Research Note: Gut instincts: Salmonella contamination based on monitoring systems in the broiler sector.

Salmonellosis is the second most important zoonosis in Europe, with consumption of contaminated broiler meat and its derivative products as an important source of infection. One of the many measures to prevent Salmonella contamination of poultry meat at the slaughterhouses is logistic slaughter, this means that per day the contaminated flocks are slaughtered after the Salmonella free flocks. However, this principle relies on a monitoring system at farm level that is prone to false negatives.

Effect of by-products-based diet and intramuscular fat content on volatile compounds from pork.

This study evaluated the effects of a fibre- and fat-rich by-products-based diet and the intramuscular fat (IMF) content on volatile compounds in pork. Meat samples were collected from sixteen gilts included in a feeding trial. Half of the animals were fed a conventional diet based on wheat, maize, barley and soybean meal, whereas the other half were fed a by-products-based diet that contained corn germ meal, malt sprouts, crispbread meal and proticorn, but no cereals or soya.

To stay or to go: resource diversity alters the dispersal behavior of sympatric cryptic marine nematodes.

Animals can use specific environmental cues to make informed decisions about whether and where to disperse. Patch conditions are known to affect the dispersal behavior of animals, but empirical studies investigating the impact of resource diversity on the dispersal of closely related species are largely lacking. In this study, we investigated how food diversity affects the dispersal behavior of three co-occurring cryptic species of the marine bacterivorous nematode complex (Pm I, Pm III and Pm IV).

Optimization of Breeding Tools in Quinoa () and Identification of Suitable Breeding Material for NW Europe.

Quinoa () cultivation has become increasingly popular in NW Europe but little is known about the performance of contract-free varieties in this region. In this study, we phenotyped 25 quinoa varieties on a single-plant basis in a field trial in Belgium. In addition, we optimized breeding tools such as NIRS (near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy) to estimate the seed crude protein content and a multiplex PCR set to identify true F progeny from pair crosses.

Exploring Feed Digestibility and Broiler Performance in Response to Dietary Supplementation of .

This study evaluated the feed digestibility of diets including autotrophic in 252 male broilers (Ross 308), comparing unprocessed biomass (trial 1) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processed biomass (trial 2) at inclusion levels up to 20%. In trial 2, performance and meat color were also evaluated. Each trial included seven treatments (0%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (%/ on dry matter (DM)) ) with six replicates (three birds per replicate) per treatment.

Exploring the Tomato Root Protein Network Exploited by Core Type 3 Effectors from the Species Complex.

Proteomics has become a powerful approach for the identification and characterization of type III effectors (T3Es). Members of the species complex (RSSC) deploy T3Es to manipulate host cells and to promote root infection of, among others, a wide range of solanaceous plants such as tomato, potato, and tobacco. Here, we used TurboID-mediated proximity labeling (PL) in tomato hairy root cultures to explore the proxeomes of the core RSSC T3Es RipU, RipD, and RipB.

The microalgal sector in Europe: Towards a sustainable bioeconomy.

Microalgae are a diverse group of photosynthetic microorganisms that can be exploited to produce sustainable food and feed products, alleviate environmental pollution, or sequester CO to mitigate climate change, among other uses. To optimize resource use and integrate industrial waste streams, it is essential to consider factors such as the biology and cultivation parameters of the microalgal strains, as well as the cultivation system and processing technologies employed. This paper reviews the main commercial applications of microalgae (including cyanobacteria) and examines the biological and biotechnological aspects critical to the sustainable processing of microalgal biomass and its derived compounds.

A comparison of immersion-based and spray-based crate washing systems on the impact of spp. reduction.

1.During transport of broilers from farms to slaughterhouses, the interior of crates may become contaminated with faeces. When these crates are not cleaned and disinfected adequately, they pose a potential risk for the dissemination of pathogens, including spp.

Comparing methods for catching and crating broiler chicken flocks: A trade-off between animal welfare, ergonomics and economics.

Catching, carrying, and loading of broilers before transport to the slaughterhouse causes stress. In this study three catching methods (two manual (inverted, upright) and one mechanical) were compared using a cost-benefit analysis of animal welfare, ergonomics and economic analysis. Depopulation of approximately 5,000 broilers per catching method per flock (upright vs.

Feed additives for methane mitigation: Recommendations for testing enteric methane-mitigating feed additives in ruminant studies.

There is a need for rigorous and scientifically-based testing standards for existing and new enteric methane mitigation technologies, including antimethanogenic feed additives (AMFA). The current review provides guidelines for conducting and analyzing data from experiments with ruminants intended to test the antimethanogenic and production effects of feed additives. Recommendations include study design and statistical analysis of the data, dietary effects, associative effect of AMFA with other mitigation strategies, appropriate methods for measuring methane emissions, production and physiological responses to AMFA, and their effects on animal health and product quality.

Lysine requirement of weaned piglets.

Lysine, often referred to as the 'first limiting amino acid' in pig nutrition, plays a pivotal role in growth performance. Variability in lysine requirements arises due to factors such as age, sex and environmental conditions. Optimising pig health and production efficiency and minimising nitrogen excretion require accurate knowledge of estimated lysine requirements accounting for factors such as genetics, feeding practices, scientific advancements, and environmental considerations.

Cooled Multifunctional Platforms to Alleviate Heat Stress in Broiler Chickens: Effects on Performance, Carcass and Meat Quality Traits.

