Examining the relationship between different naturally-occurring maxillary beak shapes and their ability to cause damage in commercial laying hens.

1. Using chicken models to avoid unnecessary harm, this study examined the relationship between naturally-occurring maxillary (top) beak shapes and their ability to cause pecking damage.2. A selection of 24 Lohmann Brown laying hens from a total population of 100 were sorted into two groups based on their maxillary beak shape, where 12 were classified as having sharp beaks (SB) and 12 as having blunt beaks (BB).3. All hens were recorded six times in a test pen which contained a chicken model (foam block covered with feathered chicken skin) and a video camera. During each test session, the number of feathers removed from the model, the change in skin and block weight (proxies for tissue damage) and the percentage of successful pecks (resulting in feather and/or tissue removal) were recorded.4. SB hens removed more feathers from the model and had a greater change in skin weight than BB hens. The mean number of pecks made at the model did not differ between the beak shape groups; however, SB hens had a greater percentage of successful pecks, resulting in feather and/or tissue removal, compared to BB hens.5. In conclusion, SB hens were more capable of removing feathers and causing damage. Birds performed more successful pecks resulting in feather and/or tissue removal as they gained experience pecking at the model.

An analysis of the maxillary beak shape variation between 2 pure layer lines and its relationship to the underlying premaxillary bone, feather cover, and mortality.

Beak shape varies considerably within and between intact-beak laying hens, and aspects of beak shape appear to be heritable. As an alternative to beak treatment (an effective method of reducing damage from severe feather pecking (SFP)), this variation could be used to genetically select hens whose beak shapes are less apt to cause damage. To be able to select certain phenotypes, the beak shape variation that exists within laying hen flocks must first be characterized. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe the maxillary beak shape variation in 2 pure White Leghorn layer lines with intact beaks using geometric morphometrics to analyze images, and 2) examine the beak shape's relationship to the premaxillary bone, feather cover, and mortality. A lateral head image was taken of each hen (n = 710), and 20 landmarks were placed along each image's dorsal and ventral margins of the maxillary beak. Landmark coordinates were standardized by Procrustes superimposition, and the covariation was analyzed by principal components analysis and multivariate regression. Feather cover was scored at 3 ages and mortality was monitored throughout the production cycle. Three principal components (PCs) explained 83% of the maxillary beak shape variation and the first PC partially separated the 2 lines. Maxillary beak shapes ranged from long and narrow with pointed tips to short and wide with more curved tips. Moderate correlations were found between the maxillary beak and premaxillary bone shape (rs = 0.44) and size (rs = 0.52). Line A hens had better feather cover than Line B at all ages. Line A hens also had less total and cannibalism-related mortality than Line B (10.7 and 0.4% vs. 16.7 and 2.4%, respectively). Beak shape may be one factor contributing to the observed differences in feather cover and mortality. The results suggest that distinct maxillary beak phenotypes within each line could be selected to help reduce SFP damage and improve bird welfare.

The impact of infrared beak treatment on turkey tom and hen beak length and performance to 12 weeks of age.

Controlling injurious pecking in commercial turkeys remains a significant challenge to producers and the industry. Infrared beak treatment is an effective method of controlling injurious pecking in chickens; however, the effects of infrared beak treatment on turkey performance are still largely unknown. Two experiments were conducted to determine the impact of infrared beak treatment on the beak length and performance of turkeys raised to 12 wk of age. Experiment 1 tested both toms (n = 236) and hens (n = 324), while Experiment 2 focused on hens (n = 608). Poults for each experiment were assigned to 1 of 2 beak treatments: infrared beak treated (IR) on the day of hatch at a commercial hatchery or sham untreated control (C). Data collected included beak length, body weight, feed intake, feed efficiency, and mortality. Data were analyzed using a 1 or 2-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's range test for mean separation when interactions were found. Results showed that beak length (Experiment 1 only) was significantly shorter in IR poults from 2 to 12 wk of age. In the same experiment, IR toms had lighter body weight than C toms, but IR hens were heavier than C hens from 2 to 4 wk of age. By 12 wk, IR poults were heavier than C poults, regardless of gender. In experiment 2, IR hens had lighter body weight from 2 to 4 wk of age. In conclusion, infrared beak treatment had minimal effects on feed intake, feed efficiency, or mortality over the 12-wk periods of both experiments.

