Daytime Feeding Research Articles

Effects of day-time feeding on murine skeletal muscle growth and synthesis

Muscle mass is controlled by the balance between muscle synthesis and degradation. Although nutrition is important for the maintenance of muscle mass and growth, the effects of feeding time have remained unclear. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of day- or night-time-restricted feeding on the muscle volume using muscle atrophy and hypertrophy mouse models. The day- and night-time-restricted feeding was conducted from zeitgeber time 2 (ZT2) to ZT10 and ZT14 to ZT22, respectively. In the unilateral immobilization-induced atrophy model, the decrease in immobilized muscle weight did not significantly change with the feeding time. However, the contralateral non-immobilized muscle weight was lower in the mice fed at day time (inactive phase) than in those fed at night time (active phase). In the overloading-induced hypertrophy model, muscle hypertrophy and protein synthesis were attenuated by day-time feeding. These results suggest that day-time feeding attenuated muscle growth via the inhibition of muscle synthesis. Feeding at an irregular time such as a late-night meal could be detrimental for muscle growth.

Sleep homeostasis during daytime food entrainment in mice.

Twenty-four hour rhythms of physiology and behavior are driven by the environment and an internal endogenous timing system. Daily restricted feeding (RF) in nocturnal rodents during their inactive phase initiates food anticipatory activity (FAA) and a reorganization of the typical 24-hour sleep–wake structure. Here, we investigate the effects of daytime feeding, where food access was restricted to 4 hours during the light period ZT4-8 (Zeitgeber time; ZT0 is lights on), on sleep–wake architecture and sleep homeostasis in mice. Following 10 days of RF, mice were returned to ad libitum feeding. To mimic the spontaneous wakefulness associated with FAA and daytime feeding, mice were then sleep deprived between ZT3-6. Although the amount of wake increased during FAA and subsequent feeding, total wake time over 24 hours remained stable as the loss of sleep in the light phase was compensated for by an increase in sleep in the dark phase. Interestingly, sleep that followed spontaneous wake episodes during the dark period and the extended period of wake associated with FAA, exhibited lower levels of slow-wave activity (SWA) when compared to baseline or after sleep deprivation, despite a similar duration of waking. This suggests an evolutionary mechanism of reducing sleep drive during negative energy balance to enable greater arousal for food-seeking behaviors. However, the total amount of sleep and SWA accumulated during the 24 hours was similar between baseline and RF. In summary, our study suggests that despite substantial changes in the daily distribution and quality of wake induced by RF, sleep homeostasis is maintained.

Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Rhythms Are Circadian Clock Controlled and Differentially Directed by Behavioral Signals

Daily rhythms in animal physiology are driven by endogenous circadian clocks in part through rest-activityand feeding-fasting cycles. Here, we examined principles that govern daily respiration. We monitored oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide release, as well as tissue oxygenation in freely moving animals to specifically dissect the role of circadian clocks and feeding time on daily respiration. We found that daily rhythms in oxygen and carbon dioxideare clock controlled and that time-restricted feeding restores their rhythmicity in clock-deficient mice. Remarkably, day-time feeding dissociated oxygenrhythms from carbon dioxide oscillations, whereby oxygen followed activity, and carbon dioxide was shifted and aligned with food intake. In addition, changes in carbon dioxide levels altered clock gene expression and phase shifted the clock. Collectively, our findings indicate that oxygen and carbon dioxide rhythms are clock controlled and feeding regulated and support a potential role for carbon dioxide in phase resetting peripheral clocks upon feeding.

O-GlcNAcylation of PERIOD regulates its interaction with CLOCK and timing of circadian transcriptional repression.

