Publications - Publikationer

Harnessing the Potential of Living Labs in European Research Projects on Agriculture. The Case of Promoting Prudent Use of Antimicrobials in Livestock

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:25:48 +0200

The urgency to reduce the use of antimicrobials in the livestock sector has become part of the European Farm-to-Fork agenda. To develop innovations and pave the way for prudent antimicrobial use (AMU), the H2020 four-year-long ROADMAP project implemented the approach of Living Labs (LL). It stands for a process that involves a heterogeneous group of stakeholders in co-creation, testing and evaluating innovations in real-world contexts. The use of LLs has gained momentum to accelerate transformation of European agriculture by developing innovations through end-user (farmer) involvement. However, the LL-approach is new in the livestock sector. During the project, 11 LLs were established in seven European countries, each with its own settings but linked to the project's overarching goals. Some LLs developed a common understanding of AMU within the sector or between farmers and veterinarians, while others focussed on policy development or better management practices. During the ROADMAP project, we learned about the potential and limitations of the LL approach in the livestock sector. Using the approach of social innovations, we developed recommendations on how to realise the potential of LLs in a research context to meet the goals of the EU Farm-to-Fork strategy of prudent AMU.

Auditing of Danish pig herds for controlled housing requirements and Trichinella

Alban, L., Enemark, H., Petersen, H. H., Nielsen, L. H. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Trichinella is a zoonotic parasite, which historically has been of large concern for public health in Europe. Consequently, testing of all pigs for Trichinella has been mandatory in many European countries, even though Trichinella is almost exclusively found in outdoor or backyard production. The idea therefore emerged that auditing for biosecurity should replace testing in indoor production. In the European Union (EU), pigs raised under so-called controlled housing conditions are exempt from testing. The specific requirements for a pig production to be considered a controlled housing holding are described in Annex IV in the EU Trichinella Regulation No. 2015/1375. In Denmark, the controlled housing concept is used extensively, not to omit Trichinella testing but to allow visual-only post-mortem inspection at export-authorized abattoirs. The Danish pig industry has established a quality assurance scheme called DANISH Product Standard, which is used to assure that the pig production maintains specific standards. This paper describes how the control, including the auditing, is set up and shows how the EU requirements regarding controlled housing are controlled. Moreover, the EU requirements are compared with the recommendations issued by the International Commission on Trichinellosis and the World Organisation for Animal Health. Finally, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the Danish way of documenting indoor finisher herds' compliance with controlled housing as specified by the EU are discussed. It is concluded that the validity of the system is high.

Mandatory vs. Voluntary? How to Conceive and Implement the ‘Right’ Measures to Fight AMR

Fortané, N., Molia, S., Wauters, E., Kongsted, H. — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:25:48 +0200

The fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) usually relies on a large set of measures, such as banning or restricting the use of certain molecules, promoting preventive approaches to animal health, monitoring antibiotic use and prescription, training farmers and veterinarians, developing quality schemes and labels, etc. These measures can be mandatory (i.e. regulations) or voluntary (i.e. private standards, professional guidelines, etc.), depending on the policy style adopted in each country: imposing the same framework of action for everyone or trying to stimulate stakeholders’ initiatives. It is however difficult to say that one option is better than another, given that reduction of antimicrobial use in livestock has been achieved in different European countries using different options. Based on a cross-reflection from three ROADMAP case studies, this Point de Vue argues that an efficient and legitimate AMR policy has to adopt a combination of voluntary and mandatory measures which is carefully thought through and which is adapted to local contexts and dynamics.

How Contexts and Desired Impacts Shape Interventions towards Improved Antimicrobial Use in Animal Production

Molia, S., Wauters, E., Ribbens, S., et al. — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:25:48 +0200

The objective of this study was to analyse and compare the interventions (sets of actions) towards improved antimicrobial use (AMU) in animal production. These were designed in Living Labs (LLs) organised in five countries of the ROADMAP project, with ex ante impact assessment (EAIA) to guide the process. LL participants designed very different types of interventions which targeted systematically farmers and veterinarians but less frequently other stakeholders, despite the ROADMAP ambition to involve the whole value chain in AMU transition scenarios. A variety of factors influenced which interventions were designed, such as the country's AMU levels, existence of AMU monitoring systems, the possibility for veterinarians to profit from antimicrobials sales, export-orientation of the animal production sector and political momentum. Other influential factors included the breadth of desired impacts that the LL participants wished to produce through the interventions they designed (limited to animal health aspects or encompassing other subjects such as animal welfare, consumer information or veterinary business models) and the LL process (choice of participants and facilitators). Overall, the approach succeeded in providing a holistic vision of the possible measures and the obstacles towards improved AMU and produced context-tailored interventions with high acceptability. However, they had limited results in terms of system rethinking.

Information of Growth Traits Is Helpful for Genetic Evaluation of Litter Size in Pigs

Yang, H., Yang, L., Qian, J., Xu, L., Lin, L., Su, G. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Litter size is an important trait in pig production. But selection accuracy for this trait is relatively low, compared with production traits. This study, for the first time, investigated the improvement of genetic evaluation of reproduction traits such as litter size in pigs using data of production traits as an additional information source. The data of number of piglets born alive per litter (NBA), age at 100 kg of body weight (Age100), and lean meet percentage (LMP) in a Yorkshire population were analyzed, using either a single-trait model or the multitrait model that allows us to account for environmental correlation between reproduction and production traits in the situation that one individual has only one record for a production trait while multiple records for a reproduction trait. Accuracy of genetic evaluation using single-trait and multitrait models were assessed by model-based accuracy (R_m) and validation accuracy (R_v). Two validation scenarios were considered. One scenario (Valid_r1) was that the individuals did not have a record of NBA, but Age100 and LMP. The other (Valid_r2) was that the individuals did not have a record for all the three traits. The estimate of heritability was 0.279 for Age100, 0.371 for LMP, and 0.076 for NBA. Genetic correlation was 0.308 between Age100 and LMP, 0.369 between Age100 and NBA, and 0.022 between LMP and NBA. Compared with the single-trait model, the multitrait model including Age100 increased prediction accuracy for NBA by 3.6 percentage points in R_m and 5.9 percentage points in R_v for the scenario of Valid_r1. The increase was 1.8 percentage points in R_m and 3.8 percentage points in R_v for the scenario of Valid_r2. Age100 also gained in the multitrait model but was smaller than NBA. However, LMP did not benefit from a multitrait model and did not have a positive contribution to genetic evaluation for NBA. In addition, the multitrait model, in general, slightly reduced level bias but not dispersion bias of genetic evaluation. According to these results, it is recommended to predict breeding values using a multitrait model including growth and reproduction traits.

Comparative analysis of osteoderms across the lizard body

Maliuk, A., Marghoub, A., Williams, C. J. A., et al. — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Osteoderms (ODs) are mineralized tissue embedded within the skin and are particularly common in reptiles. They are generally thought to form a protective layer between the soft tissues of the animal and potential external threats, although other functions have been proposed. The aim of this study was to characterize OD variation across the lizard body. Adults of three lizard species were chosen for this study. After whole body CT scanning of each lizard, single ODs were extracted from 10 different anatomical regions, CT scanned, and characterized using sectioning and nanoindentation. Morphological analysis and material characterization revealed considerable diversity in OD structure across the species investigated. The scincid Tiliqua gigas was the only studied species in which ODs had a similar external morphology across the head and body. Greater osteoderm diversity was found in the gerrhosaurid Broadleysaurus major and the scincid Tribolonotus novaeguineae. Dense capping tissue, like that reported for Heloderma, was found in only one of the three species examined, B. major. Osteoderm structure can be surprisingly complex and variable, both among related taxa, and across the body of individual animals. This raises many questions about OD function but also about the genetic and developmental factors controlling OD shape.

Editorial: Securing animal welfare in times of crisis and animals’ end of life outside conventional slaughter

Ursinus, W. W. ., Laméris, L. H., Camerlink, I., Herskin, M. S. — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Dyrevelfærd: Lytter regeringen til forskningen?

Williams, C., Malmkvist, J., Coutant, M. P., Herskin, M. S. — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Regeringen foreslår, at hanpattegrise skal bedøves inden kastration, men krav om den nuværende lokalbedøvelse vil ikke sikre en smertefri procedure.

Regeringens udspil om dyrevelfærd mangler nytænkning og reelle løsninger

Malmkvist, J., Riber, A. B., Herskin, M. S., Pedersen, L. J., Jensen, M. B. — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Mange af regeringens foreslåede initiativer for dyrevelfærd vil ikke have betydelig effekt, fordi reelle løsninger kræver andre tiltag end dem, som er foreslået. Dertil kommer, at flere af initiativerne allerede er besluttet politisk, skriver en gruppe af forskere fra Aarhus Universitet, der gennemgår udvalgte initiativer fra udspillet.

Animal welfare and pre-transport fasting of pigs - short review

Herskin, M. S., Kernberger-Fischer, I., van Bijnen-Hendrikx, L. . — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 12:25:48 +0100

This short review provides a detailed background on the issue of ‘pre-transport fasting’, including current knowledge on effects of pre-transport fasting, that may be relevant to animal welfare, such as aggression, ease of handling, mortality, susceptibility to heat stress, motion sickness and hunger.

Protesting the future

Mc Loughlin, E. T. — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Recent farmer protests across Europe demonstrate the complex challenges facing modern agriculture. This article examines the human story behind these protests. It explores how farmers’ roles have changed from respected innovators and providers to a group caught between environmental demands, economic pressures and shifting societal expectations. Neoliberal policies, green regulations and new workforce patterns have precipitated an identity crisis among European farmers. Their protests are not just about money but also about deep-seated anxieties concerning their place in a rapidly changing world. Farmers struggle to balance traditions with new environmental imperatives, to maintain viable livelihoods in a global market and their unease with an increasingly diverse rural workforce. European farming is at a crossroads, pointing towards possible paths for a future.

Anatomy and physiology of the pig tail

Sandercock, D., Herskin, M. S., Nordgren, H. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

This chapter describes the function of the porcine tail based on the current available literature and it provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomy and physiology of the pig's tail at both gross and microscopical levels. This chapter also includes details of the somatosensory and motor innervation necessary for the tail to respond to external stimuli such as touch and pain, and to coordinate its movement and posture for communication and expression of emotional state. In addition, this chapter discusses the different types of lesions caused by tail biting and describes the outcomes of lesions of varying severity (e.g. superficial to full thickness tissue injury and tail amputation) and their implications for pig health and welfare.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic pigs, sheep, cattle, wild boars, and moose in the Nordic-Baltic region

Olsen, A., Berg, R., Tagel, M., et al. — Wed, 01 May 2019 12:25:48 +0200

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an important foodborne zoonotic parasite. Meat of infected animals is presumed to constitute a major source of human infection and may be a driver of geographical variation in the prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies in humans, which is substantial in the Nordic-Baltic region in northern Europe. However, data on seroprevalence of T. gondii in different animal species used for human consumption are scattered.

METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of seroprevalence studies and meta-analysis to estimate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in five animal species that are raised or hunted for human consumption in the Nordic-Baltic region: domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), sheep (Ovis aries), cattle (Bos taurus), wild boars (Sus scrofa), and moose (Alces alces). We searched for studies that were conducted between January 1990 and June 2018, and reported in articles, theses, conference abstracts and proceedings, and manuscripts. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify variables influencing the seroprevalence.

FINDINGS: From a total of 271 studies identified in the systematic review, 32 were included in the meta-analysis. These comprised of 13 studies on domestic pigs, six on sheep, three on cattle, six on wild boars, and four on moose. The estimated pooled seroprevalence of T. gondii was 6% in domestic pigs (CI95%: 3-10%), 23% in sheep (CI95%: 12-36%), 7% in cattle (CI95%: 1-21%), 33% in wild boars (CI95%: 26-41%), and 16% in moose (CI95%: 10-23%). High heterogeneity was observed in the seroprevalence data within each species. In all host species except wild boars, the pooled seroprevalence estimates were significantly higher in animals >1 year of age than in younger animals. Not all studies provided information on animal age, sensitivity and specificity of the serological method employed, and the cut-off values used for defining an animal seropositive.

CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of animals raised or hunted for human consumption in the region had tested positive for T. gondii. This indicates widespread exposure to T. gondii among animals raised or hunted for human consumption in the region. Large variations were observed in the seroprevalence estimates between the studies in the region; however, studies were too few to identify spatial patterns at country-level.

2x Preliminary results from respirometry experiments with black soldier fly larvae (BSFL)

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:25:48 +0100

Effects of sodium chloride intake on urea-N recycling and renal urea-N kinetics in lactating Holstein cows

Røjen, B. A., Storm, A. C., Larsen, M., Kristensen, N. B. — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 12:25:48 +0200

The effects of high (2.5% of DM) versus normal dietary sodium chloride (NaCl) intake on renal urea-N kinetics and urea-N metabolism were investigated in 9 rumen-cannulated and multicatheterized lactating dairy cows in a crossover design with 21-d periods. It was hypothesized that urinary urea-N excretion would be greater, and BUN concentration lower in response to greater diuresis induced by high NaCl intake. Also, urea-N transport across ruminal and portal-drained viscera (PDV) tissues was hypothesized to be affected by dietary sodium intake. A second experiment was conducted using 8 lactating cows in a crossover design with 14-d periods to test high NaCl (2.5% of DM) versus high KCl (3.2% of DM) intake on milk yield and MUN concentrations. Experiment 1 showed that despite greater diuresis, high NaCl intake had no effect on urinary urea-N excretion or BUN concentration. The high NaCl intake did not affect rumen ammonia concentrations, total rumen VFA concentrations, ruminal venous − arterial concentration differences for ammonia, or ammonia absorption indicating that high NaCl did not adversely affect ruminal fermentation and microbial protein synthesis. High NaCl intake did not affect the total amount of urea-N transport from blood to gut, but ruminal venous − arterial concentration differences for urea-N were lower with high NaCl and ruminal extraction of arterial urea-N was numerically smaller, indicating that the ruminal epithelial urea-N transport was lower with high NaCl. Energy-corrected milk yield was greater with high NaCl (3.2 ± 1.5 kg/d); however, MUN concentrations were not affected by treatment. In experiment 2, ECM was greater with NaCl (1.4 ± 0.31 kg/d) compared with KCl (30.2 and 28.8 ± 0.91 kg ECM/d, respectively). Milk urea-N concentration was lower with KCl, suggesting a urea-N lowering effect in milk not evident with high NaCl intake. In conclusion, the present data show that dietary Na intake of 12 to 13 g/kg DM was followed by greater diuresis but did not affect urea-N excretion or BUN concentration. High NaCl intake did not affect the total amount of urea-N transfer across PDV tissues. Energy-corrected milk yield was greater with high NaCl compared with both control and feeding KCl; however, with KCl, MUN decreased.

Effect of carbohydrate type in silages and concentrates on feed intake, enteric methane, and milk yield from dairy cows

Giagnoni, G., Lund, P., Johansen, M., et al. — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Dietary carbohydrate manipulation can be used to reduce enteric CH₄ emission, but few studies have focused on the interaction of the different types of carbohydrates that can affect feed intake and ruminal fermentation. Understanding this interaction is necessary to make the most out of CH₄ mitigation feeding strategies using different dietary carbohydrates. The aim of this study was to test the effect on enteric CH₄ emission, feed intake, and milk production response when cows were fed either grass-clover silage (GCS) or corn silage (CS) as the sole forage source (55% of dry matter, DM), in combination with either barley (BAR) or dried beet pulp (DBP) as a concentrate (21.5% of DM). A total of 24 (half first-parity and half second-parity) cows were used in a crossover design with 2 periods of 21 d each, receiving 2 of 4 diets obtained from a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of the experimental diet. Feed intake, CH₄ emission metrics, and milk production were recorded at the end of the experimental periods. The diets had NDF concentrations between 258 and 340 g/kg of DM and starch concentrations between 340 and 7.45 g/kg of DM (CS-BAR and GCS-DBP, respectively). The effects of silage and concentrate on dry matter intake (DMI) were additive, with the highest feed intake in cows fed CS-BAR, followed by cows fed CS-DBP, GCS-BAR, and GCS-DBP (21.2, 19.9, 19.1, and 18.3 kg/d, respectively). Energy corrected milk (ECM) yield was not affected by silage source in first parity cows, but it was higher for cows fed CS than cows fed GCS in second parity. The effects of silage and concentrate on CH₄ production (g/d), yield (g/kg of DMI), and intensity (g/kg of ECM) were not additive, as cows fed GCS had similar responses regardless of the concentrate used, but cows fed CS had lower CH₄ production, yield, and intensity when fed BAR instead of DBP. The lower CH₄ production, yield, and intensity in cows fed CS-BAR compared with other diets could be partially explained by the nonlinear relationship between ruminal VFA and carbohydrates (NDF and starch) concentration reported in the literature; however, we observed a linear relationship between the acetate/propionate ratio and CH₄ yield, suggesting possible other effects. The effects of silage and concentrate on the ruminal VFA were additive in first parity cows, but not in second parity cows. The interaction between dietary carbohydrate type and parity might indicate an effect of feed intake or the energy balance of the cow. Feeding cows silage and concentrate both rich in starch can result in the lowest enteric CH₄ emission.

Use of foster cows to produce rosé veal of spring-born dairy calves in an organic setting

Vestergaard, M. ., Kristensen, T., Mogensen, L., et al. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Use of foster cows to produce rosé veal of spring-born dairy calves in an organic setting

Vestergaard, M. ., Kristensen, T., Mogensen, L., et al. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Proteomic study of secretomes from cellular agriculture for milk production

Che, J., Nielsen, S. D., Sattari, Z., et al. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Cultivation of bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMECs) is regarded as a potential future source of milk constituents; however, there is a research gap concerning the investigation of compositional similarity between such secretomes and milk, and furthermore, how culture conditions can be optimized to make it a feasible strategy for potential production of milk constituents. To perform such an initial, detailed quantitative proteomic study of secretomes from in vitro grown bMECs, these cells were isolated from the mammary tissue of two lactating cows and cultured on Matrigel®-coated inserts in a trans-well system. Cells were treated with or without prolactin at the basolateral sides, and the secretomes together with media from the apical side were collected and subsequently compositionally characterized for their protein contents and label-free quantitative proteomics. Using sensitive nLC-timsTOF Pro MS/MS, more than 500 proteins were identified, though in very low total concentrations, across proteomes from the four secretomes collected from prolactin- or non-prolactin-treated cells. The proteins included many cellular proteins and characteristic milk proteins, but with caseins accounting for less than 1% of total protein abundance. Secretomes from prolactin-treated bMECs showed significant (P < 0.05) up-regulation of 351 different proteins, including milk proteins such as αS1-casein, κ-casein, β-lactoglobulin, lactotransferrin, and osteopontin, indicating a positive regulation of lactation-associated proteins with prolactin treatment. These findings elucidate a potential for future cellular agriculture using in vitro cultured bMECs for the production of milk constituents, together with challenges, such as upscale and sufficient lactogenesis.

Genomic Prediction of Genetic Residual Feed Intake Integrating a Novel Energy Sink for Change in Body Reserves

Stephansen, R. B., Lassen, J., Thorup, V. M., et al. — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Traditionally, a two-step modeling approach of residual feed intake (RFI) is incorporated into the Feed Saved index at dairy cattle genetic evaluation centers. Challenges have been identified in the 1st step on handling fixed effects in the statistical model and dealing with missing phenotypes. This could be solved using a multi-variate modelling approach for genetic RFI (gRFI). Most existing RFI models use changes in body weight, and therefore, likely inadequately account for changes in body reserves because energy density differs between mobilization and deposition, and between adipose and muscle tissue. Alternatively, energy balance can be estimated from body reserve changes (EBbody). Therefore, this study aimed to explore a genomic evaluation of gRFI in Nordic primiparous cows using EBbody as energy sink for changes in body reserves.

Weekly records were collected from 2,029 Jersey (JER) cows, 3,178 Red Dairy Cattle (RDC) cows, and 4,661 Holstein (HOL) cows. For JER and RDC, the feed intake data was obtained with the Cattle Feed InTake system (CFIT, VikingGenetics, Denmark). For HOL, feed intake data was collected from CFIT farms and a research farm (857 cows and 25,547 weekly records). The genotyping rate for cows with data were 92% for JER and RDC, and 81% for HOL.

