| 1. |
- Palmer, Nicholette D, et al.
(author)
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A genome-wide association search for type 2 diabetes genes in African Americans.
- 2012
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In: PloS one. - San Francisco : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 7:1, s. e29202-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- African Americans are disproportionately affected by type 2 diabetes (T2DM) yet few studies have examined T2DM using genome-wide association approaches in this ethnicity. The aim of this study was to identify genes associated with T2DM in the African American population. We performed a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) using the Affymetrix 6.0 array in 965 African-American cases with T2DM and end-stage renal disease (T2DM-ESRD) and 1029 population-based controls. The most significant SNPs (n = 550 independent loci) were genotyped in a replication cohort and 122 SNPs (n = 98 independent loci) were further tested through genotyping three additional validation cohorts followed by meta-analysis in all five cohorts totaling 3,132 cases and 3,317 controls. Twelve SNPs had evidence of association in the GWAS (P<0.0071), were directionally consistent in the Replication cohort and were associated with T2DM in subjects without nephropathy (P<0.05). Meta-analysis in all cases and controls revealed a single SNP reaching genome-wide significance (P<2.5×10(-8)). SNP rs7560163 (P = 7.0×10(-9), OR (95% CI) = 0.75 (0.67-0.84)) is located intergenically between RND3 and RBM43. Four additional loci (rs7542900, rs4659485, rs2722769 and rs7107217) were associated with T2DM (P<0.05) and reached more nominal levels of significance (P<2.5×10(-5)) in the overall analysis and may represent novel loci that contribute to T2DM. We have identified novel T2DM-susceptibility variants in the African-American population. Notably, T2DM risk was associated with the major allele and implies an interesting genetic architecture in this population. These results suggest that multiple loci underlie T2DM susceptibility in the African-American population and that these loci are distinct from those identified in other ethnic populations.
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| 3. |
- Gunnarsson, Carina, et al.
(author)
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Ullpellets från outnyttjad ull på Gotland – ett utvecklingsprojekt med fokus på pelleteringsprocessen
- 2022
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Wool pellets from unutilized wool on Gotland – a development project with focus on the pelleting processA large proportion of the wool produced in Sweden is discarded as it cannot be used by the textile industry. Before the wool can be used it must be collected and washed. However, a large quantity of low-quality wool is mixed in with the high-quality wool and thus enter the processing industry when the wool is collected. As it is not usable by the industry, this low-quality wool simply takes up space and lowers the processing speed as it must be separated from the high-quality wool and be discarded, lowering the economic output of the wool processing industry. However, unutilized wool has the potential to be used as a slow-acting fertilizer, soil amendment, or mulch for cultivation purposes. Pelleting is an attractive method of processing biomass into a product that is efficient and easy to handle, transport and use. Pellet presses are commercially available from small farm-scale to large-scale facilities. The aim of the project was to develop and adapt the pelleting technology to work with Swedish wool that cannot be used to produce yarns or other textiles. The goal was to develop methods and technology for pre-treating or disintegrate the wool, adapt the input and pelleting part of the pelleting process to work with low-quality wool and try to optimize the quality of the pellets. Furthermore, the goal was to analyze the plant nutrient value and strength of the pellets produced and create a packaging prototype. During the project, additional goals were added: to automate the process from pre-treatment to packaging as much as possible, and to use literature to determine if the pelletizing process is likely to be sufficient enough to hygenize the wool from weed seeds. An automated production line from wool to finished pellets has been built at Ullkontoret (Sweden’s only full-scale wool washing facility). Coarse and fine shredding, feeding and regulation of feed capacity function well, while the pelleting pressing does not work sufficiently well. Wool pelleting of only low-quality wool proved technologically challenging and neither the modified pellet presses nor the imported wool pellet press worked, despite modifications. In other European countries, this problem is solved by mixing in higher quality wool. Further technological development of wool pelleting is needed to obtain a system that can handle all types of low-quality Swedish wool. Literature studies and nutritional analyses confirm that wool pellets work well as a slow-acting fertilizer (often in mixture due to a very low phosphorus content), but the potential of wool as a soil amendment, mulch and snail repellent requires more studies. Pelleting is probably not enough to hygenize the wool from weed seeds. It is a challenge to produce a packaging that both meets the quality requirements of the product (e.g., maintain the right humidity, preventing odors) and at the same time meets the demands of the type of environmentally conscious consumer who is the main target group for a nature-based product.
