Effects of alternative housing and feeding systems on the behavior and performance of dairy heifer calves

This paper reviews opportunities to improve the diet quality, intake and performance of animals through manipulation of the partial preference commonly shown by grazing animals for different pasture components. Using evidence from the well-worked example of grass–legume pastures, potential opportunities to manipulate preference are highlighted, including: (i) altering plant characteristics to change the relative preference of alternative species or cultivars; (ii) utilising variation in preference among and within animal species; and (iii) working with, rather than against, known preference patterns, by offering forages as spatially separated monocultures within the same paddock or at different times of the day. In all cases, it is argued that is important to consider the full complexities of pasture–animal interactions, in particular, how current diet choices feed back to determine choices available subsequently in the pasture. To develop feeding systems where desirable pasture traits for animal performance are sustained at a high abundance in the diet, plant and animal breeding selection practises and grazing management systems should take greater account of the existence of partial preferences.

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How Housing Conditions Determine the Welfare of Pigs

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11123484 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 3484

Author(s):

Agnieszka Ludwiczak ◽

Ewa Skrzypczak ◽

Joanna Składanowska-Baryza ◽

Marek Stanisz ◽

Piotr Ślósarz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Behavioral Issues ◽

Alternative Housing ◽

Housing Systems ◽

Slaughter Performance ◽

Outdoor Housing ◽

The Difference ◽

And Performance ◽

Literature Group ◽

Environmental Exploration ◽

Increased Activity

Humans who care for pigs prefer an environment that not only allows the pigs to express their natural behaviors but also limits the development of aggression and stereotypes. Most of the behavioral and health problems encountered by pigs in barren, conventional conditions are solved by alternative housing systems. However, it is not known whether these systems are advantageous in terms of the performance of pigs. In this work, we review the effects of housing systems on pigs’ behaviors and performance, which are among the major indicators of the welfare of these animals. Research results point out that outdoor systems are more ideal for sows and fatteners than buildings. Nonetheless, outdoor housing is associated with two major effects in both groups: increased activity due to environmental exploration and higher space allowance, and increased incidence of injuries compared to indoor systems. Sows are more active when housed in groups, but they experience an increased frequency of injuries. According to the literature, group-housed sows give birth to healthy piglets with good daily weight gains. The difference in the fattening and slaughter performance of pigs raised indoors vs. outdoors remains unclear, and the results reported so far are inconsistent. Outdoor systems seem to be associated with a higher incidence of osteochondrosis and lesions of elbow and hock joints, whereas indoor systems cause a greater degree of body soiling in pigs. Based on the reviewed literature, it may be concluded that outdoor housing helps to solve behavioral issues in pigs but leads to other problems in pig production.

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Use of AMT Transformers and Distributed Storage Systems to Enhance Electrical Feeding Systems for Tramways

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13184725 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 4725

Author(s):

Romano Giglioli ◽

Giovanni Lutzemberger ◽

Luca Sani

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficiency ◽

Systematic Approach ◽

Storage Systems ◽

Distributed Storage ◽

Amorphous Metal ◽

Greenhouse Emissions ◽

Distributed Storage Systems ◽

And Performance ◽

Different Levels ◽

Feeding Systems

Tramway systems are more and more diffused today, to reduce pollution and greenhouse emissions. However, their electrical feeding substations can have significant margin for improvement. Therefore, it is questionable which kind of changes can be introduced, by changing their main features. First of all, transformer technology can be enhanced, by moving from the standard transformer to the amorphous metal one; thus, guaranteeing a significant reduction in losses. Then, by installing one dedicated storage systems for each substation. This solution can help to increase the energy efficiency; thus, recovering the tram braking energy and reducing the delivered energy from the grid, and also the reliability of the system; thus, guarantee different levels of services, in the case of failure of a feeding substation. This paper investigates in a systematic approach the two proposed solutions. In particular an amorphous metal transformer has been properly designed, and performance compared to the standard one. Then, evaluation of distributed storage installation was performed, and the aspects of reliability for these systems evaluated. Results have shown the general feasibility of the proposed solutions, showing a significant energy saving with respect to the conventional ones.

