Search Results (22)

Environmentally modified housing [EMH; windowless, insulated sidewalls and ceiling, thermostatically controlled ventilation fans) versus conventional housing [CVH; cross-ventilated, insulated ceiling, ceiling fans) improved broiler performance in the summer. The objective of this investigation was to determine whether social behaviors differed between two population densities (0.06 m²/chick [HD] or 0.07 m²/chick [LD]) in these houses. We used a randomized block statistical design, involving houses, population densities, observation times, and bird age. Behaviors were observed weekly, during the morning and the afternoon. Individual observers focused on the group of broilers in one of three defined 26.76 m² areas in each of the four pens in each house. Aggressive encounters, tail and back pecking, feather eating, thermoregulatory, preening, and flock mobility were recorded. Feather pecking, eating and aggressive encounters were expressed at greater rates in HD birds in CVH. A salt-deficient diet caused increased feather pecking and aggressive encounters, which decreased after correction of the mistake. Increased heat indices (HIs), HD, and greater light intensity in CVH influenced behaviors and mortality more severely than in EMH. In CVH and EMH, burrowing/thermoregulatory/resting activity increased with increasing HIs. Afternoon preening was elevated significantly in EMH. It was concluded that broilers reared in EMH were more comfortable and experienced improved welfare compared to those reared in CVH. Full article

Animal behaviors are key signs of animals’ stress, disease, and overall well-being. This study was conducted in an experimental farrowing building using eighteen sow pens: nine exposed to natural heat stress under summer indoor temperatures and nine receiving cooling treatments via innovative cooling pads. Sow and piglet behaviors were recorded in an ethogram through direct visual observation every 5 min for 48 h. Passive infrared detectors were used for continuous pig behavior monitoring every sec. Zmodo wireless cameras were used for video monitoring to validate sensor detection results. Visual observation revealed distinct pig behaviors between the treatments. The sows had peak times in eating, standing, and drinking approximately from 05:00 to 12:00 and from 16:00 to 22:00. The sows under heat stress spent 49.3% more time lying (p < 0.01). They spent 10.7% less time sleeping (p < 0.05). Piglets under heat stress spent more time sleeping but less time nursing. The sensor outputs and pig moving behaviors (i.e., sow eating + standing + drinking + sitting + piglet walking) had a strong positive correlation (ρ = 0.81 for heat stress and ρ = 0.74 for cooling). In contrast, there were strong-to-moderate negative correlations (ρ = −0.77 for heat stress and ρ = −0.56 for cooling) between the sensor outputs and sow on-body behaviors (i.e., sow lying + nursing + sleeping). Video recordings validated the response and sensitivity of the sensors, with them able to quickly capture changes in pig behaviors and provide behavioral information about the nuanced pig movements. Full article

Fallow deer are animals kept on large-scale pastures, which influence soil properties, including the content of nutrients in the soil and the flow of these nutrients in the soil–plant–animal system. Therefore, the aim of this case study was to analyze the variability in the macronutrient content and biochemical properties of soil under rotational grazing conditions of farmed fallow deer. Fallow deer grazed in two summer pens from April to November, and in the winter pen from December to March. The analyses included the determination of several soil parameters to capture sensitive soil changes and assess potential degradation of the soil environment in response to grazing: pH_KCl, TOC, TN, N-NO₃, N-NH₄⁺, total (P, K, Mg, Ca, and Na) and available (Pav, Kav, Mgav) forms of macronutrients, and selected soil enzymes (dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase, and urease). The results showed that the pH_KCl in the plots used by farm fallow deer was lower than in the soil of the control object. Moreover, the TN and TOC content in the soils of all pastures was statistically significantly lower than in the soil without grazing, while for TOC, the same effect was observed in the winter pasture soil. The content of N-NO₃⁻ was several times higher than that of N-NH₄⁺ in the soils of the studied breeding plots. The relationships noted indicate that grazing is important in the transformation of soil organic matter, which is influenced by the relationship between carbon and nitrogen. In addition, the grazing of farmed fallow deer had a negative effect on the content of P in the soils of all pastures and a positive impact on the accumulation of K. Winter grazing had a positive effect on the amount of Pav and Kav in the soil, but a negative effect on the content of Mgav, compared to grazing in the summer quarters. In the plots used for pastures, the activity of soil enzymes was higher than in the control soil. It has been shown that the influence of fallow deer farming on the soil environment of pastures is not unequivocal. Therefore, long-term monitoring of changes in the properties of these soils is necessary. Full article

