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Genome-wide association study of economically important traits in Charolais and Limousin beef cows
Get PDFpeer-reviewedGenomic selection has proven effective for advancing genetic gain for key profit traits in dairy cattle production systems. However, its impact to-date on genetic improvement programs for beef cattle has been less effective. Despite this, the technology is thought to be particularly useful for low heritability traits such as those associated with reproductive efficiency. The objective of this study was to identify genetic variants associated with key determinants of reproductive and overall productive efficiency in beef cows. The analysis employed a large dataset derived from the national genetic evaluation program in Ireland for two of the most predominant beef breeds, viz. Charolais (n = 5 244 cows) and Limousin (n = 7 304 cows). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as being statistically significantly associated (adj. P < 0.05) with both reproductive and productive traits for both breed types. However, there was little across breed commonality, with only two SNPs (rs110240246 and rs110344317; adj. P < 0.05) located within the genomic regions of the LCORL and MSTN genes respectively, identified in both Charolais and Limousin populations, associated with traits including carcass weight, cull-cow weight and live-weight. Significant SNPs within the MSTN gene were also associated with both reproduction and production related traits within each breed. Finally, traits including calving difficulty, calf mortality and calving interval were associated with SNPs within genomic regions comprising genes involved in cellular growth and lipid metabolism. Genetic variants identified as associated with both important reproductive efficiency and production related traits from this study warrant further analyses for their potential incorporation into breeding programmes to support the sustainability of beef cattle production.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Research Stimulus Fun
Mixing aggression intensity is associated with age at first service and floor type during gestation, with implications for sow reproductive performance
Get PDFpeer-reviewedAggression resulting from mixing to establish a dominance hierarchy is a major welfare concern for group-housed sows. The associated stress can negatively impact aspects of reproductive performance. Objectives of this study were to investigate associations between 1) age at first service (AFS) and mixing aggression intensity in first parity sows, 2) mixing aggression intensity and reproductive performance within and between parity one and parity two, and 3) mixing aggression intensity, floor type during gestation and reproductive performance. Gilts (n = 160, hereafter referred to as sows) were mixed into stable groups of eight unfamiliar individuals approximately 4 days after artificial insemination, housed on fully slatted concrete (CON; n = 80) floor uncovered or covered with rubber slat mats (RUB; n = 80), and followed through two parities. Skin lesions (SLMIX; a proxy for the intensity of mixing aggression), were scored post mixing in each parity according to severity (0 = no lesions to 5 = severe lesions) on five body regions (ear, neck, hindquarter, rump, and belly) on the left and right sides, and at the tail/anogenital region. Total SLMIX score was calculated for each sow. Data on reproductive performance traits were acquired retrospectively from farm records for both parities. Two analyses were performed: 1) data from each parity were analysed separately and 2) SLMIX score in parity one was used to predict reproductive performance in parity two. Lower AFS was associated with a lower SLMIX score in parity one (P = 0.031). There was no association between SLMIX score and reproductive performance in parity one, while sows with higher SLMIX score in parity two had a higher proportion of piglets dead during lactation (P = 0.027) and a longer cycle length (P = 0.003) in parity two. Sows with higher SLMIX scores in parity one had more non-productive days (P < 0.001) in parity two. Concrete sows had a higher SLMIX score than RUB sows in parity one (P = 0.015), but not in parity two. In addition, CON sows had a higher proportion of piglets born dead (P = 0.013) compared with RUB sows in parity two. Mixing aggression has a negative influence on reproductive performance within parities, and it may also have a long-term negative carry-over effect on reproductive performance in subsequent parities. Serving gilts at younger ages could help to minimize the intensity of aggression at mixing, while housing on rubber flooring has beneficial implications for their reproductive performance.Teagas
The microbiology of beef from carcass chilling through primal storage to retail steaks
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThe primary objective of this study was to investigate if alternative time-temperature carcass chilling combinations resulted in lower microbial (TVC, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactic Acid Bacteria, Pseudomonas spp. And Brochothrix thermosphacta) counts and, if achieved, would reduced levels remain throughout the beef chain. Physicochemical (temperature, pH, water activity) characteristics were also recorded. A secondary objective was to investigate the effect of primal maturation periods (2 versus 5 weeks) on the sensory properties of steaks by a trained panel for colour, odour, tenderness, and flavour. While microbial populations reduced by over 1 log10 cfu/cm2 by fast carcass chilling, these reductions were lost due to cross contamination in the boning hall and cutting room. The pH and water activity remained stable throughout the study and there was no significant difference for colour or sensory characteristics in retail steaks from the different treatment groups. It was concluded that there was no improvement to the microbial shelf-life of retail steaks from modified chilled carcasses or in the sensory shelf-life of primals which were aged for an extended period.TEAGAS
