The 'direct costs' of livestock disease: The development of a system of models for the analysis of 30 endemic livestock diseases in Great Britain

The 'direct costs' attributable to 30 different endemic diseases of farm animals in Great Britain are estimated using a standardised method to construct a simple model for each disease that includes consideration of disease prevention and treatment costs. The models so far developed provide a basis for further analyses including cost-benefit analyses for the economic assessment of disease control options. The approach used reflects the inherent livestock disease information constraints, which limit the application of other economic analytical methods. It is a practical and transparent approach that is relatively easily communicated to veterinary scientists and policy makers. The next step is to develop the approach by incorporating wider economic considerations into the analyses in a way that will demonstrate to policy makers and others the importance of an economic perspective to livestock disease issues.

Updated estimates of the costs associated with thirty four endemic livestock diseases in Great Britain: A note

This Note outlines the further development of a system of models for the estimation of the costs of livestock diseases first presented by Bennett (2003). The models have been developed to provide updated and improved estimates of the costs associated with 34 endemic diseases of livestock in Great Britain, using border prices and including assessments of the impact of diseases on human health and animal welfare. Results show that, of the diseases studied, mastitis has the highest costs for cattle diseases, enzootic abortion for sheep diseases, swine influenza for pig diseases and salmonellosis for poultry diseases.

The survival advantage of milk and dairy consumption: An overview of evidence from cohort studies of vascular diseases, diabetes and cancer

Objectives: To conduct it detailed evaluation, with meta-analyses, of the published evidence on milk and dairy consumption and the incidence of vascular diseases and diabetes. Also to summarise the evidence on milk and dairy consumption and cancer reported by the World Cancer Research Fund and then to consider the relevance of milk and dairy consumption to survival in the UK, a typical Western community. Finally, published evidence on relationships with whole milk and fat-reduced milks was examined. Methods: Prospective cohort studies of vascular disease and diabetes with baseline data on milk or dairy consumption and a relevant disease outcome were identified by searching MEDLINE, and reference lists in the relevant published reports. Meta-analyses of relationships in these reports were conducted. The likely effect of milk and dairy consumption on survival was then considered, taking into account the results of published overviews of relationships of these foods with cancer. Results: From meta-analysis of 15 studies the relative risk of stroke and/or heart disease in subjects with high milk or dairy consumption was 0.84 (95% CI 0.76, 0,93) and 0.79 (0.75, 0.82) respectively, relative to the risk in those with low consumption. Four studies reported incident diabetes as an outcome, and the relative risk in the Subjects with the highest intake of milk or diary foods was 0.92 (0.86, 0.97). Conclusions: Set against the proportion of total deaths attributable to the life-threatening diseases in the UK, vascular disease, diabetes and cancer, the results of meta-analyses provide evidence of an overall survival advantage from the consumption of milk and dairy foods.

Influence of foliar diseases and their control by fungicides on grain yield and quality in wheat

Twenty-eight field experiments on sandy-loam soils in the UK (1982-2003) are reviewed by relating the extension of the green area duration of the flag leaf (GLADF) by fungicides to effects on yield and quality of winter wheat. Over all experiments mean grain yield = 8.85t ha(-1) at 85% DM. With regards quality, mean values were: thousand grain weight (TGW) = 44.5 g; specific weight (SWT) = 76.9 kg hl(-1); crude protein concentration (CP (N x 5.7)) = 12.5 % DM; Hagberg falling number (HFN) = 285 s; and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-sedimentation volume = 69ml. For each day (d) that fungicides increased GLADF there were associated average increases in yield (0.144 1 ha(-1) d(-1), se 0.0049, df = 333), TGW (0.56 gd(-1), se = 0.017) and SWT (0.22 kg hl(-1) d(-1), se 0.011). Some curvature was evident in all these relationships. When GLADF was delayed beyond 700 degrees Cd after anthesis, as was possible in cool wet seasons, responses were curtailed, or less reliable. Despite this apparent terminal sink limitation, fungicide effects on sink size, eg endosperm cell numbers or maximum water mass per grain, were not prerequisites for large effects on grain yield, TGW or SWT. Fungicide effects on CP were variable. Although the average response of CP was negative (-0.029%DM/d; se = 0.00338), this depended on cultivar and disease controlled. Controlling biotrophs such as rusts, (Puccinia spp.) tended to increase CP, whereas controlling a more necrotrophic pathogen (Septoria tritici) usually reducedCP. Irrespective of pathogen controlled, delaying senescence of the flag leaf was associated with increased nitrogen yields in the grain (averaging 2.24 kg N ha-1 d(-1), se = 0.0848) due to both increased N uptake into the above ground crop, and also more efficient remobilisation of N from leaf laminas. When sulphur availability appeared to be adequate, fungicide x cultivar interactions were similar on S as for CP, although N:S ratios tended to decline (i.e. improve for bread making) when S. tritici was controlled. On average, SDS-sedimentation volume declined (-0. 18 ml/d, se = 0.027) with increased GLADF, broadly commensurate with the average effect on CP. Hagberg falling number decreased as fungicide increased GLADF (-2.73 s/d, se = 0.178), indicating an increase in alpha-amylase activity.

