The effect of salt stress on growth proximate analysis, amino acid profile, protein quality and fractionations in 3 days etiolated clover sprout samples was investigated. Sterilized and non-sterilized clover seeds were sprouting using tap water 1000 ppm and 2000 ppm NaCl solution. The results showed reduction effect of clover sprout characters with higher NaCl concentration. Clover seed sprouting increased the crude protein content using tap water or saline water for sprouting as compared with dry seeds. However using non-sterilized clover seeds for sprouting recorded the higher values of protein (44.73%), lipids (6.21%) and energy (318.51 kcal/g) in etiolated sprouts, while using sterilized seeds recorded higher carbohydrate (21.28%), fiber (14.57%) and  ash (4.46%). For amino acids, aspartic acid followed by glutamic acid were the most abundant, while Cysteine and methionine were the least in clover etiolated sprouts. Using saline water for clover seed sprouting caused increases in all amino acid compared with tap water except Methionine, aspartic acid and cysteine. For protein efficiency ratio (PER), essential amino acid index (EAAI%) and biological value (BV), from using saline water for sprouting had the higher values than sprouts from using tap water, but the values are less than dry seeds. On the other hand nutritional index (NI) recorded the higher values in salt stress compared with both using tap water and dry clover seeds. For protein fraction in etiolated clover sprouts albumin was the major protein fraction extracted from NaCl 2000ppm sprout fallowed by prolamin from tap water sprouts, glutelin from NaCl 1000 ppm sprout and globulin from tap water sprout. The clover sprout protein isolated and its fractions could have excellent applications for future product development by virtue of their nutritional and functional properties.

The aim of this study was to use spreadsheet software (Excel) to solve linear programming models in formulating least cost rations of egg layers. The Ingredients used are corn, wheat, soybean meal, barley, wheat bran, protein concentrate, limestone, salt, dicalcuim phosphate, vitamin and mineral premix, vegetable oil. Results showed that the starter optimum ration for layers from (0 - 6) weeks, consist of these Ingredients (9.40, 26.91, 16.38, 38.71,' 4.51, 0.95, 1.09, 0.25, 1.18, 0.25, (Received April 18, 2009) (Accepted September 28, 2009) 0.33)% respectively and from (6-12) week of (0, 73.43, 8.72, 0, 14.37, 0, 0.99, 0.25, 1.39, 0.25, 0.57) % respectively, from (12-18) week (0, 78.36, 6.17, 0, 12.02, 0, 1.44, 0.25, 0.87, 0.25, 0.61)% respectively, from (18 week - start of production) (0, 15.55, 13.85, 0, 3.81, 0, 4.25, 0.25, 1.16, 0.25, 0.86 )% respectively, and during productive period from (0, 66.93, 10.62, 0,0, 9.09,9.01, 0.25, 3.82)% respectively, and the cost of these ration was 160.6, 130.70, 123.60, 145.22, 195.95) Iraqi Dinar/kg respectively. Results also show sensitivity report of allowable increase and decrease in ingredient cost and in constraint values and the shadow price.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of salt stress on amino acid profile and proximate analysis of fenugreek germination samples of two varieties: Giza 2 and Giza 30 for three days. The germination of sterilized fenugreek seeds was conducted using tap water and NaCl solution (2,000 ppm) where higher salt concentration lowered fenugreek germination quality. The germination of fenugreek seeds using tap water or brine increased the crude protein in both dry Giza 2 and Giza 30 seed varieties. Furthermore, sedative sprouts of Giza 30 recorded the highest crude protein (30.60%), fat (6.20%) and energy (333.13 kcal/g) while the use of sterilized Giza 2 seed variety recorded a higher percentage of carbohydrates (43.3%), fiber (8.10%) and ash (6.60%). Alternatively, although amino acid profiles indicated that aspartic acid and proline were most abundant in fenugreek sprouts, sulfur amino acids (cysteine and methionine) demonstrated the least values of the two varieties. Adopting saline water in germinating fenugreek seeds for the two Giza 2 and Giza 30 varieties decreased all amino acid contents compared with those of tap water treatment.