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Risk assessments are utilized to understand the risks associated with bacterial foodborne pathogens with increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This review aimed at identifying and describing the literature on risk assessments for the study of antimicrobial resistance of foodborne bacteria in humans, with focus only on products intended for the treatment of bacterial infections. The definition of what constituted a risk assessment from a methodological perspective is based on the Codex Guidelines for Risk Analysis of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance.Thirty-eight articles produced between 1989–2018 were identified following a comprehensive search strategy. Most articles (25/38) were quantitative risk assessments. The most frequently identified hazard of concern was the consumption of retail meat. Knowledge gaps were evident throughout the four components of the risk assessments, particularly in the hazard characterization component. There appears to be a lack of evidence available to inform risk assessments regarding the additional effects of disease with an AMR organism. The adverse health effects attributable to AMR were addressed in less than half of the articles identified. Additionally, vulnerable populations were not generally included in the risk assessment. There is the potential for risk assessments to consider a broader scope for sources of information to identify and characterize the hazard of concern. Codex guidelines provide a structured framework by which to conduct a risk assessment relating to the microbiological hazards and AMR and should be addressed in every risk assessment on these topics.

Fecal nutrients and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) were predicted using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of feces collected from the pen floor or the rectum of feedlot cattle in 2 studies, and pen floor samples were assessed for their ability to predict NEg, ADG, and G:F. In study 1, 160 crossbred beef steers in 16 pens (4 pens per treatment) were fed dry-rolled barley or wheat (89% of diet DM) processed at 2 levels. Study 2 utilized 160 crossbred beef steers in 20 pens (5 pens per treatment) that were fed dryrolled barley with 4 levels of barley silage (0%, 4%, 8%, and 12% of diet DM). Both studies fed steers to a target weight of 650 kg. Differences in composition of feces collected from the rectum and the pen floor of a subset of steers (3 to 7) were examined. Fecal pats from the pen floor of each pen were collected throughout the feeding period and composited by pen. Except for DM, which was higher (P <0.01) in pen floor than rectal fecal samples, there were minimal differences in fecal constituents between collection methods. In study 1, interactions between grain type and processing index (P≤ 0.05) were observed, with a reduction in DM, OM, and starch and an increase in NDF and ADL concentrations being associated with more extensively processed wheat than barley. As grain was more extensively processed, ATTD of all nutrients increased (P <0.01). In study 2, fecal ADF and ADL linearly increased (P <0.01) with increasing silage in the diet, whereas fecal DM and N linearly decreased (P <0.01). Digestibility of all nutrients except starch linearly decreased (P <0.01) with increasing silage. Apparent total tract digestibility of GE predicted using NIRS was related to NEg of the diets as estimated by performance for the wheat-fed steers in study 1 (R2= 0.58, P= 0.03) and those fed increasing silage in study 2 (R2= 0.43, P< 0.01). Similarly, observed ADG could be predicted using NIRS for steers fed wheat in study 1 (R2= 0.48, P= 0.05) and silage in study 2 (R2= 0.40, P< 0.01), but G:F could not. Using NIRS of feces collected from multiple cattle off the feedlot pen floor demonstrated potential for predicting growth performance of finishing cattle. However, grain type and stage of maturity of the cattle impacted the predictability of equations. Increasing the sample size and sampling frequency may be necessary to improve predictions.

Reporting of observational studies in veterinary research presents challenges that often are not addressed in published reporting guidelines. Our objective was to develop an extension of the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statement that addresses unique reporting requirements for observational studies in veterinary medicine related to health, production, welfare, and food safety. We conducted a consensus meeting with 17 experts in Mississauga, Canada. Experts completed a premeeting survey about whether items in the STROBE statement should be modified or added to address unique issues related to observational studies in animal species with health, production, welfare, or food safety outcomes. During the meeting, each STROBE item was discussed to determine whether or not rewording was recommended, and whether additions were warranted. Anonymous voting was used to determine consensus. Six items required no modifications or additions. Modifications or additions were made to the STROBE items 1 (title and abstract), 3 (objectives), 5 (setting), 6 (participants), 7 (variables), 8 (data sources and measurement), 9 (bias), 10 (study size), 12 (statistical methods), 13 (participants), 14 (descriptive data), 15 (outcome data), 16 (main results), 17 (other analyses), 19 (limitations), and 22 (funding). The methods and processes used were similar to those used for other extensions of the STROBE statement. The use of this STROBE statement extension should improve reporting of observational studies in veterinary research by recognizing unique features of observational studies involving food-producing and companion animals, products of animal origin, aquaculture, and wildlife.

