The role of backyard poultry in the spread of avian influenza.

The role of backyard poultry in the spread of avian influenza is an important factor that cannot be overlooked. Migratory birds are linked to the avian influenza virus,and backyard poultry are the most vulnerable to infection because of close proximity of contact with wild bird and migratory birds. The need to house birds are very important,owners of backyard flock are advised to ensure strict bio-security protocols ,keep feeders and drinkers inside and do not leave feed exposed.Poultry farmers needs to play a part to stop migratory birds from infecting farmed birds. There is actually a circulating foci between the bird flu virus and migratory birds,the only way to break the link and stop the spread of virus to farms is to ensure biosecurity compliance, keep back yard poultry housed and codon off wild birds.

The use of LED lights in broiler house to boost production.

Electricity is one of the largest expenses for poultry producers aside from feed cost and this is increasing thus alternative sources of lighting are explored. Solar bulbs have been used on farms and also electricity generated from biogas,both of which have been successful. A recent study explored the use of LED bulbs and its potential to boost production and cutting electricity bills.Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) may be a good choice of energy-efficient lighting for broilers and their producers, according to this recent research. Researchers from the University of Delaware evaluated the effects of cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) and two types of LED lamps in a study with more than 670 male Ross broilers, while birds raised under incandescent lamps served as controls. By 42 days of age, birds raised under CCFLs had lower body-weights than controls and had higher heterophil-to-lymphocyte (H:L) ratios a stress indicator. In contrast, using LEDs did not yield any significant differences in the H:L ratio compared to controls. This study indicates that variation in broiler body weight and stress may be attributed in part to lighting technologies implemented in broiler houses, while birds raised under both LED technologies grew to body-weights similar to birds raised on incandescent lamps, but there were no significant differences between the groups in feed conversion or mortality.

Researchers Reveal How Cancer Can Spread Even Before a Tumor Develops.

Even before tumors develop, breast cancer cells with a few defined molecular alterations can spread to organs, remain quiet for long periods of time, and then awaken to form aggressive, deadly breast cancer metastasis, says a team of investigators led by researchers at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the University of Regensburg in Germany. They say their finding, published in two papers in the journal Nature, and conducted in animal models and tested in human samples, now solves the mystery of how breast cancer metastasis forms without a primary tumor in this new model of early dissemination and metastasis. Furthermore, a clinical primary tumor may never develop, investigators say. The University of Regensburg team had discovered that cancer cells could spread not only from a highly mutated, overtly evolved and pathologically-defined invasive tumors, but also from early stage cancers commonly considered incapable of spreading cells. However, how these early cancer lesions could spawn cells with traits of malignant tumors was unknown. In two papers published in the journal Nature, and conducted in animal models and tested in human samples, the two teams now have identified the first mechanisms that allow cells to spread early in cancer progression and contribute to metastasis.continue

Dubai(UAE)i and rules for pet importation.

A Dubai veterinarian is lauding new UAE regulations regarding importation of domestic pets such as cats and dogs and their transit through the country to prevent contagious and infectious animal diseases. The new regulations under animal welfare regulations governed by the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment also ensure animals are exposed to proper travel conditions.These new regulations see the UAE aligning itself with the global leaders in pet protection. Low-risk countries are more likely to have established laws around the care and protection of animals and this new regulation will ensure transparency in the procedures pet owners must abide by when transporting their pets Pet owners can rest easy knowing their pets will be transported in a safe and comfortable manner with the necessary documents and certification. As the process of pet travel can be arduous and lengthy, it will become increasingly important to seek the advice and support of your pet’s veterinary hospital. The directive states that all pets must now be transported in the plane hold and not with passengers. Cats and dogs must be presented with a permanent microchip which corresponds to a chip number. Owners are also now restricted to the importation of two animals per year and must hold an import permit. While travelling, the animals must be accompanied with an authorized health certificate issued by veterinary authorities in line with the health certificate model as outlined by Dubai Municipality. New conditions; 1)All pets must be transported in the aeroplane hold and not with passengers 2)Cats and dogs must have a permanent microchip with a chip number. 3)Only two animals could be imported by an owner per year. 4)An authorized health certificate must be handy while travelling. 5) A vaccination document or pet passport detailing the microchip number and description of pet. 6) Minimum age for import is 15 weeks from low-risk countries and 27 weeks from high-risk countries. contributed by gulfnews.com

Pre-cooked beans saving the forest .

