Evaluation of process variables in bench-scale bio-oxidation of the Olympias concentrate

Abstract: A statistically designed set of eight bio-oxidation tests on the Olympias concentrate was conducted in bench-scale equipment to evaluate the effects of important variables on pyrite/arsenopyrite oxidation and gold extraction. The variables studied were total retention time, feed solid concentration and particle size. High degrees of arsenopyrite oxidation were observed in all tests, as the arsenopyrite oxidation was very fast and therefore not dependent on the variables within the studied range. Statistical analysis of the experimental data reveals that the pyrite oxidation and gold extraction are dependent mainly on the retention time and to a lesser extent on the particle size. The feed solid concentration had a small influence only on the gold extraction. Regressed equations of the experimental data can be used to predict proper operating conditions.     

Effects of replacing grass silage with maize silages differing in inclusion level and maturity on the performance,meat quality and concentrate-sparing effect of beef cattle

The effects of maturity of maize at harvest, level of inclusion and potential interactions on the performance, carcass composition, meat quality and potential concentrate-sparing effect when offered to finishing beef cattle were studied. Two maize silages were ensiled that had dry matter (DM) concentrations of 217 and 304 g/kg and starch concentrations of 55 and 258 g/kg DM, respectively. Grass silage was offered as the sole forage supplemented with either 4 or 8 kg concentrate/steer daily or in addition with one of the two maize silages at a ratio 0.5 : 0.5, on a DM basis, maize silage : grass silage supplemented with 4 kg concentrate daily. The two maize silages were also offered as the sole forage supplemented with 4 kg concentrate/steer daily. The forages were offered ad libitum. The six diets were offered to 72 steers (initial live weight 522 s.d. 23.5 kg) for 146 days. There were significant interactions (P < 0.05) between maize maturity and inclusion level for food intake, fibre digestibility and daily gain. For the grass silage supplemented with 4 or 8 kg concentrate, and the maize silages with DM concentrations of 217 and 304 g/kg offered as 0.5 or 1.0 of the forage component of the diet, total DM intakes were 8.3, 9.8, 8.9, 8.2, 9.2 and 9.8 kg DM/day (s.e. 0.27); live-weight gains were 0.74, 1.17, 0.86, 0.71, 0.88 and 1.03 kg/day (s.e. 0.057); and carcass gains were 0.48, 0.73, 0.56, 0.46, 0.56 and 0.63 kg/day (s.e. 0.037), respectively. Increasing the level of concentrate (offered with grass silage), maize maturity and level of maize inclusion reduced (P < 0.05) fat b* (yellowness). The potential daily concentrate-sparing effect, as determined by carcass gain, for the maize silages with DM concentrations of 217 and 304 g/kg offered as 0.5 and 1.0 of the forage component of the diet were 1.3, −0.3, 1.3 and 2.4 kg fresh weight, respectively. It is concluded that the response, in animal performance, including maize silage is dependent on the stage of maturity and level of inclusion in the diet. Maize silage with a DM of 304 g/kg offered ad libitum increased carcass gain by 31%, because of a combination of increased metabolizable energy (ME) intake and improved efficiency of utilization of ME, and produced carcasses with whiter fat.     

肉鸡盲肠乳酸杆菌的数量与生产性能的相关性分析

研究小刺猴头菌发酵浸膏对肉鸡生产性能和盲肠乳酸杆菌的影响。选用1日龄AA肉仔鸡240只,随机分为4组,每组3个重复,每个重复20只。空白对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组在基础日粮中添加不同剂量(添加量按其多糖含量在基础日粮中的比例为0.1%、0.3%、0.5%)的HFC,试验为期60 d。结果表明:1⁴2日龄时,0.1%、0.3%、0.5%HFC组的平均日增重极显著高于空白对照组(P<0.01)。2142日龄时,0.1%、0.3%、0.5%HFC组的平均日增重极显著高于空白对照组(P<0.01)。21⁴2日龄时,0.1%、0.3%、0.5%HFC组的平均日采食量极显著高于空白对照组(P<0.01)。142日龄时,0.1%、0.3%、0.5%HFC组的平均日采食量极显著高于空白对照组(P<0.01)。1⁴2日龄时,与空白对照组相比,0.1%、0.3%、0.5%HFC组能够极显著降低料肉比(P<0.01)。定量分析盲肠乳酸杆菌表明:42日龄时,与空白对照组相比,0.1%、0.3%、0.5%HFC组极显著增加盲肠乳酸杆菌的数量(P<0.01)。乳酸杆菌与生产性能的相关性分析表明:42日龄时,肉鸡的平均日增重与盲肠乳酸杆菌呈极显著正相关(r=0.983,P<0.01),料肉比与盲肠乳酸杆菌呈显著负相关(r=-0.908,P<0.05)。饲料中添加HFC有助于提高肉鸡的生产性能,促进盲肠乳酸杆菌的增殖;盲肠乳酸杆菌的增殖有助于提高肉鸡的生产性能。     

Effects of a dietary crude fibre concentrate on growth in weaned piglets

Many fibre sources can help the adaptation of piglets at weaning, improving the growth. In this study, the effects of a dietary crude fibre concentrate (CFC) on piglet’s growth was investigated. From 31 to 51 days of age, 108 weaned piglets (D×(Lw×L)), had access to two isofibrous, isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets, supplemented with 1% of CFC (CFC group) or not (control (CON) group). From days 52 to 64 all piglets received the same starter diet. During the dietary treatment period the CFC group showed higher average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed efficiency (P<0.001) than CON group. At 64 days of age, BW was higher in CFC group compared with CON group (P<0.001). Blood samples were collected at days 31, 38, 45 and 52 of age. From days 31 to 52 significant differences in the somatotropic axis between groups were observed. In particular, growth hormone levels were higher only at the end of the 1^st week of dietary treatment (P<0.05) in CFC group animals compared with CON group animals. The IGF-I trend was similar between groups even if the IGF-I levels were higher in the CFC group than CON group 1 week after starting treatment (P<0.01). The IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) levels were higher in the first 2 weeks of dietary treatment and lower in the 3^rd week in CON group compared with CFC group (P<0.01). Specifically, the IGFBP-3 profile was consistent with that of IGF-I in CFC group but not in CON group. At the same time, an increase of leptin in CFC compared with CON group was observed (P<0.05). Piglets fed the CFC diet showed a lower diarrhoea incidence (P<0.05) and a lower number of antibiotic interventions (P<0.05) than CON diet from 31 to 51 days of age. Pig-major acute-phase protein plasma level (P<0.01) and interleukin-6 gene expression (P<0.05) were higher in CON group than CFC group at the end of 1^st week of dietary treatment. In conclusion, this study showed that CFC diet influences the hormones related to energy balance enhancing the welfare and growth of piglets. Furthermore, the increase in feed intake during 3 weeks of dietary treatment improved the feed efficiency over the entire post-weaning period.     

Effect of seaweed concentrate on growth and development of the marigoldTagetes patula

The seaweed concentrate Kelpak, made fromEcklonia maxima, and applied as a foliar spray or a root drench at transplanting, improved both the vegetative and reproductive growth of marigolds. Of particular significance is that the overall production of seeds (fruits) was increased by as much as 50% in some instances. Very low concentrations of seaweed concentrate were not always effective, while the higher dosages decreased vegetative growth.     

Effect of seaweed concentrate on the establishment and yield of greenhouse tomato plants

Seaweed concentrate prepared fromEcklonia maxima (Osbeck) Papenfuss, when applied as a soil drench, significantly improved the growth of tomato seedlings. Application as a foliar spray had no effect on young plants. In a second experiment SWC-treated plants exhibited early fruit ripening and a total fruit fresh weight increase of 17%. The number of harvested fruit were improved by about 10%. In this instance foliar applied SWC was more beneficial than SWC applied to the soil. The significance of these findings is discussed.author for correspondence     

An examination of two concentrate allocation strategies which are based on the early lactation milk yield of autumn calving Holstein Friesian cows

