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Biomedical subjects

R Kilgour

Publications and source records attributed to R Kilgour.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

Learning and the training of farm animals.

The focus of learning studies shifted considerably about 30 years ago. Research moved away from using farm species as experimental animals (that is, as a tool) in which to study learning theory, to a genuine interest in the learning abilities and training processes of individual species. Growing use is being made of operant conditioning and other learning techniques to assess how animals learn from experience and their ability to control their environment to improve their well-being. The processes involved in extinguishing undesirable behaviors and establishing behaviors more compatible with farming operations, the use of handling during early sensitive periods, and the careful habituation of animals to intensive farming conditions and modern automated systems complement the on-going genetic selection of farm animals more suited to modern farms. Learning is an important way for animals to cope with and adapt to changing environments and, as such, is fundamental to their general well-being. Learning in farm animals is of vital concern to veterinarians, agricultural engineers, and those involved with animal husbandry and welfare.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Animal welfare considerations - pastoral animals.

Modern pastoral farming has radically transformed the niche where agricultural animals live. Recent trends in husbandry tend to give as much emphasis to economic profit and human convenience, as do a concern for the farmed species. Most of the traditional ways of handling sheep, cattle, goats, horses and pigs, like castration, ear tagging, tail-docking or horse breaking, have been accepted by the public with little concern. Inevitably, as renewed public interest focuses on intensive farming, some questions are directed towards extensive pastoral farming practices, particularly in newly-farmed species like deer. Criteria for the humane care of pastoral animals must he set by consensus. These should include the avoidance of injury, handling animals in the least stressful manner, and meeting the unique needs of each farmed species, This is particularly important at times of critical intervention like the birth of the young, shearing, dipping, milking, yarding and during transport. Several examples of current emotive issues of welfare in pastoral animals are discussed. In general, New Zealand owners of extensive pastoral holdings produce a welfare product which should command a premium in the more affluent overseas markets. Vigilance will he needed to keep it so and in this veterinarians have a key role to play.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1984

Evaluation of fluctuations in milk yield and parlour behaviour as indicators of oestrus in dairy cows.

A herd of 73 dairy cows was observed at pasture and during parlour milking for three weeks during the breeding season. Thirty-nine cows were seen in oestrus, which occurred either naturally or following prostaglandin induction. Readiness to enter the parlour, restlessness and elimination in the parlour were not found to be significantly affected by oestrus. However, cows in oestrus were more likely to be two or more batches away from their normally preferred parlour entry batch, and were more often early than late. Much more reliably indicative of oestrus, however, were large fluctuations in milk yield. Many cows showed a suppression at oestrus onset, with a rebound enhancement at the next milking. If a cow produced less than 75 per cent of its usual yield, there was a 50 per cent chance that it was in oestrus, and the rare occasions on which it gave 25 per cent more milk than normal only occurred during oestrus. Of seven cows induced but giving no behavioural indication of oestrus, six showed fluctuations in yield of this magnitude during the two days in which oestrus was expected.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The effect of suckling upon the endocrine changes associated with anoestrus in identical twin dairy cows.

Identical twin pairs of dairy cows (one twin being placed with 4 calves for multiple suckling while the other was machine milked) were used to study the hormonal changes associated with anoestrus. Experiments were conducted to examine the effect of multiple suckling on the interval to first oestrus post partum, concentrations of LH and progesterone post partum, and the LH response to LH-RH or oestradiol-17 beta. The effects of hormone therapy on anoestrus were also examined. Multiple suckled cows had a 5-9-week longer interval to first oestrus post partum than did their non-suckling twins in all trials. There were no significant differences between the suckling and non-suckling cows in basal plasma levels of LH. The suckling cows showed a delay of 2 and 6 weeks post partum in their response to LH-RH and oestradiol-17 beta respectively when compared with their non-suckling twins. Treatment with a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device and bromocriptine to lower prolactin levels did not reduce the interval to the first post-partum oestrus while treatment with the progesterone device and PMSG reduced the interval to both first oestrus and conception. These findings suggest that suckling affects the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to both LH-RH and oestradiol in the post-partum cow.

Anestrus↗