The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of cold stress, water restriction, and heat stress on the stress response, measured by the heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (H/L), in ten local Spanish laying hen breeds. In controlled experiments, the hens of these local breeds experienced three sequential treatments: natural cold stress (2, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 13 degrees Celsius); water restriction (25, 45, 7, 10, and 12 hours); and heat stress (23, 26, 28, 30, 34, 38, 40, and 42 degrees Celsius). Significant elevation of H/L was observed under cold stress at both 9°C and 13°C, surpassing levels measured at 2°C, 4°C, and 6°C, with a further increase at 9°C relative to 7°C (P < 0.005). Consistent H/L values were found irrespective of the varying water restriction levels. Temperatures higher than 40°C were associated with a marked rise in H/L during heat stress, a statistically significant finding (P < 0.05). In terms of resilience to stress, based on H/L response, Andaluza Azul, Andaluza Perdiz, and Prat Codorniz demonstrated the lowest resilience, a considerable difference from the high resilience of Pardo de Leon, Villafranquina Roja, and Prat Leonada.
Effective heat therapies are directly correlated with a thorough comprehension of the thermal properties impacting living biological tissues. We explore the heat transport characteristics of irradiated tissue during thermal treatment, considering the impact of local thermal non-equilibrium and temperature-dependent material properties associated with the complex anatomical structure. The generalized dual-phase lag (GDPL) model underpins a proposed nonlinear tissue temperature equation, accounting for changing thermal properties. A finite difference method, implemented explicitly, produces a procedure for numerical estimations of thermal responses and damages from pulsed laser therapy. A parametric study was carried out to determine how variable thermal-physical parameters, including phase lag times, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and blood perfusion rate, affect the temperature distribution throughout time and space. Subsequently, the thermal damage resulting from diverse laser parameters, including intensity and exposure time, undergoes further investigation.
Among Australian insects, the Bogong moth is a highly recognizable species. In spring, they undertake their annual migration, moving from low-elevation locations in southern Australia to the Australian Alps, where they aestivate during the summer. As summer fades into autumn, they embark on their return journey to the ancestral breeding grounds, where they reproduce, lay eggs, and meet their fate. find more Considering the moth's unusual preference for cool alpine environments, and recognizing that aestivation sites are experiencing rising average temperatures due to climate change, we initially investigated if elevated temperatures influenced bogong moth activity during their aestivation period. Moth behavior exhibited a notable alteration, progressing from diurnal peaks at dawn and dusk and reduced activity during the day in cooler weather to nearly constant activity at all hours of the day at 15°C. find more The wet mass of moths exhibited an escalating loss as temperature increased, however, there was no measurable variation in dry mass across the different temperature-controlled environments. In summary, our findings indicate that the aestivation patterns of bogong moths are contingent upon temperature fluctuations, potentially ceasing altogether around 15 degrees Celsius. Priority should be given to examining the influence of rising temperatures on the successful completion of field aestivation by these moths, to better understand the cascading effects of climate change upon Australia's alpine environment.
The increasing importance of high-density protein production costs and the environmental repercussions of food production in animal agriculture are becoming undeniable. A novel approach involving thermal profiles, specifically a Thermal Efficiency Index (TEI), was employed in this study to ascertain the potential for identifying superior animals, in a reduced timeframe and at a significantly lower cost compared to conventional feed station and performance technologies. High-performance Duroc sires, numbering three hundred and forty-four, were selected from a genetic nucleus herd for inclusion in the study. A 72-day study tracked animal feed consumption and growth performance, employing conventional feed station technology. Animals under observation in these stations had live body weights within the range of approximately 50 kg to 130 kg. Post-performance test, the animals underwent an infrared thermal scan, automatically capturing dorsal thermal images. The resulting biometrics were used to quantify both bio-surveillance parameters and a thermal phenotypic profile including the TEI (mean dorsal temperature divided by 0.75 of body weight). The thermal profile values demonstrated a strong correlation (r = 0.40, P < 0.00001) with the current industry standard for Residual Intake and Gain (RIG) performance. The current study's data indicate that these rapid, real-time, cost-effective TEI values offer a valuable precision farming tool for the animal industries, reducing production costs and the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of high-density protein production.
