Reproductive management in pigs: emphasis on the different roles of the boar and on optimal insemination management

Boars have different roles in the reproductive management in pigs. Boar contact can stimulate follicle development and thereby induce oestrus, both in gilts and sows. Boar contact during oestrus is essential for good oestrus expression, which is essential for the correct timing of insemination and the proper use of boar contact during insemination can stimulate sperm transport and thereby fertilisation. Stimulation by boars clearly has an olfactory component (the boar smell), but can also have an auditory, visual and evn tactile component. The background of the different roles and some of these different components of the boar are discussed. To enable a good farrowing rate and litter size, sows should be inseminated between 0 and 24h before ovulation. However, it is not possible to accurately predict the time of ovulation in sows. Although ovulation takes place at a relatively fixed 60-75% of the duration of oestrus, the duration of oestrus varies considerably between sows and between farms, resulting in a variable ovulation time from onset of oestrus. Therefore, most farmers inseminate their sows every day of oestrus to ensure insemination within the optimal period. Since post-ovulation inseminations should be avoided, it is adviced to only inseminate sows while they still show an optimal standing respons

An Economic Analysis of Blast Fishing on Indonesian Coral Reefs

Characteristics, impacts and economic costs and benefits of blast fishing have been little investigated and they were therefore studied in Indonesia, at the scale of individual fishing households and of Indonesian society as a whole. Although illegal and highly destructive to coral reefs, blast fishing provides income and fish to a vast number of coastal fishers who claim that they have no alternative to make a living. Crew members in small-, medium- and large-scale blast fishing operations earned net incomes per month of US$55, 146 and 197 respectively. Boat owners in the same types of operations earned US$55, 393 and 1100 respectively. These incomes were comparable to the highest incomes in the conventional coastal fisheries. At the individual household level, the differences between the three types of operations show clear incentives for scale enlargement. The cost-benefit balance at the society level was calculated with an economic model. This analysis showed a net loss after 20 years of blast fishing of US$306,800 per k

Effecten van eenvoudige koolhydraten en fermenteerbare koolhydraten op de binnentoom variatie bij varkens

2 proeven werden uitgevoerd. Het doel van de 1e was nader inzicht te krijgen in het mechanisme dat ten grondslag ligt aan de relatie tussen insuline-stimulerend voer (dextrose+lactose) tijdens het interval spenenovulatie, follikelontwikkeling in de laatste dagen voor inseminatie en (variatie in) ontwikkeling van embryo's tijdens de vroege dracht. Het doel van de 2e proef was om nader inzicht te krijgen in de directe effecten van de specifieke voercomponenten dextrose, lactose, sucrose en suikerbietenpulp (zowel apart als gecombineerd) op glucose, insuline en IGF-1 profielen in zeugen om zo diëten te vinden met de hoogste potentie om insuline en IGF-1 afgifte te stimuleren

Improving coastal livelihoods through sustainable aquaculture practices - a report to the collaborative APEC Grouper Research and Development Network

Wild-harvest fisheries for live reef fish are largely over-exploited or unsustainable because of over-fishing and the widespread use of destructive fishing practices such as blast and cyanide fishing. Sustainable aquaculture – such as that of groupers – is one option for meeting the strong demand for reef fish, as well as potentially maintaining or improving the livelihoods of coastal communities. This report from a short study by the STREAM Initiative draws on secondary literature, media sources and four diverse case studies from at-risk reef fisheries, to frame a strategy for encouraging sustainable aquaculture as an alternative to destructive fishing practices. It was undertaken as a component of the APEC-funded project Collaborative Grouper Research and Development Network (FWG/01/2001) to better understand how recent technical advances in grouper culture and other complementary work – including that of the Asia-Pacific Marine Finfish Aquaculture Network (APMFAN) hosted by NACA – could better support the livelihoods of poor coastal communities. (PDF contains 49 pages

IEA Wind 2013 Annual Report

Contribution to this annual report of the IEA Wind Implementing Agreement, Chapter 20 .Here the JRC, as representative of the Commission, exposes the achievements in wind R&D supported by the Commission programmes (FP7, IEE), after coordinating with our colleagues from ENER, RTD, the REU (JRC/IET) and EACI. Subchapter 2 of the European Commission/EWEA chapter is the Commission's responsibility whereas subchapters 1 and 3 are EWEA's responsibilityJRC.F.6 - Energy Technology Policy Outloo

Groepshuisvesting van zeugen tijdens de vroege dracht = Group housing of sows during early gestation

This study investigated what the success factors and risk factors are for group housing for sows within 4 days post-insemination. We concluded that with each system of group housing good reproduction results and adequate welfare of the sows can be achieved at introducing the sows into the group within 4 days post-insemination. An animal-directed approach (i.e., attention for the individual animal’s needs), attention for farm management and farm optimisation, in other words, the farmer’s management, and an adequate rearing of gilts are important success factor