Piglet mortality during lactation is a significant concern in swine production, influenced by complex interactions involving sow, piglet, environmental, and management factors. While crushing by the sow may be the ultimate cause of piglet mortality, there are many factors influencing the outcome, including parity, thermal stress, and animal housing systems. New farrowing systems are continuously being developed; however, it is difficult for producers to make decisions without any scientific basis. This study aimed to assess the impact of different farrowing pen layouts on piglet performance, considering parity and season. A total of 546 sows and 9123 piglets were monitored across 36 lactation cycles. Sows were randomly assigned to three farrowing pen layouts (standard, diagonal, and offset) in three rooms (20 sows by room). All farrowing pens had the same space allocations (2.7 m by 1.8 m and 2.1 m by 0.6 m for the sow area). The three types of farrowing pens were blocked by position within the room. Piglet performance traits (percent of stillborns, percent of mortality, percent of overlays, and average daily weight gain: ADG) and sows traits (health and parity) were monitored following US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) procedures. Results indicated that treatment, parity, and season influenced some piglet performance traits. The offset farrowing pen had a lower percent of stillborns compared to the standard. No significant differences were observed between the diagonal crate and the other treatments. When evaluating high mortality sow (>two piglets), the offset and standard treatments had a lower percent of overlays. Piglets from first-parity sows had lower ADG than those from higher-parity sows. A higher percent of overlays were observed in Autumn and Summer compared to Spring and Winter, and Summer had lower average daily weight gain than other seasons. The results suggest that modifying the layout (offset), with sows placed further away from the heating source, can reduce the percent of overlays in sows with high mortality (>2 piglets). In addition, the influence of season on the piglet production traits demonstrated the importance of proper management of the environment, even in systems with a certain level of climatic control. Full article

Traditional outdoor pig farming is renowned for its emphasis on animal welfare and the production of highly valued, quality meat. While seasonality is known to impact certain animals, particularly those raised outdoors, there is a lack of research on Bísaro boars, a native Portuguese breed. This research study was conducted on a total of 20 male entire Bísaro pigs, reared in outdoor pens from 4 to 13 months old, and subsequently slaughtered. The animals were divided into two groups: one slaughtered in winter (Wi, n = 9), and the other in summer (Su, n = 11). The objective was to evaluate testicular morphometry, boar taint compounds, and meat quality traits, including sensory analysis and fatty acid profile. Testicles from the Su group exhibited reduced volume, indicating diminished functionality during that season. While no significant differences were observed in the boar taint compound analysis, panelists could discern a more intense aroma and flavor of boar taint in the Su meat. Other meat quality traits showed no significant variations, but the fatty acid profile displayed higher values in the Wi group. This study reveals that Bísaro boars experience reproductive seasonality, leading to variations in boar taint compounds across the seasons. This information is crucial for farm planning. Full article

Many sessile and tube-dwelling polychaetes can act as ecosystem engineers, influencing the physical–chemical and biological characteristics of their habitats, increasing structural complexity. Thus, they are considered structuring species. In summer of 2021, in southern Sicily (Ionian Sea), benthic assemblages dominated by Ampharetidae Amage adspersa were discovered via an ROV survey at a depth range between 166 and 236 m on muddy horizontal seafloor. Large aggregations of this species (up to 297.2 tubes m⁻²), whose tubes are formed from Posidonia oceanica debris, occurred alternately with tube-free areas. The area was characterized by the sporadic presence of vulnerable sea pens Funiculina quadrangularis (up to 0.08 col. m⁻²) and Virgularia mirabilis (up to 0.16 col. m⁻²), and it was possible to detect signs of trawling as well the presence of marine litter (up to 24.0 items 100 m⁻²). The habitat description, distribution, and density of the tubes of A. adspersa were assessed via imaging analysis. In addition, morphological diagnostic analyses were carried out on some sampled specimens and on their tubes. The acquired data shed new light on how polychaetes can exploit the dead tissues of P. oceanica, contributing to highlight interactions between benthic fauna and seagrass detritus in the marine environment and their ecological role in enhancing the spatial heterogeneity of soft areas of the Mediterranean seafloor. Full article

