The effects of food level on general activity and aggression in dynamic groups of 30 sows

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 31-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.A.M. Spoolder ◽  
J.A. Burbidge ◽  
A.B. Lawrence ◽  
P.H. Simmins ◽  
S.A. Edwards

Aggression in group housed sows is often related to competition over food. Sequential feeding avoids the confrontations at the trough, but puts them at the feeder entrance. Studies of large groups of dry sows using computerised feeding systems showed that vulva biting was most frequent after visits when only a small amount of food had been dispensed (Buré, 1991). This suggests that frustrated feeding motivation may cause increased aggression. A Swedish survey into group housed sows found a link between sow condition and mean injury scores: farms averaging a high injury score had a larger proportion of thin sows (Svendsen et al., 1990). The present study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that in large dynamic groups of sows a high food level results in lower levels of aggression and associated skin lesions.

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 31-31
Author(s):  
H.A.M. Spoolder ◽  
J.A. Burbidge ◽  
A.B. Lawrence ◽  
P.H. Simmins ◽  
S.A. Edwards

Aggression in group housed sows is often related to competition over food. Sequential feeding avoids the confrontations at the trough, but puts them at the feeder entrance. Studies of large groups of dry sows using computerised feeding systems showed that vulva biting was most frequent after visits when only a small amount of food had been dispensed (Buré, 1991). This suggests that frustrated feeding motivation may cause increased aggression. A Swedish survey into group housed sows found a link between sow condition and mean injury scores: farms averaging a high injury score had a larger proportion of thin sows (Svendsen et al., 1990). The present study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that in large dynamic groups of sows a high food level results in lower levels of aggression and associated skin lesions.


1997 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. M. Spoolder ◽  
J. A. Burbidge ◽  
S. A. Edwards ◽  
A. B. Lawrence ◽  
P. H. Simmins

AbstractEvidence from studies of group-housed sows in unbedded systems indicates that hunger may be a cause of increased aggression between animals. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of food level on performance, aggression and skin damage in a deep-straw system. Sixteen groups offive gilts were introduced over 8 months to one of two dynamic groups in a deep-straw yard (2·35 m2 per sow) receiving different food levels from an electronic sow-feeding system: high (H: 3·0 kg and 38 MJ/day) and low (L: 1·6 kg and 20 MJ/day). Seventy second-parity sows were returned to the same treatments in the same subgroups. The behaviour of the animals was recorded throughout both pregnancies using a time sampling technique. Severity of skin damage was recorded as a number from 0 to 4 for each of nine areas, the average of which being the ‘damage score’. The total number of animals in each dynamic group was maintained at around 30, through the use of additional sows. As expected, H sows were heavier than L sows but no effect offood treatment was found on litter size or performance. L sows were more active (L v. H; standing: 41 v. 31% of total observation time respectively, F114 = 7·65, P < 0·05) and showed more straw manipulation than H sows (L v. H: 17 v. 10% respectively, F 3 34 = 18·4, P < 0·001). No differences between treatments were found either in number of aggressive interactions (L v. H: 3·6 v. 3·8 interactions per sow per observation day, F, u = 0·82, P > 0·05), or in damage score (L v. H: 0·24 v. 0·28; Flu = 0·27; P > 0·05).However, introduction of new animals did influence aggression, with sows being more involved in aggressive interactions on the day they were introduced, than on other sow's introduction days and on no introduction days (Tukey, P < 0·05). Average skin lesions per experimental sow were also higher in the days immediately following introduction. It can be concluded that in a sequential feeding system with plentiful straw, aggression is not influenced by the level offeeding. In these systems, the major factor giving rise to aggression is the introduction of new sows to the resident group.


2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 7761-7783 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. D. Crook ◽  
H. Cooper ◽  
D. C. Potts ◽  
T. Lambert ◽  
A. Paytan

Abstract. Ocean acidification, the assimilation of atmospheric CO2 by the oceans that decreases the pH and CaCO3 saturation state (Ω) of seawater, is projected to have severe consequences for calcifying organisms. Strong evidence suggests that tropical reef-building corals containing algal symbionts (zooxanthellae) will experience dramatic declines in calcification over the next century. The responses of azooxanthellate corals to ocean acidification are less well understood, and because they cannot obtain extra photosynthetic energy from symbionts, they provide a system for studying the direct effects of acidification on the energy available for calcification. The orange cup coral Balanophyllia elegans is a solitary, azooxanthellate scleractinian species common on the California coast where it thrives in the low pH waters of an upwelling regime. During an 8 month study, we addressed the effects of three pCO2 treatments (410, 770, and 1230 μatm) and two feeding frequencies (High Food and Low Food) on adult Balanophyllia elegans planulation (larval release) rates, and on the survival, growth, and calcification of their juvenile offspring. Planulation rates were affected by food level but not pCO2, while juvenile survival was highest under 410 μatm and High Food conditions. Our results suggest that feeding rate has a greater impact on calcification of B. elegans than pCO2. Net calcification was positive even at 1230 μatm (~ 3 times current atmospheric pCO2), although the increase from 410 to 1230 μatm reduced overall calcification by ~ 25–45%, and reduced skeletal density by ~ 35–45%. Higher pCO2 also altered aragonite crystal morphology significantly. We discuss how feeding frequency affects azooxanthellate coral calcification, and how B. elegans may respond to ocean acidification in coastal upwelling waters.


