JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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This experiment was carried out to study the effect of ionophore drugs (Salinomycin, Lasalocid and their combination) on the performance of broiler chicks. Also their relationship with methionine (three levels) was evaluated. 1215 one-day-old commercial broiler chicks (Arian) were divided into 81 groups, 15 chicks per group, and tested in a completely randomized design with a 3×3×3 factorial experiment and three levels (0/0, recommended and 1.5 times recommended) of drugs and three levels (0.0, 1% and 0.2%) of supplemental methionine.

The results indicated that these drugs reduced body weight gain significantly (p<0.05) at 21 and 56 days of the experiment. Decreasing feed consumption and increasing feed conversion was significant (p<0.05) due to Lasalocid supplementation. Increasing drug level significantly (p<0.05) reduced body weight gain and feed intake and feed conversion was increased at 21 to 42 and 0 to 56 days of the experiment. The effect of supplemental methionine on body weight of 42 days (P<0.05) and feed conversion at 21 to 42 and 0 to 56 days (p<0.01) were significant. The interactions between drug type and drug level on body weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion were significant (p<0.05). Lasalocid significantly (p<0.05) increased water intake. Drugs did not affect litter moisture and mortality. The results showed that Salinomycin was better than Lasalocid. Also supplemental methionine was not effective in compensating for the growth depression caused by ionophore drugs.

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Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of dietary energy levels on the performance of Arian broiler chicks. Trial 1 was performed in summer and trial 2 in fall. Both experiments were accomplished in 5×2 factorial designs, involving 5 levels of dietary metabolizable energy and two sexes. Each of the 10 resulting treatments was replicated 4 and 3 times in trials 1 and 2, respectively. The metabolizable energy contents in diets number 1 to 5 were 2800, 2900, 3000, 3100 and 3200 Kcal/kg for starter (0-4 weeks) period and 2900, 3000, 3100, 3200 and 3300 Kcal/kg for grower (4-7 weeks) period, respectively. The ratios of energy to each nutrient were the same for all diets in each stage of the experiments.

In both experiments, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio improved significantly (P<0.01) when diets with higher levels of energy were consumed. Feed intake was affected (P<0.01) by the dietary energy content only in summer (trial 1) resulting from the reduced intake of chicks fed with the lowest energy level. Abdominal fat percentage was decreased (P<0.01) in chicks fed with the lowest energy diet in summer. In both experiments, the cost of the feed per unit of live body weight was reduced (P<0.01) in accordance with the reduction in diet density. As expected, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, abdominal fat and cost of the feed per unit of live body weight for male chicks were significantly better than the same values for females (P<0.01).

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An experiment was conducted to determine growth and carcass characteristics of male broilers subjected to early feed restriction. Restricted birds were fed equivalent to 1/5*BW^0.67 Kcal/day/bird between days 7 and 14. On days 0 to 7 and 14 to 56, all chickens received feed ad-libitum. Diets of feed-restricted birds were supplemented with 15% higher methionin and cystine recommended by NRC (1994) during refeeding in starter and grower periods. No significant differences were observed for liver, breast, heart, carcass and liver fat between early restricted birds and ad-libitum control at 56 days of age. Body weight for restricted broilers were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of controls in 56 days. However, restricted broilers had significantly lower total-feed to gain ratio than the unrestricted control. Restricted broilers that received diets high in total sulfur amino acids in starter and grower periods had singnificantly lower abdominal fat pad than control birds.

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In order to study the effects of different protein feeds on honey bees (Apis mellifera L), experiments were conducted in a completely randomized block design with 15 treatments and 4 replicates. The nutritional effects of different treatments on caged bees were studied through recording half-life time (50% mortality). Pollen substitutes were soybean flour, soybean meal, bread yeast, wheat gluten, soybean flour + soybean meal, soybean flour + bread yeast, soybean flour + wheat gluten, soybean meal + wheat gluten, and wheat gluten + bread yeast. Pollen supplements were wheat gluten + pollen , soybean flour + pollen, soybean meal + pollen, bread yeast + pollen and two controls as pollen and honey. The nutritional effects of different protein sources provided by pollen substitutes and supplements were recorded on the amount of carcass protein and fatbody of honey bee workers in experimental colonies. The wheat gluten supplement and the soybean substitute showed the longest (60.58 days) and the shortest (10.53 days) half-life time of worker bees, respectively. The amount of food consumption in different treatments was not significantly different (P>0.05). The greatest DM of worker bees (dry matter of carcass) was related to soybean (34%) and the least related to yeast supplement (31.54%), which were significantly different (P<0.05). The highest carcass protein belonged to wheat gluten supplement (22.57%) and the lowest was related to yeast supplement (20.01%). The greatest carcass fat was related to soybean supplement (4.75%) and the lowest to wheat gluten supplement (3.84%). Results of the present experiments showed that soybean flour, soybean meal, wheat gluten and bread yeast can be used in pollen supplement and substitute cakes.

