scholarly journals The Effects of Vehicle Type, Transport Duration and Pre-Transport Feeding on the Welfare of Sheep Transported in Low Temperatures

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1659
Author(s):  
Francesca Carnovale ◽  
Jin Xiao ◽  
Binlin Shi ◽  
Tanel Kaart ◽  
David Arney ◽  
...  

Low temperatures can provide a risk to the welfare of sheep during transport because of increased ventilation chilling the sheep, and we examined the importance of three factors—covering the vehicle, duration of transport, and feeding prior to transport—on the welfare of sixty transported 4-month-old Dorper × Mongolian female sheep in a cold climate. Sheep in a covered vehicle had greater increases in head and ear temperatures than those in an open vehicle. Sheep transported for 2 h increased their leg temperatures, whereas those transported for 1 h had reduced leg temperatures. Increases in non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the blood samples during the long transport suggested that sheep had more muscular and metabolic activity, compromising their well-being. Feeding prior to transport did not affect body temperatures, but those not fed prior to transport had reduced alanine transferase, HSP and cortisol in their blood, whereas those that were fed had reduced NEFAs, LDH and creatine kinase. Prior feeding had no effect on the sheep temperature indices over a two-hour transport period. Thus, the sheep most at risk of the adverse effects of cold temperatures were those transported in open vehicles, those transported for a longer time, and those not fed before transport.

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 404
Author(s):  
Kevin Van Tichelen ◽  
Sara Prims ◽  
Miriam Ayuso ◽  
Céline Van Kerschaver ◽  
Mario Vandaele ◽  
...  

The increase in litter sizes in recent years has resulted in more low birth weight (LBW) piglets, accompanied by a higher mortality. A potential intervention to overcome this is drenching bioactive substances. However, if the act of drenching provokes additional stress in LBW piglets, it might counteract the supplement’s effect and be detrimental for the piglet’s survival. To study the effect of the drenching act, piglets from 67 sows were weighed within 4 h after birth. The mean litter birth weight (MLBW) and standard deviation (SD) were calculated. LBW piglets (n = 76) were defined as weighing between (MLBW-1*SD) and (MLBW-2.5*SD). They were randomly allocated to two treatments: “sham” (conducting the act of drenching by inserting an empty 2.5 mL syringe in the mouth during 20 s, once a day, d1 till d7; n = 37) or “no treatment” (no handling; n = 39). On day 1, 3, 9, 24 and 38, piglets were weighed and scored for skin lesions. Blood samples were collected on day 9 and 38 and analyzed to determine glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), urea, immunoglobulin G (IgG), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and a standard blood panel test. There was no difference between sham drenched and untreated piglets regarding any of the parameters. In conclusion, this study showed that drenching does not impose a significant risk to LBW piglets and can be applied safely during the first 7 days after birth.


1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1125 ◽  
Author(s):  
RD Sainz ◽  
BJ Hosking ◽  
FJ Hart ◽  
GSG Spencer

This study was part of an experiment on the effects of cottonseed meal (CSM) and growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) on growth in lambs fed lucerne chaff. Forty-eight crossbred lambs were fed lucerne chaff ad libitum, alone or with a cottonseed meal supplement (CSM; 300 g/day). Eight lambs from each group were injected twice daily with recombinant or synthetic GRF (rGRF and sGRF respectively; 30 8g per kg body weight/day) or excipient only for 28 or 30 days. Jugular blood samples were obtained on days 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28. On day 29, blood samples were taken from selected lambs (n = 2/group) at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 160 and 240 min after injection. Supplementation of lucerne chaff with CSM generally increased glucose and urea concentrations in plasma, reflecting improved energy and protein status. However, concentrations of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin were unaffected by CSM, as were plasma proteins, triacylglycerols and non-esterified fatty acids. Injection of rGRF and sGRF stimulated secretion of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin. Peak GH concentrations (20 min) following injection of GRF appeared to be higher in lambs fed CSM than in those receiving lucerne chaff alone. In contrast, maximal concentrations of IGF-1 were seen after 14 days of treatment. These changes were accompanied by increased plasma glucose, with no changes in triacylglycerols, non-esterified fatty acids and protein. Plasma urea was reduced by GRF, indicating that amino acids were diverted away from catabolism towards protein synthesis. These two sources of GRF were very similar in their endocrine and metabolic effects. This confirms similar observations regarding their effects on growth performance and carcass composition.


