[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The Singletary Center for the Arts was alive with music and hope Sunday as 15 talented vocalists competed in the finals of the 18th annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition. The event awarded more than $700,000 in scholarships and prizes and the opportunity to attend the University of Kentucky as part of the UK Opera Theatre program.

Judges selected multiple winners in undergraduate and graduate categories. In addition to cash prizes, winners received scholarships to attend UK, including some full-tuition awards.

The winners of the 2023 Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition are:

Undergraduate student winners

• Pearse and Deirdre Lyons First-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship – Max Taylor*
• Alltech Second-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship – William Cordier*
• Alltech Feed Division Third-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship – Keen Williams
• Alltech Crop Science Encouragement Award – Will Jones
• Barbara Rouse Kentucky Prize – Calia Burdette
• Alltech and Bryant’s Rent-All Encouragement Award – Emily Hayes

Graduate student winners

• Pearse and Deirdre Lyons First-Place Graduate Award and Graduate Assistantship – Sierra Kidd*
• Alltech Second-Place Graduate Award and Graduate Assistantship – Audrianna Hughes*
• Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation Third-Place Graduate Award and Half Assistantship – Kayla J. Wilson
• Stand Energy Graduate Award – Eleanor Wilmes*
• Gail Robinson Performance Award – Katherine Anne Ledbetter
• Reginald Smith Jr. Diversity Scholarship in Opera Graduate Award – Audrianna Hughes

*These winners also received a tuition stipend to study at the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria. AIMS is the leading summer music program in Europe. 

Finalists were scored based on their voice, technical skill, interpretation and accuracy by five judges:

• Evans Mirageas, who is in his 18th season as the Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director of Cincinnati Opera and is widely considered one of the most talented and respected artistic leaders in the classical music industry today.
• Julia Noulin-Merat, general director and CEO of Opera Columbus.
• Barbara Lynne Jamison, general director of Kentucky Opera.
• Dr. Thomas King, who taught the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria, for 25 years.
• Karen Slack, celebrated American soprano and artistic advisor for Portland Opera and the co-chair of the Women’s Opera Network with Opera America.

The Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition is one of the largest competitions of its kind in the world. Its winners have traveled the world performing, teaching and providing inspiration to others.

“This program originated out of a friendship between my father, Dr. Pearse Lyons, and Dr. Everett McCorvey of UK Opera Theatre. They wanted to give talented students a chance to pursue their dreams and help UK to build its opera program,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Since it began, this program has allowed nearly 190 students to overcome the financial barriers to pursuing their dreams.”

In addition to performing at UK, the Alltech Vocal Scholars infuse art into our community throughout the year with performances such as “A Grand Night for Singing” and the annual Alltech Celebration of Song, a free holiday concert at Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Learn more about the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and watch the livestream of this year’s competition at alltech.com/vocal.

Max Taylor of Louisville, Kentucky, won the Pearse and Deirdre Lyons First-Place Undergraduate Award and Scholarship on Sunday, March 5 at 18th annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition. Shown with him are Dr. Everett McCorvey, executive director of UK Opera Theatre, and Mrs. Deirdre Lyons, cofounder of Alltech.

There are many ways to be more sustainable. Taking a deep dive into growing and finishing pig production, one specific and costly factor stands out – the feed conversion ratio (FCR).

What happens when technology and the swine industry collide? Dr. David Rosero, a technical officer at the Hanor Company, joins the Ag Future podcast to discuss the latest game-changing technologies in the field, such as cameras for estimating pig weights and sensors for measuring feed consumption. Listen to learn how these technologies are creating opportunities for innovation and increasing efficiency in the industry.

The following is an edited transcript of the Ag Future podcast episode with Dr. David Rosero hosted by Tom Martin. Click below to hear the full audio or listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts.

Tom:            Welcome to Ag Future, presented by Alltech. Join us from the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference as we explore our opportunities within agri-food, business and beyond.

                     One of the interesting benefits of having done the Alltech Ag Future podcast over the years has been the opportunity to observe an industry undergoing a full-blown evolution driven by a pretty relentless convergence of agriculture and technology. This is happening across the industry, but today, we’re focusing on a particular sector: swine, where technologies are revolutionizing pork production as we know it.

                     Joining me is Dr. David Rosero, a technical officer at the HANOR Company, where he oversees the diverse technical aspects of the company’s operations, including nutrition, research and development, business intelligence and innovations. Welcome, David.

David:           Thank you, Tom.

Tom:            What are some examples of important (and) maybe even game-changing agricultural technologies that have emerged in recent years?

David:           Well, I have a couple of examples that I can speak of. I think (the use of) cameras to estimate the weight of pigs, that's very, very exciting to see — the accuracy on how those cameras are predicting how well or not-as-well our pigs are growing. Another one, I think, to me, that's very impactful is the sensors on the bins (that are) estimating how much feed is going into the bins and how much consumption is occurring in our barns of the feed. (That’s) just to mention a few.

I've been working and connecting with other companies. I'm very excited to see that more and more people are coming into smart farming and the digital transformation, (much like) what I said — using software to improve productivity. Pig flow is an example, for instance. I think some analytics are coming along (as well), just to mention a few, Tom.

