Flank Movement Research Articles

96 Evaluating the impact of macroenvironment temperature on thermoregulatory and milk quality parameters in lactating sows and their litter

Abstract Farrowing facility macroenvironment temperatures (TMacro) are often maintained at the upper end of the thermoneutral zone (24–25°C) of lactating sows, which may result in heat stress and reduced milk quality and quantity. Therefore, the study objective was to evaluate the impact of TMacro on thermoregulatory and milk quality parameters in lactating sows and their litters. In two repetitions, 37 lactating sows (parity = 3.1 ± 1.7) and their litters (d 1 litter size = 12.0 ± 1.0) were housed within 1 of 3 farrowing rooms set to different TMacro: LOW (n = 12 sows and litters; 15.0 ± 0.4°C), MID (n = 13 sows and litters; 19.3 ± 0.2°C), and HIGH (n = 12 sows and litters; 24.6 ± 0.8°C). Lactating sows and litters were monitored from d 3 of lactation until weaning (19.8 ± 0.9 d of age). All litters were provided with a 0.34 × 1.52 m heating pad. Sow respiration rates (RR, breaths per minute, BPM) were measured daily at 0800, 1200, 1600 and 2000 h by counting the number of flank movements. Vaginal temperature (TV) was measured in all sows at 10-min intervals using implanted data loggers. One sentinel piglet from each litter was implanted with a temperature recording bolus at d 2 of age to monitor core body temperature in 15-min intervals. Milk samples were collected from all sows on d 6, 12, and 18 of lactation and analyzed for true protein %, total solid %, and fat %. Data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX. The litter was considered the experimental unit for piglet measures, and the sow was considered the experimental unit for sow measures. Respiration rates were greater (P < 0.01) for HIGH (48 ± 2 bpm) sows versus MID (33 ± 2 BPM) and LOW (27 ± 2 bpm) sows, but no differences were detected between MID and LOW sows. A TMacro treatment by lactation day effect was observed for TV (P = 0.02), where HOT sows had greater TV on lactation d 15 (+0.31°C), 18 (+0.43°C) and 19 (+0.34°C) versus MID and LOW sows. Piglet core body temperature was reduced (P < 0.01) in the HIGH (39.07 ± 0.06 °C) versus the MID (39.31 ± 0.06 °C) and LOW (39.33 ± 0.07 °C) treatment groups, but it was similar for MID and LOW litters. Fat % was reduced for COLD (6.15 ± 0.52%) versus MID (7.35 ± 0.50%) sows on d 12, but no differences were observed when compared with HIGH sows (6.97 ± 0.52%). In conclusion, the HIGH treatment resulted in physiological heat stress for lactating sows and lowered piglet core body temperature, but it had minimal effects on measures of milk quality.

Cascading events during the 1650 tsunamigenic eruption of Kolumbo volcano

Volcanic eruptions can trigger tsunamis, which may cause significant damage to coastal communities and infrastructure. Tsunami generation during volcanic eruptions is complex and often due to a combination of processes. The 1650 eruption of the Kolumbo submarine volcano triggered a tsunami causing major destruction on surrounding islands in the Aegean Sea. However, the source mechanisms behind the tsunami have been disputed due to difficulties in sampling and imaging submarine volcanoes. Here we show, based on three-dimensional seismic data, that ~1.2 km³ of Kolumbo’s northwestern flank moved 500–1000 m downslope along a basal detachment surface. This movement is consistent with depressurization of the magma feeding system, causing a catastrophic explosion. Numerical tsunami simulations indicate that only the combination of flank movement followed by an explosive eruption can explain historical eyewitness accounts. This cascading sequence of natural hazards suggests that assessing submarine flank movements is critical for early warning of volcanogenic tsunamis.

