Rearing conditions affected responses of weaned pigs to organic acids showing a positive effect on digestibility,microflora and immunity

Three experiments were conducted to assess the response of weaned pigs to organic acid SF3, which contains 34% calcium formate, 16% calcium lactate, 7% citric acid and 13% medium chain fatty acids. Dietary treatments had no effect on growth performance of piglets (21‐day weaning) fed the commercial prestart diet for 1 week before receiving the experimental diets supplemented with SF3 at 0, 3 or 5 g/kg diet (Exp. 1), whereas diarrhea frequency averaged across a week was decreased by SF3 supplementation (5 g/kg diet) in piglets fed the experimental diets immediately after weaning (Exp. 2). In Exp. 3, piglets (28‐day weaning) were fed the control (containing pure colistin sulfate and enramycin, respectively, at 20 mg/kg diet) for 1 week and then were fed the control or SF3‐supplemented (5 g/kg diet) diet for 2 weeks. The SF3‐fed piglets had greater apparent ileal digestibility of calcium and dry matter, while also demonstrating greater overall gross energy, up‐regulated jejunal expression of sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐1 and transforming growth factor‐β, down‐regulated jejunal expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, higher ileal Lactobacillus, with lower total bacteria content, lower plasma TNF‐α but higher IgG levels than the control‐fed piglets. Collectively, SF3 consumption improved diarrhea resistance of weaned pigs by improving nutrient digestibility, piglet immunity and intestinal bacteria profile. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

Herd characteristics influence farmers’ preferences for trait improvements in Danish Red and Danish Jersey cows

The aim of this study was to characterize preferences of farmers for breeding goal traits with Danish Red (DR) or Danish Jersey (DJ) cows. A breed-specific survey was established to characterize farmers’ preferences for improvements in 10 traits, by means of pairwise rankings using the online software 1000Minds. These pairwise rankings were based on equal economic worth of trait improvements. The DR survey was filled in by 87 farmers and the DJ survey by 76 farmers. Both DR and DJ farmers gave the highest preference to improvements in mastitis, and the lowest to calving difficulty. By means of a cluster analysis, three distinct clusters of farmers were identified per breed. Comparisons of herd characteristics between clusters suggest that farmers choose to improve traits that are problematic in their herds. This study shows that heterogeneity exists in farmers’ preferences for trait improvements and that herd characteristics influence these preferences in DR and DJ.     

Behaviour in one fast-growing and one slower-growing broiler (Gallus gallus domesticus) hybrid fed a high- or low-protein diet during a 10-week rearing period

This study compared behavioural time budgets, presence of comfort behaviours and social behaviours in two different broiler genotypes (the fast-growing Ross 308 (R) and the slower-growing Rowan Ranger (RR)) fed organic diets with high (17.0% crude protein (CP)) or low (14.5% CP) protein content during a 10-week rearing period. 429-day-old chicks (218 R and 211 RR, respectively) were included in the study and behaviour was recorded at 2, 6 and 9 weeks of age. The results showed no effect of diet treatments but that R broilers were less active and sat, ate and drank more frequently than RR broilers, which stood and perched more frequently. However, both hybrids showed decreasing activity and foraging behaviour with increasing age, while time spent eating and sleeping was approximately similar over the entire rearing period.     

Content and distribution of different phosphorus forms in broiler chickens

To understand the background value of phosphorus in chickens, the quantitative distribution of different phosphorus forms, including total phosphorus (TP), free phosphate (FP) and phospholipid (PL), in viscera, blood and bones of broiler chickens was investigated. Results showed that phosphorus contents exhibited significant differences in different parts of chickens. TP content of breast and thigh meat was over 5.0 g/kg, in which most of the phosphorus was in the form of water‐soluble phosphates. TP content in viscera was higher than that in meat, and spleen was observed to contain the highest amount of phosphorus (10.0 g/kg). In all tested organs, FP and PL contents in liver were the highest, ranging between 1207–1989 and 81–369 mg/kg respectively. TP content in chicken bone was in the range of 52 716–136 643 mg/kg, and FP content in the bone was relatively lower than that in chicken meat.     

