DYSBIOSIS IN BROILERS.

Poultry products are a major avenue for the introduction of Campylobacter into the food supply, with undercooked poultry and cross-contamination as the common way that Campylobacter is transmitted to humans. The largest number of these food borne bacterial infections is caused by the species Campylobacter jejuni. 

 Professor Tom Humphrey of Swansea University in Wales gave a presentation entitled ‘Campylobacter: important human and chicken pathogens’. According to Humphrey, Campylobacter is currently the most significant pathogen that can be transmitted from animals to humans through meat. In that framework, more attention should be given to Campylobacter than to Salmonella at present. Currently around the world, Campylobacter is causing a massive number of infections and inflammations. 

One big problem in the fight against Campylobacter at this time is that there are no concrete measures that can be taken to prevent meat from being contami-nated. The only advice that can be given to consumers is that they should thoroughly roast or cook chicken meat. 

 According to Van Immerseel, the group of professor Pasmans at Ghent University is currently working on research that involves developing Campylobacter antibodies to be used as feed additives. The antibodies attach themselves to the Campylobacter bacterium, thus impeding the bacterium in its interaction with the chicken gut.

 These antibodies can then be added to compound feeding stuffs. “They expect to be able to say within months whether it’s going to work or not,” said Van Immerseel. According to the professor, the poultry sector worldwide has Salmonella increasingly under control. “Laying hens are vaccinated and, in respect of broilers, the focus is on good hygiene and decontamination measures.” Excerpts from presentation at the IHSIG termed One world,One health.

DYSBIOSIS.

This basically refers to an imbalance in the gut flora leading to various illness such as inflammatory bowel disease,cancer, bacterial vaginosis and colitis.

The disruption in the normal flora of the gut is largely due to abuse of antibiotics which not only have harmful effect in man but in animals as well.

 Campylobacter is an important player here; causes intestinal infections as it normally inhabits the gut of warm blooded animals such as poultry and cattle and are usually detected in products derived from them. 

Campylobacter are the major causes of food borne illness in homes,usually characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

 The prevention of food illness from campylobacter is to embrace basic food hygiene protocol and cook beef and poultry thoroughly as the bacteria is killed by heat.

AVIAN INFLUENZA # SIGNS #

AVIAN INFLUENZA SURVEILLANCE EFFORTS.

The governments of Canada and British Columbia are investing CAD$ 300,000 (€200,000) to strengthen the surveillance, early detection, and response measures to avian flu. The funding will be used to enhance the resources at the Ministry of Agriculture's Animal Health Centre in Abbotsford, British Colombia with specialized equipment to diagnose samples collected in the Ministry's avian flu surveillance efforts. The Ministry of Agriculture will also be targeting owners of small poultry flocks by hosting workshops in different regions focusing on poultry health, and the sharing of information and resources such as the Small Flock Poultry Health Manual. Funds will also be used to support a rapid response to any future outbreaks by having mobile equipment to help any infected poultry premises with the humane depopulation of infected bird populations within the province at all times and to train more people in the use. Education about the virus and biosecurity procedures are paramount to prevention and spread of the bird flu virus.The basic clean, wash and disinfection on farms , better management practices and restriction of visitors to farms play vital roles to stem spread of diseases. Early detection/diagnosis is key to prevent incidence in other farms and wide spread infection over a wide radius range to prevent economic losses. Ministry of Agriculture staff began a pilot surveillance project that collected sediment samples at ponds and wetlands used by wild waterfowl following the December 2014 avian flu outbreak in the Fraser Valley. A research group has worked at developing cutting edge technological advances to be able to test the samples collected from the pilot project for the presence of avian flu strains. Funds will be used to transfer this new technology to the Animal Health Centre. As the pilot project evolves into ongoing surveillance, the ability to diagnose the samples quickly at the Animal Health Centre will greatly enhance early detection efforts. Source; portions of story from world poultry.

BIOSECURITY PROTOCOLS ON A PIG FARM.

 BIOSECURITY  ON THE PIG FARM


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 Bio security both internal and external ensures health of pigs on the farm.The importance of biosecurity has been stressed and It is important to discern between external and internal bio security. 

