The behavior of calves under various housing conditions]

Investigations were performed regarding the length of rest, sucking and feeding and the daily rhythm of these activities in calves kept with their mothers on pasture or in stables and the motility of the calves. Length of rest and feeding in breeding calves kept in groups and length of rest and sucking in breeding and fattening calves (automatic feeding and bucket feeding) were examined too. The examinations were performed starting from the morning feeding to the end of the day over a period of appr. 10.5 to 12 hours. During this time, calves 2--4 weeks of age ran about 550,7 m, 6--8 weeks of age 423.7 and 10--12 weeks of age 388.1 m. The length of sucking under automatic feeding conditions was comparable to the datas obtained from calves kept with their mothers. Bucket feeding took 2--4 minutes regardless whether rubber teats were used or not. Fattening calves in groups or single showed feint sucking or licking activities of 70.0 and 114.0 minutes/day respectively, breeding calves 39.8 and 20.8 minutes/day resp. Feint sucking in connection with a deficit of real sucking was observed regularly under bucket feeding conditions but only in those cases of automatic feeding, where the calves pushed each other aside from the feeding facilities. Feint rumination was observed in all fattening calves when kept strawlessly and lasted for about 31 minutes/day. Neither the feint rumination nor the feint sucking ever reached physiological lengths. Both behavioural patterns may be important in regard to animal welfare considerations of special maintenance conditions.     

人工饲养环境下斑鳖采食量与温度关系的初步研究

斑鳖是极度濒危的物种,目前仅在中国和越南的动物园中有3只存活个体。为了建立科学合理的人工饲养斑鳖的方法,在苏州动物园的1只雄性斑鳖饲养于改造过的人工池塘内,采用定时定点人工饲喂方法,在2008～2010年期间,较为系统地观察了其采食习性。结果表明,气温达到18～20℃（大约每年的3～4月）,斑鳖从冬眠中苏醒,开始自由活动。只有当日最高气温达到25℃以上时,才开始采食。随着温度上升和活动量加大,采食量也会随之加大。6月平均气温在22～26℃之间,平均最高气温在27～31℃之间,是斑鳖食欲旺盛时期,出现采食高峰期。但是,平均气温在28～31℃,最高平均气温在31～36℃时,斑鳖几乎停止采食,重新钻进池塘底部的淤泥里,进入了夏眠状态。当进入秋季,平均气温低于18℃时（每年的9月底～10月底）,斑鳖逐渐减少采食或不食,然后逐步进入冬眠状态。     

Metabolic and behavioral adaptation of light-bodied chicks to meal feeding.

1. Two-week-old male chicks of a light-bodied strain were fed one (1M) or two (2M) 2-h meals per day. An additional group was pair-fed (P1M) the amount consumed by the 1M group on the previous day. 2. After 21 days, final body weight of the 1M and 2M chicks attained 65% and 80%, respectively, of that of the control group fed ad libitum. The weight gain of the P1M chicks was equal to that of the 1M chicks. 3. Food consumption of chicks adapted to meals was not even throughout the feeding period. On day 16 of the experiment, the 1M birds consumed 65% of the meal during the first 30 min. P1M chicks behaved similarly to the 1M ones. The intake of the 2M chicks during each meal was exactly half of their daily consumption, despite the uneven time period between meals. 4. The time during which food remained in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was longer under the meal feeding regimes than in the ad libitum-fed groups. 5. Although neither body composition nor metabolisable energy was affected by meal regime, food utilisation was poorer in the 1M and P1M than in the ad libitum and 2M-fed chicks.     