Tom:            The first item that you mentioned — cameras can give us the information on (pigs’) weight?

David:           Correct.

Tom:            How do they do that?

David:           It's a process — and I'm not an expert in that. I'm a nutritionist by training. But as I understand it, the computer will analyze the image — but you'll need thousands of pictures of pigs, and you'll need the weight of the pig along with that image. That's an example of artificial intelligence the computer will create, I think, to guide the algorithm. The computer will analyze the variables in the image. It will allow for a better prediction of the weights. In the process, we had to weigh, as you can imagine, thousands and thousands of pigs to improve that accuracy (of the computer program).

                     Something else to be speaking on as something we'd like to see in any technology that's measuring something (is that) it has to be accurate. For that specific example, on the camera, we have gotten to 97% to 98% accuracy in predicting the weights of pigs in any given phase of growth.

Tom:            How do these technologies create opportunities for innovation in the swine industry?

David:           That's a good question. Maybe I'll follow up with the same example of the camera. Imagine (that) you can measure how your pigs are growing in the multiple barns you have in the (different) regions (of the world). In Iowa, for instance, where we have the majority of our pigs, we can understand how pigs will grow in the different environments and the different flows of pigs that we're having. It will be so much (more) powerful for us. It's where we can find opportunities to make improvements. I can think (a lot) about that example.

Tom:            It seems like a time-saving efficiency, too, in terms of the time it would take to weigh living pigs versus being able to shoot a photo or at least observe them through a camera.

David:           That's correct, Tom. It's almost impossible to think that you can take the scales to the different sites of pigs to try to collect that information. Maybe some of the other ways we're using (this technology), where you weigh a truck of pigs, it might be not as accurate. So yeah, I think it's labor-saving. I think it's also the increase of data that's coming to you to understand your business (at a) deeper (level).

Tom:            You mentioned artificial intelligence. What's the latest on ways that AI — and the Internet of Things, for that matter — are making impacts on commercial pig farms?

David:           I think we're starting to see the beginning of something (that's) going to go big. I think, to get to that point, we need to have sensors. We have to have camera devices that collect this data, but these will have to be very robust, and they will have to be reliable. We have hundreds of sites in any given region and thousands of pigs growing at the same time. To expand these (technologies), they have to comply with the requirements of the environment.

                     I think we're passing that point now. I think we can install sensors in barns and they are going to last for a long time. They are going to provide you reliable data. I think that's the (next) phase and what I see in the commercial side that we are into. The next phase is where you can use that data to move it through the computer’s artificial intelligence algorithm and drive the business. I haven't seen clear examples on that yet.

                     Something that I can think of now, from the top of my head, is the health (aspect). I know the softwares we have explored and we have seen being watched are (analyzing) pictures of pigs that are sick. Veterinarians will send a picture, and the computer will analyze the picture and suggest some diagnostics of the pig or the disease. If you can tie that to how pigs grow, maybe diagnostics of samples that are coming back from the lab — that's also very powerful. That'll be a good example of what I can think of quickly on artificial intelligence.

Tom:            Sure. It's a weighty subject, for sure. What about robotics? How is robotics being used in pig farming, and what are the benefits?

David:           I can see many benefits, but we probably are still in the first phase. A good example would be washing the barns. I think there are automatic washing machines now that you can put into barns. I have seen it. We haven't tested it. Probably, it's going to come to another generation, where they're going to be more affordable and more precise in what they're able to do, but that will be impactful for the labor, especially thinking about the activities in the barn, in commercial operations, where you can make it more efficient. I can think about robotics taking some of those tasks that are very repetitive and doing it in a better way.

Tom:            How are technologies like augmented reality or 3D printing being applied to farm operations, and how do they impact efficiencies?

David:           I haven't seen much on the 3D (printing aspect), Tom, to be honest, that are (being used) in the commercial level (or) being applied, but I can see where augmented reality is starting to come into our hands. I have seen examples (of the use of augmented reality) on the dairy operations. If you have the information for every animal, if you know the age of — think about, in a sow farm, where you have 2,000 to 6,000 sows in operation. If you can have the information of every sow, their history and their health status, and if you can manage it, I think it's going to be more powerful to manage individual sows.

Tom:            A key goal for you has been to advance sow nutrition and to create feeding programs that maximize the lifetime productivity and the profitability of sows. How have technologies moved us toward that goal?

David:           I think those are helping us to apply these technologies and nutrition programs in a better way. It doesn’t relate much to smart pig farming, but I can think about a great tool in the last years that we've been having, which is a sow caliper. It's a very simple tool, but yet, (it’s) very powerful. I've been thinking about applying (that tool to) my nutrition programs. It allows me to be more precise in how I measure the body condition to feed the herd better. I think these will be a good example for what we can do with more advanced technologies (and) implementing those (within) feeding programs in a better way.

Tom:            Swine industry productivity has been trending upwards over the past 15 years or so, and much of that increased productivity is due to increased pigs per litter and increased market weights. What's driven those improvements?

David:           Well, you can go back into the years of genetic selection. I think that's key on getting the number of pigs born (to be) higher. I think we are also getting to understand better some stress situations and disease situations where we can manage our sow herds better. Feeding programs, too — I think they have made an impact.

