Peter Asiedu

Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) remains one of the most important bacterial agents linked to foodborne illness, particularly in regions with expanding poultry production. The present study aimed to investigate the occurrence, antimicrobial resistance, and genetic characteristics of S. enterica isolated from broiler chicken farms in Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana. One hundred samples (cloacal swabs, feed, water, and litter) were collected from five farms and examined through culture, biochemical tests, antimicrobial susceptibility assays, and molecular confirmation of the invasion gene A (invA). Twenty-eight isolates (28%) were confirmed as Salmonella, all of which exhibited resistance to amoxicillin. Resistance to the antibiotics Ceftazidime, Gentamicin, Imipenem, and Aztreonam tested ranged from 4-25%. Nineteen isolates amplified the invA gene, and sixteen out of 19 submitted samples were successfully sequenced and confirmed as S. enterica with 93.85-99.80% identity. Phylogenetic and haplotype analyses demonstrated substantial genetic diversity, suggesting localized evolutionary divergence. The present findings highlight the presence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella within broiler production systems, emphasizing the need for improved biosecurity and responsible antimicrobial use to safeguard public health. Broiler chicken farms serve as an essential food source in many Ghanaian communities, yet they can harbour bacteria that pose risks to consumers. It was observed that Salmonella contamination in birds and their surroundings in Dormaa Ahenkro. Notably, Salmonella strains seen in these studies were also resistant to commonly used antibiotics, underscoring the need for stronger hygiene practices, prudent antibiotic use, and consistent monitoring to limit the spread of drug-resistant strains from farms to the wider population. Improving control measures will enhance food safety and support the sustainability of poultry production in Ghana.

Rabbit production contributes to animal protein supply and farm income, but housing directly affects welfare, growth and reproductive efficiency. Evidence on rabbit housing is dispersed and sometimes inconsistent. This study systematically reviewed and bibliometrically mapped research on the relationship between housing systems and rabbit growth and reproductive performance. Records were retrieved from Scopus using a structured Boolean search, screened according to PRISMA 2020, and analysed with Bibliometrix in R and VOSviewer. From 130 records, 28 studies met the final eligibility criteria. Hungary recorded the highest country output with 30 documents, followed by Italy with 28 and India with 24, while Italy had the highest country citation count with 55 citations. The most highly cited document in the dataset was the 2007 study by Cabezas and Moreno with 48 citations. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified four connected themes: housing, welfare and reproductive outcomes; growth performance and physiology; nutrition and feeding systems; and controlled experimentation across housing systems. Collaboration was concentrated mainly in European networks, with limited African representation despite contributions from Egypt, Ethiopia and Nigeria. These findings show that rabbit housing is a life science issue linking animal welfare, physiology, reproduction and food production. Future research should broaden geographical coverage and compare housing systems using integrated welfare and productivity indicators.

This study evaluated the effects of Pediococcus pentosaceus GT001 on Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium)-challenged broiler chickens. Two hundred Ross 708 broiler day-old chicks with comparable weight were distributed at random into four treatments with five replicates and ten chicks per replicate. The following were the treatment groups: (B) basal diet (control); (B + S) basal diet and birds were challenged with S. typhimurium at 1.0 × 10⁷ cfu/g; (B + P) basal diet + Pediococcus pentosaceus GT001 at 4.0 × 10⁸ cfu/g; (B + P + S) basal diet + P. pentosaceus GT001 at 4.0 × 10⁸ cfu/g and birds were challenged with S. typhimurium at 1.0 × 10⁷ cfu/g. There was a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the body weight of the Salmonella-infected birds compared to the other treatment groups. However, the FCRs of the broilers were comparable among the different treatment groups (p > 0.05). The lipid profile and liver function indices measured were significantly enhanced in the P. pentosaceus GT001-supplemented groups (B + P and B + P + S) compared to the group that was Salmonella-challenged (p < 0.05) but were similar to those in the control group. The serum antioxidant activities, such as the T-AOC, SOD, CAT, GHS-Px and MDA, were significantly improved in the P. pentosaceus GT001-supplemented groups (B + P and B + P + S) (p < 0.05). The MDA was similar in the B + P and B + P + S groups, but both were significantly lower than the control and the Salmonella groups. The administration of P. pentosaceus GT001 enhanced the lipase and amylase levels in both the serum and intestine of the broilers (p < 0.05). The immunoglobin (IgA, IgG, IgM) and cytokine (IL-10 and IL-6) levels in the serum were significantly higher in the B, B + P and B + P + S treatment groups (p < 0.05). The immune-related organs (bursa and spleen) were significantly influenced in the birds fed with P. pentosaceus GT001. No significant variation was noted among all the dietary treatments in terms of the measured meat quality indices. The small intestinal digesta content of the Salmonella load was below a detectable range after 14 days of infection (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed among the different treatment groups in terms of the breast pH, drip loss and meat color (p > 0.05). The inclusion of P. pentosaceus GT001 also modified the community structure in the cecum. This indicates that it has health benefits and could be incorporated in the broiler diet.

Research has identified certain bio-based products, such as probiotics, as alternatives to antibiotics for use in animal feed. They are capable of controlling, preventing or minimizing the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by pathogenic bacteria. To isolate Pediococcus spp. and assess its technological properties for possible probiotic development, maize and pearl millet were used. The cereals were steeped and wet milled after 48 h of fermentation. The milled cereals were kneaded into dough for 24 h, after which a 10% slurry was prepared for tenfold serial dilution to enumerate the LAB by employing pour plate techniques using MRS Agar. Based on the cell morphology of the isolated bacteria, eight isolates (four from maize and four from millet) that were selected for identification using MALDI-TOF MS showed that five were Pediococcus pentosaceus (P. pentosaceus), one was Pediococcus acidilactici, and two did not match any organism. Subsequently, the six isolates were labeled as MZ1, MZ2, MZ3, MZ4 for the maize isolate and MLT5 and MLT7 for the millet isolate. The six Pediococcus spp. were assessed in vitro for acid and bile salt tolerance, gastric juice and intestinal fluid tolerance and antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed, and the survivability rate of the strains was calculated. With regard to the mean count, there was a reduction in log10 CFU/mL under the lower pH conditions and their duration of exposure with regard to time. Among the isolates, no differences were noted at the various periods of exposure (0 h, 1 h, 2 h and 3 h) at pH 4 (p > 0.05). However, significant differences were noted at pH 3, 2 and 1 among the isolates (p < 0.05). The percentage survival of MZ4 and MLT7 at pH 1 was higher compared to the other isolates at 0 h. Significant differences were observed among the isolated at pH 2, 3 and 4 across the various periods. The mean count of the isolates in gastric juice was similar at 0 and 1 h, but significant differences were noted at 2 and 3 h, where MLT7 was highest (p < 0.05). A similar trend was observed for percentage survival. The mean count and the percentage survival of isolates under different concentrations of bile salt were similar. Significant differences were noted among isolates in both mean count and percentage survival when exposed to intestinal fluid (p < 0.05). All of the isolates were highly tolerant to the antibiotics tested and possessed antibacterial properties against the selected pathogens. The LABs proved to be good probiotic materials, according to the results obtained. However, the Pediococcus strain MLT7 proved to be the LAB of choice; therefore, its molecular identity was verified using the 16S rRNA sequence and was labeled as Pediococcus pentosaceus GT001 after it was discovered to have 100% similarity with some strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus.

Exploring alternatives to antibiotics is imperative in reducing antibiotic resistance and antibiotic residues in poultry products. The beneficial effects of antibiotic products derived from natural sources in comparison with the synthetic ones has been reported. Pediococcus pentosaceus has been applied as an animal growth bio-promoter and probiotic. To elucidate the protective mechanisms of P. pentosaceus, this study investigated the effects of different doses of P. pentosaceus supplementation on broiler growth performance, immune function, intestinal development and histomorphology. Five hundred (500) one-day-old Ross 708 broiler chicks were randomly enrolled into five experimental groups with 20 chicks per replicate. The treatments were imposed as follows: (T1) basal diet (control); (T2) basal diet with 1 g/kg antibact 3X; (T3) basal diet with P. pentosaceus GT001 at 4.0 × 10⁸ cfu/g; (T4) basal diet with P. pentosaceus GT001 at 8.0 × 10⁸ cfu/g; and (T5) basal diet with P. pentosaceus GT001 at 1.2 × 10⁹ cfu/g. Dietary inclusion of P. pentosaceus GT001 at 4.0 × 10⁸ cfu/g significantly improved body weight gain, feed intake and lipid profile of the broilers compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The addition of P. pentosaceus GT001 significantly improved the intestinal pH of the broilers. The digestive enzymes of the broilers were impacted with the supplementation of P. pentosaceus GT001 at 4.0 × 10⁸ cfu/g. The highest serum antioxidant production was observed in the P. pentosaceus-treated group compared to the control. P. pentosaceus GT001 at 4.0 × 10⁸ cfu/g increased the levels of serum cytokines and immunoglobin and improved the small intestinal morphology of the broilers in comparison with the control. The load of Pedococcus spp was similar among T3, T4 and T5 but significantly higher than that of the control (T1) and the antibiotics (T2)-fed birds. The load of E. coli in the gut was significantly reduced in T3, T4 and T5 compared to T1 and T2. There was no Salmonella growth among the treatments. This study highlights the importance of probiotics in broiler diets and suggests that Pediococcus pentosaceus GT001 could be used as a feasible substitute to antimicrobials in broiler production.