Effect of feeding sorghum ergot (Claviceps africana) to sows during mid-lactation on plasma prolactin and litter performance

Diets containing 3% sorghum ergot (16 mg alkaloids/kg, including 14 mg dihydroergosine/kg) were fed to 12 sows from 14 days post-farrowing until weaning 14 days later, and their performance was compared with that of 10 control sows. Ergot-fed sows displayed a smaller weight loss during lactation of 24 kg/head vs. 29 kg/head in control sows (p > 0.05) despite feed consumption being less (61 kg/head total feed intake vs. 73 kg/head by control sows; p < 0.05). Ergot-fed sows had poorer weight gain of litters over the 14-day period (16.6 kg/litter vs. 28.3 kg/litter for controls; p < 0.05) despite an increase in consumption of creep feed by the piglets from the ergot-fed sows (1.9 kg/litter compared with 1.1 kg/litter by the control; p > 0.05). Sow plasma prolactin was reduced with ergot feeding after 7 days to 4.8 μg/l compared with 15.1 μg/l in the control sows (p < 0.01) and then at weaning was 4.9 μg/l compared with 8.0 μg/l (p < 0.01) in the control sows. Two sows fed ergot ceased lactation early, and the above sow feed intakes, body weight losses with litter weight gains and creep consumption indirectly indicate an ergot effect on milk production.

Japanese plums (Prunus salicina Lindl.) and phytochemicals – breeding, horticultural practice, post-harvest storage, processing and bioactivity

Previous reviews of plum phytochemical content and health benefits have concentrated on the European plum, Prunus domestica L.. However, the potential bioactivity of red and dark red fleshed Japanese plum, Prunus salicina Lindl., so called blood plums, appears to warrant a significant increase in exposure as indicated in a recent review of the whole Prunus genus. Furthermore, Japanese plums are the predominate plum produced on an international basis. In this review the nutrient and phytochemical content, breeding programs, horticultural practice, post harvest treatment and processing as well as bioactivity (emphasizing in vivo studies) of Japanese plum are considered with a focus on the anthocyanin content that distinguishes the blood plums.

Maintaining high moisture content of macadamia nuts-in-shell during storage induces brown centres in raw kernels

BACKGROUND Kernel brown centres in macadamia are a defect causing internal discolouration of kernels. This study investigates the effect on the incidence of brown centres in raw kernel after maintaining high moisture content in macadamia nuts-in-shell stored at temperatures of 30°C, 35°C, 40°C and 45°C. RESULTS Brown centres of raw kernel increased with nuts-in-shell storage time and temperature when high moisture content was maintained by sealing in polyethylene bags. Almost all kernels developed the defect when kept at high moisture content for 5 days at 45°C, and 44% developed brown centres after only 2 days of storage at high moisture content at 45°C. This contrasted with only 0.76% when stored for 2 days at 45°C but allowed to dry in open-mesh bags. At storage temperatures below 45°C, there were fewer brown centres, but there were still significant differences between those stored at high moisture content and those allowed to dry (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Maintenance of high moisture content during macadamia nuts-in-shell storage increases the incidence of brown centres in raw kernels and the defect increases with time and temperature. On-farm nuts-in-shell drying and storage practices should rapidly remove moisture to reduce losses. Ideally, nuts-in-shell should not be stored at high moisture content on-farm at temperatures over 30°C. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry