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Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2022) | Viewed by 44948

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Prof. Dr. Nicole Kemper

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Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, D-30173 Hannover, Germany
Interests: farm animal welfare; animal hygiene; animal–environment–human interactions; antibiotic resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleague,

Hygiene is of extreme importance, especially during a pandemic, be it among humans or animals. Even though the direct effects are often difficult to measure, prevention pays off in terms of prevented outbreaks of disease and the associated benefits. Health protection is not limited to animal health but includes human health, as part on the “One Health” concept. This is most obvious in the prevention of spread of zoonotic pathogens, but also referring to antimicrobial resistance. A reduction of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance is only possible with optimal animal hygiene in farms.

As stated by the International Society of Animal Hygiene (ISAH, https://www.isah-soc.org), “Animal Hygiene includes scientific analysis of interactions between domestic animals and any abiotic and biotic factors …with the aim to develop optimisation and intervention measures for preventing diseases, promote animals’ health and their species-specific welfare needs whilst maintaining a secure and sound environment.” Animal hygiene is a field in which the expertise of many disciplines is required, including veterinary medicine, animal science, agricultural economics, engineering, microbiology, public health, and epidemiology.

In this Special Issue, new research on animal hygiene should be presented. Papers dealing with all livestock production systems, including aquaculture, can be submitted. Classic (i.e., disinfection, air hygiene) and new approaches (i.e., precision livestock farming and other innovative concepts) are welcome. Economic considerations and potential conflicting goals should also be taken into account. Moreover, studies evaluating potential gaps in animal hygiene and ways to overcome identified shortcomings are of interest, as well as comprehensive review articles.

This Special Issue aims at showing the broad range and utmost importance of animal hygiene in livestock farming. Therefore, I invite you to contribute by submitting your papers, with the aim of summarizing the successes, limitations, and ongoing challenges to realize animal hygiene in farms.

Prof. Dr. Nicole Kemper
Guest Editor

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

hygiene
animal welfare
animal health
antibiotics
antimicrobials
livestock management
disease prevention

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 162 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Animal Hygiene on Farms—More Important than Ever Before

by Nicole Kemper

Agriculture 2023, 13(8), 1566; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13081566 - 5 Aug 2023

Viewed by 2094

Abstract

“Prevention is better than cure” [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

12 pages, 1309 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Bacterial Burden in the Air of Indoor Riding Arenas

by Torsten Lühe, Nina Volkmann, Jeanette Probst, Cornelia Dreyer-Rendelsmann, Jochen Schulz and Nicole Kemper

Agriculture 2022, 12(12), 2111; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12122111 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1844

Abstract

Airway diseases in horses are often multifactorial and have a strong environmental background because diseased horses react to inhaled agents. In this study, the air quality of closed riding arenas was analyzed monthly in four riding arenas over the course of one year with special emphasis on bacteriology. A standardized riding program with one horse was used to measure exposures to airborne bacteria. Air samples were taken from the heights of the riders’ and the horses’ breathing zone (2.5 m and 1.5 m, respectively) at four sampling points before and after the riding program. The bacterial loads in all four arenas significantly increased after the riding program. However, the results showed no differences between the breathing zones of the riders (2.5 m height) and those of the horses (1.5 m height). Gram-positive bacteria and especially Staphylococcus spp. occurred as the predominant aerobic mesophilic bacteria; 80% of the identified Staphylococci were Staphylococcus xylosus. The cultured samples from the ground of the arenas indicated that the ground was probably the main source of airborne Staphylococcus spp. during riding. The impact of an additional bacterial burden in riding halls on the health of riders and horses remains unknown; however, the air quality of riding arenas should be of special interest in future studies in terms of the high air consumption of horses during training periods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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15 pages, 1546 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sexual Dimorphism in Bone Quality and Performance of Conventional Broilers at Different Growth Phases

by Johanna Müsse, Helen Louton, Birgit Spindler and Jenny Stracke

Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1109; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081109 - 28 Jul 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2164

