Search

The food of animal origin that is the most consumed is the table egg, but laying hens treated with antibiotics can produce eggs contaminated with antibiotic residues. Residues of antibiotics may present a risk for consumer health. Keeping in mind that laying hens almost always suffer from Mycoplasma ( Mycoplasma synoviae ), for which they are treated with antibiotics, high-quality egg production is even harder. Our research aimed to investigate the influence of three different antibiotics compared to the tea tree ( Melaleuca alternifolia ) essential oil administered to naturally infected laying hens with M. synoviae , on antibiotic residues in eggs as well as the egg nutritive and sensory qualities. A total of 20,000 laying hens, housed in one facility and divided into four lines each consisting of 5000 hens naturally infected with M. synoviae , was used. For the antimicrobial therapy, tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) were used, respectively. As a control, tea tree essential oil (TT) was used. Based on the gained results all tetracyclines treatment residue values were significantly ( p < 0.05) higher compared to the control treatment (TT), but without any significant differences ( p > 0.05) between themselves. The results showed no differences in the nutritive and the sensory qualities of eggs between the control and the experimental treatments ( p > 0.05). Keeping in mind the obtained results from this study, it can be concluded that tea tree essential oil could be successfully used as a natural antibiotic in the treatment of M. synoviae , without any adverse effects on table egg quality.

Poultry diets are mainly used in pelleted form because pellets have many advantages compared to mash feed. On the other hand, pelleting causes reduction of feed particle size. The aim of this research was to investigate the possibility of increasing the content of coarse particles in pellets, and, at the same time, to produce pellets with satisfactory quality. In this research, the three grinding treatments of corn were applied using hammer mill with three sieve openings diameter: 3 mm (HM-3), 6 mm (HM-6) and 9 mm (HM-9). These grinding treatments were combined in pelleting process with three gaps between rollers and the die of pellet press (roller-die gap, RDG) (0.30, 1.15 and 2.00 mm) and three moisture contents of the pelleted material (14.5, 16.0 and 17.5%). The increased coarseness of grinding by the hammer mill resulted in the increased amount of coarse particles in pellets, especially when the smallest RDG was applied (0.30 mm), but pellet quality was greatly reduced. Increasing of RDG improved the quality of pellets produced from coarsely ground corn, but reduced the content of coarse particles in pellets and increased specific energy consumption of the pellet press. Increasing the moisture content of material to be pelleted (MC) significantly reduced energy consumption of the pellet press, but there was no significant influence of MC on particle size after pelleting and on the pellet quality. The optimal values of the pelleting process parameters were determined using desirability function method. The results of optimization process showed that to achieve the highest possible quantity of coarse particles in the pellets, and to produce pellets of satisfactory quality, with the lowest possible energy consumption of the pellet press, the coarsest grinding on hammer mill (HM-9), the largest RDG (2 mm) and the highest MC (17.5%) should be applied., (Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

Fusarium species, particularly Fusarium graminearum and F. culmorum, are the main cause of trichothecene type B contamination in cereals. Data on the distribution of Fusarium trichothecene genotypes in cereals in Europe are scattered in time and space. Furthermore, a common core set of related variables (sampling method, host cultivar, previous crop, etc.) that would allow more effective analysis of factors influencing the spatial and temporal population distribution, is lacking. Consequently, based on the available data, it is difficult to identify factors influencing chemotype distribution and spread at the European level. Here we describe the results of a collaborative integrated work which aims (1) to characterize the trichothecene genotypes of strains from three Fusarium species, collected over the period 2000-2013 and (2) to enhance the standardization of epidemiological data collection. Information on host plant, country of origin, sampling location, year of sampling and previous crop of 1147 F. graminearum, 479 F. culmorum, and 3 F. cortaderiae strains obtained from 17 European countries was compiled and a map of trichothecene type B genotype distribution was plotted for each species. All information on the strains was collected in a freely accessible and updatable database (www.catalogueeu.luxmcc.lu), which will serve as a starting point for epidemiological analysis of potential spatial and temporal trichothecene genotype shifts in Europe. The analysis of the currently available European dataset showed that in F. graminearum, the predominant genotype was 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON) (82.9%), followed by 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON) (13.6%), and nivalenol (NIV) (3.5%). In F. culmorum, the prevalent genotype was 3-ADON (59.9%), while the NIV genotype accounted for the remaining 40.1%. Both, geographical and temporal patterns of trichothecene genotypes distribution were identified.

In the present study the effects of individual and combined essential oils (EOs) extracted from onion (Allium cepa L.) bulb and garlic (Allium sativum L.) clove on the growth of Aspergillus versicolor and sterigmatocystin (STC) production were investigated. The EOs obtained by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC/MS. Twenty one compounds were identified in onion EO. The major components were: dimethyl-trisulfide (16.64%), methyl-propyl-trisulfide (14.21%), dietil-1,2,4-tritiolan (3R,5S-, 3S,5S- and 3R,5R- isomers) (13.71%), methyl-(1-propenyl)-disulfide (13.14%), and methyl-(1-propenyl)-trisulfide (13.02%). The major components of garlic EO were diallyl-trisulfide (33.55%), and diallyl-disulfide (28.05%). The mycelial growth and the STC production were recorded after 7, 14, and 21 d of the A. versicolor growth in Yeast extract sucrose (YES) broth containing different EOs concentrations. Compared to the garlic EO, the onion EO showed a stronger inhibitory effect on the A. versicolor mycelial growth and STC production. After a 21-d incubation of fungi 0.05 and 0.11 μg/mL of onion EO and 0.11 μg/mL of garlic EO completely inhibited the A. versicolor mycelial growth and mycotoxins biosynthesis. The combination of EOs of onion (75%) and garlic (25%) had a synergistic effect on growth inhibition of A. versicolor and STC production., (© 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®)

The formation of conidia in Phaeocytostroma ambiguum on different media and conditions was investigated in this study. Carnation leaf agar (CLA) and a 12 h photoperiod (24/18 degrees C) provided excellent conditions for the promotion of rapid formation of both alpha (alpha) and beta (beta) conidia in a number of P. ambiguum isolates. The dimensions of alpha- and beta-conidia amounted to 6.0-19.6 x 3.8-7.5 microm and 6.0-24.9 x 1.1-2.6 microm, respectively. They were produced on short or elongate, simple and branched conidiophores. beta-conidia have not been described before in P. ambiguum. Intermediate conidia were rarely found.

Results obtained by several approaches in the application of Biotechnology in maize breeding are reviewed. RFLP technology in the determination of genetic variation; gene transfer by the use of different methods of gene delivery and the determination of gene integration. Three technologies for foreign gene introduction have been applied; injection of plasmid pRT100 neo into archesporial tissue before micro and macro sporogenesis, slightly modified pollen-tube pathway technology and dry seed incubation in plasmid DNA solution. NPTII gene integration was followed by dot-blot and Southern blot analysis of plant DNA of both T1 and T2 plants. Gene expression was analysed by neomycin phosphotransferase activity. Transformed plants contained the selective NPTII gene sequence in an active form. Bacterial gene integration induced several heritable changes of plant phenotype. As an important change, alteration of the flowering time has been used as a criterion for selection and plant propagation to keep transformed progeny. Besides plant genome transformation, endogenous bacteria living in different maize tissue were found. As a perspective approach for biotechnology application in maize breeding biological vaccine construction has been selected. Therefore, antagonistic effect of gram positive bacterial strains to several pathogenic fungi was investigated. Results obtained after in vivo experiments are discussed.