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The study of milk productivity of French Holstein and Montbéliard breeds is regarded in the article, the uniformity of lactation is investigated, the lactation activity is assessed, as well as the cows are evaluated by the shape of their udder. The obtained results make it possible to affirm that the breed affects the production efficiency and the quality indicators of milk from cows of different French breeds, which are used in Ukraine. The cows of Holstein breed have a uniform course of lactation, high and constant productivity in terms of lactations and the better milk yield, but their milk quality indicators are inferior to those in the cows of Montbéliard breed. The cows of Montbéliard breed have a constant productivity and a uniform flow of lactation, they give high milk yield immediately after calving, but later they rapidly decrease productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In animal ecology studies, it is a fundamental monitoring work to observe annual breeding cycle. In this study, we report the detailed observations on seven mother and pup pairs of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) at Barton peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica. Two or three pairs had been observed along the coast on the fast ice in 2015, 2017, and 2018 and no breeding was recorded in 2016. Although it varied among individuals, pups were recorded to be born on 19-25 Sept., began swimming at day 18-19 after birth, and molted at day 21-25. Our observations may provide fundamental breeding information of Weddell seals in our study site and contribute to the future longterm monitoring research of seals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 1993 Nunavut Agreement was intended to help resolve disputes over resource extraction and facilitate responsible development in Nunavut. However, conflicts have persisted. In the Kivalliq region, debates over uranium mining and mining in caribou calving grounds have caused divisions between different representative organizations created by the Nunavut Agreement. Scholars have explained these conflicts with reference to the structures created by the Nunavut Agreement, especially the corporate structure of the territory's Inuit organizations. While this is an important factor driving these conflicts, I argue that the system of land rights created by the Nunavut Agreement, especially the extinguishment of Aboriginal title, is also an important causal factor in these disputes. I begin with an overview of the concept of Aboriginal title and its extinguishment in British-Canadian law. Next, I discuss the Nunavut Agreement's provisions for land rights, especially the exchange of Aboriginal title over a large territory for fee-simple ownership over relatively small parcels of land. This is followed by an examination of the conflicts over uranium mining and mining in calving grounds. I conclude that the provisions of the Nunavut agreement intended to provide 'certainty' for capital investment have in some cases had the opposite effect by fueling ongoing conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive acoustic monitoring is a common method for detection of endangered North Atlantic right whales. This study reports on the acoustic behavior of right whales on the winter calving grounds to assess their acoustic detectability in this habitat. In addition to known call types, previously undescribed low amplitude short broadband signals were detected from lactating females with calves. The production of higher amplitude tonal calls occurred at lower rates for lactating females than from other age/sex classes suggesting that passive acoustic monitoring may be less effective in detecting mother-calf pairs in this critical habitat area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the southern elephant seal also known as Mirounga leonina with details on their northern birthing sites. It outlines the conduction of a detailed examination of their birth reports. Topics discussed include their former distribution in the Southeast Pacific region, reporting of mother-pup pairs and their colonization.

Highlights • Individuals of the small marsupial, Antechinus flavipes, use multiple den sites. • Habitat structures used most frequently for dens (large trees, logs) are rare. • A single prescribed burn of low coverage (40–50%) removed 31% of known dens. • The loss of hollows in trees and logs may also affect other hollow-using species. • We recommend retaining patches of long-unburned forest to ensure suitable habitat. Abstract Prescribed burning is used in fire-prone environments worldwide to reduce fuel loads and the severity and spread of future wildfires. Forest habitat structures, such as large trees, dead trees and logs are highly flammable, yet also are essential for animal species that require hollows (cavities) as den sites for shelter and reproduction. We examined the effects of experimental prescribed burns on the use of den sites by a small marsupial, the yellow-footed antechinus Antechinus flavipes , in south-eastern Australia. Specifically, we radio-tracked individual A. flavipes to identify forest habitat structures preferred as den sites and recorded the fate of known den sites following patchy prescribed burns. We found that large living trees and dead trees were used as den sites disproportionately to their relative abundance in the forest. While all marked individuals of A. flavipes survived the immediate impacts of patchy prescribed burns, almost a third (16/52) of den sites identified before burning were lost, including 17% of trees (4/23) and 48% of logs (10/21). The vulnerability of den sites to prescribed burns can be attributed to the decay-dependent effect of fire on both trees and logs, whereby, the amount of damage from fire is related to the structure’s pre-fire condition (i.e. whether dead or alive, amount of decay). Large trees and large logs are scarce in this dry forest ecosystem and their replacement is likely to take a century or more due to the slow growth rates of trees. The ecological impacts of prescribed burning on habitat structures used by A. flavipes and other hollow-using species can be moderated by: (1) carrying out patchy, rather than complete burns; (2) ensuring the inter-fire interval is sufficient to allow time for replenishment of resources; and (3) planning at a regional scale to maintain an appropriate spatial pattern of post-fire age-classes, including areas retained as long-unburned (e.g. >50 years) in which resources such as deep litter, large logs and dead trees can accumulate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the expanding land use required for wind energy development, a better understanding of the effects on terrestrial animals' responses to such development is required. Using GPS‐data from 50 freely ranging female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in the Malå reindeer herding community, Sweden, we determined reindeer calving sites and estimated reindeer habitat selection using resource selection functions (RSF). RSFs were estimated at both second‐ (selection of home range) and third‐order (selection within home range) scale in relation to environmental variables, wind farm (WF) development phase (before construction, construction, and operation), distance to the WFs and at the second‐order scale whether the wind turbines were in or out of sight of the reindeer. We found that the distance between reindeer calving site and WFs increased during the operation phase, compared to before construction. At both scales of selection, we found a significant decrease in habitat selection of areas in proximity of the WFs, in the same comparison. The results also revealed a shift in home range selection away from habitats where wind turbines became visible toward habitats where the wind turbines were obscured by topography (increase