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The effects of growing pinto peanut mixed with elephant grass-based pastures are still little known. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the performance of herbage yield, nutritive value of forage and animal responses to levels of pinto peanut forage mass mixed with elephant grass in low-input systems. Three grazing systems were evaluated: (i) elephant grass-based (control); (ii) pinto peanut, low-density forage yield (63 g/kg of dry matter – DM) + elephant grass; and (iii) pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield (206 g/kg DM) + elephant grass. The experimental design was completely randomized with the three treatments (grazing systems) and three replicates (paddocks) in split-plot grazing cycles. Forage samples were collected to evaluate the pasture and animal responses. Leaf blades of elephant grass and the other companion grasses of pinto peanut were collected to analyse the crude protein, in vitro digestible organic matter and total digestible nutrients. The pinto peanut, high-density dry matter forage yield + elephant grass treatment was found to give the best results in terms of herbage yield, forage intake and stocking rate, as well as having higher crude protein contents for both elephant grass and the other grasses, followed by pinto peanut with low-density forage yield + elephant grass and finally elephant grass alone. Better results were found with the grass–legume system for pasture and animal responses.

Simple Summary Environmental conditions can generate heat stress in poultry production. Feed additives have been supplemented in diets for layers and broilers to improve their health status, immune system and nutrition, as well as productive performance. This paper shows the effects of probiotic Bacillus subtilis PB6 and chromium propionate diet supplementation on productive parameters, egg and eggshell quality, excreta moisture, cortisol and serum biochemistry of laying breeder hens. Diets supplemented with Bacillus subtilis PB6, chromium propionate or a combination of the two resulted in improved egg production, feed conversion ratio, eggshell quality and nutrient metabolizability, without modifying the main serum biochemical parameters of hens from 55 to 70 weeks of age. Highlighted improvements in hen performance and eggshell quality were observed when hens were fed diets supplemented with a combination of the probiotic and chromium. This study expands our understanding concerning the combined supplementation of probiotics and organic chromium for poultry. Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtillis PB6, chromium propionate or a combination of the two on the performance, egg and eggshell quality, nutrient metabolizability and serum biochemistry of layer breeders. White Plymouth Rock and Red Rhodes Island breeder hens at 55 weeks of age were allocated in individual cages using a completely randomized block design with 16 replicates. Hens were fed control, control + probiotic (500 g/ton of Bacillus subtilis PB6), control + CrProp (50 g/ton of chromium propionate) and control + probiotic + CrProp diets from 55 to 70 weeks of age. Productive parameters and eggshell quality as well as cortisol and blood biochemistry were grouped each 28 d as well as for the overall period. The metabolizability of nutrients and energy was determined at 70 weeks of age. In the overall period, hens fed the control + probiotic or control + probiotic + CrProp diets had significantly higher egg production, egg mass, shell percentage, thickness and shell strength. The metabolizability of dry matter, nitrogen and energy increased in hens that were fed the control + probiotic + CrProp diet. In conclusion, diets supplemented with Bacillus subtillis PB6 and chromium propionate resulted in improved productive performance, eggshell quality and nutrient metabolizability of layer breeders, without modifying serum cortisol, albumin and triglycerides.

Elephant grass (EG) (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) have great importance in tropical and subtropical climates, especially on dairy farms. Normally, EG is established alone under high fertilization levels. EG in organic production system can improve low production costs and environmental issues, are still little known. The aim of this research was to evaluate the performance of herbage yield, nutritive value, extraction/ export nutrient and forage yield and animal responses. Three production systems of EG were analyzed: (i) EG mixed spontaneous-growing species (SGE) in warm-season and ryegrass (R) in cool-season under organic production; (ii) EG mixed SGE + R under conventional system (positive control); and (iii) EG based under conventional production (control). Holstein cows were used in a rotational stocking. Forage samples were collected to evaluate the pasture and animal responses. Seven grazing cycles were performed during the experimental period (312 days). Herbage yield, forage intake, and stocking rate were 12548; 10270; 19168 kg ha-1 and 2.5; 2.6; 2.7% and 3.3; 2.1; 4.5 AU ha-1 day-1, respectively. Crude protein of EG was 17.9; 15.4; 16.4%, respectively. Mixed pastures, in conventional and organic production, had a better forage distribution throughout the seasons. Highest forage yield and extraction/ export nutrient was reported in pure EG within the conventional system.

The present study was designed to assess the in vivo activity of Sch 29482, a new penem antibiotic, against disseminated and localized Treponema pallidum infections in rabbits. Animals were inoculated either intravenously or intradermally. Randomized groups then received 25 or 50 mg of Sch 29482 per kilogram of body weight twice a day for 7 days, two weekly injections of 200,000 U of penicillin G benzathine for comparative purposes, or no antibiotic therapy. In both infection models, striking differences were noted between the untreated control rabbits and rabbits receiving penicillin G benzathine or high-dose Sch 29482. Intravenously infected rabbits did not develop disseminated lesions or orchitis, and chancres produced by intradermal infection regressed and healed rapidly after both treatment regimens. Infectivity studies also suggested that high-dose Sch 29482 and penicillin G benzathine were effective since the testes and lymph nodes of treated animals were free of infectious organisms. Treatment of animals with the lower dose of Sch 29482 represented borderline or suboptimal therapy, with a failure rate of one in four for each infection model.

The in vivo activity of rosaramicin phosphate in disseminated and localized Treponema pallidum infections in rabbits was compared with that of penicillin G benzathine. Rabbits were injected either intradermally or intravenously to establish infection. Groups of four animals each then received either two weekly injections of 200,000 U of penicillin G benzathine, injections of 12.5 or 25 mg of rosaramicin per kg of body weight twice a day for 10 days, or no antibiotic therapy. Treatment of the intradermal and intravenous infections was initiated on days 7 and 14 postinfection, respectively. With both infection models, striking differences were noted between the untreated control rabbits and the three groups receiving treatment; no discernible differences, however, were detected among any of the treated groups. Rabbits that had been infected intravenously did not develop disseminated lesions or orchitis after treatment, and chancres produced by intradermal infection regressed and healed rapidly after the initiation of therapy. Continued increases in treponemal and nontreponemal antibody titers posttreatment did not occur in any of the treated rabbits. Infectivity studies also suggested that the lymph nodes and testes of treated animals were free from infectious organisms. Overall, at the dosage regimens employed, both rosaramicin and penicillin G benzathine appeared to effect complete control of the experimental disease.

As a prelude to characterization of the host and treponemal antigens present in purified immune complexes from the sera of rabbits with disseminated syphilis, autoradiographic and immunoenzymatic analyses of solubilized extracts of Treponema pallidum, Treponema phagedenis biotype Reiter, and Treponema refringens were performed on electroblots of polypeptides first separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Electroblots of purified immune complexes were developed with the same panel of antisera so that protein profiles could be compared. Eight treponemal antigens were consistently present in isolated complexes; four of these cross-reacted with antisera prepared against avirulent treponemes. The average molecular weights of these antigens were 87,000, 76,000, 66,000, and 45,000. Antibodies dissociated from isolated immune complexes, when used for the development of T. pallidum electroblots, reacted with four antigens of comparable molecular weight. Antibodies to those polypeptides were also present in the sera of animals immunized with immune complexes. The demonstration of treponemal antigens in purified immune complexes convincingly argues that their occurrence in experimental syphilis is not merely due to tissue destruction and responses to endogenous host antigens.