Dietary factors affecting entero-hepatic function of ruminants in the tropics

A lack of feed resources has been identified as the major constraint in ruminant livestock production in the tropics. Although forages, such as grasses, legumes and tree forages and the agro-industrial by-products, such as palm kernel cake, are available in abundance, their utilisation as animal feeds are limited due to the presence of dietary factors which may affect the voluntary intake and the entero-hepatic function of the animals. These dietary factors include saponins and copper in the palm kernel cake, mimosine and tannin in the tree legume (Leucaena leucocephala), sapogenins (epi-sarsasapogenin and epi-smilagenin) in the Signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens) and indospicine in the creeping indigo (Indigofera spicata). Great economic losses through general unthriftiness, poor weight gain, inefficient production and death have been attributed to these dietary factors

Three dimensional craniofacial morphometrics: analysis of malay cleft lip and palate infants

Three dimensional craniofacial morphometry was investigated in a sample of 29 cleft lip and palate (CLP) infants aged between 0-12 months. They were compared with 12 non-cleft (NC) infants in the same age group. Every one of them undeiWent CT scan procedure to obtain three dimensional data. This data was then measured in PERSONA software, developed by the Australian Craniofacial Unit, Adelaide. Significant differences in the craniofacial-cervical morphology of infants with CLP compared with NC infants were noted as well as the differences between affected males and females. However these differences need to be further recognized in the future since they can improve our understanding of developmental associations in CLP and also assist in the management of individuals with CLP

Size And Shape Analysis of Female Nose in Malay Ethnic

Severn! non invasive methods have the results showed that been applied to quantify facial soft tissue morphology. Digital photography is one of the methods that has been used in the assessment of facial profile in different population This study aims to determine nasal soft tissue differences among Malays in Peninsular Malaysia by applying geometric morphometric method with digital photograph. A cross sectional study was carried out on 20 participants from Bugis and Java females with aged range from 2040 years. The photographs were captured using digital SI.R camera (Nikon D80) and analyzed using finite element analysis in MorphoStudiolM software. Seven soft tissue landmarks were digitized on each frontal photograph and six on the lateral one. The study error for both samples was within acceptable limits as there were no statistical differences (p>0.05) in duplicated digitization The results showed that the oomparison of size revealed that Bugis females were smaller in upper and lower nasal region abont 17- 33%. Bugis females shape showed differences in upper and lower nasal area by 20%. In lateral profile there was a decreased size in lower nasal area in Bugis females by 17- 33% and the difference in shape by 20%. The nasal region was significantly smaller in size and more different in shape for Bugis females than Javanese females. Computer aided photogrammetric analysis has the ability to depict and quantify local shape and size changes of nasal soft tissue differences between Java Malay and Bugis female groups

The effects of road transportation on some physiological stress measures in goats

A study to assess the physiological stress responses in goats that were subjected to road transportation was carried out using 10 Kacang crossbred does. Five does were transported in the morning with another five transported in the afternoon covering a distance of 46 km in an open-truck at an average speed of 55 km/h. Immediately following the road transportation, there were dramatic increases in neutrophi:lymphocyte ratios and plasma glucose concentrations but plasma cholesterol concentrations and body temperature were not affected. The neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios and plasma glucose concentrations appear to be reliable indicators of stress in goats

Coordinate Systems Integration for Craniofacial Database from Multimodal Devices

This study presents a data registration method for craniofacial spatial data of different modalities. The data consists of three dimensional (3D) vector and raster data models. The data is stored in object relational database. The data capture devices are Laser scanner, CT (Computed Tomography) scan and CR (Close Range) Photogrammetry. The objective of the registration is to transform the data from various coordinate systems into a single 3-D Cartesian coordinate system. The standard error of the registration obtained from multimodal imaging devices using 3D affine transformation is in the ranged of 1-2 mm. This study is a step forward for storing the craniofacial spatial data in one reference system in database

Sheep-oil palm integration: Growth performance of dorset x malin and dorset x siamese long tail sheep

This study involved the integration of sheep into oil palm plantations. The growth rates of 25% Dorset x 75% Malin (DMalin) and 25% Dorset x 75% Siamese Long Tail (DSLT) sheep raised in 9, 13, 16 and 21 year old oil palm plantations were evaluated. The measurements were taken by randomly sampling from the flock at birth, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months of age. The relationship between body weight and age was determined by Brody's model. Consequently, the growth models of sheep were 1) BW = 17.9715 (1-0.9113 exp(-0.0049*AGE)) for DMalin male, 2) BW = 17.7792 (1-0.9230 exp(-0.005*AGE)) for D1V1alin female, 3) BW = 21 (1-0.8778 exp(0.0049* AGAj) for DSLT male and 4) BW = 18.7301 (1-0.8613 exp(-0.0059*AGE)) for DSLT female. The average dai(y gain ofDMalin and DSLT sheep from birth to 10 months of age was 41.0 and 54.1 gm/head/ day, respectively. The males were slightly heavier than the females. Daily weight gains of sheep wae related to the limited grazing period and low quantity of herbage available in old oil palm plantations

Effects of feeding probiotic metabolites on the growth and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken.

