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Multi-drug resistant bacteria found in 40% of supermarket meat samples in Spain

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Poultry.

Multidrug-resistant E. coli was found in 40% of supermarket meat samples tested in a Spanish study. E. coli strains capable of causing serious human infections were also highly prevalent, according to this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2023, Copenhagen, 15-18 April). Antibiotic resistance is reaching dangerously high levels worldwide. With drug-resistant infections killing an estimated 700,000 people worldwide each year and projected to kill 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance as one of the greatest public health threats facing humanity. Multi-drug resistant bacteria can spread from animals to humans through the food chain, but due to commercial sensitivities, data on the levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria in food is not widely available. To find out more, Dr Azucena Mora Gutiérrez and Dr Vanesa García Menéndez from the University of Santiago de Compostela-Lugo, Lugo, Spain, together with colleagues from other research centres, designed a series of experiments to assess the levels of multidrug-resistant and extraintestinal pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae (Klebsiella pneumoniae, E. coli and other bacteria that can cause multidrug-resistant infections such as sepsis or urinary tract infections) in meat sold in Spanish supermarkets. They analysed 100 meat products (25 each of chicken, turkey, beef and pork) randomly selected from supermarkets in Oviedo in 2020. The majority (73%) of the meat products contained levels of E. coli that were within food safety limits. However, almost half (49%) contained multi-resistant and/or potentially pathogenic E. coli. Of these, 82 E. coli isolates were recovered and characterised. In addition, 12 K. pneumoniae isolates were recovered from 10 of the 100 meat products (7 chicken, 2 turkey and 1 pork). Forty of the 100 meat products contained multidrug-resistant E. coli (56 of the 82 E. coli characterised). These included E. coli that produced extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), enzymes that confer resistance to most beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins and the monobactam aztreonam. The authors of the study call for regular assessment of the levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including ExPEC E. coli, in meat products. 

Hundreds of US cattle die in world’s hottest month

Written by c001os on . Posted in Cattle, Nutrinfo.

Hundreds of cattle in Iowa died from extreme heat and humidity in late July, Reuters reported, citing the state and livestock producers, as the world recorded its hottest month on record. The deaths show the toll of severe weather on livestock and food production. The losses further reduce the US cattle herd, already the smallest in decades, after drought forced ranchers to slaughter more cows for lack of pasture to feed them. While not massive in numbers, producers said the recent deaths were unusual. Cattle also died of heat in Kansas and Nebraska, state officials said. Gary Vetter, who raises cattle in western Iowa, said he worked to protect local herds, but about 53 cattle died at three of his neighbours’ feedlots during the last week of July. “They just started falling off, and there was nothing you could really do about it,” Vetter said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Heat is usually most dangerous for the heaviest cattle, which weigh more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg), but temperatures and humidity rose so high that even lighter 700-pound cattle died, said Vetter, whose farm near Iowa had a thermometer reading of 47 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering disaster assistance that could help compensate producers whose cattle died.

Egg exports from Brazil close to peak

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Poultry.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has overshadowed reports from Brazil in recent months, but there is still plenty of good news from the country’s poultry sector. Take, for example, the excellent performance of Brazilian egg exports. As a low-cost, disease-free producer, Brazil is well placed to meet global demand for eggs, and figures released in July suggest that new highs can be expected this year, although exports may not reach the peaks of a decade ago. In the first six months of 2023, exports of shell and processed eggs increased by 150% in volume terms to 16,600 metric tonnes (MT). In value terms, the figure was more than 222% higher at USD 41.2 million. In June alone, volumes increased by over 901% and value by over 608% compared to June last year. According to the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA), these are the best figures for the first half of the year in more than a decade, and with the high average for the second quarter – the best on record – new highs could be expected for 2023 as a whole. The main destination for Brazilian exports is Japan, where the HPAI outbreak has led to a significant reduction in the laying hen population and a consequent shortage of eggs. Between January and June, it bought 6,900 MT of eggs from Brazil, an increase of 1,304% on the same period last year. Next on the list was Taiwan, which bought 5,400 MT, having imported none last year. For any consumers in Brazil who are worried that they may not be able to buy eggs as they all disappear overseas, the ABPA has reassured them that there will be no local shortage. Exports, it says, account for less than 1% of the country’s local production.

Key pig gene for ASF infection discovered

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Pig.

