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Biomedical subjects

C M Wathes

Publications and source records attributed to C M Wathes.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Leg health and performance of broiler chickens reared in different light environments.

1. The effects of light source and intensity on leg health and performance of female ROSS 308 broiler chickens were investigated in a 2 x 2 experimental design (8 groups of 275 chicks) of two light sources (Osram biolux and Osram warm-white) and two light intensities (5 and 100 clux, adjusted to fowl-perceived illuminance). 2. At 41 d of age, body weight, gait-score, footpad dermatitis and hock-burn were measured on 50 birds from each light environment. In addition, weekly feed intake and body weight were determined on a group basis and mortality was recorded continuously. 3. The light environment did not affect the severity of the gait-score or hock-burns. The risk of moderate to severe lameness and hock-burns increased with body weight. Birds weighing more than 2400 g had an increased probability of moderate footpad lesions in biolux light. 4. Weight and gait-score, as well as gait-score and hock-burn were positively correlated. Podo-dermatitis was weakly correlated with hock-burn, which contradicts earlier findings. The light environment did not affect feed intake, body weight or mortality. 5. The light sources and intensities employed in this study did not adversely affect production or leg health of broiler chickens reared semi-commercially.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2006

Comparative study of the photopic spectral sensitivity of domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus), turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo gallopavo) and humans.

1. The photopic spectral sensitivity of domestic ducks and turkeys was determined using an operant psychophysical technique. Spectral sensitivity was determined over a range of specified wavelengths, including UVA, between 326 < lambda < 694 nm and the results were directly compared with human spectral sensitivity measured under similar experimental conditions. 2. Domestic ducks and turkeys had similar spectral sensitivities to each other, and could perceive UVA radiation, although turkeys were more sensitive to UVA than ducks. For both species, peak sensitivity was between 544 < lambda < 577 nm, with reduced sensitivity at lambda = 508 and 600 nm. Both ducks and turkeys had a very different and broader range of spectral sensitivity than the human subjects tested. 3. Spectral sensitivity and UVA perception in these avian species are discussed in relation to their visual ecology and the mechanisms controlling neural processing of colour information.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Clinical and pathological responses of weaned pigs to atmospheric ammonia and dust.

Nine hundred and sixty weaned pigs were exposed for five weeks to controlled concentrations of atmospheric ammonia and dust in a single, multifactorial experiment. The treatments were a mean dust concentration of either 1.2, 2.7, 5.1 or 9.9 mg/m3 (inhalable fraction) and a mean ammonia concentration of either 0.6, 10.0, 18.8 or 37.0 ppm, concentrations representative of commercial conditions. The experiment was carried out over two years and the pigs were used in eight batches, each consisting of five lots of 24 pigs. Each treatment combination was replicated once, and an additional control lot (nominally 0 mg/m3 dust and 0 ppm ammonia) was included in each batch. The dust concentration was the same in the other four lots in each batch in which the four concentrations of ammonia were used; thus, the split-plot design was more sensitive to the effects of ammonia than dust. The groups of pigs were kept separately in five rooms in a purpose-built facility, and the pollutants were injected continuously into the air supply. Ammonia was supplied from a pressurised cylinder, and the endogenous dust in each room was supplemented by an artificial dust manufactured from feed, barley straw and faeces, mixed by weight in the proportions 5:1:4; its ingredients were oven-dried, milled and mixed, and then resuspended in the air supply. The health of the pigs was assessed in terms of general pathology, respiratory tract pathology, and the microbiology of the nasal cavity, trachea and lung. In each batch, postmortem examinations were carried out on 40 pigs after five weeks' exposure to the pollutants and on 30 pigs two weeks later to test for carryover and recovery--a total of 560 pigs. These examinations revealed minimal gross pathology and widespread minor pathological changes of little significance. The pigs' turbinate and lung scores were low and unaffected by exposure to pollutants. All the putative bacterial pathogens, with the exception of toxigenic Pasteurella multocida type D, were isolated from the respiratory tract of the pigs of both ages, but there were no differences between the effects of the different concentrations of pollutants.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2003

Dispersal of micro-organisms in commercial defeathering systems.

