Amino acids are not only building blocks of the proteins, but they are essential for providing healthy growth and normal development of infants in their neonatal period. Breast milk contains an ideal proportion of vital macro- and micro-molecules, necessary for infants' daily nutritional needs. Unfortunately, data from meta-analyses have indicated that only 37% of children younger than 6 months of age are exclusively breastfed. Because of its organoleptic characteristics, chemical and nutritional compositions, donkey milk is considered a functional food. This review is focused on describing the similarity of amino acid content (free amino acids and total amino acids) in both human and donkey milk. The possible application of donkey milk as an alternative new line milk-based formula for feeding infants diagnosed with IgE mediated cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) or Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES) is also observed in the review.
The invasive blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) continues to expand its range along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, including areas with active aquaculture. This study provides the first documented evidence of C. sapidus in the vicinity of the “Dalboka” mussel farm, which is located to the north of Kavarna, Bulgaria. On 19th and 20th October 2025, a total of two male specimens were recorded. These specimens were captured using a traditional Black Sea pound net (talyan) and recorded into the official fishing log of the farm. Despite the fact that the numbers are low, these observations indicate a northward expansion trend of the species. The paper discusses potential ecological and economic impacts on mussel production and proposes monitoring and management recommendations.
Frass, the excrement of Tenebrio molitor larvae, contains significant amounts of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms, making it a promising biofertilizer. However, frass derived from larvae fed with polyurethane (PU) foams remains largely unexplored. This study evaluated the growth and volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of Bellis perennis cultivated with frass from T. molitor fed either bran (BRAN) or PU foams (PU), compared to plants grown with conventional chemical fertilizer (FERT). Plant growth, flowering, nutrient content in both plants and floral VOC emissions were analyzed. PU-derived frass showed higher nitrogen and calcium levels than BRAN-frass and resulted in increased flower production throughout the experiment, although plant biomass did not differ significantly among treatments. VOC analysis revealed distinct profiles associated with BRAN- and PU-derived frass, including compounds with known antimicrobial properties. These findings suggest that PU-frass is a viable biofertilizer for ornamental plants and may influence flower-associated chemical signaling.
The European mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon Schreber, 1782) is the main resource game species in the State hunting ground Balchik. Aiming to assess the status of its population there in favor of the future management, the ranking of the trophies according to the evaluation protocols from 2011 to 2023 was analyzed. Based on 33 evaluation protocols a trend was found for reaching trophy-aged mouflons rewarded gold medals after the age of 7. Animals shot in their fourth year were unawarded. For the studied period, a total of 75.79% of the shot animals were awarded medals, while only 21.21% were not given a prize. More than half of all evaluated trophies for the period took gold medals, also indicating the suitability of the habitat coupled with well-conducted biotechnical activities in the SHG Balchik. More than 95% of the trophies from the SHG Balchik were with more than 40 cm horn span, indicating the good trophy condition of the mouflon population. No additional management, except importing breeding animals is recommended to increase the quality of future trophies.
Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a crucial role in maintaining soil quality, fertility, and overall ecosystem stability. However, continuous intensive cultivation, deforestation, bush burning, and poor land-use practices have significantly degraded soils, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, reducing their capacity to store organic carbon. The system of rice intensification (SRI) involves the adoption of certain management practices for rice cultivation to provide a better growing environment for the crop. Soil was sampled from rice growing belts in Kana and Jigawa states from about 25 different farms. The soils were analyzed before and after the adoption of the SRI to compare the difference in soil properties. The results showed significant difference in the particle size distribution after adoption of SRI with increase in both sand and clay content by 8.48% and 3.15%, respectively. Similar positive increase was observed in the concentration of available phosphorous, effective cation exchange capacity and micronutrients. However, the concentration of organic carbon and pH was found to decrease with adoption. It can be concluded that SRI improves soil properties.
In industrial livestock production the building is considered an essential factor for ensuring technological processes. Structural and technological elements are exposed to direct contact with manure and urine released by the animals. Manure is defined as an aggressive environment due to the presence of methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Data reported in the scientific literature indicate that elements subjected to such operating conditions exhibit a significant reduction in physico-mechanical properties. As a result of long-term operation, increased costs for maintenance and repair are observed. The floor is identified as one of the most deteriorated structural elements in livestock buildings. Studies and practical observations demonstrate that floor areas with damaged surfaces negatively affect animal hooves and lead to deterioration of the overall health status. A decrease in animal productivity is also reported. The aim of the present review is to investigate and analyse the existing non-destructive testing methods for assessment of the condition of concrete and reinforced concrete floors in livestock facilities. The results indicate that acoustic and electromagnetic methods, especially tomographic techniques provide the most reliable results under aggressive environmental conditions, whereas mechanical methods show limited applicability. For a more reliable structural assessment, the combined application of testing approaches is recommended.
This study investigated the genetic diversity and gene polymorphism at the Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) locus in Tiv chicken ecotype populations from Benue State, Nigeria. A total of 225 Tiv chickens were obtained from a based population and used, and growth performance was recorded from hatch to 10 weeks. Blood samples were collected for DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and sequencing of the IGF-1 gene. Genetic diversity parameters, including allele frequencies, heterozygosity, and fixation indices, were analyzed using standard molecular and statistical techniques. Results revealed 42 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the 5′ untranslated region of the IGF-1 gene, comprising 3 deletions, 10 substitutions, and 29 transversions. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Tiv chickens formed a distinct clade closely related to other Nigerian and Asian chicken populations. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that 85% of genetic variation occurred within individuals, while 15% was among populations. Fixation indices (FIS = 0.162, FIT = -0.068, FST = 0.105) suggested moderate genetic differentiation among subpopulations. The IGF-1 locus was found to be highly polymorphic (100%) except in the Daudu population, which was monomorphic. Association analysis showed no significant effect of IGF-1 genotypes or sex on growth traits, although numerical differences were observed. These findings highlight substantial genetic diversity and polymorphism at the IGF-1 locus in Tiv chickens, supporting their potential for genetic improvement and conservation. Tiv ecotype chicken can be recommended for selection and genetic improvement for the development of an indigenous meat breed and further studies explore additional candidate genes and extend sampling to broader indigenous chicken populations to enhance genetic resource management and selective breeding programs.
Nigeria is not food self-reliant, in actual fact, the country is going through a food insecurity crisis regardless of being one of the world’s largest producers of most of its key staple foods. This article utilized secondary sources across several disciplines to provide a nuanced and balanced transdisciplinary consideration of incongruities that exist in food production data and hunger reality in Nigeria. It explores Nigeria’s food production outlook through critical lens, contrasting academic narratives shaped by pseudo-data with pragmatic realities of widespread hunger while examining the reported agricultural commodity production data, highlighting figures as well as sources – it scrutinized the paradoxical relationship between mainstream data and persistent hunger in Nigeria. Consequently, the paper addresses well known issues like postharvest losses, exportation of staples, bureaucracy, as well as political interest. Furthermore, it postulated the cause of dissonance between data and hunger reality in Nigeria - the crux of this paper – to be chiefly, inconsistent production and/or postharvest losses figures. By unpacking these issues, this paper provided a well-adjusted perspective on Nigeria’s food production landscape and emphasized the need for data integrity in the food production space. Conclusively, it suggested that all the issues raised, especially spurious production data be critically looked into, as only through this, Nigeria food production statistics would be in synch with and be a reflection of its agricultural output and food needs of its population.
Artificial insemination of mares is a reproductive method that has been well researched for more than a century. Currently, the method is widely used in warmblood horse breeds, but it is still denied or restricted by other breed registers, such as Thoroughbred or some Trotter breeds. In Bulgaria, artificial insemination of mares has started to be implemented more widely since 2006, first on mares of various breeds in the national stud farm “Kabiyuk” and later on mares of private owners. The Bulgarian sport horse breed has recently been approved in Bulgaria. As with most warmblood horse breeds, the Bulgarian Sport Horse Register has no regulations to restrict or prohibit the application of artificial insemination or any other recent reproductive method. The Bulgarian Sport Horse Association (BSHA) registers between 30 and 70 foals annually. This study aimed to identify the number of foals produced by artificial insemination registered in the BSHA out of the total number of foals registered from 2006 to 2024. The foals were distributed by year, and the number and breed of stallions used for artificial insemination were traced. The total number of registered foals was 940 during the study period, of which 85 were obtained by artificial insemination. As a percentage, foals conceived by artificial insemination represented 9.04% of all registered new-born foals. This percentage varied from 2.04% in 2010 to 17.46% in 2012. The number of stallions whose frozen semen was used for artificial insemination was 57, of which 53 were stallions with imported frozen semen, and 4 were stallions whose semen was collected, frozen, and stored in Bulgaria. Breeders were most interested in Holsteiner stallions, followed by Oldenburg and KWPN stallions.
The domestic chicken is one of the most widely spread and versatile farm animals, primarily bred for meat and egg production, as well as for decorative, exhibition, and sporting purposes. This study focuses on three indigenous Bulgarian bantam chicken breeds: Struma Bantam, Bregovska dzhinka, and Southwest Bulgarian dzhinka, with the aim of comparing their key morphological and morphometric characteristics. The breeds exhibit distinct phenotypic traits, including comb type, shank and plumage color, as well as significant differences in body size and weight. Among the studied breeds, the Struma Bantam is the largest, while the Bregovska dzhinka is the smallest. The Southwest Bulgarian dzhinka holds an intermediate position in terms of body weight and has the highest Index of compactness among the breeds studied. The study also investigates sexual dimorphism in primary body and head measurements, as well as various body conformation indices, revealing significant inter-sex differences in most of the studied parameters. The findings suggest that these breeds represent valuable genetic resources for future breeding programs, particularly in ornamental and exhibition poultry farming. The study highlights the value of these breeds within the global chicken gene pool, primarily as contributors to genetic variation and as carriers of distinct mutational traits.
