Individual Cages Research Articles

Growth performance of three paternal rabbit lines with different potential for growth rate and resilience

This experiment aimed to compare the growth performance, digestive efficiency and health status of three paternal lines for growing rabbits. The R line was selected by growth rate during the growing period for 37 generations; the RF line was founded by selecting a population of elite R animals (average daily gain>60 g/d); and the RFLP line was founded by backcrossing males from the RF line with females from the LP maternal line. A total of 387 weaned rabbits were used to evaluate growing performance from weaning until 63 d of age in individual cages, in three batches. Additionally, 33 animals were used to determine nutrient digestive efficiency in a digestibility trial. Body weight and feed intake were controlled at weaning (28 d), 46 and 63 d of age. Mortality and morbidity were also monitored daily. During the digestibility trial, feed intake and faeces excretion were controlled daily. Results showed no significant effects of genetic type on body weight, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio throughout the experiment. However, RF animals had a higher average daily gain from 28 to 46 d of age (+4.4%; P<0.05) compared with R animals, but lower from 46 to 63 d of age (–4.3%; P<0.05). Regarding digestive efficiency, RF and RFLP lines showed slightly higher faecal digestibility for dry matter and gross energy of the diet compared with the R line (+1.3 percentage points; P<0.05). Mortality was higher in animals from R and RF lines compared with RFLP (on av. 25.40 vs. 14.06%; P<0.05). Our results suggest that the introduction of resilient genetics could be a suitable strategy to improve the digestive health of paternal lines without affecting significantly their growth performance.

Growth Respons of Javanese Fat Tail Sheep (DEG) on Probiotic Supplementation in Diet with Different Nitrogen Source

The growth performance of ruminant animals depend mainly on the quantity and quality of the feed provided. In feedlot systems, the ruminant diet consists of roughages, which are in most cases preserved as native grass or hay, and concentrate feeds as Nitrogen sources. To meet their nutritional requirements and achieve the expected growth performance, these animals must be provided with adequately balanced diets. The aim of present study was to investigate the effect of probiotic supplementation in diet with different nitrogen sources on growth performance of Javanese Fat Tail Lambs. The study was conducted experimently using 48 male lambs 6-7 month of age and average body weight 18,7±2,6 kg. The probiotic tested was EM-4, a probiotic containing Lactobacillus sp, Streptomices sp. and Sacharomyces cerevisiae, with tested levels were: zero (R0, control), 0.5 ml (R1), 1.0 ml (R2), and 1.5 ml (R3) per head per day. Two types of diets were prepared, each composed of 70% native grass and 30% concentrate with different nitrogen source, both formulated to be isoprotein and isoenergy. The experimental lambs were divided into 8 groups of 6 lambs each group, each placed randomly in 48 similar individual cages. Experimental diets were given twice a day in equal portions at 08.30 in the morning and at 16.30 in the afternoon. The amount of remaining feed was measured every day at 06.00 am. Each lamb was weighed once a week for a 120-day experimental period. Data were analyzed using ANOVA according to Randomized Block Design, and further tested by the Least Significant Difference Test. The results showed that probiotic supplementation in diet had no effect (P>0.05) on Dry Matter Intake (DMI), but could increase (P<0.05) Daily Weight Gain (PBBH), Growth Rate (LP), and reduced the Feed Conversion Rate (FCR), both in the lambs fed diet with nitrogen source from Turi (Sesbania grandiflora) leaf meal (R1) and Tofu Dreg (R2). The DEG fed R1 showed a 7.7% higher PBBH than those of fed R2. The probiotic supplementation on R1 and R2 gave the optimum effect on PBBH and FCR at the supplementation level of 1.5 ml/head/day.

Synthetic and phytogenic antioxidants improve productive performance, antioxidant activity, gene expression, and offspring quality in breeder hens subjected to heat stress

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a synthetic source (a combination of vitamin E, vitamin C, selenium, and L-carnitine) and phytogenic sources (a combination of clove, green tea pomace, and Vietnamese coriander) in overcoming heat stress (HS) damage in female breeder hens on production, blood chemistry, sperm survival in the oviduct, antioxidant properties, gene expression, and quality of offspring. One hundred SUT female breeder hens were housed in individual cages and divided into 4 treatment groups: T1) basal diets in the thermoneutral (TN) zone; T2) basal diets under HS; 3) basal diets with synthetic antioxidants under HS; and T4) basal diets with phytochemical antioxidants under HS. The result revealed that HS condition had a negative effect on reducing final body weight, egg weight, and 1-day-old chick weight while increasing water intake and FCR and altered blood chemicals in breeder hens compared to TN breeder hens (P < 0.05). However, either synthetic or phytogenic antioxidants resulted in increased egg production and hatchability, while decreasing the number of late stages of embryo death during the incubation (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the synthetic antioxidants also improved the uniformity of chicks and reduced late-stage embryo death compared with phytogenic antioxidants (P < 0.05). HS breeder hens fed with either of the antioxidant sources exhibited higher antioxidant capacity in terms of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging (in yolk, liver, and breast meat) and FRAP radical scavenging (in yolk and liver) and lower liver malondialdehyde than HS breeder hens fed with the control diet (P < 0.05). Additionally, the gene expression of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) in the liver was upregulated, whereas the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (nuclear factor-κB) and heat shock proteins (HSP70 and HSP90) was downregulated in breeder hens that received both antioxidant sources (P < 0.05). Future investigations should focus on the potential for combinations of synthetic and phytogenic antioxidants in diets for HS breeder hens.

Lipid supplementation with macadamia by-product reduces methane emissions by sheep

Macadamia cake (MC) is a waste product from the macadamia nut industry with high nutritional value for animal nutrition. It has the potential to modify rumen fermentation, increase the efficiency of rumen microorganisms, and reduce methanogenesis. This study aimed to evaluate how the dietary lipid supplementation with MC modulates the methane (CH4) emission and nutrients digestibility of finishing lambs. Thirty-one lambs, approximately 90 days old and mean initial body weight of 26 ± 3.4 kg, were allocated to individual metabolic cages and subjected to in vivo digestibility assays for 24 days (17 days of adaption and 7 days of data collection). The four treatments included a Control group with no MC addition, and three groups with varying amounts of MC inclusion in the diet: 4.5%, 8.5%, and 14% on a dry matter basis. The ruminal content was collected individually at the last day of the digestibility assay 2 to 3 h after the morning feed, to measure pH, protozoan count, and short-chain fatty acids. The animals were then moved to semi-open respirometry chambers for the in vivo measurement of CH4 emission. A completely randomized design was used in the study assuming MC intake (MCI) as fixed effect and each animal as random effect. The variables were submitted to tests of normality and homoscedasticity. The data was submitted to analysis of variance at a 5% significance level using the F test (P < 0.05) and polynomial regression analysis. Pearson’s correlation coefficient test was also applied to all variables. Daily dry matter intake or apparent total tract digestibility parameters were not affected by MCI (P > 0.05), while ether extract and gross energy intake showed the widest range of values, from 0.01 to 0.09 (kg/day) and 9.3 to 22.5 (MJ/day), respectively, increasing (P > 0.05) according to MCI. In addition, total digestible nutrients increased linearly with MC supplementation (P = 0.037). MCI had a significant suppressive effect on enteric CH4 production from 21.9 to 8.6 (L/day) (P < 0.05) and protozoan count (P < 0.001) from 291875 to 69500 (n/mL), while a cubic (P = 0.03) and linear (P = 0.05) effect was observed for ammonia nitrogen and butyric acid, respectively. Macadamia cake may be used as an ingredient in sheep diets and its inclusion up to 14% has shown promise in reducing daily emissions of enteric CH4 without compromising nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation, in addition to contributing to reducing the environmental impact by avoiding the disposal of this industrial by-product.

Hydrodynamic and Structural Optimization of a Truss-Floating Aquaculture Vessel

A truss-floating aquaculture vessel is an innovative addition to the aquaculture industry, characterized by its large, porous, ship-shaped structure. It differs from traditional ships, offshore structures, and individual net cages. Due to its distinctive features, a large-scale truss-floating aquaculture vessel requires dedicated hydrodynamic and structural analysis, which is the primary focus of this paper. Our study starts with the calculation of wave loads acting on the vessel using the equivalent design wave method. Subsequently, it delves into the analysis of structural characteristics and stress distribution of the truss-floating aquaculture vessel, upon which structural optimization is performed. To determine the optimal design variables, a sensitivity analysis of the truss members is carried out using a parametric research method. Finally, the structure with multiple objectives is optimized using two distinct approaches: the adaptive simulated annealing algorithm (ASA) and the multi-island genetic algorithm (MIGA). The results reveal that prior to optimization, there is a risk of buckling and yielding damage occurring at various connections within the vessel structure. After optimization, the structural strength is significantly improved, accompanied by a reduction in the total weight of the vessel. This study offers a valuable reference for the design and structural safety assessment of this innovative truss-floating tank-type aquaculture vessel.

The Effects of Black Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) Leaf Powder on Performance, Egg Quality, Egg Antioxidant Capacity, and Yolk Cholesterol Levels in Laying Hens

Different antioxidant substance are supplemented to prevent oxidative stress and improve egg quality in poultry nutrition. It is known that synthetic antioxidants negatively affect human health. For this reason, natural antioxidants are often investigated. In this study, the possibilities of using different levels of black mulberry (Morus nigra L.) leaf powder (BML) in laying hens were revealed. For this purpose, 3 groups were formed, 24 in each group, and a total of 72 hens (35 weeks-old, Brown Nick) were distributed to individual cages. The control group (BML-0) was fed with a basal diet. Experimental groups were fed with the supplementation of 0.3 and 0.6 g/kg BML to the basal diet, respectively. Performance, egg quality characteristics, egg yolk TBARS, DPPH, and cholesterol levels were evaluated in the trial, which lasted for a total of 8 weeks, one week of which was the acclimatization period. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups regarding performance, egg quality characteristics, and DPPH reducing % in egg yolk (P&gt;0.05). Egg yolk TBARS and cholesterol levels were significantly affected from supplemented-BML diet (P

LocoBox: Modular Hardware and Open-Source Software for Circadian Entrainment and Behavioral Monitoring in Home Cages

Day–night locomotor activities are the most readily observed outputs of the circadian (~24-h period) clock in many animals. Temporal patterns of the light–dark schedule serve as input to the clock. While circadian activity patterns under various lighting conditions have been observed and documented, the full extent of circadian locomotor activities by genotype and entrainment remains uncharacterized. To facilitate large-scale, parallel cataloging of circadian input–output patterns, we created the LocoBox, an easy-to-construct and easy-to-operate system that can control environmental light with flexible entrainment scenarios combined with the T-cycle and measure locomotor activities in individual home cages. The LocoBox is made using economical, common components, and normal breeding cages can be used for long-term recording. We provide details of the components and blueprints, along with software programs for Arduino and a Python-based graphical user interface (GUI), so that the system can be easily replicated in other laboratories.

High performance potentiometric hydrogen sensor based on ZnO porous cage sensing electrode

In this paper, ZnO porous cages were prepared by a facile one-pot encapsulation-calcination method and used as sensing electrodes for planar mixed-potential hydrogen sensors. As the amount of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) added during the preparation increased, the size of the individual ZnO cage decreased while the average pore size increased. The hydrogen sensing performance was enhanced with the increase of CTAB addition. At 0.35 wt% CTAB addition, the response value of the cages to 20 ppm hydrogen at 450 °C was −60.8 mV, which was 11.5 times higher than that of the conventional particles. A high response of −10.6 mV was obtained for 0.3 ppm hydrogen. Moreover, the response time to 500 ppm hydrogen was 26 s, which was 10.6 times shorter than that of the particles. Better selectivity and excellent repeatability were also achieved. Superior potentiometric hydrogen performance is mainly attributed to the highly porous sensing electrodes constructed from cages.

The influence of the mass of incubation eggs on the growth indicators of a live weight of the bred young chickens and the quality of their eggs

Purpose: to determine the influence of the mass of hatching eggs on the growth and development of hatched chickens and on the quality of the eggs obtained from them in hens of the Pushkin breed.Materials and methods. The material for the study was chickens of the Pushkin breed, in the amount of 70 heads. 52 weeks of age and their descendants, used later in reproduction (85 ♀ and 28 ♂). The birds were kept in individual cages. Conditions of keeping and feeding are in accordance with the standards adopted in the bioresource collection of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Growing Animals “Genetic collection of rare and endangered breeds of chickens”. Immediately before incubation, 340 eggs were estimated by mass. hatching eggs. The hatched chickens were weighed at the ages of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 weeks. Depending on the weight of the incubation egg of the mothers and the sex of the chick, the data obtained were divided into three groups: Group I (light) ⩽M-0.5σ (⩽63.7 g-♀ and ⩽65.14 g-♂), Group III ( heavy) ⩾M+0.5σ (⩾68.2 g-♀and ⩾70.07 g-♂), eggs with intermediate weight are classified as “medium” - group II. At the age of 35 weeks, eggs obtained from daughters of the experimental groups were assessed.Results. It was noted that there are high correlation coefficients between weight incubation eggs the weight day-old of chickens: for hens r = 0.85 for roosters 0.95 (Р&lt;0,001). The average live weight at one day of age by group differed significantly from each other. Significant differences were observed in both hens and roosters between groups I and III at 2 (P&lt;0.05), 6, 8, 10, and 12 months of age (P&lt;0.01). There were no significant differences in live weight between groups I-II and II-III. In terms of the quality of daughters' eggs, significant differences were observed in the weight of laid eggs between groups I and II, I and III (P &lt; 0.01). In terms of the mass of protein, yolk, shell and the energy value of eggs, the highest indicators were noted in group III.Conclusion. Studies have shown that the weight of eggs affects not only the live weight of chickens at the daily age, but also the live weight at a later period of growth. The coefficient of heritability of eggs mass (h2) for mothers was 0.701 (P&lt;0.001) and for fathers 0.389 (P&lt;0.01). Thus, it is possible to increase meat productivity without reducing the quality of eggs in meat-egg breeds of chickens by selecting incubation eggs of a larger mass.

Dynamic Stereochemistry of M8 Pd6 Supramolecular Cages Based on Metal-Center Lability for Differential Chiral Induction, Resolution, and Recognition.

A series of isostructural supramolecular cages with a rhombic dodecahedron shape have been assembled with distinct metal-coordination lability (M8 Pd6 -MOC-16, M=Ru2+ , Fe2+ , Ni2+ , Zn2+ ). The chirality transfer between metal centers generally imposes homochirality on individual cages to enable solvent-dependent spontaneous resolution of Δ8 /Λ8 -M8 Pd6 enantiomers; however, their distinguishable stereochemical dynamics manifests differential chiral phenomena governed by the cage stability following the order Ru8 Pd6 >Ni8 Pd6 >Fe8 Pd6 >Zn8 Pd6 . The highly labile Zn centers endow the Zn8 Pd6 cage with conformational flexibility and deformation, enabling intrigue chiral-Δ8 /Λ8 -Zn8 Pd6 to meso-Δ4 Λ4 -Zn8 Pd6 transition induced by anions. The cage stabilization effect differs from inert Ru2+ , metastable Fe2+ /Ni2+ , and labile Zn2+ , resulting in different chiral-guest induction. Strikingly, solvent-mediated host-guest interactions have been revealed for Δ8 /Λ8 -(Ru/Ni/Fe)8 Pd6 cages to discriminate the chiral recognition of the guests with opposite chirality. These results demonstrate a versatile procedure to control the stereochemistry of metal-organic cages based on the dynamic metal centers, thus providing guidance to maneuver cage chirality at a supramolecular level by virtue of the solvent, anion, and guest to benefit practical applications.

Dynamic Stereochemistry of M8Pd6 Supramolecular Cages Based on Metal‐Center Lability for Differential Chiral Induction, Resolution, and Recognition

