A survey on the use of rugs in Australian horses     

EG Cox  RJW Bell  RM Greer  LB Jeffcott 《Australian veterinary journal》2023,101(1-2):9-26

The practice of horse rugging has important implications for horse welfare and performance, but in Australia, rugging practices have not been properly documented. The objective of this study was to obtain an understanding of Australian horse rugging practices. An online survey reviewed the management of 2659 Australian horses over 12 months. Of the reported horses a total of 84.8% were rugged, although most owners (69.5%) indicated that they were unsure whether horses needed to be rugged at all. Rugging was felt by 59.8% of owners to be a requirement for horses in competition. Riding and competition were significantly associated with the use of rugs. Nearly all respondents (89.0%) felt that ‘over-rugging’ was a concern. However, 4.8% of owners would use up to 4 rugs at any one time on their horse and 21.4% of horses were still rugged in temperatures above 20°C in Australia. Many Australian horse owners (42.8%) also believe that horses feel cold if they are not rugged. Anthropomorphism when it comes to rugging horses cannot be justified as the horse has a much wider thermoneutral zone (TNZ) than humans. Australian climate, owner opinions, equestrian discipline and whether a horse is used for riding influence Australian horse rugging practices. However, current practices are based on limited available research and are not necessarily to the benefit of the horse. The major limitation was that the survey likely attracted respondents who are interested in the topic creating a self-selection bias.  相似文献   

Regulation by gonadal steroids of estrogen and progesterone receptors along the reproductive tract in female lambs.   总被引：2，自引：0，他引：2  

A Meikle  EG Garófalo  M Rodríguez-Pi?ón  C Tasende  L Sahlin 《Acta veterinaria Scandinavica》2001,42(1):161-169

The regulation of estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER, PR) expression by estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) in the oviduct, uterus and cervix of female lambs was studied. The animals received three intramuscular injections of E2, P4 or vehicle with an interval of 24 h and they were slaugthered 24 h after the third injection. Determinations of ER and PR were performed by binding assays and mRNAs of ER alpha and PR by solution hybridization. High levels of ER and PR in both cervix and oviduct were found in the female lamb, differing from other mammalian species. No significant effects by either E2 or P4 treatment on ER and PR levels in the cervix and oviduct could be observed. E2 treatment increased the mRNA levels of ERa and PR more than 3-fold in the cervix, while P4 treatment increased the mRNA levels of ERa and PR in the uterus. The results show differential effects of gonadal steroids on sex steroid receptor expression along the reproductive tract in female lambs, suggesting that steroid target tissues can modulate responses to the same circulating levels of steroid hormones.  相似文献   

Critical perspectives in animal agriculture: a response     

Nielsen MS  Bergfeld E 《Journal of animal science》2003,81(11):2908-2911

People who work in the animal industries are faced with questions and criticisms about a variety of contentious issues, including animal management practices, ethics, diversity in animal agriculture, and animal welfare. Formulating responses to these questions requires a critical evaluation of our own work and open discussion of these controversial issues. Effective debate on these issues can be accomplished only with input from philosophers and social scientists skilled in such discussions, in addition to animal scientists. Therefore, animal scientists must engage in discussions of controversial issues among themselves and with entities outside agriculture. Furthermore, we must accept responsibility for the application of research results and any potential negative consequences. Because society is increasingly concerned with issues of animal welfare and the effects of new technologies, we should increase communications and transparency with the public. Increased diversity of race and gender will increase the ability of animal agriculture to connect with our stakeholders and to communicate the relevance of our work to society. Animal scientists need a professional ethic that espouses a higher level of understanding and commitment to philosophical discussions of contentious issues.  相似文献   

PMSG dosage precision in young and old sows in the course of biotechnical ovulation synchronization. 3. Fertility and litter effects     

B Rubo  J Bergfeld 《Archiv fuer experimentelle veterinaermedizin》1990,44(6):803-812

One single PMSG batch, Pregmagon-Dessau, was compared with other PMSG doses on 2,126 adult sows and 1,700 gilts from five farms. Additional comparisons were made with other Pregmagon or Prolosan batches on 1,178 adult sows and 1,026 gilts. All experiments were made in the context of a programme for ovulation synchronisation and term-oriented insemination. Doses of 700, 800, 900, and 1,000 IU were tested on adult sows and 600, 800, and 1,00 on gilts, with the mean dose of 800IU being found to be sufficient or superior to other doses for fertility results. Doses for adult sows could be adjusted and related to present and previous litter numbers, with the dosage being between 700IU (treatment for third litter) and 700 to 800IU (treatment following average to high previous litter. The preferential dose for gilts was found to be 800IU. Higher PMSG doses (up to 1,000IU) should not be used in synchronisation of ovulation and term-oriented insemination unless extraordinary conditions were safely established.  相似文献   