in use by 79% at 5 km). We interpret the reindeer shift in home range selection as an effect of the wind turbines per se. Using topography and land cover information together with the positions of wind turbines could therefore help identify sensitive habitats for reindeer and improve the planning and placement of WFs. In addition, we found that operation phase of these WFs had a stronger adverse impact on reindeer habitat selection than the construction phase. Thus, the continuous running of the wind turbines making a sound both day and night seemed to have disturbed the reindeer more than the sudden sounds and increased human activity during construction work. Using GPS‐data from 50 freely ranging female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) we defined reindeer calving sites and estimated their habitat selection using resource selection functions, before, during and after a wind farm (WF) development. We revealed a shift in reindeer habitat selection, away from habitats where wind turbines became visible towards habitats where the wind turbines were obscured by topography, and that the distance of reindeer calving site to WFs increased during operation of the WFs. In addition, we found that operation phase of these WFs had a stronger adverse impact on reindeer habitat selection than the construction phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of asphyxia in sows during parturition often results in stillbirths and low vitality piglets, thus significantly affecting pig production and animal welfare in terms of piglet mortality. The losses during farrowing can account to a significant loss in a litter, a whole litter or in extreme cases, the loss of the sow. The objective of this study was to develop an infrared depth image sensor-based monitoring system as a surveillance support system for stockmen during the farrowing phase of sows, in an effort to reduce piglet mortality associated with asphyxiation of piglets. Experiments were performed at Jurong Research farm of Nanjing Agricultural University, using a herd of 105 Meishan sows. Data was collected by monitoring the farrowing process of 15 sows housed in farrowing pens. The sows were monitored by video recording for labeling and depth images taken at 10 fpm for automatic system development. Data labeling was based on the timestamps of births of all the piglets in a litter and each piglet vitality score based on the number of times a piglet attempts to stand within the 1st minute after birth. Data labeling was performed 1 h before the start of parturition until 0.5 h after the end of parturition. The depth images were processed to segment the piglets, and a developed parametrized ellipse-fitting algorithm performed piglet detection by multi-ellipse fitting. Piglet count and count tracking were established by the number of fitted ellipses on the image-object shape. Each sequential increment in the piglet count was used to compute the inter-birth interval. The developed model attained a detection accuracy of 0.832 for no piglets and 0.801 for 14 piglets in a range of 0 to 14 piglets in a litter. In piglet counting and count tracking, the model achieved an average accuracy of 0.918 (R2) at an RMSE of 1.225 piglets. For the classification of an asphyxia event, the model indicated an accuracy of 0.863, specificity of 0.921, precision of 0.791, and a sensitivity of 0.723. The developed system can serve as part of Precision Livestock Farming automatic farrowing monitoring system with the aim of detecting the start of parturition, piglet count tracking, and asphyxia occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biostimulation with "male effect" (ME) and its response in estrus synchronization in wool sheep was evaluated with a protocol based on the administration of prostaglandin (PGF2α) in the reproductive season. 24 Suffolk and 29 Rideau Arcott adult sheeps were used, which were randomized to one of two treatments (T): T1, n = 25: control sheep, synchronized with two applications of PGF2α with a seven-day interval, and T2, n = 28: similar to T1, but with the difference that the ram was introduced on day four, after the first administration of PGF2α, to perform ME. The estrus response, estrus onset, gestation and calving percentage, fertility, prolificacy, and fecundity were evaluated. There were no differences (P> 0.05) between the response to estrus, the percentages of gestation and calving, and fertility, among treatments. The onset of estrus, prolificacy and fecundity were higher (P <0.05) in the sheep of T2 with respect to the females of T1. We concluded that biostimulation with "male effect" in sheep synchronized with a protocol based on prostaglandins improves estrus onset, prolificacy, and fecundity in wool breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The recognized calving grounds of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) that breed along the Western Australian coast (Breeding Stock D) extend along the Kimberley coast between Camden Sound and Broome (15°–18°S). However, there are reports of neonates further south, suggesting that the calving areas may be poorly defined. During aerial photogrammetric research in 2013 and 2015, we sighted large numbers of humpback whale calves along North West Cape (21°47′–22°43′S). We estimated the minimum relative calf abundance to be 463–603 in 2013 and 557–725 in 2015. We categorized the calves as either neonate or post neonate according to their color and size. The majority of calves sighted in both years (85% in 2013; 94% in 2015) were neonates. Our observations indicate that a minimum of approximately 20% (17.1%–24.3%) of the expected number of calves of this population are born near, or south of, North West Cape. We thus demonstrate that the calving grounds for the Breeding Stock D population extend south from Camden Sound in the Kimberley (15°S) to at least North West Cape (22°43′S), 1,000 km southwest of the currently recognized calving area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: To quantify changes in vegetation productivity over the past three decades across five barren ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) herd ranges and assess how these changes are influencing caribou movement rates. Location: Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada. Methods: As an indicator of vegetation productivity, the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) was calculated on newly developed cloud‐free, gap‐free, Landsat surface reflectance image composites representing 1984–2012. Changes in EVI were assessed on a pixel basis using Theil‐Sen's nonparametric regression and compared across herd ranges and land cover types using generalized least squares regression. Animal movement velocity was calculated from caribou telemetry data and generalized additive mixed models were used to link movement rates with vegetation productivity during the post‐calving phase of the year (July and August). Results: Vegetation productivity increased across the five caribou herd ranges examined. The largest productivity increase occurred over the ranges of the most western herds, with the largest observed changes in grassland or shrub habitats. Caribou tended to move more slowly through tundra habitats with elevated levels of productivity to a point, while grasslands movement rates decreased linearly with increasing productivity. Movement velocities peaked at intermediate productivity levels in shrub habitats. Main conclusions: Over the three decades of collected data, barren ground caribou habitats have become more productive, which is consistent with other studies that have documented increases in Arctic vegetation productivity. The more western herds, whose ranges are also closest to the Arctic Ocean, experienced the largest increases in productivity. Finally, we demonstrate that barren ground caribou movement patterns will likely change as a result of changing vegetation productivity in complex manners depending on herd, habitat type and the magnitude of change in vegetation productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited knowledge of moose ( Alces alces (L., 1758)) calving site selection at the southern limit of their range. Varying results from previous research on calving habitat selection make it challenging to extrapolate to other populations. We used a combination of global positioning system (GPS) data from collared cow moose and GPS locations of expelled vaginal implant transmitters and neonatal calf captures to identify calving sites in two areas of central Ontario, Canada (Algonquin Provincial Park and Wildlife Management Unit 49 (WMU49)), that differed in terms of moose and timber harvest management. We investigated selection and avoidance of habitat types, roads, topography (slope and elevation), and forest stands of varying successional age during the calving season at three spatiotemporal scales - annual home range, seasonal range, calving site - using a combination of distance-based and classification-based variables. In both study areas, calving sites were on gentler slopes and closer to conifer stands than expected at the fine scale. Cows in WMU49 strongly selected rock-grass sites across all scales. This study also demonstrates the feasibility of using GPS collars to infer parturition and location of calving sites. We recommend ground-based microhabitat data be collected to better understand habitat selection of moose during calving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Icebreaker operations in the Arctic and other areas are increasing rapidly to support new industrial activities and shipping routes, but the impact on pinnipeds in these habitats is poorly explored. We present the first quantitative study of icebreakers transiting ice-breeding habitat of a phocid seal and recommendations for mitigation. Impacts were recorded from the vessel bridge during seven ice seasons 2006–2013, for Caspian seals ( Pusa caspica ) breeding on the winter ice-field of the Caspian Sea. Impacts included displacement and separation of mothers and pups, breakage of birth or nursery sites and vessel-seal collisions. The flight distance of mothers with pups ahead was < 100 m, but measurable disturbance occurred at distances exceeding 200 m. Separation distances of pups from mothers were greatest for seals < 10 m to the side of the vessel, and declined with increasing distance from the vessel. The relative risk of separation by ≥ 20 m was greatest for distances < 50 m from the vessel path. Seals on flat ice were more likely to be separated or displaced by ≥ 20 m than seals in an ice rubble field. The relative risk of vessel collisions with mothers or pups was significantly greater at night when breaking new channels (12.6 times), with vessel speeds ≥ 4 kn (7.8 times). A mitigation hierarchy is recommended for the Caspian Sea which could be applied to Arctic pinnipeds, including reducing icebreaker transits during critical periods, and using data from aerial surveys to plan routes to minimise encounters with seals. Where pre-emptive avoidance is not possible, recommendations include maintaining a safe separation from breeding seals at least 50 m beyond the distance at which measurable disturbance occurs, speed limits, use of thermal imaging at night, dedicated on-board Seal Observers, and training of vessel officers to take effective reactive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, it has been suggested that spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) in the western North Atlantic Ocean have a shorter gestation period than the widely cited 2 years, have an asynchronous reproductive cycle, and carry pups in various stages of development. Mature female spiny dogfish were collected monthly from July 2013 through June 2015 to confirm gestation period and pupping seasonality off southern New England, and data on 2545 embryos from 622 females were obtained. Recent postpartum females and females with candled embryos appeared from January through April indicating parturition that was followed closely by mating. Vitellogenesis is concurrent with embryo growth, and therefore ova are ready for fertilization immediately after pupping. Visible embryos were observed in June, and growth continued until the external and internal yolks were absorbed and the umbilical scar was partially healed. Gestation period was approximately 23 months. No individual was observed with first and second year embryos. Average fecundity per female was estimated on the basis of the largest group of oocytes (5.3), free-living embryos (4.3), and total embryos (candled and free-living) (4.5). These values are similar to those of previous studies, but average fecundity by maternal size class has decreased from that of previous studies and is negatively correlated with spawning stock biomass, which provides supporting evidence for density dependent fecundity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about reproduction and den site selection by free-ranging dingoes. We present observations of den sites used by dingoes inhabiting a large-scale mining operation located in the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia. We observed 24 dens concentrated within a 1-km radius. Den sites were generally situated in elevated positions overlooking the surrounding area, were a short distance from food and water resources, required vegetation (particularly spinifex grass) to provide a firm foundation and stable ceiling in the soft sand, and had single den openings that faced away from the rising and daytime sun. Distance to human structures or activity did not appear to influence site selection. Four of the dens were active, containing a total of 37 pups aged between two and four weeks of age. One den contained 18 pups of different ages, indicating that communal denning was also occurring. The high number of breeding females within close proximity suggests that multiple family groups are able to share resources and live in close proximity. Our findings highlight the importance of human-modified areas and abundance of resources in the reproduction and breeding site selection of dingoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern calving facilities, dairy cows either calve in a group pen or are moved to a separate individual pen when calving is imminent. In practice, cows are often moved too close to calving, which poses a health risk to cow and calf. Thus, a need exists for new calving facility designs and management practices that better align with the motivations of the cow. This study examined dairy cow preferences for individual calving pens by offering 3 different levels of isolation (tall and narrow, low and wide, and tall and wide) by analyzing the association between precalving behavior, choice of degree of isolation, and the progress of calving. The hypotheses were that cows would prefer the highest level of isolation when giving birth, and that calving in a high level of isolation would be associated with less restlessness and a shorter calving duration. Contrary to these hypotheses, no specific preference between degrees of isolation or difference in calving behavior in the different calving pens was found. However, cows experiencing a longer calving duration chose to calve in the most secluded calving pen (tall and wide). These results cannot determine cause and effect, but may suggest that interactions between motivation for isolation seeking and calving behavior exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the issue of low fertility in Serbia. In the case of the municipality of Bela Palanka, the authors made an attempt to establish the actual causes of this phenomenon and to examine the attitudes of the female population considering their decision against parturition, i.e. giving birth to more children. Based on the research results, some measures of population policy are proposed which can be implemented at the local level. The same measures can be applied in the case of any other municipality in Serbia with a similar demographic situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A calving cow and her newborn calf appear to have an attracting effect on periparturient cows, which may potentially influence the functionality of future motivation-based calving pen designs. In this pilot study we examined whether calving site selection of grouphoused Holstein dairy cows was affected by the site of a previous calving. Ten multiparous cows moved to 1 of 2 group pens 11 (range = 4-27) d before calving were included. Each pen consisted of an open area (9 × 9 m) connected to 6 secluded areas (4.5 × 3 m each), where cows could move freely between all areas. Time of calving, location of the breaking of the amniotic sac, as well as the place of birth were recorded. In all but 1 case cows calved within a distance of 1 cow length from where the previous calving took place, suggesting that the cows did not select calving site at random. These preliminary observations indicate that choice of calving site may be affected by the site of a previous calving, potentially explained by the presence of amniotic fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the assessment and management of pain in cows following difficult or assisted calving is still limited, especially on the effects of analgesics intended to mitigate this pain. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of flunixin meglumine on the health and production of Holstein cows after calving. In total, 34 flunixin-treated and 38 placebo-treated animals were enrolled in a precalving treatment trial. A total of 633 animals given flunixin and 632 animals administered a placebo were enrolled in a postcalving treatment trial. In both cases, animals were randomly assigned to treatment, and researchers were blind to treatment condition until after analysis. A total of 1,265 animal records were analyzed for milk production for the first 14 d in milk and health outcomes for the first 30 d in milk. Animals treated with flunixin meglumine before calving had a significantly increased risk of stillbirth. Animals treated immediately after calving had increased odds of having a retained placenta and, in turn, increased risk of a high temperature, decreased milk production, and an increased risk of developing metritis. The administration of flunixin meglumine within 24 h of parturition is not recommended in dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body condition score (BCS) change is an indirect measure of energy balance. Energy balance before calving may affect production and health in the following lactation. It is likely that cows may experience BCS loss before calving due to negative energy balance. The objective of this study was to determine if loss of BCS 15 d before calving affected milk production, BCS profile, and metabolic status during the transition period and early lactation. On d -15 to d 0 relative to calving, BCS was assessed (1 = emaciated, 5 = obese) for 98 Holstein-Friesian cows. The cows were divided into 2 groups: those that did not lose BCS between d -15 and d 0 (maintained, BCS-M, n = 55) and those that lost BCS from d -15 to d 0 (lost, BCS-L, n = 43, average loss of 0.29 ± 0.11 BCS). The fixed effects of BCS group, parity, week (day when analyzing milk production records), their interactions, and a random effect of cow were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Before calving, BCS-L cows tended to have higher concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids than BCS-M cows (0.88 vs. 0.78 mmol/L). After calving, BCS-L cows had higher nonesterified fatty acid concentrations in wk 1 (0.93 vs. 0.71 mmol/L), wk 2 (0.84 vs. 0.69 mmol/L), and wk 4 (0.81 vs. 0.63 mmol/L) than BCS-M cows. The BCS-L cows had higher concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in wk 1 (0.72 vs. 0.57 mmol/L), wk 2 (0.97 vs. 0.70 mmol/L), and wk 4 (0.94 vs. 0.67 mmol/L) compared with BCS-M cows. We detected significant reductions in insulin concentrations in BCS-L cows from wk-1 (2.23 vs. 1.37 μIU/mL) to wk 2 (1.68 vs. 0.89 μIU/mL) and wk 4 (2.21 vs 1.59 μIU/mL) compared with BCS-M cows. Prevalence of subclinical ketosis increased in BCS-L cows in wk 3 and 4 when BHB was ≥1.4 mmol/L and in wk 1, 3, and 4 when BHB was ≥1.2 mmol/L. In wk 1, BCS-L cows tended to have lower levels of calcium than BCS-M cows (2.33 vs. 2.27 mmol/L). We found no differences between the groups of cows for milk yield and energycorrected milk. The BCS-L cows had lower BCS up to 75 d in lactation. Overall, BCS-L cows had higher somatic cell scores with an elevated somatic cell score on d 45, d 60, and d 75. There was an overall tendency for BCS-L cows to have higher fat yield and an overall significant increase in fat percentage. Overall, BCS-L cows had lower lactose percentage, with a reduction on d 60. This work shows that BCS loss before calving may have significant consequences for metabolic status, milk composition, somatic cell score, and BCS profile in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reproductive histories of 41 adult bottlenose dolphin females were analysed using photo-identification data collected between 2006 and 2014 in four sub-areas of the eastern Ligurian Sea (northwest Mediterranean). The Rapallo sub-area revealed the highest (highly significant) frequency of encounters (per unit effort) of reproductive females in association with young individuals, therefore emerging as a candidate nursery area in the region. The estimated fertility rate of adult females ranged between 290 and 407 births per 1000 individuals per year, higher than that of other known bottlenose dolphin populations, with a calving interval between 2.45 and 3.5 years. These results will be useful for projecting future trends of this (sub)population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the rare sightings of southern right whales on a feeding ground off the South Sandwich Islands, including a known individual from Peninsula Valdes, Argentina. Topics include intensive studies carried out on the whales during austral winter on coastal calving grounds, and sightings from the R/V Polarstern during the PS81 (ANT-XXIX/4) expedition as part of a long-term study to document spatial and temporal changes in the at-sea distribution.

In light of local population declines and poor calf survival, we investigated visual obstruction as potential elk ( Cervus elaphus) calf hiding cover at birth sites. We hypothesized that female elk would use hiding cover (i.e., visual obstruction) in order to conceal their calves at the birth site and reduce vulnerability to predation. Selection of hiding cover has been well documented at calf bedding sites subsequent to parturition; however, because of variably reported results from prior studies, it is unclear whether hiding cover is selected at the immediate birth site. We estimated visual obstruction of hiding cover, measured understory vegetation height, and categorized the dominant form of hiding cover at 65 birth sites and 116 random sites within the Black Hills, South Dakota. We found no significant differences in visual obstruction, vegetation height, or selection of dominant hiding cover categories between birth and random sites within forest and grassland systems. We surmise that selection of birth sites with greater visibility was used as a strategy to increase detectability of potential human and puma ( Puma concolor) disturbances, which may be hindered by understory vegetation or woody debris that obstructs visibility. This may explain why we did not detect any selection for hiding cover; thus, understory cover for calves may not be a driving factor for selection of birth sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat quality is often assumed to be