Effects of Doubling the Standard Space Allowance on Behavioural and Physiological Responses of Sheep Experiencing Regular and Irregular Floor Motion during Simulated Sea Transport

Transporting livestock at high stocking density by ship presents significant risks to their welfare, especially if it is over long distances. Previous research has investigated small variations in density for long periods or a moderate variation for short periods. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a doubling of space allowance during two types of simulated ship movement, regular and irregular floor motion, on the welfare of sheep for a short one-hour period. Six 25 kg sheep were restrained in pairs in a crate on a programmable platform that generated roll and pitch motion typical of that experienced on board ship. Sheep were subjected to regular or irregular movement or a control treatment at high and low stocking densities (0.26 and 0.52 m2/sheep) in a multilevel changeover design. Irregular movement was programmed as a sequence of 30 different amplitude and duration values for pitch and roll movements, which were randomly selected by computer software controlling the movement. Regular movement was the mean of these values, which represented approximately 33% of the recommended maximum tolerance for livestock carriers. Behaviour was recorded by six cameras positioned around the crate. The low space allowance increased sheep pushing each other (Low: 4.51 events/h, High: 1.37 events/h, p < 0.001), affiliative behaviour, with their heads one on top of the other (Low 8.64, High 3.75 s/h, p = 0.02) and standing supported by the crate (Low 96, High 3.2 s/h, p < 0.001). Sheep stepped more frequently when more space was provided, particularly in the forward (Low 6.4, High 8.4 steps/h, p = 0.02) and left (Low 4.0, High 4.7 steps/h, p = 0.03) directions. The low space allowance group also had i heart rates, providing evidence of physiological stress. Irregular movement reduced rumination (Irregular 288, Control 592, Regular 403 s/h, p = 0.02), which was evidence of reduced welfare, but balance corrections by stepping were more common if the motion was regular. Thus, there was evidence that the low space allowance increased interactions between sheep and was stressful, and that irregular floor motion in simulated ship transport limited balance control and reduced welfare.

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Characterization of Maize Genotypes (Zea mays L.) for Resistance to Striga asiatica and S. hermonthica and Compatibility with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. strigae (FOS) in Tanzania

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11051004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1004

Author(s):

John Lobulu ◽

Hussein Shimelis ◽

Mark D. Laing ◽

Arnold Angelo Mushongi ◽

Admire Isaac Tichafa Shayanowako

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Fusarium Oxysporum ◽

Biocontrol Agent ◽

Zea Mays L ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Yield Reduction ◽

Maize Genotypes ◽

Significant Yield ◽

The Mean

Striga species cause significant yield loss in maize varying from 20 to 100%. The aim of the present study was to screen and identify maize genotypes with partial resistance to S. hermonthica (Sh) and S. asiatica (Sa) and compatible with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. strigae (FOS), a biocontrol agent. Fifty-six maize genotypes were evaluated for resistance to Sh and Sa, and FOS compatibility. Results showed that FOS treatment significantly (p < 0.001) enhanced Striga management compared to the untreated control under both Sh and Sa infestations. The mean grain yield was reduced by 19.13% in FOS-untreated genotypes compared with a loss of 13.94% in the same genotypes treated with FOS under Sh infestation. Likewise, under Sa infestation, FOS-treated genotypes had a mean grain yield reduction of 18% while untreated genotypes had a mean loss of 21.4% compared to the control treatment. Overall, based on Striga emergence count, Striga host damage rating, grain yield and FOS compatibility, under Sh and Sa infestations, 23 maize genotypes carrying farmer preferred traits were identified. The genotypes are useful genetic materials in the development of Striga-resistant cultivars in Tanzania and related agro-ecologies.

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Effects of Insecticides for Controlling Hogplum Beetle Podontia 14-punctata under Laboratory and Field Conditions

Journal of Environmental Science and Natural Resources ◽

10.3329/jesnr.v8i1.24676 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 79-83

Author(s):

MJ Uddin ◽

MMH Khan

Keyword(s):

Natural Resources ◽

Field Condition ◽

Field Trial ◽

Adult Stage ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Larval Instars ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Laboratory Trial ◽

