Average Number Of Birds Research Articles

A Study on the Marketing Efficiency of Broiler in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India

A study on broiler marketing was carried out in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar, and the results were presented using tabular analysis. A multi-stage stratified sampling method was utilized to select marketing intermediaries, encompassing those in both primary and secondary markets. The study focused on these intermediaries to collect data on total marketing costs, marketing margins, price spreads, marketing efficiency, and the producer's share of consumer rupees. Additionally, the research aimed to identify the various marketing channels used in the broiler marketing process. The study was undertaken through a bench mark survey method by contacting 70 broiler farms, representing small, medium and large farms. The average number of birds was 280 on small farms, 780 birds on medium farms. and 2970 on large farms. It was clear that the highest being on large farms indicating direct relationship with the farm size.

Evaluating Data Quality and Changes in Species Identification in a Citizen Science Bird Monitoring Project

Citizen science has potential to provide multiple benefits to participants and the professional scientific community, and those benefits can be realized if citizen science projects are intentionally designed to achieve research objectives, and if participants have the skills, knowledge, and training to collect high-quality data. Using three years of data from a citizen science bird monitoring project in Salt Lake City, Utah, we assessed bird songs and calls learned by volunteers, and compared species detections, number of birds, and distance measurements between point counts by citizen scientists and professional biologists. We found significant increases in correct species identification for citizen scientists after going through the training program; the average percentage of bird songs and calls identified rose from 42.5% before training to 72.7% after training (p < 0.00001). For two data quality metrics, citizen scientists and professional biologists collected similar quality data: the average number of birds and average detection distances were not significantly different for point counts conducted by citizen scientists and professional biologists in the same locations. However, professional biologists identified an average of 1.48 more species than citizen scientists (p < 0.00001). Our findings emphasize the importance of evaluating training programs and data accuracy for citizen science projects. In instances in which citizen scientists may not be performing at the same level as professional biologists, identifying these patterns ensures that they can be fully explained and accounted for during data analysis.

Comparison between LASSO and RT methods for prediction of generic E. coli concentration in pastured poultry farms

Though most strains of E. coli are non-pathogenic components of the intestinal microbiome, certain pathogenic E. coli strains are the cause of diseases and outbreaks. Poultry is identified as a common reservoir for pathogenic E. coli. It is important to identify farm practice factors associated with E. coli in the pastured poultry environment. The objective of this study is to develop models that can predict E. coli levels and to select farm practice factors contributing to E. coli concentration in pastured poultry farms. Five kinds of samples: feces, soil, whole carcass rinse after processing (WCR-P), final product after chilling and storage (WCR-F), and ceca samples were collected for E. coli counts from 11 pastured poultry farms in the southeastern US. The regression tree (RT) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) methods were applied to data from each sample type. The farm management practices and processing factors such as source of eggs, type of feed used, appearance of other animals on farm, chilling method, and storage time and temperature were all considered as possible explanatory factors in the models. Models were developed to predict the levels of E. coli and to select the most important factors used in predicting E. coli population. Model performances were compared using root mean square error (RMSE). For feces samples, average number of birds and animal source were the two most important variables affecting E. coli population by LASSO. The RT selected animal source, brood feed, day of year, flock age in days, and flock size as the most important variables in predicting E. coli concentration. The RMSE (in log10 scale) under LASSO was 0.974, while under RT it was 1.032 for feces samples. The predictive models provide practical and effective tools to predict E. coli population and to identify farm practice factors that affect E. coli levels.

