Growth and Apparent Absorption of Minerals in Broiler Chicks Fed Diets with Low or High Tannin Contents

Sorghum grains with low (0.28 per cent catechin equivalent (%CE) or high (1.36 %CE)) tannin contents were used to study the effect of tannin on growth and on the apparent absorption of Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe and Co by chickens. High-tannin sorghum caused a highly significant (p0.01) reduction in the weight gain and feed intake of broiler chicks compared to low-tannin sorghum and increased the feed conversion ratio (p0.01). The amount of tannin did not affect mortality. The apparent absorption of Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe and Co was reduced (p0.01) by feeding sorghum grains with a high tannin content.     

The Use of Faecal Progestin Measurements to Monitor Reproductive Activity in Mashona Cows in a Smallholder Farming Area of Zimbabwe

The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between the concentrations of progesterone (P₄) in the peripheral circulation and progestins in the faeces of cows in a smallholder farming area and to monitor the ovarian activity of such cows. The study was carried out in Sanyati smallholder farming area, located 250 km southwest of Harare. Blood and faecal samples for P₄ and progestin determination, respectively, were obtained once a week from 35 Mashona type cows that belonged to farmers from three different villages. The cows were weighed once every month and all births were recorded. The concentrations of progestins in faeces and P₄ in plasma were positively correlated (r = 0.72, p<0.01). Most of the non-pregnant cows (65%) cycled during the rainy season. Most of those that were acyclic at this time were undergoing post-partum anoestrus. During the dry season, most cows (58%) became acyclic as forage became scarce and of poor quality. Thirty-two calves were born during the study period, mostly during the first or last two months of the year, when there was enough forage. The mean calving to first oestrus in 14 cows that recalved was 71±49 days. Eight of these 14 cows conceived again, the calving to conception interval being 173±94 days. The cows' liveweights were highest in April, at the end of the rainy season. By the end of the dry season, the cows had lost, on average, 15% of their peak weight.     

Effect of Ultraviolet Disinfection of Hydroponic Solutions on Pythium Root Rot and Non-target Bacteria

Dispersal of root pathogens is a major concern in closed hydroponic cultures. To limit dispersal, ultraviolet (UV) disinfection technology has been used to remove pathogens but its effect on non-target bacterial populations is largely unknown. In this study, the circulating solution was disinfected with various UV doses (i.e., 19, 38, 59, 88mJcm^–2) before recirculation. At the beginning of the experiment, the hydroponic solution was inoculated with Pythium aphanidermatum at 6.7±1.5CFUmL^–1. Four months later the population density of P. aphanidermatum reached 1030CFUmL^–1 in the control and 1028, 970, 610, and 521CFUmL^–1 in the solutions treated by the above UV doses. In all UV-treated solutions, significant (P<0.05) reduction of both Pythium and bacterial populations was noted. For the former, its reduction did not result in decrease of Pythium root rot nor increase of tomato fruit yield. For the latter, its reduction showed a concomitant decrease of the populations in the rhizosphere. The bacterial populations in the rhizosphere were 6.77×10⁹CFUmg^–1 fresh roots at the beginning of the experiment and were 7.89×10⁸, 9.93×10⁷, 7.33×10⁷, and 3.51×10⁷CFUmg^–1 fresh roots at the end of the experiment in the control, UV38, UV59, and UV88 treatments, respectively. The bacterial density also decreased with time in the control (UV0) although at a low rate. The results suggest that the attempt to control Pythium root rot by UV irradiation of recirculating solutions to remove P. aphanidermatum also affects the non-target bacterial populations in the rhizosphere. The interaction between the target pathogen and non-target bacterial flora in UV-treated hydroponics needs further investigation.     

奶牛的有机锌应用效果研究进展

就有机锌对奶牛的营养作用效果、影响有机锌作用效果的因素进行综述。认为添加有机锌可提高奶牛的产奶性能、免疫机能、繁殖性能,改善体健康。同时影响有机锌作用效果的因素有:有机锌的产品质量、添加量和添加时期、饲料营养水平、参照物类型和评价指标等。     

扁穗牛鞭草组织浸出液对潜在混生种萌发及幼苗的影响

采用生物检测的方法研究了扁穗牛鞭草根、茎、叶水浸液对潜在混生种的化感作用。结果表明,扁穗牛鞭草根、茎、叶水浸液对牧草种子萌发的化感作用大体包括延迟和抑制萌发2种方式;不同浓度的化感物质对幼根和幼苗伸长的影响表现为促进、抑制或多种作用并存,0.100%和0.200%浓度的茎、叶水浸液使白三叶幼根扭曲畸变,0.200%浓度根水浸液使紫花苜蓿叶片变小皱缩。经初步试验表明,扁穗牛鞭草较理想的混生种是红三叶。     

