Eighteen 4-month-old lambs, with a mean live weight (LW) of 19.47 ± 0.20 kg, were used to evaluate the nutritive value of date palm leaves (DPL) ensiled with different additives in a completely randomized design. Lambs were stratified into three groups of 6 lambs each and fed a control diet comprising 60% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) and 40% DPL silage (T1). In other treatments, the DPL silage (DPLS) of the control treatment was replaced with EM1 additive-treated DPLS (T2) or El-Mofeed additive-treated DPLS (T3). Apparent digestibility, total digestible nutrient, digestible crude protein, dry matter intake, daily weight gain (DWG), price of DWG, daily profit, and economics of feed efficiency were higher (P < 0.05) for the additives-treated DPLS relative to the control, with T2 enhancing these parameters compared with T3. With exception of ruminal pH, which was reduced, concentrations of ruminal NH3-N and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) increased 4 h post feeding. However, ruminal NH3-N and total VFA were greater (P < 0.05) for the additives-treated DPLS, with T2 producing higher values than T3. Ruminal pH and feed cost/kg LW gain were lower for T2 relative to other treatments. Blood constituents were within the normal ranges for lambs, though slightly altered by treatments. Whereas serum total protein, albumin, and globulin were affected (P < 0.05) in this rank order, T1 < T3 < T2, other serum parameters were not affected. Relative feed cost and relative daily profit were lower and higher respectively for T2 than for T3. It is concluded that additives-treated DPLS is nutritionally superior to untreated DPLS as a roughage source in total mixed rations fed to growing lambs. However, for improved performance of the lambs and economic benefits, EM1-treated DPLS is recommended.

The aim of this study was to assess the hygienic status of raw milk cheese and determine the trends of virulence and antimicrobial resistance in thermotolerant Escherichia coli. Two hundred samples of karish, a popular Egyptian fresh raw milk cheese, were analyzed for coliforms and fecal coliforms using a standard most probable number (MPN) technique. Overall, 85% of samples were unsuitable for consumption, as they exceeded Egyptian standards for coliforms (10 MPN/g), and 65% of samples exhibited coliforms at 44.5 °C. Of 150 recovered thermotolerant strains, 140 (93.3%) were identified as E. coli. Importantly, one Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strain carrying a striking virulence pattern, stx1−, stx2+, eae−, was detected. Eleven strains (7.8%, 11/140) showed resistance to third-generation cephalosporins. Antibiotic resistance genes included blaSHV, blaCTX-M, qnrS, tet(A), and tet(B), which were present in 4.3%, 2.8%, 0.71%, 2.1%, and 0.71% of isolates, respectively. In conclusion, this study indicated that hygienic-sanitary failures occurred throughout the production process of most retail karish cheese. Furthermore, our findings emphasize the need for adopting third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli as an indicator for monitoring antimicrobial resistance in raw milk cheese to identify the potential public health burden associated with its consumption.

he present work was conducted to study the effect of replacement corn silage (CS) by orange waste silage (OR) improved the performance of Barki lambs using one of the following rations: R1: 50% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + 40% corn silage (CS) + 10% rice straw (RS) (control). R2: 50% CFM + 20% CS + 20% orange waste silage (OS) + 10% RS and R3: 50% CFM + 40% OS + 10% RS. Two experimental trials were conducted: Results showed the silages had good smell and were free from any signs of molds in all groups. Digestibility trial was conducted using nine mature local Barki breed rams were divided in three groups (3 animals each) weighting with average body weight 57 kg ± 1.5 kg and 3 years old. R3 recorded (P<0.05) the highest digestibility coefficients for all nutrients and nutritive value than others and the results showed a significant improvement (P<0.05) in digestibility coefficients of NDF, ADF and cellulose in R3 than others. Results showed insignificant differences (P>0.05) among the three tested groups in all blood parameters. Eighteen Barki lambs with average body weight 21.00 ± 0.20 kg/head were used. Lambs were divided into three groups (6 animals each) and fed the three respective rations with the same regime of feeding the experimental lasted for month. R3 recorded the highest value of average daily gain compared with R2 and R1. Also, R3 recorded the best value of feed conversion (6.24) followed by the R2 (6.52) than the control (7.03). It was concluded that corn silage by orange waste silage to rations of growing Barki lambs could improve their performance especially replacement of 100% corn silage by orange waste silage (R3).

Little is known about the virulence in Bacillus cereus strains isolated from retail dairy products in the Middle East and particularly from Egypt. In this study, the occurrence of B. cereus in 290 samples of dairy products (raw milk, Ras cheese, pasteurized extended shelf life [ESL] milk) collected from retail shops was investigated. The potential of 126 selected isolates of B. cereus to possess genes encoding nonhemolytic enterotoxin, hemolysin BL, and cytotoxin K (cytK), and to grow at 7°C was verified. The highest occurrence of B. cereus was found in raw milk (85%, 85/100) followed by Ras cheese (10%, 10/100) and ESL milk samples (8.8%, 8/90). A large proportion of the B. cereus isolates from raw milk (48.9%, 48/99) and Ras cheese (71.4%, 10/14) had at least one complete set of toxin genes (nhe or hbl). Enterotoxin genes, nheA, nheB, nheC, hblA, hblD, and hblC, were detected in 38.4% (5/13), 53.8% (7/13), 61.5% (8/13), 46.1% (6/ 13), 46.1% (6/13), and 23.1% (3/13) of ESL milk isolates, respectively. cytK was identified in 42.4% (42/ 99), 50% (7/14), and 46.2% (6/13) of raw milk, Ras cheese, and ESL milk isolates, respectively. The psychrotrophic ability was observed in 22.2% and 15.3% of isolates recovered from raw milk and ESL milk, respectively. The toxigenic potential of B. cereus strains described in this study may pose a health risk to the consumer and, therefore, the presence of these bacteria in retail dairy products should be monitored to ensure consumers' safety.

his study was conducted to evaluate changes in productive performance, in terms of milk yield and its composition, of lactating Damascus goats, resulted of feeding three rations. The three respective rations composed of concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + olive trees byproducts, the control ration (R1) contained untreated olive tree by-products; (R2) treated olive trees by-products with EM1 (product of EMRO Organization in Japan) and (R3) treated olive trees byproducts with El-mofeed. Eighteen lactating Damascus goats (within three seasons of lactation) aged 24-30 months, weighed 37.20±0.2 kg and were in 2 nd-3 rd season of lactation were distributed according to their live body weight and milk production into three similar groups, (6 goats each). The experiment lasted for 120 days after the does weaned their offspring. Milk yield was significantly (P<0.05) higher with groups treated olive trees by-products with EM1 and El-mofeed than untreated ones. Averages of DM, TDN and DCP intakes were the highest with R2, compared with the other tested rations. Feed conversion value expressed as (kg TDN/ kg milk) was practically similar for both R2 and R3 rations being lower than that of the R1 rations. The feed conversion values expressed as (g DCP/ kg milk) recorded the best values being 76.03, 83.95 and 96.98 g/kg milk for R2, R3 and R1, respectively. The results of blood serum parameters showed insignificantly (P>0.05) values of total protein, albumin and globulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, total antioxidant capacity and urea concentrations. It could be concluded that biological treatments (EM1) and chemical treatments (Elmofeed) to rations of lactating Damascus goats improved milk yield, milk composition and feed conversion.