175 GPS Tracking Collars and Accelerometers Provide Detailed Tracking of Foraging Behavior and Space Use in Grazing Steers in Bermudagrass and Tall Fescue Pasture

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 95-96
Author(s):  
Ira L Parsons ◽  
Brandi B Karisch ◽  
Stephen L Webb ◽  
Amanda E Stone ◽  
Cassidy C Catrett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Gps Tracking ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Grazing Behavior ◽  
Day Range ◽  
Grazing Cattle ◽  
Cattle Feeding ◽  
And Performance

Abstract Previous research in feedlot studies has demonstrated that cattle feeding behavior is driven by internal metabolic processes and external environmental stimuli and serves as an indicator of animal health, nutritional status, and growth and feed quality and availability. However, technology has only recently allowed measurement of foraging behavior in grazing cattle. Objectives of this study were to measure frequency and duration of foraging bouts, meals, and total distance traveled during meals in grazing steers. The study was conducted as part of a larger grazing study on a 10-hectare Bermudagrass and Tall Fescue pasture, overseeded with Annual Ryegrass, located at the HH Leveck Animal Research Center, Mississippi State, MS. Using tri-axial accelerometers and GPS information from 10 crossbred steers, we examined foraging and meal bout frequency and duration and distance and speed traveled per meal for the period of March 2019. Observed animal behavior was used to train a randomforest model to predict foraging behavior, with model accuracy and sensitivity of 0.95 and 0.93, respectively. We found individual foraging bouts occurred on average 2,849 bouts per day and took on average 5.0 ± 1.8 min (range: 3–9 min), and that steers fed on average 205 ± 52.8 min/day (range: 120–270 min/day). Steers had an average of 9.5 ± 2.9 meals/day, that took on average, 89.3 ± 93.9 min/meal (range: 0.5–938.5 min/meal). Steers traveled an average of 412.4 ± 93.9 meters per meal, with an average foraging speed between 0 and 0.63 m/s. Traveling distance while foraging was positively correlated with meal length (0.83, P < 0.01) and foraging speed (0.70, P < 0.01). These results show that cattle grazing behavior can be accurately quantified in grazing cattle and warrants further research to examine associations between animal efficiency and performance, forage quality, and pasture management.

scholarly journals 65 Health, management, and future directions for indoor cattle feeding facilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 11-12
Author(s):  
Adam L Shreck
Keyword(s):  
Health Management ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Cattle Feeding ◽  
New Development ◽  
Effective Option ◽  
Side Walls ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Cost

Abstract The use of soil-surfaced pens with limited over-head or enclosed structures have declined in popularity in the Midwest over the last few decades. Various facility types that utilize complete or partial concrete flooring and side walls have increased in popularity. These changes are driven by 1) readily observable impacts that precipitation and pen conditions have on cattle performance and cost of gain and 2) continual pressure to be compliant with environmental regulations. Cost of indoor cattle feeding facilities can easily approach 2-4x the cost of soil-surfaced pens but for many, such pens are not an option. Management of production and animal health varies within these facilities and likely interacts with cattle types and their associated mortality risk. Direct animal health and performance comparisons among facility types are incredibly difficult to perform due to the multiple confounders (diet, risk, cattle type) that usually exist. Morbidity that frequently occurs in enclosed systems typically revolves around management of papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD), foot and leg issues, and stiffness in cattle. Rolled compacted concrete (RCC) has been a new development that may provide a cost-effective option to curb mud in traditionally soil-surfaced facilities. RCC may also substantially reduce the cost of enclosed facilities that rely on traditional concrete.

scholarly journals Pre-Weaned Calf Rearing on Northern Irish Dairy Farms: Part 1. A Description of Calf Management and Housing Design

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1954
Author(s):  
Aaron J Brown ◽  
Gillian Scoley ◽  
Niamh O’Connell ◽  
Jamie Robertson ◽  
Amanda Browne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Key Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Healthcare Management ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Housing Design ◽  
Hygiene Management ◽  
Calf Performance ◽  
And Performance

The first few months of life are of great importance to the longevity and lifetime performance of dairy cows. The nutrition, environment and healthcare management of heifer calves must be sufficient to minimise exposure to stress and disease and enable them to perform to their genetic potential. Lack of reporting of farm management practices in Northern Ireland (NI) makes it difficult to understand where issues impacting health, welfare and performance may occur in the rearing process. The objective of this study was to investigate housing design and management practices of calves on 66 dairy farms across NI over a 3-month period and also identify areas that may cause high risk of poor health and performance in dairy calves. An initial survey was used to detail housing and management practices, with two subsequent visits to each farm used to collect animal and housing-based measurements linked to hygiene management, animal health and performance. Large variations in key elements such as weaning criteria and method, calf grouping method used, nutritional feed plane, and routine hygiene management were identified. The specification of housing, in particular ventilation and stocking density, was highlighted as a potential limiting factor for calf health and performance. Lack of measurement of nutritional inputs, hygiene management practices and calf performance was observed. This poses a risk to farmers’ ability to ensure the effectiveness of key management strategies and recognise poor calf performance and health.

scholarly journals Co-Occurrence of 35 Mycotoxins: A Seven-Year Survey of Corn Grain and Corn Silage in the United States

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 516
Author(s):  
Alexandra C. Weaver ◽  
Daniel M. Weaver ◽  
Nicholas Adams ◽  
Alexandros Yiannikouris
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Fusaric Acid ◽  
Fumonisin B1 ◽  
The United States ◽  
Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Corn Grain

Mycotoxins contaminate crops worldwide and play a role in animal health and performance. Multiple mycotoxins may co-occur which may increase the impact on the animal. To assess the multiple mycotoxin profile of corn (Zea mays), we conducted a 7-year survey of new crop corn grain and silage in the United States. A total of 711 grain and 1117 silage samples were collected between 2013 and 2019 and analyzed for the simultaneous presence of 35 mycotoxins using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The measured mean number of mycotoxins per sample were 4.8 (grain) and 5.2 (silage), ranging from 0 to 13. Fusaric acid (FA) was most frequently detected in 78.1 and 93.8% of grains and silages, respectively, followed by deoxynivalenol (DON) in 75.7 and 88.2% of samples. Fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (15ADON) followed. The greatest (p < 0.05) co-occurrence was between FA and DON in 59.1% of grains and 82.7% of silages, followed by FA with FB1, DON with 15ADON, and FA with 15ADON. Although many samples had lower mycotoxin concentrations, 1.6% (grain) and 7.9% (silage) of tested samples had DON ≥ 5000 µg/kg. Fumonisins were detected ≥ 10,000 µg/kg in 9.6 and 3.9% of grain and silage samples, respectively. Concentrations in grain varied by year for eight mycotoxin groups (p < 0.05), while all 10 groups showed yearly variations in silage. Our survey suggest that multiple mycotoxins frequently co-occur in corn grain and silage in the Unites States, and some of the more prevalent mycotoxins are those that may not be routinely analyzed (i.e., FA and 15ADON). Assessment of multiple mycotoxins should be considered when developing management programs.

scholarly journals Tall fescue use on dairy farms

1997 ◽  
pp. 163-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.D. Milne ◽  
R. Shaw ◽  
R. Powell ◽  
B. Pirie ◽  
J. Pirie
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Moisture Stress ◽  
Dairy Farmers ◽  
Costelytra Zealandica ◽  
Listronotus Bonariensis ◽  
Summer Growth

Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) is now well proven on New Zealand dairy farms as a pasture species capable of producing high levels of milk production. Compared with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) it offers benefits of higher annual and summer growth, higher clover contents in pasture, higher green leaf to stem ratios in summer, reduced plant pulling, better animal health, grass grub (Costelytra zealandica) and Argentine stem weevil (Listronotus bonariensis) tolerance, tolerance of wet soils, and drought tolerance and growth. Tall fescue can be recommended for dairy farmers in areas where summer growth and quality of ryegrass is reduced by moisture stress or high temperatures, and for those willing to adjust their grazing and establishment practices to suit tall fescue. Keywords: dairy farms, Festuca arundinacea, tall fescue

Use of space, active and resting behaviour in fattening rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed in a combi park system: A case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-506
Author(s):  
S Kimm ◽  
SL Rauterberg ◽  
J Bill ◽  
J Stracke ◽  
N Kemper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oryctolagus Cuniculus ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Housing System ◽  
Use Of Space ◽  
Continuous Sampling ◽  
Resting Behaviour ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Species Specific

