The impact of pre-natal stress on offspring development in pigs

2015 ◽  
Vol 153 (5) ◽  
pp. 907-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. OTTEN ◽  
E. KANITZ ◽  
M. TUCHSCHERER
Keyword(s):  
Immune Function ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Maternal Stress ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYIn farm animals, restricted housing conditions or inadequate management practices during gestation may be potential stressors for the mother, with possible consequences on the growth, vitality, health and welfare of the dam and its offspring, and thus can have economic as well as ethical implications. The current review summarizes data from studies in pigs on the impact of maternal stress during gestation on the litter characteristics and phenotypic traits of offspring. The outcomes from the different experimental models using either maternal stress paradigms or artificially increased maternal cortisol are presented, and possible reasons for the consistent or divergent results are discussed. Maternal stress models are of particular importance, because social stress, restraint, rough handling and heat or cold stress are of practical relevance during housing of pregnant sows, whereas in other models the specific role of maternal cortisol as a mediator for pre-natal stress is studied. The data reveal that pre-natal stress in pigs can impair growth and modify the immune function, stress reactivity and behaviour of offspring. There is evidence that the materno-foetal cortisol regulation is a major determinant of the alterations in offspring. Neuroendocrine and behavioural data in the offspring indicate that pre-natally stressed pigs can express a modified phenotype characterized by increased reactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, altered emotionality, more fearfulness in a novel environment and disturbed social and maternal behaviour. Further research is needed and should focus on the long-term consequences on immune function, reproductive traits and maternal behaviour in female offspring used as breeding animals.

scholarly journals Effects of maternal exposure to social stress during pregnancy: consequences for mother and offspring

Reproduction ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 146 (5) ◽  
pp. R175-R189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula J Brunton
Keyword(s):  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Prenatal Stress ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Maternal Stress ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Maternal Behaviour ◽  
Stress Exposure ◽  
Prenatally Stressed ◽  
In Pregnancy

A suboptimalin uteroenvironment, for example, as a result of maternal stress, can have detrimental effects on the pregnancy and long-term adverse ‘programming’ effects on the offspring. This article focuses on the effects of prenatal social stress on the mother, her pregnancy and the offspring, since these issues have ethological relevance in both animals and humans. The consequences of social stress exposure depend on when during pregnancy the stress occurs, and many of the effects on the offspring are sex specific. Social stress during early pregnancy tends to result in pregnancy loss, whereas stress exposure later in pregnancy, when the mother has already invested considerable resources in the foetuses, results in programmed offspring of low birth weight: a risk factor for various adulthood diseases. Neuroendocrine and behavioural responses to stress in the offspring are particularly sensitive to foetal programming by prenatal stress, indicated by enhanced hypothalamo-pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responses and increased anxiety behaviour, which result from permanent changes in the offspring's brain. The dysregulation of HPA axis function may also interfere with other systems, for example, the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis, as there is evidence for alterations in steroidogenesis, reproductive potential and impaired reproductive/social behaviours in prenatally stressed offspring. Prenatal social stress also programmes future maternal behaviour, highlighting the potential for negative phenotypes to be transmitted to future generations. The possible mechanisms through which maternal stress during pregnancy is transmitted to the foetuses and the foetal brain is programmed by prenatal stress and the potential to overwrite programming of the offspring are discussed.

scholarly journals Resilience in farm animals: biology, management, breeding and implications for animal welfare

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (12) ◽  
pp. 1961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian G. Colditz ◽  
Brad C. Hine
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Affective State ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Stress Inoculation ◽  
Social Stressors ◽  
Regulatory Pathways ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Specific Reactions ◽  
The Impact