Small Scale Poultry Farmers’ Choice of Adaption Strategies to Climate Change in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract Climate risks constitute an enormous challenge to poultry production and have affected the livelihoods of the people who depend on them. Thus, farmers have adopted various strategies that can help them cope with the adverse effects of climate change. The aim of this study is to examine the factors influencing small scale poultry farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies to climate change. Data used for this study were obtained from 121 representative farmers selected through a two-stage random sampling procedure. Descriptive Statistics, Likert Scale and the Multinomial Logit Model were the tools used for analysis. Results showed that the mean age and household size of the respondents were 45 years and 5 persons respectively, while the average number of birds per farmer stood at 583 birds. Majority of the respondents had a moderate perception of the impacts of climate change on poultry farming and chose management adaptation strategies in their fight against climate change. Econometric analysis showed that the age, gender and educational status of farmers, number of birds, household size, poultry experience, access to cooperative societies, poultry housing system, access to credit, access to extension services and farm size were the factors influencing farmers’ choice of climate change adaptation strategies in the study area. Therefore, policy should focus on awareness creation on management adaptation strategies through enhancing education and extension services as well as access of poultry farmers to credit facilities to indirectly insure farmers against climate change impacts.

Entrepreneurship skills of small and medium scale poultry farmers in Central Agricultural Zone of Nasarawa State Nigeria

The study assessed the level of entrepreneurship skills of small and medium scale poultry farmers in central agricultural zone of Nasarawa State. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 70% of the listed poultry farmers in each of the four LGAs in the zone which gave a sample size of 55 respondents. Data collection was by a structured interview schedule. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean scores, percentage and linear regression analysis. The results show that majority (78.2%) of the respondents were males, the mean age of the respondents was 41 years, most (58.1%) of them had tertiary education and most (47.3%) of them had between 6-10 years experience in poultry business. The average number of birds kept by the respondents was 260. Majority (85.5%) of them were not members of any group while the average number of extension contacts in a year was 3 and their mean monthly income was N27, 730.91. The respondents were rated high (M> 3.0) in 21 out of the 30 areas of entrepreneurship skills presented with an overall 70% level of competency. Results of the regression analysis show that extension contact, farm size and training had significant positive effects on level of entrepreneurship skills. The major constraints faced by the respondents were high cost of poultry feeds, inadequate capital and poor extension services. It was recommended that the Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme (NADP) extension staff in the zone should focus more attention on small and medium scale poultry farmers in the area by mobilising them to form associations/cooperatives groups for self help. They should also be given training on local feed formulation to cut production costs. Keywords: Entrepreneurship Skills, Poultry Farmers in Nasarawa State

Pre-migratory congregations of Red-crowned (Grus japonensis), White-naped (G. vipio) and Hooded (G. monacha) cranes in the Muraviovka Park for Sustainable Land Use in 1992

The autumn pre-migratory concentrations of Red-crowned, White-naped and Hooded Cranes were studied in the Muraviovka Park for Sustainable Land Use and Environmentla Education (Tambov District, Amur Region, Russian Federation) during 23.08–29.09.1992. We counted 292 Hooded Cranes, 34 White-naped Cranes, and 17 Red-crowned Cranes during the study period. We also marked specific differences in the behaviour of the birds connected with their readiness for migration. The Hooded Cranes showed the greatest readiness for migration. We observed mutual flights, overnight stays, and feeding of adult birds and family groups in their flocks. This was not the same in the flocks of White-naped Cranes. However, the average number of birds in the flocks of White-naped Cranes had increased by the end of our observations due to new families joining the general flock. The family parties of the Red-crowned Crane and adult birds without young individuals stayed apart from each other and from other crane species during the whole observation period. We registered the autumn departure of Hooded Cranes in late September, the migratory departure of White-naped Cranes in the middle of October, and the Red-crowned Cranes left the area in the first half of November. The breeding period for all crane species starts at the same time: the third decade of April – the beginning of May. The young of the studied crane species differ significantly in the period of time before fledging: Hooded Cranes – 55–60 days, White-naped Cranes – 65–70 days, and Red-crowned Cranes – 70–75 days because of their specific differences in the ratio of size to weight (1 : 1.3 : 1.7). Thus, the time difference between the Hooded and Red-crowned Cranes is about 2–3 weeks. We suggest that this is the main reason that determines the differences between these species in the timing of the the start of autumn migration.

A survey of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) farming in selected areas of Bangladesh.

Aim:To investigate the status, problems and prospects of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) farming in selected areas of Bangladesh.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted in 14 districts of Bangladesh, viz., Dhaka, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Faridpur, Jessore, Khulna, Satkhira, Kushtia, Bogra, Naogaon, Comilla, and Sylhet during the period from July 2011 to June 2012. A total of 52 quail farmers were interviewed for data collection using a structured questionnaire. Focus group discussions were also carried out with unsuccessful farmers and those want to start quail farming. Workers of quail farms, quail feeds and medicine suppliers, quail eggs and meat sellers were also interviewed regarding the issue.Results:Out of 52 farms, 86.5% were operated by male, 67.3% farmers did not receive any training and 92.3% farmers had no earlier experience of quail farming although 58.0% farmers primary occupation was quail farming. Most of the farms (63.4%) were mixed in type having ≤5000 birds of two or three varieties. About 80.7% farms were operated separately round the year with no other poultry and 83.0% farmers wanted to expand their farming. The average pullet weight 145.0±0.12, 110.0±0.07, 120.0±0.22, and 128.0±0.17 g; age at the first lay 46.0±0.04, 42.0±0.31, 42.0±0.09, and 45.2±0.05 days; rearing period 15.0±0.01, 12.0±0.14, 15.0±0.32, and 15.2±0.18 months; culling period 15.5±0.14, 13.0±0.06, 15.0±0.03, and 15.4±0.26 months were for layer, parent stock, hatchery, and mixed farms, respectively. Most of the layer farms had an average egg production of ≤5000/day and net profit BDT 0.75/egg. However, an average number of birds, hatchability and net profit per day-old-chick were ≤5000, 76.8% and BDT 2.75, respectively, in the hatchery. Broiler quails were sold at 30 days with mean weight of 110.8 g and net profit BDT 9.02/bird. The major constraints of quail farming were higher feed price, outbreak of endemic diseases, lack of proper knowledge, farmers training, proper market access, difficulties of parent stock collection, inadequate biosecurity practices, and limited access to veterinary care. Thus, a proper training on quail farming, bio-security management, and government subsidy on feeds could make quail farming sustainable in Bangladesh.Conclusions:The study concludes that Japanese quail farming has enormous potentiality and could be an alternative to chicken farming particularly in providing gainful employment, supplementary income and as a valuable source of meat and egg, quail farming should be encouraged and promoted in Bangladesh.

Making better sense of monitoring data from low density species using a spatially explicit modelling approach

Summary1. Wildlife managers are limited in the inferences they can draw about low density populations. These limits are imposed by biases in monitoring data not regularly accounted for.2. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical model to correct biases arising from imperfect detection and spatial autocorrelation. Our analysis incorporated model selection uncertainty by treating model probabilities as parameters to be estimated in the context of model fitting. We fitted our model to count data from a monitoring programme for the mountain plover Charadrius montanus, a low density bird species in Nebraska, USA.3. Our results demonstrated that previous accounts of the abundance and distribution of plovers in Nebraska were impacted by low detection probabilities (∼5–20%). Uncorrected relative abundance estimates showed that the average number of birds per agricultural section increased over time, whereas corrected estimates showed that average abundance was stable.4. Our method spatially interpolated relative abundance to produce distribution maps. These predictions suggested that birds were selecting some sites more frequently than others based on some habitat feature not explored in our study. Variation in mountain plover abundance appeared more heavily influenced by changes in the number of individuals occupying a few high quality sites, rather than from changes in abundance across many sites. Thus, conservation efforts may not be as efficient when focusing on low to moderate quality sites.5. Synthesis and applications. Managers who must make decisions based on data‐poor systems should adopt rigorous statistical approaches for drawing inferences. Spatial predictions provide information for deciding where to implement management, which is just as important as knowing what kind of management to apply. Our approach provides a step in the direction of making the biological signal in data‐poor monitoring programmes more informative for conservation and management.