directly related to increased consumer density, but such assumptions cannot be made without supporting demographic data that indicate improved fitness. Habitat selection might be especially important for denning species, where vulnerable offspring are confined to a single location for extended periods, but the effect of den choice on the reproductive success of denning species is poorly understood. By combining airborne high-resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) measurements with data on pack composition, we investigated den site selection by endangered African wild dogs in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa, examining whether habitat selection based on ecological factors resulted in increased litter sizes and thus reproductive success compared with social factors known to be important. Although there was selection for den sites in areas of increased terrain ruggedness and vegetation density, only vegetation density was associated with larger litter sizes and translated into increased reproductive success. Moreover, pack size was only influential when a minimum vegetation density around den sites was achieved, indicating that although social variables have a powerful effect on reproductive success, they are mediated by ecological factors defining habitat quality. Our results demonstrate the importance of distinguishing between density- and fitness-based indicators of habitat quality, and how this can affect management actions, particularly for endangered species conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dens invaginatus is a rare anatomic variation that is found primarily in maxillary lateral incisors. The management of dens invaginatus is challenging for clinicians; diagnosing the type of malformation, choosing the most appropriate treatment, and carrying out treatment are complicated by the intricate root system of these teeth. The following case report describes the diagnosis and treatment planning of dens invaginatus Type 3 after cone-beam computed tomography evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anomalous presence of numerous blue shark Prionace glauca neonates and juveniles in shallow inshore waters of Galicia, north-west Spain, during the summers of 2014 and 2015 is reported. Changes in oceanographic conditions, high recruitment events or changes in the pupping area are discussed as possible causes of this unusual behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation management typically focuses on protecting wildlife habitat that is linked to important behaviours such as resting, breeding or caring for young. However, development of conservation strategies of social species would benefit from inclusion of social dynamics, particularly for species where social relationships influence fitness measures such as survival and reproduction. We combined the study of dolphin sociality, distribution and calving to identify important behavioural and ecological patterns to inform management. Over 3 consecutive years, 231 boat-based photo-identification surveys were conducted to individually identify adult female bottlenose dolphins over a 120 km2 area in Bunbury, Western Australia. The density distribution of female dolphins was highest in the inner waters during December-February (austral summer) and March (early autumn), which also coincided in time with the majority of calving. The temporal stability of social bonds between adult females was measured (using lagged association rates) and remained stable over multiple years. A cyclic model best described female-female associations with an annual peak occurring each austral summer (Dec-Jan-Feb). These results informed the implementation of a legislative no-go area and vessel speed restriction areas. In addition to conventional management approaches of protecting important habitat and breeding periods, our measure of dolphin sociality provides a new metric to consider in conservation efforts. We encourage studies on socially complex species to incorporate social dynamics when evaluating possible impacts of anthropogenic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive performance of dairy cows in a seasonal calving system is especially important as cows are required to achieve a 365-d calving interval. Prior research with a small data set has identified that the genetic evaluation model for fertility could be enhanced by replacing the binary calving rate trait (CR42), which gives the probability of a cow calving within the first 42 d since the planned start of calving at second, third, and fourth calving, with a continuous version, calving season day (CSD), including a heifer calving season day trait expressed at first calving, removing milk yield, retaining a probability of mating trait (PM21) which gives the probability of a cow being mated within the first 21 d from the planned start of mating, and first lactation body condition score (BCS), and including gestation length (GL). The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the proposed new model using a larger data set and compare these with parameters used in the current system. Heritability estimates for CSD and PM21 ranged from 0.013 to 0.019 and from 0.031 to 0.058, respectively. For the 2 traits that correspond with the ones used in the current genetic evaluation system (mating trait, PM21 and BCS) genetic correlations were lower in this study compared with previous estimates. Genetic correlations between CSD and PM21 across different parities were also lower than the correlations between CR42 and PM21 reported previously. The genetic correlation between heifer CSD and CSD in first parity was 0.66. Estimates of genetic correlations of BCS with CSD were higher than those with PM21. For GL, direct heritability was estimated to be 0.67, maternal heritability was 0.11, and maternal repeatability was 0.22. Direct GL had moderate to high and favorable genetic correlations with evaluated fertility traits, whereas corresponding residual correlations remain low, which makes GL a useful candidate predictor trait for fertility in a multiple trait evaluation. The superiority of direct GL genetic component over the maternal GL component for predicting fertility was demonstrated. Future work planned in this area includes the implementation and testing of this new model on national fertility data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex-linked chromosomal inversions in black flies (Diptera:Simuliidae) are important in the process of species differentiation. These inversions occur early in the differentiation process before DNA monophyly of sibling species. Nine sibling species and an additional 22 cytotypes have been described for the Simulium arcticum complex. An unresolved question is whether these chromosome types spread throughout a river corridor or from one corridor to another. We determined the sex-linked chromosomal configuration of ~7300 male larvae of the S. arcticum complex at 46 collection sites in 14 different drainages and asked whether flies in the same river corridor are chromosomally more similar than are flies of different corridors. This research could identify factors important in divergence. Flies within the same river corridor were chromosomally more similar than were flies between different corridors. Comparisons between sites suggest that river distance and Euclidian distance are associated negatively with chromosomal type similarity, but river distance showed the highest similarity comparisons for any given distance. The chromosomes of flies at sites =50 km apart were more similar than were the chromosomes of flies at sites >50 km apart. Flies among different river corridors were less similar chromosomally even when these sites were closer in Euclidian distance than in river distance. Flies were chromosomally most similar in streams of equivalent size, particularly if those streams were <25 km apart in river