Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Characteristics of Digestion, Microbial Protein Synthesis and Digestible Energy in Steers Fed Diets with Different Starch:ADF Ratios

Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Rivera-Mendez, C.R.,Aguilar-Hernandez, J.A.,Barreras, A.,Calderon-Cortes, J.F.,Plascencia, A.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Estrada-Angulo, A.,Valdes-Garcia, Y.S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2014 Animal Bioscience Vol.27 No.2

As a result of the cost of grains, the replacement of grains by co-products (i.e. DDGS) in feedlot diets is a common practice. This change produces diets that contain a lower amount of starch and greater amount of fibre. Hypothetically, combining feed grade urea (U) with slow release urea (Optigen) in this type of diet should elicit a better synchrony between starch (high-rate of digestion) and fibre (low-rate of digestion) promoting a better microbial protein synthesis and ruminal digestion with increasing the digestible energy of the diet. Four cannulated Holstein steers ($213{\pm}4$ kg) were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square design to examine the combination of Optigen and U in a finishing diet containing different starch:acid detergent fibre ratios (S:F) on the characteristics of digestive function. Three S:F ratios (3.0, 4.5, and 6.0) were tested using a combination of U (0.80%) and Optigen (1.0%). Additionally, a treatment of 4.5 S:F ratio with urea (0.80% in ration) as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used to compare the effect of urea combination at same S:F ratio. The S:F ratio of the diet was manipulated by replacing the corn grain by dried distillers grain with solubles and roughage. Urea combination did not affect ruminal pH. The S:F ratio did not affect ruminal pH at 0 and 2 h post-feeding but, at 4 and 6 h, the ruminal pH decreased as the S:F ratio increased (linear, p<0.05). Ruminal digestion of OM, starch and feed N were not affected by urea combination or S:F ratio. The urea combination did not affect ADF ruminal digestion. ADF ruminal digestion decreased linearly (p = 0.02) as the S:F ratio increased. Compared to the urea treatment (p<0.05) and within the urea combination treatment (quadratic, p<0.01), the flow of microbial nitrogen (MN) to the small intestine and ruminal microbial efficiency were greater for the urea combination at a S:F ratio of 4.5. Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved (2.8%, p = 0.02) postruminal N digestion. As S:F ratio increased, OM digestion increased, but ADF total tract digestion decreased. The combination of urea at 4.5 S:F improved (2%, p = 0.04) the digestible energy (DE) more than expected. Combining urea and Optigen resulted in positive effects on the MN flow and DE of the diet, but apparently these advantages are observed only when there is a certain proportion of starch:ADF in the diet.

Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Lambs Fed Finishing Diets with Different Starch to Acid Detergent Fiber Ratios

Estrada-Angulo, A.,Lopez-Soto, M.A.,Rivera-Mendez, C.R.,Castro, B.I.,Rios, F.G.,Davila-Ramos, H.,Barreras, A.,Urias-Estrada, J.D.,Zinn, R.A.,Plascencia, A. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2016 Animal Bioscience Vol.29 No.12

Recent findings have shown that microbial nitrogen flow and digestible energy of diets are increased when urea is combined with a slow-release urea (SRU) in diets with a starch to acid detergent fibre ratio (S:F) 4:1. This affect is attributable to enhanced synchrony between ruminal N availability for microbial growth and carbohydrate degradation. To verify the magnitude of this effects on lamb performance, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining urea and a SRU in diets containing S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. For that, 40 Pelibuey${\times}$Katahdin lambs ($36.65{\pm}3kg$) were assigned to one of five weight groupings in 20 pens (5 repetition/treatments). The S:F ratio in the diet was manipulated by partially replacing the corn grain and dried distiller's grain with solubles by forage (wheat straw) and soybean meal to reach S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. An additional treatment of 4:1 S:F ratio with 0.8% urea as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used as a reference for comparing the effect of urea combination vs. conventional urea at the same S:F ratio. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI). Compared the urea combination vs urea at the same S:F ratio, urea combination increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG, 18.3%), gain for feed (G:F, 9.5%), and apparent energy retention per unit DMI (8.2%). Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved the observed-to-expected dietary ratio and apparent retention per unit DMI was maximal (quadratic effect, $p{\leq}0.03$) at an S:F ratio of 4:1, while the conventional urea treatment did not modify the observed-to-expected net energy ratio nor the apparent retention per unit DMI at 4:1 S:F ratio. Urea combination group tended (3.8%, p = 0.08) to have heavier carcasses with no effects on the rest of carcass characteristics. As S:F ratio increased, ADG, G:F, dietary net energy, carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus thoracis (LM) area increased linearly ($p{\leq}0.02$). Combining urea and a slow-release urea product results in positive effects on growth performance and dietary energetics, but the best responses are apparently observed when there is a certain proportion (S:F ratio = 4:1) of starch to acid detergent fibre in the diet.

