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A Pilot Study to Investigate the Feasibility of a Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis to Understand the Epidemiology of Dichelobacter nodosus in Ovine Footrot
Get PDFDichelobacter nodosus is the essential pathogen in ovine footrot, an important cause of lameness in sheep that reduces productivity and welfare. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) developed to investigate isolates to understand the molecular epidemiology of Dichelobacter nodosus in ovine footrot by investigation of communities of strains. MLVA sensitivity was improved by optimizing PCR conditions to 100% specificity for D. nodosus. The improved MLVA scheme was used to investigate non-cultured DNA purified from swabs (swab DNA) and cultured DNA from isolates (isolate DNA) from 152 foot and 38 gingival swab samples from 10 sheep sampled on four occasions in a longitudinal study. Isolate DNA was obtained from 6/152 (3.9%) feet and 5/6 yielded complete MLVA profiles, three strains were detected. Two of the three isolate strains were also detected in isolate DNA from 2 gingival crevice cultures. Complete MLVA profiles were obtained from swab DNA from 39 (25.7%) feet. There were 22 D. nodosus community types that were comprised of 7 single strain and 15 multi-strain communities. Six community types were detected more than once and three of these were detected on the same four sheep and the same two feet over time. There were a minimum of 17 and a maximum of 25 strain types of D. nodosus in the study. The three isolate strain types were also the most frequently detected strain types in swab DNA. We conclude that the MLVA from swab DNA detects the same strains as culture, is much more sensitive and can be used to describe and differentiate communities and strains on sheep, feet and over time. It is therefore a sensitive molecular tool to study D. nodosus strains directly from DNA without culture
Food as Medicine: Food Consumption Patterns and Reported Illnesses among Households
Get PDFRapid changes in climate and urban growth, changing demographics and heterogeneity of urban lifestyles are resulting in a shift in food consumption patterns, with a preference for foods with minimal processing time, quality and taste in Nigeria; but does there exist any relationship between food consumption pattern and reported illnesses among households? For better understanding, this study uses cross-sectional primary data, to thus, examine the relationship between food consumption patterns and the reported illnesses among households in Nigeria. Using a multistage sampling procedure, 250 households in two different local government areas were randomly selected. The study revealed that male household head consumed more plant-based whole food (0.6064) and therefore reported a lower incidence of illnesses (2.18) as compared to the female head whose consumption is lower (0.5644) with higher reported illnesses (3.13). The study further revealed that household members (41-50 years) are most aware of a plant-based whole food (54.17%) with lower reported illness (2.18), whereas members (61-80 years) have the highest reported illness (2.62) because they are the least aware (0.6189). Results also showed that people in the urban areas are prone to more sickness (2.04) than rural areas (1.79) because they are exposed to more choices of processed foods as compared to fresh farm foods available in the rural areas. Households’ consumption patterns were influenced by household head sex, income, location, level of awareness of plant-based whole food, and total food expenditure. Therefore, while the existence of rural-urban food linkages will ensure wider households’ access to quality whole foods needed to reduce reported illnesses; increasing households’ income will enhance diet diversity and reduction in Nigeria’s food insecurity. Also, more attention should be given to educating the people especially through media channels on the benefits of consuming plant-based whole food
Diagnostics and the challenge of antimicrobial resistance: a survey of UK livestock veterinarians’ perceptions and practices
No full textThis paper explores the current role and place of diagnostic tests in the treatment of farm animal disease. With the growing focus on reduced reliance on antibiotic medicines in both animal and human patient care, attention is increasingly being focused on the practice, the technology and the function of diagnostic tests and how these can support responsible antimicrobial use. Emerging diagnostic technologies offer the possibility of more rapid testing for bacterial disease, while food chain actors and others are increasingly seeking to make diagnostic tests mandatory before the use of critically important antibiotics
Food Provenance: Assuring product integrity and identity
No full textFood supply chains are highly complex and involve numerous actors who influence food safety and the integrity of products and processes, both at individual points in the supply chain and more holistically throughout the chain as a whole. Provenance can relate to a particular source or origin of a food and its individual ingredients and/or relate to claims on how the product is produced and what marketing claims have been attached to the product. The aim of this review is to consider the recent advances in developing transparent data systems to demonstrate food provenance. One technological development is the use of Blockchain, a data handling structure which provides a secure network of information that cannot be changed or destroyed, distributed between supply chain actors. Other developments in information systems that can be used to monitor a range of criteria include geographic information systems (GIS) which can be linked with, for example, stable isotope analysis to provide an indication of provenance for a given product or ingredient. This technology is used as a case study in this paper to demonstrate the opportunities and limitations to such technological approaches. The review reflects on aspects of provenance and the actions that can be taken at organisational and supply chain level to demonstrate transparency so that consumers can have trust in those procuring, processing and supplying food
Reliably predicting pollinator abundance: challenges of calibrating process-based ecological models.
