Iperborei ed Eubei

Discussione del passo di Erodoto relativo alle offerte dei doni votivi degli Iperborei a Delo (4, 33-35). Si individua in Artemide il destinatario del cerimoniale iperboreo mentre la sua ideazione e organizzazione vengono riferite agli Eubei. L\u2019itinerario dei doni iniziava a Dodona e l\u2019Eubea era una tappa fondamentale del percorso che toccava anche Tenos prima di giungere a Delo. La creazione di un cerimoniale pan-euboico viene ricondotta alla seconda met\ue0 del 7\ub0 sec. a.C., in una fase in cui \ue8 plausibile che l'isola volesse affermare una propria identit\ue0 condivisa, al di l\ue0 delle tensioni che l'avevano lacerata al tempo della guerra lelantina

Welfare Assessment in Shelter Dogs by Using Physiological and Immunological Parameters

This study aimed to evaluate the state of welfare of a group of dogs during the first month after entering the shelter by using dierent stress parameters. Blood and fecal samples were collected from a group of 71 dogs at the time of admission to the shelter. In 46 of these dogs, sampling was repeated after four weeks. Well-recognized welfare biomarkers, such as fecal cortisol and leukocytes, as well as some innovative parameters ( -endorphin and lysozyme) were determined. Uni- and multivariate statistical analyses were used to evaluate their interactions and changes over time. Neutrophils (p < 0.01), lysozyme (p < 0.05), and fecal cortisol (p < 0.05) decreased, while lymphocytes (p < 0.05) increased after four weeks compared to the first days of being in the shelter, suggesting an improvement in the dogs’ welfare over time. A principal component analysis extracted three bipolar components (PCs), explaining 75% of the variance and indicating negative associations between neutrophil and lymphocyte (PC1), lysozyme and -endorphin (PC2), cortisol and lysozyme (PC3). The associations between these variables within each PC also confirmed the intricate relationships between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the immune system as well as the importance of a multiparametric approach in evaluating welfare

Native immunity and oxidative traits of growing rabbits

[EN] The evaluation of animal welfare through innate immunity (Serum Bactericidal Activity - SBA, Hemolytic Complement Assay - HCA, lysozyme) and the antioxidant status of the body (Reactive Oxygen Substances - ROS and Antioxidant Power of plasma, AP) offers a reliable prognostic and diagnostic tool. The aim of the present study was to investigate trends and correlations between some traits of innate immunity and the oxidative status of fattening rabbits at different ages. Blood samples from 120 New Zealand White fattening rabbits at 45, 55, 65, and 75 d of age were collected and analyzed. The results showed that SBA did not have a normal distribution because of numerous 0 values. Data distribution was normal when only SBA > 0 values were considered. Lysozyme (mean value 27.19 microg/mL) and HCA (mean value 50.84 CH50% ) had stable trends at different ages and showed a tendency that was comparable to that obtained in other animal species. On the contrary, SBA (mean value 42.15%) showed an unexpected positive correlation with lysozyme (P<0.001) and a negative correlation with HCA (P<0.001). Oxygen free-radicals are involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases and oxidative stress alters immune competence. In this experiment, ROS and AP showed mean values of 0.60 mmol H2 O2 and 421.67 micromol HClO, respectively. In this context positive correlation coefficients between oxidative status traits and immune traits (P<0.001) were found, although at a very low level; and surprisingly, only ROS and SBA did not show any significant correlation. In this study it emerged that, even in the absence of evident pathologies, the immune and oxidative traits of fattening rabbits could be affected by environmental stress (weaning, cage, neighbors)Funded by Ricerca Corrente 2006 Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e MarcheMoscati, L.; Dal Bosco, A.; Battistacci, L.; Cardinali, R.; Mugnai, C.; Castellini, C. (2008). Native immunity and oxidative traits of growing rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 16(4). doi:10.4995/wrs.2008.616SWORD16

