Стратегічне управління як основа фінансової стійкості аграрних підприємств

Метою роботи є формування комплексного стратегічного підходу до управління фінансовою стійкістю аграрних підприємств на основі всебічного аналізу їх діяльності, конкретизації поточних цілей та індикаторів стану, а також розробці системи заходів для досягнення стратегічної мети, в залежності від етапу планування

Non-anemic Iron Deficiency from Birth to Weaning Does Not Impair Growth or Memory in Piglets

Early iron deficiency is associated with impaired (cognitive) development, the severity of which depends on the timing and duration of the under-supply of iron. To design effective treatment and prevention strategies for iron deficiency in humans, suited animal models are needed. In an earlier study (Antonides et al., 2015b) we separated 10 pairs of piglets from their mothers within a few days after birth and reared one sibling with artificial iron-deficient (ID) and the other with balanced control milk until weaning. ID piglets grew slower and showed poorer reference memory (RM) performance than their controls in a spatial holeboard task, even weeks after iron repletion. One putative intervening factor in that study was pre-weaning maternal deprivation. In an attempt to refine the piglet iron-deficiency model, we assessed whether piglets reared by sows, but withheld iron supplementation, can serve as animal model of iron deficiency. As sow milk is inherently ID, piglets normally receive a prophylactic iron injection. Ten pairs of piglets were housed with foster sows until weaning (4 weeks). One sibling per pair was randomly assigned to the control group (receiving iron dextran injections: 40 mg iron per kilogram body mass on days 3 and 10), the other to the ID group. From weaning, all pigs were fed a balanced commercial diet. Blood samples were taken in week 1, 3.5, 6, and 12. Pre-weaning blood iron values of ID piglets were lower than those of controls, but recovered to normal values after weaning. Hemoglobin of ID piglets did not reach anemic values. Hematocrit and hemoglobin of ID animals did not decrease, and serum iron even increased pre-weaning, suggesting that the piglets had access to an external source of iron, e.g., spilled feed or feces of the foster sows. Growth, and spatial memory assessed in the holeboard from 10 to 16 weeks of age, was unaffected in ID pigs. We conclude that sow-raised piglets are not a suitable model for iron-deficiency induced cognitive deficits in humans. Based on our previous and the present study, we conclude that growth and memory are only impaired in piglets that suffered from pre-weaning anemia

Non-anemic Iron Deficiency from Birth to Weaning Does Not Impair Growth or Memory in Piglets

Early iron deficiency is associated with impaired (cognitive) development, the severity of which depends on the timing and duration of the under-supply of iron. To design effective treatment and prevention strategies for iron deficiency in humans, suited animal models are needed. In an earlier study (Antonides et al., 2015b) we separated 10 pairs of piglets from their mothers within a few days after birth and reared one sibling with artificial iron-deficient (ID) and the other with balanced control milk until weaning. ID piglets grew slower and showed poorer reference memory (RM) performance than their controls in a spatial holeboard task, even weeks after iron repletion. One putative intervening factor in that study was pre-weaning maternal deprivation. In an attempt to refine the piglet iron-deficiency model, we assessed whether piglets reared by sows, but withheld iron supplementation, can serve as animal model of iron deficiency. As sow milk is inherently ID, piglets normally receive a prophylactic iron injection. Ten pairs of piglets were housed with foster sows until weaning (4 weeks). One sibling per pair was randomly assigned to the control group (receiving iron dextran injections: 40 mg iron per kilogram body mass on days 3 and 10), the other to the ID group. From weaning, all pigs were fed a balanced commercial diet. Blood samples were taken in week 1, 3.5, 6, and 12. Pre-weaning blood iron values of ID piglets were lower than those of controls, but recovered to normal values after weaning. Hemoglobin of ID piglets did not reach anemic values. Hematocrit and hemoglobin of ID animals did not decrease, and serum iron even increased pre-weaning, suggesting that the piglets had access to an external source of iron, e.g., spilled feed or feces of the foster sows. Growth, and spatial memory assessed in the holeboard from 10 to 16 weeks of age, was unaffected in ID pigs. We conclude that sow-raised piglets are not a suitable model for iron-deficiency induced cognitive deficits in humans. Based on our previous and the present study, we conclude that growth and memory are only impaired in piglets that suffered from pre-weaning anemia

Does litter size affect emotionality, spatial learning and memory in piglets?