1. The extent of cross contamination between carcases and the dispersal of micro-organisms to the environs during defeathering was measured in a commercial processing plant. 2. Defeathering reduced the numbers of a marker organism, a nalidixic acid-resistant strain of Escherichia coli K12, on inoculated carcases but dispersed the organism on to preceding and following carcases. 3. The pattern of microbial dispersal during defeathering was similar for naturally occurring bacteria on the carcase, for example, total aerobic counts and counts of presumptive coliforms, suggesting that the marker organism mimics the natural situation realistically. 4. The majority of feathers, together with micro-organisms, were removed during the first 10 s of the defeathering process, which was completed in 45 s, indicating that control measures to minimise cross contamination would be most effective if applied in the early stages of the process. 5. The method of defeathering used by the machine influenced the pattern of microbial dispersal and the extent of cross contamination to other carcases on the same processing line.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2003

Preferred food rewards for laying hens in behavioural experiments.

1. Laying hens showed a clear preference for maggots over whole grain wheat, feed pellets and other food stuffs in a preference test. 2. Motivation to work for maggots in an operant conditioning task was high and unaffected by periods of food deprivation of up to 6h before testing. 3. By extrapolation, motivation to work for maggots was equivalent to the motivation of the hens to work for their normal ration after approximately 9 h food deprivation. 4. Food deprivation is a common prerequisite for laying hens in operant conditioning and other behavioural techniques but can be avoided if an attractive food, such as maggots, is used. The mild distress associated with the deprivation is thereby removed and, in the UK, the procedure would not require regulation under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Microbial cross-contamination by airborne dispersion and contagion during defeathering of poultry.

1. A readily identifiable strain of Escherichia coli K12 was used as a 'marker' organism to determine the sources, routes and patterns of microbial cross-contamination during mechanical defeathering of broiler chicken carcases. 2. Inoculation of scald water with the marker organism led to a relatively even pattern of carcase contamination during subsequent defeathering. Microbial cross-contamination was greater by this route of inoculation than by either surface inoculation of a 'seeder' carcase or oral inoculation of a live bird one day before slaughter. 3. Dispersal of the marker organism was strongly influenced by the mechanical action of the defeathering machines. Forward transmission of the marker occurred by aerosol or large airborne droplets and particulates such as feathers. Moving carcases through the defeathering machines when these were non-operational clearly reduced backward transmission of the marker. 4. Although microbial dispersal was unaffected by increasing the spacing between individual carcases or installing a water curtain at the entry and exit of the defeathering machines, shielding of carcases with aluminium baffles reduced counts of the marker organism from contaminated carcases by > 90%. 5. The results imply that microbial cross-contamination of broiler chicken carcases during defeathering occurs mainly via the airborne route, which could be contained by physical means.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2002

Preference and motivation of laying hens to eat under different illuminances and the effect of illuminance on eating behaviour.

1. In experiment 1, 10 laying hens were given the choice to eat food pellets from any of 4 food bowls illuminated by overhead, incandescent luminaires at <1, 6, 20 or 200 lux. During a trial hens were allowed to eat for 5 min. After each minute had elapsed (from the start of eating) the light sources were extinguished and the illuminances re-assigned to the food bowls in a random manner. Each hen received two trials, one where the food was freely available and another where it was hidden in a sand and gravel mix. 2. The hens chose to eat for most time in the brightest (200 lux) and least in the dimmest (<1 lux) environments for both free and hidden food (free: 5.9, 10.5, 10.4, 15.7s for increasing illuminance; Hidden: 5.5, 9.8, 9.1 and 15.7s. 3. In experiment 2, 9 hens were trained to peck at either an illuminated or unilluminated panel to access a food reward behind a guillotine door for 3 s. Five hens were trained to peck the illuminated panel to access food brightly lit (200 lux) or the unilluminated panel to access food dimly lit (<1 lux); 4 hens were trained vice versa. The flock was then divided into three groups of three, and three treatments imposed on each group in a Latin-square arrangement. In treatment 1, one peck at either panel allowed access to the chosen light environment (F1:F1). In treatment 2, 5 pecks were required to access food brightly lit on a variable ratio, but only one to access food dimly lit (ratio V5:F1). In treatment 3, the variable ratio was increased to V10:F1 to access food in the light. 4. Over 40 trials for each hen, the mean number of attempts to eat food in the light (where the panel which allowed access to food brightly lit was pecked at least once) was 34.5 for F1:F1, 12.1 for V5:F1 and 8.5 for V10:F1. The mean number of food rewards taken in bright light was 34.5, 3.1 and 1.8, respectively. For both variables, the difference between F1:F1 and V5:F1 was significant but not between V5:F1 and V10:F1. By interpolation of the 'attempts' data, it was estimated that hens would work 2.3 times harder to gain access to food brightly lit than for food dimly lit. 5. In experiment 3, the influence of the same illuminances applied over a food bowl as in experiment 1 (<1, 6, 20 or 200 lux) on the number of pecks/min, food consumed/min, food consumed/peck and the force of pecks was examined. 6. The amount of food consumed was lowest in the dimmest environment (3.1 vs 7.5, 7.4 and 7.1 g/ min for increasing illuminance, respectively); as was the number of pecks (35.6 vs. 125.0, 123.1, and 125.4 pecks/min respectively for increasing illuminance). The amount consumed per peck did not vary significantly with illuminance. The mean peck force showed a trend to be lowest in the dimmest environment (5.3 vs. 6.6, 7.0 and 6.6 N respectively, for increasing illuminance). 7. Overall, the hens showed a preference and appeared motivated to eat in bright as opposed to dim light. The hens were unwilling to eat at low illuminances although the 'efficiency' of eating (g/peck) was not impaired significantly. These data may have implications for novel lighting systems and those where hens are required to eat in the dark or in very dim light.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2001