A capacity for the animal to recover quickly from the impact of physical and social stressors and disease challenges is likely to improve evolutionary fitness of wild species and welfare and performance of farm animals. Salience and valence of stimuli sensed through neurosensors, chemosensors and immunosensors are perceived and integrated centrally to generate emotions and engage physiological, behavioural, immune, cognitive and morphological responses that defend against noxious challenges. These responses can be refined through experience to provide anticipatory and learned reactions at lower cost than innate less-specific reactions. Influences of behaviour type, coping style, and affective state and the relationships between immune responsiveness, disease resistance and resilience are reviewed. We define resilience as the capacity of animals to cope with short-term perturbations in their environment and return rapidly to their pre-challenge status. It is manifested in response to episodic, sporadic or situation-specific attributes of the environment and can be optimised via facultative learning by the individual. It is a comparative measure of differences between individuals in the outcomes that follow exposure to potentially adverse situations. In contrast, robustness is the capacity to maintain productivity in a wide range of environments without compromising reproduction, health and wellbeing. Robustness is manifested in response to persistent or cyclical attributes of the environment and is effected via activity of innate regulatory pathways. We suggest that for farm animals, husbandry practices that incorporate physical and social stressors and interactions with humans such as weaning, change of housing, and introduction to the milking parlour can be used to characterise resilience phenotypes. In these settings, resilience is likely to be more readily identified through the rate of return of variables to pre-challenge or normal status rather than through measuring the activity of diverse stress response and adaptation mechanisms. Our strategy for phenotyping resilience of sheep and cattle during weaning is described. Opportunities are examined to increase resilience through genetic selection and through improved management practices that provide emotional and cognitive enrichment and stress inoculation.

Segmentation of Australian meat consumers on the basis of attitudes regarding farm animal welfare and the environmental impact of meat production

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenka Malek ◽  
Wendy J. Umberger ◽  
John Rolfe
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Farm Animal ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Meat Production ◽  
Farm Animal Welfare ◽  
Livestock Management ◽  
The Impact

While public concern over the welfare of farm animals is believed to have intensified across Australia in recent years, no empirical research has sought to examine and quantify the heterogeneity in farm animal-welfare (FAW) concerns among Australian meat consumers. The present study is the first to address this knowledge gap. Data were collected in 2015 by using a comprehensive online survey instrument completed by a representative sample of 1009 Australian meat consumers. Sample quotas were set for age, gender and location. Using these data, we were able to segment meat consumers according to their attitudes towards FAW and perceptions regarding the environmental impact of meat production. Six unique segments were identified and characterised by purchase behaviour, livestock-management knowledge, farming background and experience, beliefs regarding the consumer/farmer implications of improved FAW, influential information sources, participation in FAW-related activities and socio-demographic variables. Our findings showed that the majority of Australian meat consumers (70%) hold neutral views regarding FAW. However, there are two segments, termed ‘concerned-FAW’ (10%) and ‘anti-FAW’ (20%), which expressed strong views with respect to FAW. Overall, consumer knowledge regarding livestock-management practices was low across all segments, with only 11–42% of consumers indicating that they felt sufficiently informed about FAW. This insight into perceptions of FAW by different segments and the impact of meat production on the environment can assist the industry in developing targeted information campaigns to address consumer concerns and allow better-informed meat purchase decisions.

Parasitism and production in farm animals

1994 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Sykes
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Host Tissue ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Food Utilization ◽  
Pesticide Use ◽  
Environment Management ◽  
Nutritional Studies ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe impact of internal and external parasitism on productivity of farm animals is considered for cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. The parasitic challenge experienced and the outcome of that challenge is a dynamic one in which environment, management practices, including housing or grazing management, nutritional status, the host's ability to develop effective immunity and the speed with which this can occur, play a significant role. Much of our assessment of the impact of infection comes from pathophysiological and nutritional studies with contrived infestations. A common feature of all infestations is reduced efficiency of food utilization through reduction in food intake, though in some cases increases in nutrient requirement are induced as a result of damage to or loss of host tissue. Assessment of the impact on productivity in the field is technically very difficult and must take account of fluctuating challenge, determined by environmental and management decisions, and the manager's objectives for the performance of a particular category of livestock. This review attempts to integrate the assessment of losses in productivity based on pathophysiological studies with those based on protection of groups of livestock in production systems by regular pesticide use. Throughout the review the limitations inherent in both approaches and in our knowledge of how parasites impair productivity of the host are emphasised.

