Soy Protein Isolate versus Meat-Based Low-Protein Diet for Dogs with Congenital Portosystemic Shunts

Background: Both presurgical preparation and long-term support of nonoperable dogs with congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) require optimal dietary management. Studies suggested that protein source may play an important role, with vegetable and dairy protein sources having better effects on hepatic encephalopathy (HE) than meat proteins.
Objectives: Determine whether a low-protein test diet with soy as its main protein source results in better scores than a control diet with the same composition but with poultry as its main protein source in dogs with CPSS.
Methods: In a double-blind cross-over study, 16 dogs received each diet for 4 weeks. Dogs in group T first received the test diet and then the control diet, whereas dogs in group C were fed the diets in the opposite order. Different variables (body weight, body condition score, HE score, fecal score, CBC, plasma tests of liver function including NH₃, and coagulation tests) were measured at the start of the study and after completion of each diet.
Results: One-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed. Plasma NH₃ was significantly lower after the test diet than after the control diet. The test diet also resulted in significantly higher fibrinogen concentrations and lower prothrombin times. The HE score improved with both diets, with no significant difference between the 2 diets.
Conclusions: Both diets achieved a significant improvement in HE score. The influence of the soy-based diet on plasma NH₃ concentration and coagulation parameters suggests that such a diet decreases the risk for HE and gives better support of liver function.     

Nursing duration and pond fertilization level affect polycultures of Indian major carp (rohu Labeo rohita and mrigal Cirrhina mrigala) with monosex Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

This study investigated the effects of nursing duration on the subsequent performance of rohu (R) Labeo rohita and mrigal (M) Cirrhina mrigala in polyculture with monosex male Nile tilapia (T) Oreochromis niloticus at four levels of pond fertilization. Nile tilapia, rohu and mrigal were stocked at a ratio of 4:1:1 in a 90‐day trial based on 40 20‐m² pens fixed in four 400‐m² earthen ponds. Growth of carp fingerlings during prolonged nursing (5 or 12 months) was stunted compared with fish nursed over a conventional duration of 3 months (3) but showed superior growth subsequently. Mean daily weight gain of stunted rohu (12) ranged from 2.2 to 2.8 g per fish day^?1 compared with 1.1–1.6 g per fish day^?1 for younger fish (3). The comparable ranges for mrigal were 1.9–2.8 and 1.4–2.1 g per fish day^?1. Growth of Nile tilapia was inversely related to duration of carp nursing at the four levels of fertilization. Nile tilapia showed more response to increasing levels of fertilizer input (Y=?1.421+1.716X, where Y is the daily weight gain of Nile tilapia and X is the fertilizer level, r²=0.98, P<0.01, n=12). At a high level of fertilization (3.0 kg N:1.5 kg P ha^?1 day^?1), performance of stunted fingerlings (5 and 12) of both rohu and mrigal was similar (range 2.3–2.8 g per fish day^?1, P>0.05), but younger mrigal (M3) grew faster than rohu (2.1 g per fish day^?1 and 1.6 g per fish day^?1 respectively). Older rohu (12) appeared to perform particularly well, and Nile tilapia poorly at the lowest level of fertilization (1.5 N:0.75 kg P ha^?1 day^?1), suggesting the impact of age of seed on competition within polycultures. The net fish yield (NFY) of tilapia was not affected significantly (P>0.05) by differential stocking age of carps; therefore, combined NFY of the three experimental fish species was not affected by the age of carp, as tilapia was the dominant species in polyculture. The highest combined NFY of all species in the most intensively fertilized pond (3.0 N:1.5 P kg ha^?1 day^?1) was calculated at 4.06±0.08 g·m^?2 day^?1, which was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the yield (1.82±0.12 g·m^?2 day^?1) from the pond with the lowest fertilization. At the highest fertilizer level, tilapia, rohu and mrigal contributed 72%, 14% and 14%, respectively, to the NFY, whereas the ratio was 60%, 20% and 20% at the lowest fertilization level. The study indicated that yields from tilapia in polyculture with the two carp species in more eutrophic water can be optimized if advanced nursing of carps is practised. Moreover, higher inputs of inorganic fertilizer and advanced nursing of carp are economically attractive under Bangladeshi conditions. Advanced nursing of rohu also improves its performance in more extensive systems when tilapia densities are high.     

