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In recent years, the role of lectins in the feed selection of bivalve has become hot research topic. Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is a species of marine bivalve with important economic value. A new C-type lectin (Rpcl) from the clam was obtained and its potential role in feeding and feed selection was studied. Rpcl cDNA was 929 bp in length and had 720 bp of open reading frame. Rpcl encoded 235 amino acids, comprising a carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) as well as an N-terminal signal peptide. Rpcl contained a conserved CRD disulfide bond including five cysteine residues (Cys125, Cys142, Cys213, Cys219, and Cys237) and the QPN motif (GLN204-PRO205-ASN206). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the amino acid sequence of Rpcl was closely related to that of Vpclec-1 from R. philippinarum and C-type lectin from Mercenaria. The qPCR analysis indicated that Rpcl expression was observed in all examined tissues and was the highest in gills followed by in the hepatopancreas, and to a lesser extent in the mantle and lip. The in vitro agglutination experiments showed that, the purified Rpcl protein could selectively agglutinate with different microalgae. The strongest agglutinating effect with Chlorella sp. was observed, followed by Karlodinium veneficum and Chaetoceros debilis Cleve. No agglutination with Prorocentrum minimum was observed. In the feeding experiment, compared with that of the starvation group, Rpcl expression in the lip and gill of the clam fed with C. debilis and K. veneficum showed a significant upward trend with the change of time. In addition, it was found that the changes in the expression of the Rpcl gene in the gill and lip, the main feeding tissues, were consistent with the slope of the decrease in the number of algal cells in the water body. In summary, the structure of a new C-type lectin (Rpcl) was reported in this study and its correlation with the feeding and feed selection in R. philippinarum was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the role of lectins in the feed selection of bivalve has become hot research topic. Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is a species of marine bivalve with important economic value. A new C-type lectin (Rpcl) from the clam was obtained and its potential role in feeding and feed selection was studied. Rpcl cDNA was 929 bp in length and had 720 bp of open reading frame. Rpcl encoded 235 amino acids, comprising a carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) as well as an N-terminal signal peptide. Rpcl contained a conserved CRD disulfide bond including five cysteine residues (Cys125, Cys142, Cys213, Cys219, and Cys237) and the QPN motif (GLN204-PRO205-ASN206). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the amino acid sequence of Rpcl was closely related to that of Vpclec-1 from R. philippinarum and C-type lectin from Mercenaria. The qPCR analysis indicated that Rpcl expression was observed in all examined tissues and was the highest in gills followed by in the hepatopancreas, and to a lesser extent in the mantle and lip. The in vitro agglutination experiments showed that, the purified Rpcl protein could selectively agglutinate with different microalgae. The strongest agglutinating effect with Chlorella sp. was observed, followed by Karlodinium veneficum and Chaetoceros debilis Cleve. No agglutination with Prorocentrum minimum was observed. In the feeding experiment, compared with that of the starvation group, Rpcl expression in the lip and gill of the clam fed with C. debilis and K. veneficum showed a significant upward trend with the change of time. In addition, it was found that the changes in the expression of the Rpcl gene in the gill and lip, the main feeding tissues, were consistent with the slope of the decrease in the number of algal cells in the water body. In summary, the structure of a new C-type lectin (Rpcl) was reported in this study and its correlation with the feeding and feed selection in R. philippinarum was confirmed.

The aim of this study was to determine how cows with different genetic merit behave and perform when grazing biodiverse and heterogeneous mountain pastures with different slopes. Three groups of 12 cows in late lactation, each composed of four Holstein, four Montbéliarde and four Valdostana Red Pied cows, breeds of increasing presumed robustness and decreasing milk yield (MY) potential. Cows grazed without concentrate either on a low-diversity flat pasture or on two species-rich mountainous pastures having slopes of either 7° or 22°. Milk yield, BW and grazing behaviour were monitored two times in the first and once in the second grazing cycle. Cows of different breeds had similar behaviour on all pastures. The Montbéliarde cows performed close to their production potential; Holstein and Valdostana cows produced less milk than anticipated. No breed difference in terms of BW loss was found. The Valdostana cows exhibited the least selective behaviour with respect to plant species and plant growth stage. Still, all cows searched for the most palatable vegetation regardless of pasture diversity. On the steep pasture, cows optimised the trade-off between ingesting and saving energy to obtain feed. They remained longer at the lowest zone and selected forbs, whereas cows on the flatter pasture went to the upper zone to select grasses. The present study gave no evidence for a superior short-term adaptation to harsh grazing conditions through an optimised feeding behaviour of the Valdostana breed compared to Montbéliarde and Holstein cows.

The aim of this study was to determine how cows with different genetic merit behave and perform when grazing biodiverse and heterogeneous mountain pastures with different slopes. Three groups of 12 cows in late lactation, each composed of four Holstein, four Montbéliarde and four Valdostana Red Pied cows, breeds of increasing presumed robustness and decreasing milk yield (MY) potential. Cows grazed without concentrate either on a low-diversity flat pasture or on two species-rich mountainous pastures having slopes of either 7° or 22°. Milk yield, BW and grazing behaviour were monitored two times in the first and once in the second grazing cycle. Cows of different breeds had similar behaviour on all pastures. The Montbéliarde cows performed close to their production potential; Holstein and Valdostana cows produced less milk than anticipated. No breed difference in terms of BW loss was found. The Valdostana cows exhibited the least selective behaviour with respect to plant species and plant growth stage. Still, all cows searched for the most palatable vegetation regardless of pasture diversity. On the steep pasture, cows optimised the trade-off between ingesting and saving energy to obtain feed. They remained longer at the lowest zone and selected forbs, whereas cows on the flatter pasture went to the upper zone to select grasses. The present study gave no evidence for a superior short-term adaptation to harsh grazing conditions through an optimised feeding behaviour of the Valdostana breed compared to Montbéliarde and Holstein cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision making, which is one of the main problems of each period, has become even more complicated with the increase of options and decisive factors. The use of mathematical methods has become inevitable for decision makers to make effective decisions and to find permanent solutions to the problems. In addition, the obligation of making decision under fuzziness and uncertainty due to the use of verbal data, has prompted the integration of Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods with fuzzy logic principles and the creation of hybrid models. In the study, the feed selection problem of bovine breeders operating in Konya province is solved by using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) method. 4 different feed brands are evaluated by using 5 main criteria and 21 sub-criteria and as a result Proyem, CP, New Hope and Birinci Yem have the weights of 32%, 29%, 21% and 18%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The present research was conducted to evaluate whether different beak trimming methods and rearing systems affected the feed selectivity of laying hens. A total of 178 Hy-line Brown laying hens in the growing phase and 120 hens in the production phase were divided in a factorial arrangement (2 x 3), with two rearing systems (floor and cages) and three beak trimming methods: without beak trimming (control), hot-blade beak trimming, and infrared beak trimming, with four replicates. Laying hens were feed with isonutritive diets. Samples were collected from feed orts and feed provided, with a subsequent analysis of dry matter, crude energy, crude protein, mineral matter, geometric mean diameter and geometric standard deviation. The results were subjected to the error normality test, analysis of variance and the Fisher-Snedecor (P

This study consisted of two experiments, conducted to assess the impact of phase at which vegetable protein (VP) diets are introduced to broiler chicks, and preference of birds for diets based on soybean or canola meal (CM). Two hundred and ten day-old Cobb 500 chicks were randomly distributed into five dietary groups in the main experiment. One group was fed on animal protein (AP) diet all through to 21 days of age; two other groups were started on AP diet for 7 days and then switched to diets containing soybean meal (AP-SBM) or AP-CM, while two other diets (SBM-AP and CM-AP) were started on one of the VP diets for 7 days and then switched to AP diet. A sub-experiment on thirty birds raised on a commercial diet to 7 days was used in a feed selection test to quantify the preference of birds for the diets containing mainly CM or SBM. Chicks were reared under similar care and management conditions and the diets were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. Results of the main experiment showed that chicks on CM-AP diet ate more (p

The present research was conducted to evaluate whether different beak trimming methods and rearing systems affected the feed selectivity of laying hens. A total of 178 Hy-line Brown laying hens in the growing phase and 120 hens in the production phase were divided in a factorial arrangement (2 x 3), with two rearing systems (floor and cages) and three beak trimming methods: without beak trimming (control), hot-blade beak trimming, and infrared beak trimming, with four replicates. Laying hens were feed with isonutritive diets. Samples were collected from feed orts and feed provided, with a subsequent analysis of dry matter, crude energy, crude protein, mineral matter, geometric mean diameter and geometric standard deviation. The results were subjected to the error normality test, analysis of variance and the Fisher-Snedecor (P<0.05) and Duncan tests (P<0.05). The beak trimming methods evaluated were not sufficient to prevent feed selection in laying hens. However, in the growing phase, hot-blade beak trimming reduced feed selection capacity of laying hens more than did infrared beak trimming. The cage system favored feed selection, both in the growing and production phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neste experimento objetivou-se avaliar o poder discriminatório dos n-alcanos para estimar com acurácia e precisão a composição botânica da dieta em ovinos alimentados com diferentes proporções de Arachis pintoi Koprov & Gregory cv. Amarillo (0, 15, 30, 45 e 60%) e Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. Foram utilizados 20 ovinos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com período experimental de dez dias de adaptação à dieta e cinco dias de coleta de fezes. Nas amostras (compostas) de fezes do período e nos fenos, foi analisada a concentração de n-alcanos. Para o cálculo da composição botânica, utilizou-se minimização da soma dos quadrados dos desvios, considerando as concentrações dos alcanos nos componentes da dieta e nas fezes. Para a escolha dos alcanos mais discriminatórios, foram utilizadas as análises multivariadas e as variáveis canônicas. As estimativas calculadas foram submetidas à análise de variância. As médias foram comparadas pelo teste t e as correções dos valores estimados em relação aos valores reais foram ajustadas em regressão linear. As variáveis canônicas indicaram que os alcanos C35, C33, C30, C31, C27, C29 e C36 são os de maior potencial discriminatório. O uso desses alcanos nos cálculos foi mais acurado e preciso para estimar a proporção de A. pintoi na dieta que o uso de apenas dois ou três alcanos com poder discriminatório. O melhor ajuste da regressão também foi encontrado para esses alcanos. O teste t para o intercepto da equação (a) e o coeficiente de regressão (b) indicaram que a = 0 e b = 1, comprovando que os valores estimados são equivalentes aos valores reais. As análises multivariadas mostraram-se ferramentas de grande importância na escolha dos n-alcanos nos cálculos nas estimativas.The objective of this experiment was to use n-alkane to estimate accurately and precisely the botanical composition of dietary forage in sheep fed different proportions of Arachis pintoi Koprov & Gregory cv. Amarillo and Brachiaria decumbens Stapf (0, 15, 30, 45 e 60% of Arachis pintoi). Twenty lambs were used in a completely randomized design with 10 days for diet adaptation and 5 days for fecal collection. Both fecal composites and hay samples were analyzed for n-alkane concentration. Dietary forage proportions were estimated from measured concentrations of n-alkanes in feces and forage by the least square sum of deviations. Multivariate analyses and canonical variables were used to select the most discriminatory alkane with the obtained data submitted to analysis of variance. Means were compared using the "t" test and the adjustments of the estimated values in relation to the observed were done by linear regression. The canonical variables indicated that the alkanes C35, C33, C30, C31, C27, C29 and C36 had the greatest discriminatory potential. Therefore, the use of all these alkanes in the calculation was more accurate and precise (P

Vegetable protein (VP) diets, i.e. diets based entirely on plant material, are increasingly used by the poultry industry around the world for a variety of reasons, including cost, ingredient availability and growth of the organic product sector. However, VP diets are difficult to formulate because of potential nutrient imbalances, and VP sources can contain anti-nutritive factors, which necessitates processing and nutrient supplementation. In a series of research trials at the University of New England, the nutritive value of VP diets was assessed, in which soybean and canola meals partially or completely replaced fishmeal or meat meal. Diets containing soybean meal or canola meal as protein sources were slightly inferior to diets containing fishmeal but similar to diets containing meat meal. The digestibility of amino acids and minerals was greater for diets containing animal protein sources, but carcass fat content was also higher in birds fed diets containing fish meal. Leg bone development was superior in chicks on diets containing fish meal. The quality of the VP diets was improved through supplementation with carbohydrase and phytase. In feed selection tests, birds preferred diets containing canola meal to diets containing soybean meal, although productivity on the latter was superior. Birds also consumed more of the diet containing meat meal than the VP diets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study consisted of two experiments, conducted to assess the impact of phase at which vegetable protein (VP) diets are introduced to broiler chicks, and preference of birds for diets based on soybean or canola meal (CM). Two hundred and ten day-old Cobb 500 chicks were randomly distributed into five dietary groups in the main experiment. One group was fed on animal protein (AP) diet all through to 21 days of age; two other groups were started on AP diet for 7 days and then switched to diets containing soybean meal (AP-SBM) or AP-CM, while two other diets (SBM-AP and CM-AP) were started on one of the VP diets for 7 days and then switched to AP diet. A sub-experiment on thirty birds raised on a commercial diet to 7 days was used in a feed selection test to quantify the preference of birds for the diets containing mainly CM or SBM. Chicks were reared under similar care and management conditions and the diets were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. Results of the main experiment showed that chicks on CM-AP diet ate more (p<0.05) than those on the other diets up to day 7. Body weight gain was highest (p<0.001) on the AP-SBM diet while birds on the CM-AP diet weighed the least at 7 d. Feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality, bone growth, visceral organ development, and activities of digestive enzymes were similar between the groups from hatch to 21 days of age. Results of the second sub-experiment showed that chicks preferred the CM-based diets to the SBM-based diets at 8 to 14 d (p<0.001) and 15 to 21 d (p<0.01) when given a choice. Overall, the birds were not affected by the nature of the starter diet although they tended to prefer the canola to soybean diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o hábito alimentar, consumo de matéria seca e desempenho em cabras alimentadas com fenos de rami (Boehemeria nivea G.), soja (Neonotonia wightii (L.) M.) e capim-elefante napier (Pennisetum purpureum Sch.), oferecidos para permitir excesso de 30 ou 60%, acima do consumo medido do dia anterior. Trinta e seis cabras foram distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso com seis tratamentos em arranjo fatorial de 3 x 2 (fenos e níveis de oferta). O tamanho médio de partícula dos fenos foi mantido constante em 0,4 cm. Os consumos de matéria seca e proteína bruta aumentaram quando o feno de rami foi oferecido com excesso de 60%, comparado a 30%. Houve redução no consumo de lignina quando o feno de soja foi oferecido no nível de 60%. Inversamente, decréscimo no consumo de proteína bruta e aumento no de fibra em detergente ácido e lignina foram observados, quando a oferta do feno de capim-elefante napier variou de 30 a 60%. Maior ganho em peso médio diário foi observado para os animais que consumiram o feno de rami. Estes resultados sugeriram que o feno de rami foi o mais indicado para uso em manejo de alimentação de cabras, com fenos oferecidos em excesso.The objective of this work was to evaluate the feeding behavior, dry matter intake, and performance in goats fed hays of ramie (Boehemeria nivea G.), soybean (Neonotonia wightii) and elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum., cv. napier), offered to allow an excess of 30 or 60%, above the intake measured in the previous day. Thirty-six goats were allotted to a completely randomized design with six treatments in a factorial arrangement of 3 x 2 (hay and level of offer). The mean particle size of the hays was kept constant in 0.4 cm. The dry matter and crude protein intake increased as ramie hay was fed at 60% excess as compared to 30%. A reduction in the lignin intake occurred when the soybean hay was fed at the 60% level. Conversely, a decrease in crude protein intake and an increase in fiber detergent acid and lignin were observed as the offer of elephant cv. napier grass varied from 30 to 60%. Higher daily weight gain was observed for animals fed ramie hay. These results suggested that ramie hay was the best indication for the use in the feeding management of goats, with hays offered in excess

Abstract: Six fodder plants consisting of two leguminous trees, Acacia salicina and Acacia saligna, a leguminous shrub, Cassia sturtii and three halophytic shrubs, Atriplex canescens, Atriplex halimus and Atriplex nummularia were offered ad libitum in cafeteria trials to four fat-tailed Awassi sheep (41.1±3.2kg) and four local Negev goats (36.5±kg). Leguminous plants are characterized by high tannin contents and halophytes by high ash contents. The animals, aged 1.5–2.0years, were randomly picked from a large free-grazing Bedouin flock of sheep and goats that had access to the fodder plants while grazing. They were penned for three weeks prior to measurements during which time they were provided with a maintenance diet. After a 12h fast, the animals were offered the six feeds over a 15min period each day for 5 consecutive days to determine (1) fodder selectivity by these small ruminants and (2) whether the ranking and proportionate feed intakes were similar between sheep and goats. Time-series analyses showed that the intakes and ranking of intakes did not change over the five days. Total DMIs per 15min were similar in sheep (95.6±10.1g) and goats (92.6±17.8g) and feed selection in goats tended to be positively correlated with that of sheep (Mantel test: n =15; r 2 =0.48; P =0.071). A. saligna was the most preferred feed in both small ruminants (by Jacobs'' selectivity index) and the two Acacia species comprised more than 86% and 70% of dietary intakes in goats and sheep, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With an objective to supplement guidelines available as general rules of thumb for the grass-root design of crude distillation unit (CDU) using binary crude mixtures, this work presents the optimization of crude distillation unit using commercial Aspen Plus software. The crude distillation unit constituted a pre-flash tower (PF), an atmospheric distillation unit (ADU) and a vacuum distillation unit (VDU). Optimization model constituted a rigorous simulation model supplemented with suitable objective functions with and without product flow rate constraints. Three different feed stocks namely Bombay crude, Araby crude and Nigeria crude were considered in this work along with various binary combinations of these crudes. The objective function considered was profit function (subjected to maximization) for cases without product flow rate constraints and raw-materials and energy cost (subjected to minimization) for cases with product flow rate constraints. Parametric study pertaining to feed selection and composition has been conducted in this work to further benefit refinery planning and scheduling. Simulation study inferred that the product flow rate constraints sensitively affect atmospheric distillation column diameter and crude feed flow rate calculations. Based on all simulation studies, a generalized inference confirms that it is difficult to judge upon the quality of the solutions obtained as far as their global optimality is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different elements that should be considered by producers of small ruminants are discussed to attain the efficient management of grazing herds. Outstanding aspects are dealt with such as those related to voluntary intake, diet selection, and understanding of the consequences of post-ingestion, the anatomic and physiological differences of the digestive tract between the species of small ruminants and their relationship with ingestion habit. Also, several management or strategies or practices using these concepts are described with the aim of modifying the voluntary intake and the feed selection of these animals. Among them, there is mention to the development of abilities to harvest the type of pasture or forage, the previous adaptation to the feed intake and the understanding of the consequences of the post-ingestion, the intake of feed or other nutritive substances in a form prior to the grazing, the use of the anti-quality factors and other products to preserve plant sin paddocks, as well as the circuits of grazing, the diversity of species of ingested plants, the anti-parasite effects and the mixed grazing. It was concluded that the knowledge and management of the different factors interacting in the processes of diet, intake and selection in grazing small ruminants allow producers to optimize the productive performance of their animals and attain the utmost sustainable handling of the production system, leading to the stability and persistence of the cattle ecosystems in Cuba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper deals with the efficiency of Iberian pigs when shelling acorns (Quercus ilex fruits) during the free ranging fattening period in the dehesa. The amount of kernel wasted per acorn (18.9±1.2%) presents a high degree of variation influenced by differences in the morphology and size of the acorns. A positive correlation is observed between the weight of the waste kernel and the weight of the whole acorn, and the diameter. However, the percentage of waste correlates negatively with the weight of the kernel and its DM percentage, with the ratio kernel weight/shell weight, and with the percentage of kernel. On the other hand, the percentage of kernel wasted, correlates positively with the percentage of kernel. Oppositely to the traditional knowledge and opinion of farmers, it has been found that the bitterness of the kernel, assessed sensorially by humans, does not influence the amount of kernel wasted. The results indicate that it is possible to make predictions about wastage based on two simple linear regression models: dry kernel wasted =0.404× fresh shell weight (R 2 =0.898; P =0.000) and percentage of fresh kernel wasted =0.893× percentage of fresh shell (R 2 =0.875; P =0.000). It would be necessary to consider the kernel wastage in acorn conversion rate calculations. Also in the processes of acorn selection for tree repopulation in dehesas for pig finishing it would be convenient to consider the correlations between the characteristics of the acorns and the amount of kernel waste, using the regression models defined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objectives of the present study were to compare feed selection in tie- vs. free-stall barns and also to verify possible correlations between feed selection and milk composition. Forty multiparous and 20 primiparous lactating Holstein cows were utilized in a crossover design with 21-d periods. Cows were randomly divided into 2 groups; group 1 was housed in a free-stall barn during period 1 and a tie-stall barn during period 2, and vice versa for group 2. In the free-stall barn, 18 extra cows were also present. Animals were fed the same diet once daily in the free-stall barn at 1100 h and twice daily at 1100 and 1500 h in the tie-stall barn to obtain approximately 10% daily refusals in both facilities. Group feed selection in the free-stall barn was measured and compared with the group feed selection in the tie-stall barn, obtained by summing individual feed offered and refused. Feed selection was analyzed including treatment and period in the model. Sequence effect and true error were combined into a single degree of freedom error term. Intake of the longest particles expressed as a percentage of the predicted intake was 73.2% in a tie-stall barn and 63.3% in a free-stall barn. There were no significant correlations between individual feed selection measured in the tie-stall barn and milk composition. Feed selection estimates made with individually fed cows are likely to underestimate average feed selection in a free-stall barn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]