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The main objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using paraffin wax as an alternative surface treatment for rainwater harvesting in the high rainfall zone of Kabarole district, Western Uganda. Specifically, the paper assesses the efficiency of paraffin wax in terms of quantity and quality of runoff. A complete randomized block experimental design was setup in three replications based on a slope of 1%, 3% and 5%. The treatments included: wax on bare soil (W), wax on sand (WS), wax on gravel (WG), wax on rice husk ash (WA) and a bare surface with short grass (C). Daily rainfall and runoff was collected from each experimental unit between April 2016 to May 2017. Water quality analysis of runoff for physical, chemical and microbial contamination was conducted. Average monthly runoff efficiency ranged from 56 to 93% for WG, 35–81% for WS, 34–71 for W, 30–71% for WA and 12–56% for C. Rainfall threshold values were estimated at 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, 1.1 mm, 1.8 mm, and 4.6 mm of rainfall for WG, WS, W, WA and C, respectively. All physiochemical parameters were within WHO guidelines while E. coli contamination was observed in some samples for all treatments. Both the control and WG treatments had the lowest yield cost/m3/yr compared to the other treatments.

This paper has the following objectives: i) evaluate which of the two techniques, n-alkanes or faecal crude protein (fCP), and their equations had the highest accuracy in estimating DM intake by sheep; and ii) evaluate which ratio option of n-alkanes (C31:C32 or C33:C32) was most accurate in estimating sheep DM intake. The experimental design was a randomised complete block with three replicates (paddocks) and repeated measures on time (periods), arranged in a two-level factorial design, with two stocking methods (continuous and rotational) and two grazing intensities (moderate and low). In general, both the fCP and n-alkanes techniques and equations tested are potential to estimate DM intake by sheep grazing Italian ryegrass, however, the equation proposed by Azevedo et al. (2014) and De-Stefani Aguiar et al. (2013) are the most accurate (lower CV), respectively. The n-alkanes ratio C31:C32 is the more accurate predictor of DM intake by sheep grazing Italian ryegrass pastures.

The present paper outlines ways of non-surgical collection and semi-laparoscopic transfer of caprine embryos. Two different ways of embryo cryo-preservation by way of vitrification are described; the open pulled straw (OPS) procedure, known to be well suited and the solid surface procedure called for in situations where contact between embryos and non-sterile liquid nitrogen is to be avoided. Based on 13 transfers of OPS-vitrified and 9 transfers of solid surface-vitrified blastocysts (2 blastocysts/recipient) it was shown that either procedure is applicable (54% vs. 56% pregnancy- and 39% vs. 44% kidding rate). Furthermore the experiment showed that warming of vitrified embryos may be accomplished by one-step procedure (88% transferable post-warming embryos), opening up the possibility to transfer vitrified embryos under field conditions.

The Laser Methane Detector (LMD) technique has proven to be reliable for estimating enteric methane (CH4) output in ruminants. The number of peer-reviewed publications related to LMD measurements in ruminants is still small. Studies are largely limited to measurements of animals in controlled research environment and respiration chambers, while measurements on animals outside respiration chambers are rare. Most studies focused on cattle or sheep, but the LMD has not yet been applied to goats. Finally, no systematic measurement protocol is available for different livestock species. Thus, the experimental setup of studies varies considerably, making a comparison of results difficult, although previous papers have provided guidance. In the present study, the LMD technique was applied in two experiments with goats to evaluate the effect of; the position of goats, the time after feeding, CH4 peaks and troughs, the recording interval and the proportion of concentrate feed and hay in the diet on enteric CH4 emission. Measurements were taken on four (Experiment 1) and 12 (Experiment 2) 1-year old female Boer goats. The position affected the mean enteric CH4 emission, with higher values for lying than for standing goats. However, results across goats differ. In contrast, a day effect was observed that was consistent across positions and goats, with highest CH4 emissions obtained for day 3 (Experiment 1). As could be expected, the time after feeding strongly influenced the CH4 concentrations that were highest directly after morning feeding. CH4 concentrations gradually decreased with increasing time after feeding and were lowest early in the morning. No diet effect (quality and quantity) was observed (Experiment 2). This indicates a high individual variation of enteric CH4 emissions that could be exploited to select and breed animals with lower CH4 output. For subsequent experiments utilizing the LMD technique, it is recommended to use a 0.1-s interval for recording point measurements of CH4 concentrations, and for analysis to consider peaks only. A reduction of the recording interval to 1 s and 4 s only using CH4 peaks led to high deviances from the reference (0.1-s records, CH4 peaks and troughs), whereas the 0.1-s recording interval cleaned from CH4 troughs and using only CH4 peaks showed good accordance with the reference. Ongoing studies will verify the present results in view of developing a standardized protocol for measuring CH4 output in the major ruminant livestock species.

A large number of studies have shown much higher health effects of particulate matter (PM) during the warm compared to the cold season. In this paper we present the results of an experimental study carried out in an unoccupied test apartment with the aim of understanding the reasons behind the seasonal variations of the health effects due to ambient PM2.5 exposure. Measurements included indoor and outdoor PM2.5 mass and chemical composition as well as particle size distribution of ultrafine particles. Monitoring campaigns were carried out during summer and winter following a ventilation protocol developed to replicate typical occupant behaviour according to a questionnaire-based survey. Our findings showed that seasonal variation of the relationship between ambient and indoor mass concentrations cannot entirely explain the apparent difference in PM toxicity between seasons and size distribution and chemical composition of particles were identified as other possible causes of changes in the apparent PM toxicity. A marked decrease of ultrafine particles (

Despite Japanese flounder ( Paralichthys olivaceus ) is of importance in aquaculture of Northeast Asia, selective breeding programs for growth performance traits remain limited. The aim of this study was to estimate parameters of growth performance traits in this species. The heritabilities, genetic and phenotypic correlations, and breeding values were estimated for body weight (BW), total length (TL), condition factor (K), and average daily gain (ADG). The genetic analyses were performed on a total number of 186 full-sib families (108 sires and 146dams, 16,807 individuals with integrated pedigree information) from 4 year-classes based on three mixed animal models with tank and year-class as fixed effects, mean family trait values at tagging as a covariate, and additive genetic effect as a random effect using the restricted maximum likelihood method. For all growth traits the maternal and sir-dam interaction effects in proportion to phenotypic variance were very low (0.00–0.05). The heritability estimates for growth traits ranged from 0.12 to 0.39, which is in a low to moderate level. These results indicated that there is a considerable additive genetic variation in growth traits, and the ongoing selective breeding project will produce considerable genetic improvement in growth traits of Japanese flounder. The genetic and phenotypic correlations among BW, TL and ADG were high and positive (0.87–0.94, P Statement of relevance This paper offers guidelines to select breeding strategy in Japanese flounder.

The aim of the present follow-up study was to assess sibling competition during nursing on Day 1 post-partum (i.e., 24 h after the end of parturition), as well as whether sows respond to increased sibling competition. A total of 19 healthy sows and their piglets were directly observed and video recorded for 6 h on Day 1 post-partum. Piglet behaviours (presence at the udder, fighting and screaming) were scored at 15 s intervals, commencing 5 intervals (i.e., 75 s) prior to milk ejection, and continuing for 9 intervals (i.e., 135 s) after milk ejection. The proportion of piglets which missed the milk ejection, postural changes by the sow, and whether the nursing was without milk ejection (non-nutritive nursing) were also noted. The mean number of piglets per sibling exhibiting fights (FIGHTS), and exhibiting fights with screams (FIGHT-SCRES) was calculated for both before (pre-massage) and after milk ejection (post-massage). There was a significant correlation between the number of piglets exhibiting FIGHTS and the number of piglets exhibiting FIGHT-SCRES during pre-massage (ρ = 0.92), as well for post-massage (ρ = 0.93). Based on this high correlation, only the results for the number of piglets exhibiting FIGHTS were included in the paper. A higher number of piglets exhibiting FIGHTS (P

In underground confined spaces with a crowded population, the thermal environment will be hot-humid and occurred with high CO2 concentration. Investigating the combined effect of increased temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration on human responses is important for confined spaces. In this paper, 32 subjects were exposed to different combinations of air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH) and CO2 concentrations in an underground climate chamber, with thermal response, physiological response and acute health symptoms being investigated. Results show that: at a Ta of 28 °C, RH of 65% and CO2 level of 12,000 ppm, thermal sensation votes (TSV) and thermal acceptability (TA) did not significantly changed, while a significant change was recorded with a RH of 85%. When CO2 concentration increased to 8000 ppm, the subjects' perceived air quality acceptability significantly decreased at Ta of 33 °C, however it did not significantly change at Ta of 28 °C and RH of 65%. Maximum mean skin temperature and wetness difference did not exceed 0.3 °C and 0.15 units between the different exposure conditions, respectively. Significant changes of headaches were observed when CO2 concentrations increased to 12,000 ppm at a RH of 85%, but the difference was not statistically significant at a RH of 65%. This indicated that the combined effects of high Ta, RH and CO2 concentration lead to different human responses.

When conducting digestibility experiments with fish many researchers encounter problems that result in erroneous digestibility coefficients. Erroneous digestibility coefficients result from variability in the raw data which is amplified by the formulae used to calculate them. Variation can stem from natural differences in the digestibility of the same diet between individuals or groups of fish. It can also creep insidiously into studies due to poor preparation and mixing of ingredients or problems with the collection of faecal material or the veracity of analytical results. Therefore, it is fairly common to expect variability in data collected from digestibility trials with fish. But what can be done about it? In this paper, we present an experiment with yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) that was done to determine whether the digestibility of extruded wheat (EW) was affected by its inclusion rate (10, 20, 30 or 40% diet− 1). The experiment, based on the indicator–ratio method, was conducted without incident, but the raw data on the nutrient and marker concentration of faecal samples was variable. We dealt with this problem by using linear regression to estimate more reliable analytical values for faecal samples. These values were used to recalculate logical digestibility coefficients for EW. Using this approach, we show that dry matter (≈ 57%–40%), carbohydrate (≈ 48%–27%) and gross energy (57–42%) digestibility of EW decline as its inclusion rate rises, whereas the digestibility of protein (≈ 84%) and the digestibility of fat (≈ 94%), remain reasonably constant. We validated the regression approach applied to yellowtail kingfish by examining published data from a similar digestibility experiment on Australian snapper Pagrus auratus. A regression approach was useful in reducing the variability in our raw data because the design of our experiment approximated a dose-response relationship. Designing digestibility experiments using a dose-response approach may prove useful in overcoming the inherent variability often encountered in these types of experiments.

The effect of vitamin E supplementation on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and immune response of male broiler chickens was studied using a meta-analysis. The database was consisted of 51 scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals. The dependent variables for meta-analysis included final body weight, average daily gain, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, vitamin E concentration in the muscle, tissue polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration, lipid peroxidation value, post mortem pH, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and total immunoglobulins. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the data. Vitamin E supplementation did not influence growth performance, as the estimated slopes were not different from zero, with P-values equal to 0.92 for final body weight, 0.81 for average daily gain, 0.31 for daily feed intake, and 0.83 for feed conversion ratio. Dietary vitamin E supplementation increased the vitamin E content in the muscle (P = 0.001), did not change the polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration, and decreased the lipid peroxidation (P = 0.01). The immune response was improved, the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was constant, and the total immunoglobulins were increased (P = 0.037) by dietary vitamin E supplementation. With regard to broiler chicken performance, there seemed to be no relationship between dietary vitamin E supplementation and growth performance. There is ample indication that meat quality and immune response could be improved by dietary vitamin E supplementation.

This paper estimates metabolic rate and physiological response associated with different activity intensities through controlled climate chamber experiments. We investigate the effect of activity intensity, personal and environmental factors on the subjects' heart rate, oxygen consumption, energy expenditure, and metabolic rate (Mr). Forty-eight adult Indian subjects categorized based on age, gender, Body Mass Index (BMI), ethnicity and dietary practices are subjected to different temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity set-points. Cardio-Pulmonary Exercise Test (CPET) and Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Test are performed in a climate camber based on appropriate experimental protocols. We find substantial variation in the physiological responses concerning activity intensity. The difference in Mr for different age and BMI groups is statistically significant. Mr of stationary activities exhibits marginal variation with temperature change. However, Mr of non-stationary activities shows significant variation with temperature variations. The effect of relative humidity on Mr is significant for non-stationary activities. Ethnicity and dietary habits of the subjects depict good relationship with the mean Mr for non-stationary activities. There is a significant difference observed in the metabolic stabilisation period for different age group categories in non-stationary activities. We present the impact of these intrinsic variations of Mr on thermal comfort estimations.

The Red Maasai are indigenous sheep breeds known for their adaptability in arid and semi-arid environments while the Dorper is known for its good mutton production. A field experiment cross breeding program for the two breeds was set up in 2003 to exploit these traits. In this paper, we present the genetic parameters for birth weight (BWT), weaning weight (WWT) and weight at nine months (MWT) for pure Red Maasai (RRRR), pure Dorper (DDDD), 75% Dorper (DDDR) and 50% Dorper (DDRR) breeds. The genetic parameters were estimated by fitting four different multivariate animal models while ignoring or including maternal effects. The model with the lowest Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) was chosen as the best model for the estimation of genetic parameters. The average annual genetic gain of the studied traits for each breed group was estimated by regressing the estimated breeding values on year of birth. Records from 5442 lambs recorded over a period of 17 years (2003-2019) were used in this analysis. The breed group, sex, type of birth, season of birth and age of the dam significantly (P

Due to the characteristics of rapid transmission of COVID-19 and extended survival time on the plastic surface, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of microplastics (MPs) in sludge. In this paper, different amounts of terephthalate (PET) were added to four earthworm-assisted sludge treatment wetland (ESTW) reactors to investigate the effect of MPs on the operation process of ESTW. The results show that the addition of a small number of MPs had little effect on the ESTW reactor, and the negative impact was evident when a large number of MPs. The organic matter removal efficiency (TCOD 72.1%) and sludge stability (VS/TS 31.0%) of the ESTW4 reactor with 200000 particles/kg were the worst. The plant height, root length and chlorophyll growth of the ESTW4 reactor were significantly inhibited, and the yield of CAT increased significantly, which proved that a large number of MPs had noticeable side effects on plants. The number of MPs (35.21particles/kg) and small size MPs (62.6%) in earthworm casts reached maximum, CAT (38.1U/mg prot) and AChE (14.3U/mg prot) have the same trend in ESTW4. A large number of MPs during the ESTW reactor lead to an obvious oxidative stress reactions and lasting neurotoxicity of earthworm. Additionally, the type and quantity of bacteria in the ESTW reactor could reduce when the MPs adding too much.

A meta-analysis of 52 peer-reviewed papers was conducted to investigate the effects of ionophores (IOP) supplementation on the performance and ruminal fermentation of lactating dairy cows. We used random-effects models to examine the raw mean difference (RMD) between the IOP group (diets with IOP) and the control group (diets with no additives), weighed by inverse of the variance. We also evaluated the effects of the covariates IPO supplementation level dose groups ( 25 mg/kg dry matter (DM) diet), IOP type (monensin or lasalocid), feeding system (total mixed ration or pasture) and days in milk (DIM) on RMD, by meta-regression and subgroup analysis. Overall, IOP supplementation (21.3 ± 8.3 mg/kg DM) reduced DM intake (DMI; RMD = - 0.39 ± 0.22 kg/d; P N (P = 0.63) and acetate concentrations (P = 0.08); however it enhanced the rumen concentration of propionate (P

Soil aggregation is a key contributor to soil carbon (C) accrual and stabilization. Yet, little is known regarding how soil food web structure shifts across aggregate size and how this in turn could significantly influence soil C stabilization within aggregates. In order to cohesively understand the link between nematodes and soil C, we conducted a meta-analysis consisting of 98 observations from 11 papers to quantitatively assess how nematode community composition changes by aggregate size. Due to the small sample size of this meta-analysis publication bias was assessed through the use of funnel plots. Additionally, to prevent certain studies from skewing results, studies that were outside of the 95% Confidence Interval (CI) pooled effect were excluded from the meta-analysis. The investigation of the relationship between nematode community composition and total soil organic C across aggregate size revealed no distinct difference between the summary response ratios for total nematode abundance and all trophic groups. This finding indicates that nematode composition did not differentiate by aggregates size. Soil organic carbon (SOC) values varied by aggregate size, where microaggregates ( 2 mm). Additionally, mid-sized aggregates (0.25 mm–2 mm) had 115% greater SOC relative to macro-aggregates. SOC and total nematode abundance were negatively correlated in aggregate sizes of 0.25-2 mm (Pearson's r = −0.38, p 2 mm (Pearson's r = −0.42, p

This paper discusses the determination of kinetic parameters for the thermal death kinetics of rusty grain beetle in stored wheat using the temperature history of wheat during 50-Ω RF heating. At 353 K, a 100% insect mortality rate was achieved at all three moisture content levels tested. At 343 K, a 100% insect mortality rate was achieved at the 15% and 18% moisture contents. Increases in the target temperature and moisture content of the wheat samples significantly increased the mortality rate of the insect pests. The thermal death kinetics of the rusty grain beetle during 50-Ω RF heating followed a 1st order reaction. The value of Ea was 97.490 J/mol, and the value of k0 was 6.74 × 1013 1/s. There was good agreement between the experimental mortalities and the simulated mortalities based on the thermal kinetic model.

Horse conformation has been proposed as an indirect indicator of performance, since their genetic correlations are often positive and high. In Pura Raza Espanol (PRE) horses, the selection of conformation traits more related to functionality and performance allows a pre-selection of animals and contributes towards saving costs and increasing the genetic progress. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the predictability of 16 conformation traits (14 body measurements and 2 linear conformation traits) in adult PRE horses, focusing on the conformation traits of foals. The dataset included 155,716 records (82,408 young and 73,308 adult horses) with conformation traits from 142,244 different horses, aged between 1-36 years old. Animals between 1-3 years old were included in the ‘young’ group and older animals in the ‘adult’ group. A univariate General Linear Model procedure followed by a Tukey-post-hoc test were used to assess the statistical significance of non-genetic effects. Heritability values were estimated univariately. The fitted models included breeder, age and inbreeding (F) as covariates, and sex and coat colour as fixed effects. Coat colour and F were significant for 75% and 87.5% of the traits analysed, respectively; and the other effects analysed were significant for all the conformation traits. Heritability values ranged between 0.178±0.0063 and 0.795±0.0098 in young horses, and between 0.273±0.0038 and 0.894±0.0007 in adult horses. The genetic correlations of the conformation traits between young and adult horses were above 0.75 for 93.75% of the conformation traits analysed, which confirms the efficiency of pre-selection in young horses based on conformation features to predict their adult performance.

The aim of this paper is to develop a new specific algorithm (fat- and protein-corrected milk calculation) for dairy goat to be used in life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies. Though the contribution of goat milk to world milk production ranks third, the literature does not report any specific correction for goat's milk. Using the available bibliographic data, a multiple regression was performed that allowed obtaining the relationship between the energy content (EC) and the fat (FC) and protein content (PC) of dairy goat milk. The multiple regression resulting from the 3 variables analyzed through the data drawn from the literature was significant (R2= 0.99; p ≤ 0.001). The equation resulting from the correlation was used to develop algorithms for the calculation of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) at specific FC and PC. Since FC and PC are very different depending on the goat breed two different groups have been defined: i) goat breeds with FC in milk below 4% (FCB4), and ii) goat breeds with FC in milk above 4% (FCA4). The EC found for the FCB4 group (FC = 3.70 and PC = 3.27) was 728.11 kcal kg−1, while that of the FCA4 group (FC = 4.92 and PC = 3.61) was 860.69 kcal kg−1. After substituting the EC values obtained before, the resulting FPCM equations to calculate specific FC and PC by unit of mass (kg of milk = M), according to each group, are shown below: FCB4 group = FPCM (FC = 3.70, PC = 3.27) = M * [(0.12 * FC + 0.10 * PC + 0.23)]; FCA4 group = FPCM (FC = 4.92, PC = 3.61) = M * [(0.10 * FC + 0.08 * PC + 0.20)]. Finally, the variation between the FPCM values calculated using the specific equation obtained in this study for goats and those previously published (for sheep or modifications made from dairy cattle) was evaluated; in FCB4 group the differences varied between (-) 32% and (+) 14% and in FCA4 group between (-) 21% and (+) 35%. Values are overestimated if sheep's FPCM calculations are used (because sheep milk has higher fat content than goat milk) and underestimated if dairy cattle's FPCM calculations are used (because cow milk has lower fat content than goat milk). In conclusion, the results found in the present study show the need to use a specific FPCM formulation in the LCA equation for goat's milk. Unión Europea, Junta de Andalucía GOP21-GR-16-0016

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and Dechlorane Plus (DP) were measured in both human hair and paired serum samples from a cohort of university students in South China. Segmental analysis was conducted to explore gender difference and the relationships between the hair and serum. The concentrations of total PBDEs in the hair and serum samples were in a range of 0.28-34.1ng/g dry weight (dw) and 0.16-156ng/g lipid weight (lw), respectively. Concentrations of ∑DPs (sum of the syn-DP and anti-DP isomers) in all hair samples ranged from nd-5.45ng/g dry weight. Concentrations of most PBDEs and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) in distal segments (5-10cm from the scalp) were higher than those in the proximal segments (0-5cm from the scalp) (t-test, p < 0.05), which could be due to the longer exposure time of distal segments. The proximal segments exhibited a unique congener profile, more close to that in the serum rather than the distal segments of hair. An obvious gender difference was found in the levels of ∑PBDEs using integrated hair samples, while the difference disappeared when considering alone the proximal segments of hair (0-5cm from scalp) for both genders. This paper provides supplement to the current knowledge on sources of BFRs and DPs in hair and declares the importance of segmental analysis.

The main limitation for determining feed efficiency of freely grazing ruminants is measurement of daily individual feed intake. This paper describes an investigation that assessed a method for estimating intake of forage based on changes in BW of ewes. A total of 24 dry and non-pregnant Romane ewes (12 hoggets, HOG; mean±SD 51.8±2.8 kg BW; body condition score (BCS) 2.6±0.2; and 12 adults, ADU; 60.4±8.5 kg BW; BCS 2.7±0.8) were selected for the study and moved from their rangeland system to a confined pen with controlled conditions and equipped with individual automatic feeders. The experiment lasted for 28 days (21 days adaptation and 7 days feed intake measurement). Ewes were fed hay and trained to use the electronic feeders (one feeding station per ewe) in which actual daily intake (H intake24) was measured. The pens were designed to maximize movement of trained ewes through an automated Walk-over-Weighing device, by using water and mineral salts as attractants. Total individual intake of hay measured in the automatic feeder at each meal (H intake) was compared with indirect estimates of feed intake determined using differences in the BW of the ewes (∆BW) before and 1 h following morning and afternoon feeding at fixed times. The BW, BCS, H intake, H intake24, as well as plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose and insulin profiles were determined. The BW was higher in ADU v. HOG but BCS was not affected by parity. The H intake24 was affected by day of experiment as a consequence of reduced availability and intake of water on one day. Plasma glucose, NEFA and insulin were not affected by parity or day of experiment. The H Intake was and ∆BW tended to be higher in the morning in HOG, whereas H intake was and ∆BW tended to be higher in ADU at the afternoon meal. Irrespective of parity or feeding time, there was very strong correlation (r 2=0.93) between H intake and ∆BW. This relationship confirms that our indirect method of estimating individual forage intake was reliable within the strictly controlled conditions of the present experiment. The method appears suitable for use in short-term intensive group feeding situations, and has potential to be further developed for longer-term forage intake studies, with a view to developing a method for freely grazing ruminants.

What is a good (useful) mathematical model in animal science? For models constructed for prediction purposes, the question of model adequacy (usefulness) has been traditionally tackled by statistical analysis applied to observed experimental data relative to model-predicted variables. However, little attention has been paid to analytic tools that exploit the mathematical properties of the model equations. For example, in the context of model calibration, before attempting a numerical estimation of the model parameters, we might want to know if we have any chance of success in estimating a unique best value of the model parameters from available measurements. This question of uniqueness is referred to as structural identifiability; a mathematical property that is defined on the sole basis of the model structure within a hypothetical ideal experiment determined by a setting of model inputs (stimuli) and observable variables (measurements). Structural identifiability analysis applied to dynamic models described by ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is a common practice in control engineering and system identification. This analysis demands mathematical technicalities that are beyond the academic background of animal science, which might explain the lack of pervasiveness of identifiability analysis in animal science modelling. To fill this gap, in this paper we address the analysis of structural identifiability from a practitioner perspective by capitalizing on the use of dedicated software tools. Our objectives are (i) to provide a comprehensive explanation of the structural identifiability notion for the community of animal science modelling, (ii) to assess the relevance of identifiability analysis in animal science modelling and (iii) to motivate the community to use identifiability analysis in the modelling practice (when the identifiability question is relevant). We focus our study on ODE models. By using illustrative examples that include published mathematical models describing lactation in cattle, we show how structural identifiability analysis can contribute to advancing mathematical modelling in animal science towards the production of useful models and, moreover, highly informative experiments via optimal experiment design. Rather than attempting to impose a systematic identifiability analysis to the modelling community during model developments, we wish to open a window towards the discovery of a powerful tool for model construction and experiment design.

Aim of the current paper is the monitoring of feedstock losses during a five-month storage period of olive tree pruning (OTP) hog fuel, by comparing two storage solutions: i) uncovered, open-air storage and ii) fleece-covered open-air storage. For this task, two identical conical piles of harvested prunings were built and monitored for calculating the changes in dry matter and energy value of the stored material over time. One pile was left uncovered, while the other was covered with a breathable fleece. For each pile, net bags were used in order to obtain samples for analysis. Overall, the covered pile showed improved storage performance than the uncovered pile, which was much more influenced on weather conditions. The covered pile presented i) lower dry matter losses after five months of storage with an average value of 1.1% compared to 4.6% of the uncovered pile; ii) stable moisture content throughout the storage period at around 10% (as received), compared to the fluctuating moisture content of the uncovered pile from 11% to 24%; and finally, iii) recoverable energy gain with an average pile value of 12.1% compared to recoverable energy loss of 5.1% in the uncovered pile after the storage period.

The objective of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of substitution of steam flaked corn (SFC) instead of finely ground corn (FGC) on dry matter (DM) intake, nutrients digestibility, milk yield (MY), milk composition, and rumen fermentation of dairy cows. A literature search was conducted to identify papers published from 1990 to 2020. Effect size for all outcomes was reported as standardized means difference (SMD) with 95 % confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was determined using Q test and I2 statistic, while meta-regression was used to examine factors influencing heterogeneity. The meta-analysis results indicated no effect of SFC inclusion on DM intake (SMD = -0.214; 95 % CI = -0.549 to 0.121; P = 0.210). Starch digestibility (SMD = 0.987; 95 % CI = 0.668–1.307; P

This paper reports the comparative growth, nutritional performance, and morphometric variation between wild and hatchery-reared juvenile mud crabs (Scylla olivacea) in earthen ponds. The crabs were fed daily with boiled tilapia paste at a feeding rate of 5–8% body weight for the first two weeks, followed by feeding with chopped eviscerated tilapia until termination of the experiment. Selected phenotypic trains, including carapace width (CW), carapace length (CL) and abdominal width (AW), were measured weekly. The protein content of the muscle (21.13%), gill (13.51%) and egg (43.28%) were significantly higher in the hatchery-sourced compared to wild female crabs (muscle = 19.15%; gill = 10.09%; egg = 38.15%). Likewise, the hatchery sourced crabs exhibited higher lipid content in the muscle (2.45–2.51%) and eggs (7.51%) compared to the wild counterparts (muscle = 1.45–1.47%; egg = 6.15%). These findings suggested a superior nutritional quality of the hatchery-reared compared to the wild-sourced crabs. Although some selected phenotypic traits did not vary among the wild and hatchery-reared crabs (p < 0.05), their survival rates varied significantly depending on the stocking density (p < 0.05). Overall, the findings suggest that the growth characteristics of the hatchery produced and wild-sourced crab were similar, which will help to remove the misconception among the crab farmers about the hatchery seeds and promote diversification of the crab production system for long-term sustainability., Scylla olivacea; Hatchery-produced crablets; Wild crab; Carapace width; Proximate composition, Morphometric analysis.

The paper aimed to study the effects of light regime during the incubation on hatching performance, body development and serum biochemical indexes in Beijing You Chicken (BYC). A total of 1,408 BYC eggs were randomly allocated into 4 groups: 24 h dark as the control (Inc24D); 3 light regimes were 8 h light and 16 h dark group (Inc8L:16D); 12 h light and 12 h dark group (Inc12L:12D); 16 h light and 8 h dark group (Inc16L:8D), respectively. There were 352 eggs in each group, 4 replicates each group and 1 tray each replicate, 88 eggs each tray. Light-emitting diode (LED) strips, white light with temperature of 4,500 to 5,000 K, 150 to 200 lx were set up. The results showed that light regimes had no significant effects on hatching rate of eggs, hatching rate of fertile eggs and healthy rate of chicks (P > 0.05), but the hatching rate of eggs was the lowest in the Inc24D group (87.22%), and the highest in the Inc12L:12D group (93.64%); Lighted incubation significantly affected the incidence of leg problems of 1-day-old chicks (P < 0.05). The incidence rate of leg problems was the highest in the Inc24D group (4.21%), and was decreased in Inc12L:12D and Inc16L:8D groups (P < 0.05). Femur length in the Inc12L:12D group was greater than that in the Inc24D and Inc16L:8D groups (P = 0.011), but there were no differences between Inc8L:16D group and other three groups (P > 0.05). The relative brain weight of 1-day-old chicks was higher in Inc24D and Inc16L:8D groups than in Inc8L:16D group (P = 0.052), but had no difference with Inc12L:12D group. Light regimes during incubation had no effects on serum total protein, albumen, globulin, and urea nitrogen content of 1-day-old chicks (P > 0.05), while the globulin content in Inc12L:12D group was numerically greater than in other three groups (P = 0.063). Lysozyme content in Inc12L:12D group was higher than that in the Inc24D and Inc8L:16D groups (P < 0.05), but had no difference with that in Inc16L:8D group. Light regime had no effect on serum total antioxidant capability (T-AOC) (P > 0.05), but significantly affected the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) (P < 0.05). The GSH-Px and T-SOD activities in the Inc12L:12D group were higher than those in the Inc24D and Inc8L:16D groups. The MDA content of Inc24D was the highest (9.67 nmol/mL) compared to the others, which was very close to the significant level (P = 0.056). In conclusion, 12 h light and 12 h dark incubation has the potential to improve the hatching performance of BYC eggs, benefit for the long bone development, improve some serum immune and antioxidant indexes, and reduce the leg problems in 1-day-old chicks.

This research paper describes a gene polymorphism of growth hormone (GH), leptin (LEP) and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase (DGAT) in Simmental cows of LLP âGalitskoeâ of Pavlodar oblast. The frequency distribution of alleles and genotypes of the studied genes was held: at GH gene locus it was revealed that 19% of the 123 cows had VV genotype; 77% of the cows had VL genotype; 4% - LL genotype, at that the allele frequency was V - 58% and allele L - 42%.At Lep gene locus the genotype distribution was as follows: CC - 42%; CT - 48% and TT-10%. The frequency of allele C and T in the study was 66 and 34%. In DGAT gene locus genotype KK had 25%; genotype AA - 75%. The allelic frequency of K genotype was 63%, and A genotype - 37%.The study of GH gene expression showed that the minimum and maximum milk yield indicator of the test animals varied from 3089 to 8017Â kg, the fat content ranged from 2.20 to 6.20%. Expression of Lep gene showed that the maximum milk yield was received from cows with CT genotype (9056Â kg) and a minimum in the CC genotype (7407Â kg), maximum fat content was observed in cows with CT genotype (6,1%), and the minimum in CC (2,2%) genotype. The variation of the studied milk yield indicators was from 2544 to 9056Â kg of milk, fat content in the milk varied from 2.2 to 6.1%. According to DGAT gene milk production levels ranged from 3377Â kg to 7985Â kg of milk. The maximum yield of high fat content was obtained from cows with AK genotype (7985Â kg - 5.9%), the minimum milk yield result was received from cows withKK genotype (3377Â kg) and minimum fat cow result was received from cows with AK genotype (2.2%). Keywords: Simmental breed, Milk production, Gene expression

This paper investigated the concentration of Cd in foods via surveys and a literature review. The concentration of Cd in different food groups was in the decreasing order of meat > aquatic products > cereal > vegetable > bean > egg > dairy > fruit. More precisely, on average the weekly Cd intake for men, women, 2-3-year-old children and 4-17-year-old children were 0.0039, 0.0041, 0.0069 and 0.0064mgkg-1 bw week-1, respectively. Among all food groups, cereal was the most significant contributor to the dietary intake of Cd, followed by vegetable, aquatic products and meat. For Chinese consumers, the results of risk assessment for all groups by the deterministic method and the probabilistic method showed the mean weekly Cd intake via dietary exposure was lower than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) proposed by WHO. However, the 95th and 97.5th percentile THQ values all exceeded 1, and the probability of dietary Cd exposure greater than the weekly intake tolerance (THQ >1) were 15.9%, 17.1%, 42.3% and 28.4% for men, women, 2-3-year-old children and 4-17-year-old children, indicating a potential risk from Cd exposure via dietary intake, especially for children. It appeared that dietary Cd exposure should deserve our attention, and positive measures must be taken to reduce the concentration of Cd in food at once.

World trends toward the modern dairies intensification on large production units cause massive animal manure production and accumulation. Improper handling of manure produced by industrial farm operation greatly deteriorates the major environmental media including air, water and soil. The black soldier fly utilizes organic waste and converts it into larvae biomass to be used as livestock feed and into residues to be used as bio-fertilizer. However, due to the high ratio of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin in dairy manure, this conversion is difficult. Therefore, dairy manure treated with chicken manure was digested by Hermetia illucens. In this paper, we found that the co-digestion process significantly enhanced the larval production, waste mass reduction, rate of larvae conversion, feed conversion ratio, nutrient reduction and fibers utilization. Whereas 40% dairy manure and 60% chicken manure group show better results than other manure mixtures and had a significantly increased the cellulose consumption by 61.19%, hemicellulose consumption by 53.22% and lignin consumption by 42.23% compared with 49.89%, 49.77% and 31.95%, respectively, in the dairy-only manure group. Finally, scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the structural changes of dairy manure, chicken manure and their co-digestion mixtures. The scan electron microscopy showed the deterioration in the structure of dairy and chicken manure fibers by Hermetia illucens. Moreover, the carbon-nitrogen ratio was decreased in all end products of post vermicomposting. The results suggest that the co-digestion of 40% dairy manure with 60% chicken manure is an appropriate proportion for dairy manure management with the black soldier fly.

Ammonia emission from dairy barns can be reduced by measures that improve removal of urine from floors. Information characterizing physical and chemical properties of urine puddles on floors are essential to improve mitigation measures, however information representative for practical barn conditions is scanty. The objective of this paper is to assess the area (A p ) and depth (D p ) of fresh urine puddles in commercial dairy barns, and to investigate the effect of floor type, season and manure scraping on these variables. Sixteen farms were measured in a factorial design of four Floor-Management types (FMTypes). Each farm was measured in two seasons and underwent an intense-floor-cleaning treatment (PREclean) before puddle creation for the D p measurement, which was compared with those created under normal floor conditions with on-farm manure scraping. Overall mean values were 0.83 m2 for A p and 1.0 mm for D p . For both A p and D p the variation within a farm was large but negligible between farms. FMType significantly affected both variables. The V-shaped asphalt floor resulted in larger A p (1.04 m2) and D p (1.5 mm) than those of slatted and grooved floors (mean values 0.76 m2, 0.93 mm). Our study demonstrates that the draining capacity of solid floors is a critical design issue in lowering ammonia emission. The PREclean treatment resulted in D p values that were 3 times lower than values for puddles created under normal floor conditions. We conclude that there is a considerable potential to improve draining of excreted puddles by increasing the cleaning performance of manure scrapers.

Cladocerans and rotifers rapidly consume beneficial microalgae and reduce the performance of High Rate Algal Ponds (HRAPs) for wastewater treatment and algal production. Potential zooplankton control treatments for HRAPs have been proposed and tested at a laboratory scale including CO 2 asphyxiation, biological control using competitor species, filtration, and mechanical disruption using hydrodynamic shear stress. This paper aims to validate these treatments using outdoor mesocosms with physicochemical and operational conditions similar to those of full scale HRAPs. A continuous CO 2 concentration of ~ 100 mg/L maintained low pond water zooplankton densities, while a continuous concentration of ~ 180 mg/L killed all microcrustaceans and rotifers present. As biocontrol agents, the cladoceran Moina tenuicornis at ~ 2000 individuals/L reduced average rotifer densities by 90% while the ostracod Heterocypris incongruens at ~ 1000 individuals/L removed all rotifers. Mechanical filtration using 300 μm and 500 μm filters eradicated M . tenuicornis after one and four filtration periods, respectively. Mechanical hydrodynamic stress killed up to 100% of microcrustaceans, and ~ 50% of larger rotifers. Furthermore, phototaxis-induced migration promoted higher densities of M . tenuicornis in the upper layer of the water column in an 8 m 3 HRAP during periods of low solar radiation, suggesting that mechanical treatments should be performed at night and to the upper layer of the pond water. Overall, CO 2 asphyxiation appeared to be the most reliable, versatile, and effective zooplankton control treatment.

Even though mohair production in Argentina is well known, data about fibre production from double-coated regional native goats—generically referred to as Patagonian Cashmere-remains scarce. The aim of this paper was to determine the production of down fibres and to assess the quality and variability of the fleece characteristics of the Northern Patagonian Creole goats. From late winter to early spring of 2005–2008, 2397 fibre samples were collected from five areas of NW Neuquen in Northern Patagonia. The average of down fibre diameter (DFD), down fibre length (DFL), down weights (DW) yields to dehairing (Y%), ratio of coarse fibre length (CFL) on down fibre length (DFL) (R:CFL/DFL), crimp/cm and the degree of curvature (C°) of the fibre were measured. For DFD an average of 20.4 ± 3.6 μm, DFL of 7.9 ± 3.2 cm and C° of 38.1 ± 5.8°/mm, a Y% of 32.5 ± 13.9% and a DW of 255.7 ± 66.0 g were obtained. In an attempt to reduce the variability of the fibre variables studied, locality, herds, age, fleece types and fineness were included as external effects in ANOVA. All the variables measured were greatly affected by style: long cashmere (LC) was the most frequent style (41.5%) followed by cashgora (CG) (22.2%). The most common grade of fineness (57.5%) was >19.0 μm, indicating that 42.5% of the fibre was below 19 μm in DFD. The other variables were significantly different within LC, short cashmere (SC) and intermediate cashmere (IC) styles when the grade of fineness was compared. The styles with lustre effect (CG and L) showed very low crimp as compared to the other styles. Taking styles as numerical, a Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs) was calculated with numerical grade of fineness (rs = 0.45), DFD (rs = 0.58), DFL (rs = 0.56) Y% (rs = 0.61), R: CFL/DFL (rs = −0.60); DW (rs = 0.56); C°/mm (rs = −0.27). It was concluded that the classification by styles and fineness could determine more than 42% of fleece complies with the cashmere textile industry requirements.

In the Northern Hemisphere, from June to September and in the Southern Hemisphere from December to March, there are periods of reduced fertility (sub-fertility) in dairy cows that are described as summer infertility. Several factors contribute to sub-fertility during this time, such as ambient temperature, humidity and photoperiod. During the warm season there is a reduction in feed intake that may compromise the energy balance of the cow and/or induce an imbalance in the activity of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-ovarian axis. These factors reduce the reproductive performance of the cow and compromise the quality of oocytes, embryos and corpora lutea. This paper reviews current knowledge on the metabolic and endocrine mechanisms that induce summer infertility and describe their effects on follicle, oocyte and embryo development in dairy cows.

The total water use (TWU) and consumptive water use index (CWUI) in carp polyculture under varying intensity levels [T 1 : 6000 fingerlings ha − 1 , T 2 : 8000 fingerlings ha − 1 , T 3 : 10,000 fingerlings ha − 1 ] were quantified. Treatment-wise estimated TWU was 3.71 × 10 4 , 3.92 × 10 4 and 4.34 × 10 4 m 3 ha − 1 180 d − 1 while, the CWUI was 6.38, 5.61 and 5.89 m 3 kg − 1 fish production in T 1 , T 2 and T 3 , respectively. The estimated evaporation and seepage loss ranged between 2.1–3.1 and 1.9–2.8 m 3 water kg − 1 fish production respectively and contributed significantly to consumptive water use (CWU). Treatment-wise sediment load ranged between 57.1 and 61.1 m 3 t − 1 fish biomass. Faster growth rate and biomass contribution (%) to yield was maximum by C. catla followed by C. mrigala and L. rohita in all the treatments. In this study, under best management practice (T 2 ), 1 m 3 of water produced 178 g of carp biomass and its economic value per unit of water used (USD m − 3 ) greatly exceeds that of T 1 and T 3 . Among the treatments, minimization of total water use (3.92 × 10 4 m 3 ), CWU (2.03 × 10 4 m 3 ) and water exchange (0.20 × 10 4 m 3 ) at stocking density of 8000 fingerlings ha − 1 (T 2 ), resulted in higher ( P − 1 180 d − 1 ), output value - cost of cultivation ratio (1.88), net consumptive water productivity (USD 0.15 m − 3 ) and lower AFCR (1.74). Further, farming systems with low water exchange, serves to keep the water quality suitable for the fish growth, improves water use efficiency and helps in minimizing the quantity of pollutant outputs. Statement of relevance This paper presents findings and analysis, from a methodologically rigorous investigation and provides insight regarding density-dependent optimum water use, its effect on pond water quality, sedimentation rate, growth performance and water productivity. The knowledge derived from this study may be a basis to optimize pond rearing efforts in carp polyculture and the water management strategies can be tailored to prevent wasteful use of water and enhance water use efficiency and water productivity.

