Effect of housing system (wire cage versus group-housing) and in-house air quality parameters on the behaviour of fattening rabbits

[EN] In the same room of an experimental rabbit house 2 housing systems were compared, namely three pens to keep rabbits on bedding and six wire cages for unbedded rabbit keeping. In total, 69 New Zealand White crossbred rabbits 8-12 wk old were used in the study. The rabbits were kept in groups with 0.6 m2 floor area per animal in pens with thinly scattered straw. Wire cages had no bedding and there were 4 rabbits in each cage and 0.4 m2 floor area per rabbit. The study lasted for 8 wk. Rabbit behaviour was observed once 1 wk for 24 h. Behaviour was recorded using a scan sampling every hour. Results were analysed by calculating the percentage frequency of each behaviour. Behaviour analysis according to the keeping method indicated that rabbits kept on bedding spent on average less time resting and grooming (41.53 % and 5.18 % vs. 53.60 % and 8.48 %) and more time eating (29.86 % vs. 18.03 %, respectively) in comparison with those kept in wire cages. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between environmental temperature, illumination, ammonia and carbon dioxide gas concentrations and activity of rabbits.Ribikauskas, V.; Ribikauskiene, D.; Skurdeniene, I. (2010). Effect of housing system (wire cage versus group-housing) and in-house air quality parameters on the behaviour of fattening rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 18(4). doi:10.4995/wrs.2010.77724325018

Improving animal health and welfare in organic cattle milk production through breeding and management

Overall summary of main results, discussion and conclusions WP1 The aim in WP1 was to map the performance of local breeds compared to commercial dairy breeds on organic farms in Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland and Germany with regard to health associated traits, fertility and production traits. In a study covering the whole population of the selected breeds, managed under organic conditions during the period 1.7.2011 to 30.6.2014, we found lower milk yields for local breeds. In general we found better fertility performance (less days open, shorter calving intervals, lower number of inseminations) for at least one of the local breeds involved in each country. We also detected lower proportions of milk records with somatic cell counts above 100.000 cells/ ml milk for in at least one of the local breeds in Austria, Switzerland and Sweden, but not so for Poland where the commercial breed performed best. Moreover, we found a lower proportion of test day records with a fat: protein ratio above 1.5 in the first 100 days in milk for many local breeds (Grey Cattle (AL) and Original Braunvieh (OB) in Switzerland. AL by trend in Austria, Swedish Red (SRB) in Sweden and Polish Red and White (ZR) in Poland) hinting at a lower risk of subclinical ketosis for some of the local breeds compared to the respective commercial breed. We could not find breed differences regarding overall occurrence of veterinary treatments or those due to fertility or leg/ claw problems in Austrian data, but found that AL had less treatments due to udder problems than the commercial Braunvieh (BV). In Sweden, the local breed SRB had less overall treatments, fewer treatments due to fertility or udder disorders and also showed less remarks on claw or leg disorders than the commercial breed. We did not find breed differences regarding treatments due to metabolic disorders in Swedish data. We analyzed Austrian and Swiss data from culled cows on productive life span and detected a superiority of local breeds for this trait, but higher lifetime production (kg ECM) in the commercial breed. The second study on cows managed under very similar conditions in Sweden (period: 1.7.2011 to 30.6.2014) and Germany (period 1.7.2011 to 30.6.2015) revealed no significant breed differences in total ECM yield in German data, while we found higher milk fat and milk protein contents for the local breed Original Red Angler Cattle breed (AAZ). In Sweden, we found the highest ECM yield in the commercial breed Swedish Holstein (SH). The local breed Swedish Polled (SKB) had the highest fat and protein contents, followed by the second local breed Swedish Red (SRB), both differed significantly from the respective commercial breed SH and also among each other. We could not detect significant breed differences in the German data set with regard to fertility traits, although the local AAZ tended to have fewer days open than the commercial breed HO. In Sweden, we did not find breed differences for calving interval, but both local breeds had fewer days open, and SKB needed fewer inseminations compared to SH. No breed differences in any of the two countries regarding the proportion of test day records with a SCC content of over 100.000 cells per ml milk was found. We assessed the risk of subclinical ketosis during the first 100 days in milk by comparing fat protein ratios (FPR), applying differing thresholds in Germany (AAZ >1.7, HO >1.5) per breed, without detecting breed differences. However, in Sweden (with a threshold of >1.5) where the local SRB performed best, SKB showed an intermedium position, while SH had the highest proportion of FPR >1.5. Occurrence of veterinary treatments and those due to fertility problems did not differ between German breeds. Data on treatment due to metabolic disorders and leg or claw problems had low incidences, but models did not converge. In Sweden, we found the lowest incidence of overall veterinary treatments and treatments due to mastitis in the local breed SRB, but the local breed SKB did not differ from the commercial SH in neither of the two traits. We did not find breed differences regarding veterinary treatments due to fertility problems or diagnosis of claw/leg problems during claw trimming in the Swedish data set. Incidences of treatments due to metabolic disorders were low in all Swedish breeds, but models for this trait failed to converge. From our finding’s we conclude that local breeds partly have advantages with regard to many functional traits studied and that their potential should be better exploited in future, especially on farms with a medium production level (most clearly shown in the small study on German and Swedish farms). We also found overall high proportions of test day records with elevated SCC in Germany and even more so in Poland from which we deduct a great potential for further overall management improvement regardless of the involved breeds in these countries

