Effect of graded levels of soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder on reproductive performance in broiler breeders.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder (SSP) on serum hormone level, egg quality, semen characteristics and reproductive performance of broiler breeders fed with a maize-soybean meal based diet. METHODS: Ninety six female and twenty four male CARIBRO-VISHAL broiler breeders, 38-week old, were individually caged and randomly allocated to four treatment groups (24 female breeders/treatment and 6 male breeders/treatment): an un-supplemented control (T1) and three groups with 0.0176% SSP (group T2), 0.026% SSP (group T3) and 0.0528% SSP (group T4), to have supplementary saponin at 0, 50, 75, and 150 ppm, respectively, for 42 days. RESULTS: The results indicated that serum (p<0.001) and seminal plasma (p<0.05) testosterone level, semen volume (p<0.001), mass motility (p<0.001), and live spermatozoa count (p<0.001) was increased in groups T3 and T4 compared to T2 and control groups. Compared with control group, total sperm count was increased (p<0.001) and dead spermatozoa count was decreased (p<0.001) in SSP supplemented groups. Supplementation of SSP did not affected the quality of egg lay. Compared with control group, fertility (p<0.01) and hatchability (total eggs set and fertile eggs set) (p<0.001) were significantly improved in SSP supplemented groups with the highest improvement in T3 treatment group. Embryonic death was decreased (p< 0.001) in SSP supplemented groups compared to control; lowest embryonic death was recorded in T3 treatment group. CONCLUSION: Thus, it was concluded that dietary supplementation of 0.026% SSP (saponin equivalent 75 ppm) improved the reproductive performance of broiler breeders.

Degradation of euptox A by tannase-producing rumen bacteria from migratory goats.

AIMS: The gut microbiota capable of degrading plant biomass and antinutritional phytometabolites are of immense importance. This study reports isolation and characterization of tannase-producing rumen bacteria that could also degrade euptox A (9-oxo-10,11-dehydroageraphorone) present in Eupatorium adenophorum (Spreng). METHODS AND RESULTS: Migratory Gaddi goats were selected as source of inoculums for isolating rumen bacteria with ability to produce tannase which catalyses degradation of hydrolysable tannins (HTs). Three rumen bacterial isolates producing tannase were studied, and identified as Klebsiella variicola strain PLP G-17 LC, K. variicola strain PLP S-18 and Klebsiella pneumoniae strain PLP G-17 SC. The isolates exhibited optimal tannase activity at 40°C, and pH 6·0. The bacteria could also degrade euptox A, a potent hepatotoxin in E. adenophorum Spreng, a widely distributed noxious weed. CONCLUSIONS: The rumen bacteria could degrade antinutritional HTs and euptox A. Culture-independent metagenomic interventions are envisioned to completely decipher the rumen microbial ecology and exploit its genetic and metabolic potential. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The bacteria producing tannase which catalyses degradation of HTs, and concurrently degrading euptox A, may have potential as microbial feed additives to increase utilization of plant biomass containing antinutritional phytometabolites.

Nutrient intake, digestibility and performance of Gaddi kids supplemented with tea seed or tea seed saponin extract.

OBJECTIVE: An experiment was conducted to determine the nutrient intake, digestibility, microbial protein synthesis, haemato-biochemical attributes, immune response and growth performance of Gaddi kids fed with oat fodder based basal diet supplemented with either tea seed or tea seed saponin (TSS) extract. METHODS: Eighteen male kids, 7.03±0.16 months of age and 19.72±0.64 kg body weight, were distributed into three groups, T0 (control), T1, and T2, consisting of 6 animals each in a completely randomized design. The kids were fed a basal diet consisting of concentrate mixture and oat fodder (50:50). Animals in group III (T2) were supplemented with TSS at 0.4% of dry matter intake (DMI), and group II (T1) were supplemented with tea seed at 2.6% of DMI to provide equivalent dose of TSS as in T2. Two metabolism trials were conducted, 1st after 21 days and 2nd after 90 days of feeding to evaluate the short term and long term effects of supplementation. RESULTS: The tea seed (T1) or TSS (T2) supplementation did not affect DMI as well as the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, and acid detergent fibre. Nutritive value of diet and plane of nutrition were also comparable for both the periods. However, the average daily gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were improved (p<0.05) for T1 and T2 as compared to T0. The microbial protein supply was also higher (p<0.05) for T1 and T2 for both the periods. There was no effect of supplementation on most blood parameters. However, the triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased (p<0.05) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol level increased (p<0.05) in T2 as compared with T0 and T1. Supplementation also did not affect the cell mediated and humoral immune response in goats. CONCLUSION: Tea seed at 2.6% of DMI and TSS at 0.4% DMI can be fed to Gaddi goats to improve growth rate, FCR and microbial protein synthesis.

