Livestock welfare product claims: the emerging social context

An increasing number of product claims about food animal welfare or well-being have appeared in the global food industry and global market in recent years. These claims have significant consequences for producers, processors, transporters, retailers, consumers, and the animals themselves. Furthermore, recent restructuring of the global food industry has altered the power relationships of various actors. Regulation of the industry is moving toward greater private control, and the power of retailers has dramatically increased. The changing structure of the industry carries implications both in terms of how standards are created and in terms of the types of standards themselves. The purpose of this article is to provide a greater understanding of how these product claims are made, their implications, and the challenges they present.     

Evaluation of transanal endoscopic treatment of benign canine rectal neoplasia

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate transanal endoscopic treatment in the management of benign canine rectal neoplasia. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out to evaluate the response to transanal endoscopic treatment in 13 dogs with extensive rectal neoplasia that was considered inoperable by conventional surgical techniques but was indicated as benign by previous biopsy. RESULTS: Tumours affected the lengths of rectal mucosa varying from 2 to 13 cm. Between 25 and 100 per cent of the rectal circumference was affected in each case. Transanal endoscopic treatment of canine rectal neoplasia was curative in five dogs, palliative in three and associated with a poor result in the remaining five. Complications of the technique included rectal perforation, leading to peritonitis and death. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Transanal endoscopic treatment can be recommended as an alternative to radical, full-thickness rectal excision for the management of extensive but benign canine rectal neoplasia. Owners should be informed that the treatment may be palliative rather than curative and that complications, if they occur, can be fatal. Dogs should be hospitalised for at least five days after treatment and observed for signs of potentially fatal complications such as rectal perforation.     

Effect of body position on ultrasonographic estimations of bladder volume

A study was undertaken to determine the effect of body position on ultrasonographic bladder measurements and volume estimations. Of the 42 dogs studied, 15 were fresh canine cadavers without urological disease and the remaining 27 were undergoing investigations for disorders of the lower urinary tract. Bladder volume was estimated using a formula described previously. Irrespective of whether all dogs were considered together or only live animals were included, measurements made in dorsal recumbency tended to underestimate bladder volume while those made in right lateral recumbency resulted in overestimation. This was due to significant differences in all linear measurements, apart from width, between body positions. Measurements in right lateral recumbency were higher than those in dorsal recumbency. In all animals and in living dogs alone, bladder measurements in dorsal recumbency appeared to give a more accurate estimation of actual bladder volume.     

Advances in Breeding and Rearing Marine Ornamentals

This work addresses the most relevant advances in the breeding and rearing of marine ornamental species. The main breakthroughs in marine ornamental fish culture are discussed, with seahorses deserving a section of their own as a result of their conservation status and unique biology. Details on spawning, embryo development, larval rearing, plankton culturing, and tank design are presented. In addition, with the increase in popularity of ornamental invertebrates in reef aquariums, details on the culturing techniques of some of the most traded invertebrate groups (e.g., live rocks, corals, anemones, polychaetes, mollusks, decapod crustaceans and echinoderms) are also discussed. Finally, the last part of this work highlights the concerns toward the establishment of sustainable collection, production, and trading practices for marine ornamentals as well as the urgent need to develop reliable traceability protocols to distinguish sustainably caught and/or cultured specimens from wild ones. This work represents not only an exhaustive and updated bibliographical source but also a starting point for all those who want to contribute to the development of this fascinating research field.     

The economic potential of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gevuina avellana</Emphasis> in New Zealand planted forests

Gevuina avellana (gevuina) is a South American tree that produces edible nuts. This study conceptualizes the transformation of a planted radiata forest into an agroforestry system that integrates radiata and gevuina trees to produce timber and Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs). This study assesses the economic potential of growing gevuina nuts in a New Zealand planted forest case study. Findings suggest that planted forests offer the potential for commercial scale using land use opportunities created around road infrastructure, and in pocket areas connected by roads. The economic returns determined in this study were significant, even in small areas. The key to realising this potential will be in the identification and use of the production strategies to handle the complex system.     

Effects of repeated fertilization in young Norway spruce forests

Several studies have shown the positive effect of nitrogen fertilization on conifer growth. In young Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands, an additional effect of including a mixture of other nutrients has often, but not always, been found. We studied effects of repeated fertilization in 28 stands with young Norway spruce in central Norway. The treatments consisted of plots without nutrient addition (Control), fertilization with 150?kg?N?ha^?1 (150?N), and fertilization with 150?kg?N plus addition of P, K, Mg, B, Mn and Cu (150?N?+?mix), repeated three times with approximately eight years interval. There was a clear positive effect on volume increment of the 150?N and 150?N?+?mix treatments compared to Control, and the effect was significantly higher for 150?N?+?mix than for 150?N. Fertilization had a stronger effect in the first fertilization period than in the second, while the third period was intermediate. The effect of 150?N?+?mix was strongest at plots?>?300?m a.s.l. However, this correlation may be due to geological conditions rather than elevation. Further studies are needed to find out under which edaphic conditions a nutrient mixture will increase growth substantially in young spruce stands.     

Effects of planting time on pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) damage to Norway spruce seedlings

Feeding by pine weevil (Hylobius abietis L.) causes severe damage to newly planted conifer seedlings in most parts of Scandinavia. We investigated the effect of planting time and insecticide treatment on pine weevil damage and seedling growth. The main objective was to study if planting in early autumn on fresh clear-cuts would promote seedling establishment and reduce the amount of damage caused by pine weevil the following season. The experiment was conducted in southern Sweden and in south-eastern Norway with an identical experimental design at three sites in each country. On each site, Norway spruce seedlings with or without insecticide treatment were planted at four different planting times: August, September, November and May the following year. In Sweden, the proportion of untreated seedlings that were killed by pine weevils was reduced when seedlings were planted at the earliest time (August/September) compared to late planting in November, or May the following year. This pattern was not found in Norway. The average length of leading shoot, diameter growth and biomass were clearly benefited by planting in August in both countries. Insecticide treatment decreased the number of seedlings killed or severely damaged in both Norway and Sweden.     

Flow cytometric characterization of Peyer's patch and cecal tonsil T lymphocytes in laying hens following challenge with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis

Two trials were conducted to determine T cell changes in Peyer's patches (PP) and cecal tonsils (CT) of specific-pathogen-free Single-Comb White Leghorn hens challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE). Each week, crop lavage samples were obtained from 4 or 3 hens in Trials 1 and 2, respectively. These birds were then sacrificed and their intestinal tracts excised. The crop sample and contents of one cecum from each hen were cultured for the presence of SE. Cells were purified from proximal and distal PP along with both CT and then aliquots of cells were incubated with antibodies to CD4, CD8, and the three T cell receptors (TCR). The T subsets were identified via flow cytometric analysis. Crop and cecal samples were 100% culture positive for SE at week 1 post challenge and a percentage of samples remained positive throughout the study. Some differences in TCR subsets between or within tissues were observed at various times relative to SE challenge but over-all the subsets remained similar during the study. The predominant TCR was TCR2 (vβ1) followed by TCR3 (vβ2). Low numbers of TCR1 (γδ) cells were observed. CD4/CD8 ratios increased in the PP and CT tissues by week 1 post challenge and the ratio elevation persisted throughout the experiment. These results indicate that T cell populations are comparable between PP and CT and enteric SE infection can affect the cellular dynamics of these lymphoid tissues.     

Prima phacie1: a new European Food Safety Authority funded research project taking a comparative approach to pest risk assessment and methods to evaluate pest risk management options

In late 2009, a European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)‐funded project (Prima phacie) began work to review and test methodologies for conducting pest risk assessment by means of case studies on three phytoplasmas (Candidatus Phytoplasma mali, Ca. P. prunorum, Ca. P. pyri); two bacteria (Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli, Xanthomonas citri [=X. axonopodis] pv. citri); two fungi (Guignardia citricarpa, Mycosphaerella dearnessii); two nematodes (Meloidogyne chitwoodi, M. fallax); and an insect (Anoplophora glabripennis). Multiple risk assessment schemes and methods will be applied to each of the case study pests, allowing for a comparative assessment of methods. Methods to assess the effectiveness of possible risk management options for each pest will also be evaluated. The project will further develop the scientific basis for pest risk assessment within the European Community and identify methodologies most suitable for conducting risk assessments and for evaluating the effectiveness of possible risk management options by the EFSA Panel on Plant Health in order to support European decision making. The project lasts 29 months, and is being conducted by an international consortium of 11 partners consisting of phytosanitary organizations, research institutes and a university. Results will be disseminated via conventional publications and at a workshop in March 2012.