The intensification of production systems raises concerns about animal welfare. In egg production, the use of cages is the main reason for discussion. The current transition from the production system to cage-free systems raises questions about consumer perception. The objective of this study was to typify, characterize and differentiate the profile of Brazilian consumers regarding animal welfare in laying poultry. For this, a questionnaire with 28 questions, addressing questions about sociodemographic indicators (SOC), eating habits (HAB), knowledge about the production chain (CON), general perception of animal welfare in egg production (HPW) and about eggs with an animal welfare guarantee (PEAWG) was answered by 1415 consumers. Machine learning techniques were applied to characterize; typify and holistic perception. Three groups of consumers were defined: interested, emerging and indifferent. All indicators under study showed discriminatory power (P < 0.001). The indicators that showed the greatest importance for the classification of the three profiles were HPW < EHAB < COM < PEAWG < SOC. The results indicate the potential of interested and emerging groups to become consumers of cage-free eggs and also indicate the need to inform the population about animal welfare in egg production. The results reinforce the need to create specific public policies for the production chain, in order to value egg production and reaffirm interest in the area, especially in specific niches such as production in cage-free systems.

In the present study, we investigated the influence of different mid-stage N compensation timings on agronomic and physiological traits associated with grain yield and quality in field experiments. Two japonica rice cultivars with a good tasting quality (Nangeng 9108 and Nangeng 5055) were examined under eight N compensation timings (N1–N6: one-time N compensation at 7-2 weeks before heading; N7: split N compensation at 5 and 3 weeks before heading; N8: split N compensation at 4 and 2 weeks before heading) and a control with no N compensation. The highest yield was obtained with N7, followed by N3. The yield advantage is mainly attributable to the improved population structure (higher productive tiller rate with a stable number of effective panicles), higher total number of spikelets per unit area (large panicles with more grains per panicle), larger leaf area index in the late period and higher photosynthetic production capacity (more dry matter accumulation and transportation in the middle and late periods). Delaying N compensation timing improved the processing and nutritional quality of rice, but decreased the quality of appearance and cooking/eating traits. Our results suggest that, from the perspective of achieving relative coordination between high yield and high quality of japonica rice, the optimal N compensation should be divided equally at 5 and 3 weeks before heading. However, if simplifying the number of operations and the pursuit of eating quality were considered, one-time N compensation should be conducted at 5 weeks before heading.

The objective was to evaluate the fermentation profile, in vitro gas production and nutritional quality of pornunça (Manihot spp.) silages containing levels of condensed tannin (CT; 0, 4, 8 and 12% on dry matter (DM) basis), at five opening times (0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days). A completely randomized design in a 4 × 5 factorial arrangement was adopted, with four replications, totalling 80 experimental silos. The pH and NH3-N analyses were performed at all opening times of the silos. The other analyses were performed only with silages opened at 56 days of storage. There was an interaction effect between CT levels and silo opening times for pH and NH3-N. Tannin levels in pornunça silages after 56 days ensiling increased the pH and DM and reduced crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). There was a quadratic effect for NH3-N, acetic acid, butyric acid, gas losses, dry matter recovery (DMR), hemicellulose and acid detergent fibre. Inclusion of 4 and 8% CT in pornunça silage promotes a rapid decline in pH, being within the acceptable limit for adequate fermentation at 3 days of ensiling. Silages with 4% CT establish the pH at 28 days of opening the silos, with reduced NH3-N. Silages with 4% CT present higher concentrations of acetic and butyric acids and greater DMR. Inclusion of CT in pornunça silage after 56 days ensiling increases DM and reduces CP and NDF, directly affecting the in vitro degradability and reducing gas production.

It is increasingly being recognized that water intake in goats is considerably lower than in sheep on the same feed (Gihad, 1976; Gihad, El-Bedawy & Mehrez, 1980; Alam, Poppi & Sykes, 1983). It is, however, difficult to judge the significance of this difference for water transactions in the digestive tract. This paper describes the comparative water consumption and flow in the digestive tract of kids and lambs.

Phaseolus vulgaris (cv. Provider) was assessed as a vegetable and seed crop in southeast England. Experiments were designed to simulate ‘pick your own’ harvest systems which are becoming increasingly popular. Edible pods were removed on either one or two occasions at varying developmental stages, remaining pods being left to produce seed. The yield of edible pods increased considerably as pod removal was delayed but subsequent seed yield was reduced. However, depodded plants showed compensatory increases in mean seed weight so that seed yield reduction was less than expected.

Results are discussed in relation to decline in seed moisture content and the dual use of this crop for vegetable pod and seed. It is concluded that dual use is not convenient for large-scale agricultural operations. ‘Pick your own’ programmes utilize the potential of this crop more efficiently than present mechanical harvesting systems.

A breeding programme was initiated to develop populations of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), suitable for the semi-arid regions of Iran. Crosses were made between Chernianka 66 (having low yield, low oil content, short stem, and early maturity), as the female parent and VNIMK 8931 and Record (having high yield, high oil content, long stem, and late maturity) as the male parents. Selection, together with selfing and sib-crossing, resulted in six populations with high yields, high oil content, short stems, and early maturity.

Correlation coefficients of oil yield and its components, i.e. seed yield and oil content, were highly significant and significant respectively. Capitulum diameter had highly significant correlations with seed yield and oil yield. Earlier maturity was associated with shorter stems and lower oil content.

In vivo and in vitro trials were conducted to assess the effects of tributyrin (TB) supplementation on short-chain fatty acid (SFCA) concentrations, fibrolytic enzyme activity, nutrient digestibility and methanogenesis in adult sheep. Nine 12-month-old ruminally cannulated Small Tail ewes (initial body weight 55 ± 5.0 kg) without pregnancy were used for the in vitro trial. In vitro substrate made to offer TB at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 g/kg on a dry matter (DM) basis was incubated by ruminal microbes for 72 h at 39°C. Forty-five adult Small Tail ewes used for the in vivo trial were randomly assigned to five treatments with nine animals each for an 18-d period according to body weight (55 ± 5.0 kg). Total mixed ration fed to ewes was also used to offer TB at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 g/kg on a DM basis. The in vitro trial showed that TB supplementation linearly increased apparent digestibility of DM, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre, and enhanced gas production and methane emissions. The in vivo trial showed that TB supplementation decreased DM intake, but enhanced ruminal fermentation efficiency. Both in vitro and in vivo trials showed that TB supplementation enhanced total SFCA concentrations and carboxymethyl cellulase activity. The results indicate that TB supplementation might exert advantage effects on rumen microbial metabolism, despite having an enhancing effect on methanogenesis.

Soils collected from paddy fields were kept in a waterlogged condition in glass cylinders with and without drainage. After about 2 months of waterlogging soil samples were collected from each cm. depths of the cylinders, both from the bright and dark sides of the cylinders. The soil samples were analysed for iron, manganese and phosphorus. At the beginning these elements were uniformly distributed throughout the entire soil depth, but as a result of waterlogging a distribution pattern developed. More of these elements concentrated on the surface and illuminated sides of the cylinders. It is assumed that such a phenomenon also occurs in the paddy field. These elements by concentrating on the soil surface limit the feeding zones to the top 3–5 cm. of the soil.

1. The addition of a pyrethrum extract to a petroleum solvent, semirefined white spirit, considerably lowers its interfacial tension against water. The tension also depends upon the reaction of the aqueous phase, decreasing as the alkalinity increases.

2. The addition of agral W.B. to a solution of pyrethrum extract further lowers the interfacial tension more especially against acid solutions, thereby decreasing the sensitivity of the tension value to the pH of the aqueous phase.

3. The presence of calcium salts in the aqueous phase raises the interfacial tension of solutions of pyrethrum extract.

4. Alkaline salts counteract the effect of calcium salts, and the resulting tension values can be correlated with the ratio of calcium to hydroxyl ion concentration.

The study was carried out to determine the variations among different Coffea arabica germplasm lines in hydraulic resistances under controlled nursery settings at the Jimma Agricultural Research Center in southwest Ethiopia. The experimental treatments included contrasting shade conditions (moderate shading v. full sunlight) and seedlings of 12 arabica coffee accessions of varying geographical areas in Ethiopia. Root hydraulic conductance and hydraulic resistances in the whole-shoot and different shoot parts were measured using a high-pressure flow meter. The results depicted significantly lower hydraulic resistances in the whole-shoot and in various shoot segments from the full sunlight exposed seedlings. The contribution of root and shoot resistances varied significantly in response to shade treatments. Likewise, seedlings of coffee accessions exhibited significant variation in the resistance contribution of the main stem-cut to whole-shoot resistances. The maximum hydraulic resistances in main stem-cut were noted in the order of Bonga>Berhane-Kontir>Yayu>Harenna coffee populations, suggesting a direct relationship between growth and hydraulic characteristics. The resistance contributions declined across seedling growth parts: roots>leaf>whole-shoot>lateral branch>petiole, which is consistent with hydraulic gradients and thus sensitivity to drought stress. Moreover, the findings indicate the possibility of predicating the latter stage performances of coffee genotypes at specific field locations. In support of the hypothesis, the effects of both environmental and genetic factors need to be considered in fully understanding drought tolerance strategies in coffee genotypes. In view of the continuous multifaceted threats on the untapped coffee genetic resources, due mainly to, among others, anthropogenic activities coupled with climate change, there is an urgent need for global collaborative actions for future development of the coffee sector in Ethiopia and worldwide.

In a 2-year field study, leguminous fodder crops (cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba)) responded more to P than did nonleguminous fodder crops (maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum)). The local cultivar of tall wheat, C306, yielded more when sown after fallow or legumes than after nonlegumes. Wheat sown after fallow or legumes produced more ear-bearing tillers and more grains per ear than when sown after nonleǵumes. Wheat sown after fallow or legumes responded to N application of up to 20 kg/ha, while when sown after nonlegumes it responded linearly to the highest rate of 60 kg/ha. Thus, preceding fallow, cowpea and cluster bean reduced the N requirement of wheat by 20–40 kg/ha compared with preceding maize, sorghum and pearl millet. Nitrogen increased grain yields only at applications of up to 40 kg/ha because lodging occurred at the higher rates. A cluster bean-wheat cropping sequence proved the most profitable.

The sprout inhibitor Chlorpropham (CIPC) [isopropyl N-(3 chlorophenyl) carbamate] was found to be an effective sprout inhibitor in stored swedes (Brassica napus L.) under certain conditions. It was ineffective and unnecessary in swedes stored from November to April but necessary for those stored in clamps from March to July. CIPC did not, however, prevent rotting nor arrest normal chemical changes. Rotting developed because of the restricted ventilation necessary for successful use of CIPC and was more severe in mechanically than in hand-harvested roots. The main advantage of using CIPC to extend the storage and feeding life of swedes is that the absence of sprouts makes the handling of the roots much easier.

Friesian bulls fed swedes preserved with CIPC and supplemented with 50% conconcentrates gave satisfactory growth compared with similar bulls offered a diet containing only barley.

Silastic implants of different lengths (0·5–4 cm) containing oestradiol were implanted in wether or ewe lambs, which were slaughtered at 14 or 23 weeks of age. Live weight gain and carcass weight of lambs was increased marginally by oestradiol treatment. Oestradiol decreased the percentage of fat in the carcass, while increasing the percentage of carcass water. Older lambs had a greater response to oestradiol treatment for the weights of the carcass protein and ash. The female reproductive system was affected by oestradiol with the ovarian weights being depressed and the uterine weights increasing. The uterus was especially sensitive to oestradiol at 14 weeks of age. Oestradiol increased the weight of protein in lamb carcasses, especially in the older lambs of this study.

A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of different conventional and supplemental irrigation strategies on leaf stomatal conductance (gs) and chlorophyll content (SPAD) yield and irrigation water productivity (IWP) of wheat using sprinkler line source in 2014 and 2015 in the Mediterranean region. The irrigation strategies were, supplemental irrigation (SI) during flowering and grain filling (SIFG), SI during grain filling (SIG), SI during flowering (SIF) and conventional irrigation (CI). These strategies were conducted under four irrigation levels 25, 50, 75, 100% and a rain-fed as control. The results indicated that CI100 and CI75 produced the greater grain yield and IWP, respectively. CI100 resulted in the increased chlorophyll content by 8.8% over rain-fed. The results confirmed that the SPAD and stomatal conductance values were not equally sensitive to water stress during growth stages. The wheat crop suffered a greater SPAD and gs reductions when the water stress occurred during the grain filling stage (SIF strategy) compared to other strategies, which means that the grain filling stage is more sensitive and effective to decrease the yield of winter wheat. The higher grain yields were achieved when the seasonal mean gs reached 207.4 mmol/m2s in CI and 169.2 mmol/m2s in SI, and the stomatal closure responded well to low, moderate and severe drought treatments. The leaf stomatal conductance (gs) was correlated linearly with grain yield. These relations could be used as a physiological indicator to evaluate water stress effect on the growth and productivity of wheat.

The hop plant Humulus lupulus L. is best known in Britain from its cultivated forms grown for use in the brewing industry. Those varieties which are grown on a commercial scale in this country all conform to the general description of Humulus lupulus L. and the presumption is that they are all variations (directly, or indirectly through other varieties) from the female form of the original wild hop. Since the plant is dioecious it follows that any one of these varieties was in all probability derived primarily from one ♀ plant which arose either as a mutation or as a hybrid and has subsequently been propagated vegetatively by cuttings or “sets,” i.e. the variety is represented by a number of plants comprising a clone; such a variety is not necessarily provided with a corresponding male form possessing all the vegetative characters of that particular ♀ variety.

The decay of plant and animal residues in soils produces brown organic compounds commonly designated as humus. Some of it is soluble in dilute alkaline solutions, and agricultural chemists and investigators have often assumed that this part plays an important function in the nutrition of plants by reason of its solubility. As a result numerous methods have been devised for determining this readily soluble material, and its amount has been regarded as a measure of the fertility of the soil. Since however the amount of nitrogen in the soluble humus material is commonly 40 per cent, to 50 per cent, of the total nitrogen, the results for ordinary soils gave no better indication of potential fertility than did the total nitrogen determination itself.

The influence of various nitrogen and phosphorus sources, applied at the preseeding stage with two placement methods, on maize yield and fertilizer utilization, was studied in two field experiments and a pot experiment with a calcareous, heavy to medium heavy textured recent alluvial soil.

Phosphorus alone had no effect on crop yield. Nitrogen alone or nitrogen (various forms) and phosphorus had a clear positive effect on crop yield. As to the various sources the observed differences in the crop yield of the field experiments were not significant, while in the pot experiment ammonium sulphate gave the highest yields.

The data on the phosphate concentrations in the tops derived from phosphate fertilizer (Pf) indicate that the presence of nitrogen increased the utilization of phosphorus fertilizer. From the tested placement methods the incorporation method appears clearly superior in the pot experiment with a similar trend in the field experiment for all sources except ammonium phosphate-sulphate.

The utilization coefficients of the nitrogen fertilizer sources suggest that ammonium and urea were better utilized than nitrates, that the higher nitrogen utilization reflected higher yields and that phosphorus fertilizer exerted a beneficial effect on nitrogen fertilizer utilization. Finally they suggest that the addition of 120 kg N/ha enhanced the amount of soil nitrogen taken up in the maize grain by 53%.

Reference is made to the depression in hatching rates occasionally recorded when fishmeal is fed to breeding hens. In a previous communication this depression was tentatively ascribed to the presence of aerobic sporing bacteria, support for this theory being given by the high early death-rate from yolksac infection in the chicks hatched from the affected pens. In this experiment samples of white fishmeal from widely separated points of origin were employed. With one group of birds extreme hatching depression was recorded; in one other group a moderate depression was found. Bacterial assays showed that only one sample contained aerobic sporing bacteria capable of coagulating yolk and the count was not high. But the birds fed this sample were those manifesting the mild depression in the hatching rate and this was the only group to show an appreciably above normal early death-rate in the chicks. The major cause of death was yolk-sac infection, and it is concluded that in this group the presence of aerobic sporing bacteria was partially responsible for the depression in hatching, but that the degree of contamination was not as high as that which probably occurred in the previous year.

The hatching rate in all groups was inversely related to the depth of coloration in the fishmeal samples. The theory is advanced that, as a result of overheating during manufacture, degradation of the proteins occurred giving rise to toxic products which in turn led to a high embryonic death-rate during the last 4 days of incubation. The highest embryonic death-rate in total, and during this period, was found with those birds fed the fishmeal with the darkest colour. The egg production in all groups of birds was high and it therefore seemed improbable that overheating had proceeded to the stage of materially damaging the essential aminoacid contents of the meal, for it seems widely accepted that if the amino-acid level is sufficient for egg production it is sufficient for good hatchability.

1. Two live-weight gain experiments using dayold chicks are described. A mash containing a basic ration with leaf protein was compared with a control mash containing the basic ration plus fish meal.

2. Details of the source of the leaf protein, its extraction and chemical analysis are given.

3. The composition and analyses of the mashes are recorded, together with their rate of feeding.

4. The live-weight gains at fortnightly intervals are discussed and the results adjusted for sex of chicks, weight at day-old and level of protein in the mash.

5. In the first experiment some of the pullets from each treatment were fed on a commercial growers' ration from 6 weeks old to maturity.

6. The birds on both treatments in the two experiments were equally healthy. The mortality rates were normal. The leaf-protein chicks had deep yellow pigmentation.

7. The results of the experiments are compared. In the first the leaf-protein mash was as valuable as the fish-meal mash; in the second experiment the fish-meal mash proved to be superior.

8. A new method of measuring the biological value of the protein of herbage plants is suggested, using extracted protein fed to chicks or rats.

9. It is concluded that a mash composed of homegrown cereals plus leaf protein with vitamin supplements, a balance of minerals and additional aminoacid if necessary, would be suitable for rearing chicks.

In her initial paper on “Buried Weed Seeds” (this Journal (1918), IX, 1), Dr W. E. Brenchley, in commenting on the occurrence of seeds at a depth of 9 in. below the surface of the soil, suggests that such seeds may be washed through crannies, or carried down by worms.

During the past year we have carried out at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station experiments along the lines of those of Dr Brenchley, but confining our attention to different types of grassland. We have, in the case of certain stiff clay soils, obtained seedlings from samples taken 10–14 in. beneath the surface. In samples, however, taken from peaty, hill-soil, lying beneath natural associations of Molinia, of Nardus, of Fescue-Agrostis and of Calluna, few seedlings have arisen in each case from depths lower than 3 in. The latter soils are remarkable for containing extremely few earthworms, and the suggestion was provided that these animals are instrumental to a quite considerable degree in burying seeds deeply in the ground.