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Simple Summary: In recent years, confined pheasant farms have been gaining popularity in both stocking and the production of meat and eggs. When assessing the nutritional value of meat products, the focus is on the nutrient content, including the mineral content and the amino acid profile. The production performance, e.g., body weight gains, feed conversion, and the proportion of meat in the carcasses, are also not insignificant. At the same time, taking into account the feeding behaviour of pheasants, especially during the rearing period under farm conditions, varied dietary components are used, including meals of animal origin and mineral-and-vitamin supplements. The authors hypothesised that the introduction of insect meal to the diet, instead of plant protein feeds, would have an effect on the production performance and the nutritional components of the muscles. The study results obtained show that the addition of insect meal contributed to an improvement in the meat yield and the levels of certain minerals without significantly affecting the amino acid profile. A 20% addition of meal from the larvae of insects Hermetia illucens proved to be most beneficial. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of replacing soybean meal with insect meal on the body weight and the chemical composition of selected muscle groups of common pheasant females and males, including the mineral composition and the amino acid profile of the thigh and breast muscles. The study was conducted on three feeding groups, namely one control and two experimental groups. In the control group, plant feed components were used, which are commonly used to feed pheasants in confined breeding facilities. In the experimental groups, 100 g (group II) and 200 g (group III) portions of insect meal were introduced instead of the plant-protein components. The experiment used a preparation of insect larvae (Hermetia illucens) containing approximately 52% crude protein. The pheasant diet supplementation applied contributed to an increase in the proportion of muscles in the carcasses, with the highest effectiveness obtained for a 20% addition of insect meal. Lower and significant differences were noted in the feed conversion by birds from the experimental groups, as compared to the control group. The chemical composition of the birds' muscles also changed. The experimental groups exhibited higher protein and fat contents and a lower water content. No significant changes in the amino acid profile or the mineral composition of the muscles were noted. The few exceptions concerned the methionine levels in both muscle groups and the isoleucine levels in the breast muscles. In most cases, the mineral composition did not vary significantly (p < 0.05). When supplementing the diet of breeding pheasants for improving meatiness, a 20% addition of insect meal is recommended, which affects the production effect of this trait while reducing feed consumption and maintaining the fatty acid profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: A shelter for homeless animals is a highly stressful place for cats. This study aimed to assess whether enriching the living environment of these cats with additional resources, such as scratching posts and hiding places, would reduce long-term stress. One hundred and seventy-nine cats took part in the study. The research material consisted of hair. Cortisol levels were analyzed. The results confirmed that cats from a more enriched environment had almost half the cortisol level in their hair than those with fewer resources. Enriching cats' living environment in shelters is crucial in reducing their stress. Easier access to resources allows cats to display natural behavior. This study aimed to assess whether cats staying in an enriched environment would be less stressed than cats staying in a standard environment. The first group consisted of cats living in an environment with fewer resources (standard environment)—103 cats. The second group consisted of cats living in an enriched environment—76 cats. The research material consisted of hair collected to determine the cortisol level. The results indicate that cats from a more enriched environment have almost half the level of cortisol in hair than cats from an environment with fewer resources (0.059 ng/mg vs. 0.101 ng/mg; p = 0.000001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zycie Weterynaryjne is the property of Polish National Veterinary Chamber and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the motor lateralization in dogs and the concentration of cortisol and tyrosine in their plasma during a visit to a veterinary clinic. The research group consisted of 56 dogs. Motor lateralization was tested by of an adhesive tape test. The stress intensity was assessed basing on the levels of cortisol and ft4 in the serum blood. The statistical analysis revealed that in the group of 56 dogs there were 14 left-pawed dogs, 36 right-pawed dogs, and 6 dogs did not show particular paw preference. The average cortisol levels in particular groups were as follows: 7.94 ug/dl, 3.92 ug/dl and 3.7 ug/dl, whereas the level of tyrosine in the subjects that demonstrated left-sided lateralization (mean ± SE) (1.95 ± 0.46 ng/dl) for those with right-side lateralization (1.56 ± 0.23 ng/dl) and ambilateral dogs (1.01 ± 0.22 ng/dl). The statistical calculation of Pearson's χ2 showed a significant relationship between the sex and the lateralization (χ2 = 6.238, df = 2, p = 0.0442). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agronomy Science is the property of University of Life Sciences in Lublin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study aimed to determine the effect of the use of insect meal in the diet of pheasants in aviary breeding on anatomical and morphological traits which can affect their survival in natural conditions and their suitability for introduction. The study consisted of measurements of the weight and length of selected body parts of pheasants (hens and cocks) from two groups - control and experimental. The control group consisted of 15 individuals (7 cocks and 8 hens) fed a traditional diet, and the experimental group comprised 15 birds (7 cocks and 8 hens) receiving a diet supplemented with insect meal. The weight of the following body parts was measured: body, carcass, breast muscles, whole thighs, thigh muscles, drumstick muscles, drumstick and thigh bones, heart, liver, stomach muscle, and head. The length of the spur (left), whole leg, humerus, forearm, femur, tibia, and sternum was also measured. The use of insect meal contributed to increased leg muscle weight, which should be regarded as a positive trait in this species, given the threat of predation in natural conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Folia Pomeranae Universitatis Technologiae Stetinensis Agricultura Alimentaria Piscaria et Zootechnica is the property of West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Animal shelters, as entities supervised by district veterinarians, are subject to cyclical inspections, which are particularly important in the context of the implementation of new legal regulations. The article below presents the assumptions of the new regulation on running animal shelters on the example of a shelter in the Garwolin district. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims at the presentation of the aspects of biosecurity in small swine farms in Poland. Biosecurity measures were introduced as mandatory, due to severe epidemiological threat of African swine fever (ASF), for pig industry. Rigorous biosecurity rules help to improve animals health, productivity and certainly contribute to diminished use of antimicrobials. Protecting the ranch against introduction of ASF virus and its further spread within the farm is still a challenge for many small pig farms, however observing these rules is the only effective mean to keep the disease away. It has been already established that ASF spreads mostly due to the people activity and their disregard of every day hazards. In this article we estimate the obstacles of implementation of sustainable external and internal biosecurity programs in small scale pig farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess salivary cortisol level in dogs during admission and a three-day stay in a pet hotel. The study involved 20 dogs admitted to a pet hotel for a stay lasting for at least three consecutive days. The study group consisted of 10 small dogs and 10 medium-sized dogs, eight females and 12 males. Saliva was collected each day to assess cortisol levels. A stay in a hotel is a stressful situation for dogs, as evidenced by the increase in the salivary cortisol level. The highest salivary cortisol level was observed on the day of admission to the hotel. The median salivary cortisol level in the dogs on the consecutive days was 2.7 ng/ml on admission, 2.1 ng/ml after 24 hours, and 1.9 ng/ml after 48 hours. Depending on the size of the dog, the median salivary cortisol level was 2.8 ng/ml, 2.9 ng/ml and 2.4 ng/ml in the small dogs and and 2.2 ng/ml, 1.7 ng/ml and 1.2 ng/ml in the medium sized dogs on the consecutive days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to test the research hypothesis that the surface area of the medullary bone is correlated with other indicators of body condition. The study also focused on identification of potential differences in and with carcass weight fat parameters and carcass weight between forest and field ecotypes of roe deer. The area of the medullary cavity was measured using DIRA 200 software. Metacarpal bone III+IV, proximal phalanges III and IV, and middle phalanges III and IV were measured as well. The study included 38 female European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) aged 3-5 years. The results revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between the surface area of the medullary cavity in metacarpal bone III+IV and the kidney fat index KFI (rs = -0,483; P < 0,05) and the weight of the perirenal adipose tissue (rs = -0,362; P < 0,05). No correlation was shown between the area of the medullary cavity of metacarpal bone III+IV and the doe carcass weight (rs = 0,093; ns). The size of the medullary cavity is an anatomical parameter that is not susceptible to cyclical changes in environmental conditions. The study showed that it is independent of body weight and determines the amount of bone marrow and hence the amount of accumulated fat reserves. We believe that, alongside biometric measurements, the surface area of the medullary cavity can be a good parameter for assessment of the individual quality of roe deer and for comparison of populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Folia Pomeranae Universitatis Technologiae Stetinensis Agricultura Alimentaria Piscaria et Zootechnica is the property of West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Populations of game are not confined to single ecosystems but function within higher-order units, e.g. ecological landscape. The basis for the establishment of the hunting complexes was the assumption that the existing game hunting grounds, i.e. the basic units implementing game management, are too small and do not cover the natural areas inhabited by game populations. Roe deer are flexible species and easily adapt to various site conditions, so they inhabit many different habitats, from large forest complexes, through small in-field tree stands and shrubs, to treeless grounds and field monocultures. The aim of the study was to determine a possible impact of environmental conditions prevailing in the hunting complexes of the Regional Directorate of State Forests (RDLP in Lublin) on the ontogenetic quality of roe deer. The study was conducted on 518 European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) aged from 4 to 7 years (379 bucks and 139 does) harvested within hunting seasons 2010/2011-2013/2014. The results have shown that animals originating from areas with greater forest cover and denser stands are characterised by lower values of the mean ontogenetic quality parameters (carcase weight, kidney fat index, chest girth, weight of antlers) in comparison with animals from typical agricultural areas with fragmented forest complexes. These results indicate that, even in the case of such a eurytopic species as the roe deer, the ontogenetic quality differs between individual hunting complexes. The study has proved that strategies for hunting management of the roe deer should take into account the impact of the landscape structure, which provides a rationale behind creation of hunting complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]