Reesclarke5752

The agricultural product market is changing from a producer-orientated to a more consumer-orientated market. Consumer rely on the classification system within the red meat types. Different red meat types and carcass classifications influence the prices of red meat. This study was conducted to determine the price dynamics of different red meat carcasses and carcass classes. It was theorised that the different red meat classification classes and number of carcasses sold influence the price and demand of red meats. It was also theorised that specific meat classes have a greater influence on meat prices and demand than others. The results of this study supports the hypothesis that red meat carcass type and specific meat classes within carcass type influence red meat carcass prices. There is a differentiation among classes in terms of the degree to which class influences price, since classes were identified that had no influence on price dynamics of other meat types.Three adult Corriedale cryptorchid sheep were subjected to laparoscope-assisted orchiectomy of the retained testicles. One (n = 2) or both (n = 1) the testicles were missing in their scrotal sac and inguinal regions. Ultrasonography was used to locate the retained testicles and their distance from the abdominal surface. The animals were restrained in dorsal recumbency and Trendlenburg posture under lumbosacral epidural anaesthesia using 2% lignocaine hydrochloride. Two laparoscopic ports were created in the caudal abdomen adjacent to the retained testicles. They were identified by their ovoid shape, white glistening surface (Tunica albuginea) and typical vasculature. Laparoscope-assisted exteriorization of the testicles after enlarging the ports, ligation of their blood supply and resection of the spermatic cord was performed successfully. The scrotal testes in two rams were then subjected to routine Burdizzoo castration. The laparoscopic port sites healed without complications and all the animals continued to do well subsequently. From this case report, it is concluded that in sheep the laparoscopy; a minimally invasive procedure can confirm abdominal retention of testicle/s and may also be used for their retrieval in a single sitting. Although total laparoscopic procedure is expected to reduce the incision size further but requires advanced laparoscopic instruments and expertise.The objective of this study was to determine the association of neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) with step activity and lying behaviors in pre-weaned dairy calves. Calves were housed in individual hutches for the first 6 days of life, and then moved into a group pen. On the day of birth, calves (n = 30) were fitted with an accelerometer, and step activity and lying behaviors were recorded. Calves were assigned a fecal score (FS) twice daily using a 0 to 3 scale, and were diagnosed with NCD (n = 10) when the score was a 3. To ensure the only association noted was due to NCD, calves that had any other health complications were excluded from analyses (n = 1). Calves with NCD were pair matched by age, breed, and birthdate to a healthy calf. Day 0 was designated as the date of NCD diagnosis. Calves with NCD spent less time lying (P less then 0.05) and displayed more lying bouts (P less then 0.05) of a shorter duration (P less then 0.01) than healthy calves. Selleck TGFbeta inhibitor Specifically, calves with NCD displayed more lying bouts on days -7 (P less then 0.05), -6 (P less then 0.01), -5 (P less then 0.01), -4 (P less then 0.01), and -3 (P less then 0.05). Similarly, lying bout duration was shorter for calves with NCD on days -6 (P less then 0.05), -5 (P less then 0.05), -4 (P less then 0.01), and -3 (P less then 0.01). Additional research is needed to examine if these tools can be used to identify diseased calves prospectively.The aim of this study was to analyze possible effects of semen type (conventional vs. female sexed) and calf sex on fertility and production traits. For this purpose, field data of German Holstein heifers in Lower Saxony were evaluated. Sexed semen was mainly used for first insemination. 87.0% female calves were born from sexed semen, while 52.7% female calves were born from conventional semen. Heifers inseminated with sexed semen were on average 43 to 48 days younger at their first calving than heifers inseminated with conventional semen. Calf sex had an influence on the average calving ease and the dystocia rates. Male calves showed higher calving ease scores and caused a higher risk for dystocia than female calves. The semen type had no influence on these characteristics. Within the same calf sex, sexed semen had only minor effects on most traits, except for stillbirth rates the stillbirth rate for male calves from female sexed semen was 30.6%, which was 2.86 times the stillbirth rate of male calves from conventional semen, possibly due to trisomies. Sexed semen played only a minor role for production traits in first lactations. The extrapolated 305-day milk yield was 200 kg lower for first calf heifers, which were inseminated with sexed semen compared to heifers inseminated with conventional semen. Fat and protein yield were 6 kg to 8 kg lower after use of sexed semen. Animals with female offspring from sexed semen showed higher survival rates than the other groups.For some wild canids, such as the Iberian wolf, there is a lack of in-depth knowledge about dental pathology. We aimed to evaluate it, in a standardized manner, in specimens from a Portuguese museum collection. Sixty-five deceased specimens of wild Iberian wolves, 61 complete skulls and 4 mandibles, collected in Portugal between 1977 and 1995, were analyzed. Sample comprised 18 females, 24 males and 23 individuals of undetermined sex. Teeth were evaluated by visual observation and dental radiography for tooth wear, periodontitis, fractures and other dental lesions. We have found several causes for teeth absence artefactual, secondary to periodontitis and agenesia. About 30% of the teeth showed signs of wear. Only a small ( less then 13%) fraction of maxillary and mandibular