The effects of nutritional status, such as fasting and refeeding, on leptin and ghrelin secretion in swine were examined. The swine (n = 4) were fasted for 54 h and plasma hormone levels were measured before, during and after fasting. Plasma leptin and insulin concentrations began to decrease 12 and 6 h into the fasting period, respectively (P < 0.05), and maintained a low level for the remaining period of fasting. Plasma leptin and insulin returned to the pre‐fasting value 6 and 12 h after refeeding, respectively. Plasma ghrelin concentrations showed a nocturnal periodicity during the fasting period; it increased nocturnally at 36 and 42 h into the fasting period (P < 0.05). Plasma growth hormone levels did not show any remarkable changes during the fasting. Plasma glucose levels showed a modest fall during fasting and significantly decreased (P < 0.05) at 24 h into the fasting period, returning to pre‐fasting levels after refeeding. Plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels increased (P < 0.05) at 12 h into the fasting period and returned to the pre‐fasting level 6 h after refeeding. These results indicate that plasma leptin, insulin and ghrelin play an important role in maintaining energy homeostasis in swine. The plasma ghrelin did not continuously increase, but showed nocturnal periodicity during fasting. This may suggest that ghrelin is also involved in physiological processes other than energy homeostasis.

The expansion and intensification of livestock production is predicted to promote the emergence of pathogens. As pathogens sometimes jump between species this can affect the health of humans as well as livestock. Here we investigate how livestock microbiota can act as a source of these emerging pathogens through analysis of Streptococcus suis, a ubiquitous component of the respiratory microbiota of pigs that is also a major cause of disease on pig farms and an important zoonotic pathogen. Combining molecular dating, phylogeography and comparative genomic analyses of a large collection of isolates, we find that several pathogenic lineages of S. suis emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, during an early period of growth in pig farming. These lineages have since spread between countries and continents, mirroring trade in live pigs. They are distinguished by the presence of three genomic islands with putative roles in metabolism and cell adhesion, and an ongoing reduction in genome size, which may reflect their recent shift to a more pathogenic ecology. Reconstructions of the evolutionary histories of these islands reveal constraints on pathogen emergence that could inform control strategies, with pathogenic lineages consistently emerging from one subpopulation of S. suis and acquiring genes through horizontal transfer from other pathogenic lineages. These results shed light on the capacity of the microbiota to rapidly evolve to exploit changes in their host population and suggest that the impact of changes in farming on the pathogenicity and zoonotic potential of S. suis is yet to be fully realised.

Brucellosis is a highly infectious zoonotic disease and has a great economic impact on dairy production. In Yangon Region of Myanmar, 0.47% seroprevalence of brucellosis in dairy cattle and 8 human IgG positive cases was reported. This study aims to determine the prevalence of brucellosis in dairy farms and its risk factors as well as to assess the current knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of dairy farmers regarding brucellosis. Our study was conducted in Hlegu and Taikkyi Township during September 2019 to January 2020. Pooled milk samples were collected from 174 dairy farms. Using Milk Ring Test (MRT), Brucella spp. was found in 30 dairy farms and the prevalence was 17.2%. Statistically significant farm factors associated with MRT positive results were farm location in Takkyi Township (Odds ratio (OR) 3.19; 95%CI =1.42, 7.15), pasture sharing (OR 3.43; 95%CI = 1.34, 8.76), and abortion (OR 2.68; 95% CI = 1.21, 5.98). Survey for the KAP for brucellosis in farmers indicated that good knowledge, attitudes and practices were in 35.1, 99.4, and 62.1% of the respondents, respectively. In conclusion, brucellosis was still a problem of dairy farms in study area and MRT can be used as a farm level screening test. Educational campaign for brucellosis prevention and control should be considered according to a lack of knowledge and inappropriate farm practices among dairy farmers