在淡水鱼类混养系统中吊养三角帆蚌对养殖产量和水质的影响

通过78 d围隔养殖实验检验了在草鱼、鲫、鲢、鳙混养系统中吊养三角帆蚌对鱼产量和水质的影响。设2个处理,处理Ⅰ混养草鱼、鲫、鲢和鳙,处理Ⅱ在处理Ⅰ基础上按鱼∶蚌=1∶1的比例配养三角帆蚌。实验期间定期采样分析浮游植物种类组成和生物量、初级生产力(P)、群落呼吸(R)、溶氧(DO)、pH、透明度(SD)、主要离子(CO2-3、HCO-3、Cl-、SO2-4、Ca2+、Mg2+)、总碱度、总硬度、氨态氮、亚硝酸态氮、硝酸态氮、活性磷、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、总有机碳(TOC)、高锰酸钾指数(COD M n)和生化耗氧量(BOD5)。结果发现,吊养三角帆蚌显著降低水体中Ca2+浓度,但对其他指标均无显著影响。处理Ⅱ草鱼、鲫、鲢产量略高于处理Ⅰ,而鳙产量略低于后者,表明在草鱼、鲫、鲢、鳙混养系统中按1∶1的比例配养三角帆蚌不会导致草鱼和鲫产量下降,但导致鳙产量降低。处理Ⅱ浮游植物多样性(Shannon-Weaver多样性指数、Margalef丰富度指数、Pielou均匀度指数和种类数)、P、P/R、SD和DO略高于处理Ⅰ,而氨态氮、活性磷、TN、TP、COD M n、BOD5和TOC略低于后者,表明在混养系统中配养三角帆蚌可显著降低养殖水体Ca2+浓度,同时可在一定程度上提高浮游植物多样性、P和DO并降低TN、TP、COD M n、BOD5和TOC。结果表明,在淡水鱼类混养系统中适度配养三角帆蚌可提高养殖的经济效益,同时有助于降低养殖系统内氮、磷和有机废物的积累。     

肉牛强度育肥高新技术应用效果

经调查，山西省某国营煤矿肉牛育肥场，聘请高级科技人员，采用最新的科研成果－－Ｅ－Ｎ和ＸＤＣＰ蛋白新体系，配套应用添加剂和饲管新技术，使强度育肥生产技术经济指标达到罗高水平。８８头育肥牛平均饲养１４２ｄ，日增重１．３２ｋｇ，料重比２．４４。其中始３００ｋｇ以上的２１头，强度育肥９８ｄ，日增重２．２９ｋｇ，料重比１．８９。按市价计算，每增重１ｋｇ毛刺３．８７元，头均１１２８．６２元，取得了育肥期短，增     

Spreading deserts or spatially confined environmental impacts? land degradation and cattle ranching in the kalahari desert of botswana

The Kalahari Desert of Botswana is being increasingly used for livestock production, particularly through the establishment of ranches dependent on borehole water supplies. Reports of the environmental impacts of land use practices in such drylands are conflicting, with livestock systems supplied by boreholes and wells being regarded in some studies as centres for the spread of desertification and in others as having environmental impacts that are overridden by the effects of natural climatic variability. the results of an environmental study focused on a block of borehole ranches established in the eastern Kalahari as part of Botswana's Tribal Grazing Lands Policy dating from the 1970s are reported. the investigations concentrated on ecological, soil chemistry and soil erosion impacts on the study ranches. Although important changes in the ecology and soil nutrient status of the ranches are identified, their contribution to environmental degradation must be viewed in terms of stocking levels, The radial nature of range usage, giving rise to marked spatial variations in impact, and natural climatic variability. Changes are not solely detrimental, but long-term monitoring, especially in relation to climatic fluctuations, needs to be undertaken to fully establish the dynamic interactions of variables.