bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting energy and protein supply and milk production of dairy cows consuming high forage rations in the central highlands of Kenya
Authors: Nherera F.V. , Pell A.N. , Fox D.G , Tedeschi L.O , Mbugua D.M , Kariuki I.W , Kangara J.N.
Published: June 2019

Level 1 of the Cornell Net carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) model has not yet been used to predict animal performance on smallholder dairy farms in African conditions. Over 60% of the smallholder dairy cattle in sub-Saharan Africa are in the East African highlands. Although the level of production is low, dairy cattle contribute significantly to the livelihoods of rural families. If the model predictions reflect animal performance, the CNCPS model could be a useful tool to develop feeding strategies to enhance animal production. The objectives of our study were to: (1) evaluate the accuracy of the predictions of dry matter intake, milk production and phosphorus excretion of the CNCPS model for dairy cattle on smallholder farms; (2) predict nutrient requirements and supply of confined and lactating crossbred cows consuming high forage rations and (3) determine the variation in feed quality and milk production.
Estimation of mature live weight of Mexican Pelibuey sheep
Authors: Duarte F. , Sandoval-Castro C.A. , Sarmiento-Franco L.
Published: June 2019

Current nutritional models as the CNCPS-sheep (Cannas et al., 2004) are built with the possibility to consider breed effects. An important effect included in the prediction of live weight gain is the maturity index of the animal (the actual weight of the animal in relation to their adult weight). During a concurrent evaluation of the CNCPS-sheep model, no information was found on the Pelibuey sheep mature weight to allow a proper adjustment of this parameter. Thus the objective of this work was to estimate the mature weight of Pelibuey sheep.
Chemical composition, in situ degradable coefficients, and ruminal and post-ruminal dry matter and crude protein disappearances of rapeseed meal
Authors: Mazhari Mozhgan , Danesh Mesgaran Mohsen
Published: June 2019

Several experiments have been conducted on the value of rapeseed meal (RSM) for dairy cows (Laarveld et al., 1976). The crude protein (CP) content of RSM is almost high (360-420 g kg-1 of DM) with a good amino acid balance. The in situ degradability of RSM was extensively studied (Kendall et al., 1991). The aim of the present study was to determine the chemical composition, in situ degradable coefficients, and ruminal and post-ruminal dry matter (DM) and CP disappearances of an Iranian variety of rapeseed meal (SLM sp.).
The effect of different concentrate: Lucerne hay ratio on crude protein degradation of various feeds using in situ technique
Authors: Mesgaran Mohsen Danesh , Vakili Alireza , Mousavi Alireza Heravi
Published: June 2019

Available information on the effect of ruminal pH on degradation of crude protein of various feeds is scarce. It has been reported that in a high concentrate diets, protein degradation is usually reduced (Molero et al., 2004). This reduction has been attributed to lower ruminal pH, which causes the changes in protein solubility (Loerch et al., 1983) and reduces fibrolytic activity of rumen microflora. There is also limited information concerning the requirements for rumen degradable N (RDN) when high-grain diets are given to steers, and most of that information has been obtained using urea as the source of RDN. The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate the effect of different concentrate to lucerne hay ratios (60:40, 70:30, 80:20 or 90:10) on ruminal crude protein degradation kinetic of lucerne hay, barley grain, soybean meal and fish meal.
Effects of gamma irradiation on protein degradation of safflower meal in the rumen
Authors: Shawrang P. , Sadeghi A.A.
Published: June 2019

Safflower meal proteins are extensively degraded in the rumen. Attempts to decrease the degradability of feedstuffs proteins have involved treatment with heat, formaldehyde, tannic acid, acetic acid, xylose, and microwave (Sadeghi et al., 2006). To our knowledge, no information is available concerning effects of gamma irradiation on ruminal protein degradation and type of safflower meal proteins that leave the rumen undegraded. The objectives of this study were to investigate effects of gamma irradiation on ruminal degradability and intestinal digestibility of safflower meal crude protein, and to monitor fate of true proteins of safflower meal in the rumen by using SDS-PAGE methodology.
The impact of farmer and veterinary surgeon concordance on the effectiveness of a lameness control programme for primiparous dairy heifers
Authors: Bell N.J. , Bell M.J. , Knowles T.G. , Webster A.J.F.
Published: June 2019

Lameness in dairy cattle is a multifactorial problem involving a complex interaction of stockperson, environmental and animal-related hazards. With over 100 potential hazards for lameness, and a multiplicity of control measures arising from each of these hazards, decision making for intervention programmes can be complex. Furthermore, control of foot lesions such as digital dermatitis and claw horn disease may require a detailed understanding of veterinary pathogenesis and epidemiology. Therefore, in order for lameness control programmes to be effective, veterinary involvement may be necessary. This paper examines effect of vet and farmer attitude towards a lameness control programme for primiparous dairy heifers on lameness prevalence.
The effect of a dietary urine acidifier as a solution to improve / prevent infertility problems in sows on a commercial farm in Cyprus
Authors: Kyriacou C. C. , Jones G. M. , Ruel B. , Hainz A. , Edwards S. A.
Published: June 2019