AbstractA series of isostructural supramolecular cages with a rhombic dodecahedron shape have been assembled with distinct metal‐coordination lability (M8Pd6‐MOC‐16, M=Ru2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, Zn2+). The chirality transfer between metal centers generally imposes homochirality on individual cages to enable solvent‐dependent spontaneous resolution of Δ8/Λ8−M8Pd6 enantiomers; however, their distinguishable stereochemical dynamics manifests differential chiral phenomena governed by the cage stability following the order Ru8Pd6&gt;Ni8Pd6&gt;Fe8Pd6&gt;Zn8Pd6. The highly labile Zn centers endow the Zn8Pd6 cage with conformational flexibility and deformation, enabling intrigue chiral‐Δ8/Λ8−Zn8Pd6 to meso‐Δ4Λ4−Zn8Pd6 transition induced by anions. The cage stabilization effect differs from inert Ru2+, metastable Fe2+/Ni2+, and labile Zn2+, resulting in different chiral‐guest induction. Strikingly, solvent‐mediated host–guest interactions have been revealed for Δ8/Λ8−(Ru/Ni/Fe)8Pd6 cages to discriminate the chiral recognition of the guests with opposite chirality. These results demonstrate a versatile procedure to control the stereochemistry of metal‐organic cages based on the dynamic metal centers, thus providing guidance to maneuver cage chirality at a supramolecular level by virtue of the solvent, anion, and guest to benefit practical applications.

PSIV-27 Effect of Different Ratios of Phytogenic Feed Additives in Weaned Pigs Challenged with a Pathogenic Escherichia Coli

Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementing different ratios of phytogenic feed additive (PFA) to weaned pigs challenged with pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal barrier integrity, and immune response, and to determine the optimal mixing ratio for PWD prevention. A total of 48 four-week-old weaned pigs with initial body weight of 8.01 ± 0.39 kg were placed in individual metabolic cages, and then randomly assigned to eight treatment groups. The eight treatments were as follows: a basal diet without E. coli challenge (negative control, NC), a basal diet with E. coli challenge (positive control, PC), PC with supplementing 0.1% mixture of 20 % bitter citrus extract (BCE), 10% microencapsulated blend of thymol and carvacrol (MEO), and 70% excipient (T1), PC with supplementing 0.1% mixture of 10% MEO, 20% premixture of grape seed and grape marc extract, green tea, and hops (PGE), and 60% excipient (T2), PC with supplementing 0.1% mixture of 10% BCE, 10% MEO, 10% PGE, and 70% excipient (T3), PC with supplementing 0.1% mixture of 20% BCE, 20% MEO, and 60% excipient (T4), PC with supplementing 0.1 % mixture of 20% MEO, 20% PGE, and 60% excipient (T5), and PC with supplementing 0.1 % mixture of 10% BCE, 20% MEO, 10% PGE, and 60% excipient (T6; Table 1). The experiments were progressed in 16 days, including 5 days before and 11 days after the first E. coli challenge (d 0). In the E. coli challenge treatments, all pigs were orally inoculated by dividing a total of 10 mL of E. coli F 18 for 3 consecutive days from d 0 post-inoculation (PI). Compared with the PC group, the PFA2 and PFA6 groups significantly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) feed efficiency and decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05; Table 2) diarrhea during the entire period (Table 3). At d 11 PI, the PFA6 group significantly improved (P &amp;lt; 0.05) gross energy digestibility compared with the PFA1 group (Table 4). The PFA6 group significantly decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum (Table 5) and increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD; Table 6; Figure 1). The PFA2 significantly decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the relative protein expression of calprotectin in the ileum (Table 7). In conclusion, improvements in growth performance, diarrhea reduction, and immunity enhancement are demonstrated when 10% BCE, 20% MEO, 10% PGE, and 60% excipient are mixed.

Effect of Rearing System and Physical form of the Total Mixed Ration on Growth Performance of Local Male Lambs

The University of Anbar’s Department of Animal Production hosted this experiment on their sheep farm from October 18, 2022, through January 6, 2023. Twenty-two local male lambs, ranging in age from 3.3 to 3.5 months, and averaging 20.2±2.28 kilograms were included. The purpose of the experiment was to determine the influence of the rearing system and physical form of the total mixed ration on the growth and feeding performance of local male lambs. Lambs were randomly distributed into four treatments. T1 (group housing + loose diet) included 6 Lambs distributed in three group cages (2 Lambs /cage), T2 (group housing + pellet diet) included 6 Lambs distributed in three group cages (2 Lambs /cage), T3 (individual housing + loose diet) included 5 Lambs distributed in five individual cages (1 lamb / cage), and T4 (individual housing + pellet diet) included 5 Lambs distributed in five individual cages. A total of 63 days were devoted to the actual experiment. All lambs were fed ad-libitum to the Pelleted and loose total mixed ration. Throughout the duration of the experiment, the parameters of growth and nutritional performance were estimated. The results of present experiment showed that the individual rearing system significantly improved daily feed intake and dry matter intake compared with grouped rearing system. The pelleted total mixed ration was superior to the loose total mixed ration in growth performance (final body weight, total weight gain, daily weight gain) and feeding performance (feed conversion ratio, feeding efficiency), and decreased the cost of producing 1 kg of weight gain. The results showed that the growth and feeding performance of local male lambs were significantly boosted by the interaction between individual housing and pellet diet. Researchers found that fattening lambs’ productivity might be improved with the use of individual housing combined with a pellet diet.

