the control programme were S. Mbandaka (0.14%), S. Infantis (0.07%) and, sporadically, S. Kentucky and S. Anatum. The percentage of infected flocks was higher (by 0.26%) in the Pomeranian Region than in the Region of Warmia and Mazury, and it increased over the analyzed period – the highest number of positive samples were found in 2016 (2.04%). In the Region of Warmia and Mazury, the percentage of infected flocks was highest in 2014 (3.08%); in 2014–2016, the number of positive samples decreased steadily to reach 0.41% in 2016. In the analyzed regions, the incidence of human salmonellosis was correlated with the percentage of infected broiler flocks

The Effect of Dairy Cattle Housing Systems on the Concentrations and Emissions of Gaseous Mixtures in Barns Determined by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations and emissions of greenhouse and odorous gases in different types of dairy cattle housing systems with the use of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The study was performed in autumn and winter in four types of dairy cattle barns with different process and technical systems (free-stall, deep litter – FS-DL; free-stall, sub-floor manure storage – FS-SFM; free-stall, litter in stalls – FS-LS; tie-stall, litter in stalls – TS-LS) in northern Poland. Analyses of gaseous mixtures in barn air were conducted by infrared spectrometry with the multi-component Gasmet DX4030 analyzer. A total of 200 measurement spectra were acquired and subjected to qualitative and quantitative analyses with the Calcmet Professional program with a library of reference spectra for 200 chemical compounds. The results of the study indicate that housing systems and the technological solutions applied in barns exert a considerable influence on the production of greenhouse and odorous gases. Free-stall housing with slatted floors and sub-floor manure storage appears to be the optimal solution for reducing the animals’ exposure to the presence of the analyzed chemical compounds in air, improving animal welfare and minimizing GHG emissions to the environment (considering the optimal ventilation rate). It should be noted that the concentrations of other potentially harmful compounds, for which the maximum safe levels have been specified, were also relatively low in the remaining systems, which points to the observance of high sanitary standards and the use of efficient ventilation systems in the evaluated barns.This article is published as Witkowska D., Korczyński M., Koziel J.A., Sowińska J., Chojnowski B. "The Effect of Dairy Cattle Housing Systems on the Concentrations and Emissions of Gaseous Mixtures in Barns Determined by Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy." Annals of Animal Science 20, no. 4 (2020): 1487–1507. DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2020-0039. Posted with permission.</p

Behawior bydła mlecznego w różnych systemach utrzymania

Bydło mleczne może być utrzymywane w systemie uwięziowym i wolnostanowiskowy. Z punktu widzenia dobrostanu zwierząt korzystniejszy jest system wolnostanowiskowym, który zapewnia krowom możliwość swobodnego przemieszczania oraz wyboru miejsca legowiskowego. System ten zapewnia również możliwość kontaktów socjalnych w grupie zwierząt. Przeniesienie krów z jednej obory do drugiej może spowodować u krów wystąpienie reakcji stresowych objawiających się np. wzrostem zachowań agresywnych związanych z ustaleniem nowej hierarchii stadnej. Celem pracy była obserwacja zachowań krów mlecznych, które zostały przeniesione z obory uwięziowej do wolnostanowiskowej. Mimo olbrzymiego stresu zwierząt jak i ludzi, wygoda, jaką daje obora wolnostanowiskowa rekompensuje wszystko. Zwierzęta po okresie adaptacji nie miały oporów przed korzystaniem ze wszelkich wygód, a ich wydajność nieznacznie wzrosła. Młodsze szybciej się adaptują, przez co jest z nimi mniej problemów

Effect of dietary supplementation with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate on stress parameters in goat kids

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid (HMB) on live weight loss and selected blood parameters in goat kids after transportation to the slaughterhouse. The study was performed with goat kids that were weaned at 30 days of age and divided into two groups (GK): a control group and an experimental group whose diet was supplemented with HMB (at 50 mg kg−1 of BW) for 60 consecutive days. At the end of the 90-day rearing period, the animals were fasted for 12 h (with access to water) and were transported to the slaughterhouse in the following morning. Blood for analysis was sampled before transportation (BST1) and after unloading in the slaughterhouse (BST2). The animals were weighed on the same dates to determine live weight loss. Red blood cell counts (RBC), white blood cell counts (WBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), neutrophil to lymphocyte (N:L) ratio, and cortisol and glucose concentrations were determined in the sampled blood. The experimental goat kids were characterized by lower weight loss after transportation. Group of kids and BST did not induce variations in RBC, WBC, HGB, and HCT. Cortisol concentration was affected by both GK and BST. Cortisol levels increased after transportation in both groups, but this parameter was significantly higher in the control than in experimental animals at BST2. Glucose levels and the N:L ratio did not differ significantly between GK, but glucose concentration and the N:L ratio were higher at BST2 than at BST1 in both groups. The experimental goat kids were characterized by lower weight loss and lower cortisol concentration after transportation, which could point to the efficacy of HMB in boosting immunity and alleviating transportation stress in goat kid

Association between genetic mutations and the development of autoimmune thyroiditis in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon alpha

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Considerable progress was made by the introduction of interferon to the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. This treatment, however, is associated with the risk of developing or exacerbating autoimmune diseases, with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis being one of them. The aim of our study was to evaluate the predisposition to autoimmune thyroiditis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus during IFN-alpha therapy, depending on the presence of polymorphisms in the promoter region of CTLA-4C (−318)T gene and in exon 1 of A49G gene as well as C1858T transition of PTPN22 gene.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted in 149 patients aged between 18 and 70 years (mean of 43.9 years), including 82 men and 67 women. Control group for the assessment of the distribution of analyzed polymorphism of genotypes consisted of 200 neonates, from whom umbilical blood was drawn for the tests. The patients were divided into three groups: group 1 consisted of 114 patients without thyroid impairment before and during IFN-alpha therapy, group 2 contained 9 patients with AT with the onset prior to IFN-alpha treatment, and group 3 comprised 26 patients with AT starting after the beginning of IFN-alpha therapy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The frequency of C1858Tand C(−318)T genotypes observed in the study group did not differ significantly from control group. A significant difference, however, was found for A49G polymorphism.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>No association was demonstrated between the occurrence of autoimmune thyroiditis with the onset during IFN-alpha therapy and the presence of polymorphisms within CTLA-4 C(−318)T gene in the promoter region and A49G in exon 1, as well as C1858T transition of PTPN22 gene.</p