Reproductive problems in sows are the cause for at least 15% of the sow culls in Cyprus. The main cause of reproductive failure is urogenital tract infections (UTI), caused by pathogenic bacteria entering the sow’s reproductive tract, especially at risk times of farrowing and serving when the cervix is open (Almond and Richards 1992). Indigenous people have used cranberry preparations to prevent UTIs and other illness for centuries (http://www.cranberryinstitute.org/health/urinarytract.htm). An endogenous mechanism of the sow as protection against bacterial infections in the urogenital tract is the urinary pH, which can be manipulated by dietary means affecting the dietary anion-cation balance (Beker 1999). The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of a dietary urine acidifier based on acidic acting substances (mixture of phosphoric acid and selected ingredients containing anions) and cranberry extract on sow urine parameters (pH, leucocytes and nitrates) and sow fertility parameters.
Evaluation of artichoke (Cynara scolymus) by-product using the semi-automatic In vitro gas production technique
Authors: Sallam Sobhy Mohamed Abdallah , Bueno Ives Claudio da Silva , Godoy Patricia Barboza , Nozella Eduardo Fernando , Abdalla Adibe Luiz , Vitti Dorrina Miriam Silber Schmidt
Published: June 2019

The major constraint limiting the development of livestock production in many developing countries is inadequacy of animal feed; although there are a wide range of valuable by-products and residues eligible to complement it. To estimate whether a material is appropriate for animal feeding, in vitro gas production (GP) technique have been used to evaluate the potential of different classes of feedstuffs to supply nutrients to ruminants. Thus, the fermentation characteristics of artichoke by-product (Cynara scolymus), alfalfa and Tifton 85 (Cynodon sp) hay were evaluated by in vitro GP technique.
Responses to Nutrients in farm animals: implications for product quality
Authors: Hocquette J. F. , Tesseraud S. , Cassar-Malek I. , Leroux C.
Published: June 2019

In the context of increased globalisation and competitiveness, producers of animal products have been the most affected with considerable reductions in profit margins. Research on nutrition in farm animals is thus still needed to reduce the costs of production by increasing metabolic efficiency. To achieve this goal, the objective is always to control animal performance accurately by improved quantification of animal requirements and by precise feed evaluation. At the same time, the farming and agri-food sectors are faced with a general saturation of food markets in Europe and with an increasing demand by consumers for high-quality meat and dairy products. This has also led to specific research in nutrition which aims to optimise metabolic activity of muscle and mammary gland to produce meat and dairy products of the desirable composition. This paper aims to address this important question: how animal nutrition may help to optimise metabolic efficiency and product quality. Today this needs better knowledge of tissue and organ requirements and of nutrient fate within tissues and organs as well as of their contribution to the quality of animal products. Furthermore, in order to achieve this goal of greater understanding of animal response to nutrition, new concepts and techniques are available to decipher mechanisms that were impossible to address adequately a few years ago. In this connection, emerging approaches such as genomics and modelling provide the means for a better insight into the mechanisms which regulate metabolism at tissue or whole body level.
Effect of dietary energy content pre- and post-calving on production and blood metabolites of dairy cows during early lactation
Authors: Law R A , Young F J , Patterson D C , Kilpatrick D J , Wylie A R G , Mayne C S
Published: June 2019

The increase in milk production potential of the modern high yielding dairy cow has resulted in excessive and prolonged negative energy balance (NEB) during early lactation. This predisposes the cow to an increased risk of metabolic disorders, poor fertility and subsequently increased culling rates. Historically, much emphasis has been placed on post partum nutrition in an attempt to suppress these ill effects. However, contemporary theories advocate improved dry cow nutrition to properly prepare the cow for energy demands of early lactation. Friggens et al. (2004) stated that priming the liver during the dry period would allow the cow to better deal with metabolic processes in the post partum period. In this experiment, dairy cows were offered different dietary energy levels pre-and post-calving in an attempt to quantify the effects on energy parameters during the same time periods.
Faecal dry matter and nematode infection in parasite-resistant Merino sheep in Australia
Authors: Williams A R , Karlsson L J E , Palmer D G , Vercoe P E , Williams I H , Greeff J C , Emery D L
Published: June 2019

Scouring (diarrhoea) is a major concern for sheep producers as the accumulation of faecal material (dags) around the breech pre-disposes sheep to flystrike. Scouring occurs when the consistency of faeces is fluid with a low percentage of dry matter. In temperate areas such as the southern half of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, scouring is associated with ingestion of parasitic nematode larvae, mainly Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis (Larsen et al., 1994). Breeding sheep to be resistant to these nematodes is a sustainable parasite-control strategy due to reduced reliance on chemical treatment. However, in adult sheep, scouring appears equally prevalent in resistant animals and, in some environments, is even more severe than in susceptible sheep (Karlsson et al., 2004). In this experiment, we investigated how faecal dry matter (FDM) in sheep from a flock bred for resistance to parasitic nematodes changed when challenged with infective larvae. We expected that FDM would be lower in challenged sheep compared to unchallenged controls, and FDM would also be lower in sheep with high dag scores compared to sheep with low dag scores.
The effects of supplementation of maize silage diets during pregnancy on ewe and subsequent lamb performance
Authors: Keady T W J , Hanrahan J P
Published: June 2019