Behaviour of domestic ducks exposed to mobile predator stimuli. 2. The association of individual duckling attributes with relative position in a flock.

1. We investigated whether an individual duckling's (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) attributes were associated with its response to an approaching human when it was a member of one of three flocks of 12. 2. Each individual was scored according to its response to (i) an approaching human when alone and feeding, (ii) a taxidermist's model fox when alone and feeding, and (iii) an approaching human when alone in a 9 m annulus, and its nearest neighbour distance in the home pen, competitiveness for food in a series of paired encounters, running ability and physical characteristics. 3. Each flock was herded around a 7 m diameter annulus in separate trials by a human walking at 0.5ms(-1). The distance maintained by each duckling from the human, and hence its relative flock position, was calculated. 4. Individual flight distance maintained from an approaching human when alone in an annulus was the attribute that predicted distance maintained from an approaching human when part of a flock. 5. Some ducklings had reduced average distances from an approaching human when they were in a flock compared to when they were tested alone, and inter-individual variation in distance from the human was greatly reduced when birds were part of a flock.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Behaviour of domestic ducks exposed to mobile predator stimuli. 1. Flock responses.

1. Small flocks of ducks (Anasplatyrhynchos domesticus) were exposed to two stimuli, a small mobile vehicle and a walking human, to investigate their flight responses. 2. Experiment 1. Flocks were herded around an annular arena by each stimulus at 0.5 ms(-1) and the flight distance between the stimulus and the centre of the flock, and individual positions within the flock were recorded every 10 s. Flocks maintained a significantly longer distance from the human (6.0 m) than the vehicle (5.1 m) and usually did not maintain visual contact with either stimulus. Significant consistency in individual positions within the flock was found within and between trials. 3. Experiment 2. Flocks were exposed to each stimulus which approached them as they were feeding in a circular arena. The latencies for cessation and resumption of feeding were recorded and the paths followed by the flocks described. Ducks showed a significantly shorter latency to cease feeding in response to the human (4.9 s) compared with the vehicle (6.9 s). 4. Domestic ducks apparently perceive an approaching human as a greater threat than a small vehicle. The findings are discussed in relation to the development of herding robots.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed2001

Ultraviolet light and mating behaviour in domestic broiler breeders.

1. The perception of UVA light (320 < lambda < 400 nm) by domestic fowl may be an adaptation to naturally lit habitats and may still be functional in farmed varieties, although not utilised owing to the absence of these wavelengths in commercial house lighting. One function may be the mediation of sexually related signalling or communication. 2. In experiment 1, two groups of 41 adult broiler breeders (four cockerels, 37 hens) were kept under conventional fluorescent light, with or without fluorescent UVA supplementation amounting to 16.9% of the total spectral power output of the luminaires. Each light environment was approximately iso-illuminant as perceived by the birds. The two groups were exposed to the light environments alternately for five 2-day periods in a cross-over design. Mating behaviour, production measures and time budgets were recorded on the second day of each period. 3. A UVA-enriched environment increased the number of attempted matings (1.27 vs 0.99 matings/cockerel.h) and locomotion (5.3 vs 3.7 min/bird.hour). 4. In a second experiment, 10 hens were allowed to choose between four cockerels lit under different power levels of UVA (1.6%, 14.6%, 43.5%, 57.5% of the total spectral power output of the luminaires) in a four-armed maze. Again, each light environment was approximately iso-illuminant as perceived by the birds. Each hen was allowed to make one choice per day over four days, with the position of the cockerels and the UVA levels interchanged each day. This schedule was repeated with the same hens for two other groups of four cockerels. 5. At a distance of no less than 60 cm from the cockerel, the hens spent most time inspecting whichever cockerel was lit by 1.6% or 14.6% UVA (1.33 vs 1.37 vs 1.22 vs 1.16 log seconds/hen.choice, respectively for increasing UVA level). Similarly, when allowed to approach closer to the cockerels, the hens spent most time in the arm which contained a cockerel lit by 14.6% UVA light, (1.62 vs 1.88 vs 1.69 vs 1.51 log s/hen.choice, respectively for increasing UVA level). 6. UVA is clearly implicated in the transmission of sexual signals or communication which may have implications for the welfare and production of broiler breeders.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed1999

