Non-ruminant Livestock Research Articles

Pengaruh Substitusi Tepung Ikan dengan Tepung Larva BSF dalam Ransum terhadap Konsumsi Protein Kasar, Lemak Kasar dan Serat Kasar pada Burung Puyuh

The research was carried out experimentally at the Non-Ruminant Livestock Laboratory, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Hasanuddin University from April to June 2019. This research aims to determine the effect of substituting fish meal with BSF larvae meal in the ration on the consumption of crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber in quail. 60 female quail were used in this study using cages measuring 90 x 60 x 30 cm. This research method used a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of four treatments and five replications, divided randomly based on treatment as follows: P0 Ration without adding BSF larval meal, P1 = BSF larval meal 3.183% (6.67% crude fish meal protein) , P2=BSF larval meal 6.370% (3.34% fish meal crude protein), P3=BSF larval meal 9.565% (0% fish meal crude protein). The variables observed were the consumption of crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber in quail. The data obtained were then analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software. The results of the analysis of the effect of substituting fish meal with BSF larvae meal in the ration had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the consumption of crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber in quail.

Improving mannanase production in Bacillus subtilis for fibre hydrolysis during solid-state fermentation of palm kernel meal

The primary challenge in utilizing palm kernel meal (PKM, an agricultural by-product) as non-ruminant livestock feed is its high fibre content, predominantly in the form of mannan. Microbial fermentation offers an economically favourable alternative to enzyme supplementation for breaking down fibre in lignocellulosic biomass. In a recent study, our group isolated a B. subtilis strain F6 with a fast response time for mannanase production upon exposure to PKM. This work focuses on improving the mannanase production of the B. subtilis strain to achieve greater fibre hydrolysis of PKM without extending fermentation time. Mannanase GmuG, sourced from B. subtilis F6 and verified for its hydrolytic activity on PKM fibre, was homologously expressed using a replicative plasmid (pBE-S). Enzyme production was systematically improved by optimizing various regulatory elements, including the promoter, ribosome binding site, and signal peptide. Consequently, the neutral detergent fibre content of PKM was substantially reduced by 36.4 % in 22 h of solid-state fermentation using the engineered strain. Lastly, the highest mannanase-producing strain was examined for scaled-up fermentation. The impacts of fermentation on fibre and protein contents, as well as the surface morphology of PKM, were analysed. The outcomes of this study offer an efficient method for robust mannanase expression in B. subtilis and its potential application in the biotransformation of PKM and other mannan-rich bioresources for improved feed utilization.

Assessing the potential of phytogenic feed additives: A comprehensive review on their effectiveness as a potent dietary enhancement for nonruminant in swine and poultry.

Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) often referred to as phytobiotics or botanical feed additives, are natural compounds derived from various plants, herbs, spicesand other botanical sources. These feed additives are intended to serve a variety of purposes, including an immune system regulator, an antimicrobial, an antimutagenic, an antioxidantand a growth promoter. They are composed of bioactive compounds extracted from plants, including essential oils, polyphenols, terpenoidsand flavonoids. They are mostly utilized as substitute antibiotic growth promoters in nonruminant (swine and poultry) livestock production, owing to the prohibition of antibiotic usage in the feed industry. It has been thoroughly examined to ascertain their impact on intestinal health and activity, correlation with animals'effective health and well-being, productivity, food securityand environmental impact. The potential uses of these feed additives depend on the properties of herbs, the comprehension of their principal and secondary components, knowledge of their mechanisms of action, the safety of animalsand the products they produce. They are gaining recognition as effective and sustainable tools for promoting animal health and performance while reducing the reliance on antibiotics in nonruminant nutrition. Their natural origins, multifaceted benefitsand alignment with consumer preferences make them a valuable addition to modern animal farming process. However, because of their inconsistent effects and inadequate knowledge of the mechanisms of action, their usage as a feed additive has been limited. This review offers a comprehensive assessment of the applications of PFAs as an effective feed supplement in swine and poultry nutrition. In summary, this comprehensive review provides current knowledge, identifies gaps in researchand emphasizes the potential of phytogenic additives to foster sustainable and healthier livestock production systems while addressing the global concerns associated with antibiotic use in livestock farming.

