scholarly journals Effects of age and short-term body condition of chicks on food provisioning in Streaked Shearwaters

2009 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukiko Inoue ◽  
Tomohiro Deguchi ◽  
Daisuke Ochi ◽  
Yutaka Watanuki ◽  
Nariko Oka
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Food Provisioning ◽  
Short Term

scholarly journals The use of a ‘first-wave’ model to study the effect of nutrition on ovarian follicular dynamics and ovulation rate in the sheep

Reproduction ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 140 (6) ◽  
pp. 865-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Viñoles ◽  
B Paganoni ◽  
K M M Glover ◽  
J T B Milton ◽  
D Blache ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Wave Model ◽  
Ovulation Rate ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Metabolic Hormones ◽  
Follicular Waves ◽  
Follicular Wave ◽  
The Third ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Follicular Dynamics

We have developed an experimental model in which groups of ewes are simultaneously experiencing the first ovarian follicular wave of their oestrous cycle. We used this ‘first-wave model’ in a 2×2 factorial experiment (ten ewes per group) to study the effect of body condition (BC) and a short-term supplement on follicular dynamics and ovulation rate. The ‘first-wave’ was established by giving ewes three injections of prostaglandin (PG), 7 days apart. The 6-day supplement (lupin grain) began 2 days after the second PG injection and continued until the third. Follicles were studied by ultrasound, and blood was sampled to measure glucose and hormones. The supplement increased (P<0.01) the concentrations of glucose, insulin and leptin, decreased FSH concentrations (P<0.01) and tended to increase oestradiol concentrations (P=0.06). The supplement tended to increase the number of 3 mm follicles (P=0.06). Compared with low-BC ewes, high-BC ewes had more follicular waves (P<0.05), higher concentrations of insulin, leptin and IGF1 (P<0.05) and tended to have higher FSH concentrations (P=0.09). Leptin and insulin concentrations remained high until the end of supplementation in high-BC ewes, whereas they decreased after the third day of supplementation in low-BC ewes. In conclusion, high concentrations of metabolic hormones in fat ewes are associated with the development of more follicular waves. When a supplement is superimposed on this situation, changes in glucose and metabolic hormones allow more follicles to be selected to ovulate.

Do researchers impact their study populations? Assessing the effect of field procedures in a long term population monitoring of sea kraits

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 365-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Fauvel ◽  
François Brischoux ◽  
Marine Jeanne Briand ◽  
Xavier Bonnet
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Head Morphology

Long term population monitoring is essential to ecological studies; however, field procedures may disturb individuals. Assessing this topic is important in worldwide declining taxa such as reptiles. Previous studies focussed on animal welfare issues and examined short-term effects (e.g. increase of stress hormones due to handling). Long-term effects with possible consequences at the population level remain poorly investigated. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of widely used field procedures (e.g. handling, marking, forced regurgitation) both on short-term (hormonal stress response) and on long-term (changes in body condition, survival) scales in two intensively monitored populations of sea kraits (Laticauda spp.) in New Caledonia. Focusing on the most intensively monitored sites, from 2002 to 2012, we gathered approximately 11 200 captures/recaptures on 4500 individuals. Each snake was individually marked (scale clipping + branding) and subjected to various measurements (e.g. body size, head morphology, palpation). In addition, a subsample of more than 500 snakes was forced to regurgitate their prey for dietary analyses. Handling caused a significant stress hormonal response, however we found no detrimental long-term effect on body condition. Forced regurgitation did not cause any significant effect on both body condition one year later and survival. These results suggest that the strong short-term stress provoked by field procedures did not translate into negative effects on the population. Although similar analyses are required to test the validity of our conclusions in other species, our results suggest distinguishing welfare and population issues to evaluate the potential impact of population surveys.

scholarly journals Uropygial gland and bib colouration in the house sparrow

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Uropygial Gland ◽  
Short Term ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Gland Size ◽  
Plumage Colouration ◽  
Preen Oil ◽  
Male House

Birds frequently signal different qualities by plumage colouration, mainly during mating. However, plumage colouration is determined during the moult, and therefore it would indicate the quality of individual birds during the moult, not its current quality. Recent studies, however, suggest that birds could modify plumage colouration by using cosmetic preen oil. In this study, I show that bib colouration is related to uropygial gland size and body condition in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Moreover, I conducted an experiment in which a group of sparrows were inoculated with an antigen, mimicking an illness. In control birds, short-term changes in bib colouration were related to both body condition and change in uropygial gland size. Therefore, birds that spent more preen oil (thus, reducing uropygial gland size), showed a greater colouration change. However, bib colouration did not change with use of preen oil in experimental birds inoculated with the antigen. That is, the simulated illness cancelled the effect of preen oil on bib colouration. Given that the experiment did not affect preen oil production, this finding suggests that the immune challenge provoked a change in the composition of preen oil, affecting its cosmetic properties. In short, the results of this study suggest that (1) male house sparrows produce cosmetic preen oil that alters the colouration of their bibs; (2) the more effort in preening, the more change in bib colouration; and (3) in this way, bib colouration has the potential to signal current health status, since less healthy birds showed less capacity to change bib colouration.

