Efficacy of essential oils combination on performance,ileal bacterial counts,intestinal histology and immunocompetence of laying hens fed alternative lipid sources

This study was carried out to assess the effects of a blend of herbal essential oils (namely Thymus vulgaris, Mentha piperita, Rosmarinus offisinalis and Anethum graveolens) and different dietary lipid sources on the performance, ileal bacterial enumeration, intestinal histological alterations and immune responses in laying hens. For this purpose, a total of 150 laying hens were randomly allocated to six experimental treatments with five replicates of five birds each. Dietary treatments consisted of three levels of a mixture of essential oils (0, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and two sources of lipid (soybean oil and fish oil containing different ratios of n‐6 to n‐3 fatty acids) fed to the animals during an 80‐days feeding trial. Findings indicated that dietary administration of fish oil not only increased significantly the spleen relative weight (p < 0.01) and the antibody titre against Newcastle virus (p < 0.05) but also led to reductions in liver relative weight (p < 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). Moreover, the mixture of herbal essential oils brought about declines in hepatic relative weight, heterophile to lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.05) and intestinal pathogen populations (p < 0.01). Mention must also be made of the improvements it made in spleen weight (p < 0.01), antibody titres against SRBC (p < 0.01) and Newcastle virus (p < 0.05), villus height to crypt depth ratio (p < 0.01), goblet cell numbers (p < 0.05), lamina propria lymphatic follicle diameters (p < 0.01) and feed conversion ratio (p = 0.06). It may be claimed that the enhancements observed in the performance of laying hens fed fish oil and 200 mg/kg of the blend of essential oils could have potentially been associated with improved intestinal health indices as well as cellular and humoral immune responses.     

Recovery of sperms bearing X chromosomes with different concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles in ram

Pre-conceptual sex selection is still a highly debatable process whereby X and Y chromosome bearing spermatozoa are isolated before oocyte fertilization. Recently, magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) have been used to determine X and Y chromosomes bearing spermatozoa as a result of searching for a cheap, highly efficient method using non-toxic materials. This study aimed to recover the sperm bearing X chromosomes in ram with different concentrations of MNP and then evaluate the success of this method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Ram sperms were divided into four groups, treated with 0 (control), 50, 100 and 200 μg/ml MNP, respectively. MNP was used to restore sperm cells bearing X chromosomes. Upon recovery, the PCR was performed to identify the X and Y sperms, Methyl ThiazoleTetrazolium (MTT), to assess MNP toxicity and sperm viability and acridine orange (AO) to evaluate sperm DNA integrity. The results of PCR revealed that the treatment of spermatozoa- bearing X chromosomes with 50 μg/ml MNP had the highest effects on the recovery of X sperm rather than the other concentrations of MNP. However, the concentrations of MNP did not have any toxic effects on spermatozoa, sperm viability and, DNA integrity, but the high concentration of MNP (200 μg/ml) significantly reduced DNA integrity. According to MTT and AO results, the concentrations of MNP used in this study had no toxic effects on spermatozoa and did not reduce the sperm viability and DNA integrity, except that 200 μg/ml MNP significantly reduced DNA integrity.     

Effects of pyriproxyfen, a juvenile hormone analog, on development of the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor

Pyriproxyfen, an analog of the juvenile hormone (JH) in insects, has been evaluated in vivo and in vitro on an important stored product pest, the mealworm Tenebrio molitor. On newly ecdysed pupae, this insect growth regulator (IGR) was applied topically (at 0.10 and 0.20 μg/insect). Enzyme immunoassay measurements showed a decrease of the ecdysteroid titer in the hemolymph of treated specimens. In addition, the treatment induced an increase of the protein concentration in the hemolymph, however, there was no significant effect on the protein band pattern. Using in vitro pupal integument explant cultures, pyriproxyfen (at 1 and 10 μM in the medium) caused a significant inhibition of ecdysteroid amounts and of the thickness of new cuticle secreted. These new results are discussed in relation to the physiology of this IGR with a JH action.     

Induction of a malathion-resistant strain in the common predacious mite Amblyseius cydnodactylon (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

This study demonstrates a laboratory induction of a malathion - resistant strain in Amblyseius cydnodactylon Shehata & Zaher and effect of selection on reproduction. Initially 500 sensitive females obtained from a laboratory mass culture were exposed to malathion at LC70. Subsequent selections were conducted every two generations at progressive LC70 values and number of eggs/female/day was recorded at each selection. Experiments were carried out under laboratory conditions of 24-28°C and 70-80 % R. H. The LC70 in the parent generation was 5.19 ppm and increased to 20 ppm in F4 selection generation. The dosage mortality relationships continued to increase up to a maximum of 282.3 ppm in F16. The rate of developing resistance increased from 1.75 folds in F2 to 1.97 folds in F4 and gradually reached a maximum of 54.39 folds in F16. There was an obvious decrease in reproduction corresponded to increasing resistance. For example, the number of eggs/female/day in F 16 was 8 eggs, contrasting 3 eggs in the parent generation.     

Pathogenicity of peste des petits ruminants virus isolated from Egyptian goats in Egypt

2 Egyptian goats and Boscat rabbits were experimentally inoculated with peste des petits ruminants (PPR) local Egyptian strain (PPR, Egypt 87). The inoculated animals contracted the disease with minor clinical manifestations, accompanied by rise of neutralizing antibodies to PPR virus. Virus was isolated from ocular and nasal secretions, buffy coat, spleen, and liver. No contact infection was observed between inoculated and healthy goats.     

