Pipe in music to decrease stress levels in your kennel.

Pipe in music to decrease stress levels in your kennel according to new research. A new study evaluates the stress-reducing effect of playing different music genres for kenneled dogs.Dogs that are kenneled such as those in boarding facilities, shelters and research facilities are known to have high levels of stress. In several studies, various forms of enrichment have been investigated to evaluate the effect of lowering stress in dogs, including the use of toys, visual or olfactory stimulation and human interaction. In a previous study performed by the same group as the current study, classical music was shown to lower stress in kenneled dogs. However, rapid conditioning to this form of enrichment was documented indicated the music became less effective at lowering stress after a period of time (seven days in that study). This study was aimed to determine if the stress reducing effects of music playing could be extended if the dogs were exposed to different genres of music. The test was performed at two facilities in Scotland—the Scottish SPCA Dunbartonshire and West of Scotland Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre—over a nine-month period. It was performed while normal daily husbandry and operational activities occurred at the facilities. Over an 11-day period, dogs had two days of no music for control purposes, followed by five consecutive days of music that was piped into the kennels for six hours a day using a Spotify playlist through wireless speakers around the kennel. Each day a different genre of music (soft rock, motown, reggae, pop or classical) was played, and the genres were randomized for different dog groups. The results of this study were consistent with previous findings that auditory stimulation is an effective enrichment tool in a kennel environment. During periods where music was played, dogs spent more time lying down and had significant changes in heart rate indicating lower stress levels.more

Turmeric and breast cancer.

Turmeric and Curcumin has natural anti cancer activity.Research has also shown that there are low rates of certain types of cancer in countries where people eat curcumin at levels of about 100 to 200 mg a day over long periods of time. Research have shown curcumin combats cancers of the breast, prostate, liver, colon, lung, pancreas and more. Many of these studies have shown that curcumin actually stops cancer cells from dividing. Curcumin has also been shown to trigger programmed cell death the body’s natural and effective way of ridding itself from damaged cells. A recent study published in Cancer Cell International, 2017 demonstrated that curcumin and its derivatives can terminate breast cancer cells by arresting their development in various phases of cell cycle and growth and inducing cell death. A new study shows that curcumin may be beneficial in treatment of non-malignant or benign breast tumors as well as a study published in Anticancer Research 2005, demonstrates that curcumin regulates as many as 30 genes and acts on multiple biochemical pathways in order to destroy breast cancer cells. Researchers in France have conducted a clinical trial to identify the dose suitable for advanced or metastatic breast cancer treatment. As per the study the recommended dose of curcumin is 6000mg per day for 7 consecutive days every 3 weeks along with standard docetaxel treatment. Turmeric and Curcumin also acts as topical agents in cancer therapy, study involved patients who had external cancerous lesions and some of them were breast cancer lesions. These lesions did not respond to treatment. Turmeric tincture was mixed with petroleum jelly and patients were asked to apply this preparation thrice a day on the external lesions. 90% individuals experienced a reduction in smell, itching reduced in almost all cases while 70% individuals experienced drying up of lesions and 10% of patients experienced reduction in lesion size and pain.

Irrigation and the effects on groundwater used to grow internationally traded food.

A new research has shown that eleven percent of the global non-renewable groundwater drawn up for irrigation goes to produce crops that are then traded on the international market and this 11 percent of disappearing groundwater is used to grow internationally traded food. A new study by researchers at the University College London and NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies in New York City and published in the Nature shows that 11 percent of the global non-renewable groundwater drawn up for irrigation goes to produce crops that are then traded on the international market. Additionally, two-thirds of the exported crops that depend on non-renewable groundwater are produced in Pakistan (29 percent), the United States (27 percent), and India (12 percent). Wheat, rice, sugar, cotton and maize are among the essential internationally traded crops in the global economy. To produce these crops many countries rely on irrigated agriculture that accounts for about 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals. A change in agricultural practices will not only ensure foodsecurity but also conserve underground water.According to the United Nations Water program, one freshwater source is underground aquifers, some of which replenish so slowly that they are essentially a non-renewable resource. It's not just individual countries that experience groundwater depletion, but also their trade partners, When people consume certain imported foods, they should be aware that they can have an impact on the environment elsewhere.

Australia’s pork farmers face faeces ‘issue’

Australia’s pork farmers face faeces ‘issue’: Free-range pig farmers in Australia face an emerging issue of pig feed becoming contaminated by duck muck, according to a livestock veterinarian.

EU to launch robotic pizza delivery

EU to launch robotic pizza delivery: Domino’s Pizza Enterprises will use robots to deliver pizzas to customers living near to selected stores across Germany and the Netherlands in a new robotics project aiming to hit the ground running.

Nutrients essential for healthy ears in dogs.

Antioxidants are crucial for the effectiveness of the immune system, and they will aid circulatory and nerve health especially in the of the ears. Improve your dog's diet with antioxidants such as vitamins A and E, Coenzyme Q-10. Zinc quickens the immune response, vitamin C is needed for proper immune function and Vitamin B complex is essential for healing which has been shown in humans that it reduces ear pressure. Potassium helps maintain nervous system health and nerve impulse transmission. Herbs have also been linked to ear health,you can spice your dogs food with Moringa,thyme and ginger extracts. The use of coconut oil in diet or as ear drop also promotes ear health.

Heat detection aids in cows.

Heat detection aids can help identify bulling cows and this is particularly important for herds using AI. Identifying cows on heat can be difficult, as the average heat only lasts nine hours and most ‘standing’ activity occurs in the hours of darkness. It is therefore necessary to use heat detection aids to identify cows that need to be drafted and served. 1. Tail Paint One of the cheapest methods of identifying cows in heat is through the use of a thin strip of paint applied to the top of the cow’s tail. If the cow is mounted, a clear sign of oestrus, the thin strip of paint will be rubbed off. This will allow the cow to be separated from the main herd and served. Tell Tail, manufactured by FIL, is the most common type of tail paint used on Irish farms and is available in a number of colours including red, green, blue and yellow. To get the full benefits from the product, the company has developed the following guidelines: Paint all cows with red paint three weeks after calving. If rubbed, this indicates when the cow has started to cycle again. If the cow has not come into heat after calving you can take remedial action. Paint all cows with green paint immediately prior to commencing your AI programme. Rubbed paint identifies the cows coming into heat on a daily basis. Paint each cow with blue paint as soon as she has been AI’d. This will tell you if she has held to the service. Paint all cows with yellow when pregnancy is confirmed. 2) Developed in the US, Kamars have grown in popularity on Irish farms in recent years. Kamars sit between the cow’s hip bones and are said to be an “accurate and cost effective” method of identifying standing heats in cows. The product alerts farmers to the presence of bulling cows by a changing colour – from white to red. These heat detection aids are pressure sensitive and include a built-in timing mechanism, which is designed to be activated by standing heat behaviour. This mechanism helps distinguish between true standing heats and false mounting activity, as the detector requires approximately three seconds of mounting activity before it changes colour. 3)Scratch Cards These cards can either come with a self-adhesive back or may require the use of glue to apply them to the base of the cow’s tail. When mounting activity occurs, the scratch card is rubbed and changes colour to indicate that the cow may need to served. continue