Growth Performance Variables Research Articles

Effect of olive tree leaves and twigs on intake, digestibility, growth performance and blood variables of Shami goats.

The effect of replacing wheat straw and a portion of commercial concentrate with olive twigs and leaves treated with urea and molasses on nutrient digestibility, growth performance and blood variables was determined. Forty‐two Shami goat kids (20 ± 2.47 kg live weight and 133 ± 5.44 days of age) were randomly allotted to three dietary treatment groups, control (75% commercial concentrate and 25% wheat straw), OTU (62.3% commercial concentrate + 37.7% olive twigs and leaves treated with 4% urea for 14 days), OTUM (51.5% concentrate mixture + 48.5% olive twigs and leaves treated with 4% urea for 14 days then sprayed by 10% molasses). Cost (SYP/t) of control, OUT and OTUM was 12,600, 10,066 and 10,106 respectively. The study consisted of a growth trial of 100 days and a digestibility trial of 12 days (7 days of adaptation and 5 days of urine and faeces collection). Serum urea, total protein, albumin, alanine aminotransferase activity, aspartate aminotransferase activity, glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, haemoglobin and packed cell volume were determined. Daily dry matter intake, digestibility of crude protein, ether extract and nutrient detergent fibre did not significantly differ among the dietary treatments (p > .05). Nitrogen intake, nitrogen excretion in urine and faeces and nitrogen balance was not significantly affected (p > .05) by the dietary treatment. The dietary treatment did not have any significant effect on average daily gain, feed conversion ratio or blood variables (p > .05). Olive twigs treated with 4% urea and OTUM replaced 37.7% and 48.5% of conventional diets of growing Shami goat kids without negative effects on growth performance nor health and potentially reduced fattening costs for farmers in olive‐livestock mixed systems by 19.8 and 20%, respectively. OUT is technically simpler than OTUM, thus, it could replace the conventional fattening ration of Shami male goat.

Calcitic seaweed (

Context Lithothamnion calcareum is a calcitic seaweed (CS), rich in calcium (Ca) and other minerals, with potential for use in piglet feeding. Aim The aims were to compare L. Calcareum (CS) with calcitic limestone (CL) as a source of Ca for use in piglet feeding for effects on total tract digestibility and daily balance of Ca, growth performance and serum variables, and to assess solubility of Ca sources through in vitro testing. Methods In Expt 1, an availability assay was performed on 24 crossbred male piglets with initial average body weight (BW) of 15.17 ± 0.70 kg in a randomised complete block design with six replicates of four treatments and one piglet per experimental unit. The starter dietary treatments were: basal diet with minimal amount of Ca (0.068%); diet with low Ca (0.018%); and two diets containing either CL or CS to provide 0.82% total Ca. In Expt 2 (growth performance), 96 crossbred male piglets, with initial average BW of 6.01 ± 0.70 kg were assigned in a randomised complete block design with eight replicates of three treatments (CL, CL + CS, or CS) and four piglets per experimental unit, assessed over pre-starter phases I and II and the starter phase. Key results In Expt 1, Ca source did not influence (P > 0.05) apparent and true digestibility or daily balance and concentration of Ca in the piglets. In Expt 2, no significant differences (P > 0.05) existed for growth performance during the pre-starter I and II phases, although a trend (P ≤ 0.1) was evident for final BW, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the pre-starter II phase. Piglets fed CL showed a reduction in FCR during the starter phase (P = 0.02) and for the total period (P = 0.007). Final BW and daily weight gain did not differ between CL and CS diets during the starter phase or for the total period. No effect (P > 0.05) was observed of Ca source on Ca and phosphorus concentrations in serum. CS had a solubility 1.9 times higher than CL. Conclusion Piglet performance parameters were generally similar for diets including CS and CL as a source of Ca. Implications Based on the evaluation criteria used in these experiments, L. calcareum has potential to replace calcitic limestone as an alternative source of Ca.