External biosecurity deals with the strategy of keeping infectious diseases away from farms.

Internal biosecurity, however, revolves around the question how to prevent the spread of contagious diseases within the farm. Is this from pen to pen, from unit to unit or from house to house?

Whichever strategy is chosen, cleaning and disinfection procedures play a major role in internal biosecurity and more particularly in the prevention of disease propagation from one group of animals to the next.


BIOSECURITY ON THE PIG FARM.
 Cleaning  and disinfection procedures are applied by pig farmers all over the world, in both developed and developing countries.  However, they are based on historically grown routines, shaped over years rather than being based on well-considered protocols.

 Frequently, practices like these have led to sub-optimal technical results. Creating doubts as to whether the money spent on these protocols contribute to the farm's zootechnical and financial health status.

 Indeed, several crises in the industry have often led to cost-cutting measures related to these, whereas a well-designed plan for smart and consistent biosecurity, executed flawlessly, is nevertheless a cornerstone of good biosecurity practices.

 Smartphone app assisting pig farmers :Cid Lines's new tablet and smartphone app is a  prevention Cost Calculator developed to assist pork producers on how to make the right management decisions for their sanitation protocols.

 The app serves as a calculation tool using   the  farm data it will give a perfect insight into the volume of detergent and disinfectant needed  to create  a personalized hygiene protocol.

Yoghurt for stronger suckling piglets and sows.

Feeding yoghurt to suckling piglets, starting the day after birth improves the piglets’ feed intake in the first weeks of life. This results in higher weaning weights and higher growth rates after weaning. Also, the sows lose less weight during lactation and gain more weight during the following gestation. Large litters put a strain on the lactating sow, leading to impaired growth rate of her offspring. Sustaining a high level of milk production requires a lot of energy. With large litters, sows are unable to nurse their litters sufficiently to reach piglets’ genetic growth potential. Large litters often contain small piglets and it is a challenge to provide these small piglets with enough nutrients to increase survival rates, and reach adequate weaning weights and growth rates after weaning. A key factor to obtain healthy sows and piglets is a high feed intake of piglets in the suckling period. In order to meet the requirements of young piglets, Dutch animal nutrition company Sloten developed a new sustainable feeding concept, called Nuklospray Yoghurt. The yoghurt is fed in liquid form to suckling piglets, starting the day after birth. To prove that the concept improves the piglets’ feed intake in the first week of life and increases higher weaning weights and a higher growth rate after weaning, a study was performed in LZ Haus Düsse in Germany. The trial was conducted with 92 litters, divided into two groups: from day two after birth 49 litters received the yoghurt and 43 litters were offered another milk replacer. On the first day, 250 ml of the yoghurt (400 g powder per litre) was provided, and 500 ml of the control milk replacer (125 g powder per litre). The yoghurt was given during three weeks, while the control milk replacer was fed for two weeks. The offered amount of milk replacer during the suckling period increased up to 2.5 litres per litter per day. Piglets were subsequently offered a pre-starter (Milkiwean Granito Premium) in the yoghurt litters and a commercial pre starter in the control groups. The higher weaning weights and the lower mortality rate in the yoghurt litters were obtained by the higher intake of milk replacer and pre-starter. It shows that the yoghurt initiates early feed intThe improvements in piglet and sow performance with the yoghurt addition include: a higher feed intake of suckling piglets, less piglet mortality, higher weaning weights of litters, and better fertility and condition of sows. Read details of experiment here;http://www.pigprogress.net/Special-Focus/Piglet-Feeding/Yoghurt-for-stronger-suckling-piglets-and-sows/

FEED,HEALTH AND GROWTH OF PIGS.

