Factors influencing Scottish dairy farmers' antimicrobial usage, knowledge and attitude towards antimicrobial resistance

Understanding how farmers use antimicrobials and their awareness and beliefs about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is essential to improve antimicrobial usage (AMU) practices and combat AMR on dairy farms. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out to identify the factors affecting attitudes, knowledge and behaviour of Scottish dairy producers regarding prudent AMU and the emergence of AMR in livestock. The survey was designed based on the earlier findings of two focus groups and was disseminated online via multiple methods (e.g., social media; farming press). Participation was voluntary and answers were obtained from 61 respondents (7.3% of the total population of Scottish dairy farmers). Logistic and ordinal regression analyses were performed to identify predictors for farmers' level of knowledge about antimicrobials and AMR, AMU behaviour and attitudes towards AMR mitigation. Associations were described with odds ratios (OR) and the associated 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Farmers were more likely to have better knowledge of antimicrobials and AMR if they had undertaken a university degree (OR = 28.28, P < 0.001), worked with mixed livestock (dairy plus sheep/beef) (OR = 4.82, P < 0.05), and trusted only veterinarians' information about responsible AMU (OR = 4.42, P < 0.05). In the survey disease scenarios, younger farmers were less likely to be classed as low antimicrobial users (OR = 0.18, P < 0.05) compared to older farmers. Respondents working on larger herds were also less likely to be low antimicrobial users compared to those working on smaller herds (OR = 0.12, P < 0.01). Conversely, farmers who did not consider economic factors (e.g., cost and withdrawal period) in antimicrobial choice were more likely to be classed as low antimicrobial users (OR = 6.17, P < 0.01). Respondents were more likely to show positive attitudes towards AMR mitigation if they worked in larger (OR = 4.67, P < 0.05) or organic dairy farms (OR = 18.35, P < 0.05). These results suggest that several practices, social, demographic, and economic factors influence dairy farmers' perception and awareness of AMR and AMU. Efforts should be made to consider these variables when developing strategies to improve AMU in dairy farming. Veterinarians and advisors should focus AMU training and AMR awareness-raising activities towards younger, less experienced farmers as well as those with a lower educational qualification (high school vs. university degree). This study can inform the development of targeted educational initiatives to encourage responsible AMU on dairy farms.

Antimicrobial usage and resistance in scottish dairy herds: a survey of farmers' knowledge, behaviours and attitudes

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major threat to global health. Understanding how antimicrobials are used on dairy farms and stakeholder beliefs relating to their use is essential to ensure responsible antimicrobial usage (AMU) to tackle the emergence of AMR. This study explored Scottish dairy farmers' knowledge about the meaning of AMR and antimicrobial activity, behaviour and practices related to farm AMU and attitudes towards AMR mitigation. An online survey was designed based on the findings of two focus groups and was completed by 61 respondents (7.3% of the total population of Scottish dairy farmers). Knowledge of antimicrobials and AMR was variable, and almost half of the participants believed that antimicrobials could have anti-inflammatory or analgesic activity. Veterinarians' opinions and advice about AMU were ranked significantly more important than other social referents or advisors. The majority of farmers (90%) reported having implemented practices to reduce reliance on antimicrobials (e.g., selective dry cow therapy, AMU treatment protocols) and having reduced farm AMU over recent years. Feeding waste milk to calves is still widespread, being reported by up to 30% of respondents. The main factors described to hinder responsible farm AMU were limited facilities (e.g., lack of isolation pens for sick animals) and knowledge of appropriate AMU recommendations, followed by time and financial constraints. Most farmers (89%) agreed that it is important to reduce AMU on dairy farms, but fewer (52%) acknowledged that AMU on UK dairy farms is currently too high, suggesting a mismatch between their intention to reduce antimicrobials and AMU behaviour. These results indicate that dairy farmers are aware of AMR, and their self-reported farm AMU has been reduced. However, some do not clearly comprehend the activity of antimicrobials and their correct usage. More work is needed to improve dairy farmers' knowledge of appropriate AMU and intentions to combat AMR. Farmers would benefit from more regular AMU discussions and advice from herd veterinarians, as they were described as highly trusted information resources. Training on how to reduce AMU should involve all farm staff administering antimicrobials and should be tailored to farm-specific barriers, such as limited facilities and workforce shortages.

Evaluation of an indwelling bolus equipped with a triaxial accelerometer for the characterisation of the diurnal pattern of bovine reticuloruminal contractions

This observational study aimed to describe the diurnal pattern of reticuloruminal contraction rate (RRCR) and the proportion of time spent ruminating by cattle, using two commercial devices equipped with triaxial accelerometers: an indwelling bolus (placed in the reticulum) and a neck collar. The three objectives of this study were firstly to determine whether the indwelling bolus provided observations consistent with RRCR as determined by clinical examination using auscultation and ultrasound, secondly to compare estimates of time spent ruminating using the indwelling bolus and a collar-based accelerometer, and finally to describe the diurnal pattern of RRCR using the indwelling bolus data. Six rumen-fistulated, non-lactating Jersey cows were fitted with an indwelling bolus (SmaXtec Animal Care GmbH, Graz, Austria) and a neck collar (Silent Herdsman, Afimilk Ltd. Kibbutz Afikim, Israel), and data were collected over two weeks. Cattle were housed together in a single straw-bedded pen and fed ad libitum hay. To assess the agreement between the indwelling bolus and traditional methods of assessing reticuloruminal contractility in the first week, the RRCR was determined over 10 min, twice a day, by ultrasound and auscultation. Mean inter-contraction intervals (ICI) derived from bolus and ultrasound, and from auscultation were 40.4 ± 4.7, 40.1 ± 4.0 and 38.4 ± 3.3 s. Bland-Altmann plots showed similar performance of the methods with small biases. The Pearson correlation coefficient for the time spent ruminating derived from neck collars and indwelling boluses was 0.72 (highly significant, P < 0.001). The indwelling boluses generated a consistent diurnal pattern for all the cows. In conclusion, a robust relationship was observed between clinical observation and the indwelling boluses for estimation of ICI and, similarly, between the indwelling bolus and neck collar for estimating rumination time. The indwelling boluses showed a clear diurnal pattern for RRCR and time spent ruminating, indicating that they should be useful for assessing reticuloruminal motility.

Associations between putative risk factors and poor colostrum yield in Holstein Friesian cattle

When dairy cows produce little or no colostrum, calves are likely to suffer from failure of passive transfer (FPT). Volume of colostrum produced by the dam may be affected by: nutrition; environmental conditions; time from calving to milking; parity; dry period length; calving difficulty; calf weight; calf sex; calf viability; cow BCS / body weight; milk production in previous lactation and dam health. While risk factors for poor IgG concentration in colostrum have been extensively studied, there is little published literature on low colostrum yields and associated risk factors. The aim of this observational study was to identify risk factors for poor colostrum yield in dairy cows and to quantify the effect of variation in those variables that the farmer can directly control (length of dry period, and close-up transition period nutrition) using inverse probability modelling. 439 animals from a single Scottish dairy farm were used as a convenience sample. First milking colostrum yield was measured by farmers using a graduated bucket. For each animal, risk factor data and meteorological data from the nearest weather were obtained. Decreased colostrum yield was associated with increasing daily temperature range, while increasing UV index, lactation number and number of days dry increased colostrum yield. Marginal effect models revealed that for each additional day of dry period, colostrum yield increased. Higher UV indices the month before calving were positively associated with colostrum yield, particularly in primiparous cows, and higher temperatures in the months before calving were positively associated with colostrum yield in all cows.

HABITAT: An IoT Solution for Independent Elderly

In this work, a flexible and extensive digital platform for Smart Homes is presented, exploiting the most advanced technologies of the Internet of Things, such as Radio Frequency Identification, wearable electronics, Wireless Sensor Networks, and Artificial Intelligence. Thus, the main novelty of the paper is the system-level description of the platform flexibility allowing the interoperability of different smart devices. This research was developed within the framework of the operative project HABITAT (Home Assistance Based on the Internet of Things for the Autonomy of Everybody), aiming at developing smart devices to support elderly people both in their own houses and in retirement homes, and embedding them in everyday life objects, thus reducing the expenses for healthcare due to the lower need for personal assistance, and providing a better life quality to the elderly users.

Development of a PCR protocol for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in surface water

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella are pathogenic microorganisms that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness in humans. These pathogens may be transmitted in a variety of ways, including food and water. The presence of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in surface waters constitutes a potential threat to human health when used for either drinking or recreation. As with most waterborne pathogens, Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 are difficult to detect and enumerate with accuracy in surface waters due to methodological limitations. The aim of this study was to develop a protocol for the detection of Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7 and E. coli virulence genes (stx (1), stx (2) and eae) in water using a single enrichment step and PCR. In spiked water samples, PCR results showed high sensitivity (<3 CFU/L) for both microorganisms. The protocol developed in this study has been applied in different surface waters in association with microbiological and physical analysis. The frequency of PCR positive samples was 33% for Salmonella and 2% for E. coli O157:H7 producing intimin (eae) and Shiga-like toxin I (stx (1)). Moreover, the finding of amplicons corresponding to eae and stx (1) genes in the absence of E. coli O157:H7 suggested the possible presence of other pathogenic bacteria that carry these genes (e.g. EHEC, Shigella strains). The results obtained showed that the developed protocol could be applied as a routine analysis of surface water for the evaluation of microbiological risks.

Avoided-crossing-based liquid-crystal photonic-bandgap notch filter

We demonstrate a highly tunable deep notch filter realized in a liquid-crystal photonic-bandgap (LCPBG) fiber. The filter is realized without inducing a long-period grating in the fiber but simply by filling a solid-core photonic-crystal fiber with a liquid crystal and exploiting avoided crossings within the bandgap of the LCPBG fiber. The filter is demonstrated experimentally and investigated using numerical simulations. A high degree of tuning of the spectral position of the deep notch is also demonstrated.