A laboratory method for mass rearing the orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Orange wheat blossom midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), has been successfully reared in the laboratory for more than 20 years in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The rearing method has been developed to the point where it efficiently produces large numbers of wheat midge continuously under laboratory conditions for use in experiments on wheat midge biology and for screening wheat lines for crop resistance. Adult survival was extended by providing high humidity, and oviposition was increased by simulating natural dawn and dusk conditions and by supplying preflowering spring wheat to adults. Preventing desiccation of the wheat midge larvae in the wheat spikes before overwintering in soil and providing optimal cold conditions for a long enough period to break larval diapause enabled successful adult emergence. We provide data to facilitate the coordination of timing of wheat midge emergence from diapause with the wheat susceptible period. The method can be readily scaled up for screening many lines for resistance or scaled down for small experiments. Here, we report details of the rearing method so that others can implement it for research on the management of this internationally important pest.

Effect of Raising Dairy Heifers on Their Performance and Reproduction after 12 Months

The objective of this study was to test the hypotheses that a heifer’s growth, health, and reproduction after 12 months are impacted by rearing (feeding/housing) before weaning, their season of birth, and the father’s lineage. Fifty-one Holstein heifers, born during January–March (SB1), April–June (SB2), July–September (SB3), and October–December (SB4) and originating from four fathers, were assigned to one of the three rearing treatments: restricted suckling (RS), calf in a pen with the mother until the 21st day, sucking three times daily, then group pen (6 kg milk) to weaning; unrestricted suckling (US), calf in a pen with foster cows (6 kg milk) to weaning; and conventional rearing (CR), calf in a hutch until the 56th day, then group pen to weaning (milk replacer 6 kg). After weaning on the 84th day, heifers were kept in groups with the same ration. The growth of the live body weight (LBW), health, and reproduction were recorded. The LBW had a tendency to increase from the 360th to the 570th days in the US, and the reduced growth of the LBW was shown in the CR. Heifers of SB2 had the highest LBW at 570 days of age. The ages of the first insemination service and the conception varied significantly among the rearing groups. The results indicate that a heifer rearing method may have a significant impact on their later growth and fertility.

EFFECTS OF PLANE OF NUTRITION AND REARING METHOD ON YANKASA LAMBS: GROWTH RATE, SCROTAL DEVELOPMENT

The study examined the effects of plane of nutrition and rearing method on growth rate, increase in scrotal size; and age, body weight and scrotal circumference at puberty, in Yankasa ram lambs. Thirty-six ram lambs and 18 ewe lambs with mean age and body weight of 1453±17.7 days and 10.1 1±2.6kg respectively were used for the four-month trial. Animalswere randomised in a 3x2 factorial design with plane of nutrition at 3 levels (low, medium and high) and rearing method at 2 levels (males alone and mixture of males and females). Plane of nutrition had bighly significant (P<0.01) effect on average daily gain (ADG). Animals on the low, medium and high planes gained daily 66.8±5.5, 77.8±5.6 and 89.0±5.6 respectively. Effects of plane of nutrition and rearing methods on changes in scrotal circumference were not significant. Age, body weight and scrotal circumference at puberty in the ram lambs averaged 232.5±12.7 days, 18.3±0.4 kg and 22.7±3.1 cm respectively. Body weight at puberty averaged 17.2±1.7, 18.6±0.9 and 19.0±1.4 kg for animals fed low, medium and high planes of nutrition respectively.

Effects of rearing method on some morphological and reproductive organ characteristics of queen honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

This study aimed to investigate some of the morphological and reproductive characteristics of the queen honey bees rearing from emergency queen cells and larvae grafting method. The weight at the emergence of queens reared from one-day larvae was found to be higher than other groups (P <0.05). Morphological characteristics of queens according to rearing method showed significant differences of head width, forewing length and forewing width (P <0.05), whereas other morphological characteristics were found similar in different queen groups. No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of cell length and width (P > 0.05). Wet ovary weights of the queens were weighed at 45, 51, and 49 mg rearing from emergency cells, 1-day-old and 2-day-old larvae, respectively. The number of ovarioles and spermatheca diameter of queens were found to be 268 and 1.14 mm, 296 and 1.21 mm, 285, and 1.16 mm rearing from emergency cells, 1-day-old and 2-day-old larvae, respectively (P <0.05). Consequently, the morphological and reproductive characteristics of queens reared from one-day-old larvae have higher values. According to the results of the study, although some morphological and reproductive features of local queens have low values, their importance should not be ignored in the sustainable future of beekeeping.

Method for rearing Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray, 1835 (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae) under laboratory conditions

Cladomorphus phyllinus Gray, 1835 (Phasmatodea: Phasmatidae) is a species of stick bug native to Brazil and considered one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. The rearing method described uses rectangular cages for the maintenance of nymph and adult insects, with feeding carried out with guava leaves. This methodology promotes the multiplication of insects, which have been used for educational purposes.

New rearing method, life cycle, tunneling behavior and ecological notes on the splendid ghost moth Aenetus djernaesae Simonsen, 2018 from Western Australia (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)

This study successfully documents, for the first time, the entire life cycle of Aenetus djernaesae Simonsen, 2018 and confirms the efficacy of using supplemental sources of fungi to feed the early instar larvae. Fresh cut pieces of the commercial mushroom Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) and sections of Eucalyptus L’Her. bark were placed around the base of potted host plants –Myoporum insulare R.Br. (Scrophulariaceae) and the potential host plant Dodonea hackettiana W.Fitz. (Sapindaceae). First instar larvae were added to this matrix where they fed on the mushroom and bark. The life cycle comprised egg development of 20 days, fungal feeding of ~36 days, and host plant development (including pupal) of ~300 days. Adult emergence of reared and field collected samples occurred within a 22 day period. Larvae transferring from fungi to host plants transitioned during the night by constructing a web of silk and plant tissues within two hours and proceeding to excavate a tunnel from within. The mature larval tunnel is relatively short, up to 220 mm in length and usually extending below the entrance around which the larvae grazes on callus tissue forming after bark removal. Most adults emerged within an hour of dusk with the pupa protruding from the top of the vestibule. The rearing method described here demonstrates the feasibility of laboratory based studies of larval development in Aenetus Herrrich-Schäffer and other callus-feeding stem boring Hepialidae. Key words: Hepialidae, Aenetus, life cycle, artificial diet, Myoporum, Dodonea, larval foodplant

Production performances of cows of different origin and housing method

In order to examine the variability of production performance traits (lactation duration, milk yield for the whole lactation, milk yield in standard lactation, milk fat content, milk fat yield in standard lactation, protein content and yield in standard lactation), 954 cows, domestic and imported Simmental populations, were included in the study, with a total of 3641 completed lactations. Cows were located in the area of Toplica district, reared on individual farming households (tied system) and on the farm with intensive farming (free system). Based on the rearing method and origin, animals were divided into four groups: Group 1 (domestic animals reared by individual agricultural producers on individual farming households); Group 2 (imported animals reared by individual agricultural producers on individual farming households); Group 3 (domestic animals reared on the farm) and Group 4 (imported animals reared on the farm). The fourth group of studied cows showed the highest yield and protein content, while the cows of the third group had the longest lactation and the highest milk fat content. All production performance traits varied highly significantly (p?0.001) under the influence of the combined factor of housing/rearing method and origin.