Does the gradual increase in dietary zinc oxide supplementation can affect egg quality,serum indices,and productive performance of laying hens?

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of increased supplementation of zinc oxide (ZnO) on performance, quality of egg, blood chemistry, and...     

Novel marine yeast strains as plant growth-promoting agents improve defense in wheat (Triticum aestivum) against Fusarium oxysporum

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Yeasts are multilateral opportunistic plant symbionts that can cause intrinsic changes in the metabolism of host plants, thereby increasing plant growth...     

Fruit set and quality of loquats (Eriobotrya japonica) as effected by pollinations under sub-humid Mediterranean

A field experiment was conducted during 2005 and 2006 growing seasons at Ras Munif (32°22′N, 35°45′E), Ajloun, Jordan, to evaluate different pollination treatments and their effects on fruit set and quality of loquat fruit grown under Mediterranean conditions. Open, supplemental, rain, and covered pollination treatments were imposed on the selected trees. Results showed that under supplemental and open-pollination, extremely higher fruit set was obtained compared with rain and covered treatments. In spite of a heavy crop load, fruits obtained under open and supplemental pollination were also heavier and larger, this could be partly due to a significant increase in seeds and flesh weight. Sugar content was good for both open and supplemental pollination. Wind plays little or no role in loquat pollination process. Loquat flowers attracted very limited number of bee visitors, A. mellifera, Anthophora albigena and Xylocopa violocea of family Apidae and Halictus quadricinctus of family Halictidae were recorded the only loquat flower visitors. They showed a variation in their visiting time but loquat flowers attracted the highest rate and number during the mid of the day.     

Ovarian hormones and antioxidant biomarkers in dromedary camels synchronized with new and re-used controlled intravaginal drug release (CIDR)/GPG (Ovsynch) program during breeding season

This study aimed to investigate the effect of CIDR, re-used wCIDR, and Ovsynch protocols for the synchronization of follicular waves on ovarian hormones, oxidative stress, and antioxidant biomarkers during the breeding season. Dromedary camels (N?=?18) were divided into three equal groups. The first group received CIDR. The second group received previously used wCIDR after thorough cleaning and disinfection. The third group was subjected to GPG protocol. Progesterone (P₄), estradiol (E2) l, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), lipid peroxide product (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione reduced (GSH) were measured. Days during CIDR affected P4 (P?= 0.0001), E2 (P?= 0.047), TAC (P?= 0.01), NO (P?= 0.028), and GSH (P?= 0.005). Days during re-used wCIDR effected P4, TAC, CAT, NO, GSH, and MDA (P?≤ 0.001). Days during GPG effected P4, E2, TAC, GSH (P?= 0.0001), MDA (P?= 0.036), and NO (P?= 0.02). CIDR-treated camels had high P4 (P?= 0.0001), E2 (P?= 0.0001), TAC (P?= 0.012), and NO (P?= 0.0001), with low GSH (P?= 0.001), and MDA (P?= 0.003). Exogenous progesterone improved ovarian hormones and the antioxidant capacity and minimized the oxidative stress than the GPG treatment and is recommended for future reproductive management of camels.

     

An evaluation of the effect of repeated doses of oral activated charcoal on the depletion of enrofloxacin residual levels in chicken breast muscles

The purpose of this study was to determine whether concurrent oral administration of activated charcoal has an affect on the depletion of the residual concentrations of enrofloxacin (ENRO) in chicken breast muscles. Sixty-four broiler chickens were divided into four groups (n = 16 per group), one given a daily oral dose of enrofloxacin with feed at a dose of 10 mg/kg for 5 consecutive days (control group) and the others given the same dose of enrofloxacin simultaneously with activated charcoal at a dose rate of 0.5, 1, and 2 % of daily feed for 5 days (treatment groups). At the end of treatment, 2 hens were sacrificed at each of the sampling time points (6,12, 18,48, 72,96,120 and 144 h after completion of dosing), breast muscles were collected and analyzed. Supercritical fluid extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography methods were used to determine the enrofloxacin residue levels in chicken breast muscles.The limit of quantification (LOQ) 16.5 microg/kg, was lower than the maximum residue levels (MRL) fixed by the Commission of the European Union. For all the time periods, charcoal treatment did not affect enrofloxacin tissue concentrations except at 12 and 48 h post treatment.To our knowledge, no studies on the depletion of enrofloxacin in the presence and absence of activated charcoal in chicken muscles have been performed. Although our current understanding is incomplete, multiple dose activated charcoals may play a role in the therapy of overdose.To prove this, further investigation is warranted.     