Antioxidants ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Dreyer ◽  
Karl-Josef Dietz

Cold temperatures restrict plant growth, geographical extension of plant species, and agricultural practices. This review deals with cold stress above freezing temperatures often defined as chilling stress. It focuses on the redox regulatory network of the cell under cold temperature conditions. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) function as the final electron sink in this network which consists of redox input elements, transmitters, targets, and sensors. Following an introduction to the critical network components which include nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent thioredoxin reductases, thioredoxins, and peroxiredoxins, typical laboratory experiments for cold stress investigations will be described. Short term transcriptome and metabolome analyses allow for dissecting the early responses of network components and complement the vast data sets dealing with changes in the antioxidant system and ROS. This review gives examples of how such information may be integrated to advance our knowledge on the response and function of the redox regulatory network in cold stress acclimation. It will be exemplarily shown that targeting the redox network might be beneficial and supportive to improve cold stress acclimation and plant yield in cold climate.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3421
Author(s):  
Clarisse S. Coelho ◽  
Ticiane D. R. P. Sodre ◽  
Lara N. Sousa ◽  
Renata F. Siqueira ◽  
Helio C. Manso Filho ◽  
...  

Vaquejada is a high-intensity and short-duration exercise in which helper horses (HH) are responsible to keep a bull running in a line while pull horses (PH) work to put the bull down after 100 m of running. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare energy expenditures (EE), transport costs (COT) and metabolic energy requirements (Pmet) of horses used in Vaquejada. Thus, eight Quarter Horses, in randomly formed pairs, performed a vaquejada simulation test (VST), which consisted of three races on a sand track (130–150 m), with a 5-min interval between them. All horses used an integrated heart rate (HR) and GPS monitoring system (V800, Polar Electro) and, from these data, EE, COT and Pmet were calculated using the formulas: EE (J/kg/min) = 0.0566 × HR1.9955, COT = (HR-35)/kg/m × 103 and Pmet = (HR-35)/min/kg. Blood samples were collected for lactate analysis at rest, immediately after the first, second and third race and after 30 min of recovery. Data obtained were submitted to one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (p ≤ 0.05). In VST, HH had higher EE and higher HR at trot; while PH presented higher EE and HR at canter. Finally, considering total VST, PH had higher EE and COT, while HH had higher Pmet. Lactate was higher in PH. Despite practicing the same sport, PH and HH should be considered distinct athletes, and these must be considered to set up appropriate physical and nutritional programs, which will lead to better performance and guarantees of well-being.


1962 ◽  
Vol 203 (5) ◽  
pp. 834-838
Author(s):  
Sidney S. Schreiber ◽  
Murray Oratz ◽  
Marcus A. Rothschild

Potassium exchange was studied in the intact working hypothermic guinea pig heart in vitro with K42. As at 37 C, buildup and washout experiments demonstrated two compartments of K exchange, but these behaved differently with reductions in temperature to 20 C. The rate of K exchange of the "fast" compartment decreased with lowered temperatures, whereas the rate of "slow" compartment exchange either remained unaffected or increased slightly. Ouabain had no apparent effect on the fast compartment K exchange. Toxic levels of ouabain, which inhibited entrance of K into the slowly exchanging phase at 37 C, showed a minimal effect on this compartment at 20 C. The decreased ouabain inhibition at 20 C was paralleled by a concomitant decrease in toxicity (contracture and ventricular fibrillation). It was postulated that intracellular cardiac K exchange involved two separate processes which responded differently to low temperatures. Ouabain action was indicated to be specifically on that process which was insensitive to cold temperatures.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Alekseev ◽  
Evgeny Abakumov