Follow-up of mercury levels in fish,human hair and urine in the Madeira and Tapajós basins,Amazon, Brazil     

Malm  O  Guimarães  JRD  Castro  MB  Bastos  WR  Viana  JP  Branches  FJP  Silveira  EG  Pfeiffer  WC 《Water, air, and soil pollution》1997,97(1-2):45-51

Informal economy of gold mining has contaminated some important river basins in Amazon. Follow-up studies on critical compartments showed some areas with high Hg levels in fish as well as in human hair samples. Average Hg in piscivorous fish in the Madeira river itself was 846 ppb (N=284) with a maximum of 3921 ppb. Mercury in fish from non polluted areas in this basin shows high variability, even for single species. A seasonal variation in Hg content was observed, with higher values at the end of the dry season. In the upper Tapajós basin comparable values were found for fish but with a definite decreasing trend downstream. Average value for piscivorous fish in the whole Tapajós basin is 482 ppb (N=122) with a maximum value of 3770 ppb. Hair Hg was higher in fishing villages in the Tapajós (average: 17 ppm; with N=432 and maximum value of 176 ppm) than in the Madeira (average: 9 ppm; N=169; maximum 71 ppm), and data from some areas of the Tapajós suggest a decrease with time. Mercury was much higher in urine of goldshop workers in Santarém (low Tapajós) than in Alta Floresta (high Tapajbs) and show a decreasing trend in both cases, probably related to the significant decline in gold mining activities during the study period (1986–1994).  相似文献   

Feline leukemia virus and public health awareness     

W D Hardy  A J McClelland AJ+MACCLELLAND  P W Hess  E G MacEwen EG+MACEWEN 《Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association》1974,165(11):1020-1021

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The use of Leydig interstitial cells preserved by deep freezing in the testosterone production assay     

U Tiemann  R Falge  G Bl?dow  J Bergfeld 《Archiv fuer experimentelle veterinaermedizin》1988,42(3):430-434

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The in vitro developmental competence of oocytes from juvenile calves is related to follicular diameter     

Kauffold J  Amer HA  Bergfeld U  Weber W  Sobiraj A 《The Journal of reproduction and development》2005,51(3):325-332

This study investigated the relationship between follicle size (FS) and developmental competence of calf oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) from follicles>8 (L-COCs; n=19), 4-8 (M-COCs; n=54), and 2-3 mm (S-COCs; n=155) were recovered from non-stimulated 1-4 months old dairy calves post mortem and ex vivo (laparoscopy), and in parallel from slaughtered adult cows from follicles of identical size categories [>8 (n=91); 4-8 (n=138); 2-3 mm (n=193)]. Morphologically intact COCs were subjected to in vitro maturation, fertilization, and embryo culture. Cleavage rate (CR; 46 h post-insemination=p.i.), rate of morulae/blastocysts (M/Bl; day 7 p.i.), and blastocysts (Bl; day 9 p.i.) were recorded. FS had no effect on the CR in calves. However, calf L-COCs yielded the highest rates of M/Bl and Bl compared with the two other size categories (P<0.05). In contrast, calf S- and M-COCs gave similar rates of M/Bl, whereas the proportion of Bl was lowest for S-COCs (P<0.05). This was almost identical to findings in cows, except that the CR was highest for L-COCs and M/Bl yields were lowest for S-COCs (P<0.05). There were no differences between calf and cows with regard to CR for the respective FS categories. L-COCs from calves and cows yielded similar rates of M/Bl and Bl, whereas calf S- and M-COCs yielded lower rates of Bl than S- and M-COCs from cows and a lower rate of M/Bl when S-and M-COCs were analyzed as one group (P<0.05). Whereas the CR was similar in calves and cows, calf COCs yielded lower rates of M/Bl and Bl (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results show that the developmental competence of calf oocytes is higher in those derived from follicles larger than 8 mm, and thus are almost equally as competent as cow oocytes derived from follicles of identical size. This suggests that calf oocytes acquire developmental competence within the large follicle, potentially due to a process similar to prematuration of the oocyte in the adult cow. It is proposed that procedures that facilitate prematuration, such as "coasting" following a preceding superstimulation, might increase the developmental competence of calf oocytes.  相似文献   

Studies of biotechnical ovulation synchronization in gilts. 5. Study on the excretion of estrogens and hydroxyproline before, during and after treatment for ovulation synchronization     

J Bergfeld  F Schneider  H Steger 《Archiv fuer experimentelle veterinaermedizin》1977,31(5):689-700

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Effects of isoflurane anesthesia with and without dexmedetomidine or remifentanil on quantitative electroencephalographic variables before and after nociceptive stimulation in dogs     

Kulka AM  Otto KA  Bergfeld C  Beyerbach M  Kästner SB 《American journal of veterinary research》2012,73(5):602-609

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