Ingvar Ekesbo and Stefan Gunnarsson: Farm Animal Behaviour Characteristics for Assessment of Health and Welfare. Book Review

Ingvar Ekesbo and Stefan Gunnarsson: Farm Animal Behaviour Characteristics for Assessment of Health and Welfare. Second edition. CABI Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK, 2018. 341 pages, with innumerable photo illustrations. 18 × 24 cm. ISBN-13: 978 1 78639 139 1. Price: 60

The in vitro effect of Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) extract on Brachyspira hyodysenteriae

Filtrates of a water extract of commercially available garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) were used for studying its possible bactericidal effect on Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, the causative agent of swine dysentery, by agar-diffusion technique. Five of the six studied Brachyspira strains have proven to be sensitive and one moderately sensitive in the in vitro tests. It was concluded that water extract of garden thyme possesses inhibitory effects against B. hyodysenteriae. In vivo experiments are needed to check the validity of this conclusion

A NEW METHOD FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE RESISTANCE OF MAIZE HYBRIDS TO FUSARIAL EAR ROT - THE TOXIN-MOULD-INDEX (TMI)

30 maize hybrids grown in Hungary representing the groups FAO 200 - 299, FAO 300 399, FAO 400 - 499, and FAO 500 - were studied in order to gain information about genotypic resistance to Fusarium moulds. The plants grown on an experimental farm were artificially infected using the tooth pick method with F. graminearum and F. oxysporum resp. In addition maize grain meals were also inoculated with isolates of moulds. The surface area of ears covered by moulds 9 weeks after inoculation and the toxin content (zearalenone and T-2 toxin) of infected maize grain meals were measured. Big differences were observed in the mould-covered area of the ear surface (2.00 to 38.88%) and also in the zearalenone content (2.73 to 80.33 mg per kg) and T-2 toxin content (5.37 to .52.33 mg per kg) between genotypes. Poor correlation was found between the mould-covered area and the toxin content measured in the maize grain meal of the same genotypes. For characterization of resistance resp. susceptibility of different genotypes, a new method was introduced using the toxin-mould-index (TMI) taking in to consideration both the growth rate of moulds and their toxin production. In every FAO group resistant genotypes were found confirming the view that not only the duration of the vegetation period influences the resistance or susceptibility

STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF N-FERTILIZATION AND PLANT DENSITY ON THE RESISTANCE OF MAIZE HYBRIDS TO FUSARIAL EAR ROT

Eight maize hybrids grown in Hungary were studied in order to investigate the effects of some agrotechnical factors (N-fertilization and plant density) on the resistance to Fusarium moulds. The plants grown on an experimental farm were artificially infected using the tooth pick method with F. graminearum and F. culmorum. In addition, maize grain meals were also inoculated with isolates of moulds. The surface area of ears covered by moulds 9 weeks after inoculation and the toxin content (Zearalenone and T2 toxin) of infected grain meals were measured. For characterization of resistance, the toxin-mould index (TMI) was introduced which takes into consideration both the growth rate of moulds and their toxin production. A slight decrease in the mould-covered surface area of ears was observed with growing N-supply, and surprisingly no significant differences were found in the toxin content with higher plant density

Effect of current intensity and duration on the effectiveness of head-only electrical stunning in pigs under commercial conditions

After head-only electrical stunning of pigs sequential animal-based measurements were carried out right after stunning as well as before and after bleeding in order to analyse how unconsciousness is achieved and maintained in relation to recorded and calculated technical parameters such as electric current intensity, electric work, duration of stunning, and stun-to-bloodletting period. The measurements were performed at three different slaughterhouses on 9 different days under routine slaughtering conditions. The data of 405 pigs were analysed. The effectiveness of stunning was measured by the number of parameters at two (adequate and acceptable) levels. Current intensity had a predominant effect on the effectiveness of stunning and on the maintenance of unconsciousness. The duration of stunning played a role only as part of the electric work, which manifested itself in the maintenance of unconsciousness. Stunning proved acceptable in 99% of the cases, provided that the minimum current intensity of 1.02 Amp was secured. In 99% of the cases unconsciousness could be maintained at an acceptable level beyond bloodletting when the electric work was at least 8,089.38 Joules. Recovery of consciousness depends on the stun-to-stick period: the best time of bloodletting is less than 32 seconds from the end of stunning

Biotransformation of trichothecenes alleviates the negative effects of T-2 toxin in pigs

Between 49 and 70 days of age, three groups of growing pigs (n = 10 each) were fed diets containing 0, 0.3 and 0.5 mg/kg T-2 toxin, respectively, for 21 days. The feed of another two groups of pigs (n = 10 each) contained 0.3 or 0.5 mg/kg T-2 toxin, respectively, plus a feed additive developed for splitting up the molecular structure of Fusarium toxins, in particular trichothecenes, by deepoxidation of the molecule, at 2 kg/tonne concentration. One group (n = 10) served as positive control; their feed was free from T-2 toxin but contained the feed additive at the above concentration. Toxin concentrations at these low dietary levels impaired the feed intake and growth rate of pigs. The feed additive alleviated the negative effects and justified its potential for prevention. Data of the present study indicated a 0.2 mg/kg feed no observed effect level (NOEL) of T-2 toxin in growing pig feeds

Effect of frequency at head only electrical stunning of pigs on the efficiency of stunning in commercial conditions

SUMMARY Background: Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that animals must be rendered unconscious and insensible by stunning and they must remain so until death occurs through bleed ing (European Commission, 2009). Different stunning parameters can result in different effectiveness of stunning as well as different maintenance of narcosis. Objectives: Frequency of stunning current has never been studied under com mercial conditions, consequently the authors set this aim of the examinations. Materials and Methods: Measurements were performed in one abattoir, on 6 different days, on 193 pigs, in routine slaughter conditions for studying the effect of electrical frequency used for head-only electrical stunning. After stunning of pigs sequential animal based measurements were carried out right after stun ning, before and after bleeding in order to analyse how unconsciousness analge sia is achieved and maintained in relation to frequency. The effect of frequency on efficiency of stunning was evaluated by a score scale and on this basis the quality of analgesia was classified as efficient (proper), acceptable or inefficient. Results and Discussion: Statistical analysis of data showed, that frequency of the stunning current had significant role on effectiveness of stunning, but frequency had no effect on maintenance of narcosis. One-hundred-and-fifty Hz yielded effective stunning. However, higher than three hundred Hz is not rec ommended for stunning. This can be attributed to the fact that half waves of stunning DC lasted 3 milliseconds or less which period is shorter than the period needed for permanent depolarization in the neurons of the brain