Beeswax is one of the most important products for the well-being of bee colonies. The wax glands of young worker bees produce beeswax, which serves as a building material for honeycomb construction. Beekeepers using hives with mobile frames mainly utilize local beeswax to make foundations. Any paraffin addition represents adulteration, resulting in a high degree of contamination. During the preparation of re-used beeswax, losses during the process may instigate producers to add cheaper, wax-like substances like paraffin and tallow. This article presents a systematic investigation of the quality of beeswax foundation from six major producers in Vojvodina, Serbia, by applying the classic analytical procedure for the determination of selected physicochemical parameters and instrumental gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and Fourier transform infrared attenuated total reflection (FTIR–ATR) spectroscopy techniques. FTIR–ATR detected possible paraffin and beef tallow in 72 foundation sheet samples. This technique was complemented with GC–MS. This analysis revealed that paraffin content ranged between 19.75 and 85.68%, while no tallow was detected over the two-year period. Two sheets from each manufacturer were placed into wired Langstroth–Ruth frames and placed in beehives. The construction, based on built cells, was monitored every 24 h. Evaluating newly inserted sheets proved that without quality nectar, there is no intensive building, regardless of adulteration.

Praćenje antimikrobne rezistencije (AMR) obavezno je u državama članicama Evropske unije i zemljama kandidatima u skladu sa Direktivom (EU) 2020/1729. U Republici Srbiji nacionalni monitoring AMR sprovodi se od 1. septembra 2025. godine na osnovu odluke Uprave za veterinu Ministarstva poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede, kroz „Plan sprovođenja monitoringa i izveštavanja o antimikrobnoj rezistenciji zoonotskih i komensalnih bakterija u Republici Srbiji za period 2025/2026. godine“. U Nacionalnoj referentnoj laboratoriji za antimikrobnu rezistenciju (NRL-AMR) primenjuju se validirani protokoli Evropske referentne laboratorije za AMR (EURL-AMR) za izolaciju i identifikaciju indikatorske komensalne E. coli, ESBL-, AmpC- i karbapenemaza-produkujućih E. coli. Izolacija i identifikacija bakterija roda Salmonella sprovodi se u skladu sa standardima ISO 6579-1:2017 i ISO 6579-3:2014, dok se izolacija bakterija roda Campylobacter vrši prema standardu ISO 10272-1:2017. Identifikacija Campylobacter jejuni i Campylobacter coli do nivoa vrste vrši PCR metodom. Osetljivost izolata na antibiotike određuje se metodom mikrodilucije prema standardu ISO 20776-1:2021 i preporukama EUCAST-a. Tokom 2025. godine analizirano je 114 uzoraka poreklom od tovnih svinja i goveda do jedne godine starosti, uključujući 97 uzoraka cekalnog sadržaja i 17 uzoraka svežeg mesa. Izolovano je 97 indikatorskih komensalnih E. coli, od kojih je 59 (60,8%) bilo rezistentno, dok je kod 40 (67,8%) rezistentnih izolata potvrđen multirezistentni (MDR) fenotip. Identifikovana su i 64 ESBL-produkujuća, četiri AmpC-produkujuća i sedam ESBL/AmpC E. coli izolata, dok je kod jednog izolata iz cekalnog sadržaja svinje utvrđena produkcija karbapenemaza. Iz uzoraka svinja izolovano je 13 izolata Salmonella, uključujući osam S. Typhimurium, tri S. Infantis i dva S. Enteritidis. Multirezistentni fenotip potvrđen je kod šest izolata S. Typhimurium i tri izolata S. Infantis. Tokom monitoringa nije utvrđena rezistencija na kolistin. Dobijeni rezultati potvrđuju prisustvo multirezistentnih bakterija u lancu proizvodnje hrane životinjskog porekla i ukazuju na značaj uspostavljenog nacionalnog monitoringa, koji predstavlja važan korak ka unapređenju kontrole antimikrobne rezistencije i primeni koncepta „Jedno zdravlje“ u Republici Srbiji.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most significant challenges in contemporary veterinary medicine due to both the increasing difficulty of treating bacterial infections and the potential spread of resistant bacteria and resistance genes among animal and human populations. Bacterial infections of the reproductive tract in bitches are associated with various clinical disorders, including vaginitis, endometritis, reduced fertility, and other reproductive dysfunctions. Therefore, selecting appropriate antimicrobial therapy requires knowledge of local antimicrobial resistance patterns. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of bacterial isolates and their antimicrobial resistance profiles from vaginal swabs of bitches collected between 2020 and 2024. A total of 215 bacterial isolates obtained from vaginal swabs of bitches were included in the study. Bacterial isolation and identification were performed using standard microbiological methods, while antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the disk diffusion method in accordance with the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). The most frequently isolated bacterial species were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (41.9%), Streptococcus canis (22.8%), and Escherichia coli (21.4%), whereas Pasteurella multocida (5.1%), Proteus mirabilis (3.7%), Enterococcus faecalis, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were isolated less frequently. The highest prevalence of resistance was observed to penicillin (63.3%) and erythromycin (58.4%), followed by streptomycin (42.3%), enrofloxacin (37.2%), and tetracycline (35.3%). Resistance to amoxicillin was detected in 22.8% of isolates, gentamicin in 20.9%, and chloramphenicol in 13.6%. Of the 215 isolates examined, 173 (80.5%) exhibited a multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotype, defined as resistance to three or more classes of antimicrobial agents, while six isolates (3.0%) were classified as pandrug-resistant (PDR), exhibiting resistance to all antimicrobial classes tested; all PDR isolates were identified as Escherichia coli. The high prevalence of multidrug-resistant isolates highlights the need for continuous surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in clinical veterinary practice and careful selection of therapeutic protocols. The obtained results confirm the importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing (antibiograms) as the basis for selecting appropriate therapy and emphasize the need for prudent antibiotic use to preserve their efficacy and reduce the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.

Extensive pig production represents a significant segment of livestock production in Serbia. Due to the continuous presence of African swine fever (ASF) in Serbia since 2019, with the predominant number of outbreaks diagnosed on this type of holdings, the level of biosecurity measures applied on them is of particular importance. However, the impact of sociodemographic and structural characteristics of holdings on the level of applied biosecurity measures has not been sufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to assess the level of biosecurity measures on extensive pig holdings in Vojvodina using the Biocheck.UGent tool, and to examine the relationship between biosecurity level and farmer experience and holding size. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2026 and included 26 rural holdings and small extensive-type farms in 12 municipalities within 4 districts in Vojvodina. A total of 3,592 pigs were recorded, with an average of 138 animals per holding (range 12-600). The average working experience of farmers in pig production was 25.5 years (range 5-50). Biosecurity was evaluated using the Biocheck.UGent questionnaire. Pearson correlation analysis was applied to examine the relationship between biosecurity scores, number of animals, and years of farmer experience. The mean overall biosecurity score was 65.5% (range 35-83%), with external biosecurity (64.0%) being lower than internal biosecurity (68.8%). Correlation analysis showed no statistically significant relationship between years of farmer experience and overall biosecurity score (r=0.078; p>0,05), nor between experience and external (r=0.158; p>0,05) or internal biosecurity (r=-0.078; p>0,05). Similarly, no significant correlation was found between the number of animals per holding and overall biosecurity score (r=-0.137; p>0,05). The results indicate that neither long-term farmer experience nor holding size significantly determine the level of biosecurity. This finding suggests that empirical experience without structured education is insufficient for adequate implementation of biosecurity measures. Implementation of educational and advisory programs represents a necessary prerequisite for improving biosecurity on extensive-type holdings in Vojvodina.