A comparison of the effects of body condition and short-term food restriction on the feeding behaviour of sheep

1996 ◽  
Vol 1996 ◽  
pp. 174-174
Author(s):  
A.M. Sibbald
Keyword(s):  
Food Intake ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Feeding Behaviour ◽  
Food Restriction ◽  
Term Effect ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Daily Food ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Single Meal

Voluntary food intake is generally inversely related to body condition or fatness in mature sheep (Foot, 1972). Since the intake of pelleted diets by housed sheep consists of a number of discrete feeding bouts or 'meals' (e.g. Bermudez et al., 1989), the relatively long-term effect of body condition on intake will be achieved through changes in feeding behaviour at the level of a single meal. The aim of this experiment was to compare the effects of body condition and short-term food restriction on meal patterns in sheep, to investigate the mechanism by which body condition influences daily food intake.

scholarly journals Costly parasite resistance: a genotype-dependent handicap in sand lizards?

2005 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 375-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Olsson ◽  
Erik Wapstra ◽  
Thomas Madsen ◽  
Beata Ujvari ◽  
Carl Rugfelt
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Blood Stream ◽  
Encounter Rate ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Adaptive Immune ◽  
Reduced Body ◽  
Histocompatibility Complex ◽  
Secondary Infections ◽  
Specific Restriction ◽  
Lacerta Agilis

Male sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis ) with a specific restriction fragment length polymorphism fragment in their major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotype (‘O-males’) are more resistant to ectoparasites (a tick, Ixodes ricinus ) than are males that lack this fragment (‘NO-males’). However, emerging evidence suggests that such adaptive immune responses are costly, here manifested by reduced body condition and a compromised defence against secondary infections by haemoprotid parasites that use the ticks as vectors. Subsequent to tick encounter, O-males suffer from a higher leucocyte–erythrocyte ratio, and higher haemoprotid parasitaemia, in particular in relation to vector encounter rate. Furthermore, O-males (i.e. successful tick defenders) with more haemoprotid parasites remaining in their blood stream were in better body condition, whereas this did not apply in NO-males, demonstrating that the adaptive immunoreaction can—in the short term—be energetically even more costly than being moderately parasitized. In agreement with Zahavian handicap theory, O-males had a (marginally) higher reproductive success than males that lacked this fragment.

scholarly journals Relationships between changes in Holstein cow’s body condition, acetone and urea content in milk and cervical mucus and sperm survival

2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 39-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Beran ◽  
Luděk Stádník ◽  
Jaromír Ducháček ◽  
Monika Okrouhlá
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Cervical Mucus ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Third ◽  
Urea Content ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Sperm Survival ◽  
The Relationship

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relationship between changes in Holstein cow’s body condition score (BCS), acetone and urea content in the milk and cervical mucus (CM) and sperm survival in CM. At insemination, samples of milk and CM were collected from 64 Holstein cows. Content of acetone and urea were determined. Sperm motility was assessed subjectively at the beginning and after 30, 60 and 90 minutes of the short-term heat test in CM. Data about evaluation of cow’s BCS were taken from farm evidence. The data set was analyzed using SAS/STAT software. Effect of change in cow’s BCS one month before insemination was significant only in relation to the acetone content in milk (P < 0.05). Higher values of acetone and urea content were found in the CM compared to milk. Higher levels of both metabolites were detected in primiparous cows and in cows on the third and subsequent lactation, resp. in cows inseminated 3 times and more. The highest values of both metabolites negatively affected sperm survival during the short-term heat test, especially after 90 minutes (P < 0.05–0.01). Significant decreases (P < 0.05–0.01) were detected in cows with the highest level of acetone and urea.

