Sow Position Research Articles

Effect of micropyle orientation on germination of Millettia ferruginea and Delonix regia

In order to solve the problems related to deforestation and meet the ever increasing demands of the growing population, conserving and wise utilization of the remaining forests and supporting it with additional tree planting are crucial. Proper understanding of efficient management technique including seed sowing methods for target species is vital. Research reports and other information on proper positioning of micropyles in field conditions are lacking for Millettia ferruginea (Hochst.) Baker and Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.). This study was initiated to assess variations in germination characteristics of seeds sown at different orientations with respect to the micropyle position and to identify the sowing position that gives the best seed germination outcomes for those tree species when measured by selected parameters. Sowing position where the micropyle of the seed was directed downward has shown the best result with regard to speed of germination, mean germination time, mean daily germination, peak value, germination value, and germination percents for both tree species and was significant for D. regia. It is essential to consider the effects of different sowing positions in achieving production targets with good quality seedlings. The seeds of D. regia should be sown in nurseries carefully by positioning its micropyle downward. Moreover, seeds sown with the micropyle positioned upward showed the least results in terms of germination for both tree species (significant in D. regia).

Sow preferences for farrowing under a cover with and without access to straw

In semi-natural environments sows often select a protected nest site at farrowing. Investigations of nest site selection under indoor conditions are scarce but suggest that sows prefer to nest and farrow under a covered area. Since feed-back from a functional nest may improve maternal behaviour and thus piglet survival we investigated if access to a covered area and ad libitum access to straw would improve maternal behaviour of importance for piglet survival. We used forty-four primiparous sows housed in large individual pens from approximately 2 weeks prior to expected parturition. The sows were randomly distributed to four treatment groups of +/− ad libitum access to straw combined with +/− access to a covered area in the pen. The sows’ position in the pen (left or right side) was observed from 24 h prior to birth of the first piglet until 24 h after using 10-min interval scan sampling and the temporal pattern of sow position in relation to position of the cover (left or right side of the pen) was studied. Furthermore, postural and nest-building behaviours were observed, as well as situations where the piglets were either at risk of being crushed or were crushed. The results showed no significant influence of cover on sow position. Odds-ratio for choosing the covered farrowing position was 1.4 (95% creditability interval (0.4–5.1)). The temporal pattern of sow position showed that the probability of observing the sows in the part of the pen classified as the farrowing position increased from close to 0.5 to 1 as parturition approached and stayed high during the 24 h observation period after birth of the first piglet, except for a small drop around 12 h after birth of the first piglet. However, the tendency to stay in the nest during farrowing was not increased neither by cover nor by ad libitum access to straw. Access to cover significantly increased prepartum nest-building behaviour ( F 1,29 = 4.27, P = 0.05) whereas there was no significant influence of access to straw. However, it should be taken into account that all sows had access to sawdust on the floor, which may also serve as a nesting material. The number of crushing and near crushing situations within 24 h after birth of first piglet (BFP) was significantly decreased in pens with access to straw ( F 1,25 = 4.50, P = 0.04), whereas there was no significant influence of cover on this variable. Neither the number of scan intervals with lateral lying nor the number of postural changes were significantly influenced by cover or straw. In conclusion, the sows did select a specific nest site within the farrowing pen, but neither the choice of nest site nor the temporal consistency of staying in the nest were significantly affected by cover or ad libitum access to straw. Access to a covered area increased the occurrence of nest-building behaviour whereas access to straw reduced the number of near crushing situations.

A behavioural scale to measure ease of farrowing in sows

Farrowing is one of the most critical phases in pig production, as it has an impact on neonatal pig survival. Assessing the ease of farrowing can improve the management of sows and thus increase litter survival. The aims of this study were: 1) to develop an ease of farrowing score (EFS) in sows based on the behaviour of the sows and their piglets, and 2) to determine the relationship between the EFS and productive, physiological, and subjective parameters. Eighty hybrid (Large White × Landrace) sows from first to seventh parity housed in individual crates were used. An EFS was constructed using the total duration of farrowing, the birth interval, the total time standing or sitting, the number of position changes during the day before and the day of farrowing, the sow posture at birth, the viability and the position of the piglets at birth (head or back born). Moreover, rectal temperature at 90 min after farrowing, a four categorical subjective visual assessment (VA) of farrowing and litter size (piglets born alive, stillborn and mummified foetus) were recorded. A common factor analysis model yielded five factors with an eigenvalue higher than 0.95 that accounted for 75.05% of the total variation between individuals. The three main factors were “farrowing duration”, “sow posture”, and “sow activity” of sows and explained 23.44%, 15.67%, and 14.23% of the variance, respectively. Primiparous sows had higher values for factor 3 (sow activity) than multiparous sows (P = 0.02). Sows without stillborn or mummification foetus showed higher values of EFS than sows with at least one stillborn or mummification foetus (P = 0.06 and 0.01, respectively). Sows that received a visual assessment of 3 and 4 showed higher values of EFS than sows that received a VA of 1 and 2 (P = 0.0017). The EFS appears to be a good behavioural scale to measure ease of farrowing in sows kept in individual farrowing crates. Duration of farrowing, sow position, and presence of stillborn piglets and mummified foetuses appear to be important ease of farrowing indicators.