<p>Polar soils play a key role in global carbon circulation and stabilization as they contain maximum stocks of soil organic matter (SOM) within the whole pedosphere. Cold climate and active layer dynamics result in the stabilization of essential amounts of organic matter in soils, biosediments, and grounds of the polar biome. Chemical composition of soil organic carbon (SOC) determines its decomposability and may affect soil organic matter stabilization (SOM) rate (Beyer, 1995). This is quite important for understanding variability in SOC pools and stabilization rate in context of changes in plant cover or climate (Rossi et al. 2016). <sup>13</sup>C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which provides detailed information on diversity of structural composition of humic acids and SOM, may also be used to study the SOM dynamics under decomposition and humification proceses (Kogel-Knabner, 1997; Zech et al., 1997). This study aims to characterize molecular organization of the humic acids, isolated from various permafrost-affected soils of Yamal region and to assess the potential vulnerability of soils organic matter in context of possible mineralization processes. Organic carbon stocks for studied area were 7.85 ± 2.24 kg m-2 (for 0-10 cm layer), 14.97 ± 5.53 kg m-2 (for 0-30 cm), 23.99 ± 8.00 kg m-2 (for 0-100 cm). Results of solid-state 13C-NMR spectrometry showed low amounts of aromatic components in studied soils. All studied humic powders are characterized by predominance of aliphatic structures, and also carbohydrates, polysaccharides, ethers and amino acids. High content of aliphatic fragments in studied humic acids shows their similarity fulvic acids. Low level of aromaticity reflects the accumulation in soil of lowly decomposed organic matter due to cold temperatures. Our results provide further evidence of high vulnerability and sensitivity of permafrost-affected soils organic matter to Arctic warming. Consequently, these soils may play a crucial role in global carbon balance under effects of climate warming.</p>


1991 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. Fordham ◽  
S. Al-Gahtani ◽  
L. A. Durotoye ◽  
R. G. Rodway

ABSTRACTChanges in plasma cortisol and B-endorphin concentrations and behaviour in sheep subjected to a change in environment have been studied. Three male and three female sheep were transferred from pasture to indoor crates for a 9-week period. Behaviour was observed by scan sampling for 1-h periods morning and afternoon 5 days/week. Blood samples were taken hourly for 24-h periods on days 1, 5, 30 and 60, and assayed for β-endorphin and cortisol.Plasma cortisol concentration decreased significantly between days 30 and 60 (P < 0·001) but there was no significant change in plasma B-endorphin concentration over the experimental period. After an initial period of ‘withdrawal’ in weeks 2 and 3, when the amount of time spent resting increased, the occurrence of active behaviours increased with length of confinement. The results suggest that animals had not fully acclimatized to the new surroundings within the 9-week period. This raises important welfare issues concerning experimental animals.


2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1121-1129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Di Trapani ◽  
Magnus Christensso ◽  
Hallvard Ødegaard

A hybrid activated sludge/biofilm process was investigated for wastewater treatment in a cold climate region. This process, which contains both suspended biomass and biofilm, usually referred as IFAS process, is created by introducing plastic elements as biofilm carrier media into a conventional activated sludge reactor. In the present study, a hybrid process, composed of an activated sludge and a moving bed biofilm reactor was used. The aim of this paper has been to investigate the performances of a hybrid process, and in particular to gain insight the nitrification process, when operated at relatively low MLSS SRT and low temperatures. The results of a pilot-scale study carried out at the Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim are presented. The experimental campaign was divided into two periods. The pilot plant was first operated with a constant HRT of 4.5 hours, while in the second period the influent flow was increased so that HRT was 3.5 hours. The average temperature was near 11.5°C in the overall experimental campaign. The average mixed liquor SRT was 5.7 days. Batch tests on both carriers and suspended biomass were performed in order to evaluate the nitrification rate of the two different biomasses. The results demonstrated that this kind of reactor can efficiently be used for the upgrading of conventional activated sludge plant for achieving year-round nitrification, also in presence of low temperatures, and without the need of additional volumes.


