Evaluating the nutritive profile of three insect meals and their effects to replace soya bean in broiler diet

This study was conducted to evaluate the comparative effect of maggot meal, silkworm meal and mealworm as dietary protein source on the production performance and some aspects of meat quality in broilers. In this regard, maggot meal was reared on chicken offal and poultry waste. Silkworm meal was obtained from silk industry, while mealworm was developed through beetles rearing. A total of 120‐day‐old broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups where soya bean meal (M0) was replaced with maggot meal (M1), silkworm meal (M2) and mealworm (M3) respectively. Each group was further divided into three replicates. The study was carried out for a period of 5 weeks. Diets containing mealworm significantly reduced overall feed consumption and resulted into higher weight gain (p < .05). Lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was recorded for birds fed with mealworm diet (p < .05). Tenderness and juiciness of meat were higher (p < .05) in M3 compared to the control and other treatments. Mortality did not vary between the control and the treated groups. Therefore, it is concluded that insect meal is rich in essential nutrients and could be successfully used in broiler ration without compromising acceptability. In the light of this study, mealworm is the best choice in broiler ration, in comparison with maggot and silkworm.     

Comparison of pregnancy per AI of heifers inseminated with sex-sorted or conventional semen after oestrus detection or timed artificial insemination

The objective of the study was to compare the fertility after using sex-sorted or conventional semen either with oestrus detection (EST) or timed artificial insemination (TAI) in Holstein heifers. Holstein heifers were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Heifers in the EST group were inseminated with sex-sorted (n = 114) or conventional semen (n = 100) after spontaneous or induced oestrus. Heifers in the TAI, subjected to the 5-day Cosynch+Progesterone protocol (GnRH+P4 insertion-5d-PGF_2α+P4 removal-1d-PGF_2α-2d-GnRH+TAI), were inseminated with sex-sorted (n = 113) or conventional semen (n = 88). Statistical analyses were performed using PROC GLIMMIX procedure of SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Overall P/AI was 60.7% for EST and 54.2% for TAI regardless of types of semen and 68.1% for conventional and 48.9% for sex-sorted semen regardless of insemination strategies. Fertility of heifers inseminated with either sex-sorted (53.5%; 44.2%) or conventional (69.0%; 67.0%) semen did not differ between EST and TAI respectively. Besides, the interaction between the semen type and the insemination strategy was not significant for P/AI. The embryonic loss was significantly greater with sex-sorted semen (17.1%) compared to conventional semen (1.6%). There was no sire effect with sex-sorted semen on P/AI (52.6% vs. 46.2%) and embryonic loss (16.4% vs. 18.0%). As expected, sex-sorted semen resulted in more female calves (89.8% vs. 51.6%) than conventional semen. Thus, sex-sorted semen can be used with 5-day Cosynch+Progesterone protocol to eliminate the inadequate oestrus detection and to increase female calves born in dairy heifers.     

Past, present and future criteria to breed crops for water-limited environments in West Africa

Asia's Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s has largely bypassed West Africa, and “modern” (high-yielding, input responsive) germplasm for staple crops has found comparatively little adoption, except for systems that are have good access to markets and sufficient water resources. It is unlikely, however, that breeding objectives conserving traditional crop characteristics as found in extensive systems would have been more successful. The authors identify systems caught in the agricultural transition from subsistence to intensified, market-oriented production as the most important target for crop improvement, and provide examples of new breeding objectives for cowpea, sorghum and upland rice. In each of these cases, breeders, with the help of physiologists, have developed innovative plant-type concepts that combine improved yield potential and input responsiveness with specific traditional crop characteristics that remain essential during the agricultural transition. In the case of cowpea, dual-purpose varieties were developed that produce a good grain yield due to an erect plant habit, then produce new leaves enabling a second harvest of green foliage. For upland rice systems that are limited by labour (mainly needed to control weeds that abound due to shortened fallow periods), a weed competitive plant type was developed from Oryza sativa × Oryza glaberrima crosses. Lastly, sorghum breeders who had previously deselected photoperiod sensitivity are now re-inserting sensitivity into plants having “modern” architecture, in order to allow for flexible sowing dates while maintaining an agro-ecologically optimal time of flowering near the end of the wet season. The ecophysiological basis of these plant types, their place in current and future cropping systems, as well as the problem of under-funding for their realisation, are discussed.     

新疆主要污灌区养分资源特征的研究

通过对新疆七个主要污灌地区养分含量的研究表明污灌区钾含量丰富,氮素含量不足,磷缺乏。库尔勒地区污灌时间最长,养分含量丰富;昌吉地区养分含量属中等水平,其它地区都有不同程度的养分缺乏状况。与新疆土壤普查资料对比,污灌后,土壤的C/N比差异不大9.86—13.85;供磷强度有所改善,均>1%;但供氮及供钾能力并没有显著改善,部分地区的供肥强度极低。相关性研究分析表明,土壤中大部分养分含量与有机质含量呈现极显著或显著相关,只有全钾与之无相关性;其它养分之间也存在相关性,但是部分养分之间的相关性是由于有机质含量干扰所致。     

新疆污灌区重金属含量及形态研究

本文对新疆污灌区土壤中Cu、Zn、N i、Cr、Pb五种重金属元素的含量和形态特征进行了研究。结果表明,Cu、Zn、N i、Cr、Pb主要富集在0—20cm表土中。以《土壤环境质量标准》GB15618—1995二级标准为评价标准,污染综合指数评价均为安全级。新疆污灌表土中Cu、Zn、N i、Cr、Pb以残渣态为主,水溶态和可交换态比例低,其中Cu、Zn、Pb的潜在生物可利用性较高。     

