RESEARCH PROJECTS
The effect of soybean oil supplementation in broiler diets with different metabolizable energy on growth, carcass parameters, and economic outcome Two experiments will be conducted on the effect of varying
calorie to protein ratio and soybean oil level in a corn-soybean meal diet
on body and carcass productive performance of female broiler chickens raised
in cage batteries and on floor pens. In the first experiment, isocaloric
diets with 18.8, 20.8, and 22.8% crude protein and 0, 2, and 4% soybean
oil will be fed to broiler chickens from 0 to 6 weeks of age. In the second
experiment, female broiler chicks will be fed a corn-soybean meal diet
containing 3,000 and 3,150 Kcal/Kg metabolizable energy, 19 and 22% crude
protein, and 0 and 4% soybean oil from 0 to 7 weeks of age. In both experiments,
feed and birds will be weighed at start, three weeks of age, and termination.
Carcasses, abdominal fat pad, pectoralis major muscle, and thigh weights
will be measured. G.W. Barbour, and M.T. Farran. (Supported
by LNCSR.)
Identification and control of the predominant animal diseases in Lebanon Control of Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in chicken
breeders by a competitive mutant is concluded. The role of transforming
growth factor b 2 (TGFb2)
cytokine in resistance of meat chicken breeders to lymphoid leukosis is
identified. Characterization of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica
Enteritidis
antigens by western immunoblotting targeting control in poultry by development
of a vaccine is concluded. The study of the role of interaction between
infectious bursal disease virus and chicken infectious anemia virus in
elevating the incidence of inclusion body hepatitis in broilers is in progress.
The impact of breed on phagocytic activity of macrophages and level of
macrophage-enzymes in relation to Salmonella
Enteritidis challenge
in broilers is in progress. E.K. Barbour, S.K. Hamadeh and R.
Talhouk. (Supported by URB.)
The effect of using high oil corn in broiler diets with low levels of added oil A hybrid variety of corn with higher levels of oil than conventional
corn has been genetically selected and is now commercially available. The
purpose of this study was to determine the effects of replacing conventional
corn with an oil improved corn in corn-soybean broiler diets. Two varieties
of hybrid corn seeds, Pegaso and #37497 (High oil corn) were planted at
AREC using four replicates of 275m² area each. The yield of the high
oil corn was 143 kg/275 m² area while that of the conventional corn
was 188 kg. The two varieties were fed to broilers from five to forty two
days of age. Body weights and feed intake per pen were recorded. At forty
two days, the birds were sacrificed and ready to cook carcass, abdominal
fat, leg & breast weights were recorded. Results showed that the high
oil corn gave better feed conversion than the conventional corn. Body weights
were not significantly different. Carcass measurements are still in progress.
N.J.
Daghir, G.W. Barbour* and M.T. Farran. (Supported by LNCSR.)
The apparent metabolizable energy of drought resistant varieties of barley and wheat for the broiler chickens Two trials will be conducted to determine and compare the
apparent metabolizable energy of three varieties of barley (Rihan - 03,
Assi and Pamir - 35) and one variety of hard wheat (Massara -1) on the
male broiler chicken. Determining the nutritional value of highyield and
drought resistant varieties of barley and wheat may enable poultry producers
to formulate nutritionally balanced and least cost diets with locally grown
grains. A.H. Darwish, M.T. Farran, G.W. Barbour* and N. Usayran
Khatib*. (Supported by LNCSR.)
The utilization of common vetch (Vicia sativa) seeds in poultry rations. Detoxification of vetch seeds by hydrochloric acid Soaking vetch seeds in 1% acetic acid (10:1 V/W) at room temperature
for 24 hours improved layer performance over soaking in water at 40C for
72 hours with water change every 12 hours. Water soaking requires the use
of large amounts of water and electricity, and acetic acid is expensive
to use as a detoxifying agent. Therefore, the search for a less expensive
method to detoxify vetch seeds becomes imperative. Since detoxification
of vetch may be achieved by soaking the seeds in acid medium, a less expensive
and strong acid such as HCl will be used as a detoxifying agent. The effect
of feeding starter rations containing 60% HCl treated seeds on performance
of broilers will be investigated. M.T. Farran, M.G. Uwayjan, and
F.T.
Sleiman. (Supported by LNCSR.)
Effect of added dietary fat and available phosphorus on the performance and egg quality of laying hens subjected to a constant high environmental temperature This project was initiated to investigate the combining effects, if any, of the dietary available phosphorus and fat in laying hens kept at high environmental temperatures. The following are the main conclusions drawn from the present
study:
N. Usayran Khatib* and M.T. Farran. (Supported
by LNCSR.)
Sustainable improvement of marginal lands in Lebanon, Irsal Traditional agropastoral Lebanese villages located on the
marginal slopes of the semi arid anti Lebanon mountains have undergone
drastic changes in response to socioeconomic pressures developing over
the last 25 years. A Lebanese case study, conducted in 1991-1993, focused
on changes in resource management systems in Irsal. The study revealed
a massive conversion from a traditional cereal/livestock based economy
to a rainfed stone fruit production system. This study aimed at analyzing
components of changes, trends and sustainability in the emerging production
system, and at improving prospects for sustainable community development.
The land-use system in Irsal including socio-economic components was characterized,
and its resource base was assessed, with an emphasis on soil and water
conservation strategies. Local beneficiaries were involved during different
stages of the project, and strengthening of local capacities was sought
through the establishment of a local users network. Avenues for non-agricultural
income-generating activities for women were explored. S. K. Hamadeh,
E. Abou-Fakhr-Hammad, F. El- Awar, R. Baalbaki, N. Baba, M. R. Darwish,
B. Hamdar, R. Smith*, M. Mundy*, S.N. Talhouk, and R. Zurayk.
(Supported by International Development Research Center.)
Improving small ruminant production in Lebanon A survey was conducted to document small ruminant systems
in the Beka’a Valley of Lebanon. The survey revealed several management
systems with different resources bases, characterized by a low productivity
and major health, feeding and management constraints. As a follow up to
the survey, it was proposed to document the bio-economics of the production
systems and to assess specific intervention measures through on farm trials,
and dealing with the improvement of health, feeding and management. The
gathered bio-economic data was further analyzed for budget components both
within each system of production and among production systems to evaluate
the biological and economic sustainability of these production systems.
Also, a survey of various agro-byproducts produced by the agro-industrial
sector in Lebanon was initiated to tap the potential and feasibility of
using these byproducts in the feeding of small ruminants flocks in Lebanon
and alleviate the increasing pressure on the overgrazed native pastures.
S.
K. Hamadeh. (Supported by Mashreq/Maghreb project—International Center
for Agriculture Research in Dry Areas.)
Effects of stress on physiological and immunological indicators in Awassi and FxTxA ewes Adaptation to stress is critical for the productivity and
disease resistance of sheep raised in semi-arid areas. The native Awassi
sheep is known for its good adaptation to semi-arid environments. Crossing
the Awassi with exotic breeds may lead to losses in adaptation to environmental
stress. This study is designed to investigate the effect of environmental
stress, namely water restriction on various physiological and immunological
responses in sheep. Two experiments were carried out in 1977 to measure
the effect of water restriction on physiological indicators in Awassi and
FinnxTexelxAwassi ewes. Data is under analysis. The project will attempt
for the first time to quantify hormonal and immune responses and their
interaction with environmental stress in two Awassi sheep genotypes (high
adaptation vs. medium adaptation). The understanding of such mechanisms
of adaptation is highly critical for sheep production in semi-arid and
arid areas. S.K. Hamadeh, and E.K. Barbour. (Supported by
URB.)
Effect of supplemented fat on feeding behavior, digestive functions and production of goats and sheep Addition of 0, 5 and 8% calcium-salts of palm oil (fat supplement)
to the concentrate ration of small ruminants did not affect significantly
(P>0.05) the ration total dry matter intake (TDMI), DMI, body weight change
(BWC) and apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF),
acid detergent fiber (ADF) and gross energy (GE). However, the digestibility
of the ether extract (EE) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) increased significantly
(P<0.05). Furthermore, the EE digestibility was not significantly different
(P>0.05) among the 5 and 8% fat supplemented groups. Does milk yield, percentages
of total solids (TS), solids-non-fat (SNF), SNF in TS, fat in TS and protein
in milk were not affected (P>0.05) by the fat supplementation. Milk fat
percentage increased significantly (P<0.05) with increased supplemental
fat. Furthermore, milk fatty acids levels were affected by the supplemental
fat with significant increases (P<0.05) in stearic, oleic and linoleic
acid. F.T. Sleiman, M.G. Uwayjan, and M.T. Farran. (Supported
by URB.)
Nutritional value and grazing management of range land in Lebanon Selected grazing sites in Lebanon were evaluated to determine
their production value, animal output and holding capacity. Results showed
that shrubs and trees were dominant in Jbail and Yammouneh pastures. In
other range lands of the Bekaa, the annual grasses were the predominant
vegetation. The nutrient content of the pasture varied between the different
locations and provided about 9-15% crude protein, 21-20% crude fiber and
gross energy of 1950-2500 kcal/kg. The dry matter (DM) digestibility of
the pasture was high (56-59%) in the early part of the grazing season and
decreased to about 45-49% by the end of August. Although the pasture sites
had high stocking rate of about 1.3-3.5/heads/ha/month, the daily rate
of weight gain in lambs and kids were 150-155g. Flocks had to be provided
supplemental feed (250g/head/day) during the latter part of the grazing
season in order to meet part of their nutrient requirements. F.T. Sleiman,
M.G. Uwayjan, M.T. Farran, and S. Abi Saab*. (Supported
by LNCSR.)
Abi Saab, S., Sleiman, F.T., Nassar, K.H., Chemaly* I., and El-Skaff*, R. Implications of high and low protein levels on puand sexual maturity of growing male goat kids. Journal of Small Ruminant Research, 25, 17-22, 1997. Barbour, E.K., Hamadeh, S.K., Abi Ghanem, D., Haddad, J.J., and Safieh-Garabedian, B., Humoral and cell-mediated immunopotentiation in vaccinated chicken layers by thymic hormones and zinc. Vaccine, 16, 1650-1655, 1998. Barbour, E.K., Hamadeh, S.K., Hilan*, C., Kallas, M., Eid, A., and Sakr, W., A national surveillance of poultry diseases in Lebanon. Scientific and Technical Journal of the World Organization for Animal Health, 16 (3), 770-775, 1998. Barbour, E.K., Hamadeh, S.K., Talhouk, R.S., Sakr, W., and Darwish, R., Evaluation of an enrofloxacin-treatment program against Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in broilers. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 35, 91-99, 1998. Barbour, E.K., Nabbut, N.H., Hamadeh, S.K., and Al-Nakhli*, H.M., Bacterial identity and characteristics in healthy and unhealthy respiratory tract of sheep and calves. Veterinary Research Communications,. 21, 421-430, 1997. Hamadeh, S.K., E., Barbour, M., Abi-Said, K., Daadaa and C.G., Tarraf, Reproductive performance, serum progesterone and milk production in spring postpartum Awassi and Finn x Texel x Awassi ewes. Journal of Agricultural Science, 131, 347-351, 1998. Hamadeh, S.K., Moussa, Z., Abi-Said, M., Barbour, E.K., Physiological indicators of adaptation in Awassi and Finn x Texel x Awassi sheep. Options Mediterranéennes, 33, 231-23, 1997. Shomo*, F., Hamadeh, S.K., Faour, K., Darwish R., and Nordblom*,
T., Methodological aspects of economic analysis of integrated crop-livestock
production in the Beka’a valley of Lebanon. Agriculture Review in ESCWA
Countries. Bulletin, 20-1998, 1998.
