Randomized Block Design Research Articles

THE STUDY OF MAIZE HYBRIDS (ZEA MAYS SPECIES L.) IN DIMAL MUNICIPALITY, BERAT

Maize is one of the most important crops in world agriculture and has a very important place in the planted area. It is cultivated for various purposes: Bread, Livestock (silage), the beer industry, the oil industry, and for bioenergy. More than five hundred different food items, dishes and drinks are produced from the maize plant. The production of hybrid seed has greatly influenced the increase in the yield of maize, both for grain and forage mass. For the conditions of Albania, the study of maize hybrids is very important, since the hybrid seed is imported and not produced in the country. The experiment involved eleven hybrids imported by the companies: ARLI International and Huqi, which respectively import from Zemun Polje and from Dekalb and KWS. Eleven hybrids were included in the study, namely: 477, 6263, 388, 735, 606, 555, 5601, 707, 666,553 B from Zemun Polje and Kulmos from KWS, Germany. The experiment was set up according to a randomized block design with eleven variants and four replications. Ten plants were determined for each replicate and variant on which biometric measurements and production indicators were made. The data was subjected to mathematical data processing to determine the best hybrid, which is adapted to the conditions of the area and gives the highest yield.

Estimation of Nutrient Uptake and Available Nutrient Status of Rabi Safflower Through Soil Test Crop Response in Rainfed Ecosystem

Background: Adoption of SSNM is directly affected by cost of fertilizer. Soil test crop response (STCR) concept attribute to contribution of soil and targeted yield level for fertilizer recommendation for a selected crop. This approach is also known as prescription based fertilizer recommendations. It is specific type of soil, climatic condition and specific location. Nutrient requirement is differ for different crops. The available soil nutrients efficient used and added to those available soil nutrients through fertilizers is different for different type of soil geography under a particular set of climatic conditions. Methods: A research experiment was carried out during rabi 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 at Research Farm of Agronomy, Dr. P.D.K.V, Akola (Maharashtra). Fertilizers were applied based on uptake pattern of crop, target yield levels and soil test values. The experiment was laid out in FRBD-Factorial randomized block design with two factors. Total 15 treatment combinations were formed which replication 4 times. Result: Significantly greater uptake of nitrogen (62.76, 74.67 and 81.89 kg ha-1), phosphorus (19.15, 24.32 and 29.38 kg ha-1), potassium (80.32, 92.14 and 99.18 kg ha-1), sulphur (18.46, 24.10 and 26.03 kg ha-1) and zinc (493.97, 571.01 and 620.91 g ha-1) recorded in treatment where crop supplied with farm yard manure @ 5 t ha-1 than rest of treatments during 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, respectively. A similar trend was observed in respect of soil nutrient status such as available N, P2O5, K2O, S and Zn. Application of fertilizers through soil test crop response equation with zinc sulphate @ 25 kg ha-1 and Sulphur @ 10 kg ha-1 registered maximum total uptake of nitrogen (66.89, 78.99 and 90.06 kg ha-1), phosphorus (20.78, 25.31 and 31.96 kg ha-1), potassium (86.05, 97.99 and 109.09 kg ha-1), sulphur (20.27, 26.39 and 29.80 kg ha-1) and zinc (537.78, 618.06 and 696.21 g ha-1) than rest of nutrient management treatments during three years of field experiment, respectively. The same trend was observed with respect to available N, P2O5, K2O, S and Zn under respective treatment during three years of experimentation.

Performance of tomato cultivars grafted on root-knot nematode resistant Solanum torvum rootstock for growth and yield parameters

Aim: To study the grafting of tomato cultivars on root-knot nematode resistant Solanum torvum for plant growth, yield parameters and nematode damage under polyhouse conditions. Methodology: Three tomato cultivars viz., Arka Samrat, Saaho and SVTD8323 were grafted on Meloidogyne incognita-resistant S. torvum Sw. (IC618029) by cleft grafting technique. The experiment was conducted in a polyhouse using factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with two factors. The first factor was planting material with grafted and non-grafted tomato cultivars. The second factor was with and without nematode infestation. Observations on plant growth and yield parameters were taken. Results: Grafted and non-grafted tomato cultivars differed significantly in terms of flowering and yield parameters and nematode damage. Under nematode-infested conditions, grafted cultivars yielded significantly more number of flowers per cluster (4.22 to 4.47), flower clusters per plant (11.25 to 11.63), fruits per cluster (3.74 to 4.19), higher percentage of fruit set (89.78 to 94.00) and fruit yield per plant (2,984.6 to 3114.36 g), with less nematode damage (10.60 to 11.53 galls per root system) as compared to non-grafted cultivars (302.53 to 314.33 galls per root system). Interpretation: Tomato grafting with S. torvum rootstock can be utilized in root-knot nematode management, especially in protected cultivation. Key words: Meloidogyne incognita, Nematodes, Rootstock, Tomato grafting, Wild brinjal

Geometry of milk liners affects milking performance in dairy cows.

