The effect of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) on spring and annual herbage production in urine patches when applied in late summer or early autumn

A cut plot experiment was undertaken at two sites in Ireland, one a free‐draining acid brown earth at Moorepark (MPK) and the other a fine loam soil with imperfect drainage at Johnstown Castle (JC). The effect of applying the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) at 10 kg ha^?1 in July, August and September or not applying DCD to plots receiving synthetic urine or zero urine on spring and annual herbage production was examined. In the experiment, each site received 350 kg nitrogen (N) fertilizer ha^?1 year^?1. The application of DCD in August at a rate of 10 kg ha^?1 significantly increased spring and annual herbage production by 14 and 15%, respectively, at MPK, when applied following urine application in year 1. There was no effect of DCD applied in year 1 on herbage production at JC. The application of DCD in August resulted in lower soil total oxidized N (TON) content up to sampling day 56 post‐urine application, at MPK in year 1, retaining higher N content in the soil. There was no effect of DCD on any of the parameters measured in year 2 at MPK or at JC. Urine application did not increase spring herbage production at either site. Urine application significantly increased annual herbage production at MPK only in year 1. Urine application increased annual herbage N uptake, herbage crude protein (CP) content and soil mineral N at both sites in both years.     

Feeding value of pastures for horses

The feeding value of fresh pasture grazed in situ is determined by animal performance or productivity and could be relatively easily established for growing and lactating horses. Despite this, there is a lack of published information on the relative feeding value of different pastures and forages grazed by horses in New Zealand and the world. In addition, for adult breeding or non-breeding and young or adult sport or performance horses, the definition of feeding value and its determination remain problematic.

Limited information suggests that the feeding value of perennial ryegrass-based pasture in New Zealand for young growing horses is high, and growth rates for Thoroughbred horses fed solely on pasture in New Zealand are similar to those reported from the Northern Hemisphere where grain-based supplements are fed in addition to pasture or other forages. Attempts to assess the ability of fresh pastures to meet the nutrient requirements of horses are hampered by problems associated with determination of feed intake by grazing horses and lack of knowledge of the digestibility and utilisation of digested nutrients, including the relative bio availability of macro- and micro-minerals in pasture. A further challenge for future research is to determine the effect of herbage allowance and grazing behaviour, including pasture species preferences, on voluntary feed intake by grazing horses.

Grazing pasture has benefits for equine health and well-being including reduced risk of some nutrition-related disorders and reduced prevalence of stereotypic behaviour. Pastured horses have greater freedom for expression of natural behaviours including social interaction and exercise. However, grazing pasture is also associated with animal health problems, particularly parasitism and diseases related to pasture-associated toxins.     

香梨果园套种苏丹草对土壤养分及产草量的影响

探讨库尔勒香梨果园套种苏丹草对果园土壤性状的影响和产草量。果园内,分别设距树干0.5m处外和1.5m处外2个采样区,测定采样区内苏丹草产量和0~60cm土层的土壤容重及土壤养分。结果表明,离树干1.5m处外干草产量为2.25kg/m^2,显著高于离树干0.5m处外的1.34kg/m^2。离树干0.5m处外0~20、20~40cm土层地下生物量分别为81.26g/m^2、14.38g/m^2约为离树干1.5m处213.62g/m^2、32.89g/m^2的38.03%、56.27%,且90%以上的牧草根量分布在0~20cm的果园土层,苏丹草与果树的根系几乎无重叠现象。可见,香梨果园套种苏丹草对土壤性状及养分无负面影响,1a可以收草3次,其产草量可达大田产量的60%左右。     

典型黑土区陡坡植草水土流失防治效果研究

[目的]研究陡坡生物防治与影响因素的变化关系,为侵蚀沟治理、水土保持植被措施配置等决策提供科学依据。[方法]设置2个坡度,7种草本植被配置模式,于2018年6—9月开展了自然小区水土流失监测。[结果] 1∶1.5和1∶1.2坡比边坡草本建植当年分别较裸地平均减流27%和26%,减沙52%和21%,坡度由34°增加到40°,地表径流虽未增加,但土壤侵蚀量明显增加;影响产流产沙的降雨因子主要有雨量,I_(30),E,EI_(30),坡度变陡,相关性增强;建植草无芒雀麦和紫花苜蓿混播减流减沙效果最好,紫花苜蓿、无芒雀麦、早熟禾3种草种混播减流效果优于单播;1∶1.2坡比边坡随着植被盖度的增加减沙效果逐渐增强,且在植被盖度大于50%时减沙效果接近1∶1.5坡比边坡。[结论]在无芒雀麦和紫花苜蓿混播草本配置下,1∶1.2坡比削坡在侵蚀沟治理时可采用,能减少20%的削坡占地面积。     

Random-effects linear model application to herd-level assessment of bovine hepatic trace mineral concentrations

To evaluate the utility of random-effects linear modeling for herd-level evaluation of trace mineral status, we performed a retrospective analysis of the results for trace mineral testing of bovine liver samples submitted to the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory between 2011 and 2017. Our aim was to examine random-effects models for their potential utility in improving interpretation with minimal sample numbers. The database consisted of 1,658 animals distributed among 121 herds. Minerals were assayed by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy, and included cobalt, copper, iron, molybdenum, manganese, selenium, and zinc. Intraclass correlation coefficients for each mineral were significantly different (p < 0.001) from zero and ranged from 0.38 for manganese to 0.82 for selenium, indicating that the strength of herd effects, which are presumably related to diet, vary greatly by mineral. Analysis of the distribution and standard errors of best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) values suggested that testing 5–10 animals per herd could place herds within 10 percentile units across the population of herds with 70–95% confidence, the confidence level varying among minerals. Herd means were generally similar to BLUPs, suggesting that means could be reasonably compared to BLUPs with respect to the distributions reported here. However, caution in interpreting means relative to BLUPs should be exercised when animal numbers are small, the standard errors of the means are large, and/or the values are near the extremes of the distribution.     

