Research Publications (Food Safety)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in activity of group-housed, newly weaned, Duroc-sired crossbred commercial pigs exposed to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. At weaning, pigs [n = 192, body weight (BW) = 5.73 ± 1.8 kg] were stratified by sex, litter, and weaning weight and randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (16 pigs/pen, 4 pens/treatment).

In swine production, using feed antibiotics as antimicrobial growth promotants has been reduced; thus, feed alternatives to manage gut health are required. Dietary fiber and similar carbohydrate structures such as resistant starch, oligosaccharides, and exopolysaccharides are nutritional tools that may enhance gut health in pigs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Brix in predicting sugar concentrations in fresh alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.; ALF) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.; OG) forages to be used as an inexpensive and rapid field-level assessment of relative energy in forages. In a 2-yr study, fresh forages samples from ALF and OG monoculture pastures in central Pennsylvania, U.S. were collected once monthly from May to September.

The need for alternative biomarkers of reproductive potential in the pork industry is apparent as the current selection approach for sow fertility is not keeping up with the improvement of other production-related traits. To date, the vaginal microbiome has been overlooked as a source of potential biomarkers of sow fertility status.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is an opportunistic pathogen frequently associated with subclinical mastitis and accounts for a large proportion of the economic losses due to mastitis on Canadian dairy farms. Despite a plethora of investigations on the molecular mechanisms of mastitis, little information is available on the roles of regulatory noncoding RNAs (ncRNA).

Intrinsic and extrinsic factors determine the milk production of a dairy herd, which is affected by the reproductive efficiency of dairy farms. Infectious, nutritional, and management causes can negatively affect this efficiency. After parturition, dairy cows are sensible to clinical diseases since the physical barriers of the cervix, vagina, and vulva are compromised, allowing environmental bacteria to ascend, altering the vaginal microbiota.

Managing bacterial infections is of great importance in cattle production, particularly those caused by Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium or Dublin, which can impact both animal health and human food safety. Direct-fed microbial (DFM) can support gastrointestinal health and alleviate potential bacterial infections.

Zearalenone (ZEN) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are mycotoxins highly prevalent worldwide and can impair the performance and health of pigs. Preventive solutions such as the use of dietary mycotoxin deactivators (MD) can help in reducing the exposure to ZEN and AFB1 in animals. The aim of this study was to perform a toxicokinetic study in pigs focusing on the plasma concentration-time profiles of these 2 toxins, alone or in combination with a MD.

Almost 100 yr ago, food safety concerns in Canadian livestock were very different than they are today. In the 1920s Brucella spp. which causes ‘undulant fever’ in humans was a major zoonotic pathogen. The main route of transmission of Brucella spp. was through consumption of unpasteurized milk, often from the family milk cow.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 and efficacy of control measures at a pork processing facility. Outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 associated with pork, though not common globally, have been reported multiple times in recent years in Alberta. Sampling at a commercial facility processing hogs was carried out at monthly intervals for 11 mo.

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization classifies probiotics as live microorganisms that have health benefits when fed to animals. While the original purpose of probiotic use in beef cattle was to enhance rumen health and to establish a healthy gastrointestinal tract microflora in young calves, probiotic use in finishing cattle has been steadily increasing.

Our objective was to evaluate hematological measurements that could be indicative of liver abscesses (LA) in weaned beef × dairy cross steers. Beef × dairy cross steers [n = 40; initial body weight (BW) = 120 ± 12 kg] were sourced from a local dairy calf ranch and transported 166 km to the USDA-ARS Livestock Issues Research Unit Liberty Farm near Lubbock, TX (d -16).

We evaluated the association of diet type, ruminal acidosis bout frequency, and intraruminal bacterial inoculum concentration on liver abscess (LA) development in steers. Beef × dairy steers [n = 40, initial body weight (BW) = 107 ± 11 kg] were assigned randomly to 1 of 5 treatments that included either a high-dose (HD; 1 × 109 and 1 × 109 CFU/mL) or a low-dose (LD; 1 × 106 and 1 × 106 CFU/mL) of Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp.

