Effect of prudent use of antimicrobials in the early phase of infection in pigs on the performance and meat quality of fattening pigs.

The presented study was a part of the ThermoEye project. The study examined the effect of prudent antibiotic treatment in response to illness on the fattening performance, slaughter traits, and meat quality of the pig fatteners. Pigs were divided into an experimental group - EXP and a control - CON. In both groups, the body temperature was monitored, and diseases were confirmed by a veterinarian. In the EXP group, metaphylaxis was used in each case of confirmed disease. The EXP fatteners had greater slaughter weight (by 4.7 kg) and meatiness (by 2.1 percentage points) compared to the CON pigs. The pH in pork was lower in EXP compared to CON pigs. The longissimus thoracis et lumborum of EXP pigs was characterised by a lower cooking loss (28.30 vs. 30.45%) and yellower colour compared to the CON group. Among the amino acids, only the content of histidine (by 5.2%; P < 0.01) and tyrosine (by 7.2%; P < 0.01) was significantly greater in the meat of the CON group compared to EXP, with no effect of sex noted. The content of SFA (by 14.6%; P < 0.05), UFA (by 15.6%; P < 0.05), MUFA (by 17.8%; P < 0.05), MCFA (by 14.1%; P < 0.05), and LCFA (by 15.6%; P < 0.05) was also greater in CON compared to EXP meat. In conclusion, automated monitoring of pig body temperature during the fattening period enables more precise, prudent treatment and effective animal health control while reducing costs due to disease losses and pharmacotherapy. It allows optimal production and affects meat quality.

Effect of weight and storage time of broiler breeders' eggs on morphology and biochemical features of eggs, embryogenesis, hatchability, and chick quality.

The transfer of hatchability results obtained under experimental conditions to the commercial ground with a positive financial effect proves the value and usefulness of these data. On the other hand, finding results on commercial processes of broiler breeders' egg incubation in the literature is challenging. The presented study aimed to determine the effects of egg weight and storage time on the physical, biochemical characteristics of hatching eggs, embryogenesis and hatchability in Ross 308 broiler breeders. On the laying day, the eggs were divided into four weight groups: S - small eggs (57-61 g), M - medium eggs (62-66 g), L - large eggs (67-71 g), and XL - extra-large eggs (72-76 g). The eggs were then stored for 3, 7, 14, and 21 days under controlled conditions. As the egg storage time increased, a decrease in the yolk quality (lower index) was observed. The highest Haugh units were found in eggs from the S and M groups. The cholesterol content of the M, L, and XL groups was lower on days 7, 14, and 21 as compared to that of eggs only stored for 3 days. Egg weight loss during incubation decreased with an increase in the egg weight. An extension of the egg storage time caused an increase in the loss of egg weight. On the 14th and 18th days of hatching, an increase in the eggshell temperature was noted with an increase in the weight of the egg. The eggs stored for 7 days were characterised by the highest shell temperature on each day. The highest hatchability percentage was recorded for the M group. The hatchability rate decreased with the prolongation of the storage time, while the number of crippled chicks after hatching increased. The results confirmed that the increased weight of the eggs and prolonged storage time (14 and 21 days) increased the weight and decreased the length of the newly hatched chicks, respectively. Chicks from the heaviest eggs and those stored for 14 and 21 days showed poor results on the Pasgar score® test. The observations indicate the need to adopt various (of those available) methods to assess the quality of newly hatched chicks in hatcheries in order to produce high-quality broiler chickens. The results also indicate that prolonged egg storing beyond 14 days may affect the thyroid hormone economy during the hatching of chicks, especially in the XL group.

Role of integrons in the proliferation of multiple drug resistance in selected bacteria occurring in poultry production.

1. The increase in microbial resistance, and in particular multiple drug resistance (MDR), is an increasing threat to public health. The uncontrolled use of antibiotics and antibacterial chemotherapeutics in the poultry industry, especially in concentrations too low to cause inhibition, and the occurrence of residues in feed and in the environment play a significant role in the development of resistance among zoonotic food-borne microorganisms.2. Determining the presence and transmission methods of resistance in bacteria is crucial for tracking and preventing antibiotic resistance. Horizontal transfer of genetic elements responsible for drug resistance is considered to be the main mechanism for the spread of antibiotic resistance.3. Of the many well-known genetic elements responsible for horizontal gene transfer, integrons are among the most important factors contributing to multiple drug resistance. The mechanism of bacterial drug resistance acquisition through integrons is one of the essential elements of MDR prevention in animal production.