The effect of infrared beak treatment on the welfare of turkeys reared to 12 weeks of age.

This study aimed to determine the effects of infrared beak treatment on the behavior and welfare of male and female turkeys reared to 12 wk of age. To do this, poults (236 males and 324 females) were assigned to one of 2 beak treatments: infrared beak treated on day of hatch (IR) or sham untreated control (C). Data collected included heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, pecking force, feather cover, behavioral expression, and beak histology. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial of beak treatment and gender, in a completely randomized design and analyzed using PROC MIXED (SAS 9.4). H/L ratio (indicative of a stress response) did not differ between treated and control poults during early life, except at 20 d of age when H/L ratio was higher for C poults than IR poults. Pecking force, measured as a method of monitoring pain, was different only at 1 wk of age, when IR poults pecked with more force than C poults. Feather cover was better in IR poults at 12 wk of age. Differences in behavior between treatments were minor over the 12-wk period. Overall, infrared beak treatment of commercial turkeys had minimal negative impacts on behavior and welfare. The results suggest that stress may be reduced in flocks that are beak treated and that the procedure itself does not cause a pain response.

Determining the variation in premaxillary and dentary bone morphology that may underlie beak shape between two pure layer lines.

Beak treatment is an effective method of reducing the damage inflicted by severe feather pecking (SFP) but there is significant pressure to eliminate these treatments and rely solely on alternative strategies. Substantial variation in beak shape exists within non-beak treated layer flocks and beak shape appears to be heritable. There is the potential to use this pre-existing variation and genetically select for hens whose beak shapes are less apt to cause damage during SFP. To do this, we must first understand the range of phenotypes that exist for both the external beak shape and the bones that provide its structure. The objective of this study was to determine the variation in premaxillary (within the top beak) and dentary (within the bottom beak) bone morphology that exists in 2 non-beak treated pure White Leghorn layer lines using geometric morphometrics to analyze radiographs. Lateral head radiographs were taken of 825 hens and the premaxillary and dentary bones were landmarked. Landmark coordinates were standardized by Procrustes superimposition and the covariation was analyzed by principal components analysis and multivariate regression using Geomorph (an R package). Three principal components (PCs) explained 85% of total premaxillary bone shape variation and showed that the shape ranged from long and narrow with pointed bone tips to short and wide with more curved tips. Two PCs explained 81% of total dentary bone shape variation. PC1 described the dentary bone length and width and PC2 explained the angle between the bone tip and its articular process. For both bones, shape was significantly associated with bone size and differed significantly between the two lines. Bone size accounted for 42% of the total shape variation for both bones. Together, the results showed a range of phenotypic variation in premaxillary and dentary bone shape, which in turn may influence beak shape. These bone phenotypes will guide further quantitative genetic and behavioral analyses that will help identify which beaks shapes cause the least damage when birds engage in SFP.

Research Note: Beak morphology of infrared beak-treated laying hens and its impact on production and welfare.

Despite previous research on the impacts of beak treatment on laying hens, little information exists regarding how variation in beak morphology that can occur following beak treatment affects production, behavior, and welfare. Following infrared beak treatment (IRBT), variations in beak shape, such as a shovel beak (bottom beak longer than top), cracks (Cr), or bubbles (B) may occur if the IRBT equipment is damaged or if a quality control program is not followed at the hatchery. This study aimed to determine if variations in beak morphology post-IRBT impacted laying hen production or welfare. Infrared beak-treated Lohmann LSL-Lite hens (n = 80) were selected from a 56-wk-old flock and randomly assigned into 1 of 8 treatments: flush beak (control), shovel beak extending 0-1 mm (SB0-1), 1-2 mm (SB1-2), 2-3 mm (SB2-3), 3-4 mm (SB3-4), or >4 mm (SB > 4), Cr, or B. Hens were housed in individual cages for 4 wk and production (body weight, feed intake, egg production, and egg quality), and welfare (behavior and histology) parameters were evaluated. Consumption of different particle sizes was assessed by measuring feed particle size of refused feed. Data were analyzed as a one-way ANOVA, in a completely randomized design using PROC GLM (SAS 9.4). The results indicated that the beak morphologies examined had minimal effects on the production or welfare of the hens. Histological assessment did not show the presence of neuromas in the beak tissue, suggesting that the hens were not experiencing chronic pain from the IRBT procedure.

