Cattle Manure Trade Network Analysis and the Relevant Spatial Pathways in an Endemic Area of Foot and Mouth Disease in Northern Thailand

Animal movement is one of the most important risk factors for outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in cattle. Likewise, FMD can spread to cattle farms via vehicles contaminated with the FMD virus. In Northern Thailand, the movement of manure transport vehicles and the circulation of manure bags among cattle farms are considered as potential risk factors for FMD outbreaks among cattle farms. This study aimed to determine the characteristics and movement patterns of manure tradesman using social network analysis. A structured questionnaire was used to identify sequences of farms routinely visited by each tradesman. A total of 611 participants were interviewed, including 154 beef farmers, 407 dairy farmers, 36 tradesmen, and 14 final purchasers. A static weighted directed one-mode network was constructed, and the network metrics were measured. For the manure tradesman–cattle farmer network, the tradesman possessed the highest value of in- and out-degree centralities (71 and 4), betweenness centralities (114.5), and k-core values (2). These results indicated that the tradesman had a high frequency of farm visits and had a remarkable influence on other persons (nodes) in the network. The movement of vehicles ranged from within local districts, among districts, or even across provinces. Unclean manure plastic bags were circulated among cattle farms. Therefore, both vehicles and the bags may act as a disease fomite. Interestingly, no recording system was implemented for the movement of manure transport vehicles. This study suggested that the relevant authority and stakeholders should be aware of the risk of FMD spreading within this manure trading network. The findings from this study can be used as supporting data that can be used for enhancing FMD control measures, especially for FMD endemic areas.

Evaluation of the efficacy of commonly used disinfectants against isolated chlorine-resistant strains from drinking water used in Egyptian cattle farms

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Drinking water of poor microbiological quality contains high percentages of microbes causing outbreaks of mainly coliform-related diseases. These microbes could be controlled by many hygienic standards including disinfection, but disinfectants misuse causes the developing of disinfectant-resistant strains. The present study aimed to investigate drinking water bacterial profile, determine chlorine-resistant strains, and statistically correlate that with the used disinfectant and disinfection process variables. In vitro evaluation of the bactericidal effect of the most commonly used disinfectants in cattle operations against the isolated chlorine-resistant strains and detection of qacE resistance gene in the isolated chlorine-resistant Escherichia coli strains in some cattle farms suffering coliform and non-coliform related disease around Egypt.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A structured questionnaire is used to survey a convenience sample of 132 Egyptian cattle beef and dairy farms suffering emerged epidemics to identify commonly used disinfection process, disinfectant types, disinfectants frequency, and rate of use. One hundred and thirty-two water samples were collected for microbiological analysis to obtain water bacterial profile and testing resistance to chlorine. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the level of association between microbial profile and presence of chlorine-resistant strains in each farm with used disinfection, disinfectant types, and rate of use in these farms.

RESULTS

A wide range of disinfectant types used for variable purposes inside cattle farms with a different frequency of use and the highest percent of farms 25.8% use 4-5 types of disinfectants, followed by 25% of farms use two types, then 18.9% use three types. Microbial profile of water samples revealed isolation of E. coli, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Salmonella spp., Enterobacter spp., Citrobacter spp., Shigella flexneri, Serratia marcescens, and Yersinia enterocolitica in percent (98.5, 97.7, 97.7, 76.5, 66.7, 36.4, 78.8, 74.2, 30.3, 29.5, and 14.4% of cattle farms, respectively), from which five E. coli, four Salmonella, four Pseudomonas, two Klebsiella, and four Streptococcus strains expressed chlorine resistance. Statistical analysis showed weak to moderate correlation (rho 0.15-0.46) between bacterial profile strains count and presence of resistant strains with different farm disinfection, disinfectant types, and rate of use. Experimental evaluation of the bactericidal effect of the eight selected disinfectants on the chlorine-resistant isolated strains revealed that peroxymonosulfate killed 19/19 isolated strains/15 min contact time, and quaternary ammonium compounds killed only 3/19 strains/15 min contact time. The qacE resistance gene was detected in 3/4 isolated chlorine-resistant E. coli strains.

CONCLUSION

Drinking water microbial profile strains and resistance to disinfectants are widely varied in cattle farms, and this variance depends on critical factors among which the disinfection process types used disinfectant types and frequency of disinfectants use or change.

Prevalence of cattle trypanosomosis in slaughterhouses and farms in Benin and impact on hematocrit in cattle

Objective:

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis in Benin.

Materials and Methods:

For this purpose, the blood samples were taken from 932 cattle: 573 from slaughterhouses and 359 from the farms of the targeted divisions. After the blood samples, thick drops and blood smears were made. The capillary tubes filled with blood made it possible to determine the hematocrit in cattle.