Managing respiratory disease in finisher pigs: Combining quantitative assessments of clinical signs and the prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThis study aimed to assess the relationship between quantitative assessments of clinical signs of respiratory disease (recorded manually and automatically) and the prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter to validate the use of both in the management of respiratory disease on farm. This was an observational study where pigs (n = 1573) were monitored from 25 ± 5.3 kg (week 12) to slaughter at 114 ± 15.4 kg (week 24). Pigs were housed in eight rooms divided into six pens on a wean-to-finish farm. A manual pen-based coughing (CF) and sneezing (SF) frequency was recorded weekly, for ten consecutive weeks, and a SOMO box (SoundTalks®) was installed in each room, issuing a daily respiratory distress index (RDI) for 13 weeks. Lungs were individually scored for pneumonia, scarring and dorsocaudal (DC) and cranial (CP) pleurisy lesions at slaughter. Relationship between prevalence of lung lesions and weekly RDI and CF and SF was assessed using Spearman’s rank correlations and multivariable linear and logit-normal models.
Both coughing and lung lesions were largely pen-specific, which fit the disease presentation of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Results showed agreement between RDI and CF (rs = 0.5, P 0.70; P 0.70; P < 0.050).
In the earlier weeks of the finisher stage, coughing was recorded but was not reflected in a higher prevalence of lung lesions at slaughter. These findings highlight the benefit of including measurements of coughing frequency to complement post mortem findings, to improve the management of respiratory disease on farm.Teagasc Walsh Scholarship fun
Feasibility of utilizing color imaging and machine learning for adulteration detection in minced meat
Get PDFpeer-reviewedMeat products are popular foods and there is a need for cost-effective technologies for rapid quality assessment. In this study, RGB color imaging coupled with machine learning algorithms were investigated to detect plant and animal adulterants with ratios of from 1 to 50% in minced meat. First, samples were classified as either pure or adulterated, then adulterated samples were classified based on the adulterant's type. Finally, regression models were developed to predict the adulteration quantity. Linear discriminant classifier enhanced by bagging ensembling performed the best with overall classification accuracies for detecting pure or adulterated samples up to 99.1% using all features, and 100% using selected features. Classification accuracies for adulteration origin were 48.9–76.1% using all features and 63.8% for selected features. Regression trees were used for adulterant level quantification and the r (RPD) values were up to 98.0%(5.0) based on all features, and 94.5%(3.2) for selected features. Gray-level and co-occurrence features were more effective than other color channels in building classification and regression models. This study presents a non-invasive, and low-cost system for adulteration detection in minced meats.Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Statio
Red clover: A promising pasture legume for Ireland
Get PDFpeer-reviewedRed clover is considered a very productive but short
lived perennial legume. Previous research has shown
attractive yields for red clover in the first year after
establishment (O’Kiely et al., 2006). This experiment
quantified the impacts of cultivar, companion grass,
harvest schedule and nitrogen fertiliser on crop yield in
the sixth year after establishment, and compared these
to grass receiving inorganic N fertiliser
ONE HEALTH: Awareness to Action Antimicrobial and Anthelmintic Resistance Conference.
Get PDFGiven the serious global public health threat of antimicrobial resistance
(AMR) I welcome the holding of this One Health conference focusing
on AMR, and anthelmintic resistance. The Department of Agriculture,
Food and Marine continues to focus on a joined-up approach to animal
health under the One Health umbrella. 'One Health' is an approach to
designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and
research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to
achieve better public health outcomes. The challenge of AMR underpins
the One Health concept.
Ireland’s National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (iNAP),
jointly developed with colleagues from the Department of Health, and
the environment sector, recognises the urgent and growing problem
of antimicrobial resistance for human health worldwide. It is currently
being implemented through successful stakeholder leadership and collaboration.
Anthelmintic resistance has been widely reported in parasites of a number of livestock species in Ireland,
and is now an increasing problem nationally. Globally, resistance to all currently used antiparasitic veterinary
medicinal products has been demonstrated. Resistance to anthelmintics is developing year-on-year, and is
now a significant animal health issue. There is a responsibility on the agri-food industry to address its part
in the major global challenge posed by AMR and anthelmintic resistance.
