Free choice feeding of whole grains in meat-type pigeons: 1. effect on performance,carcass traits and organ development

1. The effects of 5 different feeding systems on the performance, carcass traits and organ development were studied in pigeon squabs.

2. The 5 treatments were (1) whole grains of maize, pea and wheat plus concentrate feed; (2)whole grains of maize and wheat plus concentrate feed (CWC); (3) whole grains of maize and pea plus concentrate feed; (4)whole grain of maize plus concentrate feed (CC); and (5) compound feed (CF).

3. Feed intake of parent pigeons increased significantly from 0 to 21 d and it was higher in the CF treatment. Body weight of squabs in the CWC treatment was the highest among the 5 treatments in 4 weeks. Body weight losses of parental pigeons during the rearing period were not significantly different among the 5 treatments.

4. Protein intake in CC and CWC treatments was lower than that of the other three treatments. The CWC treatment had the highest daily weight gain and the lowest feed conversion ratio. Treatments were statistically similar in the relative weight of carcass, breast and thigh. CF had the lower relative weight of abdominal fat.

5. Relative weight of gizzard in the CF treatment was significantly lower than that of CWC.

6. It was concluded that the application of free choice feeding of whole grains of maize and wheat plus concentrate feed increased the body weight of 28-d-old pigeon squabs and decreased the feed conversion rate of parent pigeons. This feeding strategy could be commercially interesting in meat-type pigeon production.

     

Deoxynivalenol in chicken feed alters the vaccinal immune response and clinical biochemical serum parameters but not the intestinal and carcass characteristics

This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of deoxynivalenol (DON) feeding either alone or in combination with a microbial feed additive (MFA) on the immune response to a viral vaccine and serum clinical chemical parameters. Forty 1‐day‐old boiler chicks were weighed and randomly divided into four groups, 10 birds in each group: (i) control group fed with basal diet; (ii) DON group fed with basal diet artificially contaminated with 10 mg DON/kg feed; (iii) DON + MFA group fed with basal diet contaminated with 10 mg DON/kg feed and supplemented with 2.5 kg of MFA/ton feed; and (iv) MFA group fed with basal diet supplemented with 2.5 kg of MFA/ton feed. At 35 days of age, birds were slaughtered and blood was collected for investigating the antibody titre against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and clinical chemical parameters. The results showed that DON reduced (p = 0.032) the titre against IBV, decreased (p = 0.005) the level of alanine transaminase (ALT) (4.2 ± 0.5 U/l) compared with control birds (6.4 ± 0.5 U/l), increased (p = 0.002) the serum cholesterol concentration (144 ± 6 mg/dl) compared with their control counterparts (123 ± 5 mg/dl) and increased (p = 0.074) the amount of circulating triglycerides (62.25 ± 7.50 mg/dl) compared with controls (39.55 ± 4.74). These results indicate that dietary DON altered the humoral immune response to viral vaccine and affected the serum clinical biochemistry. However, DON in combination with MFA did not affect serum IBV titre. Taken together, DON in the feed of broilers produced an impairment of the success of IBV vaccine and affected the health of birds.     

Effect of urea supplementation on performance and safety in diets of Dorper crossbred sheep

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dietary urea in sheep rations having a 50:50 concentrate:roughage ratio. Sixty‐four Dorper × thin‐tailed Han crossbred ram lambs with an average body weight of 30.8 (±0.02) kg were randomly divided into four groups of 16 sheep each, and each group was fed one of the following diets: a basal diet (CON), or CON supplemented with 0.5% (0.5UTM), 1.5% (1.5UTM) or 2.5% (2.5UTM) urea. Growth performance, carcass characteristics, non‐carcass offals, meat quality and peptic tissue lesions were assayed. The average daily weight gains for CON, 0.5UTM, 1.5UTM and 2.5UTM were 216, 218, 200 and 170 g, respectively, with the CON and 0.5UTM groups higher than 2.5UTM group (p < 0.05). Sheep from the 2.5UTM treatment had a significantly lower dry matter intake (1.29 kg/day) than those from the CON and 0.5UTM treatments (1.42 and 1.43 kg/day, p < 0.05), and the feed conversion ratio in the 2.5UTM group was the highest (p < 0.05). Carcass characteristics, including shrunk body weight, empty body weight, hot carcass weight, dress percentage, and the absolute or relative weight (% body weight) of heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney, were not altered by the treatments (p > 0.05). The muscular pH of 2.5UTM was higher than that of CON (5.68 vs. 5.52, p < 0.05), and shear force in 0.5UTM was lower compared with CON and 2.5UTM (p < 0.05). The anatomical structure lesions in kidneys became more serious with the increasing dietary urea concentrations, with the 2.5UTM animals showing the most severe lesions compared with CON animals. Therefore, supplementary urea as a non‐protein nitrogen source for sheep should not exceed 1.5% of ration having a 50:50 concentrate:roughage ratio to ensure efficacy and safety.     

The influences of ambient temperature and crude protein levels on performance and serum biochemical parameters in broilers

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of ambient temperature, crude protein levels and their interaction on performance and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 216 Arbor Acre broiler chickens (108 males and 108 females) were used in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement and randomly reared at two temperatures (normal temperature: 23 °C; daily cyclic high temperature: 28–32 °C) and fed on three diets with different crude protein levels (153.3, 183.3 or 213.3 g/kg, with constant essential amino acids) from 28 to 42 days of age. Daily cyclic high ambient temperature decreased final body weight, average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and serum total protein contents (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.008 respectively), but increased feed/gain, mortality, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, serum uric acid contents and serum creatine kinase activity (p = 0.008, p = 0.003, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p = 0.003 respectively), irrespective of crude protein levels. At the ambient temperature, reducing crude protein levels resulted in an increase in feed/gain (p < 0.001), but a decrease in serum total protein and uric acid contents. Only serum creatine kinase activity in broiler chickens was interacted by daily cyclic high ambient temperature and dietary crude protein levels (p = 0.003). These results indicated that daily cyclic high ambient temperature had a great effect on performance and serum biochemical parameters in broiler chickens, whereas dietary crude protein levels affected them partially.     

Mutant-prevention concentrations of enrofloxacin for Escherichia coli isolates from chickens

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the development of enrofloxacin resistance among Escherichia coli isolates obtained from chickens by determining mutant-prevention concentrations (MPCs) and sequence the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrA and parC genes in selected isolates. SAMPLE POPULATION: 15 chicken-derived E coli isolates. PROCEDURES: For all isolates, MPC and minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) of enrofloxacin were determined. The MPCs and maximum serum drug concentrations attained with enrofloxacin doses recommended for treatment of E coli infections in chickens were compared. Mutation frequencies and QRDR sequence changes in gyrA and parC were also determined. RESULTS: In 2 of 15 E coli strains, MPCs were low (0.016 and 0.062 microg/mL), MPC:MIC ratios were 2 and 4, and the GyrA and ParC proteins had no mutations. In 9 susceptible isolates with a GyrA point mutation, MPCs ranged from 2 to 16 microg/mL. For isolates with double mutations in GyrA and a single mutation in ParC, MPCs were > 32 microg/mL (several fold greater than the maximal plasma concentration of enrofloxacin in chickens); mutation frequencies were also much lower, compared with frequencies for single-mutation isolates. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: For E coli infections of chickens, MPC appears to be useful for determining enrofloxacin-dosing strategies. The high MPC:MIC ratio may result in enrofloxacin-treatment failure in chickens infected with some wild-type gyrA E coli isolates despite the isolates' enrofloxacin susceptibility (MICs 0.125 to 1 microg/mL). For infections involving isolates with high MPCs, especially those containing mutations in gyrA and parC genes, treatment with combinations of antimicrobials should be adopted.     

