Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / "May 2006" The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)(Animal Science)--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

The demand för Swedish pork meat is increasing every day. This leads to agricultural farming having to develop as an industry, with larger and more rationalised units to make the farming more effective and to raise the financial profit. The consequence of this is that it affects the animals when their surroundings become more industrial. The pig´s natural behaviour becomes restricted by the limitations of the facilities, which leads to them becoming understimulated.   Helena Kummel, a teacher at Munkagård upper secondary school and also an educated animal inspector has developed a prototype that could possibly replace the pig´s natural rooting behaviour inside the barn. The porpuse of this report is to study "bökboxen" in the gilts´actual living enviroment, through qualitative- and quantitative analysis. The observation was performed when the pigs were between eight to sixteen weeks of age.   Our results from the qualitative analysis and the quantitative analysis show that the use of bökboxen increased in the intervention group during the observation. Stimulation in the beginning of a pig´s life can prevent the tendency to develop stereotypical behaviour. We believe that bökboxen can have a positive result on pig´s stereotypical behaviour, but that the contraption still is not enough to stimulate all of the pig´s natural behaviour. Our conclusion is that further research is needed in later periods of the lives of the intervention group, to see if "bökboxen" makes a difference. / Efterfrågan på svenskt fläskkött ökar allt mer. Detta medför att jordbruket måste utvecklas som industri, mot större och mer rationellt organiserade enheter med inriktning på hur man kan effektivisera för att gå med ekonomisk vinning. Konsekvenerna av detta är att djuren drabbas då omgivningsmiljön blir mer industriell. Grisarna blir understimulerade av den begränsade omgivningen eftersom deras naturliga beteenden inskränks, vilket i sin tur leder till stereotypa beteenden.   Helena Kummel, lärare på Munkagårdsgymnasiet och utbildad djurskyddsinspektör, har utvecklat en prototyp som kan stimulera och möjliggöra grisarnas naturliga bökande inne i ladugården. I detta examensarbete kommer den benämnas som "bökboxen". Examensarbetets syfte var att studera bökboxen i ett reelt sammanhang hos gyltorna. Bökboxen placerades i kätten hos 12 grisar. Grisarnas beteende observerades löpande från 8 veckor till 16 veckors ålder. Observationen analyserades dels kvalitativt, dels kvantitativt. Resultatet visade att användandet av bökboxen ökade hos interventionsgruppen under observationsstudierna. I den kvalitativa analysen kodades anteckningarna, dessa koder fördes samman till kategorier utifrån beteenden. En stimulerande uppväxt kan förhindra tendenserna till att utveckla stereotypa beteenden, vilket vi tycker att bökboxen genererat till. Vi anser dock att bökboxen inte är tillräcklig för att stimulera alla grisens beteenden men det är ett steg i rätt riktning. Vidare forskning behövs i en senare period av interventionsgruppens liv för att se om ökboxen gjort någon skillnad.

Five trials were conducted to assess the nutritive value of high fiber canola meal (HFCM) as a protein supplement for ruminants. Trial one determined the chemical composition of HFCM relative to low fiber canola meal (LFCM) and canola meal in a completely randomized design using samples obtained from five different crushers. In the second trial, the in situ nylon bag technique was used to determine disappearance of dry matter (DMD), crude protein (CPD), neutral (NDFD) and acid (ADFD) detergent fiber from canola meal, LFCM and HFCM samples derived from five different crushers following 24 h of nunen incubation. The effect of crushing plant of origin on in situ nutrient disappearance in the three meals was also determined. In the third trial, rumen nutrient kinetic parameters and effective degradabilities were determined for the blended canola meal, LFCM and HFCM. In situ disappearance of different amino acids canola meal, LFCM and HFCM following 12 h of rumen incubation was determined in the fourth study. The fifth trial was designed to determine nutrient digestibility coefficients by growing lambs of seven diets containing dehydrated alfalfa and 0, 25, 50 and 75% HFCM or canola meal in a randomized complete block design. Milk yield and composition responses of early to mid lactation dairy cows to diets supplemented with HFCM, canola meal or soybean meal were also determined. Results of the first trial indicated that tail-end dehulling of canola meal resulted in more fractionation of fiber than protein between HFCM and LFCM. Results of the second trial showed differences in CPD and DMD within LFCM and HFCM but not within canola meal samples. However, no meal by crusher interaction was observed indicating that in situ nutrient disappearances in the three meals were consistent across crushers. At 5% h^-1 rumen flow rate, effective DM degradability (trial three) was higher (P $<$ 0.05) in LFCM than in canola meal and was higher in canola meal than in HFCM while effective CP degradability was higher in LFCM and canola meal than in HFCM. Effective NDF degradability was higher (P $<$ 0.05) in LFCM than in canola meal and MFCM. However, effective ADF degradability was higher in LFCM than in canola meal and was higher in canola meal than in HFCM. Tail-end dehulling had little effect on in situ disappearance of amino acids from canola meal, LFCM and HFCM following 12 h of rumen incubation. Results from the fifth trial indicated that at 75% inclusion rate, the diet containing HFCM had lower (P $<$ 0.05) DM, CP and gross energy digestibility coefficients relative to canala meal diet. Results of the dairy trial showed no treatment effect on feed intake. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 85-94). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-168). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Hohenheim, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 162-179).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-182). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-182). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-168). Also available on the Internet.