A preliminary in vivo study on the potential application of a novel method of e-tracking in the poultry food chain and its potential impact on animal welfare

The feasibility of using DataMatrix (DM) barcodes laser printed onto the beaks of poultry as a possible method of identification and therefore traceability of the individual was examined in this study, including a preliminary live trial on broiler chicks in a commercial environment. In vitro trials were initially conducted to select the optimal laser type and the optimal laser settings for this particular application. Frozen mature chicken head samples were sourced from commercial partners and DM barcodes were printed on the beaks of these samples and read using a high specification camera based 1-Dimensional/2-Dimensional DataMan 7500 barcode reader. A number of laser types and settings were assessed through a detailed Predetermined Readability Screening Procedure principally designed to examine the ability of the printed DM barcode to withstand physical abrasion such as that which may occur in a commercial environment. Following this selection process a preliminary live trial of this technology was instigated in a commercial broiler house to examine not only the effects of the growth of the broilers on the clarity and readability of the DM barcode, but also the ability of the printed DM barcodes to resist the physical and chemical environment of a commercial setting. The results show a four day window during which the barcode readability remains at a high level. Thereafter the readability deteriorates rapidly, due to the rapid growth and healing of the beak of broiler chicks. However, with high readability rates, even for such a short timeframe, this technology could well be used as a technique for movement control for live poultry, for example, from the producer to the processor, thereby preventing any fraud at these vulnerable points in the poultry food chain, where there is a transfer of ownership. The effects of such a treatment on the behaviour and weight gain of the broiler chicks was also observed, because in an industry where numbers are large and margins very small, it is important that any additional input to the system would not have any detrimental effect on final carcase weight and quality.     

How to substantiate eradication of bovine brucellosis when aspecific serological reactions occur in the course of brucellosis testing

Collaborative work was financed by the EU to develop and assess new diagnostic tools that can differentiate between bovine brucellosis and bovine infections due to Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 either in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the classical serological, bacteriological or allergic skin tests. Sixteen heifers were experimentally infected with Brucella abortus biovar 1 (five heifers), Brucella suis biovar 2 (two heifers), Y. enterocolitica O:9 (six heifers) and Y. enterocolitica O:3 (three heifers). Four heifers, naturally infected with Y. enterocolitica O:9 that presented aspecific brucellosis serological reactions were also included in the experiment. A self-limited infection was induced in cattle by B. suis biovar 2. All the brucellosis serological tests used, i.e. the slow agglutination test (SAW), the Rose Bengal test (RB), the complement fixation test (CFT), indirect and competitive ELISA’s, lacked specificity when used to analyze sera from Y. enterocolitica O:9 infected animals. A Yersinia outer membrane proteins (YOPs)-ELISA was also used and although the test is able to detect a Yersinia group infection, it provided no evidence of whether or not there is a possible brucellosis infection when dual infections are present. The brucellergen IFN-γ test showed a lack of specificity also. The only test that was proven to be specific is the brucellergen skin test. All brucellosis serological tests, except the indirect ELISA, were limited in their ability to detect B. abortus persistently infected animals.

Based on these experimental studies, a strategy was implemented as part of the year 2001 Belgian Brucellosis Eradication Program to substantiate the eradication of bovine brucellosis. Epidemiological inquiries have identified risk factors associated with aspecific serological reactions, possible transmission and infection of cattle by B. suis biovar 2 from infected wild boars; and both legal and administrative measures taken by the veterinary services. No cases of bovine brucellosis have been confirmed in Belgium since March 2000.     

The prevalence and PCR detection of Salmonella contamination in raw poultry

Contaminated poultry meat has been identified as one of the principal foodborne sources of Salmonella. The development of rapid detection assays for Salmonella would enable official agencies and food industries to identify contaminated foodstuffs in a more timely manner. In addition, these diagnostic tools could allow more 'real time' decisions to be made regarding end product acceptability. In this study, a survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of Salmonella in raw broiler carcasses. A total of 198 neck skin samples were obtained from within 40 flocks at a commercial broiler slaughtering facility. The presence of Salmonella was assessed by traditional culture methods and by a Salmonella-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Salmonella was recovered from 32 (16%) of all samples using traditional culture methods. In contrast, the PCR assay proved to be more sensitive and detected Salmonella DNA in 38 (19%) of the samples tested. The pathogen was detected in 45 (23%) of the 198 samples when culture and PCR results were combined. The sensitivity of the PCR test was also greater than culture when detecting Salmonella from within flocks (53% of flocks by PCR, 30% of flocks by culture). The combination of both tests revealed that 55% of the flocks were contaminated with Salmonella. The PCR assay proved to be a highly specific and sensitive method for detecting Salmonella and the incorporation of a routine PCR test in conjunction with standard culture could be effective in providing a more accurate profile of the prevalence of this pathogen in broiler carcasses.     

