Effect of Simultaneous Dietary Supplementation of Betaine, Selenomethionine, and Vitamins E and C under Summer Conditions in Growing-Finishing Pigs.

Heat stress in pigs negatively affects welfare, health, and performance. Osmoprotectants and antioxidants may alleviate oxidative damage during hot periods. We investigated whether an additive-enriched feed can reduce negative effects in pigs during summer conditions. Sixty growing-finishing pigs were allocated into two groups: the control (CF) and summer feed (SF) group. The CF group contained 0.4 mg/kg inorganic selenium and 100 ppm vitamin E, while the SF group contained 0.3 mg/kg inorganic selenium, 0.1 mg/kg selenomethionine, 200 ppm vitamins E and C, and 0.2% betaine. Feed was offered ad libitum. Respiration rate, rectal and skin temperature, behaviour, and weight gain were assessed weekly. Daily measurements of these parameters were performed during a 3-day heat wave (temperature humidity index (THI) ≥ 75) and during an artificial heating period. Individual average daily water intake (ADWI) and feed intake were measured using RFID systems. The ADWI of the SF group did not change during heat load while it increased for the CF group. Independent of dietary treatment, increases in ∆THI or the THI were accompanied by significant increases in both respiration rate and skin temperature. In conclusion, the SF may induce a reduced need to increase ADWI during hot periods. In addition, mainly skin temperatures and especially respiration rates revealed the sensitivity of pigs to heat stress.

Effects of group size and cage enrichment on social behaviour and skin injuries of breeding rabbits housed part-time in group.

Housing of breeding does in group pens can result in skin injuries and stress due to maternal protective behaviour and hierarchy fights. Aggression can be partly reduced by using single-litter cages during the first weeks of the reproductive cycle and by delaying the grouping of does with their litters until the kits are older. Hierarchy fights do still occur in these part-time housing systems, however. The present study evaluated the effect of group size and cage enrichment on doe and kit skin injuries and on doe social behaviour. During four cycles, groups of either three or four does with their 22-day-old kits were housed in group pens for 13 days. Pens were assigned one of the following treatments (n = 12 pens per treatment): group of four does with no additional enrichment, four does with additional cage enrichment, three does with no additional enrichment and three does with additional cage enrichment. Cage enrichment was comprised of plastic pipes and elevated platforms. As pen size remained constant, a change in group size also implied a proportional change in stocking density. The number and severity of skin injuries were monitored before grouping and at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 13 days after grouping. Video recordings from all group pens were scored continuously for doe behaviour during the first 24 h after grouping in the first and second reproduction cycle and for the first 8 h in the third cycle. Four severely injured does needed to be removed after grouping. During the first day after group housing, respectively, 72.6 and 13.0% of the does and kits acquired at least one new skin injury with respect to the onset of group housing. Compared with groups of four, does in groups of three had lower averaged skin injury scores (9.41 versus 8.40, P = 0.004). Of all observed postgrouping social behaviours, submissive behaviour was most frequently observed (42.8%), followed by aggressive behaviour (29.8%), engaging behaviour (25.1%) and non-aggressive social contact (2.3%). Does used the enrichment during 11.1% of the total observation time, during which the platforms were more frequently visited (97.2%) in comparison to the plastic pipes (2.8%). As shown by the percentage of injured animals on the last day of grouping (does: 61.9% and kits: 18.4%), postgrouping aggression remains a problem that appears difficult to reduce to acceptable levels by reducing group size (and stocking density) or by providing cage enrichment.

Explorative study on scale cortisol accumulation in wild caught common dab (Limanda limanda).