低温和限食对黑线仓鼠贮食行为的影响

贮食行为是动物在应对环境变化为度过食物短缺期,或为交配、繁殖后代而储备食物的生存策略。为探究季节性环境因子变化和食物资源对黑线仓鼠(Cricetulus barabensis)贮食行为的影响,本文测定了温度光周期、动物性别、限食对该物种贮食量、摄食量、体重等指标的影响。结果显示,雄性黑线仓鼠的体重、摄食量及贮食量均显著高于雌性;在类似于晚秋的低温等光照(10℃±2℃,L∶D=12∶12)条件下驯化1周,会诱导雄性个体体重降低,但摄食量不变,雌性个体则增加摄食量维持体重不变,雌雄的贮食量均不变;每日在白天时段限食可以降低雌性动物体重,但对其贮食量、摄食量无显著影响。结论,黑线仓鼠雌雄两性在低温和食物短缺条件下的能量对策不同。雌性由于体型较小,身体内不能贮存足量脂肪用于能量供应,在类似于晚秋的低温环境下只能通过增加摄食量以满足体温维持的能量需要,但由于受到身体消化吸收能力的生理限制,无法满足维持严寒条件下恒温的能量需求,因此体型较小的雌性个体会采取蛰眠的策略;雄性则由于相对较大的体型,身体贮存较多的可动员能量,且比雌性贮存更多的食物,这可能是其冬季能维持恒温,不蛰眠的原因。     

Effects of interrupted lighting regimens on the feeding activity of the laying fowl

Segmentation of the main light period of an 8L:4D:2L:10D regimen into 30 min light, 30 min dark did not affect total feeding activity, rate of feeding or total intake of laying hens. When 15 min light and 45 min dark was provided each hour feeding activity and food intake were reduced, while rate of feeding and feeding during the dark periods increased. No feeding occurred in the 10 h 'night'. Hens subjected to interrupted lighting showed less feeding activity than those on a 14L:10D regimen. Insertion of a 4 h dark period in the 14 h subjective day of laying hens increased their rate of feeding, but reduced total intake. The pattern of feeding activity depended on the position of the 4 h dark period. The largest modification of feeding activity occurred on a 8L:4D:2L:10D regimen; 20% of activity occurred in the last 2 h of the apparent day. Feeding occurred during the 4 h dark period, but not during the 10 h 'night'.     

Effects of experimental infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar balcanica on the health of brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

Data on changes in the condition and feeding behaviour of captive brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) following an experimental infection with Leptospira interrogans serovar balcanica are presented. The daily food intake of nine experimentally infected possums was recorded for 47 days before and 24 days after balcanica inoculation (0.5 ml intraperitoneally containing about 10(8) organisms). Body weight was recorded seven times between 42 days before and 96 days after inoculation. The mean daily food intake of infected possums decreased significantly throughout the 24-day recording period after infection with balcanica. The mean body weight of infected possums had decreased significantly by day 26 after inoculation but had fully recovered by day 96 after inoculation. Uninfected and control possums showed no significant changes in mean daily food intake or mean body weight over the experimental period. These data suggest that the health of possums is temporarily affected by infection with balcanica, but that overt disease caused by balcanica is unlikely. These findings support previous research suggesting that balcanica has only subclinical effects on possums.     

The effect of egg formation and laying on the food and water intake of brown leghorn hens

Food and water intakes of four caged Brown Leghorn hens were studied on a daily and hourly basis in relation to egg formation. In addition the food intake of two similar hens was studied using a Skinner box which provided a more detailed record of ingestive behaviour in a non‐social situation in which social interactions might not mask the relationship between food intake and physiological needs. Food intake was greater on days on which ovulation occurred than on days during which there was neither ovulation nor oviposition. Water intake was greater on days during which ovulation occurred than on days with oviposition but no ovulation. On this latter type of day (laying day) food intake was greater than on days without ovulation and oviposition (resting day). Both food and water intakes were depressed for 1 to 2 h before oviposition, but ingestion increased during the hour of laying and remained high for 1 to 2 h.     

Feeding and vigilance behaviour of breeding ostriches (Struthio camelus) in a farming environment in Britain

1. Vigilance and feeding behaviour of male and female adult breeding ostriches were recorded to determine feeding and scanning bout lengths, a time budget and the pattern of vigilance immediately after food was provided. 2. Males were more vigilant and fed for shorter periods than females immediately after concentrate food was delivered but not throughout the whole day. 3. Most interscan periods of males were below 40 s with a maximum of 90 s compared with most interscan periods of females lasting less than 70 s with a maximum of 160 s. 4. Gender differences in behaviour are attributed to increased male vigilance for predators and/or conspecifics, and increased female feeding required for egg production and greater opportunity to feed because of male vigilance.     

