V. R. B. Sastry

Effect of phenolic monomers on biomass and hydrolytic enzyme activities of an anaerobic fungus isolated from wild nil gai (Baselophus tragocamelus)

Aims: To test the anaerobic fungus, Piromyces sp. FNG5, for its tolerance to phenolic monomers released in the rumen by degradation of lignocellulosic poor‐quality feeds.

Performance of broiler chicks fed on alkali‐treated neem (Azadirachta indica) kernel cake as a protein supplement

1. An experiment was conducted to evaluate growth and nutrient efficiency of broiler chicks from 3 to 42 d fed on diets containing alkali-treated neem (Azadirachta indica A. juss) kernel cake (NKC) as a protein supplement in place of peanut meal (PNM). 2. NKC was treated with sodium hydroxide at 10 (ANKC 1) or 20 g (ANKC 2)/kg and incorporated into the test diets at 135 or 300 g/kg to replace 50 (low-L) or 100 (High-H)% of the PNM protein of the reference diet. 3. Despite comparable retentions of dry matter and total carbohydrate on L-ANKC 1 and 2, fibre on L-and H-ANKC 2 and nitrogen, calcium and acid detergent fibre on all experimental diets compared to the retentions of chicks on the reference diet, only the chicks fed L-ANKC 2 were found to grow and utilise food as well as those on the reference diet. 4. The activities of serum alkaline phosphatase on H-ANKC 1 and alanine amino transferase on all test diets were depressed (P < 0.05), but the activity of serum aspartate amino transferase, total erythrocyte count and concentration of blood haemoglobin and urea were similar in all chicks. 5. No significant differences were noticed in the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the meat of chicks fed on the reference diet and on diets incorporating ANKC at the lower concentrations. Feeding ANKC protein did not impart any untoward taste as evaluated in pressure cooked meat by a semitrained panel on a 7 point Hedonic scale. 6. Except for duodenal and jejunal inflammation in chicks on both reference and test diets, all the vital organs were normal, ruling out any adverse affects caused by residual neem bitters. 7. Comparable performance and cost of chicks fed on the reference and L-ANKC 2 diets, warrants the utilisation of hitherto wasted protein-rich NKC after alkali treatment in broiler chick diets to spare peanut meal for human consumption in developing countries.

Fermentative characteristics and fibrolytic activities of anaerobic gut fungi isolated from wild and domestic ruminants

Fermentative characteristics and fibrolytic enzyme activities of anaerobic gut fungi from wild (17 isolates) and domestic ruminants (15 isolates) were examined. In a medium containing 0.5% wheat straw and 0.02% cellobiose as energy source, activities of carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase), avicelase, xylanase, acetyl esterase and protease produced by the fungal isolates were investigated. Average activity of CMCase (17.4 vs. 8.25 mIU ml−1), acetyl esterase (134 vs. 57 mIU ml−1) and protease (4400 vs. 1683 mIU ml−1) were significantly higher in isolates from wild ruminants than those from domestic ruminants. Xylanase and avicelase activities were comparable. When compared irrespective of source, fungal isolates having monocentric growth pattern produced more fibrolytic enzymes than isolates having polycentric growth pattern. CMCase, xylanase, avicelase activities were highest in Neocallimastix isolates. Acetyl esterase activity was highest in Piromyces and Neocallimastix isolates. Protease activity was highest in Piromyces isolates followed closely by Neocallimastix isolates. Between isolates from wild and domestic ruminants few differences were observed in pattern of carbohydrate utilisation and end products of fermentation. Inter-strain differences in the end product formation were apparent. All of the isolates produced acetate, lactate and formate; only a few isolates produced succinate. For isolation of superior fibrolytic isolates of anaerobic fungi, greater emphasis should be given to the screening of enzyme activities of isolates of genera Neocallimastix and Piromyces.

Performance of growing lambs fed processed karanj (Pongamia glabra) oil seed cake as partial protein supplement to soybean meal.

The aim of this study was to determine whether processed karanj (Pongamia glabra) oil seed cake can be used as a supplement to partially replace soybean meal (SBM). Male lambs (n = 24) of uniform body weight (12.88 +/- 0.15 kg) were equally allotted at random to a SBM-based control (CON) and three test concentrate mixtures, containing detoxified solvent extracted karanj cake (SKC) using three processing methods: water washing (WW), 2.5% lime (LM) and 0.4% binder (BN) treatment. The processed SKC replaced 50% nitrogen of SBM of CON. The respective concentrate mixtures were fed along with ad libitum chaffed oat (Avena sativa) straw for 196 days. Dry matter intake was significantly (p < 0.01) lower on WW, LM and BN. Apparent digestibility coefficient of nutrients was comparable, except for total carbohydrates, which was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in LM and BN. Total gain, average daily gain and feed: gain ratio was comparable (p > 0.05) between the CON and WW diets but significantly lower in LM and BN groups. Yield of greasy wool was lower (p < 0.05) in BN group. Comparable dry matter and nutrient (crude protein and total digestible nutrients) conversion efficiency was observed on CON and WW diet but the lambs on the LM and BN diets exhibited lower (p < 0.01) conversion efficiency. It is concluded that SKC after water washing could replace 50% of SBM nitrogen in protein supplementation.

PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKS FED ON DIETS CONTAINING UREA AMMONIATED NEEM(AZADIRACHTA INDICA) KERNEL CAKE

1. The performance, nutrient utilisation, blood profile, carcase composition, gross pathology and sensory evaluation of meat from broiler chicks fed from 3 to 42 d on diets containing urea ammoniated neem (Azadirachta indica, A.juss) kernel cake (NKC) as a protein supplement to replace peanut meal (PNM), were evaluated. NKC was ammoniated with urea at 15 (UANKC 1) or 25 g (UANKC 2)/kg and incorporated into the test diets to replace either half (134.5 g/kg (L-UANKC 1) and 127.5 g/kg (L-UANKC 2), respectively) or all (269, g/kg (H-UANKC 1) and 255.0 g/kg (H-UANKC 2), respectively) of the nitrogen provided by the PNM. 2. The growth, food intake and efficiency of nutrient utilisation of the birds were comparable between the reference and L-UANKC 1 and 2 diets but were depressed on the other UANKC diets. 3. The retention of dry matter (DM), crude fibre (CF), nitrogen-free extract, total carbohydrate, gross energy, acid detergent fibre, calcium and phosphorus were similar among groups, except lower DM and higher CF and phosphorus retentions were noted in chicks fed on the H-UANKC 1, H-UANKC 2 and L-UANKC 2 diets. All the chicks were in positive nitrogen balance and percentage nitrogen retention did not differ between the reference and test diets. 4. Haemoglobin, total erythrocyte count and aspartate amino transferase activity were unaffected by diet, but total leucocyte count was higher in chicks fed on the H-UANKC 1 and 2 diets and alanine amino transferase activities were lower in chicks fed on the test diets. Blood urea increased as the amount of urea in the diets increased. 5. Most of the physico-chemical carcase characteristics from birds fed on the L-UANKC 2 were comparable to those from birds fed on the reference diet. No bitter taste was noticed in cooked meat from any diet by the sensory panel. 6. Incorporation of L-UANKC 2 was economical and responses were comparable to those observed on the reference diet. 7. It was concluded that NKC detoxified with 25 g urea/kg can economically and successfully replace half the nitrogen of PNM in broiler diets thereby mitigating the chronic shortage of costly oil cakes in developing countries.

Biochemical and histopathological changes in sheep fed different detoxified karanj (Pongamia glabra) seed cake as partial protein supplements

The study investigated the long-term effect of feeding processed solvent extracted karanj (Pongamia glabra) cake (SKC) on gross pathology and histopathological changes in some vital organs, and on the activities of serum enzymes in Jalauni lambs. Twenty-four male lambs were divided into 4 groups and allotted randomly to a soybean meal (SBM) based control (CON) and 3 treatment groups receiving concentrate mixtures, containing water washed (WW), 2.5% lime (LM) and 0.4% binder (BN) treated SKC replacing 50% nitrogen of SBM to meet the protein requirements. Blood was collected after 150 days from all the lambs and serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed. All lambs were sacrificed after 196 days, and vital organs screened for gross pathological lesions. The representative tissues of liver, intestine, parathyroid gland, testis, and epididymis were sampled, preserved in 10% formalin and processed to examine histopathological changes by staining with haematoxylin and eosin (HE). The serum enzyme activities of AST and ALT were similar in the treatments, but the activity of LDH was higher (P < 0.01) in processed SKC-fed groups than the control. The weight and size of the liver were decreased in BN group, while those of testes were decreased in both LM and BN groups. The histological sections of the testes and epididymis of lambs from LM group showed hypoplastic seminiferous tubules and empty ductules, respectively. The histological sections of the parathyroid gland in the same diet revealed smaller and non-secretory chief cells. The small intestine of lambs from BN group showed infiltration of mononuclear cells (MNC) in lamina propria with mild fibroplasia in intervillous areas. The histological section of liver from this group showed MNC infiltration in portal areas. The inclusion of water washed SKC in the concentrate mixture of lambs did not show gross pathological and histological alterations in the tissues in the vital organs; however, the activity of LDH was significantly (P = 0.001) elevated in processed SKC-fed groups than the control. Thus, feeding of water washed SKC in the concentrate at 225 g/kg for a longer period do not cause any adverse effect in lambs. This is supported by normal activities of serum enzymes and intact histological features in the tissues of liver, intestine, parathyroid gland and testis.