The effects of zero or 50% dietary coarsely ground corn (CC) in pelleted and screened grower and finisher diets on broilers reared on 3 bedding floor types (plastic net [NET], new pine wood shavings litter [NEW], or old pine wood shavings litter [OLD]) on broiler live performance, litter characteristics, gizzard and proventriculus weight, and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) were studied in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Fine corn was produced with a hammermill (271 μm) and CC with a roller mill (1145 μm). Utilization of CC reduced milling cost by 9.47 cents per MT with similar nutrient content of screened pellets. The 50% CC treatment exhibited improved (P ≤ 0.05) feed intake at 42 d (2.5%) and 49 d (3.0%), and BW (5.4%) and FCR from 28 d (1.4%). Birds on NEW litter exhibited improved (P < 0.05) BW at 28 and 35 d and 42 d FCR as compared to NET and 49 d FCR compared to NET and OLD. The 50% CC treatment exhibited increased (P < 0.05) gizzard weight but decreased proventriculus weight at 49 d. NEW litter birds exhibited increased (P ≤ 0.05) gizzard weight at 28 d and 49 d and decreased proventriculus weight as compared to NET at 49 days. The 50% CC treatment exhibited decreased (P ≤ 0.05) litter moisture at 35 and 42 d, litter N at 35 and 49 d, and litter pH at 49 days. OLD litter birds exhibited greater (P < 0.05) litter N at 14, 35, and 49 d, as well as litter moisture, pH, and ammonia concentration at 49 days. The 50% CC group also exhibited improved AID of nitrogen (P < 0.05). Broilers fed pelleted and screened diets containing 50% CC exhibited improved live performance and reduced litter moisture while use of NEW litter resulted in a somewhat similar effect, which indicated that consumption of NEW litter also facilitated gastric development and function.

Two 49 d floor pen studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of litter type and dietary coarse ground corn (CC) inclusion on broiler live performance, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) development, and litter characteristics. Experiment 1 was a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of 2 genders (male or female) and 2 CC levels (0 or 50%). From 15 to 35 d, the addition of CC decreased feed intake (P < 0.01) and BW gain (P < 0.05) of males but not females. The inclusion of CC decreased feed intake (P < 0.01) and BW gain (P < 0.01) from 0 to 49 d but improved adjusted feed conversion ratio (AdjFCR) from 35 to 49 d (P < 0.05). Male broilers exhibited better live performance than females during the study as evidenced by greater feed intake (P < 0.01) and BW gain (P < 0.01), and improved FCR (P < 0.01), but with increased mortality (P < 0.05). The inclusion of CC increased relative gizzard weight (P < 0.01) and decreased relative proventriculus weight (P < 0.01) at 49 d. Experiment 2 was a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of 2 CC levels (0 or 50%) and 2 litter types (ground old litter or new wood shavings litter). The inclusion of CC decreased feed intake throughout the experiment without affecting final BW when only males were used and improved FCR after 25 d (P < 0.01). New litter improved FCR from 1 to 14 d (P < 0.01). At 49 d, the birds fed the CC diet had reduced excreta nitrogen (P < 0.05) and litter moisture (P < 0.05). In conclusion, 50% CC inclusion initially produced negative effects on live performance that became positive as BW increased. The effects of CC became evident at an earlier age for males. New litter had only a marginal benefit on broiler live performance.

The effectiveness of 18 alternative technologies for reducing odor dispersion at and beyond the boundary of swine facilities was assessed in conjunction with an initiative sponsored through agreeme...

The need for developing environmentally superior and sustainable solutions for managing the animal waste at commercial swine farms in eastern North Carolina has been recognized in recent years. Program OPEN (Odor, Pathogens, and Emissions of Nitrogen), funded by the North Carolina State University Animal and Poultry Waste Management Center (APWMC), was initiated and charged with the evaluation of potential environmentally superior technologies (ESTs) that have been developed and implemented at selected swine farms or facilities. The OPEN program has demonstrated the effectiveness of a new paradigm for policy-relevant environmental research related to North Carolina’s animal waste management programs. This new paradigm is based on a commitment to improve scientific understanding associated with a wide array of environmental issues (i.e., issues related to the movement of N from animal waste into air, water, and soil media; the transmission of odor and odorants; disease-transmitting vectors; and airborne pathogens). The primary focus of this paper is on emissions of ammonia (NH₃) from some potential ESTs that were being evaluated at full-scale swine facilities. During 2-week-long periods in two different seasons (warm and cold), NH₃ fluxes from water-holding structures and NH₃ emissions from animal houses or barns were measured at six potential EST sites: (1) Barham farm—in-ground ambient temperature anaerobic digester/energy recovery/greenhouse vegetable production system; (2) BOC #93 farm—upflow biofiltration system—EKOKAN ; (3) Carrolls farm—aerobic blanket system—ISSUES-ABS; (4) Corbett #1 farm—solids separation/gasification for energy and ash recovery centralized system—BEST; (5) Corbett #2 farm—solid separation/reciprocating water technology—ReCip; and (6) Vestal farm—Recycling of Nutrient, Energy and Water System—ISSUES—RENEW. The ESTs were compared with similar measurements made at two conventional lagoon and spray technology (LST) farms (Moore farm and Stokes farm). A flow-through dynamic chamber system and two sets of open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectrometers measured NH₃ fluxes continuously from water-holding structures and emissions from housing units at the EST and conventional LST sites. A statisticalobservational model for lagoon NH₃ flux was developed using a multiple linear regression analysis of 15-min averaged NH₃ flux data against the relevant environmental parameters measured at the two conventional farms during two different seasons of the year. This was used to compare the water-holding structures at ESTs with those from lagoons at conventional sites under similar environmental conditions. Percentage reductions in NH₃ emissions from different components of each potential EST, as well as the whole farm on which the EST was located were evaluated from the estimated emissions from water-holding structures, barns, etc., all normalized by the appropriate nitrogen excretion rate at the potential EST farm, as well as from the appropriate conventional farm. This study showed that ammonia emissions were reduced by all but one potential EST for both experimental periods. However, on the basis of our evaluation results and analysis and available information in the scientific literature, the evaluated alternative technologies may require additional technical modifications to be qualified as unconditional ESTs relative to NH₃ emissions reductions.

Introduction Radiation forms the basis of many successful anti-cancer treatment regimens, killing tumour cells by irreversibly damaging their DNA. Unfortunately, radiation indiscriminately kills healthy cells, causing a range of debilitating and highly impactful side effects. One of the most common side effects is damage and burning of the skin, termed radiation-induced dermatitis (RID), which occurs in up to 95% of people undergoing radiation therapy. Although common, RID cannot be prevented and is inadequately managed with various topical solutions. Parthenolide has emerged as a promising radioprotective agent for the management of RID. The REPAIR-1 study is a phase 0, prospective, non-randomised, double-blind, interventional pilot study which aims to assess the efficacy of topical parthenolide application in limiting severe RID. Methods and analysis The REPAIR-1 study will be conducted at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Australia. Eligible participants for the REPAIR-1 study include adults diagnosed with locally advanced cancer of the head/neck scheduled to receive definitive, bilateral radiation therapy. Once enrolled, eligible participants will receive application of a 1% parthenolide, or placebo lotion, to opposite sides of the head/neck region before and after daily radiation therapy for the duration of their treatment course (6-7 weeks). The primary outcome of this study is absolute RID severity after 4 weeks of radiation therapy defined by both CTCAE v5.0 criteria and the RISRAS tool. Ethics and dissemination This protocol has been approved by Central Adelaide Local Health Network Human Research Ethics Committee (2024/HRE00241). All participants will be required to provide written informed consent. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, and at scientific conferences. Trial registration number ACTRN12625000456459