Tanniniferous Dichrostachys cinerea fruits do not require detoxification for goat nutrition: in sacco and in vivo evaluations

This study investigated the potential of Dichrostachys cinerea fruits as a protein supplement in semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe. The tanniniferous fruits were treated with aqueous solutions of polyethylene glycol (PEG) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Both treatments increased the soluble fraction, rate of degradation and effective degradability (ED) of nitrogen (N) in sacco. The PEG effects were higher than the NaOH effects (e.g. a 25% vs. 6% increase in effective N degradabilities, respectively). Five treatments were evaluated in a N-balance trial using Matebele goats: ground, PEG- or NaOH-treated D. cinerea fruits, a commercial protein supplement (CPS) and no supplement. Animals offered ground fruits or CPS retained most N (3.7 or 4.1 g N/day, respectively), while those offered NaOH- or PEG-treated fruits retained significantly less N (2.7 or 1.0 g/day, respectively). Unsupplemented animals were in negative N balance (-2.4 g/day). PEG treatment deactivated the tannins more than the NaOH treatment. PEG treatment resulted in excessive protein degradation in the rumen leading to high urine N loss. It is concluded that the D. cinerea fruits were beneficial for goat N-nutrition and that the tannins did not require inactivation. D. cinerea fruits can, therefore, replace the expensive commercial protein supplement. It is also suggested that the collection and grinding of fruits could be used as a management tool to control bush encroachment. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An assessment of the potential consumption impacts of WHO dietary norms in OECD countries

The member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) have recently endorsed its global strategy on diet, physical activity and health. The strategy emphasises the need to limit the consumption of saturated fats and trans-fatty acids, salt and sugars, and to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables in order to combat the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. This paper attempts a broad quantitative assessment of the consumption impacts of these norms in OECD countries using a mathematical programming approach. We find that adherence to the WHO norms would involve a significant decrease in the consumption of vegetable oils (30%), dairy products (28%), sugar (24%), animal fats (30%) and meat (pig meat, 13.5%, mutton and goat 14.5%) and a significant increase in the human consumption of cereals (31%), fruits (25%) and vegetables (21%). (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Superovulation and embryo collection in nulliparous Boer goat does immunized against a recombinant ovine alpha-subunit inhibin

With the purpose of eliciting a superovulatory response, 12 adult nulliparous Boer goat does were actively immunized against a recombinant a-subunit of ovine inhibin (roIHN-alpha; two injections of 100 mg 4 weeks apart). Another 12 control Boer goat does were treated with physiological saline and acted as controls. One year later the immunized animals were boostered by the administration of another dose (100 mg) of the immunogen. Following treatment, blood samples were collected twice weekly for the periods of 16 and 12 weeks, respectively, to monitor the inhibin binding ability with the aid of a radio-tracer binding assay. Throughout the experiment, estrus detection was conducted twice daily with the aid of an aproned intact buck. From the first day after treatment to 48 h after standing estrus, ovarian activity was monitored daily by transrectal ultrasonography. On alternate estrous cycles, does were mated and 6 days later flushed transcervically to recover embryos. All goats treated with the roIHN-alpha produced antibodies reactive to the native bovine inhibin tracer-the titre increasing from 2.9 +/- 0.4 to a maximum of 21.9 +/- 2.9% binding after the second injection. The antibody titre gradually subsided over the next 16 weeks. The booster injection restored an elevated antibody titre (11.7 +/- 0.4%), which was maintained until the end of the sampling period 12 weeks later. In the control goats only trace amounts of antibody were recorded throughout the trial. In the roIHN-alpha-immunized goats the number of follicles reaching a diameter of > 4 mm was 14.6 +/- 1.2 per doe. A positive correlation was recorded between the follicle number and antibody titre (r=0.61; P < 0.01). The number of follicles ovulating per doe (6.9 +/- 0.7) followed the same tendency-however, the proportion decreased with increasing follicle numbers. A relatively weak correlation was recorded between the inhibin binding ability and number of ovulations (r=0.27; P < 0.05). In the control goats the majority (92%) of follicles exceeding 4 mm in diameter ovulated (2.5 +/- 0.1 follicles/doe). Embryo collection proved unsatisfactory (42% versus 39% recovery for immunized and control animals, respectively)-presumably because the uterine lumen of the nulliparous does was too narrow to permit effective flushing. In the group of immunized goats the occurrence of short estrous cycles (< 15 days) recorded was 34% versus only 6% in the controls. Overall, immunization of goats against roIHN-alpha led to an almost six-fold increase in number of ovarian follicles, a three-fold increase in ovulations and, despite the low recovery rate, a more than three-fold increase in ova or embryos recovered. It may be concluded that treatment of female goats with roIHN-alpha leads to an inhibin antibody response, accompanied by enhanced ovarian activity. The response was, however, accompanied by a large proportion of retained follicles and a high incidence of short estrous cycles. These problems need to be further investigated before rendering the method fit for application in embryo transfer programs in goats. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of straw and silicon soil amendments on some foliar and stem-base diseases in pot-grown winter wheat

Four foliar and two stem-base pathogens were inoculated onto wheat plants grown in different substrates in pot experiments. Soils from four different UK locations were each treated in three ways: (i) straw incorporated in the field at 10 t ha−1 several months previously; (ii) silicon fertilization at 100 mg L−1 during the experiment; and (iii) no amendments. A sand and vermiculite mix was used with and without silicon amendment. The silicon treatment increased plant silica concentrations in all experiments, but incorporating straw was not associated with raised plant silica concentrations. Blumeria graminis and Puccinia recondita were inoculated by shaking infected plants over the test plants, followed by suitable humid periods. The silicon treatment reduced powdery mildew (B. graminis) substantially in sand and vermiculite and in two of the soils, but there were no effects on the slight infection by brown rust (P. recondita). Phaeosphaeria nodorum and Mycosphaerella graminicola were inoculated as conidial suspensions. Leaf spot caused by P. nodorum was reduced in silicon-amended sand and vermiculite; soil was not tested. Symptoms of septoria leaf blotch caused by M. graminicola were reduced by silicon amendment in a severely infected sand and vermiculite experiment but not in soil or a slightly infected sand and vermiculite experiment. Oculimacula yallundae (eyespot) and Fusarium culmorum (brown foot rot) were inoculated as agar plugs on the stem base. Severity of O. yallundae was reduced by silicon amendment of two of the soils but not sand and vermiculite; brown foot rot symptoms caused by F. culmorum were unaffected by silicon amendment. The straw treatment reduced severity of powdery mildew but did not detectably affect the other pathogens. Both straw and silicon treatments appeared to increase plant resistance to all diseases only under high disease pressure.

Reducing fouling during UHT treatment of goat's milk

Whole fresh goat's milk was heat treated at 135 degrees C for 4 s using a miniature UHT plant. The temperature of the milk in the preheating and sterilizer sections, and the milk flow rate were monitored to evaluate the overall heat transfer coefficient (OHTC). The decrease in OHTC was used to estimate the extent of fouling. Goat's milk fouled very quickly and run times of the UHT plant were short. The use of sodium hexametaphosphate, trisodium citrate and cation exchange resins to reduce ionic calcium prior to UHT processing, increased the pH and alcohol stability of the milk and markedly increased the run time of the UHT plant.

Volatile flavour profile of goat meat extracted by three widely used techniques

Three procedures for the isolation of volatiles from grilled goat meat were compared: dynamic headspace entrainment on Tenax TA, simultaneous steam distillation-extraction, and solid-phase microextraction. Headspace entrainment on Tenax TA extracted the highest number of Maillard-derived volatile compounds. Two hundred and three volatile components were identified: 159 are reported for the first time in goat meat. Most of the volatiles detected (155) were lipid oxidation products, such as hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, carboxylic acids and esters. Forty-eight Maillard-derived compounds were identified. comprising pyrazines, pyrroles, thiophenes, furanthiol derivatives, alkyl and alicyclic sulphides, pyridines, and thiazoles. Some reported character impact compounds of cooked meat, e.g., 12-methyltridecanal, (EE)-2,4-decadienal, methional, and dimethyl trisulphide were identified in the volatile profile of goat meat, together with a series of C-2 to C-5 alkylformylcyclopentenes, which have been reported in cooked chicken, pork, beef and lamb, as being important for the characteristic flavour impression of different animal species. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.