Search

Volcanic eruptions have varied and complex impacts on small-scale livestock farming located in volcanic hazard-prone areas due to diverse stock, rearing, and feeding practices. The study was aimed to clarify the critical factors for designing forage recovery and sustainable livestock production in highrisk-prone areas of active volcanic mountains. A total of seventy-five ruminant livestock farmers located in the eruption-impacted areas of five active volcanoes were surveyed on flock size, rearing, and feeding practices. They were interviewed about their experiences of the eruption's impact on the animals, forage feed, and livestock mitigation regarding survival efforts. Forage plants and soil samples were collected to analyze dry matter and crude nutrient composition and estimate the botanical composition, biomass production, and carrying capacity. Results showed that there were five species of ruminant animals reared in small flock size (< 7 heads/farm): beef cattle, buffalo, horses, goat, and sheep. Beef cattle and goats were the most popular farm animals raised in different breeds, rearing, and feeding systems. The volcanic eruption caused animal loss and health problems due to exposure to volcanic materials, forage damages, and animal mitigation constraints, resulting in flock size decrease and economic loss. The impact of the eruption on farm animals and forage plants varied among the volcanoes due to diverse eruptive characteristics, stock breed, rearing, and feeding practices. Livestock farming recovery post-eruption depended largely on the survival flock and the regrowth of forage plants. In conclusion, sustainable beef cattle farming in volcanic hazard-prone areas might be realized by effective livestock mitigation efforts, selecting appropriate types of animals and rearing/feeding systems based on agroecological conditions, and improving forage capacity and survival rate during and posteruption.

Exposure to OMFS at undergraduate level is rare. Students seeking such exposure often struggle to access important information that would help them decide about a future career in OMFS. The COVID-19 pandemic has made access to such information, for example career workshops and specialty conferences, more difficult. This paper discusses our experiences of setting up an online webinar series aimed at providing practical advice for undergraduates and early trainees interested in the field of OMFS. Clinicians were approached via email and/or social media to deliver a structured programme of key advice and guidance about OMFS. Individual undergraduate and surgical societies were emailed in order to advertise the series which included talks such as ‘Week in the Life’, ‘Subspecialties’ and ‘Portfolio Building’. An interactive poster containing a Quick Response code was circulated to allow a streamlined registration process. The seminars were held via Zoom videoconferencing software and feedback collated via Typeform using a Likert-scale questionnaire. On average, the webinars were 60 minutes long and each attracted 53 attendees. The series attracted 183 unique participants. The majority of attendees were dental students and 85% were based in the UK. Overall, 94% felt their knowledge of the specialty had improved and 86% were more likely to consider pursuing OMFS as a career as result of the series. This paper shows that videoconferencing is a useful modality to engage with junior trainees and has a wide reach. These benefits must be harnessed going forward to improve access and exposure to OMFS in early trainees.

The heat shock protein (HSP) family is one of the proteins universally accumulated under heat stress condition. Four Egyptian maize inbred lines (Zea mays L.) were studied to identify heat shock proteins under heat stress at 45°C as protein markers for detecting the thermo-tolerance inbreds. The protein fingerprints of four inbred lines were performed by grain total-soluble protein electcophoretic analysis. The protein electrophoretic analysis showed 18 bands in a distinct pattern of K1 and K7 inbred lines, while 17 bands were present in G342 and Rg59 inbred lines as another distinct pattern indicating different genotypes. The high temperature effect on four maize inbred lines exposed to 45°C for 2 and 4 hours at 14-days old seedlings besides control (25°C) was studied. Several protein bands varied between low and intermediate molecular weights were induced after exposing to heat stress at 45°C. Four bands of heat shock proteins with molecular weights of 82, 22, 17 and 10 kDa appeared in the inbred line K1 after exposing to 45°C for 2 and 4 hours which may be indication of thermo-tolerance. Four and seven bands were enhanced after exposing to high temperature for 4 hours at 45°C which appeared more concentrated in the patterns of K7 and G342 inbred lines, respectively.

Samples of limestone composites were measured for hardness in 5 difference colors: black, darkblue, blue, light blue and white. Limestone was then ground and particle sizes of meal were measured.The meal were mixed with other locally available materials to produce 5 difference mineral formulas:P1: 100% limestone meal, P2: 50% limestone meal + 50% fresh water oyster shell meal, P3: 35%limestone meal + 30% fresh water oyster shell meal + 35% bone meal, P4: 35% limestone meal + 30%fresh water oyster shell meal + 34.2% bone meal + 0.5% salt + 0.3% micro minerals and P5: 100% freshwater oyster shell meal. The formulas were stored for 12 weeks. Samples were taken weekly foranalyzing of moisture content and physical properties. By a feeding trial the five mineral formulas weremixed in the level of 6 % into basal diet and fed to 150 laying hens for 24 weeks. Parameters measuredincluded body weight, feed intake, egg production and FCR. Results showed that the composites ofBukit Kamangs’ limestone had difference hardness. The strongest was found by the black composite of23.4 HRc-C or 245.0 BHN. The meal products contained large particles (>0.42 mm) of 17.8%. Moisturecontent of mineral formulas increased during storage, but their physical properties were no significantchanges. The highest moisture increase was found by the product of 100% limestone, but it could bereduced by mixing with oyster shell meal and bone meal. The best laying performances (P

A feeding trial was conducted to study the use of natural limestone meal originated from Bukit Kamanglocated at Agam district of West Sumatra to substitute fresh water oyster shell as the main source ofcalcium in diet of laying hens. The mineral feed formula, as treatments, composed of limestone in combinationwith freshwater oyster shell in five different percent ratios: 100:0; 75:25; 50:50; 25:75 and 0:100. The mineralswere mixed in the level of 6 % into basal diet composed mainly corn, rice bran and concentrates. The fiveexperimental diets were then fed to 150 laying hens. They were divided into 5 groups; each group wassubdivided into 3 replicates groups containing 10 hens. Parameters measured included: feed intake, eggproduction, FCR, eggshell quality, Ca and P retention, tibia bone mineralization. Results showed the nutritivevalues of limestone of Bukit Kamang as mineral source of laying hen diet were found not significantlydifferent from those of oysters shell. The hens fed with diet supplemented with Bukit Kamang’s limestonetended to give better laying performances than those of supplemented with fresh water oyster shell. Thelaying performances, egg shell quality and Ca and P retentions did not significantly improved, when limestonewas mixed by oyster shell.