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Ackermann MR, Bannantine JP. Progress and persistence of diseases of high consequence to livestock in the United States. One Health 2024; 19:100865. [PMID: 39185352 PMCID: PMC11344017 DOI: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The USDA/ARS-National Disease Center (NADC) will celebrate its 65th anniversary of existence in November 2026. NADC continues as one of the world's premier animal health research centers conducting basic and applied research on endemic diseases with economic impact on U.S. livestock and wildlife. This research center also supports a program studying important food safety pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter. NADC has contributed significantly to the elimination of a few diseases, notably hog cholera and milk fever, and made progress in reducing the impact of many other animal diseases through vaccines, therapies and managerial recommendations. Despite nearly 65 years of targeted research on these diseases and much progress, some of these continue to persist. The reasons for such persistence varies for each disease condition and they are often multifactorial involving host susceptibility, virulence and even environmental conditions. Individually and in aggregate, these disease conditions have a massive economic impact and can be devasting to animal producers, owners and individuals that become infected through zoonotic disease agents such as tuberculosis, leptospirosis and avian influenza. They also diminish the health, well-being and welfare of affected animals, which directly affects the food supply. The NADC is using all available technologies including genomic, biochemical, reverse genetics, and vaccine trials in the target host to combat these significant diseases. We review the progress and reasons for persistence of selected diseases and food safety pathogens as well as the progress and potential outcomes should research and programmatic plans to eliminate these disease conditions cease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R. Ackermann
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA, USA
| | - John P. Bannantine
- US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, National Animal Disease Center, Ames, IA, USA
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Allievi C, Valleri M, Zanzani SA, Zanon A, Mortarino M, Manfredi MT. Epidemiology and distribution of gastrointestinal parasites in fattening pig farms in northern Italy. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:307. [PMID: 39172196 PMCID: PMC11341578 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08320-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
In Italy, pig breeding is characterised by intensive farms in which parasitic diseases often present a subclinical pattern, while being responsible for decreased animal welfare and great economic losses. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of major parasites in pigs, and, for this purpose, 880 faecal samples of fattening pigs raised in 22 intensive farms located in northern Italy were collected in two different sampling sessions, at the beginning and end of the fattening cycle. For the detection of helminth eggs and coccidian oocysts, a quantitative flotation technique was used, whereas a conventional PCR was performed to confirm the identification of cestode eggs found by copromicroscopic analysis. Moreover, data regarding herd management were collected to assess risk factors for parasite occurrence. A total of 95 samples were positive for at least one parasitic taxon (10.8%); the most detected parasite was Ascaris suum (7.6%), followed by Trichuris suis (1.7%) and Cystoisospora suis (0.9%). Further, eggs with morphometric features compatible with those of Hymenolepis diminuta were detected in 16 samples (1.8%), and the analysis of sequences confirmed the identification of cestode eggs. Statistical analysis showed that large farms and those applying the all-in/all-out system were associated with a lower risk of nematode infection. This study provided data on prevalence and burden of gastrointestinal parasites in two different times of the fattening cycle. It was evidenced that endoparasites are persistent, albeit with low prevalences, and would need specific measures to reduce their effects on both animal health and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Allievi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Marco Valleri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Sergio Aurelio Zanzani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Alessandro Zanon
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Michele Mortarino
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Manfredi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
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Alotaibi BS, Wu CH, Khan M, Nawaz M, Chen CC, Ali A. African swine fever; insights into genomic aspects, reservoirs and transmission patterns of virus. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1413237. [PMID: 39193370 PMCID: PMC11347335 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1413237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
African swine fever is a hemorrhagic disease of pigs with high mortality rates. Since its first characterization in 1921, there has been sufficient information about African swine fever virus (ASFV) and related diseases. The virus has been found and maintained in the sylvatic cycle involving ticks and domestic and wild boars in affected regions. The ASFV is spread through direct and indirect contact with infected pigs, their products and carrier vectors especially Ornithodoros ticks. Severe economic losses and a decline in pig production have been observed in ASFV affected countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. At the end of 2018, the ASFV adversely affected China, the world's leading pork-producer. Control strategies for the disease remained challenging due to the unavailability of effective vaccines and the lack of successful therapeutic measures. However, considerable efforts have been made in recent years to understand the biology of the virus, surveillance and effective control measures. This review emphasizes and summarizes the current state of information regarding the knowledge of etiology, epidemiology, transmission, and vaccine-based control measures against ASFV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bader S. Alotaibi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Chia-Hung Wu
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Majid Khan
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Mohsin Nawaz
- Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot Azad Kashmir, Rawalakot, Pakistan
| | - Chien-Chin Chen
- Department of Pathology, Ditmanson Medical Foundation Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
- Department of Cosmetic Science, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine and Rong Hsing Translational Medicine Research Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
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Nagel-Alne GE, Røtterud OJ, Refsum T, Holthe J, Garner M, Skjerve E, Hauge SJ. Hygiene performance rating at farm level - an auditing scheme for evaluation of biosecurity measures' effect on prevalence of Campylobacter from selected broiler producers. Acta Vet Scand 2024; 66:38. [PMID: 39138525 PMCID: PMC11323344 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-024-00762-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preventing pathogens from entering the broiler premises is the main biosecurity measure at farm level. In conventional broiler production, chickens are kept indoors during the entire production period. Pathogens can enter the broiler-producing unit from sources such as water, equipment, personnel, insects, and rodents. The possible routes must be controlled, and corrective measures applied when necessary. The objective of this study was to (1) develop a hygiene protocol and test the scheme on 30 farms, and (2) compare the results to their Campylobacter-colonised status. A Hygiene Performance Rating protocol at farm level (HPR-F) was developed to systematically review the production to identify risk areas to biosecurity. The HPR-F consists of 13 categories with related questions. For each question, a score was given from 1 to 3, where 1 meant "acceptable", 2 was "potential for improvements", and 3 was "not acceptable". Scores for each question were multiplied with weight factors for hygienic impact and economic consequences describing whether the necessary improvement depends on a significant investment or is a cheap quick-fix and calculated into a percentage where 100% is perfect hygiene. The 30 farms in the study were selected from one county in Norway. The Campylobacter-results for each of the 30 farms in 2019-2021 were given according to rules in the Norwegian Action Plan against Campylobacter faecal sampling on-farm 3-6 days prior to slaughter. RESULTS The overall results from the HPR-F showed that the general hygiene level was high in all farms. The mean total hygiene score was 82% and varied from 70 to 92%. The category Handling dead chicken had the highest hygiene score (93%), and Ventilation had the lowest score (55%). The HPR-F results were compared to the Campylobacter-status for the 30 farms: Campylobacter-negative flocks had slightly higher total scores than Campylobacter-positive flocks (P = 0.19). Among others, the category Outdoor area (vegetation close to the premises' walls) was identified as the most stable factor in relation to be colonised with Campylobacter. CONCLUSIONS The HPR-F tested in this research trial provides a tool for veterinarians, advisors, and poultry farmers to improve biosecurity at farm level and enhance the preventive animal health initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunvor Elise Nagel-Alne
- Animalia Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Center, P.O. Box 396 Økern, Oslo, 05413, Norway.
| | - Ole-Johan Røtterud
- Animalia Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Center, P.O. Box 396 Økern, Oslo, 05413, Norway
| | - Thorbjørn Refsum
- Animalia Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Center, P.O. Box 396 Økern, Oslo, 05413, Norway
| | - Janne Holthe
- Animalia Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Center, P.O. Box 396 Økern, Oslo, 05413, Norway
| | - Miriam Garner
- Norsk Kylling, Havneveien 43, Orkanger, 7300, Norway
| | - Eystein Skjerve
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, NMBU Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, 1430, Norway
| | - Sigrun J Hauge
- Animalia Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Center, P.O. Box 396 Økern, Oslo, 05413, Norway
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Di Marco Lo Presti V, Ippolito D, Cardeti G, Cersini A, Bertolotti L, Amato B, Colitti B, Giudice C, Pruiti Ciarello F, Vicari D, Scicluna MT, Capucchio MT, Calogero R, Fiasconaro M. Swinepox virus: an unusual outbreak in free-range pig farms in Sicily (Italy). Porcine Health Manag 2024; 10:28. [PMID: 39054554 PMCID: PMC11270958 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-024-00376-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Two outbreaks of swinepox were investigated in free-range domestic pig farms located in the northeastern side of Sicily, Italy. The disease is generally self-limiting with a low mortality rate, but morbidity can reach high rates in case of poor sanitary conditions, improper husbandry practices and ectoparasitic infestation. The presented cases are the first ever reported on the island and part of the few cases reported in domestic pigs. CASE PRESENTATION Carcasses condemned at the slaughterhouse and deceased pigs from Farm A and Farm B respectively, were referred for post-mortem examination and further investigations, with a strong suspect of SwinePox virus (SWPV) infection. Twelve deceased pigs were examined in total, showing poor body condition and pustular lesions scattered all over the cutaneous surfaces. Moreover, pigs from Farm B showed ocular lesions classified from Grade I to IV (from mild conjunctivitis to severe keratoconjunctivitis with corneal oedema, opacity, and ulcers). Final diagnosis was pursued by the microscopic assessment of skin lesions in both farms, which revealed the typical SWPV-lesion appearance, such as severe and disseminated ulcerative dermatitis and suspected inclusion bodies multifocally observed in the epidermis. Moreover, negative staining Electron Microscopy (nsEM) was performed on skin lesions and ocular swabs from Farm B, revealing in two samples the presence of brick-shaped viral particles, 220 nm long and 160 nm wide, with irregularly arranged surface tubules, identified as SWPV. The gene encoding the 482-bp fragment of the virus late transcription factor-3 was detected by PCR and sequencing revealed 99.79% identity and 100% query-cover with a strain previously isolated in Germany. Field clinical assessment was then performed in Farm B, revealing high overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions and improper husbandry practices, which are relevant risk factors for SWPV transmission. CONCLUSIONS The present is the first case report of SWPV in free-range pigs raised in Sicily, an island of the Southern coast of Italy, and wants to raise awareness on a neglected disease, and cause of animal health and welfare issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Di Marco Lo Presti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Dorotea Ippolito
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129, Palermo, Italy.
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Unit of Emerging Zoonoses, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, Roma, 00161, Italy.
| | - Giusy Cardeti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Via Appia Nuova, Roma, 1411 - 00178, Italy
| | - Antonella Cersini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Via Appia Nuova, Roma, 1411 - 00178, Italy
| | - Luigi Bertolotti
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Torino, 10095, Italy
| | - Benedetta Amato
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Barbara Colitti
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Torino, 10095, Italy
| | - Chiara Giudice
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell'Università, 6, Lodi, 26900, Italy
| | - Flavia Pruiti Ciarello
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129, Palermo, Italy
| | - Domenico Vicari
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Scicluna
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", Via Appia Nuova, Roma, 1411 - 00178, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Capucchio
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo P. Braccini 2, Grugliasco, Torino, 10095, Italy
| | - Rosita Calogero
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michele Fiasconaro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri", Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129, Palermo, Italy
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Coelho IMP, Silva Maia LDM, Ramos BOL, Araújo ÉLM, Cunha Cabral MLD, Mariano VMS, Nicolino RR. Assessment of Brazil's vesicular syndrome surveillance system: Profile of notifications and performance of the official veterinary service. Prev Vet Med 2024; 230:106285. [PMID: 39089163 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is an ailment that causes serious damage to the productive chain, and its control through vaccination is of utmost importance for its eradication. Brazil initiated the National Foot-and-Mouth Disease Surveillance Program (PNEFA) with the aim of making the country FMD-free by 2026. As part of the program, notifications of vesicular lesions became mandatory for the Official Veterinary Service (OVS), which is responsible for verifying them. Due to its size, border areas with countries that do not have FMD-free status pose a risk to Brazil and require greater attention. This study described the profile of notifications of suspected outbreaks of vesicular syndrome in Brazil and analyzed the performance of the surveillance system. The results showed 7134 registered notifications of suspected vesicular syndrome outbreaks from 2018 to 2022, with 2022 having the highest number (n = 2343 or 32.85 %). The species that generated the most notifications were swine (90.99 %), cattle and buffaloes (7.54 %), goats and sheep (1.44 %), and others (0.03 %). The sources of notification were "Veterinary medicine professionals" (61.82 %), "Owners or employees" (13.66 %), "Third parties" (8.90 %), "OVS" (7.20 %), and "others" (2.66 %). 41.69 % of notifications originated from non-border municipalities, and 58.32 % from border areas. Only the state of Paraná account for 51.73 % of the total notifications. This state also accounted for 66.70 % of the 32.47 % of notifications with a final diagnosis of "absence of clinically compatible signs or susceptible animals", indicating a certain lack of knowledge in the area, leading to unnecessary notifications and system overload. The performance of the OVS was evaluated based on the service response time from notification registration trough Logistic and Negative binomial regressions. A total of 27.83 % of notifications did not meet the Brazilian legally specified time, and the zone related to the state of Parana needs improvements in performance. The presence and peaks of Senecavirus A cases may have influenced an increased number of swine notifications and led to a decrease in OVS response time. The results demonstrate better performance of surveillance in border areas. Given the vast territory of Brazil, it is not expected that 100 % of responses occur within the legal timeframe, however, the performance of the surveillance system proved to be adequate, with 86 % complied to the legislation. The performance indicators could be used as a monitoring tool, along with indicators to demonstrate system overload. Continued education actions are crucial for strengthening PNEFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isadora Martins Pinto Coelho
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270 - 901, Brazil.
| | - Lorena Diniz Macedo Silva Maia
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270 - 901, Brazil.
| | - Breno Oliveira Lima Ramos
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270 - 901, Brazil.
| | - Érica Lorenza Martins Araújo
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270 - 901, Brazil.
| | - Maria Luiza Da Cunha Cabral
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270 - 901, Brazil.
| | - Victor Moreira Sales Mariano
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270 - 901, Brazil.
| | - Rafael Romero Nicolino
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270 - 901, Brazil.