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| 4. |
- Hagberg, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Grisproduktion på Bornholm – reseberättelse från studieresa i projektet”Utökad grisproduktion på Gotland”
- 2021
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Pig production on Bornholm – a travelogue about pig production on Bornholm carried out in the project “Growing pig businesses on Gotland” Both Bornholm (Denmark) and Gotland (Sweden) are islands located in the Baltic Sea. Gotland is about five times as large in comparison with Bornholm, but the number of pig producers is twice as many on Bornholm. For both Bornholm and Gotland, pig production is important. Without pig production, a local abattoir would not be operating on the islands. A closure of the local abattoir would result in the loss of 150– 200 jobs. Such closure would affect the whole society. In addition, animal transports to slaughter would be significantly longer. In 2014 there was an imminent threat that the local abattoir on Bornholm would be closed due to profitability issues. With joint efforts the abattoir was rescued, and the production volumes are now expected to be 545,000 slaughtered pigs in 2021/2022. The density of pig herds on Bornholm is a raising concern among veterinarians and pig producers due to the spreading of diseases among the herds. For instance, there is a concern about the spreading of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), which is not found in Sweden. PRRS was discovered in Sweden in 2007, but the affected pig herds were eliminated and the disease was eradicated. For both Denmark and Sweden there is another imminent threat in African swine fever (ASF), which is found in several countries in Europe. Denmark took measures to hinder the propagation of wild boars in the country, diminishing the risk of the spread of ASF. In Sweden, the wild boar population was established in the 80´s and has grown since then, increasing the risk of bringing ASF into the country. Thus, Gotland has an advantage with no wild boar population established on the island. In general, the surrounding water barrier on an island may be a natural barrier to hinder the introduction and spreading of diseases. In both Danish and Swedish pig production, there are difficulties finding staff. Between 50–70% of the staff in Danish pig production are foreigners. This proportion is significantly lower on Bornholm. So far, there is a market for agricultural properties on Bornholm, but as many pig producers approach retirement, the future situation is uncertain. It is becoming more common for employees to purchase farms in Bornholm when no relatives are interested to take over the business. For both Bornholm and Gotland, it is challenging for younger people to purchase farms due to the large investments. The process also takes many years. Developments towards more automation and digitalization in pig production became clear during the study trip to Bornholm. Danish Crown A/S has developed a mobile application in which the pig producers can report animals for slaughter. On the study tour the project group visited a pig farm with 600 sows and 20 000 fatteners. The pig farmer had invested in several automaton techniques to reduce operating costs for labor. The pig producers on Bornholm use production follow-up programs (corresponding to WinPig in Sweden) to a large extent. In addition, advisers are hired frequently. At Danish Crown A/S, there is an "owner service" that pig producers can join. In the owner service, the abattoir's consultants offer advices of interests for the pig producer. There is also a farm advisory service on Bornholm, namely Bornholms Landbrug och Fødevarer (BLF). BLF administrates several experience groups and on Bornholm there are as many as 17–18 (!) for pig producers and their staff. The intention of the groups is to exchange knowledge between pig producers. Many of the groups are aimed for the staff and are held in the pig barns. In addition, pig producers on Bornholm have a long and appreciated experience of benchmarking. The purpose of benchmarking is to compare the own business results to other pig producer’s. In Denmark, the pig veterinarian visits pig farms continuously, approximately every month. Visits by the pig veterinarian provide additional advices and follow-ups for the pig producer.
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| 5. |
- Hagberg, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Lättviktsgrindar av höghållfast stål för säkrare djurhantering och arbetsmiljö
- 2021
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Lightweight gates of high-strength steel for improved worker safety and cattle handling This report presents the work with developing a lightweight gate of high-strength steel for the handling of cattle. The project was conducted as a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project. The project group consisted of co-workers from the unit of Agriculture and Horticulture and the unit of Process and Environmental Engineering at Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE Jordbruk och trädgård och RISE Kretsloppsteknik), Parsteel AB (former Nilssons Plåtindustri AB), SSAB EMEA AB, Sophie Atkinson at Smart Animal Handling, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Skara and the cattle farmer Lars Olsson. The main objectives of the project were to develop a lightweight gate weighing at least 50% less and being three times as strong as a traditional gate for cattle handling. The main motive was to improve the ergonomic conditions and working environment for the animal handlers. Additionally, for the safety of both animals and handlers, the gate must withstand the loads from cattle. Other objectives were to design and construct a gate that does not exceed the price of a high-quality gate and not contribute to increased negative environmental impact. A lightweight gate can be made of various materials such as plastic, fiberglass or steel. Regarding the project group's participants and their competencies, in addition to the numerous requirements placed on a lightweight gate, the choice fell on high-strength steel. High-strength steel is characterized by having high yield strengths, up to 1300 MPa, in comparison with traditional construction steel with yield strength of 355 MPa. For the specific lightweight gate, steel pipes with a yield strength of approximately 750 MPa were