No description available.

In this thesis I examine the reproductive strategies of the bed bug Cimex lectularius, a traumatically inseminating insect. In Chapter 21 examine the mating behaviour of C. lectularius, including the mating rates of males and females. Remating rates were very high, with females mating with 5 different males during a single reproductive bout. Males copulated for longer with virgin females than non-virgins. Sperm competition was predicted to be an important determinant of male reproductive success, because the ejaculates of an average of 5 males will be concurrent in the female's reproductive tract during a reproductive bout. In Chapter 3 the different gamete allocation strategies used by males were examined. Males allocated more sperm to virgin females than to non-virgins. Sperm migration and storage by females was examined in order to provide a basis from which mechanisms of sperm competition could be predicted. In Chapter 4 the patterns of sperm precedence were examined and a hypothetical mechanism of sperm competition was tested experimentally. Sperm precedence appears to favour the last male to mate due to a positional effect in the spermalege of the last ejaculate inseminated. In Chapter 5 the effect of high mating rates on females was assessed experimentally. Females mating at a high rate were found to die earlier than females mating at an artificially low rate. There was no difference in the rate of egg production of females between these two groups, so females mating at a low rate had a higher lifetime reproductive success. Appendix I investigates the potential benefits females may gain from polyandry. Both direct benefits of mating and a suite of possible fitness traits were assessed. However, no detectable differences in number or quality of offspring were uncovered. Chapter 6 reviews the evidence for a conflict of interest between the sexes over the remating rate and the possible causes of this conflict.

No description available.

Thesis--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [153]-155).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Washington State University, May 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 180-185).

Poultry are vital to food security, with 60 billion chickens reared worldwide per annum and demand fast accelerating. For many years antibiotic growth promoters have been used to promote energy retention from the diet and control intestinal bacterial growth. Antibiotic use for prophylaxis or growth-promotion in farmed animals is prohibited under EU Directives due to human health concerns, but a pressing need exists to maintain the efficiency of animal production by finding alternatives. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), part of the innate immune system exist naturally in most species and could provide a vast array of potential therapeutics. Microbial resistance to AMPs is unlikely due to their relatively unspecific mode of action, their ability to target multiple sites within a cell and diverse immune-modulatory activities. The avian egg provides antimicrobial protection through many mechanisms including AMPs which are incorporated into the egg white by the hen. The ovodefensin family and ‘transiently expressed in neural precursors’ (TENP) have been identified as potential novel antimicrobials in egg white and therefore formed the basis of the peptide portfolio of this study. TENP was first identified as having a role in neurological development but has since been shown to be an important egg component constituting ~0.1-0.5% of the total protein. TENP is conserved across avian species being found in chicken, turkey, duck and zebra finch. Its homology with the bacterial permeability-increasing family of innate immune genes suggests it may contribute to antimicrobial function in the egg. This study confirmed that expression of TENP is confined to the albumen forming region of the oviduct in adult hens and is under gonadal steroid control, typical of an oviduct and egg specific gene. The ovodefensin family are β defensin related antimicrobial peptides thought to be restricted to the albumen producing region of the avian oviduct. This study identified twenty five novel ovodefensin members through genome analysis, expanding the ovodefensin family to include reptiles for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis showed a unique example of the evolution of a cysteine spacing motif alongside traditional sequence evolution. The expression of eight ovodefensins was shown to be oviduct specific supporting the hypothesis that ovodefensins evolved to protect the egg. Antimicrobial activity for three ovodefensins from chicken and duck was investigated against gram negative organisms E. coli and Salmonella including pathogenic strains as well as a gram positive organism, S. aureus, for the first time. The spectrum of activity varied greatly between peptides suggesting a link between structure and function. Inclusion of recombinant ovodefensin peptides in the feed of chickens showed beneficial effects on the gut microbiome, metabolite profile and most crucially an increase in mean body weight. This demonstrates the potential of antimicrobial peptides as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da adiÃÃo do anacardato de cÃlcio como fonte de Ãcido anacÃrdico na raÃÃo de codornas japonesas em postura quanto ao desempenho e parÃmetros de qualidade dos ovos. Foram utilizadas 252 codornas japonesas em fase de postura com 22 semanas de idade, distribuÃdas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com seis tratamentos e seis repetiÃÃes de sete aves. Os tratamentos aplicados foram: T1 - raÃÃo sem promotor de crescimento (PC); T2 - raÃÃo com promotor de crescimento; T3, T4, T5 e T6 - raÃÃes sem promotor de crescimento e adiÃÃo de 0,25; 0,50; 0,75 e 1,0% de anacardato de cÃlcio (AC), respectivamente. Os tratamentos nÃo influenciaram o consumo de raÃÃo, percentagem de postura, peso do ovo, massa de ovo, conversÃo alimentar e a qualidade dos ovos: percentagem de gema, albÃmen e casca, unidade Haugh, densidade especÃfica, espessura da casca e cor da gema. O anacardato de cÃlcio como fonte de Ãcido anacÃrdico, quando adicionado atà 1% na raÃÃo nÃo influencia o desempenho e qualidade dos ovos de codornas japonesas. / The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of adding calcium anacardate as source of anacardic acid in Japanese laying quails diets on performance and egg quality parameters. A total of 252 Japanese laying quails with 22 weeks of age were used, distributed in completely randomized design, with six treatments and six replications of seven broilers each. The treatments used were: T1 - diet without growth promoter (PC); T2 - diet with growth promoter; T3, T4, T5 and T6 - diets without growth promoter and addition of 0,25; 0,50; 0,75 and 1,0% of calcium anacardate (AC), respectively. The treatments did not affect feed intake, laying percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion and quality of the eggs: yolk, albumen and shell percentage, Haugh unit, specific gravity, shell thickness and yolk color. The calcium anacardate as source of anacardic acid, when added up to 1% in the diet, does not affect the performance and quality of the eggs of Japanese laying quails.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar as principais características de desempenho e qualidade interna e externa dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais brancas submetidas ao fracionamento de cálcio da dieta e diferentes granulometrias de calcário calcítico. Foram utilizadas 270 galinhas ISA-Babcock B-300 N de 40 semanas de idade por quatro períodos de 28 dias cada. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado em arranjo fatorial 3x3, com o fatores: fracionamento de cálcio (2 g Ca manhã e 2 g Ca tarde, 1 g Ca manhã e 3 g Ca tarde, e 3 g Ca manhã e 1 g Ca tarde) e granulometrias de calcário calcítico (mista, grossa e fina) totalizando 9 tratamentos com 5 repetições de 6 aves cada. As características de desempenho zootécnico não foram influenciadas pelos tratamentos com exceção do consumo de ração e de cálcio. O fracionamento de cálcio resultou em maior consumo de ração e cálcio no período da manhã para as aves alimentadas com 3 g de Ca neste período do dia. Para o período da tarde, o maior consumo de ração foi observado em aves alimentadas com 3 g de cálcio em comparação à aves alimentadas com 1 e 2 g de cálcio. Não houve diferença significativa quando avaliou-se o consumo de ração total do dia. O fator granulometria do calcário não influenciou nenhum dos parâmetros estudados com exceção da densidade aparente dos ovos. A utilização de calcário calcítico fino resultou em menor densidade dos ovos em comparação ao calcário calcítico misto ou grosso. Conclui-se que a utilização de calcários com granulometria mista ou grossa beneficia a qualidade da casca dos ovos e que a prática de fracionar o oferecimento de cálcio ao longo do dia não se mostrou vantajosa. No entanto, futuras pesquisas são recomendadas envolvendo o fracionamento de outros nutrientes como fósforo, energia e proteína. / This study was carried out to evaluate the performance and internal and external egg qualities of white commercial laying hens fed diets with different calcium levels and limestone particle sizes. Two hundred seventy ISA-Babcock B-300N hens, 40 weeks of age, were used by four – 28 days period. The experimental design was randomly in a 3x3 factorial arrangement: calcium fractionation (2g Ca morning + 2g Ca afternoon, 1g Ca morning + 3g Ca afternoon, 3g Ca morning + 1g Ca afternoon) and limestone particle size (blended, coarse and fine) with a total of nine treatments with five replicates of six hens each. Performance characteristics were not influenced by the treatments, except feed intake and calcium intake. It was observed higher calcium and feed intake for hens fed 3g Ca in the morning. Also, in the afternoon was verified higher calcium and feed intake for hens fed 3g Ca. There was no effect of the treatments on total daily intake. The limestone particle size improved egg specific gravity when blended or coarse particle size was benefical to eggshell quality. The calcium fractionation did not show be adventageous. However, further researches are indicate to evaluate other nutrients fractionation as phosphorus, energy, and protein.

Abstract Female ability to exploit conspecifics in reproduction may have unusual expressions. I studied the reproductive behaviour of the golden egg bug (Phyllomorpha laciniata; Heteroptera, Coreidae) experimentally in the field and in the laboratory. Female golden egg bugs lay their eggs mainly on the backs of conspecific males and other females. Non-parental eggs are often carried. Occasionally, the eggs are laid on the food plant (Paronychia spp; Polycarpea, Caryophyllaceae) of the species but typically, those eggs survive poorly due to egg parasitism and predation. I explored the dependence of female reproduction on conspecific presence and encounter rate. I also studied female current reproductive state (which depends on if she has recently oviposited) in relation to her activity as well as male choice of a female. Female bugs preferred to oviposit on conspecifics when presented with a choice between a bug and a food plant. When alone females often did not lay eggs. Increased encounter rate with others increased female egg laying rate. Survival of carried eggs among bugs did not vary significantly although males received more eggs than females. Females with high current fecundity (mature eggs accumulated to reproductive tract) were more active than females with lower current fecundity (recently oviposited). Females with high current fecundity seemed to search for conspecifics to lay eggs on. Males also preferred to court females with high current fecundity. These females were more likely to oviposit immediately after mating, lowering the risk of female remating before oviposition. To conclude, conspecifics are important egg-laying substrates for female golden egg bugs. Conspecific availability affects female egg laying and the rate of egg production in short term. In particular, males are necessary for egg-laying females and they typically receive unrelated eggs when they court females. Sexual interactions resulting from female polyandry are crucial factors that maintain female egg laying on the backs of males and other females in the unique reproductive system of the golden egg bug.