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  • PublicationOpen Access
    Effects of season, age and parasite management practices on gastro – intestinal parasites in pigs kept outdoors in Ireland
    (2025-05-04) Senanayake, Nipuna S.; Boyle, Laura; O’Driscoll, Keelin; Menant, Ophélie; Butler, Fidelma
    Abstract Outdoor farming offers pigs considerable behavioural freedom and better consumer acceptance than intensive, indoor systems. However, gastro – intestinal (GI) parasites pose a significant health and welfare challenge for pigs reared outdoors. The aim of this study was to ascertain effects of management, season and animal factors such as age, on a range of different GI parasites in Irish pigs farmed outdoors. Sixty-five pig faecal samples (a mix from at least 2–4 animals per paddock) were collected from 65 paddocks across 20 outdoor pig farms, over two visits (1st visit – February/May-December 2023, n = 37, 2nd visit– July/October 2023, n = 28). Samples were collected and mixed thoroughly to achieve a paddock level sample. Data were also collected related to pig characteristics (grower/fatteners or sows and boars), anthelmintic usage (Yes/No) and paddock rotation (Yes/No) and categorized at paddock level. Samples were analysed using the McMaster floatation method, faecal egg count (FEC) was calculated, and GI parasites were identified by morphology. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyse the effect of season, age, anthelmintic usage and paddock rotation on FEC. Four parasite taxa were identified (Eimeria/Isospora spp., strongyles, Ascaris suum and Trichuris suis). Infection rates were > 80% for Eimeria/Isospora spp. and strongyles, 31% for A. suum and 9% for T. suis for both visits. Eimeria/Isospora spp. FEC was higher at the 2nd visit (P < 0.001) and strongyles FEC was higher at the 1st visit (P < 0.05). Fattener pigs had higher FEC for Eimeria/Isospora spp. (P < 0.01) and sows/boars had higher strongyle counts (P < 0.05). Strongyle count was lower with anthelmintic use (P < 0.05) and Eimeria/Isospora spp. count was lower (P = 0.05) with paddock rotation when anthelmintics were used. Lower winter temperatures may have influenced the seasonal variation in strongyle FEC. This study provides a comprehensive picture of GI parasites in outdoor pig farms in Ireland in terms of the taxa, their prevalence and risk factors.
  • ItemOpen Access
    Adapting to Change: A guide for forest owners facing climate challenges. Forestry & Energy Review 15(1): 14-17
    (Dawn Media, 2025-06) Schifferdecker, Gesche; Hoeben, Annechien; Spazzi, Jonathan; Short, Ian; The RESONATE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under Grant Agreement 101000574; 101000574
    Climate change is disrupting European forests and their markets, making adaptation through building resilience via diversification and finding new uses for a changing mix of wood species essential for the future. Gesche Schifferdecker, Annechien Hoeben, Jonathan Spazzi and Ian Short explain more.
  • PublicationOpen Access
    Correction: Sowing seeds of awareness: a cross-sectional analysis of mental health literacy and help-seeking in Irish farmers
    (2025-06-16) O’Connor, Siobhan; O’Hagan, Anna D.; Firnhaber, Joseph; O’Shaughnessy, Branagh R.; McNamara, John; Breslin, Gavin; O’Keeffe, Sinead; Malone, Sandra M.
  • PublicationOpen Access
    Complement 3 (C3) within the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus is a potential key mediator of the effect of enhanced nutrition on reproductive development in young bull calves
    (2025-05-09) Keogh, Kate; Coen, Stephen; Lonergan, Pat; Fair, Sean; Kenny, David A.
    Abstract Background Reproductive development may be advanced in bull calves through enhanced dietary intake during the early life period. This effect between enhanced nutrition with subsequent earlier reproductive development is orchestrated through signalling within the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis. Within the hypothalamus, the arcuate nucleus (ARC) is crucial for the integration of peripheral metabolic status with subsequent gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) signalling; however, the precise molecular control regulating this effect is not fully known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the global transcriptomic and proteomic responses to varied plane of nutrition during early calf-hood in young dairy bull calves. Additionally, we sought to integrate these ‘omics’ datasets to determine key genes and proteins contributing to earlier reproductive development. Between 2–12 weeks of age, 30 Holstein-Friesian bull calves (mean age: 17.5 days; mean bodyweight 48.8 kg), were offered either a high or moderate plane of nutrition with 15 calves in each group. At 12 weeks of age, all calves were euthanised and the ARC tissue isolated from each calf. The ARC tissue was then used for global transcriptomic (miRNAseq and mRNAseq) and proteomic analyses. Results Bioinformatic analyses were undertaken to determine differentially expressed transcripts (FDR < 0.1; fold change > 1.5) between the dietary treatment groups, resulting in the identification of 1 differentially expressed miRNA (miR-2419-3p) and 83 differentially expressed mRNA in the ARC region. mRNA target gene prediction identified Complement 3 (C3) as a target of miR-2419-3p, suggesting a relationship between the two transcripts. Furthermore, through a co-regulatory network analysis conducted on the proteomics dataset, C3 was revealed as a hub protein. Additionally, through the proteomic network analysis, C3 was interacting with proteins involved in both insulin and GnRH signalling, highlighting a potential role for C3 in mediated the effect of enhanced nutritional status with earlier reproductive development within the ARC. Conclusion This study highlights an effect of altered plane of nutrition in early life on the molecular control of the hypothalamic ARC. Additionally, results generated suggest a potential role for the C3 gene in mediating the interaction between enhanced metabolic status with reproductive development within the ARC, regulated by miR-2419-3p.
  • PersonMetadata only
    Short, Ian

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