bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Land Cover Classification from Hyperspectral Images via Weighted Spatial–Spectral Joint Kernel Collaborative Representation Classifier
Authors: Yang Rongchao , Zhou Qingbo , Fan Beilei , Wang Yuting , Li Zhemin
Published: January 2023

The continuous changes in Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) produce a significant impact on environmental factors. Highly accurate monitoring and updating of land cover information is essential for environmental protection, sustainable development, and land resource planning and management. Recently, Collaborative Representation (CR)-based methods have been widely used in land cover classification from Hyperspectral Images (HSIs). However, most CR methods consider the spatial information of HSI by taking the average or weighted average of spatial neighboring pixels of each pixel to improve the land cover classification performance, but do not take the spatial structure information for pixels into account. To address this problem, a novel Weighted Spatial–Spectral Joint CR Classification (WSSJCRC) method is proposed in this paper. WSSJCRC only performs spatial filtering on HSI through a weighted spatial filtering operator to alleviate the spectral shift caused by adjacency effect, but also utilizes the labeled training pixels to simultaneously represent each test pixel and its spatial neighborhood pixels to consider the spatial structure information of each test pixel to assist the classification of the test pixel. On this basis, the kernel version of WSSJCRC (i.e., WSSJKCRC) is also proposed, which projects the hyperspectral data into the kernel-induced high-dimensional feature space to enhance the separability of nonlinear samples. The experimental results on three real hyperspectral scenes show that the proposed WSSJKCRC method achieves the best land cover classification performance among all the compared methods. Specifically, the Overall Accuracy (OA), Average Accuracy (AA), and Kappa statistic (Kappa) of WSSJKCRC reach 96.21%, 96.20%, and 0.9555 for the Indian Pines scene, 97.02%, 96.64%, and 0.9605 for the Pavia University scene, and 95.55%, 97.97%, and 0.9504 for the Salinas scene, respectively. Moreover, the proposed WSSJKCRC method obtains the promising accuracy with OA over 95% on the three hyperspectral scenes under the situation of small-scale labeled samples, thus effectively reducing the labeling cost for HSI.
Response of Maize Yield and Nutrient Uptake to Indigenous Organic Fertilizer from Corn Cobs
Authors: Budiastuti Maria Theresia Sri , Purnomo Djoko , Pujiasmanto Bambang , Setyaningrum Desy
Published: January 2023

Indonesia’s corn harvest area is decreasing so that corn production is also decreasing. The use of suboptimal land can be done to increase the harvested corn area by adding nutrients with organic fertilizers. One of the organic fertilizer ingredients is corn cob waste. The aim of the study was to examine the role of corn cob fertilizer on the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of corn. The study used a completely randomized block design with one fertilization factor with six levels, namely chemical fertilizers and corn cob organic fertilizer at a dose of 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10 or 12.5 tons/ha. Corn cob organic fertilizer has met the standard as an organic fertilizer with an organic C content of 62.21% and organic matter of 85.71%, ranking it in the high category. The total nitrogen is 1.44%, total phosphate is 1.43% and total potassium is 2.17%. Corn cob organic fertilizer had an effect on the leaf area index, root length, levels of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, weight of 100 seeds, cob diameter and phosphate uptake. Doses of 12.5 tons/ha produced the highest changes in chlorophyll a and b, root length and phosphate uptake. Phosphate and potassium uptake correlated with plant biomass and root length. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that corn cob organic fertilizer is able to support the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of corn in sub-optimum land. Several gaps and research priorities in soil fertility have been identified, which need to be addressed in the future.
Establishment of Tibetan-Sheep-Specific SNP Genetic Markers
Authors: Liang Benmeng , Zhao Yuhetian , Pu Yabin , He Xiaohong , Han Jiangang , Danzeng Baima , Ma Yuehui , Liu Jianfeng , Jiang Lin
Published: January 2023

Tibetan sheep are one of the three major coarse sheep breeds in China, and they possess a long history of formation. However, few studies have been conducted on the identification of Tibetan sheep breeds at the molecular level. In this study, a total of 448 individuals from 24 Tibetan sheep populations in the 5 regions of Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnan, and Sichuan were analyzed using the Affymetrix Ovine SNP 600K high-density chip to construct specific single-nucleoside polymorphism (SNP) genetic marker sets of Tibetan sheep breeds. Firstly, the genetic structure analysis showed that Yunnan–Tibetan sheep (NL, Ninglang; JC, Jianchuan), Zuogong (ZG), Heizang (HZ), Gongga (GG,) and Tao sheep (TS) can be clearly distinguished from other Tibetan sheep populations. Next, based on the population differentiation index FST, the PCA and NJ tree results showed that only 60 specific SNPs can successfully separate Tibetan sheep in the Yunnan region from Tibetan sheep in other regions, and the distinguishing effect on Yunnan–Tibetan sheep reached 100%. Using the same method, we found that 4 Tibetan sheep breeds, including Zuogong (ZG, 20 SNPs), Heizang (HZ, 60 SNPs), Gongga (GG, 60 SNPs), and Tao sheep (TS, 30 SNPs), can also be distinguished from other Tibetan sheep populations with only a few SNP loci (20–60), and the distinguishing effect reached 100%. Overall, we successfully obtained a Yunnan region-specific (60 SNPs) genetic marker set and 4 breed-specific SNP genetic marker sets (20–60 SNPs) for the first time for the identification of Tibetan sheep breeds at the molecular level. These made up for the lack of genetic marker sets for the identification of Tibetan sheep breeds, and provided a genomic basis for the scientific classification and accurate identification of livestock and poultry genetic resources on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.
Risk Assessment and Application of Tea Frost Hazard in Hangzhou City Based on the Random Forest Algorithm
Authors: Han Ying , He Yongjian , Liang Zhuoran , Shi Guoping , Zhu Xiaochen , Qiu Xinfa
Published: January 2023

