Detection of leukocytes in semen from boars is part of the routine control of semen quality. Leukocytes in semen can cause damage to spermatozoa that leads to impaired fertilization. In the artificial insemination (AI) industry there are standard routines for the quality control of the boars and of the neat semen before use. Since 2001, Quality Genetics has not done the leukocyte examination on semen samples from boars which are used for the production of Pigs for slaughter. The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of leukocytes in semen from AI-boars. The questions addressed were whether there are boars that have leukocytes in their semen and how frequently it occurs and, moreover, if there are differences between breeds, or even between individuals whose semen was checked before use in AI-dose production compared to those which were not. The study included a total of 135 AI-boars, of which 67 were Hampshire, 35 Yorkshire and 33 Landrace, all belonging to Quality Genetics AI-station in Hållsta.

Iron deficiency is one of the most frequent micronutrient deficiencies around the world. Low iron bioavailability simultaneously with a high iron requirement is a high risk factor for developing iron deficiency. Probiotics are microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host. Prebiotics are oligosaccharides which provide a health benefit on the host due to a positive modulation of the microflora in the gut. The aim of this paper is to evaluate if there is a connection between pro-and/or prebiotics and iron bioavailability.

This study was a degree in Master of Science in agriculture with specialization in animal science for the Department of animal nutrition and management at SLU. The subject was created by AS-Faktor, a small company for science and development within the company Lantmännen AB. It was a test of the effect of SPC (Special Processed Cereals) on induction of the endogenous protein AF (an antisecretory factor) in plasma and intestinal lumen in broilers. Previous results have shown positive effects on different intestinal diseases in Pigs, horses, dogs as well as in humans. Beside the induction we also studied the effects on results in a conventional slaughter chicken production, including the ability of SPC to compete with or be affected by the coccidiostat, Salinomax.When diarrhoea occurs, it's because there is an imbalance between the secretion and the absorption and it can be caused by for example toxins.

This study was the first part of a larger project investigating a new surveillance method for Echinococcus multilocularis. In this study we examined livers from wild boar (Sus scrofa), looking for lesions caused by E. multilocularis. E. multilocularis is a small tapeworm which has an indirect life cycle.

The community Vessigebro, in Falkenberg and its surrounding areas housing one percent of all dairy cattle and two percent of all Pigs in Sweden. This means that there is a large amount of manure as a basis for producing biogas in the area. A number of farmers have therefore formed a cooperative named Vessigebro biogas and started the project Green Vessigebro, with the goal of creating the conditions for a more profitable and more sustainable agriculture production.The study deals with the conditions and sale opportunities of the feasibility study Green Vessigebro. The study has looked at the work that was previously carried out for the biogas that could be produced on the farms in Vessigebro, The main pipeline for natural gas on the Swedish west coast and its operators, the Swedish Competition Act , Electricity Act , Natural Gas Act, the District Heating Act , Sustainability Act , previously proposed measures, municipality interest in biogas from Vessigebro , possible collaborations, possible sale opportunities and perform calculations with data from the municipality Ljungby for a suggested transportation of biogas between Vessigebro and Ljungby.The study shows that there are several interesting sale opportunities for biogas from Vessigebro. The production and use of biogas in Sweden is increasing and the trend seems set to continue.

SAMMANFATTNING Uppskattningsvis transporteras 171 miljoner grisar inom EU varje år, varav ca 3,5 miljoner i Sverige. Grisarna kommer, under hela förloppet från förflyttningen från box i stallet till bedövningen i slakteriet, att utsättas för stressande moment. Orsakerna är bland annat omgrupperingar, nya miljöer, vibrationer i bilen samt, speciellt under sommaren, värmestress. Temperaturen i djurtransportbilen är en nyckelfaktor som dessutom kan förstärka effekten av andra stressorer. Lastning i höga temperaturer ökar risken för värmestress. Värmestress innebär att djuren får allt svårare att avge sin värme. Även den relativa luftfuktigheten har betydelse, framförallt vid temperaturer över 30°C. Det är ventilationen i transportbilen som ska transportera bort värme och fukt från bilen.

Barren rearing environment and early weaning of piglets can lead to a high level of distress, behavioural disturbances and reduction in weight gain. The main aim of this thesis was to study the effects of potential enrichment objects on piglet?s behaviour and weight gain during the pre- and post-weaning period. The second aim was to examine what type of object stimulated the highest frequency of interaction. The study was carried out at the Swedish Livestock Research Centre in Lövsta where a batch of litters from 10 first-parity Yorkshire sows were used.

This bachelor-level thesis in historical osteology deals with several aspects of the life-cycle of an RomanIron Age farm in southern Scania. Excavated in the 1980's by Lars Larsson, the farm was located near aplace called Långåker in the Dybäck area, on a cape which stretched out into a minor bog. Our work concerns why the Iron Age people settled the area, how well fragmented bone survives in a bog, what they produced at the farm and how life on the farm finally ended. From the roughly 10 % of the total number of fragments we where able to identify we can conclude, that he species that are present of the farm areusual Iron Age species (dog, sheep/goat, cattle and swine). We also have a relitivly large number of wildanimals in our material (2%).

In the farrowing pens the amount of bedding material and the quality of the concrete floor has a huge impact on both the sow and the piglets. In this study imbedding of rubber flooring on the solid area in the farrowing pen was used to see if it had any effects on the sows lying behaviour when compared to concrete. Another important aspect was to evaluate if the rubber floorings had a high enough durability to resist the normal wear in a farrowing pen. Concrete flooring is assumed to have a higher thermally conductive effect then rubber which can affect the sow?s chance to cool down.

A zoonosis is a disease or infection that is naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans. The majority of infectious diseases that affect humans are zoonoses. Environments where wild animals, domestic animals and humans live in close proximity with no or small boundaries in the ecological system favor the transmission of diseases between animals and humans. The above described situation is more common in low income countries, where humans and animals live in high density and zoonoses are generally more common. The study was conducted in Cambodia.

Svensk lagstiftning förutsätter att livsmedelsproducenterna är tillräckligt kunniga för att se till att miljön främjar djurens hälsa och att möjlighet att bete sig naturligt ges. Samtidigt så finns det inget som reglerar vilken bakgrund eller utbildning producenterna ska ha för att säkerställa nödvändig kunskap. Det finns nationella förslag på att införa krav på utbildning inom det aktuella djurslaget för producenter som håller djur för livsmedelsproduktion. Internationellt så arbetar även EU-kommissionen med att öka kunskaperna generellt hos alla producenter inom EU. Vilken kunskap behövs och vilken kunskap finns idag hos livsmedelsproducenterna i Sverige? Då lagstiftningen reglerar att alla djur, som hålls i fångenskap, ska ges möjlighet till naturligt beteende så borde det vara nödvändigt att ha kunskap om naturligt beteende.

Peat litter has been used in animal houses for a long time. Because of its good ability to absorb liquid and nutrients from the manure it can create a dry surface for animals and a valuable manure product. Through changes in agricultural practises the use of peat litter has diminished and is to a great extent replaced by straw, sawdust and cutter shavings although Sweden is rich in peat-findings. The aim of this work was to summarize the presented knowledge about the used of peat litter, techniques, advantages and disadvantages and to compare with other commonly used litter materials. Articles on peat litter have been searched for in magazines, databases and books at SLU library. Visits to peat industries, interviews with peat producers and with peat researchers contributed to the material. Peat is not a uniformly material.