Separation distance to avoid odour nuisance due to livestock calculated by the Austrian odour dispersion model (AODM)

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

Effect of suspended soil material and pig slurry on the facilitated transport of pesticides, phosphate and bromide in sandy soil

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The colloid-facilitated transport of pesticides and other pollutants to groundwaters is a source of
concern to authorities in the European Union and other countries. It has been suggested that
colloids are good sorbents for pesticides and other pollutants, and it is now suspected that the
spreading of animal manures increases the potential for colloid-facilitated transport. In experiments
in lysimeters of sandy soil to which phosphate, triallate, chlordane and bromide were applied to the
surface, the A

Effect of Dietary Enzyme on Barley Energy Digestability

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

Motivating Employees

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The impact of feeder adjustment and group size/density on weanling pig performance

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An experiment was conducted to examine the impact of group size/density and feeder adjustment on the performance of weanling pigs. Providing more floor space resulted in increased body weight at 10 weeks of age. Performance was maximized when the feeder gap allowed for 40% of the trough to be covered with feed. Moreover, proper adjustment of the feeder reduced the time spent eating and thus increased feeder capacity.

Dietary protein and fermentable fiber affect nitrogen excretion

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Nitrogen excretion is of concern because of its potential impact on the environment inside and outside the barn. The effects of reducing dietary protein content and inclusion of dietary fermentable fibre sources on reducing urinary nitrogen excretion were additive, together resulting in a 55% reduction. Urinary nitrogen excretion could be predicted from plasma urea (PU) concentration.

Effects of density on perching behaviour of broiler chickens.

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Management factors, including the provision of perches, have been explored as to their ability to improve the health and welfare of domestic fowl. Exercise through perching has been suggested as a way to reduce the impact of leg problems in broiler chickens. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of density (10, 15, and 20 birds/m2) and perch design on the frequency of perch utilization. Four perch treatments were used in the experiment: control (no perches), horizontal (three horizontal perches), angled (three 10o angled perches), or mixed angle (one horizontal, one 10o angled, and one 20o angled perch). Perching frequency was significantly higher when birds were raised at stocking densities of 15 or 20 birds/m2 compared to 10 birds/m2. The birds used the horizontal perches the most, followed by 10o angled and mixed angle perch treatments. In general, perches closest to the hallway or outside of the house were used more than perches in the middle of the pen. It seems that broilers may be too heavy and inactive to use perches to a degree that it will benefit them, particularly in regards to leg problems. The higher use of perches at high densities suggests that social factors, such as social facilitation also have an effect on perch use.

Early age thermal conditioning and a dual feeding program for male broiler challenged by heat stress

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At 5 days of age, one group of male broiler chicks was exposed to thermal conditioning (38 A?C, 42 % humidity for 24 hours) while the other group was not. From 11 to 41 days of age, temperature was diurnally cyclic: 26 A?C (1600 to 0900 h) and 30 A?C (0900 to 1600 h). From day 19, diets were control or dual feeding of a high protein fraction (1600 to 0900 h) and an energy-rich fraction (0900 to 1600 h). Growth and feed efficiency were slightly enhanced by thermal conditioning (+ 4 %) and slightly reduced by dual feeding (- 4 %). During the thermal challenge, mortality was reduced by both factors. Prior to the thermal challenge period, thermal conditioning always reduced body temperature. During the thermal challenge period, body temperature was reduced by thermal conditioning and by dual feeding. Body temperature measurements taken at 32 days of age gave an estimation of the ability of the chickens to cope with heat stress 2 days later. For thermal conditioned chicks fed a control grower diet, pectoral mass was increased. The liver and gizzard were significantly heavier for thermal conditioned and non-conditioned chicks on a dual feeding program. This suggests that thermal conditioning at 5 days of age induces a consistent metabolic change in broiler males. The dual feeding program may have induced transitory effects on heat production during the heat stress.

The development of intersuckling in dairy calves around weaning.

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A common problem found in dairy herds is intersuckling, which is defined as juvenile or adult cattle sucking the udder of other cows within the herd. Intersuckling can cause udder health problems in the recipients. The cause is unknown, as are management methods that may prevent this behavioural problem. This study attempted to determine if intersuckling continues after in weaning in calves that demonstrated intersuckling behaviour prior to weaning. It also looked into whether the development of intersuckling is associated with feeding management during weaning. One week prior to weaning and weeks 1, 5 and 9 after weaning, the suckling and feeding behaviour of the calves was observed on 10 different farms. The average age at weaning was 21 weeks. The adequacy of the diets was based on the energy concentration. It was found that 92% of the calves were observed intersuckling prior to weaning. However, the rates amongst the calves were quite variable, ranging from 0 to 24.7 bouts/day. Intersuckling was also seen after weaning and the calves that demonstrated a higher amount of intersuckling prior to weaning were more likely to continue performing this behaviour after weaning. Intersuckling occurred most frequently around feeding time. As feeding duration increased or the energy content of the diet decreased, the rate of intersuckling increased. Calves who had restricted access to feed exhibited the more intersuckling behaviours. Therefore, this study found that intersuckling does occur prior to weaning and preventing the continuation of this behaviour after weaning is possible if the calves are fed a diet that complements with the calves physiological transition from a milk based to a forage/concentrate based diet.

Effects of an oral dose of acetyl salicylate at tail docking on the behaviour of lambs ages three to six weeks.

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A pilot trial and an experiment were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of providing analgesia for docking lambs’ tails in reducing discomfort behaviour. In the pilot trial, an elastrator ring was applied to the restrained lamb’s tail and the lamb was given either an oral dose of aspirin dissolved in water or an oral dose of water prior to release. The posture of the lambs given aspirin changed between sternal recumbency and standing less frequently than the posture of lambs given just water. This effect was significant from 10 to 20 minutes post-treatment. In the experiment, the lambs were given one of two docking treatments (application of the elastrator plus aspirin dissolved in water or application of the elastrator plus water) or one of two control treatments (restraint plus aspirin dissolved in water or restraint plus water). Three quarters of the postures used to assess discomfort changed for docked lambs within the hour after tail docking, and marked changes in the postures over time were also observed. Postures and activities were considered ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’ (typical of docked lambs). The mean frequency of abnormal postures was 3.5 % for control lambs and 22.6 % for docked lambs. The mean frequency of abnormal activities was 5.2 % for control lambs and 19.3 % for docked lambs. Two of the activities seen in docked lambs were similar to those seen in control lambs when aspirin had been given. However, provision of aspirin was associated with increased levels of some activities/postures. These effects were minor compared with the effects of docking, and there was no indication of effective analgesia. Behavioural effects indicative of pain were observed immediately and did not subside fully within one hour when elastrator tail docking rings were applied. Even though there appeared to be an analgesic effect of aspirin in the pilot trial, further experimentation did not substantiate this effect.