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Biomedical subjects

C A Weeks

Publications and source records attributed to C A Weeks.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Multi-element survey of wild edible fungi and blackberries in the UK.

A survey of 12 metals including lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As) and platinum (Pt) was carried out using ICP-MS in 34 samples of wild fungi and 48 samples of wild blackberries collected from sites across the UK. On a fresh weight basis (mg/kg) levels of Pb were in the range 0.003-5.990, Cu 0.596-34.800, Cd<0.001-19.6, Hg<0.001-4.150, As 0.001-0.972 and Pt (microg/kg) 0.006-0.200, with higher concentrations found in fungi than in blackberries. The results of the survey showed that the concentrations of the metals were consistent with previous studies, where available. Concentrations in wild fungi of Pt, tin (Sn), and titanium (Ti) were significantly higher at urban sites than at rural sites. Urban blackberries had significantly higher levels of Pb, Ti, and Cd than rural ones, but lower levels of manganese (Mn). Pb, Ti and Sn concentrations were significantly higher in blackberries sampled near main roads rather than in rural areas.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2002

Influence of the design of facilities at auction markets and animal handling procedures on bruising in cattle.

The movements of cattle at 12 livestock auction markets were observed to determine the possible causes of trauma leading to carcase bruising. Design faults included right-angled bends in races, dead ends, flooring with insufficient slope or grip, and steps. Sliding gates were often misused for goading cattle. Projecting fittings and square-edged corners were potentially injurious; conversely, rounded posts and curved races assisted the flow of cattle with minimal impacts. At all the markets, some cattle were hit directly and poked with wooden sticks, and the variations in their use could partially explain the differences between the markets in the prevalence of carcase bruising. Most harder hits were directed at less valuable parts of the body, such as the spine, hips and shoulders, and a survey of bruising at the abattoir showed that these were the areas with most bruising. In this survey of 48,926 carcases, the overall level of commercially significant bruising of 4.1 per cent was lower than the 6.5 per cent found in a previous survey. Carcases of cattle from markets had a greater incidence and severity of bruising (P<0.001) than those arriving directly from farms or dealers. Carcase bruising in young bulls was less (P<0.001) than in heifers and steers.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2000

Self-selection of the analgesic drug carprofen by lame broiler chickens.

Lame and sound broilers, selected from commercial flocks, were trained to discriminate between different coloured feeds, one of which contained carprofen. The two feeds were then offered simultaneously and the birds were allowed to select their own diet from the two feeds. In an initial study to assess the most appropriate concentration of drug, the plasma concentrations of carprofen were linearly related to the birds' dietary intake. The walking ability of lame birds was also significantly improved in a dose-dependent manner and lame birds tended to consume more analgesic than sound birds. In a second study, in which only one concentration of analgesic was used, lame birds selected significantly more drugged feed than sound birds, and that as the severity of the lameness increased, lame birds consumed a significantly higher proportion of the drugged feed.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1997

Vehicle design and thermal comfort of poultry in transit.

1. Four second-generation artificial chickens (Glorias) simulated the sensible heat exchanges, H, of pullets and end-of-lay hens which they accompanied throughout commercial transit in different sites of the loads. 2. Data from two summer and two winter journeys on each of 5 naturally- and 2 fan-ventilated vehicles were used to derive general equations to predict H and temperature lift for each vehicle. 3. From these, air movement, V, within the crates was calculated together with predicted H at ambient temperatures to compare the thermal comfort of the vehicles. 4. All naturally-ventilated vehicles were over-ventilated in motion, with mean V ranging from 0.9 to 2.4 m/s within the crate, and maximum V of 6.0 m/s resulting in negligible temperature lift above ambient. Poorly-feathered hens were, consequently, extremely cold-stressed in winter. When stationary, vehicles with a central passage that enabled the 'stack effect' to operate were thermally comfortable provided V was kept low. Designs stocked over the whole floor area of the vehicle were too hot. 5. Fan-ventilated vehicles had a similar range of H whether stationary or in motion. The mean V of 1 to 2 m/s of bird-warmed air maintained satisfactory thermal conditions most of the time. 6. For current designs of poultry vehicle stocked at commercial rates, V should normally be between 0.3 and 1.0 m/s; air temperature near pullets or broilers should be 10-15 degrees C and near poorly-feathered hens 22-28 degrees C. Suitable ventilation rates are likely to be in the range 100 to 600 m3 per hour. It is strongly recommended that appropriate temperature monitoring systems be fitted on all vehicles.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed1995

Effects of the sucking louse (Linognathus vituli) on the grooming behaviour of housed calves.

The behaviour of cattle with and without louse infestation was studied for eight weeks. Thirty-two crossbred calves were housed in groups of four at 20 weeks old. Sixteen of the calves were artificially infested with the long-nosed cattle louse Linognathus vituli and 16 were left uninfested as controls. In infested animals the number of lice on the shoulders averaged 2.3 per 10 cm length of parted hair. The recorded frequency of irritation, manifested by rubbing and self-licking, was significantly greater in the louse-infested calves than in the uninfested controls. The infested calves spent 28 s/h rubbing and 95 s/h self-licking, compared with 8 s and 62 s/h spent by the uninfested controls. The infested calves also spent more than twice as long scratching as the controls. There were no significant effects of the infestation on social grooming.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

New method for objectively assessing lameness in broiler chickens.

A new method for assessing the severity of lameness in broiler chickens is described. The length of time that birds remained standing in shallow water was measured and the results were compared with the results of conventional gait scoring. There was a highly significant (P < 0.001) relationship between the birds' gait scores and their latency to lie down. Over 750 broilers aged between 32 and 45 days of age were tested in commercial houses and whereas nearly all the sound birds were able to stand for at least 15 minutes, the majority of lame birds lay down within five minutes.

Animals↗