CLICK TO LISTEN TO A RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE 

Dr Emma Baxter: Does size matter? The indicators of survival in piglets.

Piglet mortality represents a serious welfare and economic concern. Approximately two million piglets die per year in the UK. The most common cause of death is crushing by the sow, but hypothermia and starvation are also important factors. The farrowing crate was introduced to minimise crushing but it seriously limits the sow's freedom of movement and raises profound concerns for her welfare. Despite this restriction piglet mortality remains high. Better understanding of the factors that influence the risk of mortality, such as low birth weight and poor maternal behaviour, might allow us to breed animals which can show good survival in less restrictive and more sow welfare-friendly systems.

Dr Angela Jones: How much is enough? The acceptability and health outcomes of eating wholegrain foods.

Whole grains offer an abundance of nutrients which are important for maintaining good health. Extensive evidence indicates that increased wholegrain food consumption is associated with a reduced risk of various chronic diseases including heart disease, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes. Due to the complex nutritional profile of whole grains, however, the exact mechanism(s) by which they exert their beneficial effects are not fully understood. Despite this, the wealth of data has led to the US recommendation to consume three servings of wholegrain foods each day. Data on wholegrain food intake, however, show that consumption levels are extremely low both in the UK and the US. This work explores the ease with which whole grain intake can be increased and the acceptability of, and barriers to the consumption of, wholegrain foods. We also examine the physiological responses to increased whole grain intake and the mechanisms by which whole grains may protect health. 

Lead and zinc mining in the North Pennines has left spoil heaps and contaminated ground in the hills, and along the rivers similar deposits known as the heavy metal shingles. Both support an unusual form of calaminarian grassland in which lichens and metal-tolerant plants, such as spring sandwort, alpine pennycress and the mountain pansy, are frequent. Several species are rare and of conservation interest. Over the past 50 years the extent of calaminarian grassland in this area has declined and many of the remaining sites are being overwhelmed by grasses and scrub. This study used wide-scale survey techniques and historical evidence to investigate the influence on the succession of environmental factors, such as climate and contamination levels and, on the river shingles, the effects of flooding and changes in the rabbit population.