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Motivation bland unga entreprenörer inom lantbrukssektorn
Get PDFEntreprenörskap spelar en viktig roll för samhällets utveckling. Att ha många företag påverkar samhället positivt då det skapar arbetstillfällen och skatteintäkter. Med klimatförändringar, krig och inflationen som råder, står svenskt lantbruk inför stora utmaningar. Detta har lett till att färre unga entreprenörer väljer att verka inom lantbrukssektorn. Syftet med studien är därför att undersöka unga entreprenörers motivation till att vilja starta och driva företag inom Sveriges lantbrukssektor samt hur motivationen påverkar utvecklingen av företagen.
Det teoretiska ramverket består av Maslows behovshierarki som syftar till en individuell motivation där individers behov tillfredsställs och utlöses i en specifik hieratisk ordning. Detta kompletteras med en induktiv motivationsteori som syftar till ett kontextuellt synsätt på motivation som förklarar hur samhället och yttre faktorer påverkar och samverkar med en individs behov och beteende. Studien har genomförts med en komparativ kvalitativ forskningsstrategi där två unga entreprenörer inom lantbrukssektorn har intervjuats utifrån ett semi-strukturerat frågeformulär.
Empirin visar att behov inte uppfylls och utlöses i det hierarkiska mönster som Maslow föreslår inom den individuella motivationen. Behovsnivåerna kan i stället förklaras genom en dynamisk process där drivkraften av att uppfylla ett specifikt behov kan utlösa andra behov som, enligt Maslow, är längre ner i behovshierarkin. De slutsatser som kan dras är att både en individuell och en kontextuell syn på motivation behövs för att förklara unga entreprenörers motivation till att vilja verka inom lantbrukssektorn. Även om ett synsätt kan dominera, behövs båda teorier för att förstå helheten. En annan slutsats är att motivationen styr hur utvecklingen av företaget ser ut. Det ena företaget utvecklas genom att bredda verksamheten och därmed få fler ben att stå på för att uppnå en ekonomisk stabilitet. Det andra företaget utvecklas genom att sträva efter att få en högre ekonomisk lönsamhet.
Sammanfattningsvis ger denna studie en insikt i hur Maslows behovshierarki kan förstås och utvecklas för att bättre passa dagens samhällsstruktur. Det ger även ett förslag på hur olika motivationsteorier kan kombineras för att förstå helheten på ett bättre sätt betonar vikten av att anpassa teorier för att reflektera över föränderliga samhällsprocesser.Entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in societal development. Having many businesses positively impacts society by creating job opportunities and generating tax revenues. With climate change, war, and inflation prevailing, Swedish agriculture faces significant challenges. This has led to fewer young entrepreneurs choosing to operate within the agricultural sector. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to examine the motivation of young entrepreneurs to start and run businesses within Sweden's agricultural sector and how this motivation influences the company's development.
The theoretical framework consists of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, aiming for individual motivation where individuals' needs are satisfied and triggered in a specific hierarchical order. This is complemented by an inductive motivation theory, focusing on a contextual perspective on motivation that explains how society and external factors impact and interact with an individual's behavior. The study employed a comparative qualitative research strategy, conducting interviews with two young entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector using a semi-structured questionnaire.
The empirical findings indicate that individual motivation does not seem to be driven by needs fulfilled and triggered in the hierarchical pattern Maslow suggests. Instead, the levels of needs can be explained as a dynamic process where the drive to fulfill a specific need can trigger other needs that, according to Maslow, are lower in the hierarchy. The conclusions drawn are that both an individual and a contextual perspective on motivation are needed to explain young entrepreneurs' motivation to operate within the agricultural sector. Even if one perspective may dominate, both theories are necessary to understand the entirety. Another conclusion is that motivation governs how the development of the company unfolds. One company evolved by diversifying its operations to achieve economic stability, while the other aimed for higher economic profitability.
