Plant Products Affect Growth and Digestive Efficiency of Cultured Florida Pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) Fed Compounded Diets

Costs of compounded diets containing fish meal as a primary protein source can be expected to rise as fish meal prices increase in response to static supply and growing demand. Alternatives to fish meal are needed to reduce production costs in many aquaculture enterprises. Some plant proteins are potential replacements for fish meal because of their amino acid composition, lower cost and wide availability. In this study, we measured utilization of soybean meal (SBM) and soy protein concentrate (SPC) by Florida pompano fed compounded diets, to determine the efficacy of these products as fish meal replacements. We also calculated apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for canola meal (CM), corn gluten meal (CGM), and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), following typical methods for digestibility trials. Juvenile Florida pompano were fed fish-meal-free diets containing graded levels of SBM and SPC, and weight gain was compared to a control diet that contained SBM, SPC, and fish meal. Fish fed diets that contained 25–30 percent SBM in combination with 43–39 percent SPC had weight gain equivalent to fish fed the control diet with fish meal, while weight gain of fish fed other soy combinations was significantly less than that of the control group. Apparent crude protein digestibility of CGM was significantly higher than that of DDGS but not significantly different from CM. Apparent energy digestibility of DDGS was significantly lower than CGM but significantly higher than CM. Findings suggested that composition of the reference diet used in a digestibility trial affects the values of calculated ADCs, in addition to the chemical and physical attributes of the test ingredient

Reverse Peristalsis in Intermittent and Ad Libitum Fed Broiler Chickens Raised on Diets of Varying Form and Insoluble Fiber Content

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding pattern, feed form and insoluble fiber content of diets on the occurrence of reverse peristalsis, or reflux, in broiler chickens. One hundred and two Ross 308 birds were raised to 18 days of age in 6 groups and then transferred to individual cages, while maintaining the same 6 treatment groups: 1) ad libitum fed Basal diet, 2) ad libitum fed Basal diet + 15% hulls (7.5% barley, 7.5% oat) coarse ground, 3) ad libitum fed Basal diet + 15% hulls fine ground, 4) intermittent fed Basal diet, 5) intermittent fed Basal diet +15% hulls coarse ground, 6)intermittent fed Basal diet +15% hulls fine ground. The birds in groups 4, 5 and 6 had access to feed for one hour followed by three hours fasting throughout the day until midnight when they had two hours to feed before the lights went off. At 31 days of age, 9 birds from each treatment group were given access to feed for one hour followed by one hour of fasting. Subsequently birds were inoculated with CrEDTA via the cloaca, returned to their cages and appropriate feeding regime for two hours, and then slaughtered. Digesta samples were taken from the gizzard, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. This process was repeated on the remaining birds (8 birds per treatment) on day 32. The dried digesta samples were analysed for chromium content using inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP). Although not significant there was a general trend (p=0.0688) for higher chromium levels in the dry matter contents of gizzards from ad libitum fed birds. A tendency (p=0.1655) for elevated levels of chromium was observed in the gizzard contents of birds raised on hulled diets compared to birds fed the control diets. In addition, the gizzards of these birds were significantly larger (

Nutrient utilization and functionality of the anterior digestive tract caused by intermittent feeding and inclusion of whole wheat in diets for broiler chickens

Two experiments were carried out to study the effect of intermittent feeding, diet structure, and their interaction on the performance, feeding pattern, and digestive adaptation of broiler chickens. In experiment 1, 40 Cobb broiler chickens were fed, either ad libitum or intermittently, a commercial starter diet diluted with 150 g/kg of ground or whole wheat in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Ad libitum feeding consisted of continuous access to feed in a room with 18 h of light and 6 h of complete darkness, whereas birds on intermittent feeding had restricted access to feed from 7 d of age, with 4 one-hour feeding bouts/d and one 2-h feeding bout/d from d 14. No interaction was found between feed structure and feeding regimen for any of the measurements. Although BW gain was not significantly different among any of the treatments, birds given whole wheat or fed intermittently had significantly better feed efficiency than those given ground wheat and fed ad libitum. Inclusion of whole wheat instead of ground wheat also markedly increased (

The effect of insoluble fibre and intermittent feeding on gizzard development, gut motility, and performance in broiler chickens

