Maksimiljan Brus

This study investigated whether the process of ensiling and in vitro digestion in rumen juice, as well as the response to soaking in pig or cattle slurry, affects the germination rate and germination energy of Rumex obtusifolius (broad-leaved dock) seeds. Seeds were subjected to different treatments (200 seeds each) in three experiments: (I) seed ensiling (8 weeks) followed by in vitro rumen digestion (24, 36 and 48 h); (II) the soaking of non-ensiled and ensiled seeds in cattle or pig slurry (2, 4 and 24 weeks); and (III) the in vitro rumen digestion (24, 36 and 48 h) of non-ensiled and ensiled seeds followed by soaking in cattle or pig slurry (24 weeks). The control treatment included untreated seed (0—non-ensiled seed; 0—no in vitro rumen digestion; and 0—no soaking in slurry). Germination tests (germination rate and germination energy) were then conducted in four replicates in the germination chamber under alternating day (20–35 °C for 14 h under light) and night conditions (17–20 °C for 10 h without light) at 75% relative humidity. Experiment I showed that ensiling significantly (p ≤ 0.001) reduced both the germination rate and germination energy of R. obtusifolius seeds. In addition, the length of in vitro digestion duration that the non-ensiled seeds were subjected to significantly (p ≤ 0.001) reduced their germination energy but not the total germination rate. However, the seeds that were subjected to the process of ensiling and in vitro digestion in the rumen lost their germination completely. The Experiment II investigated the effects of soaking non-ensiled seeds in slurry and showed that germination rates were comparable in pig and cattle slurry. Longer soaking times significantly reduced the germination rate, with no germination observed after 24 weeks. The Experiment III considered the combined effects of in vitro digestion and slurry soaking and showed that rumen digestion reduced the proportion of germinable seeds. Germination was inhibited in pig slurry, while in cattle slurry, a decreasing germination rate was observed with increasing digestion time.

Technologische bewertung des geschnittenen und entstaubten strohs als alternative einstreu für die hähnchenmastZiel dieser Untersuchung ist es, die technologische Einsetzbarkeit von geschnittenem, entstaubtem Stroh als eine der alternativen Arten von Einstreumaterial in der Masthähnchenproduktion darzustellen. Die Ergebnisse basieren auf den Ergebnissen eines nationalen Forschungsprojekts, das von der slowenischen Agentur für Agrarmärkte unterstützt und finanziert wurde. Die Eingangsdaten und Ergebnisse basieren auf realen Fallstudien (zwei Betriebe) aus Slowenien. Einer der Betriebe repräsentiert den extensiven u nd d er z weite d en i ntensiven P roduktionstyp. I m B eitrag e rläutern d ie A utoren d ie t echnischen Vorteile der Verwendung von geschnittenem, entstaubtem Stroh als alternatives Einstreumaterial im Vergleich zu Holzspänen. Die Neuheit dieser Untersuchung besteht in der Erstellung eines Bewertungsprotokolls, das die ethologischen Tierstandards einschließt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen signifikante Vorteile, die sich in der Verringerung von Verletzungen bei den Tieren am Ende des Mastzeitraums zeigen.