An Insight of Meat Industry in Pakistan with Special Reference to Halal Meat: A Comprehensive Review

Physical, Metabolic, and Microbial Rumen Development in Goat Kids: A Review on the Challenges and Strategies of Early Weaning

The digestive system of newborn ruminant functions is similar to monogastric animals, and therefore milk flows into the abomasum instead of rumen for digestion. The rumen undergoes tremendous changes over time in terms of structure, function, and microbiome. These changes contribute to the smooth transition from the dependence on liquid diets to solid diets. Goat kids are usually separated at early ages from their dams in commercial intensive systems. The separation from dams minimizes the transfer of microbiota from dams to newborns. In this review, understanding how weaning times and methodologies could affect the normal development and growth of newborn goats may facilitate the development of new feeding strategies to control stress in further studies.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Eimeria spp. Infecting Domestic Poultry Gallus gallus in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

Coccidiosis in chickens is one of the major problems in the poultry industry, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria. The current study used morphological and molecular characteristics to identify Eimeria spp. infecting domestic chickens (Gallus gallus) in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia. In this study, 120 domestic poultry were examined and 30 were found to be infected with oocysts of Eimeria spp. (25%). According to the morphology of the recorded oocysts, five species were found. Eimeria necatrix was the first species discovered, and it was distinguished by oblong, ovoid-shaped oocysts with double-layered walls that measured 20 (23-23) and 17 (16-20) μm. The second species was Eimeria maxima, which had oval- to egg-shaped oocysts with double-layered walls and measurements of 28 (26-29) and 23 (20-24) μm. The third species was Eimeria tenella, characterized by oval-shaped oocysts with double-layered walls and measurements of 21 (20-24) × 17 (16-20) μm. Eimeria praecox was the fourth species that was characterized by spherical-shaped oocysts with single-layered walls and measurements of 21 (19-23) × 20 (19-20) μm. Eimeria acervulina was the last species to have oval-shaped oocysts with double-layered walls and measurements of 20 (18-25) and 17 (14-20) μm. The percentages of infection with Eimeria species were as follows: E. tenella, 10.84%; E. necatrix, 5.84%; E. acervulina, 4.16%; E. maxima, 2.5%; and E. praecox, 1.66%. Nested PCR based on the amplification of internal transcribed spacer I (ITS-I) regions confirmed the presence of the five Eimeria species in the examined fecal samples with their specific amplicon sizes: E. necatrix (383 bp), E. maxima (145 bp), E. tenella (278 bp), E. praecopx (116 bp), and E. acervulina (321 bp).

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Antimicrobial Resistance Genes, and Antibiotic Residue in Food from Animal Sources: One Health Food Safety Concern

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria causing foodborne serious illnesses can be found in contaminated food. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the pathogens, genes, and antimicrobial residues present in raw milk and meat. We collected 40 raw milk and 40 beef samples using the aseptic method from various parts of the Faisalabad metropolis, Pakistan. The samples were cultured on blood, MacConkey, and UTI chrome agar. The VITEK 2 compact system was used for microbial identification and determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations. Antimicrobial resistance genes for extended-spectrum β-lactamases, methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, and carbapenem resistance were identified using molecular techniques. ELISA was used to determine the tetracycline residue level in each sample. The beef samples showed polymicrobial contamination with 64 bacterial isolates, with Escherichia coli (29; 45.3%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (11; 17.1%) predominating. The milk samples showed polymicrobial contamination with 73 bacterial isolates, with E. coli (22; 30%), K. pneumoniae (12; 16.4%), and S. aureus (10; 13.6%) forming the majority. Twenty-eight (43.7%) isolates from beef harbored tet genes, nineteen (29.6%) bla_CTX-M, and fourteen (21.8%) bla_NDM-1, and twenty-six (35.6%) isolates from milk harbored tet genes, nineteen (26%) bla_TEM and bla_CTX-M, and three (4%) bla_NDM-1. Twenty-two (55%) each of the beef and milk samples exceeded the maximum residue limit for tetracycline. Polymicrobial contamination by bacteria possessing bla_CTX-M, bla_TEM, bla_NDM-1, bla_OXA, mecA, and tet genes was identified in food samples. The high tetracycline residue levels pose a serious health risk to consumers.