Welding under service conditions ‐ Influence of different boundary conditions during welding

AbstractSteel structures, such as bridges, must be continuously maintained. Due to increasing traffic loads, design and execution shortcomings, many steel bridges are subject to various types of damage, such as cracks. The bridges must be maintained by crack removal and re‐welding the cracks. During this work, the bridge is closed for traffic in order to suppress the crack flank movement during welding. As a result, traffic loads on other routes are higher, which increases further damage on detour routes and subsequently additional welding work and costs on these structures. Therefore, the aim is to provide a method that allows welding work on steel structures under running traffic, respectively under cyclic loads. First, measurements at a representative steel bridge were conducted to derive gap opening parameters of amplitude and frequency for welding tests under cyclic loads. Monitoring cracks shows that the crack behavior is complex and the description of the force redistribution during welding is a challenge. In order to quantify the influence of different boundary conditions during welding on weld quality and fatigue, experimental investigations were carried out under displacement control only and force control only. For both, the weld quality and the fatigue strength was comparable to the standard requirements, so that welding under service conditions is possible under certain aspects.

PSXIV-1 Effect of Ambient Temperature on Respiration Rate and Ruminal Temperature for Growing-Finishing Calf-fed Holstein Steers in the Feedlot During Summer in Southern California

Abstract Objectives were to evaluate the relationships between ambient temperature (AT) and respiration rate (RR) and ruminal temperature (RT) of calf-fed Holstein steers during the extreme heat characteristic of the months of August and September in the Southern California desert region. Holstein steers (n = 21; one steer per pen; initial BW = 422 ±15 kg) were utilized in 28-d experiment (August 17 – September 14, 2021). Steers were blocked by initial shrunk weight (220 d before the initiation of the experiment) and randomly assigned to 21 pens (5 steers per pen). Pens were 62 m2 with 25 m2 overhead shade, automatic waterers and 2.4 m fence-line feed bunks. All steers were fed a steam-flaked corn-based growing-finishing diet. A bolus measuring temperature activity (smaXtec Basic, Smaxtec Animal Care GmbH, Austria) was placed in the rumen of each steer 55 d before the initiation of the experiment (June 22, 2021). During the experimental period, the respiration rate of one calf per pen was collected weekly. Respiration rate was obtained at 1100 h by counting the number of flank movements per minute. Ambient temperature at 1100 h averaged 37.6 ± 2.3° C for the experimental period. Temperature-humidity-index (THI) at 1100 h averaged 83.5 ± 1.7 (steers experienced “danger” or “emergency” THI categories through the entire 28 d trial). As AT increased from the minimum of 22.9° C to a maximum of 39.8° C, RR increased from 58.6 ± 12.9 breaths/min to 103.9 ± 16.9 breaths/min (RR = -54.9 + 4.13 AT, P < 0.01, r2 = 0.65). Likewise, RR increased with increasing RT (RR = -1259 + 33.7 RT, P < 0.01, r2 = 0.92) as RT increased. As ambient temperature increased, ruminal temperature increased (RT = 35.9 + 0.117 AT, P< 0.01, r2 = 0.65), though never exceeding 40.6° C.

How should the respiration rate be counted in cattle?

Respiration rate (RR) is a proficient indicator to measure the health status of cattle. The common method of measurement is to count the number of respiratory cycles each minute based on flank movements. However, there is no consistent method of execution. In previous studies, various methods have been described, including counting flank movements for 15 s, 30 s or 60 s as well as stopping the time for 5 or 10 breaths. We assume that the accuracy of the aforementioned methods differs. Therefore, we compared their precision with an RR sensor, which was used as the reference method in this study. Five scientists from the fields of agricultural science and veterinary medicine quantified the flank movement according to each of the five methods mentioned above. The results showed that with an average RR of 30 breaths per minute (bpm), all methods showed a high correlation to the values of the RR sensor. However, counting breaths for 60 s had the highest level of conformity with the RR sensor (Lin`s concordance correlation coefficient: 0.96) regardless of the level of RR. With rising RR, the inaccuracy increased significantly for the other four investigated methods, especially when counting 5 and 10 breaths. Therefore, we would recommend that counting for 60 s should be used as the standard method for future studies due to its high precision regardless of the level of RR.

Technical note: a nose ring sensor system to monitor dairy cow cardiovascular and respiratory metrics.

