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Background: Burns on the hands are prevalent as a result of their exposed position. Hand burns can have a significant influence on both the physical and psychological well-being. The Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ) is commonly used to evaluate the hand and wrist problems. Objectives: To evaluate the validity and reliability of Arabic version of MHQ in assessment of hand function post burn. Subjects and Methods: 100 patients started to participate in the current study 1 month after burn injury, aged from (20-35) years, who suffered from second degree thermal burn injury with total body surface area (TBSA) ranged from (20-30%) involving mostly the dominant hand. The procedure of the study started by translation of the English version of MHQ into Arabic (forward and backward translation process). The pre-final version of MHQ was reviewed and analysed by 10 experts for validation process. Patients were asked to fill all items of the final version of MHQ to be tested and retested after 1 week for reliability assessment. Results: The mean index of clarity was 94.86%. The scale content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.94 and item content validity index (I-CVI) ranged from 0.8 to 1. The mean expert proportion of relevance was 94.59%. The r value was 0.667 and the p value was 0.001. Cronbach's alpha was 0.835. ICC of total score was 0.974 with 95% CI 0.930-0.987. Completing the scale took an average of 12.46 ± 3.86 minutes, with a maximum of 20 minutes and a minimum of 7 minutes. Conclusion: The Arabic version of MHQ proved to be a valid, reliable and feasible tool for assessing hand function in burned patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main objective of this work aimed to investigate the impact of incorporation apricot seed kernel (ASK) in rabbit rations on their digestion coefficients, nutritive values, performance, carcass characteristics, and blood constituents (hematology and biochemistry). Method: Forty-five New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits aged 5–6 weeks (730 ± 23 g) were divided into five groups (9 rabbit in each group) for 72 days. The first experimental ration considered the control (R1) that not contained apricot seed kernel (0% ASK). The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th experimental rations contained 0.75, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 % for R2, R3, R4, and R5, respectively. Results: ASK had no significant effect on the nutrient digestibility except for EE and nutritive values. Incorporating ASK at different levels significantly (P < 0.05) increased average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ASK at different levels had no effect on both digestive tract and head weights, while giblets and carcass weights were increased (P < 0.05) compared to the control (R1). Rations contained ASK with level 0.75, 1.5, and 3% were significantly (P < 0.05) increased crude protein content of best 9th, 10th, and 11th ribs. Meanwhile, R2, R3, and R4 significantly (P < 0.05) decreased ether extract content of best 9th, 10th, and 11th ribs. Inclusion ASK had no significant difference on red blood cell count (RBCs), white blood cell count (WBCs), packed cell volume percentages (PCV), hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). However, levels of ASK (0.75, 1.5 and 3%) were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased eosinophils. Both basophiles and lymphocytes counts were significantly (P < 0.05) increased with ASK (R4). ASK had no significant effect on total protein, albumin, ALT, total cholesterol, triglycerides, urea, and creatinine. Meanwhile, rabbits received ration contained 4.5% ASK (R5) significantly (P < 0.05) increased total globulins and AST contents. Conclusion: From the data obtained and under the same condition for this study, it can be concluded that, apricot seed kernel can be used safety as an alternative source of protein used to rates reach up to 4.5% without adverse effects on growth rates, feed consumption, digestion coefficients, nutritive values, carcass characteristics, and blood constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Agriculture by-products are considered a great potential value for utilization by ruminants as well as rabbits. They usually can be the maintenance and part of the production requirements. However, in developing countries, as well as in Egypt, animals suffer from shortage of feeds that are continuously increasing in costs. In general, biological treatments were shown to be the most effective and improved chemical composition of rice straw or corn stalks. Method: This work aimed to investigate the possible ways of utilizing rice straws or corn stalks in rabbit feeding. The field work is designed to study the effect of biological treatment of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated on rice straws and Trichoderma reesei cultivated on corn stalks and replacing clover hay by rice straws and corn stalks at levels of 0, 33, 66, and 100% either without or with microbes adding. Seventy-eight New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits aged 4–5 weeks (565 ± 13.57 g) were randomly divided into thirteen equal experimental groups. Results: Untreated rice straws or biologically treated with Pleurotus ostreatus increased their contents of crude protein (CP) by 178.75 and 224.5% and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) by 6.30 