Growth Performance, Shank Pigmentation and Blood Profile of Broiler Chickens Fed Neem Leaf Meal-Based Diets

The many benefits of all parts of neem (Azadirachta indica) tree are well documented. Thus, this study was done to ascertain the effects of sundried neem leaf meal (NLM) on growth performance, shank pigmentation and blood profile of broiler chickens. One hundred and forty four day-old chicks were randomly distributed after 1 week pre-experimental period to four experimental diets which comprised NLM at 0% (control), 5% (5NLM), 10% (10NLM) and 15% (15NLM). A completely randomized design was adopted with 12 birds per replicate and 3 replicates per treatment. Feed and water were given ad-libitum and other management practices were carried out. Initial weight of chicks and final weights at the end of the starter and finisher phases were taken. Feed intake was measured weekly and feed conversion ratio (FCR) calculated. Shank pigmentation was assessed from 3 birds/ replicate at the end of the trial. Blood samples were collected from 3 birds/ replicate at the end of the starter and finisher phases. For the starter phase, final weight, total weight gain and FCR were significantly influenced by NLM inclusion. Chicks fed control and 5NLM diets had similar higher values than others. Blood parameters were not significant except basophil values. At the finisher phase, total weight gain and FCR were not significantly different although feed intake significantly reduced with inclusion of NLM in the diets. Blood parameters were not significant except lymphocyte values. There was a non-significant increase in shank pigmentation with increase in NLM inclusion. It is concluded that NLM inclusion in broiler diets at both phases should not exceed 5% based on growth performance. Neem leaf meal increased yellow colouration of shank and was not harmful to broiler blood parameters

Growth-substrate induced performance degradation in chemically synthesized monolayer MoS2ﾠfield effect transistors

We report on the electronic transport properties of single-layer thick chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) field-effect transistors (FETs) on Si/SiO2 substrates. MoS2 has been extensively investigated for the past two years as a potential semiconductor analogue to graphene. To date, MoS2 samples prepared via mechanical exfoliation have demonstrated field-effect mobility values which are significantly higher than that of CVD-grown MoS2. In this study, we will show that the intrinsic electronic performance of CVD-grown MoS2 is equal or superior to that of exfoliated material and has been possibly masked by a combination of interfacial contamination on the growth substrate and residual tensile strain resulting from the high-temperature growth process. We are able to quantify this strain in the as-grown material using pre- and post-transfer metrology and microscopy of the same crystals. Moreover, temperature-dependent electrical measurements made on as-grown and transferred MoS2 devices following an identical fabrication process demonstrate the improvement in field-effect mobility

Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility of Growing Pigs Fed Cassava Peel Meal Based Diets Treated with Exogenous Enzyme

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of grower-finisher pigs fed diets containing 0 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 % levels of cassava peel meal treated with 0.035gNatuzyme®/100g CPM. Sixteen (16) pure bred male Landrace grower-finisher pigs, averaging 31.80kg were allotted to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design such that each pig was housed and fed individually as a replicate. Four experimental diets T1, T2, T3 and T4 were formulated and 0 %, 50 %, 75% and 100% maize was replaced with Natuzyme® treated cassava peel meal and fed until the pigs reached 60kg ±2kg live weight. At the end of the feeding trial which lasted for 7, 7,8 and 9 weeks for treatment T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively, two pigs from each dietary treatment were randomly selected and starved for 24hours;faecal samples were collected for seven days, oven dried, weighed and sampled for digestibility analysis. Feed intake and weight gain of pigs fed test diets decreased (p>0.05) while, feed conversion ratio increased (p>0.05) compared with the control. There was significant reduction (

Digestive Enzymes and Growth Performance of Common Carp, Cyprinus Carpio Linnaeus, 1758 with Additional of Turmeric Meal, Curcuma Longa Linn. in the Diet

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengevaluasi pemanfaatan tepung kunyit (Curcuma longa Linn.) dengan dosis berbeda dalam pakan terhadap aktivitas enzim pencernaan dan kinerja pertumbuhan ikan mas. Tepung kunyit dengan dosis 0, 1, 2, dan 3% dicampurkan ke dalam pakan. Pakan yang digunakan adalah pakan buatan dengan kandungan iso-protein sebesar 29,51±0,93% dan isoenergi 3948,10±68,38 kkal kg-1 pakan. Ikan uji yang digunakan adalah ikan mas dengan bobot sebesar 2,82±0,04 g, dipelihara dalam akuarium berukuran 60x40x35 cm3 dengan padat tebar 10 ekor pa-da setiap akuarium selama 60 hari. Ikan diberi pakan uji dengan frekuensi pemberian pakan sebanyak tiga kali dalam sehari yaitu pada pukul 08.00, 12.00, dan 16.00 WIB secara at satiation. Penyiponan dilakukan setiap hari. Air untuk budi daya diganti setiap tiga hari sekali sebanyak 25% dari volume media pemeliharaan. Rancangan yang digunakan adalah rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) dengan 4 perlakuan dan 3 ulangan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembe-rian tepung kunyit dengan dosis 2% meningkatkan aktivitas enzim amilase dan protease yaitu 7,012 U mg-1 dan 0,032 U mg-1. Pemberian tepung kunyit dengan dosis 2% juga meningkatkan laju pertumbuhan harian yaitu 2,22±0,13%. Disimpulkan bahwa pemberian tepung kunyit dosis 2% pada pakan dapat meningkatkan enzim amilase, protease dan kinerja pertumbuhan ikan mas

Growth Performance of Three Native Tree Species for Pulpwood Plantation in Drained Peatland of Pelalawan District, Riau

The productivity of exotic species developed in pulpwood plantations in Indonesia (HTI-pulp) has been continuously decreasing. On the other side, there is a possibility to develop several promising native tree species in peatland HTI-pulp plantations. However, less information is available on the performance of those native tree species for planting in peatland pulpwood plantation. This study evaluates the performances (survival rate, growth and yield) of three native trees [mahang (Macaranga pruinosa), skubung (Macaranga gigantea) and geronggang (Cratoxylum arborescens)] in drained peatland, in terms of suitability for pulpwood plantation. An experiment plot was established by planting three native tree species and krasikarpa (Acacia crassicarpa) in drained peatland at Pelalawan District, Riau. Survival, growth and yield variables were monitored frequently until 5.5 years after planting (YAP) and then were analyzed. Geronggang (survival rate = 80.0%) and mahang (survival rate = 65.6%) showed good survival rates at 5.5 YAP which were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of krassikarpa (22.4%). Geronggang and mahang are relatively promising growth and yield in which height, diameter and yield increment until 5.5 YAP were 1.96 m/year and 2.31 m/year; 2.08 cm/year and 2.59 cm/year; 13.1 m3/ha/year and 21.4 m3/ha/year, respectively. Yet, those growths and yields were still significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of krasikarpa, probably due to unequal seedling quality. These results indicated the potential of mahang and geronggang to be developed in peatland pulpwood plantations. However, tree improvement program is necessarily required for mahang and geronggang to initiate the development

Forecasts of the Scottish economy [July 2007]

Despite a slowing in the US, growth in the world economy remains relatively strong with the Euro Area performance strengthening. China continues to be a major driver of world growth and trade is forecast to drive growth up. Asian markets in particular are forecast to have robust growth. Japan continues to recover steadily and survey evidence for the world economy points to a further strengthening of growth in 2007Q2

No Appealing Future For High Growth – Low Profitability Firms: Evidence from Turkey’s Top 1000

The view that profitability, not growth, is the driving force behind the firm performance, and unprofitable high growth can not lead to financial success has often been discussed in the literature. In this study, I tested this hypothesis on Turkey’s top 1000 data using an extended version of the method of Davidson et al. (2009). My sample strongly supports the hypothesis that controlling for leverage, low growth-high profitability (profit) firms outperform high growth-low profitability (growth) firms regarding both directions of their transition to an upper state and a lower state in subsequent periods. The hypothesis that controlling for type of firm (growth or profit firm), leverage matters with respect to firm’s future performance is weakly supported by 3-year transition data.Firm performance, growth, profitability, Turkey

Performance limitations of observer-based feedback for transient energy growth suppression

Transient energy growth suppression is a common control objective for feedback flow control aimed at delaying transition to turbulence. A prevailing control approach in this context is observer-based feedback, in which a full-state feedback controller is applied to state estimates from an observer. The present study identifies a fundamental performance limitation of observer-based feedback control: whenever the uncontrolled system exhibits transient energy growth in response to optimal disturbances, control by observer-based feedback will necessarily lead to transient energy growth in response to optimal disturbances for the closed-loop system as well. Indeed, this result establishes that observer-based feedback can be a poor candidate for controller synthesis in the context of transient energy growth suppression and transition delay: the performance objective of transient energy growth suppression can never be achieved by means of observer-based feedback. Further, an illustrative example is used to show that alternative forms of output feedback are not necessarily subject to these same performance limitations, and should also be considered in the context of transient energy growth suppression and transition control.Comment: 7 pages; 1 figur