In summary, this study provides insights into how Maslow's hierarchy of needs can be understood and developed to better fit today's societal structure. It also proposes how different motivation theories can be combined to better understand the whole, emphasizing the importance of adapting theories to reflect changing societal processes
3-30-300 : an examination of urban greenery in Gamla Enskede
Get PDFFragmentering och förlust av grönområden är ett växande problem i Stockholm, vilket är starkt kopplat till urbaniseringen och förtätningen av staden. Det här minskar möjligheten att tillhandahålla hälsosamma och motståndskraftiga städer som ger god tillgång till parker och natur med höga rekreations- och naturvärden, samtidigt som biologisk mångfald hotas. Strategin 3-30-300 är evidensbaserad och har tagits fram för att underlätta var framtida investeringar behöver ske för att det ska vara en tillräcklig och jämn fördelning av stadsgrönska i staden. Det har skett en stor förändring av markanvändningen i Stockholm under de senaste 100 åren på grund av bebyggelsen av hus och vägar, det har därav varit av intresse att ta reda på om urbaniseringen har påverkat Gamla Enskedes möjligheter att uppfylla 3-30-300. Strategin används för att undersöka dagsläget i Gamla Enskede, för att studera om befolkningen ser minst tre träd från sina bostäder, har en 30% krontäckningsgrad i kvarteren och om avståndet från husen är max 300m till närmaste grönområde.
Resultatet pekar på att det finns utmaningar för stadsdelen att uppfylla strategin 3-30-300. Tre träd kunde inte säkerställas i studien, till följd av avsaknaden på information för de enskilda hushållen. Mindre än en fjärdedel av kvarteren uppnår en krontäckningsgrad på över 30% och nio av tio hushåll når ett grönområde inom 300m.Fragmentation and loss of green areas is a growing problem in Stockholm, which is strongly linked to the urbanization and densification of the city. This reduces the city's ability to provide healthy and resilient cities with good access to parks and nature with high recreational and nature values, while biodiversity is threatened. The 3-30-300 strategy is evidence-based and has been developed to facilitate where future investments need to take place for there to be a sufficient and even distribution of urban greenery in the city. There has been a significant change in the way land is utilized in Stockholm during the last 100 years because of the construction of houses and roads, it has therefore been of interest to find out if the urbanization has affected Gamla Enskede's opportunities to fulfill the 3-30-300 strategy. The strategy is used to examine the current situation in Gamla Enskede, to study if the population sees at least three trees from their homes, has a 30% crown coverage in the neighborhood and the distance from the houses is a maximum of 300m to the nearest green area.
The result indicates that there are challenges for the district to fulfill the 3-30-300 strategy. The study could not ensure if three trees could be seen, due to the lack of information for the individual households. Less than a quarter of the blocks achieve a tree coverage of over 30% and nine of ten households reach a green area of a maximum of 300m
Amount of coarse woody debris in Söderåsen National Park, Sweden
Get PDFThere is a lack of knowledge about the development of the dead wood in former production beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests that have been protected. The present study has been carried out in Söderåsen National Park to compare the distribution of dead wood in relatively unaffected beech forests that have been protected for a long time (A-value cores) and older, previously managed beech forest that has only been protected for 20-30 years (B-value cores). The basic hypothesis was that the amount of dead wood is larger in A-value compared with areas that have been previously managed (B-value cores and other old growth beech forest).
In April 2021, the amount of dead wood in 50 sample plots was inventoried, from which 25 plots are randomly distributed within areas of the respective value class. The inventory of dead wood followed the field instruction of the Swedish National Forest Inventory. All deadwood was recorded that was ≥ 10 cm in diameter and judged to have grown within a circular sample plot of 10-meter radius (314 m2). The following variables for each separate piece of dead wood were collected: status (standing dead tree, tall stump, laying tree/stem), tree species, height/length, diameter, and degree of decomposition.
The results for all 50 sample plots (value classes A and B) show an average volume for standing dead wood of 10.9 m3/ha and for downed dead wood of 9.6 m3/ha, which gives a total volume of 20.5 m3/ha on average. Sample plots in value class A contained lying dead wood of 11.2 m3/ha and standing dead wood of 3.6 m3/ha, and thus 14.8 m3/ha in total. The average volumes for value class B were 15.6 m3/ha for standing dead wood and 10.6 m3/ha for lying dead wood, a total of 26.1 m3/ha. The differences were not statistically significant due to large variation between the sample plots and the hypothesis of the study could not be confirmed. Regarding the number of elements of dead wood, A plots had a higher mean number of logs per hectare (51.0) compared to B plots (34.4), while B plots had a higher number of high stumps (B plots 19.1 and A plots 8.9), and number of standing dead trees (B plots 19.1, A plots 6.4). However, none of these differences were statistically significant. The downed dead wood was more decomposed than the standing wood.
