Cross‐breeding performance of white leghorn and Australorp lines selected under continuous light for short interval between eggs: Full‐year egg production and efficiency of food utilisation

1. White Leghorn (LS) and Australorp (AS) lines selected for short oviposition interval and their control lines (LC and AC), together with three strains of Australian commercial layers, were evaluated for crossbreeding performance.

2. The estimates of selection effect on crossbreeding performance in lines LS and AS respectively were 3·5% and 15·2% for survivors’ egg number, ‐3·3% and ‐2·0% for average egg weight, and 4·3% and 7·4% for efficiency of food utilisation.

3. Compared to the commercial strains, the LS × AS cross was 13 to 15% higher for egg number, 7 to 10% lower for egg weight and 2 to 7% better for efficiency of food utilisation.

4. The LC × AC cross laid more but smaller eggs than the commerical strains. This raised the question of how effective conventional selection in the commercial nucleus flocks had been in improving egg number in the previous 10 years, a period when the control lines had been bred without deliberate selection.

     

Book review

Poultry Production, 11th edition, by L. Card and M. C. Nesheim. 1972. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia and Baillière Tindall, London. £6·00.     

Valorization of biomass: deriving more value from waste

Most of the carbon-based compounds currently manufactured by the chemical industry are derived from petroleum. The rising cost and dwindling supply of oil have been focusing attention on possible routes to making chemicals, fuels, and solvents from biomass instead. In this context, many recent studies have assessed the relative merits of applying different dedicated crops to chemical production. Here, we highlight the opportunities for diverting existing residual biomass--the by-products of present agricultural and food-processing streams--to this end.     

Pulp Fiber Residue and Supplemental Irrigation on Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Potato

ABSTRACT

Organic matter levels combined with drought periods during the growing season have adverse impacts on rain-fed potato production in coarse textured soils of eastern Canada. Using pulp fiber residues (PFR) may build up soil organic matter, improve crops yield and nutrient uptake, and reduce the need for supplemental irrigation in this region. A box experiment with 3 rates of PFR [0, 45, and 90 Mg ha^{? 1} dry mater carbon (C) basis] with or without supplementary drip irrigation was established in a sandy loam soil in New Brunswick, Canada. Red clover, barley, and potato were cultivated as three crops of the rotation in 1999, 2000, and 2001, respectively. The PFR only applied before red clover in fall 1998. Selected soil chemical and physical properties were measured before planting and after harvest. Crops yield and nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) accumulation were determined at harvest. Soil organic-C content, bulk density and water holding capacity were improved by PFR application. Red clover and barley biomass production were significantly increased by PFR application. This effect was promoted by supplemental irrigation. Potato tuber yield was not affected by PFR and it was higher in rain-fed compared to supplementary irrigated system. Although, there was some initial evidence of N immobilization but generally PFR application increased N, P, and K bioavailability. This research has demonstrated that PFR can successfully be used as soil amendment in coarse textured soils without any adverse effect.     

Pharmacokinetics of orally administered tramadol in Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata domestica)

This study documents the pharmacokinetics of oral tramadol in Muscovy ducks. Six ducks received a single 30 mg/kg dose of tramadol, orally by stomach tube, with blood collection prior to and up to 24 hr after tramadol administration. Plasma tramadol, and metabolites O‐desmethyltramadol (M1), and N,O‐didesmethyltramadol (M5) concentrations were determined by high‐pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence (FL) detection. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a one‐compartment model with first‐order input. No adverse effects were noted after oral administration. All ducks achieved plasma concentrations of tramadol above 0.10 μg/ml and maintained those concentrations for at least 12 hr. Elimination half‐life was 3.95 hr for tramadol in ducks, which is similar to other avian species. All ducks in this study produced the M1 metabolite and maintained plasma concentrations above 0.1 μg/ml for at least 24 hr.