There is an increasing amount of scientific research into animal sentience. Many scientists are studying the cognitive, emotional, and communicative capacities of a range of animals. The results of this research have led to a number of legal recognitions of the sentience of a range of animals. In 1997, the European Union (EU) gave legal recognition to the sentience of animals and updated and elevated this recognition in the Treaty of Lisbon. Other countries and states as well as the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE) have followed it. Scientists are increasingly acknowledging that sentience and emotion have arisen in a wide range of species. Research now emphasizes that there is an extraordinary variation in how different animal species (such as mammals, birds, fish, or insects) perceive the world and their environment. This paper looks at the sentience of the main farmed land and aquatic animals and the implications of this for how such animals are bred and housed. The paper concludes that intensive farming systems deprive animals of opportunities for positive emotions, such as play, exploration, social interaction, and feeding to satiation, and stops them from satisfying naturally motivated behaviors. To truly respect animal sentience, production systems should be designed with the animal's characteristics and needs in mind. The authors conclude that regenerative, agroecological, or organic farming systems better protect and respect the sentience of animals leading to less suffering and more opportunities for positive experiences.

To investigate the impact of Isalo scorpion cytotoxic peptide (IsCT) on the immune function of immune organ (head kidney, spleen, and skin) of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), 540 fish (136.88 ± 0.72 g) were supplied with a different amount of IsCT (0, 0.6, 1.2, 1.8, 2.4, and 3.0 mg/kg diet) through a period of 60 days. Afterward, 24 fish were randomly selected from each group and were inoculated with Aeromonas hydrophila for a period of 6 days. Our findings suggested that appropriate IsCT complementation: (1) attenuated skin morbidity and histopathological structural changes in the head kidney and spleen (p < 0.05), which ensured the structural integrity of the immune organs; (2) increased the activity and expression of immune substances (p < 0.05), which in turn increased the function of the immune organs, promoting immune responses; (3) through the regulation of the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAKs/STATs) signaling pathway, the mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines increased and the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines decreased, which in turn increased the function of the immune organs, reducing the inflammatory response (p < 0.05). However, the addition of IsCT did not affect the expression of IL-12p35, STAT2, and STAT3a in the immune organ. Ultimately, this study provided evidence that IsCT enhanced immune function via the JAKs/STATs signaling pathway in the immune organ in grass carp after challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila.

Large-scale genotyping at a low cost is crucial for molecular breeding of livestock. In this study, the Cattle110K capture chip was developed, based on the genotyping by target sequencing system. The chip panel included 112,180 single necleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), from potential functional regions screened by genome-wide associated study, BayesB, expression quantitative trait loci-mapping, ATAC-seq, and reported functional markers. All the SNPs on the panel were distributed evenly on the cattle genome, with more than 99% of the markers having a minor allele frequency greater than 0.05. Assessment results indicated that a total of 1.2 M high-quality SNPs were identified in the 110 K regions, averaging approximately 10 SNPs per target sequence. The genotype consistency for the repetitive samples using the Cattle110K liquid chip was 99.21% while the concordance between the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip and this chip averaged 98.17%. A significant association signal for slaughter weight and carcass length was identified on 37.3–41.5 Mb of chromosome 6, pinpointing the NCAPG-LCORL locus. This locus has previously been associated with meat and carcass traits in cattle. Additionally, novel candidate regions were identified around 3.4 Mb of chromosome 13 and 73.5 Mb of chromosome 8, significantly correlated with hip height and marbling score, respectively. We compared the accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values between the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip and this chip. The results demonstrated that the Cattle110K capture chip had a comparable ability in genomic prediction to the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip. Advances in using the cost-effective liquid capture chip are expected to accelerate the genetic progress of cattle in the coming years.

Zimbabwe is currently rated as one of the top 10 fish producers in Sub- Saharan Africa. Fish farming in Zimbabwe is dominated by the culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) followed by rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Over 90% of the cultured fish is O. niloticus, which comes from Lake Kariba. Since the first decade of the 21^st century, there has been a significant increase in fish production from two tons to eight tons annually. The increase in fish production has been attributed to the government and donor-funded fishery programs. In this review, current practices, opportunities, and challenges for aquaculture in Zimbabwe are highlighted. The current practices include intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive aquaculture systems. Consistent high market demand for fish and numerous water bodies with potential for cage culture are some of the drivers for aquaculture. Despite the industry’s significant growth, there are still a number of management and production issues that need to be resolved. Weaknesses in structural issues and operational frameworks in Non- Governmental Organizations, lack of credit facilities, subsidies, limited technology, obfuscated governance, weak fish disease surveillance mechanisms and legal frameworks, and constrained human resources capacity are some of the challenges plaguing fish culture in Zimbabwe. Cogent aquaculture policies, sustainable subsidies, intensive training of human resources and fisheries experts, strengthened disease surveillance, cheaper alternative fish feeds, reliable viable fingerling production, concerted value chain efforts, and exploration of lucrative export markets is a panacea for the fledgling aquaculture industry in Zimbabwe.

Pseudomonas plecoglossicida (P. plecoglossicida) is a pathogen in aquaculture that causes considerable economic loss. According to artificial infection experiments, the fish were classified into control group, moribund group, and survival group. Compared to the control group, both the moribund group and the survival group of fish had fewer red blood cells (RBCs) and lower oxygen saturation (SaO₂). Furthermore, the fish in the survival group has more RBCs and SaO₂ compared to the moribund group. The concentrations of total iron, ferrous iron, ferric iron, and mineralized iron in the fish spleen of the moribund and survival groups were lower compared to those of the control group. Additionally, the concentrations of these iron components in the fish spleen of the survival group were higher than those of the moribund group. The results demonstrated that iron mineralization is involved in the survival of fish challenged with P. plecoglossicida. Compared to the control and survival groups, the fish spleen had several distinguishing features in the moribund group, including less reduced glutathione (GSH), higher mitochondrial complex V activity, more lipid peroxidation, and reactive oxygen species, as well as reduced glutathione peroxidase 4 (gpx4) expression. Moreover, there were intact cell membranes, a normal nucleus size, no chromatin concentration, and disappearance of cristae in the mitochondria of the spleens of the moribund group. The characteristics of spleen cells in the moribund group were consistent with ferroptosis, suggesting that ferroptosis was involved in the death of fish challenged with P. plecoglossicida.

Nutrition modulates the vulnerability of animals to xenobiotics insults including antibiotics in cultured fish. However, studies exploring the role of low-fat diet (LFD) in modulating adverse effects of antibiotics are currently limited. This study explored the physiological effects of feeding LFD supplemented with oxytetracycline (OTC) in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings. Thirty Nile tilapia (8.64 ± 0.44 g) were tagged and randomly stocked into three tanks and fed on a control diet (CD, 70 g/kg lipid), LFD (20 g/kg lipid) and the LFD supplemented with 2.00 g/kg diet of OTC (80 mg/ kg body weight/day), hereafter LFD + OTC for 9 weeks. The results indicated that the Nile tilapia fed on LFD + OTC reduced growth performance and feed utilization efficiency than those fed on CD and LFD. Moreover, the fish fed on LFD + OTC had lower body composition, nutrients digestibility and mesenteric fat index than those fed on CD and LFD. Feeding the fish with LFD + OTC decreased antioxidant capacity in the liver than those fed on CD and LFD. The Nile tilapia fed on LFD + OTC increased hepatotoxicity than those fed on CD and LFD. Feeding the Nile tilapia on LFD + OTC decreased immunity response in the kidney and liver than those fed on CD and LFD. The LFD + OTC affected nutrients metabolism in the liver and serum than other diets. Taken together, feeding LFD with OTC impairs physiological functions of Nile tilapia by inhibiting growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immunity response and nutrient metabolism.