In this study, samples of daily foods, drinking waters, surface waters, and soils were collected and screened to investigate the external exposure of Sb and As from various intake pathways in typical Sb mining area. Biomarker samples of residents were analyzed to monitor internal exposure characteristic of Sb and As in human body. Exposure dosages of As and Sb and transfer of Sb and As from environment to human body were estimated based on the external and internal exposure. The following results were obtained: daily intakes of food accounted for major intakes of both Sb and As, and highlighted the significance of foods intakes from rice and vegetable. The results of Monte Carlo simulations showed that total daily intake of Sb(n = 1444)and As(n = 1131) approximately reached 1.08 × 10−2 mg/kg/d and 1.19 × 10−3 mg/kg/d, in which 98.82% and 63.07% of residents have exceeded the threshold dosages of Sb and As. The contaminants contents in biomarkers indicated that Sb exhibited the similar internal exposure as As, while the total transfer rate of Sb from environment to human were estimated as approximately 2.04–2.40 times lower than As. This study also suggested that drinking water is another important pathway with high bioavailability and male resident may present higher priority than female in uptake of Sb and As. The paper suggested the similarity and difference on bioavailability existed in Sb and its group V elements, As, that would provide the essential information on exposure of Sb and As in the typical Sb mine area.

There is growing awareness that variability in the nutritional quality of Ca sources has significant effects on gastrointestinal pH, P and amino acid digestibility, exogenous enzyme efficacy and the microbial population in the gastrointestinal tract of broilers. In this regard, the interest in moving toward a digestible Ca system is gaining traction and the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) or standardized ileal digestibility (SID) coefficients for Ca in ingredients, such as limestone (n = 55), dicalcium phosphate (DCP; n = 21), meat and bone meal (MBM; n = 20), monocalcium phosphate (MCP; n = 12), and plant-based ingredients are available. The aim of this review was to compile the literature evaluating Ca digestibility of feed ingredients for broilers, highlight factors that may influence the digestibility coefficients, and suggest recommendations to move toward a digestible Ca system. There were 11 papers published between 1974 and 2019 focused on the evaluation of Ca digestibility of feed ingredients for broilers. The average ileal Ca digestibility coefficient for limestone was 0.53, DCP was 0.42, MCP was 0.35 and MBM was 0.46. There were no differences in the AID or SID Ca digestibility coefficients within ingredient. The ileal Ca digestibility coefficient for limestone increased (quadratic, P 1:1 or to 16 h for diets with a Ca:NPP ratio

The aim of the present work is to develop a laboratory-scaled methodology for an on-demand supply of semen from the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Firstly, sea urchin specimens were acclimatized to the long-term rearing in a recirculating aquaculture system and gonad maturation was obtained under controlled conditions. Semen samples were then collected from mature sea urchins and cryopreserved. Finally, post-thawing motility was evaluated, to verify whether the cryopreserved semen had maintained enough viability to be used in laboratory activities. The post-thawing motility parameters remained quite unchanged for up to 60 min after activation; moreover, the semen even retained the ability of motility activation for 60 min after thawing. This motility pattern makes the use of cryopreserved semen a feasible option in spermiotoxicity bioassays. The preliminary ecotoxicity test, carried out using motility parameters as endpoints, showed sensitivity levels to cadmium falling in the same order of magnitude as those recorded for fresh sea urchin semen and for cryopreserved sea bream semen. . Therefore, semen samples produced and stored according to the developed methodology described in this paper, can be considered a promising and sustainable alternative to those collected from mature sea urchins harvested in the field.

The potential of phytobiotics, also referred phytogenics or botanical to improve animal productivity has been highlighted. However, consensus has not been reached on the use of garlic, one of such phytobiotics to boost productivity of laying hens. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to assess the effectiveness of supplementation with garlic on feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), hen day egg production (HDEP) and egg quality attributes of lay hens. Databases [Scopus, Google scholar, and Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA)] were searched for peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English. Criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis were information on moderators (breed, preparation form of garlic, treatment duration, age of hen at the beginning of garlic intervention, country where the study was performed, number of chickens included in the study, inclusion level of garlic), an adequate description of randomization, egg production and egg quality data, and associated measures of variance such as standard deviation (SD), standard error (SE) and P - values. Nineteen (19) out of 53 research papers met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. All analyses were conducted using the Open Meta-analyst for Ecology and Evolution (OpenMEE) software. Overall pooled results revealed that garlic supplementation increased HDEP by 0.322% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.211 to 0.432], egg mass by 0.486 g/day/hen [95% CI = 0.163 to 0.810], egg weight by 0.069 g [95% CI = 0.001 to 0.136], egg shell thickness by 0.259 mm [95% CI = 0.160 to 0.358] and egg shell weight by 0.219 g [95% CI = 0.087 to 0.350] relative to controls, taking cognizance of publication bias and heterogeneity. Chickens fed diets with or without garlic had comparable FCR. Results suggest that there was no evidence of treatment effect on FI and Haugh unit. Subgroup analysis found that studies that used garlic extract had significant egg weight while studies that used garlic powder and oil had similar egg weight. Meta-regression analysis showed that study country, breed, hen’s age, garlic preparation form, inclusion level of garlic, number of hens included in the study and treatment duration were predictors of the study effect. The results of this meta-analysis revealed that layers on dietary garlic supplementation had significantly increased HDEP, egg mass, egg weight, eggshell thickness and eggshell weight compared to controls, although the egg production data for the layers (both treatment and control groups) of specific age, breeds, strain and lines used for the analysis were within their respective target data.

Data, despite being crucial for internal dose assessment, is lacking on the transfer of artificial radionuclides from the environment to the food supply. Expanding the available information on these factors is important for the improvement of dose models for specific scenarios. This paper describes the results of a 70 day field experiment with broiler chickens on the dynamics of excretion of 137Cs and 241Am from the muscle, liver and bone of broilers after a 30 day application of contaminated feed. The radionuclide concentrations in the feed and the thigh muscle, thigh bone and liver of 54 chickens divided between grass meal and soil contaminated feed groups were evaluated by gamma spectrometry for 241Am and 137Cs. The obtained results confirm previous data on the dynamics of the excretion of cesium from organs, which can be described with a fast and a slow exponential curve of excretion. On the 70th day, following the 30-days application, 2-8% of the first-day activity concentrations of 137Cs in organs (muscle, liver, bone) were detected. In the first two days, activity concentration of 241Am decreases twofold in both liver and bone. 35% of the maximum activity concentration of 241Am remained in bone and 15% in liver on the last day of the experiment.

Increased water turbidity is considered a primary cause of the loss of seagrass meadows. This paper first quantified the interactive influence of different combinations of turbidity and duration on the responses of Zostera marina plants in terms of survivorship, morphology and growth. The recovery potential of Z. marina plants, as well as the degrees of potential correlations between key factors induced by the increased turbidity and the survival and growth variables, were assessed. The LT50 (lethal time that caused an increase in mortality to 50% of that of the control) and EC50 (effect concentration, i.e., turbidity level that caused a decrease in growth to 50% of that of the control) were calculated to reveal the quantitative relationship between turbidity and duration that resulted in limiting effects on the survival and growth of Z. marina plants. Z. marina plants were exposed to different combinations of water turbidity [4 (control), 50, 100, 200, 300 and 400 NTU] and duration (5, 10, 15 and 20 days), and then the plants were transferred to the control condition for over 30 days under laboratory conditions. The results showed that the recovery effort (the percentage of the survival of plants at the end of recovery to that of plants at the end of direct turbidity stress) of Z. marina exposed to different combinations of turbidity and duration was lower than 100%, indicating that short-term periods of increased water turbidity would lead to long-term effects on the survival of Z. marina plants. Water turbidity and duration displayed a significant interactive effect on the survival and growth of Z. marina plants. Regression analysis revealed that the relationship between water turbidity and duration that resulted in limiting effects on the survival and growth of Z. marina could be described as a strong inverse function. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the decrease in survival and growth of Z. marina plants was mostly caused by increased silt load in turbid waters, and subsequently by light reduction. This study will further develop our understanding of the degradation and disappearance of seagrass meadows induced by increased turbidity.