Effect of replacing soybean meal with hipro cottonseed meal at graded concentrations on performance and slaughter variables in broiler chicken

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of including hipro cottonseed meal (hpCSM) in diets on growth performance and slaughter variables in broiler chicken. A total of 1050 one-day-old Cobb-400 male broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five treatments with ten replicates of 21 birds per replicate. The five experimental diets were formulated to contain no hpCSM (corn-soy based diet; SBM), or hpCSM included at 5 (hpCSM5,), 10 (hpCSM10), 15 (hpCSM15), and 20 (hpCSMJ20 per cent levels in isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. No differences in performance of broilers due to feeding hpCSM up to 20% were observed during 1–21 d of age. At 42 d, the performance (BW gain and feed efficiency) was not affected with hpCSM supplementation up to 15%, while a significant reduction was observed at 20% hpCSM. The inclusion of hpCSM at 5% significantly improved the BW gain (P 0.05) the ready to cook yield, relative weights of breast meat and liver; however, there was increased abdominal fat deposition (P < 0.05) in hpCSM fed groups. The highest abdominal fat pad weight was observed in broilers fed the 20% hpCSM diet. Based on the results, it is concluded that hpCSM can be included up to 15% in the broiler diet without affecting the performance, while the hpCSM at 20% depressed the performance. Abdominal fat deposition increased significantly in broilers fed diets having hpCSM at all inclusion levels.

Nano chitosan-zinc complex improves the growth performance and antioxidant capacity of the small intestine in weaned piglets.

The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with a nano chitosan-zinc complex (CP-Zn, 100 mg/kg Zn) could alleviate weaning stress in piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 by improving growth performance and intestinal antioxidant capacity. The in vivo effects of CP-Zn on growth performance variables (including gastrointestinal digestion and absorption functions and the levels of key proteins related to muscle growth) and the antioxidant capacity of the small intestine (SI) were evaluated in seventy-two weaned piglets. The porcine jejunal epithelial cell line IPEC-J2 was used to further investigate the antioxidant mechanism of CP-Zn in vitro. The results showed that CP-Zn supplementation increased the jejunal villus height and decreased the diarrhoea rate in weaned piglets. CP-Zn supplementation also improved growth performance (average daily gain and average daily feed intake), increased the activity of carbohydrate digestion-related enzymes (amylase, maltase, sucrase and lactase) and the mRNA expression levels of nutrient transporters (Na+-dependent glucose transporter 1, glucose transporter type 2, peptide transporter 1 and excitatory amino acid carrier 1) in the jejunum and up-regulated the expression levels of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway-related proteins (insulin receptor substrate 1, phospho-mTOR and phospho-p70S6K) in muscle. In addition, CP-Zn supplementation increased glutathione content, enhanced total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) activity, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the jejunum. Furthermore, CP-Zn decreased the content of MDA and reactive oxygen species, enhanced the activity of T-SOD and GSH-px and up-regulated the expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway-related proteins (Nrf2, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 and haeme oxygenase 1) in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated IPEC-J2 cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that CP-Zn supplementation can improve growth performance and the antioxidant capacity of the SI in piglets, thus alleviating weaning stress.

Temperament of Nelore growing-steers receiving supplementation in grazing system: Performance, ultrasound measures, feeding behavior, and serum parameters