                     I think we will be talking a little bit about my work and my doctorate on essential fatty acids. That addressed one of the situations we had in the sows with heat stress and where we had seen seasonality and seasonal infertility. I think it's a combination of multiple things, mainly driven by the genetic selection on the number of pigs that a sow will have. I think, in the marketplace, I think that's what the market is demanding today. That's what the plan is paying you for. I think we have, as nutritionists, learned how to feed those heavier pigs better.

Tom:            What challenges have producers faced as a result of COVID-19, and how have they overcome those challenges?

David:           Well, it was a very challenging situation, all things considered. Everything came quickly to us. One of the challenges, I suppose, is to manage the number of pigs we had to process to plants. I think labor came later and is still an issue, not just to farms but to the plants and their capacity to process the pigs. I think we've gotten better in predicting our flaws. A number of pigs are going to go through the system, and managing the weights of the pigs to get to a target weight. I think we have become more precise. With labor, I think we have optimized tasks that needed to be done. I think we had to reanalyze ourselves on what are the basics, and we had to do the correct basics.

I think biosecurity is another positive thing I can get out of COVID. I think it taught everybody how a virus can move so quickly into the environment. For the pig business, it's no different. In our daily challenges, we have different viruses coming along. Just think about how conscientious the people will become after knowing (about the reality of dealing with) a virus — and (how that relates) to herds (and) how to care better for our sows.

Tom:            I'm just wondering if you have a finger on the pulse of what's going on in the industry's research and development labs. Anything exciting going on there?

David:           I think so. Thinking about COVID again, another positive thing I can get out (of the pandemic) is the development of vaccines and the new technologies that it has brought to us. One of our biggest challenges, Tom, is health challenges we have in sow herds and pig herds. I think, (in terms) of how to deal with those viruses, we have gained a large amount of knowledge into that. I think, coming up, the smart pig farming, it will allow us to manage our barns with less labor, and that's going to address the current issue we have.

Tom:            You touched a few minutes ago on your own research focusing on understanding the nutritional value of essential fatty acids and their effects on long-term sow productivity. Tell us more about that.

David:           We started focusing about (the question of) what can we do with sows during summer? That was the original question: Can we increase the energy by providing more fat into the diet? That's something common to do, especially in the sow. Something that triggered the next question on the essential fatty acids is that we tried different fats, and the outcome was different. When we analyzed the fats, the biggest difference was the level of essential fatty acids in one of the sources.

                     Investigating about the (role of) essential fatty acids, you'll learn about these being a precursor of hormones that are important for reproduction. Then (we) started thinking about the seasonality, the infertility during the summer that occurs in the sow herds. So we tested it out, and I think we had a really good outcome and an understanding that if you provide the right level of linoleic acid, the sow will maintain pregnancy longer. They won't lose (that) pregnancy over time. I think that explained, in a portion, what happens during your seasonal infertility.

                     By doing that, I think we have eliminated it. Obviously, heat stress is going to affect sows. Unless you provide the right environment and can afford (to completely avoid) it, sows are going to have heat stress. But the portion that is nutrition-related, I think, to me, it comes (down) to the linoleic acid or the essential fatty acids. If you provide the right level (of those ingredients), you won't see much of that problem.

Tom:            All right. That's Dr. David Rosero, technical officer at the HANOR Company. Thank you for joining us, Dr. Rosero.

David:           Thank you, Tom. My pleasure.

Tom:            For the Alltech Ag Future podcast, I'm Tom Martin. Thank you for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to Ag Future wherever you listen to podcasts.

According to the Alltech Agri-food Outlook 2023, feed production in the Asia-Pacific region dropped 0.51%. China, India, and Vietnam are all represented in the top ten feed producing countries globally.

İnek sürüsü, düve gelişimi veya safkan yetiştirme programında güçlü bir temel oluşturmak genetikle başlar ancak yönetim ve beslenmeden de etkilenebilir. Üreme başarısızlıkları genellikle optimal olmayan beslenmeye bağlıdır ve yalnızca tek bir hayvanı değil, yavrularının refahını da etkileyebilir. Buna anne veya cenin programlaması denir ve gebelik sırasında annenin beslenme ve sağlık durumunun etkisi ile buzağının sağlığı ve üretkenliği üzerindeki müteakip etki ile ilgilidir.

Fetal Programlama

Annenin beslenmesi fetüsü etkileyebilir ve sadece rahimde değil, yaşamın ilerleyen dönemlerinde de potansiyel olarak gelişimi değiştirebilir. Gebelik sırasında tehlikeye atılan beslenme, düşük doğum ağırlığına, sütten kesme öncesi ölüm oranlarının artmasına ve zayıf büyüme oranlarına neden olabilir. Anne beslenmesi hakkında konuştuğumuzda, fetüsün daha hızlı büyüdüğü ve ineğin enerji ve mineral rezervlerini zorladığı dönem olduğundan, geleneksel olarak gebeliğin son üç aylık dönemine odaklanılır. Bu nedenle, çoğu beslenme stratejisinin buzağılamadan önceki 90 hatta 60 gün öncesine dayandığını görüyoruz. Peki ya erken ve orta gebelik döneminde anne beslenmesinin etkisi nedir?