Using traditional tea frost hazard risk assessment results as sample data, the four indicators of minimum temperature, altitude, tea planting area, and tea yield were selected to consider the risk of hazard-causing factors, the exposure of hazard-bearing bodies, and the vulnerability of hazard-bearing bodies. The random forest algorithm was used to construct the frost hazard risk assessment model of Hangzhou tea, and hazard risk assessment was carried out on tea with different cold resistances in Hangzhou. The model’s accuracy reached 93% after training, and the interpretation reached more than 0.937. According to the risk assessment results of tea with different cold resistance, the high-risk areas of weak cold resistance tea were the most, followed by medium cold resistance and the least strong cold resistance. Compared with the traditional method, the prediction result of the random forest model has a deviation of only 1.57%. Using the random forest model to replace the artificial setting of the weight factor in the traditional method has the advantages of simple operation, high time efficiency, and high result accuracy. The prediction results have been verified by the existing hazard data. The model conforms to the actual situation and has certain guiding for local agricultural production and early warning of hazards.
Numerical Simulation and Experiment of Dust Suppression Device of Peanut Whole-Feed Combine Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Xu Hongbo , Zhang Peng , Gu Fengwei , Hu Zhichao , Yang Hongguang , Mao Enrong , Du Yuefeng
Published: January 2023

Peanut whole-feed combines discharge a large amount of dust while harvesting, causing serious air pollution and detrimental environmental change. To reduce the dust emission from peanut whole-feed combines, a cyclone separation dust suppression device for peanut whole-feed combines was proposed in this study. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model coupled with dust particles and dust emission airflow was established to simulate the effect of a dust suppression device on capturing dust particles. Then, the effectiveness of the dust suppression device was verified by a dust suppression test system on a peanut whole-feed combine. The results show that when the inlet wind velocity of the dust suppression device increased from 15 m/s to 25 m/s, the separation efficiency of the measured value fluctuated between 90.79% and 96.07%, while the simulated value fluctuated between 95.18% and 96.59%. Moreover, the particle size of the discharged dust particles was significantly reduced under the action of the dust suppression device. The discharged dust particle size constant of the measured value was 8.6 μm, while the simulated value was 5.1 μm. The study methods and results can provide a reference for the dust suppression optimization of peanut whole-feed combines and similar agricultural machines.
Modelling Winter Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Growth and Yield under Different Sowing Dates and Densities Using AquaCrop Model
Authors: Xie Ziang , Kong Jiying , Tang Min , Luo Zhenhai , Li Duo , Liu Rui , Feng Shaoyuan , Zhang Chao
Published: January 2023

The sowing date and density are considered to be the main factors affecting crop yield. The determination of the sowing date and sowing density, however, is fraught with uncertainty due to the influence of climatic conditions, topography, variety and other factors. Therefore, it is necessary to find a comprehensive consideration of these factors to guide the production of winter rapeseed. A reliable crop model could be a crucial tool to investigate the response of rapeseed growth to changes in the sowing date and density. At present, few studies related to rapeseed model simulation have been reported, especially in the comprehensive evaluation of the effects of sowing date and density factors on rapeseed development and production. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the AquaCrop model for winter rapeseed development and yield simulation under various sowing dates and densities, and to optimize the sowing date and density for agricultural high-efficient production in the Jianghuai Plain. Two years of experiments were carried out in the rapeseed growing season in 2020 and 2021. The model parameters were fully calibrated and the simulation performances in different treatments of sowing dates and densities were evaluated. The results indicated that the capability of the AquaCrop model to interpret crop development for different sowing dates was superior to that of sowing densities. For rapeseed canopy development, the RMSE for three sowing dates and densities scenarios were 7–22% and 16–23%, respectively. The simulated biomass and grain yield for different sowing dates treatments (RMSE: 0.8–2.1 t·ha−1, Pe: 0–35.3%) were generally better than those of different densities treatments (RMSE: 0.7–3.9 t·ha−1, Pe: 8.2–90%). Compared with other sowing densities, higher overestimation errors of the biomass and yield were observed for the low-density treatment. Adequate agreement for crop evapotranspiration simulation was achieved, with an R2 of 0.79 and RMSE of 26 mm. Combining the simulation results and field data, the optimal sowing scheme for achieving a steadily high yield in the Jianghuai Plain of east China was determined to be sowing in October and a sowing density of 25.0–37.5 plant·m−2. The study demonstrates the great potential of the AquaCrop model to optimize rapeseed sowing patterns and provides a technical means guidance for the formulation of local winter rapeseed production.
Suppression of Banana Fusarium Wilt Disease with Soil Microbial Mechanisms via Pineapple Rotation and Residue Amendment
Authors: Yang Jinming , Wu Qiaohui , Wang Yutong , Chen Xinyue , Gao Wei , Zhao Yan , Wang Beibei , Ruan Yunze
Published: January 2023

The large outbreak of banana Fusarium wilt has become a bottleneck limiting the industry’s development, and crop rotation is a cost-effective and essential measure to overcome the obstacles of banana crop monoculture. The present work was carried out to explore the mechanisms of how changes in soil chemical properties and the reestablishment of soil microorganisms in high-incidence soils are affected by crop rotation and plant residue. In this study, pineapple–banana crop rotation and pineapple residue amendment were carried out to alleviate banana Fusarium wilt, and their effects on bacterial and fungal communities were analyzed using the MiSeq Illumina sequencing platform. Both pineapple–banana rotation and residue addition significantly reduced disease incidence. Moreover, pineapple rotation and residue amendment altered the bacterial and fungal community composition. The taxonomic and phylogenetic alpha diversity of bacteria and fungi significantly increased against disease suppression and nutrition competition. The relative abundances of the Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, Elaphocordyceps, Penicillium, and Talaromyces genera were higher, and the number of Fusarium was significantly lower in rotational soil than in banana monoculture soil. Finally, linear models (LM) showed that the Burkholderia and Talaromyces in crop rotation, and Aspergillus in residue amendment had a significantly negative relationship to disease incidence, which plays a key role in Fusarium reduction. To consider the economic benefits and protect the vitality of the soil, this study suggested that pineapple–banana rotation and pineapple residue amendment both could be considered for the sustainable management of banana wilt.
Understanding Changes in the Hydrometeorological Conditions towards Climate-Resilient Agricultural Interventions in Ethiopia
Authors: Sahoo Satiprasad , Govind Ajit
Published: January 2023

Climate resilient agriculture (CRA) is very important to achieve long-term improvement in productivity and farm incomes under climate uncertainty. The present study focuses on investigating the plausible changes in the hydrometeorological conditions using big-data analysis techniques in the study of Ethiopia. The original contribution of this work envisages the importance of the CRA system in water-scarce areas for sustainable agriculture planning and management under changing climatic conditions. In the present research, a TerraClimate model was the basis for weather (precipitation and temperature) and hydrological data (runoff, actual evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration, vapor pressure deficit and climate water deficit); these data were used to determine the spatial distribution of the standardized anomaly index (SAI) and the slope of the linear regression for long-term (1958–2020) trend analysis. Future climate trend analysis (2021–2100) has been performed through the CMIP6 (EC-Earth3) shared socio-economic pathway (SSP 2) 4.5 dataset. Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) with CSR and JPL data were utilized for the generation of water storage heat maps from 2002 to 2021. The results show that the average annual rainfall data for over 62 years was found to be 778.42 mm and the standard deviation is 81.53 mm. The results also show that the western part of the study area has the highest temperature trend, which diminishes as one moves eastward; the minimum temperature trend has been found in the western part of the study area. It was found that the equivalent water thickness (EWT) range of both CSR and JPL products was −15 to 40 cm. These results can help local climate-resilient development planning and enhance coordination with other institutions to access and manage climate finance.
Preharvest Abiotic Stress Affects the Nutritional Value of Lettuce
Authors: Ćavar Zeljković Sanja , Štefelová Nikola , Hron Karel , Doležalová Ivana , Tarkowski Petr
Published: January 2023

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most consumed leafy green vegetables in the world, and is a good source of important bioactive compounds. However, environmental stress factors, such as salinity or drought, cause physiological and biochemical changes in plants and influence the yields and levels of both primary and secondary metabolites, which drastically changes the nutritional value and quality of the crop. In the present work, six typical Czech cultivars/landraces of various lettuce morphotypes (Altenbursky, Dubacek, Kamenac, Jupiter, Prazan, and Robin) were grown under driven conditions and then analyzed for the content of sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, phenolics, and vitamins. Obtained data were subjected to compositional tables statistical analysis, which provided not only information on general trends in the changes in their nutritional value but also how these changes affected each particular variety. Overall, drought caused the largest relative increase in phenolic compounds and some amino acids. Conversely, drought caused overall the largest relative decrease in vitamin C, but also in fatty acids. In addition, salt stress caused a larger decrease in many metabolites, especially the amino acid arginine, while fatty acids were only slightly increased, together with vitamin E. In addition, the interpretation of data from statistical analysis showed that varieties Prazan and Altenbursky had the least changes in their chemical composition when subjected to drought stress. Again, var. Altenbursky showed the least variability in comparison to other varieties when subjected to salt stress. These findings confirm the fact that landraces and old cultivars do not change their chemical profiles significantly, as is the case for improved cultivars, and they emphasize the need for their cultivation when raising the productivity of staple food crops.
Ethical and Practical Considerations Associated with Companion Animal Euthanasia
Authors: Cooney Kathleen , Kipperman Barry
Published: January 2023