The Mean ◽

Hog Plum

Experiments on hogplum beetle, Podontia 14-punctata were carried out to find out the suitable insecticide(s) with appropriate dose(s) for suppressing both larvae and adults. Results revealed that the highest mortality (100%) was found in 1st instar larvae after 24 hours at each dose of superior 505EC and the lowest mortality was in T4 treated leaves. The highest mortality was also found in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and adult stages of hog-plum beetle by T5 and T6 treatments. No mortality was observed in control treatment in laboratory trial. The mean number of larvae ranged from 1.5 to 7.6 per square meter of quadrate at one week after last spray. No significant difference was observed among treatments regarding percent leaf infestation at one day before 1st spray. The percent leaf infestation ranged from 5.01 to 9.82 at one week after last spray. The lowest percent (5.87%) leaf infestation was found in T6 treated plants while the highest percent (15.76%) leaf infestation was found in untreated control plants. The highest mortality was observed in T5 and T6 treated plants at all larval instars and no significant difference was found between two doses of each insecticide under field condition. The results of field trial also revealed that the minimum dose (0.75 ml L-1 of water) of Superior 505 EC is sufficient to suppress the field population of larvae and adults of Podontia 14-punctata effectively. Finally, it may be concluded that the highest mortality was found in all larval instars and adult stage of hog-plum beetle after 24 hours at each dose of superior 505 EC (T5 and T6 treatments) both in laboratory and field trials.J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 8(1): 79-83 2015

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Moderate Intensity Intermittent Exercise Modality May Prevent Cardiovascular Drift

Sports ◽

10.3390/sports6030098 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 98 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Muzaffer Colakoglu ◽

Ozgur Ozkaya ◽

Gorkem Balci

Keyword(s):

Intermittent Exercise ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

O2 Consumption ◽

Gas Analyzer ◽

Continuous Exercise ◽

Exercise Modality ◽

Cardiovascular Drift ◽

Cardiac Adaptation ◽

The Mean

Cardiovascular drift (CV-Drift) may occur after the ~10th min of submaximal continuous exercising. The purpose of this study was to examine whether CV-Drift is prevented by an intermittent exercise modality, instead of a continuous exercise. Seven well-trained male cyclists volunteered to take part in the study ( V ˙ O2max: 61.7 ± 6.13 mL·min−1·kg−1). Following familiarization sessions, athletes’ individual maximal O2 consumption ( V ˙ O2max), maximum stroke volume responses (SVmax), and cardiac outputs (Qc) were evaluated by a nitrous-oxide re-breathing system and its gas analyzer. Then, continuous exercises were performed 30 min at cyclists’ 60% V ˙ O2max, while intermittent exercises consisted of three 10 min with 1:0.5 workout/recovery ratios at the same intensity. Qc measurements were taken at the 5th, 9th, 12nd, 15th, 20th, 25th, and 30th min of continuous exercises versus 5th and 10th min of workout phases of intermittent exercise modality. Greater than a 5% SV decrement, with accompanying HR, increase, while Qc remained stable and was accepted as CV-Drift criterion. It was demonstrated that there were greater SV responses throughout intermittent exercises when compared to continuous exercises (138.9 ± 17.9 vs. 144.5 ± 14.6 mL, respectively; p ≤ 0.05) and less HR responses (140.1 ± 14.8 vs. 135.2 ± 11.6 bpm, respectively; p ≤ 0.05), while mean Qc responses were similar (19.4 ± 2.1 vs. 19.4 ± 1.5 L, respectively; p > 0.05). Moreover, the mean times spent at peak SV scores of exercise sessions were greater during intermittent exercise (1.5 vs. 10 min) (p < 0.001). In conclusion, intermittent exercises reduce CV-Drift risk and increases cardiac adaptation potentials of exercises with less physiological stress.

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How Is Fitness of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) Affected When Different Developmental Stages Are Exposed to Chlorfenapyr?

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11080542 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 542

Author(s):

Anna Skourti ◽

Nickolas G. Kavallieratos ◽

Nikos E. Papanikolaou

Keyword(s):

Life Table ◽

Tribolium Castaneum ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Survival Curve ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Intrinsic Rate Of Increase ◽

