The Effect of Sheep Feces Compost with Different Fertilization Doses and Intervals on the Productivity of Mixed Pastures (Clitoria ternatea and Brachiaria ruziziensis)

Mix pasture contains more complete nutrition for animal feed. This study aims to determine the effect of giving sheep feces compost with different fertilization doses and intervals on the productivity of mixed pastures (Clitoria ternatea and Brachiaria ruziziensis). This research was conducted in Kotangan Village, Kec. Galang, Kab. Deli Serdang North Sumatra from September to November 2020. The experimental design was used a split-plot design with two treatment factors and three replications. Factor I is the main plot, namely the fertilization interval: N1 = once every four weeks and N2 = once every two weeks. Factor II as a subplot which were doses of compost : P0 = control (without compost), P1 = compost 1 kg/plot (10 t/h), P 2 = compost 2 kg/plot (20 t/h) and P3 = compost 3 kg/plot (30t/h).The variables observed were plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers, number of branches, fresh production, dry matter, crude protein, and crude fiber. The results showed that sheep feces compost doses and different time intervals for fertilization had a significant effect (P<0,05 ) on the number of leaves and tillers of Brachiaria ruziziensis, crude protein, and coarse fiber of mixed pasture. There was no significant effect (P>0,05) on plant height, the number of leaves and number of branches of Clitoria ternatea, the height of Brachiaria ruziziensisas, and fresh and dry mixed pasture production. The appropriate fertilization interval was once every two weeks, and the best fertilizer dose was 3 kg/plot (30 t/h).

Effect of liquid volume and microflora source on degradation rate and microbial community in corn stover degradation

Degradation is the bottleneck in the utilization of crop straw. In this paper, we screened the microbial consortia degrading corn stover from straw degrading consortia MC1 (M), sheep feces (Y), and mixtures (Q) of M, Y, and cattle feces. The effects of microflora source and liquid volume (representing dissolved oxygen) on the microbial community and degradation rate of corn stover were investigated. The results showed that the degradation rate and cellulase activity of a 200 mL liquid volume (L2) were significantly higher than that of 100 mL (L1). Microflora source had a significant effect on bacterial and fungal diversity, composition and taxa. Q and Y had higher bacterial and fungal α-diversity than that of M. The degradation rate was significantly correlated with cellulase activity but not with microbial diversity. This indicated that liquid volume had a significant effect on degradation rate while microflora source had a significant effect on microbial community in corn stover degradation.

Effect of Liquid Volume And Microflora Source On Degradation Rate And Microbial Community In Corn Stover Degradation

Degradation is the bottleneck in the utilization of crop straw. In this paper, we screened the microbial consortia degrading corn stover from straw degrading consortia MC1 (M), sheep feces (Y), and mixtures of M, Y, and cattle feces (Q). The effects of microflora source and liquid volume (representing dissolved oxygen) on the microbial community and degradation rate of corn stover were investigated. The results showed that the degradation rate and cellulase activity of a 200 mL liquid volume (L2) were significantly higher than that of 100 mL (L1). Microflora source had a significant effect on bacterial and fungal diversity, composition and taxa. Q and Y had higher bacterial and fungal α-diversity than that of M. The degradation rate was significantly correlated with cellulase activity but not with microbial diversity. This indicated that liquid volume had a greater impact on degradation rate and lesser impact on microbial community than microflora source in corn stover degradation.

Infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus found from the base to the top of the grass sward

The resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of sheep to anthelmintic treatment has motivated researchers to seek alternatives to reduce the use of these drugs in sheep farming and decontaminate pastureland based on knowledge about the survival dynamics of larvae. The aim of this work was to evaluate the migration of the infective larvae (L3) of Haemonchus contortus at different times of the day, strata, and sward heights, with and without shade after the deposition of contaminated sheep feces. The grass species used here was Cynodon dactylon cv. Tifton 85 in four treatments: low sward height shade; low sward height sunshine; high sward height shade; and high sward height sunshine. The number of L3 recovered from the pasture at different times of the day did not differ. The highest number of L3 recovered was in shade. The number of L3 at different times and strata occurred uniformly, confirming that L3 remain in the same place after migrating from dung at the hottest times of the day. Infective larvae of H. contortus were able to migrate across all the strata regardless of the time of day in the summer season in humid subtropical climate.

Stx1 and Stx2 subtyping and antimicrobial resistance in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates from cattle and sheep feces in the Southeastern region of the State of Goiás, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The present study was aimed at subtyping of Stx1 and Stx2 genes and characterization of antimicrobial resistance in 106 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains isolated from cattle and sheep feces. PCR was used to determine the subtypes, and the disk-diffusion method was used to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance. Ten antibiotics from five different classes were tested. Among the isolates of bovine origin, two subtypes of Stx1 (Stx1a and Stx1c), and four subtypes of Stx2 (Stx2a, Stx2b, Stx2c, and Stx2d) were identified. In isolates of sheep origin, two subtypes of Stx1 (Stx1a and Stx1c), and four subtypes of Stx2 (Stx2a, Stx2b, Stx2c, and Stx2 g) were identified. The results obtained suggest the presence of high diversity in Stx1 and Stx2 genes. Further, 96.6% (57/59) of bovine fecal strains and 89.4% (42/47) of sheep fecal strains showed resistance to at least one tested antibiotic. In both animal species, most strains were multidrug-resistant (MDR) (67.8% in cattle and 59.6% in sheep), with no significant difference between host animals. Adult animals were eight times more likely to have STEC with greater pathogenic potential. STEC with the highest pathogenic potential were three times more likely to be multidrug-resistant than STEC with the lowest pathogenic potential. The data reported in this study suggests the occurrence of strains with high potential pathogenicity in the region studied. Therefore, the ruminants of this region are carriers of strains that can cause infections in humans.

