Faecal nitrogen as an index of hare browse quality

1984 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 510-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Åke Pehrson

Experiments with caged mountain hares fed natural winter browse are examined to test the applicability of faecal nitrogen as an index of the nutritional quality of winter hare browse. The weak correlation found between faecal nitrogen concentration and weight balances of hares suggests that faecal nitrogen is not a reliable index of winter food nutritive quality. It is suggested that the lack of food selection based on nitrogen concentration is the main reason for this weak relationship.

1985 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 362 ◽  
Author(s):  
RC Rossiter ◽  
WJ Collins ◽  
L Klein

Two genotypes of yellow serradella (Ornithopus compressus) and one of French serradella (O. sativus) were compared with subterranean clover when grown as swards in boxes in an open-sided glass shelter at Perth, Western Australia. The swards were defoliated at 1.5 cm, at weekly intervals, from 4 weeks after sowing until harvest at almost 15 weeks. The total yield of herbage was as high in serradella as in subterranean clover, although net herbage production (i.e. plant material removed by defoliation) was 9% less in the serradella because the sward was shorter during early growth. After 10 weeks, net herbage production rates were similar for the four legumes (5.4-5.8 g/m2.day). No major differences between the legumes were found in several measures of nutritional quality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 234-245
Author(s):  
A. J. Amuda ◽  
B. O. Alabi ◽  
S. A. Jonah

The study was conducted with the field grown gamba grass (Andropogon gayanus) and Centro (Centrosema pascourum) to examine the nutritional quality of gamba grass ensiled with graded levels of Centrosema pascourum. The forages were harvested separately chopped into 2-3cm length manually and mixed thoroughly as follows: (100:0, 90:10, 80:20,70:30, 60:40, 50:50 and 40:60% of Andropogon gayanus: Centrosema pascourum, respectively) and designated as T1 , T2 , T3 , T4 , T5 , T6 and T7 respectively. The treatments were ensiled in a laboratory using bottle silos in triplicates per treatments and kept for 30 days fermentation period. The silages were evaluated for quality characteristics, proximate composition, fibre fractions, volatile fatty acids composition and ammonia nitrogen concentration (NH3 -N) using standard procedure. The results obtained showed that the silages were adequately fermented with pleasant and fruity odour, greenish-yellow colour, firm and dry texture. The pH, ether extract (EE), nitrogen free extract (NFE), organic matter (OM) and Ash contents of the silages were similar across the treatments (P<0.05). However, the crude protein (CP) contents of silages (9.44-14.88%), varied significantly (P<0.05) across the treatments. The crude fibre (CF), cellulose, hemicellulose and fibre fractions (neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) of the silages differed significantly (P<0.05) except for acid detergent lignin (ADL) which was similar across the treatments. Other parameters such as volatile fatty acids (VFAs), NH3 concentration, temperature (°C) and dry matter (DM) moisture content (MC) differed significantly across the board. The results of this study indicated that ensiled Andropogon gayanus with Centrosema pascourum at varied levels of inclusion improved physico chemical properties of the silages. The inclusion of Centrosema pascourum legume forage also improved the crude protein (CP) contents of ensiled gamba grass significantly. Thus, the study recommends the use of 60% Andropogon gayanus and 40% Centrosema pascourum, which is practicable and obtainable.


2004 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Wainhouse ◽  
R. Boswell ◽  
R. Ashburner

AbstractMaturation feeding on conifer bark by newly emerged Hylobius abietis(Linnaeus) is essential for reproductive development. When feeding occurs on young conifer transplants, this weevil causes significant economic damage. Between emergence and oviposition however, weevils feed on bark from different sources but of unknown nutritional ‘quality’. The factors influencing the rate of feeding by males and females and female reproductive development were determined in laboratory bioassays using two contrasting food sources – the bark on different species of seedling conifer and on logs of mature trees. The nutritional ‘quality’ of bark was characterized by the concentration of nitrogen, total sugars, total polyphenols and resin. Regression models were used to show that overall, the rate of feeding on the bark of both seedlings and logs increased with weevil size and was negatively related to nitrogen concentration. The nitrogen concentration in seedling bark (mean 1.1%) was about three times higher than that of logs (mean 0.4%). The rate of reproductive development increased with nitrogen intake during feeding and the preoviposition period for weevils feeding on seedlings and logs was ~ 13 days and 46 days, respectively. Analysis of weevil mortality and of the weight gain of surviving weevils suggests that a nitrogen content of around 0.3% may be limiting for H. abietis. The possibility that nutritionally adequate food resources may be limiting for H. abietis is briefly discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1147-1155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Maria Saarela

