Influence of the in vivo method and basal dietary ingredients employed in the determination of the amino acid digestibility of wheat distillers dried grains with solubles in broilers

As distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) become increasingly available, it is important to determine their nutritional value for precise feed formulation. The accurate determination of digestibility is crucial, and it is known that the methods used will affect the values obtained. An experiment was designed to determine and compare the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids from wheat DDGS using a semisynthetic diet and a difference method using 4 further diets based on corn, wheat, corn DDGS, and wheat DDGS. Eighty 1-d-old male broilers were fed a commercial starter diet until d 21. Between d 21 and 23, they were fed test diets in order to adapt to those diets before the trial took place between d 24 and 27. The trial period took place between d 24 and 27. Feed intake was measured, excreta collected, and at d 27, all birds were culled and ileal digesta was collected for the determination of apparent ileal digestibility and SID of amino acids. Values determined were similar to those reported elsewhere in the literature, although SID values for lysine were particularly low, being 0.26, 0.27, or 0.32, measured in semisynthetic, corn, or wheat diet backgrounds, respectively. It appeared that diet type employed was influential in the values obtained. The SID values for methionine, cysteine, methionine plus cysteine, and arginine were significantly lower (P < 0.05) when measured in semisynthetic diet backgrounds than wheat- or corn-based diets. It appears that dextrose and possibly purified starch have a detrimental impact on the broiler digestive tract. This may affect all digestibility methodologies in which such a diet base is used

Replacement of soya bean meal with peas and faba beans in growing/finishing pig diets: effect on performance, carcass composition and nutrient excretion

There is now an increasing debate about the viability of using temperate-grown legumes in pig diets as a potential replacement for imported soya bean meal (SBM) and this is due to food security, sustainability and environmental concerns. Two trials were designed to examine nitrogen (N) retention, growth performance and carcass quality of grower and finisher pigs when fed nutritionally balanced SBM-free diets formulated to contain peas or faba beans at 300 g/kg, compared to an SBM-containing, pulse-free control diet. Trial 1 evaluated N digestibility/retention in four iso-energetic diets, comparing the SBM control with one diet formulated with peas and two with faba bean cultivars; a tannin-containing and a tannin-free variety. This trial employed a four by four Latin Square design with four male pigs housed in metabolism crates, fed twice daily at 0.9 of assumed ad libitum intake over four time periods during grower (30–55 kg) and finisher (55–95 kg) phases. Quantitative faecal and urine collection allowed determination of N coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility, coefficient of apparent metabolisability, and N balance. Results revealed that dietary treatment did not affect these N parameters (P > 0.05) during either the grower or finisher phase. Trial 2 evaluated growth performance (feed intake, daily live weight gain and feed conversion ratio) and carcass quality parameters. Five diets (based on SBM, peas and one of three faba bean cultivars) balanced for standard ileal digestible amino acids and net energy were each fed to eight replicates of individually housed entire male pigs over the same growth phases as Trial 1. The inclusion of three faba bean varieties allowed comparison of animal responses between tannin/tannin-free and spring vs. winter bean cultivars. At ∼95 kg, pigs were slaughtered and a comprehensive range of carcass measurements undertaken. Samples of shoulder backfat were also taken at slaughter to determine skatole and indole concentrations. As with N balance, feeding treatment did not affect performance data. Carcass parameters revealed pigs fed with the pea-based diet had a greater dressing percentage than those animals on faba bean-based diets. Pigs fed with the SBM or pea-based diets also had greater lean meat percentages than those on faba-bean diets. Mean skatole concentrations for all pigs were below the accepted maximum threshold level of 0.2 μg/g. In conclusion, it is suggested that peas and faba beans can be successfully fed in balanced pig diets throughout the grower/finisher periods as alternatives to SBM

The Un-herded Faculty: Adjuncts, Gypsy Scholars, Silent Faculty, and the Implications of the Adjunct Phenomenon on Higher Education

This dissertation examines the implications of the adjunct phenomenon on higher education. The researcher utilized multiple case study and document analysis to identify the major implications the adjunct phenomenon has on higher education through the framework of organizational culture and leadership as well as the concept of the herd. This was explored through the study of adjunct faculty perceptions of the adjunct phenomenon, the shift from tenure-track to non-tenure track faculty, hiring, implementation, and employment practices for adjunct faculty. The results of this study support the conclusion that the adjunct phenomenon is impacting higher education, specifically recruitment, retention, organizational culture, and faculty resources. The findings suggest that the negative impacts of the adjunct phenomenon are experienced through the matriculation of limitations on higher education through the state of Louisiana. Additionally, departments have the power to impact the adjunct phenomenon experienced in their department through making changes to recruitment and retention practices as well as the development of organizational culture, utilizing the concept of the herd

Amino acid digestibility of larval meal (Musca domestica) for broiler chickens

Work was undertaken to investigate the potential use of housefly (Musca domestica) larvae reared on broiler manure as a source of nutrition for poultry production in the United Kingdom. Nutritional analysis showed that larvae have a high (>45% dry wt.) protein content and a favorable amino acid profile that is rich in key amino acids, such as lysine and methionine. A broiler digestibility trial was carried out to determine the apparent ileal digestibility coefficients (AIDC) and true ileal digestibility coefficients (TIDC) of amino acids (AA) from insect larval meal (ILM) from M. domestica and fishmeal (FM) in broiler chickens. This was calculated using multiple linear regression technique based upon 3 inclusions of each protein source in a semisynthetic diet. One-hundred-forty-four day-old male (Ross 308) broilers were fed from hatch on a commercial starter diet for 20 days. Experimental diets were fed from d 21 to 28, and feed intakes were measured daily. On d 28, the trial was terminated, ileal digesta were collected for the determination of AIDC and TIDC of AA, and inflammatory responses (gizzard erosion and eye discharge) were measured. No significant differences were observed in digestibilities between protein sources for any AA. Furthermore, ILM feeding did not induce gizzard erosion or eye discharge at any inclusion. These results provide strong evidence to suggest that ILM of the common housefly can provide a successful alternative protein source to FM in broiler diets