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Zanon T, Alrhmoun M, Gauly M. Assessing the impact of biosecurity practices and animal welfare in small-scale mountain dairy farming. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13294. [PMID: 38858560 PMCID: PMC11164905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63841-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This study estimates the association between the level of biosecurity, animal welfare, milk quality, and economic performance on 2291 mountain dairy farms which largely differs in management and structure from large dairy operations in the lowlands mainly due to climatic and topographic constraints in mountain areas. The dairy industry's increasing emphasis on biosecurity is crucial for ensuring animal health, productivity, and disease mitigation. Therefore, in the present study the biosecurity and animal welfare status of mountain dairy farms were assessed considering the official welfare protocol for dairy cows of the Italian ClassyFarm system. Our findings reveal a suboptimal adoption of biosecurity measures, attributed to structural limitations in mountain farms and farmers' awareness gaps. Despite these challenges, the economic significance of biosecurity adoption is evident, emphasizing potential benefits for farm viability and animal health. Conversely, the study indicates a moderate to good welfare status in assessed farms, reflecting farmers' awareness of the importance of high welfare standards for dairy cows. Improved welfare positively correlates with milk sales and productivity, highlighting the economic advantages of prioritizing animal well-being. Challenges persist, particularly regarding animal housing deficiencies and related consumer concerns about animal welfare in dairy production. Therefore, targeted interventions and educational initiatives are crucial to empower farmers and promote best practices in biosecurity and animal welfare management. However, addressing resultant production cost increases necessitates society's willingness to pay more for animal-based food, emphasizing the importance of aligning economic incentives with sustainable farming practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Zanon
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, 39100, Bolzano, Italy.
| | - Mousaab Alrhmoun
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, 39100, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Matthias Gauly
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, 39100, Bolzano, Italy
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Bolarin A, Berndtson J, Tejerina F, Cobos S, Pomarino C, D'Alessio F, Blackburn H, Kaeoket K. Boar semen cryopreservation: State of the art, and international trade vision. Anim Reprod Sci 2024:107496. [PMID: 38763787 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2024.107496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Biosecurity is a major concern in the global pig production. The separation in time of semen collection, processing and insemination in the pig farm is a few days for chilled semen but it can be indefinite when using cryopreserved semen. Field fertility results of boar cryopreserved semen are close to chilled semen, which makes it a valuable resource for the establishment of semen genebanks, long-distance semen trade, and the implementation of other technologies such as the sex-sorted semen. But cryopreserved semen is far from being routine in pig farms. The most recent research efforts to facilitate its implementation include the use of additives before freezing, or in the thawing extender. Long-term preserved semen trade is a biosecurity challenge. To harmonize international trade of germplasm, the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH) established a regulatory framework for all member countries. The present paper aims to review the latest advances of boar semen cryopreservation with special focus on the benefits of its inclusion as a routine tool in the pig industry. We also review recently reported field fertility results of cryopreserved semen, its international trade compared to chilled semen, and the regulatory framework involved. Boar cryopreserved semen is a valuable tool to control biosecurity risk, implement other technologies, and facilitate international trade. Research already demonstrated good field fertility results, but it still represents less than 0.1 % of the international trade. As boar cryopreserved semen gets closer to implementation, the correspondent authorities are reviewing the trade rules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - F Tejerina
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. General Sub-directorate of Livestock Inputs, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Cobos
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. General Sub-directorate of Health Agreements and Border Control, Madrid, Spain
| | - C Pomarino
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. General Sub-directorate of Animal Health and Hygiene and Traceability, Madrid, Spain
| | - F D'Alessio
- World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), Paris, France
| | - H Blackburn
- USDA-ARS, National Animal Germplasm Program, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - K Kaeoket
- Semen Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon-Pathom 73170, Thailand
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Galvis JA, Machado G. The role of vehicle movement in swine disease dissemination: Novel method accounting for pathogen stability and vehicle cleaning effectiveness uncertainties. Prev Vet Med 2024; 226:106168. [PMID: 38507888 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Several propagation routes drive animal disease dissemination, and among these routes, contaminated vehicles traveling between farms have been associated with indirect disease transmission. In this study, we used near-real-time vehicle movement data and vehicle cleaning efficacy to reconstruct the between-farm dissemination of the African swine fever virus (ASFV). We collected one year of Global Positioning System data of 823 vehicles transporting feed, pigs, and people to 6363 swine production farms in two regions in the U.S. Without cleaning, vehicles connected up to 2157 farms in region one and 437 farms in region two. Individually, in region one vehicles transporting feed connected 2151 farms, pigs to farms 2089 farms, pigs to market 1507 farms, undefined vehicles 1760 farm, and personnel three farms. The simulation results indicated that the contact networks were reduced the most for crew transport vehicles with a 66% reduction, followed by vehicles carrying pigs to market and farms, with reductions of 43% and 26%, respectively, when 100% cleaning efficacy was achieved. The results of this study showed that even when vehicle cleaning and disinfection are 100% effective, vehicles are still connected to numerous farms. This emphasizes the importance of better understanding transmission risks posed by vehicles to the swine industry and regulatory agencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Galvis
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Gustavo Machado
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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Kakar JK, Hussain S, Kim SC, Kim H. TimeTector: A Twin-Branch Approach for Unsupervised Anomaly Detection in Livestock Sensor Noisy Data (TT-TBAD). SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:2453. [PMID: 38676070 PMCID: PMC11055079 DOI: 10.3390/s24082453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Unsupervised anomaly detection in multivariate time series sensor data is a complex task with diverse applications in different domains such as livestock farming and agriculture (LF&A), the Internet of Things (IoT), and human activity recognition (HAR). Advanced machine learning techniques are necessary to detect multi-sensor time series data anomalies. The primary focus of this research is to develop state-of-the-art machine learning methods for detecting anomalies in multi-sensor data. Time series sensors frequently produce multi-sensor data with anomalies, which makes it difficult to establish standard patterns that can capture spatial and temporal correlations. Our innovative approach enables the accurate identification of normal, abnormal, and noisy patterns, thus minimizing the risk of misinterpreting models when dealing with mixed noisy data during training. This can potentially result in the model deriving incorrect conclusions. To address these challenges, we propose a novel approach called "TimeTector-Twin-Branch Shared LSTM Autoencoder" which incorporates several Multi-Head Attention mechanisms. Additionally, our system now incorporates the Twin-Branch method which facilitates the simultaneous execution of multiple tasks, such as data reconstruction and prediction error, allowing for efficient multi-task learning. We also compare our proposed model to several benchmark anomaly detection models using our dataset, and the results show less error (MSE, MAE, and RMSE) in reconstruction and higher accuracy scores (precision, recall, and F1) against the baseline models, demonstrating that our approach outperforms these existing models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junaid Khan Kakar
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
- Core Research Institute of Intelligent Robots, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
| | - Shahid Hussain
- Innovation Value Institute (IVI), School of Business, National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Ireland;
| | - Sang Cheol Kim
- Core Research Institute of Intelligent Robots, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
| | - Hyongsuk Kim
- Core Research Institute of Intelligent Robots, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea;
- Department of Electronics Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
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11
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Carvajal A, Kramer M, Argüello H. Salmonella Control in Swine: A Thoughtful Discussion of the Pre- and Post-Harvest Control Approaches in Industrialized Countries. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1035. [PMID: 38612274 PMCID: PMC11010990 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Pork is among the major sources of human salmonellosis in developed countries. Since the 1990s, different surveys and cross-sectional studies, both national and international (i.e., the baseline studies performed in the European Union), have revealed and confirmed the widespread non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes in pigs. A number of countries have implemented control programs with different approaches and degrees of success. The efforts could be implemented either at farms, in post-harvest stages, or both. The current review revises the current state of the art in Salmonella in swine, the control programs ongoing or conducted in the past, and their strengths and failures, with particular attention to the weight of pre- and post-harvest control and the implications that both have for the success of interventions or mitigation after outbreaks. This review provides a novel perspective on Salmonella control in swine, a matter that still includes uncertainties and room for improvement as a question of public health and One Health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carvajal
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Campus Vegazana, 2007 Leon, Spain;
| | - Melvin Kramer
- EHA Consulting Group, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306, USA;
| | - Héctor Argüello
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Campus Vegazana, 2007 Leon, Spain;
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12
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Bester C, Käsbohrer A, Wilkins N, Correia Carreira G, Marschik T. Identification of cost-effective biosecurity measures to reduce Salmonella along the pork production chain. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1380029. [PMID: 38562917 PMCID: PMC10983795 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1380029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The continued occurrence of salmonellosis cases in Europe attributed to the consumption of pork products highlights the importance of identifying cost-effective interventions. Certain biosecurity measures (BSMs) may be effective in reducing the prevalence of specific pathogens along the pork production chain and their presence in food products. The objective of this study was to identify pathogen-specific, cost-effective BSMs to reduce Salmonella at different stages of the pork production chain in two European countries - Austria (AT) and the United Kingdom (UK). For this purpose, a cost-benefit analysis was conducted based on the epidemiological output of an established quantitative microbiological risk assessment that simulated the implementation effect of the BSMs based on their risk ratios. For each of the BSMs, the associated costs and benefits were assessed individually and country-specifically. For both AT and UK, nine different BSMs were evaluated assuming a countrywide implementation rate of 100%. The results showed that four BSMs were cost-effective (benefit-cost ratio > 1) for AT and five for the UK. The uncertainty regarding the cost-effectiveness of the BSMs resulted from the variability of individual risk ratios, and the variability of benefits associated with the implementation of the BSMs. The low number of cost-effective BSMs highlights the need for holistic risk-based models and economic assessments. To increase the willingness to implement BSMs and maximize the benefits for stakeholders, who carry the majority of the implementation costs, epidemiological assessments of BSM effectiveness should consider the impact on several relevant pathogens simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Bester
- Centre for Food Science and Veterinary Public Health, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Annemarie Käsbohrer
- Centre for Food Science and Veterinary Public Health, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Unit Epidemiology, Zoonoses and Antimicrobial Resistance, Department Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Neil Wilkins
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | - Guido Correia Carreira
- Unit Epidemiology, Zoonoses and Antimicrobial Resistance, Department Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tatiana Marschik
- Centre for Food Science and Veterinary Public Health, Clinical Department for Farm Animals and Food System Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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13
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Rigueira LL, Perecmanis S. Concerns about the use of antimicrobials in swine herds and alternative trends. Transl Anim Sci 2024; 8:txae039. [PMID: 38685989 PMCID: PMC11056889 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pig productivity in Brazil has advanced a lot in recent decades. Specialized breeds are more vulnerable to pathogens, which has boosted the use of antimicrobials by farmers. The selective pressure generated favors the emergence of resistant bacteria, which compromises the effectiveness of this treatment and limits therapeutic options. In addition to increasing costs and mortality rates in the production system, public awareness of this issue has increased. The authorities have imposed restrictive measures to control the use of antimicrobials and have banned their use as growth promoters. This literature review highlights biosecurity and animal welfare to prevent pig diseases. Hence, we describe alternatives to the use of antimicrobials in pig production for the selection of effective non-antibiotic feed additives that help maintain good health and help the pig resist disease when infection occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana L Rigueira