BACKGROUND: Flatfish live in a diverse marine ecosystem that is changing due to natural variations and anthropogenic influences. These changes can evoke a stress response mainly resulting in production of the glucocorticoid cortisol, which mediates effects on various levels of biological organization. The finding that cortisol accumulates in fish scales, offering a retrospective view on cortisol production, provides opportunities to use this matrix for chronic stress assessment. The present study is the first to gather information on scale cortisol concentration in wild-caught common dab (Limanda limanda), based on a two-pronged approach using (1) field measurements and (2) a laboratory in vivo-study where wild-caught dab were fed by cortisol-spiked feed during 30 or 90 days to demonstrate the possible accumulation of cortisol in the scales and to evaluate its impact on fish health. RESULTS: Based on the field measurements, the average scale cortisol concentration in wild-caught fish was 0.0034 ± 0.0046 µg kg-1 scale (n = 67). This indicates that wild common dab is indeed able to incorporate cortisol in the scales. Based on the experimental data, the cortisol-fed fish showed an increased plasma cortisol concentration (80.16 ± 82.58 µg L-1) compared to the control group (4.54 ± 9.57 µg L-1) after 30 days of cortisol feeding. The increase in plasma cortisol concentration was positively correlated with an increased cortisol concentration in the scale after 30 days of cortisol-spiked feeding. This correlation was, however, no longer observed after 90 days of cortisol-spiked feeding. Interestingly, cortisol concentration of the scales on the pigmented side was significantly higher compared to the non-pigmented side. Some health parameters such as epidermal thickness, body condition and Ichthyobodo sp. parasitic infection showed a correlation with scale cortisol concentration after 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated that common dab is able to accumulate cortisol in its scales. This seems to occur proportionally to circulating concentrations of plasma cortisol in fish fed with cortisol supplemented feed after 30 days.

Using Expert Elicitation to Abridge the Welfare Quality® Protocol for Monitoring the Most Adverse Dairy Cattle Welfare Impairments.

The Welfare Quality® consortium has developed and proposed standard protocols for monitoring farm animal welfare. The uptake of the dairy cattle protocol has been below expectation, however, and it has been criticized for the variable quality of the welfare measures and for a limited number of measures having a disproportionally large effect on the integrated welfare categorization. Aiming for a wide uptake by the milk industry, we revised and simplified the Welfare Quality® protocol into a user-friendly tool for cost- and time-efficient on-farm monitoring of dairy cattle welfare with a minimal number of key animal-based measures that are aggregated into a continuous (and thus discriminative) welfare index (WI). The inevitable subjective decisions were based upon expert opinion, as considerable expertise about cattle welfare issues and about the interpretation, importance, and validity of the welfare measures was deemed essential. The WI is calculated as the sum of the severity score (i.e., how severely a welfare problem affects cow welfare) multiplied with the herd prevalence for each measure. The selection of measures (lameness, leanness, mortality, hairless patches, lesions/swellings, somatic cell count) and their severity scores were based on expert surveys (14-17 trained users of the Welfare Quality® cattle protocol). The prevalence of these welfare measures was assessed in 491 European herds. Experts allocated a welfare score (from 0 to 100) to 12 focus herds for which the prevalence of each welfare measure was benchmarked against all 491 herds. Quadratic models indicated a high correspondence between these subjective scores and the WI (R 2 = 0.91). The WI allows both numerical (0-100) as a qualitative ("not classified" to "excellent") evaluation of welfare. Although it is sensitive to those welfare issues that most adversely affect cattle welfare (as identified by EFSA), the WI should be accompanied with a disclaimer that lists adverse or favorable effects that cannot be detected adequately by the current selection of measures.

INFLUENCE OF PATHOGENS, FISH-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKIN ULCERATIONS IN WILD COMMON DAB (LIMANDA LIMANDA) FROM THE NORTH SEA.

Environmental changes or stressors can result in the development of diseases. Through regular fish disease surveys in the Belgian part of the North Sea, attention was drawn to a sudden increase of skin ulceration prevalence between 2011 and 2014 in common dab (Limanda limanda). Information on prevalence, ulceration, bacteriology, fish-related (e.g., length, age, and sex) and (spatial and temporal) environmental factors, and fishing intensity were gathered. This detailed investigation was framed within a long-term monitoring program, executed every spring-autumn from 2000 to present. Ulcerations were observed in 1.3% of fish (n=3,999). Spatial and temporal differences were evident, and highest prevalence was found in summer. Vibrio was the dominant cultivated bacterial genus present in the lesions. Skin ulcerations appeared to be correlated with length and body condition of the fish, as well as with temperature and pH of the seawater and fishing vessel density. Our research suggested the involvement of multiple factors in the development of skin ulcerations in common dab and endorsed the effects of changing environment and human influence on the marine ecosystem through activities such as fishing.

Killing individual poultry on-farm-a survey among veterinarians and farmers.