This paper presents a study of controlled reproduction effectiveness of carp from the Hungarian breeding line W, one of the most valuable lines at the Golysz Institute of Ichthyobiology & Aquaculture (Polish Academy of Sciences). Ovulation was induced using: CPH (0.3 + 2.7 mg kg−1BW), CPH + Ovopel (0.3 mg kg−1 + 1 pellet kg−1), Ovopel+CPH (1/5 pellet+2.7 mg kg−1), Ovopel (1 dose: 1 pellet kg−1), Ovopel (2 dose: 1/5 + 1 pellet kg−1), hCG + CPH (1200 IU kg−1 + 1.2 mg kg−1), PMSG (2000 IU kg−1), PMSG+CPH (2000 IU kg−1 + 1.2 mg kg−1), Dagin (1 standard dose kg−1), Ovaprim (0.5 mL kg−1), mGnRH-a + MET (20 μg kg−1 + 10 mg kg−1). The highest percentage of ovulating females was recorded after administering PMSG+CPH (100%), CPH + Ovopel (81.8%) and mGnRH-a + MET (80%), while the lowest was in the case of hCG + CPH and PMSG treatments (62.5%). It was demonstrated the treatment significantly determined the weight of eggs collected (expressed in g and in % of female's body weight), fertilization rate (after 12 h incubation) and the percentage of living embryos (after 24 h and 36 h), as well as the number of eggs and number of living embryos (after 36 h). Eggs of the highest weight were collected from females treated with mGnRH-a + MET (1270 g) or Ovaprim (1230 g) (however, following the Ovaprim treatment, a considerable decrease in egg quality during incubation was recorded), while eggs of the lowest weight were collected after Ovopel (1 dose) (356 g) and after Dagin (431 g) treatments. The highest number of living embryos after 36 h incubation was recorded after administering mGnRH-a + MET, hCG + CPH, CPH and Ovaprim (667,100; 497,800; 473,100; 447,500, respectively), while the lowest was after Dagin (112, 600) and after Ovopel (1 dose) (139,800) treatments. The prediction of the number of living embryos based on the resolved regression equation was the most precise in the case of Ovopel (2 doses), PMSG+CPH, Dagin, mGnRH-a + MET and Ovopel (1 dose) treatments (R2 = 0.99; 0.99; 0.99; 0.98; 0.97, respectively), and the least precise in the case of hCG + CPH and Ovaprim treatments (R2 = 0.72 and 0.72). Based on the sum of ranks calculated for all 11 treatments and assigned to the percentage of ovulating females and the number of living embryos (after 36 h), it was found that the best scores were attained by mGnRH-a + MET, PMSG+CPH, Ovaprim and Ovopel (2 dose) treatments, while the poorest by Dagin and Ovopel (1 dose) treatments.

Phthalate have been reported to be associated with various adverse health effects in many countries or regions. In this paper, we assessed the urine levels of phthalate metabolites (PMs) in children and investigated their associations with various ventilation habits. During March 2013 to December 2014, we conducted an on-site inspection in 454 residences of 5-10 year-old children in Shanghai, China. The first morning urine samples of these children were took by cryogenic vials. We collected information with respect to ventilation habits by questionnaire. We analyzed ten PMs [Mono-methyl phthalate (MMP), Mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), Mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), Mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), Mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), Mono-cyclohexyl phthalate (MCHP), Mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), Mono-2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl phthalate (MECPP), Mono-2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate (MEHHP), Mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl (MEOHP)] by High performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare concentrations of urinary PMs among children with different ventilation habits. A total of 434 children had valid urine samples. The detection rates of PMs were >90% except for MBzP (51.2%) and MCHP (9.9%). The overall mean concentrations (standard deviation) of these metabolites were as follows: MnBP, 126.4 (205.9) μg/L; MiBP, 83.1 (119.2) μg/L; MECPP, 61.6 (111.1) μg/L; MEHHP, 42.9 (92.6) μg/L; MEP, 25.3 (51.5) μg/L; MEOHP, 23.9 (45.1) μg/L; MMP, 16.8 (21.5) μg/L; MEHP, 7.6 (19.0) μg/L; MBzP, 1.2 (4.3) μg/L; MCHP, 0.1 (0.2) μg/L. In general, averaged concentrations of PMs among children who opened the windows or doors were higher than among those who closed. Our results indicate that individual differences in PMs are obvious among Shanghai children. Natural ventilation without any mechanical ventilation or air purification is likely increase phthalate exposure in children. To reduce indoor phthalate concentrations, we suggested using mechanical ventilation or ‘natural ventilation and air cleaner’ in home.

The aim of this paper was to validate an alternative multi-criteria evaluation system to assess animal welfare on farms based on the Welfare Quality® (WQ) project, using an example of welfare assessment of growing pigs. This alternative methodology aimed to be more transparent for stakeholders and more flexible than the methodology proposed by WQ. The WQ assessment protocol for growing pigs was implemented to collect data in different farms in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. In total, 44 observations were carried out. The aggregation system proposed in the WQ protocol follows a three-step aggregation process. Measures are aggregated into criteria, criteria into principles and principles into an overall assessment. This study focussed on the first two steps of the aggregation. Multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT) was used to produce a value of welfare for each criterion and principle. The utility functions and the aggregation function were constructed in two separated steps. The MACBETH (Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical-Based Evaluation Technique) method was used for utility function determination and the Choquet integral (CI) was used as an aggregation operator. The WQ decision-makers’ preferences were fitted in order to construct the utility functions and to determine the CI parameters. The validation of the MAUT model was divided into two steps, first, the results of the model were compared with the results of the WQ project at criteria and principle level, and second, a sensitivity analysis of our model was carried out to demonstrate the relative importance of welfare measures in the different steps of the multi-criteria aggregation process. Using the MAUT, similar results were obtained to those obtained when applying the WQ protocol aggregation methods, both at criteria and principle level. Thus, this model could be implemented to produce an overall assessment of animal welfare in the context of the WQ protocol for growing pigs. Furthermore, this methodology could also be used as a framework in order to produce an overall assessment of welfare for other livestock species. Two main findings are obtained from the sensitivity analysis, first, a limited number of measures had a strong influence on improving or worsening the level of welfare at criteria level and second, the MAUT model was not very sensitive to an improvement in or a worsening of single welfare measures at principle level. The use of weighted sums and the conversion of disease measures into ordinal scores should be reconsidered.

This paper summarizes the state-of-the-art on Constructed Floating Wetlands (CFWs). An attempt has been made here to collect and organize current literature and provide an insight to most topics of the ongoing scientific conversation on CFWs. Several issues are discussed such as applications, construction materials, vegetation species, mechanisms for pollutant removal and management strategies. Raw data were extracted from studies and were imposed to statistical analysis in order to reveal correlations (Spearman’s r coefficient) between total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) concentration reduction and several operational or design parameters, e.g., vegetation aerial coverage, water depth, initial loading, Hydraulic Loading Rate (HLR) and Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT). TN concentration reduction correlated well with initial loading (r = 0.841; p = 0.000; n = 28) and showed a lower correlation with HRT (r = 0.443; p = 0.013; n = 28), and negative correlations with depth (r = −0.690; p = 0.000; n = 28) and HLR (r = −0.528; p = 0.002; n = 28). NH4+-N and TP concentration reductions correlated positively with initial loading (r = 0.869; p = 0.000; n = 19 and r = 0.840; p = 0.000; n = 21), and negatively with depth (r = −0.812; p = 0.000; n = 19 and r = −0.773; p = 0.000; n = 21) and HLR (r = −0.608; p = 0.02; n = 19; and r = −0.558; p = 0.06; n = 21). As the depth factor relates to the percent of root coverage in the water column, the aforementioned negative correlation for TP, TN and NH4+-N with depth could be interpreted as the rhizosphere effect. Multi-linear regression analysis was carried out for TN and TP removal, in an attempt to describe quantitatively TN and TP concentration reduction as function of design and operation parameters. CFWs seem to be an efficient technique for both wastewater treatment and natural water purification; however, further research is needed in order to better interpret system’s behavior and optimize its efficiency.

