scholarly journals Stakeholder perceptions of non-regulatory bovine health issues in Ireland: past and future perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natascha V. Meunier ◽  
Kenneth McKenzie ◽  
David A. Graham ◽  
Simon J. More
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Anthelmintic Resistance ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Agricultural Industry ◽  
Livestock Health ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Bovine Health

Abstract Background In recent years, there have been multiple (political, environmental, cultural) drivers of change in Irish agriculture, including the establishment of Animal Health Ireland (AHI) in 2009, to provide leadership of non-regulatory livestock health issues (diseases and conditions of livestock that are endemic in Ireland but which are not currently subject to international legislation). In this study, we describe the opinion of stakeholders (farmers, veterinary practitioners and agricultural industry professional service providers), elicited by means of a survey, on their perceptions of changes in selected non-regulatory bovine health issues over the last 10 years and priority issues relevant to non-regulatory bovine health to be tackled over the next 10 years. Results A total of 673 individuals participated in the online questionnaire. For the majority of the non-regulatory bovine health issues, most participants felt there had been improvements over the last 10 years. However, professional service providers were generally more conservative in their response to improvements on-farm compared to farmers. Several issues, particularly BVD and udder health/milk quality, were viewed more positively by all relevant respondents. There was reasonable agreement between responses from different respondent types and sectors regarding the top three priorities relevant to non-regulatory bovine animal health for the next 10 years in Ireland, which included antimicrobial resistance (highlighting measures to reduce both on-farm usage and resistance), anthelmintic resistance, greenhouse emissions and calf welfare. Conclusions The results are encouraging, demonstrating a perception of improvement in a number of non-regulatory bovine health issues in Ireland over the last ten years. With respect to the next 10 years, stakeholders prioritised antimicrobial and anthelmintic resistance, greenhouse gas emissions and calf welfare, which aligns closely with broader societal concerns. This information is useful to AHI, particularly with respect to future priorities. However, these concerns are broad in scope and will require further considerations, including collaborations, between AHI and partnering organisations. Given that there were differences between farmers and professional service providers in responses, it is useful to consider how the aims and the benefits of future AHI programmes are framed and communicated to all stakeholders.

Quantifying the contribution of livestock health issues to the environmental impact of their production systems

2021 ◽  
pp. 81-114
Author(s):  
Stephen G. Mackenzie ◽  
◽  
Ilias Kyriazakis ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Livestock Health ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Livestock Systems

The focus of this chapter is on the environmental impact consequences of endemic livestock health challenges that lead to deterioration in animal health, and on the potential impacts arising from their mitigations. The first part of the chapter concentrates on the potential of animal health to affect the environmental impact of livestock systems. Subsequently, it reviews the literature to date which has quantified the impact of health challenges for the environmental impacts of livestock systems. The potential of successful health interventions to mitigate negative environmental impacts represents a point of synergy between concerns around environmental sustainability and animal welfare, both of which represent 'hot topics' in the discourse surrounding the livestock industry and its sustainability. The challenges associated with modelling health interventions and their potential to mitigate environmental impacts constitute the last section in the chapter.

Mental Health Training Needs Analysis in Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia: Challenges and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 1739-1745
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Basic Skills ◽  
Training Needs ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Professional Service ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Mental Health Issues

