Shadi Hamadeh

Economic sustainability of small ruminants production in semi-arid areas of Lebanon

Small ruminant production in the near east region is facing serious constraint of feed availability. A study was conducted in marginal areas of Lebanon, using a cost-benefit analysis technique (CBA), to assess the feasibility of four small ruminant production systems ranging from semi-nomadic to settled. When the owned labor cost was included as an opportunity cost in the economic analysis, CBA revealed negative returns in all four systems. Only the settled system was profitable according to the financial analysis excluding labor cost. Moreover, feed expenses if coupled with grazing costs represented a major constraint to profitability. To remedy to the feed deficit problem, the potential of using agro-industrial by-products as feed block supplements was investigated. Simulated feed block diets, using the most available by-products, provided a better nutritive value per unit cost than hand-fed diets used in the systems studied. Preliminary analysis showed that the use of feed block diets could improve the economic sustainability of small ruminant production systems.

Humoral and cell-mediated immunopotentiation in vaccinated chicken layers by thymic hormones and zinc

The humoral and cell-mediated immunities to a trivalent killed vaccine, administered subcutaneously to white leghorn-chicken layers at 29 and 31 weeks of age, and containing antigens of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), and Newcastle disease virus (NDV), were quantitated in five vaccinated and one unvaccinated-control group. Four out of the five vaccinated groups were immunopotentiated by various combinations of zinc and thymic hormones administered intraperitoneally in a volume of 0.1 ml per bird at an interval of three days for a period of three weeks, starting at 29 weeks of age. At each time interval, each bird of the first group received thymulin (10 ng) and ZnCl2 (1 microM), while each bird of the second group received thymopoietin (25 ng) and ZnCl2 (1 microM); in the third group, each bird received thymulin (10 ng), thymopoietin (25 ng), and ZnCl2 (1 microM), while each bird of the fourth group received only ZnCl2 (1 microM). Birds of the fifth group were only vaccinated and the control birds in the sixth group were left without vaccination or other immunopotentiation. Among all combinations, the thymulin-ZnCl2 resulted in birds with the highest humoral immunopotentiation to IBV, IBDV, and NDV antigens with respective percent increase in the mean titer at 33 weeks of age, compared with initial titer at 29 weeks of age, equivalent to 199%, 671.7%, and 86.4%. The highest cell-mediated delayed hypersensitivity reaction, measured at 48 h following an intradermal administration of the trivalent vaccine in the wattles at 33 weeks of age, was obtained in chickens immunopotentiated by the thymulin-thymopoietin-ZnCl2 combination.

Bioactivity of Origanum syriacum Essential Oil against Candida albicans

ABSTRACT The susceptibility of 14 human isolates of Candida albicans to commercially available vaginal douche materials and to the essential oil of Origanum syriacum was investigated in hamsters. The essential oil of O. syriacum reduced the colonization and adaptability of the C. albicans more than the commercial douche materials (p < 0.05). In addition, a dilution of the Origanum syriacum essential oil in a water solution of dimethyl sulfoxide resulted in complete elimination of C. albicans from hamsters vagina in comparison to untreated controls (p < 0.05).

Reproductive performance of postpartum Awassi ewes under different lambing regimes

Abstract Reproductive performance was studied in 40 multiparous Awassi ewes, weaned during their first week postpartum (Regime A), or at 2 months postpartum (Regime B). In both regimes, ewes were simultaneously exposed to rams after weaning, for a period of 48 days. In Regime A, early weaning did not improve reproductive performance in fertility and prolificacy; however, it indicated their potential to breed during early postpartum and lamb at 6-month intervals. Both regimes resulted in ewes conceiving at an average of 30 days after ram introduction. The peripheral progesterone concentrations in ewes, monitored at biweekly intervals after ram introduction, ranged from 0.14 ± 0.02 ng ml−1 to 2.95 ± 0.72 ng ml−1, during the first 2 months postpartum (Regime A ewes), and from 2.5 ± 0.73 ng ml−1 to 3.85 ± 0.82 ng ml−1, during 2–4 months postpartum (Regime B ewes). Subsequent lambing dates confirmed estimates of conception based on progesterone concentrations. Progesterone values revealed that 18% of Awassi ewes remained in anestrus (progesterone level was less than 0.5 ng ml−1), with no response to either Regime A or B; the rest showed variable degrees of cyclicity. However, only 28% of the ewes conceived and lambed. Only three ewes (8%) showed continuous cycling activities, conception, and subsequent lambing. It was concluded that ovulatory activity in spring postpartum Awassi ewes is not always associated with successful conception and lambing.

Bioactivity of origanum syriacum essential oil against candida albicans

ABSTRACT The susceptibility of 14 human isolates of Candida albicans to commercially available vaginal douche materials and to the essential oil of Origanum syriacum was investigated in hamsters. The essential oil of O. syriacum reduced the colonization and adaptability of the C. albicans more than the commercial douche materials (p < 0.05). In addition, a dilution of the Origanum syriacum essential oil in a water solution of dimethyl sulfoxide resulted in complete elimination of C. albicans from hamsters vagina in comparison to untreated controls (p < 0.05).

Reproductive performance, progesterone serum, and milk production in spring postpartum Awassi and Finn×Texel×Awassi ewes

Spring postpartum reproductive performance was investigated in 19 Awassi and 15 Finn × Texel × Awassi (FTA) crossbred ewes, weaned at 2 months postpartum and simultaneously exposed to rams for a period of 48 days. The study was conducted in 1991/92 in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. Postpartum FTA ewes tended to have higher fecundity and prolificacy than those of Awassi ewes. Forty percent of the FTA ewes conceived and gave birth to 1.3 lambs per lambing, while 31.4% of the Awassi ewes conceived and lambed (1.1 lambs per lambing). Lambing to lambing and ram introduction to lambing intervals were similar in both genotypes and confirmed that a sizeable proportion (30-40%) of Awassi ewes and their crosses may rebreed during spring postpartum anoestrus and lamb at c. 8 months interval. Furthermore, relative progesterone values revealed continuous ovarian activity in 16 % of Awassi ewes and 40 % of FTA ewes and confirmed estimates of conception in ewes. All ewes with continuous ovulation mated and lambed. Weekly estimates of milk production over a 2-month period, starting the second week of lactation, showed that daily milk yields were almost twice as much in Awassi as in FTA ewes (P < 0.01). These results indicate the potential for Awassi ewes and their crosses to be incorporated into frequent lambing systems. Reproductive efficiency in these ewes could be monitored efficiently by measuring progesterone at 2-weekly intervals.

Evaluation of a Salmonella Enteritidis vaccine and related ELISA for respective induction and assessment of acquired immunity to the vaccine and/or Echinacea purpurea in Awassi Ewes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate an experimental Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) bacterin and an indirect ELISA system to assess quantitatively the acquired immunity in Awassi ewes to the vaccine and/or Echinacea purpurea (EP) dried roots. Four treatments of the ewes were included in the experimental design, with 6 ewes/treatment. The first treatment (T1) had the controls that were non-vaccinated and non-treated with EP. The T2 ewes were only treated with EP. The T3 and T4 ewes were vaccinated at D1 (initiation of trial) and D10, while the T4 ewes were additionally administered the EP dried roots. Blood was collected from the jugular vein of all ewes at D1, D10, D21 and D45. The construction of the vaccine and the ELISA are detailed within the manuscript. The ELISA was able to detect quantitatively the significant acquired primary and secondary immunity to the vaccine in T3 and T4 ewes, compared to their low level of background immunities at initiation of the experiment (p<0.05). In addition, the ELISA detected the absence of seroconversion at all blood sampling times (p>0.05) in T1 control ewes, and in the T2 ewes that were given only the (EP) (p>0.05). Moreover, the ELISA was able to uncover the significant seroconversion of secondary immune response in T4 ewes at D21 compared to that at D10 (p<0.05), and the absence of significant seroconversion of secondary response in T3 ewes. This is the first work in literature that reports the need to supplement the vaccination by the experimental SE bacterin with daily oral intake of 250mg of EP-dried roots, effective the first vaccination day and up to 21 days, for obtaining a statistically significant seroconversion.

Comparison of phenotypic and virulence genes characteristics in human and chicken isolates of Proteus mirabilis

Abstract The objective of this work is to compare the phenotypic and virulence genes characteristics in human and chicken isolates of Proteus mirabilis. The bacterial examination of 50 livers of individual broilers, marketed by four major outlets, revealed a high recovery of P. mirabilis (66%), and a low recovery frequency of Salmonella spp. (4%), Serratia odorifera (2%), Citrobacter brakii (2%), and Providencia stuartii (2%). The phenotypic biochemical characterization of the recovered 33 chicken isolates of P. mirabilis were compared to 30 human isolates (23 urinary and six respiratory isolates). The comparison revealed significant differences in the presence of gelatinase enzyme (100% presence in chicken isolates versus 91·3 and 83·3% presence in human urinary and respiratory isolates, respectively, P<0·05). The H2S production occurred in 100% of chicken isolates versus 95·6 and 66·7% presence in human urinary and respiratory isolates, respectively, P<0·05). The other 17 biochemical characteristics did not differ significantly among the three groups of isolates (P>0·05). Two virulence genes, the mrpA and FliL, were having a typical 100% presence in randomly selected isolates of P. mirabilis recovered from chicken livers (N = 10) versus isolates recovered from urinary (N = 5) and respiratory specimens of humans (N = 5) (P>0·05). The average percentage similarity of mrpA gene nucleotide sequence of poultry isolates to human urinary and respiratory isolates was 93·2 and 97·5-%, respectively. The high similarity in phenotypic characteristics, associated with typical frequency of presence of two virulence genes, and high similarity in sequences of mrpA gene among poultry versus human P. mirabilis isolates justifies future investigations targeting the evaluation of adaptable pathogenicity of avian Proteus mirabilis isolates to mammalian hosts.

Sustainable Improvement of Small Ruminant Production in the Semi-Arid Areas of Lebanon

ABSTRACT Small ruminant production in semi-arid areas could be improved drastically by overcoming feed, health and management constraints. This study aimed at assessing the bio-economical sustainability of small ruminant production in the semi-arid regions of Lebanon through the introduction of an integrated technical package including: a basic health preventive program, feed optimization during critical late gestation period and finally, a basic selection program. Seventeen herders were divided into four groups: Groups A and B were given the full technical package with either soybean and corn meal or barley supplements, respectively. Group C received a basic preventive health program only and Group D was considered the control group. Bio-economic data were collected on a monthly basis over one year and submitted to a cost benefit analysis. Feed cost and pasture rent represented the major obstacles to productivity and contributed 53% and 33%, respectively, to the total financial cost. Groups A and B showed better financial revenues than groups C and D, with Group A having the highest return and lowest risk in terms of total expenditure and total revenue variances. It may be concluded that the integration of preventive health, feed optimization, and basic selection into one program could improve the economical sustainability of small ruminant production systems in semi-arid areas.

The Lebanese Kishk: A Traditional Dairy Product in a Changing Local Food System

This paper focuses on analyzing the production chain of traditional kishk prepared with wheat and milk in two Lebanese regions, the West Bekaa and the Chouf. It aims at assessing kishk processing to analyze the sustainability of this traditional product especially under the impact of changing wheat production and milk availability. A survey was conducted at the level of kishk producers and wheat farmers to identify the different production systems based on their scale and their practices. Results showed that kishk production has been sustained by rural women in the designated areas and was not affected by the changes that have occurred in the wheat sector which included introduction of new wheat varieties; on the contrary, this traditional product has adopted the new varieties. In addition, the versatility of kishk recipe prepared from cow, sheep or goat milk, makes this dairy product resilient to changes in milk availability and sources. However, the authors found that conserving traditional kishk requires substantial efforts in marketing, certification, and quality control.