The pathology of Flexibacter maritimus in aquaculture species in Tasmania, Australia

Macroscopic and microscopic features of natural and experimental Flexibacter maritimus infection, and epidemiological aspects of the disease, have been reported in a number of species of fish in Tasmanian aquaculture including Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), greenback flounder, Rhombosolea tapirina Günther, and striped trumpeter, Latris lineata (Bloch & Schneider). There is a great deal of consistency in the pathology in salmonids and non-salmonid species, with erosive lesions of external surfaces being the most prominent clinical sign. Experimentally induced disease of salmonids and flounder is similar to natural infection. Mature lesions show dermal and gill erosion, with dermal bacterial invasion into the dense connective tissue and occasionally underlying musculature, but a remarkable lack of inflammatory response. The earliest lesions show consistent fragmentation and degeneration of the epithelium, with infiltration of amorphous protein-like materials and occasionally intra-epithelial cellular inflammatory cells, plus congestion and haemorrhage of the superficial dermis, but without visible bacteria in standard sections. Variable scale loss, oedema and a low level of inflammation in scale pockets, plus variable small adherent bacterial mats, are evident before full epithelial erosion.     

Comparison of faecal collection method with high- and low-quality diets regarding digestibility and faeces characteristics measurements in Nile tilapia

The need for unbiased digestibility estimation has led to the development of a number of faeces collection methods. However, there is still a large variation in apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of diet/ingredients between these methods. This study investigated the impact of dietary quality on ADC and faeces recovery measurements obtained by two faecal collection methods (Choubert and settling tank). The fish were fed five diets: a control diet as high‐quality diet, two levels of dried duckweed (20% and 40%) and two levels of fresh duckweed (20% and 40%), which were added to the control diet, as low‐quality diets. Apparent digestibility coefficient estimates were highly correlated (r>0.95) between both faecal collection methods. For all diets the ADC estimates were higher when using settling tanks compared with Choubert collectors. For the control diet differences in ADC between two collectors were small, but by inclusion of duckweed these differences increased. The recovery percentage of faeces was not correlated between both faecal collection methods (r=0.22, P=0.41). The estimated recovery percentage of faeces by settling tanks was about three times higher than by Choubert. In conclusion, the differences in ADC and faeces recovery measured by two faecal collection methods depend on diet quality.     

Modelling Biomass Accumulation and Partitioning in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)

Quantitative information regarding biomass accumulation and partitioning in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is limited or inconclusive. The objective of this study was to obtain baseline values for extinction coefficient (K_S), radiation use efficiency (RUE, g MJ^?1) and biomass partitioning coefficients of chickpea crops grown under well‐watered conditions. The stability of these parameters during the crop life cycle and under different environmental and growth conditions, caused by season and sowing date and density, were also evaluated. Two field experiments, each with three sowing dates and four plant densities, were conducted during 2002–2004. Crop leaf area index, light interception and crop biomass were measured between emergence and maturity. A K_S value of 0.5 was obtained. An average RUE of 1 g MJ^?1 was obtained. Plant density had no effect on RUE, but some effects of temperature were detected. There was no effect of solar radiation or vapour pressure deficit on RUE when RUE values were corrected for the effect of temperature. RUE was constant during the whole crop cycle. A biphasic pattern was found for biomass partitioning between leaves and stems before first‐seed stage. At lower levels of total dry matter, 54 % of biomass produced was allocated to leaves, but at higher levels of total dry matter, i.e. under favourable and prolonged conditions for vegetative growth, this portion decreased to 28 %. During the period from first‐pod to first‐seed, 60 % of biomass produced went to stems, 27 % to pods and 13 % to leaves. During the period from first‐seed to maturity, 83 % of biomass was partitioned to pods. It was concluded that using fixed partitioning coefficients after first‐seed are not as effective as they are before this stage. Environmental conditions (temperature and solar radiation) and plant density did not affect partitioning of biomass.     

Effect of phosphate dissolving bacteria on P-uptake by barley plants grown in a salt affected calcareous soil

In a pot experiment the effect of inoculation of a salt affected calcareous soil with phosphate dissolving bacteria (PDB) on dehydrogenase activity and P-uptake by barley plants was investigated. Four levels of artificial salinity were used, i. e., 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 % total soluble salts. Inoculation increased PDB in all treatments, but it did not affect the microbial activity in the soil as represented by dehydrogenase activity. The higher the salt level the lower the counts of PDB and dehydrogenase activity in the soil. A positive significant difference was recorded in P-uptake as a result of inoculation and a negative one as a result of increasing salinity.     

Prevalence of serotypes G6 and G10 group A rotaviruses in dairy calves in Quebec.

Fecal samples from diarrheic and nondiarrheic dairy calves (1 to 3 weeks old) from 12 regions of Quebec, collected between 1992 and 1994, were screened for group A bovine rotavirus (BRV) using a combination of 2 VP6-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall prevalence of BRV infection was 26.4% (107/405). In diarrheic calves, BRV infection reached 74.3% (55/74), but only 15.7% (52/331) in nondiarrheic calves. BRV-positive samples were serotyped by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using G6 and G10 specific MAbs. The analysis of 107 field samples revealed that, in diarrheic calves, 34.5% (19/55) were G6, 27.2% (15/55) were G10, 9% (5/55) were G6 and G10 positive, and 29.9% (16/55) were G6 and G10 negative. In nondiarrheic calves, 19.2% (10/52) were G6, 19.2% (10/52) were G10, 7.6% (4/52) were G6 and G10 positive, and 53.6% (28/52) were G6 and G10 negative. Rotavirus dsRNA was extracted from BRV-positive samples and examined by polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Of 107 samples tested, 74 (69.1%) were positive, and all the samples demonstrated a typical group A rotavirus migration pattern.