The geometry of milk liners may affect milking performance and cow comfort as the milk liner is the only part of the milking machine that comes into contact with the teat. To determine the effect of alternative shape of milk liners we compared square (SQR) vs. the conventional round (RND) teat cup liner on milking performance and comfort of dairy cows. Treatment milk liners were randomly allocated to clusters within each side of the 12 a side double up-herringbone dairy shed in a complete randomised block design over two periods. Milking performance data from a total of 10 065 (late stage of lactation and once-a-day milking frequency, LATE) and 18 048 (early stage of lactation and twice-a-day milking frequency, EARLY) milking events were automatically recorded by a DeLaval milk meter, and separately analysed for LATE and EARLY, respectively. In EARLY, cow comfort behaviour was also recorded during afternoon milking sessions. Across the two study periods, average milk flow rate, milk flow rate during 0-15, 15-30 and 30-60 s after cluster attachment, and milk flow rate at cluster take-off were higher in SQR compared to RND treatment. Proportion of time in a milking session with low milk flow rate and duration of milking session were less in SQR compared to RND treatment. However, effect of geometry of milk liner on peak milk flow rate was inconsistent across the two-study periods. Peak milk flow rate was higher (P < 0.001) in SQR than RND in LATE, but higher (P < 0.001) in RND than SQR in EARLY. Stomping and kicking behaviours of cows were similar between treatments. Results of this study suggest that square milk liners potentially improve milking performance, without adverse effect on cow comfort compared to conventional round liners. Long-term, multi-site studies are required to confirm potential teat-end health benefits associated with square milk liners and further verify these results.

Intercomparison of Different Agrochemicals (Herbicides) and Manual Methods of Weed Control on Weed Population and Weed Control Efficiency in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Crop in Himachal Pradesh Dist

Aims: A research study entitled Intercomparison of different Agrochemicals (Herbicides) and manual methods of weed control on weed population and weed control efficiency in wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L.) in Himachal Pradesh district Mandi. Study Design: The experiment was designed using a Randomized Block design method. Place and Duration of Study: Department of agronomy, School of Agriculture, Abhilashi university, Chail Chowk, Mandi, (H.P.) during the Rabi season of 2022-23. Methodology: The field trail was conducted with eight treatments and replicated thrice. The investigation included eight different weed control techniques i.e. T1 -weedy check, T2 - weed free, T3 - hand weeding at 30 DAS, T4 - 2, 4-D @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 + Sulfosulfuron @ 0.02 kg a.i. ha-1 at 30 DAS,T5 - Pendimethalin @ 1.5 kg a.i. ha-1(P.E) + Quizalofop-ethyl @ 50 gm a.i ha-1 (PoE at 25 DAS) + one hand weeding, T6 - 2, 4-D @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1, T7 - 2, 4-D @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 + one hand weeding at 30 DAS, T8 - 2, 4-D @ 0.5 kg a.i. ha-1 + two hand weeding at 30 and 45 DAS. Results: The investigation found that the most effective ways to control weeds are by keeping the area completely weed free by using pendimethalin @ 1.5 kg a.i. ha-1(P.E) + Quizalofop-ethyl @ 50 gm a.i ha-1(PoE at 25 DAS) + one Hand weeding (Treatment T2) was found the most successful in terms of achieving the lowest weed density and highest weed control efficiency. Application of pendimethalin @ 1.5 kg a.i. ha-1(P.E) + Quizalofop-ethyl @ 50 gm a.i ha-1 (PoE at 25 DAS) + one hand weeding was found to be better than using herbicides to reduce weed infestation in wheat crops. Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that integrated weed management practices weed-free treatment was the most effective option for managing weeds in wheat.

EVALUATION OF MORPHOBIOLOGICAL AND PRODUCTIVE INDICATORS OF POTATO CULTIVARS (Solanum tuberosum l.) IN THE AREA OF MYZEQE, LUSHNJE

The potato is spread all over the world, being planted in plain, hilly, sub-mountain, and mountain areas. In Albania, 10,000 to 14,000 ha of early, medium, and late potatoes are planted. In recent years, the yield of potatoes in large-scale production has increased for two reasons: First, it is planted in more productive soils and under irrigated conditions, so there are improvements in cultivation. Secondly, new cultivars with higher biological productive capacity have been introduced into cultivation. The study of morphobiological and productive indicators of potato cultivars is ongoing to achieve high and sustainable yields. This also includes the study carried out in Zhama, Lushnje, in which eleven cultivars were included, specifically: La Perla, Valencia, Aleksjo, Gaya 1, Amora, Gaya 2, Juveli, Fidel, Solo, Zisi and Melene 2. The experiment was set up on light soils according to a randomized block design with eleven variants and four replications. Planting was done with the workforce in two days, on February 8 and 9, 2023. During the vegetation, ten plants for each variant and repetition were determined on which biometric and production measurements were made, such as Plant height, number of shoots per plant, production per plant, number of grains per plant, production in percentage by weight; up to 30 g, 31 - 80 g, 81 - 120 g and over 120 g. The data was processed to determine the best cultivar.

