Antibiotic Consumption on Dairy and Beef Cattle Farms of Central Italy Based on Paper Registers

The overuse of antibiotics in livestock contributes to the antibiotic resistance pandemic. The assessment of the actual antibiotic consumption is crucial in limiting the expansion of the problem effectively. The aim of this study was to provide the first qualitative and quantitative analysis of antimicrobial usage using data from paper-based registers on dairy and beef farms located in the Umbria region, Italy. Antimicrobial therapies of a one-year period were collected from 101 farms with at least 50 cattle each. Defined daily doses (DDDvet) and defined course doses (DCDvet) were calculated per administration route and antimicrobial class. The total courses administered were fewer in beef (330.7 × 10−3 DCDvet/year) than in dairy farms (1034.1 × 10−3 DCDvet/year). The use of the highest priority critically important antimicrobials (HPCIAs) was higher (p = 0.0033) in dairy than in beef herds. In terms of DDDvet, the parenteral fluoroquinolone administration ranked second and fourth on dairy and beef farms, respectively; the consumption of beta-lactams was ten times higher on dairy than on beef farms. Our results confirm that intensive dairy management practices are associated with increased antibiotic consumption and highlight the necessity to strengthen the existing stewardship programs by involving all stakeholders in effective antimicrobial resistance reduction plans.

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Evaluation of antibiotic usage in swine reproduction farms in Umbria region based on the quantitative analysis of antimicrobial consumption

Italian Journal of Food Safety ◽

10.4081/ijfs.2017.6886 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Fausto Scoppetta ◽

Marco Sensi ◽

Maria Pia Franciosini ◽

Marinella Capuccella

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Antibiotic Use ◽

Antibiotic Consumption ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Antibiotic Administration ◽

Oral Antibiotic ◽

Defined Daily Doses ◽

Umbria Region ◽

Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests ◽

Critical Aspects

Antibiotic use in food-producing animals has considerable impact on public health, especially with respect to the development and spread of antibiotic resistance. Pigs represent one of the main species in which antibiotics are frequently used for different purposes. Surveillance of antibiotic consumption and dose appropriateness, through novel approaches based on defined daily doses, is strongly needed to assess farms’ antibiotic risk, in terms of spread of antibiotic resistance and possibile presence of residues in meat. In this study, antibiotic consumption was monitored in 14 swine reproduction farms, together with managerial, structural, and health aspects. Most of the controlled farms (65%) were classified as at medium antibiotic risk, 21% at high antibiotic risk, and 14% at low antibiotic risk. Critical aspects of antibiotic administration concerned treatments for suckling and weaner piglets, oral antibiotic administration, treatment and diagnosis of gastroenteric infections, and use of critically important antimicrobials for human medicine, especially colistin. These aspects could be considered critical aspects of antibiotic use in from-farrow-to-wean/finish swine farms in the Umbria region and must be controlled to minimize risks. Even though a small number of farms in Umbria region are at high antibiotic risk, the risk of antibiotic resistance should be minimized, and management and biosecurity of the farms should be improved by extending the use of antimicrobial susceptibility tests and optimizing the diagnostic methods for infectious diseases. Furthermore, farmers’ and veterinarians’ knowledge of antibiotic resistance should be improved and the prudent use of antibiotics encouraged to prevent the development and spread of resistant microorganisms.

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Appropriateness of defined daily doses (DDD) and packages as outcome measures for monitoring outpatient antibiotic consumption

10.26226/morressier.56d5ba2ed462b80296c951e2 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Ann Versporten

Keyword(s):

Outcome Measures ◽

Antibiotic Consumption ◽

Defined Daily Doses

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The Impact of Probability Density Functions Assessment on Model Performance for Slope Stability Analysis

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences11080322 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 322

Author(s):

Evelina Volpe ◽

Luca Ciabatta ◽

Diana Salciarini ◽

Stefania Camici ◽

Elisabetta Cattoni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Probability Density ◽

Central Italy ◽

Model Performance ◽

Probability Density Functions ◽

Slope Instability ◽

Complex Nature ◽

Density Functions ◽

Umbria Region ◽

Input Variables ◽

The Impact

The development of forecasting models for the evaluation of potential slope instability after rainfall events represents an important issue for the scientific community. This topic has received considerable impetus due to the climate change effect on territories, as several studies demonstrate that an increase in global warming can significantly influence the landslide activity and stability conditions of natural and artificial slopes. A consolidated approach in evaluating rainfall-induced landslide hazard is based on the integration of rainfall forecasts and physically based (PB) predictive models through deterministic laws. However, considering the complex nature of the processes and the high variability of the random quantities involved, probabilistic approaches are recommended in order to obtain reliable predictions. A crucial aspect of the stochastic approach is represented by the definition of appropriate probability density functions (pdfs) to model the uncertainty of the input variables as this may have an important effect on the evaluation of the probability of failure (PoF). The role of the pdf definition on reliability analysis is discussed through a comparison of PoF maps generated using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations performed over a study area located in the Umbria region of central Italy. The study revealed that the use of uniform pdfs for the random input variables, often considered when a detailed geotechnical characterization for the soil is not available, could be inappropriate.