This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of reducing stocking density and using cooling systems to mitigate the negative effects of high temperatures in growing pigs (females and castrated males) reared in intensive conditions (from 25 to 100 kg) during summer (June to October 2020). The experimental design was a 2 × 2 factorial where pigs were provided with an evaporative cooling system and/or raised at regular or at lower stocking densities (i.e., 0.68 to 0.80 m²/animal). Treatments were distributed in four different rooms containing sex-balanced pens with either castrated males or females. Temperature and humidity were recorded throughout the experiment, and the temperature–humidity index was calculated. Heat stress (HS) on pigs was measured through changes in animals’ performance, animal-based indicators (dirtiness and activity budget) and physiological indicators (neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and hair cortisol). The use of cooling, lowering stocking density and the combination of both strategies had positive effects on pigs’ final body weight (+5 kg, +3 kg, +9 kg, respectively; p < 0.001). The prevalence of dirtiness was similar at the stocking densities tested, and no clear effect of the cooling system was found. Both mitigation strategies lowered the physiological indicators of stress, although only hair cortisone can be considered an indicator of HS. In conclusion, both mitigation strategies are effective in improving pig welfare and performance, especially when both are combined. The severity of the stocking density effect may depend on the severity of the temperature. Full article

Choline has been demonstrated to partially substitute methionine in broiler chicken diets due to their interconnected biosynthesis pathways. Yet, research on the impacts of dietary choline supplementation on modern strains of high-yielding broilers is limited. The objective was to evaluate the effect of increasing additions of choline chloride on the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed reduced methionine diets and reared under summer environmental conditions. Ross 708 x Yield Plus male broilers were reared for 41 days on used litter in floor pens (n = 2232; 31 birds per pen). Birds were fed one of six corn and soybean meal-based, reduced methionine diets containing 0, 400, 800, 1200, 1600, or 2000 mg of added choline chloride per kg of feed. Diets were provided in three phases. On day 43, 10 birds per pen were processed. Increasing dietary choline resulted in similar body weight gain, reduced feed intake, and improved feed efficiency. Choline chloride supplementation linearly increased both breast and carcass yields while concomitantly increasing the incidence and severity of wooden-breast-affected fillets. These results indicate that supplementing reduced-methionine broiler diets with choline chloride during high environmental temperatures may improve feed efficiency and increase carcass and breast yields but may also increase wooden breast. Full article

Extensive breeding of farmed cervids, similarly to other livestock, affects the vegetation of grasslands in different seasons. For this reason, the impact of the rotational grazing of fallow deer on the chemical and species composition of the pasture sward was assessed, along with the possibility of using these animals for grasslands conservation. The species composition of the pastures was analysed through the botanical-weight method. A quality index and mineral concentration test by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used to evaluate the feed. The highest proportion of valuable grasses, such as Dactylis glomerata, Poa pratensis and Lolium perenne, was recorded in the summer pens (65.7–66.1%), while the smallest proportion was recorded in the control area (46.1%). The estimated yield potential was relatively large, from 5.74 to 7.02 t ha⁻¹ dry matter. The lowest total protein content occurred in the control area in the spring and autumn. The summer pens, including the sown one, had a better fodder quality, depending on the species composition. All pens were characterised by a high production potential and similar floristic composition, without the participation of undesirable plant species, which confirms the hypothesis that, under extensive grazing conditions, fallow deer can be used for grassland conservation. Full article