Unitisation of cell pack apple cartons for refrigerated shipping

Refrigerated shipping trials from Australia to the United Kingdom were organised to test methods of unitising cell pack cartons based on the use of palletizing adhesives and horizontal strapping. The basic system was effective with only one horizontal strap required. The trials indicated that a palletizing adhesive with low tack strength was required to give less flap damage when de-unitising.     

Serological studies of Australian and Papua New Guinean cattle and Australian sheep for the presence of antibodies against bluetongue group viruses

Following isolation of a virus (CSIRO19) from insects in Australia and its identification as bluetongue virus serotype 20 (BTV20), a nationwide survey of antibodies in cattle and sheep sera was undertaken. Initial studies using the serum neutralization (SN) test showed that the distribution of BTV20 antibodies in cattle was confined to the northern part of Australia. Group-reactive antibody tests (agar gel diffusion precipitin, AGDP, and complement-fixation, CF) showed group-reactive cattle sera south of the BTV20 zone (northern Australia), and southwards from Queensland to New South Wales. Very few group-reactive sheep sera (45 out of 16213) were found and these were of doubtful epidemiological significance. Some of these BTV group-reactive, BTV20-negative, sera were tested in SN tests against BTV1 to 17 and Ibaraki (IBA) virus. The results indicated that BTV1, or a closely related orbivirus, was active in cattle in Queensland, northern Western Australia, and New South Wales, and that antibody to BTV15 was present in some of the cattle sera in northern Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Antibody to IBA virus was present in some cattle sera in Queensland, northern Western Australia and New South Wales. SN antibody titres ?60 were also found to a number of other BTV serotypes in cattle sera in northern Western Australia and Queensland (principally, BTV2 and BTV7). Low level reactions were commonly observed against these and a number of other BTV serotypes, often in the same serum samples. Further, 22% of the group-reactive cattle sera did not react with any of the viruses in the SN tests. Such results were difficult to interpret in terms of known Australian BTV or BTV-related isolates.     

The action of phorone and other compounds in controlling superficial scald of apples

A new inhibitor of superficial scald, phorone (2,6-dimethylhepta-2,5-dien-4-one) is reported. Phorone reduced scald on ‘Granny Smith’ apples when applied by injection or as a vapour. Phorone was found to limit the accumulation of α-farnesene during storage and the amounts of conjugated triene oxidation products derived from α-farnesene. Monoterpenes also reduced α-farnesene, oxidation products and scald, but these compounds were less effective than phorone. In contrast, diphenylamine had little effect on the amount of α-farnesene in the fruit but it prevented the autoxidation of α-farnesene and controlled scald.     

Rumen-protected methionine during the peripartal period in dairy cows and its effects on abundance of major species of ruminal bacteria

Background: Extensive degradation of amino acids in the rumen via microbial deamination decreases the postruminal availability of dietary indispensable amino acids. Together with the normal decrease in voluntary dry matter intake(DMI) around parturition in dairy cows, microbial metabolism contributes to a markedly negative balance of indispensable amino acids, including methionine which may be the first-limiting for milk production. The main objective of the current study was to profile changes in major bacterial species with key functions in cel ulose and hemicel ulose digestion, xylan breakdown, proteolytic action, propionic acid production, lactate utilization and ruminal biohydrogenation in cows supplemented with rumen-protected Methionine(SM; Smartamine M, Adisseo NA, Alpharetta,GA, USA) from-23 through 30 d relative to parturition. Because ~90% of the methionine in SM bypasses the rumen,~10% of the methionine is released into the rumen and can be utilized by microbes.Results: As expected, there was an increase in overall DMI after parturition(Day, P 0.05) during which cows consumed on average 19.6 kg/d versus 13.9 kg/d in the prepartum period. The postpartum diet contained greater concentrations of lipid and highly-fermentable carbohydrate from corn grain, which likely explains the increases in the relative abundance of Anaerovibrio lipolytica, Megasphaera elsdenii, Prevotella bryantii, Selenomonas ruminantium,Streptococcus bovis, and Succinimonas amylolytica. Despite similar DMI prepartum, cows fed SM had greater(Treatment × Day, P 0.05) abundance prepartum of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Succinimonas amylolytica, and Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens. However, the greater DMI in cows fed SM after parturition(19.6 kg/d versus 13.9 kg/d) was associated with lower abundance of Fibrobacter succinogenes(2.13 × 10-3 versus 2.25 × 10-4) and Selenomonas ruminantium(2.98 × 10-1 versus 4.10 × 10-1). A lower abundance(Day, P 0.05) was detected on d 20 compared with d-10 for Fibrobacter succinogenes and Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens. The relative abundance of Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus and Eubacterium ruminantium was stable across treatment and time.(Continued from previous page)Conclusions: In diets with proper balance of rumen-degradable protein and fermentable carbohydrate, the smal fraction of Methionine released from the rumen-protected supplement did not seem to compromise growth of major bacterial species in the rumen. In fact, it had a positive effect on 3 major species prepartum when DMI was similar between groups. Because the actual requirements of Methionine(and Lysine, for example) by the cow during the transition period are unknown, it appears warranted to study the rumen microbiome as it relates to supply of rumen-protected amino acids.