Circadian clocks coordinate time-of-day-specific metabolic and physiological processes to maximize organismal performance and fitness. In addition to light and temperature, which are regarded as strong zeitgebers for circadian clock entrainment, metabolic input has now emerged as an important signal for clock entrainment and modulation. Circadian clock proteins have been identified to be substrates of O-GlcNAcylation, a nutrient sensitive post-translational modification (PTM), and the interplay between clock protein O-GlcNAcylation and other PTMs is now recognized as an important mechanism by which metabolic input regulates circadian physiology. To better understand the role of O-GlcNAcylation in modulating clock protein function within the molecular oscillator, we used mass spectrometry proteomics to identify O-GlcNAcylation sites of PERIOD (PER), a repressor of the circadian transcriptome and a critical biochemical timer of the Drosophila clock. In vivo functional characterization of PER O-GlcNAcylation sites indicates that O-GlcNAcylation at PER(S942) reduces interactions between PER and CLOCK (CLK), the key transcriptional activator of clock-controlled genes. Since we observe a correlation between clock-controlled daytime feeding activity and higher level of PER O-GlcNAcylation, we propose that PER(S942) O-GlcNAcylation during the day functions to prevent premature initiation of circadian repression phase. This is consistent with the period-shortening behavioral phenotype of per(S942A) flies. Taken together, our results support that clock-controlled feeding activity provides metabolic signals to reinforce light entrainment to regulate circadian physiology at the post-translational level. The interplay between O-GlcNAcylation and other PTMs to regulate circadian physiology is expected to be complex and extensive, and reach far beyond the molecular oscillator.

Associations between precision sensor data with productivity, health and welfare indicator traits in native black and white dual-purpose cattle under grazing conditions

The aim of the study was to analyse the relationships between conventional production as well as subjectively scored welfare assessment traits with longitudinal sensor measurements (i.e., behavioural activity traits) of dual-purpose cattle kept in grazing systems. Such aim implies getting knowledge into dual-purpose cow grazing behaviour, and inferring behaviour trait thresholds from a management perspective (e.g., development of an early-warning system for clinical mastitis). In this regard, 49 native black and white dual-purpose cows from the breed Deutsches Schwarzbuntes Niederungsrind (DSN) were equipped with electronic sensor ear tags (accelerometer attached to radio frequency identification tag). Over a period of twelve months including two grazing seasons, ear sensors recorded individual cow behaviour for rumination, feeding, lying, active, and highly active, as well as ear surface temperature. Data for all traits were transformed into the measurement unit “percent per day”. Additionally, a trained classifier subjectively scored welfare assessment traits (body condition score, locomotion score, udder/ leg hygiene score) and temperament traits (intra-herd rank order, aggressiveness and general temperament during milking). A third trait category included official test-day records for milk-kg, fat-kg and somatic cell count. Association analyses focussed on trait correlations, and on mixed model applications (i.e. defining fixed effect classes for explanatory sensor traits). Sensor ear temperature was significantly negatively correlated with feeding behaviour (r=−0.17, P < 0.01), but significantly positively correlated with walking activity (r = 0.20, P < 0.001). Regarding subjectively cow welfare and temperament scoring, we found positive correlations between the level of aggressiveness towards other herd mates and the intra herd rank order (r = 0.36, P < 0.001), indicating that cows with a higher intra-herd rank showed increased aggressive behaviour. Mixed model analysis revealed that DSN cows spending more time lying down (>7 h/d) had reduced daily milk and fat yields. Oppositely, high yielding cows showed intensive feeding and rumination behaviour. A substantial decrease in rumination and feeding time was observed for cows with elevated somatic cells (>700,000 cells/mL), suggesting utilisation of sensor behaviour as an indicator for udder health. We identified significantly higher body condition scores for cows with increased lying times, whereas active cows with high daily feeding and rumination times had quite low body conditions scores. Hence, optimal health and behaviour monitoring for cows in grazing systems implies consideration of both trait components objectively recorded longitudinal sensor traits and subjectively scored behaviour and health indicators. Overall, individual behaviour pattern variation was detected, via sensor technology for dual-purpose cows kept in grazing systems. Hence, automatically recorded longitudinal sensor data is a proper alternative for cow phenotyping in extensive grassland systems, aiming on an accurate data basis for genetic evaluations.

The effects of age and gender (bull vs steer) on the feeding behavior of young beef cattle fed grass silage.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to determine the effects of age and gender (bull vs steer) on feeding behavior parameters in young beef cattle fed grass silage.MethodsThe study was conducted on 180 young beef cattle at 7 to 18 mo of age. The experimental materials comprised 90 bulls produced by commercial crossing of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows with Charolais, Limousin and Hereford bulls (30 animals of each breed) and 90 steers of the same genotypes. The animals had ad libitum access to grass silage; the concentrate was fed separately, in feed stations. They received 28 g dry matter of concentrate per kg of metabolic body weight per day. Bunk visit data and silage intake for all experimental animals were recorded individually using the Roughage Intake Control system (5 feed bunks per 15 animals).ResultsAge and gender (bull vs steer) exerted significant effects on the feeding behavior of young beef cattle. The frequency of bunk visits and meal frequency decreased, whereas the feeding rate of silage, and the average duration and size of a single meal increased with age (p<0.01). Bunk attendance and meal frequency were higher (p<0.01) in steers than in bulls (49.1 vs 37.4 visits/d, and 8.63 vs 7.99 meals/d, respectively). Daily feeding time was longer in steers than in bulls (102.3 vs 100.3 min/d, respectively), but the feeding rate of silage was lower in steers, and their meals were smaller in size and shorter in duration (p<0.01). Daily silage dry matter intake was higher (p<0.01) in bulls than in steers (4.62 vs 4.47 kg/d, respectively).ConclusionThe results of this study indicate that age and gender (bull vs steer) exerted significant effects on the feeding behavior of young beef cattle.

Layer pullet preferences for light colors of light-emitting diodes

Light colors may affect poultry behaviors, well-being and performance. However, preferences of layer pullets for light colors are not fully understood. This study was conducted to investigate the pullet preferences for four light-emitting diode colors, including white, red, green and blue, in a lighting preference test system. The system contained four identical compartments each provided with a respective light color. The pullets were able to move freely between the adjacent compartments. A total of three groups of 20 Chinese domestic Jingfen layer pullets (54 to 82 days of age) were used for the test. Pullet behaviors were continuously recorded and summarized for each light color/compartment into daily time spent (DTS), daily percentage of time spent (DPTS), daily times of visit (DTV), duration per visit, daily feed intake (DFI), daily feeding time (DFT), feeding rate (FR), distribution of pullet occupancy and hourly time spent. The results showed that the DTS (h/pullet·per day) were 3.9±0.4 under white, 1.4±0.3 under red, 2.2±0.3 under green and 4.5±0.4 under blue light, respectively. The DTS corresponded to 11.7% to 37.6% DPTS in 12-h lighting periods. The DTV (times/pullet·per day) were 84±5 under white, 48±10 under red, 88±10 under green and 94±8 under blue light. Each visit lasted 1.5 to 3.2 min. The DFI (g/pullet·per day) were 27.6±1.7 under white, 7.1±1.6 under red, 15.1±1.1 under green and 23.1±2.0 under blue light. The DFT was 0.18 to 0.65 h/pullet·per day and the FR was 0.57 to 0.75 g/min. For most of the time during the lighting periods, six to 10 birds stayed under white, and one to five birds stayed under red, green and blue light. Pullets preferred to stay under blue light when the light was on and under white light 4 h before the light off. Overall, pullets preferred blue light the most and red light the least. These findings substantiate the preferences of layer pullets for light colors, providing insights for use in the management of light-emitting diode colors to meet pullet needs.