Production technique of Encarsia guadeloupae for the management of Rugose Spiralling Whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin) on coconut

In the years 2020-23, a field experiment on Encarsia production technique for managing Rugose Spiraling Whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin) in coconut palms was conducted at the AICRP (Palms), RCRS, Bhatye, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, to evaluate the efficacy of Encarsia parasitoids in controlling the rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) on coconut palms. The study employed a completely randomized block design with five treatments and four replications. Single palms of susceptible coconut varieties were selected for each treatment. Empty plastic bottles (1-liter capacity) were collected and modified by creating three holes (5x5 cm) in the middle region. These holes were covered with muslin cloth (30x20 cm) secured by rubber bands. The modified bottles were then hung on coconut fronds. Twenty healthy RSW nymphs were identified and placed in each designed plastic bottle cage. Field-collected Encarsia parasitized pupae of RSW were released into the cages, and the bottle mouths were plugged with cotton. The number of healthy and parasitized RSW nymphs on leaflets was recorded at 7, 10, and 15 days after treatment application. Encarsia parasitized pupae of RSW at a rate of 10 per palm resulted in the highest parasitism (62.08%). This treatment significantly outperformed T2 (Encarsia parasitized pupae of RSW at 5 per palm, 45.69%), T1 (Encarsia parasitized pupae of RSW at 3 per palm, 40.13%), and the control (T5, 7.36%). Encarsia parasitized pupae of RSW at 8 per palm achieved a parasitism rate of 54.86%, comparable to T4. The mass production technique of Encarsia guadeloupae under field conditions appears safe, eco-friendly, and effective for managing rugose spiralling whitefly in coconut palms. Key words: Coconut, Encarsia, Mass production, Rugose spiralling whitefly

Modulation of Antioxidant Properties in Leaves of Betel Vine (Piper betel L.) Influenced by the Fungicide Blitox

The experiment was conducted using a Randomized Block Design with three replications at the Plant Virus Research Station, BCKV, Kalyani, in Boroj. On betel vines, Blitox was sprayed at both double the recommended field dose (dRFD) and the recommended field dose (RFD) (50 WP/ha @ 15gm ai/6 lit). The vines were sprayed five more times at 15-day intervals beginning when they were 11.08.15 days old. Before every spray, leaf samples were taken and subjected to a number of criteria for analysis. Based on statistical analysis, the anti-oxidative characteristics improved most significantly when Blitox was administered at twice the recommended field dose (dRFD) (Blitox 50WP/ha @ 30gm ai/6 lit). Higher levels of free and total phenols, together with enhanced activity of enzymes such polyphenol peroxidase (PPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD), were indicators of this. Furthermore, testing for ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) revealed increased activity levels in the dRFD therapy in comparison to the RFD and control groups. Overall, these results imply that the larger Blitox dosage strengthens the antioxidant characteristics of betel vine leaves, hence enhancing their health and resistance to fungus-related infections.

Multi-environment evaluation of Clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) selections for yield and essential oil traits under Western Himalayan conditions

Clary sage is an important aromatic herb that has a high potential for commercial cultivation under the diversified climates of the Western Himalayas. The present study was carried out to understand the performance of genotypes and their interaction with the varied environments prevalent in the Western Himalayas and to identify stable and best-performing genotypes. In the present experiment, ten superior selections were evaluated in four different environments as multi-location trials in a randomized block design with three replications during 2021 and 2022. The pooled analysis of variance revealed significant variations for genotypes, environments, and genotype × environment interaction for all the studied traits. The highest mean performance suggests that Env-1 has the most suitable conditions for clary sage cultivation. The genotypes CSIR-IHBT-SS-07 and CSIR-IHBT-SS-09 were found to be the best performers for fresh inflorescence weight (418.73 g/plant) and essential oil content (428.91 mg/Kg), respectively. The results of Eberhart and Russell’s regression-based model confirm that the genotype CSIR-IHBT-SS-07 is a stable and superior genotype for the economically important traits. Further, the gas-chromatography mass spectroscopic characterization of essential oil disclosed that CSIR-IHBT-SS-07 was unique in terms of the highest sclareol content (23.39–45.17 %) across all the test environments. Genotype + Genotype × Environment biplot analysis confirmed that all the test environments form a single mega-environment. The study is a pioneer in unraveling the stability response of clary sage in Western Himalaya and provides a strong base for the identification of superior genotypes and selection strategy for future genetic improvement programs of clary sage.