Objective: Even though the number of health professionals is growing in many counties in Southeast Asia, the shortage of mental health professionals remains a challenge. The current model of professional training needs to be changed to foster cooperative and collaborative skills, through interprofessional and transprofessional education, so professionals as well as non-professional service providers and operational personnel are trained to be members of the health teams. However, training needs in each Southeast Asian country remains unknown. The present study surveyed these needs using Hennessy-Hick’s criteria and experts’ opinions. Materials and Methods: Fifteen representatives from Thailand, Cambodia, and Indonesia, mostly psychiatrists, nurses, and psychologists, attended the meeting and presented for 30 to 50 minutes on the condition of mental health services and training needs in their countries. All representatives were asked to complete an online-shared report of the adapted Hennessy-Hicks Training Analysis Questionnaires. Results: According to the Hennessy-Hick’s criteria, some teamwork tasks were required for Thailand, whereas most tasks were required for Indonesia and Cambodia. Training on special topics depended on the country’s necessity. Basic skills are needed in all ranges of mental health issues. Thailand and Indonesia expressed quite similar needs, while Thailand had identified itself as having ‘an aging society’, which ‘caring for patients with dementia and caregivers’ in their training needs were more urgent than Indonesia. Training non-psychiatric professionals, such as primary physicians and nurses, concerning mental health issues, might help to address current mental health needs in Thailand, while Cambodia was concerned about recruiting mental health professionals and focusing on providing sufficient services for the country rather than training non-professionals to deal with mental health issues. Conclusion: The training needs for mental health professionals centered on research, clinical tasks, and communication, while including nonprofessional mental health providers in training of basic skills such as communication and up-to-date technology are deemed important at the present. Keywords: Training Needs Analysis; Thailand; Cambodia; Indonesia; Mental Health

An on-farm study of late pregnancy and lactation performance of ewe lambs and their progeny on lucerne or pasture

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 ◽  
pp. 269-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.R. Stevens ◽  
L. Wright ◽  
P. Mcgill
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Lactation Performance ◽  
Ewe Lambs ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
On Farm

An on-farm demonstration compared the use of perennial ryegrass based pasture or lucerne as the forage source for in-lamb ewe lambs from 2 weeks prior to lambing until weaning in the Te Anau basin. This demonstration, over 2 years, used 632 and 506 in-lamb ewe lambs in 2013 and 2014 respectively with approximately 50% being single-bearing and 50% twin-bearing in both years. Pasture and lucerne were set stocked until docking at approximately 33 days of age and then rotationally grazed thereafter until weaning at approximately 110 days of age. Ewe liveweights and body condition scores tended to be higher when grazed on lucerne during spring and all ewes were at or near two-tooth mating weights at weaning (67 kg). Lamb liveweights at 110 days of age were similar from the pasture and lucerne (33.4 kg). Lamb losses were greater on lucerne (37%) than pasture (28%) in both years, and led to a significantly lower lambing percentage on lucerne. Stocking rate chosen based on previous pasture growth records and potential lucerne yield was greater on lucerne (11.7 ewes/ha) than that on pasture (9.4 ewes/ha). The combined liveweight gain of ewes and their lambs per hectare was significantly greater from lucerne (492 kg/ha) than pasture (398 kg/ ha). Scanning data from the second mating was 201% and 189% in ewes that had grazed on lucerne or pasture during the previous lactation respectively, while ewes weighed 67.7 and 65.1 kg at mating respectively. Lucerne can be used as a forage option to increase the performance of bred ewe lambs but the grazing of young lush growth should be avoided to reduce potential animal health issues. Keywords: body condition score, ewe lambs, lamb liveweight gain, lamb survival, reproduction

scholarly journals Spontaneous Variety-Seeking Meal Choice in Business Canteens Impedes Sustainable Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 746
Author(s):  
Pascal Ohlhausen ◽  
Nina Langen
Keyword(s):  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Sustainable Production ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Variety Seeking ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Development Goals

Sustainable meal choices in the out-of-home catering market are essential to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. This study investigated consumers’ acceptance of different features that help service providers to work more sustainably. For this purpose, data of a choice experiment and a supporting online questionnaire were analyzed using latent class analysis (LCA) and the data of n = 373 employees. Examined attributes in the choice experiment were menu variety, menu type, ordering system, ingredients and price. LCA led to four consumer segments: variety seekers (27.6%), spontaneous decisionmakers—vegetarian (25.7%), spontaneous decisionmakers—meat (24.1%) and vegetarians/vegans (22.6%). Results showed that consumers in all four segments expected to have the choice between different menus in company canteens. Moreover, they preferred spontaneous choice to preordering. Both preferences hamper sustainable production and consumption in the catering sector.

