Assessing the sustainability of pig production in Wallonia: development of a simulation tool

peer reviewedGarantir la durabilité d’une filière de production implique d’évaluer son impact sur les trois dimensions du développement durable : (1) maîtrise des impacts sur l’environnement, (2) viabilité économique, (3) attentes sociétales des éleveurs, des citoyens et des consommateurs. Cette recherche s’inscrit dans le cadre de la révision, par les autorités publiques de Wallonie (Belgique), des critères minimaux permettant la reconnaissance de la qualité différenciée axés sur les 3 piliers de la durabilité. Elle consiste à développer un outil informatique de modélisation mathématique du fonctionnement technico-environnemental de la production porcine et de ses impacts socio-économiques. Le programme est développé dans Matlab. Le modèle s’articule autour des différentes composantes des systèmes de production selon le paradigme orienté-objet. Les nouveaux critères de différenciation qui définiront de nouveaux labels axés sur des attributs de durabilité en constituent les variables motrices : taille de l’exploitation, origine des aliments et des matières premières, logement, indépendance énergétique, effluents, etc. Les impacts sont relevés à chaque étape de production jusqu’à la sortie du porc sur pied de la ferme selon la norme « Analyse de Cycle de Vie » (ACV). L’évaluation environnementale utilise des modèles mécanistiques de flux de composés chimiques, convertis en indicateurs ACV. L’analyse de la dimension sociale s’appuie sur une base de données intégrée, comprenant le temps de travail. Enfin, un modèle économique attestera du dernier volet. L’outil finalisé permettra de prédire les conséquences de choix opérationnels liés aux critères de qualité différenciée au niveau d’une exploitation.Création d'un outil d'évaluation de la durabilité des productions animales en Région wallonne: comparaison entre productions porcines conventionnelles et de qualité différencié

A Rapid Estimation of Nitrogen Bound to Neutral Detergent Fibre in Forages by Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) is widely used as a rapid method for the evaluation of the chemical composition or the nutritive value of foodstuffs (Givens et al., 1997). The determination of the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) bound N (NDF-N), which is highly variable in forages (Shayo & Udén, 1999), is expensive. The purpose of this study was to test the use of NIRS in the prediction of NDF-N in various forages

Varietal effects of barley carbohydrate composition on digestibility, fermentability and microbial ecophysiology in an in vitro model of the pig gastrointestinal tract.

Carbohydrate (CHO) composition can vary markedly between barley varieties. Their influence on digestibility, intestinal fermentation and microbiota in pigs was studied in vitro. Ten hulless (HLB) and 6 hulled barleys (HB) differing in B-glucan, non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), starch content, and amylose/amylopectin ratio, were hydrolyzed enzymatically and subsequently fermented for 72h. CHO fermentation kinetics were modeled; microbial composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production were analyzed. In HLB, in vitro DM digestibility was positively correlated to starch and amylopectin content and CP digestibility to amylopectin (P<0.05), whereas both were negatively correlated to insoluble NSP (P<0.05). Rate of fermentation was different (P<0.01) between barley types but not correlated to the CHO composition. However, high B-glucan contents induced faster fermentation (P<0.05, HLB; P<0.10, HB). SCFA molar ratios after fermentation of HLB were higher in propionate and branchedchain fatty acids and lower in acetate compared to HB (P<0.01). With HLB, amylose content was positively correlated to butyrate production and negatively to propionate, which was positively correlated to soluble NSP content (P<0.01). In HB, no correlation between SCFA production and the carbohydrate composition was found. TRFLP analysis revealed that Bacteroides and members of Clostridium cluster XIVa were differentially affected in HLB compared to HB as well as by the type and source of CHO. Microbial profiles were also correlated (P<0.05) to SCFA and fermentation parameters but response differed significantly between HB and HLB. The strongest correlation between CHO structure, microbial abundance and fermentation parameters was evident in HLB. Hulless barleys may offer the greatest opportunity to improve gut health in pigs

Hedges and Woody Strips Browsing by Cattle on Pasture in Wallonia, Belgium

Shrub and tree forages are commonly used in animal production in many regions of the world. Nonetheless, in Western Europe, and especially in Wallonia in Belgium, hedges and woody strips have disappeared from the agricultural landscape over the past 60 years. Browse species are usually rich in plant secondary compounds such as tannins whose benefits on CH4 production and intestinal parasitism have been highlighted (Ramírez-Restrepo et al. 2010). Currently, agri-environmental measures taken by the Walloon government promote hedges and woody strips in pastures, raising the interest in browse species functionalities in ruminant production. This study aimed at: (1) determining the influence of the access to a hedge on the behaviour of cattle on pasture; and (2) evaluating the fermentability by rumen microbes of foliage of woody species promoted in the Walloon landscape

Recent Advances on Early Detection of Heat Strain in Dairy Cows Using Animal-Based Indicators: A Review

peer reviewedIn pursuit of precision livestock farming, the real-time measurement for heat strain-related data has been more and more valued. Efforts have been made recently to use more sensitive physiological indicators with the hope to better inform decision-making in heat abatement in dairy farms. To get an insight into the early detection of heat strain in dairy cows, the present review focuses on the recent efforts developing early detection methods of heat strain in dairy cows based on body temperatures and respiratory dynamics. For every candidate animal-based indicator, state-of-the-art measurement methods and existing thresholds were summarized. Body surface temperature and respiration rate were concluded to be the best early indicators of heat strain due to their high feasibility of measurement and sensitivity to heat stress. Future studies should customize heat strain thresholds according to different internal and external factors that have an impact on the sensitivity to heat stress. Wearable devices are most promising to achieve real-time measurement in practical dairy farms. Combined with internet of things technologies, a comprehensive strategy based on both animal- and environment-based indicators is expected to increase the precision of early detection of heat strain in dairy cows

Impact of high-wheat bran diet on sows’ microbiota, performances and progeny’s growth and health

Finding alternatives to antimicrobial growth promoters is part of the goal of improving sustainability in pig production. Dietary fibres are considered as health-promoting substances acting on pigs’ microbiota. This study aimed to investigate whether the enrichment of sows’ diet with high levels of wheat bran (WB) could impact the performances of sows and piglets’ health. Seven sows were fed a control diet (CON) and 8 sows a WB diet from day 43 of gestation (WB 240 g/kg DM) until the end of the lactation period (WB 140 g/kg DM). Diets were formulated to be iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous by changing the proportions of some ingredients. Faeces were sampled at different time points (before treatment, during treatment: in gestation and lactation) to determine microbiota composition (sequencing with Illumina MiSeq). Milk was sampled weekly to determine lactose, fat and protein concentration by mid-infrared technology and IgA and IgG contents by ELISA. Before weaning (d26-27), piglets were euthanized, intestinal contents and tissues sampled for further analyses. Zootechnical performances of sows and piglets were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed using the SAS MIXED procedure and repeated measurements. Treatment never impacted piglets’ weight (P=0.51). Sows’ ingestion during the lactation period was comparable between both treatments until the last 4 days of lactation where the percentage of target ingestion was significantly (P<0.001) lower for the WB (66%) compared to the CON group (89%). No effect on sows’ backfat and weight changes was observed. An increased abundance of Lactobacillus spp. in feces of the WB group was observed in gestation before and after diet change (8.8% vs 15.1% of total bacteria). However, for the overall genera changes between treatments, it only seems to occur for minor groups of bacteria. Milk protein, fat, IgG and IgA were not affected by treatment, but a time-effect (P<0.001) was observed while treatment impacted (P<0.05) lactose content. In conclusion, sows’ performances were not affected by the high WB diet and more research on the piglets’ samples is foreseen

