Exploring the impact of grazing on fecal and soil microbiome dynamics in small ruminants in organic crop-livestock integration systems.

In integrated crop-livestock systems, livestock graze on cover crops and deposit raw manure onto fields to improve soil health and fertility. However, enteric pathogens shed by grazing animals may be associated with foodborne pathogen contamination of produce influenced by fecal-soil microbial interactions. We analyzed 300 fecal samples (148 from sheep and 152 from goats) and 415 soil samples (272 from California and 143 from Minnesota) to investigate the effects of grazing and the presence of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) or generic E.

sp. nov., sp. nov., and sp. nov., three novel -like species recovered from swine, small ruminants, and camelids.

In a previous study characterizing strains deficient in selenium metabolism, 50 strains were found to be similar to, but distinct from, the selenonegative species . Initial characterization based on multilocus sequence typing and the phylogeny of a set of 20 core genes determined that these strains form three putative taxa within the selenonegative cluster. A polyphasic study was undertaken here to further clarify their taxonomic position within the genus.

Physico-chemical assessment of on-farm bioconversion of organic waste in dairy farms in context to sustainability and circular bioeconomy.

On a milk-producing dairy farm, milk production is correlated with manure production and the number of cattle, and manure is widely used as a soil fertilizer. However, excessive dairy manure production is linked with greenhouse gas emissions and water quality issues. On-farm planning of manure storage and application to enhance soil nutrients are essential in a circular economy to reduce environmental impact, where manure is not landfilled and incinerated.

Risk factors of Shiga toxin-producing in livestock raised on diversified small-scale farms in California.

The increasing number of diversified small-scale farms (DSSF) that raise outdoor-based livestock in the USA reflects growing consumer demand for sustainably produced food. Diversified farms are small scale and raise a combination of multiple livestock species and numerous produce varieties. This 2015-2016 cross-sectional study aimed to describe the unique characteristics of DSSF in California, estimate the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) in livestock and evaluate the association between risk factors and the presence of STEC in livestock, using generalised linear mixed models.