teeth did not show periodontitis. The tooth 308 showed periodontitis in all males (p = 0.017) and the tooth 104 was significantly affected by this condition in females (p = 0.020). A significant relationship was found between females and tooth wear in three teeth. Periodontitis showed a significant association with tooth wear (p less then 0.001) and fractures (p = 0.027). Tooth fractures were more frequent in the maxilla than in the mandible. Seven periapical lesions, seven root fusions and three specimens with malocclusion were identified in the collection. Results are discussed integrating information from diet, habitat, genetic and spatial behavior. Dental radiography is here proposed as an approach for the age estimation in archaeological canids. This research contributes to the knowledge of the dental disease in the largest wolf population in Western Europe, a target subspecies of multiple conservation measures.Collection of pooled oral fluid (OF) by allowing pigs to chew on a cotton rope is an alternative to blood sampling. However, little is known about the applicability of this method to suckling piglets. The objectives of the present study were to describe the spontaneous interaction of suckling piglets with a rope and to investigate the influence of a rope pre-exposure on the success rate of sampling. We studied the interaction dynamics of 21 and 28 days-old suckling piglets with a cotton rope presented for 30 min. Ropes were manually wrung out inside plastic bags to release the oral fluid. A total of 49 litters were included. Percentages of success of pooled OF collection for 28-day-old, 21-day-old and 21-day-old pre-exposed litters were 82%, 62% and 100%, respectively. The mean volume collected did not differ between groups. Without pre-exposure, 84.7% and 95% of piglets interacted spontaneously with the rope at 21 and 28 days of age, respectively. The latency between rope presentation and interaction was highly variable between piglets within litters from less then 10 s to 30 min. Among piglets having interacted with the rope, the interaction lasted for at least 60 s for 90% and 91.4% of 21 and 28-day-old piglets, respectively. Pooled OF collection is achievable prior to weaning in piglets of at least 21 days of age. Pooled OF sampling is representative at litter level if collection is successful. In order to improve the success rate of collection, pre-exposing the piglets with a rope one day prior to sampling is effective.Dairy cattle production is distributed throughout the Brazilian regions. However, Brazilian producing regions are different in air temperature and humidity, diet, birth season, and other factors that may alter the reproductive performances of cows. The age of the cow at first calving (AFC) is a good indicator of sexual precocity since it shows the beginning of the female reproductive life and has a great influence on cow replacement costs. Researches on genotype-environment interaction (GEI) show the importance of using specific bulls for the different production systems in Brazil since most semen used in the country is imported. The objective of this work was to evaluate GEI for AFC in Holstein cows in Brazil, using reaction norms. The statistical models used were the standard animal model, which disregards the GEI, and hierarchical reaction norm models with homoscedastic (HRNMHO) and heteroscedastic (HRNMHE) residual variance, and one (HRNMHO1S and HRNMHE1S) and two (HRNMHO2S and HRNMHE2S) steps. HRNMHO1S presented better fit to the data, with lower heritability for environments with lower AFC, and higher heritability for environments with higher AFC. The GEI found was complex, with a reclassification of bulls, denoting the importance of considering GEI for evaluation and selection of bulls for different production levels. The reduction of AFC is possible when using breeding bulls adapted to the tropical and subtropical conditions of Brazil.This study investigated the effect of supplementation of ewes with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in late gestation and early lactation on the plasma mineral concentration, hormone profile and immunity responses of ewes and their lambs. Twin bearing ewes were allocated between four dietary treatment groups (n = 11 per treatment) control (0.33% DM Ca and 0.28% DM Mg); high Ca (0.72% DM Ca and 0.28% DM Mg); high Mg (0.33% DM Ca, 0.48% DM Mg); and high Ca+Mg (0.66% DM Ca and 0.47% DM Mg), offered as part of a whole ration. Ewes were fed the treatment supplement from around one month prior to lambing to one month after lactation. Blood and urine samples were collected at seven time-points weekly starting at 5 weeks prior to lambing; within 12 h post lambing (+12 h); and then at fortnightly intervals at 2 week (+2 W) and at 4 week (+4 W) post lambing. Colostrum/milk samples from ewes and blood samples from lambs were collected at +12 h, +2 W and +4 W. Live weight of lambs were measured at +12 h, +2 W and +4 W. Thnth post lambing improved TAC concentration and weight gain in lambs.Soyabean meal (SBM) is the major dietary protein source for the poultry industry in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to inadequate local soyabean production, alternative protein sources are required. Two hundred 9-day old Japanese quail chicks were randomly allocated to grower diets wherein Marula nut meal (MNM) substituted SBM on a crude protein (CP) basis at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% and fed for 4 weeks, followed by being fed on similarly formulated finisher diets for 2 weeks, and thereafter they were humanely slaughtered and dressed. Initial pH (pHi) and ultimate (pHu), colour, thawing loss (TL), cooking loss (CL), tenderness, proximate and fatty acid (FA) composition of the breast and thigh meat were determined. The results showed that pHi and pHu of meat from carcasses of quail fed diet 1 was lower, but had lighter and less red meat than that from counterparts fed diet 5 (P 0.05) on TL, CL and tenderness of the meat. The ash content of the meat increased with an increase in dietary MNM, but its CP and fat decreased (P less then 0.