PSIV-6 Blood biomarkers of oxidative stress in offspring from dams infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus during late-term gestation

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to examine the impact of dams infected with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) during late gestation on inflammatory blood biomarkers in their offspring. Fetal infection with BVDV before d 125 to 150 of gestation results in the birth of immunotolerant, persistently infected (PI) calves. Infection of BVDV during late gestation results in transient fetal infections (TI). It was hypothesized that offspring of dams transiently infected with BVDV on d 175 of gestation would have greater inflammatory blood biomarkers than control offspring. Unvaccinated, yearling Hereford heifers (n = 24), seronegative for antibodies to BVDV1 and BVDV2 were bred by artificial insemination with X chromosome-bearing sperm from an Angus sire. On d 175 of pregnancy, heifers were intranasally inoculated with either Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium + 2% horse serum (sham control) or 4.0 log TCID50 noncytopathic type 2 BVDV to generate control and transient infected calves, respectively. All BVDV-inoculated dams seroconverted by d 14 post-inoculation and all sham-inoculated control dams remained seronegative. Twelve, seronegative control heifer calves were born to the control dams, and 11 seropositive (to type 2 BVDV) TI heifer calves were born to BVDV-inoculated dams. All offspring were raised on pasture until weaning. At weaning, all calves were transported to our feedlot research facility, housed in one group feedlot pen, and transitioned to a high-energy concentrate-based diet until reaching an approximate body weight (BW) of 600 kg. Upon arrival, all animals received a standard heifer growth implant containing 200 mg of testosterone propionate and 20 mg of estradiol benzoate, a modified live viral vaccine containing IBR-BRSV-PI3, and were dewormed. Jugular blood samples were obtained every 28 d until harvest (280 d on feed) and analyzed for biomarkers of inflammation. Data were analyzed as a randomized block design with the MIXED procedures of SAS. There was a treatment x time interaction (P &amp;lt; 0.05) for plasma ceruloplasmin and the oxidized form of glutathione. On d 0 and 28 of the feeding period, all biomarkers were similar across treatments. By d 56 of the feeding period, ceruloplasmin (P &amp;lt; 0.03) and the oxidized form of glutathione (P &amp;lt; 0.01), indicators of chronic inflammation, were increased in plasma samples from TI heifers compared with controls. These parameters remained greater in TI heifers compared with controls throughout the feeding period. There were no treatment or treatment x time interactions for plasma interferon (INF)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and haptoglobin. These data suggest that TI heifers may be experiencing a greater level of oxidative stress later in the finishing period. This research was supported by USDA-NIFA Grant #2019-67015-29866.

Effects of Maize–Lablab Intercropping and Lactic Acid Bacteria Additives on Forage Yield, Fermentation Quality and Profitability

Intercropping systems and exogenous microorganism additives are recognized for their potential to influence silage fermentation and quality. This study aims to evaluate the impacts of maize–lablab bean intercropping and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) additives on silage yield, nutritional quality, and economic profitability. A randomized block design was employed with two cropping patterns—maize monocrop (M) and maize–lablab intercrop (ML)—and five additive treatments: No additives (CK), and varying ratios of Lactobacillus Plantarum (LP) and Lactobacillus Buchneri (LB), T1 (100% LP), T2 (9LP:LB), T3 (8LP:2LB), and T4 (100% LB). The silage was analyzed and evaluated for its nutritional quality, fermentation quality, and fermentation effect after 90 days of fermentation. ML intercropping significantly enhanced the fresh matter yields by 8.59% and crude protein content by 8.73% compared to M. From the point of view of inoculation with different lactobacilli, the pH, AA, and NH3-N/TN were lower in the T2 and T3 treatments than in the other treatments, while LA was significantly higher. The V-score, which reflects the overall fermentation quality, was excellent across all treatments, with scores exceeding 80 points; the T2 treatment in ML silage achieved the highest score of 99.58. In addition, intercropping can increase the net income of farmers by 21.67%. In conclusion, maize–lablab intercropping combined with LAB inoculation, particularly with the T2 and T3 treatments, significantly enhances the silage quality and economic returns by reducing pH, increasing the LA content, and improving the CP levels. This study is the first to comprehensively analyze the synergistic effects of altering cropping systems and adding functional microorganisms on forage yield and fermentation quality, offering strategic insights for farms, especially mixed farms, to produce high-quality feed. We recommend adopting these methods to improve feed quality and maximize the profitability of silage production systems.