Results:

The prevalence of trypanosomosis in farms (27.02%) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of animals in slaughterhouses (16.75%). In farms, the prevalence was 38.55% during the rainy season against 16.67% in the dry season (p < 0.001). In slaughterhouses, prevalences were 10.99%, 17.58%, and 21.50%, respectively, in Bohicon, Cotonou/Porto-Novo, and Parakou. Hematocrit in slaughterhouses was 24.17% and 31.44%, respectively, in infested and non-infested animals. In farms, this rate was 22.85% in infested animals and 29.31% in non-infested animals (p < 0.05). Young cattle are more vulnerable to trypanosomosis than older cattle.

Conclusion:

Given the endemic situation of bovine trypanosomosis and its impact on the economy, this knowledge of the health status of cattle will help out to seek ways and alternatives to reduce the damage.

Assessment of Welfare Problems in Finnish Cattle and Pig Farms Based on Official Inspection Reports

The competent authorities of the Member States of the European Union are required to perform animal welfare inspections on livestock farms. The data obtained from these official inspections performed in Finnish cattle and pig farms in 2010-2015 were used with the aim of estimating the prevalence of the most common non-compliances and identifying underlying risk factors. The prevalence of non-compliant cattle and pig farms was 24.2% and 27.9%, respectively. In cattle, the most common problem was an inadequate lying area followed by deficient housing conditions for calves; in pigs, it was a lack of enrichment material. The non-compliances concerning cattle were most frequently detected in autumn and in farms with small herd size, with tie-stall housing and outdoor rearing year-round. The pig farms with a farrow-to-finish unit had a higher prevalence of non-compliances than other production types. The prevalence of the non-compliant farms differed notably between the regions. It can be concluded that the cattle welfare inspections should be performed with a focus on the cold and rainy seasons and at small farms, whereas the pig welfare inspections should mainly focus on farrow-to-finish units. The data received from official inspections should be efficiently utilized in the development of animal welfare inspection system, with the aim of risk-based, consistent and uniform inspections. In addition, the data should be utilized in targeting information for farmers.

Acaricidal activity of Metarhizium anisopliae isolated from paddocks in the Mexican tropics against two populations of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus

The acaricidal effects of 55 strains of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin, 1883 (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) isolated from paddocks of cattle farms were evaluated in two Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini 1887) (Ixodida: Ixodidae) populations, of which one was multi-resistant and one was susceptible to chemical acaricides. Percentage mortality and reproductive efficiency indices in R. microplus were evaluated by adult immersion tests at a dose of 1 × 10⁸ conidia/mL for each fungal strain. Some strains were selected to calculate lethal concentrations to kill 50% (LC₅₀ ) and 99% (LC₉₉ ) of engorged ticks. Strains MaV22, MaV26 and MaV55 induced 100% mortality in R. microplus on day 14. Strains MaV05, MaV09 and MaV22 caused mortality of >90% from day 12 onward in both tick populations. The most effective acaricidal fungal strain, MaV55, inhibited egg laying by 54.86 and 55.86% in acaricide-resistant and -susceptible R. microplus populations, respectively. None of the fungal strains had statistically significant effects on larval hatching. In conclusion, nine strains of M. anisopliae demonstrated high acaricidal effects against R. microplus and reduced its egg laying. No differences in acaricidal effects were observed between the two populations of ticks tested.

Detection and diversity evaluation of tetracycline resistance genes in grassland-based production systems in Colombia, South america

Grassland-based production systems use ∼26% of land surface on earth. However, there are no evaluations of these systems as a source of antibiotic pollution. This study was conducted to evaluate the presence, diversity, and distribution of tetracycline resistance genes in the grasslands of the Colombian Andes, where administration of antibiotics to animals is limited to treat disease and growth promoters are not included in animals’ diet. Animal (ruminal fluid and feces) and environmental (soil and water) samples were collected from different dairy cattle farms and evaluated by PCR for the genes tet(M), tet(O), tetB(P), tet(Q), tet(W), tet(S), tet(T), otr(A), which encode ribosomal protection proteins (RPPs), and the genes tet(A), tet(B), tet(D), tet(H), tet(J), and tet(Z), encoding efflux pumps. A wide distribution and high frequency for genes tet(W) and tet(Q) were found in both sample types. Genes tet(O) and tetB(P), detected in high frequencies in feces, were detected in low frequencies or not detected at all in the environment. Other genes encoding RPPs, such as tet(M), tet(S), and tet(T), were detected at very low frequencies and restricted distributions. Genes encoding efflux pumps were not common in this region, and only two of them, tet(B) and tet(Z), were detected. DGGE–PCR followed by comparative sequence analysis of tet(W) and tet(Q) showed that the sequences detected in animals did not differ from those coming from soil and water. Finally, the farms sampled in this study showed more than 50% similarity in relation to the tet genes detected. In conclusion, there was a remarkable presence of tet genes in these production systems and, although not all genes detected in animal reservoirs were detected in the environment, there is a predominant distribution of tet(W) and tet(Q) in both animal and environmental reservoirs. Sequence similarity analysis suggests the transmission of these genes from animals to the environment.