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Ceja G, Boerman JP, Neves RC, Jorgensen MW, Johnson JS. l-Glutamine supplementation reduces gastrointestinal permeability and biomarkers of physiological stress in preweaning Holstein heifer calves. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:9663-9676. [PMID: 37641349 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23334] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
l-Glutamine supplementation improves gastrointestinal and immune function in dairy calves during controlled immune and stress challenges. However, it is unknown whether supplementing milk replacer (MR) with l-glutamine improves preweaning dairy calf health and welfare under production conditions. Therefore, the study objective was to evaluate the effects of supplementing MR with l-glutamine on gastrointestinal permeability, immune function, growth performance, postabsorptive metabolic biomarkers, and physiological stress response in preweaning dairy calves. In 3 repetitions, Holstein heifer calves (n = 30; 1.5 ± 0.5 d old; 37.1 ± 0.86 kg body weight) were blocked by serum total protein, body weight, and age, and provided MR (3.8 L/calf per d; 24% CP, 17% fat, 12.5% solids) supplemented with l-glutamine (GLN; 10g/kg MR powder; n = 5 calves/repetition) or nonsupplemented (NSMR; n = 5 calves/repetition). Calves were individually housed with ad libitum starter grain and water access until weaning (56.4 ± 0.5 d old). At 1 and 6 wk of age, urinary catheters were placed, and calves were orally dosed with 1 L of chromium (Cr)-EDTA. Urine samples were collected over a 24-h period for Cr output analysis as an in vivo biomarker of gastrointestinal permeability. Blood was collected on study d 1, 5, 7, 14, 21, 42, and 56 to measure white blood cell counts, cortisol, insulin, glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, and neutrophil: lymphocytes. Two study intervals were used in the statistical analyses, representing greater (P1; wk 1-3) and reduced (P2; wk 4-8) enteric disease susceptibility. Data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX in SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc.) with calf as the experimental unit. Overall, total urinary Cr output was reduced in GLN versus NSMR calves. Total Cr output was reduced at 1 wk of age in GLN versus NSMR calves, but no differences were detected at 6 wk of age. Neutrophil:lymphocyte was decreased both overall and during P2 in GLN versus NSMR calves, and neutrophil counts tended to be reduced in GLN versus NSMR calves during P2. No MR treatment differences were detected for average daily feed intake, average daily gain, body measurements, postabsorptive metabolic biomarkers, disease scores, and therapeutic treatments between GLN and NSMR calves. In summary, l-glutamine supplementation reduced gastrointestinal permeability and biomarkers of physiological stress in preweaning Holstein heifer calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Ceja
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907; USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | | | - Rafael C Neves
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Matthew W Jorgensen
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Jay S Johnson
- USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
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2
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Gaire TN, Noyes NR, Scott HM, Ericsson AC, Dunmire K, Tokach MD, Paulk CB, Vinasco J, Roenne B, Nagaraja TG, Volkova VV. A Longitudinal Investigation of the Effects of Age, Dietary Fiber Type and Level and Injectable Antimicrobials on the Fecal Microbiome and Antimicrobial Resistance of Finisher Pigs. J Anim Sci 2022; 100:6608493. [PMID: 35700748 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age and diet are among the factors that influence the community composition of the fecal microbiome. Additionally, antimicrobial use can alter the composition of bacterial communities. An 86-d study with finisher pigs aimed to evaluate age-related dynamics (d 98-177 of age), effects of types and levels of dietary fiber, and injectable antimicrobials on the fecal microbiome and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was conducted. A total of 287 pigs, housed in 36 pens, with 7 to 8 pigs per pen, fed a corn grain and soybean meal-based basal diet, formulated to contain 8.7% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 1. basal diet with no supplement, 2. basal diet supplemented with 20% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) formulated to contain 13.6% NDF, or 3. basal diet supplemented with 14.5% sugar beet pulp (SBP) formulated to contain 13.6% NDF. Five finisher pigs from each treatment group were selected randomly, and fecal samples were collected on d 98, 110, 144, and 177 of age. In addition, fecal samples were collected from pigs that were injected intramuscularly ceftiofur hydrochloride or penicillin G on d 1 and 3 along with pen-mate untreated controls on d 1. Fecal samples were subjected to 16S rRNA amplicon-based microbiome analysis and culture methods to quantify the abundance of total and AMR coliforms and enterococci populations. The alpha diversity, such as species richness, increased with age, and the overall bacterial composition changed with age (P =0.001) and diet (P = 0.001). Diet-associated shifts in the specific bacterial taxa were observed. The richness, diversity, and evenness of bacterial taxa did not differ between pigs that were injected with ceftiofur versus their untreated pen mates or by dietary treatments, but differed in pigs that received penicillin G injection. Both antimicrobial treatments contributed to changes in the overall fecal bacterial composition at the genus level. Collectively, the data demonstrate that both age and the diet (control vs. DDGS-, control vs. SBP- or DDGS- vs. SBP-based diets) were associated with overall bacterial community composition and the impact of age on variations in fecal microbiome composition was greater than the diet. Antibiotic treatment had minimal effect on bacterial diversity and relative abundance of taxa. Further, diets and antimicrobial treatment had minimal impact on the overall counts of AMR coliforms and enterococci populations in feces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara N Gaire