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze sexual dimorphism with regard to the bone quality of Ross 308 broilers. The relationship between carcass traits, performance and bone quality was analyzed. The effect of sex and age at slaughter was examined in four replicates, always on day 31 and day 38. The weight, length, minimum diameter and breaking strength of the tibiotarsi were measured to determine the bone quality. Female tibiotarsi were shorter, lighter and had a lower minimum diameter and breaking strength compared to male ones. The tibiotarsi of older broilers were found to show higher values in the three-point bending test. The effects on broiler performance were determined by measuring the live body weight, carcass and cut weights. The results demonstrate significant effects of the age at slaughter and the sex (p < 0.001) on all measured parameters, with males always reaching higher values compared to females. A strong correlation of performance and bone parameters could be observed between live weight and weight of the tibiotarsi on both days of data collection. Therefore, it could be beneficial to raise female and male broilers separately. However, in order to make specific recommendations for practice, further knowledge is necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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18 pages, 2217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vaginal and Uterine Microbiomes during Puerperium in Dairy Cows

by Hanna Kronfeld, Nicole Kemper and Christina S. Hölzel

Agriculture 2022, 12(3), 405; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12030405 - 14 Mar 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3907

Abstract

Knowledge of how vaginal and uterine microbiomes are composed is essential to prevent uterine diseases and to understand their pathogenesis. For this purpose, 50 dairy cows were involved in a prospective trial. Cows were clinically examined and vaginal and uterine swabs were taken (day 2, 4, 6 and 14 p.p.), followed up by clinical examination on day 21 ± 1 and 41 ± 1. All samples (n = 364) were analyzed with cultural bacteriological methods and bacteria were identified by MALDI-TOF MS. In animals with a pathological puerperium, bacterial diversity was reduced and the genera Fusobacteria spp., Bacteroides spp. and Helcococcus spp. occurred significantly more frequently. By contrast, other well-known uterine pathogens such as Escherichia spp. and Trueperella pyogenes did not show significant differences between healthy and diseased cattle. Bacterial occurrences in the vagina and the uterus were sometimes correlated. Cows that suffered from puerperal disorders showed a significantly lower incidence of coagulase- negative staphylococci even before symptoms occurred. This may point towards a protective role of the vaginal microbiome. In addition, we discuss several shortcomings in calving hygiene that might have contributed to the high percentage of puerperal disorders on the study farm (58.7%). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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16 pages, 10450 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Automatic Scoring System for Monitoring Foot Pad Dermatitis in Broilers

by Helen Louton, Shana Bergmann, Andre Piller, Michael Erhard, Jenny Stracke, Birgit Spindler, Paul Schmidt, Jan Schulte-Landwehr and Angela Schwarzer

Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020221 - 3 Feb 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3468

Abstract

The assessment of foot pad dermatitis at slaughter is a suitable method to assess and monitor the welfare of broilers. The goals of this study were to define and validate a camera-based score that could identify macroscopic lesions of the foot pads, to identify errors, and to assess possible external factors that could influence the assessment. In the first phase 200 feet of broilers and in the second phase 500 feet were collected at slaughter, assessed visually, hung back into the evisceration line, and assessed by an automatic system. The camera score cut-off values were defined in the first (=calibration) phase. In the second (=validation) phase, the performance of diagnosis for these cut-off values was evaluated, and possible errors in the assessment of reference surface area and foot pad lesions were analyzed. The results showed that, in particular, Macro Scores 0, 2, and 3 could be identified with sufficiently high sensitivity. For Macro Score 1, the sensitivity of diagnosis was not sufficiently high in the two evaluated software versions. The current automatic assessment systems at slaughter could be adjusted to the cut-off values in order to classify foot pad dermatitis lesions. Furthermore, software updates can enhance the performance measures and lower the probability of errors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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15 pages, 2892 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Survival of Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and ESBL Carrying Escherichia coli in Stored Anaerobic Biogas Digestates in Relation to Different Biogas Input Materials and Storage Temperatures

by Thorben Schilling, Katharina Hoelzle, Werner Philipp and Ludwig E. Hoelzle

Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010067 - 5 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2273

