Effect of a Previous Washing Step with Tannic Acid on the Quality of Minced Horse Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) During Frozen Storage

Fatty fish have been recognized as potential raw material for production of minced meat; however, they are prone to oxidation and further deterioration. In the present study, the effect of washing and antioxidant (tannic acid) treatment on the quality of minced meat of Trachurus trachurus (horse mackerel) during frozen storage was observed. Minced meat of Trachurus trachurus was divided into three lots (T0, T1, and T2). T1 was washed with cold water, T2 with cold water containing tannic acid (100 mg/kg), and T0 was not washed. All the lots were frozen at ?40°C and stored at ?20 ± 2°C for 125 days and were subjected to biochemical, microbiological, and sensory evaluation at regular intervals of 25 days. The antioxidant treatment with tannic acid at the dosage used was found effective in minimizing the rancidity problems of minced meat (T2), compared to T0 and T1. During the whole period of storage, samples from T2 showed good quality in terms of microbiological, biochemical, and sensory analysis compared to T1 and T0.     

Optimization of the stocking parameters for mud spiny lobster Panulirus polyphagus (Herbst, 1793) capture‐based aquaculture in tropical open sea floating net cages

Mud spiny lobsters, Panulirus polyphagus (Herbst, 1793), were reared at four different stocking sizes and stocking densities in open sea cages to evaluate their effects on growth performance. To evaluate the effect of stocking size on the growth performance, the lobsters were segregated into four different treatment groups according to size and were stocked at a density of 300 animals per cage. To evaluate the effect of stocking density on the growth performance, lobsters of 81–100 g were stocked in four different stocking densities, i.e. 16/m², 24/m², 32/m² and 40/m². The results showed that the growth rate of (60–80 g) size group, was significantly higher compared to the size groups, i.e. 101–120 g and 121–140 g comprising of larger individuals. The final body weight, though significantly higher in 81–100 g as compared to 60–80 g, the growth performance (i.e. weight gain percentage (WG %) and specific growth rate (SGR)) were not significantly different. The density‐dependent influence on growth performance was evident in this study. The WG % and SGR during 90 days’ culture period was significantly higher in 24/m² compared to other groups. This study provides crucial information about the appropriate stocking density and stocking size of lobsters at the field level, which would help to promote sustainable lobster cage farming by maximizing the production potential of the system.     

Assessment of perceived farming risks,communication of risk management practices,and evaluation of their efficiency in Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) farming—a survey-based cross-sectional study

Aquaculture International - Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) farming is an important commercial aquaculture production system contributing substantially to the economic and societal...     

Surgical Correction of Uterine Torsion and Mare–Foal Survival in Advance Pregnant Equine Patients

This article describes the surgical management of uterine torsion by midline celiotomy and cesarean section on 12 mares presented with signs of colic to a teaching veterinary hospital. The mares were either in full term of gestation (n = 7) or in advanced stage of pregnancy (n = 5). Six mares were in first parity. Uterine torsion was diagnosed by per rectal and per vaginal examinations. For surgical intervention, mares were anesthetized using a combination of xylazine (1.1 mg/kg) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg), intravenously. After intubation, the animals were maintained on halothane (n = 4) or isoflurane (n = 8) inhalation anesthesia. Midline celiotomy was performed, and foals were delivered by cesarean section. In 11 mares, before closing the abdominal wound, the uterus was detorted manually and confirmed for its normal position. Both anesthetic protocols using halothane and isoflurane were found satisfactory for surgical correction of uterine torsion. After long-term follow-up, the study reported 75.0% (9/12) survival rate for mares. One mare was euthanized because of devitalized, necrosed, and adhered uterus to the abdominal wall. Of the nine surviving mares, seven were successfully bred. Three foals were born alive, and only one could survive on long-term basis. Of the nine dead foals, two had umbilical cord torsion.     

Understanding genetic diversity in blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] collections of Indian National Genebank

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - Blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] is a protein rich pulse crop of Indian origin. The crop is cultivated in diverse range of agro-ecological regions,...     

Agronomic evaluation of mulching and iron nutrition on productivity,nutrient uptake,iron use efficiency and economics of aerobic rice-wheat cropping system

Field experiments were carried out during rainy (kharif) and winter (rabi) seasons (June–April) of 2008–2010 at Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, to study the productivity, nutrients uptake, iron (Fe) use-efficiency and economics of aerobic rice-wheat cropping system as influenced by mulching and Fe nutrition. The highest yield attributes, grain and straw yields (5.41 tonnes ha^?1 and 6.56 tonnes ha^?1, respectively) and nutrient uptake in rice was recorded with transplanted and puddled rice (TPR) followed by aerobic rice with Sesbania aculeata mulch. However, residual effect of aerobic rice with wheat straw mulch was more pronounced on yield attributes, grain and straw yields (4.20 and 6.70 tonnes ha^?1, respectively) and nutrient uptake in succeeding wheat and remained at par with aerobic rice with Sesbania mulch. Application of iron sulfate (FeSO₄) at 50 kg ha^?1 + 2 foliar sprays of 2% FeSO₄ was found to be the best in terms of all the yield attributes, grain and straw yield (5.09 and 6.17 tonnes ha^?1, respectively) and nutrient uptake and remained at par with 3 foliar sprays of 2% FeSO₄. Although residual effect of iron application failed to increase the yield attributes, yield and nutrient uptake nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N, P, K) except Fe. The highest system productivity, nutrient uptake, gross returns, net returns, B: C ratio and lowest cost of cultivation were recorded with aerobic rice with wheat straw and Sesbania aculeata mulch. Application of FeSO₄ at 50 kg ha^?1 + two foliar sprays of 2% FeSO₄ was found better in respect of system productivity, nutrient uptake, gross returns, net returns, B:C ratio and cost of cultivation in aerobic rice-wheat cropping system. The Fe use efficiency values viz. partial factor productivity (kg grain kg^?1 Fe), agronomic efficiency (kg grain increased kg^?1 Fe applied), agrophysiological efficiency (kg grain kg^?1 Fe uptake), physiological efficiency (kg biomass kg^?1 Fe uptake), apparent recovery (%) utilization efficiency and harvest index (%) of applied Fe were significantly affected due to methods of rice production and various Fe nutrition treatments in aerobic rice and aerobic rice-wheat cropping system.     

