JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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In a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment with 6 treatments and 4 replicates per treatment, the effect of energy and protein dilution during 6-12 days of age was tested in broilers. Rice hull was used for dilution of energy and protein at levels of 0.05 (control), 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 percent. The metabolizable energy and crude protein content of the experimental diets were 3089, 2780, 2626, 2472, 2317 and 2163 KCal/kg and 21.45, 19.29, 18.23, 17.16, 16.10 and 15.02 percent, respectively. The results indicated that diet dilution at early age (6-12 days) increased feed consumption but energy and protein intake and weight gain were reduced. No significant differences in body weight were observed due to compensatory growth among treatments. After feed restriction, feed intake was lower for the birds receiving diluted diets as compared to control. Meanwhile feed efficiency somewhat improved among the birds fed with diluted diets, but the differences were not significant. Diet dilution had no significant effect on carcass and abdominal fat percentage at the slaughter age (45 days). Diet dilution with rice hull at 20 and 25 percent decreased feed consumption and improved feed efficiency and, therefore, its use can reduce feed cost.

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An experiment was carried out to estimate the potential activity of rumen anaerobic fungi in the degradation of dry matter and fiber of feeds. Samples of wheat bran, bagasse, cotton seed, alfalfa and corn silage were used as the substrates to culture rumen fungi which were isolated from a fistulated Shal sheep. Loss percentages of dry matter (DML), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent (ADL), cellulose, and hemicellulose of samples were measured after 0, 3, 6 and 9 days of incubation. Dry matter and NDF loss of substrates varied from 10.6 % to 29.4% and 11.7% to 48.7% after 9 days of fungi growth. The highest and lowest DML and NDF were related to alfalfa and bagasses, respectively. The highest values for the ADF loss (39%), hemicellulose loss (65.6%) and cellulose loss (55.6%) were measured from alfalfa. The results indicated that rumen anaerobic fungi have the ability of degrading dry matter and fiber from different types of feed.

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Elm leaf beetle were reared under controlled conditions (25± 2 ^oC, 70± 5%R.H. and 16L: 8D) to determine relationship between biological traits and the number of eggs per female on different hosts and to evaluate correlation between traits. U. carpinifolia, U .c. var. umbraculifera, U. glabra var. pendula and Celtis caucasica were examined as hosts. The biological traits consisted of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd larval developmental times first, second, and third larval percent mortality rates prepupal and pupal developmental times male and female longevity and pre-ovipositional period recorded during experiments. The relationships between traits and the number of eggs per female were determined by multiple regression (Foreward selection and stepwise). The correlation between traits was evaluated, too. The results showed that the number of eggs per female were mostly affected by certain special traits such as 2^nd and 3^rd larval developmental time, pre-ovipositional period and male longevity which are distinct in different hosts and seasons.

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An experiment was conducted with the male Ross broiler chicks from 1 to 42 days of age to test the effects of different dietary protein and lysine levels on performance, carcass characteristics, and N excretion. Treatment diets consisted of three levels of supplemental lysine in starter and grower period (0, 0.15, and 0.30 %) and the two levels of protein (20.84, 17.84 in starter, and 18.12, 16.12% in grower period) with 2900 Kcal ME/kg diet. The results indicated that the Reducing dietary protein decreased significantly the weight gain in starter, grower, and total period up to 6, 4.6, and 5.6%respectively (P<0.05). It also decreased the feed consumption in starter period (P<0.05). Decreasing dietary protein had no significant effect on gain to feed ratio and breast meat yield, but increased abdominal fat percentage significantly (P<0.05). Increasing dietary lysine increased the feed consumption in starter and weight gain, gain to feed ratio in grower and total period of the experiment (P<0.05). Increasing lysine in diet caused a significant increase in breast meat and tight yield, and percentage. Adding supplemental lysine reduced the N excretion in starter period significantly (P<0.059). N excretion reduced significantly by decreasing dietary protein (P <0.05). Dietary treatments had not significant effect on mortality percentage. The results of the present experiment indicated that with providing limiting amino acids and adding supplemental lysine to diet, the crude protein could be reduced up to 3 and 2 percent in starter and grower periods respectively. Reducing the crude protein had not adverse effect on the feed efficiency.

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Qualitative indices including moisture content (M), total lipid (TL), peroxide value (PV), free fatty acid (FFA), heme iron (HI), TBA, neutral lipid (NL) and phospholipid (PL) content were investigated on anchovy fish immediately after harvesting and during frozen storage at -18 and -30°C up to 8 months (2, 4, 6, 8). Profile of their fatty acid and any possible changes were also determined. Statistical analysis of the results showed significant increase of PV, FFA, NL and significant decrease of TL, HT, PL, poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and omega-3 at each temperature rate in relation to time of storage. Based on the statistical analysis, storing of the sample at -30°C had higher lipids quality. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that HI can be grouped with important quality indices such as PUFA and omega-3.