128 Herd-specific interventions to reduce antimicrobial usage in pig production without jeopardising technical and economic performance (Research paper – Collineau – 2017

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128 Research paper – Collineau – 2017 – Herd-specific interventions to reduce antimicrobial usage in pig production without jeopardising technical and economic performance

Biosecurity \ Pathogen management
Species targeted: Pigs;
Age: Young; Adult;
Summary: Pig farmers are strongly encouraged to reduce their antimicrobial usage in order to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance. Herd-level intervention is needed to achieve reduction targets. The objective of this study was to asses feasibility, effectiveness and return on investment these interventions aiming at reducing antimicrobial usage in pig production. An intervention study was conducted in 70 farrow-to-finish pig farms located in Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden. Following interventions, a reduction in antimicrobial use was achieved without negative impact on the technical performance. Mortality in suckling piglets, weaners and fatteners, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio did not significantly change during the study, while the number of weaned piglets per sow per year slightly increased. Median change in net farm profit was overall positive. Costs of alternative measures are therefore not a barrier, but an opportunity to optimize production practices for sustained productivity and improved animal health.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28716198; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.05.023

Country: BE; CH; FR; SE; DE; DK;

127 Factors associated with specific health welfare and reproductive performance indicators in pig herds from five EU countries (Research paper; Chantziaras, 2018)

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127 Research paper – Chantziaras – 2018 – Factors associated with specific health welfare and reproductive performance indicators in pig herds from five EU countries

Housing and welfare \ Weaning age and management; Pathogen management
Species targeted: Pigs;
Age: Young; Adult;
Summary:
Production diseases are often the result of interactions between many factors. The focus of this study was to identify specific environment-related factors and to discuss their associations with health, welfare and reproductive performance in sows and piglets, in diverse systems using data from 130 farms from five EU countries. Eight parameters were selected from this data, four related to sow reproductive performance (litter index, replacement rate, repeat breeding (i.e. failure to breed after one mating), weaning to first mating interval) and the remaining four to litter / piglet health performance (piglets born alive per litter, piglets born dead per litter, preweaning mortality rate and weaned piglets per litter). Data analysis showed that factors related to applying good farm and health management, and optimal housing conditions were found to have a positive effect on various sow and piglet performance parameters.

Where to find the original material: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167587718303908; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.09.006
Country: BE; DE, DK; FI; UK

126 Biosecurity and animal disease management in organic and conventional Swedish dairy herds – A questionnaire study (Research paper; Emanuelson, 2018)

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126 Research paper – Emanuelson – 2018 – Biosecurity and animal disease management in organic and conventional Swedish dairy herds_ a questionnaire study

Biosecurity \ Pathogen management
Species targeted: Dairy;
Age: Adult;
Summary:
A questionnaire study on biosecurity and animal disease management activities was therefore conducted among Swedish farmers with organic and conventional dairy cattle herds. Herd characteristics of the two herd types were very similar, except that pipeline/tie-stall systems were less common in organic farms and that organic farmers had a higher education level than their conventional counterparts. Farmers of organic herds were more positive to policy actions to reduce the use and need for antibiotics, and they reported waiting longer before contacting a veterinarian for calves with diarrhoea and cows with subclinical mastitis. The results indicate that animal health is as important in conventionally managed dairy herds in Sweden as in organically managed herds.

Where to find the original material: https://actavetscand.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s13028-018-0376-6; https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-018-0376-6
Country: SE

125 Dairy farmers’ perspectives on antibiotic use – A qualitative study (Research paper; Fischer, 2019)

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125 Research paper – Fischer – 2019 – Dairy farmers’ perspectives on antibiotic use_ A qualitative study

AMU reduction strategies \ Monitoring and surveillance; Antibiotic use; Prudent use AB
Species targeted: Dairy;
Age: Adult;
Summary: An important step in limiting the development of antibiotic resistance is reducing use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. Farmers’ practices and reasoning around their antibiotic use do not reflect solely that farmer as an individual, and are guided by context (e.g., veterinary advice, peer pressure, regulation, and interactions with farm animals). This paper draws on the concept of the “good farmer,” to interpret findings from a study of Swedish dairy farms. Despite comparatively strict antibiotic use regulations in Sweden, the farmers do not report lack of access to antibiotics when needed. Structural limitations faced by farmers, rather than lack of information, impose constraints to further limiting antibiotic use in Sweden. Overall stricter and more uniform global regulations on antibiotic use in animal farming could be an effective measure for reducing antibiotic use.
Where to find the original material:

https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0022-0302%2819%2930006-2; https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15015

Country: Sweden

124 Investigation of antibiotic alternatives to improve health and growth of veal calves (Research paper -Short communication; Pempek, 2018)

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124 Research paper – Pempek – 2018 – Short communication_ Investigation of antibiotic alternatives to improve health and growth of veal calves

In Significant Impact Groups: Specific alternatives \ Other
Species targeted: Beef;
Age: Young;
Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of lactoferrin and cinnamaldehyde on the health,
growth, and mortality of special-fed veal calves.
This study investigated the effect of 2 alternative therapies, lactoferrin (an iron-binding protein found in colostrum) and cinnamaldehyde (an essential oil of the cinnamon plant) on growth, disease incidence, and mortality risk in special-fed veal calves (1 g/d in milk replacer).
Body weight and average daily gain were similar between treatments. Neither lactoferrin nor cinnamaldehyde had an effect on diarrhea incidence.
However, the risk of navel inflammation was significantly lower for calves that received cinnamaldehyde compared with calves in the control group. Additional research is needed on the effect of the various doses of these alternative therapies on calf health and growth, in addition to different routes of administration.