The objectives of the study were to determine the effects of probiotic metabolites on the growth rates, feed conversion ratios and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken in an attempt to determine the potential use of probiotic metabolites to replace antimicrobial growth promoters. Three hundred day-old Cobb chicks were reared for 42 days. The five treatment groups comprised of one negative control without antibiotics or probiotic metabolites added into the feed, one positive control with antibiotic added, and the other three comprised of treatment groups with probiotic metabolites added at different concentrations, namely 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%, respectively. The liquid metabolites added were from four strains of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated locally from fermented soya bean (tempeh) and tapioca (tapai ubi). The 60 chicks were assigned to each treatment comprising of six replicates. Each replicate comprising 10 chicks was randomly assigned to battery cages which are kept indoors. The feed and drinking water were provided ad libitum. The chickens were weighed individually every week and the feed weights were also recorded. Nine chickens from each treatment selected, using a stratified random method, were slaughtered at the end of the third week and at the end of the sixth week. Liver and gizzard were weighed while the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were measured. The 1.5% concentration of probiotic metabolites used was an effective dose to be supplemented for growth promoting purposes. The effect of probiotic metabolites on growth was good especially at the early stages. Probiotic metabolites significantly (p0.05) changes to the weight gain. On the contrary, probiotic metabolites improved weight gain numerically especially at the first three weeks. The live weight gain was comparable to those of the antibiotic treatment group. The 1.5% MET also had a low feed conversion at both week 1-3 and week 1-6, contrary to the antibiotic group, which had high feed conversion ratios during week 1-3, although not significant (p>0.05). The probiotic metabolites appear to be potential replacements for antimicrobial growth promotants. The effect of probiotic metabolites on the carcass characteristic was less prominent compared to the growth performances. It was deduced from the results that probiotic metabolites do not have a direct effect on the gizzard. The probiotic metabolites have protective effects on the liver as the liver of the 1.5% probiotic metabolite group was significantly (p0.05) in liver weights between treatment groups. There was no particular effect of the probiotic metabolites on the intestinal length. However, there were correlations (t<0.05) between the feed intake and intestinal length

SIZE AND SHAPE ANALYSIS OF FEMALE NOSE IN MALAY ETHNIC: ANALISIS UKURAN DAN BENTUK HIDUNG WANITA SUKU MELAYU

Several non invasive methods have the results showed that been applied to quantify facial soft tissue morphology. Digitalphotography is one of the methods that has been used in the assessment of facial profile in different population. This studyaims to determine nasal soft tissue differences among Malays in Peninsular Malaysia by applying geometricmorphometric method with digital photograph. A cross sectional study was carried out on 20 participants from Bugis andJava females with aged range from 20-40 years. The photographs were captured using digital SLR camera (Nikon D80)and analyzed using finite element analysis in MorphoStudioTM software. Seven soft tissue landmarks were digitized oneach frontal photograph and six on the lateral one. The study error for both samples was within acceptable limits as therewere no statistical differences (p&gt;0.05) in duplicated digitization. The results showed that the comparison of size revealedthat Bugis females were smaller in upper and lower nasal region about 17- 33%. Bugis females shape showed differencesin upper and lower nasal area by 20%. In lateral profile there was a decreased size in lower nasal area in Bugis females by17- 33% and the difference in shape by 20%. The nasal region was significantly smaller in size and more different inshape for Bugis females than Javanese females. Computer aided photogrammetric analysis has the ability to depict andquantify local shape and size changes of nasal soft tissue differences between Java Malay and Bugis female groups

The essential fatty acids - revisited

Since the discovery of the essential fatty acids (EFA) namely linolenic acid (18:2n-6) and {X-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) in 1929 there has been a tremendous amount of research carried out on their possible sources, metabolism, physiological functions, deficiency symptoms, status assessments and dietary requirements for most animal species including man. They are termed essential fatty acids as they cannot be synthesised by the mammalian cellular system and must be derived from dietary sources. They are also essential functionally as they are required for the well being and health of the animals, including man. Linolenic and {X-linolenic acid are widely distributed in nature, where they are found in plants, and together with their polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolites are also found in many animal products. The EFA occur in a variety of vegetable oils such as corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, sunflower, olive, linseed and palm oil. Grass represents a rich source of EFA providing herbivores with adequate supplies of these fatty acids

Fermentation kinetics of some oil palm by-products as ruminant feeds.

The ruminant industry in Malaysia is still not self-sufficient where smallholder farmers keep the majority of ruminant livestock. Limited pasture and poor quality forages urge them to find alternative feedstuffs which are cheaper, of satisfactory nutritive value and available throughout the year. Oil palm by-products meet these criteria, however their fermentation kinetics in the rumen need to be evaluated. The in vitro fermentation kinetics of selected oil palm by-products, namely the oil palm fronds (OPF), palm kernel cake (PKC) and decanter cake (DC) were evaluated using the in vitro gas production technique. The by-products were assessed at inclusion levels of 100% (raw 100% by-product), 15% (15% by-product + 85% concentrate feed, w/w) and 30% (30% by-product + 70% concentration feed, w/w). The in vitro fermentation of the oil palm by-products was carried out in 100 mL sealed syringes with 0.25 g of substrateand 25 mL of rumen fluid-buffer mixture (1:4 v/v), which were incubated at 39ºC under anaerobic condition for 48 h. Evaluation of the fermentation kinetics was performed on the following parameters, namely gas production, rumen pH, protozoal population, volatile fatty acid (VFA) and long chain fatty acid (LCFA) profiles compared with concentrate feed which acted as the control. The decanter cake (DC) at inclusion levels of 15% and 30% yielded similar gas production, rumen pH, VFA, and total unsaturated fatty acid profile as the concentrate feed. However, the 15% and 30% DC significantly increased the total C18:1 trans fatty acids (p<0.05) compared to the concentrate and the other by-products. It is concluded that the decanter cake showed the greatest potential to be included into ruminant livestock feed which should reduce feed costs, although the increase in the unhealthy trans fatty acids must be taken into account