A team of European scientists has found a key pig gene for the replication of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus. Researchers from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI) in Germany and the Roslin Institute of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, recently conducted this piece of research, which aimed to find out which pig genes are needed for the ASF virus (ASFv) to replicate. The study describing their findings was published in August 2023 in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Scientific Reports and shows that there is a gene from the pig’s immune system that is key to this process. This provides important new insights into the biology of the ASFv that could form the basis for future research approaches. ASFv has a large DNA genome from which more than 160 viral proteins are produced in infected cells. Little is known about the functions of many of these viral proteins. It is also unclear which cellular proteins are used by the ASF virus to enter the host cell. To identify host proteins important for ASFv, scientists at the Roslin Institute provided a CRISPR/Cas9 expression library as a molecular tool that allowed their colleagues Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute to knock out all known genes in the pig genome individually in vitro and test the resulting cell cultures for susceptibility to ASF virus infection. That led to the identification of several genes of the major histocompatibility complex II (MHC II) as relevant factors for the reproductive capacity of ASFv, the news release explained. In particular, the MHC II receptor protein SLA-DM was shown to be required for efficient ASFv infection. Therefore, the research team concluded, SLA-DM may be a suitable target protein for the development of effective therapeutics against ASF or ASFv resistant pig breeds.

Technology for earlier diagnosis of serious cattle disease

Written by c001os on . Posted in Cattle, Nutrinfo.

Monitoring dairy calves with precision Internet of Things (IoT)-based technologies leads to earlier diagnosis of calf-killing bovine respiratory disease (BRD), according to research from three US universities. Researchers from Penn State University, the University of Kentucky and the University of Vermont say the findings offer dairy producers an opportunity to improve farm economics. Melissa Cantor, assistant professor in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, said IoT, with its embedded devices equipped with sensors, processing and communication capabilities, software and other technologies to connect and share data with other devices over the internet, allows farmers to closely monitor and analyse calf conditions. IoT generates a huge amount of data, so to make it easier to understand and prove calf health problems, the researchers used machine learning – a branch of artificial intelligence that learns the hidden patterns in the data to distinguish between sick and healthy calves. “We put leg bands on the calves, which record data on the activity behaviour of dairy cattle, such as the number of steps and time spent lying down. And we used automatic feeders that dispense milk and grain and record feeding behaviour, such as the number of visits and litres of milk consumed. Information from these sources signalled when a calf’s condition was about to deteriorate”. In the study of 159 dairy calves, the system achieved exceptional accuracy in identifying sick and healthy calves, predicting 70% of sick calves 4 days before the actual diagnosis and 80% of calves that developed chronic disease within the first 5 days of illness.

Ceva drops appeal over French bird flu vaccine tender

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Poultry.

French animal health group Ceva has withdrawn a legal challenge to a tender to supply avian flu vaccine to France, in which it lost out to Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim. France chose Boehringer Ingelheim to supply 80 million doses of bird flu vaccine needed for its first vaccination campaign in ducks, due to start in October. The plan will make France the first country in the European Union to vaccinate poultry against the virus that has ravaged flocks worldwide. Ceva has decided to drop its appeal against the outcome of the tender in order to avoid any delay in the vaccination campaign for the livestock sector, the company said in a statement late last week. The company is continuing discussions with the authorities on subsequent phases of the vaccination campaign and has already produced more than 10 million shots of its avian influenza vaccine for ducks, Ceva added.

Maternal imprinting: Immune development

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Pig.

More than 70% of the body’s immune cells are located into the gut, which means there is a close connection between intestinal microbiota and the immune system. The sow’s microbiota influences the piglet’s immune system development and, consequently, their growth and survival. At birth and during early life, the piglets are highly dependent on the maternal passively derived immunity for the survival. The transfer of immunity initially occurs through colostrum. Antibodies are big proteins, and only get into the piglet’s blood stream in the first hours of life before the gut closure. Immunoglobulins from the mother, including immunoglobulin G (IgG) can be absorbed through the colostrum. The probiotic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM-I-1079 included into the sows’ diet, has shown positive results on the IgG colostrum concentration. Recent studies have shown that animals raised on artificial milk formula rather than maternal milk have a higher susceptibility to disease, also linked to a reduced intestinal microbiota diversity. Cytokines and chemokines are making connections between the different organs to coordinate the immune response. They are biomarker peptides critical for humoral and cell mediated immunity. Cytokine gene expression in the lungs of piglets was influenced by the treatment of sows. The lower expression of cytokines in the lungs of the piglets born and nursed from supplemented sows suggests a reduced inflammatory reaction compared to the piglets from non-supplemented sows. The immune transfer through colostrum, modulation inflammatory response, etc. translated to better performance of the piglets after weaning, reflecting maternal imprinting. Probiotics, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM-I-1079, are positively affecting the gut microbiota from the sow to her piglets and driving their immune system to a more mature one and are interesting tools to support piglet quality and reduce antibiotic use.

