Validating Accelerometer Technology to Detect Play Behaviour in Weaned Dairy Calves

Objectives: Animal welfare is an increasingly important subject that is gaining interest not only from veterinarians and scientists, but also from consumers. The public drive for higher welfare standards has increased the need for research to better understand the needs and nature of animals. Play behaviour is commonly observed in young animals and may be adversely affected by negative experiences. Thus, play can be regarded as an indication of a positive welfare state. Observational methods of recording animal behaviour can be labour intensive and impractical for studies of long duration. The increase in commercially available accelerometer technology has allowed for detailed analysis of animal behaviours in a more efficient manner than continuous visual observations. Accelerometers have been validated for detecting play behaviour in newborn (≤ 48 h old) dairy calves but not in any other age group of cattle. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of accelerometers to detect play behaviour in older calves (3 to 5 months old), with a particular focus on motion index (MI) – a proprietary measure of overall animal activity (IceTag, Peacock Technology, Scotland). Materials and methods: Eight weaned female Holstein-Friesian calves (age 118 ± 16 d) were recruited from a 50-cow dairy herd in central Scotland. Calves were housed in a straw-bedded group pen of up to ten calves and had ad libitum access to water, concentrate pellets and straw. Accelerometers (IceTag, Peacock Technology) were attached to one hindlimb of each calf for a 48-hour period. Sensor data were downloaded in 15-min intervals at the end of the recording period. These devices measure acceleration forces which occur during animal movements and output a variety of activity data including step count, lying times and a measure of overall activity termed “motion index (MI)”. Calf behaviour was filmed continuously over the same 48-hour period using two cameras providing an unobstructed view of the calf shed. Behavioural analysis was conducted using one-zero sampling to identify the presence (1) or absence (0) of play within each 15-min interval corresponding to the IceTag data output. Visual observations and MI data were compared and formatted in 2x2 contingency tables for the calculation of the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp) and balanced accuracy of different MI thresholds to detect the presence of play. Results: The number of 15-min intervals in which play events were recorded varied between calves and ranged from 9 to 39 (median 26) over the 48-hour recording period. The median MI was 6 (range 0 to 2343). The MI threshold which best correlated with visual identification of play behaviour was MI ≥69 (sensitivity = 94.42%; specificity = 93.60%; balanced accuracy = 94.01%). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that IceTag generated MI data can be used as a more time efficient alternative to visual analysis to detect play behaviour in weaned dairy calves. This technology can be implemented as a research tool in comparing play, an indicator of positive welfare states, in weaned dairy calves across different management systems

Validating Accelerometer Technology to Detect Play Behaviour in Weaned Dairy Calves

Animal welfare, in particular calf welfare, is an increasingly important subject that is gaining interest from multiple stakeholders within the dairy industry. The drive for higher welfare standards has increased the need for research to better understand the needs and nature of animals. Play behaviour is commonly observed in young animals and is regarded as an indicator of positive welfare states. Traditional observational methods of measuring animal behaviour can be labour intensive and impractical for on farm assessment or for studies of long duration. The increase in commercially available accelerometer technology has allowed for detailed analysis of animal behaviours, such as play, in a more efficient manner than continuous visual observations. Accelerometers have been validated for detecting play behaviour in newborn (≤ 48 h old) calves but not in any other age group of cattle. Therefore the objective of this study was to determine the ability of accelerometers to detect play behaviour in weaned dairy calves. Eight weaned female Holstein-Friesian calves (aged 3-5 months) were recruited from a 50-cow dairy herd in central Scotland. Accelerometers (IceTag, Peacock Technology) were attached to one hindlimb of each calf for a 48-hour period. Sensor activity data including step counts, lying times and a measure of overall activity termed “motion index (MI)” were downloaded at the end of the study period in 15-minute intervals. Calf behaviour was filmed continuously over the same 48-hour period and analysed using one-zero sampling to identify the presence (1) or absence (0) of play within each 15-min interval corresponding to the IceTag data output. A significant, positive correlation between MI and visually recorded play was found (r=0.59, p<0.01) and therefore this output metric was selected for further analysis. Using 2x2 contingency tables and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis, it was determined that the MI threshold which best correlated with visual identification of play behaviour was MI ≥69 (sensitivity = 94.42%; specificity = 93.60%; balanced accuracy = 94.01%). The results of this study suggest that IceTag generated MI data can be used as a more time efficient alternative to visual analysis to detect play behaviour in weaned dairy calves