Multi-Operator Qualitative Behavioural Assessment for dogs entering the shelter

This study aimed to develop and validate a fast and straightforward welfare assessment system to help shelter staff in decision-making processes. For newly captured dogs entering the shelter, the animal control officer (at capture time) and the veterinary officer (at entrance examination) compiled a form attributing a qualitative score for the overall Stress level and for 5 Descriptors of dog behavioural traits. Furthermore, a tester filled out the same form by subjecting the dog to a test battery in his pen, besides performing behavioural observations. The veterinary officer and the tester repeated the evaluation protocol after four weeks of acclimatisation in the shelter. The analysis evaluated inter-observer and test–retest reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity of qualitative scores. Overall, we collected 258 forms regarding 189 dogs. Principal component (PC) extracted by Descriptors showed a good correlation with the Stress level score for veterinary and tester confirming the internal consistency of these scales while it was low for animal control officer form. Moreover, qualitative evaluations of the veterinarian and the tester showed congruent correlations with behavioural observations supporting their construct validity. Conversely, the scores expressed by the animal control officer were not consistent with quantitative observations. Then, the veterinary officer and tester forms could be validated and further simplified including only Stress level score while the control officer form requires a revision as it does not seem reliable. We did not find agreement between the Stress level scores expressed by animal control officer, veterinary and tester suggesting that the three contexts represent different stress stimuli to which the same dog reacts differently. The point of view of the three evaluators can increase the reliability of the assessment. Static but vigilant behaviours prevailed in newly sheltered dogs but activity, interactions and behavioural diversity increased in the second behavioural observation when the dogs were kept in multiple cages and four weeks of adaptation had passed. Stress level reduced and PCs tended towards the pole of sociability suggesting a reduction of stress after the period of adaptation to the socio-environmental conditions of the shelter. On the other hand, the considerable inter-individual variability in behaviours reflects differences in coping strategies and or in the manifestation of stress. Our simple tool can not replace a multidisciplinary approach to welfare assessment but could help shelter staff for individual management of dogs complying with their different adaptation skills

Adaptive response to exercise of fast-growing and slow-growing chicken strains: Blood oxidative status and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense

Abstract The adaptation of chickens to free-range rearing systems mainly involves the locomotory behavior, which is very different in fast-growing (FG) and slow-growing (SG) strains. This study aimed to compare the effect of moderate locomotory activity (induced and prolonged) on the blood oxidative status in a slow-growing chicken strain with that in a fast-growing one. Thirty FG (Ross 308) birds and 30 SG (Hubbard) birds were divided into 2 groups for each strain and subjected to different treatments: no exercise (the control group [C]) and 1 h of walking at 4 km/h (the exercise group [E]). Daily exercise was promoted by operators, who walked behind the animals around a paddock. Blood samples were obtained weekly from both groups. For the E group, samples were obtained before exercise (E1) and after exercise (E2). Oxidative markers (creatine kinase [CK], reactive oxygen molecular substance [ROMS], thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]), and antioxidant compounds (α-tocopherol [α-T], γ-tocopherol [γ-T], δ-tocopherol [δ-T], α-tocotrienol [α-T3], γ-tocotrienol [γ-T3], retinol, and carotenoids) were evaluated. In both strains, the CK level was higher in chickens subjected to exercise; however, its increase was greater in the FG group than in the SG one (1.56-fold vs. 1.08-fold). The antioxidant status was worse in FG strain birds subjected to exercise, whereas the status remained nearly the same in the SG strain birds. The α-T and retinol concentrations were significantly reduced by exercise, primarily in the FG group, whereas the other antioxidant compounds (α-T3, γ-T3, γ-T, δ-T, lutein, and zeaxanthin) were unaffected by strain or treatment. The FG and SG strains had different responses to exercise, and only the SG showed a progressive reduction in TBARS and ROMS values during the 28-day experiment. Accordingly, moderate exercise may be beneficial only when the birds have suitable behavioral characteristics (e.g., higher kinetic activity, rusticity, and explorative nature) or physical characteristics (e.g., low body weight); otherwise, exercise is highly stressful and affects physiology and well-being

Impiego di un programma integrato di bioattivazione per il controllo della polmonite micoplasmica del suino

