Five strains of broilers were reared in cages and in floor pens. The cages were arranged in four tiers in a back-to-back arrangement. Plastic mats were inserted over the wire floors in the finisher cages and conventional rice hull litter was used in the floor pens. Within the cage system, significant differences were found between strains, tiers, sex and the strain x sex interaction for 8-week body weight (P < 0.01). There were significant differences among strains as to enlarged feather follicles and mortality (P < 0.05); however, there were no significant differences (P < 0.05) among the strains for leg abnormalities. The heaviest broilers had the highest incidence of enlarged feather follicles and leg abnormalities. tne highest mortality (P < 0.05) occurred in the bottom tier ol cages, rloor reared broilers were not significantly different for 8-week body weight (P < 0.05) than cage reared broilers. Floor birds had negligible amounts of breast blisters, enlarged feather follicles and leg abnormalities.

No abstract

A completely mechanized system for production, harvesting and handling strawberries (Fragaria × anassa Duch.) for processing is described. Pre-harvest cultural factors, including bed preparation, plant population, harvest date and clonal evaluation and adaptability to mechanical harvesting, were studied for 4 years. ‘Cardinal’, ‘Earlibelle’, and Arkansas breeding line A-5344 were well suited for once-over mechanical harvesting under Arkansas conditions considering yield, quality, and organoleptic evaluation. Plant population densities in the matted row system used in this study generally had little effect on yield or quality, unless a clone was of low vigor and poor runner plant producer. As harvest date was delayed, quality and useable yield often decreased. However, a minimum of a 6 day harvest period for mechanical harvesting existed for the cultivars tested. The results of this study indicate that once-over mechanical harvesting of strawberries is feasible when the proper cultivar is grown on properly shaped beds with good cultural practices and adequate postharvest handling procedures.

No abstract

Succinic acid-2,2-dimethylhydrazide (daminozide) applied to ‘Raven’ blackberries at 4000 ppm and to ‘Raven’ and ‘Brazos’ at 2000 ppm between full bloom and first color development and at 2000 ppm in a multiple application applied at full bloom, 2 weeks, and 3 weeks after full bloom resulted in reduced berry size and yield with no beneficial effects on fruit quality. (2-Chloroethyl) phosphonic acid (ethephon) applied to the same cultivare at 1000 ppm 4 days prior to the first harvest increased the amount of fruit mechanically harvested on the first harvest. Ethephon treatment improved color but resulted in mechanically harvested fruit having lower soluble solids and acidity.