The effect of feeding system on fattening performance,slaughter, and carcass characteristics of Norduz male kids

The study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding systems on fattening performance, slaughter, and carcass characteristics of male Norduz kids. In the study, 20 male Norduz kids weaned at 2.5 months of age were divided into two groups after weaning. The first group was reared under semi-intensive conditions (SI) on a mixture of pasture and concentrate, and the second group was reared under extensive conditions (E) on pasture only. SI group had higher final weight (35.30 kg versus 32.81 kg), daily weight gain (153.10 g versus 132.14 g), and warm carcass yield (44.84% versus 46.55%) compared to the E group although there were no significant differences. Body organs, carcass parts, prime cuts, and chemical composition of the chop area did not also differ in two groups significantly. As a conclusion, this study showed that semi-intensive feeding systems improved kid fattening performance and carcass characteristics.     

Spatial distribution of heavy metals in soils of the Bafra plain in Turkey

For analyzing the spatial distribution of the Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, and heavy metal (HM) sources on the Bafra deltaic plain (the central Black Sea district of Turkey), 108 soil samples were collected from the 0- to 20-cm layer in an area of about 100 thousand ha. The soil enrichment factor (the ratio between the metal concentration in the soil samples and its content in the earth’s crust (EF)) was calculated to reveal the origin of the heavy metal (HM) pollution (natural or anthropogenic). Kriging interpolation and maps of the soil’s enrichment factors were used for the characterization of the spatial HM distribution. The maximal EF was found for Cd (12.826), while smaller EF values characterized the Pb, Ni, Co, and Cu. In some districts of the studied region, the Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations were somewhat greater, probably, due to the application of high rates of phosphorus fertilizers and intense soil cultivation. A content exceeding the critical value was recorded for Ni. Probably, this fact was related to the elevated content of this metal in the parent rocks. None of the investigated soils can be referred to the category of polluted ones.     

In vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities of the essential oil and various extracts from herbal parts and callus cultures of Origanum acutidens

The essential oil and various extracts obtained from Origanum acutidens and methanol extracts (MeOH) from callus cultures have been evaluated for their antioxidative, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties. The essential oil exhibited strong antimicrobial activity with a significant inhibitory effect against 27 (77%) of the 35 bacteria, 12 (67%) of the 18 fungi, and a yeast tested and moderate antioxidative capacity in DPPH and beta-carotene/linoleic acid assays. GC and GC-MS analyses of the oil resulted in the identification of 38 constituents, carvacrol being the main component. The MeOH extracts obtained from herbal parts showed better antioxidative effect than that of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), whereas callus cultures also exhibited interesting antioxidative patterns. Concerning antiviral activity, none of the extracts inhibited the reproduction of influenza A/Aichi virus in MDCK cells. The MeOH extracts from herbal parts inhibited the reproduction of HSV-1, and also callus cultures exerted slight antiherpetic effect.