Abstract

Anaerobic digestates derived from agricultural mesophilic biogas plants are mainly used as organic fertilizers. However, animal derived pathogens could persist in the anaerobic digestates (ADs) posing an epidemiological risk. The present study investigated whether storage of ADs could reduce Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and ESBL carrying Escherichia coli and whether reduction rates are dependent on temperature and substrate. Quantified bacterial suspensions were used to inoculate ADs derived from five biogas plants using different input materials to investigate the substrate dependence of the pathogen reduction. ADs were stored over six months with four different temperature profiles each representing six consecutive months, and, thus, the four seasons. Pathogen reduction during storage was shown to be strongly dependent on the temperature but also on the type of AD. This influence was higher at low temperatures. At higher temperatures (spring and summer profiles), a 5-log reduction was achieved after twelve weeks for S. Typhimurium, after twenty weeks for E. coli (ESBL) and after twenty-four weeks for L. monocytogenes in all ADs, respectively. In contrast at lower temperatures (autumn and winter profiles), a 5-log reduction was reached after twenty-four weeks for S. Typhimurium and not reached for ESBL-E. coli and L. monocytogenes. In conclusion, storing the ADs after the biogas process improves the hygienic quality and reduce the risk of introducing pathogens to the environment, but each case should be evaluated individually considering the composition of the ADs and the storage temperatures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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12 pages, 531 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Boot Swabs to Evaluate Cleaning and Disinfection Success in Poultry Barns

by Rafael H. Mateus-Vargas, Kira Butenholz, Nina Volkmann, Christian Sürie, Nicole Kemper and Jochen Schulz

Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010057 - 2 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3042

Abstract

Due to the relevance of cleaning and disinfection in farm hygiene management, accurate evaluation of the success of such procedures remains a fundamental challenge for producers. This study aimed to use boot swab sampling to quantify the effects of such practices in poultry barns. For this purpose, the counts of both the total and fecal indicator bacteria were detected after the application of a cleaning and disinfection protocol in identical barns that were occupied by turkeys and broilers. Boot swab samples were compared to an established agar contact plating method to evaluate disinfection success. Statistical analyses showed no correlations between the bacterial counts that were obtained with either method. In contrast to the agar contact plating method, boot swab sampling permitted the assessment of the hygienic conditions of the barn floors before and after cleaning procedures. Furthermore, according to observations with the boot swab method, factors related to the species being farmed influenced the initial bacterial loads but did not affect the effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection. Species identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) also suggested that non-fecal bacteria grow on selective media. Further studies should validate the use of this sampling technique by comparing different cleaning and disinfection protocols. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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19 pages, 2094 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risk Factor Assessment, Sero-Prevalence, and Genotyping of the Virus That Causes Foot-and-Mouth Disease on Commercial Farms in Ethiopia from October 2018 to February 2020

by Fanos Tadesse Woldemariyam, Annebel De Vleeschauwer, Nato Hundessa, Ayelech Muluneh, Daniel Gizaw, Susanne Tinel, Kris De Clercq, David Lefebvre and Jan Paeshuyse

Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010049 - 31 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2790

