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Effectiveness of a minimum pricing policy for the consumption of soft drinks in Mexico
Get PDFThe government of Mexico introduced the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax and energy-dense tax in 2014 to help addressing the overweight and obesity problem. The literature suggests that the tax has led to a 4–10% reduction in SSB consumption. However, noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and ischemic heart disease are still the leading causes of death in Mexico, accounting for approximately 59% of deaths in 2021. In other sectors, such as alcohol and cigarettes, several studies have provided evidence that minimum pricing outperforms value-added and excise taxes. Such a policy, however, has not been applied in the food and non-alcoholic drinks sector. The aim of this study is to simulate the minimum price (post-SSB tax) required to achieve a policy target of a 20% reduction in soft drink consumption. For this purpose, an Exact Affine Stone Index demand model was estimated using the 2022 National Survey on Households Income and Expenditures (ENIGH in Spanish) to compute expenditure and price elasticities, which were later used to derive shadow prices for soft drinks. The results show that a policy target of a 20% reduction in soft drink consumption would require a minimum increase in the current price by 16%; however, the increase would be different for urban and rural households. Additionally, the policy would increase the demand for fruits, vegetables, fruit juices and fish and seafood. Finally, the results indicate that although both uniform excise taxes and minimum price policies are effective, the latter with a policy target in place would have a greater impact on soft drink demand than the former.</p
Holding on or heading up? The roosting preferences of brown- and white-feathered laying hen pullets
Get PDFAlthough laying hens are known to be motivated to roost as high as possible and to use a perch that allows them to grasp, little is known about how these behaviours develop in young birds. We investigated relative preferences of laying hen pullets for roosting on round perches versus platforms and whether elevation affected their preference using three strain groups and two treatments over four periods of time. 120 DeKalb White and 120 Bovans Brown chicks were housed in groups of 10 in 24 floor pens, grouped as only white pullets (n = 8), only brown pullets (n = 8) or mixed strains (n = 8). Each pen was fitted with round metal perches (PERCH) and wire platforms (PLAT) installed on opposite sides of the pen, all accessible by wire ramps (RAMP). Over four 4-week long periods from 3 to 19WOA, platforms and perches were systematically offered in a manner such that the pullets were required to choose between type of structure versus elevation. In HiPlat treatment, PLAT was the highest available structure, and in HiPerch treatment, PERCH was the highest. Video recordings were used to count the number of birds on PERCH, PLAT, and RAMP. Images were taken of the pullets’ feet grasping a perch starting at 6WOA to measure the average length of the pullet’s foot wrapped around the perch. Overall, more birds chose to roost on PLAT than PERCH, and both were used more than RAMP. Brown-only pullets used the structures less than white. Structure use increased with age, with PLAT use highest at 12-14WOA, and PERCH use increasing at 16-18WOA. In HiPlat treatment more birds roosted on PLAT than PERCH whereas in HiPerch, birds were more evenly distributed between PLAT and PERCH. White birds had significantly longer feet than browns across all ages. Foot size was associated with the use of perches but not with use of platforms. Overall, pullets’ preference for roosting on the platform outweighed their preference for elevation and for grasping a round perch. This suggests that elevated platforms are important structural elements for growing pullets
Friends, Forage, Freedom: A cluster analysis investigating horse management styles and welfare in the UK and Ireland
Get PDFThis study aims to improve the welfare and management of recreational horses by identifying how different management styles affect horse health and behaviour. We examined the management styles of recreational horse owners in the UK and Ireland, focusing on social interaction (friends), access to suitable forage (forage), and unrestricted movement (freedom). We collected 1,501 survey responses, distributed via social media, and summarised the characteristics and management choices of the respondents. Using the Divisive ANAlysis cluster package in R, three distinct management styles were identified. The largest differences between clusters were in turnout, individual stabling, and access to forage. The Horse Centred Management Cluster (HCMC) (n=956) were more likely to provide their horses with 24-hour turnout and access to a forage source, and interaction with 2 or more horses. The Combined Management Cluster (CMC) (n=434) was a combination of different management decisions; such as horses being kept in an individual stable for longer periods and provided with shorter turnout periods (9 or more hours), than the HCMC. The Owner Centred Management Cluster (OCMC) (n=111) provided a more restrictive management style with much less turnout time (typically 0-6 hours), often with no contact with other horses, and less access to a forage source (0-10 hours). We explored associations between management factors (friends, forage, and freedom) and horse welfare-related outputs via owner responses to health and behaviour questions, where behaviour was considered to reflect mental state. The HCMC horses were significantly less likely to exhibit gastrointestinal (GI) issues, lameness issues, handling problems, or antisocial behaviours compared to both other groups. This study highlights how management impacts the health and behaviour of recreational horses and can contribute to the development of guidance on improved management and welfare for recreational horses
Combined effects of resistant rice cultivar and organic fertilizer on plant–soil responses to aboveground brown planthopper
