The present invention relates to a preferably computer-implemented method of raising a group of monogastric animals Issues such as exposure of the animals to an initiator of a disease are recognized at an early stage by ex vivo analysis of blood samples. Said analysis is done where the animals are raised using point-of-care devices. Accuracy of separation between affected and non-affected animals is increased by measuring a set of pre-determined blood parameters. The landless monogastric animal production system of the invention facilitates implementation of the method of the invention.

The present invention provides novel antigens of an allergy to a quail egg, methods and kits for diagnosing an allergy to a quail egg, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such an antigen, and quail eggs or processed products of quail egg which are devoid of such an antigen.

Present invention teaches the method of using a keratin hydrolysis peptide (KHP) solution to increase the grape plant's production yield. By selectively choosing specific weights of feathers and water, and treating the mixture, though one embodiment does not have water mixed in, to a high-temperature high-pressure hydrolysis process, the resulting solution is confirmed to contain at least 253 peptides and then applied to the leaf surface of grape plants at different growth stages. Optionally, the KHP solution can be diluted by water, as taught in the specification, before applying to the leaf surface of the grape plants.

Present invention uses a mixture of feathers and water, and, depending on specific embodiments of the ratio between feathers and water, subject the mixture to a high-temperature and high-pressure treatment process for a fixed amount of time, resulting in a keratin solution containing at least 253 peptides, with their molecular masses between 500 and 4,000 Daltons, and the concentration is in the range of 2.010.sup.54.510.sup.5 ppm. The solution can then be further diluted by water for application to different plants, at specific growth stages, following additional steps or processes of application to increase crops yield.

Present invention teaches the method of using a keratin hydrolysis peptide (KHP) solution to enhance the drought-tolerance of the cotton plant. By selectively choosing specific weights of feathers and water, and treating the mixture, though one embodiment does not have water mixed in, to a high-temperature high-pressure hydrolysis process, the resulting solution is confirmed to contain at least 253 peptides and then applied to the cotton seeds and the soil around the cotton plants. Optionally, the KHP solution can be diluted by water, as taught in the specification, before applying to the seeds and the soil as taught herein.

Growth performance, health and welfare of domesticated birds such as broilers heavily depends on a well-functioning intestinal tract. Consequently, there is a high need to find biomarkers that are specific for gut damage and that are easily applicable in the field. The present disclosure describes a set of 20 specific proteins that can be quantified in fresh fecal droppings and/or intestinal content of the birds and that each specifically correlate with a damaged gut.

The present invention provides a novel antigen for an egg allergy, a method for diagnosing an egg allergy and a kit for diagnosing an egg allergy, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the antigen, an egg, a processed product of an egg, or a bird which lays or has hatched from the egg in which the antigen is eliminated or reduced, a method for producing a processed product of an egg in which the antigen is eliminated or reduced, and a tester for determining the presence or absence of an egg antigen in an object of interest.