Adequate estimation of water demand in cattle production feed yards is of high importance, especially due to reduced water availability because of changes in rain precipitation patterns and amounts. The pen surface in feed yards receives and reflects solar radiation, affecting along with other factors the microclimate to which cattle are exposed. This study aimed to describe the relationship between the pen surface temperature with the daily water intake and the tympanic temperature of finishing steers. Climate variables, including solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed plus pen surface temperature and soil temperature at 10.2 cm depth were recorded. Data were collected from a weather station located in the feedlot in Concord NE, whereas daily water intake was estimated from a set of experimental pens sharing a waterer in two adjacent pens. Simple and polynomial linear regressions were assessed from data collected in different experiments conducted from 2003 to 2006. Two models to predict daily water intake were developed for finishing steers using the pen surface temperature as the predictor variable. The first one included data for the period May-October (overall model) and the second one for the summer period (June-August). The best fit for the overall model was a quadratic fit (r² = 0.86), whereas the best-fit model for the summer model was the cubic (r² = 0.72). Subsequently, both models were validated with data from an independent experiment conducted in the summer of 2007 in the same facilities. Both models tended to slightly overestimate daily water intake when they were validated (14.6% and 12.6%, respectively). For tympanic temperature, the best-fit model was linear, explaining 76% of the observed variability. When the dataset was split into night-time and daytime the best-fit model for the night period was a quadratic one and a linear one for the daytime, both improving the explanation of the variability observed. In conclusion, pen surface temperature can be used to predict both daily water intake and tympanic temperature in feedlot steers without access to shade. Full article

Tedera is a valuable high-quality forage for sheep during summer–autumn. There is evidence that prior grazing experience of novel forages influences preference and haymaking of tedera improves preference by goats. In the first experiment, it was hypothesised that the voluntary feed intake (VFI) of fresh leaves and stems of tedera by sheep would be greater for experienced vs. naïve sheep. In the second experiment, it was hypothesised that the VFI of naïve sheep fed wilted leaves and stems of tedera would be greater than fresh leaves and stems of tedera. To test these hypotheses, adult Merino sheep were fed seven accessions of tedera, in two outdoor pen feeding experiments conducted consecutively. Each of six pens had 14 feeders, two for each accession, and two sheep. In experiment 1, three pens had sheep that had previously grazed tedera (experienced) and three pens had sheep with no experience (naïve), and all were fed fresh leaves and stems of the seven tedera accessions. Experiment 2 involved only naïve sheep, with three pens fed fresh leaves and stems and three pens fed wilted leaves and stems of the seven tedera accessions. Preference was measured each day for six days in experiment 1; and for five days in experiment 2 by calculating the average differences of feed offered and feed remaining from the feeders. In experiment 1, experienced sheep showed no difference in preference (average percentage eaten) in the first hour of each day compared to naïve sheep (70% vs. 56% DM intake (kg), p = 0.27). There was an increase in the amount eaten from the first to the last day for both groups, except for the intake of one accession that was reduced for the experienced sheep. In experiment 2, there was no statistical difference in preference between accessions. However, when the average percentage eaten by the experienced and naïve groups are combined, they are strongly correlated, with significant differences between accessions. Sheep did not eat more wilted tedera compared to fresh, which did not support our hypothesis. The only differences we found in sheep preference for tedera accessions occurred in experiment 1. Further studies to investigate seasonal differences in sheep preference between accessions is required and increased replication is needed to better determine the effect of prior grazing experience on the preference for tedera accessions. Full article

A food festival is a type of an environment in which various stakeholders function. The main aim of the research is to indicate the elements and relations of the entrepreneurship ecosystem of food festivals. Empirical data were collected at three food festivals in Poland in the summer of 2020 using the pen-and-paper interview method and semi-structured interviews. During the research, a total of 58 interviews were conducted with vendors. A coding technique was used to process the data. The themes included in the interviews concerned parts of the food festival entrepreneurship model: capital, micro-environment, and macro-environment. The conducted research shows that the core of the entrepreneurship ecosystem model of food festivals is dominated by the family capital. For the vendor, the food festival acts as a platform connecting with the micro-environment and other stakeholders. In the macro-environment of the food festival ecosystem, apart from the conditions of support, there are also factors that limited the activity. The research is an attempt to fill the gaps in the identification of specific features and elements of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of food festivals. The research is an attempt to show how the entrepreneurship ecosystem model of food festivals works. The observations require further in-depth research, e.g., in terms of the evolution of this ecosystem or the dynamics of relationships. Full article