Mineral absorption in the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) as compared with the domestic horse

To test whether mineral recommendations for horses are likely to guarantee adequate mineral provision for black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis), we investigated the apparent absorption (aA) of macro- and microminerals in eight black rhinoceroses from three zoological institutions in a total of 32 feeding trials with total faecal collection, with additional data from three unpublished studies (18 feeding trials). Feeds and faeces were analysed for Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Co. The resulting aA coefficients, and the linear relationships of apparently absorbable dietary mineral content to total dietary mineral content [per 100 g dry matter (DM)], were compared with data for domestic horses. Rhinoceroses had significantly higher aA coefficients for Ca and Mg (because of a higher calculated 'true' absorption), and lower ones for Na and K (because of calculated higher endogenous faecal losses). High absorption efficiency for divalent cations is hypothesized to be an adaptation to a natural diet of particularly high Ca:P ratio (approximately 14:1); an effective removal of Ca from the ingesta guarantees sufficient P availability at the fermentation site in the hindgut. Higher faecal losses of Na and K are hypothesized to be linked to a higher faecal bulk per DM intake in black rhinoceroses as compared with horses because of a generally lower digestive efficiency. There were no relevant differences in the absorption patterns of microminerals. In particular, there were no discernable differences in Fe absorption within the rhinoceroses for diets with and without tannin supplementation. Several of the zoo diets assessed in this study were deficient in Cu, Mn or Zn, and most contained excessive levels of Fe when compared with horse requirements. The findings of this study indicate that differences in mineral absorption between occur even between species of similar digestive anatomy; that in particular, Ca absorption might vary between hindgut fermenters with Ca:P ratio in their natural diet; that Na might be a particularly limiting factor in the ecology of free-ranging rhinoceroses; that moderate doses of tannins do not seem to markedly influence mineral absorption; and that diets for captive animals should contain adequate, but not excessive mineral levels.     

氮磷钾配施对红花产量及其有效成分在器官中分配的影响

于2018—2019年在河南科技学院试验田,以百农红花1号为材料,设计氮、磷、钾三因素和无肥(N0、P0、K0)、低肥(N1、P1、K1)、中肥(N2、P2、K2)、高肥(N3、P3、K3)四水平试验,以T1(N0P0K0)为对照,T2 (N0P2K2)、T3(N1P2K2)、T4(N2P2K2)、T5(N3P2K2)、T6(N2P0K2)、T7(N2P1K2)、T8(N2P3K2)、T9(N2P2K0)、T10(N2P2K1)、T11(N2P2K3)为不同配施水平,共11个处理,研究氮、磷、钾肥用量及配比对红花产量的影响,探讨氮、磷、钾不同用量及配比下红花生育期各器官中有效成分分配规律。结果表明：红花花产量随氮肥用量的增加而增加,以T5最高,与T1相比增加59.44%,随磷肥和钾肥用量的增加呈先上升后下降趋势,均以T4最大,与T1相比增加42.87%;红花种子产量随氮、磷、钾肥用量的增加呈先上升后下降的趋势,均以T4最高,与T1相比增加116.52%。氮、磷、钾肥不同用量及配比对红花生育期各器官中黄酮含量影响有相同规律,从苗期到成熟期,叶和茎黄酮含量均表现为先下降后上升的趋势,根中黄...     

赤霉素和磷肥配合施用对胡麻光合酶活性及其产量形成的影响

为探究赤霉素和磷肥配合施用对胡麻叶片光合酶活性以及籽粒产量的影响,以‘轮选2号’为材料,采用田间二因素裂区试验设计,研究了不同磷肥用量水平(P₀:0 kg·hm^-2 P₂O₅,P₁:67.5 kg·hm^-2 P₂O₅,P₂:135 kg·hm^-2 P₂O₅)和赤霉素(Gibberellin acid, GA₃)喷施浓度(G₀:0 mg L^-1,G₁:15 mg·L^-1,G₂:30 mg·L^-1)对胡麻光合同化酶活性、干物质积累量及籽粒产量的影响。结果表明：施磷和喷施赤霉素均显著提高了胡麻叶片RuBP(Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate)、PEP(Phospho...     

Efficiency of inorganic fungicides against the formation of Erysiphe necator chasmothecia in vineyards

BACKGROUND

A reduction in chasmothecia, an important inoculum of grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator Schwein.), is essential for disease control in vineyards; the use of fungicides during the formation of chasmothecia on vine leaves, late in the growing season, may accomplish this. Inorganic fungicides, such as sulphur, copper, and potassium bicarbonate, are very useful for this purpose because of their multisite mode of action. The aim of this study was to evaluate chasmothecia reduction using different fungicide applications late in the growing season in commercially managed vineyards and in an exact application trial.

RESULTS

Chasmothecia on vine leaves were reduced in commercial vineyards by four copper (P = 0.01) and five potassium bicarbonate (P = 0.026) applications. The positive effect of potassium bicarbonate was also confirmed in the application trial, where two applications showed lower chasmothecia numbers than the control (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The application of inorganic fungicides reduced the amount of chasmothecia as the primary inoculum source. Potassium bicarbonate and copper are of further interest for disease control as these fungicides can be used by organic and conventional wine growers. The application of these fungicides should be carried out as late as possible before harvest to reduce chasmothecia formation and, consequently, the potential for powdery mildew infestation in the subsequent season. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.