Precision Livestock Farming is becoming very popular; many technologically driven companies are zooming into data-
collecting methods. Thus focusing on exact needs of the modern pig will allow producers to meet tomorrow's challenges, says Prof Sandra Edwards.“We cannot hope to improve the performance of today's pigs if we continue to rely on the nutritional, feeding and performance data we collected from (traditional) pigs a long time ago," says veteran UK pig researcher and scientist and chair of agriculture at the University of Newcastle, Prof Sandra Edwards. She argues that the type of pig that most commercial producers are working with at the moment is completely different to the animals on pig farms even a decade ago, when consumer demands were totally different.A whole new bank of research data reflecting the needs of the modern pig are urgently required to ensure progress by researchers in pig development on the scientific front. he says research had shown that producers needed to feed sows with arginine and glutamine supplements to help increase the placental quality, which reduced birth weight variation, as well as the number of under-weight piglets born alive.Recent work had also shown that including essential fatty acids such as docosahexanoic acid (DHA), which is found in algae and fish, in sow diets during the last month of their pregnancies led to a significant drop in the number of stillbirths. It also resulted in a longer farrowing duration. Feeding the sows to get their condition right before they go into the farrowing house and even before that. The pre-mating diet can have a big impact on embryo survival and high plane feeding before mating will help reduce embryo mortality. Sows should not be fed to produce bigger litters, but rather fed to meet the challenges of weaning more top quality piglets successfully. Read more ;http://www.pigprogress.net/Home/General/2014/1/Health-feed-growth--Nothing-happens-in-isolation-1392863W/?intcmp=related-content

HOW TO LOWER OCCURRENCE OF BOAR TAINT.

Boars in the value chain have always resulted in tainted pork, which not many people can tolerate.There has been several interventions such as artificial insemination and using castrated males in the chain to reduce the taint,but the success rate has not been high,resulting in more research. Research from the Netherlands are about to publish an extensive research towards the reduction of boar taint when raising and using and entire males in the food chain.The study termed: How to lower occurrence of boar taint. The paper, to be published in the Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences (NJAS) is a summary of a comprehensive study by scientists from various disciplines, attached to the Agricultural Economic Institute (Wageningen UR), Wageningen UR Livestock Research, Vion Fresh Meat and Topigs Research Center IPG. Four themes were aimed at in the research programme: 1)Sensory evaluation of meat from entire male pigs. 2)Preventive measures to reduce boar taint prevalence.3)Accuracy of detection for boar taint.4) The relationship between farm management characteristics and levels of mounting and aggressive behaviour of boars.Using observational and experimental studies data were collected in various segments of the pork supply chain.The researchers conclude that ranking AI boars on their genomic breeding values for low boar taint resulted in a reduction in boar taint prevalence of 40%.The skatole level is lower in boars fed via a long trough than in boars fed by a single space feeder. Few eating places, restricted feeding, a low level of amino acids in the diet, insufficient water supply of the drinking system, illness of the pigs, a suboptimal climate and fear for humans were associated with a higher level of sexual and aggressive behaviour and more skin lesions. A partly open pen wall, clean pens and pigs, wider gaps of the slats, feeding by a long trough, and feeding wet by-products were associated with less sexual and aggressive behaviour and less skin lesions. Having more than 30 animals per pen was associated with a higher probability of high boar taint prevalence levels. Hygienic conditions were associated with lower boar taint prevalence levels. Assessing similarity of the rank order comparison between consumer perception and three selected boar taint detection parameters for the consumer perception attribute odour of meat resulted in the highest Kendall's W values for the human nose scores.In conclusion, boar tainted meat was rated as less pleasant by consumers compared to meat of gilts and non-tainted boar meat, indicating the need of detection as a safety net at the slaughter line. Breeding was an effective preventive measure to reduce boar taint. Farms with appropriate management, feeding and housing conditions have reduced levels of mounting and aggressive behaviour. Human nose scores were a better predictor of the rank order of consumer perception, compared to skatole levels and to androstenone levels. read more here;http://www.pigprogress.net/Growing-Finishing/Management/2016/1/Study-How-to-lower-occurrence-of-boar-taint-2740440W/

AGRIBUSINESS: LAMENESS IN BROILERS LINKED TO BACTERIA.