Abstract

A cross-sectional serological, active outbreak search and a questionnaire-based survey were carried out to investigate foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) sero-epidemiology in Ethiopia. The circulating serotype of the FMD virus (FMDV) was identified, and the knowledge regarding FMD and husbandry practices was assessed. Using the questionnaire survey, a total of 237 individuals were interviewed, and the majority responded that there is no practice of reporting disease outbreak, free in and out movement of livestock, or share pastures, and they use traditional case management as a means of controlling the disease. A total of 1938 cattle, 490 domestic small ruminants, and 426 swine were sampled randomly for serological analysis using the 3ABC non-structural protein (NSP) enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. An overall prevalence of 25% in cattle, 5% in domestic small ruminants, and 2% in swine was recorded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that cattle from the Oromia, Tigray, and Amhara regions had the highest probability of being sero-positive as compared with Addis Ababa odds ratio(OR)(OR: 4 (95% confidence interval (CI)(CI [3–6], 3 (95% CI [2,5]), and 2 (95% CI 2 [1,3]), respectively)). Older cattle (older than three years) and domestic small ruminants (>18 months) had a higher chance of being seropositive (OR: 2, 95% CI [1.6,3]) and (OR: 6, 95% CI [2,18]), respectively). Female and older swine older than three years of age had a higher chance of being sero-positive (p < 0.05). Local breed cattle had the lowest chance (OR: 0.2. 95% CI [0.1–0.3]) of being sero-positive. A region, age, and breed proved to have a statistically significant association with sero-positivity (p < 0.05) in cattle. Swine from Bishoftu were less likely to test positive than swine from Addis Ababa (OR: 0.04, 95% CI [0.01–0.3]). From 96 herds, 72 pooled outbreak samples were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), virus isolation, serotyping (antigen enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA)), sequencing, and phylogenetic tree analysis. Six serotype A (G-IV) FMD viruses and three serotype O east African (EA-3 and EA-4) FMDVs were identified. Thus, this study established the lack of disease outbreak reporting, poor husbandry problems, and the prevalence of FMD in three domestic species (cattle, small ruminant, and swine). In addition, continuous circulation of serotype A and O in the study area was confirmed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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15 pages, 955 KiB

Open AccessArticle

African Swine Fever: Prevalence, Farm Characteristics, Farmer’s Insight and Attitude toward Reporting of African Swine Fever Cases in the Northwest, West, Littoral and Southwest Regions of Cameroon

by Ebanja Joseph Ebwanga, Stephen Mbigha Ghogomu and Jan Paeshuyse

Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010044 - 31 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3672

Abstract

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been circulating in and ravaging the swine industry in Cameroon for decades. Annual ASFV epidemics occur in Cameroon from April to August. With the absence of vaccines and antiviral drugs against this virus, biosecurity has been the only effective control tool available. When properly applied, biosecurity measures allow control of the spread of ASFV and the eventual eradication of this virus. Many outbreak investigations by PCR were effected in Cameroon, with ASFV prevalences ranging from 15.23% to 42.80%. Considering that pre-outbreak studies are not available for Cameroon, the present study aimed at assessing the status of the animals before an outbreak. A two-stage cluster sampling study was conducted from January to March 2020. In this study, the primary unit was the farm and the secondary unit was the individual animals. In all, 97 farms were visited and 277 samples were collected. Pre-outbreak ASFV prevalence, as assessed by PCR, was 9.75%. In parallel, data were collected using a survey of farm characteristics, awareness and attitude of the farmers toward ASF. The survey results showed that 34.1% of the farms were backyard cemented piggeries with the majority having less than 10 pigs (54.1%). The majority of farmers (90.6%) had heard of and knew about the disease caused by ASF. Though 69.4% of the farmers were uninformed on the clinical signs of ASF, 73.6% of them did treat sick pigs presenting similar clinical signs to ASF (with no risk of mortality) with antibiotics, while 79.4% did not treat but sold the pigs presenting clinical signs similar to ASF with an increased risk of mortality. Sixty-three percent of the farmers had reported a case of ASF in the past and believed that reporting was useful and had no negative consequences on other farmers or third parties. We established that poor implementation of biosecurity measures in addition to poor training are contributing factors to the enzootic nature of ASFV in Cameroon and, thus, the spread of ASFV. Hence, pig farmers in Cameroon must be properly trained in ASFV awareness and the impact thereof on pig production. Furthermore, training will also facilitate the successful implementation of biosecurity measures to contain ASFV outbreaks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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15 pages, 1787 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementation of Straw Racks in Commercial Pig Housing—Impact on Straw Availability and Pig Behaviour

by Torun Wallgren and Stefan Gunnarson

Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010005 - 21 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2844

