Nutritional value, performance, carcass quality, visceral organ size, and blood clinical chemistry of broiler chicks fed 30% tannin-free fava bean diets

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the chemical and nutritional values of 5 tannin-free fava bean (FB) cultivars (FB9, FB10, FB13, FB17, and FB24) on growth, visceral organ size, and blood clinical chemistry of broiler chicks fed a corn-soybean meal 48 (SBM48) diet containing 30% tannin-free FB. In the first experiment, 49 Hy-line roosters, 55 wk of age, were individually precision-fed 30 g of each FB cultivar and soybean meal 44 (SBM44). Protein, methionine, and lysine contents of the FB seeds (0.005% tannin) were 27.7, 0.23, and 1.98% of DM, respectively. The AMEn of all FB cultivars was 2,839 kcal/kg and higher (P < 0.05) than SBM44. The true lysine digestibility of FB10 (94.1) was higher (P < 0.05) than FB9 (89.0%) and FB24 (89.2%), but comparable with the other fava beans. The FB cultivar's true methionine digestibilities were similar among each other and to SBM44. In a battery feeding trial, 6 corn-SBM48 diets containing 0 (control) or 30% of FB9, FB10, FB13, FB17, or FB24 seeds were each fed to Ross 308 1-wk-old male broiler chicks for 14 d. The determined FB nutrient values were used in formulating FB-containing diets. Birds fed FB-containing diets had better (P < 0.05) weight gain and feed conversion than those of the control. When compared with the control birds, relative weights of abdominal fat pad and liver were reduced (P < 0.05) by 30% inclusion of all dietary FB varieties, except for FB17 and FB13, respectively. Broiler chicks fed the FB13 diet had plasma thrombocyte and white blood cell (WBC) differential counts higher (P < 0.05) than those fed the FB10 diet and WBC count higher (P < 0.05) than the birds fed the FB17 diet. In conclusion, tannin-free FB was lower in protein, methionine, and lysine, but higher in AMEn, compared with SBM44. Moreover, FB seeds, especially FB10, can be included in a broiler chick diet with no adverse effects on performance, but FB13 increased WBC count.

STR data for the PowerPlex 16 loci for the Chinese population in Hong Kong

Allele frequencies for the 15 STR loci included in the PowerPlex 16 kit were obtained from a sample of 247 unrelated Chinese in Hong Kong.

Interactions of boron-toxicity, drought, and genotypes on barley root growth, yield, and other agronomic characters

In areas with high levels of soil boron, symptoms of boron (B) toxicity often appear under droughts. This greenhouse study examined the interactions of B-toxicity, drought, and genotypes on barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) root growth, B-toxicity symptoms, B concentrations of straw, and yield. Plants were grown in tubes 65 cm tall. Three factors were studied: B, water supply, and genotypes. There were 2 B levels, B0 v. B50, in the subsoil (20-60 cm). There were 4 levels of water supply: no drought (control), and early, mid-season, and terminal drought. Two barley lines were compared: Sahara (B-toxicity tolerant) and BOL (drought tolerant, B-toxicity sensitive). Significant B-by-drought interaction was detected in straw B concentration, root growth in subsoil, and straw and biological yield for BOL. Mean root growth in the 40–60-cm soil section was much higher under mid-season drought than under the control. At B50, plants under drought had 1-fold higher straw B concentrations and more B-toxicity symptoms than the control plants. This is the first study to provide data to explain the frequent association of B-toxicity symptoms with droughts in the field. The results clearly showed that tolerance to B-toxicity, as well as drought, is needed in dry areas having high levels of subsoil B.

Variation in growth, development, and yield of durum wheat in response to high soil boron. II. Differences between genotypes

This greenhouse study examined the variation in growth, development, and yield between 9 durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum Desf., syn. T. durum) lines in response to high soil boron (B) levels. The lines were selected to represent the range of B-toxicity tolerance in an earlier screening experiment. Three soil B levels (hot-water extractable B concentrations of 0·3, 7·1, and 17·4 mg/kg, designated as B0, B25, and B50, respectively) were set up by mixing different amounts of boric acid with soil. Foliar B-toxicity symptom score, dry weight, and shoot-B concentration were measured at tillering. Agronomic traits and yield were measured. There were differential responses to high soil B levels between the durum lines. The boron×line interaction was significant for B-toxicity symptom score and shoot-B concentration. Based on these 2 characters, and percentage of shoot dry weight and grain yield reduction from B0 to B50, Oued Zenati, Omrabi-5, and Gezira-17 were the most tolerant of the 9 durum lines, yet they were less tolerant to high soil B levels than the tolerant bread-wheat check, Halberd. Nonetheless, until more tolerant materials are developed, these moderately tolerant durum lines could still be useful for areas, like southern Australia, where B toxicity is a problem.

Variation in growth, development, and yield of durum wheat in response to high soil boron. I. Average effects

A greenhouse study was conducted to examine how the performance of a group of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum Desf, syn. T. Durum) lines was affected by high soil boron (B) levels in terms of growth, phenological development, and grain yield components. Three soil B levels (hot-water extractable B concentrations of 0·3, 7·1, and 17·4 mg/kg) were set up by mixing soil with boric acid. Foliar symptom scores of B toxicity were taken at the beginning of tillering. Six seedlings were then harvested from each pot for measurement of dry weight and shoot B concentration. Days to heading, numbers of tillers and heads, plant height, flag-leaf area, grain and straw yield, and number of grains were also measured. The high soil B level (17·4 mg/kg) caused symptoms of B toxicity on the foliage, increased shoot B concentrations, retarded growth, and reduced grain yield. Other effects included delayed heading; greater reduction in grain yield than straw yield; severely reduced grain yield per tiller due to an increase in aborted tillers; and decreased 1000-grain weight and number of heads per plant. The moderately high soil B level (7·1 mg/kg) also severely depressed the grain yield of these durum lines.

[Control of staphylococcal skin infections in a nursery]

Outbreaks of skin infections due to Staphylococcus aureus continue to be a major problem in newborn nurseries. In this report, we described how the staphylococcal skin infections were controlled in the nursery during the last 5 1/2 years. An outbreak of staphylococcal skin infection (totally 29 cases) developed in January 1985, and declined dramatically to 3 cases in March of the same year when 3% hexachlorophene (HCP) bathing was used (period 1-January 1985 to March 1985). The infections increased to 30 cases in May when HCP bathing was discontinued and was replaced by baby soap baths (period 2-April 1985 to May 1985). Once again, HCP bathing (period 3-June 1985 to January 1987) was reinstituted and infection rate was reduced. After discontinuation of HCP (period 4-February 1987 to March 1987), another outbreak of staphylococcal skin infection reappeared. It was controlled again with HCP bathing (period 5-April 1987 to April 1988). Daily baby soap baths were continued during period 6 (May 1988 to October 1988), and skin infections increased again. Finally in period 7 (November 1988 to June 1990), daily baby soaps were reinstituted and a triple dye was applied daily to the cord and to the surrounding skin (1 inch diameter) until discharge. During this period, staphylococcal skin infections was reduced to 1-4 cases and no more outbreaks occurred. Our data confirmed that 3% HCP bathing of newborns reduced the infection rate of Staphylococcus aureus during an endemic period, and supported that triple dye may be an alternative to HCP for preventing staphylococcal skin infection in a newborn nursery.