Do changes in land use, water bodies, and grazing pastures have a detrimental influence on environmental quality? Opportunities and threats to long-term growth

Land use activities mainly for economic and agricultural purposes have converted one third to one half of our planet's land surface into urban expansion and agricultural practice, which has had significant impacts on natural ecosystems, food production, and environmental quality, attracting the attention of researchers and policymakers. Consequently, land use is emerging as a fundamental issue in global environmental change and sustainable development. This study represents an addition to the prevailing literature by investigating the asymmetric impacts of land-use and land-cover changes on environmental quality in Pakistan using time series data from 1961 to 2016. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were deemed a dependent variable (a proxy for environmental quality), whereas built-up land, cropland, water bodies, and grazing land were considered independent. A nonlinear ARDL bound testing technique (NARDL) was used to investigate dynamic cointegration among the study variables. Moreover, this study used the BDS test and structural break unit root test to confirm nonlinearity and stationarity of the data set. The results confirm that the variables exhibit asymmetrical co-integration. There is a symmetric unidirectional causation, running from built-up land and grazing land towards CO2 emissions with coefficients of 10.570 and 17.045, respectively. Furthermore, asymmetric causality shows that any positive shocks to built-up land (6.134) and water bodies (20.335) significantly cause CO2 emissions. Similarly, a negative shock to grazing land (16.470) also causes CO2 emissions. By contrast, a neutral effect was found between cropland and CO2 emissions.

Epidemiology of Toxoplasmosis among the Pakistani Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular obligate parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic infection that affects warm-blooded animals and humans worldwide. To comprehensively characterize the disease condition in Pakistan for future reference, we ascertained the prevalence of Toxoplasma infection and predisposing factors in the Pakistani population over a 20-year period. We systematically reviewed research articles published in English (2000−2020) from PubMed and Google Scholar. The search results 26 publications involving 10,924 people and 2611 seropositive cases. The toxoplasmosis seropositivity rate was higher in women (25.44%) as compared to men (21.48%) and were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Furthermore, seropositivity was high among people with direct contact with cats, who consumed uncooked meat and raw vegetables, had poor education, and lived in rural areas. The 35−65-year age group had the highest prevalence rate of T. gondii infection. Toxoplasma infection was significantly more prevalent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (25.87%) than in Punjab (20.42%) (p < 0.001). This is the first comprehensive analysis of T. gondii infection epidemiology in Pakistan. It reveals a high frequency of infection among women. We strongly encourage further research to aid patient care and the development of more efficient diagnostic tests and preventative techniques.

Evolution of Overall Cotton Production and Its Determinants: Implications for Developing Countries Using Pakistan Case

Managing the declining yield of non-food crops has opened new strategic challenges amidst global uncertainties. The COVID-19 scenario has increased awareness of natural lifestyle and eco-friendly products, largely dependent on non-food crop material. This strategic shift requires moving beyond traditional farm practices to improve agricultural production efficiency, and developing countries in particular have shown a consistent loss in their self-sufficiency of industrial crops despite being major exporters of non-food crop materials. However, existing studies analyze production efficiencies of non-food crops from general or theoretical aspects often by virtual estimates from breaking down the multiple factors of crop productivity. This study examined multiple factors of crop production to identify “which crop inputs have been inefficiently used overtime” by tracking efficiency changes and various input issues in overall cotton production from practical aspects, i.e., scaling non-constant returns of those multiple factors would allow for the violation of various situations. Accordingly, a stochastic frontier approach was employed to measure the production frontier and efficiency relationship using time-series data of Pakistan’s cotton production from 1971–2018—a specific non-food crop perspective from a top-ranked cotton-producing country that has recently been shifted towards being a non-exporter of cotton due to low yield. The coefficient of area, seed, and labor indicates the positive relationship with cotton production, while fertilizer, irrigation, electricity, and machinery are statistically negative. This implies that policymakers need priority-based strategies for the judicial use of synthetic fertilizers, irrigation, a subsidy policy, and technology adoption, which could significantly improve the efficiencies of cotton productivity from the same land resources. Being adaptable to other developing economies, the analysis would strategically facilitate designing and developing affordable technology-driven solutions and their customized extensions towards sustainable non-food crop production practices and Agri-Resources efficiencies.

Halal food supply chains: A literature review of sustainable measures and future research directions

Introduction. Although sustainability represents a high-profile topic in supply chain management, it remains an unexplored research area for Halal food supply chains (HFSCs). Hence, to bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify the measures necessary for the development of sustainable HFSCs and potential research gaps at the nexus of sustainability and Halal food literature. Study objects and methods. We carefully analyzed forty (40) papers selected from leading, highly-ranked journals to answer the following research question: “What are the measures necessary for the development of sustainable Halal food supply chains?” Results and discussion. The findings revealed that the improvement of Halal processes through the implementation of quality management systems, the effectiveness of Halal labeling, and the use of technology could enhance the economic performance of HFSCs. Furthermore, HFSC’s sustainability efforts are strengthened by enhancing trust and transparency benefitting human resource skills development, promoting animal welfare issues, and increasing regulatory compliance. The implementation of environmental protection measures is a primary driving factor for environmental sustainability activities. Environmental sustainability could be fostered by a shift to the application of greening practices and the support of environmentalism in the Halal food industry. Conclusion. The findings of this study provide critical managerial implications for Halal food practitioners as they can have a summary of the previous studies and thus use it as a benchmark for introducing sustainable measures in their Halal food firms.

Analysis of 114 Pedigrees of Renal Stone Patients: A Retrospective Review

BACKGROUND

 Renal and ureteric stones (RS) can form due to genetic, metabolic, environmental, and diet-hydration related factors. Studies have shown that patients with family history (FH) of RS have higher likelihood of recurrence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study on 114 pedigrees to investigate the impact of FH on recurrence of RS and examine patterns of inheritance.  Results: Family history of renal stone disease was found in 42% of all patients. There was a significant increase of stone recurrence in RS patients with a positive FH (p=0.001). Seventy-one percent of patients with recurrent stones had at least one family member with RS. Interestingly, male penetrance was higher in RS recurrence, where a greater proportion of males had no FH of RS, indicating that there may be other factors involved as well.  Conclusion: Family history in RS patients should be continuously explored for the possible underlying genetic influence, whilst keeping in mind the dietary habits of the family.

A Value Chain Approach to Characterize the Chicken Sub-sector in Pakistan

The chicken industry of Pakistan is a major livestock sub-sector, playing a pivotal role in economic growth and rural development. This study aimed to characterize and map the structure of broiler and layer production systems, associated value chains, and chicken disease management in Pakistan. Qualitative data were collected in 23 key informant interviews and one focus group discussion on the types of production systems, inputs, outputs, value addition, market dynamics, and disease management. Quantitative data on proportions of commodity flows were also obtained. Value chain maps were generated to illustrate stakeholder groups and their linkages, as well as flows of birds and products. Thematic analysis was conducted to explain the functionality of the processes, governance, and disease management. Major chicken production systems were: (1) Environmentally controlled production (97-98%) and (2) Open-sided house production (2-3%). Broiler management systems were classified as (I) Independent broiler production; (II) Partially integrated broiler production; and (III) Fully integrated broiler production, accounting for 65-75, 15-20, and 10-15% of commercial broiler meat supply, respectively. The management systems for layers were classified as (I) Partially integrated layer production and (II) Independent layer production, accounting for 10 and 80-85% in the egg production, respectively. The share of backyard birds for meat and eggs was 10-15%. Independent, and integrated systems for chicken production could be categorized in terms of value chain management, dominance of actors, type of finished product and target customers involved. Integrated systems predominantly targeted high-income customers and used formal infrastructure. Numerous informal chains were identified in independent and some partially integrated systems, with middlemen playing a key role in the distribution of finished birds and eggs. Structural deficiencies in terms of poor farm management, lack of regulations for ensuring good farming practices and price fixing of products were key themes identified. Both private and public stakeholders were found to have essential roles in passive disease surveillance, strategy development and provision of health consultancies. This study provides a foundation for policy-makers and stakeholders to investigate disease transmission, its impact and control and the structural deficiencies identified could inform interventions to improve performance of the poultry sector in Pakistan.

Molecular identification of Toxoplasma gondii in domesticated and broiler chickens (Gallus domesticus) that possibly augment the pool of human toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded animals including domesticated birds and humans. Birds normally get infected by ground feeding and human beings contract the disease by consumption of undercooked chicken meat. This study aimed to analyze seroprevalence and DNA of T. gondii in chickens (domesticated and broiler) and to assess possible transfer to humans by review of available literature from Pakistan. Blood from and tissues from domesticated and broilers chickens were analyzed for Toxo-IgM/IgG and Toxoplasma DNA through ELISA and PCR respectively. Furthermore, research articles published during 1990-2019 on the prevalence of T. gondii in humans from Pakistan, were analyzed to assess the possible infection burden in the area in connection to transmission from chickens. The overall prevalence of IgM and IgG for T. gondii was 17.83% and 8.8% respectively in the study areas. Significant seroprevalence was found in domesticated chickens than broilers. In domesticated chickens, the prevalence was high in age ≥ 2 years. Toxoplasma DNA was detected in tissues with an overall prevalence of 10.84%. Higher prevalence was observed in liver (10.50%) than heart (9.5%) and muscles (7.11%). Only 4.78% broiler and 2.38% domesticated chickens were positive for both IgM and DNA, 1.2% domesticated and 1.30% broilers were positive for IgG and DNA, while 2.98% domesticated and 2.17% broilers were positive for IgM, IgG, and DNA. Available literature showed that 25.8% of human beings were infected with T. gondii in Pakistan. The prevalence was 20.64% in male and 26.82%in the female. The rate of infections increases with age and high (37.36%) was found in humans of age range 40 to 60 years. A high prevalence of T. gondii is found in both domesticated and broiler chickens in the study area. Moreover, the literature survey indicates that a high seroprevalence of T. gondii is present in human beings of Pakistan. It is concluded that the high prevalence of T. gondii in humans may be associated with the parasite transmission through infected chicken's meat in Pakistan.

