Animal最新文献

The Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is a very prevalent viral pathogen that can induce reproductive failure in infected sows. PRRSV infection can result in smaller litters, foetal death, late-term abortions and retarded growth of infected piglets. Not all sows respond equally to the infection partly due to genetic factors. In this study, we aimed to characterise the genetic variability of pig resilience to PRRSV infection by using a stability reproductive performance (SRP) index as a proxy of resilience. By comparing reproductive data from 183 sows, we selected 48 sows with extreme SRP values, measured as the difference in piglets lost at farrowings before and during a PRRSV outbreak. Short-read DNA fragments were sequenced from selected sows using an Illumina platform. The analysis of whole-genome sequencing information identified 16 genome regions associated with the SRP classification (cut-off P-value < 10⁻⁶). Functional evaluation of the positional candidates by gene-ontology identifiers and their participation in biological pathways were used to identify genes involved in virus entry and replication (vimentin, RAC1 and OAZ2) but also in immune responses from the host (IRF1, and IL4, IL5 and IL13). Importantly, genes related to chemokines, extracellular proteins and cell-to-cell junction integrity might contribute to placental microseparations, facilitating the trafficking of viral particles from sow to foetus that takes place during the pathogenesis of transplacental PRRSV infection. However, given the small number of animals in the study, these results shall need to be validated in larger populations.

Selecting and raising dairy animals that are more likely to reach their potential is a strategy to increase milk production efficiency and overall profitability. However, indicators are necessary for the early identification of animals that are less likely to perform well, allowing for their early culling and ensuring that resources are allocated to those with the highest potential. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between early-life animal health and performance with longevity, production, and profitability. After data cleaning, the following early-life measures (i.e., predictors) were available for 363 female calves born between June 2014 and November 2015 in eight dairy herds from New Brunswick, Canada (average: 45 calves/farm; SD: 26.1 calves/farm; median: 42 calves/farm; range: 15–95 calves/farm): birth weight, weaning weight, weaning age, weaning average daily gain (weaning ADG), immunoglobulin G (IgG) serum concentration, the occurrence of navel infection, diarrhea, and pneumonia, and if animals received antibiotic treatment between birth and weaning. Their subsequent length of life (LL), length of productive life (LPL), lifetime cumulative energy-corrected milk (ECM), and lifetime cumulative milk value (i.e., response variables) were provided by the Canadian dairy herd improvement agency. Bayesian Additive Regression Tree models were trained for each response variable using 5-fold cross-validation. Models were evaluated using the RMSE and R². The three most important predictors were identified using permutation, and the relationship between response variables and important predictors was assessed using accumulated local effect plots. The RMSE for LL, LPL, ECM, and milk value were 1.43 years, 1.37 years, 16 314.94 kg, and $CAD 11 525.68, respectively, whereas the R² values were 0.30, 0.25, 0.29, and 0.29, respectively, indicating a moderate relationship between predictors and response variables. Non-linear relationships were found between the response variables and important predictors. Animals born with low or high birth weights were associated with decreased LL, LPL, ECM, and milk value. The highest LL, LPL, and milk value was observed for calves weaned between 1.9 and 2.0 months old, followed by a decline for calves weaned at older ages. The lowest LL and ECM were associated with weaning ADG of 0.786 kg/day, while 0.787 kg/day was associated with the lowest LPL. Lastly, both ECM and milk value were highest when serum IgG values were 1 659 mg/dL. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing early culling decisions and enhancing the productivity and profitability of dairy farms.

Monitoring animal location and proximity can provide useful information on behaviour and activity, which can act as a health and welfare indicator. However, tools such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) can be costly, power−hungry and often heavy, thus not viable for commercial uptake in small ruminant systems. Developments in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) could offer another option for animal monitoring, however, BLE signal strength can be variable, and further information is needed to understand the relationship between signal strength and distance in an outdoor environment and assess factors which might affect its interpretation in on-animal scenarios. A calibration of a purpose-built device containing a BLE reader, alongside commercial BLE beacons, was conducted in a field environment to explore how signal strength changed with distance and investigate whether this was affected by device height, and thus animal behaviour. From this calibration, distance prediction equations were developed whereby beacon distance from a reader could be estimated based on signal strength. BLE as a means of localisation was then trialled, firstly using a multilateration approach to locate 16 static beacons within an ∼5 400 m2 section of paddock using 6 BLE readers, followed by an on-sheep validation where two localisation approaches were trialled in the localisation of a weaned lamb within ∼1.4 ha of adjoining paddocks, surrounded by nine BLE readers. Validation was conducted using 1 days’ worth of data from a lamb fitted with both a BLE beacon and separate GNSS device. The calibration showed a decline in signal strength with increasing beacon distance from a reader, with a reduced range and earlier decline in the proportion of beacons reported at lower reader and beacon heights. The distance prediction equations indicated a mean underestimation of 12.13 m within the static study, and mean underestimation of 1.59 m within the on-sheep validation. In the static beacon localisation study, the multilateration method produced a mean localisation error of 22.02 m, whilst in the on-sheep validation, similar mean localisation errors were produced by both methods – 19.00 m using the midpoint and 23.77 m using the multilateration method. Our studies demonstrate the technical feasibility of localising sheep in an outdoor environment using BLE technology; however, potential commercial application of such a system would require improvements in BLE range and accuracy.

With an ongoing transition towards the use of Light Emitting Diodes, more knowledge is needed on which light settings optimise sustainability parameters in pig production. We studied the effects of four light intensities on social, environmental and economic sustainability indicators, including ammonia emissions, space use, pen fouling, weight gain, carcass quality, perception of the stockkeeper, costs of the light system, and use of drinking water, electricity and medicines. Light treatments included a low (45 lux), medium (198 lux) and high (968 lux) uniform intensity, and a spatial gradient treatment ranging from 71 lux in the front to 330 lux in the back of each pen. The latter treatment aimed to improve the space use of functional areas. A total of 448 growing-finishing pigs were studied on a commercial farm using two consecutive batches of four rooms containing eight pens with seven pigs. Light intensity influenced some aspects of space use and pen fouling. For example, the proportion of pigs lying in the resting area was higher in the high and medium light intensity treatment than in the low intensity and gradient treatment. Moreover, the high-intensity treatment resulted in more fouling with faeces in the feeding area compared with the low-intensity and the gradient treatment. Ammonia emissions were higher in the gradient than in the low intensity treatment (not measured in medium and high intensity treatment). Furthermore, light intensity did not affect weight gain, carcass quality, water use and medicine use. The stockkeeper was content to work in all light conditions, but slightly preferred the medium intensity due to optimal visibility. Concerning economic performance, the costs of the light system and electricity use increased in the following order: low intensity, gradient, medium intensity, and high intensity. In conclusion, contrary to expectation the spatial gradient did not notably improve space use or reduce pen fouling, but rather increased ammonia emissions in comparison with uniform light. This is likely because the gradient could not be applied in an optimal way in the existing housing conditions. Among the other sustainability indicators, mainly electricity use and costs of the light system differed per treatment. These aspects can be improved by further optimising the number of light sources needed per pen to achieve the targeted intensities.

