Testing an animal welfare assessment protocol for growing-rabbits reared for meat production based on the welfare quality approach

The objective of the present study is to present an animal welfare assessment protocol for growing‐rabbits for discussion after its implementation in 32 farms from Spain and Portugal. The protocol comprises the principles of Good Feeding, Good Housing, Good Health and Appropriate Behaviour of the Welfare Quality protocols and includes 36 welfare parameters. Overall, the protocol showed a good capacity for discrimination between farms, with scores ranging 44 to 82 points. The protocol seems reliable for the assessment of animal welfare after proper training of auditors. However, for the criteria social behaviour and other behaviours, further research is needed to ascertain if the methodology and times of observation used are appropriate. Some farms had high mortality rates with a low prevalence of health problems, while others had low mortality rates with high prevalence of health problems due to different managements of culling. The protocol should be improved, to impede farms with high mortality rates but a low prevalence of health issues the day of the audit from obtaining better scores than the second type of farms, by limiting the compensation in key measures. The main points to be solved in the growing‐rabbit farms were: to provide more space to the animals; register the number of animals culled accurately; change cervical dislocation for another killing method and provide the farmers training in animal welfare.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Agonic Aspiration of Blood: Not Useful as an Animal-Based Indicator of Electrical Stunning Ineffectiveness in Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)

Agonic aspiration of blood (AAB) may result from an inadequate exsanguination with accidental trachea severing, that can be favoured by ineffective stunning of pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus). This study aimed to evaluate AAB as an animal-based indicator of electrical stunning ineffectiveness, which could be used by official veterinarians during the post-mortem inspection of pigs. Information on 3584 finishing pigs was collected at a Portuguese abattoir that performs head-to-body electrical stunning with horizontal bleeding. Of them, 15.5% of the pigs presented signs of ineffective stunning. AAB lung lesions were found in 27.8% of lungs. Despite what was predicted, a strong correlation was found between well stunned animals and the presence of blood lesions in lungs (p = 0.006). Statistical significances were found between pigs’ lateral recumbency at the conveyor and the presence of blood affecting one lung. Under the conditions of this study, the authors cannot point to AAB lung lesions as an animal-based indicator of electrical stunning ineffectiveness. Further studies should be conducted to establish a better understanding of the causes of aspiration of blood, in particular how horizontal bleeding may affect the occurrence of similar lesions.This work was supported by the projects UIDP/00772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The effect of replacing inorganic trace minerals with organic Bioplex® and Sel-Plex® on the performance and meat quality of broilers

The aim of this study was to compare the performance and carcass quality of broilers fed diets containing either a commercial inorganic mineral premix (control) or organic trace minerals (OTM) (Sel-Plex® (Se) and Bioplex® copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe)) in a commercial environment. Four identical houses with a total of 119,500 mixed-sex broiler chickens were used (two treatments×two replicates). Birds were fed identical corn/soybean based rations differing only in mineral form and levels. The inorganic treatment (control) provided Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn and Se at levels of 8, 44, 55, 66 and 0.2ppm, respectively. The OTM contained 5.5, 22, 5.5, 22 and 0.3ppm of Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn and Se respectively. Growth and feed conversion during the 35-day trial were not influenced (P>0.05) by treatments. Over the entire trial period and during the first week of production, birds showed significantly lower (P<0.05) mortality with the OTM treatment. Between 14 and 31 days, sudden death syndrome was lower (P<0.05) with the OTM diet. OTM improved feathering at 21 days of age (P<0.001) and lowered carcass skin tearing (P<0.05). There was no effect of OTM on carcass yield, breast meat pH, drip loss or on meat colour (L* and b* values). However, birds fed organic minerals had redder breast meat (a*) (P<0.05) on days three and five after slaughter. The results showed that, under commercial conditions, using lower levels of OTM (except Se) in feed relative to inorganic controls can maintain broiler performanc

The effect of replacing inorganic trace minerals with organic Bioplex® and Sel-Plex® on the performance and meat quality of broilers

The aim of this study was to compare the performance and carcass quality of broilers fed diets containing either a commercial inorganic mineral premix (control) or organic trace minerals (OTM) (Sel-Plex® (Se) and Bioplex® copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe)) in a commercial environment. Four identical houses with a total of 119,500 mixed-sex broiler chickens were used (two treatments × two replicates). Birds were fed identical corn/soybean based rations differing only in mineral form and levels. The inorganic treatment (control) provided Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn and Se at levels of 8, 44, 55, 66 and 0.2 ppm, respectively. The OTM contained 5.5, 22, 5.5, 22 and 0.3 ppm of Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn and Se respectively. Growth and feed conversion during the 35-day trial were not influenced (P > 0.05) by treatments. Over the entire trial period and during the first week of production, birds showed significantly lower (P < 0.05) mortality with the OTM treatment. Between 14 and 31 days, sudden death syndrome was lower (P < 0.05) with the OTM diet. OTM improved feathering at 21 days of age (P < 0.001) and lowered carcass skin tearing (P < 0.05). There was no effect of OTM on carcass yield, breast meat pH, drip loss or on meat colour (L* and b* values). However, birds fed organic minerals had redder breast meat (a*) (P < 0.05) on days three and five after slaughter. The results showed that, under commercial conditions, using lower levels of OTM (except Se) in feed relative to inorganic controls can maintain broiler performance

Biocide Use for the Control of Non-Typhoidal <em>Salmonella</em> in the Food-Producing Animal Scenario: A Primary Food Production to Fork Perspective

Biocides are a group of substances commonly used in food production settings to destroy or control a wide range of microorganisms, which can be present in food of animal origin, since contamination can occur in the several steps of the food production chains. In order to achieve the desired results, the users of biocides must first understand the diverse characteristics of such compounds, mainly the usage requirements, limitations, and the factors affecting the activity of biocides. Food-producing animals and their products, namely meat and eggs, represent a major source of non-typhoidal Salmonella for humans and are associated with foodborne outbreaks worldwide. The prevention of cross-contamination, which can occur in any step of the food production chain, is essential for the ultimate objective of producing safe food products. The correct use of biocides, along with good hygiene and manufacturing practices, is one of the pillars of Salmonella spp. control and should be implemented in all steps of the food production chain. The present chapter reviews the accumulated knowledge on the use of biocides to control non-typhoidal Salmonella, from a farm to fork standpoint, along with the possible impacts on human health arising from improper use

Lesões e anomalias observadas na inspeção sanitária do aparelho reprodutor feminino e úbere de bovinos

As anomalias do aparelho reprodutor assumem particular importância na produção bovina, uma vez que condicionam a fertilidade do animal, originando infertilidade ou esterilidade, sendo frequentemente causa de refugo dos animais. A identificação de lesões no aparelho reprodutor feminino em matadouro é de particular importância uma vez que fornece indicações sobre o peso relativo destas na economia das explorações, e pode alertar para questões de Saúde Pública. Ao abate normal são apresentados animais em perfeito estado hígido, o que não impede que apresentem as mais variadas lesões e ou anomalias. Os problemas associados ao aparelho reprodutor podem estar relacionados com situações que levam à diminuição da qualidade e/ou salubridade das carnes, podendo ser observadas anomalias de origem congénita e/ou adquirida. Neste trabalho iremos descrever a metodologia de inspeção ante e post mortem do apareho reprodutor feminino e úbere. Serão ainda descritas algumas lesões encontradas no aparelho genital feminino e úbere de animais abatidos em regime de abate normal dada a sua maior frequência e/ou importância, e referir a decisão sanitária baseada nos normativos legais e orientações do Codex alimentarius

Spatial Analysis of Wildlife Tuberculosis Based on a Serologic Survey Using Dried Blood Spots, Portugal

We investigated the spatial epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in wildlife in a multihost system. We surveyed bovine TB in Portugal by serologic analysis of elutes of dried blood spots obtained from hunted wild boar. We modeled spatial disease risk by using areal generalized linear mixed models with conditional autoregressive priors. Antibodies against Mycobaterium bovis were detected in 2.4% (95% CI 1.5%-3.8%) of 678 wild boar in 2 geographic clusters, and the predicted risk fits well with independent reports of M. bovis culture. Results show that elutes are an almost perfect substitute for serum (Cohen unweighted κ = 0.818), indicating that serologic tests coupled with dried blood spots are an effective strategy for large-scale bovine TB surveys, using wild boar as sentinel species. Results also show that bovine TB is an emerging wildlife disease and stress the need to prevent further geographic spread and prevalence increase.Plan Nacional (grant CGL2017-89866 from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain, and Fondo Europeo de Desarollo Regional) and Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (grant ON.2 O Novo Norte), Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional through the Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional. N.S. was supported by PhD grant SFRH/BD/69390/2010 from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cephenemyia stimulator (Diptera: Oestridae) myiasis in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from Portugal

