Relationships between digestibilities of food components and characteristics of wheats (Triticum aestivum) introduced as the only cereal source in a broiler chicken diet

1. The aim of the experiment was to establish relationships between chemical or physical characteristics of wheats (Triticum aestivum) and digestibilities of food components in broiler chickens fed on wheat-based diets. Twenty-two wheat samples, each differing by their cultivar origin, were included at 550 g/kg in diets offered to male Ross broiler chicks. The other main ingredients were soya bean meal (340 g/kg) and rapeseed oil (68.5 g/kg). Diets were given as pellets. 2. In vitro viscosities of wheats measured as potential applied viscosity (PAV) or real applied viscosity (RAV) varied between 1.91 and 6.03, or between 0.95 and 3.81 ml/g (dry matter basis), respectively. Hardness of wheats varied between 17 (soft) and 95 (very hard), and lipase activity of wheats varied from 1 to 13.6 (relative scale). 3. PAV and RAV values were not significantly correlated with hardness. PAV and RAV values were correlated with (80:20) ethanol:water insoluble, water soluble arabinoxylans (r = 0.961, 0.932, respectively), with the amount of water retained by cell walls (r = 0.656, 0.492, respectively), and with lipase activity (r = 0.600, 0.532, respectively. 4. Hardness was correlated with ash (r = -0.484), nitrogen (r = 0.534), mean particle size of wheat flours (r = 0.631), and specific energy of pelleting (r = -0.574). 5. Wheat diets were evaluated in two assays with 3-week-old chicks, with 11 diets per assay. In each assay, a balance experiment was carried out using the total collection method. Growth performance was also measured during the balance experiment. 6. In vitro viscosity parameters were negatively correlated with diet AMEn (P < 0.05), lipid digestibility (P < 0.05) and, to a lesser extent, protein digestibility (P < 0.05). In vitro viscosity data were positively correlated with food:gain ratio (P < 0.05) and water loss parameters (P < 0.05), and were not significantly (P > 0.05) correlated with starch digestibility. 7. Wheat hardness-related parameters were correlated (P < 0.01) with individual starch digestibility (hardness, proportion of coarse particles in wheat flour, specific energy of pelleting: r = -0.273, -0.305, 0.212, respectively). 8. Wheat lipase activity was negatively correlated with individual lipid (r = -0.179; P < 0.05) and starch (r = -0.225; P < 0.01) digestibilities and with individual diet AMEn (r = -0.266; P < 0.001). Individual diet AMEn values were correlated (r = 0.175) with the values calculated by the EU AMEn prediction equation (Fisher and McNab, 1987). Among the correlations observed between the individual measured AMEn:EU predicted AMEn ratio and wheat parameters (P < 0.05), the correlation obtained with wheat lipase was the highest (r = -0.195). The correlations with lipase could be explained in part by strong correlations between lipase and in vitro viscosity parameters.     

Analysis of variability in nutrient digestibilities in broiler chickens

1. Forty commercial broiler chickens from two different breeding origins were used for individual measurements of growth performance from d 7 to d 21. From d 21 to d 24 a balance experiment was carried out for the measurement of metabolisable energy (ME), digestibilities of lipids, starch and amino acids, viscosity of excreta water-extract, and amount of water loss. After this, the weight and length of the different parts of the gastrointestinal tract were measured for each bird. During the experiment, the birds were fed with an experimental diet containing 5 g/kg of guar gum in order to increase the variability of responses. 2. There were no significant (P < 0.05) differences between the two breeds in 21 d live weight, food:gain ratio, ME value or the digestibilities of lipids, starch and total amino acids. Significant (P < 0.05) differences between the two breeds were observed for caecal size, excreta guar gum degradation measured using viscosity measurements, and vent score. 3. Pooling all the individual data, individual ME values were correlated (r2 = 0.33) with individual food:gain ratios, which shows that a great part of ME variation was associated with individual variation. 4. Several significant (P < 0.05) correlations were observed between individual digestibilities and individual anatomical characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract. The most significant were concerned with the duodenum weight:length ratio correlated with ME (r = 0.474) and the caeca weight:body weight ratio correlated with guar gum degradation (r = 0.495). Covariance analyses were carried out when correlations were significant and did not show significant interactions with the breeding origin of chickens.     

Host cell modulation of foot-and-mouth disease virus procapsid synthesis

BHK21 (clone 13S) cells of high (BHK-SH) and low (BHK-SL) passage number were infected with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) subtypes A24, A25 and C3. While the amount of virus specific RNA produced in BHK-SH cells was 25% of that in BHK-SL cells and the virion production was 27% (C3) to 53% (A24) lower, the synthesis of viral proteins was comparable, associated with an accumulation of procapsids in BHK-SH cells. The results suggest that changes in viral infection pattern with increasing BHK21 cell passage number should be considered in FMDV vaccine production.     

