Growth performance, energy, and nitrogen balance of weanling pigs fed a cereal-based diet supplemented with Chinese rhubarb

Forty Swiss Large White piglets of 4 weeks of age were used to determine the effect of dietary Chinese rhubarb on growth performance, as well as on energy and nitrogen metabolism by means of indirect respiration calorimetry studies. A cereal-based diet, supplemented with four different dosages of Chinese rhubarb (0.0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%), was offered ad libitum to the piglets. Gaseous exchange was measured, and urine, faeces, and blood samples were taken. The addition of 0.25% dietary rhubarb increased feed intake (+32%) and daily weight gain (+67%) compared to the diet containing the greatest amount of rhubarb (1%). The piglets fed diet supplemented with 0.25% rhubarb digested and metabolised more energy and nitrogen relative to the animals of treatment 1%. As a consequence, the same group (0.25%) converted more energy and nitrogen into body protein than piglets receiving diet supplemented with 1% rhubarb. However, compared to the control group, the addition of 0.25% rhubarb to the diet resulted in not significantly alter growth performance, energy, and nitrogen metabolism of the animals.Blood parameters were not affected by the rhubarb supplementation. The dose-responding effect of Chinese rhubarb was reflected by the dry matter content of faecal samples. According to the laxative effect of higher doses of rhubarb, the addition of 1% rhubarb to the diet reduced dry matter content of faeces. This effect was well visible in practice, although not relevant in statistical terms. The addition of 0.5% dietary rhubarb had no relevant effect on growth performance or on energy and nitrogen metabolism of treated animals.     

德国及蒙古沙棘品种无性系生物学和观赏性价值评估

沙棘由于其有丰富的内含物和多方面的用途正被作为＂新兴水果＂而赢得了人们越来越多的重视和喜爱.通过在柏林Baumschulenweg的育种工作,到目前为止,已经育成不同成熟期的5个雌性和4个雄性沙棘品种.更多的由欧洲和蒙古原生种产生的杂交选育工作仍在进行中.将这些无性系按照其生物学和果实性状进行评估.就单个性状来讲,各品种之间的差异非常大（比如维生素的含量在17～340mg/100g之间变动,胡萝卜素的变动范围为6.5～23.8mg/100g）.这表明,进一步的育种改良完全有可能.所有用于比较的沙棘品种由在德累斯顿Pillnitz进行的育种工作获得,这些品种将被进一步研究.为了保险起见,以及为了解决后来有可能产生的育种及植物病理学方面的问题,必须尽可能保存现有的所有的某一品种的基因多样性.为此目的,由国家资助扶持的基因库的建立是很有必要的.     

Treatment of pigs with enrofloxacin via different oral dosage forms – environmental contaminations and resistance development of Escherichia coli

BackgroundAntibacterial agents play important roles in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and carry-over of substances into the environment are several problems arising during oral treatment of bacterial infections. We assessed AMR development in commensal Escherichia coli (E. coli) in enrofloxacin treated and untreated animals. In addition, we examined fluoroquinolone in the plasma and urine of treated and untreated animals, and in sedimentation dust and aerosol.MethodsIn each trial, six pigs were treated with enrofloxacin via powder, granulate or pellet forms in two time periods (days 1–5 and 22–26). Four pigs served as untreated controls. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined to evaluate AMR development. Analysis of enro- and ciprofloxacin was performed with high performance liquid chromatography.ResultsNon-wildtype E. coli (MIC > 0.125 µg/mL) was detected in the pellet treated group after the first treatment period, whereas in the other groups, non-wildtype isolates were found after the second treatment period. E. coli with MIC > 4 µg/mL was found in only the pellet trial. Untreated animals showed similar susceptibility shifts several days later. Bioavailability differed among the treatment forms (granulate > pellet > powder). Enro- and ciprofloxacin were detected in aerosols and sedimentation dust (granulate, powder > pellet).ConclusionsThis study indicates that the kind of the oral dosage form of antibiotics affects environmental contamination and AMR development in commensal E. coli in treated and untreated pigs.     

Characteristics of phosphorus uptake kinetics of poinsettia and marigold

In a previous experiment it has been found that maximum uptake rate (I_max), Michaelis constant (K_m), and minimum nutrient concentration (C_min) as plant physiological characteristics may be important for phosphorus (P) uptake in peat-substrate. Thus, variation of P uptake parameters was evaluated with a series of depletion studies for poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) and marigold (Tagetes patula) under fluctuating climatic conditions and different developmental stages.     

Structure determination of partially deuterated carotenoids from intrinsically labeled vegetables by HPLC-MS and 1H NMR

The structures of biosynthetic deuterated carotenoids in labeled vegetables were investigated: (all-E)-lutein and (all-E)-beta-carotene from spinach, and (all-E)-beta-carotene and (all-E)-alpha-carotene from carrots. The vegetables were grown hydroponically using a nutrient solution enriched with deuterium oxide (D(2)O) and were extracted using matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD). Deuterium enrichment in the carotenoid molecules was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). (all-E)-Lutein and (all-E)-beta-carotene in spinach showed partial deuteration from (2)H(1) to (2)H(12), with the abundance maximum at (2)H(5). (all-E)-beta-Carotene and (all-E)-alpha-carotene from carrots showed partial deuteration from (2)H(1) to (2)H(17), with the abundance maximum at (2)H(11). The (1)H NMR spectra of the four deuterated carotenoids showed additional signals for all methyl groups and decreased signal intensity for the olefinic protons and the methylene protons in the ring. These differences are due to isotopic effects and are based on the substitution of protons by deuterium atoms. The deuteration was distributed randomly throughout the carotenoid molecules.     