scholarly journals The Impact of Alkaloid-Producing Epichloë Endophyte on Forage Ryegrass Breeding: A New Zealand Perspective

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 158
Author(s):  
Colin Eady
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Abiotic Stressors ◽  
Livestock Health ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Epichloë Endophyte

For 30 years, forage ryegrass breeding has known that the germplasm may contain a maternally inherited symbiotic Epichloë endophyte. These endophytes produce a suite of secondary alkaloid compounds, dependent upon strain. Many produce ergot and other alkaloids, which are associated with both insect deterrence and livestock health issues. The levels of alkaloids and other endophyte characteristics are influenced by strain, host germplasm, and environmental conditions. Some strains in the right host germplasm can confer an advantage over biotic and abiotic stressors, thus acting as a maternally inherited desirable ‘trait’. Through seed production, these mutualistic endophytes do not transmit into 100% of the crop seed and are less vigorous than the grass seed itself. This causes stability and longevity issues for seed production and storage should the ‘trait’ be desired in the germplasm. This makes understanding the precise nature of the relationship vitally important to the plant breeder. These Epichloë endophytes cannot be ‘bred’ in the conventional sense, as they are asexual. Instead, the breeder may modulate endophyte characteristics through selection of host germplasm, a sort of breeding by proxy. This article explores, from a forage seed company perspective, the issues that endophyte characteristics and breeding them by proxy have on ryegrass breeding, and outlines the methods used to assess the ‘trait’, and the application of these through the breeding, production, and deployment processes. Finally, this article investigates opportunities for enhancing the utilisation of alkaloid-producing endophytes within pastures, with a focus on balancing alkaloid levels to further enhance pest deterrence and improving livestock outcomes.

scholarly journals High Heritabilities for Antibiotic Usage Show Potential to Breed for Disease Resistance in Finishing Pigs

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 829
Author(s):  
Wim Gorssen ◽  
Dominiek Maes ◽  
Roel Meyermans ◽  
Jürgen Depuydt ◽  
Steven Janssens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Antibiotic Usage ◽  
Finishing Pigs ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Parenteral Antibiotic ◽  
On Farm

The use of antimicrobials in animal production is under public debate, mainly due to the risk of transfer of resistance to pathogenic bacteria in humans. Therefore, measures have been taken during the last few decades to reduce antibiotic usage in animals, for instance, by national monitoring programmes and by improving animal health management. Although some initiatives exist in molecular genetic selection, quantitative genetic selection of animals towards decreased antibiotic usage is an underexplored area to reduce antibiotic usage. However, this strategy could yield cumulative effects. In this study, we derived new phenotypes from on-farm parenteral antibiotic records from commercially grown crossbred finishing pigs used in the progeny test of Piétrain terminal sires to investigate the heritability of antibiotics usage. Parenteral antibiotic records, production parameters and pedigree records of 2238 full-sib pens from two experimental farms in Belgium between 2014 and 2020 were analysed. Heritability estimates were moderate (18–44%) for phenotypes derived from all antibiotic treatments, and low (1–15%) for phenotypes derived from treatments against respiratory diseases only. Moreover, genetic correlations between these new phenotypes and mortality were low to moderate (0.08–0.60) and no strong adverse genetic correlations with production traits were found. The high heritabilities and favourable genetic correlations suggest these new phenotypes, derived from on-farm antibiotics records, to be promising for inclusion in future pig breeding programs to breed for a decrease in antibiotics usage.

scholarly journals Nurses’ Knowledge and Anxiety Levels toward COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 356-363
Author(s):  
Fatmah Alsharif
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Care Staff ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Health Organization

Background: In the battle against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, medical care staff, especially nurses, are at a higher risk of encountering psychological health issues and distress, such as stress, tension, burdensome indications, and, most importantly, fear. They are also at higher risk of becoming infected and transmitting this virus. In Saudi Arabia, it was noticed that the healthcare workforce suffered from anxiety, and that this more evident in women than men. Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of nurses regarding COVID-19 and the level of anxiety toward the COVID-19 outbreak in the current pandemic situation. Design: A cross-sectional design was used and a validated self-administered online questionnaire with a set of questions related to COVID-19 was distributed to 87 participating nurses. Results: The results showed that more than half of the nurses (71.90%) had an adequate and good knowledge about the causes, transmission, symptoms, treatment, and death rate of COVID-19. The main sources of information for the nurses were social media (51.7%) and the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health (36.8%). Conclusions: The results allowed the conclusion that, though the nurses had satisfactory knowledge about COVID-19, more than 50% of them experienced mental health issues such as anxiety. To address this, along with providing more knowledge about COVID-19, nurses should be supported in managing their anxiety.

scholarly journals Plant-Based Solutions to Global Livestock Anthelmintic Resistance

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine E. French
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Anthelmintic Resistance ◽  
Intestinal Parasites ◽  
Plant Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Livestock Health

Anthelmintic resistance in livestock is increasing globally. Livestock intestinal parasites now develop resistance to synthetic anthelmintics within 2–10 years, collectively costing billions of dollars annually in lost revenue around the world.  Over-reliance on commercial drugs and dips and changes in livestock management practices are key drivers of this trend.  To date, current research has focused on identifying new anthelmintics from bacterial and fungal sources or even synthesizing new drugs that target parasite metabolism or reproduction. Plant-derived anthelmintics are a promising alternative, yet to date major research funders and scientists have overlooked this option. Until the mid-20th century, rural communities relied on plant-based methods of controlling livestock parasites. These methods include feeding livestock specific medicinal plants and trees, grazing livestock on herbal leys, and changing where livestock grazed based on ecological factors (e.g., flooding) that increased parasite burdens. Many historic texts and ethnological accounts record the ethnobotanical knowledge of rural communities and the plants they used to control livestock intestinal parasites. Some traditions persist today yet the farmers, graziers, and shepherds who hold this knowledge are rapidly disappearing and with them perhaps a potential long-term solution to anthelmintic resistance. This short perspective piece will cover recent research using ethnobotanical data as a means to identifying potential new anthelmintics; the morphological, physiological, and metabolic effect of plant secondary metabolites on parasites; and an overview of “best practices” which can reduce bias in assessments of plant bioactivity and increase reproducibility of test results. This will hopefully bring recent advances in ethnobiology, chemistry, and ecology to new audiences, and, potentially, spark new interest in using medicinal plants to improve livestock health.

scholarly journals High heritabilities for antibiotic usage show potential to breed for disease resistance in finishing pigs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim Gorssen ◽  
Dominiek Maes ◽  
Roel Meyermans ◽  
Jurgen Depuydt ◽  
Steven Janssens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Antibiotic Usage ◽  
Finishing Pigs ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Parenteral Antibiotic ◽  
On Farm

The use of antimicrobials in animal production is under public debate, mainly due to the risk of transfer of resistance to pathogenic bacteria in humans. Therefore, measures have been taken during the last decades to reduce antibiotic usage in animals, for instance by national monitoring programmes and by improving animal health management. Although some initiatives exist in molecular genetic selection, quantitative genetic selection of animals towards decreased antibiotic usage is an underexplored area to reduce antibiotic usage. However, this strategy could yield cumulative effects. In this study we derived new phenotypes from on-farm parenteral antibiotic records from commercially grown crossbred finishing pigs used in the progeny test of Pietrain terminal sires to investigate the heritability of antibiotics usage. Parenteral antibiotic records, production parameters and pedigree records of 2238 full-sib pens from two experimental farms in Belgium between 2014 and 2020 were analysed. Heritability estimates were moderate (18-44%) for phenotypes derived from all antibiotic treatments, and low (1-15%) for phenotypes derived from treatments against respiratory diseases only. Moreover, genetic correlations between these new phenotypes and mortality were low to moderate (0.08-0.60) and no strong adverse genetic correlations with production traits were found. The high heritabilities and favourable genetic correlations suggest these new phenotypes derived from on-farm antibiotics records to be promising for inclusion in future pig breeding programs to breed for a decrease in antibiotics usage.

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