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Noelle R Noyes
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - H Morgan Scott
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Aaron C Ericsson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, MO, USA
| | - Kara Dunmire
- Department of Grain Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Michael D Tokach
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Chad B Paulk
- Department of Grain Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Javier Vinasco
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Boyd Roenne
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - T G Nagaraja
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Victoriya V Volkova
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA
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3
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Johnson AK, Rault JL, Marchant JN, Baxter EM, O'Driscoll K. Improving young pig welfare on-farm: The Five Domains Model. J Anim Sci 2022; 100:6583200. [PMID: 35536191 PMCID: PMC9202571 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac164] [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: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering welfare through the "neonatal and nursery pig perspective" is an exciting approach, and one that resonates with consumers. Overlaying this with the Five Domains Model, as we suggest in this review, points to practical on-farm improvements that provide each pig the opportunity to experience positive mental states. The Five Domains Model is broken into physical and functional states, that includes Domain 1 Nutrition, Domain 2 Physical Environment, Domain 3 Health and, Domain 4 Behavioral Interaction, and Domain 5 Mental State. The Five Domains Model can build on the breadth and depth of swine welfare science to highlight opportunities to improve welfare on-farm. In Domain 1 management of increasingly large litters is considered, with examples of sow vs. artificial rearing, colostrum quality and quantity, and creep feed management strategies. Efforts can result in positive mental states such as feeling full and content and the ability to experience pleasure of drinking and food tastes/smells. Domain 2 considers space complexity and access to key resources, along with thermal and physical amenities, to promote feelings of physical comfort. Domain 3 considers pig health in three broad, yet inter-linking categories, (a) congenital and hereditary health, (b) environmental pathogen load and, (c) colostrum quality and quantity, and its effect on the microbiome. Improvements can result in a pig that displays vitality and feels healthy. Domain 4 provides the pig opportunities to express its rich behavioral repertoire, specifically positive social interactions, play, and exploration. These efforts can result in pigs feeling calm, safe, comfortable, having companionship, engaged, interested and rewarded. In conclusion, using the Five Domains Model can highlight numerous opportunities to improve current and future housing and management through the "neonatal and nursery pig perspective" with a focus on inducing positive mental states that can result in improved quality of life and welfare state.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Johnson
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50001, USA.,Iowa Pork Industry Center, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50001, USA
| | - J-L Rault
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, A-1210, Austria
| | - J N Marchant
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - E M Baxter
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Research Group, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - K O'Driscoll
- Pig Development Department, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy Co. Cork, P61 C997, Ireland
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4
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Wensley MR, Tokach MD, Woodworth JC, Goodband RD, Gebhardt JT, DeRouchey JM, McKilligan D. Maintaining continuity of nutrient intake after weaning. II. Review of post-weaning strategies. Transl Anim Sci 2021; 5:txab022. [PMID: 34841202 PMCID: PMC8611789 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Low feed consumption during the first 3 d post-weaning disrupts nutrient intake and
results in what is commonly known as a post-weaning growth check. While most pigs recover
from this initial reduction in feed intake (FI), some pigs fail to successfully make this
transition leading to morbidity and mortality. In this review, our objective is to
describe the different post-weaning strategies that can be used to minimize nutrient
intake disruption and improve FI in the immediate post-weaning period. Providing weanling
pigs with an environment that encourages them to search out and consume feed is important.