Abstract

This study investigated if straw racks, which enable larger straw rations, induced a more straw-directed behaviour in pigs, as a mean to facilitate the provision of manipulable material and natural behaviour. It was conducted on a commercial farm (459 pigs, 42 pens, 30–120 kg) where half of the pens received 25 L of straw on the floor (CONTROL) and the other half of the pens received straw in a rack holding 44 L of straw (RACK). The pig behaviour in five randomly assigned pens per treatment were recorded for 24 h, during three periods of production. Pig activity levels, exploratory behaviour, pen utilization and available clean straw were scan sampled. During period 1, no pigs were observed interacting with the straw racks. During this period, CONTROL pigs conducted more straw-directed behaviour and less pen-directed behaviour compared to pigs in the pens with a rack during period 1. The lack of rack interactions may imply an underdeveloped spatial cognition in the pigs. Apart from period 1, there were no significant difference in behaviour between RACK and CONTROL pigs. The racks did not disturb the use of the pen. The absent treatment effect in periods 2 and 3 may reflect that there was a too small difference in straw ration between the treatments. In order to design and implement straw racks that promote straw interaction, future studies should focus on understanding pigs’ spatial cognition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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16 pages, 1040 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential Benefits of Boswellia sacra Resin on Immunity, Metabolic Status, Udder and Uterus Health, and Milk Production in Transitioning Goats

by Nesrein M. Hashem, Amr S. Morsy, Yosra A. Soltan and Sobhy M. Sallam

Agriculture 2021, 11(9), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11090900 - 18 Sep 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3532

Abstract

As an attempt to prevent transition-period-associated metabolic disorders and/or diseases, the potential benefits of Boswellia sacra (Bs) resin on hematology, immunity, metabolic status, udder and uterus health biomarkers, and milk production were examined in transitioning goats. From 2 weeks prepartum to 7 weeks postpartum, goats (n = 7/treatment) orally received 0 (control, nBS), 2 (BsL), or 4 (BsH) g of Bs resin/goat/day. The results showed that both Bs treatments significantly improved the activity of phagocytes. Both Bs treatments significantly decreased the concentrations of blood plasma urea, non-esterified fatty acids, hydroxybutyric acid, and interleukin-1β, whereas they increased the total antioxidant capacity compared with the nBS treatment. Both Bs treatments significantly decreased the uterine horn diameter and tended to decrease the intrauterine fluid content, indicating improved uterine involution compared with no treatment. Compared with the nBS treatment, both Bs treatments significantly decreased the milk somatic cell count. The lowest milk interleukin-1β content was observed in goats that received the BsL treatment, followed by those that received the BsH and nBS treatments. The BsL treatment significantly increased the concentration of immunoglobulin M (IgM) in the colostrum compared with the other treatments. Both Bs treatments significantly increased the daily milk yield compared with the nBS treatment but did not affect milk composition or the fat-to-protein ratio. In conclusion, supplementing lactating goats in the transition period with Bs resin at a dose of 2 g/goat/day positively affected the body lipid metabolism, udder and uterus health, colostrum IgM content, and milk yield due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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Review

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18 pages, 574 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Emerging Precision Management Methods in Poultry Sector

by Katarzyna Olejnik, Ewa Popiela and Sebastian Opaliński

Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 718; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050718 - 18 May 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 9112

Abstract

New approach to improve welfare in the poultry sector is targeted at the precise management of animals. In poultry production, we observe that birds’ health and quality of poultry products depend significantly on good welfare conditions, affecting economic efficiency. Using technology solutions in different systems of animal production is an innovation that can help farmers more effectively control the environmental conditions and health of birds. In addition, rising public concern about poultry breeding and welfare leads to developing solutions to increase the efficiency of control and monitoring in this animal production branch. Precision livestock farming (PLF) collects real-time data of birds using different types of technologies for this process. It means that PLF can help prevent lowering animal welfare by detecting early stages of diseases and stressful situations during birds’ management and allows steps to be taken quickly enough to limit the adverse effects. This review shows connections between the possibilities of using the latest technologies to monitor laying hens and broilers in developing precision livestock farming. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Hygiene on Farms - Realising Animal Health Prevention)

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