The results indicate that the conservation core areas in Söderåsen National Park contain approx. 20 m3/ha of dead wood, which corresponds to the average amount in key habitats in Swedish deciduous forests. This is roughly twice as much as in Swedish forests on average, but several times lower than the volume in old natural beech forests. The value cores in Söderåsen National Park are thus still far from a natural state. With the available data, it is not possible to determine whether the amount of dead wood differs between different value classes. In hindsight, both the number and the size of the sample areas were probably too small to give a reliable estimate of the dead wood. This inventory should be supplemented with more sample areas as soon as possible and a re-inventory on a larger scale should be carried out after 10 years, in order to be able to follow the development of the amount and quality of the dead wood in Söderåsen National Park
Cattle (Bos taurus) behaviour and cortisol responses to electric fence and virtual fence in semi-natural pastures : including Swedish farmers’ views and attitudes towards electrical fence and virtual fence technology
Get PDFVirtual fence technology (VFT) that allows grazing livestock to be controlled without physical barriers, is a hot topic in today's farming industry. Several nations such as Norway, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Spain have legalised the practice, but Sweden has not yet done so. The Swedish Board of Agriculture, which is in charge of deciding whether to change the legislation to allow virtual fence (VF) technology in Sweden for commercial use, has asked for more research to be carried out in Sweden to learn more about whether and how VFT affects animal welfare, with an emphasis on inter-individual variation.
The project's main aim was to assess the behaviour and cortisol responses in two groups of 12-month heifers when released in a pasture with an electrical fence (EF) compared to when a VF was activated five days after pasture release. For 12 days, the effects of two treatments on seven heifers each were compared in semi-natural pastures in Uppland, Sweden. All animals were naïve to grazing, EF and VF. The treatments were: (a) transport and pasture release with a physical electrical tape fence from day 1–12, and (b) transport and pasture release with a physical EF day 1-5, and one VF border and three physical EF sides for day 6-12. The VF-collars were used in both groups that registered each individual's activity level, and the total number of pulses was collected through the collars to assess the treatment's impact. Additionally, faeces samples were taken from both groups before and during the study to measure faecal cortisol levels. The cattle in the VF group received electrical pulses for the first two days after activation of the VF. From day 1 (mean 10) to day 2 (mean 3) there was a decrease in amount of received pulses. Within two days of the virtual border being activated, two members of the VF group were excluded because they had achieved the study's endpoint for the number of pulses. No individually significant variations in the quantity of pulses were noted for the remaining members of the VF group. The cortisol levels in both groups showed significant differences between the groups VF and EF, but none between individuals within the groups. There were also some significant differences in activity levels between VF and EF on the majority of the days after the VF border was activated.
The experiment's second goal was to obtain information about Swedish farmers' attitudes (n=79) and concerns about EFs and VFs for managing grazing livestock. The findings show that the majority (52%) are not satisfied with their electrical fence, they stated that it was laborious in time to put up new fences and maintenance of the fence (72%). Furthermore, most respondents (60%) were inclined to incorporate VFT in their practice, and the majority (62%) stated that this would enable them to graze bigger areas than they presently can
The resistance status of pyrantel in Cyathostominae spp. on Swedish farms