Response of Water Birds to Hazing with a Red Laser

Author(s): Gorenzel, W. Paul; Salmon, Terrell P.; Imai, Randy | Abstract: The use of lasers to prevent oiling of waterbirds at a spill is a new concept. Little is known about how some species that could occur at a spill would respond. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify species that respond to the laser, 2) document the immediate response of waterbirds to the laser, 3) determine if laser treatment during the early evening reduces bird numbers over the course of a night, and 4) determine if the laser treatment has any lasting effect over the short term after treatment has ended. The study was conducted in 2 parts. In Part 1, we used 5 locations in the Sacramento Valley of California. We visited the sites at dusk from October 2007 - March 2008 and opportunistically used the laser on any birds encountered. At each test session, we recorded ambient light levels and the species and number of birds. We fired the laser, then recorded the immediacy and type of responses and the number of birds remaining. A response was considered favorable if the bird left the site. For Part 2, we used a 20-ha marsh in Woodland, Yolo County, California. The study, conducted in March 2008, was divided into 3 periods (pretreatment, treatment, and post-treatment) of 5 days each. We counted birds in the morning and at dusk each day. During the treatment period, we counted the birds at dusk, fired the laser, and then counted any remaining birds. We recorded the same information as described above for the random tests. In part 1, we tested the laser on 18 evenings and fired the laser 129 times at 2,000 birds consisting of 25 species. Overall, 1,212 (61%) birds responded favorably. High proportions of pelicans and cormorants (100%), herons and egrets (99%), geese (93%), and diving ducks (85%) responded favorably. No grebes, coots, shorebirds, gulls responded favorably. Only 10% of the dabbling ducks responded favorably to treatment. In Part 2, we fired the laser 74 times at 3,036 birds consisting of 16 species. Overall, 2,251 (74%) birds responded favorably. High proportions of herons (98%) and dabbling ducks (93%) responded favorably, but only 46% of the diving ducks responded favorably. No coots responded favorably. There was a significant decrease in bird numbers immediately after laser treatment. Bird numbers recorded the next morning were not significantly different from the levels present just before the laser treatment the evening before. There was a significant decrease of 47% in the average number of birds on the treated area from the pretreatment period (x-bar = 873.7; SD = 151.8) to the treatment period (x-bar = 463.9, SD = 171.3). Thereafter, the number of birds during the 5-day post-treatment period (x-bar = 530.8, SD = 206.6) was not significantly different from that during the treatment period. Suggestions are provided on using the laser at a spill event.

O uso de praias arenosas com diferentes concentrações humanas por espécies de aves limícolas (Charadriidae e Scolopacidae) neárticas no sudeste do Brasil

As aves migratórias podem reconhecer humanos e animais domésticos como possíveis predadores, alterando seus padrões de abundância e comportamento de formação de bandos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar a abundância de aves migratórias neárticas, a freqüência de bandos e o número médio de aves por bando em áreas com alta e baixa concentração humana em uma região costeira de praia arenosa no sudeste do Brasil. As aves, pessoas e cães foram contados mensalmente entre novembro de 2006 a abril de 2007. Foram registradas seis espécies de aves (Arenaria interpres, Calidris alba, Calidris canutus, Calidris pusilla, Charadrius semipalmatus, Pluvialis dominica) nas duas áreas, no entanto somente C. canutus foi registrado exclusivamente na área com baixa concentração humana. Houve diferença significativa no número médio de pessoas e cães entre as áreas, mas não no número médio de aves. Não houve correlação entre o número de humanos e aves, e entre cães e aves. Adicionalmente, não houve diferença significativa na freqüência de bandos e número de indivíduos por bando entre as áreas. Os resultados deste estudo destacaram a sensibilidade de C. canutus na área com alta concentração humana e a necessidade de futuras investigações que determinem os limites máximos de concentração de pessoas e cães domésticos que as aves migratórias neárticas podem tolerar para a tomada de ações de proteção em áreas costeiras com ocupação humana.