Monitoring cardiovascular and respiratory measurements corresponds to the precision livestock farming (PLF) objective to continuously monitor and assess dairy cows' welfare and health. Changes in heart rate, breathing rate, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) are valuable metrics in human and veterinary medicine to assess stress, pain, illness, and detect critical conditions. The common way to measure heart rate is either manually or with a stethoscope. Under research conditions, heart rate is usually measured with a sports watch chest belt. Breathing rate is obtained by counting the cow's flank movements which is a time-consuming and labor-intensive method that requires training and is prone to human error. No devices are available on the market that enable practical and easy pulse oximetry in farm animals. This study presents a wireless nose ring sensor system (NoRS) composed of thermal and photoplothysmography sensors that attach to the nostrils of four Holstein dairy cows. The NoRS's thermocouple measured the cow's nasal cavity air temperature; an optic sensor measured the IR (660 nm) and RED (660 nm) signals reflected from the cow's nasal septum. Breathing was calculated from the thermocouple signal's center frequency with a fast Fourier transformation or the signal peak count (i.e., oscillations). The breathing rate was compared to breathing observed by concurrently counting the flank movements. Heart rate and SpO2 were measured by integrated pulse oximetry and heart rate monitor module (MAX30101 TinyCircuit) assembled on the NoRS circuit. Heart rate was also measured with FFT and by counting the number of peaks from the optic sensor's raw IR and RED signals. These measures were compared to an off-the-shelf hand-held pulse oximeter's heart rate and SpO2 readings during the same time. The comparisons revealed highly significant correlations for the heart rate readings where the strength of the correlation was sensitive to the method. The correlation between breathing rate and the veterinarian's visual observations was low, albeit significant. Thus, inhale-exhale cycle counting constitutes a more precise approach than flank movement counts. The hand-held device's 96% SpO2 is compatible with near-saturation values expected in healthy cows. The mean NoRS SpO2 reading was 3% less. After further piloting under field conditions, the NoRS will require no animal restraining to automatically and continuously record cows' breathing rate, heart rate, and SpO2.

206 Effects of a Direct Fed Microbial and/or an Enzymatically Hydrolyzed Yeast Product Fed to Beef Steers Provided Ractopamine Hydrochloride 28 d Before Harvest During Summer Months in the Northern Plains

Abstract This research determined the influence a direct fed microbial (DFM) and/or enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast (EHY) product (Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production, Princeton, NJ) have on heat stress measures in beef steers administered ractopamine hydrochloride (RH; 300 mg/steer·d-1) the final 28-d on feed, during summer months in the Northern Plains (NP). At weaning, single-sourced steers (n = 256; initial BW = 246 ± 1.7 kg; n = 64 steers/treatment; 8 steers/pen) were blocked by location in a 2×2 factorial arrangement of DFM (Certillus CP B1801 dry; Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum; 28 g/steer·d-1) and EHY (Celmanax; 18 g/steer·d-1). The final diet provided 1.44 Mcal/kg of NEg and 30 g/907kg of monensin sodium. Temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated from: 0.81 × ambient temperature + [relative humidity × (ambient temperature - 14.40)] + 46.40. On d 1 and 2 and d 21 and 22 on RH, respiration rate (RR) and panting scores (PS) were determined before and after AM and PM feedings (0700h, 1100h, 1400h, 1700h). RR (n = 3 steers/pen) was calculated from: 600/seconds required for 10 flank movements. PS was determined from: 0 (not distressed) to 4.5 (severely distressed). Two separate heat events occurred and average THI was greater than 75 for 10-d of the 28-d period. A DFM×EHY interaction was noted for the proportion of steers categorized as PS 2.0 at 1100h on d21 (P = 0.03) and RR on d21 at 1400h (P = 0.02). Control steers had a greater proportion of PS 2.0 at 1100h on d21 compared with DFM or EHY steers (P ≤ 0.05), while DFM×EHY steers did not differ from others (P ≥ 0.10). On d21 DFM×EHY steers had greater (P < 0.05) RR compared with DFM steers, control and EHY steers did not differ from others (P ≥ 0.10). DFM and EHY used alone or in combination had minimal effects on heat stress measures in steers fed RH in the NP under minimal heat stress conditions.