The research project was designed to examine the consequences of packing animals (donkeys) on their rectal and surface temperatures, and their corresponding diurnal rhythms, during the hot, dry season. Two groups of pack donkeys, each containing 15 males and 5 non-pregnant females, comprised the experimental subjects. These animals were aged two to three years and possessed an average weight of 93.27 kilograms, and were assigned randomly. find more Donkeys in group 1, tasked with both packing and trekking, endured the additional burden of packing, in conjunction with their trekking duties, whereas group 2 donkeys, designated for trekking alone, carried no load. Each donkey of the group trekked, encompassing a distance of 20 kilometers. Three times throughout the week, the procedure was conducted, with a day's gap between each instance. Measurements during the experiment encompassed dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity (RH), temperature-humidity index (THI), wind speed and topsoil temperature; pre- and post-packing, rectal temperature (RT) and body surface temperature (BST) were assessed. Starting 16 hours after the last packing, the circadian rhythms of RT and BST were tracked at 3-hour intervals for a 27-hour duration. The method used for determining RT was a digital thermometer; the BST was ascertained by a non-contact infrared thermometer. The DBT and RH (3583 02 C and 2000 00% respectively) of the donkeys, especially after the packing, were situated outside their thermoneutral zone. Donkeys involved in both packing and trekking procedures displayed a significantly elevated RT value (3863.01 C, 15 minutes post-packing) compared to donkeys used exclusively for trekking (3727.01 C), a difference which was statistically significant (P < 0.005). A markedly higher mean reaction time (P < 0.005) was observed for donkeys participating in both packing and trekking (3693 ± 02 C) during the 27-hour period of continuous measurement, starting 16 hours after the final packing, in comparison to those dedicated only to trekking (3629 ± 03 C). BSTs were higher (P < 0.005) in both groups directly after packing when juxtaposed with pre-packing values; however, no such difference was found 16 hours after the packing procedure. Continuous recordings of donkeys in both groups revealed generally higher RT and BST values during the photophase, and lower values during the scotophase. Of the three temperatures measured, the eye's temperature exhibited the closest reading to the reference temperature (RT), followed by the scapular temperature, with the coronary band temperature registering the most divergent reading. The mesor of RT was notably higher in donkeys involved in both packing and trekking (3706 02 C) than in donkeys limited to trekking only (3646 01 C). The wider (P < 0.005) amplitude of RT observed during trekking with donkeys only (120 ± 0.1°C) exceeded that measured in donkeys used for both packing and trekking (80 ± 0.1°C). Packing and trekking donkeys experienced a delayed acrophase and bathyphase, peaking at 1810 hours 03 minutes and dipping to a trough at 0610 hours 03 minutes, in contrast to trekking-only donkeys which attained their respective peaks and troughs at 1650 hours 02 minutes and 0450 hours 02 minutes. In closing, the thermal stress of the surrounding environment during the packing process caused a rise in body temperature, most markedly in packing and trekking donkeys. The substantial impact of packing on the circadian rhythms of working donkeys' body temperatures was evident, as revealed by the divergent circadian rhythm parameters between the packing-and-trekking group and the trekking-only group during the hot-dry season.
The interplay of water temperature and metabolic/biochemical processes significantly dictates the development, behavior, and thermal adaptation of ectothermic creatures. To ascertain the thermal tolerance of male Cryphiops caementarius freshwater prawns, we performed laboratory experiments that varied acclimation temperatures. During a 30-day period, male prawns were subjected to different acclimation temperatures: 19°C (control), 24°C, and 28°C. Significant positive correlations were observed between acclimation temperature and Critical Thermal Maxima (CTMax) and Critical Thermal Minimum (CTMin) values. The CTMax values at different acclimation temperatures were 3342°C, 3492°C, and 3680°C; the CTMin values were 938°C, 1057°C, and 1388°C. The area of the thermal tolerance polygon across three acclimation temperatures quantified to 21132 square degrees Celsius. Acclimation response rates were significant, exhibiting CTMax values between 0.30 and 0.47, and CTMin values from 0.24 to 0.83, displaying trends akin to those observed in other tropical crustacean species. Adult male freshwater prawns of the C. caementarius species exhibit remarkable thermal plasticity, enabling them to endure extreme water temperatures, a trait potentially beneficial in a warming global climate.