The complexity of the mast cell is becoming more prominent. From being the cell recognized just to contribute to allergic inflammation it is now also associated with wound healing, protection against tumor growth and in recognition and defense against a wide range of pathogens. The location of the mast cell in the barrier between the external and internal environment of the body enables the cell to quickly respond to invading bacteria, virus and parasites. Diarrhea due to Escherichia coli infection, listeriosis, toxoplasmosis, Newcastle disease and bovine respiratory syncytial virus are examples of mast cell activating diseases that can affect animals in, as well as outside, the agricultural sector. Additionally, ticks and tick-borne diseases are of concern.

The purpose of this literature review was to investigate how the rearing systems influence the behaviour of dairy calves. Calves are social animals that form groups within the herd where play and social licking between calves are important social activities. Suckling is a complex behaviour and essential for the calf's survival. In the modern rearing systems the calf is usually separated from its mother soon after birth. Calves are then kept in individual pens, group pens or, more rarely, with a foster cow.

ästerbottens färgrika stenskatter - Spatiala presentationer och analyser av skifferfynd i Västerbottens län(The colorful stone treasures of Västerbotten ? Spatial presentations and analysis of slate artefacts in Västerbotten County)This essay pertains to the spatial distributions and analysis of slate artefacts in Västerbotten County, Sweden. The authors aim is to give answers the issues of what the distribution patterns of slate artefacts can tell us about the prehistoric humans in this area. By using GIS software and geospatial analysis the author strengthens the theories about separate interior and coastal economies, as well as the theory that the main share of production of slate artifacts are linked in the interior of the County, the author also refers to earlier research, both domestic and international. The theories of non-pragmatic preferences by the late Mesolithic and Neolithic people for red colored slate are also added to.

The relationship between the pet and it's owner is a very important and interesting issue. Unfortunately there is not so much research on this and in addition to that Swedish veterinarian education does not put much emphasis on pet's role in society or their pattern of behaviour nor treatment. This thesis is based on an opinion poll that 20 dog owners and 20 cat owners contributed. The main purpose of the thesis was to compare the relationships that the pet (dog or cat) and its owner can have. The issues such as the pet owner's attitude to his/her pet, how the pet owner percieves and interprets the signals from the animal, and what they think about the natural behaviours and needs that their pets (might) have. The results show that dog- and cat owners are people who generally love animals, that they used to have even other animal species in the past, but when it comes to choice between a new dog or a new cat they choose the one that they previously have had and that they are used to. Most of a dog owners choose the dog to be their pet because of the company while the majority of a cat owners choose cat because cats are independent and they are used to cats.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vilken syn förskollärare och lärare i Sydafrika har på barngruppers storlek samt hur de anser att storleken på barngruppen kan påverka barn och elevers lärande. För att få farm ett resultat har intervjuer genomförts med fem pedagoger och en förskolechef som arbetar på förskolor och skolor i Sydafrika. Metoden som användes var en kvalitativ intervjumetod för att få reda på sydafrikanska pedagogers syn på stora barngrupper och lärande. Enligt resultatet är stora barngrupper något som ses som ett problem och det är de flesta intervjupersoner enade om. De påstår att de har för lite resurser, för lite utrymme och för lite med material till de stora barngrupperna.

Since the care for the elderly is a low priority there are shortcomings. One of these shortcomings are that the elderly living in nursing homes do not feel that they have a meaningful existence. The aim of this study was to identify which factors could give the elderly residing in nursing homes a meaningful existence. The study was conducted through a review of existing literature with a systematic literature study. Scientific articles were found, read, analyzed and condensed.

By exploring different forms of urban cultivation and looking into future gains of sustainability, I want to focus on unconventional and perhaps necessary ways of building, living and making a living. This will be made through study of literature on the topic.Urban cultivation could be anything from a pot of basil in the kitchen window to a city farm. The core of the concept is that the food is produced where it is eaten, in or in direct vicinity to the city and that it is produced ecologically. There will be many benefits, ecological, economical and social.The world is at a turning point right now where consumption patterns and the industry processed food are questioned and it is important that the things we consume are genuineand authentic. We want food that is locally and ecologically produced; food that we can trust.

This study is about the importance of pictures to children's pleasure in reading. The aim of this study was to investigate pupils ' thoughts about the pictures in picture books. I wanted to find out if the pictures in the books are of importance to children's pleasure in reading and why. Also what types of pictures that create the pleasure in reading and why. Through literature, I see why it is important to read books and how teachers can create encouraging reading among children.

A shorter dry period length has in studies abroad showed some positive effects among high yielding dairy cows. Among other things it has been suggested that the periparturient metabolic stress becomes lower, that the fertility is improved and dry off becomes gentler for the udder, due to a lower milk yield. The milk yield is generally reduced during the first period after calving, especially among primiparous cows. The aim of this master thesis was to investigate how Swedish cows were affected by a shortened dry period, regarding milk yield, metabolism, health, body condition and body weight from two months before calving to some weeks after calving. Also plasma concentration of lactose during the period before calving was determined.

Feline odontoclastic resorptive lesion (FORL) is a tooth disease affecting both domestic and wild cats. Although FORL was described as early as the 1920´s, the etiology is still unclear. Several hypotheses have been presented but different studies have obtained contradictory results, and today there is no generally accepted etiology. Teeth affected by FORL are characterized by root resorption with progressive destruction of the tooth structure and alveolar bone as a consequence of clast cell activity. The disease is considered very painful when reaching a certain stage.

Soybean meal from South America is the most common protein feed used for animal production in Sweden. Production of soybean has negative effects on the environment and the transports from South America to Sweden causes considerable CO2 emissions. Therefore it is a growing interest in locally produced protein feed in Sweden. Protein feeds that are possible to grow in Sweden are rapeseed, peas, faba beans and lupins. Those are adapted to the Nordic climate and are perfect to grow in cereal rotations.

The structural rationalization of rural firms in Sweden has led to many new creative ways of developing companies. The agriculture sector is characterized by the need of capital in form of buildings, labor and inventory. The rationalization process has led to free capacity in rural firms when new technology make buildings and inventory not longer necessary for the production process. To get a better cost coverage this free capacity can be used to start-up new business areas that help the rural firm to growth.The study aims to identify factors that motives entrepreneurs in rural firms to develop new business areas. The purpose is also to analyze driving forces that lies behind development of rural firms and the forces that support or not support development in rural firms.The study is built upon five cases that all can be categorized as firms with different size and orientation.

In Sweden the climate makes it impossible to feed fresh herbage to cattle during many months of the year. During periods when preserved forage must be supplied it is important that this forage is stored in such a way that high quality is retained, both nutritionally and hygienically. Furthermore, it is essential that losses occurring when handling and storing the forage are kept as low as possible. This study compares storage in tower silos, bunker silos, big bags and bales,estimating dry matter losses as well as losses in metabolizable energy and crude protein that occur during storage. The results show that tower silos, bunker silos and big bags, the systems with the largest amount of forage and a long feed out period involve larger losses than bales, which are fed out immediately after being opened. As the feed out rate influences the losses, tower silos and bunker silos should be used during the period of the year when the feed out rate is as high as possible, i.e.

Skiascopy, also called retinoscopy, is a method for determining the refractive power of the eye. There are only a few, old studies made on equine refraction. The aim of this study was to investigate the refractive power in a population of Swedish horses. The study consists of a review of relevant studies done on animals and an experimental part where the refractive power of 93 horses of different age, breed and usage was examined. A pilot study of 12 horses was performed regarding the importance of cycloplegia when doing skiascopy on horses. The results of the pilot study show no significant difference in the skiascopy results between the group before and after cycloplegia were induced. Consequently, there is no need of inducing cycloplegia before doing skiascopy in adult horses. The study shows that horses usually were emmetropic (normally sighted) with minor deviations toward myopia or hyperopia.

During late autumn/winter in the years of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 a questionnaire study was made in Västra Götaland county in the south west of Sweden. Inspectors responsible of animal welfare answered the questionnaires during their routine visits to different horse stables in the county. The questionnaires contained questions about the number of horses at the farm, hoof condition, body condition, how often the horses were fed outside and the pasture condition. The purpose of this study was to investigate if a connection could be seen between environmental factors and health factors within the horses in this material. The connections that were analysed were between; hoof health and pasture condition, how many times the horses were fed outside and the body condition and between the number of horses in the pasture and pasture condition.