Frequency modulated continuous wave radar-based system for monitoring dairy cow respiration rate

Heat stress is one of the major challenges in livestock production and management. Due to heat stress, dairy cows experience health and fertility problems as well as lower milk production, resulting in great economic losses to dairy farmers. One of the approaches to assessing heat stress in dairy cows is by monitoring their respiration rate (RR). Many studies show that the RR of dairy cows is highly correlated to heat stress. The measurement of RR is most commonly taken by counting flank movements via human observation, which is labor-intensive and may vary across observers. This paper presents a non-contact system for RR monitoring of dairy cows using millimeter-wave frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. The system utilizes an integrated sensor node that collects the data from a FMCW radar and a temperature-humidity sensor. The sensor node was installed in the milking parlor of an experimental dairy farm to continuously measure the displacements from cows’ flank movements. The radar data was converted by the sensor node into RR measurements and sent together with the environmental data to a remote server for post-processing. A dairy cow RR measurement algorithm was developed to process the radar data; it can be divided into three parts: cow presence state determination, timestamp labelling, and individual dairy cow RR matching. A model trained to automatically determine the presence of cows from the collected radar data had an F1-score of 0.95, as verified by manual observation. The timestamp labelling sub-routine was used to merge the predicted states and perform gap and chunk analyses for removing outliers and merging consecutive chunks. Finally, the RR measurements were matched to each timestamp in order to identify the RR of each cow in specific time periods. The algorithm had an R2 of 0.995 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.582 breaths/min, also verified by manual observation. The system was operated for a year to investigate the relationship between the RR and temperature-humidity index (THI); this relationship was described using a piecewise linear-exponential regression model, which revealed the effect of THI on the level of heat stress among dairy cows in a subtropical region. The proposed system herein proved the feasibility of employing a novel dairy cow RR monitoring system using FMCW radar, and demonstrated its potential applications for automated assessment of dairy cow heat stress and health monitoring.

Intrusive Seismic Swarms as Possible Precursors of Destructive Earthquakes on Mt. Etna’s Eastern Flank

The Timpe Fault System (TFS) represents the source of shallow earthquakes that strike numerous towns and villages on Mt. Etna’s eastern flank. In the last 40 years, three destructive seismic events reached I 0 = VIII EMS (heavily damaging) in 1984 (October 25), 2002 (October 29), and 2018 (December 26). These events followed a few days after the occurrence of strong seismic swarms and the sudden acceleration of the eastern flank seaward. The damaging seismic events in 2002 and 2018 were associated with dike intrusions and eruptions of the volcano; however, no eruptive activity was observed at the time of the 1984 earthquakes. In this study, we investigate seismic parameters for the 1984 sequence, in order to interpret the seismicity in terms of volcanic activity. Parameters such as localization, cumulative seismic moment, and hourly occurrence frequency of the 1984 seismic swarm have been analysed and shown to have typical values of Mt. Etna’s intrusive seismic swarms. This suggests that the 1984 episode may have been an aborted intrusive magma episode that triggered similar processes (long and powerful intrusions with acceleration of the eastern flank movement and destructive earthquakes), as in 2002 and 2018. These three episodes suggest that an evaluation of some seismic parameters during future intrusive swarms may furnish indications of a possible reactivation of the TFS.

Research on Gear Flank Twist Compensation of Continuous Generating Grinding Gear Based on Flexible Electronic Gearbox

Gear flank twist occurs when threaded wheel grinds crowning lead modified helical gears, which reduces gear machining accuracy. To overcome this problem, a flank twist compensation method based on flexible electronic gearbox is proposed in this paper, the method can reduce the degree of twist and improve gear machining accuracy. Firstly, flank equations of gear and threaded wheel are established, coordinates and normal vectors of gear flank are used to represent twist. Secondly, coordinate transformation matrix between workpiece and tool coordinate system is established based on multi-body system theory and homogeneous coordinate transformation, and relationship between coordinates and normal vectors of gear flank and master-slave axis (B-axis, C-axis, X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis) movement amount is obtained by inverse kinematics and electronic gearbox, then master-slave axis movement compensation amount between crowning lead modified flank and twisted flank is obtained. Finally, twist is compensated by compensating for master-slave axis movement amount, and flank contact analysis based on KISSsoft is carried out to observe normal force and contact stress of flanks. This paper uses inverse kinematics and electronic gearbox to realize flank twist compensation, which makes up for long period and high cost of traditional flank twist compensation by changing shape of threaded wheel. Simulation results show that this method can effectively compensate for flank twist and improve accuracy and efficiency when threaded wheel grinds crowning lead modified helical gears.

