Percent Hatch Research Articles

LIFE HISTORY PARAMETERS OF MELON FRUIT FLY, BACTROCERA CUCURBITAE (COQUILLETT) (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) ON FOUR ECONOMICALLY IMPORTANT VEGETABLES

The majority of plant species that are used for consumption and medicinal purposes belongs to Cucurbitaceae. These vegetables are attacked by several insect pests including Tephritid flies. Keeping in view, four economically important cucurbit vegetables such as sponge gourd; Luffa aegyptiaca, bitter gourd; Momordica charantia, musk melon; Cucumis melo, and bottle gourd; Lagenaria siceraria were selected to investigate the life-history parameters of Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coq.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) under laboratory conditions. For this purpose, B. cucurbitae was reared in the laboratory on each host vegetable and egg hatchability %, egg incubation period, larval survival (%), duration (days), length and width of larvae, pupal parameters, male-female ratio, and age-specific fecundity were recorded. The results showedno statistical difference in hatchability percentages, larval duration, and pupal survival (%) in all tested vegetables. However, greater length and width of larvae were recorded when the B. cucurbitae larvae were provided with bottle gourd. Moreover, maximum pupal recovery was recorded in bottle and sponge gourd among all the tested vegetables. Maximum females were also recorded in bottle gourd. Adult longevity and fecundity were significantly affected by the host. Maximum female longevity (52 days) was recorded when B. cucurbitae were provided with bottle gourd and minimum (41 days) on sponge gourd. Similarly, maximum fecundity (823 eggs) was also recorded when maggots were fed on bottle gourd and the lowest (611 eggs) on a sponge gourd. In conclusion, Bottle gourd is the most preferable and nutritious host among all the tested vegetables and needs effective management strategies for B. cucurbitae. The output of the present studies would be helpful for the development of an effective integrated pest management (IPM) program for B. cucurbitae in a variety of vegetables.

Low toxicity of magnetite-based modified bionanocomposites with potential application for wastewater treatment: Evaluation in a zebrafish animal model

In recent years, the escalating concerns surrounding environmental pollution and the need for sustainable wastewater treatment solutions have underscored the significance of developing technologies that can efficiently treat wastewater while also reducing negative ecological effects. In this context, our study aims to contribute to the advancement of sustainable technologies for wastewater treatment, by investigating the effects that bare magnetite nanoparticles and those functionalized with the enzyme laccase could have in an aquatic animal, zebrafish, at various life cycle stages. Exposure to magnetite nanoparticles shows some effects on embryo hatching, survival rates, or larval behavior at higher concentrations. For both treatments, the hatching percentages were close to 80% compared to 93% for the control group. At the end of the observations in larvae, survival in all the evaluated groups was higher than 90%. Additionally, we evaluated the accumulation of nanoparticles in various stages of zebrafish. We found that, although there was accumulation during embryonic stages, it did not affect normal development or subsequent hatching. Iron levels in different organs such as gills, muscles, gastrointestinal tract, and brain were also evaluated in adults. Animals treated with a mix of food and nanoparticles at 10 μg/mL (Food group) presented a higher concentration of iron accumulation in muscle, gastrointestinal tract, and gills compared to the untreated control group. Although iron levels increased depending on the dose and exposure method applied, they were not statistically significant from the control groups. Our findings suggest that bionanocomposites evaluated here can be considered safe for removal of contaminants in wastewater without toxic effects or detrimental accumulation fish's health.

Optimization and establishment of laboratory rearing conditions for Cimex lectularius L. against variable temperature and relative humidity

Emerging infestations of bed bugs are affecting normal human lifestyle globally. This study has been designed to optimize the rearing conditions for Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera), to support the scientific research on them. Bed bugs have been projected onto three different temperature (20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C) and relative humidity (50%, 70%, and 90%) conditions to check their overall growth and survival rate. Adult mortality, weight loss, egg laying, percentage hatching, hatching initiation and completion, nymph mortality, and molting have been evaluated to optimize the best conditions. The temperature at 25 °C with 90% RH showed minimum mortality for adults (female 13.33 ± 3.33% and male 6.67 ± 3.33%) and nymphs (13.33 ± 3.33%), while maximum egg laying (40.33 ± 1.86), with highest percentage hatching (98.23 ± 0.58%). At 30 °C with 90% RH, hatching initiation and completion (5.19 ± 0.12 days and 7.23 ± 0.16 days) as well as molting initiation and completion (3.73 ± 0.12 days and 7.00 ± 0.24 days) were found to be fastest. Thus, it can be concluded that 25 °C with 90% RH is ideal for rearing of adults and 30 °C with 90% RH is appropriate for rapid growth of nymphs.

