Guar meal ameliorates Eimeria tenella infection in broiler chicks

Guar meal contains relatively high levels of saponins, which are known to have antiprotozoal activity and may be effective against coccidiosis. A 2x2 factorial experiment investigated the impact of guar meal (0 or 5%) corn-soy-based starter broiler diets on chicks unchallenged or challenged with Eimeria tenella. At 1 day of age, 120 unsexed RossxRoss broiler chicks were randomly distributed among four treatment groups. Chicks were challenged with 5x10(3) sporulated oocysts of E. tenella in 0.5ml at 10 days of age by oral gavage. Weekly body weight, body weight gains, feed conversion ratio and mortality rate were recorded for chicks fed from 0 to 21 days of age. Oocysts shed per gram feces were recorded from 6 to 10 days post-challenge. Results showed that challenged chicks fed 0% guar meal had significantly higher oocysts per gram shed in feces than the other groups. No significant differences among treatment groups in mortality rate were observed. Body weights of unchallenged and challenged chicks fed 0% guar meal were significantly higher than those fed 5% guar meal at 2 weeks of age. Results indicated that including 5% guar meal in the diet of chicks challenged with E. tenella decreased oocysts shed per gram feces and prevented bloody diarrhea, but without affects on body weight and feed conversion ratio at 11 days post-challenge.     

Coating of Objects Introduced into the Oviduct of Pseudopregnant Rabbit Does

This investigation addresses the possibility of providing mouse embryos or other foreign objects with a protective mucin coat by transferring them into the oviduct of a life rabbit doe. Mouse embryos at the 8 or 16-cell stage, rabbit oocytes and latex spheres resembling mouse embryos in size were transferred to the ligated oviducts of ovulation-induced rabbit does. The does were killed 24 h later to have their oviducts flushed. A large proportion of the latex spheres (89%) and of the ovulated oocytes of the recipient does (92%) was recovered. The recovery rates for transferred rabbit oocytes, either intact or with the zona pellucida removed, were 61% and 51%, respectively, whereas that for mouse embryos was extremely poor (20%). Rabbit oocytes with or without zona were enveloped in a thick mucin coat regardless whether they had been transferred or ovulated by the recipients. The same applied to empty rabbit zonae. Mouse embryos and latex spheres were also covered by a mucin coat, but it was four times thinner. While residing in the rabbit oviduct, the mouse embryos continued developing to a stage comparable to what would have been expected in situ . During the subsequent in vitro culture, mouse embryos continued developing to the expanded blastocyst stage. They did, yet, not hatch from the zona. It may be concluded that particles of various origins, when placed into the oviduct of ovulated rabbit does, will be provided with a mucin covering which is, however, considerably thinner than that surrounding oocytes or zonae pellucidae originating from rabbits.     

Technical note: Vitrification of goat embryos by the open pulled-straw method

The suitability of the open pulled-straw (OPS) method for vitrifying bovine embryos was tested for goat embryos. Of 14 does receiving OPS-vitrified embryos, all became pregnant and 13 (93%) kidded. The corresponding values for an established conventional freezing program were 58% pregnant and 50% (6/12) kidding. Overall embryo survival amounted to 64% (18/28) for OPS-vitrified and 42% (10/24) for conventionally frozen embryos. All differences were statistically significant. It is concluded that OPS vitrification is a suitable method for cryopreserving caprine d-7 blastocysts.     

Drivers and challenges of precision agriculture: a social media perspective

Precision Agriculture - Precision agriculture, which has existed for over four decades, ensures efficient use of agricultural resources for increased productivity and sustainability with the use of...