Evaluation of sow thermal preference across three stages of reproduction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey A Robbins ◽  
Angela R Green-Miller ◽  
Donald C Lay Jr ◽  
Allan P Schinckel ◽  
Jay S Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Gradient ◽  
Late Gestation ◽  
Thermal Preference ◽  
Comfort Zone ◽  
Temperature Preference ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Metabolic Heat ◽  
If Current ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Thermal Preferences

Abstract The metabolic heat production of modern pigs has increased by an average of 16%, compared to sows of thirty years ago. Therefore, it is likely that temperature recommendations require updating to meet the needs of modern pigs. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether different reproductive stages of sows altered thermal preference and if current recommendations required updating. Twenty multi-parous sows (3.4 ± 1.2 parity) in different reproductive stages (non-pregnant: n=7; mid-gestation: 58.5 ± 5.68 d, n=6; and late-gestation: 104.7 ± 2.8 d, n=7) were tested. Thermal preference was individually tested and sows could freely choose a temperature, using a thermal gradient between 10.4 to 30.5°C. Sows were given 24 h to acclimate to the thermal apparatus. Before testing began, sows were given daily feed allotment and returned to the apparatus. Video from the 24 h test period was used to record sow behavior (time spent inactive), posture (upright, sternal and lateral lying), and location using instantaneous scan samples every 15 min. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS 9.4. A cubic regression model was used to calculate the sow’s most preferred temperature based on the location, or temperature, in which they spent the most time. The preference range was calculated using peak temperature preference ±SE for each sow. The reproductive stage altered where sows spent their time within the thermal gradient (P < 0.01). Late-gestation sows preferred cooler temperatures (14.0°C) than mid-gestation (14.8°C; P < 0.01) and non-pregnant sows (14.8°C; P < 0.01). In summary, sow thermal preferences were within the lower half of the current recommended range (10 to 25°C). This indicates that temperatures at the higher end of the recommended range could be uncomfortable to sows and that the thermal comfort zone of sows may be narrower than recommendations indicate.

Temperature preference in Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

1991 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 273-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio R. Lazzari
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Temperature Gradient ◽  
Video Recording ◽  
Daily Rhythm ◽  
Triatoma Infestans ◽  
Dark Phase ◽  
Thermal Preference ◽  
Temperature Preference ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Preferred Temperatures

AbstractThe thermal preference of adults of the reduviid bug Triatoma infestans (Klug) was investigated along a temperature gradient by means of video recording. The preferred temperature varied with a daily rhythm, reaching the highest value at the onset and the lowest at the end of the dark phase. The daily range of preferred temperatures depended on the starvation level. After feeding it was about 28–29°C, and after 12 days of starvation 25–26°C. The number of eggs laid showed a bimodal pattern, with maxima at 29°C and 26°C. Along a gradient of relative humidity, the bugs were always found around 40% r.h.

Thermal preferences of resistant and susceptible strains ofBiomphalaria glabrata(Gastropoda) exposed toschistosoma mansoni(Trematoda)

Parasitology ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Lefcort ◽  
C. J. Bayne
Keyword(s):  
Schistosoma Mansoni ◽  
Resistant Strain ◽  
Thermal Gradient ◽  
Biomphalaria Glabrata ◽  
Defense System ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Post Exposure ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Thermal Preferences

The thermal preferences of two strains of the snailBiomphalaria glabrata, one resistant to, and one susceptible to, the parasiteSchistosoma mansoniwere determined in an aquatic thermal gradient. Snails were tested without exposure to the parasite, and 2 h and 5 weeks after exposure to trematode miracidia. The mean temperature selected by susceptible strain snails 2 h post-exposure tended to be lower than that of unexposed controls, although this was not statistically significant. In this strain, at 5 weeks post-exposure, the preferred temperature dropped by 1.9±0.5°C. The resistant strain displayed a significant drop of 1.8±0.6°C 2 h post-exposure. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that a drop in mean temperatures selected by snails is due to altered levels of endogenous cytokines such as IL-1 or TNF in association with parasite activation of the snail internal defense system.

scholarly journals Thermal Preferences of Cowpea Seed Beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus): Effects of Sex and Nuptial Gift Transfers

