Search

Every year 25 000 Australians experience a cardiac arrest in our community, but only 12% survive. The faster cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation, known as basic life support (BLS), is commenced, the greater the chance of survival. Currently, only half of the Australian adults are trained in BLS. The Australian Resuscitation Council and key stakeholder organisations believe that the best way to ensure all Australians know how to save a life is by mandating BLS education and training in our schools. This 'Aussie KIDS SAVE LIVES' position statement outlines our strategy to help facilitate the introduction of a programme of regular BLS training into the Australian school curriculum.

Lactose plays a crucial role in the growth performance of pigs at weaning because it is a palatable and easily digestible energy source that eases the transition from milk to solid feed. However, the digestibility of lactose declines after weaning due to a reduction in endogenous lactase activity in piglets. As a result, some lactose may be fermented in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs. Fermentation of lactose by intestinal microbiota yields lactic acid and volatile fatty acids, which may positively regulate the intestinal environment and microbiome, resulting in improved gastrointestinal health of weanling pigs. We hypothesize that the prebiotic effect of lactose may play a larger role in weanling pig nutrition as the global feed industry strives to reduce antibiotic usage and pharmacological levels of zinc oxide and supra-nutritional levels of copper. Evidence presented in this review indicates that high dietary lactose improves growth performance of piglets, as well as the growth of beneficial bacteria, particularly Lactobacillus, with the positive effects being more pronounced in the first 2 weeks after weaning. However, the risk of post-weaning diarrhea may increase as pigs get older due to reduced lactase activity, high dietary lactose concentrations, and larger feed intakes, all of which may lead to excessive lactose fermentation in the intestine of the pig. Therefore, dietary lactose levels exert different effects on growth performance and gastrointestinal physiological functions in different feeding phases of weanling pigs. However, no formal recommendation of lactose for weanling pigs has been reported. A meta-analysis approach was used to determine that diets fed to swine should include 20%, 15%, and 0 lactose from d 0–7, d 7–14, and d 14–35 post-weaning, respectively. However, sustainable swine production demands that economics must also be taken into account as lactose and lactose containing ingredients are expensive. Therefore, alternatives to lactose, so called “lactose equivalents” have also been studied in an effort to decrease feed cost while maintaining piglet performance with lower dietary lactose inclusions. In summary, the present review investigated dose-response effects of dietary lactose supplementation to exert positive responses and begin to elucidate its mechanisms of action in post-weaning pig diets. The results may help to replace some or all lactose in the diet of weanling pigs, while improving production economics given the high cost of lactose and availability in some swine production markets.

This study investigated the effects of a proprietary commercial feed additive (FA) comprised of a blend of fatty acids, organic acids, and phytochemicals; a hydroxychloride copper (MA); as well as a water acidification product (WA), alone and in combination, on growth performance in nonvaccinated broiler chickens raised in an antibiotic-free production system. The test treatments were FA; WA; FA and WA combined (FA + WA); and FA, WA, and MA combined (FA + WA + MA). The efficacy of these treatments was compared with a negative control (CON) and a medicated feeding program (bacitracin, antibiotic growth promoter [AGP]). Ross 708 cockerels (n = 2376) were subject to a 3-phase commercial feeding program, namely, starter (0-20 days), grower (21-28 days), and finisher (28-35 days), with no coccidiostats or additional medications added to the feed. On day 14, birds were subjected to an in-feed Clostridium perfringens challenge and a subset of animals were euthanized and the ileal digesta was collected for C. perfringens enumeration. Prior to pathogen challenge (day 14), birds fed the FA + WA and F + WA + MA treatments had significantly higher body weights (+2.6%-3.5%) than those fed CON and similar body weights to birds fed the AGP. These early growth advantages were not sustained postchallenge. Clostridia counts in ileal digesta were dramatically reduced in birds fed the AGP compared with all treatments. The FA (-2.5 log), FA + WA (-2.0 log), and FA + WA + MA (-2.3 log) treatments had significantly lower clostridia counts than the CON treatment. Together, these findings support the use of combined in-feed and in-water strategies for reducing clostridia, while maintaining growth, in antibiotic-free production systems.

Feed additives that promote gastrointestinal health may complement coccidiosis vaccination programs in antibiotic-free broiler production systems. This study examined the effects of a commercial feed additive blend (FA) on intestinal histomorphology and inflammatory biomarkers in vaccinated Ross 708 cockerels (N = 2,160). The study was a randomized complete block design (12 blocks) with 3 dietary treatments: CON (negative control), AGP (positive control: 55 ppm of bacitracin methylene disalicylate), and FA (1.5 kg/MT in starter; 1.0 kg/MT in grower; and 0.5 kg/MT in finisher). Birds were reared on re-used litter and fed a 3-phase feeding program (starter, 0 to 14 D; grower, 15 to 28 D; finisher, 29 to 36 D). One master batch of basal feed for each feeding phase was prepared and final experimental diets were manufactured by mixing the basal feed with the respective test ingredient prior to pelleting. Growth measurements, including pen body weight and feed intakes, and fresh fecal samples were taken throughout the study. On day 20, samples of intestinal tissue were collected from a subset of birds (n = 72, 1 block) for histomorphology and mRNA expression of tight junction and inflammatory genes. In the duodenum, the ratio of villi length to crypt depth was significantly lower in FA (and AGP) fed birds than those consuming the CON diet. Relative mRNA expressions of iNOS, IFNƔ, and claudin-1 were upregulated in the jejunum of FA and AGP treatment groups compared to those in the CON group; the response in the FA was of lesser magnitude than AGP. Together, these results demonstrated that the FA treatment altered the microstructure of the duodenum and affected the expression of inflammatory genes in the jejunum. The timing of these changes coincided with peak oocyte shedding in feces and an observed reduction in feed efficiency in all dietary treatment groups.

There is no current method for remote identification of aerosolized bacteria. In particular, such a capability is required to warn of a biological warfare attack prior to human exposure. A fiber optic biosensor, capable of running four simultaneous immunoassays, was integrated with an automated fluidics unit, a cyclone-type air sampler, a radio transceiver, and batteries on a small, remotely piloted airplane capable of carrying a 4.5-kg payload. The biosensor system was able to collect aerosolized bacteria in flight, identify them, and transmit the data to the operator on the ground. The results demonstrate the feasibility of integrating a biosensor into a portable, remotely operated system for environmental analysis.