Risk perceptions and behaviors of actors in the wild animal value chain in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which contains the greatest area of the second largest rainforest on Earth, people have long been connected to the forest for subsistence and livelihood from wild animals and bushmeat. This qualitative study sought to characterize the bushmeat movement-from hunting wild animals to market sale-and the roles of participants in the animal value chain, as well as their beliefs surrounding zoonotic disease and occupational risk. Actors in in eight bushmeat markets and two ports in Kinshasa, DRC completed semi-structured interviews between 2016 and 2018 in which they expressed belief in transmission of illness from domestic animals to humans, but not from wild animals to humans. Wild animals were viewed as pure and natural, in contrast to domestic animals which were considered tainted by human interference. Participants reported cutting themselves during the process of butchering yet did not consider butchering bushmeat to be a risky activity. Instead, they adopted safety practices learned over time from butchering experts and taught themselves how to butcher in a fashion that reduced the frequency of cutting. In general, butcherers rejected the idea of personal protective equipment use. Port markets were identified as important access points for meat coming from the Congo river and plane transport was identified as important for fresh and live meat coming from Équateur province. Most participants reported having heard about Ebola, but their mistrust in government messaging privileged a word-of-mouth story of witchcraft to be propagated about Ebola's origins. It is critical to better understand how public health messaging about outbreaks can successfully reach high risk communities, and to develop creative risk mitigation strategies for populations in regular contact with animal blood and body fluids. In this paper, we offer suggestions for formal and informal trusted channels through which health messages surrounding zoonotic risk could be conveyed to high-risk populations in Kinshasa.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Enterococcus Spp. Isolated from a Beef Processing Plant and Retail Ground Beef.

Antimicrobial use in food-producing animals has come under increasing scrutiny due to its potential association with antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Monitoring of AMR in indicator microorganisms such as Enterococcus spp. in meat production facilities and retail meat products can provide important information on the dynamics and prevalence of AMR in these environments. In this study, swabs or samples were obtained from various locations in a commercial beef packing operation (n = 600) and from retail ground beef (n = 60) over a 19-month period. All samples/swabs were enriched for Enterococcus spp., and suspected enterococci isolates were identified using species-specific PCR primers. Enterococcus faecalis was the most frequently isolated species, followed by Enterococcus hirae, which was found mostly on post-hide removal carcasses and in ground beef. Enterococcus faecium (n = 9) and E. faecalis (n = 120) isolates were further characterized for AMR. Twenty-one unique AMR profiles were identified, with 90% of isolates resistant to at least two antimicrobials and two that were resistant to nine antimicrobials. Tetracycline resistance was observed most often in E. faecalis (28.8%) and was likely mediated by tet(M). Genomic analysis of selected E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates revealed that many of the isolates in this study clustered with other publicly available genomes from ground beef, suggesting that these strains are well adapted to the beef processing environment. IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious challenge facing the agricultural industry. Understanding the flow of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria through the beef fabrication process and into ground beef is an important step in identifying intervention points for reducing AMR. In this study, we used enterococci as indicator bacteria for monitoring AMR in a commercial beef packaging facility and in retail ground beef over a 19-month period. Although washing of carcasses post-hide removal reduced the isolation frequency of Enterococcus spp., a number of antimicrobial-resistant Enterococcus faecalis isolates were recovered from ground beef produced in the packaging plant. Genome analysis showed that several E. faecalis isolates were genetically similar to publicly available isolates recovered from retail ground beef in the United States.

Competitiveness of Xinjiang's mutton industry based on diamond model.

In recent years, Xinjiang mutton production has experienced a growth trend; however, it cannot meet the new consumer demand. Based on Michael Porter's "diamond model," this study presents a case study on the Xinjiang mutton industry in China and establishes an index system for the competitiveness of the industry. The competitiveness of the mutton industry is analyzed quantitatively via correlation analysis and principal component analysis by investigating the relevant data of 10 Chinese provinces topping in mutton production. On account of the related elements of the diamond model, a qualitative analysis is also performed. The quantitative analysis shows that among the 10 provinces (regions) topping in mutton production in China, Inner Mongolia wins in competitiveness, followed by Xinjiang, and Henan ranks at the bottom. The qualitative analysis shows that the Xinjiang mutton industry is inferior in three main factors compared to its competitors, and these are the production factors related to and supporting the industries and the enterprise strategies. Xinjiang performs moderately in terms of the auxiliary government factors. However, Xinjiang is in an advantageous position with respect to the main factors of demand conditions and auxiliary elements of opportunities. Given the existing problems, this study discusses the main reasons for the lack of competitiveness of the Xinjiang mutton industry. It also puts forward some strategic suggestions to enhance the competitiveness of the Xinjiang mutton industry based on the six elements of diamond model.

Monthly pork price forecasting method based on Census X12-GM(1,1) combination model.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the price of pork in China continues to fluctuate at a high level. The forecast of pork price becomes more important. Single prediction models are often used for this work, but they are not accurate enough. This paper proposes a new method based on Census X12-GM(1,1) combination model. METHODS: Monthly pork price data from January 2014 to December 2020 were obtained from the State Statistics Bureau(Mainland China). Census X12 model was adopted to get the long-term trend factor, business cycle change factor and seasonal factor of pork price data before September 2020. GM (1,1) model was used to fit and predict the long-term trend factor and business cycle change factor. The fitting and forecasting values of GM(1,1) were multiplied by the seasonal factor and empirical seasonal factor individually to obtain the fitting and forecasting values of the original monthly pork price series. RESULTS: The expression of GM(1,1) model for fitting and forecasting long-term trend factor and and business cycle change factor was X(1)(k) = -1704.80e-0.022(k-1) + 1742.36. Empirical seasonal factor of predicted values was 1.002 Using Census X12-GM(1,1) method, the final forecast values of pork price from July 2020 to December 2020 were 34.75, 33.98, 33.23, 32.50, 31.78 and 31.08 respectively. Compared with ARIMA, GM(1,1) and Holt-Winters models, Root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and mean absolute error (MAE) of Census X12-GM(1,1) method was the lowest on forecasting part. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with other single model, Census X12-GM(1,1) method has better prediction accuracy for monthly pork price series. The monthly pork price predicted by Census X12-GM(1,1) method can be used as an important reference for stakeholders.

The prevalence of Clostridioides difficile on farms, in abattoirs and in retail foods in Ireland.

An increasing proportion of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI) are community acquired. This study tested farm, abattoir and retail food samples for C. difficile, using peer reviewed culture and molecular methods. The contamination rate on beef, sheep and broiler farms ranged from 2/30 (7%) to 25/30 (83%) in faeces, soil and water samples, while concentrations ranged from 2.9 log10 cfu/ml to 8.4 log10 cfu/g. The prevalence and associated counts were much lower in abattoir samples. Although 26/60 were C. difficile positive by enrichment and PCR, only 6 samples yielded counts by direct plating (1.1 log10 cfu/cm2 to 5.1 log10 cfu/g). At retail, 9/240 samples were C. difficile positive, including corned beef (1), spinach leaves (2), iceberg lettuce, little gem lettuce, wild rocket, coleslaw, whole milk yogurt and cottage cheese (1 sample each), with counts of up to 6.8 log10 cfu/g. The tcdA, tcdB, cdtA, cdtB, tcdC and tcdR genes were detected in 41%, 99.2%, 33.6%, 32%, 46.7% and 31.1%, respectively, of the 122 C. difficile isolates obtained. It was concluded that although the prevalence of C. difficile decreased along the food chain, retail foods were still heavily contaminated. This pathogen may therefore be foodborne, perhaps necessitating dietary advice for potentially vulnerable patients.

Prevalence of Liver Hydatidosis and Its Economic Significance in Sheep Slaughtered in a Private Abattoir in Konya

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of liver hydatidosis in sheep slaughtered in a private slaughterhouse in Konya and to estimate the economic loss incurred because of the disease. Methods: The study was conducted over a period of 12 months between 1 June 2018 and 31 May 2019. Given that the aim of this investigation was to determine the prevalence of liver hydatidosis, only the livers of 41,002 sheep were examined for hydatid cysts. Results: The liver of 810 (1.97%) sheep was found to be infected with hydatid cysts during the study period. The infection rate was determined as 5.34% in animals older than one year of age and 1.68% in animals less than one year of age. Regardless of the age group, the highest infection rate was found in autumn (3.34%), while the lowest infection rate was seen in spring (0.84%). In the sheep, the highest infection rate was in December (17.2%), and in lambs, it was in June (2.9%). On the other hand, the lowest infection rate in sheep was observed in November (1.8%), while the lowest infection rate in lambs was found in April (0.7%). The total economic loss incurred due to the annihilated livers was estimated as 36,450 TL (6.417$). Regardless of the number of cysts and degree of infection, the infected livers were completely discarded. The economic loss incurred due to the discarded livers was estimated by considering the 2019 offal prices. Conclusion: Based on the data obtained from this study, it could be concluded that hydatidosis still exists in Konya as well as throughout Turkey and that it causes serious economic loss.

Can black soldier fly Desmodium intortum larvae-based diets enhance the performance of Cobb500 broiler chickens and smallholder farmers' profit in Kenya?

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of broiler chickens fed on 3 black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) (Hermetia illucens) and Greenleaf desmodium (Desmodium intortum)-based meals. We evaluated growth performance, carcass quality, and profitability under various commercial pathways (doorstep, retail, whole, and assorted). Desmodium and BSFL powders were formulated into 3 ratios: T1 25:75, T2 50:50, and T3 75:25. A commercial feed was used as a control. One hundred and twenty mixed-sex 1-day-old broiler chicks (Cobb) were reared in pens for 42 d in a completely randomized design. The chickens were weighed weekly to monitor their growth rate. After the 42-day rearing period, they were slaughtered for carcass quality evaluation and recording of the weights of internal organs. During the initial growth phase (7-21 d), significant effects of fish meal replacement were found on the chickens' average weight (P < 0.001), average daily body weight gain (P < 0.001), average daily feed intake (P < 0.001), and feed conversion ratio (P < 0.001). However, during the second phase (21-42 d), no significant effect of the replacement was detected except on average daily feed intake (P = 0.003). No significant differences were found in terms of the relative weights of internal organs. It was found that Desmodium-BSFL-based feeds were more profitable than the control feed, and the assorted and retail modes of sale generated more revenue compared to when the chickens were sold at doorstep and on whole-chicken basis. The return on investment was higher for a push-pull adopter compared to a non-adopter. The study found that a BSFL-Desmodium mixture can be a valuable replacement for the protein component in conventional feed and would provide a new impetus for the adoption of push-pull.

The Covid-19 pandemic and meat supply chains.

The Covid-19 pandemic has upended societies, economic activity, and business environments. With a focus on the meat processing sector, this paper considers the short, medium, and potential long-term implications of the pandemic for food supply chains. A series of short-run demand and supply shocks affected the food system. The pandemic has generated a lively discourse around the adaptability and resilience of food supply chains in the medium to longer term. Scale and scope economies in meat processing offer significant cost and efficiency advantages, while a more dispersed industry structure can be more flexible. The pandemic is likely to accelerate the adoption of automation and digitalization within food supply chains. The Covid-19 pandemic also focused consumer attention on the food system and the nature of food supply chains. Consumers' underlying food values may shape their response to uncertainty during a pandemic. The pandemic offers lessons for the food industry in proactively identifying and addressing points of vulnerability within supply chains.

Exploring the characteristics of a local demand for African wild meat: A focus group study of long-term Ghanaian residents in the Netherlands.

While there is a growing body of research documenting unregulated African wild meat imports into Europe from the Africa continent, the drivers of this demand are virtually unknown. This study employs focus group discussions and a survey questionnaire to examine the attitudes and practices related to African wild meat consumption in the city of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Ghanaian community was selected as the object of this study, as it is the largest West African population in the Netherlands and represents an important part of Dutch society. We model our report on a recent US study of the Liberian community of Minneapolis, Minnesota, which allows for the comparison of results between two Western countries. The overall perceived health risk of consuming African wild meat in The Netherlands is low and unlikely to deter consumption. However, local prices for the meat may be prohibitive in some cases. Incentives include health benefits, cultural drivers and a strong preference for the taste of African wild meat over all local meat alternatives. The study calls for further research into the nature of the drivers of demand for African wild meat as well as its public health consequences, in the Netherlands and beyond.

Disease Outbreak, Health Scare, and Distance Decay: Evidence from HPAI Shocks in Chinese Meat Sector.

Background: During zoonotic disease shocks (ZDSs), zoonotic disease outbreaks (ZDOs) can induce public health scares (PHSs), causing meat price risks (MPRs). Nevertheless, spatial spillovers of zoonotic disease shocks in meat markets remain unclear. We explore how zoonotic disease outbreaks and public health scares locally and spatially spill over to meat price risks, and whether spatial spillovers of public health scares decay with distance. Methods: (i) We construct a long panel covering 30 provinces and 121 months, using highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) epidemics as exogenous shocks in Chinese meat sector. (ii) We decompose zoonotic disease shocks into zoonotic disease outbreaks (objective incident) and public health scares (subjective information) and examine their spillovers to meat price risks. (iii) We identify distance-decaying spatial spillovers of public health scares, by running our dynamic SAR models 147 times, from 80 km to 3000 km with 20 km as incremental value, in a setting with risk-level heterogeneity. Results: (i) Zoonotic disease outbreaks themselves only cause local and neighboring meat price risks for high-risk meat, not for low-risk or substitute meat. (ii) Public health scares exacerbate local and neighboring meat price risks for high-risk and low-risk meat, and local meat price risks for substitute meat. (iii) Spatial spillovers of public health scares are distance-decaying and U-shaped, with four spatial attenuation boundaries, and distance turning point is shorter for high-risk meat (500 km) than for low-risk meat (800 km). Conclusions: We complement the literature by arguing that health scares induced by disease outbreaks negatively spill over to meat prices, with U-shaped distance-decaying spatial effects. This suggests low interregional spatial market integration in meat products, due to distance decay of nonstandardized information and local government control effects, across provincial boundaries. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to document nonmonotonic distance decay of health scare effects on food prices, previously not found by the literature.

The Potential Impact of Hospital Cafeterias on Dietary Habits: A Case Study of the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics.

BACKGROUND: Recent research indicates that hospitals are serving an increased role in retail food markets. This article examines the potential effects of pricing strategies on consumer behavior at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics. METHODS: Biweekly point-of-sales data from 2015-2017 were collected for the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics' largest retail cafeteria. T tests were used to identify differences in consumer behavior in response to price changes for bottled water, cheeseburgers, and the salad bar and potential impacts for alternatives. RESULTS: Purchases of bottled water and salad increased after price decreases were implemented; cheeseburger purchases decreased following the price increase. DISCUSSION: Foodservice pricing strategies can drive significant change in consumer behavior. However, consumer sensitivity to price changes may affect the financial viability of price-centric approaches.

Animal-level factors associated with the achievement of desirable specifications in Irish beef carcasses graded using the EUROP classification system.

Beef carcasses in Europe are classified on measures of carcass weight, conformation, and fat cover. These measurements provide the basis for payment to producers, with financial penalties for carcasses that do not conform to desirable characteristics. The objective of the present study was to identify animal-level factors associated with the achievement of a desirable carcass weight, conformation score, fat score, and age at harvest, as stipulated by Irish beef processors in accordance with the EUROP carcass classification system. The stipulated specifications were a EUROP conformation score ≥O=, a carcass weight between 270 and 380 kg, a EUROP fat score between 2+ and 4=, and an age at harvest ≤ 30 mo. In the present study, 59% of cattle failed to achieve at least one of these desired specifications. The logit of the probability of achieving the desired specifications was estimated using multivariable logistic regression and carcass data from 4,717,989 cattle finished and harvested in Ireland between the years 2003 and 2017. In comparison to beef-origin carcasses and after accounting for breed differences, the likelihood of dairy-origin carcasses achieving the desired age, conformation, fat, and weight specifications was 0.97, 0.88, 1.14, and 1.05, respectively. In comparison to heifer carcasses, the odds ratio (OR) of bull and steer carcasses simultaneously achieving all of the desired specifications (i.e. the overall specification) was 0.35 and 0.95, respectively. Additionally, after accounting for breed differences, heifers from the dairy herd were half as likely as heifers from the beef herd to achieve the overall specification, whereas the odds of dairy-origin bulls (OR = 3.46) and steers (OR = 2.41) achieving the overall specification was greater than that of their respective beef-origin counterparts. Finally, cattle with a greater breed proportion of Angus were most likely to achieve the overall specification. Results from the present study could provide a deeper understanding as to why animals fail to achieve desirable carcass specifications and could be implemented into the management decisions made on farm to ensure that the supply of beef carcasses that achieve the desired metrics is maximized.

The Business of Cultured Meat.

Cultured meats (CMs) are produced by in vitro culture of animal cells. Since the first CM burger patty was created in 2013, many companies have been founded to commercialize CM products. We discuss the meat focus and geographical spread of CM companies, the funding landscape, and challenges for commercialization.

A social cost-benefit analysis of meat taxation and a fruit and vegetables subsidy for a healthy and sustainable food consumption in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of food taxes or subsidies may promote healthier and a more sustainable diet in a society. This study estimates the effects of a tax (15% or 30%) on meat and a subsidy (10%) on fruit and vegetables (F&V) consumption in the Netherlands using a social cost-benefit analysis with a 30-year time horizon. METHODS: Calculations with the representative Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (2012-2014) served as the reference. Price elasticities were applied to calculate changes in consumption and consumer surplus. Future food consumption and health effects were estimated using the DYNAMO-HIA model and environmental impacts were estimated using Life Cycle Analysis. The time horizon of all calculations is 30 year. All effects were monetarized and discounted to 2018 euros. RESULTS: Over 30-years, a 15% or 30% meat tax or 10% F&V subsidy could result in reduced healthcare costs, increased quality of life, and higher productivity levels. Benefits to the environment of a meat tax are an estimated €3400 million or €6300 million in the 15% or 30% scenario respectively, whereas the increased F&V consumption could result in €100 million costs for the environment. While consumers benefit from a subsidy, a consumer surplus of €10,000 million, the tax scenarios demonstrate large experienced costs of respectively €21,000 and €41,000 million. Overall, a 15% or 30% price increase in meat could lead to a net benefit for society between €3100-7400 million or €4100-12,300 million over 30 years respectively. A 10% F&V subsidy could lead to a net benefit to society of €1800-3300 million. Sensitivity analyses did not change the main findings. CONCLUSIONS: The studied meat taxes and F&V subsidy showed net total welfare benefits for the Dutch society over a 30-year time horizon.

Consumers use of quality cues for meat purchase: Research trends and future pathways.

This paper aims to explore the trends in the research design used for assessing important quality cues in the meat industry and determine the most important quality cues that consumers use in their purchasing decisions. A Journal Article Network Analysis and non-parametric comparative analyses were used to collate the studies and analyse their findings respectively. Results indicate a predominate use of point-of-purchase surveys to collect data and consumers' stated preference to evaluate the important quality cues. At an aggregated analytical level, the five most important quality cues (country of origin, food safety certification, price, production system and quality certification labels) are extrinsic and relate to credence attributes. However, different rankings of important quality cues are obtained at a disaggregated analytical level based on meat type. The paper proposes that exploring the interconnection between meat quality cues and how they influence consumers in different market segments based on the value proposition of the retailer as a foreseeable future research pathway.

A value chain analysis of interventions to control production diseases in the intensive pig production sector.

Value chain analysis (VCA) calculated the financial effects on food chain actors of interventions to improve animal health and welfare in the intensive pig sector. Two interventions to reduce production diseases were studied. A generic chain diagram of linkages between stakeholders and value-added dimensions was designed. Data on structure and financial performance were collected for the sector. The production parameters and financial effects of the interventions were then described to illustrate impact on the supply chain. The effects of the interventions were also assessed at market level using economic welfare analysis. The sectors in Finland and the UK are small in farm numbers and few companies produced much of the output in a largely vertically-integrated structure. The most beneficial intervention in financial terms to farmers was improved hygiene in pig fattening (around +50% in gross margin). It was calculated to reduce the consumer price for pig meat by up to 5% when applied at large, whereas for improved management measures, it would reduce consumer price by less than 0.5%. However, the latter added value also through food quality attributes. We show that good hygiene and animal care can add value. However, evaluation of the financial and social viability of the interventions is needed to decide what interventions are adopted. The structure of supply chains influences which policy measures could be applied. Of the two interventions, improved pig hygiene had the largest potential to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The studied interventions can also provide new business opportunities to farms, slaughterhouses and food sector companies. More evidence is needed to support public policies and business decision-making in the sector. For this, evidence on consumer attitudes to production diseases is needed. Nevertheless, the study makes an important contribution by showing how improvements in health and welfare benefit the whole chain.

Physiological and economic benefits of abandoning invasive surgical procedures and enhancing animal welfare in swine production.

Food-animal welfare is a major ethical and social concern. Pork is the most consumed meat worldwide, with over a billion pigs slaughtered annually. Most of these pigs routinely undergo painful surgical procedures (surgical castration, tail docking, teeth clipping), which farmers often reluctant to avoid, claiming it would increase cost and reduce production efficiency. Herein, this study indicates that these procedures compromise pigs' health and condition. Replacing surgical castration with immunocastration, avoiding tail docking and teeth clipping, and providing environmental enrichment, resulted in significant increase in weight gain, lowered risks for injuries and death, and reduced saliva and hair cortisol, both biomarkers for stress. Testosterone and DHEA analyses confirmed that immunocastration was an effective alternative to surgical castration. Economic models for the entire US swine market revealed that following across-the-board acceptance of this management, pork meat price is expected to drop, while the total annual social welfare (combined consumer and producer surplus) is expected to increase by $US 1.48 to 1.92 billion. In conclusion, sustainable swine farming management can be beneficial for both animals and farmers. Applying such welfare-friendly management is expected to reduce stress, enhance piglet/pig welfare and production, and improve the economics of swine operations in the global agro-food system.

Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Food with Information on Animal Welfare, Lean Meat Essence Detection, and Traceability.

Amid high-profile food scares, health concerns and threats of information imperfection and asymmetry, the Chinese pork industry faces increasing demands from consumers for assurances regarding quality and production methods in both the domestic and export markets. Using a real choice experiment (RCE), 316 consumers in Wuxi, located in China's Jiangsu Province, were randomly surveyed to examine the impact of various factors (e.g., traceability, lean meat essence testing, animal welfare, appearance, and price) on consumers' preference and willingness to pay (WTP) for pork products. A random parameter logit model was estimated, and the results show that having a traceable code is the second important factor after price for consumers, corresponding to a WTP of 4.76 yuan per catty, followed by a bright red appearance, a national stocking density standard of animal welfare, and detected no lean meat essence, corresponding to a WTP of more than 2 yuan per catty. In addition, there is a complementary interrelationship between a traceable code and a bright red appearance, detected no lean meat essence, and a national stocking density standard of animal welfare. The results concerning the latent class model (LCM) indicate that 56.9% of consumers are "quality-focused" consumers who are willing to pay a high price for traceable code, detected no lean meat essence, a national stocking density standard of animal welfare, and bright red appearance attributes. A further 28.1% are "price-sensitive" consumers who pay significant attention to the price, and the price that they pay for each product is meagre. The consumers with "preference combination attributes" attach greater value to interaction attributes, such as a traceable code combined with detected no lean meat essence or a bright red appearance and detected no lean meat essence combined with a national stocking density standard of animal welfare or a bright red appearance, accounting for 15% of consumers. The government should improve the traceability system, increase the intensity of lean meat essence testing, promote the welfare level of pigs, and promote public education and publicity on pork quality and safety attributes. Meanwhile, enterprises can formulate "differentiated" pork products, according to different consumer groups, and appropriately increase prices, according to production costs, in order to meet the requirements for pork quality and safety for consumers.