Tracking digestible and non-digestible cell wall components during protein concentrate production from grass-clover and alfalfa

AbstractGreen biomass from leguminous and gramineous forage crops, such as alfalfa and grass-clover, has been proposed as a potential new source of feed protein concentrates for non-ruminant livestock. However, the efficient separation of the protein fraction from the non-digestible cell components, primarily comprising cell walls (fiber) and starch, presents a significant technological challenge. Moreover, it is crucial to optimize the process to preserve the optimal nutritional value of the final product. This study comprehensively analyzed the non-digestible fiber content and composition across all biorefinery fractions using two different feedstocks: green biomass from alfalfa and grass-clover. The pilot scale refining process involved a combination of screw pressing, lactic acid fermentation, and protein separation via centrifugation. We observed variations in carbohydrate composition and abundance between alfalfa and grass-clover. The lactic acid fermentation led to a reduction in cellulose and total glucose content. Our findings indicate that the final protein concentrate still contains residual cell wall components, including lignin, indicating potential inefficiencies in the filtration, fermentation, and isolation steps. The presented analytical approach provides a valuable framework for optimizing processing conditions and tailoring enzyme cocktails for enhanced valorization of the by-products.

Production and Safety of Closed House Waste as A Source of Protein For Non Ruminan Rations

Closed house waste which has so far been considered a contributor to environmental pollution if processed professionally, can be reused as a component of non-ruminant rations. The purpose of this study is to determine the production (potential, quantity, and quality) of broiler farm waste that is maintained in a closed house system. The cost of production of non-ruminant livestock (pig) 70-80% is still occupied by the cost of feed. The price of commercial concentrate is relatively expensive, which is a reason to look for alternative feed sources. The discovery of potential closed house chicken farm waste and innovative products as a source of protein in rations for non-ruminant (pig-poultry) is expected to the feed problem. Innovative product protein concentrate chicken farm waste of closed house (WCH) system that is cheap and competitive is produced through three stages of research: identify the type and availability of waste, its nutrient content, formulate various protein concentrate formulas, and small-scale tests on pigs with metabolic cage to determine metabolized energy content and digestibility. The results showed that the type of closed house waste (WCH) that has the potential as alternative animal feed is the waste of dead-refused chickens, and litter mixed with scattered feed. Production data in 4 periods of rearing, obtained the number of dead and rejected chickens weighing 850.7 kg (212.7 kg/period), and litter weight of 4000 kg (1000kg/period). Nutrient content of flour mixed with closed house waste (WCH), protein: 36.58%, crude fat: 4.42%, gross energy Kcal/gram. aboratory test of WCH was negative for Eschericia colli and Salmonella shigella, Coliform < 3.0 CFU/g, mold 200 CFU/g. The conclusion of this study is that the waste from closed house (LCH) broiler farms has the potential as a source of protein in alternative feeds for rumonants (chicken and pig).

The effects of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes on the in vitro generation of xylooligosaccharides and monosaccharides is dependent upon cereal type

