Taking Ethics into Account in Farm Animal Breeding: What can the Breeding Companies Achieve?

Animal welfare and the ethical issues it raises have been discussed intensively for a couple of decades. The emphasis has been on the direct effects of housing and husbandry, but more attention is now being given to problems originating in selective breeding. European attempts to adjust animal welfare legislation to deal with these problems have been largely unsuccessful, but the fact that selective breeding can introduce welfare problems continues to place an ethical responsibility on the animal breeding industry. Since breeding decisions are made centrally and, increasingly, internationally, strategic change is only likely to occur if it is embedded in an international agreement of some kind. The aim of this paper is to describe the key ethical issues facing animal breeding and assess the suggestion that the breeding industry itself can deal with ethical issues by means of an ethical code. Results from recent projects involving commercial breeding enterprises are presented.     

施用鸡粪和猪粪对2种土壤As、Cu和Zn有效性的影响

在水稻土和赤红壤中分别以质量分数2%和4%施人含As、Cu和Zn的鸡粪和猪粪,以不施肥为对照(CK)进行通菜盆栽试验,研究施入鸡、猪粪对土壤As、Cu和Zn有效性的影响.结果表明,施用鸡、猪粪几乎均比CK显著提高通菜地上部生物量,而且水稻土中生物量显著高于赤红壤.施用粪肥显著提高通菜As含量和As吸收量,呈高量处理>低量处理、猪粪>鸡粪处理且在水稻土>赤红壤的规律.除水稻土中Cu含量外,施用粪肥也显著提高通菜Cu、Zn含量及吸收量.通菜收获后,所有处理土壤总A6含量比试验前稍微降低、有效As含量及有效As占总As质量分数则大幅下降,但几乎所有粪肥处理土壤Cu和Zn的总含量、有效含量及有效质量分数均提高.与CK相比,粪肥处理土壤总As、有效As分别提高0.3～3.0 mg·kg-1和0.01～0.034 mg·kg-1,有效As质量分数增加0.033～0.178个百分点;总Cu、有效Cu提高3.1～30.4 mg·kg-1和5.2～19.4 mg·kg-1,有效Cu质量分数增加1.2～34.1个百分点;土壤总Zn、有效Zn提高-10.6～79.6 mg·kg-1和4.0～65.9 mg·kg-1,有效Zn质量分数增加1.0～64.2个百分点.如以土壤重金属有效含量增量及有效质量分数提高来评价其有效性变化,则粪肥提高土壤As、Cu和Zn有效性的作用为高量处理>低量处理且在赤红壤中作用大于水稻土.     

甲胺磷农药污染对土壤动物影响的研究

应用甲胺磷农药对土壤动物进行污染模拟实验。结果表明,甲胺磷农药对土壤动物有明显影响,并随着甲胺磷溶液处理浓度的增加,土壤动物的种类和数量显著减少;多样性系数,高处理浓度时为３．７５９６,低处理浓度时为５．７９６２,对照组则为８．５７１４。大型土壤动物蚯蚓的染毒实验表明。甲胺磷对蚯蚓有明显的致死作用。     

Animal Care Ethics, ANZCCART, and Public Perceptions of Animal Use Ethics

The public attitude to animal use in Australia and New Zealandcan be inferred from survey results and political activity. The publicis concerned about the rights of animals as far as any uses causing painare concerned, but takes a more utilitarian view of the taking of lifewhere no suffering is involved. Many of the participants in two recentANZCCART conferences fall short in their knowledge of and attitudetoward these concerns. Animal welfare legislation and standards need tobe reformed so that painful animal use is eliminated, even if economicgrowth suffers as a result.     

人工湿地构造及生物因素研究进展

介绍了近10年报道的不同构造人工湿地(CW)的污水处理性能及CW中微生物、植物、动物的相关研究进展.分析了各种CW构造优缺点、CW与其他技术的结合、CW微生物群落的特征、影响因素和研究手段、CW植物与动物对CW处理性能的贡献及作用机制.提出今后应重点研究:复合人工湿地(ICW)工艺优化;CW强化技术及其参数;CW微生物...     

