23 January 2013
Researchers from CReSA have demonstrated that protecting pigs against African Swine Fever is not science fiction.
These are the conclusions of a study recently published in the journal PLoS One. African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) is in continuous expansion since its last entrance in Europe through Georgia in 2007.
African Swine Fever (ASF) is a disease of domestic pigs caused by African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV). The fact that the disease is endemic in Sardinia and overall, in many Sub-Saharan African countries, where it causes important losses, provoked the reentering of the virus in Europe trough Republic of Georgia in 2007. Since then, the virus has continued its expansion through adjacent countries, including Russia, where the situation remains uncontrolled nowadays.
The lack of available vaccines against ASFV complicates the control of the disease even more. Therefore, developing an efficient and safe vaccine against ASF is a must.
The last results obtained by the research group from CReSA clearly demonstrate the possibility of protecting pigs against a lethal ASFV challenge by using DNA vaccines encoding 3 of the viral antigens (ASFV encodes more than 150 different proteins). Moreover, the relevance of the CD8+ T-cells (a lymphocyte subset capable of recognising infected cells and specifically destroy them) in protection, has been definitively confirmed.
Dr. Fernando Rodríguez, principal investigator of this research line explains the results obtained: “Our initial work was based on preliminary studies performed in the mid nineties demonstrating the immunogenic properties of three ASFV proteins: p54, p30 and hemagglutinin (HA). In our study, we have been able to demonstrate that DNA vaccines (in the form of innocuous DNA plasmid molecules) encoding these three viral antigens, are capable of provoking a significant delay of the death of the animals after ASFV lethal challenge and more importantly, that 33% of the immunised pigs survive and totally recovered from the infection. To achieve this protection, optimising the presentation of the vaccine encoded antigens to the specific CD8+ T-cells by ubiquitination (a label that marks proteins for intracellular degradation), was mandatory. In fact, the protection conferred totally correlated with the presence of large number of specific CD8+ T-cells in the blood of surviving pigs with no need of antibodies-help.
This research group is currently in the process of characterising new viral antigens (within the rest of the ASFV 150 proteins) with potential to provoke protective CD8+ T-cell responses. “The final objective of our work is finding an optimal vaccine formulation capable to protect the haplotype-diversity found in our conventional pig farms. It will not be an easy task but certainly we believe that it could be feasible,” Dr. Rodriguez says.
The results of this study have been recently published in: Argilaguet JM, Pérez-Martín E, Nofrarías M, Gallardo C, Accensi F, Lacasta A, Mora M, Ballester M, Galindo-Cardiel I, López-Soria S, Escribano JM, Reche PA, Rodríguez F. DNA Vaccination Partially Protects against African Swine Fever Virus Lethal Challenge in the Absence of Antibodies. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e40942. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040942.
Dr. Fernando Rodríguez González: Researcher of the CReSA. Principal investigator of the research line “Pathogenesis and profilaxis of Asfavirus infections" - Email: fernando.rodriguez@cresa.uab.cat
09 January 2013
UK research project to control poultry red mite
LAYERSHEALTH1010
Infestation of hen houses with the poultry red mite is a major health concern of the European poultry industry with significant economical losses. The mites live, off-host, in inaccessible areas of the cages during daylight and emerge during darkness to feed on the hens, biting through the skin to feed on blood. Infestation with these mites has important animal welfare implications including anaemia, feather-pecking and an increased incidence of cannibalism, thus having a significant impact on productivity.
The BBSRC has recently awarded a £0.55M research grant to Moredun scientists in collaboration with Pfizer Animal Health to develop a vaccine to help protect hens against these blood sucking mites.
Dr Alasdair Nisbet who is heading the project at Moredun commented, "Controlling mite populations is now a major problem, with most pesticides affording only limited or short-lived reduction in the population of mites. There is also the issue of development of drug resistance and environmental contamination which means there is an urgent need to develop alternative control strategies".
The team's approach is to determine whether it might be possible to vaccinate laying hens using specific extracts of the mites thus inducing an immune response in the hens that will attack and kill the mites when they take a blood meal from an immunised hen.
"Our goal is to identify the bits of the mite that will induce the best immune responses in the hens and produce large quantities of these using recombinant technologies to enable large scale vaccination trials to take place. Preliminary work at Moredun has shown that a vaccination approach is a feasible option to control red poultry mite and we are really excited about progressing this work," Nisbet concluded.
Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC Chief Executive, said "Diseases in farmed animas are a serious animal welfare and food security issue. This new project looking at red mites in poultry highlight the vital role of bioscience research in ensuring farmed animals have the best possible welfare standards, as well as reducing the significant economic losses caused by reduced productivity."
05 December 2012
Swine feed: Expert warns of DDGS price surge
The reduced ethanol production in the United States may have an unpleasant price effect for US swine producers as prices for Distillers Dried Grains and Solubles (DDGS) may rise as well.
DDGS, a co-product from ethanol production, have become known as alternative and cost-reducing ingredients for swine diets since alternative energy sources for fossil fuels have been promoted. In the US, fuel mixtures have been sold containing both gasoline and ethanol.
In his blog on the website of the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, Iowa State University economist Dr Robert Wisner, professor emeritus, writes that DDGS production by ethanol plants is expected to show a decline in 2012, due to drought, a function of higher corn prices, but also because demand for gasoline has declined.
Exceeding prices
The price of DDGS, usually lower than corn, has come close to those of corn and soybean meal – and is known to have exceeded these as well. Wisner writes: “Record or near-record high soybean meal prices likely have allowed DDGS prices at times to exceed corn prices as the market more closely reflected their protein value.”
Wisner added that DDGS production will also feel the effects of any change in policy that reduces ethanol production, as well as from ethanol imported from Brazil.
Wisner said that the need for an additional income stream, “many ethanol plants have installed technology to remove corn oil” from DDGS – and more plants are likely to do so. This may have an impact on the quality of the DDGS, he said, adding that “there is an increased need for nutritional research to find optimum ways of using this modified DGS most effectively.”
He expects the production of decline to be temporary.
Related websites:
Iowa State University (ISU)
Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
In his blog on the website of the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, Iowa State University economist Dr Robert Wisner, professor emeritus, writes that DDGS production by ethanol plants is expected to show a decline in 2012, due to drought, a function of higher corn prices, but also because demand for gasoline has declined.
Exceeding prices
The price of DDGS, usually lower than corn, has come close to those of corn and soybean meal – and is known to have exceeded these as well. Wisner writes: “Record or near-record high soybean meal prices likely have allowed DDGS prices at times to exceed corn prices as the market more closely reflected their protein value.”
Wisner added that DDGS production will also feel the effects of any change in policy that reduces ethanol production, as well as from ethanol imported from Brazil.
Wisner said that the need for an additional income stream, “many ethanol plants have installed technology to remove corn oil” from DDGS – and more plants are likely to do so. This may have an impact on the quality of the DDGS, he said, adding that “there is an increased need for nutritional research to find optimum ways of using this modified DGS most effectively.”
He expects the production of decline to be temporary.
Related websites:
Iowa State University (ISU)
Agricultural Marketing Resource Center
04 December 2012
Probiotics reduces lameness in broilers
Year in and year out, lameness is one of the leading causes of mortality in broilers, making the condition a significant economic concern for the poultry industry. But because the incidence rate of lameness is low in research flocks, the phenomenon has been difficult to study, which has hampered efforts to develop measures that may help producers.
However, a team led by researchers at the University of Arkansas has developed a wire-flooring model that reliably induces lameness in broilers at levels sufficient to allow in-depth study of the condition. The team published the results of their study in the April issue of Poultry Science, a journal published by the Poultry Science Association (PSA).
Yielded significant results
The model has already yielded significant results, including the finding that lameness in broilers due to the most common cause of the condition, bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), may be reduced by administering probiotics prophylactically from the first day of rearing. Hence, probiotics may lessen or even eliminate the need for antibiotic treatment of BCO-related disease conditions in growing broilers.
“One way the BCO bacterium spreads is by entering the bloodstream via translocation from the gastrointestinal tract,” said Dr. Bob Wideman, lead author and professor in the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas. “Once in the bloodstream, some of the bacteria find their way to the growth plates of growing bones, where they are harbored in microfractures. The bird’s immune system can’t reach them there, and they grow rapidly and begin destroying bone minerals. This occurs primarily in the hip joint or proximal femur, and in the proximal tibia. It’s the damage caused by the festering of BCO bacteria that leads, first to subclinical lesions, and ultimately, if unchecked, to lameness.”
Dr. Wideman’s team speculates that probiotics help reduce BCO-induced lameness by lessening bacterial translocation from the gut, which helps prevent BCO transmission. Specifically, according to the article, “probiotics may interfere with the development of osteomyelitis by attenuating intestinal populations of pathogenic bacteria, improving gut health to reduce bacterial leakage (translocation) across the gut wall, or by priming the immune system to better eliminate translocated bacteria.”
Reduced incidence of lameness for broilers
Over the course of five experiments conducted from December 2009 to April 2011, the researchers found that adding probiotics to the birds’ diets beginning at one day of age consistently reduced the incidence of lameness for broilers reared on wire flooring.
The experimenters were able to begin an effective investigation of BCO-induced lameness by developing a wire-flooring model that consistently induced the condition in research flocks at rates high enough to enable statistically sound study. The wire flooring model works by dependably imposing greater torque and shear stress on susceptible leg joints, which, the authors suggest, results in microtrauma to bone growth plates, creating the microfractures conducive to BCO described above.
Animal procedures for the five experiments conducted by the research team were approved by the University of Arkansas Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
“We feel confident that this new model will allow researchers, for the first time, to more deeply investigate the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment strategies for BCO,” said Dr. Wideman. “This should lead to more effective preventive strategies applicable to commercial flocks, which in turn will help decrease economic losses due to BCO.”
Previously, pathogenic bacteria had to be injected intravenously into broilers and turkeys to induce lameness for study purposes. The new experimental model instead provides, according to the article, a safer mechanism for studying the condition by “reliably triggering BCO in commercial broilers without purposefully exposing the flock to known pathogens.”
Source: The Poultry Science Association (PSA)
Yielded significant results
The model has already yielded significant results, including the finding that lameness in broilers due to the most common cause of the condition, bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), may be reduced by administering probiotics prophylactically from the first day of rearing. Hence, probiotics may lessen or even eliminate the need for antibiotic treatment of BCO-related disease conditions in growing broilers.
“One way the BCO bacterium spreads is by entering the bloodstream via translocation from the gastrointestinal tract,” said Dr. Bob Wideman, lead author and professor in the Department of Poultry Science at the University of Arkansas. “Once in the bloodstream, some of the bacteria find their way to the growth plates of growing bones, where they are harbored in microfractures. The bird’s immune system can’t reach them there, and they grow rapidly and begin destroying bone minerals. This occurs primarily in the hip joint or proximal femur, and in the proximal tibia. It’s the damage caused by the festering of BCO bacteria that leads, first to subclinical lesions, and ultimately, if unchecked, to lameness.”
Dr. Wideman’s team speculates that probiotics help reduce BCO-induced lameness by lessening bacterial translocation from the gut, which helps prevent BCO transmission. Specifically, according to the article, “probiotics may interfere with the development of osteomyelitis by attenuating intestinal populations of pathogenic bacteria, improving gut health to reduce bacterial leakage (translocation) across the gut wall, or by priming the immune system to better eliminate translocated bacteria.”
