The occurrence of laMRSA (livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) and/or plasmid-mediated AmpC beta-lactamase-producing (AmpC) Enterobacteriaceae in healthy livestock herds is known for some time.The spread of these bacteria in the environment is discussed critically.The object of this study was to determine the presence of these microorganisms in faeces of livestock as well as the discussion about a potential faecal emission. Therefore, faeces samples from 37 different MRSA positive livestock holdings were tested for MRSA. Furthermore, faeces samples from 50 farms with an unknown status regarding ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli were screened for those resistant bacteria. LaMRSA was detected in samples of turkey (2/5, 40%) and broiler fattening farms (1/4, 25%) as well as in pig farms with higher detection frequencies in fattening farms (11/15, 73.3%) than in breeding farms (4/12, 33.3%). ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli was found in all investigated eight broiler farms (100%), in nine out of 16 (56.3%) breeding pig as well as in six out of 10 (60%) dairy cattle herds and in seven of 16 (43.8%) fattening pig holdings. This presents the first detection of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli originating from healthy pigs, turkeys and broilers in Germany. In addition, samples of fertilized field surfaces were studied exemplarily for the presence of MRSA (n = 4) as well as ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli (n = 2). Furthermore, slurry samples from four broiler and five pig farms were analysed for the latter. Both MRSA and ESBL/ AmpC-producing E. coli could be detected on the field surfaces, the last also in slurry samples. Faecal emissions from animal husbandry seem to be one possible route for the spread of these resistant microorganisms in the environment.

The aim of this study was the evaluation of animal health recording data based on veterinary diagnostic data subject to documentation by law from the year 2009. Based on this, the occurence of diagnosed cattle diseases in the Middle Weser Area was assessed. Analysis was performed for each age category milk cows, heifers and calves. Data was provided by three veterinary practices and included 8919 medicamental treatments on 118 cattle farms. First treatments against 29 different cow-, 23 heifer- and 18 calf-diseases were documented. Besides the single consideration of each documented diagnose, diagnoses were pooled into groups ot diagnoses for each age category. The three most common groups allowed a good insight into the diagnosed and treated diseases. In dairy cows, the diagnoses group of udder disases was predominant (31.0%), followed by diseases of the locomotion tract (25.4%) and antiparasitic treatments and prophylaxis (19.6%). In heifers, the diagnoses group of antiparasitic treatments and prophylaxis ranged at first place (83.2%), followed by respiratory diseases (6.1%) and diseases of the locomotion tract (4.6%). In calves, most medicaments were used for the treatment against respiratory diseases (54.7%), gut diseases (30.8%) and fungal skin infections (7.7%). Even though the informative value of veterinary diagnostic data has to be regarded critically, this study provided a clear picture of the most frequently diagnosed and treated diseases in cattle. Especially in the current discussion about the prudent use of veterinary medicaments, such analyses enable insights into animal health and conclusions on the amount of administered treatments without additional data acquisition. In due critical consideration of the disadvantages of such data, they can form the background of a digital documentation and integration of animal health information.

Legal requirements on space and dimensions regarding furnished cages and alternative systems in laying hen husbandry are subject of constant discussion. Further knowledge about basic measures of the hens might help to come to reasonable results in the future. Digital images of Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) and Lohmann Brown (LB) laying hens, housed at the Lehr- und Forschungsgut Ruthe, University for Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, in Big Dutchman Eurovent laying hen cages, were made at three stages (19th, 36th and 58th week) of production. All hens had been taken out of their cages by night and set on a perch in a special cage used to photograph the hens frontally under controlled conditions. Body widths were calculated by a python application Cdisto.py0 2009 Andreas Briese) to mark and measure the body width in the digital images of a total of 156 hens. Mean body widths of 133.77 mm in Lohmann-LSL hens (SD = 9.71; N = 64; mean weight: 1.73 kg) and of 152.55 mm in Lohmann-LB hens (SD = 10.31; N = 92; mean weight: 1.93 kg) respectively were found. Even slight changes in body weights had no effect on the body width. Nonetheless the differences between both hybrids were always statistically significant (Mann-Whitney p < 0,001). Using these preliminary results on body width in a mathematical model simultanious feeding behaviour becomes only possible if the number of animals is reduced by 10.3% to 89.7% in LSL and by 21.3% to 78.7% in LB breeds in relation to a calculated maximum on base of the minimum space requirements for furnished cages in the EU-Dir 74/1999/EC.