Herein we present a nasopharyngeal myiasis case by Cephenemyia stimulator in a roe deer hunted in Trás-os-Montes (NE Portugal). Preliminary inspection showed one larva sorting through the nostrils and the examination of the nasopharyngeal cavity showed more than 15 larvae in the glottis and retropharyngeal recesses. Four larvae were collected and stored into 70% ethanol for morphological and molecular identification. Three of the larvae were identified as third instars and the other one as a prepupa of Cephenemyia stimulator, being the first confirmation of this species in roe deer from Portugal. C. stimulator is currently widely distributed in roe deer from central and northern Spain so, the transboundary natural dispersal of these cervids would explain the introduction of this myiasis in Portugal. Further studies are needed to monitor the spreading of this infection in the westernmost populations of European roe deerThe authors are very grateful to Jorge Afonso (Carramo Safaris, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Portugal), the hunter who submitted the larvae for investigation. This work was supported by the projects UIDB7CVT700772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and by the Program for consolidating and structuring competitive research groups (ED4312019/04, Xunta de Galicia, Spain)S

First Report of Echinococcus ortleppi in Free-Living Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) from Portugal

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonosis that is prevalent worldwide. It is considered endemic in Portugal but few studies have been performed on Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato and their hosts. In this study, CE cysts are reported for the first time in a free-living wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Portugal. The presence of the metacestodes in the liver of the wild boar was identified by morphological features, microscopic examination and molecular analysis. The sequencing of part of the DNA nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) region revealed a G5 genotype that presently corresponds to Echinococcus ortleppi. This is the first report of E. ortleppi in Portugal and to the best of the authors' knowledge, in Europe. These results suggest that wild boar may be a host of CE, namely, crossing the livestock-wildlife interface, which has important public health implications. Wildlife reservoirs must be taken into account as CE hosts and surveillance of game as well as health education for hunters should be implemented using a One Health approach, with implementation of feasible and tailor-made control strategies, namely, proper elimination of byproducts in the field.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus from Hunters and Hunting Dogs

This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring the Epidemiology, Pathogenicity, and Therapeutic Options of Staphylococcus spp.Several studies have showed that a dog-to-human transmission of Staphylococcus aureus occurs. Hunting dogs do not have as much contact with their owners as dogs that live in the same household as the owners; however, these dogs have contact with their owners during hunting activities as well as when hunting game; therefore, we aimed to isolate S. aureus from hunters and their hunting dogs to investigate a possible S. aureus transmission. Nose and mouth samples were collected from 30 hunters and their 78 hunting dogs for staphylococcal isolation. The species identification was performed using MALDI-TOF. The antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were accessed using the Kirby-Bauer method and respective antimicrobial resistance genes were investigated by PCR. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and spa- and agr-typing was performed in all S. aureus isolates. S. aureus were detected in 10 (30%) human samples and in 11 (15.4%) dog samples of which 11 and 5 were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Other staphylococci were identified, particularly, S. pseudintermedius. Most S. aureus isolates were resistant to penicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Evidence of a possible transmission of S. aureus between human and dogs was detected in three hunters and their dogs. S. aureus isolates were ascribed to 10 STs and 9 spa-types. A moderate colonization of S. aureus in hunting dogs and their owners was detected in this study. A few dog-to-dog and dog-to-human possible transmissions were identified.This work was funded by the R&D Project CAREBIO2: Comparative assessment of antimicrobial resistance in environmental biofilms through proteomics—towards innovative thera- nostic biomarkers, with reference NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-030101 and PTDC/SAU-INF/30101/2017, financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Northern Regional Operational Program (NORTE 2020) and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). This work was supported by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry-LAQV, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020) and by the projects UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020 funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). Vanessa Silva is grateful to FCT (Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) for financial support through the PhD grant SFRH/BD/137947/2018.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio