Dietary protein requirement for juvenile mandarin fish,Siniperca scherzeri

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the dietary protein requirement of juvenile mandarin fish, Siniperca scherzeri, a demersal freshwater piscivore with high commercial value in East Asia. Five isolipidic (100 g/kg) and isoenergetic (20 MJ/kg) practical diets were formulated to contain graded levels of 450, 500, 550, 600, and 650 g/kg crude protein, using mackerel fishmeal as the sole source of protein. Each of the five test diets was fed to visual satiety to triplicate groups of fish (initial mean body weight ± SE; 20.1 ± 0.2 g) reared in a recirculating freshwater system over the experimental period. Fish growth performance in terms of weight gain tended to improve with increasing dietary protein level, and the highest values were observed in those fish fed the 600–650 g/kg diets. Feed intake significantly declined as the protein content of the diet increased. Feed efficiency and protein retention tended to increase with increasing dietary protein levels, from 450 to 600 g/kg, and then declined when dietary protein content further increased to 650 g/kg. A similar trend was also found for the protein efficiency ratio, although the observed changes did not reach statistical significance. Whole‐body composition and plasma biochemical parameters were not significantly affected by the dietary protein content. Based on these findings and a broken‐line model of growth, 614.4 g/kg seems to be the proper amount of protein in a practical diet for >20 g mandarin fish.     

Potential of indigenous Bacillus spp. as probiotic feed supplements in an extruded low‐fish‐meal diet for juvenile olive flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus

A 12‐week feeding trial was designed to assess the probiotic potential of indigenous Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and/or Bacillus subtilis singly or in combination with Bacillus licheniformis in an extruded feed for olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) juveniles. A high fish meal (FM) diet (control) and a low‐FM diet containing an alternative protein blend (30% FM replacement, FM30) were formulated. Three other experimental diets were prepared by inclusion of B. amyloliquefaciens (BA), B. subtilis (BS), or a mixture of B. amyloliquefaciens, B. subtilis, and B. licheniformis (BASL) into FM30 diet, with a final concentration of 10⁶ CFU/g diet. Results indicated that the FM30 diet was well tolerated by flounder, and the overall performance was not affected by dietary treatments. Lysozyme activity and total immunoglobulin level were significantly reduced in flounders when fed with the FM30 diet compared with the BASL and BA diets, respectively. The Bacillus additives neither enriched the relative abundance of the corresponding Bacillus spp. in the relevant gut microbiota of olive flounder nor modulated the presumptive gene functions of the gut microbiome. Despite the absence of growth‐promoting effect, the tested probiotics could still be economically viable for use as immunostimulants in commercial flounder diets with partial FM replacement.     

Chemical composition and in vitro antifungal activity of Sambucus ebulus and Actinidia deliciosa on the fish pathogenic fungus,Saprolegnia parasitica

The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical composition of Sambucus ebulus and Actinidia deliciosa ethanolic extracts as well as their in vitro antifungal activity on the mycelial growth of the water mold, Saprolegnia parasitica. The preliminary minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) were determined by the HeMP method and finally, concentrations of each extract ranging from 1 to 10% were prepared by an agar dilution method to assess the in vitro antifungal activity, quantitatively. Both herbal extracts inhibited growth of Saprolegnia hyphae in vitro. Complete in vitro growth inhibition was found at a concentration of ≥5% for S. ebulus, whereas it was not observed even at 10% concentration of A. deliciosa. Based on gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis, the main constituents of S. ebulus include monophthalate (66.17%), fatty acids (26.47%), phytol (4.25%), and acetic acid (2.11%). Using colorimetric assays, A. deliciosa contained phenolic contents at 162 mg gallic acid (GAE)/g DW and flavonoid contents at 2.31 mg quercetin (QE)/g DW. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that S. ebulus and A. deliciosa showed some antifungal activities against S. parasitica with formerly exhibiting stronger activity (p < 0.05).

     

Presence of Aflatoxin M1 in raw milk at cattle farms in Babol, Iran

In this study, raw cow milk samples were collected from milk churns at 40 traditional and semi-industrial cattle farms located in Babol (Northern Iran) in winter 2006. In total, 120 raw milk samples were tested for Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination by competitive ELISA. In 68 out of 120 samples (56.7%) the presence of AFM1 was detected by concentration ranging from 50 to 352.3 ng L(-1). Fifty two samples (43.3%) contained AFM1 at levels of 4-50 ng L(-1) (The AFM1 contamination levels were between 4-352.3 ng L(-1) by the average of 102.73 ng L(-1)). In general, 56.7% of samples were beyond the limit of European community regulations (50 ng L(-1)). In other words, the AFM1 contamination levels in raw milk were more than twice over standard levels. The AFM1 contamination levels, (> 50 ng L(-1)), in January, February and March were 40, 65 and 65%, respectively. Estimation of contamination of AFB1 using AFM1 in feed stuff showed that it was about 0.25 to 22 microg kg(-1) holding the average of 46.7%, being higher than European community limit (5 microg kg(-1)).     

Correlation between C-reactive protein level,immunology, and hematology of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis> infected with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactococcus garvieae</Emphasis>

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the symptoms, variation, and correlation of hematological factors and some parameters of the innate immune response of the infected rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fish with Lactococcus garvieae bacteria. A total of 270 fish were divided into three groups including infected fish with a high and low concentration of L. garvieae and a control group without infection. The blood and tissue (brain, head, kidney, and spleen) samples were collected from each group (n?=?6 fish) at 0, 3, 14, and 21 days after treatment. The most observed symptoms during infection were lethargy, exophthalmia, and ascites. The mortality rates for the high and low dose-infected fish were defined as 60 and 25%, respectively. The infected groups had significantly (p?<?0.05) higher activity of serum lysozyme, myeloperoxidase, classical and alternative pathways of complement, serum bactericidal effects, and the specific antibody titer. Also, a significant (p?<?0.05) lower hematocrit and hemoglobin levels and higher white blood cell numbers were observed in the infected groups. A significant correlation was observed between the CRP levels and some of the hematological and immunological indices as bactericidal effects, classical complement pathways, lysozyme activity myeloperoxidase activity, white blood cell numbers, and hematocrit levels. The clinical symptoms, immune responses, and hematological indices variation among L. garvieae-infected fish are dependent on the duration and bacterial dose of the infection.     

Inoculation of ‘Golden Delicious’ Apple Trees on M9 Rootstock with Azotobacter Improves Nutrient Uptake and Growth Indices

ABSTRACT

Roots of young ‘Golden Delicious’ apple on M9 rootstock were inoculated with four strains of Azotobacter chroococcum, which were isolated from various soils. Effects of these strains in combination with different levels of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and compost on plant growth and nutrient uptake were studied over two seasons. Therefore, a factorial arrangement included four strains of A. chroococcum, two levels of N-fertilizer (0 and 35 mg N kg^?1soil of ammonium nitrate) and two levels of compost (0 and 12 g kg^?1 soil of air-dried vermicompost). Among the four strains, AFA₁₄₆ was the most beneficial strain, as it increased leaf area, leaf potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and boron (B) uptake and root N, phosphorus (P), potassium (K), Mn, and Zn. The combination of AFA₁₄₆ strain, compost and N fertilizer increased leaf uptake of Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and B, and root uptake of P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and copper (Cu), and root dry weight.     

Evaluation of shrimp or tilapia protein hydrolysate at graded dosages in low fish meal diet for olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

A study was carried out to examine and optimize the inclusion levels of shrimp hydrolysate (SH) or tilapia hydrolysate (TH) in low fishmeal diets for olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). A fishmeal (FM)‐based diet was considered as a high FM (HFM) diet, and a diet containing soy protein concentrate (SPC) as a FM replacer at 50% substitution level was regarded as a low FM (LFM) diet. Six other experimental diets were prepared by dietary supplementation of SH or TH to LFM diet at different inclusion levels of 15 g/kg, 30 or 45 g/kg in the expense of FM (designated as SH‐1.5, SH‐3.0, SH‐4.5, TH‐1.5, TH‐3.0 and TH‐4.5, respectively). After 10 weeks of a feeding trial, growth performance and feed utilization efficiency of fish were significantly higher in fish fed HFM, SH‐3.0, SH‐4.5, TH‐1.5 and TH‐3.0 diets compared to those of fish fed LFM diet. Intestine diameter, villus height and goblet cell counts of fish were significantly increased by dietary inclusion of SH or TH into LFM diet. Dry matter and protein digestibility of diets were significantly improved by SH or TH incorporation. Innate immunity of fish was significantly enhanced by dietary SH or TH supplementation into LFM diet. Disease resistance of fish was significantly increased against Edwardsiella tarda by dietary inclusion of SH and TH at the highest inclusion level (45 g/kg). The optimum inclusion level of SH or TH in a SPC‐based LFM diet could be ~30 g/kg and 15–30 g/kg, for olive flounder.     

Quality preservation of salted,vacuum packaged and refrigerated mahi sefid (Rutilus frisii kutum) fillets using an onion (Allium cepa) extract

The combined effect of light salting, vacuum packaging and onion extract on the shelf life of mahi sefid (Rutilus frisii kutum) fillets under refrigeration was assessed using chemical, microbiological and sensory methods. The shelf life of control, air‐packaged, salted (APS), vacuum‐packaged, salted (VPS) and vacuum‐packaged, salted with onion extract (VPSOE) samples was determined to be up to 6, 9, 15 and 18 days respectively. The values of total volatile basic nitrogen, free fatty acid and thiobarbituric acid increased progressively during the storage period for all the treatments. However, the preservative methods applied led to an extended shelf life of fillets based on chemical indices and sensory attributes in the following order: VPSOE>VPS>APS>control group. The assay of the total viable count (TVC) revealed that 2% and 4%VPSOE produced a decrease in TVC throughout the storage period. According to the results obtained, the best method to preserve the mahi sefid fillet was by 4%VPSOE treatment.