Average litter size has steadily increased over the past decades in the pig farming industry. Large litters are associated with an increase of piglets born with a lower birth weight and reduced overall piglet viability. The aim of our study was to investigate whether litter size affects emotionality, learning and memory in pigs. Ten piglets from large litters (≥18 piglets) were compared with ten piglets from small litters (≤13 piglets). Piglets from two different suppliers, using different breeds, (hereafter called: Source) were tested. Effects were determined of Litter size and Source on birth weights and growth rates, on emotionality of the piglets measured in an open field test (OFT) at 5 weeks of age, and on effects of OFT-induced stress as indicated by salivary cortisol. The effects of Litter size and Source on spatial learning and memory in a holeboard task were assessed between 9 and 14 weeks of age. Small litter piglets from Source 1 grew faster than large litter piglets from the same source. This effect of Litter size was not found in piglets from Source 2. In the OFT, no effects of Litter size on behaviours were found. However, piglets from Source 1 had lower baseline cortisol levels, made more escape attempts and showed higher locomotor activity during the OFT than piglets from Source 2. During the acquisition phase of the holeboard task, piglets from Source 2 learned the reference memory component faster and reached a higher overall working memory level in the reversal phase than piglets from Source 1. Our results show that Source (i.e. supplier and/or breed) influenced performance in behavioural tasks, and that the occurrence of litter size effects was supplier or breed dependent

Does litter size affect emotionality, spatial learning and memory in piglets?

Average litter size has steadily increased over the past decades in the pig farming industry. Large litters are associated with an increase of piglets born with a lower birth weight and reduced overall piglet viability. The aim of our study was to investigate whether litter size affects emotionality, learning and memory in pigs. Ten piglets from large litters (≥18 piglets) were compared with ten piglets from small litters (≤13 piglets). Piglets from two different suppliers, using different breeds, (hereafter called: Source) were tested. Effects were determined of Litter size and Source on birth weights and growth rates, on emotionality of the piglets measured in an open field test (OFT) at 5 weeks of age, and on effects of OFT-induced stress as indicated by salivary cortisol. The effects of Litter size and Source on spatial learning and memory in a holeboard task were assessed between 9 and 14 weeks of age. Small litter piglets from Source 1 grew faster than large litter piglets from the same source. This effect of Litter size was not found in piglets from Source 2. In the OFT, no effects of Litter size on behaviours were found. However, piglets from Source 1 had lower baseline cortisol levels, made more escape attempts and showed higher locomotor activity during the OFT than piglets from Source 2. During the acquisition phase of the holeboard task, piglets from Source 2 learned the reference memory component faster and reached a higher overall working memory level in the reversal phase than piglets from Source 1. Our results show that Source (i.e. supplier and/or breed) influenced performance in behavioural tasks, and that the occurrence of litter size effects was supplier or breed dependent

A behavioral view on chimpanzee personality: Exploration tendency, persistence, boldness, and tool-orientation measured with group experiments

Human and nonhuman animals show personality: temporal and contextual consistency in behavior patterns that vary among individuals. In contrast to most other species, personality of chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, has mainly been studied with non-behavioral methods. We examined boldness, exploration tendency, persistence and tool-orientation in 29 captive chimpanzees using repeated experiments conducted in an ecologically valid social setting. High temporal repeatability and contextual consistency in all these traits indicated they reflected personality. In addition, Principal Component Analysis revealed two independent syndromes, labeled exploration-persistence and boldness. We found no sex or rank differences in the trait scores, but the scores declined with age. Nonetheless, there was considerable inter-individual variation within age-classes, suggesting that behavior was not merely determined by age but also by dispositional effects. In conclusion, our study complements earlier rating studies and adds new traits to the chimpanzee personality, thereby supporting the existence of multiple personality traits among chimpanzees. We stress the importance of ecologically valid behavioral research to assess multiple personality traits and their association, as it allows inclusion of ape studies in the comparison of personality structures across species studied behaviorally, and furthers our attempts to unravel the causes and consequences of animal personality

Pre-weaning dietary iron deficiency impairs spatial learning and memory in the cognitive holeboard task in piglets

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in humans, affecting more than two billion people worldwide. Early-life iron deficiency can lead to irreversible deficits in learning and memory. The pig represents a promising model animal for studying such deficits, because of its similarities to humans during early development. We investigated the effects of pre-weaning dietary iron deficiency in piglets on growth, blood parameters, cognitive performance, and brain histology later in life. Four to six days after birth, 10 male sibling pairs of piglets were taken from 10 different sows. One piglet of each pair was given a 200 mg iron dextran injection and fed a control milk diet for 28 days (88 mg Fe/kg), whereas the other sibling was given a saline injection and fed an iron deficient (ID) milk diet (21 mg Fe/kg). Due to severely retarded growth of two of the ID piglets, only eight ID piglets were tested behaviorally. After dietary treatment, all piglets were fed a balanced commercial pig diet (190-240 mg Fe/kg). Starting at 7.5 weeks of age, piglets were tested in a spatial cognitive holeboard task. In this task, 4 of 16 holes contain a hidden food reward, allowing measurement of working (short-term) memory and reference (long-term) memory (RM) simultaneously. All piglets received 40-60 acquisition trials, followed by a 16-trial reversal phase. ID piglets showed permanently retarded growth and a strong decrease in blood iron parameters during dietary treatment. After treatment, ID piglets' blood iron values restored to normal levels. In the holeboard task, ID piglets showed impaired RM learning during acquisition and reversal. Iron staining at necropsy at 12 weeks of age showed that ID piglets had fewer iron-containing cells in hippocampal regions CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG). The number of iron-containing cells in CA3 correlated positively with the average RM score during acquisition across all animals. Our results support the hypothesis that early-life iron deficiency leads to lasting cognitive deficits. The piglet as a model animal, tested in the holeboard, can be useful in future research for assessing long-term cognitive effects of early-life diets or diet-induced deficiencies