Effect of milk allowance on the suitability of automated behavioural and physiological measures as early disease indicators in calves

This study investigated the effect of milk allowance on the suitability of behavioural and physiological responses, individually and in combination, as early disease indicators. A total of 120 heifer calves were assigned into a 5 L/d or 10 L/d milk allowance treatment group. Daily health checks were conducted to determine when calves presented clinical signs of neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD). Automated calf feeders recorded milk feeding behaviour, and infrared cameras automatically recorded eye and cheek temperatures. Accelerometers recorded lying behaviour, and water drinking behaviour was recorded using an automated water system and video observations. Respiration rate was recorded once per day by counting flank movements. Calves were used as their own controls, with data analysed relative to the day of clinical identification (d 0). Based on changes which occurred over the 6 days prior to clinical signs of disease (across d -6 to 0), typically, feeding behaviours only changed significantly for calves on the 10 L/d milk allowance with an increase in total (P < 0.001) and rewarded visits to the feeder (P = 0.013), and a decrease in milk consumption (P = 0.011). Infrared temperatures only changed significantly prior to clinical signs for calves on the 5 L/d milk allowance, with a decrease in eye (P = 0.013) and cheek (P = 0.006) temperatures. Regardless of milk allowance, lying time (P = 0.028, 5- L/d; P = 0.011, 10 L/d), number of lying bouts (P < 0.001, 5 L/d; P = 0.007, 10 L/d), and average bout duration (P < 0.001, 5 L/d; P = 0.002, 10 L/d), changed significantly prior to clinical signs. The only significant change in water drinking behaviour prior to clinical signs was an increase in total trough visit duration for calves on the 5 L/d milk allowance (P = 0.029). Respiration rate showed no significant change prior to clinical signs regardless of milk allowance. For calves on the 10 L/d and 5 L/d milk allowances, the most suitable indicator of disease was the total number of visits to the feeder (P < 0.001) and the number of lying bouts (P < 0.001), respectively. Regardless of milk allowance, combinations of feeding and lying behaviours, and additionally infrared temperatures in the case of calves on the 5 L/d milk allowance, provided the strongest composite indicators of disease. Overall, results suggest milk allowance can influence the suitability of behavioural and physiological responses as early disease indicators. Milk allowance should be considered when determining which measures will act as the optimum indicator/s when developing and implementing algorithms into automated on-farm systems for disease detection.

Technical note: An acoustic method for assessing the respiration rate of free-grazing dairy cattle

The aim of this study was to validate whether acoustic data analysis can be used to assess respiration rate (RR) in dairy cattle under grazing systems. Two validation trials, one with heifers and other with lactating cows, were conducted. The RR derived from acoustic data acquired with an MP3 recorder fitted on the halter was compared to the RR derived from a visual method, counting flank movements. Data were analyzed using correlation test and Willmott's index of agreement (d). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between RR assessed using the acoustic or visual method, in both heifers and lactating cows. The coefficients of determination (R2) indicated that 92.31% (heifers) and 62.09% (lactating cows) of the variability in the RR derived using the visual assessment method was explained by the RR derived using the acoustic method. The d values were 0.99 (heifers) and 0.98 (lactating cows), which denoted good agreement between the RR derived using the two methods. The acoustic method is non-invasive, allows for the assessment of RR in free-grazing dairy cattle and may replace the current standard of visual counting.

Infrared Thermography-A Non-Invasive Method of Measuring Respiration Rate in Calves.