The effect of beak tissue sloughing and post-treatment beak shape on the productivity of infrared beak-treated layer pullets and hens.

Infrared beak treatment (IRBT) results in a change in beak shape; however, it is unclear what effect variations in post-treatment beak shape have on young pullets. Additionally, the impact of sloughing of the treated beak tissue is not fully understood. Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of beak tissue sloughing and post-treatment beak shape on the productivity of infrared beak-treated Lohmann Brown (LB) and Lohmann LSL-Lite (LW) pullets and hens. Birds were treated on day of hatch and IRBT equipment settings were adjusted to create 4 specific beak shapes: shovel (SHV), step (STP), standard (STAN), and an untreated sham control (C). Experiment 1 pullets (n = 160) were housed in cages from 1 to 29 d of age and had access to water through chick founts or 360° nipple drinkers (2 replicate cages per treatment). Data collected included body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), feed efficiency (FE), and water disappearance (WD). Experiment 2 pullets (n = 640) were housed in floor pens from 1 d to 18 wk of age (2 replicate pens per treatment) then conventional cages during the laying period (6 replicate cages per treatment). Data collected included BW, FI, egg production, and egg quality. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED (SAS® 9.4) and differences were significant when P ≤ 0.05. During early life, the IRBT treatments and sloughing had minor effects on FI, FE, and BW. At 4 wk of age, STAN pullets were lighter than C pullets; however, differences were no longer apparent after this age. Pullets with STP or STAN beak shapes had lower WD than C pullets when allowed access to water via nipple drinkers but this did not result in reduced growth. Throughout the laying period, SHV hens laid more saleable eggs than C hens, with no other effects on production. Overall, variations in beak shape and sloughing of the beak tissue had minimal impacts on the productivity of LW and LB pullets and hens.

The impact of beak tissue sloughing and beak shape variation on the behavior and welfare of infrared beak-treated layer pullets and hens.

This research examined how infrared beak treatment (IRBT), sloughing of the treated beak tissue, and the variations in beak shape that can occur post-IRBT impact the welfare and mortality of Lohmann LSL-Lite (LW) and Lohmann Brown (LB) pullets and hens. Two experiments were conducted and birds for both experiments were treated on the day of hatch. IRBT equipment settings were adjusted to create 4 specific beak shapes: shovel (SHV), step (STP), standard (STAN), and an untreated sham control (C). Experiment 1 pullets (n = 80 per strain) were reared in bioassay cages from 1 to 29 D of age (4 replicates per treatment). Data collected included time and presence of beak sloughing, pecking force, behavioral expression, and mortality. Experiment 2 pullets (n = 320 per strain) were reared in floor pens from 1 D to 18 wk of age (2 replicates per treatment) and then conventional cages from 18 to 60 wk of age (6 replicates per treatment). Data collected for Experiment 2 included behavioral expression, feather cover, comb damage, and mortality. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED (SAS® 9.4) with Tukey's test to separate means. Differences were significant when P ≤ 0.05. IRBT and sloughing had no effect on pecking force or mortality throughout rearing. The variations in post-IRBT beak shape had minor effects on behavior. During rearing, STAN pullets were more active than C pullets but STP and STAN pullets performed less exploratory pecking. During the laying period, SHV and STP hens preened more than C hens. The IRBT treatments, regardless of beak shape, reduced feather loss, comb damage, and cannibalism-related mortality during the laying period. Overall, the results indicate that LW and LB pullets and hens can cope with the change in beak shape that occurs with IRBT, and that welfare is not negatively impacted if some variation in beak shape occurs.

Age-related differences in intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure in the first 6 hours of monitoring after children's head injury: association with outcome.

OBJECTIVES: Severe head injury in childhood is associated with considerable mortality and morbidity. In this study we determined age-related differences in the relationship between outcome and intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) in the first 6 h of monitoring in a large cohort of head-injured children. METHODS: Two hundred and thirty-five head-injured children (admitted to five UK hospitals over a 15-year period) in whom intracranial pressure monitoring was clinically indicated were studied. RESULTS: Patients were divided into three age groups (2-6, 7-10 and 11-16 years). The sensitivity of ICP and CPP were similar. Differences were found in the specificity of ICP and CPP for each group and these were more marked for CPP. For a specificity of 50% the pressures were 53, 63 and 66 mmHg for the three age groups. CONCLUSIONS: There are age-related differences in the specificity of intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure in relation to outcome. These differences may be important in the clinical management of head-injured children. Thus cerebral perfusion pressures of 53, 63 and 66 mmHg should be the minimum to strive for in these three age groups respectively.