Maize silage can be produced at a similar cost to grazed grass and is approximately 20% cheaper than grass silage (Keadyet al., 2002). Recent studies have shown that maize silage inclusion in the diet increases the performance of dairy (Keadyet al., 2003, 2008) and beef (Keady and Gordon, 2006, Keadyet al., 2007) cattle and has a concentrate sparing effect of up to 2.5 kg and 5.0 kg, respectively (Keady, 2005). Previous studies at Athenry have shown that maize silage, regardless of maturity at harvest, results in similar levels of ewe and subsequent lamb performance relative to high feed-value grass silage, (Keady and Hanrahan, 2008, 2009). The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects level and type of concentrate supplementation of maize silage diets on ewe and subsequent lamb performance.
The effects of incorporating either lupins or soya bean meal into concentrate diets when compared with a control concentrate diet on the performance and carcase characteristics of finishing lambs
Authors: Marley C L , Fychan R , Theobald V J , Davies D R W , Sanderson R , Abberton M T , Davies D R
Published: June 2019

Soya bean (Glycine max) meal is an important component of animal feed and oil seed rape and palm kernel cake and meal are typically used in commercial concentrate diets for sheep in the UK.. Lupins (Lupinus; Leguminosae) as a high protein, high energy, nitrogen-fixing grain legume, have potential as a home-grown livestock feed in the UK (Wilkins and Jones, 2000). Research has been conducted on the effects of narrow-leafed lupins (Lupinus angustifolius) (Hill, 2005) but there have been few studies on the effects of yellow lupins (Lupinus luteus) when fed to sheep. This study investigated the effects of incorporating either yellow lupins, narrow-leaf lupins or soya bean meal into the concentrate diets of finishing lambs on lamb productivity and carcass characteristics when compared to a commercial UK lamb finisher diet.
A comparison of the reproductive performance of Holstein-Friesian and Norwegian Red dairy cattle on commercial dairy farms over five lactations
Authors: Ferris C P , Patterson D C , Kilpatrick D J
Published: June 2019

Fertility traits have been included within breed selection programmes for the Norwegian Red (NR) dairy cow population in Norway for over thirty years. As a consequence, a 60 day non-return rate to first artificial insemination (AI) of 72.5% was recently calculated for NR cows in Norway (Garmo et al., 2008). In view of this long term breeding programme, and current fertility performance within Norway, there is considerable interest in the NR breed as a means of overcoming the high levels of infertility that currently exist within the Holstein-Friesian (HF) breed. However, farming systems within Norway are very different from those within the UK, with herd sizes in particular being much smaller. Thus an experiment was established on 19 commercial dairy farms to compare the fertility performance of cows of the NR and HF breeds.
Immune enhancing potential of a canola oil-based supplement for the working dog
Authors: Rutherfurd-Markwick K , Thomas D , McGrath M , O’Flaherty K , Weidgraaf K
Published: June 2019

The increasing use of functional foods as a non-invasive way to modulate and optimise human immune system function is now beginning to transfer into the production animal and companion animal areas as owners search for alternative ways of maintaining and improving animal health. To date, dietary supplementation trials, primarily carried out in humans and mice have demonstrated the ability of a wide variety of bioactive ingredients such as probiotics and specific ratios of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, to modulate a range of immune functions. However, little data exists for other animal species such as the cat or dog and in particular the working dog. Working dogs are a vital component of the farming sector in New Zealand (NZ), however, many animals are subjected to inadequate nutrition that may compromise their short term performance and exercise recovery, and long term usefulness to the farmer (Jerram, 2005). In this study we assessed the potential benefits of dietary supplementation with a canola oil-based dietary supplement (canola is a rapeseed variant), formulated at Massey University, and manufactured in NZ, to enhance a number of immune parameters in the working dog.
Effects of plane of nutrition and selenium supplementation of ewes in early and mid-pregnancy on meat quality of offspring
Authors: Muñoz C , Carson A F , McCoy M A , Moss B W , Gordon A W
Published: June 2019

Nutritional status in early and mid-pregnancy can affect subsequent offspring productivity. For example, plane of nutrition in early and mid-pregnancy has been shown to have a significant effect on carcass characteristics, with male offspring of dams offered a low plane diet in early pregnancy having poorer carcass conformation and greater fat depths over the muscle L. dorsi than lambs of dams offered medium or high plane diets (Muñoz et al. 2008a). Supplementation with selenium (Se) during this period had positive effects on measures of lamb viability and survival (Muñoz et al. 2008b). The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of plane of nutrition and selenium supplementation of ewes in early and mid-pregnancy on the meat quality of the male offspring.
Effects of normal and high oleic acid rapeseed in the dairy cow diet on milk fatty acid composition
Authors: Kliem K , Humphries D , Givens D I
Published: June 2019