distance. Most sibling species had considerable chromosomal similarities in large, medium, and small streams as measured by proportional abundance. However, some cytotypes appeared to be restricted to large rivers, whereas other cytotypes were restricted to medium-sized streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pupping and molting of Phoca vitulina are processes that occur each year with high precision, although their timing varies according to location. Knowledge about the timing of these events allows us to determine when the highest numbers of individuals are hauled out, which is important to achieve a good abundance estimation. In this study we determined the timing of pupping and molting of P. v. richardii at Punta Banda Estuary, Baja California (Mexico), previously unknown at this site or along its entire distribution in Mexico. Observations were carried out during the 2011 and 2012 pupping seasons, as well as the 2012 molting season. We determined that the pupping season starts in mid- February and ends in mid-April, and that the maximum number of pups occurs in mid-March. The late premolt stage was observed from the end of March to the beginning of July, with the peak proportion of individuals in this stage at the beginning of May. The molting period extends from the end of April to mid-July, with the peak proportion of individuals molting at the beginning of June. The reverse molt pattern (starting on the torso and ending on the head and flippers) was the most common. The highest number of adult and subadult individuals on land was observed during the molting season; therefore, the best time to carry out counts to estimate seal abundance in this area is from the beginning of May to the beginning of June. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Excellent reproductive performance (i.e. 365-day calving interval) is paramount to herd profit in seasonal-calving dairy systems. Reproductive targets are currently not being achieved in Irish dairy herds. Furthermore, most research on the genetics of reproductive performance in dairy cattle has focused primarily on lactating cows and relatively few studies have attempted to quantify the genetic contribution to differences in reproductive performance in nulliparae. The objective of the present study was to estimate the contribution of both the additive and non-additive genetic components, as well as the permanent environmental component, to phenotypic variation in the reproductive traits in nulliparous, primiparous and multiparous seasonal-calving dairy females. Reproductive phenotypes were available on up to 202,525 dairy females. Variance components were estimated using (repeatability where appropriate) linear animal mixed models; fixed effects included in the mixed models were contemporary group, parity (where appropriate), breed proportion, inter-breed specific heterosis coefficients and inter-breed specific recombination loss coefficients. Heritability of the reproductive traits ranged from 0.004 (pregnancy rate to first service) to 0.17 (age at first service in nulliparae), while repeatability estimates for the reproductive traits in cows ranged from 0.01 (calving interval) to 0.11 (pregnant in the first 42 days of the breeding season). Breed-specific heterosis regression coefficients suggest that, relative to the parental mean, a first-cross Holstein-Jersey crossbred was almost 7 days younger at first calving, had a 9-day shorter calving interval, a 6 percentage unit greater pregnancy rate in the first 42 days of the breeding season and a 3 percentage unit greater survival rate to next lactation. Heifer calving rate traits were strongly genetically correlated with age at first calving (-0.97 to -0.66) and calving rate in the first 42 days of the calving season for first parity cows (0.77 to 0.56), but genetic correlations with other cow reproductive traits were weak and inconsistent. Calving interval was strongly genetically correlated with the majority of the cow traits; 56%, 40%, and 92% of the genetic variation in calving interval was explained by calving to the first service interval, number of services and pregnant in the first 42 days of the breeding season, respectively. Permanent environmental correlations between the reproductive performance traits were generally moderate to strong. The existence of contributions from non-additive genetic and permanent environmental effects to phenotypic differences among cows suggests the usefulness of such information to rank cows on future expected performance; this was evidenced by a stronger correlation with future reproductive performance for an individual cow index that combined additive genetic, non-additive genetic and permanent environmental effects compared to an index based solely on additive genetic effects (i.e. estimated breeding values). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nellore cows are well adapted to tropical conditions, and they have good maternal ability as well as long and prolific reproductive life. Objective: to estimate (co)variances and genetic parameters for calving interval (CI), age at first calving (AFC), gestation length (GL), and days open (DO) in Nellore cows. Methods: covariance components and genetic parameters were estimated using multi-trait Bayesian procedures. Results: three traits had low but statistically significant heritabilities, averaging 0.05, 0.10, and 0.04 for CI, GL, and DO, respectively, whereas age at first calving had a higher heritability (0.36). The permanent environmental effects for CI, GL, and DO were also low, averaging 0.08, 0.07, and 0.15, respectively. The genetic correlations between AFC and CI, AFC and GL, AFC and DO, GL and CI, CI and DO, GL and DO were 0.20, 0.12, 0.11, 0.02, 0.92, and -0.21, respectively. Selection for shorter CI would contribute towards decreasing DO. However, selection for decreased GL could result in a greater number of DO. Despite the favorable genetic correlations, the direct selection responses for these traits would be low. Conclusion: reproductive traits are strongly influenced by environmental effects. Changes in management and environmental factors could rapidly improve reproductive performance of Polled Nellore herds. Genetic selection for these traits should produce a much slower but permanent response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewini is a coastal and pelagic circumglobal species that resides within coastal warm temperate and tropical seas. Sphyrna lewini exhibits strong intraspecific segregation: neonates and young-of-the-year spend the first part of life in coastal inshore waters (nursery grounds), while adults migrate offshore, returning to protected nursery habitats for mating and pupping. On December 3, 2014, at approximately 19:00 hr, four young-of-the-year S. lewini were caught with hand line in Wafer Bay, Isla del Coco, Costa Rica (5°32'42.4" N - 87°03'45.3" W). A total of three males (total length (TL): 73, 73, 76 cm) and one female (TL: 75 cm) were recorded. The presence of these individuals at Isla del Coco suggests that a pregnant female gave birth in or near Wafer Bay, which may be a nursery ground for S. lewini. We recommend further study to evaluate the presence and movements of young-of-the-year and juvenile S. lewini in Wafer Bay to determine if this was an isolated incident or if the bay is a nursery ground for S. lewini. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to investigate the non-genetic factors affecting the some milk yield traits of Anatolian buffalo raised at public hand in Amasya province, Turkey. A total of 239 buffalo calved in 2014 year were constituted the research material. Calving age and calving season were assessed as affecting non-genetic factors on daily milk yield (DMY), lactation milk yield (LMY) and lactation length (LL). The overall means of DMY, LMY and LL were 2.76±0.051 kg, 470.91±9.784 kg and 171.8±1.66 day, respectively. Calving age had a significant (P<0.05) effect on DMY and LMY, but its effect on LL was not significant. The effects of calving season on DMY, LMY and LL were not significant. DMY and LMY increase progressively until 8th calving age, and the highest milk yield found in the 8th age, then decline gradually in the 9th and 10th ages. The current results show that good selection programme and improvement management including for calving age could improve milk yield traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Península Valdés (PV) in Argentina is an important calving ground for the southern right whale Eubalaena australis . However, a high mortality of calves has been observed in the last years, which could be associated with phycotoxin exposure. During a sampling program conducted late in the calving seasons of 2004, 2005 and 2010, potentially toxic species of the genus Pseudo-nitzschia were observed to be an important component of the phytoplankton community and they were also found in fecal samples of two live whales and three stranded whales. In line with this, in the present study Pseudo-nitzschia australis, Pseudo-nitzschia fraudulenta, Pseudo-nitzschia pungens and the complex Pseudo-nitzschia pseudodelicatissima were identified in fecal samples and phytoplankton samples by light and electron microscopy. Although no toxin analysis was carried out in the present study, our findings suggest that E. australis could be exposed to domoic acid in their calving ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration in the European white stork ( Ciconia ciconia) has historically described a predictable annual cycle. The white stork is extensively distributed across continental Europe, which diverges to eastern and western wintering flyways. Within the western European population, some ring recovery and anecdotal information suggests that birds are giving up their traditional wintering grounds in the Sahel and are remaining in alternative sites in the Iberian Peninsula. Here we report on long-term satellite tracking of juvenile and adult stork collected between 2000 and 2011, whose natal site is in Belgium in the northern range of the western migration path. We identified three distinct migration patterns, two of which diverged from traditional expectations. Juvenile birds showed unique migration profiles both individually across migration cycles and when compared to one another, whereas adults showed consistent migrations but failed to migrate to Africa in any of the years surveyed. Stopover and wintering locations within Iberia were strongly associated with refuse sites or modified agricultural land. Overall, non-traditional migration movements appeared to be most strongly linked to artificial food sources rather than alternate drivers such as climate or habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In carnivores, securing suitable den sites with associated early maternal home ranges is important for successful reproduction, and understanding natal den site selection is essential to ensure that these habitats are protected from human disturbance. This study investigated Eurasian lynx L ynx lynx natal den site selection across multiple use landscapes in Norway and explores whether the selection of early maternal home ranges across southern Norway involved a trade-off of security for access to their preferred prey species, roe deer C apreolus capreolus. The characteristics of natal dens and home ranges from 33 reproductive events were quantified across south-eastern and northern Norway. Natal dens were located in terrain further from the most accessible and disturbed areas (public roads) and in terrain more rugged than generally available. Early maternal home ranges were characterized by low human and low road density in rugged terrain and a selection for areas associated with higher or lower roe deer densities was not important in our analysis. Humans are the dominant cause of lynx mortality throughout Norway and our findings suggest that female lynx primarily chose areas that limited their interaction with people during the denning period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Understanding spatiotemporal variability in prey accessibility is important for disentangling predator-prey interactions and is relevant to management interventions to reduce predation. Recently, caribou ( Rangifer tarandus) in Newfoundland declined by 66%, with calf predation by black bears ( Ursus americanus) implicated as a major proximate mechanism of the decline. Most predation occurs when calves are aggregated on calving grounds. We used telemetry data from 271 caribou and 45 black bears in 2 caribou herd ranges to examine spatial variability in calf accessibility, identify the distribution of potentially predatory bears, and assess the aggregative response of bears to the calf resource. We predicted whether a bear was a visitor to a calving ground during the calving season (a potentially predatory bear) based upon its sex, the herd range it occupied, its distance to the calving grounds, and the season. The distribution of potentially predatory bears and their degree of segregation from non-predatory bears varied seasonally. The probability of a bear visiting the calving grounds during calving decreased with increasing distance from the calving grounds, and was greater for males than for females in all seasons at distances beyond 2.4 km from the calving grounds. Residency time of bears increased in the calving grounds of 1 herd during calving, suggesting an aggregative response to neonates in that area. For both herds, the estimated distribution of potentially predatory bears was much larger than the calving grounds, illustrating that the relevant scale of predator-prey interactions may extend far beyond the area where lethal encounters occur. Our work highlights the value of examining spatiotemporal dynamics of predator movements prior to implementing ecosystem manipulations designed to reduce predation and provides a modeling framework that can be used to guide management interventions in systems with aggregated prey. © 2015 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a new lifetime distribution by using a quadratic rank transmutation map in order to add a new parameter to the log-logistic distribution. We provide a comprehensive description of the properties of the proposed distribution along with its reliability study. The usefulness of the transmuted log-logistic distribution for modeling reliability data is illustrated on a polled Tabapua race time up to first calving data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piglet mortality can be a large economic and animal welfare issue in breeding facilities. A system that predicts the parturition can help the breeder in economically organising staff assignments in order to achieve an optimal workload levelling. In the current study, light barriers at the head and torso region of a sow were used to measure and classify the activity increase of 34 sows related to their near parturition. Based on this data, 4 different activity frequency and activity duration based qualitative predictors for the near onset of parturition were developed retrospectively, utilising cumulative sum techniques and a global threshold approach. The threshold optimisation for the qualitative prediction was performed using a random set of 17 sows and validated with the remaining sows. The best performing qualitative prediction yielded a validated sensitivity of 88% at a precision of 88%. This prediction generated parturition alerts with a 25th percentile of 13 h and a 75th percentile of 20 h before the parturition started. Based on this indicator, a quantitative prediction of the time remaining until the onset of parturition could be developed. This prediction exhibited a mean prediction error of 0.5 h ± 2.6 h (SD) for 88% of the sows over a period of 13–24 h before the onset of parturition. At