Effect of lactation trimester and parity on eating behavior, milk production and efficiency traits of dairy cows

There is absence knowledge about the effects of lactation trimester and parity on eating behavior, production and efficiency of dairy cows. Objective of this study was to identify and characterize in 340 dairy cows, the 20% high efficient (HE), 20% low efficient (LE) and 60% mid efficient (ME) cows according to their individual residual feed intake (RFI) values, within and between lactation trimesters and between 1st and 2nd parities. Efficiency effect within each lactation trimester, was exhibited in daily dry matter intake (DMI), eating rate and meal size, that were the highest in LE cows, moderate in the ME cows and lowest in the HE group. Daily eating time, meal frequency, yields of milk and energy-corrected milk (ECM) and BW were similar in the three efficiency groups within each trimester. The lower efficiency of the LE cows in each trimester attributes to their larger metabolic energy intake, heat production and energy losses. In subgroup of 52 multiparous cows examined along their 1st and 2nd trimesters, milk and ECM production, DMI, eating behavior and efficiency traits were similar with high Pearson’s correlation (r=0.78 to 0.89) between trimesters. In another subgroup of 42 multiparous cows measured at their 2nd and 3rd trimesters, milk and ECM yield, DMI and eating time were reduced (P<0.01) at the 3rd trimester, but eating rate, meal frequency and meal size remained similar with high Pearson’s correlation (r=0.74 to 0.88) between trimesters. In subgroup of 26 cows measured in 1st and 2nd parities, DMI, BW, milk and ECM yield, and ECM/DMI increased in the 2nd lactation, but eating behavior and RFI traits were similar in both parities. These findings encourage accurate prediction of DMI based on a model that includes eating behavior parameters, together with individual measurement of ECM production. This can be further used to identify HE cows in commercial herd, a step necessary for potential genetic selection program aimed to improve herd efficiency.

Midday meals do not impair mouse memory

Nocturnal mice fed in the middle of the light period exhibit food anticipatory rhythms of behavior and physiology under control of food-entrainable circadian clocks in the brain and body. This is presumed to be adaptive by aligning behavior and physiology with predictable mealtimes. This assumption is challenged by a report that daytime feeding schedules impair cognitive processes important for survival, including object memory and contextual fear conditioning assessed at two times of day. To further evaluate these effects, mice were restricted to a 6 h daily meal in the middle of the light or dark period and object memory was tested at four times of day. Object memory was not impaired by daytime feeding, and did not exhibit circadian variation in either group. To determine whether impairment might depend on methodology, experimental procedures used previously to detect impairment were followed. Daytime feeding induced food anticipatory rhythms and shifted hippocampal clock genes, but again did not impair object memory. Spontaneous alternation and contextual fear conditioning were also not impaired. Hippocampal memory function appears more robust to time of day and daytime feeding schedules than previously reported; day-fed mice can remember what they have seen, where they have been, and where it is dangerous.

Assessing the effect of rate and extent of starch digestion in broiler and laying hen feeding behaviour

Feeding behaviour can be affected by diet composition as a result of diet density, the rate and extent of ingredient digestion and the activation of nutrient sensing mechanisms. It was hypothezised that the presence of starch in the distal small intestine would activate the ileal brake, thereby increasing satiety, and changing feeding behaviour. Two semi-purified starch sources with differing in-vitro digestibility, wheat (WS, rapidly digested), and pea (PS, slowly digested), were used in four diets containing equal amounts of starch, but differing in WS/PS ratios (100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 0/100). Diets were fed to Ross 308 male (944) and female (1056) broilers housed in 32 litter floor pens from 0 to 28 d. Similar diets were fed to 192 laying hens from 26 to 46 weeks of age, housed in 16 experimental units, comprised of two conventional cages each. Video recordings (24 h) were taken at 27–28 d from four individually marked broilers per pen, and at 46 weeks of age from two hens per experimental unit. Focal observations were used to record the initiation and end of every feeding (broilers, hens) and drinking bout (broilers) over 24 h to calculate number of bouts, bout length, time between bouts, total time during the photo and scotoperiod, and time until first night bout. Data were analyzed as a four (diet) by two (gender) factorial arrangement (broiler) or one-way ANOVA (laying hen) using the SAS 9.4 GLIMMIX procedure. No interactions were found. Diet affected broiler number of visits to the feeder (P = 0.034), as well as time between feeding bouts (P = 0.031) and total feeding time (P = 0.028), but changes appeared random and did not support a satiety hypothesis. Males had more visits to the feeder (P < 0.001) and more total feeding time (P < 0.001) than females, but shorter feeding bout length (P < 0.001), suggesting increased hunger. Drinking behaviour was not affected, except for a longer time between bouts for females (P = 0.046). No effect of diet on day-time hen feeding behaviour was found, but the number of feeding bouts during the scotoperiod increased (P = 0.029) and time to the first night feeding event decreased (P < 0.001) as PS increased, suggesting increased hunger with PS level. In summary, no effect of dietary PS on broiler feeding behaviour was found. However, dietary effects on hen night feeding behaviour suggest that PS increased hunger, in contrast to the hypothesis.

