The purpose of this study were to determine effects of fattening systems on fattening performance (n=39) and slaughter and carcass characteristics (n=24) in male Tuj lambs. Three different fattening ...groups were formed as extensive (n=13), semi-intensive (n=13) and intensive (n=13). Lambs in the extensive group were grazed in pasture. In addition to pasture, concentrated feed was given to lambs in the semi-intensive group. High quality fodder and concentrated feed were given to those in the intensive group. The study was completed in 90 d. Final live weights of extensive, semi-intensive and intensive groups were 31.19, 41.22, and 40.56 kg (P<0.001), respectively, and for daily live weight gain were (DLWG) 117.52, 229.66, and 221.11 g (P<0.001), respectively. Feed conversion rates (FCR) were 3.05 and 5.16 respectively in the semi-intensive and intensive fattening. It was found that hot carcass weight was 13.41, 19.51, and 19.89 kg (P<0.001) in extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive fattening groups respectively. Hot carcass yield was 43.11, 46.95, and 49.77% (P<0.001) in extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive fattening groups respectively. Consequently; leg, foreleg, shoulder, neck, flank, and kidney percentages, and spleen and full stomach weights of lambs in the extensive group were higher than in semi-extensive and entensive groups. Although there was no statistical difference between semi-extensive and entensive groups in respect to fattening performance, slaugher weight, hot and cold carcass weights, entensive group was higher than the other groups in respect to hot and cold carcass yield.
The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Pinus ponderosa leaves (pine leaves) and α‐tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) powder on male reproductive system, ...serum metabolites and carcass characteristics of Japanese quails. A total of 360‐day‐old male quails were purchased from the open market and kept at poultry shed for ninety‐four days. After ten days of adaptation, all quails were randomly assigned into 4 groups, control (IC); supplemented with α‐tocopherol acetate (IE) at the rate of 150 mg/L; Pinus ponderosa leaves (IP) at the rate of 150 mg/L; and 70 mg α‐tocopherol acetate and 70 mg Pinus ponderosa leaves (IEP). Pinus ponderosa leaves and α‐tocopherol acetate supplementation had not significantly (p > .05) effected on final body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of quails. The high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and total cholesterol (TC) were significantly (p > .05) affected by IE and IP groups as compared to IC and IEP groups. Triglyceride (TG), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) significantly (p < .05) increased in all treatment groups except for the IC group. Aspartate transaminase (AST) significantly (p > .05) decreased in treatment groups as compared to control group. Overall, the mineral levels significantly (p < .05) increased in treatment groups as compared to control. Cloacal gland index values, the quantity of foam production and testis weight were significantly (p < .05) increased in treatment groups. It was concluded that the supplementation of Pinus ponderosa leaves and α‐tocopherol acetate improved the testis weight, foam production, serum antioxidant enzymes and mineral level especially zinc in Japanese quail considered an indicative characteristic of higher sperm production rate and improved sexual activity. Further, higher gametogenesis rate, sperm production or reproductive behaviour including different hormonal level will be analysed in future study.
Four experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of corn distillers dried grain with solubles (DDGS) diets with mannanase on performance, apparent total tract ...digestibility (ATTD) of energy and nutrients, blood metabolites, and carcass characteristics of grower-finisher pigs. In Exp. 1, 96 grower pigs (initial BW, 57.6 kg), 6 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment, were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 10% DDGS and 0, 200, 400, or 600 units (U) of mannanase/kg. The ADG and blood glucose increased (linear, P < 0.05) with increasing concentrations of dietary mannanase. Pigs fed diets containing increasing levels of mannanase had improved ATTD of DM and CP (quadratic, P < 0.05). In Exp. 2, 64 finisher pigs (initial BW, 92.7 kg) were allotted to 4 treatment groups with 4 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment. Pigs were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 15% DDGS and 0, 200, 400, or 600 U of mannanase/kg. Linear increases (P < 0.05) in ADG, blood glucose, and ATTD of DM, GE, and CP were observed with increasing levels of dietary mannanase supplementation. In Exp. 3, 208 grower pigs (initial BW, 60.5 kg) were allotted to 4 treatment groups with 13 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment. Pigs were fed diets containing 0 or 10% DDGS and 0 or 400 U of mannanase/kg in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. An increase (P < 0.05) in ADG and blood glucose for pigs fed diets containing mannanase was observed. The ATTD of DM and CP (P < 0.05) was decreased with the inclusion of DDGS, whereas pigs fed the mannanase-supplemented diets had an increased (P < 0.05) ATTD of CP. In Exp. 4, 208 finisher pigs (initial BW, 86.5 kg), with 13 pigs per pen and 4 pens per treatment, were fed diets containing 0 or 15% DDGS and 0 or 400 U of mannanase/kg in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. The ADG and blood glucose increased (P < 0.05) when mannanase was included in the diets. The ATTD of DM (P < 0.05), GE (P < 0.10), and CP (P < 0.05) increased by the supplementation with mannanase in the diets of finisher pigs. The carcass characteristics and meat quality were not affected by the DDGS or mannanase inclusion. These results indicated that including 10 and 15% DDGS in conventional swine grower and finisher diets had no detrimental effects on growth performance or carcass characteristics. In addition, supplementation with 400 U of mannanase/kg to diets containing 10 and 15% DDGS fed to grower and finisher pigs may improve growth performance and the ATTD of CP.