AbstractObjectiveThe aim was to explore how the behaviour of consumers changed while they selected food in a supermarket environment after they were reminded about weight management. This investigation was carried out from the perspective of selection criteria, reading of package labels, nutritional quality of the products selected and time taken to select a product.DesignThe subjects, who were actively watching their weight, participated in two consecutive tasks in a supermarket. They were given a shopping list of eleven food categories and asked to think aloud while selecting from each category a product they usually buy and a product they would use for weight management. The data (n 792 selections) were collected through interviews and a verbal analysis protocol combined with wireless audio-visual observation.SubjectsThirty-six consumers were recruited from a sample of 367 supermarket customers.SettingKuopio, Finland.ResultsThe subjects’ behaviour changed radically after they were reminded about weight management. In the first selection, taste and familiarity were the main food selection criteria while in the latter selection the energy/fat content predominated. Consequently, the nutritional quality of products improved greatly because subjects read package labels twice as much in the latter selection. The time taken to select a product increased significantly, on average, from 23 (sd 10) to 60 (sd 51) s/product (P = 0·000).ConclusionsOnly by reminding consumers about weight management was there a significant impact on their food selection behaviour. Marketing communication should be developed which quickly and easily promotes consumers’ awareness of healthy food in supermarkets.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 2303-2313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin E Caspi ◽  
Marna Canterbury ◽  
Samantha Carlson ◽  
Jamie Bain ◽  
Laura Bohen ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectiveTo test the effect of a behavioural economics intervention in two food pantries on the nutritional quality of foods available at the pantries and the foods selected by adults visiting food pantries.DesignAn intervention (SuperShelf) was implemented in two food pantries (Sites A and B), with two other pantries (Sites C and D) serving as a control for pantry outcomes. The intervention aimed to increase the amount and variety of healthy foods (supply), as well as the appeal of healthy foods (demand) using behavioural economics strategies. Assessments included baseline and 4-month follow-up client surveys, client cart inventories, pantry inventories and environmental assessments. A fidelity score (range 0–100) was assigned to each intervention pantry to measure the degree of implementation. A Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) score (range 0–100) was generated for each client cart and pantry.SettingFour Minnesota food pantries, USA.ParticipantsClients visiting intervention pantries before (n 71) and after (n 70) the intervention.ResultsFidelity scores differed by intervention site (Site A=82, Site B=51). At Site A, in adjusted models, client cart HEI-2010 scores increased on average by 11·8 points (P&lt;0·0001), whereas there was no change at Site B. HEI-2010 pantry environment scores increased in intervention pantries (Site A=8 points, Site B=19 points) and decreased slightly in control pantries (Site C=−4 points, Site D=−3 points).ConclusionsWhen implemented as intended, SuperShelf has the potential to improve the nutritional quality of foods available to and selected by pantry clients.


1983 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. LILLARD

Commercial processing of fats and oil into edible products is done to remove the impurities from the oil. Unless the oil is hydrogenated, very few chemical changes occur during this process to alter the nutritional quality of the oils. Trans fatty acids that are formed during hydrogenation have limited nutritional and metabolic effects if consumed with an adequate supply of essential fatty acids. When lipids or foods containing lipids are heated in the presence of oxygen, they undergo oxidation, which causes degradation of the fatty acids. The free radicals produced in these oxidation reactions may react with proteins, vitamins, or other food constituents and reduce the nutritive quality of the food. However, destruction of flavor or color by these reactions is often noticed before major nutritional damage can occur.


Author(s):  
Shawna Holmes

This paper examines the changes to procurement for school food environments in Canada as a response to changes to nutrition regulations at the provincial level. Interviews with those working in school food environments across Canada revealed how changes to the nutrition requirements of foods and beverages sold in schools presented opportunities to not only improve the nutrient content of the items made available in school food environments, but also to include local producers and/or school gardens in procuring for the school food environment. At the same time, some schools struggle to procure nutritionally compliant foods due to increased costs associated with transporting produce to rural, remote, or northern communities as well as logistic difficulties like spoilage. Although the nutrition regulations have facilitated improvements to food environments in some schools, others require more support to improve the overall nutritional quality of the foods and beverages available to students at school.


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 1009-1017
Author(s):  
Cristina-Gabriela Grigoras ◽  
Andrei I. Simion ◽  
Livia Manea ◽  
Lidia Favier-Teodorescu ◽  
Lucian Gavrila
Keyword(s):  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document