The Effect of Some Different Blood Anticoagulants on Rabbits Plasma Biochemical Parameters under Different Temperatures

The aim of present study was to compare the effect of Ca chelating anticoagulants (EDTA, citrate and oxalate) and antithrombin anticoagulant (heparin) on some rabbits plasma biochemical parameters at room temperature 25℃ and extreme temperatures -18℃and 50℃ for 1hr. Five male rabbits weighting between 800-1000gm, kept in the animal house /College of Veterinary Medicine/University of Diyala, under 12:12 dark light cycle with ad libtum food and water in individual cages (60cm,40cm) during November and December /2022. Four ml of blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture (23G needle) into four tubes contain anticoagulants: (EDTA, citrate, oxalate and heparin)one ml of blood for each tube; then the blood samples were kept at :room temperature 25℃, waterbath50℃ and refrigerator -18 ℃, for 1hr then put in centrifuge at 3000rpm for 15min. From total examined blood samples =24 for each Ca chelating anticoagulants (EDTA, citrate and oxalate) and antithrombin anticoagulant (heparin) after 1hr under in 25c℃ , -18℃ and 50℃. The both groups of anticoagulants (Ca chelating and antithrombin) showed no significant differences P&gt;0.05 between them in level of biochemical parameters (glucose, total protein, cholesterol and urea) after 1 hr at 25C; on the other hand significant increase in plasma glucose, total protein and cholesterol beside significant decrease in plasma urea of Ca chelating anticoagulants after 1hr at -18C and 50C as compare with antithrombin anticoagulant. In conclusion; heparin was more effective than Ca chelating anticoagulant in preserve plasma biochemical parameters within normal values under extreme cool and hot condition.

Enrichment sessions as a complementary therapy for hospitalized cats: Implications for stress reduction and sporotrichosis’ lesion recovery

Sporotrichosis treatment in cats requires long-term isolation of infected animals. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment sessions on the behaviour and lesion progression of cats hospitalized for sporotrichosis treatment. Ten cats were divided into two treatments, enriched (n = 6) and control (n = 4) and observed during eight weeks after admission at the veterinary clinic. All cats were housed in stainless-steel individual cages under the same environmental conditions and medical treatment routine. The cats under the enriched treatment participated in individual sessions of physical, cognitive, sensorial, and social (interaction with the researcher) environmental enrichment, three times per week, during 15–20 minutes, from weeks 2–7. The cat stress score was assessed, by a previously trained observer, through behavioural observation three times per week before enrichment sessions. The assessment of the cutaneous lesion evolution was performed via photos using a standardized lesion scoring method ranging from 1 to 30 and was analysed in weeks 1, 4, and 8. Statistical analyses were performed in R using mixed linear regression. Our results show that CSS decreased through the study period in both treatments; nonetheless, cats in the enriched treatment presented lower cat stress score compared to the control treatment (enriched: 1.65 ± 0.1 vs. control: 1.97 ± 0.13; p = 0.04). Additionally, the cats on the enriched treatment also presented better lesion progression in week 8 (enriched: 2.00 ± 1.24 vs. control: 7.67 ± 1.75; p < 0.01). Our results indicates that cats of the enriched treatment presented better lesion progression and behaviour. Granted that, more studies including non-blinded observers are needed to support our CSS findings regarding cats under sporotrichosis treatment isolation regimen in a clinical setting.

112 Effect of Selenium Sources on Sow Productive and Reproductive Performance and Their Progeny

Abstract Dietary selenium (Se) supplementation is a standard practice, using either an inorganic form, such as sodium selenite (SS) or organic forms, like SeYeasts (SY) or pure forms of selenomethionine (SeMet). Hydroxy-selenomethionine (OH-SeMet) is a chemically synthesized organic Se form and has been proven to be efficient in transferring Se from the diet to muscle compared with SS or SY products. The transfer of Se in tissues, in fact, leads to the buildup of a Se reserve as SeMet in the body that participates in maintaining effective antioxidant defenses and supports animal performance, particularly under challenging conditions. This trial aimed to determine the effects of different Se sources on the productive and reproductive performance of sows and on their progeny. Sows (n = 120) were allocated in individual cages in one of the three treatments according to the number of parities, number of piglets in previous parturition, body condition score and initial body weight. The experiment lasted 141 days (from the insemination of sows up to the weaning of the piglets at 21 days). A corn-soybean-based basal diet was formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of the sows during gestation and lactation. The Se supplementation was 0.35 ppm of Se either from SS, SY or OH-SeMet. The number of total piglets born showed a tendency (P = 0.06) for treatments fed organic Se sources (15.6 OH-SeMet; 15.4 SY vs 14 SS) with no differences on the litter weight at birth. However, sows fed OH-SeMet weaned more piglets (13.4) than the other treatments (12.5 SY and 12.2 SS, respectively, P &amp;lt; 0.01). The litter weight at weaning showed no differences among treatments (73.4, 70.4 and 75.9kg for SS, SY and OH-SeMet, respectively). The feed conversion of the sows during lactation was also affected by the Se source, in which OH-SeMet showed a significantly reduced FCR of 2.6 vs 3.0 and 3.1 for SS and SY, respectively (P &amp;lt; 0.01). Piglets fed organic sources showed a decreased diarrhea incidence (scores 2 and 3) compared with SS (P &amp;lt; 0.001), respectively, 5.68 vs 3.28 and 3.27%. The Se concentration of sows’ colostrum and milk of sows were numerically improved from SS to SY, but only significantly greater on OH-SeMet treatment. The same pattern of Se concentration in the milk was observed in the serum of piglets 48 h after birth (142, 122 and 228 μg/kg for SS, SY and OH-SeMet, respectively) and at weaning (85, 85 and 117 μg/kg for SS, SY and OH-SeMet, respectively). Feeding pure forms of organic Se, such as OH-SeMet supports the productive and reproductive performance of sows and improve the Se status of the progeny. Organic Se also reduces the diarrhea of piglets, compared with SS.

Efficacy of different wet feeds on the growth performance of mud crab Scylla serrata during fattening in cages

AbstractObjectiveMud crab culture/fattening is a lucrative business with high profit margins because they have high economic and export value. Compared with shrimp culture, crab fattening has many advantages such as a short production cycle, high tolerance to poor water quality, rapid growth rates in captivity, etc. Currently, cheap commercial feed for crabs is unavailable, so raw feeds such as low‐value fishes have been used for rearing mud crabs. The current study was conducted to determine the growth performance of mud crab Scylla serrata that were fed with different processed wet feeds.MethodsCrabs weighing 250–300 g were stocked in individual cages, and the experiment was conducted with three different feed treatments including processed chicken intestine, processed shrimp head waste, oyster meat, and the control feed was processed small‐sized low‐value fish.ResultOf all the feeds, mud crabs that were fed with chicken intestine showed better performance, followed by oyster meat, shrimp head waste, and low‐value fish.ConclusionThe present study concludes that fattening mud crabs with chicken intestine as feed showed better growth and economic performance.

An Integrated GIS-Based Reinforcement Learning Approach for Efficient Prediction of Disease Transmission in Aquaculture

This study explores the design and capabilities of a Geographic Information System (GIS) incorporated with an expert knowledge system, tailored for tracking and monitoring the spread of dangerous diseases across a collection of fish farms. Specifically targeting the aquacultural regions of Greece, the system captures geographical and climatic data pertinent to these farms. A feature of this system is its ability to calculate disease transmission intervals between individual cages and broader fish farm entities, providing crucial insights into the spread dynamics. These data then act as an entry point to our expert system. To enhance the predictive precision, we employed various machine learning strategies, ultimately focusing on a reinforcement learning (RL) environment. This RL framework, enhanced by the Multi-Armed Bandit (MAB) technique, stands out as a powerful mechanism for effectively managing the flow of virus transmissions within farms. Empirical tests highlight the efficiency of the MAB approach, which, in direct comparisons, consistently outperformed other algorithmic options, achieving an impressive accuracy rate of 96%. Looking ahead to future work, we plan to integrate buffer techniques and delve deeper into advanced RL models to enhance our current system. The results set the stage for future research in predictive modeling within aquaculture health management, and we aim to extend our research even further.

Impact of a Single Episode of Different Intensity of White Light Pulse at Night on Masking Response in the Diurnal Mammal, Funambulus pennantii

Objective: Light affects mammalian circadian rhythms through entrainment and masking. Photic masking increases locomotor activity in diurnal species (positive masking) while reducing activity in nocturnal species (negative masking). Fewer studies have investigated masking in diurnal rodents. We investigated the masking response in a diurnal rodent, &lt;i&gt;Funambulus pennantii&lt;/i&gt; when subjected to white light pulses of different intensities at night between zeitgeber time (ZT) 12 and ZT 15.Methods: Adult male squirrels, &lt;i&gt;F. pennantii&lt;/i&gt; (n=10/group, three groups) were placed in individual cages with running wheels under standard 12:12 h light-dark (LD) conditions. Recording of the locomotor activity rhythm was carried out using a ClockLab setup. Following a week of stable entrainment to the LD cycle, the animals of each group were given a sham exposure. After 10 days, animals of group I, II, and III were exposed to 3-h white light pulses of 100 lux, 10 lux, and 1 lux, respectively, between ZT 12 and ZT 15. Following the exposure, the animals were allowed to run undisturbed for 7 days.Results: Compared to the shamexposed group, exposure to 3-h 1 lux, 10 lux, and 100 lux artificial light pulses at night caused positive masking, stimulating wheel running in an intensity-dependent manner. Additionally, nighttime light pulses of 100 lux and 10 lux reduced onset accuracy, reduced the amplitude of the rhythm, and also altered the phase angle relationship to light.Conclusion: The positive masking caused by light exposure at night in diurnal squirrels is intensity-dependent up to at least 100 lux and is associated with a dampening of circadian rhythms.

Nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in different pig breeds fed raw, sprouted, or roasted (Vigna unguiculata) diets

The study examined effects of feeding iso-nutrient (150 g CP, 17.3 MJ ME kg−1) raw (RCP), sprouted (SPC), or roasted (RSCP) cowpea diets to Windsnyer (W), Large White (LW) × Landrace (LR), and the 3-way crossbred (W × LW × LR) growing pigs. Diet dry matter (DM) digestibility was estimated using standard, 3-step (gastric, small intestines, colon) in vitro digestion. Dietary in vivo nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance were evaluated using 3 weaned pigs of each genotype. Pigs were housed in individual metabolic cages. The diets were assigned to pigs in a 3 × 3 change-over factorial experiment within three balanced, 3 × 3 Latin squares. Feeding periods consisted of 7 days adaption + 5 days’ measurement of feed intake, and the total faecal and urine excretions. The SPC diet increased step 3 in vitro DM digestibility compared to RSCP (P < 0.05). Metabolic size-scaled feed consumption was higher on the RCP compared to the RSCP diet (P < 0.05). Cowpea processing reduced apparent DM and ash digestibility (P < 0.05). LW × LR pigs exhibited lower digestibility of ash and acid detergent fiber (ADF) compared to 3-way crossbred pigs (P < 0.05). Significant genotype-diet interactions were observed for nitrogen intake (P < 0.0001), digestible nitrogen (P = 0.043), urinary nitrogen output (P < 0.0001), faecal nitrogen output (P < 0.0001), total nitrogen excretion (P < 0.0001), and nitrogen retention (P < 0.001). The biological value of feed protein was higher for W pigs than 3-way crossbred pigs (P < 0.05). Genotype-diet interactions suggested unique digestive and, or metabolic adaptive traits in the utilization of the differently processed cowpeas, which need further investigation.