Get PDFHästens små strongylider, Cyathostominae spp., är en betesburen grupp endoparasiter som drabbar häst och finns endemiskt över stora delar av världen. Infekterade hästar utvecklar i normalfallet inte några sjukdomssymtom och avmaskning sker för att hålla smittrycket hos betande hästar och på betet lågt, inte för att eliminera smittan helt. Sedan mitten av 1900-talet har en handfull olika anthel-mintika-grupper utvecklats som varit verksamma mot de små strongyliderna. Över tid har dock oaktsamma avmaskningsrutiner lett till resistensutveckling mot bland annat pyrantel och benzimidasoler, och på senare tid även makrocykliska laktoner i vissa länder. I dagsläget används makrocykliska laktoner och pyrantel i störst utsträckning som behandling mot de små strongy-liderna, och det är därför av intresse att övervaka rådande resistensläge med jämna mellanrum. I den här studien analyserades träckprover från 132 hästar med minst 100 ägg per gram (EPG) träck fördelat på 16 gårdar runt om i södra Sverige för att undersöka resistensutvecklingen hos Cyathosto-minae mot pyrantel. I samband med insamling av provmaterial fick gårdsägarna svara på en enkät rörande gårdens hästhållning och rutiner gällande förebyggande åtgärder och avmaskningsrutiner. Träckprover togs i samband med avmaskning med pyrantel och 14 dagar efter avmaskning. Faecal Egg Count (FEC) analyserades med en modifierad McMaster-metod och Faecal Egg Count Resistance Test (FECRT) genomfördes för att analysera resistensläget. Åtta av de 16 medverkande gårdarna uppvisade en resistent strongylidpopulation. Resultatet tyder på att resistensutvecklingen har fortskridit sedan den senast kontrollerades 2007, trots reglerad användning av anthelmintika sedan dess. Det sågs inga statistiska samband mellan EPG före avmaskning och ålder, eller EPG innan avmaskning och hur ofta gårdarna mockade sina hagar. Det sågs däremot en koppling mellan användandet av separata sommar- och vinterhagar och effekten av pyrantel, de gårdar som applicerade användande av separata sommar- och vinterhagar hade en statistiskt signifikant högre effekt än de gårdar som använde samma hagar året om.The horse's small strongyles, Cyathostominae spp., are a pasture-borne group of endoparasites that
affect horses and are endemic over large parts of the world. Infected horses do not normally develop
any symptoms of disease and deworming is done to keep the infection in grazing horses and on the
pasture low, not to eliminate the infection completely. Since the middle of the 20th century, different
anthelmintic groups effective against small strongyles have been developed. Over time, however,
negligent use of anthelmintics has led to the development of resistance to, among other things,
pyrantel and benzimidazoles, and more recently also macrocyclic lactones in some countries.
Currently, macrocyclic lactones and pyrantel are the main drugs used as treatment against the small
strongyles in horses, and it is therefore of interest to monitor the prevailing resistance for the two
anthelmintics. In this study, faecal samples from 132 horses with at least 100 Eggs Per Gram (EPG)
faeces distributed over 16 farms around southern Sweden were analyzed to investigate the
development of resistance to pyrantel in Cyathostominae spp. The farm owners also answered a
questionnaire concerning the farm's horse management and routines regarding preventive measures
and deworming routines. Faecal samples were collected the same day as deworming and 14 days
after deworming. Faecal Egg Count (FEC) was performed on the stool samples in the form of a
modified McMaster method. Faecal Egg Count Resistance Test (FECRT) was performed to analyze
the resistance status of the farms. Eight of the 16 participating farms showed a resistant strongyle
population. The result indicates that the development of resistance in Sweden has progressed since
it was last checked in 2007, despite regulated use of anthelmintics since then. No connection was
seen between EPG before deworming and age, or EPG before deworming and how often the farms
cleaned their paddocks of manure. There was a connection between the use of separate pastures
depending on season and a lower risk of anthelmintic resistance
Rye (Secale cereale) as mulchlayer in Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) farming : influence on insect damage
Get PDFBefintliga växtskyddsproblem inom jordbruk- och trädgårdsproduktion kommer troligen öka på grund av
klimatförändringar som gör odlingssäsongen längre. Dessutom är trenden att odlarna har allt färre
bekämpningsmedel att tillgå. Ett varmare klimat introducerar nya skadegörare och gynnar befintliga skadegörare
som resulterar i ökat artbestånd och övervintring i Sverige. Detta gör det svårare att hantera skadeangrepp i
odlingar för producenten och det svenska lantbruket behöver hitta alternativa metoder för att minska de
ekonomiska förlusterna. Därav behövs nya odlingstekniker och odlingssystem för att minska skadeangrepp.
Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om ett odlingssystem med rågmulchlager i huvudkålsodling kan
tänkas påverka skadeinsekter, med underlag av HIR Skånes demonstrationsodling där användning av rågmulch
resulterade i minskat angrepp från skadeinsekter i vitkålsodling. Arbetets mål är att undersöka faktorer som
missgynnar fyra utvalda, vanligt förekommande skadeinsekter i huvudkålsodling idag i Sverige samt besvara
frågeställningen: Hur påverkas de och vad är den bakomliggande orsaken till minskade angrepp av skadeinsekter
i huvudkål när de odlats i rågmulch?