To date, information about reasons to select and kill poultry on-farm and which method veterinarians and poultry producers preferably use is scarce. Little is also known about their knowledge of the legislation regarding on-farm killing methods and of methods alternative to the one(s) they use, as well as their perception of those alternatives. In this study, Flemish poultry veterinarians (n = 13), broiler chicken producers (n = 27), and turkey producers (n = 4) were surveyed on killing methods they currently use in practice and alternative methods, on their opinion about what constitutes an appropriate method for on-farm killing of poultry, and on their reasons for killing. All poultry veterinarians and chicken producers who filled out the survey kill poultry by manual cervical dislocation (CD), whereas some turkey farmers also indicated killing by percussive blow to the head (n = 1) or exsanguination (n = 1). Turkey producers seem to be more inclined not to kill animals with injuries or symptoms of disease as compared to veterinarians or chicken producers, such that moribund turkeys are more likely to remain in the flock. Veterinarians considered the following properties of a killing method important: animal friendliness, applicability inside the stable, a high success rate, and time efficiency. Producers ranked the properties similarly, but for them, ease of performance and cost-efficiency were more important than applicability inside the stable. Producers scored those killing properties rather positively for manual as well as mechanical CD. Veterinarians and chicken producers considered the captive bolt method to be easy to perform, to have a high success rate, to be feasible to perform in the stable, and to be animal-friendly. Turkey producers, however, had doubts about the latter 2 properties. Gas, injection, and electrocution were inferior methods to kill poultry according to producers. In conclusion, manual CD is the most common method for killing broiler chickens and turkeys, and knowledge of, and experience with, alternative methods is very limited, both among veterinarians and producers. Informing them about legislation and training for the use of alternative killing techniques are recommended.

Repeatability of flatfish reflex impairment assessments based on video recordings.

Using measures of reflex impairment and injury to quantify an aquatic organism's vitality have gained popularity as survival predictors of discarded non-target fisheries catch. To evaluate the robustness of this method with respect to 'rater' subjectivity, we tested inter- and intra-rater repeatability and the role of 'expectation bias'. From video clips, multiple raters determined impairment levels of four reflexes of beam-trawled common sole (Solea solea) intended for discard. Raters had a range of technical experience, including veterinary students, practicing veterinarians, and fisheries scientists. Expectation bias was evaluated by first assessing a rater's assumption about the effect of air exposure on vitality, then comparing their reflex ratings of the same fish, once when the true air exposure duration was indicated and once when the time was exaggerated (by either 15 or 30 min). Inter-rater repeatability was assessed by having multiple raters evaluate those clips with true air exposure information; and intra- and inter-rater repeatability was determined by having individual raters evaluate a series of duplicated clips, all with true air exposure. Results indicate that inter- and intra-rater repeatability were high (intra-class correlation coefficients of 74% for both), and were not significantly affected by background type nor expectation bias related to assumed impact from prolonged air exposure. This suggests that reflex impairment as a metric for predicting fish survival is robust to involving multiple raters with diverse backgrounds. Bias is potentially more likely to be introduced through subjective reflexes than raters, given that consistency in scoring differed for some reflexes based on rater experience type. This study highlights the need to provide ample training for raters, and that no prior experience is needed to become a reliable rater. Moreover, before implementing reflexes in a vitality study, it is important to evaluate whether the determination of presence/absence is subjective.

Pinpointing the role of Aeromonas salmonicida in the development of skin ulcerations in common dab (Limanda limanda).

Aeromonas salmonicida was isolated from ulcerations in common dab (Limanda limanda). An experiment was performed to pinpoint its role in ulceration development, considering the importance of the skin barrier and the pigmented and non-pigmented sides. The skin of dab was treated in three zones, one where scales and epidermis were removed, one where mucus was discarded and one non-treated zone. Fish were tagged to allow individual identification and challenged with A. salmonicida. Mortality and severity of the developing lesions were recorded for 21 days post-inoculation. Starting 12 days post-inoculation, mortality occurred gradually in challenged fish; however, no direct cause could be established. Both control fish and challenged fish developed ulcerations containing A. salmonicida. Sequencing of vapA gene revealed that isolates retrieved from both groups were distinct, suggesting the presence of A. salmonicida prior to the trial. Most ulcerations developed in zones where skin was removed, suggesting that abrasion might be a predisposing factor in ulceration development. Ulcerations were also observed at the insertion site of the tag, where exposed muscle tissue might have favoured the development of ulcerations. In conclusion, A. salmonicida seems to be involved in the development of skin ulcerations in dab, although the exact pathogenesis needs to be elucidated.

Factors influencing claw lesion scoring in sows.

Claw lesions have a multifactorial origin and may affect sow welfare and farm profitability. However, estimating the precise impact is hampered by several factors that interfere with the accuracy of claw lesion assessment. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of observer, scoring condition and claw cleanliness on claw lesion scoring in sows. The first experiment evaluated the impact of observer by calculating the inter- and intra-observer reliability during three test sessions using photographs. The second experiment evaluated the impact of observer, scoring condition (Feet First© chute of Zinpro Corp., "sow chute" vs. Mobile Claw Scoring Device, "MCSD"), and claw cleanliness (clean or soiled claws) on claw lesion scoring. For this experiment, 20 hybrid mid-gestating sows were hoisted up using the sow chute in which the MCSD was positioned. Lateral and medial claw digits of both hind claws were scored for heel horn erosion and separations along the heel/sole junction and white line. Scores were given by drawing a vertical bar on a 160 mm tagged visual analogue scale (tVAS); the severity of a claw lesion type was determined by measuring the distance from 0 mm. Four scores per sow were collected and analysed: clean claws × MCSD video recordings, soiled claws × MCSD video recordings, clean claws × visual scoring in a sow chute, and soiled claws × visual scoring in a sow chute. In both experiments, observer had an impact on the claw lesion scores. The inter-observer reliability was highest for overgrown dewclaws and lowest for the horizontal wall cracks (0.84 and 0.35, resp.). The highest intra-observer reliability was found for overgrown dewclaws and heel horn erosion (0.89) and lowest for vertical wall cracks (0.64). Furthermore, scoring condition and claw cleanliness influenced the scores in the second experiment and the limits of agreements were high (23.5-58.9 mm). The improved concordance correlation coefficient (iCCC) was highest for the heel horn erosion scores. In conclusion, the impact of observer seemed less relevant for claw lesion scoring; however, claw cleanliness and scoring condition were important and cannot be used interchangeably.

Scrutinizing the triad of Vibrio tapetis, the skin barrier and pigmentation as determining factors in the development of skin ulcerations in wild common dab (Limanda limanda).

Recently, Vibrio tapetis was isolated for the first time from skin ulcerations in wild-caught common dab (Limanda limanda). To further examine its role in the development of these skin lesions, an in vivo experiment was performed. The significance of the skin barrier and in addition the difference between pigmented and non-pigmented side were investigated. Hence, the skin of common dab was treated in three different ways on both the pigmented and non-pigmented side. On a first "treatment zone", the scales and overlying epidermal tissue were removed whereas in a second zone only the mucus was discarded. The third zone served as a non-treated zone. Thereafter, fish were challenged with V. tapetis. The control group was sham treated. Mortality, clinical signs, severity and size of the developing lesions were recorded. All animals were sacrificed and sampled 21 days post-inoculation. Significantly more fish of the group challenged with V. tapetis died compared to the control group with the highest incidence occurring 4 days post-inoculation. Fish challenged with V. tapetis developed more severe skin ulcerations. In zones where scales and epidermal tissue were removed, the ulcerations were more severe compared to zones where only mucus was eliminated. Ulcerations occurred more frequently, were more severe and larger on the pigmented side. Our data represents prove of V. tapetis as causative agent of ulcerative skin lesions although prior damage of the skin seems to be a major contributing factor. Furthermore, the pigmented side seemed predisposed to the development of skin ulcerations.

On-Farm Claw Scoring in Sows Using a Novel Mobile Device.

Claw lesions and lameness in sows are important problems in the industry as they impair sow welfare and result in economic losses. Available scoring techniques to detect claw lesions are all limited in terms of collecting data during all reproductive phases and recording all claws. The Mobile Claw Scoring Device (MCSD) was designed to address these limitations. After considering different practical situations and a design phase, two prototypes were constructed and tested. Improvements were incorporated into a final aluminium apparatus, consisting of two cameras with light-emitting diode (LED) lights mounted in a two-segment aluminium box and covered with laminated tempered glass plates. The operating system slides underneath the claws and takes video images. This final prototype was optimised and validated in an experiment with 20 hybrid sows, comparing scores for soiled claws using the MCSD against scores for clean claws using the Feet First© sow chute (as gold standard). Fifty percent of the scores differed between both scoring tools, with mainly medial claw digits deviating, but this seemed biologically irrelevant. The MCSD seems to be an appropriate alternative for on-farm claw scoring and is distinguishable from other claw scoring techniques; however, it needs further optimisation to improve the similarity between the two techniques.

Modulation of Innate Immune-Related Genes and Glucocorticoid Synthesis in Gnotobiotic Full-Sibling European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Larvae Challenged With Vibrio anguillarum.

Although several efforts have been made to describe the immunoendocrine interaction in fish, there are no studies to date focusing on the characterization of the immune response and glucocorticoid synthesis using the host-pathogen interaction on larval stage as an early developmental stage model of study. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the glucocorticoid synthesis and the modulation of stress- and innate immune-related genes in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) larvae challenged with Vibrio anguillarum. For this purpose, we challenged by bath full-sibling gnotobiotic sea bass larvae with 107 CFU mL-1 of V. anguillarum strain HI 610 on day 5 post-hatching (dph). The mortality was monitored up to the end of the experiment [120 hours post-challenge (hpc)]. While no variations were registered in non-challenged larvae maintained under gnotobiotic conditions (93.20% survival at 120 hpc), in the challenged group a constant and sustained mortality was observed from 36 hpc onward, dropping to 18.31% survival at 120 hpc. Glucocorticoid quantification and expression analysis of stress- and innate immunity-related genes were carried out in single larvae. The increase of cortisol, cortisone and 20ß-dihydrocortisone was observed at 120 hpc, although did not influence upon the modulation of stress-related genes (glucocorticoid receptor 1 [gr1], gr2, and heat shock protein 70 [hsp70]). On the other hand, the expression of lysozyme, transferrin, and il-10 differentially increased at 120 hpc together with a marked upregulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (il-1ß and il-8) and hepcidin, suggesting a late activation of defense mechanisms against V. anguillarum. Importantly, this response coincided with the lowest survival observed in challenged groups. Therefore, the increase in markers associated with glucocorticoid synthesis together with the upregulation of genes associated with the anti-inflammatory response suggests that in larvae infected with V. anguillarum a pro-inflammatory response at systemic level takes place, which then leads to the participation of other physiological mechanisms at systemic level to counteract the effect and the consequences of such response. However, this late systemic response could be related to the previous high mortality observed in sea bass larvae challenged with V. anguillarum.

The effect of crude protein reduction on performance and nitrogen metabolism in piglets (four to nine weeks of age) fed two dietary lysine levels1.

Lowering the CP level in piglet diets reduces the risk of postweaning diarrhea and N excretion to the environment. The question remains at what point CP becomes limiting. An experiment was designed with 2 standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys levels (10 and 11 g) and 6 CP levels (140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190 g/kg) in a 2 × 6 factorial design (with 6 pens of 6 animals each per treatment). Linear and quadratic (QP) mixed models of performance in function of CP were fitted to study the effect of SID Lys and CP and their interaction. To determine optima, QP models and broken line models with linear (BLL) or quadratic (BLQ) ascending portions were fitted through the data. It was hypothesized 1) that the response to a decreasing digestible CP level could be described with broken line models and 2) that the break point of these models is dependent on the dietary SID Lys level. Decreasing the CP level decreased ADG (P < 0.001). For G:F, the effect of decreasing CP level depended on the SID Lys level (P of the interaction = 0.028 in the linear model and P = 0.002 in the QP model). According to the BLL model, with 11 g SID Lys in the diet, G:F started to decline with CP levels < 176 g CP [SID Lys:CP = 0.062, SID Lys:apparent total tract digestible (ATTD) CP = 0.077], and with 10 g SID Lys, CP levels < 165 g/kg (SID Lys:CP = 0.061, SID Lys:ATTD CP = 0.075) depressed performance. Serum creatinine levels showed a linear decrease with increasing SID Lys:CP levels (P < 0.001). Across both SID Lys levels, when fitting a BLL model, minimal serum urea levels were reached at an SID Lys:CP ratio of 0.064. This seems to be the point where CP and not Lys limits muscle deposition. The small difference in break point between serum urea level and performance suggests that the composition of nonessential AA may also be at stake. The effect of decreasing CP level depends on SID Lys, and using a maximal SID Lys:CP ratio may be useful for optimizing the AA profile of dietary CP. When the SID Lys:CP ratio exceeds 0.064 (SID Lys:ATTD CP > 0.079), protein and not individual AA limits growth in most piglets between 4 and 9 wk of age.

Supplementing goat kids with coconut medium chain fatty acids in early life influences growth and rumen papillae development until 4 months after supplementation but effects on in vitro methane emissions and the rumen microbiota are transient.

