Absorption and fate of imazapyr in leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

Imazapyr absorption, translocation, root release and metabolism were examined in leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). Leafy spurge plants were propagated from root cuttings and [¹⁴C]imazapyr was applied to growth-chambergrown plants in a water + 28% urea ammonium nitrate + nonionic surfactant solution (98.75 + 1 + 0.25 by volume). Plants were harvested two and eight days after herbicide treatment (DAT) and divided into: treated leaf, stem and leaves above treated leaf, stem and leaves below the treated leaf, crown, root, dormant and elongated adventitious shoot buds. Imazapyr absorption increased from 62.5% 2 DAT to 80.0% 8 DAT. Herbicide translocation out of the treated leaf and accumulation in roots and adventitious shoot buds was apparent 2 DAT. By the end of the eight-day translocation period only 14% of applied ¹⁴C remained in the treated leaf, while 17% had translocated into the root system. Elongated and dormant adventitious shoot buds accumulated 3.2- and 1.8-fold more ¹⁴C, respectively, 8 DAT than did root tissue based on Bq g^?1 dry weight. Root release of ¹⁴C was evident 2 DAT, and by 8 DAT 19.4% of the ¹⁴C reaching the root system was released into the rooting medium. There was no metabolism of imazapyr in crown, root or adventitious shoot buds 2 DAT; however, imazapyr metabolism was evident in the treated leaf 2 and 8 DAT. Imazapyr phytotoxicity to leafy spurge appears to result from high imazapyr absorption, translocation to underground meristematic areas (roots and adventitious shoot buds), and a slow rate of metabolism.     

In vitro effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on cell-mediated immunity in fish

beta-Hydroxy-beta-methyl butyrate(HMB) has been shown to counteract many of the negative effects of intensive animal production methods and results in increased growth and protection against diseases. In the present study, the effect of HMB on the immunocompetence cell activity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) was examined. Pronephric phagocytes and lymphocytes were isolated from the fish and grown in culture medium (RPMI-1640) containing either 0, 0.1, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 microg HMB/ml of medium. The effects of HMB on the respiratory burst activity (RBA) stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), the potential killing activity (PKA) and lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by either concanavalin A (Con-A) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined. The addition of HMB to the culture medium increased the RBA by up to 84% (p<0.01) over that of cells grown without HMB. Similarly, the PKA of the phagocytes was also increased with HMB addition to the medium by up to 140% (p<0.01) over that of cells grown without HMB. Lymphocyte proliferation stimulated by both ConA and LPS was also increased approximately two-fold (p<0.01) when HMB was added to the culture medium at concentrations between 10 and 100 microg HMB/ml in both rainbow trout and carp. The greatest effects of HMB on RBA and PKA activities were observed at a concentration >50 microg HMB/ml while lymphocyte proliferation was maximally stimulated at 25 microg HMB/ml. In conclusion, the current study shows that HMB could potentially improve immunocompetence cell activity in fish through increased cell proliferation and functionality.     

The fermentative capacity of growing pigs and adult sows fed diets with contrasting type and level of dietary fibre

Adult sows have a more developed gastro-intestinal system than young growing pigs resulting in a superior capacity to digest fibrous components. The main objective of this study was to describe the capacity of sows and growing pigs to digest the fibre components in concentrated low dietary fibre (DF) diet and two high DF diets similar in DF but with contrasting DF solubility. Six sows and four growing pigs were fitted with a simple T-cannula at the terminal ileum. Each balance experiment consisted of a 7-day initial period followed by a 3-day collection of faeces and a 2 or 3-day collection of ileal digesta for growing pigs and adult sows, respectively. When feeding diets with high proportions of soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), the difference in fermentation capacity between growing pigs and adult sows was small. The adult sows showed a higher fermentative capacity, evidenced by a higher fermentation and a higher methane production, when high fibre diet with high amount of insoluble fibre was fed.     

Stand basal area as an index of tree competitiveness in timber intercropping

To derive optimal benefits from intercropping timber, farmers should make important initial decisions on tree species and planting density with a good understanding of their tradeoffs. Complex and data-intensive models used by researchers should be supplemented with simpler models based on easily measured parameters and easily understood competition functions. In experiments in the Philippine uplands, growth parameters of three popular farm-forestry species (Eucalyptus deglupta, E. torelliana, and Paraserianthes falcataria) were measured, along with intercropped and non-intercropped yields of maize and vegetables. The commonly used forestry parameter of stand basal area had a significant negative correlation with intercrop yields (as a percentage of non-intercropped yields). The slope of the regression line differed between species; in this study, percent yield loss per unit stem basal area growth was in the order E. deglupta > E. torelliana > P. falcataria. The relationship between stand basal area and intercrop-yield decline was tested on an independent data set from China. Intercrop yields had significant negative correlations with stand basal area of Paulownia elongata. We propose that adaptive tree-screening trials evaluate competitiveness in addition to evaluating growth and mortality. Stand basal area may be better suited to this task than more mechanistic indices such as leaf-area index as it is easy to measure, calculate, and understand, and it may serve as a better index of total (aboveground + belowground) competition. Basal area is also directly related to tree volume, and allows farmers to more easily evaluate the economic tradeoffs between tree growth and intercrop-yield declines. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate on nonspecific humoral defense mechanisms and protection against furunculosis in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca)

