Changes in technical efficiency of the broiler production in Poland, 1994–2013

1. The effects of changes in technical efficiency on the increase of broiler production are presented for the period 1994–2013 based on the panel data from seven farms located in southern and central Poland. A total of 766 cycles were analysed.

2. The Cobb–Douglas production function was used to assess the changes of output elasticities as well as technical changes in broiler production, for 5-year sub-periods separately.

3. Technical indices of broiler production significantly improved between years 1994–2013: feed conversion ratio decreased from 2.50 kg/kg to 1.78 kg/kg, mortality rate from 8.8% to 4.0% and daily weight gain increased from 37.1 g/d to 58.7 g/d, respectively.

4. Before accession to the EU, there was a substantial increase of fixed capital connected with modernisation of buildings and equipment. In the period 1994–2013, inputs of fixed capital per kilogram of livestock increased by 72% and at the same time the input of labour decreased by 56%.

5. Technical changes in years 1994–1998 contributed to a rapid production increase at a rate of 4.6% annually and only by up to 0.7% annually during 2009–2013. The slowdown of production rate increase after 2009 was partially caused by decreasing the stocking density.     

Innovative layer genetics to handle global challenges in egg production

1. In commercial layer breeding, extensive gene pools are tested and selected for market requirements which must be anticipated at least 5 years ahead. Field results confirm a continuous positive genetic trend in egg output and better feed efficiency which can be converted into land savings.

2. Animal welfare and cage-free housing dominate future needs of the market. Nesting behaviour and minimal tendency to develop feather-pecking or cannibalism without beak treatment are key trait complexes. Stronger shells for longer production cycles without moulting have to be combined with better bones.

3. No single big gene effect can be expected to control the multifactorial problem of feather-pecking. Adjusting the shape of the beak, with a heritability of .10–.25, can contribute to reducing the risk of severe cannibalism.

4. For better skeletal integrity, the assessment of bone quality in pedigree birds housed in enriched cages is done by keel bone palpation or ultrasound measurement of the humerus. Both traits show similar heritabilities in the range of .15–.30 and can be included in a balanced selection approach for performance, quality and welfare traits.

5. The combination of performance testing and genome-wide DNA marker analysis is a promising tool to generate more progress for a balanced performance and behaviour profile.     

In ovo feeding of nutrients and its impact on post‐hatching water and feed deprivation up to 48 hr,energy status and jejunal morphology of chicks using response surface models

A Box–Behnken design (BBD) in a response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate the response of broiler chicks to in ovo feeding (IOF) of beta‐hydroxy beta‐methylbutyrate (HMB), dextrin and the timing of the first water and feed deprivation. On day 18th of incubation, 1,500 eggs were randomly assigned to 15 experimental runs of BBD, each with 4 replicates, as 3 levels IOF of HMB (0%, 0.5% and 1%) and dextrin (0%, 20% and 40%), and 3 levels of the first water and feed deprivation (6, 27 and 48 hr). Day‐old chicks from each replicate were then used to assess the effect of IOF and time first water and feed access on chick's responses. The IOF of dextrin leads to respectively 9.7%–15.5% lower hatchability for 20% and 40% inclusion (p < .05), whereas HMB inclusion appeared with no effect on hatchability (p > .05). Administration of dextrin or HMB into the amnion of embryos elevated length, width and surface area of villus, and increased glycogen content of liver and breast (p < .05). In all parameter models, the linear terms showed highest contribution (R² = 0.81–0.97) to explain existing variation in chick's responses. The first water and feed deprivation had largest effect on BW2 and glycogen content of liver and breast. It is concluded that if possible, place chicks before 7 hr of hatch to preserve BW loss and have maximum response from IOF. If not possible, use IOF with 40% dextrin + 0.5% HMB to preserve gut integrity and energy status up to 48 hr. This should give advantage to chicks to recover fast after feeding, but that would have to be confirmed by trials growing birds to slaughter age.     

Effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the body temperature of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions

Feed intake and diet composition appear to affect the body temperature of pigs. Two trials were conducted to analyse the effect of feed intake level and dietary protein content on the intestinal temperature (IT) of pigs housed under thermo neutral conditions. Ten pigs (64.1 ± 1.3 kg initial body weight) fitted with an ileal cannula were used. A thermometer set to register the IT at 5‐min intervals was implanted into the ileum through the cannula. In both trials, the ambient temperature ranged from 19.1 to 21.6°C and the pigs were fed at 07:00 and 19:00 hr (same amount each time). In trial 1, the pigs were fed daily 1.2 or 1.8 kg of a wheat–soybean meal diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along a 24‐hr period regardless the feed intake level. The IT rapidly increased up to 0.61 and 0.74°C after the morning meal and up to 0.53 and 0.47°C after the evening meal in pigs fed 1.2 and 1.8 kg/d respectively. The postprandial IT was higher in pigs fed 1.8 kg after each meal (p < .05). In trial 2, pigs were fed daily 1.8 kg of a low (11%) or a high (22%) crude protein diet. The IT followed a similar pattern along the 24‐hr period regardless the dietary protein level. The postprandial IT did not differ between pigs fed the low protein or the high protein (p > .10). The IT rapidly increased up to 0.66 and 0.62°C after the morning meal in pigs fed the high‐ and low‐protein diet (p < .05), but there was no change after the evening meal (p > .10). In conclusion, the feed intake level affected the IT of pigs housed under TN conditions, but the dietary protein content had no effect.     

The effects of late gestation nutrient restriction of dams on beef heifer intake,metabolites and hormones during an ad libitum feeding trial

This study's objective was to determine if nutrient restriction during late gestation affected beef heifer feed intake, body weight (BW) gain and endocrine regulation during a 10‐week feeding trial. During the last 100 days of gestation, control (CON) dams were fed to increase body condition score (BCS). Whereas, nutrient‐restricted dams (NR) and NR dams protein supplemented 3 days/week (NRS) were fed to decrease BCS by 1.2. After parturition, all cow‐calf pairs were moved to a common pasture and fed in excess of requirements until weaning. At 15 months of age, heifers were randomly sorted into two pens and adjusted to a commercial total mixed ration over a 2‐week period. Blood samples and BW were taken at the initiation of feeding and on a biweekly basis for the duration of the feeding trial. Feed intake was monitored for 10 weeks using a GrowSafe System. After 10 weeks, an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed on 21 randomly subsampled heifers. During the feeding trial, NR heifers consumed more feed than CON and NRS heifers. Heifers from NR dams tended to increase BW compared to NRS and CON heifers when adjusted for initial BW. Heifers from NR and NRS dams had a greater increase in BCS compared to heifers from CON dams. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations during the feeding trial increased in NR heifers compared to the other groups beginning at 2 and 4 weeks respectively. Plasma leptin concentrations were increased in the NR and NRS heifers compared to the CON heifers beginning at week 4 of feeding. During the IVGTT at the conclusion of the feeding challenge, plasma glucose and insulin were increased in NR heifers compared to other treatment groups. These results show that nutrient restriction during late gestation alters appetite and endocrine regulation in heifer offspring.     

Sex‐dependent responses of perch to changes in water clarity and temperature

Rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency of lakes have strong wide ranging effects on fish. Fish responses to various changes in the environment are usually species‐dependent, but responses may also vary within species. In general, large individuals are considered to be more sensitive to environmental variation due to higher energy demand, than smaller individuals. Similarly, large individuals require more food to maintain bodily functions and are thus more sensitive to resource and food scarcity. These size‐specific responses to environmental gradients are also sex‐dependent in species that exhibit sexual size dimorphism (SSD). We studied in enclosures with short‐term experiments how rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency regulate the feeding rates of female and male European perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). To explore experimental results, we calculated perch SSD in nine lakes with varying environmental conditions using previously collected field data. The results of the experiments revealed that the combined effect of water transparency and temperature on the feeding rate of fish is gender‐dependent: feeding rate of females decreased more than that of males. The experimental results were also supported by field data that revealed a negative relation between water transparency and the magnitude of SSD in perch. Our results suggest that rising temperatures and decreasing water transparency may potentially decrease fish size in a sex‐dependent manner. As female size is one of the main demographic traits determining the reproductive success of a fish population, changing environments may have unexpected and far‐reaching consequences on fish population dynamics.     