Litteraturstudien utgår ifrån vetenskapliga rapporter, rapport från demonstrationsodlingen från HIR Skåne i
Borgeby och annan relevant fakta.
Resultaten visade att mulch kan påverka skadeinsekters orienteringsförmåga och utgöra en fysisk barriär som
försvårar framkomlighet att nå till värdväxten. Naturliga fiender gynnas av mulchen men ökar inte deras
parasitering och predation på skadeinsekterna. Mikroklimatet blir fuktigare med mulch vilket kan öka
svampangrepp som kan påverka skadeinsekter. Kemiska utsöndringar från råg kan störa skadeinsekter, frågan om
omfattningen kvarstår fortfarande.
Sammanfattningsvis kan mulchen störa skadeinsekters orienteringsförmåga och i vissa fall
reproduktionsförmåga, vilket leder till en minskad kolonisering och population. För att vidare kunna dra definitiva
slutsatser behövs fler studier kring odlingssystem med mulch.The present problems with plant protection in agricultural and horticultural production will probably escalate due
to climate change, which extends the growing season. The trend is also that the number of available pesticides are
constantly reduced by the authorities. A warmer climate introduces new pests and favors existing ones, resulting
in increased species abundance and overwintering in Sweden. This makes it more challenging for producers to
manage pest attacks, and the Swedish agriculture needs to find alternative methods to reduce their economical
losses. Therefore, new cultivation techniques and systems are needed to minimize pest attacks.
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a cultivation system with a rye mulch layer in cabbage
cultivation could potentially affect pest insects, based on HIR Skåne’s demonstration, where the use of rye as
mulch resulted in reduced insect pest attacks in head cabbage cultivation. The goal of this study is to examine
factors that could disadvantage four selected, commonly occurring pests in head cabbage cultivation in Sweden
today and answer the question of issue: How are pest insects affected, and what is the underlying reason for
reduced pest attacks in head cabbage when cultivated in rye mulch?
The literature study is based on scientific reports, HIR Skåne demonstration report in Borgeby, and other
relevant sources.
Results shows that mulch can have an impact on the orientation capability of insects as it serves as a physical
obstacle that disturbs their ability to find a host plant. Natural enemies can benefit from mulch, though it does not
increase their parasitism and predation on pests. The cultivation system creates a more humid microclimate, which
can increase fungal attacks that may affect pests. Chemical emissions from rye may disrupt pest insects, but the
extent remains uncertain.
To summarize, mulch can interfere with the pest insect's orientation and, in some cases, their reproductive
ability. This leads to a reduced colonization and population. To be able to draw definitive conclusions, more
studies on this cultivation systems with mulch are needed
Komplexiteten i det vardagliga
Get PDFSyftet är att identifiera miljonprogrammets rumsliga principer i ett område och att analysera hur de påverkas av förtätning. Detta ger en förklaring till hur området fungerar och synliggör vilka aspekter i landskapet som kan gå förlorade i dagens ideal om den täta staden.
Detta är en fallstudie baserad på analys av fältbesök, historiska och nutida dokument, vetenskapliga artiklar, teckning, visualisering, tematisk analys och triangulering.
Det sammantagna resultatet av analysen visar på elva rumsliga principer som präglar Storvreten: Mark och topografi styr, Storskaligt, Funktionsseparering, Lika för alla, Flytande övergångar, Rationellt och tryggt, Rörelse, Distans eller rymlighet, Framsidan är baksidan, Inbäddad i landskapet och Storvretens vardagsrum. Den planerade förtätningen förändrar de befintliga rumsliga principerna vilket synliggör hur bevarande av ”årsringar” omvandlas till retorik.
Genom att identifiera Storvretens rumsliga principer var det möjligt att se hur området kommer att förändras av förtätningarna. För att bidra till ett mer hållbart stadsbyggande bör man förändra förhållningssättet i planeringen genom ökad förståelse för hur platsen fungerar och genom ökad samverkan mellan det nya och befintliga på platsen. För att undvika kontextlöst bevarande lyfter studien sex aspekter av vikt för framtida förtätningsprojekt i miljonprogramsområden: Grönplaneringen först, Byt vokabulär, Samverka mer med det befintliga, Utzoomat perspektiv, Levandegör platsen samt Lokalkännedom.The aim of this study is to identify the million program’s spatial principles in an area and to analyse how they are affected by densification. This provides an explanation for how the area functions and makes visible which aspects of the landscape may be lost in today’s ideal of the dense city.
