Oats contain more beta-glucan (2-7%) than other croppers. Beta-glucan is the most essential water-soluble dietary fibre. It lowers cholesterine level in blood as well as stimulates elimination of carcinogens from the body. In order to enlarge possibilities of use of oats in a diet, they can be separated in water-soluble and insoluble fractions. The aim of the present study is to determine the amount of beta-glucan in hydrolysed oat soluble and insoluble fractions. Gelatinized, hydrolysed and steeped oatmeal prior to hydrolyse, which was separated in water-soluble and insoluble fractions, was used in experiments. Not more than 6% of gelatinized (non-hydrolysed) oatmeal dry matter dissolved in water. The outcome of fermentative hydrolysed dry matter of water-soluble oatmeal was 40-52%. The content of beta-glucan in soluble and insoluble oatmeal fraction was determined by using McClearly method. The content of beta-glucan fraction of gelatinized oatmeal decreased for 78% in comparison to the content of beta-glucan in oatmeal used in the experiments. The content of beta-glucan in the soluble fraction of hydrolysed oatmeal decreased for 8.1% to 9.2%, and increased for 35-42% in the insoluble fraction if compared with the content of beta-glucan in oatmeal.

In Latvia have not been carried out comparable studies regarding chemical pollution in organic and conventional milk, therefore the aim of the present study was to investigate the level of contamination in organic and conventional milk samples by heavy metals and aflatoxin M1. A total of 9 organic bulk milk and 9 conventional bulk milk samples were collected from different regions of Latvia. The content of lead, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc were detected by flame technique, using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The level of aflatoxin M, in organic and conventional milk samples was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The means of lead concentration in organic and conventional samples were 0.024 and 0.31 mg kgE-1 wet weight that exceed the permissible level for such a product. The cadmium content in organic and conventional milk samples is very low and fairly constant in all types of milk. The legally accepted upper limits of iron, copper and zinc are not exceeded by any analyzed milk sample, not even from conventional bulk milk. The study including heavy metals and aflatoxin M1 in a range of organic and conventional milk samples found no significant differences between organic and conventional milk (p=0.05) in the level of aflatoxin M1 and the heavy metals.

The effect of some ingredients on stability of butter during its storage time has been investigated in order to better evaluate the functionality of confectionery. The research established that butter does not contain enough free fatty acids, derived as a result of hydrolysis, to decrease the number of mould and group of Enterobacteriaceae, but they hinder the growth of yeast and aerobic mesophilic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms. The quality of the products can be provided and propagation of microorganisms can be hindered by the comounds that are not traditional preservatives, such as vanilin and glucose syrop. A 10% glucose syrup additive worked as the facilitator of the development of microorganisms because it increased growth of aerobic mesophilic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms, 50% of glucose syrup additive worked as the procrastinator of the development of microorganisms.

Spices are used to season food products. Investigations were carried out to determine dynamics of primary oxidation products in flavoured rapeseed oil depending on used spice, its concetration, storage duration, and sample preparing method. The oil was flavoured with winter savoury Satureja Montana L., hyssop Hyssopus officinalis L., and marjoram Oreganum vulgare L. Results showed that dynamics of peroxide value in flavoured oils were influenced significantly (p is less than 0.05) by all investigated factors - used spice, its concentration, storage duration, sample preparing method, and interaction of these factors, too. Heating of oil in particular cases caused unusual, hard explainable dynamics of peroxide value. It is necessary to investigate optimal conditions of flavouring of oils and components of spices which can influence oxidation of flavoured oils.

The role of birch natural (NWH) and potential natural (PNWH) woodland habitats for maintaining of biodiversity in Latvia is described and evaluated. The analysis of the proportion of area of birch stands and natural and potential natural woodland hibitats by regions, by age structure, and by growing conditions has been done. The distribution of birch natural and potential woodland hibitats by habitat groups, as well as most often recognized habitat specialist and indicator species is described.

Rural tourism is becoming more and more important in Latvia and Europe, where rural environment changes, began already more than a couple of decennaries ago. Current trends in development of tourism are favourable for lasting development of rural tourism in the whole European Union. Rural tourim in Latvia extremely popular, because it includes both recreational and cognitive elements of tourism, and takes place in countryside. It gives people a chance to become acquainted witg a country lifestyle, the process of production and be in touch with nature, be able to obtain strength and take emotional pleasure in the energy of nature. The study course "Rural tourism" is lectures both in Latvia's, and foreign higher educational establishments. This course usually is the free choice study object. The aim of the work is to observe study course "Rural tourism" aims and describe the content of this study course in higher educational establishments in Baltic States and North Europe.

