SCHOOL EDITION 22 MARCH 2023 - Flipbook - Page 6
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FARMWEEK
JANUARY 28 2021
NEWS
Project to tackle
antimicrobial
resistance and
bovine mastitis
A
research project to tackle bovine
mastitis and reduce the use of
broad-spectrum antibiotics in dairy
cattle – the widescale use of which
can contribute to the development
of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – is being
launched by the Institute for Global Food
Security (IGFS) at Queen’s University Belfast
in partnership with AgriSearch and the AgriFood & Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
The new approach will involve the use of
mass spectrometry – an analytical method
using sophisticated laboratory equipment – to
develop a rapid diagnosis of mastitis directly
from a suspected milk sample. This will
initially use laboratory-based equipment but
could potentially be translated to an on-site
test to further increase test turnaround times.
The project will also explore the potential
for the wider application of REIMS technology
– Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass
Spectrometry – in areas such as milk-quality
analysis and the monitoring of lameness in
herds.
Bovine mastitis is a painful inammatory
condition of the udder caused by the cow’s
immune response to a microbial infection. It is
a signicant challenge to the dairy farmer and
to the industry due to the effect on cow health
and welfare, the complexities of controlling
the condition and the need to withhold milk
from human consumption during treatment
and recovery.
Farmers carry out a visual inspection of the
milk as part of the milking process; changes,
such as the formation of clots in the milk, can
be indicative of clinical mastitis in addition to
the direct observation of heat or swelling of
the udder.
‘Somatic cell counting’ of a milk sample
can be useful in screening for pre-clinical
mastitis, particularly where farmers regularly
undertake ‘milk recording’ of their herd.
Microbial culture and sensitivity are then
carried out to determine the causal pathogen
and the best type of antibiotic treatment, but
these tests can take several days and rely on
an uncontaminated sample being collected in
the milking parlour.
Broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment is
usually started immediately, before microbiology results have been returned by the
laboratory, to minimise the pain and suffering
of the cow, but such therapeutic use of broadspectrum antibiotics has the potential to
contribute to AMR – an increasing problem for
both animal and human health.
The REIMS approach, however, could
CHALLENGE: Bovine mastitis is a significant challenge to the dairy farmer and to the
industry.
eliminate the need for time-consuming
milk-sample preparation and therefore be
more user-friendly for farmers with nearinstantaneous results. Additionally, the rapid
identication of pathogens would allow for
more timely, targeted ‘narrow-spectrum’
treatments, potentially reducing the use of
broad-spectrum antibiotics. In fact, if rapid
diagnostics also facilitated earlier treatment,
the use of antibiotics might be eliminated
altogether, further helping society’s battle
against AMR.
As part of a PhD project at Queen’s University
Belfast, milk samples will be collected from
dairy farms which are part of the AgriSearch
network and through AFBI from cows with
suspected and conrmed mastitis, alongside
healthy control samples.
The same project will also look at
lameness in dairy cattle. Current diagnosis
of lameness involves visual observation
which unfortunately means cows are often
undiagnosed until the problem has become
fairly advanced.
A longitudinal study to assess a naturally
occurring molecule or gene will be conducted
on a dairy herd using REIMS so as to identify
potential ‘biomarkers’ that could ag up a
proclivity towards lameness.
PhD principal supervisor Dr Simon Cameron,
from IGFS at Queen’s, said the entire REIMS
project had potential for a positive impact on
agriculture, the agrifood industry and indeed
society.
He said: “REIMS is a fairly new technology
and we are constantly nding new applications
for it. It has the potential to be a step change
in how we use mass spectrometry to address
problems facing society and this project
investigates just one of these.
“By being able to analyse samples more
quickly, and in a way that is more user-friendly
to the farmer, we hope to be able to bring the
benet of mass spectrometry to dairy farmers
through rapid diagnosis of bovine mastitis and
identication of the causal microbe.”
Jason Rankin, General Manager of
AgriSearch, said: “The responsible use of
antimicrobials is of increasing importance.
Having a rapid and reliable test to identify
the pathogen causing mastitis will help
farmers treat infection with the appropriate
product and help minimise antimicrobial
resistance.”
PhD student Rachel Murdock said: “I am
really pleased to be working on this project
which expands on the learning I gained during
my primary degree and allows me to progress
research that will be useful to the farming
community. I’m looking forward to getting out
to the farms taking part and combining my
farming background with scientic research.”
UFU responds to consultation
on protein crop payments
THE Ulster Farmers’ Union
has submitted its response
to the Department of
Agriculture, Environment
and Rural Affairs
consultation on protein crop
payments.
In December 2020,
Minister Edwin Poots
outlined his intention
to establish a protein
crop scheme for growing
combinable beans, peas
and sweet lupins in 2021.
The scheme will be rolled
out on a pilot basis before
the approach is rened
in the coming years to
maximise the economic and
environmental benets.
UFU deputy president
William Irvine said: “The
UFU have been strong
advocates, lobbying for a
protein payment scheme
in recent years. With our
nearest competitors in
the Republic of Ireland
beneting from a similar
initiative, we support
the proposed pilot
scheme encouraging the
establishment of protein
crops, striving longer term
to reduce the livestock
sectors dependence on
imported protein.
“Locally produced
proteins will deliver many
environmental benets such
as supporting the already
ourishing wildlife habitats
on farm alongside helping
to reduce the carbon
footprint throughout the
supply chain.”
that DAERA liaise with the
Northern Ireland Grain
Trade Association to seek its
support and encourages the
use of homegrown protein
in feed rations.
“Producing protein is
an integral part of the
wider supply chain and
for this initiative to be
successful it will require
greater coordinated efforts
Locally produced proteins will
deliver many environmental
benets such as supporting
the already ourishing wildlife
habitats William Irvine, UFU deputy president
The UFU says a limiting
factor of the pilot scheme
is the window of one year.
Many crop rotations are
already made and with
further seed complexities
due to Brexit, the union is
requesting that the pilot
scheme is rolled out over
two years, including 2022.
For the pilot scheme to be
successful the UFU asks
by AFBI and CAFRE with
those producing the protein
and the livestock end
user. Training and shared
learning opportunities
need to be made accessible
for both the grower and
end user. CAFRE Business
Development Groups could
be a viable tool to assist
with this delivery,” said Mr
Irvine.