Spectral sensitivity of the domestic fowl (Gallus g. domesticus).

1. The spectral sensitivity of 7 broiler fowl was determined in a behavioural test. 2. Initially the birds were trained to receive a food reward by pecking at a clear, Perspex panel behind which was a light stimulus (circular, diameter = 9 mm), originating from a tungsten-halogen lamp. Subsequently, they were trained to choose between 2 panels only 1 of which was lit; the assignation of light and dark on each panel was randomly ascribed between trials. The colour of the lit panel was determined by the wavelength of the light transmitted through one of 13 closely defined narrow bandwidth filters between 326<lambda<694 nm. The flux of photons and hence the intensity of the stimulus received by the bird could be controlled by changing the voltage across the lamp. The photon flux was gradually reduced until the birds failed to detect accurately the lit panel. Success was defined as a choice of the lit panel 9 or more times in a sequence of 10 trials, providing that the sequence contained at least 4 changes in the position of the stimulus. 3. Generally, the birds showed a peak sensitivity between 540<lambda<577 nm. The results agree with electrophysiological data between 507<lambda<694 nm and psychophysical data between 500<lambda<700 nm but our data showed higher sensitivities between 380<lambda<507 nm compared with electro-physiological findings. 4. Our findings confirm that broilers can 'see' into the UV(A) range and that their spectral sensitivity is different to the human. The implication of this is that the measurement of light intensity in poultry housing using the lux unit does not accurately describe the intensity perceived by fowl. 5. Experimenters using colour, for example differently coloured lighting or food, need to account for this different sensitivity when interpreting their results.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Reflective properties of domestic fowl (Gallus g. domesticus), the fabric of their housing and the characteristics of the light environment in environmentally controlled poultry houses.

1. The light intensity and spectral power distribution in 3 broiler and 6 layer houses were sampled and converted to a measure which takes account of the domestic fowl's spectral sensitivity (termed lux corrected). Light intensity was highly variable around the layer houses (mean 33.2, s.d. 37.7 lux (corrected)) and to a lesser extent in the broiler houses (mean 5.2, s.d. 2.2 lux (corrected)). The mean intensities were also very much lower than on a sunny, June day at midday at Silsoe (42,937 lux (corrected)) and of different power distributions. 2. The reflectivity of the plumage of 15 traditional breeds of domestic fowl was surveyed. Most feathers showed a characteristic pattern of reflectivity, increasing either side of a wavelength of lambda = 400 nm. In 13 breeds the tail and wing feathers were darker than the breast and back feathers. Reflectivity at lambda = 700 nm was a good predictor of reflectivity at lambda = 320 nm. Food, bedding, wood and skin all had similar reflectivities to feathers. Metal, plastic and rubber all had more constant reflectivities across the spectrum. 3. The reflectivities of the fresh, feathered carcases of 3 male broilers (Cobb) and 3 layer hens (ISA Brown) were measured. There were small changes in hue and saturation within and between individual carcases, even for the apparently white broiler chickens. 4. Photographs were taken, with and without a UV(A)-only pass filter, of a broiler cock (Cobb), layer hen (ISA Brown) and cock jungle fowl. No additional patternation was evident in the UV(A)-only photographs and the jungle fowl lost most of its ornamentation. The texture of bare skin was enhanced in the UV(A)-only photographs. 5. The implications of these results for poultry behaviour are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Vaginal position and length in the bitch: relationship to spaying and urinary incontinence.