- Department of Animal Health, Brasília University, 70910-900, Brasília, Brazil
- Secretary of Agriculture of Federal District, 70770-914, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Simone Perecmanis
- Department of Animal Health, Brasília University, 70910-900, Brasília, Brazil
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14
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Klein L, Gerdes U, Blome S, Campe A, Grosse Beilage E. Biosecurity measures for the prevention of African swine fever on German pig farms: comparison of farmers' own appraisals and external veterinary experts' evaluations. Porcine Health Manag 2024; 10:14. [PMID: 38468332 PMCID: PMC10926670 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-024-00365-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since its first introduction into the German wild boar population in 2020, African swine fever (ASF) has been spreading slowly from the eastern border westwards and has been introduced into eight domestic pig farms thus far. The European Food Safety Authority has named deficits in farm biosecurity and increased human activity as major risk factors for the introduction of the ASF virus into pig farms. Studies have shown that pig farms in Germany generally have a high level of biosecurity. However, veterinary practitioners and policy-makers have expressed concerns that not all pig farmers are appropriately prepared to deal with the threat of ASF. This study aimed to evaluate the level of biosecurity on pig farms in Lower Saxony and explore the reasons for deficits in the implementation of biosecurity measures. For this purpose, pig farmers were interviewed in open structured face-to-face interviews about their perception of ASF and biosecurity, and the implemented measures on their farms were assessed with a checklist. In the data analysis, the farmers' answers and the results of the biosecurity check were compared to gain further insights into the factors influencing the implementation of biosecurity measures on the farms. RESULTS The biosecurity check showed that on most farms, a high level of biosecurity had been implemented. Nevertheless, deficits were found concerning the fences and the delimitation of clean and dirty areas on farm grounds and in the anteroom. Overall, the farmers were well informed about ASF and had a realistic perception of their own biosecurity. They considered the farm layout, financial means and practicality of hygiene measures to be the main barriers to implementing biosecurity measures against ASF. However, the results also suggested that farmers' attitudes and legal regulations were major influencing factors. CONCLUSION The results indicated a high level of biosecurity against ASF on most pig farms and a realistic perception of their own biosecurity by the farmers. Current knowledge transfer and information should focus on building upon the farmers' own motivation and expertise and supporting them to put existing knowledge into practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Klein
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training for Health in the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University for Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Buenteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Ursula Gerdes
- Niedersaechsische Tierseuchenkasse (Animal Disease Fund), Bruehlstrasse 9, 30169, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sandra Blome
- Department of Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Suedufer 10, 17493, Greifswald - Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Amely Campe
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training for Health in the Human-Animal-Environment Interface, University for Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Buenteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Grosse Beilage
- Field Station for Epidemiology, University for Veterinary Medicine, Hannover, Buescheler Strasse 9, 49456, Bakum, Germany
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Duarte F, Allepuz A, Casal J, Armengol R, Mateu E, Castellà J, Heras J, Ciaravino G. Characterization of biosecurity practices among cattle transport drivers in Spain. Prev Vet Med 2024; 224:106138. [PMID: 38341944 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Transmission of pathogens between farms via animal transport vehicles is a potential concern; however, the available information on driver routines and biosecurity measures implemented during transport is limited. Given the above, the aim of this study was to describe and characterize the prevailing practices and biosecurity measures adopted by cattle transport drivers in Spain. Eighty-two drivers were surveyed via face-to-face or remotely. The survey included questions on general characteristics of the drivers (type of journeys and vehicles) together with biosecurity practices implemented during cattle transport and vehicle hygiene practices. Results showed that several risky practices are performed quite frequently such as visiting different premises with different levels of risk (e.g., breeder and fattening farms); entering the farm premises to load/unload animals, passing by several farms to load and unload animals, or not always cleaning and disinfecting the vehicle between travels, among others. To explore similarities among the drivers and identify groups sharing specific practices, hierarchical clustering on principal components (HCPC) was computed on the results of multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). The first three MCA dimensions (out of 13) were retained in the agglomerative clustering and four different clusters were identified. Clusters 1 and Cluster 4 accounted for 39.5% and 29.6% of respondents, respectively. The clusters were mainly differentiated by practices in the loading/unloading of cattle, such as the frequency of contact with animals remaining on the farm, and the frequency of the vehicle's disinfection between farms. Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 were of similar size, about 15% of respondents each. Cluster 2 consisted of drivers who mainly made journeys to slaughterhouse, while drivers in Cluster 3 were characterised by the use of working clothes and boots. Based on these findings, it is advisable to increase awareness on the role that animal transport can have in the spread of pathogens between cattle farms and the importance of biosecurity in preventing such transmission. There is also a need to support animal transport professionals in such task, not only through the development of initiatives to increase awareness, but also through the investment in improving cleaning and disinfection facilities and to consider the economic cost associated with some practices to not compromise the economic viability of the sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Duarte
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alberto Allepuz
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Casal
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Armengol
- Department of Animal Science, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida 25002, Spain
| | - Enric Mateu
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Castellà
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Heras
- Dairy professionals - Vether Girona S.L. Girona, 17843, Spain
| | - Giovanna Ciaravino
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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16
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Makovska I, Chantziaras I, Caekebeke N, Dhaka P, Dewulf J. Assessment of Cleaning and Disinfection Practices on Pig Farms across Ten European Countries. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:593. [PMID: 38396561 PMCID: PMC10886142 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This study delves into the assessment of cleaning and disinfection (C&D) measures within the context of European pig farming, employing the Biocheck.UGent™ tool as an effective instrument for evaluation. A comprehensive set of relevant parameters was examined to enable meaningful comparisons across farms from 10 European countries during four years (2019-2022). Findings indicate a notable increase in C&D measure implementation in select countries (Belgium, Finland, Italy, and Spain), reflecting heightened awareness and responsibility among farmers. Additionally, the overall score for the C&D subcategory highlights variation across countries, with Italy (75), Poland (74), and Belgium (72) displaying the highest scores, while Ireland (56), Slovenia (55), and Serbia (50) reported the lowest scores. However, the considerable variation in the number of participating farms necessitates cautious comparisons. The study identifies well-implemented C&D measures in the frame of external biosecurity but underscores gaps in the application of C&D measures for the material introduction practices across farms (22% of farms), which are attributed to awareness gaps and resource limitations. In the areas of internal biosecurity, strong points include C&D procedures after each production cycle (79%), implementing different stages in the C&D process (65%) and sufficient sanitary break (82%), while gaps are evident in the presence and using of hand hygiene stations (19% of farms) and boots disinfection equipment (40% of farms) between compartments/units. Notably, the study reveals a lack of evaluation of hygiene after C&D procedures (only 1% of farms), signaling critical knowledge gaps among farmers regarding proper assessment tools and methods. In conclusion, this comprehensive analysis sheds light on the implementation status of C&D measures in European pig farming, offering insights into both areas of progress and those requiring improvement. The findings emphasize the need for targeted awareness campaigns and training initiatives to bolster biosecurity practices within the industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iryna Makovska
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (I.C.); (P.D.); (J.D.)
| | - Ilias Chantziaras
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (I.C.); (P.D.); (J.D.)
| | | | - Pankaj Dhaka
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (I.C.); (P.D.); (J.D.)
- Centre for One Health, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana 141004, India
| | - Jeroen Dewulf
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (I.C.); (P.D.); (J.D.)
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17
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Wang J, Shi Z, Hu X. Status, evaluation, and influencing factors of biosecurity levels in pig farms in China. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:272. [PMID: 38087269 PMCID: PMC10717797 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03827-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal diseases have always been a serious threat to livestock breeding, and the establishment of a biosecurity barrier is important for disease prevention and control. Based on the investigations conducted in seven provinces located farms, this study aimed to explore the current biosecurity levels of farms in China, construct a biosecurity evaluation system, calculate the biosecurity levels of farms using the rank sum ratio comprehensive evaluation method, and develop an empirical analysis of the factors influencing biosecurity levels. RESULTS The results show that the greater the cost of biosecurity invested, the greater the level of biosecurity. Male farmers, educational attainment and participation in technical training had a significant positive effect on biosecurity levels. In addition, biosecurity levels first decreased and then increased as the scale of farming increased. The study also found that the more people in the household engaged in farming, the higher the biosecurity level of the farm. And farms that joined cooperatives had higher levels of biosecurity. CONCLUSION The rank sum ratio method can evaluate the index system, so as to obtain a comprehensive index RSR value that can be compared, and the operation steps are simple and effective. By taking measures such as improving the comprehensive quality of farmers and increasing the investment in human, material and financial resources for biosecurity, the biosecurity level of farms can be effectively improved and animal diseases can be effectively prevented and controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamei Wang
- Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zizhong Shi
- Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Xiangdong Hu
- Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China.
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18
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Zhang H, Zhang Z, Li Y, Li W, Jin Y, Li Z, Zhou J, Tong D. Seroprevalence of Chlamydia abortus and Brucella spp. and risk factors for Chlamydia abortus in pigs from China. Acta Trop 2023; 248:107050. [PMID: 37875168 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydiosis and brucellosis induced abortions have resulted in significant economic losses in the global livestock industry. Although there have been numerous reports on these two diseases in ruminants in China, limited information is available regarding the prevalence of Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus) and Brucella spp. infection in pigs. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of C. abortus and Brucella spp. infections in pig serum using serology and to identify potential risk factors. In total, 2816 serum samples were collected from 12 provinces in China. The presence of C. abortus antibodies was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while the presence of Brucella spp. antibodies was examined using the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and the Standard Agglutination Test (SAT). The seroprevalences of C. abortus and Brucella spp. were 8.38 % (236/2816) and 0.11 % (3/2816), respectively. Geographical location, season, and age were found to be risk factors associated with C. abortus infection in pig herds in China (p<0.01), and the seropositive rate for C. abortus in sow herds was strongly associated with the occurrence of abortion (p<0.01). Overall, in China, pigs exhibit a higher seroprevalence of C. abortus, whereas the prevalence of Brucella is limited. This study represents the first comprehensive survey of C. abortus and Brucella spp. in pig herds in China that established potential risk factors and provided data for the prevention and control of intraspecies and interspecies transmission of C. abortus to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaiyu Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China
| | - Zhixiang Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China
| | - Yunhui Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China
| | - Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Youshun Jin
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Zhaocai Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China
| | - Jizhang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, PR China.
| | - Dewen Tong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China.