Lamb finishing during summer in southern Australia faces the challenges of dry paddock feed of low nutrient value and energy concentration, combined with periods of high temperature that reduce appetite. One potential forage to overcome these challenges is camelina, a brassica with a high lipid concentration. Liveweight gain (LWG) and feed efficiency (FE) of a pelleted diet containing 15% camelina hay (CAM) were compared with an equivalent diet based on oaten hay (STD), a feed commonly used during dry seasons. The experiment was conducted under summer to autumn conditions using 56 maternal Composite (Composite) wether lambs (4 months, 28–38 kg liveweight) and 56 Merino wether yearlings (15 months, 37–43 kg liveweight). Animals were maintained in group pens (8/pen) and weekly average feed intakes per pen and liveweights per pen were determined in a shaded well-ventilated animal house. The LWG and FE for both animal types were significantly lower during weeks 5–8 compared with weeks 1–4. These changes coincided with a higher proportion of daytime maxima exceeding 28 °C (50% vs. 21%) and night-time hours exceeding 22 °C (15% vs. 9%). The experiment indicated that the LWG and FE of sheep fed the CAM diet were less affected by the elevated temperatures than sheep fed the STD diet during weeks 5–8. However, further research under controlled environmental conditions is required to further validate these results. Full article

During summer and winter months, pastures and outdoor pens represent the conventional means of providing exercise for dairy cows housed in tie-stall barns in the province of Québec, Canada. Unfortunately, outdoor pens require large spaces, and their leachates do not meet Québec’s environmental regulations. Therefore, there is a need to develop alternative approaches for these so-called wintering pens. A sustainable year-long approach could be a stand-off pad consisting of a filtering media to manage adequately water exiting the pad. Different filtering materials can be used and mixed (gravel, woodchips, biochar, sphagnum peat moss, sand, etc.). To find the best material and/or mixes, a laboratory study was carried out using 15 PVC pipes (5 cm in diameter and 50 cm long) to test five different combinations of materials over a 3-week period. Different contaminant-removal efficiencies were achieved with the alternative materials, including for chemical oxygen demand (11–38%), phosphates (8–23%), suspended solids (33–57%), and turbidity (23–58%). Alternative treatments with sand, sphagnum peat moss, and biochar improved the filtration capacity when compared to the conventional material (woodchips). However, after three weeks of experimentation, the treatment efficiency of sand gradually decreased for pollutants such as suspended solids and phosphates. Full article

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of reduced dietary protein at natural high temperature in summer on the growth performance and carcass quality of finishing pigs. A total of 72 crossbreed pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) at an average body weight (BW) of 77 ± 5.7 kg were randomly assigned to two treatments, based on BW and sex, in six replicates per treatment, with six pigs per pen, using a randomized complete block design. The dietary crude protein (CP) level of the normal protein diet (NP) and the reduced protein diet (LP) were 12% and 10%, respectively. The growth performance and serum biochemical parameters of the pigs were analyzed for a 28-day experimental period. At the end of the experiment, 12 pigs were harvested to measure carcass characteristics and pork quality. The average highest ambient temperature during the experiment period was about 32.4 °C. There was a trend for the average daily feed intake (ADFI) to be lower in the pigs on the reduced protein diet compared to the control (p < 0.10) in the 0–28 day period. The serum urea nitrogen was lower (p < 0.05) for pigs fed the reduced protein diets only on day 14. The carcass characteristics and pork quality were not affected by dietary treatments. In conclusion, decreasing dietary crude protein percentage from 12% to 10% in finishing pigs in summer may have no negative effects on growth performance and carcass quality. Full article