and 24.53, respectively. Meanwhile, crude fiber (CF) content was reduced by 31.32 and 56.75%, and organic matter content was decreased by 2.81 and 5.51%, respectively, in comparison with the raw rice straws. Also, biological treatment of rice straws caused a decrease in values of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and hemicellulose contents in comparison with either raw or treated rice straws. Furthermore, biological treatment with Trichoderma reesei realized a decrease in organic matter (OM), CF, NDF, and ADF and increased CP and ash contents in corn stalks. NFE content of corn stalks was decreased as a result of treatment without or with Trichoderma reesei experimental rations by 11.95% and 3.82% compared to raw corn stalks (CS). Biological treatments with fungi significantly (P < 0.05) improved average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion. ADG and feed conversion were significantly (P < 0.05) improved when rabbits were fed diets containing rice straw (RS) compared to that fed CS. Rabbits fed diets replaced clover hay (CH) with 33% or 66% of RS or CS significantly increased ADG compared to control and that replaced 100% of both RS and CS containing rations. Levels of replacing had no significant effect on their dry matter intake (DMI) values. The highest improvement in feed conversion was recorded with rabbits that received diets replaced 33% of berseem hay (BH) by RS or CS, followed by that replaced 66% of BH by RS or CS. There were significantly interactions between biological treatments (T), roughage source (S), and replacement levels (L) (T × S × L) only on ADG. The best fed conversion was realized by rabbits fed diet replaced BH with 33% of RS that are treated by Pleurotus ostreatus (4.05 g DMI/g gain). Rabbits fed 33% biologically treated rice straw with Pleurotus ostreatus showed the highest economic efficiency (179%) followed by rabbits that received 33% of both rice straws treated without Pleurotus ostreatus and rabbits that received corn stalks biologically treated with Trichoderma reesei (161%). Conclusion: Biological treatments of rice straws by Pleurotus ostreatus or corn stalks by Trichoderma reesei were safe, and it improves their chemical analysis and improved both daily gain and feed conversion, decreasing the costing of diet formulation which consequently decreased the price of 1-kg live body weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the important by-products is sesame seed meal; it is a by-product of sesame seed pressing. Sesame oil cake or meal is a relatively good source of crude protein which can replace part of basic ingredients in diets such as soybean. Method: Fifteen growing male Barki lambs aged 5–6 months (18.50 ± 0.98 kg) were used to investigate the influence of replacing soybean meal (SBM) that incorporated (16% of control ration) sesame meal (SM) at 50% or 100% on feed and water intakes, nutrient digestibility, growth performance, rumen parameters, and economic evaluation. Lambs received one of the three tested complete feed mixtures that contained 16% SBM (R1), replaced 50% of SBM with SM (R2), contained (8% SBM + 8% SM) or completely replaced 100% of SBM with SM (R3) and contained 16% SM. Results: Dietary treatments had no significant effect on all nutrient digestibility and total digestible nutrients value, meanwhile it decreased (P < 0.05) their contents of digestable crud protine when SBM was completely replaced by SM. Average daily gain (ADG) increased (P < 0.05) while increasing the level of replacement SBM by SM. Feed conversion expressed as g. gain improved (P < 0.05) with the increasing level of inclusion SM in the rations. Ruminal pH values increased (P < 0.05), meanwhile, values of NH3-N concentration insignificantly decreased; however, values of total volatile fatty acid concentration insignificantly increased when SBM was replaced at half or completely by SM. Economical efficiency improved by 147.9% and 163.5% for R2 and R3 compared to control (R1). Conclusion: It can be mentioned that SM is a good source of protein and can be successfully used as an unconventional source in growing lamb rations without causing any deleterious effect on their performance, digestibility, and ruminal fermentation while realizing a decrease in feed cost with improving economic efficiency, so it can incorporate SM in sheep rations to improve profitability or net revenue and decrease feed cost/kg gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many studies mentioned that using medicinal herbs and plants as feed additives to ruminants seems to be a recent trend depending on the availability and their cost but using them with monogastric animals and birds, as pharmaceutical tool, is available. As an example, the importance of garlic or onion in recent years, thanks to a wide range of useful properties, has been increasingly used as an additive in nutrition and protection of farm animals. Their action was manifested in a reduced expanding range of pathogenic microorganisms in the digestive tract, which resulted in the rapid growth of poultry, efficient digestion, and increased immunity and health of poultry. Methods: One hundred and eight 30-week-old laying hens were randomly divided into six dietary treatment groups {G1 control, G2 contained 0.5% garlic powder (GP), G3 contained 1% GP, G4 contained 1% onion powder (OP), G5 contained 1% OP + 0.5% GP, and G6 contained 1% OP + 1% GP}. Each group included 18 hens in six replicates (3 birds/each). So, this