Effect of dietary protein on intake,nutrients utilization,nitrogen balance,blood metabolites,growth and puberty in growing Bhadawari buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) heifers

Fifteen Bhadawari buffalo heifers of 207?±?9.78 kg mean body weight were randomly distributed into three dietary groups to evaluate the effect of protein level on nutrient utilization, nitrogen (N) balance, growth rate, blood metabolites, and puberty. All animals were offered wheat straw-berseem diets supplemented with concentrate mixtures of similar energy (2.7 Mcal/kg) and different protein levels (14.3–22 %). Animals of standard-protein group (SPG) were offered protein and energy as per requirement, while animals of low-protein group (LPG) and high-protein group (HPG) were fed 20 % less and 20 % more protein, respectively, than SPG. Feed dry matter (DM) and metabolizable energy (ME) intake (% body wt. and g/kg w^0.75) were similar for all three diets; however, the crude protein (CP) and digestible crude protein (DCP) intake on percent body weight and per kilogram metabolic weight was higher (P?<?0.05) in HPG than in SPG or LPG. Digestibility of CP, cellulose, and hemicellulose was higher (P?<?0.05) in HPG versus LPG. Fecal N excretion was similar, while urinary N excretion was highest (P?<?0.05) in HPG (74.83 g/day) compared with SPG (50.03 g/day) and LPG (47.88 g/day), which resulted in lower N retention in HPG than in the other dietary groups. Level of dietary N had no effect on blood metabolites viz. glucose, urea, and N. Digestible energy (DE) and ME contents of diets were identical, while DCP contents were higher (P?<?0.05) in HPG than in LPG. Feed and nutrient (CP and ME) conversion efficiency to produce a unit kilogram weight gain was identical among the dietary groups. Dietary protein level had no effect on the heifer’s weight and age at puberty. The mean growth rate of heifers at 240 days was higher (P?>?0.05) in SPG (330.8 g/day) than in LPG (296.7 g/day), while the animals gained more weight in January to March months and the lowest weight in May to July months. Protein level had no effect on conception rate of heifers. Results revealed that 20 % higher or less protein than the ICAR requirement had no significant (P?>?0.05) on feed intake, nutrient conversion efficiency for weight gain, heifer growth, and puberty; however, 20 % more protein increased urinary N loss.

     

Comparative pharmacokinetics of levamisole-oxyclozanide combination in sheep and goats following per os administration

Since there is no registered anthelmintic drug available for use in goats, extra-label use of drugs is a common practice in most countries. The aim of the present study was to compare the pharmacokinetic disposition of levamisole (LVM)-oxyclozanide (OXZ) combination in sheep and goats following per os administration. Goats (n = 8) and sheep (n = 8) 12- to 16-months-old were used for this study. The animals received tablet formulation of LVM and OXZ combination orally at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Blood samples were collected by jugular vein at different times between 5 min and 120 h after drug administrations. The plasma concentrations of LVM and OXZ were analyzed by HPLC following liquid-liquid phase extraction procedures. The plasma concentrations and systemic availabilities of both LVM and OXZ in goats were lower and the plasma persistence of LVM was shorter compared with those observed in sheep. Terminal half-lives (t_1/2λz) of both molecules are shorter in goats compared with those in sheep. Goats treated with LVM-OXZ combination at the recommended dose for sheep may result in a reduced efficacy, because of under-dosing, which may increase the risk of drug resistance in parasites. Increased or repeated dose could be a strategy to provide higher plasma concentration and thus to improve the efficacy against the target parasites in goats compared with sheep. However, some adverse reactions may occur since LVM has relatively very narrow therapeutic index due to its nicotine-like structure and effect.     

运输应激猪骨骼肌中热应激蛋白HSP70和HSP90家族的表达

利用Western blot技术，检测长途运输试验猪骨骼肌（背最长肌和臀长肌）中分属于HSP70家族和HSP90家族的4种应激蛋白（HSP70，HSP72，HSP86和HSP90）的表达，所有运输应激猪和对照猪肌肉组织 中均检测到了上述4种HSP，对照猪组织中HSP的表达说明HSP除了在受应激 的细胞内行使生理功能外，还具有独立于应激刺激应答以外的其它作用，6h长途运输后，HSP的表达量明显不同，HSP70和HSP72在肌肉组织中的表达虽然有一定的增加，但统计学分析差异不显（P＞0．05），而HSP86和HSP90在骨髓肌中的表达明显下降，尤以HSP90下降最显（P＜0．01），提示HSP90家族成员与肉品品质相关，可能作为判应激损伤的的指征。     

Expression and Localization of HSPs in the Liver of Transported Pigs

To demonstrate the distribution and expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the liver, five kinds of HSPs, namely HSP70 , HSP72, HSP86, HSP90 and HSP27 were determined after a long distance transport using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. All five HSPs were regularly detected in the liver of both the transported and the control group. Both nuclear and cytoplasmic labeling was present in hepatic cells;however, localization of HSPs was quite different in hepatocytes. The majority of HSP70, HSP72 and HSP27appeared to predominate in cytoplasm of the hepatocytes. Nuclear signals of HSP90 and HSP86 were most prominent in hepatocytes in which immunostaining in the cytoplasm was relatively weak compared with that in the nucleus. There was subjectively lower staining in the edge of hepatic labule, and lower numbers of HSPs labeled hepatic cells corresponded to light microscopic lesions. The obvious inductions of some HSPs were detected in the liver, especially the HSP90(P＜ 0.01) which belongs to the HSP90 family. However, the obvious reductions of HSP86 (P ＜ 0.05), which belong to the HSP90 family, and HSP27 ( P ＜ 0.05), which belong to small families, were detected in stressed pig liver after six hours of long distance transportation.