Effects of ammoniated pearl millet silage on intake, feeding behavior, and blood metabolites in feedlot lambs.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of urea as an additive in the ensiling of pearl millet on the intake, feeding behavior, and metabolic parameters of feedlot-finished lambs. Thirty-two uncastrated, mixed-breed male lambs were used in the experiment. Diets were composed of pearl millet silage enriched with 0, 2, 4, or 6% urea plus a concentrate containing ground corn, soybean meal, and a mineral mixture. The treatments did not affect feed intake (P > 0.05) but influenced (P < 0.05) eating time (in min/day, in min/kg of dry matter (DM), and in min/kg of neutral detergent fiber (NDF)) and chewing time in min/kg of DM. Eating efficiency (in g DM/h and in g NDFap/h) responded linearly (P < 0.05) to the increasing urea levels in the silages. By contrast, there was no effect (P > 0.05) of diets on the blood protein profile (total proteins and albumin), although the serum urea levels responded quadratically (P < 0.05). Increasing urea levels in the silage did not change the blood energy profile (cholesterol and triglycerides) or blood enzyme activity (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT); P > 0.05). In conclusion, the treatment of pearl millet silage with urea does not influence the DM intake or metabolic parameters of lambs, but leads to increased eating time and decreased eating efficiency.

Ketamine can be produced by Pochonia chlamydosporia: an old molecule and a new anthelmintic?

BACKGROUND: Infection by nematodes is a problem for human health, livestock, and agriculture, as it causes deficits in host health, increases production costs, and incurs a reduced food supply. The control of these parasites is usually done using anthelmintics, which, in most cases, have not been fully effective. Therefore, the search for new molecules with anthelmintic potential is necessary. METHODS: In the present study, we isolated and characterized molecules from the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia and tested these compounds on three nematodes: Caenorhabditis elegans; Ancylostoma ceylanicum; and Ascaris suum. RESULTS: The ethyl acetate extract showed nematicidal activity on the nematode model C. elegans. We identified the major substance present in two sub-fractions of this extract as ketamine. Then, we tested this compound on C. elegans and the parasites A. ceylanicum and A. suum using hamsters and mice as hosts, respectively. We did not find a difference between the animal groups when considering the number of worms recovered from the intestines of animals treated with ketamine (6 mg) and albendazole (P > 0.05). The parasite burden of larvae recovered from the lungs of mice treated with ketamine was similar to those treated with ivermectin. CONCLUSIONS: The results presented here demonstrate the nematicidal activity of ketamine in vitro and in vivo, thus confirming the nematicidal potential of the molecule present in the fungus P. chlamydosporia may consist of a new method of controlling parasites.