Under what conditions is it possible to produce pigs without using antimicrobials?

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (12) ◽  
pp. 1424 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. Gleeson ◽  
A. M. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Stocking Density ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Animal Agriculture ◽  
Pig Production ◽  
Herd Level ◽  
Diagnostic Technologies

Antimicrobials are commonly used in pig production to control bacterial infections. However, there is increasing pressure from supermarkets and consumers and other sectors to reduce or eliminate the use of antimicrobials in animal agriculture. Banning the use of antimicrobials in some countries has led to increased disease and welfare problems, so it is important to know under what conditions pigs can be produced without the use of antimicrobials. In this review, practices that can prevent disease, and therefore reduce the need for antimicrobials were researched from published experimental challenge trials, field studies and risk factor analyses. Disease prevention practices were examined from pathogen survival and transmission studies, vaccine and disinfectant efficacy studies and nutrition trials. From these studies we collated the important practices that manage or prevent disease and improve pig health. We also reviewed new diagnostic assays and technologies to better monitor the pig and its environment at the herd level. Many of the conditions necessary to produce pigs without antimicrobials have been known and understood for a long time. The application of high standards of biosecurity and hygiene is crucial for creating the conditions for reduction of antimicrobial use. Factors important in preventing disease include eradication or elimination of pathogens, minimising mixing of pigs, cleaning and disinfection of pens and sheds, ventilation to improve air quality, reducing stocking density and eliminating potential vectors of disease. Improving the health of pigs also relies on vaccination and improved consistency of nutrition. The development of diagnostic technologies that correlate with disease and production will enable the detection of potential disease problems at the individual or herd level before disease outbreaks occur and before antimicrobials are needed. The development of vaccination technologies for prevention of disease and diagnostic technologies that can be used on-farm to predict disease outbreaks are integral to safely moving towards antimicrobial-free pork. Pig production without the use of antimicrobials is not simply a matter of substituting conventional antimicrobials with alternative antimicrobial substances and expecting the same result. Any move to antimicrobial-free production requires an acknowledgement that pig production costs may increase and that many pig production practices must change. Such changes must also ensure that animal welfare and food safety and quality standards are maintained or improved, and that reliable markets for the product are found. This paper does not seek to argue the science or opinion of reasons behind the desire to reduce antimicrobial use in animal agriculture, but rather discuss the circumstances under which reduction or elimination of antimicrobial use in pig production is possible.

scholarly journals Risk Factors for Antimicrobial Use on Irish Pig Farms

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2828
Author(s):  
Lorcan O’Neill ◽  
Julia Adriana Calderón Díaz ◽  
Maria Rodrigues da Costa ◽  
Sinnead Oakes ◽  
Finola C. Leonard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Swine Influenza ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Pig Production ◽  
Pig Farms ◽  
Prophylactic Use ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Biosecurity Practices

The threat to public health posed by antimicrobial resistance in livestock production means that the pig sector is a particular focus for efforts to reduce antimicrobial use (AMU). This study sought to investigate the risk factors for AMU in Irish pig production. Antimicrobial use data were collected from 52 farrow-to-finish farms. The risk factors investigated were farm characteristics and performance, biosecurity practices, prevalence of pluck lesions at slaughter and serological status for four common respiratory pathogens and vaccination and prophylactic AMU practices. Linear regression models were used for quantitative AMU analysis and risk factors for specific AMU practices were investigated using logistic regression. Farms that milled their own feed had lower total AMU (p < 0.001), whereas higher finisher mortality (p = 0.043) and vaccinating for swine influenza (p < 0.001) increased AMU. Farms with higher prevalence of pericarditis (p = 0.037) and lung abscesses (p = 0.046) used more group treatments. Farms with higher prevalence of liver milk spot lesions (p = 0.018) and farms practising prophylactic AMU in piglets (p = 0.03) had higher numbers of individual treatments. Farms practising prophylactic AMU in piglets (p = 0.002) or sows (p = 0.062) had higher use of cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. This study identified prophylactic use and respiratory disease as the main drivers for AMU in Irish pig production. These findings highlight areas of farm management where interventions may aid in reducing AMU on Irish pig farms.

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanisms for Microbe Recognition and Defense by the Red Seaweed Laurencia dendroidea

mSphere ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louisi Souza de Oliveira ◽  
Diogo Antonio Tschoeke ◽  
Ana Carolina Rubem Magalhães Lopes ◽  
Daniela Bueno Sudatti ◽  
Pedro Milet Meirelles ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Defense Mechanisms ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Marine Bacterium ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Red Seaweed ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Transcriptional Changes ◽  
Molecular Components

ABSTRACT Marine bacteria are part of the healthy microbiota associated with seaweeds, but some species, such as Vibrio spp., are frequently associated with disease outbreaks, especially in economically valuable cultures. In this context, the ability of seaweeds to recognize microbes and, when necessary, activate defense mechanisms is essential for their survival. However, studies dedicated to understanding the molecular components of the immune response in seaweeds are rare and restricted to indirect stimulus. This work provides an unprecedentedly large-scale evaluation of the transcriptional changes involved in microbe recognition, cellular signaling, and defense in the red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea in response to the marine bacterium Vibrio madracius. By expanding knowledge about seaweed-bacterium interactions and about the integrated defensive system in seaweeds, this work offers the basis for the development of tools to increase the resistance of cultured seaweeds to bacterial infections. The ability to recognize and respond to the presence of microbes is an essential strategy for seaweeds to survive in the marine environment, but understanding of molecular seaweed-microbe interactions is limited. Laurencia dendroidea clones were inoculated with the marine bacterium Vibrio madracius. The seaweed RNA was sequenced, providing an unprecedentedly high coverage of the transcriptome of Laurencia, and the gene expression levels were compared between control and inoculated samples after 24, 48, and 72 h. Transcriptomic changes in L. dendroidea in the presence of V. madracius include the upregulation of genes that participate in signaling pathways described here for the first time as a response of seaweeds to microbes. Genes coding for defense-related transcription activators, reactive oxygen species metabolism, terpene biosynthesis, and energy conversion pathways were upregulated in inoculated samples of L. dendroidea, indicating an integrated defensive system in seaweeds. This report contributes significantly to the current knowledge about the molecular mechanisms involved in the highly dynamic seaweed-bacterium interactions. IMPORTANCE Marine bacteria are part of the healthy microbiota associated with seaweeds, but some species, such as Vibrio spp., are frequently associated with disease outbreaks, especially in economically valuable cultures. In this context, the ability of seaweeds to recognize microbes and, when necessary, activate defense mechanisms is essential for their survival. However, studies dedicated to understanding the molecular components of the immune response in seaweeds are rare and restricted to indirect stimulus. This work provides an unprecedentedly large-scale evaluation of the transcriptional changes involved in microbe recognition, cellular signaling, and defense in the red seaweed Laurencia dendroidea in response to the marine bacterium Vibrio madracius. By expanding knowledge about seaweed-bacterium interactions and about the integrated defensive system in seaweeds, this work offers the basis for the development of tools to increase the resistance of cultured seaweeds to bacterial infections.

Row Spacing and Seeding Rate Effects on Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum Ptycanthum) and Soybean

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrienne M. Rich ◽  
Karen A. Renner
Keyword(s):  
Dry Weight ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Row Spacing ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Soybean Yield ◽  
Eastern Black Nightshade ◽  
Solanum Ptycanthum ◽  
Black Nightshade ◽  
Rate Effects

Reducing seeding rates in 19- or 76-cm row soybean below the optimum rate may reduce soybean competitiveness with weeds, and indirectly increase production costs to the grower. Field studies in 2001 and 2002 evaluated the effect of soybean seeding rate and row spacing on the emergence, growth, and competitiveness of eastern black nightshade (EBN) in soybean. EBN emergence ceased within 45 d after planting (DAP), and was similar across soybean seeding rates and row spacing. EBN control by glyphosate was not affected by soybean population or row spacing. Soybean planted in 19-cm rows was more competitive with EBN, regardless of seeding rate. Increasing the soybean seeding rate in 76-cm rows from 185,000 seeds/ha to 432,000 seeds/ha reduced EBN dry weight threefold at East Lansing and nearly twofold at Clarksville in 2002. There was no increase in EBN density or dry weight in 19-cm row soybean planted at 308,000 seeds/ha compared with 556,000 seeds/ha, whereas a seeding rate of 432,000 seeds/ha in 76-cm row soybean did not suppress EBN dry weight or increase soybean yield in the presence of EBN compared with a seeding rate of 308,000 seeds/ha.