1985 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Woolliams ◽  
G. Wiener ◽  
Carol Woolliams ◽  
N. F. Suttle

ABSTRACTThe extent to which genetic selection to change the concentration of copper (Cu) in plasma also affected the retention of Cu in the liver was assessed in three experiments. In each, the concentration of Cu was measured in samples of liver (taken by biopsy) and of plasma from female sheep of lines selected from a Scottish Blackface × Welsh Mountain population (which had previously been interbred for several generations) for high and low plasma Cu levels (high line and low line) and from purebred Scottish Blackface and Welsh Mountain females.The concentration of Cu in the liver and plasma was found to be consistently greater in high-line and Welsh Mountain than in low-line and Scottish Blackface females (P < 0·01) in the first experiment in which grazing animals were sampled at both 6 and 10 months of age and in the second, where sampling' was at 6 months only. Mean Cu concentrations in the liver ranged from 13 to 115 mg/kg dry matter (DM) and the correlations with those in plasma varied from 0·28 to 0·53 (all P < 0·05) and was highest when the concentration of Cu in the liver was lowest. The correlation between the concentrations of Cu in liver at different ages was 0·57 (P < 0·05).In the third experiment, 10-month-old high- and low-line females were given complete diets containing either 5, 10, 22 or 28 mg Cu per kg DM for 12 weeks. Liver samples were obtained at the beginning and end of this period and blood samples were taken every 3 weeks. The concentration of Cu in the liver was greater in high- than in low-line sheep on all diets and increased linearly with the Cu concentration of the diet but at a greater rate in the high line. At the end, the high line had significantly greater concentrations of Cu in plasma on the 5 and 10 mg Cu per kg DM diets.The experiments showed that high-line females retained more Cu in the liver than low-line females. It is most likely that this was caused by a positive genetic correlation between concentration of Cu in plasma and the efficiency of absorption of Cu.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-119
Author(s):  
Rezqi Handayani ◽  
Nurul Qamariah ◽  
Tri Agung Rizky

Chili is one of the fruits that contain vitamin C in a very large number. Vitamin C is one of the vitamins that is needed but cannot be synthesized in the body and has free radical antidote properties which will slow down the oxidation process that occurs in the body. One of the characteristics of vitamin C is a compound that is very easily oxidized due to the influence of heat, metal, and light so that in storage it needs special treatment to keep the levels low. One of the habits of the people in storing chili is in cold temperatures. This way trusted to maintain the condition of chili to always be fresh. But it is not yet known whether these conditions can guarantee vitamin C levels in them. Theoretically, the optimal storage for chili is at low temperatures between 2-15o C with humidity of 90-95% so that the chili remains fresh for � 20 days. This research is to find out whether or not there is an influence between storage time on vitamin C levels in cayenne pepper and red. The research method used was quantitative analysis by measuring vitamin C levels in chili using a spectrophotometric instrument. The storage day indicator used in this study is the first, second, fourth and sixth day and the temperature used is 4oC. The results of the study for vitamin C levels in fresh cayenne pepper were 88.19 � 1.39 mg/g, at two days storage was 82.04 � 1.34 mg/g, at four days storage was 78.43 � 1.02 mg/g and at six days storage was 78.17 � 2.05 mg/g. The results of the study for vitamin C levels in fresh red chili were 81.54 � 0.51 mg/g, at two days storage was 74.39 � 0.89 mg/g, at four days storage was 42.49 � 0.77 mg/g and at six days storage was 42.83 � 0.17 mg/g. Based on research that has been done on cayenne pepper and large red chili it can be concluded, that with 4oC temperature in storage for 2 days, 4 days and 6 days in the refrigerator the levels of vitamin C are not well maintained.


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