地理探测器与Tobit模型在粤西地区粮食生产效率及影响因子分析中的比较应用

为明晰粤西地区粮食生产效率及其关键影响因子，实现优化资源配置效率和推进粮食生产转型升级，基于1999—2018年粤西地区茂名、阳江、湛江3市粮食生产数据，采用交叉效率DEA模型测算区域粮食生产效率，揭示近20年粮食生产效率的时空变化特征，并利用Tobit模型和地理探测器模型比较分析粮食生产效率的关键影响因子。结果表明：粤西地区粮食生产效率平均值为0.77，其中，茂名市粮食生产效率最高（0.88），阳江市次之（0.78），湛江市最低（0.65）。Tobit模型和地理探测器测算粤西地区粮食生产效率影响力（贡献力）最大的投入因子是农业机械总动力，分别为-1.082和0.942。Tobit模型测得的7个投入因子仅化肥施用量（0.015）与粮食生产效率呈显著正相关，有效灌溉面积、粮食播种面积、农药使用量3个因子与粮食生产效率相关性不显著，农用塑料薄膜使用量、从业人口、农业机械总动力3个因子呈显著负相关。而地理探测器测得所有因子均对粮食生产效率产生显著影响。阳江市投入因子贡献力与粤西地区大致相同，但化肥施用量贡献力高出有效灌溉面积0.008。湛江市与茂名市化肥和农药投入的贡献力仅次于农业机械总动力，有效灌溉面积贡献力均最低。但茂名市粮食播种面积的贡献力依次大于从业人口和农用塑料薄膜使用量，湛江市则相反。研究表明，20年来粤西地区粮食生产效率不高，整体呈中等效率水平，粮食生产效率先降后升的变化趋势显著；地理探测器测度结果无不显著因子存在，探测因子影响力比Tobit模型所得结果更稳定且偏误小；农业机械总动力是影响粤西3市粮食生产效率的主导因子，但不同城市粮食生产效率的因子贡献力差异较大，湛江和茂名对化肥、农药等污染较大的生产要素依赖性更强。     

An investigation into the grazing efficiency of perennial ryegrass varieties

The objective of this study was to compare the grazing efficiency of 30 perennial ryegrass varieties, differing in ploidy and heading date. Plots were grazed by lactating dairy cows and managed under a rotational grazing system with 19 grazing events occurring over two years. Pre-grazing and post-grazing compressed sward heights were measured with a rising plate meter. A mixed model was used to predict the post-grazing sward height of each variety based on year, grazing event, block and pre-grazing sward height. Residual grazed height (RGH) was derived as the difference between the actual and predicted post-grazing sward height and was used as the measure of grazing efficiency. Negative RGH values indicated that the actual herbage removed was greater than that predicted and so indicated a superior grazing efficiency. Varieties differed in their level of grazing efficiency (p < .001), with RGH values ranging from −0.38 to +0.34 cm. Tetraploid varieties exhibited significantly greater grazing efficiency performance than diploids (p < .001), with average RGH values of −0.13 and +0.13 cm respectively. A significant difference in grazing efficiency was found among recommended perennial ryegrass varieties that are not being recorded by mechanically harvested simulated grazing protocols. A variety reappraisal that included grazing efficiency could identify varieties capable of improving on-farm livestock productivity from grass.     

耐低氮烟草基因型的筛选及氮效率分析

筛选耐低氮及氮高效的烟草基因型是提高氮素利用效率，减少氮污染的一种有效途径。本文采用营养液培养方法，于苗期以低氮(0.5 mmol L–1)和正常氮(5.0 mmol L–1)处理74个不同基因型烟草，通过指标统计、因子分析、聚类分析来确定评价指标及筛选出耐低氮基因型，并结合氮效率综合值分析表明，在低氮和正常氮条件下，不同基因型烟草的根系体积、根系生物量、茎叶氮累积量、地上部生物量变异系数均较大，分别为0.37~0.68和0.38~0.64。低氮和正常氮的主成分基本相似，在不同供氮条件下茎叶氮累积量、地上部生物量均起主要作用。筛选出15个耐低氮基因型，占供试材料的20.3%，其中8个属于低氮高效正常氮低效型，占耐低氮基因型的53.3%，6个属于低氮低效正常氮低效型，占40.0%，1个属于低氮高效正常氮高效型，占0.7%；筛选出8个低氮敏感基因型，其中6个属于低氮低效正常氮高效型，占75.0%，2个属于低氮低效正常氮低效型，占25.0%。初步确定14P9为耐低氮、氮高效基因型，中烟100和K394为低氮敏感、氮低效基因型。