This study investigated the effect of energy as partial replacement of a diet based on palm kernel cake (PKC) on the growth performance, nutrient intake, digestibility, carcass quality, and economic ...cost of Dorper sheep. Twenty-seven Dorper rams (initial body weight 15 ± 0.59 kg) were kept in individual pens and divided randomly into dietary groups consisting of T1: basal diet + 0% corn (control), T2: basal diet + 5% corn, and T3: basal diet + 10% corn. Feed intake was recorded on a daily basis. On day 110, 4 lambs from each group were randomly chosen and transferred into metabolism crates to determine nutrient digestibility and completely randomized design was used. The results showed that high feed intake was in T3 while, the DM, CP, NDF, and ADF digestibility were decreased significantly with the increasing level of corn as an energy source. The carcass cuts were not affected by the dietary treatments. Significant differences were noted in the non-carcass parts (heart, lungs and trachea, defattted kidneys, liver, spleen, and kidney fat) with T3 having the highest value. The feeding cost was slightly increased when PKC was replaced by corn. In conclusion, inclusion of 10% corn as a source of energy in 65.3% PKC as fattening diets had effects on growth BW, ADG, and organs performance on Dorper lambs.
Soybean meal (SBM) has a relatively low digestible nutrient/energy density compared to other common fish feed ingredients. Feeding high levels of SBM has been shown to affect growth and has also been ...predicted to result in increased solid waste outputs. The effect of SBM and an enzyme cocktail (Superzyme CS) on growth and waste outputs of rainbow trout was, therefore, examined in a 16-week trial. Three extruded feeds, containing 0%, 10% or 20% SBM, were top-coated with the enzyme cocktail at 0, 1 and 2.5 g/ kg to produce eight diets. The diets were fed to near-satiety to fish reared at 15 °C. Growth and feed utilization by the fish and apparent digestibility of the diets were examined. Waste outputs were estimated using a nutrient mass-balance approach and the physical characteristics of faeces freshly egested by fish examined.
SBM and enzyme supplementation had no effect on growth and very small effects on digestibility. Mass-balance estimates of waste outputs were only slightly affected by SBM and enzyme incorporation. Total solid, solid P, and solid N wastes averaged 109, 3.7 and 3.9 kg per t of biomass gain (for fish growing from 5 to 110 g), respectively. Dissolved P waste and dissolved N waste averaged 1.1 and 26.4 kg per t of biomass gain, respectively. Cohesiveness of faeces was significantly reduced (
P
<
0.001) by the enzyme, and SBM had significant a negative effect on both sinking speed and cohesiveness (
P
<
0.01) of faeces.
The reduction in faecal material cohesiveness and sinking speed as a result of dietary SBM and enzyme inclusion can potentially reduce solid waste recovery on land-based fish culture operations, but could potentially minimize localized impacts of some cage culture operations.
Background: The addition of synthetic methionine to growing pig diets should consider the requirements of the methionine+cysteine complex, as most cysteine is obtained through dietary methionine. ...Objective: To determine an optimal level of methionine+cysteine (Met+Cys) in growing pig diets. Methods: Ninety-nine hybrid (Yorkshire×Landrace×Duroc) barrows were used in a completely randomized design (initial body weight: 25.90±3.99 kg). Nine levels of Met+Cys (0.500, 0.525, 0.550, 0.575, 0.600, 0.625, 0.650, 0.675, and 0.700%) were evaluated during 35 days. To determine a multi-objective optimal level of Met+Cys, growth performance and strongly related carcass traits were evaluated. Results: Average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed:gain ratio (FGR) showed a linear response to the dietary Met+Cys level (p<0.05), with estimated optimal concentration at 0.700%. Average daily gain (ADG) did not show any effect on the Met+Cys level (p>0.05). Carcass characteristics were not affected by the Met+Cys concentration (p>0.05). The multi-objective optimal level for ADG, ADFI, and FGR was 0.667% Met+Cys. Conclusions: According to our results, 0.667% Met+Cys is the best concentration in diets for growing pigs.
This study compared animal performance and carcass characteristics in steers born to a dairy breed dam and a dairy or beef breed sire allocated to one out of two production systems, both including ...grazing semi-natural pastures during summer. Spring-born groups comprising 16 purebred dairy (D) steers and 16 dairy × Charolais crossbreeds (C) were allocated to moderately high indoor feed intensity with slaughter at 21 months of age (H), while two corresponding autumn-born groups of 16 D and 16 C animals were allocated to low indoor feed intensity with slaughter at 28 months of age (L). The animals were mainly fed grass-clover silage while housed. The H steers grazed semi-natural pastures for one summer, whereas the L steers grazed semi-natural pastures for two summers. From weaning to slaughter, liveweight gain was 0.94 and 0.77 kg day
for H and L steers, respectively (
< 0.0001), with no breed effect on weight gain. However, C carcasses had a higher weight, conformation score, and proportion of high-valued retail cuts than D carcasses (
≤ 0.004). Moreover, conformation differed more between LC and LD than between HC and HD. From this study on forage and pasture-based beef production, we concluded that breed had no effect on the performance of living animals, but that dairy × beef crossbred steers produced heavier and higher-quality carcasses than pure-bred dairy steers.
Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of wet distillers grain plus solubles (WDG; <15% sorghum grain) concentration in steam-flaked corn (SFC) diets on feedlot performance, carcass ...characteristics, ruminal fermentation, and diet digestibility. In Exp. 1, six hundred crossbred steers (364 ± 35 kg of BW) were used in a randomized complete block design with 8 replications/treatment. Dietary treatments consisted of a dry-rolled corn (DRC) control diet without WDG, a SFC control without WDG, and SFC with 4 WDG concentrations (15, 30, 45, 60% DM basis) replacing SFC, cottonseed meal, urea, and yellow grease. Final BW, ADG, G:F, HCW, and 12th-rib fat depth were greater (P ≤ 0.05) for SFC compared with DRC. Dry matter intake tended (P = 0.06) to be greater for DRC compared with SFC. Final BW, ADG, G:F, HCW, 12th-rib fat depth, and marbling score decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing WDG concentration. In Exp. 2, six ruminally and duodenally cannulated crossbred steers (481 ± 18 kg of BW) were used in a 6 x 6 Latin square design using the same diets as Exp. 1. Ruminal, postruminal, and total tract OM and NDF digestibility were not different (P > 0.14) for DRC compared with SFC. Ruminal and total tract starch digestibility were greater (P < 0.01) for SFC compared with DRC. Dry matter and OM intake were not different (P ≥ 0.43) among WDG treatments. Ruminal and total tract OM digestibility decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing WDG concentration. Intake, ruminal digestibility, and total tract digestibility of NDF increased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing WDG concentration. Starch intake decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing WDG concentration. Ruminal starch digestibility increased (P = 0.01) with increasing concentration of WDG. Total tract starch digestibility decreased quadratically (P < 0.01) with increasing concentration of WDG. Feeding SFC improved steer performance compared with DRC. The concentration of WDG and corn processing method influences nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation. The addition of WDG in SFC-based diets appears to negatively affect animal performance by diluting the energy density of the diet.
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of reduction of the available phosphorus (avP) in diets supplemented with 500 FTU/kg phytase on performance, carcass characteristics, and bone ...mineralization of broilers aged 22 to 42 days kept in a high-temperature environment. A total of 336 Cobb broilers with an average initial weight of 0.883±0.005 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with six treatments - a positive control (0.354 and 0.309% avP without addition of bacterial phytase for the phases of 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days, respectively), and another five diets with inclusion of phytase (500 FTU) and reduction of the level of avP (0.354, 0.294, 0.233, 0.173, and 0.112%; and 0.309, 0.258, 0.207, 0.156, and 0.106% for the phases of 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days, respectively) - eight replicates, and seven birds per cage. The experimental diets were formulated to meet all nutritional requirements, except for avP and calcium. Birds were kept in climatic chambers at a temperature of 32.2±0.4 °C and air humidity of 65.3±5.9%. Phytase acted by making the phytate P available in diets with reduction in the levels of avP, keeping feed intake, weight gain, feed:gain, and carcass characteristics unchanged. Treatments affected ash and calcium deposition and the Ca:P ratio in the bone; the group fed the diets with 0.112 and 0.106%, from 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days of age, respectively, obtained the lowest values, although the phosphorus deposition in the bone was not affected. Diets supplemented with 500 FTU of phytase, with available phosphorus reduced to 0.173 and 0.156%, and a fixed Ca:avP ratio of 2.1:1, meet the requirements of broilers aged 22 to 33 and 34 to 42 days, respectively, reared in a high-temperature environment.
This research was performed to evaluate the effect of supplementing broiler diets with a probiotic containing Enterococcus faecium on growth performance, carcass characteristics, faecal microbiota, ...and blood profile. A total of 384 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks (mixed gender) with an average initial BW of 39.2 g were used in a 35 days feeding trial. The chicks were allotted to pens with 16 birds per pen and eight replications per treatment with food and water provided ad libitum. Treatments were: (1) basal diet, (2) 0.25% probiotic, and (3) 0.5% probiotic. Results indicated that body weight gain (BWG) on Day 7 to 21, Day 21 to 35 and overall (0 to 35) increased (P < 0.05) linearly but feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were not affected. A linear increase (P < 0.05) was observed in the relative weight of breast muscle when comparing the 0 to 0.5% concentration of probiotic, but breast meat colour was not affected by treatments. A significant impact (linear effect, P < 0.05) was observed on drip loss on Day 1. Inclusion of probiotic decreased (P < 0.05) the count of Salmonella linearly but the counts of E. coli and Lactobacillus were not affected. There was no remarkable influence on blood profile. Thus, it was concluded that inclusion of a probiotic containing Enterococcus faecium improved growth performance and altered the intestinal microbial population, without any negative effects on meat colour and blood profile in broiler chickens.
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