Our objective was to longitudinally assess the presence and quantity of Salmonella enterica throughout the gastrointestinal tract of finishing beef steers with and without liver abscesses (LA). Crossbred steers [n = 225; initial body weight (BW) = 353 ± 39 kg] were used in an observational case-control design with individual steer designated as the experimental unit.

This study evaluated the effect of different iron sources, including iron polysaccharide complexes (SQM iron) and ferrous sulfate (FS) on growth performance, gut health, pathogenic bacteria load, colon fecal microbiota, and fecal iron concentration in nursery pigs. Nursery pigs (n = 320, TN70 cross, Topigs Norsvin Canada) weaned at 21 ± 2 d were randomly assigned to four treatments arranged in 2 x 2 factorial, with the factors being sanitation conditions (clean vs.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in feed is posing a serious threat to animal health and performance. This study investigated the ruminal fermentation parameters and microbial populations of goats in response to different doses of AFB1. Saanen goats = 18) were randomly divided into three groups: basal diet group (CON), basal diet with the addition of 50 µg/kg AFB1 (LD), and basal diet with the addition of 500 µg/kg AFB1 (HD).

Probiotic use in dogs is increasing, with spore-forming Bacillus species gaining interest due to their viability during processing, storage, and in the gastrointestinal tract. B. subtilis is known for its adaptable metabolism that may be useful in pets subjected to abrupt dietary changes. The objective of this study was to determine dietary apparent total tract macronutrient digestibility (ATTD) and fecal characteristics, metabolites, and microbiota of healthy adult dogs supplemented with B.

The digestion, absorption, and metabolism of amino acids has an indispensable role in the growth, immunity, and intestinal development of pigs. The gut microbiota contributes to the generation of amino acids which can be used by the host and may compensate for the lack of essential amino acids in the diet.

Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC), specifically serogroups O26, O45, O111, O103, O121, O145, and O157 (Top 7), pose significant health risks. Cattle are the primary reservoir of STEC, and effective intervention remains elusive. The identification of Lactobacillus spp. with antimicrobial activity as direct-fed microbials (DFMs) presents a potential strategy for pathogen reduction.

Toxicity caused by deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisin (FB) produced by Fusarium species, naturally occur in food and feed, can lead to repress appetite and growth inhibition in pigs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the mycotoxin exposure with different concentrations in liver, ileum, and rectum tissues of piglets. Animals fed binary mixtures of mycotoxins followed by 0.5, 1, and 3 mg/kg feed for 30 d.

Body weight (BW) is an important component of pig productivity. Understanding the metabolic factors affecting growth rate is key to guiding nutritional strategies and bringing economic benefits to pig farms. Machine learning (ML) algorithms have been used to capture patterns in large datasets and predict animal production traits based on integrated information of performance data and blood records.

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites from molds that can contaminate cereal grains in the field and during storage. Pigs are very sensitive to deoxynivalenol (DON) and other Fusarium mycotoxins, and their diets contain high proportions of cereals and fibrous cereal byproducts such as dried distillers grains. This puts them at an increased risk for negative physiological effects.

Liver abscesses (LA) continue to be an economic challenge for the beef industry. Chronic ruminal acidosis and ruminitis contribute to LA development. Fusobacterium necrophorum subsp. necrophorum, a ruminal bacterium, is the primary causative agent. Damaged ruminal, and possibly other gut regions, become susceptible to invasion and colonization by subsp. necrophorum, which reaches the liver via portal blood to cause abscesses.

Field pea production in North Dakota has increased significantly over the past 20 yr with hectares planted increasing by more than 68% over that period. With the increase in supply of field peas, there is interest in evaluating whether using field peas in beef cattle finishing rations is economical compared with commonly used ingredients such as corn DDGS.

Liver health is vital for growth and health of ruminants, which can directly affect their performance. High-concentrate diet (HCD) feeding, a common practice to meet the energy requirements for animal production and growth, has been known to induce liver damage, including nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in ruminants. To date, the regulatory mechanisms of liver metabolic dysfunctions in ruminants induced by HCD are not well defined.