Using the Biocheck.UGent™ 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.UGent™ 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

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

Description, evaluation, and validation of the Teagasc Pig Production Model

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