Parental reporting of smelly urine and urinary tract infection.

BACKGROUND: Parents often report that young children have "smelly urine" or a particular urinary odour. There is little evidence that these observations are relevant to the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI). AIMS: To determine whether parental reporting of smelly urine is of any relevance to the diagnosis of UTI in children less than 6 years of age. METHODS: Parents whose children were having urine collected as part of their admission to a large district hospital were given a simple questionnaire to complete regarding the current smell of their child's urine. Parents were asked whether their child's urine smelled different from usual or had a particular smell. Microscopy and culture results of the child's urine were compared to their parent's questionnaire answers to see if there was a association between parental reporting of a different or particular urine smell and a diagnosis of UTI. RESULTS: One hundred and ten questionnaires and urine samples were obtained. Fifty two per cent of parents thought that their child's urine smelled different from usual or had a particular smell. Only 6.4% of children were diagnosed as having a UTI. There was no statistically significant association between parental reporting of abnormal urine smell and diagnosis of UTI. CONCLUSION: In determining whether a young child has a UTI, asking parents about urine smell is unlikely to be of benefit.

Falsely elevated serum tobramycin levels in a patient receiving nebulised tobramycin.

It is common when treating patients with respiratory exacerbations of cystic fibrosis to use both nebulised and intravenous antibiotics. Aminoglycoside drug levels are often measured from finger-prick blood samples. We describe a case of a 14-year-old girl treated simultaneously with IV and nebulised tobramycin in whom drug levels, measured from finger prick blood samples, were erroneously high due to finger contamination by the nebulised drug. Special precautions or direct venepuncture is essential when assessing antibiotic levels in such patients.

Design of potent cyclic gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonists.

In order to improve the biological potency of cyclic gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists, we have synthesized analogues, the conformations of which were restrained through internal side chain/side chain amide bridges linking aspartic acid or glutamic acid and L-2,3-diaminopropionic acid or L-ornithine. A disulfide bridge linking L-cysteine residues was also introduced. Residues belonging to the bridge spanned from position 4 to positions 9 or 10. Two series of analogues were synthesized and are characterized by residues at positions 1 [Ac-D-3-(2'-naphthyl)alanine], 2 [D-(4-chlorophenyl)alanine or D-(4-fluorophenyl)alanine], 3 [D-3-(3'-pyridyl)alanine or D-tryptophan], 5 (arginine or tyrosine), and 6 [D-3-(3'-pyridyl)alanine or D-arginine], respectively. These substitutions were selected in an effort to optimize high biopotency for inhibition of luteinizing hormone secretion, minimization of histamine release activity, and high (relative) hydrophilicity. The most potent analogues in the antiovulatory assay were cyclo(4-10) [Ac-DNal1,DCpa2,DPal3,(Asp4 or Glu4),Arg5,DPal]6,Dpr10]GnRH (compounds 5 and 7), which were fully active at ca. 12.5 micrograms/rat in the first series, and cyclo(4-10)[Ac-DNal1,DFpa2,DTrp3,Asp4,DArg6++ +,Dpr10]GnRH (compound 12), which was fully active at 2.5 micrograms/rat in the second.

Causal attributions as a function of locus of control, initial confidence, and performance outcomes.

Causal attributions and body movements indicative of tension were recorded while subjects completed an anagrams task that was more extensive than most similar tasks used in attribution studies. Nine trials each containing 10 anagrams were presented such that most subjects succeeded on three sets of relatively simple anagrams, failed on three sets of difficult anagrams, and either succeeded or failed on three sets of intermediately difficult anagrams. Attributions and body movements were predicted by a combination of locus of control, initial confidence, and type of outcome. High-confident internals attributed responsibility for outcomes to themselves more than did low-confident externals, and this difference was most prominent when subjects failed. Tension-indicating body movements were also less common among the former than the latter subjects and were in greater evidence with failure than with success. The data indicate that there is consistency between locus of control and causal attributions obtained during performances. The data also correspond to the findings on helplessness in which aversive agents prove to be more deleterious when individuals perceive themselves as unable to alter their negative circumstances.