This is a case study based on analysis of field visits, historical and contemporary documents, scientific articles, drawing, visualisation, thematic analysis and triangulation.
The combined result of the analysis shows eleven spatial principles that characterise Storvreten: Let land and topography rule, Large-scale, Separation of functions, Equal for all, Fluid transitions, Rational and safe, Movement, Distance or spaciousness, The front is the back, Embedded in the landscape and Storvreten’s living room. The planned densification changes the existing spatial principles, which makes visible how the preservation of ”annual rings” is transformed into rhetoric.
By identifying Storvreten’s spatial principles, it was possible to see how the area would be transformed by the densifications. In order to contribute to more sustainable urban construction, one should change the approach in planning through increased understanding of how the site functions and through increased collaboration between the new and existing on the site. In order to avoid passive conservation, it appears important to start from six aspects in future densification documents for million program areas; Green planning first, Change the vocabulary, Connect more with the existing, Extended perspective, Bring the place to life and Local knowledge
Sydsvenska kommuners metodval i arbetet mot invasiva växter
Get PDFArbetets slutsats är att betesdjur som bekämpningsmetod mot invasiva
växtarter är ett hållbart alternativ ur ekologisk, ekonomisk, social och
kulturell synpunkt. I och med EU:s förordning om invasiva arter, en nationell
förteckning på gång samt Sveriges miljömål krävs det att vi tar fram hållbara
och lönsamma metoder där vi lyckas kontrollera eller utrota prioriterade
invasiva arter. Arbetet bygger på en litteraturstudie om invasiva växtarter,
bekämpningsmetoder samt hur djurbete kan användas som
bekämpningsmetod. Detta kombinerat med 13 semistrukturerade kvalitativa
intervjuer med kommuner i Sydsverige för att ta reda på vilka metoder som
används i praktiken, resultat, ekonomisk uppskattning samt deras attityd till
djurbete som bekämpningsmetod. I de kommuner där djurbete används
undersöktes tillvägagångssätt, resultat och ekonomisk uppskattning.
Resultatet analyserades tematiskt och sammanställdes i 4 tabeller för att ge en
överblick över de intervjuades metodval och resultat, en sammanfattning om
djurbete i de kommuner där det förekom samt en lista över djurbetes för- och
nackdelar.
Resultatet visar att betesdjur som bekämpningsmetod tillhör ett av de
ekonomiskt mest lönsamma alternativ jämfört med övriga metoder samt är
ett sätt att höja både naturvärden och sociala värden på ett område. Framtida
forskning behövs på huruvida bete leder till utrotning eller endast till att hålla
undan ett bestånd under tiden marken betas. Okunskap om djurhållning, brist
på djurägare eller otillgängliga marker är några av de hindren som tycks stå i
vägen för valet att använda djurbete som bekämpningsmetod.The conclusion of the study is that using grazing animals as a method for
combating invasive plant species is a sustainable alternative from ecological,
economic, social, and cultural perspectives. With the EU regulation on
invasive species, a national list underway, and Sweden's environmental goals,
there is a need to develop sustainable and profitable methods to control or
eradicate prioritized invasive species. The study is based on a literature review
on invasive plant species, control methods, and how grazing can be used as a
control method. This is combined with 13 semi-structured qualitative
interviews with municipalities in Southern Sweden to determine which
methods are used in practice, results, economic estimation, and their attitude
towards grazing as a control method. In the municipalities where grazing is
used, approaches, results, and economic estimation were examined. The
results were analyzed thematically and compiled into 4 tables to provide an
overview of the interviewees' method choices and results, a summary of
grazing in the municipalities where it occurred, and a list of the advantages
and disadvantages of grazing. The results show that grazing animals as a
control method is one of the most economically profitable alternatives
compared to other methods and is a way to increase both natural and social
values in an area. Future research is needed on whether grazing leads to
eradication or only to keeping a population at bay while the land is grazed.
