Behavioural biology of South American domestic camelids: An overview from a welfare perspective

South American domestic camelids (SADC) have played a key role in the culture, economy, food security and livelihoods of ancient and contemporary societies in Andean countries. This is especially due to the capacity of alpacas and llamas to produce fibre and meat under extreme geographic and climatic conditions. In addition, the breeding and use of SADC as fibre, meat, pet and sheep herding animals has become popular in Europe, North America and Oceania. However, research and scientific literature concerning the behaviour and welfare of both species is scarce, dispersed, and with little visibility compared to other species. Therefore, the objective of this literature review is to compile the international scientific literature on the most relevant aspects of the behaviour of llamas and alpacas, especially in terms of practical aspects which could be used to improve their welfare in the many production systems in which they are raised

Transporte internacional de cerdos: entalpía como indicador no-invasivo de bienestar animal

Niveles altos de temperatura y de humedad relative pueden tener consecuencias negativas para la producción animal a nivel de granja, pero se sabe menos sobre el efecto de cambios ambientales durante el transporte de animales vivos a sacrificio. A pesar de que la Comunidad Europea ha establecido límites de temperatura a los cuales se pueden transportar cerdo, pocos índices incluyen las máximas de humedad relativa o absoluta, ni mencionan los rangos de entalpia apropiadas. En este estudio medimos la temperatura y humedad de nueve viajes de larga duración (más de 15 h) y calculamos la entalpia de aire (kg agua kg aire seco-1) durante los mismos viajes. Los datos en las gráficas psicrométricas solaparon bastante entre viajes pero eran diferentes en invierno y verano. Temperaturas más altas también estaban correlacionados positivamente con otros indicadores de bienestar como cortisol en plasma y calidad de la carne. En conclusión, los derivados de temperatura y de entalpia pueden ser usados como indicador no-invasivo de bienestar animal durante el transporte y pueden ser más sensibles que los valores absolutos de temperatura o de humedad relativa

Time derivatives in air temperature and enthalpy as non-invasive welfare indicators during long distance animal transport in Spain and Portugal.

High temperatures and relative humidity can compromise animal welfare on the farm level, but less is known about those changes during long distance transport of domestic animals to slaughter. Although upper temperature limits have been established to transport pigs in Europe, few indices include relative or absolute humidity maxima or mention appropriate enthalpy ranges

Aquaponics: integrating fish feeding rates and ion waste production for strawberry hydroponics

Aquaponics is the science of integrating intensive fish aquaculture with plant production in recirculating water systems. Although ion waste production by fish cannot satisfy all plant requirements, less is known about the relationship between total feed provided for fish and the production of milliequivalents (mEq) of different macronutrients for plants, especially for nutrient flow hydroponics used for strawberry production in Spain. That knowledge is essential to consider the amount of macronutrients available in aquaculture systems so that farmers can estimate how much nutrient needs to be supplemented in the waste water from fish, to produce viable plant growth. In the present experiment, tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) were grown in a small-scale recirculating system at two different densities while growth and feed consumption were noted every week for five weeks. At the same time points, water samples were taken to measure pH, EC25, HCO3 – , Cl – , NH4 + , NO2 – , NO3 – , H2PO4 – , SO4 2– , Na + , K+ , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ build up. The total increase in mEq of each ion per kg of feed provided to the fish was highest for NO3 - , followed, in decreasing order, by Ca 2+ , H2PO4 – , K+ , Mg 2+ and SO4 2– . The total amount of feed required per mEq ranged from 1.61- 13.1 kg for the four most abundant ions (NO3 – , Ca 2+ , H2PO4 – and K+ ) at a density of 2 kg fish m–3 , suggesting that it would be rather easy to maintain small populations of fish to reduce the cost of hydroponic solution supplementation for strawberries

Short communication: Response of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to mirror images