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19
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Yang P, Yu M, Ma X, Deng D. Carbon Footprint of the Pork Product Chain and Recent Advancements in Mitigation Strategies. Foods 2023; 12:4203. [PMID: 38231615 DOI: 10.3390/foods12234203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The carbon footprint of pork production is a pressing concern due to the industry's significant greenhouse gas emissions. It is crucial to achieve low-carbon development and carbon neutrality in pork production. Thus, this paper reviewed the recent studies about various sources of carbon emissions throughout the current pork production chain; feed production, processing, and manure management are the major sources of carbon emissions. The carbon footprint of the pork production chain varies from 0.6 to 6.75 kg CO2e·kg-1 pig live weight, and the carbon footprint of 1 kg of pork cuts is equivalent to 2.25 to 4.52 kg CO2e. A large reduction in carbon emissions could be achieved simultaneously if combining strategies of reducing transportation distances, optimizing farmland management, minimizing chemical fertilizer usage, promoting organic farming, increasing renewable energy adoption, and improving production efficiency. In summary, these mitigation strategies could effectively decrease carbon emissions by 6.5% to 50% in each sector. Therefore, a proper combination of mitigation strategies is essential to alleviate greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing pork supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed of South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Miao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed of South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Xianyong Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed of South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Dun Deng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed of South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
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20
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Ouyang H, Wang L, Sapkota D, Yang M, Morán J, Li L, Olson BA, Schwartz M, Hogan CJ, Torremorell M. Control technologies to prevent aerosol-based disease transmission in animal agriculture production settings: a review of established and emerging approaches. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1291312. [PMID: 38033641 PMCID: PMC10682736 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1291312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Transmission of infectious agents via aerosols is an ever-present concern in animal agriculture production settings, as the aerosol route to disease transmission can lead to difficult-to-control and costly diseases, such as porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus and influenza A virus. It is increasingly necessary to implement control technologies to mitigate aerosol-based disease transmission. Here, we review currently utilized and prospective future aerosol control technologies to collect and potentially inactivate pathogens in aerosols, with an emphasis on technologies that can be incorporated into mechanically driven (forced air) ventilation systems to prevent aerosol-based disease spread from facility to facility. Broadly, we find that control technologies can be grouped into three categories: (1) currently implemented technologies; (2) scaled technologies used in industrial and medical settings; and (3) emerging technologies. Category (1) solely consists of fibrous filter media, which have been demonstrated to reduce the spread of PRRSV between swine production facilities. We review the mechanisms by which filters function and are rated (minimum efficiency reporting values). Category (2) consists of electrostatic precipitators (ESPs), used industrially to collect aerosol particles in higher flow rate systems, and ultraviolet C (UV-C) systems, used in medical settings to inactivate pathogens. Finally, category (3) consists of a variety of technologies, including ionization-based systems, microwaves, and those generating reactive oxygen species, often with the goal of pathogen inactivation in aerosols. As such technologies are typically first tested through varied means at the laboratory scale, we additionally review control technology testing techniques at various stages of development, from laboratory studies to field demonstration, and in doing so, suggest uniform testing and report standards are needed. Testing standards should consider the cost-benefit of implementing the technologies applicable to the livestock species of interest. Finally, we examine economic models for implementing aerosol control technologies, defining the collected infectious particles per unit energy demand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Ouyang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas-Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - Lan Wang
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Deepak Sapkota
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas-Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
| | - My Yang
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - José Morán
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Li Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Bernard A. Olson
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Mark Schwartz
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Schwartz Farms, Sleepy Eye, MN, United States
| | - Christopher J. Hogan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Montserrat Torremorell
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
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21
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Hu Z, Tian X, Lai R, Ji C, Li X. Airborne transmission of common swine viruses. Porcine Health Manag 2023; 9:50. [PMID: 37908005 PMCID: PMC10619269 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-023-00346-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The transmission of viral aerosols poses a vulnerable aspect in the biosecurity measures aimed at preventing and controlling swine virus in pig production. Consequently, comprehending and mitigating the spread of aerosols holds paramount significance for the overall well-being of pig populations. This paper offers a comprehensive review of transmission characteristics, influential factors and preventive strategies of common swine viral aerosols. Firstly, certain viruses such as foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), influenza A viruses (IAV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and pseudorabies virus (PRV) have the potential to be transmitted over long distances (exceeding 150 m) through aerosols, thereby posing a substantial risk primarily to inter-farm transmission. Additionally, other viruses like classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV) can be transmitted over short distances (ranging from 0 to 150 m) through aerosols, posing a threat primarily to intra-farm transmission. Secondly, various significant factors, including aerosol particle sizes, viral strains, the host sensitivity to viruses, weather conditions, geographical conditions, as well as environmental conditions, exert a considerable influence on the transmission of viral aerosols. Researches on these factors serve as a foundation for the development of strategies to combat viral aerosol transmission in pig farms. Finally, we propose several preventive and control strategies that can be implemented in pig farms, primarily encompassing the implementation of early warning models, viral aerosol detection, and air pretreatment. This comprehensive review aims to provide a valuable reference for the formulation of efficient measures targeted at mitigating the transmission of viral aerosols among swine populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Hu
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Pig and Poultry Healthy Breeding and Disease Diagnosis Technology, Xiajin New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd, Xiajin Economic Development Zone, Qingwo Venture Park, Dezhou, 253200, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd, No. 592-26 Jiushui East Road Laoshan District, Qingdao, 266100, Shandong, People's Republic of China
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd (NHLH Academy of Swine Research), 6596 Dongfanghong East Road, Yuanqiao Town, Dezhou, 253000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
- China Agriculture Research System-Yangling Comprehensive Test Station, Intersection of Changqing Road and Park Road 1, Yangling District, Xianyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaogang Tian
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Pig and Poultry Healthy Breeding and Disease Diagnosis Technology, Xiajin New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd, Xiajin Economic Development Zone, Qingwo Venture Park, Dezhou, 253200, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd, No. 592-26 Jiushui East Road Laoshan District, Qingdao, 266100, Shandong, People's Republic of China
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd (NHLH Academy of Swine Research), 6596 Dongfanghong East Road, Yuanqiao Town, Dezhou, 253000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ranran Lai
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Pig and Poultry Healthy Breeding and Disease Diagnosis Technology, Xiajin New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd, Xiajin Economic Development Zone, Qingwo Venture Park, Dezhou, 253200, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd, No. 592-26 Jiushui East Road Laoshan District, Qingdao, 266100, Shandong, People's Republic of China
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd (NHLH Academy of Swine Research), 6596 Dongfanghong East Road, Yuanqiao Town, Dezhou, 253000, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Chongxing Ji
- Key Laboratory of Feed and Livestock and Poultry Products Quality and Safety Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd, 316 Jinshi Road, Chengdu, 610100, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd, No. 592-26 Jiushui East Road Laoshan District, Qingdao, 266100, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaowen Li
- Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Pig and Poultry Healthy Breeding and Disease Diagnosis Technology, Xiajin New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd, Xiajin Economic Development Zone, Qingwo Venture Park, Dezhou, 253200, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Feed and Livestock and Poultry Products Quality and Safety Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd, 316 Jinshi Road, Chengdu, 610100, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Co., Ltd, No. 592-26 Jiushui East Road Laoshan District, Qingdao, 266100, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
- Shandong New Hope Liuhe Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Co., Ltd (NHLH Academy of Swine Research), 6596 Dongfanghong East Road, Yuanqiao Town, Dezhou, 253000, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
- China Agriculture Research System-Yangling Comprehensive Test Station, Intersection of Changqing Road and Park Road 1, Yangling District, Xianyang, People's Republic of China.
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Soliani L, Rugna G, Prosperi A, Chiapponi C, Luppi A. Salmonella Infection in Pigs: Disease, Prevalence, and a Link between Swine and Human Health. Pathogens 2023; 12:1267. [PMID: 37887782 PMCID: PMC10610219 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonella is one of the most spread foodborne pathogens worldwide, and Salmonella infections in humans still represent a global health burden. The main source of Salmonella infections in humans is represented by contaminated animal-derived foodstuffs, with pork products being one of the most important players. Salmonella infection in swine is critical not only because it is one of the main causes of economic losses in the pork industry, but also because pigs can be infected by several Salmonella serovars, potentially contaminating the pig meat production chain and thus posing a significant threat to public health globally. As of now, in Europe and in the United States, swine-related Salmonella serovars, e.g., Salmonella Typhimurium and its monophasic variant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica 1,4,[5],12:i:-, are also frequently associated with human salmonellosis cases. Moreover, multiple outbreaks have been reported in the last few decades which were triggered by the consumption of Salmonella-contaminated pig meat. Throughout the years, changes and evolution across the pork industry may have acted as triggers for new issues and obstacles hindering Salmonella control along the food chain. Gathered evidence reinforces the importance of coordinating control measures and harmonizing monitoring programs for the efficient control of Salmonella in swine. This is necessary in order to manage outbreaks of clinical disease in pigs and also to protect pork consumers by controlling Salmonella subclinical carriage and shedding. This review provides an update on Salmonella infection in pigs, with insights on Salmonella ecology, focusing mainly on Salmonella Choleraesuis, S. Typhimurium, and S. 1,4,[5],12:i:-, and their correlation to human salmonellosis cases. An update on surveillance methods for epidemiological purposes of Salmonella infection in pigs and humans, in a "One Health" approach, will also be reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Soliani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia-Romagna (IZSLER), 25124 Brescia, Italy; (G.R.); (A.P.); (C.C.); (A.L.)
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23
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Wang H, Chen M, Guo Z, Shen Y, Chen Y, Luo T, Liu Y, Li J, Wang F, Wan J. The Influencing Factors of "Post-African Swine Fever" Pig Farm Biosecurity: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3053. [PMID: 37835659 PMCID: PMC10571891 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective biosecurity measures are crucial in controlling and preventing major pig diseases, ultimately ensuring farm income and social stability. This study extracted data from 205 farmer surveys in Sichuan Province, China, to construct a biosecurity index system for pig farms. The biosecurity levels of pig farms were evaluated using a projection pursuit method to identify weak areas. The Tobit model was then utilized to determine the factors that influenced the biosecurity levels. The results indicated that the overall biosecurity levels of the pig farms were low. The study found that the average biosecurity score among farms was 0.61, with a minimum score of 0.37 and a maximum score of 0.89 (on a scale of 0 to 1). These results suggest that there are significant differences in biosecurity levels among the farms. The study also found that the scores for first-level indicators related to breeding environment management, as well as second-level indicators related to personnel management and awareness of African swine fever prevention and control, were significantly lower than scores for other indicators in the farmers' biosecurity systems. This study investigated the factors influencing biosecurity on farms and found that technical training, farm size, income share, production organization, and government inspections had a significant impact on the level of biosecurity implemented. This study emphasizes the significance of biosecurity in enhancing pig farm biosecurity and its role in improving farm resilience to major animal diseases like African swine fever. It also provides valuable insights for policymakers to make informed decisions regarding related policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Wang
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Meijun Chen
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Ziyao Guo
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Yangyang Shen
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Yufan Chen
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Ting Luo
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Yuying Liu
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Jianqiang Li
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Fang Wang
- College of Management, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; (H.W.); (M.C.); (Y.S.); (Y.C.); (T.L.); (Y.L.); (J.L.); (F.W.)