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 310
Author(s):  
Dariusz Krzysztof Małek ◽  
Marcin Czarnoleski
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Callosobruchus Maculatus ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Nuptial Gift ◽  
Thermal Preference ◽  
Nuptial Gifts ◽  
Insect Performance ◽  
Evaporative Water ◽  
Thermal Preferences ◽  
Seed Beetles

The thermal environment influences insect performance, but the factors affecting insect thermal preferences are rarely studied. We studied Callosobruchus maculatus seed beetles and hypothesized that thermal preferences are influenced by water balance, with individuals with limited water reserves preferring cooler habitats to reduce evaporative water loss. Adult C. maculatus, in their flightless morph, do not consume food or water, but a copulating male provides a female with a nuptial gift of ejaculate containing nutrients and water. We hypothesized that gift recipients would prefer warmer habitats than gift donors and that both sexes would plastically adjust their thermal preferences according to the size of the transferred gift. We measured the thermal preference in each sex in individuals that were mated once or were unmated. In the mated group, we measured the sizes of the nuptial gifts and calculated proportional body mass changes in each mate during copulation. Supporting the role of water balance in thermal preference, females preferred warmer habitats than males. Nevertheless, thermal preferences in either sex were not affected by mating status or gift size. It is likely that high rates of mating and gift transfers in C. maculatus living under natural conditions promoted the evolution of constitutive sex-dependent thermal preferences.

Impact of age, size, and sex on adult black soldier fly [Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)] thermal preference

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
N.F. Addeo ◽  
C. Li ◽  
T.W. Rusch ◽  
A.J. Dickerson ◽  
A.M. Tarone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Thermal Gradient ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Animal Feed ◽  
Mass Rearing ◽  
Thermal Preference ◽  
Black Soldier Fly ◽  
Hermetia Illucens ◽  
Surface Temperatures ◽  
The Impact

Population growth and rapid urbanisation have increased the global demand for animal feed and protein sources. Therefore, traditional animal feed production should be increased through the use of alternative nutrient sources. Insects as feed are beginning to fill this need. One such insect is the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). However, to more effectively mass produce the black soldier fly, a better understanding of its thermal biology is needed. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of age, size, and sex on adult black soldier fly thermal preference. The thermal preference of adult black soldier flies was determined by exposing flies to a thermal gradient with a range of surface temperatures and monitoring their positions over time. An aluminium plate was used to create a linear thermal gradient where surface temperatures ranged from ~15-60 °C. Flies were distinguished by age (1-d-post-emergence vs 7-d-post-emergence), size (large vs small) and sex (male vs female) to assess whether thermal preference differed by specific life-history traits. Thermal preference for 7-d-post-emergence adults was significantly lower (19.2 °C) than 1-d-post-emergence adults (28.7 °C), respectively. Similarly, small adults selected significantly cooler (21.1 °C) temperatures than large adults (26.9 °C). No significant differences in thermal preferences were found between sex, regardless of age or size. In fact, males and females had similar thermal preference of 23.8 and 24.2 °C, respectively. This study reveals that multiple life-history traits of adult black soldier fly affect their thermal preference, and thus should be taken into consideration by mass rearing facilities to optimize production.

Temperature Preference and Avoidance Responses of the Crayfish, Orconectes obscurus, and Associated Statistical Problems

1982 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 548-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilip Mathur ◽  
Robert M. Schutsky ◽  
Edmund J. Purdy Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Acclimation Temperature ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Temperature Preference ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Field Collection ◽  
Method Of Calculation ◽  
Final Preferred Temperature ◽  
Statistical Problems ◽  
Avoidance Responses

Acute temperature selection and avoidance responses of the crayfish, Orconectes obscurus, acclimated at field collection temperatures of 1.5–26.0 °C and determined in a spatial thermal gradient, were similar to those noted for fishes. Acclimation temperature was positively correlated with the acute preferred and avoided temperatures; both were several degrees higher than the acclimation temperature. A large proportion of the total variance in these data was unexplained. Most variable responses occurred at low acclimation temperatures. The estimated final preferred temperature ranged from 29.8 to 33.9 °C depending upon the method of calculation. Methods of estimating final preferenda from acute tests are considered arbitrary due to statistical problems and the associated high variability. Statistical problems were also noted in the determination of avoidance temperatures of crayfish due to nonindependence of observations on the same organism. No differences were noted (P < 0.05) between the preferred or avoided temperatures when the direction of field temperatures was rising or falling. A statistical comparison of the new and published data on this species revealed general similarities, particularly over an acclimation temperature range of 18.0–30.0 °C. The analysis minimizes the importance of site-specific studies on this species using the current acute testing methods.Key words: crayfish, temperature preference, avoidance, populational variation, statistics, experimental and statistical problems

scholarly journals Short-term changes in air humidity and water availability weakly constrain thermoregulation in a dry-skinned ectotherm

