Effect of Stocking Density on Growth,Survival, and Condition of the Mexican Cichlid Cichlasoma beani

The Mexican cichlid Cichlasoma beani is currently exploited regionally as food and can be commercialized in the aquarium trade. Natural populations of C. beani may already be negatively affected by anthropogenic alteration of the areas in which it is distributed. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect on growth, survival, and condition of C. beani cultured in three stocking densities: three (D3), six (D6), and nine (D9) fish per each 40 L tank. At the end of a 6‐wk trial the fish cultured in D3 were longer, heavier, and grew faster than the rest of the treatments but their survival was the lowest compared to D6 and D9. The mortalities were caused by a strong aggressive behavior in D3.     

Xylanase and xylo- oligosaccharide prebiotic improve the growth performance and concentration of potentially prebiotic oligosaccharides in the ileum of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT

1. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementing broiler diets with xylanase or xylo- oligosaccharide (XOS) on growth performance, the concentration of non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) hydrolysis products in the ileum and concentration of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) in the caeca of broiler chickens.

2. In total, 500 male Ross 308 broilers were used in this 29-day (d) study. The treatments were organised into a 2 × 2 plus 1 factorial arrangement consisting of two additives (xylanase or XOS) at two levels (low or high) plus a control treatment with no additives. This gave five treatments with 100 birds in each treatment group. The diets were slightly deficient in protein by 20 g/kg and energy by 1 MJ/kg.

3. On d 14 and 28, two birds per pen were euthanised, the caeca content collected and analysed for short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration. On d 29, six birds per pen were euthanised and ileal digesta were collected and analysed for the concentration of NSP fractions.

4. On d 14, caecal acetic acid, iso-butyric acid, iso-valeric acid, n-valeric acid and total SCFA concentrations were significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) when diets were supplemented with XOS compared with xylanase.

5. Ileal concentration of arabinose, galactose and glucuronic acid (GlucA2) were significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) in the insoluble NSP fraction when diets were supplemented with a high level of xylanase, compared with the control treatment. Ileal concentration of fructose was significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) in the water soluble NSP when a high level of xylanase or low level of XOS were included in the diet compared with the control.

6. It was concluded that xylanase and XOS had similar effects on NSP concentration and SCFA in the caeca, although there was little effect on performance. This observation demonstrated further benefits of xylanase supplementation in wheat-based broiler diets beyond digesta viscosity reduction and the release of extra nutrients.     

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.     

Surgical management of bilateral,upper and lower eyelid entropion in 27 Shar Pei dogs,using the Stades forced granulation procedure of the upper eyelid only

ABSTRACT

Aims: To evaluate the outcome of surgical management of entropion of the upper and lower eyelids in Shar Pei dogs which had previously undergone temporary palpebral tacking, using the Stades forced granulation procedure of the upper eyelid only.

Methods: Medical records were retrospectively searched to identify Shar Pei dogs referred for bilateral entropion of both the lower and upper eyelids, and that were treated with the forced granulation procedure of the upper eyelid only. Dogs were included if they had previously undergone unsuccessful temporary palpebral tacking and had at least three follow-up examinations in the 30 days following surgery.

Results: Twenty-seven Shar Pei dogs with a median age of 7.9 (min 4, max 24) months were included in the study. Before surgery, all dogs showed signs of severe ocular discomfort with bilateral keratitis and visual deficit due to blepharospasm, enophthalmos and protrusion of the third eyelid. In 13/54 eyes, keratitis was associated with a corneal ulcer. When re-examined 4 weeks after surgery, correction of the upper eyelid entropion and associated trichiasis resolved ocular signs in 50/54 eyes. Mild bilateral lower entropion remained in two dogs postoperatively, which underwent revision surgery with the Hotz-Celsus technique. There were no cases of long-term recurrence of entropion or ocular irritation in the 38 eyes (19 dogs) which were re-examined 1 year after surgery.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: The forced granulation procedure performed on the upper eyelid only was effective for correction of entropion in the Shar Pei dogs included in this study. In our experience, it is preferable to operate on the upper eyelid alone, rather than attempting to correct upper and lower entropion during the same surgical operation. The dog can then be reassessed a few weeks later to determine whether the lower entropion is anatomical or secondary to the severe blepharospasm resulting from the painful ocular irritation.     