No full textResistant rice cultivar and organic fertilizer suppressed brown planthopper performance. Both factors mitigated BPH-induced declined in plant growth and soil microbial biomass. Organic fertilizer reduced root-feeding nematodes and stabilized soil food web structure. Cultivar and fertilizer acted independently, offering a sustainable pest-nutrient strategy. Plant-herbivore interactions are strongly shaped by plant genotype and soil resource availability, but studies that jointly consider these factors within an integrated aboveground-belowground framework remain limited. This knowledge gap constrains the optimization of cultivar breeding and fertilizer management for sustainable agriculture. We conducted a factorial greenhouse experiment with three factors, brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stål) infestation (present/absent), rice cultivar (resistant or susceptible), and fertilizer type (chemical or organic), to test how cultivar and fertilizer affect rice resistance to BPH and, in turn, how BPH alters soil nutrient availability, microbial biomass, and nematode communities through plant-mediated pathways. Both resistant cultivar and organic fertilizer significantly suppressed BPH performance relative to susceptible cultivar and chemical fertilizer. They also mitigated BPH-induced reductions in plant growth, microbial biomass, soil resources, and bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematodes. In contrast, chemical fertilizer exacerbated BPH impacts, particularly on susceptible rice, and promoted root-feeding nematodes. Cultivar and fertilizer independently affected plant and soil responses without showing synergistic interaction. Our findings suggest that combining resistant cultivars with organic fertilizer strengthens resistance to aboveground herbivores and belowground root-feeding nematodes, while enhancing soil resources and food web stability. This integrated strategy provides an effective approach for sustainable pest management and nutrient regulation in rice systems. (Figure presented.)</p
Examining complex gill disease in Scottish salmon
Get PDFIn recent years, Scotland’s salmon sector has been affected increasingly by gill health challenges. Across marine farms, inflamed and damaged gills have been observed which can lead to respiratory issues, reduced growth, emergency harvests, and significant economic losses.The cause of gill disorders in marine-farmed salmon is complicated and, often, gill disease is believed to be the result of many interacting factors. These factors include infectious agents such as amoebae, bacteria and viruses; and environmental stressors such as harmful plankton, in adverse water temperature, or poor water quality. When no single primary causative agent can be identified, the condition is known as complex gill disease By 2017, the term was being used widely but without a clear or consistent definition, making it difficult to compare data or design effective management strategies.Recognising the scale and complexity of the problem, the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) announced its funding of the ‘Gill Health in Scottish Farmed Salmon’ project, which brought together academic researchers, diagnostic experts, and industry partners from across Scotland. It aimed to produce an evidence-based understanding of gill disease from two complementary strands of work:Work Package 1: investigation of the epidemiology of CGD, identified risk factors, diagnostic performance, and prevalence.Work Package 2: characterisation of the community of microorganisms living on fish gills, or the microbiome, to understand its relationship with disease.Together, these studies sought to build the foundations for improved monitoring, diagnosis, understanding, and management of gill health in Scotland’s farmed salmon
Longitudinal study of a Scottish beef herd affected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis; monitored by faecal culture, serum ELISA and the interferon-gamma release assay
No full textParatuberculosis is a fatal, enteritis of animals caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Uptake of MAP by macrophages initiates adaptive immune responses, detected as antigen-specific Interferon- gamma (IFN-γ) release or specific antibodies in peripheral blood. MAP can subvert macrophage killing and there is often a long sub-clinical phase. Diagnosis of paratuberculosis by faecal culture or serum ELISA is problematic, particularly during the subclinical phase. Regimens which rely on these tests, may fail as animals may transmit infection for prolonged periods before their detection. Infected animals may develop early Th1 responses to MAP. Measuring IFN-γ produced in response to mycobacterial antigens may give an early indication of animals infected with MAP. Adaptation of the commercially available Bovigam™ test kit utilizing MAP-specific proteins as stimulants of the cell mediated immune (CMI) response discriminates naturally and experimentally infected animals from uninfected ones. Young animals from farms affected by paratuberculosis, exhibit high responses to purified protein derivative from Mycobacterium avium species (PPDa) and MAP–specific antigens. To determine if specific high CMI responses were diagnostic for paratuberculosis they were compared with the inferred true status of each animal in a latent class analysis. Results from this study indicate that the novel interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) test is a sensitive test of MAP infection but does not indicate which animals are likely to subsequently test positive by the established MAP tests. The IGRA test may have an application as a herd test, determining whether infection exists and to what extent it is present within the herd
Lactobacillus salivarius SNK-6 improves egg quality, yolk nutrient composition, and yolk flavor profile in laying hens via modulation of tissue metabolites and Cecal microbiomes
