Application of long-chain alcohols as faecal markers to estimate diet composition of horses and cattle fed with herbaceous and woody species

Utilization of long-chain alcohols (LCOH) as diet composition markers in horses and cattle was assessed in a study conducted with 12 mature crossbreed mares (385±47 kg BW) and six adult non-lactating cows (499±36 kg BW) of Asturiana de los Valles breed. The LCOH data were combined with alkane and long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) data to test the applicability of combining these markers to estimate diet composition. Animals were randomly divided into groups of three animals and received a daily total amount of 1.0 kg dry matter/100 kg BW of diets composed of different proportions of ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and woody species (Ulex gallii and heather). Diet composition was estimated from even-chain LCOH (C₂₀-OH to C₃₀-OH) combined or not with alkane (C₂₅-C₃₁ and C₃₃) and/or LCFA (C₂₂-FA to C₂₈-FA, C₃₀-FA, C₃₂-FA and C₃₄-FA) concentrations in diet components and faeces by least-squares procedures, using marker faecal concentrations uncorrected for incomplete faecal recovery (FR0) or corrected using mean recoveries across diets within animal species (FR1). Results showed large differences between plant species in their LCOH profiles, and that these markers offered additional discriminatory information to that provided by alkanes and LCFA. The LCOH markers were incompletely recovered in the faeces of both animal species. In cattle, LCOH FR tended to increase with carbon-chain length in a linear manner in both diets (P<0.001), whereas in horses overall data showed a curvilinear relationship between these variables. Combination of LCOH, LCFA and alkanes resulted in more accurate diet estimates. Correction of faecal LCOH concentrations to incomplete FR led to more accurate diet composition estimates in both animal species. Results obtained in this study suggest the usefulness of LCOH markers combined with alkanes and LCFA to estimate diet composition of horses and cattle grazing mixed grassy–woody plant communities.     

Improvement of drinking water quality by using plant biomass through household biosand filter - A decentralized approach

The removal of microbial and physico-chemical contaminants was investigated using an innovative biosand filter (BSF) containing three combinations of coniferous pinus bark biomass (CPBB), i.e. 1 cm (treatment 2), 2.5 cm (treatment 3) and 5 cm (treatment 4). The efficiency of BSF was assessed in batch mode experiments and the comparative reductions of contaminants were monitored over the control treatment (1) at temperature range of 1-15 °C for 90 days. Standard methods were used to analyze 9 operating, physico-chemicals and biological water quality parameters of pre-and post-water filtration samples after 15 days interval. The results showed mean 93 ± 2% and 95 ± 3% reductions of Eischerichia coli and total coliforms, respectively, for BSF containing the highest depth of CPBB (5 cm), whereby 100% removal was observed during the treatment time T30 to T45 days. The general affinity sequence for E. coli, total coliforms and turbidity removal in the four treatments was: BSF with 5 cm CPBB > BSF with 2.5 cm CPBB > BSF with 1 cm CPBB > Control. It was concluded that modified BSF with additional adsorbent of locally available CPBB is a very good decentralized treatment option for drinking water.     

Feral cats on Stewart Island; their foods,and their effects on kakapo

Abstract

The foods of feral house cats (Felis catus) on Stewart Island were determined by examining 229 scats collected during surveys of the distribution and numbers of kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), an endangered ground-parrot species. Rats occurred in 93% of the scats, birds in 44. 1%, wetas (large orthopterans) in 26.2%, and lizards in 24.0%. Twelve (70.6%) of the 17 species of birds were native. Kakapo remains were found in 6 (5.1%) of the 118 scats collected from areas where kakapo have been recorded.     

Targeted (PCR-based) screening of antibiotic resistance genes’ prevalence in the gut microbiota of tribal people of Nabarangpur,Odisha, India

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern worldwide. The gut microbiota harbours multiple antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) that contribute to the existing and future microbial population in a community or ecosystem. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of 35 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the gut microbiota of the tribal people of Nabarangpur, Odisha, India. A total of 83 faecal samples were collected from three different tribes (Bhatra, Gond, and Paraja). Total faecal DNA was extracted, and the simplex polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect selected ARGs. Further analysis was done to estimate the incidence of these ARGs across these tribes based on alcohol consumption habits. We identified a higher prevalence of tetracycline resistance genes (tetW, tetQ and tetM) in the gut microbiota among three populations. Furthermore, a significant (P = 0·024) difference in ARG prevalence against vancomycin in individuals with and without alcohol consumption habits was noticed. The overall distribution of ARGs among the three major tribes of this location was found to be very similar. Together, irrespective of the tribes, the people of this location have gut microbiota harbouring different kinds of ARGs and tetracycline-resistant genes are the most commonly found ARGs.     

Post-bloom feeding of Calanus finmarchicus copepodites: Selection for autotrophic versus heterotrophic prey

Feeding and faecal pellet production of late copepodite stages of Calanus finmarchicus were measured in mixtures of cultured autotrophic and heterotrophic food, as well as in a natural post-bloom plankton assemblage, in order to evaluate food selection and its potential effect on sedimentation of organic matter. Calanus finmarchicus consistently selected for diatoms, both in mixtures with the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina, and in natural seston containing dinoflagellates, ciliates and flagellates. Similarly, the filtration, ingestion and faecal pellet production rates were significantly higher feeding on diatoms than when feeding on other food species. Calanus finmarchicus selection appeared relatively inflexible, so that changes in seston composition induced large changes in diet quantity and composition. Our results support the traditional view of C. finmarchicus as a major grazer of diatoms, and suggest potentially high post-bloom faecal pellet production rates.     

Microbiological quality assessment of Moroccan camel's milk and identification of predominating lactic acid bacteria

Samples of camel's milk collected from different zones of Morocco were analysed to evaluate their microbiological quality and to identify predominating lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The following average colony-forming units (c.f.u.s) of aerobic total count, enterococci, faecal and total coliforms, LAB, yeasts,Staphylococcus aureus and spores of sulphite-reducing clostridia were recorded: 6.2 × 10⁷, 2.9 × 10⁴, 1.6 × 10⁴, 7.0 × 10⁶, 1.0 × 10⁷, 3.8 × 10⁴, 1.3 × 10⁵ and 6.0 c.f.u./ml, respectively. The enumeration results were markedly variable and coliforms were not detected in 1 ml of some samples. Bacteriological identification revealed a definite dominance of enterococci with Enterococcus faecalis as the main representative species. Besides Enterococcus, other genera including Pediococcus (28.2%), Streptococcus (4%), Lactococcus (8%) and Leuconostoc(1%) were isolated on de Man, Rogosa and Sharp (MRS) agar.