Lack of knowledge about animal husbandry, lack of animal owners, or
inaccessible land are some of the obstacles that seem to hinder the choice to
use grazing as a control method
Follow the cues
Get PDFRearing pullets without a broody hen poses some welfare challenges because the absence of a mother hen reduces the guidance provided to chicks, making it harder for them to find and use proper resources effectively, along with synchronizing their behaviour. This deficiency in guidance may lead to feather pecking in later stages, a significant concern within the layer industry.
This experiment aims to assess the efficacy of various methods providing visual and auditory cues of a broody hen, with the goal of identifying the most effective means of attracting chicks to resources and encouraging them to use the resources adequately.
A total of 240 1-day-old layer-type female chicks (Bovan white) were utilized in two replicates and randomly assigned to one of four rearing treatments: 1) the Audio group, involving auditory playback of broody hen feed and resting calls in the feed and rest zones; 2) the Video + Audio group, incorporating both audio and video playback of a broody hen in the feed and rest area; 3) the Video group, where only video playback is presented in the feed and resting areas; and 4) the Control group, featuring no audio or video playback. Feeding and resting cues were presented at different periods during the day. Chicks' behaviour was recorded for 5 h in the morning and 5 h in the evening. Video analysis was done on days 5, 10, and 15. Data were analysed using least square means and Tukey’s HSD test for post hoc comparisons.
The results indicate that the number of birds observed in the high-response area in relation to feeding cues in the Video + Audio and Video groups was approximately twice that of chicks observed in the same area in the Audio and Control groups during the Feed period (P≤0.05). Around 71 percent of chicks in the Video + Audio group were attracted to the High Response area in relation to resting cues, with no significant difference between this group and the Video group (P≤0.05). While, this percentage for the Audio group was around 56%, and for the Control group, it was about 52%.Significantly more chicks exhibited feed pecking behaviour when feeding cues were presented in both Video + Audio and Video groups compare to the time with no cues or during resting cues at 5 and 10 days of age (P≤0.05).
Additionally, chicks showed noticeably increased laydown behavior in the nothing period (excluding the Video group), as well as during the resting period and in treatments without any screens (P ≤ 0.05). The Video + Audio group and Video group (during the feed period and nothing period) displayed the lowest laydown behavior (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, the Video+ Audio and Video groups proved to be the most effective means of attracting and encouraging chicks to engage in feed pecking in the feed area during the feed period. Chicks exhibited more laydown behavior during the nothing and resting periods, except for the Video group, and in treatments without screens (P ≤ 0.05). The results further reveal that the Video + Audio and Video groups successfully synchronized the behaviour of chicks, with the majority exhibiting similar behaviours when specific cues were played. There were no differences in body weight between treatments
Serum levels of IL-12 and IL-23 in dogs with lymphoma and solid tumours
Get PDFCancer is an increasingly more common disease in both humans and animals and requires several sets of characteristics to grow and metastasize. To obtain these characteristics, signalling via cytokines are crucial. The way that cancer manipulates the environment in which it resides to create a favourable outcome for tumour survival, growth and metastasis is an area of great interest, not only for development of potential cancer biomarkers, but also new and innovative adjuvant cancer therapies. Certain subsets of cytokines, such as IL-17 and IL-23, can favour tumour survival by allowing the tumour to evade immune surveillance, and has been linked to poorer prognosis and response to treatment in several cancers. Likewise, other subsets of cytokines, such as IL-2 and IL-12, are related to better disease outcome and treatment response. The recruitment of immune cells, such as certain populations of T cells, into the tumour tissue alters the tumour microenvironment towards either a pro- or anti-tumour profile depending on which sets of cytokines are being produced. In this study, canine patients with lymphoma, mammary tumours and mast-cell tumours were analysed with regards to the serum levels of IL-12p40, a subset shared between IL-12 and IL-23. Each group were analysed with ELISA and compared to disease-free controls. The levels of IL-12p40 were significantly increased in patients with lymphoma compared to the other tumour groups and controls, but no differences were found amongst the other groups. Since sample size is small, no definite conclusions could be drawn with regards to the usefulness of IL-12p40 as a biomarker in canine cancer, apart from a potential use in canine patients with lymphoma. Further studies are required in all groups, preferably with larger populations and multiple types of cancer, as well as pre and post treatment measurements to evaluate the potential prognostic value of IL-12p40 in canine cancer