Interactions of local habitat type,landscape composition and flower availability moderate wild bee communities

Context

Landscape and local habitat traits moderate wild bee communities. However, whether landscape effects differ between local habitat types is largely unknown.

Objectives

We explored the way that wild bee communities in three distinct habitats are shaped by landscape composition and the availability of flowering plants by evaluating divergences in response patterns between habitats.

Methods

In a large-scale monitoring project across 20 research areas, wild bee data were collected on three habitats: near-natural grassland, established flower plantings and residual habitats (e.g. field margins). Additionally, landscape composition was mapped around the research areas.

Results

Our monitoring produced a dataset of 27,650 bees belonging to 324 species. Bee communities on all three habitats reacted similarly to local flower availability. Intensively managed grassland in the surrounding landscape had an overall negative effect on the studied habitats. Other landscape variables produced diverging response patterns that were particularly pronounced during early and late season. Bee communities in near-natural grassland showed a strong positive response to ruderal areas. Flower plantings and residual habitats such as field margins showed a pronounced positive response to extensively managed grassland and woodland edges. Response patterns regarding bee abundance were consistent with those found for species richness.

Conclusion

We advise the consideration of local habitat type and seasonality when assessing the effect of landscape context on bee communities. A reduction in the intensity of grassland management enhances bee diversity in a broad range of habitats. Moreover, wild bee communities are promoted by habitat types such as ruderal areas or woodland edges.

     

Untersuchungen zur ökologischen situation ostdeutscher landwirtschaftsbetriebe

Repräsentative ostdeutsche Landwirtschaftsbetriebe sind hinsichtlich ihrer Umweltverträglichkeit bewertet worden. Dazu diente eine Methode, die für ca. 30 relevante Umwelt‐Gefährdungspotentiale aus den Bereichen Düngung, Bodenschutz, Pflanzenschutzmitteleinsatz, Agrarraumgestaltung, Artendiversität, Energiebilanz und Tierbesatz kritische Umweltbelastungen formuliert und damit aktuelle Betriebsdaten wertend vergleicht.

Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine sehr differenzierte Situation. Während Stoffbelastungen mit Konsequenzen für die Nahrungsqualität weitgehend unkritisch sind, bestehen Defizite vor allem als “Altlasten”; in den Bereichen Bodenschutz und Agrarraumgestaltung.

Beziehungen zwischen Intensität und Umweltverträglichkeitsbewertung werden diskutiert.     

Efficacy evaluation of the use of oral tilmicosin in pneumonic calves

A trial was carried out on a beef cattle farm to obtain efficacy data for the treatment of naturally occurring bronchopneumonia in calves under commercial production conditions. The treatment was administered by medicating milk with three different tilmicosin doses mixed in the first 80% of the daily milk ration. According to the clinical results, all three treatment regimens proved to be effective. The efficacies of the reduced dose of 12.5 mg tilmicosin/kg body weight daily for 5 days and of the reduced treatment duration with 25 mg/kg b.w. daily for 3 days were equivalent to a previously proven dose of 25 mg/kg b.w. daily for 5 days.     

The influence of a fermentation-resistant glucose diet on the glucose concentration and other metabolites in portal and jugular blood in cows

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of fermentation-resistant glucose on the glucose concentration and other metabolites in portal and jugular blood in 15 non-lactating cows. In all cows, an indwelling catheter was placed in the left jugular vein and the portal vein for collection of blood samples. Five control cows were fed hay as a normal diet, five control cows were fed straw to induce an energy deficit and five cows were fed hay and they received additionally 2000 g of a fermentation-resistant D-glucose product. The glucose concentration in jugular and portal blood was not influenced by feeding. The concentration of urea and bile acids were significantly higher in portal blood than jugular blood. There was no difference between portal and jugular blood of glucose and total solids. Diet had a significant effect on the concentrations of ammonia, urea, free fatty acids and triglycerides. The concentrations of ammonia and urea were higher in blood of cows fed straw than in blood of cows fed either hay or a fermentation-resistant glucose product. The concentration of urea remained constant in cows fed hay, but increased in cows fed straw and decreased in cows fed a fermentation-resistant glucose product. The concentration of free fatty acids and triglycerides were significantly higher in cows fed a fermentation-resistant glucose product than in cows fed hay. In the present study, a single administration of 300 g of fermentation-resistant glucose did not affect the concentration of blood glucose. Therefore, despite ongoing promotion of such products, there is no indication at this time that administration of fermentation-resistant glucose to cows at the start of lactation results in an increase in blood glucose concentration.