Researchers at the University of Arkansas have identified a species of bacteria that had never before been associated with lameness in broiler chickens, bringing scientists closer to finding a way to prevent infections. Douglas Rhoads, University Professor of biological sciences and director of the Cell and Molecular Biology interdisciplinary ,used genetic tools and chicken raised on wire flooring to identify staphylococcus agnetis linked to causing lameness in broilers.The bacteria had been associated with inflammation of the mammary gland in cattle but not in the legs of broiler chickens. Lameness causes the chickens to suffer and the diseased birds are not fit for human consumption. Rough estimates are that lameness in the Arkansas poultry industry could cost growers about $20 million a year due the loss of birds.Lameness in broiler chickens is a significant animal welfare and financial issue. Bob Wideman, professor of poultry science at the U of A, had shown that growing young broilers on wire flooring is a contributing factor to lameness in broiler chickens. This study, which included Wideman, shows that S. agnetis is also a contributing factor for lameness in those chickens, Rhoads said. Bio security measures such as cleaning, washing with disinfectants and spraying plays a vital role to prevent diseases.Housing,feeding and medication also are factors to consider in the poultry value chain to ensure disease free stock. pic and portions of story courtesy of world poultry.

Riverside farm - a high tech robotic farm in Northern Ireland

Riverside farm - a high tech robotic farm in Northern Ireland

Agriculture: farming robots and food security.

Robotics has been incorporated to livestock and general farming to increase productivity and also increase revenue by preventing losses.Africa needs to embrace more of technology-based agriculture to produce more and ensure food security. 

 Africa needs to make greater investments in science and technology to become more efficient and competitive in agriculture, says the African Development Bank (AfDB). 

According to the Bank, science and technology are critical in transforming the agriculture industry from one that manages rural poverty to a wealth creating sector. “There cannot be a secure Africa unless we first and foremost revive the rural economies. 

We must turn these areas into zones of economic prosperity. And for that to happen, we must transform the main source of livelihoods – agriculture – into a wealth-creating sector,” said Dr Adesina. The use of robots in agriculture will not only guarantee more harvest,but smart production methods.

 New agricultural practices such as hydroponics farming, biocrops and selective breeding will not only ensure food security but provide more jobs. read more

Agribusiness: Agricultural robots.

The release of the film Terminator,which featured a cyborg with the sole aim to destroy mankind really shook the box office. Little did we know it was an introduction into the future of possibilities. The world has evolved over time with the introduction of phones,internet and robots.

The machine actually called a cyborg was actually flesh over iron and steel programmed for an assignment. 

 The cyborg was really a type of computer; with a microchip with million of information that can be easily accessed.This cyborg could be anybody and could do any thing; he could change form, voice and was extremely powerful with laser-sharp focus.

The follow up was a build up to the first with more advanced technology;this time exploring the power of liquid metal to achieve the purpose of destruction.

 WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF ROBOTS!!!!. Technology is dynamic, really evolving over time and helping us get things done.Did you know that the cyborg was actually a super-duber computer with a microchip of stored data?

 Do you know that the same principle is being harnessed today to ensure safety, food security/food safety ,provide entertainment and employment. 

 Robots are used now a days to carry out activities on the farm, these are programmed and set up to supply food and water to animals .This reduces labor costs as a robot can serve so many animals with a time frame .There is also the assurance that the animals are fed. Read how a pig farm is using robots;http://www.wattagnet.com/articles/902-robot-takes-the-strain-out-of-strawing. 

The use of robots is not limited to any specie or function, as they operate according to specification. Read how robots work on dairy Precision farming , a method to ensure food security, also uses robots to ensure maximum production Precision Farming techniques, aim to vary the inputs in production systems so the output is optimized from both an economic and environmental perspective.

  Read Robots are also involved in food safety when you talk about the QR codes, this reading system works on the basis of stored data,information and analysis.

The robots basically operate on data, analysis and data generation which is basically what the computer world offers. Did you know that robots, biotech and mash up are intertwined???? Robots function on data/information; so does genetic engineering.

The scientific mixing and matching of desired traits(DNA) into another to produce a more stable and viable specie that is usually more productive.

