Performance and Feeding Behavior of Holstein and Holstein × Gyr Crossbred Heifers Grazing Temperate Forages

This study aimed to investigate the difference between Holstein and Holstein x Gyr breeds on feeding behavior and performance of heifers grazing temperate pasture. The experiment was carried out in 89 days, split into 14 days of adaptation and 3 periods of 25 days. Two treatments were used: Holstein (HOL; n = 7) and Holstein × Gyr (HG; n = 7). Heifers grazed a consortium of ryegrass and Bristle Oats and were supplemented individually daily with corn meal at 0.33% of body weight plus 5 kg/d of corn silage. For 3 consecutive days, feeding behavior was observed for individual animals from direct visual observation recording at 10 min intervals. The digestibility trial was performed on d16 to d24 of each period. Body measurements and weight were taken at d0 and at d23, 24, and 25 of each period. Grazing duration, grazing frequency, and bite rate were greater for HOL than HG. Rumination characteristics, intake, digestibility, body measurements were not affected by breed. Breeds had differences in grazing characteristics, but it did not influence performance or intake parameters. Therefore, HOL and HG heifers managed under temperate pasture in tropical countries have similar performance.

Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction in children and adolescents: are we listening?

Exertional dyspnoea among children and adolescents is a common presenting complaint to general practitioners. Exertional dyspnoea is most commonly attributed to exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), but there are several other causes including hyperventilation syndrome, breathlessness associated with normal exercise limitation and exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO). The symptoms of EILO include stridor, throat tightness and difficulty on inspiration. If these are mistaken for EIB, children will receive asthma therapy. The underlying mechanism of EILO includes closure of the larynx during high-intensity exercise, which causes a reduction in airflow and breathlessness. This phenomenon is often associated with a background of psychological stress. Historically, a diagnosis of EILO has been considered ‘rare’ though this may be a reflection of under-recognition. Direct visual observation via laryngoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis of EILO; however, this is rarely available even in specialised centres. Nevertheless, the diagnosis can usually be made by recognising the characteristic clinical pattern. Here we provide recommendations for appropriate investigations for the determination of EILO, together with suggested treatment.

Methods of foals holding in Kyrgyz Republic

The aim of research is a comparative study of the methods of holding suckling foals in a summer pastures conditions. In the research used methods of direct visual observation, video-photo documentation and a personal survey of horse farmers. Research was conducted in horse farms which producing mare's milk and koumiss. Horse farms practice tethering and penning of suckling foals of Kyrgyz indigenous horses. Results. It has been established that there is a need to choose places for leash and tightening foals for the hold them in the tethered. The tying of 12 foals takes 2.6 times more time than is required for the corralling of 15 foals. Foals that are on a leash in a forced position have the opportunity to receive mother's milk, while foals that are in a free position in the pen do not receive mother's milk. In tethered holding of suckling foals, milking one mare on average takes 2.44 times more time and on average expresses 446 ml less milk than in the corralling. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the advantages or disadvantages of different methods of holding suckling foals in the Kyrgyz Republic were investigated. Clarification of the advantages or disadvantages of the methods for holding suckling foals will enable the horse owners to choose a more suitable and better way to keep the foals.

Increasing of Posture Changes as Indicator of Imminent Calving in Dairy Cows

The careful monitoring of cows helps minimise pain and distress during calving; moreover, knowing the exact time of birth is important to ensure timely assistance and the adequate ingestion of colostrum by the calf. However, direct visual observation is time-consuming, and the continuous presence of an observer during stage two of calving can disturb cows. Video cameras or accelerometers recording the behaviour of cows can be integrated in systems using image analysis or locomotive activity to alert the farmer as to when calving is imminent. However, alerting systems require the input of benchmark information about behaviours and changes in behaviours that can be predictive of the time of calving. Eight cows in a calving barn were continuously video-monitored. The recordings of the 24 h before delivery were analysed by instantaneous time sampling to identify the behaviours associated with an imminent birth. The same were collected in an ethogram including lying, standing, walking, turning the head towards the abdomen, eating, ruminating, drinking, sniffing the ground, allogrooming, self-grooming, and posture-changing. In our conditions, the only behaviour that was significantly influenced by the distance to delivery was posture-changing (p < 0.0001). Two h before the delivery, the proportion of posture changes was different from all of the hourly proportions measured from −24 to −3 h relative to delivery (p < 0.005), resulting in 3.6 times the average of the previous 22 h relative to delivery. An increase of posture changes may be an indicator of calving approaching, but further studies are needed to input benchmark values in alerting systems.

Review on diverse approaches used for epileptic seizure detection using EEG signals

Epileptic seizure detection is a common diagnosis practiced by the expert clinicians through direct visual observation from the electroencephalography (EEG) signal. This detection by the expert clinicians is considered sensitive to bias and time consuming. Further, it suffers from various problems like unsustainability in larger dataset processing and low power detection. Hence, many computerized detection approaches are highly preferred to eliminate the aforementioned problems and to expedite the research in epilepsy seizure detection for aiding the medical professionals. Many such automated epilepsy diagnosis framework has been designed by various researches, which is made to operate in a single or in a combined manner with other domains. This study reviews different approaches, which is been designed to aid the human diagnosis using new avenues that explains the causes of epilepsy and seizures. Further, this study summarizes various methods used previously to analyze the epilepsy and seizures based on its state of art approach. Also, investigations are carried out in terms of performance evaluation to find the best suitable epileptic seizure detection technique in the application of Neuro-informatics.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.17(4) 2018 p.526-531

Occurrence and conservation of the Indian Leopard (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae: Panthera pardus) in Cox’s Bazar District of Bangladesh

A study on the occurrence and conservation measures of the Indian Leopard (Panthera pardus Meyer, 1794) was carried out between July 2012 and March 2014, through direct visual observation and sign survey. This study was an opportunistic finding during biodiversity survey of the Inani Reserved Forest in Cox’s Bazar District of Bangladesh. The Indian leopard is a less known carnivore species, which has no recent confirmed record in Bangladesh. Direct observation in one place and the pugmark of leopards were identified from three places of the Inani Reserved Forest. Maximum and minimum length, and width of the pugmark were 8.7cm and 8.2cm, and 8.7cm and 7.1cm respectively; range of length of heel pad was 5.5cm to 5.0cm. There was only one sighting record and roaring/growling like haw-a-haw-ahaw howling was also heard once during the field visits. Illegal encroachments, fire, fuel and timber wood collections, beetle-leaf vineyard, and wildlife poaching are major identified threats for the conservation of the biodiversity of Inani Reserved Forest.