Effect of dietary treatment levels on body linear measurements of growing Yankasa rams (Ovis aries) fed sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Moench stover supplemented with graded levels of dried poultry dropping based diets was assessed using thirty growing Yankasa rams (Ovis aries) consisting of five treatments (T1-T5). Each treatment consisted of three replicates with two animals per replicate. T1: were rams fed with 0% dried poultry droppings based diet (DPDBD), T2: with 20 % DPDBD, T3: with 40 % DPDBD, T4: with 60 % DPDBD and T5: with 80% DPDBD. Significant (P<0.05) differences were observed amongst the treatments for body length, height at wither, chest girth, fore leg length, ear length, neck length and face length. Hind leg length, horn length, poll distance, neck circumference, tail length and horn base circumference varied non-significantly. The highest correlation coefficient was observed between horn base circumference and poll distance (r=0.990) followed by neck circumference and height at wither (r=0.980). Therefore it was concluded that horn base circumference, poll distance, neck circumference and height at wither were highly influenced by the dietary treatment levels in the present study.

This experimental trial was conducted to study the effects of dried poultry dropping based diets on the dry matter intake, live weight changes, nutrient digestibility and N-balanceof Konkan Kanyal goats. Thirty Konkan Kanyal goats aged between 9-12 months and with average weight of 13.66 kg were used in a ran-domized block design (RBD) experiment. The experimental goats were randomly assigned to five treat-ments (TI-T5). T1 were goats fed with 0% dried poultry droppings based diets (DPDBD), T2 were fed with 20% dried poultry droppings based diets (DPDBD), T3 were fed with 40% dried poultry droppings based diets (DPDBD), T4 were fed with 60% dried poultry droppings based diets (DPDBD), T5 were fed with 80% dried poultry droppings based diets (DPDBD). Mean dry matter intake (kg) was higher in treatment groups supplemented with dried poultry droppings based diet T2, (572.99±18.12), T3, (614.09±27.76), T4, (605.37±32.79), T5 (619.24±9.15) in comparison to the control treatment group T1, (571.47±28.86). The final live body weight (kg) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in T5 (19.4±1.27) than T1 (14.72±1.02), T2 (15.45±0.88), T3 (16.03±0.48) and slightly higher than T4 (18.28±1.19). Similarly in feed conversion effi-ciency T5 (9.0±0.28) and (8.34±0.44) T4 performed significantly (P<0.05) better compared to other treat-ment groups: T3 (3.53±0.29), T2 (2.88±0.48) and T1 (2.89±0.34). Nutrient digestibility was significantly higher (P<0.05) in T5 in all parameters measured, N-balance was positive across the treatment groups with significant differences across the board. The results of this study suggests that feeding of dried poultry droppings based diets up to 80% inclusion to Konkan Kanyal goats consuming finger millet straw as basal diet would improve the feed value and give satisfactorily performance.

This study analyzed the economics of feeding dried poultry droppings as supplement in ram production. Gross margin analysis and profitability ratio was used to analyze the data collected. The result of the budgetary analysis revealed that highest total cost of ₦5292.98/ram was incurred, highest total revenue of ₦7565.40/ram, highest gross margin of ₦3272.41/ram and highest net farm income of ₦2272.42/ram were observed for the supplemented treatment groups. The profitability ratio gave the best benefit-cost ratio of 1.43, rate of return of 0.43, gross ratio of 0.70 and expense structure ratio of 0.23. This indicates that feeding of dried poultry droppings to rams is a profitable venture. This study therefore recommends the supple-mentation of dried poultry droppings at 20% inclusion level for optimum profitability.