Water intake and water concentration in the body and gastrointestinal tract of intermittently fed broiler chickens

The relationship between water intake and water concentration in the body and in the gastrointestinal contents was studied in meat-type chickens fed either intermittently or ad libitum, as controls. In experiment 1, male broilers were reared from 12 to 33 d of age and were fed every second day or ad libitum. The water consumption of the intermittently-fed birds on days of food removal was 31% of the consumption of the control group. On days of food restoration their water consumption exceeded that of the controls, by 27%. No significant differences in water:food ratios were found between birds fed intermittently or the controls on days of food restoration. The restricted birds had a lower fat and a higher protein concentration in the body. No relationship was found between water:food ratio and body composition. In experiment 2, birds were kept on the same feeding regimes from 12 to 46 d of age. The water content of the pancreas increased after food restoration compared with ad libitum feeding or food deprivation. The amount of water in the gastrointestinal contents increased progressively from crop to ileum. The feeding regimens had no effect on the water content of the intestine.     

A 90-day Feeding Toxicity Study of l-Serine in Male and Female Fischer 344 Rats

A subchronic feeding study of l-serine (l-Ser) was conducted with groups of 10 male and 10 female Fischer 344 rats fed a powder diet containing 0, 0.06, 0.5, 1.5 or 5.0% concentrations of l-Ser for 90 days. There were no toxicologically significant, treatment-related changes with regards to body weight, food intake, water intake or urinalysis data. In several of the hematology, serum biochemistry and organ weight parameters, significant changes were observed between some of the treated groups and the controls. All these changes, however, were subtle and lacked any corresponding pathological findings. In addition, the increased or decreased values remained within the range of the historical control values. In fact, histopathological assessment revealed only sporadic and/or spontaneous lesions. In conclusion, the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for l-Ser was, therefore, determined to be at least a dietary dose of 5.0% (2765.0 mg/kg body weight/day for males and 2905.1 mg/kg body weight/day for females) under the present experimental conditions.     

Effect of silage chop length on feed intake and feeding behaviour of finishing feedlot steers

This study determined the effects of silage chop length (20?mm; long or 10?mm; short) and diurnal time on feeding behaviour of 80 feedlots steers. Feed intake and feeding behaviour of each steer in each pen were measured continuously from 0:00 to 12:00?h (AM) and from 12:00 to 24:00?h (PM). Chop length had no effect on feed intake or the growth performance of steers, but longer chop length increased the duration of feeding and reduced the rate of intake. Head down time and head down time per feeding activities were greater during the PM than AM. There was a chop length?×?diurnal time interaction for feeding frequency with the number of bunk visits being greater in the PM than AM for both diets. Feeding activities were 50% higher during the PM than AM when steers were fed either long- or short-chopped silage diets twice daily.     

Nutrition for optimizing breeding herd performance.

Modern sows are younger and leaner at time of mating and probably have poorer appetites than sows of 10 to 15 years ago. Therefore, feeding strategies should aim to minimize weight loss and maintain a sow's body condition throughout her reproductive life. The efficiency with which gilts are introduced into the breeding herd is as important in economic terms as is the efficiency with which the sow returns to estrus after weaning. Gilts should be selected at 50 to 60 kg, and fed a 16% protein diet ad libitum until mated at their second estrus, when they weigh 115 to 120 kg and have 17 to 20 mm backfat. Flushing gilts before the onset of second or third estrus increases ovulation rate of restricted gilts to the levels achieved by gilts fed ad libitum. During gestation, maintenance represents 75 to 85% of total energy requirements. The aim should be to achieve 20 to 25 mm backfat at farrowing. Increased feed intake from day 2 to 3 after mating will not increase embryo mortality. Feeding an extra 1 kg feed/sow/day for the last 10 days of gestation increases piglet birth weight slightly and prevents a loss of 1.5 to 2.0 mm of sow backfat. Wherever possible, sows should be fed ad libitum from the day after farrowing until weaning. Reduced feed intake by lactating sows, for whatever reason, results in excessive weight and condition loss. Excessive weight loss in lactation causes extended remating intervals, a lower percentage of sows returning to estrus within 10 days of weaning, reduced pregnancy rate, and reduced embryo survival. Ovulation rate is not affected by level of feed intake in lactation. It has been suggested that sows will have minimum weaning-to-service intervals when they weigh 150 kg or more at weaning. It is likely that the sow must be anabolic for about 10 days before she will exhibit postweaning estrus. The decision when to rebreed is made some time prior to weaning and is mediated by a host of substrates, hormones, and neurotransmitters. Sows with a delayed return to estrus also have a lower pregnancy rate and smaller subsequent litters. If sows lose considerable weight or condition during lactation, a high level of feeding in the postweaning period will improve embryo survival.     