The reality that euthanasia in veterinary practice can end animal suffering but can also be used in circumstances that do not serve an animal’s interest, can be a benefit for animals, and a burden for veterinary professionals, respectively. This essay addresses ethical and practical concerns associated with companion animal euthanasia, including defining euthanasia, why and when euthanasia should be performed, applying euthanasia in practice, contemporary methods, aftercare of deceased animals, and the consequences of euthanasia and dysthanasia for animals, animal owners, and veterinary professionals. We contend that an intention-based definition of euthanasia should be strictly applied in veterinary practice and that practitioners view euthanasia decisions as requests that can (and in some cases should) be declined, rather than as mandates.
Evaluation of a Natural Phytogenic Formulation as an Alternative to Pharmaceutical Zinc Oxide in the Diet of Weaned Piglets
Authors: Papadomichelakis George , Palamidi Irida , Paraskeuas Vasileios V. , Giamouri Elisavet , Mountzouris Konstantinos C.
Published: January 2023

A natural phytogenic formulation (NPF) was tested as an alternative to pharmaceutical zinc oxide (ZnO) in weaned piglets with respect to growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility and faecal microbiota composition and metabolic activity. Two dietary NPF levels (NPF: 1000 and 2000 mg/kg diet) were compared to a positive control (ZnO: 3000 mg ZnO/kg diet) and a negative control (CON: no added ZnO or NPF) using 84 weaned piglets from 29 d to 78 d (days of age). Feed conversion ratio was improved (p < 0.05) in ZnO and NPF piglets were compared to CON at 50 d. Dry matter, organic matter and crude protein (p < 0.05) digestibility was improved in NPF piglets compared to CON at 57 d. Compared to CON, NPF inclusion reduced E. coli (p < 0.05) and increased C. leptum subgroup (p < 0.01) at 57 d and 78 d, and reduced C. perfringens subgroup (p < 0.05; at 78 d). The ZnO reduced (p < 0.001) E. coli and C. perfringens subgroup (p < 0.01) compared to CON at 78 d. Moreover, ZnO and NPF reduced molar ratios of branched chain volatile fatty acids (p < 0.05) compared to CON, while NPF also increased butyric acid (p < 0.05) at 78 d. In conclusion, the NPF appeared to be a promising alternative to pharmaceutical doses of ZnO.
Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Dissemination in the Wildlife, Livestock, and Water of Maiella National Park, Italy
Authors: Smoglica Camilla , Vergara Alberto , Angelucci Simone , Festino Anna , Antonucci Antonio , Marsilio Fulvio , Di Francesco Cristina
Published: January 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern that has been linked to humans, animals, and the environment. The One Health approach highlights the connection between humans, animals, and the environment and suggests that a multidisciplinary approached be used in studies investigating AMR. The present study was carried out to identify and characterize the antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from wildlife and livestock feces as well as from surface water samples in Maiella National Park, Italy. Ecological and georeferenced data were used to select two sampling locations, one where wildlife was caught within livestock grazing areas (sympatric group) and one where wildlife was caught outside of livestock grazing areas (non-sympatric group). Ninety-nine bacterial isolates from 132 feces samples and seven isolates from five water samples were collected between October and December 2019. The specimens were examined for species identification, antibiotic susceptibility and molecular detection of antibiotic resistance. Forty isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, forty-eight as Enterococcus spp., eight as Streptococcus spp. and ten as other gram-negative bacteria. Phenotypic antibiotic resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent, including some antibiotics that play a critical role in human medicine, was detected in 36/106 (33.9%, 95% CI: 25–43) isolates and multidrug resistance was detected in 9/106 isolates (8.49%, 95% CI: 3.9–15.5). In addition, genes associated with antibiotic resistance were identified in 61/106 (57.55%, 95% CI: 47.5–67) isolates. The samples from sympatric areas were 2.11 (95% CI: 1.2–3.5) times more likely to contain resistant bacterial isolates than the samples from non-sympatric areas. These data suggest that drug resistant bacteria may be transmitted in areas where wildlife and livestock cohabitate. This emphasizes the need for further investigations focusing on the interactions between humans, wildlife, and the environment, the results of which can aid in the early detection of emerging AMR profiles and possible transmission routes.
Sensitivity of High Conservation Value Birds to Para-Aminopropiophenone (PAPP) Determined by Sub-Lethal Dose–Response Assay
Authors: Marks Clive A. , Trought Katherine , Brown Samantha , Arrow Jane , Hopkins Brian
Published: January 2023

Para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) is a methaemoglobin (MetHb) forming compound used for the lethal control of invasive carnivores and mustelids. By measuring the dose-dependent inhibition of O2 transport arising from the oxidation of haemoglobin (HbFe2+) to MetHb (HbFe3+), we determined the sensitivity of nine bird species to PAPP. A methaemoglobinaemia absorbance index (MAI) was validated in five common bird species to determine thresholds associated with a 99% probability of survival (ST99) and a 50% probability of mortality (LT50). Dose–response trials in high conservation value birds sought MAI values below the ST99 threshold, projecting the LT50 value and avoiding the need for lethal outcomes. Black-backed gull (LT50 = 1784.7) and eastern rosella (LT50 = 1074 mg kg−1) were the most tolerant species, while brown kiwi (LT50 = 8.4 mg kg−1) and weka (LT50 = 9.3 mg kg−1) were the most sensitive. Takahē were of intermediate acute sensitivity (LT50 = 51 mg kg−1), although protracted impacts on haemoglobin were observed in takahē up to 72 h later and associated with PAPP doses as low as 25.6 mg kg−1. In pukeko (LT50 = 138.4 mg kg−1), protracted declines in haemoglobin 72 h later occurred at doses as low as 29.5 mg kg−1, while at higher doses (253 and 112 mg kg−1), deaths resulted after 4–6 days. Based upon PAPP doses that caused acute and protracted responses, we provide estimates for the lowest observable adverse effect level (LOAEL) and no observable effects level (NOEL) for nine bird species.
The Effects of Aflatoxin B1 Intake in Assaf Dairy Ewes on Aflatoxin M1 Excretion, Milk Yield, Haematology and Biochemical Profile
Authors: Bodas Raúl , Giráldez F. Javier , Olmedo Sara , Herrera Marta , Lorán Susana , Ariño Agustín , López Secundino , Benito Alberto , Juan Teresa
Published: January 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo transfer of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) to Assaf ewes’ milk (aflatoxin M1, AFM1) and its effect on animal performance and health. Thirty Assaf ewes were allocated to three groups (C, L, H), and received a different individual daily dose of AFB1 (0, 40 and 80 μg) for 13 days. Milk (days 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 16 and 18) and blood (days 1, 7, 14 and 18) samples were collected. Milk yield, composition (except protein) and somatic cell counts (SCC) were not affected by AFB1 intake (p > 0.05). Haemoglobin concentration increased (p < 0.05) and haematocrit and alanine aminotransferase levels tended to increase (p < 0.10) in group H on day 14. AFM1 excretion was highly variable and detected in L and H animals from days 1 to 16 (3 days increase, 10 days steady-state, 3 days clearance). Carry-over rate (0.23%) was significantly higher in L (0.22–0.34%) than in H (0.16–0.19%) animals (p < 0.05). AFB1 daily doses of 40 to 80 µg do not impair milk yield; however, it may start affecting animals’ health. Milk AFM1 depends mainly on the AFB1 intake whereas carryover rate is positively influenced by the level of milk production.
Effects of Late Gestation Supplements Differing in Fatty Acid Amount and Profile to Beef Cows on Cow Performance, Steer Progeny Growth Performance through Weaning, and Relative mRNA Expression of Genes Associated with Muscle and Adipose Tissue Development
Authors: Shao Taoqi , McCann Joshua C. , Shike Daniel W.
Published: January 2023

Strategic supplementation during late gestation has the potential to alter progeny performance. Mature fall-calving Simmental × Angus cows were used to evaluate the effects of late gestation supplementation of fatty acids to beef cows on cow performance, steer progeny growth performance during pre-weaning and backgrounding periods, and relative mRNA expression of genes associated with myogenesis and adipogenesis. Cows (n = 190; 4 pasture groups of cows/treatment) grazed endophyte-infected tall fescue and were supplemented during late gestation with calcium salts of either saturated fatty acid/monounsaturated fatty acid (SFA/MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), or an isocaloric and isonitrogenous control (CON). There were no differences (p ≥ 0.11) in cow body weight (BW) or body condition scores from pre-supplementation to weaning or steer BW at birth, weaning, or at the end of the backgrounding period. Concentrations of C18:2n-6 in plasma were greater (p = 0.01) in SFA/MUFA and PUFA cows compared to CON cows during supplementation. For mRNA expression in the longissimus muscle of steer progeny from birth to weaning: PAX7 decreased to a greater (p < 0.01) extent for SFA/MUFA and PUFA steers; AGPAT1 and CPT1 increased to a greater (p ≤ 0.02) extent for CON steers. The expression of MYH7 mRNA during the pre-weaning period was greater (p = 0.01) in PUFA. In conclusion, late gestation fatty acid supplementation modified plasma relative concentrations of fatty acids for dams and progeny and modified mRNA expression of genes related to myogenesis and adipogenesis but had limited effects on progeny growth performance during pre-weaning and backgrounding periods.
Reference Intervals and Percentiles for Hematologic and Serum Biochemical Values in Captive Bred Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Bakker Jaco , Maaskant Annemiek , Wegman Merel , Zijlmans Dian G. M. , Hage Patrice , Langermans Jan A. M. , Remarque Edmond J.
Published: January 2023

