Nematodes are worm-shaped nearly microscopic animals, many of which are virtually invisible to the unaided eye when they are in the soil or within plant material. Of the known nematode species, approximately 50%, 25%, 15%, and 10% are free-living, marine, animal parasites, and plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs), respectively. Freeliving nematodes are very important in maintaining the soil bio-dyn...

Unraveling nutrient imbalances in contemporary agriculture is a research priority to improve whenever possible yield and nutrient use efficiency in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) systems while minimizing the costs of cultivation (e.g., use of fertilizers) and environmental concerns. The main goal of this study was therefore to investigate biomass and nutrient [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and pota...

The effects of different levels of maltose on feed pellet water stability and nutrient leaching were studied. Five treatments, including control with three replicates with setup (0.0, 20, 25, 30 and 35%). Pellet leaching rates were used to indicate pellet water stability. The results show that the presence of maltose in the diets significantly improved pellet water stability (p<0.05), but the l...

Considerable savings can be realized and performance can be improved by formulating poultry feeds based on the daily feed intake and nutrient needs of the chicken. Programmes have been developed for commercial layers, broiler breeders, and replacement pullets for commercial egg production. Programmes have also been suggested for broiler breeder replacements for this purpose. Suggestions have be...

The efficiency of feed use is an important factor influencing costs of production. However, feed intake (FI) is generally difficult and costly to measure. In addition, feed intake per se is relatively meaningless unless taken in the context of prevailing environmental and physiological processes. For example, FI and its utilisation by animals is altered by climate, activity levels, disease and ...

Pig breeders have successfully selected for higher litter size, reduced backfat and improved growth rate (Hermesch, 2006). These outcomes imply that modern sows have higher nutrient demands in comparison to sows of 20 years ago. For example, genetic improvement of litter size has been 0.10 to 0.20 piglets per year in maternal lines. This implies that sows need to eat 50 to 100 grams more feed p...

U N D E R conditions of ad libitum feeding, performance of swine is determined mainly by the voluntary feed consumption and the adequacy of nutrient levels in the diet. Recent emphasis has been on the establishment of optimum relationships between energy concentration and the levels of other nutrients in the diet. The relationship of source and concentration of dietary energy to level and quali...

A t1ial was conducted to establish pyridoxine requirement of broilersfed on jJractical ration, in which 8 duplicate groups of 25 commercial broiler chicks werefed guinea corn-palm kernel meal based diet supplemented with graded levels ofPy1idoxine (4.5,5.0,5.5,6.0,7.0,7.5 and 8.0 mg/hgfeed) from day-one to 42 days. Data on feed utilisation, nutrient retention and carcass characteristics showed ...