Investigation on the Biology of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) on Chickpea under Laboratory Condition

The Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) is a polyphagous pest that is found throughout the world. Due to its damaging nature, it causes quantitative as well as qualitative loss and finally overalleconomic loss in agricultural crop production. So, the present investigation was done by rearing of H. armigera on chickpeas under laboratory conditions. The study revealed that this pest has four distinct stages i.e., egg, larva, pupa, and adult for completing its life cycle. The total life cycle of males and females were completed in 49-50 days and 52.30-53.00 days, respectively. The wholelife period was divided asthe incubation period takes 4-5 days, larval stage was completed in 20.00-20.50 days by passing through six instars under laboratory conditions at a temperature of 27±10C with 70±5 % relative humidity in 12 hours of light. The last larval instar did not molt and it contracted into a grub-like pre-pupal stage which lasted for 2-3 days and a pupal period of 13-14 days. The adult period of male and female insects was completed in 8.50-9.00 and 12.00-12.50 days, respectively. The female moths had a pre-oviposition period of 3-4 days that included a sexual maturity period. The oviposition and post-oviposition periodsrecorded were 5-6 days and 2 days, respectively. A single female produced on average 992.50-1085 eggs throughout her entire life span. The average hatching percentage of eggs recorded on 63.00-67.50 percent.

Impacts of storage period and egg weight on hatching and growth performance of growing Japanese quails

This investigation aimed to assess how Japanese quail hatchability, growth, and carcass traits were affected by quail egg weight, storage length, and their interactions. One thousand two hundred sixty eggs of the commercial Japanese quail were purchased, and the average age of the birds was 13 weeks. Quail egg weights were divided into three groups using a 3 × 4 factorial design: small (< 11 g), medium (11–12 g), and large (> 12 g). Each group had four storage times (1, 4, 7, and 10 days) and held 105 eggs. The study used a storage room with 70% humidity and 18°C. There were 12 treatment groups. For the final three days of incubation, the eggs were positioned in a hatching machine after being incubated for 14 days at 37.6°C and 65% humidity. For the study, 540 one-day-old Japanese unsexed quail chicks were randomly chosen and placed in groups of five that resembled the distribution of eggs. Three duplicates (15 chicks each) made up each of the four storage periods that comprised the 180 birds. The findings showed that the percentage of hatchable eggs is significantly influenced by their weight and the length of storage; medium and heavy-weight eggs exhibited higher percentages of hatchability while holding for 7–10 days. However, no significant interaction was observed—additionally, heavy egg weight results in higher weight at different ages. Egg weight also significantly impacts chick weight at hatch, three weeks, and six weeks. Egg weight and storage time affect dressing and carcass measurement percentages. We can conclude that the best results in terms of hatch and post-hatch efficiency, as well as carcass characteristics, were obtained with medium or heavy quail eggs and storage times of either one day or four days.

Artemia salina Biological Responses to Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

The Zinc oxide nanoparticles could be entered and separated in various water bodies through the runoff. The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the influences of different concentrations of zinc oxide nanoparticles on Artemia salina (used as live feed in aquaculture) at developmental, biochemical and molecular levels. The homogeneity among the estimated. Artemia salina was estimated using Inter simple sequence repeats and some isozyme polymorphism. The results showed that samples were highly homogeneous. The hatching percentages decreased as the concentration of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles increased, compared to the control group. The maximum hatching percentage (75.88%) was detected at the control followed by ZT1(65.52%), ZT2 (55.87%) and ZT3(55.22%). The percentage of each developmental stage of A. salina under the experimental conditions, including egg, breakage egg, umbrella stage, Instar 1, Instar 2 and Instar 3, was calculated. Also, the impacts of ZnO NPs on A. salina isozyme variations were evaluated. The results showed some different A. salina tissue responses among the various ZnO NPs concentrations. The total number of bands was 15, 12, 10 and 5 for a-Esterase, b-Esterase, Superoxide dismutase and Lactate dehydrogenase isozymes respectively. The electrophoretic pattern of the A. salina Esterases shows remarkable biochemical markers. Understanding such influences could be helpful for the industry to make informed decisions on whether to use such Zinc oxide nanoparticles or find safer alternatives, ultimately affecting production costs and profitability. The industry should pay attention on developing safer nanoparticles and optimizing their concentrations to reduce long-term costs associated with species depletion and environmental damage.

Reproductive performance of freshwater snail, Helisoma duryi under the effect of bulk and nano zinc oxide.

Nanotechnology has been used to apply nanoparticle essential elements to enhance the ability of animals to absorb these elements and consequently improve their reproductive performance. High concentrations of nanoparticles (NPs) can directly harm a range of aquatic life forms, ultimately contributing to a decline in biodiversity. Helisoma duryi snails are a good model for studying the toxicological effects of bulk zinc oxide (ZnO-BPs) and nano zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs) on freshwater gastropods. This study aimed to compare the toxic effects of ZnO-BPs and ZnO-NPs on H. duryi snails and explore how waterborne and dietary exposure influenced the reproductive performance of this snail. ZnO-BPs and ZnO-NPs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray powder (XRD). This study revealed that the size of ZnO-BPs and ZnO-NPs were 154 nm and 11-31 nm, respectively. The results showed that exposure of adult snails to sub-lethal concentrations of both ZnO forms (bulk and nano) for 24 h/week for 4 weeks markedly changed their reproductive performance in a concentration-dependent manner, where fecundity was negatively affected by high concentrations. It was concluded that dietary exposure to the lowest tested concentration of ZnO-NPs (1 ppm) has a positive effect as the number of eggs and egg masses/snails increased and the incubation period decreased. Also, poly-vitelline eggs (The formation of twins) were observed. ZnO-NPs at low concentrations positively affect the reproductive performance of snails, especially after dietary exposure. The results revealed that 1 ppm ZnO-NPs could be supplementary provided to snails to improve their fertility, reduce the developmental time course, increase hatchability percentage, and produce poly-vitelline eggs.

Impact of early feed restriction and continued supplementation with coated organic acid and essential oils on sustainability of laying performance, egg quality, fertility, hatchability, immunity status, and gut microbiota of Japanese quail hens

Abstract Three hundred and sixty, 42-day-old Japanese quail (JQ) hens were randomly divided into six experimental groups with 5 replicates/group. Each replicate consisted of 12 birds (8 females and 4 males). During the growing period, chickens were fed restricted (FR) during only the second week of age at days 7, 9, 11, and 13. Three levels of FR were applied: 0.0 (control), 12.5 (12.5FR), and 25.0% (25FR) of the ad libitum intake of chickens measured on the previous day (groups 1, 2 and 3). In the other three groups (4, 5 and 6) the control, 12.5FR and 25.0FR diets were supplemented with coated organic acid + essential oils (COAWEO ) at 100 g/ton feed. The trial lasted from 6 to 18 weeks of age. Feed intake was significantly reduced by 12.5% FR compared with the control group. FR improved all external and internal egg quality of JQ hens except for egg weight, while albumen % decreased in the group fed 12.5FR diet. Coated organic acid with essential oils did not affect all JQ hens’ external and internal egg quality. Feed restriction did not affect fertility, pipped and dead chicks, and hatchability, as total and fertile egg percentage. COAWEO increased fertility and hatchability percentage. FR did not affect blood serum biochemistry and immunity characteristics except for high density lipoprotein (HDL) and hemagglutination inhibition test for infectious bursal disease virus (HI IBDV). Coated organic acid with essential oils did not affect quail blood characteristics but significantly decreased total lipids and increased IL6 at 18 weeks of age. Dietary COAWEO decreased E. coli, Clostridia, and Salmonella while increasing Lactobacillus counts. It can be concluded that 25.0% FR supplemented with COAWEO considerably improved the sustainability of productive performance of JQ hens without adverse effects on egg production, quality, fertility and hatchability traits, serum biochemistry and immune markers, and gut microbiota.