Table-top source for x-ray absorption spectroscopy with photon energies up to 350 eV.

We present a table-top setup for x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) based on high harmonic generation (HHG) in noble gases. Using sub-millijoule pump pulses at a central wavelength of 1550 nm, broadband HHG in the range of 70-350 eV was demonstrated. The HHG coherence lengths of several millimeters were achieved by reaching the nonadiabatic regime of harmonic generation. Near edge x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy experiments on the boron K edge of a boron foil and a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) 2D material demonstrate the capabilities of the setup. Femtosecond pulse duration makes pump-probe XAS experiments with corresponding time resolution possible.

Effect of Terminalia chebula and Allium sativum on in vivo methane emission by sheep.

A study was conducted to evaluate some plant parts (already tested for their antimethanogenic activity in in vitro gas production test in the authors' laboratory) as feed additive to combat methane emission from sheep. Sixteen male sheep with average body weight of 29.96±1.69 kg (22 months of age) were divided into four groups in a randomized block design. The animals were fed on a diet containing forage to concentrate ratio of 1:1. The concentrate fraction composed (in parts) of maize grain, 32; wheat bran, 45; deoiled soybean meal, 20; mineral mixture, 2 and common salt, 1. The four treatments were control (without additive), seed pulp of Terminalia chebula (Harad), bulb of Allium sativum (Garlic) and a mixture (Mix) of the latter two in equal proportions at the rate of 1% of dry matter (DM) intake. There was no effect on DM intake due to the inclusion of these feed additives. The digestibilities of DM and organic matter tended to be higher (p<0.1) in the groups with T. chebula and A. sativum, whereas, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and cellulose digestibilities were higher (p<0.05) in all the three experimental groups compared with control. The nitrogen balance and plane of nutrition were not affected by inclusion of any of the feed additives. Methane emission (L/kg digested DM intake) as estimated by open circuit respiration chamber and methane energy loss as per cent of digestible energy intake tended to be lower in T. chebula (p=0.09) and Mix (p=0.08) groups compared with control. The data indicated that T. chebula showed antimethanogenic activity, whereas both T. chebula and A. sativum improved nutrient digestibility. Therefore, these two plants appear to be suitable candidates for use as feed additive to mitigate methane emission and to improve nutrient utilization by sheep.

Structural alteration of spermatozoa in the persons employed in lead acid battery factory.

Lead is one of the industrially heavy metals that caused adverse effects on male reproductive system among battery factory workers, but information on the possible impact of lead on the structural integrity of sperm cell is limited. Thus present study was undertaken to assess the structural details of human spermatozoa of lead acid battery factory workers. Blood and semen samples were collected from total 80 workers (7-15 years exposure) and 40 non-occupationally exposed control subjects. The lead exposed battery factory workers showed lowering (P < 0.001) of sperm count, density, motility and semen volume along with an increase incidence of sperm abnormality and prolong liquefaction time. Structural alteration of sperm cell was prevalent among the exposed population as evidenced by significantly (P < 0.001) low sperm viability, low hypoosmotic swelling test (HOST) percentage, high lipid peroxidation of sperm membrane with concomitant alterations of seminal plasma total and dehydro ascorbate level. Sharp depressions, membrane folding and granularity at sperm head surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both blood lead and semen lead was significantly (P < 0.001) higher among the factory workers. Thus it appears plausible that lead may reduce the antioxidant level in seminal plasma and enhance the lipid peroxidative changes in sperm membrane leading to concomitant structural damage of sperm cell surface in the workers employed in lead acid battery factories.

Effect of replacing oat fodder with fresh and chopped oak leaves on in vitro rumen fermentation, digestibility and metabolizable energy.

AIM: A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing oat fodder (OF) with fresh oak leaves (FOL) or chopped oak leaves (COL) on rumen fermentation and digestibility through in vitro gas production technique (IVGPT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine different diets were prepared by mixing OF with oak leaves (either FOL or COL) in different ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100). The rations were evaluated through Hohenheim IVGPT with 200 mg substrate and 30 ml of buffered rumen liquor. All the syringes were incubated at 39°C for 24 h in buffered rumen liquor of cattle. After 24 h, the total gas production was recorded, and the contents were analyzed for in vitro methane production, protozoa no. and ammonia-N. RESULTS: Chopping (p<0.01) reduced the tannin fractions as well as non-tannin phenol. Increase in levels of oak decreased total gas production, methane, organic matter (OM) digestibility, and metabolizable energy (ME) values. The polyphenol content of the substrate did not show any significant difference on the protozoal count. CONCLUSION: In vitro studies revealed that the addition of oak leaves reduced the methane production and ammonia nitrogen levels; however, it also decreased the OM digestibility and ME values linearly as the level of the oak leaves increased in the diet. Chopping was effective only at lower inclusion levels. Further studies, especially in vivo studies, are needed to explore the safe inclusion levels of oak leaves in the diet of ruminants.

Atomic Force Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy Reveal Genome-dependent Ultrastructure of Seed Surface.

Both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact mode imaging via atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been utilized to elucidate the ultrastructure of mung bean seed surfaces. The results indicate: 1) that AFM is useful in the examination of seed surface ultrastructure ex-vaccuo without the need for additional complex preparative procedures; and 2) that both the cotyledon and seed coat of different strains of mung beans bear specific ultrastructural details unique to each strain. To our knowledge, these are the first AFM images of seed surfaces.

Determination of nutrient requirements for growth and maintenance of growing pigs under tropical condition.

Data from 27 feeding trials conducted on growing pigs from different research institutes across India were subjected to mixed model regression analysis to derive requirements of digestible energy (DE), crude protein (CP) and essential amino acids for maintenance and body weight gains. The ranges of maintenance requirements were determined to be: DE 516 to 702 kJ/kg M0.75, CP 6.98 to 11.62, lysine 0.431 to 0.664, methionine 0.265 to 0.458, methionine + cystine 0.327 to 0.466, cystine 0.055 to 0.184, threonine 0.205 to 0.511, arginine 0.377 to 1.21, isoleucine 0.241 to 0.775, leucine 0.604 to 1.54, phenylalanine + tyrosine 0.496 to 1.33, tryptophan 0.078 to 0.213, and valine 0.330 to 0.892 g/kg M0.75, respectively for different body weight ranges. The corresponding requirements for 1 g gain in body weight were: DE 28.6 to 38.6 kJ, CP 0.27 to 0.44 g, lysine 0.0071 to 0.0126 g, methionine 0.0047 to 0.0133 g, methionine + cystine 0.0151 to 0.0261 g, cystine 0.0043 to 0.0094 g, threonine 0.0052 to 0.0165 g, arginine 0.0045 to 0.0301 g, isoleucine 0.0023 to 0.0198 g, leucine 0.0150 to 0.0447 g, phenylalanine + tyrosine 0.0091 to 0.0382 g, tryptophan 0.0005 to 0.0044 g, and valine 0.0061 to 0.0222 g. Regression equations had high R2 values (ranging from 0.50 to 0.99 for different estimates), low coefficients of variation, low variance of error estimates and the coefficients were highly significant (P < 0.001). Regressed values were used to develop feeding standards. As the new standards derived in the present study are based on a thorough analysis of a larger database than previous Indian standards, the new feeding standard seems to be more appropriate for India and other tropical countries.