1. The objective was to compare three whole grain (WG) inclusion levels (7.5, 15 and 30%) offered to broiler chickens by three modes of WG incorporation: (i) pre-pellet WG inclusion, (ii) post-pellet WG inclusion as a blend of WG and pelleted concentrate and (iii) post-pellet WG inclusion where WG and pelleted concentrate were provided in separate feed trays against a ground-grain, wheat-based control diet.
2. Ten dietary treatments were offered to 6 replicate cages (6 birds per cage) of male Ross 308 chickens from 7 to 28 d post-hatch. The effects of treatment on relative gizzard weights, gizzard contents, pancreatic weights and pH of gizzard digesta were monitored. Parameters of growth performance, nutrient utilisation (apparent metabolisable energy [AME], metabolisable to gross energy [ME:GE] ratios, nitrogen [N] retention and N-corrected AME [AMEn]), apparent starch and protein (N) digestibility coefficients and disappearance rates in for small intestinal segments and concentrations of free amino acids in plasma taken from the anterior mesenteric vein were determined.
3. Whole grain feeding (WGF) did not influence weight gain, but 30% post-pellet blended and 15 and 30% post-pellet separated treatments significantly depressed (P < 0.05) feed intakes while the 30% post-pellet separated treatment improved (P < 0.01) feed conversion ratios (FCR). WGF regimes significantly increased relative gizzard weights.
4. Overall, WGF generated profound responses in AME, ME:GE ratios, N retention and AMEn that were highly correlated with relative gizzard weights. In general, WGF improved starch and protein (N) digestibilities and again there were some correlations with these outcomes and relative gizzard weights.
5. Post-pellet WG inclusions where WG and pelleted concentrate were offered separately provided chickens with the opportunity to choice feed. Birds showed a preference for the relatively high-protein pelleted concentrate and at 30% WG, this resulted in an improvement in FCR of 7.69% (1.260 versus 1.365; P < 0.001) relative to the ground-grain control diet. 相似文献
Translocations of the short arm of rye (Secale cereale L.) chromosome 1 (1RS) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Pavon 76) are known to increase root biomass. Such an increase enhances water and nutrient uptake and may improve grain yield. Two greenhouse experiments and a field experiment were carried out at the University of California, Riverside, in 2012 and 2013 under well‐watered and terminal drought treatments to evaluate phenotypic characters associated with varying dosages of 1RS, including grain yield. The genotypes used were cultivar Pavon 76 (R0), Pavon 76/Pavon1RS.1AL (F1 hybrid) with a single dosage of 1RS (R1A), Pavon 1RS.1AL with two dosages of 1RS (R2A), Pavon 1RS.1DL (R2D) also with two dosages of 1RS and Pavon 1RS.1AL‐1RS.1DL (R4AD) with four dosages of 1RS. There was a significant positive correlation between number of dosages of 1RS and root biomass. However, no correlation was found between root biomass and grain yield per plant. Drought in the field experiment reduced grain yield significantly. Under well‐watered field conditions, grain yield of R2A (215.9 g plant?1) was significantly greater than those of R2D (191.8 g plant?1) and R4AD (161.7 g plant?1). Also, grain yield of R4AD was significantly less than those of F1, Pavon 76 and R2D under well‐watered conditions. Under drought field conditions, no significant differences were found among the genotypes for grain yield was found between F1 (14.7 g plant?1) and R4AD (12.4 g plant?1). Harvest index was significantly greater in well‐watered (44.2 %) than in drought (34.6 %) field conditions. On average, genotypes F1 (42.3 %) and R2A (40.6 %) had higher harvest index than R2D (38.3 %) and R4AD (35.5 %) in the field. Also, Pavon 76 (40.2) and R2D (38.3) had higher harvest index than R4AD. Drought tolerance was lowest for R4AD due to its relatively lower grain yield potential. In general, Pavon 1RS.1AL carrying two dosages of 1RS showed higher grain yield under wet treatments. Pavon 1RS.1AL‐1RS.1DL carrying four dosages of 1RS produced the largest shoot and root biomasses, but the least grain yield. 相似文献
New Rice for Africa (NERICA) is a general name for interspecific rice varieties derived from a cross between the high‐yielding Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.) between locally adapted African rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.). Eight NERICAs were evaluated for cold tolerance (CT) at the reproductive stage and compared with their O. sativa parents and three Japanese standard rice varieties over 3 years. Cold tolerance was evaluated based on the filled grain ratio (FGR) after cold water irrigation. The FGR was greatly reduced by cold water irrigation. NERICA 1, 2 and 7 had higher FGR (51.9–57.9 %), while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 had lower FGR (6.2–14.5 %). NERICA 1, 2 and 7 were less affected by cold stress, with a 31 % mean reduction in FGR, while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 were greatly affected, with their FGRs being reduced by more than 80 %. NERICA 3 and 4 were moderately affected by cold stress, with about 45 % reduction rate in FGR. FGR significantly influenced the grain weights of the varieties with strong positive correlations (r= 0.83–0.91; P < 0.001), and thus, similar trends in grain weights were observed. Grain weights were reduced by 61.7–96.4 % under cold stress. NERICA 1, 2 and 7 showed significantly better performance than NERICA 3 and 4, while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 performed poorly under cold water irrigation. The Japanese varieties Koshihikari (very tolerant) and Ozora (moderately tolerant) were more affected by cold water irrigation than NERICA 1, 2 and 7. On the basis of the mean reduction rate (%) in FGR under cold stress, the varieties were classified as follows: NERICA 1, 2 and 7 as tolerant; NERICA 3 and 4 as moderately tolerant; and NERICA 6, 15 and 16 as susceptible to cold stress. However, NERICA 7 grain yields were lower under cold stress due to both greatly reduced number of panicles per plant and number of spikelets per panicle. Therefore, NERICA 1 and 2 are suitable candidates for production in the highland regions of East Africa and should be promoted for production. 相似文献
Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is the insoluble residue generated from the production of wort in the brewing industry. This plant-derived by-product is known to contain significant amounts of valuable components, which remain unexploited in the brewing processes. Therefore, it is essential to develop a more detailed characterization of BSG in order to highlight its potential in developing new value-added products and simultaneously solve the environmental problems related to its discharge. The content of BSG in several biologically active compounds (fatty acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity) as well as its volatile fingerprint were assessed and compared with the composition of barley, malt and wheat flour samples. The obtained results emphasized the importance and the opportunities of the re-use of this agro-industrial by-product. 相似文献
Elevated CO2 stimulates crop yields but leads to lower tissue and grain nitrogen concentrations [N], raising concerns about grain quality in cereals. To test whether N fertiliser application above optimum growth requirements can alleviate the decline in tissue [N], wheat was grown in a Free Air CO2 Enrichment facility in a low‐rainfall cropping system on high soil N. Crops were grown with and without addition of 50–60 kg N/ha in 12 growing environments created by supplemental irrigation and two sowing dates over 3 years. Elevated CO2 increased yield and biomass (on average by 25%) and decreased biomass [N] (3%–9%) and grain [N] (5%). Nitrogen uptake was greater (20%) in crops grown under elevated CO2. Additional N supply had no effect on yield and biomass, confirming high soil N. Small increases in [N] with N addition were insufficient to offset declines in grain [N] under elevated CO2. Instead, N application increased the [N] in straw and decreased N harvest index. The results suggest that conventional addition of N does not mitigate grain [N] depression under elevated CO2, and lend support to hypotheses that link decreases in crop [N] with biochemical limitations rather than N supply. 相似文献