Haematological,biochemical and organ changes in broiler chickens fed varying levels of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Morinda lucida</Emphasis> (brimstone) leaf meal supplementation in the diets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Morinda lucida leaf meal (MLLM) on the haematology, biochemical and organ changes of broiler chickens. One hundred and ninety-eight day-old Marshall broiler chicks were completely randomised into 6 treatments in a 3?×?2 factorial arrangement of three levels of M. lucida leaf meal supplementation (0, 0.1 and 0.2 g/kg) with or without medication. The treatment consisted of both negative (without MLLM and routine medication) and positive (containing no MLLM but with routine medication) control groups while each treatment was replicated thrice. MLLM-supplemented diets and routine medication decreased (p?<?0.05) the white blood cell count compared to the negative control. Dietary supplementation with MLLM in combination with normal routine medication increased (p?<?0.05) total serum protein when compared with treatment group without MLLM and routine medication. Dietary supplementation with MLLM and routine medication reduced (p?<?0.05) serum creatinine concentration of the broiler chickens. Birds fed with 0.2 g/kg MLLM supplement coupled with medication and those on negative control had higher (p?<?0.05) creatinine values. Serum enzyme activities reduced (p?<?0.05) following supplementation. MLLM supplementation recorded no significant effect (p?>?0.05) on the liver, kidney, heart and gizzard. M. lucida leaf meal can be compared to routine medication for improved health status of broiler chickens. Dietary inclusion with 0.1 g/kg MLML combined with routine medication could be used in producing healthy and safe chickens.     

中草药提取技术的概述

简述了中草药的系列提取方法及其应用。其中对101-澄清剂提取法作了较详细的介绍，因为该法是目前应用最广、效果最好、简易可行、经济实用的可替代醇沉法的一种新型提取方法。     

Impact of reduced dietary crude protein levels and phytase enzyme supplementation on growth response,slurry characteristics,and gas emissions of growing pigs

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of reduced dietary crude protein (CP) levels supplemented with or without exogenous phytase on growing pigs. Six dietary treatments arranged in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangements of 3 CP levels (containing 14%, 16%, and 18% CP) supplemented each with or without 5,000 FTU/g phytase enzyme. Thirty growing pigs (average weight of 17.80 ± 0.10 kg) were allotted to the six dietary treatments in a complete randomized design. The final weight, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased significantly with increasing CP levels. While, phytase supplementation improved (p = .044) FCR in pigs. Total solid and volatile solid content of the slurry were higher (p = .001) in pigs fed 14% and 16% CP diets supplemented with phytase when compared with other treatment groups. Concentration of methane gas emitted was lowest (p = .001) in the slurry of pigs fed 14% CP diet with or without phytase and those fed 16% CP diet with phytase supplementation. In conclusion, reduction in dietary CP levels resulted in reduced weight gain and poor FCR. While, reduced CP with phytase supplementation reduced concentration of methane gas emitted.     

Organophosphorus residues in wool grease resulting from specified on-farm lice and flystrike control treatments

Objective To investigate wool organophosphorus concentrations resulting from a range of farm pesticide application methods.
Design Random sampling of wool for pesticide residues and on-farm interviews to determine associated treatments.
Procedure Tasmanian fleece wool lots were sampled at random and tested for organophosphorus residues. The grower was identified and the pesticide treatments applied to the sheep were ascertained by on-farm interview.
Results The residue concentrations showed a large variation that was not accounted for by differences in treatments by growers. Organophosphorus concentrations were proportional to the number of treatments applied, and inversely related to the time between pesticide application and the subsequent shearing, and were significantly influenced by the method of application. After allowing for the time of application, plunge dipping resulted in pesticide residue concentrations 2 to 2.5 times greater than shower dipping, using spray races or hand jetting, and the use of these methods caused larger residues than the use of jetting races.
Conclusions We recommend that plunge or shower dipping should not be used more than 7 weeks after shearing, nor at higher concentration than the standard dose rate used for lice control, whereas jetting may be satisfactory for up to 7 months after shearing, provided only one application is administered.     