The objective of this experiment was to compare the effects of two concentrate feeding strategies offered with a grass silage and maize silage diet on the dry matter (DM) intake, milk production (MP) and estimated energy balance of autumn calved dairy cows. Over a 2-year period, 180 autumn calving Holstein Friesian cows were examined. Within year, cows were blocked into three MP sub-groups (n=9) (high (HMP), medium (MMP) and low (LMP)) based on the average MP data from weeks 3 and 4 of lactation. Within a block cows were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (n=54), flat rate (FR) concentrate feeding or feed to yield (FY) based on MP sub-group. Cows on the FR treatment were offered a fixed rate of concentrate (5.5 kg DM/cow per day) irrespective of MP sub-group. In the FY treatment HMP, MMP and LMP cows were allocated 7.3, 5.5 and 3.7 kg DM of concentrate, respectively. The mean concentrate offered to the FR and FY treatments was the same. On the FR treatment there was no significant difference in total dry matter intake (TDMI, 17.3 kg) between MP sub-groups. In the FY treatment, however, the TDMI of HMP-FY was 2.2 kg greater than MMP-FY, and 4.5 kg greater than LMP-FY (15.2 kg DM). The milk yield of LMP-FR was 3.5 kg less than the mean of the HMP-FR and MMP-FR treatments (24.5 kg). The milk yield of the HMP-FY treatment was 3.6 and 7.9 kg greater than the MMP-FY and LMP-FY treatments, respectively. The difference in MP between the HMP sub-groups was 2.6 kg, which translates to a response of 1.4 kg of milk per additional 1 kg of concentrate offered. There was no significant difference in MP between the two LMP sub-groups; however, MP increased 0.8 kg per additional 1 kg of concentrate offered between cows on the LMP-FR and LMP-FY treatments. The estimated energy balance was positive for cows on the LMP-FR treatment, but negative for cows on the other treatments. The experiment highlights the variation within a herd in MP response to concentrate, as cows with a lower MP potential are less responsive to additional energy input than cows with a greater MP potential. Cows with a greater MP capacity did not substitute additional concentrate for the basal forage, which indicates an additional demand for energy based on ability of individual cows to produce milk.     

凝血酶原复合物中肝素含量的测定

凝血酶原复合物按标示量加蒸馏水溶解成１０ＰＥ／ｍｌ。通过加入适量的硫酸鱼精蛋白中和凝血酶原复合物样品中肝素。取中和后的样品加入缺血小板血浆、脑磷脂和氯化钙,记录凝固时间,挑选凝固时间最短的样品管计算肝素含量。该方法误差２０％。以５家血制品生产单位生产的２４批ＰＣＣ肝素含量的测定,按ＰＣＣ效价标示量小于等于１３０％计算,不合格６批占２５％。     

Effect of finishing period length with α-tocopherol supplementation on the expression of vitamin E-related genes in the muscle and subcutaneous fat of light lambs

The aim of this study was to investigate how different finishing period lengths with α-tocopherol supplementation or alfalfa grazing affect mRNA expression levels of genes related to vitamin E metabolism in L. thoracis (LT) muscle and subcutaneous fat (SF) from lambs of the Rasa Aragonesa breed. Indoors, concentrate-fed light lambs (n = 48) were supplemented with 500 dl-α-tocopheryl acetate/kg concentrate for an average finishing period length of 0 (C), 10.7 (VE10d), 21.2 (VE20d) and, 32.3 (VE30d) days before slaughtering. Simultaneously, 8 lambs with their dams were alfalfa-grazed. The α-tocopherol affected in a short-term the expression of genes in LT muscle (ABCA1, LPL, APOE, and SREBP1) and SF (ABCA1, SCARB1, LPL, and PPARG). On the contrary, PPARA gene expression showed a long-term α-tocopherol effect because the highest levels of PPARA mRNA were found in the VE30d.     

Lysis of Radio-resistant Bacteria by Enzyme of Achromobacter lunatus

An unknown polyacetylene was isolated from the subterranean stems of Solidago altissima L. in which the two poly acetylenes, dehydromatricaria ester (I) and methyl 10-[(Z)-2-methyl- 2-butenoyloxy]-(2Z,8Z)-2,8-decadiene-4,6-diynoate (II) had already been found, and its structure was identified as (4Z)-2,4-decadiene-6,8-diyn-4-olide (dehydromatricaria lactone) (III). The lactone (III), as well as I, strongly inhibited the growth of the seedlings of barnyard millet (Panicum crus-galli L. var. frumentaceum Trin.).

The seasonal variations in the polyacetylene contents of the subterranean stems were closely investigated, with the results that III occurred only in the fall of the year while I and II hardly varied throughout the year. II was a major polyacetylene component and the content was 0.9~1.0 µmol/g fresh wt.