Prevalence of avian influenza (H9N2) in commercial quail,partridge, and turkey farms in Iran, 2014–2015

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Avian influenza virus (AIV) H9N2 subtype is endemic in Iran and causes substantial economic loss to the growing poultry industry within the country. In this...     

Influence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nigella sativa</Emphasis> seeds, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosmarinus officinalis</Emphasis> leaves and their combination on growth performance,immune response and rumen metabolism in Dorper lambs

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of Nigella sativa L. seeds, Rosmarinus officinalis L. leaves and their combination on rumen metabolism, nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, immune response and blood metabolites in Dorper lambs. Twenty-four entire male Dorper lambs (18.68?±?0.6 kg, 4–5 months old) were randomly assigned to a concentrate mixture containing on a dry matter basis either, no supplement (control, T1), 1% R. officinalis leaves (T2), 1% N. sativa seeds (T3) or 1% R. officinalis leaves +1% N. sativa seeds (T4). The lambs had ad libitum access to urea-treated rice straw (UTRS) and were raised for 90 days. Supplemented lambs had greater (P?< 0.05) intake of DM and UTRS than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) nutrient digestibility than those fed other treatments. Total and daily weight gain was greater (P?< 0.05) in T2 lambs than those fed other diets. The T3 and T4 lambs had greater (P?< 0.05) ruminal pH than the T1 and T2 lambs. Supplemented lambs had lower (P?<?0.05) ruminal total volatile fatty acids, acetate, propionate, NH₃-N and C18:0 than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) population of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, methanogens and total protozoa compared with those fed other diets. Supplemented lambs had lower (P?< 0.05) neutrophils, basophils and serum urea and greater (P?<?0.05) serum IgA and IgG compared with the control lambs. The current results emphasised the variation in the efficacy of medicinal plants in ruminant nutrition.     

Effects of five cryoprotectants on proliferation and differentiation‐related gene expression of frozen‐thawed bovine calf testicular tissue

The cryopreservation of testicular tissue is a potential method for preserving male fertility. However, the effect of cryopreservation on bovine calf testicular tissue is scarce. This study investigated the effect of different cryoprotectants on bovine calf testicular tissue at the molecular level. Testicular tissue from ten immature bovine calves (6 months) was collected after slaughter and cryopreserved in an extender containing different concentrations of the following five cryopreservation solutions (CP): bovine serum albumin (BSA) with 5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), trehalose with 5% DMSO, DMSO and glycerol and ethylene glycol (EG). After 7‐day cryopreservation, the expression levels of three spermatogonial stem cell (SSC)‐related genes, octamer‐4 (OCT4), KIT ligand (MGF/SCF) and kit oncogene (C‐KIT), were investigated by quantitative PCR (qPCR). The cell viability was highest for the tissues preserved with 30 mg/ml BSA (77.82% ± 1.22) and 40 mg/ml trehalose (74.23% ± 1.16) compared with other groups (p < 0.05), and the level of expression of the three genes was highest with 30 mg/ml BSA (p < 0.05). Compared with other CPs, the 30 mg/ml BSA and 40 mg/ml trehalose have the better cryopreserve protection. The 30 mg/ml BSA is the most viable media for the cryopreservation of testicular tissue from cattle.     

Challenges in developing and implementing a decision support systems (ETÇAP) in forest management planning: a case study in Honaz and Ibradı, Turkey

Decision support systems (DSSs) are indispensable tools in preparing a forest management plan for a better combination of multiple forest values. This study attempted to develop and explain a stand-based forest management DSS (Ecosystem-based multiple-use forest planning [ETÇAP]) comprising a traditional simulation, linear programming (LP), metaheuristics and geographic information system. The model consists of five submodels; traditional management approach to handle inventory data, an empirical growth and yield model, a simulation to conceptualize management actions, a LP technique to optimize resource allocation and a simulated annealing approach to directly create a spatially feasible harvest schedule. The ETÇAP model has been implemented in a comparative two case study areas; Denizli–Honaz and Akseki–Ibrad?. Both simulation and optimization models outperformed to the traditional management plan. The periodical change of growing stock, allowable cuts, carbon sequestration and water production are used as performance indicators. The results showed that more amount of wood could be harvested over time compared to traditional level of harvesting. It could be concluded that various management strategies allowed managers to stimulate more decision options for better outputs through intertemporal trade-offs of management interventions as the model provided tools to quantify forest dynamics over time and space. Challenges exist to establish the functional relationships between forest structure and values for better quantification and integration into the management plans.     

Induction of Drought Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.) due to Exogenous Application of Trehalose: Growth,Photosynthesis, Water Relations and Oxidative Defence Mechanism

The present investigation was conducted to assess the ameliorative effects of foliar‐applied trehalose on growth, photosynthetic attributes, water relation parameters and oxidative defence mechanism in two maize cultivars under field water deficit conditions. Various components of the experiment comprised two maize cultivars (EV‐1098 and Agaiti‐2002), two water‐stress levels (irrigation after 2 weeks and irrigation after 3 weeks during the entire period of growth), and two levels of trehalose (0 and 30 mm ) and four replicates of each treatment. Water stress significantly reduced the plant biomass production, photosynthetic attributes and water relation parameters in both maize cultivars. In contrast, water stress considerably increased the leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and the levels of non‐enzymatic compounds such as ascorbic acid and tocopherols. In contrast, water stress caused a marked reduction in leaf phenolic contents. Foliar‐applied trehalose significantly increased plant biomass production, and improved some key photosynthetic attributes and plant–water relation parameters. The ameliorative effect of exogenously applied trehalose was also observed on the activities of some key antioxidant enzymes (POD and CAT) and non‐enzymatic compounds (tocopherols and phenolics). Overall, exogenously applied trehalose considerably improved drought tolerance of maize plants by up‐regulating photosynthetic and water relation attributes as well as antioxidant defence mechanism.     

