The interaction effects of genotype and nutrition on the performance of sows during lactation is still poorly understood; this series of experiments explored the factors contributing to breed differences in lactational performance and the development of appropriate feeding strategies. Two extreme types of sow were used in these experiments; lean pure-bred White sows (W: Large White and Landrace) and a prolific but fatter Meishan synthetic damline (M: 50% Meishan genes). M sows had higher numbers of piglets, a different feed intake curve and produced more milk with a higher fat content compared to W breed types. Their response to dietary protein was different for the two breeds; the Meishan sows, with higher initial levels of body fat reserves, used the extra protein to increase milk production. The White sows did not partition the extra protein into milk but used it to conserve their own maternal body reserves and improved their weaning to conception interval. The breed differences in sows performance were found not to be solely due to differences in litter size or piglet genotype or maternal body fat reserves. M sows showed better maternal behaviour with lower activity and shorter suckling intervals. It can be concluded from these experiments that Meishan synthetic sows are inherently better mothers, and the way in which sows of different breed types partition feed nutrients during lactation is very different. A dietary lysine concentration of 9 g/kg (giving daily intakes of 53-61 g/day at 98-111 MJ DE/day) optimised lactational and rebreeding performance in both breed types.

The study examined the economy of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland generally and that of its agricultural industry in particular. Enzootic Abortion of Ewes (EAE) was found to be the principal cause of ovine abortion in Scotland and the United Kingdom. In addition, the Highlands and Islands' area had certain advantages with respect to EAE that could be exploited. The literature review concluded that the production and marketing of high health status (HHS) breeding sheep offered development opportunities. An HHS breeding sheep research programme was designed and implemented. Firstly, surveys were carried out with producers in Caithness and in the Highlands and Islands as a whole. Secondly, the views of veterinary practices throughout Scotland were sought. Thirdly, the opinions of lowground breeding sheep farmers were surveyed in Grampian and the Borders of Scotland. It was found that a potential market existed for HHS breeding sheep accredited for EAE and vaccinated against the Clostridial Diseases and Pasteurella. The Highlands and Islands' area appeared to have advantages in this respect, especially that EAE lent itself to control by sheep health schemes and that the purchase of HHS replacements was believed to be the most reliable method of controlling EAE by the farmers, crofters and veterinary practices surveyed. The Highlands and Islands' Sheep Health Association (a co-operative) was found to be the market leader in this development area. A production and marketing strategy was proposed for HISHA containing guidelines for the prevention and control of EAE, identifying the productive capability of the Highlands and Islands and customer requirements for HHS breeding sheep. Objectives were proposed for HISHA to maintain and increase its membership, specifically to develop the market for HHS breeding sheep in collaboration with farmers, crofters and veterinary practices for the benefit of HHS sheep industry.

The current trends in the intensive production of growing/finishing pigs are to devise alternative systems which help to improve welfare by the provision of a malleable substrate, such as straw, in order that the pigs can carry out natural behaviour. This project examined the welfare of growing/finishing pigs on four treatments; a new alternative system called the Straw-Flow (c) (SF), which used roughly a 1/4 of the amount of straw of a traditional deep-straw bedded system (1.9 and 8 kg/d respectively), was compared to bare-concrete (BC), fully-slatted (FS) and deep-straw (DS) treatments using a multi-disciplinary study involving behaviour, physical health, productivity and physiology. The four pen treatments were all built within the same building and they all measured 4x2.7m. There were three replicates of entire male pigs which were randomly allocated to each treatment from approximately 28 to 89 kg. During daylight hours, the pigs on the straw-based treatments (ST), ie . the SF and the DS, spent approximately 26% of their time in straw-directed behaviour. Where there was no straw (NOST), ie , the BC and the FS, there was more inactivity (45% and 59% of time on the ST and NOST respectively, p< 0.001), behaviour directed towards the pen hardware (2% and 13% of time on the ST and NOST respectively, p&60 0.001), chewing penmates; (0.05% and 0.19% of time on the ST and NOST respectively, p< 0.07) and vacuum chewing (0.2% and 1.4% of time on the ST and NOST respectively, p< 0.001). These differences were thought to be due to a lack of suitable malleable substrate on the NOST treatments which caused a redirection in the exploratory and foraging behaviour of the pigs compared to the pigs from the ST treatments. However, there was more play on the ST compared to the NOST in the form of running and scampering (0.15% and 0.02% of time on the ST and NOST respectively, p< 0.05) and shoving and pushing penmates (2.9% and 1.8% of time on the ST and NOST respectively, p= 0.14).

The major objective of the study was to evaluate the nutritive value of the locally available feed resources as sources of nutrients for dairy cattle on smallholder farms on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Chapter one of the thesis is concerned with the review of literature on the farming systems approach to research. A short review of literature on roughage intake by ruminants and the evaluation methods used in determining their nutritive value is provided. In chapter two, results from a preliminary feed valuation experiment are presented. Nutritive value for 77 different locally available feeds are presented and discussed. In chapter three an experiment using twenty five yearling bulls aged 1 to 1.5 years and weighing 117 - 209 kgs was carried out in an attempt to estimate voluntary dry matter (DM) intake, digestible DM intake, DM digestibility and growth rates fed on 18 feeds. The animals were randomly allocated into five groups of five animals each. Feeds were then randomly allocated to the five groups four period of 60 days in which DM intakes were measured. A digestion trial was carried out to measure the feed's apparent digestibility. Solid outflow rates in the rumen were determined using Cr-mordanted fibre. DM degradation characteristics of the feeds were determined by incubation in nylon bags in the rumen of 3 Boran steers fed on guatemala grass. Washing loss (A) was also determined. DM intakes varied from 2.2 for banana pseudostem to 4.67 kg/day for urea treated maize stover. Digestibility ranged from 549 for untreated maize stover to 767 g/kg DM for banana pseudostem and growth rate ranged from 72 for banana leaves to 279g/day for urea treated maize stover.

The aim of this study was to identify the potential target sites for the action of melatonin in sheep and to relate the findings to the photoperiodic control of reproductive activity in the female. It has been proposed that melatonin may have a direct luteotrophic role in several species, therefore the first experiment in this thesis was designed to investigate if melatonin acts directly on the ovine ovary to enhance progesterone production. The oral administration of 3mg melatonin, daily at 1500h, to anoestrous Blackface ewes advanced the onset of oestrous cyclicity and was associated with an increase in ovulation rate, at the first overt oestrous, compared to naturally ovulating control ewes. Peripheral prolactin concentrations were significantly suppressed within 7 days of the start of melatonin treatment. The concentration of progesterone was determined in samples collected directly from the utero-ovarian vein, and compared to the pulsatile pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion determined from samples collected from the jugular vein. The pattern of progesterone secretion in the utero-ovarian vein was episodic. The majority of progesterone pulses occurred independently of the pulsatile pattern of LH secretion, although each pulse of LH was followed by an increase in progesterone concentration. During the luteal phase of the first overt oestrous cycle, the pulsatile pattern of LH secretion and the progesterone concentrations in the utero-ovarian venous plasma were similar for both melatonin-treated and naturally ovulating control ewes. This suggests that melatonin does not have a direct luteotrophic action on the ovine ovary. The experiment described in Chapter 6 was designed to investigate if the ovine foetus is sensitive to photoperiodic information while in utero and also to assess the effect of prenatal photoperiod experience on the endocrine status and timing of puberty of ewe lambs. Three groups of female lambs were studied. Groups A and B were raised on a common postnatal photoperiod consisting of a 10 week block of long days (18L:6D) from birth followed by short days (6L:18D) until the end of the experiment at 38 weeks of age. These two groups of lambs differed only in the photoperiod experienced by their mothers during gestation; those in Group A were exposed to short days and those in Group B were exposed to long days from day 25 of gestation to parturition. Lambs in Group C experienced long days prenatally and short days from birth until the end of the experiment. Peripheral prolactin concentrations of lambs on the day of birth were dependent on the photoperiod to which their mothers were exposed during gestation. For the first 10 weeks after birth plasma prolactin profiles of the lambs raised under long days (Groups A and B) were influenced by their prenatal photoperiodic experience. The number of female lambs which exhibited puberty following a decrease in day length from 18L:6D to 6D:18L at 10 weeks of age was increased by maintaining their mothers on long days as opposed to short days during gestation. Puberty was delayed in the majority of female lambs which were exposed to long days in utero followed by short days from birth (Group C). The results suggest that lambs are sensitive to photoperiodic information prior to birth and that female lambs must be exposed to a minimum number of long days prior to a decrease in daylength to time the onset of puberty.