Purpose In soil-based nursery media, topsoil, poultry droppings and sawdust conventionally provide anchorage, nutrientsand aeration, respectively. Considering poultry droppings’ scarcity and sawdust’ s inertness nutrient-wise, more readily availableorganic wastes should be explored as substitutes. Here, we evaluated the effect of such substitution on media fertility, aimed at seeking alternatives to the conventional practice. Methods In a topsoil-manure-aerator volume ratio of 3: 2: 1, poultry droppings was substituted with pig slurry (slurry) orcattle dung (dung) as manure and sawdust with rice-husk dust (huskdust) as aerator, giving seven soil-based media includingreference medium (topsoil+droppings+sawdust) and the control (topsoil+topsoil+topsoil). They were watered regularly andanalysed for fertility parameters 4 months later. Results Reference had the highest pH (8. 60) and topsoil + dung + huskdust/control the lowest (6. 83). Substituting sawdustwith huskdust enhanced pH, organic matter and Mg2+in droppings/dung-amended media (topsoil+droppings+huskdust/topsoil+dung+huskdust) unlike slurry-amended ones where it too reduced total nitrogen (0. 19 vs 0. 11%). The substitution alsoenhanced available phosphorus in topsoil+droppings+huskdust (117. 50 mg kg− 1) and topsoil+dung+huskdust (71. 50 mg kg− 1)but reduced K+in the latter where it too had moderating effects on Na+. Reference surpassed topsoil+slurry+huskdustfor Ca2+, but was surpassed by topsoil+droppings+huskdust for Mg2+. Reference/topsoil+droppings+huskdust andtopsoil+slurry+huskdust/control showed highest and lowest CEC, respectively. Excluding pH, topsoil+dung+huskdust andtopsoil+slurry+sawdust were, notably, consistently similar. Overall, droppings-amended > dung-amended > slurry-amendedmedia and, for available phosphorus only, sawdust-aerated < huskdust-aerated media. Conclusion Based on fertility status 4 months after blending, topsoil+droppings+huskdust could serve as alternative tothe conventional nursery medium, or topsoil+dung+huskdust where near-neutral pH is preferred to increased phosphorus/cations release.

Background: The objective of this study was to develop a consortium of effective microorganisms to hasten the composting process and to reduce the composting period.Results: An efficient microorganism (EM) consortium was developed using Candida tropicalis (Y6), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (VV18), Streptomyces globisporous (C3), Lactobacillus sp. and enriched photosynthetic bacterial inoculum for rapid composting of paddy straw. Paddy straw was amended with poultry droppings to narrow down its C: N ratio for faster degradation. Composting was carried out in open pits with EM consortium and compared with compost inoculant (CI) consisting of Aspergillus nidulans (ITCC 2011), Tricho derma viride (ITCC 2211), Phanerochaete chrysosporium (NCIM1073) and A. awamori (F-18). Changes in biochemical and physiochemical parameters like C: N ratio, pH, EC and humus were studied over a period of 60 days to test compost maturity and stability along with microbial and extracellular hydrolytic enzyme activities. Paddy straw amended with EM and CI hasten the composting process by bringing C: N ratio down to 15: 1 and achieving a total humus content of 4.82% within 60 days. High activity of hydrolytic enzyme carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) (0.43 IU/g) andmicrobial activity in terms of dehydrogenase (158.64 mg TPF/g/day) was observed in this treatment. The activity of xylanase was positively correlated (r=0.987) with alkali-soluble carbon.Conclusion: This study illustrates the importance of microbial bioaugmentation to hasten the composting process of paddy straw to produce quality compost.

Purpose The chicken droppings can have a negative impact on the environment and public health. In this work, we are interested in treating this waste by anaerobic digestion and we estimate the national potential of green energy produced by anaerobic digestion and map the areas that need digesters to improve national poultry farming.Methods The anaerobic digestion of this waste is performed in three steps. In the first step, the chicken droppings are placed in a laboratory digester without pretreatment. In the second step, the droppings are placed in an industrial digester without pretreatment. In the third step, a methanogenic inoculum is incubated with the chicken droppings in a batch digester. The biogas production is measured by manometer, and the composition of this biogas is analyzed by gas chromatography.Results The chicken droppings without pretreatment generated a small amount of biogas (11.24 and 20 m3 for one ton of waste fresh) in the laboratory and in the prototype digester. After pretreatment (heating and grinding), this waste produced a large quantity of biogas, on the order 230, 58 ml/g COD, equivalent to 64.4 m3 for one ton of fresh waste, with 60.2 % methane, 38.8 % carbon dioxide and 0 % hydrogen. This biogas production has a lower heating value of 385 kWh for one ton of chicken droppings.Based on these results, our country has high potential for green energy (200 GWh) by transforming the droppings of broilers by anaerobic digestion.Conclusion In Morocco, the installation of biogas digesters in poultry units is an effective technique for this industry, because this waste is a potential energy source.

Background: Birds are considered as a reservoir for pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi. Pigeon droppings have the potential for spreading these fungi to the environment. Cryptococcus species are important fungi associated with pigeon droppings. In this regard, there are many types of yeast associated with guano that is important for human and animal health. Aims: The main objective of this study is the identification of non-Cryptococcus yeasts isolated from pigeon dropping in Shiraz, Southern Iran. Methods: A total of 100 unknown yeasts, which were previously screened and identified as non-Cryptococcus from pigeon guano through the conventional methods, were used in this study. Identification of the isolates was performed based on conventional methods and DNA sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA gene region. The sequence results were deposited in NCBI database using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). Results: A total of 16 species belonging to 7 genera were identified as Candida spp. 51% (8 species), Rhodotorula sp. 24%, Trichosporon spp. 21% (3 species), Rhodosporidium 2%, Saccharomyces 1%, Rhizoctonia 1%, and Meyerozyma 1%. The predominant isolates were Rhodotorula rubra (24%), Candida famata (20%), and Trichosporon asahii (13%). The other species were Rhodosporidium kratochvilovae 2 (2%), Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1 (1%), Rhizoctonia solani 1 (1%), and Meyerozyma caribbica 1 (1%). Conclusion: Pigeon excreta examined in this study were associated with several kinds of opportunistic yeasts which could cause diseases in prone human and animals.

Introduction: Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast like and a principle cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts, especially those with AIDS. At the persent, due to progressive increase in predisposing factors to cryptococcosis and proper therapy, identification of this fungus has become more important than before. The most important sources of infection are contaminated pigeon droppings and soil. Since there are many so called .Pigeon Tower" in Isfahan and it"s suburbs, we decided to isolate and identify C.neoformans from pigeon droppings collected in these towers. It is notable that these pigeon droppings are traditionally used as natural fertilizer. Methods: After preparing suspensions of droppings, we spread them onto the surface of Niger seed agar and L-DOPA containing media. The identification of isolates was established by ureas test, India ink preparation, subculturing on CMA + Tween 80 medium, growth 37°c and assimilation of carbohydrates and nitrate. GCP (Glycine- Cyclohexaamide - Phenol red) medium was used for distinguishing C.neoformans Var. neoformans from C. neoformans Var. gattii. The pathogenicity of the isolates was determined in mice by intracerebral inoculation. Results: c. neoformans was isolated from 11 of 136 samples (8.1 percent). All of them were identified as c. neoformans Var. neoformans. However, five of them (45.5 percent) caused disease in mice. There was no statistically significant relation between the pH of the pigeon dropping and the precence of C.neoformans. Discussion: According to the results, it seems that the actual prevalance of cryptococcosis should be more than the reported cases. Regarding the relative frequency of the yeast in "Pigeon Towers" in Esfahan, as it was shown in this study, clinicians should pay more attention to this organism and its disease, especially in patients with predisposing factors.

The amount of solid wastes generated in developing countries such as Nigeria has steadily increased over the last two decades as a result of population explosion and continuous growth of industries and agricultural practices. In agriculture, particularly cattle rearing, large quantities of cow wastes are generated, which could be used as biogas inputs to compliment the fuel usage alternative. In addition, a large number of families generate heavy wastes in the kitchen on a daily basis, which could be converted to economic benefits. In this work, a comparative study of biogas production from poultry droppings, cattle dung, and kitchen wastes was conducted under the same operating conditions. 3kg of each waste was mixed with 9L of water and loaded into the three waste reactors. Biogas production was measured for a period of 40 days and at an average temperature of 30.5°C. Biogas production started on the 7th day, and attained maximum value on the 14th days for reactor 1. Production reached its peak on the 14th day with 85×10-3dm3 of gas produced in reactor 2. For reactor 3, biogas production started on the 8th day and production reached a peak value on the 14th day. The average biogas production from poultry droppings, cow dung and kitchen waste was 0.0318dm3/day, 0.0230dm3/day and 0.0143 dm3/day, respectively. It is concluded that the wastes can be managed through conversion into biogas, which is a source of income generation for the society.