Comparison of soil water content and corn yield in furrow and conventional ridge sown systems in a semiarid region of China

Water deficits and unusually warm soil temperatures can adversely affect conventional ridge sown systems. Increasingly serious water and temperature issues associated with global climate change may be problematic in the future, particularly in semiarid regions. This study explored the soil water and crop yield benefits of switching the sowing location of corn from ridges to furrows. Experiments were conducted over three years. Corn was grown in shallow furrow (SF) and deep furrow (DF) sown treatments until the V8 stage (eight visible leaf collars). New ridges were then built over the existing furrows. Grain yield was found to be higher in the SF and DF sown treatments than in a conventional ridge sown treatment (CR), especially in drought years. Switching sowing position from ridge to furrow could increase corn yield, directly, by improving soil moisture early in the growing season and, indirectly, by stimulating the growth of resource-capturing organs (e.g., leaves and roots). This simple and efficient approach to crop production in semiarid climates may be practical for the management of numerous agricultural systems, particularly those that are resource-limited, with greater vulnerability to the effects of global climate change.

Embebição e posição da semente na germinação de clones de porta-enxertos de cajueiro-anão-precoce

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a embebição e a posição de semeadura no processo de germinação de sementes de cajueiro-anão-precoce, em condições de telado. O experimento foi conduzido na Fazenda Escola São Luís, da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís-MA. Utilizou-se o esquema fatorial 2 x 3 x 2, no delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados e quatro repetições, com 15 sementes por parcela, semeadas em sacolas plásticas. Os tratamentos resultaram da combinação de dois clones (CCP .06 e CCP 76), três tratamentos de embebição (água, sacarose e natural ) e posição da semente (peduncular e dorsal) por ocasião da semeadura. Verificou-se que, aos 22 dias após a semeadura, o clone CCP 76, com as sementes embebidas em água e semeadas na posição peduncular, apresentou níveis satisfatórios de germinação (100%), resultando em maior eficiência do processo de germinação das sementes e precocidade em termos de estabilização da germinação (cerca de 16 dias). Os tratamentos de embebição com sementes na posição peduncular não apresentaram efeito significativo sobre a emergência das plântulas dos dois clones, mas influenciaram nos valores do índice de velocidade de emergência, onde os tratamentos com água e a posição peduncular proporcionaram maior velocidade de emergência, independentemente dos clones estudados.

Effect of Floor Cooling on Farrowing Sow and Litter Performance: Field Experiment Under Dutch Conditions

Lactating sows generally have problems dissipating their body heat to the environment. Cooling the floor under the sow's shoulder, called the cool-sow system, is a method to increase body heat removal by conduction, thereby contributing to the thermal comfort of the sow. In this study, the effect of the cool-sow system on the performance of the sow and her piglets in the farrowing room and on the position of the sow in the farrowing crate was determined. In total, 60 sows (parity between 2 and 5) were included in the study. One room with 12 pens was used during five batches in autumn, spring, and summer. During each batch, the floors were cooled in six randomly chosen pens, while the other six pens were used as reference pens. The sows on the cool-sow system had 0.6 kg higher average daily feed intake (P < 0.001). These sow's piglets grew 20 g per day per piglet faster (P < 0.001). There was no effect on the loss of bodyweight of the sow or on piglet mortality. The sows on the cool-sow system showed a higher feed intake during all five batches, not only during summer batches. Sow position and location in the crate was hardly affected by the cool-sow system. The cool-sow system removed on average 107 W of heat per pen, of which approximately 58 W was directly removed from the sow's body.

