Development of prevention and treatment strategies for parasites in poultry

Parasitic infections are likely to be more important in organic and other free-range hens than in birds kept indoors. Several workpackages of QLIF aim at improving prevention and therapy of helminth (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum) and arthropod (Dermanyssus gallinae) parasites of laying hens. This paper is a summary of the work undertaken in the first 3 years of QLIF

Run management for organic layers

Layer runs are often bare and loaded with nutrients and with infectious stages of helminths. Various management strategies are recommended in order to better distribute the hens in the run, thereby preventing local accumulation of droppings and related problems. However, little is known about the impact of those strategies. A series of on farm experiments has been performed in order to test the effects of flock size and of artificial structures on the dispersal of the hens in the run. Further studies evaluated the effects of mowing and run size as well as rotational use of runs on turf quality, nutrient load in the soil and on the infection of the hens with internal parasites. As a summary, introducing structures or applying a rotational management scheme improves run use and facilitates mowing, thus improving turf quality in the run in front of the henhouse. However, the expected reduction of helminth infections and nutrient accumulation has not been observed

Wirken sich Auslauf- und Einstreumanagement auf den Wurmbefall von Legehennen aus?

The aim of our experiments was to investigate the transmission and infectivity of the two main helminth parasites of poultry (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum) under different run and litter management regimes. In experiment (a) two stocking rates were simulated in outdoor runs and the effect of a simple management practice (mowing) on helminth transmission was studied during two subsequent flocks. Stocking rate seemed not to change helminth transmission patterns and repeated mowing of runs did not reduce helminth infections. Lower stocking rates led to a substantial improvement of the run vegetation. In experiment (b) two litter management regimes (replace or add litter material) were compared to unmanaged litter with regard to parasitological parameters and water content of the litter. The regimes had no significant effect on water content or on parasitological parameters. These results suggest that positive effects of run and litter management regimes on helminth infections of laying hens are often overestimated in practice

Ecosystem Drought Response Timescales from Thermal Emission versus Shortwave Remote Sensing

Remote sensing is used for monitoring the impacts of meteorological drought on ecosystems, but few large-scale comparisons of the response timescale to drought of different vegetation remote sensing products are available. We correlated vegetation health products derived frompolar-orbiting radiometer observations with a meteorological drought indicator available at different aggregation timescales, the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), to evaluate responses averaged globally and over latitude and biome.The remote sensing products are Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), which uses normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to identify plant stress, Temperature Condition Index (TCI), based on thermal emission as a measure of surface temperature, and Vegetation Health Index (VHI), the average of VCI and TCI. Globally, TCI correlated best with 2-month timescale SPEI, VCI correlated best with longer timescale droughts (peak mean correlation at 13 months), and VHI correlated best at an intermediate timescale of 4 months. Our results suggest that thermal emission (TCI) may better detect incipient drought than vegetation color (VCI). VHI had the highest correlations with SPEI at aggregation times greater than 3 months and hence may be the most suitable product for monitoring the effects of long droughts

Distribution of infection with gastro-intestinal nematodes in different groups of dairy goats in Switzerland and its influence on milk production

The aim of this field study was to investigate interactions between gastro-intestinal nematode (GIN) infection, milk performance and age in goats in order to identify animal groups with higher susceptibility to GIN. On 3 farms (farm A: n = 29, farm B: n = 33, farm C: n = 117 milking goats) fecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT) were performed in summer. All 179 milking goats were enrolled in FECRT and individual milk performance was recorded before and after FEC for FECRT. Furthermore, in early summer and autumn bulk fecal samples were cultured for every farm and GIN genera were determined

Integrated Energy, Environmental and Financial Analysis of Biofuel Production from Switchgrass, Hybrid Poplar, Soybean and Castorbean

Biofuels are considered a substitute for petroleum-fuels, but to be viable they should not depend heavily upon non-renewable resources. The objective of this study was to estimate the ultimate amount of energy required to produce liquid-fuels from switchgrass, hybrid poplar, soybean, and castorbean. Emergy (with an "m") accounting was used to integrate all environmental, fossil fuel, and human-service inputs used throughout the production chain from agricultural field to processing facility. Depending on feedstock type and conversion yields, environmental inputs were between 21-44%, fossil fuels were 18-73% and human-derived services were 2-61%. Gallons of transportation fuel produced per gallon of petroleum used ranged from 0.06 to 4.2 for ethanol and 2.6 to 4.4 for biodiesel. No biofuel was made with less than 75% non-renewable resources. Energy embodied in "hidden" indirect paths ranged from 38-99%. The viability of replacing petroleum with cellulosic ethanol or biodiesel is highly questionable