| | - Jiangjun Wan
- College of Architecture and Urban-Rural Planning, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611830, China
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24
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Bernad-Roche M, Marín-Alcalá CM, Vico JP, Mainar-Jaime RC. Salmonella Control in Fattening Pigs through the Use of Esterified Formic Acid in Drinking Water Shortly before Slaughter. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2814. [PMID: 37760214 PMCID: PMC10525106 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of Salmonella in pig feces is a major source of abattoir and carcass contamination, and one of the main sources of human salmonellosis. This study assessed whether using a form of esterified formic acid (30% formic acid) in drinking water (10 kg/1000 L) 5 days before slaughter could be a helpful strategy to mitigate this public health issue. Thus, 240 pigs from three Salmonella-positive commercial fattening farms were selected. From each farm, 40 pigs were allocated to a control group (CG) and 40 to a treatment group (TG). At the abattoir, fecal samples from both groups were collected for Salmonella detection (ISO 6579-1:2017) and quantification (ISO/TS 6579-2:2012). Salmonella was present in 35% (95% IC = 29.24-41.23) of the samples collected. The prevalence was significantly higher in the CG than in the TG (50% vs. 20%; p < 0.001). In all farms, the TG showed a lower percentage of shedders than the CG. A random-effects logistic model showed that the odds of shedding Salmonella were 5.63 times higher (95% CI = 2.92-10.8) for the CG than for the TG. Thus, the proportion of pigs shedding Salmonella that was prevented in the TG due to the use of this form of organic acid was 82.2%. In addition, a Chi-squared analysis for trends showed that the higher the Salmonella count, the higher the odds of the sample belonging to the CG. These results suggest that adding this type of acid to drinking water 5 days before slaughter could reduce the proportion of Salmonella-shedding pigs and the Salmonella loads in the guts of shedder pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Bernad-Roche
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain;
| | - Clara María Marín-Alcalá
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain;
| | - Juan Pablo Vico
- IRNASUS-CONICET-Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Córdoba 5000, Argentina;
| | - Raúl Carlos Mainar-Jaime
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain;
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25
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Bernad-Roche M, Marín-Alcalá CM, Cebollada-Solanas A, de Blas I, Mainar-Jaime RC. Building a predictive model for assessing the risk of Salmonella shedding at slaughter in fattening pigs. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1232490. [PMID: 37680527 PMCID: PMC10482039 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1232490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Salmonellosis continues to be a major cause of foodborne outbreaks worldwide, and pigs are one of the main sources of human infection. Salmonella pork contamination is a major concern for abattoirs and is related to the presence of Salmonella in pigs' feces at slaughter. Being able to predict the risk of Salmonella shedding in pigs arriving at the slaughterhouse could help mitigate abattoir and carcass contamination. For this purpose, 30 batches of 50 pigs each were selected from 30 different fattening units. The pigs were tagged and bled for the detection of antibodies against Salmonella approximately one month before slaughter. Pooled floor fecal samples were also collected from 10 pens per unit for Salmonella detection, and a questionnaire on biosecurity was administered to each farm. At the abattoir, colon content was collected from each tagged pig for the Salmonella shedding assessment. A predictive model for Salmonella shedding at slaughter was built with two-third of the pigs by employing random-effects logistic regression analysis, with Salmonella shedding as the dependent variable and pig serology and other farm/environmental characteristics as the independent variables. The model included farm as the grouping factor. Data from the remaining one-third of the pigs were used for model validation. Out of 1,500 pigs initially selected, 1,341 were identified at the abattoir and analyzed. Salmonella was detected in 13 (43.3%; 95%CI = 27.4-60.8) of the fattening units. The mean batch seroprevalence (cut-off OD% ≥40) among the fattening units was 31.7% (95%CI = 21.8-41.0), and a total of 316 pigs (23.6%; 95%CI = 21.4-25.9) shed Salmonella at slaughter. The model predicted reasonably well (Area under the curve = 0.76; P < 0.05) whether a pig would shed Salmonella at slaughter, with estimates of sensitivity and specificity at 71.6% and 73.6%, respectively. Serology, the percentage of Salmonella-positive pens on the farm, and the internal biosecurity score were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with Salmonella shedding at the abattoir, and several scenarios were observed by the model. The study highlighted that although serology may be helpful for identifying batches of pigs at risk of shedding Salmonella upon their arrival at the abattoir, it may not be necessary in some scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Bernad-Roche
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Clara María Marín-Alcalá
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Alberto Cebollada-Solanas
- Unidad de Biocomputación, Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud (IACS/IIS Aragón), Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Aragón (CIBA), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Ignacio de Blas
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Raúl Carlos Mainar-Jaime
- Departamento de Patología Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, Zaragoza, Spain
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26
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Ekakoro JE, Nawatti M, Singler DF, Ochoa K, Kizza R, Ndoboli D, Ndumu DB, Wampande EM, Havas KA. A survey of biosecurity practices of pig farmers in selected districts affected by African swine fever in Uganda. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1245754. [PMID: 37662985 PMCID: PMC10469975 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1245754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In Uganda, pig production is an important source of livelihood for many people and contributes to food security. African swine fever (ASF) is a major constraint to pig production in Uganda, threatening the food supply and sustainable livelihoods. Prevention of ASF primarily relies on good biosecurity practices along the pig value chain. Previous studies showed that biosecurity along the pig value chain and on farms in Uganda is poor. However, the biosecurity practices of pig farmers in ASF affected areas of Uganda and their opinions on on-farm ASF morbidity and mortality were previously not comprehensively characterized. The objectives of this study were to document pig farmers' experiences with ASF in their farms and to describe the pig biosecurity practices in districts of Uganda that were highly affected by ASF. Methods A total of 99 farmers were interviewed in five districts. Data were collected by way of triangulation through farmer interviews, field observations during the farmer interviews, and a survey of key informants. However, farmer interviews were considered the primary source of data for this study. Farmers' biosecurity practices were scored using a biosecurity scoring algorithm. Results Forty-one out of 96 (42.7%) farmers reported having pigs with ASF in the past 12 months. The level of pig farming experience (p = 0.0083) and herd size (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with the reported occurrence of ASF. Overall, the biosecurity scores for the respondents were considered poor with 99% (98/99) scoring <70% and just one farmer obtaining a fair score of 72.2%. District (p = 0.0481), type of husbandry system (p = 0.014), and type of pig breed raised (p = 0.004) were significantly associated with farmer's biosecurity score. Conclusion Continued farmer education on ASF and the importance of good biosecurity practices is necessary. More in-depth scientific inquiry into the factors influencing the biosecurity practices among pig farmers in Uganda is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. Ekakoro
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- Center for Outcomes Research and Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, United States
| | - Margaret Nawatti
- Department of Political Science and Public Administration, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - David F. Singler
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Krista Ochoa
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Robinah Kizza
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Dickson Ndoboli
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Deo B. Ndumu
- Department of Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Entebbe, Uganda
| | - Eddie M. Wampande
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Karyn A. Havas
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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Osemeke OH, Cezar GA, Paiva RC, Moraes DCA, Machado IF, Magalhaes ES, Poeta Silva APS, Mil-Homens M, Peng L, Jayaraman S, Trevisan G, Silva GS, Gauger PC, Linhares DCL. A cross-sectional assessment of PRRSV nucleic acid detection by RT-qPCR in serum, ear-vein blood swabs, nasal swabs, and oral swabs from weaning-age pigs under field conditions. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1200376. [PMID: 37635762 PMCID: PMC10449646 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1200376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) continues to challenge swine production in the US and most parts of the world. Effective PRRSV surveillance in swine herds can be challenging, especially because the virus can persist and sustain a very low prevalence. Although weaning-age pigs are a strategic subpopulation in the surveillance of PRRSV in breeding herds, very few sample types have been validated and characterized for surveillance of this subpopulation. The objectives of this study, therefore, were to compare PRRSV RNA detection rates in serum, oral swabs (OS), nasal swabs (NS), ear-vein blood swabs (ES), and family oral fluids (FOF) obtained from weaning-age pigs and to assess the effect of litter-level pooling on the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) detection of PRRSV RNA. Methods Three eligible PRRSV-positive herds in the Midwestern USA were selected for this study. 666 pigs across 55 litters were sampled for serum, NS, ES, OS, and FOF. RT-qPCR tests were done on these samples individually and on the litter-level pools of the swabs. Litter-level pools of each swab sample type were made by combining equal volumes of each swab taken from the pigs within a litter. Results Ninety-six piglets distributed across 22 litters were positive by PRRSV RT-qPCR on serum, 80 piglets distributed across 15 litters were positive on ES, 80 piglets distributed across 17 litters were positive on OS, and 72 piglets distributed across 14 litters were positive on NS. Cohen's kappa analyses showed near-perfect agreement between all paired ES, OS, NS, and serum comparisons (). The serum RT-qPCR cycle threshold values (Ct) strongly predicted PRRSV detection in swab samples. There was a ≥ 95% probability of PRRSV detection in ES-, OS-, and NS pools when the proportion of positive swab samples was ≥ 23%, ≥ 27%, and ≥ 26%, respectively. Discussion ES, NS, and OS can be used as surveillance samples for detecting PRRSV RNA by RT-qPCR in weaning-age pigs. The minimum number of piglets to be sampled by serum, ES, OS, and NS to be 95% confident of detecting ≥ 1 infected piglet when PRRSV prevalence is ≥ 10% is 30, 36, 36, and 40, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guilherme A. Cezar
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Rodrigo C. Paiva
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Daniel C. A. Moraes
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Isadora F. Machado
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Edison S. Magalhaes
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | | | - Mafalda Mil-Homens
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Li Peng
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Swaminathan Jayaraman
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Giovani Trevisan
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Gustavo S. Silva
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Phillip C. Gauger
- Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Daniel C. L. Linhares
- Fieldepi, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, IA, United States
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28
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Picasso-Risso C, Vilalta C, Sanhueza JM, Kikuti M, Schwartz M, Corzo CA. Disentangling transport movement patterns of trucks either transporting pigs or while empty within a swine production system before and during the COVID-19 epidemic. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1201644. [PMID: 37519995 PMCID: PMC10376687 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1201644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Transport of pigs between sites occurs frequently as part of genetic improvement and age segregation. However, a lack of transport biosecurity could have catastrophic implications if not managed properly as disease spread would be imminent. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive study of vehicle movement trends within swine systems in the Midwest. In this study, we aimed to describe and characterize vehicle movement patterns within one large Midwest swine system representative of modern pig production to understand movement trends and proxies for biosecurity compliance and identify potential risky behaviors that may result in a higher risk for infectious disease spread. Geolocation tracking devices recorded vehicle movements of a subset of trucks and trailers from a production system every 5 min and every time tracks entered a landmark between January 2019 and December 2020, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We described 6,213 transport records from 12 vehicles controlled by the company. In total, 114 predefined landmarks were included during the study period, representing 5 categories of farms and truck wash facilities. The results showed that trucks completed the majority (76.4%, 2,111/2,762) of the recorded movements. The seasonal distribution of incoming movements was similar across years (P > 0.05), while the 2019 winter and summer seasons showed higher incoming movements to sow farms than any other season, year, or production type (P < 0.05). More than half of the in-movements recorded occurred within the triad of sow farms, wean-to-market stage, and truck wash facilities. Overall, time spent at each landmark was 9.08% higher in 2020 than in 2019, without seasonal highlights, but with a notably higher time spent at truck wash facilities than any other type of landmark. Network analyses showed high connectivity among farms with identifiable clusters in the network. Furthermore, we observed a decrease in connectivity in 2020 compared with 2019, as indicated by the majority of network parameter values. Further network analysis will be needed to understand its impact on disease spread and control. However, the description and quantification of movement trends reported in this study provide findings that might be the basis for targeting infectious disease surveillance and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catalina Picasso-Risso
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Carles Vilalta
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Unitat mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- IRTA, Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Sanhueza
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias y Salud Publica, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
| | - Mariana Kikuti
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Mark Schwartz
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Cesar A. Corzo
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
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Teixeira Costa C, Berton P, Boulbria G, Normand V, Brissonnier M, Lebret A. PRRSV-1 Stabilization Programs in French Farrow-to-Finish Farms: A Way to Reduce Antibiotic Usage. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2270. [PMID: 37508048 PMCID: PMC10376732 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus type 1 (PRRSV-1) has serious economic consequences for the pig industry. Swine practitioners and other agricultural advisors often describe an increase in antibiotic use when PRRSV-1 is circulating. Our objective was to assess the impact of PRRSV-1 stabilization programs on reducing antibiotic use in 19 French farrow-to-finish farms that successfully implemented such a protocol between 2007 and 2019. For each farm, we compared the global antibiotic consumption, including all physiological stages (expressed in mg/PCU and ALEA) one year before (P1) and one year after (P2) the implementation of the protocol, and the change between P1 and P2 was calculated in percentages. The data were also analyzed by level of consumption. We showed that antibiotic use decreased significantly between P1 and P2 if expressed in mg/PCU and showed a decreased tendency in terms of exposure (ALEA) after PRRSV-1 stabilization. Concerning the change from P1 to P2, depending on the level of consumption in P1, our results showed that the higher the consumption levels were in P1, the greater the antibiotic reduction in P2. This study highlights the ability of a stabilization protocol against PRRSV-1 to reduce antibiotic use, especially on farms that have high consumption rates. These hopeful results show that further investigations about the relationship between PRRSV-1 and antibiotic usage could be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pauline Berton
- Porc.Spective, ZA de Gohélève, 56920 Noyal-Pontivy, France
| | - Gwenaël Boulbria
- Rezoolution, ZA de Gohélève, 56920 Noyal-Pontivy, France
- Porc.Spective, ZA de Gohélève, 56920 Noyal-Pontivy, France
| | - Valérie Normand
- Rezoolution, ZA de Gohélève, 56920 Noyal-Pontivy, France
- Porc.Spective, ZA de Gohélève, 56920 Noyal-Pontivy, France
| | | | - Arnaud Lebret
- Rezoolution, ZA de Gohélève, 56920 Noyal-Pontivy, France
- Porc.Spective, ZA de Gohélève, 56920 Noyal-Pontivy, France
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Sanchez F, Galvis JA, Cardenas NC, Corzo C, Jones C, Machado G. Spatiotemporal relative risk distribution of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in the United States. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1158306. [PMID: 37456959 PMCID: PMC10340085 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1158306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains widely distributed across the U.S. swine industry. Between-farm movements of animals and transportation vehicles, along with local transmission are the primary routes by which PRRSV is spread. Given the farm-to-farm proximity in high pig production areas, local transmission is an important pathway in the spread of PRRSV; however, there is limited understanding of the role local transmission plays in the dissemination of PRRSV, specifically, the distance at which there is increased risk for transmission from infected to susceptible farms. We used a spatial and spatiotemporal kernel density approach to estimate PRRSV relative risk and utilized a Bayesian spatiotemporal hierarchical model to assess the effects of environmental variables, between-farm movement data and on-farm biosecurity features on PRRSV outbreaks. The maximum spatial distance calculated through the kernel density approach was 15.3 km in 2018, 17.6 km in 2019, and 18 km in 2020. Spatiotemporal analysis revealed greater variability throughout the study period, with significant differences between the different farm types. We found that downstream farms (i.e., finisher and nursery farms) were located in areas of significant-high relative risk of PRRSV. Factors associated with PRRSV outbreaks were farms with higher number of access points to barns, higher numbers of outgoing movements of pigs, and higher number of days where temperatures were between 4°C and 10°C. Results obtained from this study may be used to guide the reinforcement of biosecurity and surveillance strategies to farms and areas within the distance threshold of PRRSV positive farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Sanchez
