An experiment was conducted to investigate the incidence of travel sickness in pigs, specific hormone concentrations at exsanguination and subsequent meat quality. Fifty, 80kg slaughter pigs were transported on a lorry for 4.5h. During the journey, behavioural observations of the individually marked pigs were made by scanning every 8min to establish whether the pigs exhibited certain symptoms of travel sickness (foaming at the mouth and chomping) and incidences of retching and vomiting were noted as they occurred. Upon arrival at the slaughterhouse, pigs were unloaded, slaughtered immediately and a blood sample was taken at exsanguination for analysis of plasma Cortisol, beta-endorphin and lysine vasopressin concentrations. On the day following slaughter, the chilled carcase of each pig was assessed for meat quality (using pH, Fibre Optic Probe, and Tecpro Pork Quality Meter measurements) in the longissimus dorsi, semimembranosus and adductor muscles to determine the incidence of PSE (pale, soft, exudative) or DFD (dark, firm, dry) meat quality. Twenty-six per cent of the pigs (a total of 13 individuals) vomited or retched during the journey. There was no relationship between the incidence of travel sickness and either the concentrations of the hormones analysed at exsanguination or subsequent meat quality. Correlations revealed no significant relationship between concentrations of the hormones and meat quality measurements.

Foxes have been kept in captivity in Europe for the purpose of fur production for 70-80 years. In comparison with the main domesticated animal species, this is a very recent intervention. This paper reviews available evidence concerning the welfare of farmed foxes in relation to housing and management. The bulk of the literature relates to early handling of cubs, with the intention of reducing their subsequent fear of humans, and to simple changes in the cage environment that may provide environmental enrichment for foxes. Fear of humans appears to be a significant and pervasive problem, and the barrenness of cages is also a cause for concern. The extent of abnormal behaviours and reproductive failure, both indicative of quite severe welfare problems, is not sufficiently documented. Some housing and management practices are less detrimental than others; nonetheless, the evidence suggests that the welfare of farmed foxes is poor.

Each of two 20-sow groups consisted of gilts ie virgin sows (one third) and sows (parity 2-5, ie sows which had given birth 2-5 times). One group was housed indoors with a straw-covered lying area and dunging area. Another group was housed outdoors with a covered straw lying area and two rooting fields. Behavioural observations were made on both groups: indoor sows were observed for 4h day−1, for 10 days (40h); outdoor sows were observed for 6h day−1, for 21 days (126h). Social interactions were classified as threat, bite, knock and push. Continuous data on the type of interaction and the winner or loser were recorded. Four measures of social status, based on social behaviour, were calculated: i) displacement index; ii) level of interaction; iii) success in interactions; and iv) matrix dominance. Spearman rank correlation coefficients between different ranked measures of social status within each group (outdoor or indoor) were significant for displacement index, success in interaction and matrix dominance. The level of interaction did not correlate with other measures (except for matrix dominance in the indoor group). Measures of displacement, success in interaction and matrix dominance provide highly consistent and correlated measures of social status.

Early research on farmed mink was predominantly concerned with increased productivity; however, in recent years there have been an increasing number of studies related to welfare. The biology of feral mink has also become better understood, and such knowledge can aid in the assessment of welfare on farms, or in the interpretation of problems related to captivity. This paper is a comprehensive review of research pertinent to the welfare of farmed American mink, Mustela vison, in relation to their housing and management. It indicates how housing conditions might be changed to improve welfare, and where our present knowledge is insufficient. Many significant aspects of mink behaviour in the wild, such as their lack of social contact, their tendency to travel long distances and use several den sites, and regular swimming and diving, are denied them in captivity. Farmed mink also show high levels of stereotypy, suggesting that their welfare is not good. Welfare may be improved by appropriate environmental enrichment and changes in the social environment of farmed mink. In general, studies aimed at improving housing conditions have been limited in scope and outlook.

It has been suggested that, during instrumental learning, animals are likely to react emotionally to the reinforcer. However, they may in addition react emotionally to their own achievements. Such reactions would be of interest in the context of the animal's capacity for self-awareness. We therefore devised a learning experiment to disentangle emotional reactions to a food reward and to own learning in young cattle.

