The use of Moringa oleifera in poultry diets
For the small-scale and scattered fresh cucumber production in China, the result that production record-keeping and its transfer are inefficient have prevented the wide application of traceability systems in China. With the mobility and computability, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) provides a new way for agricultural information collection to solve the above problems. Thus a PDA-based Record-keeping and Decision-support System (PRDS) for traceability in cucumber production was developed on Windows Mobile platform invoking a Geographic Information System (GIS) control. For improving the decision making feasibility of PRDS, the fertilization recommendation model and pesticide usage early warning model were developed by using the Technical Specification of Balanced Fertilization by Soil Testing and the Guideline for Safety Application of Pesticides in China. The architecture of PRDS was provided. With Unified Modeling Language (UML), a requirement model including two types of users and 17 use cases was described, and a static class model was also designed, which consisted of table class, table operation class, algorithm class and interface class. Based on these models, the functions of system setup, map management, data management, production record-keeping and decision-support and query, etc., were implemented by adopting Hosting MapInfo MapX Mobile Controls on the .NET Compact Framework 2.0, and the data synchronization was realized by Remote Data Access (RDA). Two agricultural production enterprises were chosen as case study to evaluate the system by questionnaires. The results show that the efficiency of production record-keeping and decision-support is improved by the simple and friendly system. [1]
The activity and use of zinc in poultry diets
This paper studies the energy balance between the input and the output per unit area for greenhouse cucumber production. For this purpose, the data on 43 cucumber production greenhouses in the Tehran province, Iran, were collected and analyzed. The results indicated that a total energy input of 148836.76 MJ ha−1 was consumed for cucumber production. Diesel fuel (with 41.94%) and chemical fertilizers (with 19.69%) were amongst the highest energy inputs for cucumber production. The energy productivity was estimated as 0.80 kg MJ−1. The ratio of energy output to energy input was approximately 0.64. Results indicate 10.93% and 89.07% of total energy input was in renewable and non-renewable forms, respectively. The regression results revealed that the contribution of energy inputs on crop yield (except for fertilizers and seeds energies) was significant. The human labour energy had the highest impact (0.35) among the other inputs in greenhouse cucumber production. Econometric analysis indicated that the total cost of production for one hectare of cucumber production was around 33425.70 $. Accordingly, the benefit–cost ratio was estimated as 2.58. [2]
Nematicidal Efficacy of Fluensulfone against False Root-knot Nematode (Nacobbus aberrans) in Cucumber Crop under Field Conditions
Zinc (Zn) is an important nutrient in poultry and its deficiency has been linked with various disorders, in addition to depressed growth and performance. It is now recognised that Zn has a major role in antioxidation, growth and development, production, immunity and stress related issues. Supplementation of Zn can improve growth, augment immunity, enhance antioxidant capacity, increase endocrine secretion and interact with other minerals in the gut. In this review, some of the basic information regarding the importance and activity of Zn within the body and the addition of Zn in poultry diets is discussed. [3]
Performance, Digesta Viscosity and Microbial Load in Broilers Fed Diets That Contain 20% Wheat with Roxazyme G2G
Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) are one of the potential factors reducing nutrient bioavailability in ingredients such as soyabean meal and wheat. Digesta viscosity, which is partly correlated with the modulation of gut can be reduced when wheat-based diets is supplemented with NSP degrading enzyme.
In a 42-day trial, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Roxazyme G2G supplementation on digesta viscosity, gut microbial load, gut pH, and length between October and November 2012 using 120 day-old broiler chickens fed wheat-based diets with or without enzyme supplementation. Brooding of birds was for 7 days after which they were randomly allotted into 3 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. The diet consisted 4 replicates of 10 birds each. Body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and feed efficiency ratio were the growth performance indices measured. On day 42, birds were slaughtered and digesta samples from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and caeca were collected for viscosity determination and microbial load analysis. Length of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and pH were also measured.
The growth performance of birds fed wheat based-diet with enzyme was identical to those without enzyme and the control diet. Enzyme supplementation had significant (P =.05) influence on the gut microbial loads at different sections of the GIT. Birds fed wheat-based diets supplemented with enzyme had significantly lower microbial loads as compared with birds in other diets. The pH values obtained were slightly acidic (4.40 – 5.10) in birds on enzyme-supplemented diets across the different GIT sections.
Summarily, Roxazyme G2G resulted in improved gut pH, and reduced gut microbial loads in birds fed wheat-based diets. [4]
Effects of Low Protein Diets Supplemented with High Amino Acids (Methionine or Lysine) on Performance of Broilers
Aims: to evaluate the effects of high level methionine or lysine supplementation on the performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed low crude protein diets.
Study Design: The experiment employed a complete randomized design; all data generated were subjected to analysis of variance.
Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria between April and July 2011.
Methodology: unsexed day old broiler chicks were used in a six-week feeding trial. For each study four experimental diets were formulated such that they contained methionine at four dietary levels of 0.0 %, 0 .35%, 0 .45% and 0 .55% while the other four set contained lysine at four dietary levels of 0.0 %, 0 .60%, 0 .70% and 0 .80% respectively. The crude protein (CP) levels of T1-T4 in methionine or lysine diets are 24.25%, 19.70%, 15.15% and 10.60 %.
Results: Results indicated that broilers fed diet 1 with normal protein level without methionine and lysine had higher (P<0 .05) body weight gain compared with others. Feed conversion also had the same statistical trend. It was observed that level of crude protein, lysine and methionine significantly reduced feed intake of the broilers. It was reported that reduction of CP levels in the diets of the broilers with methionine or lysine supplementation did not give desirable result. This supplementation resulted in reduced feed intake, poor feed conversion and reduced body weight gain of the experimental broilers.
Conclusion: The aim of the poultry farmer is to achieve optimum production with least inputs. From this study, it was concluded that reduction of crude protein content supplemented with lysine or methionine in broiler diets resulted in reduced feed intake and suboptimal body weight gain of the broilers. [5]
Reference
[1] Abbas, T.E., 2013. The use of Moringa oleifera in poultry diets. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 37(5), pp.492-496.
[2] Naz, S., Idris, M., Khalique, M.A., Alhidary, I.A., Abdelrahman, M.M., Khan, R.U., Chand, N., Farooq, U. and Ahmad, S., 2016. The activity and use of zinc in poultry diets. World’s Poultry Science Journal, 72(1), pp.159-167.
[3] Bedford, M.R. and Morgan, A.J., 1996. The use of enzymes in poultry diets. World’s Poultry Science Journal, 52(1), pp.61-68.
[4] Omidiwura, B.R.O. and Agboolac, A.F., 2016. Performance, Digesta Viscosity and Microbial Load in Broilers Fed Diets That Contain 20% Wheat with Roxazyme G2G. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International, pp.1-7.
[5] Omidiwura, B.R.O. and Agboolac, A.F., 2016. Performance, Digesta Viscosity and Microbial Load in Broilers Fed Diets That Contain 20% Wheat with Roxazyme G2G. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International, pp.1-7.