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Center for Geospatial Analytics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Jason A. Galvis
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Nicolas C. Cardenas
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Cesar Corzo
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Christopher Jones
- Center for Geospatial Analytics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Gustavo Machado
- Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
- Center for Geospatial Analytics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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Lambert MÈ, Arsenault J, Côté JC, D'Allaire S. Contacts posing risks of disease introduction in swine breeding herds in Quebec, Canada: Is the frequency of contacts associated with biosecurity measures? Prev Vet Med 2023; 217:105966. [PMID: 37423151 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2023.105966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of pathogens into swine breeding herds can occur through a variety of contacts involving people, animals, vehicle or various supplies. Appropriate biosecurity is critical to mitigate these risks. A retrospective study was conducted to describe contacts with swine breeding sites over a one-month period and to evaluate their association with biosecurity measures and site characteristics. As part of a larger project, sites which had a recent porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus introduction were selected. A questionnaire, logbooks and pig traceability system were used for collecting data relative to persons or supplies entering the breeding unit, live pig transportation, service vehicles, other animal species, neighboring pig sites and manure spreading around the site. The 84 sites investigated had a median sow inventory of 675. A median of 4 farm staff and 2 visitors entered the breeding unit at least once over the one-month period. A total of 73 sites (87%) received visitor(s), mostly from maintenance and technical services. All sites received at least 3 supply deliveries (median of 8) including semen (99% of sites), small material and/or drugs (98% of sites), bags (87% of sites), and/or equipment (61% of sites). Live pig movements were observed in all sites, with a median number of 5 truck entries on the site or exits from the site. For feed mill, rendering and propane trucks, at least one entry was noted in ≥ 61% of sites. For all service vehicle categories except feed mill and manure vacuum trucks, a single service provider was involved in each site. Dogs and cats were banned from all sites, but wild birds were observed in 8% of sites. Manure spreading within a 100 m radius of pig units was noted in 10% of the sites. With a few exceptions, biosecurity measures were not associated with the frequency of contacts. A 100-sow increase in sow inventory was associated with an increase of 0.34 in the cumulated number of staff entering the breeding unit, of 0.30 in the number of visitors and of 0.19 in the number of live pig movements. Live pig movements were also positively associated with vertically integrated farrow-to-wean (vs. independent farrow-to-wean) production and time interval of 4 weeks or more between farrowing (vs. less than 4). Considering the variety and frequency of contacts observed, biosecurity should be meticulously applied in all breeding herds to prevent endemic and exotic disease introduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- M-È Lambert
- Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et de médecine porcine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche en infectiologie porcine et avicole - Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et technologies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada; Groupe de recherche sur les maladies infectieuses en production animale, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
| | - J Arsenault
- Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et de médecine porcine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche en infectiologie porcine et avicole - Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et technologies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - J-C Côté
- Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et de médecine porcine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
| | - S D'Allaire
- Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et de médecine porcine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada; Centre de recherche en infectiologie porcine et avicole - Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et technologies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada; Groupe de recherche sur les maladies infectieuses en production animale, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
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Agrawal I, Bromfield C, Varga C. Assessing and improving on-farm biosecurity knowledge and practices among swine producers and veterinarians through online surveys and an educational website in Illinois, United States. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1167056. [PMID: 37360407 PMCID: PMC10289165 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1167056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a growing risk to the health and productivity of the Illinois and United States swine population from foreign and endemic infectious diseases. Effective on-farm biosecurity practices play a pivotal role in preventing these high-consequence pathogens from affecting swine farms. Veterinarians are essential in providing disease prevention advice to swine producers that can help them implement effective biosecurity practices on their farms. Our descriptive study objectives were to assess Illinois swine producers' and veterinarians' biosecurity perception, knowledge, and practices to identify knowledge gaps and address these by developing an online educational website. We developed two independent online questionnaires using QualtricsXM software. Swine producer members of the Illinois Pork Producers Association and veterinarians registered with the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association were contacted via e-mail through their associations and asked to complete an online survey. In total, 13 swine producers across 9 Illinois counties operating 82 farms (8 managed single farms and 5 managed multiple farms) responded to the swine producer survey. Despite some biosecurity awareness among swine producers, the need for a biosecurity-related outreach program was evident. Among the 7 swine veterinarian responders, 5 predominantly treated swine (oversaw an average of 21.6 farms), and 2 were mixed animal practitioners. The swine veterinarian survey showed a disconnect between their biosecurity perception and practices. We developed a biosecurity educational website and used Google Analytics to collect website traffic and user data. The 4 months of data showed good coverage that included the highest proportion of users from the Midwest and North Carolina, the largest swine-production regions in the US, and China and Canada, the leading producers of swine worldwide. The most accessed webpage was the resources page, and the swine diseases page had the highest engagement time. Our study highlights the effectiveness of combining online surveys with an educational website to assess and improve the biosecurity knowledge of swine producers and veterinarians that can be applied to assess and improve the biosecurity knowledge and practices of other livestock farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isha Agrawal
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Corinne Bromfield
- Agriculture and Environment Extension, College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Csaba Varga
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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Makovska I, Dhaka P, Chantziaras I, Pessoa J, Dewulf J. The Role of Wildlife and Pests in the Transmission of Pathogenic Agents to Domestic Pigs: A Systematic Review. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1830. [PMID: 37889698 PMCID: PMC10251848 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Wild animals and pests are important reservoirs and vectors of pathogenic agents that can affect domestic pigs. Rapid globalization, anthropogenic factors, and increasing trends toward outdoor pig production facilitate the contact between domestic pigs and wildlife. However, knowledge on the transmission pathways between domestic pigs and the aforementioned target groups is limited. The present systematic review aims to collect and analyze information on the roles of different wild animal species and pests in the spread of pathogens to domesticated pigs. Overall, 1250 peer-reviewed manuscripts published in English between 2010 and 2022 were screened through the PRISMA framework using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. A total of 84 studies reporting possible transmission routes of different pathogenic agents were included. A majority of the studies (80%) focused on the role of wild boars in the transmission of pathogenic agents to pig farms. Studies involving the role of rodents (7%), and deer (6%) were the next most frequent, whereas the role of insects (5%), wild carnivores (5%), wild birds (4%), cats (2%), and badgers (1%) were less available. Only 3.5% of studies presented evidence-based transmission routes from wildlife to domestic pigs. Approximately 65.5% of the included studies described possible risks/risk factors for pathogens' transmission based on quantitative data, whereas 31% of the articles only presented a hypothesis or qualitative analysis of possible transmission routes or risk factors and/or contact rates. Risk factors identified include outdoor farms or extensive systems and farms with a low level of biosecurity as well as wildlife behavior; environmental conditions; human activities and movements; fomites, feed (swill feeding), water, carcasses, and bedding materials. We recommend the strengthening of farm biosecurity frameworks with special attention to wildlife-associated parameters, especially in extensive rearing systems and high-risk zones as it was repeatedly found to be an important measure to prevent pathogen transmission to domestic pigs. In addition, there is a need to focus on effective risk-based wildlife surveillance mechanisms and to raise awareness among farmers about existing wildlife-associated risk factors for disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iryna Makovska
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (P.D.); (I.C.); (J.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Pankaj Dhaka
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (P.D.); (I.C.); (J.P.); (J.D.)
- Centre for One Health, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana 141004, India
| | - Ilias Chantziaras
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (P.D.); (I.C.); (J.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Joana Pessoa
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (P.D.); (I.C.); (J.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Jeroen Dewulf
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; (P.D.); (I.C.); (J.P.); (J.D.)
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Saegerman C, Parisi G, Niemi J, Humblet MF, Ron-Román J, Souley Kouato B, Allepuz A, Porphyre V, Rodrigues da Costa M, Renault V. Evaluation Survey on Agreement with Existing Definitions of Biosecurity with a Focus on Livestock. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091518. [PMID: 37174555 PMCID: PMC10177301 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Disease prevention, including biosecurity, surveillance, and traceability are key aspects to minimize the risk of animal diseases causing harm to society. Diseases for which biosecurity are needed depend on species of interest, e.g., African swine fever, avian influenza, or foot-and-mouth disease. However, several definitions of biosecurity co-exist in the literature. Under the new COST Action "Biosecurity Enhanced Through Training Evaluation and Raising Awareness" (BETTER) CA20103, we launched an initial survey on the agreement with eight existing definitions of (livestock) biosecurity, to rank keywords to consider before attempting a more consolidated definition, and to select the desirable qualities of a definition of livestock biosecurity. Respondents (N = 316) had a male-female gender ratio close to one, were mostly between 25 and 54 years old, and had animal health as the main field of expertise (30% were government officials). The significant most popular biosecurity definition was the one that conceptualized the rules of 5B's (bio-exclusion, bio-containment, bio-compartmentation, bio-prevention, and bio-preservation). The top two keywords to consider for the consolidation of the biosecurity definition were "prevention" and "measures". The optimal biosecurity definition needs to be operational and related to animal health but also comprehensible, simple, and related to public health. The survey results highlight the need for the integration of more aspects in the existing definitions of livestock biosecurity (prevention of zoonoses and preservation of the environment and diversity).
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Affiliation(s)
- Claude Saegerman
- Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiege), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal Health (FARAH) Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
- Unit of Faculty Biosecurity, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liege University, 4000 Liege, Belgium
| | - Gianni Parisi
- Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiege), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal Health (FARAH) Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
| | - Jarkko Niemi
- Bioeconomy and Environment Unit, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), 60320 Seinäjoki, Finland
| | - Marie-France Humblet
- Unit of Faculty Biosecurity, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liege University, 4000 Liege, Belgium
- Biosafety and Biosecurity Unit, Department of Occupational Safety and Health, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
| | - Jorge Ron-Román
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Humana (GISAH), Carrera de Ingeniería en Agropecuaria, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas-ESPE, Sangolquí P.O. Box 171-5-231, Ecuador
| | - Bachir Souley Kouato
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), Niamey P.O. Box 429, Niger
| | - Alberto Allepuz
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vincent Porphyre
- CIRAD, UMR SELMET, F-34398 Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro Montpellier, Université de Montpellier, SELMET, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Maria Rodrigues da Costa
- Centre for Epidemiology and Planetary Health (CEPH), Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Inverness Campus, Inverness IV2 5NA, UK
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Scollo A, Perrucci A, Stella MC, Ferrari P, Robino P, Nebbia P. Biosecurity and Hygiene Procedures in Pig Farms: Effects of a Tailor-Made Approach as Monitored by Environmental Samples. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071262. [PMID: 37048519 PMCID: PMC10093544 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In livestock, the importance of hygiene management is gaining importance within the context of biosecurity. The aim of this study was to monitor the implementation of biosecurity and hygiene procedures in 20 swine herds over a 12-month period, as driven by tailor-made plans, including training on-farm. The measure of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) environmental contents was used as an output biomarker. The presence of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E. coli) was also investigated as sentinels of antibiotic resistance. A significant biosecurity improvement (p = 0.006) and a reduction in the ATP content in the sanitised environment (p = 0.039) were observed. A cluster including 6/20 farms greatly improved both biosecurity and ATP contents, while the remaining 14/20 farms ameliorated them only slightly. Even if the ESBL-E. coli prevalence (30.0%) after the hygiene procedures significantly decreased, the prevalence of LA-MRSA (22.5%) was unaffected. Despite the promising results supporting the adoption of tailor-made biosecurity plans and the measure of environmental ATP as an output biomarker, the high LA-MRSA prevalence still detected at the end of the study underlines the importance of improving even more biosecurity and farm hygiene in a one-health approach aimed to preserve also the pig workers health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Scollo
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Alice Perrucci
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Ferrari
- CRPA Research Centre for Animal Production, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Patrizia Robino
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Patrizia Nebbia
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
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Wang J, Hu X. Factors Influencing Disease Prevention and Control Behaviours of Hog Farmers. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050787. [PMID: 36899644 PMCID: PMC10000186 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal diseases are a serious threat to animal husbandry production and diet health, and effective prevention and control measures need to be explored. This study investigates the factors influencing the adoption of biosecurity prevention and the control behaviours of hog farmers towards African swine fever and provides appropriate recommendations. Using research data from Sichuan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Tianjin, Liaoning, Jilin, and Hebei, we employed a binary logistic model to empirically analyse these factors. Regarding individual farmer characteristics, male farmers emphasised biosecurity prevention and control in farms, with higher education actively influencing the adoption of prevention and control measures. Farmers who received technical training were actively inclined to adopt such behaviours. Furthermore, the longer the duration of farming, the more probable the farmers were to neglect biosecurity prevention and control. However, the bigger and more specialised the farm, the more inclined they were to adopt prevention and control behaviours. With respect to disease prevention and control awareness, the more risk-averse the farmers were, the more they actively adopted epidemic prevention behaviours. As the awareness of epidemic risk increased, the farmers tended to adopt active epidemic prevention behaviours by reporting suspected outbreaks. The following policy recommendations were made: learning about epidemic prevention and improving professional skills; large-scale farming, specialised farming; and timely dissemination of information to raise risk awareness.