A study was performed to evaluate the temperament of beef cattle on grazing system regarding performance, ultrasound measures, feeding behavior, and physiological parameters. Twenty growing animals [Nelore; non-castrated males; 220 ± 33 kg initial body weight (BW); 10 ± 1 months of age] on rotational stocking system (Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés) were used. Individual temperament scores were calculated by averaging animal chute score and exit velocity score [adequate (ADQ) ≤ 3; or excitable (EXC) > 3] at the beginning of the trial period (d 0). At the same day, animals were ranked by temperament and BW, and assigned to receive (n = 10) or not (control = CON; n = 10) a supplementation (SUP). Body condition score (BCS), BW, hip height (HH), and ultrasound evaluations (ribeye area - uLMA; backfat thickness - uBFT) were recorded on d 0 and 84. Difference between BW (d 84 and 0) were used to determine the average daily gain (ADG). Blood samples were collected at 0, 28, 56, and 84 d and analyzed for serum cortisol, insulin, and haptoglobin. Feeding behavior data (time of grazing, rumination, resting, and drinking water) were obtained by all-animals scan sampling (4 d; 24-h per day). No interactions of temperament with supplementation were detected for performance. ADQ animals had a greater initial and final BW (P ≤ 0.032), and ADG (P = 0.031) than EXC animals. No differences were found for the other growth performance variables studied regarding temperament classification. SUP group had greater values for final BW (P< 0.001), ADG (P< 0.001), initial and final uLMA (P ≤ 0.002), and higher final HH (P = 0.007) than CON group. Interactions of temperament with period (P< 0.01) were observed for grazing, rumination, and resting behaviors. ADQ animals showed higher probability of grazing, ruminating, and resting events during some periods of the day, whereas EXC animals had higher probability of ruminating events and resting events in other periods. No effects of temperament were identified for serum parameters (P ≥ 0.157), however, a tendency for diet effect was detected (P = 0.066) for cortisol concentration, for which SUP animals showed higher values than CON animals. In conclusion, growth performance and feeding behavior are impacted in Nelore growing cattle by temperament and supplementation. Therefore, animal temperament is a characteristic that must be considered in beef cattle produced in grazing systems.

Economic optimization of feeding and shipping strategies in pig-fattening using an individual-based model

Economic results of pig-fattening systems vary greatly and depend mainly on prices of pork and feeds, and pig growth performance (e.g. feed efficiency, slaughter weight, lean percentage). Previous studies revealed that feeding and shipping strategies are critical factors in the economic outputs of pig production. However, they failed to consider both strategies and the variability in pig growth performance simultaneously. Consequently, we developed a new approach to improve the profitability of pig farms by estimating the best compromise among feeding costs, animal performance, and shipping constraints. We used an individual-based bioeconomic model that simulates the growth of each pig according to its biological traits (e.g. feed intake and protein deposition potential) as a function of different feeding and shipping strategies. The optimization problem is solved using an evolutionary algorithm (CMA-ES, covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy) that manages the objective function, which is discontinuous, non-convex, nonlinear, and multimodal. Various case studies were constructed to investigate the behavior of the optimization procedure. Effects of pork price on optimal strategies were investigated using three different price scenarios: low (1.173 €/kg), medium (1.314 €/kg), and high (1.662 €/kg) pork prices. Optimizing only feeding strategies improved the gross margin per pig by 5.0% while optimizing shipping strategies improved the mean gross margin per pig by 4.7%. Optimizing both feeding and shipping strategies improved the gross margin per fattened pig by 10% (2.88 €/pig, with medium pork price (1.314€/kg)) compared to the common practice on farms in France. Pork price had a limited effect on feeding decisions when optimized alone, but a strong impact on shipping decisions. Economic optimization of pig fattening inconsistently affected the environmental impacts. However, increasing pork price improved the optimized mean gross margin per pig but increased all environmental impacts. To our knowledge, this is the first tool able to optimize both feeding and shipping strategies while considering effects of variability in growth potential among a batch of pigs. These features allow consideration of the interaction effect of feeding and shipping strategies on the economic outputs of the batch, and investigation of the trade-off between production cost and technical performance. This tool should interest the pig sector since it can identify the best feeding and shipping strategies depending on the economic context. Further work should consider multiobjective optimization with both economic and environmental objectives.

Effects of zinc propionate supplementation on growth performance, skeletal muscle fiber, and receptor characteristics in beef steers.