No full text1. Pollination is a key ecosystem service for global agriculture but evidence of pollinator populationdeclines is growing. Reliable spatial modelling of pollinator abundance is essential if we are toidentify areas at risk of pollination service deficit and effectively target resources to support pollinatorpopulations. Many models exist which predict pollinator abundance but few have been calibratedagainst observational data from multiple habitats to ensure their predictions are accurate. 2. We selected the most advanced process-based pollinator abundance model available and calibrated it for bumblebees and solitary bees using survey data collected at 239 sites across GreatBritain. We compared three versions of the model: one parameterised using estimates based on expert opinion, one where the parameters are calibrated using a purely data-driven approach and onewhere we allow the expert opinion estimates to inform the calibration process. 3. All three model versions showed significant agreement with the survey data, demonstrating thismodel?s potential to reliably map pollinator abundance. However, there were significant differencesbetween the nesting/floral attractiveness scores obtained by the two calibration methods and fromthe original expert opinion scores. 4. Our results highlight a key universal challenge of calibrating spatially-explicit, process-basedecological models. Notably, the desire to reliably represent complex ecological processes in finelymapped landscapes necessarily generates a large number of parameters, which are challenging to calibrate with ecological and geographical data that is often noisy, biased, asynchronous and sometimesinaccurate. Purely data-driven calibration can therefore result in unrealistic parameter values, despite appearing to improve model-data agreement over initial expert opinion estimates. We thereforeadvocate a combined approach where data-driven calibration and expert opinion are integrated intoan iterative Delphi-like process, which simultaneously combines model calibration and credibility assessment. This may provide the best opportunity to obtain realistic parameter estimates and reliablemodel predictions for ecological systems with expert knowledge gaps and patchy ecological data
The potential for wildflower interventions to enhance natural enemies and pollinators in commercial apple orchards is limited by other management practices
No full textModern fruit production has successfully increased yields and fruit quality to meet market demands mainly through intensification and the use of Plant Protection Products (PPPs). Due to the associated environmental impacts and consumers increasingly demanding food produced more sustainably, the tree fruit sector is seeking to reduce its reliance on PPPs. Despite intensification, apple production is still highly dependent on ecosystem services, including pest regulation and pollination. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of natural enemies and pollinators in commercial apple orchards to the provision of a wildflower habitat. It was hypothesised that the abundance and diversity of beneficial invertebrate species would be enhanced leading to an increased control of apple pests and enhanced pollination of apple blossom. We also investigated the effect of orchard pesticide toxicity on natural enemies and pest regulation services and how responses varied between apple cultivars (Jazz and Braeburn). The study was carried out in five orchards of each apple variety across Kent (UK), using a split-plot experimental design. At each site, a one-hectare orchard plot was established with wildflower strips in alleyways between rows of trees and compared with a one-hectare control plot where alleyways were managed conventionally with regular cutting. Responses of natural enemies and pollinators were recorded over a period of three and four years, respectively. The presence of wildflower strips did not contribute significantly towards the delivery of natural pest regulation or pollination services. However, hoverfly diversity and species richness were greater in orchards with wildflower strips, and whilst this was not associated with increased rates of pest regulation, such a response could potentially provide more resilient pest regulation and pollination services. Braeburn orchards had higher bee abundance, and pest predation rates, which were associated with a greater abundance of earwigs, compared to Jazz orchards. Of key significance for growers is that high values of cumulative pesticide toxicity negatively affected natural enemy populations, especially earwigs. If growers want to support natural enemies and wild pollinators in modern apple orchards following the principles of ecological intensification, they need to consider both the types and frequency of pesticide sprays used, in conjunction with interventions aimed at promoting beneficial invertebrate
Economic and welfare impacts of providing good life opportunities to farm animals
Get PDFExisting animal welfare standards for legislation and food certification programmes are primarily designed to avoid harms to the livestock, with minimal consideration given to their behavioural freedoms. Recent research has shown, however, that animal welfare should not only be evaluated by the absence of negative states but also by the presence of ‘good life’ or positive experiences enjoyed by animals. The objective of the present study is to investigate the scientific validity and on-farm cost implications of utilising potential input-based measures of positive welfare as part of evaluation criteria for farm assurance schemes. Building upon the Farm Animal Welfare Council’s concept of good life opportunities, an assessment was undertaken on 49 non-caged laying hen farms across the UK by measuring on-farm resources to facilitate positive experiences alongside commonly measured metrics for welfare outcomes. The financial cost of providing these resources on each enterprise was also estimated using a farm-scale costing tool. The results suggested that 63% of resource needs that facilitate the behaviour opportunities of laying hens are already being provided by these producers, far above legal and commercial requirements. This practice attracts no reward mechanism or direct financial benefit under the current market structure. Additional provision of opportunities was positively associated with behavioural outcomes, but only limited impact was observed on health and productivity measures. Economic modelling indicated that significant room exists to further improve welfare scores on these farms, on average by 97%, without incurring additional costs. Together we argue that these results can be seen as evidence of market failure since producers are providing positive welfare value to society that is not being currently recognised. It is therefore contended that measuring and rewarding the supply of good life opportunities could be a novel policy instrument to create an effective marketplace that appropriately recognises high welfare production
Excavations at the Old Fort of Stone Town, Zanzibar
No full textSummary
The Old Fort in Stone Town, Zanzibar, is one of the city’s most prominent monuments. It has played a key role in the history
of both the Swahili Coast and the Arabian Gulf. The western courtyard of the fort was excavated in 2017 and 2018 as part of a
collaboration between Zayed University and the University of Bristol together with the Zanzibar Department of Antiquities and
Museums. Excavations revealed that the site has been continuously occupied since the eleventh century AD, when a Swahili
settlement was established next to the beach. A Portuguese factory and an Augustinian mission were established in the sixteenth
century. At the end of the late seventeenth century the factory was destroyed by the Yaʿrubids of Oman, who subsequently
incorporated the remains of the church into a square-plan fort. The fort was then doubled in size on the order of Sayyid Saʿīd
b. Sulṭān Āl Bū Saʿīdī in the nineteenth century, creating the present rectangular-plan building with two courtyards. Ceramic
imports throughout the 900-year sequence point to strong commercial links with the Arabian Gulf