Soil available potassium affected by rice straw incorporation and potassium fertilizer application under a rice–oilseed rape rotation system

Data from 147 field trials were collected to study the influence of straw incorporation on soil potassium (K) under an intensive rice–oilseed rape rotation system, while pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of rice straw incorporation on soil K availability. A significant correlation was observed between the soil available K and the relative yield (RRY) and the relative K uptake (RKU) of oilseed rape, with R² values ranging from 0.07 to 0.08 and from 0.10 to 0.11, respectively, when data were fitted to a logarithmic equation model. In approximately 30% of trials, RRY reached 90%, while soil test available K values were below the critical limit, indicating that soil K values at the time of sampling (within 1 week of rice harvest) underestimated the actual soil K supply capacity. The pot experiment results showed that soil available K was affected by straw incorporation and soil type in the fallow period. The NH₄OAc‐K and NaBPh₄‐K concentrations of soils increased at first, and then, plateaued after 28 days. Straw incorporation significantly influenced the critical soil K concentration, which is important for making accurate K fertilizer recommendation. These results suggested that straw K should be seriously considered in making K fertilizer recommendations. Extending the sampling time from 1 to 3 weeks after the harvesting of rice to stabilize the effects of straw incorporation may help achieve a more accurate evaluation of soil available K.     

Low potassium diets with different levels of calcium in comparison with different anionic diets fed to prepartum dairy cows: Effects on sorting behaviour,total tract digestibility,energy metabolism,oxidative status and hormonal response

This study investigated the effects of low potassium diets with different levels of Ca compared to two diets low in dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) fed prepartum as a strategy to prevent hypocalcemia on sorting behaviour, total tract digestibility, oxidative status and energy and protein metabolism of transition cows. Forty-eight pregnant dairy cows were assigned to 4 treatment groups: Low Ca, low K (LCLK), High Ca, low K (HCLK), Supplementation with anionic mineral mixture (AMS) supplementation with SoyChlor (CAS). After parturition, all animals were fed a standard postpartum diet. Data were collected until 21 DIM. Prepartum urinary pH was significantly reduced by the low DCAD diets, while postpartum Ca homeostasis was affected by the HCLK ration. Feeding AMS induced sorting against particles <1.18 mm in favour of particles >19 mm prepartum. In contrast, cows fed CAS showed an increase in selective consumption of fine particles and sorted against longer particles similar to the HCLK and LCLK groups. Postpartum sorting activity was not affected by the dietary treatments. After calving, apparent digestibility of NDF was significantly reduced in the HCLK group. Prepartum, we observed effects on serum concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids were higher and insulin sensitivity was lower in the AMS group. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was decreased in cows fed the CAS ration. Postpartum, we found serum protein to be decreased with the low DCAD diets while BUN was decreased in the CAS group. The low DCAD rations increased prepartum serum malondialdehyde concentrations, while postpartum total antioxidant capacity was lower in the HCLK and the AMS group. From these data, we conclude that AMS decreased prepartum intake due to compromised palatability. Intermediate protein metabolism was affected by the low DCAD diets, while parameters of oxidative stress were probably affected by acid–base balance and Ca homeostasis.     

Evaluation the effect of subchronic feeding of transgenic cotton line (CKC1) on the faecal microbiota of albino rabbits

Recent studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between the intestinal microbiota and the host health. As such, consumers are increasingly becoming more concerned about the potential effect of certain foods/feeds, particularly of transgenic origin on the gut microbiota. Although the European Food Safety Authority has recommended in their guidelines, to study the effect of transgenic food/feed on host-microbiota, yet, few studies have focused on the evaluation of such effects mainly due to culturing difficulties. Therefore, this study was intended to evaluate the potential adverse effects of transgenic diet consumption on some specific gut microflora (Lactobacillus group, Bifidobacterium genus, Escherichia coli subgroup and Enterococcus genus) of rabbits. A total of forty-eight rabbits were randomly assigned into four groups and fed a diet containing a variable proportion of transgenic cottonseeds at 0, 20, 30 and 40% inclusion level, respectively. Changes in the specific or total faecal bacterial population were monitored at five different experimental stages (i.e. 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180 days) using both the traditional plate count method (TM) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). No significant differences (p > .05) were observed concerning numbers of specific bacteria or total bacteria between the control and experimental groups, though qPCR showed numerically higher values in terms of 16S rRNA gene copies as compared to the values obtained from TM. However, such numerical differences were biologically insignificant (p > .05). Similarly, no significant variations were noticed in the calculated B/E (log₁₀ copies of Bifidobacterium per g faces/log10 copies of E. coli genome per g faeces) ratios in all the groups. All the ratios were in the range of 1.24 to 1.30 throughout the experiment, indicating a good balance of intestinal microflora and greater resistance to intestinal disorders. It is therefore concluded that feeding transgenic cottonseeds could not adversely affect the gut microflora of rabbits during a long-term study.