Supplements of a high quality dried grass, urea and molasses, and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment were used to improve the intake and dry matter digestibility (DMD) of straw. Grass depressed straw intake by lambs significantly but increased that by steers non-significantly. Grass provided extra crude protein and motabolisable energy to meet maintenance requirements, and promoted liveweight gain at high levels of supplementation. Urea increased straw intake by lambs significantly, and increased intake in steers when it was contained in the grass supplement rather than the straw. There was no interaction between urea and grass on straw intake. Molasses depressed intake and DMD by lambs of straw supplemented with urea, but slightly increased straw intake in steers. There was no interaction between grass and molasses. NaOH-treatment increased straw intake and DMD significantly. Urea improved the intake of NaOH-treated straw significantly but had no significant effect on DMD. NaOH-treated straw plus-urea promoted a similar intake to straw treated with urea alone, but DMD was significantly better for the former. Maximal straw intake by steers occurred when the diet contained 4.0-5.2g crude protein per MJ gross energy. This was interpreted as a suitable ratio for optimum cellulolysis.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a viabilidade de inclusão de farelo de casca de milho sem água de maceração em substituição ao farelo de trigo no alimento completo para cães através de ensaios de digestibilidade e análises de características físico-químicas das fezes. Foram utilizados 24 cães da raça Beagle em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, alojados em gaiolas metabólicas e submetidos a tratamentos com diferentes níveis de substituição de farelo de trigo por farelo de casca de milho sem água de maceração nos seguintes níveis: 0; 30; 60 e 90 g/kg. Para avaliação dos resultados de escore fecal, utilizou-se o teste Kruskal-Wallis e, para os resultados de digestibilidade e demais características fecais foi utilizado modelo misto. Em caso de efeito significativo (p&lt;0,05) foi realizada a análise de regressão. Não foi observado efeito dos tratamentos (p&gt;0,05) sobre o coeficiente de digestibilidade de matéria seca, matéria orgânica, proteína bruta, extrato etéreo, fibra bruta, fibra em detergente neutro, fibra em detergente ácido, extrativo não nitrogenado e energia bruta, entretanto, houve efeito (p&lt;0,05) para energia digestível e para energia metabolizável. Para as características fecais foram observados efeitos (p&lt;0,05) dos tratamentos sobre a matéria seca e o pH. Não foi observado efeito (p&gt;0,05) para as demais características das fezes: excreção fecal diária, escore fecal, excreção de matéria natural a cada 100g de alimento ingerido, excreção de matéria seca a cada 100g de matéria seca de alimento ingerido, capacidade tamponante a pH 5, nitrogênio amoniacal e balanço hídrico. O farelo de casca sem água de maceração pode ser utilizado em até 90g/kg em substituição ao farelo de trigo, sem causar efeito deletério sobre a digestibilidade e características físico-químicas das fezes. / The present study aimed to investigate the feasibility of including corn gluten feed without steep water replacing the wheat bran in complete feed for dogs through digestibility and analyzes of physical and chemical fecal characteristics. It was used 24 Beagle dogs in a randomized design, housed in metabolic cages and subjected to treatments with different levels of substitution of wheat bran by corn gluten feed without steep water in the following levels: 0, 30, 60 and 90 g/kg. To evaluate the results of fecal score, we used the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the results of digestibility and the others fecal characteristics was used mixed model, in case of significant effect (p&lt;0.05) regression. There was no treatment effect (p&gt;0.05) on the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, non-extractive nitrogen and gross energy however there was effect (p&lt;0.05) for digestible energy and metabolizable energy. For the fecal characteristics were observed effects (p&lt;0.05) treatments for the dry matter and pH. There was no effect (p&gt;0.05) for the other fecal characteristics: daily fecal score, fecal excretion of natural matter every 100g of food intake, excretion of dry matter each 100g of dry food intake, buffering capacity at pH 5, ammonia nitrogen and water balance. The corn gluten feed without steep water can be used to replace up to 90g/kg wheat bran, without causing a deleterious effect on the digestibility and physical-chemical characteristics of feces.

