UV‐light and dietary vitamin D and their effects on ionized calcium and 25‐OH‐D plasma concentrations in captive gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua)

In this study, the effect of ultraviolet (UV) light and dietary vitamin D on calcium metabolism in permanently indoor‐housed gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua ) was investigated. The study consisted of three periods, each completed with blood samples to analyse plasma concentrations of 25‐OH‐D, 1,25‐(OH)₂‐D, ionized (iCa) and total calcium (tCa). During the first study period (D), animals were housed under routine conditions without UV‐light and fed a diet of different fish species, supplemented with 1,000 IU vitamin D per animal and day. The following study period (Baseline) of 28‐day duration consisted of the same diet without any vitamin D supplementation and without UV‐light. During the study period (UVB) artificial UV‐light was added for 3 weeks. The vitamin D content of fish was measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography. It varied between fish species and between facilities, ranging from no measurable content in capelin (Mallotus villosus ) to 7,340 IU vitamin D/kg original matter (OM) in herring (Clupea spp). The average dietary vitamin D content was 311 IU/kg OM at facility 1 and 6,325 IU/kg OM at facility 2, resulting in a vitamin D intake per animal and day without supplementation of 130 IU (25.5 IU/kg body weight BW) and 2,454 IU (438.2 IU/kg BW) respectively. The supplementation of vitamin D elevated significantly the plasma concentrations of 25‐OH‐D by an intraindividual difference of 15 (range ?2 to 59) nmol/L and tCa by 0.1 (0.0–0.3) mmol/L only at facility 2. The exposure to UV‐light raised the blood concentrations of tCa at facility 2 by 0.15 (0.1–0.2) mmol/L, and of iCa and tCa for females at facility 1 by 0.23 (0.13–0.41) mmol/L and 1.8 (1.1–2.5) mmol/L respectively. No significant influence of the study periods (D) and (UVB) was found for the concentrations of 1,25‐(OH)₂‐D at both facilities.     

Food intake and energy expenditure in growing cats with and without a predisposition to overweight

Overweight and obesity are multifactorial diseases caused by an imbalance in energy metabolism. An underlying genetic predisposition is often a factor in these conditions. In the cat breeding family of the Institute of Animal Nutrition at the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, a segregating overweight phenotype with a genetic contribution was observed. From this breeding family, 26 kittens were followed from birth up to 8 months of age. During this time, food intake was measured using an automatic feeding station, and energy expenditure was investigated using indirect calorimetry at the ages of 4 and 6 months. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was performed and blood glucose, leptin and insulin were measured at the ages of 4, 6 and 8 months. The kittens were also weighed daily for the first 2 weeks of life, every second day until weaning and once per week until 8 months of age. The body condition score (BCS) was evaluated monthly between 2 and 8 months of age. The main finding of this study is that a predisposition to overweight is connected to a higher food intake early in life, with no significant alterations in energy expenditure. The leptin blood levels were related to body fat percentage, and insulin sensitivity did not seem to be affected.     

Polymorphic mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) in a coastal riverscape: size class assemblages,distribution, and habitat associations

We compared the assemblage structure, spatial distributions, and habitat associations of mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) morphotypes and size classes. We hypothesised that morphotypes would have different spatial distributions and would be associated with different habitat features based on feeding behaviour and diet. Spatially continuous sampling was conducted over a broad extent (29 km) in the Calawah River, WA (USA). Whitefish were enumerated via snorkelling in three size classes: small (10–29 cm), medium (30–49 cm), and large (≥50 cm). We identified morphotypes based on head and snout morphology: a pinocchio form that had an elongated snout and a normal form with a blunted snout. Large size classes of both morphotypes were distributed downstream of small and medium size classes, and normal whitefish were distributed downstream of pinocchio whitefish. Ordination of whitefish assemblages with nonmetric multidimensional scaling revealed that normal whitefish size classes were associated with higher gradient and depth, whereas pinocchio whitefish size classes were positively associated with pool area, distance upstream, and depth. Reach‐scale generalised additive models indicated that normal whitefish relative density was associated with larger substrate size in downstream reaches (R² = 0.64), and pinocchio whitefish were associated with greater stream depth in the reaches farther upstream (R² = 0.87). These results suggest broad‐scale spatial segregation (1–10 km), particularly between larger and more phenotypically extreme individuals. These results provide the first perspective on spatial distributions and habitat relationships of polymorphic mountain whitefish.     