peer reviewed | Perionyx excavatus, cultured in Vietnam in early 1990s, showed an important role in managing organic wastes and supplying a very nutritious feed for animals. To develop vermiculture in practice, four treatments of different substrates including 100% fresh cattle manure (CM); cattle manure + pig manure in 50:50 ratio (CPM); cattle manure + pig manure + rice straw in 50:40:10 ratio (CPMRS) and pig manure + rice straw in 90:10 ratio (PMRS) were prepared to examine worms’ growth and their decomposition efficiency. All substrates were composted 45 days before feeding to worms. The result showed that cattle manure (CM) was the best substrate for worm growth (biomass gained 713 g after 45 days or 242.6% of growth rate). The worm biomass achieved in CPMRS and PMRS treatments was significantly lower than that in CM treatment. As compared to primary substrates, vermicomposts exhibited an excellent result with a great increase in the amount of total P (0.3 – 0.6%), total K (0.09 – 0.23%), Ca (0.51 – 0.79%) and a decrease in N-NH3 and N-NH4+. A study was carried out to evaluate the influence of feed supplemented with worms on the growth and meat quality of broiler chickens (n=148). Starting at 4 weeks old the chickens were divided into a control group and three experimental groups corresponding to worm levels in the diet of 1, 1.5 and 2% on a dry matter basis according to a completely randomized design. Chicken fed the diet supplemented with 2% worms had the highest live weight at 10 weeks (1925 g/head vs 1823 g/head for the control). Percentage of breast and leg meat was also higher than in the control group. Chickens in the three worm groups had better FCR. The different levels of red worm supplementation did not affect meat quality (pH, color, and the rate of dehydration after storage and processing).

The objective of this experiment was to determine the digestibility of rice straw fermented for 28 days with the fungus Pleurotus eryngii. Four Phan Rang sheep with body weight of 20.5 kg (±0.42 kg) were allocated to a changeover design with three treatments (consecutive periods each of 20 days). In period 1 the diet was 100% of guinea grass (1:GG); in the second period it was 30% FTR + 70% GG (2:FTR); in the third period it was 30% RS and 70% GG (3:RS:GG). In each period, the first 14 days were for adaptation to the diet followed by 6 days of measurements of feed intake and digestibility. The growth of the fungus reduced the content of NDF, ADF and ADL, enhanced the content of crude protein (from 4.2 to 7.1% in DM), and the digestibility of DM (from 43 to 53%) and of the crude protein (from 45.8 to 54.4%). Over the 28-day treatment period, 14.8% of the straw biomass was catabolized.

On-host behaviour of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus was studied in the field in Bungoma County in Kenya to evaluate the putative repellent effects of essential oils of Tagetes minuta and Tithonia diversifolia at its predilection feeding site. Oils of both plants caused a disruption of orientation, movement and attachment behaviour of ticks. More ticks dropped off in the treatments with the two essential oils than with the control. Treating the ear pinna with the essential oil of T. minuta caused the highest percentage of ticks to drop off the host body. No tick reached the ear pinna treated with the essential oil of T. minuta and up to 30% of ticks (from the forehead release site) reached the ear base. When the ear pinna was treated with the essential oil of T. diversifolia, one tick reached the ear pinna and up to 40% of ticks (from the dewlap release site) reached the ear base. The results show that T. minuta repels ticks more strongly than T. diversifolia. However, both essential oils offer possibilities for exploitation of potentially effective and environmentally acceptable tools for on-host tick control.

Bhutan aims to intensify livestock production not only to improve livelihoods of farming households and to meet the increasing demands of livestock products, but also to sustainably use natural resources. This paper assesses the impact and trends of livestock intensification on the use of Common Property Resources (CPR), and how this affects the cattle numbers that can be maintained and the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) flows at the farm. Data on household, cropping and livestock activities were collected through interviewing 183 households in extensive, semi-intensive, intensive, and intensive peri-urban areas in the years 2000 and 2004. In the extensive and semi-intensive areas, CPR was the most important source of Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) for cattle. In the intensive areas with a majority of crossbred cattle, the farmers relied less on CPR than in the other two areas, but still about one quarter of the TDN requirements were met by grazing CPR. Grazing in the CPR provided the highest proportion of NP inputs at farm level; without grazing on CPR all four areas would have had highly negative soil nutrient balances. Intensification of livestock production through crossbreeding has not resulted in major reductions in cattle numbers per farm, but it is contributing to reduced use of CPR by farmers. Intensification partly replaces farm nutrient flows from CPR with nutrient inputs through increased use of concentrates, conserved fodder, and fertilizers. More awareness of nutrient management is required among farmers coupled with more research on nutrient assessments.