Tong, Fung Ling. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-96). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / List of Figures --- p.vii / List of Tables --- p.x / Chapter Chapter 1 - --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2 - --- State of the art in Vision-based Localization --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Extended Kalman Filter-based Localization --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Overview of the EKF algorithm --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Process of the EKF-based localization algorithm --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Recent EKF-based vision-based localization algorithms --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Advantages of the EKF-based localization algorithms --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Disadvantages of the EKF-based localization algorithm --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2 --- Monte Carlo Localization --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Overview of MCL --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Recent MCL-based localization algorithms --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Advantages of the MCL-based algorithm --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Disadvantages of the MCL-based algorithm --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- Summary --- p.16 / Chapter Chapter 3 - --- Vision-based Localization as an Optimization Problem --- p.18 / Chapter 3.1 --- "Relationship between the World, Camera and Robot Body Coordinate System" --- p.18 / Chapter 3.2 --- Formulation of the Vision-based Localization as an Optimization Problem --- p.21 / Chapter 3.3 --- Summary --- p.26 / Chapter Chapter 4 - --- Existing Search Algorithms --- p.27 / Chapter 4.1 --- Overview of the Existing Search Algorithms --- p.27 / Chapter 4.2 --- Search Algorithm for the Proposed Objective Function --- p.28 / Chapter 4.3 --- Summary --- p.30 / Chapter Chapter 5 - --- Proposed Vision-based Localization using Genetic Algorithm --- p.32 / Chapter 5.1 --- Mechanism of Genetic Algorithm --- p.32 / Chapter 5.2 --- Formation of Chromosome --- p.35 / Chapter 5.3 --- Fitness Function --- p.39 / Chapter 5.4 --- Mutation and Crossover --- p.40 / Chapter 5.5 --- Selection and Stopping Criteria --- p.42 / Chapter 5.6 --- Adaptive Search Space --- p.44 / Chapter 5.7 --- Overall Flow of the Proposed Algorithm --- p.46 / Chapter 5.8 --- Summary --- p.47 / Chapter Chapter 6 - --- Experimental Results --- p.48 / Chapter 6.1 --- Test Robot --- p.48 / Chapter 6.2 --- Simulator --- p.49 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Camera states simulation --- p.49 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- Oscillated walking motion simulation --- p.50 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Input images simulation --- p.50 / Chapter 6.3 --- Computer for simulations --- p.51 / Chapter 6.4 --- Position and Orientation errors --- p.51 / Chapter 6.5 --- Experiment 1 一 Feature points with quantized noise --- p.53 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Setup --- p.53 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Results --- p.56 / Chapter 6.6 --- Experiment 2 一 Feature points added with Gaussian noise --- p.62 / Chapter 6.6.1 --- Setup --- p.62 / Chapter 6.6.2 --- Results --- p.62 / Chapter 6.7 --- Experiment 3 一 Noise reduction performance of the adaptive search space strategy --- p.77 / Chapter 6.7.1 --- Setup --- p.77 / Chapter 6.7.2 --- Results --- p.79 / Chapter 6.8 --- Experiment 4 一 Comparison with benchmark algorithms --- p.83 / Chapter 6.8.1 --- Setup --- p.83 / Chapter 6.8.2 --- Results --- p.85 / Chapter 6.9 --- Discussions --- p.88 / Chapter 6.10 --- Summary --- p.90 / Chapter Chapter 7- --- Conclusion --- p.91 / References --- p.94