Get PDFThis study aimed to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus salivarius SNK-6 (L.a-SNK-6) supplementation on the laying performance, egg quality and yolk nutrition composition, including amino acid (AAs), fatty acids, and flavor profile, of Wenshang Barred hens. A total of 432 healthy 40-week-old hens were randomly assigned to three groups with 6 replicates each: control group (CON), a group supplemented with 2.0 × 10 CFU/kg L.a-SNK-6 (T1), and a group supplemented with 2.0 × 10 CFU/kg L.a-SNK-6 (T2). Compared with the CON group, both the T1 and T2 groups showed a reduction in the broken egg rate and increases in serum alkaline phosphatase, calcium (Ca) and calcitonin levels (P < 0.05). These groups also exhibited higher Haugh unit, eggshell strength and eggshell Ca content (P < 0.05). Furthermore, egg yolks from the T1 and T2 groups contained higher levels of α-linolenic acid, and oleic acid than those of the CON group. Total AAs content in the egg yolks was markedly elevated in both T1 and T2 groups, particularly the glutamic acid and aspartic acid (P < 0.05). Twenty volatile compounds that differed significantly among the three groups were identified, including d-limonene and β-pinene. Metabolomic analyses revealed 326, 237, and 108 differential metabolites in plasma, liver, and cecal content, respectively, between the T1 and CON group. These metabolites were significantly enriched in the tryptophan metabolism (map00380) pathway in both plasma and cecal content. 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that cecal microbiome diversity and abundance were higher in T1 group compared with the CON group, although the differences were not statistically significant. Combined analysis showed seventy-five host metabolite-microbiota pairs were significantly correlated (P-adjust < 0.05). Collectively, L.a-SNK-6 supplementation modulated metabolites across multiple host tissues and the cecal microbiome, leading to improved egg quality, enhanced yolk nutrient composition, and alterations in yolk volatile compounds. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Bridging the gap between human behaviour and animal welfare: A study on human behaviour change and body condition scoring of suckler cows
Get PDFThere are several examples of best animal husbandry practices that are not adopted, leading to animal welfare compromises. Bridging this gap between advice and human behaviour is crucial in helping drive improvements in animal welfare. Inappropriate feeding of pregnant cows is common and associated with compromised health and welfare. Obesity and leanness can cause calving difficulty and reduce the vigour of newborn calves. One way to offset the problems associated with body condition extremes is to adopt body condition scoring (BCS) by hand. Knowing each animal’s condition helps the farmer identify ‘at risk’ cows leading to better feeding decisions and improved health and welfare. Despite the significant benefits of BCS, very few farmers routinely adopt this practice, relying more upon a visual assessment of condition. Some farmers also report that they do not BCS by hand, or by eye. The current study identified the key barriers and drivers of BCS by hand to develop an evidence-based intervention designed to encourage more adoption. We propose that human behaviour change frameworks, such as the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW), present the opportunity to address other animal welfare issues where best management practices are rarely adopted. We also recommend that an interdisciplinary team of animal welfare and social scientists are best positioned to develop human behaviour change interventions that will more likely lead to tangible, persistent and positive change
Functionally rich crop rotations increase calorie and macronutrient outputs across Europe
Get PDFIncreased crop diversity in cereal-dominated rotations can enhance crop protection, nutrient use efficiency and climate change adaptation. Nevertheless, it is argued that replacing cereals in rotations diminishes food production, threatening food security. Here we compared outputs of calories and macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) for human consumption from cereal monocultures, cereal-only rotations and rotations including two or three functionally distinct crop types (cereals plus root and oil crops, legumes or ley) in 16 long-term experiments across Europe. Rotations with three functional types produced more calories and macronutrients than cereal monocultures and cereal-only rotations with forage crops used to produce milk. Carbohydrate gains depended on growing conditions and crop choice. Advantages increased over time but were lost with forage crops used for beef or biofuel. Functionally rich rotations provided macronutrient proportions closer to recommended human diets. Our analysis shows no trade-off between functionally rich rotations and food production or agricultural land expansion
Long-term balanced organic and synthetic nitrogen fertilization can realize sustainable crop production
No full textCONTEXT: Manure recycling to cropland reduces synthetic fertilizer use and nitrogen (N) waste while increasing soil carbon (C) sequestration, which is important for sustainable crop production. However, few studies have systematically integrated long-term N budgets with changes of soil C and N stocks and the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance. OBJECTIVE: We aim to quantify the long-term responses of crop productivity, changes of soil C and N stock, reactive N losses and the GHG balance to various C and N management practices, thus providing evidence for sustainable crop production. METHODS: We used a 15-year wheat-maize double cropping system in the North China Plain. The experiment included eight fertilization treatments with contrasting C and N management practices. Crop productivity, N losses, changes of soil C and N stock; and the GHG balance were evaluated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Compared with conventional fertilization with excess synthetic N, long-term balanced organic and synthetic N fertilization (in which N rates were determined using an N balance approach and target N yield, and the rates of synthetic N equal to the difference between above N rate and mineralized N from manure) increases crop yield and N harvest by 8–11%, and soil C and N sequestration by 191–230%, while reducing N inputs by 23%, thus also reducing reactive N losses by 40% and the GHG balance from 59 to −2143 kg CO2-eq ha−1. Although the N surplus was relatively high in the balanced organic and synthetic N fertilization, it did not cause high N losses but achieved high soil C and N sequestration and crop yield, which were not achieved under the optimum synthetic N fertilization. SIGNIFICANCE: This study emphasizes the benefits of combining organic and synthetic N within an appropriate N management framework, offering a global model for sustainable crop production in croplands. Site-specific adjustments could be necessary when applying these findings to other regions with distinctly different soil or climatic conditions. We should interpret N surplus cautiously because a high N surplus does not necessarily lead to high N losses with manure recycling to croplands.</p