Among the discoveries made by Sir Leonard Woolley at Ur during the 1930–1 season were four public chapels of the Larsa period. Since city temples and domestic shrines were familiar from his earlier excavations, these wayside shrines marked a new discovery of which, however, little note seems to have been made in subsequent discussions of Babylonian religion. The most discussed, perhaps because of its better preservation, is the building (A H House 3 = No. 1 Church Lane) at the corner of Church Lane and Straight Street, fronting on Carfax, with the main door into Church Lane (Fig. 1), called by its discoverer the ‘Chapel of Pa-sag’. The sanctuary proper bore signs of destruction which had preserved the contents in situ, thus enabling a reconstruction to be given of the arrangement of the main furnishings in the Larsa period.

In the centre of the sanctuary, blocking the visual access into a smaller inner room in a direct line with the street doorway, stood a low brick construction (Plate XXIa). This was coated with bitumen in the same way as were two plinths standing behind it on either side of the doorway leading into the inner room, so that this may also have been the pedestal for a statue rather than an altar. It is possible that the limestone figure of a goddess (Plate XXIIc) had been broken in its fall from this commanding position.

The digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) content of eight samples of barley, eight of wheat, four of maize and two each of oats and rye were determined using growing gilts. The DE content of barley ranged from 15·35 to 15·89 MJ/kg D.M., from 15·15 to 16·42 MJ/kg D.M. for wheat and from 16·05 to 16·47 MJ/kg D.M. for maize. DE values for the two oat samples were 12·48 and 12·74 MJ/kg D.M. and 15–04 and 15–47 MJ/kg D.M. for the two rye samples. There was a significant correlation between DE and ME:

ME (MJ/kg D.M.) = 0·050 + 0·965 DE: r = 0·99; P < 0·001.

The ratio ME/DE was significantly influenced by crude-protein content:

ME/DE = 100–0·254 CP%: r = –0·77; P < 0·001.

ME values were also corrected to zero nitrogen retention (MEno) and to 30% nitrogen retention (MEN30). The effect of such corrections was expressed as MEN0/ME and MEN30/ME. Values thus obtained were 0·98 and 1·00 respectively for the pooled values for all cereals.

The data indicated that there was unlikely to be significant variation in the DE content of samples of the same cereal species, selected from commercial sources within the U.K. when evaluated under standardized experimental conditions.

The hulls (seed coat) of tannin-free, white-flowered and tannin-containing, coloured-flowered faba beans (Viciafaba L.) were used in three experiments (1989–90) to investigate the effect of tannins on the apparent metabolizable energy corrected to zero nitrogen retention (AMEN) and apparent metabolizable nitrogen (AMN) of broiler chick diets.

In Experiment 1, the effects of four rates of hull inclusion from one white- and one colouredflowered cultivar (0, 28, 56 and 84 g/kg) on dietary AMEN and AMN were studied. There was a significant response of AMEN to hull inclusion rate (P <0·001) but no inclusion rate × cultivar interaction. For dietary AMN there was a significant effect of hull inclusion rate (P <0· 001) but no inclusion rate x cultivar interaction.

Experiment 2 consisted of two parts. In both, the total concentration of hulls was 227 g/kg but the ratio of white- to coloured-flowered hulls was varied in five increments; initially over the range 0·42–16·58 g/kg dry matter (DM) and subsequently, with another cultivar, 0·44–7·85 g/kg DM. Synthetic lysine and methionine were added to ensure that the basal diet was not limiting in these amino acids. A significant effect of tannin intake on dietary AMEN and AMN was detected across the greater range of tannin concentrations (P <0·001) but not across the smaller one.

Experiment 3 evaluated three pairs of near-isogenic faba bean lines differing only in the gene governing tannin content and flower colour. Diets were formulated using three bean inclusion rates; 200, 400 and 600 g/kg. At each rate the white- and coloured-flowered lines were mixed in the ratios 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100. The response in carcass nitrogen retention (CNR) to tannin intake was assessed at each bean inclusion rate and for each pair of lines.

There was a significant effect of tannin intake on CNR in only one of the nine comparisons and in that case CNR increased as dietary content increased.