West Nile virus (WNV) infection in horses was first reported in Canada in 2001 and in the province of Saskatchewan in 2002. This paper outlines the surveillance results of WNV in Saskatchewan horses from 2003 to 2005 and describes the usefulness of its inclusion in an integrated surveillance program in Saskatchewan. The number of human and horse cases was highest in 2003, the epidemic year and then substaintially lower in 2004 and 2005. Horses provided additive information about WNV activity in rural areas with low human population, however, this required willingness and active participation by veterinarians and horse owners. Vaccination impedes the future use of horses in WNV surveillance for public health or veterinary purposes; however, for zoonoses where no vaccination is available, domestic animals would be useful components for surveillance. Integration of surveillance data from human and animal health provide the benefit of a more complex epidemiological picture that can be used to improve public health.

Domestic livestock have occasionally been used as sentinels of environmental health. Historically, these studies focused on measuring blood or tissue levels of a specific environmental contaminant. For many environmental exposures, however, there is no appropriate biomarker for exposure. The objective of this study was to examine productivity and health information from domestic livestock as one indicator of the potential long-term environmental impact of natural gas developments in a rural area. Intensive biological accounting methods were developed to measure the health and productivity of cow–calf herds surrounding a new sour natural gas processing plant. From the fall of 1991 through calving 1997, cow production records from 7040 recorded bull contacts were examined from seven area cow–calf herds. Detailed information was also collected on other risk factors known to influence beef herd productivity. The median risks for nonpregnancy, abortion, calving late, stillbirth, and calf mortality for local herds did not differ from those of other published reports. There was no significant change in the risk of nonpregnancy, abortion, calving late, stillbirth, or calf mortality.

During 1999, serum samples were collected from beef cows on pastures in western Canada. Some of the herds had a history of confirmed abortions associated with Neospora caninuminfection. All these samples were initially analyzed using a single application of 1 common commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies to N. caninum.From these initial results, 239 positive and 250 negative samples were randomly selected for further testing. This group of samples was retested using the 3 commercially available ELISA tests for N. caninumas per the manufacturer's recommendations. The agreement between 2 of the ELISAs was good (k= 0.76); agreement of these 2 tests with the third test was much lower (k= 0.46 and 0.60). Quantitative agreement between tests measured by intraclass correlation coefficients was also acceptable between the first 2 tests but was almost zero when the first 2 tests were compared with the third. This information is necessary to understand the differences in seroprevalence reported in different regions from laboratories using different methods.

The 24-h variation in fecal nutrient excretion and accuracy of digestibility predictions using spot samples collected from feedlot cattle were evaluated using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Six heifers were individually housed and randomly assigned to one of two feeding frequencies; once per day (0900), or twice per day (two equal feedings at 0900 and 1700), first over a backgrounding period, followed by a finishing period. Heifers were fed the backgrounding diet for 21 d, transitioned to the finishing diet over 20 d, which was fed for 21 d. During the last 4 d of both periods, total fecal collections were conducted at 4-h and 4-d-24-h intervals and NIRS calibrations were used to predict fecal organic matter (OM), starch, nitrogen (N), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL). Estimated total tract digestibility (eTTD) using NIRS predicted fecal nutrients and ADL and apparent total tract digestibility (aTTD) of DM, OM, starch, NDF, and ADF determined using previously derived NIRS calibrations were calculated at each 4-h interval as well as over 4 d. Fecal DM (%), NDF, and ADF varied among 4-h interval samples in the backgrounding period, and fecal DM, starch, NDF, ADF, and ADL varied in the finishing period. Fecal starch was able to predict aTTD during both feeding periods (backgrounding: R2 = 0.96, P< 0.01; finishing: R2 = 0.98, P< 0.01). Most 4-h interval samples could be used to predict eTTD of nutrients and aside from starch in the finishing period, there were no differences for eTTD using fecal samples collected at any of the 4-h intervals versus those collected over 4 d. The NIRS calibrations for predicting aTTD coefficients using the 4-h interval samples or the 4 d-24-h composite were least accurate for NDF and ADF. Spot fecal samples collected at any time point from multiple cattle have potential to predict digestibility. However, timing of sampling after feeding must be standardized to predict starch digestibility during the finishing period, with samples between 0–4 h and 8–16 h generating estimates of both starch concentration and digestibility that were closest to that derived from 4-d-24-h composite samples.