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Innovative Research Offers New Hope for Managing African Swine Fever Better in Resource-Limited Smallholder Farming Settings: A Timely Update. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020355. [PMID: 36839627 PMCID: PMC9963711 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) in domestic pigs has, since its discovery in Africa more than a century ago, been associated with subsistence pig keeping with low levels of biosecurity. Likewise, smallholder and backyard pig farming in resource-limited settings have been notably affected during the ongoing epidemic in Eastern Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Caribbean regions. Many challenges to managing ASF in such settings have been identified in the ongoing as well as previous epidemics. Consistent implementation of biosecurity at all nodes in the value chain remains most important for controlling and preventing ASF. Recent research from Asia, Africa, and Europe has provided science-based information that can be of value in overcoming some of the hurdles faced for implementing biosecurity in resource-limited contexts. In this narrative review we examine a selection of these studies elucidating innovative solutions such as shorter boiling times for inactivating ASF virus in swill, participatory planning of interventions for risk mitigation for ASF, better understanding of smallholder pig-keeper perceptions and constraints, modified culling, and safe alternatives for disposal of carcasses of pigs that have died of ASF. The aim of the review is to increase acceptance and implementation of science-based approaches that increase the feasibility of managing, and the possibility to prevent, ASF in resource-limited settings. This could contribute to protecting hundreds of thousands of livelihoods that depend upon pigs and enable small-scale pig production to reach its full potential for poverty alleviation and food security.
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Scollo A, Valentini F, Franceschini G, Rusinà A, Calò S, Cappa V, Bellato A, Mannelli A, Alborali GL, Bellini S. Semi-quantitative risk assessment of African swine fever virus introduction in pig farms. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1017001. [PMID: 36777667 PMCID: PMC9911915 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1017001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A semi-quantitative risk assessment was developed to classify pig farms in terms of the probability of introduction of African swine fever virus (ASFV). Following on-farm data collection via a specific checklist, we applied a modified failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) to calculate the risk priority codes (RPC's), indicating increasing risk levels ranging from 1 to 5. The importance of biosecurity measures was attributed by experts. To consider geographic risk factors, we classified pig farms based on local density of farmed pigs, and on the estimated wild boar population density. The combination of RPC's with geographical risk factors resulted into a final ranking of pig farms in terms of the risk of ASFV introduction. Furthermore, the estimation of frequency and levels of non-compliance with biosecurity measures was used to identify weak points in risk prevention at farm level. The outcome of the risk assessment was affected by choices in assigning non-compliance scores and importance to specific components of biosecurity. The method was applied in 60 commercial farms in major pig production areas in Italy. Furthermore, we applied a reduced version of our checklist in 12 non-commercial/small commercial (≤20 pigs) farms in the northern Apennines. In commercial farms, highest RPC's were obtained for biosecurity measures associated with personnel practices and farm buildings/planimetry. Intervention should be addressed to training of personnel on biosecurity and ASF, to avoid contacts with other pig herds, and to improve practices in the entrance into the farm. Sharing trucks with other farms, and loading/unloading of pigs were other weak points. Fencing was classified as insufficient in 70% of the commercial farms. Among these farms, breeding units were characterised by the lowest risk of ASFV introduction (although differences among median ranks were not statistically significant: P-value = 0.07; Kruskal-Wallis test), and increasing herd size was not significantly correlated with a higher risk (Kendall's τ = -0.13; P-value = 0.14). Density of farmed pig was greatest in the main pig production area in northern Italy. Conversely, exposure to wild boars was greatest for non-commercial/small commercial farms on the Apennines, which were also characterised by non-compliance with critical biosecurity measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Scollo
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy,*Correspondence: Annalisa Scollo ✉
| | | | | | - Alessia Rusinà
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Stefania Calò
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia ed Emilia-Romagna, Sorveglianza Epidemiologica, Brescia, Italy
| | - Veronica Cappa
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia ed Emilia-Romagna, Sorveglianza Epidemiologica, Brescia, Italy
| | | | | | - Giovanni Loris Alborali
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia ed Emilia-Romagna, Sorveglianza Epidemiologica, Brescia, Italy
| | - Silvia Bellini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico della Lombardia ed Emilia-Romagna, Sorveglianza Epidemiologica, Brescia, Italy
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Assavacheep P, Thanawongnuwech R. Porcine respiratory disease complex: Dynamics of polymicrobial infections and management strategies after the introduction of the African swine fever. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1048861. [PMID: 36504860 PMCID: PMC9732666 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1048861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A few decades ago, porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) exerted a major economic impact on the global swine industry, particularly due to the adoption of intensive farming by the latter during the 1980's. Since then, the emerging of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) as major immunosuppressive viruses led to an interaction with other endemic pathogens (e.g., Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus suis, etc.) in swine farms, thereby exacerbating the endemic clinical diseases. We herein, review and discuss various dynamic polymicrobial infections among selected swine pathogens. Traditional biosecurity management strategies through multisite production, parity segregation, batch production, the adoption of all-in all-out production systems, specific vaccination and medication protocols for the prevention and control (or even eradication) of swine diseases are also recommended. After the introduction of the African swine fever (ASF), particularly in Asian countries, new normal management strategies minimizing pig contact by employing automatic feeding systems, artificial intelligence, and robotic farming and reducing the numbers of vaccines are suggested. Re-emergence of existing swine pathogens such as PRRSV or PCV2, or elimination of some pathogens may occur after the ASF-induced depopulation. ASF-associated repopulating strategies are, therefore, essential for the establishment of food security. The "repopulate swine farm" policy and the strict biosecurity management (without the use of ASF vaccines) are, herein, discussed for the sustainable management of small-to-medium pig farms, as these happen to be the most potential sources of an ASF re-occurrence. Finally, the ASF disruption has caused the swine industry to rapidly transform itself. Artificial intelligence and smart farming have gained tremendous attention as promising tools capable of resolving challenges in intensive swine farming and enhancing the farms' productivity and efficiency without compromising the strict biosecurity required during the ongoing ASF era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pornchalit Assavacheep
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,*Correspondence: Pornchalit Assavacheep
| | - Roongroje Thanawongnuwech
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Faculty of Veterinary Science, Center of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in Animals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Roongroje Thanawongnuwech
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Preis G, Sanhueza JM, Vilalta C, Vannucci FA, Culhane MR, Corzo CA. Senecavirus A seroprevalence and risk factors in United States pig farms. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:1011975. [PMID: 36337199 PMCID: PMC9631314 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1011975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Senecavirus A (SVA) is a non-enveloped, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the Picornaviridae family. Senecavirus A is constantly associated with outbreaks of vesicular disease in pigs and has been reported in several countries since its first large-scale outbreak in 2014. Senecavirus A's clinical disease and lesions are indistinguishable from other vesicular foreign animal diseases (FAD). Therefore, an FAD investigation needs to be conducted for every SVA case. For this reason, SVA has been attributed as the cause of an alarming increase in the number of yearly FAD investigations performed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The objectives of this study were to estimate the seroprevalence of SVA antibodies in breeding and growing pig farms in the United States and to determine the farm-level risk factors associated with seropositivity. A total of 5,794 blood samples were collected from 98 and 95 breeding and growing pig farms in 17 states. A farm characteristics questionnaire was sent to all farms, to which 80% responded. The responses were used to conduct logistic regression analyses to assess the risk factors associated with SVA seropositivity. The estimated farm-level seroprevalences were 17.3% and 7.4% in breeding and growing pig farms, respectively. Breeding farms had 2.64 times higher odds of SVA seropositivity than growing pig farms. One key risk factor identified in breeding farms was the practice of rendering dead animal carcasses. However, the adoption of a higher number of farm biosecurity measures was associated with a protective effect against SVA seropositivity in breeding farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Preis
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Juan M. Sanhueza
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias y Salud Pública, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
| | - Carles Vilalta
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació IRTA-UAB en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- IRTA, Programa de Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Fabio A. Vannucci
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
| | - Marie R. Culhane
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
| | - Cesar A. Corzo
- Veterinary Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, United States
- *Correspondence: Cesar A. Corzo
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Karl CA, Andres D, Carlos M, Peña M, Juan HO, Jorge O. Farm management practices, biosecurity and influenza a virus detection in swine farms: a comprehensive study in colombia. Porcine Health Manag 2022; 8:42. [PMID: 36199147 PMCID: PMC9532805 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-022-00287-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Biosecurity protocols (BP) and good management practices are key to reduce the risk of introduction and transmission of infectious diseases into the pig farms. In this observational cross-sectional study, survey data were collected from 176 pig farms with inventories over 100 sows in Colombia. We analyzed a complex survey dataset to explore the structure and identify clustering patterns using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) of swine farms in Colombia, and estimated its association with Influenza A virus detection. Two principal dimensions contributed to 27.6% of the dataset variation. Farms with highest contribution to dimension 1 were larger farrow-to-finish farms, using self-replacement of gilts and implementing most of the measures evaluated. In contrast, farms with highest contribution to dimension 2 were medium to large farrow-to-finish farms, but implemented biosecurity in a lower degree. Additionally, two farm clusters were identified by Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), and the odds of influenza A virus detection was statistically different between clusters (OR 7.29, CI: 1.7,66, p = < 0.01). Moreover, after logistic regression analysis, three important variables were associated with higher odds of influenza detection: (1) “location in an area with a high density of pigs”, (2) “farm size”, and (3) “after cleaning and disinfecting, the facilities are allowed to dry before use”. Our results revealed two clustering patterns of swine farms. This systematic analysis of complex survey data identified relationships between biosecurity, husbandry practices and influenza status. This approach helped to identify gaps on biosecurity and key elements for designing successful strategies to prevent and control swine respiratory diseases in the swine industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciuoderis-Aponte Karl
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Medellín. Consortium Colombia Wisconsin One Health, Cra 75#61-85, 050034, Medellín, Colombia.