Selection for Duration of Fertility and Mule Duck White Plumage Colour in a Synthetic Strain of Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

Liu, H.C.,Huang, J.F.,Lee, S.R.,Liu, H.L.,Hsieh, C.H.,Huang, C.W.,Huang, M.C.,Tai, C.,Poivey, J.P.,Rouvier, R.,Cheng, Y.S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2015 Animal Bioscience Vol.28 No.5

A synthetic strain of ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) was developed by introducing genes for long duration of fertility to be used as mother of mule ducklings and a seven-generation selection experiment was conducted to increase the number of fertile eggs after a single artificial insemination (AI) with pooled Muscovy semen. Reciprocal crossbreeding between Brown Tsaiya LRI-2 (with long duration of fertility) and Pekin L-201 (with white plumage mule ducklings) ducks produced the G0. Then G1 were intercrossed to produce G2 and so on for the following generations. Each female duck was inseminated 3 times, at 26, 29, and 32 weeks of age. The eggs were collected for 14 days from day 2 after AI. Individual data regarding the number of incubated eggs (Ie), the number of fertile eggs at candling at day 7 of incubation (F), the total number of dead embryos (M), the maximum duration of fertility (Dm) and the number of hatched mule ducklings (H) with plumage colour were recorded. The selection criterion was the breeding values of the best linear unbiased prediction animal model for F. The results show high percentage of exhibited heterosis in G2 for traits to improve (19.1% for F and 12.9% for H); F with a value of 5.92 (vs 3.74 in the Pekin L-201) was improved in the G2. Heritabilities were found to be low for Ie ($h^2=0.07{\pm}0.03$) and M ($h^2=0.07{\pm}0.01$), moderately low for Dm ($h^2=0.13{\pm}0.02$), of medium values for H ($h^2=0.20{\pm}0.03$) and F ($h^2=0.23{\pm}0.03$). High and favourable genetic correlations existed between F and Dm ($r_g=0.93$), between F and H ($r_g=0.97$) and between Dm and H ($r_g=0.90$). The selection experiment showed a positive trend for phenotypic values of F (6.38 fertile eggs in G10 of synthetic strain vs 5.59 eggs in G4, and 3.74 eggs in Pekin L-201), with correlated response for increasing H (5.73 ducklings in G10 vs 4.86 in G4, and 3.09 ducklings in Pekin L-201) and maximum duration of the fertile period without increasing the embryo mortality rate. The average predicted genetic response for F was 40% of genetic standard deviation per generation of selection. The mule ducklings' feather colour also was improved. It was concluded that this study provided results for a better understanding of the genetics of the duration of fertility traits in the common female duck bred for mule and that the selection of a synthetic strain was effective method of improvement.

Effects of Different Fatty Acids and Levels on the Lipogenesis Capacity and Lipolysis Rate of Broilers In Vitro

Lien, T.F.,Wu, C.P.,Chen, K.L.,Yang, K.H. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2000 Animal Bioscience Vol.13 No.9

This study investigated the lipogenesis capacity of hepatocytes and lipolysis rate of adipocytes of broilers as affected by different fatty acids (trial one) and different linoleic acid (C18:2) levels (trial two). Twenty 6-wk old broilers were used; their hepatocytes and adipocytes were isolated for the in vitro study. In trial one, four treatments were tested. The control group in which no fatty acid was added, and the test groups to which were added $300{\mu}M$ of C16:0, C18:1 and C18:2, respectively. For trial two, different levels (0, $300{\mu}M$ and 1 mM) of C18:2 combined to fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin (BSA) were added to the medium. According to results of trial one, added fatty acids significantly reduced the incorporation by hepatocytes of [U,$^{14}C$]glucose into total lipid (p<0.05); the lipogenesis capacity in C18:2 group was the lowest. Although a similar pattern was found with [l,$^{14}C$]acetate, the groups only slightly differed in terms of lipogenesis capacity (p=0.11). In addition, the C18:2 group had a significantly (p<0.05) greater lipolysis rate than the C16:0 and control groups. Results of trial two indicated that C18:2 significantly (p<0.05) reduced lipogenesis capacity both for [U,$^{14}C$]glucose and [l,$^{14}C$]acetate, and markedly stimulated the lipolysis rate (p<0.05), displaying a dose response. Results presented herein demonstrate that C18:2 can reduce lipogenesis capacity and stimulate the lipolysis rate in broilers.