Early-postnatal iron deficiency impacts plasticity in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in piglets

In this study, we investigated whether alterations in plasticity markers such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) and tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) are underlying iron deficiency (ID)-induced cognitive impairments in iron depleted piglets. Newborn piglets were either fed an iron-depleted diet (21mg Fe/kg) or an iron-sufficient diet (88mg Fe/kg) for four weeks. Subsequently, eight weeks after iron repletion (190-240mg Fe/kg) we found a significant decrease in mature BDNF (14kDa) and proBDNF (18kDa and 24kDa) protein levels in the ventral hippocampus, whereas we found increases in the dorsal hippocampus. The phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) follows the mature BDNF protein level pattern. No effects were found on BDNF and CREB protein levels in the prefrontal cortex. The protein levels of the high affinity BDNF receptor, TrkB, was significantly decreased in both dorsal and ventral hippocampus of ID piglets, whereas it was increased in the prefrontal cortex. Together, our data suggest a disrupted hippocampal plasticity upon postnatal ID

Early-postnatal iron deficiency impacts plasticity in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus in piglets

In this study, we investigated whether alterations in plasticity markers such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) and tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) are underlying iron deficiency (ID)-induced cognitive impairments in iron depleted piglets. Newborn piglets were either fed an iron-depleted diet (21mg Fe/kg) or an iron-sufficient diet (88mg Fe/kg) for four weeks. Subsequently, eight weeks after iron repletion (190-240mg Fe/kg) we found a significant decrease in mature BDNF (14kDa) and proBDNF (18kDa and 24kDa) protein levels in the ventral hippocampus, whereas we found increases in the dorsal hippocampus. The phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) follows the mature BDNF protein level pattern. No effects were found on BDNF and CREB protein levels in the prefrontal cortex. The protein levels of the high affinity BDNF receptor, TrkB, was significantly decreased in both dorsal and ventral hippocampus of ID piglets, whereas it was increased in the prefrontal cortex. Together, our data suggest a disrupted hippocampal plasticity upon postnatal ID

Pre-weaning dietary iron deficiency impairs spatial learning and memory in the cognitive holeboard task in piglets

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in humans, affecting more than two billion people worldwide. Early-life iron deficiency can lead to irreversible deficits in learning and memory. The pig represents a promising model animal for studying such deficits, because of its similarities to humans during early development. We investigated the effects of pre-weaning dietary iron deficiency in piglets on growth, blood parameters, cognitive performance, and brain histology later in life. Four to six days after birth, 10 male sibling pairs of piglets were taken from 10 different sows. One piglet of each pair was given a 200 mg iron dextran injection and fed a control milk diet for 28 days (88 mg Fe/kg), whereas the other sibling was given a saline injection and fed an iron deficient (ID) milk diet (21 mg Fe/kg). Due to severely retarded growth of two of the ID piglets, only eight ID piglets were tested behaviorally. After dietary treatment, all piglets were fed a balanced commercial pig diet (190-240 mg Fe/kg). Starting at 7.5 weeks of age, piglets were tested in a spatial cognitive holeboard task. In this task, 4 of 16 holes contain a hidden food reward, allowing measurement of working (short-term) memory and reference (long-term) memory (RM) simultaneously. All piglets received 40-60 acquisition trials, followed by a 16-trial reversal phase. ID piglets showed permanently retarded growth and a strong decrease in blood iron parameters during dietary treatment. After treatment, ID piglets' blood iron values restored to normal levels. In the holeboard task, ID piglets showed impaired RM learning during acquisition and reversal. Iron staining at necropsy at 12 weeks of age showed that ID piglets had fewer iron-containing cells in hippocampal regions CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG). The number of iron-containing cells in CA3 correlated positively with the average RM score during acquisition across all animals. Our results support the hypothesis that early-life iron deficiency leads to lasting cognitive deficits. The piglet as a model animal, tested in the holeboard, can be useful in future research for assessing long-term cognitive effects of early-life diets or diet-induced deficiencies