江苏沿海滩涂发展牧草业的前景

对江苏沿海地区的地理状况以及牧草产业的发展现状进行全面的描述,同时针对沿海地区滩涂土地后备资源丰富的特点,从当地农村产业结构、养殖业、牧草经济价值以及东部沿海开放型牧草业的发展前景等几个方面阐述。在江苏沿海地区,利用滩涂资源丰富优势,结合农村产业结构调整,发展滩涂牧草种植业,能够促进当地畜牧业的良性循环,改良滩涂土壤,提高滩涂的利用水平。     

微量元素调控鸡蛋蛋壳品质的研究进展

蛋壳品质是蛋鸡生产中重要的经济性状和外观性状指标。蛋壳品质降低导致的蛋壳破损问题会给家禽生产和蛋品加工业造成巨大的经济损失。微量元素不仅是蛋壳的化学组成成分,也可参与调控蛋壳晶体结构的形成,进而影响蛋壳的力学特性。本文基于饲粮中微量元素的水平和来源的合理选用这一实际问题,对几种主要微量元素调控蛋壳品质的最新研究进展进行了综述,为进一步研究和应用提供借鉴。     

More than eating dirt: a review of avian geophagy‡

Geophagy, the ingestion of earth varying in particle size from stones to soils rich in clay, is a relatively widespread behaviour across avian taxa. We reviewed its occurrence in birds and its hypothesised adaptive functions in birds. Of the ～30 avian orders, 23 exhibit geophagy. However, it has only been documented in ～260 species (～2% of birds) and therefor is relatively uncommon. Ingestion of stones and other large particles (grit) is recorded in 54 extant families across the avian phylogeny and appears to be ancient in birds and has evolved several times. Clay ingestion is recorded in 14 phylogenetically scattered families and might have evolved repeatedly. Furthermore, at least nine families exhibit both clay and grit ingestion. Six hypothesised functions of avian geophagy involve digestion and nutrition. Ingested grit might provide (1) essential minerals, particularly sodium or calcium, but it appears to primarily (2) improve mechanical digestion of food in the gizzard, where ingested stones and sand particles are known as gastroliths. Consistent with this gastrolith hypothesis, ～86% of species ingesting grit consume “hard” food: seeds, leaves, insects or other animals. In contrast, ingested clay appears to be for sodium or other nutrient intake and/or protecting birds from ingested plant secondary compounds, by (3) protecting the digestive tract and (4) adsorbing these compounds. Consistent with this, ～88% of species ingesting clay eat fruit that is often rich in secondary compounds and low in sodium, and clay ingestion is associated with frugivory in a representative sample of genera of which many have been shown to source sodium. The other two hypotheses are buffering gastric pH (5) and acquiring antidiarrheal agents (6), but no documentation of this in birds was found. We suggest additional tests of these hypotheses and additional investigation of these proposed benefits of geophagy in birds.     

Organic trace minerals on productive performance,egg quality and immune response in Bovans White laying hens

This study was performed in 360 laying Bovans White hens and aimed to evaluate the effect of Carbo‐Amino‐Phosphate‐Chelates (CAFQ) as a mineral premix and its 30% reduction by compared to inorganic trace minerals (ITM) concerning its performance, egg quality, tibia breaking strength and immunity. Sixty‐week‐old hens were assigned into three treatments with 10 replicates of 12 birds each. Treatments were as follows: (a) (100% ITM), (b) (100% CAFQ) and (c) (70% CAFQ). Based on the results obtained during 12 weeks, under the current test conditions, improved yolk colour (p < 0.05); shell breaking strength (p < 0.05); and storage time (p < 0.05) were observed in hens fed with a diet reduced by 70% in CAFQ inclusion showed similar performance behaviour and better egg breaking strength regarding with ITM, suggesting the possibility of minimizing the inclusion of trace minerals in laying hen diets improving environmental impact, in contrast to the use of inorganic sources of minerals.     

DIETARY VITAMIN D3 INFLUENCE ON SERUM 25-HYDROXY VITAMIN D CONCENTRATIONS IN CAPTIVE SUGAR GLIDERS (PETAURUS BREVICEPS)

A pilot study was performed to investigate the impact of dietary vitamin D on circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) metabolite concentrations in sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps). The study with diets containing 0, 0.2 (low), or 0.4 (moderate) International Units vitamin D₃ per gram of dry matter and fed to adults at 2 locations. Serum 25[OH]D concentrations did not differ between animals fed produce only (no added vitamin D–either D₂ or D₃) for 3 weeks (8.83 ± 0.98 nmol/L), n?=?6, or low dietary levels (7.86 ± 3.80 nmol/L), n?=?7, continuously for multiple years. Conversely, animals consuming diets containing moderate vitamin D₃ levels displayed increased circulating concentrations (15.00 ± 3.59), n?=?8, after 3 weeks. Despite the response to diets supplemented with vitamin D, overall metabolite levels were low and may indicate minimal metabolic dependence on this nutrient in sugar gliders, similar to processes documented in other hindgut fermenters.