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Comparative effect of direct-fed microbial regimen on health and performance of neonatal dairy heifer calves

The Professional Animal Scientist ◽

10.15232/pas.2015-01422 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 31 (6) ◽

pp. 523-528 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B.C. Clymer ◽

A.M. Daniels ◽

L. Smalley ◽

J.T. Richeson ◽

S.P. Madere

Keyword(s):

Comparative Effect ◽

Dairy Heifer ◽

And Performance

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Influence of teat flow rate in commercial milk feeding systems on calf digestion and performance

Journal of Applied Animal Nutrition ◽

10.1017/jan.2015.9 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

R. McInnes ◽

D. McInnes ◽

R. Papworth ◽

A. McIntyre

Keyword(s):

Flow Rate ◽

Slow Release ◽

Strong Trend ◽

Whole Milk ◽

Hind Gut ◽

And Performance ◽

Regular Flow ◽

Daily Gain ◽

Milk Feeding ◽

Feeding Systems

SummarySeventy two, one day old Friesian heifer calves were fed whole milk either via regular or slow release teats on commercial calfeteria systems (Milkbar, McInnes Manufacturing Limited, Waipu, New Zealand) for 42 days. For the entire period, the consumption time for the calves fed on the regular flow rate teat calfeterias was twice as fast as for those fed using the slow teats. Meal intake was numerically higher for the calves fed milk using the slow teats. At day 42, calves on the slow teats had a strong trend towards higher daily gain. At 14 days of age, visual differences in curding were seen in the abomasum of culled calves, with the fast teat-fed animals having large lumps of curded milk surrounded by watery liquid, whereas the slow teat-fed calves had much smaller particle sized curding in thicker fluid. Lactose digestion in the stomach was significantly higher for the calves fed using the slow teats, and there was a strong trend for higher levels of free protein in the ileum. Using slow flow rate teats to feed calves from day old to weaning appears to have an important impact on digestive processes in the immature gut. Such improvements in digestion and rumen development in young calves may assist in the digestion of milk and other feeds, leading to improved growth performance. Under farm conditions, slow release teat systems may reduce scours and other digestive problems in young calves during peak milk intake (up to 15 d of age), due to increased ileal digestion of nutrients, preventing undigested nutrient flow to the hind gut. It may also reduce cross-sucking behaviour in calves, which is undesirable.

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Nutritional strategies to maximise forage intake in high yielding dairy cows

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200005834 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 2001 ◽

pp. 201-201

Author(s):

R.H. Phipps ◽

A.K. Jones ◽

C.K. Reynolds ◽

A.R. Henderson ◽

B.S. Woodacre

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Milk Production ◽

Short Term ◽

Forage Intake ◽

And Performance ◽

Nutritional Strategies ◽

Feeding Systems

Cow genetics, forage supply and quality, and feeding systems are relatively fixed in the short term. Therefore, it is important to establish the effect on intake and performance of a range of nutritional strategies. The purpose of the current study was to determine the effects on milk production and composition of nutritional strategies designed to increase forage intake by altering the composition of the concentrate supplement, and reducing the level of concentrate feeding.

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Alternative housing for sows and litters: 2. Effects of a communal piglet area on pre- and post-weaning behaviour and performance

Applied Animal Behaviour Science ◽

10.1016/s0168-1591(99)00053-2 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 123-135 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Daniel M Weary ◽

Edmond A Pajor ◽

Marjolaine Bonenfant ◽

Stephen K Ross ◽

David Fraser ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alternative Housing ◽

And Performance

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Comparison of the efficiency and performance of two systems and three membranes for blood feeding mosquitoes

BMC Research Notes ◽

10.1186/s13104-021-05799-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fatoumata Seck ◽

Aurélie Cailleau ◽

Mawlouth Diallo ◽

Ibrahima Dia

Keyword(s):

Blood Feeding ◽

The Other ◽

Feeding Rates ◽

Time Intervals ◽

Two Systems ◽

And Performance ◽

Feeding Techniques ◽

Feeding Systems

Abstract Objective Due to different concerns in using appropriate mosquito blood feeding techniques, this work focused on evaluating the effectiveness of two artificial mosquito feeding systems (Rutledge and Hemotek) and three different membranes (Parafilm, mouse and chicken skins). Female mosquitoes from an An. coluzzii strain aged between 2 and 5 days were exposed to blood with the two systems at time intervals (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min) with blood used on the day of collection, the next day and 2 days after. Results Our results showed that the Hemotek system gave better blood feeding rates than the Rutledge system. Among the three membranes, the blood feeding rates with chicken and mouse skins were higher than those provided by the Parafilm membrane. Likewise, blood stored 1 day after collection gave higher levels than blood used on the day of collection and 2 days after. Regardless of the system, the lowest blood feeding rates were observed at 5 min compared to the other exposure times.

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