Simple SummaryRespiration rate (RR) is commonly used to assess states of cattle health and welfare such as pain, stress and disease. Traditionally, RR is measured by counting flank movements, a method often considered to be labour-intensive and impractical. This study investigated the use of infrared thermography (IRT) to non-invasively measure RR in calves, based on thermal fluctuations around the nostrils during inhalation and exhalation. Infrared estimates of RR were highly correlated with RR measured by observing flank movements. Through future development, the integration of IRT into existing automated systems (e.g., automated calf feeders) could support regular monitoring of calf health and welfare.Respiration rate (RR) is a common measure of cattle health and welfare. Traditionally, measuring RR involves counting flank movements as the animal inhales and exhales with each breath. This method is often considered difficult, labour-intensive and impractical. We validated the use of infrared thermography (IRT) as an alternative method of non-invasively measuring RR in young calves. RR was simultaneously recorded in two ways: (1) by observing flank movements from video recordings; and (2) by observing thermal fluctuations around the nostrils during inhalations and exhalations from infrared recordings. For each method, the time taken to complete five consecutive breaths (a breath being a complete inhalation/exhalation cycle) was recorded and used to calculate RR (breaths/min). From a group of five calves, a total of 12 video recordings and 12 infrared recordings were collected. For each procedure, 47 sets of five consecutive breaths were assessed. The RRs measured from video recordings of flank movements and thermal fluctuations around the nostrils from infrared recordings were highly correlated (R2 = 0.93). Validated as a suitable method for recording RR, future research can now focus on the development of algorithms to automate the use of IRT to support its integration into existing automated systems to remotely monitor calf health and welfare.

Physiological and behavioral responses as indicators for early disease detection in dairy calves

This study investigated physiological and behavioral responses associated with the onset of neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) in calves experimentally infected with rotavirus and assessed the suitability of these responses as early disease indicators. The suitability of infrared thermography (IRT) as a noninvasive, automated method for early disease detection was also assessed. Forty-three calves either (1) were experimentally infected with rotavirus (n = 20) or (2) acted as uninfected controls (n = 23). Health checks were conducted on a daily basis to identify when calves presented overt clinical signs of disease. In addition, fecal samples were collected to verify NCD as the cause of illness. Feeding behavior was recorded continuously as calves fed from an automated calf feeder, and IRT temperatures were recorded once per day across 5 anatomical locations using a hand-held IRT camera. Lying behavior was recorded continuously using accelerometers. Drinking behavior at the water trough was filmed continuously to determine the number and duration of visits. Respiration rate was recorded once per day by observing flank movements. The effectiveness of inoculating calves with rotavirus was limited because not all calves in the infected group contracted the virus; further, an unexpected outbreak of Salmonella during the trial led to all calves developing NCD, including those in the healthy control group. Therefore, treatment was ignored and instead each calf was analyzed as its own control, with data analyzed with respect to when each calf displayed clinical signs of disease regardless of the causative pathogen. Milk consumption decreased before clinical signs of disease appeared. The IRT temperatures were also found to change before clinical signs of disease appeared, with a decrease in shoulder temperature and an increase in side temperature. There were no changes in respiration rate or lying time before clinical signs of disease appeared. However, the number of lying bouts decreased and lying bout duration increased before and following clinical signs of disease. There was no change in the number of visits to the water trough, but visit duration increased before clinical signs of disease appeared. Results indicate that milk consumption, IRT temperatures of the side and shoulder, number and duration of lying bouts, and duration of time spent at the water trough show potential as suitable early indicators of disease.

Effects of pen location on thermoregulation and growth performance in grow-finish pigs during late summer.