The aim of this study was to investigate the methane (CH4) reducing potential of a combination of prenatal and/or postnatal treatment with coconut oil medium chain fatty acids (CO MCFA) in goat kids. The hypothesis is that influencing rumen function during early life has more chances for success than in the adult life, related to the resilience of the mature rumen microbiota. Forty-eight pregnant does were split into two experimental groups: treated does (D+) received 40 g/d of CO MCFA in a test compound feed, while control does (D-) received a control compound feed, during the last 3 wk of gestation. Twin kids from 10 does of each group were split up into a treated (K+) and nontreated (K-) group, resulting in four experimental groups: D+K+, D+K-, D-K+, and D-K-. The K+ kids received 1.8 mL/d of CO MCFA from birth until 2-wk postweaning (11 wk). Irrespective of treatment, the experimental rearing conditions resulted in absence of rumen protozoa at all sampling times, assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). In vitro incubations with rumen fluid at 4 wk old showed 82% lower CH4 production of inoculum from D+K+ kids compared to D-K- kids (P = 0.01). However, this was accompanied by lower total volatile fatty acids (tVFA) production (P = 0.006) and higher hydrogen accumulation (P = 0.008). QPCR targeting the mcrA and rrs genes confirmed a lower abundance of total methanogens (P < 0.02) and total eubacteria (P = 0.02) in D+K+ kids at 4 wk old. Methanogenic activity, as assessed by mcrA expression by RT-qPCR, was also lower in these kids. However, activity did not always reflect methanogen abundance. At 11 and 28 wk old, prenatal and postnatal effects on in vitro fermentation and rumen microbiota disappeared. Nevertheless, lower milk replacer intake in the first 4 wk resulted in reduced BW in K+ kids, persisting until 28 wk of age. Additionally, differences assigned to postnatal treatment were found in papillae density, width, and length in different areas of the rumen, recorded at 28 wk old. CONCLUSION: prenatal and postnatal supplementation with CO MCFA reduced in vitro CH4 emissions until 4 wk old by depressing methanogen abundance and activity but at the expense of rumen fermentation and eubacterial abundance. Unfortunately, daily gain of K+ kids was suppressed. Some rumen papillae characteristics differed at 28 wk old due to postnatal treatment which ended at 11 wk old, indicating rumen papillary development can be affected by the early-life nutritional circumstances.

Heat stress in cows at pasture and benefit of shade in a temperate climate region.

Under temperate climates, cattle are often at pasture in summer and are not necessarily provided with shade. We aimed at evaluating in a temperate region (Belgium) to what extent cattle may suffer from heat stress (measured through body temperature, respiration rate and panting score, cortisol or its metabolites in milk, and feces on hot days) and at assessing the potential benefits of shade. During the summer of 2012, 20 cows were kept on pasture without access to shade. During the summer of 2011, ten cows had access to shade (young trees with shade cloth hung between them), whereas ten cows had no access. Climatic conditions were quantified by the Heat Load Index (HLI). In animals without access to shade respiration rates, panting scores, rectal temperatures, and milk cortisol concentrations increased as HLI increased in both 2011 and 2012. Fecal cortisol metabolites varied with HLI in 2011 only. When cattle had access to shade, their use of shade increased as the HLI increased. This effect was more pronounced during the last part of the summer, possibly due to better acquaintance with the shade construction. In this case, shade use increased to 65% at the highest HLI (79). Shade tempered the effects on respiration, rectal temperature, and fecal cortisol metabolites. Milk cortisol was not influenced by HLI for cows using shade for > 10% of the day. Therefore, even in temperate areas, cattle may suffer from heat when they are at pasture in summer and providing shade can reduce such stress.

Sensory evaluation of boar meat products by trained experts.

Rearing entire male pigs, one of the alternatives for surgical castration, entails the possible occurrence of boar taint. This study aimed at the investigation of the acceptability of meat from entire male pigs in 8 different meat products (cutlets, bacon, blade loin, tenderloin, dry fermented sausage, cooked ham, dry-cured ham and minced meat) by trained assessors. Generally, the sensory evaluation of meat samples was affected the most in the androstenone (AEON) group, indicating that AEON is the most offensive boar taint compound for sensitive assessors. Differences between the meat products showed the highest potential for processing tainted meat in cold meat products, which was most likely due to the serving temperature on the one hand and production-related influences on the other. However, more insights regarding reducing and masking effects of production-related factors on boar taint are necessary.