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0247514
Author(s):  
Jean-François Le Galliard ◽  
David Rozen-Rechels ◽  
Anjélica Lecomte ◽  
Clémence Demay ◽  
Andréaz Dupoué ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Temperature ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Behavioral Thermoregulation ◽  
Thermal Preference ◽  
Air Humidity ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Free Standing ◽  
Standing Water ◽  
Zootoca Vivipara ◽  
Thermal Preferences

Thermoregulation is critical for ectotherms as it allows them to maintain their body temperature close to an optimum for ecological performance. Thermoregulation includes a range of behaviors that aim at regulating body temperature within a range centered around the thermal preference. Thermal preference is typically measured in a thermal gradient in fully-hydrated and post-absorptive animals. Short-term effects of the hydric environment on thermal preferences in such set-ups have been rarely quantified in dry-skinned ectotherms, despite accumulating evidence that dehydration might trade-off with behavioral thermoregulation. Using experiments performed under controlled conditions in climatic chambers, we demonstrate that thermal preferences of a ground-dwelling, actively foraging lizard (Zootoca vivipara) are weakly decreased by a daily restriction in free-standing water availability (less than 0.5°C contrast). The influence of air humidity during the day on thermal preferences depends on time of the day and sex of the lizard, and is generally weaker than those of of free-standing water (less than 1°C contrast). This shows that short-term dehydration can influence, albeit weakly, thermal preferences under some circumstances in this species. Environmental humidity conditions are important methodological factors to consider in the analysis of thermal preferences.

scholarly journals Preferred temperature and thermal breadth of birds wintering in peninsular Spain – the limited effect of temperature on species distribution

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis M. Carrascal ◽  
Sara Villén-Pérez ◽  
David Palomino
Keyword(s):  
Species Abundance ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Response Curves ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Mean Temperature ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Thermal Preferences ◽  
Peninsular Spain

Background. Availability of environmental energy, as measured by temperature, is expected to limit the abundance and distribution of endotherms wintering at temperate latitudes. A prediction of this hypothesis is that birds should attain their highest abundances in warmer areas. However, there may be a spatial mismatch between species preferred habitats and species preferred temperatures, so some species might end-up wintering in sub-optimal thermal environments. Methods. We model the influence of minimum winter temperature on the relative abundance of 106 terrestrial bird species wintering in peninsular Spain, at 10x10 Km2 resolution, using 95%-quantile regressions. We analyze general trends across species on the shape of the response curves, the environmental preferred temperature (at which the species abundance is maximized), the mean temperature in the area of distribution and the thermal breadth (area under the abundance-temperature curve). Results. There is a large interspecific variability on the thermal preferences and specialization of species. Despite this large variability, there is a preponderance of positive relationships between species abundance and temperature, and on average species attain their maximum abundances in areas 1.9 ºC warmer than the average temperature available in peninsular Spain. The mean temperature in the area of distribution is lower than the thermal preferences of the species, although both parameters are highly correlated. Discussion. Most species prefer the warmest environments to overwinter, which suggests that temperature imposes important restrictions to birds wintering in the Iberian Peninsula. However, most individuals overwinter in locations colder than the species thermal preferences, probably reflecting a limitation of environments combining habitat and thermal preferences. Beyond these general trends, there is a high inter-specific variation in the versatility of species using the available thermal space .