A trial was conducted to test the following hypothesis; broiler exposure to coarse insoluble fibre in the diet or litter will result in enhanced gizzard function and performance, improved adaptability to an intermittent feeding program and an increase in the occurrence of reverse peristalsis. Ross 308 broiler chickens were either intermittent or ad libitum fed a basal diet, a basal diet diluted with 15 % coarse hulls (barley and oats) or a basal diet diluted with 15 % finely ground hulls in a 2x3-factorial experiment (n = 17 birds/treatment). From 18 days of age, the birds were transferred to individual cages. Birds on intermittent feeding had restricted access to feed from 11 days of age. From 18 days of age, the restrictive feeding program consisted of four one-hour meals and one two-hour meal per day. AME value and faecal starch digestibility were determined by quantitative collection of excreta. At 31 and 32 days of age, birds were inoculated with CrEDTA via the cloaca. Weights were recorded and digesta samples collected from the gizzard, duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. There was no interaction between diet and feeding regime for any of the parameters measured. The addition of coarse oat and barley hulls resulted in birds with fuller, heavier gizzards (

Precision of geocoded locations and network distance estimates

This paper addresses three questions: how accuraate is the geocoding of travel diaries; what are the relationships between different network-based distance estimates, and how exact are estimates provided by self-reported distances. Three large-scale surveys in Norway and Switzerland demonstrate that very high precision is possible when survey protocol emphasises capture of addresses. The necessary databases and networks are available today. Crow-fly, shortest-distance path, shortest-time path, and mean UE path distances are systematically related to each other, the pattern of their relationships matching theoretical expectations and the resolution of the networks used. In the examples studied, medians of self-reported distances by distance band provide reasonable estimates of crow-fly and shortest-distance path distances

The effect of insoluble fiber and intermittent feeding on gizzard development, gut motility, performance of broiler chickens

Two experiments were conducted to test the following hypothesis: exposing broiler chickens to coarse insoluble fiber in the diet will result in enhanced gizzard function and performance, improved adaptability to an intermittent feeding program, and an increase in the occurrence of reverse peristalsis. In experiment 1, 102 Ross 308 broiler chickens were either intermittently or ad libitum fed a basal diet, the basal diet diluted with 15% coarse hulls (consisting of equal weights of hulls from oats and barley), or the basal diet diluted with 15% of the same hulls finely ground in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement with 17 individually caged birds per treatment. Birds fed ad libitum had access to feed continuously for 18 h/d, whereas those on intermittent feeding had restricted access to feed from 7 d of age. From 18 d of age, the restrictive-feeding program consisted of four 1-h meals and one 2-h meal per day. In experiment 2, 156 broiler chickens in 12 pen cages with wood shaving-lined floors were exposed to 1 of 4 treatment groups with 3 pens/treatment: intermittent or ad libitum feeding of a basal diet and intermittent or ad libitum feeding of a coarse hull diet, as described above. At 31 and 32 d of age, birds in experiment 1 were inoculated with chromium EDTA via the cloaca. There was no interaction between diet and feeding regimen. The addition of hulls increased gizzard weight and content and lowered (

Phytase and sodium diformate supplementation in a plant-based diet improves protein and mineral utilization in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

A basal isonitrogenous and isoenergetic plant-based diet (Control) was supplemented with either 10 g kg−1 sodium diformate (NaDF), 4000 FTU kg−1 phytase (Phy) or a combination of both additives (NaDF + Phy). Three hundred juvenile rainbow trout with an average weight of 120 g were randomly distributed into 12 fibreglass tanks (300 L). After 65 days of trial, fish fed diets containing phytase, NaDF or the combination of both additives showed a higher growth rate (P < 0.05) compared to fish fed Control diet. NaDF increased feed intake (P = 0.032), while phytase inclusion resulted in a better feed conversion ratio (P < 0.0001) and a higher N retention efficiency (P = 0.02) compared with the Control. Apparent digestibility of P, Ca, Mg and Zn was improved by the use of phytase (P < 0.005) as well as P, Ca and Mg retention efficiency in fish (P < 0.0001). Using 4000 FTU kg−1 phytase in plant-based diets resulted in a 13% and 50% reduction in N and P loadings, respectively. The use of NaDF in combination with phytase in a plant-based diet for rainbow trout resulted in a higher weight gain than that when NaDF was used alone.Fil: Morales, Gabriel Alejandro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Denstadli, V.. Norwegian University of Life Sciences; NoruegaFil: Collins, S. A.. Norwegian University of Life Sciences; NoruegaFil: Mydland, L. T.. Norwegian University of Life Sciences; NoruegaFil: Moyano, F. J.. Universidad de Almería; EspañaFil: Øverland, M.. Norwegian University of Life Sciences; Norueg