Effect of High Levels of Ammonia in Air on Adrenal Response to Adrenocorticotropin and Forced Running in Rabbits

The aim of the present study was to assess adrenal response to high air ammonia levels in rabbits. Twenty male rabbits of the New Zealand White breed at the age of 4 months were randomly allocated into two groups: control - reared under low air ammonia levels (1.4-14.6 ppm) and experimental – reared under higher ammonia levels (28-57 ppm). The rabbits of both groups were subjected to forced running for 15 min on day 37 of the trial and two weeks later they received i.m. injection of 0.1 mg synthetic adrenocorticotropin (ACTH1-24) per rabbit. The animals were sacrificed two days after termination of the trial and some internal organs and glands were excised and weighed. Plasma cortisol levels in both groups were not significantly altered at 20 and 60 min following the end of forced running relative to basal levels. Plasma corticosterone level in the control rabbits declined at 20 min (P<0.01) and 60 min (P<0.05) following exposure to forced running and remained unchanged in the experimental group. Plasma cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in both groups declined significantly at 60 and 120 min following ACTH injection. The rabbits under high ammonia levels had heavier adrenal glands than control rabbits (P<0.01). The results are interpreted to suggest that ammonia-induced higher adrenal weight was due to hypertrophy of adrenal zona glomerulosa

Effect of Acute Heat Stress on Some Hematological Parameters, Trace Elements and Meat Quality in Rabbits

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of acute heat stress on some hematological parameters, trace elements and meat quality traits in rabbits. Twelve male rabbits at the age of 4 months were allocated into 2 groups: control and experimental. The experimental rabbits were exposed to intermittent solar radiation for 4 hours at 36 °C. The following parameters were determined: white blood cells (WBC) count, red blood cells (RBC) count, hematocrit, neutrophil and lymphocyte percentages, liver and meat content of chromium (Cr) and selenium (Se), pH of meat at 60 min and 24 h post mortem, meat color, myoglobin and water holding capacity (WHC). Exposure to heat increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (P<0.01) and liver content of Cr (P<0.01), while WBC count, RBC count, hematocrit, liver Se, muscle Cr and Se, pH of meat at 24 h, meat color, myoglobin and WHC were not affected by the applied heat load. The experimental rabbits had significantly lower meat pH at 60 min after slaughter relative to the control rabbits (P<0.05). It was suggested that experimental rabbits had sufficient muscle glycogen at the time of slaughter needed to produce the lactic acid that reduced the ultimate pH of post-mortem muscle within the range observed in the control rabbits

The Impact of Eco-Innovation on Performance Through the Measurement of Financial Resources and Green Patents

The main objective of this article is to contribute empirically to the understanding of the impact that eco-innovation has on firms’ financial performance within the framework of the resources-based view. Specifically, eco-innovation is measured by using eco-innovative activities and financial resources applied to eco-innovation to argue that the identification and measurement of certain resources of firms allow companies that are particularly active in investing in eco-innovation to be more competitive. Furthermore, the analysis attempts to ascertain whether firms that own green patents and other characteristics exhibit different level of financial performance than firms without registered green patents. The empirical partial least squares structural equation modeling results indicate a positive relationship between the investment of resources and the financial performance of eco-innovative firms. The effects of involving managers in eco-innovative processes as an environmental capability of firms are also tested

Agricultural Academy

Abstract Moneva, P., S. PoPova-Ralcheva, v. SRedkova, M. kRuSteva and d. Gudev, 2011. Reliability of some endocrine and behavioral indices of stress. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., this investigation accentuates on the reliability of some endocrine (cortisol and prolactin), behavioral (bleating frequency, prevalence of feed and defense response) and immune (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio) indices of stress. our study comprised several experimental designs with laying hens, cows, does and kids. We found sizable stress response to blood sampling procedures that was registered as early as the first minutes after catching of the bird. there were pronounced individual differences in stress-sensitivity demonstrated by plasma cortisol levels which varied from low to high values. heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, unlike cortisol began to change after a latent period of 10-15 min. following the start of stress stimuli. When combined with cortisol this ratio allowed us to differentiate stress stimuli induced by the handling procedures from those induced by a certain environmental and technological factors. Plasma cortisol level turned out to be reliable stress indicator in does, previously habituated to blood sampling procedures. However, kid separation at the time of weaning caused significant plasma cortisol enhancement. there was no stress when the kids were prevented from suckling but remained to their mothers. the frequency of bleating did not correspond to plasma cortisol dynamics indicating that it is not reliable stress indicator in this particular case. exposure of cows to heat stress elicited short-term increase of plasma cortisol followed by a quick decline to values that were within the normal range in spite of the elevated rectal temperature. Plasma prolactin increased and remained high throughout the heat load period. these results demonstrate that plasma cortisol level can not be used as a universal stress-indicator

Agricultural Academy

Abstract MONEVA, P., S. POPOVA-RALCHEVA, D. GUDEV, V. SREDKOVA and I. YANCHEV, 2008. Study on the metabolic implication of supplemental tryptophan in exposed to stress chickens. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., The effect of supplemental tryptophan (5g/1Kg -1 diet) on some indices of stress, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (H:L), leukocyte and erythrocyte numbers in chickens under stress induced by alternating periods of normal feeding with periods of feed and water withdrawal was investigated. Twenty chickens at the age of six weeks were randomly allocated into two groups-control and experimental. Experimental birds were deprived of feed and water and their legs tied for seventeen hours each day in four consecutive days. Body weight was registered on d 0 (baseline value), d 7 (preliminary period-free of stress) and on d 11 (experimental period). Blood samples were taken on d 0 and d 11. Relative weights of some immunobiological organs were also measured at the end of the experimental period. Supplemental tryptophan alleviated body weight decline, decreased spleen (P&gt;0.05) and liver (P&lt;0.05) relative weights, but had no significant effect on those of adrenal glands and bursa of Fabricius. Plasma urea levels were not influenced by supplemental tryptophan but plasma glucose levels declined by 14h and cholesterol levels by 17h in comparison with control group. Tryptophan supplementation prevented H: L ratio increment caused by stressor treatment. Leukocyte numbers and hematocrit values were not significantly influenced by tryptophan. Interleukin-1α response to stress declined in triptophan supplemented chickens by 14 h following the start of stressor treatment but corticosterone response was not influenced. Our results indicate that tryptophan is implicated in white blood cells dynamics and influences the pattern of the observed stress indices in chickens

How do firms comply with international sustainability standards? Processes and consequences of adopting the global reporting initiative

This paper addresses the issue of the influence of global governance institutions, particularly international sustainability standards, on a firm’s intra-organizational practices. More precisely, we provide an exploratory empirical view of the impact of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) on a multinational corporation’s (MNC) corporate social responsibility (CSR) management practices. We investigate standard compliance by comparing the stated intention of the use of the GRI with its actual use and the consequent effects within the firm. Based on an in-depth case study, our findings illustrate the processes and consequences of the translation of the GRI within the organization. We show that substantive standard adoption can lead to unintended consequences on CSR management practices, specifically it can influence the management structure and CSR committee function; the choice of CSR activities, the relationships between subsidiaries, the temporal dimension of CSR management, and the interpretation of CSR performance. We also highlight the need to look at the relationship dynamics (or lack of) between standards. Finally we illustrate and discuss the role of reporting and its influence on management in order to better understand the internal issues arising from compliance with standards

POULTRY WELFARE ASSESSMENT; IS IT POSSIBLE TO AVOID HANDLING-INDUCED MENTAL STRESS INTERFERENCE?

Abstract: Monitoring and quantification of poultry welfare requires more studies on the pattern of adrenal response in hens, exposed to a large variety of stressors. The aim of this experiment was to investigate concurrent stress effects of catching, social disruption, crating and unfamiliar environment on the dynamics of plasma corticosterone level and heterophile/lymphocyte ratio in 55 weeks old, Loman breed hens. The hens were raised in a free range housing system. Twenty five hens were chosen at random for blood collection. After catching they were placed in a common crate and carried to a separate room in the same building. Blood samples were taken at 05, 15, 30, 60 and 90 min. after the crating. There was a steady increase in plasma corticosterone over the first 30 min. (P&lt;0.01), followed by gradual decline by 60 and 90 min. (P&lt;0.01) after the crating. Heterophile/ lymphocyte ratio increased significantly at 60 min. after an initial lag period of about 15-20 min. Taken together our results suggest that corticosterone alone, can not be used for animal welfare assessment. Heterophile-to-lymphocyte ratio turns to be reliable indicator of poultry welfare status but it should be combined with measurement of plasma corticosterone in order to obtain a comprehensive view of any particular poultry welfare