Sow body condition at weaning and reproduction performance in organic piglet production

The objective was to investigate the variation in backfat at weaning and its relations to reproduction results in organic sow herds in Denmark. The study included eight herds and 573 sows. The average backfat at weaning mean�13 mm; SD�4.2 mm) ranging from 10.5 to 17.3 mm among herds shows that it is possible to avoid poor body condition at weaning even with a lactation length of seven weeks or more. No main effect of backfat at weaning on reproduction performance was found, but the probability of a successful reproduction after weaning tended to decrease with decreasing backfat for first parity sows, whereas the opposite was the case for multiparous sows

Veganism and animal welfare, scientific, ethical, and philosophical arguments

Published Online: May 1, 2023The justification for this review article is to understand the position of vegans and those individuals who consume food of animal origin from an unbiased perspective but with a grounding in scientific evidence. This will provide people who eat meat with scientific and ethical arguments to defend their alimentary autonomy in the context of the moral conflict that has emerged in societies regarding the consumption of meat and animal products, which is criticized –sometimes even attacked– by activists, ovolactovegetarians, or vegetarians with alimentary habits that stress ethical and moral respect for animals. These individuals refuse to eat meat and animal products but sometimes show disrespect for those who do. In recent decades, veganism and vegetarianism have reached an apogee in some western societies where they are often considered a healthy option for humans that simultaneously fosters animal and environmental welfare. While those diets may provide numerous benefits, they can also entail health risks by failing to provide balance and necessary dietary supplements. Various researchers concur that they are not appropriate for pregnant women, children, or carnivorous or omnivorous pets. Our review of scientific articles in favor and against dietary regimens that lack protein of animal origin leads to the conclusion that these dietary changes, on their own, do not reduce animal suffering or the contamination generated by the meat, dairy, and poultry industries. Finally, it is important to consider that, despite the popular opinion that vegetarianism and veganism are healthy diet alternatives, the diet must be individualized and well-balanced according to each stage of their life cycle.Daniel Mota-Rojas, Alexandra L. Whittaker, Leonardo Thielo de la Vega, Marcelo Ghezzi, Karina Lezama-García, Adriana Domínguez-Oliva, Isabel Falcón, Alejandro Casas-Alvarado, María Alonso-Spilsbur

Antioxidant Protects against Increases in Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronan and Inflammation in Asphyxiated Newborn Pigs Resuscitated with 100% Oxygen

BACKGROUND: Newborn resuscitation with 100% oxygen is associated with oxidative-nitrative stresses and inflammation. The mechanisms are unclear. Hyaluronan (HA) is fragmented to low molecular weight (LMW) by oxidative-nitrative stresses and can promote inflammation. We examined the effects of 100% oxygen resuscitation and treatment with the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), on lung 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), LMW HA, inflammation, TNFα and IL1ß in a newborn pig model of resuscitation. METHODS & PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Newborn pigs (n = 40) were subjected to severe asphyxia, followed by 30 min ventilation with either 21% or 100% oxygen, and were observed for the subsequent 150 minutes in 21% oxygen. One 100% oxygen group was treated with NAC. Serum, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), lung sections, and lung tissue were obtained. Asphyxia resulted in profound hypoxia, hypercarbia and metabolic acidosis. In controls, HA staining was in airway subepithelial matrix and no 3-NT staining was seen. At the end of asphyxia, lavage HA decreased, whereas serum HA increased. At 150 minutes after resuscitation, exposure to 100% oxygen was associated with significantly higher BAL HA, increased 3NT staining, and increased fragmentation of lung HA. Lung neutrophil and macrophage contents, and serum TNFα and IL1ß were higher in animals with LMW than those with HMW HA in the lung. Treatment of 100% oxygen animals with NAC blocked nitrative stress, preserved HMW HA, and decreased inflammation. In vitro, peroxynitrite was able to fragment HA, and macrophages stimulated with LMW HA increased TNFα and IL1ß expression. CONCLUSIONS & SIGNIFICANCE: Compared to 21%, resuscitation with 100% oxygen resulted in increased peroxynitrite, fragmentation of HA, inflammation, as well as TNFα and IL1ß expression. Antioxidant treatment prevented the expression of peroxynitrite, the degradation of HA, and also blocked increases in inflammation and inflammatory cytokines. These findings provide insight into potential mechanisms by which exposure to hyperoxia results in systemic inflammation

Intraperitoneal drain placement and outcomes after elective colorectal surgery: international matched, prospective, cohort study

Despite current guidelines, intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery remains widespread. Drains were not associated with earlier detection of intraperitoneal collections, but were associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased risk of surgical-site infections.Background Many surgeons routinely place intraperitoneal drains after elective colorectal surgery. However, enhanced recovery after surgery guidelines recommend against their routine use owing to a lack of clear clinical benefit. This study aimed to describe international variation in intraperitoneal drain placement and the safety of this practice. Methods COMPASS (COMPlicAted intra-abdominal collectionS after colorectal Surgery) was a prospective, international, cohort study which enrolled consecutive adults undergoing elective colorectal surgery (February to March 2020). The primary outcome was the rate of intraperitoneal drain placement. Secondary outcomes included: rate and time to diagnosis of postoperative intraperitoneal collections; rate of surgical site infections (SSIs); time to discharge; and 30-day major postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grade at least III). After propensity score matching, multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to estimate the independent association of the secondary outcomes with drain placement. Results Overall, 1805 patients from 22 countries were included (798 women, 44.2 per cent; median age 67.0 years). The drain insertion rate was 51.9 per cent (937 patients). After matching, drains were not associated with reduced rates (odds ratio (OR) 1.33, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 2.23; P = 0.287) or earlier detection (hazard ratio (HR) 0.87, 0.33 to 2.31; P = 0.780) of collections. Although not associated with worse major postoperative complications (OR 1.09, 0.68 to 1.75; P = 0.709), drains were associated with delayed hospital discharge (HR 0.58, 0.52 to 0.66; P < 0.001) and an increased risk of SSIs (OR 2.47, 1.50 to 4.05; P < 0.001). Conclusion Intraperitoneal drain placement after elective colorectal surgery is not associated with earlier detection of postoperative collections, but prolongs hospital stay and increases SSI risk

Rendimiento reproductivo en cerdos nativos mexicanos

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue proveer información sobre el rendimiento reproductivo de cerdas Criollas para caracterizar al Cerdo Nativo Mexicano (CNM). Se utilizaron Cerdos Pelón Mexicano (CPM) y Cuinos (CC), ambas razas CNM, criados en condiciones agro-pastoriles en el Estado de Nayarit, México. Se utilizaron 50 partos de CPM y 29 de CC sin observar diferencias para el total de lechones nacidos por camada (6,22), número de mortinatos (0,67), y de momificados (0,08), peso de la camada al destete (23,20 kg), y peso promedio del lechón destetado (5,28 kg), mientras que número y peso de lechones nacidos vivos por camada y peso promedio del lechón nacido vivo fueron más elevados en el CPM (6,04; 6,32 y 1,01, respectivamente); sin embargo, el CC destetó más lechones (4,95; p<0,01). No se encontraron diferencias, para las variables: edad al primer parto (547,65), días de gestación (113,38), días de lactancia (38,90), días de destete a servicio efectivo (11,19) e intervalo entre partos (159,06)

Características morfológicas en cerdos nativos mexicanos

Se estudiaron 22 Cerdos Pelón Mexicano (CPM) y 20 Cuinos (CC), ambas razas de Cerdo Nativo Mexicano (CNM) criadas en condiciones agro-pastoriles en el Estado de Nayarit, México. El CPM mostró un mayor número de pezones (p<0,01), presentando de 10 a 14, con una media de 10,9; una mayor altura anterior (64,81 cm), longitud del cuerpo (85,11) y trompa (19,44) (p<0,01), teniendo mayor longitud del cuerpo que altura en comparación con los CC. La fórmula ósea, C7, T15, L6 y S4 en todos los CNM (CPM, CC y otra raza Criolla, el Pata de Mula (PM)) correspondió con la del cerdo moderno. La sindactilia en el PM consistió en una segunda y tercera falange más en comparación con las otras razas

Rendimiento reproductivo en cerdos nativos mexicanos

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue proveer información sobre el rendimiento reproductivo de cerdas Criollas para caracterizar al Cerdo Nativo Mexicano (CNM). Se utilizaron Cerdos Pelón Mexicano (CPM) y Cuinos (CC), ambas razas CNM, criados en condiciones agro-pastoriles en el Estado de Nayarit, México. Se utilizaron 50 partos de CPM y 29 de CC sin observar diferencias para el total de lechones nacidos por camada (6,22), número de mortinatos (0,67), y de momificados (0,08), peso de la camada al destete (23,20 kg), y peso promedio del lechón destetado (5,28 kg), mientras que número y peso de lechones nacidos vivos por camada y peso promedio del lechón nacido vivo fueron más elevados en el CPM (6,04; 6,32 y 1,01, respectivamente); sin embargo, el CC destetó más lechones (4,95; p<0,01). No se encontraron diferencias, para las variables: edad al primer parto (547,65), días de gestación (113,38), días de lactancia (38,90), días de destete a servicio efectivo (11,19) e intervalo entre partos (159,06)

Características morfológicas en cerdos nativos mexicanos

Se estudiaron 22 Cerdos Pelón Mexicano (CPM) y 20 Cuinos (CC), ambas razas de Cerdo Nativo Mexicano (CNM) criadas en condiciones agro-pastoriles en el Estado de Nayarit, México. El CPM mostró un mayor número de pezones (p<0,01), presentando de 10 a 14, con una media de 10,9; una mayor altura anterior (64,81 cm), longitud del cuerpo (85,11) y trompa (19,44) (p<0,01), teniendo mayor longitud del cuerpo que altura en comparación con los CC. La fórmula ósea, C7, T15, L6 y S4 en todos los CNM (CPM, CC y otra raza Criolla, el Pata de Mula (PM)) correspondió con la del cerdo moderno. La sindactilia en el PM consistió en una segunda y tercera falange más en comparación con las otras razas