Search

Summary This experiment was conducted to assess a protocol combining 20% excess dietary methionine above the modern breeder pullet's requirement and AviPro MGF vaccine in controlling Mycoplasma gallispeticum (MG) infection. In a complete randomized design, a total of 276 6-wk-old breeder pullets, of the Ross 308 strain were allocated into 4 treatments, each with 3 floor pen replicates of 23 birds/pen: 1) nonvaccinated with adequate methionine (NVAM), 2) nonvaccinated with 20% excess methionine (NVEM), 3) Vaccinated with adequate methionine (VAM), 4) Vaccinated with 20% excess methionine (VEM). Vaccination with AviPro MGF at 6 wk of age was performed via drinking water. Results indicated that the rate of depictable growth and tracheal colonization of MGF vaccine strain is 6 wk postvaccination. Sera Elisa titers showed that an 8-wk-postvaccination period was required for the vaccine to stimulate the humoral immunity response against MG. The 20% excess methionine numerically increased the IgG titer against MG in comparison to other groups, yet this increase was not enough to generate protective titer count. Furthermore, the addition of 20% excess methionine above the recommended levels hindered the tracheal colonization rate and log10 values of AviPro MGF vaccine colony forming units from 5.9/mL of tracheal swab suspension in VAM group to 0.82/mL of tracheal swab suspension in VEM group (P ˂ 0.05). In conclusion, the 20% excess methionine above the modern requirements reduced the tracheal colonization of F-strain MG. Further research is needed to confirm the ability of excess dietary methionine to enhance the adaptive and acquired immunity of broiler breeder pullets.

The present work assessed the effect of supplementation of 0.8% dietary Arbocel® RC Fine, a readily available commercial lignocellulose, to poultry feed. In a complete randomized design using 36 individually caged mature dubbed Hy-Line roosters (aged 55 weeks) grouped in 4 treatments with 9 birds per treatment, a digestibility trial was performed to determine apparent and true metabolizable energy values along with digestibility coefficients of protein and amino acid in Arbocel® containing diets. Results showed that 0.8% Arbocel® supplemented diets improved protein digestibility by 6% (P

Egg is considered a nutritionally complete food and an excellent source of protein. However, storing eggs for a prolonged period of time under uncontrolled temperature results in egg quality deterioration. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of storage conditions (time & temperature) on the egg's internal and external quality parameters as well as the microbiological load of eggs. For that purpose, a total of 2160 (white, brown vaccinated and brown non-vaccinated for salmonella) eggs were collected from Lebanese egg farmers in Bekaa valley and stored at 7 °C, 18 °C, 24 °C and 33 °C/20 °C (cyclic) for 2, 4 and 6 weeks. At each time point and temperature setting, 30 eggs were analysed for external and internal quality traits as well microbiological testing. Results showed that brown eggs had significantly higher weight (P

The present study evaluated the effect of dietary protein levels on growth performance and blood parameters of juvenile marbled spinefoot (Siganus rivulatus). Five semipurified, isoenergetic (14.2 MJ digestible energy/kg; 84 g lipids/kg) diets were formulated to contain 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 g crude protein (CP)/100 g diet. Groups of 15 juvenile fish (7.4 g individual weight) were randomly assigned in triplicate to each of the five treatments and offered the test diets three times daily ad libitum for 9 weeks. Total erythrocyte and differential leukocyte counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, blood glucose, protein, and serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were evaluated. Survival was greater than 95% in all treatments. Maximum growth was observed in fish offered the diet containing 40 g CP/100 g diet crude protein. Differences in dietary protein level had no effect on the hepatosomatic and viscerosomatic indices of the fish, but whole body composition was influenced by diet. Blood para...

Improving water use efficiency in the agricultural sector, particularly in arid regions, is becoming increasingly important in response to increasing global population and concomitant demand for food, water, and land. The authors performed experiments to determine whether the use of super-absorbent polymers, also known as hydrogels, can increase plant survival, plant growth, and plant water use efficiency. The effect of hydrogel application proportions and application methods on plant survival and growth in clay and sandy clay loam (SCL) soils was investigated. Two pot experiments using Zea mays and Pinus pinea as model plants were performed. The hydrogel was applied at concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 g kg–1 soil in one of two methods: banding or mixing. Hydrogel effects on water retention in the two soil types were recorded. The results suggest that hydrogel banding at 0.4% application in SCL improves corn's fresh and dry above-ground biomass by 25%, and prolongs survival time of pine seedlings by 90%. Evapotranspiration was greater in soils banded with hydrogel at 0.4% and water use efficiency increased by 10–13% in both soils. Additionally, hydrogel increased water retention of SCL by up to 33% at 100 kPa, but had negligible effects when applied in clay soils. Accordingly, the efficacy of hydrogels in agriculture water conservation depends on using appropriate application methods and quantities.

