Growth performance,carcass quality characteristics and colonic microbiota profiles in finishing pigs fed diets with different inclusion levels of rice distillers’ by‐product

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets containing rice distillers’ by‐product (RDP) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and gut microbiota of fattening pigs. Twenty‐four crossbred finishing pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire), 56.9 ± 3.1 kg initial body weight, were randomly allocated to three groups. For 56 days, pigs were fed one of three diets including RDP0 (control), RDP15 (15% RDP in DM), and RDP30 (30% RDP in DM). With RDP level in diet, average daily gain and backfat thickness linearly increased (p < 0.05), and drip loss tended to increase (p ≤ 0.08). In addition, 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon profiling showed that RDP was associated with modulation of colonic microbiota composition, especially at family and genus levels. Relative abundance of Porphyromonadaceae and Erysipelotrichaceae families in colonic digesta increased with inclusion of RDP, while that of Enterobacteriaceae decreased. The proportion of genera unclassified Erysipelotrichaceae, and Butyrivibrio increased as inclusion of RDP. These results indicate that up to 30% inclusion in diet of finishing pigs, RDP can modulate colonic microbiota composition, and induces an improvement of animal growth and fat deposition.     

Effects of rice straw,biochar and mineral fertiliser on methane (CH<Subscript>4</Subscript>) and nitrous oxide (N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O) emissions from rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.) grown in a rain-fed lowland rice soil of Cambodia: a pot experiment

We studied the effects of water regimes and nutrient amendments on CH₄ and N₂O emissions in a 2 × 3 factorial, completely randomised growth chamber experiment. Treatments included continuously flooded (CF) and alternate wetting and drying (AWD), and three organic amendments: no amendment-control, rice straw (RS) and biochar (BC). Compound fertiliser was applied to all treatments. Rice was grown in columns packed with a paddy soil from Cambodia. Results revealed faster mineralisation of organic carbon (RS and BC) when applied in water-saturated conditions lasting for 2 weeks instead of flooding. This resulted in lower total CH₄ emissions in treatments under AWD than those under the CF water regime, namely 44 % in RS treatments and 29 % in BC treatments. Nitrous oxide fluxes were generally non-detectable during the experimental period except after fertilisation events, and the total N₂O–N emissions accounted for on average 1.7 % of the total applied mineral fertiliser N. Overall, the global warming potentials (GWPs) were lower in treatments under AWD than those under the CF water regime except for the control treatment with only mineral fertiliser application. Grain yields were slightly higher in treatments under AWD than the CF water regime. Hence, the yield-scaled GWP was also lower in the treatments under the AWD water regime, namely 51 % in RS, 59 % in BC and 17 % in control treatments. Control treatments had the lowest GWP, but provided the highest yield. The yield-scaled GWP under these treatments was therefore lower than under the other treatments.     

Should only females of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii be selected in genetic improvement programmes?

Sexual dimorphism is widely observed in almost all farmed aquatic animal species but giant freshwater pawn (GFP) is unique, with males characterized by three main morphotypes (blue claw, orange claw and small males) and females by different reproduction status (ovary, berried egg and already‐spawned females). There has been reported evidence that the effect of male morphotype may have masked genetic variation in growth‐related traits, as a result the heritability for male body weight was lower than that estimated in female. A pending question has arisen whether selection should be made in female only. To answer this question, we used an 8‐year data set from a long‐term selection programme (2008–2015) for high growth in this species comprising 106,756 individuals that were offspring of 515 sires and 810 dams. The body weight data of female and male GFP or of each morphotype was treated as a separate trait and a multi‐trait approach was used to estimate genetic correlations for homologous traits between sexes and between morphotypes. Our analysis showed that there were little differences in the heritability estimates between female and male. In female, mature ovary individual displayed higher heritability than berried egg and already‐spawned females. For male, the heritability for blue claw, orange claw and small males were 0.11, 0.06 and 0.00 respectively. Between‐sex genetic correlation was moderate (0.55 ± 0.11) for body weight, suggesting that the trait expressions in female and male may be genetically different. In female, the genetic correlations for body weight among three female types were close to one (0.91–0.94). In contrast, the genetic correlations for body weight between male morphotypes especially between blue claw or orange claw and small males were low (0.15–0.25). Furthermore, we estimated genetic gain as the difference in least square means (LSM) or estimated breeding values (EBV) between the selection line and control group. The genetic gain in body weight was smaller in females than in males. It is concluded that there is no need to run separate breeding programme for female and male GFP. A combined selection using both female and male data can achieve selection response for body weight as demonstrated in the present study.     

Use of urea-molasses-multinutrient block and urea-treated rice straw for improving dairy cattle productivity in Vietnam

After conducting a preliminary survey, a feeding trial was carried out to determine the effect of urea-molasses-multinutrient block (UMMB) and urea-treated rice straw (UTRS) as a feed supplement on the productivity of dairy cows. Sixty Holstein-Friesian crossbred cows on 11 smallholder farms were divided equally into control, UMMB and UTRS supplementation groups. Milk yield and feed intake were recorded daily. Milk fat content, body weight and body condition score (BSC) of each cow were determined at two week intervals. Milk samples for progesterone analysis were collected once a week commencing one month after parturition. Data were recorded for date of onset of ovarian activity, estrus, insemination, and conception rate. Milk production increased by 10.3-11.9% and milk fat content increased by 3-5%, therefore, profit for farmers increased by US $0.55-0.73 per cow per day (exchange rate US $1 = VN $11,000). The intervals from calving to onset of ovarian activity (91-94 days), to estrus (110-114 days), to conception (121-122 days) and the calving interval (13.4-13.6 months) in the trial groups were significantly shorter than those in the control group (112, 135, 152 days and 14.4 months, respectively.     

Histological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor in six captive four-toed hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris)

This report described the histopathological and immunohistochemical features of cutaneous mast cell tumor (MCT) in six hedgehogs. The hedgehogs presented single cutaneous mass with ulcer and crusting. Histologically, the neoplastic lesions were characterized by the proliferation of well-differentiated mast cells (3 cases), and atypical mast cells (3 cases) with one atypical histiocytic morphology. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for KIT and mast cell tryptase, and were negative for Iba-1. In well-differentiated MCT, all patients were clinically improved and survived more than 365 days after surgical excision, whereas an atypical histiocytic MCT showed aggressive behavior with re-recurrence, and the animal died 115 days after surgery. These findings suggest that, compatible with other animals, well-differentiated MCT has a better prognosis in hedgehogs.     

Main Characteristics of Statistical Data and the Statistical System for Wood and Wood-processing Products in Vietnam

This paper describes the characteristics of data about wood and wood-processing products published in Vietnam. The characteristics include inconsistency of data published by major data sources, lack of necessary data, and irregular publication frequency. Reasons are identified for the existence of the above characteristics of data for the wood and wood-processing industries, including recent changes in the functions of state statistical organizations and unclear concepts of data published. These characteristics create difficulties for researchers and policy-makers working at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for analysing policies and establishing supply targets for the wood and wood-processing industries in 5-year economic plans. To improve the statistical system, co-operation between state organisations and the information network (e.g. computers and internet connection) requires strengthening.     

Development of nursery culture techniques for the mud crab Scylla paramamosain (Estampador)

Cannibalism is one of the main causes of mortality in the culture of the mud crab Scylla paramamosain, particularly in the early post‐larval and juvenile stages when the densities of hatchery‐reared crabs may be very high before stocking into ponds or release into the wild for stock enhancement. In a series of experiments investigating cannibalism mitigation, the influence of stocking density, the effectiveness of sand substrate, brick and shell shelters and feed type were compared in culture of crabs from instar 1 for short nursery periods of 15–30 days. Inclusion of brick and shell shelters significantly increased survival over sand substrate alone. However, inclusion of shelters did not affect growth rates. In scaled‐up nursery production in lined‐ponds, with shelters, live Artemia biomass and fresh chopped shrimp or tilapia were found to be equally effective feeds for juvenile crabs stocked at a density of 70 m⁻² from instar 1 and grown for 30 days [52–66% survival, 21.6–24.6 mm carapace width (CW)]. In an extended nursery period for a further 30 days, crabs of 22 mm CW, stocked at 30 m⁻² in the same ponds, attained a final size of 34.5–36.2 mm CW with a survival of 64.3–67.0% using the same feeds.     

A closer look into shrimp yields and mangrove coverage ratio in integrated mangrove-shrimp farming systems in Ca Mau,Vietnam

Shrimp aquaculture is the biggest source of export income in Vietnam. However, the development of the shrimp poses a serious threat to coastal mangroves by converting coastal mangroves into shrimp farms. Much effort has been made to replant mangroves and reduce the impacts of shrimp farming on the environment, and maintaining mangrove coverage at 30–50% of total farm area has provided the highest benefits in the integrated mangrove shrimp model. In this study, we re-examine the benefits of forest cover on the survival and yield of tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in the integrated mangrove shrimp farming systems in Ca Mau province, Vietnam. The study found positive linear correlations of log transformed survival and yield of tiger shrimp with forest cover of the forms: Ln (survival)?=????1.39?+?0.038?×?forest coverage (r²?=?0.22; p value?=?0.0007); Ln (yield)?=?3.55?+?0.026?×?forest coverage (r²?=?0.16; p value?=?0.004). The households with high forest cover (i.e.,?>?45%) also had 1.07?±?0.29 and 1.39?±?0.36 (CI 95%, p value?=?0.000) kg ha^?1 higher yield per night harvest than those with medium and low forest cover, respectively. As a result, households with high forest cover have higher benefits than those with lower forest cover. Our findings together with previous published studies lead to the recommendation that farmers maintain mangroves in farming systems for better economic and environmental benefits.