We introduce a game theoretical model of stealing interactions. We model the situation asan extensive form game when one individual may attempt to steal a valuable item fromanother who may in turn defend it. The population is not homogeneous, but rather eachindividual has a different Resource Holding Potential (RHP). We assume that RHP not onlyinfluences the outcome of the potential aggressive contest (the individual with the largerRHP is more likely to win), but that it also influences how an individual values aparticular resource. We investigate several valuation scenarios and study the prevalenceof aggressive behaviour. We conclude that the relationship between RHP and resource valueis crucial, where some cases lead to fights predominantly between pairs of strongindividuals, and some between pairs of weak individuals. Other cases lead to no fightswith one individual conceding, and the order of strategy selection is crucial, where theindividual which picks its strategy first often has an advantage.

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was conducted to determine the effects of rearing environment (indoor (In) v. outdoor (Out)) and dietary zinc oxide (ZnO) supplementation (0 (−Zn) v. 3100 (+Zn) mg/kg feed) on the response of weaned pigs to a challenge infection with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Pigs from the two rearing environments were weaned onto trial diets at 4 weeks of age, moved into conventional accommodation and infected 3 days later with 109 CFU ETEC per os. Faecal ETEC shedding was determined before and after challenge. After 7 days of ETEC infection, all pigs were euthanized for gut lactic acid bacteria (LAB)-to-coliform ratio, pH and small intestine morphological measurements. Both ZnO and outdoor rearing reduced ETEC excretion, and these effects were additive. Outdoor rearing increased small intestine and colon tissue weight. ZnO increased villus height and goblet cell number in the upper small intestine, LAB-to-coliform ratio (through reduced coliforms) in the lower small intestine and proximal colon, and improved growth performance. There were interactive effects of rearing environment and ZnO supplementation on upper small intestine villus height and daily gain, as outdoor rearing conferred advantages on these variables only with ZnO dietary supplementation. Daily gains were 233, 174, 277 and 347 (s.e.m. 27.2) g/day for the In − Zn, Out − Zn, In + Zn and Out + Zn, respectively. These results suggest different, but complementary mechanisms of intestinal health and performance in outdoor-reared pigs and those offered ZnO supplemented diets. The results indicate that the benefits of ZnO to the weaned pig extend beyond suppression of ETEC and appear mediated through altered development of the small intestine mucosa.

When exposed to hot (22–35°C) and dry climatic conditions in the field during the final 4–6 weeks of pod filling, peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) can accumulate highly carcinogenic and immuno-suppressing aflatoxins. Forecasting of the risk posed by these conditions can assist in minimizing pre-harvest contamination. A model was therefore developed as part of the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) peanut module, which calculated an aflatoxin risk index (ARI) using four temperature response functions when fractional available soil water was <0·20 and the crop was in the last 0·40 of the pod-filling phase. ARI explained 0·95 (P⩽0·05) of the variation in aflatoxin contamination, which varied from 0 to c. 800 μg/kg in 17 large-scale sowings in tropical and four sowings in sub-tropical environments carried out in Australia between 13 November and 16 December 2007. ARI also explained 0·96 (P⩽0·01) of the variation in the proportion of aflatoxin-contaminated loads (>15 μg/kg) of peanuts in the Kingaroy region of Australia during the period between the 1998/99 and 2007/08 seasons. Simulation of ARI using historical climatic data from 1890 to 2007 indicated a three-fold increase in its value since 1980 compared to the entire previous period. The increase was associated with increases in ambient temperature and decreases in rainfall. To facilitate routine monitoring of aflatoxin risk by growers in near real time, a web interface of the model was also developed. The ARI predicted using this interface for eight growers correlated significantly with the level of contamination in crops (r=0·95, P⩽0·01). These results suggest that ARI simulated by the model is a reliable indicator of aflatoxin contamination that can be used in aflatoxin research as well as a decision-support tool to monitor pre-harvest aflatoxin risk in peanuts.

Spartina alterniflora salt-marsh has been established from seed and transplants on dredged materials and sandy shorelines along the North Carolina coast. Transplants were more successful than seeding over a greater portion of the intertidal range and under more rigorous environmental conditions, but seeding was successful in the upper half of protected sites. Seeding at the rate of 100 viable seeds per square metre from April through May can result in complete vegetational coverage by the end of the first growing-season. At the end of the second growing-season, above-ground biomass accumulation from seeding approached that produced by transplants which had originally been planted on a 0.9-metre centre. Both above-ground and below-ground production of planted marsh compared well with values for these components in natural marshes. There were no differences in production by epiphytes between planted and natural S. alterniflora marsh at two different locations. Faunal production in the upper 13 cm of sediment was significantly less in planted than in natural marsh, and where marsh plants accumulated sediments, faunal numbers and biomass were less in planted than in unplanted areas. Sediment carbon content indicated that 4 to 25 years might be required for a newly-planted marsh to resemble a natural marsh.

Based on our studies, the techniques developed to plant S. alterniflora on dredged material and along sandy shorelines can be employed to initiate new and functional salt-marsh where none existed previously. The length of time required for man-initiated marsh to resemble natural marsh depends upon how closely the new substrate resembles natural marsh in the type of sediment accumulated, in the elevation of the new substrate, in the natural sedimentation rate in the area, and in the relative maturity of the natural marsh system.

Five species of Muscidae were found to be commonly associated with dairy heifers in three areas in southern England. The biting flies Haematobosca stimulans (Mg.) and Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) were relatively rare and fed from the back, flanks and legs. The horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), was present in highest numbers; it rested on the back and fed on the legs, belly and occasionally on the teats. Musca autumnalis Deg. was found mainly on the head and had a restricted season. Hydrotaea irritans (Fall.) had a marked diurnal variation in activity, being most abundant in the morning and evening. It was found on the head but predominantly on the belly and teats. When judged by its site preference on cattle, it is the fly most likely to be involved in the transmission of summer mastitis.

Dense aggregations of echinoderms on the sea bed have been described from various parts of the world. Reese (1966) considered that such an aggregation ‘is a response to one or more essential environmental factors such as food or substratum, and does not reflect social behaviour per se’ Observations by Warner (1969, 1971) and by Brun (1969) suggested that, in aggregations of the brittle-star Ophiothrix fragilis, individuals may respond to conspecifics rather than solely to food or the substratum. On an apparently uniform substratum, some areas are covered with a dense bed of brittle-stars while other adjacent areas are devoid of brittle-stars. Warner (1971) pointed out that the aggregations are advantageous to the species so it seems possible that the animals might aggregate actively rather than coming to a suitable feeding area by chance. The aims in this study were to investigate the responses shown by Ophiothrix fragilis to its physical surroundings, to some of the other organisms living near it and, especially, to conspecifics. The animals studied are in dense aggregations off Berry Head in Southern England and all observations were made underwater in the natural habitat.

Grass plots, designed to provide 4 days grazing for three heifers, were divided into four equal sub-plots which were dressed with cow slurry in March at rates between 0 and 100 t/ha. The heifers were put into the plots 7 and 13 weeks after slurry application and were able to choose in which of the sub-plots they spent their time and grazed.

The main effect of slurry on the pasture at 7 weeks was to increase the height of the sward but to decrease herbage dry-matter production. Herbage dry-matter utilization over the 4 days ranged from 94% on the no-slurry sub-plot to only 41% when slurry had been applied at 100 t/ha. The heifers spent most time in and grazed more often in sub-plots with little or no slurry for the first 2 days, but as the grass was eaten down the frequency of grazing on areas with more slurry increased. This was reflected in the amount of grass removed by the heifers from each treatment on each day.

At the beginning of the second grazing, grass height and herbage dry-matter production were both directly related to level of slurry application. The heifers did not distinguish between treatments up to 50 t/ha, but herbage utilization on the 100 t/ha sub-plot was reduced.