Economically Important Leatherjackets of Grassland and Cereals: Biology, Impact and Control

Despite the large number of cranefly species only two have been convincingly associated with crop damage. The larvae of Tipula paludosa are commonly found as pests in both grassland and spring cereals whereas those of T. oleracea are only established as pests of winter cereals following crops of oilseed rape in the rotation. The latter, however, is probably the species involved in opportunistic situations involving various minor crops. These epidemiological contrasts are attributable to differences in the morphology and behaviour of the adults of the two species in relation to crop rotations. Larvae are sufficiently similar as to cause confusion in identification and this has hampered development of a clear picture of the ecology of the two species. Little is known about the distribution of T. oleracea larvae but T. paludosa larvae are largely regulated by climatic factors, especially rainfall, although the operation of these varies across the distribution range. Many natural enemies have been identified but a commercially viable control method using them has not yet been developed for either species. Control of T. paludosa is relatively easy using broad-spectrum insecticides but inconsistent kills have been observed with winter pesticide applications against T. oleracea. Determination of those fields requiring applications in advance of the damage remains the major problem, especially in grassland and winter cereals, to be resolved for the management of leatherjacket pests.     

Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Response to ESN and Urea Application in a No-Till Barley Cropping System

We investigated the effect of environmentally smart nitrogen (ESN) fertilizer on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions under no-till barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production over 3 years at three sites in Alberta, Canada. Treatments included two barley cultivars, with ESN and urea applied at 1× and 1.5× the recommended rate, and herbicide at 50% and 100% of registered in-crop rates. Cumulative N₂O emissions over the growing season were low (0.11 to 1.32 kg nitrogen (N) per hectare or 0.05–0.22 g N kg^?1 grain yield), and not affected by barley cultivars or herbicide rates in all nine site-years, nor by fertilizer type or rate in seven out of nine site-years. However, average N₂O emissions from ESN were 15% lower (P = 0.05) than urea across all site-years. Our results suggest ESN could play a role in reducing N₂O emissions, but the reduction will depend on rainfall events and crop N utilization.     

The effects of delays between restraint and sampling on some blood parameters in sheep

Twenty three non pregnant, non lactating aged Merino and Border Leicester ewes were subject to four jugular venipunctures one hour apart (times 0, 1, 2 and 3). Four different delay intervals of 12.5, 64.0, 128.0 and 252.9 seconds between catching and sampling (delays 1, 2, 3 and 4) were used on each sheep in a random manner. Estimates were made of packed cell volumes (PCVs), plasma and erythrocyte sodium and potassium concentrations. The mean PCV at time 0 of 35.4 per cent was significantly higher than the levels of 33.1, 31.8 and 32.2 per cent at times 1, 2 and 3 respectively. There was no significant difference between the means at times 1, 2 and 3. The mean plasma potassium concentrations at time 0 of 4.37 mmol/l was significantly higher than the levels of 4.16 and 4.14 mmol/l at times 1 and 3 respectively. Delays had no significant effects on the means of any of the parameters studied. The findings strongly suggest that sheep become excited by initial handling but not by subsequent venipunctures and that a delay between catching and sampling of between 12.5 and 252.9 second has no effect on the blood constituents studied.     

Acute stress hyperglycemia in cats is associated with struggling and increased concentrations of lactate and norepinephrine

We characterized the changes in blood glucose concentrations in healthy cats exposed to a short stressor and determined the associations between glucose concentrations, behavioral indicators of stress, and blood variables implicated in stress hyperglycemia (plasma glucose, lactate, insulin, glucagon, cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine concentrations). Twenty healthy adult cats with normal glucose tolerance had a 5-minute spray bath. Struggling and vocalization were the most frequent behavioral responses. There was a strong relationship between struggling and concentrations of glucose and lactate. Glucose and lactate concentrations increased rapidly and significantly in all cats in response to bathing, with peak concentrations occurring at the end of the bath (glucose baseline 83 mg/dL, mean peak 162 mg/dL; lactate baseline 6.3 mg/dL, mean peak 64.0 mg/dL). Glucose response resolved within 90 minutes in 12 of the 20 cats. Changes in mean glucose concentrations were strongly correlated with changes in mean lactate (r = .84; P < .001) and mean norepinephrine concentrations (r = .81; P < .001). There was no significant correlation between changes in mean glucose concentrations and changes in mean insulin, glucagon, cortisol, or epinephrine concentrations. Struggling and lactate concentrations were predictive of hyperglycemia. Gluconeogenesis stimulated by lactate release is the likely mechanism for hyperglycemia in healthy cats in this model of acute stress. Careful handling techniques that minimize struggling associated with blood collection may reduce the incidence of stress hyperglycemia in cats.     

Maize germ meal as a food for market ducklings

The value of maize germ meal, produced by a dry process, for market ducklings has been assessed by growth, food conversion efficiency and carcass analysis. The results indicate that at levels of inclusion up to 30% it can be used to replace wheat with an increase in the energy content of the diet and a small saving in the amount of protein‐rich supplement.     

Effect of environmental design on the growth and behaviour of weaned pigsInfluence de milieux expérimentaux sur la croissance et le comportement des porcs sevrésEffect der umweltgestaltung auf das wachstum und verhalten abgesetzter ferkel

Large White × Landrace pigs weaned at 24–29 days were placed in a structured environment planned as a 2 × 2 factoral design. The two variables were the presence or absence of a box (1.2 m × 0.92 m × 0.86 m) and the presence or absence of an extended floor which increased the solid area in the control pen from 60% of the total area to 80%. The box with no extended floor exceeded all other environments in stimulating the relative growth rates of the piglets. On removal of the temperature covariance the box still accounted for most of the variance in relative growth rate. Elements of the box (element 1, corner, back and side wall; element 2, corner, front and side wall; element 3, side wall only; element 4, back wall only) were tested for effect on relative growth rate and it was found that element 3, side wall only, promoted the most regular growth rates. The rates of agonistic behaviour over each 10 min were not significantly different for pigs in any of the tested environments.     

Distribution of adult stages of soil insect pests across an agricultural landscape

The landscape scale distributions of adult male click beetles of the species Agriotes lineatus, A. obscurus and A. sputator, and the cranefly Tipula paludosa were studied using traps along transects over 2 years. The transects (0.7–1.7 km with either sex pheromone (Agriotes) or water (T. paludosa) traps at 100 m spacings) were in an area of mixed organic land use. Agriotes lineatus was the most numerous click beetle caught even though its larvae were absent from these fields. Greater trap counts were found for all taxa except A. obscurus in grassland. The number of click beetles were influenced by the sampling year, crop type and the species, and interactions of other variables, suggesting that sex pheromone trap counts exhibit variability because of the complexity of the environment. Trap catches were spatially clustered with the exception of A. lineatus in 2005 which had a random distribution. Only A. sputator showed a significant, positive relationship between counts in 2005 and 2006. Variation in catch count of crane flies was largely determined by crop type. We conclude that Agriotes spp. disperse widely and may be recruited from outside the field which makes the interpretation of sex pheromone trap counts scientifically challenging.