Volume 11 - Issue 2

Effect of dietary supplementation of Lactobacilli and Streptococci cultures on the performance of broiler chickens

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Effect of dietary supplementation of Lactobacilli and Streptococci cultures on the performance of broiler chickens M. S. M. Nafees, M. Pagthinathan An experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary supplementation of lactic acid cultures (5×1010 cfu of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus per gram) on growth parameters of Lohmann Indian River broiler chicks. Fifty-two unsexed day-old chicks were randomly divided into two groups. Each group was subdivided into two replicates and housed in 108×108 cm pens and reared with a deep litter system. The birds were fed with commercial broiler starter ration for the first 21 days and from 22 to 40 days, they were randomly allocated to one of the two dietary treatments: broiler finisher (control) or broiler finisher supplemented with 1% lactic acid cultures (experimental diet). The study showed that treatment effects on feed intake, live-weight, dressing percentage and weight of the internal organs of broilers were not significant (P>0.05). Total feed intake was 3 786.3 g on control diet and 3 785.3 g on experimental diet. The values for the respective growth parameters on control diet were: live-weight, 2 562.5 g; live-weight gain, 85.1 g/d and relative growth rate, 83.1 g kg-1 d-1. The values for the respective growth parameters on experimental diet were: live-weight, 2 371.4 g; live-weight gain, 77.4 g/d and relative growth rate, 82.0 g kg-1 d-1. Dressed weight (1 828.6 g) was higher (P<0.05) on control diet. There was no difference in FCR. The findings could be due to combined effects of insufficient bacterial count, and genotype and growth stage of broilers.

Effect of Integrated Use of L-Tryptophan and Chemical Fertilizer on Growth and Yield Performances of Radish (Rhaphanus sativus L.)

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Effect of Integrated Use of L-Tryptophan and Chemical Fertilizer on Growth and Yield Performances of Radish (Rhaphanus sativus L.) S. Nishanthi, S. Sutharsan L-Tryptophan (L-TRP) is an essential amino acid that performs as a physiological precursor of auxins in higher plants. A pot experiment was conducted at the Agro Technology Park, Eastern University of Sri Lanka to find out the effect of integrated use of L-Tryptophan (L-TRP) and chemical fertilizer on growth and yield performance of Rhaphanus sativus L. There were six treatments with three replicates laid out in a Completely Randomized Design in a factorial arrangement. The treatment combinations were rates of fertilizer (recommended fertilizer rate by the Department of Agriculture and half of that recommendation), and concentration of L-TRP (0 M, 10-3 M, 10-4 M). Measurements were taken at 45 days after sowing of radish. There was a significant interaction (p<0.05) between the concentration of L-TRP and fertilizer rate on tested parameters of radish. All the tested parameter were significantly increased at 10-4 M of L-TRP over the control at recommended fertilizer rate while at half of recommended fertilizer rate, all the parameters were significantly high at 10-3 M of L-TRP over the control. It can be concluded that the application of L-TRP as a phytohormone precursor can be used to increase the growth and yield performance in radish at different fertilizer rate.

Performance of broiler chickens raised in boric acid amended chopped rice straw and paddy husk

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Performance of broiler chickens raised in boric acid amended chopped rice straw and paddy husk P. M. Hashani, L. S. David A research study was carried out to evaluate the effects of boric acid amended chopped paddy straw and paddy husk on performance of broiler chickens. Total of 120, day-old, broiler chicks were randomly allocated into four treatment groups; CS= birds raised in chopped paddy straw, PH=birds raised in paddy husk, CS+H3BO3=birds raised in boric acid treated chopped paddy straw and PH+H3BO3=birds raised in boric acid treated paddy husk, with three replicates of ten birds each. The birds were fed with commercial diets. Boric acid was applied to the litter surface at the rate of 0.4 kg/9.3 m2 in weekly basis. Body weight gain and feed consumption were recorded weekly and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated. On day 42, the carcass characteristics and the relative organ weights were measured. The birds raised on boric acid amended chopped straw and paddy husk had significantly increased (p<0.05) overall body weight gains, feed consumption, live body weight and carcass weight over the untreated groups. The FCR of birds kept on boric acid treated chopped straw was significantly (p<0.05) lower than untreated chopped straw and paddy husk. The dressing percentage was lowest (p<0.05) in the birds kept on untreated chopped straw than others. The birds raised on untreated chopped straw had higher (p<0.05) spleen weight and lower gizzard weight than those of untreated paddy husk regardless of boric acid amendment. Therefore, the boric acid amendment to chopped straw and paddy husk increases the growth performance of broiler chickens.

Influence of Foliar Application of Boron and Copper on Growth and Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv ‘Thilina’)

2017-01-01T00:00:00Z

Influence of Foliar Application of Boron and Copper on Growth and Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv ‘Thilina’) K. D. Harris, S. Puvanitha An experiment was conducted at the Crop farm, Eastern University, Sri Lanka during the period of December 2013 to April 2014 to find out the response of foliar application of H3BO3 and CuSO4 on growth and yield of tomato. Treatments were arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated eight (8) times. There were 10 treatments namely, (T1) H3BO3 =150 ppm; (T2) H3BO3 = 250 ppm; (T3) H3BO3= 350 ppm; (T4) CuSO4= 150 ppm; (T5) CuSO4= 250 ppm; (T6) CuSO4= 350 ppm; (T7) H3BO3 (150 ppm) + CuSO4(150 ppm); (T8) H3BO3 (250 ppm) + CuSO4 (250 ppm); (T9) H3BO3 (350 ppm) + CuSO4(350 ppm); (T10) Control. The foliar applications were done thrice at 10-days intervals starting from 40 days after transplanting. Seedlings were raised in the nursery and transplanted in polybags (30cm x 45cm x 30 cm) 30 days after planting. The seedlings were raised following the recommendations developed by the Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka. Potting media was prepared by mixing sand: top soil: decomposed cow dung at 1:1:1 ratio. The results showed that foliar application of CuSO4 at 150 and 250 ppm increased the plant height, and H3BO3 at 250 ppm and combined application of H3BO3 (250 ppm) + CuSO4 (250 ppm) increased the number of leaves/plant than control, respectively. Application of CuSO4 at 250 and 350 ppm and combined application of H3BO3 (250 ppm) + CuSO4 (250 ppm) produced the highest length of roots than that of control whereas application of H3BO3 at 150 and 250 ppm recorded the highest fruit yield compared to control on a dry basis and H3BO3 at 350 ppm increased the number of fruits. In all parameters tested, the poor performance was recorded in the control treatment.