Where to find the original material: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002203021830184X; https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-14055
Country: US
124 Research paper – Pempek – 2018 – Short communication_ Investigation of antibiotic alternatives to improve health and growth of veal calves

123 Risk Assessment as a Tool for Improving External Biosecurity at Farm Level Sweden (Tools & Checklists)

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123 ToolsChecklists – Risk Assessment as a Tool for Improving External Biosecurity at Farm Level SWEDEN

In Significant Impact Groups: Biosecurity \External Biosecurity
Species targeted: Pigs; Dairy; Beef;
Summary: The study provide a tool for calculating the effects of different biosecurity measures and strategies on the individual farm level. A simple model was developed to assess the risk of disease introduction and the need for biosecurity measures in individual farms. To illustrate the general applicability of the tool, it was applied to theoretical examples of Swedish cattle and pig farms and diseases endemic in those animal species in the EU. The most important factors affecting the risk, and the effect of biosecurity measures were the frequency of between-farm contacts and prevalence of the disease. Model outputs could be used to justify prioritisation of measures or adapting contact patterns. The theoretic exercise of adjusting model inputs and comparing outputs may help veterinary advisors to understand farm-specific risks and motivate farmers to improve biosecurity in their individual farm, as it can be tailored to each farmer’s needs and preferences.
Where to find the original material: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515931/;
Country: Sweden;

122 A survey of visitors on Swedish livestock farms with reference to the spread of animal diseases (Research paper; Noremark, 2013)

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122 Research paper – Noremark – 2013 – A survey of visitors on Swedish livestock farms with reference to the spread of animal diseases

In Significant Impact Groups: Biosecurity \External biosecurity
Species targeted: Pigs; Dairy; Sheep;
Age: Different for different species;
Summary: Visitors may contribute to the spread of contagious animal diseases, and knowledge about such contacts is essential for contingency planning. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and types of visitors on farms with cloven-hoofed animals in Sweden and to analyse whether there were differences in the number of visitors attributable to region, season, and type of herd. Veterinarians, AI-technicians, animal transporters and neighbours were often in direct contact with the animals or entered the stables and 8.8% of the repairmen were also in direct contact with animals, which was unexpected. The Swedish livestock farms survey concluded that the number of visitors that may be more likely to spread diseases between farms was associated with animal species and herd size.
Where to find the original material: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3848732/; https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-6148-9-184
Country: Sweden

 

121 Antimicrobial Stewardship in Food Animals in Canada_ Progress on Recommendations and Stakeholder Activities by National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council (Industry Innovation)

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121 Industry Innovation – Antimicrobial Stewardship in Food Animals in Canada_ Progress on Recommendations and Stakeholder Activities by National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council

In Significant Impact Groups: AMU reduction strategies \ Monitoring and surveillance Antibiotic use
Species targeted: Pigs; Poultry; Dairy; Beef; Sheep;
Summary: This report details the collaborative and joined up approach to the challenge of AMR and the support needed for the continuous development of antimicrobial stewardship in food production in Canada. This 2019 update reflects on the Canadian One Health strategy based around the pillars of Surveillance, Infection prevention and control, Stewardship and Research & Innovation and evaluates what progress has been made against the recommendations. The Council has galvanised many parts of the industry to act within their sectors as well as respond to changing policy around the manufacture, import, purchase and licensing of certain drugs. The report goes into detail about how each recommendation has been acted upon and the developments within each region of Canada.
Where to find the original material:

https://www.amstewardship.ca/antimicrobial-stewardship-in-food-animals-in-canada-progress-on-recommendations-and-stakeholder-activities/
Country: CA

120 Milk & Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Reference Manual USA by National Milk Producers Federation (Tools & Checklists)

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120 ToolsChecklists – Milk & Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Reference Manual USA by National Milk Producers Federation

In Significant Impact Groups: Prudent use AB \ Farmer
Species targeted: Dairy;
Summary:
This manual contains all you need to know about administering, recording and storing drugs on farms in the US. It includes an 8-step plan for keeping useful medicine records, comprehensive drug residue testing protocols and lists of licensed drugs (for in the USA) with withdrawal periods. Additionally, there are top tips that producers can take to lessen the chances of antibiotic residues as well as checklists for when treating animals e.g. read the product label and consult your veterinarian before administering, use a clean injection site and a sterile needle for all injections, discard milk from all four quarters even when treating only one quarter with an IM tube, make certain that any procedure used to divert milk from treated cows cannot accidentally send contaminated milk into the pipeline, train employees on proper injection technique and do not go back into the vaccine bottle with a needle once it has been used for anything else.

https://nationaldairyfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/DRM2019-Web
Country: USA;

119 The 2017 National Dairy FARM Animal Care Reference Manual by National Milk Producers Federation (Tools & Checklists)

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119 ToolsChecklists – The 2017 National Dairy FARM Animal Care Reference Manual by National Milk Producers Federation

In Significant Impact Groups: Other
Species targeted: Dairy; Beef;
Summary:
The FARM Program, began in 2009, helps build and maintain consumer trust, demonstrating that dairy farmers share consumer values and are committed to quality animal care. The Animal Care Manual lays out best practice guidelines for farmers to follow in the voluntary scheme. External audits are completed on every participating farm every 3 years or more, which reviews their animal care practices. Continuous Improvement Plans are developed by the farmers and the auditors, which identify areas of improvement. The manual includes:
• Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship documentation signed by the farm managers and Veterinarian • Documentation on training of all employees with animal care responsibilities and written protocols for various aspects of animal care on the dairy.
• Guidelines on colostrum management and care of milk-fed calves. • Guidelines on water, feed, nutritional and space requirements • Guidelines for Herd Health Planning with targets for measuring and monitoring herd health. • Protocols for handling, movement, transportation of animals, dairy beef, injured and non-ambulatory animals.

https://nationaldairyfarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Version-3-Manual-1.pdf
Country: USA;