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This experiment was conducted to study the effects of using cotton-seed meal on the performance and carcass yield of broiler chickens at different ages. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and five replicates for each treatment. The experimental treatments included the levels of 0, 3.5, 7, and 10.5% of cotton-seed meal in diets fed to chickens at 7-21 days of age. Except for the control group, these levels for grower (21-42 d of age) was increased to 7, 14, and 21% and for finisher (42-56 d of age) to 14, 21, and 21%, respectively. For the purposes of this study, 260 day-old chicks were reared in litter until 7 days of age. On day 7, chicks were divided into 20 pens with 13 chicks in each pen. NRC (1994) recommendation was used in balancing experimental diets. The chickens were weighed weekly throughout the experimental period (7-56 d). The main observations were body gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Physical analysis of carcass was done at the end of the experimental period and percentages of carcass, abdominal fat, liver, pancreas and digestive tract to live body weight were calculated. The use of cotton-seed meal and the increase of the levels through different ages had no significant effects on body weight, daily gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and carcass components. Increasing the level of cotton-seed meal in the diet at 7-21 days of age had significant effects on feed intake (P<0.05) and increased it. The results of this experiment indicate that we can use cotton-seed meal at levels of 7,14, and 21% of diets, respectively, in starter, grower and finisher stages without having any adverse effects on the performance and carcass yield of broiler chickens.

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In dairy cattle, the increase in milk yield has been accompanied by a more negative energy balance during early lactation and a decrease in fertility. The 167 amino acid protein product of the ob gene was named leptin (derived from the Greek term ‘leptos’ meaning thin). The leptin hormone, as a 16-kDa protein is synthesized mainly by adipose tissue and is involved in regulation of food intake, energy balance, fertility and immune function. The expression and secretion of leptin are correlated with body fat mass and are acutely affected by changes in food intake. The objective of this study was to investigate the fluctuations of leptin concentrations during late pregnancy and early lactation, the effect of parity and BCS on plasma leptin concentration, and to investigate its fluctuation effects on reproductive status. Blood samples of 54 Holstein cows were taken at a fixed time of the day after milking but before feeding, from 2 weeks before calving until 6 weeks after calving. BCS and plasma leptin concentration were measured at 2-wk intervals. Leptin concentrations were affected by parity. Primiparous cows and cows in first parity had higher leptin concentrations compared with multiparous cows (P<0.05). Leptin concentration was not different in late pregnancy and early lactation. BCS was negatively correlated with plasma leptin concentration (P<0.05). Plasma leptin concentration did not influence reproductive traits (days in milk at first breeding, service per conception and open days).

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In order to examine the effects of increasing concentrations of beet pulp (lipogenic nutrient) substituted for barley grain (glycogenic nutrient) on productive performance, body condition score loss, and blood metabolites, 18 Holstein cows were used in a randomized complete block design. The cows were blocked based on parity. The cows were 171 ± 16 d in pregnancy, 2.76 ± 1.14 parity, and 289 ± 35 d in milk at the beginning of the experiment. The cows' body condition scores were 4.12 ± 0.35 at the beginning of the trial. The cows were assigned randomly to three dietary treatments containing 1) 23.47% barley (0% beet pulp), 2) 14.87% barley (8.6% beet pulp), or 3) 6.27% barley (17.2% beet pulp). Substituting beet pulp for barley grain didn't affect FCM 3.5%, milk protein, lactose, total solid, and SNF percentage, but milk fat percentage (4.37, 4.91, and 5.18, P < 0.003) and milk energy (0.76, 0.82, and 0.84 Mcal/kg, P < 0.02) increased as beet pulp was replaced with barley, respectively. A tendency was detected for a more negative body condition score change (0.13, -0.09, and -0.12, P < 0.13) and back fat thickness (2.5, -0.4, and -1.6 mm, P < 0.13) with added beet pulp. Plasma glucose (65.83, 58, and 57.16 mg/dl, P < 0.01) and cholesterol (157.33, 122.4, and 120.8 mg/dl, P < 0.03) decreased as beet pulp was substituted for barley grain, respectively. No difference was found in the plasma content of insulin and NEFA between treatments. Considering these results, it appears that with inclusion of beet pulp in fat cows diet during late lactation may slightly reduce body condition score safely and inhibit concomitant low production with diet diluting.