chosen. These pipes are mainly used in the automotive and engine industry, where high demands are placed on strength while at the same time a light construction is desired. The gate itself was designed during the project and several details were examined and developed in regard to functionality and safety for both cattle and handlers. The work environment legislation states that gates must be dimensioned and anchored so that the animals cannot break out (AFS 2008:17). The gates must also not pose a risk of injury to the cattle. In order to work safely with cattle, knowledge of cattle behavior is essential and consequently the report contains a chapter describing cattle senses and behavior. Both the lightweight gates and the handling system, built up by the gates, must be adapted to the cattle. In the project, the bud box handling system was tested. The handling system was originally developed to make use of the behavioral characteristics of cattle to encourage forward movement in the desired direction. In the project the handling system's functionality and safety, by using lightweight gates and additional equipment and components, were further designed. The handling system was tested in two groups of heifers at the SLU Götala Beef and Lamb Research Centre. The lightweight gates were also tested in a dairy herd and a beef herd, while hoof trimming, and at a small-scale abattoir. Generally, the light weight of the gates was considered an advantage as the handling of the gates is simplified also resulting in more frequent use of the gates, increasing safety for both animals and humans. During the project, several strength tests were performed by building unique test rigs. In one test rig, the weld of the pipes of the lightweight gate was tested. In another test rig, the strength of lightweight gates, compared with traditional gates on the market, were tested. The outcome of the tests confirmed the original aim of the project, a lightweight gate made of high-strength steel, about 50% lighter and at least three times as strong as traditional gates, had been developed and designed during the project period.
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| 9. |
- Lind, Ann-kristina, et al.
(author)
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Assessing stress in dogs during a visit to the veterinary clinic: Correlations between dog behavior in standardized tests and assessments by veterinary staff and owners
- 2017
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In: Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1558-7878 .- 1878-7517. ; 17, s. 24-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A visit to a veterinary clinic can be very stressful for the dog, and stress may interact with pain. The aim of this study was to observe the behavior of dogs in a veterinary clinic and to correlate it with subjective stress assessments by different persons. Systems have already been developed to assess pain in dogs. We tested the behavior of 105 dogs, sampled from 233 dog owners who completed our questionnaire and whose dogs were patients at the clinic. The dog owner, the test leader, the nurse, and the veterinarian were each asked to assess if the dog was experiencing pain or was stressed and to evaluate, overall, how the dog experienced the visit. Three behavior tests were also carried out to describe the dog's reaction in the veterinary clinic: a "social contact" test, a "play" test, and a "treat" test. The play and treat tests were carried out both inside and outside the veterinary clinic to see if the dogs reacted differently in the 2 situations. Agreement between observers was good to excellent but generally better when assessing pain than stress. Dogs rated as more stressed were significantly less likely to engage in social contact with an unfamiliar person (P < 0.0001). They were significantly more willing to play and eat a treat outside the veterinary clinic compared to inside the clinic (P < 0.001), implying that the dogs themselves experienced inside the clinic as being more negative. The results also indicated that the type of relationship the owner has with the dog may influence the dog's behavior during the clinical examination. The good agreements between the different measures in this study suggest that there is potential for a system to be developed to assess the extent to which the dog is stressed in the clinic. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 10. |
- Lind, Ann-Kristina, et al.
(author)
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Calving alert system - a helping technique or a welfare problem?
- 2019
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In: Precision Livestock Farming 2019 - Papers Presented at the 9th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming, ECPLF 2019. - : Organising Committee of the 9th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming (ECPLF), Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre. - 9781841706542 ; , s. 385-388
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- It can be a challenge for beef and dairy farmers to predict when a cow is close to calving, to move her to a calving pen in time and to properly monitor and assist the calving. The objective was to evaluate how a calving alert system, attached to the tail, affects the cow. The system monitors the tail's movements, and the farmer is notified via a text message to the mobile phone approximately one hour before calving. A case-control and an interview study were carried out. In the case-control study, cow behaviour was observed during and after the procedure of attaching the sensor on the tail. Controls were equally prepared, but the sensor was attached and then immediately removed again. The ethogram protocol contained behaviours like, for example, back arching, tail lifting, fidgeting and kicking. The case-control study had to be discontinued due to the sensors causing damage to the cow's tail and therefore, there were too few cows included in the study to be able to determine if there were statistical differences between the test and control cows. In the interview study which included 15 interviewed farmers, 80% stated that the cows' behavioural reaction was negative when the sensor was attached. Almost all farmers had observed damage to the tails after using the sensor and 20% had observed such severe damage that amputation was necessary.
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