A. M. Nour

The use of leucaena leaf meal in feeding Nile tilapia

A 14 week experiment was carried out to study the effects of replacing three different levels (33%, 66%; and 100%;) of berseem leaf meal (BLM) by leucaena leaf meal (LLM) treated in four different ways (drying for 48 h at 60 ‡C, autoclaved for 15 min, sprayed with 1% sodium hydroxide and incubated with rumen liquor for 24 h). Groups of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), fingerlings (5.07 g mean weight) were fed one of 13 isonitrogenous (30% crude protein) and isocaloric (19.67 kJ per g dry matter) diets, with two replicates (10 fish per aquarium) for each treatment. The results indicated that weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and protein utilization parameters were significantly (p < 0.05) increased by the higher percentage of dried or cooked LLM in tilapia diets. On the other hand, the lowest growth performance and feed utilization parameters were observed in the groups fed LLM diets treated with sodium hydroxide or incubated with rumen liquor. Carcass protein and fat increased significantly (p < 0.05) with increasing levels of LLM and simultaneously decreasing ash content.

A method for determining 2-aminoethane-phosphonic acid in rumen contents

The work described is an attempt to develop a reliable method for determining AEP when mixed with related substances from micro-organisms in the rumen. Hydrochloric acid hydrolysates of rumen contents, rumen bacteria, rumen ciliate protozoa and clarified rumen contents were applied to a column (10 × 1 cm) of Dowex 50–X8, eluted with 0·6 N hydrochloric acid and 2·4-ml fractions collected. Inorganic phosphorus was separated in column fractions 2–10 and AEP appeared in fractions 11–23.When fractions containing AEP were spotted on to Whatman No. 1 filter-paper strips the developed chromatograms showed six ninhydrin-positive spots in addition to that of AEP, which was the slowest acid to migrate (RF= 0·3). The substance giving spot No. 4, another phosphonic acid (RF= 0·59), was present in ciliate protozoa and ciliate-free fractions of rumen contents, whereas AEP was confined to protozoa. A highly significant correlation was found between the AEP concentrations and protozoal counts in samples of rumen contents collected at different intervals. It is therefore suggested that the concentration of AEP can be used as a marker of the protozoal growth in the rumen.

In vitro degradation of lysine by ruminal fluid-based fermentations and by Fusobacterium necrophorum

The objective of these studies was to characterize some factors affecting lysine degradation by mixed ruminal bacteria and by ruminal Fusobacterium necrophorum. Mixed ruminal bacteria degraded lysine, and addition of pure cultures of F. necrophorum did not increase lysine degradation. Addition of acetic or propionic acid strikingly reduced NH(3) production from lysine by mixed ruminal bacteria at pH 6, but not at pH 7. Although typical ruminal environments with acidic pH and normal concentrations of volatile fatty acids might inhibit lysine degradation by F. necrophorum, ruminal fluid contained enough bacteria with a lysine-degrading capacity to ferment 50 mM lysine in vitro. Of 7 strains of ruminal F. necrophorum tested, all grew on both lactate and lysine as the primary energy source. Both subspecies of ruminal F. necrophorum (necrophorum and funduliforme) used lysine as a primary C and energy source. Lysine and glutamic acid were effectively fermented by F. necrophorum, but alanine and tryptophan were not, and histidine and methionine were fermented only to a minor extent. The end products of lactate fermentation by F. necrophorum were propionate and acetate, and those of lysine degradation were butyrate and acetate. Fermentation of glutamic acid by F. necrophorum yielded acetate and butyrate in a ratio near to 2:1. The minimum inhibitory concentration of tylosin for F. necrophorum was not dependent on whether bacteria were grown with lactate or lysine, but F. necrophorum was more susceptible to monensin when grown on lysine than on lactate. Although F. necrophorum is generally resistant to monensin, the ionophore may reduce lysine degradation by F. necrophorum in the rumen. The essential oil components limonene, at 20 or 100 μg/mL, and thymol, at 100 μg/mL, inhibited F. necrophorum growth, whereas eugenol, guaiacol, and vanillin had no effect. Our findings may lead to ways to minimize ruminal lysine degradation and thus increase its availability to the animal.

In Vitro assessment of the nutritive value of expanded soybean meal for dairy cattle

Little information is available about the nutritive value of expanded soybean meal, which is produced by expansion of soybeans prior to solvent extraction of the oil. During processing, expanded soybean meal is subjected to additional heat, which might increase the concentration of ruminally undegraded protein. Processing of soybeans with heat during oil extraction could affect lysine availability by increasing ruminally undegraded protein or by impairing intestinal digestion. Our objective was to compare solvent and expanded soybeans with regard to chemical composition and nutritive value for dairy cattle. Samples of expanded soybean meal (n = 14) and solvent-extracted soybean meal (n = 5) were obtained from Peoples Republic of China to study effects of the expansion process on nutritive value for dairy cattle. Solvent-extracted soybean meal (n = 2) and mechanically extracted (heated) soybean meal (n = 2) from the United States served as references for comparison. Samples were analyzed for crude fat, long-chain fatty acids, crude protein, amino acids, chemically available lysine, in situ ruminal protein degradation, and in vitro intestinal digestibility. No differences were found between solvent-extracted soybean meals from China and expanded soybean meals from China for crude fat, crude protein, amino acids, or chemically available lysine. In situ disappearance of nitrogen, ruminally undegraded protein content, and in vitro intestinal digestion of the ruminally undegraded protein were generally similar between solvent-extracted soybean meals made in China and expanded soybean meals made in China; variation among soybean meals was small. Results indicate that the additional heat from the expansion process was not great enough to affect the nutritive value of soybean meal protein for ruminants. Although expansion may improve the oil extraction process, the impact on the resulting soybean meal is minimal and does not require consideration when formulating ruminant diets.

Effects of Stocking Density and Water Exchange Rates on Growth Performance of Tiger Shrimp, Penaeus Semisulcatus Cultured in Earthen Ponds

The trial was conducted in earthen pond with average initial weight of 4.5 ± 0.4 mg/PLs of green tiger shrimp, to examine the effect of three stocking density and two water exchange rate on growth performances, production traits and feed composition. Eighteen earthen ponds (2200 m2) were stocked with either, 5, 15 and 25 PLs/m3, and received either 10 or 20% of water exchange rate. The results revealed that, mean final weight (g/PLs), gain in weight (g/PLs), gain in weight %, SGR (% /day), feed conversion ratio, protein productive value (PPV), protein efficiency ratio (PER), fat gain and energy utilization were significantly (p≤0.01) the best at the lowest stocking density. While, total production exhibited significantly the opposite trend. There significant differences (P≤0.05) were found between water exchange rate in term of mean final weight (g/PLs), gain in weight (g/PLs), gain in weight %, SGR (%/day), feed conversion ratio, PPV, PER, fat gain and energy utilization. From the above results and the economic information of these study it can be concluded that, stocking density of 15 PLs/m2 of green tiger shrimp and 20% water exchange rate exhibited the highest net profit and would seem to be the most desirable density and water exchange rate in the system studied.

Hydroxymethyl lysine is a source of bioavailable lysine for ruminants

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the availability to ruminants of lysine from hydroxymethyl lysine, a product potentially resistant to ruminal degradation yet able to release free lysine when subjected to the acidic environment of the abomasum. An in vitro ruminal fermentation assay that led to ammonia production from free lysine was used for initial assessments, but the hydroxymethyl lysine was inhibitory to lysine degradation at the concentrations tested in vitro; therefore, an in vivo assay with sheep, using plasma lysine concentrations as the response criterion, was used for assessment. twelve mature sheep were fed graded amounts of lysine from either a commercially available ruminally protected lysine product with known availability or from hydroxymethyl lysine. the protected lysine product provided 3 or 6 g/d of metabolizable lysine, whereas the hydroxymethyl lysine provided 3 or 6 g/d of total lysine. Plasma lysine concentrations increased linearly in response to both the ruminally protected lysine product and hydroxymethyl lysine. by slope ratio analysis, the bioavailability of lysine in hydroxymethyl lysine was estimated to be 94% of that for the commercially available product. We concluded that hydroxymethyl lysine may be used as an effective means of supplementing lysine to ruminants.

Spatio–Temporal Dynamics of Gastrointestinal Helminths Infecting Four Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) Stocks in Northern Lakes Michigan and Huron, U.S.A.

abstract:  This study was undertaken to identify the community composition, structure, and dynamics of helminths infecting the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) collected from 4 sites in northern lakes Huron (Cheboygan and De Tour Village) and Michigan (Big Bay de Noc and Naubinway) from fall 2003 through summer 2006. A total of 21,203 helminths was retrieved from the GITs of 1,284 lake whitefish. Approximately 42% (SE  =  1.4%) of the examined lake whitefish were infected with at least 1 helminth species in their GIT, with a mean intensity of 39.4 worms/fish (SE  =  0.3) and a mean abundance of 16.4 worms/fish (SE  =  0.1). Collected helminths appeared to be generalists and consisted of 2 phyla (Acanthocephala and Cestoda) and 5 species (Acanthocephalus dirus, Neoechinorhynchus tumidus, Echinorhynchus salmonis, Cyathocephalus truncatus, and Bothriocephalus sp.). Lake whitefish from Lake Huron on average had greater infection prevalences, abundances, and intensities than did fish from Lake Michigan. Infection parameters for each of the helminth species generally followed the same pattern observed for the combined data. Acanthocephalus dirus was the most prevalent and abundant helminth in lake whitefish GITs, although intensity of infection was the greatest for C. truncatus. Helminth infection parameters often peaked in the spring while diversity was greatest in the winter samples. There was substantial temporal variability in helminth infections with prevalences, abundances, and intensities often fluctuating widely on consecutive sampling occasions. Analysis of the GIT helminth community composition suggested that 3 (Big Bay de Noc, De Tour Village, and Cheboygan) of the 4 primary spawning sites, overall, had similar community compositions. The reason for the observed spatial and temporal variability in the lake whitefish GIT helminth infections remains to be elucidated. The findings of this study represent the most comprehensive parasitological study ever conducted on lake whitefish in the Great Lakes and will provide valuable information for future comparisons.

Bioavailability of lysine from hydroxymethyl lysine

Twelve mature sheep were used as a ruminant model to estimate the bioavailability of lysine in hydroxymethyl lysine (HML) compared with a commercial product of rumen-protected lysine (RPL; LysiPEARL, Kemin Industries, Inc.) with known availability. The sheep were fed a diet with a forage to concentrate ratio similar to that of dairy diets. Following a control period in which plasma lysine was measured when sheep received no supplemental lysine, the sheep were provided 2 of 4 treatments during periods 2 and 3; treatments included RPL to provide 3 or 6 g/day of available lysine (actual amounts of product provided were based on the manufacturer’s data related to ruminal escape and intestinal availability) and 3 or 6 g/day of lysine provided as HML. Blood samples were collected at the end of each feeding period at 3 hours after feeding. Both HML and RPL significantly increased plasma lysine concentrations. By comparison with plasma lysine concentrations when known amounts of bioavailable lysine were provided as RPL, the bioavailability of lysine in HML was estimated to be 94%. Results indicate that HML may be an effective means of supplementing lysine to dairy cattle.

Lysine degradation by ruminal Fusobacteriumnecrophorum

Three experiments were conducted to characterize lysine fermentation by Fusobacterium necrophorum, a ruminal bacterium that is known to degrade amino acids. In Experiment 1, 7 strains of Fusobacterium necrophorum were inoculated into media containing lysine (50 mM), lactate (50 mM), or lysine plus lactate (50 mM each) as the major energy substrate to evaluate growth and ammonia production. All strains grew with lysine, lactate, or lactate plus lysine as the primary substrate. When grown with lysine, all strains produced ammonia as an end product, even if lactate was also present. Smaller concentrations of ammonia for medium containing lactate plus lysine when compared with lysine alone indicate that the Fusobacterium strains used lactate as a growth substrate that stimulated utilization of ammonia. In Experiment 2, the 2 strains tested were able to degrade extensively both lysine and glutamic acid. Some evidence was detected for partial utilization for growth of histidine, methionine, and tryptophan by strain A21. In Experiment 3, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the antibiotic tylosin was 25 μg/mL when Fusobacterium necrophorum strains A21 and B35 were grown in either lysine or lactate-enriched medium. The MIC of monensin was 6.25 and 3.9 μg/mL for strains A21 and B35, respectively, when grown in lysine-enriched medium, but > 50 and 10.9 μg/mL when the strains were grown in lactate-enriched medium. These findings may lead to ways that ruminal lysine degradation may be controlled.