The objective of the present research was to apply a histological method to study the condition of the muscles in frogs (Hoplobatrachus rugulosus) offered on the Bulgarian market, frozen at -18°C for a period of 4 months. Material from 24 frogs, taken from Triceps femoris, Semimembranosus, Gastrocnemius and Peroneus, was fixed in 10% buffered formalin for 72 hours. After fixation, the samples were embedded in paraffin according to a standard protocol and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome method. Morphological analysis revealed structural changes affecting all studied muscle groups. The histological evaluation revealed irreversible and significantly manifested damage to both the muscle fibers and the accompanying connective tissue. These findings are important for determining the quality of frozen frog meat offered on the market, and to emphasize the need to control the conditions and duration of freezing.
Abstract. The study was conducted in the period 2021-2023 at the Institute of Agriculture- Karnobat. Twenty-five lines of spring six-row barley created at the Institute of Agriculture - Karnobat were studied. For comparison, the national standard for spring six-row barley - variety Yasmina - was used. The aim of this study is to investigate the productive capabilities and quality indicators of 25 lines of spring six-row barley.The highest 1000-grain weight was observed in line K-163-14 - 41.0 g. Lines K-103-14 and K-102-16 had the highest crude protein content of 12.0%. The analysis of variance showed that the year conditions had the greatest influence on the productivity expression of the studied breeding accessions of spring six-row barley. The strength of this factor occupied 39.93 % of the total variation. The genotype factor accounted for 30.61% and genotype x conditions occupied 29.46% of the total variation. Lines K-263-14 and K-271-14 had the highest mean yield during the study period, 6497 kg/ha and 6303 kg/ha, respectively.The most favourable year in climatic terms was 2023, when high yields were realized by the tested spring six-row barley lines.
Increasing antibiotic resistance threatens the effectiveness of antibiotics. They are becoming ineffective and infections are difficult or impossible to treat. As a result, one of the current trends that aims to address the emerging problem is the search for herbal medicines that have some antimicrobial activity. The object of the study were extracts and oils obtained from different fractions (roots, leaves, stems, whole plant) of six plant species (mint, lavender, thyme, oregano, basil, coriander) using different solvents (water, ethanol, vinegar, wine, olive oil) grown under greenhouse conditions and statistical processing of the obtained 360 databases on their antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli. The results of the conducted complex studies are a good basis for the introduction of practically applicable technologies for the production of extractive solutions with high antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli.
Accurate and rapid measurement of the moisture content of the grain is one of the most important factors for agricultural production and industry. Until today, many capacitance-based grain moisture meters have been commercially developed to measure grain moisture samples to an accuracy of ±0.1% w.b. However, several factors such as moisture content, bulk density, temperature, and varieties of grain samples significantly affect the accuracy and the precision of moisture meters. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the effects of moisture content, temperature, variety of grain samples on the measurement accuracy of a capacitive moisture meter for corn. For this purpose, three experiments were carried out by considering different moisture content, temperature and varieties of grain corn. The results of the experiments showed that moisture content, temperature and variety of corn significantly affected the accuracy of the capacitive moisture meter. The difference between the moisture values determined by the meter and the oven was the lowest at the 23-24% moisture level of corn samples. The meter reading was progressively higher and lower than the oven at the lower and higher moisture content levels than 23-24%, respectively. The difference between the meter and the oven was the lowest at the 24-25°C temperature of corn samples. These results suggest that commercial moisture meters need to be optimized in the future to improve their accuracy by considering the grain variety, moisture content, bulk density, and temperature.
