Constraints using the liquid fraction from roadside grass as a bio-based fertilizer

Background

Roadside grass cuttings are currently considered a waste product due to their association with road sweepings as contaminated waste, therefore, their potential as a biofertilizer is understudied.

Aim

This study aimed to determine whether grass liquid fraction (GLF) collected from a roadside verge in Maldegem, Belgium, and pressed using a screw press was suitable as a biofertilizer.

Methods

The characterization of the heavy metal content of the GLF was conducted using an ICP-OES. From May to September 2019, a pot experiment was set up using a randomized block design to compare tomato plant growth, yield, and nutrition for GLF-treated plants to two commercial fertilizers and tap water as a control.

Results

The heavy metal content of the GLF was below the maximum permissible concentrations (MPCs) for organic fertilizers as set out by the European Comission fertilizer regulation 1069/2009 and 1107/2009 (European Comission, 2019). However, despite having a fairly well-balanced nutrient content (0.1% N, 0.04% P₂O₅, and 0.2% K₂O), GLF had a negative effect on the growth, root weight, and yield of the tomato plants, killing six out of ten plants. GLF also promoted mold growth in the soil of some plants. Since the GLF was uncontaminated, heavy metal toxicity did not cause the negative effect.

Conclusions

Previous research showed that liquid fractions from some plants negatively affect the growth of others due to allelopathic chemicals; this, together with the stimulation of fungal growth, could have caused the negative effects observed. Future experiments will investigate the herbicidal property of GLF and possible treatments to potentially recover the nutrients contained within the GLF for application as a biofertilizer.     

奶牛阴道植入式电阻传感器与无线监测系统研究

针对人工监测奶牛发情费时、费力,仅依靠活动量和非接触式视频监测无法实现奶牛安静发情预警的问题,根据奶牛发情时阴道粘液生理特征变化,提出基于奶牛阴道电阻变化的奶牛发情监测方案。设计了由黄铜电阻探头、8爪防滑装置构成的奶牛阴道植入式电阻传感器,对阴道电阻值进行采集。借助2.4GHz的ZigBee网络开发了无线传输系统,将阴道电阻无线传送给协调器节点,协调器经由RS485总线传输到监控中心。开发了奶牛阴道电阻上位机实时监测系统,实现了奶牛阴道电阻的精确采集和远程实时监测。分别对植入式电阻传感器和监测系统进行了准确性、稳定性、可靠性及能量可用性试验,结果表明,植入式电阻传感器电阻测量探头体积小、安装方便,可测定1~1000Ω范围的电阻,测量精度在±2%以内,24h内电阻最大波动为2Ω;在450m2奶牛养殖区范围内,ZigBee网络数据发送成功率不低于98.5%;植入式电阻传感器终端节点在7.4V/6500mA·h锂电池能量供应下可连续工作38d。监测系统运行稳定,能够精确、可靠、实时地监测奶牛阴道电阻的变化,为奶牛发情程度和排卵时间的准确预测提供了一种新的监测方法。     

复合乳酸菌发酵饲料对生长猪生长性能、粪便菌群、血清免疫和抗氧化指标的影响

本试验旨在研究复合乳酸菌发酵饲料对生长猪生长性能、粪便菌群、血清免疫和抗氧化指标的影响.选取平均体重(40.69±1.16)kg的健康"长×大"二元生长猪90头,随机分为3个组,每组3个重复,每个重复10头猪.对照组饲喂基础饲粮,试验Ⅰ组和试验Ⅱ组分别饲喂在基础饲粮中添加1％和3％复合乳酸菌发酵饲料的试验饲粮,试验期3...     

Effects of dietary rosemary extract supplementation on growth performance,nutrient digestibility,antioxidant capacity,intestinal morphology,and microbiota of weaning pigs