Platforms have been shown to be a suitable environmental enrichment for broiler chickens, accommodating their motivation to roost and rest at an elevated position. In order to increase the animal welfare benefits, we designed prototype elevated platforms with additional functionalities: a local cooling system, a sheltered area underneath the platform and collection trays underneath the platform that prevent manure from falling on the litter. This study assessed the effects of these multifunctional platforms during thermoneutral and heat stress conditions on two key determinants of their commercial uptake potential, namely production performance, carcass and meat quality.

S-enhanced microbial activation of biochars and processed grass fibers for circular horticulture.

Sulfur-enhanced microbiologically activated biochar and processed grass fibers were tested for suitability as bulk material for horticultural substrates. The potential for use as bulk material was improved when grass fibers with lower biological stability were acidified with elemental sulfur (S). Acidification of the fibers with S was obtained within 2 weeks and resulted in a higher biological stability due to improved decomposition during incubation with S, a change in the microbiome, or inhibition due to high sulfate concentrations, which reduced the decomposition activity.

Survey of Flemish Poultry Farmers on How Birds Fit for Transport to the Slaughterhouse Are Selected, Caught, and Crated and Their Opinions Regarding the Pre-Transport Process.

The pre-transport phase induces stress, fear, and injury in poultry, but management choices greatly influence this. Pre-transport practices for spent hens and broilers in Flanders (Belgium) were studied. Poultry farmers (31 of 156 layers and 48 of 203 broiler farmers completed the survey) were surveyed on the selection of unfit chickens, catching and crating, and farmer opinion.

Wheat field earthworms under divergent farming systems across a European climate gradient.

Earthworms are a key faunal group in agricultural soils, but little is known on how farming systems affect their communities across wide climatic gradients and how farming system choice might mediate earthworms' exposure to climate conditions. Here, we studied arable soil earthworm communities on wheat fields across a European climatic gradient, covering nine pedo-climatic zones, from Mediterranean to Boreal (S to N) and from Lusitanian to Pannonian (W to E). In each zone, 20-25 wheat fields under conventional or organic farming were sampled.

Authentication of Honey from the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco: Physicochemical Properties, Mineral Content, Sugar, Polyphenol Profiles, and Antioxidant Capacity.

The jujube honey from the Moroccan Middle Atlas area is thoroughly described in this study, which takes into account melissopalynological, physicochemical, antioxidant, mineral, and phytochemical characteristics. Twelve samples of jujube honey underwent in-depth analyses between 2019 and 2021. The honey's unifloral origin was confirmed by pollen analysis, which revealed that pollen predominated along with pollen from 21 other species.

Structure formation in high moisture extrudates produced from soy protein fractions varying in 7S/11S globulin ratio.

Soy proteins mainly comprise 7S and 11S globulins, which have distinct structural and physical properties. To investigate the impact of soy protein composition on structure formation during high moisture extrusion (HME), fractions enriched in 7S or 11S globulins were prepared and blended in different ratios for lab-scale HME processing. Extrudates prepared from the 11S globulin-enriched fraction were inhomogeneous, as opposed to all other extrudates.

Into the spongy-verse: structural differences between leaf and flower mesophyll.

As the site of almost all terrestrial carbon fixation, the mesophyll tissue is critical to leaf function. However, mesophyll tissue is not restricted only to leaves but also occurs in the laminar, heterotrophic organs of the floral perianth, providing a powerful test of how metabolic differences are linked to differences in tissue structure. Here, we compared mesophyll tissues of leaves and flower perianths of six species using high-resolution X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) imaging.

GWAS for Drought Resilience Traits in Red Clover ( L.).

Red clover ( L.) is a well-appreciated grassland crop in temperate climates but suffers from increasingly frequent and severe drought periods. Molecular markers for drought resilience (DR) would benefit breeding initiatives for red clover, as would a better understanding of the genes involved in DR.

How Do Flemish Laying Hen Farmers and Private Bird Keepers Comply with and Think about Measures to Control Avian Influenza?

Competent authorities of many countries, including Belgium, impose control measures (preventing wild bird access to feeders and water facilities, indoor confinement of captive birds, or fencing off outdoor ranges with nets) on professional and non-professional keepers of birds to prevent the spread of avian influenza (AI). Flemish laying hen farmers (FAR, n = 33) and private keepers of captive birds (PRI, n = 263) were surveyed about their opinion on and compliance with AI measures legally imposed during the most recent high-risk period before this survey in 2021. Participants answered questions on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = the worst, 3 = neutral, and 5 = the best).

Division Zone Activity Determines the Potential of Drought-Stressed Maize Leaves to Resume Growth after Rehydration.

Drought is one of the most devastating causes of yield losses in crops like maize, and the anticipated increases in severity and duration of drought spells due to climate change pose an imminent threat to agricultural productivity. To understand the drought response, phenotypic and molecular studies are typically performed at a given time point after drought onset, representing a steady-state adaptation response. Because growth is a dynamic process, we monitored the drought response with high temporal resolution and examined cellular and transcriptomic changes after rehydration at 4 and 6 days after leaf four appearance.

Bioaccumulation of organic and inorganic contaminants in biota: A long-term evaluation in the Belgian part of the North Sea.

Determining the extent of pollution in the marine environment remains challenging. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals can, during dredging operations, be transported from a port or harbour into the open sea, where they may exert a harmful effect on the marine ecosystem. To fully understand the impact of these chemicals, monitoring programs should not only focus on sediment concentrations, but should also take into account the bioaccumulated concentration in the tissue of multiple target organisms.