The effects of pen location on swine thermoregulation and growth performance were determined over 6 weeks during late summer. A total of 128 mixed sex pigs [Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire)] were randomly assigned to 16 pens in two grow-finish barns (n = 8 pens/barn; 57.43 ± 1.33 kg initial body weight (BW)). Pen locations were determined based on orientation to ventilation fans and air inlets. Internal pens (IP; n = 4/barn) were in direct line of sight between the fans and air inlets while peripheral pens (PP; n = 4/barn) were located 0.70 ± 0.29 m to either side of a fan. Two sentinel gilts per pen were selected and vaginal temperature (TV) was measured in 10-min intervals using TV data loggers. Additionally, trunk skin temperature (TS) was measured with an infrared camera and respiration rate (RR) was measured by counting flank movements of the sentinel gilts twice daily (0800 and 1500 hours). Pen airspeed was measured twice daily (0800 and 1500 hours) at pig level with an anemometer. Individual pen ambient temperature (TA) and relative humidity (RH) were recorded daily in 10-min intervals. Feed consumption and BW were determined every 2 weeks. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS 9.4. Although airspeed was reduced overall (P = 0.01; 11%) in PP compared with IP, no differences (P > 0.10) in TA (27.53 ± 1.73 °C) or RH (68.47 ± 5.92%) were detected. An overall increase (P ≤ 0.02) in TV (0.23 °C), minimum TV (0.18 °C), and maximum TV (0.29 °C) was detected in PP versus IP housed pigs. Similarly, from 0800 to 1900 hours and 2000 to 0700 hours, TV was greater overall (P ≤ 0.01; 0.22 and 0.25 °C, respectively) in PP compared with IP housed pigs. An overall decrease in TS (P = 0.04) was observed in PP (37.39 ± 0.14 °C) compared with IP (37.61 ± 0.14 °C) housed pigs. No RR differences (P > 0.10; 76 ± 4 breaths per minute) were detected with any comparison. While no average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) differences were detected (P > 0.10; 0.74 ± 0.03 kg/d and 2.26 ± 0.08 kg/d, respectively), gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) was decreased (P = 0.02; 6%) in PP compared with IP housed pigs. In summary, pigs located in PP had greater body temperature and reduced G:F despite similarities in TA and RH between all pens.

Technical note: Development of a noninvasive respiration rate sensor for cattle

The measurement of the respiration rate (RR) in cattle is a valuable tool for monitoring health status. Thus, an RR sensor can be essential for stress detection, especially heat stress. Heat stress leads to a deviation of the normal RR and results in a decrease of milk production and fertility. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the RR can help early detection of heat stress and, thus, initiate timely counteractive actions to minimize physical stress. The most common method to measure the RR in cattle is to count the flank movement visually; however, this method is time-consuming and labor-intensive. In addition, the continuous measurement of the RR is difficult to implement and can be physically strenuous. Therefore, a device based on a differential pressure sensor that can record RR automatically has been developed to make continuous long-term studies possible. The aim of this study was to validate the data measured by the device with the help of a reference method. The reference method used was counting the flank movements of a total of 6 cows (Holstein-Friesian). The rear flank movements of each cow were recorded by a camera and counted independently of the device by an observer. Eight videos of 1 min each were recorded per cow. The data analysis was done with cows in 3 different body positions: dozing, lying, and standing. A total of 48 RR measurements of the device were compared with the counted RR frequencies of the video recording. The results were highly correlated during dozing [correlation coefficient (r) = 0.92, n = 13], lying (r = 0.98, n = 15), and standing (r = 0.99, n = 20). The evaluation showed that the device is suitable for automated RR counting. Further development of a marketable device is planned.

Gravitational collapse of Mount Etna's southeastern flank.

The southeastern flank of Etna volcano slides into the Ionian Sea at rates of centimeters per year. The prevailing understanding is that pressurization of the magmatic system, and not gravitational forces, controls flank movement, although this has also been proposed. So far, it has not been possible to separate between these processes, because no data on offshore deformation were available until we conducted the first long-term seafloor displacement monitoring campaign from April 2016 until July 2017. Unprecedented seafloor geodetic data reveal a >4-cm slip along the offshore extension of a fault related to flank kinematics during one 8-day-long event in May 2017, while displacement on land peaked at ~4 cm at the coast. As deformation increases away from the magmatic system, the bulk of Mount Etna's present continuous deformation must be driven by gravity while being further destabilized by magma dynamics. We cannot exclude flank movement to evolve into catastrophic collapse, implying that Etna's flank movement poses a much greater hazard than previously thought. The hazard of flank collapse might be underestimated at other coastal and ocean island volcanoes, where the dynamics of submerged flanks are unknown.