In this case study, a housing system for rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was developed, complying with the new German Welfare Regulation, and evaluated on-farm with regard to the rabbits' behaviour during four fattening periods. The housing system was characterised by the large group size of fatteners (maximum 65 animals per group, 12 animals per m²) due to the merging of six former single units for does and their litters, post-weaning. A large elevated platform, a box with a roof (small elevated platform), a tube and gnawing materials were made available per unit. The aim being to assess the suitability of the housing system for rabbits with regard to animal welfare, based on behavioural analyses. Therefore, the use of space by the rabbits (n = 247) was investigated by video analysis (instantaneous scan sampling) during daytime. Additionally, the individual behaviour of 20 focal rabbits in different locations was assessed by continuous sampling. Results showed that rabbits preferred to huddle together in the outer units in the first weeks post-weaning. The highest animal densities were found under and in front of the large and on the small platforms. The large platforms were visited increasingly from the 10th fattening day onwards. Elevated platforms supported resting and comfort behaviours. Nonelevated open-top areas enabled upright positions and locomotor behaviours. Aggression and stereotypic behaviours rarely occurred. We conclude that the housing system supported species-specific behaviour and seemed to cater for the needs of rabbits in terms of welfare. Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to ascertain the effects on animal health and performance.

Influence of the digestive/reproductive tract microbiota on chicken egg production beyond host genetics

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diyan Li ◽  
Shilin Tian ◽  
Wei Zhu ◽  
Yuan Su ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Digestive Tract ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Host Genetics ◽  
Microbiome Composition ◽  
Chicken Egg ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Major Factors

Abstract Background: The microbiota of the digestive and reproductive systems has a prominent role in animal health and performance, but the extent of its contribution is difficult to determine. In chickens, the effect of host genetics on the reproductive and digestive tract microbiota is unclear, and the means by which digestive/reproductive microbiomes help improve egg production in chicken are unknown.Results: To gain insight into this, we examined genomes from 128 chickens reared under identical conditions and described their digestive (crop, gizzard and small intestine) and reproductive tract (vagina, uterus and isthmus) microbiota. Although the diversity, composition and predicted function of the digestive and reproductive tract microbiota exhibited notable microbiota variation substantially between different parts, host genetics had limited effects on the reproductive and digestive tract microbial community. The digestive and reproductive tract microbiota had a significant effect on egg production (accounting for 52.31% - 98.86% of the variance), after correcting for host genetic effects; in particular, the uterus and isthmus microbiota accounted for an average of 93.59% and 98.86%, respectively, of variance in egg production. We further identified four reproductive tract microbial species which were related to immune system, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides salanitronis, Bacteroides barnesiae and Clostridium leptum, that were significantly positively correlated with egg production. Chickens with a lower abundance of these species had produced significantly fewer eggs at 300 days of age (37.13 vs. 113.75) than those with a higher abundance of these microorganisms. These taxa indicate potential roles play in promoting reproductive performance. Especially uterus and isthmus tract microbiota were major factors in regulating the chicken egg production.Conclusions: Host genetics has limited effect on digestive/reproductive microbiome composition. The distinct site-associated chicken microbiome may be determined by the differences of their physical function. These findings may help design strategies for controlling and altering the digestive/reproductive tract microbiota in chickens to improve egg production.

scholarly journals Characteristics and performance of village animal health workers and veterinary assistants in northern Malawi

2000 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Hüttner ◽  
K. Leidl ◽  
F.B.D. Jere ◽  
D.U. Pfeiffer
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Small Ruminants ◽  
Field Performance ◽  
Treatment Patterns ◽  
Multivariate Techniques ◽  
Adult Cattle ◽  
Refresher Training ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Overall Job Satisfaction

Fourty-two village animal health workers called keymen (KM) and 84 veterinary assistants (VA) involved in a Basic Animal Health Service (BAHS) Programme in northern Malawi were interviewed during 1998. The general characteristics and perceptions of both groups were analysed using uni- and multivariate techniques. Detailed sales and treatment patterns of six KMand 12 VAwere evaluated for the period September 1996 to August 1997. Results indicated an overall job-satisfaction for 82 % of KM and 83 % of VA. Estimated weekly involvement in livestock service delivery, particularly of KM, was 3.7 days on average. Total annual drug sales of KM and VA between 1996 and 1997 on average were equivalent to US$ 124 and US$ 218 respectively. Most livestock remedies were issued for treatment of calves, followed by adult cattle, chickens and small ruminants. The changes suggested by VA and KM in order to improve field performance focused on regular refresher training by the BAHS programme.

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