1,721,091 research outputs found
Behavioural changes to moderate heat load in grazing dairy cows under on-farm conditions
Full text linkHeat stress poses an increasing risk to welfare, health and productivity of dairy cows, especially for cows on pasture. To apply timely mitigation strategies for grazing cows, simple indicators are needed that signal heat stress. We conducted an exploratory study on the behaviour of grazing dairy cows in relation to the environmental heat load on four commercial dairy farms in Switzerland with herd sizes ranging from 20 to 57 cows. In a scan-sampling procedure standing/lying, feeding/ruminating, low inter-individual distances, proximity to drinker, use of natural shade and insect infestation were observed during 30 days (5–9 days/per farm). Additionally, 10 focal cows per farm were equipped with accelerometers to analyse lying duration and locomotor activity during on average 46 days per farm. On one farm all cows (N = 57) were equipped with GPS devices which were used to calculate inter-individual distances among cows continuously during 69 days. Air temperature and relative humidity were recorded to calculate the temperature-humidity index (THI). For behaviours recorded in direct observations, a principal component analysis was performed for variable reduction. The first three principal components (PC) as well as the variables from automatic measurements were used as outcome variables in mixed effects models with daily maximum THI (THImax), time of day (continuous, in 10 min intervals) and their interaction as explanatory variables. The three PCs could be described as: “feeding and standing”, “proximity to drinker” and “standing in close proximity and seeking shade”. The daily pattern of these PC's differed by THImax (interaction time of day * THImax; all p < 0.01). On days with high THImax compared to days with lower THImax cows were seen more often close to the drinker in the morning, but not in the afternoon when they were observed standing close to each other and in the shade. On days with high THImax, cows also were lying less and increased their locomotor activity towards noon (interaction time of day * THImax; p < 0.001). Data from GPS devices confirmed the findings: On days with high THImax, cows reduced their inter-individual distances over the course of the day, while this was not observed on days with lower THImax (interaction time of day * THImax; p < 0.001). Insect infestation increased with higher THImax. We conclude that a distinct change in daily behavioural patterns, especially a reduction of lying behaviour, an increase in locomotor activity and a decrease in inter-individual distances could be used to monitor heat stress of dairy cows on pasture
Mitigating heat stress in full-time grazing dairy cows in temperate climates: The impact of indoor housing during the hottest time of day
No full textWe hypothesised that bringing full-time grazing dairy cows indoors during the hottest time of summer days could reduce heat stress if barns are cooler than outdoor. A 51-day pilot study on 19 pasture-based Swiss dairy farms revealed that, with daily mean ambient temperatures between 15 and 22 °C, barns were on average 2.5 °C cooler than pasture between 1000 and 1800 h. In an experiment over two summers, 38 Holstein dairy cows were investigated in 12 experimental periods of up to three consecutive days, with a mean daily comprehensive climate index between 23.6 and 28.5 °C. Cows experienced two treatments with a cross-over after each experimental period: half of the cows stayed on pasture full time except during milking, while the other half was brought inside the barn from 1130 h until afternoon milking and was supplemented with hay. During this time, barn conditions were cooler (mean and SD −2.9 ± 3.8 °C) than those on pasture. Between 0830 and 1100 h, when all cows were on pasture, no differences in physiological and behavioural indicators were detected in relation to treatment. Between 1200 and 1430 h, cows kept inside had lower vaginal temperature, reticular temperature, heart rate and respiration rate compared with those on pasture. Cows kept inside spent less time feeding and walking, but more time ruminating and lying down. These results suggest that bringing dairy cows inside during the hottest time of summer days reduces heat stress in grazing systems if barns are cooler than outdoors
Magengeschwüre bei Schweinen verhindern
Full text linkMagengeschwüre sind ein weit verbreitetes und unterschätztes Problem in der Schweinehaltung. Je nach Studie und Haltungssystem leiden zwischen 5 bis 30 Prozent der Schlachtschweine an einem Magengeschwür. Zählt man die Vorstufen dazu, sind es noch deutlich mehr. Es gibt mehrere Gründe, warum ein Magengeschwür entsteht. Mit Abstand am wichtigsten sind der Mahlungsgrad des Konzentratfutters sowie der Strukturgehalt des Futters allgemein
Ascaris du porc : prévention, détection d’une infestation et traitement
No full textL’ascaris (Ascaris suum), est le principal parasite du porc. Contrairement aux parasites gastro-intestinaux des petits ruminants, il se traite (encore) bien avec des vermifuges courants, raison pour laquelle il a aussi tendance à se faire oublier. Dans l’élevage porcin biologique, toutefois, la vermifugation préventive n’est pas autorisée ; les mesures préventives sont donc d’autant plus importantes
Des plaisirs mouillés pour les jours chauds
No full textLes cochons bio ont droit à une douche ou à une bauge. Des solutions simples pour un rafraîchissement agréable
Roughages and chronic stress in entire and castrated male pigs: Effects on health, behaviour and performance
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"SchweinErleben": Wie wild sind unsere Hausschweine noch?
No full textIm Rahmen des Projekts «SchweinErleben» sind interessierte Personen eingeladen, Schweine auf einem Luzerner Biobetrieb mittels Videoaufzeichnungen zu beobachten. Dieser Citizen-Science-Ansatz unterstützt das FiBL bei der Beantwortung wissenschaftlicher Fragen
Verbesserung der Tiergesundheit und des Tierwohls in der Bioschweinehaltung ein Handbuch für Tierhalterinnen und Tierhalter
No full textGoing Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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