Phaseolus vulgaris L. Leaves Increase Short-Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) Production,Ameliorating Early Metabolic Alterations

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - High-fat/high-fructose diets promote early metabolic disorders in weight and lipid and glucose metabolism. Bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and fiber...     

Reproductive behavior in hair sheep rams under tropical conditions

The reproductive efficiency of sheep herds depends to a great extent on the ram. Male reproductive evaluation allows to select for the best and eliminate those with reproductive problems. The objective was to evaluate the effect of breed and age group on the reproductive behavior of hair sheep rams in the tropics of Mexico. Pelibuey (n?=?42), Blackbelly (n?=?30), Dorper (n?=?44), and Katahdin (n?=?30) rams of two age groups: young (n?=?74, 1–1.5 years old) and adult (n?=?72, 2–4 years old) were evaluated. Serving capacity (10-min duration) and breeding soundness evaluation (BSE) tests were carried out in each ram. In the first test, rams were classified as suitable and unsuitable, and in the BSE test, they were classified as satisfactory, questionable, or unsatisfactory. The response variables were analyzed using chi-square test or analyses of variance (ANOVA). ANOVA included the fixed effects of breed, age group, and their interaction. In the serving capacity test, 79.5% of the rams were considered suitable, with no breed differences (P?>?0.05). Adult rams (90.3%) had the highest proportion of suitable rams (P?<?0.05). In the BSE test, 80.2% of the rams were satisfactory; only breed being significant (P?<?0.05). Pelibuey breed had the highest proportion of satisfactory rams (91.4%). Breed × age interaction was no significant for any trait. After serving capacity and BSE tests, a high proportion of rams was found not suitable for reproduction (36.3%), which is expected to cause low fertility in the flock.

     

A field study of reproductive performance and productivity of Pelibuey ewes in Southeastern Mexico

The objective was to evaluate the reproductive performance and productivity of Pelibuey ewes in two flocks in Southeastern Mexico. Animals grazed on irrigated star grass (Cynodon plectostachyus). In flock 1, lambs grazed with their mothers from 7 to 70 days of age (weaning age), whereas in flock 2, they were confined and offered chopped grass, a commercial concentrated and managed under restricted suckling until weaning at 60 days of age.. The statistical model included the fixed effects of flock, year and season of lambing, parity number, litter size at weaning, first order interactions and the random effects of ewe and the error term. The means ± SD for age at first lambing, prolificacy, lambing interval (LI), weaning weight, and productivity were 477?±?85.5 days, 1.41?±?0.51 lambs, 255.9?±?51.8 days, 16.5?±?4 kg, and 18.1?±?4.42 kg of lamb weaned, respectively. Repeatability estimates for the latter four traits were 0.09, 0.07, 0.11, and 0.13, respectively. All main effects in the models were significant (P?<?0.001), except for year on LI. Prolificacy and productivity increased with parity number. The shortest LI was in the rainy season. Ewes with two or three lambs produced 8 and 14 kg of lamb more at weaning than single lamb ewes. In conclusion, reproductive performance and productivity could be improved, and the low repeatability estimates suggest that management should be used in a short term rather than genetic approaches.     

On-farm evaluation of a low-input rice production system in Panama

On-farm trials were conducted to evaluate the potential of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a low-input crop management system, to increase rice yields and reduce water consumption on subsistence farms in several regions of Panama and to determine how inherent soil fertility might affect SRI yields and the yield response to SRI management in the first season of SRI management. SRI practices increased yield by 47% on average and showed potential to increase yield by over 90%, while reducing water consumption by as much as 86%. SRI yields were correlated with available soil K and the difference between SRI and the conventional system yields was positively correlated with extractable Ca, Mg and Mn. The results of this study indicate that SRI is a promising rice production system for smallholder farmers in rural Panama farming under Panamanian soil conditions.