Chemical Composition and Feeding Value of Chopped Date Fronds (CDF) as Affected by Urea and Date Syrup Extract Treatment

El Hag, M.G.,El Shargi, K.M. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1998 Animal Bioscience Vol.11 No.6

In the first of two experiments, chemical composition (Ash, CP and CF contents), nutritive value (in vitro organic matter disappearance "lVOMD" and energy content "ME") and nitrogen retention of chopped date fronds (CDF) as affected by chemical treatment (CT) and storage duration (SD) were investigated. The experimental design was a completely randomized block, arranged in a $3{\times}4$ factorial, with 3 (CT) and 4 (SD) as the main factors using 2 replications / treatment. Three chemical treatments, were used : Control (With zero or no chemical treatment); treatment with 4% urea solution (w /w) and treatment with 4% urea + Date syrup extract (DS). The 4 (SD) were: Control (immediately after opening - without any storage or zero time storage); one month storage period; two months storage period and three months storage period. Both (CT) and (SD) had significant effects (p < 0.05) on CP and ash contents of the CDF, however there were no significant effects (p > 0.05) due to (CT) and (SD) on CF and nutritive value. High retention value (> 80%) for nitrogen was reported for the treated CDF, immediately after opening the incubated material (zero SD). However, nitrogen retention decreased with increasing (SD) to 67% after one month (SD) but tended to stay at a fairly constant level of 67% until 3 months of storage. In experiment 2, the feeding value of treated CDF was evaluated in comparison to Rhodes grass hay, using growing goats and sheep. A $4{\times}2$ factorial design was used (Four roughage sources were used : Rhodes grass hay, untreated CDF, urea-treated CDF and CDF treated with urea + DS with sheep and goats as two animal species, using three animals / treatment). Untreated CDF had a similar feeding value to Rhodes grass hay. However treatment of CDF with urea alone or with urea + DS depressed animal performance of both goats and sheep, apparently due to depression of feed intake (appetite). Feeding untreated CDF decreased feeding cost by 29% and cost/kg gain by 23%. CDF showed a good potential as a cheap local roughage and emergency feed for ruminants in the Sultanate.

FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF LOCAL (DHOFARI) AND EXOTIC (CASHMERE) GOATS FED ON A HIGH-FIBER BY-PRODUCTS DIET SUPPLEMENTED WITH FISH SARDINE

El Hag, M.G.,El Shargi, K.M. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1996 Animal Bioscience Vol.9 No.4

In the first of two experiments, liveweight gain responses and carcass characteristics were investigated using two breeds of growing male goats, local (Dhofari) and exotic (Cashmere), fed on a whole pelleted-high fiber date by-products' based diet at 32.5% level (As-fed) supplemented with 12% fish (sardine), (HF-Fish) and a commercial concentrate diet (conc.). The (HF-Fish) diet was formulated to be iso-nitrogenous to the (conc.) diet, supplying 14% CP (DM-basis). Both diets together with Rhodes grass hay (Chloris Guyana) were fed ad libitum. The experimental design was a complete random arranged in a $2{\times}2$ factorial with breeds and diets as the main factors, using six animals per treatment. The experiment lasted for 84 days and goats were penned individually. At the end of the feeding trial, three animals from each treatment group were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. In experiment 2, diets' digestibility and N-balance were determined using 3 sheep per diet. The (HF-Fish) diet significantly(p < 0.05) improved liveweight gain. There was also a significant difference(p < 0.01) between breeds, with Cashmere gaining more than local goats. Feed conversion efficiency, dressing percent and longissimus dorsi area were not significantly affected by diet or breed(p > 0.05). Digestibility of the proximate components and N-balance for both diets were similar and not significantly different(p > 0.05). Fish supplementation greatly improved the digestibility of CF, ADF, NDF, cellulose and hemicellulose. Meat production ost was decreased by 31% due to feeding of the (HF-Fish) diet.

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF DAMASCUS GOATS AND CHIOS EWES IN OMAN

El Hag, M.G.,Azam, A.H.,Al Habsi, R.S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 1995 Animal Bioscience Vol.8 No.5

Twenty growing female Damascus (Shami) goats and twenty growing Chios ewes of two mating ages (10 and 12 months) were used to study the effect of mating age (MA) on reproductive performance (RP). In addition to (RP), The growth, milk production and nutrient requirements were also evaluated. A complete random design in a $2{\times}2$ factorial was used, with (MA) and species as the main factors. (MA) had no effects on (RP), milk production and mortality. No significant difference (p > 0.05) were observed between (MA) or between species, for age at kidding/lambing (K/L). Sheep reached puberty earlier than goats. Average age (months) at conception and at (K/L) was 15.8; 20.8 and l7.0; 22.0 for sheep and goats respectively. Body weight (BW), rather than age was the most important factor determining puberty. Both goats and ewes conceived when they reached about 67% of their mature (BW) for goats and 85% for ewes. Sheep grew faster than goats, but the latter had higher twinning (67.8% versus 25%). Chios sheep were suitable for meat and Shami goats for dairying or dual purpose systems. Nutrient requirements for growth of goats and ewes were similar with an average DM-intake of about 4% (BW); 12-13% CP and 65-69% TDN (DM-basis) of the total ration. It is recommended to breed Chios ewes at a (BW) of at least 50 kg and Shami does at 38 kg, irrespective of their age.

Growth in the Sultanate of Oman of Small Ruminants Given Date Byproducts-Urea Multinutrient Blocks

El Hag, M.G.,Al-Merza, M.A.,Al Salti, B. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2002 Animal Bioscience Vol.15 No.5

This study investigated the use of multinutrient blocks (MNB) composed of 35% date syrup, 35% date syrup byproducts, 10% date fronds, 7% urea, 7% cement and 6% common salt for growing small ruminants, as partial substitute for the roughage component of the diet (Rhodes grass hay) and its effect on feedlot performance and economics of feeding. Eight growing local Omani goats and 8 sheep (each about one year old) were used in this study. Mean body weights for goats and sheep (kg), respectively were $21.1{\pm}4.5$ and $25.5{\pm}4.1$. The goats and sheep were subdivided into two sub-groups of more or less equal body weights for each species. Each sub-group in both species was either fed on 0.5 kg concentrate+ad libitum Rhodes grass hay or the same diet+restricted hay (about 0.2 kg/head/day) and ad libitum amount of MNB. Sheep significantly (p<0.05) consumed greater amounts of MNB ($36{\pm}17$g/head/day) than goats ($6{\pm}2.5$ g/head/day). Feeding of the MNB was effective in sparing about 40% of the roughage Rhodes grass hay for goats (from 240 to 140 g) and about 42% for sheep (from 252 to 146 g) or approximately 100 g/head/day for both goats and sheep. This reduction (or sparing) in the consumption of Rhodes grass hay was coupled by an improvement in daily liveweight gain (g/head/day) in both goats (from 29 to 46 by 58.6%) and sheep (from 26 to 39 by 50%) and also by an improvement in the feed conversion efficiency (g feed/g gain) of both goats (from 25 to 13.8 by 45%) and sheep (from 28.7 to 17.2 by 40%). Cost of daily consumed feeds as well as cost/kg gain (or cost of meat) were both reduced due to feeding of MNB. They were both respectively reduced by 7.5% (from 53 Baisa/day to 49) and 38% (from 1,828 Baisa/kg to 1,140). It was economically viable to feed MNBs containing date by-products and urea to small ruminants in the Sultanate of Oman.

Milk Production in the Sultanate of Oman by Dairy Cows Given Date By-Products and Urea Multi-Nutrient Blocks

M. G. El Hag,H. H. El Khangeri,M. A. Al-Merza 아세아·태평양축산학회 2002 Animal Bioscience Vol.15 No.3

Income Disparities, Economic Growth and Development as a Threshold

SHERIF KHALIFA;SHERINE EL HAG 경제연구소 2010 Journal of Economic Development Vol.35 No.2

Galor and Moav (2004) argue that in the early stages of development, physical capital accumulation is the primary source of economic growth. Thus, inequality enhances growth by channeling resources towards individuals whose marginal propensity to save is higher. In later stages of development, physical capital is replaced by human capital as the engine of growth. Accordingly, equality alleviates the adverse effects of credit constraints on human capital accumulation and prompts the growth process. This paper attempts to test empirically the finding that the impact of income inequality on economic growth depends on the development stage. A threshold estimation technique, developed by Hansen (1999), is utilized for a panel of 70 countries for the period between 1970 and 1999. The estimation suggests that there is a statistically significant threshold income per capita, below which the coefficient on the relationship between inequality and growth is significantly negative and above which the estimate is positive, but not statistically significant.

INCOME DISPARITIES, ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND DEVELOPMENT AS A THRESHOLD

Sherif Khalifa,Sherine El Hag 중앙대학교 경제연구소 2010 Journal of Economic Development Vol.35 No.2

Galor and Moav (2004) argue that in the early stages of development, physical capital accumulation is the primary source of economic growth. Thus, equality enhances growth by channeling resources towards individuals whose arginal propensity to save is higher. In later stages of development, physical capital is replaced by human capital as the engine of growth. Accordingly, equality alleviates the adverse effects of credit constraints on human capital accumulation and prompts the growth process. This paper attempts to test empirically the finding that the impact of income inequality on economic growth depends on the development stage. A threshold estimation technique, developed by Hansen (1999), is utilized for a panel of 70 countries for the period between 1970 and 1999. The estimation suggests that there is a statistically significant threshold income per capita, below which the coefficient on the relationship between inequality and growth is significantly negative and above which the estimate is positive, but not statistically significant.