The available floor space has a strong impact on the execution of various behaviours of laying hens. Presently, in Germany detailed requirements on the housing of pullets are insufficient. In order to get a first approximation, the floor space covered by pullets was determined by the colour contrast planimetric method KobaPlan. The measurements on standing and sitting pullets were done on a random sample of Lohmann Brown (LB), Lohmann Tradition (LT), Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL) and Dekalb White (DW) hybrids from the 6th week of life to 18/20 weeks at regular intervals. The hens were weighed and photographed digitally in a specific planimetric box (n = 2600 photographs from pullets in standing and 1360 in sitting position). Afterwards the KobaPlan software program calculated the animal area.The results showed a correlation between floor space covered by the pullets in standing position and the live weight (R2 = 0.80-0.96). The mean floor space covered by LB and LT at the end of rearing (body weight 1450 +/- 25 g LB and 1500 +/- 25 g LT) was 422.4 +/- 41.9 cm2 (LB) and 446.7 +/- 49.0 cm2 (LT) stand- ing, respectively 448.0 +/- 51.0 cm2 (LB) and 464.5 +/- 42.6 cm2 (LT) sitting. LSL and DW (body weight 1300 +/- 25 g) used 371.0 +/- 41.3 cm2 (LSL) and 349.3 +/- 26.3 cm2 (DW), respectively in standing and 379.5 +/- 41.2 cm2 (LSL) in sitting position. Maximum stocking density recommendation for pullets based on these planimetric results compared with the space allowance in alternative housing systems for laying hens are between eleven and 14 birds/m2. To verify this stocking density recommendation for pullets further studies should be complemented by specific ethological observations.

The current investigation is a contribution to the animal welfare debate on acceptable stocking densities in broiler chickens. Two stocking densities on similar levels as currently legally regulated (35 kg/m2 und 40 kg/m2) and two cleary lower stocking densities (18 kg/m2 und 25 kg/m2) were investigated in groups of 18 to 42 Lohmann broiler chickens (B) in three batches with each time one replication of all stocking densities. Target weight of the broiler chickens was 2 kg at 39 or 40 days of age. Mortality, final live weights and activity levels were not significantly different between stocking densities. The proportion of time birds were sitting/lying increased in general with age from about 56% to 82%, probably due to their rapid growth. Nevertheless, at the lower stocking densities there was only in single cases. Moreover, significantly more footpads showed medium grade alterations under higher density conditions; high grade alterations were also different between 35 kg/m2 and 40 kg/m2. Walking ability was only different between the lowest and the two higher densities. Altogether results reflect behavioural restriction at the higher stocking densities with increased risks for footpad alterations and lameness. In order to reach clear animal welfare improvements, e. g. in the framework of animal welfare labeling, a considerable lowering of the stocking density is consequently one important measure. However, this recommendation should be further validated under commercial conditions.

There is a need for technical solutions to reduce the concentrations of bioaerosols in the air and in the exhaust air of livestock buildings. A prototype of an air washer combined with a UV-irradiation system was positioned in a commercial pig fattening unit to test its efficiency of reducing culturable airborne microorganisms. No significant reduction in airborne bacteria and fungi was observed when untreated air passed through the device. However, when the air washer or the UV-irradiation system was activated, the concentrations of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and mesophilic aerotolerant cocci were reduced significantly (p < 0.01). Washing the air reduced bacteria by 84 to 96% and the relative reduction due to UV-irradiation ranged between 55 and 90%. The highest relative reduction in airborne bacteria (90 to 99%) was detected when the air washer and the UV-irradiation systems were in simultaneous operation. The concentration of total airborne fungi was reduced significantly (p < 0.05) only when the air was washed and UV-irradiated. Although these preliminary results provided significant and comprehensible findings, long-term studies are required to assess the efficiency of the device in more detail.The combination of air washing and UV-irradiation seem to be a useful technique for abating airborne microorganisms within or emitting from piggery buildings. However, some technical problems remain, such as the deposition of particulate matter on the surface of UV-irradiators and the consumption of fresh water by the air washer. These issues must be resolved before the system may be implemented for general practice.

"Livestock-associated" Methicillin-resistent Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) are frequently found in the air of piggeries, are emitted into the ambient air of the piggeries and may also drift into residential areas or surrounding animal husbandries.. In order to reduce emissions from animal houses such as odour, gases and dust different biological air cleaning systems are commercially available. In this study the retention efficiencies for the culturable LA-MRSA of a bio-trickling filter and a combined three step system, both installed at two different piggeries, were investigated. Raw gas concentrations for LA-MRSA of 2.1 x 10(2) cfu/m3 (biotrickling filter) and 3.9 x 10(2) cfu/m3 (three step system) were found. The clean gas concentrations were in each case approximately one power of ten lower. Both systems were able to reduce the number of investigated bacteria in the air of piggeries on average about 90%. The investigated systems can contribute to protect nearby residents. However, considerable fluctuations of the emissions can occur.

Even in modern piglet production, mastitis and lactation failure in sows represent a considerable health problem post partum, affecting in its consequences both the sow and her piglets. Known as a multifactorial syndrome, Mastitis-Metritis-Agalactia (MMA) has been topic of several studies investigating possible influencing factors at farm and sow level in the recent past. However, there is a lack of current investigations on the causative pathogens, especially with advanced laboratory methods and with an adequate control group of healthy animals. Therefore, 1026 milk samples from coliform mastitis (CM)-affected, and 972 samples from healthy sows on six farms were examined bacteriologically in this study. The spectrum of isolated bacteria did not differ significantly between diseased and healthy animals for most species, with Escherichia coli as predominant species with 70.4% positive samples from diseased, and 78.0% positive samples from healthy animals. Furthermore, other Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcaceae, Streptococcaceae and Enterococcaceae were isolated both from CM-affected and non-affected animals.The similar bacteria distribution underlines the multifactorial pathogenesis of CM: Only with further adverse--endogen or exogen--factors being present, ubiquitous bacteria from the sow's environment can contribute to the development of clinical signs of infection.

Weaning piglets at the age of three or four weeks is an integral part of certain production rhythms in modern pig farming. Sorting piglets by weight and mixing them into new groups is a common method in agricultural practice. The aim of this study was to clarify whether the formation of homogeneous weight groups after weaning affects weight development and aggressive behaviour. We compared homogeneous and heterogeneous weight groups and entire litters that were weaned and reared completely. All groups including entire litters were composed of 12 animals. All piglets were weighed the day before weaning, four days later, and on day 38. The number of all aggressive interactions occurring within a group was determined by video analysis for 72 hours after mixing.There during four days after weaning or over the rearing period. Rearing entire litters resulted in significantly higher daily weight gain within four days after weaning and throughout the rearing period. Sorting piglets by weight did not affect the development of weight dispersion in a group. The coefficients of variation of weights in homogeneous and heterogeneous groups which differed significantly at the beginning were on a similar level after 38 days. Neither weight balance of piglet batches at the end of rearing nor growth performance or aggressive interactions were influenced by sorting piglets by weight at weaning.

The aim of this study was to identify, quantify, and describe pre-signs of aggression in pigs and the early stages of aggressive interactions. The experiment was carried out at a commercial farm on a group of 11 male pigs weighing on average 23 kg and kept in a pen of4 m x 2.5 m. In total 8 hours were videorecorded during the first 3 days after mixing. As a result, 177 aggressive interactions were identified and labelled to find pre-sign body positions before aggressive interactions, attack positions and aggressive acts performed from these positions. A total of 12 positions were classified as pre-signs (P1-P12) and 7 of them were identified immediately at the start of aggressive interactions (P6-P12). Most common pre-sign positions were P3-pigs approaching and facing each other (24%) and P2-initiator pigs approaching from the lateral side (18%). In 80% of the cases the duration of pre-signs was 1-2 sec 72% of all aggressive interactions were short (1 to 10 sec). The most frequent attack positions were P12-inverse parallel (39.5%), P7-nose to nose, 90 degrees (19.77%) and P9-nose to head (13.5%). The most frequent aggressive acts from attack positions were head knocking (34.4%), pressing (34.4%) and biting of different body parts (29.4%). Head knocking was mostly observed in relation to P7 and P2 positions and biting was common in the P7 position. In conclusion, pigs adopt specific pre-signs and body positions before the escalation of aggressive interactions. This could be used as potential sign to identify a beginning aggression.