Several physiological characteristics and housing conditions are known to affect hematologic and serum biochemical values in macaques. However, the studies that have been conducted either report values calculated based on a small number of animals, were designed specifically to document the effect of a particular condition on the normal range of hematologic and serum biochemical values, or used parametric assumptions to calculate hematologic and serum biochemical reference intervals. We conducted a retrospective longitudinal cohort study to estimate reference intervals for hematologic and serum biochemical values in clinically healthy macaques based on observed percentiles without parametric assumptions. Data were obtained as part of the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (Rijswijk, The Netherlands) health monitoring program between 2018 and 2021. In total, 4009 blood samples from 1475 macaques were analyzed with a maximum of one repeat per year per animal. Data were established by species, gender, age, weight-for-height indices, pregnancy, sedation protocol, and housing conditions. Most of the parameters profoundly affected just some hematologic and serum biochemical values. A significant glucose difference was observed between the ketamine and ketamine-medetomidine sedation protocols. The results emphasize the importance of establishing uniform experimental groups with validated animal husbandry and housing conditions to improve the reproducibility of the experiments.
Analysis of MTNR1A Genetic Polymorphisms and Their Association with the Reproductive Performance Parameters in Two Mediterranean Sheep Breeds
Authors: Arjoune Asma , Alsaleh Abrar B. , Messaoudi Safia A. , Chelbi Hanen , Jelassi Refka , Assidi Mourad , Najar Taha , Haddad Brahim , Sirard Marc-André
Published: January 2023

Sheep farming plays an important economic role, and it contributes to the livelihoods of many rural poor in several regions worldwide and particularly in Tunisia. Therefore, the steady improvement of ewes’ reproductive performance is a pressing need. The MTNR1A gene has been identified as an important candidate gene that plays a key role in sheep reproduction and its sexual inactivity. It is involved in the control of photoperiod-induced seasonality mediated by melatonin secretion. The aim of this study was to identify SNPs in the MTNR1A gene in two Tunisian breeds, Barbarine (B) and Queue Fine de l’Ouest (QFO). DNA extracted from the blood of 77 adult ewes was sequenced. Selected ewes were exposed to adult fertile rams. A total of 26 SNPs were detected; 15 SNPs in the promoter region and 11 SNPs in the exon II were observed in both (B) and (QFO) breeds. The SNP rs602330706 in exon II is a novel SNP detected for the first time only in the (B) breed. The SNPs rs430181568 and rs40738822721 (SNP18 and SNP20 in our study, respectively) were totally linked in this study and can be considered a single marker. DTL was associated with SNP18 and SNP20 in (B) ewes (p < 0.05); however, no significant difference was detected between the three genotypes (G/G, G/A, and A/A) at these two SNPs. Fertility rate and litter size parameters were not affected by SNP18 and SNP20. There was an association between these two polymorphisms and (B) lambs’ birth weights (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the ewes with the A/A genotype gave birth to lambs with a higher weight compared to the other two genotypes for this breed (p < 0.05). There was not an association between SNP 18 and SNP20 and (QFO) ewes’ reproductive parameters. These results might be considered in future sheep selection programs for reproductive genetic improvement.
Assessing Nursery-Finishing Pig Manures on Growth of Black Soldier Fly Larvae
Authors: Hao Jianwei , Liu Shuang , Luo Aiguo , Zhao Jia , Shi Shengli , Zhang Yun , Li Chujun
Published: January 2023

Livestock manure is an important component of agricultural organic waste, and in recent years, with the development of research on the bioconversion of manure, BSFs have been proven to be useful in the treatment of a variety of livestock wastes. In-depth research on the composition of manure and its effect on the development of BSFL is, however, very scarce. The purpose of this study was to identify the parameters that influenced the growth of BSFL that was fed fattening pig manure. The pH, moisture, and nutrients of the fattening manures (namely, nursery, growing, and finishing pig manures) were measured. To examine the influence of manure types on larval growth, 100 larvae were inoculated in 100 g of each type of manure in triplicate. According to the findings, larvae fed finishing pig manure had the lowest dry weight (30.2 ± 6.1 mg) compared to those fed growing (58.2 ± 7.3 mg) or nursery (65.5 ± 6.2 mg) pig manure. The correlation coefficients (r) between the nutrients in the manure and the weight of the larvae were calculated. Hemicellulose had the greatest |r| value (0.9569). Further research revealed that larvae raised on hemicellulase-pretreated finishing pig manure frequently weighed 21–30% (days 2–8) more than larvae raised on control manure. In conclusion, hemicellulose was a significant component that might hinder larval growth. The results of this study could be used to improve the system before it is put into use.
How Should We Help Wild Animals Cope with Climate Change? The Case of the Iberian Lynx
Authors: van Hassel Falco , Bovenkerk Bernice
Published: January 2023

Climate change and related shifts in weather conditions result in massive biodiversity declines and severe animal suffering. This article explores the measures that can be taken to decrease animal suffering and prevent species from going extinct. Taking the Iberian lynx as a case study, we assess the extent to which it is beneficial for animal welfare and species conservation to do nothing or reduce other threats, provide food or shelter, relocate the species via assisted migration, or bring the population into captivity. We argue that, given the Iberian lynx’s non-invasive characteristics, assisted migration may be the best way to protect the species while ensuring animal welfare and protecting wildness and other ecosystem values.
Public Opinions on Stray Cats in China, Evidence from Social Media Data
Authors: Xu Jiaping , Jiang Aiwu
Published: January 2023

The management of stray cats is often contentious because public perceptions about these animals are different. Using user-generated content from Weibo, this study investigated Chinese citizens’ opinions on stray cats on a large scale. Through the techniques of natural language processing, we obtained each Weibo post’s topics and sentiment propensity. The results showed that: (1) there were some irresponsible feeding behaviors among citizens; (2) public perceptions of the ecological impacts caused by stray cats were unlike; (3) the trap-neuter-return (TNR) method served high support in public discussion; (4) knowledge about stray cats’ ecological impacts was positively correlated with support for the lethal control methods in management. Based on these findings, we suggested that management policies should be dedicated to (1) communicating to the (potential) cat feeders about the negative aspects of irresponsible feeding behaviors; (2) raising “ecological awareness” campaigns for the public as well as highlighting the environmental impacts caused by stray cats; (3) understanding citizens’ perceptions toward different management scenarios and making decisions accordingly. In addition, this study also suggested that social media data can provide useful information about people’s opinions on wild animals and their management. Policies would benefit by taking this source of information into the decision-making process.
Microplastics in Commercial Fishes and By-Catch from Selected FAO Major Fishing Areas of the Southern Baltic Sea
Authors: Piskuła Paulina , Astel Aleksander Maria
Published: January 2023

According to recent world wide studies, microplastics (MPs) have been found in many fish species; however, the majority of research has focused only on the gastrointestinal tract, neglecting edible organs. This study aimed to assess the presence of microplastics in the non-edible (gills, digestive tract) and edible organs (liver) of three commercial fish species and twoby-catch species from the southern Baltic Sea. Fish (Clupea harengus, Gadus morhua, Platichthy sflesus, Taurulus baublis, Cyclopterus lumpus) were caught in 108 and 103 FAO Fishing Zones belonging to the Polish fishing zone. The abundanceof MPs ranged from 1 to 12 items per fish, with an average of 4.09 items. MPs were observed in different organs, such as the liver, gills, and digestive tract of all five tested species. MPs recognized as fibers were the most abundant. Other shapes of polymers found in fish organs were pellets and particles of larger plastic pieces. The dominant color of the MPs was blue, but there were also red, black, transparent, yellow, green, and white items found. According to dimensions, dominant MPs were between 0.1 and 0.5 mm in size. The chemical characterization of polymers accomplished by the use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy demonstrated the abundance of cellophane, polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl propionate, polyacrylonitrile, and polyester.
Welfare and Clinical Assessment on Physical Captures Followed by Anesthesia in Apennine Chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata)
Authors: Angelucci Simone , Antonucci Antonio , Di Tana Fabrizia , Innocenti Marco , Di Domenico Giovanna , Madonna Luca , Smoglica Camilla , Di Francesco Cristina Esmeralda , López-Olvera Jorge Ramón
Published: January 2023

The Apennine chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica ornata) is one of the rarest subspecies in Italy, listed in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive and currently included as a vulnerable subspecies in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The Maiella National Park population has recently been defined as a source population for reintroduction into other parks. Since collective captures allow for better selection of target animals for the establishment of new colonies, the aim of this study is to evaluate the physiological conditions and animal welfare in free-ranging Apennine chamois after collective physical capture followed by chemical immobilization with medetomidine 0.054 mg ± 0.007, ketamine 2.14 mg ± 0.28, and acepromazine 0.043 mg ± 0.006. Twenty-one Apennine chamois (18 females and 3 males) were captured and translocated for conservation purposes. The effects of capture and anesthesia were evaluated using clinical variables, hematology, serum biochemistry, and venous blood gas analysis, the latter being used in the field for the first time in chamois capture. A risk of metabolic acidosis and capture myopathy was identified, although it did not compromise the survival of 19 chamois, which adapted to novel environments and founded new colonies, as verified through GPS radiocollars. The protocol applied in this study represents an innovative approach to assessing animal physiology and welfare in collective mountain ungulate captures, useful for improving management activities for conservation purposes.
Emotional Arousal Impacts Physical Health in Dogs: A Review of Factors Influencing Arousal, with Exemplary Case and Framework
Authors: Tooley Carrie , Heath Sarah E.
Published: January 2023

Excessive emotional arousal has been shown to impact physiological health in both veterinary species and human animals. The focus of work in many models of veterinary behavioural medicine has predominantly been associated with reducing activation of the protective emotional systems; in particular, fear-anxiety. The management of the engaging emotional systems of desire-seeking, social play, care and lust has not traditionally been considered in the treatment of physiological health of veterinary species. This article reviews the literature in both veterinary and human fields on the relationship between emotional arousal of both protective and engaging emotional systems and physical health conditions. The current literature describing the regulatory control of sleep on emotional arousal is also discussed. An exemplary case report of a seven month old male entire Cocker Spaniel showing fly-snapping behaviour which had been non-responsive to leviteracetam (Keppra) is presented. The emotional health assessment and treatment of this case is described along with the short and long term (fourteen month follow up) outcomes to demonstrate that some patients presenting in this way can be effectively managed with an appropriate behavioural medicine treatment plan. The authors put forward the argument that an emotional health assessment should be considered an essential component of the work up of all such cases.
Effects of the Number of Crested Cushions in Runzhou White-Crested Ducks on Serum Biochemical Parameters
Authors: Lou Jiying , Guo Qixin , Jiang Yong , Chen Guohong , Chang Guobin , Bai Hao
Published: January 2023