Energy expenditure in Awassi sheep grazing wheat stubble in the northern Negev Desert of Israel

In semi-arid Mediterranean areas, small grain aftermath stubble represents an important summer source of food for grazing flocks of small ruminants. Wheat stubble is a mediocre source of forage and flocks are grazed in summer under harsh conditions of temperature and air dustiness. However, stubble grazing procedures are changing, water and shading are more frequently available between grazing sessions (“improved management”), and the biological soundness of this ancestral practice needs to be re-visited. The present study was aimed at evaluating the cost in energy of “improved” wheat stubble grazing, compared with feeding a similar diet indoors. The intake of stubble was first quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated in Awassi sheep. Ewes consumed daily 980 ± 100 g day^− 1 of wheat stubble. Ewes were then housed and fed diets consisting of wheat hay, straw and grain formulated to be iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous to diets consumed from wheat stubble. The average intake of ME was similar during the confinement and the pasture periods (6.4 ± 0.5 and 7.6 ± 0.8 MJ day^− 1of ME, respectively). During 2 days of each period, animals were fitted with external electrodes and data loggers of heart rate and skin temperature. Energy expenditure (EE) was calculated from oxygen consumption estimated as the product of heart beats rate measured for the two days by the amount of oxygen delivered to body tissues at each heart beat (O₂ pulse). The O₂ pulse was determined by simultaneously measurement of oxygen consumption and HR twice daily on two occasions, while grazing stubble and indoors. Energy expenditure and energy balance were not different in sheep while grazing wheat stubble (11.1 and − 3.5 MJ day^− 1) or fed indoors (11.1 and − 4.8 MJ day^− 1). Our data show that stubble did not cover nitrogen and energy requirements for maintenance, and that the cost of summer stubble grazing carried out under conditions described here is less than thought before.     

中药穴位注射对奶牛胎衣不下的疗效观察

奶牛产后胎衣不下对奶牛业造成极大的经济损失。本试验旨在研究一种简便易行、成本低、高效的非手术治疗方法。本试验应用当归及复方丹参注射液经百会穴及交巢穴注射,使胎衣排出率达100%,用药后的当年受孕牛占96.2%。可见,此方法可以有效治疗奶牛产后胎衣不下并能提高奶牛的当年受孕率。     

奶牛营养平衡与需要量

随着我国奶牛业的快速发展,奶牛对日粮营养平衡的要求越来越高,而正确理解奶牛的营养需要对制定营养平衡的日粮配方非常重要。本文主要从能量、蛋白质、纤维、矿物质和维生素方面探讨奶牛的适宜营养需要量。     

中药-甜菜碱复方对高温环境下三黄鸡营养代谢的影响

本试验通过研究中药、中药-甜菜碱及甜菜碱对高温环境下三黄鸡营养代谢的影响,筛选出其最佳添加剂量,为进一步开发抗高温应激中药饲料添加剂提供参考.选用288只三黄鸡,公、母各半.育雏2周后,随机分为8组,在日粮中添加中药、中药-甜菜碱或甜菜碱,分别测定33～35日龄、56～58日龄及88～90日龄鸡的钙、磷代谢率,蛋白质、能量代谢率,以及在代谢试验期间的采食量、体增重.结果显示,与高温对照组相比,(1)在33～35日龄段,添加中药、中药-甜菜碱及甜菜碱均能显著提高公、母鸡的钙、磷、蛋白质代谢率和采食量、体增重;(2)在56～58日龄段,添加中药组、中药-甜菜碱组及甜菜碱组均能显著提高公、母鸡的钙、磷、蛋白质代谢率和在代谢试验期间的采食量、体增重以及公鸡的能量利用率;(3)在88～90日龄段,中药、中药-甜菜碱和甜菜碱均能显著提高高温环境中公、母鸡的钙、磷、蛋白质代谢率和采食量,公鸡的能量利用率和体增重.中药-甜菜碱复方抗三黄鸡热应激的最佳添加量为0.8%中药 0.2%甜菜碱.     

豪猪肉常规成分的检测分析

为了探讨豪猪肉的营养价值,以便更好地对豪猪进行开发与利用,作者对豪猪肉进行了常规养分的检测分析,并与其它常用食用动物肉进行比较,结果表明,豪猪肉是一种高蛋白、高谷氨酸、低脂肪、低胆固醇且口感良好的肉食品。其常规养分的含量符合现代人既营养又保健的科学膳食理念。