Acquisitions and evaluation of beehive parameters through an electronic system

This study highlights the management of the hive superorganism, with the help of technology. Precision beekeeping is today a growing sector, used as apiary management strategy, based on the constant monitoring of families, minimization of consumption of resources and maximizing of productivity. Thanks to the scales and a probe placed inside each hive, we obtained data relating to winter 2021 and spring 2022, where we had flowerings 30 days in advance of the seasonality. The fluctuation of temperatures entailed the early start of laying of the queen with fresh brood to feed and heat, even when temperatures dropped drastically, having to draw on pollen and honey stocks massively. The role of the beekeeper becomes crucial, to avoid compromising the annual production and to help the survival of the colony. To know the situation inside the hive without opening it and administering an adequate nutrient supply at the right time is not always easy, and the death of beehives due to hunger is typical of the spring period. Climate changes are increasingly affecting the survival of bees and remote monitoring of beehives is becoming increasingly important to ensure their survival and productivity

Protection of Farms from Wolf Predation: A Field Approach

The livestock sector is facing serious challenges in combatting the increasing predation of domestic livestock. In this scenario, wild carnivores, especially wolves, represent key predators. To allow the coexistence of wild and domestic animals, defense methodologies consisting of multiple integrated antipredator strategies must be tested and implemented based on the geographical man agement context of each farm. This study investigated the potential of a novel antipredator method (PAN, Project Farmers-Nature in Italian) in protecting livestock (goats and horses) from wolves on a farm located in the Sibillini Mountains National Park, over a three-month period (June–September 2022). The PAN field approach involved two phases: (1) interviews with farmers and inspections of how the farm and pasture are structured and (2) monitoring predator abundance using camera traps and transects in order to understand the wildlife habits. Information on predator movement around the grazing area was shared with the farmer, who was actively involved in implementing strategies to protect livestock. The stable presence of one pair of wolves was confirmed in the grazing area, placing grazing livestock at risk. The farmer was advised to strengthen the existing antipredator strategy (herd protection dogs) by introducing two trained Maremma-Abruzzese sheepdog puppies to protect his animals. The implemented actions demonstrate how professional experts can serve as a strategic intermediary between livestock and wildlife conservation in the management of the current conflicts

A NEW ELISA METHOD TO EVALUATE THE HUMORAL HOST RESPONSE TO MACRORHABDUS ORNITHOGASTER PROVENTRICULAR INFECTION IN BIRDS

In several species of birds, the infection with Macrorhabdus ornithogaster (MO) and the associated proventriculitis has long been known1,2. To date, no study has shown whether MO infection induces a specific immune response in affected birds. Positive aviaries of canaries and budgerigars have been identified and blood collections have been performed randomly in apparently healthy and symptomatic birds. Sera were preliminarily screened for a potential presence of specific antibodies, using of an immunohistochemical test performed with sections of heavily infected proventriculi as target antigen, incubated with the collected sera used as primary antibodies. Positive and negative control sera were then used to setting-up an indirect ELISA test, which was the first achievement of our study. After determination of a specific and titratable humoral response to the infection by affected birds, we determined some protein and glycolipid fractions that represent the most important antigens to which the antibody response occurs, using a Western Blotting test. In this analysis, proteins belonging to whole MO sonicated cells were separated by electrophoresis and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane, in order to be used as antigen substrate and incubated with previously screened hyper immune sera. As a result, it was demonstrated that antigens belonging to MO cells (a cluster of proteins with molecular weight between 35 and 21 kDa) are recognized by sera of budgerigars and canaries heavily infected by this yeast. Further studies will be necessary in order to characterize these proteins, essential for the realization of subsequent immunization trials