Influência da posição de semeadura na germinação, vigor e crescimento de plântulas de bacabinha (Oenocarpus mapora Karsten - Aecaceae)

A bacabinha (Oenocarpus mapora Karsten) é uma espécie de palmeira que cresce em touceiras de cinco a 12 indivíduos, nativa da Amazônia, podendo ainda ser encontrada em alguns países do norte da América do Sul e da América Central. Seu fruto é utilizado para fabricar refresco, sorvetes e cremes. Extraindo também, de seu estipe palmito, com excelentes características organolépticas e bom rendimento, devido a suas potencialidades essa espécie vem sendo estudada no sentido de domesticá-la. Com o objetivo de verificar o efeito da posição de semeadura na germinação, no vigor e no crescimento das plântulas, foi realizado o experimento, testando-se quatro posições de semeadura com três repetições em parcelas de 25 sementes, sendo instalado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Avaliou-se a percentagem, o tempo médio de germinação e o comprimento das plântulas. Os resultados indicaram que a germinação de sementes de bacabinha não foi afetada pela posição de semeadura, alcançando valores acima de 92%, porém, quando as sementes foram postas para germinar com o poro germinativo voltado para a superfície e com a rafe na posição horizontal e voltada para cima, as sementes germinaram em menor tempo. O desenvolvimento inicial das plântulas de bacabinha foi afetado pela posição de semeadura.

Floor temperature preference of sows at farrowing

A preference testing apparatus was used to provide sows with continuous access to three identical farrowing crates, each with a different floor temperature. The concrete floor under each crate contained copper pipe through which temperature-controlled water was circulated to achieve unoccupied floor temperatures of 22°C (±3.5), 29°C (±1) and 35°C (±1). Eighteen sows were tested in the apparatus. Video recording was used to determine sow position from 7 days before farrowing (Days −7 to −1) to 14 days after (Days 1 to 14). On Days −7 to −1, sows showed no significant preference among the three temperatures when selecting a resting area. Once farrowing had begun, there was a significant increase ( P<0.01) in the use of the 35°C floor and it became the most preferred resting area for Days 1 to 3. After this interval, use of the 35°C floor declined significantly ( P<0.01), and use of the cooler floors increased, resulting in no significant thermal preference during Days 4 to 6. There was a further decline in the use of the 35°C floor after Days 4 to 6 ( P<0.01) to the extent that the coolest floor (22°C) became the most preferred from Days 7 to 14. In summary, sows showed a pronounced increase in preference for a warm floor during the 3 days after the start of farrowing. This change in preference may explain how free-living sows select a suitable thermal environment for their young, and why sows try to avoid metal flooring at the time of farrowing.

Choosing Appropriate Taxonomic Units for Ecological Survey and Experimentation: the Response of Aristida to Management and Landscape Factors as an Example.

The use of appropriate taxonomic units to describe herbaceous vegetation is an issue of increasing importance due to developing interest in the effects of grazing and other management on plant diversity in pastures. We use data for the genus Aristida as an example to examine patterns of ecological response to grazing, pasture sowing and landscape position in different taxonomic units. Responses of Aristida at the level of genus, section and species were compared over the gradients. There was strong evidence of differential responses to these factors, both between sections within genus, and between species within sections. The planning and execution of botanical field descriptions involve striking a balance between taxonomic accuracy and precision that will best address the objectives of a particular project. The species of the genus Aristida have a range of ecological responses, the variety of which can not be captured in data sets which record Aristida as a single entity. As a result, management recommendations for the genus in its entirety are likely to be inaccurate. Although data collection might ideally record individual species, this is not always practicable. In any case, there may be many rare species in the data set, with occurrences too low to detect ecological pattern. Delineation of rare species may only be important if diversity issues are being examined. In other circumstances the use of an intermediate unit (e.g. section or species groups) may be appropriate. The latter approach may be required if there are practical limitations to the collection of data at specific level for all groups, or if the research objectives do not require a high level of precision.

Sow preference for types of flooring in farrowing crates

A preference-testing apparatus was used to provide sows with continuous access to three identical farrowing crates, each with a different type of flooring. The crates radiated from a central hub area sufficiently large for sows to enter or leave any crate freely. In exp. 1, nine sows from a concrete-floored gestation room were offered crates over concrete, plastic-coated rod, and galvanized metal rod. In exp. 2, 18 sows were pre-exposed for a period of 1 wk to one of the three floors before entry into the preference testing apparatus. Video recording was used to determine sow position from 3 d before to 13 d after farrowing in exp. 1 and for a 3-d period before and 3-d period after farrowing in exp. 2. In exp. 1, sows showed a strong preference (P &lt; 0.05) for the concrete floor before farrowing, but this preference had diminished by the final week in the apparatus (P ≈ 0.16). In exp. 2, sows pre-exposed to metal or plastic-coated flooring made more voluntary use of these products, but the metal floor was strongly avoided during and immediately after farrowing. Overall, concrete seemed to be a preferred floor material for sows at farrowing. Key words: Sow, farrowing crate, flooring, preference testing, animal welfare

Sow preference for farrowing-crate width

A preference-testing apparatus was designed to provide sows with continuous access to three farrowing crates of different widths. The crates radiated from a central hub area sufficiently large for sows to enter or leave any crate freely. In exp. 1, nine sows were offered crates of 450-, 600- and 750-mm width at standing height. In exp. 2, 12 sows were offered widths of 450, 750 and 1200 mm, the largest being of sufficient width for the sow to turn around. Video recording was used to determine sow position from 3 d before to 6 d after farrowing. In exp. 1, sows showed a preference for the widest crate of 750 mm during and after farrowing (P &lt; 0.05) but not before. In exp. 2, the 1200-mm width was preferred before, during and after farrowing (P &lt; 0.005) over the widths that were too narrow to permit turning. Sufficient space for turning appears to be preferred by sows around the time of farrowing. Key words: Sow, farrowing crate, equipment design, preference testing, animal welfare

Preference by sows for a partially enclosed farrowing crate

A preference testing apparatus was designed to give sows continuous access to three farrowing crates with different degrees of visual enclosure. A ‘fully enclosed’ crate had solid black panels on the sides and top of the crate, a ‘solid-sided’ crate had the side panels only and an ‘open crate’ had no solid panels over the crate's tubular framework. The crates radiated from a central area sufficient for sows to enter or leave any crate freely. Video recording was used to determine sow position from 3 days before to 6 days after farrowing. The results indicated that younger sows (second or third parity) preferred the enclosure offered by the solid side panels during and for several days after farrowing ( P < 0.05). Older sows, which had previously farrowed a number of times in an open crate, had no clear preference. A solid panel overhead did not improve, andmay have reduced the acceptance of a crate with solid sides. It is concluded that less experienced sows prefer a degree of enclosure on the sides of the farrowing crate, but that this preference largely disappears with repeated experience of open crates.

Behaviour and performance of sows in farrowing nests

The behavioural response of sows and gilts accommodated in groups of up to 6, in two rooms of farrowing nests was observed at the West Sussex College of Agriculture and Horticulture. A split-plot experiment was carried out at three levels: ( 1 ) room (north/south); (2) season (winter/summer); (3) week of sow occupancy (before and 1, 2 and 3 weeks after parturition ). The sows were grouped according to normal commercial practice with farrowing dates matched as closely as possible. Inevitably sows farrowed in both Weeks 0 and 1. No attempt was made to balance animals for age or behavioural profile. Observations for sow position, posture and activity were recorded every 10 min over 53 4-h periods. Additional data collected included time sows spent out of nests and frequency of feeder visits. Sow performance was assessed from litter data for all sows farrowing in both the nests and a crate system between 1 August and 31 December. (Number of litters= 110. ) The most frequently observed position, posture and activity of the sow was in the nests ( 76% of observations), lying down (67%) and inactive (70%), respectively. Week of sow occupancy had a significant effect on the number of feeder visits made by sows (P < 0.05 ) with more feeder visits being made during the second week. In the north room sows spent a greater proportion of their time in the nests during the winter (95 vs. 64%) but this was not repeated in the south room. There was no difference between nests and crates in number born alive or in number weaned. Survival rate for August was higher for the litters in nests, but there were no differences observed in other months.

PLANT GROWTH RESPONSES TO VESICULAR‐ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZA XII. FIELD INOCULATION RESPONSES OF BARLEY AT TWO SOIL P LEVELS

SUMMARYThe results are described of a field experiment in which barley was inoculated in the field by‐placing 20 g of soil containing infected roots below each sowing position. Three VA endophytes were used as inoculants and half the plots were given phosphate before sowing. Growth and infection were recorded twice during the experiment and at harvest. In the plots without added phosphate the fresh wt of ears was doubled by inoculation to approximately 100 gm‐2irrespective of endophytes. Added phosphate increased this more than inoculation and weight of ears rose to 200 to 300 gm‐2. With one inoculant dry wt of ears was 35% greater than with phosphate only, but with the other two it was marginally less. The results are discussed in relation to other experiments with barley and to the levels of infection throughout the experiment.