8B. Adaptations Flashcards
What are some advantages of confined animal housing? (6)
- Reduction in seasonal output fluctuations
- Maintain temperature so its not too cold or hot
- Control light - laying hens need a period of darkness to lay
- Biosecurity
- Greater control over diet
- Increased ability to incorporate advances in digital farming
How does confined housing provide biosecurity?
Controlling what comes in and out, keeping animals safe. Wild birds can pass avian flu to chickens and people can bring in diseases.
How does confined housing give farmers greater control over an animal’s diet?
The animals can’t selectively eat since the farmer is controlling what’s being fed.
What is a disadvantage of animal housing?
- Reduced animal choices - such as tie stalls, battery cages, and gestation crates.
- Environmental risk if wastes are mismanaged and large amount is concentrated in a smaller area
- Loss of flexibility
- Need to monitor or control air quality
- Can result in the spread of disease
- Need to control temperature
- Animals have lesser capacity to express all natural behaviours
- Cost - it’s a high investment
Give an example how this is a disadvantage: animals have lesser capacity to express all natural behaviours
If you have a slippery floor, they may not want to mount certain animals
What is genetic adaptation?
- Occurs over extended periods of time.
- Populations develop distinct characteristics that help them to better cope with climatic conditions.
Give the 2 examples of genetic adaptation.
- British breeds of cattle (Hereford, Shorthorn, Angus) can grow a thick hair coat for cold winters and shed it in warmer months.
- Brahman cattle can handle hot, humid environments. They have slick hair, increased skin folds to increase surface area, dark skin pigment, and sweat more than cold-adapted breeds.
Why might animals in rainy places need housing even if it’s not cold?
If they’re wet it causes pneumonia.
Define ‘adaptation to the environment’.
- A series of biological adaptations that reduces physiologic stress due to climatic conditions.
- This process takes place over several weeks to several months.
- During the transition from one climatic stressor to another, livestock must be monitored to ensure they achieve successful transition
What are some of the sound management decisions that are important in animal productivity regarding the climate?
- Which is the most genetically adapted breed to the existing climate?
- What environmental modifications are necessary to optimize animal productivity
Give an example of a management decision based on climate and animal productivity.
A feedlot manager could evaluate whether it is cost-effective to construct shades and/or sprinkler systems to enhance the performance of Bos taurus breeds if exposed to heat or to use Bos indicus breeds that are genetically more heat tolerant.
How do seasonal changes affect livestock performance?
Seasonal changes bring about changes in day length and temperature which affect livestock performance.
What happens in the Western hemisphere during the summer and how does it affect animals? autumn?
- The temperature and daylight increase. This increases the amount of heat available to the animal.
- The temperature and daylight decrease, and hormonal changes help the animal respond physiologically.
What part of the body helps regulate adaptation? hOW?
Thyroid gland found on both sides of the trachea
- It regulates metabolic activity.
- When the environmental temperature is cool, the gland increases its production of thyroxine which stimulates metabolic activity and thus produces heat.
When can the growing and shedding of a coat have a severe effect on an animal? What is it influenced by?
HORMONES
- During sudden warm periods before shedding occurs in spring and sudden cool periods before a warm coat is produced in the fall.