Replacement of mustard oil cake by urea in short-term strategic feeding of cull ewes to improve body condition and carcass traits

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 849 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Bhatt ◽  
A. Sahoo ◽  
S. A. Karim
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acid ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Carcass Traits ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Total N ◽  
Post Feeding ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Strategic Feeding

Strategic short-term feeding of culled Malpura ewes (age >6 years, average liveweight 26.8 ± 0.96 kg) was aimed at improving their body condition and increase marketability of their carcass following slaughter. Randomly, 8 out of 40 ewes were slaughtered to study initial (Day 0) carcass traits and the remaining ewes were equally divided into two groups: mustard cake (Control) and urea. They were stall fed with ad libitum guar straw (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and concentrate mixture at 25 g/kg liveweight after 4 h of morning grazing in the pasture. The Control group was offered concentrate with solvent extracted mustard cake whereas it was replaced on an equivalent nitrogen (N) basis with urea in the concentrate offered to the other group. Daily feed intake and weekly change in ewe liveweight and body condition score were measured during the 91 days of the experiment. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in digestibility of nutrients between the groups. Both groups had similar dry matter and metabolisable energy intake, but the mustard cake group recorded higher (P < 0.05) cumulative weight gain and body condition score. Ruminal fluid samples and blood biochemical measurements were analysed periodically (0, 45 and 91 days), with ruminal fluid samples during the post-feeding hours also analysed. There was periodic variation in rumen pH (P = 0.013), volatile fatty acid (P = 007), total N (P = 0.001) and ammonia-N (P = 0.025) concentration in both groups. Higher post-feeding volatile fatty acid (P = 0.031) and total N (P = 0.003) values were observed in the mustard cake group. Ruminal ciliate protozoal population showed a quadratic response over time after feeding with an initial decline post-grazing, but was not affected by treatment. Similar significant (P < 0.05) improvements in haemoglobin, glucose, total protein, urea and cholesterol levels were evident in both groups at 91 days. Both treatments showed similar improvement in carcass composition, distribution of fat and chemical composition of Longissimus dorsi after 91 days of realimentation compared with initial values. Short-term pre-slaughter feeding of cull ewes improved body condition, carcass traits and composition. Replacement of costly mustard cake with urea in the diet of cull ewes could be a means to improve profitability of this strategic feeding protocol, as well as enhancing their market value.

scholarly journals Pre-release processes influencing short-term mortality of glass eels in the French eel (Anguilla anguilla, Linnaeus 1758) stocking programme

2015 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Q. Josset ◽  
T. Trancart ◽  
V. Mazel ◽  
F. Charrier ◽  
L. Frotté ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Anguilla Anguilla ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
The Body ◽  
European Eel ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Good Body Condition ◽  
Short Term Mortality ◽  
Glass Eels

Abstract The decline in the European eel has led the European Union to require that its Member States establish an Eel Management Plan, which includes a set of measures to help preserve and restore the wild eel populations. Stocking has been conducted in France since 2011 as part of this Management Plan. This stocking programme is based on a protocol designed by the French National Museum of Natural History and includes an assessment of the short-term (15 d after release) mortality and three recapture surveys at 6, 12, and 36 months after release. The present study aims to assess the different processes influencing the short-term mortality to provide recommendations to reduce mortality and increase the efficiency of the releases. A linear model was built to examine the different variables selected modelling. The resulting model explained 56.4% of the total deviance; the main factor in terms of explained deviance was the operation (31.2%), which actually includes a number of handling parameters. The other factors influencing the short-term mortality were the release year, the fishmonger that provided the glass eels, the duration of stalling (period of captivity) before release, the body condition, the marking, and the type of mortality test. It appears that some of these variables could be adjusted to reduce the short-term mortality. For instance, selecting the most suitable release sites to stock or selecting glass eels with good body condition, adjusting the duration of stalling, or limiting the marking should help reduce short-term mortality.

scholarly journals Effect of bulls' breed, age and body condition score on quantitative and qualitative traits of their semen

2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Beran ◽  
Luděk Stádník ◽  
Jaromír Ducháček ◽  
Renáta Toušová ◽  
František Louda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Generalized Linear Model ◽  
Quantitative Traits ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Sperm Survival

The objectives of this study were to determine and evaluate effect of breed, age and body condition score (BCS) on qualitative and quantitative parameters of bull’s ejaculate. In total, 16 Holstein (H) and 15 Czech Fleckvieh (F) bulls were collected in September 2009 and May 2010. Volume of semen samples, sperm concentration and percentage of motile spermatozoa were evaluated immediately after collecting. Sperm motility was also evaluated after diluting and freezing/thawing of AI doses and subsequently during the short-term test of sperm survival. Percentages of live and pathologic sperm before diluting also were evaluated. The data set was analyzed using a generalized linear model in SAS/STAT software. A statistically significant effect of the breed, age and body condition on qualitative and quantitative traits of bull’s sperm were determined (P < 0.05–0.01). Sperm activity after collection, dilution and freezing/thawing had significantly decreasing character.

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