Effect of floor area restriction upon performance, behavior and physiology of growing-finishing pigs

Fifteen groups of eight pigs were allocated .34, .68 or 1.01 m2 lying area per pig between 25 and 100 kg live weight. These values were chosen in accordance with Petherick's model to prevent all pigs from lying in full recumbency (.68 m2/pig) or on their sternum and belly (.34 m2/pig). Productivity decreased in the groups of pigs allowed only .34 m2/individual from 20 wk following the beginning of the experiment (70 to 80 kg). Behavioral changes were observed as early as 8 wk after the beginning of the experiment (60 to 70 kg). Severe area restriction increased time spent at the feeder. Aggression did not vary as a linear function of area allocation. Analysis of the main behavioral activities over a 10-h observation period revealed higher feeding time and lower social activity in pigs kept at .34 m2/pig. Sternum resting was more frequent than resting on the side when body weight reached 60 to 70 kg. Pigs that were submitted to the lower area allocation displayed enhanced resistance of their pituitary-adrenal axis to the dexamethasone suppression test and enhanced reactivity to adrenocorticotropic hormone injection. These findings demonstrate that behavioral and physiological responses are earlier and more sensitive indicators of adaptation to the environment than productivity.     

Effect of animal density on endocrine development in gilts

A study was conducted to determine the effect of social crowding on the development of endocrine organs involved in the reproductive process in growing and finishing gilts. One hundred four littermate gilts weighing approximately 30 kg were randomly assigned to treatment groups of either 8 or 16 pigs/pen. Gilts raised in pens of eight were allotted 1.06 m2 per pig from 30 to 65 kg and 1.25 m2 from 65 to 100 kg; whereas, one-half the area was provided for gilts raised in pens of 16. Littermate gilts raised in pens of 8 and 16 were slaughtered on the same day when the average weight of pigs reached 100 kg. At slaughter, the brain, adrenals, pituitary, uterus and ovaries were removed and weighted. The brain was lyophilyzed and reweighed to yield dry brain weight. Gilts raised in the low-density groups had heavier adrenal (P less than .01), pituitary (P less than .08), brain (P less than .11), dry-brain (P less than .02), uterine (P less than .09) and ovarian (P less than .07) tissues. Furthermore, significantly more gilts in the low-density, compared with the high-density groups, had ovulated at slaughter. In a second study, eight littermate gilts raised in pens of 8 or 16 and weighing approximately 100 kg were moved to individual pens and fitted with a jugular vein catheter. Following blood sample collection at 15-min intervals for 2 h, 200 IU of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) were infused into the cannula. Blood samples were collected at 15-min intervals for an additional 2 h. There were no differences between basal or ACTH-stimulated concentrations of plasma cortisol between treatment groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Efficacy of ethylenediamine dihydriodide in the prevention of naturally occurring foot rot in cattle

The efficacy of an ethylenediamine dihydriodide containing salt mixture was evaluated with regard to the prevention of naturally occurring foot rot in pastured cattle. Ninety-six cattle were assigned to the treatment group and 96 were assigned to the control group. The groups were allowed consumption of salt-mineral mixtures, ad libitum, that were identical, except with respect to iodine concentration. The control group's mixture contained 0.0025% iodine and the treatment group's mixture contained 0.125% iodine (0.156% ethylenediamine dihydriodide). The incidence of foot rot was measured, as was the severity of the lesions and accompanying lameness. The incidence of foot rot in the control group (20.8%) was significantly (P less than 0.05) greater than the incidence in the treatment group (8.3%). The severity of foot rot was greater (P = 0.024) in the control calves vs the treatment calves. Total serum iodine concentrations were measured in the 2 groups on days 0, 46, and 130 of the experiment. The serum iodine values of the treatment group on day 46 (46 +/- 19.8 g/dl) and day 130 (23 +/- 12.3 g/dl) were significantly different (P less than 0.01) than the serum iodine concentrations of the control animals and the pretreatment values (day 0) of both groups. Production was measured via calf weaning weights. There were no detectable differences between the 205-day adjusted weaning weights of the calves in the control group vs the calves in the treatment group. Clinical signs of iodism were not observed in the cattle involved in this study.     

Control of chlorophyll formation and sprouting of tubers by oil dipping in five potato cultivars of Pakistan

Five potato cultivars of autumn crop, dipped in corn oil, were observed for 90 days at room temperature under natural light. Chlorophyll formation took place in minute quantities in treated tubers of ‘Désirée’ and ‘Prima’, and a little more in ‘Primura’, ‘Montana’ and ‘Multa’, whereas all control tubers became completely green after 90 days. Sugars were significantly lower and starch higher in treated tubers than in controls. No sprout-development was observed in treated tubers of all cultivars, but 50–70% control tubers had sprouted during this period. Peeling-losses were minimum in treated tubers and were 67.5–85.4% in controls. The oil-dipped potato tubers of all cultivars could safely be stored for 60 days without quality deterioration under ordinary conditions of temperature and light.     

Nuclear Activation Analysis: Recent developments in the technique and its inherent attributes give promise of wide applicability

Nuclear activation analysis-whether with instrumental or radiochemical procedures, manual or automatic systems-seems destined for an important place in analytic chemistry. Experience will determine the best choice of activating particles and the best detectors, or it may even lead to the development of entirely new techniques. But it seems evident that nuclear activation analysis will increasingly satisfy the need for precise, sensitive, and rapid elementary analysis, and will do so at relatively low cost.     

Neural correlates of food and water intake in the rat

Adrenergic and cholinergic stimulation of several interrelated limbic and diencephalic areas causes the animal to eat and drink, respectively. The brain areas involved may be organized in terms of "Papez circuit" and, more generally, " Nauta circuit" neuroanatomy. However, it is proposed that separate synaptic nets, one for the control of hunger and one for the control of thirst, are deployed throughout the brain at all levels, including neocortical.