Introduzione. La qualit\ue0 dell\u2019aria nelle strutture di allevamento dei suini dipende soprattutto dalla concentrazione dei biogas, derivati dall\u2019azione della flora microbica fecale sull\u2019urea contenuta nelle urine; il peggioramento della qualit\ue0 ambientale \ue8 alla base di molti problemi sanitari, basati in primo luogo sull\u2019impossibilit\ue0 degli animali a mantenere un bilancio organico corretto. Una soluzione possibile e innovativa \ue8 rappresentata dalla bioattivazione con miscele batterico-enzimatiche; per questa via, si pu\uf2 ottenere una riduzione delle emanazioni, controllando anche la formazione di sostanze dannose per l\u2019ambiente. Materiali e metodi. \uc8 stato programmato un intervento in due aziende suinicole (il reparto di magronaggio-ingrasso di un ciclo chiuso completo e un allevamento di solo ingrasso), per controllare il danno indotto dall\u2019infezione micoplasmica nelle fasi di produzione a flusso continuo; sono stati messi a confronto gruppi trattati e non trattati, diversi tipi di pavimentazione (grigliato completo, concreto completo e misto grigliato-concreto) e pi\uf9 schemi d\u2019intervento, utilizzando, da soli o in combinazione, bioattivatori in polvere e liquidi. Il sistema di bioattivazione impiegato comprende due bioattivatori (in polvere e soluzione) e un prodotto naturale di origine vegetale da aggiungere alla razione alimentare. La polvere \ue8 stata distribuita sulle pavimentazioni, in ragione di 0,5 Kg per 100 mq ogni 15 giorni mediante spargimento manuale, mentre la soluzione \ue8 stato aerosolizzata nell\u2019ambiente di stabulazione, mediante impianto computerizzato, in ragione di 1 litro ogni 100 mq al mese; il prodotto vegetale, per la sua composizione in grado di riequilibrare la flora intestinale, \ue8 stato invece aggiunto quotidianamente alla razione, in ragione di 500 g/t di mangime. I rilievi e le osservazioni hanno riguardato la concentrazione di azoto ammoniacale (rilevata con metodo chimico), la presenza di anticorpi specifici per M. hyopneumoniae prima e dopo il periodo di trattamento (valutata con metodo ELISA), i punteggi polmonari al macello (valutati con metodo quantitativo) e il peso medio di partita. Risultati. In tutti i gruppi trattati, la sieroprevalenza per M. hyopneumoniae \ue8 stata elevata, a dimostrazione della circolazione dell\u2019infezione nel periodo di osservazione, ma la diminuzione della concentrazione ambientale dell\u2019ammoniaca, ottenuta grazie all\u2019impiego dei bioattivatori) ha permesso di ottenere benefici evidenti sul punteggio polmonare medio, confermati dalla significativit\ue0 statistica delle differenze, e sul peso medio di partita. In rapporto ai tipi di pavimentazione, la bioattivazione ha fornito i risultati migliori combinando polvere e liquido sul grigliato completo. Conclusioni. I risultati ottenuti dimostrano che nelle situazioni di allevamento, la stabilizzazione del bilancio organico degli animali attraverso una gestione ambientale che ne garantisca anche il benessere \ue8 una soluzione attuabile, in una logica di depotenziamento delle infezioni; essi sono la conseguenza dell\u2019accresciuta reattivit\ue0 degli animali, correlata ad un miglior bilancio organico, piuttosto che l\u2019effetto di un\u2019azione diretta sui patogeni; \ue8 in corso la valutazione della reattivit\ue0 immunitaria aspecifica dei suini sottoposti a trattamento, per correlare stato sanitario e produttivit\ue0 al miglioramento della qualit\ue0 ambientale

Effects of two different probiotics on microflora, morphology, and morphometry of gut in organic laying hens

ABSTRACT The current study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis, used as probiotics, on the microflora, morphology, and morphometry of the gut in organic laying hens. The birds (180 Hy-Line laying hens) were divided into 3 homogenous groups and received a pre-deposition diet from 16 to 20 wk of age and a deposition diet for the remaining 7 months of the experiment. The control group (CTR) was fed a corn-soybean cake-based diet, the second group (L) received the same diet supplemented with 0.1% of L. acidophilus while in the third group (B) the basal diet was supplemented with 0.05% of B. subtilis. At 18 wk of age (T1) and at 5 (T2) and 7 months (T3) from the beginning of deposition, 9 subjects per group were humanely killed for microbiological, morphological and morphometric analyses of the intestinal tract. The 2 probiotic-supplemented diets increased Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. counts compared with the CTR diet. The lowest viable counts of E. coli, coliforms and staphylococci were observed in the L group (