Validating Accelerometer Technology to Detect Play Behaviour in Weaned Dairy Calves

Relevant sector: • Calf health • Welfare • Precision livestock technology. Objectives: Animal welfare is an increasingly important subject that is gaining interest not only from veterinarians and scientists, but also from consumers. The public drive for higher welfare standards has increased the need for research to better understand the needs and nature of animals. Play behaviour is commonly observed in young animals and may be adversely affected by negative experiences. Thus, play can be regarded as an indication of a positive welfare state. Observational methods of recording animal behaviour can be labour intensive and impractical for studies of long duration. The increase in commercially available accelerometer technology has allowed for detailed analysis of animal behaviours in a more efficient manner than continuous visual observations. Accelerometers have been validated for detecting play behaviour in newborn (≤ 48 h old) dairy calves but not in any other age group of cattle. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of accelerometers to detect play behaviour in older calves (3 to 5 months old), with a particular focus on motion index (MI) – a proprietary measure of overall animal activity (IceTag, Peacock Technology, Scotland). Materials and methods: Eight weaned female Holstein-Friesian calves (age 118 ± 16 d) were recruited from a 50-cow dairy herd in central Scotland. Calves were housed in a straw-bedded group pen of up to ten calves and had ad libitum access to water, concentrate pellets and straw. Accelerometers (IceTag, Peacock Technology) were attached to one hindlimb of each calf for a 48-hour period. Sensor data were downloaded in 15-min intervals at the end of the recording period. These devices measure acceleration forces which occur during animal movements and output a variety of activity data including step count, lying times and a measure of overall activity termed “motion index (MI)”. Calf behaviour was filmed continuously over the same 48-hour period using two cameras providing an unobstructed view of the calf shed. Behavioural analysis was conducted using one-zero sampling to identify the presence (1) or absence (0) of play within each 15-min interval corresponding to the IceTag data output. Visual observations and MI data were compared and formatted in 2x2 contingency tables for the calculation of the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp) and balanced accuracy of different MI thresholds to detect the presence of play. Results: The number of 15-min intervals in which play events were recorded varied between calves and ranged from 9 to 39 (median 26) over the 48-hour recording period. The median MI was 6 (range 0 to 2343). The MI threshold which best correlated with visual identification of play behaviour was MI ≥69 (sensitivity = 94.42%; specificity = 93.60%; balanced accuracy = 94.01%). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that IceTag generated MI data can be used as a more time efficient alternative to visual analysis to detect play behaviour in weaned dairy calves. This technology can be implemented as a research tool in comparing play, an indicator of positive welfare states, in weaned dairy calves across different management systems

Risk factors for ultrasound-diagnosed endometritis and its impact on fertility in Scottish dairy cattle herds

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for and the impact of ultrasound-diagnosed endometritis (UDE) on lactating dairy cows’ reproductive performance. Methods: Data were analysed from 1123 Holstein and Holstein-Friesian cows from two Scottish dairy farms. A reproductive ultrasound examination was conducted on two occasions, at 43 ± 3 and 50 ± 3 days in milk (DIM), to screen for hyperechoic fluid in the uterus. Statistical analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression modelling and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: The overall incidence of UDE was 8.8% (99/1123). Risk factors for UDE included calving during autumn/winter seasons, increased parity and the presence of two or more diseases in the first 50 ± 3 days postpartum. The presence of UDE was associated with a reduced odds of pregnancy after all artificial inseminations up to 150 DIM. Limitations: The retrospective design of this study led to some inherent limitations with the quality and quantity of data collected. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate which risk factors should be monitored in postpartum dairy cows to limit the impact of UDE on future reproductive performance

Association of Interleukin-6 Signalling with the Muscle Stem Cell Response Following Muscle-Lengthening Contractions in Humans