The global dissemination of bacterial infections necessitates the study of reverse genomic epidemiology

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 741-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Ruan ◽  
Yunsong Yu ◽  
Ye Feng
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Bacterial Pathogens ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Bacterial Genome ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Source Tracking ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Genomic Epidemiology ◽  
Cross Border

Abstract Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has revolutionized the genotyping of bacterial pathogens and is expected to become the new gold standard for tracing the transmissions of bacterial infectious diseases for public health purposes. Traditional genomic epidemiology often uses WGS as a verification tool, namely, when a common source or epidemiological link is suspected, the collected isolates are sequenced for the determination of clonal relationships. However, increasingly frequent international travel and food transportation, and the associated potential for the cross-border transmission of bacterial pathogens, often lead to an absence of information on bacterial transmission routes. Here we introduce the concept of ‘reverse genomic epidemiology’, i.e. when isolates are inspected by genome comparisons to be sufficiently similar to one another, they are assumed to be a consequence of infection from a common source. Through BacWGSTdb (http://bacdb.org/BacWGSTdb/), a database we have developed for bacterial genome typing and source tracking, we have found that almost the entire analyzed 20 bacterial species exhibit the phenomenon of cross-border clonal dissemination. Five networks were further identified in which isolates sharing nearly identical genomes were collected from at least five different countries. Three of these have been documented as real infectious disease outbreaks, therefore demonstrating the feasibility and authority of reverse genomic epidemiology. Our survey and proposed strategy would be of potential value in establishing a global surveillance system for tracing bacterial transmissions and outbreaks; the related database and techniques require urgent standardization.

scholarly journals Methods for Management of Soilborne Diseases in Crop Production

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Panth ◽  
Samuel C. Hassler ◽  
Fulya Baysal-Gurel
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Montreal Protocol ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Soilborne Diseases ◽  
Soilborne Disease ◽  
Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation

The significant problems caused by soilborne pathogens in crop production worldwide include reduced crop performance, decreased yield, and higher production costs. In many parts of the world, methyl bromide was extensively used to control these pathogens before the implementation of the Montreal Protocol—a global agreement to protect the ozone layer. The threats of soilborne disease epidemics in crop production, high cost of chemical fungicides and development of fungicide resistance, climate change, new disease outbreaks and increasing concerns regarding environmental as well as soil health are becoming increasingly evident. These necessitate the use of integrated soilborne disease management strategies for crop production. This article summarizes methods for management of soilborne diseases in crop production which includes the use of sanitation, legal methods, resistant cultivars/varieties and grafting, cropping system, soil solarization, biofumigants, soil amendments, anaerobic soil disinfestation, soil steam sterilization, soil fertility and plant nutrients, soilless culture, chemical control and biological control in a system-based approach. Different methods with their strengths and weaknesses, mode of action and interactions are discussed, concluding with a brief outline of future directions which might lead to the integration of described methods in a system-based approach for more effective management of soilborne diseases.

scholarly journals Diseases as Impediments to Livestock Production and Wildlife Conservation Goals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y.J. Atuman ◽  
C.A. Kudi ◽  
P.A. Abdu ◽  
O.O. Okubanjo ◽  
A. Abubakar
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Foot And Mouth Disease ◽  
Domestic Animal ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Emerging Pathogens ◽  
Livestock Diseases

Disease outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics have been of importance for human and animal health worldwide and sparked enormous public interest. These outbreaks might be caused by known endemic pathogens or by emerging or re-emerging pathogens. Wildlife are the major reservoirs and responsible for most of these outbreaks. They play significant role in the transmission of several livestock diseases and pathogen spill-over may occur in complex socio-ecological systems at the wildlife-domestic animal interface which have been seldom studied. Interspecific pathogen spill-over at the wildlife-livestock interface have been of growing concern in the scientific community over the past years due to their impact on wildlife, livestock and human health. In this section the epidemiology of some viral infections (Foot and Mouth Disease and rabies), bacterial infections (Tuberculosis and brucellosis) and parasites (haemo and endo-parasites) at the wildlife-livestock interface and potential impacts to livestock production and conservation goal is described.

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