Net Reproductive Rate ◽

Rate Of Increase ◽

The Mean ◽

Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is an important pest of stored products. Insecticidal treatment is a common practice for the control of this notorious insect pest. Most studies are focused on the immediate and/or delayed mortality effects, while there are no data on the effects of insecticides on the population fitness. This study deals with the effect of chlorfenapyr on T. castaneum, investigating the cost of exposure of different developmental stages on population performance, by using life table statistics and a survival analysis method. For this purpose, eggs, larvae, and parental adult females of T. castaneum were exposed to chlorfenapyr and birth or death rates were calculated daily. The exposure of eggs and larvae to chlorfenapyr was detrimental for T. castaneum and they did not complete development. When parental females were exposed to chlorfenapyr, the progeny survival curve, biological features, as well as the life table parameters did not differ significantly compared to the control treatment. Thus, egg hatching, larval and pupal developmental periods, female and male longevities for the control treatment, and the progeny of the females that were exposed to chlorfenapyr were 4.66 and 4.76 days, 25.85 and 25.71 days, 5.00 and 5.26 days, 87.33 and 104.22 days, and 76.87 and 91.87 days, respectively. In addition, the mean values of the net reproductive rate, the intrinsic rate of increase, the mean generation time and the doubling time for the control treatment and the progeny of the parental females which were exposed to chlorfenapyr were 14.3 and 9.3 females/female, 0.038 and 0.028 females/female/day, 1.039 and 1.029, 70.0 and 76.9 days, and 18.5 and 24.9 days, respectively. We expect these results to have bearing on the management of T. castaneum, since the repeatedly insecticidal applications could be reduced in storage facilities.

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Effects of stocking density on growth of zebrafish (Danio rerio, Hamilton, 1822)

Bangladesh Journal of Zoology ◽

10.3329/bjz.v44i2.32760 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 44 (2) ◽

pp. 209-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Md Golam Rabbane ◽

Md Mizanur Rahman ◽

Md Anwar Hossain ◽

Md Anwar Hossain

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Danio Rerio ◽

Specific Growth ◽

Condition Factor ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Laboratory System ◽

Zebra Fish ◽

Commercial Diet ◽

The Mean ◽

Length Gain

The effect of stocking density on growth of zebra fish was examined. Total five different stocking densities (5, 15, 25, 35 and 45 individuals per 2 liters of water) were maintained in triplicate for a period of 60 days. One month old zebrafish were randomly stocked into 15 tanks and fish were fed with commercial diet. The mean weight gain, specific growth rate and length gain for treatment 1 (5 fish/2liter) and treatment 2 (15 fish/2 liter) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than treatment 3 (25 fish/2 liter), treatment 4 (35 fish/2 liter) and treatment 5 (45 fish/2 liter). The gender weight gain, survival rate and condition factor did not show any significant (p > 0.05) difference among treatments. The result of this study suggests that the stocking density of zebrafish could be 15 fish per 2 litre of water in a laboratory system with aeration.Bangladesh J. Zool. 44(2): 209-218, 2016

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Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes to Heat after Adaptation to Environmental Stresses

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-59.5.465 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 59 (5) ◽

pp. 465-471 ◽

Cited By ~ 126

Author(s):

YUQIAN LOU ◽

AHMED E. YOUSEF

Keyword(s):

Listeria Monocytogenes ◽

Phosphate Buffer ◽

Capillary Tube ◽

Stationary Phases ◽

Exponential Phase ◽

Stress Factors ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Maximum Tolerance ◽

C Value ◽

Stressed Cells

Changes in the thermotolerance of Listeria monocytogenes at different stages of growth and in the presence of stress factors were studied. Stresses investigated include starvation and treatment with hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, and low pH. Stressed cells were suspended in phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7.0) and their thermotolerance was determined by measuring D56°C-value using the capillary tube method. D56°C remained constant (1.0 min) during the exponential phase of growth and then increased to a maximum of 8.6 min during the late exponential and early stationary phases. Cells of L. monocytogenes were harvested when in the exponential phase and suspended in phosphate buffer at pH 7.0. The cells were then starved by incubating the suspension for up to 163 h at 30°C. D56°-values increased during starvation and reached a maximum of 13.6 min. Ethanol (0.5 to 12%, vol/vol), acid (pH 4.0 to 7.0), or H2O2 (27 to 500 ppm) was added to L. monocytogenes cultures in the exponential phase and the cells were allowed to grow for 1 h (one to two doublings of the control treatment). All treatments caused increases in the thermotolerance of the pathogen. Maximum tolerance was observed in cells exposed to 4 to 8% ethanol, pH 4.5, and 500 ppm H2O2; the corresponding averages for D56°C-values were 4.1, 8.8, and 2.9 min, respectively.