Seasonal and daily changes in the behaviour of the adult emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) under farm conditions

1. The aim of this study was to present selected elements of emu behaviour in three different seasons (the non-breeding season, the pre-breeding season and the breeding season) and in the morning and afternoon. The study focused on feed, water and sand intake; plumage care; resting; agonistic behaviour and other activities, mostly standing still, aimless walking or observing the surroundings.

2. The troop consisted of 11 emus (5 females and 6 males) aged 12 years, kept in a free-range system. Observations were carried out during a period of 3 weeks in each season, during which 60-min observation sessions took place on 3 randomly chosen days.

3. A significant effect was found of each season on the behaviour patterns related to feeding, sand intake, plumage care, resting and agonistic behaviour.

4. Time of day affected the behaviour associated with the collection of food and water, foraging, pecking and ingesting sand and plumage preening.

5. Most of the time, regardless of season and time of day, the emus were standing still, walking aimlessly or observing the surrounding area.     

Systematic analysis of feeding behaviors and their effects on feed efficiency in Pekin ducks

Background: Feeding behavior study is important for animal husbandry and production. However, few studies were conducted on the feeding behavior and their relationship with feeding efficiency in Pekin ducks. In order to investigate the feeding behavior and their relationship with feed efficiency and other economic traits in Pekin ducks, we selected 358 male Pekin ducks and recorded feeding information between 3 to 6 wk of age using automatic electronic feeders, and compared the feeding behavior under different residual feed intake(RFI) levels.Results: We observed that total feed time, daily feed intake and feed intake per meal had strong positive correlations with feed efficiency traits; moreover, strong correlation between feed intake per meal and body weight was found(R=0.32, 0.36). Daily feeding rate meal and meal duration had weak correlations with feed efficiency(R=0.14~0.15). The phenotypic correlation of between-meal pauses, with feed efficiency was not observed. When daily changes were analyzed, high RFI ducks had the highest feed consumption over all times, and obvious differences in daily visits were found among different RFI level animals during the middle period; these differences were magnified with age, but there was no difference in daily meal number. Moreover, our data indicate that high RFI birds mainly take their meals at the edge of the population enclosure, where they are more susceptible to environmental interference.Conclusions: Overal, this study suggests that the general feeding behaviors can be accurately measured using automatic electronic feeders and certain feeding behaviors in Pekin ducks are associated with improved feed efficiency.     

Ingestive behavior

In summary, horses spend 60% or more of their time eating when grazing or when feed is available free choice. Grasses are their preferred food, but they supplement the grass with herbs and woody plants. Sweetened mixtures of oats and corn are the most preferred concentrate. Horses can increase or decrease the time spent eating and amount eaten to maintain caloric intake. Their intake is stimulated by drugs such as diazepam and by the presence of other horses. Horses stop eating when gastric osmolality increases; increases in plasma osmolality, protein, and glucose accompany digestion. Foals eat several times an hour and begin sampling solid food at the same time that their dam is eating. Several areas of particular importance to the equine industry have not been investigated. These areas include the effect of exercise on short- and long-term food intake and the influence of reproductive state on the feeding of mares.     