This includes appropriate barn temperatures, resource availability, and nursery placement
strategies. Research is needed to better understand the ideal environmental temperatures
to encourage pen exploration and reduce time to initial FI. Likewise, mat and gruel
feeding are commonly practiced throughout the industry to increase feed accessibility;
however, limited research data is available to validate protocols or benefits. Nursery
placement strategies include sorting light weight pigs into uniform body weight groups and
average or heavy weight pigs into variable body weight groups to provide benefit to light
pigs while reducing initial aggression in heavy pigs. Furthermore, water enrichment with
nutrient dense products have been shown to improve growth performance and reduce morbidity
and mortality in the early post-weaning period. Because young pigs are sensitive to
palatability, diet form and complexity should also be considered. Weanling pigs prefer
diets manufactured with coarse ground corn (700 μm) compared to fine ground corn.
Additionally, weanling pigs are more attracted to large diameter pellets (12 mm) compared
with small pellets. Despite these preferences, impacts on growth are relatively small.
Feeding complex diets with high levels of lactose, animal protein products, or other
palatable ingredients is another strategy shown to improve growth performance during the
first week post-weaning; however, the initial benefits quickly diminished as pigs become
older. Other strategies that warrant further investigation include the effect of crumble
diets on feed preference and the concept of perinatal or social interaction flavor
learning. In summary, strategic post-weaning nutrition and management practices must focus
on maintaining continuity of nutrient intake in order to reduce morbidity and mortality in
the immediate post-weaning period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madie R Wensley
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66506-0201, USA
| | - Mike D Tokach
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66506-0201, USA
| | - Jason C Woodworth
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66506-0201, USA
| | - Robert D Goodband
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66506-0201, USA
| | - Jordan T Gebhardt
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-0201, USA
| | - Joel M DeRouchey
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, College of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66506-0201, USA
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5
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Duttlinger AW, Centeno Martinez RE, McConn BR, Kpodo KR, Lay DC, Richert BT, Johnson TA, Johnson JS. Replacing dietary antibiotics with 0.20% l-glutamine in swine nursery diets: impact on intestinal physiology and the microbiome following weaning and transport. J Anim Sci 2021; 99:6182313. [PMID: 33755169 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research demonstrates that supplementing 0.20% l-glutamine (GLN) in the diets of newly weaned and transported pigs improves growth rate to a similar extent as providing dietary antibiotics (AB). However, research comparing the effects of GLN vs. AB on intestinal physiology and the microbiome is limited. Therefore, the study objective was to compare the effects of supplementing nursery diets with GLN, AB, or no dietary antibiotics (NA) on intestinal physiology and the microbiome of pigs in a production environment following weaning and transport. Mixed-sex piglets (N = 480; 5.62 ± 0.06 kg body weight [BW]) were weaned (18.4 ± 0.2 d of age) and transported for 12 h in central Indiana, for two replicates, during the summer of 2016 and the spring of 2017. Pens were blocked by BW and allotted to one of the three dietary treatments (n = 10 pens/dietary treatment/replicate [8 pigs/pen]): AB (chlortetracycline [441 ppm] + tiamulin [38.6 ppm]), GLN (0.20% as-fed), or NA fed for 14 d. From day 14 to 34, pigs were fed common AB-free diets in two phases. On day 33, villus height:crypt depth tended to be increased (P = 0.07; 7.0%) in GLN and AB pigs vs. NA pigs. On day 33, glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) mRNA abundance was decreased (P = 0.01; 50.3%) in GLN and NA pigs vs. AB pigs. Crypt depth was increased overall on day 33 (P = 0.01; 16.2%) during the spring replicate compared with the summer replicate. Villus height:crypt depth was reduced (P = 0.01; 9.6%) during the spring replicate compared with the summer replicate on day 33. On day 13, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and occludin mRNA abundance was increased (P ≤ 0.04; 45.9% and 106.5%, respectively) and zonula occludens-1 mRNA abundance tended to be greater (P = 0.10; 19.2%) in the spring replicate compared with the summer replicate. In addition, AB pigs had increased (P = 0.01; 101.3%) GLP-2 mRNA abundance compared with GLN and NA pigs. Microbiome analysis indicated that on day 13, dietary treatment altered the microbiota community structure (P = 0.03). Specifically, the AB pigs tended to be distinct from both the NA and GLN pigs (P = 0.08), and Lactobacillus was increased nearly 2-fold in AB compared with NA pigs (q = 0.04) and GLN pigs (q = 0.22). In conclusion, GLN supplementation tended to improve some morphological markers of intestinal health similarly to AB pigs, while the microbiome composition in GLN pigs was more similar to NA pigs than AB pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan W Duttlinger
