Sainfoin seeds as protein source for weaned piglets - a new utilization of a long-known forage legume

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) has been used as a forage legume for centuries and is also popular for use as green manure in some Austrian regions, but so far the protein-rich seeds have not been utilized as a feedstuff. As part of the EU Core Organic ll research project ICOPP (Improved contribution of local feed to support 100% organic feed supply to pigs and poultry), sainfoin seeds have recently been tested as a protein source for weaned piglets. The protein-rich components of the control diet were peas and soybean cake, which were substituted by sainfoin seeds in the experimental diets H (10% sainfoin seeds), D 10 and D 16 (10 and 16% dehulled sainfoin seeds, respectively; as fed basis). Neither feed intake and body weight gain nor feed conversion ratio differed between treatments. This leads to the conclusion that sainfoin seeds can be used as a protein source for piglets just as well as peas and soybean cake

Zusammenhang zwischen BCS (Body Condition Score) und weiteren Körpermerkmalen sowie der Aufzuchtleistung von laktierenden Zuchtsauen

Ziel dieser Arbeit war, anhand von Felddaten den Zusammenhang zwischen Körperkondition und Aufzuchtleistung laktierender Zuchtsauen zu erfassen. Es wurden 103 F1-Zuchtsauen in der ersten und letzten Säugewoche auf drei Betrieben in OÖ untersucht. Die Körperkondition (BCS, body condition score) wurde adspektorisch (nur visuell) und palpatorisch (Abtasten bestimmter Körperregionen) beurteilt, sowie die Rückenspeckdicke (RSD) mit einem Ultraschallgerät gemessen. Körperlänge, Widerristhöhe und Brustumfang wurden ebenfalls erhoben, sowie die Schultern auf Läsionen untersucht. Alle Würfe wurden beim Absetzen gewogen und die biologischen Daten der Sauen im Sauenplaner erfasst. Die Messung der RSD im Schulterbereich lieferte dabei insofern die aussagekräftigste Information, als sie sich während des Produktionszyklus am stärksten veränderte. Der Konditionsverlust innerhalb der Säugezeit über alle Sauen hinweg betrug im Durchschnitt 3,5 mm an RSD und 0,36 BCS-Notengrade, was mit Werten in der Literatur übereinstimmt. Der Zusammenhang zwischen Körperkondition (RSD, BCS) und der Aufzuchtleistung konnte belegt werden: Der Verlust an RSD hängt mit der Anzahl abgesetzter Ferkel sowie der Wurfmasse signifikant zusammen. Es besteht ebenso ein signifikanter Zusammenhang zwischen BCS-Verlust und Aufzuchtleistungen. Die Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, dass vom Standpunkt der praktischen Anwendung zur Konditionsbeurteilung der Zuchtsau die adspektorische und palpatorische BCS-Beurteilung zu empfehlen ist (geringerer Zeitbedarf, keine Geräte notwendig). Bei der BCS-Beurteilung werden mehrere Merkmale zu einer Kennzahl zusammengefasst. Die Korrelation zwischen diesem subjektiv ermittelten BCS-Wert und der objektiven Messung der Rückenspeckdicke liegt jedoch nur in einem mittleren Bereich. Für die umfassende Einschätzung der Zucht- und Körperkondition in der Praxis ist daher die gemeinsame Anwendung sowohl der RSD-Messung als auch der subjektiven BCS-Beurteilung zu empfehlen.The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between sows' body condition and rearing performance on the basis of field data. In total, 103 breeding sows (F1-pigs) were assessed in the first and last week of lactation on three farms in Upper Austria. The body condition (BCS) of the sows was judged visually and additionally by palpation (of certain body regions) and the backfat thickness was measured with an ultrasound device. Body length, height at withers and chest girth were also measured and the shoulders were examined for lesions. All litters were weighed after weaning and the biological data were documented using an electronic herd management programme. The measurement of backfat thickness in the shoulder regions are expected to yield the most reliable information, because it shows the greatest changes during the breeding cycle. The loss of body condition during the lactation period was on average 3.5 mm backfat and 0.36 BCS-grades. The data obtained agree with those given in the literature. The relationship between body condition (backfat thickness and BCS) and rearing performance could be confirmed. The loss of backfat thickness influences the number of weaned piglets and total litter weight. There is also a significant correlation between a change in BCS and rearing performance. From the point of practical application, it is recommended to estimate the body condition of sows by visually and palpatoricly assessing BCS (little time required, no technical equipment needed). However, only a moderate correlation exists between subjectively estimated BCS and objectively measured backfat thickness. In order to comprehensively assess the body condition in practice, both the backfat thickness should be measured and the BCS subjectively judged.eingereicht von Ulrike SpanlangZsfassung in engl. SpracheWien, Univ. für Bodenkultur, Masterarb., 2011(VLID)103565

Effects of urban living environments on mental health in adults

Urban-living individuals are exposed to many environmental factors that may combine and interact to influence mental health. While individual factors of an urban environment have been investigated in isolation, no attempt has been made to model how complex, real-life exposure to living in the city relates to brain and mental health, and how this is moderated by genetic factors. Using the data of 156,075 participants from the UK Biobank, we carried out sparse canonical correlation analyses to investigate the relationships between urban environments and psychiatric symptoms. We found an environmental profile of social deprivation, air pollution, street network and urban land-use density that was positively correlated with an affective symptom group (r = 0.22, Pperm < 0.001), mediated by brain volume differences consistent with reward processing, and moderated by genes enriched for stress response, including CRHR1, explaining 2.01% of the variance in brain volume differences. Protective factors such as greenness and generous destination accessibility were negatively correlated with an anxiety symptom group (r = 0.10, Pperm < 0.001), mediated by brain regions necessary for emotion regulation and moderated by EXD3, explaining 1.65% of the variance. The third urban environmental profile was correlated with an emotional instability symptom group (r = 0.03, Pperm < 0.001). Our findings suggest that different environmental profiles of urban living may influence specific psychiatric symptom groups through distinct neurobiological pathways