The gRFI model was a random regression multi-variate model with 2nd order Legendre polynomials for additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. The gRFI model was validated with an across-herd cross-validation scheme using the Legarra Reverter method and reporting bias, dispersion and correlation terms. Breeding values were predicted using the single-step approach for both genotyped and non-genotyped animals. The bias was close to 0 for all breeds. The dispersion coefficients were found in an acceptable range at 0.92 (DMI) and 0.87 (gRFI) for HOL and 0.96 (DMI) and 0.85(gRFI) for RDC, while overdispersion was observed for JER (DMI:0.75, gRFI:0.69). Correlations between genomic breeding values, estimated with whole and partial phenotypic information, were moderately high for all breeds (DMI: 0.51-0.68, gRFI: 0.46-0.59). In conclusion, it was possible to construct a genomic gRFI model for all three Nordic dairy cattle breeds and integrate EBbody as an energy sink indicator. We observed promising validation metrics for HOL and RDC, but JER models need further refinement. The results demonstrate selection for gRFI is expected to provide genetic gain of feed efficiency in dairy cattle.

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) persists in tissues of asymptomatic wild Crimson Rosellas

Blanch-Lázaro, B., Chamings, A., Ribot, R. F.H., et al. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Infectious diseases can drive populations and species to extinction. Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) is a circovirus of global conservation concern that can infect all Psittaciformes and some other species. Yet some parrot species, such as Crimson rosellas (Platycercus elegans), can live successfully with high BFDV prevalence (>40%) with no clinical signs reported in infected individuals. We assessed BFDV load in 10-12 tissues per bird, from n = 66 P. elegans, to reveal tissue tropism and BFDV persistence in tissues. Here we show that in 94% of individuals, BFDV was detected in one or more tissues. While BFDV replicated to high levels in subadults, in adults (some confirmed seropositive) the virus persisted in various tissues at much lower levels. Our findings reveal that BFDV is much more common in wild P. elegans than previously thought and suggest that current screening practices (mostly on blood) may substantially underestimate BFDV infection estimates, with implications for biosecurity and conservation programs globally.

Antal dage i behandling pr. konventionel årsko pr. kalenderår for stofskifte- og fodringsrelaterede sygdomme.

Krogh, M. A. — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Effects of dietary nitrate, fumaric acid, and methanotrophic bacteria supplementation on rumino-intestinal nutrient metabolism and enteric gas exchange in dairy cows

Maigaard, M., Weisbjerg, M. R., Nielsen, M. O., Hellwing, A. L. F., Lund, P. — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:25:48 +0100

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of two approaches for enteric methane (CH₄) mitigation and one approach for redirection of excess hydrogen (H₂) resulting from CH₄ inhibition, on dairy cows’ gas exchange and nutrient digestibility. Approaches for CH₄ mitigation were methanotrophic bacteria supplementation and dietary nitrate, whereas the approach for H₂ redirection was nitrate combined with fumaric acid. An incomplete 6 × 6 Latin square design experiment was conducted with 4 periods of 21 d using 6 rumen, duodenum, and ileum cannulated Danish Holstein cows with DIM of 123 ± 64.8 d (mean ± SD) and the milk yield was 33.6 ± 9.39 kg/d at beginning of experiment. The treatments were organized in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, where the first factor represented treatments without or with methanotrophic bacteria supplementation (MET), and the second factor represented 3 different dietary additive supplementations (DIET). These were a basal diet (BAS; no additives), a diet with nitrate (NIT; 10 g nitrate/kg dry matter (DM)), and a diet with nitrate combined with fumaric acid (NIT-F; NIT + 15 g fumaric acid/kg DM). Cows had ad libitum access to diets with a forage to concentrate ratio of 60 to 40 on dry matter basis. Following adaptation to experimental diets, samples of rumen fluid, digesta from duodenum and ileum, and feces were collected to estimate nutrient digestibility using Cr₂O₃ and TiO₂ as external flow markers. Then, gas exchanges were measured in respiration chambers. There was no CH₄ mitigating effect of MET. Nitrate reduced CH₄ production (g/d), yield (g/kg DMI), and intensity (g/kg ECM) by 19.5, 11.9, and 17.2 %, respectively, whereas H₂ yield (g/kg DMI) was increased by 261 %. Ruminal redox value was decreased by nitrate, and individual rumen volatile fatty acid proportions reflected a more reduced rumen environment although propionate proportions decreased. Nutrient digestibility was not affected by nitrate although microbial CP efficiency (g of microbial CP/kg true rumen digested organic matter) was decreased. Supplementing fumaric acid in combination with nitrate decreased H₂ production by 26.8 % compared to nitrate fed cows, and this was associated with increased propionate concentrations. However, there was no effect on H₂ emission when corrected for dry matter intake (DMI) or energy-corrected milk (ECM) yield. There were no effects of any of the treatments on DMI or ECM yield. In conclusion, the results demonstrated a CH₄ mitigating effect of nitrate supplementation resulting in increased H₂ emission. The effects on nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation were minor. Fumaric acid supplementation redirected some H₂ to propionate, although the efficiency was small. Supplementation of methanotrophic bacteria did not suppress CH₄ emission.