Fibrolytic enzymes are routinely added to non-ruminant livestock feeds to help degrade the non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) contents and thereby improve feed efficiency. This study investigated the range of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and monosaccharides produced from four cereal samples (barley, maize, oats and wheat) over a 72 h in vitro incubation using 3 commercially available (AB Vista, Marlborough, Wiltshire, United Kingdom) fibrolytic enzymes, Econase XT, Econase MP1000 and Barley P700, all containing endo-xylanase with other combinations of enzymes. Complete non-starch acid hydrolysis showed there were differences between cereals in the total monosaccharide (P < 0.01). There was a cereal x enzyme x incubation time 3-way interaction in the generation of XOS (xylotetraose, xylotriose and xylobiose) (P < 0.01) indicating the generation of XOS varies dependent on both the cereal and the enzyme used. The enzymes failed to generate any detectable xylose from maize. For xylose there was also a cereal x enzyme x incubation time 3-way interaction (P < 0.05). Econase XT generated the greatest quantity of xylose, with 38% of available xylose from wheat being released after 72 h, 11% from barley and 9% from oats, whilst no xylose was detected from maize using any of the 3 commercial enzyme preparations. For arabinose and galactose production there was a cereal x enzyme x incubation time 3-way interaction (P < 0.01), whilst glucose release was only significantly affected by cereal (P < 0.05) or time (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that the fibrolytic enzymes tested have some specificity for certain cereals and therefore it might be possible to optimise the combinations used in animal feeds, to help maximise the feed efficiency of livestock.

Detection Of Antibiotic Residues in Eggs of Layer Chickens and Knowledge of Animal Officers About Antibiotics

The chicken farming industry in Indonesia cannot be separated from the use of antibiotics as a curative effort in controlling the disease. Its use is either via injection, soaking, or as a feed additive (growth promoter) mixed in feed. Inappropriate use of antibiotics causes allergic reactions or resistance and the possibility of causing poisoning, residues in livestock tissues or organs that are harmful to human health when consuming them. This study aimed to determine the antibiotic residues in eggs and the level of knowledge of livestock workers on the use of antibiotics in livestock. The detection of antibiotic residues was conducted using the agar plate diffusion method by Kirby Bauer with the disk diffusion technique using Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. As indicator bacteria. The results were analysed using a qualitative descriptive approach. The samples were 76 eggs taken from the Regional Technical Implementation Unit of the Non-Ruminant Livestock Center of the Aceh Livestock Service in Blang Bintang and Saree Aceh Besar. Chloramphenicol antibiotic was used as a test medium and as control by calculating the diameter of the inhibition zone formed on MHA media. furthermore, a cross-sectional study design was used and questionnaires were distributed to 14 livestock officers to understand the knowledge of officers on the use of antibiotics in livestock by using google form. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test through the SPSS 22.0 program. The results showed that the eggs and feed samples were negative from antibiotic residue. There was no relationship between feeding and antibiotic residues in eggs and laying hens feed. However, only 35.7% of officers had good knowledge about proper antibiotic usage. This means continuing awareness to the officers regarding the use of antibiotics either for treatment of diseases or as feed promoter are essential.

Sulfur fertility management to enhance methionine and cysteine in soybeans

Soybeans (Glycine max) are a major protein source both for humans and non-ruminant livestock; however, the usability of soybean protein is limited by the concentration of the essential sulfur (S)-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine (MET+CYS). Traditional efforts to improve protein quality in soybeans have largely been focused on plant breeding but soil S fertility may also influence seed MET+CYS concentration. Crop S deficiencies are increasingly common due to soil depletion by high yields and reduced atmospheric deposition. We report on a survey of commercial soybean fields and two replicated split-plot field experiments in the mid-Atlantic region, USA. The experimental treatments were two levels (0 or 100 kg S ha-1 ) of broadcast gypsum (CaSO4 ) and two levels (0 or 11 kg-S ha-1 ) of foliar Epsom salt (MgSO4 ) applied to two soybean cultivars. The objective was to assess the variability of, and effect of, S fertilization on S and MET+CYS concentrations in soybean seeds. Sulfur ranged from 2.35 to 3.54 mg g-1 and MET+CYS ranged from 5.5 to 9.2mg g-1 protein in seeds from commercial fields surveyed. Sulfur application increased seed MET+CYS concentration 1.3 to twofold in two replicated field experiments. Overall, MET+CYS concentration in protein ranged from 3.9 to 12.8mg g-1 and was linearly predicted (R2 =0.65) by seed S. Soybean seed S and MET+CYS concentrations vary widely. We show that field-scale S application can greatly enhance soybean MET+CYS content and therefore protein quality. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Targeting Low-Phytate Soybean Genotypes Without Compromising Desirable Phosphorus-Acquisition Traits.

