Dataset Information

Pessimism and fearfulness in dairy calves.

ABSTRACT: Animals that experience situations likely to induce negative emotions show changes in judgment associated with pessimism. Few studies have focused on whether animals express stable differences in pessimism and whether these differences are related to personality traits. The first aim of this study was to explore if dairy calves are consistent over time in making judgments under ambiguous situations. Our second aim was to determine whether individual differences in judgment bias are related to conventional personality traits assessed using four standardized tests (Open field, Novel object, Human reactivity and Social motivation test). We subjected animals to two sessions of judgment bias and personality trait tests at 25 and 50 d of age. Individual differences in judgment bias were consistent over time with some animals persistently making more pessimistic choices compared to others. Two main dimensions of personality (Fearfulness and Sociability), obtained through principal component analysis, were also highly consistent over time. Pessimism was related to fearfulness, with more fearful calves making more pessimistic judgments. We conclude that dairy calves differ in the way they perceive and react to ambiguity and that this relates to individual differences in fearfulness.

SUBMITTER: Lecorps B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5780456 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Pessimism and fearfulness in dairy calves.

Lecorps Benjamin B Weary Daniel M DM von Keyserlingk Marina A G MAG

Scientific reports 20180123 1

Animals that experience situations likely to induce negative emotions show changes in judgment associated with pessimism. Few studies have focused on whether animals express stable differences in pessimism and whether these differences are related to personality traits. The first aim of this study was to explore if dairy calves are consistent over time in making judgments under ambiguous situations. Our second aim was to determine whether individual differences in judgment bias are related to co ...[more]

PMID: 29362460

Similar Datasets

Project description:Background: There has been very little previous research in Ireland on the farmers' opinions regarding calf welfare issues. Calf welfare, particularly for male dairy calves, has assumed greater importance in Ireland in recent years due, in part, to an increase in the number of dairy cattle over the past decade. The objective of this study was to explore dairy farmers' views on a broad range of issues related to the expansion in the dairy herd. Methods: A survey was developed to capture the views of farmers regarding male dairy calves. The majority of questions were quantitative, and a final open-ended question collected qualitative data. The survey was distributed to ~2,900 dairy farmers via text message and 881 responses were received. Results: The sample was composed almost entirely of dairy farmers, although ~20% also had a beef enterprise on their farm. Fifty eight percent of the farmers were concerned with the increase in the number of male dairy calves in recent years. The EU's abolition of milk quotas, the profitability of dairy farming compared to other farm types, and guidance from farm advisors were the three highest ranked drivers behind the increase in the number of male dairy calves. The three highest ranked options for managing the number of male dairy calves were to increase exports, encourage greater use of sexed semen, and improve the beef merit of these calves. Eighty five percent of respondents stated that individual farmers had responsibility for making changes to the number of male dairy calves. The main themes arising from analysis of the responses to the open-ended question, seeking any additional comments, were breed, beef price, live exports, and sexed semen. Conclusions: Dairy farmers recognized the responsibility they have for making changes in respect of male dairy calves, and many demonstrated a willingness to make changes in this regard. The important role of other stakeholders, particularly suckler (system where reared from calf to beef) farmers, in rearing male dairy calves for beef production was also recognized. However, the issues of who bears the risks and costs associated with greater integration will have to be carefully considered.

Project description:Prebiotics are increasingly examined for their ability to modulate the neonate gut microbiota of livestock, and products such as inulin are commonly added to milk replacer used in calving. However, the ability of specific members of the bovine neonate microbiota to respond to inulin remains to be determined, particularly among indigenous lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, beneficial genera commonly enriched by inulin. Screening of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus isolates obtained from fresh feces of dairy calves revealed that lactobacilli had a higher prevalence of inulin fermentation capacity (58%) than bifidobacteria (17%). Several Ligilactobacillus agilis (synonym Lactobacillus agilis) isolates exhibited vigorous growth on, and complete degradation of, inulin; however, the phenotype was strain specific. The most vigorous inulin-fermenting strain, L. agilis YZ050, readily degraded long-chain inulin not consumed by bifidobacterial isolates. Comparative genomic analysis of both L. agilis fermenter and nonfermenter strains indicated that strain YZ050 encodes an inulinase homolog, previously linked to extracellular degradation of long-chain inulin in Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, that was strongly induced during growth on inulin. Inulin catabolism by YZ050 also generates extracellular fructose, which can cross-feed other non-inulin-fermenting lactic acid bacteria isolated from the same bovine feces. The presence of specific inulin-responsive bacterial strains within calf gut microbiome provides a mechanistic rationale for enrichment of specific lactobacilli and creates a foundation for future synbiotic applications in dairy calves aimed at improving health in early life.IMPORTANCE The gut microbiome plays an important role in animal health and is increasingly recognized as a target for diet-based manipulation. Inulin is a common prebiotic routinely added to animal feeds; however, the mechanism of inulin consumption by specific beneficial taxa in livestock is ill defined. In this study, we examined Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium isolates from calves fed inulin-containing milk replacer and characterized specific strains that robustly consume long-chain inulin. In particular, novel Ligilactobacillus agilis strain YZ050 consumed inulin via an extracellular fructosidase, resulting in complete consumption of all long-chain inulin. Inulin catabolism resulted in temporal release of extracellular fructose, which can promote growth of other non-inulin-consuming strains of lactic acid bacteria. This work provides the mechanistic insight needed to purposely modulate the calf gut microbiome via the establishment of networks of beneficial microbes linked to specific prebiotics.

Project description:We studied the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae in dairy calves as part of a routine health check protocol. In addition, data regarding antimicrobial use (AMU), farm hygiene, and farm management were collected in order to identify possible risks for ESBL occurrence. Ten farms participated in the study with a median of 781 milking cows (319-1701). All calves investigated were younger than two weeks with an average age of 6.8 (±3.9) days. The farms were visited and samples were collected twice at an interval of 7-11 months. Faecal samples diluted 1:10, were plated onto BrillianceTM ESBL agar in duplicates. After 24 hours at 37°C, colonies were counted and total colony forming units (cfu)/ml calculated. Bacteria species were identified biochemically. ESBL-production was phenotypically confirmed using the MICRONAUT-S β-Lactamases system. Additionally, antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using VITEK® 2 technology. Phylotyping of E. coli isolates and screening for bla genes was performed by PCR. ESBL-producing enterobacteria were detected on all farms and 96.5% of calves investigated shed ESBL-positive bacteria. Of all ESBL-producing isolates, the majority were E. coli (92.9%), followed by Enterobacter cloacae (5.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae (2.0%). The majority of E. coli isolates was clearly assigned to phylogroup C (25.0%), followed by phylogroups A (15.2%) and E (14.1%). CTX-M group 1 was most frequently detected (80.4%). E. cloacae contained blaCTX-M and blaTEM or blaSHV. K. pneumoniae harboured blaSHV only. Besides resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins, the majority of isolates was also resistant to one or more antibiotic classes, with a high proportion being resistant against fluoroqinolones. 52.5% of isolates were further characterised as threefold multidrug resistant gram-negative bacteria (3MDR-GNB) according to the German Commission for Hospital Hygiene and Infection Prevention. None of the isolates were 4MDR-GNB, i.e. none revealed carbapenem-resistance. Penicillins were the most frequently administered antibiotics to calves on most farms and were the predominant substance class at herd level on all farms. Overall, the number of calves treated prior to sampling was rather low (11.7%). Analyses of data regarding the farm management identified weaknesses in biosecurity and cleaning and disinfection. Besides beta-lactam antibiotics being the most commonly used antibiotics no other risk factors could be identified. In summary, the prevalence of ESBL-carriers in dairy calves was exceptionally high and should be motivation to develop strategies for the reduction of multidrug-resistant bacteria in farm animals.

Dataset Information

Pessimism and fearfulness in dairy calves.

Publications

Pessimism and fearfulness in dairy calves.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets