Days In Pens Research Articles

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection dynamics in naïve replacement gilts introduced to positive farms

This study was designed to characterize the dynamics of infection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in naïve replacement gilts after introduction to positive systems. Ninety-eight naïve gilts were monitored in three positive commercial farms (A, B, and C). The näive gilts were housed for 21 days in pens adjacently located to older gilt cohorts (named seeders), which have been naturally exposed to the positive farms. The infection dynamics was evaluated by PCR and ELISA, from laryngeal swabs and serum samples, respectively. Samples were collected at 150 (arrival), 165, 180, 210, 240, 270, 300 days of age (doa), and pre-farrowing. Infection occurred rapidly on farms A and B, taking 25.2 and 23.9 days for 95% of gilts to be PCR positive, respectively. There was no influence on the number of seeders at the time of exposure, but their absence (farm C) could explain the extended period it took for gilts to get infected (69.4 days). On average, it took 162.2 days after the first PCR detection for 85% of gilts to stop shedding the bacterium. The serology results were consistent with the herd infection curve. At pre-farrowing, 100% of gilts seroconverted and 36.7% remained PCR positive. A total of 1.33% of piglets were positive at weaning. Fifteen variants were detected among the three farms by MLVA. The acclimation protocol was efficient and easy to perform, and the presence of seeders was likely critical for early acclimation for M. hyopneumoniae.

Heavy Metal Pollution Reduced the Potentiality of Pen Culture in the Wetland Aquaculture in an Urban Area of Bangladesh

The Belai beel serves as an important aquatic resource for the livelihood of the local community of the Gazipur district in Bangladesh. However, water pollution in recent times, mainly from industrial wastes and sewage effluents, may disrupt its aquatic environment. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to assess the potential area of pen fish culture in the Belai beel. The study was performed in the Rajbagan (L1), Kamaria (L2) and Rewla (L3) areas of the Belai beel. Grass carp, silver carp, common carp, catla and rui of 20–30 cm in size were stocked at a rate of 15,000 fish/ha and reared for 150 days in pens installed in the L1, L2 and L3 areas, respectively. The fishes were fed with mustard oil cake and rice bran. Maximum fish production was found in Rewla (12.97 ton/ha/150 days) compared to Rajbagan (8.85 ton/ha/150 days) and Kamaria (10.67 ton/ha/150 days) due to it having comparatively good quality water. There were significant differences in metal ion concentrations (p < 0.05) among the three fish pens. In the Rajbagan area, concentrations of Cd and Cu in the water coming from the industrial effluent canal exceeded the acceptable limit. Results indicated that the Rewla area was better than Rajbagan and Kamaria due to it having relatively good quality water for pen fish culture.

Participatory Silage Making and Hay and Silage Mixed Feeding Technology for Winter Feeding to Goats in Jumla, Nepal

This action research was carried out to demonstrate the method of silage making and its feeding, mixed with chopped hay to goats during feed scarcity periods as coping strategy for winter days in Jumla. Nine farmers took part in on-farm silage production and feeding trial. A total of 29 kids and 16 does as treatment group and 12 kids and 19 does of the similar age group and status as control were selected to compare the body weight gain. The normal practice of feeding was 3-4 hours of grazing daily, occasionally combined with tree fodder (Quercus sp.) in communal pastureland and offering hay for snowfall days in pens. In addition to this, treatment groups were supplemented with mixed silage and chopped hay at the rate of 2% of body weight on dry matter basis, half each from the silage and hay. The mixture was given daily early in the morning for 45 days from 25th of December to 10th of February, when the average minimum temperature dropped from -2.4 to -5.4° C. Goats consumed about 95% of the offered amount of silage whereas chopped hay was rejected by about 90%. The result showed that kids gained 0.49 kg with average daily gain of 10.88 g and does gained 2.44 kg with an average daily gain of 54.22 g for the treatment group. The difference between the initial and final body weight was positive for treatment group whereas it was negative for the control. Male kids grew faster by 8.6%, female kids by 6.7% and does by 12.6% for silage supplemented group compared to control. It indicated that proper fermented maize fodder silage can be obtained from pits prepared before winter and loss in body weight can be prevented by the supplementation of silage during cold days in high mountains when there is scarce of green forages.