Effect of Different Ages of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Broodstock on Reproductive Performance and Fries Production

This study was conducted at the hatchery complex of Akwa Ibom State University to investigate the effect of different ages of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) on their reproductive performances. Eighteen (18) broodstock of Clarias gariepinus (3 males and 3 females) from each age group, six months, twelve months and eighteen months old with average body measurement of 1.1kg and 32cm for six month, 1.8kg and 43cm for 12 months and 2.5 kg and 65.7cm for 18 months were selected from AKSU fish farm labeled treatment A, B and C for the study. 3 male broodstock from each treatment were sacrificed for milt extraction without hormonal inducement. The milt from each treatment were separately pooled into one volume and divided into three portions each diluted with 2ml of normal saline solution. Three female broodstock from each treatment were separately induced with ovaprim at a single dosage of 0.5ml/kg body weight of fish and allowed for a latency period of ten hours at water temperature of 26oC before stripping manually. 3g of egg from each broodstock was mixed with the diluted milt and activated with 100 mls of normal saline. The fertilized eggs were incubated in aerated indoor concrete tanks in 3 replicates. % fertilization were accessed six (6) hours after incubation, % hatchability was accessed twenty-six hours (26) after incubation, while the percentage survival and fry production success in each treatment was accessed after ten (10) days post hatching. The results reveal that the reproductive parameters considered in this study significantly (p&lt;0.05) increased with age of broodstocks. The percentage fertilization of egg from the least to the oldest broodstock were 63.67± 0.88, 69.50 ± 0.87 and 81.83 ± 5.05 respectively. The percentage hatchability of the oldest broodstock was 82.62 ± 1.6 significantly (P&lt; 0.05) higher than 64.79 ± 2.74 (12 months) with the least value of 49.04 ± 5.76 recorded for six-month-old broodstock. The oldest broodstock had the highest percentage survival 83.14 ± 3.16 and fry production success of 56.05± 0.06 while the least broodstock (6-month-old) had the least value of survival 54.59 ± 2.42 and fry production success of 17.17 ± 2.59%.

Barley sprouts and D-Aspartic acid supplementation improves fertility, hatchability, and semen quality in aging male broiler breeders by up-regulating StAR and P450SCC gene expressions

At 50 wk of age, broiler breeder roosters exhibit a significant decline of fertility. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of incorporating barley sprout (BS) powder, D-aspartic acid (DA), or their combination into the diet on fertility, hatchability, semen quality, and the relative expression of StAR and P450SCC genes in aging broiler roosters. Aging (50 wk) male broiler breeders (n=32) were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments (2 × 2 factorial) with 2 levels of BS (0 or 2% basal diet) and DA (0 or 200 mg/kg/BW) for 12 wk. Roosters were individually housed under a 14-h light and 10-h dark cycle, with 150 g/d feed allocation and free access to fresh water, then euthanized. Throughout the study, the body weight of the broiler breeders was measured, along with various parameters related to semen quality, on a weekly basis. Additionally, artificial insemination was performed during the last 2 wk to evaluate reproductive endpoints. The results revealed that both BS and DA decreased (P < 0.01) body weight. Interestingly, the inclusion of BS, either alone or in combination with DA, resulted in a significant increase in total and forward sperm motility. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the seminal concentration of malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative stress, was significantly decreased by more than 20% in all groups compared to the control. The combination of both BS and DA led to the highest levels of circulating testosterone, as well as the functionality and membrane integrity of sperms. Additionally, it resulted in increased sperm concentrations, production, and penetration, ultimately leading to improved fertility rate and hatchability percentage. Moreover, a positive association between total motility and fertility was observed (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the combined supplementation of BS and DA up-regulated the relative mRNA expression of P450scc and StAR (P < 0.01). To summarize, dietary inclusion of BS, DA, or their combination have a potential to improve various aspects of reproductive performance in aging roosters.

Factors regulating incubation temperature and thermal stress in hawksbills in St. Croix, USVI

The hawksbill sea turtle is listed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List and has been slow to recover in the Caribbean due to historical exploitation and ongoing anthropogenic threats. In turtles, sex and reproductive success are determined by incubation temperatures, whereby lower temperatures produce male hatchlings and higher temperatures produce female hatchlings. As incubation temperatures increase due to climate change, nests are predicted to produce predominantly female hatchlings, threatening sex ratios, reproductive success, and species persistence. One of the largest remaining nesting hawksbill populations within the USA nests on Buck Island. This study aimed to (1) assess the factors driving incubation temperatures and (2) identify the relationship between hatch success and the proportion of time exposed to increasing incubation temperatures. Nest incubation temperatures, beach sector, habitat type, deposition month, percent soil composition, hatch success, and emergence success data were collected from 2019 to 2021. Differences in incubation temperatures across these factors confirmed that the absence of vegetative cover is increasing incubation temperatures on Buck Island, leading to reduced hatchling survival. Results from this study indicate that declines in hatch success may be driven by long-term exposure to temperatures that were previously considered in the literature to be non-lethal to embryos. These findings emphasize the continued need for conservation interventions to protect the future of hawksbills.

Growth performance and reproductive qualities of breeder snails (Archachatina marginata) fed different sources of protein

This experiment was conducted to compare the effects of different protein sources on the growth and reproductive performances of breeder snails, as protein sources are the main requirement for fast growth and development of cells for reproduction. Soya bean meal (SBM), cottonseed meal (CSM), and groundnut cake (GNC) were fed to the breeder snails. The snails were eight (8) months old with an initial average weight of 98.93g, and the experiment lasted for 12 weeks. Sixty (60) Archachatina marginata breeder snails were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups of fifteen (15) snails per treatment which were replicated three (3) times in each of the groups. The parameters examined were growth performance, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and reproductive characteristics. Data collected were analyzed by the use of a one-way analysis of variance and significant means were separated with the Duncan Multiple Ranged Test at a 5% level of probability using SAS, 2011 [10]. The study revealed that soya bean meal (SBM) supports higher final body weight, body weight gain, and percentage fertility, while soya bean meal and cottonseed meal had higher percentage hatchability. However, no significant (P&gt;0.05) differences were recorded in the final shell circumference, shell circumference gain, final shell length, and shell length gain. It was concluded that compounded feed with soya bean meal as the main protein source abetted fast growth and better productive performance.

Comparative Teratogenic and Skin whitening effect of Herbal extract Glycyrrhiza glabra and Citrus sineus on Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Objective: To determine acute toxicity and Synergistic effect of the anti-melanogenic activity of methanolic extract Glycyrrhiza glabra and Citrus sineus on zebrafish. Materials and method: Fish embryo toxicity (FET) was studied as per OECD guidelines 236. The LC50 and maximum non-lethal concentration of both the extracts were calculated. The images of zebrafish larvae exposed to different concentrations of methanolic extracts and their combination were taken by using labomed digital microscope. The skin whitening effect of extract was studied by measuring integrated density of images by using imageJ software Result: LC50 Value and maximum non-lethal concentration of methanolic extracts of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Citrus sineus were found to be 56.23ppm and 34.7ppm respectively. The result revealed significant reduction in percentage hatchability (p &lt; 0.0014 for glycyrrhiza glabra and p&lt;0.0011 for Citrus sinenus), dose dependant increased in percentage mortality and different developmental morphological abnormalities in zebrafish embryos exposed to the methanolic extracts Glycyrrhiza glabra and Citrus sineus. The synergistic effect of herbal extracts was found to be more effective in reducing the melanin content. Conclusion: Very High concentration of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Citrus Sineus showed teratogenic effect in zebrafish embryoes. However, based on OECD aquatic toxicity classification, both the extracts were found to be safe. Our study also revealed synergestic skin whitening effect of both the extracts in zebrafish larvae which might be due to reduction of melatonin content by these extracts.

Effect of in-ovo inoculation of betaine on hatchability, serum antioxidant levels, muscle gene expression and intestinal development of broiler chicks.

This study investigated the effects of in-ovo inoculation of betaine on hatchability, hatching weight, and intestinal development, as well as serum and expression levels of some antioxidants in the posthatched chicks. A total of 350 fertile eggs of Hubbard efficiency plus breeder's flock were incubated at normal incubation temperature (37.5°C) and randomly assembled into 3 groups with 4 replicates, and 25 eggs per each. The experimental groups were allocated as noninjected control group (CN), diluent-injected group (CP, 0.1 mL saline), and betaine-injected group (B, 2.5 mg in 0.1 mL saline). The injections were performed in the air cells of the eggs on the 12th day of the embryonic phase. Hatchability percentage, hatching weight, serum-reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were estimated in 7-day-old chicks. Moreover, expression levels of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and SOD were determined in the breast skeletal muscles of chicks. Jejunum histo-morphometric analysis was assessed with computerised morphometric measurements. The results revealed that the hatchability percentage was not influenced by in-ovo injection of betaine or vehicle while betaine significantly increased the hatchling's weight of chicks. Moreover, there were a significant increase in SOD and Nrf2 mRNA expression levels. In-ovo injection of betaine significantly induced positive effects on intestinal morphometry by ameliorating the jejunal villus length, the ratio of villus height to villus width, and absorptive surface area.