| | - Diaz Andres
- Pig Improvement Company, Hendersonville, North Carolina , USA
| | - Muskus Carlos
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales- PECET, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Mario Peña
- Asociación Porkcolombia - Fondo nacional de la porcicultura, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Hernández-Ortiz Juan
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia sede Medellín. Consortium Colombia Wisconsin One Health, Cra 75#61-85, 050034, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Osorio Jorge
- Department of Pathobiological sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Consortium Colombia Wisconsin One Health, 53706, Madison, USA
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Scollo A, Levallois P, Fourichon C, Motta A, Mannelli A, Lombardo F, Ferrari P. Monitoring Means and Results of Biosecurity in Pig Fattening Farms: Systematic Assessment of Measures in Place and Exploration of Biomarkers of Interest. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192655. [PMID: 36230396 PMCID: PMC9558513 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Limited data are available regarding animal-based biomarkers over time as outcomes of biosecurity in pig farms. The aim of this study was to gain an insight into the biosecurity implementation in a convenience sample of 15 swine herds, and to describe potential biomarkers of interest; inputs from a systematic evaluation of biosecurity implementation were used to develop tailor-made biosecurity protocols monitored over a 12-month period. The farms' implementation was then described, and animal-based biomarkers were explored as output parameters. A significative biosecurity improvement was observed at the end of the study (p = 0.047), in particular in the professional zone (p = 0.012). Four clusters of farms were identified for their progress on biosecurity implementation by means of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA): 4/15 farms improved their biosecurity only in the professional zone, 8/15 showed scarce/null improvement of total biosecurity, 2/15 worsened their biosecurity, and 1/15 greatly improved biosecurity. The farm biosecurity profiles showing an improvement included farms with a reduction in lung lesions and scars at slaughter at the end of the study. The results suggest that a systematic evaluation of biosecurity is a useful approach to formulate tailor-made biosecurity plans and monitor their implementation; biomarkers might bring insight into the outcomes of biosecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Scollo
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, 10095 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | | | | | - Ambra Motta
- CRPA Research Centre for Animal Production, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mannelli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, 10095 Torino, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Ferrari
- CRPA Research Centre for Animal Production, 42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy
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Groenendaal H, Costard S, Zagmutt FJ, Perez AM. Sleeping with the enemy: Maintaining ASF-free farms in affected areas. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:935350. [PMID: 36213391 PMCID: PMC9536137 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.935350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to spread worldwide, with very limited eradication success in countries where the disease affects domestic pig populations. Various biosecurity tools exist to reduce the on-farm risk incursion of ASF and other diseases. However, their focus on overall biosecurity scores and benchmarking results in recommendations that are not always cost-effective. We propose to apply a risk analysis approach that actively involves farmers and farmworkers in identifying their weakest links in biosecurity and corresponding mitigation efforts. Furthermore, the approach's focus on describing and understanding pathways of introduction and/or spread specific to individual farms creates buy-in from producers for investing in biosecurity measures and improving compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huybert Groenendaal
- EpiX Analytics, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- *Correspondence: Huybert Groenendaal
| | | | | | - Andres M. Perez
- Center for Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States
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Hawko S, Burrai GP, Polinas M, Angioi PP, Dei Giudici S, Oggiano A, Alberti A, Hosri C, Antuofermo E. A Review on Pathological and Diagnostic Aspects of Emerging Viruses—Senecavirus A, Torque teno sus virus and Linda Virus—In Swine. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9090495. [PMID: 36136710 PMCID: PMC9502770 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9090495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Worldwide demand for food is expected to increase due to population growth and swine accounts for more than one-third of meat produced worldwide. Several factors affect the success of livestock production systems, including animal disease control. Despite the importance of infectious diseases to animal health and the productivity of the global swine industry, pathogens of swine, in particular emerging viruses, such as Senecavirus A, Torque teno sus virus, and Linda virus, have gained limited interest. We performed a systematic analysis of the literature, with a focus on the main macroscopical and histological findings related to those viruses to fill the gap and highpoint these potentially hazardous pathogens. Abstract Swine production represents a significant component in agricultural economies as it occupies over 30% of global meat demand. Infectious diseases could constrain the swine health and productivity of the global swine industry. In particular, emerging swine viral diseases are omnipresent in swine populations, but the limited knowledge of the pathogenesis and the scarce information related to associated lesions restrict the development of data-based control strategies aimed to reduce the potentially great impact on the swine industry. In this paper, we reviewed and summarized the main pathological findings related to emerging viruses, such as Senecavirus A, Torque teno sus virus, and Linda virus, suggesting a call for further multidisciplinary studies aimed to fill this lack of knowledge and better clarify the potential role of those viral diseases in swine pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salwa Hawko
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanni P. Burrai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-079-229440
| | - Marta Polinas
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Pier Paolo Angioi
- Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Silvia Dei Giudici
- Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Annalisa Oggiano
- Department of Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Alberto Alberti
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Chadi Hosri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut 14/6573, Lebanon
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Epidemiological Study on Salmonella Prevalence in Sow Herds Using Direct and Indirect Detection Methods. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10081532. [PMID: 36013949 PMCID: PMC9413226 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In piglet production, the beginning of pork production, Salmonella prevalence requires greater attention as having an impact on the subsequent production steps. The aim of this study was to investigate Salmonella prevalence in three sow herds with attached piglet rearing units. Salmonella prevalence was investigated either directly by boot swabs and feces or indirectly by serum samples taken during gilt integration, the peripartal period, and piglet rearing. Boot swabs and feces were analyzed by real-time PCR and subsequent microbiology. Results indicated that high biosecurity measures in sow husbandry do not necessarily result in a low Salmonella prevalence. Furthermore, the sow herds’ Salmonella prevalence should not be used to infer the situation in the associated piglet rearing. The proportion of positive boot swabs was 10.5, 3.6, and 21.3% for sows (gilts and peripartal) with an inverse situation in piglet rearing with 50.0, 63.3, and 5.8% positive swabs for farms A, B, and C, respectively. Boot swabs are suitable as a direct sampling method to gain an overview of Salmonella prevalence in both sows and piglets. Indirect serum antibody testing can be useful, although it should be evaluated considering age-dependent levels of antibody titres.
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Evidence-Based Recommendations for Herd Health Management of Porcine Post-Weaning Diarrhea. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141737. [PMID: 35883284 PMCID: PMC9311872 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this paper, you will find recommendations on how to prevent post-weaning diarrhea in pigs kept in indoor pig herds. The recommendations are based on the scientific knowledge that is currently available. The authors first validated that Danish veterinarians working with pigs demanded such recommendations. Then, we collected papers written by other researchers who had summarized the scientific knowledge on different topics related to post-weaning diarrhea. From the papers, we extracted and synthesized 79 specific recommendations that may help veterinarians and pig producers make good decisions for their pig herd. The paper exemplifies a novel approach to summarizing and transferring science into practice that may be of interest to people that are not involved with pigs and post-weaning diarrhea. Abstract Aided by their advising veterinarians, pig producers need to make difficult decisions regarding herd health management strategies. For instance, the preventive use of antimicrobials and medicinal zinc oxide must be substituted with more sustainable preventive approaches to porcine post-weaning diarrhea. Veterinarians and pig producers may find assistance in knowledge based on evidence in this regard; however, the overwhelming scientific literature is not always readily available. The overall aim of this paper is to suggest herd health management decision-support tools that can aid veterinary-assisted decision making in the control of porcine post-weaning diarrhea at a tactical level. The first objective was to validate the need for a herd health management concept, including two decision-support tools. The second objective was to develop evidence-based recommendations that can aid veterinary-assisted decision-making for the herd health management of post-weaning diarrhea. The first objective was investigated by a questionnaire-based study among veterinary pig practitioners in Denmark. For the second objective, we conducted a scientific summary based on scientific review papers identified through a systematic search in three databases. From the papers, we synthesized and extracted 79 specific recommendations. In this paper, we report comprehensive evidence-based recommendations for the herd health management of post-weaning diarrhea.
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Evaluation of Virucidal Quantitative Carrier Test towards Bovine Viruses for Surface Disinfectants While Simulating Practical Usage on Livestock Farms. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071320. [PMID: 35889039 PMCID: PMC9321655 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Livestock farming is affected by the occurrence of infectious diseases, but outbreaks can be prevented by effective cleaning and disinfection along with proper farm management. In the present study, bovine coronavirus (BCoV) and bovine rotavirus A (RVA) were inactivated using food additive-grade calcium hydroxide (FdCa(OH)2) solution, quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) and their mixture through suspension tests as the primary screening, and afterward via carrier tests using dropping or dipping techniques as the secondary screenings. Viruses in the aqueous phase can be easily inactivated in the suspension tests, but once attached to the materials, they can become resistant to disinfectants, and require longer times to be inactivated. This highlights the importance of thorough cleaning with detergent before disinfection, and keeping elevated contact durations of proper disinfectants to reduce viral contamination and decrease infectious diseases incidence in farms. It was also reaffirmed that the suspension and carrier tests are necessary to evaluate disinfectants and thus determine their actual use. Particularly, the mixture of QAC and FdCa(OH)2 was found to exhibit synergistic and broad-spectrum effects compared to their use alone, and is now recommended for use on livestock farms.
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Muurinen J, Cairns J, Ekakoro JE, Wickware CL, Ruple A, Johnson TA. Biological units of antimicrobial resistance and strategies for their containment in animal production. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2022; 98:6589402. [PMID: 35587376 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistant bacterial infections has ushered in a major global public health crisis. Judicious or restricted antimicrobial use in animal agriculture, aiming to confine the use for the treatment of infections, is the most commonly proposed solution to reduce selection pressure for resistant bacterial strains and resistance genes. However, a multifaceted solution will likely be required to make acceptable progress in reducing antimicrobial resistance, due to other common environmental conditions maintaining antimicrobial resistance and limited executionary potential as human healthcare and agriculture will continue to rely heavily on antimicrobials in the foreseeable future. Drawing parallels from systematic approaches to the management of infectious disease agents and biodiversity loss, we provide examples that a more comprehensive approach is required, targeting antimicrobial resistance in agroecosystems on multiple fronts simultaneously. We present one such framework, based on nested biological units of antimicrobial resistance, and describe established or innovative strategies targeting units. Some of the proposed strategies are already in use or ready to be implemented, while some require further research and discussion among scientists and policymakers. We envision that antimicrobial resistance mitigation strategies for animal agriculture combining multiple tools would constitute powerful ecosystem-level interventions necessary to mitigate antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Muurinen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.,Department of Microbiology, Viikinkaari 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johannes Cairns
- Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme (OEB), Department of Computer Science, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - John Eddie Ekakoro
- Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Carmen L Wickware
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Audrey Ruple
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Timothy A Johnson
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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Stygar AH, Krampe C, Llonch P, Niemi JK. How Far Are We From Data-Driven and Animal-Based Welfare Assessment? A Critical Analysis of European Quality Schemes. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.874260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the European Union, there is no harmonization of farm animal welfare quality schemes for meat and dairy products. Instead, there are several industry-driven initiatives and voluntary schemes that seek to provide information on animal welfare for attentive consumers. This study had two aims. First, we quantified how selected industry-wide quality schemes cover the welfare of pigs and dairy cattle on farms by comparing the evaluation criteria selected by schemes with the animal-, resource- and management-based measures defined in the Welfare Quality protocol (WQ®). Second, we identified how these quality schemes use the data generated along the value chain (sensors, breeding, production, and health recordings) for animal welfare assessments. A total of 12 quality schemes, paying attention to animal welfare but not necessarily limited to welfare, were selected for the analysis. The schemes originated from eight European countries: Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Spain. Among the studied quality schemes, we have identified 19 standards for certification: nine for dairy and 10 for pig production. Most of the analyzed standards were comprehensive in welfare assessment. In total, 15 out of 19 standards corresponded to WQ® in more than 70%. However, this high correspondence was obtained when allowing for different information sources (environment instead of animal) than defined in WQ®. Compared to WQ®, the investigated schemes were lagging in terms of the number of measures evaluated based on the animals, with only five standards, out of 19, using predominantly animal-based measures. The quality schemes mostly applied resource-based instead of animal-based measures while assessing good health and appropriate behavior. The utilization of data generated along the value chain by the quality schemes remains insignificant as only one quality scheme allowed the direct application of sensor technologies for providing information on animal welfare. Nevertheless, several schemes used data from farm recording systems, mostly on animal health. The quality schemes rely mostly on resource-based indicators taken during inspection visits, which reduce the relevance of the welfare assessment. Our results suggest that the quality schemes could be enhanced in terms of data collection by the broader utilization of data generated along the value chain.
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Dione MM, Oba P, Nsadha Z, Asmare K, Knight-Jones TJD, Doyle RE. The Status of Pig Welfare in Selected Districts of Uganda: Implications for Health and Productivity Interventions. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.878359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted a pig welfare survey in four high pig producing districts in central Uganda, namely Masaka, Mukono, Mpigi, and Wakiso in 2021. Data were collected from 270 pig farms, and a total of 3,561 pigs, and consisted of resource-based (housing and water supply), animal-based (pig body condition and physical injuries), and management-based (records of morbidity and mortality) indicators of pig health and welfare. Data on animal and resource-based indicators were obtained from physical assessments of pigs and farm facilities, while management indicators and demographic details were collected by farmer interview. Across all farms, sow mortality in the last 12 months was reported to be 2.5% (95% Confidence Interval: 1.7, 4.8%). Animal-based indicators identified 9% (6.1, 13.7%) of sows with scouring/diarrhea, 7.6% (4.7, 11.5%) with lameness and 92% (85.1, 96.7%) of dry or lactating sows were found to be “skinny” with a body condition score of 1 or 2. In addition, piglet mortality was as high as 10.2% (8.5, 12.9%). A total of 19% of sows were partially or completely restricted from free movement inside pens. Ninety-three per cent of sows had continuous access to water, but only 48.8% of the water supplies were clean. Twenty per cent of farms reported sows experiencing stillbirths , 15% reported ill thrift, 12.5% reported respiratory disease and 10.8% reported gastrointestinal disease. Wakiso district registered the lowest pig mortality which was significantly lower compared to the other three districts. This study reveals that Ugandan pigs are exposed to severe undernutrition, dirty water, high mortality, physical injuries, poor housing, and health challenges (stillbirth, ill thrift, and Gastrointestinal disorders). Meaningful change to farmer livelihoods and pig welfare can be made by designing simple interventions that target improve housing structures, provision of cooling facilities especially during hot periods (heat stress) and bedding materials. The findings also represent a benchmark for the assessment of the effect of such interventions designed to improve farm health and productivity.
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