Konzumna jaja su značajna namirnica animalnog porekla, a procena njihove bezbednosti zahteva razumevanje nekoliko važnih činilaca. Cilj rada bio je da se proceni znanje potrošača u Srbiji o aspektima bezbednosti konzumnih jaja, sa osvrtom na rezidue veterinarskih lekova, pranje i dezinfekciju, rizik od Salmonella spp. i uticaj različitih sistema držanja nosilja na bezbednost jaja. Istraživanje je sprovedeno 2025. godine putem anonimnog upitnika na uzorku od 393 ispitanika. Upitnik je obuhvatio pitanja o kupovnim navikama, rukovanju jajima, proceni mikrobioloških i hemijskih rizika i stavovima o sistemima proizvodnje. Rezultati su ukazali na neujednačenu informisanost potrošača o hemijskim i mikrobiološkim aspektima bezbednosti. Prisustvo rezidua antibiotika kao moguć nalaz prepoznalo je 61,1% ispitanika, pri čemu je 56,7% smatralo da one mogu predstavljati opasnost po zdravlje ljudi. Mogućnost prisustva rezidua antiparazitskih lekova navelo je 56,2% ispitanika, a teških metala 50,1%. U pogledu higijenskog tretmana jaja pre stavljanja u promet, 61,6% ispitanika nije bilo sigurno da li se jaja Peru i dezinfikuju pre prodaje, dok je 20,4% smatralo da se ovaj postupak sprovodi uvek ili povremeno. Zaprljana jaja kao potencijalni rizik za prenošenje patogena prepoznalo je 52,4% ispitanika. Tvrdnju da se pranjem jaja patogeni sa ljuske mogu potisnuti u unutrašnjost jaja podržalo je 33,1% ispitanika, a 26,5% je bilo neutralno. Da je uz redovne kontrole nadležnih institucija rizik od infekcije izazvane Salmonella spp. minimalan, smatralo je 53,4% ispitanika, dok je 24,7% smatralo da značajan rizik i dalje postoji. Tvrdnju da su dobrobit nosilja i bezbednost jaja u direktnoj vezi podržalo je 52,9% ispitanika, dok je 48,6% negiralo da slobodni sistem uzgoja predstavlja veći rizik za prenošenje patogena. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na neujednačeno razumevanje higijenskih i hemijskih aspekata bezbednosti konzumnih jaja i potvrđuju potrebu za ciljanom edukacijom potrošača, u kojoj veterinari imaju važnu ulogu kroz stručno informisanje o objektivnim pokazateljima bezbednosti hrane animalnog porekla.

Nosemosis and varroosis represent health problems of honey bee colonies, but in practice they are often not monitored systematically, although they affect colony vitality, productivity and overwintering success. The aim of this study was to retrospectively assess the frequency of submitted honey bee samples for nosemosis and varroosis testing, with special emphasis on seasonal distribution and the importance of laboratory diagnostics in planning control measures. Data from the LABIS information system for the period 2015-2025 were retrospectively analysed. The data referred to laboratory examinations of honey bee samples originating from the South Bačka and Srem Districts. Samples tested for nosemosis and varroosis were included, and the data were processed using descriptive statistics according to the type of examination, test result and season. Positive findings were more frequently recorded for nosemosis than for varroosis. A positive finding for nosemosis was detected in 64.5% of samples, while varroosis was confirmed in 16.4% of samples. Nosemosis was most commonly examined during winter and spring; positive findings accounted for 63.5% of winter and 68.8% of spring samples, while during summer and autumn they accounted for 33.3% and 85.7%, respectively, with a small number of samples. For varroosis, positive findings were detected in 13.6% of spring, 50.0% of summer and 11.1% of winter samples, while no autumn samples were recorded. This distribution indicates that laboratory diagnostics of nosemosis and varroosis is not sufficiently used as a preventive tool. In nosemosis, samples are most often submitted when weakening, colony losses or consequences of poor overwintering are already evident, although periodic monitoring of infection could be important for assessing colony health status. In varroosis, regular monitoring of infestation levels on live bees before treatment is important, as it influences the choice of treatment timing, treatment success and reduction of the risk of resistance development. Autumn monitoring is also important for evaluating treatment efficacy and preparing colonies for overwintering. The obtained results do not represent disease prevalence, but rather the frequency of positive findings in submitted laboratory samples. The findings indicate the need to strengthen cooperation between beekeepers and the veterinary profession in timely sampling, interpretation of laboratory results and planning of preventive measures.