Should animal welfare be included in educational programs? Attitudes of secondary and university students from eight EU Countries

Animal welfare educational programs aim to promote positive attitudes of future generations towards animal production systems. This study investigated whether secondary and university students in the majors that are not related to AW teaching believe that this concept should be included also in their educational programs. The determinant factors affecting students' attitudes towards such a decision were analyzed. This research has focused on eight European countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Italy, and Sweden) targeting 3,881 respondents composed of 1,952 secondary and 1,929 university students. Results showed that female university students with a level of subjective and objective knowledge on AW and who required more restrictive AW regulations, gave support to include the concept in their educational programs. However, Students who support medical experiments that use animals to improve human health were less likely to accept AW education. Students in Italy compared to those in Sweden were prone to support AW educational programs. Results highlight the importance of teaching the AW concept as a comprehensive teaching tool at universities and schools' programs as it may constitute a starting point for a more sustainable society toward improving animal living conditions, mainly in the Mediterranean countries in secondary schools.Postprint (author's final draft

Should animal welfare be included in educational programs? Attitudes of secondary and university students from eight EU countries

Animal Welfare educational programs aim to promote positive attitudes of future generations towards animal production systems. This study investigated whether secondary and university students in the majors that are not related to AW teaching believe that this concept should be included also in their educational programs. The determinant factors affecting students’ attitudes towards such a decision were analysed. This research has focused on eight European countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Italy, and Sweden) targeting 3,881 respondents composed of 1,952 secondary and 1,929 university students. Results showed that female university students with a level of subjective and objective knowledge on AW and who required more restrictive AW regulations, gave support to include the concept in their educational programs. However, Students who support medical experiments that use animals to improve human health were less likely to accept AW education. Students in Italy compared to those in Sweden were prone to support AW educational programs. Results highlight the importance of teaching the AW concept as a comprehensive teaching tool at universities and schools’ programs as it may constitute a starting point for a more sustainable society toward improving animal living conditions, mainly in the Mediterranean countries in secondary schools

Daugiakalbė lietuvių kalbos gramatikos informacinė sistema internete

The project was started in the Institute of Lithuanian language in 2016. It aims at presenting detailed data about the grammatical features of Lithuanian words. The goal is to make those data freely accessible to any user on the Internet. The preliminary version covering the words with the root "bėg/run" was published in March 2017. The database-contains around 25,000 entries. We are trying to avoid drawbacks that are specific to the works done in the field of computational linguistics. It includes word coverage, grammatical data comprehensiveness, clarity and clearness of presented information etc. Grammatical information about the word in question is presented from three aspects: word structure, morphological data, and morphemic data. It is the first website in Lithuania providing morphemic types. One can get an inflection table for each word the database contains. Usage examples are given for some words. The information on the website is available in seven languages - Lithuanian, English, German, French, Italian, Russian, and Japanese - so foreigners interested in Lithuanian language can use it as well