Brewery by-products are recognised as suitable rearing substrates for Hermetia illucens, better known as black soldier fly (BSF) but information about the impact of different ratios of brewer’s spent grains (BSG) and brewer’s spent yeast (BSY) are still scarce. This study evaluated the effects of BSG-BSY-based diets on BSF larval growth, survival, bioconversion efficiency, nutritional profile, and microbiota and mycobiota. A total of 3 000 6-day-old BSF larvae were allotted to five dietary treatments (six replicate boxes/diet, 100 larvae/box): (i) BSY2.5 (25 g/kg of BSY+975 g/kg of BSG), (ii) BSY5 (50 g/kg of BSY+950 g/kg of BSG), (iii) BSY7.5 (75 g/kg of BSY+925 g/kg of BSG), (iv) BSY10 (100 g/kg of BSY+900 g/kg of BSG), and (v) control (Gainesville diet). Larval weight and substrate pH were recorded every 4 days. At the end of the trial (5% of prepupae), bioconversion efficiency corrected for residue (BER), reduction rate (RR), and waste reduction index (WRI) were calculated, and the larval proximate composition, microbiota and mycobiota characterised. At 10 and 14 days of age, BSY7.5 and BSY10 larvae displayed higher weight than BSY2.5 and BSY5 (P < 0.05), with BSY10 larvae showing the highest weight among the BSG-BSY-based diets at the end of the trial (P < 0.05). The BSY7.5 and BSY10 larvae also displayed a better BER than BSY2.5 and BSY5 (P < 0.01), whereas similar RR, WRI, survival and development time, as well as pH, were, however, observed among the BSG-BSY-based diets (P > 0.05). The BSY10 larvae displayed lower ether extract content than the other BSG-BSY-based diets (P > 0.001). The use of BSG-BSY-based diets did not influence the alpha diversity of larval microbiota and mycobiota (P > 0.05), but a specific microbial signature was identified per each dietary treatment (Porphyromonadaceae [BSY5], Sphingomonas [BSY7.5], Bacillus [BSY10] and Ruminococcus and Myroides [BSG-BSY-based diets]; P < 0.05). Co-occurrence and co-exclusion analysis also showed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia excluded and favoured, respectively, the presence of Streptomyces and Fluviicola, while Clavispora lusitaniae was associated with Myroides (P < 0.05). In conclusion, BSG-BSY-based diets are suitable for rearing HI in terms of larval performance, nutritional profile, and microbiota and mycobiota, with 7.5 and 10% of BSY inclusion levels being able to improve larval growth and bioconversion efficiency.

Specialty (niche) pork products may provide societal benefits in terms of e.g. higher animal welfare, reduced use of antibiotics, and lower environmental impact. At the same time, they offer a business opportunity for farmers, slaughterhouses, meat processers, and retailers, who can capitalise on consumer segments willing to pay a price premium. However, the added cost of delivering niche products and a limited willingness among consumers to pay the higher prices may negate the benefits of this approach, particularly as niche products typically have high substitutability with standard pork. One way to ensure the success of the niche pork products is to drive down costs across all parts of the value chain. Inspired by data from the Danish pork market, the present study seeks to identify cost drivers in the value chain. We found two promising approaches to reduce the costs associated with niche products. First, the pricing strategy can be altered so that mainstream pork is replaced entirely by specialty pork products in the chiller section, thereby making niche the new standard. Second, with improved carcass balance, the price premium paid to farmers can be assigned to a larger proportion of the pig, thus enabling the retail price to be lowered. For example, we found that improved carcass balance had the potential to halve the necessary retail price increase, regardless of the pricing strategy employed. The conclusion is that it is possible to drive down costs across all parts of the value chain to enable further production and profitable sale of welfare pork.

Early weaning-induced stress precipitates diarrhoea, significantly curtailing the growth performance of piglets. A pivotal contributor to this postweaning affliction is the emergence of gut bacterial dysbiosis. Enterococcus hirae, a promising probiotic, has indicated unclear effects and mechanisms on intestinal health. In this study, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of oral supplementation with Ningxiang pig-derived Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 orally supplementation on the gut bacterial community, immune response and gut barrier function in piglets. 21 d age Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) piglets with a similar BW were randomly allocated to two groups. The Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 administration group was inoculated orally with Ningxiang pig-derived Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 throughout the trial period. Conversely, the control group received the same volume of physiological saline. Our findings revealed that Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 supplementation effectively reduced diarrhoea rates of piglets (P = 0.010). Notably, this probiotic promoted intestinal development and enhanced intestinal barrier function. It also showed potential anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 supplementation significantly remodelled the colonic microbiota and increased the production of acetate (P = 0.007). In conclusion, our study highlights that Ningxiang pig-derived Enterococcus hirae HNAU0516 improves postweaning diarrhoea by promoting intestinal development, enhancing intestinal barrier function, decreasing intestinal permeability, modulating intestinal microbiota, and increasing short-chain fatty acids production.