A randomized complete block design experiment with 32 yearling crossbred steers (average body weight [BW] = 442 ± 17.0 kg) fed a steam-flaked corn-based diet was used to evaluate the effects of dietary Zn (KemTRACE Zn propionate 27; Kemin Industries, Inc., Des Moines, IA) supplementation on live growth performance, skeletal muscle fiber, and beta-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) characteristics during the finishing phase. Steers were blocked by BW (n = 4 blocks; 8 steers/block), assigned to pens (n = 4 steers/pen), and randomly assigned to the following treatments: control (CON; 0.0 g/[head (hd) · d] of additional Zn) or additional dietary Zn (ZnP; 1.0 g/[hd · d] additional Zn). The basal diet contained Zn (60 ppm dry matter basis) from ZnSO4; additional Zn was top-dressed at feeding. Ractopamine hydrochloride (RH; Optaflexx: Elanco Animal Health, Greenfield, IN) was included at 300 mg/(hd · d) for the final 28 d of the 111-d feeding period. Longissimus muscle biopsy samples, BW, and blood were obtained on days 0, 42, 79, and 107. Final BW was collected prior to shipping on day 111. Biopsy samples were used for immunohistochemical (IHC), mRNA, and protein analysis. Serum urea nitrogen (SUN) and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were measured. Steers fed ZnP had a greater average daily gain (P = 0.02) and gain to feed ratio (G:F; P = 0.03) during the RH feeding period compared with CON. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in other growth performance variables, carcass traits, mRNA abundance, or relative protein concentration for fiber type and β-AR. Fiber types I and IIA had no differences in the cross-sectional area; however, the IIX area was greater for CON (P < 0.04) compared with ZnP and increased (P < 0.02) over time. There were no differences between treatments for the β1-AR density (P > 0.05) in skeletal muscle tissue throughout the study. A treatment × day interaction was observed in β2-AR density (P = 0.02) and β3-AR density (P = 0.02) during the RH feeding period, where the abundance of the receptors increased with ZnP but did not change in CON. Compared with CON, ZnP had greater (P < 0.01) mean NEFA concentrations. Mean SUN concentrations did increase by day (P < 0.01). Additional dietary Zn, supplied as Zn propionate, upregulates β2-AR and β3-AR and improves growth performance in feedlot steers during the RH feeding period, likely through a shift of resource utilization from lipogenesis to muscle maintenance and hypertrophy.

Association of residual feed intake with growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood variables in native chickens.

Improving feed efficiency is a primary goal in poultry breeding strategies. Residual feed intake (RFI) in chickens typically calculated during the growing period is a measure of feed efficiency that is independent of the level of production. The objective of this study was to evaluate phenotypic correlations of growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood variables with RFI in growing native chickens. A total of 1,008 chickens were selected for the experiment to derive RFI. After the RFI measurement period of 42 d, 25 chickens with low RFI values, 25 chickens with medium RFI values, and 25 chickens with high RFI values were selected. The RFI was significantly positively correlated with feed conversion ratio and average daily feed intake, while it was not significantly correlated with initial body weight (BW), final BW, average daily body weight gain, and metabolic BW0.75. The abdominal fat weight and yield of high RFI group were significantly greater than those of medium and low RFI groups, and the abdominal fat yield was significantly positively correlated with RFI. Moreover, the plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) content of low RFI group was significantly greater than those of high and medium RFI groups. The plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone, triiodothyronine (T3), and cortisol of high RFI birds were significantly greater than that of low RFI birds. RFI was significantly positively correlated with plasma concentrations of T3 and cortisol, while it was significantly negatively correlated with plasma concentration of IGF-1. In addition, the serum levels of glucose and triglyceride of high RFI birds were significantly lower than that of low RFI birds. The serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) content of high RFI group was significantly greater than that of medium and low RFI groups, and it was significantly positively correlated with RFI. Our data suggested that selection of chickens with low RFI values may be beneficial to reduce fat deposition in native chickens without affecting the meat quality. Circulating IGF-1, T3, cortisol, and LDL-C concentrations can be used as indirect selection indicators of feed efficiency in native chickens. The effect of IGF-1, T3, cortisol, and LDL-C on feed efficiency of native chickens should be carefully examined and validated in future breeding programs.

