From the 2022 Kemin Intestinal Health Symposium
By Sarah Muirhead
Prevention versus treatment and the role of gut health in keeping herds and flocks healthy were among topics addressed during a panel discussion at the Kemin Intestinal Health Symposium in Palm Springs, California.
On the panel representing the various species sectors were Miles Theurer, DVM, research director for veterinary research and consulting services; Dr. Luke Baldwin, director of technical and veterinary services with Lincoln Premium Poultry; Dr. Paul Ruen of Fairmont Veterinary Clinic, and Dr. Ryan Royer, owner of Veterinary Associates of Clayton Co & LPS.
Baldwin, who made comments on behalf of the poultry sector, opened the session by explaining that, in his opinion, the best way to think about gut health is that of what it means to the safety of the final products produced for consumers. Specifically, he referenced salmonella and the extent the industry goes to make sure people aren’t getting sick.
In the hog sector, Ruen said there has been a real shift from endemic disease to epidemic disease and how that applies to gut health. He noted that in the young pig, he sees a lot of intestinal issues predominately in pre-wean with rotavirus and clostridium and in post weaning with Escherichia coli. “We have bigger populations of pigs on-site and we’ve changed our flows dramatically, but we have more epidemic disease,” he noted.
In the dairy world, Royer said diseases tend to be more production related, but there are those infectious diseases that may or may not be directed by production. “Some things we bring on ourselves through production, mishaps maybe, or misalignments, and some things are still primarily infectious,” he said.
On the beef cattle side, Theurer said it is pretty remarkable how the creatures can be so efficient and survive in spite of us. Unlike other industries, the beef cattle sector is regularly commingling and openly grazing, so many uncontrolled variables in the production system, he said.
To the topic of antibiotic use in the various species, the panel was in agreement that antibiotics are necessary tools. However, they need to be properly managed.
The education of the barn crews, it was noted is an important part of the process when it comes to keeping the focus on disease prevention. “It comes back to education, education, education,” said Baldwin. He said it is important to explain to growers and co-workers why something is being done.
Likewise, when it comes to infectious disease, it is important to stay ahead of it as best one can and have good hygiene and management practices in place to address and counter.
“It takes a multi-factor approach. Obviously, prevention is a big deal, but we still need tools like antibiotics to deal with sick pigs or other species. I think the consumers understand that,” Ruen said. He also referenced the work being done to better understand genetically how to get a more robust animal, an animal that can defend itself better, protect itself better.
Ruen noted that preventatively, Fairmont Veterinary Clinic has focused a lot on water over the years. “About 15 years ago we started working with an individual that consults to municipalities and works with water treatment systems in cities and large companies. And that's been really insightful for us and helped us design the systems that we have. We have really bad water - high iron, high manganese in some cases, high sulfates in southern Minnesota - and so we've been able to try and attack it from that side and get rid of biofilms and make sure lines are clean every time we're weaning pigs into a barn. We're not perfect. We're far from that. Mistakes happen and, and things get rushed, but it gives you a chance if you’ve got an environment, including the water system, that gives a pig a good start,” he said.
Looking ahead 20 years and projecting where things might be, Baldwin said that across all species, he has little doubt that there are going to be less antibiotics available and that regulations around antibiotic use will be much stricter. “I don't hear of much about pharmaceutical companies investing in novel antibiotics for agriculture. If you think about this, I mean, in my sector of poultry, we've been using them since the late 1950s to early 1060s, and we're slowly losing them in the early 2020s. I don't think they're going the opposite direction. I think you're going to see less and less usage,” he said.
Ruen said people want to know about their food and that isn’t something that is going to change in the decades ahead. They want that connection to their food. It may well be where consumers demand to know who's working on the farm in addition to where that product came from. “I think that's real likely,” he said.
In cattle feeding country, Theurer said that labor and water are probably the two biggest concerns. He noted in the next several decades, there could be a big shift in how cattle are fed and managed. That could be less time in the feedyard, he said, along with more robust ways to detect sick cattle.
“There may be some reduction in labor force required, but I think it's going to take in those people and position them into new roles. So instead of looking not to actually go through the pen daily and evaluate and figure out the sick cattle, they may be looking at the computer and saying here are six pens that I need to go look at in the feedyard today. A more defined and more effective use of time, and one that is probably better for the cattle,” he said.To view all presentations and resources from the 2022 Kemin Intestinal Health Symposium, visit www.kemin.com/symposium