work carried out to investigate the impact of incorporating garlic powder (GP) and/or onion powder (OP) in laying hens' diets on their performance, egg quality, and some blood constituents. Results: Incorporating GP, OP, and the mixture of them in laying hen diets had no significant effect on the average egg weight and consumption/hen/day throughout the three stages of egg collection, but had a significant improvement in the number of eggs/hen, percentage of egg production, egg mass/hen, and feed conversion. Inclusion of GP, OP, or the mixture of them in laying hen diets had no significant effect on the shape index, Haugh unit, albumin, and shell percentages; also, an insignificant increase for shell thickness was observed, but egg weight increases (P < 0.05). Incorporation of GP, OP, and the mixture of them significantly decreased (P < 0.05) total cholesterol concentration. Also, an inclusion of 0.5% GP, 1% GP, and 1% OP + 1% GP decreased (P < 0.05) high-density lipoprotein. Inclusion of only 1% OP + 1% GP (G6) decreased (P < 0.05) glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase; meanwhile, supplementation of 1% OP, 1% OP + 0.5% GP, or 1% OP + 1% GP increased (P < 0.05) creatinine. Conclusion: From the results obtained and under conditions suitable for this study, it can be mentioned that the incorporation of garlic or onion powder or the mixture of them can be safely used with improvement in the general health of hens, egg weight, and feed conversion and decrease in the blood cholesterol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Egypt, the area of Berseem was decreased and wheat area increased which lead to high price of rabbit rations. Using non-traditional feed led to decrease the cost of feeding. The main objective of this study is to replace 50% of Berseem hay (BH) of rabbit rations by agriculture by-products such as Mung bean husks (MBH), soybean vein hay (SBVH), or peanut vein hay (PVH). Method: Twenty-four New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits aged 5–6 weeks (584 ± 25 g) were randomly divided into four equal experimental groups. Feeding trial lasted 70 days. Results: Except for organic matter (OM) digestibility, treatments had no effect on all other nutrient digestibilites that includes dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extract (EE), and nitrogen free extract (NFE) and nutritive values {total digestible nutrient (TDN) and digestible crude protein (DCP)}. Instead, 50% of BH by the other alternative source of agriculture by-products had no effect on all carcass parameters measured. However, dressing percentages was improved. Treatments had no effect on albumin, total lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), creatinine, and alkaline phosphatase. Conclusion: It can be instead 50% of hay used in rabbit rations with alternative sources of roughage, such as Mung bean husks, soybean vein hay, or peanut vein hay, without any adverse effect on their performance, digestion, carcass characteristics, and blood constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) encourages using medicinal herbs and plants to substitute or minimize the use of chemicals through the global trend to go back to nature. Many studies mentioned that using medicinal herbs and plants as feed additives seems to be a recent trend depending on availability and their cost but using them with monogastric animals and birds, as pharmaceutical tool, is available. Their action was manifested in a reduced expanding range of pathogenic microorganisms in the digestive tract, which resulted in the improvement of growth performance, efficient digestion, immunity, and health of poultry. Methods: The present work aimed to establish the influence of adding natural bioactive mixture composed of the juice of lemon, onion, and garlic (LOG) at portions 1.00, 1.00, and 0.125/l clean water, respectively, to laying hens' diets on their performance, egg quality, and some blood constituents. Seventy-two 30-week-old commercial Bovan Brown layers were randomly divided into four dietary treatment groups. Each treatment included eighteen hens in 6 replicates (3 birds each). All tested diets were almost isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Results: Adding LOG in laying hens' diets significantly (P < 0.05) improved feed conversion throughout the second stage of egg collection in comparison with the control group. Inclusion of LOG in laying hen diets significantly (P < 0.05) improved the number of eggs/hen, percentage of egg production, and egg mass/hen throughout the second stage of egg collection comparing with the control (G1). Diet supplied by 1% LOG recorded the best value of yolk color (5.40) and yolk percentage (28.42%) compared with the other groups. Adding 2% or 3% LOG significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the total plasma cholesterol content compared to the control group. Inclusion of LOG at different levels significantly (P < 0.05) decreased blood plasma contents of GPT and GOT. However, insignificant decreases in blood plasma creatinine occurred comparing to control. Conclusion: Adding the natural bioactive mixture composed of the juice of lemon, onion, and garlic can be safely used in improving the general health, egg weight, and feed conversion with decreasing the blood cholesterol of laying hens. Supplementation of LOG in the ration of hens improved the feed conversion and egg production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]