We investigated the effects of crest cushions in Runzhou white-crested (RWC) ducks. A total of 322 duck eggs were collected for incubation; 286 eggs were fertilized, and 235 RCW ducks were hatched. All the RWC ducks were weighed after 100 days and counted, and the volume of the crest cushion was measured. The number of crest cushions was positively correlated with the body weight, volume of the crest cushion, and distance from the mouth (p < 0.05). The serum Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Se contents in the multiple-crest-cushion group were significantly higher (p < 0.05), as were the levels of triglycerides, immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, and immunoglobulin D (p < 0.01). The opposite results were seen for glycosylated low-density lipoprotein (p < 0.01). Propionic acid and acetic acid contents differed significantly between the two groups (p < 0.05), as did butyric acid content (p < 0.01), being higher in the multiple-crest-cushion group. Thus, an increase in the number of crest cushions coincided with a change in various serum biochemical indicators. The number of crest cushions might be involved in regulating various mechanisms of RWC ducks and might have an immunoregulatory effect.
Assessment of Ventral Tail Base Surface Temperature for the Early Detection of Japanese Black Calves with Fever
Authors: Sasaki Yosuke , Iki Yoshihiro , Anan Tomoaki , Hayashi Jun , Uematsu Mizuho
Published: January 2023

The objective in the present study was to assess the ventral tail base surface temperature (ST) for the early detection of Japanese Black calves with fever. This study collected data from a backgrounding operation in Miyazaki, Japan, that included 153 calves aged 3–4 months. A wearable wireless ST sensor was attached to the surface of the ventral tail base of each calf at its introduction to the farm. The ventral tail base ST was measured every 10 min for one month. The present study conducted an experiment to detect calves with fever using the estimated residual ST (rST), calculated as the estimated rST minus the mean estimated rST for the same time on the previous 3 days, which was obtained using machine learning algorithms. Fever was defined as an increase of ≥1.0 °C for the estimated rST of a calf for 4 consecutive hours. The machine learning algorithm that applied was a random forest, and 15 features were included. The variable importance scores that represented the most important predictors for the detection of calves with fever were the minimum and maximum values during the last 3 h and the difference between the current value and 24- and 48-h minimum. For this prediction model, accuracy, precision, and sensitivity were 98.8%, 72.1%, and 88.1%, respectively. The present study indicated that the early detection of calves with fever can be predicted by monitoring the ventral tail base ST using a wearable wireless sensor.
The Effects of Irrigation, Genotype and Additives on Tef Silage Making
Authors: Wagali Philip , Sabastian Chris , Saranga Yehoshua , Ben-Zeev Shiran , Mabjeesh Sameer J.
Published: January 2023

Tef is known as a multi-harvest crop with high production capacity and outstanding fodder quality. Hence, our overall goal is to develop tef as a new multi-harvest summer crop that can maintain high-quality feed and contribute to both field crops and the livestock industry in Israel. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the ability to preserve tef as silage. Four tef genotypes grown under well-watered (100%) and water-limited (75%) irrigation regimes were harvested at grain filling stage and ensiled with either no additives (control, CTL), or with heterofermentative inoculum (HI), molasses (MOL), and both MOL + HI. Our results showed for the first time that tef could be ensiled, although water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) were lower than those in corn, “the perfect ensiling crop”. Most of the tef silage qualitative parameters were better at water-limited irrigation. Additives HI or MOL or MOL + HI also improved silage parameters, e.g., lowered pH and ammonia nitrogen content, but increased in vitro dry matter digestibility, lactic acid and crude protein content, and lactic acid bacteria counts of tef silage. The current results imply increasing the diversity of local ruminant fodder crops, ensuring high-quality feed supply during the summer.
A Bioeconomic Model for the Thoroughbred Racing Industry—Optimisation of the Production Cycle with a Horse Centric Welfare Perspective
Authors: Legg Kylie A. , Gee Erica K. , Breheny Mary , Gibson Michaela J. , Rogers Chris W.
Published: January 2023

The Thoroughbred racing industry faces new and competing pressures to operate within a modern, changing society. Three major moderators drive the focus and productivity of the industry worldwide: economic sustainability, horse biology and social licence to operate. This review proposes that despite the apparent homogeneity in the structure of racing across jurisdictions due to international regulation of the sport, there are significant differences within each jurisdiction in each of the three moderators. This creates challenges for the comparison of injury risk factors for racehorses within the industry across different jurisdictions. Comparison of the relative distribution of racing and gambling metrics internationally indicates that the Asian jurisdictions have a high focus on gambling efficiency and high economic return of the product, with a high number of starts per horse and the highest relative betting turnover. In contrast, the racing metrics from the USA have proportionally low racing stakes and fewer horses per race. These differences provide insight into the sociology of horse ownership, with a shift from the long-term return on investment held by most jurisdictions to a short-term transitional view and immediate return on investment in others. Wastage studies identify varying risks influenced by the predominant racing culture, training methods, production focus and environment within individual jurisdictions. Increasing societal pressure to maintain high racehorse welfare and reduce the negative impact of gambling poses fluctuating risks to each jurisdiction’s social licence to operate. Based on the data presented within this review, the authors propose that the use of a bioeconomic model would permit consideration of all three moderators on industry practice and optimisation of the jurisdiction-specific production cycle with a horse-centric welfare perspective.