Dietary butyrate is considered to have mostly positive impacts on the ruminal epithelium. However, its supplementation in a high-concentrate diet may not be justified as excessive ruminal butyrate may negatively affect the rumen. Furthermore, butyrate impact on the rumen may depend on its source. Thirty-two Świniarka growing rams (30.6 ± 2.5 kg; 11–14 months of age) were used to investigate the effect of a high-concentrate diet and sodium butyrate (SB) or tributyrin (TB) supplementation in a high-concentrate diet on the rumen structure and selected functions. The rams were allocated to four treatments and fed diets with: (1) low concentrate inclusion (22.5% of diet DM; L); (2) high concentrate inclusion (60% of diet DM; H); (3) H with SB (3.2% of diet DM; H+SB); and (4) H with TB (2.93% of diet DM; H+TB). The preplanned contrasts were used for treatment comparisons (L vs H treatments (H, H+SB, and H+TB), H vs H+SB, and H vs H+TB). The BW, BW gain and DM intake did not differ between treatments. In the atrium ruminis, epithelium thickness did not differ between the L and H treatments (P = 0.46), tended to be higher for H+SB than for H (P = 0.09) but did not differ between H+TB and H (P = 0.61). The expression of downregulated in adenoma was higher for L than for H treatments (P = 0.03) but was not affected by SB or TB supplementation (P ≥ 0.26). In the ventral rumen, the mucosa surface and epithelium thickness were lower for L than for H treatments (P < 0.01), were or tended to be higher for H+SB than for H (P ≤ 0.06) but did not differ between H+TB and H (P ≥ 0.26). The expression of monocarboxylate transporter 1 was lower for L than for H treatments (P = 0.02) but was not affected by SB or TB supplementation (P ≥ 0.28). The expression of putative anion transporter-1 and downregulated in adenoma did not differ between the L and H treatments (P ≥ 0.76); however, expression of the former tended to be higher and the latter tended to be lower for H+SB than for H (P ≤ 0.09), whereas no differences were observed between H+TB and H (P ≥ 0.14). In summary, SB supplementation, but not TB supplementation, in a high-concentrate diet stimulated ruminal epithelium growth and affected short-chain fatty acid transporters expression in the ruminal epithelium.

Magnetic alignment (MA) is a biological phenomenon denoting spontaneous orientation of an animal’s body at rest, when fleeing a threat, hunting, etc. in relation to the Earth’s magnetic field lines, often parallel to the field lines, i.e. in a north–south (NS) direction. MA has been demonstrated in several animal species, including grazing and resting domestic mammals. Based on the assumption that cows prefer to orientate their bodies in the NS direction when resting and sleeping, we hypothesised that MA could contribute to the incidence of technopathies in dairy cows, i.e. various disorders caused by the stable equipment that pose a serious animal welfare problem. It was hypothesised that the incidence of technopathies increases when the cubicles (resting places) orientation deviates from the NS position. The incidence of technopathies was recorded in 34 free-stall dairy farms. The type (hairless patch, scratch, swelling, wound), location and size of the lesions were recorded in almost 1 200 dairy cows. Based on the number of cubicles available and the number of cows, the cubicle-per-cow index (CC index) was calculated and divided into two groups: CC index ≥ 1 for stables with at least one cubicle per cow and CC index < 1 if the number of cows exceeded the number of cubicles available. The orientation of the cubicles was determined by the azimuth (the angle between north and the chosen clockwise direction). The farms were categorised into two groups according to azimuth: NS (azimuth deviating ± 15° from north or south, i.e. 345-15° and 165-195°) and non-NS (azimuth 15-165° and 195-345°). We found that the frequency of cows with technopathies was 30% lower in the NS-orientated cubicles and the number of technopathies per cow was 40% lower in the NS-orientated cubicles than in the non-NS-orientated cubicles. In addition, a higher number of technopathies per cow was observed when the CC index was ≥ 1, with a significant difference in the non-NS-aligned cubicles. According to our results, cubicle orientation has some influence on the incidence of technopathies. Although biological phenomena such as MA are seemingly unimportant and usually overlooked, they should be considered in livestock production when planning the positioning of stable equipment/ cubicle.