Effects of Feeding Rate and Water Temperature on Growth and Body Composition of Juvenile Korean Rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli (Hilgendorf 1880)

Mizanur, Rahman Md.,Yun, Hyeonho,Moniruzzaman, M.,Ferreira, F.,Kim, Kang-Woong,Bai, Sungchul C. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2014 Animal Bioscience Vol.27 No.5

Three feeding trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding rate and water temperature on growth and body composition of juvenile Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegeli rearing at 3 different water temperatures. A total of 270 fish (each experiment) individual body weight (BW) averaging $16{\pm}0.3g$ ($mean{\pm}SD$) were fed a commercial diet for 4 wk at $16^{\circ}C$, $20^{\circ}C$, and $24^{\circ}C$. At each temperature, triplicate tanks were assigned to one of 6 feeding rates: 1.5%, 2.5%, 2.8%, 3.1%, 3.4%, and satiation (3.7% BW/d) at $16^{\circ}C$, 1.9%, 2.9%, 3.2%, 3.5%, 3.8% and satiation (4.1% BW/d) at $20^{\circ}C$ and 1.7%, 2.7%, 3.0%, 3.3%, 3.6%, and satiation (3.9% BW/d) at $24^{\circ}C$ water temperature. Weight gains of fish in satiation and 3.4% groups at $16^{\circ}C$, in satiation and 3.8% groups at $20^{\circ}C$ and in satiation and 3.6% groups at $24^{\circ}C$ were significantly higher than those of fish in the other treatments (p<0.05). A broken line regression analysis of weight gain indicated that optimum feeding rates of juvenile Korean rockfish were 3.41% at $16^{\circ}C$, 3.75% at $20^{\circ}C$ and 3.34% at $24^{\circ}C$ water temperature. Results of the present study indicate that the optimum feeding rate could be >3.1% but <3.41% at $16^{\circ}C$, >3.5% but <3.75% at $20^{\circ}C$ and >3.0% but <3.34% at $24^{\circ}C$. As we expected results suggest that fish performed better at $20^{\circ}C$ than $16^{\circ}C$ or $24^{\circ}C$ water temperature and the optimum feeding rate could be 3.1% BW/d to 3.7% BW/d in 16 g of juvenile Korean rockfish.

Selection for Duration of Fertility and Mule Duck White Plumage Colour in a Synthetic Strain of Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

H.C. Liu,J.F. Huang,S.R. Lee,H.L. Liu,C.H. Hsieh,C.W. Huang,M.C. Huang,C. Tai,J.P. Poivey,R. Rouvier,Y.S. Cheng 아세아·태평양축산학회 2015 Animal Bioscience Vol.28 No.5

A synthetic strain of ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) was developed by introducing genes for long duration of fertility to be used as mother of mule ducklings and a seven-generation selection experiment was conducted to increase the number of fertile eggs after a single artificial insemination (AI) with pooled Muscovy semen. Reciprocal crossbreeding between Brown Tsaiya LRI-2 (with long duration of fertility) and Pekin L-201 (with white plumage mule ducklings) ducks produced the G0. Then G1 were intercrossed to produce G2 and so on for the following generations. Each female duck was inseminated 3 times, at 26, 29, and 32 weeks of age. The eggs were collected for 14 days from day 2 after AI. Individual data regarding the number of incubated eggs (Ie), the number of fertile eggs at candling at day 7 of incubation (F), the total number of dead embryos (M), the maximum duration of fertility (Dm) and the number of hatched mule ducklings (H) with plumage colour were recorded. The selection criterion was the breeding values of the best linear unbiased prediction animal model for F. The results show high percentage of exhibited heterosis in G2 for traits to improve (19.1% for F and 12.9% for H); F with a value of 5.92 (vs 3.74 in the Pekin L-201) was improved in the G2. Heritabilities were found to be low for Ie (h2 = 0.07±0.03) and M (h2 = 0.07±0.01), moderately low for Dm (h2 = 0.13±0.02), of medium values for H (h2 = 0.20±0.03) and F (h2 = 0.23±0.03). High and favourable genetic correlations existed between F and Dm (rg = 0.93), between F and H (rg = 0.97) and between Dm and H (rg = 0.90). The selection experiment showed a positive trend for phenotypic values of F (6.38 fertile eggs in G10 of synthetic strain vs 5.59 eggs in G4, and 3.74 eggs in Pekin L-201), with correlated response for increasing H (5.73 ducklings in G10 vs 4.86 in G4, and 3.09 ducklings in Pekin L-201) and maximum duration of the fertile period without increasing the embryo mortality rate. The average predicted genetic response for F was 40% of genetic standard deviation per generation of selection. The mule ducklings’ feather colour also was improved. It was concluded that this study provided results for a better understanding of the genetics of the duration of fertility traits in the common female duck bred for mule and that the selection of a synthetic strain was effective method of improvement.

The Corrosion Behavior of Cold-Rolled 304 Stainless Steel In Salt Spray Environments

Chiang, M.F.,Young, M.C.,Huang, J.Y. Korean Radioactive Waste Society 2011 방사성폐기물학회지 Vol.9 No.2

염분분위기에서의 부식은 사용후핵연료의 중간저장 기간동안 304 스테인레스 강재 건식저장용기의 주 열화기구들 중 하나다. 본 연구에서는 감소정도가 서로 다른 냉연 304 스테인레스 강 시편들에 0.5wt.%의 염화나트륨 연무를 분사시키면서 느린 변형속도시험(SSRT)과 중성염 분사시험(NSS)을 $85^{\circ}C$와 $200^{\circ}C$ 에서 수행하였다. $85^{\circ}C$에서 2000 시간 동안 시험한 NSS시편의 무게 변화는 $200^{\circ}C$에서 시험한 시편의 무게 변화와 크게 달랐다. NSS 시편의 $85^{\circ}C$에서 무게 감량은 미미하였지만, 냉연 감소율이 증가함에 따라서 무게 변화는 점진적으로 감소하였다. $85^{\circ}C$와 $200^{\circ}C$에서 그리고 염분분사 환경에서 가볍게 냉연 가공된 시편의 SSRT 시험으로부터 얻은 항복강도와 극한 인장응력의 값은 공기 중의 값보다 약간 낮았다. 그러나 염분 분위기에서 부식으로 인한 20% 감소 냉연시편의 강도는 더 이상 변화하지 않았다. 예비결과는 냉연 304 스테인레스 강의 질과 성능이 건식저장용기의 제작을 위한 조건에 맞는다는 것을 증명하였다. 그러나 냉연 스테인레스 강의 장기적인 성능을 더 잘 이해하기 위해서는 염분분위기에서 이 재질의 부식거동에 관한 더 많은 연구가 필요하다. Saline corrosion is one of the major degradation mechanisms for stainless steel type 304 (SS304) dry storage cask during the spent fuel interim storage period. Slow strain rate test (SSRT) and neutral salt spray test (NSS) were performed at $85^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$ with 0.5 wt% sodium chloride mist sprayed on the cold-rolled SS304 specimens of different degrees of reduction in this study. The weight changes of the NSS specimens tested at $85^{\circ}C$ for 2000 hours differed greatly from those at $200^{\circ}C$. The weight loss of NSS specimens was not significant at $85^{\circ}C$ but the weight gain decreased gradually with increasing the cold-rolled reduction. The yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile stress (UTS) values obtained from the SSRT tests for lightly cold-rolled specimens in the salt spray environment at $85^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$ are slightly lower than in air. But for those with 20% reductions, the specimen strengths were no longer changed by the saline corrosion. The preliminary results demonstrated that the quality and performance of cold-rolled SS304 is acceptable for fabrication of dry storage casks. However, more work on the corrosion behavior of cold-rolled stainless steel in the saline atmosphere is needed to better understand its long-term performance.

Polyphenol tri-vanillic ester 13c inhibits P-JAK2V617F and Bcr-Abl oncokinase expression in correlation with STAT3/STAT5 inactivation and apoptosis induction in human leukemia cells

Trecul, A.,Morceau, F.,Gaigneaux, A.,Orsini, M.,Chateauvieux, S.,Grandjenette, C.,Dicato, M.,Diederich, M. Elsevier Science Ireland 2013 Cancer letters Vol.340 No.1

Constitutive activity of kinases has been reported in many types of cancers, so that inhibition of ''onco-kinases'' became a validated anti-cancer strategy. We found that the polyphenol 13c, a tri-vanillate derivative, inhibited kinase phosphorylation in leukemia cells. P-JAK2, P-Src and P-PI3Kp85 inhibition occurred independently of phosphatase involvement in JAK2V617F expressing HEL cells while 13c inhibited Bcr-Abl expression without inhibition of phosphorylation in chronic myelogenous leukemia cell lines (K562, MEG-01). In correlation with kinase inhibition, 13c abolished constitutive P-STAT3/P-STAT5 expression, down-regulated Mcl-1 and c-Myc gene expression and induced apoptosis. Altogether, polyphenol 13c displays potential antitumor activities by affecting onco-kinases and STAT activities.