Eating behavior, milk production, rumination, and digestibility characteristics of high- and low-efficiency lactating cows fed a low-roughage diet

This study aimed to identify individual characteristics differing among high-efficiency (HEf; upper 20%, n = 31), low-efficiency (LEf; lower 20%, n = 31), and mid-efficiency (MEf, 60% n = 93) lactating cows. Primiparous (37) and multiparous (118) high-producing milking cows at 30 to 180 d in milk were fed individually a low-roughage diet [31.6% of dry matter (DM)] for 4 wk. Daily average DM intake, rate of eating, visit duration, meal size, and daily rumination time were higher in LEf compared with HEf cows. On the other hand, HEf cows exhibited higher digestibility of DM, crude protein, and neutral detergent fiber than the LEf cows. Daily eating time was similar in the HEf and LEf groups and higher than that of the MEf cows. Visit and meal frequency, average visit and meal duration, daily lying time, and pedometer activity were similar in the HEf, LEf, and MEf groups. The HEf cows produced 1.75% more milk, but similar energy-corrected milk compared with the LEf cows. Milk fat and protein content were lower by 1.8 and 3.8%, respectively, in the HEf cows than in the LEf group. Body weight (BW) and BW gain were similar in the 3 efficiency groups. Diurnal distribution of DM intake showed 6 distinct major meals, each composed of 1.1 to 1.6 visits. Higher intake peaks (greater meal size) were found in the LEf cows compared with the HEf group. Daily DM intake was highly correlated (affected) with energy-corrected milk production (r = 0.61), BW (r = 0.4), eating rate (r = 0.57), and visit size (r = 0.54). Energy balance showed that the lower efficiency of the LEf cows was attributed to their excess heat production and energy loss.

Circadian rhythms and rheumatoid arthritis.

Circadian rhythms (Nobel prize for Medicine 2017) regulate, under action of biological clocks located both at the level of central nervous system and inside peripheral cells, several daily activities, embracing sleep, feeding times, energy metabolism, endocrine and immune functions with related pathological conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In RA the circadian rhythms impact on cellular functions, involving night synthesis and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, cell migration to inflamed tissues, phagocytosis, proliferative cell response and all are peaking at late night. In chronic inflammatory conditions such as RA, the amplitude of the circadian rhythm of the anti-inflammatory endogenous cortisol availability is not increased as expected and requested, which indicate a reduced night cortisol secretion under the adrenal chronic stress induced by the disease. Therefore, the prevention/treatment of the immune cell night hyperactivity, with related flare of cytokine synthesis and morning RA clinical symptoms, has been shown more effective when the availability of the exogenous glucocorticoids is obtained in the middle of the night (night release). The impressive positive results observed in RA patients treated with modified-night release prednisone with a low-dose chronotherapy, seem applicable even for other agents such as conventional NSAIDs and DMARDs, including the positive experimental and clinical results obtained by the night time daily administration of methotrexate. Interestingly, a very recent study showed that methotrexate upregulates important cell circadian genes, resulting in induction of apoptosis in synovial fibroblasts. The link between the circadian rhythms of the disease and the chronotherapy of RA is promising.

