Dietary water fly (Notonecta sp.) meal as an alternative protein source for sheep: Effects on performance, nutrient intake, nitrogen balance, and fermentation parameters.

In this study, the inclusion of water fly (Notonecta sp., NT) meal was compared with conventional protein sources such as soybean meal (SBM) and fish meal (FM) in diets destined for sheep, with specific reference to growth performance, nutrient intake, nitrogen balance, and in vitro rumen fermentation parameters. For 21 days, 18 male Suffolk lambs were randomly assigned to three experimental diets fed: (1) SBM at 130 g/kg dry matter (DM), as a plant-based protein diet; (2) FM at 50 g/kg DM, as an animal-based protein diet; and (3) NT at 60 g/kg DM, as an insect-based protein diet, for ad libitum feed intake.

Effect of calcium soaps from garlic () and willow ( extracts on nematode loads, nutrient intake and digestibility, nitrogen balance and rumen fermentation kinetics in dairy goats.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary calcium soaps from garlic () and willow () extracts on nematode loads, nutrient intake and digestibility, nitrogen balance and rumen fermentation kinetics in dairy goats. Nine adult non-lactating Saanen goats were grouped into a complete randomized block design with 3 treatments ( = 3) over a period of 28 d. Animals were fed a diet based on alfalfa hay and a concentrate that was supplemented (65 g/kg DM) with calcium soaps of safflower (control), garlic or willow.

Effects of Calcium Soaps from Palm, Canola and Safflower Oils on Dry Matter Intake, Nutrient Digestibility, Milk Production, and Milk Composition in Dairy Goats.

This study determined the effect of protected dietary oils on dry matter intake (DMI), digestibility and milk production in dairy goats. Nine Saanen goats were used in a 3 × 3 Latin square design with three periods of 25 days. A basal diet based on barley hay and corn silage was supplemented with 2.

Effects of Three Herbs on Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle.

The objectives of the present work were to evaluate the in vivo antimethanogenic effects of (CC), (MC) and (CB) on beef cattle fed a high in concentrate diet (forage-to-concentrate ratio [F:C] of 19.4:80.6), and the effects of increasing levels of CC (0%, 2%, 3%, and 4% of the daily DM intake (DMI)) on enteric CH emissions by beef cattle fed a ration low in concentrate (F:C ratio of 49.

Construction and Operation of a Respiration Chamber of the Head-Box Type for Methane Measurement from Cattle.

This paper aims to describe the construction and operation of a respiration chamber of the head-box type for methane (CH) measurements in bovines. The system consists of (1) a head box with a stainless steel frame and acrylic walls, floor, and ceiling; (2) a stainless steel feeder; (3) an automatic drinking water bowl; (4) a hood made from reinforced canvas; (5) an infrared (IR) CH gas analyzer, a mass flow generator, a data-acquisition system; and (6) a steel metabolic box. Six assays were conducted to determine the pure CH recovery rate of the whole system in order to validate it and comply with standards of chamber operation.

[Diagnostic of health quality in artisanal cheese dairies of Zacazonapan municipality, State of Mexico].

Objective: To determine the prevalence and the degree of contamination by molds and yeasts (M&Y), aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), total coliforms (TC) and Salmonella spp. (S). These microorganisms were considered indicators of quality and hygiene in the manufacturing environment of Zacazonapan cheese.

Optimal management of on-farm resources in small-scale dairy systems of Central Mexico: model development and evaluation.

This study evaluates the available on-farm resources of five case studies typified as small-scale dairy systems in central Mexico. A comprehensive mixed-integer linear programming model was developed and applied to two case studies. The optimal plan suggested the following: (1) instruction and utilization of maize silage, (2) alfalfa hay making that added US$140/ha/cut to the total net income, (3) allocation of land to cultivated pastures in a ratio of 27:41(cultivated pastures/maize crop) rather than at the current 14:69, and dairy cattle should graze 12 h/day, (4) to avoid grazing of communal pastures because this activity represented an opportunity cost of family labor that reduced the farm net income, and (5) that the highest farm net income was obtained when liquid milk and yogurt sales were included in the optimal plan.

Urea treated maize straw for small-scale dairy systems in the highlands of Central Mexico.

Maize straw is the main roughage for dairy herds in campesino farms in central Mexico. The objective was to evaluate feeding milking cows on maize straw treated with 40 g/kg DM of urea (A) or untreated straw (B), and 3.0 kg/d of 18% CP concentrate.