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Incorporating Voluntary Knee Flexion Into Nonanticipatory Balance Corrections

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.01303.2006 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 98 (5) ◽

pp. 3047-3059 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Lars B. Oude Nijhuis ◽

Bastiaan R. Bloem ◽

Mark G. Carpenter ◽

John H. J. Allum

Keyword(s):

Knee Flexion ◽

Balance Control ◽

Critical Role ◽

Support Surface ◽

Trunk Flexion ◽

Postural Perturbation ◽

Automatic Balance ◽

Human Balance ◽

Balance Deficits ◽

Balance Corrections

Knee movements play a critical role in most balance corrections. Loss of knee flexibility may cause postural instability. Conversely, trained voluntary knee flexions executed during balance corrections might help to overcome balance deficits. We examined whether bilateral knee flexion could be added to automatic balance corrections generated by sudden balance perturbations. We investigated how this could be achieved and whether it improved or worsened balance control. Twenty-four healthy subjects participated in three different test conditions, in which they had to flex their knees following an auditory cue (VOLUNTARY condition), had to restore their balance in response to multidirectional rotations of a support surface (REACTIVE condition), or the combination of these two (COMBINED condition). A new variable set (PREDICTED), calculated as the mathematical sum of VOLUNTARY and REACTIVE, was compared with the COMBINED variable set. COMBINED responses following forward rotations were close to PREDICTED, or greater, suggesting adequate integration of knee flexion into the automatic balance reactions. For backward rotations, the COMBINED condition resulted in several near-falls, and this was generally associated with smaller knee flexion and smaller EMG responses. Subjects compensated by using greater trunk flexion and arm movements. Activity in several muscles displayed earlier onsets for the COMBINED condition following backward rotations. We conclude that healthy adults can incorporate voluntary knee flexion into their automatic balance corrections and that this depends on the direction of the postural perturbation. These findings highlight the flexibility of the human balance repertoire and underscore both the advantages and limitations of using trained voluntary movements to aid balance corrections in man.

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Density-dependent Growth of Endangered Labeo bata (Hamilton, 1822) in Nursery Ponds

Journal of Environmental Science and Natural Resources ◽

10.3329/jesnr.v9i1.30294 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 67-73

Author(s):

MA Samad ◽

MM Rasid ◽

MR Haque ◽

AK Paul ◽

H Ferdaushy

Keyword(s):

Survival Rate ◽

Growth Performance ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Ammonia Nitrogen ◽

Average Weight ◽

Mean Values ◽

Labeo Bata ◽

Survival And Growth ◽

The Mean ◽

Dependent Growth

The effect of stocking density on growth performance and survival rate of endangered Labeo bata, was conducted in nursery ponds from 14th June to 13th August, 2013. Three different stocking densities viz. 500, 600 and 700 piece-1 decimal were assigned as treatment T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The initial average weight of L. bata was 0.15±008 g. Hatchlings in all the nursery ponds were fed indigenous feed (26.95% crude protein) for 8 weeks. Temperature, ammonia nitrogen, pH had no significant differences (P<0.05). Final weight (g) was found to be the highest (4.06±0.06) in T1 and the lowest (3.20±0.03) in T3. The mean values of weight gain (g) was the highest (3.91±0.06) in T1 and the lowest (3.05±0.03) in T3. SGR was highest (5.49±0.02) in T1 and lowest (5.09±0.02) in T3. Yet again, survival rate was highest (70.33±0.88) in T1 where stocking density was the lowest among those aforementioned three treatments and lowest (61.00±0.58) in T3 where the stocking density was the highest among the treatments. And finally production (kg-1ha) was found highest (352.66±4.42) in T1 and lowest (337.50±3.19) in T3. Rearing of the Labeo bata fry in those three different stocking densities showed significant (p<0.05) variation both in highest survival and growth performance. Overall production of L. bata in treatment T1 was significantly higher than that of the other two treatments T2 and T3. Despite of this, consistently higher CBR was found from treatments T1 (1:1.78) than from treatment T2 (1:1.25) and T3 (1:1.06).J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 9(1): 67-73 2016

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Does the transport stocking density of 30-kg live weight pigs affect their heart rate and choice of posture?

BSAP Occasional Publication ◽

10.1017/s0263967x00043512 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 102-103 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H. L. Riches ◽

H. J. Guise

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Stocking Density ◽

Live Weight ◽

Journey Time ◽

Commercial Practice ◽

European Directive ◽

Common Weights ◽

Young Pigs ◽

The Mean

There is currently no published information on the conditions under which young pigs are transported. European Directive 95/29/EC concerns the protection of animals during transport but recommends no stocking density for pigs moved by road other than those of 100 kg live weight. A survey of 97 farms showed store pigs accounted for 64% of all inter-farm journeys. The most common weights were 26 to 30 kg. The mean stocking density for transport was 162kg/m2 (range 72-214 (s.d. 25) kg/m2). The mean journey time was 165 min and the distance 228 km. This experiment was designed within the range of stocking densities and distances travelled found in current commercial practice. Pigs were transported at high, medium and low densities. Posture and heart rate during transport were recorded.

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