The mashup is the same technique of mixing and matching to produce content from various sources. The future is really wrapped around technology to ensure food security and safety 

.In the world today, robots have been assigned more tasks than you imagine; ;

Nadine, a "receptionist" at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. She is friendly, and will greet you back. Next time you meet her, she will remember your name and your previous conversation with her. She looks almost like a human being, with soft skin and flowing brunette hair. She smiles when greeting you, looks at you in the eye when talking, and can also shake hands with you,and she is a humanoid. Read more (photo credit; internet)

PUERTO RICO REPORTS FIRST CASE OF ZIKA VIRUS.

The mosquito-transmitted disease has been confirmed in countries including Brazil, Panama, Venezuela, El Salvador, Mexico, Suriname, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Guatemala and Paraguay, according to public health officials. Brazilian authorities in November linked Zika to a surge in babies born with microcephaly, a birth defect that seriously limits a child’s mental and physical abilities. Brazil has reported nearly 2,000 cases of babies born with microcephaly, or unusually small brains, the World Health Organization (WHO) said this month. The WHO said the cause of the outbreak in Brazil had yet to be determined. Between three and 12 days after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus, three out of four people come down with symptoms including mild fever, rash, conjunctivitis, headaches and joint pain. Puerto Rico has reported its first case of Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that has been spreading across South America and the Caribbean and has been linked by Brazilian authorities to a serious birth defect. Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress, said in a statement his office had been in touch with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which had confirmed the single case of Zika on the island. Read more here;http://newsdaily.com/2015/12/puerto-rico-reports-first-case-of-zika-virus-spread-by-mosquitoes/#yTtRkcB7Hp3vTkif.15

HOW TO FEED CHICKENS WITH WATERMELON .

 HOW TO FEED CHICKENS WITH WATERMELON.  . Fruits and vegetables have increasingly found usefulness in raising birds ,these has been incorporated as extracts or whole plants to tap into the benefits. The use of natural supplement in animal production is very necessary not only for financial implication but also on health grounds.

More and more people are showing preference for birds raised naturally, without antibiotics and other chemical supplements. This has resulted in a new dimension of the poultry value chain where plant extracts, vegetables are incorporated to poultry feed.

The benefits of water melon as discussed here; can be harnessed as follows; 1) wash and dice watermelon.
 2)remove seeds and cube.

 3) crush/blend the water melon.

 4) mix with water using this ratio; 1 litre of water melon mix into 2 litres of water.

The birds will be refreshed without any adverse reactions to stressful conditions, give your birds a boost # water melon smoothie.

AGRO-VETERINARY : THE BENEFIT OF WATERMELON ON POULTRY HEALTH.

AGRO-VETERINARY : THE BENEFIT OF WATERMELON ON POULTRY HEALTH. AGRO-VETERINARY : THE BENEFIT OF WATERMELON ON POULTRY HEALTH. Watermelon has proven to be a very nutritious fruit both to man and animals and the benefits derived are so valuable to growth and development.The fruit is 92% water making it very useful in cases of dehydration. Water melon can be processed and added to drinking water of birds especially in hot weather conditions,this not only cools the birds down but also gives a boost because of the vitamin C it contains. AGRO-VETERINARY : THE BENEFIT OF WATERMELON ON POULTRY HEALTH. Watermelon contains vitamin C, A and B; the occasional addition of watermelon juice to water of birds makes these vitamins readily available thus preventing deficiencies associated with lack of this nutrients. Chickens undergo severe stress not only when weather is hot, but also during time of vaccination and transportation and at periods like this the inclusion of the juice in the water days before scheduled programme will be of immense benefits. Water melon acts as an antioxidant, a fiber source and also carotenoids ,flavonoids, . Read more about benefits of water melon here

AGRIBUSINESS: STARTING AN EGG POWDER PROCESSING PLANT.

AGRIBUSINESS: STARTING AN EGG POWDER PROCESSING PLANT.

 The egg powder magic,  Are you thinking of investing in the poultry value chain? here is a niche that is viable but relatively new.

      How to set up a mini powdered egg plant. see

AGRIBUSINESS :EGG POWDER.