Pre-cooked beans could turn down heat on Africa's dwindling forests as a factory in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, engage workers who steam-cook beans in big metal containers, before cooling and packaging them for sale. The beans can be reheated in 15 minutes or less, requiring far less firewood than the two to three hours it would take to cook them from scratch. This public-private initiative, being tested in Uganda and Kenya with funding from Canada’s International Development Research Centre, also aims to increase bean consumption, improve diets, and create a more profitable market for bean farmers. According to Joab Ouma of Lasting Solutions, a Ugandan company that is involved in preparing the beans, rural people usually use firewood for cooking, while charcoal is the main fuel in urban areas. Those fuels are a direct cause of deforestation, yet until now the poorest consumers “had no choice” but to use them,.Ouma said that, with the pre-cooked beans, the time needed to cook meals is greatly reduced, lowering the use of charcoal and firewood - and potentially easing the pressure on forests. In western Kenya, Siprosa Ajwang, 62, from Homa Bay County, said the new beans saved her time she used to spend in the bush gathering firewood. “I used to stay away three hours looking for enough wood to cook beans, but now it is easy because I need just a small bundle,” said the farmer who is taking part in the pilot project to grow and market-test the pre-cooked beans.more

Rare bird flu strain infects cats.

A rare strain of the avian influenza virus has infected 45 cats in Manhattan and there are concerns that the virus may have spread to recently adopted felines.The virus is thought to pose a low risk to humans but health officials are concerned that it could have infected additional cats that have already been adopted from Animal Care Center’s Manhattan shelter. "Although this strain of the avian flu has only resulted in mild to moderate illness in some cats located in one shelter, we have begun to test staff and people in close contact with the cats out of an abundance of caution," said First Deputy Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. "We will continue to actively monitor all people involved and adapt our response accordingly." One older infected cat, who had underlying health problems, died, officials said. The Health Department and ACC are working on a quarantine facility to house the cats while the Manhattan shelter is disinfected. They urge anyone who adopted Manhattan shelter cats in the past month to call the Health Department for care instructions and to keep their cat separated from other animals if they show signs of persistent cough, lip smacking, runny nose, and fever. Officials are also advising these pet owners to call the Health Department if they develop fever with a sore throat, fever with a cough, or red, inflamed eyes.The outbreak marks the first time the virus - H7N2 has been detected and transmitted among domestic cats. It is unknown how the cats contracted the virus.The shelter has tested 20 dogs and none have contracted this virus. Testing of other animals, including rabbits and guinea pigs, is ongoing. According to the Health Department, there have been only two documented human cases of this type of avian influenza and both patients recovered.culled from http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/rare-bird-flu-strain-infects-45-cats-single-manhattan-shelter-article-1.2912367.

Food systems: Cutting food waste using technology.

Globally, food waste is rising to 50 percent as developing nations struggle with spoilage while developed nations simply toss edible food away. The crux of the matter actually is that by 2050 there will be about 9billion people to feed,thus pushing for more food production. 

 According to data,much food is produced but waste from farms to stores and from stores to tables are actually responsible for food insecurity with malnutrition and famine as outcomes in developing nations. 

 Data analysis has shown that curbing waste will provide the extra food for the growing population,if a quarter of what is wasted now is salvaged then we are halfway through to feeding the projected population. Food preservation,storage and handling are the key points of interest as all waste stems from one of these or a combination depending on the country involved. 

Cutting food waste using technology can come in several forms such as cooling,chilling, vacuum sealing and drying. Refrigerators are in the market that tell when food is going bad,there are giant vats of organic waste using the same process as the human stomach to make energy(biogas)and apps that help you shop more efficiently. 

 There are apps that help shoppers plan meals better to avoid overbuying perishable items, or calculate the shelf life of different groceries. In the home, smart fridges now give consumers even more information about their food. 

These fridges, pioneered by LG and Samsung, help keep track of your perishables, alert you when something is about to spoil and use Internet connectivity to help devise recipes. The consumers as of today still have to input all the items you buy in the fridge but the next-generation smart fridge will automatically scan its own contents. 

 Waste operators,farmers and big food retailers have been using anaerobic digesters, giant sealed containers where bacteria breaks food waste down into bio gas, a renewable energy source that comes from organic material fermenting without oxygen, to make energy from compostable food thus saving money on electricity and gas. 

 Chilling and vacuum sealing also useful to cut waste especially from farm to markets,especially where there is a good road network to shorten distance from farm to market.

Production is not the problem but handling of produce from farm to the market,take the case of tomatoes in Nigeria;we produce more than enough but about 45% is lost thus forcing importation of tomato paste to bridge the shortfall see Vacuum sealing extends shelf-live of produce,especially when combined with chilling or cooling as a storage option. 

Education of farmers on innovative farming techniques especially those that can be practiced by local farmers will go a long way to cut losses. 

 Thinking of cutting food waste to ensure food security ? then build a network of diversified farmers,with an off-takers scheme such that produce are collected onsite by processors,for onward delivery to markets as farm fresh products and as raw materials for in food processing and packaging plants. 

Telecommunications to ensure food security and food safety come in here