Researchers from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are working with nanotechnology and RNA to develop new pest insect control methods as an alternative to chemical spray on crops.
Tag Archives antibodies
Nanotechnology used to develop genetic pest control
Nanotechnology allows new research to target pests through RNA for precision treatments rather than chemcial spray
Send them out to the barn
Compound found in animals but not humans sparks immunity against asthma
It’s already known that farm kids are less prone to asthma, but a new study by immunologists from the University of Zurich has identified sialic acid found in farm animals as the reason. A university release said this substance is widespread in vertebrates and therefore in many farm animals, but missing in the human organism.
Cow antibodies show a path to fighting human disease
Novel vaccines combine natural antibodies and engineer antigens to trigger immune response
Old Bessie may have shown researchers a new way to fight human diseases. A recent paper from University of Guelph scientists says a novel vaccine that protects cattle from a viral-driven respiratory disease may hold the secret to creating similar treatments for human diseases, ranging from gut infections to HIV and cancer. Azud Kaushik, a
Common cattle virus linked to breast cancer in women
A high percentage of women with breast cancer has been exposed to the bovine leukemia virus (BLV)
Researchers with University of California, Berkeley, are exploring a link between a common bovine virus and breast cancer in women. In a study analyzing 239 tissue samples from women diagnosed with breast cancer, scientists found 59 per cent had been exposed to the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) compared to 29 per cent of tissue samples
Raw milk dramatically increases risk for foodborne illness
Study says risk is 100 times greater than with pasteurized milk
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health in Maryland have released a study which says consumers are nearly 100 times more likely to get foodborne illness from drinking raw milk than they are from drinking pasteurized milk. In a release, the researchers said raw milk was associated with over half of all
Colostrum boosts the health of cattle throughout their lifetime
An ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure, provincial extension vet Dr. Wayne Tomlinson told producers during a Beef and Forage Week seminar in Teulon. Vaccinations and proper colostrum uptake don’t just give calves a good start, but also keep them healthy into adulthood and the feedlot as well, he said. “Without
Functioning teats needed for successful piglet fostering
Cross-fostering is a common way of maximizing the number of piglets weaned in a sow farrowing operation. But like all livestock management techniques, there are no hard and fast rules, only guidelines that are based on the resources available to the barn manager, said Dennis Robles, a hog production expert with Swine Health Professionals. The
Pfizer Brings Boar-Taint Remedy To Canada
Canadian hog producers will soon be able to immunize male pigs against boar taint as an alternative to castration. Pfizer Animal Health has received regulatory approval to launch Improvest, a product that has been available in other pork-producing countries for more than a decade. Improvest is a protein that uses the pig’s own immune system
Pork Producers Get A Chance At PRRS-Free Certification
Prairie hog farmers may soon be able to certify their animals free of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), a disease which can cause big losses in swine herds. A two-year pilot project beginning this spring contains a protocol for testing swine herds and certifying them as PRRS free. The industry program, if successful, could
Colostrum — Giving A “Jump-Start” To A New Foal
Colostrum is an essential ingredient to the new life of a vibrant newborn foal. So, a foal nursing shortly after birth is a very good sign. The first milk produced by the mare is energy and nutrient dense, most renowned for its ability to “jump-start” a healthy immune system. A vigorous foal stands and easily
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