Maize harvest index and water use efficiency can be improved by inhibition of gibberellin biosynthesis

Possibilities to improve maize harvest index and nutrient utilization efficiency by application of plant growth regulators were investigated. In container experiments, the effects of different growth regulators on the development of the maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas were tested. Paclobutrazol (PAC) and chlorocholine chloride (CCC), two inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis, as well as gibberellic acid (GA₃) were applied at growth stage V5. Three weeks after application of PAC, shoot growth of both maize cultivars was strongly affected with a significant decrease in plant height in the PAC treatment by 44% and 36% for Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas, respectively. The growth‐retarded plants had higher leaf areas and reduced transpiration rates. The higher shoot growth after GA₃ application was accompanied by a reduction in leaf area and an increase in transpiration rate during 1 week before anthesis. CCC treatment showed no significant effects on plant height, leaf area and transpiration rate. The PAC‐treated cultivar Pioneer 3906 produced several cobs per plant, which were mainly barren at maturity. However, PAC application to Fabregas resulted in just one cob per plant with good kernel development and a grain yield, which was not significantly reduced in comparison with the control. With this similar grain yield in combination with a straw yield decrease of 32%, the harvest index was significantly improved by 12%. In addition, with PAC‐treated Fabregas plants, a 19% increased water use efficiency of the grain (WUE_grain) during the critical period of kernel setting was achieved. In this maize cultivar, CCC application also improved harvest index by 5%, but no effect on WUE_grain occurred. GA₃ treatment decreased harvest index of both maize cultivars, and it either reduced WUE_grain (Pioneer 3906) or showed no effect (Fabregas). Utilization efficiencies of N, P and K were not increased with growth regulator application, even in the PAC‐treated Fabregas plants with a significantly improved allocation of assimilates to the grain, mirrored by the higher harvest index. The results indicate that fertilizer applications must be adjusted to the reduced demand of growth‐retarded plants, most likely leading to higher nutrient utilization efficiencies.     

Are dual-purpose and male layer chickens more resilient against a low-protein-low-soybean diet than slow-growing broilers?

ABSTRACT

1. Although fattening dual-purpose types or male layer hybrid chickens appears more ethical than the common practice of culling day-old male layer chicks, the lower feed efficiency of these birds raises concerns. Replacing feed ingredients that compete with food production by those of lower value for human nutrition would be beneficial.

2. Lohmann Dual (LD), a modern dual-purpose type, Lohmann Brown (LB), a male layer hybrid, and Hubbard JA 957 (HU), a slow-growing broiler type, were fattened for nine weeks on two diets (control or ?20% crude protein; n = 6 × 12 birds). Growth, carcass and meat quality were analysed.

3. Growth performance of HU exceeded that of LD and especially of LB. The growth depression caused by the low-protein diet fed to LD (?7%) was only half of that found in HU (?13%). The LD fed the control diet had the same feed efficiency as the HU fed the low-protein diet. Even the LB had a lower performance and feed efficiency with the low-protein diet in growth. There was a gradient in carcass properties (weight, dressing percentage, breast meat yield, breast proportion and breast angle) from HU to LD to LB, with some additional adverse effects of the low-protein diet especially in HU. There were some breed differences in fatty acid profile in the intramuscular fat.

4. In conclusion, the dual-purpose type used complied with regulations for Swiss organic poultry systems in terms of growth rate and was found to respond less when fed a low-protein diet than the slow-growing broiler type. The LB males were inferior in all growth and carcass quality traits. Future studies need to determine the exact protein and amino acid requirements of dual-purpose and layer hybrid chickens and the economic feasibility of the systems, especially for organic farming.     

Cross‐linked polyacrylates in post‐mining substrates: persistence and effects on plant growth

Application of hydrophilic polymers composed of cross‐linked polyacrylate can improve soil water‐holding capacity and accelerate the restoration of post‐mining substrates. In this work, we studied the persistence of a polyacrylate polymer incorporated into a soil and its impact on plant nutrients at a reclamation site of former lignite mining in Lusatia (Germany). In contrast to autumn application, the incorporation of the polymer enhanced the sequestration of plant‐derived carbon in the soil, which was reflected by a significant increase in the concentration of a lignin marker. Attenuated total reflexion–Fourier transform infrared spectra (ATR‐FTIR) and total elemental contents in the applied polymer suggested an intensive cation exchange between the polymer framework and the soil‐forming substrate. In addition, there was an enrichment of carbonaceous material, which seems to reduce the swelling and thus the water‐holding capacity of the cross‐linked polyacrylate. Conversely, this process protected the polymer structure from rapid decomposition.