Food supplementation affects interactions between a phytoseiid predator and its omnivorous prey

2014 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 95-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominiek Vangansbeke ◽  
Duc Tung Nguyen ◽  
Joachim Audenaert ◽  
Ruth Verhoeven ◽  
Bruno Gobin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Phytoseiid Predator

DNA fragmentation and morphometric studies in sperm of stallions supplemented with maca (Lepidium meyenii)

Zygote ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Emanuele D’Anza ◽  
Sara Albarella ◽  
Giacomo Galdiero ◽  
Simona Tafuri ◽  
Chiara Del Prete ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Fragmentation ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Sperm Count ◽  
Sperm Concentration ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Sperm Dna Fragmentation ◽  
Economic Management ◽  
Lepidium Meyenii ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Length Width

Summary The reproductive performances of livestock play an essential role in the economic management of the farm. The improvement of semen quantity and quality through the use of food supplements that lack substances which are forbidden in animal feeding, or that may have detrimental effects, is an important goal. Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a plant that has been used for centuries in the Andes for nutrition and fertility enhancement in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of food supplementation of stallions with maca during the breeding season on spermatozoa parameters such as DNA fragmentation and shape, which are two predictive indexes of spermatozoa functionality. For this purpose, ejaculate volume, semen gel-free volume, sperm concentration and motility, total sperm count, sperm DNA fragmentation and sperm head parameters (length, width, perimeter, area, shape factor, roughness) were measured in four stallions. Maca food supplementation in stallions during breeding reduced the percentage of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA, increased significantly sperm concentration and exerted an elongation of the spermatozoa head, a condition that is believed to improve spermatozoa functionality, suggesting that food supplementation of maca could be useful in horse breeding during the breeding season.

scholarly journals Effects of Prebiotics and Probiotics on Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Infected with the Microsporidian Parasite Nosema ceranae

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 481
Author(s):  
Daniel Borges ◽  
Ernesto Guzman-Novoa ◽  
Paul H. Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Bifidobacterium Bifidum ◽  
Nosema Ceranae ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Microsporidian Parasite ◽  
Single Strain ◽  
Acacia Gum ◽  
Bee Health ◽  
Commercial Probiotics

Nosema ceranae is a microsporidian fungus that parasitizes the midgut epithelial cells of honey bees, Apis mellifera. Due to the role that midgut microorganisms play in bee health and immunity, food supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics may assist in the control of N. ceranae. The dietary fiber prebiotics acacia gum, inulin, and fructooligosaccharides, as well as the commercial probiotics Vetafarm Probotic, Protexin Concentrate single-strain (Enterococcus faecium), and Protexin Concentrate multi-strain (Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, L. delbrueckii, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus salivarius, and E. faecium) were tested for their effect on N. ceranae spore loads and honey bee survivorship. Bees kept in cages were inoculated with N. ceranae spores and single-dose treatments were administered in sugar syrup. Acacia gum caused the greatest reduction in N. ceranae spore numbers (67%) but also significantly increased bee mortality (62.2%). However, Protexin Concentrate single-strain gave similarly reduced spore numbers (59%) without affecting the mortality. In a second experiment, multiple doses of the probiotics revealed significantly reduced spore numbers with 2.50 mg/mL Vetafarm Probotic, and 0.25, 1.25, and 2.50 mg/mL Protexin Concentrate single-strain. Mortality was also significantly reduced with 1.25 mg/mL Protexin Concentrate single-strain. N. ceranae-inoculated bees fed 3.75 mg/mL Vetafarm Probotic had higher survival than N. ceranae-inoculated bees, which was similar to that of non-inoculated bees, while N. ceranae-inoculated bees fed 2.50 mg/mL Protexin Concentrate single-strain, had significantly higher survival than both N. ceranae-inoculated and non-inoculated bees. Protexin Concentrate single-strain is promising as it can reduce N. ceranae proliferation and increase bee survivorship of infected bees, even compared to healthy, non-infected bees.