Incubation success and habitat selection of shore‐spawning kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka: effects of water‐level regulation and habitat characteristics

Changes to water‐level regimes have been known to restructure fish assemblages and interfere with the population dynamics of both littoral and pelagic species. The effect of altered water‐level regimes on shore‐spawning kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka incubation success was evaluated using a comprehensive in situ study in Lake Pend Oreille, ID, USA. Survival was not related to substrate size composition or depth, indicating that shore‐spawning kokanee do not currently receive a substrate‐mediated survival benefit from higher winter water levels. Substrate composition also did not differ among isobaths in the nearshore area. On average, the odds of an egg surviving to the preemergent stage were more than three times greater for sites in downwelling areas than those lacking downwelling. This study revealed that shoreline spawning habitat is not as limited as previously thought. Downwelling areas appear to contribute substantially to shore‐spawning kokanee recruitment. This research illustrates the value of rigorous in situ studies both for testing potential mechanisms underlying population trends and providing insight into spawning habitat selection.     

Turbidity‐induced changes in emergent effects of multiple predators with different foraging strategies

Abstract – In natural systems, prey frequently interact with multiple predators and the outcome often cannot be predicted by summing the effects of individual predator species. Multiple predator interactions can create emergent effects for prey, but how those change across environmental gradients is poorly understood. Turbidity is an environmental factor in aquatic systems that may influence multiple predator effects on prey. Interactions between a cruising predator (largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides) and an ambush predator (muskellunge Esox masquinongy) and their combination foraging on a shared prey (bluegill Lepomis macrochirus) were examined across a turbidity gradient. Turbidity modified multiple predator effects on prey. In clear water, combined predators consumed in total more prey than expected from individual predator treatments, suggesting risk enhancement for prey. In moderately turbid water, the predators consumed fewer prey together than expected, suggesting a risk reduction for prey. At high turbidity, there were no apparent emergent effects; however, the cruising predator consumed more prey than the ambush predator, suggesting an advantage for this predator. Understanding multiple predator traits across a gradient of turbidity increases our understanding of how complex natural systems function.     

Dietary plasticity in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in response to long‐term environmental change

Corrigan LJ, Winfield IJ, Hoelzel AR, Lucas MC. Dietary plasticity in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in response to long‐term environmental change.
Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2011: 20: 5–13. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract –  In the face of widespread environmental change impacts, there is a need to better understand mechanisms promoting flexibility and resilience of ecosystem components to such change to inform strategies for conservation. Glacial relict species are especially vulnerable to such changes. We investigated the behavioural responses of a native, glacial relict species, Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) to long‐term environmental changes. It was hypothesised that changes in feeding behaviour would occur as a key intermediary to reduction in habitat availability (through climate change and eutrophication) or competitive interactions [with introduced roach (Rutilus rutilus)]. Stomach content analysis was used to assess the diet of 199 charr caught from Windermere, United Kingdom, in the months of March, June, September and November 2003–2007. The results were compared to data from 1940 to 1951 prior to the environmental changes and revealed a marked increase in the contribution of benthic invertebrates in the present diet. Stable isotope analysis confirms the results of the stomach analysis, suggesting that the charr have switched their diet from zooplanktivory towards benthivory. We discuss the possibility that habitat modification and roach population expansion in Windermere have contributed to changes in charr diet. Complementary studies suggest that this diet shift is more likely to be a response to the increasing roach population than to habitat modification; however, further study in Windermere would be required to elucidate the exact mechanism. Long‐term data sets such as these provide information that is useful for determining the directivity of ecological change and the capability of species to respond to change.     

Effect of cryogel on soil properties

Samples from the A1 and A1A2 horizons of sandy loamy gray forest soil containing 3.1% organic matter have been mixed with a 5% solution of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) at a ratio of 7 : 1 under laboratory conditions. The samples were frozen at ?20°C in a refrigerator; after a freezing-thawing cycle, the evaporation of water from their surface, their thermal conductivity coefficient, their elasticity modulus, and other properties were studied. It has been experimentally found that the thermal conductivity coefficient of cryostructured soil is lower than that of common soil by 25%. It has been shown that the cryostructured soil retains water for a longer time and that the water evaporation rate from its surface is significantly lower compared to the control soil. Cryogel has no negative effect on the catalase activity of soil; it changes the physical properties of soils and positively affects the population of indigenous soil microflora and the growth of the sown plants.