Effect of dried Gliricidia sepium leaf supplement on feed intake, digestibility and nitrogen retention in sheep fed dried KW4 elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) ad libitum

A feeding experiment was conducted to study the effects of supplementation with dried Gliricidia sepium leaves on dry matter (DM) intake, digestibility and nitrogen retention in sheep fed KW4 elephant grass. Four mature rams were fed elephant grass ad libitium supplemented with four levels of gliricidia leaves (0, 4, 8 and 12 gDM kg-1wt day -1) in a 4x4 Latin swuare design. Supplementation with gliricidia leaves decreased elephant grass DM intake (g DM day-1 or g DM kg-1 BW 0.75 day -1). However, the effect of supplementation of total DM intake of the rations was not significant (P>0.05). Total crude protein intake significantly (P<0.001) increased with increasing levels of gliricidia supplementation. Total DM digestibility and body weight changes were significantly (P<0.05) improved by gliricidia supplementation; with the highest digestibility coefficient (60.5) improved by gliricidia supplementation; with the highest digestibility coefficient (60.5 percent) and body weight gain (89.3 g/day) obtained at 8 g DM kg -1wt day -1. Gliricidia supplementation significantly (P<0.001) improved nitrogen intake, absorbed nitrogen and retained nitrogen but with no significant difference at 8 and 12 g DM kg -1wt day -1 level of supplementation. The highest efficiency of N retention by sheep (44.9 percent) was obtained at 8 g DM kg -1wt day -1 level of gliricidia supplementation. The results indicated that supplemention of KW4 elephant grass with small quantities of gliricidia leaves up to 8 g DM kg -1wt day -1 enhance utilisation efficiency of the total ration. Further increases in the level of gliricidia supplementation, under the conditions of this experiment, reduced the intake of elephant grass leading to substitution effects of the basal

Influence of Seed Size on Seed and Seedling characteristics of Centrosema Pubescens

Seed of Centro of different sizes was produced from ungraded seed under three support systems; unstaked, staked and intercropped with cassava. The effect of seed size (as a result of production system) and planting depth on germination rate, germination percentage and seedling vigour were examined during laboratory and screen house experiments. Results showed slight but nonsignificant differences in seedling performance of 100 seeds weighing 2.0 and 2.9 g (from intercropped and staked centro, respectively), while seedling performance of above seeds was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of unstaked centro whose 100 seeds weighed 2.6 g. Positive associations between seedling performance and seed size were also observed. Production of centro seed from cassava supported or staked plants yielded larger seeds size and better seedling performance compared to unstaked growth

Influence of Seed Size on Seed and Seedling characteristics of Centrosema Pubescens

Seed of Centro of different sizes was produced from ungraded seed under three support systems; unstaked, staked and intercropped with cassava. The effect of seed size (as a result of production system) and planting depth on germination rate, germination percentage and seedling vigour were examined during laboratory and screen house experiments. Results showed slight but nonsignificant differences in seedling performance of 100 seeds weighing 2.0 and 2.9 g (from intercropped and staked centro, respectively), while seedling performance of above seeds was significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher than that of unstaked centro whose 100 seeds weighed 2.6 g. Positive associations between seedling performance and seed size were also observed. Production of centro seed from cassava supported or staked plants yielded larger seeds size and better seedling performance compared to unstaked growth

Intoxicação natural por Amaranthus spinosus (Amaranthaceae) em ovinos no Sudeste do Brasil Amaranthus spinosus (Amaranthaceae) poisoning in sheep in southern Brazil

No Estado do Rio de Janeiro descreve-se um surto de intoxicação aguda por Amaranthus spinosus em 12 ovelhas, caracterizado clinicamente por hálito urêmico, ausência de movimentos ruminais, dispnéia e aborto. Os animais foram colocados em um pasto adubado e severamente invadido pela planta. A necropsia realizada em seis ovinos revelou rins pálidos, em geral, com estriações esbranquiçadas desde o córtex até a medula; em um animal verificaram-se diversos infartos sob forma de figuras geométricas no córtex. O fígado apresentava-se mais claro, por vezes com lobulação evidente. Em um animal verificaram-se áreas pálidas no miocárdio. Os pulmões congestos, algo mais pesados e consistentes, por vezes evidenciavam áreas de hepatização vermelha e cinzenta na porção cranial. Petéquias, equimoses e sufusões foram observadas em serosas, na mucosa do tubo digestório e em outros órgãos. Ao exame histológico verificaram-se acentuada nefrose tubular tóxica, focos aleatórios de necrose coagulativa no fígado, áreas de necrose coagulativa no miocárdio e pneumonia intersticial aguda incipiente acompanhada por áreas de broncopneumonia. Na literatura não foram encontradas referências à intoxicação natural por A. spinosus em ovinos. Tentativas de reprodução da intoxicação com a planta em ovinos, não foram bem sucedidas, provavelmente porque, nos experimentos, não se utilizou A. spinosus proveniente de áreas adubadas. A necrose do miocárdio encontrada, ao exame microscópico do coração de diversos animais foi atribuída a hipercalemia secundária à insuficiência renal, ao passo que a gênese dos infartos renais verificados em um ovino permanece obscura.<br>An outbreak of acute poisoning caused by Amaranthus spinosus is described in ewes of southern Brazil. The clinical signs were characterized by uremic halitosis, loss of ruminal motility, dispnoea and abortion. Grossly in the kidneys there were pale red spots, white streaks extending from cortex to medulla, and congestion. Histologically there was a severe acute tubular nephrosis, dispersed foci of coagulative necrosis in the liver, areas of coagulative necrosis in the myocardium and acute incipient interstitial pneumonia as well as secondary bronchopneumonia. Myocardial coagulative necrosis observed in seven sheep was attributed to hyperkalemia secondary to renal insufficiency. No references to spontaneous A. spinosus poisoning in sheep was found in the literature. Attempt to reproduce the poisoning by administration of the plant to sheep was insuccessful, probably because A. spinosus used was not from fertilized areas