scholarly journals Increased summer food supply decreases non-breeding movement in black-legged kittiwakes

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 20190725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon Whelan ◽  
Scott A. Hatch ◽  
David B. Irons ◽  
Alyson McKnight ◽  
Kyle H. Elliott
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Light Level ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Reproductive Phenology ◽  
Rissa Tridactyla ◽  
Breeding Behaviour ◽  
Unlimited Supply ◽  
Migration Phenology ◽  
Carry Over

Individual condition at one stage of the annual cycle is expected to influence behaviour during subsequent stages, yet experimental evidence of food-mediated carry-over effects is scarce. We used a food supplementation experiment to test the effects of food supply during the breeding season on migration phenology and non-breeding behaviour. We provided an unlimited supply of fish to black-legged kittiwakes ( Rissa tridactyla ) during their breeding season on Middleton Island, Alaska, monitored reproductive phenology and breeding success, and used light-level geolocation to observe non-breeding behaviour. Among successful breeders, fed kittiwakes departed the colony earlier than unfed controls. Fed kittiwakes travelled less than controls during the breeding season, contracting their non-breeding range. Our results demonstrate that food supply during the breeding season affects non-breeding phenology, movement and distribution, providing a potential behavioural mechanism underlying observed survival costs of reproduction.

scholarly journals Reintroduction of the Golden Conure (Guaruba guarouba) in Northern Brazil: Establishing a Population in a Protected Area

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 198
Author(s):  
Marcelo Rodrigues Vilarta ◽  
William Wittkoff ◽  
Crisomar Lobato ◽  
Rubens de Aquino Oliveira ◽  
Nívia Gláucia Pinto Pereira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Lines ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Territorial Disputes ◽  
Amazon Forest ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Viable Population ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Northern Brazil ◽  
Native Foods

Brazil has the highest number of parrots in the world and the greatest number of threatened species. The Golden Conure is endemic to the Brazilian Amazon forest and it is currently considered as threatened by extinction, although it is fairly common in captivity. Here we report the first reintroduction of this species. The birds were released in an urban park in Belem, capital of Para State, where the species was extinct more than a century ago. Birds were trained to recognize and consume local food and to avoid predators. After the soft-release, with food supplementation and using nest boxes, we recorded breeding activity in the wild. The main challenges before the release were the territorial disputes within the aviary and the predation by boa snakes. During the post-release monitoring the difficulties were the fast dispersion of some individuals and the dangers posed by anthropic elements such as power lines that caused some fatalities. Released birds were very successful at finding and consuming native foods, evading predators, and one pair reproduced successfully. Monitoring continues and further releases are programmed to establish an ecologically viable population.

Menadione nicotinamide bisulphite as a source of vitamin K and niacin activities for the growing pig

2000 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Marchetti ◽  
M. Tassinari ◽  
S. Marchetti
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin K ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Organic Salt ◽  
Free Form ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Sodium Bisulphite ◽  
Chemical Factors ◽  
And Control ◽  
Physical And Chemical

AbstractWhen compared with other menadione derivatives such as menadione sodium bisulphite (MSB), menadione nicotinamide bisulphite (MNB), an organic salt combining menadione and nicotinamide, shows better stability towards physical and chemical factors once it is added to pre-mixes or foods. The present work evaluates the bioavailability of the two vitamins present in this compound and toxicity in the pig. To assess vitamin bioavailability, pigs were given small amounts of food containing MNB or equivalent amounts of MSB and nicotinamide in the free form. Menadione and nicotinamide concentrations in blood samples drawn at set times after the diets were given did not reveal any significant differences between the two modes of administration. Haematic levels of both vitamins in animals receiving MNB, or MSB and nicotinamide, were after 2, 4, 8 and 12 h higher (P < 0·001) than those of untreated animals. The tolerance level to MNB was evaluated in pigs given diets containing graded amounts of MNB (100, 500, 2500 mg/kg) for 28 days. No significant (P > 0·05) differences were recorded in live weight, food intake and gain/food ratio in pigs given these diets when compared with those given an unsupplemented diet. Haemoglobin and bilirubin levels did not differ between animals given various amounts of MNB and control animals. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities in pigs given 100 mg/kg of MNB did not show significant differences when compared with those observed in pigs given an unsupplemented control diet. In pigs on the diets supplemented with 500 and 2500 mg/kg of MNB there was a significant increase in the two enzymatic activities as compared with controls (P < 0·001 and P < 0·01). In the case of ALT this had disappeared by 28 weeks. MNB is a good source of vitamin K for the pig and does not appear to have any adverse effects, even when administered at levels higher than those normally used in pig food supplementation.

Food supplementation and abundance estimation in the white-footed mouse

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (8) ◽  
pp. 1210-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Jen L. Shaner
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Robust Design ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Design Model ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Abundance Estimates ◽  
Abundance Indices ◽  
Consumer Population ◽  
White Footed Mouse

Food availability often drives consumer population dynamics. However, food availability may also influence capture probability, which if not accounted for may create bias in estimating consumer abundance and confound the effects of food availability on consumer population dynamics. This study compared two commonly used abundance indices (minimum number alive (MNA) and number of animals captured per night per grid) with an abundance estimator based on robust design model as applied to the white-footed mouse ( Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque, 1818)) in food supplementation experiments. MNA consistently generated abundance estimates similar to the robust design model, regardless of food supplementation. The number of animals captured per night per grid, however, consistently generated lower abundance estimates compared with MNA and the robust design model. Nevertheless, the correlations between abundance estimates from MNA, number of animals captured, and robust design model were not influenced by food supplementation. This study demonstrated that food supplementation is not likely to create bias among these different measures of abundance. Therefore, there is a great potential for conducting meta-analysis of food supplementation effect on consumer population dynamics (particularly in small mammals) across studies using different abundance indices and estimators.

Comparison of the effects of the food supplementation programmes of ICDS centers and primary schools at Bali Gram Panchayat, Arambagh, West Bengal, India

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 232-246
Author(s):  
Gopal Chandra Mandal ◽  
Kaushik Bose ◽  
Slawomir Koziel
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
Quality Of Food ◽  
The Government ◽  
Better Than

Purpose – Developing countries like India, accounts for about 40 percent of undernourished children in the World and it is largely due to the result of dietary inadequacy in relation to their needs. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the changes in the nutritional status of the children, from their preschool days to the present primary school days. Design/methodology/approach – The present investigation was conducted at 20 Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) centers (Center-A) and 15 primary schools (Center-B) in Bali Gram Panchayat, Arambag, Hooghly District of West Bengal, India, at an interval of three to four years. A total of 1,012 children (boys=498; girls=514) aged two to six years old enrolled in these ICDS centers and a total of 603 children (boys=300, girls=303), aged five to ten years were studied from the 15 primary schools who were the beneficiaries of ICDS centers. Underweight (weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ)) and wasting (weight-for height Z-score (WHZ)) were used to assess the nutritional status. Findings – The nutritional situation (both in case of underweight and wasting) was better in Center B as compared with Center A. In general, the nutritional condition of boys was better than girls. Center had a very significant effect on both WAZ as well as WHZ, irrespective of age and sex. Sex has a significant impact only on WAZ. Interestingly, there was no significant sex-center interaction for both WAZ as well as WHZ. The children of the area were getting Mid Day Meal supplied through the school authorities which was comparatively better than the ICDS centers’ food supplementation. Better monitoring of nutritional supplementation at primary schools may be an important factor. Practical implications – In ICDS centers, only the Anganwari worker is responsible in running and implementing the programs offered by the Government. However, at primary schools, the active involvement of all the teachers to run the program may have effectively led to have better results. Furthermore, the Government's focus should not be only on the increase the area covered by the ICDS program, but focus should be to increase the quality of food supplied, proper monitoring of the implementation and increase the allocation of funds. Appropriate measures may be taken by the authorities regarding this. Originality/value – The results of the study will help in policy making in reducing the prevalence of undernutrition.

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