PSXII-22 Ruminal in situ dry matter and starch degradability in grain sorghum silage, as affected by processing and storage time

Abstract Our previous studies showed that processing sorghum silage at harvest and storing for approximately 150 d, improved average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (FE) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of starch when included as the basal ingredient in diets fed to growing Angus heifers. However, differences in animal performance and nutrient digestibility disappeared when the same sorghum silage was fed again after 1 yr of storage. An experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of kernel processing and storage time on ruminal in situ degradability of sorghum silage (SS). A grain sorghum (ADV2450IG, Advanta seeds, Irving, TX) was harvested (Claas Jaguar 930, Harsewinkel, Germany) at the late-dough stage of grain maturity. Treatments were applied at harvest and consisted of sorghum berry processing (PRO) with a specific SS kernel processor (196 mm rolls of 125 teeth each, 40% speed differential, 1.1 mm roll gap), or not processed at all (NPR). Silage was chopped at 15 mm theoretical length of cut and ensiled in polyethylene ag bags (60 m long and 2.74 m diameter), for 455 d. Samples were taken from each treatment on d 0, 66, 112, 157, 202, 246, 291, 336, 381, 426, and 455 and were kept frozen until analyzed. Samples were dried but not ground, to avoid affecting treatments. Ruminal in situ degradability of dry matter (DM) and starch was determined by incubating nylon bags for 24 h in duplicate, in the rumen of four ruminally cannulated steers consuming a corn silage-based diet. Data were analyzed as a randomized block design with repeated measures. The fixed effect of treatment, day and their interaction were included in the model and the repeated subject was considered the animal within treatment. A storage day × treatment interaction was detected for in situ DM degradability (P &amp;lt; 0.001). The PRO treatment increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in situ DM degradability at 66 and 202 d of storage and tended to increase it (P = 0.07) at 157 and 291 d of storage. An effect of storage day (P &amp;lt; 0.05) was observed for in situ starch degradability and because there was no interaction with treatment (P = 0.43), treatments means were compared across storage days. No differences were detected in ruminal in situ digestibility of DM or starch when silage was stored for 202 d, when compared with d 0 (P = 0.43), while starch degradability increased when silage was stored for 202 and 291 d (P &amp;lt; 0.03). At 381 d of storage, no differences were detected for starch degradability when compared with d 0. In conclusion, berry processing of sorghum when harvested for silage, increased ruminal in situ DM degradability. However, those differences disappear after more than 200 d of storage, in agreement with animal performance data previously reported by our group.

PSXII-19 Influence of dietary copper concentration and liver sampling location on liver copper concentrations in three breeds (Gulf Coast Native, Suffolk x Hampshire, and Jacob) of sheep

Abstract Male sheep (n = 27) from three different breeds: 1) Gulf Coast Native (GCN; n = 9 wethers), 2) Suffolk x Hampshire (SHC; n = 9 wethers), and 3) Jacob (JCB; n = 9 intact males) approximately 9 mo of age, [body weight (BW) = 38.16 ± 2.43 kg) were stratified by BW and breed into 3 treatment groups to examine the impact of breed, supplemental copper (Cu) dose, and liver sampling location on liver Cu concentrations. On d 0 of the experiment, liver biopsies were collected from 5 sheep per breed and analyzed for Cu concentrations. Animals were housed in individual pens and received 2% of BW of a pelleted concentrate containing the appropriate Cu treatment once daily and hay in amounts to allow ad libitum access to hay over a 24 h period. Treatments consisted of 1) low Cu (LCu; 15.3 mg Cu/kg DM), 2) moderate Cu (MCu; 17.7 mg Cu/kg DM), and 3) high Cu (HCu; 23.8 mg Cu/kg DM) from CuSO4∙5H2O. On d 50 of the experiment, all animals were weighed and transported to an USDA inspected abattoir and harvested. Following harvest, samples were obtained from the left and right lobes of the liver and thoroughly washed with phosphate-buffered saline. All liver samples were dried, ashed, and reconstituted in 5 mL of 1.2 N HCl for Cu analysis. Data were analyzed as a randomized block design using the MIXED procedure in SAS with individual animal as the experimental unit. There was a three-way interaction between breed x treatment x liver lobe (P &amp;lt; 0.04). The right liver lobe in HCu JCB sheep had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) Cu concentrations compared with the left liver lobe. Both the left and right lobes of the liver had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.001) Cu concentrations compared with the initial liver Cu concentration in MCu JCB sheep. The right liver lobe of HCu GCN sheep tended (P &amp;lt; 0.07) to have greater liver Cu concentrations compared with the left liver lobe. The Cu concentration in the right liver lobe tended (P &amp;lt; 0.09) to be greater in MCu sheep compared with the left liver lobe. Liver Cu concentrations within the right lobe of HCu GCN sheep were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) than liver Cu concentrations in the right and left liver lobe samples in LCu GCN sheep. Liver Cu concentrations in SHC sheep were not influenced by treatment. Future research examining the impact of breed and Cu supplementation on the molecular mechanisms associated with Cu absorption, storage, and excretion is warranted.