Dairy producer increase milk production by over feeding grain diets that are high in starch and low in fiber to increase intake of energy and met dietary requirements of the high yielding dairy cows. However, these diets increase the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). Thus, maximizing milk production without incurring Sub-acute ruminal acidosis is a challenging most dairy producers. The main aims of this paper were to review available article on general aspects of Sub-acute ruminal acidosis and its consequence in dairy cattle by focusing on past and recent article and helping to update the current knowledge for early recognition and limit the associated negative impact in dairy industry. Sub-acute ruminal acidosis is a well-recognized and economically important digestive disorder found particularly in well-managed dairy cattle. It is a consequence of feeding high grain diets to dairy cows and characterized by daily episodes of low ruminal which generally occurs when ruminal pH stays in the range of 5.2 and 6 for a prolonged period resulting in depresses fiber digestion and possibly milk production. There is no typical clinical sign of illness in SARA affected cows. However, SARA is said to be associated with inflammations of different organs and tissues in dairy cows. Rumenocentesis remains the most reliable means of diagnosing SARA. The cow at risk to develop SARA includes cows in the early lactation, Primiparous cows and Cows grazing or fed with rapidly fermentable low fiber grass. SARA has long-term health and economic consequences, which include feed intake depression, fluctuations in feed intake, reduced diet digestibility, reduced milk yield, reduced milk fat percent, gastrointestinal damage, liver abscesses, and lameness. Apart from compromises to dairy cow health and economics, SARA is of concern for animal welfare reasons, since lameness and laminitis impact significantly on cow comfort and general well-being. Thus, it represents a significant concern for dairy industry and the cattle should be regularly monitored to facilitate early recognition of the condition and limit the associated economic losses.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of sustained swimming exercise on the growth performance, muscle cellularity and flesh quality of juvenile qingbo fish (Spinibarbus sinensis). Experimental fish were exercised under four water velocities, nearly still (control, 3 cm s− 1) and 1, 2 and 4 body lengths (bl) s− 1, for eight weeks at 25 °C. Then, growth performance indicated by the specific growth rate (SGR), white muscle cellularity suggested by the diameter and density of white muscle fiber, flesh quality evaluated by some textural mechanical properties (hardness, springiness, chewiness, cohesiveness) and physico-chemical parameters (pH, color, moisture, ash, protein, fat, amino acids, and fatty acids) were measured. Sustained swimming at moderate velocities (1 and 2 bl s− 1) resulted in a significantly higher SGR and similar white fiber diameter and density compared with the controls. However, the fish trained at a water velocity of 4 bl s− 1 displayed a similar SGR, smaller white fiber diameter and higher white fiber density compared with the controls. Sustained swimming resulted in significant increase in the values of pH and all textural traits but showed no significant effect on the color of the flesh for juvenile S. sinensis. Fish swimming under moderate water velocities exhibited higher levels of the protein content of the muscle, total essential amino acids (∑ EAA) (at 2 bl s− 1) and total amino acids (∑ AA) (at 1 and 2 bl s− 1) compared with control fish. However, the lowest levels of total amino acids (∑ AA) and total n-6 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (∑ n-6 PUFA) were observed in fish swimming at water velocity of 4 bl s− 1. These data suggest that (1) moderate swimming exercise (1 or 2 bl s− 1) improved growth performance, which could not be attributed to changes in white muscle cellularity; (2) sustained swimming showed a positive effect on texture characteristics, which was partly due to the higher white fiber density and flesh pH compared with controls; and (3) moderate swimming exercise (1 or 2 bl s− 1) was beneficial for improving the nutritional quality of the flesh, whereas high-intensity swimming (4 bl s− 1) resulted in an impairment of the nutritional quality of the flesh in juvenile S. sinensis. Statement of relevance We declare that the experiments complied with the current laws of the country in which the experiments were performed and that our paper complied with the laws of commercial aquaculture.

In natural aquatic ecosystems, fish often experiences periods of poor food availability or complete starvation. The shortage in the feed for fish may ultimately interfere with pollutants toxicity. Therefore, a study based on a 3 × 2 factorial design was conducted to evaluate if feed availability may interact environmental zinc (Zn) effects on Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.). Fish (25.2 ± 0.88 g) were fed with 0.0, 0.5% body weight, or fed up to satiation with and without exposure to 5.0 mg Zn/L over 6 weeks. No significant differences were observed in water quality variables due to feed rations and/or Zn exposure except unionized ammonia concentrations, which increased as feed ration increased with Zn exposure; its highest value was observed at fish fed up to satiation with Zn exposure. Fish performance was adversely affected by Zn exposure and feed unavailability. The performance was maximized when fish fed up to satiation without Zn exposure, whereas least performance was observed at starved fish with Zn exposure. Additionally, Zn exposure elevated significantly glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and creatinine values, while total protein and total lipids in fish sera were significantly lower with Zn exposure as compared to the control group. All these variables increased significantly with increasing feed ration size. The cortisol value was inversely affected by feed availability and directly proportioned to Zn exposure. It is also noticed that crude protein and total lipids contents in whole-fish body increased significantly with increasing feed ration and decreased significantly with Zn exposure. Total ash content and Zn residuals in whole-fish body were significantly highest in starved fish with Zn exposure. This study concluded that the feed availability adversely affected Zn toxicity where feed availability to appropriate ration could minimize the deleterious effect of Zn toxicity on Nile tilapia performance and health, and vice versa. Statement of relevance This paper presents data on the effect of feed availability on growth performance of Nile tilapia and its susceptibility to waterborne zinc toxicity via evaluating growth performance, whole-body measurements, and the biochemical response of Nile tilapia. Feeding fish up to satiation improved their welfare and reduced the impact of zinc toxicity and its bioaccumulation in whole-fish body and vice versa. Zinc exposure deteriorated the welfare of fasted fish or fish fed inadequate diet.

It is important to measure the radionuclide concentrations in red soil to determine the health effect and to protect the environment. The red soil regions located in Qassim province, Saudi Arabia were determined. Thirty red soil samples were collected from three regions (Al Bi'ithah, Dremeha and Al Bukaireyah). Gamma-ray spectrometry using NaI (Tl) detector was used to measure the radionuclides of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K. The average (range) of activity concentration of 226Ra was 10.0 (9.3–11.6) Bq/kg, 7.3 (6.6–8.4) Bq/kg and 19.4 (15.9–22.7) Bq/kg in Al Bi'ithah, Dremeha and Al Bukaireyah, respectively. For 232Th, the average values of radioactivity concentration were 11.8 (7.6–13.0), 6.3 (5.1–7.3) and 19.1 (17.8–20.7) in Al Bi'ithah, Dremeha and Al Bukaireyah, respectively. In addition, the average radionuclide concentration of 40K was 74.5 (71.2–78.3), 67.3 (57.6–77.4) and 94.3 (59.6–101.6) in Al Bi'ithah, Dremeha and Al Bukaireyah, respectively. Next, the comparison between radionuclide concentrations in this study and other published papers in the world was done. In addition, radiation hazard parameters were estimated. The maximum values of the radium equivalent and absorbed dose rate were 63.6 Bq/kg and 30.0 nGy/h, respectively. These values are lower than the international limit (370 Bq/kg and 65 nGy/h). Furthermore, the annual effective gamma doses and the lifetime hazards of cancer were lower than the international limit. The external hazard index (Hex), internal hazard index (Hin) and representative level index (Iγr) were found to be less than the acceptable limit of unity. Therefore, the study area is still in the zones of normal radiation level, which leaves the red soil radioactivity there less a threat to the environment as well as the human health.

A feeding trial was conducted to assess effects of seaweed replacement by hydrolyzed soybean meal (HSBM) on growth performance, diet utilization, metabolism and body composition of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus . Six iso-energetic (11.39 ± 0.08 kJ/g) and isoprotein (13.62 ± 0.05 g/kg) diets were formulated by replacing 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% seaweed protein with graded HSBM levels of 0%, 4.09%, 8.18%, 12.27%, 16.36% and 20.45%. The seventh diet (S12.27%) used 12.27% soybean meal (SBM) instead of 12.27% HSBM. Triplicate tanks (40 sea cucumber per tank) were fed one of seven diets for 45 days. The results showed that growth performance of sea cucumber increased with the increase of HSBM levels from 4.09% to 12.27% while decreased as the HSBM level increased to 20.45% ( P P P P P P P P P P P P Statement of relevance Our paper provided an idea of optimizing the feed formula of sea cucumber by adding hydrolyzed soybean meal in sea cucumber culture. This optimized formula could improve diet utilization and promote growth of sea cucumber. More importantly, replacement of seaweed powder with hydrolyzed soybean meal could reduce the use of seaweed powder due to unstable supply and increased price.

Most farm animals are fasted before slaughter to empty the digestive system but in fish, the appropriate fasting time also depends on the water temperature. To analyze how the physiological and haematological response vary with degree-days (°C days), 180 rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) were fasted for 1, 2 or 3 days in two different trials with water at 22.7 or 11.1 °C. In general, water temperature had a significant influence on most variables measured, although the number of degree days had a less important effect on trout physiological response, being only important in the depletion of reserves rate. The condition factor decreased at 2 and 3 days of fasting. At warmer temperatures (22.7 °C), relative weight of the gut content, hepatosomatic index and plasma levels of glucose were lower while cortisol, lactate and haematocrit were higher than at colder ones (11.1 °C). Fasting up to 68 °C days did not seem to have a negative effect on stress but a high water temperature above 20 °C was stressful for trout. Statement of relevance This paper present data on the effect of the number of degree days of fasting on body measurements and the haematological response of rainbow trout prior to slaughter. Fasting up to 68 degree days did not have a major effect on their welfare and that their haematological response was solely affected by the water temperature and not by food deprivation

A meta-analysis of the impact of forage particle size (FPS) on chewing activity, rumen pH and volatile fatty acids (VFA) in dairy cattle was conducted following a search of the literature. A meta-regression was conducted to test the additional effect of forage level, source and preservation method on the heterogeneity of the results of FPS on the same target variables. A total of 42 papers and 86 trials with the change of FPS in the diet of dairy cattle were identified. Decreasing of FPS in the diet from an average of 10.0 ± 4.9–6.7 ± 4.11 mm lowered eating (P 500 g/kg forage). Forage preservation method was another source of variation accounting for high heterogeneity in the results of FPS in which eating (P = 0.03), rumination (P = 0.01), and total chewing (P = 0.02) activity decreased only in silage-based diets but not in hay-based diets. Total VFA concentration (P