The response of cultured rainbow trout to their mirrored image was investigated. Thirty fish were placed individually in two novel aquariums consecutively for 10 min each. Walls in one aquarium were covered with mirrors on all four sides, whereas the walls of the other aquarium were non-transparent black. Because all four walls were covered with mirrors, the mirrored image of the fish was reproduced multiple times such that ‘a group’ of fish was created surrounding the individual. Half of the fish started in the aquarium with the mirrors, whereas the other half started in the mirrorless aquarium. Fish swim faster in the aquarium with mirrors than in the mirrorless aquarium (2.95 vs. 2.40 cm/s; p < 0.01), indicating a positive behavioural response towards their mirrored images. Fish did not show aggressive interactions towards their mirrored images. Being confronted with ‘a group’ of fish and not just one ‘opponent’ may have inhibited aggressive behavior, or individuals may not have considered the images to be fellow individuals. Fish that swam faster in the mirrorless aquarium also did so in the aquarium with mirrors (r = 0.73; p < 0.0001), indicating a persistent behavioural coping response (boldness) in response to the two novel environments. Mirrors may be used to influence social behaviour of fish in aquaculture; further research is needed to investigate the influence of mirror placement in tanks of group housed trout on growth and behaviour

Geophagia in a large felid in captivity: A case report of lethal gastrointestinal impaction in a Bengal tigress (Panthera tigris tigris)

Deliberate geophagia or sand-eating behaviour has been widely documented in herbivorous and omnivorous mammals, but never in large felids at captivity. Here we report a case of apparent lethal gastrointestinal impaction from sand intake in a 10-year-old captive Bengal tigress. After 2 days of anorexia and prostration the tigress was admitted to the University Veterinary Hospital with abdominal distension and diarrhoea and died shortly afterwards. A post-mortem examination revealed oesophageal perforation, abundant liquid in the stomach and pyloric obstruction due to the presence of compacted sand and some masses of poultry bones. It is hypothesized that geophagy (of sand) may have been a strategy to alleviate indigestion by consumption of rotten poultry carcasses, but evolved into a compulsive/obsessive-compulsive disorder over time, possibly due to a restricted and barren environment. Zoo animal welfare involves a series of challenges that include an adequate diet in quantity and presentation, as well as complex behaviours such as the motivation to ingest non-food substances under certain contexts during life in captivity

Short communication: Response of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to mirror images

The response of cultured rainbow trout to their mirrored image was investigated. Thirty fish were placed individually in two novel aquariums consecutively for 10 min each. Walls in one aquarium were covered with mirrors on all four sides, whereas the walls of the other aquarium were non-transparent black. Because all four walls were covered with mirrors, the mirrored image of the fish was reproduced multiple times such that ‘a group’ of fish was created surrounding the individual. Half of the fish started in the aquarium with the mirrors, whereas the other half started in the mirrorless aquarium. Fish swim faster in the aquarium with mirrors than in the mirrorless aquarium (2.95 vs. 2.40 cm/s; p &lt; 0.01), indicating a positive behavioural response towards their mirrored images. Fish did not show aggressive interactions towards their mirrored images. Being confronted with ‘a group’ of fish and not just one ‘opponent’ may have inhibited aggressive behavior, or individuals may not have considered the images to be fellow individuals. Fish that swam faster in the mirrorless aquarium also did so in the aquarium with mirrors (r = 0.73; p &lt; 0.0001), indicating a persistent behavioural coping response (boldness) in response to the two novel environments. Mirrors may be used to influence social behaviour of fish in aquaculture; further research is needed to investigate the influence of mirror placement in tanks of group housed trout on growth and behaviour

Correlación entre pH y color de la carne durante la fase post mórtem en cerdos diferenciando entre carnes PSE y DFD

Correlación entre pH y color de la carne durante la fase post mórtem en cerdos diferenciando entre carnes PSE y DF

Respuesta fisiológica al estrés agudo en conejos alimentados con dietas enriquecidas con ácidos grasos poliinsaturados n-3

A total of 700 kits were randomly distributed in flatdeck group cages avoiding litter effect. They were fed 2 isofibrous, isoenergetic and isoproteic diets formulated with 2 different sources of fat: mixed fat (control group, C, n=350) and a supplement of salmon oil rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) n-3 (PUFA group, P, n=350)

Occurrence of the Oribatid Mite Trhypochthoniellus longisetus longisetus (Acari: Trhypochthoniidae) on Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Mites as parasites infesting fish have been described in a few case reports involving Histiostoma anguillarum, H. papillata, and Schwiebea estradai. We describe the unexpected occurrence of oribatid mites of the genus Trhypochthoniellus on farmed tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. The fish had mites on the skin, fins, and gills, as well as in the mouth. The morphological characteristics of the mites, observed by optical and scanning electron microscopy, were consistent with those described for T. longisetus longisetus. All stages of development were observed, suggesting that the mites were able to actively reproduce on fis