Molecular Characterization Of Pathogenic Salmonella Spp From Raw Beef In Karachi, Pakistan

The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella and investigate the dominant serovars distribution in raw beef and to screen the isolated serovars for the prescense of beta-lactamases and virulence genes. A total of 150 samples of raw beef sold at butcher shops (n = 75) and supermarkets (n = 75) in Karachi city were collected (50 samples each from muscles, lymph nodes, and minced beef). The samples were cultured according to the ISO-6579-1guidlines. The overall prevalence of Salmonella strains was found to be 21.34%. A total of 56 isolates of Salmonella belonging to four serogroups (Salmonella Pullorum, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Choleraesuis) were isolated from beef muscles (12%), lymph nodes (24%) and minced beef (28%) samples collected from butcher shops (av. 21.34%). No Salmonella was detected in beef samples collected from supermarkets. S. Enteritidis contamination was highest (37.5 %), followed by S. Choleraesuis (30.4%), S. Pullorum (19.6%) and S. Typhimurium (12.5 %). Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that Salmonella isolates were highly resistant to Oxytetracycline (90%), Ampicillin (90.5%), Amoxicillin (81.1%), Tetracycline (76%), Neomycin, (79.8%) and Ciprofloxacin (61.4%). The Salmonella isolates examined were more susceptible to the Cephalosporin antibiotics such as Cefixime (43.2%), Cefepime (48.2) and Cefoxitin (49.8%). PCR based screening of blaTEM, blaCTX-M and blaSHV revealed that blaCTX-M and blaTEM were the dominant resistant genes in S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium followed by S. Pullorum and S. Choleraesuis whereas blaSHV was the least detected beta-lactamase in Salmonella isolates. Virulence genes screening revealed that at least five genes were present in all the serovars, highest being present in S. Enteritidis (12/17) and S. Typhimurium (12/17). S. Cholerasuis (5/17) carried the least number of virulence genes followed by S. Pullorum (6/17). The present data suggest that beef samples from butcher shops of Karachi city are heavily contaminated with MDR Salmonella. The presence of resistance and virulence genes in MDR strains of Salmonella may play a significant role in transmission and development of Salmonella infection in humans.

The LCORL Locus is under Selection in Large-Sized Pakistani Goat Breeds

Goat domestication and human selection for valued traits have formed diverse breeds with characteristic phenotypes. This process led to the fixation of causative genetic variants controlling breed-specific traits within regions of reduced genetic diversity-so-called "selection signatures". We previously reported an analysis of selection signatures based on pooled whole-genome sequencing data of 20 goat breeds and bezoar goats. In the present study, we reanalyzed the data and focused on a subset of eight Pakistani goat breeds (Angora, Barbari, Beetal, Dera Din Panah, Kamori, Nachi, Pahari, Teddy). We identified 749 selection signatures based on reduced heterozygosity in these breeds. A search for signatures that are shared across large-sized goat breeds revealed that five medium-to-large-sized Pakistani goat breeds had a common selection signature on chromosome 6 in a region harboring the LCORL gene, which has been shown to modulate height or body size in several mammalian species. Fine-mapping of the region confirmed that all five goat breeds with the selection signature were nearly fixed for the same haplotype in a ~191 kb region spanning positions 37,747,447-37,938,449. From the pool sequencing data, we identified a frame-shifting single base insertion into an isoform-specific exon of LCORL as a potential candidate causal variant mediating the size-increasing effect. If this preliminary result can be confirmed in independent replication studies, genotyping of this variant might be used to improve breeding programs and the selection for stature in goats.

Selenium Contents in Different Types of Raw and Processed Meat Products, Consumed Among the General Population of Pakistan

The present study was undertaken to generate a database for selenium (Se) content present in minced and processed meat products abundantly available in the market and to estimate the dietary Se intake in different types of minced/raw and processed meat in Pakistan. The concentration of Se was determined in meat samples of different brands of beef, chicken, and mutton, consumed among the local population of different cities of Pakistan. For pretreatment of the meat samples, microwave-assisted acid digestion procedure (MAD) was developed for the Se analysis in the meat samples of different brands. The validity of the designed method was checked by certified reference samples of BOVM-1 (bovine muscle certified reference material 1). Digested meat samples were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results showed that among different meat types, average Se concentration of beef was close to those of chicken samples. The mean Se concentration in the meat observed in reducing order was established in mutton (120 μg/kg), beef (91 μg/kg), and chicken (90 μg/kg). These results suggest that mutton and chicken samples have significant differences in their average concentrations. There was no significant difference in the average concentration of beef and chicken (p > 0.05), while there was a significant difference in average concentrations of Se in beef and mutton (p < 0.01) meat samples. Mutton minced meat contains higher Se than different branded processed products. As far as variation in brands was concern among mutton samples, B1-minced mutton meat sample contain higher Se (107 μg/kg) followed by B3-shish kabab (123 μg/kg) and B3-meat balls (129 μg/kg). Among minced and processed chicken products, Se ranged from 83 to 97 μg/kg. Whereas in beef samples, B1-minced meat and B3-chapli kabab contain higher Se, i.e., 99 and 92 μg/kg respectively compared with other beef brands. Taking into account, the average daily intake of meat by Pakistani's, the dietary Se daily intake was 4.184, 9.263, and 6.605 μg per capita for mutton, beef, and chicken, respectively.

A Value Chain Approach to Characterize the Chicken Sub-sector in Pakistan

The chicken industry of Pakistan is a major livestock sub-sector, playing a pivotal role in economic growth and rural development. This study aimed to characterize and map the structure of broiler and layer production systems, associated value chains, and chicken disease management in Pakistan. Qualitative data were collected in 23 key informant interviews and one focus group discussion on the types of production systems, inputs, outputs, value addition, market dynamics, and disease management. Quantitative data on proportions of commodity flows were also obtained. Value chain maps were generated to illustrate stakeholder groups and their linkages, as well as flows of birds and products. Thematic analysis was conducted to explain the functionality of the processes, governance, and disease management. Major chicken production systems were: (1) Environmentally controlled production (97-98%) and (2) Open-sided house production (2-3%). Broiler management systems were classified as (I) Independent broiler production; (II) Partially integrated broiler production; and (III) Fully integrated broiler production, accounting for 65-75, 15-20, and 10-15% of commercial broiler meat supply, respectively. The management systems for layers were classified as (I) Partially integrated layer production and (II) Independent layer production, accounting for 10 and 80-85% in the egg production, respectively. The share of backyard birds for meat and eggs was 10-15%. Independent, and integrated systems for chicken production could be categorized in terms of value chain management, dominance of actors, type of finished product and target customers involved. Integrated systems predominantly targeted high-income customers and used formal infrastructure. Numerous informal chains were identified in independent and some partially integrated systems, with middlemen playing a key role in the distribution of finished birds and eggs. Structural deficiencies in terms of poor farm management, lack of regulations for ensuring good farming practices and price fixing of products were key themes identified. Both private and public stakeholders were found to have essential roles in passive disease surveillance, strategy development and provision of health consultancies. This study provides a foundation for policy-makers and stakeholders to investigate disease transmission, its impact and control and the structural deficiencies identified could inform interventions to improve performance of the poultry sector in Pakistan.

Epidemiology and determinants of type 2 diabetes in south Asia

Type 2 diabetes has rapidly developed into a major public health problem in south Asia (defined here as Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) in recent decades. During this period, major lifestyle changes associated with economic transition, industrialisation, urbanisation, and globalisation have been key determinants in the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. A decline in nutrition quality, reduced physical activity, and increased sedentary behaviours are reflected in the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and related risk factors in the region. The International Diabetes Federation 2017 estimates of the prevalence of diabetes in adults in the region range from 4·0% in Nepal to 8·8% in India. The prevalence of overweight ranges from 16·7% in Nepal to 26·1% in Sri Lanka, and the prevalence of obesity ranges from 2·9% in Nepal to 6·8% in Sri Lanka. An increasing proportion of children, adolescents, and women are overweight or obese, leading to a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes. Ethnic south Asians present with greater metabolic risk at lower levels of BMI compared with other ethnic groups (referred to as the south Asian phenotype), with type 2 diabetes often developing at a younger age, and with rapid progression of diabetic complications. Because of the presence of multiple risk factors and a body composition conducive to the development of type 2 diabetes, south Asians should be aggressively targeted for prevention. In this Series paper, we detail trends in the prevalence of diabetes in the region and address major determinants of the disease in the context of nutrition and physical activity transitions and the south Asian phenotype.