Inter-rater reliability of categorical versus continuous scoring of fish vitality: Does it affect the utility of the reflex action mortality predictor (RAMP) approach?

Scoring reflex responsiveness and injury of aquatic organisms has gained popularity as predictors of discard survival. Given this method relies upon the individual interpretation of scoring criteria, an evaluation of its robustness is done here to test whether protocol-instructed, multiple raters with diverse backgrounds (research scientist, technician, and student) are able to produce similar or the same reflex and injury score for one of the same flatfish (European plaice, Pleuronectes platessa) after experiencing commercial fishing stressors. Inter-rater reliability for three raters was assessed by using a 3-point categorical scale ('absent', 'weak', 'strong') and a tagged visual analogue continuous scale (tVAS, a 10 cm bar split in three labelled sections: 0 for 'absent', 'weak', 'moderate', and 'strong') for six reflex responses, and a 4-point scale for four injury types. Plaice (n = 304) were sampled from 17 research beam-trawl deployments during four trips. Fleiss kappa (categorical scores) and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC, continuous scores) indicated variable inter-rater agreement by reflex type (ranging between 0.55 and 0.88, and 67% and 91% for Fleiss kappa and ICC, respectively), with least agreement among raters on extent of injury (Fleiss kappa between 0.08 and 0.27). Despite differences among raters, which did not significantly influence the relationship between impairment and predicted survival, combining categorical reflex and injury scores always produced a close relationship of such vitality indices and observed delayed mortality. The use of the continuous scale did not improve fit of these models compared with using the reflex impairment index based on categorical scores. Given these findings, we recommend using a 3-point categorical over a continuous scale. We also determined that training rather than experience of raters minimised inter-rater differences. Our results suggest that cost-efficient reflex impairment and injury scoring may be considered a robust technique to evaluate lethal stress and damage of this flatfish species on-board commercial beam-trawl vessels.

Impact of transportation duration on stress responses in day-old chicks from young and old breeders.

The aim of this study was to assess the interaction effect of transportation duration and parental age on physiological stress responses and quality in day-old chicks. After hatch, 3240 chicks from either 29-week old (young) or 60-week old (old) broiler breeders were transported for 1.5h (short) or 11h (long). Thereafter, 228 chicks were assessed for quality and blood plasma was assayed for corticosterone (CORT), lactate, glucose, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS, increased concentrations can indicate oxidative stress). No interaction effects of parental age and transportation duration were found (all P>0.10). Chicks from young breeders showed higher CORT levels (P=0.007) and were of higher quality (Tona method, P<0.001) than those from old breeders. After long transportation, chicks showed increased CORT (P<0.001) and lower TBARS levels (P<0.001) compared to after short transportation. No evidence was provided that long transportation differently affected the quality or stress responses of chicks from breeder flocks of two ages.

Locomotion Disorders and Skin and Claw Lesions in Gestating Sows Housed in Dynamic versus Static Groups.

Lameness and lesions to the skin and claws of sows in group housing are commonly occurring indicators of reduced welfare. Typically, these problems are more common in group housing than in individual housing systems. Group management type (dynamic versus static) and stage of gestation influence the behavior of the animals, which in turn influences the occurrence of these problems. The present study compared prevalence, incidence and mean scores of lameness and skin and claw lesions in static versus dynamic group housed sows at different stages of gestation during three consecutive reproductive cycles. A total of 10 Belgian sow herds were monitored; 5 in which dynamic groups and 5 in which static groups were utilized. All sows were visually assessed for lameness and skin lesions three times per cycle and the claws of the hind limbs were assessed once per cycle. Lameness and claw lesions were assessed using visual analogue scales. Static groups, in comparison with dynamic groups, demonstrated lower lameness scores (P<0.05) and decreased skin lesion prevalence (24.9 vs. 47.3%, P<0.05) at the end of gestation. There was no difference between treatment group regarding claw lesion prevalence with 75.5% of sows demonstrating claw lesions regardless of group management. Prevalences of lameness (22.4 vs. 8.9%, P<0.05) and skin lesions (46.6 vs. 4.4%, P<0.05) were highest during the group-housed phase compared to the individually housed phases. Although the prevalence of lameness and skin lesions did not differ three days after grouping versus at the end of the group-housing phase, their incidence peaked during the first three days after moving from the insemination stalls to the group. In conclusion, the first three days after grouping was the most risky period for lameness incidence, but there was no significant difference between static or dynamic group management.