Yakın tarihli bir yayın, gebeliğin tüm aşamalarında doğru beslenmenin önemini ve beslenmenin gebelik yüzdelerine bakmanın ötesinde bir etkisi olabileceğini tartıştı. Gebeliğin erken dönemindeki ineklerin besin gereksinimlerinin %100'ü veya %55'i kadar beslendiği başka bir çalışmada, buzağı vücut ağırlığı ve kazancı arasında hiçbir fark bulunmamıştır. Ancak besin kısıtlaması olan annelerden doğan buzağıların akciğer ve soluk borusu ağırlıkları önemli ölçüde daha düşük oluyor bu da potansiyel olarak buzağıların solunum zorluklarına nasıl tepki vereceğini etkilemektedir. Gebeliğin ortasındaki besin kısıtlamasının da yumurtalık ve luteal doku büyüklüğünü ve kütlesini etkilediği ve bunun da düvenin yaşamının ilerleyen dönemlerinde üreme verimliliğini doğrudan etkileyebildiği gösterilmiştir. Gebeliğin son döneminde (altı ila dokuz ay) ineğin beslenme durumunun, doğum ağırlığını, sütten kesim ağırlığını ve hatta hasatta karkas ağırlığını etkileyebilecek baldır kas lifi oluşumunu etkilediği gösterilmiştir.

Geviş getiren hayvanlarda üreme performansı büyük ölçüde beslenme durumlarına bağlıdır. İz mineraller, özellikle üreme hormonlarının sentezinde, serbest radikallerin azaltılmasında, embriyonik implantasyon için uterus mikro çevresinin iyileştirilmesinde ve fetal büyüme ve gelişmede rol oynar. Üreme organlarının çoğunlukla erken gebelik döneminde geliştiği göz önüne alındığında, annenin beslenmesinin ve özellikle iz mineral durumunun fetal gelişim ve gelecekteki performans üzerinde ne kadar etkili olabileceğini görmek kolaydır.

İz Mineral Takviyesi İhtiyacı

Yemler ve kaba yemler iz mineral konsantrasyonunda farklılık gösterir. (Türler arasında ve mevsimsel olarak farklılıklar vardır.) Bağışıklık, sağlık, üreme verimliliği ve büyüme için temel olan sürünün iz mineral durumunu optimize etmek için ek bakır, çinko, manganez ve selenyum gereklidir. Takviye iz mineraller böylece yem yoluyla elde edilen miktar ile ineğin beslenme gereksinimleri arasındaki boşluğu doldurmak için sağlanır. Ancak takviye için kullanılan iz mineral programında, iz mineral formları (inorganik veya organik) sürünün seçilen iz mineral programına nasıl tepki vereceği üzerinde önemli bir etkiye sahip olabilir.

İnorganik ve Organik İz Mineraller

İnorganik iz mineraller (sülfatlar, oksitler, klorürler ve hidroksiler dahil) tipik olarak diğer endüstriyel süreçlerin ucuz yan ürünleridir ve genellikle eksiklikleri önlemek için fazla miktarlarda verilirler. Bununla birlikte, daha düşük nispi biyoyararlanımla, hayvanlar aşırı takviyeden mutlaka fayda sağlamaz ve bu yüksek inorganik iz mineral seviyeleri genellikle mineral-mineral antagonizmaları (mineral dengesizliklerine yol açabilir), daha yüksek derecede vitamin bozulması ve çevreye daha yüksek atılım seviyeleri oluşur.

Organik iz mineraller (örneğin; proteinatlar ve selenyum mayası), hayvanların doğada iz mineraller bulabilecekleri doğal forma daha yakındır; bu nedenle daha iyi emilim ve kullanım görülür bu da daha yüksek biyoyararlanım ve daha az rasyon etkileşimi anlamına geliyor, böylece organik iz mineraller tipik olarak daha düşük seviyelerde desteklenebiliyor.

Organik İz Minerallerin Faydaları

Organik iz minerallerin avantajları iyi bir şekilde belgelenmiştir ve bu avantajlar, ilk tohumlamaya kadar geçen gün sayısının azalması, daha az açıktaki gün sayısı ve artan gebelik oranları; açıktaki gün sayısının azalması ve daha az tohumlama sayısı ve geliştirilmiş yumurtalık aktivitesi, daha erken östrus ve gebe kalma ve azalmış embriyonik ölümdür.

Proteinle şelatlanmış organik iz mineralleri inorganik kaynaklarla karşılaştırırken bir nutrigenomik çalışmasında gösterildiği gibi, iz mineral kaynağının yalnızca genel iz mineral durumu üzerinde değil, aynı zamanda üreme performansıyla bağlantılı gen ifadeleri üzerinde de etkisi olabileceği göz önüne alındığında, bu şaşırtıcı değildir. Bu çalışmada, araştırmacılar inorganik iz minerallerin organik (proteinle şelatlanmış iz mineraller ve selenyumlu maya) ile değiştirilmesinin yerine geçen düvelerde gen ifade düzeyleri üzerindeki etkisini değerlendirdiler. Sonuçlar, iz mineral kaynağının, dendritik hücre olgunlaşması, gevşetici hormon sinyali, Gaq sinyali, düz kas dokularının işlevi ve trombin sinyali dahil olmak üzere üreme performansıyla ilgili farklı şekilde ifade edilen 580 geni etkilediğini gösterdi. İz mineral takviyesi, östrus döngüsünün iyileştirilmiş düzenlenmesi, daha kısa buzağılama aralıkları ve iyileştirilmiş implantasyon oranları dahil olmak üzere üreme performansına potansiyel olarak fayda sağlayabilir.