ABSTRACTS,
CONFERENCES AND PROCEEDINGS
Barbour, E.K., Eid, A.M., Faour, K.Y., and Hamadeh, S.K., Impact of management systems of Awassi sheep under subtropical environment on economic diseases-frequency and E. coli drug resistance, Abstracts of the International Climatic Uncertainty in the Mediterranean, Agadir, Morocco, 46, 1998. Barbour, E.K., El-Jurdi, L.H., Sakr, W., Eid, A.M., and Hamadeh, S.K., Methods for evaluation of a temperature sensitive Mycoplasma gallisepticum mutant vaccine, Abstracts of the Third Arab Conference on Modern Biotechnology and Areas of Application in the Arab World, Cairo, Egypt, 1998. Barbour, E.K., Hamadeh, S.K., Talhouk, R,S., Sakr, W., and Darwish, R., Evaluation of an enrofloxacin-treatment program against Mycoplasma galliseptcium infection in broilers, Abstracts of the First Syrian-Lebanese Research Conference on Animal Production and Health in Lebanon and Syria, Beirut, Lebanon, 1998. Barbour, E.K., Sakr, W., Eid, A.M., Bouljihad*, M., and Hamdar, B., Dynamics of transforming growth factor b 2 and P27 of avian leukosis virus in lymphoid leukosis susceptible and resistant chicken breeders, Abstracts of the 135th American Veterinary Medical Association Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, 43, 1998. Darwish, M.R., Hamadeh, S., Sharara, M., Baalbaki, A., Economic assessment of land use shifts in dryland: the case of Irsal, Lebanon. Dryland Resource Management Workshop, Cairo, Egypt. 4-8 May, 1997. El-Jurdi, L.H., Barbour, E.K., and Eid, A.M., Molecular studies of Salmonella Enteritidis as a prerequisite in development of vaccines, Abstracts of the Third Arab Conference on Modern Biotechnology and Areas of Application in the Arab World, Cairo, Egypt, 1998. El-Jurdi, L.H., Barbour, Talhouk, R., Eid, A., Sakr, W., and Abi Ghanem, D., Competitive exclusion control in chickens against an invasive Salmonella enteritidis carrying 54 Kb virulence-associated plasmid, Abstracts of the International Symposium on Food-Borne Salmonella in Poultry, 52, Baltimore, Maryland, 1998. El-Jurdi, L.H., Barbour, Talhouk, R.S., and Eid, A., Competitive exclusion approach in reduction of Salmonella enteritidis infection in chickens, Abstracts of the First Syrian-Lebanese Research Conference on Animal Production and Health in Lebanon and Syria, Beirut, Lebanon, 1998. Farran, M.T., Barbour*, G.W., Uwayjan, M.G., and Ashkarian, V.M., The TMEn of untreated and water or acetic acid soaked vetch and ervil seeds. Poultry Science, 77 (Supplement 1), 13, 1998. Farran, M.T., Dakessian, P.B., Uwayjan, M.G., Sleiman, F.T., and Ashkarian, V.M., Performance of broilers and layers fed high levels of treated vetch (Vicia sativa) seeds. Poultry Science, 77 (Supplement 1), 48, 1998. Hamadeh, S.K., Abi Said, M., Shomo*, F., Nordbloom*, T., Zurayk, R., and Nassar, A., Diversity of small ruminant systems in Lebanon’s marginal land: a response to constraints. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Livestock Production and Climatic Uncertainty in the Mediterranean, Agadir,Morocco, 1998. Hamadeh, S.K., Zureik, R., El-Awar, F., Talhouk, S., Abi-Said, M., Farming system approach to drylands agriculture in Lebanon: an analysis of change. Dryland Resource Management Workshop, Cairo, Egypt, 4-8 May 1997. Sleiman, F.T., Baydoun, M.I., Uwayjan, M.G., Farran, M.T., Rubeiz, I.G., Khalil, R.F., and Ashkarian, V.M., Influence of feeding calcium protected fat on goats milk production and composition. Journal of Dairy Science, 81, Supplement (1), 302, 1998. Sleiman,
F.T., Jamil, M.B., Sidahmed, M.M., Uwayjan, M.G., and Farran, M.T., Potential
of potato vegetation as silage for small ruminants. Journal of Dairy
Science, 82, Supplement (1) 222, 1999.
Abi Chanem, D., Herbal, synthetic, bacterial lipopolysaccharide and thymic stimulators of the chicken immune system (1998). E.K. Barbour. Dakessian, P., Performance of layers and broilers fed high levels of treated vetch seeds (1997). M.T. Farran. Dbouk, H., Effect of GABA and pyridoxine on performance of chicks fed high levels of vetch (1998). M.T. Farran. Dimassi, O.K. Levels of milk related hormones and milk fat composition of dairy goats fed supplemental fat (1998). F.T. Sleiman. Halabi, W., Effect of feeding different levels of treated ervil seeds on the performance of broilers and layers (1997) M.T. Farran. Jamil, M.B. Potato above soil biomass: It’s recovery and potential as silage (1999). F.T. Sleiman. Sawan,
D., Evaluation of a lighting program on Mycoplasma gallisepticum infected
and uninfected broilers (1998). E.K. Barbour.
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