Causes and Prevention of the Campylobacter Infection (Coursework Sample)

AGRICULTURAL-BASED QUESTIONS
Student’s Name
Class
Date
QUESTION 1
Causes and Prevention of the Identified Problems.
Campylobacter infection caused by bacteria is one of the major causes of abortion. It can be transmitted from the infected sheep to the others in the farm through feed contaminated with fecal matter or exposure to the aborted sheep fetus and other uterus discharges. It can be prevented by proper inspection of the feeds given to the sheep, isolating the infected sheep from the rest of the flock, regular vaccination of the sheep with Campyvax 4 vaccine, and proper disposal of the aborted fetus and uterus discharges.1
Another cause of abortion in sheep is toxoplasmosis, a disease caused by the Toxoplasma parasite. The disease can also be caused by feeds that have been contaminated with cat droppings that have the parasite eggs. The prevention method includes vaccinating using the toxovax vaccine and proper feed inspection.
The causes of neonatal mortality vary from one flock to another across the globe. The most common causes are abortions in ewes, stillbirths, pneumonia, septicemia, food poisoning, etc. Therefore, to prevent this problem, a farmer must have a proper farm management plan such as proper feeding, good housing of the flocks, maintaining close monitoring of pregnant ewes, regular vaccination of the flock, etc.2
Joint ill is a bacterial infection in lambs caused by streptococci bacteria. The bacterial can enter the body of the lamb through wounds, the mouth, navel, etc. To prevent it, the farmer must ensure that the open wounds are properly and hygienically treated and covered to avoid entry of the bacteria. Additionally, the lamps should be housed in a hygienic shelter, and regular vaccination carried out.
Management change to help solve the problems
To help in controlling the problems identified above, the farmer must have a proper farm management system. Such management system includes regular checkups and vaccinations of the flock, proper housing of the sheep, and that which is kept as hygienic as possible, separating the different farm animals such as the sheep and cats. The farmer should also keep clear health records and vaccination records of each sheep on the farm for reference and monitoring of the sheep.
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1 Orhan Sahin, Yaeger Michael, Wu Zuowei, and Zhang Qijing. "Campylobacter-associated diseases in animals." Annual Review of Animal Biosciences 5 (2017).
2 P Scott. (2015). Treatment of infectious polyarthritis (joint ill) in neonatal lambs. Livestock, 20(4).
QUESTION 2
Description of Subsequent Actions in Relation to the Findings
The injection site abscesses in the three pig carcasses indicate the presence of bacteria in the pigs. The above leads to meat quality issues and food safety risks. For safety matters, I would advise the abattoir not to sell the pork from the three pig carcasses as we trace back the origin of the pig to ascertain the real cause of the injection site's abscission.
Why Trace-back is necessary
A trace-back to the origin of the pig carcasses will be necessary for establishing the cause of the abscission. For the three pig to have a site injection abscission, it shows a likely outbreak of a disease and this need to be established by tracing where the animals came from and try to establish the contamination/outbreak source. Trace-back will help establish the distribution of the sickness and try to find the cause of the outbreak. Such will include looking at things like what the pig feed on and the environment's cleanliness.3
Investigation required
After establishing the farm/herd from which the pig came, I would try to establish the cause of the abscission by carrying a study on the remaining live pigs. I'll check on the following
* Their skin- the condition of the pigs' skin and if the skin is damaged.
* Establish any swelling in their body and whether the pigs show pain or discomfort.
* Check whether there are pigs that have died on the farm/herd.
I will then try to establish the cause of the abscission, whether it's smallpox, poorly administered injections, fighting of the pigs, or skin damage by sharp objects.
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1 David Favre. "An international treaty for animal welfare." In Animal Law and Welfare-International Perspectives. Springer, Cham, 2016.