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Center-Based Child Care and Differential Improvements in the Child Development Outcomes of Disadvantaged Children

Child & Youth Care Forum ◽

10.1007/s10566-021-09634-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Anne Reynolds

Keyword(s):

Child Care ◽

Child Development ◽

Economic Status ◽

Value Added ◽

Additional Time ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Using Data ◽

Development Outcomes ◽

One Year ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Research finds center-based child care typically benefits children of low socio-economic status (SES) but few studies have examined if it also reduces inequalities in developmental disadvantage. Objective I test if the length of time in center-based care between ages one and three years associates with child development scores at age three years, focusing on the impact for groups of children in the lower tercile of child development scores and in the lower SES tercile. Method Using data from 1,606 children collected in a nationally representative Chilean survey, I apply a value-added approach to measure gains in child development scores between age one and three years that are associated with length of time in center-based child care. Results Disadvantages at age one year were associated with lower child development scores at age three years. No benefits of additional time in center-based care were found for the non-disadvantaged group, but positive associations were found between more time in center-based care and child development outcomes for children with the SES disadvantage only. Center-based care was not associated with child development trajectories of children with lower child development scores at age one year, no matter their SES status. Conclusions There is evidence that Chilean center-based child care reduces SES inequality in child development scores between ages one and three years, but only if children already were not low-scorers at age one year.

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Evaluation of the sensitivity of faecal sampling for detection of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium and other Salmonella in cattle and pigs

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268814002453 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 143 (8) ◽

pp. 1681-1691 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. E. ARNOLD ◽

R. J. GOSLING ◽

F. MARTELLI ◽

D. MUELLER-DOBLIES ◽

R. H. DAVIES

Keyword(s):

Faecal Sample ◽

Management Practices ◽

Age Groups ◽

Farm Animals ◽

Infection Prevalence ◽

Sample Type ◽

Sample Data ◽

Using Data ◽

The Individual ◽

Positive Groups

SUMMARYThere has been a rapid rise in the prevalence of cases of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium (mST) in both humans and farm animals, and it has been found in pigs, cattle and poultry. It is therefore vital to have a good understanding of how to efficiently detect infected farms. The objective of this project was to determine sample type sensitivity in the detection of Salmonella to detect infected groups of animals on both pig (breeder, grower and finisher sites) and cattle (beef and dairy) farms, using data collected from a study investigating farms that were positive for mST, and to explore any variation between different age groups and management practices. A Bayesian approach in the absence of a gold standard was adopted to analyse the individual and pooled faecal sample data collected from each epidemiological group on each of the farms. The sensitivity of pooled sampling depended on the prevalence of infection in the group being sampled, with a higher prevalence leading to higher sensitivity. Pooled sampling was found to be more efficient at detecting positive groups of animals than individual sampling, with the probability of a random sample from a group of animals with 5% prevalence testing positive being equal to 15·5% for immature pigs (3·6% for an individual faecal sample, taking into account the sensitivity and infection prevalence), 7·1% for adult pigs (1·2% for individual sampling), 30% for outdoor cattle (2% for individual sampling) and 34% for indoor cattle (1% for individual sampling). The mean prevalence of each epidemiological group was higher in outdoor farms than indoor for both pigs and cattle (mean within-farm prevalence of 29·4% and 38·7% for outdoor pigs and cattle, respectively, compared to 19·8% and 22·1% for indoor pigs and cattle)

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Tracking the Evolution of Riverbed Morphology on the Basis of UAV Photogrammetry

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13040829 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 829

Author(s):

Teresa Gracchi ◽

Guglielmo Rossi ◽

Carlo Tacconi Stefanelli ◽

Luca Tanteri ◽

Rolando Pozzani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Management Practices ◽

