scholarly journals Laser Enrichment Device Stimulates Broiler Laser-Following Behavior While Increasing Individual Bird Locomotion and Pen-Wide Movement

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meaghan M. Meyer ◽  
Anna K. Johnson ◽  
Elizabeth A. Bobeck
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Walking Distance ◽  
Strength Analysis ◽  
Unintended Effects ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
Individual Bird ◽  
Selection For ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Fast Growth Rate

Genetic selection for fast growth rate and high breast muscle yield in modern broilers has unintended effects on animal welfare and behavior, namely in terms of inactivity and leg disorders. We hypothesized that exercise stimulated through environmental enrichment could positively stimulate pen-wide activity and improve bird welfare. The study objectives were to implement a laser enrichment device to motivate active and feeding behaviors throughout the pen. Twelve hundred Ross 708 broilers were randomly assigned to enrichment (LASER; laser enrichment, or CON; no laser enrichment) for 49 d. Seventy focal birds were randomly assigned to 14 video-recorded pens for behavioral analysis, including focal bird home pen behavior and walking distance. Pen-wide activity was also measured during the 4-min laser periods, four times daily, d0–8, and 1 day weekly, wk 1–6. Focal birds were gait scored wk 1–6, and were euthanized on d42 for tibia bone mineral content, density, and bone breaking strength analysis. Time spent active was increased in LASER-enriched birds compared to CON on wk 3–5 by up to 214% (wk 4), and percent of time at the feeder was increased in LASER-enriched birds by 761% on wk 4 (P < 0.05). Peak percent of birds following the laser (LASER-enriched pens only) was observed on d0 (8.52%). Over wk 1–6, peak laser-following behavior was observed on wk 3 (3.07% of birds). Percent of birds moving during laser periods was increased in LASER-enriched pens on d0, 1, 2, 6, 7, and 8, with a percent increase of 68.7% observed on d1 (P < 0.05). Percent of birds moving (laser-following or not) was increased on wk 1, 3, and 4 in LASER-enriched pens, with an increase of 69.7% observed on wk 4 (P < 0.05). No differences were found in tibia measures. These data indicate that laser enrichment stimulated voluntary locomotion through wk 5 and laser-following behavior through wk 6, and that the relatively small percent of birds actively following the laser stimulated pen-wide movement above the level of the CON through wk 4 on study.

Genetic selection for nonstructural carbohydrates and its impact on other nutritive attributes of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) forage

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Claessens ◽  
Marie Bipfubusa ◽  
Caroline Chouinard‐Michaud ◽  
Annick Bertrand ◽  
Gaëtan F. Tremblay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Nonstructural Carbohydrates ◽  
Selection For

scholarly journals Influence of Genetic Selection for Growth and Broodstock Diet n-3 LC-PUFA Levels on Reproductive Performance of Gilthead Seabream, Sparus aurata

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 519
Author(s):  
Shajahan Ferosekhan ◽  
Serhat Turkmen ◽  
Cathaysa Pérez-García ◽  
Hanlin Xu ◽  
Ana Gómez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Egg Quality ◽  
Sparus Aurata ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Growth Trait ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Gilthead Seabream ◽  
Commercial Diet ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Broodstock Diet

Genetic selection in gilthead seabream (GSB), Sparus aurata, has been undertaken to improve the growth, feed efficiency, fillet quality, skeletal deformities and disease resistance, but no study is available to delineate the effect of genetic selection for growth trait on GSB reproductive performance under mass spawning condition. In this study, high growth (HG) or low growth (LG) GSB broodstock were selected to evaluate the sex steroid hormones, sperm, egg quality and reproductive performance under different feeding regime of commercial diet or experimental broodstock diet containing either fish oil (FO) or vegetable oil (VO) based diet. Under commercial diet feeding phase, broodstock selected for either high growth or low growth did not show any significant changes in the egg production per kg female whereas egg viability percentage was positively (p = 0.014) improved by the high growth trait broodstock group. The experimental diet feeding results revealed that both growth trait and dietary fatty acid composition influenced the reproductive performance of GSB broodstock. In the experimental diet feeding phase, we observed high growth trait GSB males produced a higher number of sperm cells (p < 0.001) and also showed a higher sperm motility (p = 0.048) percentage. The viable egg and larval production per spawn per kg female were significantly improved by the broodstock selected for high growth trait and fed with fish oil-based diet. This present study results signifies that gilthead seabream broodstock selected on growth trait could have positive role in improvement of sperm and egg quality to produce viable progeny.