Effect of different exposure time of papain on adhesion and some reproductive indices of &lt;i&gt;Clarias gariepinus&lt;/i&gt; (Burchell, 1822) eggs under semi-arid environment of Sokoto, north-western, Nigeria

Egg adhesiveness can cause major problems affecting the hatchability of Clarias gariepinus. However, appropriate media for de-adhesion in Catfish eggs is not yet well established. In this study, the effect of the anti-adhesion properties of Papain enzyme (extracted from pawpaw fruit peel) on Clarias eggs was investigated in terms of non-stickiness of eggs, fertilization rates hatchability and fry survival. Milt and eggs obtained from African Catfish broodstock of the same lineage were used for induced breeding following standard procedure. 4g of eggs were subjected to four (4) different exposure times of Papain – 30, 60, 120 and 300 seconds – and compared against a control. Treatment efficacy was assessed by comparing the percentage of non-sticky eggs, fertilization, hatching and survival rate in the treatments and control. Exposure time of 30 seconds was found to be most effective in preventing adhesiveness in the eggs. Also, eggs subjected to 30, 120 and 300 seconds of papain exposure had the best hatchability (50.58±1.84, 53.91±4.53, 59.21±2.97). Survival rate was similar among the treatments and control, except for exposure time of 300 (81.66±7.15) seconds with significantly lower survival rate. For effective hatchability and survival of Clarias gariepinus eggs, exposure to papain at 120 seconds is recommended.

The Egg-Turning Technique on The Hatching Performance of Hybrid Duck Eggs

This research aimed to determine different egg-turning techniques on the hatching performance of hybrid duck eggs. The materials for this research include water, hatching eggs of hybrid ducks, and manual hatching machines. This research used the T-test with 2 treatments and 6 replications, including T1 (swipe egg-turning) and T2 (manual egg-turning), each replication consisting of 10 hatched hybrid duck eggs. The parameters observed included the percentage of mortality, the percentage of hatchability, and the hatching weight of hybrid ducks. Analysis of the resulting data uses an analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) application. Data that had significant differences were then tested further using the DMRT test (Duncan Multiple Range Test). The results showed that the egg-turning technique had no significant effect on the hatching performance of hybrid duck eggs, including mortality, hatchability, and hatching weight. The conclusion of the research was the regular turning times with differences in egg-turning techniques did not influence the hatchability of the duck hybrid.

Influence of Hibernation and Dehydration on the Hatching Percentage of Artemia Cyst Collected from Solar Saltpan

The brine shrimp Artemia franciscana is an important live feed for fin and shell fish larval culture. Cysts of Artemia are naturally found in a wide variety of harsh environments where they are exposed to different changing environmental conditions. Artemia cysts are also exposed to different hydration/dehydration (H/D) conditions during the post-harvest processing period in the Artemia processing industry. India has enormous quantity of cyst production every year from solar saltpans. But due to the lack of proper post-harvest processing technology, most of the cyst are sold to very low price to larval rearing industries. The aim of the present study was to find out the effect of different rate of dehydration, and different preservation temperatures for enhancing cyst hatchability. The cysts were collected from Thamarikulam saltpan in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu, India. The collected cysts were dehydrated to different percentages and preserved at 0º, -10˚ and -20˚C for different durations. The study disclosed that the cyst required 1.3h for full hydration in 30ppt saline water and reached full dehydration at 16h in saturated saline solution. Among the three preservation conditions, the maximum hatching percentage (77.95%) was observed in the cyst that preserved at -20˚C for 400days.Among the different rate of dehydration and hibernation, the 40% dehydrated cyst allowed to hibernate at -20˚C had the maximum hatching percentage. From this study, it is concluded that the optimum of all dehydration percentage, level of chillness and duration of cold storage had equally influenced in the improvement of cyst quality.

