Re-Emergence of Salmonellosis in Hog Farms: Outbreak and Bacteriological Characterization

Clinical salmonellosis has been increasing significantly in Brazil in recent years. A total of 130 outbreaks distributed among 10 swine-producing states were investigated. One representative Salmonella isolate from each outbreak was characterized through serotyping, antimicrobial resistance profiles, PFGE, and WGS. From 130 outbreaks: 50 were enteric, 48 were septicemic, 17 cases were characterized as hepato-biliary invasive, 13 as nodal and two were not classified. The most prevalent serovars were a monophasic variant of S. typhimurium (55/130), Choleraesuis (46/130), and Typhimurium (14/130). Most of the strains (86.92%) demonstrated a high rate of multi-drug resistance. The identification of a major Choleraesuis clonal group in several Brazilian states sharing the same resistance genes suggested that these strains were closely related. Six strains from this clonal group were sequenced, revealing the same ST-145 and 11 to 47 different SNPs. The detected plasmid type showed multiple marker genes as RepA_1_pKPC-CAV1321, the first to be reported in Salmonella. All AMR genes detected in the genomes were likely present on plasmids, and their phenotype was related to genotypic resistance genes. These findings reveal that salmonellosis is endemic in the most important pig-producing states in Brazil, emphasizing the need to make data available to aid in reducing its occurrence.

At the Expense of the Environment

North Carolina is the second largest pork producer in the United States where 10 million hogs are raised annually resulting in 10 billion gallons of waste. Environmental risks, including the contamination of ground and surface water contamination, exist when the amount of nutrients in animal waste exceeds the assimilative capacity of available farmlands. This case study introduces students to the environmental impact of hog production associated with concentrated animal feeding operations and the externalized costs of industrial farms on freshwater and coastal ecosystems. A particular focus is on factors related to the location, governance, and monitoring of these industrial farms. The case engages with the long-standing challenge of how to better align economic development with environmental protection. The case allows students to explore the competing motivations of a diverse group of stakeholders and appreciate the challenges faced when private economic decisions made by business entities move into the public realm due to threats to the health and safety of the public and environment. Students should gain insight into the economic and regulatory factors that contributed to the proliferation of large, industrialized hog farms in North Carolina and how these same factors impact the development and implementation of solutions to mitigate environmental risk.

Economic Situation of Hog Grower Industry in Nueva Ecija: Problems and Prospects

This study intended to investigate the problem and prospect of the hog raising industry in selected areas in the province of Nueva Ecija. Research questions were formulated and analyzed. The respondents in this study were made up of pig farmers in various types. In the Philippines, agriculture is considered a significant "driver" for economic growth, poverty alleviation, and food security. The general approach in pursuit of development is by increasing agricultural productivity through intensive agriculture and swine production. The different hog farms in the various municipalities in Nueva Ecija were farms whose operation is a sole proprietorship, registered piggery, and at least 45 heads of hogs. The data collected from the respondents were analyzed using simple percentages from the analysis of data; the following were the findings. The farm profile the respondent mainly were classified as a commercial operation, had workers of 1-2 male workers. The farms were involved in the sow-weaning-fattening process, used the traditional type of rearing system, raised 151-200 heads of fattening, 31-40 sow level, 151-200 heads of suckling, and one boar. Most of the respondents had a capital of more than 500,000 and maintained consultancy services with farms visited twice a month. For the majority of pig or hog farmers, the high costs of inputs, particularly in feeds considered as one of the significant problems.

The Fossil Energy and CO2 Emissions Budget for the Barnyard Operations of Livestock Farms in Canada

This paper describes fossil fuel energy use for on-farm transportation, heating of farm buildings, electricity generation, machinery supply and the spreading of manure. These four terms describe the barnyard energy budget. Calculations for this energy budget were driven by population data for beef and dairy cattle, hogs and poultry in Canada. Prior to comparing this energy budget for 2001 and 2011, the year-to-year trends from 1990 to 2014 were analysed. The declines in all livestock populations, except poultry, between 2001 and 2011 reduced the size of the Canadian barnyard energy budget from 25 PJ to 22 PJ. The resulting change in the fossil CO2 emissions between 2001 and 2011 was from 1.62 MtCO2 to 1.36 MtCO2. A sensitivity analysis based on future elimination of coal for generating electricity, introduction of electric pickup trucks (e-pickups) and increased use of electric heat, reduced fossil CO2 emissions during 2011 from dairy farms by 29%, beef farms by 24%, hog farms by 19% and poultry by 13%. The most affected provinces by this test were Alberta and Saskatchewan because of the heavy dependence on coal in electricity generation in these two provinces. This scenario test suggests a Canada-wide potential reduction of 0.30 MtCO2. A second sensitivity test based on a Canada-wide 20% reallocation of protein production from beef to pork revealed a very modest potential to actually reduce barnyard fossil CO2 emissions by 0.09 MtCO2 for Canada.