El presente trabajo es enfocado en recreación para perros mediante el servicio de paseos a través de un aplicativo móvil. El problema encontrado por parte de los dueños de perros, es la carencia de tiempo para pasear a sus mascotas. En consecuencia se generan enfermedades psicosomáticas, como cardiopatías o úlceras en el largo plazo. Se pueden desarrollar problemas físicos, debido a que al estar estresado y ansioso. Tomando en cuenta esto, muchos dueños se animan por contratar a alguien que le brinde paseos y así combatir el estrés que le genera el aislamiento. Sin embargo, existe la falta de confianza sobre el paseador. Se ha propuesto como medidas de solución, permitir un programa de paseo individual o grupal para su mascota a la hora que. Asimismo, podrá realizar la reserva de un plan semanal. Además, el aplicativo contará con información fundamental acerca del paseador asignado, una breve reseña y comentarios sobre la calidad del servicio realizado anteriormente a otros usuarios. Se complementará con el uso de collares GPS con los que contarán nuestros paseadores y serán colocados a las mascotas durante el paseo. Contaremos con una estrategia de diferenciación en base a los siguientes factores variedad de servicios, seguridad, confianza del servicio, precio del servicio, calidad de servicio y medios de pago. / The present work is focused on recreation for dogs through the service of walks through a mobile application. The problem encountered by dog owners is the lack of time to walk their pets. Consequently, psychosomatic diseases are generated, such as heart disease or ulcers in the long term. Physical problems can develop, because of being stressed and anxious. Considering this, many owners are encouraged to hire someone to provide rides and thus combat the stress generated by isolation. However, there is a lack of confidence about the walker. It has been proposed as solution measures, allow an individual or group walk program for your pet at the time. You can also make the reservation of a weekly plan. In addition, the application will have fundamental information about the assigned walker, a brief review and comments on the quality of the service previously performed to other users. It will be complemented with the use of GPS collars that our walkers will have and will be placed to the pets during the walk. We will have a differentiation strategy based on the following factors: variety of services, security, trust in the service, price of the service, quality of service and means of payment. / Trabajo de investigación

<p>At two nursing homes for people with dementia a qualitative study was performed. The purpose was to investigate the therapy dog‟s meaning to people with dementia from their perspective. Two women and five men with dementia were interviewed, everyone being somewhere between 60 and 87 years of age. All but one had previously owned a dog at some point in their lives. From the content analysis four categories could be identified: activity, fellowship, friendship and without positive meaning. The therapy dog had different meanings to the different people. The therapy dog had a positive meaning to five of the interviewed participants. Most of the participants had a positive approach to the therapy dog. It was considered to be good company and a good friend, as well as something to play and interact with. Two of the participants did not consider the therapy dog to be of any particular meaning to them, one of them showing disinterest for the subject. Knowledge about attitude to and experience of dogs for persons with dementia during the healthy part of life is important in order to have a well-established therapy with therapy dogs.</p> / <p>På två vårdboenden för personer med demens genomfördes en kvalitativ studie, med syftet att ta reda på vilken betydelse vårdhunden hade för dem ur deras eget perspektiv. Två kvinnor och fem män med demens inkluderades och intervjuades. De var mellan 60 och 87 år. Alla utom en hade tidigare haft egen hund. Ur innehållsanalysen framkom fyra kategorier: aktivitet, gemenskap, kamratskap och utan positiv betydelse. Vårdhunden hade olika betydelse för olika informanter. Flertalet av de intervjuade hade en positiv inställning till vårdhunden. Den var ett sällskap, en god kamrat och man lekte/hade aktivitet tillsammans. Två av de intervjuade tyckte inte att vårdhunden hade någon positiv betydelse, varav en uttryckte ointresse för vårdhunden. Kunskap om inställning till och erfarenhet av hundar under den friska levnadstiden hos personer med demens är viktig för att de ska uppfatta vårdhunden och terapin som positiv.</p>