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.,USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Betty R McConn
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Kouassi R Kpodo
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Donald C Lay
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Brian T Richert
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Timothy A Johnson
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jay S Johnson
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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6
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Duttlinger AW, Kpodo KR, Schinckel AP, Richert BT, Johnson JS. Effects of increasing dietary L-glutamine to replace antibiotics on pig health and performance following weaning and transport. Transl Anim Sci 2020; 4:txaa157. [PMID: 33123679 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txaa157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Supplementing nursery diets with 0.20% L-glutamine (GLN) may provide similar growth and health benefits as dietary antibiotics, but it was unknown if greater inclusion levels may provide additional benefits. Therefore, the study objective was to evaluate the impact of replacing dietary antibiotics with increasing GLN levels on growth performance, therapeutic antibiotic treatment rates, welfare measures, and production costs in pigs after weaning and transport. We hypothesized that withholding dietary antibiotics may negatively impact performance and increase therapeutic treatment rate, and that diet supplementation with 0.20% to 1.00% GLN may incrementally improve productivity and reduce therapeutic antibiotic treatment rates compared with dietary antibiotics. Mixed sex pigs (N = 308; 5.64 ± 0.06 kg body weight [BW]) were weaned (19.1 ± 0.2 d of age) and transported in central Indiana in 2017. Pigs were blocked by BW and allotted to one of seven dietary treatments (n = 8 pens/dietary treatment): dietary antibiotics (positive control [PC]; chlortetracycline [441 mg/kg] + tiamulin [38.6 mg/kg]), no antibiotics or added GLN (negative control [NC]), 0.20% GLN, 0.40% GLN, 0.60% GLN, 0.80% GLN, or 1.00% GLN fed for 14 d. From d 14 to 35, pigs were provided nonantibiotic common diets in two phases. Overall, average daily gain (ADG) was reduced (P = 0.01; 17.7%) from d 0 to 14 in NC, 0.20% GLN, 0.60% GLN, 0.80% GLN, and 1.00% GLN pigs compared with PC pigs, but no ADG differences were detected between 0.40% GLN pigs and PC pigs. Increasing GLN in the diet tended to increase ADG (linear; P = 0.10). Overall, d 35 BW was greater (P = 0.01) in 0.80% GLN and PC pigs compared with NC, 0.20% GLN, and 0.60% GLN pigs, and was greater for 0.40% GLN and 1.00% GLN pigs vs. 0.20% GLN pigs. However, no d 35 BW differences were detected (P > 0.05) between PC, 0.40% GLN, 0.80% GLN, and 1.00% GLN pigs. Increasing GLN in the diet tended to increase (linear; P = 0.08) d 35 BW. Overall, income over feed and therapeutic injectable antibiotics cost (IOFAC) for enteric and unthrifty challenges were greater (P = 0.02) in 0.80% GLN pigs compared with NC, 0.20% GLN, and 0.60% GLN pigs, but no IOFACs for enteric and unthrifty challenges differences were detected between 0.80% GLN pigs and 0.40% GLN, 1.00% GLN, and PC pigs. In conclusion, GLN supplemented pigs had improved performance after weaning and transport compared with the NC pigs with 0.40% GLN being the most effective level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan W Duttlinger
- Purdue University, Department of Animal Sciences, West Lafayette, IN.,USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Kouassi R Kpodo
- Purdue University, Department of Animal Sciences, West Lafayette, IN.,USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Allan P Schinckel
- Purdue University, Department of Animal Sciences, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Brian T Richert
- Purdue University, Department of Animal Sciences, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Jay S Johnson
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN
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7
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Brito LF, Oliveira HR, McConn BR, Schinckel AP, Arrazola A, Marchant-Forde JN, Johnson JS. Large-Scale Phenotyping of Livestock Welfare in Commercial Production Systems: A New Frontier in Animal Breeding. Front Genet 2020; 11:793. [PMID: 32849798 PMCID: PMC7411239 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genomic breeding programs have been paramount in improving the rates of genetic progress of productive efficiency traits in livestock. Such improvement has been accompanied by the intensification of production systems, use of a wider range of precision technologies in routine management practices, and high-throughput phenotyping. Simultaneously, a greater public awareness of animal welfare has influenced livestock producers to place more emphasis on welfare relative to production traits. Therefore, management practices and breeding technologies in livestock have been developed in recent years to enhance animal welfare. In particular, genomic selection can be used to improve livestock social behavior, resilience to disease and other stress factors, and ease habituation to production system changes. The main requirements for including novel behavioral and welfare traits in genomic breeding schemes are: (1) to identify traits that represent the biological mechanisms of the industry breeding goals; (2) the availability of individual phenotypic records measured on a large number of animals (ideally with genomic information); (3) the derived traits are heritable, biologically meaningful, repeatable, and (ideally) not highly correlated with other traits already included in the selection indexes; and (4) genomic information is available for a large number of individuals (or genetically close individuals) with phenotypic records. In this review, we (1) describe a potential route for development of novel welfare indicator traits (using ideal phenotypes) for both genetic and genomic selection schemes; (2) summarize key indicator variables of livestock behavior and welfare, including a detailed assessment of thermal stress in livestock; (3) describe the primary statistical and bioinformatic methods available for large-scale data analyses of animal welfare; and (4) identify major advancements, challenges, and opportunities to generate high-throughput and large-scale datasets to enable genetic and genomic selection for improved welfare in livestock. A wide variety of novel welfare indicator traits can be derived from information captured by modern technology such as sensors, automatic feeding systems, milking robots, activity monitors, video cameras, and indirect biomarkers at the cellular and physiological levels. The development of novel traits coupled with genomic selection schemes for improved welfare in livestock can be feasible and optimized based on recently developed (or developing) technologies. Efficient implementation of genetic and genomic selection for improved animal welfare also requires the integration of a multitude of scientific fields such as cell and molecular biology, neuroscience, immunology, stress physiology, computer science, engineering, quantitative genomics, and bioinformatics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz F. Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Hinayah R. Oliveira
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Betty R. McConn
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Allan P. Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Aitor Arrazola
- Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | | | - Jay S. Johnson
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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8
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Intra-Group Lethal Gang Aggression in Domestic Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus). Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081287. [PMID: 32731463 PMCID: PMC7459786 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Aggression between pigs in pig husbandry is common during regrouping but rare in stable social groups. Farmers report the occurrence of lethal gang aggression in stable groups of pigs, whereby the group attacks one group member until it is dead. Our aim was to document this extreme type of aggression and to identify potential causes. Forty-two farmers, experiencing lethal gang aggression or not, filled out a survey about their farm management. From 91 victims, information was obtained on their injuries and body condition. Gang aggression occurred more on farms with deep straw bedding, a housing type commonly associated with better animal welfare. However, the presence of straw may also be related to other factors, which could not be disentangled here. Gang aggression did not relate to the genetic line, breeding company or feed type. It equally occurred between females and males and tended to occur more in winter. Victims were covered in injuries, but had a healthy body condition, whereas survivors had a lower body condition. Overall, the cause seems multi-factorial, and further research on the occurrence of lethal gang aggression is needed. Abstract Intraspecific coalitional aggression is rare among all species, especially within stable social groups. We report here numerous cases of intraspecific lethal gang aggression within stable groups of domestic pigs. The objective was to describe this extreme aggression and to identify potential causes. Management data were collected from farms with (n = 23) and without (n = 19) gang aggression. From one farm, 91 victims were assessed for skin injuries and body condition score. Lethal gang aggression was significantly associated with deep straw bedding, which may be related to various other factors. Gang aggression tended to occur more in winter, and was unrelated to genetic line, breeding company, group size or feed type. It occurred equally in female-only and mixed sex groups (male-only groups were not represented), from around eight weeks of age. Injuries typically covered the whole body and were more severe on the front of the body. Victims who survived had a lower body condition score and fewer injuries than victims found dead. There are still many unknowns as to why this abnormal social behaviour occurs and it deserves further research attention, both for its applied relevance to animal welfare as for the evolutionary background of lethal gang aggression.
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