Reducing postweaning stress in pigs

Winters, J. F. M. — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Risikovurdering ifølge en forsøgstilladelse

Thomsen, P. T. — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Experimental study on temperature difference between the interior and exterior of the vehicle transporting weaner pigs

Chen, G., Kobek-Kjeldager, C., Jensen, L. D., et al. — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Transporting pigs poses a significant challenge in maintaining proper interior thermal conditions. This study conducted 36 field trials run in Denmark and collected data from a certified livestock vehicle, during journeys of 8 h and 23 h respectively. This study aims to investigate the air temperature inside a livestock vehicle during the transportation and the influence of five factors on DT (difference in air temperature between interior of the vehicle and exterior): compartment location, deck height, height of openings for natural ventilation, wind speed and vehicle speed. The compartment location was the most important influencing factor of interior air temperature. The maximum percentage of time when air temperature exceeded 30 °C was 13.6% observed in the front compartment of trailer. The maximum difference in mean DT between the front and rear compartments at the same deck was 11.0 ± 0.67 °C occurred in the lorry. The maximum differences in mean DT between the two investigated deck heights were 1.2 ± 0.39 °C in the lorry (70 vs. 90 cm) and 0.9 ± 0.26 °C in the trailer (60 vs. 80 cm), respectively. The DT decreased with increasing height of opening for natural ventilation and wind speed, while the DT was insensitive to vehicle speed. Extra sensors installed on the front partition wall during the last 4 journeys showed significant temperature variability (up to 12 °C) within compartment. Further studies identifying the efficient monitoring of thermal condition and prompt interior environmental control are needed in vehicles for pig transport.

Postponed is not canceled

Müller, K., Mynarek, M., Zwiener, I., et al. — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 12:25:48 +0200

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of craniospinal irradiation (CSI) in the management of recurrent infant medulloblastoma after surgery and chemotherapy alone.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: Seventeen pediatric medulloblastoma patients registered in the HIT-REZ 1997 and 2005 studies underwent CSI as salvage treatment at first recurrence. All patients had achieved complete remission after first-line treatment consisting of surgery and chemotherapy. Eleven patients showed metastatic disease at relapse. Five patients underwent surgery prior to radiation therapy, which resulted in complete resection in 1 case. In 1 patient, complete resection of the residual tumor was performed after CSI. Eleven patients received chemotherapy prior, 6 patients during and 8 patients after CSI. All patients received CSI with a median total dose of 35.2 Gy, and all but 1 received a boost to the posterior fossa (median total dose, 55.0 Gy). Metastases were boosted with an individual radiation dose, depending on their location and extent.

RESULTS: During a median follow-up time of 6.2 years since recurrence, 11 patients showed progressive disease and died. Median progression-free (overall) survival was 2.9 ± 1.1 (3.8 ± 0.8) years. Progression-free survival (PFS) rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 88% ± 8%, 46% ± 12%, and 40% ± 12%, respectively. Overall survival (OS) rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 94% ± 6%, 58% ± 12%, and 39% ± 12%, respectively. For 11 patients with classic medulloblastoma, 3-year (and 5-year) PFS and OS were 62% ± 15% and 72% ± 14% (52% ± 16% and 51% ± 16%), respectively. On univariate analysis, metastatic disease was not associated with poorer progression-free and overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that salvage treatment of relapsed medulloblastomas consisting of CSI and chemotherapy offers a second chance for cure, even for patients with classic histological findings. Metastatic disease at relapse did not have an impact on survival. However, this may be explained by the small number of patients.

Oral behaviour during riding is associated with oral lesions in dressage horses – A field study

Christensen, J. W., Uldahl, M. — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 12:25:48 +0200

The welfare of sports horses is debated both within and outside the horse community. One welfare concern is the frequent occurrence of oral lesions. Lesions may be caused by inappropriate training and ill-fitting equipment. Increased knowledge of behavioural signs of pain, discomfort and frustration (often jointly labelled ‘conflict behaviour’) in horses can increase awareness by riders, trainers, officials, and competition judges, which is a first step towards reducing the occurrence. This study included 11 warmblood dressage horses competing at upper national level (Intermediaire I). The horses were randomly selected (from a total of 22 horses) for an unannounced inspection for oral lesions immediately after leaving the dressage arena. Five of the 11 horses had abrasion of the skin and/or mucosa at one or both commissures of the lips and were eliminated from the competition according to the rules of the national equestrian federation. An experienced observer who was blind regarding the outcome of the inspection, scored behaviour in the 11 horses from official video recordings available online from the event. The frequency of mouth opening ranged from 5 to 59 times in the 11 horses. Horses with oral lesions had a significantly higher frequency of mouth opening compared to horses without oral lesions (t-test, mean ±SEM; lesions: 34.6 ±6.7 vs. no lesions: 12.2 ±2.4, t(9) = 3.4, P = 0.008). The frequency of other conflict behaviours did not differ significantly between the groups (e.g. tail swishing: MWU-test, median [25;75 %]; lesions: 25 [14;27] vs. no lesions: 10 [6,24], U = 7.0, P = 0.18). It is concluded that oral behaviour may be a useful indicator of oral lesions. Further studies are needed to investigate behavioural signs of discomfort and pain in riding horses, as behaviour can be an early predictor of compromised welfare. Increased awareness of subtle behavioural signs is therefore an important first step towards improved sports horse welfare.

Kan foderets sammensætning påvirke hestes adfærd?