Low Cost ◽

3D Models ◽

Vegetation Coverage ◽

Detection Analysis ◽

Digital Terrain ◽

Fluvial Dynamics ◽

Aerial Vehicle ◽

One Year ◽

Short Time

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry has recently become a widespread technique to investigate and monitor the evolution of different types of natural processes. Fluvial geomorphology is one of such fields of application where UAV potentially assumes a key role, since it allows for overcoming the intrinsic limits of satellite and airborne-based optical imagery on one side, and in situ traditional investigations on the other. The main purpose of this paper was to obtain extensive products (digital terrain models (DTMs), orthophotos, and 3D models) in a short time, with low costs and at a high resolution, in order to verify the capability of this technique to analyze the active geomorphic processes on a 12 km long stretch of the French–Italian Roia River at both large and small scales. Two surveys, one year apart from each other, were carried out over the study area and a change detection analysis was performed on the basis of the comparison of the obtained DTMs to point out and characterize both the possible morphologic variations related to fluvial dynamics and modifications in vegetation coverage. The results highlight how the understanding of different fluvial processes may be improved by appropriately exploiting UAV-based products, which can thus represent a low-cost and non-invasive tool to crucially support decisionmakers involved in land management practices.

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People or Systems: Does Productivity Enhancement Matter More than Energy Management in LEED Certified Buildings?

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su132413863 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (24) ◽

pp. 13863

Author(s):

Yana Akhtyrska ◽

Franz Fuerst

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Energy Management ◽

Energy Use ◽

Management Practices ◽

Energy Savings ◽

Occupant Comfort ◽

Energy Use Intensity ◽

Using Data ◽

Advanced Metering ◽

The Impact

This study examines the impact of energy management and productivity-enhancing measures, implemented as part of LEED Existing Buildings Operations and Management (EBOM) certification, on source energy use intensity and rental premiums of office spaces using data on four major US markets. Energy management practices, comprised of commissioning and advanced metering, may reduce energy usage. Conversely, improving air quality and occupant comfort in an effort to increase worker productivity may in turn lead to higher overall energy consumption. The willingness to pay for these features in rental office buildings is hypothesised to depend not only on the extent to which productivity gains enhance the profits of a commercial tenant but also on the lease arrangements for passing any energy savings to the tenant. We apply a difference-in-differences method at a LEED EBOM certification group level and a multi-level modelling approach with a panel data structure. The results indicate that energy management and indoor environment practices have the expected effect on energy consumption as described above. However, the magnitude of the achieved rental premiums appears to be independent of the lease type.

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Carbon footprint of corn-soy-oats rotations in the US Midwest using data from real biological farm management practices

Journal of Cleaner Production ◽

10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.11.002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 210 ◽

pp. 170-180 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pragnya L. Eranki ◽

Jay Devkota ◽

Amy E. Landis

Keyword(s):

Carbon Footprint ◽

Management Practices ◽

Farm Management ◽

The Us ◽

Us Midwest ◽

Using Data

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Farm practices as they affect NH3 emissions from beef cattle

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.4141/cjas2012-055 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 92 (4) ◽

pp. 525-543 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

S. C. Sheppard ◽

S. Bittman

Keyword(s):

Beef Cattle ◽

Best Management Practices ◽

Management Practices ◽

Cost Benefit Analysis ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Total Biomass ◽

The West ◽

Finishing Cattle ◽

Key Factor ◽

Using Data

Sheppard, S. C. and Bittman, S. 2012. Farm practices as they affect NH 3 emissions from beef cattle. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 525–543. Beef cattle farms in Canada are very diverse, both in size and management. Because the total biomass of beef cattle in Canada is larger than any other livestock sector, beef also has the potential for the largest environmental impact. In this study we estimate NH3 emissions associated with beef cattle production across Canada using data on farm practices obtained from a detailed survey answered by 1380 beef farmers in 11 Ecoregions. The farms were various combinations of cow/calf, backgrounding and finishing operations. The proportion of animals on pasture varied markedly among Ecoregions, especially for cows and calves, and this markedly affected the estimated NH3 emissions. The crop components of feed also varied among Ecoregions, but the resulting crude protein concentrations were quite consistent for both backgrounding and finishing cattle. Manure was stored longer in the west than in the east, and fall spreading of manure was notably more common in the west, especially when spread on tilled land. The estimated NH3 emissions per animal were relatively consistent across Ecoregions for confinement production, but because the proportion of animals on pasture varied with Ecoregion, so did the overall estimated NH3 emissions per animal. Temperature is a key factor causing Ecoregion differences, although husbandry and manure management practices are also important. Hypothetical best management practices had little ability to reduce overall emission estimates, and could not be implemented without detailed cost/benefit analysis.

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