Farm Animals’ Behaviors and Welfare Analysis with AI Algorithms: A Review

peer reviewedNumerous bibliographic reviews related to the use of AI for the behavioral detection of farm animals exist, but they only focus on a particular type of animal. We believe that some techniques were used for some animals that could also be used for other types of animals. The application and comparison of these techniques between animal species are rarely done. In this paper, we propose a review of machine learning approaches used for the detection of farm animals’ behaviors such as lameness, grazing, rumination, and so on. The originality of this paper is matched classification in the midst of sensors and algorithms used for each animal category. First, we highlight the most implemented approaches for different categories of animals (cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and chickens) to inspire researchers interested to conduct investigation and employ the methods we have evaluated and the results we have obtained in this study. Second, we describe the current trends in terms of technological development and new paradigms that will impact the AI research. Finally, we critically analyze what is done and we draw new pathways of research to advance our understanding of animal’s behaviors

Describing Nitrogen dilution curve and physiological behavior of Thinopyrum intermedium

editorial reviewedThe perennial grain crop, Thinopyrum intermedium ((Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey) can provide various ecosystem services. Among them we can mention preservation services such as the reduction of nitrate leaching, the improving of soil food webs or the carbon pools and sequestration as well as a dual production of grains and forage. Currently, Th. intermedium is characterized by a recent selection history and its resource allocation to grains is low and variable. At the same time, its perenniality leads to large resource allocation to the belowground organs composed of short rhizomes and a deep root system to ensure crop continuity. Consequently, the development of intermediate wheatgrass in cropping system is still impeded by grain yielding capacity and stability, and knowledge gaps about best management practices in fields. To improve yields and crop management, a good description of its physiological behavior and a better understanding of its growing habits are yet required. Through the determination of its critical nitrogen dilution curve, we aimed to characterize its nitrogen (N) requirements and to establish diagnoses of the N status of the crop in different climatic and agronomic conditions which will allow further to inform fertilization practices to optimize crop growth and yields in fields. A field experiment was conducted in Gembloux AgroBio-Tech, Belgium, for three growing seasons with nitrogen fertilization schemes differing in frequency and amount of N. Globally, N fertilization has a positive impact on the dry matter of leaves, stems and ears (P<0,05). The maximization of the aboveground biomass and N uptake was obtained with a fertilization comprised between 100 and 150kg N/ha over the entire growing year. In addition, fall fertilization could be integrated into the N management strategy of the multi-annual Th. intermedium crop. Indeed, a fall nitrogen application combined with an early spring application resulted in relatively similar aboveground production levels of the crop as a full early spring nitrogen application. The total aboveground biomass tended to increase along the crop cycle. At the grain harvest, it ranged from 7,0 to 16,4T DM/ha for a 100kg N/ha fertilization, depending on the growing season. The N content tended to decrease with the evolution of growing stages, as observed with the proposed critical nitrogen dilution curve. It also indicates a reduced level of N nutrition that can be linked to several life traits of the crop. Actually, we observed a strong decrease in the leaves/stems ratio after the beginning of the growing season. In addition, the study of Sprunger et al. (2018) reported that the nitrogen use efficiency of Th. intermedium is high, considering the N content of the whole plant, and the plant seems able to assimilate large quantities of nitrogen and even more than what has been applied. Its deep and dense root system allows an extensive exploration of the soil profile which can further increase the nitrogen use efficiency and reduce nitrate leaching. This combined with the observed decrease of the N amount of the aboveground biomass in the second phase of growth is discussed in relation with the long-term survival strategy of the crop resulting in substantial investments in perennial belowground structures coupled with reduced resource allocations to seeds. Indeed, storage in rhizomes and roots can be part of a resource-conservative strategy of Th. intermedium that could store a part of the N absorbed in its belowground organs, which reduces the amount of N within the aboveground biomass. Sakiroglu et al. (2020) found out that the plant is effectively storing non-structural carbohydrates and proteins in its roots and rhizomes