It was concluded that faba bean tannins can have a negative effect on the dietary AMEN and AMN for chicks when present at a sufficiently high dietary concentration. However, the highest dietary concentration of faba bean tannins in Expt 3 was 10·52 g/kg DM, giving a maximum daily intake of 1·03 g tannins for the two-bird experimental unit. At concentrations and intakes up to this there was no evidence to suggest that faba bean tannins had a significant adverse effect.

The inclusion of insoluble NSP (iNSP) in weaner pig diets has been reported to decrease post-weaning colibacillosis (PWC). Conversely, soluble NSP (sNSP) have been shown to exacerbate PWC. The present study investigated the effect of NSP solubility and inclusion level on the health and performance of newly weaned pigs challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), using NSP sources known not to affect digesta viscosity, in a 2 ×  2 ×  2 factorial combination of NSP solubility (iNSP v. sNSP), inclusion level (low (L; 50 g/kg) v. high (H; 150 g/kg)) and ETEC challenge (infected v. sham). Infection had no effect on pig health, but reduced performance to a larger extent in pigs on the L diets compared with those on the H diets. The inclusion of sNSP significantly decreased the occurrence of diarrhoea (P < 0·001) and improved gut health, as indicated by a lower caecal digesta pH (P = 0·008) and increased (P = 0·002) Lactobacillus:coliform ratio, when compared with the iNSP diet on day 14 post-weaning. There was no effect of NSP solubility on ETEC shedding, digesta viscosity or pig performance. Pigs on the H diets had fewer cases of diarrhoea and shed fewer ETEC than those on the L diets. Increasing NSP inclusion significantly increased colonic Lactobacillus:coliform ratio, volatile fatty acid concentration and caecal digesta viscosity, but decreased performance. These results suggest that sNSP per se are not detrimental to pig health and that increasing the concentration of NSP in weaner diets that do not increase digesta viscosity may have a beneficial effect on gut health and protect against PWC.

The effect of feeding different sources of dietary fibre at varying rates of inclusion on the concentrations of skatole and indole in the backfat of finishing pigs and their subsequent carcass quality was studied. Sugar-beet pulp (SBP) and straw (S) were selected because of their assumed widely differing hind-gut fermentability characteristics. They were individually and in combination added to a diet at three rates of inclusion designed to provide concentrations of 40, 80 and 120 g non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) per kg. The digestible energy (DE) contents varied between the three levels of inclusion of NSP but were formulated to a lysine: energy ratio of 0.625 g: MJ DE with other amino acids being in the same individual proportion to lysine. The nine experimental diets were offered to 10 replicate (five entire males and five females) pigs of initial live weight 55 kg. Food intakes were adjusted between treatment to ensure that energy and nutrient intakes were common. Animals were slaughtered on reaching 85 kg live weight. Adipose tissue was analysed for skatole and indole and meat quality characteristics assessed. No significant differences in performance were detected although carcasses from animals given sugar-beet pulp were significantly fatter. There were significant correlations between the level of skatole in the backfat and the following eating quality characteristics: skatole odour intensity of the fat, abnormal odour intensity of fat, abnormal odour intensity of lean and abnormal flavour intensity of lean with correlations coefficients of 0·656 , 0·709 , 0·496 and 0·523 respectively (coefficients >0.276; P < 0·05). The range in skatole levels in the backfat were attributable substantially to very high levels found in three boars. No significant correlations were found between indole concentrations in the backfat and eating quality characteristics. However no effects of dietary NSP type or inclusion level on the eating quality characteristics of pig meat, with pigs given diets on the basis of equal energy and nutrient intakes, were detected.

It is well established that the fatty acid combustion of adipose issue in pigs (non-ruminants) may be manipulated by changes in the fatty acid profile of the diets. The objective of this program of work was to quantify the responses of adipose depots of finishing pigs to changes in the level and profile of dietary fatty acids and to relate these changes to the sensory quality of meat as determined by taste panel.

Data from experimental programmes designed to investigate the effect of chemical structure of fats upon their apparent digestible energy (DE) value for pigs were subjected to regression analysis. For growing pigs, over the approximate live-weight range 30 to 90 kg, 25 data points were available, with fats evaluated having a range in the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids (U/S) from 0·66 to 15·67 and in free fatty acid (FFA) content from 8 to 818 g/kg. Sixteen data points were available for young pigs of approximately 12 kg live weight with a range in U/S from 0·62 to 5·71 and in FFA content from 54 to 756 g/kg. The wide range of values for U/S and FFA content had been obtained by blending different fats and, therefore, represented both the range and extremes likely to be found in the formulation of pig diets. Derivation of prediction equations for DE were based upon a series of non-linear regression analyses employing, in sequence, U/S, U/S + FFA content and U/S × FFA content. The DE offats could be predicted from U/S and FFA content with equations accounting for 0·802 and 0·768 of the variation in DE values for growing and young pigs respectively. The most appropriate equation for pigs of all live weights employed U/S and FFA content additively (U/S + FFA content). The equation for growing pigs was DE (MJ/kg) = 36·898 – (0·0046FFA (g/kg)) — 7·33e(–0·906U/S) and for young pigs was DE (MJ/kg) = 37·890 — (0·0051FFA (g/kg)) –8·20e(–0·515U/S). Comparisons revealed that differences between the two age groups, with lower values achieved with younger pigs, -were more pronounced the lower U/S and the higher FFA content of the fat.

Near infrared spectroscopy has been used in a wide range of agricultural sciences as an analytical tool to replace traditional wet chemistry. The current study was designed to investigate its possibilities for use as a technique in determining fatty acid profiles of pig fat.

This study was carried out as part of a larger study examining influences of dietary fat sources on pig carcass and meat quality. Samples of the outer layer of pig fat from 52 animals was freeze dried then extracted with petroleum ether (40-60) for eight hours in a Soxhlet apparatus. This known quantity of fat was dissolved in 50 ml chloroform and a sub sample scanned in to the NIRS (Figure 1 shows a typical spectra). A sample of this chloroform solution was also methylated and the fatty acid profile determined by gas liquid chromatography. Values for each sample were determined for; total weight of fat, weight of: myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids, as well as the total weight of saturated fatty acids (myristic + palmitic + stearic), total weight of monounsaturated fat (palmitoleic + oleic) and total weight of polyunsaturated fat (linoleic + linolenic).

The effect of degree of saturation (ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, U/S) and free fatty acid (FFA) content of fats upon their digestible energy (DE) values was investigated in post-weaning pigs. The two fats evaluated were soya-bean oil (SO) and tallow (T) (representing extremes of saturation) together with their acid oils (SAO and TAO respectively) providing high FFA levels). Blends of the four fats provided treatments with varying FFA content and U/S ratios. The experimental fats were evaluated by substitution, at 40, 80 and 120 g/kg into a basal diet, in a randomized-block design, with 98 gilts and 98 boars of approximately 12 kg live weight. Pigs had been weaned at 28 days of age and experimental diets were given 7 days after weaning. When pigs obtained a weight of 10 kg the inert marker titanium dioxide was added to the diets as a reference substance. A 5-day adjustment period was allowed followed by a 5-day collection period of faeces by grab sampling. Fat content of food and faeces, with methodology based on acid hydrolysis, allowed calculation of apparent digestible fat (AFD) of experimental diets. Analysis of variance demonstrated effects of fats, rates of inclusion, and fats × rates (P < 0·001 in all cases). There was no effect of sex. Extrapolation of the function obtained by regressing AFD of diets (y) on rate of inclusion of fat (x) to × = 1000 generated values for the fats. The product of the coefficient of fat apparent digestibility of fats and their respective gross energies gave DE values for fats which were: SO = 37·2 MJ/kg, SAO = 35·0 MJ/kg, T = 34·3 MJ/kg and TAO = 27·4 MJ/kg. Data for fat blends intermediary between these fats showed that DE improved as a function of U/S and that DE declined linearly with increasing FFA content.

Previous studies have examined the effect of the degree of saturation (as measured by th3 ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, U/S) and free fatty acid (FFA) content on the digestible energy (DE) value of fats fed to growing/ finishing pigs. However, there have been no detailed studies with the immediate post-weaning pig, which was the objective of the current programme.

Two fats of differing degrees of saturation (U/S) and their respective acid oils of high free fatty acid (FFA) content were obtained for evaluation. Fats were Soyabean Oil (SO), Soyabean Acid Oil (SAO), Tallow (T) and Tallow Acid Oil (TAO).