Hyperthyroidism due to an intrathoracic tumour in a dog with test results suggesting hyperadrenocorticism

The elevated urinary corticoid/creatinine ratios of an 11-year-old Jack Russell terrier with polyuria were suppressible in a high-dose dexamethasone suppression test, which was suggestive of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism. The absence of physical and routine-laboratory changes compatible with hyperadrenocorticism and the relatively high plasma thyroxine concentration were the impetus for additional studies of thyroid and adrenocortical functions. A high plasma thyroxine concentration (62 nmol/l; 5.0 microg/100 ml) suggested the presence of hyperthyroidism. Radiography, (99m)TcO(4) (-) scintigraphy, ultrasonography, computed tomography and cytology revealed a hyperfunctioning intrathoracic thyroid tumour. In the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test, the plasma cortisol concentration exceeded the reference value of 40 nmol/l (1.4 microg/100 ml) at eight hours after dexamethasone administration (0.01 mg/kg intravenously), a test result compatible with hyperadrenocorticism. In conclusion, this report represents the first case of a dog with an autonomously hyperfunctioning thyroid tumour in the thorax. The elevated urinary corticoid excretion and the positive low-dose dexamethasone suppression test may be explained by alterations in cortisol metabolism, the stress of the hyperthyroid state or both.     

非亲和性稻瘟病菌对水稻的诱导抗性

为研究稻瘟病菌Magnaporthe oryzae不同菌株间的相互作用,选择与单抗性基因系水稻IRBL5-M （携带抗性基因Pi5）表现为亲和性的菌株HN52与非亲和性的菌株HN119为研究对象,将其单独或混合接种到单抗性基因系水稻IRBL5-M中,并通过荧光显微镜观察接种后水稻叶鞘的发病情况及病斑面积,测定接种后水稻内相关抗性基因OsWRKY45、OsNPR1、OsPR10、OsMAPK2的表达量以及活性氧的变化。结果显示,相较于单独接种亲和性菌株,混合接种后单抗性基因系水稻IRBL5-M病斑发病面积减少;混合接种中亲和性菌株HN52菌丝侵染能力降低,侵染菌丝细胞间扩展率显著降低73.13%;同时单抗性基因系水稻IRBL5-M中OsWRKY45、OsNPR1、OsPR10和OsMAPK2抗性基因表达量显著增加,水稻叶片中活性氧含量增加,表明在菌株混合侵染过程中,非亲和性菌株可通过激发水稻的抗性反应来降低亲和性菌株对水稻的侵染程度。     

苏氨酸和异亮氨酸对皖西白鹅屠宰性能、器官指数及肠道形态结构、消化酶活性、抗氧化和免疫指标的影响

本试验旨在研究苏氨酸和异亮氨酸对皖西白鹅屠宰性能、器官指数及肠道形态结构、消化酶活性、抗氧化和免疫指标的影响。选取30日龄体重相近的皖西白鹅180只,随机分为3组,每组3个重复,每个重复20只。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,苏氨酸组在基础饲粮中添加2.0 g/kg的L-苏氨酸,异亮氨酸组在基础饲粮中添加2.5 g/kg的L-异亮氨酸。试验期60 d。结果表明：1）各组之间90日龄屠宰性能和器官指数无显著差异（P>0.05）。2）异亮氨酸组60日龄十二指肠和空肠绒毛高度、隐窝深度显著或极显著高于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）,苏氨酸组60日龄十二指肠、空肠和回肠隐窝深度及90日龄十二指肠和回肠绒毛高度显著或极显著高于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。3）苏氨酸组和异亮氨酸组60、90日龄十二指肠胰蛋白酶活性极显著高于对照组（P<0.01）,苏氨酸组60、90日龄十二指肠麦芽糖酶活性及90日龄空肠淀粉酶、乳糖酶活性显著或极显著高于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。4）异亮氨酸组60日龄空肠总抗氧化能力显著高于对照组和苏氨酸组（P<0...