Scottish engineers lend support to calf diagnosis project

Written by c001os on . Posted in Cattle, Nutrinfo.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering are part of a new consortium which is developing the first commercial one-step rapid test for calf pneumonia. Global Access Diagnostics (GADx), a social enterprise prioritising equitable access to diagnostics and driving local manufacturing, today announced the development of RaDiCal, a one-step molecular lateral flow test to enable rapid diagnosis of pneumonia, one of the most significant diseases affecting calves. The test is being developed through a collaborative consortium, including representatives from the University of Surrey, University of Glasgow, Cardiff University, and Westpoint Farm Vets, to provide a low-cost platform to be used by veterinarians or farmers on-farm.

The test is a pioneering molecular lateral flow platform which can be linked to a mobile phone digital platform for easy interpretation of results, enabling farmers and vets to diagnose calves on-farm, and subsequently take rapid and informed action to facilitate improved disease management and support responsible antibiotic stewardship. Professor Jon Cooper is leading the University of Glasgow’s contribution to RaDiCal. For several years now, Professor Cooper and colleagues have been working to develop low-cost lateral-flow diagnostics for diseases including malaria and schistosomiasis for use in areas with limited access to healthcare. They have been field-tested in Uganda with support from local researchers and government.

2023: a year of caution in pork industry

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Pig.

Softer consumption trends in early 2023 are prompting caution in the global pork industry as it struggles to adjust to a moving target, according to Rabobank’s latest quarterly pork report. Weaker economic growth is starting to have an impact on global pork consumption. Although the worst of the inflationary effects appear to be in the past, the lagged impact on consumption is likely to be felt throughout 2023. In a slowing economy, pork remains well-positioned, as demand for the protein is historically less income-sensitive than more expensive proteins like beef and premium seafood. “Nevertheless, we see persistently high retail prices limiting consumption of all proteins. Consumers continue to conserve capital by shifting everyday purchases to lower-value protein options, switching channels, and moving to smaller pack sizes,” says Christine McCracken, senior analyst – animal protein at Rabobank. Moreover, industry optimism in 2022 after a notable upward shift in pork consumption (and prices) in some markets and expectations of a 2023 recovery of pandemic-restricted consumption in others contributed to planned supply growth in 2023. That growth will take time to curb. “Slowing supply in Europe will help balance the industry, yet high costs of production and limited consumer support will require a more conservative approach to production to stabilize margins,” McCracken said. Although a modest improvement in production costs is expected in 2023, local conditions will vary, and risk management will remain critical to success. Global feed stocks are at historically low levels, and availability remains tight. A disappointing Argentine harvest will partially offset Brazil’s record 2023 soybean and safrinha corn crops, leaving the market to focus on import needs, Black Sea grain availability, and the successful planting of a new crop in the Northern Hemisphere. “Rabobank expects the small global cushion in grain and oilseed stocks to drive additional feed cost volatility in 2023,” McCracken said.

Natural antibody inheritance under polygenic control in brown hens

Written by c001os on . Posted in Nutrinfo, Poultry.

Results from a Wageningen University & Research, Animal Breeding and Genomics (WUR-ABG) study published in Poultry Science suggest that both natural antibody (NAb) levels and resilience indicators are heritable and are under polygenic control in a brown layer line. Resilience is the capacity of an animal to be minimally affected by disturbances or to return quickly to the state it was in before exposure to the disturbance. Given that livestock are continuously exposed to environmental disturbances, for example fluctuations in temperature or pathogens, breeding (disease) resilient livestock is important for the sustainability and profitability of livestock production. Measuring general resilience of animals is not easy. However, the increasing availability of longitudinal production data allows estimating resilience indicators based on deviations observed from expected production levels. To evaluate an animal’s general disease resistance, levels of natural antibodies (NAbs) can be used as an indicator trait.

The researchers performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genomic regions influencing NAbs and resilience indicators in a purebred Rhode Island layer line. Results suggest that both resilience indicators and NAbs are heritable and under “polygenic control”, meaning that they are influenced by many genes with a small effect. These observations provide further insight in the genetic architecture underlying resilience, which, in turn, may facilitate genetic improvement for resilience in layer lines. According to the authors, there is currently no simple interpretation of any of the resilience indicators and it is important to further refine and validate them in order to verify their practical relevance and to implement them in management and breeding practices.