Continuous production of biohydrogen from oil palm empty fruit bunch hydrolysate in tubular photobioreactors

Production of hydrogen by the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides was compared in continuously operated tubular photobioreactors illuminated by natural outdoor sunlight (0.15–66 klux; diurnal cycle) and constant indoor artificial light (10 klux; tungsten lamps). In both cases the operating temperature was 35 °C and the organic carbon source was an acid hydrolysate of oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB), an agroindustrial waste. In the outdoor photobioreactor, under the best production conditions, the daytime feeding rate of the mixed carbon substrate was 48 mL h−1 and the average pseudo-steady state hydrogen production rate was 36 mL H2 L−1 medium h−1. The cumulative hydrogen production was 430 mL H2 L−1 medium. For the indoor photobioreactor fed at the same rate as the outdoor system, the steady state average hydrogen production rate was 43 mL H2 L−1 h−1 and the cumulative hydrogen production was 517 mL H2 L−1 medium. Reducing the feed rate to less than 48 mL h−1, enhanced the biomass concentration, but reduced hydrogen production in both bioreactors. The sunlight-based cumulative hydrogen production was only about 17% less compared to the artificially lit system, but required only 22% of the electrical energy.

Effects of diet and roughage quality, and period of the day on diurnal feeding behaviour patterns of sheep and goats under subtropical conditions.

ObjectiveThis study investigated the effect of diet and roughage quality (RQ) on dry matter intake, duration and number of daytime and night-time eating bouts, idling sessions and ruminating activities in small ruminants.MethodsIn Exp 1 and 2, RQ was improved by urea treatment of veld hay, while diet quality was improved by supplementing with Lucerne hay (Exp 3), sunflower meal and lespedeza (Exp 4), fish meal (Exp 5a), and sunflower meal (Exp 5b). In all experiments goats and sheep were blocked by weight and randomly allocated to experimental diets. Day-time (06:00 to 18:00 h) and night time (18:00 to 06:00 h) feeding behaviour activities were recorded.ResultsRQ affected rumination index in Exp 1, but not in Exp 2, 3, and 5. Time spent eating and ruminating was affected by RQ (Exp 1, 3, and 4), period of day (all experiments) and their interaction (Exp 1). Intake rates (g/bout and g/min) were similar across diets. Period of day affected the duration of rumination sessions (Exp 1, 2, and 3); diet or RQ affected the duration of eating bouts (Exp 3) and rumination sessions (Exp 1 and 2). RQ had a significant effect on the duration of eating sessions in Exp 3 only, whilst period of day affected this same behaviour in Exp 2 and 3. Generally, goats and sheep fed on roughage alone ruminate at night and eat more during the day but those fed a roughage and supplemented with Lucerne hay spent more time ruminating than eating. Time spent eating and ruminating had positive correlations to crude protein and feed intake. Intake rates had strong positive correlations to intake.ConclusionChewing time, number of eating and ruminating sessions, and duration of eating bouts are physiologically controlled in small ruminants, though chewing time requires isometric scaling during modelling of intake.

Discrete, high-latitude foraging areas are important to energy budgets and population dynamics of migratory leatherback turtles

Many broadly distributed migratory species exhibit fidelity to fine-scale areas that support vital life history requirements (e.g., resource acquisition, reproduction). Thus, such areas are critical for population dynamics and are of high conservation priority. Leatherback sea turtles are among the world’s most widely distributed species, and their breeding and feeding areas are typically separated by thousands of kilometres. In this study, we analysed turtle-borne video data on daytime feeding rates and energy acquisition in Nova Scotia, Canada, to quantify the importance of this discrete, seasonal foraging area for leatherback energy requirements. Based on daytime foraging only, we estimate that a single foraging season in Nova Scotia could support 59% of a non-breeding leatherback’s annual energy budget, and 29% of energetic requirements for a female on a typical 2-year reproductive cycle. However, maximum energy intake rates for leatherbacks are nearly four times lower than those of mammals and birds due the low energy content of leatherbacks’ gelatinous zooplankton prey. These results illustrate that high quality, local-scale foraging areas such as Nova Scotia are critically important to the stability and future growth of the leatherback population in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Thus, as with other migratory species, efforts to reduce threats and maintain habitat quality in such areas should be high conservation priorities.

How social factors and behavioural strategies affect feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs

Animals living in groups compete for food resources and face food conflicts. These conflicts are affected by social factors (e.g. competition level) and behavioural strategies (e.g. avoidance). This study aimed to deepen our understanding of the complex interactions between social factors and behavioural strategies affecting feeding and social interaction patterns in animals. We focused on group-housed growing pigs, Sus scrofa, which typically face conflicts around the feeder, and of which patterns in various competitive environments (i.e. pig:feeder ratio) have been documented soundly. An agent-based model was developed to explore how interactions among social factors and behavioural strategies can affect various feeding and social interaction patterns differently under competitive situations. Model results show that pig and diet characteristics interact with group size and affect daily feeding patterns (e.g. feed intake and feeding time) and conflicts around the feeder. The level of competition can cause a turning point in feeding and social interaction patterns. Beyond a certain point of competition, meal-based (e.g. meal frequency) and social interaction patterns (e.g. displacements) are determined mainly by behavioural strategies. The average daily feeding time can be used to predict the group size at which this turning point occurs. Under the model's assumptions, social facilitation was relatively unimportant in the causation of behavioural patterns in pigs. To validate our model, simulated patterns were compared with empirical patterns in conventionally housed pigs. Similarities between empirical and model patterns support the model results. Our model can be used as a tool in further research for studying the effects of social factors and group dynamics on individual variation in feeding and social interaction patterns in pigs, as well as in other animal species.

Activity patterns and interspecific interactions of free-roaming, domestic cats in managed Trap-Neuter-Return colonies

There is very little information on the activity and experiences of stray cats living in managed Trap-Neuter-Return colonies. We explored this issue on a barrier island in the southeastern USA. We analyzed activity patterns relative to both individual cat and colony variables. We used 645 h of point-of-view (Kittycam) video from 26 cats to determine that cats spent an average of 89.5% of time in inactive states (resting, sleeping), 9% of time roaming, 0.6% eating or drinking at colony feeding stations and 0.9% of time hunting wildlife. The averages did not differ by sex nor did activity levels differ by colony location (close to developed or undeveloped island habitat). A total of 142 interspecies interactions were recorded between 29 TNR colony cats and local wildlife. Non-predatory encounters were primarily comprised of interactions with four species: raccoons, black vultures, white-tailed deer, and Virginia opossums. All interactions occurred at cat feeding stations, the majority within 2 h of the daily feeding time. Understanding stray cat activity patterns may provide insight into the welfare of domestic cats in the environment, including their exposure to injury and disease from interacting with other animals.

Micromanaging the gut: unravelling the regulatory pathways that mediate the intestinal adaptive response.

Short bowel syndrome occurs following the loss of a large portion of functional intestine and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The intestine exhibits pronounced diurnal rhythms in glucose absorption and mounts a profound proliferative response following massive small bowel resection. Understanding the molecular pathways that underpin this could yield novel treatment options. Two in vivo models were employed using the nocturnally active Sprague Dawley® rat, namely daytime feeding and massive small bowel resection. Glucose absorption exhibited a 24-hour periodicity in the gut and peaked during maximal nutrient delivery, mediated by rhythms in the glucose transporter sodium glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT1). Feeding during the day shifted the peak in the circadian clock gene PER1 and SGLT1. RNA interference and luciferase assays demonstrated that PER1 transcriptionally regulates SGLT1, linking for the first time clock genes and intestinal glucose absorption. Intestinal proliferation also exhibited diurnal rhythmicity, with peak absorptive surface area occurring during maximal nutrient availability. mir-16 is diurnally expressed in intestinal crypts, exhibiting minimal expression during maximal nutritional availability. mir-16 overexpression increased apoptosis and arrested proliferation in vitro. mir-125a was upregulated in intestinal crypts following 80% small bowel resection, and induced apoptosis and growth arrest upon overexpression in vitro. This work provides novel insights into the role of circadian clock genes, intestinal transporters and microRNAs in regulating intestinal absorption and proliferation and is the first demonstration of a role for microRNAs in these adaptive phenomena. Modulation of these pathways may represent a new therapeutic option for the management of short bowel syndrome.

Temporal pattern in foraging behaviour of the Indian pond heron, Ardeola grayii at Ratanpur, Chhattisgarh, India

ABSTRACTIn avian population, the biological clock is synchronized with the photoperiod as a significant time cue. However, information on feeding behaviour of the Indian Pond Heron, Ardeola grayii at Ratanpur, Chhattisgarh, India is not available. In present study we examined the effect of ‘time of the day’ and ‘photoperiod’ on daytime feeding behaviour of A. grayii at Ratanpur (85º17’E longitude and 22º3’N latitude), Chhattisgarh, India. The different feeding techniques of A. grayii, were recorded for two consecutive days each during long days (May and June 2014) and during short days (December 2014 and January 2015). One-way ANOVA (using SPSS 16.0) was applied to find out the effects of ‘photoperiod’ and ‘time of the day’ on daytime feeding activity with respect to frequency of feeding techniques. The rhythms in daytime feeding activity were evaluated using the Cosinor rhythmometry at 24 h and 12 h. The present study revealed that the A. grayii adopted three major techniques viz., slowly walking, probing and striking on which the slowly walking and striking was popularly used feeding technique as compared to the probing technique during the feeding. Moreover, the A. grayii is found to be bimodal viz., morning and evening type during both of long and short days. Furthermore, bird was more active during short day as compared to the long day.

The effect of different feeding regimes on horses' blocking and activity behavior at a concentrate feeding station for horses in group housing

Abstract Automatic feeding stations are increasingly used to feed group-housed horses. In practice, horses without a feed allowance often cause blocking times in concentrate feeding stations. The consequences are a constrained feeding process and increased waiting times in front of the feeding station. Stimulation devices are used to prevent these blocking times, if necessary, by applying an electric impulse. The aim of the study was to examine if the feeding regime implemented at a concentrate feeding station influences the blocking behavior of horses. Furthermore, the influence of the applied feeding frequency on the activity behavior of the horses was investigated. The study was carried out in an active barn with different functional areas. A concentrate feeding station was used to supply each of the 19 horses observed with concentrate and mineral supplements throughout the day. The horses' behavior in the concentrate feeding station was recorded with video observation. The observation time was 3 × 24 hours in each trial period: (1) 24-hour feeding, (2) daytime feeding (feeding between 6 am and midnight), (3) three feeding times. Additionally, the activity behavior of 9 horses was recorded by means of ALT pedometers (activity, lying time, and temperature) throughout the observation days. The daytime feeding regime did not reduce the average daily blocking frequency and the average daily blocking duration of the horses. Only the implementation of 3 feeding times significantly reduced the blocking frequency ( P = 0.001) as well as the blocking duration ( P = 0.013). The reduction in feeding times led to a significant increase in the horses' activity. Although the activity of the horses was highest with the application of 3 feeding times (13009.9 ± 2682.8 activity impulses), a significant difference was found for the 24-hour feeding regime ( P P = 0.107). The reduction of feeding times can be described as advantageous with respect to blocking behavior and the activity behavior of the observed horses. Nevertheless, this reduction did not reliably prevent the occurrence of blocking times. The authors recommend further interdisciplinary research on the use of concentrate feeding stations. A holistic approach taking into account structural, nutritional, and ethological aspects is advisable.