Characteristics and Use of Separated Manure Solids (following anaerobic digestion) For Dairy Freestall Bedding, and Effects on Animal Health and Performance in Three Iowa Dairy Herds

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leo L. Timms
Keyword(s):  
Anaerobic Digestion ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
And Performance

scholarly journals Healthy Udders and Feet & Legs = Healthy Cows & Happy Dairy Producers

Ceiba ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-92
Author(s):  
Leo L. Timms
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Bovine Mastitis ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Economic Success ◽  
Appropriate Therapy ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Economic Vitality ◽  
Therapy Strategies

Optimizing animal health and performance is critical for quality, safe dairy products and the economic vitality of dairy operations. Producing both high quality and quantities of milk is the main income side of dairies and crucial for economic success, so attention to optimizing animal nutrition and care and practicing proper milk harvesting practices is essential. Bovine mastitis is one of the most economically expensive diseases of dairy cattle. Proper and rapid identification of mastitis problems and cows (clinical and subclinical) is critical and programs for both prevention and appropriate therapy including culling of problem cows are important for maximizing udder health. Lameness is dairy cattle is another of the top 3 dairy health expenses that leads to decreased production and performance, and often premature culling from dairy herds. Like mastitis, proper and rapid lameness identification coupled with appropriate prevention programs and therapy strategies are critical for dairy economic success.

scholarly journals Pre-Weaned Calf Rearing on Northern Irish Dairy Farms: Part 1. A Description of Calf Management and Housing Design

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1954
Author(s):  
Aaron J Brown ◽  
Gillian Scoley ◽  
Niamh O’Connell ◽  
Jamie Robertson ◽  
Amanda Browne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Key Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Healthcare Management ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Housing Design ◽  
Hygiene Management ◽  
Calf Performance ◽  
And Performance

The first few months of life are of great importance to the longevity and lifetime performance of dairy cows. The nutrition, environment and healthcare management of heifer calves must be sufficient to minimise exposure to stress and disease and enable them to perform to their genetic potential. Lack of reporting of farm management practices in Northern Ireland (NI) makes it difficult to understand where issues impacting health, welfare and performance may occur in the rearing process. The objective of this study was to investigate housing design and management practices of calves on 66 dairy farms across NI over a 3-month period and also identify areas that may cause high risk of poor health and performance in dairy calves. An initial survey was used to detail housing and management practices, with two subsequent visits to each farm used to collect animal and housing-based measurements linked to hygiene management, animal health and performance. Large variations in key elements such as weaning criteria and method, calf grouping method used, nutritional feed plane, and routine hygiene management were identified. The specification of housing, in particular ventilation and stocking density, was highlighted as a potential limiting factor for calf health and performance. Lack of measurement of nutritional inputs, hygiene management practices and calf performance was observed. This poses a risk to farmers’ ability to ensure the effectiveness of key management strategies and recognise poor calf performance and health.

scholarly journals Co-Occurrence of 35 Mycotoxins: A Seven-Year Survey of Corn Grain and Corn Silage in the United States

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 516
Author(s):  
Alexandra C. Weaver ◽  
Daniel M. Weaver ◽  
Nicholas Adams ◽  
Alexandros Yiannikouris
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Fusaric Acid ◽  
Fumonisin B1 ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Corn Grain

Mycotoxins contaminate crops worldwide and play a role in animal health and performance. Multiple mycotoxins may co-occur which may increase the impact on the animal. To assess the multiple mycotoxin profile of corn (Zea mays), we conducted a 7-year survey of new crop corn grain and silage in the United States. A total of 711 grain and 1117 silage samples were collected between 2013 and 2019 and analyzed for the simultaneous presence of 35 mycotoxins using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The measured mean number of mycotoxins per sample were 4.8 (grain) and 5.2 (silage), ranging from 0 to 13. Fusaric acid (FA) was most frequently detected in 78.1 and 93.8% of grains and silages, respectively, followed by deoxynivalenol (DON) in 75.7 and 88.2% of samples. Fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (15ADON) followed. The greatest (p < 0.05) co-occurrence was between FA and DON in 59.1% of grains and 82.7% of silages, followed by FA with FB1, DON with 15ADON, and FA with 15ADON. Although many samples had lower mycotoxin concentrations, 1.6% (grain) and 7.9% (silage) of tested samples had DON ≥ 5000 µg/kg. Fumonisins were detected ≥ 10,000 µg/kg in 9.6 and 3.9% of grain and silage samples, respectively. Concentrations in grain varied by year for eight mycotoxin groups (p < 0.05), while all 10 groups showed yearly variations in silage. Our survey suggest that multiple mycotoxins frequently co-occur in corn grain and silage in the Unites States, and some of the more prevalent mycotoxins are those that may not be routinely analyzed (i.e., FA and 15ADON). Assessment of multiple mycotoxins should be considered when developing management programs.

scholarly journals Animal health and welfare planning improves udder health and cleanliness but not leg health in Austrian dairy herds

2015 ◽  
Vol 98 (10) ◽  
pp. 6801-6811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Tremetsberger ◽  
Christine Leeb ◽  
Christoph Winckler
Keyword(s):  
Animal Health ◽  
Dairy Herds ◽  
Udder Health

Use of space, active and resting behaviour in fattening rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed in a combi park system: A case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-506
Author(s):  
S Kimm ◽  
SL Rauterberg ◽  
J Bill ◽  
J Stracke ◽  
N Kemper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Housing System ◽  
Use Of Space ◽  
Continuous Sampling ◽  
Resting Behaviour ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Species Specific

In this case study, a housing system for rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was developed, complying with the new German Welfare Regulation, and evaluated on-farm with regard to the rabbits' behaviour during four fattening periods. The housing system was characterised by the large group size of fatteners (maximum 65 animals per group, 12 animals per m²) due to the merging of six former single units for does and their litters, post-weaning. A large elevated platform, a box with a roof (small elevated platform), a tube and gnawing materials were made available per unit. The aim being to assess the suitability of the housing system for rabbits with regard to animal welfare, based on behavioural analyses. Therefore, the use of space by the rabbits (n = 247) was investigated by video analysis (instantaneous scan sampling) during daytime. Additionally, the individual behaviour of 20 focal rabbits in different locations was assessed by continuous sampling. Results showed that rabbits preferred to huddle together in the outer units in the first weeks post-weaning. The highest animal densities were found under and in front of the large and on the small platforms. The large platforms were visited increasingly from the 10th fattening day onwards. Elevated platforms supported resting and comfort behaviours. Nonelevated open-top areas enabled upright positions and locomotor behaviours. Aggression and stereotypic behaviours rarely occurred. We conclude that the housing system supported species-specific behaviour and seemed to cater for the needs of rabbits in terms of welfare. Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to ascertain the effects on animal health and performance.

Influence of the digestive/reproductive tract microbiota on chicken egg production beyond host genetics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diyan Li ◽  
Shilin Tian ◽  
Wei Zhu ◽  
Yuan Su ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Host Genetics ◽  
Microbiome Composition ◽  
Chicken Egg ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Major Factors

Abstract Background: The microbiota of the digestive and reproductive systems has a prominent role in animal health and performance, but the extent of its contribution is difficult to determine. In chickens, the effect of host genetics on the reproductive and digestive tract microbiota is unclear, and the means by which digestive/reproductive microbiomes help improve egg production in chicken are unknown.Results: To gain insight into this, we examined genomes from 128 chickens reared under identical conditions and described their digestive (crop, gizzard and small intestine) and reproductive tract (vagina, uterus and isthmus) microbiota. Although the diversity, composition and predicted function of the digestive and reproductive tract microbiota exhibited notable microbiota variation substantially between different parts, host genetics had limited effects on the reproductive and digestive tract microbial community. The digestive and reproductive tract microbiota had a significant effect on egg production (accounting for 52.31% - 98.86% of the variance), after correcting for host genetic effects; in particular, the uterus and isthmus microbiota accounted for an average of 93.59% and 98.86%, respectively, of variance in egg production. We further identified four reproductive tract microbial species which were related to immune system, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides salanitronis, Bacteroides barnesiae and Clostridium leptum, that were significantly positively correlated with egg production. Chickens with a lower abundance of these species had produced significantly fewer eggs at 300 days of age (37.13 vs. 113.75) than those with a higher abundance of these microorganisms. These taxa indicate potential roles play in promoting reproductive performance. Especially uterus and isthmus tract microbiota were major factors in regulating the chicken egg production.Conclusions: Host genetics has limited effect on digestive/reproductive microbiome composition. The distinct site-associated chicken microbiome may be determined by the differences of their physical function. These findings may help design strategies for controlling and altering the digestive/reproductive tract microbiota in chickens to improve egg production.

scholarly journals Characteristics and performance of village animal health workers and veterinary assistants in northern Malawi

2000 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Hüttner ◽  
K. Leidl ◽  
F.B.D. Jere ◽  
D.U. Pfeiffer
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Field Performance ◽  
Treatment Patterns ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Adult Cattle ◽  
Refresher Training ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Overall Job Satisfaction

Fourty-two village animal health workers called keymen (KM) and 84 veterinary assistants (VA) involved in a Basic Animal Health Service (BAHS) Programme in northern Malawi were interviewed during 1998. The general characteristics and perceptions of both groups were analysed using uni- and multivariate techniques. Detailed sales and treatment patterns of six KMand 12 VAwere evaluated for the period September 1996 to August 1997. Results indicated an overall job-satisfaction for 82 % of KM and 83 % of VA. Estimated weekly involvement in livestock service delivery, particularly of KM, was 3.7 days on average. Total annual drug sales of KM and VA between 1996 and 1997 on average were equivalent to US$ 124 and US$ 218 respectively. Most livestock remedies were issued for treatment of calves, followed by adult cattle, chickens and small ruminants. The changes suggested by VA and KM in order to improve field performance focused on regular refresher training by the BAHS programme.

Could probiotics be the panacea alternative to the use of antimicrobials in livestock diets?

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 773-799
Author(s):  
A. Cameron ◽  
T.A. McAllister
Keyword(s):  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Antimicrobial Use ◽  
Livestock Species ◽  
Serious Infections ◽  
Metabolic Products ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Systemic Health ◽  
Natural Microbiota ◽  
Strain Dependent

Probiotics are most frequently derived from the natural microbiota of healthy animals. These bacteria and their metabolic products are viewed as nutritional tools for promoting animal health and productivity, disease prevention and therapy, and food safety in an era defined by increasingly widespread antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens. In contemporary livestock production, antimicrobial usage is indispensable for animal welfare, and employed to enhance growth and feed efficiency. Given the importance of antimicrobials in both human and veterinary medicine, their effective replacement with direct-fed microbials or probiotics could help reduce antimicrobial use, perhaps restoring or extending the usefulness of these precious drugs against serious infections. Thus, probiotic research in livestock is rapidly evolving, aspiring to produce local and systemic health benefits on par with antimicrobials. Although many studies have clearly demonstrated the potential of probiotics to positively affect animal health and inhibit pathogens, experimental evidence suggests that probiotics’ successes are modest, conditional, strain-dependent, and transient. Here, we explore current understanding, trends, and emerging applications of probiotic research and usage in major livestock species, and highlight successes in animal health and performance.

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