2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 233-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tong Lei Yu ◽  
Rui Hua Pang ◽  
Kun Chen

Larval amphibians are especially likely to encounter variation in temperature and resource availability because they live in a variety of aquatic habitats. In this study, plasticity in growth rates, survivorship, age and size at metamorphosis were examined in the Chinese brown frog (Rana chensinensis) under different combinations of rearing temperature and food level. Tadpoles reared at 23.2°C had larger mass at metamorphosis and a longer larval period than tadpoles reared at 25.3 and 28.1°C. High food level shortened the larval period and produced a larger size at metamorphosis. The interaction of rearing temperature and food level significantly influenced the growth and survival of Chinese brown frog tadpoles. At a low food level, tadpoles reared at 23.2°C displayed faster growth than tadpoles reared at the higher temperatures, and tadpoles had lower survival at 28.1°C than at the lower temperatures. Therefore, global warming or local manipulations of the environment could limit growth and development of Chinese brown frog tadpoles, resulting in low survival, but food availability may mediate effects of temperature. We suggest that Chinese brown frog tadpoles prefer cool a temperature and high food level for longer larval periods to capitalize on the opportunity of entering the terrestrial habitat with a larger body size.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 40-40
Author(s):  
X. Whittaker ◽  
S. A. Edwards ◽  
H. A. M. Spoolder ◽  
A. B. Lawrence ◽  
S. Corning

In competitive feeding systems in which sows are group rather than individually fed, aggression can arise as sows compete for limited supplies of food (Csermely and Wood-Gush, 1990). Aggression may also occur as a result of sows’ motivation to feed remaining unsatisfied due to restricted access to food (Buré, 1991). Feeding sows a high fibre diet which will rapidly increase gastric distention (Brouns et al., 1997) may reduce both the motivation to compete for food and aggression associated with sustained feeding motivation. Sows provided with straw bedding may use straw as a foraging substrate with which to express their foraging behaviour. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the interactive effects of a high fibre diet and straw bedding on levels of aggression in floor fed sows.


1999 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. M. Spoolder ◽  
S. A. Edwards ◽  
S. Corning

AbstractCompared with small groups, housing in large groups offers the pig more total available space, resulting potentially in an increased degree of control over its (micro) environment. For the producer, large groups require fewer pen divisions and offer more possibilities for the sharing of resources such as feeders and drinkers. However, whilst large groups may offer benefits to higher ranking animals in the group, there may be serious disadvantages for those further down the social hierarchy, who also need to compete for access to resources. This study investigated the interactive effects on welfare of food availability (one single space hopper per 20 or per 10 pigs) and group size (20, 40 or 80 pigs per pen), at constant stocking density (0·55 m2per pig) in part-slatted pens. Groups provided with two feeding spaces per 20 pigs were less active than groups with one feeding space per 20 pigs. The number of aggressive interactions per pig at the food trough was not affected by group size but decreased with number of feeder spaces per 20 pigs. The number of skin lesions increased with group size. Average daily gain in the first half of the finishing period was negatively influenced by group size and positively by number of feeding spaces. No effect on weight gain was found subsequently. Within-group variation in growth was not affected by group size or number of feeder spaces. No differences between treatments were found in the number of pigs removed for health reasons. Interactive effects of the two treatments were found on some behaviours but not on any of the performance variables measured. It is concluded that, from a welfare point of view, the number of pigs per feeder space should be lower than 20, although performance levels appear acceptable at 20 pigs per feeder. Further research will have to identify whether the effects of group size on general aggression is common to all finishing pig systems, or whether the presence of straw can serve as a mitigating factor.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (89) ◽  
pp. 75-78
Author(s):  
N. M. Hordiichuk ◽  
B. S. Denkovich ◽  
L. M. Hordiichuk