the same time 12% of the predictions were unusable with a mean prediction error of 12.5 h ± 6.9 h (SD). In addition, a method for detecting the parturition onset with an accuracy of ±4 h, a sensitivity of 88% and a precision of 97% for the head sensor could be obtained. With data from the torso sensor, the performance of the various indicators was generally lower and optimality was achieved with different thresholds. The present study follows other studies showing the general detectability of the parturition related increase in activity using video, light barriers and ultrasonic distance sensors. It is also closely based on earlier studies using accelerometers for individual qualitative parturition detection, with the explicit intent to reproduce these results using light barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birth site location can have enormous implications for female reproductive success. Some ungulate species demonstrate consistent birth site fidelity, while others shift birth locations during their lifetimes as a function of ecological and social factors. We plotted 39 years of birth records from a wild population of Thornicroft's giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti, to test the hypothesis that giraffe use consistent locations for birth. Data from 29 calves born to nine females revealed that birth seasonality was absent and that ecological zone had no significant impact on birth locations. Consecutive births by individual females were not limited to certain locations, with the distance between sequential birth sites tending to be greater if a calf failed to survive the first year of life. Our evidence conflicts with the suggestion that giraffe cows regularly return to special locations for bearing calves. We suggest that the choice of birth location is a function of nonseasonal breeding, predator pressure and extensive variation in microhabitat characteristics within ecological zones. Female giraffe have evolved a flexible reproductive strategy, whereby they regulate choice of birth site location based upon their past reproductive history, current ecological conditions (including both resource availability and predator pressure) and present social surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot study targeting sawfishes in the southern Pilbara region of Western Australia, which is undergoing a major expansion in human activity, was conducted using gillnets during April and October 2011 in the Ashburton Estuary and adjacent mangrove creeks. Catch per unit effort was greatest in the Ashburton Estuary in October, due to an influx of green sawfish Pristis zijsron pups, and was orders of magnitude higher than previously reported for any Pristidae; the study sites contained P. zijsron up to almost 3 m total length. This study identified the first pupping site for P. zijsron in Western Australia, and the most southerly known nursery area for the species in Australian waters, and is potentially the most important globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Selection of parturition sites by wild ungulates involves trade-offs between maximizing forage quality or availability and minimizing predation risk. Previous studies documenting critical lambing habitat of bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis) have relied on visual observations that can lead to biased results. We used vaginal implant transmitters (VITs) and intensely monitored radiocollared females to 1) accurately identify parturition events for bighorn sheep; 2) quantify habitat selection for parturition events at the macro- and microhabitat scales; and 3) quantify habitat selection of neonate lamb (≤24 hr old) bed sites at the microhabitat scale in the Black Hills, South Dakota. From 2010-2012, we documented 43 parturition and 47 lamb bed sites for microhabitat analysis, and incorporated an additional 28 capture sites where lambs were ≤24 hours old for macrohabitat analysis ( n = 71). We found females equipped with VITs increased our ability to identify parturition events 2-fold (67%) over intensely monitored radiocollared ewes (33%), and 82% (58/71) of parturition events occurred outside of previously delineated lambing habitat. Results of model-averaged generalized estimating equations revealed bighorn sheep females selected for relatively flat spaces within rugged terrain, areas that were close to perennial streams, south and west facing slopes, and against anthropogenic disturbance. At the microhabitat scale, neonate lambs tended to select for greater cover in the uphill and downhill directions, and against north facing slopes. We hypothesize the patterns of selection we observed were related to predator-avoidance strategies and increased solar radiation. We recommend managers reassess designated critical lambing habitat previously defined by visual observations, or consider more broad-scale temporal closures to protect parturient habitat. © 2015 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated how density-dependent processes and subsequent variation in nutritional condition of individuals influenced both timing and duration of sexual segregation and selection of resources. During 1999-2001, we experimentally created two population densities of North American elk ( Cervus elaphus), a high-density population at 20 elk/km2, and a low-density population at 4 elk/km2 to test hypotheses relative to timing and duration of sexual segregation and variation in selection of resources. We used multi-response permutation procedures to investigate patterns of sexual segregation, and resource selection functions to document differences in selection of resources by individuals in high- and low-density populations during sexual segregation and aggregation. The duration of sexual segregation was 2 months longer in the high-density population and likely was influenced by individuals in poorer nutritional condition, which corresponded with later conception and parturition, than at low density. Males and females in the high-density population overlapped in selection of resources to a greater extent than in the low-density population, probably resulting from density-dependent effects of increased intraspecific competition and lower availability of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The recent development of fecal-genetic capture-mark-recapture (CMR) methods has increased the feasibility of estimating abundance of forest-dwelling ungulates that are difficult to survey using visual methods. Unless genetic markers differentiating sex are incorporated into such studies, however, genetic CMR approaches risk missing sex-specific differences in population trends. We developed a single-reaction genetic assay for sex and individual identification, including 10 microsatellites and an SRY marker, and applied it in the context of a post-fawning CMR study of Columbian black-tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) in forested habitat of coastal California during 2011 and 2012. We measured sex-specific abundance and sex ratios in high-quality summer habitats encompassing 4 distinct fawning areas. We detected a significant interaction between sex and year, indicating different trends in the abundance of males and females. We also detected a significant decline in abundance of females between years ( P = 0.045), which agreed with independent telemetry-based estimates, and significant differences in female abundance among fawning areas ( P = 0.020) but no significant differences in the abundance of males for either variable ( F1-3,20 < 0.710, P > 0.410). When sex was not considered in the analysis, we found no significant differences in abundance between the 2 years, suggesting that differing trends between the 2 sexes obscured the female-specific patterns. We estimated average local (i.e., on the high-quality summer ranges) density ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]