High yield manure information

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2001 | No Comments

Wisconsin hog farmer Lynn Harrisona

Factors Driving the Improvement of Average Daily Gain

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PSC Elstow Grand Opening

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Feeding level affects barley DE measurements in grower pigs

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Feeding level and nutrient content of diets used in DE content measurement for grains do not reflect practical conditions and prevent measurement of voluntary feed intake. The DE content of three barley samples was analyzed using four combinations of measurements. The measured DE content was 2.5% lower using pigs with free access to feed than pigs with restricted access to feed, while diet composition did not affect barley DE content. Furthermore, voluntary feed intake was indicative of performance and tended to vary among barley samples.

Factors affecting the regional pig meat productivity of commercial pig units in Greece

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Some effects of repeated handling and the use of a mask on stress responses in zebu cattle during restraint.

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The effect of repeated handling and the use of a mask to cover their eyes on responses during restraint were investigated. Two experiments were conducted. During the first experiment, 18 cows were habituated to being restrained in a squeeze chute for three minutes. Blood samples were taken to determine cortisol levels. Habituation was indicated by a decrease in cortisol concentration over the test period. Six months later, the second experiment was conducted. Cows were randomly assigned to two groups, alternating the mask over test days. Cows were restrained as in the first experiment. At the beginning and end of each period of restraint, heart and respiratory rates were measured. A blood sample was taken at the end of the restraint. Respiratory rates, heart rates and cortisol concentrations were lower for masked cows than unmasked cows. Masked cows tended to be calmer than unmasked cows. The order of entrance was consistent over test days. In conclusion, Brahman cattle habituate to repeated experience in the squeeze chute, are calmer during the process when wearing a mask, and establish a consistent entrance order into the chute.

The 'New Perception' of animal agriculture: Legless cows, featherless chickens, and a need for genuine analysis

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Commerical animal production has been characterized in increasing popular literature as: 1) detrimental to anima welfare, 2) controlled by corporate interests, 3) motivated by profit rather than by traditional animal care values, 4) causing increased world hunger, 5) producing unhealthy food, and 6) harming the environment. This is referred to as the ‘New Perception’ debate of animal agriculture. In response to these accusations, agricultural organizations have used information that denies these six claims and have promoted a positive image of animal production. Unfortunately, the general public is left to make decisions based on two simplistic and opposing viewpoints. In this situation, scientists and ethicists need to step in and provide objective research and analyses that could serve as a foundation for public policy and individual choice. However, even when given this task, some scientists and ethicists have given opposing accounts, which have included unreliable information, generalizations, simplistic analysis of complex issues, and lack of emphasis on important ethical problems. Both scientists and ethicists need to consider the issues outlined in the New Perception debate as research problems requiring genuine investigation and analysis. This information is required by policy makers and the general public in order to make sound decisions about appropriate animal production practices.

The farmers' influence on calves' behaviour, health and production of a veal unit.

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The methods of production of veal have become quite standardized, however there is still a large amount of variability in terms of productivity between different farms. Those working with the calves may impact the productivity, how a stockperson interacts with the animals can affect the calves fear responses, productivity and health. To determine the extent of the impact stockmen have on the variability in productivity amongst veal units, 50 commercial farms affiliated with the same company were surveyed. The units surveyed had similar number of individual crates to house the calves, the calves were fed the same diets and all units were given the same management advice. Comparisons that were made amongst farms were as follows: the building and general farm characteristics, stockpersons’ background, attitudes about their work and the calves, the stockpersons’ behaviour with the calves, how the calves reacted to people and the health status of the calves. The units were classified as either high- or moderate-producing farms based on the growth rate and feed efficiency of the calves, along with the mortality rate. Farms with stockpeople that had a positive attitude towards the calves had lower disease levels and the calves were less reactive to human presence. The calves also showed a weaker reaction to human presence when there was more stockpeople working. The productivity of the veal units was related to the health status of the animals, while the calves’ reaction to human presence was not. Therefore, farmers can have an impact on the productivity of veal calves as they can control the health status of the herd. When the stockpeople working with the calves have a more positive outlook about their job, it can improve the care provided to the animals and increase detection of health problems within the herd. Also a positive attitude that results in improve herd health will result in a more welfare-friendly environment for the calves.

Day-old chicks categorised on latency to peck, exhibit a stable fear pattern until 15 days of age.

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Both male and female day-old chicks were categorised as high latency (HL), moderate latency (ML), or low latency (LL) based on their latency to peck pebbles. The latency of the HL category decreased with anxiolytic doses of diazepam, a drug designed to reduce fearful behaviour and release suppressed behaviour, but the latency did not decrease in the ML or LL treatments. This data suggests that HL chicks were the most anxious. In an open-field test, the 15-day-old LL chicks showed the lowest latency to walk. They showed the lowest immobility duration in the tonic immobility test, and they showed insensitivity to anxiolytic doses of diazepam in both behavioural tests. Their insensitivity to diazepam suggests that the 15-day-old LL chicks were the least anxious. The increase in the density of the central benzodiazepine receptor (the receptor that binds with diazepam) induced by acute stressors was highest in the most anxious and/or fearful HL group. Since there were more females in the LL category, and more males in the HL category, the data suggest that the fear pattern depends on the sex and inter-individual differences within a same sex, which are stable across life. This test could be a useful method for determining fear and/or anxiety state, and useful for choosing birds with the best performance later in life.

Thermotolerance Acquisition in broiler chickens by temperature conditioning early in life-The effect of timing and ambient temperature

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Thermal conditioning of chicks results in improvements in performance and thermotolerance at marketing age. Conditioning has been found to be a sensitive process, dependent on age and the temperature used. The objective of this study was to assess the optimal timing and temperature for the conditioning process. Six separate trials were conducted on male broiler chickens: the first two aimed to find the optimal age for thermal conditioning (1 to 5 days of age); the other four evaluated the optimal thermal conditioning temperature between 36 and 40.5 C. At 42 day of age chickens were thermally challenged to evaluate their ability to cope with acute heat stress. The highest body weight was achieved when thermal conditioning had been applied at the age of 3 days, and it coincided with low feed intake and higher to significantly higher feed efficiency. These treated chickens showed relatively lower mortality rate under thermal challenge and lower to significantly lower Ttiiodothyronine (T3) concentration in Trial 2. Chicks that had been thermally conditioned at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 36 and 37.5 C at the age of 3 days demonstrated the best performance characteristics and the ability to reduce T3 concentration to the lowest levels during thermal challenge. It can be suggested, therefore, that a Ta between 36.0 and 37.5 C, applied at 3 days of age is optimum for thermal conditioning of broiler chickens.