PSV-26 Effect of addition of Ascophyllum nodosum and Asparagopsis taxiformis, alone or in combination, to an herbage-based diet on in vitro fermentation in continuous culture

Abstract This study investigated the effect of individual or simultaneous addition of two macroalgae species on in vitro fermentation in continuous culture. Four single-flow continuous culture fermentors were fed an orchardgrass herbage-based (orchardgrass; Dactylis glomerata L.) basal diet and randomly assigned one of four treatments: 1) control (CON), no macroalgae addition; 2) Ascophyllum nodosum dosed at 2.5% dry matter (DM; ASC); 3) Asparagopsis taxiformis dosed at 0.5% DM (ATX); and 4) A. nodosum (2.5% DM) + A. taxiformis (0.5% DM) dosed simultaneously (AS+AT). Four experimental periods were conducted in a randomized block design with 7 d of treatment adaptation and 3 d of sample collection. Fermentors were fed 82 g of DM per day in 4 equal feedings. In the last 3 d of each experimental period, daily samples of total effluent were taken for analyses of ammonia N and volatile fatty acids (VFA). Effluent was composited by fermentor and analyzed for DM, ash, neutral and acid detergent fiber, and crude protein. Purine concentrations of effluent and bacterial isolates were determined to estimate partitioning of N flow into feed, bacterial, and ammonia N fractions. Methane (CH4) emissions were measured in each fermentor every 15 min using a Fourier transform infrared gas analyzer, and pH was recorded every 2 min. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS v 9.4 with pre-planned contrasts comparing each individual macroalgae to CON (CON vs. ASC and CON vs. ATX) and comparing A. taxiformis with and without simultaneous addition of A. nodosum (ATX vs. AS+AT). Significance was declared at P ≤ 0.05 and tendencies at 0.05 &amp;lt; P ≤ 0.10. Nutrient digestibilities, CH4 emissions, pH, and N metabolism variables were not affected (P &amp;gt; 0.10) in ASC compared with CON, but total VFA concentration increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) by 10%. Contrarily, the ATX diet tended (P = 0.61) to have reduced true organic matter digestibility, reduced (P &amp;lt; 0.05) total VFA concentration by 11%, and reduced (P &amp;lt; 0.05) CH4 production by 99.9% versus CON. Simultaneous the combination of microalgae (AS+AT) did not further reduce (P &amp;gt; 0.10) nutrient digestibility or total VFA concentration compared with ATX, and did not change (P &amp;gt; 0.10) the degree of CH4 inhibition. However, A. nodosum did not mitigate (P &amp;gt; 0.10) any of the negative effects on fermentation associated with A. taxiformis, as nutrient digestibilities and N metabolism variables in AS+AT were also not different (P &amp;gt; 0.10) from ATX. While the macroalgae species, A. nodosum and A. taxiformis, led to different fermentation patterns when added individually to continuous culture fermentors, no negative or positive interactions were observed from their simultaneous addition.

PSXII-24 Use of a commercial blend of tannins as feed additive for feed lot cattle on large pen trial improves carcass weight and carcass feed conversion

Abstract The utilization of commercial tannin extracts as feed additives holds promise for enhancing animal performance and health within commercial feedlot settings. This study aimed to assess the impact of a commercial tannin blend, SilvaFeed BX (Indunor, Buenos Aires, Argentina), sourced from quebracho and chestnut extracts along with saponins, on the performance of beef cattle. Nelore bullocks (n = 1,198) were allocated to 12 pens in a completely randomized block design, stratified by initial date, at a commercial feedlot facility in Goias State, Brazil. Each pen served as an experimental unit, with 10 pens housing 100 animals each and 2 pens containing 99 animals each. The experimental treatments included a Control diet with monensin alone [25 ppm/kg dry matter (DM)] or treated with BX (0.7 g/kg DM) on top of the control diet. Individual body weights (BW) were recorded at processing (initial BW; IBW) and shipment (final BW; FBW), while DM intake (DMI) was averaged per pen throughout the study duration. Carcass weight (CW) was individually measured at the packing plant, and carcass gain was calculated as the discrepancy between carcass weight and the estimated initial carcass weight, set at 50% of the IBW, aligning with customary practices for negotiating feeder cattle in Brazil. Statistical analyses were conducted using Proc Glimmix in SAS, treating pens and treatments as fixed effects and blocks as random effects, with IBW considered as a covariate. Residuals were assessed for normality, identifying three outliers. Mean comparisons were facilitated using LSMEANS. The results indicated that BX-treated cattle exhibited increased FBW (502.17 vs. 493.64 kg, P = 0.0992), carcass weight (275.76 vs. 268.78 kg, P = 0.0343), total carcass gain (107.52 vs. 100.54 kg, P = 0.0343), and improved carcass feed conversion (10.46 vs. 11.45 kg DM/kg; Table). Despite numerical differences, the limited number of replications were not enough to detect significant differences between treatments in average daily gain (P = 0.2419), DMI (P = 0.5508), feed conversion (P = 0.2641), or dressing (P = 0.3757). In conclusion, BX, a blend of tannins, exhibits potential for enhancing carcass weight and feed conversion efficiency in Nelore bullocks. Further investigations employing larger sample sizes are warranted to comprehensively elucidate its effects on other performance parameters.