Reduced incidence of lameness for broilers
Over the course of five experiments conducted from December 2009 to April 2011, the researchers found that adding probiotics to the birds’ diets beginning at one day of age consistently reduced the incidence of lameness for broilers reared on wire flooring.
The experimenters were able to begin an effective investigation of BCO-induced lameness by developing a wire-flooring model that consistently induced the condition in research flocks at rates high enough to enable statistically sound study. The wire flooring model works by dependably imposing greater torque and shear stress on susceptible leg joints, which, the authors suggest, results in microtrauma to bone growth plates, creating the microfractures conducive to BCO described above.
Animal procedures for the five experiments conducted by the research team were approved by the University of Arkansas Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
“We feel confident that this new model will allow researchers, for the first time, to more deeply investigate the etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment strategies for BCO,” said Dr. Wideman. “This should lead to more effective preventive strategies applicable to commercial flocks, which in turn will help decrease economic losses due to BCO.”
Previously, pathogenic bacteria had to be injected intravenously into broilers and turkeys to induce lameness for study purposes. The new experimental model instead provides, according to the article, a safer mechanism for studying the condition by “reliably triggering BCO in commercial broilers without purposefully exposing the flock to known pathogens.”
Source: The Poultry Science Association (PSA)
In ovo prebiotic on poultry meat quality studied
Raw poultry meat is generally very soft and, when cooked, it can even be cohesive. However, a newer emerging quality issue in poultry is the poor cohesiveness of meat related to immaturity of intramuscular connective tissue.
It is believed that genetic progress has put more stress on the growing bird and has resulted in histological and biochemical modifications of the muscle tissue by impairing some meat quality traits.
Meat is a complex, composite substance. It consists of myofibers, connective tissue, and lipids. Collagen, the major component of the intramuscular connective tissue, plays a key role in determining meat toughness of different domestic animals, including poultry. The quality and composition of poultry meat are influenced by factors such as genotype, sex, age, diet, rearing conditions, pre-slaughter treatment of birds and possibly by probiotics supplied in feed.
The effects of the administration of bioactive compounds including bacteria on meat quality are not conclusive. A major problem is their efficient administration under fully controlled conditions. To eliminate some of the factors, in ovo technology has been used. This technology enables administration of the given substance in a solution, directly inside the eggs during their incubation.
In this study the effect of in ovo injection of prebiotics and synbiotics on growth performance, meat quality traits (cholesterol content, intramuscular collagen properties, fiber measurements), and the presence of histopathological changes in the pectoral muscle of broiler chickens was studied.
The study
On day 12 of incubation, 480 eggs were randomly divided into 5 experimental groups treated with different mixtures of bioactive compounds (oligosaccharides, oligosaccharides enriched with Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus faecium bacteria plus lactose). 60 Male hatched chickens, were randomly chosen and were grown to 42 days in cages. Broilers were fed ad libitum commercial diets according to age.
In ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration had a no effect on investigated traits, but depended on the kind of bioactives administered some effects were measured. Treatment with lactic acid bacteria reduced carcass yield percentages and increased the feed conversion ratio. The abdominal fat, the ultimate pH, and cholesterol were not affected by the treatments. The incidence of histo-pathological changes in broiler chickens from treated groups was low, which did not affect the deterioration of meat quality obtained from these birds.
(G. Maiorano, A. Sobolewska, D. Cianciullo, K. Walasik, G. Elminowska-Wenda, A. Sławińska, S. Tavaniello, J. Żylińska, J. Bardowski and M. Bednarczyk, Poultry Science, 91, 2963-2969)
Meat is a complex, composite substance. It consists of myofibers, connective tissue, and lipids. Collagen, the major component of the intramuscular connective tissue, plays a key role in determining meat toughness of different domestic animals, including poultry. The quality and composition of poultry meat are influenced by factors such as genotype, sex, age, diet, rearing conditions, pre-slaughter treatment of birds and possibly by probiotics supplied in feed.