Pterostilbene as a protective antioxidant attenuates diquat-induced liver injury and oxidative stress in 21-day-old broiler chickens

This study investigated the effects of pterostilbene (PT) supplementation on growth performance, hepatic injury, and antioxidant variables in a broiler chicken model with diquat (DQ)-induced oxidative stress. There were 192 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: 1) broilers fed a basal diet and 2) broilers fed a diet supplemented with 400 mg/kg PT. At 20 D of age, half of the broilers in each group were intraperitoneally injected with DQ (20 mg per kg BW), whereas the other half were injected with an equivalent amount of sterile saline. Diquat induced a rapid loss of BW (P < 0.001) 24 h post-injection, but dietary PT supplementation improved the BW change of broilers (P = 0.014). Compared with unchallenged controls, the livers of DQ-treated broilers were in severe cellular damage and oxidative stress, with the presence of higher plasma transaminase activities (P < 0.05), a greater number of apoptotic hepatocytes (P < 0.001), and an increased malondialdehyde content (P = 0.007). Pterostilbene supplementation prevented the increases in plasma aspartate aminotransferase activity (P = 0.001), the percentage of hepatocyte apoptosis (P < 0.001), and the hepatic malondialdehyde accumulation (P = 0.011) of the DQ-treated broilers. Regarding the hepatic antioxidant function, PT significantly increased total antioxidant capacity (P = 0.007), superoxide dismutase activity (P = 0.016), reduced glutathione content (P = 0.011), and the ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione (P = 0.003), whereas it reduced the concentration of oxidized glutathione (P = 0.017). Pterostilbene also boosted the expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (P = 0.010), heme oxygenase 1 (P = 0.037), superoxide dismutase 1 (P = 0.014), and the glutamate–cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (P = 0.001), irrespective of DQ challenge. In addition, PT alleviated DQ-induced adenosine triphosphate depletion (P = 0.010). In conclusion, PT attenuates DQ-induced hepatic injury and oxidative stress of broilers presumably by restoring hepatic antioxidant function.

Effect of oscillating feeding time and corn processing on performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers.

The objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the effect of oscillating feeding time (OFT) and corn processing (CoP) on performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot cattle. One hundred sixty-five steers (initial body weight [BW] 277.2 ± 27.80 kg) were blocked by initial BW and allotted to 24 pens. Pens within each block were randomly assigned based on a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The two factors were CoP (whole shelled corn vs. ground corn [GC]) and feeding time (FT) (constant FT vs. 2 hours OFT). Animals were fed the same diet, only changing the CoP method depending on the treatment. Feed offered and feed refusals were collected daily. Body weight was collected at starting day of the experiment (d1) and every 28 d until the end of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, animals were harvested in a commercial slaughter facility, and carcass data were collected by a USDA grader. Animal growth performance and carcass characteristics data were analyzed with the PROC Mixed procedure (SAS) using CoP, FT, and their interaction as fixed variables; and treatments × pen within each block and block were considered random variables. There was no CoP by FT interaction differences (P > 0.10) on animal growth performance variables, nor on hot carcass weight, back fat, rib eye area, or the percentage of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat. There was a tendency for an interaction (P = 0.08) for marbling score, where the steers from the GC processing fed on the oscillating time had a lesser marbling score than the other three treatments. Oscillating feeding time improved (P = 0.05) average daily gain; but did not affect (P ≥ 0.11) dry matter intake (DMI), nor carcass characteristics compared with feeding at a similar time every day. There were no effects (P ≥ 0.11) of CoP on growth performance, nor carcass characteristics. In conclusion, a 2-hour oscillation in FT might not decrease steer feedlot performance. This may be due to the high degree of control of DMI with feed bunk management.

Effects of whole banana meal inclusion as replacement for corn meal on digestibility, growth performance, haematological and biochemical variables in practical diets for tambaqui juveniles (Colossoma macropomum)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility of replacing part of the dietary corn meal (CM) with whole banana meal (WBM) in the practical diet for tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum). Two experiments were performed. The first evaluated WBM digestibility. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) (crude protein, crude energy and dry matter) were measured for 80 fish, allocated to two treatments in quadruplicate for the WBM diet and a reference diet (RD). The second experiment evaluated growth performance and biochemical, enzymatic and haematological variables for replacement of CM by WBM. Tambaquis (n = 200) were fed diets containing different levels of WBM inclusion (0, 8, 16, 24 and 32 %). ADC nutrients were above 90 %. The energy ADC of the WBM diet was higher than the RD (p < 0.05). Based on linear regression, tambaquis that received over 16 % WBM as a replacement for CM decreased their growth performance. An increase of dietary WBM inclusion levels caused hyperglycaemia, increased plasma triglyceride, albumin and hepatic glycogen levels, digestible amylase and alkaline protease activities, and decreased plasma total proteins, cholesterol and hepatic aspartate aminotransferase levels in juveniles. The dietary increase in WBM caused a decrease in haematocrit, haemoglobin and haematimetric indices and an increase in erythrocyte levels. In conclusion, WBM may be a viable alternative to the tambaqui diet, where 8% of CM may be replaced by WBM.