Lærke, H. N. — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

A plant-based diet is feasible in patients with Crohn's disease

Arvidsson, L. B., Lærke, H. N., Lauridsen, C., et al. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Background: Incorporating plant-based diets as a supplement to medical treatment may have a beneficial impact on patients with Crohn's disease, however, research with intervention studies is required. Objective: To investigate the feasibility of a plant-based diet intervention. Secondly, the purpose was to investigate whether such diet may reduce disease activity and enhance quality of life. Materials and methods: This study was designed as a single arm feasibility study. Outpatients with Crohn's disease in biological therapy were guided over twelve weeks towards a dietary lifestyle change. Outcome measures: Feasibility concerning recruitment, retention rate and compliance. Secondary outcomes were measures of patient reported outcome questionnaires (PROMS). Paired t-tests were used to examine changes in CO₂ emissions, anthropology, biomarkers, and patient-reported data. Δ-values were used to investigate difference between dietary intake and requirements. Linear regression analyses examined the association between biomarkers and PROMS. Results: In total, 15 participants completed the intervention with easy recruitment and a retention rate at 87.6%. A clinically positive tendency was seen towards improved symptom scores for disease (HBI; p=0.028 and IBDQ; p=0.006) but not for fatigue (IBD-F; p = 0.097), although none of these were statistically significant. Adverse effects were decreased protein intake (p=0.069) and slightly reduced muscle mass. It remains unclear to what extent the intervention contributed to the improved self-reported effects although perception of disease activity was improved. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that it is possible to retain patients following a plant-based diet. However, the dietary change required ongoing dietetic support with a focus on anti-inflammatory agents and the still unattainable protein requirements.

Gut microbiota derived metabolites contribute to intestinal barrier maturation at the suckling-to-weaning transition

Mussard, É. M., Beaumont, . M., Paës, C., et al. — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:25:48 +0200

In suckling mammals, the onset of solid food ingestion is coincident with the maturation of the gut barrier. This ontogenic process is driven by the colonization of the intestine by the microbiota. However, the mechanisms underlying the microbial regulation of the intestinal development in early life are not fully understood. Here, we studied the co-maturation of the microbiota (composition and metabolic activity) and of the gut barrier at the suckling-to-weaning transition by using a combination of experiments in vivo (suckling rabbit model), ex vivo (Ussing chambers) and in vitro (epithelial cell lines and organoids). The microbiota composition, its metabolic activity, para-cellular epithelial permeability and the gene expression of key components of the gut barrier shifted sharply at the onset of solid food ingestion in vivo, despite milk was still predominant in the diet at that time. We found that cecal content sterile supernatant (i.e. containing a mixture of metabolites) obtained after the onset of solid food ingestion accelerated the formation of the epithelial barrier in Caco-2 cells in vitro and our results suggested that these effects were driven by the bacterial metabolite butyrate. Moreover, the treatment of organoids with cecal content sterile supernatant partially replicated in vitro the effects of solid food ingestion on the epithelial barrier in vivo. Altogether, our results show that the metabolites produced by the microbiota at the onset of solid food ingestion contribute to the maturation of the gut barrier at the suckling-to-weaning transition. Targeting the gut microbiota metabolic activity during this key developmental window might therefore be a promising strategy to promote intestinal homeostasis.

Forlænget laktation

Krogh, M. A., Thorup, V. M. — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Ensiling sugar beets

Hvas, E. M. V., Larsen, M., Andersen, L., Bedenk, U., Weisbjerg, M. R. — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Co-ensiling beets with other feeds allows for year-round feeding of beets and reduces the risk of dry matter (DM) loss as effluent from the silage. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of co-ensiling high DM beets with maize and grass/clover silage, grass seed straw, fresh beet pulp, and high DM concentrates (dried beet pulp, wheat distillers’ grain solubles; DDGS, wheat bran, rapeseed meal, sunflower meal, soybean hulls, and maize gluten feed) on gaseous weight loss (GWL), loss of effluents, and silage quality. Beets from harvest year 2021 were used to produce two sets of silages in laboratory silos, resulting in a total of 2 pure beet silages and 12 mixed beets silages. GWL was measured by weighing the laboratory silos until 181 days of ensiling. Fermentation was terminated by freezing after 30, 92, and 181 days of ensiling where loss of effluent was also measured. Total GWL was highest in the two pure beet silages (mean ± SEM; 282 ± 5.47 and 250 ± 7.94 g/kg DM, respectively), and differed among the mixed silages depending on mixer feed. Effluent was only observed in the pure beet silage in Set 1. Silage DM content at 181 days of ensiling was lowest for the two pure beet silages (180 ± 10.9 and 165 ± 5.95 g/kg). For all silages, pH was below 4.25 by 30 days of ensiling. Ethanol concentrations at 181 days of ensiling were highest in the two pure beet silages (345 ± 11.5 and 287 ± 11.8 g/kg DM). L-lactate content of pure beet silages was 38.4 ± 1.85 and 31.1 ± 1.21 g/kg DM at 181 days of ensiling. In Set 1, L-lactate content was lower in beets ensiled with maize silage, grass seed straw, dried beet pulp, or DDGS compared to pure beet silage. In Set 2, L-lactate content was higher in beets ensiled with maize gluten feed compared to pure beet silage. Silage concentration of NH₃ varied depending on mixer feed. The NH₃ content at 181 days of ensiling was 0.817 ± 0.626 and 2.05 ± 0.601 g/kg DM for pure beet silages and was highest in beets ensiled with grass/clover silage in both silage sets (16.4 ± 0.63 and 17.6 ± 0.60 g/kg DM). Co-ensiling beets with forages, high DM concentrates, and protein-rich feeds included in this study lowered fermentation weight loss, eliminated the loss of effluent, and resulted in silages of good fermentation quality.

Human physiological responses to different types of human-dog interactions

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Previous studies of human-dog interventions vary in terms of type of interaction, which is rarely quantified, leading to contradictory findings and limited comparability. To uncover the influence of different types of interactions, the present study investigated if it was possible to detect differences in immediate physiological measurements of healthy humans during different standardised types of interaction with a dog. Thirty-three healthy participants (women = 25, men = 8, >18 years) were exposed to four different test situations with standardised types of interaction intensity with a dog in random order: no dog present (CONTROL), looking at a dog (VISUAL), petting a dog (TACTILE) or performing tricks with a dog (ACTIVE). Each test situation lasted 10 min with a 30-min break between each. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductance (tonic level (SCL) and peak counts (SCR)) were continuously recorded. Blood pressure (BP) and salivary cortisol (s-cortisol) were measured before and after each test situation. Linear Mixed Models were applied. HR, HRV, BP, SCL and SCR increased with increased interaction with the dog (for all: p < 0.001). HRV increased with decreased HR (p = 0.002), increased SCL (p = 0.027), and SCR (p < 0.001) depending on the type of interaction. Generally, s-cortisol increased with increased HR (p = 0.042), SCL increased with increased SCR (p < 0.001), and SCR increased with increased HRV (p = 0.013), depending on type of interaction. The physiological measurements HR, HRV, BP, SCL and SCR are influenced by different types of dog interaction, and thus it is important to quantify and report the type of interaction in human-dog interaction studies. (ClinicalTrials.gov ID:NCT04696419).

Precision Livestock Farming

Larsen, M. L. V., Pedersen, L. J., Norton, T. — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:25:48 +0200

On-farm animal welfare assessment in slaughter pigs across different production systems in four European countries

Larsen, M. L. V., Pedersen, L. J., Rousing, T. — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

At forstå dyrs ubehag

Lærke, H. N. — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Application of on-farm computer vision for development, improvement and validation of motion sensor ear tags to monitor welfare and health for sows

Bahnsen, I., Pedersen, J.R., Schrøder-Petersen, D.L., et al. — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Validity and reliability of the animal-based measures of welfare protocols in finisher pigs

Coutant, M. P., Rousing, T., Pedersen, L. J., Larsen, M. L. V. — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Prediction of nutritional content of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae using multispectral imaging

Gebreyesus, G., Jensen, K., Luca, A. — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 12:25:48 +0100

The economic viability of BSF production for livestock and pet nutrition heavily relies on the nutritional composition of its larvae, notably protein and fat content, influenced by diet, harvest age, and genetics. Maintaining consistent product quality necessitates continuous monitoring across larvae developmental stages. Selective breeding also offers potential for enhancing BSF larvae’s nutritional profile, requiring phenotypic data from potential live candidates. Conventional chemometric methods, while accurate, are costly, time-consuming, and destructive, hindering their suitability for live larvae phenotyping. Hence, there’s a pressing need for rapid, non-destructive, and cost-effective techniques to evaluate the nutritional content at different stages of the BSF larvae. Recently, spectral imaging has emerged as a powerful tool for food quality assessment, capturing both spectral and spatial data simultaneously. This study explores the potential of multispectral imaging in predicting individual BSF larvae’s nutritional content. With 71 larvae sampled and imaged, prediction models, employing 19 wave bands as features via PLS, exhibited promising predictive performance for lipid mass and lipid percent. With reasonable correlation between measured and predicted parameters for a test set of 21 larvae, the study demonstrates the promise of multispectral imaging in predicting individual larvae’s nutritional content, offering avenues for future research in nutritional content prediction from live samples.

GEDI: an R package for integration of transcriptomic data from multiple high-throughput platforms

Stokholm, M.N., Rabaglino, M. B., Kadarmideen, H. — Sat, 13 Nov 2021 12:25:48 +0100

Investigation of gut microbiome association with inflammatory bowel disease and depression: a machine learning approach

Morell Miranda, P., Bertolini, F., Kadarmideen, H. — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 12:25:48 +0200

Systems genomics using next-generation sequencing methods

Mazzoni, G., Kogelman, L. J. A., Suravajhala, P., Kadarmideen, H. — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:25:48 +0200

Molecular characterization of two common Chadian cattle breeds

Flury, C., Ngandolo, B.N.R., Muller, B., Zinsstag, J., Kadarmideen, H. — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:25:48 +0100

Multi-Variate Genetic Evaluations of Body Condition and Milk Production in Dairy Cows

Kadarmideen, H. — Sat, 01 Jan 2005 12:25:48 +0100

Generalized marker regression and interval QTL mapping methods for binary traits in half-sib family designs

Kadarmideen, H., Dekkers, J.C.M — Sat, 12 Jan 2002 12:25:48 +0100

Genetic and economic relationships between somatic cell count and clinical mastitis and their use in selection for mastitis resistance in dairy cattle

Kadarmideen, H., Pryce, J.E. — Wed, 01 Aug 2001 12:25:48 +0200

Controlled and polygynous mating in the black soldier fly: advancing breeding programs through quantitative genetic designs

Jensen, K., Thormose, S. F., Noer, N. K. ., et al. — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 12:25:48 +0100

Landmænds og dyrlægers erfaringer med udfasning af medicinsk zink til grise

Kongsted, H., Mc Loughlin, E. T. — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:25:48 +0200

Regenerativ landbrug i økologisk landbrug – en vidensyntese

Jørgensen, J. R., Enni, J. A. ., Dalgaard, T., et al. — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:25:48 +0200