Phytate-phosphorus (P) in food and feed is not efficiently utilized by humans and non-ruminant livestock, potentially contributing to high losses of P to the environment. Crops with high P-acquisition efficiency can access soil P effectively. It remains elusive whether crop genotypes with high P-acquisition efficiency can also have low seed phytate concentrations. A core collection of 256 soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes from China with diverse genetic background were grown in the same environment and seeds were sampled to screen for seed phytate-P concentration. Some of these genotypes were also grown in a low-P soil in the glasshouse to measure root morphological and physiological traits related to P acquisition. Large genotypic variation was found in seed phytate-P concentration (0.69–5.49 mg P g–1 dry weight), total root length, root surface area, rhizosheath carboxylates, and acid phosphatase activity in rhizosheath soil. Geographically, seed phytate-P concentration was the highest for the genotypes from Hainan Province, whereas it was the lowest for the genotypes from Inner Mongolia. Seed phytate-P concentration showed no correlation with any desirable root traits associated with enhanced P acquisition. Two genotypes (Siliyuan and Diliuhuangdou-2) with both low phytate concentrations and highly desirable P-acquisition traits were identified. This is the first study to show that some soybean genotypes have extremely low seed phytate concentrations, combined with important root traits for efficient P acquisition, offering material for breeding genotypes with low seed phytate-P concentrations.

Impact of Thermal and High-Pressure Treatments on the Microbiological Quality and In Vitro Digestibility of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae.

Simple SummaryWhile facing climate change and natural resource scarcity, ensuring sufficient, nutritious, safe, and affordable protein sources to a fast-growing feed demand becomes increasingly challenging. The emerging insect sector has the potential to improve the circularity of the agri-food chain thanks to their ability to upcycle industrial organic wastes into valuable biomass that can be included as a feed ingredient for livestock. The black soldier fly is considered one of the most promising insect species for its large-scale production due to its ability to be reared in a wide variety of organic substrates. However, more information is required regarding the suitability of agri-food by-products and processing techniques to ensure the quality of the final insect-derived products for large-scale production. The present study showed that breweries’ by-products are a suitable source of substrate for the development of black soldier fly larvae as an ingredient for both ruminant and non-ruminant livestock feed. High-pressure processing showed no clear improvement in terms of decontamination capacity and digestibility in comparison to heating treatment, resulting in a less cost-effective process for large-scale production of black soldier fly larvae.Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are gaining importance in animal feeding due to their ability to upcycle low-value agroindustry by-products into high-protein biomass. The present study evaluated the nutritional composition of BSFL reared on brewer’s by-product (BBP) and the impact of thermal (90 °C for 10/15 min) and high-pressure processing (HPP; 400/600MPa for 1.5/10 min) treatments on the microbial levels and in vitro digestibility in both ruminant and monogastric models. BBP-reared BSFL contained a high level of protein, amino acids, lauric acid, and calcium, and high counts of total viable counts (TVC; 7.97), Enterobacteriaceae (7.65), lactic acid bacteria (LAB; 6.50), and yeasts and moulds (YM; 5.07). Thermal processing was more effective (p < 0.05) than any of the HPP treatments in reducing TVC. Both temperature of 90 °C and pressure of 600 MPa reduced the levels of Enterobacteriaceae, LAB, and YM below the detection limit. In contrast, the application of the 400 MPa showed a reduced inactivation (p < 0.05) potential. Heat-treated samples did not result in any significant changes (p > 0.05) on any of the in vitro digestibility models, whereas HPP showed increased and decreased ruminal and monogastric digestibility, respectively. HPP did not seem to be a suitable, cost-effective method as an alternative to heat-processing for the large-scale treatment of BSFL.

Analysis of base sector, coefficient of localization and specialization to detect the superiorcommodity of livestock in Regency of South Bolaang Mongondow Provinceof North Sulawesi, Indonesia

This study aimed to know the type of the superior commodity of livestock and the structure of livestock growth in Regency of South Bolaang Mongondow, Province of North Sulawesi. This research was performed in three districts, such as District of Bolang Uki, District of Posigadan, and District of Pinolosian, possessing the largest ruminant and non-ruminant livestock population. Nineteen respondents of breeders were randomly selected, consisting of cattle, goat, native chicken, broiler, egg-layer, and duck breeder, respectively 15 respondents. Data collected was then analyzed using analysis of location quotient (LQ), coefficient of localization and specialization. According to the result of location quotient (LQ) analysis, cattle, goat, native chicken, and the duck was the superior commodity, becoming a base sector in Regency of South Bolaang Mongondow obtaining value of LQ &gt;1. From four of the superior commodities, nonetheless, only did cattle have more than one coefficient value of localization (1.020), depicting that cattle had been localized in the study area to sustain the local economy. The analysis of specialization showed that Regency of South Bolaang Mongondow had not self-specialized for certain types of livestock to develop regional economy, presented by the coefficient value of specialization which was still lower than one.

Methyl-coenzyme M Reductase (MCR) Receptor as Potential Drug Target for Inhibiting Methanogenesis in Horses Using Moringa oleifera L.: An in Silico Docking Study

Methane (CH4) emission from nonruminant livestock, particularly equines, is a colossal burden for veterinarians worldwide. In view of this, the present context was investigated to predict the antimethanogenic attributes of Moringa oleifera L. associated phytocomponents by targeting methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) receptor in horses using in silico tools. Initially, the pharmacokinetics and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) properties of 26 phytocomponents were analyzed using Lipinski’s rule of five and Swiss ADME tool, respectively. Among all the tested phytocomponents, 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol, Kaempferol, Moringyne, Niazimisin, and Tetradecanoic acid showed drug-likeness traits with no violation. The molecular docking analysis of selected phytocomponents against MCR receptor was carried out using Hex 8.0.0 docking software. Results estimated the highest binding energy of Tetradecanoic acid against MCR receptor with maximum docking E-value of −142.98 KJ/mol, followed by Niazimisin (−133.98 KJ/mol), Kaempferol (−110.36 KJ/mol), 3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-phenol (−93.72 KJ/mol), and Moringyne (−92.62 KJ/mol). In conclusion, Tetradecanoic acid can be utilized as a pronounced antimethanogenic agent in order to develop efficacious CH4 mitigating drugs by inhibiting the methanogenesis mechanism. Most importantly, this in silico outcomes can certainly reduce the cost of in vivo studies strategy toward the development of antimethanogenic drugs for horses in the future.

The Utilization of Phytase Enzymes and SEM Analysis in order to increase the Quality of Rice Bran as a Layer and Fish Feed

Phytase is one of the enzymes belonging to the group phosphatase, which is capable of hydrolyzing the phytic compounds in the form of myo-inositol (1.2.3.4.5.6) into myo-inositol phosphatase and organic phosphate. In the digestive tract of non-ruminant livestock (poultry) and fish, there are no phytase enzymes. This causes the content of the rice bran phytate compounds to be difficult to digest because of the strong chelating properties. Restrictions on the use of rice bran in the fish’s diet are because of the fiber content and the high level of phytic acid. One alternative to reduce the phytate content of the feed is to use the phytase enzyme, which is expected to hydrolyze the phytic acid (myo-inositol 1.2.3.4.5.6) in the rice bran orthophosphate in organic produce. All of the minerals, such as P and Ca, are important minerals to release and it is used for the growth of both layers and fish. The result showed that: 1. The scanning Elektron Microscope (SEM) analysis of the surface with the addition of rice bran phytase enzymes caused the bond breaking force with the inositol phosphate acid groups. These showed changes in the structure of the phytic irregular bond and 2. The addition of the phytase enzymes to degrade phytic acid increases the availability of minerals such as phosphorus and calcium and crude protein, and decreases the crude fiber in the rice bran.