PSXII-29 Effect of tannins level and diet type on in vitro ruminal fermentation and methane production

Abstract The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of four levels of a commercial product based on quebracho that contains tannins (Table 1) on three types of diets: Feedlot, Dairy Cattle, and Grazing, using the in vitro gas production technique on ruminal fermentation, dry matter digestibility and methane (CH4) production to determine its potential use as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy in ruminants. An in vitro trial was carried out in a completely randomized block design with a factorial arrangement of 4 [dose: 0, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 % of Protein Enhancer (PE)] x 3 [diet types: low (LFD), medium (MFD) and high forage (HFD)]. The fermentation of each treatment was carried out in triplicate in 120 mL amber antibiotic bottles, containing 0.5 g of substrate previously deposited in nylon bags (24 µm pore size) and 60 mL of a mixture of medium and rumen fluid from three Holstein cows. Incubations were replicated in two independent runs (blocks). The gas pressure (PSI) was recorded at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 48, 60 and 72 hours of incubation. Gas pressure data were converted to gas volume (y = mL of gas; x = gas pressure PSI). Subsequently, pH was measured, and subsamples for analysis of volatile fatty acids (VFA) by gas chromatography were collected. Methane was analyzed with a Crowcon Gas-Pro detector, while ammoniacal nitrogen with a hybrid multimodal microplate reader. The data were analyzed with the MIXED procedure of SAS, and the comparison of means was analyzed with Tukey and with orthogonal polynomials for doses. An interaction (P &amp;lt; 0.05) was observed between diets and PE levels for CH4 concentration (%), where the diet with a greater level of forage and the greatest level of PE (0.75%), showed the least concentration (30%, P &amp;lt; 0.05) compared with the control diet of dairy cattle. On average, CH4 production [mL CH4/g dry matter (DM)] were 83.3, 63.6, and 35.3 for LFD, MFD, and HFD, respectively (Table 2). As the dose of PE increased, rumen pH and N-NH3decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05), and the total VFA concentration increased (linear effect, P &amp;lt; 0.05; Table 3). Methane production was less (30%) with the grass-based diet and the greatest level of quebracho-based product with condensed tannins, compared with the dairy cattle diet with 0% condensed tannins. The diet for feedlot cattle was more digestible and, therefore, produced more gas and a greater concentration of CH4, in contrast to the grass-based diet, which produces less CH4. It is necessary to carry out in vivo trials, particularly in grazing cattle, to evaluate the effect of the quebracho-based product on performance and in vivo methane emission. This study was partially funded by PAPIIT-DGAPA-UNAM (grant IN212523).

PSI-23 Growth implants can decrease enteric methane emissions intensity from finishing beef cattle

Abstract Growth promotants are a useful tool in cattle production to improve their environmental impact by decreasing emissions per unit of gain and increasing overall feed efficiency. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between enteric methane emissions, feed intake, average daily gain (ADG), and feed efficiency of implanted and nonimplanted finishing steers. Cattle (n = 62) were housed at the Climate Smart Research pens at Colorado State University and blocked by body weight (BW) into two pens and randomly assigned to treatment. Each pen was equipped with GreenFeed automated head chambers and SmartFeed feed intake measurement (C-Lock, Rapids City, SD). The study was a completely randomized block design. Animals within each block were then randomly assigned a treatment: implanted with Component TE200 (IMP; Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) or not implanted (CON). Enteric emissions, dry matter feed intake, BW, and BW gain (ADG) were collected from each individual animal from the light and heavy blocks for 80 and 52 d, respectively. Data were analyzed in JMP Pro with the linear model function and significance was declared a P ≤ 0.05. IMP cattle had a greater average ADG (2.40 kg/d vs 1.77 kg/d, P &amp;lt; 0.0001) compared with CON cattle. A difference was observed in total methane (CH4) emissions between treatments (200.83 g CH4/d IMP and 187.45 g CH4/d CON, P = 0.02). Dry matter intake (DMI) was not different between treatments (P = 0.17). Methane emissions intensity for each treatment was 84.89 (IMP) and 106.90 g/kg of ADG (CON) was different (P = 0.0002), while CH4 yield (CH4 per kg of DMI) was not different (P = 0.12). Overall feed efficiency between treatments resulted in IMP animals having a greater feed efficiency (4.74 kg DM/kg ADG) compared with CON animals (6.32 kg DM/kg ADG, P &amp;lt; 0.0001). In summary, growth promotants decrease CH4 emissions intensity in finishing steers and increase animal feed efficiency without affecting daily DMI.

