Purpose: To access long-term sustainability of Manitoba SBP by examining the beliefs, attitudes and values of the diverse stakeholders involved in ensuring that SBP run. Sample/ Setting: Eighteen participants from the public school system, government departments and private funders in Manitoba. Method: Semi structured interviews to explore the perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of participants. Results: The perceived impact of SBP varied between each group of stakeholders though all shared a common belief that SBPs were beneficial to students. Major barriers identified were related to funding and manpower. Conclusion: All stakeholders support SBP because they understand and value the positive health, educational and social benefits SBP have for students and the wider school community. Long-term sustainability of SBP depends on creating and maintaining a positive policy environment in which SBP are seen as a valuable tool in supporting child nutrition so that funding and resources are allocated appropriately. / October 2015

Dairy calves require nutrients for maintenance and growth, but in cold weather, the body alters physiologic processes to control body temperature through thermogenesis, which increases its requirements. In this regard, it is important a better understanding of how different feeding managements act in the calf thermogenesis, performance and health when raised in temperatures below thermoneutral conditions. Based on that, two studies were performed. The first study evaluated thermoregulation, performance and blood metabolites in thirty newborn calves fed 10%, 15% or 20% BW of colostrum. At 24h of life, calves were placed in a temperature-controlled chamber at 10ºC for 150 min. After the cold challenge, calves were individually housed in ambient temperature facilities (26.8 ± 5.9°C) until weaning. Calves given 15% or 20% of BW as colostrum exhibited increased thermoregulatory responses during cold challenge and increased immunity responses during preweaning. The second study compared performance and production cost of 75 calves fed milk replacer (MR) or whole milk (WM) and a traditional starter (TS) or an alternative starter (AS) during low environmental temperatures (1.4 ± 9.2°C). Calves were assigned to one of five treatment groups in a 2 x 2 + 1 factorial. The first treatment was a negative control (NC), 4 L/d of MR from d1 to 49; 2L/d of MR from d 50 to 56 of the study and ad libitum TS (commercial texturized ration). The others four treatments were a high rate (HR) of MR or WM (6L/d from d 1 to 7, 8 L/d from d 8 to 35, 4L/d from d 36 to 42, and 2 L/d from d 43 to 49 of the study) and ad libitum AS (cracked corn from d 1 to 21, low protein grower from d 22 to 28, high protein grower from d 29 to 49 of the study) or TS. After weaning, animals were maintained in group hutches in the same environment until 12 weeks of life. Restricted liquid feeding provided higher economic efficiency. However, the final BW was higher for calves fed HRTS. In addition, feeding calves higher volumes of WM increased growth and decreased morbidity. Besides, replacing commercial TS with an AS in high rate of nutrition presented minimal impact on performance. / Bezerros leiteiros necessitam de nutrientes para mantença e crescimento, contudo, em baixas temperaturas, o corpo altera os processos fisiológicos para controlar a temperatura corporal por meio da termogênese, aumentando a exigência. Neste sentido, se torna importante uma melhor compreensão de como diferentes manejos alimentares atuam na termogênese, no desempenho e na saúde de bezerros criados em temperaturas abaixo das condições de termoneutralidade. Com base nisso, dois estudos foram realizados. O primeiro estudo avaliou a termorregulação, o desempenho e os metabólitos sanguíneos de trinta bezerros recém nascidos alimentados com 10%, 15% ou 20% de colostro em porcentagem de peso corporal. Vinte e quatro horas após o nascimento, os bezerros foram colocados em uma câmara de temperatura controlada a 10°C por 150 min. Após o desafio do frio, os bezerros foram individualmente alojados em instalação à temperatura ambiente (26,8 ± 5,9°C) até o desaleitamento. Bezerros que receberam 15% ou 20% de colostro exibiram aumento das respostas termorreguladoras durante o desafio pelo frio e aumento das respostas de imunidade durante o aleitamento. O segundo estudo comparou o desempenho e os custos de produção de 75 bezerras alimentadas com sucedâneo (S) ou leite (L) e uma ração tradicional (RT) ou uma ração inicial alternativa (RA) durante baixas temperaturas ambientais (1,4 ± 9,2°C). As bezerras foram designados para um dos cinco tratamentos em fatorial 2 x 2 + 1 O primeiro tratamento foi o controle negativo (CN), 4 L/d de S do d1 ao 49; 2L/d de S do d 50 ao 56 do estudo e RT ad libitum (ração comercial texturizada). Os outros quatro tratamentos foram alta taxa (AT) de S ou L (6L/d do d 1 ao 7, 8 L/d do d 8 ao 35, 2L/d do d 36 ao 42, e 1 L/d do d 43 ao 49 do estudo) e RA ad libitum (milho quebrado do d 1 ao 21, ração de crescimento com baixa proteína do d 22 ao 28, ração de crescimento alta proteína do d 29 ao 49 do estudo) ou RT. Após o desaleitamento, os animais foram mantidos em baias coletivas até 12 semanas de vida. Dieta líquida restrita promoveu maior eficiência econômica. No entanto, o peso final foi maior para bezerras alimentadas com ATRT. Adicionalmente, alimentar bezerras com maior volume de L aumentou o crescimento e diminui morbidade. Além disso, substituir RT comercial por uma RA em altas taxas de nutrição apresentou mínimo impacto no desempenho.

Dairy calves require nutrients for maintenance and growth, but in cold weather, the body alters physiologic processes to control body temperature through thermogenesis, which increases its requirements. In this regard, it is important a better understanding of how different feeding managements act in the calf thermogenesis, performance and health when raised in temperatures below thermoneutral conditions. Based on that, two studies were performed. The first study evaluated thermoregulation, performance and blood metabolites in thirty newborn calves fed 10%, 15% or 20% BW of colostrum. At 24h of life, calves were placed in a temperature-controlled chamber at 10ºC for 150 min. After the cold challenge, calves were individually housed in ambient temperature facilities (26.8 ± 5.9°C) until weaning. Calves given 15% or 20% of BW as colostrum exhibited increased thermoregulatory responses during cold challenge and increased immunity responses during preweaning. The second study compared performance and production cost of 75 calves fed milk replacer (MR) or whole milk (WM) and a traditional starter (TS) or an alternative starter (AS) during low environmental temperatures (1.4 ± 9.2°C). Calves were assigned to one of five treatment groups in a 2 x 2 + 1 factorial. The first treatment was a negative control (NC), 4 L/d of MR from d1 to 49; 2L/d of MR from d 50 to 56 of the study and ad libitum TS (commercial texturized ration). The others four treatments were a high rate (HR) of MR or WM (6L/d from d 1 to 7, 8 L/d from d 8 to 35, 4L/d from d 36 to 42, and 2 L/d from d 43 to 49 of the study) and ad libitum AS (cracked corn from d 1 to 21, low protein grower from d 22 to 28, high protein grower from d 29 to 49 of the study) or TS. After weaning, animals were maintained in group hutches in the same environment until 12 weeks of life. Restricted liquid feeding provided higher economic efficiency. However, the final BW was higher for calves fed HRTS. In addition, feeding calves higher volumes of WM increased growth and decreased morbidity. Besides, replacing commercial TS with an AS in high rate of nutrition presented minimal impact on performance. / Bezerros leiteiros necessitam de nutrientes para mantença e crescimento, contudo, em baixas temperaturas, o corpo altera os processos fisiológicos para controlar a temperatura corporal por meio da termogênese, aumentando a exigência. Neste sentido, se torna importante uma melhor compreensão de como diferentes manejos alimentares atuam na termogênese, no desempenho e na saúde de bezerros criados em temperaturas abaixo das condições de termoneutralidade. Com base nisso, dois estudos foram realizados. O primeiro estudo avaliou a termorregulação, o desempenho e os metabólitos sanguíneos de trinta bezerros recém nascidos alimentados com 10%, 15% ou 20% de colostro em porcentagem de peso corporal. Vinte e quatro horas após o nascimento, os bezerros foram colocados em uma câmara de temperatura controlada a 10°C por 150 min. Após o desafio do frio, os bezerros foram individualmente alojados em instalação à temperatura ambiente (26,8 ± 5,9°C) até o desaleitamento. Bezerros que receberam 15% ou 20% de colostro exibiram aumento das respostas termorreguladoras durante o desafio pelo frio e aumento das respostas de imunidade durante o aleitamento. O segundo estudo comparou o desempenho e os custos de produção de 75 bezerras alimentadas com sucedâneo (S) ou leite (L) e uma ração tradicional (RT) ou uma ração inicial alternativa (RA) durante baixas temperaturas ambientais (1,4 ± 9,2°C). As bezerras foram designados para um dos cinco tratamentos em fatorial 2 x 2 + 1 O primeiro tratamento foi o controle negativo (CN), 4 L/d de S do d1 ao 49; 2L/d de S do d 50 ao 56 do estudo e RT ad libitum (ração comercial texturizada). Os outros quatro tratamentos foram alta taxa (AT) de S ou L (6L/d do d 1 ao 7, 8 L/d do d 8 ao 35, 2L/d do d 36 ao 42, e 1 L/d do d 43 ao 49 do estudo) e RA ad libitum (milho quebrado do d 1 ao 21, ração de crescimento com baixa proteína do d 22 ao 28, ração de crescimento alta proteína do d 29 ao 49 do estudo) ou RT. Após o desaleitamento, os animais foram mantidos em baias coletivas até 12 semanas de vida. Dieta líquida restrita promoveu maior eficiência econômica. No entanto, o peso final foi maior para bezerras alimentadas com ATRT. Adicionalmente, alimentar bezerras com maior volume de L aumentou o crescimento e diminui morbidade. Além disso, substituir RT comercial por uma RA em altas taxas de nutrição apresentou mínimo impacto no desempenho.

Bone discolouration of pig carcasses is a quality concern that has been observed in Ontario slaughter plants. The objectives of this study were to establish the prevalence of pig carcasses showing bone discolouration, its relationship with residues of tetracyclines in bones, and to investigate the use of tetracyclines in feeding programs for grower-finisher pigs as the main risk factor for discolouration. Abattoir data were examined to determine the extent of the problem and the prevalence of bone discolouration during 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010 was found to be 0.13%, 0.22%, 0.26%, and 0.28%, respectively, indicating that the issue of bone discolouration was present at low levels over the entire period of the study. A controlled trial using feed, water, and injectable tetracycline products to investigate the effect of tetracyclines on residue and bone colour was conducted. Bones were assessed visually for signs of discolouration, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to measure the levels of tetracycline residues in the bones. Results from this trial demonstrated that discolouration could be produced with 660ppm of chlortetracycline (CTC) in feed for 12 weeks even when 33 days of withdrawal time was observed. It was also found that residues of tetracyclines can be present in bones in the absence of discolouration. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate tetracycline use in herds identified as having discoloured bones at slaughter. Positive shipments were associated with dosage and duration of CTC use as well as with length of withdrawal. In conclusion, discoloured bones of pig carcasses were identified at low levels in one large Ontario abattoir; however, further investigation is needed in order to determine the impact it may have on the swine industry. / Ontario Pork and the University of Guelph - Ontario Ministry of Agriculture (OMAFRA) Sustainable Production System Program