This conference aims to both inform veterinary practitioners and farmers from the various animal sectors,
and to also allow for discussion and debate around key interventions that can be put into practice to combat
AMR and anthelmintic resistance. This conference places an emphasis on not simply increasing awareness,
but also highlighting actions that can be taken to mitigate against the risk of further development and
spread of both AMR and anthelmintic resistance.
Tackling AMR and anthelmintic resistance collectively is critically important to achieving sustainable
development of the agri-food sector. I wish to thank my colleagues in Teagasc, my department, Animal
Health Ireland, University College Dublin and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland for organising this event.
I hope you find this conference informative and that you leave with a better understanding of your respective
roles and responsibilities to keep antibiotics and anthelmintics working effectively into the future
Aquaculture Production of the Brown Seaweeds Laminaria digitata and Macrocystis pyrifera: Applications in Food and Pharmaceuticals
Get PDFpeer reviewedSeaweeds have a long history of use as food, as flavouring agents, and find use in traditional
folk medicine. Seaweed products range from food, feed, and dietary supplements to pharmaceuticals,
and from bioenergy intermediates to materials. At present, 98% of the seaweed required by the
seaweed industry is provided by five genera and only ten species. The two brown kelp seaweeds
Laminaria digitata, a native Irish species, and Macrocystis pyrifera, a native New Zealand species, are not
included in these eleven species, although they have been used as dietary supplements and as animal
and fish feed. The properties associated with the polysaccharides and proteins from these two species
have resulted in increased interest in them, enabling their use as functional foods. Improvements
and optimisations in aquaculture methods and bioproduct extractions are essential to realise the
commercial potential of these seaweeds. Recent advances in optimising these processes are outlined
in this review, as well as potential future applications of L. digitata and, to a greater extent, M. pyrifera
which, to date, has been predominately only wild-harvested. These include bio-refinery processing
to produce ingredients for nutricosmetics, functional foods, cosmeceuticals, and bioplastics. Areas
that currently limit the commercial potential of these two species are highlightedHorizon 202
A landscape classification map of Ireland and its potential use in national land use monitoring
Get PDFpeer-reviewedThe associated data file for this article is available at http://hdl.handle.net/11019/2790This study presents a novel landscape classification map of the Republic of Ireland and is the first to identify broad landscape classes by incorporating physiographic and land cover data. The landscape classification responds to commitments to identify and classify the Irish landscape as a signatory to the European Landscape Convention. The methodology applied a series of clustering iterations to determine an objective multivariate classification of physiographic landscape units and land cover datasets. The classification results determined nine statistically significant landscape classes and the development of a landscape classification map at a national scale. A statistical breakdown of land cover area and diversity of each class was interpreted, and a comparison was extended using independent descriptive variables including farmland use intensity, elevation, and dominant soil type. Each class depicts unique spatial and composition characteristics, from coastal, lowland and elevated, to distinct and dominating land cover types, further explained by the descriptive variables. The significance of individual classes and success of the classification is discussed with particular reference to the wider applicability of the map. The transferability of the methodology to other existing physiographic maps and environmental datasets to generate new landscape classifications is also considered. This novel work facilitates the development of a strategic framework to efficiently monitor, compare and analyse ecological and other land use data that is spatially representative of the distribution and extent of land cover in the Irish countryside.Department of Agriculture Food and the Marin
Societal and economic options to support grassland-based dairy production in Europe
Get PDFpeer-reviewedGrassland-based dairy production provides multiple benefits to farmers and to the wider society, but the European grassland area has been significantly reduced during the last decades. This paper aims to explore societal and economic options to support grassland-based dairy production in Europe. In the recent past, several societal initiatives have emerged to stimulate grassland-based dairy production: treaties, premiums and market concepts. When developing stimulating initiatives, the mindset of the farmer should be taken into account. Farmers are key actors when it comes to maintaining and improving grassland-based dairy production systems since they decide on the day-to-day management of the farm. To maintain grassland-based dairy production and to preserve the associated ecosystem services, it is, therefore, necessary to clearly show the importance of this production system for society to the farmers (show the customer perspective) and to support this by valuing the products from these systems accordingly. “New” business models should financially reward farmers for their added value contributions in delivering ecosystem services