Effects of varying dietary microalgae levels on performance, egg quality, fertility, and blood biochemical parameters of laying Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica)

This experiment was carried out to investigate the nutritional value of Spirulina and Dunaliella (SD) combination levels (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g/kg) that affected the laying Japanese quail's efficiency, egg quality, fertility, and blood biological indicators. A total of 150 adult Japanese quails, aged eight weeks, were divided into five treatments at random, each consisting of 30 quails. There were five duplicates for every treatment, with two male and four female quails in each. Comparing the addition of various concentrations of a mixture of SD to the control treatment, the results showed no substantial rise in egg production, egg weight, or egg mass. When compared to the control group, final body weight (FBW) was improved with SD supplementation. The quails in control consumed more feed intake (FI) (p < 0.05), and they were different from the groups who got SD therapy in that they had a regular feed conversion ratio (FCR). The percentages of hatchability and fertility increased when SD was added to quail meals at up to 1.00 g/kg. When compared to the control quail, the quail supplemented with SD levels showed a non-significant rise in albumin%, yolk%, Haugh unit, and unit surface shell weight (USSW), as well as an increase in eggshell percentage and a drop in egg shape index (p < 0.05). Renal and hepatic enzyme functioning improved when SD was added to the diets. Additionally, lipid profile indicators were reduced by SD supplementation (except low-density lipoprotein-LDL). Moreover, compared to the control, incorporating SD led to a non-significant rise in immunoglobulin concentrations (IgG and IgM). In conclusion, adding SD to the diet can improve body weight, lipid profile, immunological response, and liver and kidney functions in Japanese quail.

Arabic Chicken from Marriage with Artificial Insemination (IB) Using a Manual Hatching Machine On Fertility And Hatchability

Arab Chicken Marriage with Artificial Insemination (IB) Using Manual Incubator on Fertility and Hatchability. This study aims to determine the level of fertility and hatchability of Arabic chicken mating with artificial insemination in a manual incubator. This research was carried out at Mr. Saiful Karang Rejo's farm, Tulung Agung, from September 15 to October 15, 2022. The number of eggs used were 72 eggs from Arab chicken mating with a male to female ratio of 50: 500. The chickens are housed individually, the feed given is a mixture of corn, bran, and concentrate. IB is carried out 3 times a week, semen collection is carried out by massage (sequence) and accommodated in a glass then IB is carried out on Arab females. Using Chi Square analysis, then followed by a contingency test (a condition filled with uncertainty between fertile or not, the effect of fertility expectations) , Correlation (the relationship between two variables that are quantitative) and Regression (influence between 2 or more variables). The parameters observed included fertility and egg hatchability. From the results of the study, the following conclusions were obtained: the highest percentage of fertility was obtained in stages 1 and 2 with a value of 73.61%, while the lowest percentage was at stage 3 with a value of 66.66%. Meanwhile, the highest hatchability percentage was at stage 1 with a value of 83.01%, and the lowest percentage was at stage 3 with a value of 79.16%. Cleanliness in the chicken semen reservoir and egg selection, such as the cleanliness of egg shells, eggs that are too small or too large need to be considered. The temperature and humidity of the incubator must be constant to avoid embryo death and hatching failure.

Effect of eucalyptus wood vinegar on reproductive performance of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks

ABSTRACT Alternative treatments to control ticks are being increasingly investigated, including natural products to decrease parasitic resistance and environmental impact. The present study investigated the chemical profile of eucalyptus wood vinegar and evaluated its effect on the reproduction of Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Eucalyptus wood vinegar (WV) was tested at several concentrations. For the experiment, 500 engorged females were collected from canine hosts. The female ticks were distributed by weight in groups of ten per WV concentration, with five replicates per treatment. For all tests, the ticks were immersed for 5 min in a solution with each WV concentration. The positive control was amitraz and negative was water. The major components of the WV’s organic fraction were furfural and phenolic compounds. A significant decrease in egg hatching was observed in the WV concentration range from 65 to 1,000 mg mL−1. When parameters such as the percentage of hatching, female weight, and egg mass were evaluated, the efficiency of the product was verified as being between 84.97% and 99.38% in the concentration range of 65 to 1,000 mg mL–1, respectively. There is a real potential for using eucalyptus WV to control dog ticks since it negatively affects the reproductive cycle of the parasites.