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Variance components and genetic parameters of body weight of Mehraban sheep were estimated by univariate and random regression models. This was done by using body weight records of 2746 Mehraban lambs related to flocks under supervision of the Agriculture Organization of the Hamadan province, collected between 1990 and 2005. In both methods, variance components estimates were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) using DFUNI and DXMRR programs, respectively, via DFREML 3.1 software package. Results showed that variance components obtained from RR models (except for residual variance) in some ages were higher than those obtained from univariate models. Direct heritability (h2) estimates from univariate and RR models were approximately equal to weaning age but, overall, RR estimates were higher than those obtained from univariate analyses. Maternal heritability estimates (m2) from RR models were higher than univariate models’ estimates, and showed a different pattern of variation with age. Correlations between predicted breeding values from univariate and RR models for birth weight and weaning weight were 0.72 and 0.70, respectively. Results showed that estimates of variance components and genetic parameters by RR models were affected by data structure and in case of the need for genetic parameters, especially those related to body weight late in lambs’ life, estimates of univariate analyses should be preferred.

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In recent years, due to the overpopulation, serious water shortages, and need to consume more water, the use of wastewater treatment plant has attracted lots of attention. When the pollution load is not high, biofilm reactors are commonly used for the purpose. In this study, the porous concrete as a bed biofilm in reducing pollution load of wastewater was investigated. In order to evaluate porous concrete, basic mix designs were selected according to regulations ACI211.3R. To increase the specific surface area of concrete for biofilm growth, fine particles were added to the basic mix in three stages with each stage 10% by weight of coarse particles. Experimental design was a randomized complete block. A rectangular channel (with the cross section 20×30 cm2) and 8 meters in length was constructed near the wastewater treatment plant of Isfahan University of Technology. Then, the concrete blocks were made, put on the channel and biofilm processing operations were conducted on the pores of porous concrete cubes. Qualitative tests for BOD, COD, TSS and total coliform of samples from wastewater inflow and outflow were performed. Results showed that the removal of these parameters increased by adding fine particles. The average removal rates of BOD, COD, TSS and total coliform for the first mix design (1400 kg per cubic meter of coarse particle and without fine sand) were 25%, 33%, 45% and 37%, respectively. Similarly, the average removal rates of BOD, COD, TSS and total coliform for the fourth mix (1400 kg per cubic meter of coarse particle and 420 kg per cubic meter of fine sand) were 36%, 40%, 57% and 81%, respectively. It could be concluded that porous concrete can be used as a bed biofilm, and the third mix design (1400 kg per cubic meter of coarse particle and 280 kg per cubic meter of fine sand) was the best mix design.

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In this paper, the efficiency of four hybrid horizontal-vertical subsurface constructed wetlands which have been built for the tertiary treatment of Isfahan North Wastewater Treatment Facility and removal of organic matters was evaluated. In these constructed wetlands three plants including Phragmites australis, Typha latifolia and Arundo donax were planted and one unit left unplanted. The results of 12 months of sampling showed that the type of vegetation has no significant influence on the organic matter removal in the subsurface constructed wetlands, although the removal efficiencies in the planted constructed wetlands were more than unplanted control one. The COD and BOD₅ removal efficiency in the constructed wetlands changes between 77% to 83% and 84% to 86%, respectively, during the operation period. The results of this research also showed that the organic matter removal was dependent on the influent organics nature and biodegradability. The first order model constants were calibrated in different wetlands for designing main projects. The organic concentration in the wetland effluents met the Iranian regulation limits for different reuse applications that shows the constructed wetland is a suitable technology for wastewater treatment in Iran.

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Water quality assessment is important in late years coincide white decreas quantity it. The Zayande-Rood's Dam Lake is one of the important water resources that supplies drinking water for human populations in Isfahan, This lake also supplies water resources for agricultural sections of these provinces. Five points were determined as the sampling stations. Samplings were performed from May, 2013 to March, 2014 in seven steps, once every forty five days in for seasons (two times in each season). The water quality parameters (DO, NO₃, NO₂, EC, pH, hardness, TDS, NH₄, BOD5) were measured in all the stations and stages, and then water quality indexes were calculated. According to the results of this study, the water quality of the Zayande-Rood's Dam Lake estimated as good (50-100), with using WQI index. WQI index maximum was in summer (84.63) and minimum was in autumn (66.4). Considering the importance of the Zayande-rood's dam lake as a supplying resource of drinkable water of Isfahan. It seems that further attention in the lake watershed management is needed in order to protect water quality.
 

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