Physiological significance of behavioral hypothermia in hypoxic toads (Bufo marinus)

1991 ◽  
Vol 159 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Wood ◽  
G. M. Malvin
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Thermal Gradient ◽  
Respiratory Exchange Ratio ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Respiratory Alkalosis ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Bufo Marinus ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Beneficial Response

We tested the hypotheses that hypoxic toads (Bufo marinus) in a thermal gradient would select a lower than normal temperature and that this behavioral response would be beneficial. Under normoxic conditions, selected body temperature was 24.2 +/− 3.6 degrees C. When inspired O2 was 10% or less, mean selected temperature decreased to 15.3 +/− 2.4 degrees C. The theoretical advantages of hypoxia-induced hypothermia we tested include (1) a reduction of oxygen uptake (VO2) by a Q10 effect; (2) increased arterial saturation (SaO2), (3) a decreased ventilatory response, and (4) a decreased stress response. Gas exchange, hematocrit, hemoglobin, SaO2, PaO2 and pH were measured at 25 degrees C (normal preferred temperature) and 15 degrees C (hypoxia preferred temperature) in toads breathing normoxic or hypoxic gas mixtures. During graded hypoxia at 15 degrees C, SaO2 was significantly increased and VO2 was significantly reduced compared with 25 degrees C. Graded hypoxia did not significantly affect VO2 at 25 degrees C, despite evidence for increased ventilation at that temperature (increased pH and respiratory exchange ratio, RE). At 15 degrees C, graded hypoxia had a significant effect on VO2 only at an inspired O2 of 4%. Increased RE with hypoxia was significant at 25 degrees C but not at 15 degrees C. Hematocrit and [hemoglobin] rose significantly during graded hypoxia at 25 degrees C but did not change at 15 degrees C. Toads exposed to 10% O2 (the value that elicits behavioral hypothermia) showed a significant respiratory alkalosis at 25 degrees C but not at 15 degrees C. Likewise, hypoxia caused a significant drop in SaO2 and PO2 at 25 degrees C. Cooling to 15 degrees C during hypoxia caused a significant rise in SaO2 but no change in PaO2. In conclusion, behavioral hypothermia is a beneficial response to hypoxia in Bufo marinus.

Balancing hypoxia and hypothermia in cold-submerged frogs.

1997 ◽  
Vol 200 (6) ◽  
pp. 1031-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
G J Tattersall ◽  
R G Boutilier
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Gradient ◽  
Rana Temporaria ◽  
Metabolic Effects ◽  
Experimental Chamber ◽  
Hypoxic Stress ◽  
Profound Hypothermia ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Chemical Conditions ◽  
Acute Changes ◽  
Ice Water

Many animals respond to hypoxic stress by selecting cooler environments, the so-called 'behavioural hypothermia' response. Amphibians overwintering in ice-covered ponds and lakes offer an ecologically relevant test of this response since they must choose between the confounding metabolic effects of profound hypothermia or hypoxia; thermal and chemical conditions can vary from 0 degrees C and normoxic at the ice-water interface to 4 degrees C and markedly hypoxic at depths of 2-4 m. To mimic such environmental conditions, we constructed an experimental chamber that enabled continuous electronic surveillance of an animal's movement along a thermal gradient. When Rana temporaria pre-acclimated to 3.5 degrees C were placed in a normoxic thermal gradient ranging from 0.8 to 8 degrees C, they invariably favoured the warmer end of the chamber. Upon exposure to hypoxia, however, their preferred temperature shifted from a median of 6.8 degrees C (P02 = 158 mmHg; 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) to 1.9 degrees C (P02 = 25 mmHg). Metabolic rate measurements from animals exposed simultaneously to acute changes in water temperature and PO2 suggest that movement to colder conditions in hypoxia effects the greatest metabolic savings and prolongs the onset of a plasma lactacidosis.

Effects of Age and Overhead Illumination on Temperatures Preferred by Underyearling Rainbow Trout, Salmo gairdneri, in a Vertical Temperature Gradient

1978 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1430-1433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Hwa Kwain ◽  
Robert W. McCauley
Keyword(s):  
Rainbow Trout ◽  
Temperature Gradient ◽  
Temperature Gradients ◽  
Salmo Gairdneri ◽  
Vertical Temperature Gradient ◽  
Temperature Preference ◽  
Vertical Temperature ◽  
Preferred Temperature ◽  
Distribution Of Fish ◽  
Vertical Gradients

During their first 12 mo of life rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, preferred progressively cooler temperatures as they grew older; 19 °C was selected during the 1st mo and the selected temperature declined by intervals of 0.5 °C for each of the following months up to the 3rd mo. Fish swam higher in temperature gradients exposed to overhead illumination than in those in total darkness. This trend was reversed during the following 9 mo. These findings demonstrate the important role that age plays in the temperature preference of this species and the influence that overhead light may have on the distribution of fish in vertical gradients. Key words: preferred temperature, age, Salmo gairdneri, light gradients

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