BACKGROUND: The regulation of muscle stem cells in humans in response to muscle injury remains largely undefined. Recently, interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been implicated in muscle stem cell (satellite cell)-mediated muscle hypertrophy in animals; however, the role of IL-6 in the satellite cell (SC) response following muscle-lengthening contractions in humans has not been studied. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Eight subjects (age 22+/-1 y; 79+/-8 kg) performed 300 maximal unilateral lengthening contractions (3.14 rad.s(-1)) of the knee extensors. Blood and muscle samples were collected before and at 4, 24, 72, and 120 hours post intervention. IL-6, IL-6 receptor, IL-6R(alpha), cyclin D1, suppressor of cytokine signling-3 (SOCS3) mRNA were measured using quantitative RT-PCR and serum IL-6 protein was measured using an ELISA kit. JAK2 and STAT3 phosphorylated and total protein was measured using western blotting techniques. Immunohistochemical analysis of muscle cross-sections was performed for the quantification of SCs (Pax7(+) cells) as well as the expression of phosphorylated STAT3, IL-6, IL-6R(alpha), and PCNA across all time-points. The SC response, as defined by an amplification of Pax7(+) cells, was rapid, increasing by 24 h and peaking 72 h following the intervention. Muscle IL-6 mRNA increased following the intervention, which correlated strongly (R(2) = 0.89, p<0.002) with an increase in serum IL-6 concentration. SC IL-6R(alpha) protein was expressed on the fiber, but was also localized to the SC, and IL-6(+) SC increased rapidly following muscle-lengthening contractions and returned to basal levels by 72 h post-intervention, demonstrating an acute temporal expression of IL-6 with SC. Phosphorylated STAT3 was evident in SCs 4 h after lengthening contraction, and the downstream genes, cyclin D1 and SOCS3 were significantly elevated 24 hours after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The increased expression of STAT3 responsive genes and expression of IL-6 within SCs demonstrate that IL-6/STAT3 signaling occurred in SCs, correlating with an increase in SC proliferation, evidenced by increased Pax7(+)/PCNA(+) cell number in the early stages of the time-course. Collectively, these data illustrate that IL-6 is an important signaling molecule associated with the SC response to acute muscle-lengthening contractions in humans

Investigation of Coxiella burnetii Following Parturition: A Fresh Spotlight on a Neglected Disease in Scotland

No abstract available

Faith, frolics, and femininity: re-evaluating Irene Dunne's Hollywood stardom

Irene Dunne (1898-1990) remained a top tier Hollywood star for over twenty years due to her ability to transform her stardom every few years without changing the core values of her persona, refreshing her career without neglecting the traits of independence, professionalism, and ambition which were key to her popularity. This thesis focuses on the moments when Dunne transformed her image arguing that she provided a rich, but currently underappreciated, example of feminine autonomy for mid-century audiences and beyond. I draw on a wide range of primary sources – including contemporary newspapers and magazines and Dunne’s personal archives – to argue that she has been undervalued within the film studies canon. Challenging views of her as one of Hollywood’s more conservative and ‘ladylike’ stars, I combine close film analysis with archival sources to highlight her promotion throughout her film career (1930-1952) of modern, feminist lifestyle choices for women which involved work outside the home, companionate marriage, and financial independence. I explore Dunne’s engagement with taboos such as divorce, adultery, and abortion in her early, pre-Code career. These subversive performances contradict critical views of her as a ‘perfect lady’ prevalent since the end of her film career in 1952. The thesis then considers how her unruly screwball comedy performances of drunkenness critiqued contemporary suppression of women’s visibility in public life. In the 1940s Dunne moved into playing mother roles, and I link these performances to her personal Catholic faith and devotion to the Virgin Mary. Dunne’s mid-1940s characters clearly called upon long-enduring traditions which placed Mary as an emblem of strength and perseverance for Catholic women. Finally, I identify Dunne’s centrality to changing contemporary attitudes on female middle age, emphasising her enduring appeal as the star of romantic dramas well into her late forties and early fifties as a corrective to classical Hollywood’s association with youthful starlets