CO2浓度升高与施氮对薏苡苗期营养元素吸收运输的影响

为明确大气CO₂浓度升高及氮肥施用对薏苡(Coix lacryma-jobi L.)苗期营养元素吸收运输的影响,本研究以兴仁白壳薏苡为试验材料,采用盆栽控制试验,通过人工气候箱模拟CO₂浓度升高,探究薏苡各器官中营养元素对CO₂浓度升高和施用氮肥的响应。结果表明,CO₂浓度升高使薏苡根中TOC含量显著增加15.82%;叶、茎中TP含量显著增加18.98%、29.41%(P<0.05);叶、根中N含量显著减少8.15%、8.31%(P<0.05);叶、茎、根中K含量无显著差异。施氮使薏苡叶、茎、根中N含量显著增加19.52%、28.42%、23.29%;叶、茎中TP含量显著增加14.60%、51.96%(P<0.05);根中K含量显著减少22.57%(P<0.05);叶、茎、根中TOC含量无显著差异。两者交互作用下,薏苡茎、根中N含量显著增加6.49%、8.99%;叶中TP含量显著增加15.33%(P<0.05);叶中N含量显著减少4.22%;叶、茎中K含量显著减少18.47%、33.25%(P<0.05);叶、茎、根中TOC含量无显著差异。在CO₂浓度升高条件下,薏苡叶片中中量元素S和微量元素Cu、Zn、Ni含量,分别显著减少18.06%、54.01%、37.96%、50.99(P<0.05);而茎中Mn、Cu、Zn、Ni含量,分别显著增加90.20%、70.55%、46.80%、149.50%(P<0.05)。CO₂浓度升高能促进Mg、S根向茎的运输以及Zn、Mn茎向叶的运输,施用氮肥能促进Fe茎向叶的运输。综上所述,CO₂浓度升高和氮肥施用会影响薏苡不同器官矿质离子的吸收及选择性运输能力,从而维持植物体内营养元素平衡。本研究结果可为深入认识未来大气环境变化下,薏苡对营养元素的需求变化特征,以及薏苡栽培中施肥策略的选择提供科学依据。     

Daylight time-resolved photographs of lightning

Lightning dart leaders and return strokes have been recorded in daylight with both good spatial resolution and good time resolution as part of the Thunder-storm Research International Program. The resulting time-resolved photographs are apparently equivalent to the best data obtained earlier only at night. Average two-dimensional return stroke velocities in four subsequent strokes between the ground and a height of 1400 meters were approximately 1.3 x 10(8) meters per second. The estimated systematic error is 10 to 15 percent.     

Towards the conservation of crop wild relative diversity in North Africa: checklist,prioritisation and inventory

Crop wild relatives (CWR) are wild species that are more or less genetically related to crops that can be used to introgress useful genes for improvement of productivity, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and quality of cultivated crops. They are important in crop improvement to achieve food security for an increasing population and to overcome the challenges caused by climate change and the new virulence of major diseases and pests. These genetic resources are increasingly threatened in their natural habitats through over-exploitation and land reclamation and degradation. Therefore, their efficient and effective conservation would be taxonomically and genetically valuable and will contribute to maintaining and promoting the sustainability of crop diversity, facilitating agricultural production and supporting the increasing demand for food, feed and natural resources. A checklist of 5780 Crop Wild Relatives (CWR) taxa from North Africa was obtained using the CWR Catalogue for Europe and the Mediterranean (PGR Forum). Of which consists 76% of the flora of North Africa. The checklist contains 5588 (~97%) native taxa and 192 introduced. Families with higher taxa richness are Fabaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae. These three families constitute more than 33% of the total taxa included in the checklist. About 9% (502) CWR taxa identified as a priority for conservation in North Africa using four criteria, the economic value of the crop, the relatedness degree of wild relatives to their crop, threat status using IUCN red list assessment, and finally the centre of origin and/or diversity of the crop. Of these, 112 taxa were assigned high, 268 medium and 122 low priorities for effective conservation. Those assessed as threatened using IUCN Red list and national assessment represent approximately 2% (119 taxa) of the CWR in the region. However, 21 taxa are assessed as critically endangered (CR), 53 as endangered (EN), and 45 as vulnerable (VU). Wild relatives of some globally important crops are present, with those related to wheat (Triticum aestivum L. and T. durum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) among the highest priority crops for the North Africa region. Amongst CWR assessed as threatened, only 8 (6.7%) CWR are related to food crops, Avena agadiriana B.R. Baum. et G. Fedak (VU), A. atlantica B.R. Baum et G. Fedak (VU), A. murphyi Ladiz. (EN), Beta macrocarpa Guss. (EN), Olea europaea subsp. maroccana Guss. (VU), Rorippa hayanica Maire (VU) and Aegilops bicornis (Forssk.) Jaub. et Spach (VU). The wild relative of Safflower Carthamus glaucus M. Bieb is restricted to Egypt and Libya and assessed as rare in Egypt. The information available about the conservation and threat status of CWR in North Africa still lags behind, and more investigations are required.