Transport stress modulates adrenocorticotropin secretion from peripheral bovine lymphocytes.

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

Cows were either exposed to 30 minutes (short) or 14 hours (long) of transportation. Cows that had experienced the long transportation were given a 24-hour rest period either by unloading them and allowing them to rest in a pen, or by allowing them to rest on the truck. Blood samples were taken before and after the short and long transportation and also after the rest period, which followed the long transportation. Short transport did not affect the secretion of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) from lymphocytes. Long transport caused an increase in ACTH concentration. The ACTH concentration returned to the basal level in animals that were given the opportunity to rest for 24 hours in pens off the truck. Cows that were rested on the truck maintained elevated ACTH concentrations. Heart rates and rectal temperatures increased in cows that had experienced long transport, but decreased again after the 24-hour rest period (both on and off the truck). This study is the first to show lymphocytic ACTH secretion in cows. Based on the results from this study, adrenocorticotropin secretion from peripheral lymphocytes could be used as a reliable measurement in stress studies.

The effect of early handling on the socialization of young calves to humans.

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The relationship between humans and animals can have a substantial effect on the behaviour, productivity and welfare of livestock. The nature and timing of interactions with humans as well as the genetic predisposition of individuals are key factors in determining the relationship, which develops between humans and farm animals. This study aimed to determine if a period exists within the first 2 weeks after birth during which positive contact with humans alter young calves subsequent behaviour. The effects of handling at different times after birth on the subsequent response to humans was investigate using 40 Danish Friesian calves removed from their dams immediately after birth. Treatments were feeding and handling during days 1-4 after birth (H1-4), during days 6-9 (H6-9), or during days 11-14 (H11-14), and no handling (C: control). The handling treatment was carried out three times daily for 4 days and consisted of 6 minute of hand-feeding with milk from a teat-bucket and patting, stroking and talking to the calf. All calves were housed in single pens and the human contact was minimized except during the treatment periods. The approach behaviour of each calf to an unknown person was tested at days 20, 40 and 55 in their home pen. Latency to interact with person was shorter for calves in H1-4 compared to C. There was no difference in latency to interact with person between H11-14 and control calves. The group H6-9 differed only from the control group at day 20. Treatment also affected the position and the orientation of the calf in the pen during tests. Calves in H1-4 stood at the front of the pen and faced the person more often than calves in C. All the three handled treatments (H1-4, H6-9, and H11-14) had a shorter flight distance at day 55 compared to the control group. The results of this study indicate that handling and hand-feeding, especially during the first 4 days after birth, increases the motivation of young calves to approach a human compared with calves that receive minimal human contact.

Human contact and the effects of acute stress on cows at milking.

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The behaviour and heart rate of 18 Holstein cows was monitored during milking when the cow was (1) milked in a usual place; (2) milked alone in an unfamiliar room; (3) milked in an unfamiliar room while being brushed by a familiar person. Milk yield and residual milk following oxytocin injections were recorded, and blood samples were analyzed for oxytocin and cortisol. Findings indicated that cows defecated/urinated and vocalized more, as well as made more steps during milking in the unfamiliar room. Providing human contact was able to prevent this increase. In the unfamiliar room, cows kicked and lifted their legs less. Milk yield was lower, residual milk was higher, and oxytocin during milking was lower in the unfamiliar room. Both plasma cortisol and heart rate levels were increased in the unfamiliar room as well. Although human contact reduced heart rates during the initial part of the isolation period, heart rates during the rest of the milking period, as well as cortisol level, milk yield, residual milk, oxytocin during milking, kicking, and leg lifting were not affected by human contact. Cows who were milked in the unfamiliar room showed signs of acute stress, which was apparent in the decreased milk yield, higher residual milk, and reduced oxytocin secretion seen. While human contact did reduce heart rate and some behavioral signs of agitation, it had no effect on other factors like milk yield or hormone response. Therefore, for dairy cows, human contact may not be sufficiently comforting to be able to reduce the endocrine response to stress associated with isolation/a novel milking environment.

Variability in vocal and behavioural responses to visual isolation between full-sibling families of beef calves.

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The impact of factors, that are independent of environmental stimuli, need to be determined, so the value of vocalizations in the assessment of welfare in cattle can be decided upon. The effect that parental differences, sex, age and weight have on the vocal response of calves to one minute of isolation at 166 (day of weaning), 167 , 278 and 350 days of age were examined. The amount of movement during isolation was also observed to determine if a relationship between movement and rate of vocalizations exists. Of the 130 beef calves used in the test, they originated from one of 17 full-sibling families. These families were created by breeding five sires with thirteen superovulated dams. The embryos were then transfer into unrelated cows, who raised the calves until weaning. The number of calves that vocalized on the day of and day after weaning were 33.3% and 34.8% respectively. On day 278, 27.8% and on day 350, 38.6% of the calves vocalized while isolated. The sire and family had a significant effect on the number of vocalizations, the acoustic properties of the vocalizations and movements made during isolation. However, there was not a significant relationship between the vocal responses and movement during isolation. Age and therefore body weight had numerous effects on vocalizations. The older calves tended to produce longer vocalizations. At 350 days of age, age and weight were positively correlated with fundamental frequency and sound pressure level at the frequency of greatest intensity, while they were negatively correlated with the loudest harmonic. Heifer vocalized more than bulls at 278 and 350 days of age, however, there was little difference between sexes in terms of the acoustic properties of the vocalizations. The results of this study show that when calves are raised similar environmental conditions, the parental genetics influence vocalizations. However, the vocalizations may also be affected by sex, age, and weight. This study also found that there is not a relationship between vocalizations and amount of body movement.

A review of the welfare issues for sows and piglets in relation to housing

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ESTRUS DETECTION WITH A PROGESTERONE BIOSENSOR

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Application of Selection Concepts for Genetic Improvement

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Correct use of selection concepts is essential if genetic improvement is to proceed at a rapid rate. Therefore, seedstock breeders and commercial pork producers need to fully understand the principles of selection which directly influence the amount of genetic improvement made per year. This fact sheet
explains the primary concepts necessary to gain an understanding of genetic improvement. Then it discusses the effect of applying selection concepts on genetic improvement.

Pig Production in Straw Bedded Systems

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Composting is the aerobic (oxygen requiring) decomposition of manure or other organic
materials in the thermophilic temperature range of 104 a

Negative Air Pressure Cover for Manure Storage Basins

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Offensive odours are the major cause of complaints from swine facilities. The odour released from conventional earten storage basins is related to the surface area exposed to the environment. Currently, options to cover these basins to reduce the exposed surface area are limited to straw, plastic or synethic covers. Straw covers are very popular due to their low cost, however straw must be replced annually, allow precipitation into the basin, and create problems during pump out. Synethic floating covers and low-profile air supported covers are expensive and may be damaged in high winds.

Respiratory Disorders of Hog-Confinement Workers

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Introduction
There is growing concern about the impact on human health of living near large-scale hog confinement facilities. This matter has received a great deal of attention in recent years as the number of hogs raised in such buildings has increased and as the public has become more concerned about environmental issues in general. Whether or not large-scale hog farming is good for the economy has become a subject of heated debate in which economic and social as well as medical questions are raised. As this complex topic is discussed, care must be taken to avoid confusing the neighborhood health concerns with work-related health problems seen in hog confinement workers. There is much more information published about problems caused by working inside hog confinement facilities. Even though the characteristic hog odor is can be quite apparent in the neighborhood as well as in the barns, one cannot assume that the neighborhood exposure is sufficient to cause the same health problems that the workers experience from breathing the air inside the buildings. The effects of working in the hog confinement barn The effects of working in the hog confinement barn have been studied extensively by investigators in Canada, the US and in Europe. It has been known for some time that working in hog confinement facilities causes chronic or intermittent respiratory symptoms in approximately 1/3 of workers. These respiratory symptoms consist of cough (which may or may not be productive of phlegm), chest tightness, wheezing and shortness of breath with heavy exertion. Depending on the group of symptoms displayed, the subject may have chronic bronchitis, an
asthma-like syndrome, or exacerbation of pre-existing asthma. Very rarely, a true allergy to hogs develops that is associated with allergic asthma. The respiratory impairment associated with this work is usually not severe. However, even a small to moderate decrease in lung function can be problematic in workers who perform heavy physical labor. Hog confinement workers who smoke cigarettes are at risk for developing severe, disabling chronic lung disease. Cigarettes alone cause significant chronic respiratory disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema) in about 20% of smokers. The negative effects of cigarette smoke and work in the hog barn environment are
additive.