Milk and dairy products are the major source of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the European diet and there is evidence that replacing SFA with cis-monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) will improve risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Rapeseed in dairy cow diets simultaneously reduces milk SFA and increases cis-MUFA, but also increases milk trans MUFA. A new variety of rapeseed with higher oleic acid content (therefore less potential for increasing milk trans-MUFA) was compared with a normal oleic acid rapeseed, and both compared with a control diet.
The effect on lamb vigour of adding supplementary vitamin E to ewe diets in late pregnancy
Authors: Rooke J A , Matheson S , Ison S , Jack M , Ashworth C J , Dwyer C M
Published: June 2019

Neonatal lamb mortality represents both a welfare issue and an important production inefficiency. Approximately 80% of lamb mortality can be attributed to the starvation-mismothering-exposure complex and occurs in the first 3 days after birth. Sub-optimal supply of trace elements and vitamins to the ewe is a potential risk factor in lamb mortality with Se, vitamin E and fatty acids the most likely candidates (Rooke et al. 2008). Responses to vitamin E supplementation above requirement in the last third of gestation are variable probably because of differences between studies in route of administration, dose administered and pre-experiment vitamin E status of the ewe population. The object of the experiment was to characterise responses in lamb viability to supplementation of the maternal diet with vitamin E above the stated requirement.
Prediction of parturition in dairy cattle using a 2D accelerometer to measure lying behaviour – a preliminary observational field study
Authors: Blackie N , Bowe S , Bleach E C L
Published: June 2019

There is a trend in the UK towards larger dairy herds increasing the number of cows per stockperson and reducing available time for routine observations. A slightly difficult calving can have an economic loss of £110 with up to £400 for a difficult calving (McGuirk et al, 2007). These losses are incurred in lost milk production, increased labour costs and delayed calving to conception interval. Therefore, it would be advantageous for the stockpersons to have an automated alert of the onset of calving as soon as possible to allow assistance to be given if required and to highlight cows for observation.
Effect of a compensatory growth feeding regime on muscle glycogen and meat quality attributes in pigs
Authors: Chaosap C , Parr T , Wiseman J
Published: June 2019

Compensatory growth studies in pigs have indicated that their meat tends to have increased proteolysis and a faster rate of tenderisation (Kristensen et al., 2002). The postmortem rate of muscle glycogen decline influences meat quality, for example in PSE. There are two forms of muscle glycogen, acid soluble macroglycogen (MG) and acid insoluble proglycogen (PG), which have different turnover rates in vivo (Graham et al, 2001). The aim of this study was to determine whether a compensatory growth feeding regime would influence meat quality characteristics and whether the changes in feed availability during the trial would differentially alter the postmortem degradation of the different forms of glycogen.
On-line prediction of the fatty acid content of beef meat by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy
Authors: Prieto N , Ross D W , Navajas E A , Nute G , Richardson R I , Hyslop J J , Simm G , Roehe R
Published: June 2019

The amount and fatty acid (FA) composition of beef intramuscular fat (IMF) are key factors that influence technological and sensory quality, especially shelf-life (lipid and pigment oxidation) and flavour. Furthermore, consumers are interested in the fat composition of meat, as nutritional guidelines are recommending a lower saturated FA (SFA) intake due to its association with cardiovascular diseases. The amount and composition of ruminant IMF, which depends on factors such as the genetic origin of the animals, feeding regime, age or live weight, influences the final quality of the product, which also explains the increasing interest in defining the FA profile of meat. However, quantitative chemical techniques for the determination of FA involve extraction of total lipids and determination of FA methyl esters by gas chromatography, so that this procedure is costly, time-consuming and generates hazardous waste. The use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIR) is increasing in food analysis because it offers several advantages over conventional methods, giving fast, non-destructive, clean and cost effective measurements. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the on-line estimation of the concentration of major individual FA (C16:0, C18:0 and C18:1) and main groups of FA (SFA, monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA)) of beef IMF using NIR, by direct application of a fibre-optic probe to the M. longissimus thoracis with no prior sample treatment.
Front face fluorescence spectroscopy as a rapid non-invasive tool for determining diet composition in free-ranging ruminants
Authors: Lee M R F , Theobald V , Wold J-P , Veberg A , Lundby F , Fraser M
Published: June 2019

Quantification of the diet consumed in free-ranging ruminants is essential to manipulate both agricultural performance and environmental impact. A common non-invasive approach for determining diet composition is based on using long-chain, saturated hydrocarbons (n-alkanes) as markers (Dove and Mayes, 1996). However a major drawback of using this approach is the time and related expense associated with extracting these compounds. Spectroscopic imaging is a rapidly evolving research area, with the potential to provide real-time solutions. Previous applications have shown its ability to detect chlorophyll and its breakdown products in faeces as markers of contamination in carcasses to reduce pathogen load entering the food chain (Ashby et al. 2003). Chlorophyll is ubiquitous in green plants and thus livestock diets. During digestion in the gut, chlorophyll is only partially degraded to coloured and fluorescent intermediates: phaeophytin, chlorophyllide, phaeophorbide and pyrophaeophorbide derivatives of chlorophylls a and b. It is these compounds that are detected by spectral imaging of the faeces, and comparisons of spectral wavelength profiles may provide comparative information about the animals’ diet.
Influence of abattoir, carcass suspension method, ageing time and anatomical position of the measurement on visual and near infrared spectrum characteristics of the longissimus dorsi of lambs
Authors: Oltra O , Farmer L , Moss B W , Birnie J
Published: June 2019