Response to The Use of Liquid Organic Fertilizer on Vegetative Growth in Soybean Plants Black (Glycine Soja L. Merrill) with Two Different Cultivars

Soybean-based food business and population growth drive the increase in soybean consumption every year in Indonesia. Soybean varieties and liquid organic fertilizer applications can help overcome losses in soybean plant growth and productivity. This study used a randomized block design (RAK) with treatment consisting of 2 factors with 3 repetitions. Factor i liquid organic fertilizer (p), consists of 4 levels, namely: p0 = 0 ml, p1 = 20 ml, p2 = 40 ml, p3 = 60 ml. the 2nd factor cultivar (k), consists of 2 types, namely: k1 = cultivar detam 1, k2 = cultivar detam 3. The results showed that the response and effectiveness of the application of soybean peel poc and different cultivars did not significantly affect the vegetative growth of black soybean plants, but when viewed as a whole p3 (60 ml) gave the highest value on the parameters of leaf area index 21 hst, root nodules, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b content.

399 Effect of feeding palm oil products on finishing cattle performance, carcass characteristics, and methane production

Abstract The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate feeding palm oil products on feedlot cattle performance and methane production. Steers (n = 320; 380 ± 14.5 kg) were allocated to 40 pens in a randomized block design and assigned to 1 of 5 treatments consisting of different sources of supplemental fat: 1) No Oil; negative control containing 0.0% supplemental fat, 2) Corn Oil; positive control containing 4.0% supplemental corn oil, 3) Whole Palm; 4.0% supplemental whole palm oil, 4) Olein; 4.0% supplemental palm olein oil, or 5) Stearin; 4.0% supplemental palm stearin oil. Cattle consuming Corn Oil, Olein and Stearin all had greater (P = 0.04) final body weight (BW) and hot carcass weight (HCW) than cattle consuming no oil but were not different (P &amp;gt; 0.11) from each other or from Whole Palm, which was intermediate. Dry matter intake (DMI) of cattle consuming No Oil, Whole Palm and Stearin oil was not different from each other; however, cattle fed Corn Oil had greater intake than Whole Palm (P = 0.03). Corn Oil, Olein, and Stearin all had greater average daily gain (ADG) than cattle consuming No Oil (P = 0.04) but were not different (P &amp;gt; 0.12) from Whole Palm. Adding fat improved feed efficiency (gain to feed; G:F) as all diets including added fat had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) G:F than No Oil. Marbling scores were greater (P = 0.01) for Olein and Stearin than Corn and Whole Palm. There were no differences in backfat, ribeye area or liver abscess rate among any treatments (P &amp;gt; 0.74). Gas emissions were evaluated for only the No Oil and Whole Palm treatments. Total methane and methane produced per pound of dry matter intake was less for cattle consuming Whole Palm than No Oil by 14.8% (P &amp;lt; 0.04) while cattle were in the methane chamber. Methane produced per kilogram of ADG for Whole Palm was also reduced (P &amp;lt; 0.01) by 21.4% compared with No Oil. The results of this study indicate feeding palm oil products as a source of supplemental fat in finishing diets increases final BW, ADG, and HCW compared with feeding no supplemental fat, but had minimal impact on DMI resulting in an improvement in G:F. Adding supplemental fat reduced methane emissions in cattle when feeding Whole Palm compared with No Oil. The value of palm oil products in feedlot finishing diets is comparable with feeding corn oil.

Influence of Hydrogel and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on the Germination and Establishment of Chenopodium quinoa.

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of hydrogel and zinc oxide nanoparticles on quinoa germination and establishment. Various doses of a commercial potassium-based hydrogel (0, 5, 7, and 9 g), each dissolved in one liter of rainwater, were applied. Additionally, 1.5 g of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) and pre-crushed nitrogen fertilizer, at a rate of 1.6 kg/ha, were added to the solution to achieve a homogeneous mixture. Following the application of hydrogel in the 10-linear-meter rows corresponding to each treatment area in every block, 25 seeds per linear meter of the "Blanca de Juli" quinoa cultivar were sown with a 4 cm spacing between the seeds. Subsequently, a thin layer of soil, approximately 0.5 cm thick, was used to cover the seeds. Ten seedlings were randomly selected and labeled for subsequent evaluations. The experimental design employed in this research was a completely randomized block design. The collected data underwent an analysis of variance, and the means of all the treatments were compared using Tukey's test with a 5% probability. Height and diameter evaluations of the plant neck were conducted every 45 days. The doses used in this study (5, 7, and 9 g of hydrogel per liter of water) significantly enhanced seed germination and increased the number of plants per linear meter (from 82.00 to 90.33) compared to the control dose without hydrogel (14.66), which resulted in an average of one plant per linear meter.