코어 안정화 운동 강도 변화가 요추부 근 활성도에 미치는 영향

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of core stabilizing exercises (three types of flank movements) on lumbar muscle activity to find adequate exercise time by understanding the relationships of time, intensity, and frequency of exercises. Twelve male participants in their 20s participated in this study. Participants did exercises on front side(20secs), right side(20secs), and left side(20secs) for a total of 60secs and repeated those exercises three times. In addition, participants repeated lumbar spine exercises for 4 minutes. In all of the front, left, and right side postures, there are significant mean differences(p<.05) and interaction effects(p<.05) of erector spinae muscle, rectus muscle, gluteus medius muscle, and rectus femoris for each group and each trial. In the left side posture, the strongest muscle activity was found in rectus muscle, and in the right side posture, the strongest muscle activity was found in erector spinae muscle. Findings showed that the strongest muscle activity in general was found at the time participants did three minutes exercises consisting of three sets of one minute exercises with three types of flank movements. Future studies need to examine not static (i.e., kinetic) flank movements for a better understanding of the effects of core stabilizing exercises on lumbar muscle activity, which contributes to the better quality of life.

Continuous Respiration Rate Measurement of Heat-Stressed Dairy Cows and Relation to Environment, Body Temperature, and Lying Time

Abstract. This study uses a continuously sampling sensor to document the respiration rate dynamics of lactating dairy cows under conditions of heat stress. Previously available respiration rate data on lactating dairy cows had primarily been generated by manually counting flank movements at discrete points in time, typically several times per day. Continuous measurements provide much higher-resolution data over time. The primary objective of this study was to analyze these continuous respiration rate measurements in relation to ambient conditions, body temperature, lying time, and time of day. Better understanding continuous responses to heat stress may help synchronize cooling system operation to the cows’ need for heat stress relief. For 19 days during a summer season in Wisconsin, eight lactating Holstein cows were equipped with sensors designed to detect the abdominal expansion associated with breathing. An algorithm was developed to derive respiration rate from each sensor’s signal. To validate the accuracy of the sensor and algorithms, measurements from the sensor were compared to respiration rate measurements taken via visual observation. Overall, variation in continuously measured respiration rate corresponded to changes in temperature-humidity index (THI) and body temperature. However, respiration rate and body temperature also remained elevated at night despite decreasing THI. Keywords: Dairy cow, Heat stress, Physiological monitoring, Respiration rate, Telemetry, Wearable.

Effect of extreme severe heat stress on respiratory rate in unshorn and shorn Australian Merino rams from Northern Patagonia

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o efeito do estresse térmico extremamente severo sobre a frequência respiratória (ofego) em carneiros com lã e tosquiados, em pé ou deitados, e analisar dois índices de temperatura e umidade (ITU). Seis carneiros Merino Australiano da Patagônia Norte, três com lã e três tosquiados, foram expostos durante 40 horas a aumento gradual de temperatura de 25 a 40°C (oito horas durante cinco dias), garantindo quatro horas diárias a 40°C em uma câmara de calor. A frequência respiratória foi registrada continuamente mediante a contagem dos movimentos do flanco. A temperatura e a umidade relativa ambiente foram registradas a cada cinco minutos dentro da câmara. A partir de 1.413 frequências respiratórias registradas, uma análise descritiva foi realizada e um modelo calculado. A variável de resposta do ofego foi dividida em cinco categorias e os efeitos fixos considerados foram: ITU, lã (com lã ou tosquiado) e posição (em pé ou deitado). Não se observaram diferenças significativas nas frequências de ofego nos carneiros com lã (em pé ou deitados) nem entre os carneiros em pé (com lã e tosquiados), mas foram observadas diferenças significativas nos carneiros tosquiados deitados. Essas diferenças podem ser atribuídas à perda de calor com o solo, facilitada nos carneiros com mecha mais curta (pelo menos 1,8 cm), e à baixa produção de calor de atividade de músculo. Nos carneiros lanados, a lã atua como isolante tanto com o ar quanto com o solo. Os carneiros Merino Australianos do Norte da Patagônia foram adaptados a temperaturas ambiente entre 31,5 e 42°C e 32 e 48% de umidade durante 40 horas em cinco dias. Os carneiros permaneceram na primeira fase do ofego e as temperaturas retais diárias, que se registraram ao deixar a câmara de calor, permaneceram dentro da normalidade, o que demonstra que eles puderam regular a temperatura corporal. Além disso, foram analisados comparativamente os ajustes à frequência respiratória dos ITUs: LPHSI e National Research Council.