Avifauna aquática do Saco da Fazenda (Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brasil): uma década de monitoramento

O monitoramento a longo prazo das comunidades de aves, disponibilizou dados fundamentais na formulação de modelos de populações, tornando-se uma ferramenta valiosa na conservação da biodiversidade. As aves aquáticas do Saco da Fazenda foram monitoradas mensalmente através de três censos, em um mesmo dia, durante o período de janeiro de 1996 a dezembro de 2005, sendo adotado o número médio de aves por mês, como uma medida padrão da abundância. Das 50 espécies registradas, 34,0% foi regular nos censos, 12,0% sazonalmente e 54,0% de ocorrência ocasional. As aves residentes representaram 72,0% das espécies, as visitante sazonal do hemisfério norte (22,0%), das visitantes do sul da América do Sul (4,0%) e de uma espécie de ocorrência incerta no país. Dessas, sete são aves marinhas costeiras, 39 de hábitos limícolas e quatro espécies habitantes das bordas ou visitantes originários da Mata Atlântica. As famílias Ardeidae, Scolopacidae, Laridae e Charadriidae contribuíram com 64,0% das espécies, onde Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Gmelin, 1789) e Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823 foram dominantes nos censos. Apesar das flutuações sazonais, a abundância média mensal da avifauna não apresentou diferenças, mas quando confrontados os 10 anos de censos, esses foram significativamente diferentes. Enquanto que o índice de diversidade apresentou valores mensal e anual significativamente diferentes, a equitabilidade flutuou moderadamente entre os anos de coleta, mantendo-se estatisticamente semelhante, foram mensalmente diferente. Estudo como o presente, envolvendo comunidades de aves aquáticas em uma série temporal de 10 anos interruptos, são raros, mas reforçam a necessidade de considerar a época do ano, horário e o número de censos para determinar adequadamente o tamanho das populações. O contínuo monitoramento desses agrupamentos poderá contribuir na compreensão das interações entre as espécies e na avaliação da importância das populações do estuário, no contexto regional.

Relationship Between Bird Abundances and Landscape Characteristics: The Influence of Scale

Scale is important to consider when investigating effects of the environment on a species. Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data and landscape metrics derived from aerial photographs were evaluated to determine how relationships of bird abundances with landscape variables changed over a continuous range of 16 spatial scales. We analyzed the average number of birds per stop (1985-1994) for five songbird species (family Cardinalidae) for each of 50 stops on 198 BBS transects throughout six states in the Central Plains, USA. Land along each transect was categorized into six cover types, and landscape metrics of fractal dimension (a measure of shape complexity of habitat patches), edge density, patch density, and percent area were calculated, with principal components used to construct composite environmental variables. Associations of bird abundances and landscape variables changed in accordance with small scale changes. Abundances of three species were correlated with edge density and one with component I, which subsumes initial variables of patch density for urban, closed forest, open forest, and open country. Fractal dimension and component II (summarizing amount of closed forest versus open country) were associated with the most species. Correlation patterns of fractal dimension with northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) and painted bunting (Passerina ciris) abundances were similar, with highest correlations at intermediate to small scales, suggesting indirectly that these species thrive in areas where local habitat conditions are most important. Multiscale analysis can provide insight into the spatial scale(s) at which species respond, a topic of intrinsic scientific interest with applied implications for researchers establishing protocols to assess and monitor avian populations.

Pulmonary hypertension syndrome in broilers caused by Enterococcus faecalis.

A field strain of Enterococcus faecalis was administered to broiler chicks at doses of 0, 3 x 10(6), 1.5 x 10(7), and 2 x 10(7) bacteria/bird either intra-abdominally or intravenously. In trials 1 to 3, birds were reared communally in a broiler house on pine shaving litter. In trial 4, challenged and control birds were maintained in separate isolation rooms in metal cages with raised wire floors. Challenged birds exhibited a characteristic cavity or depression in the external wall of the right ventricle. A subjective scoring system was devised to quantify challenge effects by assigning each heart a score of 1 to 4. The average number of birds, over all trials and over all dose levels, exhibiting the ventricular cavity was 93%. This value in controls was 5%. The average heart score for challenged birds was 3.1, and that for controls was 0.20. Heart scores of challenged and control chicks were not different in birds reared communally or in separate isolation rooms. Additionally, both routes of administration were equally effective. Results suggest that challenge with E. faecalis caused pulmonary hypertension.

