Animal最新文献

{"title":"Effectiveness of virtual fencing in a mountain environment and its impact on heifer behaviour and welfare","authors":"P. Fuchs ,&nbsp;C.M. Pauler ,&nbsp;M.K. Schneider ,&nbsp;C. Umstätter ,&nbsp;C. Rufener ,&nbsp;B. Wechsler ,&nbsp;R.M. Bruckmaier ,&nbsp;M. Probo","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Virtual fencing (<strong>VF</strong>) could be beneficial in mountain areas where electric wire fencing is difficult and time-consuming. However, environmental challenges of mountain pastures may impair VF efficacy and functionality, with potential effects on animal behaviour and welfare. Thirty female heifers were equipped with activity sensors and VF collars to record activity behaviour, VF audio tones (<strong>AT</strong>s) and electric pulses (<strong>EP</strong>s). After VF training in the lowlands, the heifers were moved to a Swiss summer pasture. The mountain site was divided into nine paddocks, three of which were fenced with electric wire only (<strong>EF-only treatment</strong>) and six additionally used VF (<strong>VF treatment</strong>). During mountain grazing, the herd was split into three groups of 10 heifers each. All groups grazed simultaneously in separate paddocks and moved sequentially through the nine paddocks in a rotational grazing system. Video cameras recorded animal reactions upon virtual fence contact. Grass height was measured to estimate forage availability in the currently grazed paddocks. Data were analysed using mixed-effects models. From the activity data, we also calculated the Degree of Functional Coupling (<strong>DFC</strong>), a metric for examining circadian activity rhythms as an indicator of longer-term animal welfare, ranging from zero (poor) to one (good state of welfare). Throughout mountain grazing, we recorded 36 escaped animals in 11 events crossing an electric fence and 17 escaped animals in eight events linked to VF. Heifers received a mean (± SD) number of 5.9 ± 8.2 ATs and 0.3 ± 0.8 EPs per day. The ATs and EPs increased at lower grass heights (both <em>P</em> ≤ 0.004) and on days with unforeseen events (both <em>P</em> ≤ 0.001), such as encounters with wildlife or neighbouring cattle. Grazing interruptions associated with ATs were shorter during mountain grazing compared to VF training (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). Fence type did not affect heifer step count (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05), but daily lying time was 10 min longer in the VF than EF-only treatment (<em>P</em> = 0.001). The heifer’s activity pattern was highly rhythmic at both fence types (DFC ≥ 0.92) but decreased during 7-d periods involving a paddock change within VF treatments (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, the VF system was as reliable as electric fencing in preventing escape events. Heifers learned to respond appropriately to the VF stimuli, even in challenging mountainous terrain. An overall high activity rhythmicity reflected in the DFC supported that longer-term animal welfare was not compromised by VF use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 8","pages":"Article 101600"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144779935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review – Insect farming for food and feed in the Global South: Focus on black soldier fly production","authors":"K.B. Barragán-Fonseca ,&nbsp;D. Gómez ,&nbsp;C.H. Lalander ,&nbsp;D. Dzepe ,&nbsp;S.Y. Chia","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2024.101397","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2024.101397","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Clear differences exist between the Global South and the Global North with respect to economic development. The majority of small and medium-sized insect production farms are located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, which face challenges to food production and organic waste management in general. These regions have a long history of insect use, as well as environmental advantages, making production of insects in general - and the black soldier fly in particular - a promising option for sustainable food production and organic waste management. This study aimed to identify the current state of black soldier fly (<em>Hermetia illucens</em> L.) production in the Global South. The results of a survey and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis are presented; responses were obtained from 33 of the 100 insect producers contacted: 14 in Africa, 4 in Latin America, and 15 in Asia. Their responses indicate that although insects have great potential and can help meet many of the Sustainable development goals thanks to their ecosystem services they provide - which is one of the main reasons producers engage in their production, significant challenges exist to the sustainability of insect farming, including lack of an adequate regulatory framework, an unstable supply of raw materials, market instability, and lack of adequate technology for operational scaling. Global collaboration among all stakeholders is crucial to overcoming these challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101397"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142973144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Insects as a novel feed ingredient: processing technologies, quality and safety considerations","authors":"G. Rossi ,&nbsp;M. Psarianos ,&nbsp;S. Ojha ,&nbsp;O.K. Schlüter","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current food system is placing significant strain on limited available resources. Novel protein sources have been suggested as a potential solution for ensuring further growth without compromising the natural balance of the planet. In this direction, edible insects appear to be crucial players. Consumers may not always prefer the direct use of insects as human food, indicating that the indirect use of insects as animal feed might be more suitable. Insects are characterised by high nutritional value and similar digestibility compared to more traditional feed such as soybean meal and fishmeal. However, effective introduction of edible insects in animal diets requires one or more processing operations. Processing is paramount for ensuring high microbiological safety while improving the quality, digestibility and palatability of the insect. Additionally, feed processing could allow a combination of insect-based ingredients with other traditional feed ingredients, obtaining a