Changes in Soil pH and Extractable Phosphorus Following Application of Turkey Manure Incinerator Ash and Triple Superphosphate

During the incineration of turkey manure, a wide variety and concentration of nutrients are conserved in the turkey manure ash (TMA). In particular, the high concentration of citrate-soluble phosphorus (P) (43 g kg^?1) may make it a suitable P source for crop production. The ash is alkaline with a pH of 12.2. We conducted a soil incubation study using a low-P soil with a pH of 6.2 to evaluate the effects of TMA on soil pH and extractable P. Two TMA rates, based on citrate-soluble P (10.9 and 21.9 mg kg^?1), were compared with equivalent rates of triple superphosphate (TSP). In addition, a 0-P control was included. At the rates tested, TMA slightly increased soil pH, but this increase would be of minor agronomic importance. At equivalent P rates, changes in water-soluble P (WSP) concentrations with TMA and TSP were similar. Changes in iron-oxide-strip–extractable P (FeO P) and Bray 1 P concentrations were greater with TMA than with TSP. In contrast, changes in Olsen P concentrations were greater with TSP than with TMA for up to 32 days. For TMA, the ability of the tests to extract P was ranked, from highest to lowest, as Bray 1 P > FeO P > Olsen P > WSP, and for TSP they were ranked Bray 1 P ≥ Olsen P ≥ FeO P > WSP. However, the Bray 1 P and FeO P tests tended to overestimate plant-available P because they measured more citrate-soluble P than that added with TMA. We conclude that TMA can be used as a P source for crop production and that the Olsen test may provide a better estimate of plant-available P in TMA-amended soil.     

Growth performance and spontaneous bone fracture incidence of turkey toms fed various levels of calcium and nonphytate phosphorus to heavy market weight

This trial evaluated the effects of various dietary calcium and nonphytate phosphorus (nPP) feeding regimens on the growth and bone integrity of Nicholas 700 toms from 2 to 19 wk of age. After a 2-wk common brooding period, 24 to 25 poults/pen were allocated to 8 pens/treatment. Crumbles were fed from 2 to 5 wk of age and pellets were fed from 5 to 19 wk of age in a 3-wk phase program. Dietary calcium was kept at a 1.8:1 ratio with nPP for all diets. Diet 1 (LOW) was formulated to provide NRC recommendations for each phase change, ending with 0.25% nPP from 17 to 19 wk of age. Diet 2 (MED) nPP levels averaged 0.06 percentage units higher than the LOW diet. Diet 3 (HIGH) averaged 0.10 percentage units higher nPP than the MED diet. Diet 4 (VHIGH) averaged 0.10 percentage units higher nPP than the HIGH diet. Body weight was decreased (P < 0.01) by the LOW diet compared with all other treatments throughout the trial. By 8 wk of age, BW was lower (P < 0.001) when the MED diet was fed compared with the HIGH and VHIGH diets. Feed:gain was worsened (P < 0.02) by the LOW diet, compared with the HIGH and VHIGH diets, throughout the entire trial. The incidences of leg problems and spontaneous bone fractures were increased (P = 0.001) when the LOW diet was fed compared with the other diets. The increase in litter phosphorus (P = 0.001) was directly proportional to increases in dietary nPP. The HIGH and VHIGH diets resulted in the best growth performance and skeletal integrity.     

布特火鸡肉用性能测定

本研究对布特火鸡商品代进行屠宰测定、肌肉营养成分分析及肉食风味品评。结果表明：主要产内部位为胸部和腿部，两部位合计产肉率为54．96％。肌肉中的营养成分含量的均值为：水分70．36％、粗蛋白质27．22％、粗脂肪1．22％、粗灰分1．12％、热能8．48KJ／kg；肌肉中三种限制性氨基酸——赖氨酸(8．45％)、蛋氨酸(7．54％)、色氨酸(1．10％)均高于土种家鸡。布特火鸡肉食的特点是滑嫩多汁、汤味鲜美，是一个肉用性能很好的优良禽种。     

不同质地土壤抑病性和微生物特征

采用盆栽试验方法，研究了不同质地土壤条件下番茄青枯病的发生情况和土壤微生物的特征。结果表明，土壤质地对番茄青枯病发生的影响较大，随土壤砂性的增加，番茄青枯病发生率升高；随土壤粘性的增加，番茄青枯病发生率下降。番茄植株生物量、土壤微生物碳氮、细菌、真菌和放线菌的数量都呈现相同的趋势：壤土高于砂性土壤，砂性土壤高于粘重土壤。说明土壤质地与土壤微生物区系和病害发生有重要关系。微生物生物量可以指示土壤肥力水平变化，用微生物量来考察土壤生态系统抑病功能时存在一定的局限性，需要从微生物群落结构组成和微生物种类来分析土壤生态系统。     