Effect of "standardization" rural development measures on the development of dairy farms in Lithuania

Agriculture is a sector in Lithuania that plays an important role in the country's economy and at the same time performs a significant social ethno-cultural and environmental function. Rural development and the agricultural sector have undergone several changes during the transition period from one economic system to another. Rural areas are regarded as the country's infrastructure determining the living standards of the urban and rural population. The economic development of the two branches of agriculture - crop production and livestock production - is harmonised not enough. The economic and social changes in agriculture and country life have been significant, especially in farming revenues, technologies, farm size, agricultural employment and rural life style. There were examined 48 farmers' farms (with specialization in milk products manufacturing) from 15 districts of Lithuania. This article shows the way of functioning of the rural development measures "Standardization" (Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC and Council Directive 92/46/EEC - Milk Directive) for farm manure and milk production in the range of supporting the development of rural areas in Lithuania. The results of the investigation show that 71 percent of small and average milk farms decided to make a request according to either of the directives (Nitrates and Milk) and 29 percent’s - according to Milk Directive. This is the first study on the implementation of rural development measures "Standardization" in Lithuania

Comparative behavior studies of growing dairy and beef bulls from two different breeds

This study aimed at comparing the behaviour of growing bulls from two different breeds – Lithuanian black and white (dairy cattle breed, n=22) and Aubrac (beef cattle breed, n=17). The hypothesis tested in this study was that breed differences would result in differences in the behaviour of the bulls and that a clear understanding of such differences could lead to improved husbandry to meet their needs. Animals were raised in insulated barn in pens with deep litter, both breeds under similar conditions (animals were 11 to 14 month old, each group in separate 100 m2 pen). Aubrac bulls spent more time in standing, ruminating, drinking and aggressive behaviour and less time in eating than the Lithuanian black and white bulls. There were no significant differences in lying and moving behaviour. These differences possibly related to different breed of animals, and should inform decision making about the management of the two breeds studied

Climate change impact on agriculture in Lithuania : challenges, situation analysis and forecast

Article introduces the concept of extreme events in Lithuania and current extreme weather events in isolation, assesses international experience in solving similar problems. Lithuanian climatic conditions have been gradually changing over the past 20 years. Climatic symptoms vary in different regions of Lithuania, but changes are observed everywhere. Lithuanian agriculture must find ways to adapt to the constantly changing climate. Prevention of climate change provides new opportunities for agriculture: on the one hand, products derived from biomass can replace minerals, and, on the other hand, can lead to carbon capture in soil. Animal husbandry is more resistant to impacts of climate change than agriculture is. However, possibilities for local communities adapt to climate change and mitigate its impact are highly dependent on socio-economic and environmental conditions and available resources. There are changes in livestockproduction. These changes may include: diversification, intensification, and (or) pasture management, livestock and crop integration, land use and irrigation expansion, and duration of the production processes, ecosystems and protection of nature, improvement of routes for transportation of raw materials and produce, shortening of distances, mixed livestock farming systems.It is necessary to emphasize the importance of diversification ofbusiness ofsmall farms. The essential thing is adaptation to climate change, which means the need for rapid recovery and cost reduction actions. Climate change over the next two decades cannot be avoided, yet some degree of protection for our societies and economies from these changes can be achieved, for example, provision of relevant information, improved planning for production under particular climatic conditions better suited to crop growth and infrastructure development. It is very important to develop a common international vision of long-term goals and international co-operation, to achieve common goals to which each country will have to contribute its share, coordinate the actions of neighbouring countries in managing climate change

Tvarkingas mėšlo laikymas – švari aplinka, nauda dirvožemiui ir ūkiui

Bendrautoriai straipsnio galeLietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerijaLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro Žemdirbystės institutasLietuvos sveikatos mokslų universitetas. Veterinarijos akademijaLietuvos žemės ūkio konsultavimo tarnybaVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Dar kartą mėšlo tvarkymo klausimu – be emocijų

Lietuvos Respublikos žemės ūkio ministerijaLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro Žemdirbystės institutasLietuvos sveikatos mokslų universitetas. Veterinarijos akademijaLietuvos žemės ūkio konsultavimo tarnybaVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij