Forestry affects most of the forest-covered land in Sweden. In the landscape, the most common stream type is headwaters, which are important sites for many processes and organisms in both the terrestrial and the aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to investigate how the abundance of benthic invertebrate Functional feeding groups in headwater streams develops after clear-cutting and if it also is possible to detect a change in the composition of feeding groups. The study also attempts to determine what factors have an effect on temporal changes in abundance of these groups. For the study, 11 sites in northern Sweden were sampled for benthic invertebrates using a Surber-sampler, and for each site canopy-cover and pH was obtained.

Abstract The benthic macroinvertebrate fauna of 22 natural springs on Öland was sampled, by using a time-standarized kick/sweep sampling technique, in the end of September and early October. The aim was to determine the number of species and their abundances in the macroinvertebrate communities in springs and how/why these may change between different springs. Likewise there was a purpose to investigate possible differences between springs considering the proportions of the number of species and the abundances of the five Functional feeding groups; shredders, collectors, filter-feeders, scrapers and predators. There was also an aim to investigate if the distances betweeen springs had any influence on similarity between the communities of benthic macroinvertebrates of the springs. Analysis from the springs collected material showed several interesting patterns in the number of species and their abundances when compared between springs devided into groups depending on their environmental factors such as depth and pH.

Problem: What attitudes do young adults have towards Functional food?Is there any relation between these attitudes and young adults behaviour towards Functional Food?Purpose: The purpose of our thesis is to understand young adults attitudes towards Functional Food and also examine the relation between these attitudes and their behaviour towards Functional Food. Method: The authors of this thesis have used a qualitative method for data collection, focus group interviews.  There were two focus groups interviews performed on high-school students at Alléskolan in Hallsberg. The interview questions and the analysis of the primary data have been based on the frame of reference. Conclusion: Our investigation shows similar results as previous studies about consumers attitudes towards Functional Food. Our respondents had mixed attitudes towards Functional Food.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of strategy for grouping calves into group pens with automatic milk-feeding systems on the calves' health and growth rate. The usefulness of changes in feeding behavior recorded by the computerized milk-feeder during periods of illness to identify calves with clinical diease was also studied. In the first experiment, 64 calves were moved in and out of group pens in a continuous way, while 46 calves were transferred into group pens until the the pen was considered "full". The calves in the latter groups were then held together until weaning. It was found that calves in the fixed groups grew approximately 100 g / day more compared to the calves in the dynamic groups. Signs of clinical respiratory disease were less frequent in this group, while the incidence of diarrhoea was slightly higher. In the second experiment health parameters, milk consumption and feeding behaviour was recorded daily for 46 calves.

The German equine housing system, HIT Active Stable?, are adjusted for keeping horses in groups, and are well establishes in Germany. Now the system attracts attention here in Sweden. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the horses have any be-haviours need of free access to roughages like straw or hay, after they have been visit the concentrate feeding station. A study was carried out at family Krohn?s active stables in Bönningstedt, Germany.

Many scientists agree that phytoestrogens could have an effect on the reproduction of an animal. The question is now why and what mechanisms that play an important role. This paper has been focusing on the estrus behavior of gilts by use of a behavioral study. Some of the gilts were given additional feed with the phytoestrogen genistein which commonly occurs in the feed as a part of soybean products. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for progesterone and estradiol concentrations.

That ecological and evolutionary processes can take place on the same time scale is a recent insight. Today we also know that they are directly linked to each other. In the lake Tåkern, in year 2000, there was a structural change when phytoplankton declined and submerged vegetation, mainly stoneworts began to spread. This led to evolutionary changes in the aquatic sowbug, Asellus aquaticus which had previously been limited to the reed, most likely feeding on detritus. But then, sowbugs could exploit the new habitat in stoneworts and a new food resource in terms of periphyton.

AbstractThe Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small insectivorous passerine bird living in open landscapes. Both parents feed the brood of approximately five chicks, but little is known about how each sex allocates their feeding effort. In this study I investigate feeding nest visit differences between male and female Northern Wheatears relative to the age of the chicks, the number of chicks and the quality of the territory for 17 pairs from 2008-2010. Data were collected using automated data loggers to record nest visitation rates during chick feeding, and the sex was determined from nest video cameras. I also examine if the parents? rate of feeding visits changes over the nestling period.

The aims with the project were to investigate how forage consumption affect production and pigs behaviour around the feeding. This degree project was designed to follow 48 growing/finishing Hampshire*Yorkshire pigs, from 30-110 kg live weight, fed diets with or without 20 % forage inclusion. The pigs were divided in three groups due to dietary treatment. In the first group the pigs were fed 20 % of the energy in the feed ration by long grass/clover silage (LE) and the remaining 80 % by a cereal concentrate. Group two was fed chopped grass/clover silage mixed with cereal concentrate (HE) in the same amounts as LE.

The purpose of this thesis was to describe what factors influence consumers? choice when buying probiotic products. Functional Foods have been predicted a bright future on the food market but so far the concept have not been embraced by the consumers. The reasons for this are many and not clearly understood. Positive health effects are what set a functional food product apart from traditional food stuffs of the same type.

The horse's motivations to forage and eat are behaviors that horse owners should take into consideration when designing the horse's living environment. In today?s housing of horses, horses are often kept alone in boxes and paddocks and are fed with small amounts of energy-rich roughage. Problems that can arise with a shortened feeding-time and long periods of fasting are behavioral changes like stereotypic behaviors and an increased risk for ulcers. A solution to the short feeding-time is that you are feeding roughage in a small mesh hay net, or a so-called Slow-feed net.

Since feeding fodder crops to dairy cows is a heavy and time-consuming but often disregarded line of work, this study wishes to view the different possibilities that are currently available to decrease the time to feed and apply this knowledge on an existing farm. For this purpose, four farms have been studied due to what feeding systems that are currently used and how long time the feeding required. The occurring systems are either mobile, i.e. a feed mixer operated by a tractor witch feeds the cattle via a drivable fodder table, or a stationery mixer, i.e. an electrically powered mixer which fills an automatic feeder.

Cattle used for meat production can be held outside all year round and due to the legislation they should have access to shelters or other buildings for protection against the elements giving them a dry and clean bedding. There are different opinions concerning their need of protection and the question about necessity of shelters for cattle is of current interest due to a less profitable economy in meat production and the investment costs for shelters. The aim of this study was to acquire more knowledge about the natural behaviour of cattle concerning their use of shelters. The basis of the study was a series of questions regarding when animals choose to stay in shelters, if shelters were used less when they had access to protecting vegetation, how temperature and weather conditions affected the use of shelters and the influence of distance between shelter and feed. Behavioural studies was conducted at five different farms where six groups of suckler cows and heifers of following breeds and crossbreeds were observed; Aberdeen Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Scottish Highland Cattle, Simmental and the Swedish breeds SKB and SRB.

ABSTRACTObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine if and what kind of scientific evidence there is for the advice that breast-feeding can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The aim was to investigate research on the subject published in the last 15 years.MethodA systematic review without meta-analysis with relevant original articles published in the last 15 years.Main resultsAfter searching for articles 26 relevant articles were used for this study and two were excluded because of poor quality. Mixed results were shown on breast feeding and the risk of SIDS. Breast-feeding seems to have some protective effect but can?t be separated from known risk factors of SIDS.Plain language summaryBreast feeding can be regarded as a preventive measure against SIDS.

There are various arguments for using total mixed rations (TMR) or not. Cows can easily become fat and thus poorly utilize the feed while it can be stated that TMR also has a positive effect on cows? health and wellbeing as the rumen environment is more constant than when separate feeding is applied. Studies do show that that especially low yielding cows kept in groups get fatter when fed TMR. The overfeeding implicates higher feeding costs. This study included 10 herds where 5 had TMR and 5 hade separate feeding of forage and concentrates.