The Impact of Shariah Governance and Corporate Governance on the Risk Management Practices: Evidence from Local and Foreign Islamic Banks in Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Sabri Embi ◽  
Zurina Shafii
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
T Test ◽  
The Body ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Shariah Governance ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Shariah governance and corporate governance (CG) on the risk management practices (RMPs) of local Islamic banks and foreign Islamic banks operating in Malaysia. The Shariah governance comprises the Shariah review (SR) and Shariah audit (SA) variables. The study also evaluates the level of RMPs, CG, SR, and SA between these two type of banks. With the aid of SPSS version 20, the items for RMPs, CG, SR, and SA were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA). From the PCA, one component or factor was extracted each for the CG, SR, and RMPs while another two factors were extracted for the SA. Primary data was collected using a self-administered survey questionnaire. The questionnaire covers four aspects ; CG, SR, SA, and RMPs. The data received from the 300 usable questionnaires were subjected to correlation and regression analyses as well as an independent t-test. The result of correlation analysis shows that all the four variables have large positive correlations with each other indicating a strong and significant relationship between them. From the regression analysis undertaken, CG, SR, and SA together explained 52.3 percent of the RMPs and CG emerged as the most influential variable that impacts the RMPs. The independent t-test carried out shows that there were significant differences in the CG and SA between the local and foreign Islamic banks. However, there were no significant differences between the two types of the bank in relation to SR and RMPs. The study has contributed to the body of knowledge and is beneficial to academicians, industry players, regulators, and other stakeholders.

Influence of DAFS-25+polizon composition on blood and functional state of liver of steers at fattening

2020 ◽  
pp. 15-18
Author(s):  
Inna R. Kilmetova ◽  
◽  
Igor A. Rodin ◽  
Nazira I. Khayrullina ◽  
Nikolay G. Fenchenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional State ◽  
White Blood Cells ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
The Body ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Stimulation Of

Summary. The disbalanced feeding and the uneven distribution of micro- and macroelements in the environment leads to a trace element, in particular hypomelanosis. To accelerate the growth and preservation of young farm animals include in the diet of various biological additives and drugs, which include selenium. For stimulation of weight gain in the livestock industry, as well as for the prevention and treatment of pathological processes in addition to micro - and macrouse amino acids, primarily methionine. The aim of this work was to study the influence of composition of DAFS-25+Polizon on morpho-biochemical parameters of blood and functional state of the liver in fattening bulls of black-motley breed in the conditions of the Republic of Bashkortostan. Experiments using were conducted on bull-calves of black-motley breed of the properties in the properties age from 6 to 15 months. The first experimental group during the experiment was additionally given the composition of DAFS-25+Polizon at a dose of 2 mg/kg, the animals of the control group received a standard diet. To assess the impact of the composition DAFS-25+Polizon on metabolism cattle studied morphological and biochemical indicators of blood and conducted histological examination of the liver. It is established that the use of the composition of DAFS-25+Polizon at a dose of 2 mg/kg increases the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in the experimental group and reduces the amount of white blood cells. The serum content of total protein, phosphorus and calcium increases in the group of experimental animals. Microscopic examination of the liver revealed no changes in the structure of the organ and hepatocytes in the experimental group, whereas in the control group hemodynamic disorders and dystrophic changes in liver cells were observed. Thus, the use of the composition DAFS-25+Polizon at a dose of 2 mg/kg of live weight in fattening bulls black-and-white breed contributes to the increase of redox processes in the body, stimulation of metabolism, prevent the development of liver disorders of cellular mechanisms of metabolism, optimizes the structure of the liver, which generally provides higher productivity.

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