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The aim of this recent study was to investigate the effects of different ratios of poultry manure and sheep feces on the fermentation quality of fermented poultry and sheep manure (FPSM). This study used poultry manure, dry sheep feces, cassava flour, molasses, and the addition of multiple microbes (Saus Burger Pakan, SBP®). Dried and ground sheep feces, as adsorbents, were mixed with fresh poultry manure at different ratios, including 40% sheep feces and 60% poultry manure (T40), 50% sheep feces and 50% poultry manure (T50), and 60% sheep feces and 40% poultry manure (T60). Each treatment was replicated in triplicate, and 30 kg of each silo was fermented for 14 d. After fermentation, the samples from each treatment were analysed to determine their physical characteristics, chemical compositions, fermentation characteristics, and microbial contamination. The data were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s test if any significant difference was detected. The FPSM results showed that T60 presented (P

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.

Benzimidazoles are anthelmintics frequently used in sheep farming due to the high susceptibility of these animals to parasitic diseases. Sheep excreta are often disposed onto soils as a fertilizer, and they may contain benzimidazole residues that can contaminate soil and water. This work aimed to assess the leaching behavior of benzimidazole drugs (albendazole, fenbendazole, and thiabendazole) and their metabolites in two Brazilian soils of different textural classifications (sandy and clay), as well as sheep excreta-amended soils, following the OECD 312 Guidelines. Ewes received a single oral dose of 10 mg kg−1 b.w. of either albendazole or fenbendazole. The feces were collected at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h post-dose, and the parent drugs and their metabolites extracted using the QuEChERS approach and quantified by UHPLC-MS/MS. For the leaching assays, a benzimidazole solution was directly applied onto the soil columns, or an amount of 5 g of the medicated sheep feces was distributed over the top of the soil columns. In soil samples, benzimidazoles were extracted by solid-liquid extraction and quantified by UHPLC-MS/MS. For the leaching studies, atrazine was used as a reference substance to determine the relative mobility factor of the analytes of interest. Benzimidazoles were considered slightly to moderately mobile in both soils tested, with a leaching distance of up to 25 cm in a 30-cm soil column. Approximately 3 to 6% of the benzimidazoles present in ewe feces were able to leach into the soil columns. This finding is of concern since benzimidazoles are persistent in soil and may pose a risk to soil biota and induce the development of resistant strains of parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichuriasis is a serious threat to the economic development of animal husbandry. This research aimed to establish a droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) method to detect Trichuris spp. for the early diagnosis and prevention of trichuriasis in sheep. The real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ddPCR methods were used for the detection of nematodes by targeted amplification of the ITS gene. Each means was evaluated to optimize the limit of detection and reproducibility. For a recombinant plasmid, the qPCR results showed that the detection limit was 31.7 copies per reaction. In contrast to qPCR, ddPCR was able to detect concentrations below 3.17 copies per reaction. Both assays exhibited good reproducibility. However, the ddPCR method was more stable for low-copy-number detection. This new assay was specific for Trichuris spp. and did not cross-react with other relevant gastrointestinal nematodes. A total of 98 clinical samples were tested with both assays. The results showed that the positive rate of ddPCR (80.6%) was higher than that of qPCR (72.4%). This method could be used as an efficient molecular biology tool to test for Trichuris spp. and could be a new valuable tool for the clinical diagnosis and prevention of trichuriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about nitrogen (N) forms in ruminant feces, although this information is important to understand N dynamics in agro-ecosystems. We fed N labeled ryegrass hay to a sheep and collected N labeled feces. Nitrogen forms in the feces were characterized by chemical extractions, solid-state cross polarization N nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (SS CP/MAS N NMR) and Curie-point pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Cp Py-GC/MS). A 4 months incubation experiment was conducted to assess N release from the feces. Half of the fecal N could be ascribed to bacterial and endogenous debris and a third to undigested dietary N. About a tenth of the fecal N was mineralized during the incubation experiment. The N abundance of nitrate released during the incubation remained constant and close to the N abundance of the total feces N. The NMR analysis of the feces showed that most of the N was present in proteins, while some was present as heterocyclic N, amino acids and ammonium. The Cp Py-GC/MS analysis confirmed the presence of proteins, amino acids and heterocyclic N in the feces. Comparing these results to those obtained from the N labeled hay suggests that some N compounds present in the plant were not digested by the animal, and that the animal excreted de novo synthesized N compounds. The low content in ammonium and amino acids, the low rate of N release from these feces during the incubation and the relatively high fecal protein content, particularly the hard to mineralize undigested and microbially bound forms, can explain the low transfer of N from these feces to crops observed in a previous work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate the tylosin degradation in sheep feces during composting. The sheep feces containing tylosin were composted using the laboratory-scale composting units. Tylosin was degraded during composting, and the half-life of tylosin degradation decreased with increasing temperature from 40 °C to 65 °C. The tylosin degradation in sheep feces can be attributed to the microorganisms in the feces and not to heating because tylosin did not degrade over a period of 48 h at temperatures of 0 °C–65 °C in sterilized water. The artificial rainwater solution extracted from the composted sample did not inhibit the growth of Raphidocelis subcapitata , a type of green alga. Our results indicate that composting the feces containing tylosin is effective in degrading tylosin, which may result in the preservation of agricultural fields as well as nearby aquatic environments. Unlabelled Image • The tylosin in sheep feces degraded during composting. • Microorganisms in sheep feces contributed to tylosin degradation during composting. • The half-life of tylosin degradation decreased with increasing temperature. • Degraded tylosin byproducts in compost sample extract did not inhibit algal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichuriasis is a serious threat to the economic development of animal husbandry. This research aimed to establish a droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) method to detect Trichuris spp. for the early diagnosis and prevention of trichuriasis in sheep. The real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ddPCR methods were used for the detection of nematodes by targeted amplification of the ITS gene. Each means was evaluated to optimize the limit of detection and reproducibility. For a recombinant plasmid, the qPCR results showed that the detection limit was 31.7 copies per reaction. In contrast to qPCR, ddPCR was able to detect concentrations below 3.17 copies per reaction. Both assays exhibited good reproducibility. However, the ddPCR method was more stable for low-copy-number detection. This new assay was specific for Trichuris spp. and did not cross-react with other relevant gastrointestinal nematodes. A total of 98 clinical samples were tested with both assays. The results showed that the positive rate of ddPCR (80.6%) was higher than that of qPCR (72.4%). This method could be used as an efficient molecular biology tool to test for Trichuris spp. and could be a new valuable tool for the clinical diagnosis and prevention of trichuriasis., (© American Society of Parasitologists 2020.)