ANIMAL SCIENCE RESEARCHES (FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, UNIVERSITY OF TABRIZ)
Year:2013 | Volume:23 | Issue:1 |Papers Count:16

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of using different levels of Chicory(Cichorium intybus L.) medicinal plant on performance of broilers and laying hens. The levels of Chicory in each of these two experiments were 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 (%). In 1st experiment, 300 day old broilers (Ross 308 strain) in 5 treatments and 3 replicates (20 birds in each replicate) for 42 days and in 2th experiment, 180 laying hens (Hy-line W36 strain) in 5 treatments and 3 replicates (12 hens in each replicate) from 65 to 77 weeks of age were used in completely randomized design. The results showed that the using of different levels of Chicory medicinal plant has significant effects on broilers and laying hens performance (P<0.05). In broilers, the highest amount of daily weight gain and the best feed conversion ratio, the lowest percentage of abdominal fat were resulted by using 1% of Chicory. Using more than 1% of Chicory in their diets significantly decreased the breast meat percentage. In laying hens, the best performance (highest percentage of egg production, the highest amounts of egg mass, daily feed intake, and the best feed conversion ratio) and egg traits (the highest yolk color and Albumin percentage) were resulted by using of 2% Chicory. It was concluded that using of 1% Chicory powder in the whole breeding period of broilers and 2% in laying hens (65 to 77 weeks) can improve their performances.

This study was carried out to determine of fermentation characteristics and degradability of dry matter and crude protein of citrus by- products (orange pulp, lime pulp, lemon pulp, grapefruit pulp, sweet lemon pulp, bitter lemon pulp, bergamot pulp and tangerine pulp) usingin situ and in vitro gas production techniques. Three rumen- fistulated Ghezel sheep were used. The ruminal incubation of nylon bags (6 × 12 cm) containing 5 g of test feeds with three replicates were conducted at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36 and 48 h. The gas production was recorded after 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h of incubation. The data was analyzed using a completely randomized design. Dry matter degradability values of orange pulp (94.63%), lemon pulp (90.77%) and grapefruit pulp (90.15%) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of other citrus pulps. Also at the same time orange pulp had a higher (p<0.5) crude protein degradability (80.03%) in comparison with the other citrus pulp by-products. The highest and lowest gas production values at 48 h after incubation, were recorded for lime pulp and bitter lemon pulp, respectively (P<0.05). The results of this study indicated that citrus pulp is a potentially appropriate source of the energy for ruminant nutrition. Also this result showed that the citrus pulp can be used as a high degradable non- forage fiber source in ruminant nutrition.

A total of 116, 984 weight records belonging to 12, 397 Baluchi lambs reared in Abbas Abad breeding center during 31 years (1978-2008) were used to analyze the environmental and genetic effects on maximum daily growth rate (MDGR). Gompertz non-linear model Wt( Z/B ) exp (-exp ( G0-B*t )) was fit on the weight records of individual lambs using non-linear procedure of SAS software. MDGR was estimated based on Z/e (e=2.71828) for each lamb.Average MDGR was 217.17 g (SE=0.57 g) in the whole data set. The results indicated that all factors included in the model had significant effects on MDGR. Regression coefficient of MDGR on birth weight was estimated to be 15.46 g (±0.84). Genetic parameters were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood method through implementing three animal models. Direct and maternal heritability estimates were found to be 0.055 and 0.019, respectively indicating that growth performance could be increased as the rearing environment of animals is improved.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of water delivery systems and dill (A. graveolens) essence on weaning age, rumen fermentative condition, performance and fecal score of Holstein calves. For these purpose 40 female calves allocated to 4 treatment and 10 replicate each. Water delivery systems were open bucket and nipple. Dill essence was added to starter feed with two levels (0 and 0.05%). The calves were monitored from 3 days age to 3 weeks after weaning. The data were analyzed using a completely randomized design with 2*2 factorial method. The results showed that water delivery system and dill essence reduced (P<0.05) feed intake during post weaning period. Nipple system increased but the essence decreased (P<0.05) daily water consumption. Dill essence increased (P<0.05) the average daily gain only during pre -weaning period and thereby it improved the calves performance during pre-and post-weaning periods. Rumen fermentative condition and weaning age were not affected by the treatments. The fecal score relatively reduced (P<0.05) using nipple system and adding the essence to the starter feed of calves. It was concluded that nipple system and dill essence (0.05%) had beneficial effects on health of growing calves.

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of microbial phytase (MP) supplementation and citric acid (CA) on some ileal nutrients digestibility, plasma minerals retention, growth performance, serum enzyme activity and some serum metabolites of broiler chicks. Two hundred and seventy male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement of 3×3, three levels of CA (0, 3 and 6%) and three levels of MP (0, 500 and 1000 phytase IU/kg). The present results indicated that supplementation of diets with MP caused significant increase (P<0.05) in body weight gain, feed intake, ileal nutrients digestibility, plasma concentration of cholesterol, triglycerides and phosphorus and also Aspartate Aminotransferase activity; however, this factor caused significant decrease (P<0.05) in Alkaline Phosphatase, Lactate Dehydrogenase and Alanine Aminotransferase enzyme activities and plasma Fe concentration. Also, our results showed that addition of 3% CA caused significant increase (P<0.05) in ileal digestibility of crude protein, apparent metabolizable energy and total phosphorus. Using the highest level of dietary CA decreased (P<0.01) the growth performance parameters, ileal digestibility of nutrients (except in the case of Ca), plasma concentration of cholesterol, P and Fe and also alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity, however this level of CA increased (P<0.05) lactate dehydrogenase activity. In conclusion, the present findings demonstrated that administration of diets with 3% CA and 1000 U/kg MP improved ileal nutrients digestibility, minerals retention and growth performance of broiler chickens.

The productive traits including body weight at different ages, carcass related-traits and reproductive traits including egg production, mean egg weight, fertility and hatchability were studied in a population of Japanese quail in the Research Center of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The fixed effects for body weight were sex and generation-hatch, for carcass related-traits were sex and hatch and for reproductive traits was hatch effect. Descriptive statistics, including the test for normality and significance of fix effects, were obtained using the univariate and general linear model (GLM) procedures of SAS. The mean values of body weight at hatching, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 91 days of age were 8.91, 32.26, 72.56, 124.5, 171.38, 203.34, 232.37 and 270.6 g, respectively. The average percentages of carcass, breast muscle, thigh muscle, skin, abdominal fat and intramuscular fat were 59.12, 24.12, 14.51, 5.2, 0.8 and 8%, respectively. Also average values of age and weight at sexual maturity were 48.32 days and 244.12 g, respectively. The significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between various levels of fixed effects for studied traits. Although the mean values of body weight and weight of carcass composition in females were higher than males, percentage of carcass composition in females were lower than males (P<0.05).

The objective of the present study was to estimate variance components and the heritability for economic traits in Yazd native fowl and evaluation of performed breeding programs based on genetic and phenotypic trends according to the most suitable model for each trait. For this purpose, the information of 9000 female and 9000 male birds collected during 2001 to 2008 were used. Variance components were estimated for body weight at 8 (BW8) and 12 (BW12) weeks of age, age at sexual maturity (ASM), egg number (EN) and average egg weight at 28th, 30th and 32nd weeks (EW) using restricted maximum likelihood method and six animal models. The most suitable model was determined using likelihood ratio test for each trait. For BW8, BW12, ASM and EN, a model consisting of maternal permanent environmental effect in addition to direct genetic effect was the best. For egg weight, a model with maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects in addition to direct genetic effect was the optimal model. The estimates of direct heritability were from 0.11 (EN) to 0.17 (ASM). The results indicated that ignoring maternal effects in the models, overestimates the estimating of direct genetic variance and heritability for all traits. The genetic trends were calculated for BW8, BW12, ASM, EN and EW (2.96 and 4.86 g, -0.02 day, 0.02 egg number and 0.01 g, respectively). Maternal genetic trend for EW (-0.01) was significant (P<0.001). The results indicated that performed breeding program during generations was favorable for BW8 and BW12.

POU1F1 (also named PIT-1 or GHF-1) as a member of the POU family of transcription factors, is mainly expressed in the pituitary and has positive regulation on growth hormone, prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone β, POU1F1 itself and growth hormone releasing hormone receptor genes. In order to investigate POU1F1 gene polymorphism of Makuyi sheep breed, after extraction of DNA with salting out method from blood samples of 95 males and females belonging to this breed from breeding center of Maku, the polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify 295 bp DNA fragment (a part of intron 2, exon 3 and a part of intron 3) with a pair of designed specific primers. The single stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) patterns of PCR products were studied using 6% polyacrylamide gel and silver staining method. Finally 4 band patterns AA, AB, CC and CD were obtained with frequencies of 0.45, 0.073, 0.44 and 0.037, respectively. The frequency of A, B, C and D alleles was calculated as 0.4895, 0.0368, 0.4579 and 0.0158, respectively. Gene diversity was 55.2%. The results indicated that Makuyi sheep population was not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.05). Significant (P<0.05) statistical relationships between polymorphism of POU1F1 gene and body weights at 9 (W9) and 12 (W12) months were found. The CC genotype was associated with highest W9 and W12 (33.8 and 44.75 Kg, respectively) than AA genotype.

This research was carried out to study of milk traits, animal behavior and milking rate in third generation crossbreeds of Ghezel-Arkharmerino, Ghezel-Baluchi, Moghani-Arkharmerino, Moghani- Baluchi and Ghezel breed. The test-day milk records started at first week weaning and then test-day milk records were recorded every week and continued to end of lactation. The procedure used for the analysis of the test-day milk yield, milking rate and milking time was mixed model and for animal behavior during milking was categorical data and generalized linear models (CATMOD) in the SAS statistics software. The breed, parity, stage of lactation, latter size, interaction between stage of lactation and breed, interaction between stage of lactation and parity and parity×latter size×stage of lactation were significant effects (P<0.05) on test-day milk yield. The parity, stage of lactation, latter size, animal interaction between stage of lactation and breed and parity×latter size×stage of lactation were significant effects on milking rate (P<0.05). The breed and stage of lactation had significant effects on animal behavior during of milking (P<0.05). Avrage±standard error (gram per day) test-day milk yield in Ghezel ewes, Ghezel-Arkharmerino, Ghezel-Baluchi, Moghani-Arkharmerino, Moghani-Baluchi crossbreds was 343.9±27, 228±29, 272.5±28, 219.6±29 and 232.3±27, respectively. The significant difference was between Ghezel breed with all crossbreeds on test-day milk yield (P<0.05). The significant differences were between Ghezel breed with Ghezel-Arkhamerino and Moghani-Baluchicrossbreeds (P<0.05) on behavior during milking and milking time. The stage of lactation had significant (P<0.05) effect on test-day milk yield, milking rate and milking time.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of sumac seed's powder on growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters of broiler chickens. Two hundred one-day-old male broilers chicks (Ross 308) in 4 treatments with 5 replicates and 10 birds in each replicate were used in this experiment. The results showed that the feed consumption of 1 percent sumac fed birds was higher than that of other birds during the starter period (0 to 21 days of age) and was higher than that of control and 0.25 percent sumac fed birds during the whole experimental period (0 to 42 days of age) (P<0.05) . The feed conversion ratio of 1 percent sumac fed birds was higher as compared to that of control and 0.25 sumac fed birds during the grower period (22 to 42 days of age) and as compared to other birds during whole the experimental period (P<0.05). The 1 percent sumac fed birds had the highest proportional abdominal fat weight between the treatments (P<0.05). At day 42 of age, 1 and 0.5 percent sumac fed birds had the lower plasma cholesterol and VLDL-c as compared to control and 0.25 sumac fed birds (P<0.05).

The present study was conducted to investigate attractiveness of pollen supplements prepared with Feed Bee and bakery yeast and their effects on population development of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies. Sixteen honey bee colonies with one year old sisterhood queens and similar in size, food reserves and adult population were divided into 4 groups randomly. The colonies were fed: with a sugar solution (1:1) only in control group, a sugar solution and patties composed of 15% bakery yeast, 45% Feed Bee, 30% powdered sugar & 10% honey in second group; a sugar solution and patties composed of 25% bakery yeast, 35% Feed bee, 30% powdered sugar and 10% honey in third group and a sugar solution and patties composed of 60% Feed Bee, 30% powdered sugar and 10% honey in forth group. The supplemental foods were fed to colonies as weekly. The period of feeding treatment foods were 6 weeks. Adult bees population and brood numbers of colonies were measured two times each 21 days. Analysis of data as completely randomized design(CRD) using the SPSS software showed that the diets fed to the fourth and the second groups had the best attractiveness and stimulated the highest brood rearing and population development. The average cumulative consumption of patties of fourth group was significantly (p<0.05) higher (251.25 gr/colony/6 weeks) which followed by patties of second group (237.5 gr/colony/6 weeks). Third group had the lowest consumption (145 gr/colony/6 weeks). It was noticed that after 6 weeks feeding, colonies fed with the patties reared more brood than control group. Colonies of fourth group reared significantly (p<0.05) more brood (as average of 21546 cell/colony) than the other groups. In the end of experiment, hives of the fourth group had significantly more adult bees population (averagely 21938 worker bees/colony) followed by second group (averagely 21375 worker bees/colony). It is concluded that feeding honey bee colonies with 45% Feed Bee, 15% yeast, 30% powdered sugar and 10% honey improve brood rearing and adult bees population.

This experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of different levels of dietary crude protein and threonine on performance, egg quality and histological structure of jejunum in laying hens. One hundred and eighty 48-week old white leghorn hens (Hy-Line, W-36) were randomly assigned to a 3×3 factorial arrangement of treatments based on a completely randomized design that consisted of 9 dietary treatments with 4 replicates of 12 birds each. Experimental diets were included three levels of crude protein (90, 95 and 100% of Hy-Line W36 recommendations) and three levels of dietary threonine (100, 110 and 120% of Hy-Line W36 specifications). The experimental period lasted for a total of 10 weeks and egg quality and performance parameters of laying hens were assessed two times at the end of 5th and 10th weeks of experiment. At final day of trial, two hens per cage were slaughtered to investigate the influence of dietary treatments on jejunal histological structure. Our results showed that decrease in dietary crude protein percent up to 10% and increase of dietaty threonine percent up to 20% had no significant effect on average daily feed consumption, egg production, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, Haugh unit, yolk index and eggshell thickness and hardness. Nonetheless, feeding low-crude protein diets caused to significant decrease on the average of egg weight (P<0.05). On the other hand, although dietary crude protein reduction had no remarkable effects on villus height, crypt depth and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, fortification of low-crude protein diets (90% of recommendations) decreased the relative jejunal goblet cell numbers; however, supplementation of diets with 120% threonine could compensate these alterations. In conclusion, although reduction of dietary crude protein level up to 10% had no adverse impact on performance, egg quality and jejunal histological structure of laying hens, the highest relative goblet cell numbers observed when the birds fed high-threonine diets.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of supplementing Phosphorus-deficient corn-soybean meal diet with supplementation of phytase and propionic acid on growth performance and nutrient utilization in completely randomized design. A total One hundred twenty 1-d-old male broiler chicks of the Arian strain were assigned to 4 dietary treatments, consisting of 12 pens of 10 birds each, and were fed experimental diets from 8 to 21 d of age. The experimental diets consisted of: 1) diet deficient in available phosphorus (negative control) 2) negative control+phytase (300 FTU) 3) negative control + propionic acid + phytase 4) diet with adequate available phosphorus (positive control). The negative control diet was the same as the positive control diet except that the non phytate P levels were 0.141 VS 0.38 percentages. Birds fed the positive control diet had higher growth performance and nutrient digestibility than those fed the negative control diet (P < 0.05). Phytase improved Body weight gain and feed intake (P < 0.05). The addition of propionic acid to the phytase-supplemented low-Phosphorus diets improved growth performance (P < 0.05). Phytase improved ileal dry matter, energy and phosphorus digestibility (P < 0.05). The addition of propionic acid to the phytase-supplemented low-Phosphorus diets did not affect (P >0.05) on ileal digestibility of dry matter, energy and phosphorus, but improved ileal digestibility of protein (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that the addition of propionic acid to the low-Phosphorus diets can improve broiler growth performance.

Effects of different levels of lysine (90, 100 and 110% of Ross strain requirement) and pyridoxine (3, 6 and 9 mg/kg) on growth, carcass characteristics and some blood indices of broiler chickens exposed to a high ambient temperaturewere investigated. For this purpose, four hundred and fifty one-day-old Ross broiler chicks were used in a 3*3 factorialexperiment. Different levels of lysine and pyridoxine had no effect on weekly body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of broiler chickens but birds fed the high lysine level had the lower body weight gain. Lysine had no effect on blood hematocrit. But pyridoxine affected the blood hematocrit (P<0.05) and consumption of medium pyridoxine level increased the blood hematocrit. Both the lysine (P<0.05) and pyridoxine (P<0.01) changed the blood cholesterol. At the lowest lysine level, consumption of 6 and 9 mg pyridoxine caused the higher blood cholesterol. At the medium level of lysine, only 6 mg pyridoxine increased the blood cholesterol. At the highest level of lysine, pyridoxine supplementation didn’t affect the blood cholesterol. Increasing the lysine level resulted in higher blood cholesterol and the highest lysine fed birds had the higher blood cholesterol as compared to the birds fed the lower levels of lysine. Although pyridoxine supplementation caused the increased blood hematocrit, it didn’t affect the other parameters. Furthermore, supplementation of lysine and pyridoxine together had no advantage on the parameters of recent experiment.

This experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of different levels of dietary crude protein and threonine on immunological responses of broiler chicks. A total of 432 one-day-old male broiler chickens were used in a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments consisted of three levels of threonine (100, 110 and 120% of Ross 308 requirement recommendations) and three dietary crude protein concentrations (90, 95 and 100% of Ross 308 requirement specifications) in a 3×3 factorial arrangement of treatments with 4 replicates of 12 birds each. Feeding different levels of crud protein and threonine had no remarkable effect on Newcastle antibody titer (P>0.05). Reduction in dietary crude protein content tended to decrease primary (P=0.16) and secondary (P=0.13) immune responses against sheep red blood cell (SRBC); however, incremental level of threonine up to 110% of recommended values promoted antibody responses against SRBC antigen (P<0.05). Administration of diets with at least 110% of threonine recommendations caused to significant decrease in albumin to globulin (P<0.01) and heterophil to lymphocyte (P<0.05) ratios. These changes were due to the remarkable increase in the proportions of globulins and lymphocytes (P<0.05). The interaction between crud protein and threonine was significant on lymphatic tissues responses (P<0.05) and the highest relative weights of spleen and bursa of fabricius and also the numbers of jejunal lamina propria lymphatic follicles were obtained when the birds fed high-crud protein high-threonine diets. In conclusion, the present results indicated that although decrease in dietary crude protein content to 90% of recommended values reduced the humoral immune responses and bursa of fabricius relative weight, fortification of diets with threonine up to 110% of Ross 308 recommended values could improve the humoral immune responses and also the proportions of blood globulins and lymphocytes in broiler chicks.

Genetic and phenotypic parameters were estimated for calving interval (CI), open days (OD), conception rate (CR), gestation length (GL), number of service per conception (NSPC), interval from calving to first service (CTFS), age at first calving (AFC) and Interval from first service to conception (FSTC) in 6 large Holstein dairy herds in East Azerbaijan province. The reproductive traits used in this study were collected from 1997 to 2009 at the Livestock Service of the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture. Genetic and phenotypic parameters of the traits were estimated using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedure under univarite and multivariate animal models applying WOMBAT software. The estimated heritabilities for CI, OD, CR, GL, NSPC, CTFS, AFC and FSTC were 0.047, 0.041, 0.073, 0.060, 0.071, 0.21, 0.12 and 0.044, respectively. The estimated genetic correlations among the traits ranged from 0.002 for OD–NSPC to 0.97 for FSTC–NSPC. The estimated phenotypic correlations were generally lower than those of genetic correlations and ranged from 0.001 to 0.71.