Studies have shown that in both in vitro and in vivo tests, β‐hydroxy‐β‐methylbutyrate (HMB) increases the nonspecific cellular and humoral immune response and protection against diseases in animals. The present study examines the influence of HMB on nonspecific humoral defense mechanisms and protection against furunculosis in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca). β‐hydroxy‐β‐methylbutyrate was fed in a pelleted ration of 50 mg kg^?1 feed day^?1 for 4 weeks. Blood was drawn from 12 HMB‐fed and control‐fed pikeperch. The lysozyme and ceruloplasmin activities in the plasma, total immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, and total serum protein were analysed prior to and then after 2 and 4 weeks of HMB ingestion. After 4 weeks of HMB ingestion, a challenge test was performed by injecting the fish with live pathogenic Aeromonas salmonicida bacteria. β‐hydroxy‐β‐methylbutyrate at a dose of 50 mg kg^?1 feed resulted in a statistically significant (P<0.05) increase in the lysozyme activity of the plasma, total Ig, and serum protein levels. Additionally, reduced mortality (40%) after the in vivo challenge with pathogenic A. salmonicida suggested that HMB‐activated nonspecific protection against furunculosis in pikeperch.     

Influence of alpha-ketoisocaproate on lamb growth, feed conversion, and carcass composition

Four experiments were conducted to determine whether leucine's alpha-ketoacid, alpha-ketoisocaproate (KIC), would influence lamb growth, feed conversion, and carcass composition. In the first experiment, lambs were injected intraperitoneally with 3.5 g of Na-KIC per day. In the second experiment, KIC unprotected from rumen degradation was fed at a rate of 15 g per animal daily. In a third experiment, KIC, leucine, and isovalerate (IVA), protected from rumen degradation, were fed to growing lambs at a rate of 1 g per animal per day. Finally, a fourth experiment was conducted in which ruminally protected KIC was fed to growing lambs at a rate of 1 g per animal per day. Ketoisocaproate tended to increase ADG and decrease fat deposition in all four experiments. Ketoisocaproate increased ADG by 11 (P less than .09), 10 (P less than .05), 9, and 13% in 1 through 4, respectively, and feed efficiency improved 5, 9 (P less than .02), 5, and 5%, respectively. Fat thickness over the 12th rib decreased 28 (P less than .06), 11, 17 (P less than .04), and 5% in Exp. 1 through 4, and the perirenal fat depot also decreased 13, 5, 18, and 3%, respectively. In contrast, neither ruminally protected leucine nor IVA affected the growth of young lambs. Together these studies indicate that administration of KIC to growing lambs can increase weight gain and muscle growth while decreasing fat deposition.     

Passage of I131-Albumin and I125-Gamma Globulin Into the Small Intestine of Calves

Intestinal transfer of I¹³¹-albumin and I¹²⁵-gamma globulin was studied in 5 calves fitted with re-entrant intestinal loops. The passage of the two proteins across the intestinal wall proved highly variable (cf. Table II). However, the transfer of I¹³¹-albumin and I¹²⁵-gamma globulin was of the same order of magnitude, which is taken as evideńce of similar transfer mechanisms of albumin and gamma globulin, in spite of different molecular weights. Instillations of hypertonic magnesium sulphate solution and of intestinal digesta were followed by increased transfer rates. It appears, therefore, that the passage of digesta will influence the transfer of proteins along the gut. It is emphasized that quantitation of the transfer as related to total catabolism of plasma proteins is subject to considerable inaccuracy.     

Within-litter variation in muscle fiber characteristics, pig performance, and meat quality traits

The objective of this study was to examine the intralitter variation in postnatal growth performance, meat quality, and muscle fiber characteristics when littermates were categorized by carcass weight. Thirty-nine litters were weaned at 4 wk of age and had free access to feed from 2 wk of age until slaughter. They were slaughtered by litter at an average BW of 104 +/- 14 kg, and six pigs per litter were selected for analysis: the heaviest- (HW), middle- (MW), and lightest-weight (LW) pig of each sex. Categorizing littermates in LW, MW, and HW pigs at the same age reflected the differences in postnatal growth rate within a litter; thus ADG, muscle mass, and muscle deposition rate differed across pig weight groups (P < 0.001). Also, the total DNA content was different among pig weight groups (P < 0.001) and reflected differences in muscle growth rate. The difference in muscle growth rate between LW and MW pigs could be explained by a larger (P < 0.05) mean fiber area (MFA) in MW pigs, whereas the number of muscle fibers was similar. Growth rate differences between MW and HW pigs could in part be explained by a higher number (P < 0.01) of equal-sized muscle fibers in HW pigs. The difference in MFA was due to a higher estimated DNA and RNA content per muscle fiber in MW and HW compared with LW pigs (P < 0.05). Pigment content was higher in MW and HW compared with LW pigs (P < 0.01), but no other measured meat quality traits were significantly different across pig weight groups. These results indicate that both the number and the growth rate of muscle fibers contribute to intralitter variation in postnatal growth performance.