Visual and near infrared reflectance (VisNIR) has been identified as a possible on-line method that could discriminate some eating quality attributes of lamb (Andres et al. 2007). However, the accuracy and repeatability of this method for predicting eating quality depends on the development of an optimal sampling protocol (Shackelford et al., 2004) and of an optimal formula for the prediction model. The aims of this experiment were to identify if factors such as abattoir, carcass suspension method, ageing time and anatomical position along the Longissimus dorsi muscle can affect the characteristic of the VisNIR spectra. The information obtained from this study will allow the development an optimal protocol and prediction model.
Chemical composition, organic matter degradation and metabolisable energy of three non-cultivated pastures located in the central plateau of Mexico
Authors: Rayas-Amor AA , Dorward P , Rehman T , Mould F L , Castelan-Ortega O A
Published: June 2019

Approximately 80% of all production costs are related to the purchase of forages and other feeds in dairy enterprises in Mexico. Resource poor, smallholder (campesino) systems are heavily reliant on the use of maize stover, noncultivated/cultivated grass species and weeds to feed their dairy cattle, thus a nutritional understanding of local forage resources would be of considerable economic benefit. The objective of this study was to determine the nutritive value of non-cultivated pastures (NcP) during one productive year.
In situ dry matter degradability coefficients of whole crop barley silage treated with Lactobacillus plantarum or mixed with Pediococcus pentosaceus plus Propionbacter freudenreichii
Authors: Vatandoost M , Mesgaran M Danesh , Moussavi A Heravi , Vakili A
Published: June 2019

Microbial inoculants are applied to forage at the time of ensiling to accelerate the decline of pH during the initial stage of silage fermentation, to preserve plant carbohydrates through homofermentation, and to preserve plant protein by decreasing proteolysis and deamination. Thus, inoculated silages are expected to improve animal performance. Whole crop barley has a low buffering capacity and abundant fermentable carbohydrates and is considered relatively easy to ensile. Results of previous experiments indicated that lactic acid bacteria-based inoculants have the potential to improve the ensilage of whole crop barley (Kung and Ranjit, 2001). The objective of the present study was to determine the chemical composition and in situ dry matter degradability of whole crop barley silage treated with one of two different types of inoculants (Lactobacillus plantarum or mixed with Pediococcus pentosaceus plus propionbacter freudenreichii as provide 1×105 CFU of lactic acid producing bacteria plus 1×104 CFU propionbacterium per g of DM).
Increasing nutritive value of white grape pomace by ensiling and drying for ruminants nutrition
Authors: Golghasemgharehbagh A , Pirmohammadi R , Hamidi O
Published: June 2019

There is increasing demand for efficient use of animal food by products due to economic and environmental concerns. Agricultural by products such as tomato pomace, citrus pulp and grape pomace (GP) may be substituted advantageously to tackle animal feed shortage. Alipour and Rouzbehan (2006) demonstrated that GP tannins have adverse effects on nutrient utilization and other nutritional parameters in ruminants. Ensiling (Makkar, 2003) and drying (Martin-Garcia and Molina-Alcaide, 2007) can be used as a method of decreasing and inactivation of tannins. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of ensiling and drying on chemical composition, tannin content and improving nutritive value of GP.
Relative frequency alteration ofEscherichia coliin broiler intestine
Authors: Seidavi A , Mirhosseini S Z , Shivazad M , Chamani M , Sadeghi A A , Pourseify R
Published: June 2019

Escherichia coliis a commensal bacterium of the gut microflora of the chicken.Escherichia coliinfections are responsible for significant economic losses in the poultry industry world-wide. The pathogenesis and the role of virulence factors are not yet fully elucidated, although considerable progress has been made in recent years to establish the mechanisms of pathogenesis.Escherichia colistrains cause a number of diseases in domestic poultry, ultimately leading to disease and death, or to a decrease in egg and meat production or condemning of carcasses. On the other hand, our knowledge about the composition of the gut flora and microbial ecology of the gastrointestinal tract is still limited. Previous investigations have mainly used culture-dependent approaches. Studies on the composition of the intestinal flora of chickens date back to 1901 (Rahner, 1901) and were continued in the 1940s (Shapiro and Sarles, 1949), but comprehensive surveys that attempted to culture as many of the intestinal bacteria as possible were not carried out until the 1970s (Barneset al. 1972; Salanitroet al. 1974). Such studies are technically difficult since strict anaerobic conditions have to be maintained during isolation and biochemical differentiation of the bacteria. It is well recognized that many bacteria have not been cultured yet in the laboratory because their growth requirements are still unknown. Recent molecular studies have yielded more detailed insight into the composition of the microbial community of this ecosystem (Zhuet al. 2002). The objective of this study was to develop a PCR based method for rapid quantification ofEscherichia coliand investigation on its relative frequency in duodenum, jejunum, ileum and cecum of broilers.
Ileal crude protein digestibility, caecal crude protein retention and digesta viscosity in broilers fed enzyme supplemented rice husk
Authors: Ofongo S T , Kehraus S , Iyayi E A , Südekum K H
Published: June 2019