The influence of supplemental zinc and ractopamine hydrochloride on trace mineral and nitrogen retention of beef steers.

The study objective was to determine whether N retention was improved with supplemental Zn above NRC concentrations with or without ractopamine hydrochloride inclusion. Angus crossbred steers (n = 32, 485 ± 26 kg BW) with Genemax gain scores of 4 or 5 were utilized in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (8 steers/treatment). Steers were blocked by BW to a finishing diet with 1 of 2 mineral supplementation strategies (ZNTRT), no supplemental Zn (analyzed 32 mg Zn/kg DM; CON) or supranutritional Zn (CON + 60 ppm ZnSO4 + 60 ppm Zn-amino acid complex; analyzed 145 mg Zn/kg DM; SUPZN), fed 56 days in pens equipped with GrowSafe bunks and assigned to β-agonist (BA) supplementation strategies of 0 (NON) or 300 mg steer-1 d-1 ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) fed the last 30 d before harvest. Initial 56-d ADG was not affected by ZNTRT (P = 0.66), but DMI was greater in CON vs. SUPZN (P < 0.01). On day 56 (day 1 of BA supplementation), steers (4 groups; 8 steers/group; 2 steers/treatment) were moved to metabolism crates and adapted for 10 d, followed by 5 d of total fecal and urine collection. Total retention of Zn, Mn, Fe, Cu, and N were calculated. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with group as a fixed effect and the 3-way interaction of ZNTRT × BA × group as random. No interactions between ZNTRT and BA were noted for any data (P ≥ 0.19). Collection DMI did not differ among treatments (P ≥ 0.23); however, Zn intake was lesser in CON vs. SUPZN (P < 0.01). Fecal and urinary Zn excretion and Zn and Mn retention were lesser in CON vs. SUPZN (P ≤ 0.03); however, Zn retention was not different between NON and RAC (P = 0.43). Retention of Cu and Fe was unaffected by strategies (P ≥ 0.49). Urine output and urine N excretion were greater in NON vs. RAC (P ≤ 0.05). Nitrogen retention (as percent of N intake) was lesser (P = 0.05) in CON (40.0%) vs. SUPZN (44.3%) and lesser (P = 0.02) in NON (39.5%) vs. RAC (44.8%). Zinc and N retention were found to be positively correlated (r = 0.46, P < 0.01). Average daily gain and G:F across the 86-d trial were lesser in NON vs. RAC (P < 0.03). Overall, SUPZN appears to improve N retention, suggesting that increasing dietary Zn may be important for cattle growth beyond that induced by ractopamine hydrochloride.

Effect of early post-hatch nutrition on production performance of commercial broiler chicken

The study was conducted to access the effect of early post-hatch nutrition regimens on the productive performance of 384 number of commercial broiler chicken (Cobb 400). Different nutrient regimens include glucose and probiotic alone in hatcher tray and first day in pen and a high and very high density diet of 25 and 27 per cent dietary crude protein respectively and 3100 kcal ME/kg diet in hatcher tray and subsequent three days in pen along with glucose and probiotic alone in hatcher tray and first day in pen was provided. Later, all broiler chicks were switched over to the recommended commercial Cobb broiler diet up to 42 days. Body weight, feed efficiency and breast muscle fibre diameter were significantly higher in treatment groups. No significant difference existed between different treatment groups for hatchability, livability percent, carcass characteristics and cut up parts. Trimmable fat per cent was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in control birds. It may be concluded that early post hatch nutrition with high nutrient dense diet resulted in better production performance in commercial broiler chicken.

Feeding frequency and growth performance of juvenile pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus paulensis)

ABSTRACTIt is generally believed that increasing feeding frequency has immediate benefits, including reduced nutrient leaching and increased shrimp growth. In this context, the aim this work was to evaluate the effect of feeding frequency in growth performance of Farfantepenaeus paulensis. Juveniles of Farfantepenaeus paulensis were grown for 30 days in pen enclosures, at a stocking density of 5 shrimp/m2. The shrimp were fed on feeding trays at a rate of 8% of their biomass per day, with treatments of one, two, three and four times per day, with four replicates each. The results showed no differences (5% probability) in biomass gain of F. paulensis when feed was offered two, three or four times per day. However, it was observed that the once a day frequency had a negative influence on weight gain for this species of shrimp. We conclude that the supply of food with 35% crude protein twice a day is sufficient for the growth of F paulensis. Feeding frequency of three or four times can provide increased spending in the cultivation of juveniles of this species.

English

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of lipid-based diets (whole cottonseed and protected fat) on the pH, meat color and fat, tenderness and cooking yield in Longissimus thoracis muscle of cattle feedlot. Were used 39 Nellore cattle uncastrated with average initial body weight of 494.1 ± 10.1 kg and 36 months of age were housed for 63 days in pens with thirteen animals each. A completely randomized design with three treatments and thirteen replications was used. The treatments evaluated were: Feed with 2.50% whole cottonseed (control diet); feed with 11.50% whole cottonseed; and feed with 3.13% whole cottonseed added of protected lipid (PL), all on a dry matter basis. No differences were found for pH 24 h post mortem, meat color and fat, tenderness or cooking yield. The values of shear force of meat the animals presented differences (P <0.05), and the animals fed with 11.50% of cottonseed had greater value than those fed 2.50% on the diet, in relation to dry matter. The study came to the conclusion that the protected lipid does not influence the qualitative characteristics of meat and the amount of 11.50% of cottonseed in the cattle diet does not contribute to the improvement of texture and tenderness of the meat. Key words: Color, cooking yield, shear force, whole cottonseed.

Meat Characteristics of Nellore Cattle Fed Different Levels of Lipid-Based Diets

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of lipid-based diets (whole cottonseed and protected fat) on the centesimal composition, fatty acid profile, and sensory properties of meat from finishing Nellore cattle. The study was carried out from August to October 2009. Thirty nine uncastrated Nellore males with average initial body weight of 494.1 ± 10.1 kg and 36 months of age were housed for 63 days in pens with thirteen animals each. A completely randomized design with three treatments and thirteen replications was used. The treatments evaluated were: feed with 2.50% cottonseed (control diet); feed with 11.50% cottonseed; and feed with 3.13% cottonseed added of protected lipid (PL), all on a dry matter basis. No differences between treatments were observed for moisture, protein, and ash contents. However, the addition of protected fat caused an increase in the percentage of ether extract in the meat. Diets containing cottonseed or protected lipid did not affect fatty acid concentration in the meat. The intensity of the aroma, strange aroma, flavor, strange flavor, juiciness, color, and overall appearance were similar between treatments, except for tenderness, which was positively affected in cattle fed a diet in which the only lipid source was cottonseed. The study demonstrated that the addition of PL in the diets of finishing cattle led to greater levels of intramuscular fat, but to less tender meat than the other treatments.

Orientation Based on Ambient Directional Information by Red-Spotted Newts (Notophthalmus Viridescens)

AbstractRed-spotted newts migrate between breeding sites in ponds and upland habitats. I tested the use and importance of slope as an orientation cue among adult male newts that I had removed from ponds. Newts reliably oriented downhill upon being released in a sloped orientation arena and in enclosures on the forest floor. By contrast, juvenile newts, which are wholly terrestrial animals, oriented randomly with respect to slope. Adult newts oriented downhill after having spent five days in pens at the test sites even though they presumably had access to information about the location of their pond during that time. Newts kept on land for 10 or 20 days prior to testing still oriented downhill in the orientation arenas but oriented randomly with respect to both slope and the homeward direction in the forest enclosures. I trained newts to exhibit shoreward orientation in aquaria, then tested their response in orientation arenas. Newts oriented toward shore in a flat arena and when the downhill direction coincided with the trained shoreward direction, but they oriented downhill rather than toward shore when the two directions conflicted. These results show that slope is an important cue to adult red-spotted newts returning to ponds and suggest that orientation based on ambient directional information is one of the mechanisms red-spotted newts employ when migrating to their breeding sites.