As a model of regenerative medicine, hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) plays a determining role in the hair cycle. Emerging evidences showed that long noncoding RNAs regulated the biological function of HFSC. In this current study, we found that lncRNA-000552, standing for “goat secondary HFSC Associated SYNE3 Regulator of HF Cycle” (HFSCARC) expressed higher in anagen than that in telogen of cashmere goat. Through experiments involving nucleocytoplasmic separation and RNA-FISH, we determined that HFSCARC was primarily located in the nucleus of HFSC. To understand the function of HFSCARC, the study performed various assays, including crystal violet staining, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, EdU, and flow cytometry analysis, which collectively revealed that HFSCARC inhibited HFSC proliferation. Additionally, HFSCARC promoted the differentiation of HFSC by investigating the expression of marker genes specific to stem cells and keratinocytes. RNA sequencing analysis was conducted to investigate the global gene expression changes associated with HFSCARC expression. The results showed that HFSCARC altered the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation, hair follicle development, and regulation of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) signaling. Furthermore, the study revealed that HFSCARC activated the BMP signaling pathway. Intriguingly, the study found a decreased expression of SYNE3, which was a neighboring gene of HFSCARC. The altered expression of genes associated with transmethylase and demethylase further suggested that HFSCARC might play an important role in regulating the SYNE3 expression. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the regulatory role of HFSCARC in the biological function of HFSC. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the involvement of noncoding RNAs in the regulation of hair cycle.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of tannic acid (TA) derived from gallnut supplementation on growth performance and health status of weaned piglets.Atotal of 432 weanling piglets (7.05±1.05 kg) were randomly allocated into 4 treatment groups with 6 replicates of 18 pigs/pen. Piglets were fed either a basal diet (CON), or basal diets supplemented with 1.5 kg/t TA, 3.0 kg/t TA, or 1.8 kg/t zinc oxide (ZnO) for 21 days. The results showed that, compared to the CON, dietary TA supplementation did not affect (p > 0.05) growth performance and serum biochemistry of weaned piglets. However, 3.0 kg/t TA had higher SOD, GPX, and CAT activities and a lower MDA concentration in the jejunum than those of the CON or the ZnO group. Meanwhile, 3.0 kg/t TA increased (p < 0.05) villus height and villus height/ crypt depth, and decreased (p < 0.05) crypt depth in the small intestine. Dietary TA also downregulated (p < 0.05) IL-1β and TNF-α expression in jejunum. Furthermore, 3.0 kg/t TA reduced (p < 0.05) the abundance of Candidatus Brocadia and Escherichia-Shigella in cecal digesta. Notably, both Candidatus Brocadia and Escherichia-Shigella had a negative correlation with antioxidant enzymes activities (R < -0.60, p < 0.01), but Escherichia-Shigella was positively correlated with MDA concentrations (R=0.44, p < 0.05) in the jejunum. In conclusion, compared to the CON, 3.0 kg/t TA supplementation improved the gut health status of weaned piglets, potentially by regulating redox homeostasis and gut microbiota.

China has a rich cultural heritage spanning thousands of years, and the significance of animal welfare and sustainability are reflected in China’s diverse traditional philosophies, beliefs, and literature. These concepts have shaped Chinese people’s perception of nature and treatment of animals throughout history. In this article, we will explore how animal welfare and sustainability are reflected in traditional Chinese culture, and discuss their significance and implication in modern Chinese society.

Fish health assessment is essential for maintaining sustainable aquatic ecosystems and ensuring the well-being of wild and farmed fish populations. Hematological parameters are crucial indicators of fish health, with poikilocytosis emerging as a fundamental marker with significant diagnostic value. Poikilocytosis refers to abnormally shaped erythrocytes in bloodstream, reflecting underlying physiological and pathological conditions. Poikilocytosis can occur in various fish species and can be influenced by environmental stressors, infectious agents, nutritional deficiencies, and exposure to pollutants. Morphological alterations in erythrocytes, such as acanthocytes, echinocytes, dacrocytes, schistocytes, spherocytes, and codocytes are common poikilocytes in fish. Understanding the relationship between poikilocytosis and fish health has important implications for disease diagnosis, monitoring, surveillance, and management. By quantifying poikilocytic changes, researchers and veterinarians can differentiate normal variations from pathological conditions, facilitating targeted interventions and treatment strategies. While most studies have focused on heavy metal toxicity, stressors, nutritional deficiencies, pollutants, and therapeutics, the etiological induction of poikilocytosis in fish health has been overlooked. Nonetheless, poikilocytosis remains a valuable biomarker for assessing fish health and their environment. This review highlights piscine poikilocytosis as a significant fish hematological biomarker and its importance in understanding their health and culture conditions.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various sectors has led to significant advancements, with the animal industry being no exception. This review aims to investigate the benefits, limitations, and future prospects of AI technology in improving animal welfare. First, it examines the role of AI in understanding animal behaviors and emotions, providing deeper insights into their well-being and sources of stress. Next, the paper explores how AI can revolutionize animal nutrition through innovative algorithms and data analytics. The health aspect emphasizes the ability of AI to identify and manage illnesses through intelligent systems. This review also highlights the application of AI in improving animal living conditions, with a focus on environmental management and automated cleaning and disinfection systems. In conclusion, the review emphasizes AI-driven techniques for early prediction, close monitoring, and accurate diagnosis of animal diseases, ensuring healthier and more sustainable livestock management. By leveraging its advantages, addressing limitations, and exploring future directions, AI has the potential to significantly enhance animal welfare, sustainable agriculture, and veterinary practices.

Protecting crude protein in the rumen may reduce extensive protein degradation and ammonia emission and increase available bypass protein in ruminants. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of two Bioprotect (15 and 30 mL/kg dry matter (DM)) and two tannin extract (TE) (20 and 40 g/kg DM) inclusion rates on protein protection and in vitro fermentation characteristics of canola and soybean meals incubated for 24 h using an ANKOM in vitrogas production system. The treated canola and soybean meals produced lower soluble protein (fraction ‘a’) and larger slowly degradable protein (fraction ‘b’) than its untreated counterparts, p< 0.01. However, the 20 g/kg DM TE inclusion showed lowest effect on the amount of protein fractions ‘a’ and ‘b’ in both meals compared to their other treated counterparts. The increasing concentration of additives reduced the total volatile fatty acids (VFA), p< 0.001. The effects of additives differed between the treatments as 15 mL/kg DM Bioprotect and 20 g/ kg DM TE did not affect the acetic to propionic acid ratio (A:P) and the time before gas production began. The increase in fraction ‘b’ and reduction in protein fraction ‘a’ confirm successful protein protection in this experiment. However, the extensive reduction in ammonia-N and in vitro degradable protein after using 30 mL/kg DM Bioprotect suggests possible toxicity to the microbes responsible for protein digestion in higher doses. Therefore, 15 mL/kg DM Bioprotect and 40 g/kg DM TE could be promising protein protection doses for in vitro experiments.

African swine fever (ASF) is an acute and severe contagious disease triggered by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), which severely threatens the global swine industry. At present, no safe and efficacious vaccine has been provided to prevent and control this disease. The pathogenesis and immune evasion mechanism of ASFV are still unknown, which seriously hinders the development of safe and effective ASF vaccines. Certain proteins of ASFV involved in immunosuppression helped to evade the host innate immune response. The cGAS-STING signaling pathway is important to the innate immune system. It induces the production of type I interferons (IFNs) and other cytokines by recognizing cytoplasmic DNA, mediating antimicrobial innate immunity through type I IFN, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways. In the present study, E120R, a late-phase expression protein and a key virulent factor of ASFV inhibited cGAS-STING mediated promoter activities of IFN-β and NF-κB in HEK293T cells. The ectopic expression of E120R down-regulated IFN- β pathway by targeting interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and p65, inhibited the phosphorylation of STING, and further inhibited the phosphorylation of TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) and IRF3, with no significant effects on p65 phosphorylation. Additionally, E120R also inhibited the NF-κB pathways by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of p50 and p65, which was mediated by Sendai virus (SeV). Further, the study showed that the 61–80 amino acids sites in the C-terminal domain of E120R were crucial for these functions. In conclusion, our work preliminarily elucidated a novel mechanism of inhibiting host innate immune response by ASFV E120R, which will provide a new target for the ASFV live gene deletion vaccine development and the theoretical basis for ASFV prevention.