Potential of bacteria in sheep feces as biogas formation starter on lignite coal media

Sheep farms produce waste in the form of feces and urine that are organic materials and the source of bacteria. This study aims to determine the potential of bacteria in sheep feces when used as a starter for biogas formation (the number of anaerobic bacteria and biogas production) on lignite coal media. The method used in this study was experimental in the laboratory using a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance, and Duncan test was performed to find out the differences between treatments. The research procedure was divided into two stages. The first stage was in vitro method to select the feces sample with the largest biogas production. The second stage was utilizing enriched media (media 98-5) liquid for observing the growth of bacteria originating from selected sheep feces, and then the bacteria consortium was used as starters on lignite coal media. The treatments were based on the concentration of bacteria consortium used, T1=0%, T2=1.5%, T3=3%, and T4=4.5%. The number of anaerobic bacteria was observed in Hungate tubes, and biogas production was observed in serum bottles. The results showed that the highest number of anaerobic bacteria (1012 CFU/ml) and the highest biogas production (105 mL) were achieved at T2=1.5%. Bacteria in sheep feces can be potentially used as a biogas forming agent on lignite coal media, which is proved by the growth of anaerobic bacteria and the biogas production from present study.

Evaluation of Changes in the Levels of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes Phyla of Sheep Feces Depending on the Breed

Studies carried out so far have indicated the effect of the microbiome on the composition of ruminant products. Recent studies have shown that not only diet, but also genetic factors can affect the microbiological composition of the digestive system. The aim of the study was to determine the differences in the levels of selected bacterial phyla in terms of breed differences. Three sheep breeds, i.e., Olkuska, Romanov, and old-type Polish Merino, differing in their use (meat–wool, meat, prolificacy) and country of breed origin were included in the study. Sheep at the same age and of the same sex were kept for a period of 3 months in the same environmental conditions and fed the same feed in the same proportions. The study included real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) analysis of feces collected before the slaughter and measurements of body weight and chilled carcasses. The obtained results showed significant differences between the breeds in the levels of bacterial populations tested. There were also differences in body weight between the breeds during the first weight measurements, however, the final results did not show any differences—after three months of maintenance all of them reached similar body weights, despite differences in fecal microbiological composition. The study suggests that in addition to diet and environmental conditions, the microbiology can also be influenced by breed.

Development of a qPCR for the detection and quantification of Salmonella spp. in sheep feces and tissues

Salmonella spp. are common causes of disease in intensive livestock production systems, and contamination of foodstuffs is of significant concern for public health. Therefore, the identification and quantification of Salmonella spp. is important for monitoring the level of fecal shedding or tissue colonization in infected animals and animal products. We developed and evaluated a quantitative PCR (qPCR) method on spiked sheep tissue and fecal samples for the detection and quantification of Salmonella spp. Without the use of a pre-enrichment step, the qPCR limit of detection (LOD) results for sheep fecal (4 × 104–6 × 103 cfu/g) and tissue (4 × 105–4 × 103 cfu/g) samples were not adequate for detection purposes. With the inclusion of a 6-h pre-enrichment step in buffered peptone water (BPW), the LOD was 9 cfu/g (2.57 × 101 copies/g) in sheep feces, and 5.4 cfu/g (3.22 copies/g) sheep tissue. Comparison of the 6-h BPW qPCR method with a 24-h mannitol–selenite–cystine broth enrichment culture method using spiked samples revealed a sensitivity of 91% and 92%, respectively, and a specificity of 100% for both methods. The correlation was significant between the quantity (copies/mL) of Salmonella spp. in BPW at 6 h and at 0 h, allowing semiquantitative analysis. Our results demonstrate that, following inclusion of a 6-h pre-enrichment step in BPW, qPCR is semiquantitative with improved LODs of Salmonella spp. in sheep fecal and tissue samples.

Refining of the solid fraction of sheep feces digestates from an anaerobic digester

Anaerobic digestion is a technology used in the degradation of organic waste, with the possibility of obtaining products such as biogas and digestates, which have significant nutrient concentrations. However, using them without any prior treatment can cause various problems, due to the presence of unstabilized organic matter and excessive concentrations of nutrients reaching phytotoxic levels, as well as water and air contamination. Therefore, in this work, we present a refining process of solid digestates from a biodigester fed with sheep feces, by means of vermicomposting, in combination with plant waste, and using earthworms of the species E. andrei and E. fetida. The digestate values at the end of the vermicomposting showed to be within optimal ranges of electrical conductivity, with values ≤4 dS/m. The pH values were between 5,39 and 7. The percentage of organic matter was between 20 and 50%. It could be proven that the refining process increased the concentration of K for groups F 50:50, F 75:25, and A 75:25, with a value of P = 0,0001. Treatments with E. fetida showed the highest concentrations (g/L) of N = 2,71 ± 1,10, P = 0,89 ± 0,69 and K = 4,01 ± 1,57. The importance of giving added value to the products generated during anaerobic digestion processes contributes to better yields and quality in their use and commercialization.