日粮中添加稻壳粉对雏火鸡生长性能、体尺指标、内脏器官发育和经济效益的影响

试验旨在研究日粮中添加稻壳粉对雏火鸡生长性能、体尺指标、内脏器官发育和经济效益的影响。选取体重接近的1日龄贝蒂娜雏火鸡100只,随机分成2组,每组5个重复,每个重复10只,公母各半。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组饲喂添加稻壳粉的基础日粮,试验期8周。结果表明,与对照组相比,试验组平均日采食量（ADFI）无显著变化（P>0.05）,但体重及平均日增重（ADG）极显著显著增加（P<0.01）,料重比极显著降低（P<0.01）;试验组心脏重有增加的趋势（P=0.09）,腺胃重显著增加（P<0.05）,肌胃重极显著增加（P<0.01）;试验组和对照组体尺指标、脏器指数、肠道重量和长度均无显著差异（P>0.05）。56日龄时,试验组每只火鸡比对照组经济效益提高39.4%。综上所述,在雏火鸡日粮中添加稻壳粉,具有提高雏火鸡生长性能及经济效益的作用。     

Pre‐slaughter mortality among turkeys related to their transport

Overall mortality among turkeys transported for slaughter in the Czech Republic from 2009 to 2014 was 0.147%. The lowest mortality (0.023%) was found in turkeys transported for distances up to 50 km; longer distances were associated with increasing death rates, with the highest losses (0.543%) recorded for distances from 201 to 300 km. Differences were also found when comparing transport‐related mortality rates according to the season of the year. The highest mortality (0.228%) was associated with transports carried out in summer, whereas the lowest death rates were found in turkeys transported for slaughter in winter (0.105%) and autumn (0.113%). According to the ambient temperatures in which transports associated with the highest death rates among turkeys were carried out (14 to 21°C), it appears that heat stress can be a major factor in the birds’ mortality. However, low ambient temperatures (i.e. below ?2°C) also appear to increase transport‐related mortality, as shown by our results. In addition to shortening the lengths of transport distances, appropriate consideration of prevailing climatic conditions and the sensitivity of turkeys to high and low temperatures during transport may also lead to a reduction in the number of turkeys dying during transport for slaughter.     

火鸡冠状病毒的分离和初步鉴定

2003年国内某火鸡场发生了一种以侵害15～25日龄雏火鸡为主的急性传染病，主要表现为腹泻，十二指肠、直肠充血和出血，盲肠肿大，肠道内充满黄绿色内容物，死亡率约为10％～20％。取病死火鸡肝、脾、肠匀浆，取上清液通过尿囊腔接种15日龄SPF鸡胚。连续传代至第5代，收集接种后72h内死亡或存活鸡胚的卵黄和肠道，用于病毒分离和提纯。试验中发现该病毒能凝集兔红细胞，不能凝集鸡红细胞。经电镜观察，在病毒提纯液中发现有圆形或椭圆形、带花冠状纤突的病毒粒子，初步诊断为火鸡冠状病毒感染。进而设计针对火鸡冠状病毒S2基因引物，进行RT-PCR扩增，结果扩增出预期大小的片段。运用所分离病毒进行动物回归试验，感染火鸡出现与自然病例一致的临床症状和病理变化，并能从发病火鸡分离出该病毒。以上结果表明所分离的病毒为火鸡冠状病毒。此病毒的分离在国内尚属首例。     

Effect of Dietary Lactose on the Productive Performance of Young Turkeys

Studies were conducted to assess the performance of turkeys fed diets containing lactose. Study 1 consisted of 96, mixed-sex turkey poults that were housed in battery cages and fed diets containing 0 (8% cornstarch), 0.5, 1, 2, 4, or 8% lactose from 0 to 6 wk. Study 2 used 360, mixed-sex turkey poults that were raised in floor pens and fed a commercial diet and diets containing 0 (4% starch), 0.5, 1, 2, or 4% lactose from 0 to 6 wk. Diets and water were offered ad libitum throughout both trials. The objectives were 1) to determine the effect of lactose on turkey performance and 2) to establish the optimum level for lactose inclusion in diets. In Study 1, feed intake, BW, fecal ammonia and nitrogen, and feed efficiency were determined. Diet composition, BW, feed intake, total body and carcass composition, cecal pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and lactic acid were measured in Study 2. Turkeys consuming the 4% lactose diet gained the most weight (P < 0.01) compared with other treatments in Study 1, and lactose improved feed efficiency. In Study 2, all lactose diets resulted in heavier BW (P < 0.05) compared with the commercial diet. Turkeys consuming diets with 0.5, 1, 2 or 4% lactose had less total body fat compared with turkeys consuming a commercial or 0% lactose diet (P < 0.05).