The aim of the study was to determine the influence of tank colour on growth performance of Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) farmed in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). A total of 96 Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) with live weight of 10.38–17.30 g were distributed in four groups. The fish were reared in plastic tanks of different colour (black, red, green and white) with effective volume of 0.05 m3, part of a RAS. An 800 lx, 12 hours light/12 hours dark light regimen was provided in the facility. Perches received extruded rainbow trout feed „Aqua garant UNI“ with pellet size 2 mm ad libitum three times a day. The experiment duration was 30 days. During the experiment, the RAS water chemical parameters were maintained within the optimum ranges for the species. The highest average individual weight gain was found in fish cultured in green tanks (7.17±0.55 g, P≤0.05), which was by 20.50%, 21.06% and 22.18% higher than those cultured in black, red and white tanks. The highest food intake was registered in the perch group farmed in green tanks - 154 g, which was 11.04%, 14.94% and 20.78% higher than the same parameter in black, red and white tanks, respectively. FCR was the best (P≤0.05) in fish from green tanks: 1.07±0.05, and by 6.54%, 10.28% and 7.47% higher than those from black, red and white tanks, respectively. The survival rate of perch was the highest in the black tanks - 87.50%, by 9.52% higher than that of fish in the red and white tanks, and by 4.77% higher than that of fish in the green tanks. The greatest SGR was observed in the fish from the green tanks 11.95±1.05, which exceeded significantly (P≤0.05) SGR of fish reared in the black, red and white tanks by 20.50%, 21.09% and 22.18%, respectively. Our observations showed that Eurasian perch in green tanks were calm, resulting in very good performance in terms of feed intake, FCR, SGR and weight gain. Also, fish had an intensive green colour, similar to that of wild fish from this species.
This study examines the determinants of entrepreneurial tendencies among students at the Federal College of Forestry, Jos. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 143 students through structured questionnaires. The analysis explored socio-economic characteristics, entrepreneurial attitudes, academic satisfaction and factors influencing entrepreneurial tendencies. Results indicated that entrepreneurial attitudes (β = 0.56) and the academic life satisfaction of the students (β = 0.41) significantly (p < 0.01) influence their entrepreneurial tendencies positively, while their access to credit (β = -0.22) significantly (p ≤ 0.05) influence their entrepreneurial tendencies negatively, suggesting barriers to financial resources. Age, monthly allowance, family size and access to information were not significant predictors. Based on these findings, promoting entrepreneurial attitudes and enhancing academic life satisfaction may foster stronger entrepreneurial tendencies among students.
The numbers of the grey wolf (Canis lupus) in Europe have declined significantly and nowadays its range is fragmented. Many authors publish data about skull size but they are based on different measurements. Our study aims to unify these data based on the common parameters. Using “Google search” and books in English, Russian and Bulgarian, we have found information about cranium investigations of grey wolf populations in Europe and Asia. Common cranial parameters were extracted and presented separately for both sexes. The current study gathers already available information from Europe and Asia, adding the latest data from Bulgaria. Thus, our paper provides an opportunity for future craniological studies of geographic polymorphism in this species.
Abstract. Establishing the relationship between the productivity of silkworms Bombyx mori L. and the fluorescence of silk sheaths was the aim of the present work. The study was conducted at the educational and experimental base of the Department of Sericulture at the Faculty of Agriculture of Trakia University – Stara Zagora during the period 2021 – 2022. The cocoons used for the purposes of the study were obtained from individuals of breed "1A", reared on an artificial diet (25% mulberry flour). For the purposes of the study, the cocoons were divided into two experimental groups according to the type of fluorescence of the silk sheaths (violet and yellow) when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays with a wavelength in the range of 254-365 nm. The results obtained show that fluorescence has an impact (p≤0.05 - 0.001) on some quantitative and qualitative cocoon characteristics. Individuals with violet fluorescence of the cocoons generally demonstrate better technological traits of the products obtained from them – by 9.85% (♀) and 1.13% (♂) better unwindability, by 1.44% (♀) and 1.63% (♂) higher silkiness percentage and by 2.51% (♀) and 0.18% (♂) higher laboratory yield of raw silk compared to cocoons with yellow fluorescence. From the summarized analysis of the data, it can be concluded that the fluorescence of the cocoon is important for the quality of the formed silk sheaths and its determination could be used to improve the productivity of the silkworms.
Meat and meat products are constantly threatened by pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can lead to foodborne diseases and significant economic losses. In order to address this issue, this research aimed to isolate and identify aerobic bacteria and their antibiograms from various meat products sold within Kafanchan metropolis. A total of nine ready-to-eat meat samples were aseptically collected, including "balangu, kilishi, and tsire" samples from each of Kafanchan ward A, Maigizo, and Takau wards, respectively. These samples were processed according to standard microbiological methods for bacterial isolation and identification. Five different bacteria were isolated and identified in the study, including Bacillus spp., Corynebacterium spp., Enterococcus spp., Staphylococci aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The Kilishi sample had the highest rate of contamination, with 3 out of 5 (60%) of the total bacteria identified compared to the other meat samples. Furthermore, all the bacteria identified in this study were found to be resistant to all the antibiotics tested. The bacteria isolated from the tsire sample in Takau ward exhibited the highest antibiotic resistance, with a 0.9% Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) index. On the other hand, bacteria from Kilishi samples had the lowest MDR index value of 0.3%. In light of these findings, it is imperative that regulatory agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, take proactive measures to ensure the safety of food products for consumption. This includes monitoring and regulating the appropriate use of antibiotics at recommended rates, as well as enforcing accurate drug withdrawal periods during the treatment of animals before slaughter.