Developmental morphology and anatomy of the reproductive structures in sunflower (Helianthus annuus): a unified temporal scale

Botany ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 307-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.I. Lindström ◽  
L.F. Hernández
Keyword(s):  
Disease Resistance ◽  
Helianthus Annuus ◽  
Oil Content ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Reproductive Development ◽  
Developmental Morphology ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Reproductive Structures ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Growing Conditions

In sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), there has been an intense genetic selection for achenes with agronomic value, such as greater mass, oil content, and disease resistance. However, the information regarding the anatomical events that control their growth and maturation is surprisingly scarce. The aim of the present work was to study sunflower male and female sporogenesis and gametogenesis, as well as cell division and enlargement and tissue differentiation in the ovary and the embryo, linking the timing of these events to two frequently used phenological scales and a thermal time scale. In addition, we propose an ontogenetic scale that integrates the results of the present work to that of previous studies on sunflower reproductive development. The unified scales presented here provide a framework for others to investigate the relationships uncovered in this study in different genetic backgrounds and under different growing conditions.

Associations of PrP genotypes with live weight and slaughter traits in an experimental flock of Swaledale sheep in Great Britain

2006 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 607-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Y. N. Man ◽  
S. Brotherstone ◽  
B. G. Merrell ◽  
W. A. Murray ◽  
B. Villanueva
Keyword(s):  
Great Britain ◽  
Maternal Effects ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Eradication Programme ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Selection For

AbstractPolymorphisms at codons 136, 154 and 171 of the gene encoding the prion protein (PrP) are associated with susceptibility to classical scrapie in sheep. Genetic selection for scrapie resistance based on PrP genotypes is central to the scrapie eradication programme in Great Britain but there are concerns about how this may affect other economically important traits. The objective of this study was to evaluate associations of PrP genotypes with live weight and slaughter traits in a hill sheep breed in Great Britain. Data used were from an experimental flock of Swaledale sheep in which the alleles ARR, ARQ, AHQ and VRQ were present. About 1450 genotyped lambs with birth, marking and weaning weights, and 620 with slaughter records were used for the study. Mixed models with various fixed effects and random direct genetic and maternal effects were tested to determine the appropriate model to use for each trait. None of the differences in lamb performance between PrP genotypes consistently reached significance. Therefore, this study does not support existence of significant relationships between PrP genotype and lamb performance traits in this breed.

Effect of Protein accretion rate on reproductive function in the gilt between 50kg and 3rd oestrus

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 6-6
Author(s):  
J. Cameron ◽  
J. Wiseman ◽  
R. Webb ◽  
M.G. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Accretion Rate ◽  
Genetic Selection ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Reproductive Failure ◽  
Lean Tissue ◽  
Body Protein ◽  
Protein Mass ◽  
Accretion Rates ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Tissue Accretion

Recent MLC survey data (Pig Year Book, 1995) reports that approximately 0.5 of annual first parity gilt cullings are due to reproductive failure. This high culling rate may be attributed to recent genetic selection for increased lean tissue accretion rates, and as a result a greater mature body weight. However, the gilt attains puberty and is thus mated at a lower age and as a consequence has not reached the target threshold of 35kg body protein mass at farrowing, suggested by Everts (1994),to be necessary for optimal reproductive performance. This, confounded with excessive tissue catabolism over lactation results in the attenuation of the gilt's potential protein accretion curve and hence reproductive failure (Foxcroft et al. 1995). The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of two protein accretion rates (maximum and 0.8 of maximum) on reproductive function in the gilt from 50kg liveweight to 3rd oestrus.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document