It is well recognised that fats and oils utilised in diets for pigs are variable commodities in terms of their dietary energy value. One of the major factors determining this is the degree of saturation. Thus vegetable oils, being unsaturated, are of higher digestible energy (DE) than the more saturated fats of animal origin. This generalisation, however, has not been adequately quantified which was the objective of the current study.

In addition to the degree of saturation, the second major chemical variable that influences the dietary energy value of fats is the free fatty acid (FFA) content. Whilst it is appreciated that the digestible energy (DE) value of a hydrolysed fat (i.e. with a high FFA content) is lower than that of the same fat prior to hydrolysis, quantifying the response remains to be studied. Previous attempts to evaluate the effect of increasing FFA content have often been confounded with variability in degree of saturation. Accordingly it was the objective of the current study to examine the DE value of fats of varying FFA content but of constant degree of saturation.

Experiments were conducted in 1989 to evaluate converted sorghum accessions for preflowering extended panicle and soft-dough stage panicle feeding resistance to fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), by incorporating plant tissue into artificial insect diet. Spodoptera frugiperda biological parameters measured were larval and pupal weights, mean duration of the larval stage, time to adult eclosion, survivorship, fecundity, net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, and relative fitness. The converted lines IS 2246C, IS 2403C, IS 2825C, IS 7007C, IS 8337C, IS 12592C, IS 12612C, IS 12657C, IS 12666C, and IS 12681C were more resistant to both preflowering and soft-dough stage panicle feeding by S. frugiperda than the resistant check NK Savanna 5. The genotypes IS 1340C, IS 2553C, IS 2569C, IS 6911C, IS 7498C, IS 12219C, IS 12617C, IS 12662C, and IS 12664C were more resistant than the resistant check to S. frugiperda feeding in the soft-dough stage, but not in the preflowering stage of panicle development. Plant antibiosis was the major mechanism of resistance in these lines at both stages of the panicle development.

A series of experiments was designed to evaluate inert markers employed in studies of ileal and faecal apparent digestibilities of nitrogen and amino acids in pigs fitted with simple ‘T’ piece cannulas. Trial 1 assessed the palatability of diets containing (a) 5 g chromic oxide/kg, (b) 1 and (c) 5 g titanium dioxide/kg at two levels of feeding. The results indicated that there were slight problems in terms of period of feed consumption associated with diets (a) and (c), but that these effects were transitory and disappeared following acclimatization, although higher levels of feeding may compound the problem. Trial 2 estimated N balance, faecal apparent digestibility of amino acids as determined by both total collection and ratio of markers, ileal apparent digestibility of amino acids and recovery of markers using diets containing (a) 1 and (b) 5 g Cr2O3/kg, (c) 1 and (d) 5 g TiO2/kg. An additional assessment of acid-insoluble lignin present within the diet was also undertaken. Cr2O3 was associated with the lowest recovery, whilst calculations based on TiO2 gave lower standard errors. Trial 3 examined diurnal variation in digesta sampling and its effect on faecal apparent digestibility of N and amino acids. There were no evident effects. In general, it was concluded that the most appropriate marker to use in studies of this nature was TiO2 at a rate of 1 g/kg.

The work was conducted to study the effect of varying the electrolyte balance in the diet on growth performance of post-weaning pigs. Dietary electrolyte balance (dEB) was calculated from:-

dEB (mEq) = (Na +K-C1)

The values for each element were calculated from:-

A diet was designed to comprise barley 262.5, wheat 225.5, cooked maize 200, soya bean meal 66, white fish meal 125, dried slrim milk 100, mineral/vitamin/amino acid supplement 5 and electrolyte mixture 16g/kg. The dietary specifications were 14.27 MJ DE, 223g crude protein, 24.2 crude fibre, 24.4g oil (acid ether extract), 54.7g ash, 13.7g lysine, 3.7g methionine and 8.6g threonine/kg.

The electrolyte mixture was initially solely anhydrous calcium chloride which was gradually replaced by sodium bicarbonate. Eight dietary treatments were calculated to contain dEB (mEq/kg) values of -114.5, -54.3, 14.5, 89.2, 155.1, 224.4, 296.1 and 365.0. Diets were offered an a scale calculated to be 0.85 of ad libitum.