The feasibility of using vocalization scoring as an indicator of poor welfare during cattle slaughter.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 1998 | No Comments

Preference testing of substrates by growing pigs.

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Studies of feather picking in poultry.

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Effects of a maximum permissible journey time (31h) on physiological responses of fleeced and shorn sheep to transport, with observations on behaviour during a short (1h) rest-stop.

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The Force Behind Conditioning

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Is there a logical correlation between the specific energy put into animal feed through complex of conditioning, pre-compacting and pelleting and pellet quality? Hans van Vliet, an independent consultant, undertook a practical study of some 20 feedmills in the European Union. Today, we have four variables which constitute conditioning: time, temperature, moisture and mechanical energy. The first use of force in the conditioning process was the introduction of the double-pelleting line. The boa compactor machine is a combination of a tube conditioner and a small pellet press. Van Vliet found that the energy consumption taken to cool a tonne of pellets varied between 1.4 and 8 kWh. It is clear that feedmill operators must have control over all conditioning, pelleting and cooling parameters in order to achieve the most efficient production method and minimize energy usage.

Composting Dead Animals-The Missouri Experience

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Currently, ther are five common ways to dispose of animal mortalities: rendering, burial, landfill, incineration and composting. Government regulation in some states makes burial, landfill and incineration an expensive alternative, not all states have rendering plants. As a result, composting is a economically and more environmentaly sound alternative. The composting process involves five stage: location, ingredients, requirements, design and operation. The compost bin should be loacted in a well drained area providing easy acces to the production units, however need to be out of site of the public view. The compost material of choice has been sawdust. Ease of handling, moisture absoptionability and a small particle size are some of the reasons why it has been choosen over alternatives such as: cornstalks, fescue hay and straw. The current suggested requirements for composting swine mortalities are 0.4 cubic metres / sow or 2.8 cubic metres for every 1000 lbs of carcass mortalities, a 500 sow farrow-to-finish operation will produce approximately 100,000 lbs of mortalities per year. Most composter are constructed wioth roofs concrete walls and floors. However early composting bins incorporated the use of fescue hay for walls. The operation and management of the composter include: placing one foot of sawdust in the bin prior to placing the firrst carcass, place carcasses in the bins as necessary covering them wiuth 1 ft of sawdust each time, carcasses should be allowed to compost for three months after the first carcass is placed in the bin, after three month move the carcasses to another bin for three months, after the carcasses have composted for six months spread compost on land at agronomic rates.

Land Application of Swine Lagoon Wastewater Using an Overland Flow System

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Pollution of surface and groundwater is a growing public and environmental concern. Many techniques are being developing to manage land application of manure, especially in land deficient areas. One development has been the use of overland flow-riparian buffer system that assist in removing nitorgen and phosphorus from the lquid manure, therefore increasing the amount of liquid prroduct/acre that can be applied.

The ovreland flow-riparian buffer consisted of a 4 m wide and 30 m long vegatative strip consisting of a 10 or 20 m grass buffer zone and a 10 or 20 m riparian buffer zone, postioned on the landscape acording to land contour. Surface and groundwater were sampled at the top and bottom of each plot, with ground water being measured at depths of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0m depths.

The surface runoff water quality showed a large decrease in the N concentration near the bottom of the plot, due to assimilation of N by grasses, trees and shrubs and losses through ammonia volatilization. Evaluation of shallow ground water showed a sunstantial reduction in NO3-N from the top to the bottom of each plot. Little difference was reported between the three type of vegative strips used, howver the plot containing a 20 m grass buffer was somewhat less efective in assimilating N relative to the other two plolts.

Environmental Concerns About Animal Manure

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Reducing Odor- A Comparison of Some Techniques and Products

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One of the latest attempts to manage odors of stored livestock manure is the use of natural biological covers. Recent experiments by A.O. Smith Havestore Products Inc. have shown that blankets of biological material floating on top of hog manure can noticeably help manage the escape of odorous gases. Natural covers are created by using a commercially available straw chopper to blow a 4a

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF SWINE WASTE USING ANAEROBIC BAFFLED REACTORS

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