Enhanced nutrient digestion and absorption in enzyme supplemented broiler diets could be either through reduced digesta viscosity or weakening of the cage effect elicited by soluble or insoluble Non – Starch – Polysaccharides (NSP) on nutrient digestion and absorption. Inhibitory effect of insoluble NSP on endogenous protease reduces efficient digestion of nutrients embedded in cell wall matrix of grains. Increased amount of undigested and unabsorbed protein reaching the caecum implies available nutrient for fermentation and increased coliform forming units of such bacteria as clostridium that ferment proteins, peptides and amino acids. The study aimed to assess the effect of partial replacement of maize with Rice Husk (RH) supplemented with Roxazyme G2 G enzyme on ileal crude protein digestibility, caecal crude protein retention and digesta viscosity in broilers.
Effects of butyric acid, mannanoligosaccharide (MOS) and avilamycin on performance and small intestine morphology of broiler chickens
Authors: Mousavi S N , Shivazad M , Ghazvini N
Published: June 2019

The subtherapeutic use of antibiotics in animals has been under scientific and public scrutiny as antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) have been linked to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, which poses a threat to human health (Smith et al., 2003). Short chain fatty acids such as butyrate are considered as potential alternative to AGP, In addition to its bactericidal activity; butyrate appears to play a role in development of the intestinal epithelium (Leeson 2005). Prebiotics (e.g. mannanoligosaccharides, MOS) are nondigestible feed ingredients that can selectively stimulate growth or metabolic activity of a limited number of intestinal microorganisms (Gibson and Roberfroid, 1995). This study was, therefore, conducted to investigate effectiveness of mannanoligosaccharides and butyric acid as potential alternatives to AGP in broilers.
Food and feed security
Authors: Raymond M
Published: June 2019

Food security is a global issue. General acceptance of the UN prediction that the world must increase food production by at least 50% in the next 20 years, and at least 100% in the next 40. Climate change and water availability will make this extremely challenging.
Equine stereotypies: Current theories and future directions
Authors: Parker M
Published: June 2019

Spontaneous stereotypic behaviour is conceptualised as topographically invariant, repetitive, rigid behaviour patterns, typically thought to be an artefact of captivity (Mason and Rushen 2006). In horses, stereotypic behaviours are commonly reported, probably owing to the high numbers of domesticated animals maintained under restrictive conditions (Parkeret al., 2008a; Waterset al. 2002). Spontaneous stereotypies displayed by the horse include both oral (e.g., cribbing/windsucking) and locomotor (e.g., weaving and box-walking). There are a variety of extant theories as to what causes these behaviours, ranging from boredom to genetic predisposition and everywhere in-between. Affecting up to 35% of domestic horses in the UK, stereotypies represent a significant challenge for owners and a clear understanding of their aetiology is important in order to move to reduce the incidence. Recent advances in our understanding of the behavioural and neurobiological processes involved in the development and maintenance of drug-induced stereotypies in laboratory animals may provide us with a useful model for a better understanding of the spontaneous equivalent.
Efficient ruminant production from grassland
Authors: Scollan N D , Moorby J
Published: June 2019

Ruminant production in the UK is largely dependent on grasslands: approximately 52% of UK land is (improved) grassland and rough grazing. Herbage production from improved grassland can be over five times higher than that of indigenous swards (Davies et al., 1984) and these pastures account for the majority of ruminant (meat and milk) production from grassland the UK. They are also amenable to manipulation through the choice of species, variety and mixture of forages sown. Efficiency of production can be influenced at the levels of both the plant and the animal and by the nutrition and genetics of both. This paper examines strategies to increase production efficiency based upon optimising rumen fermentation linked to plant breeding approaches. In this way efficiency can be improved without recourse to diet manipulation with supplements, which is generally impractical at grazing. Although the rumen microbial population allows the ruminant animal to extract energy from otherwise unusable sources (i.e. fibres), the rumen is also the source of greatest inefficiencies in the use of nitrogen and energy. Degraded plant nitrogen that is not captured by the rumen microbes tends to be absorbed as ammonia, much of which is excreted as urea and contributes to ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions. Similarly, methane release from the rumen represents a waste of energy that could otherwise be used for production. Globally, these two processes result in ruminant livestock accounting for approximately a third of the methane emissions (Beauchemin et al., 2008) and half of the nitrous oxide emissions (de Klein and Eckard, 2008) from anthropogenic sources.
PROOF-THEORETIC ANALYSIS OF THE QUANTIFIED ARGUMENT CALCULUS
Authors: PAVLOVIĆ EDI , GRATZL NORBERT
Published: June 2019