Systematic review of greenhouse gas emissions for different fresh food categories

This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review of greenhouse gas emissions for different food categories from life cycle assessment (LCA) studies, to enable streamline calculations that could inform dietary choice. The motivation for completing the paper was the inadequate synthesis of food greenhouse gas emissions available in the public domain. The paper reviewed 369 published studies that provided 1718 global warming potential (GWP) values for 168 varieties of fresh produce. A meta-analysis of the LCA studies was completed for the following categories: fresh vegetables (root vegetables, brassica, leaves and stems); fresh fruits (pepo, hesperidium, true berries, pomes, aggregates fruits and drupes); staples (grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and rice); dairy (almond/coconut milk, soy milk, dairy milk, butter and cheese); non-ruminant livestock (chicken, fish, pork); and ruminant livestock (lamb and beef). The meta-analysis indicates a clear greenhouse gas hierarchy emerging across the food categories, with grains, fruit and vegetables having the lowest impact and meat from ruminants having the highest impact. The meta-analysis presents the median, mean, standard deviation, upper and lower quartile, minimum and maximum results for each food category. The resultant data enables streamline calculations of the global warming potential of human diets, and is illustrated by a short case study of an Australian family's weekly shop. The database is provided in the Appendix as a resource for practitioners. The paper concludes with recommendations for future LCA studies to focus upon with respect to content and approach.

The Role of Livestock Portfolios and Group-Based Approaches for Building Resilience in the Face of Accelerating Climate Change: An Asset-Based Panel Data Analysis from Rural Kenya

This study examines the impact of multiple shocks on assets by employing two waves of a panel data set of 360 rural households in three agro-ecological zones in Kenya. To control for unobserved heterogeneity, a ‘within’ household fixed effects model was employed. One major finding is that climatic shocks negatively affect households’ livestock holdings -- apart from small ruminant and non-ruminant livestock due to their higher adaptive capacity. Consequently, households rely on two major coping strategies to smooth their consumption level: (1) adjusting their livestock portfolios, and (2) borrowing from group-based approaches. The latter strategy is particularly important for poor households in safeguarding their already low asset base. The findings suggest that livestock protection policies, such as diversification of livestock portfolios, promotion of fodder banks and index-based livestock insurance, are substantial. Scaling-up of group-based approaches would augment poor households’ recovery and resilience against multiple shocks in the face of accelerating climate change.

Phytic Acid and Inorganic Phosphate Composition in Soybean Lines with Independent IPK1 Mutations.

Soybean seeds contain a large amount of P, which is stored as phytic acid (PA). Phytic acid is indigestible by nonruminant livestock and considered an antinutritional factor in soybean meal. Several low PA soybean lines have been discovered, but many of these lines have either minor reductions in PA or inadequate germination and emergence. The reduced PA phenotype of soybean line Gm-lpa-ZC-2 was previously shown to be the result of a mutation in a gene encoding an inositol pentakisphosphate 2-kinase on chromosome 14 (14IPK1). While the 14IPK1 mutation was shown to have no impact on germination and emergence, the reduction in PA was modest (up to 50%). Our objective was to determine the effect on seed P partitioning for a novel mutation of an independent IPK1 gene on chromosome six (06IPK1) on its own and in combination with mutant alleles of the 14IPK1. We developed soybean populations and conducted genotype and phenotype association analyses based on the genotype of the 06IPK1 and 14IPK1 genes and the seed P partitioning profile. The lines with both mutant IPK1 genes had very low PA levels, moderate accumulation of inorganic phosphate (Pi), and accumulation of high amounts of P in lower inositols. The developed lines did not have significant reductions in germination or field emergence. In addition, characterization of the lower inositols produced in the mutant lines suggests that IPK1 is a polyphosphate kinase and provides some insight into the PA biosynthesis pathway in soybean seeds.

