Effects of music stimulus on behavior response,cortisol level,and horizontal immunity of growing pigs

An enriched environment is widely used to improve domestic animals’ welfare and promote their natural behaviors. Music can reduce abnormal behavior in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. However, little is known about the effects of music on pigs. This study aims to explore the effects of repeated music stimulation on the behavior, physiology, and immunity of growing pigs. A total of 72 hybrid piglets (Large White × Duroc × Minpig) were randomly divided into three groups, including music (Mozart K.448, 60 to 70 dB), noise (recorded mechanical noise, 80 to 85 dB), and control (natural background sound, <40 dB), and 6 h sound stimulation was given per day (1000 to 1600 hours) from 40 to 100 d of age. The behavioral activities of the pigs were observed during the music stimulation, and their serum cortisol, salivary cortisol, and serum immune indices were also measured. Compared with the control group, the music group and noise group increased activity but decreased lying of pigs (P < 0.05). A significant increase in tail-wagging, playing, and exploring behaviors of pigs was found in the music group (P < 0.05), and the noise significantly increased the aggressive behavior of the pigs (P < 0.05). Tail-wagging, playing, exploring, manipulating, and aggressive behaviors decreased over time. Short-term (8 d) music stimulus had a lower cortisol level than that of the noise and control groups (P < 0.05), whereas long-term (60 d) music stimulus increased immunoglobulin G (IgG), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) levels (P < 0.05) and decreased interleukin-4 (IL-4) level (P < 0.05). Long-term noise stimulus significantly reduced the level of IgG (P < 0.05) but did not affect the level of IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ levels (P > 0.05). In conclusion, short-term music stimulus (8 d) reduced the stress response, whereas long-term music stimulus (60 d) enhanced the immune responses. In addition, the noise increased the aggressive behavior, and long-term noise reduced the immunity of the growing pigs.     

A releaser pheromone that attracts methyltestosterone- treated immature fish in the urine of ovulated female rainbow trout

SUMMARY: Behavioral experiments concerning a releaser pheromone in the urine of female rainbow trout were performed using immature fish administered orally with 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) during the non-spawning season. The urine was collected by catheter. The frequency of entries of test fish was recorded in each channel scented by test and control solutions in a Y-maze trough. The behavior of both MT-treated and control fish demonstrated that they could not discriminate the differences between distilled and environmental water as control solutions. There was also no difference between MT-treated and control fish when distilled and environmental water were introduced. The MT-treated immature fish were attracted to the channel scented by ovulated female urine. Neither coelomic fluid nor the immature female urine had any effect on the behavioral responses of MT-treated fish, while immature control fish had no preference for the urine of ovulated females. These results suggest in rainbow trout that ovulated female urine contains a releaser pheromone to attract mature males, and that androgens are involved in the sensory mechanisms detecting the releaser pheromone in fish.     

肉仔鸡生长过程中行为与产热的变化

研究肉仔鸡成长过程中行为变化对产热量的影响 ,将 2日龄肉仔鸡 36只分为自由摄食、 50 %摄食和绝食 3组进行观测。立位行为集中在明期 ,特别是摄食 30min前后 ,暗期几乎没有出现立体行为。 2日龄时 ,每天约有 70 0min是立位的 ,其后 ,随着日龄的增加而减少。在自由采食区 ,公雏比母雏摄食时间长。 50 %摄食区较自由采食区的摄食时间少。在绝食区 ,随着日龄的增加 ,公母的立位时间呈现减少倾向。 2 1日龄之前随着日龄的增加其摄食时间也增加 ,其后呈现相反倾向。产热 (HP ,kJ/kg0 75)与摄食时间有相同倾向。在 2 1日龄前公雏的HP比母雏低 ,2 1日龄后母雏比公雏低。 1天中各个区的HP活动规律是摄食后 1h内最高 ,暗期降低 ;限制摄食量后 ,HP降低 ,明期和暗期的HP差也随之减小     

二化螟在茭白上的钻蛀行为及其防治方法

研究了二化螟在茭白植株上的转移、钻蛀和产卵行为以及取食选择性,并根据其行为特性,制订合理的药剂喷施方法.结果表明,二化螟90%以上的卵产在茭白的叶片上,其余部分产在叶鞘上.产卵的主要叶位是心叶、倒一叶和倒二叶.超过50%的卵块集中在叶片距叶枕0～60cm的部位.幼虫孵化后,蚁螟蛀入的部位一般在叶枕以下的叶鞘内侧,多集中于倒四、倒五叶鞘.2龄后开始钻蛀内侧叶鞘,并蛀入茭白茎的内芯,二化螟幼虫在茭白植株上通常从叶片转移到叶鞘进行钻蛀危害.幼虫嗜食茭白茎部,其次为茭白果肉和叶鞘,对叶片几乎不取食.使用叶鞘喷施杀虫可达到对茭白进行全株喷雾同样的防治效果,并可节省40%～50%的用药量,经济和生态效益十分明显.     

管侧沟茧蜂寄生对粘虫在玉米植株上分布位置选择性的影响

为明确管侧沟茧蜂Microplitis tuberculifer寄生对粘虫Mythimna separata在玉米植株上分布位置的影响及相关机理,采用生物学观察法在温室和实验室内监测了被寄生与未被寄生的粘虫幼虫在玉米活体植株和离体叶片上的分布及管侧沟茧蜂结茧位置的变化。结果表明,被管侧沟茧蜂寄生的粘虫幼虫在玉米叶片背面的平均分布比例为36.29%,显著高于未被寄生粘虫的14.60%;寄生后第8天开始,被寄生粘虫在黄色叶片上的分布比例显著高于未被寄生粘虫;非滞育和滞育条件下,管侧沟茧蜂在玉米植株黄色叶片上的平均结茧数目分别为19.3个和15.3个,显著高于绿叶上的6.5个和4.7个及土面上的0.8个和0.7个,选择性试验发现湿度在结茧位置的选择中发挥着重要作用。研究表明,管侧沟茧蜂可以通过调控寄主粘虫在玉米植株上的分布位置协助其找到合适的结茧位置。     

绿盲蝽对七种锦葵科植物挥发物的EAG和趋向行为反应

研究绿盲蝽Apolygus lucorum(Meyer-Dür)对锦葵科植物挥发物的EAG和趋向行为反应,为研发绿盲蝽引诱剂或驱避剂策略提供科学依据。田间采用动态顶空采样方法收集了7种锦葵科植物的挥发物,通过室内气相-质谱联用系统(GC-MS)进行物质鉴定及定量分析,最终测定了雌、雄绿盲蝽成虫对11种候选特征挥发物的触角电位(EAG)反应和嗅觉趋向选择行为。结果表明,7种锦葵科植物的挥发物种类和含量有较大差异,而且4种棉花品种之间的挥发物差异也很显著。棉花石远321的挥发物总量最大,其中4,8-二甲基-1,3,7-壬三烯(DMNT)含量最高,壬醛和罗勒烯其次。蜀葵的挥发物种类和含量均最少。11种候选特征挥发物均能够引起绿盲蝽雌、雄成虫EAG反应,且雄性成虫的反应值大都高于雌性成虫。其中,绿盲蝽雌、雄成虫触角对反-2-己烯酸丁酯EAG反应值最大,芳樟醇、乙酸叶醇酯、甲基庚烯酮及DMNT也能够激发绿盲蝽较大的EAG反应。在趋向行为检测中发现,DMNT及柠檬烯等对雄性成虫具有吸引作用。对雌性成虫有吸引作用的物质有γ-萜品烯、DMNT、月桂烯、α-石竹烯、罗勒烯及乙酸叶醇酯等,其中γ-萜品烯和乙酸叶醇酯对雌性成虫具有极显著吸引效果。锦葵科候选植物挥发物对绿盲蝽雌、雄虫具有不同EAG和趋向行为反应影响,候选气味化合物可以作为设计绿盲蝽引诱剂组分进行害虫防控田间实践。     

土壤熏蒸剂研究进展

土壤熏蒸剂可有效防治土传病虫害,但效果最好的熏蒸剂溴甲烷由于破坏臭氧层,已被禁止用在农业上(必要用途豁免除外)。碘甲烷、氯化苦、异硫氰酸甲酯、1,3-二氯丙烯、二甲基二硫、硫酰氟、棉隆及威百亩是国际上已经登记使用的土壤熏蒸剂;甲酸乙酯、乙二腈、糠醛、丙烯醛是有希望开发为新的土壤熏蒸剂品种。国内已经商品化的土壤熏蒸剂品种有4种,分别为氯化苦、威百亩、棉隆和硫酰氟,二甲基二硫正在登记当中。本文系统综述了上述熏蒸剂在应用、环境行为等方面的研究进展,在未来一段时间内,氯化苦、棉隆及威百亩将会占据着国内土壤熏蒸剂的主要市场。二甲基二硫的登记也将会改善国内熏蒸剂品种匮乏的局面。     

Harmonic radar: efficacy at detecting and recovering insects on agricultural host plants

BACKGROUND: In pest management research, harmonic radar systems have been largely used to study insect movement across open or vegetation‐poor areas because the microwave signal is attenuated by the high water content of vegetation. This study evaluated whether the efficacy of this technology is sufficient to track insects in vegetative landscapes. RESULTS: Field efficacy data were collected using portable harmonic microwave radar and electronic dipole tags mounted on adults of three economically important pests: Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), Diabrotica virginifera virginifera (LeComte) and Conotrachelus nenuphar Herbst. Detection and recovery of tagged Colorado potato beetles, plum curculios and western corn rootworms was high within and among potato plants, moderate within apple trees and high within, but not between, corn plants respectively. The efficacy of the radar depends on the ability of the operator to move around the host, scanning for a signal ‘sightline’ with the tagged insect among plant structures. CONCLUSION: The detection rate of tagged insects by harmonic radar systems is high enough to track the walking path of pests through low row crops such as potato, tall row crops such as corn or tall but well‐separated trees of orchard‐type crops by adapting the scanning procedure to the vegetative architecture. Copyright © 2010 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by JohnWiley & Sons, Ltd