The effects of the administration of bioactive compounds including bacteria on meat quality are not conclusive. A major problem is their efficient administration under fully controlled conditions. To eliminate some of the factors, in ovo technology has been used. This technology enables administration of the given substance in a solution, directly inside the eggs during their incubation.
In this study the effect of in ovo injection of prebiotics and synbiotics on growth performance, meat quality traits (cholesterol content, intramuscular collagen properties, fiber measurements), and the presence of histopathological changes in the pectoral muscle of broiler chickens was studied.
The study
On day 12 of incubation, 480 eggs were randomly divided into 5 experimental groups treated with different mixtures of bioactive compounds (oligosaccharides, oligosaccharides enriched with Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus faecium bacteria plus lactose). 60 Male hatched chickens, were randomly chosen and were grown to 42 days in cages. Broilers were fed ad libitum commercial diets according to age.
In ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration had a no effect on investigated traits, but depended on the kind of bioactives administered some effects were measured. Treatment with lactic acid bacteria reduced carcass yield percentages and increased the feed conversion ratio. The abdominal fat, the ultimate pH, and cholesterol were not affected by the treatments. The incidence of histo-pathological changes in broiler chickens from treated groups was low, which did not affect the deterioration of meat quality obtained from these birds.
(G. Maiorano, A. Sobolewska, D. Cianciullo, K. Walasik, G. Elminowska-Wenda, A. Sławińska, S. Tavaniello, J. Żylińska, J. Bardowski and M. Bednarczyk, Poultry Science, 91, 2963-2969)
Fresh air for pigs beats antibiotics
Sows kept in outdoor conditions have a more robust immunity than those kept indoors and treated with antibiotics.
This was one of the main take-home messages of Prof Denise Kelly, Institute of Medical Sciences, Aberdeen, UK at this year’s edition of the Pig Solutions Seminar Series, held by animal nutrition company Alltech, in Hanover.
Kelly introduced various factors that may influence the gut microflora of a young pig – diet, the sow, environment and antibiotic usage. Suggesting that antibiotic usage may also kill ‘the good guys’ in the swine gastro-intestinal tract, she set out comparing the gut microbiota of outdoor and indoor kept pigs.
In a trial with outdoor pigs, without the use of antibiotics, she found that the gut microflora consisted of a majority of Lactobacilli; whereas indoor pigs, which did receive antibiotics, completely different bacteria populations prevailed. She concluded: “Outdoor farms maintain control of microbiota and are more immunotolerant.”
Future of swine production
Among the other speakers, Prof Mike Brumm, Brumm Swine Consultancy, had an interesting presentation, casting a look into the future of swine production. Noteworthy was that he – being an American – saw a future for boar finishing.
He also called Argentina ‘the sleeping giant’, having a climate that is great for soybean and corn cultivation, as well as a good infrastructure – but so far a relatively underdeveloped swine industry. The government is working on plans for improvement, he says.
Phosphorus, calcium
Dr Hans Stein, University of Illinois, USA, zoomed in on recent developments in measuring digestibility of phosphorus, and whether or not phytase can increase calcium digestibility (yes – it seems) and phosphorus (not observed).
He also called for matrix values for phytase to be added to each feed ingredient.
Other speakers included Nigel Penlington (British Pig Executive), talking about lifecycle analysis for swine production and Dr Kate Jacques, Alltech, who highlighted some elements from the company’s nutrigenomics programme – and how foetal piglet development may be impacted by maternal nutrition.
Alltech’s Pig Solutions Seminar was held in Laatzen, close to the EuroTier showgrounds. The show will kick off on Tuesday, and last until Friday, November 16. The show is expected to attract 160,000 visitors from around the globe.