uniform and stable mixture, which can easily and conveniently be provided to the farmed animals. In this review, an overview of the most common processing methods (blanching, grinding, drying, mixing, extrusion) applied to edible insects with the aim of delivering high−quality insect-based feed is presented. Each processing step is carefully evaluated, the pros and cons of each operation are considered and important recommendations are provided. Barriers and opportunities for advancing the use of insects within the feed sector are finally illustrated. A strong emphasis is placed on the need of evaluating the effect of any processing step on the quality and safety of insect-derived products, particularly considering the possibility of replacing traditional feed ingredients with insect-derived materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101495"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144046700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Ecosystem service indicators in insect farming − a novel One Health perspective","authors":"K.B. Barragán-Fonseca ,&nbsp;D. Gómez","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101549","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101549","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global agrifood system faces growing pressure to meet increasing food demands, driving the need for sustainable agricultural practices that improve the efficiency and resilience of food systems. Insects play diverse socio-ecological roles that can be explained through the lens of ecosystem services (<strong>ES</strong>). Insect farming offers a sustainable strategy that supports food security, ecosystem balance, and agricultural resilience. The One Health (<strong>OH</strong>) framework, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health perspectives, provides a valuable approach to understanding and managing these contributions. This review explores four categories of ES provided by insect farming—support, provisioning, cultural, and regulation—which reflect the broad contributions of insects to ecological balance, health, and agrifood systems. These services position insect farming as a multifunctional tool for improving food systems and enhancing human, animal, and environmental health. However, despite its benefits, insect farming also faces challenges such as regulatory complexities, disease transmission risks, and potential environmental impacts, necessitating careful management. To measure the ES provided by insect farming, we synthesised insights from the literature and proposed a structured set of indicators aligned with the OH framework. These indicators aim to assess the benefits and challenges of insect farming, providing a foundation for evidence-based policies that maximise positive contributions to human, animal, and environmental health while minimising risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101549"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144327652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Insect diseases in mass production systems: Risks, prevention, diagnostics and management","authors":"A. Lecocq,&nbsp;A.B. Jensen","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101559","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101559","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The field of insect pathology, which is the study of insect diseases, serves two primary applied purposes. Firstly, it aims to manipulate these diseases in order to control pest insect populations using natural enemies, a practice known as biological control. Secondly, it seeks to better protect beneficial insects from diseases. This review focuses on the latter purpose. Historically, research was limited to studies involving the two main domesticated insects, the honeybee and the silkworm. Today, crickets, beetles and flies are being mass-produced for a variety of additional uses including food and feed. These insects are now considered the new livestock and as such, producers are concerned with maintaining their health. This review describes the main pathogen types associated with these insects and their transmission routes. It also discusses additional risks associated with insect diseases in mass production systems and how new and future technologies might help producers manage and protect their livestock throughout their development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101559"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144486838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial: From farm to feed − harnessing insects for sustainable food and feed systems","authors":"C.I. Rumbos ,&nbsp;L. Gasco ,&nbsp;I. Biasato","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101620","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101620","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101620"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145128119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: European Union legislation and regulatory framework for edible insect production – Safety issues","authors":"N. Meijer,&nbsp;R.A. Safitri,&nbsp;W. Tao,&nbsp;E.F. Hoek-Van den Hil","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Farmed insects are increasingly used as a more sustainable and circular alternative protein source for food and feed. As a new type of livestock animal in the European Union (<strong>EU</strong>), farmed insects are subject to general legislation applicable to all food and feed production, as well as certain provisions that are more specific. Presented here is a comprehensive overview on legislation for farmed insects in the EU, as related to food and feed safety aspects. The currently applicable legislation is described, and placed in the context of historical developments and academic literature, and suitability and limitations of these laws from different perspectives are reflected upon. Specific topics that are discussed relate to: insects as feed (live, as processed animal proteins, and fat and derived products); insects as a ‘novel food’; feed materials provided to insects (substrate); applications for insect excrement (frass), and; compliance and legal limits. The latter section includes a discussion of ethical and welfare requirements for farmed insects. Finally, a conclusion and future outlook are provided. Legal changes to lift barriers for the insect farming chain should be assessed in light of both safety and circularity demands. It is further recommended that policymakers consider defining insect-specific limits for a variety of hazards, both for substrate and insect biomass for food/feed. This should take into account scientific evidence on unavoidable carry-over from substrates as well as potential adverse effects on insect welfare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101468"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143711991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Nutrient requirements of migratory and desert locusts farmed for food or feed","authors":"W. Yakti ,&nbsp;D.G.A.B. Oonincx","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Locusts are important pests of crops and natural vegetation, and they have been intensively studied in the last decades. With the emergence of insect farming for food and feed applications, the desert locust (<em>Schistocerca gregaria</em>) and the migratory locust (<em>Locusta migratoria</em>) hold great potential due to their high nutritional value and suitability for large-scale production. In this review, existing literature on nutritional requirements of these two species, and the interplay between dietary composition, locust growth, and performance are summarised. The provision of nutritionally balanced feed plays critical roles in sustaining physiological functions, which in turn reflect in their zoological performance. The article provides insights into optimising feed for locust farming and identifies knowledge gaps in available knowledge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101558"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144530916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: The lesser mealworm as a nutrient pioneer: Pathways to sustainable insect farming","authors":"G.V. Baliota ,&nbsp;C.I. Rumbos ,&nbsp;N. Gianotten ,&nbsp;N. Steeghs ,&nbsp;C.G. Athanassiou","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101606","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The lesser mealworm, <em>Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)</em>, has evolved from being a recognised pest to a promising sustainable nutrient source, positioning itself as a pivotal candidate in the alternative food and feed market. Regulatory frameworks, particularly within the European Union, have facilitated this shift by establishing rigorous safety and quality standards for market acceptance. This review discusses recent advancements in large-scale rearing and commercialisation of <em>A. diaperinus</em>, focusing on its adaptability, nutrient-rich composition, and alignment with circular economy practices. Key challenges are addressed, including the need for optimised rearing methods, consistent quality control, and safe bioconversion of various organic waste streams. Additionally, the role of bioactive compounds such as chitin and antimicrobial peptides is explored for their potential applications. This review underscores the multifaceted potential of <em>A. diaperinus</em> to tackle food security challenges and support sustainable waste management, highlighting its value as an innovative contributor to modern, sustainable food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 ","pages":"Article 101606"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144805236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Review: Intrauterine growth restriction, diagnosis and physiological characterisation in pigs","authors":"R. Ruggeri ,&nbsp;G. Bee ,&nbsp;C. Ollagnier","doi":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.animal.2025.101590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The economy of modern pig breeding programs relies largely on sow reproductive performance. Over the last decades, genetic selection in the sow breeding sector has focused on increasing the number of piglets born per litter. As a result, highly prolific sows now often give birth to 18–20 live piglets. However, in parallel with the improved prolificacy, there has been an increase in the number of piglets experiencing growth restriction during foetal development, a marked decline in the birth body weight (<strong>BtW</strong>) of the piglets, and an increase in perinatal mortality rates. Intrauterine growth restriction (<strong>IUGR</strong>) is defined as the inability of the foetus to achieve its expected growth potential during gestation. Insufficient space within the uterus represents a primary factor contributing to IUGR in highly prolific sows. Uterine overcrowding is indeed associated with reduced placental weight and decreased uterine blood flow per foetus. The impaired uteroplacental blood flow results in inadequate distribution of metabolic substrates to the foetus, which develops poorly. In this context, the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the vital organs is prioritised, leading to preserved brain development, often at the detriment of other organs like the liver and the small intestine. This adaptive mechanism, termed the “brain-sparing effect”, results in a relative increase in brain size compared to other organs. Therefore, an appropriate measure for assessing the severity of IUGR in piglets is the ratio between brain weight and the weight of other organs. However, since IUGR often results in low-BtW piglets with a distinctive head shape, the diagnosis is commonly based on the piglet BtW and/or head morphology due to their practical applicability, despite the risk of misclassification. Piglets affected by IUGR have insufficient energy reserves and display low vitality at birth. If they survive the neonatal period, they usually face higher morbidity and mortality, impaired growth, reduced nutrient efficiency, and delayed time to slaughter. The lack of an accurate diagnostic method for IUGR remains a major challenge, limiting the development of effective interventions. Given these reasons and the fact that IUGR piglets can constitute up to 30% of a litter, the impact of this condition on the pig production system is significant, leading to a decrease in overall production efficiency. This review aims to provide an updated overview of the physiological features, diagnostic challenges, and long-term consequences of IUGR in pigs, and to discuss potential approaches for improving early detection and management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50789,"journal":{"name":"Animal","volume":"19 8","pages":"Article 101590"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144750743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}