Effects of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae meal on growth performance, organs-somatic indices, body composition, and hemato-biochemical variables of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax

Fishmeal (FM) is one of the major protein sources used in fish diets, which was obtained from wild fish catches. Due to the steady decline in fish catches accompanied with the increased demands for aquafeeds, a rapid decrease in the FM availability is much more expected. Alternative protein sources of animal origins, such as dried black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae meal (DBSFLM), may be used as an alternative protein source instead of FM in aquafeeds. Therefore, a feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of partial replacement of FM with DBSFLM on growth performance and body composition of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. A basal diet (45% crude protein) was formulated, where DBSFLM protein replaced 25, 35, or 50% of FM protein. Fish (12.1 ± 0.21 g) were fed one of the tested diets up to apparent satiation thrice a day for 8 weeks. No significant differences were observed in fish growth, feed utilization, and survival (P > .05). The DBSFLM inclusion in diets of European sea bass did not affect its body constituents. Additionally, values of red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were not significantly influenced by DBSFLM inclusion in fish diets as compared to the FM-control fish. Likewise, no significant changes were observed in counts of white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils in DBSFLM-fed fish as compared to the FM-control fish. The DBSFLM inclusion in diets for European sea bass did not affect levels of serum total protein, albumin, globulin, serum alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. The simple economic analysis evoked that feed cost decreased with increasing DBSFLM levels in fish diets. The findings of the present study elucidated that the growth performance was not significantly changed by partial replacement of FM protein up to 50% by DBSFLM protein, which reduced the feeding cost by 15.6% as compared with the FM-control diet.

Effect of dietary carob (Ceratonia siliqua) syrup on blood parameters, gene expression responses and ammonia resistance in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

In this study, carob (Ceratonia siliqua) syrup was supplemented in the diet of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), and its effects on growth performance, immunological and serum biochemical parameters, gene expression responses and ammonia resistance of the fish were investigated. Carob syrup was added to the fish diet in ratios of 0%, 5%, 2.5%, 1.25% and 0.625%, such that five different diets were prepared: control, Cerat5000, Cerat2500, Cerat1250 and Cerat625 respectively. The fish were fed with experimental diets for 60 days. The survival rate of fish fed with 5% carob syrup decreased compared with all other experimental groups. Thus, this study found that feeding tilapia fish with 1.25% carob syrup for 60 days increased gene expression responses, some innate immune parameters and ammonia resistance of the fish without negative effects on growth performance or serum biochemical variables.

Domestication process modifies digestion ability in larvae of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis), a freshwater Teleostei

To date, a comparative analysis of larval performance and digestion abilities between wild and domesticated Eurasian perch has not yet been performed. Eurasian perch larvae from wild and domesticated spawners were reared in the same conditions and at different development stages, growth performance variables, the expression of genes encoding digestive enzymes and specific enzymatic activity were analysed. No significant differences in hatching rate, deformity rate or swim bladder inflation effectiveness between wild and domesticated larvae were found. Specific growth rate, final total length and wet body weight were significantly lower in wild larvae, whereas higher mortality in wild larvae was observed compared to domesticated larvae. The data obtained in this study clearly indicate that during domestication, significant modification of digestion ability occurs at the very beginning of ontogeny, where domesticated fish are characterised by lower enzymatic activity and lower expression of genes encoding digestive enzymes. This probably results from the low diversity of the food offered in culture conditions, which significantly modified digestion capability. The obtained data provide an understanding of how domestication affects fish in aquaculture and may improve the planning of selective breeding programs of Eurasian perch and other freshwater Teleosts.

