Turkeys prefer fluorescent light with supplementary ultraviolet radiation.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 1999 | No Comments

Poor rearing conditions and social stress in pigs: repeated social challenge and the effect on behavioural and physiological responses to stressors.

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Rearing environment may potentially have an impact on pig’s responses to stress. To determine the effects of rearing environment on pigs, the behavioural and physiological responses to various stressors were compared between female pigs raised in a standard farrowing crate (poor) or in a group of free-ranging sows with her piglets (enriched). When the pigs reached 14-17 weeks-of-age, their behaviour was analyzed in multiple social confrontations (an intruder pig was introduced to a resident’s home pen). When the pigs reached adult age (between 38-45 weeks old) they were behaviours were analyzed when they received an electric shock, presented with a novel object and more resident/intruder tests. The level of injuries sustained and the changes in salivary cortisol were recorded before and after the resident intruder test. Salivary cortisol samples were also taken before and after the pigs underwent the electric shock test. The results found demonstrable differences in aggressive behaviour between residents and intruders, but this was only seen in pigs raised in the enriched environment. Pigs reared in the poor environment inflicted more lesions on one another in the social encounter tests. These results indicate that raising pigs in a poor environment may negatively impact the development of the pigs’ social skills, which would lead to difficulties in establishing a dominance hierarchy, as seen in this study. The negative effects of a poor rearing environment when the pigs are young lasts into adulthood based on their reactions to electric shock, a novel object and resident/intruder tests. Therefore, pigs behaviour can be shaped by the rearing environment and those raised in an enriched environment demonstrated more avoidance behaviours, which is useful in social and non-social encounters.

Monitoring Pig Growth using a Prototype Imaging System

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Determining Odor Emissions from Manure Surfaces Using a Wind Tunnel

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A wind tunnel was used to measure odour emsission from the surface of a liquied manure storage basin on June 15, 1999 Nine air samples were taken from a location on the lstorage unit within a three hour period and winf speeds rnaging from 0.19 to 1.14 m/s, assessing the impact of winf speed on hydrogen sulfide emission rate. Bulk wind speed in the tunnel was calculated using the exhaust duct dimensions and air speed at the exhaust duct., Concentrations ranged from 134-588 and 57-120 ppb for odour and hydrogen sulfide respectively. Odour and hydrigen sulfide emission gernally increased with wind speed. However, it is likely the relationship between measured emission (odour and hydrogen sulfide) is dependant on factors such as roughness, adourous gas emission rate and the type of gas emitted.

Land Application Training and Demonstration Center at North Carolina State University

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Manure if handled properly can be utilized as a value fertilizer alternative, however in cases when manure is not handled properly can lead to water contamination. In order to ensure the appropriate handling of manure the North Carolina General Assembly passed Bill 1217, which required all permitted animal wastre management systems to be operated by a certified operator.

Every certified operator must attend 10 hours of classroom training conducted by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and pass an appropriate exam. Certified operators must also acquire 6 hours of training over a period of three years in order to retain their certification. The objectives were set out to emphasize those principles that will make the most impact on increasing their ability to safely manage waste application systems.

Modeling of Dust Concentrations Distribution in a Simulated Swine Room Under Non-Isothermal Conditions

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Experimental and numerical modeling were conducted to determine the dust concentration distribution in a simulated mechanically ventilated swine nursery room under non-isothermal conditions. Effects on dust generation rate, temperature difference between air supply and inside air, dust source location, and presence of obstructions on dust concentrations were also evaluated. Resulst from the numeric modelling agreed with the measured values indicated that the dust source location significantly influenced the dust concentration distribution; dust concentration was higher at or near the source. However, the effect of temperature difference beyween supply air and inside air, dust generation rate and the presence of the mick pigs on dust concentration distribution were not statistically significant.

Manure Management Systems Plans in the Context of Michigan Right to Farm Generally Accepted Agriculture and Management Practices

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Michigan adopted right to farm generally accepted agricultural management practices for manure management in 1998. They are revised annually and were most recently rrevised in November 1988. They define what is to be included in a manure management system plan and are more comprehensive than the recently released unifed national strategy for animal feeding operations. The Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) has been developed to address environmental issues related to animal feeding operations.

Genetically-Engineered "EnviroPigs" Produce Less Phosphorus

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ODOR EMISSION FROM MIXTURES OF GROUND SWINE CARCASS MATERIAL AND LIQUID SWINEWASTE

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Factors affecting Nitrogen Transformations and Related Nitrous Oxide Emissions

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