With the introduction of intensive technologies, requirements that need to be taken into account when selecting animals for industrial production of livestock products are increasing. At the same time pay attention to the adaptability of animals to maintain large groups, the leveling of animals by productivity, the need for feed, and others. However, due regard is not paid to ethical indicators. In turn, the accounting of ethological indicators in the selection contributes to a more complete realization of the genetic potential of animals in the process of their livelihoods. In this regard, the practical application of scientifically grounded methods, taking into account the behavior of animals for the formation of herds of cows, capable of exhibiting high milk productivity in specific technological conditions, becomes of special significance. Formation of milk production of Simmental breed cows depends on the indicators of the rhythmic manifestation of behavioral reactions. It was established that the highest tastes, the content of fat and protein and their yields in milk were characterized by the firstborns, classified by the index of general activity to the group of active (4992 kg, 3.84%, 3.38%, 191.7 and 168.7 kg respectively) and ultraactive (respectively 4763 kg, 3.81%, 3.35%, 181.5 kg and 159.6 kg). Cows classified by the index of general activity as infra-passive and passive had significantly lower rates for their analogues of the active class, respectively: by their hopes – by 456 and 333 kg, by the fat content – by 0.02 and 0.04%, by the protein – 0.06 and 0.09%, the milk fat content – 18.4 and 14.7 kg, and protein – by 18.1 and 15.4%. Since the lowest productivity was observed in the cows of the group, they are infra-passive and passive, then the task is early detection and removal of animals with a low index of total activity index. Cows of different ethological groups differ significantly among themselves according to technological signs of udder. Animals of the active class are best adapted to machine milking. Calculations of the economic efficiency of milk production of cows of different ethological groups have shown that the use of ethological indicators in the formation of a dairy herd can reveal cows, capable of producing a much larger quantity of milk of high quality, while reducing the costs of its production.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 40-40
Author(s):  
X. Whittaker ◽  
S. A. Edwards ◽  
H. A. M. Spoolder ◽  
A. B. Lawrence ◽  
S. Corning

In competitive feeding systems in which sows are group rather than individually fed, aggression can arise as sows compete for limited supplies of food (Csermely and Wood-Gush, 1990). Aggression may also occur as a result of sows’ motivation to feed remaining unsatisfied due to restricted access to food (Buré, 1991). Feeding sows a high fibre diet which will rapidly increase gastric distention (Brouns et al., 1997) may reduce both the motivation to compete for food and aggression associated with sustained feeding motivation. Sows provided with straw bedding may use straw as a foraging substrate with which to express their foraging behaviour. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the interactive effects of a high fibre diet and straw bedding on levels of aggression in floor fed sows.


Author(s):  
Kun Zhang ◽  
Quan Wan ◽  
Yi-Long Xi

Intensive interspecific competition for limited resource often can result in the exclusion of inferior competitors, decrease the species diversity and alter the structure of the zooplankton community. Competitive experiments between Brachionus calyciflorus and Brachionus angularis were conducted at three Scenedesmus densities (0.5 × 106, 1.0 × 106 and 2.0 × 106 cells ml−1) and four initial inoculation densities (numerically, 100% B. calyciflorus, 75% B. calyciflorus and 25% B. angularis, 50% each of the two species, 25% B. calyciflorus and 75% B. angularis, and 100% B. angularis). The results showed that at the low food level, B. angularis outcompeted B. calyciflorus and vice versa at the high food levels. At the intermediate food level, B. angularis was displaced by B. calyciflorus at nearly all the initial inoculation densities except for 75% B. angularis, at which both species coexisted until the termination of the experiment. When grown alone at 0.5 × 106, 1.0 × 106 and 2.0 × 106 cells ml−1 of Scenedesmus, B. calyciflorus reached the peak abundance values of 34 ± 4, 69 ± 5 and 101 ± 9 individuals ml−1 and had population growth rates of 0.608 ± 0.032, 0.654 ± 0.033 and 0.518 ± 0.039 d−1, respectively. The corresponding values for B. angularis were 265 ± 8, 330 ± 30 and 802 ± 87 individuals ml−1 and 0.623 ± 0.020, 0.770 ± 0.036 and 0.871 ± 0.013 d−1. The results suggest that the outcome of competition depends not only on the size of the competing species and food availability but also on their colonizing density.


1987 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Appleby ◽  
A. B. Lawrence

AbstractThe behaviour of Large White × Landrace gilts tethered in stalls was studied by scan sampling from 07.00 to 17.00 h on 3 days consecutively every 5 weeks. Results are presented on 30 gilts sampled during their first 5 weeks in the house, period 1, and on 36 gilts during the following 5-week period, period 2. Twenty individuals were common to both samples. Gilts were fed at 08.00 h with a pelleted complete diet, either on low food levels (1·25 to 2·00 kg) or on high food levels (2·2 to 4·0 kg).In both periods behaviour was strongly related to food allowance in individual gilts. Gilts on low food levels spent a greater proportion of their time in the standing position than those on high food levels (period 1, medians 0·31 and 0·12 respectively; period 2, medians 0·27 and 0·11 respectively), spent more time in repetitive behaviour (period 1, medians 0·22 and 0·04 respectively; period 2, medians 0·16 and 0·07 respectively) and spent a greater proportion of their standing time in repetitive behaviour (period 1, medians 0·46 and 0 respectively; period 2, medians 0·30 and 0 respectively). Similarly, all three measures of behaviour correlated negatively with food allowance overall, but there was some indication that food level had a threshold effect, with more activity and repetitive behaviour occurring on food levels below about 2 kg.These results suggest that if food allowances are low tether stalls are not a suitable system of housing for pregnant sows.


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