Determinants of Keeping Small Ruminants and Non-ruminant Livestock in Malawi: A Simulated Maximum Likelihood Multivariate Probit

ABSTRACTAn initial understanding of socio-economic factors that determine households’ decision to keep small ruminants and non-ruminant livestock is imperative when formulating technologies and policies that augment livestock production. Therefore, this article was started with the objective of bringing to light the socio-economic factors affecting the decision of smallholder farmers’ households to keep small ruminants and non-ruminant livestock. We used the Malawi Third Integrated Household Survey data, commissioned by National Statistical Office, in which 5 711 households were randomly sampled and interviewed from March 2010 to March 2011. The article fits a simulated maximum likelihood multivariate probit to the data. With respect to the policy variables considered in the analysis, unlike higher education levels and older household heads, younger household heads are more likely to keep small ruminants and non-ruminant livestock. Extension contact and credit access did not promote the keeping of small ruminants and non-ruminant livestock. There is a strong location bias towards keeping small ruminants in the central region of Malawi while there is also a bias against keeping pigs in southern Malawi. Reshaping extension packages toward well rounded crop-livestock messages is an important factor to consider in promoting small ruminant and non-ruminant production in Malawi.

Modeling the Fate of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica in the Agricultural Environment: Current Perspective

The significance of fresh vegetable consumption on human nutrition and health is well recognized. Human infections with Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica linked to fresh vegetable consumption have become a serious public health problem inflicting a heavy economic burden. The use of contaminated livestock wastes such as manure and manure slurry in crop production is believed to be one of the principal routes of fresh vegetable contamination with E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica at preharvest stage because both ruminant and nonruminant livestock are known carriers of E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica in the environment. A number of challenge-testing studies have examined the fate of E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica in the agricultural environment with the view of designing strategies for controlling vegetable contamination preharvest. In this review, we examined the mathematical modeling approaches that have been used to study the behavior of E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica in the manure, manure-amended soil, and in manure-amended soil-plant ecosystem during cultivation of fresh vegetable crops. We focused on how the models have been applied to fit survivor curves, predict survival, and assess the risk of vegetable contamination preharvest. The inadequacies of the current modeling approaches are discussed and suggestions for improvements to enhance the applicability of the models as decision tools to control E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica contamination of fresh vegetables during primary production are presented.

Direct methane and nitrous oxide emissions of monogastric livestock in South Africa

There are increasing concerns about the impact of agriculture and livestock production on the environment. In this the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from South African pigs, ostriches, horses, donkeys, mules and poultry were calculated, using 2010 production data on a provincial basis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodology adapted to tropical production systems was used to calculate methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. The non-ruminant sector is a minor GHG contributor compared with ruminant CH4 and N2O emissions. The pig industry and ostrich industry both contribute approximately 8 Gg (Giga gram) CH4 /year. The poultry industry is the largest direct N2O producer of the non-ruminant livestock industries, contributing 2.3 Gg/year or 92.8% of the total non-ruminant N2O emissions.Keywords: Greenhouse gas, pigs, horses, ostriches, broiler, layer

Evaluation of the Proximate, Mineral, Phytochemical and Amino Acid Composition of Bidens Pilosa as Potential Feed/Feed Additive for Non-Ruminant Livestock

Bidens pilosa are popular weeds in the South West Region of Nigeria which are self-propagated by glueing itself on farmer’s dresses and animal’s skin. Bidens pilosa leaf meal (BPLM) were analyzed to determine proximate nutrient content, amino acid composition, phytochemicals and mineral constituents. The protein content of the leafmeal from the plant is 15.86%, These values are high compared to those for some common Nigerian weeds used as forage plants. Leaves had high percentage of crude fibre (18.13%). Carbohydrates, lipid, moisture and ash contents were within the range expected for dry leafy vegetable. Five (5) essential amino acids were found in varying proportions in the protein of Bidens pilosa Leafmeal. The phytochemicals analyzed indicated the presence of tannins, alkaloids, saponins, phenols and glycoside in the BPLM were lower than the range of values reported for most vegetables. Hence may serve as a good source of feed or feed additive for non-ruminants such as pigs, rabbits and guinea pigs.