Pastoralists’ perceptions of feed scarcity and livestock poisoning in southern rangelands, Ethiopia

A survey was conducted between April and July 2007 to generate information on dry season feeding management and livestock poisoning in the southern rangelands of Ethiopia. A total of 119 pastoralists were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Moreover, additional information was obtained through informal discussions. The study revealed that pastoralists have rich knowledge of natural resource management and utilization and employ various strategies such as migration, collection of grasses and pods, and cutting branches to overcome feed scarcity during dry/drought periods. Migration of livestock and people to areas with better grazing is the widely used strategy. However, the implementation of this strategy is diminishing as a result of changes such as bush encroachment, expansion of settlements, and crop cultivation in dry-season grazing lands. The respondents also indicated the presence of poisonous plants in the rangeland, and about 20 such plants were identified by the respondents. Various species and classes of livestock are reported to be affected by toxic plants particularly in the dry and early rainy seasons when feed is in short supply. A more extensive survey is required to document all poisonous plants in the rangelands and to identify the major toxic principles in the different species. Future development interventions should consider the prevailing constraints and potentials of the rangelands with active participation of the pastoralists.     

Effects of dietary electrolyte balance and addition of electrolyte–betaine supplements in feed or water on performance,acid–base balance and water retention in heat-stressed broilers

1. The effects of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) and electrolyte–betaine (El-Be) supplements on heat-stressed broiler performance, acid–base balance and water retention were evaluated during the period 31–40 d of age in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments.

2. A total of 240 broilers were assigned to 6 treatment groups each with 8 replicates of 5 birds per cage and were exposed to cyclic high temperature (32 – 24 ± 1°C). Birds were provided with diets having DEB of either 180 or 220 mEq/kg. El-Be supplements were either added to the diet, water or not added to either of them to complete the array of 6 treatment groups.

3. An additional 80 birds were kept at thermoneutral temperature (20 ± 1°C) and were provided with tap water and diets with DEB of either 180 or 220 mEq/kg to serve as negative controls.

4. Exposure to high temperature depressed growth performance, increased rectal temperature and decreased potassium (K⁺) retention. In high-temperature room, birds fed on diets with DEB of 220 mEq/kg tended to increase BW from 35–40 d of age. However, at thermoneutral temperature, broilers fed on diets with DEB of 220 mEq/kg increased K⁺ retention.

5. Adding El-Be supplements in feed or water improved feed conversion ratio (FCR), enhanced water consumption and increased K⁺ and sodium (Na⁺) retention.

6. Interactions between DEB and El-Be supplements tended to affect body weight gain and FCR during the periods 35–40 and 31–40 d of age, respectively. It is suggested that when using a diet with DEB of 180 mEq/kg, adding the El-Be supplements in drinking water was more beneficial than in feed. Adding the supplements in feed or water was equally useful when using DEB of 220 mEq/kg.

     

Effects of ＂Bioactive＂ amino acids leucine, glutamate, arginine and tryptophan on feed intake and mlRNA expression of relative neuropeptides in broiler chicks

Feed intake control is vital to ensuring optimal nutrition and achieving full potential for growth and development in poultry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of L-leucine, L-glutamate, L-tryptophan and L-arginine on feed intake and the mRNA expression levels of hypothalamic Neuropeptide involved in feed intake regulation in broiler chicks. Leucine, glutamate, tryptophan or arginine was intra-cerebroventricularly (ICV) administrated to 4d-old broiler chicks respectively and the feed intake were recorded at various time points. Quantitative PCR was performed to determine the hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of Neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti related protein (AgRP), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) and corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF). Our results showed that ICV administration of L-leucine (0.15 or 1.5 μmol) significantly (P<0.05) increased feed intake up to 2 h post-administration period and elevated both hypothalamic NPY and AgRP mRNA expression levels. In contrast, ICV administration of L-glutamate (1.6μmol) significantly (P<0.05) decreased feed intake 0.25, 0.5 and 2 h post-injection, and increased hypothalamic CRF and MC4R mRNA expression levels. Meanwhile, both L-tryptophan (10 or 100μg) and L-arginine (20 or 200μg) had no significant effect on feed intake. These findings suggested that L-leucine and L-glutamate could act within the hypothalamus to influence food intake, and that both orexigenic and anorexigenic Neuropeptide genes might contribute directly to these effects.     

Feed inventory and smallholder farmers’ perceived causes of feed shortage for dairy cattle in Gisagara District, Rwanda

A survey was conducted to indentify dairy cattle feed resources and smallholder farmers' perceived causes of feed shortage in the central and southern plateaus of Gisagara District, Rwanda. Data were obtained by interviewing 120 smallholder milk producers using structured questionnaires and through direct observations made during transect walks. In all the surveyed areas, rangelands (mean rank?=?1.12), crop residues (1.21), improved grasses (2.34), browse (3.23) and herbaceous (4.84) legumes were ranked as the main feed resources. Pennisetum purpureum (95% of the respondents), Leucaena diversifolia (60%) and Calliandra calothyrsus (40%) were the most cultivated fodders in all the plateaus. The dominant crop residue was Zea mays stover (65% of the farmers) in the surveyed areas. In both plateaus, land scarcity was ranked (mean rank?=?1.45) as the most important cause of feed shortage followed by inadequacy of forage planting material (2.72) and lack of knowledge on forage production and utilisation (3.02). To ensure sustainable viability of smallholder dairying in densely populated highlands, screening and evaluation of high-yielding and easily propagated pastures, incorporation of forages into cropping systems, value addition of low quality roughages and training farmers on forage production and utilisation should be prioritised.     

BSE, feed and cattle in Switzerland: is there a spatial relation?

Cross-contamination of cattle feed with meat and bone meal (MBM) allowed in feed for other species is regarded as the current hypothesis for the infection pathway of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) cases occurring after the implementation of a ban on feeding MBM to cattle. This study was aimed at establishing a spatial relation between BSE cases in Switzerland and the findings of MBM in cattle feed. A cluster analysis and a cohort study were performed. Two hundred sixteen BSE cases born after December 1990 and detected until August 1st 2005, screening data of 504 feed producers between 1996 and 2001 and population data from the Swiss 2001 cattle census were included. The cluster analysis showed feed producer, positive for MBM contaminations in cattle feed, as possible cluster centres for BSE cases. In the cohort study, farms within a radius of 2 and 10 km around positive feed producers showed significantly higher odds to have a BSE case than the control group. The odds ratio and its 95% confidence interval were 2.23 (1.26-3.93) for the 2 km radius and 1.38 (1-1.9) for the 10 km radius. The results provide evidence for a spatial relation between cross-contamination and BSE occurrence. These findings support the hypothesis of cross-contamination to be an important route for BSE transmission after a feed ban.     

Genetic associations between observed feed intake measurements during growth,feed intake curve parameters and growing–finishing performances of central tested boars

Optimization of growing–finishing performance can be reached by increasing feed intake capacity of pigs at an early stage of growth and by limiting feed intake at the end of the finishing period. Daily feed intake recorded by electronic feeder and other growth performances were obtained from 5601 group-penned nucleus boars of two dam lines on a central test station. A multiple trait animal model was used which considers the observed feed intake at each test week as a different trait. Estimated heritabilities for feed intake were 0.12, 0.23, 0.29, 0.39, 0.32 and 0.39 for the first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth test week, and entire test period, respectively. A linear regression and a linear-quadratic regression were fitted for daily feed intake as functions of time. Heritabilities of the function parameters ranged between 0.11 and 0.32. Average estimated feed intake and average change in daily feed intake (slope) were obtained for five periods (12 days) based on linear-quadratic regression. Heritabilities for average estimated feed intake changed from 0.17, 0.32, 0.37, 0.43 to 0.41 and the slope of feed intake from 0.18, 0.21, 0.33, 0.27 to 0.22 with time on test. Genetic correlations of observed feed intake among different periods were substantially different from one (0.02–0.73) which indicates that feed intake was differently genetically determined during growth. In order to account for the different genetic relationships of feed intake during performance test and their influence on other performance traits, a multiple trait animal model using average estimated feed intake of each period, slope of the first three periods, and all genetic associations among these traits, were recommended to improve feed efficiency and lean growth.     

Florfenicol feed supplemented decrease the clinical effects of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae experimental infection in swine in México

The therapeutic value of Florfenicol feed supplemented was evaluated in conventional pigs to eliminate consequences of chronic infection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. The experimental animals were pigs with an average of 16 kg, after intratracheally inoculation with M. hyopneumoniae they were divided in two experimental groups: (a) the non-medicated; and (b) the feed supplemented group (20 g Florfenicol/ton of feed) during the ensuing 35 days. The average daily weight gain of the Florfenicol-treated pigs (0.33±0.14 kg/day) was significantly higher than that of the non-treated ones (0.21±0.10 kg/day). In medicated animals was still impaired relative to that of the uninfected ones control group (0.39±0.02 kg/day). The average percentage of pneumonic gross lesions extensions' of the pigs groups was: 13.99% for M. hyopneumoniae infected non-medicated group; 1.79% M. hyopneumoniae infected, Florfenicol-treated group and, 0.56% of the uninfected control group. M. hyopneumoniae; colonization was detected at these levels in 7 and 9 members of the respective infected groups. The extent of the pneumonic lesions and M. hyopneumoniae generally was greater in the non-medicated pigs. Therefore, oral administration of Florfenicol via feed ingestion seemed to be somewhat effective in ameliorating the clinical effects of M. hyopneumoniae infection of swine.     

Ameliorative effects of L-carnitine and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) on haematological and serum biochemical parameters in White Leghorn cockerels given ochratoxin A contaminated feed

1. L-carnitine is a quaternary ammonium compound biologically synthesised from the amino acids methionine and lysine while vitamin E (α-tocopherol) is an important antioxidant. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the ameliorative effects of L-carnitine and vitamin E upon haematological and serum biochemical parameters in ochratoxin A intoxicated birds.

2. Day-old White Leghorn cockerels were acclimatised for 2 d, divided in 12 groups with 20 birds in each group. From d 3 of age, they were given different combinations of ochratoxin A (1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg), L-carnitine (1 g/kg) and vitamin E (200 mg/kg) in feed. Haematological (erythrocyte count, leucocyte count, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit percentage) and serum biochemical parameters (serum urea, creatinine, albumin, total proteins and alanine aminotransferase) were evaluated.

3. Results confirmed that L-carnitine and vitamin E given alone or combined with 1.0 mg/kg ochratoxin A ameliorated toxin induced alterations in haematological and serum biochemical parameters. This amelioration, however, did not occur when ochratoxin of 2.0 mg/kg was given.

4. L-carnitine and vitamin E in combination have the ability to ameliorate ochratoxin altered haematological and serum biochemical parameters. However, the optimum ratio of L-carnitine + vitamin E, to be used to assure such mitigation of ochratoxin A altered changes in haematological and serum biochemical parameters in cockerels, has yet to be determined. The combination used in this study was indeed sufficient to ameliorate the alterations induced by ochratoxin A up to 1.0 mg/kg feed.     

A study on possibility of Rosa canina seed use as feed ?ngredient in diets of Morkaraman male lambs

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the ground Rosa canina seed at various levels (0%, 5%, and 15%) in barley-soybean-based concentrates offered to Morkaraman male lambs at approximately 8?months of age, on fattening performance, carcass, and meat quality characteristics. The lambs were divided into three treatment groups including R1 (concentrate without R. canina seed; n?=?12), R2 (concentrate with 5% R. canina seed; n?=?12), and R3 (concentrate with 15% R. canina seed; n?=?12) at the beginning of fattening period. The soybean meal was used as main protein source in treatment groups. All of the groups were fed a diet consisting of concentrate offered ad libitum and 300?g of grass hay per lamb per day during 60-day fattening period. The effect of diet on daily weight gain was found statistically significant. The control group had higher daily weight gain than R3 groups with 15% of ground R. canina seed. The hot carcass and cold carcass weights and dressing percentage values were affected by diets, and R3 group fed concentrate with 15% R. canina seed had higher carcass weights and dressing percentages than R1 and R2 groups. Differences among the groups in terms of leg, rib, and hindshank weights were found highly significant. While R1 and R2 groups were not significantly different, R3 group was significantly higher to R1 and R2 groups in leg, rib, and hindshank weights. In addition, meat color parameters and pH values were not affected by diets in present study.     

Microbial and nutritional aspects of feeding fermented feed (poultry by‐products) to pigs

Summary

Broiler by‐products (heads, feet, and viscera) mixed with 4% dextrose were pasteurized for 4 min at 90°C core temperature, cooled to 20°C, and fermented with Lactobacillus plantarum as starter culture. These fermented poultry by‐products were fed to 12 individually housed fattening pigs as part (17.6% of the dry matter) of their fattening ration, the remainder composed of compound pig feed. Control pigs received a compound pig feed only. Both groups of pigs were fed restrictively on the basis of body weight. The technical results of the pigs fed the experimental diet showed a significantly improved feed:gain ratio (2.46 vs 2.57), a significantly higher carcass weight (86.1 vs 81.8 kg), a lower meat percentage (50.9 vs 52.5%) and an increased backfat thickness (21.5 vs 18.7%). The bacterial flora in the intestinal tract of the pigs fed the experimental diet differed significantly from the control animals. Decreased colony counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci and lactobacilli were found in the rectal content and the prevalence of salmonella was lower.

It is suggested that the improved feed:gain ratio and the reduced bacterial activity of the measured groups of bacteria is a result of 1) the higher energy content of the diet, and(or) 2) an assumed enhanced digestibility of nutritional components in the diet, and(or) 3) the lower incidence of diarrhea in the pigs fed with fermented poultry by‐products. This resulted in a lower contamination level of enteropathogenic bacteria like, salmonella and Escherichia coli, in the gastro‐intestinal tract of the pigs fed fermented poultry by‐products.     

Providing a diet deficient in valine but with excess leucine results in a rapid decrease in feed intake and modifies the postprandial plasma amino acid and α-keto acid concentrations in pigs

Indispensable AA are involved in the control of feed intake. When a diet deficient in Val is offered to pigs, feed intake is typically reduced. This effect is aggravated when dietary Leu is supplied in excess of the requirement. If an unbalanced supply of branched-chain AA (BCAA) is harmful, an anorectic response may serve as a mechanism to prevent this situation. We verified this hypothesis by measuring the voluntary feed intake of a balanced diet offered during the 30-min period 1 h after ingestion of a test meal deficient or not in Val (Val- and Val+) with an excess of Leu. Twelve and four 6-wk-old crossbred female pigs were used in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. Prior ingestion of the Val- test meal resulted in a 14% reduction in feed intake compared with that observed after ingestion of the Val+ test meal (P = 0.06) in Exp. 1, indicating that the signal to reduce feed intake occurred within 1 h. It is possible that the plasma concentration of the limiting AA serves as a signal for the dietary AA deficiency. We therefore determined the postprandial plasma concentrations of BCAA and their α-keto acids after ingestion of Val- and Val+ in 4 pigs in Exp. 2. After ingestion of the Val- diet, plasma concentrations of Val and its keto acid were reduced compared with values observed after ingestion of the Val+ diet. The peak concentration occurred earlier after ingestion of the Val- diet compared with that of the Val+ diet. Although the plasma concentration increased after the meal, it declined rapidly in pigs offered Val-, and the Val concentration 4 h after ingestion of the meal was even less than that observed in the fasted state. In conclusion, it appears that the pig is able to detect a deficient supply of Val within 1 h after ingestion. The plasma concentration of Val or its concentration relative to the other BCAA during the postprandial period may act as a signal indicating the AA deficiency.     

Fermented mulberry leaf meal as fishmeal replacer in the formulation of feed for carp Labeo rohita and catfish Heteropneustes fossilis—optimization by mathematical programming

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Search for cost-effective, eco-friendly and sustainable plant resources as potential feedstuff to replace fishmeal in the formulation of feed for fish has...     

Effect of lactating sows’ diet supplemented with cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) on feed intake and reproductive and productive post-weaning performances

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The effect of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) added to the diet of lactating (21&nbsp;days of lactation) sows on voluntary feed intake, and its impact on...     

Quantitative analysis of ruminal methanogenic microbial populations in beef cattle divergent in phenotypic residual feed intake（RFI）offered contrasting diets

Background：Methane（CH_4） emissions in cattle are an undesirable end product of rumen methanogenic fermentative activity as they are associated not only with negative environmental impacts but also with reduced host feed efficiency.The aim of this study was to quantify total and specific rumen microbial methanogenic populations in beef cattle divergently selected for residual feed intake（RFI） while offered（i） a low energy high forage（HF） diet followed by（ii） a high energy low forage（LF） diet.Ruminal fluid was collected from 14 high（H）and 14 low（L） RFI animals across both dietary periods.Quantitative real time PCR（qRT-PCR） analysis was conducted to quantify the abundance of total and specific rumen methanogenic microbes.Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the association between the relative abundance of methanogens and animal performance,rumen fermentation variables and diet digestibility.Results：Abundance of methanogens,did not differ between RFI phenotypes.However,relative abundance of total and specific methanogen species was affected（P〈 0.05） by diet type,with greater abundance observed while animals were offered the LF compared to the HF diet.Conclusions：These findings suggest that differences in abundance of specific rumen methanogen species may not contribute to variation in CH_4 emissions between efficient and inefficient animals,however dietary manipulation can influence the abundance of total and specific methanogen species.     

Kinetics and role of antibodies against intimin β in colostrum and in serum from goat kids and longitudinal study of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli in goat kids

The presence of antibodies to the intimin β-binding region (Int280-β) of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) in serum from 20 goat kids from 2 herds, as well as in goat colostrum, was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, the onset and subsequent pattern of shedding of AEEC from the same goat kids over a 6-mo period was investigated. All the colostrum and serum samples tested contained antibodies against Int280-β. The association between the antibody titer and the isolation of AEEC suggests that antibodies to intimin β do not prevent colonization of the intestine by AEEC in goat kids. The AEEC were generally shed only transiently. Most AEEC isolated from the kids belonged to serogroup O26. Three isolates belonged to serogroup O157. These data show that goat kids may be a reservoir of AEEC that are potentially pathogenic for humans.     

Effects of partial dietary substitution of groundnut meal by defatted,Aspergillus niger–fermented and heated Jatropha curcas kernel meal on feed intake and growth performance of broiler chicks

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study was conducted to determine intake and growth performance of broiler chicks fed with Jatropha curcas kernel meal physico-chemically and...     

Dose dependent disposition of sulphadimidine and of its N4‐acetyl and hydroxy metabolites in plasma and milk of dairy cows

Summary

The disposition of sulphadimidine (SDM) and of its N₄‐acetyl (N₄‐SDM) and two hydroxyl metabolites, 6‐hydroxymethyl‐ (SCH₂OH) and 5‐hydroxyasulphadimidine (SOH), was studied in plasma and milk of dairy cows following intramuscular or intravenous administration of sulphadimididine‐33.3% at doses of 10, 45, 50, and 100 mg/kg. The main metabolite in plasma as well as in milk was SCH₂OH. The metabolite percentages, the final plasma elimination half‐lives, and the time of peak SDM concentrations in milk are presented for different dosages. The concentrations of SDM and its metabolites in milk ran parallel to those in plasma beyond4 hours p.i. The metabolite concentrations in plasma and milk were lower than those of the parent SDM. Sulphate and glucuronide metabolites could not be detected in milk.

At high doses (45 mg/kg or more) and SDM plasma concentrations exceeding 20 μg/ml, a capacity limited metabolism of SDM to SCH₂OH was noticed, viz, asteady state concentration of SCH₂OH and a biphasic elimination pattern for SDM and SCH,OH in plasma and milk.

The mean ultrafiltrate ratios of the milk to plasma concentrations with respect to SDM, SCH₂OH, SOH, and N₄‐SDM were: 0.69, 0.22, 020, and 0.63, respectively.

The total amount of SDM and its metabolites recovered from the milk after milking twice daily over the whole experimental time was less than 2% of the applied dose.

A bioassay method allowed of detecting qualitatively SDM concentrations exceeding 0.2 μg/ml in plasma or milk. Withholding times for edible tissues and milk are suggested.     

The effect of sex and genotype on growth performance,feed efficiency,and carcass traits of local sheep group Pantaneiro and Texel or Santa Inês crossbred finished on feedlot

This study aimed to assess and compare the growth performance, feed efficiency, and carcass traits of Pantaneiro sheep and their Texel and Santa Inês crossbreds. Ninety-six lambs, fifty-one males, and forty-five females, with a mean weaning weight of 15.21?±?1.25 kg and 78?±?13 days of age, were slaughtered at a 32-kg body weight. The results showed better production efficiency from males compared with females. Texel-crossed lambs had a better growth performance than the other genotypes. The Texel?×?Pantaneiro lambs were more efficient with a better feedlot performance, higher ribeye muscle area, and better carcass characteristics with an adequate amount of fat cover. Pantaneiro lambs and their crosses with meat breeds could be useful in meat production systems under Savanna environmental conditions.