Influence of crop establishment methods on yield,economics and water productivity of rice cultivars under upland and lowland production ecologies of Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains

A field study on assessment of crop establishment methods on yield, economics and water productivity of rice cultivars under upland and lowland production ecologies was conducted during wet seasons (June–November) of 2012 and 2013 in Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The experiment was laid-out in a split-plot design (SPD) and replicated four times. The main-plot treatments included three crop establishment methods, viz. dry direct-seeded rice (DSR), system of rice intensification (SRI) and puddled transplanted rice (PTR). In sub-plots, five rice cultivars of different groups like aromatic (Improved Pusa Basmati 1 and Pusa Sugandh 5), inbreds (PNR 381 and Pusa 834) and hybrid (Arize 6444) were taken for their evaluations. These two sets of treatments were laid-out simultaneously in two production ecologies, upland and lowland during both years. In general, lowland ecology was found favourable for rice growth and yield and resulted in 13.2% higher grain yield as compared to upland ecology. Rice grown with SRI method produced 19.4 and 7.0% higher grain yield in 2012 and 20.6 and 7.1% higher in 2013, over DSR and PTR. However, PTR yielded 13.1 and 14.5% higher grain over DSR during 2012 and 2013, respectively. On an average, Arize 6444 produced 26.4, 26.9, 28.9 and 54.7% higher grain yield as compared to PS 5, P 834, PNR 381 and IPB1, respectively. Further, the interaction of production ecologies × crop establishment methods revealed that, in upland ecology, SRI recorded significantly higher grain yield as compared to PTR and DSR, but in lowland, grain yield resulting from SRI was similar to the yield obtained with PTR and significantly higher than DSR. The latter two methods (PTR and DSR) yielded alike in lowland ecology in both study years. The production ecologies × crop establishment methods × cultivars interaction on grain yield showed that the growing of Arize 6444 cultivar using SRI method in upland ecology resulted in the higher grain yield (8.87 t/ha). But the cost of production was also highest in SRI followed by PTR and DSR across production ecologies and cultivars. Cultivation of hybrid (Arize 6444) involved higher cost of production than all other cultivars. Irrespective of crop establishment methods and cultivars, gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio were significantly higher in lowland compared to upland ecology. Owing to higher grain yield, SRI method fetched significantly higher gross returns and net returns over PTR and DSR. Average increase in net return with Arize 6444 was 68.8, 41.0, 37.7 and 33.1% over IPB 1, PNR 381, P 834 and PS 5, respectively. There was a saving of 30.7% water in SRI and 19.9% in DSR over PTR under upland ecology. Similarly in lowland ecology, water saving of 30.2% was observed in SRI and 21.2% in DSR over PTR. Due to higher yield and saving on water, SRI returned significantly higher total water productivity (TWP) (5.9 kg/ha-mm) as compared to DSR (3.5 kg/ha-mm) and PTR (3.6 kg/ha-mm) under upland ecology. In lowland ecology, also SRI (6.2 kg/ha-mm) resulted in higher TWP as compared to other two methods. However, DSR gave significantly higher TWP as compared to PTR. Among cultivars, hybrid Arize 6444 recorded the highest TWP in both upland and lowland production ecologies across crop establishment methods. Hence, growing of hybrid Arize 6444 with SRI method can enhance rice productivity and water-use efficiency in lowland and upland production ecologies of Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains and in other similar regions.     

Papaya yellow leaf curl virus: A newly identified begomovirus infecting Carica papaya L. from the Indian Subcontinent

India is one of the world’s largest producers of papaya. Viruses, mainly begomoviruses and potyviruses, cause a significant loss in papaya production. The study described here has identified a new species of begomovirus and a new species of betasatellite infecting Carica papaya in India. The sequences of the begomovirus and betasatellite show 90.03% nucleotide sequence identity to an isolate of Radish leaf curl virus and 92.25% identity to an isolate of Tomato leaf curl betasatellite, respectively. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree of begomovirus sequence of isolate DP2 (KX353622) showed distant relationships with previously characterised begomoviruses. Recombination analysis proposed six recombination breakpoints in begomovirus genome with other geographical begomovirus isolates.     

Client donation program for acquiring dogs and cats to teach veterinary gross anatomy

A donor program for procuring dogs and cats to meet the needs of anatomical instruction was initiated six years ago at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. The program was initiated in order to comply with state regulations that preclude the use of shelter animals and to satisfy ethical objections of students and faculty. The donor program has successfully met the animal needs for teaching gross anatomy and, in addition, provides opportunities to integrate clinical perspectives and ethics beginning from the first year of veterinary education.