32 research outputs found
Using the Biocheck.UGentâ„¢ scoring tool in Irish farrow-to-finish pig farms: assessing biosecurity and its relation to productive performance
peer-reviewedBackground
Biosecurity is one of the main factors affecting disease occurrence and antimicrobial use, and it is associated with performance in pig production. However, the importance of specific measures could vary depending on the (national) context. The aim of this study was to describe the biosecurity status in a cohort of Irish pig farms, to investigate which of those biosecurity aspects are more relevant by using the Biocheck.UGentâ„¢ scoring system, and to study the impact of such aspects on farm performance.
Results
External biosecurity score was high compared to most countries due to the characteristics of the Irish pig sector (i.e. purchasing only semen and breeding gilts on farm). The internal biosecurity score was lower and had greater variability among farms than other EU countries. Using multivariable linear regression, the biosecurity practices explained 8, 23, and 16% of variability in piglet mortality, finisher mortality, and average daily gain, respectively. Three clusters of farms were defined based on their biosecurity scores (0 to 100) using principal components and hierarchical clustering analysis. Scores for clusters 1, 2 and 3 were (mean ± SD) 38 ± 7.6, 61 ± 7.0 and 66 ± 9.8 for internal and 73 ± 5.1, 74 ± 5.3 and 86 ± 4.5 for external biosecurity. Cluster 3 had lower piglet mortality (P = 0.022) and higher average daily gain (P = 0.037) when compared to cluster 2.
Conclusions
Irish farms follow European tendencies with internal biosecurity posing as the biggest liability. Our results suggest that practices related to the environment and region, feed, water and equipment supply, and the management of the different stages, need to be addressed in lower performing farms to improve productive performance. Further studies on the economic impact of these biosecurity practices including complementary data on herd health, gilt rearing, piglet management, vaccination and feeding strategies are needed
Quantification, description and international comparison of antimicrobial use on Irish pig farms
Peer-reviewedAbstract
Background
There is concern that the use of antimicrobials in livestock production has a role in the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in animals and humans. Consequently, there are increasing efforts to reduce antimicrobial use (AMU) in agriculture. As the largest consumer of veterinary antimicrobials in several countries, the pig sector is a particular focus of these efforts. Data on AMU in pig production in Ireland are lacking. This study aimed to quantify AMU on Irish pig farms, to identify the major patterns of use employed and to compare the results obtained to those from other published reports and studies.
Results
Antimicrobial use data for 2016 was collected from 67 Irish pig farms which represented c. 35% of national production. The combined sample population consumed 14.5 t of antimicrobial by weight of active ingredient suggesting that the pig sector accounted for approximately 40% of veterinary AMU in Ireland in 2016. At farm level, median AMU measured in milligram per population correction unit (mg/PCU) was 93.9 (range: 1.0–1196.0). When measured in terms of treatment incidence (TI200), median AMU was 15.4 (range: 0.2–169.2). Oral treatments accounted for 97.5% of all AMU by weight of active ingredient and were primarily administered via medicated feed to pigs in the post weaning stages of production. AMU in Irish pig production in 2016 was higher than results obtained from the national reports of Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and France but lower than the United Kingdom.
Conclusions
Pig production in Ireland is an important consumer of veterinary antimicrobials. The quantities and patterns of AMU on Irish pig farms are comparable to pig production in other European countries but higher than some countries with more advanced AMU reduction strategies. This AMU is characterised by a high proportion of prophylactic use and is primarily administered to pigs post weaning via medicated feed. Further studies to better understand the reasons for AMU on Irish pig farms and strategies to improve health among weaner pigs will be of benefit in the effort to reduce AMU
Space QUEST mission proposal: experimentally testing decoherence due to gravity
Models of quantum systems on curved space-times lack sufficient experimental
verification. Some speculative theories suggest that quantum properties, such
as entanglement, may exhibit entirely different behavior to purely classical
systems. By measuring this effect or lack thereof, we can test the hypotheses
behind several such models. For instance, as predicted by Ralph and coworkers
[T C Ralph, G J Milburn, and T Downes, Phys. Rev. A, 79(2):22121, 2009, T C
Ralph and J Pienaar, New Journal of Physics, 16(8):85008, 2014], a bipartite
entangled system could decohere if each particle traversed through a different
gravitational field gradient. We propose to study this effect in a ground to
space uplink scenario. We extend the above theoretical predictions of Ralph and
coworkers and discuss the scientific consequences of detecting/failing to
detect the predicted gravitational decoherence. We present a detailed mission
design of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Space QUEST (Space - Quantum
Entanglement Space Test) mission, and study the feasibility of the mission
schema.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figures, included radiation damage to detectors in
appendi
Life sentences in Ireland and the European convention on human rights
The distinctive feature of the sentence of life imprisonment is that it is indeterminate.
Unlike a prisoner serving a fixed term the life sentence prisoner does not know when,
if ever, he or she will be released. Moreover, where the sanction is mandatory, life
imprisonment is an inflexible instrument that does not take account of the culpability
of the particular offender and such sentences are difficult to reconcile with the principle
of proportionality. I It is not surprising that the compatibility of life sentences with
human rights principles has become a matter of concern, as have the arrangements put
in place to facilitate the release of life sentence prisoners.2
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has delivered a series of rulings in
which life sentences have been evaluated in the light of the European Convention on
Human Rights (ECHR). The Court has not declared that the life sentence per se
involves a breach of the ECHR but it has pronounced on the review mechanisms and
procedures that are required by the Convention. In short, once the punitive element of
a life sentence has been served the prisoner is entitled to frequent and speedy review of
the lawfulness of his or her imprisonment by an independent and impartial tribunal.
The stated purpose underlying this regime is to protect the prisoner against the arbitrary
prolonging of his or her incarceration.
The current Irish position is that the question of release is exclusively an executive
matter and the courts have demonstrated a marked reluctance to interfere with the
exercise of that power. The power of release has been assigned by statute to the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Parole Board, a non-statutory
body, advises the Minister but crucially he or she is not bound by that advice. In a
series of decisions the superior courts in Ireland have invoked separation of powers
Considerations to reinforce this stance and they have demonstrated a marked reluctance
to interfere with the exercise of that executive power
Report into determination of life sentences
This report evaluates the determination of life sentences
in the light of the European Convention of Human Rights and the associated
jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. The principal conclusion
is that current Irish law does not comply with European human rights law
Broadband Purcell enhancement in highly efficient photonic nanowire-based single-photon sources
Pig Farmers' Conference 2012: Proceedings from the Teagasc National Pig Conferences
Proceedings of a Teagasc conferenceProceedings from the Teagasc National Pig Conferences which took place on 23 October in the Horse and Jockey Hotel, Tipperary and the 24 October in the Cavan Crystal Hotel, Cava