New vegetation history reconstructions suggest a biostratigraphic assignment of the lowermost Rodderberg interglacial (Germany) to MIS 11

Along with the ongoing climate crisis, research efforts increasingly focus on Pleistocene environmental archives. Interglacial periods are of special interest, as they offer crucial information about natural interactions (i.e. not influenced by human activities) between climate and ecosystems within a climatic setting comparable to the Holocene and/or climate change projections. The sedimentary infill of the Rodderberg crater, 10 km south of the city of Bonn (Germany), records several glacial-interglacial cycles in superposition, which makes it a rare and promising environmental archive. One of the most challenging targets is to establish a robust chronological framework for the Rodderberg sediment sequence. In the present study we reconstruct the vegetation history of the basal and most prominent interglacial sequence, the lowermost Rodderberg interglacial (LRI), and apply the principles of pollen biostratigraphy to estimate the depositional age. At the base of the sequence steppe tundra conditions prevailed during the cryocratic phase before the onset of the interglacial. Rising temperatures caused afforestation of the landscape with boreal forests during the protocratic phase, which subsequently were replaced by temperate forests in the mesocratic phase. The sequence continues under unstable vegetation conditions characterized by temperate forests dominated by Carpinus and Abies during the oligocratic phase. During the terminal part of the LRI, the telocratic phase, boreal to nemoboreal forests covered the landscape. Due to climatic deterioration these forests collapsed and a steppe tundra evolved again (cryocratic phase). This climate-driven glacial-interglacial cycle is followed by an interstadial with rather closed nemoboreal forest vegetation. Based on the occurrences of characteristic taxa as well as the vegetation assemblages and succession, we refrain from correlating the LRI with any of the warm stages between c. 240 and 180 ka BP, i.e. roughly corresponding to MIS 7. A correlation with the Holsteinian, which was previously physically dated to c. 340e325 ka BP, cannot unambiguously be excluded, however, the absence of Pterocarya during the LRI argues against it. Instead, the LRI has striking similarities with the Kärlich interglacial, which has been previously physically dated to c. 400 ka BP, making it chronologically equivalent to MIS 11

Early intervention in obstetric brachial palsy: a review/ Intervenção precoce na paralisia braquial obstetrica: uma revisão

Obstetric brachial paralysis is the end of an injury to the nerve fibers of the brachial plexus during obstetric maneuvers during childbirth. The injury has a great impact on the functionality of the injured upper limb of the newborn. The signs and symptoms vary, depending on the location of the lesion. The early intervention of the physiotherapist in the rehabilitation process is essential to prevent complications and improve motor function. Physiotherapeutic treatment has a very important contribution to the rehabilitation of children with obstetric brachial palsy, however, it is important to respect the neuropsychomotor development process normal child. The physiotherapy objectives basically consists on avoiding contractures and adhesions; promoting motor and sensory stimulation; maintaining range of motion and functional training. Among the techniques that these professionals have, we can highlight passive and active kinesiotherapy, electrostimulation, proprioceptive stimulation, hydrotherapy and Movement Induction and Containment Therapy (MICT), always creating the best possible conditions for the recovery of this individual's functional capacity

Methods of the National Check Bus Project

Summary: Objectives: Prevention at the worksite is considered increasingly important. This paper describes the methods used in a nationwide prevention campaign performed at a large Swiss bank and a Swiss industrial company. The aim of this project was to encourage general health awareness among company employees. We also aimed to provide the companies with general health analyses of their staff as a basis for future health promotion. Furthermore, new screening methods were evaluated in the field of research. Methods: Participation in the programme was voluntary and free of charge. The programme targeted all 25243 employees of the two companies in all regions of Switzerland. A mobile unit was available on site. The programme included a written health questionnaire and medical examinations (e.g., blood pressure, blood tests, ultrasound of the common carotid artery, osteodensitometry, examinations of the eye, etc). Analysis of individual test results, information brochures, and a telephone information service were also provided. Based on the data of the individuals, the "health status” of the employees of the two companies was analysed. The companies did not have access to the data of the individuals. The programme ran from August 1996 to August 1998. Results: With a total of 10 321 persons taking part in the project, the participation rate was 41%. For the different examinations offered, patterns of participation were identifiable that varied with age, hierarchical status within the concern, body mass index, and number of physical complaints of the employee. Some of the variables showed the same trend for different tests, while others showed opposite trends. Conclusions: Participation in worksite health promotion programmes is dependent on a complex system of individual and structural variables that need to be considered when planning worksite health promotion programmes. Consideration of specific target population characteristics, including motivations and incentives as well as structural constraints is likely to improve participation rates in worksite health promotion programmes among employee