This article investigates the proof theory of the Quantified Argument Calculus (Quarc) as developed and systematically studied by Hanoch Ben-Yami [3, 4]. Ben-Yami makes use of natural deduction (Suppes-Lemmon style), we, however, have chosen a sequent calculus presentation, which allows for the proofs of a multitude of significant meta-theoretic results with minor modifications to the Gentzen’s original framework, i.e., LK. As will be made clear in course of the article LK-Quarc will enjoy cut elimination and its corollaries (including subformula property and thus consistency).
(-)-Epicatechin reduces adiposity in male offspring of obese rats
Authors: De los Santos Sergio , Reyes-Castro Luis Antonio , Coral-Vázquez Ramón Mauricio , Méndez Juan Pablo , Leal-García Marcela , Zambrano Elena , Canto Patricia
Published: June 2019

Objective:

To determine whether (-)-epicatechin (Epi) could decrease visceral adipose tissue and improve the metabolic profile of male offspring rats, after maternal obesity was induced by a high-fat diet (HFD).

Design:

Maternal obesity in albino Wistar rats was induced with a HFD, whereas male offspring were fed with chow diet throughout the study. Eight male offspring per group, from different litters, were randomly assigned to the experimental or to the control groups. In the experimental group, Epi was administered at a dose of 1 mg/kg of body weight to the male offspring twice daily for two weeks, beginning at postnatal day (PND).

Main measures:

Weight of visceral adipose tissue, adipocyte size, and several metabolic parameters.

Results:

Epi administration in the male offspring induced a significant decrease in the amount of visceral fat (11.61 g less, P < 0.05) and in the size of adipose cells (28% smaller, P < 0.01). Besides, Epi was able to decrease insulin, leptin, and Homeostasis Model Assessment -Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (P < 0.05), as well as triglycerides, when the experimental group was compared to the untreated male offspring of obese rats (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

Epi administration can reverse the negative effects that maternal obesity has on the male offspring. This could be because Epi reduces the amount of visceral fat and improves metabolic profile.
Post-colonial Boundaries, International Law, and the Making of the Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar
Authors: SHAHABUDDIN Mohammad
Published: June 2019

The development of post-colonial states through the operation of theuti possidetisprinciple in international law is intrinsically connected to the suppression of ethnic minorities and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophes in these states. With the continuation of colonial boundaries in post-colonial states due to theuti possidetisprinciple, international law facilitates many of these catastrophes. Accordingly, through exploring the questionable legal status of theuti possidetisprinciple and the fallacy of its conflict-preventing potential, I argue thatuti possidetisitself is a key problem. The continuation of arbitrarily drawn colonial boundaries undermines the legitimate right to self-determination of numerous ethnic minorities. This paper specifically explores the application ofuti possidetisto Myanmar and how it contributed to the Rohingya crisis. In the process, the paper also highlights the inherent relationship between colonialism and international law and how it has shaped the development of post-colonial states.
Comment on Nico Krisch, “The Decay of Consent: International Law in an Age of Global Public Goods”
Authors: Benvenisti Eyal , Downs George W.
Published: June 2019

In his recent article, Nico Krisch joins an increasing number of scholars who worry about the “turn toward nonconsensual structures” in international lawmaking. Although the article is primarily descriptive and does not set out to offer either a rigorous explanation or a normative assessment of this trend, Krisch does suggest that the trend “reflects the fact that the need for greater cooperation [at the global level] . . . is not always, or not even typically, satisfied by international law.” It also gives voice to the concern that the move to informal institutions “point[s] in the direction of more hierarchical forms of governance” that increasingly cater to a small number of powerful states, rather than to the traditional, broad, consent-based order.
From Contract to Status: A Comment on Nico Krisch’s The Decay of Consent
Authors: Ginsburg Tom
Published: June 2019

In the mid-nineteenth century, the great anthropologist Henry Sumner Maine observed that legal systems tended to move over time from “status to contract” by which he meant that rights and duties were increasingly determined by consent rather than social or demographic factors. Maine’s thesis might have been applied to international law during the long era of high positivism, in which consent became the dominant principle after the Peace of Westphalia. Formal equality of states meant that formal treaties—”contract”—were the main mode of interaction. Even in the post-World War II era, consent played a major role, in part because the Security Council—the chief vehicle for legal exercise of “status”—was anemic. International organizations served as vehicles for the development of multilateral treaties of increasing scope and depth. Status and power were hidden rather than acknowledged elements of the system.
Reports of the Death of Treaty Are Premature, but Customary International Law May Have Outlived Its Usefulness
Authors: Trachtman Joel P.
Published: June 2019

Legal rules come and go. Methods of producing law may also flow and ebb. The authors of the call for papers in connection with this online Agora suggest that there is possible evidence that treaty as a method of producing international law is ebbing, and may be dying. I see no such evidence at present; rather, I argue here that the dying source of international law is not treaty but custom. In the more distant future, however, treaty, too, may become obsolete or at least less salient.

There are four categories of tools of international social cooperation: (i) international law produced through treaty (referred to herein simply as treaty); (ii) international law produced through custom, known as customary international law (CIL); (iii) international law produced through international organization decision-making (international legislation); and (iv) non-legal cooperative institutions (soft law). One of the signal characteristics of treaty is that no state is bound that has not explicitly and specifically consented. In order to sharpen the difference between treaty and international legislation, let us focus on international legislation produced by majority voting, which today is rare outside the European Union, but which may bind states without their specific consent.
“Uniting for Peace”: Does it Still Serve Any Useful Purpose?
Authors: Johnson Larry D.
Published: June 2019

During the past several years, vetoes have been cast in the UN Security Council to block draft resolutions aimed at addressing the crises in Syria and Ukraine. Concerning Syria, Russia and China have vetoed three resolutions (the votes were 9-2-4 on October 4, 2011, 13-2-0 on February 4, 2012, and 11-2-2 on July 19, 2012). Concerning Ukraine, Russia vetoed a resolution just recently (the vote was 13-1-1 on March 15, 2014). The same question that arose in 1950 has thus arisen again today: can the General Assembly do anything when the Council is blocked because of a permanent member casting a veto? The answer is “yes.” But the reason is not because of the Assembly’s resolution 377A(V) of November 3, 1950 (“Uniting for Peace”), even though advocates of Assembly action frequently invoke it. Indeed, this resolution is for the most part no longer needed to provide a basis for Assembly “collective measures” recommendations when a veto proscribes the Council’s adoption of such measures. Moreover, the resolution does not provide a basis or justification for the use of force that would not be justified on other grounds, such as self-defense.
Response to Richard Stewart, “Remedying Disregard in Global Regulatory Governance”
Authors: Zaring David
Published: June 2019

The globalization of administration is the most interesting thing happening in both administrative and international law. Richard Stewart’s article in the April 2014 issue of the American Journal of International Law is a brilliant tour of the horizon of the problems and prospects of this sort of lawmaking. It reflects the work he has done, along with Benedict Kingsbury, as a member of the Global Administrative Law (GAL) Project, housed at New York University Law School and joined by academics all over the world. I am a GAL fellow traveler, if not a paid member, and so I found the paper necessary. Global coordination is setting the standards for national administration in a vast array of issue areas, and surely is the most vibrant and rapidly developing form of international governance. It needs both organization and problematizing, and in this article, Stewart offers both.
Identifying the Rules for Identifying Customary International Law
Authors: Murphy Sean D.
Published: June 2019

The International Law Commission (ILC) decided in 2012 to add to its agenda a new topic on the “identification of customary international law” and to appoint Sir Michael Wood (United Kingdom) as special rapporteur. That project has reached an important point, with a series of Draft Conclusions having been cleared through the Commission’s Drafting Committee, and ready for the Commission’s provisional approval (together with commentaries) in 2015. As such, now is a propitious time for governments, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, scholars, and others to weigh in on the merits of these Draft Conclusions, and additional ones that will be developed in 2015–16.
The Pipe Dream of Constraining Recognition Through Democracy: International Lawyers’ Regulatory Project Continued
Authors: d’Aspremont Jean
Published: June 2019

Recognition is a formal expression by its author about how she perceives the situation to which recognition is extended. Recognition simultaneously constitutes a means for its author to make known her own view of a situation, including the legal consequences, if any, that the author attributes to the situation, and on which the author intends to base her policy. Albeit a political act, recognition deeply affects the international legal system and carries wide-ranging legal effects in both the international and domestic legal orders, especially when it comes to the recognition of states and governments.
Anti-Trafficking Law as a key to Global Economic Contradictions: A Response to Janie Chuang
Authors: Thomas Chantal
Published: June 2019

Anti-trafficking law, with its rapid ascent to public visibility since the establishment of the Palermo Protocol fifteen years ago, offers a highly salient framework for understanding, and addressing, human exploitation. Yet this framework, as Professor Janie Chuang brilliantly illustrates in her article, Exploitation Creep and the Un-making of Human Trafficking Law,1 has proven both over-inclusive and, simultaneously and problematically, under-inclusive in its endeavors.

The anti-trafficking framework is broad enough to have overlapped substantially with potentially competing legal and institutional regimes through the “exploitation creep” that Chuang identifies—regimes that ban, re-spectively, forced labor (“Creep 1”) and slavery (“Creep 2”). If brought to fruition, Chuang’s exposition suggests, the effect of anti-trafficking’s exploitation creep may be to marginalize the positive international law of forced labor and slavery treaties, and perhaps even to render them entirely superfluous.
The Origin and Evolution of Dino Fest
Authors: Rosenberg Gary D.
Published: June 2019

Late in the summer of 1993, Robert Hall, Chairman of the Department of Geology, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) thought it would be a good idea to invite a couple of dinosaur workers to campus to capitalize on the frenzy of enthusiasm for dinosaurs that the movie, Jurassic Park, had generated. However, what originally was to have been a couple of guest lectures quickly evolved into a three-day affair that was probably the first scientific conference–certainly the first paleontologic conference–for the general public, raising important issues about public involvement in science.