养鸡场空气微生物污染及工人呼吸暴露风险

动物养殖场是空气环境微生物污染的重要来源,然而目前关于养殖场空气中微生物污染特征的时间规律少有报道.针对以上情况,以蛋鸡场为例,采用16S rRNA基因扩增子测序分别对养殖场空气和粪便环境中细菌分布特点及呼吸暴露展开为期80余周的研究.结果表明,空气和粪便样本中16S rRNA含量范围分别在6.08×10⁵ ~4.90×10⁶ copies·m^-3和4.27×10⁸ ~1.15×10¹⁰ copies·g^-1之间.空气中细菌浓度的平均值在冬季显著高于夏季,而生物多样性则呈现相反趋势.蛋鸡场空气与粪便中的优势细菌门均为厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）.在所调查时间内,空气中前3个优势菌属的种类较为稳定,依次为乳杆菌属（Lactobacillus）、拟杆菌属（Bacteroides）和栖粪杆菌属（Faecalibacterium）,而粪便中优势菌属则随养殖时间的增加波动较大.空气和动物粪便中细菌和致病菌群落结构的相关性均不显著,但不同介质中两种目标微生物的含量均显著相关.粪便中细菌的气溶胶化指数随养殖时间的增加而呈上升趋势,而致病菌趋势相反.其中,瘤胃菌科torques属（[Ruminococcus]_torques_group）、拟杆菌属（Bacteroides）和栖粪杆菌属（Faecalibacterium）为最易发生气溶胶化的前3个致病菌属.养鸡场工人的细菌呼吸暴露具有季节性差异,其中细菌和致病菌摄入量的平均值分别为2.54×10⁷ copies·d^-1和2.87×10⁵ copies·d^-1.研究结果将为系统评估养殖场空气微生物的污染特征和潜在健康风险,对以及制定相应的职业暴露行业标准和防控措施提供科学依据.     

Pup production,sex ratios,and survivorship in African wild dogs, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lycaon pictus</Emphasis>

The local resource enhancement (LRE) model predicts that in cooperatively breeding species, sex ratios will be biased in favor of the more helpful sex. In this study, we assess the assumptions underlying the LRE model in a population of cooperatively breeding wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in Northern Botswana monitored over a 15-year period. In this population, litter size and pup survival to 1 year are strongly affected by pack size and the breeding female’s age, but adult males have a stronger and more linear effect on females’ reproductive performance than do adult females. This asymmetry in the benefits derived from male and female helpers is reflected in male-biased sex ratios in litters at the time pups emerge from the den. Sex ratio biases are most pronounced in the litters of the youngest mothers who live in significantly smaller packs than older females. The presence of potential rivals for the dominant female’s position depresses pup production at the time of emergence, suggesting that competition among females for breeding positions may also contribute to the selective forces affecting birth sex ratios.     

Relationships between Human Disturbance and Wildlife Land Use in Urban Habitat Fragments

Abstract: Habitat remnants in urbanized areas typically conserve biodiversity and serve the recreation and urban open‐space needs of human populations. Nevertheless, these goals can be in conflict if human activity negatively affects wildlife. Hence, when considering habitat remnants as conservation refuges it is crucial to understand how human activities and land uses affect wildlife use of those and adjacent areas. We used tracking data (animal tracks and den or bed sites) on 10 animal species and information on human activity and environmental factors associated with anthropogenic disturbance in 12 habitat fragments across San Diego County, California, to examine the relationships among habitat fragment characteristics, human activity, and wildlife presence. There were no significant correlations of species presence and abundance with percent plant cover for all species or with different land‐use intensities for all species, except the opossum (Didelphis virginiana), which preferred areas with intensive development. Woodrats (Neotoma spp.) and cougars (Puma concolor) were associated significantly and positively and significantly and negatively, respectively, with the presence and prominence of utilities. Woodrats were also negatively associated with the presence of horses. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and coyotes (Canis latrans) were associated significantly and negatively and significantly and positively, respectively, with plant bulk and permanence. Cougars and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were negatively associated with the presence of roads. Roadrunners (Geococcyx californianus) were positively associated with litter. The only species that had no significant correlations with any of the environmental variables were black‐tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). Bobcat tracks were observed more often than gray foxes in the study area and bobcats correlated significantly only with water availability, contrasting with results from other studies. Our results appear to indicate that maintenance of habitat fragments in urban areas is of conservation benefit to some animal species, despite human activity and disturbance, as long as the fragments are large.     

江苏省丰、沛、铜重氟病区动物体中氟的含量及其与环境的关系

丰、沛、铜重氟病区,禽、畜体内氟主要积聚在骨骼中（羊骨1096×10^－6～2001.9×10^－6,鸡骨335×10^－6～378×10^－6）及生理功能强的内脏（肝、心、肾等）器官中,氟的含量3.3×10^－6～7.17×10^－6,肌肉和蛋、奶品中氟的含量大多接近或低于氟的卫生标准,显然肉、蛋、奶食品不是该区地氟病的致病因子。研究表明,动物体内氟含量与环境水氟及叶菜和树叶（含水分高）中的氟含量呈明显的正相关。因而造成食草动物比以食粮食为主的家禽体内的氟含量明显偏高。说明水是氟的传播媒界,为该区地氟病的主要致病因子。