Effect of starch gelatinisation on nutrient digestibility and plasma metabolites in pigeons

Feed manufacturing exerts physical and chemical changes in ingredients, including the gelatinisation of starch. Studies on the effect of the degree of starch gelatinisation on nutrient digestibility, metabolism and subsequent performance show inconsistent results, and no data are available in pigeons. In a cross‐over trial, fourteen adult pigeons were randomly divided into two groups, in which two extruded pellet diets were tested. Both the diets were similar in ingredient composition and nutrient content, but differed in extrusion conditions, resulting in a different degree of starch gelatinisation: pellets with high gelatinisation degree (HG; 73.6% gelatinisation) and low gelatinisation degree (LG; 53.1% gelatinisation). After a 14‐day adaptation period, all excreta were gathered per bird during a 5‐day collection period. Coefficients of apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fibre (CF), crude ash (CA) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) as well as apparent nitrogen retention were calculated from proximate analyses of feed and excreta. Further, excreta consistency was subjectively scored. Blood samples were taken at the end of each period and plasma samples were analysed for glucose, fructosamine and triglycerides. Feed intake and body weight changes were recorded weekly. The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of DM, OM, CP, EE, CA and NFE were significantly higher in the LG group (p ≤ 0.05). The ADC of crude fibre was numerically higher in the LG group but not significant, and no significant differences were found in starch digestibility. Excreta consistency score tended to be higher in the LG diet group. Neither plasma glucose nor plasma fructosamine values were significantly different between the two test diets. The results of this study show that lower degree of starch gelatinisation in extruded diets can enhance digestibility in pigeons.     

Estrus response and follicular development in Boer does synchronized with flugestone acetate and PGF2α or their combination with eCG or FSH

The effects of different estrus synchronization techniques on follicular development and estrus response were studied in 81 nulliparous Boer does. The does were divided into nine groups. Eight of the nine groups were synchronized with prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF(2α)) or flugestone acetate (FGA) or their combinations, and the ninth group was a control group. In addition to the above combinations, four of the eight synchronized groups were given 5?mg follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the remaining four groups were administered 300?IU equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG). Posttreatment follicular development was monitored until ovulation occurred using a real-time B-mode ultrasound scanner (Aloka, 500 SSD, Japan), with a 7.5-MHz transrectal linear probe. All the does from the synchronized groups that were given eCG exhibited oestrus while only 88.9% of the does synchronized with FSH showed estrus. The estrus response was observed to be the least among the does synchronized with PGF(2α) + FSH (33.3%) combination followed closely by the FGA + FSH (42.9%) combinations. It was observed that the combinations of FGA + PGF(2α) + FSH resulted in increased percentage of estrus response, duration of estrus, and ovulation. The number of follicles was higher (P?相似文献   

Sodium‐induced calcium deficiency in sugar beet during substitution of potassium by sodium

Functions of sodium (Na⁺) and potassium (K⁺) are closely associated. In some crops, Na⁺ is able to prevent or reduce considerably the occurrence of K⁺ deficiency. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is a natrophilic crop, and positive effects of Na⁺ applications on yield were observed when K⁺ was sufficiently supplied. However, it is not known which specific function of K⁺ can limit the growth of sugar beet when K⁺ is substituted by an equivalent amount of Na⁺. Therefore, K⁺ substitution by Na⁺ was investigated for sugar beet in hydroponics. Surprisingly, no K⁺‐deficiency symptoms were observed. However, calcium (Ca²⁺) concentrations in the leaves were significantly decreased. Moreover, Ca²⁺ uptake and translocation through xylem sap were reduced in Na⁺‐treated plants. It is concluded that Ca²⁺ uptake by roots and its translocation via xylem sap primarily limit the possibility of K⁺ substitution by Na⁺ in sugar beet nutrition.     

Biodegradation of pyrene and catabolic genes in contaminated soils cultivated with Lolium multiflorum L

Background, aim, and scope  

In the soil environment, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals (HMs) are of great environmental and human health concerns due to their widespread occurrence, persistence, and carcinogenic properties. Bioremediation of contaminated soil is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and publicly acceptable approach to address the removal of environmental contaminants. However, bioremediation of contaminants depends on plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere. The microorganisms that can mineralize various PAHs have PAH dioxygenase genes like nahAc, phnAc, and pdo1. To understand the fate of pyrene in rhizospheric and non-rhizospheric soils in the presence or absence of Pb, pyrene biodegradation, bacterial community structure, and dioxygenase genes were investigated in a pot experiment.