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  The importance of eggs in the poultry value chain can not be ignored,both the health benefits and financial implication show that eggs are very important in the value chain.

 Eggs can be sold in crates ,and the distribution can be quite cumbersome at peak of traffic, but the worst aspect in the distribution is the period of egg glut.

 The period where farmers have more eggs that out ways demand,leading to severe losses to the farmers.This singular reason is why producers are looking for ways to protect their investments and also ensure the health benefits of eggs are not ignored.

EGG POWDER. EGG POWDER !!!! is the way out. Powdered eggs are replacements for fresh eggs:this could be powdered egg white or powdered whole eggs .

The advantages of powdered eggs are 1) easy storage 2) longer shelf-life 3) easy transportation 4) non perishable. Powdered eggs are very useful in the food industry, camping arena,school feeding programmes, and catering institutes.

The extension of the poultry value chain to accommodate egg powder production is a viable project that need more players. The attachment of the egg powder production plant to the poultry can be a small scale or large scale production.

The small scale will require minimal investment and it can be sited within a local government to cater for the farmers within and also generate revenue from this venture.

 The large scale will be capital intensive,but will cater for a large number of farmers and the revenue from this venture will be very high and will cater for a wide variety of farmers, local and international.

LOBSTER FACTS !!!

1. They keep growing forever Or so research suggests. But scientists won’t be able to tell how long lobsters really live because traps aren’t designed to catch the largest lobsters, reports Time.com. “When we catch one that is 20-30 pounds, it’s because a claw got caught in the entrance of the trap, not inside,” says Robert C. Bayer, executive director of The Lobster Institute at the University of Maine. 2. They eat each other “They’re looking for fresh food and what’s around, and if that happens to be another lobster, then it’s dinner,” says Bayer. “One of the reasons lobster culture is not profitable is because they are cannibalistic, and there are lot of expenses that go along with that.” - 3. Females are players—and they make the first move Not much courtship precedes lobster love-making. Females that have just shed their shells send out a pheromone to let the males know they’re in the mood. Usually, lobsters that shed their shells are vulnerable and could be eaten by other lobsters, but when a female says she’s ready to get it on, the male lobster will usually opt to have sex with her over killing her. How do they do it? “I would describe it as the missionary position,” Bayer says. Six to nine months later, eggs appear on her tail, and after another six to 9 months, they hatch. A one-pound-and-a-half female lobster can have between 8,000 to 12,000 eggs, each about the size of a raspberry segment. And they could be from multiple fathers. Females are not monogamous. - 4.They taste with their legs Chemosensory leg and feet hairs identify food. Small antennae in front of their eyes are used for tracking down food that’s farther away. “If you watch a lobster in a tank in a market, you’ll see they’re flipping, looking for food, dissolved substances in the water,” says Bayer. - 5. They chew with their stomachs The grinding structure for breaking up food is called the gastric mill, kind of like a set of teeth on their stomachs, which are right behind the eyes and the size of a walnut in a one-pound lobster. - 6.. They can regenerate limbs “It’s going to take probably a good five years for a one-pound lobster to regenerate a claw that’s about the same size of one that was lost,” says Bayer. But they can do it. - 7.Their shells were once used to make golf balls Shells left over after lobster processing are usually tossed into landfills. So in an effort to make them worth something and keep the money in the lobster industry, a University of Maine professor created golf balls with a core made out of lobster shells. They’re also biodegradable, designed for golfing on cruise ships or courses near oceans and lakes. The problem is they only go about 70 percent of the distance of a regular golf ball. Story source Time.com

HOUSING PIGS IN STYLE!!!

Pigs housed in beautiful and conducive environment,grow faster, better and are less prone to diseases. The role of housing in production can not be over emphasized,look at how pigs are housed for better productivity; look at the Cavite pig city; Read more here;http://www.pigprogress.net/Growing-Finishing/General/2015/9/Cavite-Pig-City-A-city-within-a-city-2673896W/

Grass-fed beef has the lowest red meat cancer risk

Grass-fed beef has the lowest red meat cancer risk