Voluntary feed intake and leptin sensitivity in ad libitum fed obese ponies following a period of restricted feeding: a pilot study

The relation between plasma leptin and daily ad libitum roughage intake was evaluated during a 14‐day period in eight obese Shetland ponies. When the feeding strategy was changed from maintenance feeding to ad libitum feeding, feed intake increased the first day, decreased the second day and increased again during the following days to reach a constant level after 8 days. Plasma leptin concentration increased during the first 2 days, but remained constant afterwards. Although the same pattern was found in all ponies, the magnitude of the increase in leptin on day 1 and the resulting decrease in feed intake on day 2 differed between ponies. A lower anorectic effect was seen in ponies with higher initial leptin concentration, suggesting the presence of different degrees in leptin sensitivity in obese ponies. High leptin production in a attempt to compensate for the decrease in leptin sensitivity might explain large variations in plasma leptin among obese ponies with similar body condition score. Further research is necessary to clarify whether the reduced leptin sensitivity precedes obesity in equines or vice versa.     

Response of laying hens to asymmetrical interrupted lighting regimens: physiological aspects

1. There were no significant differences in the mean time of oviposition, distribution of ovipositions over the 24 h or proportion of eggs laid in the modal 8 h when conventionally-lit hens were compared with hens which received interrupted lighting with the same apparent daylength. 2. Intermittently-lit hens performed 25% less feeding activity than conventionally-lit hens, but without a significant reduction in mean food intake. There were genetic differences in response of feeding rate to interrupted lighting. 3. Intermittently-illuminated hens consumed about 20% of their food during the scotoperiods which interrupted the apparent day of a 1.5L:0.5D:10(0.5L:0.5D):4L:8D regimen, although there was significant genetic variation from 10 to 22%. None of the genotypes ate during the 8-h night. 4. Across 4 genotypes neither crop weight nor rate of crop emptying was affected by the lighting treatments, although a heavier mean crop weight under interrupted lighting approached significance in one breed (P less than 0.10). 5. Interrupted lighting did not cause any ocular disorders.     

Effects of continuous and periodic feeding by electronic feeders on accuracy of measuring feed intake information and their genetic association with growth performances

The objective of the study was to analyse the effects of different feeding and recording regimes by electronic feeding stations on growth rate, feed intake and feed intake behaviour. A total of 563 boars of three dam lines were group‐penned and fed ad libitum during an age‐dependent performance test. Of this total, 219 were fed during the entire performance test period of 10 weeks by electronic feeding stations (continuous feeding regime). Based on this feeding regime, no differences were found in feed intake and feed intake behaviour when considering information from either all weeks or every second week. A second group of 344 boars was fed during test weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 by electronic feeding stations and in the remaining weeks feed was supplied using conventional feeders without recording feed intake (periodic feeding regime). Growth rate and backfat thickness were non‐significantly different between feeding regimes, but significant differences were found between the periodic and continuous feeding regime in daily feed intake (2218 versus 2544 g) and behavioural traits such as visits per day (5.4 versus 7.2), time per day (57.1 versus 63.5 min), time per visit (12.5 versus 11.4 min), and feed intake rate (41.5 versus 43.4 g). Furthermore, the effect of test days on estimation of feed intake was analysed. In the periodic feeding regime, only the exclusion of the first 2 days of each week with recording showed a significant improvement of prediction of feed intake. Based on this daily information, differences in feed intake between feeding regimes decreased (2492 versus 2592 g), whereas visits per day, time per visit and feed intake per visit still differed significantly between periodic and continuous feeding regimes (5.7 versus 7.2; 13.5 versus 11.6 min; and 541 versus 467 g, respectively). Differences were also observed for genetic correlations among behavioural traits between the periodic and continuous feeding regimes, e.g. for daily feed intake and feed intake rate with time per visit (0.47 versus –0.07; –0.16 versus –0.57) and with feed intake per visit (0.81 versus 0.17; 0.58 versus –0.08). Based on the present results a continuous feeding regime was recommended in order to avoid the effect of repeated adaptation. This feeding regime also delivers a greater amount of reliable information and increases the accuracy of prediction of feed intake capacity. In case of limited test capacities and measuring feed intake in particular periods, the first two test days of each period with recording should be excluded to obtain more reliable feed intake information.     