Rowcover application has had variable effects on yield, depending on growing conditions. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) cvs. Chandler, Milcin, Milsei and Oso Grande response to rowcover was studied under a plasticulture-tunnel system on the Mediterranean coast of Beirut. Flowering and leaf number early in the season were comparable among covered and non-covered control groups. Rowcover reduced fruit yield and number in all cvs., primarily by the reduction in fruit number. Cultivars varied in yield, irrespective of the cover treatment and in yield distribution during the four months of harvest. The shading effect of rowcovers offset the effect of the slight rise in soil temperature (1-2°C) it caused. Soil chemical properties and NO3-N and P content in plant tissue were not affected by the treatments. Red spider mite (Tetrany-chus urticae Koch.) infestation started about two months after removal of rowcovers. There was no difference in the level of infestation due to treatments. We recommend...

Floor litter from one‐year‐old laying hens (LHM) and from eight‐week‐old broiler chickens (BCM) were incorporated in the soil of two fields and evaluated as nitrogen (N) sources for cabbage production on a non nutrient‐depleted soil. LHM had 3.4% moisture, 3.84% N and 3.41% phosphorus (P). BCM had 2.3% moisture, 4.46% N and 2.19% P. Field 1 recieved 2.4 t/ha BCM, 3.0 t/ha LHM, whereas Field 2 recieved 4.8 t/ha BCM and 6.1 t/ha LHM. Also, each field received ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4] at a N rate of 100 kg/ha and an unfertilized control treatment. The manure was applied one week before cabbage transplanting on 18 May 1992. Ammonium sulfate was applied in two equal split applications during the growing season. Leaf nitrate‐nitrogen (NO3‐N) was higher at harvest in plants receiving the higher manure rate than in other treatments (P

Disposing poultry manure from broiler and layer flocks by its incorporation into the soil was evaluated on greenhouse lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Paris Island cos). Floor litter that contains the manure mixed with sawdust and wood shaving, was 8 weeks old from broilers and one year old from layers. Broiler manure had 19% moisture and 5.5% N, while layer manure had 22% moisture and 3.7% N. Application of 27.5 ton/ha broiler manure and 18 ton/ha layer manure, on wet basis, gave comparable yield of lettuce as did an application of 100 kg N/ha from NH4NO3 in 2 split applications, and an unfertilized treatment. The manure was effective for lettuce growth 10 months after its incorporation in the soil. The highest yield was in manure treated plots, however, the lack of significant response in yield is due to the sufficient levels of soil NO3‐N and available P. There was no effect on soil EC, pH, and available P due to the treatments; however, soil NO3‐N was significantly increased under all fertilize...

Short-term soil application of broiler litter (B) has had variable results when compared to inorganic nitrogen fertilizers (Ni). We grew `Oso Grande' strawberry on raised beds in the greenhouse and treated it with a preplant soil incorporation of B (N = 44, P = 15.3, H2O = 170 g·kg–1) at a N rate of 100 (B1) or 200 (B2) kg·ha–1, and Ni from ammonium nitrate (34.5N–0P–0K) [A] or fluid nitrogen with 10 g·kg-1 micro elements (30N–0P–0K) [F] applied in six equal monthly applications. Results show that fruit yield was increased under B-treated plots (P < 0.05), with B2 yielding the highest. Yield ranged between 172 to 324 g/plant. Fruit number per plant ranged from 14 to 24, with B2 yielding the highest (P < 0.05). Early flowering was enhanced by B2 (P < 0.05), which reflected in higher early yields under B2 (P < 0.05). Leaf tissue NO3-N, PO4-P and Fe were comparable among all treatments during the growing season. Soil NO3-N, available P, CaCO3, and pH at the end of the season were comparable among the treatments (P 0.05), whereas EC was reduced by B1 and F treatments (P < 0.05). We recommend B at 200 kg N/ha as a fertilizer for June-hearing strawberry, and as a good alternative to inorganic N fertilizers.

Yield and mite infestation were studied in `Chandler', `Milcin', `Milsei', and `Oso Grande' strawberry, as affected by floating rowcover application (R) inside a greenhouse in Beirut. Results showed that R reduced yield of all cultivars in comparison to noncovered (C) plants, primarily by the reduction in fruit number (P ≤ 0.05), during the winter and spring harvests. Cultivars varied in yield, irrespective of the cover treatment (P ≤ 0.05) and in yield distribution over the 4 months of harvest (P ≤ 0.05). The shading effect of R offset the slight rise in soil temperature it caused. Air temperature did not drop to a level that would stop plant growth. Red spider mite infestation started after rowcover removal. Mite adult, larva, and egg populations were comparable between the R and C treatments (P > 0.05). Miticide sprays were the effective way to control mites. It is recommended from this study not to use rowcovers on greenhouse-grown strawberries in the Mediterranean region.