A study was undertaken to determine if the vagina might be a suitable site for the measurement of intra-abdominal pressure during cystometry in the bitch. The position of the cranial vagina and vaginal length were measured radiographically and the effects of spaying and urinary incontinence on these variables were evaluated in 30 continent and 30 incontinent bitches. The study used retrograde vaginourethrograms which had been obtained from animals used in a previous study. The cranial vagina was intra-abdominal on 36 of the vaginourethrograms, being least commonly intra-abdominal in incontinent bitches (11/30). Vaginal position was related linearly to vaginal length and continence status (P < 0.01), while its length was related to bodyweight (P < 0.01). Allowing for bodyweight, neutered animals had significantly shorter vaginas than entire bitches (P < 0.01). Measurement of intra-abdominal pressure with concomitant measurement of intravesical pressure is essential if accurate assessment of detrusor pressure is to be determined during cystometry. The vagina is unlikely to be a useful location from which to measure intra-abdominal pressure since any pressure-measuring catheter inserted into it may fall outside the abdominal pressure zone. This is particularly true of neutered and/or incontinent bitches, the groups in which urodynamic investigations of urinary incontinence are most frequently indicated.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1999

Suitability of the cranial portion of the vagina as a site for measurement of intra-abdominal pressure variations in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the cranial portion of the vagina of dogs is a suitable site for measuring intra-abdominal pressure during cystometry. ANIMALS: 16 bitches (8 sexually intact and 8 spayed). PROCEDURE: 2 types of vaginal catheters were used to measure intra-abdominal pressure changes in anesthetized dogs. Catheters were inserted in the rectum and cranial portion of the vagina. RESULTS: Intra-abdominal pressure variations were detected with greater magnitude in the rectum than the cranial portion of the vagina, regardless of type of catheter used and reproductive status (sexually intact vs spayed) of the dogs. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The rectum was the better site for measuring intra-abdominal pressure changes in female dogs. Measurement of intra-abdominal pressure with concomitant measurement of intravesical pressure to determine detrusor pressure during cystometry in female dogs is more reliably detected from the rectum than the cranial portion of the vagina.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1997

Concentrations and emission rates of aerial ammonia, nitrous oxide, methane, carbon dioxide, dust and endotoxin in UK broiler and layer houses.

1. A survey of the concentration and emission rates of aerial ammonia, nitrous oxide, methane, carbon dioxide, dust and endotoxin was undertaken in 4 examples each of typical UK broiler, cage and perchery houses over 24 h during winter and summer. 2. Overall the air quality within the poultry houses was unsatisfactory as judged by the dual criteria of farmer health and bird performance. 3. Mean concentrations of ammonia ranged from 12.3 to 24.2 ppm while concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide were close to ambient levels. Mass concentrations of aerial dust ranged from 2 to 10 mg/m3 and 0.3 to 1.2 mg/m3 for inspirable and respirable fractions respectively, while endotoxin concentration was typically about 0.1 microgram/m3 (inspirable fraction). 4. Emission rates of gaseous ammonia were rapid (9.2 g (NH3)/h per 500 kg live body weight) and uniform across the three types of building, while emissions of methane and nitrous oxide were slow. Rates of dust emission ranged from 0.86 to 8.24 g/h per 500 kg live body weight in the inspirable size fraction.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1992

Survival of toxigenic Pasteurella multocida in aerosols and aqueous liquids.

The survival of toxigenic Pasteurella multocida in air and liquids was studied to identify possible risk factors in the etiology of atrophic rhinitis. In aerosols, at low relative humidity (28%), the viability of toxigenic P. multocida 5 min after aerosolization was at least 22% of its initial value. Viability at low relative humidity declined to 8% after 45 min. Viability at high relative humidity (79%) was 69% after 5 min and declined to 2% after 45 min. Survival of toxigenic P. multocida in liquids depended on storage and constituents in the liquid. Toxigenic P. multocida became nonculturable 1 to 14 days after inoculation in water and artificial seawater, depending on the storage temperature. Toxigenic P. multocida stored at 37 degrees C could be detected for up to 6 days in pig slurry and more than 36 days in Bacto Tryptose broth and nasal lavages. However, in Bacto Tryptose broth and nasal lavages stored at 4 degrees C, P. multocida was detected for up to 14 days whereas at 15 and 37 degrees C it was detected for more than 49 days. These results suggest that aerosols and fomites can play a role in the transmission of atrophic rhinitis.

Aerosols↗