DIAGNOSTIC PNEUMOPERICARDIOGRAPHY IN DOGS WITH SPONTANEOUS PERICARDIAL EFFUSION

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of pneumopericardiography, diagnostic pneumopericardiograms from 39 dogs with spontaneous pericardial effusion of various etiologies were reviewed. Diagnoses were confirmed by surgical biopsy, necropsy, or follow-up evaluation. Thirty-two of 39 studies (82%) were considered diagnostic. There were one false-positive and six false-negative studies. Fifteen of 16 studies (94%) in dogs with idiopathic sanguinous pericardial effusion were negative (i.e., similar to those in normal dogs). Seven of 12 right atrial hemangiosarcomas (58%), six of six heartbase neoplasms (100%), and two of two pericardial cysts (100%) were outlined. Studies in two cases of infective pericarditis revealed abnormal findings, while a negative study was obtained in one patient with pericardial mesothelioma. Lateral positions were most valuable in idiopathic effusions and for outlining heartbase neoplasms. The left lateral recumbent position was particularly important for outlining hemangiosarcomas. Pericardial cysts were profiled best in ventral or dorsal recumbent positions. This study documents the high diagnostic potential of technically adequate pneumopericardiograms in the etiologic diagnosis of pericardial effusion in the dog.     

Agriculture in the transition from a command to a market economy: the case of Latvia

The study presented is the result of a field survey conducted in Latvia in 1991. The brief of this research was to trace the role of the ‘private’ farm sector that has begun to emerge in the wake of the transition from a central-command to a market-oriented economy. Thus a look at the legislative acts embodying the agrarian reform is ccompanied by an analysis of the recent developments in local production systems. The study of ‘production systems’, or that part of economic analysis that comes under the rubric of ‘farm systems’, was employed here for the first time to analyze a Soviet-type economic system in transition. The first and second sections, which focus on the historical evolution of Latvia's agriculture and the economics underpinning it, range in compass from the ‘first’ agrarian reform to collectivization and on to the present situation. This is followed by a look at the current, or ‘third’, land reform initiative (section 3), particular emphasis being accorded the emergence of new production structures and the problems posed by the transformation of the old ones (sections 4 and 5). The next section includes a discussion of the links between the farms of the socialized sector and of the nascent private one (section 6). The concluding remarks provide a recapitulation of the study's main findings.     

Effect of humic acids on intestinal viscosity,leaky gut and ammonia excretion in a 24 hr feed restriction model to induce intestinal permeability in broiler chickens

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of humic acids (HA) on intestinal viscosity, leaky gut and ammonia excretion in a 24 hr feed restriction (FR) model to induce intestinal permeability in chickens. One‐day‐old male Cobb‐Vantress broilers were randomly allocated to one of two groups (n = 25 chickens), with or without 0.2% of isolated HA from worm‐compost, and placed in brooder batteries. Chicks had ad libitum access to water and feed for 14 days. Intestinal permeability was induced by 24 hr FR starting at 14 days. At 15 days of age, chickens in both groups were given an appropriate dose of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FITC‐d) by oral gavage. Intestine and liver samples were also collected to evaluate viscosity and bacterial translocation (BT), respectively. An increase (p < .05) in intestinal viscosity was observed in the experimental group consuming 0.2% of HA and was confirmed in a published in vitro digestion model that simulates the chemical and physical conditions of the crop, proventriculus and intestine of chickens. Furthermore, the treated group also showed a significant reduction in FITC‐d, liver BT and ammonia in the manure. These results suggest that HA have a positive impact in intestinal integrity in chickens.     

Mapping of IS6110 insertion sites in Mycobacterium bovis isolates in relation to adaptation from the animal to human host

The physiological role and impact of IS6110 insertions on the biology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex is not well understood. Insertion of IS6110 in coding regions can cause loss of gene activity, while homologous recombination between two copies of IS6110 can result in the deletion of genes or in rearrangement of genomic regions involved. In addition to these genomic changes, IS6110 can also activate flanking genes through acting as a mobile promoter.

In order to determine the possible role of IS6110 transposition in the adaptation to humans, we selected Mycobacterium bovis isolates from endogenous reactivation cases in elderly people in The Netherlands. The human isolates contained higher number of IS6110 copies in comparison to the bovine M. bovis strains. These additional integration sites of IS6110 were sequenced and analyzed. From 12 of such IS6110 insertion sites, 6 loci were located in the intergenic regions, and 6 other occurred within coding regions. IS6110 was inserted in a position where it might serve as a promoter in two cases. We conclude that IS6110 transpositions in M. bovis may be a driving force in the adaptation from the animal to the human host.