Kelly introduced various factors that may influence the gut microflora of a young pig – diet, the sow, environment and antibiotic usage. Suggesting that antibiotic usage may also kill ‘the good guys’ in the swine gastro-intestinal tract, she set out comparing the gut microbiota of outdoor and indoor kept pigs.
In a trial with outdoor pigs, without the use of antibiotics, she found that the gut microflora consisted of a majority of Lactobacilli; whereas indoor pigs, which did receive antibiotics, completely different bacteria populations prevailed. She concluded: “Outdoor farms maintain control of microbiota and are more immunotolerant.”
Future of swine production
Among the other speakers, Prof Mike Brumm, Brumm Swine Consultancy, had an interesting presentation, casting a look into the future of swine production. Noteworthy was that he – being an American – saw a future for boar finishing.
He also called Argentina ‘the sleeping giant’, having a climate that is great for soybean and corn cultivation, as well as a good infrastructure – but so far a relatively underdeveloped swine industry. The government is working on plans for improvement, he says.
Phosphorus, calcium
Dr Hans Stein, University of Illinois, USA, zoomed in on recent developments in measuring digestibility of phosphorus, and whether or not phytase can increase calcium digestibility (yes – it seems) and phosphorus (not observed).
He also called for matrix values for phytase to be added to each feed ingredient.
Other speakers included Nigel Penlington (British Pig Executive), talking about lifecycle analysis for swine production and Dr Kate Jacques, Alltech, who highlighted some elements from the company’s nutrigenomics programme – and how foetal piglet development may be impacted by maternal nutrition.
Alltech’s Pig Solutions Seminar was held in Laatzen, close to the EuroTier showgrounds. The show will kick off on Tuesday, and last until Friday, November 16. The show is expected to attract 160,000 visitors from around the globe.
03 December 2012
ASF continues to spread in Russia
Two new outbreaks of the African Swine Fever (ASF) virus have recently been identified in the Tver region among wild boars.
The first outbreak has been reported by the veterinary services in the hunting area Zavidovo.
"On 19 November at one of the feeding grounds of the hunting area Zavidovo, four dead wild boars were discovered. Samples of pathological material were taken for research on the presence of African Swine Fever. The area where dead boars were found has been disinfected, while where carcasses destroyed," according to in the official message of the Department of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) on Tver and Pskov regions.
ASF was found in samples of the genetic material. Also on 29 November specialists of Tver Interregional Veterinary Laboratory reported another ASF outbreak in Kesovogorsky area.
“Yesterday, research of pathological material was delivered taken from the seven wild boars shot in the hunting area Quantum in the Kesovogorsky area. As a result of the study the genetic material of ASF virus was detected in samples of three wild boars,” reported the department of Rosselhoznadzor.
Over the last six weeks, with the presence of ASF in Russia, the disease was detected in food products on the market as well in the wildlife. Due to the still active spread of the disease Rosselkhoznadzor appealed to the government of Tver region with the request of increasing the efforts to control the spread of ASF virus.
"On 19 November at one of the feeding grounds of the hunting area Zavidovo, four dead wild boars were discovered. Samples of pathological material were taken for research on the presence of African Swine Fever. The area where dead boars were found has been disinfected, while where carcasses destroyed," according to in the official message of the Department of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) on Tver and Pskov regions.
ASF was found in samples of the genetic material. Also on 29 November specialists of Tver Interregional Veterinary Laboratory reported another ASF outbreak in Kesovogorsky area.
“Yesterday, research of pathological material was delivered taken from the seven wild boars shot in the hunting area Quantum in the Kesovogorsky area. As a result of the study the genetic material of ASF virus was detected in samples of three wild boars,” reported the department of Rosselhoznadzor.
Over the last six weeks, with the presence of ASF in Russia, the disease was detected in food products on the market as well in the wildlife. Due to the still active spread of the disease Rosselkhoznadzor appealed to the government of Tver region with the request of increasing the efforts to control the spread of ASF virus.
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