Behavioural responses to humans and the productivity of commercial broiler chickens

The effects of differing degrees of previous exposure to humans on the subsequent behavioural and adrenocortical responses of broiler chickens to approach and restraint by an experimenter were measured in Experiment 1. A higher proportion of birds that had received minimal human contact withdrew as an experimenter approached in a standard test than birds that had received regular human contact (0.77 vs. 0.46, P<0.05). Furthermore, these birds that had received minimal human contact had higher plasma corticosterone concentrations after 12 min of handling than birds in the latter treatment (12.61 vs. 5.40 nmol l −1, P<0.05). The usefulness of behavioural measures as indicators of the bird's fear of humans is demonstrated by these results in which handling treatments, designed to affect differentially fear of humans, caused divergence in the behavioural and adrenocortical responses of birds to humans. The major objective of the present study was addressed in Experiment 2, in which the between-farm relationships between the behavioural responses to humans and the productivity of broiler chickens were examined at 22 commercial farms. Some of the behavioural variables were significantly correlated with feed conversion (feed to gain ratio). For example, the average number of birds that approached or remained within 750 mm of an experimenter in a standard test (variable BIRDS s) and the number of birds that remained forward and oriented forward or to the side when an experimenter closely approached in another standard test (REMAIN FS) were significantly ( P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively) and negatively correlated with feed to gain ratio (FC) at the farm. The direction of these significant correlations indicate that feed conversion was poor at farms in which birds avoided the experimenter in the two standard tests. The variable BIRDS s was found to predict FC significantly ( P<0.02), and this variable accounted for 28% of the variance in feed conversion at the farms. These significant relationships between the behavioural responses of birds to an experimenter and feed conversion suggest that fear of humans may be an important factor limiting the productivity of commercial broiler chickens. The precise mechanism(s) responsible for this inverse fear-productivity relationship in broiler chickens is unclear. However, attention is drawn to the potential for improving the productivity and welfare of commercial broiler chickens by identifying and manipulating those human factors which are influential in commercial units.

Analysis of an Instaneous Census Method for Heathland Birds

Birds were censused from the top of a 2.5-m ladder positioned at the centre of circles of radius 20 m. Every 1 min the observer visually scanned one half of a circle, recording the identity of and the distance to every bird seen. This procedure was carried out for about eight scans and then repeated for the complementary semicircle. Birds tended to be repulsed from the observer and/or ladder. Consequently the census method cannot be used to estimate absolute densities. However, the frequency distribution of bird-observer distances was found to be independent of time of day, time of year, and bird species. The method can, therefore, be used at a particular location to compare different bird species and different times. Vegetation height affected the frequency distribution of bird-observer distances and so the method cannot provide accurate comparisons of bird densities in different areas. Fewer birds were seen per scan when the census was carried out 4-6 h after sunrise. The two observers in the study saw the same average number of birds per scan.

WATERFOWL (ANATIDAE) ON IRRIGATION LAKES IN THE ORANGE FREE STATE

Summary Geldenhuys, J. N. 1975. Waterfowl (Anatidae) on irrigation lakes in the Orange Free State. Ostrich 46:219-235. The incidence and population size of fifteen duck species were determined on nine irrigation lakes in the Orange Free State, South Africa, during August 1972 to July 1973. Allemanskraal supported the highest average number of Egyptian Goose, South African Shelduck and Yellowbilled Duck. Redbilled Teal and Spurwinged Goose favoured Bloemhof. Cape Shoveller and Cape Teal concentrated on Kalkfontein, and Southern Pochard frequented Erfenis. The most common species were the Egyptian Goose, South African Shelduck, Yellowbilled Duck and Spurwinged Goose, in thit order according to average number of birds per count, Black Duck, Whitefaced Duck, Whistling Duck, Whitebacked Duck, Hottentot Teal, Knobbilled Duck and Maccoa Duck occurred sporadically. Relatively high seasonal population nuctuations were found in the South African Shelduck, Cape Teal, Southern Pochard and to a lesser extent in the Sp...