The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and feeding value of peanut hay (Arachis hypogaea L.) produced under tropical environment as an alternate forage resource for sheep. Peanut hay was appreciably high in crude protein [CP; 105 g/kg dry matter (DM)] and lower in neutral detergent fiber (NDF; 466 g/kg DM). Moreover, peanut hay was rich in Ca (12 g/kg DM) and P (1.7 g/kg DM). A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of substituting wheat straw with peanut hay on nutrient intake, digestibility, and N utilization. Four adult Ramghani (Kaghani × Rambouillet) wethers (60?±?2.5 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to the four dietary treatments according to a 4?×?4 Latin square design. The four rations were formulated on isonitrogenous and isocaloric bases and differed in the proportion (in grams per kilogram DM) of wheat straw/peanut hay, i.e., 700:0, 460:240, 240:460, and 0:700. The replacement of wheat straw with peanut hay increased the intakes of DM (P?<?0.001), NDF (P?<?0.01), and N (P?<?0.001). Moreover, apparent in vivo digestibility of DM, NDF, and CP increased (P?<?0.001) with the increasing proportion of peanut hay in the ration. Nitrogen retention in the body increased (P?<?0.01; 3.2 to 8.1 g/day) with the replacement of wheat straw with peanut hay. These findings showed that substitution of wheat straw with peanut hay can improve DM and nutrients intake, digestibility, and N retention in sheep. 相似文献
This present study deals with synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde. Results from this study indicated that cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde markedly inhibited the growth of antibiotic-resistant Burkholderia cepacia complex regardless of bacterial species and incubation time while bacterial growth was unaffected by solid chitosan. Furthermore, high temperature treated cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde showed strong antibacterial activity against the selected strain 0901 although the inhibitory effects varied with different temperatures. In addition, physical-chemical and structural characterization revealed that the cross-linking of chitosan with glutaraldehyde resulted in a rougher surface morphology, a characteristic Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) band at 1559 cm−1, a specific X-ray diffraction peak centered at 2θ = 15°, a lower contents of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen, and a higher stability of glucose units compared to chitosan based on scanning electron microscopic observation, FTIR spectra, X-ray diffraction pattern, as well as elemental and thermo gravimetric analysis. Overall, this study indicated that cross-linked chitosan-glutaraldehyde is promising to be developed as a new antibacterial drug. 相似文献
Stream salinity management is of prime importance for ensuring environmental sustainability of rivers, streams, lakes and other water bodies. Saline groundwater inflows are the main cause of deteriorating quality of stream flows; especially during periods of low flows. The Murray-Darling Basin is a good example for reducing groundwater recharge from irrigated agricultural areas with successful implementation of land and water management plans (LWMPs). In most cases, these plans help minimize the influence of saline groundwater flows on the stream salinity, as a preventive measure. As a remedial measure, this paper introduces a simple but an innovative approach for regulating saline groundwater inflows to natural streams in irrigated agricultural areas. The approach uses the flap gate with an automatic lowering and raising mechanism. During low stream flow, this gate is kept in a raised position. Depending upon the upstream inflows, the ponding situation will develop hydraulic gradient away from the stream; groundwater inflows to the creek will become minimal. During high stream flows, the gate is kept in a lower position to let the diluted water flows through the stream uninterrupted. To install, operate and manage such gates on multiple sites along the stream(s), the individual control panels can be joined into a central control station via telemetric link up. This approach, which holds a key for successfully regulating groundwater induced salinity to natural streams, should be considered in conjunction with other LWMPs to improve stream salinity in an irrigated agricultural area. 相似文献
The first objective of the present study was to evaluate if the antibodies induced by the live LaSota and killed Newcastle disease (sub-genotype VIIi) vaccines protect the chickens against exposure with pathogenic avian avulavirus-1 (AAvV-1) of chicken and/or pigeon origins. The second objective was to study the effect of vaccines on stressed birds (dexamethasone, aflatoxin, and heat stressed) with respect to antibody production and protection against pathogenic AAvV-1 challenge. Sixty-one-day-old Hubbard chickens were divided into six groups (gA–gF) with ten animals each. All the groups received LaSota (105 EID50, 0.1 ml per chick) on days 7 and 27 via eye drop and one intramuscular injection of a killed vaccine (sub-genotype VIIi) (107.5 EID50, 1 ml) on day 18, except the control birds received the PBS only. Moreover, group gC-DEX received dexamethasone intramuscularly at a dose rate of 1-mg/kg body weight daily; gD-AFLA had received aflatoxin as oral gavage at a dose rate of 30 ppb daily, and gE-HEAT was kept under heat stressed (38 °C) till challenged. All the groups were challenged with AAvV-1 strain of chicken origin of sub-genotype VIIi, except the group gA-pigeon was challenged with pigeon-origin strain (sub-genotype VIm). The result showed that the gA-pigeon and gB-chicken vaccinate showed 100% and 80% protection. The immunosuppressive birds produced low pre-challenge HI titer, and protection was observed at 40%, 50%, and 70% in gC-DEX, gD-AFLA, and gE-HEAT, respectively. Our findings suggest the stress factors such as aflatoxin in the feed and dexamethasone are immunosuppressive in nature and suppress the immune response and its associated protective role during infection.
Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) causes colibacillosis that leads to high morbidity and mortality among poultry birds. To date, there is a lack of knowledge about virulence-associated genes (VAGs) and multidrug resistance of APEC isolates from Pakistan. In this study, we determined the VAGs and antibiotic resistance profiles of APEC isolates recovered from colibacillosis affected broilers in Faisalabad region of Pakistan. A total of 84 diseased and dead birds from different local broilers farms were collected and examined for the gross lesions of colibacillosis by conducting postmortem examination. Of these, APEC isolates were recovered from 75 (89.2%) birds. Antibiotic susceptibility tests against 11 antimicrobial agents showed the highest resistance against ampicillin (98.6%) followed by tetracycline (97.3%) and ciprofloxacin (72%). The presence of 11 virulence-associated genes (VAGs) was detected by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of the 75 APEC, 32 (42.6%) harbored > 5 VAGs. Most commonly found genes were increased serum survival (iss; 84%), iron transport (iutA; 74.6%), and colicin V (ColV; 60%). Twenty-two isolates (29.3%) were found to possess a combination of VAGs; iss, tsh, iroN, and iutA, in addition to other VAGs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the detection of virulence-associated genes and multidrug resistance among APEC isolates in Pakistan. In the future, the strains with the predominant set of VAGs can be used for colibacillosis diagnosis and as a potential vaccine candidate.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different growth factors on the proliferation of Bama mini‐pig spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in vitro. The growth factors glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), GDNF family receptor alpha‐1 (GFRα1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were investigated. The SSCs were seeded on SIM mouse embryo‐derived thioguanine‐ and ouabain‐resistant (STO) feeder layers. Cultivation of the cells were subjected to a factorial design of the growth factors GDNF + bFGF, GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1, LIF + bFGF and LIF + bFGF + GFRα1. The SSCs could propagate for 25 passages in the medium adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1, 22 passages in the medium adding GDNF + bFGF, 6 passages in the medium adding LIF + bFGF, or LIF + bFGF + GFRα1. qRT‐PCR analysis showed that the highest mRNA expression levels of NANOG, POU5F, DDX4, GFRα1 and UCHL1 were detected in the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1. The SSCs from the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1 also showed UCHL1‐, DBA‐ and CDH1‐positive staining. Moreover, Stra8 and Scp3 expression, and haploid peak were detected after induction of the SSCs from the group adding GDNF + bFGF + GFRα1. In conclusion, pig SSCs could be maintained for long term in the presence of GDNF, bFGF, and GFRα1. 相似文献
Protein degradation during ensiling is a major problem. Tannins are known to prevent or decelerate protein degradation in the rumen and may be able to do so in silages as well. Therefore, the present evaluation aimed to analyse the influence of tannins on silage quality. This was done by integrating from all suitable experiments found in literature on the topic in a meta‐analysis approach. A total of 122 datasets originating from 28 experiments obtained from 16 published articles and one own unpublished experiment were included in the database. Tannins in the silages originated either from the plants ensiled or from supplementations of tanniferous plants or tannins extracted from such plants. Tannin concentrations ranged from 0 to 57.8 g/kg dry matter, and the ensiling period varied from 30 to 130 days. The analysis was based on the linear mixed model methodology in which the different studies were considered as random effects and tannin‐related properties (either concentration or type of tannins) were treated as fixed effects. Results revealed that greater concentrations of tannins were associated with a decrease of butyrate concentration in the silages (p < 0.05). An increasing tannin concentration was also accompanied with smaller proportions of soluble N, free amino acid N, non‐protein nitrogen and NH3‐N in total silage N (p < 0.05). The relationships between hydrolysable and condensed tannins and the decline in butyrate and NH3‐N concentrations in the silages were of different magnitude (p < 0.05). A higher tannin concentration was associated with a decline in in vitro dry matter digestibility. It was concluded that tannins apparently have the ability to limit extensive proteolysis which may occur during ensiling and thus may improve the fermentative quality of silages. A desired side effect seems to be given by the tannins' apparent property to limit the activity of the butyrate‐producing microbes. 相似文献
The objective of study was to evaluate the effect of forage concentration (F:C) and forage particle length (FPL) on sorting, feeding behaviour, intake, growth and body measurements of growing calves. Twenty‐eight weaned calves of body weight 156.79 ± 33.44 (mean ± SD) were used in 2 × 2 factorial arrangements with the factors FPL of hay grass (full and short) and hay grass concentrations (low, 50% and high, 65%). The treatments were as follows: full length (FL) with low F:C (50:50), FL with high F:C(65:35), short length (SL) with low F:C (50:50) and SL with high F:C (65:35). Increasing F:C and decreasing FPL enhanced sorting for short and fine particle and sorting against long particle (p < 0.05). Dry matter intake (DMI) was decreased by decreasing the FPL (p < 0.05). Increasing F:C (65:35) increased the DMI (p < 0.05). A positive interaction between FPL and F:C was found for (daily weight gain) DWG, weight gain (WG) and feed conversation ratio (FCR) (p < 0.05). In case of feeding behaviour, interaction for eating time and eating time per kilogram DM was present. Increasing the F:C increased the eating time in both FL and SL (p < 0.05). Chopping of hay had decreased the chewing time (p < 0.05). Increasing F:C increased chewing time per kilogram DMI. High F:C decreased the lying time (p < 0.05) in FL and SL treatments (p < 0.05). Increasing F:C reduced the overall abnormal behaviour (p < 0.05). These results suggested that animals performed better at higher F:C at SL diet. Intensity of sorting for short and fine particle and against long particle increased at higher F:C and SL diets. Eating time and eating time per kilogram DMI increased by increasing F:C level in both FL and SL treatments. Chewing time increased by increasing the FPL, while increasing the F:C enhanced the chewing time per kilogram DMI and reduced animal's abnormal behaviour. 相似文献