Benefit-cost analysis of becoming certified pollinator friendly.

Despite significant drop in pollinator abundance, no studies exist on the benefits and costs of pollinator conservation in the public domain. An in-person survey was conducted at three large, public US universities to estimate benefits to become Bee Campus USA certified. We test whether different types of reminders on existing student sustainability fees affect Willingness to Pay. Costs of achieving this certification per university were obtained. Net Present Value demonstrates that the net benefits to each school are largely positive, except under the most restrictive assumption. Information reminders of existing fees lead to little change in support of pollinator conservation.

Comparison of China's and the European Union's Approaches to Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Pork Industry.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a recognized global public health concern. Although the link between antimicrobial usage in food animals and AMR in humans is established, the detailed interactions are unclear. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in livestock was first implemented in Europe with Sweden as the pioneer in 1986. Despite this head start, AMR is still an ongoing challenge for Europe. The European Union (EU) is an established agriculture producer, the second largest pork producer globally, and one of the largest markets for organic food. China is the global leader in both production and consumption of pork. China's rise in prosperity has led to an increase in its pork demand. Chinese producers commonly use antimicrobials during production for disease treatment and prevention to meet this increased demand. China's rising prosperity together with recent publicized food safety scandals, disease outbreaks in domestic livestock products, and increased AMR awareness have resulted in an increased willingness to pay and demand for organic food by Chinese consumers. Responding to the growing concerns of AMR by consumers and the World Health Organization (WHO), the Chinese government introduced a national pilot program in 2016 to reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use. Compared with China, the EU is a different entity as it is a political union comprising diverse countries and although it may have more experience in AMS, both entities face similar issues with AMR and increasing demand for organic food. Increased interest in organic food has arisen due to concerns about AMR, food safety, outbreaks of bacterial food contamination, and animal welfare. This article aims to compare the different AMS strategies employed by each entity, China and the EU, and how the increased demand for organic produce globally also influences the effort to reduce antimicrobial use in these entities' pork industries.

[Animal welfare problems from rearing to slaughter on cattle farms from an official veterinarian's perspective]. / Tierschutzprobleme von der Aufzucht bis zur Schlachtung in Rinderbetrieben aus amtstierärztlicher Sicht.

Official inspections of cattle farms in Germany regularly reveal a number of violations concerning animal welfare. This article first addresses the legal basis and technical principles, including basic terms, for cattle farmers. Subsequently, a discussion of animal welfare problems associated with the raising of calves and young cattle, dairy and beef cattle farming, transportation, as well as emergency slaughter of cattle from the viewpoint of veterinary authorities is provided. The aim is to familiarize practicing veterinarians with the methods for the assessment of animal welfare violations as performed by official veterinarians. Providing clients with information on these evaluation criteria may contribute to an avoidance of pain and suffering in cattle.

Analysis of Non-conformities in Road Transport of Animals in Poland.

The paper presents the results of analysis of inspections of animal transport vehicles in Poland in 2007-2016. Due to animal welfare and the increased epidemiological risk the animal control system included the points of carriage provided for in the animal carriage law, i.e., during transport, at the sites of shipment, sites of rest, at destination points as well as at fairs and purchase points. The largest number of non-conformities were revealed at destination points (slaughterhouses), where the highest number of inspections were carried out. Inspections were conducted by veterinary inspectors and non-conformities were mainly related to animal health, documentation, transport practices and vehicles. The calculation of non-conformity rates enabled the evaluation of the condition of the inspected means of transport in the aspect of animal welfare. In addition, number of inspections, number of detected non-conformities and the non-conformity rates calculated for Poland were compared with the values for selected countries neighboring Poland (the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Germany).

Patents on Insect-based Feeds for Animals Including Companion Animals, and Terrestrial and Aquatic Livestock in Korea.

The demand for alternative protein sources by the livestock industry has increased substantially. Therefore, insects are being promoted as a novel nutrient source in animal feed. As detailed in this review, eleven patents related to feeding insects to terrestrial animals including livestock and companion animals have been commercially applied. Six and eight of the patents have been used to produce poultry and fish, and crustacean feed, respectively. The most promising species for industrial feed production was the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), and the two-spotted cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus). Regarding research areas of the patents reviewed here, studies on the composition and optimal mixing ratio of feeds and on insect rearing, harvesting, and post-harvest technologies were mainly performed for the industrial mass production of safe and functional animal feeds containing insects. Continuous scientific innovations and improved processing technologies will aid further advancements in this field. Therefore, this review offers insights to identify directions of future research and provides information on different insect-based feedstuffs for animals including terrestrial livestock, fish and shellfish, and companion animals, as also discussed in various patents.

Prohibited Grazing Policy Satisfaction and Life Satisfaction in Rural Northwest China-A Case Study in Yanchi County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

In order to restore degraded grasslands, the Chinese central government initiated the Prohibited Grazing Policy (PGP) in areas of severe grassland degradation and ecologically fragile regions which is an important payment for ecosystem services (PES) program. Since the initiation of this policy in the early 2000s, the PGP has significantly influenced participants' lives. Therefore, in order for the policy to be successful, it is necessary to understand what determines participants' satisfaction in the policy. This paper presents an analysis of survey data from Yanchi County using ordered probit regression models to explore the factors influencing PGP satisfaction and life satisfaction. The empirical results suggest that farmers' policy perception, environmental perception, and livelihood strategies of raising sheep had significant effects on PGP satisfaction. Additionally, PGP satisfaction, marital status, environmental satisfaction, self-reported influence of the PGP on income, self-reported income level, and self-reported income and expenditure had significantly positive effects on overall life satisfaction. These results are important for promoting better implementation of such programs as well as enhancing social stability and sustainable development in these regions.

Postapproval Monitoring Practices at Biomedical Research Facilities.

Federal regulations and policies require institutions to establish procedures for ongoing IACUC oversight of approved animal care and use program activities including animal procedures. To fulfill these requirements, research institutions implement postapproval monitoring (PAM) programs designed to assure compliance in animal activities. Although several references commenting on the requirement to conduct PAM are available, few publications discuss actual best practices for accomplishing PAM. Here we use information collected through a survey of large academic research institutions to identify common practices for conducting PAM reviews. Many similarities and differences exist between institutions, which may or may not influence the overall quality of an institution's PAM program.

Challenges and opportunities to livestock breeding programmes in India.

Animal breeding in India has a long and chequered history. High pressure on agricultural land and increasing human population opened a new opportunity for the livestock and poultry sector as a promising food industry. Productivity of livestock in India is low due to less coverage of livestock under structured breeding programmes, inadequate nutrition and its entanglement with several socio-economic issues. A bottom-up approach to breeding policy formulation addressing local needs is required with assured flow of investments. Cattle slaughter is banned in India; hence, a legal policy to curb widespread indiscriminate mating is required which may incur substantial financial and infrastructural burdens for castration of stray males and strengthening of cow rehabilitation centres. Genetic evaluation of indigenous cattle with progeny testing (PT) requires substantial financial support, without affecting the already existing PT for exotic cattle breeds used in the local cross-breeding programmes and PT of new genotypes obtained from crosses of exotic and local breeds of cattle and for purebred buffaloes. Small ruminants need special attention due to their socio-economic importance in rural and often highly disadvantaged communities and because they are the second most important meat-producing species after poultry. Genetic improvement of small ruminants should be accompanied by attention to shrinking grazing resources which would require strong political will together with financial support. The outreach of breeding programmes for small ruminants is currently limited; there is also a lack of linkage between the market and producers that discourages farmers from adopting clear breeding objectives like improvement in growth rate, as animals are seldom sold on weight basis. Apart from government agencies, involvement of private sector, non-government organizations, local co-operatives, self-help groups and self-sustainable community-based breeding programmes can strengthen market linkages. Strengthening of the existing infrastructure along with technical input and skilled manpower is essential for achieving the breeding objectives.

A Bird's-Eye View of Regulatory, Animal Care, and Training Considerations Regarding Avian Flight Research.

A thorough understanding of how animals fly is a central goal of many scientific disciplines. Birds are a commonly used model organism for flight research. The success of this model requires studying healthy and naturally flying birds in a laboratory setting. This use of a nontraditional laboratory animal species presents unique challenges to animal care staff and researchers alike. Here we review regulatory, animal care, and training considerations associated with avian flight research.

The importance of permits for effective population management.

The global management of animal populations to ensure sustainability depends on inter-regional transfers of animals in many cases. Regulatory and permitting requirements can be significant challenges to effective population management. This brief communication lays out practice advice for easing the regulatory burden and facilitating successful permitting. Advice is provided on meeting enhancement requirements at the institutional and TAG levels, and TAGs are encouraged to make longer term plans for imports of animals so that blanket permits can be obtained. Regular meetings with regulatory agencies and participation in AZA legislative affairs events are recommended to strengthen personal relationships and facilitate communication between zoos and regulatory bodies. Zoos and Aquariums should also provide professional development support for registrars to increase their capacity to navigate the permitting landscape.

The contribution of transgenic and genome-edited animals to agricultural and industrial applications.

For centuries, animal breeders have intentionally selected the parents of the next generation based on their concept of the 'ideal' animal. The dramatic differences seen in the appearance and productivity of different breeds show the power of such selection on DNA sequence variations. Unfortunately, the global furore over the use of modern biotechnologies to introduce desired genetic variations into animal breeding programmes, and the regulatory uncertainty associated with these recombinant DNA techniques, has effectively precluded the use of these technologies in food animal breeding programmes. Ironically, many of these early transgenic animal applications targeted traits that favoured sustainability, such as disease resistance and decreased environmental impact. As a consequence, transgenic animals have had little opportunity to affect global agriculture, and only a handful of pharmaceutical applications have been successfully commercialised. New developments in genome editing hold considerable promise for targeting traits that improve both animal health and welfare, and frequently involve no introduction of DNA sequences from other species. Nonetheless, future global regulation and public acceptance of such methods remain uncertain. Proposals to regulate genome-edited animals based solely on the process used to influence DNA sequence variations (i.e. intentional genome editing) and any potential attendant risks, with no counterbalancing consideration of the ensuing benefits or risks associated with conventional selection programmes, will potentially forestall the use of genome editing in animal breeding programmes. No activity can survive a risk-only evaluation, and there are considerable opportunity costs associated with preventing breeders' access to safe technologies in order to achieve genetic improvements in livestock populations.

Pendant des siècles, les éleveurs ont exercé une sélection des reproducteurs au sein de leurs troupeaux afin de donner naissance à de nouvelles générations d'animaux correspondant à leur conception de l'animal d'élevage « idéal ¼. Les différences d'aspect et de productivité constatées entre les différentes races démontrent l'importance des effets de cette sélection sur les mutations des séquences d'ADN. Malheureusement, l'indignation planétaire suscitée par le recours aux biotechnologies modernes pour introduire des traits d'amélioration génétique chez les animaux d'élevage et les incertitudes sur la réglementation applicable aux techniques de l'ADN recombiné ont eu pour effet d'exclure l'utilisation de ces technologies dans les programmes d'élevage d'animaux destinés à la consommation humaine. L'ironie de la chose est que la plupart des premières applications recourant aux animaux transgéniques visaient à introduire des traits favorisant un élevage durable, par exemple des traits induisant une résistance contre certaines maladies ou permettant de diminuer l'impact environnemental des élevages. En conséquence, les conditions n'étaient guère réunies pour que les animaux transgéniques contribuent à transformer l'agriculture mondiale et seules quelques rares applications pharmaceutiques, ont pu être mises au point et commercialisées avec succès. Les récents développements de l'édition génomique ouvrent des voies extrêmement prometteuses pour cibler des traits permettant d'améliorer la santé et le bien-être des animaux, très souvent sans qu'il soit nécessaire d'introduire des séquences d'ADN provenant d'autres espèces. Néanmoins, des incertitudes subsistent sur l'évolution de la réglementation mondiale en la matière et sur l'acceptation sociale de ces méthodes à l'avenir. On peut donc s'attendre à ce que l'utilisation de l'édition génomique dans les programmes de sélection animale sera devancée par des propositions visant à la réglementer ; ces propositions ne prendront en compte que le processus induisant une modification ciblée de séquences d'ADN et les risques potentiels qui lui sont associés, sans les contrebalancer par un examen des bénéfices apportés ni des risques inhérents aux programmes de sélection classiques. Aucune activité ne peut survivre à une évaluation basée exclusivement sur les risques ; par ailleurs, les coûts d'opportunité induits par le fait d'empêcher les éleveurs d'accéder à des technologies sûres pour améliorer le patrimoine génétique des populations d'animaux d'élevage sont considérables.

Durante siglos, los criadores de animales han seleccionado intencionadamente a los progenitores de la siguiente generación en función de su concepción de animal «idóneo¼. Las espectaculares diferencias de aspecto externo y productividad que se observan entre las distintas razas ponen de manifiesto el poder de esta selección ejercida sobre las variaciones de secuencias de ADN. Lamentablemente, el clamor mundial contra el empleo de las modernas biotecnologías para introducir las variaciones genéticas deseadas en los programas de producción animal, sumado a las incertidumbres reglamentarias existentes en torno a esas técnicas de ADN recombinante, han obstaculizado el uso eficaz de estas tecnologías en programas de cría selectiva de animales destinados a la producción alimentaria. Irónicamente, muchas de esas primeras aplicaciones de animales transgénicos tenían que ver con rasgos que favorecían la sostenibilidad, como la resistencia a enfermedades o la reducción del impacto ambiental. Como consecuencia, apenas ha habido ocasión de que los animales transgénicos influyan en la agricultura mundial y solo se han comercializado con éxito un puñado de aplicaciones farmacéuticas. Las últimas novedades surgidas en la edición genómica parecen bastante prometedoras para actuar sobre rasgos que mejoren tanto la salud como el bienestar de los animales, a menudo sin que ello requiera la introducción de secuencias de ADN de otras especies. Sin embargo, sigue reinando la incertidumbre acerca del grado de aceptación pública y la futura reglamentación de tales métodos a escala mundial. Lo más probable es que las propuestas de reglamentar la cuestión de los animales obtenidos por edición genómica atendiendo únicamente al proceso empleado para obtener variantes de secuencias de ADN (esto es, la edición genómica deliberada) y a los eventuales riesgos conexos (sin tener en cuenta, en contrapartida, los consiguientes beneficios o riesgos asociados a los programas de selección convencionales) desemboquen en la imposibilidad de aplicar la edición genómica a programas de cría selectiva de animales. No hay actividad alguna que pueda superar el filtro de una evaluación basada únicamente en el riesgo, y el hecho de impedir que los criadores accedan a tecnologías seguras para lograr la mejora genética de sus poblaciones de ganado entraña importantes costos de oportunidad.