Introduction The consumption of dairy products contributes to health, nutrition, and livelihoods globally. However, dairy products do not come without microbiological food safety risks for consumers. Despite this risk, common hygiene measures in high-income countries, particularly pasteurisation, ensures that milk is safe, and is indeed frequently mandated by law. Nevertheless, over the past two decades, there has been a global increase in the number of consumers in high-income developed countries actively seeking out unpasteurised milk in liquid and product forms for perceived nutritional and health benefits, and improved taste. The often-anecdotal claims upon which consumers make such choices are not all supported by scientific evidence; however, some recent research studies have investigated (and in some cases demonstrated) the positive impact of unpasteurised milk consumption on the prevalence of asthma, atopy, rectal cancer and respiratory illness. Methods To investigate the significance of unpasteurised milk and milk product consumption for human health in high-income countries, outbreak data between the years 2000 and 2018 were obtained for the United States of America, Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand and Australia, which were then categorized into three World Health Organisation subregions: AMR A, EUR A and WPR A. Outbreak dynamic variables such as pathogens, the place of consumption, numbers of outbreaks and deaths per million capita, the average number of cases per outbreak and regulations were described and analysed using R Studio. To provide an overview of unpasteurised milk-related disease outbreaks, a rapid evidence review was also undertaken to establish an overview of what is known in the current literature about hazards and drivers of consumption. Results Foodborne outbreaks associated with unpasteurised dairy consumption have risen in high-income countries over the period 2000 to 2018, with Campylobacter spp. being the most common aetiological agent responsible, followed by Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. The most common places of consumption are on farms or in households, indicating individuals choose to drink unpasteurised milk, rather than a widespread distribution of the product, for example, at social events and in schools. Further study is needed to better understand contributing factors, such as cultural differences in the consumption of dairy products. Conclusion There are several observable health benefits linked to consuming raw milk, but outbreaks associated with unpasteurised milk and milk products are on the rise. It cannot be definitively concluded whether the benefits outweigh the risks, and ultimately the decision lies with the individual consumer. Nevertheless, many countries have regulations in place to protect consumer health, acknowledging the definite risks to human health that unpasteurised dairy foods may pose, particularly from microbial hazards.

In the Cape Flats townships, Cape Town, South Africa, there are more than 250 working cart horses. They serve the community with scrap metal and garden refuse removal, human transport and the selling of goods. A questionnaire was undertaken to understand the social and economic impacts of a horse and cart in the Cape Flats on individual owners and/or drivers, their households and the community. A mixture of classical quantitative questions combined with qualitative participatory technique questions were used. A total of 100 participants took part in the questionnaire, who cart with 163 horses between them. The majority (89%) identified the cart horse income as their primary income source. Apart from the participants, an additional 716 people were supported financially through this income, where the mean number of children supported was 2.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: ±0.42) per interviewed participant. Scrap metal transportation was the most common work and the season (winter) had a negative impact on their ability to work. The spatial extent to which a cart horses work was determined and related back to the impact on the horse and participant of the survey. It was demonstrated that the cart horse industry had an impact not only on those who worked in the industry, but also on the surrounding residents, either through their work or through supporting others with their income. This study revealed that the concepts of ‘One Health’ and ‘Health in Social-Ecological Systems’, in action as horse and human health within the Cape Flats are closely intertwined.

Reasons for performing the study: Hoof conformation is linked to biomechanics of the hoof and injury occurrence. There is no scientific data if conformation differs between shod and barefoot-managed hooves. Objectives: To investigate if and how shod and barefoot hooves differ in conformation. Study design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Standardised lateral, dorsopalmar/dorsoplantar and solar photographs of 98 shod and 69 barefoot-managed hooves were included. Thirty-six of the barefoot horses were farrier-managed, 33 were podiatrist-managed. Length and angular measurements produced nine conformation parameters; dorsopalmar/plantar balance, solar symmetry, toe angle, heel angle, heel/toe angle difference, heel width, splaying index, flaring index and frog size. Results: Barefoot hooves showed significantly fewer underrun heels, steeper heel angles, wider heels, increased splaying, increased flaring and larger frog size compared to hooves of shod horses. Solar symmetry showed a significant difference in front hooves but not hind hooves (P=0.038, P=0.104) and toe angle was not significantly different (P=0.368, P=0.425). There was no significant difference in the conformation of barefoot farrier and podiatrist-managed front hooves, however there was a significant difference in the hind hooves: farrier-managed hooves had longer frogs and shorter toes, compared to podiatrist-managed hooves. Conclusions: The significant differences in hoof conformation found should be considered when managing the individual horse, since hoof conformation affects loading of the internal structure of the hoof and hence influences aetiopathogenesis of hoof pathology.