During the transition period, dairy cows experience a negative energy balance (NEB) caused by the high energy requirement for milk yield, while feed intake is limited. Severity of the NEB has been associated with an increased incidence of metabolic disorders and infectious diseases, inflammation, immunosuppression and oxidative stress. It is known ...
Summary of main findings When adipose tissue is present in excessive amounts, as in obesity, it predisposes to a number of pathologies. Obesity is a complex, multifactorial condition as it influences many endogenous genetic, endocrine, and inflammatory pathways. Excess dietary intake is one of the important factors which are responsible for the inc...
Lactococcus lactis is an important lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species that is used for the manufacture of dairy products, such as cheese, buttermilk, and other fermented products. The predominant function of this bacterium in dairy fermentation is the production of lactic acid, as its major fermentation end-product that contributes to preservation ...
Many sows show reduced litter sizes in their second parity compared with their first parity. The aim of the current thesis was to describe causes and consequences of variation on second parity reproductive performance and to evaluate if feeding strategies during early gestation affect reproductive performance and sow body weight recovery after firs...
Climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation individually or synergistically force species to live in a sub-optimal condition in terms of climate and resource posing threat to fitness and survival of the species. Hence, a very pressing issue for biodiversity conservation at present is to understand if species are able to keep pace with these rapi...
Hoe leren biggen eten? Hun moeder speelt daarbij een cruciale rol. De verticale informatieoverdracht tussen zeug en biggen was het onderwerp waar Marijke Oostindjer cum laude op promoveerda aan Wageningen Universiteit
The traditional strategy to deal with pathogens in the layer industry is based on monitoring and control methods, primarily aimed at minimizing the risk of infection with the pathogen. The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether the adaptive capacity of layers could be influenced by early life conditions as they may occur in layer practice, a...
Dairy cows suffer from hypocalcaemia in the days around calving, which may result in a condition generally known as milk fever. Calcium metabolism sharply shifts at the start of lactation, because Ca needs suddenly become much greater than at the end of gestation. Calcium metabolism is able to adapt to different physiological situations, but adapta...
Dit rapport behandelt de evolutionaire consequenties van visserij en de implicaties hiervan voor het duurzaam beheer. Visserij verhoogt de kans dat vissen worden weggevangen voordat ze volwassen worden en zich kunnen voortplanten. Dit betekent dat de dieren die genetisch geprogrammeerd zijn om op jongere leeftijd volwassen te meer nakomelingen zull...