Studies on nitrogen metabolism in rats of different age fed on a protein-free diet. 2. The feed intake

Changes in the intake of dry matter (DM) of the protein-free diet (PFD) fed ad libitum were studied on male rats in relation to the shrunk body mass (SB) and duration of protein-free feeding (t). The intake of DM and changes of SB were investigated on the same rats and during the same experimental periods. The mean intake of DM in relation to PFD feeding periods t = 3, 6, 9, 12, 16 days and the daily DM intake (DMd) in relation to the daily shrunk body mass (SBd) were calculated on logarithmical values according to a model of linear regression y = a + bx and to a model of multiple regression y = b0 + b1x1 + b2x2. The rate of DM intake in relation to the duration of PFD feeding (t) did not differ significantly between age groups (k = 14) but the ak differed significantly. The common coefficient bc = 0.871 +/- 0.012 was less than 1***. This relationship is described by the equation: DM intake = Ak X t0.871, where: DM intake = the sum of intake in the periods of 3, 6, 9, 12 and 16 days (in grams), k = age group, t = PFD feeding period. No significant correlation (P less than 0.05) was found between bk and the initial body mass (SBi) or age of rats (r = -0.21 and -0.02, respectively) but between ak and SBi or age the correlation was highly significant (r = 0.960 and 0.832). This indicates that the amount but not the rate of DM intake depended on the initial body mass or age. The relation between DMd and SBd, the latter increasing with age but decreasing with the duration of PFD feeding, is described by equation: DMd intake = Ad X SBd0.503, where: DMd intake in grams, d = day 1 to 15 of PFD feeding, SBd = daily shrunk body mass in kilograms. The values of Ad decreased with the duration of PFD feeding. The using of multiple regression permitted to describe DMd intake as a function of SBd and (d) by a common equation: DMd intake = 27.02 X SBd0.503 X d-0.103; R = 0.976. Thus the daily DM intake was closely positively correlated with SBd and negatively correlated with the duration of protein-free feeding regardless of the age of rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Exploring breeding opportunities for reduced thermal sensitivity of feed intake in the lactating sow

The aims of this study were, first, to evaluate the effects of climatic variables on daily feed intake of lactating sows and, second, to establish whether the response of sows to variation in temperature on feed intake during lactation was heritable. A total of 82,614 records for daily feed intake during lactation were available for 848 sows with 3,369 litters farrowing from January 2000 to December 2007. Climatic parameters available from the nearest weather station were maximum 24 h outside temperature, day length changes, and humidity. Although ambient room temperature was modified at the animal level in the farrowing shed, these climatic variables still had a significant effect on feed intake during lactation. Regression coefficients temperature and humidity were 0.01385 ± 0.00300 (temperature) - 0.00031 ± 0.00009 (temperature(2)) and 0.01443 ± 0.00620 (humidity) - 0.00009 ± 0.00004 (humidity(2)). There was an interaction between temperature and humidity, partly due to the climate control in the farrowing shed. At low temperature, feed intake increased considerably with greater humidity, in contrast to a small reduction in feed intake with greater humidity at high temperature. Day length change was modeled with a cosine function. At the start of autumn (September 21), sows ate 0.36 ± 0.056 kg/d less feed than at the start of spring (March 21). Daily feed intake during lactation was described as a function of days in lactation and as a function of both days in lactation and temperature using random regression models. The average heritability and repeatability summarized over the day in lactation at the mean temperature were 0.21 and 0.69, respectively. Genetic variance of temperature response on feed intake was less than 20% of the day effect. The permanent environmental variance was 2-fold (day) and 4-fold (temperature) greater than the corresponding additive genetic variance. Heritabilities of daily feed intake were greater during the first week of lactation compared with the rest of lactation. The genetic correlation between days decreased as time increased down to about 0.2 between the first and last day in lactation. The genetic correlation between feed intake records at the extreme temperatures decreased to about -0.35. It was concluded that random regression models are useful for research and results may be used to develop simpler models that can be implemented in practical breeding programs. An effect of temperature on lactation feed intake was found even in this climate-controlled environment located in a temperate climate zone. Larger effects are expected in more extreme climatic conditions with less temperature-controlled farrowing sheds.