A Study on the Plasma Biochemical Indices of Heat-Stressed Broilers

Lin, H.,Du, R.,Gu, X.H.,Li, F.C.,Zhang, Z.Y. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2000 Animal Bioscience Vol.13 No.9

Four experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of temperature and humidity on biochemical indices of Arbor Acres broilers at different weeks of age. The alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lactic dehydrogenase (LD), creatine kinase (CK), plasma glucose (Glu), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), urea nitrogen (UN), uric acid (UA), plasma thyroxin (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and insulin levels were determined in all the four experiments. In experiment 1, the plasma Glu, LD and CK levels were increased by heat exposure ($35{^{\circ}C}$ and 35, 60, or 85% RH, 2 h) and this effect was aggravated by longer exposure (24 h). No significant changes (p>0.05) were found in Ca concentration, activity of AKP and ACP. In experiment 2, temperature (10, 20, 30, $33{^{\circ}C}$) had significant effect on the levels of K, Cl, UN, UA levels and the activity of LD (p<0.01), but had no significant influence on the activity of CK (p>0.05). The UN, UK and LD levels were elevated by low temperature $(10{^{\circ}C})$ (p<0.01), Cl content was increased by high temperature ($(33{^{\circ}C})$ (p<0.01), and K level was decreased by high ($(33{^{\circ}C})$ or low $(10{^{\circ}C})$ temperature and increased by medium temperature $(30{^{\circ}C})$ (p<0.01). The humidity (35, 85% RH) only had significant effect on Cl concentration which was decreased by high humidity (p<0.01). In experiment 3, the result showed that only the LD and CK activity were significantly increased (p<0.01) by high temperature (7, 24, 28, $32{^{\circ}C}$) or high humidity (35, 85% RH). Temperature and humidity had no significant effect on K, Cl, UA, UN and Glu levels (p>0.05). In experiment 4 (24, 27, 30, $33{^{\circ}C}$; 30, 45, 60, 75, 90% RH), plasma T3 level was declined by high temperature $(33{^{\circ}C})$, and this phenomena disappeared in birds under high temperature and high humidity environment. T4 concentration in plasma was not affected by temperature (p>0.05), but was increased by high or low humidity (p<0.01). Neither temperature nor humidity had significant effect on plasma insulin concentration (p>0.05). The results of the four experiments suggested that broilers at different growth periods might have different thermal requirements and would response differently to heat exposure. The plasma biochemical indices themselves had big variation; the reaction of the indices to thermal exposure treatment differed with the age of broilers. The big variation of biochemical indices themselves might cover the response of indices to temperature and humidity treatments.

A systematic investigation of the thermoelectric stability of Pt–Rh thermocouples between 1300 °C and 1500 °C

Pearce, J V,Edler, F,Elliott, C J,Greenen, A,Harris, P M,Izquierdo, C Garcia,Kim, Y-G,Martin, M J,Smith, I M,Tucker, D,Veltcheva, R I BUREAU INTERNATIONAL DES POIDS ET MESURES 2018 METROLOGIA -BERLIN- Vol.55 No.4

<P>By using a simple model to relate the electromotive force drift rate of Pt–Rh thermoelements to d<I>S</I>/d<I>c</I>, i.e. the sensitivity of the Seebeck coefficient, <I>S</I>, to rhodium mass fraction, <I>c</I>, the composition of the optimal pair of Pt–Rh wires that minimizes thermoelectric drift can be determined. The model has been applied to four multi-wire thermocouples each comprising 5 or 7 Pt–Rh wires of different composition. Two thermocouples were exposed to a temperature of around 1324 °C, one thermocouple to around 1492 °C, i.e. the melting points of the Co–C and Pd–C high temperature fixed points, respectively, and one thermocouple to a series of temperatures between 1315 °C and 1450 °C. The duration of exposure at each temperature was several thousand hours. By performing repeated calibrations <I>in situ</I> with the appropriate fixed point during the high temperature exposure, the drift performance has been quantified with high accuracy, entirely free from errors associated with thermoelectric homogeneity. By combining these results it is concluded that the Pt-40%Rh versus Pt-6%Rh is the most stable at the temperatures investigated. A preliminary reference function was determined and is presented.</P>