Peki organik iz mineraller birbirini takip eden nesillerdeki doğurganlık parametrelerini nasıl etkiler? Yakın tarihli bir sığır eti çalışmasında, Angus ve Brangus ineklerinin ve buzağılarının inorganik (ING) veya organik (ORG) iz mineral kaynaklarına tepkisi değerlendirildi. Düve gelişim dönemi boyunca (birinci yıl) buzağılamadan 90 gün önce ORG ile takviye edilen inekler için, düve buzağılar ergenliğe dokuz gün önce ulaştı ve ING takviyeli ineklerin düvelerinden sekiz gün önce gebe kaldığı doğrulandı.

İneklerin tüm yıl boyunca takviye edildiği ve bu nedenle buzağıların düve gelişim dönemi boyunca (ikinci yıl) gebelikten itibaren ORG takviyesine maruz kaldığı ikinci yılın sonuçları, ORG ile takviye edilen ineklerin düvelerinin ergenliğe 41 gün önce ulaştığı ve ING takviyeli ineklerin düvelerinden 18 gün önce hamile olabildiği doğrulandı.

İz mineral kaynağı ve takviyesi, bu nedenle, birbirini takip eden nesillerdeki doğurganlık parametreleri üzerinde doğrudan bir etkiye sahiptir (yani, fetal programlama etkisi). Yüksek kaliteli bir iz mineral programı ile yıl boyunca yapılan takviye hem tek bir ineğin hem de onun yavrusunun üzerinde muazzam bir etkiye sahip olabilir. (Ergenlik yaşı, buzağılama yaşı ve ömür boyu performans ile ölçülen yavrunun üreme verimliliği ile ölçülür.)

İz mineral durumunun ve üreme verimliliğinin optimize edilmesi, özellikle safkan sürülerde ve embriyolara odaklanan operasyonlarda önemlidir. Besi ineklerinde foliküler dinamiklere ve embriyo kalitesine bakıldığında, araştırmacılar organik iz minerallerle takviyenin yalnızca ovulasyon foliküllerinin çapının artmasına değil, ayrıca gelişmiş in vitro olgunlaşma ve embriyo bölünmesine de yol açar. Erken embriyo bölünmesi, embriyo potansiyelinin güçlü bir biyolojik göstergesi olduğundan ve genellikle embriyo kalitesinin bir ölçüsü olarak kullanıldığından, bu önemlidir.

Sonuç

Organik iz mineraller, özellikle protein ile şelatlanmış formda, östrus döngüsünün daha iyi düzenlenmesi, daha kısa buzağılama aralıkları ve daha iyi implantasyon oranlarının yanı sıra birbirini izleyen nesillerde üreme verimliliği dahil olmak üzere üreme performansına potansiyel olarak fayda sağlayabilir. Bu nedenle, üreticiler kendi hayvanlarını yetiştirirken veya ikame dişi hayvan alırken, vurgu sadece genetik üzerine yapılmamalı, aynı zamanda beslenme yatkınlığı da dikkate alınmalıdır. Sağlık, üreme verimliliği ve kazanımlar açısından organik iz minerallerle ilişkili potansiyel yatırım getirisi göz önüne alındığında, yıl boyunca yapılan takviye yalnızca ekonomik olarak uygun bir seçim değil, aynı zamanda gelecekteki performansı ve karlılığı doğrudan etkileyen bir seçimdir.

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Turkey@alltech.com

¿Qué es la coccidiosis?

La coccidiosis aviar es una enfermedad causada por parásitos protozoarios (coccidias) del género Eimeria. Dependiendo del nivel de infección y de la especie de coccidia, esta enfermedad puede producir distintos grados de morbilidad, mortalidad, enteritis y una reducción de los parámetros productivos.

¿Cómo afecta la coccidiosis a la industria avícola mundial?

La coccidiosis representa en la actualidad un gran desafío para el sector avícola mundial; debido a su impacto negativo en la salud intestinal y en el desempeño animal en general. En los Estados Unidos, por ejemplo, se estima que esta enfermedad representa US$ 127 millones de pérdidas económicas.

Asimismo, las interacciones con otros agentes patógenos o con deficiencias nutricionales pueden provocar más estrés en las aves y empeorar los signos clínicos de otras enfermedades. Por lo que la coccidiosis es considerada la enfermedad que tiene el mayor impacto económico en la avicultura; por los altos costos de las medidas de prevención y los tratamientos, y por las pérdidas productivas que genera.

¿Cómo se transmite la coccidiosis aviar?

La coccidiosis aviar es una enfermedad causada por parásitos protozoarios pertenecientes al Phylum Apicomplexa del género Eimeria. Las especies de Eimeria son huésped específicas, lo que significa que distintos tipos de coccidiosis se manifiestan en cada especie animal.

Por ejemplo, en los pollos –dependiendo de la fuente de infección– se ha observado que de 7 a 9 especies de Eimeria pueden causar coccidiosis. De estas especies de Eimeria, las principales que han sido identificadas son la E. acervulina, la E. maxima, la E. tenella, la E. necatrix, la E. brunetti, la E. praecox, la E. mitis y la E. mivati. Y las infecciones más comunes en estos animales suelen estar asociadas con la E. acervulina, la E. maxima, la E. tenella, la E. necatrix y la E. brunetti.

En los pavos se han identificado al menos 9 especies de Eimeria, aunque son 4 las que se conocen que causan la enfermedad: la E. adenoides, la E. meleagrimitis, la E. gallopavonis y la E. meleagridis.

Son comunes las infecciones simultáneas con 2 o más coccidias, lo que puede causar diferentes niveles de infección y tipos de lesión.

Las infecciones por coccidias son auto-limitadas y su gravedad depende del número de ooquistes ingeridos, así como de la especie de Eimeria. Los ooquistes de Eimeria están presentes en casi todas las granjas y pueden entrar a nuevas instalaciones por medio de hospederos paraténicos (como la cama, los roedores, los trabajadores o los equipos contaminados). 

¿Cuáles son los signos de la coccidiosis?

Los signos de la coccidiosis aviar pueden variar de leves a graves, siendo la mayoría de las infecciones leves. Sin embargo, debido a la invasión y la destrucción de las células del hospedador; incluso las infecciones leves pueden tener un impacto negativo en la absorción de los nutrientes.

Los signos clínicos propios de la coccidiosis aviar dependen de las especies de Eimeria, y la gravedad de la infección se basa en lesiones intestinales macroscópicas y microscópicas.

En pollos:

• Una infección con E. acervulina en pollos puede provocar una enfermedad de leve a grave. En las infecciones más severas se pueden observar una reducción del peso corporal y heces acuosas o mucosas. Además, puede afectar la pigmentación de la piel debido a una absorción deficiente de los carotenos y las xantofilas en el intestino delgado.

Las lesiones intestinales macroscópicas –que tienen el aspecto de placas blancas– suelen presentarse en el duodeno, pero pueden extenderse hacia el resto del intestino delgado si la infección es severa.  

• Se considera que la E. maxima tiene una patogenicidad de moderada a grave. Sus signos pueden variar de leves a severos –con tasas de mortalidad de hasta 30%–. Esta especie de Eimeria puede provocar baja ganancia de peso, diarrea, plumas erizadas, falta de apetito y piel pálida.

La E. maxima puede causar lesiones en el intestino medio –luego de haber colonizado el duodeno– y afectar el divertículo de Meckel. Sin embargo, las infecciones más graves se observan principalmente en el intestino delgado.

Cuando la E. maxima coloniza el intestino, este puede mostrarse inflamado, flácido o engrosado, y puede presentar un exceso de mucosidad (generalmente de color amarillo o naranja) y sangre. En los casos de infecciones severas, partes de la mucosa intestinal pueden desprenderse.                       

• Las lesiones de la E. tenella –considera una de las especies de Eimeria más patógenas– son más fáciles de reconocer debido al tipo de lesión, su localización en los intestinos y sus altas tasas de mortalidad.

Estas lesiones se presentan principalmente en los ciegos. Y en los casos de infección grave se observa un aumento de la morbilidad, sangre en las heces, pérdida de peso, deshidratación, falta de apetito, anemia y una disminución de la pigmentación de la piel. Asimismo, se puede encontrar también contenidos cecales sanguinolentos en los ciegos.

La mortalidad que conlleva la E. tenella puede deberse al impacto tóxico de la bacteriemia.

• Los efectos de la E. brunetti pueden observarse principalmente en la parte inferior del intestino delgado, así como en el divertículo de Meckel. Sin embargo, en los casos de infecciones graves, las lesiones pueden extenderse desde las partes superiores del intestino delgado hasta el intestino grueso –incluyendo los ciegos y la cloaca–. Los signos clínicos pueden variar de leves a graves.

La E. brunetti puede provocar una mortalidad moderada e inducir una mala conversión alimenticia. Pueden observarse lesiones macroscópicas en el tracto gastrointestinal; así como petequias, contenidos acuosos, engrosamiento de la mucosa, palidez y, en casos graves, erosión de la superficie de la mucosa. Por otro lado, se puede encontrar sangre fresca o coagulada en las heces.

• Las lesiones de la E. necatrix pueden encontrarse en el intestino delgado –la misma zona que afecta la E. maxima– y generalmente estas lesiones se observan en pollitas y en aves más adultas. La E. necatrix es considerada una de las especies de Eimeria más patógenas, ya que sus infecciones pueden provocar altas tasas de morbilidad y mortalidad –de más del 25%–.

Por otro lado, la E necatrix puede provocar una pérdida del peso corporal, una disminución de la producción de huevos, emaciación e infecciones secundarias. Además, las lesiones intestinales macroscópicas suelen mostrarse dilatadas, con engrosamiento de la mucosa y sangre. En general, estas lesiones pueden verse como puntos blancos y negros en la mucosa.

En pavos:

Los signos comunes de coccidiosis en pavos incluyen: depresión, plumas erizadas, diarreas (acuosas o mucosas), falta de apetito, heces sanguinolentas y morbilidad general. Y ya que su recuperación suele ser rápida, las lesiones pueden pasar desapercibidas –a diferencia de las lesiones en los pollos–.

Los pavos de todas las edades pueden verse afectados por esta enfermedad, sin embargo, las tasas de mortalidad en las aves más adultas suelen ser más bajas que en los animales más jóvenes.

• La E. adenoides es considerada la especie de Eimeria más patógena en los pavos. Estas aves pueden mostrar una reducción de su peso corporal, una elevada morbilidad y, en infecciones graves, una alta mortalidad.

Los efectos de la E. adenoides se observan principalmente en los ciegos, pero en los casos más severos sus daños pueden extenderse desde la parte inferior del intestino delgado hasta la cloaca.

Se pueden distinguir heces acuosas, mucosas y sanguinolentas. Además, puede verse núcleos caseosos en los ciegos y la pared intestinal puede encontrarse dilatada y edematosa –con la presencia de hemorragias petequiales y mucosidad–.

• Una de las especies más patógenas de Eimeria es la E. meleagridis, ya que puede causar una elevada morbilidad, una alta mortalidad y una depresión general en los pavos jóvenes. Sus efectos se observan principalmente en el tracto gastrointestinal superior, sin embargo, en los casos de infecciones más graves se pueden extender a todo el intestino delgado.

Las heces pueden presentar manchas de sangre y mucosidad, y las puntas de las vellosidades pueden verse erosionadas y edematizadas. 

Prácticas de manejo para el control de la coccidiosis aviar

El control de la coccidiosis en el sector avícola es clave para prevenir los daños causados por las infecciones. De esta manera se evita pérdidas de productividad y su impacto negativo sobre el bienestar animal.

Un enfoque holístico efectivo supone atender de manera simultánea aspectos como:

• Antimicrobianos
• Antiprotozoarios (coccidiocidas versus coccidiostáticos)
• Vacunación
• Prácticas de manejo

Por otro lado, a medida que más avicultores reducen el uso de antibióticos para la prevención y el control de la coccidiosis, la demanda de aditivos alimentarios de origen natural aumenta, sobre todo aquellos que ofrecen:

• Aceites esenciales
• Prebióticos
• Probióticos
• Postbióticos
• Saponinas
• Taninos

Estos aditivos alimentarios son más efectivos cuando se adoptan también adecuadas prácticas de manejo.

Otras estrategias para el control de la coccidiosis aviar son:

1. Independientemente del sistema de producción avícola, es clave implementar buenas prácticas de manejo, de bioseguridad y de control de plagas (roedores, moscas o escarabajos). Asimismo, debe llevarse a cabo protocolos integrales de limpieza y desinfección para la recepción de nuevos lotes (para evitar también la transmisión de otras enfermedades entre parvadas).
2. Un vacío sanitario y un manejo de la cama efectivos también pueden ayudar a reducir la carga de microorganismos patógenos y, en consecuencia, abordar mejor la amenaza de las coccidias para las parvadas. 
3. El estado inmune de las aves desempeña un papel importante en la recuperación y el nivel de tolerancia hacia las infecciones. Por lo que es clave asegurar que los pollitos tengan un inicio de vida saludable y mitigar los agentes inmunosupresores (como los virus y las micotoxinas).
4. Incluir ingredientes de buena calidad en las raciones y asegurar la disponibilidad ad libitum del alimento maximiza la efectividad de los aditivos alimentarios para mitigar los efectos de la coccidiosis, para prevenir infecciones secundarias asociadas con el ciclo biológico de las coccidias y para mantener la salud intestinal.

Los programas de control de la coccidiosis aviar deben diseñarse de acuerdo a la realidad de cada granja. Por lo que entre las estrategias para abordar esta enfermedad –a largo plazo– se deben incluir el monitoreo y las evaluaciones de rutina para comprobar la efectividad de cada programa; junto con la implementación de prácticas sostenibles.

¿Cuáles son las enfermedades más frecuentes en la industria avícola?

Existen varios tipos de enfermedades que afectan a las aves de corral, entre ellas:

• Enfermedades bacterianas (enteritis necrótica, coriza infecciosa o salmonelosis).

• Enfermedades parasitarias (teniasis, ascaridiasis o coccidiosis).

• Enfermedades virales (influenza aviar o enfermedad de Newcastle).

• Enfermedades causadas por hongos (micotoxicosis).

Entre las enfermedades que tienen un mayor impacto económico en la industria se incluyen la coccidiosis, la enfermedad de Newcastle, la enteritis necrótica y la influenza aviar. Estas enfermedades pueden ser perjudiciales no solo para una granja avícola; sino para toda una región del planeta. Por lo que es muy importante tomar medidas para prevenirlas.

¿Cómo se propagan las enfermedades en las aves?

Las aves pueden contagiarse de enfermedades a través de una de las siguientes 3 formas:

• Contacto directo (entre aves o heces contaminadas).

• Contacto indirecto (equipos, personas o entornos contaminados).

• Vectores (animales silvestres, roedores o insectos).

Ya que las aves son animales muy susceptibles a diversas enfermedades, es importante reforzar su inmunidad e implementar un plan de bioseguridad completo; para asegurar así buenos resultados en la granja. Monitorear la actividad de las parvadas y proporcionarles una adecuada alimentación ayuda a protegerlas del riesgo de cualquier patógeno.

Por otro lado, al sembrar bacterias beneficiosas en el intestino se puede reducir los sitios de adhesión en el revestimiento intestinal. Por lo que se tiene que tener en cuenta que los pre, los pro y los postbióticos aportan organismos beneficiosos que ayudan a equilibrar la microbiota intestinal al desplazar a los patógenos y evitar su proliferación dentro de las aves.

Signos de enfermedades en la parvada

• Muerte súbita

• Falta de apetito y energía

• Pérdida de peso

• Disminución de la producción de huevos

• Hinchazón de la cabeza, los párpados, la cresta, la barbilla o las patas

• Decoloración de la cresta, la barbilla o las patas

• Cojera

• Lesiones

• Diarrea

3 prácticas para reducir la incidencia de enfermedades

1. Monitorear la actividad de las aves y estar atento a los cambios repentinos en el comportamiento.

2. Proporcionar a los animales la cantidad necesaria de nutrientes y diseñar un programa de vacunación que ayude a reforzar sus defensas naturales.

3. Mantener adecuadas medidas de bioseguridad y buenas condiciones de alojamiento.

Mycotoxins are metabolites produced by moulds during times of stress or following an environmental stimulus. These moulds can grow on crops in the field or even on stored feedstuffs and feed materials post-harvest.

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Alltech and Finnforel announce the acquisition of a fish feed production facility that will complete the circular-economy fish-farming chain

[Raisio, FINLAND] – Alltech, a global leader in agriculture and animal nutrition, and Finnish circular-economy company Finnforel are joining forces to acquire the Raisioaqua fish feed production facility from Finnish company Raisio. Raisioaqua manufactures environmentally friendly feed for aquaculture and specializes in functional feeding solutions that are suitable for northern conditions. The acquisition will complete Finnforel’s sustainable circular-economy fish-farming chain while also enhancing aquaculture producers’ access to Alltech’s nutritional technologies.

“Aquaculture continues to be one of the world’s fastest-growing sources of protein, according to Alltech’s annual Agri-Food Outlook, and is one of the key focus areas for our business,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Together with Finnforel, we will be enhancing the quality and availability of nutrition for sustainable aquaculture systems. Aqua producers will benefit from the strength of Alltech’s scientific research and commercial expertise globally, including a dedicated aqua nutrition research center, the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre (ACAC) in the Netherlands, which specializes in nutrition for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).”

Alltech continues its commitment to Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™ by partnering with companies like Finnforel to deliver smarter, more sustainable solutions for aquaculture, resulting in better nutrition and a decreased environmental impact. Backed by over 40 years of research and customer success, Alltech’s specialty feed ingredients and Alltech Coppens aquafeeds offer superior nutritional solutions for fish and shrimp. The ACAC in the Netherlands is one of Alltech’s five bioscience centers around the world.

“Finnforel and Alltech Coppens have been working together for several years on sustainable aquaculture practices,” said Ronald Faber, CEO of Alltech Coppens. “This joint acquisition reflects the ambition of both companies, our shared values and the strength of our partnership.”

Finnforel also specializes in RAS, which allow producers to control water purity, temperature, stocking density and feeding while requiring 99% less water than traditional methods. The method’s indoor growing tanks provide a less stressful aquaculture environment that can be better controlled by aquaculture producers.

“I believe that Finnforel’s well-honed model, which works without antibiotics or environmental emissions, can support a significant part of this market,” said Pekka Viljakainen, chairman of the board of Finnforel Oy.

Aquaculture is an efficient way to produce nutritious protein for a growing population. As sustainable recirculating aquaculture systems are viable even in desert conditions, Finnforel’s aim is to export Finnish aquacultural expertise to the world in the coming years. Alltech’s and Finnforel’s acquisition of the Raisioaqua feed production facility will complete the circular-economy fish-farming chain in Finland and provide a replicable model for others.

“Feed developed in accordance with the principles of a sustainable circular economy represents the last link in the chain,” added Jussi Mekkonen, CEO of Finnforel Oy. “We have another new aquaculture facility that will be completed in spring 2023, after which we will be able to produce the eggs used in fish farming. Then, the entire fish-farming chain will be ready to be exported to the world.”

For more information, visit finnforel.com, alltech.com and alltechcoppens.com.

To achieve optimal performance, proper welfare and a strong immune system, birds need a healthy gut.​

There are three defining elements for optimal gut health: first, for the bird to be able to efficiently absorb nutrients and defend itself, it must have a good gut structure/morphology; second, the bird needs a highly diverse microbiota, which acts as a protective barrier; and third, the bird must have a strong immune system.

Chicken and eggs can serve as a protein source in a diverse number of meals. However, if the right precautions are not taken when handling and storing these items, they can lead to foodborne illnesses.

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