Growth performance of Mission and Kyasuwa grasses (Pennisetum sp.) under different NPK ratios as potential slope cover

The Mission (Pennisetum polystachio) and Kyasuwa (Pennisetum pedicellatum) grasses are common perennial plants found in tropical regions that tolerates low nutrient soils, easily spread by wind and colonization of new areas. It is a great challenge for researchers to select plant species in terms of their performance for vegetation cover to minimize the sloppy soil erosion. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the growth performance of selected Pennisetum sp. namely P. pedicellatum (PPd) and P. polystachio (PPl) under different NPK ratio. The studied species were treated with three different treatments, F1, F2 and NF under greenhouse conditions. Hydroseeding technique was adopted for germination of the selected species in the polybags and periodically monitored for a duration of six months. Parameters measured for the growth performance of the studied species were based on plant height, total biomass and chlorophyll content. After application of the treatment F1 and F2, the soil pH changed to slightly acidic (pH 5.45) while organic content of soil was slightly increased from 3.2% to 3.9%. A similar result was also found in N and P nutrient availability of the soil. Meanwhile, available K decreased from 29.76 mg/kg to 28.41mg/kg (F1) and 23.83 mg/kg (F2) for PPl species. This trend was also observed by the PPd species. The PPd species with F1 and F2 treatments showed higher value of plant height if compared to that of PPl species. In terms of total biomass and chlorophyll content, PPl species treated with both treatments showed higher value than PPd species. Species treated with F1 showed higher value in all growth performance variables (height, dry biomass and chlorophyll content), if compared to that of F2 and NF treatments. These findings discovered Pennisetum polystatchion (PPl species) as a potential biological material that can be used as a slope vegetation cover.

Dietary garlic essential oil on development parameters of severum post-larvae

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of garlic essential oil (GEO) on the growth performance and morphometric variables of severum (Heros severus) post-larvae. A growth trial was performed using 150 severum post-larvae (1.6 ± 0.03 mg and 5.58 ± 0.1 mm), distributed in fifteen 1-L aquaria, with constant aeration. The fish were essayed in a completely randomized design with five treatments, using diets containing graded levels of GEO (0.00, 0.05, 0.50, 1.00 and 1.50 g kg-1) and three replicates. The diets were offered four times a day, until apparent satiation, for 30 days. At the end of the experiment, the fish were counted, weighed and measured, to evaluate growth performance and morphometric variables. Increased diet levels of GEO resulted in a linear reduction in growth performance parameters, except for the survival rate, weight and length uniformity of the batch, and morphometric variables which did not present significant differences. Elevated concentrations of dietary GEO may be detrimental to larvae and post-larvae of fish, which could be more sensitive to the potential damage that high concentrations of this essential oil may cause. Therefore, the inclusion of GEO in levels above 0.05 g kg-1 in diets for severum post-larvae is not recommended.

Essential oil from Ocimum basilicum improves growth performance and does not alter biochemical variables related to stress in pirarucu (Arapaima gigas).

Diet supplementation with essential oil from sweet basil Ocimum basilicum (EOOB) can increase fish growth. So, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of EOOB in the diet on growth performance and plasmatic variables of pirarucu juveniles (Arapaima gigas) submitted to stressful condition (stocking density of 7.56 kg m-3per tank and limited space). Four diets (in triplicates) were evaluated with increasing levels of EOOB (0.0 control; 0.5; 1.0; and 2.0 mL kg diet-1) over 48 days. Linalool was the major constituent of EOOB (54.19%). The addition of 2.0 mL EOOB kg diet-1 improved final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, condition factor and feed conversion ratio; it also decreased plasma urea levels and increased plasma albumin and total proteins levels. Plasma glucose, cortisol, and acid uric levels were not influenced by the addition of EOOB to the fish diet. In conclusion, the addition of 2.0 mL EOOBkg diet-1 is recommended for pirarucu juveniles, due to improved growth performance, and this supplementation did not compromise the homeostasis of fish rearing in a high stocking density.

The Effect of Regional Original Income and Regional Financial Performance on Economic Growth in North Sumatera Regency

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of regional own-source revenue and financial performance of local governments on economic growth in the regencies / cities of North Sumatra. The population is 33 districts / cities (25 districts and 7 cities) in North Sumatra. Sample (25 districts and 7 cities). The data consists of GDP (Gross Regional Domestic Product) with constant prices to find out economic growth in the district / city of North Sumatra, realization of PAD (regional income) and data on local government financial performance. The data was obtained from the Central Statistics Agency of North Sumatra and analyzed using linear regression analysis and statistical tests t. The results showed that some of the PAD had a positive and significant effect on economic growth and government financial performance variables had a positive and significant effect on economic growth in the regencies / cities of North Sumatra.

Crecimiento físico y rendimiento escolar en adolescentes chilenos

Objetivo: analizar el crecimiento físico y rendimiento escolar en la asignatura de ciencias naturales, para lo cual, se verificaron y evaluaron dichas variables en escolares chilenos buscando una correlación. Método: Diseño descriptivo correlacional, donde el lugar de desarrollo fue la institución Colegio municipal alta Cumbre, en la ciudad de Curicó, Chile. Participantes: adolescentes escolares de 13 años. Intervenciones; se seleccionaron 100 escolares de ambos sexos, los cuales pertenecen a un colegio del sistema público. Se evaluaron las variables de peso, sexo, estatura, edad y rendimiento escolar. Los datos fueron analizados a través de la media aritmética, desviación estándar y prueba t para muestras independientes en donde las principales medidas de resultados fueron Variables de crecimiento, sexo y rendimiento escolar. Resultados: se pudo observar que no existe ningún tipo de correlación, obteniendo el valor en hombres P = 0,03 y en las mujeres -0,00 resultando una disociación de los factores, por lo tanto no existe una relación entre variables. Conclusiones: los resultados determinan antecedentes normales respecto a criterios antropométricos, un rendimiento académico sustentado en el marco de la legislación educativa chilena, lo cual muestra, promedios académicos aceptables en cuanto a evaluaciones de los estudiantes adolescentes tempranos según la literatura científica. Finalmente, los resultados obtenidos muestran que el crecimiento físico respecto al rendimiento escolar no varía en ambos sexos, por lo que no existe ninguna relación entre ambas variables desarrolladas.

Toxicity and tissue distribution of methylsulfonylmethane following oral gavage in broilers

An experiment was conducted to investigate the toxicity and tissue distribution of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) following oral gavage in broilers. A total of four hundred and thirty-two 15-day-old Ross 308 male broilers were allotted to 6 treatments with 6 replicates of 12 birds per replicate and administered a single oral dose of MSM at 0, 50, 100, 300, 1,000, or 2,000mg/kg BW (Study 1). Another one hundred and sixty-eight 3-day-old chicks were allotted to either control or test group (Study 2) and administered a daily oral gavage of either 0 or 1, 500mg/kg BW of MSM for 21 D consecutively. Blood and tissue samples were collected over a 48h (Study 1) or 21 D (Study 2) period and analyzed for MSM concentrations. Toxicity was assessed through changes in hematology and clinical blood chemistry. In Study 1, plasma MSM concentrations were below 167μg/mL at all time-points in birds receiving up to 300mg/kg BW, and were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in birds receiving 1,000 or 2,000mg/kg BW. Similarly, only the highest 2 MSM dosages elicited increased lymphocyte and decreased heterophil counts at 8h (P < 0.003) and decreased hematocrit at 48h (P = 0.015). Growth performance variables were unaffected by MSM in Study 2, and plasma and tissue MSM concentrations were highest on study day 21, with MSM-dosed birds always exhibiting higher (P < 0.03) concentrations compared with the control. Birds in Study 2 that were dosed with MSM had decreased liver enzyme concentrations at day 7 and 21 and decreased glucose and phosphorus at day 7. Importantly, MSM was detected in plasma and all tissues of control groups, confirming that MSM is synthesized de novo in chickens. In conclusion, oral MSM at either acute (single dose at 1,000 to 2,000mg/kg BW) or sub-chronic (1,500mg/kg BW daily for 21 D) concentrations did not cause any adverse effects on growth or clinical outcomes and appeared to be absorbed and distributed throughout the body.