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) extract (RE) has multiple pharmacological and biological activities, including the use as a food additive and medicine. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary RE supplementation on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, and microbiota of weaning piglets. A total of 192 crossbred weaned piglets [Duroc × (Large White × Landrace)] (initial body weight = 6.65 ± 0.33 kg, weaned days = 23 ± 1 d) were group housed (six pigs per pen; n = 8 pens/treatment). Pigs were fed a corn–soybean meal-based control diet or the basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg RE. Pigs were allowed ad libitum access to fed for 21 d. The growth performance and apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients, and intestinal morphology and antioxidant status were evaluated. The components of the microbial microflora were also determined in the cecal samples. Compared with the control, dietary supplementation with RE increased the final body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake (linear, P = 0.038, 0.016, and 0.009, respectively), and decreased the diarrhea ratio in piglets (linear, P < 0.05). The digestibility of crude protein (linear, P = 0.034) and gross energy (linear, P = 0.046) increased with treatment with RE. Piglets fed RE showed longer villus height (linear, P = 0.037 and 0.028, respectively) and villus height/crypt depth (linear, P = 0.004 and 0.012; quadratic, P = 0.023 and 0.036, respectively) in the jejunum and ileum, in addition to a lesser crypt depth in the jejunum (linear, P = 0.019) and ileum (quadratic, P = 0.042). The addition of RE increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (linear, P = 0.035 and 0.008, respectively) and glutathione peroxidase activity (linear, P = 0.027 and 0.039, respectively) and decreased the content of malondialdehyde (linear, P = 0.041 and 0.013; quadratic, P = 0.023 and 0.005, respectively) in the serum and liver. Dietary RE supplementation, compared with the control, increased the number of Bifidobacterium (linear, P = 0.034) and Bacteroidetes (linear, P = 0.029), while decreased Escherichia coli (linear, P = 0.008; quadratic, P = 0.014) in the cecal contents. Thus, dietary RE supplementation can improve growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, and the microbiota in weaned piglets, and 200 mg/kg may be considered the optimum dosage.     

1例犬畸胎瘤的诊疗报告

2018年12月内蒙古农业大学动物医院接收一病犬,其外阴异常增大,生殖道口有淡红色液体流出,触诊阴门内有一肿瘤硬物,表面光滑,呈淡粉色,不规则形状,初步诊断为阴道肿瘤。手术切除后经组织病理学检查,证实为未成熟的畸胎瘤。     

Intestinal Microbiota in Large Yellow Croaker,Larimichthys crocea,at Different Ages

The polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR‐DGGE) of 16S ribosomal RNA gene was used to investigate bacterial communities in the intestines of large yellow croaker at six different ages (12 d, 18 d, 26 d, 40 d, 3 mo, and 1 yr old) as well as within the corresponding feed and culture water. In addition, Illumina Miseq sequencing was utilized to compare intestinal microbiota between 12‐d‐old and 1‐yr‐old individuals. PCR‐DGGE results revealed that the culture water had the highest bacterial diversity, followed by the feed, while the intestines had the lowest diversity. The intestinal microbiota at six ages changed severely; however, the change did not follow any trend. The large yellow croaker intestines harbored specific bacterial communities that differed from those in both feed and water. Illumina Miseq sequencing results revealed that the diversity of intestinal bacteria in 12‐d‐old fish was higher than that in 1‐yr‐old fish, and the bacterial composition differed significantly between them. γ‐Proteobacteria and Pseudoalteromonas supplied the most abundant phylum and genus in the 12‐d‐old fish intestine. However, in the 1‐yr‐old fish intestine, Firmicutes and Clostridium were the most dominant, respectively. The study may contribute to a better understanding of gut microbiota and dynamics of the large yellow croaker and the relationship with their surrounding environment.     

Effect of trehalose supplementation in milk replacer on the incidence of diarrhea and fecal microbiota in preweaned calves

Trehalose, a nonreducing disaccharide consisting of d-glucose with α,α-1,1 linkage, was evaluated as a functional material to improve the gut environment in preweaned calves. In experiment 1, 173 calves were divided into two groups; the trehalose group was fed trehalose at 30 g/animal/d with milk replacer during the suckling period, and the control group was fed nonsupplemented milk replacer. Medication frequency was lower in the trehalose group (P < 0.05). In experiment 2, calves (n = 20) were divided into two groups (control group [n = 10] and trehalose group [n = 10]) based on their body weight and reared under the same feeding regimens as in experiment 1. Fresh feces were collected from individual animals at the beginning of the trial (average age 11 d), 3 wk after trehalose feeding (experimental day 22), and 1 d before weaning, and the fecal score was recorded daily. Fecal samples were analyzed for fermentation parameters and microbiota. The fecal score was significantly lower in the trehalose group than in the control group in the early stage (at an age of 14 to 18 d; P < 0.05) of the suckling period. Calves fed trehalose tended to have a higher proportion of fecal butyrate on day 22 than calves in the control group (P = 0.08). Population sizes of Clostridium spp. were significantly lower (P = 0.036), whereas those of Dialister spp. and Eubacterium spp. tended to be higher in the feces of calves in the trehalose group on day 22 (P = 0.060 and P = 0.083). These observations indicate that trehalose feeding modulated the gut environment and partially contributed to the reduction in medication frequency observed in experiment 1.