RESUMEN
In Switzerland between 35,000 and 50,000 farm calves per year are fed rations containing concentrated whey. If the ration is balanced, whey has no adverse effects on health and growth rates of calves. Feeding whey to farm animals makes ecological and economical sense and constitutes a sound management for the disposal of milk by-products. The described case consisted of 53 calves of which 7 (13.2%) died within the feedlot-period. Based on clinical and management findings, salt-intoxication was diagnosed because of deprivation of free access to water. When large amounts of hypertonic feed containing low quality whey are fed to calves, their health is adversely affected. Therefore, article 16 of the Swiss Animal Protection Regulation should be changed.
Asunto(s)
Alimentación Animal , Fenómenos Fisiológicos Nutricionales de los Animales , Bovinos/crecimiento & desarrollo , Proteínas de la Leche/administración & dosificación , Privación de Agua , Alimentación Animal/normas , Bienestar del Animal/legislación & jurisprudencia , Animales , Animales Recién Nacidos/crecimiento & desarrollo , Legislación Veterinaria , Proteínas de la Leche/efectos adversos , Suiza , Proteína de Suero de LecheRESUMEN
The comb size and comb colour of 84 hens (white and brown Hisex), living in battery cages or at free range were investigated. The main question was: does the comb size and colour correlate with the keeping systems i.e. with the quality and intensity of light and the ambient temperature? The results confirm these hypotheses and also show the genetic influence. The crest size of Hisex white hens is larger and paler compared with those of Hisex brown hens. This tendency is more distinct under the conditions of artificial light, less light and higher temperature of the environment in battery cage systems. Comb size and colour are used as a criterium for health and egg production of the hens. The combs are very important for the hen's health for the regulation of the body temperature and for absorbing light and also for the social structure of the flock; the comb form is an essential characteristic to identify the individual animal.
Asunto(s)
Crianza de Animales Domésticos , Pollos/anatomía & histología , Cresta y Barbas/anatomía & histología , Pigmentación , Absorción , Animales , Regulación de la Temperatura Corporal , Cruzamiento , Pollos/genética , Pollos/fisiología , Cresta y Barbas/fisiología , Femenino , Estado de Salud , Vivienda para Animales , Iluminación , Masculino , Oviposición , Caracteres Sexuales , Conducta Social , Luz Solar , TemperaturaRESUMEN
Nesting behaviour of LSL hens from a deep litter house and from a battery system was compared. Every hen was tested in one of two trial chambers containing a wire mesh floor and a nest unit with 5 nesting materials: wire mesh, perforated plastic, synthetic grass, wheat straw and oat husk. Wheat straw and oat husk were preferred as nesting materials to perforated plastic, synthetic grass and wire mesh. The results from these trials were confirmed in a deep litter house. After the nesting material, oat husk, was changed in two of 10 communal nests the hens did not accept those two nests for the trial period of two weeks and laid elsewhere. Hens of the same breed and age reared together on deep litter showed no differences in nest site selection and nesting behaviour regardless of whether they had previously been housed in a deep litter house or in cages.