Browsing by Author "Morel PCH"
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- ItemAnimal Welfare Compromises Associated with Causes of Death in Neonatal Piglets(MDPI AG, 2022-10-26) Chidgey K; Udomteerasuwat N; Morel PCH; Castillo-Alcala FThis pilot study aimed to assess the welfare impacts of different causes of pre-weaning deaths in piglets. Piglets that died between 0–7 days after birth (n = 106) were collected from two commercial pig farms and subject to post-mortem examination to confirm their cause of death as well as any contributing factors. Using the Five Domains Model, the most likely affective experiences associated with the pathological findings were carefully inferred to better understand affective experience as it related to known causes of liveborn piglet mortality. The most common causes of liveborn piglet mortality were starvation (23%), crushing (23%) and non-viable (21%). Thirty one piglets had evidence of starvation, but it was only considered the primary cause of death in 15 piglets, as cofactors such as poor viability (n = 13) were also present in many piglets with evidence of starvation. All 15 piglets that were crushed died within 24 h after birth and most had evidence of thoracic and/or abdominal internal bleeding. This study found that common causes of liveborn piglet death were associated with compromises in Domains 1 (Nutrition/hydration), 3 (Health/function), and4 (Behavioural interactions), with the most likely resulting affective states described in Domain 5 (Mental state). This highlights the interaction between physical/functional and situation-related (behavioural) aspects that influence an animals’ welfare status.
- ItemDescription of an outdoor pig module for OVERSEERMorel PCH; Wheeler DM; Barugh IWA model has been developed to provide estimates of nutrient flows within an outdoor pig farm that is consistent with the scope of OVERSEER® Nutrient Budgets (OVERSEER). The primary focus was on nitrogen (N). The model uses standard industry information as inputs to define the number of animals for different classes and their performance. The amount of feed brought in to the farm system and its quality is user defined or based on default values. Feed utilisation (including bird loss) is defined by the feeding method. The outdoor pig unit is divided into management areas (areas for lactating, mating, and growers and finishers, and an acclimatisation area for replacements). Sows use huts, and can be placed in village’s pre or post farrowing, and any pig class can be placed in sheds or barns as a means to reduce excreta deposition on the block. The model includes waste management options for the bedding and excreta from each form of housing. The nutrient flow and excreta deposited in each management area is estimated. For N, leaching losses were highly dependent on the stock density (the amount of feed intake) and the amount of pasture cover. Pasture cover was dependent on management (for example, stock density, placement and movement of troughs and huts, nose ringing) and hence pasture cover for each
- ItemGrowth and Body Composition of Artificially-Reared Lambs Exposed to Three Different Rearing Regimens.(2021-11-24) Herath HMGP; Pain SJ; Kenyon PR; Blair HT; Morel PCHThis study was designed to investigate the influence of pellet fibre level, milk replacer composition and age at weaning on growth and body composition of lambs reared artificially. Romney ram lambs were randomly allocated to one of three rearing treatments; HFP57: commercial milk replacer to 57 days of age, and high fibre concentrate pellets; HFP42: commercial milk replacer with early weaning at 42 days of age, and high fibre concentrate pellets; LFP42: high protein milk replacer from 2-16 days of age followed by commercial milk replacer with early weaning at 42 days of age, and low fibre concentrate pellets. Lambs were slaughtered at 57 days of age. Overall average daily liveweight gain of lambs did not differ (p > 0.05) between treatments. Dressing out percentage, carcass weight, empty small intestine and omental fat were higher (p < 0.05) in HFP57 than in both HFP42 and LFP42 lambs. HFP42 and LFP42 lambs had heavier (p < 0.05) empty rumen weights. Whole body protein content was higher (p < 0.05) in HFP42 lambs compared to both HFP57 and LFP42 lambs. Fat content and daily fat deposition were greater (p < 0.05) in HFP57 lambs than HFP42 and LFP42 lambs. Weaning lambs at 42 days of age with provision of either low or high fibre concentrate pellets, resulted in similar growth rates, reduced whole body fat deposition and was a more cost-effective rearing regimen.
- ItemProvision of lucerne in the diet or as a manipulable enrichment material enhances feed efficiency and welfare status for growing-finishing pigs(2022-10-01) Nguyen TT; Chidgey KL; Wester TJ; Morel PCHThis research investigated the effects of including lucerne in a diet and as manipulable enrichment material on growing-finishing pig growth performance and behaviour. Forty-eight intact male Duroc × (Large White × Landrace) pigs with an initial live weight (LW) of 26.4 ± 2.32 kg (mean ± SD) were blocked by LW and randomly assigned to two dietary treatments (control vs lucerne), and two manipulable material treatments (without and with lucerne chaff for manipulable material). The barley and soybean meal-based control diet was formulated according to a commercial standard, while the lucerne diet replaced 100 g/kg of the barley and soybean oil in the control diet with lucerne chaff. The diets were formulated to have the same amount of digestible energy and apparent ileal digestible lysine. Manipulable material (lucerne chaff) was provided daily at 100 g/pig. Pigs had ad libitum access to diets via electronic feeders until they reached approximately 90 kg LW, at which time they were slaughtered. There were no interactions between dietary treatment and provision of manipulable material on pig production and behaviour. Feeding the lucerne diet reduced average daily feed intake, LW gain, feed intake per feeder visit, and feeding rate, but increased feed efficiency (P < 0.05). Access to manipulable material did not affect any growth traits, but the number of feeder visits per day was greater and the duration of visits to the feeder was lower in pigs that had access to lucerne chaff (P < 0.001). Compared to the other groups, pigs that consumed the lucerne diet or had access to manipulable material rested for a shorter duration but engaged in more social interactions and exploration behaviour. In conclusion, including 10% lucerne in growing-finishing diets improved feed efficiency and lucerne chaff appears to be an attractive enrichment source to pigs.
- ItemRumen Development of Artificially-Reared Lambs Exposed to Three Different Rearing Regimens.(2021-12-20) Herath HMGP; Pain SJ; Kenyon PR; Blair HT; Morel PCHThe objective of this study was to examine the effect of three different rearing regimens on rumen development in lambs reared artificially. Romney ram lambs were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: commercial milk replacer fed to 57 d of age and high fibre concentrate pellets (HFP57); commercial milk replacer, high fibre concentrate pellets, and early weaning from milk replacer at 42 d of age (HFP42); high protein milk replacer from 2-16 d of age followed by commercial milk replacer, low fibre concentrate pellets, and early weaning from milk replacer at 42 d of age (LFP42). Lambs were slaughtered at 57 d of age. Volatile fatty acid content in rumen fluid at slaughter was analysed and rumen tissue samples were collected for histological examination. The rumen n-butyric content was greater (p < 0.05) in both LFP42 and HFP42 treatment lambs compared to HFP57 lambs. The n-valeric content was greater (p < 0.05) in LFP42 lambs compared to both HFP57 and HFP42 treatment lambs. Thickness of the rumen dorsal wall determined by ultrasound scanning at 49 d was greater (p < 0.05) in both HFP42 and LFP42 lambs compared to HFP57 lambs. There was an interaction (p < 0.05) between treatment and site of rumen tissue sampling on papillae width, density, and rumen muscular layer thickness. Collectively, early weaning and the provision of a low fibre pellet leads to improved rumen function and physical development.
- ItemThe eggshell structure in apteryx; form, function, and adaptation(John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, 2021-04) Vieco-Galvez D; Castro I; Morel PCH; Chua WH; Loh MApteryx is a genus of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand known to lay very large eggs in proportion to body weight. The eggshell of Apteryx is unusually thin and less porous than allometrically expected possibly as a compensation for a very long incubation period. Past studies have been carried out on Apteryx australis, a species which once comprised all kiwi with brown plumage, now separated into three distinct species. These species use different habitats and live at different latitudes and altitudes, therefore generating a need to revise our knowledge of the attributes of their eggshells. In this study, we measured the physical characteristics and water conductance on eggshell fragments of these three species and Great-spotted Kiwi and relate them to the environmental conditions of their respective environments; we also measured the water vapor conductance of Brown Kiwi eggs of late stages of incubation. We found that several trade-offs exist between incubation behavior, environmental conditions, and eggshell structure. We found differences between species in eggshell water vapor conductance seemingly related to altitude; Brown Kiwi and Rowi generally inhabiting lower altitudes had the highest conductance and Tokoeka, generally living in montane environments, the lowest. This is achieved by an increased eggshell thickness rather than a pore area reduction. Finally, the water vapor conductance late in incubation was 58% higher than infertile unincubated eggs, suggesting a drastic increase in conductance throughout the long incubation period. Using the values previously reported, we calculated the embryonic eggshell thinning to be 32.5% at the equatorial region of the eggshell. We describe several new features, such as triangular mineral particles in the cuticle, reported for the extinct Trigonoolithus amoei, and confirmed the existence of plugged pores. We suggest that these structures provide microbial protection needed by a burrow nesting species with a long incubation period.